Retro Vision

With friends like V...Who needs enemies?

2010-11-13T17:52:00.000-08:00

I like movies and I'm especially fond of the Wachowski Brothers. I had only seen V For Vendetta once or twice before but had missed a few crucial scenes. One of the crucial scenes that I had not put together previously involves a nice subversive sub plot. It involves the heroine Evey who (as it appears) has been taken by the fascist regime to be tortured and placed in solitary confinement where her hair is shaved, she is in a 4 x 4 concrete cell, given the bare minimum of slop on a tin plate. She is periodically removed for intensive interrogation with waterboarding "where is the terrorist codename V." "It all ends if you give us a name." She is successfully resistant to the end however, even when faced with her immanent execution. In this darkest hour she has faced death and no longer fears it, even to the point to willingly embrace it. This overcoming of fear is the key point in the scene as she had lived under the cloud of fear and death all her life up to that point. Fear of the regime, fear of speaking out for justice. This fear the charecter V knew very well as he had to overcome it himself. Earlier Evey had longed to be free of this fear and it was this longing that V heard and acted upon. The surprise in the scene then is not so surprising as we discover that it was V himself who captured Evey and placed her in the cell and conducted the tortures and interrrogations. All with the intention to free Evey from the fear that had haunted her all her life. The scene culminates in a life change for Evey as she discovers her new self free of fear.

With this in mind I could not help but think of the story of Christ mirrored in the V character.
Would this not be a key aspect of Christ that he would want to bring out in those who chose to follow him? Would he not want his followers to be free of fear? Fear of the empires that hold power? Free to speak out against injustice without fear?

I find it sobering and disturbing to contemplate but at the same time I am more convinced of this picture of Christ. The picture of the saviour that is my friend but is the friend that loves me enough to imprison me and torture me so that I may over come my fears even unto death.

Who embraces this 'friend' with me?

The Tall Poppy...

2009-07-06T08:31:00.000-07:00

I've had a lot of jumbled thoughts and a converging of ideas lately. I've been reading a book by philosopher Slavoij ZIZEK called Violence and although I know I will have to re read it a number of times to get a handle on it I did manage to pick up the general idea of 'systemic violence' he was trying to bring to the fore. In very simplistic terms he speaks about a type of violence that is not the subjective type that we see being carried out in immediate, visible, physical terms but that which occurs within dominant systems maintaining their normal or smooth (peaceful?) operation. It remains hidden because it manifests as a requirement for the status quo. A 'necessary evil' that although unpleasant is tolerated by the majority because to stop or prevent such violence would appear to unravel the fabric of the societal system. This idea seems to fit when applied to the dominant free market capital system and to contemporary media and entertainment systems.
While thinking on this I have been reminded of the history and culture of my own country, Australia. Particularly about that aspect of Australian culture we obtusely refer to as the 'tall poppy syndrome'. There seems to be an undercurrent of this 'cultural aspect' in the anglo Australian story. To illustrate this I site the Rum Rebellion by Macarthur on Bligh in early colonial Australia. Later upon the goldfields a similar revolt on the establishment occurred in the form of the Eureka Stockade. I Don't underestimate these dissident uprisings simply because they were crushed by the government at the time. Their symbolism in the Australian psyche remains to this day.
Likewise the ironic heroic Australian figure Ned Kelly seems to fit this symbol very well. Even though branded a common thief and robber and hunted by the establishment he is not remembered this way. Instead the romantic story of the harassed and victimised Kelly fighting for deeper ideals of justice against opression prevails.
Today even in our contemporary liberal society the undercurrent of the tall poppy syndrome exists faintly in the background. Like a feeling or an instinct rather than the concious argument. Even though it is looked upon as a negative aspect, tarnished with ideas of jealousy between the haves and have nots. Tall Poppy Syndrome stands in defiance. Recognising the systemic violence for what it is. Recognising that a resistance is somehow required. That there is an imbalance and an injustice. That remaining silent as the system smoothly rolls along is wreaking unseen violence on the vulnerable.
So (Aussies) when you are criticised by those with power and wealth after you have criticised that wealth and power. Remember you are simply reflecting your cultural Australian roots, desiring to set right what you feel is wrong.

Pat the cat...

2009-07-02T00:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a recent e-mail as part of a bunch sent to me by Pat Mesiti's Millionaire Mindset Club. I e-mailed them to try to point out some of the problems I see with their endeavors to create 1,000 new millionaires over the next 12 months or so...

For some perspective on those who do not know Pat. He was a christian minister in the pentecostal movement in Australia for some years. I remember him best as a motivational speaker at Youth Alive Rally's in the 1990's.

Dear Josh,

I am concerned that we have not heard from you yet. This is really important so can you please take a few minutes to read this email?

There is only one opportunity this year for you to receive my ultimate gift worth over $8,000 – four days of luxury at the Versace on the Gold Coast, with myself and my personal mentors. I really want you to have this gift, can you imagine how great it would feel to receive this? Let me tell you, it would mean even more to me, because I know for me personally, the gift is in the giving.

There is only one opportunity this year for you and I to get together with some of the best entrepreneurial minds in Australia. If you don’t get in touch soon, you will miss out and that may cost you the breakthrough that I know in your heart you wish for.

My millionaire makers series bootcamps are just around the corner, there are a few seats remaining and if you register now by clicking on the link below, and come to the event, you will go in to the draw for my ultimate gift at the Versace.

Click here to register

I know, this is an amazing gift and an amazing opportunity, but what would you do if you were me? I am so passionate about my role as a prosperity mentor and I have to live according to my message. Abundance creates Abundance and I am doing everything I can to create these abundant opportunities for you.

But I really need your help and for to you to take action right now - here are the dates and the venues.

You are welcome to register yourself and a friend, or you can simply forward this email to them and they can register themselves.

Perth: Friday 07 Aug - Sunday 09 Aug 2009

Brisbane: Friday 21 Aug - Sunday 23 Aug 2009

Melbourne: Friday 28 Aug - Sunday 30 Aug 2009

Auckland: Friday 04 Sep - Sunday 06 Sep 2009

Sydney: Friday 11 Sep - Sunday 13 Sep 2009

Click here to register

Warmly,

Pat Mesiti

P.S. My ultimate gift at the Versace includes your accommodation, food, entertainment (you wont believe the cast of entertainers!) PLUS, you will be socialising with my personal mentors and me for four days! What’s more, this event is happening this year - you may be only months away from the ultimate experience! So make sure you register now for the upcoming millionaire makers series bootcamps now.

P.P.S Don’t forget, I put the millionaire makers series events on at no cost to you, your tickets are free to ensure that finances do not stand between you and the breakthrough you are waiting for!

P.P.P.S You can not learn from the seminar you don’t attend - just one good idea from the team of entrepreneurial teachers I have lined up could change your life, but you have to be there to find out!

Click here to register

Here was my reply...

Pat,
I guess it's a little naive of me to think that you actually read the e-mails but I'll say Pat anyway.

I wish to notify you that I emphatically decline your generous gift worth $8000 imploring you to spend this on more worthwhile causes. Investing in micro loans for the self sustainability of the world's poorest, digging life giving wells or perhaps just convincing some of your millionaire mindset friends to re think their outsourcing of slave labor to the third world so they can get back on their feet themselves.

I could not help but answer your question at the top "what would you do if you were me?" Well where to begin...?

If I were you I would perhaps:

1) Stop myself in whatever I was doing to contemplate my place in this world. Perhaps reminding myself of my connection to all people and nature on this globe and my responsibility not to rape, pillage or make war with them/it. This would necessitate a contemplation of the systemic violence perpetrated by the global free market capitalism juggernaut that sustains my own comfort and wealth.
A violence that is as faceless as the ideas, laws, corporate decisions and stock options that sit in the driver's seat of a vehicle that inspires visions that are apocalyptic in magnitude.

2) Stop and consider the number of people turned away from my self made "in crowd". As on one hand I create a financial apartheid of 1, 000 millionaires over the rest of my fellow Australians and on the other hand I strain an already flailing capitalist system forcing it to gorge even further into the natural resources and human labor of the second and third world.

Pat let us stop pretending that our huge wealth in the west is not sustained by equally huge numbers of overworked slave laborers in other countries. Let us instead recognise the system as a whole for what it is and begin to take action to right the terrible wrongs.

I implore you on this subject siting the life and words of a man I have heard you speak of in many years past. This man you would know well as one who chose homelessness for the crucial three years of his ministry. One who placed himself in the shoes of the downtrodden, the poorest of the poor, the sick, the lonely and those in prison in order that those who follow him would look after them and more than that be with them and alongside them in their suffering. One who constantly reminded his closest followers that to be the first in his kingdom required them to become a servant of all. One who constantly clashed with the ruling authorities of his day, both political and religious, leaving a template of subversion and justice against oppressive regimes for any who dared follow.

Dare you follow that man today Pat? That man who laid down a similar ultimatum to a rich young ruler in his day. Give up your wealth to be shared among us and follow me. Remembering that the rich young ruler walked...and the man with the message that matters... let him go.

Again I am not naive and I don't expect this to actually reach you but if by some miracle you read this I hope it nourishes a part of you I feel has been starved and starves a part of you that has pigged out for too long!

Best (and worst) wishes,

Josh Hudson.

You think that's freedom you're breathing....?

2009-03-29T18:46:00.000-07:00

I would like to draw some attention if I may, to the high esteem and somewhat overinflated value we place on that concept our society calls 'freedom'. Most of us in the west point to it as a great icon. Something to be held up and displayed in contrast to other countries' and their forms of governance. Especially those ones that happen to have a single totalitarian leader or others that we might label oppressive like the old favorite 'communism' or the new kid on the block 'taliban'. These regimes in their practical form have exhibited quite repressive ways of dealing with their people and we are quick to point out their faults. What I would like to explore here however is our own capitalist system's apparent infallibility, we are the free ones after all ... aren't we?
With this question in mind I'd like to draw a little analogy with a scene of one of my favorite flicks The Matrix. The point where Morpheus is fighting Neo in a digital dojo and after Morpheus has given Neo a decent hammering. During the pause as Neo is getting himself together for a second round Morpheus takes the opportunity to lean in close and ask "you think that's air your breathing right now?"
I love this movie the more I see it.
The point I try to make here is that with all the impulses and drives within us. With all the exterior drives and expectations from our society and environment I have to ask. How much freedom do I really have?
Let's look at some of those exterior drivers: The valued freedom to move and travel... as long as I can pay for the trip or for the car to get there. The freedom to have my own castle and plot of land... after I shackle myself to that bank for half a life. The freedom to give my kids a better education... for an additional price. The freedom to have that stuff I need now... forever linked to internal drivers like: my sense of value and meaning within my society. These always come at a cost and usually with interest!
All of this compounded by an ever present media telling us exactly what we need, what real value is, what meaning is and effectively what my purpose is in this life. Am I building enough of a Matrix picture here to show where I'm coming from?
How much of our lives are spent making sure these valued ideas mentioned above become practical?
Is this time spent wisely?
How much do we wander through our lives oblivious to the undertones. To the constant caressing invite telling us we require more?
How much does this constant barrage push us into our personalised individual space and detatch us from our community?
How strong is the drive for comfort that it causes us to push aside the needs of our neighbours?
Perhapse it's time to wake up to what's happening to us and our society and stop going into debt to buy yet another 'blue pill'. (ooh look another Matrix analogy)

Please forgive my broad brush strokes. I know I only scratch the surface of this issue.

Let's go out with some more music appropriate for the theme.

Freedom by Rage Against The Machine.

Rebel, Rebel.

2009-02-25T04:55:00.000-08:00

Well for any that are unaware, its all happening at South Brisbane! Look what happens when someone who has kept a mantle of tradition (or at least an appearance of one) but then through conviction is moved to challenge those traditions. Father Peter Kennedy who has been a parish priest in Brisbane's south for 28 years under Roman Catholic authority has shifted, along with his congregation, away from many of the norms of Roman Catholic Liturgy. This shift has finally come to a dramatic head as Fr Peter's efforts to 'remain under the radar' have come to an inevitable conclusion.
The Empire has inquired into what has gone on, and is displeased at what it sees. Fr Peter's acceptance of Gays into the fold, inviting females to have ministerial roles, laying down his own ministerial position to be on equal terms with his community, changing traditional practices and even seating arrangements! has all landed him in hot water.
There was a minor confrontation four years ago, people were notified and a letter was sent but ignored. Now things have been ramped up somewhat and Fr Peter has had his status as a priest revoked. He has been told to remove himself from his ministry but has refused to budge. He remains because his 1000 strong congregation stand squarely behind him. This defiance has come to a head in the last week as the ordained replacement for Fr Peter is due to arrive and take over.
Local police were called but not wanting to be the meat in the sandwich they asked for the new replacement to use common sense and stay away. At the same time the congregation gathered in a show of protest against the removal of Fr Peter. As all this was going on, just to add to the drama, someone made a phone call: a bomb threat toward the new replacement warning him off.
So the push and pull between postmodern revolutionaries and fundamental traditionalists rages to a head.
Now the latest chapter is that mediation has been called. There will be a civil hearing into the matter overseen by a QC.

Anyway I was excited about Peter and his conviction to lead his flock in this way. Following the lead of the great revolutionary who flew in the face of both Empire and the religious elite of His day. Feasting and communing with the outcast, the downtrodden with an attitude of service rather than dominance.
I was wondering how the RC Empire was expecting to win this one? It's a bit of catch 22. Can't keep up those age old traditions without losing the congregation. Will it be a matter of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.....again...?

Are you for real! Don't even start you inconsiderate.....

2009-02-14T04:19:00.000-08:00

Danny Nalliah this barrage is for you! I don't even know where to begin with this moron. I guess I better start with his latest insensitive rant that made its way to the Age Newspaper recently.

Firstly I would like to say without any apology that I take this kind of misconception personally. I have good mates that I work with. One has lost his family to these fires and others are coming and going from the horrific scenes there with stories that eat you from the inside out. Mr. Nalliah you might need to take a walk in the shoes of some of these guys for a day or two to get some perspective on the devastation that you inadvertently played down with this B*#@$&!t political agenda of yours. What infuriates me more is that you are on a pedestal in front of many proclaiming you are a minister showing the way and love of Christ and many have lapped up this vile filth coming from your mouth without question. All the while the public watches you from the sidelines making judgements on your Christianity. I can already see what the verdict is! Anyway enough about you.

I want to give praise and admiration to a man who exemplifies true Christianity in this truly horrific event. All I know is his first name is Thomas and they had a brief story of his selfless and truly beautiful and inspirational efforts on TV last night after the news. He was one of the lucky ones living in one of the areas affected: his house and family both came through; He has a business that allows him to have access to generators and electrical equipment. He has been able to use his contacts and knowhow to restore immediate water and electricity to many of his neighbours. He has worked tirelessly since the fires to make as many in his community as comfortable as possible in the aftermath. He has opened his home to five families (the most he could reasonably fit). He intends to secure the temporary use of caravans to bring onto his property to help up to twenty more families. No one in his community are surprised at what he is accomplishing. "He was always like that. It's just him... he helps everyone... its his nature... he would do this for anyone."
His own words betray his selfless nature "Don't look at me I'm not the hero. All these folks who have lost family, lost homes walking around today with smiles on their faces... they're the real heroes. I'm just doing what anyone else would do."
If his late night torch lit Bar B Que at his home with the families staying with him is not a picture of Communion in this blackened community I don't know what is.
It's not that hard to see where Jesus is hanging out in the aftermath of this devastation.

Obviously Tom's actions are a somewhat infectious and other inspired members of communities all around are giving what they can.

Here's some video of what Bushfire Tom's up to. Just pan down and look for "Bushfire Tom" tab on the left.

The Heart of Man

2009-01-30T21:10:00.000-08:00

When I woke up on the morning of the 29th of January, 2009 I wasn't expecting to have the worst day of my career. I was actually looking forward to seeing my 6 year old boy off at his first day at school. Little did I know that it would be the horrific premature end for another's child who was also meant to be heading to school that day. Have a read about that here to get some perspective.
So as I was at the top of the bridge and looking down and the word came through that the body laying at the bottom was actually a child, that odd process of attempting to comprehend the incomprehensible began. I Don't ever expect to make complete sense of it.

What I just wanted to mention here is that this incident should be a clear beacon. A sharp sobering indicator about the heart that is inside of every one of us and the depths that it can sink to. Not in order to look at this from afar and judge the man. There has already been an abundance of that. But to reflect and look within and perhaps recall the depths we have sunk to at times in our own lives. To be wary of and acknowledge our own internal impulses and weaknesses.

Some of the most striking parts of this story come from hearing that this man was not a monster nor was he psychotic. He was described as a loving father. He was 35, Caucasian, worked in IT and lived in upper middle suburbia. Yet a specific set of circumstances were put before him and this horrific outcome was the result.
Surely at some point should we not ask ourselves: what are my 'set of circumstances'? What would lead me to such a dark place?
I believe it's these types of questions to ourselves and this analysis of ourselves that leads us not to judge others and assists in the process of forgiveness towards those we thought we could never forgive.

This kind of forgiveness is what I think of when I contemplate the words 'take up your cross and follow me'. Those piercing words told by the one who walks the walk. The one who looks us square in the eye when we try and cop out and say "but I can't" and says "I already did!"

New Worship?

2009-01-04T05:52:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me will know I love this band. I have loved them even more over the past couple of years.
Over a number of posts I would like to put forward an idea that may not sit well with some. I would like to review a number of songs, by this band and others, and see how they blend, (in my mind anyway) with the drive, the groan, the desire for things like justice, siding with the oppressed, resisting the oppressor, uplifting the downtrodden, peace and hope that I believe Jesus intended in the story his life told.
Along with this I would like to place these songs into the arena as worship songs. Songs that may not immediately or comfortably fit the conventional idea of worship songs as seen in church today but fit other criteria that were present in Jesus' life. Criteria that I believe have been sorely overlooked throughout the history of what we have come to know as Christianity.
As a precursor I would point to some of the attributes of Jesus' life that tend to be ignored or played down in order to keep the 'Western' image of conservative Christianity.

1. He was born a fugitive on the run. A king with an army behind him wanted His blood in the earliest days of His childhood.

2. During his most formative years, those spent teaching and expressing the Kingdom of God, he spent homeless.

3. He was hated by those in authority because his ideas threatened the very fabric of that authority. Some of His ideas taken literally would turn all forms of governance and domination on their head.

4. His teachings of the Kingdom of God and their ramifications are some of the most dangerous and subversive ideas put to print.

5. In some of his teachings he purposely placed himself in the shoes of the downtrodden, the lowly, the poor and those in prison to expressly have his followers treat them with love and respect.

6. His one act of violence was against his own people in a literal overturning of those with money and power.

7. His death was symbolic of the removal of power structures and ideas expressed on earth and their replacement by the subversive ideas of the Kingdom of God. A dangerous story told and retold by the ritual of communion.

With these ideas in mind I would like to portray these songs as anthems that provoke. Songs that force us to think and struggle with the world around us. Songs that move us out of apathy to engage injustice, poverty, violence and remind us of the downtrodden.

So let our first song in this series rip!

The song is called "Wake Up" by the band Rage Against The Machine.
Some may fondly remember it as the parting anthem of the movie The Matrix (a movie that deserves a post of it's own).
Just a few words about the music: It's hard edged guitar is a really driving and groaning sound. Good for getting that @rse of a pew! This song also has a wailing guitar at the beginning and end. It's kind of like a siren alerting one out of a stupor, an affect Rage use in a number of their songs.

Here's some selected lyrics:

C'mon!
Standing with the fury that they had in 66

Fist in the air in the land of hypocrisy,

Movements, come and movements go

the puppets, the police, the judges, the feds

20 20 visions and murals with metaphors

They gave the power to the have nots
and then came the shot

Whado I Whado I have to do to wake up
to break the culture up, to break the structure up

I think I heard a shot!
Wake Up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How long not long
'cause what you reap is what you sow!

Of course this song is using US politics in the 60's as a driver pointing out names like King and Malcolm X and implicating the US Government and FBI but on a deeper level I believe it speaks against any authority using oppression. Telling those that sit idly by in a silent majority that just sitting there is an act of acceptance. In our world that often means blindly consuming or hopelessly believing that injustice cannot be faced or addressed due to an overwhelming status quo.
I believe this song is a driver to get us motivated and out of that pessimistic mentality.
Let's listen and WAKE UP!

Leviticus = Whips and Chains.

2008-12-06T21:29:00.000-08:00

I was roaming around on Facebook (Crackbook?) today and found a controversial little group that could be joined: Lets start with just 1,000 people to support Gay Marriage in Australia.

Intrigued I had to take a look at the forum and found the obligatory post from the Fundy Right perspective. You can imagine the run of the mill anti gay banter going on - peppered with 'justifying' scriptures. (Genesis 1:26-27, 9:6). (Romans 1:24-27). (Genesis 2:22-24). (Hebrews 13:4).

At the end of this rant theres the obligatory, loveless I know you better than yourself spiel. You'll love this:

If you are homosexual, we encourage you to look deep inside yourself. Are you joyful and happy? Look at your anatomy, what do you see? This is who you are created to be! There is help, just a prayer away. Acknowledge your situation, confess it, and turn to Jesus. He is there. Secure support from others who have been in your situation and have escaped the lifestyle.

Excuse me while I blow some chunks
*Insert Pavement Pizza Sounds here*.

I was ready to stop reading there but I found this gem of a reply:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from you, and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind him that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the specific laws and how to best follow them.

a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an Abomination (Lev 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

g) Lev 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev 19:27. How should they die?

i) I know from Lev 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev 24:10-16) Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted disciple and adoring fan.

Absolute Gold!
I can't top it!
Can you tell I love sarcasm?

Justified.....?

2008-11-24T21:01:00.001-08:00

Folks I'm a little worried, a little disenchanted. Apparently I have it wrong. I should be justified when I want to support my country and it's Government as it sets policies that condone war. Apparently it is condoned even by God to invade foreign sovereign countries in the name of "they started it!"

It must be true. A soldier who fought on the ground in one of those foreign countries said so.

This is what he said:
I am a Special Forces Officer and veteran of combat in Afghanistan.

The 6th Commandment of the Christian Bible (and Jewish Torah) is "Thou Shall Not Kill" or "Thou Shall Not Murder" depending on the translation of ancient Hebrew.

I prefer the "Thou Shall Not Murder" as it is the more accurate translation.

I would like to stop it there a moment and mention the convenience of the alteration in interpretation of just one word from "Kill" to "Murder" and the implications of that.
Removal of the word kill which is a blanketing word that encompasses all forms of violence against another causing death leaves no real room for movement and we can't exclude warfare that causes death and begin our justification of that.
Murder is a legal word in our current English language and according to most Western legal systems one must have intended beyond a reasonable doubt to have taken another's life. There are reasonable defenses to the charge - the main being self defense or defense of another under serious threat from the person killed.
So the implications here are that one "is justified" in killing another with some specific conditions.

Let's hear some more:

Becoming a Christian is not a suicide pact. It does not mean that now as I am a Christian that anyone can come and beat me or kill me, rape women in my house and take anything you want from me and I will not fight back. That I will just lay there as a slug (or run away) because of my religion.

Interesting first sentence because Jesus has called many to serve him who have died in his name many quite violently as is attested by the accounts of Christian martyrs through history. I bring to the fore a recent martyr's (Dietrich Bonhoeffer) prophetic words regarding this "when Christ calls a man he bids him come and die."

The rest of this paragraph paints a noble, male supremist picture and builds with it a narrative of the 'enemy that is not in my home' which conveniently slots into that wider narrative of 'the enemy that is not in my country or doesn't follow my superior belief system'.

Let's go on:

Defending yourself is not murder. This is very clear in the Bible.

Also, "Thou Shall Not Murder" ties in completely when Jesus was asked what he thought was the greatest of the 10 Commandments

Matthew 22:37-40 -- Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

And Jesus also said "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." (Luke 6:31; Luke 10:27 (affirming of Moses) and Matthew 7:12)

If I saw "bad men" breaking into my neighbor's house, I would go and defend my neighbor. I would willingly put my life in danger to prevent my neighbor from getting murdered, raped or beaten. That is also the way I would want my neighbor to treat me. I would be a coward and a very bad neighbor if I knew bad men were killing my neighbor and raping his wife and I did nothing. I would be evil if I justified "doing nothing" because I am a Christian.

I am still scratching my head at the twist of logic here. The scriptures are plainly pointing me in a direction and clearly telling me how to treat my neighbour and how to situate myself in relation to God.
The scenario after the scriptures is going back to the White Night narrative we saw earlier where he is identifying an enemy 'bad men' (obviously pigeon holing a type of person) putting them on a different level to his 'good' neighbour that most likely shares his values and beliefs. He then goes on to paint an unlikely picture that nowhere near fits into the wider scenario he is attempting to justify. Lets not kid ourselves he is attempting to fit this narrative into the invasion of both Iraq and Afghanistan.
If my neighbour America is such a good neighbour I would be expecting that he would not invade me and my home. I would expect that he would consult me on who is and isn't my enemy. I would ask him to assist me in restraining my enemy instead of thrusting his superior beliefs on me and tearing my loved ones and home apart in a vendetta against his self made enemies.

There's more:

What makes murder inherently wrong is not that it feels wrong, but that a transcendent Creator to whom we are answerable commands: "Thou shalt not murder." What makes kindness to others inherently right is not that human reason says so, but that God does: "Love thy neighbor as thyself; I am the Lord."

This doesn't do much for the argument. I would just say that an inner conscience would reflect the Creator's commands of though shalt not kill and usher us toward kindness.

As far as being a soldier in the American Army. The American Army and the American solider does not invade countries for money or booty or for power (as most armies do). We go (and fight and die) in hard places around this brutal world to liberate people and to bring freedom. This is what good neighbors do. I would leave the American Army if we invaded Iraq just to kill or Iraqis or invaded Afghanistan to take all their gold and make them slaves.

We were attacked on 9-11. 3,000 American died. More Americans will die if the terrorists are not confronted. We either go after them or surrender to them. Again, being a Christian or a Christian nation is not a suicide pact. It does not mean you just lay there and let people do whatever evil they want to you without fighting back.

Self defense is not immoral - not by an individual or by a nation.

God sent David to slay Goliath. Did God break his own Commandment?

Just the way I see it.

Best Regards,

The first paragraph reads like a narrative of one who is working against their conscience and needs to somehow justify the actions of their country. I am glad that many are beginning to see America for what it is and the motives behind it's Government's policies. Every aspect that this soldier says that America doesn't do, IT DOES DO!
I don't want to play down the fact that American and other country's soldiers don't go into difficult, horrific situations overseas. They do an extremely hard job under difficult circumstances and often die for that cause.
What I do want to question and oppose is the idea that the soldiers in these places need to be where they are and specifically doing what they are doing. Driven by questionable policies that are in place for the profit of a few and the detriment of many.
I would also question the automatic notion that Terrorists will flourish if not confronted. If internal American and Western policies were to shift away from accelerated corporate gain at the expense of neighbouring countries I don't believe these minority groups would have a reason to attack us.

But hey that's just the way I see it!

Fading.....

2008-09-23T18:13:00.000-07:00

I have been reaching back into my metal music archives after recently hearing the latest album from Metallica. This new album is harking back to older familiar sounds of theirs.
As always I'm drawn back to old favorites when I hear the familiar sound and could not help listening to one of their more impacting and enduring tracks - Fade to Black.
Its theme fits well with recent news covering the health and wellbeing of the twenty somethings in our (better? superior? functional? capitalistic)society.
I also remember vividly the church's line on such music. As you can imagine it was not all that well received or accepted.
Inadvertently this line on such music effectively separated church people from these 'sorts'. Hmmm another thing I don't agree with church about. Never mind I would probably find those 'sorts' more accepting, more realistic regarding life's issues and easier to talk to than most church people anyway.
So as I listen again to the words and great music of this song I am reminded of those living on the fringe. Those that are out of most people's sight but never God's. And I ask myself the question...what makes this song so moving, so enduring and so relevant to those on the fringe? I'll let you make up your own mind on that one.
Also as I listen I remember the younger brother of a good friend of mine who used to listen to all this and other great music with us when we were younger. My friend although distant still remains but his younger brother found solace at the end of a rope barely into his twenties. It brings home the grim reality.

Have a listen and as you do have a thought for the kids mentioned in the article:

ONE sixth of Australians aged 23-24 suffer depression or anxiety.

ONE sixth engage in anti-social behaviour.

ONE fifth use marijuana, other illegal drugs, or are regular binge drinkers.

ONE fifth have a long-term physical or mental health problem.

Overall, 40 per cent showed severe signs of problems including depression, anxiety, antisocial behaviour or illegal drug-taking.

The study also found that alcohol use increased markedly for many in their mid-20s - most particularly among moderate drinkers.

I'm having trouble putting the video here i'll post it on my facebook for you

Good Dog - Bad Dog

2008-08-31T08:42:00.000-07:00

I am recently reminded, by stories in the papers and blogland, about a story or parable I have heard repeated many a time in evangelical churches. You may know it... the one about the good dog and the bad dog inside us all. Pointing to the capacity of good and evil within the heart of everyone. The line that the church preaches on this subject is simply: The dominant dog will be the one that you feed the most. i.e if you feed bad dog most it will dominate. If you feed good dog most then the good dog will dominate.
Recently after rethinking most things church, I began to think about the idea of the starving dog. This viewpoint seems to be grossly overlooked by the simple feed the good dog or feed the bad dog line.
A starved dog if you have ever seen one is as you could imagine a very formidable beast. Getting more and more nasty the hungrier it becomes. Not necessarily weaker as the Church viewpoint suggests but more dangerous and difficult to deal with.
So following this idea through and applying it to the heart I am wondering if this church line is a healthy one. Does it clearly portray the human heart for what it is? Does it allow for the hearts capacity for evil or does it try to deny it? Does it portray a false idea that all evil can be expelled from the heart by our own action?
I suggest that this simplistic line of thinking is denying the reality of the heart and its impulses toward evil, even for the most 'good' or 'Godly' person. I also suggest that the more a person denies these impulses within themselves the more susceptible they become to such impulses.
So by continually pushing a simple line of: starving the evil dog within; are churches unwittingly forming a culture of denial. A dangerous denial for the capacity for evil and thereby turning a blind eye to it. Much like dropping ones guard, or dropping the armour as portrayed vividly in Romans.
When I read recently about Mike Guglielmucci and his very public and shameful fall from a high place in Australia's AOG ministry. I guess I should not be surprised. I believe the system of church has pushed a small group of hierachy into such an unrealisic pressured lifestyle of perfectionism and 'Godliness' that those chosen few come to a point of desperation that they would do anything to maintain the facade. Under this light the unthinkable acts like: faking disease and; forming a facade of supernatural healing, become understandable and remind me that they are human afterall. I feel that I would be more connected to Mike now that he's 'back on Earth' with us rather than previously when he was cramped into a supernatural and unrealistic lifestyle. A life that he had to lie about just to keep up the lofty expectencies of those around him.
The real shame of all this is that really good people with the best of intentions are continually eaten up by these systems. It's this (church) system that I despise most. I don't think Jesus' idea for his Church looked anything remotely like the systems we have in place these days.
Thank Christ there are movements and leanings to alternatives!

Embracing Ambiguities

2008-08-04T00:28:00.000-07:00

Yes its been a while since I posted last.
I've been stewing a little.
Stewing on a couple of books I've been reading.
A thinking man's assault on the Christian Right in America
and another on the "New Athiests"
And more recently appreciating a story of an obscure songwriter and poet Bob DYLAN as portrayed by 6 different characters in a recent biopic.
Interestingly enough both books and the film have a similar undercurrent of wisdom pertaining to the ambiguities, the uncertainties, the mysteries that life throw at us.
Late in his book I Don't Believe in Atheists, Chris Hedges makes a very good point about these ambiguities and throws light on them pointing out the book of Ecclesiastes where the author Koheleth saw the pathetic, vain projects we spend a lifetime constructing. Warning man that "all the deeds that are done under the sun; all is vanity and chasing after wind. Nothing is certain or permanent, nothing real or unreal. Koheleth points out that "all things are wearisome, the eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear with hearing." "What has been is what will be and what has been done is what will be done." The King that asked God for wisdom and got what he asked for (Solomon) reinforced these points with his own life and the story it told.
Koheleth goes on "what is crooked cannot be made straight and what is lacking cannot be counted." Ecclesiastes points out that it is not so much what we do in life but what we do with what life hands us. We have limited real choices. We carry our human flaws to the grave. Our attempts to become Godlike by denying the emptiness, rythms and cycles of life are vanity. The best we can do is endure with compassion, wisdom and humility and accept the ambiguity and ultimate mystery of existence.
In the film I'm not there the caricature of Dylan played by Kate Blanchette sitting in an old style black taxi driving through city streets answering questions put to him/her?? by an inquiring journalist makes the same point. "the music is full of mysteries." "There are contradictions."

Chris Hedges argues in both books the dangerous practices professed by two differing ideologies (Christian fundamentalism and New Atheism). The expression of fundamentalist certainty. Ideas portrayed by a selected portion of humanity instituting a moral superiority and the omnipotence of human reason. Practices that become dangerous when non believers or the non enlightened are made separate and placed on a lower plateau. The natural progression of this is to suppress the alternate ideas of the lesser, the lower, the unenlightened and when they won't be silenced...use force or more commonly use the more accepted method of drowning them in a sea of irrelevance and obscurity.
The first step of both ideologies is to ignore the ambiguity. To formulate a faith of certainty. Where followers are absolutely right and all outsiders are not. A powerful motivator when you think about it. Tapping into a person's primal drive for control and certainty when facing questions of mortality, spirituality and the supernatural.
Another danger posed by these ideologies is the tendency to externalise evil. Placing emphasis on the perceived evil of the non believing outsiders while ignoring the reality of an internal struggle that takes place in the human heart. The believer of either ideology falling prey to self righteousness.

Another sobering point that Hedges explores is the deadening effect of visual distraction (i.e. TV, internet, video gaming etc) on the Western Capitalist Psyche. He draws an interesting idea from Niel Postman (Author: Amusing Ourselves to Death) contrasting George Orwell's 1984 and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World.

"What Orwell feared were those who would ban books, what Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who would want to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would be a captive society. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture preoccupied with some equivalent of positive feelings, pornographic delusions and an egocentrically generated utopia. In 1984 people are controlled by inflicting pain. In A Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared what we love will ruin us."

With that I'll be off to deaden myself on the PS2 shortly!

Here's a clip of Kate's Dylan performance. The section I'm talking about is in the last 2 minutes. I recommend you check out the full feature.

I Never Signed Up To Be Superman...

2008-06-16T21:07:00.000-07:00

It has been some time since I have attended my usual place of worship. I love the people there and it's relatively easy to be accepted there... just turn up on a regular basis with your mask on.

For a little background this church lends itself to labels like: evangelical, fundamental, spirit filled and the main banner of apostolic.

I know I'm going to sound very cynical here but some things need saying.

I was a little unsettled about six months ago in the congregation when a pastor was invited to the front to testify regarding a dream and vision that he had. My ears immediately pricked up because it was a first in the six or so months that I had been going along. The vision was simply of Jesus staggering toward him in a pleading manner with both hands plastered and bandaged. The interpretation of the pastor about that vision was a simplistic idea of the church being recently tied down financially due to the ongoing works on the building.

Once I heard the interpretation my mind was immediately flooded with other problems of hierarchical problems with the clergy there, it's lack of impact on the community, particularly the poor and other minority groups.

My thoughts didn't have much time to develop though when the senior pastor chimed in and gave his interpretation siting recent threats made by some unknown Muslim group toward him due to his public support of a Ps. Danny Naliah. (This pastor had over the previous year been fighting in Victorian Courts for the right to speak 'freely' and accuse Muslims of trying to make Australia an Islamic State and brand them all dangerous. The pastor lost the court case but vowed to continue his public preaching and defamation regardless. ) As soon as this interpretation was said the whole congregation gasped. That gasp was enough to say it all... without a word being said. These Muslim Terrorists are out to get us! Threatening to attack our Pastor!

Needless to say I was choking silently looking around the huge hall in disbelief.

The second choking incident came via a friend who used to be a part of the church. I began wondering why I had not heard from a prominent female pastor who in the past had preached regularly but I hadn't heard of for some time; and I mean hadn't even sighted there for some time. My presumption was that they were on holiday because no one even made a mention of them. When I say them I mean the husband as well who was also a Pastor there and just happened to be the Senior Pastor's own son. Well my friend in the know told me that there had been a falling out between father and son. Son who was a chippy and plasterer by trade had put in a huge amount of time on the ongoing renovations to the church complex. I guess he expected to be put into a senior role in the church along with his wife as his father intended to retire in a short time. Expectations fell short when that role was handed to a prominent young super Pastor who had charged through the ranks and obviously did the spiritual hard yards. It was around this time I was being introduced to alternative concepts of doing church without dominant hierachy and minus most of the politics. It was and still is very appealing. So now I had a few new words in the vocabulary and could brand it the dualistic induced power struggle
that it was.

Meanwhile as all this was going on the Super Pastor was in full flight. Letting us know in one fully fledged sermon that Jesus the man was not poor at all. He was the son of the father who has the 'cattle on a thousand hills'. He wore an extremely expensive garment and other similar arguments. Letting us know (inadvertently) that it's okay to be rich in our already rich society even if our neighbours and our neighbours in other countries experience horrendous poverty. I found that problems in his sermons came up not in what he said but what was inferred and left unsaid.

As I kept going I felt like I just didn't belong. I didn't cut it. I wasn't enthusiastic at 'worship' time. I thought more and more differently than the people there. I found myself picking the eyes out of sermons and disagreeing more and more. I was beginning to roll my eyes at the never ending stream of Super Speakers visiting the church. Each with their super plan to follow: what I needed to be all that I could be in Christ. Along with their super testimony of how they were saved from whichever huge pit that they found themselves in and how they were powering on. Letting me know loud and clear (again inferred) how I wasn't being all that I could be and not powering on at all. I began to look around to see if there were any folks like me. On the fringes, not with the 'in crowd'. I found they came and went sporadically (like I was) and I never had opportunity to connect.

Mostly I was beginning to become disenchanted. I could see more and more of the picture this church was painting of Jesus. It was beginning to look exactly like the one at the top of this post. A super Jesus that expects some sort of plastic perfection from me. A need to be rich, powerful, desirable, beautiful etc. in order to be accepted. It just doesn't wash anymore. It smells more like empire than the Jesus I know.

I never signed up to be Superman.

A Manifesto for Church

2008-05-28T08:09:00.000-07:00

Being pushed into a box is not my idea of comfortable. So to pigeon hole my idea of what church should be and create some sort of formula for it irritates me a great deal.

For this reason I will have my headings under "Church could" rater than "Church Should."

So here goes:

Church could be inspired by Christ's exhibition of unconditional love and desire to live it out.

Church could endeavour to exhibit and live out the ideas of "Your kingdom come, your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven"
Church could strive for "forgiveness of those who trespass against us just as Christ has set the example of forgiveness toward us."

Church could paint a picture of longsuffering and service to those who starve, who are ill, who are in prison, who are in need and who are broken hearted.

Church could be active in resistance to war and all forms of violence.

Church could actively oppose policies and power structures that maintain poverty and slavery while enriching a minority i.e. exhibit and desire Jubilee.

Church could move through the tribes, communities, societies and nations leavening, salting and lighting up with the love, wisdom and inspiration of the example of Christ.

Church Could desire and live out humility, meekness, hospice, creating safe space and being last toward others in an effort to subvert the dominant empire that desires the opposite.

Church could say "stick the rules (that hurt and don't help and don't promote the kingdom) where the sun don't shine."

Now some recommendations for the tagged.
1. Feel free to post to your blog on the subject “A Manifesto for Church”, outlining your thoughts on what an ideal church would/should or could be like. Posts can be as detailed or as short as you like.
2. You might like to include a copy of these rules.
3. A link to your post in the comments to this post could be helpful.
4. Tag others as you feel inspired!

Heather you know I hate rules
so I've turned your rules into
recommendations so the tagged
can feel free and inspired.

I tag:
1. Simon

LEGGOFORD Wives

2008-05-08T18:21:00.000-07:00

Thanks Heather for the inspiration for this one. It's nice to be tagged.

I had to stick with my original ideas for this post because I must admit Heather's and Abmo's
ideas gave me too much to think about.

My original ideas for this concept of a city being taken for Christ took two paths.

The first centered around the inception of Roman Catholicism through Constantine. It was then and there that idea of take or taking for Christ began. Where Christianity could be enforced through the blade of a sword. Where the idea that Christianity could marry empire and live deplorably (for what feels like) ever after. Where kings and priests found power so addictive that to keep it those cornerstone concepts of love, peace and non violence of the early church could be overlooked. So when I take these ideas and envision a City full of those imperialistic Kings and Priests living together some dark thoughts come to mind. Firstly the wall around the city would have to be impenetrable to keep the undesirables and rejected out. Inside the mix of power hungry dominants competing with one another for command over one another brings disturbing visions of bloodshed and betrayal. The cycle of violence would be unending as individuals and groups compete for dominance. Women and children would be scarce; the quickest to fall during the infighting. With the male dominance of the society the natural progression would be to sexual immorality. So the city would look pretty similar to those twin cities of old Sodom and Gomorrah. When I think of that type of city I think of a prison without guards. Where rape, torture, violence and vengeance are the order of the day. Where the most horrific of crimes are condoned by the strongest, dominant overpowering leadership. A terrifyingly scary place where a mutual loving same sex relationship would be the least of ones troubles.

The second train of thought is a lot less sinister. It involves the ideas of plasticity and masks so prevalent in many mainstream churches today. The idea that Christians are just perfect, perpetually happy servants of everyone! The vision of a City full of these types is well...sickening to be polite. All the streets are perfectly paved and every building and park is pristine clean. Everyone has perfect bodies, teeth, eyes, hair and skin. Every face wears a perpetual grin. There are no sad or angry people in this city. Children skip to school and love and perfectly obey their parents and teachers. Mothers stay at home and clean the perfect mansion. Fathers go off to work the perfect job that pays more than the family ever needs. The policeman and fireman work perfectly together to get the neighbour's cat out of the tree. You know the place it's a cross between Stepford and Leggoland. It's LEGGOFORD and it's that place that Utah strives for but hopefully won't reach!

Please Lord don't let them take my city!

Bush started his so I'm starting mine... All stops are out

2008-05-03T05:26:00.000-07:00

5 to 6 years ago the Ruler of the most dominant Empire of our current age began a war. He over threw a relatively minor player in a media beat up. A media beat up that I admit I was sucked in by at the time. I still shake my head when I think of myself back then.
What have we come to in this messed up world when a simple overthrow of one man has turned into 90,000 + verified irrefutable civilian deaths with realistic estimates putting the body count at over 700,000 (taking into account those simply not found and not able to be accounted for)?
This ruler I speak of called his war a war on terror. It's kind of a Clayton's war if you like. The kind of war you have when you don't have a real enemy but you need a scapegoat.
Yes it makes you angry doesn't it? So I submit to you an alternative war. The WAR ON TERRIFIC. It's a kind of antiwar if you like. Just a type of vision, a type of purpose to oppose all that which sets itself to commit war. In my image above I have singled out the concept of Empire of course because through the ages Empires have been the prime movers of war and oppression of the weak/poor/less fortunate.
This idea/proposition of antiwar is not an easy concept to grasp and is infinitely more difficult to act out. It brings to mind the idea of beating swords and shields into ploughsheers (or warheads and Abrams tanks into Windmills and water wells). It expects love for one's enemy. At the same time it begins with the smallest and simplest acts of kindness acting as small mustard seeds in the unterror movement. It looks for simple ways to find alternatives to violence and hatred in all forms beginning where it is closest and spreading ideas like yeast through bread.
It also proposes that the insatiable greed of the dominant empires of today require intense doses of 'slowing down' and 'evening out'. Drawing down from the accelerated fortunes of the rich so that all wealth can be spread more evenly and every person can have enough for their need because there isn't enough for everyones greed.
This idea identifies what empire desires - those things that are perfect, beautiful, rich, successful, sexy, powerful and well...TERRIFIC. It seeks to undermine these concepts as they present a false guarantee of happiness and fulfillment.
So I encourage those who have such desire to think on it and act on it in their own measure and begin their own war on Terrific and subvert the dominant Empire today!

Todays blog was inspired by a tag from my more subversive sister Heather.
(See Subversive Blog Award Above)

Special mention must be made to Geoff McQuilkin the instigator of the Subversive Blogger Award.

Here are some tagged persons I nominate for this award:

1. Simon
2.Jarrod
3.Chris
4.Danielle
5.Heather coz I've run out of people Okayy?!?! :)

I See Homeless People.....

2008-04-20T20:50:00.000-07:00

This past couple of weeks and in particular have been a bit of an eye opener at my work. For those not from Victoria or Australia: the western suburbs of Melbourne are predominantly the working and lower class . So as I work there I guess I shouldn't be surprised at running into a few homeless here and there. I guess I ran into a few more than I'm used to this last fortnight. Here's a few of their stories from my brief encounters with them.

Jim: has been recently kicked out of his brother's place that was part of the high rise ministry of housing block. He's temporarily staying in an abandoned building about 50 yards from the housing block. All the windows are smashed no front door and a lot of the floorboards are ripped up. No need to say there's no plumbing or electricity. He was sleeping on an old mattress in a rear room. Earlier that day that room was the last one without smashed windows. A visit from his angry brother who came around for some money he owed obviously wasn't happy with the response he got. The windows are all smashed now. There was a nasty stench coming from a room adjacent the bedroom . My partner who was searching the place checked under the sink. There in plastic bags was the replacement toilet. Yes that is faeces in bags. I guess my offsider was probably looking for drugs. I didn't bother looking because I figured that if he had drugs at any point they would be in his arm a minute later. He wouldn't have the money to have enough to keep for later. The rest of the house was littered with assorted junk and painted with graffiti. On the way out we were pressuring the man for proof that the owner of the place gave him permission to be there. A pointless task that I later regretted saying.

Fred: Lives in a caravan park in Laverton. He's a fork lift driver. I think his work has been scaled back recently as he's only earning a little over $300 a week. The rent, car payments and food prices were getting to an impossible point to juggle. He picked the wrong day to head to Coles for some five finger discount on some meat so he could eat until next pay day. That day Coles had about four undercover loss prevention operatives scoping the store. After we interviewed him back at the station for the theft I was asking about his situation. I asked him if he has tried approaching the Salvos. He said he did and he also tried the local council but both knocked him back because 1. he didn't have a health care card and 2. he had a source of income. I just shook my head and said "your shitting me." He said "No. That's fair dinkum."

Lance: is an Aboriginal bloke in his 20's he has moved away from his people in Country Victoria because he found he had worse problems drinking with them than he did away from them. He moved in with a girl in Melbourne but that was turning sour and she turfed him out that day. Alone and without direction he went looking for grog. He found it in someones backyard shed fridge. He was stocking the person's own eski when the owner of the property sprung him, threw him to the ground and held him. As everyone waited for the police Lance was very apologetic. The family that owned the property sat him up, gave him a seat and brought out some coffee to him! Not surprisingly it was that act of kindness that made him regret what he did the most. It seemed to change his perspective and even his attitude even as he spoke about it to us. It was amazing how much a little bit of grace made a difference to this messed up guy!

So all in all its been an interesting night shift.

Comparing Framing Stories

2008-03-23T06:08:00.000-07:00

For the benefit of those who don't know me I have this tendency when talking or debating topics to not come up with immediate responses or rebuttals. That stuff always comes later after careful thought and consideration. So I'll apologise to Ron (my other Dad) for the lame conversation we tried to have the other day at the Peace Rally we attended.

We found ourselves on the topic of Jesus/God and theology in a roundabout fashion. Which was great because I always enjoy discussing these things but I began to get the feeling Ron was getting a little frustrated. I am trying to recall his most potent questions to me on the day. They went something like this: How come you need to have belief in God? Why can't you reach your concept of right and wrong by yourself and through your own deliberation?

Great questions that I could probably answer sufficiently to my own satisfaction but, I suspect not to Ron's.

We explored ideas like: if you sat down a group of devout followers of the different main religions of the world and had them list their notions of right and wrong logic would dictate that they would look fairly similar and have a great deal of common ground. (we both agreed on that idea)
I did not conclude however that this meant that having a religion or a framing story has no value; which is where I think Ron was headed with that line of conversation.

We also explored an interesting slant on one of the stories of Jesus that I thought was funny and interesting. It's that one that many a socialist type use to paint Jesus the violent type: the whipping of the money changers in the temple. There is no denying that Jesus was very violent in this story. Looking squarely at the historical account of this event he was pretty fierce toward people he did call his own i.e, the religious Jews in the temple. I think he was pretty ticked off with those that were changing money there. It must have hit a real nerve and probably points to something quite deep and profound, going by the reaction. So when Ron went on to point out this event as an assault by Jesus on his fellow countrymen and beyond that as a treasonous act; I wasn't dismissive because it forced me to think harder about it. Ron put a good modern slant on this story by branding this type of act as terrorism. Taking his line of thought I can't completely discount how some people could come to this conclusion. Jesus the terrorist?! There must be something deeply disturbing about money changing in the temple (deeper than face value) that I haven't grasped yet if Jesus was willing to become a terrorist to overthrow it!
For those who don't know all Victoria Police members are now required to provide a list of known associates/friends that could be considered criminal or of ill repute.
Ron and I had a laugh when we considered I may have to put Jesus the terrorist at the top of the list!

We broached the topic of Jesus death at one point. Ron made it clear that he contests the idea of Christ's death. He argued that some historians have put forward that Jesus had a "whipping boy" that died in his place. He also pointed to other historical evidence of a man that was known as 'the fisherman' who joined the zealot offshoot of the Jews in Jesus' day the Escenes (I don't know if I spelt that right). Apparently this 'fisherman' lived to a ripe old age and is believed by some to be Jesus.
As you may suspect it took me a while to digest all this and I had no immediate answers for Ron at the time. Thinking on this over the past week or so though I started to get a picture of where these ideas of Ron's were headed. The main thing I gleaned was the contention between two framing stories. I could see that Ron had formed a framing story around this Escene movement. Some may know about these religious Jewish zealots. They were very hard core and virtually lived for the violent overthrow of the dominant Roman Empire. Their violent terrorist type activity against Rome saw them driven into the mountains where they lived like outcasts for many years before a big showdown with the Roman army. This last pitch battle where the Escenes knew they would be overthrown, led them to "take the victory from them (the Romans)" by taking their own lives. So in their rock fortress in the mountains every Escene man woman and child slit their own throats rather than face any type of rule under Roman Empire.
I think I've seen fruits of this type of framing story played out in more recent history in the form of Jonestown and David Koresh's commune (suicide) and even certain branches of the Mormon and Jehovas Witness movement's (isolation).
Jesus on the other hand provided a pretty potent and hopeful type of framing story of his own. A framing story that funnily enough also has elements of subversion of dominant Empire but which intends to fulfill that subversion through service, love, peace, longsuffering and sacrifice etc. Through ideas and actions that are diametrically opposed to violence and the hoarding of power over others. I had the feeling Ron was a little frustrated with these concepts as we explored them with a couple of scriptures like: if one asks for your shirt, give him your coat also and; if you are commanded to walk one mile, walk two. This kind of passive submission to Empire did not sit well with him and he concluded that these scriptures were the result of the rewriting of scripture by Emperical authorities 400 years after Christ i.e. Constantine.
On one hand I do believe that Constantine and the Roman Empire did put an Emperical stamp on Christianity and made it their own via a vision that Constantine had.
On the other hand however I am not convinced that the core concepts of the life of Jesus were altered in this 'stamping process.' In fact I think that these core concepts have been stamped and re stamped over and over by different theologies and denominations through history and even to this day. Still the base life of Jesus remains the same and his ideas of the Kingdom of God and 'The Way' are as dangerous, provoking,beautiful, terrifying, exasperating and ultimately fulfilling now as they were when he walked around telling us about it. Nothing I have yet found trumps it as a framing story. It's the framing story that Ghandi took ahold of and smashed the Commonwealth with and almost pulled off peace between Muslims and Hindus in India. It was the framing story Mother Theresa lived out in simplistically caring for so many of the lowest and downcast in such inspirational fashion in that same country. It was the subversive framing story that Martin Luther King Jr took along against the dogs, guns, batons and hoses of the biggest empire we know today. The inspirational stories of these people and their movements are still echoing today. All because of a simple framing story of one bloke.

So In response to Ron's idea about the Escene framing story I want to draw particular attention to the Outcomes of following these different framing stories. On the one hand we can follow a story that isolates us from our surrounding community and forms around a desire to overthrow the prevailing Empire by using the same violence that Empire lives by. On the other hand we can follow a story that has proven itself (when followed accurately and unstamped) to form the most potent and inspirational, positive life changing movements of our time. Potent and inspirational through its opposition to violence, its desire for justice and peace, its hope of another kingdom not of this world, but still meant for this world.

Many thanks to Ron for the deep and troubled thinking I went through over the past weeks. Its curious and ironic how the most challenging folks in our lives provoke the better and deeper thought.

Stuff you think you need....

2008-03-19T00:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a fun picture to kick things off. Yes I know its not Christmas in fact its closer to Easter really but the point is the way our society spends - who needs an excuse?

The point I wanted to make today are the problems of greed and envy. Just a couple of inconvenient factors required to make the market, the economy and capitalism work.
I see that unfortunately this system we have established requires these two to be central factors. Creating demand through advertising, establishing a customer base etc. Basically convincing individuals that they require something in order to be normal, accepted, desired and so forth. Creating images in the individuals mind of what normal, accepted and desirable are (like they know?)
So in letting all this run wild in our capitalistic society have we stopped to wonder about the costs involved in any of it? Do we factor in the costs of the discarding of the poor, and as time wears on, the middle class as our rich become astronomically out of reach. Why aren't we we asking questions like: why does the reserve bank blame base consumers for over inflating an economy (and forcing interest rates higher) when the richest one percent easily spend enough to outspend the other 99% just because they can afford it? Why then does the reserve bank then penalize those in debt to attempt to counter the overspending of that rich minority to 'stabilize' the economy and counter inflation?
The system is pretty sick and I don't see it getting better any time soon.
So long as most are convinced that this capitalism is the only option and continue to allow themselves to be bombarded and permeated in advertising and marketing, bowing and worshiping the market's version of the perfect person.
So long as we stop thinking for ourselves and finding alternative choices outside that all enveloping image.

Here's a song for you to listen to as you absorb these questions and ponder.
A Perfect Circle's - Hollow fits the bill nicely; the lyrics reflect the ideas of the perpetual capitalistic need of being fed and filled up over and over again only to be temporarily pacified.
Enjoy in reflection.

A Storm in the Distance.

2008-02-27T18:44:00.000-08:00

I seem to be getting stuck on the concepts of inequality and greed at the moment. I've been reading a commentary on inequality in the U.S called Greed and Good by Labor Journalist Sam Pizzigati. An extremely interesting read. If you are curious about how corporate executives operate and acquire their outrageously huge fortunes this is the gloves off no holds barred version. I didn't know anything about stock options before reading this so it has been a big eye opener. This book rides pretty rough shod over Corporate America showing in layman's terms how the fortunes are made at the top at the expense of the companies themselves, the workers in them and consumers. Trust me if you weren't angry about CEO pay packets before reading this you will be spitting chips afterwards (Corporate Executives exempted of course).
The bigger picture this book paints however is of that storm in the distance. That's the more worrying part. The storm of huge corporations being gutted from the inside as Executives continue to merge smaller companies into bigger corporations and then downsize them by laying off hundreds of thousands of workers. The storm of these corporations shuddering and convulsing internally because merging and combining of ideas and people doesn't actually improve productivity - its just a bigger mess that's harder to manage. The storm that is fed as CEO's jump from one corporation to another using merges and downsizing as tools to manufacture quick fortunes that further eat away at the companies and their workers from the inside.
So here's a picture for you. Just to help you envisage that storm as it rages on through. Fittingly this picture is for that recently released film about an 'unseen' monster. Trust me when I say that the 'monster' is already present. It does its damage socially and economically. The problem is that the damage is harder to immediately see.

P.S the words next to the picture are from another A Perfect Circle song called Pet. Fitting words if you can imagine Corporate America patting the general public on the head saying: "stay with me safe and ignorant" "pay no mind to the rabble" "step away from the window and go back to sleep."

Counting Bodies Like Sheep.....

2008-02-20T18:13:00.001-08:00

This picture spoke volumes to me when I first saw it. Remarkable symbolism even down to the cuff links and breast pin! As soon as I saw it I immediately thought of a great song I had been listening (and still listen) to by probably one of the forefront subversive bands of the moment (behind Rage Against The Machine - of course) A perfect Circle. The lyrics of their song - The Noose really brought this picture alive. Here's some of the lyrics:

THE NOOSE

So glad to see you well
Overcome them completely silent now
With Adams Help
You cast your demons out

And not to pull your halo down
around your neck and tug you off your cloud

But I'm more than just a little curious
how your plannin' to go about making your amends
to the dead.....to the dead

And not to pull your halo down
around your neck and tug you to the ground

But I'm more than just a little curious
how your plannin' to go about making your amends
to the dead.....to the dead

Yes your halo's slippin' down
Your halo's slippin'
Your halo's slippin' down
Your halo's slippin' down

Your Halo's slippin' down (but I'm more than just a little curuious)
Your Halo's slippin' down (how your plannin' to go about making your)
Your Halo's slippin' down (but I'm more than just a little curuious)
Your Halo's slippin' down (how your plannin' to go about making your)

Your Halo's slippin' down
Your Halo's slippin' down
To choke you now

It says a lot more on its own than I ever could here. I recommend listening to the song and as you do cast your mind back over the activities of the Bush administration in recent years. While doing so ask yourselves: is it appropriate that this man and his administration has worn the cross as a breastpin and hoisted it as a flag? and: in doing so has he not underpinned the justification of a war that recent body counts are indicating is another genocide?

53.4 bloody per cent

2008-02-18T16:55:00.000-08:00

This was a picture I saw a few months back (I made a few of my own additions) The idea behind it is based around the surprising recent statistic that 53.4% of global arms production is produced by the United States. I guess it's not hard to figure out who gets paid the most when war breaks out. It depicts of course one of the more fierce symbols of the U.S. armada being the M1A1 Abrams main battle tank. Each of which can make an instant misery of a place within a 2km radius of wherever it's parked. Interestingly the cost of one of these could easily: feed 100,000 starving folks; shelter 50,000; or perhaps dig life giving wells for 1000 villages.

But no lets go on driving fear into the hearts of people with these things because after all: if you don't have enough enemies or terrorists - who will we sell arms to? and how will we justify the outrageous expense of our own security? and keep folks like Abrams, Lockheed and Mcdonnel/Grumman in the business of finding ever more efficient and devastating ways of killing people?

Normally I'd say forgive my sarcasm but stuff it I'm not apologising

Equity, and a Maximum Wage

2008-02-12T21:06:00.000-08:00

I remember vividly watching a segment on 60 minutes (Ausie Version) about 6-8 months ago. It showcased the booming economy of South Korea and in particular a massive tanker shipbuilding company there. One of the biggest things that drew me into the story apart, from the fact it is the second fastest growing economy behind Japan, was the prevalent (and active adherence) to the concept of equity amongst the workers in the company. Most notably the fact that the highest paid CEO's and directors in the company were paid fairly compared with those lowest paid in the same company. The ratio between highest and lowest paid was around the 10:1 ratio with the lowest paid laborers earning around $80,000p.a.
More recently in the past 5-6 months I was introduced to the concept of large Corporations via the Canadian doco of the same name (The Corporation). Now I'm sure many would accuse and dismiss this doco as exaggerated and left wing biased but many of the concerns regarding inequity and the exploitation of slave labor from targeted countries are by and large very accurate.
So when I read in an interesting article, on another notably left wing news site called Alternet, (When The Rich Make Too Much Is It Time For A Maximum Wage - 13/09/07) I guess I should not have been surprised to see the mention of the concept of a maximum wage notably brought forward by a respected Harvard Psychologist Howard Gardiner.
What brought all this concept home to me recently was the Emphasis Brian Maclaren placed on this concept as he named it: the equity crisis - In that book I was reading - Everything Must Change. The stuff he mentioned in there regarding the idea of a maximum wage really jumped out at me. In particular when he made note of, perhaps now not so respected, economist in the U.S. Hermen Daley who points out the bonds of community begin to break at a ratio of 50:1. Speaking again of the ratio between highest and lowest paid workers.
After growing up in the 70's and 80's and perhaps only being slightly shocked by movies like Wall Street. (Remember Michael Douglas's rant: Greed is Good, Greed is Right) And then later in the 90's and to now; as the silent juggernaut of global Corporations have rolled over us entirely unchecked. The question has to be asked: How long can this capitalist system be sustained without a ceiling? Forget days and weeks - the gulf between Bill Gates with his fortune 500 friends and the third world grows astronomically by the second. Not thinking too hard about it I'm pretty sure that Bill with his Trillions has enough wealth, with it's intrinsic self perpetuating power, to single handedly lift the poorest and starving on our planet out of poverty enough to be fed and sheltered in a sustained manner without altering his affluent lifestyle.
When are enough people going to take notice of things like the Equity Crisis?
It's not like it isn't there its just that not many talk about it.
Perhaps it is just that we are too worried about losing our own chance at the dream of affluence without a ceiling...and not so worried if it comes at the expense of our neighbor.

Yes I know I'm harsh sometimes but it's things we need to start thinking and talking about.

Superituality!

2008-01-22T20:37:00.000-08:00

I was in bed reading last night. A good book: Everything Must Change - Brian Mclaren. My mind often wanders during reading. It tends to do that when good, previously unexplored ideas are put forward. Anyway the thoughts were surrounding two words being Spirituality and Superior. As my mind was combining the words to Superituality a definition was kind of flowing with it.... Work with me here.
It came as: "Superituality" (n) treading on another's dearly held personal beliefs by spouting superiority complexified 'spiritual' crap.

Yes I've seen the action plenty of times before in many a different church setting but there's never been a definition for it. Might make for a good T-shirt. Just a thought. Just an idea.

While on ideas for T-shirts: Mclaren has a lot of quality lists he brings out in his writing. With a little plaguerism here's the idea:

Front: Me Issues:
My soul, My eternal destiny, My blessings

Back: Real Issues:
Systemic Injustice, Inherent Poverty, Global Ecological Catastrophe

I'm sure there's plenty to add to either list but you get the drift.

T-shirts for the subversive minded to wear to church!!

Isn't night shift a pain?

2008-01-18T23:46:00.000-08:00

I'm genuinely convinced it is not natural and the body was not designed to endure it. It's simply another product of consumer driven capitalism, corporate necessities and the like. A despicable spawn of the industrial age.

A story from last night: a group of young bucks in Mum's Rav 4. Just had their fill of Maccas and are hanging out in the open spaces behind a local school - at nearly 4am. I pull up in the Div van and the Rav 4 takes a sharp diversion in the distance. Travels no more than 30 yards and stops suddenly. all 4 or 5 jump out but only two stay at the car, the rest scatter away from us. My partner is off in a flash over a nearby fence and into the night. These kids are not much more than 16. The 2 who stayed are polite and courteous.
So I ask the obvious question: why are your friends running? No real answer. "you are cops so they just ran." You weren't doing anything wrong were you? No they were just scared and took off.
My partner heads back after a few minutes empty handed. Names for the escapees are offered freely by their friends anyway. The unnecessary run and chase can often happen in this line of work. The idea of authority possibly finding something wrong when there is nothing to find creates a doubt and a fear I guess.
Funnily enough I only tend to find such a fear in those who are honest. It is easily pushed aside and covered up after a few dishonest acts.
The driver - to his detriment owns up to his driving to the Sergeant who arrived a short time later. It turns out he's only a Learner and he didn't have a fully licensed driver with him.
I'm not sending him to court for it. Why? because discretion is one of the few positive aspects we have in this job and I don't waste it. Because I see the rare honesty in a kid who had the guts not to run with the rest when fear took hold. He was owning up when the easy way out is to cut and run. I respect that. Its a quality in people, especially the young, that should be encouraged, not trampled on.

Ah the beginning

2008-01-16T20:44:00.000-08:00

The commencement, the start, the beginning is an interesting time. This seems like as good a place as any to step back and re think those things told or expressed to us - analyze a little and express back.

Today I have a thought for a song: The Peacebreakers.

Blessed are the peacemakers
You could have fooled me

The harborer of destruction
injustice sits with a crown
on the back of a child slave

And I'm wondering how many have to perish,
before a decent alternative is found

Every greed inspired action
has a ripple effect - the tsunami hits
poorest of women and children first

Hmmm more thoughts later.