The Buy Nothing Christmas Site as a list of ideas of things you can get someone for Christmas. A bit late to be posting i know but some of the ideas are great!
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Church Surf 8
It's funny how some churches that you visit just give you a vibe. And this church was a good vibe. The people in the church actually looked like they came from the surrounding suburbs, everything was done honestly and earnestly and people having a go seemed way more important that looking slick. Often I have heard people in a church say it would be nice to thank the people who work hard behind the scenes rather than just the preacher and worship leaders. Well this church did, the biggest thanks going to a guy who unstacked some chairs last week. Regardless of theology or the way they actually did church these people looked like honest people genuinely welcoming new people with an eagerness to see what we are like rather than a fear that we may be different... Well that was the vibe anyway. I will be back after Christmas.
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Racism and Riots in a Xn Country
Part of me feels compelled to blog about the recent riots in Sydney and part of me feels like they are so awful I don’t want to dignify them with a response. One of my reflections after coming back from a trip to Europe (which I blogged about here) was that deep down Australia is a racist country and that really we never got over the white Australia policy.
It sickens me to my stomach when I hear things like…
“this multicultural experiment just isn’t working”
or “This is a Xn Country”
or “they don’t mix”
These three things all contradict each other.
If we are a multicultural country then we are not a Xn Country and we accept differences and that at time we won’t all mix together.
If we were a Xn Country surely we would "welcome the stranger" or even "love our enemies" (if indeed they were)
If people are not mixing there is a two way problem. At a party usually the hosts and the guests share some of the blame for this.
None the less the biggest problem, I think, is how our political leaders reinforce that
A) it is Muslim people who cause trouble, particularly terrorist type trouble. The reality is that terrorists who are also Muslim are almost always from Muslim countries where there extreme views are not welcome.
B) People are wanting to come to this country as refugees could be here to perform acts of terrorism. The reality is that most Muslim terrorists are in Muslim countries and wish to overthrow governments that are too liberal for there liking (such as Indonesia). 911 was an exception to the rule and the terrorists certainly did not come into the country by boat.
It sickens me to my stomach when I hear things like…
“this multicultural experiment just isn’t working”
or “This is a Xn Country”
or “they don’t mix”
These three things all contradict each other.
If we are a multicultural country then we are not a Xn Country and we accept differences and that at time we won’t all mix together.
If we were a Xn Country surely we would "welcome the stranger" or even "love our enemies" (if indeed they were)
If people are not mixing there is a two way problem. At a party usually the hosts and the guests share some of the blame for this.
None the less the biggest problem, I think, is how our political leaders reinforce that
A) it is Muslim people who cause trouble, particularly terrorist type trouble. The reality is that terrorists who are also Muslim are almost always from Muslim countries where there extreme views are not welcome.
B) People are wanting to come to this country as refugees could be here to perform acts of terrorism. The reality is that most Muslim terrorists are in Muslim countries and wish to overthrow governments that are too liberal for there liking (such as Indonesia). 911 was an exception to the rule and the terrorists certainly did not come into the country by boat.
Saturday, December 10, 2005
If only the news
My strongest memory of any reframe gathering was hearing A speaker was lamenting the lack of social action by Xns and the church particularly in the are of War, Refugees, Indigenous Issues and the environment. She illustrated this by reading headlines and stories that she wished she heard on the radio or saw in the paper.
So, it was kind of spooky to hear on the news as I woke up yesterday that a small group calling themselves Christians Against All Terrorism had been arrested today attempting to conduct a citizens' inspection of the Pine Gap facility and objecting to its role in the war in Iraq. They claimed it is a base for activity which is a vital part of an international terrorist network since terrorism is planned violence against civilians for political objectives..
See this article in the Australian for more detail, or have a look at the CAAT blog.
I'm still undecided as to wether I agree or disagree with their actions. I think compares favourably to my own apathy though.
So, it was kind of spooky to hear on the news as I woke up yesterday that a small group calling themselves Christians Against All Terrorism had been arrested today attempting to conduct a citizens' inspection of the Pine Gap facility and objecting to its role in the war in Iraq. They claimed it is a base for activity which is a vital part of an international terrorist network since terrorism is planned violence against civilians for political objectives..
See this article in the Australian for more detail, or have a look at the CAAT blog.
I'm still undecided as to wether I agree or disagree with their actions. I think compares favourably to my own apathy though.
Forgiveness
Lately, I have been reminded that it is a common belief amongst Xns (and American talk show hosts) that victims need to forgive their perpetrators in order to move on, regardless of wether the perpetrators are in any way remorseful for what they have done. This idea can apply to everything from the most minor (slightly hurt by a friend) to the most extreme (assault) .
I always thought that forgiveness was a two way transaction. Firstly, with the perpetrator repenting of what they had done and secondly with the victim offering forgiveness. To tell someone that they need to forgive someone in order to move on seems to me to be asking people to do something that I think not even God does, that is to forgive someone who has not repented.
I think this is not helpful for two reasons.
1) I don’t think you can truly forgive someone who doesn’t want it
2) It is patronising to the other person, as there is no negotiation as to exactly who did what wrong
What I think God does with humanity is not to forgive everyone but to offer forgiveness. God’s act of Grace is to get in to a position where God is able to forgive and to demonstrate that forgiveness is available.
Before anyone can forgive I think they must…
1) Be hurt and angry abut what has happened
2) Discover they are not to blame (in the case of an assault) or accept what is the appropriate level of blame (perhaps in the case of a divorce)
3) Get to a position where they are prepared to forgive and where they can live their life without the need for that person to either suffer or to repent.
This last stage is important. It is not in forgiving someone that we are able to move on from something. It is being able to move in which we are able to forgive someone. When we are able to move on (when we do not still wish they were suffering for what they have done or wish that person were appropriately remorseful) then that person has no hold of our life and therefore a truly new relationship can begin, a relationship that does not try to retrace the past, rather a relationship which acknowledges the past and ensures that the past cannot be replicated.
I always thought that forgiveness was a two way transaction. Firstly, with the perpetrator repenting of what they had done and secondly with the victim offering forgiveness. To tell someone that they need to forgive someone in order to move on seems to me to be asking people to do something that I think not even God does, that is to forgive someone who has not repented.
I think this is not helpful for two reasons.
1) I don’t think you can truly forgive someone who doesn’t want it
2) It is patronising to the other person, as there is no negotiation as to exactly who did what wrong
What I think God does with humanity is not to forgive everyone but to offer forgiveness. God’s act of Grace is to get in to a position where God is able to forgive and to demonstrate that forgiveness is available.
Before anyone can forgive I think they must…
1) Be hurt and angry abut what has happened
2) Discover they are not to blame (in the case of an assault) or accept what is the appropriate level of blame (perhaps in the case of a divorce)
3) Get to a position where they are prepared to forgive and where they can live their life without the need for that person to either suffer or to repent.
This last stage is important. It is not in forgiving someone that we are able to move on from something. It is being able to move in which we are able to forgive someone. When we are able to move on (when we do not still wish they were suffering for what they have done or wish that person were appropriately remorseful) then that person has no hold of our life and therefore a truly new relationship can begin, a relationship that does not try to retrace the past, rather a relationship which acknowledges the past and ensures that the past cannot be replicated.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Daily Reflections via the web?
Richard Rohr and Re: Jesus both have some cool daily reflections. However, I'm not sure exactly how to use them... Getting up in the morning turning on the computer to have a spiritual reflection just feels a bit weird. I like the idea of freeing myself from technology whilst doing a reflection. I wonder if people felt this way about books once upon a time?
Friday, December 02, 2005
Van Nguyen - the lesson John wants us to learn
Today, I was disgusted to hear John Howard say that the message that should come out of Van Nguyen's was not an objection to the death penalty but rather don't mess with drugs.
I cannot believe that one person could be so insensitive. Not once have I heard anyone of any significance argue that drugs are not so bad, and that for this reason Van Nguyen should not receive the death sentence. All the arguments have been that a crime has been committed but this punishment is too harsh. What is more it is entirely consistent that our country should critique the practices of the government of Singapore. After all isn't this what we did with the government of Iraq?
But no, I fear that it is painfully obvious that the over riding issue is what is at economic stake for Australia. This is why invading Iraq, Iran or Afghanistan is not a problem, but criticising the policies of the US, China, Singapore or Burma is. Surely it is evil that we don't take any stance what so ever? Surely money is the root of all evil.
I cannot believe that one person could be so insensitive. Not once have I heard anyone of any significance argue that drugs are not so bad, and that for this reason Van Nguyen should not receive the death sentence. All the arguments have been that a crime has been committed but this punishment is too harsh. What is more it is entirely consistent that our country should critique the practices of the government of Singapore. After all isn't this what we did with the government of Iraq?
But no, I fear that it is painfully obvious that the over riding issue is what is at economic stake for Australia. This is why invading Iraq, Iran or Afghanistan is not a problem, but criticising the policies of the US, China, Singapore or Burma is. Surely it is evil that we don't take any stance what so ever? Surely money is the root of all evil.
Exercise your music muscle
Anyone tried Virgins Exercise your music muscle wallpaper?
I've found 52 bands sort of...
alice in chains
beach boys
bee gees
black crowes
black Flag
blind melon
blur??
cake? (the wall paper cuts out this one)
cowboy junkies
crowded house
cypress hill
dinosaur Jnr
eagles
fifty cents
fish
garbage
gorillaz or the monkeys?
green day
guns and roses
hole
iron maiden
jewel?
kiss
korn?
led zeppelin
lemon heads
M n M??
matchbox 20
maddonna
manic street preachers
nine inch nails or stix
petshop boys (the wall paper cuts out this one)
queen
radio head
ratt
rolling stones
red hot chilli peppers?
scissor sisters
seal
sex pistols
smashing pumpkins
spoon?
television
the cars
the dead kennedy's
the doors
the eels
the police
the vines?
U2
white snake
yellow?
I've found 52 bands sort of...
alice in chains
beach boys
bee gees
black crowes
black Flag
blind melon
blur??
cake? (the wall paper cuts out this one)
cowboy junkies
crowded house
cypress hill
dinosaur Jnr
eagles
fifty cents
fish
garbage
gorillaz or the monkeys?
green day
guns and roses
hole
iron maiden
jewel?
kiss
korn?
led zeppelin
lemon heads
M n M??
matchbox 20
maddonna
manic street preachers
nine inch nails or stix
petshop boys (the wall paper cuts out this one)
queen
radio head
ratt
rolling stones
red hot chilli peppers?
scissor sisters
seal
sex pistols
smashing pumpkins
spoon?
television
the cars
the dead kennedy's
the doors
the eels
the police
the vines?
U2
white snake
yellow?
Battleground God
Hey this is cool. Battleground God. A series of philosophical questions to see if you're understanding of God is rational. I didn't do as well as I hoped. I suffered 1 direct hit and bit zero bullets, but was awarded the awarded the TPM medal of distinction, which I guess isn't so bad.
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