water cooler blog

Euthanasia & A Christian View of Death

2008-11-17T00:27:00.000-08:00

a Swiss mural reflecting on Euthanasia

Euthanasia seems to be re-surfacing in the news every other month, and I've had a few people ask me how a Christian view of compassion might fit with an opposition to mercy euthanasia. It is increasingly difficult to oppose euthanasia without sounding cruel and heartless. I think that one reason a Christian view on Euthanasia can be misunderstood, is because the Christian view of death is misunderstood. Below are a few thoughts that I have cobbled together.

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1. Euthanasia contradicts God's anger and opposition to death! All through the bible, Death is depicted as an enemy. Now-a-days, it is common to speak about death as part of the "circle of life". But God sees death as a violation of his good intentions for creation. In fact, Jesus OFFERED HIMSELF UP TO DEATH so that we could be freed from it's grip! To say voluntary euthanasia is an act of compassion, is certainly understandable. However it is also mistaken in thinking that Suffering, not Death, is the greatest enemy of humanity. Voluntary euthanasia certainly makes sense if this life is all there is, but Christians believe in a physical bodily resurrection...

this leads to my second point...

2. Jesus resurrection shows us that God has not given up on this broken world. Some people think that God's plan is just to destroy this world and move all "religious" people to heaven... No Way! God's intention is to re-new heaven and earth. Jesus resurrection show that Death will not have the last word: We will be raised physically to live a physical, bodily life in a NEW CREATION... not in the clouds of heaven. God's plan to deal with the brokenness of this world is not just to give us RELIEF from it... but to perfectly RENEW it. Resurrection, not an early death is God's answer to this worlds brokenness. God's answer to suffering is to promise us victory over death... not relief in it.

3. Some who support Euthanasia also suggest that it should be allowed to protect the dignity of those dying. I've had family who have died, who have not been able to control bowel movements, or speak properly, or feed themselves etc. Supporters of Euthanasia suggest that this experience of life is undignified, not worth protecting (but see my points 1 & 2). And yet there are many people who tragically live their entire lives in this way. When Oliver (my son) was born there was a chance that he'd have a disease which would mean he'd never have been able to control his bowel movements - Does that mean he would have lived a life without dignity? As it is, he's perfectly fine, but even when I thought I'd be changing his nappy into his adult years, I never thought it would mean he was undignified. If we allow supporters of Euthanasia (rather than God) to define what is and is not dignified life, then those who require full time care will learn to think of their lives as "UNDIGNIFIED"... Society will learn to think of the Old and Sick as undignified, and the value of their lives will slip in our eyes.

Euthanasia gives up on life, whereas God gave his own son to renew and restore it. The Gospel and Euthanasia have opposite attitudes to human existence. (although Euthanasia advocates would disagree with me) Euthanasia teaches us that some life is not worth protecting. Resurrection teaches us that all life is worth redeeming. Despair vs Hope. Pretty different ways of viewing human destiny.

On a practical note...

4. Voluntary Euthanasia requires governments to come up with a definition of what IS and IS NOT an acceptable "QUALITY OF LIFE".

When is someone's life of a "QUALITY" worth continuing, and when does the lack of that "QUALITY" make life valueless? The problem is that many people experience a very poor "QUALITY OF LIFE" due to lifelong mental or physical sickness or handicap. Does this mean that the lives of these people are not worth living. Once the Law lays down what is and is not a valuable "QUALITY" of life, society will change their attitudes to match.

This has already happened in regards to abortion. Because of a possibility that Oliver had a genetic disease, we were asked if we wanted to abort him. I have had friends who were told that they were foolish for NOT aborting their Children. My guess is that if Euthanasia was allowed, even the elderly would naturally start to question the value of their own lives.

I want to grow old in a world where the value of every life is held to fiercely, not in stubborn resistance against death, but in joyful hope of the resurrection.

I've included a link below to the text of a talk Peter Jensen gave on the topic at Westmead hospital. I have not read it yet, but I'm sure he has some insightful things to say.

http://www.sydneyanglicans.net/culture/thinking/723a/

Australian Response to Pending Bali Execution

2008-10-30T16:43:00.000-07:00

"Straight to Hell" - with these "prophetic" words the Daily Telegraph's front page announced the pending fate of the Bali Bombers. One of the Papers' opinion writers wrote the following words as he reflected on the evil the bomber had done and the horror of the execution that awaits them...

"Terrorists like Amrozi lost the right to be considered human when he murdered so many innocents." This statement caught my attention, and greatly disturbed me: It tells us something profound about our culture : We can not bare to see sin in ourselves! We can't stand to see humanities potential for evil.

The writer of the opinion piece, could not match the absolute "Evil" of the Bali Bomber's actions, with his view that humans are basically and fundamentally "Good". All he could do to resolve the tension was to deny the "humanity" of the terrorists. It was the only way he could maintain his fundamental faith in humanities "GOODNESS" on the one hand, and yet satisfy his hunger for vengeance on the other.

Making the bombers out to be animals/sub-human is the way this reporter excused himself from having to wrestle with the questionable nature of his own fallen humanity. It was also the way he excused himself from having to come to terms with the place of forgiveness and mercy in overcoming wickedness. This is not to say that justice is not important. Yet without mercy & forgiveness as well, we humans often seem to get stuck in a cycle of revenge, answered by revenge, answered by revenge... and so on.

With the assurance of God's coming righteous judgment as our security, Christians can seek justice laced with mercy. In seeking justice, deal with evil. In showing mercy, respect the dignity God has given all human life - even those people who most wickedly rebelled against him.

Jesus - Lord of the Olympics

2008-08-09T06:45:00.000-07:00

Jesus - Lord of the Olympics

There has been a whole lot of media coverage of the "Free Tibet" movement in the lead up to the Olympics in China. But within China itself, our Christian brothers and sisters regularly suffer for following Jesus. It would be a sad reflection on us if we were more caught up in "Olimp-hysteria" (my word!) but neglected to bring those we are united with before God in Prayer

The following prayer points come from ChristianPost.com - thanks Peter Ko for pointing these out.

Why not pray each Day's prayer point every time you are reminded of the "OLYMPICS" during the day.

Day 1
The Sichuan earthquake in May caused the death of some 69,195 people. Despite the scale of the tragedy, the Chinese government refused to allow house churches to send donations to the relief effort. And some house church members were even arrested for trying to help in the quake zone. Please pray that the Chinese government will change its hostile attitude towards these Christians and let them engage in charity work.

Day 2
The Chinese authorities appear to be waging a concerted campaign of persecution against the ethnic minority Uyghur Christians of Xinjiang province, north-west China. Most Uyghurs are Muslim. Several Christians have been arrested on suspicion of separatist sympathies or leaking state secrets recently, including Alimjan Yimit. In May a judge sent Alimjan’s case back to the Public Security Bureau due to insufficient evidence – but Alimjan remains in detention. Pray for Alimjan’s swift release.

Day 3
On 2 July 2008, house church leader and Christian rights activist Hua Huiqi was evicted from his rented home in Beijing. Officials broke into the apartment with a hammer and threw the family, including Hua’s 90-year-old father, into the street with their furniture. Hua’s brother suffered serious injury to his eye when officers beat him. The government is rumoured to want to detain Hua during the Olympic Games: he was jailed for six months last year. Pray for a new home for Hua’s family and for their safety.

Day 4
Shuang Shuying, the elderly mother of Beijing house church leader Hua Huiqi, is serving two years in jail – apparently because the authorities want to force Hua to give up his human rights and church work. She was accused of ‘damaging government property’ when she protested over being arrested with her son last year. Her health is frail: pray that God will uphold and strengthen her and make her a powerful witness for Christ in jail. • Release International continues to campaign for Shuang Shuying’s release. To join the campaign, view the Release one-minute video alert at: www.releaseinternational.org/current and pass it on to friends.

Day 5
In January 2008, Beijing bookstore owner and house church leader Shi Weihan was arrested on suspicion of printing illegal Christian materials. He has been illegally held in a detention centre in Beijing for nearly five months without formal charge or trial. Shi’s family members have not been allowed to visit him or send him the medication he needs for severe diabetes. Pray for Shi’s release. Ask God to keep him in good health and to comfort his family.

Day 6
Thank God for the powerful witness of a house church in Beijing whose members’ homes were raided recently by officials. Despite their ill-treatment, Christians pronounced a blessing over officials and shook their hands after the raid. Pray that this powerful Christian witness will touch the hearts of these officers and open their eyes to their own brutality.

Day 7
In June 2008, senior house church leader Zhang Mingxuan was detained for several hours – to prevent him from meeting with an EU official in Beijing. Officials closed down his orphanage early this year; Zhang’s family have been forced to move home more than ten times since Christmas. The government reportedly wants to move the family out of Beijing. Pray for strength and courage for Pastor Zhang, his family and four orphans living with them. Ask God to provide them with a permanent home.

Day 8
In the last year Chinese police have detained some 600 Christians and sentenced 38 of them to more than a year in prison. Please pray that the Lord will grant His strength, His comfort and His wisdom to those in prison for their faith. Pray that they will remain faithful and be salt and light to their fellow prisoners.

Day 9
In May, the government held a conference on ‘administering Christian gatherings’ in Beijing. Recently, many house churches have had Sunday services interrupted by local policemen, and some landlords have been forced to stop renting out their property to Christians for worship meetings. Please pray that house churches in Beijing will find new places to worship. Pray that their leaders’ hearts will be on fire for God, despite regular harassment.

Day 10
Government leaders from across the globe are attending the Beijing Olympics. Please pray that these senior politicians will urge the Chinese government to improve its religious rights record, particularly in its dealings with the unregistered house church movement.

Day 11
Liu Huiwen from Gansu province is serving 18 months in jail for handing out Christian leaflets at a Muslim wedding in April 2007 and so ‘insulting ethnic minorities’. He is said to be suffering bullying and abuse in a prison full of Muslims. Pray for Liu and his family: his wife Miao Hui Lian has been under police surveillance since she complained about Liu’s ill-treatment.

Day 12
Despite the authorities’ determination to keep a tight rein on house churches in Beijing, the Olympic Village will have a prayer centre for athletes. Please pray that Christian athletes will be bold in sharing their testimonies and the gospel with their fellow Chinese athletes and others involved in the Games.

Day 13
Even a year ago, there were rumours that government agents had infiltrated every house church in Beijing to keep watch on their activities and, presumably, root out pastors considered to be ‘troublemakers’. This news must have bred distrust between house church members, with suspicion focused especially on newcomers. Pray that God’s Holy Spirit would help unite His family in churches which have been under intense pressure for months.

Day 14
Many poorly built school buildings collapsed during the Sichuan earthquake in May, killing many pupils. Due to China’s one-child policy, many parents lost their only child in the tragedy. Some held silent protests outside courtrooms, calling for justice, but were beaten by police or even arrested. Ask the Lord to use His people to bring comfort, friendship and hope to the bereaved.

Day 15
Many Christians in Beijing are volunteering to help in the smooth running of the Olympics, because they have a heart to share the gospel through their service. Please pray that God will give them courage and wisdom to share their faith.

Day 16
Daniel Ng and his wife are Australian citizens who own a large company in China. Since August 2007, they have been barred from leaving the country and their assets have been frozen. Their firm was shut down by the authorities amid allegations of illegal religious activities – based on the fact that the company has a Christian ethos. Please pray for God’s protection for Daniel and his wife. Pray too that the Lord will raise up more Christian business leaders to bring His light into the business community.

Day 17
In May 2008, a prominent house church leader from the Uyghur community, Luo Yuanqi, was detained in Xinjiang province on charges of ‘inciting separatism’. He has been badly abused in custody. Pray for physical and spiritual healing for Luo and ask God to bless his ministry.

Day 18
It is illegal in China to share the gospel with people under the age of 18. Many churches do not have an active Sunday School programme and some do not recognise the importance of children’s ministry. On 28 February, 2008, 11 children in Xinjiang were detained for a day when they were caught attending a children’s Bible study. Pray that more churches will catch the vision for teaching children to grow up following Christ.

Day 19
Many churches had property and land confiscated by the communist regime in the 1950s – and many congregations are still pressing for this property to be returned. The Chinese authorities have resisted this. In Fanzhi, Shanxi, a pastor and several other Christians were injured recently when they remonstrated with builders redeveloping land which had belonged to them before the government seized it. Pray for justice to be done for these churches’ sake.

Day 20
The Chinese administration under President Hu Jintao has the stated aim of creating a ‘harmonious society’. Please pray that Hu Jintao and his ministers will be more open-minded about Christians and recognise the contribution they already make to social harmony by being good citizens.

Day 21
Chinese constitutional law grants citizens the right of religious freedom, yet many house church members do not know how to summon this right in defending themselves against allegations of ‘illegal’ religious activity. Christian lawyers are starting to educate Christians about their constitutional rights and have helped bring several successful lawsuits as a result. Ask God to protect these Christian lawyers and their families as they undertake this high-risk work.

Day 22
China has been fiercely criticised over its harsh repatriation policy for North Korean refugees found in its territories. North Koreans repatriated from China – about 4,000 a year – are reported to face brutal treatment as defectors, even execution. Pray that China will recognise the brutality of the Pyongyang regime and scrap its repatriation policy. • Release has just launched a new petition urging China to end its policy of repatriating North Korean refugees. The petition can be downloaded at: www.releaseinternational.org/current

Day 23
Missionaries to China have done much to build her church and spread the gospel. The Beijing Olympics will bring more than 500,000 foreigners into China. Pray that among these visitors will be some who are called to work with the church in China and extend God’s kingdom in the nation.

Day 24
Against a backdrop of persecution and suffering, misunderstanding and lack of communication have sometimes conspired to cause rifts between different Chinese house church movements. Please pray for unity between these movements. Pray that church leaders will work together to spread the gospel.

Day 25
Pastor Zhang Zhongxin was sentenced to two years at a labour camp in Shandong province recently for belonging to an ‘evil cult’. He had a varied ministry, which ranged from training to preaching, over a wide geographical area. Pray that Pastor Zhang will be able to continue his ministry during his detention.

Day 26
College students who turn to Christ on campus face worldly pressures once they step out into the workplace – particularly during China’s economic downturn this year. There is an urgent need for church workers to disciple these new Christians and keep in touch with them as they leave campus. Pray that God will raise up good and faithful servants to minister to these young people.

Day 27
Some house church leaders are misinterpreting the Bible and leaving their families behind to serve the Lord. They want to respond to China’s urgent need for Christian ministers – but they may pay a heavy personal price: family breakdown. Pray that church leaders in China will find the right balance between family priorities and spreading the good news.

Day 28
Cai Zhuohua, a house church pastor from Beijing, was jailed between 2004 and 2007 for distributing Bibles for free in poor areas where people could not access Bibles or could not afford them. The Chinese government recently held an exhibition in the US to try to prove that China not only has sufficient Bibles but is a major exporter of them. Pray that God will provide sufficient Bibles to meet the needs of believers in China.

Day 29
Jiang Zongxiu, 34, was beaten to death in 2004 for carrying Scriptures: she left behind an eight-year-old son. Her family is still waiting for justice: Jiang’s body has not been returned to her family and her attackers have not been punished. Pray that Jiang’s family will be comforted by the love of Christ and will see justice done.

Day 30
Despite its recent economic downturn, China is the world’s fastest-growing economy – a position which carries considerable political clout. Pray that, while much of the international community courts this emerging superpower, nations of influence will continue to put pressure on Beijing to clean up its human rights record.

Day 31
The Beijing Olympics have inspired churches and believers all over the world to pray for China. Pray that this prayer campaign will gather momentum and that the Lord will bring revival to the nation of China.

Its OK... its only art!

2008-07-07T04:47:00.000-07:00

No pictures this blog!

If you have been watching the news you may have heard the latest controversy over the sexualisation of children. This time, an art critic father, is endorsing the publication of frontal nude photos of his then 6yr old daughter. The photos were taken by her mother.

It has been interesting to note the course of public discussion on the merits of these "images". Arguments in favor, tend to suggest that if the image can be shown to have artistic "intent" rather than the "intention" to provoke sexual arousal, then it is permissible. This is in fact how our laws work. It is only considered pornography if it can be shown that the creator "intended" it as such.

As Christians it is important to think carefully about how we respond to such controversies. We may have the right instinctive moral response... but, can we articulate it in a way that exposes the poverty of the world's viewpoint?

Notice that the arguments in favor, say that it is the "intended" purpose of an image that determines its worth/value. If an image was not intended as porn... then it isn't. This is actually an attempt to excuse art from the critique of moral judgement. It is to suggest that "art" (however we may define it) has some intrinsic value that is above moral judgement. However, to say that any human endeavour is above moral judgement, is to open a "pandora's box" on injustice. The question is not only "did the artist have immoral intent"... but rather "does the image in actual fact expose someone or some group to degradation or abuse" (even if unintended).

No doubt the mother did not have "pornographic intent" as she took the photo. But did she not expose her child to possible degradation or abuse at the hands of others? At school, children are taught not to share too intimate-a-detail with strangers online, in order to protect them from those who may abuse what is otherwise innocent. These controversies are not about freedom of expression, the place of nudity, censorship or pornography. They are about the duty of the strong (in this case the parents) to fail in safe-guarding the weak (in this case their then 6yr old daughter).

South-West Sydney Gambling Summit

2008-05-16T06:50:00.001-07:00

Today I got to share a community perspective on the problem gambling in our wider Fairfield community. Below is the transcript of what I shared. Its kinda long: so if you are only a little bit interested, just glance over the red bolded bits.

Also check out this article on the Sydney Anglicans web page.

the address given on the day:
"As I was introduced, I’m one of the pastors of two churches in Fairfield. I’ve been involved with these local church communities for nearly 7 years now. I’ve also chaired an interdenominational board of Fairfield Churches, that funds a teacher to run the religious education curriculum for Fairfield and Prairiewood High-Schools.

The church community I serve is, ethnically speaking, a pretty close reflection of our wider community. We are primarily from vietnamese, Italian, Chinese and Assyrian backgrounds, with Anglos, Maltese, African and South-American communities also represented.

Today I’ve been asked to offer some reflections on problem gambling as a representative from within the community.

Any discussion of individual rights and personal freedoms often becomes most heated, when we fear those freedoms are about to be taken from us. This fear has been clearly expressed in the letters pages of Fairfield’s community papers in recent weeks. Many users of poker machines are convinced, that to even question the place of poker machines in our community is itself a threat to their personal freedoms… an infiringement on their personal liberties. However, I’m convinced that a community’s freedom is never more under threat than when the relationships that constitute that community are being undermined. In Sydney’s South West, problem gambling is undeniably one of the most clear and present threats to those families (and other relationships) that give shape to our community. However the damage may express itself statistically, problem gambling is tangibly changing the face of our community.

Some Community experiences of problem gambling:

For one man in his 20’s at my church, almost his entire social network is affected by the harmful use of Pokies. So much so, that he has had to leave many of those relationships behind, because the lure of gambling is just too strong within that network of friends. His friends pressured him constantly for loans, so that they could hide their gambling losses from wives or partners.

.............................

This week a dear friend of mine graciously shared with me the impact of growing up with a father who was captive to problem Gambling. He described having been left waiting in the car while his father gamled. He described how he remembers coming home to find his bike missing, not stolen by a stranger, but sold to fund his dads pokie addictions. And yet, for my friend, it was the lies his father told, in a feeble attempt to hide the chronic gambling problem, that continue to define his memory of his teenage years.

One person I know was asked by a Tradesman friend, to loan him the money to buy his work tools back from the pawn shop. The tradesman, having lost his entire week’s pay, had hocked his tools for cash. In an attempt to win back his pay check he had then lost all the loaned cash as well. With all his tools still in the pawn shop, he was facing the prospect of losing his job. This was a common practice in my mate’s circle of friends.

.............................

Just last night I was told of another family who lost far more than the weeks groceries on the pokies. The parents ran off leaving behind their pokie debts; leaving their business in Cabramatta without paying off the employees wages; leaving their kids to the care of their grandparents.

.............................

These stories are not isolated occurences. They are not simply the tragic extreeme cases. They are frequently repeated stories which illustrate how problem gambling is undermining those relationships which constitue our community. We are not speaking of unpredictable outcomes, of an otherwise harmless passtime. None of these people experienced similar hardship because of a loved ones compulsion to go fishing or watch footy.

I am certainly aware of the contribution many Clubs make to their local communities. Of how some profits from poker machines are being set aside to help problem gamblers. However, to imply that the harm that pokies cause to the community, is somehow offest by the good things their income can achieve for the community; it seems to me as perverse as a hungry man seeking to alleviate that hunger by gnawing on his own right arm. It may solve one problem - but only by creating another one somewhere else.

Whatever generosity Clubs may display with their earnings after the fact, it can not repair the damage done by pokies to those families and other relationships which make up our community. Every time a problem gambler lies to or decieves their family, friends and coleagues, it has an effect on the foundations of our community that is not easily reversed.

Having said all this, the way in which so many charities and community groups are forced to rely on the proceeds of gambling, is perhaps more a shameful reflection on us as a community, than on the clubs themselves. Could the fact that charities do rely so heavily on the generosity of Clubs, perhaps reflect our own unwillingness to take responsibility for the common good? Could it perhaps partly be a reflection of our communities unwillingness to take responsibility for the good of our neighbour? Certainly any solution to the current problem does not lie in the hands of Gaming Establisments alone. Perhaps if we as a community step up and take responsibility for our own community groups and charities, then they need not loose out financially from a reduction in the number and influence of poker machines in our community.

Where ever the solution may finally lie, by choosing to reduce the influence of poker machines in our community we are not undermining personal freedom. Rather we are simply choosing to redirect our personal freedom in the service of others… those who most need it."

Cheers,
Steve

Fairfield: home of the Pokie

2008-04-21T05:03:00.000-07:00

Fairfield has recently been in the Media for the saddest of reasons. We are, it seems, the "gambling capital" of Syndey, one of the most gambling obsessed Cities in the world.

In the Fairfield Advance (Wed. 16 April, 2008) Fairfield Mayor Nick Lalich is reported as declaring that...
...pokies did more good than harm, with much of the money put back into the community.

However, a recent Government report suggests that the Mayor's take is at best miss-informed. The table below is from a recent government report showing that Fairfield residents spend 78% of their disposable income on POKIES ALONE ! (this does not include other forms of Gambling. Go to www.thangngo.com to read the government report. It can be downloaded as a PDF).

Despite this stunning figure, Fairfield Council is currently considering an increase in the number of Pokies allowed in the city.

As Christians we are called to love our City. Of course the desire to see people follow Jesus lies at the very heart of this Love. However, while we live in this world, "loving our neighbour" must include a concern for their physical welfare. As Peter and I have been involved in the lives of those in our city, we have seen firsthand the slavery and addiction that many people experience as a result of Gambling.

One of Fairfield Council's members, Cr Thang Ngo, has asked me to speak at a problem gambling summit for South West Syndey. I have been asked to give a community perspective on how Gambling is affecting Fairfield's community. Check out the web site for the event and the others who will be speaking.

http://www.gamblingsummit.org/
(copy and paste the above address in your browser - laugh at the photo and blurb of me on the speakers page!)

This is a great opportunity for us as Christians to serve our local community, speaking for those who are not able to speak for themselves. I'd love your help!

Three ways you can help:

1. Share with me your own experiences with problem gambling. Maybe your own struggles, or those of friends or family. Everything shared will be kept confidential. Maybe you even know non-Christian members of the community who have suffered in one way or another because of problem gambling who would be happy to speak with me.

2. Come to the Problem Gambling Summit. This is a chance for us to show we care about the welfare of all who share this city with us. It will give you a good idea of the problems our community is facing. In the months following the Summit there will also be opportunities for anyone interested, to lend their support to addressing this issue.

3. Pray and stay informed. Please pray for wisdom for me as I put together my presentation and for good organisation for the problem gambling summit. Pray that the event may be open and transparent in its treatment of the issues. Pray also that it will get good media coverage and force everyone in our community to look beyond their own "freedoms" to the good of others. Also take time to read your local papers and educate yourself on the issues. As the event draws closer this blog will include further thoughts and information.

My address to the Problem Gambling Summit will be posted this arvo.

Thanks and God bless
Steve.

Pregnant "man"

2008-03-27T01:47:00.000-07:00

Pregnant "Men":

Recently reported, is the Female couple who are having a baby together. The Newspapers carry the sensational headline "Man" having a Baby!" In actual fact, the person involved still retained all her female sexual organs. This is really just another example where people demand the right to “choose” their own reality. Their psycholgical experience becomes the sum total of their reality... often in outright denial of their physical reality. In contrast, Christians believe in the inseparable unity of our spirit, mind and body (this is why the physical resurrection is so important to us... apart from our body, we have no future!).

Our world no longer only demands freedom from other people, but freedom from their physical selves and external constrains.

How should the Christian respond to this story. We need to figure out what our world view means for both the couple and their child.

Firstly, the practice of "gender re-assignment". The Christian can certainly understand that there are at times severe contradictions between how we feel about and view ourselves on the one hand, and the sometimes painful reality that constrains us on the other. Many of us have the feeling that reality somehow doesn't truely represent who we feel we should be. But the Christian hope is not found in denying these painful contradictions in favour of creating our own reality. Instead the Christian hope is focused on the day in which the painful contradictions of our reality (even gender confusion) will be wiped away leaving our self image and our physical bodies in perfect unity. But such a completely unified self awaits the new creation. Surgery and hormone treatments will never achieve this unity.

In regards to the child - The tragedy is not just that he or she will have confusion surrounding the birth and parents, but that he/she will be brought forth as project of their "parents" will, rather than as a gift from the one true Creator. The Child will be "made" rather than "begotten", and what is "made" is always somehow, in one way or another, viewed as inferior to its maker.

Stoned Moses?

2008-03-04T22:30:00.000-08:00

Was Moses Stoned? The Sydney Morning Herald (see story) and various news web-pages carried a story recently about an Israeli Psychologist who gained his 15min of fame by claiming that Moses and Israel were probably "stoned" off their faces during their escape from Egypt. He claimed that being "stoned" would account for the amazing things Israel experienced... although he didn't offer an explanation of how thousands of "tripin" hippy Israelites managed to evade Pharaoh's mighty army, and find their way out of the desert! He based his suggestion on his own hallucinagenic experiences with drugs in the Amazon Jungle !??!??!?

He writes "As far as Moses on Mt Sinai is concerned, it was, and this is very probable, an event that joined Moses and the people of Israel under the effect of narcotics"

On the lighter side of things... it might explain why Aron thought it would sound reasonable to tell an angry moses that he just threw gold into the fire and the Golden Calf Idol jumped out all by itself! (read Exodus 32:19-24 for a funny story).

On a serious note (and I really hesitate to suggest that there is really anything serious to this "news" story) It does show just how willing we are to believe any expert who claims to have "scientific" expertise. Note that this guy is a psychologist writing in a philosophy magazine... not a historian, archaeologist or anyone else who'd know what they were talking about in this area.

Whereas previous generations judged the value of someone's comments by their expertise in the area, now-a-days many think of anything vaguely "scientific" as a sure source of knowledge. Scientists are treated like Priests were in the past: As someone who is to be believed, who's word goes, no matter what. However scientists like anyone else have various motivations for why they say things... like getting noticed, securing funding, getting their university department publicity... etc.

It is probably some such motivation that lies behind this professors comments. As the professor himself would be well aware, people do not share hallucinations. They exist only inside one person's head.... and yet the Old Testament says that all of Israel saw, and were to remember the same amazing things that God did for them. These were not private Hallucinations like the professor claimed to experience in his own drug usage (hmm...) but events which thousands of people experienced at the same time in the same way.

Anyway, why not point the article out to people at work & have a laugh. It might actually give you the chance to describe some of the amazing things that God did for Israel. And while a butterfly could knock over the "pot-head" professors arguments, you might be able to start a conversation about our societies trust of "experts", or the reasons for believing biblical miracles, or just introducing people to the influence Christianity has had on the world - for example you could reflect on just how influential the 10 commandments have been in western society... Kinda embarrassing for all of us if it was really just the effects of bad mushrooms!

little WHITE lie

2008-02-18T22:31:00.000-08:00

Believe me when I say that it's just a coincidence that the first two posts concern Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Today the news is full of stories about how PM Rudd admitted to telling a WHITE LIE to get out of a meeting with the corrupt and influential former Politician Brian Burke.

I'm not about to jump on my "high-horse" though. Most people can identify with the PM's situation, and can recall times when we've made a similar decission. If Mr Rudd went the meeting with Brian Burke, it would have hurt his reputation. If he just told Brian Burke that he'd decided not to come, he would have insulted a man who had the power to mess up his political ambitions....

...the easiest way out? Tell a little white lie: that he had a meeting he couldn't get out of.

So called "white lies" form a significant part of how our culture goes about avoiding difficult and awkward situations. White lies are a way we protect ourselves from either criticism or embarrassment. But should they be a part of a Christian's conversation?

We often excuse them as insignificant, and sometimes even argue that they are a way of "protecting" others from the truth. But I think the two most common reasons for lying are FEAR and LAZINESS.

Fear:

Often we will lie when we fear the response of others to something we have done or said. We fear anger, criticism or revenge, and so we avoid it by hiding the truth from others. But for the Christian it would be foolish to allow our fear of another person, to over-rule our fear of God: the One who loves truth. Rather than allowing our "fear" of other people to lead to lying, our "fear" or reverential honor of God should lead us to truth telling. In this case, our "lying" or our "truth telling" will tell us much about our love, or lack of love for God.

Laziness:

Another reason we lie is Laziness. Often we convince ourselves that we are lying for the good of the other person. But often it is simply because keeping the other person in ignorance of our true opinions is simply easier than gently and graciously giving a truthful answer. In this case we are opting-out of the difficult task of loving others with the truth. This of course is not the same as "speaking our minds", which we can confuse with truthfulness. When we "speak our mind", it often means that we are simply offering our opinions whether or not others really want to know. Speaking the Truth aims at loving the other person. Speaking our mind aims at imposing our opinions and taking center stage for ourselves.

Speaking the truth is also not the same as being blunt. It is easy to thoughtlessly blurt out the truth to someone. It is something quite different to commit to patiently and graciously help someone to hear the truth. It may take many discussions rather than one. The question to ask is this: are we helping someone move towards the truth, or confirming them in ignorance or falsehood so we can move on quickly?

To lie is to fear "men" rather than God, and to love ourselves in place of our neighbour.

God has given us the Spirit that we may declare the truth as His prophets did in the past. To lie as a Christian is to cast a dark shadow over everything we say... to use the one mouth to both lie and declare God's praises, is to effectively put a big question mark beside the latter.

Should Kev say "sorry"?

2008-02-05T21:32:00.000-08:00

Should Prime Minister Kevin Rudd say sorry to the aboriginal community, for the past actions of those who forcibly removed Aboriginal Children from their parents? The debate has been fierce, and no doubt opinions differ as much within the Christian community as they do in wider Australian society. This coming wednesday Australians will finally see the wording of the apology Mr Rudd promised to deliver during the election. While most Australians agree that it is appropriate to express our sorrow at the terrible pain and loss that must have been experienced by those Aboriginal Parents and Children, many still want to stop short of saying "sorry". Should we or shouldn't we?

There are two arguments that have been given for why "sorry" should not be said.

Firstly, some suggest that those who removed the children from their parents at least believed they were doing what was right for the child. Because the intentions were good, it is argued, it would be unfair to attribute guilt to anyone. We may well want to judge the malicious wrongdoer more harshly than the person who does wrong with good intentions. However good intentions themselves do not make someone innocent. Courts often find people guilty of crimes where they have been negligent or foolish, even if they had good intentions. In the case of the stolen generation, children were taken from the parents because it was believed that being Aboriginal in and of itself made you incapable as a parent. This was clearly a wrong judgement. No amount of good intentions can change that. As Christians who are keenly aware of our own failings, we may rightly wish to show mercy to those who made these terrible mistakes in the past... but we can not pretend injustices did not take place.

Secondly it has been argued that neither we nor Kevin Rudd were directly involved in the removal of any Children. This line of argument suggests that "sorry" can only be said by those who were directly responsible. However it should be noted that it is not some distant, past generation who made these mistakes. Indeed there are still some alive who participated in the removal of aboriginal children from their parents. Nor was the removal of children limited to the actions of a few "rogue" individuals. It was an official Australian Government policy.

Most Australians would have no problem stating that "Sir Donald Bradman was our greatest cricketer ever". In using the word "our" we are identifying ourselves as a generation of Australians who has inherited a great sporting heritage... we rightly feel pride regarding his achievements, although we ourselves never wielded the willow. So we must recognise with shame the failings that our forebears committed as they shaped the nation we inherit today. This is not to say that you and I are ourselves guilty individuals on account of removing children... (although I can say for myself, with shame, that this particular innocence in no way absolves me from the guilt of ambivalence for many years).

Mr Rudd is the latest in a continuing line of Prime Ministers representing the governing of Australia. Obligations pass from Government to Government. They do not start from scratch with each new election result. As such it is entirely appropriate for Mr Rudd, as the main representative of Australia's government, to say "Sorry" for past injustices.

Bridging to Christ - understanding Repentance:

Christians are in a unique position to understand the power of repentance. In saying "sorry", we are as a nation (rather than as individuals) repenting, or turning away from the wrong beliefs and unjust practices of the past. When Israel repented of Idolatry, it was often repenting of the failures and sins of previous generations. When Israel repented they were not only turning away from a past, but turning back towards a future under God's Lordship. The Bible seems completely at home with this type of community repentance.

Of course, full reconciliation with God also depended on his willingness to forgive. However given the length of time that Aboriginal Australians have had to wait for "sorry", the rest of us can not be too demanding in expecting forgiveness right away. As Christians know well, along with a statement of repentance is always required the expression of that repentance in action. Aboriginal Australians are not wrong to hope for our repentance in both word and deed. From this perspective, full reconciliation will not be achieved in a week or two, no matter how well Kevin Rudd's apology is worded. In some sense saying sorry is not enough. Repentance includes a change in action.

Maybe we as Christians can use the public debate over the "Sorry" statement to help our fellow Australians better understand the true nature of repentance. The Bible's teaching on repentance helps us see clearly that reconciliation will require far more than a simple "sorry". It will require a continuing commitment to the good of the other, our Aboriginal fellow Australians.

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Paste the following link in your browser to read a story about the first Aboriginal ordained in Sydney (just a week or so ago). It could be a good point of interest to include in conversations with people at work etc...

http://your.sydneyanglicans.net/sydneystories/indigenous_ministry_feature/

first crack!

2008-02-04T00:23:00.000-08:00

This is the first crack at the new St Barnabas' blog called water cooler. It is not uncommon during the course of any week to have a whole stack of opportunities to share with others about how knowing Jesus can help make sense of the world.

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Maybe its just that we don't know how... maybe we haven't figured out what we think... maybe we aren't convinced ourselves that there is a Christian point of view on any given topic... whatever the reason, we often miss these "water cooler" moments.

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Over 2008 water cooler will have a crack at giving a few thoughts on how we can use a few minutes of a lunch time, or bus stop conversation, to share God's perspective on the world. If you read anything in the news, or hear something on the radio that you know everyone will be talking about, post a reply. I'll do my best to give a few thoughts on how to explain, defend and challenge whatever is being discussed out there. Why not start praying now for the opportunities, and the grace, to represent Jesus in every conversation.

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Steve.