the coffee table

'Soul Shaper'

2009-05-10T14:21:00.003+12:00

Slow down
Listen to God
Be silent
Mediate
Make the Stations
Stare at an icon

And, there, do you feel it?
The divine light of the Risen Christ
flickering within you,
slowly building to a roaring fire...
-Tony Jones

Woah

2008-03-12T11:13:00.002+13:00

Wow it's been almost a year since I wrote anything here, so probably no one reads here anymore anyway, ah well, c'est la vie. Just shows how long I have been out of internet access :) and that we have now allowed Porn (our flat nickname for Internet) into the flat.

Anyway in spite of feeling like shit or I mean @#$% these are some thoughts that I had recently.

I've been working my way through Exodus, chiefly because Jurgen Moltmann in A Theology of Hope talks about the Exodus church. A tenuous link I know but you gotta start somewhere right?

Anyway it intrigued me that at the beginning of Exodus God calls Moses to lead his people out from Egypt, the land of slavery and tyranny. However, before Moses can lead the people out, he is first sent back in. Back in to Egypt, into the land of slavery, into the land of tyranny. He goes in to both call the people out, showing them a bigger dream of the land of milk and honey, and to challenge the powers and principalities that hold them captive. As a prophet he shows people a better world and challenges power with miracles and the power of God. This is the call to the church. To be a prophetic people called out and so going deeper in. To call others out and to challenge the powers and the principalities that hold people captive.

Heyla

2007-03-19T13:31:00.000+12:00

Hey all just a brief post as I'm at work.
Coming up next weekend and people are invited to come around saturday evening for a bbq and social gathering.

Theological Position

2006-11-04T14:20:00.000+13:00

You scored as Emergent/Postmodern. You are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well. No one knows the whole truth about God, and we have much to learn from each other, and so learning takes place in dialogue. Evangelism should take place in relationships rather than through crusades and altar-calls. People are interested in spirituality and want to ask questions, so the church should help them to do this.

Emergent/Postmodern

82%

Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan

68%

Neo orthodox

68%

Roman Catholic

46%

Classical Liberal

43%

Reformed Evangelical

32%

Modern Liberal

29%

Charismatic/Pentecostal

18%

Fundamentalist

What's your theological worldview?
created with QuizFarm.com

Wife Swap USA

2006-07-25T19:50:00.000+12:00

I was watching tv last week and happened to start watching 'Wife Swap USA'. Now this is not regular progamming for me but this episode caught my eye. For the uninitiated out there the premise behind this show is that two families at polar ends of a spectrum swap spouses for two weeks. For the first week the exchanged spouse has to abide by the family's rules but in the second week they get to impose their rules on the family. In the instance of the show I watched it was a traditional Christian family, father, mother, and 3 boys and a gay family, two father's and two biological daughters.

In the Christian family the father ruled the house. The boys were kept in line by the use of a wooden paddle affectionately known as the 'butt-basher'. The mother did all the cooking and cleaning (as well as worked fulltime as the father at that time was unemployed). The father was emotionally separated from his sons and wife and found it difficult to communicate with them.

This was contrasted with the gay family. No one was better than anyone else. Any problems were discussed together and decisions reached as a family. Everyone helped with chores and cooking the two girls did not even need to be asked. Both father's were working professionals and their daughters felt comfortable talking to them about anything.

This was quite a thought provoking show for me. In the family typically thought of (at least in Christian circles) as a bastion of Christian example the gay couple were leading the way in how a family should operate. It saddens me that people can live in a family such as that and at the same time be following Jesus. The man is the head of the household in the same way that Christ is the head of the church. And when Christ came he did not come with a butt-basher.

What angered me more than anything else were the Christian's responses to the gay man. The father called his pastor when he found out that the spouse he was receiving was a gay man. The pastor came over and counselled the father saying that the bible is very clear on the topic of homosexuality, they are like lepers, we are to treat them as if they had the plague (and not in the nuturing sense). The father ended up continuing in the show but did not allow the other guy to sleep under his roof! This disgusts me from a Christian and worse a minister of the Word. If G@d is a G@d of love then this as far from a godly action as I can imagine. People justify this sort of thing by saying "I'm rejecting the sin but still loving them". Bollocks! It looks like that you're rejecting the sin, and despising and loathing the sinner.

While sadly people might use examples such as this to justify their opinions of Christians I still found this episode worth watching. I found it heartening that the mother who went into the gay household used their example to set her family arights. She began to see the family as just other humans rather than those people. At the end of the show she judged them by who they are rather than judging them by what they are.

Happy Anniversary

2006-07-23T21:38:00.000+12:00

Wow its hard to believe but tomorrow the Coffee Table will be 2 years old. Its kinda surreal to have had my life in cyberspace for so long. There have been many interesting posts and a long faith journey in part explored here. I don't know where I will end up or if ever end up anywhere but I don't think I care anymore. I'm just enjoying this journey with the Lord. I don't think I'll end up as non-Christian as some, or as anti-Christian as others, nor do I think I'll end up as 'Christianese' as others. There is a hope of the future.

The Other Blog

2006-07-17T18:14:00.000+12:00

This is going to be my new personal blog here. But this one will still be ongoing on a similar vein to the way it has been going. However, I don't know how often I'll be able to update either as I have yet to convince the flatties to get internet let alone broadband :)

The Light in Humanity

2006-07-15T10:43:00.000+12:00

As one of my going away gifts my Youth Group gave me for some unbeknown reason the book Bono on Bono: Conversations with Michka Assayas. I found this excerpt quite insightful:

Harry Belafonte is one of my great heroes. He's an old-school leftist and holds on to certain principles like others hold on to their life. He told me this story about Bobby Kennedy, which changed my life indeed, pointed me in the direction I am going now politically. Harry remembered a meeting with Martin Luther King when the civil rights movement had hit a wall in the early sixties: [impersonating croaky voice of Belfonte] "I tell you it was a depressing moment when Bobby Kennedy was made the attorney general. It was a very bad day for the civil rights movement." And I said: "Why was that?" He said: "Oh, you see, you forget. Bobby Kennedy was Irish. Those Irish were real racists; they didn't like the black man. They were just one step above the black man on the social ladder, and they made us feel it. They were the police, they were the people who broke our balls on a daily basis. Bobby at that time was famously not interested in the civil rights movement. We knew we were in deep trouble. We were crest-fallen, in despair, talking to Martin, moaning and groaning about the turn of events, when Dr. King slammed his hand down and ordered us to stop the bitchin': "Enough of this," he said. "Is there nobody here who's got something good to say about Bobby Kennedy?" We said: "Martin, that's what we're telling ya! There is no one. There is nothing good to say about him. The guy's an Irish Catholic conservative badass, he's bad news." To which Martin replied: "Well, then, let's call this meeting to a close. We will re-adjourn when somebody has found one thing redeeming to say about Bobby Kennedy, because that, my friends, is the door through which our movement will pass." So he stopped the meeting and he made them all go home. He wouldn't hear any more negativity about Bobby Kennedy. He knew that there must be something positive. And if it was there, someone could find it.
It turned out that Bobby was very close with his bishop. So they befriended the one man who could get through to Bobby's soul... Harry became emotional at the end of this tale: "When Bobby Kennedy lay dead on a Los Angeles pavement, there was no greater friend to the civil rights movement. There was no one we owed more of our progress to than that man"... And whether he was exaggerating or not, that was a great lesson for me, because what Dr. King was saying was: Don't respond to caricature--the Left, the Right, the Progressives, the Reactionary. Don't take people on runor. Find the light in them, because that will further your cause.
-Bono on Bono, Michka Assayas, pg 86-87

I think this is a lesson that we should all listen to. To continue it on, do not criticise people for what they are doing wrong. Seek to congratulate them on what they are doing right and then seek to show them how they can do it better.

Environment

2006-07-10T12:11:00.000+12:00

Below is a copy of a brief talk I gave on Sunday about what I am going to be doing in Dunedin. It was thrown together at 1 in the morning and only gives a brief synopsis of my view of the relationship between Christianity and Environmentalism, but here it is anyway.

As some of you may be aware I am leaving for Dunedin in the very near future; in fact next weekend. This is because just over a year after graduating from Canterbury I have finally got a job as a Chemical and Process Engineer, well to be precise an Environmental Engineer, with a Dunedin based consultancy company called Waste Solutions Ltd which is a subsidiary of Duffill Watts & King. Some of you may have seen Campbell Live a couple of weeks back in which they looked at PPCS Timaru dumping their waste straight into a local bay and the Gisbourne City dumping its untreated municipal sewerage directly into the sea. An Environmental Engineer is the person who is brought in by these companies or cities to examine the waste, the location, and what is required in order to get a resource consent and then recommends the best possible solution to the problem. The Environmental Engineer can be involved right from the modelling of the problem through to actually building the treatment plant.

In spite of the fact that in moving to Dunedin I shall have to leave everything and everyone I know and love I am excited about this opportunity. Ever since I did a paper on Pollution Control in 2^nd pro or third year at Uni I have loved the field of waste treatment. Living in New Zealand I have found it very easy to appreciate and love the beauty of creation, thanks in part to my parents taking me camping every summer. And yet humans haven't had a very good track record of keeping this or any country pristine, we pump pollutants into the water. I remember watching the news just before I graduated and I saw a piece about this city in Russia in which the death rate was higher than the birth rate. This was because the amount of pollution that processing plants were pumping into the air. I don't know about you but I find this absolutely shocking and I began to pray that God would put me into a position where I would be able to use my skills to help in these sort of situations.

Going to Bible College last year gave me an insight into God's heart for the world. Not the world as in its inhabitants, but the earth itself. The very first chapter of the Bible tells us that God created this world and saw that each part of it was ' good' and that the whole of creation was very good. This in fact is one of the central points in the whole of that creation narrative. Looking further into the first chapter of the Bible we find God blessing humanity and telling them to subdue the earth. This subduing is not to rule over and abuse as this passage has on occasion been used to justify. Rather it speaks of a subduing to care and look after, as some have put it, to be stewards of the earth. Finally, throughout the Bible people point to creation as a witness to the glory of God, Psalm 19 especially:

Psalm 19:1-6 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. ² Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. ³ There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. ⁴ Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, ⁵ which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. ⁶ It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.

The chorus of the song Blown Away by a New Zealand band Magnify captures it for me,

I take a step outside
And I open my eyes and find
That I can't take a breath
Without You being on my mind
There's nothing that I can do
There's nothing that I can say
I've fallen flat on my face
And I've been blown away

I want to keep this witness alive for future generations.

Velvet Elvis

2006-07-07T01:34:00.000+12:00

I have just finished reading the Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell. For those of you that don't know, Rob Bell is one of the founding pastors of the Mars Hill church in America, one of the fastest growing churches in American history and the star of the Noma videos. This was the best book I have read to date this year. It is subtitled Repainting the Christian Faith and he argues that Christianity needs to be repainted for the world that she now finds herself in. In art there is never a pinnacle of art so great that there need never be another artist likewise Rob Bell argues there is never a pinnacle of theology or Christianity so great and so complete that there need never be another theologian. It is impossible to describe my enjoyment of this book, within it I found described and portrayed the very things that I have come to understand Christianity to be about, and the ideas that I have been considering to be concisely written in black and white.

Rob Bell goes from pointing out that Christian doctrines are not so much bricks in a wall (threaten one brick and the wall may collapse) but springs of a trampoline in so much that they can bend and stretch and are not in fact the point in themselves but an aid to the point (to jump :). He goes on to point out that all truth is G@d's truth. Christians should not be threatened if they find truth in a place that is not in one of the redefined sources of truth because wherever it is found it is G@d's. From here he goes on to point out that the word 'Christian' "is a great noun but a terrible adjective" that something can be called Christian (ie Christian music) and not be the best possible form of that thing in fact in some cases it is a disgrace to the art. Just because something is done in church or marketed in a Christian store does not make it any more 'Christian' than something done in the 'secular' market. He also points out that the bible is more concerned with bringing heaven to earth than it is with taking earthlings to heaven. He points out that we can choose to bring heaven or hell to earth and Jesus provides much condemnation for those that do the latter. Rob Bell finishes by saying that being Christian means being the best possible humans that we can be and try to bring heaven to earth for everyone, everyday; that is the good news for the whole earth. No more hidden agendas, no more trying to convince people to be Christian, just to live a life like Christ's. Do not think that this is even close to a complete overview of the book there is heaps of detail and major, awesome points that I have missed. I cannot even quote my favourite sections from this book as it has so many that I absolutely love (and also I have just packed it away and probably won't see it until I reach Dunedin unless someone convinces me to lend it to them :).

Finally, I highly recommend this book for anyone who finds themselves at odds with the church on details of orthopraxy (right action) and maybe orthodoxy (right understanding) but still identifies themselves as a Christian and a member of the church. A person who sees the ideals of the church but despairs of the actuality of the way it has turned out. This book provides a powerful unifying understanding that keeps the best of the past but seeks to reinterpret, repaint them, so that the original image of G@d and desire of Christ for His disciples is retained.

Praying For The Sick

2006-07-05T22:33:00.000+12:00

Those of you who read the Dilbert blog will have recently read his post so entitled (and those that don't you can find it here). I found this article interesting because in one of bible college one my lecturers gave an example that proved precisely the opposite (the article is located here). So what happened? Did God decide that the group of patients that Scott Adams cites were not worthy to get better while those cited by my lecturer were? Is one test better than the other? If so which one, the one that had a greater group of patients or the one that used the triple-blind method (neither the doctors nor the patients knew if they were being prayed for and the prayer groups only knew the first names of the patients and never met them)?

I don't think I can answer these questions. I just have a few reactions to this whole thing. Firstly, the statement by the chief chaplain at the Mayo clinic, "The sense of community was not there. You could call it impersonal prayer rather than intercessory prayer." I don't like this reaction. Is he saying that the prayer groups didn't or weren't able to pray hard enough because they didn't know the people involved? Or was the effacy of their prayers somehow lessened for the same reason? Or maybe because the people being prayed for weren't Christians (and therefore part of the community) God decided they weren't worth saving? This doesn't fit with the G@d I know. I would see this as almost as a cop out answer, trying to get off the hook from not performing.

And that is what it is at the end of the day after all, performing. Bring G@d out of the box and get Him to dance on His hind legs. "He's not a tame Lion". We are trying to make God perform to make a point to the world that He is real. Somehow we have got the mistaken idea that if we can just prove that He exists then people will believe. They won't. People might use studies as Scott Adams does to prove that G@d doesn't exist or isn't thoroughly involved. Even if every study in every discipline shows incontrovertibly that G@d exists I doubt that any of these like Scott Adams will come to faith. As Jesus put it "Do not put the Lord your G@d to the test" (Matt 4.7). And at the end of the day this is what these people are doing. They are trying to test the Lord to make sure that He is there.

However, conversely, even if people are doing it for the wrong reasons the patients themselves are still sick so why wouldn't G@d heal them? Just to prove a point that He isn't subject to the whims of His people? This doesn't sound like the actions of an all-powerful all-loving Creator to me. At the end of the day I'm not going to rest my faith on any medical research. Not because I don't believe in their methods or what they are trying to do. Rather there are too many unknowns. I do not know the mind of G@d, I do not understand why He acts the way that He does. I do not understand the human body and the way it works. Just because we may be able to prove in this circumstance that G@d did not move in the way people expected or desired Him to does not negate His existence or the effacy of prayer.

The World Doesn't Need A Saviour

2006-06-29T15:57:00.000+12:00

"...but every day I hear people crying for one."

I just went to see Superman Returns today. I don't understand why people have bagged Superman so much. Yes it is cheesy and so sweet it hurts at times but that is just part of the charm. Superman to me is the archytypical superhero: he is iconic of all things that superheros are and strive to be. All other superheros are just weak copies of this all-American hero. His truth, justice, and a hard-boiled egg whilst they make us gag for the cliches are noble and true virtues that all people long for. I confess that I felt a thrill of excitment when Clark Kent doffed his mild manner guise and tore open his shirt to reveal that logo. And I found myself internally cheering at Superman's first heroic save since his return to Metropolis, unsurprisingly involving Lois Lane who in characteristic fashion faints afterwards (a la Superman the original). Yes Superman almost always predicatable and you can predict what will happen in a lot of the movie, but the film writers kept it interesting in spite of this. And how Superman managed to beat Lex Luthor's latest ingenious scheme I could not foresee. Some people thought poorly of the movie as it used audio and visual clips from the first movies (for the voice and image of Jor-El, Superman's father), however, I personally thought that it was awesome that they did so. It created a continuity with the old movies to see and hear Marlon Brando counselling Superman. I for one rate it as a movie a few laughs and a feel goodness to the movie that can only come from mum's apple pie.

For those of you that haven't yet seen it thebasic storyline is Superman had left and now has returned (can't get simpler than that). Astronmers had discovered what looked like the fragments of the planet Krypton and Superman left to investigate it for himself. However, he left without saying goodbye to Lois Lane and therefore while he was away she wrote a Pulitzer prizewinning article entitled 'Why the world doesn't need Superman'. He returns to earth to find her with a son and dating/pratically married to the nephew of Perry White. While this is going on Lex Luthor had been released from jail as one of the key prosecution witnesses, Superman, failed to show up for the arraignment. Once again Lex has a plan of feindish cunning to kill lots of people and make loads of money and Superman has to stop him.

In her article Lois wrote that "the world doesn't need a saviour". Its an interesting and very provacative statement. Superman responds to her when he returns "You wrote that the world doesn't need a saviour, but every day I hear people crying for one" (quotes from here). Its interesting looking back at the first movie and hearing what Jor-El says that his mission on earth should be, "Live as one of them, Kal-El, to discover where your strength and your power are needed. Always hold in your heart the pride of your special heritage. They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you... my only son" (quote from here). Superman was sent to earth not so much to save people but to show them how to save themselves. Superman lead by example showing the world the way that people should live in relation to one another. Not trying to do what Superman can do but rather to give what they are able to give to one another without expecting recompense, to do justice, love kindness, and live together in harmony. But people became complacent and let Superman do all the work. Rather than looking to his example and trying emulate it they let him do all the work, worshipped him and praised him for what he was doing but then did not do anything in response. This is what Lois meant that the world does not need a saviour; this is not the type of saviour the world needs one that people look to but do not try to emulate. But Superman is correct the world is constantly crying out for a saviour and unless we all try to save the world and bring peace, wholeness and harmony on earth what is the purpose of the saviour. The saviour the world needs is a light shining in the darkness to show the world the way rather than a flamethrower throwing back the darkness causing the world to have no need to fight the darkness.

Job Prospects

2006-06-13T12:40:00.000+12:00

I know I said that I would try not to blog about personal issues but resolutions are made to be broken.

As some of you are aware I have been looking unsuccessfully for a job as an engineer for the last few months. Anyway there was one prospect that came up at a Job expo at the local university that seemed very cool. It was with a consultancy company that works in waste water processing; which was exactly the field of Chemical and Process Engineering that I hoped to get into when I graduated but was beginning to despair of getting as it is commonly a Civil Engineering discipline. Anyway the expo was on Wednesday and on that Friday I emailed the guy I had spoken to (and given a copy of my CV to) with a coverletter expressing my interest in working for their company. I got an email back on the Monday asking for my CV (go figure). I emailed them back on Tuesday with an updated version of my CV and got an email back that evening asking for a telephone conference on Thursday. After the telephone conference I was told that within the next week they'd get in touch with me as to whether they wished to fly me down for further interviewing. The very next day I received an email from them with a flight tickets attached for the following Wednesday. After having the interview with them they told me that they'd get in touch with me within a week as to whether they were going to employ me. That was 2.5 weeks ago and I have been sitting on tenterhooks ever since. I emailed them last week thanking them for the opportunity of the interview (ie in business parlance, whats going on at your end guys?). Then yesterday morning I received an email from them informing me that they were interested in employing me and that I can expect an official offer from them in the next week or so. :)

For those of you that are interested the company is called Waste Solutions Ltd which is a subsidery of Duffill Watts and King. It seems like a very awesome company to work for. They all have a deepseated belief in the need to take care of our environment and our country. Wherever possible if they can install a waste processor that is as clean as possible then they will tend towards that solution. In other words they have philosophies very similar to my own and two of the ten or so employees are Christians (one of them is the boss). None of them smoke and few of them drink. They have a very flat management structure and operate as a team rather than a group of individuals working together. All up it seems to be exactly the environment that I wished to work in.

Thank you to any one who was praying for me in this, G@d has more than answered my prayers. If you would continue to pray that I can find a Christian flat with young professionals (as opposed to students) in Dunedin and can find a good circle of Christians down there that will accept me into their friendship.

I will be setting up another blog chronicling my adventures down south.

Xmen 3

2006-06-02T13:56:00.000+12:00

Like most I have seen Xmen 3. If you haven't and you want it to remain a surprise stop reading now but when you do see it stay til the end of the credits.

I didn't anticipate much for it as a movie and it delivered. It was not gripping, it was not moving, it was not spectacular. It was a special effects playground showing off the imagination (or plagiarism) of the mutants abilities. That said I liked Juggernaut he was one of the redeeming features of the movie, and Vinnie Jones did a sterling job of playing a guy who charges in and attacks everything; it is the role he was born to play.

As a movie though it was trying to do to many things and ended up doing nothing. It had the main plot line of someone inventing an 'antidote' to mutanism and Magneto raising up an army to destroy the antidote. To exacerbate matters the government turns the antidote into a weapon which neither Prof X nor Magneto agree with. But that is just the beginning of the plots in the movie, they add in the most superfluious character yet in the person of Angel. I have yet to ascertain any reason at all for him to be in the movie except to give the inventor of the antidote incentive to create it. As well they had the love story between Rogue and Iceman going on. Rogue gets upset that her powers cause her to be unable to touch her boyfriend and he finds that he can touch Kitty (walk thru walls chick). In the end Rogue submits to the antidote (of her own freewill) and becomes normal. Also, they had the rise of the Phoenix as Jean Gray's suppressed alternate personality who was an unstable class 5 mutant (as powerful as you can get) and the continuation of the love story between her and Wolverine. Finally there is the enemity between Pyro and Iceman but instead of building it up there was one stand off and one major fight scene which was over in the blink of an eye. They should have had an earlier fight scene (in the third movie) where Iceman gets his arse kicked by Pyro and a few scenes showing him trying (and failing) to turn himself to ice. Thus in the final fight it becomes more built up, although this is adding to a movie that I thought was doing too much as it is. And there are probably another half dozen other plots that I have forgotten as well.

Storm and Cyclops throughout the series suffered from having no back story to understand them as characters. By the end of the series each of the other Xmen and Magneto is understandable to some extent because we learn what shaped them when there powers first manifested (except Prof X). What happened when Cyclops' powers first developed being a kid at school shooting firey lasers out of his eyes isn't exactly optimal? What about Storm whaen she learnt she could have a snow day any day she chose? As it stands their characters have no depth.

The series also suffered from killing off mutants by the bucket load. By the end of the trilogy all that is left of the original mutants (from the first movie) are Storm, Wolverine, and Prof X and maybe Magneto. They have added to their number but also lost some. Also, the addition of what seem to be main mutants to the movie only to kill them off or ignore them in following movies is kind of wasteful, whatever happened to Nightcrawler? And the loss of Mystique while a major point in the movie happens and is done with without barely any comment.

Finally, in my opinion the trilogy suffered from not being a trilogy. It was a series of three movies that built off the previous ones box office success and the success of the comics and the catoon series. In order for them to work properly they should have started the antidote subplot at the start of the first movie and made Angel come to the University sooner (maybe in the second movie) as he is quite a cool character. Throughout the course of the first two movies keep their main plots but especially in the second one have them find as well as the mind control experiments have them find them trialing (and failing with horrible side effects) the anitdote. Then in the final movie less time needs to be wasted on the development etc of the antidote and let it just focus of Magneto raising an army, the rise of the Phoenix, and the Pyro and Iceman antithesis.

I just found these, enjoy

2006-05-25T12:37:00.000+12:00

Equality

2006-05-21T14:35:00.000+12:00

I find it kind of strange when I come to look at the bible and especially the NT to find so much explicitly or implicitly within the teachings of Jesus, and his followers is about the radical nature of his message. I see his message being about the equality of all people and about tearing down the constructs we place around ourselves to include some and not others. To separate ourselves and make ourselves into the elite. In the honour-shame society into which Jesus was born there were things that were expected of you depending upon your social standing and things that you did not do for the same reasons. To do otherwise was to decrease your and your families honour. Into this society came Jesus who did the 'shameful' thing of associating with the poor, the sick, the prostitutes, the tax collectors and what is worse he taught others to do the same. His ministry and message were that no one was better than any other person, we are all equal. Paul continued this message in the early church (not saying that the other apostles did not) being captured most simply in his words 'There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female'.

In the parable of the landowner in Matthew 20:1-16 we read that the 'first will be last, and the last will be first'. Now in the context of the parable this doesn't actually make any sense. Because in the parable the people who arrived first don't get paid any less than those that arrived last which that conclusion implies that they did (excepting of course if we calculate out that they got a lower rate of pay, but that isn't the clear meaning of the parable). If however we understand 'the first will be last and the last will be first' to mean 'the first will be as the last and the last will be as the first' then appears to be closer to the situation described in the parable. In this world there is no elitism, no one is more special, better or worse, more likely to be favoured by G@d than any one else.

Christ came to the Jewish world were they had implicitly believed that they were better than the nations. The chruch has failed in this mission. By removing the elitism created by being the chosen people we have set up a new elitism of salvation. A way to exclude and keep the love of G@d to ourselves. This is not the message of Jesus, a message of hope and reconciliation to the whole world.

Finally,I was talking to one of my friends a while back discussing encountering other religions and what Christianity has to offer the world that other religions do not. The standard Christian answer is that, we have Christ to offer, and that he is our assurance from G@d of our salvation and redemption. However, in encountering other religions often they do not need this assurance or already have their own form of assurance. In my opinion, erroneous and ill informed as it is, I think this is a point that Christ offers to the world there is an equality that we do not give to one another that is at the heart of the gospel message. No longer are the poor, sick, and naked viewed as those cursed by G@d but as those who are loved by G@d.

Human Rights Film Festival ii

2006-05-15T15:18:00.000+12:00

Here goes what and when people are going to see things. Give me a text or leave a comment if you're interested and hopefully stuff will be organised.

Lost Children:
Wednesday 7.45pm

1000 women and a dream:
Saturday 2pm

Drowned Out:
Sunday 8pm

and it sounds like some might be interested in going to see Mardi Gras on Friday at 5.30pm but the above are ones people are already going to see or got the most displays of interest.

Princesses and Angels

2006-05-11T15:15:00.000+12:00

I was listening to ZM a few mornings back and they were discussing some issue regarding the ways that males and females perceive things differently. Anyway someone made the comment was that women are princesses and angels. What does that make men, warriors and ogres?

But then again for all the words said for gender equality there still are fundamental perceptions of the behaviour of both genders. This is especially to be noted when kids are younger, a phrase often heard is 'boys will be boys' in other words boys are allowed to and should play violent games when younger, because that is what boys do. But not girls? Is it that there is a fundamental difference in the genetic makeup of boys which makes them aggresive into warriors and ogres? Or could it be that because such behaviour while not smiled upon is not frowned upon, while not desireable is forbidden? And since it is not forbidden then the boy finds that he can do such things without reprimand (excepting of course hitting a girl).

Conversely, are little girls naturally less troublesome than little boys? Or because they are little princesses and angels are they taught that they do not indulge in those things that grubby ill-mannered little boys do? Are these differences inherent or are they structures that people inherent force upon their kids making or allowing them to conform to the expected behaviours of their respective genders?

This is another post of interest dealing with a similar topic.

Human Rights Film Festival

2006-05-08T16:00:00.000+12:00

I don't know how many of you know but the Human Rights Film Festival is coming to Christchurch next week. Some of the films showing look quite interesting:
Lost Children
Frozen Angels
Breaking Bows and Arrows
A Letter to the Prime Minister
1000 Women and a Dream
Bhopal
The Real Thing
Is anyone interested in going to any of these or another one?

Today

2006-05-07T23:21:00.000+12:00

I have made a semi-resolution to myself not to blog overly about stuff that is happening to me. For the most part that stuff is to private and the illusion of privacy provided by the interweb is just that an illusion. I also find reading blogs of people I don't know when they are only about their problems and lives pointless and inane.

Anyway something struck me today at church, not through the sermon (not that it wasn't good it just wasn't anything fantastically new, though I did get referenced for something :). Firstly, during communion (which Westchurch celebrates weekly) the person who performed it did so through the form of a liturgical consecration. Now I know some people find this type of thing boring and tedious but I find it quite uplifting (especially because it is a rare occurence that we are lead to communion this way at Westchurch). I love the sound of the voice of one people raised in unison to respond to G@d. There is a sense of unity and familiarity created by this, a sense of one body in many parts entering the presence of G@d. This is one thing at that I believe is at the heart of Christianity a sense of belonging and togetherness, and communion is one of the actions that we use to affirm this.

Also, for any of you that are interested, the sermon next week is entitled the Suffering Church and Islam. The sermon is about the church in Islamic countries. The guy speaking is from a group that supports these churches. Feel free to cruise along, its at Westchurch (meets at Avonhead Primary on Avonhead rd) and the service starts around 10. Everyone is welcome.

ps. the intro to this post is not a dig at anyone in particular and to those that I know outside of the internet I enjoy reading what's going down in your life

how am i not myself?

2006-05-06T01:21:00.000+12:00

Amusing

2006-05-04T16:40:00.000+12:00

Check this out

...save me

2006-05-03T00:16:00.000+12:00

...these were the words which concluded the movie 8MM except for the epilogue. It wasn't what I would call an enjoyable movie, in fact in places it was quite sickening, but it was a good movie. The story follows a young PI (Nicholas Cage) who has been hired to find out whether what appears to be a snuff film is real (for those of you who don't know a snuff film is a film in which someone is actually being murdered, generally with S&M overtones). It takes Cage into the underworld of pornography led by a sleazy adult bookstore attendant (Jaoquin Phoenix).

These closing words were so ept for in the course of the movie Cage was taken into the depths of earthly hell. People are reduced to objects and degraded and humilated and engage in this willingly. He sees the underside of the pornography industry and is disgusted by what he sees. He cannot understand why people do this why they do these things to one another. He cannot believe that people do this because they can and because they enjoy it.

By not respecting themselves people degrade themselves. By not viewing ourselves as immortal and by not seeing the intimate, inseparable unity of the human being mind, body, and soul we do horrible things to ourselves believing that it has no effect upon us. Also, when we allow or worse encourage people to abuse themselves in this way for our titilation we are taking their humanity and reducing to mere objects for our pleasure. Both are sinning as I defined it in the last post where sin rather than being a breaking of some law is a lack of wholeness, a failure to be all that we were meant to be. Also there is the sin of failing to grant others their wholeness. We can steal the wholeness of others and we are guilty whether or not they offer it up freely.

-random postscript: this is the problem with the Prostitution Law reform in NZ. I agree that it is just and right that it was unfair that the client was not prosecuted while the provider was, because both are equally culpable. For without one there could not be the other. And the argument that a woman seeking to support her children by the means she can is valid. However, that is just the point: what is wrong with society where the only way that some women can support themselves is by selling themselves to anyone? Should not the government not be looking at ways to provide for all of its citizens in ways that builds them all up and increases the wholeness and shalom of everyone.

2006-04-28T12:50:00.000+12:00

I've been thinking a lot of what heaven is about has been lost by conceiving it as an eschatological event, a place where we go when we die. By focussing solely on this aspect of heaven the world has been seen as a sinking ship and we need to get as many people into the life raft of heaven as possible. Even the view that says that the earth won't be destroyed but rather renewed ends up drifting towards getting people to be resurrected into this new earth rather than viewing the continuation from the present into this new earth. This is all true and good but it is not the whole story and this incomplete view of heaven has shaped evangelism and its message. Heaven begins here and now. Those who will dwell in heaven in the future already dwell in heaven here and now. This is not to say they walk with their heads in the clouds and a happy dazed smile on their faces rather these people dwell in the world and see the pain, hurt, and suffering in the world. This is the church.

Furthermore, a changed and transformed view of sin needs to take place. Sin is a lack of wholeness, a failure to be all that we were meant to be (for a brief synopsis I again refer you to this post). As such focussing solely on liars, thieves, and adulterers (as per the black book) is again incomplete, these do cause a lack of wholeness but are not the only way. A person who is sick or injured may not be whole. A person who is poor may not be whole. This is where the church is to stand a people of the dispossessed, of the broken, the lost, the searching, the lonely, the hurting. We are called to provide for all of these to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, house the homeless (its all about isaiah 58). However, it is not always what is visibly wrong with a person that is their lack of wholeness (that is very clumsily worded). For example, a person who has lost a limb can be more than physically crippled by the injury whereas someone else who has lost the same limb may only be physically crippled. While we can have a hope that in the eschatological kingdom both will be restored to a physical wholeness that is impossible at the moment there is a wholeness that needs to come to the first person, a bringing of heaven into their lives.

I'm not saying that being Christian means being whole and that if you're not then you're not a Christian because that is not true. There is a wholeness that is still to come a completion and perfection which the whole earth is moving towards. However, there is a progression and perfecting that begins here on earth. To which we should all strive.

This looks like a good book

2006-04-26T22:26:00.000+12:00

and the reviews are pretty good as well
Atonement I
Atonement II
Atonement III
Atonement IV
Atonement V

For those of us who are sympathetic to the emergent church

2006-04-26T22:20:00.000+12:00

What's bad about the emerging church

Strange things and coincidences...

2006-04-25T12:11:00.000+12:00

Before I get started I'll clarify a couple of things.
-the Easter Bunny is called Frank :D
-I have finally heard the rest of Steve the American's testimony with regard to getting his girlfriend pregnant at high school (for those of you who weren't there he brought this up pretty much every time he spoke but never said how it finished) his girl friend gave birth to the baby and soon afterwards he got married (to someone else) he and his wife a few years later got custody of his child and his wife legally adopted her. They then had three other children.

Anyway now that that unpleasantness is behind us it always amazes me how G@d can work through the strangest series of coincidences. I was in the meeting on Sunday night at Eastercamp and sitting there getting semi-frustrated as Eastercamp has traditionally been where I have encountered G@d and yet thus far I had not had an encounter with him. So during the worship which followed the sermon I sat there trying to find Him. I kinda felt that I should go out to the communion tent. Once out there I collected communion and sat down in a corner to pray. Shortly someone I know came over and sat down with me saying that they had felt compelled to come and pray with me. After I had taken communion they asked me where I was with G@d. To my embarrassment I responded with a string of Christianese while saying nothing about my actual situation nor why I was actually in the communion tent. I then asked the same question to them. I'm not going to tell their response for that is not my place to tell but I then responded and sought to encourage them. In recent times the times that I have felt closest to G@d has been when I have been speaking of Him and teaching of Him. Anyway a lot of what I ended up saying to their situation was also applicable to my situation and I realised again that it wasn't in the hype and excitement of Eastercamp that G@d is found but rather He prefers to be found in the calm and the quiet. I was reminded of the passage in 1 Kings 19:11-13

"He said, "Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by." Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

G@d is not found in the hype, the emotion, the excitement of big events and while He uses these things this isn't the way he wishes to relate to us. It is in living every day, in serving Him, and seeking Him constantly.

You are beautiful

2006-04-22T16:32:00.000+12:00

Don't play the tortured artist with me,
Or you can pack up all your bags and then leave,
Yea you know what I'm saying and
I'm praying for you to take heed.
It's like your mother was drunk all the time
And your brother turned to a life of crime,
You fear he's lost direction,
You feel he's finally lost his way

[Chorus]
Well look out on the bright side,
Look out to the world
Look out at all the boys and the girls
Just look out on the bright side,
Look out to the world
Look out at all the boys and the girls

Don't play the tortured artist with me,
'Cause it's not all about you now what about me
You can save your breath now son 'cause
I never said that I was going to leave you,
It's like your father, He never came home
And your sister spent her life on the phone
And all the other kids used to give you shit
All the time.

[Chorus]

Maybe I'll dive for treasure
Or maybe I'll ski the world
Or maybe I'll just go live in the hills
Maybe I'll find my pleasure with
Some far off eastern girl
Or maybe I'll still be living in the hills ... Yea

Don't play the tortured artist with me
Don't play the tortured artist with me

It's a fear fear of losing direction,
It's a fear you've lost your way
It's a fear of losing face and that
Someone can replace you
It's a fear of losing direction,
It's a fear you've lost your way
It's a fear of losing face and that
Someone can replace you
'Cause the path is always better
When there's someone in your way
Trying to find their way to escape

[Chorus]

Just look out to the world (repeat)

found here

Eastercamp some initial thoughts...

2006-04-18T22:39:00.000+12:00

-American accents you gotta love them. Americans gotta love them period otherwise they'll bomb you.
-...and my testimony is that in high school I got my girl friend pregnant...
-an American can't connect with Kiwi's as well as a Kiwi can
-NZ is not as much of a celebrity culture as America (ie mentioning 10 celebs names in one introductory sermon is not the best way to get the kids attention)
-Anthony Watts is awesome
-my Youth Group kids are awesome (they brought up many of my criticisms of the American's sermon without any prompting from me)
-WestYouth (and Westchurch) is probably one of the most fiercely competitive Youth Groups at Easter Camp
-Ilam Baptist's kids are amusing and cool (some of the leaders aren't half bad either)
-I aren't as opposed to Greg Laurie as I was
-God often uses strange things and coincidences to give us a bit of a kick in our teeth now and again

Feel free to comment or question anything I have written here and I might take time to explain.

I am...

2006-04-11T21:01:00.000+12:00

content. Life is good at the moment. Everything, although not where I would like it to be, is in a good place at the moment and should remain there (barring exceptional circumstances).

Don't worry, that last post was nothing to do with me in myself or my life situation.

What's fucked up and everything is fine

2006-04-11T00:24:00.000+12:00

A History of Violence

2006-04-09T01:37:00.000+12:00

To what extent should someone's past be buried and should they be allowed to create a new life for themselves?

I've been pondering this question a lot recently due to both the Louise Nichols case and the handing out of suppressed evidence after a jury of their peers had found the accused not guilty. Their lives have already been destroyed, they have admitted that they are not proud of what they did but should they not then be allowed to try to start a new life for themselves?

What about paedophiles who have done the time and have been allowed to reenter society. To what extent do they have a right to privacy and to try and become a functioning member of society and to what extent do the public have a right to be aware that someone who in the past has committed this heinous deed is living in proximity to their children?

How much can we put our past behind us and can we ever be allowed to escape the ghosts of our pasts?

The movie a History of Violence is not a movie for the weak of stomach with graphic displays of short powerful violence and horrific shots of the damage done (even by my standards). It also has sex scenes and full frontal nudity. I am undecided as to whether the sex and nudity is gratuitous or whether it does serve a worthwhile plot purpose. Anyway this whole movie is in essence about this putting the ghosts of the past to rest. Stop now if you are considering seeing this movie as I will give away plot details.

Joey Cusak is a notorious gangster from Philedelphia who decides to put his past behind him and becomes Tom Stall a diner owner in a small midwest town. He is living the American dream with a beautiful wife, geeky loner son, and gorgeous daughter, he is happy and content. At least until a couple of hardened murderers break into his diner and attempt to kill one of the waitresses. In a few brief seconds he becomes Joey again and ruthlessly dispatches both men. This lands him in the media spotlight as a reluctant hero. This in turn lands him in hot water as gangsters from Philly turn up after recognising Joey's face on tv and come to visit. When they try to take him back to Philly with them he goes Joey on them and three mobsters are dead.

It is then that Richie Cusak his older brother comes calling for him and Joey is off to Philly to try and make things right with his brother and so return to his quiet life. The only way that Tom can make it right though is to die something he isn't ready to do quite so in short order another four mobsters and his brother are dead.

All this time there are tensions at home with his beautiful wife, Edie, as she finds out that her beloved husband is in fact a hardened killer who has lied to her for their whole marriage. She rejects him and is furious and upset. The movie is finished with Tom returning home to a mixed greeting it is left to the audience to decide whether or not Edie will accept him back. It comes down to your view of love whether or not the love exhibited at the beginning of the movie is true and therefore will survive this major upheaval given time. Or whether this love is gone and the damage done will cause an irrepairable rift.

As a metaphor this movie is brilliant. The gangsters representing him coming to terms with his past and dealing with it rather than ignoring it. After he has killed his brother he goes down to the lake and cleanses himself. Washing himself clean of the past he is now ready to face the future as a new man. The past will always be with him but it can never come back to haunt or trouble him. He returns and is welcomed back for the man he is not for the man he was. Things will never return to the way they were but given time things will return to normalcy.

On the other hand taken literally this is very violent movie with many graphic scenes of the aftermath.

2006-04-09T01:15:00.000+12:00

Its funny when non-Christians teach us more about Christianity than the church. Well, maybe that is a slight exaggeration but not by much.

I was talking to one of supervisers who has just got back to work from a year's maternity leave and we were discussing one of the swim tutor's. My superviser Lorna was saying how she hated how lifeguards always made fun of this swim tutor for her weight. This swim tutor, Lorna, pointed out was one of the most active people that she knew, this swim tutor is in the pool every day giving kids lessons and most mornings to swim a few lengths. She eats healthy, she cannot help her weight, and yet is so easy for me to ridicule her for her weight. God knows I'm far from perfect and my weight is the least of my issues but it is so easy to ridicule and put down than to compliment and build up. In the same way it is so easy to gripe and complain about fellow employees behind their backs rather than to defend them to others. This is not what Jesus was talking about when he said Love your neighbour as yourself. I think Christianity should be loving people where they are and for who they are not what they should be and who Iwould like them to be. I can hope and encourage them towards self-improvement. But thats just it it is self-improvement not improvement into the way that I think that they should be.

I like

2006-04-08T21:23:00.000+12:00

The answer comes down to how we envision the perfect world. "I suspect that any person of faith dreams of a street of perfection running through a neighborhood of perpetual bliss, in a land of plenty and a world of peace." But our American dream is punctured again and again by realities of homelessness, hunger, and war. "Despite our accomplishments we're nowhere near to ending hunger, heartache, disease, or the dirty soil and polluted waters of our nation or our planet."

What can tradition offer in response to these challenges? "Biblical humanism," a derivative of Martin Buber's philosophy. "Our Bible practically opens with a foretaste of utopia" -- Shabbat. After six days of labor, we do as God did, and cease work for a day, we and our entire households, including those who work for us and even the beasts that serve us. "We meditate on God's labor, and on ours; how we work, and still can refresh ourselves." And we recall the Exodus from Egypt and flight to freedom in the freedom we savor one day of each week.

But the Bible doesn't stop there; it moves us from one day in seven, to one year in seven. "Every seventh year the land lies fallow...We don't plant, and we don't harvest. The hungry and poor, the widow and orphan come to the field to gather what grows there on its own. Indentured servants go free." And then there's the Yovel, the Jubilee, in the 50th year: all land returns to its original owner. This is the Biblical utopian vision, the Torah's dream of a perfect society. "The rich and poor are spared the drudgery of work. Indentured servants go free. Nature regenerates the land. What you own comes back to you. All in a cycle of social, economic, political, ecological harmony in the ultimate theological order. Like God, we are spared the worry and exertion of order. Like God, we see every human being as equal and free."

Found at the Velveteen Rabbi.

Bwahahahaha

2006-04-06T22:03:00.000+12:00

You Are 58% Evil

You are evil, but you haven't yet mastered the dark side.
Fear not though - you are on your way to world domination.

How Evil Are You?

Awesome, eh?

2006-04-02T00:58:00.000+12:00

O child of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O child of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O child of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it.

Obviously, to my redneck family, homosexuality is both contagious and caused by excessive literacy.

2006-04-02T00:57:00.000+12:00

2006-03-26T14:32:00.000+12:00

They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."

I recently went to see the movie Lord of War about an international weapon's dealer, Yuri Orlov (Nicholas Cage). He sells weapons to anyone no matter what purpose the guns are going to be put used for. He does not see himself as to blame for the deaths that his guns cause since he does not put a gun to anyone's head and force them to kill another person. Furthermore since if he does not sell them the gun they will get from someone else therefore he might as well be the one making a profit from this.

This movie got me to thinking about this sort of situation. It seems at first glance that to supply weapons to a people oppressed under an evil government which uses force to enforce and sustain its power is a way to free them from the evil. However, then the question arises what is to take the place of this government. Since often it is a small group of freedom fighters that have over thrown the government and who believe that they have the best interests of the nation at heart then it is logical for them to take control. But it is easier to go on as you have started rather than change to the new circumstances. As they started with military force the easiest way to keep the old government supporters down and enforce your government is to use force. "Every faction in Africa calls themselves by these noble names--Liberation this, Patriotic that, Democratic Republic of something-or-other... I guess they can't own up to what they usually are: a federation of worse oppressors than the last bunch of oppressors. Often, the most barbaric atrocities occur when both combatants proclaim themselves freedom-fighters."

Strange (or may be not) as it seems the best possible solution is that which Jesus and the early church proposed. Pacifism and submission have changed the world more truly than guns ever could. A crucified Christ has conquered more of the world than a conquering messiah ever could. From what I understand the church did not fight against the Romans yet through patient suffering and love of their enemies they grew to envelop the empire and the Western world.

Graduation

2006-02-23T17:59:00.000+13:00

Woohoo I am going to be graduating from Bridal (in spite of failing :D) so if any of you wish to attend (the invite says that friends and encouragers are welcome) then get hold of me. Its at 7.30pm on the 27th of March. I have to get numbers to them by the 10th of March so...

Yusss

2006-02-21T21:50:00.001+13:00

You scored as Batman, the Dark Knight. As the Dark Knight of Gotham, Batman is a vigilante who deals out his own brand of justice to the criminals and corrupt of the city. He follows his own code and is often misunderstood. He has few friends or allies, but finds comfort in his cause.

Batman, the Dark Knight

88%

The Terminator

83%

Indiana Jones

71%

William Wallace

71%

Captain Jack Sparrow

67%

Maximus

67%

Neo, the "One"

63%

The Amazing Spider-Man

54%

James Bond, Agent 007

54%

Lara Croft

42%

El Zorro

38%

Which Action Hero Would You Be? v. 2.0
created with QuizFarm.com

Going through the motions

2006-02-20T23:34:00.000+13:00

This is how I feel at the moment. With my friends, with my work, with my life. I hang out with people I would like to think that I am close to and yet all that happens is that I end up going through the motions. What is expected of me and how I normally relate to them are how I act without the motivation that inspires such movements.

Grrr...

2006-02-02T16:05:00.000+13:00

I'm kinda pissed off at the moment.
I went home to do a few things and my sister tells me that she went to enrol for her courses for yr 12 and was all but told by the teacher that she was going to fail them. This really irritates me, I mean, I know my sister and what she needs to hear is not that she is going to fail. She doesn't have enough confidence in her brains and therefore doesn't put any effort in for fear of trying and failing. I know she is smart enough to do it if she just put the time and the effort in but if people tell her she isn't going to succeed then what incentive is there to put the effort in. Grrr...

Life or something like it

2006-02-02T15:52:00.000+13:00

Well, I've been back from Brisbane for about a week now. It was good to just get away from the routine and the pressures of life, but I must say I do enjoy being back in Christchurch. It was good to see Jon again even though I didn't see so much of him because of his duties at YWAM.

Went camping with a few others last weekend, which was a lot of fun. We arrived at Okains bay camping ground at about 9.30 pm under the cover of cloud which meant it was as close to full dark as it made no difference and we had to set up the tents. I was the only person who had set up the tents before so I was in charge. We pegged down one of the canvas tents and then attempted to erect it. We got it up but it looked kinda scrunched up. It was then I realised that although the 2 tents of parents were similar one was slightly narrower than the other. We had got the wrong set of poles, so we had to disassemble the whole tent and erect with the correct poles. The next day we erected the last tent and then went to the beach. We spent about 3 hours in the sea body boarding on the waves and all of us came out looking decidedly pink or red. In fact my arm is currently peeling because I failed to put tiger balm on til the morning after, grrr... A good time was had by all I believe.

In other news I am currently supervising at the pool which means that when the shit hits the fan I have to deal with it. Here is the rundown on my first shift supervising:
The shift was sweet as until 5 when the person doing 5-9 didn't turn up and we couldn't get hold of him. Then i thought we can survive an ordinary night with only 3 people so didnt think anything of it.
Then i got a phone call from reception telling me that a man on poolside wanted to talk to whoever was in charge (me). This father's 6 yr old daughter had been taken against her will into a family cubicle by a 12 yr old boy when she tried to leave he stopped her and locked the door. He didn't touch her and only talked to her but she was very distressed. The girl was hysterical but the father was calmer than i would have been. Anyway the father identified the kid in the pool and got me to get him out of the pool and we questioned him. The kid denied it and the father got me to call the police not that he was going to press charges but to put the fear of god into the kid to stop him doing it when older. The police arrived and the kids parents and eventually after having a talk with the policeman he admitted to it.
I had to stand with them for all of this leaving 2 lifeguards on poolside and while we were still dealing with it one of them should have gone home. Thankfully she decided to stay on until i got back onto poolside.

I thought so

2006-01-30T22:55:00.000+13:00

You scored as Mathematics. You should be a Math major! Like Pythagoras, you are analytical, rational, and when are always ready to tackle the problem head-on!

Chemistry

100%

Mathematics

100%

Engineering

92%

Philosophy

83%

Journalism

67%

English

58%

Art

58%

Sociology

58%

Psychology

50%

Theater

50%

Linguistics

42%

Anthropology

33%

Biology

25%

Dance

What is your Perfect Major? (PLEASE RATE ME!!<3)
created with QuizFarm.com

Hehe sick joke of the year

2006-01-23T23:49:00.000+13:00

Funny (def'n): the Columbia Explosion

2006-01-22T15:47:00.000+13:00

Bugger thats really irritating I just typed a whole lot and now I have to type it all out again. Grrr... Well I have been in Brisbane for about 5 days now and man is it hot, I mean they tell you that it is but it isn't until you get here that you know what they're talking about. I left the airport at about 9 am Brisbane time and it already was at least as hot outside as the hottest day in Christchurch so far this summer. And the humidity it just is soo muggy over here. Anyway I arrived over here and had to take the train to get to the YWAM base. Now backwards Kiwi guy that I am I presumed that as in NZ they would have ATM terminals for all the major banks ie Westpac, which I had been told in NZ that I could use to get money from using my eftpos card. They didn't. I ended up having to borrow some money which my mate Jon's mother gave me to give to him so that worked out alright. The trains over here are soo cool (both literally and figuratively) there is something novel about using trains to get around a city. Anyway I got to my destination of Mitchelton safely got out of the train to find out that my mates directions were bung and ended up leaving the train station going the wrong way. Thankfully I had printed a map off of the area before I left and managed to get on the right street in short order only to find my mate sitting in a car on the side of the street. So I leapt in and got taken on a random trip to a mall with the head of one of the DTS (Discipleship Training School's). Apart from that I haven't been up to too much. Went to Southbank yesterday. It is so impressive having a manmade beach in the middle of the city that is free to use. Also went to Koorong a bookstore over here, having hugely cheaper prices on books and then having a 20% discount for YWAMers on top of that was too tempting an opportunity to pass up. Almost got taken on a random trip to Byron Bay (hippy central) but that fell through.

Ywam is very different to anything that I have experienced before, its sort of a combination between a camp, church, and Bible College with multiple languages and accents thrown in on top of that. Also it is very strange being surrounded by Christians all day every day, and Christians who are so much more Christian than us, if you know what I mean. Everyone speaks of the spirit of this and the spirit of that, and its never I want to or I feel that I will its always God wants me to and I feel God is telling me to. I feel so secularised with my language and my attitudes not that I care but it is different.

However, before I left I kinda got the impression that God was going to use this time away from my support structures and routines to do something. And anyway already one thing has happened before one of their lectures which I have sat in on we were praying in small groups when the group asked if they could pray for me, sure why not. Anyway one of the girls in the group got this image from God of a clock that was spinning out of control and that God just really wanted to slow it down. The clock, she said, represented my life. This is exactly how I'd been feeling before I'd left about my life.

Another God thing that has happened was sitting in Christchurch airport. Before I was about to get on the plane I get really worried that my pack wasn't going to get over to Oz like it was going to get lost or something. One of those irrational fears that comes upon one at times. Anyway I got my bible out of my carry on luggage and just opened it at random. It opened straight to Psalm 42 which said what should I fear my hope is in the Lord. It just really calmed down my fears and told me God had it in control.

Lastly the day after I got here I sat in on an Encouragement circle where each week the group picks a different person and they tell them what they appreciate about them. My mate thought it must have seemed kinda weird sitting in on that but it made me think about my friends and what you mean to me and what stuff is awesome about each of them.

Anyway see you in 5 days.

Jon says hi.

Brisbane

2006-01-17T21:52:00.000+13:00

Here I come in roughly 8 hours I will be winging my way to Oz. Farewell all and I'll see you when I get back on the 27th of Jan at 2pm.

Brian Mclaren

2006-01-17T21:51:00.000+13:00

Brian Mclaren Christian writer of such controversial books as A Generous Orthdoxy will be coming to NZ and Christchurch in particular on the 4th of March. Anyone who is interested express it here and I'll see what I can do. Apparently there is an early bird discount before the 30th of Jan but there is also a group +7 discount...

2006-01-15T00:33:00.000+13:00

Your Superhero Profile

Your Superhero Name is The Blood Mask
Your Superpower is Supernatural
Your Weakness is Vince Vaughn
Your Weapon is Your Electro Nunchucks
Your Mode of Transportation is Helicopter

What's your Superhero Name?

Losing faith

2006-01-05T22:50:00.000+13:00

Firstly for anyone who is worried that the title is referring to myself don't worry I'm not (or should I say I aren't).
Secondly I find it passing strange that doing certain activities is meant to cause one to lose their faith. I mean if a mere mundane activity can cause one to lose your faith then you never had to strong a grasp on your faith to begin with. I am referring to things such as doing certain courses at University (such as philosophy or religious studies) I have even heard people comment that such a thing a Bible College causes loss of faith, also some movies are held as suspect and some activities. I think that if someone loses their faith through such a thing it is not that the thing itself causes the loss of faith but rather may be the straw that breaks the camels back. Maybe...

Also while I could possibly agree that Bible College causes a loss of faith it was not a bad thing to lose. The faith that I had I mean I think that it had has instilled in me a deeper truer faith.

2006-01-05T01:42:00.000+13:00

I have just been thinking (as in since this morning) what is the gospel? I know what a lot of people think it is that we are all sinners and that Christ came to save us from eternal damnation. But this isn't holding water with me right at the moment.

From what little that I remember of Bridal at the moment the book of Mark starts with the words the gospel of Jesus Christ and then Christ doesn't go off saying 'you are all wicked there is no hope' rather I recall him spending more time on talking about the kingdom of God.

I am aiming to pick up my bible with this in mind. Hmmm...

January 27th

2005-12-31T15:49:00.000+13:00

Hey all, for those of you not going to Parachute this year would anyone be keen for a camping trip somewhere like Okains Bay for the weekend of Parachute?

Well

2005-12-27T20:36:00.000+13:00

I'm back in the Garden City. It was good to get away for a bit but its good to be back amongst all you wonderful people. We saw the sun every day down in Clyde (for those that don't know Clyde is near Alexandra) so I think I am a few shades darker. We took my parents motorboat out nearly every day and I finally managed to drop a ski and stay up for more than a second. We had a nice quiet Christmas with my aunt and my only living grandmother (actually only living grandparent).

Just a brief thought, Christmas is weird, the season builds itself up into a frenzy leading up to this holiday and yet everything reverts to normality as soon as it is over. There is absolutely no wind down it climaxes and then it is over.

Anyway hope to see some of ya around and enjoy whatever holidaying you have left.

Merry Christmas all

2005-12-23T13:49:00.000+13:00

and goodwill to man. I am off to within the next few hours to Clyde therefore to all readers I wish you a Merry Christmas and hope you have a great day. God bless you all. Peace out.

Proof of the 2 am mission to Timaru

2005-12-22T14:45:00.000+13:00

The mighty beast

The Driver

The Photographer

The Victim

The Fuel Gauge at Timaru

So what have you done with your day thus far?

2005-12-21T05:59:00.000+13:00

Well, I've been to Timaru and back!

2005-12-15T12:10:00.000+13:00

Be afraid

Life and something like it

2005-12-14T01:30:00.000+13:00

This shall be a post in three parts. Not because of its longwindedness but rather the disjunctive nature of its subject contence.

Anyway to start matters off its time for another Christmas rant. Now I know there are some of you out there that fully support Christmas and like. And for that I say good on you. However, I for one cannot stand the crass commercialism and the rampant materialism. I loathe the sight of animals dressed in mini-Santa suits. I cannot stand Christmas songs (excepting of course Snoopy's Christmas). Christmas to me means a lot more than all of this stuff. Christmas to me has come to me whanau and whether or not its blood kin or a fictional kinship group I find Christmas to be a time when families can come together and try to express for a day how much they mean to each other. I know that I am looking at this from the background of a person who comes from a Christian family etc. and therefore it is not universal. But to me that is more important than merely receiving gifts. Showing loved ones that you care and appreciate them. Anyway, that is what started Christmas in the first post God loved us enough to give us the gift of his Son. I know its really cheesy and cliched but there is a reason why some things become cliches.

On a completely unrelated topic I got called an extrovert today!!!!!

Life and something like it II: The Exorcism

2005-12-14T01:05:00.000+13:00

I just went to see the Exorcism of Emily Rose, apparently a court room horror (as in it is set in a court room but is a horror story). It is not a horror, at least not in my mind (given that this is a person that watches movies such as the Exorcist, the Omen, the Shining, Psycho, and Ninth Gate to name a few) granted there are a number of scenes which caused me to jump and dig my fingers into my legs but it was not a horror. When I left the theatre I did not feel the goosebumps down my spine nor the icy hand of death rather most surprisingly I felt spiritually uplifted. Interestingly enough it was directed by a Christian director.

The portrayal of the demons (excepting the possible ove dramatisation of one of the demons naming himself as Lucifer) was impressive but what gripped me was the portrayal of the priest who performed the exorcism. His faith was awesome and simple, yet not simplistic. Though terrified when he confronted the demons he rested his faith in God and trusted in Him for his protection. When the demons named themselves as "the one who dwells within" the power with which the priest responds "And I am the one who comes in His name" is staggering. It is interesting in spite of the violence to other people and strength of the demons they but once touch the priest and that was merely a scratch that failed to draw blood.

This movie also had the interesting discussion of science and the bible. The ironic twist was that the Methodist God-fearing prosecutor was presenting a scientific case against the priest and was clearly skeptical and even downright disbelieving in any supernatural explanation. Whereas the self-confessed agnostic defence attorney was defending and even accepting the supernatural explanation. It was interesting to see a comparison of the supernatural and the scientific approaches to and solution to Emily's problem and there were even flashback's with alternative explanations to her injuries and expriences other than those recounted by the defense. While from my point of view the movie seemed to be presenting the supernatural explanation as the best explanation of events the scientifc was given as much time.

Finally this movie is written from a Catholic faith paradigm. Therefore there are points in which the priest prays to Michael and Mary. And another where the Virgin is reported as having appeared in a vision. However, I did not think that this was too bad as it was representing faithfully what the Catholics believe and being told from their point of view this would probably be how they would interpret events.

In conclusion I would say that to any person Christian or not, Protestant or Catholic, that this is a movie well worth a watch, at least if you can handle horror scenes. I think it definately discusses and makes the supernatural a very real possibility. As a movie as a whole it sort of seemed not to climax completely although this may be due to the lights in the cinema coming on during one of the crucial scenes of the movie. This broke the spell of the movie. But worth a watch. For other stuff take a look at the site.

Life and something like it III: Something else

2005-12-14T00:51:00.000+13:00

This is a completely different post to the last one but since I promised someone I would try to faithfully blog it then here goes.

I arrive at a certain someones' flat late this evening to collect a piece of equipment that I accidentally left there. I get there and when the last of the other's goes to bed a person makes an interesting suggestion. Now this first bit is a bit hazy and therefore I may unfaithfully be recording it but here goes. The suggestion was "Let's get naked and get the oil or vinegar and lather ourselves in it and then roll and around on the floor of the kitchen. It would be alright because I'd lie perpendicular to you. You can lie face down over here and I'll lie on my side over near the sink. Don't worry we'd be facing one another. We can then writhe around."

I'm sorry you'd have to hear that. But I kind of suggestedy that if anyone walked in or even heard the suggestion they would have some large questions concerning homosexuality for both of us. Anyone wish to disagree with this synopsis?

Lord I don't know where this is going

2005-12-09T19:45:00.000+13:00

I think that if I had to pick a single song to be my anthem for this year I would choose this one:

Lord (I don't know) by Newsboys
You are the author of knowledge
You can redeem what's been done
You hold the present and all that's to come
Until your everlasting kingdom

Lord, I don't know where all this is going
Or how it all works out
Lead me to peace that is past understanding
A peace beyond all doubt

You are the God of tomorrow
Turning the darkness to dawn
Lifting the hopeless with hope to go on
You are the rock of all salvation

Lord, I don't know where all this is going
Or how it all works out
Lead me to peace that is past understanding
A peace beyond all doubt

Oh, Lord, you are the author
Redeeming what's been done
You hold us in the present
And all that is to come

Lord, we don't know where all this is going
Or how it all works out
Lead us to peace that is past understanding
A peace beyond all doubt

The line Lord, I don't know where all this is going; Or how it all works out has been running through my head off and on throughout all the year. Sometimes I have so many questions and so many problems and so many issues with Christianity that I get myself completely bogged down. I end up completely confused and wondering who out of the vast number of theologians all with their different conceptions is correct. Finally it comes down to we don't know and all we can do is have hope that whilst we don't know where this world is going or how everything will work out that God does know. Not to doubt that God has it all in hand even though we might not have any understanding in how it possible can all come together.

I think that is the one thing that I am going to take away from this year having faith in God that he is going to resolve everything in wisdom, love, and grace.

So I still don't know where all this is going
Or how it all works out
But I can have hope that God will lead us to a peace
that passes all doubt that things can possibly be resolved

A Most Glorious Day

2005-12-09T03:27:00.000+13:00

This day was spectacular and successful. All that I wanted to achieve was achieved.

The day began at 10:30 am with a mission to find Castle Rock. Now I know I am a born and bred Christchurch lad which should mean I know where to find this iconic location. My only excuse is that my parents generally are the ones who have driven me there and I did not pay attention back in the day. So we began the search in Halswell. This is very wrong and I learnt that you cannot get onto the Summit Rd from Halswell (which is sort of the road I was looking for). That route being exhausted we then proceeded to Cashmere and up to the Sign of the Kiwi, as I believed I knew what lay to the right I took the left thinking at the least it would take us to rocks to climb if not Castle Rock. However, as the road progressed we came to more landmarks that we remembered and therefore eventually arrived at Castle Rock. We clambered around there for 2 hours or so (with much encouragement to get me past my fear and trepidation of heights). It then being lunch time we then proceeded to the supermarket and then took our food with us across the hills to Taylor's Mistake. It was stunning over there and afterwards we went for a delightful romp in the waves. So much fun. Beach is the good. And then what is the best thing after a soak in salt water? why, icecream of course. Goody goody Gumdrop :D.

Not only was this all achieved I then proceeded to a friends place to organise a 21st. Since I had only remembered about this 21st on Tuesday and we were meant to be organising it for next Saturday it was kinda imperative that a lot of the details such as invitations were finalised asap. I think we managed to capture everyone that should be there and if not tough luck (for him not for the people we forgot). We then discussed a few smaller details such as seating and food etc. To finish off this part of my day a friend and I drove about the city doing a mail drop for everyone that we had addresses for or thought we had addresses for :S. So not only did I have a great day in the sun I also achieved with success all that I needed to.

To cap off this most excellent day was the midnight screening of Narnia. I shall not spoil it for those that have not seen it yet but I will make a few brief comments so if you do not want to have your viewing of the movie sullied by my opinion then stop reading ... NOW. I thought that the director kept to the heart of the story a lot better than Jackson to LoTR. There was one scene of pain for me along the lines of the 'death' of Aragon in LoTR II. There were some fantastic scenes that I thought were incredibly well done. The child acting was not painful and the CG worked very well for the most part although getting animals to have facial expressions and to talk requires some major unrealistic distortions. I enjoyed with reservations and am waiting until I see it again until I pass judgement.

U2

2005-12-05T23:12:00.000+13:00

*Drool* I have my ticket to the greatest show that this country has ever seen: Paul Hewson, David Evans, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullins Jr. Sadly I could not get general admission and had to settle for seated. But I will be there on St Patrick's Day. I am so stoked.

Two Announcements

2005-11-30T23:30:00.000+13:00

Firstly those who are interested in going for U2 tickets I cannot provide any sadly enough my contacts were not as powerful as I believed. I will be attending the concert and will be interested in going with people if anyone else is but otherwise I will fend for myself. Sorry.

Secondly those who are interested in going to the midnight screening of Narnia I will be picking up tickets on this Friday evening. Therefore if you want one bring me the money (and student ID if applicable) to the flat before 5 pm Friday evening and I will get these tickets. The midnight screening will be 12:01 am on the Friday 9th of December.

Narnia

2005-11-29T11:56:00.000+13:00

Is anyone else interested in going to the midnight screening of this movie?

Christmas Orphans

2005-11-28T22:34:00.000+13:00

This is not one of the posts inviting all Christmas orphans around to my place for Christmas (because apparently its already been done). This is because I am too good for you guys and therefore will snob you.
...
Or maybe that I will not be in the city for Christmas and will be in the most happening centre in NZ, Clyde! So all Christmas orphans you will have to be deprived of my company but I hope all plans come to merry Hogswatch fruition.

We are experiencing some technical problems

2005-11-23T17:51:00.000+13:00

Normal transmission will resume shortly. Please be patient.
Please excuse me while I remove my brain with a spoon.
The wombats are coming! The wombats are coming!

St Patrick's Day

2005-11-21T21:46:00.000+13:00

As some of the more fanatical of you may have realised U2 are coming to NZ on March 17th. I was thinking that if it was at all possible if people are interested getting a bunch of tickets together so that we are near people we know at the concert. I don't know how they'll be selling them whether or not they'll allocate seating and what they'll have in the way of a mosh pit. Anyway anyone out there who is interested leave a comment here.

My Dad just forwarded me this

2005-11-16T16:09:00.000+13:00

1930's 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's !!

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.

As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.

Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.

We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank soda pop with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because

WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.

No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no video tape or dvd movies, no surround sound, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms..........WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no
lawsuits from these accidents.

We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays,
made up games with sticks and tennis balls and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!

The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned

HOW TO
DEAL WITH IT ALL!

If YOU are one of them - CONGRATULATIONS!

You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated our lives for our own good.

and while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave their parents were.

Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?

Procrastination you old dog

2005-11-16T02:31:00.000+13:00

The Basics
Name: Jared
Height: 172 cm
Shoe size: 9
Hair color: Very Dark Brown
Siblings: One of each, both younger
Eyes: Brown
Hometown: Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
Current Home: The House of Heresy
Favorite Places: the beach, Victoria Park, Kiwi Ranch, Christmas
Favorite Sodas: RCD or Ginger Beer, or LLB
Favorite Games: Settlers and variants thereof, Risk LoTR
Favorite Food: Meat
Favorite Book: LoTR, Narnia
Favorite Place to Eat: Lone Star, Blue Jean
Favorite Fancy Place: Erm...
Favorite Hobby: Movies/DVDs
Friends: Edible
Favorite Show: Simpsons, Family Guy, Scrubs, Arrested Development
Favorite News: TV3
Favorite Dog: Golden Retriever or German Shepard although my parents puppy is gorgeous, she's a Pyrenean Mountain Dog
Favorite Sports: Swimming, biking
Favorite Fruits: Apples, Oranges, Watermelon, Strawberries, and Apricots
Favorite Song: Beautiful Day by U2 with many a very close second
Steak or Lobster: Steak if I had to make a choice but it is a tough call
Favorite Colour: Blue
Favorite Weather: Norwester

You…
You have a crush on someone: ...that would be telling...
You wish you could live somewhere else: Why move to a lesser city
You think about suicide: Yep ... from an analytical nihilistic non-Christian view point. Not as a possibility for myself
You believe in online dating: Yeah like I believe in little wee men that scuttle around hiding behind stuff
You want more piercings: Like I want a colonic lavage
You like cleaning: Take a look at my room and then ask me that again
You like roller coasters: Yep
You write in cursive or print: Print
You last talked to: My flat mate
You last did laundry: Thursday
You last prayed: Tonight

For or Against:
Long distance relationships: Against
Killing people: Arguable
Teenage smoking: Against
Driving drunk: Against
Gay/Lesbian relationships: Against
Soap operas: Against
Iraq occupation: Arguable

Have You…
Ever cried over a girl: Nope
Ever cried over a boy: Nope
Ever been in a fist fight: Yep
Ever been arrested: Nope
Ever had a friend die: Nope
Ever dated a cousin: Nope
Ever used a gun: Nope
Ever finished a puzzle: Yep
Ever got surgery: Yep
Ever got beat up: Yep
Ever hated someone: Yep
Ever made a huge mistake: Yep
Ever tried any drugs: Nope

What
Shampoo do you use: Schwartzkopf
Shoes do you wear: Vans
Are you scared of: Life
Do you sleep in: Boxers
Did you eat for lunch: Spaghetti on Toast
Is love: Love is pain and then you die
Is a player: someone who puts on a jersy for 90 minutes of glory

Number
Of times I have had my heart broken?: ...
Of hearts I have broken?: None that I know of
Of times my name has been involved in drama?: None that I know of
Of scars on my body?: Many!
Of things in my past that I regret? Enough
Of drugs you have taken: None
Of accidents you been in: At least 5
Of people you broke up with? ...

Favorite
Five letter word: Cucumber
Actor/Actress: Jim Carrey/Angelina Jolie
Comedian: Jim Carrey
Candy: Starbursts
Cartoon: Bugs Bunny
Cereal: whatever's in the cupboard
Day(s) of the week: Friday and Saturday
Least fave day: Monday
Flower(s): ...
Shapes: Triangles
Jello flavor: Blue
Summer/Winter: Summer, so much goodness abounds in summer like beaches and swimming and waterskiing and bbq's and Christmas and ...

Person who last…
Slept in your bed: Me
Saw you cry: Um, anyone want to own up?
Made you cry: Um, anyone want to own up? maybe God
You went to the movies with: Brother
Yelled at you: most probably my sister
Sent you an email: me ol' man

Have you ever…
Said "I love you" and meant it?: Yes
Gone out in public in your pajamas?: Nope
Kept a secret from everyone?: Yep
Cried during a movie?: Does having your eyes become moist count
Ever at anytime owned new kids on the block?: Nope
Planned your week based on the TV Guide?: Not the whole week
Been on stage?: Yep
Apples or Bananas?: Apples
What was the last meal you ate?: Tea
Last noise you heard?: Cathedral of Sound CD
Last smell you sniffed?: Tea
Last time you went out of town?: After Michelle's 21st when A.J. and I took a random excursion to Rangiora

Friendship/Love
Who was your first peck on the lips?: ...
Who was the last person you kissed?: ...
Do you believe in love at first sight?: Ask me after I die
Do you want children one day & if so, how many?: Yep, at least one boy
Most important things to you in a friendship are?: I don't know, ability to communicate meaningfully and being able to relate to each other

Random Stuff
Criminal record?: I plead the fifth
Do you speak any other languages?: Nope
Name some of your favorite things in your bedroom?: CDs, DVDs, photo(album)s
Thing you dislike about yourself the most?: Suggestions
Worst feeling in the world?: Exams
Whom you love: JC, my friends, my family
Whom you miss: My mates who aren't in the city at the moment

Your…
Nickname(s): J Boy, May-trix, Apoc, J-Poc, Morpheus, the Prophet, the dude with the hair, Suzy
Initials: JEM
How old do you look?: depends on whether I'm clean shaven or not. Early 20s when clean shaven. Late 20s when unshaven.
How old do you act?: any age ranging from 14 upwards
Braces: Are holding the house up nicely thanks for asking
Do you have any pets?: Nope, but the parentals have one of each
You get embarrassed?: on occasion
What upsets you?: Boppers

Hmmm...

2005-11-14T00:54:00.000+13:00

Well...
I have farewelled my little bro. He's off to India for 3 weeks. He's going to be cruising around leprosy hospitals over there seeing the disease.
I wish him God speed and safe travel over him.

Marae Visit

2005-11-13T14:37:00.000+13:00

Within the whare the carvings of their ancestors rather than being the ancestor worship that it is commonly accused of being, is instead ancestor veneration. It is not to be construed as worship in a culture without written communication if ancestors are carved statues so that they be honoured and remembered. Even within European culture it is valued to know where and from whom you have descended. It gives a sense of identity to the individual and it also lets you know to whom you are related. In a similar manner the statues within the whare are the ancestors who give identity to the iwi. Also, when there are visitors to the marae they will show which statue they are related to or identify with and this shows how the two iwi are related. In addition to this the fact that the statues are stylised should not be construed as making them nonhuman but rather it is part of their story and possibly is more true to who they are than a mere lifelike representation could ever be. The Christian then should be very sympathetic to this whole thing. The writer of Hebrews declared that “we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,” this cloud stretches back in time and although we are not related to them by blood we are related to them in one Spirit through faith. The whole of the eleventh chapter of Hebrews enumerates these ancestors of Christians that we are related to from whom we gain a sense of Christian identity. Indeed it could be to Protestant Christianity's benefit to learn from the Maori in this regard. For in discarding the Catholic tradition of remembering the saints we cast ourselves adrift from the history of church and the heroes of the faith leaving us without the sense of identity that these provide.

Muh uh uh uh ugh uh uh ........ !!!!!!!!!!!!

2005-11-13T02:09:00.000+13:00

*DROOL*

The hardest thing about life is...

2005-11-13T02:06:00.000+13:00

learning to be human

The Problem of Evil

2005-11-11T01:08:00.000+13:00

I just watched the Boondock Saints this is a great movie. For anyone that enjoyed Lock Stock & two Smoking Barrels and you would also enjoy this movie. This is not the same as both those movies but bears similarities. The plot basically is two Irish brothers in Brooklyn receive a 'divine mandate' to hunt down evil men.

Because of the high crime in America and the fact that guilty men can walk free from the courts the brothers believe that they have the right to kill these men. This is one of the problems of evil. How come the evil prosper during this life and are free to prosper at the sake of righteous men? Or to put it more simply how come the guilty can oppress the innocent? The brothers response is the instinctive response if the courts will not give us justice then we will take it. In fact I find myself entirely sympathetic with this position. It does not seem just that the wicked can prey upon the innocent without receiving justice.

However, God declares that vengance is mine (well actually His.) It is not left up to us to judge between the guilty and the innocent but up to God. We have a legal system that attempts to make society liveable but in the end it is up to God. However, it seems that God is not taking this vengance out He seems to be sitting on His hands and letting evil men have their way. This is the eschatological solution to the problem of evil. While during this life evil men seem to get away with murder we can rest assured that in the end God will judge everyone and everyone will receive their just desserts. We can look forward to a time when all wrongs are righted and God wipes the tears from every eye.

However, it does not seem right that people can rape pillage and kill to their hearts content at the moment here on earth and nothing is done to stop them. If it is God's perogative to uphold the righteous then why does he not intervene to aid them. If it is God's perogative to stop the wicked then why does he not do it. If God is not going to exercise his vengance then I will take vengance for my own. But this response is not adequate, sure we think we can judge who is evil, but while there may be some definates there is to much gray for us to exercise justice absolutely. What is more the person who is evil in our eyes may be a saint in the eyes of another who are we to judge which point of view is correct. The brothers are named the Boondock Saints yet they commit murder which is not very saintly behaviour. Doing an action in the name of God or in the name of justice does not make it any less of a crime.

While unsatisfactory to our impatient, temporal, finite minds the eschatological solution is still the best in this circumstance. Know that an omniscient God is watching and will preside in judgement over the living and the dead. In the end all will receive justice. Including us.

Confused and Getting Worse

2005-11-10T02:45:00.000+13:00

to talk about all the things
that really matter most
of life and love and happiness
and then the Holy Ghost

Do not go to bed in a state of existential uncertainty, it leads to carnage.

Well actually I didn't go to bed in a state of existential uncertainty but the random paths of my thoughts led me down there.

It started with a girl, as everything does. Apparently people thought she was/is interested in me. Now I started thinking about it; because me being me I miss hints a mile wide (just talk to A.J. he gets great amusement out of it.) I had never really thought about her that way but as I thought about it the I became interested. Not that I was certain it would lead anywhere. However, I thought it would be good in theory to keep it casual to test the water so to speak so that if it didn't work then it we wouldn't lose our friendship. However, then I was thinking was it that I thought it would be great to go out with her or was I thinking that it would be great to be in a relationship (being the mature Christian that I am.) But being this type of Christian I cannot see a point in dating if it couldn't have the possibilty of marriage at the end. However, I have advocated for ages that I aren't yet ready to marry and that I couldn't see it happening until I was in my late 20s early 30s. But could that change if Mrs Right came along. This led me to think why I couldn't see myself getting married until later. Obviously maturity, responsibility, financial stabilty are things I think I need or at least more of before I got married. However, what am I actually doing to achieving these ends and therefore if I am doing nothing to achieve these ends then do I actually want them. Furthermore, is it just fear of change that holds me back from these goals since if I follow through with them then I do not who I will come out looking like. Then the question becomes what do I want to do with my life. Do I want to be an Engineer or do I want to pursue Youth Ministry. How would overseas mission fit into this or should it. What brings the most glory to God. Finally this lead me to the question, who am I and who do I want to be?

*Great* start out contemplating relationships end up with existential uncertainty. Just the thing that is conducive to a good nights sleep *cough*.

Various plots

2005-11-09T12:57:00.000+13:00

Is anyone interested in going to the beach on Friday. For the uninformed amongst you who have been leaving with their head in a bucket Friday is the last day of the A & P Show (as well as being Canterbury Anniversary.) Since mummy and daddy will decide if it is fine that it would be the perfect day to take little Johnny and Suzy to the beach I thought rather than having to put up with little brats at the beach we could go in the late afternoon/evening when everyone else decides to go home. So if people are interested we will meet here at 3 and leave at 3:30 pm. Any takers?

Also anyone interested in going to the show on Friday morning?

In other news has anyone seen my Napoleon Dynamite dvd I have lent it to someone and have forgotten whom. If it is anyone out there in the blogging world please tell me.

Baptising

2005-11-06T23:30:00.000+13:00

Itinary for the day:

Go baptising
Dunk the Baptisee
Stand around drinking 'communion' beer
Get preached at by random end times evangelist who was carrying just enough pamphlets for the group
See cops pulling over cars as leaving
Quickly drive off before they finish with current perpetrators

Not your standard experience. Fun though.

Hypothetically speaking of course...

2005-11-06T00:16:00.000+13:00

I have this friend who believes that they have found out the true me. They believe that belief my coarse vulgar exterior there is a caring sensitive person who I hide from most people. However, I have this other friend whom this exterior comes into its own so to speak when I am around. This is not to say that our friendship is not deeper than that but that is how we relate especially around other people. Now my first friend sees that my second friend causes this layer to be emphasised therefore they have decided to shoot down my second friend. What they seem to not realise is that while an onion has layers and as you peel away the layers you get closer to the core at no point is one layer more truly the onion than another even if the other is deeper.

Anyway its kinda irritating that two people that I have philia towards don't get along at all in any way shape or form.

Don't know why I'm posting this but c'est la vie. It now belongs to the world.

ps anyone who knows/can puzzle out who my friends are please do not mention them by name if you choose to comment. Anonymity is our watchword.

Heh Heh Heh

2005-11-03T11:15:00.000+13:00

Twisted

Me likes the beach

2005-10-28T23:07:00.000+13:00

First off I would like to publish my profuse apologies to those who were unable to join us at this beach through normal circumstances, such as work. My only excuse is that I thought some would enjoy a break from study and exams of badness. The next one will have more advanced warning and be at a more accessible time for maximum peopleage.
Second I would like to publish my severe disappointment with all of those that put forward their desire to go and then decided not to come. I have only one word to say to you 'pikers'!!!
Finally the actual beach:
Andrew, Kelly, Karen, and myself left Suva st on this glorious adventure at nigh on 3 pm. We swiftly arrived at Kelly's flat in order for the lady herself to acquire a bottle for various nefarious purposes somhow involving her dreads. The Karen-lady departed our company momentarily in order to achieve an icecream. We then continued upon our merry way entering the back streets and byways of Avonside in order to avoid school traffic. We arrived at Mrs Yang's to acquire the last of our number the A-2-the-J. This quest achieved we left in high hopes for swift travel to the beach. However, doom struck. Upon Curletts road there was the queue of majestic length and doomful slowness. Half an hour after we left the flat we arrived at the end of Suva st. After many adventures mostly involving horrendous traffic and road works we arrived at Taylor's Mistake to find Doug and Matt L encamped upon the beach.
Some of our number then decided to enter the glorious seawater; the purpose of any mighty quest to the beach; inspite of warnings from the Doug that the water was cold. A-2-the-J and myself rushed like berserkers toward the oncoming tide. I decided in strength of wisdom that the best technique for acclimatising one's body to the water temperature is to dive in, so I did. When the water was half way up my calves I wanted to but I restrained myself until the water reached my knees, being the responsible lifeguard that I am, before diving. Foiled! The most fiendish beach of Taylor's Mistake is rolling underfoot such that while the water appeared deep where I was standing it was in fact quite shallow where my head penetrated the sea. This brought a sudden undignified halt to my graceful dive and caused a slight graze to open upon my forehead. This was not sufficient to dampen our moods and a glorious hour was spent diving through, leaping over, crushed under, and body-surfing upon the waves. We exited the water to enjoy the majestic sunshine beating down upon us. Sitting next to the Kelly-Lady I have never been burnt so much or so well upon any beach in country as I was today.
When the clock finally declared it was 5 40 we began to prepare for the homeward journey. We left Taylor's Mistake unconquered and unbroken at about 6 pm. Stopping in Redcliffs some of our number that after such a dreadful seige we needed icecreams to assauge our wounds. There was much rejoicing! The Kelly-Lady also acquired for unfathomable reasons some asparagus. This provided much amusement and intrigue upon the final stretch of the home straight. I have never been hissed at, or had asparagus waved in my face. Clearly neither had the cars beside us given the speed at which they vanished into the distance.
All in all a fantastic day and there will be more seiges laid upon the mighty front that is Taylor's Mistake this summer. By Thor's Hammer I swear it.
Thanks to all who made it a most enjoyable and intriguing day. And special thanks to our driver Mr Wallace. And thanks to God for sunshine, nor-westers, beaches, the sea, and good friends. Oh, and asparagus...

Beach

2005-10-26T22:51:00.000+13:00

Is anyone interested in going to the beach Friday afternoon?

2005-10-22T01:16:00.000+13:00

I have begun to find myself shutting down around people more often than I have done in recently. For the first time in a long time I walked out of a dvd screening (since I have sat through multiple horror, thriller, and clockwork orange films this is obviously irregular). This is not an indictment against my friends but I am finding myself drifting into introspection and ponderance more frequently. I phase out of existence and meander along behind everyone. I contemplate relationships and things that I have said and done to the people in these relationships. I contemplate the issues which I am studying at the moment.

Anyway, I don't know what the purpose of this post is. I just felt like rambling and muttering meaninglessness to the gapping void of the internet. God bless and keep you all. He is bigger and more wonderous than anything we believe, than anything we conceive, than anything we contrive. He is awesome, powerful, potent, and beautiful. To use all the adjectives that belong to Him do not begin to do justice to Him. Our language cannot begin to describe His glorious wonder. It is arrogance to try and capture Him in fleeting syllables that escape our lips. It is unthinkable that this Inconceivable became the Word that spoke and walked this earth. He is worthy more than words can describe. I sit in awe of the Omnipotent, the Omniscient, and the Omnipresent lover...............................................................................................................................

Happy happy joy joy

2005-10-21T11:08:00.000+13:00

I have just got two of my essays of doom back.

Topic: Pinnock on Inclusivism
Lecturer's Comment: "this is a very good interaction with Pinnock - with some well-chosen resources"
Mark: B/B+

Topic: New Perspective on Paul
Lecturer's Comment: "Excellent essay, enjoyed reading it. You have an excellent understanding of the issues...Overall though, outstanding"
Mark: A

Considering that both were done in the space of less than a week with a postmidnight run to complete them I am stoked with the marks.

"Everyone's a lost romantic"

2005-10-21T01:19:00.000+13:00

After watching Eternal Sunshine for a second time I realised how much of a hopeless, helpless romantic I am. While I am traditionally cynical of chick flicks I still find something within myself that is moved by this sort of thing. I laugh for sheer joy at the conclusion the triumph and the hope. Possibly Eternal Sunshine is not so much a love story as a story that uses love to emphasise the point it wishes to make. Humanity and life will triumph over any man made contrivances. And that we should not run and hide from our problems no matter how easy it might seem but rather we should confront them. This is the character building nature of evil. For it is in suffering that we become strong. While life would be easier if everything was easy and painless we would not grow. Instead we would become whiny spoiled brats.

The title is a quote from the New Switchfoot song "Easier than love"

Hmmm...

2005-10-20T00:15:00.000+13:00

Hmm, life.
What can I say, life is moving past.
I love Bridal but I cannot wait to get out of there. I need time to escape and come to terms with what I've learnt. While it is all awesome and I think I have a better understanding of things than I did at the start of the year. However, I have not been able to think through the implications of various things that I have begun to think about. What is the work of Christ crucified? How does it relate to me? How does it relate to the world. If it is faithfulness that saves then what does this mean for missiology. If Christianity has become religious how should I live in relation to the church. If Christianity is about being human then how do I 'be' human. In many ways I don't think I agree with the way that the church is living but I don't know if I can take that last step and embrace what I think the true Christian should look like. I think that the church has lost the plot and no longer does the will of God. That said I also think that the church holds the clearest truth about God of any world religion and unlike other religions God's means of salvation has been revealed to us. Therefore we can live assured of God's salvation rather than hoping in that God will be merciful upon us.
I cannot even begin to enumerate the ways in which I have changed since the start of the year. I feel like leaping into a car and just driving to the ends of the earth.
Anyway all of this means that hopefully this summer I will come to grips with what I believe to be the truth. I will hopefully blog infrequently about it all.

That which was thought to be eros was philia; that which was though to be philia was eros.

Eternal Sunshine

2005-10-19T12:25:00.000+13:00

Have I lent my copy of this dvd (eternal sunshine of the spotless mind and memento) to anyone because I cannot find it. If you've got it don't worry about it just so long as I know who's got it.

2005-10-18T00:53:00.000+13:00

I sit in my mind
Morosely watching over the world
None can reach me
I am shadow
and I am gone
Nothingness
Cold and undying
Lifeless and crying
Unknown and unknowable
Escape

Songs

2005-10-12T01:39:00.000+13:00

It is strange how some songs no matter how many times I hear them still reach out and touch me. Beautiful Day by U2 is chief amongst those songs. Each time I hear it I feel lightened and peaceful no matter what mood I was in.

What does it mean to be the people of God?

2005-10-05T23:55:00.000+13:00

these are not my legs...

2005-10-05T01:13:00.000+13:00

Whose legs are these anyway?
I have resolved not to shave until my chest hair returns.
I miss it so.

It will be interesting to see how long this resolution lasts.

ps Jared = happy though for reasons unassociated with the rest of the blog. 3 books of uberity have arrived from amazon today. 2 by Bonhoeffer, and another about secular theology. Oh for the end of semester.

Parachute

2005-09-30T12:54:00.000+12:00

Idle query...
Is anyone planning on attending Parachute 06?

Biking

2005-09-29T16:04:00.000+12:00

Biking is the good. There is something about biking that puts things in perspective. You are exercising but at the same time going somewhere. You can feel the wind in your face. You don't have to stop and can slip through gaps that cars can't. You rule the road sliding between cars and weaving between pedestrians. You realise that getting there is half the fun of going there. Time becomes an irrelvancy because you can't go any faster. There's no point in worrying about what you're missing by not being able to get there sooner because you are already going at top speed. Road rage flies out the window.

I like biking.

ps when I went into town today there was a head wind. However, I managed to catch another cyclists slipstream the whole way into town. It was so cruisy. He thought I was trying to race him because I was sitting on his tail. However, I was perfectly happy staying behind him and keeping pace with him.

What the bleep do we know?

2005-09-26T10:41:00.000+12:00

Wow I feel very blessed to have gone to see to great movies within the space of a week with two very cool people.

Last night instead of going to church I went to see What the bleep do we know? After watching it I felt like I had had a ton of bricks dropped on my head. It was definately worth the cost of going to see it. To use a word that Mike coined last night What the bleep do we know? is a drama-mentry, ie, this movie interviews multiple people throughout the movie but through it all is a storyline about this woman dealing with the issues that they present.

The movie is about science and spirituality. They interview multiple people with varying degrees of expertise in the subject matter from very knowledgeable to a woman who seemed to be using it to be supporting her own New Age Eastern mysticism (we are all god if we just unlock our potential). The science is all about quantum science and how everything exists in potentia in multiple places at once until it is observed or experienced and then all the possiblities collapse down to one. They go on to say that no where in the physical human body is there anything that is capable of being the Observer, as they put it. These scientists therefore conclude that the Observer is in fact the human soul. This Observer if it truly unlocked its potential then could shape reality as it saw fit.

They also discussed god, the views differed quite radically. The person I was most impressed with throughout the whole movie declared that he believed that god is he just did not know what or who god is. The woman declared that we are all god. It was interesting that the god that they reasoned exists must be so much bigger than all our human conceptions, they had an awe of god that Christians sometimes lose from His intimacy with us. However, they could not believe that such an awesomely powerful god could actually be affected by humans, us being such an insignificant tiny part of the universe, and that we could actually hurt this god. But this is where the Christian message differs hugely from their message because this is the amazing thing about God that even though we are such a small insignificant part of His universe He still loves and cares about us.

I think a lot of Christians would get very offended by this movie with its religio-scientific pretensions. The god this movie rails against is the god of the gaps and the scientists claimed to have filled all of the gaps. Since many Christians use god of the gaps to avoid having to marry science and god this means that this god is written out of existence. However, I aren't convinced that this is completely a bad thing. The God that I believe in is not a God of the gaps but a sovereign God who governs all things. He is not disproved by science as if He were below science or alongside it. Rather He is above science. He is big, wise, and powerful enough to accept any scienctific explanations of how He acts. One question that did get raised in my mind is why we are the observers that determine reality. Why could not the observer be someone who is external to us who keeps my reality the same as your reality. In this case God is the ultimate observer who makes sure that tomorrow follows today or indeed happens at all. This is a God who truly holds the world in the palm of His hand.

But in fact I was thoroughly impressed by this movie. The fact that members of the scientific community are claiming to be able to show that the soul exists is a telling indictment against an atheistic view that science disproves the existence of God. I would therefore recommend it to all Christians who are secure in their faith but are willing to question it and are able to accept answers that aren't necessarily what traditional Christianity teaches. I would also recommend going to see it a second time with atheist/agnostic friends since I see it as a great evangelistic tool, insomuchas it provides a great starting point for a discussion.

Communion

2005-09-25T21:06:00.000+12:00

I was just having a random thought during communion today.

The act of communion is an act that transcends time and space. When we come to the Communion table we approach it with a multitude of Christians throughout 2000 years and across the globe. Race, creed, and denomination fade into insignificance as we come together. While there might be disputes about what it means to be a Christian they are not important as we gather together, break the bread and drink the wine. We come together in one spirit to remember the Crucified Christ. This is why the sacrements are important and still have relevance to the church.

Hebrews 12:1
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us"

Luke 22:17
"After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, 'Take this and divide it among you.'"

Lifeguarding

2005-09-24T12:16:00.000+12:00

For those of you interested in making a few bucks over the summer the CCC is looking for people who want to do lifeguarding this summer. Apparently there are 100 positions going. Anyway they are offering free training for anyone interested. If can swim 25 m and have a relatively balanced personality then they'd be interested in talking to you.

400 m!!!!!

2005-09-23T12:55:00.000+12:00

I just swam 400 m non-stop as part of my set :D. I'm so stoked this would probably the first time in 10 years that I have managed it. I was just planning on swimming 200 m but when I got towards the end of the 200 I found that I had got my second wind and justdecided to keep going. :D :D :D

In other news I am now on holiday (sorry, lecture break) for the first time this semester. Apart from an extra 18 hours at the pool and 3 2000+ word assignments I am on holiday :).

Crash

2005-09-21T22:30:00.000+12:00

I went to see Crash this evening. This is a must see movie of uberity. It follows 48 hours of the lives multiple people of different races living in LA. Each of these people suffer from some kind of racism either implicitly or explicitly. Each of these people feel justified in their feelings until something happens to shake their worldview. It is about salvation and redemption. About being human and love. I rate it most highly.

In addition to this I think one of the main problems with the West is the dehumanising individualism that has its claws hooked into our culture. We live our lives in our circles and view with distrust everyone who is not in our circle. We fear those who are different and view with suspiscion anyone who is not from it. Anytime something goes wrong we revert to this bigotry. Anytime someone fulfills a racial stereotype we take it to be justification for our view of this race. Rather than being an aberation from the norm it is taken to be the norm. This is not being human this is dehumanising.

I see this all as kinda relating back to this post.

Red or Blue

2005-09-19T23:07:00.000+12:00

This latest election brought this to the fore for me. I found that my upbringing dictated Blue that everything within the core of my being is Blue. However, I found pressing in on me from the outside is the Red. Like sticking a white marshmallow in some red food colouring. It turns red on the outside yet the inside remains white. This is how I feel. My mind is beginning to think that Red has got it more right/Christian than the Blue but my heart says no. Blue is the traditional individualistic fundamental Christianity, Red is the community Christianity and I think this is closer to what I believe the bible to be about.

Anyway this is just a way of illustrating the conflict going on within me. Being brought up a 'mature' Christian teaches certain preconceived ideas about what Christianity is all about. However, as I grow up, go to Bridal, hang out with fellow Christians I find myself changing the way that I view certain problems/ideas. I see the stock standard answer and my heart says yes. My mind on the other hand says wait a minute this looks closer to the truth/Jesus' teachings. Its really irritating because when I hear a new idea my instant response is one of revulsion and hiding behind my upbringing then when I step out from behind my fundamentalism I think 'wait a minute this looks good and has good practical implications'.

Anyway, life you old dog

Me like Snow

2005-09-19T11:03:00.000+12:00

Snow is glorious. To wake up and see the snow drifting to the ground is such a beautiful sight. It creates a pure weight upon the world. It turns the world into a phantastical fairy land where dreams and mystical beliefs seem possible.

I knew that the weather was too good to last. Murphey's law is never thwarted.