wee beautiful pict

mad psychiatry: the doctor who hears voices

Just watched - 'the doctor who hears voices' on channel 4 - an approach to mental illness that regards existing medicating/hospitalising practices - as harmful - perhaps even making the illness worse.   

This non-medicating approach to  mental illness, explored here - is, to my eyes anyway, a kind of brave-hearted loving attempt at slightly higher-voltage 'exorcising' (higher voltage than much of the current mix of medicating/speaking cures anyway) of the destructive effects of these obsessive/accusing/demanding voices without referring to or without resources of religion/God. 

It is risky if self harm is part of the equation and may not help everyone.   It also takes unusual courage to practice - but I wish my parent  who suffered chronic mental illlness and went through years and years of barbarous electroshock treatment and must have went through oceans of medication - had got this kind of help in her younger days....   

Big Edinburgh tARTan Peacepipe || tour - one kilt many colours!

hi all - if these ask for password, enter: peacepipe - cheers! for bigger (inc. full screen option) and much better quality clips click on links below each video or go to - http://www.vimeo.com/tartanpeacepipe for the whole caboudle!

the big edinburgh tARtan peacepipe march08 - part 1 from paul T

for all 3 videos - go here
 

IT IS FINISHED! scotland's empire is oer! - time tae detox - time tae shine!

According tae the prophet haggis ( (;-))- the 3 giants that stalk scotland today are

sectarianism, masochism and addiction.

the poorest parts & cities suffer most still-

average death-age of males in glasgow: 59

can we fix her?
what is causing her pain..? 
do we have an accurate diagnosis yet -so we can at least know where aim at ?

and not just put a plaster over the wound?

scots have highest dreadful stats  in many areas health, alcoholism/addiction, violence/self harm and terrirtorial gang violence in housing schemes - its' children's care sector in the 70's has some of the worst scare stories of abuse, cruelty and sexual molestation in europe - many are still silent -many still being unearthed today

why?

The source of problem - The Scottish body of Christ's as yet unrecognised bond with EMPIRE... the british one - remember!.... let's look more at why? and then some practical working solutions to try out.. I think you'll be surprised- I was..

Jesus in the scottish health board

Met up with a new tartan saint on my travels - consultant psychiatrist, Rob waller - we arranged to hook up for lunch today at his place of work: St. John's hospital in Livingston.  He has some great energy and ideas - eg.some of his dreams include:

1. citywide support network for saints across health industry!

2. a 'dreamday edinburgh style event' for 'health sphere', and

3. opening basic mental health 'first-aid' outlets in (and facilitated by) not only - congregations & christian organisations at the bluer end of the spectrum of Edinburgh's christian community but (he and others are working on a 'stages' of mental health& christianity course: using both resources of therapuetic praxis and biblical story & interpretation - cool stuff! 

and this is music to my and many of the ears of those of you who have been toiling away for years out there in some tough places - to support, validate and help/skill-up the alternative networks and projects that operate at the red grassroots end with these wonderful - and timely- resources ALSO.

Funding and strengthening the saints in Scotland's health industry -  great

across the board - priceless!

this elder in the land is looking for other elders who love and who live in and pray for the health sphere - who are drawn to explore some of the above.. rob is also part of a national support network - focusing on- the 'mental health sphere' ::  site In meantime he is about to contact all above - I'm off to contact and find others at red end that may not appear on the blues' radar - so a 'healthy' mix get a chance to network across the body of christ in this field  - hopefully in places and spaces that red's feel able to come to - so none are left disconnected and isolated.

Jesus v the temple: Ps and Gs and 6 million quid

I've been having sleepless nights too about Ps n Gs decision to spend £6million on their own building - and have kept back from speaking out up to now - well someone else has broken the silence at last:

Mark calder blogs on it here  and  here.   

new tracks uploaded -fresh from the studio

Just uploaded the following (scroll down to get at them on the browser-see right pane):

1. feel the granite -  ambient, vox, glitchy congas, synth stuff

PLUS
ambient versions of the following:
2. hard sparkle - the one with that 'underworld' sample
3. Lambs R Us - harps and a hint of glitch
and words:

holy lamb
eyes of fire
dust of earth
my desire..... is you

4. Torry kids shine - highland psalms meets asian meets guitars meets soaring orchestral

who says ye canny do amazing cinematography on a domestic camcorder - check this:

HV20 - Rainy Day Cinematography from Solomon Chase on Vimeo

Moonstep

new clubnight from phil & friends who gave us

- boogaloo bothy :: link

10 new tunes just uploaded from the studio

  These new songs I'm working on for a new album: GRANITE - and I'm going to blog on it and post stuff as i go.   It is about my growing up in aberdeen in 70's  it's about my own personal experience -  for me it had great hardness -even cruelty-  but at times flashes of great courage and beauty.  Both are needed to communicate it's reality honestly.  Granite is hard but in certain light shimmers and sparkles.  It's nae fer nithin - aeberdeen is ca'd i granite city ye ken. 

It's just at idea stage - these are first 2 are:

1. granite
2. granite (broken mix)-  where the above idea is then broken down and remixed to poduce fragments and chaos at beginning weaving into a pattern at end. (you can listen to both these tracks on right >)

comedy IS the sword of the Spirit; comedy IS prophecy

watch

an example of comedy = prophecy

A clip from episode 8 of the Armando Iannucci Shows.
Armando tells us why digital TV is great. He also details his dreams about Scottish heaven, and why it's so crap

armando by using comedy- skillfully gets at some unconscious toxic attitudes and unhealthy beliefs that have been festering here for generations and have brought us into much captivity

calling for scotland's saints own post-empire incarnational revolution

The General Register Office for Scotland (Gros) said there were 421 drug-related deaths last year, 85 more than in 2005, representing a 25% rise [in scotland]  BBC News

I've spent last 5 years talking about 3 big giants in scotland are - masochism, addiction and sectarianism

does this report backs this up ?.   I'm not sure if we can read this into it - But let's look at what do we read here: hopefully do we not read here that Scotland's thirst - particularly among it's poorest and most broken - for God and a future worthy of our very being and life sighs out loud and clear - but that is only half of the story.    The other far more painful reality that we MUST NOT be in denial about is that: creation in scotland is screaming and groaning for help -and has been for a long long time.


 

on reintroducing wolves and saints back into the wild

Reading about the re-introduction of wolves into scotland :: website

reflection on call for re-introduction of wolves in haggis land:

I've been thinking about post-industrial loss of connection with the land in scotland - particularly -the wild - and how it has bred a peculiar kind of 'sectarian christianity' of a thousand fragmented 'denominations/sects/church plants/organisations - obsessed with taming a wild 'jesus of nazareth' here in my home haggis country - leaving us with a thin attenuated domesticated - perhaps even dead- version of the real thing! where the real saints died out a long time ago...

let's call for the re-introduction of the wild christ - out of centuries of imprisonment; of cage-sects, holy buildings and zoo 'services' - back into the wild land... again! out where his wild big hearted big-as-life saints can grow and flourish once again - when the wolves and the saints are returned to the wild - watch this land and its poorest heal and transform in ways we can't begin to imagine...

back from hols and facebook

Just back from hols in corfu and I've been a bit waylaid by facebook; been on it quite a lot lately - hence my lack of input here over last month :: my facebook

godman cartoon

godman is absolutely hilarious

mama pop and other nooz headlines from edinburgh

Mama pop the cross denominational, cross dressing, choir-house of funk have outdone themselves again at chai teahoose, even without soundcheck.  Check oot their first EP.   

Phil McBride and Mark Neal, recently launched Sonic Lodge Recording Studio in Leith - they now have a that great looking website online now! it's got a dead handy updated news and local gigs/events section - get in touch with your gig details - Mama Pop's EP is their first release I think.

Mark Calder has recording his thoughts and experiences on the lead up to this year's SoulGait@Fringe on his new blog: (re)psalms

Andy Philip is this month's shore poet next poetry reading is at: Mai Thai cafe bar, Holyrood Road, 7:45 pm Sunday 27 May

For some reason a whole lot of us decided to vote for SNP this time round - just for a change! 'Oh No! what have we done' said dave and phil - they won! ((;-))   If it's any consolation - BBC interviewed  dock workers in glasgow  (all staunch  labour supporters)  why they all - to a man- voted SNP - 'Och! funcied a change! they said... and even better: none of the christian parties got into power - hallelujah! ! (one ch party wanted prison boats, border patrols, homosexuality outlawed and hanging returned- scary!)  definitely somethin in the air changin here in scotland , more :: scottish parliament   BBC scotland BBC elections

Christianity in Scotland - where next part 2?

The question now is: how much does the church around scotland want tae be free;  all of creation here - that is: all of scotland - is waiting for her - to see what she does.

The Spirit of God is stirring in all kinds o places across the country - political changes often mirror Spiritual ones (according to Jewish worldview that Jesus was soaked in) the vote for snp wasn't about nationalism - it was a vote for it's own unique voice - its own future - its own hunger to at last risk growing up - standing up in a global age and taking responsibility for its own transformation. 

Not only in drawing out it's own potential and gifts but facing up to it's own sin; it's own part in oor toxic history of a british empire (which the competing congregational sectarian landscape and its idolatry of worship and word became the engine of).

like cry of the israelites that came to the ears of YHWH -
according to walter B. an OT theologian where '

YHWY is drawn to the cries of the oppressed like a moth to a flame'

In scotland the aparthied of spirit and matter - christian and non-christian (sub human) - congregation and creation is OVER! 

the world of Christ is here and Scotland is soaked in it!      

so the post-congregational posse would recommend these 3 things for a way forward for the church across scotland:

Christianity in Scotland - where next? part 1

After 25 years of missional work in scotland I've personally come to a place of what feels like a hope I've never tasted before - a 'real' hope in Christ that isnae crushed by facing up to some granite reality - in fact is kinda fuelled by it - here are 3 bits of hard granite reality that we have to deal with... 3  shifts that will make demons of christendom squirm like nothing else will- if you are recognised as a 'christian leader' of some kind - prepare for the most painful detox of your life - compared to this coming off crack is like coming off of tetley tea.

1. Shift landscapes: the current christian landscape of congregations and organisations in scotland is exhausted - but a new one is already here, full of potential and hidden gift, right under our noses.

2. Shift practices: if we can like christian practices to a set of 'fields' then the practices of 'preaching' and 'worship' are dry dustbowls - deviod of vital nourishment - however the other fields which traditionally have been left fallow since earlier times: creative prayer,  peer-learning,  healing/justice,  friendship (fellowship) and eating  together  are FULL of nutrients fae an ignored silenced Christ of the poor and the land.  (thanks to Chris Erskine for this very helpful picture of what many of us think may be happening)

3. Shift positions:   To experience this new landscape of promise - will be impossible if you try and hold on to a 'position' and 'status' of the past and the financial support  given to you to maintain it's vested interests.  >> more>>

big space in edinburgh wanted for 2 days!

Anyone with a 'big' space in edinburgh able to put any of these folks up (email below)?
contact: Iain Clyne
Highlands & Islands YFC
Tel: 01463 783595
Mob: 0779 506 4635

Hey Iain,
I found out somewhat unexpectedly a week or so ago that Gordon McBirnie's church isn't going to be able to put our group up in Edinburgh when we first arrive for First Contact after all. Apparently their insurance has changed and they aren't covered to have people spending the night in the building anymore. On relatively short notice I am now trying to find an alternative place, preferably in Edinburgh, for about 25 of us to stay for two nights when we arrive on July 13th.

UK home office is still attempting deporting people into a death zone in darfur

latest on home office deportation of those from darfur:

Uk - courts have halted some home office deportations  but others are in still in danger of deportation - the least we can do is offer safe haven - keep the pressure up!

this is affecting people around us - these deportees are our friends and neighbours -
chris erskine has sent round an email - and has some suggestions:

   * Write to your MP and ask her/him to raise - deportations- within your parliament
   * Write to your local paper and get them to run a story
   * Get a petition together and get Christians to raise a voice for
     the voiceless - Stop All Deportations to Sudan!!!
   * Look at the NCADC website for updates

check daily darfur news: here and latest NCADC uk antideportation news: here

dreamday and myspace update

Not been on blog but I've been updating myspace! check it oot!
Also been touring around seeing what's been happening since dreamday 4. 
A few I can mention ....

Fiona T - saint wi a moose - ma better half! is crackin on with her network edinburgh myspace style site.. for da edinburg saints! she is thinking of calling it - wait for it...

THE VOLCANO

Plans for 'down to earth days' as peter neilson has coined them- are just beginning (workshops looking at stuff like: how to start up projects, money stuff, how to go from lone saint with a dream to team getting stuck in, practical incarnational theology and spiritual growth connected to doing this stuff) to start in late spring? and a bunch of us are thinking of: targeting areas/projects with offer of help with reflective exercises

to see what they need in more detail to 'develop/grow' healthy - around themes above and others they are aware of for themselves -whatever helps just enough and doesn't intrude too much.

Late summer - a team of up for it saints (maybe not so much me) could put on another dreamday to keep stuff cooking, flowing and saints meeting each nother.   make it a part of the festival fringe - in a tent?? hey I'm just dreamin here ((;-))

anyway over tae glasgae...

Stuart took me on a wee wander around some haunts in his beloved glasgow - brill! I'm meeting other saints in glasgow - loads a great people and stuff happening at the edges of things there..

from others there: noises about a glasgow dreamday!  great! my hunch is to get OUT THERE though more and find enough of a healthy diverse spread of an indigenous/mixed crowd of saints - especially those you might not 'hear' of -way off the usual maps-  to carry it through long term!

I guess like what we are trying hard to get out and find/support way out among the wires and streetlights of edinburgh.

(this takes some hard searching on the ground - otherwise it will end up 'usual suspects' - another wee bourichy of mcwclg's white middle class vocal 'christian leader' - nowt wrong wi mcwclg's but  it needs tae be all kinds of people/gifts o-across- glasgow's wonderful body or it'll bounce off the 'real' glasgow quicker than a christian 70's space hopper - as does all bras-on-natives non-indigenous christian fads eventually)

To heal glasgow, edinburgh, aberdeen...  you have to search wide AND dig deep! 

However these saints create dreamdays and whatever they choose to call it - I do know one thing: It'll look a heck of a lot different fae dreamday edinburgh that's for sure!  can't wait to see how they create this kind of support/encouragement/release of saints's dreams in their own colours/style for their own city!  A Canny wait!   

Hanging out in Livi with Doogs and hearing more o the challenges of his incredibly valuable work/involvement in Livi's alternative / music scene.  Me and Doogs having coffee in the local mall - what a scream!  Always great hanging out with this big-hearted man-saint.

From North Edinburgh:
Just hearing news from Emily's community cookbook - 1st cook-in session in pilton - wiz a bosker! 9 different ethnic cultures taking turns tae share food/recipes with each other...
Hearing more from Tom, Anneleen in Granton about kids club and 16+ young people they are involved in there with and hopefully soon - hannah and her mates - to check out their wee internet cafe setup.  Meeting other projects in the area next month - to make help encourage more connections  among wider scene of activists, saints n community artists in North Ed.

and fae west edinburgh:
Randy and Jan's  schoolkids music project has grown wings and is flying - loads of kids involved in singing and even writing material for the songs, the website J2kid.com with freshly written song downloads (now free) is dead popular with schools/kids involved.

Their first  UKANTOO workshops at THE LOT  - looked brill!  I managed to pop in just before the beginning  and chat to randy/jan/Euan and some parents - both kids and parents are really into this - there's nothing like it in scotland!  (performances 'for' kids - but nothing that let's the kids write/perform put on shows - do it for themselves like this!) - plan is for them to take this 'resource' out citywide tae help ALL edinburgh's schoolkids shine!: they need a wee bit more funding to launch and then they can generate their own funds and self-support - watch this space!

Susie D's kids theatre project is cooking well - all 7 musical pieces by 4 edinburgh music artists have been written for the kids and about to go on CD (I've heard it - mind blowing heart breaking deeply moving the way it's been woven together - all the music artists have found the whole subject/process  of gifting this story top these kids using our different approaches/electronic/live styles v moving and stirring too).   To create - means to FEEL the creator!  when these estate kids create - the christian story as a resources and encourages us that - the kids get in touch with their DIGNITY as wee creators
made in God's image - when kids taste 'that' for themselves in their ane backyard/estate revolutions can happen that affect everyone! (Jesus wiz born oan an estate at the end o the world too - but look what he tasted there - in his own wee back yard - and look what he did when he grew up) :: check oot my two of the tracks: funky universe part 1 and 6 (music player>)

The kids from around the estate in west edinburgh are putting their own gritty imaginitave interpretation of the christian origin myth/genesis - using white sheets/clothes and projected video and music - the show - with public/parents coming too is gonna be great! 

City Centre
managed tae pop in by the music network at the LOT on saturday (christian musicians agreed to meet up after dreamday 4).  What a fun bunch - great to meet all and pedro n me will be hookin up to add some south american conga magic to some of my percussively tired tracks!   John  D is doin a grand job - kicking off getting these saints together- he's organising the next one I think.

Velveteen screen - is back and fore to university-studio working on the last reworkings/editing of their latest film SWITCH n SAVE (imaginatively done Univ students educational film on saving light heat electricity) - I got to do the soundtrack/sound effects for this.  It has been flippin hard work/learning curve for velveteen but I think they have puuled it off -it is looking really good.

Upcoming in the arts: Leah's  first art show is on at the traverse cafebar - NOW.  Dave Martin's art show based on his quest around NAfrica, middle east and eastern europe is on from the 15th March at the Royal Scottish Academy.

Leith
Popped down tae Phil's new recording studio in Leith - sonic lodge- must say - it is looking braw!  glass doors on the vocal booth! nice!  Separate mixing room with simple vidcams in music and vox booth - sorted! Wee reception area upstairs is taking shape - soon be ready! Already they have quite a few coming on their books for sessions/practice. 

This has been a 8 long years wait for Phil!  Since the very first day i met this record spinnin saint fae northern Ireland - he's been talking of nothing else but this 'dream' of his own studio (and hosting our own local club night for his friends around the city) since! so many disappointments and things falling through time and time again- almost never thought it would happen - well deserved man! 

Everyone, God and you both came through bigtime! ... and all these great people, just when you needed them the most have popped out of nowhere to help!   Sonic lodge - I'm sure is going to be great for so many involved struggling away trying to get somewhere in edinburgh's (awfully neglected by the powers that be) local music scene!  that's my pinion anyway!

something that's been gestatin for all that time when birthed has gotta be about to do some great good when it does come out!

for all you saints struggling for your dream to come about and seeing knock back after knock back-
please persevere - dinnae give up! miracles, signs and wonders (and all stories here are social-prophetic-political signs n wonders)  - as paul the apostle said -takes great patience!

in fact jump in deeper, go out further!  (one monk told me once: when angels and creation sees you are serious - then they'll respond!)

Fae Aberdeen:
Met Joshua with Fee and peter neilson, who are doing some interesting stuff in biz sphere with some saints in aberdeen  - more later. 

Anyway! There are loads more bubbling away here and across scotland (if ye hae eyes to see n ears tae hear! a wee bit ie. get out there and have enough of a heart to look for it like!

  A lot of it, is too private, would be innapropriate to put on a blog - you know the score!  but I thought I'd bung in some general stuff about just a few of God's fantastic saints here doing some courageous stuff in attempting to get their hands mucky and launch their mad dreams to change the world a bit! and maybe even heal and challenge a scotland lost in the mist that the big-hearted Christ loves tae bits!  - a bit!   and have a helluva lotta fun doing it too! 

hey! we've only just started !  how many more are out there isolated, with a dream and starving for encouragement, money, support and resources.  Keep looking for more... dinna be shy! anyone - email / tel me, fiona, peter or any of the people puuting on dreamdays  - or leave a comment on this blog.  Cheers!  have fun!

global intimacy: The politics of jesus and the intimacy of the saints - part 2

DJHaggis: I've been thinking a lot more about intimacy .  Aye!

If you think about it: Creation is all about intimacy - made of the stuff - what keeps it alive! cities and ecologies  and human bodies - all need  intimate cooperative relationships  to survive and thrive - each part  is essential  to it's survival.

The good news of the resurrection is that Jesus is at the living beating blood pumping life giving heart of your city - at the heart of all of creation - what is the big deal about that - well it means this:

WE DON"T HAVE TO BE AFRAID ANYMORE

of our cities - of the powers that be here ...

saints, the kids are now your church

According to the last in a series of three reports, reported by the BBC: Child Poverty in Perspective: An Overview of Child Wellbeing in Rich Countries says UK is bottom of a list of 21 industrial countries for child poverty.    Indicators: poverty, relationships with parents, health and safety, behaviour, and children's own sense of well-being were worst among kids here in the UK.

1. Netherlands

2. Sweden

3. Denmark

4. Finland

5. Spain

6. Switzerland

7. Norway

8. Italy

9. Republic of Ireland

10. Belgium

11. Germany

12. Canada

13. Greece

14. Poland

15. Czech Republic

16. France

17. Portugal

18. Austria

19. Hungary

20. United States

21. United Kingdom

                                                         

Source: Unicef

all oor banging on about the work  of the saints  among kids and their parents  in scotland  -  to release their dreams into creation: to build communities, networks around the country that creates secure boundaries and projects that are a living repentance of generations of neglect and help kids shine! - maybe we're not so far off the mark after all..? 

may a thousand mad colourful imaginative grassroots dreams and projects of all shapes and kinds among scotland's kids and their parents across scotland bloom..

From sect to creation: the politics of jesus and the return of intimacy

this great wee entry about intimacy by Richard L  in his blog: pilgrim's progress got me thinking about the 'politics of intimacy' - how unhealthy political forces can have a disastrous effect on the human need for intimacy and relationship with God, people and creation it lives among and is sent to serve - and how our addiction to the sect in scotland - numbs the spirit and kills intimacy with God (and others -and creation itself) -

karl marx was half right - but it is not christ or christianity as a religion that is the drug - it is the 'sect' part of it - that congealed lump of leadership/tithes/congregation that is a kind of narcotic - an addiction - an addiction that numbs the spirit, chills the heart, paralyses courageous action in the world and blocks INTIMACY..with God - the beating throbbing creative heart (in jewish/christian tradition) of your city/locality....

funky universe part 6: latest music upload from ma studio

I've just uploaded latest piece of music done for play called: funky universe part 6 - play or download from music player on the right of the blog - enjoy! 

funky universe part 1 was uploaded a few weeks ago.   Part 1 is day 1 of genesis - woman's scream (trinity breaking opening herself open to birth the universe)  into a mix of gritty uplifting orchestral arrangement and marching band percussion - with a driving bass & beat sprinkled with funk.  I wanted to capture the sheer mad exuberance, generosity and courage of a God willing to jump and taking that gigantic risk of getting out there and creating bigtime.. the cross wasn't the first time God gave herself completely and madly for sheer desire and crazy hope - like those screaming for the chance to have children.

funky universe part 6 - uploaded now - finally the coming of humans into the mix - God has got her baby - at long last!  what a day for a doting God and excited creation!
I've made it an highland 'call and response' style piece of electronica ...

good old tutu

some sense here in the middle o a lot of childish noise by much of oor brothers n sisters in the uk who I wish would get involved in some real issues that are now destroying so many lives - tartan saints dinnae no get sidetracked, dinnae no! good ol tutu

new music, dreamers and mad soup

Both Fee and I had cold over christmas and new year - boo!  1 week later and we are inundated by emails and all kinds of people to meet and stuff to do.

In my spare time, I'm working on three pieces of music:  2 pieces for Susie and her kids drama/theatre project  in Sighthill estate/west edinburgh and 1 piece for velveteen screen's latest small film project for Edinburgh University.   Check in soon to hear the results. 

From my work side - getting around meeting people with ideas and dreams around the city and over spring with the help of some friends are about to  meet people trying to turn their dreams intae action outside edinburgh too...

latest stuff growing out of dreamdays: 1. core of people who have launched stuff this year now foraging for others with dreams  and good ideas  for their city 

2.  funky edinburgh network website to help people keep in contact with each other

3. practical workshops on main stuff crying out for help that came out of part 2 at the last dreamday.

4. support networks in each sphere - some of musicians from that day have already started their own regular support/hangout/meetup -well done!

Over January, February and March - there are already visits booked from friends down south who have coordinated support for similar stuff going on across their cities.

I'm learning how tae make some pretty mad 'soups' - (wi some chunky oatcakes and jarlsberg cheese mmm! and in the mornin, porridge - made wi honey and a wee spot o whisky - Am tellin ye, ye canny beat it in a scottish winter)   

I am the anarchy and the omega

Theo hobson, from ecclesia -christian thinktank-  argues in an article: christianity can work with secular culture' that secular Britain isn't against Christianity but is against the power of christian institutions and calls for an anarchic post institutional christian culture!

Great,we have some more decent thinking going on about our uk christians love affair with power and empire and how we, (the rest of Britain is already way ahead of current crop of christian leaders/spokespersons on this matter), the christians in brittania need to detox from it and create a vibrant anarchic chritian culture instead...  here are some excerpts:

...I think that we are seeing a rise in secular consciousness. But it is crucial that we do not confuse this with a hostility to religion. It is a hostility to the power of religious institutions...

a leg up

Saints with innovative dreams for your scene/city around Scotland: are ye looking at combining a business idea with transformation and social justice so that you can do your own DIY funding - are ye? 

We can do this!  quite a few of us are looking at this way of setting up stuff now. 

Gifts and angel-start ups, as many of us know, can help release  energy/time/focus to get things going, but for more long term, how about DIYing our own funding in our own back yard: setup a  business to help fund that social justice project you dream of - even find ways of lots of us doing this in bits and pieces so that:

1. Without strings: The projects can FOCUS and grow around and with the people it serves - rather than focus/grow around changing needs/politics of funders/patrons.

2. These projects are not so dependant on big funders; the urban poor as well as activists can generate their own income:  the poor in our toons and cities get to be 'agents of their own transformation' (tasting their rightful dignity as creators; of being made in image of God the creator)-

Some new things recently  setup that might give you a leg up:

starter for six (new business ideas- grants up to 10k)
social entrepreneur fund  (ideas projects to catalyse justice/transformation in scottish cities- up to 5k)
meet others attempting to launch stuff around scotland - (mainly in arts/theatre/media/film/music industry)