That wedding

[Marco]

Yes, there is also that small difference. We're not talking about the Archbishop of Canterbury, which would be a rather more valid comparison.

Marco.

[Marco]

That's an excellent post Marco. It reflects my thoughts too.

You may have seen it happening yourself. A simple (and often revealing test) of your susceptibility to feelings of jealousy, is when you hear of someone winning millions of pounds on the National Lottery... Is your very first thought: 'bastard!', or 'good for you'?

I can honestly say, hand on heart, that for me it's always the latter, as I couldn't give the slightest toss how 'better off', financially or otherwise, anyone else is than me. I'm more than happy with what I've got, thank you very much, and always pleased to see others doing well and being happy.

How do you feel when your next door neighbour buys a 'fancy' brand new car, which they've worked hard to pay for, or say, lands a big job promotion, whilst your 'lot' is humdrum in comparison. Are you pleased for them, or jealous, to the point of being resentful?

There will always be someone else 'better off' than you. Live with it, as resenting them for it makes for a very unhealthy mind. Often, therefore, the most valuable gift in life, is one of contentment - and that's something that money can't automatically buy.

Marco.

[walpurgis]

You may have seen it happening yourself. A simple (and often revealing test) of your susceptibility to feelings of jealousy, is when you hear of someone winning millions of pounds on the Lottery... Is your very first thought: 'bastard!', or 'good for you'?

Marco.

I'm indifferent really. Not interested enough to give it a thought.

[Marco]

That's fine. The key is in not expressing negative emotions towards them. Your response shows that you're happy enough with your 'lot'.

Marco.

[Joe]

'He's no longer one of us, so fuck him', or 'who the fuck does he think he is, trying to be a snob?', is often the rather ignorant and distasteful mantra. Trying to keep someone down, simply because watching them succeed irks you, is a truly abhorrent trait, and one of the worst examples there is of jealousy.

Just as bad, IMO, is someone who has 'made good' looking down on those who, for whatever reason(s), have stayed poor. Both attitudes are summed up by the US writer H L Mencken: 'Rich people can't help thinking that poor people are either lazy or stupid, and poor people can't help thinking that rich people are either lucky or crooked'.

[Joe]

You may have seen it happening yourself. A simple (and often revealing test) of your susceptibility to feelings of jealousy, is when you hear of someone winning millions of pounds on the National Lottery... Is your very first thought: 'bastard!', or 'good for you'?

Certainly not the former; as I never buy Lottery tickets it would be perverse of me to resent someone who does buy them getting lucky. In the case of an exceptionally large win, I do wonder what the winner will do with all that money, and hope that he/she doesn't end up blowing the lot. Not that it's any of my business if they do, of course.

[Macca]

Yes, there is also that small difference. We're not talking about the Archbishop of Canterbury, which would be a rather more valid comparison.

Marco.

The Queen outranks the 'bish. Her title is 'Supreme Governor of the Church of England.'

Although in practice it is the 'bish who runs the show. Nevertheless the Queen is the papal equivalent in the C of E.

[struth]

The Church of Scotland is a Presbyterian church and recognises only Jesus Christ as 'King and Head of the Church'. The Queen therefore does not hold the title 'Supreme Governor' of the Church of Scotland; when attending Church services in Scotland Her Majesty does so as an ordinary member.

[Joe]

The Church of Scotland is a Presbyterian church and recognises only Jesus Christ as 'King and Head of the Church'. The Queen therefore does not hold the title 'Supreme Governor' of the Church of Scotland; when attending Church services in Scotland Her Majesty does so as an ordinary member.

'The Scotsman is mean, as we're all well aware
And bony and blotchy and covered with hair
He eats salty porridge, he works all the day
And he hasn't got bishops to show him the way!'

As Flanders and Swann sang.

[Macca]

The Church of Scotland is a Presbyterian church and recognises only Jesus Christ as 'King and Head of the Church'. .

Must get a bit tricky when they need him to make an executive decision, what with him being dead and that for almost 2000 years.