Thursday, August 26, 2004

Same-sex marriages, Destiny church, and the Law

I don't know whether those of you in NZ have been paying attention to the recent news but here goes the background. The Destiny Church marched to parliment wearing black t-shirts with clenched fists punching the air and chanting the slogan 'Enough is enough'; they were protesting the Civil Union Bill which will allow gays to tie the knot. Since then peopl have arisen in a furor comparing the actions of Destiny to those of Fascist Germany. It is quite interesting even liberal Christians have risen against this fundamentalist element represented in Destiny and Maxim (who have for a long time been campaigning against this Bill). For people who preach free speech they are quick to condemn any speech that they do not agree with, Rousseau[?] 'I may not agree with what you say but I will defend your right to say it'. For people who preach tolerance they are quick to condemn intolerance, 'I can tolerate everything except intolerance'.

I am not going to condemn the media or the public except for that I've already said for 'judge not least ye be judged'. However, something that was said in church on Sunday has been dragged to the forefront of my mind. In 1 Corinthians 5:12 St. Paul says 'for what have I to do with judging those who are outside?', the Law is not for those outside the church; those who have not accepted the gospel. True it does say in Leviticus 18:22 that homosexual acts are an ambomination, but this Law was given to the Jews, God's Chosen People, not the gentiles. We as Christians have been grafted onto the olive tree of the faithful of Israel (Romans 11), and thus the Law was given to us. For Jesus came not to supersede the Law but to fulfil the Law. Thus the church should judge within itself this Bill and not force upon the world our point of view. It is not our job to preach the Law to the unsaved but rather the good news of Jesus the Christ. Because the world has decided to discard the Law is no reason for Christians to do and within the church and between Christians male-female marriages can be continued and the fact that the outside world allows same-sex marriages doesn't mean we have to.

Please comment on this because I'm certain I've come across far more fundamentalist and hardlined than I meant to be.

Finally just because the world makes something permissable doesn't make it anymore legal for the Christian therefore as long as it doesn't affect our ability to worship and serve God we shouldn't worry excessively.

God bless, from the fingertips of a coffee-addled mind.

Wednesday, August 25, 2004

Eurythphro

Wow! I just realised that although I've managed to acheive an average posts per week of 15 I most of them I haven't had to say anything for. Ahh, the advantages of being behind the camera. Anyway I thought I'd write down my thoughts about Eurythpro's dilemna, which I introduced in an earlier blog. It was introduced to me in my Philosophy lecture and because my mind doesn't work in a nice rational way I didn't think about discussing it in my essay until the second half of the course. By then of course it was too late but anyway these thoughts came to me in one of the lectures, so here goes.

First Eurythphro's dilemna goes something like:
Socrates: I [asked] you to tell me the actual form as a result of which all things are holy...Then of the actions which you or anyone else perform, I can call holy the ones, peformed by you or anyone else, which resemble it, but not the ones which don't resemble it...
Eurthyphro: What is dear to the gods is holy. What is not dear to them is unholy.
...
Socrates: Then what are we to say about the holy, Eurythphro? According to your argument, is it not loved by all the gods?
Eurthyphro: Yes.
Socrates: Because it is holy, or for some other reason?
Eurythphro: No, for that reason.
Socrates: And so it is loved because it is holy; it is not holy because it is loved.

This was divided up into 2 arguments the first being that something is holy (or good) because God declares it to be and since God is good then this is not an arbitrary declaration. However, this means that then using God to define goodness is a circular explanation. The second being that what is holy (or good) is good because it is and God declares it to be good because it is good. [I hope this makes sense]. However, this means that theoretically it is possible to reach a concept of goodness outside of God. These to arguments (in my mind) can be separated into the 'is' and 'because' arguments, ie something is good because it is good; and something is good because God declares it is good. The problem that some people (namely my lecturer) had was that they thought these 2 arguments were mutually exclusive, ie if one argument is used then the other cannot be used. In other words something is good because it is good and because God declares it to be good. It is only good because God declares it to be good and God declares it to be good because it is good.

When I buy a new piece of electronic hardware say a discman (most people would understand if I used the example of a cellphone but I wouldn't) I generally read the warnings given about what not to do to it. This is because (after a few irritating incidents) I want to get my money's worth out of my discman. [Wait this analogy is going somewhere ... I think :S] Now the reasons for me obeying the warning labels is that I assume that a scientist(s) have tested this model of discman and have found that these things will adversely affect it. And this is exactly where I think the link between 'is' and 'because' lies. Firstly 'is'; I trust the company saying it is bad for the discman because it is bad for my discman. The second 'because' requires more thought; I trust the company saying it is not from any knowledge of my own regarding the effect a certain action will have on my discman. I trust the company saying it is bad because it is the company saying it is bad and I trust the company has done thorough testing. In a likewise manner if there is a creator God who made humans in His image (Genesis 1:27), and if He gave to humans a list of what is bad for them (Exodus 20:1-17) then why shouldn't we believe Him.

Anyway those are my coffee-addled ramblings.

God bless.

Given enough coffee, I could rule the world. ~Author Unknown

Monday, August 23, 2004

Names

PIRATICAL

http://www.fidius.org/quiz/pirate.php

Iron James Flint

A pirate's life isn't easy; it takes a tough person. That's okay with you, though, since you are that person. Like the rock flint, you're hard and sharp. But, also like flint, you're easily chipped, and sparky. Arr!

Middle Earthian

Middle Earth Names

According to the Red Book of Westmarch, In Middle-earth, Jared Edward Mayes was a
Furry-footed Spawn of Ungoliant
Elven Name Possibilities for Jared Edward Mayes
The root name suitable for feminine and masculine is:
Palanlain
Another masculine version is:
Palanlainion
Hobbit lad name for Jared Edward Mayes
Ferdinand Headstrong from Bree
Dwarven Name for Jared Edward Mayes
Róin Clawmouth
This name is for both genders.
Orkish Name for Jared Edward Mayes
Kurshásh the Tough
This name is for both genders.
Adûnaic name for Jared Edward Mayes
Lantarânzar

According to the Red Book of Westmarch,
In Middle-earth, Jared Mayes was a
Lonely Balrog
Elven Name Possibilities for Jared Mayes
The root name suitable for feminine and masculine is:
Gayakhelek
Another masculine version is:
Gayakhelekion
Hobbit lad name for Jared Mayes
Hobson Bunce from Tighfield
Dwarven Name for Jared Mayes
Tarin Rubyteeth
This name is for both genders.
Orkish Name for Jared Mayes
Nazzag the Basher
This name is for both genders.
Adûnaic name for Jared Mayes
Ataltûkîdô

Honesty

I've been meaning to write this for a while and after the rantings of yesterday thought it might be semi-appropriate. By the way big thanks to you all who were so kind to me yesterday and don't worry I've locked my feelings up in a big wooden trunk again until I need them again ;P. I began thinking about this a long time ago and it surfaced again with the recent (I say recent but within roughly the past 6 weeks; shows how long I've been procrastinating) departure of a friend of mine (I'm not saying anymore as to their identity because that might crack open the big wooden chest again).

Anyway a while back this friend told that I was a gift from God to them, this completely blindsided me, not entirely that it was true but that it was said at all. In classic Jared styles I didn't say anything at the time and went back home. The next day I sent a massive email to my friend saying thank you and how much they meant to me, ie being completely honest. This got me thinking about honesty and what its all about.

I think my biggest problem with honesty has always been the fact that if you are completely honest with someone then it gives them 'power' of you. Not only do they know the embarrassing little secrets but also what makes you tick. This completely turned me off being completely honest since I never want to be in a position of weakness and vulnerability. Then I became a Christian and still I kept this lack of honesty going on. It was only when my friend said the aforementioned statement to me that I really had to examine my emotions for the first time ever and I got quite a shock. I had these things called emotions.

From this a whole raft of thoughts came to me. Firstly inspite of the knowledge that God sees everything and God knows everything I still tried to lie to Him and ignore stuff I had done. This followed into the second point that I lied to myself regarding my actions and tried to use doublethink (ie forget something happened, then forget forgetting etc.) on myself. Finally this lead to lying to my friends about myself. By lying used here I don't obviously mean telling my friends that I was a six foot tall Russian gymnast named Olga with purple skin but rather being less than completely honest about the way I was or the what was going on with me. I realised this that honesty is a three-fold process and is a way of life. Some of you may have heard that life is a three-fold process as well and consists of ordering your priorities, and best way is by the acronym J.O.Y.; Jesus, Others, Yourself. With honesty I think a similar three things should be fore front but foremost is honesty to yourself. From honesty to yourself the other two forms of honesty flow quite readily. But if you are not willing to admit to yourself how you are feeling then how can you do so to another person or to God. St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:28 'But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgement to himself...', examine yourself and be completely honest before coming to commune with our heavenly Father.

Anyway that's some random thoughts out of the coffee-addled brain of Jared.

God's blessings to anyone who reads this.

...

Dang this post has been honest I want anyone who reads it to sign a waver forfeiting the right to use anything on this blog for blackmail purposes against me.

...

I mean it!


Sunday, August 22, 2004

Feelings

Before I begin I am going to apoligise to anyone I offend with my language but sometimes this language explains the way I am feeling better than words ever could.

I am currently feeling absolutely fucked up. I feel like a piece of shit that has been hit by a steamroller. Someone very close to me just had their first ever epelictic fit not two hours gone. It was frightening to the extreme watching them lie on the floor with uncontrolled spasms running through them. It terrified me and I am still not fully myself at the moment. I was working this afternoon and my hands were trembling as I drove there. My supervisor was incredibly kind and let my go home after an hour. It's just such a shock to the system so unexpected that it left me reeling. Life is not perfect but sometimes when my greatest worries are assignments and getting out of staff-training everything seems normal. Even though as a Christian I know that stuff goes wrong it is still hard to believe that this would happen in a Christian home. But when I'm suddenly hit by this it throws everything into a tail spin. I prayed to God for my friend's protection, but now I ask Him, why my friend why now? All I can say is that Jesus reigns and God is in control even when my world isn't. I love Him so much and must trust in Him.

I don't know who I am writing this to or even my reasons for writing this but maybe its easier to confess to a computer screen than breaking down face to face.

Anyway God bless you all and thank you so much for your friendship.

Jared

Friday, August 20, 2004



Optimus Rocks I don't mind being described as such a legenday leader.


Which Naruto Character are You?
quiz by orangeday.net


Sounds about right, I don't have any complaints being a lone wolf.

Thursday, August 19, 2004

Faith

'If I'd seen [God], really there, really alive, it'd be in me like a fever. If I thought there was some god who really did care two hoots about people, who watched 'em like a father and cared for 'em like a mother...well, you wouldn't catch me sayin' things like "There are two sides to every question," and "We must respect other people's beliefs." You wouldn't find me just being gen'rally nice in the hope that it'd all turn out right in the end, not if that flame was burning in me like an unforgivin' sword. And I did say burnin'...'cos that's what it'd be. You say that you people don't burn folk and sacrifice people any more, but that's what true faith would mean, y'see? Sacrifcin' your own life, one day at a time, to the flame, declarin' the truth of it, workin' for it, breathin' the soul of it. That's religion. Anything else is just...is just bein' nice. And a way of keepin' in touch with the neighbours...Don't chase faith, 'cos you'll never catch it. But prehaps, you can live faithfully.'
-'Carpe Jugulum', Terry Pratchett, pg 349-350

Sin

'There's a very interesting debate raging at the moment about the nature of sin...'
'And what do they think? Against it, are they?'
'It's not as simple as that. It's not a black and white issue. There are so many shades of grey.'
'There's no greys, only white that's got grubby. I'm surprised you don't know that. And sin...is when you treat people as things. Including yourself. That's what sin is.'
-'Carpe Jugulum', Terry Pratchett, pg 314

Existence

'"We are therefore we am..."
'"That's actually quite interesting...The evidence of our existence is the fact of our existence..."'
-'Small Gods', Terry Pratchett, pg 153

Religion

'Around the Godde there forms a Shelle of prayers and Ceremonies and Buildings and Priestes and Authority, until at Last the Godde Dies. Ande this maye notte be noticed.'
-'Small Gods', Terry Pratchett, pg 191

The Brain

'9/10 of the brain is not used and, like most popular facts, it is wrong...one of its functions is to make the miraculous seem ordinary and turn the unusual into the usual.
'Because if this was not the case then human beings [would be] faced with the daily wondrousness of everything'
-'Small Gods', Terry Pratchet, pg 83-84

Miracles

They live in world where the grass continued to be green and the sun rose every day and flowers regularly turned to fruit, and what impresses them? Weeping statues. And wine made out of water! A mere quantum-mechanistic tunnel effect, that'd happen anyway if you were prepared to wait zillions of years. As if the turning of sunlight into wine, by means of vines and grapes and time and enzymes, wasn't a thousand times more impressive and happened all the time.
-'Small Gods', Terry Pratchet, pg 161

Monday, August 16, 2004

Photography

photographer (n) - from the old word in Latation, which means 'to prance around like a pillock ordering everyone about as if you owned the place'

CU Ball - A kilt what more do I need to say Posted by Hello

CU Ball - Keira Knightly (Pirates of the Carribean) Posted by Hello

CU Ball - nice profile Posted by Hello

CU Ball - don't let him near me! Posted by Hello

CU Ball - Starting to look a bit sloppy there Posted by Hello

CU Ball - Shrek the agent Posted by Hello

The name is Bond ... I mean Brehaut Posted by Hello

CU Ball - Pirates of the Carribean, anyone Posted by Hello

CU Ball - Zorro and the damsel in distress[?] Posted by Hello

CU Ball - Shrek and the fair lady Posted by Hello

CU Ball - enter Zorro Posted by Hello

CU Ball - Freeze! Posted by Hello

CU Ball - wow he's definately a new-aged guy, multitasking with a sword and cellphone Posted by Hello

CU Ball - watch where you point that sword Posted by Hello

CU Ball - I thought this was good picture 'til I saw the two fingers. C'est la vie Posted by Hello

CU Ball - what a ... eccentric pair of guys Posted by Hello

CU Ball - on guard Posted by Hello

CU Ball - Chad the ladies man Posted by Hello

Sunday, August 15, 2004


CU Ball - how Hollywood are pirates Posted by Hello

CU Ball - Marilyn Monroe Posted by Hello

CU Ball - Mel and Naomi Posted by Hello

CU Ball - Ruth finally calmed down Posted by Hello

CU Ball - a beautiful pair of shoes made from serviettes Posted by Hello

CU Ball - the name's Tom, Tom-Dog Posted by Hello