Sexist.

Watch and listen to the above video.

I have been a part of the choral tradition of the Anglican church for over 10 years. To be exact, 14. I started singing as a treble.

As you will notice with the above choir, it is all male. I bet you're saying one word- sexist.

Well, yes. Yes it is. I freely admit that. I also realise admitting it does not excuse it. Why, though, does the tradition of men and boys choirs still exist in the 21st century? More to the point, why do I think it should exist?

I just found out that in first year classical singing this year at WAAPA there are 3 men. THREE. Hardly any men. and SEVENTEEN women. Why does this happen? Well I don't know why in this day and age schoolboys think it's 'uncool' to sing. I really think that what happens in school choirs is that they have a surplus of sopranos and mezzos, and one tenor and one boy singing the bass part, but who really is a tenor. Honestly- an environment in which boys are told that it is good to sing (sing strongly, no less) around older men who are singing is extremely valuable.

Especially when opera companies are calling around for hours trying to find ONE tenor, because their audition panel saw 70 sopranos. Then you wish that there was a culture in which males are told that it is good to sing.

The all male choir tradition is what got me singing. I'm sure it will get a lot more men singing in the future.

Oh Rome.

Rome. What the fuck are you doing.

I don't know why you insist on not taking responsibility. YOU CAN DO SO MUCH BETTER. I mean you have kept the Latin language in the world, you have produced Julian of Norwich, and Thomas Aquinas. You have produced the selfless acts of Saint Peregrine Laziosi, the patron saint of cancer survivors. You have motivated Mother Theresa go to the slums and spread the good news and help the needy.

Why do you insist on sexual politics and hiding your problems, and in so doing hiding your true potential? If you take responsibility, you will move forward, become a better church, and become a credible and powerful voice in society. It will be a bruise in your history that will be behind you forever that you can look on and say 'we beat that and moved beyond it.'

Come on, Rome. Lift your game.

I have faith in you.

---

'One day, we will have to stand before the God of history, and we will talk in terms of things we've done... and it seems I can hear the God of history saying 'that was NOT ENOUGH!' But I was hungry... and ye fed me not.' Martin Luther King

Lux Christi

Hey all!

So I follow a blog titled 'Christians tired of being misrepresented'. The things on that page, at least when I first clicked follow, explained the feelings I have towards my faith almost perfectly- especially the title itself. I think I even remember searching facebook for exactly that.

As time went on, however, I noticed something. They separate themselves from Fundamentalists of any religion and Republicans (they are clearly an American page) who infer, or maybe even sometimes say directly 'vote republican and enter paradise.' I liked the fact that they debunked the myth among non believers that this is what all Christians are like. There is something a bit strange about it, though.

The love of God is UNCONDITIONAL. The light of Christ shines upon ALL people. They preach this very readily, and say things like 'we welcome those whom Fundamentalism rejects, because Jesus would welcome you', but when they lampoon the Fundamentalists, or, as they begrudgingly refer to them as 'fundies', they seem to imply the sinister notion that God does not love them. Which, I am sorry, is just as bad as fundamentalists saying that God does not love a certain group of people or a person.

Our religion has been damaged... the consequences are before us.

Now I know that some of you reading this will say 'you have never been in a fundamentalist world, you don't know what it's like, it's easy for you to say'. Well, maybe not. I have, however, spent 8 years working for a church whose parish held one tenet- 'the ordination of women is a schismatic act.' ONE tenet of their parish. Of course they were still Christians (Anglicans), but their parish was part of the 'forward in faith' movement... ironic. I also had a massive run in with Fundamentalism a few years ago. If you would like to know more about it message me. I would rather not blog it.

God's love and Christ's light shines on 'the righteous and the wrongdoers alike.' Forgiveness is hard, and Jesus tells us that and lets us know that that's ok. I still haven't really forgiven the person I had the run in with a few years ago. It is hard to accept, in the heat of the moment, that God loves someone you hate, or loves someone you don't like. It really is difficult- I know that the light of Christ shines upon the person with whom I had the run in, that is a reality, but that doesn't mean I forgive them for what they've done. 

God loves us all, without reservation. That is not an easy thing to say, or even accept, for most people; but it is if you misunderstand it. Regardless, with everything I have said, it should be clear- the light of Christ shines upon all, everyone from the Fundamentalists to the 'Christians tired of being misrepresented' page admins, unconditionally.

---

'One day, we will have to stand before the God of history, and we will talk in terms of things we've done... and it seems I can hear the God of history saying 'that was NOT ENOUGH!' But I was hungry... and ye fed me not.' Martin Luther King

Sentimental

Missing my best friend and the rest of my WAAPA peeps so hard right now.

That is all.

'Australia' Day.

Hi all.

Sombre post.

First of all, I'm not trying to be a keyboard hero, I fully understand that typing up a blog does not constitute social activism.

I was walking around today regarding all the celebrations of this day in Australia's calendar- a day that many Australians call 'Australia Day'. The party goers- Australians and tourists alike- sporting all sorts of ridiculous costumes and face paint, and generally having a great time- on the surface.

We all know, deep down, however, an awkward truth about Australia day- The day that white settlers landed and called the land their own- stealing it from the Indigenous Australians.

I love Australia- it is a stunning landscape, with beautiful scenery, and wonderful people. It just makes me uneasy when I see people celebrating an invasion of one's home. The racism explodes in Australia on this day, and we see the racist products of it's dark past; underneath the images of the tall, mighty gum trees, and deserts covered in red sand- underneath the stories and stunning poetry of Henry Lawson and Banjo Patterson, and ancient stories of the Dreaming, is a far, far darker history.

Australia's landscape- stunning, right? 

White Australians stealing Indigenous children- a story that still haunts the country today. The disenfranchised  and dispossessed peoples from all around the world seeking refuge here- and being told in as many words '...if you don't like it, get the fuck out'. Convicts sentenced to transportation to the colonies, bound in chains for their crimes. Australian soldiers leaving for Gallipoli, like so many nations, under a masquerade of liberty and patriotism- only to return psychologically scarred forever; or, for the more common unlucky fit young men- never to return at all.

Though we posses a troubled past, I hope we can all acknowledge that past and we can all share in the journey forward in Australia's future. I also hope the 'fuck off we're full' types will see that here, while they think there is no room for anyone other than themselves- there is really no room for racism.

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Why can't we have at least one Christmas where something does not go wrong?

Salutation(s)!

Yallo again!

So I am here typing at 11 14 pm right now (I guessed it would be 11 13, I was one minute off haha) in the heat with loud neighbours. Cheering and screaming 'join us...'. Join your for what? I'm doing a wanky blog. Leave me!

So today was really good. Did some practice! It's getting easier to flip out of heavy feeling singing and sing properly. Still not perfect, though. Sang some Mussorgsky, Mozart, Handel, and A H Malotte's Lord's Prayer in there too. It has a Bb. I sang it with a certain ease I would not have had a year ago. I listened to a recording of myself singing a year ago and the change is crazy. FYI, I also thought about singing thou shalt break them from Messiah, but I decided against it. LOL.

The festive season soon! Woot! Pressies. The family will be somewhat better this year, I hope.

So Merry Christmas everyone! Not that anyone even reads this at all.

Peace of the Christ child,

J x