Well, people who know me know that I am a fan of the www but I do also like keeping it real. And then I saw this story on CNN.
The article begins..."TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- A 43-year-old Japanese woman whose sudden divorce in a virtual game world made her so angry that she killed her online husband's digital persona has been arrested on suspicion of hacking, police said Thursday."
And it only goes on from there.
Wow
I am constantly interested in this thin line between reality and virtuality and thought and action. And nor am I alone in this.
The line between thought and action is a long contemplated topic. Early in the founding of Israel this was an issue, "you will remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and not follow the lust of your own heart and your own eyes." Numbers 15:39. Jesus taught that thoughts mattered to the crowd gathered to hear his "sermon on the mount," " But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart" Matthew 5:28.
Lately the French philosopher Jean Baudrillard has written brilliantly on the concept of simulacra: the way that reality and simulation are interlinked, interrelated and feed into each other. Like many philosophers, his writing and ideas can be a little dense, but if you are interested in learning more you may click here for a pretty good summary/introduction.
I think sometimes it is important to remember that reality can have an effect on thought too. "Practice makes perfect" is another old phrase.
The more we do something the more we think about it. That is in part why for followers of Christ, the practice of Christianity is as important as the belief of Christianity. We absolutely have to have both. The same could be said of other faiths. Practice and belief are tightly linked.
As for this woman in Tokyo, all I can say is, there must be more to this story and I hope that they figure it out in a just way.
Keepin' it real,
K
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Debatable....
Not since the writers strike last year has TV had such a problem with their scripted schedules. Turns out that people have overwhelmingly chosen to follow reality TV. But not the unreal, semi scripted, semi clad reality TV that they have created. No, Survivor, Dancing With the Stars, Desperate Housewives and Dexter, have all made way for something even more compelling.
Election 2008 has sexism, crisis, craziness, good manners, poor manners and compelling narratives. In Canada we get to watch two versions of this spectacle. We can watch the (over the top) American Version starring: a war hero, a son of a Kenyan Goat farmer, a folksy Dad, and a super gorgeous Hockey Mom. Or we can watch the slightly more sedate, but definitely quirkier Canadian version.
But the item that stands out in both versions is that both campaigns need to be followed around by a legion of media "truth squads." In other words, it seems that the average TV reality show is as honest as the average political campaign. Weirdly the product advertising that supports both these shows is generally more true, or at least less misleading (because it is required to be). Reality shows have long been known to be "fixed" and "staged" and even "total fabrications" but who knew that this method applied to "Election 2008."
If you are an advertiser wanting to sell me a toaster (or a car, or mouthwash etc.) in Canada, you have to be honest about it. There is a law. But politicians are not covered by law. They are covered by the constitution and the right to free speech. So if you are trying to sell me a Prime Minister, or a candidate, you are free to say anything you can get away with. (Clearly there are some things you can't do, witness the ignominious exit of some candidates.)
Sounds incredible, but it is true!
"Since the 1960s, advertising in Canada has been governed by the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards, which is administered by Advertising Standards Canada (ASC), an industry association "committed to creating and maintaining community confidence in advertising."
The code declares that "advertisements must not contain inaccurate or deceptive claims, statements, illustrations or representations, either direct or implied, with regard to a product or service."
So what's the problem? Why are we still seeing political ads that seem to steer a wide berth around the truth? The answer is that The Code of Advertising Standards specifically excludes political and election ads from its mandate.
While acknowledging that Canadians are "entitled to expect" election advertising to conform to the code, the ASC argues that "it is not intended that the code govern or restrict the free expression of public opinion or ideas," and therefore, politicians are basically free to say whatever they want." CBC - There Outta Be A Law
To see the campaign of Democracy Watch check here.
It seems a similar rule must operate in the US.
But people are tuning in to Election 2008 in record numbers. Especially in the US.
It truly is an amazing race. Though apparently less believable than "The Amazing Race" or more accurately their respective sponsors.
So I leave you with perhaps one of my favourite commercials. Maybe the debates this Thursday will be this fun, or even this truthful.
K
Election 2008 has sexism, crisis, craziness, good manners, poor manners and compelling narratives. In Canada we get to watch two versions of this spectacle. We can watch the (over the top) American Version starring: a war hero, a son of a Kenyan Goat farmer, a folksy Dad, and a super gorgeous Hockey Mom. Or we can watch the slightly more sedate, but definitely quirkier Canadian version.
But the item that stands out in both versions is that both campaigns need to be followed around by a legion of media "truth squads." In other words, it seems that the average TV reality show is as honest as the average political campaign. Weirdly the product advertising that supports both these shows is generally more true, or at least less misleading (because it is required to be). Reality shows have long been known to be "fixed" and "staged" and even "total fabrications" but who knew that this method applied to "Election 2008."
If you are an advertiser wanting to sell me a toaster (or a car, or mouthwash etc.) in Canada, you have to be honest about it. There is a law. But politicians are not covered by law. They are covered by the constitution and the right to free speech. So if you are trying to sell me a Prime Minister, or a candidate, you are free to say anything you can get away with. (Clearly there are some things you can't do, witness the ignominious exit of some candidates.)
Sounds incredible, but it is true!
"Since the 1960s, advertising in Canada has been governed by the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards, which is administered by Advertising Standards Canada (ASC), an industry association "committed to creating and maintaining community confidence in advertising."
The code declares that "advertisements must not contain inaccurate or deceptive claims, statements, illustrations or representations, either direct or implied, with regard to a product or service."
So what's the problem? Why are we still seeing political ads that seem to steer a wide berth around the truth? The answer is that The Code of Advertising Standards specifically excludes political and election ads from its mandate.
While acknowledging that Canadians are "entitled to expect" election advertising to conform to the code, the ASC argues that "it is not intended that the code govern or restrict the free expression of public opinion or ideas," and therefore, politicians are basically free to say whatever they want." CBC - There Outta Be A Law
To see the campaign of Democracy Watch check here.
It seems a similar rule must operate in the US.
But people are tuning in to Election 2008 in record numbers. Especially in the US.
It truly is an amazing race. Though apparently less believable than "The Amazing Race" or more accurately their respective sponsors.
So I leave you with perhaps one of my favourite commercials. Maybe the debates this Thursday will be this fun, or even this truthful.
K
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Too thin to be role models?
Today's blog started when I read an article on Entertainment Weekly online about the new cast of 90210. It seems they are too thin. Read Here or watch below (or both).
90210 then and now
Then I thought, hey didn't they just have a whole bunch of stuff about models being too thin and new regulations about it. Yup.
Model Controversy
The argument in the EW article is framed as one where these thin models/actresses are role models and they are not providing a healthy body image for people to aspire to. But the video about the models hints that this is not the real problem at all. Buried in the long video below (it is about 10 minutes) are a couple of disturbing statements about the way that the girls are not important at all and the designers are artists who should not be impeded in any way. See especially the comment at around the 3:25 mark. This woman is outraged that DESIGNERS are being curtailed.
What I began to find really shocking was the lack of concern for the very young, very vulnerable employees who are exposed to unsafe working conditions.
This kind of exploitation of children or vulnerable people for entertainment is not new, but it is getting more pervasive. And it is NOT about worrying if the models are setting a bad example for others. It is about worrying about the models and actors themselves. Because these things are being done for our amusement and consumption. And we are responsible for our fellow human travellers.
In the biblical story, there are individuals who have again and again tried to remind everyone of the need for justice and the horrors of exploitation. I offer the words of one such man in the Bible, Micah,
"And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?
Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;
Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the cauldron." (Micah 3:1-3)
Are we picking the flesh off of the bones of children and teenagers just to satisfy our need for entertainment or clothes-hangers?
Still in the entertainment industry, a movie theatre was fined for misusing its young workforce. Read Here
Child labour and exploitation is common through out the world. Read Here It occasionally surfaces as an issue. When it does we think of it as an over there problem, one that only affects "developing countries." But the reality is that it happens everywhere.
There are some signs of an acknowledgement of the problem in the fashion industry. But, it also gives me one more very good reason not to watch and support 90210.
K
90210 then and now
Then I thought, hey didn't they just have a whole bunch of stuff about models being too thin and new regulations about it. Yup.
Model Controversy
The argument in the EW article is framed as one where these thin models/actresses are role models and they are not providing a healthy body image for people to aspire to. But the video about the models hints that this is not the real problem at all. Buried in the long video below (it is about 10 minutes) are a couple of disturbing statements about the way that the girls are not important at all and the designers are artists who should not be impeded in any way. See especially the comment at around the 3:25 mark. This woman is outraged that DESIGNERS are being curtailed.
What I began to find really shocking was the lack of concern for the very young, very vulnerable employees who are exposed to unsafe working conditions.
This kind of exploitation of children or vulnerable people for entertainment is not new, but it is getting more pervasive. And it is NOT about worrying if the models are setting a bad example for others. It is about worrying about the models and actors themselves. Because these things are being done for our amusement and consumption. And we are responsible for our fellow human travellers.
In the biblical story, there are individuals who have again and again tried to remind everyone of the need for justice and the horrors of exploitation. I offer the words of one such man in the Bible, Micah,
"And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?
Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;
Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the cauldron." (Micah 3:1-3)
Are we picking the flesh off of the bones of children and teenagers just to satisfy our need for entertainment or clothes-hangers?
Still in the entertainment industry, a movie theatre was fined for misusing its young workforce. Read Here
Child labour and exploitation is common through out the world. Read Here It occasionally surfaces as an issue. When it does we think of it as an over there problem, one that only affects "developing countries." But the reality is that it happens everywhere.
There are some signs of an acknowledgement of the problem in the fashion industry. But, it also gives me one more very good reason not to watch and support 90210.
K
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
a little tlc for the lhc
Okay - I just love this.
watch it again and again until you are gradually sucked into the black hole created by the collision of youtube and science
Or something like that.
The real story is pretty interesting and points out that our human quest to understand and appreciate our world continues. Click here to go to one official site with reasonably intelligible explanations of this stuff. Frankly it is all pretty complicated and I am probably only getting one fact in ten - but wow. How cool is this stuff.
The main reporting around this story has been the creation of microscopic black holes that will eventually do us in. I think this is in part a reaction to the complexity and abstract nature of the work being done. But at least we understand what black holes look like because we have watched Star Trek and other similar shows/movies over the years.
But that is not what the main story is here. The main story is the phenomenally complex and amazing universe of things that we can't see and don't know about. Since it is so hard to understand, and so complicated, it can become cumbersome and get in the way of appreciating what we are trying to understand. One answer, according to Arthur Zajonc, is the ancient practice of contemplation. Click here to go to a podcast of his ideas.
Science, as an image, implies a lab full of test tubes or a book or some other such tangible thing. And yet, really most of science is thinking and questioning and being full of wonder.
Ultimately we are all beings of wonder. Whether we are religious, spiritual, or atheist we wonder about our world. And this story reminds us of what connects all of us: our world, our universe, and our small place in it. In a divisive time it is good to hold onto that truth.
Peace and Wonder to you all.
K
watch it again and again until you are gradually sucked into the black hole created by the collision of youtube and science
Or something like that.
The real story is pretty interesting and points out that our human quest to understand and appreciate our world continues. Click here to go to one official site with reasonably intelligible explanations of this stuff. Frankly it is all pretty complicated and I am probably only getting one fact in ten - but wow. How cool is this stuff.
The main reporting around this story has been the creation of microscopic black holes that will eventually do us in. I think this is in part a reaction to the complexity and abstract nature of the work being done. But at least we understand what black holes look like because we have watched Star Trek and other similar shows/movies over the years.
But that is not what the main story is here. The main story is the phenomenally complex and amazing universe of things that we can't see and don't know about. Since it is so hard to understand, and so complicated, it can become cumbersome and get in the way of appreciating what we are trying to understand. One answer, according to Arthur Zajonc, is the ancient practice of contemplation. Click here to go to a podcast of his ideas.
Science, as an image, implies a lab full of test tubes or a book or some other such tangible thing. And yet, really most of science is thinking and questioning and being full of wonder.
Ultimately we are all beings of wonder. Whether we are religious, spiritual, or atheist we wonder about our world. And this story reminds us of what connects all of us: our world, our universe, and our small place in it. In a divisive time it is good to hold onto that truth.
Peace and Wonder to you all.
K
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Elections: Entertainment, Issues and Faith
The US Election is in full swing. Barack Obama and the Democrats had a big party last week and the Republicans are back in party mode today (now that the threat from Hurricane Gustav has abated). All of this conventioneering is the high point in a US election season that has seen many historic decisions and twists. In fact, more people watched Barack Obamas acceptance speech than watched the Oscars or even (gasp) American Idol! It was enough to give Canadians election envy.
As always, be careful what you wish for. It looks like we are going to go to the polls in Canada after all. Soon election ads will be all over our TV screens, invading our radio waves, lurking in our mailboxes and plastered all over the local paper. Perhaps they will be something like this....
Rocky and Bullwinkle Election Ad
note: this does not open in a separate window so you will have to punch the back button to read the rest :)
Perhaps they won't.
Some people don't like elections. They don't bother to vote because - "hey, my vote doesn't matter." Maybe they saw the video below and just gave up...
But in spite of the inherrant showmanship of an election, the tendancy to over the top attacks and counter attacks, and a deepening sense of ennui among the electorate, elections do matter. So learn about your candidates and the issues and vote whenever you get the chance. (We always drag our kids to the polls because we want them to see their parents voting, modelling good behaviour and all that.)
But what of the faith connection?
In the US there seems to be a much tighter connection between faith and politics than here. In Canada, we tend to regard our faith as a private matter separate from politics. However, it has been gradually affirmed that our experiences do matter, our personal stories are also political ones, and our particular voice is important. So, if you have a religiously based faith life, a set of beliefs, or a system of guiding principles, it is important to take them on the election trail and into the ballot box.
I have posted two examples below. The first is an interview with Bill Blaikie, an ordained United Church Minister and a (retired) MP. The second is a very helpful voting guide from a US organization, Sojourners. The slant is obviously a little bit towards US issues (though we share many of them) but of note is a particular way of using a set of guiding principles based on faith to make decisions. They also offer some very helpful suggestions on what participatory democracy looks like. Even if neither of these is exactly to your tastes it might help to inspire you to create your own guide for the coming election. What are the principles you honour? What are the most important values arising from your faith or ethics? And finally, which candidate/party most embodies those things?
Interview with Bill Blaikie
Principles and Policies for Christian Voters
Happy Voting
K
As always, be careful what you wish for. It looks like we are going to go to the polls in Canada after all. Soon election ads will be all over our TV screens, invading our radio waves, lurking in our mailboxes and plastered all over the local paper. Perhaps they will be something like this....
Rocky and Bullwinkle Election Ad
note: this does not open in a separate window so you will have to punch the back button to read the rest :)
Perhaps they won't.
Some people don't like elections. They don't bother to vote because - "hey, my vote doesn't matter." Maybe they saw the video below and just gave up...
But in spite of the inherrant showmanship of an election, the tendancy to over the top attacks and counter attacks, and a deepening sense of ennui among the electorate, elections do matter. So learn about your candidates and the issues and vote whenever you get the chance. (We always drag our kids to the polls because we want them to see their parents voting, modelling good behaviour and all that.)
But what of the faith connection?
In the US there seems to be a much tighter connection between faith and politics than here. In Canada, we tend to regard our faith as a private matter separate from politics. However, it has been gradually affirmed that our experiences do matter, our personal stories are also political ones, and our particular voice is important. So, if you have a religiously based faith life, a set of beliefs, or a system of guiding principles, it is important to take them on the election trail and into the ballot box.
I have posted two examples below. The first is an interview with Bill Blaikie, an ordained United Church Minister and a (retired) MP. The second is a very helpful voting guide from a US organization, Sojourners. The slant is obviously a little bit towards US issues (though we share many of them) but of note is a particular way of using a set of guiding principles based on faith to make decisions. They also offer some very helpful suggestions on what participatory democracy looks like. Even if neither of these is exactly to your tastes it might help to inspire you to create your own guide for the coming election. What are the principles you honour? What are the most important values arising from your faith or ethics? And finally, which candidate/party most embodies those things?
Interview with Bill Blaikie
Principles and Policies for Christian Voters
Happy Voting
K
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Good and Bad Sports
This posting combines two of my favourite sports, skiing and tae kwon do. It is also the story of two very different responses to competition.
In the first instance a tae kwon do match ends in possibly the most shocking display of bad sportsmanship that I have ever seen (keeping in mind that I also watch hockey - which has a fair number of fights). Upset about the referee's decision (actually not very controversial except for what follows) a fighter and his coach start to harass the officials. And then the fighter kicks the referee in the face. It is an unreal moment.
This is competition at it's worst and most ugly. Win at all costs. Might makes right. To the winner go the spoils. At this point, sport has ceased. Sport is between parties who have agreed to compete, who agree to rules, and who play by them, win or lose. To see the incident for yourself follow the link below to the CBC highlights.
Bad Sports
On the other end of the spectrum is perhaps one of the most heartwarming examples of good sportsmanship that I can remember. During a cross country skiing race at the Turin Olympics one of the Canadian skiers broke her pole. Anyone who has done cross country skiing (Nordic skiing) will know that the poles are essential. Sure enough the skier began to fall behind. But she kept going anyway. And then one the opposing team's coaches jumped out and handed the skier, Sara Renner, another pole.
Nice!
Good Sports
These two incidents show very different responses to competition and hardship. And there is really no debate around the famous question, WWJD? (What Would Jesus Do?) He suggests turning the other cheek (Luke 6:29 or Luke 22:49-51) in the face of aggression, something that the referee in the Beijing case did. Jesus also reminds us that life (especially a life of faith) is not necessarily easy (Matthew 16:24) and we should persevere, like Sara Renner did.
Over the summer, Minesing United Church, hosted a Vacation Bible Camp based on the theme, Good Sports! Great Goals! It was about peacemaking, conflict resolution, and understanding that the world is not meant for any individual but was created by God for all of us. And not only did God create the world for everyone, but also we are meant to take care of it and each other. As an example of this spirit the race Sara Renner ran, with the help of the Norwegian coach, stands out.
The Olympics are over for another four years. But even between the Olympics sports continue. Again and again there are opportunities for people of all ages to compete in a way that recognizes and celebrates the contributions of all athletes, while at the same time acknowledging excellence. And sport is just the tip of the competitive iceberg. We compete in all kinds of things. We just need to decide how we are competing.
K
In the first instance a tae kwon do match ends in possibly the most shocking display of bad sportsmanship that I have ever seen (keeping in mind that I also watch hockey - which has a fair number of fights). Upset about the referee's decision (actually not very controversial except for what follows) a fighter and his coach start to harass the officials. And then the fighter kicks the referee in the face. It is an unreal moment.
This is competition at it's worst and most ugly. Win at all costs. Might makes right. To the winner go the spoils. At this point, sport has ceased. Sport is between parties who have agreed to compete, who agree to rules, and who play by them, win or lose. To see the incident for yourself follow the link below to the CBC highlights.
Bad Sports
On the other end of the spectrum is perhaps one of the most heartwarming examples of good sportsmanship that I can remember. During a cross country skiing race at the Turin Olympics one of the Canadian skiers broke her pole. Anyone who has done cross country skiing (Nordic skiing) will know that the poles are essential. Sure enough the skier began to fall behind. But she kept going anyway. And then one the opposing team's coaches jumped out and handed the skier, Sara Renner, another pole.
Nice!
Good Sports
These two incidents show very different responses to competition and hardship. And there is really no debate around the famous question, WWJD? (What Would Jesus Do?) He suggests turning the other cheek (Luke 6:29 or Luke 22:49-51) in the face of aggression, something that the referee in the Beijing case did. Jesus also reminds us that life (especially a life of faith) is not necessarily easy (Matthew 16:24) and we should persevere, like Sara Renner did.
Over the summer, Minesing United Church, hosted a Vacation Bible Camp based on the theme, Good Sports! Great Goals! It was about peacemaking, conflict resolution, and understanding that the world is not meant for any individual but was created by God for all of us. And not only did God create the world for everyone, but also we are meant to take care of it and each other. As an example of this spirit the race Sara Renner ran, with the help of the Norwegian coach, stands out.
The Olympics are over for another four years. But even between the Olympics sports continue. Again and again there are opportunities for people of all ages to compete in a way that recognizes and celebrates the contributions of all athletes, while at the same time acknowledging excellence. And sport is just the tip of the competitive iceberg. We compete in all kinds of things. We just need to decide how we are competing.
K
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
What's So Funny?
Getting along or being a doormat. It’s a fine line. When does a community or person properly protest about a joke or characterisation - when is it just being petulant?
There is an ongoing debate in our culture (in global culture too) about where the boundaries are and which lines are uncrossable when it comes to making jokes. Are some jokes really an assault on a community or religion? Part of the problem is that humour, almost by its very nature, has something or someone as the butt of the joke.
Currently the controversy rages about The Love Guru.
Love Guru
Is it too much? Is it directed against Hindus or against Deepak Chopra? Has anyone seen enough of the movie to make a sensible call?
Love Guru Controversy
Deepak Chopra's Response
Even more about it
And so the assault continues on our collective sense of humour. Maybe we are so anxious these days, so easily hurt, because we are not laughing hard enough.
But, what are we allowed to laugh at? What is insensitive? What is just funny?
I don’t know.
But I do know that humour and laughing are serious stuff. Laughter is actually, literally, good for you.
http://www.helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm
I do also know that some people put themselves out there and make us laugh. And so I offer the following for this time of diminishing funny, a simple man at his computer and an outrageous activist/singer/dancer/Eurovision contestant.
By the way, Eurovision 2008 has just ended but I highly recommend it. In a world gone serious it is good to find a corner that truly (truly) has a completely weird understanding of the meaning of the word serious.
Numa Numa
Eurovision
Happy Lauging
Shalom
K
There is an ongoing debate in our culture (in global culture too) about where the boundaries are and which lines are uncrossable when it comes to making jokes. Are some jokes really an assault on a community or religion? Part of the problem is that humour, almost by its very nature, has something or someone as the butt of the joke.
Currently the controversy rages about The Love Guru.
Love Guru
Is it too much? Is it directed against Hindus or against Deepak Chopra? Has anyone seen enough of the movie to make a sensible call?
Love Guru Controversy
Deepak Chopra's Response
Even more about it
And so the assault continues on our collective sense of humour. Maybe we are so anxious these days, so easily hurt, because we are not laughing hard enough.
But, what are we allowed to laugh at? What is insensitive? What is just funny?
I don’t know.
But I do know that humour and laughing are serious stuff. Laughter is actually, literally, good for you.
http://www.helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm
I do also know that some people put themselves out there and make us laugh. And so I offer the following for this time of diminishing funny, a simple man at his computer and an outrageous activist/singer/dancer/Eurovision contestant.
By the way, Eurovision 2008 has just ended but I highly recommend it. In a world gone serious it is good to find a corner that truly (truly) has a completely weird understanding of the meaning of the word serious.
Numa Numa
Eurovision
Happy Lauging
Shalom
K
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
"Iron Man" is heavy spiritual fare
It’s another heavy metal morning… 50 miles to Castle junction…. better get some vibes…
Ok so this post is about Iron Man, for which the sound track is appropriately full of heavy metal – I always love a good pun. So what is so spiritual about Iron Man – an action packed movie that features lots of loud music and cool explosions?
Well, the first theme I want to focus on is forgiveness. Ok this theme is not directly related to the movie but rather to my first experience of trying to see the movie. We went on opening weekend, which I guess was my first mistake. And we took my father with us, our second mistake.
Because of the first error we ended up sitting very near the front and off to the side which was going to make the movie hard to sit through if it hadn’t been for our second mistake. Taking my Dad to the movies for some reason has never worked out. Things always go a little wrong. Sure enough, the movie died half way through. Within seconds the lights were up and a veritable legion of cinema employees were handing out free passes and apologizing for the delay. After a few minutes they again appeared and informed us that the movie was not going to be able to continue because it was broken beyond repair but we could either get another free ticket or a refund. Wow, it is really hard to maintain righteous anger when people do their best to repair the damage they did to you (crick in the neck and 1hr wasted time). Biblically the recommendation in the face of trying to repair relationships was to repay double or triple for the wrong you did. And there it was in front of me the process in action. And I went home actually a little happy because I had free movie tickets.
Which brings me to the second attempt to watch the movie (with my free tickets!) in a much emptier theatre from a very good spot ¾ of the way back and in the centre. It was pretty good.
And so we come to the other theme I wanted to bring up, meaning. Tony Stark, the main character, is a man in search of how to make his life meaningful. It is interesting to watch how the character’s definition of what constitutes meaning plays out. I don’t want to give any spoilers though so I can’t say more than that. I merely offer it as a lens through which you may choose to watch the film. I think that there are many other deeply spiritual themes in this movie and I can’t wait to see it again. Also did I mention the cool action….
K
Ok so this post is about Iron Man, for which the sound track is appropriately full of heavy metal – I always love a good pun. So what is so spiritual about Iron Man – an action packed movie that features lots of loud music and cool explosions?
Well, the first theme I want to focus on is forgiveness. Ok this theme is not directly related to the movie but rather to my first experience of trying to see the movie. We went on opening weekend, which I guess was my first mistake. And we took my father with us, our second mistake.
Because of the first error we ended up sitting very near the front and off to the side which was going to make the movie hard to sit through if it hadn’t been for our second mistake. Taking my Dad to the movies for some reason has never worked out. Things always go a little wrong. Sure enough, the movie died half way through. Within seconds the lights were up and a veritable legion of cinema employees were handing out free passes and apologizing for the delay. After a few minutes they again appeared and informed us that the movie was not going to be able to continue because it was broken beyond repair but we could either get another free ticket or a refund. Wow, it is really hard to maintain righteous anger when people do their best to repair the damage they did to you (crick in the neck and 1hr wasted time). Biblically the recommendation in the face of trying to repair relationships was to repay double or triple for the wrong you did. And there it was in front of me the process in action. And I went home actually a little happy because I had free movie tickets.
Which brings me to the second attempt to watch the movie (with my free tickets!) in a much emptier theatre from a very good spot ¾ of the way back and in the centre. It was pretty good.
And so we come to the other theme I wanted to bring up, meaning. Tony Stark, the main character, is a man in search of how to make his life meaningful. It is interesting to watch how the character’s definition of what constitutes meaning plays out. I don’t want to give any spoilers though so I can’t say more than that. I merely offer it as a lens through which you may choose to watch the film. I think that there are many other deeply spiritual themes in this movie and I can’t wait to see it again. Also did I mention the cool action….
K
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
GTA IV and (versus?) the (Christian) Parent
Today is another one of those days. You know the ones I mean. When you kind of shake your head and say to yourself "wow, how did we get here?" Today the focus of the question is the release of the latest - sure to be a best selling - adult violent video game, Grand Theft Auto IV.
Now that can go many different ways.
Translation 1 - How did we get here? = The world is falling apart.
A very common knee jerk response. Especially from parents. (I confess I fall into the camp of parents who don't want their kids to play these games. But then since my kids are in elementary school, I don't think I am way out of line there. A little self serving but keep reading anyway, that isn't my whole position...) Then there are the hyper news readers telling us that kids who play these games go crazy and kill people. A lot of fear here.
Translation 2 - How did we get here? = Boy, these game make me wonder what our world looks like.
This is the more despairing response. It tries to "analyse" the games and read them as a reflection of what our world looks like.
Translation 3 - How did we get here? = My parents don't understand me at all.
This would be the opposing point of translation 1. Teens and young adults who enjoy playing these games and wonder why on earth their parents can't just relax, after all didn't their parents go crazy over (insert cultural item here Elvis/cartoons/heavy metal etc.).
I'm sure there are more translations but I will end it there for now. Thinking about the first and third translation, I bring good news of a possible bilingual dictionary. A recent book, Grand Theft Childhood, has tried to shed some light and sanity on the subject. Their basic advice, "talk to your kids more." Violent video games don't necessarily make kids violent, mental illness and other factors are much more important. It's the old causality question again. But, by talking to your kids you may be relieved by how matter of fact they are about the unreality of gaming. Whew. Here's a short article from the Star that describes their work. And there are many helpful websites where parents can get information so they can have an informed chat with their teens (they will respect you more if you know what you're talking about after all.) Here is what one teen had to say,
" “I don’t think that the people who are criticizing these games are very well informed,” he says. “Many people seem to think that kids buy the game just to kill people, and that couldn't be further from the truth,” he says, in line with what all the kids we spoke to told us. For all of them, the allure of the Grand Theft Auto games seems to pure escapism into a world of forbidden activities. "The games also involve long branching stories that have characters working their way up the social ladder, with multiple objectives and paths to take," Greg continues. "Honestly, the GTA games are nowhere near as bad as they are made out to be.”"
This quote is from a site where there is lots of info http://www.whattheyplay.com/ This is a weird kind of site where links to info about GTA IV sit next to a review of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. But that is what it is meant to be, information for parents about everything they need to know.
So the bottom line is relax first, become informed second, and then (then) talk to your kids. At that point you can reach into your own wisdom on what kinds of spiritual themes (good and bad) are embodied by these games. Talk about the messages so kids (and grown ups too) aren't just drinking them in uncritically.
As to the second translation. This game doesn't begin to compare with real life. There are many tragic events every day. Just listen to the rest of the newscast when you aren't being distracted by tirades against video games.
So, if you have teens or kids who ask about this game then you have your work ahead of you. But otherwise there are many better ways to spend your angst than worrying about this game. You could even do some good. Over the past year I have been privileged to take part in many activities through our church that had a direct impact on improving our world. Some local projects and some not so local. Most notable has been our partnership (along with several other churches in our area) with a small village in Sierra Leone where we have been a part of building a new school. Now that's important.
K
Now that can go many different ways.
Translation 1 - How did we get here? = The world is falling apart.
A very common knee jerk response. Especially from parents. (I confess I fall into the camp of parents who don't want their kids to play these games. But then since my kids are in elementary school, I don't think I am way out of line there. A little self serving but keep reading anyway, that isn't my whole position...) Then there are the hyper news readers telling us that kids who play these games go crazy and kill people. A lot of fear here.
Translation 2 - How did we get here? = Boy, these game make me wonder what our world looks like.
This is the more despairing response. It tries to "analyse" the games and read them as a reflection of what our world looks like.
Translation 3 - How did we get here? = My parents don't understand me at all.
This would be the opposing point of translation 1. Teens and young adults who enjoy playing these games and wonder why on earth their parents can't just relax, after all didn't their parents go crazy over (insert cultural item here Elvis/cartoons/heavy metal etc.).
I'm sure there are more translations but I will end it there for now. Thinking about the first and third translation, I bring good news of a possible bilingual dictionary. A recent book, Grand Theft Childhood, has tried to shed some light and sanity on the subject. Their basic advice, "talk to your kids more." Violent video games don't necessarily make kids violent, mental illness and other factors are much more important. It's the old causality question again. But, by talking to your kids you may be relieved by how matter of fact they are about the unreality of gaming. Whew. Here's a short article from the Star that describes their work. And there are many helpful websites where parents can get information so they can have an informed chat with their teens (they will respect you more if you know what you're talking about after all.) Here is what one teen had to say,
" “I don’t think that the people who are criticizing these games are very well informed,” he says. “Many people seem to think that kids buy the game just to kill people, and that couldn't be further from the truth,” he says, in line with what all the kids we spoke to told us. For all of them, the allure of the Grand Theft Auto games seems to pure escapism into a world of forbidden activities. "The games also involve long branching stories that have characters working their way up the social ladder, with multiple objectives and paths to take," Greg continues. "Honestly, the GTA games are nowhere near as bad as they are made out to be.”"
This quote is from a site where there is lots of info http://www.whattheyplay.com/ This is a weird kind of site where links to info about GTA IV sit next to a review of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. But that is what it is meant to be, information for parents about everything they need to know.
So the bottom line is relax first, become informed second, and then (then) talk to your kids. At that point you can reach into your own wisdom on what kinds of spiritual themes (good and bad) are embodied by these games. Talk about the messages so kids (and grown ups too) aren't just drinking them in uncritically.
As to the second translation. This game doesn't begin to compare with real life. There are many tragic events every day. Just listen to the rest of the newscast when you aren't being distracted by tirades against video games.
So, if you have teens or kids who ask about this game then you have your work ahead of you. But otherwise there are many better ways to spend your angst than worrying about this game. You could even do some good. Over the past year I have been privileged to take part in many activities through our church that had a direct impact on improving our world. Some local projects and some not so local. Most notable has been our partnership (along with several other churches in our area) with a small village in Sierra Leone where we have been a part of building a new school. Now that's important.
K
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Superman for a New Generation
Yesterday I caught an interview on CBC with Jeet Heer, a "cultural journalist" (whatever that means). He and Jian Ghomeshi were riffing about the way that Superman has changed over the years. From hard working farmer's son who wants a New Deal (1930's), to family man (1950's), to "the man" confronted by wild haired X-Men and angst ridden vigilantes (1970's- 1990's). Yet somehow he remains fresh and whole in spite of this. Other interpretations not mentioned were Superman's brief stint at Melrose Place (Lois and Clark) and his endless teenager hood (Smallville).
You can listen here . It is the first interview in the podcast for April 22.
Listening to the interview got me thinking about a subject I preached on a couple of weeks back. The relevance of The Bible, a 2000+ year old document that has nothing in it about how to use a blackberry, texting, genetic engineering and frankenfood, nuclear war etc. etc. Still, this book seems to both reinvent itself for each generation whilst remaining the same. The Bible retains its relevance in spite of its distance in time and space from us.
From there I wandered into thinking about progress versus tradition, change versus solidity. And then on the interconnectedness of growth and roots.
There have always been "back to the future" movements: pining for the nostalgic past is probably one of the favourite topics of every generation. There has also been a lot of the opposite feeling: away with everything in the past - time to move on. In Christianity (the only faith I am qualified to talk about really) these can be seen in the extreme conservatism (and rejection of anything perceived as modern) of some groups versus the extreme rejection of anything faintly "religious" if not faith itself.
How do we move beyond this and adapt, like Superman, while retaining our identity. To be fair, Superman was actually killed off about 15 years ago and then came back changed by the experience. This is somewhat analogous to the periodic calls for renewal in the church.
I don't know maybe I am trying to see into a lead lined box with my x-ray eyes but I think there are some wonderful lessons to be learned from Superman. Not least, that the one thing that has always been the most attractive thing about Superman - his essential goodness.
K
You can listen here . It is the first interview in the podcast for April 22.
Listening to the interview got me thinking about a subject I preached on a couple of weeks back. The relevance of The Bible, a 2000+ year old document that has nothing in it about how to use a blackberry, texting, genetic engineering and frankenfood, nuclear war etc. etc. Still, this book seems to both reinvent itself for each generation whilst remaining the same. The Bible retains its relevance in spite of its distance in time and space from us.
From there I wandered into thinking about progress versus tradition, change versus solidity. And then on the interconnectedness of growth and roots.
There have always been "back to the future" movements: pining for the nostalgic past is probably one of the favourite topics of every generation. There has also been a lot of the opposite feeling: away with everything in the past - time to move on. In Christianity (the only faith I am qualified to talk about really) these can be seen in the extreme conservatism (and rejection of anything perceived as modern) of some groups versus the extreme rejection of anything faintly "religious" if not faith itself.
How do we move beyond this and adapt, like Superman, while retaining our identity. To be fair, Superman was actually killed off about 15 years ago and then came back changed by the experience. This is somewhat analogous to the periodic calls for renewal in the church.
I don't know maybe I am trying to see into a lead lined box with my x-ray eyes but I think there are some wonderful lessons to be learned from Superman. Not least, that the one thing that has always been the most attractive thing about Superman - his essential goodness.
K
Monday, April 21, 2008
Young @ Heart Chorus
OK – so every Sunday at church I say, "I invite those who are young or young at heart to come forward for story time." Then I saw a movie review of the film, Young@Heart, and I think I may have to rethink that phrase or it could get pretty crowded around my story chair.
Basically the film follows a group of 70-90+ year olds (yup you read that right) who have put together a show of punk rock (and other) music, including classics from The Clash and The Ramones.
As a church leader, and a reluctant participant (by default) in the worship debate (i.e. what kind of music should we be listening to at church), I have noticed that the particular music doesn’t matter as much as who is singing it. My feelings were validated (in a very unscientific and anecdotal way) by Young @ Heart’s rendition of "I Will Survive."
Now previous readers of this blog will have seen another version of this song when I went on about dancing men (you’ll just have to go check it out yourself - it's the jailhouse scene). This version is totally different. The women and men who sing this song put a hard edge on the words "I will survive" that no younger person, no matter how gritty could possibly do. I just believe it more coming from these folks.
This is a movie that cuts across generation boundaries and hopefully will start lots of good talks, and hopefully entertain along the way. The movie isn't in Barrie (yet) but it is down in TO.
If you are interested in learning more about the movie you can go check it out at the official website or you can learn more about the group at their official website.
K
Basically the film follows a group of 70-90+ year olds (yup you read that right) who have put together a show of punk rock (and other) music, including classics from The Clash and The Ramones.
As a church leader, and a reluctant participant (by default) in the worship debate (i.e. what kind of music should we be listening to at church), I have noticed that the particular music doesn’t matter as much as who is singing it. My feelings were validated (in a very unscientific and anecdotal way) by Young @ Heart’s rendition of "I Will Survive."
Now previous readers of this blog will have seen another version of this song when I went on about dancing men (you’ll just have to go check it out yourself - it's the jailhouse scene). This version is totally different. The women and men who sing this song put a hard edge on the words "I will survive" that no younger person, no matter how gritty could possibly do. I just believe it more coming from these folks.
This is a movie that cuts across generation boundaries and hopefully will start lots of good talks, and hopefully entertain along the way. The movie isn't in Barrie (yet) but it is down in TO.
If you are interested in learning more about the movie you can go check it out at the official website or you can learn more about the group at their official website.
K
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Pining for Sunnydale
Ok
I have to admit that I am feeling nostalgic today. News is depressing. Rain is falling. So I have decided to go back in time to a sunnier time. Actually to a sunnier place, a town called Sunnydale, the home of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Not the movie Buffy the Vampire slayer (which is good in its own campy way) but the TV series. It was a smart, complex, morality tale that dealt with many real life issues in a kind of otherworldly way. Don’t take my word for it, below is a link to a very good article about the show (from a group that are themselves a little odd).
http://www.thedoormagazine.com/archives/buffy.html
I loved it at the time but I have come to appreciate it more since - especially the musical episode (which was weird and annoying to me at first but has grown on me).
Buffy episodes are available online at hulu.com but not in Canada (yet).
Sigh….
Thank goodness for DVDs
K
I have to admit that I am feeling nostalgic today. News is depressing. Rain is falling. So I have decided to go back in time to a sunnier time. Actually to a sunnier place, a town called Sunnydale, the home of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Not the movie Buffy the Vampire slayer (which is good in its own campy way) but the TV series. It was a smart, complex, morality tale that dealt with many real life issues in a kind of otherworldly way. Don’t take my word for it, below is a link to a very good article about the show (from a group that are themselves a little odd).
http://www.thedoormagazine.com/archives/buffy.html
I loved it at the time but I have come to appreciate it more since - especially the musical episode (which was weird and annoying to me at first but has grown on me).
Buffy episodes are available online at hulu.com but not in Canada (yet).
Sigh….
Thank goodness for DVDs
K
Monday, March 31, 2008
Dancing Men
Every once in a while I come across a story and just say….WHAAAA!
Well this is one of those times. The short version is this.
The Florida Marlins, a baseball team (I only clarify this because the story comes out of attendance problems so maybe you haven’t heard of them), have decided to hire (or at least provide free tickets to) a squad of overweight male dancers.
Audition Video for Marlins Manatees
I have to say that none of the elements of this story are new.
Baseball is not new...
“In 1866, Charles A. Peverelly wrote, "The game of base ball has now become beyond question the leading feature of the outdoor sports of the United States ... It is a game which is peculiarly suited to the American temperament and disposition; ... in short, the pastime suits the people, and the people suit the pastime."
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/
Dancing men are not new...
(Content Advisory - the first clip below is from the stage show, The Full Monty. Nothing is really visible, due to careful hat placement, but it is about a group of men who decide to do a strip tease show.)
Tony Awards - The Full Monty
Men dancing at a sports event is not new...
Clip from a Basketball Court
Men from a sports team dancing (in jail) is not new...
(Language Advisory)
Jail scene from "The Replacements"
Even attendance problems are not new...
A quick search on Google….
Results 1 - 10 of about 799,000 for low attendance hockey
Results 1 - 10 of about 1,320,000 for low attendance baseball
Results 1 - 10 of about 57,400 for low attendance Canadian football
Results 1 - 10 of about 78,000 for low attendance orchestra
Results 1 - 10 of about 245,000 for low attendance art
Results 1 - 10 of about 1,950,000 for low attendance church
But who says new is the only important thing….
No, I was thinking about my reaction to the story and the way it has been reported. Mostly there is just a lot of giggling about men dancing.
But then I started to reflect on why the appeal is there.
Dancing is something that requires us to let go of our inhibitions a little. We talk about the idea of not having rhythm. But really it means that a person is not feeling the music. And in our culture, still, the idea that men give in to an all "feeling" moment is uncomfortable (notice the reaction of the team in jail when the coach shows up). But there is something delightful, and appealing, and infectious, about giving in to joy. This is the angle that the Christian Science Monitor focused on when they reported this story.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0331/p20s01-ussc.html?page=1
Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10) and sometimes it seems that nothing is more full of life than dancing. Or from the ether of oft quoted wisdom....
As for the Manatees, they are on soon...
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami_dade/story/476498.html
Well this is one of those times. The short version is this.
The Florida Marlins, a baseball team (I only clarify this because the story comes out of attendance problems so maybe you haven’t heard of them), have decided to hire (or at least provide free tickets to) a squad of overweight male dancers.
Audition Video for Marlins Manatees
I have to say that none of the elements of this story are new.
Baseball is not new...
“In 1866, Charles A. Peverelly wrote, "The game of base ball has now become beyond question the leading feature of the outdoor sports of the United States ... It is a game which is peculiarly suited to the American temperament and disposition; ... in short, the pastime suits the people, and the people suit the pastime."
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/
Dancing men are not new...
(Content Advisory - the first clip below is from the stage show, The Full Monty. Nothing is really visible, due to careful hat placement, but it is about a group of men who decide to do a strip tease show.)
Tony Awards - The Full Monty
Men dancing at a sports event is not new...
Clip from a Basketball Court
Men from a sports team dancing (in jail) is not new...
Jail scene from "The Replacements"
Even attendance problems are not new...
A quick search on Google….
Results 1 - 10 of about 799,000 for low attendance hockey
Results 1 - 10 of about 1,320,000 for low attendance baseball
Results 1 - 10 of about 57,400 for low attendance Canadian football
Results 1 - 10 of about 78,000 for low attendance orchestra
Results 1 - 10 of about 245,000 for low attendance art
Results 1 - 10 of about 1,950,000 for low attendance church
But who says new is the only important thing….
No, I was thinking about my reaction to the story and the way it has been reported. Mostly there is just a lot of giggling about men dancing.
But then I started to reflect on why the appeal is there.
Dancing is something that requires us to let go of our inhibitions a little. We talk about the idea of not having rhythm. But really it means that a person is not feeling the music. And in our culture, still, the idea that men give in to an all "feeling" moment is uncomfortable (notice the reaction of the team in jail when the coach shows up). But there is something delightful, and appealing, and infectious, about giving in to joy. This is the angle that the Christian Science Monitor focused on when they reported this story.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0331/p20s01-ussc.html?page=1
Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10) and sometimes it seems that nothing is more full of life than dancing. Or from the ether of oft quoted wisdom....
Work like you don't need money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's watching.
As for the Manatees, they are on soon...
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami_dade/story/476498.html
And to all of you, Happy Dancing!
K
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Talking to "the others"
Over the weekend the Globe and Mail began a series of articles based on interviews with over 40 "Taliban" fighters in Afghanistan. They have a multimedia web site with additional features and the complete interviews (with translation.) It is worth a look. The reporter points to several key patterns in the responses. There are written and video essays on a variety of topics as well.
Recently I read Barbara Coloroso's book on Genocide, in which she proposes that genocide contains essential elements of bullying including isolation and contempt for the victims. Dehumanization. She clearly states that genocide is not conflict. That conflict can be fixed by negotiation.
As I listened to the responses of the Taliban fighters I thought about the first video essay on the website about negotiations and the possibility of peace through talking. I also thought about the variety of viewer responses on the websites, some who applauded the reporting and others who couldn't understand why we would even talk with these people.
Clearly I fall on the side of talking and understanding. Unless we are willing to simply kill everyone who opposes our view or we percieve as less than human (genocide) we eventually have to negotiate (conflict). Knowing who we are talking to, what their motivations are, and what they want, is critical to success in this.
One of the claims of Christianity is that Jesus came for all people. Jesus himself showed us how to cross ethnic, cultural, and gender boundaries. In the story of Jesus talking to a Samaritan Woman at a well we can see all three things at work in one. When he talks to her, Jesus is talking to someone who is not from his ethnic group (Jesus is Jewish - she is Samaritan), a person who has violated cultural taboos (she is divorced probably - certainly married many times and living with a new person), and a woman (men usually didn't talk to women). There are many such instances reported in the New Testament. But more than any particular story the very presence of Jesus is a manifestation of God's will to talk to us, to help us understand God, to reach across boundaries.
So the challenge then is to reach beyond borders, beyond tradition, beyond fear and reach out for the human heart that beats in all of us. One such incident has been captured in song.
So where now? How do we move forward towards understanding and peace? In Afghanistan, I confess I don't know. The soldiers on the ground have been trying to figure it out for years. But we here in Canada and other places still are confused. I suggest that an important first step has been taken. Let those with ears to hear, listen.
Shalom
K
Recently I read Barbara Coloroso's book on Genocide, in which she proposes that genocide contains essential elements of bullying including isolation and contempt for the victims. Dehumanization. She clearly states that genocide is not conflict. That conflict can be fixed by negotiation.
As I listened to the responses of the Taliban fighters I thought about the first video essay on the website about negotiations and the possibility of peace through talking. I also thought about the variety of viewer responses on the websites, some who applauded the reporting and others who couldn't understand why we would even talk with these people.
Clearly I fall on the side of talking and understanding. Unless we are willing to simply kill everyone who opposes our view or we percieve as less than human (genocide) we eventually have to negotiate (conflict). Knowing who we are talking to, what their motivations are, and what they want, is critical to success in this.
One of the claims of Christianity is that Jesus came for all people. Jesus himself showed us how to cross ethnic, cultural, and gender boundaries. In the story of Jesus talking to a Samaritan Woman at a well we can see all three things at work in one. When he talks to her, Jesus is talking to someone who is not from his ethnic group (Jesus is Jewish - she is Samaritan), a person who has violated cultural taboos (she is divorced probably - certainly married many times and living with a new person), and a woman (men usually didn't talk to women). There are many such instances reported in the New Testament. But more than any particular story the very presence of Jesus is a manifestation of God's will to talk to us, to help us understand God, to reach across boundaries.
So the challenge then is to reach beyond borders, beyond tradition, beyond fear and reach out for the human heart that beats in all of us. One such incident has been captured in song.
So where now? How do we move forward towards understanding and peace? In Afghanistan, I confess I don't know. The soldiers on the ground have been trying to figure it out for years. But we here in Canada and other places still are confused. I suggest that an important first step has been taken. Let those with ears to hear, listen.
Shalom
K
Thursday, March 20, 2008
The World
Ok - I promised fun. I saw a reference to this project somewhere and couldn't believe it so I looked into it. Apparently they are now building designer islands for the very wealthy near Dubai. They have even made them in the shape of a map of the world. Check it out.
Dubai World
Now I don't really know how to respond spiritually. I am still reeling from the sheer scale and silliness of it. But then I realized I don't need to respond. Someone already has. Douglas Adams, science fiction writer, and all around good tea drinking guy has got it covered. You can follow the links below.
magrathea
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/hitchhikers/guide/magrathea.shtml
http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=ygart5W0feo
nuff said.
K
Dubai World
Now I don't really know how to respond spiritually. I am still reeling from the sheer scale and silliness of it. But then I realized I don't need to respond. Someone already has. Douglas Adams, science fiction writer, and all around good tea drinking guy has got it covered. You can follow the links below.
magrathea
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/hitchhikers/guide/magrathea.shtml
http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=ygart5W0feo
nuff said.
K
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
The Prophetic Voice
I had another blog planned for today: a light-hearted one. But this screamed out for comment. Or at least it has been all over the airwaves and many hold opinions. So here is my two cents.
This whole incident started when Barack Obama began his bid for the presidency in the US. Since then, despite many protestations that his candidacy has nothing to do with race, it has been shown again and again that this campaign does have something to do with race. Someone has gone back and picked up the words of Obama's former pastor, Jeremiah Wright. To see a clip of what has everyone so up in arms you can watch below. I have also included Barack Obama's wonderful response.
My concern here is the prophetic voice with which Jeremiah Wright, and all preachers (including myself) claim to speak when we dare to stand in front of a group of people to speak a sermon, whether it begins with those ancient words, "may the words of my mouth, and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight O God, my Rock and my Redeemer" or not. I don't know about other preachers, but for me that is often the most heartfelt prayer I speak on any given Sunday. I have never worried about people falling asleep during my sermon, about babies crying, or people not paying attention. I worry that someone might actually listen to me. That when I talk about God, and what God wants for us and of us, people will believe me. I worry about being right. I worry about missing the mark. And I worry about being wrong. I have learned that often my words are sometimes not that important: that people often hear the message they need to hear. That God is actually working in the church too and I need to relax and get over myself. But, sometimes a preachers words do matter.
So I feel a lot of sympathy with many of the prophets in the Bible who, in spite of the fact that they are standing in the presence of God, in the most personal and vivid spiritual moment in their lives, when they are asked to go out and speak the first reaction is, "who me?" And they had some good reasons to be afraid too. Because sometimes the truth can hurt. As Christians, many of the prophets we revere (Jeremiah, Ezekial, Elijah, and Micah to name but a few) said and did some very outrageous things.
I feel a great deal of sympathy for Jeremiah Wright, who feels a genuine call from God to preach, who speaks truth, but imperfectly. But words can matter. And his rhetoric has inflamed or alienated people who need to hear his deeper message the most. The problem is that many people of colour quietly agree with the fact that there is systemic discrimination. The fact is that many people of all colours know that racist taunts are still used. The fact is that many people know that DWB is not just a late night TV joke, but a humiliating reality for many ordinary people. And these things cause pain, and anger. These are the issues that Barack Obama went head to head with in his response.
In Canada we have our own race issues. They vary by community and province but they are there. In the United Church we have our own unique past to deal with because our involvement in the terrible residential school system. We will be hearing from many survivors in the coming months as part of a "Truth and Reconciliation" process. Will we have the courage to look behind any hurt feelings or hard words at the truth that lies there, that we must acknowledge and respond to? It will be difficult but easy is not always the right way to go.
Meanwhile I leave you with the words of one of our the most quoted prophets in the United Church, Micah, who told us that we are, "to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?" A wonderful phrase, but I encourage you to go and check out his complete message in which this phrase is embedded.
Any of us can be called upon to speak God’s truth. And God’s truth is sometimes hard and challenging. We can also be called upon to listen. Sometimes we have to do both.
Shalom
K
Sen. Barack Obama’s response in full.
News Clip about Rev. Wright – includes the now famous clip of his incendiary sermon.
This whole incident started when Barack Obama began his bid for the presidency in the US. Since then, despite many protestations that his candidacy has nothing to do with race, it has been shown again and again that this campaign does have something to do with race. Someone has gone back and picked up the words of Obama's former pastor, Jeremiah Wright. To see a clip of what has everyone so up in arms you can watch below. I have also included Barack Obama's wonderful response.
My concern here is the prophetic voice with which Jeremiah Wright, and all preachers (including myself) claim to speak when we dare to stand in front of a group of people to speak a sermon, whether it begins with those ancient words, "may the words of my mouth, and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight O God, my Rock and my Redeemer" or not. I don't know about other preachers, but for me that is often the most heartfelt prayer I speak on any given Sunday. I have never worried about people falling asleep during my sermon, about babies crying, or people not paying attention. I worry that someone might actually listen to me. That when I talk about God, and what God wants for us and of us, people will believe me. I worry about being right. I worry about missing the mark. And I worry about being wrong. I have learned that often my words are sometimes not that important: that people often hear the message they need to hear. That God is actually working in the church too and I need to relax and get over myself. But, sometimes a preachers words do matter.
So I feel a lot of sympathy with many of the prophets in the Bible who, in spite of the fact that they are standing in the presence of God, in the most personal and vivid spiritual moment in their lives, when they are asked to go out and speak the first reaction is, "who me?" And they had some good reasons to be afraid too. Because sometimes the truth can hurt. As Christians, many of the prophets we revere (Jeremiah, Ezekial, Elijah, and Micah to name but a few) said and did some very outrageous things.
I feel a great deal of sympathy for Jeremiah Wright, who feels a genuine call from God to preach, who speaks truth, but imperfectly. But words can matter. And his rhetoric has inflamed or alienated people who need to hear his deeper message the most. The problem is that many people of colour quietly agree with the fact that there is systemic discrimination. The fact is that many people of all colours know that racist taunts are still used. The fact is that many people know that DWB is not just a late night TV joke, but a humiliating reality for many ordinary people. And these things cause pain, and anger. These are the issues that Barack Obama went head to head with in his response.
In Canada we have our own race issues. They vary by community and province but they are there. In the United Church we have our own unique past to deal with because our involvement in the terrible residential school system. We will be hearing from many survivors in the coming months as part of a "Truth and Reconciliation" process. Will we have the courage to look behind any hurt feelings or hard words at the truth that lies there, that we must acknowledge and respond to? It will be difficult but easy is not always the right way to go.
Meanwhile I leave you with the words of one of our the most quoted prophets in the United Church, Micah, who told us that we are, "to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?" A wonderful phrase, but I encourage you to go and check out his complete message in which this phrase is embedded.
Any of us can be called upon to speak God’s truth. And God’s truth is sometimes hard and challenging. We can also be called upon to listen. Sometimes we have to do both.
Shalom
K
Sen. Barack Obama’s response in full.
News Clip about Rev. Wright – includes the now famous clip of his incendiary sermon.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Questioning Faith
Today I am concerned about the idea of questioning. Specifically I am interested in “Questioning Faith.”
This has become especially important to me in part because of all the great questions that have come up during a recent book study at Minesing United Church based on Marcus Borg’s, Reading the Bible Again for the First Time. Also (as a self confessed political junky) I have been watching with disgust how thoughtful public discussion has degenerated into sound bites and carefully considered changes on positions (in the light of new information) has become weak “flip flopping.”
“The charge [of flip flopping] has more recently been used to attack politicians and in some cases other public figures for any change of policy for any reason whatsoever, including new information becoming available or a change in circumstances. Such changes in policy are considered evidence of a lack of political conviction.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flip-flop_(politics)
My thesis is that asking questions is important and changing ones mind after careful study is a good thing rather than a sign of lazy thinking. In fact, I would go further and argue that unless a person is continually questioning things that are important to them (or issues that they are working on) then that person doesn’t really care. And if all that work and all of those questions don’t lead to some change, small or large, then the person asking all the questions didn’t learn anything.
It seems like a harsh position, but think on the opposing alternative. If we are not engaged and growing then we must be rigid and separate. And that is the path to fundamentalism and tyranny.
I remember an incident from my childhood involving a triangle. It was grade 5 or 6 and we were learning about geometry (coincidentally exactly what my daughter was working on this morning – I love last minute homework ). We were told that a triangle can only have one right angle (an angle of 90). So I went home and told my Dad all I had learned, including this revelation about the triangle. At which point my mathematician father told me this wasn’t quite true and that he could draw a triangle with three right angles. I stood up to this nonsense and told my Dad that my teacher had told me this, so it must be true. He said, “bring me that ball, a ruler and a pen.” He then proceeded to draw something that looked like a triangle, with three right angles, on the ball. (Go ahead and try it at home – just make sure you ask your kids before you start drawing all over their toys.) “Wow” I thought “this is amazing!” And I couldn’t wait to tell my teacher. Predictably my teacher was unimpressed. He looked for one second and said, “that isn’t a triangle now go sit down.”
I am, at this point, forced to admit that my teacher was right. The shape drawn on the ball was not, by definition, a triangle. However, I had to wait to go home and talk it over with my Dad before I got a chance to consider questions like 2D space, curved space, and 3D space. It was a hint that behind the lowly shape of a triangle scratched on paper was a whole universe of interesting things. This I learned from my Dad, who asked questions, pushed boundaries and encouraged creativity. Of course all I could focus on at that moment was my teachers dismissive reaction. I only learned from this incident years later. At the time all I learned was from my teacher, namely, I didn’t like math because it was boring.
On that I was wrong (and by extension so was my teacher) and my Dad was right. Math is interesting and creative.
And so is faith: Christianity in particular. As we have been engaging with the idea of what our Bible is and what it means I am reminded of the words of the newest incarnation of a statement of faith in the United Church and the preamble to it.
Preamble:
This statement of faith seeks to provide a verbal picture of what The United Church of Canada understands its faith to be in its current historical, political, social, and theological context at the beginning of the 21st century. It is also a means of ongoing reflection and an invitation for the church to live out its convictions in relation to the world in which we live.
The church’s faith is grounded in truths that are timeless. These truths, however, must be embraced anew by Christians of each generation and stated “in terms of the thoughts of their own age and with the emphasis their age needs” (Statement of Faith, 1940).
This is not the first time the United Church has formally expressed its collective faith. In the Basis of Union (1925), in the Statement of Faith (1940), and in A New Creed (1968), the United Church stated its faith in words appropriate to its time. This current statement of faith is offered within that tradition, and in response to the request of the 37th General Council (2000) for a “timely and contextual statement of faith” that especially engages “the church in conversation on the nature of the church (ecclesiology), ministry and the sacraments.”
This statement of faith attempts to reflect the spirit of The United Church of Canada and to respond to various defining elements in our social, political, and historical context, including the place of the church in society, the cultural and intellectual setting in which we find ourselves, the meaning of “truth,” the impact of the market economy on our daily lives, and the growing issue of the meaning of “security.” These contextual elements are further explored in the appendices to this document.
This is not a statement for all time but for our time. In as much as the Spirit keeps faith with us, we can express our understanding of the Holy with confidence. And in as much as the Spirit is vast and wild, we recognize that our understanding of the Holy is always partial and limited. Nonetheless we have faith, and this statement collects the meaning of our song.
Scripture is our song for the journey, the living word
passed on from generation to generation
to guide and inspire,
that we might wrestle a holy revelation for our time and place
from the human experiences
and cultural assumptions of another era.
God calls us to be doers of the word and not hearers only.
The Spirit breathes revelatory power into scripture,
bestowing upon it a unique and normative place
in the life of the community.
The Spirit judges us critically when we abuse scripture
by interpreting it narrow-mindedly,
using it as a tool of oppression, exclusion, or hatred.
The wholeness of scripture testifies
to the oneness and faithfulness of God.
The multiplicity of scripture testifies to its depth:
two testaments, four gospels,
contrasting points of view held in tension—
all a faithful witness to the One and Triune God,
the Holy Mystery that is Wholly Love.
Questioning faith is not about doubt. Questioning faith is about exploration.
This has become especially important to me in part because of all the great questions that have come up during a recent book study at Minesing United Church based on Marcus Borg’s, Reading the Bible Again for the First Time. Also (as a self confessed political junky) I have been watching with disgust how thoughtful public discussion has degenerated into sound bites and carefully considered changes on positions (in the light of new information) has become weak “flip flopping.”
“The charge [of flip flopping] has more recently been used to attack politicians and in some cases other public figures for any change of policy for any reason whatsoever, including new information becoming available or a change in circumstances. Such changes in policy are considered evidence of a lack of political conviction.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flip-flop_(politics)
My thesis is that asking questions is important and changing ones mind after careful study is a good thing rather than a sign of lazy thinking. In fact, I would go further and argue that unless a person is continually questioning things that are important to them (or issues that they are working on) then that person doesn’t really care. And if all that work and all of those questions don’t lead to some change, small or large, then the person asking all the questions didn’t learn anything.
It seems like a harsh position, but think on the opposing alternative. If we are not engaged and growing then we must be rigid and separate. And that is the path to fundamentalism and tyranny.
I remember an incident from my childhood involving a triangle. It was grade 5 or 6 and we were learning about geometry (coincidentally exactly what my daughter was working on this morning – I love last minute homework ). We were told that a triangle can only have one right angle (an angle of 90). So I went home and told my Dad all I had learned, including this revelation about the triangle. At which point my mathematician father told me this wasn’t quite true and that he could draw a triangle with three right angles. I stood up to this nonsense and told my Dad that my teacher had told me this, so it must be true. He said, “bring me that ball, a ruler and a pen.” He then proceeded to draw something that looked like a triangle, with three right angles, on the ball. (Go ahead and try it at home – just make sure you ask your kids before you start drawing all over their toys.) “Wow” I thought “this is amazing!” And I couldn’t wait to tell my teacher. Predictably my teacher was unimpressed. He looked for one second and said, “that isn’t a triangle now go sit down.”
I am, at this point, forced to admit that my teacher was right. The shape drawn on the ball was not, by definition, a triangle. However, I had to wait to go home and talk it over with my Dad before I got a chance to consider questions like 2D space, curved space, and 3D space. It was a hint that behind the lowly shape of a triangle scratched on paper was a whole universe of interesting things. This I learned from my Dad, who asked questions, pushed boundaries and encouraged creativity. Of course all I could focus on at that moment was my teachers dismissive reaction. I only learned from this incident years later. At the time all I learned was from my teacher, namely, I didn’t like math because it was boring.
On that I was wrong (and by extension so was my teacher) and my Dad was right. Math is interesting and creative.
And so is faith: Christianity in particular. As we have been engaging with the idea of what our Bible is and what it means I am reminded of the words of the newest incarnation of a statement of faith in the United Church and the preamble to it.
Preamble:
This statement of faith seeks to provide a verbal picture of what The United Church of Canada understands its faith to be in its current historical, political, social, and theological context at the beginning of the 21st century. It is also a means of ongoing reflection and an invitation for the church to live out its convictions in relation to the world in which we live.
The church’s faith is grounded in truths that are timeless. These truths, however, must be embraced anew by Christians of each generation and stated “in terms of the thoughts of their own age and with the emphasis their age needs” (Statement of Faith, 1940).
This is not the first time the United Church has formally expressed its collective faith. In the Basis of Union (1925), in the Statement of Faith (1940), and in A New Creed (1968), the United Church stated its faith in words appropriate to its time. This current statement of faith is offered within that tradition, and in response to the request of the 37th General Council (2000) for a “timely and contextual statement of faith” that especially engages “the church in conversation on the nature of the church (ecclesiology), ministry and the sacraments.”
This statement of faith attempts to reflect the spirit of The United Church of Canada and to respond to various defining elements in our social, political, and historical context, including the place of the church in society, the cultural and intellectual setting in which we find ourselves, the meaning of “truth,” the impact of the market economy on our daily lives, and the growing issue of the meaning of “security.” These contextual elements are further explored in the appendices to this document.
This is not a statement for all time but for our time. In as much as the Spirit keeps faith with us, we can express our understanding of the Holy with confidence. And in as much as the Spirit is vast and wild, we recognize that our understanding of the Holy is always partial and limited. Nonetheless we have faith, and this statement collects the meaning of our song.
Scripture is our song for the journey, the living word
passed on from generation to generation
to guide and inspire,
that we might wrestle a holy revelation for our time and place
from the human experiences
and cultural assumptions of another era.
God calls us to be doers of the word and not hearers only.
The Spirit breathes revelatory power into scripture,
bestowing upon it a unique and normative place
in the life of the community.
The Spirit judges us critically when we abuse scripture
by interpreting it narrow-mindedly,
using it as a tool of oppression, exclusion, or hatred.
The wholeness of scripture testifies
to the oneness and faithfulness of God.
The multiplicity of scripture testifies to its depth:
two testaments, four gospels,
contrasting points of view held in tension—
all a faithful witness to the One and Triune God,
the Holy Mystery that is Wholly Love.
Questioning faith is not about doubt. Questioning faith is about exploration.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Seen and Unseen
The theme of many recent movies has been the idea of seen and unseen. What is real, and what isn't. These are fantasy movies that embed an unseen world into a known world.
There have been movies for children, (Horton Hears a Who) OK this one is a bit of a stretch but the idea is there.
Movies for families (any of the Harry Potters, Spiderwick Chronicles, Chronicles of Narnia to name a few.)
Movies for adults (Pan's Labyrinth)
I think that the interesting things about these movies is the idea that finding out about an unseen world, a magic world, doesn't solve all your problems. In fact most of the time it creates new problems.
One of the ongoing questions about faith in God is a selfish one, "What does this do for me?" Like a Santa Claus that brings presents if only you will believe. But the reality of faith is that it means entering into a new way of living, a new way of seeing the world which brings new questions, new problems, new challenges.
Unlike the magic of the movies, where all questions are resolved (one way or another) by the end of the film (or series of films), the challenges and questions of faith are unresolvable.
We struggle in our world today with fundamentalism and rigidity because we want a resolution, instead of engaging in the messy and dangerous world of options, questions, unsettling moments, and unresolved arguments which faith inhabits.
When we open ourselves to faith we need to read the warning label first....
"Open only if you mean it. Nothing will be the same again."
There have been movies for children, (Horton Hears a Who) OK this one is a bit of a stretch but the idea is there.
Movies for families (any of the Harry Potters, Spiderwick Chronicles, Chronicles of Narnia to name a few.)
Movies for adults (Pan's Labyrinth)
I think that the interesting things about these movies is the idea that finding out about an unseen world, a magic world, doesn't solve all your problems. In fact most of the time it creates new problems.
One of the ongoing questions about faith in God is a selfish one, "What does this do for me?" Like a Santa Claus that brings presents if only you will believe. But the reality of faith is that it means entering into a new way of living, a new way of seeing the world which brings new questions, new problems, new challenges.
Unlike the magic of the movies, where all questions are resolved (one way or another) by the end of the film (or series of films), the challenges and questions of faith are unresolvable.
We struggle in our world today with fundamentalism and rigidity because we want a resolution, instead of engaging in the messy and dangerous world of options, questions, unsettling moments, and unresolved arguments which faith inhabits.
When we open ourselves to faith we need to read the warning label first....
"Open only if you mean it. Nothing will be the same again."
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Is Second Life, Life?
Today, a reflection on another kind of pioneer, a man named Gary Gygax who died yesterday at 69. Many people will have no idea who he is, unless they happen to be one of millions of closet "gamers," or dabblers in the game Dungeons and Dragons. Gary Gygax was one of two guys who co-created Dungeons and Dragons and the whole idea of role-playing games.
When the games first came out there was a lot of worry. What about the fantasy elements, are they appropriate? Christian groups especially worried about what they saw as occult elements in the game. The height of panic was reached when reports started coming out about people who became too wrapped up in their game characters. They even made a TV movie about it, Mazes and Monsters, starring a very young Tom Hanks.
Mazes and Monsters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFIWUYr0n10
But gradually the panic faded and the game Dungeons and Dragons went on to inspire a whole industry. Online gaming, Second Life (secondlife.com) and other virtual worlds, even most console video games owe their inspiration partly to the fantasy gaming world created by Gary Gygax. Now people argue over whether all of those things are good or not. But it cannot be denied that this influence was/is far reaching. Gary Gygax himself was heard to muse about the phenomenon he, in part, started.
"There is no intimacy; it’s not live," he said of online games. "It’s being translated through a computer, and your imagination is not there the same way it is when you’re actually together with a group of people. It reminds me of one time where I saw some children talking about whether they liked radio or television, and I asked one little boy why he preferred radio, and he said, ‘Because the pictures are so much better.’ "
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/05/arts/05gygax.html?ref=arts
So what does Gary Gygax, and online gaming have to do with Christian spirituality?
The question that comes up more and more now is, what is the value of online communities of all kinds, not just gaming? What about the virtual church? The United Church has one http://www.wondercafe.ca/. Personally, like Gary Gygax, I feel that there is no substitute for actual human contact. Online stuff is a good supplement, but physical community is important. In the Bible, Jesus is shown again and again sitting with people and sharing food, touching people to heal them, and visiting in houses. Many people nowadays are disconnected from a spiritual community. They have spiritual beliefs, spiritual longings, and even an active spiritual life. But there is something important about that physical spiritual community. We all need a little help from our friends sometimes.
So find a community where you are comfortable and can grow in your faith. Even if everyone doesn’t think the same way (I actually think that’s better in many ways). Such a community can be a wonderful place to bring your questions, seek solace, and grow. Just as Gygax pointed out, "your imagination is not there the same way it is when you’re actually together with a group of people." In a similar way, our spiritual growth is not nurtured in the same way it is when you are actually with a group of people.
Check out the description of the early Christian community. Acts 2:42-47 and then find someone to go out for coffee with and talk spiritual stuff with. Enjoy.
When the games first came out there was a lot of worry. What about the fantasy elements, are they appropriate? Christian groups especially worried about what they saw as occult elements in the game. The height of panic was reached when reports started coming out about people who became too wrapped up in their game characters. They even made a TV movie about it, Mazes and Monsters, starring a very young Tom Hanks.
Mazes and Monsters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFIWUYr0n10
But gradually the panic faded and the game Dungeons and Dragons went on to inspire a whole industry. Online gaming, Second Life (secondlife.com) and other virtual worlds, even most console video games owe their inspiration partly to the fantasy gaming world created by Gary Gygax. Now people argue over whether all of those things are good or not. But it cannot be denied that this influence was/is far reaching. Gary Gygax himself was heard to muse about the phenomenon he, in part, started.
"There is no intimacy; it’s not live," he said of online games. "It’s being translated through a computer, and your imagination is not there the same way it is when you’re actually together with a group of people. It reminds me of one time where I saw some children talking about whether they liked radio or television, and I asked one little boy why he preferred radio, and he said, ‘Because the pictures are so much better.’ "
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/05/arts/05gygax.html?ref=arts
So what does Gary Gygax, and online gaming have to do with Christian spirituality?
The question that comes up more and more now is, what is the value of online communities of all kinds, not just gaming? What about the virtual church? The United Church has one http://www.wondercafe.ca/. Personally, like Gary Gygax, I feel that there is no substitute for actual human contact. Online stuff is a good supplement, but physical community is important. In the Bible, Jesus is shown again and again sitting with people and sharing food, touching people to heal them, and visiting in houses. Many people nowadays are disconnected from a spiritual community. They have spiritual beliefs, spiritual longings, and even an active spiritual life. But there is something important about that physical spiritual community. We all need a little help from our friends sometimes.
So find a community where you are comfortable and can grow in your faith. Even if everyone doesn’t think the same way (I actually think that’s better in many ways). Such a community can be a wonderful place to bring your questions, seek solace, and grow. Just as Gygax pointed out, "your imagination is not there the same way it is when you’re actually together with a group of people." In a similar way, our spiritual growth is not nurtured in the same way it is when you are actually with a group of people.
Check out the description of the early Christian community. Acts 2:42-47 and then find someone to go out for coffee with and talk spiritual stuff with. Enjoy.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Life is Life
The news came out across the wires. Jeff Healey dead at 41. His name was usually prefaced with phrases like (Canadian) Legend… or Guitar Legend…
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iCoD11PSfR-HSsvGt1Dl2AFB-pGgD8V5UPI00
According to PBS "The blues is one of America's greatest musical treasures. A roots music form that evolved out of African-American work songs, field hollers, spirituals, and country string ballads more than a century ago, the blues is the foundation of virtually every major American music form born in the 20th century, including jazz, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and hip hop." When it began it was/is "Rural music that captured the suffering, anguish-and hopes-of 300 years of slavery and tenant farming, the blues was typically played by roaming solo musicians on acoustic guitar, piano, or harmonica at weekend parties, picnics, and juke joints. Their audience was primarily made up of agricultural labourers, who danced to the propulsive rhythms, moans, and slide guitar."
It is, in other words essential, the essence of much the music we love today. Myself, I think Jeff Healey and I think Blues. They are interwoven. The heart of the Blues is its grounding in the certain knowledge that life is life. The heart of Jeff Healey and his music was his pure love of music and his desire to play in the face of any obstacle. The essential truth of Jeff Healey’s music, not just words, but just its very presence that life is life.
Life is short
Life is hard
Life is wonderful
Life is to be deeply lived
Life is Life.
For myself I see this reflected in the heart of faith, whatever particular derivative we gravitate to, it beats with the sure knowledge that life (in all its messiness) is love. The best faith, like the best music, comes out of suffering but doesn’t focus there.
Can you see the light?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBBCJ68mC4c
Will you turn your angel eyes on me?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYz_LHKrgDY
Little Sister?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqU9RZqvFKY
At a roadhouse.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIZywo3PBTE
Sometimes you just get stuck.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtailKBfvyY
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iCoD11PSfR-HSsvGt1Dl2AFB-pGgD8V5UPI00
According to PBS "The blues is one of America's greatest musical treasures. A roots music form that evolved out of African-American work songs, field hollers, spirituals, and country string ballads more than a century ago, the blues is the foundation of virtually every major American music form born in the 20th century, including jazz, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and hip hop." When it began it was/is "Rural music that captured the suffering, anguish-and hopes-of 300 years of slavery and tenant farming, the blues was typically played by roaming solo musicians on acoustic guitar, piano, or harmonica at weekend parties, picnics, and juke joints. Their audience was primarily made up of agricultural labourers, who danced to the propulsive rhythms, moans, and slide guitar."
It is, in other words essential, the essence of much the music we love today. Myself, I think Jeff Healey and I think Blues. They are interwoven. The heart of the Blues is its grounding in the certain knowledge that life is life. The heart of Jeff Healey and his music was his pure love of music and his desire to play in the face of any obstacle. The essential truth of Jeff Healey’s music, not just words, but just its very presence that life is life.
Life is short
Life is hard
Life is wonderful
Life is to be deeply lived
Life is Life.
For myself I see this reflected in the heart of faith, whatever particular derivative we gravitate to, it beats with the sure knowledge that life (in all its messiness) is love. The best faith, like the best music, comes out of suffering but doesn’t focus there.
Can you see the light?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBBCJ68mC4c
Will you turn your angel eyes on me?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYz_LHKrgDY
Little Sister?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqU9RZqvFKY
At a roadhouse.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIZywo3PBTE
Sometimes you just get stuck.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtailKBfvyY
Friday, February 29, 2008
Oscar Where Art Thou?
"Tonight we look beyond the dark days [of the writer’s strike] to focus on happier fare: This year's slate of Oscar-nominated psychopathic killer movies. Does this town need a hug? What happened? 'No Country For Old Men,' 'Sweeney Todd,' 'There Will Be Blood'? All I can say is, thank God for [the comedy "Juno's"] teen pregnancy. I think the country agrees."
-Jon Stewart in his opening remarks at the 2008 Oscars
If you don’t believe his assessment of these movies, or haven’t heard of them you can check them out.
http://www.therewillbeblood.com/
http://video.movies.go.com/nocountryforoldmen/
http://www.sweeneytoddmovie.com/
And this year (2008) was the lowest rated Oscars ever
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/movieawards/oscars/2008-02-26-oscar-ratings_N.htm
The usual hand wringing has followed…."oh if only we had Billy Crystal back" or "the Oscars are too stuffy" or…. any number of things. But the bottom line is that people watch the Oscars when they care about the movies. And as Jon Stewart pointed out, this was a depressing, violent crop of movies. They have received great critical acclaim, but people didn’t want to watch them as much as they wanted to watch 27 Dresses, a movie all the critics hated.
Then we turn to the election in the US and the "politics of hope" has become code for "Barack Obama fills yet another stadium to overflowing with happy, wildly excited voters."
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0228/p09s01-coop.html?page=1
The newscasters, even in Canada, are in shock and awe as they try to figure out what is happening. Especially here in Canada. Try to find someone who wants an election in Canada. We don’t want it here but I bet there are a few who are trying to figure out if they can vote in the US.
I know that the first rule of news is, "if it bleeds it leads" but I just wonder why shows that give pure hope, Extreme Makeover and Oprah are so popular if that is all we are want to watch?
I think that at the end of the day, we need hope. We need to leave the sadness, stress, and violence aside and know that there is a choice. We want to dream. And make those dreams live.
Unconsciously perhaps, we know that we need to do this. That we can’t wander too much in the dark without becoming blind.
Not that this years Oscar movies were not good movies. But I think we were perhaps hoping for hope.
Ephesians 5:8-14
http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=71327042
-Jon Stewart in his opening remarks at the 2008 Oscars
If you don’t believe his assessment of these movies, or haven’t heard of them you can check them out.
http://www.therewillbeblood.com/
http://video.movies.go.com/nocountryforoldmen/
http://www.sweeneytoddmovie.com/
And this year (2008) was the lowest rated Oscars ever
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/movieawards/oscars/2008-02-26-oscar-ratings_N.htm
The usual hand wringing has followed…."oh if only we had Billy Crystal back" or "the Oscars are too stuffy" or…. any number of things. But the bottom line is that people watch the Oscars when they care about the movies. And as Jon Stewart pointed out, this was a depressing, violent crop of movies. They have received great critical acclaim, but people didn’t want to watch them as much as they wanted to watch 27 Dresses, a movie all the critics hated.
Then we turn to the election in the US and the "politics of hope" has become code for "Barack Obama fills yet another stadium to overflowing with happy, wildly excited voters."
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0228/p09s01-coop.html?page=1
The newscasters, even in Canada, are in shock and awe as they try to figure out what is happening. Especially here in Canada. Try to find someone who wants an election in Canada. We don’t want it here but I bet there are a few who are trying to figure out if they can vote in the US.
I know that the first rule of news is, "if it bleeds it leads" but I just wonder why shows that give pure hope, Extreme Makeover and Oprah are so popular if that is all we are want to watch?
I think that at the end of the day, we need hope. We need to leave the sadness, stress, and violence aside and know that there is a choice. We want to dream. And make those dreams live.
Unconsciously perhaps, we know that we need to do this. That we can’t wander too much in the dark without becoming blind.
Not that this years Oscar movies were not good movies. But I think we were perhaps hoping for hope.
Ephesians 5:8-14
http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=71327042
Thursday, February 21, 2008
We are stardust...
(Spoiler alert!!) This post deals with the 2007 movie Sunshine, just released on DVD. The topic of this post may reveal some details of the movie.
Having a cold, and having children with colds, in combination with a long weekend, meant a trip to the video store. We picked up a few movies.
(One was a real stinker, which I won’t mention by name but which may rhyme with "bragon bors." A lot got lost in translation in this movie: including plot, character development etc.)
One was an interesting surprise, Sunshine. From the description of the movie (a brave crew sets out to restart a dying sun with a giant bomb) I thought, "Aha, science shmience we’re making a movie. Perfect for mindless entertainment." Instead it turned out to be a good movie, although it did fade out at the end into classic horror/thriller stuff. What I found interesting was the religious/scientific debate that took place within the film. I guess my disappointment stems from the fact that instead of dealing with that issue the film just went a little slasher.
The debate in the film centres around the captain of the previous mission who (went insane?) and sabotaged it. He finds his way onto the second mission and tries to sabotage it as well. The director, Boyle, commented about this character in an interview last summer,
"Because he believes that science is wrong….the rest of us believe in science. We believe we can improve our lives. We believe we can innoculate [sic]. We believe that science can extend life. If nature threatens us, if smallpox threatens us—whatever it is—we can protect ourselves. The whole film is about that belief apart from him."http://theeveningclass.blogspot.com/2007/07/sunshine-evening-class-interview-with.html
or as the captain puts his belief more poetically in the movie
"At the end of time, a moment will come when just one man remains. Then the moment will pass. Man will be gone. There will be nothing to show that we were ever here... but stardust."
So the question becomes who is wrong here. The crew for wanting to change what has been mandated (the sun is dying), i.e. "playing God," or the crazy captain for interfering and possibly ending the lives of people on Earth.
The image of dust is everywhere. When the Icarus II crew enter into the Icarus there is dust everywhere, "80% of all household dust is human skin" When the crew are forced to try a crazy jump to their ship after they are disconnected, one character says, "We’re only stardust."
Sunshine (Clip of jump back to the other spaceship)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBRVZPBu8cU
But we know that even as dust creatures our lives have impact, as does the mission of this doomed crew, stardust they may be.
Each one of us is a dust creature, or more biblically
Having a cold, and having children with colds, in combination with a long weekend, meant a trip to the video store. We picked up a few movies.
(One was a real stinker, which I won’t mention by name but which may rhyme with "bragon bors." A lot got lost in translation in this movie: including plot, character development etc.)
One was an interesting surprise, Sunshine. From the description of the movie (a brave crew sets out to restart a dying sun with a giant bomb) I thought, "Aha, science shmience we’re making a movie. Perfect for mindless entertainment." Instead it turned out to be a good movie, although it did fade out at the end into classic horror/thriller stuff. What I found interesting was the religious/scientific debate that took place within the film. I guess my disappointment stems from the fact that instead of dealing with that issue the film just went a little slasher.
The debate in the film centres around the captain of the previous mission who (went insane?) and sabotaged it. He finds his way onto the second mission and tries to sabotage it as well. The director, Boyle, commented about this character in an interview last summer,
"Because he believes that science is wrong….the rest of us believe in science. We believe we can improve our lives. We believe we can innoculate [sic]. We believe that science can extend life. If nature threatens us, if smallpox threatens us—whatever it is—we can protect ourselves. The whole film is about that belief apart from him."http://theeveningclass.blogspot.com/2007/07/sunshine-evening-class-interview-with.html
or as the captain puts his belief more poetically in the movie
"At the end of time, a moment will come when just one man remains. Then the moment will pass. Man will be gone. There will be nothing to show that we were ever here... but stardust."
So the question becomes who is wrong here. The crew for wanting to change what has been mandated (the sun is dying), i.e. "playing God," or the crazy captain for interfering and possibly ending the lives of people on Earth.
The image of dust is everywhere. When the Icarus II crew enter into the Icarus there is dust everywhere, "80% of all household dust is human skin" When the crew are forced to try a crazy jump to their ship after they are disconnected, one character says, "We’re only stardust."
Sunshine (Clip of jump back to the other spaceship)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBRVZPBu8cU
But we know that even as dust creatures our lives have impact, as does the mission of this doomed crew, stardust they may be.
Each one of us is a dust creature, or more biblically
- Genesis 3:19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.
- Genesis18:27 Then Abraham spoke up again: "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes
But, we have been made by God, and breathed into by God, so that we may glorify God through our words, and our actions.
Job 34:14-15 If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath, 15 all mankind would perish together and man would return to the dust.
Ecclesiastes 12:7 7 and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
We are dust, and to dust we shall return. But for now, we breathe, we live, we love.
K
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Sojourn? Journey? Adventure? Temptation?
Today’s Scripture
Matthew 4:1-11
As I was reading this passage it occurred to me that even though the passage is titled "The Temptation of Jesus" I often respond to it as if it were an opportunity, "Jesus’ Chance to Go Into the Desert"
The urge to go on retreats, to get away from it all, to go deeper into ourselves, is an ancient one. In the Christian tradition there were "The Desert Fathers and Mothers" and the monastic tradition. In Plains Indian groups there is a tradition called "the Vision Quest," where people facing an important decision or approaching adulthood go to be by themselves, without food, and wait for a vision. Or how about the weekly emptying of Toronto into the cottages of Muskoka. The philosopher Gary Larson captured this in a brilliant cartoon showing a couple of bears in trench coats on a busy street-corner. One bear turns to the other and says, "Isn’t this great, you just feel like you can relax." Or something like that.
Myself, I like to go cross country skiing and hiking. I walk/ski, I drink in the air, I listen quietly (unless my children are with me in which case quiet often has very little to do with it), and I ask myself "THE BIG QUESTIONS"
But I wonder. The real journey is an inward one. Not getting away from it all, but getting to the centre of ourselves. And in the end it can be dangerous, even though it has a romantic air of adventure. Even if there is no physical danger, we can be irrevocably changed, for good or ill. Recently Sean Penn told a story about this very thing.
Official Site of "Into the Wild"
http://www.intothewild.com/
Original Article in "Outside" Magazine
"Death of An Innocent"
http://outside.away.com/outside/features/1993/1993_into_the_wild_1.html
This idea is deeply embedded in our culture: a time of sojourn and testing. How is it playing out in your life? Where is your journey taking you?
The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.
-- J R R Tolkien
K
Matthew 4:1-11
As I was reading this passage it occurred to me that even though the passage is titled "The Temptation of Jesus" I often respond to it as if it were an opportunity, "Jesus’ Chance to Go Into the Desert"
The urge to go on retreats, to get away from it all, to go deeper into ourselves, is an ancient one. In the Christian tradition there were "The Desert Fathers and Mothers" and the monastic tradition. In Plains Indian groups there is a tradition called "the Vision Quest," where people facing an important decision or approaching adulthood go to be by themselves, without food, and wait for a vision. Or how about the weekly emptying of Toronto into the cottages of Muskoka. The philosopher Gary Larson captured this in a brilliant cartoon showing a couple of bears in trench coats on a busy street-corner. One bear turns to the other and says, "Isn’t this great, you just feel like you can relax." Or something like that.
Myself, I like to go cross country skiing and hiking. I walk/ski, I drink in the air, I listen quietly (unless my children are with me in which case quiet often has very little to do with it), and I ask myself "THE BIG QUESTIONS"
But I wonder. The real journey is an inward one. Not getting away from it all, but getting to the centre of ourselves. And in the end it can be dangerous, even though it has a romantic air of adventure. Even if there is no physical danger, we can be irrevocably changed, for good or ill. Recently Sean Penn told a story about this very thing.
Official Site of "Into the Wild"
http://www.intothewild.com/
Original Article in "Outside" Magazine
"Death of An Innocent"
http://outside.away.com/outside/features/1993/1993_into_the_wild_1.html
This idea is deeply embedded in our culture: a time of sojourn and testing. How is it playing out in your life? Where is your journey taking you?
The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.
-- J R R Tolkien
K
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Spring Cleaning
Today’s Scripture
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
Well, if yesterday was party day - today is the hangover. And when the hangover hits, what’s the phrase?….Oh yeah, "I’ll never do that again."
In many churches there is a prayer of confession, or maybe an altar call, or maybe a tradition of confessing to a priest. And then the list of what we did wrong comes out and then we promise never to do it again.
But it can be all surface stuff. The real part of the prayer of confession is when we honestly open our hearts to the "assurance of God’s Grace." When we really let God in to make some changes. It’s the difference between reorganizing the closet and going through the closet to get rid of stuff you don’t need and then figuring out what you do need to get.
Lent (the period between now and Easter) is supposed to be a time of fasting and housecleaning. But as the passage above points out we have to figure out what we are trying to do. Are we just trying to impress with a well organized closet or are we trying to make a series of changes that will honestly make our lives easier.
I saw a series of videos on youtube based on the Mac vs. PC ads that get at this phenomenon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIXDLUUn830
What is important? What is the point? These are questions that we can only answer for ourselves after deep and serious reflection.
Happy Spring Cleaning!
K
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
Well, if yesterday was party day - today is the hangover. And when the hangover hits, what’s the phrase?….Oh yeah, "I’ll never do that again."
In many churches there is a prayer of confession, or maybe an altar call, or maybe a tradition of confessing to a priest. And then the list of what we did wrong comes out and then we promise never to do it again.
But it can be all surface stuff. The real part of the prayer of confession is when we honestly open our hearts to the "assurance of God’s Grace." When we really let God in to make some changes. It’s the difference between reorganizing the closet and going through the closet to get rid of stuff you don’t need and then figuring out what you do need to get.
Lent (the period between now and Easter) is supposed to be a time of fasting and housecleaning. But as the passage above points out we have to figure out what we are trying to do. Are we just trying to impress with a well organized closet or are we trying to make a series of changes that will honestly make our lives easier.
I saw a series of videos on youtube based on the Mac vs. PC ads that get at this phenomenon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIXDLUUn830
What is important? What is the point? These are questions that we can only answer for ourselves after deep and serious reflection.
Happy Spring Cleaning!
K
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Life in Full
Today’s Scripture
Mark 2:18-21
In Ecclesiastes we are told that there is a time for everything. Aficionados of folk will well remember the musical setting of this, "Turn, Turn, Turn."
Today is Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. This is a time for feasting and indulgence ahead of the traditional Lenten fast. Often people will complain about such excess. I am sure I have. Similar to New Years when before we quit drinking, smoking, or eating, we spend a good solid night indulging in these things. But then I remembered today’s passage from Mark and the passage from Ecclesiastes and my thoughts began to go down a different road. We were not made for only fasting, nor were we made for the party life. Instead we were made to experience life in full.
New Orleans is a living example of the richness of life. The vibrant culture and music we associate with New Orleans comes out of a context of poverty and suffering. And Mardi Gras since hurricane Katrina comes out of a similar place. There is plenty of time to worry about rebuilding, but there is also a time to celebrate.
http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/
http://www.mardigrasday.com/mardigrasinfo.php
In other parts of the world the celebration of this day is focused around the pancake. The humble pancake is a great way to eat food that would be avoided during Lent. And hey, what about having a race too….
http://www.ukstudentlife.com/Ideas/Album/PancakeRace.htm
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/politics/threelinewhip/feb/mpsflipout.htm
So this day is a time for fun and celebration. There will be time for fasting and contemplation. There is a time to run a race, and a time for a nap. There is a time for everything.
Enjoy
K
Mark 2:18-21
In Ecclesiastes we are told that there is a time for everything. Aficionados of folk will well remember the musical setting of this, "Turn, Turn, Turn."
Today is Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. This is a time for feasting and indulgence ahead of the traditional Lenten fast. Often people will complain about such excess. I am sure I have. Similar to New Years when before we quit drinking, smoking, or eating, we spend a good solid night indulging in these things. But then I remembered today’s passage from Mark and the passage from Ecclesiastes and my thoughts began to go down a different road. We were not made for only fasting, nor were we made for the party life. Instead we were made to experience life in full.
New Orleans is a living example of the richness of life. The vibrant culture and music we associate with New Orleans comes out of a context of poverty and suffering. And Mardi Gras since hurricane Katrina comes out of a similar place. There is plenty of time to worry about rebuilding, but there is also a time to celebrate.
http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/
http://www.mardigrasday.com/mardigrasinfo.php
In other parts of the world the celebration of this day is focused around the pancake. The humble pancake is a great way to eat food that would be avoided during Lent. And hey, what about having a race too….
http://www.ukstudentlife.com/Ideas/Album/PancakeRace.htm
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/politics/threelinewhip/feb/mpsflipout.htm
So this day is a time for fun and celebration. There will be time for fasting and contemplation. There is a time to run a race, and a time for a nap. There is a time for everything.
Enjoy
K
Monday, February 4, 2008
Made in the Image of God
Today’s Scripture: Genesis 1:27, 31
Well, I’m back. I crawled out of my burrow and saw no shadow. Then I saw my Reflections page on the website (www.minesinguc.org) and remembered how much I enjoyed doing them. So I decided to spring into action. Instead of sending out emails I will simply be posting on my blog. And so…
Having promised myself that today I would return to the blogging world and “Reflections” (my look at the intersection of scripture and culture) I began by checking my email.... "when what to my wondering eyes did appear [in my inbox]" but a wonderful article from Christian Science Monitor.
“There's so much focus in the media and in individual conversations about who is the most beautiful, most successful, best dressed, or most powerful or influential.”
Click here to continue reading...
It so captures some of the things I have been thinking about that I decided to let a link to it be my first blog of February. But I can’t just leave it there.
I started to think about those words, made in the image of God and all the wonderful diversity of that image. On a whim I decided to see what google would come up with. I found two interesting portrait sites. The first is a project that includes pictures and autobiographies. Some of them are whimsical and light, others are more searching and critical. Even in our approach to a seemingly simple task such as answering the question, “who are you?” we are diverse.
You can check out the project here,
http://www.libraries.psu.edu/pubinfo/div/divpeople.html
Last I offer the work of one artist. Chosen at random really, but I liked the way that she captured the unique character of each person. And it seemed to connect with the original article – a horizontal portrait of the “Image of God”
http://www.sssalas.com/comm.html
Shalom
K
Well, I’m back. I crawled out of my burrow and saw no shadow. Then I saw my Reflections page on the website (www.minesinguc.org) and remembered how much I enjoyed doing them. So I decided to spring into action. Instead of sending out emails I will simply be posting on my blog. And so…
Having promised myself that today I would return to the blogging world and “Reflections” (my look at the intersection of scripture and culture) I began by checking my email.... "when what to my wondering eyes did appear [in my inbox]" but a wonderful article from Christian Science Monitor.
“There's so much focus in the media and in individual conversations about who is the most beautiful, most successful, best dressed, or most powerful or influential.”
Click here to continue reading...
It so captures some of the things I have been thinking about that I decided to let a link to it be my first blog of February. But I can’t just leave it there.
I started to think about those words, made in the image of God and all the wonderful diversity of that image. On a whim I decided to see what google would come up with. I found two interesting portrait sites. The first is a project that includes pictures and autobiographies. Some of them are whimsical and light, others are more searching and critical. Even in our approach to a seemingly simple task such as answering the question, “who are you?” we are diverse.
You can check out the project here,
http://www.libraries.psu.edu/pubinfo/div/divpeople.html
Last I offer the work of one artist. Chosen at random really, but I liked the way that she captured the unique character of each person. And it seemed to connect with the original article – a horizontal portrait of the “Image of God”
http://www.sssalas.com/comm.html
Shalom
K
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)