The People’s Front of JudeaMy initial intention was to provide some ill-informed interpretive commentary on the first session of the 3rd PRME Global Forum. Instead, I believe I can summarise the main topics and general tone of the discussion by reproducing an extract from an old documentary film below:
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Reg: Right! Now, item four: Attainment of world supremacy within the next five years. Ah, Francis, you’ve been doing some work on this?
Rogers: Yeah, thank you, Reg. Well, quite frankly, siblings, I think five years is optimistic, unless we can smash the Roman Empire within the next twelve months!
Reg: Twelve months?
Rogers: Yeah, twelve months. And let’s face it, as empires go, this is the big one. So we gotta get up of our arses and stop just talking about it!
ALL in People’s Front of Judea (PFJ): Yeah! Hear!
Loretta: I agree! It’s Action that counts, not words, and we need Action now!
ALL in PFJ: Yeah!
Reg: You’re right. We could sit around here all day, talking, passing resolutions, making clever speeches…
Francis: So let’s just stop gabbing on about it! It’s completely pointless, and it’s getting us nowhere!
All: Right!
Loretta: I agree! This is a complete waste of time!
DOOR OPENS. ENTER JUDITH
Judith: They’ve arrested Brian!
All: What? What?
Judith: They dragged him off! They’re going to crucify him!
Reg: Right! This calls for immediate discussion!
Judith: What?
Sibling: Immediate!
Sibling II: Right!
Loretta: New motion?
Reg: Completely new motion! Uh, that, uh, that there be, uh, immediate Action…
Francis: …uh, once the vote has been taken.
Reg: Well, obviously once the vote has been taken…
Judith: Reg, let’s go now, please!
Reg: Right, right! In the — in the light of fresh information from sibling Judith…
Loretta: Um… not so fast, Reg.
Judith: Reg, for God’s sake! It’s perfectly simple! All you’ve got to do is to go out of that door now and try to stop the Romans nailing him up! It’s happening, Reg! Something’s actually happening, Reg! Can’t you understand? Oooh!
Door: [Sound of Closing]
Reg: Yeah, hello. Another little ego trip from the feminists…
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Well, there you have it. There is something morbidly funny about calls in favour of Action, supported by further calls for Action, while other speakers add their fervent caveats that suggest Action is exactly what we need, and even more urgent confirmation that further calls for Action are absolutely mandatory. That — and more calls for Action.
