It was going so well...

An interesting insight into the mind of... someone who completely misunderstands the nature of God. This has bumbled its way through the internet via Stuff Fundies Like. I agree with the first sentence. I concur completely with the second sentence. And it should have stopped there, because the third sentence makes a mockery of God.

--

My application for a job I really rather fancied was rejected last week. That was frustrating. I spoke to a few friends after the rejection letter, and one, with all the best intentions in the world said, 'It's obvious that God didn't want you to do that.' My immediate thought was, 'Is it?!'

I'm not saying that God wasn't in that rejection, nor am I saying that everything I want, I should get. But it does seem odd that we Christians tend to offload that which we don't understand onto the God Has Ordained It pile - into which I supposed we often put clergy, as well. Bwahaha.

I don't understand why I didn't get the job, and it's gutting that I didn't. I'm sure at some point I will understand. However, I think it's lazy Christianity that, out of our misapprehension, attributes human action to God.

--

I suppose both that Facebook idiocy and my thoughts about the job application boil down to these questions: how much can/do we influence God, or how much of our lives are directly influenced by him?

Thoughts?

No, Alanis... THIS is ironic.

From Jesus Needs New PR.

Sent to me by the ever-delightful Sam. Click to embiggen.

Fred Karger

You probably haven't heard of that name before, unless you live in America, or take a erstwhile interest in American politics. I only heard of his name today. He's a Republican, running to be the Republican presidential candidate. What makes him interesting and blog-worthy?

He's gay.

When I read about him, the immediate question struck me: how will Fundamentalist Christian Republicans react? If he's the Republican candidate - and there's still a long way to go - then there will be a lot of Christians who don't know what to do. They are brought up to vote Republican - because God votes that way, doncha know? - but he symbolises, for Christians, all that is wrong with American culture today.

We watch and wait.

Why I'd like to be famous...

Or at least notable. So, then, I could go on Desert Island Discs and confuse them with a selection of Christian music from the last 20 years. It would be a thing of beauty to hear Kirsty Young ask me why Jesus Freak (probably the cover by Chasing Victory) is a song I chose.

I have some strange aspirations.

ChristianCutie83, keepin' it reals.

To go from the 'somewhere near sublime' (yesterday) to, quite frankly, the ridiculous. However, kudos for her trying, and actually putting online - it's not a bad rap. It's just... awkward.



Via the ever wonderful Jesus Needs New PR.

Forgiveness

A long time ago, in a very different place, this blog was born. It was mostly created out of necessity, but it was also to share with you my insights about forgiveness, and what God thinks about it. It's sort of morphed into a smorgasbord of less important things since then, but I came across this wonderful story in the Guardian, via The Week, and thought it was worth sharing.

In essence, Joanna Nodding was a rape victim who chose to forgive her attacker. There doesn't seem to be any religious or spiritual inclination, just the understanding that forgiveness sets us free. She met her attacker through the restorative justice programme - an excellent initiative that says that prison and condemnation is not the only or the best way to bring justice. She says

"As the meeting was finishing I was asked if there was anything else I wanted to say, and I gave him what I’ve later come to think of as ‘a gift’. I said to him “What I am about to say to you a lot of people would find hard to understand, but I forgive you for what you did to me. Hatred just eats you up and I want you to go on and have a successful life. If you haven’t already forgiven yourself, then I hope in the future you will.” I didn’t say it to excuse what he did, or to minimize it, but because I wanted myself to be free of that burden of grievance, and as importantly for me, I hoped Darren could learn, move on, and forgive himself."

Read more here and here.

That second link is to a wonderful website called theforgivenessproject.com. It has no political or religious affiliation, it is 'merely' a collection of people who see forgiveness as important. Important enough to share with the world.

Top Three Catholic Apps

The Catholic Church, bless their cotton vestments, has given the OK to an app on the iPhone which guides you through your confession, according to the BBC.

I knew this was something significant to blog about, but wondered quite seriously about what angle to take upon such an event. I then abandoned all trains of thought and went for flippancy, as my default setting.

So, what other apps could the Catholic Church approve of? My top 3 suggestions for potential developers out there.

1. Angry Birds - set in the modern era, you are a frustrated Catholic woman who has had her rights stolen by some (green) prigs. You have to use charm, logic and a working knowledge of physics (but just remember what they did to Galileo!) to try and break down out-dated values. Unending gameplay - you never successfully complete the mission!

2. The Sins - design, build and control people and places. You decide what is right and wrong, and can duly punish those who go against your will. You are limited to what the Creator of the app has designed, but other than that, it seems you're pretty much in charge of your little world!

3. Need For Speed: Popemobile™ - you are the driver of the Popemobile™, and you have to make your way slowly through crowds of adoring worshippers. Don't turn too quickly, or you might topple the potentate! Various slow-driving scenarios available, in over 25 world cities!

Any further additions to the broadening Catholic iPhone app stable? Get involved.

--

I must note that the above is pure flippancy, and not meant to be taken seriously.

Revolution Fatigue

I have been only vaguely following the story in Egypt. I think this is because I have 'revolution fatigue'. This is a term that I have literally just coined, but it is essentially a dislike of 24-hour rolling news. While news of protests and revolution are fascinating, intriguing, and can reveal a lot about a country or region, 24 hour news has basically made them bland and boring. The media then has to revert to hyperbole and sensationalism in order to spice up their dull and repetitious 30 seconds of stock footage:

"Egypt descends into chaos as protesters roam streets"

"Looters win the day in scenes of anarchy"

"Mubarak hangs by a thread as rioters decimate economy"

I just made all those up. But imagining Alastair Stewart uttering those words isn't so tough.

What should be interesting is made into a spectacle. News no longer has an impact upon us because we are subjected to it so often.

Which is partly why this picture is quite so amazing. It shows a couple of Egyptian Christians holding hands, forming part of a large circle to protect vulnerable Egyptian Muslims while they prayed. There have also been reports of Muslims guarding Coptic churches while Christians worship.

I didn't hear much of this on the news, but apparently it has been shown. I'm glad there is some good news coming out of Egypt. Let's hope and pray the unrest ends soon, that Muslims and Christians don't need to protect each other from crowds and police, and the Middle East finds some modicum of peace soon.

At the weekend, we bought a kite. We headed to the beach, tied all the necessary bits (I think) and threw the kite up in the air.

It fluttered and spiralled and crashed to the ground. We tried again. It spluttered and span and crashed to the ground. We threw it more gently, waited for more wind, ran along with it.

Nothing.

The kite wanted to fly. We wanted the kite to fly. The express purpose of the kite was to fly, and it was not doing so. It wasn't fulfilling all its potential.

Which, in truly unsubtle style, made me wonder about us. What do you reckon our purpose is, and do you think we're fulfilling it? I suppose the kite made me think of me: designed and desiring to do something, but unable to do so.

Get involved.