Have finally finished reading the Bruce Chatwin biography. It has been my last thing at night bedtime book for weeks (550 pages a few at a time) and what a fascinating story it is. Thank you Ray Peters for giving it to me as otherwise I would still be in ignorance of this particular life. According to Nicholas Shakespeare, author of the biography, “In 1998, paperback sales of Bruce Chatwin’s works in Britain sold over a million copies and he is published in 27 languages earning more for his estate than he ever managed to achieve in his lifetime” although one must say that in the last few years of his lamentably short life when his books did fly off the shelves he earned a not inconsiderable sum. Up until now I never knew of his existence so have not read any of his work though he is reputed to have been a major influence in English letters.
The debate God versus atheism rages on in full swing, various opinions from one hundred percent belief to the exact opposite being expressed on BBC News. No one has ever been able to prove the existence of God. The only reason He (notice how I’m capitalising Him, no blasphemy here) exists is because of one little word – “faith.” No proof, just faith. So of course I believe in God. I also believe somewhere up there is a place called heaven and somewhere down there is a place called hell where we will burn in everlasting fire (despite not having a corporeal body which, if we did still have, wouldn’t last five minutes anyway) for being naughty, wicked and sinful whilst on earth, every one of these naughty, wicked and sinful goings on being recorded and held against us on the day of judgement when we’ll all pop up out of our graves once more to face our everlasting fate.
It will be standing room only such will be the crush on this overpopulated planet. I also believe in angels, archangels, cherubim and seraphim. How else could all those Medieval and Middle ages artists have painted them so beautifully if they didn’t have models to go by? I believe in dragons, mermaids, Neptune, those naughty gods on Mount Olympus, fairies, pixies, elves and hobgoblins, werewolves, vampires, warlocks and witches with the most amazing powers that never stopped them from a ducking or being burnt at the stake. I believe in tree spirits, mountain spirits, and house spirits. I believe in the goddess Kali, Anubis, Isis, Osiris and there are plenty more where they came from. If you’re lacking a faith and want a personal pet god to worship you can shop to your heart’s content among that lot. There is definitely a River Styx to cross over after death and Cerberus to throw a sop to, whatever is to hand I suppose though what happens if you don’t have the right kind of sop I really don’t know. There are demons galore, monsters and genies to boot, though magic lamps and lucky horseshoes, rabbit’s feet and Cornish piskie charms, talismans and crystals are there to ward off the evil eye.
The Archbishop of Cantab has said that Sharia law will come to the United Kingdom. Does that mean punishments will include stoning, the cutting off of hands, public flogging and beheading?
Philip ll of Spain on his deathbed was bemoaning the fact that he had sent thousands of heretics in the Netherlands to the stake and his confessor tried to comfort him by saying it was all for the Faith to which Philip responded by saying yes but had he killed enough.
A devout Hindu living in Newcastle-on-Tyne has attacked UK law for not allowing him to be cremated in the traditional fashion on a pyre in the open air so that believers may witness his soul flying to heaven. I have no doubt sooner or later in court the yooman rights act will come into the equation. It wouldn’t surprise me either if this measly cringing appeasing government didn’t eventually capitulate though it would seem a much better idea just to offer to pay the gentleman’s fare back to the Ganges where the smell of his burning corpse won’t upset the locals.
Bruce Chatwin in the end and dying of AIDS related illnesses, after showing no signs of a religious inclination during his life, converted to the Orthodox faith. Like Byron he was a Grecophile so was it an epiphany or the fear of death?
O God Almighty who knows and sees everything, when are your children going to grow up?