Long Live the Queen!

For many years, as a Canadian and therefore a member of the British Commonwealth, one has been aware of the Queen's annual message, delivered at Christmas. One has not always listened, but after hearing excerpts from it this year, I did listen to it in its entirety. In the past this was more easily done when one watched it on TV, but we have not subscribed to Cable or kept up Broadcast TV for years.

In any case, I wrote the following on Facebook and thought I would share it here for those of you who are not my 'friends' there. Mind you, if you want to change that and are on Facebook, you know how to do that.

Long live the Queen!

Some say we should get rid of the monarchy. I am sure it could be toned down a lot in size and scope, which I would totally support - read landholdings, ostentatious lifestyle etc., but that is easier said than done in a democratic society. It's easily done by Fascists and dictators. Many monarchists would resist that. 

One might criticize the royal family and indeed many members' lives have been less than exemplary. However, I think the Queen has remained faithful and stedfast in adhering to the principles and beliefs expected of her, particularly as head of The Church of England, as she describes in this message. Which is not to be taken as me supporting the union of church and state either. In reality, most Western countries no longer practice that anyway. If anything the US is worse than Britain in that regard, which is not how its founders envisioned it.

Governments that come and go can scarcely leave us with the inspiration that someone of integrity removed from those vicissitudes can. Indeed, it was by becoming personal with us on earth that Jesus was really able to show us God, as the Queen alludes to, referring also to the example of Mother Theresa [Imagine, an Anglican praising a Catholic - Henry VIII would be fuming LOL]. 

Long live the Queen!