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.

JC 7-11

Like JC 24/7, but less radical.

I was having a conversation with a friend today about a secular educational trip thingy they did called JC24. I though it sounded amusingly religious and thus ensued a comical chat about JC huit à huit (the French type) and, far more fluid, JC 7-11.

But don't you find that it is a very familiar concept? Or is that just me. I mean, sometimes when I am alone with myself, and God is there but it is too hard to pay attention what with all the distracting temptations of mind take precedent, I am being a JC 7-11. Open in the majority, definitely convenient but 1/3rd of the time I have to take a break.

Something else I discovered today.... Not all Oreos are chocolate covered! Now, call me naïve but shouldn't they be?

So that is my thought for the moment. Why not go all the way and have the chocolate coating? That is how they are meant to be and how they are at their best. It's still an Oreo without the thick layer of chocolatey goodness but it's not nearly as tasty. And doesn't it say "Taste and see that the Lord is good."? [OK, this only makes sense if you have read this.]

There are so many areas of my existence that Christian living has not even had the chance to be expressed. I mean, Britain for a start! I have spent a sum total of 22 hours there since 'the change' and who knows what it will be like to move back and let It permeate my life there. I haven't even driven a car as a Christian yet. Maybe I'll be more careful...?

I hope so.

Yesterday was the first day of the non-contract period of my life here. Bizarrely I realised I feel suddenly different. I feel like I am a visitor. A very happy visitor indeed who cares a lot about the people here, wants to come back for holidays and loves the fact that she is in town for the summer; but a visitor that is thinking quite a lot about the colour of her kitchen at home. That's the thing, I know I will be going back and, whilst unexpected, I am glad that I feel like I will be at home in England. There was the risk that given how much my life had changed whilst here, I was going to feel out of place on return. Yesterday at YAGs we had an international evening where we each took a dish (I chose fruit salad, as in garden party... tenuous but I have tried and failed at scones once already!) and shared a little about our country of origin. After all the Americans, Canadians and South Africans had sung their national anthems I felt like we should have a turn, so me and Sara led them in the first verse of 'God Save The Queen'! I tell you what, I was kinda proud. (Not of anything in particular, but isn't that the nature of pride?!) I definitely still got my Brit :-)

So, I am excited and confident about le prochain chapitre. How can I not be, with the Oreos (chocolated coated I pray) waiting for me. And a 24-hour ASDA...

A Postcard from the Emerald Isle

Seeing as you are still checking in on the blog, thanks by the way, I feel like I should write a quick note to you all.

Bristol. Wopnderful. Lovely time with sister, Ana and new bar/restaurant place. Excited to return, loved the fact that it was the same but yet different. Update on the Oreo's: there is a big campaign to bring them in and they even have Oreo McFlurry. Love it!

Dublin. Ace. The Irish are friendly, all is forgiven from past experiences of them. I met a museum man that was wonderful and friendly and told us the following:
That he was the original caveman, never learnt to drive, never had a mobile phone, didn't have a passport. He was cool. Told us he liked to walk his dog but had little success teaching him how to switch on the TV... very fabulous not withstanding the accent which just made it momentous. Art gallery good, food good, beer good, very aware that there is lots to sample in life and little (relatively speaking) time so just gotta take what you can and chill out.

Hopefully beach tomorrow and the Guiness factory.

In other news, Darryl is a liar. I heard him speak French.

In summary: Bailey's cheese cake is a gimic, Irish stew is not; it is confirmed that God resides in the UK and Ireland as well as Switzerland-yet to pass judgement on Hungary and Austria but it looks good...

Now have many things to do, hostel internet may run out and anyway how sad am I to be here and not doing something Irish or at the very least sociable. This must be the fastest blog I have ever written and the quality will be testimony to that. Oh well, what can you do.

Last funny anecdote to keep you interested: Robyn and I rolled down a hill in skirts. It's pretty rubbish as far as funny stories go but the pictures are cute and I can't be arsed to think harder.

Ta ta!

Dresses, biscuits and other fabulous things...

Ways in which my new dress is like Jesus:
I love it
It is top quality
It makes me feel special
It's worth a lot
I found it in Geneva
I couldn't say no once I'd discovered it
It suits me
It covers a multitude of sins

Ways in which my new dress is not like Jesus:
It may not fit one day
It definitely won't last forever
I need to accessorize it so it keeps feeling special
There is a risk I will grow tired of it
I bought it in a shop (Zara to be specific) with money
It isn't worth everything
It's not great for every season
I don't want to make it Lord of my life
It doesn't cover all my sins

Another analogy using Oreo's:
I am so excited by Oreos. There may have been a time when one may have wished to make innuendos with biscuits (chocolate hobnob anyone?). OK, so innuendos are still fun; but what is even better is a tenuous religious analogy.

I came to Geneva without knowing God. I had heard of Him and had a vague idea of what He was about, but no personal experience. He may have had something to do with my move and certainly opened my mind to His love/presence/grace/promises/salvation since arriving, to the point where I can now say I am a fan. A big fan.

I also came to Geneva having never had an Oreo. I had only heard about them from Judy Bloom's Superfudge but I was not at all sure what they were, in fact I think I had visualised some kind of weird seed cracker. Since my arrival I have become acquainted with their tri-layer, cream-filled, chocolate covered, rich biscuity goodness and remain changed forever. So, likewise, I am a fan of the Oreo.

More importantly though, from watching the British T.V. channels I have here I am overjoyed to see an advert for Oreo's in the UK. They have come to England! Now, I am pretty sure that Jesus was in England before I left but the point is when I go back I will not be returning to my existence before God. Nor my existence before Oreos. All these breakthroughs are significant, permanent and life changing and will not be left behind.

Bring on the Oreos... and the future!