Re: "Clarity Restored": I meant extensibility not extendability. Which I think are interchangeable and both different from extensionality.
This is really pants. I swear my tutor said one and wrote the other. Well, I suppose I am just going to have to roll with it and pray (and perhaps ask a human person just to make sure). I've had a good day in assorted coffee shops though, 2,000 words down!! (Which may actually be a bad thing as I don't know how close I am to half way :-S) Ho hum, we are content and pretty darn peaceful :o)
I also wonder if there is truly a difference between "real" and "apparent" paradoxes... bloody mathematicians and all their silly nuances.
Was doing kids work this morning, it was ace, we were talking about The Great Commission. I love this church... there are enough adults out there that don't talk about that (which is a bit silly since it is The Last Thing Jesus Ever Said and not quite "P.S. Please put the cat out") and I got to supervise the making of documentaries about miracles, dramas about the defeat of Satan and posters about how much Jesus can change your life and bring salvation! They then prayed for help when it gets hard and spent some time learning to hear God's voice - talk about raising up an army!
Now this is extensibility applied to something infinite and eternal.
Showing posts with label Church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Church. Show all posts
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Sunday, November 30, 2008
BGB gets an (admittedly small) "overhaul"
I've been trying to edit features on my blog. Thus far I still can't find out how to have just the first bit of a post showing (been trying to do that for months but to no avail, if anyone can help...) BUT I did just discover a 'reaction' option which I do believe is new. Oooooh! So I have tried it out and in honour of the incredibly evangelical and by the way totally awesome sermon I just heard given by this guy that is the chaplain to the Queen and in fabulous irony is also an Indian missionary to Europe, I have labelled the options thus: "Amen" or "Woah sister...". I think they're pretty self explanatory but incase you don't know these roughly translate as "I agree with vehemency" or "Hang on a second I don't like what you're saying and in particular it may or may not be theologically unsound, sister". There is no middle ground. I figure if you don't have a strong reaction either way you probably don't want/deserve to express it. Also, by the way, if you do have a reaction remember you can always comment... I know you're reading, the numbers are creeping up. I don't always have to be the only one talking!
So now you have it, the lazy person's way to respond. If you feel there is need for another reaction option then write it in the comments and I may well oblige...
So now you have it, the lazy person's way to respond. If you feel there is need for another reaction option then write it in the comments and I may well oblige...
SIN
The dirty word.
We all talk about it, we all do it (well I think so) and in a lot of the circles I move we all feel bad about it (eventually anyway)...
But what is it?
It could be easy to say that at some point in the church's history the human element took over and tried to control the world, money, politics etc by the power of guilt. In a sense this is fairly true. I've been getting involved with Agapé a bit this term. One of my flatmates before I lived in GVA worked for them and when I got back it suddenly fitted incredibly well with, well, with me. I have this darling friend who works for them called Grace and she took me out last week evangelising with her...! Yes, it is as mental as it sounds. Basically, three times a week they make a point of each going out into coffee shops and approaching people to talk to them about God. They get all kinds of reactions but one of the main aims is to ensure that they themselves stay a bit out of their comfort zone... I loved it. Well, I mean the scariness of "the approach" aside I really enjoy talking to strangers and having something to do it about is pretty fun (as long as I'm not feeling insecure 'cause obviously the coin would be somewhat flipped then). What is my point with this? Other than how good a Christian I am...? We spoke for over an hour to 4 student girls who all basically think that the church judges too harshly, that the pope is crap (I'm not going to start an interdenominational riot - Satan would bloody love that), that Christianity condemns them for things they really don't see as bad and that it just isn't right that people who don't commit horrific crimes should go to hell. The postulated idea was to have an atheists room for anyone that missed the point with God but weren't evil.
And I found myself apologising for the way they have percieved Christ. Taking some kind of responsibility for Christianity that got it wrong, were corrupt, didn't make it clear and allowed this to become a common view in culture today. Even this afternoon I was thinking about how sad it is that one of my "jobs" as a Christian is to try and undo the damage that "The Church" has done in it's past.
But you know what? I am fed up of this. I don't want to keep apologising for how "We" got it wrong. Human error aside, pure corruption acknowledged, the vast amount of Christians over history have been very sincere and were acting within their own social context. Why should I stress about people feeling condemned when they are??
Yes. This is my judgement post. You think I've been bad before, you ain't seen nothing yet. All over the world Christian's and non-alike (I am sad to confess) are being really really rubbish. Then, to top it all off, they are pretending that it is OK. THEN, just because it isn't bad enough they turn around to the laws of God and the people that try and follow them and have a go for condemnation.
WE DESERVE CONDEMNATION.
Think about it. If God is this purely loving being that wants to see the whole world alight with joy and fullfillment in him then you tell me that even just in your own personal relationships you treat the people you care about with proper love all the time and never slag them off or get annoyed or act selfishly or anything like that... you would be lying. We don't even have to call it God, we can see it as the "goodness in humanity" or some "power" or "greater force". I know TONS of people that think 'friends and family' are the thing that life is about. That is, Relationships. That is, Love. Well, for me that is what I call God. Yet anyone that sees life as having purpose greater than physical wealth still messes up in the pursuits of these "important" things.
Then of course there is the bigger picture. Beyond selfish behaviour and broken relationships we live in a consumer driven lifestyle that is destroying the planet and the most vulnerable people on it. Be it high street shops that use all-too-cheap cheap labour in India to unfairly traded chocolate that uses child slaves that have been stolen or bought on the Cote d'Ivoire. There's been a recent campaign which involves having fondue parties to raise awareness of this issues, I went to my third last night(!) and it takes this much to force me to change one thing on a list of hundreds I do that don't love this planet and these people like I theoretically want to. And I am begrudging as I have to give up Oreos. AND my first reaction was that it is a marketing ploy to sell more "Fairtrade" products. I am a BAD person.
Not one of us is guilt free.
Not one of us can justifying saying to the most perfect source of life and love on this planet (whoever He/She/They/It may be) that we deserve to go to a room for mediocre people because we didn't really see what we do wrong up close and personal and it wasn't that extreme. There is no ratio between 0-bad and a-little-bit-bad. If you had to fit into one category and the choice was perfect or imperfect which would you be?
I think it's high time we stopped telling people that the church doesn't condemn them. I personally condemn each and every member of society and think it's high time they stopped the apathy and started condemning themselves.
Maybe then people will GET why Jesus is so bloody important.
We all talk about it, we all do it (well I think so) and in a lot of the circles I move we all feel bad about it (eventually anyway)...
But what is it?
It could be easy to say that at some point in the church's history the human element took over and tried to control the world, money, politics etc by the power of guilt. In a sense this is fairly true. I've been getting involved with Agapé a bit this term. One of my flatmates before I lived in GVA worked for them and when I got back it suddenly fitted incredibly well with, well, with me. I have this darling friend who works for them called Grace and she took me out last week evangelising with her...! Yes, it is as mental as it sounds. Basically, three times a week they make a point of each going out into coffee shops and approaching people to talk to them about God. They get all kinds of reactions but one of the main aims is to ensure that they themselves stay a bit out of their comfort zone... I loved it. Well, I mean the scariness of "the approach" aside I really enjoy talking to strangers and having something to do it about is pretty fun (as long as I'm not feeling insecure 'cause obviously the coin would be somewhat flipped then). What is my point with this? Other than how good a Christian I am...? We spoke for over an hour to 4 student girls who all basically think that the church judges too harshly, that the pope is crap (I'm not going to start an interdenominational riot - Satan would bloody love that), that Christianity condemns them for things they really don't see as bad and that it just isn't right that people who don't commit horrific crimes should go to hell. The postulated idea was to have an atheists room for anyone that missed the point with God but weren't evil.
And I found myself apologising for the way they have percieved Christ. Taking some kind of responsibility for Christianity that got it wrong, were corrupt, didn't make it clear and allowed this to become a common view in culture today. Even this afternoon I was thinking about how sad it is that one of my "jobs" as a Christian is to try and undo the damage that "The Church" has done in it's past.
But you know what? I am fed up of this. I don't want to keep apologising for how "We" got it wrong. Human error aside, pure corruption acknowledged, the vast amount of Christians over history have been very sincere and were acting within their own social context. Why should I stress about people feeling condemned when they are??
Yes. This is my judgement post. You think I've been bad before, you ain't seen nothing yet. All over the world Christian's and non-alike (I am sad to confess) are being really really rubbish. Then, to top it all off, they are pretending that it is OK. THEN, just because it isn't bad enough they turn around to the laws of God and the people that try and follow them and have a go for condemnation.
WE DESERVE CONDEMNATION.
Think about it. If God is this purely loving being that wants to see the whole world alight with joy and fullfillment in him then you tell me that even just in your own personal relationships you treat the people you care about with proper love all the time and never slag them off or get annoyed or act selfishly or anything like that... you would be lying. We don't even have to call it God, we can see it as the "goodness in humanity" or some "power" or "greater force". I know TONS of people that think 'friends and family' are the thing that life is about. That is, Relationships. That is, Love. Well, for me that is what I call God. Yet anyone that sees life as having purpose greater than physical wealth still messes up in the pursuits of these "important" things.
Then of course there is the bigger picture. Beyond selfish behaviour and broken relationships we live in a consumer driven lifestyle that is destroying the planet and the most vulnerable people on it. Be it high street shops that use all-too-cheap cheap labour in India to unfairly traded chocolate that uses child slaves that have been stolen or bought on the Cote d'Ivoire. There's been a recent campaign which involves having fondue parties to raise awareness of this issues, I went to my third last night(!) and it takes this much to force me to change one thing on a list of hundreds I do that don't love this planet and these people like I theoretically want to. And I am begrudging as I have to give up Oreos. AND my first reaction was that it is a marketing ploy to sell more "Fairtrade" products. I am a BAD person.
Not one of us is guilt free.
Not one of us can justifying saying to the most perfect source of life and love on this planet (whoever He/She/They/It may be) that we deserve to go to a room for mediocre people because we didn't really see what we do wrong up close and personal and it wasn't that extreme. There is no ratio between 0-bad and a-little-bit-bad. If you had to fit into one category and the choice was perfect or imperfect which would you be?
I think it's high time we stopped telling people that the church doesn't condemn them. I personally condemn each and every member of society and think it's high time they stopped the apathy and started condemning themselves.
Maybe then people will GET why Jesus is so bloody important.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Grace Killers
I was going to write this Monday, then I started another post and got waylaid. Then I was finishing that today when it hit me - if I wrote this first it could be a series...! Don't we all like series?
Anyway. After my questions that originated in the last post I heard a really cool sermon (was going to put a link in to hear it online but it has not been uploaded yet), did some really good chatting with people that cleared up my insecurities some and got a bit of lovely encouragement too, quite unrelated to blog. That was nice. I think maybe, as one person facebooked (as in the verb 'to facebook') me after reading, I have to be able to see the things that are important to keep hold of and let go of the rest. I am trying to put love for others and myself as priority (equally if that is poss), as that is one thing He defo told me (in Paris no less), and hope that it covers all the bases.
I love how stereotypical it is to go to church and get all recharged with what you need to hear; but at the same time it does make sense. I don't mean the whole, go all week without God and get a hit on Sunday to get you through the start of the next week thing, but I do think that fellowship really keeps you battling onwards and as such: yay for mid-week meetings! Anyway, off the point.
The point is, what I got from the sermon made for something cool to share and if I mention it now I can refer back to it in future blogs. T'was about Grace. T'was all good. My fave bit, which I will serialise if I can find examples of all the failings in my own life (shouldn't be too hard!) was the list of grace killers - things that stop you from bring able to "grow" grace in your own life. They are pretty useful so I'll tell you them:
- Traditionalism
- Unrealistic Expectations
- Rules Mentality
- Negativity
- Critical Spirit
- Control Mentality
- Perfectionism
- Competitiveness (oooops!)
- Pettiness
So. They all pretty much jumped out at me but the last one was relevant to the whole 'what to change?' question. As far as pettiness goes, if others are being petty, don't return it with pettiness. If you are holding onto something petty in yourself at the expense of showing love, let it go. That is not me telling you, I'm talking to myself in the third person. Since I wrote last time about identity and what to hold onto, I've found this a pretty helpful reference to know what not to be like.
Oh, something hilarious to share. Well, I thought it was funny. I was talking about hoping to have a small 'party' this week and someone said "I know what a party at Kat(i)e's is going to be like, it'll probably turn into a prayer meeting!" I am not boasting about holiness, I am laughing at the irony of it all. Actually, let's just venture off into praise corner for a minute. They said this last night (Tues) and it was after I had lead the YAGs meeting on 'Praise is a Powerful Weapon'. Which is true and don't forget it and I may well put the notes up here as a way to save writing a post one day. Anyway. Point is, once upon a time (and you may think this is a bad thing) a party at Kat(i)e's would have been far from reputed to turn into a prayer meeting. Now, I want to make it clear that I am super cool and my parties are great fun (even if the last one I had involved scones) but still, talk about a direction change, eh?
So. Lots of things that kill grace. One thing that builds us up. Praise lots, nitpick less.
See you next time for a mention about Unrealistic Expectations; or else something about how I am going to win the blog off if it kills me! (Did you get the joke I made there...?!?)
Anyway. After my questions that originated in the last post I heard a really cool sermon (was going to put a link in to hear it online but it has not been uploaded yet), did some really good chatting with people that cleared up my insecurities some and got a bit of lovely encouragement too, quite unrelated to blog. That was nice. I think maybe, as one person facebooked (as in the verb 'to facebook') me after reading, I have to be able to see the things that are important to keep hold of and let go of the rest. I am trying to put love for others and myself as priority (equally if that is poss), as that is one thing He defo told me (in Paris no less), and hope that it covers all the bases.
I love how stereotypical it is to go to church and get all recharged with what you need to hear; but at the same time it does make sense. I don't mean the whole, go all week without God and get a hit on Sunday to get you through the start of the next week thing, but I do think that fellowship really keeps you battling onwards and as such: yay for mid-week meetings! Anyway, off the point.
The point is, what I got from the sermon made for something cool to share and if I mention it now I can refer back to it in future blogs. T'was about Grace. T'was all good. My fave bit, which I will serialise if I can find examples of all the failings in my own life (shouldn't be too hard!) was the list of grace killers - things that stop you from bring able to "grow" grace in your own life. They are pretty useful so I'll tell you them:
- Traditionalism
- Unrealistic Expectations
- Rules Mentality
- Negativity
- Critical Spirit
- Control Mentality
- Perfectionism
- Competitiveness (oooops!)
- Pettiness
So. They all pretty much jumped out at me but the last one was relevant to the whole 'what to change?' question. As far as pettiness goes, if others are being petty, don't return it with pettiness. If you are holding onto something petty in yourself at the expense of showing love, let it go. That is not me telling you, I'm talking to myself in the third person. Since I wrote last time about identity and what to hold onto, I've found this a pretty helpful reference to know what not to be like.
Oh, something hilarious to share. Well, I thought it was funny. I was talking about hoping to have a small 'party' this week and someone said "I know what a party at Kat(i)e's is going to be like, it'll probably turn into a prayer meeting!" I am not boasting about holiness, I am laughing at the irony of it all. Actually, let's just venture off into praise corner for a minute. They said this last night (Tues) and it was after I had lead the YAGs meeting on 'Praise is a Powerful Weapon'. Which is true and don't forget it and I may well put the notes up here as a way to save writing a post one day. Anyway. Point is, once upon a time (and you may think this is a bad thing) a party at Kat(i)e's would have been far from reputed to turn into a prayer meeting. Now, I want to make it clear that I am super cool and my parties are great fun (even if the last one I had involved scones) but still, talk about a direction change, eh?
So. Lots of things that kill grace. One thing that builds us up. Praise lots, nitpick less.
See you next time for a mention about Unrealistic Expectations; or else something about how I am going to win the blog off if it kills me! (Did you get the joke I made there...?!?)
Sunday, July 6, 2008
F'd in the A
I am so happy today! Despite the rain which is incessant and totally got in the way of my swim in the lake. Yesterday my weather prayer was SO successful that this morning I decided to take my swim suit with me, rather than my umbrella... I ended up walking down the street with a towel over my head!
Still. Nice lunch, met some lovely new people at church 'fya know what I mean...?! ;-) Enjoyed playing the piano in the service; I have been doing that for a few months now, approx every other week and am SO lovin' it. It's really helped me with my ability and confidence and been one of the more blatant blessings of life here.
What other ones are there? Well, getting away from the UK to be honest was a much needed and welcome break. Then there is my pimp place to live (I have a rooftop pool!) and wonderfully slow working week (4-20 hours long during the afternoon and some weekends) which is now totally at an end for the summer. So many fabulous opportunities for trips and activities like skiing, rafting and other fun stuff came along too. The friends, who I can't begin to express how much I love and value, play a MAJOR part: at the YAGs group (I'll expound another time, needless to say a silly Christian acronym but I have heard worse!), church and the ones I met in trains and clubs too - love you guys!
I have also learnt A LOT. God aside, one obvious thing is French, which though not at all perfect is much better. My dear friend who teaches me for free and diligently sees me every week over a lovely soirée has really taught me a lot, both linguistically and spiritually. Others have shown me a bit of Russian too (I can ask where the toilets are, recite poetry and say "I want to have your babies"!) which will come in handy when I adopt my Eastern European baby. Well, it might not. I mean there are lots of languages 'over there' and I probably won't get a Russian child since they actually have population problems and, as Erkki says, "You have to learn Finnish to understand Finnish" which I think is a principle that can be applied to most languages.
I digress.
Sometimes I feel like I am in a stream of consciousness. I ought to read that book that Carolyn told be about (please remind me) but I would struggle 'cause I'd then want to write about it afterwards/as I went along and so the vicious cycle continues. I do feel a bit like Russell Brand when he says his life is a "serious of embarrassing incidents strung together by telling people about those embarrassing incidents" but where you replace the word 'embarrassing' with 'mediocre' and 'telling' with 'boring [people] with'... And perhaps 'people' with 'my parents, my sister and MS twice a day'. Hmmm.
I have a bit of an obsession with remembering things though, hence the stream-like flow. I sometimes need to boycott journaling 'cause else it takes over and I do literally spend my life writing about it. (I mostly got the blog to force me to check spelling and grammar.) This is also exemplified (word choice?) in things such as filling up my phone Inbox and then getting a new one! And I keep all the receipts and labels I ever get; if you saw my room back home you might wonder what all the drawers and boxes are full of. Well, now you know!
But, slowly, that is being dealt with. For a start I no longer print receipts at cash machines - breakthrough! Funny story: when I told Darryl I 'need' to keep receipts he took it very to heart and when he ordered his lunch gave me his food ticket too. Sweet. I was like, Darryl, I don't need yours.... but, well, now I do 'cause it's a keepsake! Ha ha!
So, I just came clean about one of my biggest oddities. I didn't even mean to, I really am good at digressing aren't I?! I suppose I see it as one of the bigger blessing from this year; freedom from shit like that. I don't think I could do it on my own strength and I see little point in trying now I know God is much better. It's like, I could just about cope and be really argggh or I could give up, move on and reach higher heights. Why take 40 years to get across a 40 day desert? He is in general responsible for everything so I may as well let him be in total control and do it really really well. I have 40kg to bring all my stuff back, which is a lovely biblical number, let's see what God can do...!
Oh and meaning of title? Well, that is a legendary phrase that my student used when she had done something really well (if you don't get it don't ask, you don't want to know) and seeing as she got a 6/7 for her maths mark today I am pretty pleased. I was going for the 7 but hey, she wasn't even passing last year and this way I get to not be proud!
So, another blessing from my time abroad. That and the Salvation. Shouldn't forget Salvation... Which by the way has 7 meanings from original Jewish (I think I mean Hebrew right?) or perhaps Greek: saved, protected, liberated, preserved, free from harm, complete, without defect. I like these all.
Shit old life: F'd that in the A. Even better than a good exam result in my humble opinion... Sorry if it got too personal; I think perhaps that green tea does, after all, have caffeine in it (I know you told me sis but I didn't want to believe you and I could not see it on the box). Whoops.
Yet still mostly Whoop!!
Still. Nice lunch, met some lovely new people at church 'fya know what I mean...?! ;-) Enjoyed playing the piano in the service; I have been doing that for a few months now, approx every other week and am SO lovin' it. It's really helped me with my ability and confidence and been one of the more blatant blessings of life here.
What other ones are there? Well, getting away from the UK to be honest was a much needed and welcome break. Then there is my pimp place to live (I have a rooftop pool!) and wonderfully slow working week (4-20 hours long during the afternoon and some weekends) which is now totally at an end for the summer. So many fabulous opportunities for trips and activities like skiing, rafting and other fun stuff came along too. The friends, who I can't begin to express how much I love and value, play a MAJOR part: at the YAGs group (I'll expound another time, needless to say a silly Christian acronym but I have heard worse!), church and the ones I met in trains and clubs too - love you guys!
I have also learnt A LOT. God aside, one obvious thing is French, which though not at all perfect is much better. My dear friend who teaches me for free and diligently sees me every week over a lovely soirée has really taught me a lot, both linguistically and spiritually. Others have shown me a bit of Russian too (I can ask where the toilets are, recite poetry and say "I want to have your babies"!) which will come in handy when I adopt my Eastern European baby. Well, it might not. I mean there are lots of languages 'over there' and I probably won't get a Russian child since they actually have population problems and, as Erkki says, "You have to learn Finnish to understand Finnish" which I think is a principle that can be applied to most languages.
I digress.
Sometimes I feel like I am in a stream of consciousness. I ought to read that book that Carolyn told be about (please remind me) but I would struggle 'cause I'd then want to write about it afterwards/as I went along and so the vicious cycle continues. I do feel a bit like Russell Brand when he says his life is a "serious of embarrassing incidents strung together by telling people about those embarrassing incidents" but where you replace the word 'embarrassing' with 'mediocre' and 'telling' with 'boring [people] with'... And perhaps 'people' with 'my parents, my sister and MS twice a day'. Hmmm.
I have a bit of an obsession with remembering things though, hence the stream-like flow. I sometimes need to boycott journaling 'cause else it takes over and I do literally spend my life writing about it. (I mostly got the blog to force me to check spelling and grammar.) This is also exemplified (word choice?) in things such as filling up my phone Inbox and then getting a new one! And I keep all the receipts and labels I ever get; if you saw my room back home you might wonder what all the drawers and boxes are full of. Well, now you know!
But, slowly, that is being dealt with. For a start I no longer print receipts at cash machines - breakthrough! Funny story: when I told Darryl I 'need' to keep receipts he took it very to heart and when he ordered his lunch gave me his food ticket too. Sweet. I was like, Darryl, I don't need yours.... but, well, now I do 'cause it's a keepsake! Ha ha!
So, I just came clean about one of my biggest oddities. I didn't even mean to, I really am good at digressing aren't I?! I suppose I see it as one of the bigger blessing from this year; freedom from shit like that. I don't think I could do it on my own strength and I see little point in trying now I know God is much better. It's like, I could just about cope and be really argggh or I could give up, move on and reach higher heights. Why take 40 years to get across a 40 day desert? He is in general responsible for everything so I may as well let him be in total control and do it really really well. I have 40kg to bring all my stuff back, which is a lovely biblical number, let's see what God can do...!
Oh and meaning of title? Well, that is a legendary phrase that my student used when she had done something really well (if you don't get it don't ask, you don't want to know) and seeing as she got a 6/7 for her maths mark today I am pretty pleased. I was going for the 7 but hey, she wasn't even passing last year and this way I get to not be proud!
So, another blessing from my time abroad. That and the Salvation. Shouldn't forget Salvation... Which by the way has 7 meanings from original Jewish (I think I mean Hebrew right?) or perhaps Greek: saved, protected, liberated, preserved, free from harm, complete, without defect. I like these all.
Shit old life: F'd that in the A. Even better than a good exam result in my humble opinion... Sorry if it got too personal; I think perhaps that green tea does, after all, have caffeine in it (I know you told me sis but I didn't want to believe you and I could not see it on the box). Whoops.
Yet still mostly Whoop!!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
I am the way the truth and the light?
This is the post I started writing two days ago but I tangented off on the background information and there was too much going on to sensibly publish the two.
There are a lot of different takes on the message of Christianity.
For example the other day I saw two men, who looked like they could not really be any older than 20, dressed in matching suits with name tags. The only print big enough to read was Elder [followed by name] and then Jesus Christ. I really wanted to ask them who they were - Google tells me possibly Latter-day Saints?
Then I met my first Rastafarian. That was interesting.
It was of course one of my friends from the JdM. While we were hanging in the park on Tuesday the predominant conversation ended up being about God. Cool. I ignorantly did not consider that given he was from Jamaica and talking about God and Jesus but with all these additional theories might mean he was in fact Rasta. It took me going home and looking up the King of Ethiopia to understand that his ideas were standard doctrine of that faith. Very eye opening that is for sure.
The four of us had such an amazing time. We discussed and debated things on so many levels and I was really challenged by some of what they had to stay. And a little disturbed by other things! Each one of them had very different view points and I tell you what, they knew their stuff! I am glad I got a mini bible for my baptism as it sure came in handy to have it in my handbag. At one point a friend of theirs walked by and said "What you believing that for, it was written by white men?" at which one of them turned round and replied "Don't give the white man so much credit!" The history of slavery and the appalling way that religion was used as a way to quell and control has not left people unmarred. Yet through this still others were denying the theories and saying "Don't let that tarnish the truth of it". Lindell told me that all he really thought mattered was love; and you know what, greater men have said that. I felt God in that conversation and it wasn't just 'cause He came with me.
One cool story from David the Rastafarian. His daddy asked him to go get his hammer and twice he went to look and could not find it. The third time he was sent the father said you better bring that hammer or you will be sorry. Apparently this man was the kind that would make sorry known in a less that passive manner. So, boy-David runs up to his room and prays really hard that God would help him find the hammer. When he opened is eyes it was there in front of him!
A conversation I had the other day with a friend of a friend about what it means to be a "church person" completely challenged me, as a recent acceptor of formal religion, to remember that people who do not follow my beliefs may have a real relationship with the Almighty God. He really is not as legalistic as we paint Him to be.
So. Am I saying that I think people from every faith or belief system have the same salvation as me? Well, I'm going to come out and be all fundamentalist about this and say No. Sorry but Jesus did say "I am the way the truth and the life, no-one gets to the father except through me." However, bearing in mind I had a relationship with God before I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, I think it is safe to say that Christians do not have a monopoly on being loved by Him.
The way I see it we are all on a journey. There may be things that we do not understand or even accept about what other people hold true, but judgment is not where it's at. All we can do it live our own journey out, show them love and remember God is faithful. To everyone.
I would like to conclude this with a quote from my favourite Rastafarian:
"If you look deep within yourself and ask the question of the Most High, He will reveal Himself to you."
Tell me that man doesn't know God.
P.S.
On the project progress front I have a friend that is a squat visitor/music teacher, who shares my vision and would be here for the long-haul. Also there is a venue we seem to be able to use with people there that are keen to see this happen. I am a little overwhelmed... That said, take everything as it comes. All I know right now is that God is blessing these relationships (saw them again yesterday and we had a proper improv-sesh where they were teaching me to rap!) and so they shall go on. This isn't 'Sister Act' but it is ten times more exciting 'cause it is real.
There are a lot of different takes on the message of Christianity.
For example the other day I saw two men, who looked like they could not really be any older than 20, dressed in matching suits with name tags. The only print big enough to read was Elder [followed by name] and then Jesus Christ. I really wanted to ask them who they were - Google tells me possibly Latter-day Saints?
Then I met my first Rastafarian. That was interesting.
It was of course one of my friends from the JdM. While we were hanging in the park on Tuesday the predominant conversation ended up being about God. Cool. I ignorantly did not consider that given he was from Jamaica and talking about God and Jesus but with all these additional theories might mean he was in fact Rasta. It took me going home and looking up the King of Ethiopia to understand that his ideas were standard doctrine of that faith. Very eye opening that is for sure.
The four of us had such an amazing time. We discussed and debated things on so many levels and I was really challenged by some of what they had to stay. And a little disturbed by other things! Each one of them had very different view points and I tell you what, they knew their stuff! I am glad I got a mini bible for my baptism as it sure came in handy to have it in my handbag. At one point a friend of theirs walked by and said "What you believing that for, it was written by white men?" at which one of them turned round and replied "Don't give the white man so much credit!" The history of slavery and the appalling way that religion was used as a way to quell and control has not left people unmarred. Yet through this still others were denying the theories and saying "Don't let that tarnish the truth of it". Lindell told me that all he really thought mattered was love; and you know what, greater men have said that. I felt God in that conversation and it wasn't just 'cause He came with me.
One cool story from David the Rastafarian. His daddy asked him to go get his hammer and twice he went to look and could not find it. The third time he was sent the father said you better bring that hammer or you will be sorry. Apparently this man was the kind that would make sorry known in a less that passive manner. So, boy-David runs up to his room and prays really hard that God would help him find the hammer. When he opened is eyes it was there in front of him!
A conversation I had the other day with a friend of a friend about what it means to be a "church person" completely challenged me, as a recent acceptor of formal religion, to remember that people who do not follow my beliefs may have a real relationship with the Almighty God. He really is not as legalistic as we paint Him to be.
So. Am I saying that I think people from every faith or belief system have the same salvation as me? Well, I'm going to come out and be all fundamentalist about this and say No. Sorry but Jesus did say "I am the way the truth and the life, no-one gets to the father except through me." However, bearing in mind I had a relationship with God before I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, I think it is safe to say that Christians do not have a monopoly on being loved by Him.
The way I see it we are all on a journey. There may be things that we do not understand or even accept about what other people hold true, but judgment is not where it's at. All we can do it live our own journey out, show them love and remember God is faithful. To everyone.
I would like to conclude this with a quote from my favourite Rastafarian:
"If you look deep within yourself and ask the question of the Most High, He will reveal Himself to you."
Tell me that man doesn't know God.
P.S.
On the project progress front I have a friend that is a squat visitor/music teacher, who shares my vision and would be here for the long-haul. Also there is a venue we seem to be able to use with people there that are keen to see this happen. I am a little overwhelmed... That said, take everything as it comes. All I know right now is that God is blessing these relationships (saw them again yesterday and we had a proper improv-sesh where they were teaching me to rap!) and so they shall go on. This isn't 'Sister Act' but it is ten times more exciting 'cause it is real.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
David is...
in Vienna! So, yeah, David is the guy who has so generously allowed me to stay in his place these next 2 nights. We last hung out 6 years ago; and by hung out I mean shared the same lift to school and I was incredibly scared of him - older, meaner and cooler than I knew how to be! So it proves pretty interesting to be getting to know each other. Already impressed him with the fact that I used to leave the car and get on a bus in the opposite direction to go shopping in London! Oh for simpler times...
Thus far I am pleased with Vienna. Admittedly I have only seen the underground and the supermarket but as these things go they are quite fabulous. I went for a short walk, having refreshed from an intense train journey across Eastern Europe, and within 30 seconds I had made a friend - someone asked me for directions and I could give them. Impressed? I was!
But Budapest - I would not wish to skim over it. I had one intense day there: walking tour in the morning, Cathedral when it rained and getting lost as I trekked across the city to find one of the spas. That was nice but I tell you what, don't go by yourself. Maybe it's me but sitting around in hot water is only interesting for a short time. After that you just get wrinkly. Also, I am pretty sure that the main difference (natural water source aside) between baths and a swimming pool is that the rule "No Petting" is not in place. I mean seriously, these people are sick; you don't know where to look. It would have been better if I had not been so utterly confused by all the Hungarian and had the jacuzzi actually been open but atleast I can say I went. A true Budapest experience. Afterwards I went for a romantic 'posh dinner' to treat myself, with sparkling wine and everything. You have to love the prices over there... That and the architecture. And the people. It is a good town and I will be returning at some point foe show.
Each destination has been teaching me something new. About life, myself, God. How far I've come and how far yet to go. One of the biggest things (literally and metaphorically) in Budapest was the cathedral. St Stephen is the patron saint of Hungary because he rescued them from their "heathen ways" and was so respected they got permission to use him as the focal point of the design. Well, I am not going to comment on denominational issues 'cause really they are the things that divisions and non-love are made of and certainly a manmade derivative of a true relationship with God. But, I was rather troubled in the St. Istavan (Steven, I don't know the spelling and am going to use as many versions as possible) cathedral yesterday. There was a picture of the crucifixion at one of the altars in the church and I have been discovering lately what iconography can mean as a way to fix oneself on the truth. That is, realising and rerealising exactly how horrific and traumatic it was for Jesus to do what I believe he did in order that I may be transformed and ultimately saved. As I left it really did not sit right with me that that this image was tucked away in an alcove while a fallible man was glorified at the centre of the house of God. I supppose that to me was symbolic of all the things I don't like about my life and points me in the direction that I must next go in order to continue growing in Him. That is, making Jesus my focal point.
So yeah, seeking God in the spirtual world. Vienna in the physical. I am excited to see how the two will overlap...
Thus far I am pleased with Vienna. Admittedly I have only seen the underground and the supermarket but as these things go they are quite fabulous. I went for a short walk, having refreshed from an intense train journey across Eastern Europe, and within 30 seconds I had made a friend - someone asked me for directions and I could give them. Impressed? I was!
But Budapest - I would not wish to skim over it. I had one intense day there: walking tour in the morning, Cathedral when it rained and getting lost as I trekked across the city to find one of the spas. That was nice but I tell you what, don't go by yourself. Maybe it's me but sitting around in hot water is only interesting for a short time. After that you just get wrinkly. Also, I am pretty sure that the main difference (natural water source aside) between baths and a swimming pool is that the rule "No Petting" is not in place. I mean seriously, these people are sick; you don't know where to look. It would have been better if I had not been so utterly confused by all the Hungarian and had the jacuzzi actually been open but atleast I can say I went. A true Budapest experience. Afterwards I went for a romantic 'posh dinner' to treat myself, with sparkling wine and everything. You have to love the prices over there... That and the architecture. And the people. It is a good town and I will be returning at some point foe show.
Each destination has been teaching me something new. About life, myself, God. How far I've come and how far yet to go. One of the biggest things (literally and metaphorically) in Budapest was the cathedral. St Stephen is the patron saint of Hungary because he rescued them from their "heathen ways" and was so respected they got permission to use him as the focal point of the design. Well, I am not going to comment on denominational issues 'cause really they are the things that divisions and non-love are made of and certainly a manmade derivative of a true relationship with God. But, I was rather troubled in the St. Istavan (Steven, I don't know the spelling and am going to use as many versions as possible) cathedral yesterday. There was a picture of the crucifixion at one of the altars in the church and I have been discovering lately what iconography can mean as a way to fix oneself on the truth. That is, realising and rerealising exactly how horrific and traumatic it was for Jesus to do what I believe he did in order that I may be transformed and ultimately saved. As I left it really did not sit right with me that that this image was tucked away in an alcove while a fallible man was glorified at the centre of the house of God. I supppose that to me was symbolic of all the things I don't like about my life and points me in the direction that I must next go in order to continue growing in Him. That is, making Jesus my focal point.
So yeah, seeking God in the spirtual world. Vienna in the physical. I am excited to see how the two will overlap...
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Unhappy Clappy
My sister told me this weekend that clapping in church is no longer cool. Not in England anyway. Now, I don't know about this because I haven't been to church in England for a while, say 6 years or so, but it seemed to be quite popular then though definitely denominationally dependent. Problem is, what do we call the 'evangelical free churches' if they are no longer 'Happy Clappy'?
In Switzerland there is still clapping. However it is not really happy, more try hard and sometimes painful. It does happen though so maybe we are a few years behind the fashions; things tend to hit mainland Europe after the UK and I can't see why clapping habits would be any different.
I like clapping in church, when I don't play the piano. It can be tricky to do when not many others are into it but I have a loud clap and last Sunday we did such a funky gospel number (Soon and Very Soon) and it was my baptism, so I was very up for giving it a go. Got a bit of a following too, my dear clap fan friend was sitting in front and we carried on gallantly for a good verse and a half. Daddy taught me well about hitting the off-beats and I wasn't really paying much attention, just enjoying the moment.
Until...
Someone on the other side of the Oratoire started very stubbornly hitting the on-beat.
Now that threw me. For one thing I'm not very good at identifying which beat is which when I think about it, I just go wid da flo, so while that felt wrong I wasn't sure and thought maybe they were correcting me. Needless to say I stopped and soon after my friend was adjusting to their time keeping. I could not bring myself to do it and was sad to miss out on the rhythm praise but I also did not claim to know better. Plus, the idea of a clap-off seems ridiculous and church the wrong place to do it. And ridiculous.
One of the vocalists was desperately trying to click it out for us in the manner that I had started so with hindsight I suppose what I was doing was right (if you can have a right and wrong about what beat to clap on) and really I just lacked confidence at the crucial moment.
But if I can't go for it when God is calling me to clap for Him, even with the guidance of a more mature time keeper, what use am I?
I say clap. Clap with everything you have. The on-beat faux pas didn't last and there was silence... don't let that be you.
In Switzerland there is still clapping. However it is not really happy, more try hard and sometimes painful. It does happen though so maybe we are a few years behind the fashions; things tend to hit mainland Europe after the UK and I can't see why clapping habits would be any different.
I like clapping in church, when I don't play the piano. It can be tricky to do when not many others are into it but I have a loud clap and last Sunday we did such a funky gospel number (Soon and Very Soon) and it was my baptism, so I was very up for giving it a go. Got a bit of a following too, my dear clap fan friend was sitting in front and we carried on gallantly for a good verse and a half. Daddy taught me well about hitting the off-beats and I wasn't really paying much attention, just enjoying the moment.
Until...
Someone on the other side of the Oratoire started very stubbornly hitting the on-beat.
Now that threw me. For one thing I'm not very good at identifying which beat is which when I think about it, I just go wid da flo, so while that felt wrong I wasn't sure and thought maybe they were correcting me. Needless to say I stopped and soon after my friend was adjusting to their time keeping. I could not bring myself to do it and was sad to miss out on the rhythm praise but I also did not claim to know better. Plus, the idea of a clap-off seems ridiculous and church the wrong place to do it. And ridiculous.
One of the vocalists was desperately trying to click it out for us in the manner that I had started so with hindsight I suppose what I was doing was right (if you can have a right and wrong about what beat to clap on) and really I just lacked confidence at the crucial moment.
But if I can't go for it when God is calling me to clap for Him, even with the guidance of a more mature time keeper, what use am I?
I say clap. Clap with everything you have. The on-beat faux pas didn't last and there was silence... don't let that be you.
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