OK, so apparently people still read this blog....
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Can he save the world?
It seems as though America has a new religion- Obamania.
The thing that has intrigued me has been the role of "rescuer" that has been attributed to the dude. The expectations that have been placed upon the guy are enormous! The guy must feel the weight of the world upon his shoulders.
I find it fascinating that we look for heroes like Obama to save and rescue us. At our great time of need we look for heroes to give us hope.
This is one reason why I find superheroes so fascinating. Did you know that Superman was first published in 1938- that's on the end of the Great Depression. After a time of hopelessness, the Man of Steel gave us hope. He inspired us in our time of need.
Given the current financial crisis, which has been likened to the Great Depression, what heroes will we turn to? Who will inspire us and give us hope? Who will protect us?
We recognise that deep within us we cannot save ourselves. We need someone to pull us out of the slim we have fallen into. Who will save our world?
In my hour of desperation, I want someone to say "not if I can help it" to me!
The thing that has intrigued me has been the role of "rescuer" that has been attributed to the dude. The expectations that have been placed upon the guy are enormous! The guy must feel the weight of the world upon his shoulders.
I find it fascinating that we look for heroes like Obama to save and rescue us. At our great time of need we look for heroes to give us hope.
This is one reason why I find superheroes so fascinating. Did you know that Superman was first published in 1938- that's on the end of the Great Depression. After a time of hopelessness, the Man of Steel gave us hope. He inspired us in our time of need.
Given the current financial crisis, which has been likened to the Great Depression, what heroes will we turn to? Who will inspire us and give us hope? Who will protect us?
We recognise that deep within us we cannot save ourselves. We need someone to pull us out of the slim we have fallen into. Who will save our world?
In my hour of desperation, I want someone to say "not if I can help it" to me!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
The Future of Futures
The following is an article about to be published in the local paper.
Money, money, money!
ABBA was wrong. Money, money, money is NOT very funny in the rich man’s world. Times are tough. We are experiencing a significant economic down turn.
One political leader has called current economic situation the ‘worst economic crisis since the Great Depression’. Economists have referred to this as a ‘Financial Tsunami’.
Wall Street has crashed, and then gone back up again. The stock-market has been acting like a roll-coaster. Billions of dollars were wiped out in one day, but recovered the next. As the Dow Jones Industrial Average has dipped, so have our emotions.
Whilst we in Australia may not feel the full effects for some time, we do notice some things. It is getting harder to save and harder to retire. People are talking about not taking an early retirement in order to ‘top up’ failing superannuation levels.
Worry About the Future
We worry about the future. We are worried about our superannuation. We are worried about dropping share prices and investment funds.
What will happen to the value of my home? Will I be able to afford my mortgage payments? Can I live off the aged pension?
These are real worries that we face. They cause us stress and anxiety.
Our political leaders say they have the situation under control. They assure us that they are working together to fix the situation. They assure us that our money is safe in the bank.
Money, money, money!
ABBA was wrong. Money, money, money is NOT very funny in the rich man’s world. Times are tough. We are experiencing a significant economic down turn.
One political leader has called current economic situation the ‘worst economic crisis since the Great Depression’. Economists have referred to this as a ‘Financial Tsunami’.
Wall Street has crashed, and then gone back up again. The stock-market has been acting like a roll-coaster. Billions of dollars were wiped out in one day, but recovered the next. As the Dow Jones Industrial Average has dipped, so have our emotions.
Whilst we in Australia may not feel the full effects for some time, we do notice some things. It is getting harder to save and harder to retire. People are talking about not taking an early retirement in order to ‘top up’ failing superannuation levels.
Worry About the Future
We worry about the future. We are worried about our superannuation. We are worried about dropping share prices and investment funds.
What will happen to the value of my home? Will I be able to afford my mortgage payments? Can I live off the aged pension?
These are real worries that we face. They cause us stress and anxiety.
Our political leaders say they have the situation under control. They assure us that they are working together to fix the situation. They assure us that our money is safe in the bank.
But although our political leaders are working hard to reassure us, it’s easy for us to fear the worst.
Perhaps we paint a worst case scenario of living in a cardboard box in a public park somewhere, relying upon food from soup kitchens. At best we might be able to crash in a friend’s garage.
Things like this can cause us to think of deeper things than money.
The Uncertainty of Wall Street
God warns us not to put our hope in riches.
The Bible cautions us not to put our hope in wealth, which is uncertain, but to put our hope in God. (I Timothy chapter 6, verse 17).
We have seen firsthand how unstable wealth can be. The Stock market crash, inflation, a burglary or the current financial crisis are painful reminders of the shakiness of wealth.
It is a foolish thing to stake all our hopes on money. Confidence in securities and futures will lead to an insecure future!!! When we put our hope in money, we get ripped off because of its uncertainty.
The Certainty of Hope in God
Instead of relying upon money, the Bible says to put our hope in God, ‘who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment’ (again, from I Timothy chapter 6, verse 17).
Put your hope in God. He is unchangeable and certain. The promises that He makes to us are unshakable. God sent His Son Jesus so we can have a secure future.
Jesus doesn’t offer to pay off my home loan, top up my failing superannuation, or restore the economy. Jesus offers us something far, far greater than what money can buy.
Jesus offers us the security of riches that will last forever. These riches are to be enjoyed in the Kingdom of Heaven. By dying for us and paying the price for our ignorance of God, Jesus has secured a home for us in Heaven.
The current economic crisis is a wake-up call for us. It alerts us to the fact that riches will ultimately fail. Trusting in money is uncertain. That is why the Bible urges us to hope in God, not in money. Only God can give us the certain future that we need. Only He can offer us the life that is truly life.
This is a time to speak to God in our hour of need and to ask Him to help us trust Him. For when we put our hope in God, the future is secure. Hope in anything else will fail!
Friday, August 29, 2008
A Way out of This...
I’ve been preaching through Genesis lately, and the tragedy of human sin has been striking. Adam and Eve were able to enjoy a rich relationship with God. And then BOOM! Sin entered the world. In the Garden, sin was an external enemy. It had not entered our world. It was waiting like a stranger on the outside, wanting to come inside and take possession.
Now, suddenly sin becomes an internal enemy. It becomes a crouching tiger, waiting to possess and control us. Sin wants to master and possess us. But we must master sin.
Because sin possesses us, death rules us. For when we open the door to sin, death enters in as well. This is what happens when we shut God out- our punishment is the natural outworking of our crime. We say we want to be independent of God, the giver of life, and as a result we get death.
And death always gets in the way of life. We might seek a way out of the mess we are in, but death means that there is no way out. There is no way out of the maze from the inside. We need someone from the outside to come and free us from the tyranny we have created for ourselves.
Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through the Lord Jesus Christ!
Now, suddenly sin becomes an internal enemy. It becomes a crouching tiger, waiting to possess and control us. Sin wants to master and possess us. But we must master sin.
Because sin possesses us, death rules us. For when we open the door to sin, death enters in as well. This is what happens when we shut God out- our punishment is the natural outworking of our crime. We say we want to be independent of God, the giver of life, and as a result we get death.
And death always gets in the way of life. We might seek a way out of the mess we are in, but death means that there is no way out. There is no way out of the maze from the inside. We need someone from the outside to come and free us from the tyranny we have created for ourselves.
Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through the Lord Jesus Christ!
Friday, August 01, 2008
On Tonight's Menu...
In the Chinese restaurant tonight I noticed that there was something unsual on the menu, and I just had to take a photo and show you.
Pigeon... really?
Have you ever eaten one? Or wanted to? And don't tell me it tastes like chicken!
Pigeon... really?
Have you ever eaten one? Or wanted to? And don't tell me it tastes like chicken!
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
The Dark Knight. Welcome to a World Without Rules...
Seeing as how I blogged some Iron Man thoughts down, I thought I would follow suit with the new Batman movie. If you haven't seen the movie yet, we probably don't have as much in common as I thought, and you may not want to read on, since there are some spoilers. Here goes.
Back in the early 90’s, I remember reading a novel about the Joker. It consisted of a series of short stories. They read more like horror stories, and they had a sick morbidity about them. To be honest, I found the whole thing quite disturbing but very fascinating. It definitely didn’t read like a comic book character. It could have been anyone in the real world. And so began my realization that comic books don’t need to be comic books. They could be as dark as the real world.
That’s why Batman the Dark Knight is not a comic book movie. Unlike the Spider-man or Superman movies, it hasn’t been set in the make believe world of comic books. It is set in the dark world of reality. I’d go as far as to say that the movie is not dark. It’s black. The villain is a psychopathic murderer, and the hero…. well perhaps he is a psycho path too.
This is what I liked about the new Batman movie. It is set in a world where the rules about truth keep getting changed. This is a world without rules. Whilst Superman stands for truth, justice and the American way, in the world of Gotham, the lines are blurred about who is the hero and what is the truth. A repeated line in the movie reflects this: ‘You either die the hero or live long enough to become the villain’. By the end of the movie, the White Knight (Harvey Dent) has become the villain. And Batman has descended into… what? The hero? The anti-hero? We are left to wonder if the people of Gotham want him. He is alone and isolated, with his loyal butler as his only ally. He is an outcast.
This black realism is paralleled by the use of lighting throughout the film. Visually, most of the movie is rather dark. In fact, the visually brightest scene in the movie is probably when Batman knocks the stuffing out of the Joker in an interrogation room. And as he was doing so, it was in full view of the police, with a chair blocking the only door inside. Ironic that such a brightly lit scene had the effect of showing the dark side of the Batman.
Batman’s costume also reflects this blackness. OK- here is a little bit of a Batman history trivia (feel free to skip to the next paragraph whilst I show off my knowledge of Batmania). Previous movies (and indeed, earlier comic books) made use of the yellow oval behind the bat symbol on Batman’s chest. But originally, Bob Kane, creator of the Batman, didn’t use this design. His Batman was far more brooding. In a reaction to this, the character Robin was invented to make Batman allow Batman to be less serious and lighten up a little. Eventually however the effect was that Batman got a little bit silly, and was far removed from the original concept that Bob Kane had in mind. The silliness portrayed in the Batman TV show in the late 60's starring Adam West is a great example of this. It wasn’t until Frank Miller wrote a comic book mini-series called The Dark Knight Returns that the character was considered by many to be returned to his original roots. More recently, the comics have chosen to eliminate this ‘yellow shield’ on the Batman’s chest emblem to reflect the true nature of the character.
End of history lesson.
For me, the film called into question the nature of who we are. What is your identity? Has Bruce Wayne lost himself in the person of the Batman? Batman seems to have taken over Bruce’s life. Then there is Two-Face. Originally he is the white knight of the story- somewhat of a literary foil to Batman. But by the end he has transformed into Two-Face, a nickname that he can’t seem to live down.
And of course, there is the psycho-maniac Joker. Ironically, the Joker seems to be the only one in the movie who knows who he is. He repeatedly says, ‘do you know how I got these scars?’ as though the scars have made him the person that he is. Not only that, he seems to understand others too. ‘You really get to know someone well the moment before they die’.
I must say I really really really enjoyed Heath Ledger’s portrayal as the Joker. He reminded me of that Joker I read as a teenager in that novel I mentioned. (I wonder if Heath had read this in preparation for the role?) I found myself enjoying his delivery and the energy he brought to the character. This Joker licked his lips between sentences as though he thought that what he was saying was soooo delicious. The way he walked was awkward, and the way he stroked his hair was chilling. His lines were delivered with expressive eyes and mouth movements, but it wasn’t overdone or gushing in tone. It was chilling. I, like many Australians, watched these scenes solemnly, but with great enjoyment and pride.
There were some disappointing things about the movie. I found the story a little convoluted and lengthy. Just when you thought it should end, the movie goes for another hour. And it’s intensity does not help it’s length. Plus I was disappointed I didn’t anything of the Batcave. This could have been used with greater effect to show Batman’s isolation.
There was a nice touch in the movie when a tribute was paid to a famous comic book cover, which I thought was nice. It’s a typical Batman scene- he is on the top of a building, alone and isolated, but contemplative. This is the Batman we know.
The world of the Batman is our world. In our world, the lines are blurred between who is the hero and who is the villain. The rules of life are whatever you make them to be. Ironically, this rule is the only rule that people seem to believe in.
However, as a Christian, I believe that there are rules. I’m totally glad that there is a God who has told us the truth about our world. He hasn’t blurred the lines about what the truth really is. He has told us the rules of life, and the truth about who we are. Our world was made according to truth, and works according to the rules God has set for it. In the end, our world is not the world of the Batman.
4 stars out of 5.
That’s why Batman the Dark Knight is not a comic book movie. Unlike the Spider-man or Superman movies, it hasn’t been set in the make believe world of comic books. It is set in the dark world of reality. I’d go as far as to say that the movie is not dark. It’s black. The villain is a psychopathic murderer, and the hero…. well perhaps he is a psycho path too.
This is what I liked about the new Batman movie. It is set in a world where the rules about truth keep getting changed. This is a world without rules. Whilst Superman stands for truth, justice and the American way, in the world of Gotham, the lines are blurred about who is the hero and what is the truth. A repeated line in the movie reflects this: ‘You either die the hero or live long enough to become the villain’. By the end of the movie, the White Knight (Harvey Dent) has become the villain. And Batman has descended into… what? The hero? The anti-hero? We are left to wonder if the people of Gotham want him. He is alone and isolated, with his loyal butler as his only ally. He is an outcast.
This black realism is paralleled by the use of lighting throughout the film. Visually, most of the movie is rather dark. In fact, the visually brightest scene in the movie is probably when Batman knocks the stuffing out of the Joker in an interrogation room. And as he was doing so, it was in full view of the police, with a chair blocking the only door inside. Ironic that such a brightly lit scene had the effect of showing the dark side of the Batman.
Batman’s costume also reflects this blackness. OK- here is a little bit of a Batman history trivia (feel free to skip to the next paragraph whilst I show off my knowledge of Batmania). Previous movies (and indeed, earlier comic books) made use of the yellow oval behind the bat symbol on Batman’s chest. But originally, Bob Kane, creator of the Batman, didn’t use this design. His Batman was far more brooding. In a reaction to this, the character Robin was invented to make Batman allow Batman to be less serious and lighten up a little. Eventually however the effect was that Batman got a little bit silly, and was far removed from the original concept that Bob Kane had in mind. The silliness portrayed in the Batman TV show in the late 60's starring Adam West is a great example of this. It wasn’t until Frank Miller wrote a comic book mini-series called The Dark Knight Returns that the character was considered by many to be returned to his original roots. More recently, the comics have chosen to eliminate this ‘yellow shield’ on the Batman’s chest emblem to reflect the true nature of the character.
End of history lesson.
For me, the film called into question the nature of who we are. What is your identity? Has Bruce Wayne lost himself in the person of the Batman? Batman seems to have taken over Bruce’s life. Then there is Two-Face. Originally he is the white knight of the story- somewhat of a literary foil to Batman. But by the end he has transformed into Two-Face, a nickname that he can’t seem to live down.
And of course, there is the psycho-maniac Joker. Ironically, the Joker seems to be the only one in the movie who knows who he is. He repeatedly says, ‘do you know how I got these scars?’ as though the scars have made him the person that he is. Not only that, he seems to understand others too. ‘You really get to know someone well the moment before they die’.
I must say I really really really enjoyed Heath Ledger’s portrayal as the Joker. He reminded me of that Joker I read as a teenager in that novel I mentioned. (I wonder if Heath had read this in preparation for the role?) I found myself enjoying his delivery and the energy he brought to the character. This Joker licked his lips between sentences as though he thought that what he was saying was soooo delicious. The way he walked was awkward, and the way he stroked his hair was chilling. His lines were delivered with expressive eyes and mouth movements, but it wasn’t overdone or gushing in tone. It was chilling. I, like many Australians, watched these scenes solemnly, but with great enjoyment and pride.
There were some disappointing things about the movie. I found the story a little convoluted and lengthy. Just when you thought it should end, the movie goes for another hour. And it’s intensity does not help it’s length. Plus I was disappointed I didn’t anything of the Batcave. This could have been used with greater effect to show Batman’s isolation.
There was a nice touch in the movie when a tribute was paid to a famous comic book cover, which I thought was nice. It’s a typical Batman scene- he is on the top of a building, alone and isolated, but contemplative. This is the Batman we know.
The world of the Batman is our world. In our world, the lines are blurred between who is the hero and who is the villain. The rules of life are whatever you make them to be. Ironically, this rule is the only rule that people seem to believe in.
However, as a Christian, I believe that there are rules. I’m totally glad that there is a God who has told us the truth about our world. He hasn’t blurred the lines about what the truth really is. He has told us the rules of life, and the truth about who we are. Our world was made according to truth, and works according to the rules God has set for it. In the end, our world is not the world of the Batman.
4 stars out of 5.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Hymn Spot
I grew up with a rich Baptist heritage. Part of this heritage involved singing hymns in church each Sunday. This was my experience right up until I was 21 years old. God has used these hymns to minister to me lately. Here is one such hymn which I have been thinking about of late. I trust these words speak to your soul as they have to mine recently. Read these words and ponder over them often.
O Christ, in Thee my soul hath found,
And found in Thee alone,
The peace, the joy I sought so long,
The bliss till now unknown.
Refrain:
Now none but Christ can satisfy,
None other name for me;
There's love, and life, and lasting joy,
Lord Jesus, found in Thee.
I sighed for rest and happiness,
I yearned for them, not Thee;
But while I passed my Saviour by,
His love laid hold on me.
I tried the broken cisterns, Lord,
But ah! the waters failed!
E'en as I stooped to drink they'd fled,
And mocked me as I wailed.
The pleasures lost I sadly mourned,
But never wept for Thee,
Till grace the sightless eyes received,
Thy loveliness to see.
B. E., Arr. 19th Century
O Christ, in Thee my soul hath found,
And found in Thee alone,
The peace, the joy I sought so long,
The bliss till now unknown.
Refrain:
Now none but Christ can satisfy,
None other name for me;
There's love, and life, and lasting joy,
Lord Jesus, found in Thee.
I sighed for rest and happiness,
I yearned for them, not Thee;
But while I passed my Saviour by,
His love laid hold on me.
I tried the broken cisterns, Lord,
But ah! the waters failed!
E'en as I stooped to drink they'd fled,
And mocked me as I wailed.
The pleasures lost I sadly mourned,
But never wept for Thee,
Till grace the sightless eyes received,
Thy loveliness to see.
B. E., Arr. 19th Century
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
July Holiday Kids Club
The last 3 days has been quite busy with our Holiday Kids Club at church. The programme focused on 3 of the ‘I am’ sayings of Jesus- I am the Light of the world, I am the Good Shepherd, and I am the Life.
We focused on a theme each day- our crafts, activities, puppet shows and games all taught these themes. The day ended in small groups, which is where we shared the gospel with the kids based on what they had been learning during the day.
I quite felt proud of the leaders for all their hard work and efforts in wanting to explain the gospel to the kids that came along. Thanks so much to Alice, Anna, Bec, Holly, Jacquie, Meg, Phil, Rachel and Sarah - you guys are awesome!
Praise God- one of the parents wants to bring her 2 kids along to our Sunday Kids Club. If you are the praying type, please pray for this! These 2 kids made cards for us with messages inside saying ‘Thankyou for teaching us about Jesus is the light and the Lord is my shepherd! Thankyou very much I hope to see you next time!’ and ‘Thankyou for having us and the craft and the fun stuff’!
I'll leave you with some Quotes from the kids:
‘Why can’t we have this every day of the school holidays?’
Me: 'How does Jesus prove He is God?'
Kid: 'He has medals to show it.'
‘Can we play soccer??’
We focused on a theme each day- our crafts, activities, puppet shows and games all taught these themes. The day ended in small groups, which is where we shared the gospel with the kids based on what they had been learning during the day.
I quite felt proud of the leaders for all their hard work and efforts in wanting to explain the gospel to the kids that came along. Thanks so much to Alice, Anna, Bec, Holly, Jacquie, Meg, Phil, Rachel and Sarah - you guys are awesome!
Praise God- one of the parents wants to bring her 2 kids along to our Sunday Kids Club. If you are the praying type, please pray for this! These 2 kids made cards for us with messages inside saying ‘Thankyou for teaching us about Jesus is the light and the Lord is my shepherd! Thankyou very much I hope to see you next time!’ and ‘Thankyou for having us and the craft and the fun stuff’!
I'll leave you with some Quotes from the kids:
‘Why can’t we have this every day of the school holidays?’
Me: 'How does Jesus prove He is God?'
Kid: 'He has medals to show it.'
‘Can we play soccer??’
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Iron Man Movie
I saw Iron Man last Saturday night at the new Reading cinemas in Rouse Hill. I loved seeing it here because the screens are HUGE and it's Sydney’s newest movie cinema, and it’s practically on my doorstep!!!
I liked this movie for many reasons.
It had something for everyone. There was romance, there was technology, there was action, there was good acting. (People told me the same thing about Transformers- but I was bored in that movie. Not so with Iron Man).
It was plot driven. I felt as though the action in the movie was well paced, and it wasn’t mindless. It made the 2 hours fly by (I’m the kind of person who stops watching movies on DVD half way through if I get bored…I didn’t feel this at all with Iron Man). The storyline drove the movie- not the action. But when there was action, it was not gushing, or overly done with cheap CGI effects. (The scenes flying above the earth made you feel as though it was you!) Simply brilliant.
Comic book fans would have loved it. There were some tributes to die hard Iron Man fans. While I don’t profess to be a die hard Iron Man fan, I will admit to being a comic book geek. Iron Man fans would have been happy with the armour that Tony Stark rigged up while being captured in an Afghani cave. It was a nod to the golden age of Iron Man. (i.e. the way the original comic book artists conceived of the Iron Man costume). At one point, the ring tone of Tony Stark’s mobile phone sounded like the music to the original 1966 Iron Man cartoon. And of course, who could go past a guest appearance by co-creator Stan Lee?
I heard somewhere that since Marvel was heavily involved in the production of this movie, there is a plan to create an overlapping world of Marvel movies where the same characters can cross over into other movies. This means that the Marvel universe will be represented up on the big screen. This is another plus to comic book fans. Imagine if you saw a movie where Toby Maguire (Spider-Man) and Robert Downey Jr (Iron Man) were fighting side by side in a Civil War against Captain America? Or Iron Man and the Mr Fantastic were trying to deal with a rampaging Hulk? (OK, I’m showing off my knowledge of current Marvel storylines, but oooh, the possibilities!)
A word of advice- stay for the ending after the credits. Comic book fans especially. I won’t spoil it for you, but you’ll enjoy.
I liked this movie for many reasons.
It had something for everyone. There was romance, there was technology, there was action, there was good acting. (People told me the same thing about Transformers- but I was bored in that movie. Not so with Iron Man).
It was plot driven. I felt as though the action in the movie was well paced, and it wasn’t mindless. It made the 2 hours fly by (I’m the kind of person who stops watching movies on DVD half way through if I get bored…I didn’t feel this at all with Iron Man). The storyline drove the movie- not the action. But when there was action, it was not gushing, or overly done with cheap CGI effects. (The scenes flying above the earth made you feel as though it was you!) Simply brilliant.
Comic book fans would have loved it. There were some tributes to die hard Iron Man fans. While I don’t profess to be a die hard Iron Man fan, I will admit to being a comic book geek. Iron Man fans would have been happy with the armour that Tony Stark rigged up while being captured in an Afghani cave. It was a nod to the golden age of Iron Man. (i.e. the way the original comic book artists conceived of the Iron Man costume). At one point, the ring tone of Tony Stark’s mobile phone sounded like the music to the original 1966 Iron Man cartoon. And of course, who could go past a guest appearance by co-creator Stan Lee?
I heard somewhere that since Marvel was heavily involved in the production of this movie, there is a plan to create an overlapping world of Marvel movies where the same characters can cross over into other movies. This means that the Marvel universe will be represented up on the big screen. This is another plus to comic book fans. Imagine if you saw a movie where Toby Maguire (Spider-Man) and Robert Downey Jr (Iron Man) were fighting side by side in a Civil War against Captain America? Or Iron Man and the Mr Fantastic were trying to deal with a rampaging Hulk? (OK, I’m showing off my knowledge of current Marvel storylines, but oooh, the possibilities!)
A word of advice- stay for the ending after the credits. Comic book fans especially. I won’t spoil it for you, but you’ll enjoy.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
A Blog Archive Meme.
I have been tagged in an Archive Meme by Ali.
This meme involves resurrecting old posts from the dark recesses of my blog archives for you to read again, dear reader!
Here are the topics of this meme:
family, friends, me, something I love, and anything I like.
So, at the risk of redundancy, here goes!
Family: Who has better parents than mine?
Friends: My times with Chris are always memorable.
Me: This post really was dug up from the dark dungeons of blogsville! But the content is appropriate given that the word 'meme' was coined by Richard Dawkins to describe the selfish gene.
Something I love: When people become Christians.
Anything I like: Drawing.
I tag Chelsea, Mandy, Kate, Tim and Matt.
This meme involves resurrecting old posts from the dark recesses of my blog archives for you to read again, dear reader!
Here are the topics of this meme:
family, friends, me, something I love, and anything I like.
So, at the risk of redundancy, here goes!
Family: Who has better parents than mine?
Friends: My times with Chris are always memorable.
Me: This post really was dug up from the dark dungeons of blogsville! But the content is appropriate given that the word 'meme' was coined by Richard Dawkins to describe the selfish gene.
Something I love: When people become Christians.
Anything I like: Drawing.
I tag Chelsea, Mandy, Kate, Tim and Matt.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Today White Australia says Sorry…
Today, the Australian government said sorry to the ‘stolen’ generation. I applaud Kevin Rudd for taking the initiative to make this historical apology.
I think it was the right thing to do. Yet too many people said 'I didn't do it. Why should I apologize?' I think this is a wrong argument.
Sometimes we have an ‘individualistic’ view of sin. We think that my sin is what matters, and all I am responsible for is my own actions.
But what we forget is that we live in a community. Humans are far more collective than we realize. When we elect a government that fights a war that we disagree with, we are responsible because we put them there. When one person sins, it affects people around us.
But sin also has consequences which flow over from one generation to the next. It affects people who come generations after us. When we don’t right the wrongs of previous generations, we are showing that we agree with their sin. The old saying is true: 'The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge' (Ezekiel 18:2).
Our country prides itself upon its the achievements – we started off as a penal colony and look at the go we have made of the country. But we don’t take credit for the bad. And we need to.
And that’s why today I am proud to be an Australian. Because we said sorry. And it was long overdue.
I think it was the right thing to do. Yet too many people said 'I didn't do it. Why should I apologize?' I think this is a wrong argument.
Sometimes we have an ‘individualistic’ view of sin. We think that my sin is what matters, and all I am responsible for is my own actions.
But what we forget is that we live in a community. Humans are far more collective than we realize. When we elect a government that fights a war that we disagree with, we are responsible because we put them there. When one person sins, it affects people around us.
But sin also has consequences which flow over from one generation to the next. It affects people who come generations after us. When we don’t right the wrongs of previous generations, we are showing that we agree with their sin. The old saying is true: 'The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge' (Ezekiel 18:2).
Our country prides itself upon its the achievements – we started off as a penal colony and look at the go we have made of the country. But we don’t take credit for the bad. And we need to.
And that’s why today I am proud to be an Australian. Because we said sorry. And it was long overdue.
Sorry.
"Today we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human history.
We reflect on their past mistreatment.
We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were Stolen Generations - this blemished chapter in our nation's history.
The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia's history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future.
We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.
We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country.
For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry.
To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry.
And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry.
We the Parliament of Australia respectfully request that this apology be received in the spirit in which it is offered as part of the healing of the nation.
For the future we take heart; resolving that this new page in the history of our great continent can now be written.
We today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians.
A future where this Parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must never, never happen again.
A future where we harness the determination of all Australians, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to close the gap that lies between us in life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity.
A future where we embrace the possibility of new solutions to enduring problems where old approaches have failed.
A future based on mutual respect, mutual resolve and mutual responsibility.
A future where all Australians, whatever their origins, are truly equal partners, with equal opportunities and with an equal stake in shaping the next chapter in the history of this great country, Australia."
We reflect on their past mistreatment.
We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were Stolen Generations - this blemished chapter in our nation's history.
The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia's history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future.
We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.
We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country.
For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry.
To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry.
And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry.
We the Parliament of Australia respectfully request that this apology be received in the spirit in which it is offered as part of the healing of the nation.
For the future we take heart; resolving that this new page in the history of our great continent can now be written.
We today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians.
A future where this Parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must never, never happen again.
A future where we harness the determination of all Australians, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to close the gap that lies between us in life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity.
A future where we embrace the possibility of new solutions to enduring problems where old approaches have failed.
A future based on mutual respect, mutual resolve and mutual responsibility.
A future where all Australians, whatever their origins, are truly equal partners, with equal opportunities and with an equal stake in shaping the next chapter in the history of this great country, Australia."
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Facebook Strikes Again
Funny thing happened to me. In 1999, my long time friend from Uni, JP and I, were on our way home from a road trip from Melbourne. Out of the corner of his eye, JP saw a guy in a ditch, by the side of the road, crawling out. Not far behind him was his car, in the same ditch. We pulled over, and took him to the police station. We drove him all the way home to Wollongong. He gave us a copy of a book he had written on the Darwin Armed Forces.
Well JP and Ness came over for dinner Friday night. And as we usually do, JP and I told stories of the shannegans we used to get up to at Uni. And the hitchhiker story came up. (Well, he wasn’t really a hitch hiker, just a stranded driver). JP wondered if we could find our hitchhiker on Facebook.
And the short of it is that we did!!!!!!!!! Now Robert J Rayner, author of the Darwin Armed Forces is my Facebook friend. So apparently he remembers me. I’ve written on his wall, but still no words from him.
Well JP and Ness came over for dinner Friday night. And as we usually do, JP and I told stories of the shannegans we used to get up to at Uni. And the hitchhiker story came up. (Well, he wasn’t really a hitch hiker, just a stranded driver). JP wondered if we could find our hitchhiker on Facebook.
And the short of it is that we did!!!!!!!!! Now Robert J Rayner, author of the Darwin Armed Forces is my Facebook friend. So apparently he remembers me. I’ve written on his wall, but still no words from him.
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