Anne and I had dinner last night with Gordon and Julia, old friends of Anne. Gordon and I get on well so we do have a few dinners together. Anne and Julia see one another a LOT. Julia is of English birth and is noticeably English in some ways, though she is no fan of English triumphalism. Gordon is a bit more exotic. He is not only from Norn ("Northern" in Irish vernacular pronunciation) Ireland but he is a genuine son of the Manse, with the Manse concerned being located in the Crumlin Rd, no less.
Because of the "Troubles" in Belfast over the years, the whole world has heard of the Crumlin Rd and the Shankill Rd. but to Gordon both were simply local places. Despite his Presbyterian background, however, Gordon is no Orangeman. He condemns religion generally in fact. To a considerable extent he came to Australia to get away from "all that".
The Protestant "lads" of Belfast have some reputation of being tough guys. If many of them are much like Gordon they could be alarming to encounter. He is around 6' tall and an imposing well-built man even in his '70s. The Rev. In Paisley was a tall man too: 6'5".
I rather adored Paisley. When Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother met Pope John XXIII in 1958, Paisley condemned them for "committing spiritual fornication and adultery with the Antichrist". When Pope John died in June 1963, Paisley announced to a crowd of followers that "this Romish man of sin is now in Hell!". Paisley also believed that the European Union is a part of a conspiracy to create a Roman Catholic superstate controlled by the Vatican.
I don't agree with any of it but to hear it is like stepping back 400 years into our religious past. I admire its sheer committment and conviction. That I was a very fundamentalist Protestant in my teens, with beliefs not too different, means it has good resonances for me. I could see his point of view and admire the energy he put into his evangelism.
Anyway, I am guessing that the "lads" of Belfast were not in fact generally tall. If they are like their brethren in Glasgow they will be "wee bauchels" (stunted).
Gordon's big peeve is Australia's many governments. He sees that as inefficient and thinks the States should be abolished and be replaced by one central government along (presumably) French lines. I pointed out to him that he originates from a Federal state. The Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has five legislatures: in London, Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff and the Isle of Man -- and the voters for those assemblies are rather attached to their arrangements. And, of the other nations most closely related to Australia, the USA and Canada also have Federal systems, as do Germany and India. But I think I managed to moderate his views only a little.
Something unusual about Gordon is that he frequently speaks highly of his wife! And I am told she hates that! I think he means it though.
Anyhow we had chats about lots of things. One thing all present seemed interested in was my explanation about why Pius XII (Pacelli) is most unjustly called by some, "Hitler's Pope". Before he became Pope, in the '30s, Pacelli was posted to Germany as a representative of the Holy See and he condemned Nazism often. He wisely shut up when the Nazis came to power however and that is the thread that Soviet disinformation seized on to condemn him. And the Western Left always swallowed Soviet propaganda hook, line and sinker. Pacelli in fact rescued many Jews while Pope. He was a true man of God.
So it was a good dinner with good company and good food. Gordon had made what he called a Canadian crumb cake for dessert, which was particularly good. I think I ate most of it.
Towards the end we started to sing -- very badly -- but it indicated good times being had. And we weren't even drunk! Only half a bottle of champagne was consumed all night.
Footnote for people of our current irreligious times: A Manse is where a Presbyterian minister lives. A child of the Manse is expected to show various influences from that background. And Gordon can in fact quote scripture appropriately
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