by Lawrence on November 11, 2006
I don’t do Remembrance Day very well. It’s a good thing in principle - an opportunity to remember those who have given their lives on behalf of their country. It’s difficult, though, for those who fought - it stirs up memories of events as well as people. For me, it brings back memories of events and friends who died in a self-serving, grubby defence of colonial robbery on a pretty grand scale!
That’s the story of Rhodesia - and now Zimbabwe. Land grab. Scene 1 is Cecil Rhodes, with his dream of painting Africa red (the colour of the British Empire) from Cape to Cairo. Imagine that - “Let’s own Africa!” Imagine being an ordinary black Zimbabwean. One day a group of white people arrive from a place you didn’t even know existed, heavily armed. They take your land and build a magnificent country (and Rhodesia was magnificent) - a country, though, in which your job is to live as a servant.
Scene 2 - enter Ian Smith. He comes to power in 1963 on a platform of “no racial integration” at a time when Britain is divesting itself of its colonies because they’ve become too politically expensive. This is as much of a land grab as Mugabe’s. It’s no less ruthlessly defended. The only difference is that it’s justified by efficiency - a strong economy, with phones that work and trains that run on time. But it’s robbery. And my generation is sent by my government, my parents and my church to kill and die for it. We’re to preserve Rhodesia for the whites at all costs.
That’s not what we’re told, of course! We’re told we’re fighting to preserve Christian democratic civilisation against the southward march of global, godless Communist expansionism. And so we go to war - bravely, brightly and sacrificially. We give our lives - and our futures. We grow old at 19 - old in things that no human being should have to grow old in. We grow old in memories that haunt those of us who survive - memories that resurface every 11 November.
I survived. I “did my bit”. And they gave me a medal - not for bravery, but simply to remind (as if I could ever forget) that I was there and part of it all. A medal - or an accusation? After all, look whose face is on it: Cecil John Rhodes!
by Lawrence on November 10, 2006
I came across a widget that turns your wordpress blog into a photoblog. It’s been developed by Johannes Jarolim and you can get hit from his site here. Not only has he developed it - he has a forum for users. And, ublike many forum owners, Johannes answers inane questions tirelessly, promptly and with good humour! Here’s what the plugin does:
- A non invasive WP-plugin that converts wp into a easy useable photoblog system
- Easy image upload - All wordpress post-features can be used
- On the fly thumbnail generation - Use multiple thumbnail sizes where and when you need them: Â Â Â Â Thumbnail generation gets controlled from the template.
- EXIF data processing and output
- Self-learning EXIF filter - Your own cameras tags can be selected to be viewed.
- Full i18n-Support through gnutext mo/po files
- Ping additional update-service-sites when posting a photoblog entry.
- Nearly every WP-theme can become a photoblog in virtually no time.
Thanks, Johannes. It’s people like you who keep the net alive.
by Lawrence on November 9, 2006
Mike Walsh has started blogging. His blog, the unlikely evangelist, is well worth a visit. He’s doing some important things with bible study. Go take a look and leave a comment.
by Lawrence on November 6, 2006
Here it is - mustard seeds in a permanent home! Hope you like the layout. Please leave a comment to say you’ve been. And if you’ve time, why not wander over to my lectionary site, disclosing new worlds? Enjoy your visit here!
by Lawrence on August 30, 2006
Leonard Cohen has been called “The poet of the heart”. He’s certainly written some stunning love songs! But, for my money, he’s also written some of the most profoundly true theological lyrics I have come across. Take his song Anthem, for instance. It’s a song that deals with brokenness and grace. Cohen understands more clearly than anyone I know what Paul means when he talks about God’s strength “being made perfect in weakness”. Look at the words of the chorus:
Ring the bells that still will ring.
Forget your perfect offering -
there is a crack, a crack in everything.
That’s how the light gets in!
Isn’t that something? Forget perfection - you’re on a hiding to nowhere! And if God demands perfection as an “offering”, we’ve had it - we’re doomed to failure. It is of the nature of things that they are cracked and broken. Perfection is a fruitless quest. It’s the counsel of despair for broken, sinful human beings. It’s unattainable and unsustainable. And yet there’s hope, because God is a God of grace. Grace means that we are not abandoned to darkness, brokenness and despair. There is an offering to be made - an acceptable offering. It is made in brokneness but in celebration of what is not completely broken (”the bells that still will ring”). And what about the cracks? Why, that’s how the Light gets in!
by Lawrence on August 17, 2006
I’m grateful to Dave Faulkner for the following:
The BBC completes tonight a three-part series on The Miracles Of Jesus, fronted by Rageh Omaar. Miracles are a topic of conversation. But as one preacher commented in 1999:
If Jesus were alive today, he wouldn’t be allowed to get away with half the miracles he performed. It’s not just that we live in such a sceptical, rationalist age. It’s all the red tape as well. Here are a few examples:
Turning water into wine
This would provoke immediate protests from the drinks industry, who would argue that it was unfair competition, amounting to a monopoly. It would also be denounced by various Christian bodies as irresponsible and likely to lead to drunkenness.
Feeding the multitude
Serving bread and fish to thousands of people at an outdoor event would require the approval of government health inspectors, to ensure that the food had been prepared by qualified food handlers in a hygienic environment. Baskets of leftovers would also need to be disposed of properly.
Walking on water
This could only be done if it were preceded by a disclaimer that nobody should try this at home, particularly not children or young people.
The miraculous catch of fish
Fish stocks are now rigorously conserved to protect against over-fishing, and such large catches would undoubtedly exceed the fishermen’s quotas, leading to stiff penalties.
Healing a man born blind
This apparent act of kindness would lead to all sorts of problems with the government Benefits Agency. All disability benefit would immediately be stopped, and the man in question would probably face an investigation into whether his previous claims had been genuine.
Raising the dead
Environmental health officers wouldn’t be happy about this one, as there are stringent rules governing the proper disposal of bodies. There would also be major difficulties when the recently deceased tried to use their credit cards.
[Simon Coupland, Spicing Up Your Speaking, #75 p187f.]
by Lawrence on August 17, 2006
Check out Ben Myers’ post on the worst liturgical innovations. He invites votes on them - and the responses make great reading! Add your own. Me? I went for the tacky liturgical greeting that I had to endure for a while in a church I was in: the minister welcomed us to the service in the name of Jesus Christ (acceptable!) but then asked us to “Turn to the person on your right and on your left, and greet them with the words, ‘Brother/sister, I love you with the love of the Lord!’” AAAAAARRRRRGHHHHHHH!!!!
