Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Of Lent, Sacrifices and Experiments With Truth
Taken from my Myspace http://profile.myspace.com
/index.cfm?fuseaction=user
.viewprofile&friendID=1053
8769
Well the fact that my computer just made the lengthy blog I just wrote disapear confirmed the decision I just made!
Alright, to try again, although now I'm angry because I put a lot of thought and energy into what I wrote.
Well, to begin, for those of you who don't know, tomorrow (Wed. Feb. 21 this year) is Ash Wednesday. As I have done for the last 3 years I will go to Grace Anglican for their service. The church is near my home and they are a small and very friendly community. Perhaps the most destinctive part of an Ash Wednesday service is the infusing of the Ashes. The priest will call forward those who wish to participate and place the mark of the cross either on your hand or forehead with some ashes. In doing so he will say, "remember from ashes you have come, to ashes you will return." It is a reminder of our frailty as humans. Each of us will die.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent; the 40 days which lead up to Easter. The 40 days commemorate the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness being tempted by Satan. They also remind us of the 40 years Israel spent in the wilderness because of their sinfulness and stubborness. During Lent we too, in a sense enter the wilderness. The ashes which are used for Ash Wednesday traditionally come from the burning of the palm branches used in the previous years Palm Sunday service. On one day crowds cheer and herald Jesus as a king. A week later Jesus is nailed to a cross as an enemy of the state at the wish of the crowd.
It was in order to deal with the sinful condition of humanity that Jesus entered our world, the wilderness and ultimatly went the way of the cross. So during Lent we too enter the wilderness and recognize that the hope of Easter came at a price. Grace is not cheap as Detrich Bonhoeffer puts it. During Lent we are called mourn and lament our betrayal of God. We are called to pause and examine ourselves.
A significant tradition during the time of Lent for many is fasting. This can be in a variety of forms. Each year I choose something to give up for the season. Something that is significant for me. Something I will notice often. It is not the thing itself that is necessarily the issue. It is what sacrificing it will do for me. It in a sense becomes an icon for me. A regular, repeated reminder of the sacrifice made for me by Jesus. This year I have decided to give up Myspace and Facebook for Lent. It is not that such a sacrifice is meant to compare with the sacrifice of Jesus, rather they are something I use daily and regularly. This makes them very good things to give up as they will provide a constant reminder of the sacrifice made by me.
At the same time, these sacrifices provide a dual significance. I have begun to feel that perhaps my usage of Myspace and Facebook has perhaps become exessive. So, giving these up for a short period will become an 'experiment in truth' (an idea I reflected on in a previous blog). Perhaps at the end of the Lenten season I will permanantly change my use of Myspace and Facebook. Maybe I won't. We'll see, it is an experiment :).
So, let me close by encouraging you to think about finding some way to make Lent meaningful for you. Think about giving something up. Remember, what you choose need not necessarily be something 'evil' or something you have a problem with (although such things are probably good canditates for what you might want to consider as first pics). What you choose is mainly something that will be a constant reminder of Jesus' sacrifice to you (so giving up playing World of Warcraft wouldn't be a good pic for me, but it might be for some of you ;) ).
Anyways, I ask that you think of me when you see my pic on your top 8 (I should be on your top 8!) Or else when you don't see it because you've joined me in this experiment, think of me when you get the urge to sign in. Think of me and pray for me. I would appreciate that immensly.
To Kev and Brenda, I better get emails from you and still see you on msn. I miss you both and love you both a ton!
Anyways, I'll see you all on here (most likely) after Easter. I look forward to responding to your comments then.
Goodbye.
/index.cfm?fuseaction=user
.viewprofile&friendID=1053
8769
Well the fact that my computer just made the lengthy blog I just wrote disapear confirmed the decision I just made!
Alright, to try again, although now I'm angry because I put a lot of thought and energy into what I wrote.
Well, to begin, for those of you who don't know, tomorrow (Wed. Feb. 21 this year) is Ash Wednesday. As I have done for the last 3 years I will go to Grace Anglican for their service. The church is near my home and they are a small and very friendly community. Perhaps the most destinctive part of an Ash Wednesday service is the infusing of the Ashes. The priest will call forward those who wish to participate and place the mark of the cross either on your hand or forehead with some ashes. In doing so he will say, "remember from ashes you have come, to ashes you will return." It is a reminder of our frailty as humans. Each of us will die.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent; the 40 days which lead up to Easter. The 40 days commemorate the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness being tempted by Satan. They also remind us of the 40 years Israel spent in the wilderness because of their sinfulness and stubborness. During Lent we too, in a sense enter the wilderness. The ashes which are used for Ash Wednesday traditionally come from the burning of the palm branches used in the previous years Palm Sunday service. On one day crowds cheer and herald Jesus as a king. A week later Jesus is nailed to a cross as an enemy of the state at the wish of the crowd.
It was in order to deal with the sinful condition of humanity that Jesus entered our world, the wilderness and ultimatly went the way of the cross. So during Lent we too enter the wilderness and recognize that the hope of Easter came at a price. Grace is not cheap as Detrich Bonhoeffer puts it. During Lent we are called mourn and lament our betrayal of God. We are called to pause and examine ourselves.
A significant tradition during the time of Lent for many is fasting. This can be in a variety of forms. Each year I choose something to give up for the season. Something that is significant for me. Something I will notice often. It is not the thing itself that is necessarily the issue. It is what sacrificing it will do for me. It in a sense becomes an icon for me. A regular, repeated reminder of the sacrifice made for me by Jesus. This year I have decided to give up Myspace and Facebook for Lent. It is not that such a sacrifice is meant to compare with the sacrifice of Jesus, rather they are something I use daily and regularly. This makes them very good things to give up as they will provide a constant reminder of the sacrifice made by me.
At the same time, these sacrifices provide a dual significance. I have begun to feel that perhaps my usage of Myspace and Facebook has perhaps become exessive. So, giving these up for a short period will become an 'experiment in truth' (an idea I reflected on in a previous blog). Perhaps at the end of the Lenten season I will permanantly change my use of Myspace and Facebook. Maybe I won't. We'll see, it is an experiment :).
So, let me close by encouraging you to think about finding some way to make Lent meaningful for you. Think about giving something up. Remember, what you choose need not necessarily be something 'evil' or something you have a problem with (although such things are probably good canditates for what you might want to consider as first pics). What you choose is mainly something that will be a constant reminder of Jesus' sacrifice to you (so giving up playing World of Warcraft wouldn't be a good pic for me, but it might be for some of you ;) ).
Anyways, I ask that you think of me when you see my pic on your top 8 (I should be on your top 8!) Or else when you don't see it because you've joined me in this experiment, think of me when you get the urge to sign in. Think of me and pray for me. I would appreciate that immensly.
To Kev and Brenda, I better get emails from you and still see you on msn. I miss you both and love you both a ton!
Anyways, I'll see you all on here (most likely) after Easter. I look forward to responding to your comments then.
Goodbye.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
I'd smack that?!?
Originally posted Thursday, January 04, 2007 on myspace click the title for a link there
Alright so this pic is from my boy Bobby Mason's Myspace's personal pic file...under it he wrote: "i know nudity isnt allowed, but i couldnt help myself. enjoy!"
Bobby's is a wonderously subversive Myspace and I suggest you all go check it out and encourage him to keep having fun with it. It's almost as clever as making up a Myspace for someone else like the Prime Minister (current or former), U.S. President or even the Pope...I checked, all them people have clever Myspaces made of them...funny I didn't find any of a school principle...I guess that would be offensive and crossing the line. Hmm.
Anyways, what Rob's pic and comment up there points out is how people seem to have some bizarre obsession of posting pictures of themselves up that obsess over their bodies. I don't understand this. Pics of guys showing off their abs...not candid shots of them where their shirt "somehow" mysteriously came up on them revealing their chests...Pics where they lift their shirts and take the picture of themselves...what exactly is that all about?!? Pics of girls similarly showing off the various parts of their bodies...it's all there.
I can't understand on multiple reasons...
The #1 reason of course is the fact that myspace is a wonderful place for predators and lurkers to abound. You can do searches based on peoples body types no problem. As you can see I copied Rob's pic no problem...there is a definite possibility that some pervert will use your pic for something you might not be so excited about.
That aside, even if that wasn't the case, I just can't understand how people crave objectification. Is there no more to us these days than our bodies? I sure hope that's not true, cause I mean, well, I'm not exactly buff and tough to the point where the women can't get enough (that is except for Charity but she has an odd taste in men).
Why would you take suggestive pics of yourself, post them and then put up a bulletin saying, "I put up new pics of me comment on them", only to have people tell you how skinny you are or how ripped you are ad nauseam. Why would you go on to another persons site and post something like "I'd smack that" or whatever it is people are writing this week.
Maybe I'm old...no, I know that's true...but still can someone explain this to me. I'm most interested in a Christian response as to how this makes sense for a person of faith. Please, tell me why a Christian should be objectifying people and obsessing over what their body looks like. Let me in on the secret and so that I can join in on the fun.
Until then, I guess I won't be smacking that or putting up pictures of me and my glorious growing gut.
Alright so this pic is from my boy Bobby Mason's Myspace's personal pic file...under it he wrote: "i know nudity isnt allowed, but i couldnt help myself. enjoy!"
Bobby's is a wonderously subversive Myspace and I suggest you all go check it out and encourage him to keep having fun with it. It's almost as clever as making up a Myspace for someone else like the Prime Minister (current or former), U.S. President or even the Pope...I checked, all them people have clever Myspaces made of them...funny I didn't find any of a school principle...I guess that would be offensive and crossing the line. Hmm.
Anyways, what Rob's pic and comment up there points out is how people seem to have some bizarre obsession of posting pictures of themselves up that obsess over their bodies. I don't understand this. Pics of guys showing off their abs...not candid shots of them where their shirt "somehow" mysteriously came up on them revealing their chests...Pics where they lift their shirts and take the picture of themselves...what exactly is that all about?!? Pics of girls similarly showing off the various parts of their bodies...it's all there.
I can't understand on multiple reasons...
The #1 reason of course is the fact that myspace is a wonderful place for predators and lurkers to abound. You can do searches based on peoples body types no problem. As you can see I copied Rob's pic no problem...there is a definite possibility that some pervert will use your pic for something you might not be so excited about.
That aside, even if that wasn't the case, I just can't understand how people crave objectification. Is there no more to us these days than our bodies? I sure hope that's not true, cause I mean, well, I'm not exactly buff and tough to the point where the women can't get enough (that is except for Charity but she has an odd taste in men).
Why would you take suggestive pics of yourself, post them and then put up a bulletin saying, "I put up new pics of me comment on them", only to have people tell you how skinny you are or how ripped you are ad nauseam. Why would you go on to another persons site and post something like "I'd smack that" or whatever it is people are writing this week.
Maybe I'm old...no, I know that's true...but still can someone explain this to me. I'm most interested in a Christian response as to how this makes sense for a person of faith. Please, tell me why a Christian should be objectifying people and obsessing over what their body looks like. Let me in on the secret and so that I can join in on the fun.
Until then, I guess I won't be smacking that or putting up pictures of me and my glorious growing gut.
Experiments with Truth
Originally written Wednesday, December 20, 2006 on myspace click the title for a link there
Alright, so I don't really write blogs. Not that there isn't things I could be writing about. I just don't tend to have the time...that coupled with the thought of "who would have the time, energy and care to read my thoughts". However, sometimes I write stuff to other people and yesterday was such an occassion. I wrote something as a response on a friends blog and thought, hmm, this might be something worth sharing with other.
I figure it's already written, the work is done, all I need to do is some cut and pasting and appropriating of the work I've already done. May as well get some more out of what I already put energy into. So, if people actually read this, perhaps I'll do this more often. We'll see, call it an experiment with truth.
My friends blog was one that was asking a lot of questions about the way he spends his money and about various justice issues facing our world. So now that you have the background, here's what I wrote him...
Alright, so I really like the questions that you're asking. I like where your thinking is going. It's actually rather quite exciting. What would be REALLY exciting is to see your thinking go past simply being thoughts in your head (or on a blog) into becoming actions. If you can allow these thoughts to begin to form the things you do, that would be exciting!
You said yourself the old addage of actions speak louder than words. I couldn't agree more, I'd even add that actions endorse and even shape our words. Ghandi entitled his autobiography (which your brother thinks is dreadfully boring) "The Story of my Experiments with Truth". I think that's a good aproach to life. When your thinking begins to lead you somewhere, test it out and see where that testing (or those actions) take your thinking.
If you just leave your thoughts at thoughts and they don't inform how you act...that would make this blog excessivly boring. Just another person writing down all the social justice issues out there and wearing a white ristband to feel good about themselves. Living out your thoughts though, to the point that it begins to make you feel a little uncomfortable, that is exciting. That is the kind of example I need. That is the type of person I would look up to and want to emulate. Be an example to me. Push me in my thinking! Also, don't be afraid to be a hypocrite...we're all hypocrites...but if our hypocrasies are pushing us to become better people than it's very good to say things you can't always live out. I read the sermon on the mount often and say I agree with it...that makes me a HUGE hypocrite, but then in recognizing that, maybe it makes me someone who realizes their spiritual poverty...hopefully I'll be among those that recieve the kingdom of heaven. Hopefully.
Alright, so I don't really write blogs. Not that there isn't things I could be writing about. I just don't tend to have the time...that coupled with the thought of "who would have the time, energy and care to read my thoughts". However, sometimes I write stuff to other people and yesterday was such an occassion. I wrote something as a response on a friends blog and thought, hmm, this might be something worth sharing with other.
I figure it's already written, the work is done, all I need to do is some cut and pasting and appropriating of the work I've already done. May as well get some more out of what I already put energy into. So, if people actually read this, perhaps I'll do this more often. We'll see, call it an experiment with truth.
My friends blog was one that was asking a lot of questions about the way he spends his money and about various justice issues facing our world. So now that you have the background, here's what I wrote him...
Alright, so I really like the questions that you're asking. I like where your thinking is going. It's actually rather quite exciting. What would be REALLY exciting is to see your thinking go past simply being thoughts in your head (or on a blog) into becoming actions. If you can allow these thoughts to begin to form the things you do, that would be exciting!
You said yourself the old addage of actions speak louder than words. I couldn't agree more, I'd even add that actions endorse and even shape our words. Ghandi entitled his autobiography (which your brother thinks is dreadfully boring) "The Story of my Experiments with Truth". I think that's a good aproach to life. When your thinking begins to lead you somewhere, test it out and see where that testing (or those actions) take your thinking.
If you just leave your thoughts at thoughts and they don't inform how you act...that would make this blog excessivly boring. Just another person writing down all the social justice issues out there and wearing a white ristband to feel good about themselves. Living out your thoughts though, to the point that it begins to make you feel a little uncomfortable, that is exciting. That is the kind of example I need. That is the type of person I would look up to and want to emulate. Be an example to me. Push me in my thinking! Also, don't be afraid to be a hypocrite...we're all hypocrites...but if our hypocrasies are pushing us to become better people than it's very good to say things you can't always live out. I read the sermon on the mount often and say I agree with it...that makes me a HUGE hypocrite, but then in recognizing that, maybe it makes me someone who realizes their spiritual poverty...hopefully I'll be among those that recieve the kingdom of heaven. Hopefully.
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