do we really think…

We live in an era saturated with branding, slogans, memes, pop iconography, subcultures, rampant pop media, fashion obsession, subcultures within subcultures within cultures, and a dominant worldview of citations, quotes, references – whether they be scientific, religious, literary, social, or even tribal.

Of late I’ve been thinking about what percentage of what we think is what WE ourselves actually think and what percentage of what we think is what others think?

I throw this out even though personally we may very strongly not think we think what others’ think influences us to think, say and do things?

… what do you think? … do we, or don’t we?

And what would it mean if we are offended at this thought or if our immediate response is that we haven’t really thought much about it?

the take on giving

giving is a one way motion

as is taking

 

a selfless action or intent

according to any expectation of return or reward

was never selfless in the first place

 

there will be an effect

there always is

and that effect could well be rewarding

but that reward would be selfless

never budgeted for

and this reward will come from another unexpected place

 

if we see it coming

if it was expected or anticipated

it was self-centered from the beginning

 

to give with the expectation of  reward or return

reveals the presence of a transactional process

whether conscious or not

 

it has always impressed me that in the ancient sacred texts

the blessings for obedience

as as well as the curses for disobedience

always overtake us

 

that which overtakes

comes from behind

it outpaces us

it overpowers us

overcomes us

even sweeps us away

to other places

other unexpected places

unintended unplanned for destinations

that will leave us wondering

 

in our market driven world

our self made markets

we go out and grab

we promote

ourselves

we promote others

that we might be promoted in return

 

we snatch and take

and we celebrate those who succeed in this

 

and the words of truth echo…

faintly it seems

and more faint every day

 

“the first shall be last…

and the last shall be first… ”  they say…

modern soul surfing – riding the west of a crave

The account recorded was of a wealthy man approaching Jesus with a personal yet public question.

“What must I do to be righteous” he said.

“What does it say and how do you understand it?” was Jesus’ response.

The wealthy man had amassed a good understanding of the requirements of the religious life and had even excelled in his adherence and application of it all.

Jesus never criticized him but continued the discussion by suggesting that as commendable as this was there was one main thing that he lacked … that he take all his worldly possessions and wealth, sell it all, and give the money away to the poor and then after having done this to return to follow the practical ways of the Christ.

The man was very wealthy and turned away at this suggestion and never followed Jesus - however, I’m fairly sure that he continued in his religious fervour as clearly it had acquired him great wealth and social favour.

We live in a modern world that is profoundly dominated by a western culture of superficial sensationalism and even rampant materialistic consumerism.

I wonder what my response to Jesus would be if he suggested the one main thing I personally lacked in my spiritual walk? I wonder how much of what I presently allow and conveniently justify in my life would severely challenge the very nature of the relationship we have and the way forward from that point onwards?

pop! goes the gospel

i can’t help but wonder just how much of Jesus is still left in the jesus culture we have created?

pop! goes the gospel!

 

for he’s a jolly good fellow!

 

… and so say all of us!

hip,

hip!

…hooray!

the thinker?

Reason –  the basis or motive for an action, decision, or conviction (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/reason)

 

There’s this much cherished passage in the ancient texts that has God recorded as saying to a deviant and fallen mankind, “come, let us reason together…”

 

What was God asking here?

Can we reason?

And if so is the reason we apply really objective at all?… and if it is, can we really make a rational decision one way or another?

 

Whatever we do, whether good or bad will have a basis or motive for that action.  To my mind this is not in question.  However, whether the basis or motive we apply in any given situation is conscious or subconscious, intentional or ‘instinctual’ is for me a most interesting challenge.

Can we reasonably believe that we are in control of our thoughts and actions cognitively?  Or does basic reason suggest that we are driven by other things … even things we are not even aware of? …perhaps deep things from many diverse, possibly even unfathomable sources?

 

There is a basis and a motive every time when we act as well as when we react … but what is it?  Perhaps we would go mad if we even tried to understand what these are?

 

Clearly we spend a lot of time trying to persuade others of our point of view

 

Maybe all we are doing is trying to persuade ourselves?

 

encore!!

We go to a very reputable restaurant and order the master or head chef’s speciality.  We so enjoy the meal that we simply can not stop celebrating the culinary experience we had just had, so when the waiter comes to clear the dishes we express our delight … but just telling the waiter is clearly not adequate praise for the meal.  So we ask for the manager or even the chef himself to be summonsed that we might tell them directly.

I wonder what would happen if when the manager and/or the head chef arrived at our table we all stood to our feet and shouted,

“Bravo!” “Well done!!” “Excellent!” “Encore!”

… and then one of us started a slow hand clap whilst the whole table began to bang their hands on the table top shouting out louder and louder,

…“more!” “more!” “moRE!” “mORE!” “MORE!” “MORE!”… in a deafening crescendo and did not stop until the chef had scuttled back to the kitchen to quickly improvise a delectable extra helping for the whole table?

Perhaps the most appropriate way to celebrate the decades of culinary skill and expertise as well as the intricate planning and preparation for the evenings delightful entertainment might be to tip the artiste generously – at least in keeping with our great pleasure, to appropriately express our appreciation and indeed honour for the excellence of the occasion.  Thereafter perhaps we could even tell as many as we see fit of our wonderful experience and encourage them to also go and experience it for themselves first hand.  Perhaps we could even go repeatedly ourselves to relive the amazing cultural experience…

The meal cost the chef a specified amount, in terms of the practical costs of the foodstuffs and all other supplies needed but also in terms of years training and personal preparation and skill.

I wonder what the encore would cost him?

I am a professional musician and…

here’s looking at me, kid

For me quite an important aspect of living a life above the noisy dust of the frantic and confused herd is captured in a passage out of  Paul’s epistle to the Roman church.

This passage urges us to not conform to the patterns of this world but rather to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

I feel we live in an unreal world of hype, smoke and plenty of mirrors.  Everyone seems to be huffing and puffing, trying to sell something and make as much noise as possible in the process.   what’s more, we don’t only sell stuff, we sell ourselves.

We raise our voices in the market place to try drown out all opposition so that we can seize center stage, get the attention and do the deal.  Perhaps the reasoning behind this bustle of activity is the belief that the squeaking wheel gets the oil?  and that if we so overpower them with persistent in-their-face-ism we will convince them to be convinced about us?  Or maybe it’s that we actually don’t really believe – in ourselves, our product, perhaps even in our place under the sun or in God’s ability to sustain us as we humbly go our way – … so we shout louder and louder to convince ourselves … and others?

On facebook I have been alarmed at how much of this personal marketing process is shown to have  begun to saturate us in our interactions with each other.  We are preyed on by the owners of the social networks, their clients the advertisers…  and we also prey on each other.  We pepper our own and others profile walls with our personal marketing schemes.

As a way of protest and retaliation to the way I personally have been violated by this barrage of self-selling I (with not a little humorous tongue in cheek but yet with serious intent) posted a status warning people I would add them to an obnoxious group of my own making.

And here is the description of my group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/149728498460808/

This Group is a protest page for and against those who qualify themselves as members of such a group by thoughtlessly joining others to their group/event/cause/page/scheme/need, etc. without the dignity of respectfully, privately and personally inviting the person and waiting to receive some form of willing agreement.
It’s also for those who shamelessly market themselves at the expense of those they claim to be their “friends” or pestering them to “LIKE” them or their group/event/cause/page/scheme/ etc… … and who bombard others (their “friends”) with constant cries of “look at me,” “buy my product,” “support me,” “like me,” etc.. with seemingly very little or no awareness of their own self-centred vanity (as if the marketing bombardment of the corporate consumer slave-driving worthless commodity peddling corporations is not already relentlessly beating everyone into helpless submission and then total subjugation).

If you are “joined to the group” without your personal consent and made a member then “feel the love” and revel in the fact that it is an honorary title you now hold.

CONGRATULATIONS!!
You are one of them!!!  YAY!!
… and please, don’t try deny it…
… YOU DESERVE IT!!

But, this is not the mark of the beast YET! … you see, you CAN be removed, but it will necessitate you acknowledging this about yourself and posting a public apology on the wall of the person you disrespectfully “joined” to your “group” or “cause” without respecting them by asking for their their active, willing and personal consent.

Along with the “Secrecy Bill, “Big Brother,” the Church Police and your next door neighour “we” will be watching closely and keeping a record so don’t try to cheat and sneakily delete your membership (because if you do, you’ll simply be added again) … if you are unrepentant as the famous song goes, .. “… you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave… “.

Have a nice day now and please don’t forget to “LIKE” this page?

 

the roll of reconciliation

now I am aware that this is merely a local fellowships sincere attempt at spreading the gospel as best they know how and that clearly not much thought other than the urgent need to perform the task at hand was entered into

however,very often in our unguarded moments our real nature is clearly revealed and who we are leaks out for all but ourselves to see

could this be the tragicomic reality and state of where the present church has got itself to?

“refreshments and boerwors rolls on SALE” shares equal billing prominence to being reconciled with, and the worship of God

we are clearly admonished to not be conformed to the patterns of this world but instead to be transformed by the renewing of our minds

has it perhaps got to the stage where we could even be setting the pace and giving the systems of the world a lesson in priorities and product marketing?

the wind is calling the rain to come

We’ve had a few ultra glorious days in the Nelson Mandela Bay area and this morning, after days of wonderfully warm winter stillness the wind picked up and was suddenly gusting at about 30km/h.

 

An elderly Xhosa man and I were chatting this morning and in the course of our conversation he remarked on the sudden turn in the weather saying,

 

“the wind is calling the rain to come.”

 

what the hell happened?

Perhaps we have missed something here?  I’m not too sure that we haven’t lost the plot completely.

There’s this crazy statement that Jesus makes that declares that it is better for us that he disappears and goes away so that a spirit comes in his place.  For the disciples this was very alarming but for Jesus there was an expectant urgency to it all.  He explains that this change will mean that more will be achieved, more will be understood, more will be revealed, more will be displayed, and many more reached and impacted.

A spirit?

What was he talking about?

What could he be referring to?

An ethereal presence of disputed form and function?

A concept?

A metaphor?

An idea?

A memory of a great man once alive but now dead?

A principle?

The disciples were almost completely in the dark.  The only spirit they knew of was what they had heard about from the law and the prophets and this spirit mostly caused all manner of trouble.

Usually the prophets were possessed by this spirit and then they mostly did and said things that upset people around them, revealing stuff that was not right in the lives of people, often declaring gloom and doom, challenging the way things were, attacking the status quo, even destroying nations and bringing judgement on people and things.  It was scary stuff being in contact with anyone who was in contact with this spirit.

And now Jesus is talking about this same spirit or another similar spirit who will be a comforter, one who will walk with them, each and every one of them.  This spirit will reveal things to them, talk to them, show them things, explain things, even tell them deep and mysterious secrets and do amazing things through them.

A spirit?

Yes, that’s what he said.

Surely his being forever here of this planet, establishing an undisputed point of presence and building a solid community of followers would have been the most effective and powerful next step?  Jesus, the eternal one walking amongst us for thousands and thousands of years.  Touching and healing millions physically, bringing peace and prosperity to the whole world.  Overturning political empires and overcoming the ruling world powers.  Indestructible, all powerful, all knowing, teaching and instructing, performing miracles every day, drawing vast multitudes into the Kingdom of God.

But no, it was better for us that he go and in his place, a spirit will come.

And no one had a clue what he was talking about.

Yet this is what he said.  A spirit.  An untouchable presence to lead us on.  He had made reference to something  like it in the recent past as he walked and talked amongst them, but it was a bit vague and difficult to understand.

He had suggested things like movement, power, mystery.  Just like the wind, giving no idea of where it comes from nor where it’s going.  An unchaseable force, suddenly there, and then suddenly gone, or not.

With access to everyone and anyone.  With access to anything.  A spirit, like the wind, like the very breath of God, coming and going at will.  Handing out strange abilities to the most unlikely of people.  Causing inexplicable things to happen through the strangest of people.  A spirit with no submissive allegiance to any person, answerable to no man nor group of men.  A wind-like spirit, untouchable, undefinable, who can, will and does move in any way and at any time and also anywhere it chooses.  Uncontrollable, unstoppable, impenetrable, unpredictable, unyielding, surprising, disturbing, soothing.

But we insist on a man leading us, standing in front of us on a stationary platform, leaning on a stationary podium in a stationary building.  And we also insist on allowing that one man to speak almost exclusively to us and over us, telling us what to do, when to do it, why to do it, where and how to do it.  We even seem to insist on this one man hearing from God on our behalf, hearing the spirit of God for us and having almost exclusive access to the very heart, mind and will of God.

We cannot enter into discussion when he speaks, this is simply not done.  And besides, this would be rebellion or at best disobedience if we do.  And God help us is we are even suspected of having a different opinion let alone openly disagreeing.

How did we shut the spirit out?

How did we get to this?

And just who is more intoxicated? … this man or us?

And who needs who the most?

Clearly we don’t seem to need the spirit?