26 Oct - 2 Nov 2008

It seems that life all about competing with others: individually - for jobs, charitable organisations - for grants, universities - for students. Competition is part of the market economy which is under much scrutiny at the moment. Competition is assumed to be good but it can bring out the worst qualities in us:

"The greatest danger facing the human race is the world-view that sees human life in terms of a power struggle. We are convinced that in order to survive we must compete rather than co-operate. This is like a lethal virus infecting the human race."

The writer, Gerard Hughes, sees this virus affecting every organisation, even church organisations. The quotation continues:

"When the Church forgets the real meaning of holiness, that virus is just as likely to flourish within the Church as outside of it."

Gerard W Hughes God in All Things (Hodder & Stoughton, 2003).