|
||||||
|
Three recent events, a complaint about a sermon, a movie about Margaret Thatcher and a FB conversation about gun laws, have me reflecting on the tendencies of ‘left-wingers’ and ‘right-wingers’. Both left and right folk will express concern for both ‘rights’ and ‘responsibilities’, but at different times. On the topic of social welfare: the left emphasise the ‘rights’ of the . . . → Read More: rights and responsibilities Well, it’s been a good little while since I’ve posted, because I’ve been finishing my undergrad degree I’ve turned in my last essay just this Sunday, which was one of two larger (6,000 word) research projects. I attach links to the PDFs below. Upon graduation in March, I will officially have three qualifications, one related to building houses, and two . . . → Read More: finished …funny how most (not all!) American Christians are happy to ‘get political’ when it comes to abortion and gay marriage (‘Oh yes, let’s fight for godly legislation!’), but scream ‘socialism’ when it comes to issues like benefits for poor, out of work, or infirm people – or (shock, horror) free health care… Doom to you who legislate evil, who make . . . → Read More: prophecy & politics Just reading those intro chapters of Genesis, and I noticed what seems quite a contrast between the human vocation statements in the two creation stories. Gen 1:28 says humans are to ‘fill‘ (מָלֵא mala – be full; fill) and ‘subdue‘ (כָּבַשׁ kabash – be raped; subjugate; be humiliated; etc.) the earth… Then Gen 2:15 says they are to ‘tend‘ (עָבַד . . . → Read More: rapists into lovers? I’ve had recent ponderings about the increasing violence, recklessness, selfishness, and hedonism of many young NZers represented in the news. Oh sure, there are some sterling exceptions, but not enough. I’m a pastor for youth, and I am for youth, not against them… but the reality of how things are saddens me. I’ve said it in person, though probably not . . . → Read More: teenagers Here (I don’t know if you have to have a Facebook account or not). On emotion. This morning an abortion-activist (pro) was on TV – then this evening I get forwarded this. My wife’s comment about the activist this morning was that she seemed far too ‘clinical’ about a very sensitive issue. On free speech. Both sides (and various positions . . . → Read More: fiery survivor of abortion We need the healthy idealism reflected in the parable of the starfish. One single act has value even in a sea (or in this case, beach) of hopelessness. But we also need the wisdom reflected in the parable of the river. We must not fight the problem, but find the source of the problem. (Reminds me of the Dom Helder . . . → Read More: two water related parables quick reflections: It’s easy to paint Islam as a) inherently evil/violent or b) docile/dormant and harmless – it’s hard to patiently assess what Islam is actually like. It’s easy to tell a woman considering abortion a) that she’s a murderer or b) that whatever choice she makes is the right choice – it’s hard to journey patiently, lovingly, understandingly, etc-ingly, . . . → Read More: easy hard So… I’m trying hard to be sensitive to people’s feelings, but how many blocks does this proposed mosque have to be away from ground zero before it doesn’t offend people? Every law that has ever been written “legislates morality”, because every issue is a moral issue. Shame on the American, Bible-belt, Republicanist, sub-Christian sub-culture which taught me as a new Christian that vote for GW Bush was a vote for the ‘moral’ candidate. Yes – marriage and abortion are HUGE moral issues (of which I would expect the state to . . . → Read More: legistlating morality |
|
|||||
|
Copyright © 2012 | Log in | | All Rights Reserved |
||||||
threshing floor