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There are two separate letters to this page.
Preamble
Mr. Cuniston Rankin, Council Chairman of The Saltire Society met the letter bearer during the morning break at an Edinburgh Royal Society conference last month. The conference marked the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns birth. Business cards were exchanged as a result of which Mr. Rankin received lettter No1 (see below) which posed the question as to the diference between the royalty of man and the majesty of women? The former had been the theme of one of the speakers although this was not expanded upon by the speaker. The latter is the last line of one of Burns addresses entitled "The Rights of Women" recited by a Miss Fontonelle at her benefit night in Dumfries in November 1792. This is not a feminist work. It is prophetic. In this regard it is his seminal work.
Letter No2 appearing below was subsequently sent to Mr. Rankin. No acknowledgement was received.
On Saturday 14th March a conference of Society members and Council took place in Stirling to discuss the present position regarding the membership profile of the Society. The discussion as distinct from a dialogue aired the convictions of the membership and the restrictions of the Council. The broader perspectve remains not to be resolved , but to be addressed
Letter No1
To: Cunison Rankin 30/01/09
Council Chair, The Saltire Society.
From: Ian McLean (New Member) Four A4 pages.
The Contractual Sovereignty of Scotland in The 21st Century
Summary:
1.Sovereignty – a definition.
2 James Buchanan
3 The Saltire Symbol
4 The Principalities and Powers of Europe
5 The Children’s Parliament of Scotland.
6 Iona Abbey
Appendix.
Mr. Cullen - The Law Lord, and President of The Saltire Society.
Premable This letter is a statement of the findings and conclusions of the Heart arising since the previous email was composed. It is not formally written, neither does it stand upon ceremony.
It arises in part from the previous email, but mostly from an examination of The Saltire Society website and a brief Internet investigation arising therefrom. The cornerstone however is my reading of the introduction to James Buchanan’s The Law of Kingship published by The Society of which I have purchased a copy. The bottom-line?
Aside from the Realisation (manifestation) of the title of this letter all else is relative commentary no matter how well meant or implemented by the Saltire Society; or in society at large. Presently it is the State, which would be King (sovereign) as distinct from the servant of the community of Scotland, of Europe. Such is the spirit of globalisation. The resolution of a spiritual issue personal or global is exclusively for The Holy Spirit as end and means.
1 Let us start with the dictionary definition of the word “sovereignty”. n (1) supremacy (2) self government (3) self-governing state. The sovereignty of a nation is in part determined by the sovereignty of the people individually and collectively. This in the sense of “as within, so without”.
Supremacy is supremacy. That is to say none above in rank or power as earth would have it. Thus a claim to Divine Right by a temporal King is self evidently void in that Divinity being One (Unity) has no need to claim of itself, indeed it (is it an it?) cannot do so as there is none other to whom the claim may be put not for acceptance or confirmation, but for resolution. That is to speak of the resolve therein as manifestation.
2 James Buchanan started public life as an academic. He moved on to the Catholic and then to the Protestant clergy. Finally he adopted humanism as did Robert Owen of our own New Lanark. This he appointed man as God in the sense of being supreme and thus charged with the resolution of 21st century ills temporal and spiritual. His philosophy is vaguely Platonic translated by humanism, again like Robert Owen.
continued
For want of any public statement to the contrary in its printed aims The Saltire Society subscribes to this self-deceit by default, and thus to the deception of the community. This statement is not made emotively. The issue is one of Common Unity, not community. Of Holy Spirit, not temporal ego albeit in good “faith”. We speak here of The Church Spiritual as distinct from the church temporal, and thus of Spiritual and not temporal Kingship.
3. The Saltire Symbol of the white diagonal cross. The observations made in the open letter to “The Flag in the Wind” regarding the Saltire apply. Please see “Current Issue No.12" on the Wind of Change website. Scroll to section 2d, and to the red coloured text within this section.. Some additional facts follow. As we know the Saltire is the flag of the people of Scotland as distinct from The Lion of Judah which is the personal flag of the Scottish Monarch. Thus representing The Christ intentionally or otherwise. Thus the issue of sovereignty arises even between these two symbols. Thus confirming the historical schism between The Crown and the people, which no human being can set aside. Thus the “constitutional riddle” at the heart of our democratic (?) state is revealed. The back cover of Buchanan’s book articulates this as “who rules the rulers?”. Thus admitting to a higher authority? The origins of the symbol are to be found in the ancient Persian city of Persepolis. Please see www.wiikepedia.org
cf Anne Roes “an Iranian standard used as a Christina symbol in the Journal of Hellenic studies 57.2 (1973) pp248 –51
4 The above themes bring to mind the book by Adrian Hill published in 1997 entitled “The Principality and Power of Europe” available on Amazon. There are many symbols associated with EU buildings in Brussels and The Hague. Not least the sculpture of the Rape of Europa.
5. The Children’s Parliament of Scotland has at its core educational model The Gaia Hypothesis (Mother earth) of classical origin. This symbol was adopted by the present day physicist James Lovelock to describe the earth as a living physical mechanism and thus seeks to confine Spirituality to the temporal. He thus exhibits his own soul's separation from Cosmos. This personal dichotomy is therefore projected into creation. This hypothesis is also widely spread throughout many European Universe – ities. Such are tomorrow’s citizens -- of what?
6. Remaining upon symbolism there is a sculpture in the cloisters of Iona Abbey said to represent the descent of The Holy Spirit upon earth. We bear in mind that this location is the epicentre of Spirituality in all Scotland for all Christian denominations. It is thus of great significance to other religions and other spirits. This is part of the rape of Scotland, which The Saltire Society fosters in blissful ignorance. This is a non-judgmental statement made without emotive intent. It is to be recalled that indifference as distinct from hatred is the anathema of love or is it Love?
Appendix.
I met Mr. (Lord) Cullen on two occasions about ten years ago whilst I was Chair of The Craigmillar Park Association. At that time Mr. Cullen was a member of the Trustees of St. Margarets Girls School Newington Edinburgh which is within the area of the Association. The trustees agreed to meet representatives of the Association in connection with planning matters of mutual interest. On that occasion Mr.Cullen expressed an opinion as fact as we all do from time to time. He looked somewhat surprised when this was reflected back to him. His response was silence.
Some months later he agreed to meet me on Trust business in my home on a one to one basis after he had attended a Trust meeting at the school. I welcomed him as Mr. Cullen as he walked up the garden path . continued
Once we were seated armchair to armchair I explained that there was no discourtesy in my greeting as I was an active Christian for whom there is only one “Lord”.
This gentle-man of spirit accepted my explanation graciously with his eyes to the floor for an instant. He rejoined that I was correct in my address as it is only binding in Court. Thus those of us who choose to use his legal title in the community break the law – of Love which demands respect of and for Self, first and foremost. Thus to address Mr. Cullen as Lord in Common Unity is to do him a dis-service. The latter surely requires of us all equal respect and recognition which (Who) is without and outwith rank or rancour.
What then of the absence of the Bible in the courtroom oath or an oath spoken in the temporal with no claim to another higher Witness? Indeed the absence of any oath at all? All this with the symbol of the Crown above the earthly judge’s seat.
Finally, you may care to visit the Great Hall of the High Court in Edinburgh to view the famous stain glass window. This is a scene of the Royal Court depicting the King speaking to his Law Lords at the right-hand side of the scene. To the viewers left on the far side of the scene sits the Queen. Her head is raised higher than that of the King. As we know the geometry of such scenes in these mediaeval times could be esoteric. A commissioned artist making such an error is not credible. How then did the King of the day being mindful of his “supreme” status in society come to accept such a representation? At first glance the Queen seated as she is on her own on the far left of the scene seems to be completely out of the picture so to speak. Such is the interpretation of the intellect.
This reminds us of the question posed at the end of the previous email, namely what was the difference between the royalty of man, and the majesty of women? One of the differences is that royalty is an earthly term, majesty is of the Soul and Sovereignty is of God. What then of the phrase “contractual sovereignty” in the title of this letter which is to be found in Buchanan’s book? Is such possible between mortals whether between one and another or one and the community? On the other hand does God contract with humanity? God as Cosmic Sovereignty Covenants with humanity.
The second difference is perceived if we stand within the scene looking out. As the King we perceive our Queen to be on our right and higher than ourself. Here we have a representation of the left and right brain hemispheres. The former representing the finite intellect, the latter the Soul known to the intellect as intuition and thus perceived by projection to be finite. Amen.
Letter No.2
Email: i_mclean@msn.com
The Council and Membership
The Saltire Society
10/03/09
Ladies and Gentlemen,
To Be or not to Be?
In Jesus Name. Amen. (God’s Will Be.)
The purpose of this epistle is to assist The Council and membership of the Society to Realise the Society’s third stated aim, namely:-
“To build upon the achievements of the past so as to advance Scotland’s standing as a vibrant creative force in European Civilisation”.
This should surely be the first aim!
Content Summary.
1. Preamble
2. Introduction.
3. Sovereignty
4. Resurrection of the Nationhood of Scotland
5. The need to work with others
6. The Identity of The Saltire Society
7. Desires or needs? Head or Heart?
8. The Marriage of academia and politics
9. Offer of assistance
10. Conclusion.
1. Preamble (Non emotive or judgmental, simply factual)
Whilst noting that The Society has “no political or sectarian* affiliations” the following significant issue requires to be addressed. The Society is concerned with our Nation’s heritage in the context of aim No.3 stated above. This nation has been Christian for 1500 years and is still nominally of that religion. The Society has a need to be seen to accept this pivotal fact of heritage if it is not to be in denial of our Nation’s roots and thus its own constitution. I do not speak of any document.
Equally, as summarised in the first enclosure the origins of the Saltire symbol are not only “sectarian” but English. I am sure the Council is aware that the Saltire having been adopted as the symbol of our nation and also that of St. Andrew, is therefore inevitably spiritually linked to the worship of relics. I assume the Council are also aware of how and why this association with Saint Andrew and the place name St. Andrews came about. We are here speaking of the marriage of the politics of religion, and the religion of politics.
Therefore the Saltire symbol is both sectarian and political. Thus the flag of the people is not the Saltire but the Lion Rampant, symbol of The Lion of Judah. This confirms Reality as Crown and People as One. A Monarch who accepts The Lion Rampant as their exclusive personal standard is in denial of the Sovereignty of the People. Amen.
Bertrand de Jouvenel in his book “Sovereignty – an Enquiry into the Political Good” describes politics as the actions or rhetoric of an individual or organisation in seeking the assistance of others in the pursuit of their own goals”. Whether personal and private or organisational and public. Therefore the term is not restricted to the “political arena” in which all ultimately die, as was the case in The Roman arena.
* “Sectarian” has emotive overtones. A more appropriate expression would be “religious denomination or faith”..
2. Introduction
This letter is the third in a series. It is preceded by an email and subsequent letter each of which are addressed to Mr. Rankin as Council Chairman. These were sent approximately one month ago. Neither received an acknowledgement either from the recipient or the Society secretary. This epistle builds upon its forebears and also upon the enclosed summary of The Witness given before the Council and membership of the Society at the meeting on 10th March in Stirling. This conference addressed the Society’s future with an initial focus upon the declining membership of The Society.
The summary is an integral part of this letter, not an appendix. A conference is defined as a mutual giving and receiving of information in the spirit of which there are NO “experts”. This will ever be a relative term.
The times we live in demand a Spiritual awareness of Scotland’s predicament and therefore a Spiritual response mediated through the community. This does not require so much as a “sense” of identity as an individual, corporate body or nation; but the Realisation of that Identity. In short, if we don’t know and accept Who (where) we have come from (Heritage) then on all three counts we cannot know where we are going! Thus we get left behind. To be wedded to the present by one’s own hand is to be divorced from the future.
3. Sovereignty
De Jouvenel states that “the function of The Monarch is to preserve human society”. Strong words indeed, which invite the definition of “monarchy”. He refers to human society. Is this word redundant in the context? If not what are the implications, for our present day society bearing in mind that the present is the birthday of the future. His use of the word “preserve”confirms that erosion has taken place. – and always will in the temporal. What of temporal monarchy – what of the alternative?
The recent Royal Bank of Scotland crisis is but one manifestation of the spiritual attack, which Scotland is experiencing. Such matters relate to our Nation’s Destiny. They are an attempt to completely undermine the very fabric of our Nations Spirit, economy and state mechanism in that order. All this seen in the global context. Thus we are concerned in the temporal primarily with strategic and not tactical issues.
4. Resurrection of The Nationhood of Scotland
A nation is described as a body of people with the same historical origins language and heritage. Nationalism is a flawed political ideology. It is of the past. Our (?) future is being built upon the Rock of Nationhood. This is not “inclusive” of any individual, race or creed. It is exclusive of war -- between Heaven and earth.
Community is of earth. Common Unity is of our Lord Jesus Christ as Civic Community. This is to speak of the often quoted but little understood phrase “The Common Unity of The Realm”.This as distinct from the temporal watchwords of nation state and ethnic origin or nationality. All else in the political, religious, economic, ethnic and cultural domains is of lesser importance. Amen.
5. The Need to Work with Others in and of the Community
The Stirling conference notes refer to the desirability of working more closely with politicians and academics. Whilst there are exceptions that prove the rule both these domains consist in the main of individuals acting as such in the furtherance of self whether in good faith or not, consciously or otherwise. They each tend to countenance their own and seek no genuine conference or convergence with the commonunity.
A genuine request for help made to the community for the community will be answered if it is according to God’s Will. The need may be expressed as a desire in which case it is likely that the meeting of that need will come in a form unknown to the recipient at a time of least expectation. It is not therefore a matter of where the organisation is going, but Who it is following! Thus to the Nation’s Destiny. This is not an academic (both senses) or political issue. It is the politic of God. Amen.
6. The Identity of The Saltire Society.?
Whilst the origins of The Society are described on the Society website there is no sense of identity between the lines. This is portrayed on the homepage by a close up photograph of a modern Glasgow tower block in which a community (?) chooses to live. This symbol of the Society makes no mention of the occupants, referring only to the concrete structure. It may therefore be described as a “sculpture” to and of man’s intellect. Thus it is a monument to patriarchy. How many women are employed in civil engineering, what proportion of female authors have been recognised by the Society’s over the years. How many ladies have addressed meetings etc. How many are Council members, past Chairs or Presidents?
A homepage with a photo of a family unit in Highland dress looking out over our western seaboard toward the setting sun would be romantic perhaps. It would however represent the Heart and thus Heritage, in terms of the family unit, the land and Cosmos.
7. Desires or Needs - -- Head or Heart?
Some years ago whilst Tony Blair was being interviewed on television by Jeremy Paxman the subject of his recent Camp David meeting with President G. Bush arose. He was asked whether he and Mr. Bush had prayed together.
Presumably Jeremy simply wished to ask an awkward question in light of Mr. Blair’s prior disclosures of his own religious beliefs and commitments. After an awkward pause for thought Mr. Blair replied “of course not Jeremy”. I am fairly sure this is an accurate quotation. It was delivered with uncomfortable body language as if to say “don’t be silly we are politicians”. During his electoral campaign Mr. Bush had pursued the religious vote and was seen on television on a number of occasions in the front pew during family worship.
Therefore what could have been more essential or more natural than the two statesmen praying in each others company or alongside each other at the microphone before the start of a press conference? What has this to do with needs or desires? These two servants of the state (not the people) acted as they desired. This apostasy is contrary to a nation’s needs.
The need of the people is not to be presided over by a president or would be president, but to be led by a leader Who will guide and accompany the people where they do not want to go by a route they do not wish to follow. This is the Desire of The Heart as Common Unity between Leader and led. Only thus are desires transformed into righteous needs. This is the bowing of the head before and to the Sovereignty of The Heart. Amen.
It is also Covenance. Only two nations have ever Covenanted with their God. The Biblical state of Israel and Scotland. This statement requires considerable reflection and consideration in and for our times. Please see the “ Issue No12” on The Wind of Change website and scroll to sections 6a and 6b. Thank you.
8. The Marriage of Academia and Politics (as defined in the conclusion below)
“Give me the child until the age of seven and I will give you the adult” – of my creation!
9. The Offer of a Member’s Assistance to (The) Society.
The assistance of The Wind of Change is offered to the Society through me assisted by the prayers of others. The offer is made in the context of this Epistle, and the Witness made before the membership at the Stirling conference. Please see the attachment at the end of this letter.
Two tactical issues were identified for the memberships’ consideration at the conference. These are subordinate and therefore dependent upon the resolution of the several strategic issues, and therefore upon the articulation of The Society’s values and resulting mission statement from which all else follows. This applies to organisations in general and the community at large of which servant organisations are a part. This letter is also available as a Word document file.
10. Conclusion
The resolution of strategic issues requires the articulation of organisational values from which arise -- the mission statement, aims, goals, and objectives in that order. The statement of values is in turn derived from Identity as distinct from any “sense” of identity. The latter may or may not be common sense. The former is Wisdom. Amen.
The politics of man is the attempt to influence the mind of the state for reasons of self-interest. The rhetoric is corruption.
The politic of God is the atonement* of the Heart of the people in service to the Nation. The rhetoric is Silence, as stood before Pilate
Heritage relates to the complete constitution of the human being of which the flesh is but a part.
Ghandi stated from experience that if we seek to bring about change we must first Be(come) the change we seek in other individuals or organisations. Hence the title of this letter.What changes does The Saltire Society seek to bring about in society at large?
The sequence of change therefore is not “have / do / be” – but “Be /do / have” Hence the need for values and Mission and thus Identity to be established as the first step of this change. From this all else follows.
The need is to address causes not symptoms, strategy not tactics. The cause is the loss of The Spirit of Nationhood in Scotland . The Saltire Society membership profile is but a reflection of this wider malaise.
* at-one-ment.
Thank you for reading this Witness.
Regards
Ian McLean
If we don’t know Who we are, then we don’t know where We came from. Therefore we don’t know where We are going!
END
Or is it a Beginning?
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