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Steve Martin & Michael Caine in the 1988 comedy: "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels"
A World Of Scoundrels
Whether we like it or not our beautiful world is not perfect and neither are we. Our bodies give trouble, we have to labour to provide for ourselves, the climate, animals and plants at times seem to conspire against us but most of all: our fellow human beings work against us, often deliberately, to undermine us, abuse us, take from us and frustrate us. The result of any of these inimical actions of such members of our society is to cause us unhappiness, whether that was their intention or not. Such unhappiness may last for hours, days, months, years or even for a lifetime.
We are right to be angry at such treatment, provided it is indeed unfair, and are justified in seeking some form of recompense or rectification. Perhaps the law may provide this if the police are willing to take your side or if you can afford a decent lawyer... Perhaps you can fight back using the same weapons the malefactor did. This would certainly be fair if it is possible... Perhaps you can take the law into your own hands and administer your own arbitrary justice. This may not necessarily be balanced and may even be illegal leaving you open to prosecution by the authorities... Perhaps you can simply unilaterally forgive the wrongdoer and hope he will suddenly become a nice person, fairly dripping with the milk of human kindness. That would certainly be the Christian thing to do but it would declare you a doormat that anyone is free to wipe their feet on... Finally you might find some clever and unique approach of your own that solves the problem and leaves you content again. Perhaps...
Why do so many people cause trouble to us anyway? Why can't we just all get along? Well that is certainly a complex question with many answers: Some people are genuinely psychopathic with no sympathetic capacity and thus have no value for the pain of others. They are purely out for themselves and anyone in their way will get hurt. Such people are often career criminals. Some people are simply small minded and ignorant and don't realise that they are hurting someone else. Some people realise that they are hurting another person but consider that they are in the right. Of course they may in fact be in the wrong but don't realise it due to poor logical faculties or internal bias. Some people realise that they are doing the wrong thing but push through the guilt motivated by greed or fear. Such people are the type to confess their sins privately to a 3rd party but never apologise to the wronged. Other people simply hurt you with their incompetence. Sadly such people are usually highly defensive and will never apologise or admit blame.
The Church of Infinite Dimensions accepts that people are fallible and sometimes do the wrong thing for a host of reasons. This doesn't mean that it forgives all such transgressions however, far from it. The Church believes in justice for the mistreated and prevention of mistreatment in the first place as far as such things are possible. It is however not the role of the Church to investigate all cases of mistreatment and administer just remedies. The Church's role is to sympathise with people unfairly done by and to encourage them to be clever, brave and diligent and to use the resources at their disposal to achieve a just outcome for themselves. Of course, this may not always be possible: The foe may simply be too powerful, the process bedeviled by bad luck or the game simply not worth the candle. Nevertheless it is usually worth having an attempt. At least people will realise that you are not a carpet and will think twice before trying it again.
The purpose of this hymn is to allow parishioners to sing out their anger, pain and frustration they feel with the transgressions of others and to encourage them to do something about it in a considered way.
Words: Warren Mars: 2018
Music: Irish Trad "Slane"
This world is full of scoundrels; it's sad but it's true.
They abuse you, exploit you and lie unto you.
They bungle their duty and pass off the blame,
They rip off your money and hurt you for game.
There are wowsers and fraudsters and hearts dyed in black.
There are those who will just stab a knife in your back.
The shifty, irresponsible, warring and mad,
Destructive, vindictive, power hungry and bad.
It won't get us anywhere sitting there glum,
It is just up to us to stand up to the scum.
Use all our resources and make a sound plan.
Be brave and be clever and do what we can.
The vocal score with chords is provided here.
I have also provided an SATB arrangement for choirs here.
Finally, I have provided a recording of my computer synthesizer playing the SATB arrangement. There is no singing and the synthesizer is very ordinary. Nevertheless the parts are all there and one can sing along with it or use it get an idea of how it should sound with your choir.