Australia, ballistic with Android news today

Mobile carriers have gone ballistic with phone deals for the 1st of July with the Android phone. Telstra which usually uncompetitive has put pretty much a winner deal with me at the 11th hour! Thanks Buzz for the news.

$49 plan on the HTC Desire. The Desire is basically a clone of the Nexus One sharing much of its hardware.

Vodafone and Nexus

My Choice of a android phone has just become more difficult. Vodafone has just announced Nexus One from July the 1st. Although I would want to have a look at their other plans $79 is a bit steep!
Still leaning towards the Galaxy S though on price only!

The Church Question

Going though the questions posed by Brian McLaren in his book "A New Kind of Christianity", we come to the question of "The Church".

Strangly this question also had the smallest amout of text allocated to it. Just one brief chapter. Where as most of the other questions had at least two chapters assigned to them.


Sort of leading on from the last chapter instead of having a 'Pauline' type of Church re-shaping the Church along a more Christological stance.

I think this view is stronger ever since Alan Hirsch's book 'The Shaping of things to come' came about.

To quote McLaren " The Church exists to form Christ-like people, people of Christ like love". Sounds pretty simple wish I could do it better.

Julia the Athiest

Nathan Hobby over in Perth has pointed out a link about Julia Gillard being an Atheist. The article left me with a few questions, most importantly: I'd like to understand how she came to this position coming from a Church background.

I suppose my greatest dread with Julia being an  Atheist is that all Christians who have political agendas in Australia will come out of the closet! (I wonder if Danny Nalliah had any prophesy on K Rudd's downfall.) We will then end up with a real American electoral system. Although Australia has had a few Athiests lead the country Bob Hawke and more than likely a few closet Atheist.

I do belive that having a 'Christian', label is a positive in an election. Implimenting a Christian position is more of a positive for me during an electoral term. So strong social justice, a pacifist position, a strong green component and treating all people with equality is very important. If an atheist such as Julia can implement these policies then I'm ok with her. I doubt either the ALP or the Liberal will bring in an pacifist position, so this then like all elections brings the choice down to the lesser of two evils. I believe that God is big enough to implement his will though Atheist.

On the side. While I think that Kevin is a genuine Christian, I think he went a bit to far with the press conferences outside the Church which he attended! It just cheapened his Christian faith.

The Gospel Question

The Gospel Question is the fifth question from Brian Mclaren's book 'A New Kind of Christianity'.

Its a pretty basic premise for the whole question. Mclaren claims that most reading of the 'Gospel' has been done through the eyes of the apostle Paul and not through Jesus. That Paul is not wrong, just misunderstood. Thus most of Chapter 14 and 15 is a re-telling of Romans.

Nothing much in this Chapter that sparked me.

Henri Nouwen and hospitality

Reading Adrian Pyle's blog I came across this beautiful Henri Nouwen quote from his book "Reaching Out"

Hospitality ...is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place. It is not to bring men and women over to our side, but to offer freedom not disturbed by dividing lines. It is not to lead our neighbor into a corner where there are no alternatives left, but to open wide a spectrum of options for choice and commitment. It is not an educated intimidation with good books, good stories and good works, but the liberation of fearful hearts so that words can find root and bear ample fruit. It is not a method of making our God and our way into the criteria of happiness, but the opening of an opportunity to others to find their God and their way. The paradox of hospitality is that it wants to create emptiness, not a fearful emptiness, but a friendly emptiness where strangers can enter and discover themselves as created free; free to sing their own song, speak their own languages, dance their own dances; free also to leave and follow their own vocations. Hospitality is not a subtle invitation to adopt the life style of the host, but the gift of a chance for the guest to find his own.

McLaren, on Signs and Wonders.

Brian has a question and section answer on his blog, which at time can be quite insightful. A Vineyard Church planter who is currently studying asked the question::

With the emerging churches emphases on the life and ministry of Jesus (which I wholeheartedly agree with), do they pray for the sick and see folks healed? Cast out demons? Or receive words of knowledge? (Words of knowledge being defined as knowing something about someone that is humanly impossible – similar to how Jesus knew that the Samaritan Women had five husbands in John 4)....

McLaren's response is quite insightful and for me a bit of a pointer especially in regards to my own reading!

1. Of course Christians of all types - including those in emerging churches - pray for the sick and exercise spiritual gifts. Do they see folks healed? I'm sure there are many positive testimonies to this effect. But in my experience in emerging churches, the ratio of prayers made to dramatic healings received is not high. This is equally true in the charismatic, Pentecostal, Vineyard, and related churches I've been involved with. I've never seen a church where the "batting average" on healings is high, although I've seen churches that claimed it was high. In "emerging churches" (a category I don't like to use), I think people would try to be honest about the unanswered prayers for healing and I think they'd be careful not to exaggerate the frequency of dramatic answers to prayers for healing.
2. On the demonic, I think there would be a variety of belief and practice, just as there is across the Christian community at large. Speaking personally, the writer who has stimulated my thinking most on this subject is Walter Wink. I highly recommend his book "The Powers that Be."
3. One of the shifts that I think is widely seen in emerging churches is the shift from the modernist natural-supernatural dichotomy. I've written about this in a few of my books, especially The Story We Find Ourselves In. I think a lot of 20th century Pentecostalism was an attempt to redress an imbalance within this dualistic paradigm, while remaining within it. The challenge many of us face is to practice a life in the Spirit beyond that dualism, where the Spirit is inherent to what we used to call "natural," and not simply relegated to a separate supernatural category. (I think of the Spirit of God hovering over the primal waters in Genesis 1 ... ) In other words, in God's universe, everything is supernatural, upheld by God's grace.

 A couple of things resonate.
::I would agree with the "Average batting", statement. I'd also add I've also seen the healing with Non-Christians!
::I liked his last line "In other words, in God's universe, everything is supernatural, upheld by God's grace."
::I think the whole "expectation" of healing with a crowd is not quite right. Its been shown many times that like minded people who have an exception for the 'supernatural' to happen it will happen. Even if it didn't. Just look at the Clairvoyant television shows.  I have a greater conviction of these things outside of the church for been genuine.

One Minute to Midnight

One Minute to Midnight, by Michael Dobbs.

This book was gripping more so becasue it was real, the world nearly did blow up in a nuclear armagedon. It is based on the Cuban misile crisis, which I'd watched a few movies on yet never read anything. The Soviets slipped in a nuclear missiles into Cuba, a stones throw to the US main land. Dobb's did a pretty good job pulling out a fair few things which have just come to light.

Now just a few reflections::

::It was close, but it wasn't the leaders that where the hot heads it was every one else with their fingers on the triggers.
For example the Soviet Subs had nuclear tipped torpedoes. The conditions in the subs where atrocious, the fumes, lack of space, been shadowed constantly by the US. One Captain who hadn't heard from Moscow assumed the worse when US started throwing dummy explosive depth charges and ordered the nuclear torpedo into action. He was eventually talked out of it!

:: Kennedy was trying constantly to think of alternatives other than the 'fist strike' at Cuban missile sites which his generals where all wanting him to do.

::The Russians had a lot of gear on Cuba, not just Nuclear weapons that would hit the US mainland. Tactile nuclear weapons which would have sunk any invasion force.

:: Communication was poor. Once official document to Moscow or vice versa could take over 24hrs. Often an official news was quicker! This was often the way the super powers communicated.

:: Thank God, George W Bush wasn't in power back then. Non of us would be around!

:: I've come to the conclusion that the opportunity to be a great leader dosn't come around often. It only happens in crisis. For John Kennedy, this was his moment, when his wisdon in the minority shone through retrospectively. The same could be said for Khrushchev the Soviet counterpart.
This could be contrasted to George Bushes response to 9/11!

Galaxy S

The expiry of the old phone plan is rapidly approaching. Optus has just announced the Galaxy S samsung android phone. $59 on the 'Social plan'. (Thanks for android.net for that tip) Close to the budget. Plus very good value for money on specs compared to other comparable phones on the market.





Nice Spec's as well::

General 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 900 / 1900 / 2100
Status Coming Soon


Size Dimensions 122.4 x 64.2 x 9.9 mm
Weight 118


Screen Type Super AMOLED – Capacitive
Colours 16 Million
Size 4″ (480×800 pixels)


Other RAM – ROM N/A – 512MB
Camera 5MP – Flash – Video: 720p @ 30fps
Android Version 2.1 (Cupcake)
CPU Samsung Hummingbird @ 1GHz

Big bonuses: very snappy processor and the recent operating system.

Downfalls: Camerea could have been a bit bigger and front facing camera.

But these are things I could live with.

Christian leaders popularity conference....

Had a laugh at this one, from the 'Out of Ur' blog (I didn't know what else to do!)

For this reason I was both saddened and disturbed by the Leadership Network’s decision to run a Twitter-based popularity contest to determine the speakers for THE NINES conference in 2010. The feedback form seen here allows users to submit the name of a church leader. Twitter users are then able to give a thumbs up or down to each person. Ranking is then automatically determined by the ratio of positive to negative votes a leader receives. Adding a dash of arsenic to an already distasteful dish, the site allows you to see exactly who voted up or down for each leader.

From the 'Feed back from', it was good to see Alan Hirsch our old mate from forge made the top ten. I was also surprised at the number one Francis Chan, I've read his book and found it cloaked in so much Christian culture most people would have though he was an alien. (Mind you 10 years ago I probably would have thought this book great!)

So would this make me want to go it, 'Nope': if I was a contestant would I want to go to it 'Nope', I'd be interested if Alan gos to it?

Now, what would Jesus do???

Watch out for the Factional Power Brokers

I can remember a few years into my nursing talking to nursing union representative about unions and the ALP. I can distinctly remember him telling me about that the factional element within the Labour party. He said that that it was rough, the people who aligned to the left or right where rough; if need be and they would "eat their own mothers", for their own objectives.

Today we witnessed how ruthless the factional power brokers can be. Rudd gone in a flash and Julie standing proud.

The Julie Question?

In many ways you can't help but feel sorry for Kevin Rudd, as he goes to his party room for support today.

He is like a bloke who can't hold his beer and only drank because it looked cool, and he really has no mates to help him out.
It seems apparent Rudd really never got the hang of been PM, he really has stuck to the same autocratic way of leading the whole way through. Has been seen as back-flipping, not implementing his election policies on lots of issues. (I think he did do some good stuff, its just not the public perception.) He just looked awkward.
Now when things are getting tough, his mojo in the polls are disappearing. There are no labor factions to help him and to watch his back. I always thought that it would be difficult for him without an alignment with the factions.

I think what ever happens this is terminal for Rudd. He will be in paralysis in the job watching his back. ineffective.

Maybe terminal for Labor in the elections.

Julie I think has got it. That's my pick.

The Jesus Question

The next lot of Chapters from McLaren center on the idea of who Jesus was and why he was importatnt.
I was pretty interested in what I thought this Chapter would be about. The questions which I thought would whirl around was the historical Jesus.
Alas it was not to be. Rather more of an aplogetic based around Mclaren's "loyal critics". Although not naming them you can use the google god you can find out. 
It was fairly interesting way to get his idea's of what Jesus looks like as compared to his Critics. It was fairly main stream stuff. A Jesus who is into social justice, the environment, a Jesus who is in the midst of changing the 'Here and Now'.
I was interested in the whole idea of the 'Here and now' of Jesus ministry especially as it is a different angle on Vineyard theology and practice. But overall disappointed a lot of it was based around 'Loyal critics'.

The God Question

The third question from Brian Mclaren's book "A New Kind of Christianity" is "The God Question". The question is pretty narrow in regards to the main aspect "Is God Violent."

Mclarens main response to this question is that the Bible is evolutionary. That the the Christ-like aspect of God was always in the Old Testement, amoung the stories of genocide. That through time the beautiful aspects of redemtion, grace, peace etc etc have come to a fullest expression in Christ.
Much of the ugly aspects of the Old Testament can be attributed to humans who wrote the stories and the culture in which they where living.

I had heard of this previously in my Old Testement lectures in my study days. Although I'm not sure it was used as a defence against the aspects of God and violence.

The obvious problem for some people is that it means the Bible is a dymanic, it is changing, in understanding and meaning. (I supose this can be seen in many things we come to accept and have changed. From abolishment of slavery, equality between races.)

It makes scene, certainly it can be the Old Testament. I'm pretty comfortable with this chapter.

POP

Somehow I found myself listening to Triple M yesterday in the car. The announcer said that every U2 album was great except POP. I nearly crashed! POP is my favourite U2 album.
I went off U2 after POP. It seemed they had lost something, it was if they had made it to the creative top of their game and where going to back to tried and true formulas after this. Formulas which are good but didn't challenge me in moving onwards in music.

I think the same could be said with a lot of band who reach their climax of there creative peak. The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's. The Cure's Disintergration.
Some bands are still pushing it to the limits Radio Head is a classic. Every time I listen there is something new musically for me.
Strangely I don't see it as much with individual artists. There is something about a group that works together on a project

Watch out for "Green" companies (Nature Organics)

Shampooing up the other day I noticed the "Nature Organics" two in one shampoo had the ingredients of glycol stearate (from palm oil).

From the Ethical.org.au web site

Palm oil is found in 1 in 10 supermarket products including shampoos, baking oil, chocolate, cosmetics, chips, cookies, margarine and soaps. It has recently been deemed a potential saviour as a renewable resource for use as a biofuel.
Unfortunately, not only does palm oil promote heart disease, but the vast plantations that grow oil palm trees have contributed to the destruction of the rainforest of South east Asia and threaten the survival of animals such as the Orangutan in Borneo, the Sumatran tiger, and Asian rhinoceros. Additionally, burning after deforestation accounts for significant greenhouse gas emissions.

• Learn about the issues and sign the petition for compulsory labeling at Melbourne Zoos "Don't Palm Us Off" campaign website. www.zoo.org.au/palmoil
  
• Check the ingredients - if there is palm oil, avoid it, send a letter to the manufacturer telling them of your action. (note, it may be labeled as simply “vegetable oil”).
• See the 'Helping you buy responsibly' section on the BOS Australia website at www.orangutans.com.au for a list of manufacturers who are committed to avoiding the use of palm oil.
  
• See also www.palmoilaction.org.au and www.orangutan.org.au

Shame on you "Nature Organics" for sprucing as a "natural company" looking after the environment.

Australian Politics

I havn't given much commentary on politics for a while, yet much has happened.

The most interesting is the dramatic drop in support for the government in the polls. Which it appears is related to Mr Rudd's performance.

It would appear to me that a few things have hit Rudd hard

-Pink bats,
-ETS,
-Back tracking with ausilum seekers policy.

I think the government when the election starts will start to ramp up his positive

-getting through the 'Global financal crisis'
-negotiating with a single funding for health with the states (Except WA)
-The new broadband looking like a viable competition to Telstra

While I think Mr Abbott is still Mr Negative, he seems to be a bit more conciliatory?
I've got to say I was pretty impressed with his ultra triathlon stuff.

The Greens look like the biggest winner in the poles.
Overall if this translated to votes it would be a good thing. For two reasons, A third party 'Keeps the barsteds honest', I'm all for a more 'Greener' Australia.

Flinders Community News

Greg Hunt our Federal member for Flinders, Shadow Minister for Climate change action, environment and heritage has sent us his 'Flinders Community News'.

What interested me was what he is up to on Phillip Island and he is

"Fighting hard to...."

Secure a community learning and childern's hub for Cowes and Phillip Island
Stop Cowes beach being sacrificed for a new car ferry terminal
Reopen Warley Hospital on Phillip Island as part of a regional hospital system
Secure an Aquatic Centre for Phillip Island
Get reticulated natural gas for Bass Coast and Phillip Island
Ensure the State Government supports a 24hr Police Station at Phillip Island
Support plans for a San Remo Junior Secondary College

Now what interest me with this list is the Warley Hospita,l Aquatic Center, Secondary College, and Police Station. All State government responsibility!

The other thing is 'Fight for....' Why isn't 'opposition policy when we get in power?'

Food Inc

The 'Crikey blogs', did a bit of a blurb on the movie 'Food Inc'. A look at the horror which is the American food industry. The Crikey blog looked at some of the Australian equivilents::

When we consider Australian circumstances such as the huge proportion of chicken meat sourced from intensive chicken factories, the duopoly controlling approximately 75% of the food retail sector and the pervasive influence of food industry interests in state and commonwealth food regulation committees, the answer is ‘very relevant’.
There is a common lesson. Control of the food system by large corporations supported by government policies driven by an ideology of deregulation and the pursuit of unfettered growth, has resulted in a food system that is a commercial success, but a public health, social and environmental failure.

I became convinced about this stuff a couple of months ago when listening to a talk by 'Nick' from 'Ethical.org.au' . Both Christina and myself are starting to go down a more consciencious food sourcing and eating regime. Latter, probably in the new house I will share....

Regret the fear of...(A year and a bit on)

I wrote this a January 2009 on the Ranges Blog, it was a prayer::

I think the thing that cripples me the most in ministry is the whole idea of regret. Looking back over your shoulder and seeing a list of people who you have been in relationship and for some reason  they arent there anymore. For some reason there has been relationship breakdown, maybe difference of opinion, expectations not meet or  a host of other reasons.
Some of the people which have meant the most to me. They  have had at stages in there lives, successful ministries.  Yet there appears to be a large wake of broken people in their lives and I can tell there is regret. Regret in how they did things in which relationships were broken, and even in the extremes people turning their backs on Christianity.
Oh, I don’t want to go down this path.
I want to go down a different path were success doesn’t come with deaths by friendly fire.
It seems the path I must take is narrow. You have to trek carefully. You need to be truthful yet gentle. Truthful even to yourself. You call people because you care, not because it is strategic.  Trying to be honest to the call, restoring the broken. Trying to keep pieces together. I don’t want a career. I want the Kingdom to come.
I am reluctant, due to the fear of regret.
Lord hear my prayer.

Out of ministry has been good. There is a bit in me where I feel like I can love people for who they are. No secret agendas, (Maybe they would fit right in at church?). I also feel like I can peruse God in the direction I want to go, not tied to a denomination.
Its strange some people have kept in contact and other, not even at reply to emails. Yet more than ever I realise that title and position means a lot to people. There relationship to a person with a title or position gives them an understanding of where they fit in the Christian world. Maybe this is just nature of people.

Most importantly I think the prayer still rings true

The authority Question

The second question which Brian Mclaren puts forward in "A New Kind of Christianity", "The Authority question".  Again just a few thoughts.

Mclaren uses the analogy of many Christians using the bible as a type of constitution. Where all of the questions and possiblities are found in the Bible.
While in actuality the Bible is a lot of things; history, poetry, parables etc etc. Never a black and white document.

I can always remember listening to a message by Billy Graham and his justification of his message. The answer was because "The Bible tells us". At the time this seemed perfectly ok. I actually think that this is not a bad response to some things. Yet in other circumstances its not.

In many ways my thought is that the Bible it is a signpost. I don't think that Mclaren actually wrote this but I'm sure that he would think the same thing. This crystallisation came about 15 years ago for me.

The Narative Question

I'm currently reading "A New Kind of Christian', which we are slowly going through with a friend on a week night. I'm not sure that we will actually finish this as the book does seem to require a sort of assumed knowledge. So I thought I'd just put down some brief thoughts, summaries on questions which McLaren proposed.

The first was the 'Narrative Question' Chapters 4-6.

The typical evangelical chronological understanding of the bible is something which I have jettisoned a while ago. After reading these chapters I'd discovered that I had done this without realising it! I've been much more inclined to read the stories for themselfs for a while.

I've been reading to Jemima  'The Jesus storybook bible, which is very cute re-telling of the Bible. Yet is very frustrating because every story has this twist at the end promising a messianic figure. It is a classic example of what Mclaren is pointing out. We have put our own narrative and understanding into the story.

I think a better place to start for a narrative is looking at who God is. Mine is a 'God of love'. When this infuses the story of the bible it makes things softer, more forgiving.

Android here we come

A month and a bit now and the iphone contract will have finished. As I've said before I've given up on Apple because of its tight closed way. Steve Jobs prancing cacheticly like god. While Android is an 'open' system which suits my philosopy a bit better.

Anyway the last month has seen a few Android phones on the Australian market. So far it looks like the HTC Legend, from Vodafone. Unlike most of the other Androids phones on the Australian Market it has one of the more up to date versions of Android. (Most of the others have a pretty modified GUI from there manufacturers). The other thing its under the $50 per month budget:)

What Jesus didn't know

In reading "The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions" by Marcus Borg and NT Wright, I've started to get some clarity regarding the differences in "progressive Christianity" and "Evangelical".

One of the main difference is posed in the question::

Did Jesus think he was the messiah?

Borg believe NT Wrights would belive this::

Jesus thought he was the messiah, and he ws right. Based on what the New Testament itself says, this has been the common Christian position throughout the ages. A considerable body of scholarship also argues this.

While Borg believes::

Whether or not Jesus thought he was the messiah, he is the messiah. That is, his messianic status and the truth of the exalted metaphors do not depend upon whether Jesus thought of himself in those terms. Whether an of them go back to Jesus or not, they are the community's testimony to what Jesus had become in their life together.

Women more religious than men

Following on from my post yesterday, "Men lead, Women obey". I've been think about the part where Mark Drisscol speaks about how the Church needs a more 'Masculine Jesus' to get blokes in the door.

'real men avoid the church because it projects a hippie queer Christ, whereas me want the "Ultimate fighting Jesus"

I don't actually think that Driscoll is right here. I think there are a few issues at play.
Throughout most of my Christian life there has always been a larger percentage of women in Church than men. There was a small period at RangesCC where this was different.

Scott McKnight from the Jesus Creed had an article on "Why women are more religious".

He quotes a Baylor Study on Religion in the US::

69% vs. 57% believe in God

Men are twice as likely to be atheists.

77% vs. 68% believe Jesus is the Son of God.

Weekly church attendance: 40% vs. 31%

Prays at least once a day: 57% vs. 40%.

Reads the Bible weekly: 32% vs. 24%.

HIgh on religious experience index: 31% vs. 22%

The reasons why are ::

Alan Miller famously connected lack of male religiousness to risk-taking stats; that is, men are more risky and reckless and so they are more "rebellious" when it comes to religion. (How's that for a sentence with Rs?) Miller discovered that risk takers and irreligiousness were correlated for both men and women. 

I think I know what this means but a few examples would have been good. I'm also sure that "Rebelliousness" is not the same as 'masculine'.

Men Lead, Women Obey?

Some good reading material in 'The Age' today. Barney Zwartz religious editor wrote 'Men Lead Women Obey'. He quoted a few people that I follow::


First person:: Kevin Giles. Probably the best theological proponent of women having equal status in leadership in the Church. His book on Subordination within the Trinity is excellent. He also spoke recently at the Vineyard pastors get together in Melbourne.

Second Person:: Cheryl Catford. One of my lecturers a long time ago. I like what Zwartz used from her

Paradoxically, such churches often have glamorous women in the pulpit while at the same time teaching that women must be subordinate...

I also like to see what Mark Driscolle is getting up to. He sort of represent the ultimate in muscle testosterone male. Zwartz quoted one of his well know quotes

'real men avoid the church because it projects a hippie queer Christ, whereas me want the "Ultimate fighting Jesus" '

By the way I don't agree with the above quote. Historically males have always been under represented in Church. I'm sure there is a much more complicated answer to this.

Personally I'm a bit over worrying if women should lead. Its an argument that long gone for me. I suspect most people think it strange that we can have equality where a female can lead the country, yet many in the Church are still having the argument about women in leadership.

 To check out the original article have a look here

Evangelisim

Interestingly we got a bit of Christian spam in our letterbox the other day, it looked like the whole neighbourhood got one.
I cringed as I read it. Repent Repent blah blah blah, Sodom homosexuals hell etc etc. As a Christian I couldn't help but feel ill and embarrassed. The sad thing there was not an address, phone number any contact from who dropped it off. Perplexing really, to embarrassed maybe?! There are four churches on the island a Pentecostal, Baptist, Uniting and Anglican. I don't think this would have been sanctioned by any of them.

I think there is a place for the mail drop off, but it has to be sensitive. An invitation that is welcoming, warm.
The sort of stuff I read just irritates people. If the aim is to draw people to Jesus, it does the opposite pushes them away.

What would Jesus do?

I'm currently reading 'The Meaning of Jesus: Two visions' by NT Wright and Marcus Borg. Much of the book explores the idea of the 'quest for the historical Jesus'. It is a hugely important question.  Borg appears to look at the historical data with more of a objective perspective; while Wright relys on 'Faith' on many of his interpretations.

One of the things which I've found helpful is the idea that Borg uses, the 'Pre and Post Easter Jesus'. What was Jesus really like pre-Easter, taking into account all of the written data was post the Easter story, most written a long time after his death.

Keeping this in mind one of the questions which entered my head was what would 'Borg's Jesus' vs 'NT Wrights' make of the crimes done in 'Christ's' name, such as, Slavery, the inquisitions in Spain, anti-semitism. Would Jesus have stopped the Crucifixion? Maybe slipped into the obscurity of history?

I suspect if Jesus had been around at any of these horrific times he would have still been crucified....

Interventionsist God at Sojourn

Christina's other blog 'Sojourn' which has a more of a theological inclination, gets quite a lot of hits. Her post on the Interventionist God, still gets hits and comments. One such comment was from a Muslim reader about his understanding of a God who intervenes. It was an interesting view...

I rather like adriana’s comment about God giving us what we ‘need’ rather than what we actually ‘want’… and I don’t know if you’ll appreciate a non-Christian-but-theist’s point of view in this matter, (esp one so long!) but thought I should share, if I could.
As Muslims we believe that this world is not really a home for people. It is a place where humans are placed in order to be tested, to see if they worship God out of (yes, I say it) free will. This does come with consequences – when people do not have faith, they are able to act in evil, but simply put, every hardship and suffering is a test. There isn’t a human being that survives to adulthood without having suffered in some way, whether it is at the hands of another human being or some other force, and if God were to remove all the ways people suffer in the world, He would have to do at least one of two things: stop everyone’s loved ones from dying, or stop our ability to love. Obviously we don’t want the latter and as for the former, i think there’s a name for a place like that. We call it heaven

House Building ::16

Got to the house today and snapped a few pictures. Builder thinks it will be 4-5 weeks till we are in. Mmmm I think 7-8 weeks.

Stairs now added!

Most of the kitchen is now in, just need bench top, basin, stove, dishwasher.

The view from the rear veranda. You can see the wetlands.

The main living area, you can just see a bit of a hint of the kitchen on the right.

Spiritual Awakening

I've finished with reading 'Adrian Mole and the weapons of Mass destruction'. He is a funny very English fellow.

The end of the book was significant. It was a 'Born Again' or if you like 'Spiritual awakening', for 'Moley.'

I suppose there are certain things that need to happen with this type of experience. An acknowledgement that you don't always get things right. A repentance and a turning away from the old ways. For 'Moley' this was a couple of things. There where no wepons of 'Mass destruction'. His fincances where a debarckel and he needed to change this.

The other aspect is there has to be a higher power or person, to assist in the turning, the process of repentance. For Moley it was Mr Carlton-Hayes. In the book Mr Carlton-Hayes can do no wrong. In the end Moley actually confides all his problems to him. In listening, taking Moley seriously, he helps Moley navigate a way forward out of his mess of a life style.

In life I think there can be many of these life changing moments. I'd call them supernatural in that God interacts in the moment. For me I've had 2 or 3. The first would have to be 'Alter Call', but there have been more and certainly not as proscribed.

I've also seen it happen for people on deaths door. The last days of life, when previously there was anxiety and worry. Then a turn around and peace. An acceptance of things to come. Strangely when you find this there is a job satisfaction. I would also point out that it was rarely to do with a 'organised religious' experience.

Nazis and homosexuality.

 

After reading Himmler by Peter Padfield, it got me thinking about the issue of homosexuality.

The cause of homosexuality is usually explained down to two factors. environmental or genetic.

Coming from a Evangelical-Pentecostal background I've come to the conclusion that for the Church it is easier to explain the issue as environmental.  This means that in the end it is really about ability to choose sexuality. The reason I write that it is easier, is that the theology dosn't need to be examined and changed as much if it was genetic.

What I found interesting was for the Nazis there core understanding that homosexuality was genetic. That if homsexuals where killed and there genes where eliminated from the gene pool homosexuality would be eliminated from the German race and there would be 'racial purity'.
In many ways this was used as an excuse to kill opposition to Hitler and his regime. As well as to kill those who where different.

This is a completely different understanding to the 'Church'.

Personally I think there is a combination of the two, environmental and genetic. What ever the case the Church needs to re-think its theology. Especially if it is genetic and God has made man.