Richard Littledale's
Views on the News: July 2010

If only there had been a FIFA in-goal camera for the Germany v England 2010 World Cup match, what would it have seen when Lampard struck the ball past the goal-keeper and down off the bar? Well, here is a guess at what the official FIFA photo might have shown! (photo from: http://yfrog.com/2dklej)

Be that as it may, welcome to this month's edition of Views, which comes directly to you from a parallel universe. In this happy place Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda came out at half time at England's final 2010 World Cup game to say that he had ruled wrongly on Lampard's goal. In this place the contented residents are basking in an early recovery from recession, enjoying a holiday from public spending cuts, and the barbecue always lights first time too. In this parallel paradise the climate behaves itself impeccably, food is in plentiful supply to all, and civil unrest is exists only in risqué cinema designed to give a frisson of safe danger to the residents. Those looking to apply for residency in this land of bliss should note: investigative journalists and political campaigners need not apply.

Those who gaze wistfully for too long across the divide between this universe and that one will find that maybe it is not all it is cracked up to be. A universe without challenges is a universe without opportunities. Human beings live up to their best and own the name of human most truly when things do not go according to plan. Our relationship with the national football team will be more truly measured by our reaction to their return in defeat than ever it would to their return in triumph. How do we welcome, appreciate and evaluate when things didn't go our way?

When Jesus was travelling around Judea preaching and teaching, he would call in from time to time at the home of Mary and Martha, and their brother Lazarus. One day news reached him that things had gone wrong for his friends and Lazarus had died. Bizarrely he said that this was not bad news, since it would give his followers a chance to believe. On arrival at his friends' home the two sisters berated him that 'if only' he had been there things would have been different. 'If only' - two words which make all the difference in the English language. If only you had been here. If only she had not been on that plane. If only the referee had been looking the other way.

Along with journalists and political campaigners, God is not allowed into the parallel universe. In fact, he wouldn't go in there even if he could. This universe is the one God is interested in - this universe with its peaks, troughs, triumphs and failures. Don't go looking for him in the parallel universe - he's not at home.

Meanwhile, back in this universe, I saw a white van the other day after a smash into the back of a car. Ironically, the advertising slogan on the side read: "near miss?". Just in case the driver has lost his job - I wonder if any England strikers are looking for alternative employment?