Saturday, May 28, 2005
Guilty? Fair?
So they found her guilty. Its the big topic of conversation. Ive already rambeled about it a bit (in the comments).
But I just wanted to make a post of my own about this. My impressions... I dont watch the news, or read the papers very much at all, so all the impressions I have on this are second hand , from others reading the papers twisted view, and then giving me their impressions.
And almost without fail, before the trial had even started, everyone was complaining. complaining about how their justice system wasnt fair. Complaing about the fact that she wasnt being tried over here. Complaining about the death penalty.
Knowing none of the facts, our entire country was up in arms in defence of the unfair treatment of someone who hadent even been tried yet (Exageration used here, I admit it)
I have something to say to them, although I didnt often say it. It was too inflametory. The trial is to determine wether she is guilty or innocent. You cant really claim something is wrong before its even happened.
So now the trial has happened. The verdict has been handed down. Shes guilty.
I cant immagine a set of circumstance, short of an admission of guilt or an innocent verdict, in which we wouldn't have had this public outcry. Everyone was convinced that the trial was corrupt, unfair. Consequently the fact that she has been found guilt is obviously a result of that.
How many of the people decrying the indonesian legal system were actually in that courtroom. How many of them have ANY view of the trial other than the one provided by the media (Who lets face it, want you to be outraged, they sell more papers that way)
This post must come across like I think shes guilty. I dont. I dont think shes innocent either. I dont have enough information to know either way.
And untill I do Ill avoid making sweeping generalisations about how horribly unfair this trial was.
I suggest you do the same.
Incidentally, here is an amazing article, which I found quite insightfull, on this.
But I just wanted to make a post of my own about this. My impressions... I dont watch the news, or read the papers very much at all, so all the impressions I have on this are second hand , from others reading the papers twisted view, and then giving me their impressions.
And almost without fail, before the trial had even started, everyone was complaining. complaining about how their justice system wasnt fair. Complaing about the fact that she wasnt being tried over here. Complaining about the death penalty.
Knowing none of the facts, our entire country was up in arms in defence of the unfair treatment of someone who hadent even been tried yet (Exageration used here, I admit it)
I have something to say to them, although I didnt often say it. It was too inflametory. The trial is to determine wether she is guilty or innocent. You cant really claim something is wrong before its even happened.
So now the trial has happened. The verdict has been handed down. Shes guilty.
I cant immagine a set of circumstance, short of an admission of guilt or an innocent verdict, in which we wouldn't have had this public outcry. Everyone was convinced that the trial was corrupt, unfair. Consequently the fact that she has been found guilt is obviously a result of that.
How many of the people decrying the indonesian legal system were actually in that courtroom. How many of them have ANY view of the trial other than the one provided by the media (Who lets face it, want you to be outraged, they sell more papers that way)
This post must come across like I think shes guilty. I dont. I dont think shes innocent either. I dont have enough information to know either way.
And untill I do Ill avoid making sweeping generalisations about how horribly unfair this trial was.
I suggest you do the same.
Incidentally, here is an amazing article, which I found quite insightfull, on this.
Monday, May 23, 2005
Door-Me's
Stu's recent post as well as some of the things I have been commenting on recently have got me thinking about how much my outlook on life turns me into a Door-Mat.
Warning this post I predict will sound incredibly self-congratulatory...
My low self confidence, combined with my willingness to attempt to look for the best motives in the way people act, makes me incredibly unconcerned about myself. I'm so busy focusing on being fair to others, and on how much better than me they are, that ill go out of my way for them quite a bit.
I used to be much worse at this. But its not that I have improved. Working in Sydney, I simply have far less time to spend doing things for others.. That combined with coming close to burning out recently, with all the work stress plus various other things has really pulled me back from the edge a bit.. and made me aware of the issue.
Its possible to be too concerned for others. Too willing to put yourself out because you assume the best of them. Too used.
But what do you do when you are being used. Abused? Taken advantage of. Well I personally fall back on my principles of life. I assume the best. I assume the other person isn't really using me.. It just seems that way.
I might be right some of the time... and its not fair to others to assume there treating me like a Doormat if they aren't deliberately doing so. At least that's how my mind works.
What's the answer here. I don't have one.
Thoughts?
Warning this post I predict will sound incredibly self-congratulatory...
My low self confidence, combined with my willingness to attempt to look for the best motives in the way people act, makes me incredibly unconcerned about myself. I'm so busy focusing on being fair to others, and on how much better than me they are, that ill go out of my way for them quite a bit.
I used to be much worse at this. But its not that I have improved. Working in Sydney, I simply have far less time to spend doing things for others.. That combined with coming close to burning out recently, with all the work stress plus various other things has really pulled me back from the edge a bit.. and made me aware of the issue.
Its possible to be too concerned for others. Too willing to put yourself out because you assume the best of them. Too used.
But what do you do when you are being used. Abused? Taken advantage of. Well I personally fall back on my principles of life. I assume the best. I assume the other person isn't really using me.. It just seems that way.
I might be right some of the time... and its not fair to others to assume there treating me like a Doormat if they aren't deliberately doing so. At least that's how my mind works.
What's the answer here. I don't have one.
Thoughts?
Saturday, May 21, 2005
Matthews Theorums
Heres something I wrote quite a while ago, with intent to blog it somewhere..
Ill reporduce it here as is.
So recently Ive been thinking about some laws --- rules by which to live my life.
Ive spent quit a bit of time pondering these, So Ive decided to put them out there, and let others read them, so they can see just how far off the mark... or close to it... I am. This kinda turned into a leacture on how the world and personal interaction works... so apologies.. And let me know what you agree/disagree with...
So here they are.. Let me know what you think.
Matthews Life theorums v1.0
1) Everyone else is a person too. Whether it be your local minister, your politician, etc.
- Corollory1 -- This applies to me as well.
Whats this one all about? Its about unreasonable expectations.. We expect our ministers, our politicians to be larger than life. To be shining, perfect examples. To never make mistakes. Is this fair? There humans too. There entiled to make mistakes. There entitled to be imperfect. The principle represented here is one of tolerance. Acceptance of mistakes. Willingness to look beyond the things we always see peoples faults, and to see the areas in which they do well.
It so easy, (and we train ourselves to do this) to judge others by the standard of our own capabilities. But thats not fair. Everyone has different gifts. I can fix a computer (sometimes) in 5 minutes flat, but ask me to paint a masterpiece and if i worked my life on it.. I MIGHT get there.
The next logical step on this chain, is to realise that the only fair standart to judge someone elses actions by, is their own personality. Their own dificulties, and their own abilities. And theres only 1 person qualified to do that. Themselves. Perhaps we can identify when someone is working hard to move beyond what they are capable of currently. And this is what should be praised. But when people are failing at things they are not gifted at... in areas where their abilites are lacking, our rfesponse should be support and understanding, not unreasonable expectations.
As per the corollory -- you are also entitled to imperfection too. You have your weak spots and your strong ones. Work to keep your standards high in the strong ones and improve the weak.
2) In a situation that I am unhappy with, It dosen't really matter who is at fault -- It dosent matter how much the other person is in the wrong. The only thing I have control over is MY actions and attitudes. So if the situation needs change in your opinion, then you need to change YOURSELF.
The other guy may be in the wrong, He may be acting like a selfish intractable person. You cant make them stop doing that. All you can change is you. So if your not happy with the situation you are in, do something about it. Because if you dont, theres no reason why the situation should change.
The princaple here is one of responsibility. Only I am responsable for me. There is always something I CAN do, to resolve situations I hate, and this is where I sbould be looking first. Its not what can so and so do to make my life easier... its what can I do to make my life easier. Its about taking responsibility for the situations your in and actually fixing things, rather than blameing others and sinking into an apathay where the world exists to serve you, and any situation is someone elses fault.
Obviously this one is not always the best solution... but it should be by far the most common and first considered.
3) Most of my friends are reasonably nice people. If they say or do something that puts them in a light different to that, then it is likely there is a reason that they are saying or doing that. That reason may not be obvious, but will generally make their actions make more sence.
- Corollory1 If theres 2 ways to interprit something, one of them very negitive, and one of them not, then usually the later is the one that was intended.
Another way to think of this is - as a friend of mine put it -- Respond - dont react. This is about not getting so annoyed with someone because they said something I didnt like, its about instead trying to give them the beneift of the doubt. And trying to understand why they are reacting in the way they are. A carefull measured query as to why rather than an explosive accusatory response or a sullen silence.
The principle here is one of working at relationships. Everyone is different, everyone sees the world differently, rather than expecting everyone else to communicate at your level, try to listen at their level. If they dont make sence, think about where they are coming from. Think about what they mean by that, rather than interpreting it in light of your own understanding, and not understanding them. This is almost a subconcious skill, one you dont even realise you are using, but one you should be useing ALL the time.
And the corollory simply points out, once again, that most of the time, people arent trying to make you want to throttle them. People are generally much nicer than people think. Communication causes MANY problems.
So yeah. Feedback welcome.
Ill reporduce it here as is.
So recently Ive been thinking about some laws --- rules by which to live my life.
Ive spent quit a bit of time pondering these, So Ive decided to put them out there, and let others read them, so they can see just how far off the mark... or close to it... I am. This kinda turned into a leacture on how the world and personal interaction works... so apologies.. And let me know what you agree/disagree with...
So here they are.. Let me know what you think.
Matthews Life theorums v1.0
1) Everyone else is a person too. Whether it be your local minister, your politician, etc.
- Corollory1 -- This applies to me as well.
Whats this one all about? Its about unreasonable expectations.. We expect our ministers, our politicians to be larger than life. To be shining, perfect examples. To never make mistakes. Is this fair? There humans too. There entiled to make mistakes. There entitled to be imperfect. The principle represented here is one of tolerance. Acceptance of mistakes. Willingness to look beyond the things we always see peoples faults, and to see the areas in which they do well.
It so easy, (and we train ourselves to do this) to judge others by the standard of our own capabilities. But thats not fair. Everyone has different gifts. I can fix a computer (sometimes) in 5 minutes flat, but ask me to paint a masterpiece and if i worked my life on it.. I MIGHT get there.
The next logical step on this chain, is to realise that the only fair standart to judge someone elses actions by, is their own personality. Their own dificulties, and their own abilities. And theres only 1 person qualified to do that. Themselves. Perhaps we can identify when someone is working hard to move beyond what they are capable of currently. And this is what should be praised. But when people are failing at things they are not gifted at... in areas where their abilites are lacking, our rfesponse should be support and understanding, not unreasonable expectations.
As per the corollory -- you are also entitled to imperfection too. You have your weak spots and your strong ones. Work to keep your standards high in the strong ones and improve the weak.
2) In a situation that I am unhappy with, It dosen't really matter who is at fault -- It dosent matter how much the other person is in the wrong. The only thing I have control over is MY actions and attitudes. So if the situation needs change in your opinion, then you need to change YOURSELF.
The other guy may be in the wrong, He may be acting like a selfish intractable person. You cant make them stop doing that. All you can change is you. So if your not happy with the situation you are in, do something about it. Because if you dont, theres no reason why the situation should change.
The princaple here is one of responsibility. Only I am responsable for me. There is always something I CAN do, to resolve situations I hate, and this is where I sbould be looking first. Its not what can so and so do to make my life easier... its what can I do to make my life easier. Its about taking responsibility for the situations your in and actually fixing things, rather than blameing others and sinking into an apathay where the world exists to serve you, and any situation is someone elses fault.
Obviously this one is not always the best solution... but it should be by far the most common and first considered.
3) Most of my friends are reasonably nice people. If they say or do something that puts them in a light different to that, then it is likely there is a reason that they are saying or doing that. That reason may not be obvious, but will generally make their actions make more sence.
- Corollory1 If theres 2 ways to interprit something, one of them very negitive, and one of them not, then usually the later is the one that was intended.
Another way to think of this is - as a friend of mine put it -- Respond - dont react. This is about not getting so annoyed with someone because they said something I didnt like, its about instead trying to give them the beneift of the doubt. And trying to understand why they are reacting in the way they are. A carefull measured query as to why rather than an explosive accusatory response or a sullen silence.
The principle here is one of working at relationships. Everyone is different, everyone sees the world differently, rather than expecting everyone else to communicate at your level, try to listen at their level. If they dont make sence, think about where they are coming from. Think about what they mean by that, rather than interpreting it in light of your own understanding, and not understanding them. This is almost a subconcious skill, one you dont even realise you are using, but one you should be useing ALL the time.
And the corollory simply points out, once again, that most of the time, people arent trying to make you want to throttle them. People are generally much nicer than people think. Communication causes MANY problems.
So yeah. Feedback welcome.
Friday, May 20, 2005
Relationships
Haoran recently talked about relationships, and how to support someone who feels a complete lack of sucess in that area. I have recently been thinking on related issues actually. And in doing so, I came to a revelation about myself. I have reached the point where I’m so caught up in, so obsessed about, having a girlfriend, that I shift all of my relationship needs that aren’t being fulfilled onto that missing relationship.
What do I mean by that? Never having had a serious relationship, I imagine what one would be like. I imagine what needs of mine it would fulfill, and when I find a need that I am lacking (Something as simple as in-depth conversation and sharing with a close friend) I can see how this imaginary girlfriend could fulfill that need. So I stop looking for it in any other context.
Instead I put all the onus onto finding that special girl who will "Solve all my problems"
In my (incredibly limited) experience, many (Most?) of the things that we seem to rely on a girlfriend to provide could just as easily be provided by a close male friend. Conversation, time spent together encouraging each other, a solution to loneliness, none of these requires a girlfriend to solve
Yet we (Or at least I, cause I’m really talking about myself here, but I’m assuming its universal to some extent) aren’t willing to accept them in that context... we need to find this girl who will solve all our problems in one neat package. And when we cant find her, things are so much worse, cause were not just missing a significant other… were missing all the other things we have packaged up as part of that relationship.
Maybe I’m completely off the mark, but this seems to be how I’m seeing relationships at the moment.
A lot of what I look for in a relationship can probarbly be provided through friendships, and dare I say it, through a closer walk with jesus. Something else to think about.
What do I mean by that? Never having had a serious relationship, I imagine what one would be like. I imagine what needs of mine it would fulfill, and when I find a need that I am lacking (Something as simple as in-depth conversation and sharing with a close friend) I can see how this imaginary girlfriend could fulfill that need. So I stop looking for it in any other context.
Instead I put all the onus onto finding that special girl who will "Solve all my problems"
In my (incredibly limited) experience, many (Most?) of the things that we seem to rely on a girlfriend to provide could just as easily be provided by a close male friend. Conversation, time spent together encouraging each other, a solution to loneliness, none of these requires a girlfriend to solve
Yet we (Or at least I, cause I’m really talking about myself here, but I’m assuming its universal to some extent) aren’t willing to accept them in that context... we need to find this girl who will solve all our problems in one neat package. And when we cant find her, things are so much worse, cause were not just missing a significant other… were missing all the other things we have packaged up as part of that relationship.
Maybe I’m completely off the mark, but this seems to be how I’m seeing relationships at the moment.
A lot of what I look for in a relationship can probarbly be provided through friendships, and dare I say it, through a closer walk with jesus. Something else to think about.
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Arrogance
I have a problem. I have quite low self-confidence. This makes me incredibly arrogant. I'm guessing that does not make sense to a lot of you, so let me try to explain what I mean.
In spite of my low self-confidence, there are some things I do so well that I cant really deny I'm good at them. For example, during my uni days, I was “that good” at computer programming. Since, as far as my mind is concerned, I fail horribly at everything else, By comparison, my skills in these areas are amazing. Consequently, I become very arrogant about my abilities in these areas, complacent, and inevitably set myself up for a fall.
I never worked hard at computers while I was at uni, and I still got through the course. But now trying to use the skills I was meant to be developing at uni, in my job, I feel inadequate and unconfident. Somewhere along the way it became harder, beyond my abilities, and my arrogance prevented me from noticing or doing anything about it.
What's my point here? Low Self-Confidence and arrogance are linked. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if this is the way many people with low self confidence react. They find an area in which they feel they do do well, and focus their self-image on it.
Where did all this come from? I was reading Mere Christianity (C. S. Lewis) (Book 2, Chapter 8 – The Great Sin) It speaks of how pride(arrogance) is a competitive sin. Its not about being good, its about being better than someone else. I've always prided myself on the fact that I don't care how I measure up against others. I just be me, and that is enough. This is so easy for me, because I do have such low self-confidence, that I even don't care what I think of me. This has become for me such an area of pride, that I began to look down on others for not being able to do it.
So which of the two am I? I don't know. I hope. I desperately hope, that my reasons are not a disdain for others as expressed in the later option, but an understanding that gods will matters so much more. But If I'm being honest (Which I'm trying to do on this blog) I have to say that I think its a combination of the two.
Guess that's another thing I'll have to work on.
In spite of my low self-confidence, there are some things I do so well that I cant really deny I'm good at them. For example, during my uni days, I was “that good” at computer programming. Since, as far as my mind is concerned, I fail horribly at everything else, By comparison, my skills in these areas are amazing. Consequently, I become very arrogant about my abilities in these areas, complacent, and inevitably set myself up for a fall.
I never worked hard at computers while I was at uni, and I still got through the course. But now trying to use the skills I was meant to be developing at uni, in my job, I feel inadequate and unconfident. Somewhere along the way it became harder, beyond my abilities, and my arrogance prevented me from noticing or doing anything about it.
What's my point here? Low Self-Confidence and arrogance are linked. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if this is the way many people with low self confidence react. They find an area in which they feel they do do well, and focus their self-image on it.
Where did all this come from? I was reading Mere Christianity (C. S. Lewis) (Book 2, Chapter 8 – The Great Sin) It speaks of how pride(arrogance) is a competitive sin. Its not about being good, its about being better than someone else. I've always prided myself on the fact that I don't care how I measure up against others. I just be me, and that is enough. This is so easy for me, because I do have such low self-confidence, that I even don't care what I think of me. This has become for me such an area of pride, that I began to look down on others for not being able to do it.
“The real black, diabolical pride, comes when you look down on others so much that you do not care what they think of you. Of Course, it is very right, and often our duty, not to care what people think of us, if we do so for the right reasons; namely, because we care so incomparably more what god thinks. But the Proud man has a different reason for not caring. He says 'Why should I care for the applause of that rabble as if their opinions were of value, am I the sort of man to blush with pleasure at a compliment like some chit of a girl at her first dance? No, I am an integrated, adult personality. All I have done has been done to satisfy my own Ideals—or my artistic conscience—or the traditions of my family—or, in a word, because I'm Than Kind of Chap. If the mob like it, let them. They're nothing to me.'
So which of the two am I? I don't know. I hope. I desperately hope, that my reasons are not a disdain for others as expressed in the later option, but an understanding that gods will matters so much more. But If I'm being honest (Which I'm trying to do on this blog) I have to say that I think its a combination of the two.
Guess that's another thing I'll have to work on.
Monday, May 16, 2005
Now-ra
This weekend, I went down the coast to Nowra, for a St Michaels Night Church weekend away. Sandy, the new minister at St Michaels spoke on evangalism, particularly on the 4 principles of Pray, Love, Share, Invite.
The entire weekend was great, getting to know a bunch of people from my new church, having some good conversations, some fun, and then their was the bible talks (which were great, sandy has an incredible gift for preaching, and we should be very thankfull to god for it)
I'm going to attempt to sumarise some of the things he said which really struck me here, feel free to chip in with comments, questions, discussion etc.
The diocesan mission talks about numbers 10% in bible based churchs. This concept makes a lot of people uncomfortable (myself included at the start of this weekend.) But the bible does talk about numbers.. its just the way it handels these numbers. (Referenced to the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin) These numbers are important because they are made up of individuals, ones. The diosen mission is not about 10%, its about the howevermany thousand who make up that 10% individuals.
Pray for phyiscal and spiritual wellbeing of non-christian friends.
Make a habit of it, structure it, It will never be easy.
Sandy raised a question at the start of this talk, through a story. Think about this when you attempt to invite someone to a christian event... the last time you talked to this person, was it to similarly invite them to such an event?
The BarBQ first principle, which basically states that you should be inviting them to other non-evengalistic things before we try to evangalise them. Sandys point here was rather similar to the point I was trying to make in this post earlier. Evangalism is far more effective when done from a relationship. This talk helped me to clarify a few of the things I wasnt so sure on previously.
Not everyone can be a big evangalist, like billy grayham or chapo. Not everyone can get up and just talk like that to people who they dont have a relationship with. And these people are not as effective as everyone believes in converting non-believers. We did a show of hand as to what was the most important thing in us becoming a christian, and for 80% it was through a christian friend/relationship. This is typical of most christians.
Yes there is something to be said for doorknocking, for walk up evangalism, for leathlets, and the like. But the majority of evangalism happened on an individual level with a christian friend. We dont need to be a gifted preacher, or a talented author. If we are... great! But if not, we still have a responsibility to do our share, amongst our friends. Not people we befriended in order to evangalise, but people who are our friends, and thus we care about enough that we want to evangalise them.
Jesus was frequent criticised for having sinners as friends. (Luke 19)
Sandy started again with a story, which I shall attempt to re-tell here.
George was a christian. He lived a good, godly life, prayed regularly, read his bible. But he didnt believe in thrusting the bible down people throats. He tried to evangalise by living his life as godly as he could, but never even told his workmates or non christian friends that he was a christian. One day, many years into his life, a long time friend of his, Mike came up to him all excited, saying “Ive just learnt something amazing.. Ive become a christian, and I was really hopeing I could talk with you about christianity.
George was happy for Mike, “That great news, I'm a christian too!”
Mikes face fell. “Why did you neve tell me? Ive put off thinking about it for so long, because you live such a moral life, and you wernt a christian, so I didnt think I needed to worry about it.
The rest of this talk was giving us examples, pointers, and hints as to how we can evangalise, through both Life (The way we live, the example we are) and Lip (The things we say)
As it has been put.. Dont worry the first 60 years are the hardest. Its never going to get easy, but we need to push ourselves to work at it anyway.
Whats the best advertisement for something? If you see an add telling you to go to something, about how wounderfull it is, For myself the immediate reaction is scepticism. There trying to promote the product, so you cant trust them. But if a close friend recomends it to me, I'm far more comfortable. My friends arent trying to manipulate me, to trick me into going to or doing things. Word of mouth is the best advertiser.
Obviously this short summary cant replace an entire weekend of teaching, but hopefully this has given you some idea of what we learnt and been helpful for you.
The entire weekend was great, getting to know a bunch of people from my new church, having some good conversations, some fun, and then their was the bible talks (which were great, sandy has an incredible gift for preaching, and we should be very thankfull to god for it)
I'm going to attempt to sumarise some of the things he said which really struck me here, feel free to chip in with comments, questions, discussion etc.
Intro.
The diocesan mission talks about numbers 10% in bible based churchs. This concept makes a lot of people uncomfortable (myself included at the start of this weekend.) But the bible does talk about numbers.. its just the way it handels these numbers. (Referenced to the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin) These numbers are important because they are made up of individuals, ones. The diosen mission is not about 10%, its about the howevermany thousand who make up that 10% individuals.
Pray.
Pray for phyiscal and spiritual wellbeing of non-christian friends.
Make a habit of it, structure it, It will never be easy.
Love
Sandy raised a question at the start of this talk, through a story. Think about this when you attempt to invite someone to a christian event... the last time you talked to this person, was it to similarly invite them to such an event?
The BarBQ first principle, which basically states that you should be inviting them to other non-evengalistic things before we try to evangalise them. Sandys point here was rather similar to the point I was trying to make in this post earlier. Evangalism is far more effective when done from a relationship. This talk helped me to clarify a few of the things I wasnt so sure on previously.
Not everyone can be a big evangalist, like billy grayham or chapo. Not everyone can get up and just talk like that to people who they dont have a relationship with. And these people are not as effective as everyone believes in converting non-believers. We did a show of hand as to what was the most important thing in us becoming a christian, and for 80% it was through a christian friend/relationship. This is typical of most christians.
Yes there is something to be said for doorknocking, for walk up evangalism, for leathlets, and the like. But the majority of evangalism happened on an individual level with a christian friend. We dont need to be a gifted preacher, or a talented author. If we are... great! But if not, we still have a responsibility to do our share, amongst our friends. Not people we befriended in order to evangalise, but people who are our friends, and thus we care about enough that we want to evangalise them.
Jesus was frequent criticised for having sinners as friends. (Luke 19)
Share.
Sandy started again with a story, which I shall attempt to re-tell here.
George was a christian. He lived a good, godly life, prayed regularly, read his bible. But he didnt believe in thrusting the bible down people throats. He tried to evangalise by living his life as godly as he could, but never even told his workmates or non christian friends that he was a christian. One day, many years into his life, a long time friend of his, Mike came up to him all excited, saying “Ive just learnt something amazing.. Ive become a christian, and I was really hopeing I could talk with you about christianity.
George was happy for Mike, “That great news, I'm a christian too!”
Mikes face fell. “Why did you neve tell me? Ive put off thinking about it for so long, because you live such a moral life, and you wernt a christian, so I didnt think I needed to worry about it.
The rest of this talk was giving us examples, pointers, and hints as to how we can evangalise, through both Life (The way we live, the example we are) and Lip (The things we say)
As it has been put.. Dont worry the first 60 years are the hardest. Its never going to get easy, but we need to push ourselves to work at it anyway.
Invite.
Whats the best advertisement for something? If you see an add telling you to go to something, about how wounderfull it is, For myself the immediate reaction is scepticism. There trying to promote the product, so you cant trust them. But if a close friend recomends it to me, I'm far more comfortable. My friends arent trying to manipulate me, to trick me into going to or doing things. Word of mouth is the best advertiser.
Obviously this short summary cant replace an entire weekend of teaching, but hopefully this has given you some idea of what we learnt and been helpful for you.
Monday, May 09, 2005
Brief Randomness
I dont normally go for these things... but this one was soooo me
You are 'programming in QBASIC'. This programming
language (of which the acronym stands for
'Quick Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic
Instruction Code'), which is so primitive that
it cannot easily be used for any purpose
involving the Internet nor even sound, was
current more than a decade ago.
You are independent, in a good way. When something
which you need cannot be found, you make it
yourself. In writing and in talking with
people, you value clarity and precision; your
friends may not realize how important that is.
When necessary, you are prepared to be a
mediator in conflicts between your friends.
You are very rational, and you think of things
in terms of logic and common sense.
Unfortunately, your emotionally unstable
friends may be put off by your devotion to
logic; they may even accuse you of pedantry and
insensitivity. Your problem is that
programming in QBASIC has been obsolete for a
long time.
What obsolete skill are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
You are 'programming in QBASIC'. This programming
language (of which the acronym stands for
'Quick Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic
Instruction Code'), which is so primitive that
it cannot easily be used for any purpose
involving the Internet nor even sound, was
current more than a decade ago.
You are independent, in a good way. When something
which you need cannot be found, you make it
yourself. In writing and in talking with
people, you value clarity and precision; your
friends may not realize how important that is.
When necessary, you are prepared to be a
mediator in conflicts between your friends.
You are very rational, and you think of things
in terms of logic and common sense.
Unfortunately, your emotionally unstable
friends may be put off by your devotion to
logic; they may even accuse you of pedantry and
insensitivity. Your problem is that
programming in QBASIC has been obsolete for a
long time.
What obsolete skill are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Depression
My Brother sent me an interesting article . And by interesting I mean incredibly scary.
Let me start off by saying I'm being unfair. The guy who wrote this did try to encase his message in an inoffensive way. He did try to seem reasonable. But his claims are quite offensive, at least to my mind, to those actually suffering from a medical illness.
I have a number of friends with Depression, chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and the like. Medical conditions that even a number of doctors refuse to believe are real. Imagine what it feels like to have a doctor tell you your imagining the whole situation. Imagine being told that your perfectly healthy, that nothing is wrong with you when you have trouble waking up before noon no matter what you did the night before. Even if there right (And I don't believe they are) Even if there is an aspect of truth in what they say, I find the article linked, and the attitudes of many people to sufferers of these kinds of sickness scary. Yes some people will use a medical diagnosis as an excuse for their behavior. Does that mean I can excuse any actions I make under the umbrella of "I was tired" or "I had the flu?". Its not about an excuse. Its about an explanation. And if you take away the explanation then the only option left is that it must be all their fault.
Its the exact reverse of what this article proclaims. Its liberating to have an excuse for all your actions. Consequently its debilitating to have that excuse denied to you. If someone genuinely is sick.. you don't do something like that to them.
By contrast I'm sure that there are cases where people believe they are sick, but really aren't. There are times when his point is a valid one. But its certianly not fair to make it as a blanked statement.
What's my point? I don't know. But reading that article made me want to vent something. Show some compassion and concern! Unless you are infallible and KNOW the truth of a matter at least consider that the other side might be right, and think about the effects of what you say if they are.
Am I being hypocritical here? Not giving his position a fair go? Probarbly. I'm trying not to. I have given a lot of thought to BOTH sides in this debate. But everyone has some bias. All we can do is try to control it.
Addition - May 8 - 9:00 am
My brother has posted his thoughs on this too. Far more eloquently than me :p
Let me start off by saying I'm being unfair. The guy who wrote this did try to encase his message in an inoffensive way. He did try to seem reasonable. But his claims are quite offensive, at least to my mind, to those actually suffering from a medical illness.
I have a number of friends with Depression, chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and the like. Medical conditions that even a number of doctors refuse to believe are real. Imagine what it feels like to have a doctor tell you your imagining the whole situation. Imagine being told that your perfectly healthy, that nothing is wrong with you when you have trouble waking up before noon no matter what you did the night before. Even if there right (And I don't believe they are) Even if there is an aspect of truth in what they say, I find the article linked, and the attitudes of many people to sufferers of these kinds of sickness scary. Yes some people will use a medical diagnosis as an excuse for their behavior. Does that mean I can excuse any actions I make under the umbrella of "I was tired" or "I had the flu?". Its not about an excuse. Its about an explanation. And if you take away the explanation then the only option left is that it must be all their fault.
Its the exact reverse of what this article proclaims. Its liberating to have an excuse for all your actions. Consequently its debilitating to have that excuse denied to you. If someone genuinely is sick.. you don't do something like that to them.
By contrast I'm sure that there are cases where people believe they are sick, but really aren't. There are times when his point is a valid one. But its certianly not fair to make it as a blanked statement.
What's my point? I don't know. But reading that article made me want to vent something. Show some compassion and concern! Unless you are infallible and KNOW the truth of a matter at least consider that the other side might be right, and think about the effects of what you say if they are.
Am I being hypocritical here? Not giving his position a fair go? Probarbly. I'm trying not to. I have given a lot of thought to BOTH sides in this debate. But everyone has some bias. All we can do is try to control it.
Addition - May 8 - 9:00 am
My brother has posted his thoughs on this too. Far more eloquently than me :p
Faith?
Lara has an interesting post about faith in gods soverignty. My essay.. err thoughts are in the comments section, so i wont reprint them here.
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
Mission
Karen writes an interesting article on Mission.
I must say I quite agree with her comments. (Note: this post is mostly about related but different stuff to what actually in karens post)
I have never been a big fan of off the cuff mission. I think evangelism is most effective when it is done from within a well established friendship. More than that, friendships should not be established for the purpose of evangelism. Evangelism should come out of a concern and love for our friends. Were not on this world to make Christians by underhanded means. Were not here to trick people into repenting. We can show those we care for love and concern, we can try to convince them through our actions, and through discussion that COMES FROM a relationship we share with them.
What I find abhorrent
1) Those that try to force religion down total strangers throats unwarranted and unwanted. This is one thing that gives Christians such a bad name
2) People making non-Christian friends for the purposes of evangelising them. This feels so counterintuitive to me. So if there not interested in Christianity at the moment we stop being their friend, thus proving to them that in fact we didn't really care for them, and were only being their friend to convert them, and thus making us into the hypocrites we try so hard to avoid being.
Yeah, so what's my point. Its this, have non Christian friends for the sake of being their friend. Don't make friends just to evangalise someone.
I'm quite willing to admit that I may be biased in this.. I'm not good at face to face mission, and unlike Karen I haven't tried it very much... So maybe I'm being unfair. There are people out there who would love to be converted by some random stranger talking to them about Christianity. But think about your Christian friends... How many of them do you know who would express their conversion in that way?
I guess perhaps both ways of doing things are equally valid.. but in your face and down your throat evangalism needs to be conducted with a great deal of tact and care to my mind.
Oh look at that, I've diversed a long way from what Karen was saying. Still, I think this is a valid point. If you don't, let me know why below.
I must say I quite agree with her comments. (Note: this post is mostly about related but different stuff to what actually in karens post)
I have never been a big fan of off the cuff mission. I think evangelism is most effective when it is done from within a well established friendship. More than that, friendships should not be established for the purpose of evangelism. Evangelism should come out of a concern and love for our friends. Were not on this world to make Christians by underhanded means. Were not here to trick people into repenting. We can show those we care for love and concern, we can try to convince them through our actions, and through discussion that COMES FROM a relationship we share with them.
What I find abhorrent
1) Those that try to force religion down total strangers throats unwarranted and unwanted. This is one thing that gives Christians such a bad name
2) People making non-Christian friends for the purposes of evangelising them. This feels so counterintuitive to me. So if there not interested in Christianity at the moment we stop being their friend, thus proving to them that in fact we didn't really care for them, and were only being their friend to convert them, and thus making us into the hypocrites we try so hard to avoid being.
Yeah, so what's my point. Its this, have non Christian friends for the sake of being their friend. Don't make friends just to evangalise someone.
I'm quite willing to admit that I may be biased in this.. I'm not good at face to face mission, and unlike Karen I haven't tried it very much... So maybe I'm being unfair. There are people out there who would love to be converted by some random stranger talking to them about Christianity. But think about your Christian friends... How many of them do you know who would express their conversion in that way?
I guess perhaps both ways of doing things are equally valid.. but in your face and down your throat evangalism needs to be conducted with a great deal of tact and care to my mind.
Oh look at that, I've diversed a long way from what Karen was saying. Still, I think this is a valid point. If you don't, let me know why below.
