It's the action that counts

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As I was driving my kids into school this morning I heard a phone in on Radio 5Live about Madonna's attempt to adopt another child from Malawi. A large proportion of those who called in were dismissive of her actions and complained that she was doing it for her ego and not for altruistic reasons.

I wanted to scream: Who cares? what does it matter what her motives are, she is performing an act of charity which should be applauded and I don't care why she is doing it.

In Chassidic philosophy it explains that in the realm of good and evil it doesn't matter what your intentions are, what matters are your actions. If you do a good thing for the wrong reasons it is still a good thing and if you do a wrong thing for the right reasons it is still wrong. It is only in the realm of neutral things that are neither good or evil that our intentions can influence whether our actions are good or not.

Charity is a good thing - so do it regardless of your intentions
Murder is a bad thing - so don't do it whatever your intentions
Eating is a neutral thing - so do it for the right reasons - to have the energy to serve G-d.

http://reuvenleigh.blogspot.com

The Big Questions

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I spent the morning participating as an audience member on the BBC programme The Big Questions. Here are a few observations:

Nicky Campbell is taller in real life than I expected.

The panel were poor except for the Catholic priest.

There was a really annoying Catholic lady who wouldn't shut up.

There was a really annoying atheist lady who wouldn't shut up.

The discussion on second homes was extremely boring and was a poor choice of topic by the producers.

The programme format doesn't lend itself to informed and intelligent debate and discussion.

You can watch the programme here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00jkcr8/The_Big_Questions_Series_2_Episode_14

Prime Time Abortions

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I have been asked to participate in the BBC1 programme The Big Questions that airs this Sunday morning at 10AM.

The topic they wish me to contribute on is this weeks review by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and the Broadcast Committee on Advertising Practice (BCAP) that would allow pregnancy advisory services - including abortion information - to be advertised on TV and radio as part of plans aimed at reducing high UK rates of teenage pregnancy and sexual infections.

I find the whole discussion somewhat bizarre in the first place since TV and radio are the prime villains when it comes to the sexualisation of children in society today. To now try and deal with the inevitable consequences of promoting sex and promiscuity by providing a few get out clauses seems to me to miss the more important point.

I'm not going to get into the whole pro/anti abortion debate but rather intend to focus on the wider impact of abortion awareness on children. I wonder whether if we present ourselves as a society that is comfortable with promoting abortion to children we will be sending a message to children that children can be a burden and are best terminated if inconvenient.

Take this condom ad for example:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7965916.stm

I think it is important that we make every effort to reinforce a child's sense of worth, value and purpose and I think these emasure may undermine that.