Planet Ark :r: "Britain's available wave power has been estimated to be around double the country's energy consumption"
'Nuff said? But if you would like to check out more reasons why this is a better idea than nukiller power ....
31 October 2004
The Queen's a green?
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | US must act over climate says Queen The story speaks for itself but deserves attention bringing to it.
Bush wins boost from terror tape
Guardian Unlimited | US elections 2004 |
Classical terrorist tactics: whatever you do must encourage increasingly repressive measures so as to alienate the people from your enemy. Bin Laden, I reckon, realises that Bush is the best bet for furthering the Al Qaeda agenda and that this kind of 'intervention' will favour Bush ... QED.
The interesting thing is the double bluff nature of the move.
Classical terrorist tactics: whatever you do must encourage increasingly repressive measures so as to alienate the people from your enemy. Bin Laden, I reckon, realises that Bush is the best bet for furthering the Al Qaeda agenda and that this kind of 'intervention' will favour Bush ... QED.
The interesting thing is the double bluff nature of the move.
Biological farmers look back to the future
Australian Broadcasting Corp: "'Insects, weeds, pests and disease are a lack of minerals in the system, not a lack of insecticide, herbicide, pesticide or fungicide,'"
Intersting article on -for want of a better term- biomimetic farming ... looks good.
Intersting article on -for want of a better term- biomimetic farming ... looks good.
The Biscuit Factory | Artists: John Watling
I don't knopw how long this link will stand for but look while it lasts. This artit's work is currently viewable at the Biscuit FActory in Newcastle upon Tyne. I visited it yesterday and came away inspired. John Watling's works are mostly -in this set of paintings- of Iona. Wonderful style. He picks up the kinds of detials in nature that really catch my attention but somehow he also makes them look like they are in a caribbean light.
McLibel: now inStrasbourg
McLibel: story: "May 2004, five years after the McLibel 2 last appeared in Court for their appeal, Helen and Dave were notified that the European Court had declared admissable their claim that the McLibel trial breached their Article 6 right to a fair trial and Article 10 right to freedom of expression."Basically they are asserting that the disparity of funding capability between themselves as private and poor citizens and a coprporation like McDonald's means that British libel laws are in effect a violation of their rights ... many of us know that laws on defamation in Britain are a bit creaky, perhaps this will begin to srot things out. Certainly the disparity between the parties in the 'McLibel' case was marked and a disincentive to the financially weaker parties pursuing their case for justice. The story of the case is referenced, should you need a refresher.
Who's Got the Brains?
Wired News: Dems, GOP: Who's Got the Brains? Interesting article about the results of MRI investigations relating to political figures. i wonder what you think about this?
" some differences appeared between the brain activity of Democrats and Republicans. Take empathy: One Democrat's brain lit up at an image of Kerry "with a profound sense of connection, like a beautiful sunset," Freedman said. Brain activity in a Republican shown an image of Bush was "more interpersonal, such as if you smiled at someone and they smiled back."
And when voters were shown a Bush ad that included images of the Sept. 11 attacks, the amygdala region of the brain — which lights up for most of us when we see snakes — illuminated more for Democrats than Republicans. The researchers' conclusion: At a subconscious level, Republicans were apparently not as bothered by what Democrats found alarming.
"People make tons of decisions and often they don't know why," Iacoboni said. "A lot of decision-making is unconscious, and brain imaging will be used in the near future to perceive and decide about politicians." "
The possiblity tha political views have some genesis in the way someone reacts to certain kinds of events is interesting. We are likely to see the grooming of candidates [and eventually the selection of candidates, I suspect] using data from such research.
Spiritual implications? Not sure yet. Brains are plastic and so the sheer fact of what is observed is not necessarily a life sentence; I suspect that 'repentance' is possible and that over time the 'reprogramming' of perceptions, reactions and follow-through is possible [and that is the territory of discipleship]. It is even possible that this will give us new tools in helping us to decide how to help people grow in Christlikeness. THe downside is that the same tools could be used to help people grow in 'unrighteous' ways too: the deadly sins could be reinforced. At one level this is nothing new: we are long used to Pauline approaches to change involving changing patterns of thinking etc. but now we can, to some extent, see what that might be about a little more.
Of course, someone has already done the obvious initial research into people's brains in meditation and prayer and although it can be a bit scary to contemplate at first, this research raises no substantially new issues; just that some Christians tend to get a bit nervous, probably mainly because science is too often seen and even used in faith unfriendly ways.
" some differences appeared between the brain activity of Democrats and Republicans. Take empathy: One Democrat's brain lit up at an image of Kerry "with a profound sense of connection, like a beautiful sunset," Freedman said. Brain activity in a Republican shown an image of Bush was "more interpersonal, such as if you smiled at someone and they smiled back."
And when voters were shown a Bush ad that included images of the Sept. 11 attacks, the amygdala region of the brain — which lights up for most of us when we see snakes — illuminated more for Democrats than Republicans. The researchers' conclusion: At a subconscious level, Republicans were apparently not as bothered by what Democrats found alarming.
"People make tons of decisions and often they don't know why," Iacoboni said. "A lot of decision-making is unconscious, and brain imaging will be used in the near future to perceive and decide about politicians." "
The possiblity tha political views have some genesis in the way someone reacts to certain kinds of events is interesting. We are likely to see the grooming of candidates [and eventually the selection of candidates, I suspect] using data from such research.
Spiritual implications? Not sure yet. Brains are plastic and so the sheer fact of what is observed is not necessarily a life sentence; I suspect that 'repentance' is possible and that over time the 'reprogramming' of perceptions, reactions and follow-through is possible [and that is the territory of discipleship]. It is even possible that this will give us new tools in helping us to decide how to help people grow in Christlikeness. THe downside is that the same tools could be used to help people grow in 'unrighteous' ways too: the deadly sins could be reinforced. At one level this is nothing new: we are long used to Pauline approaches to change involving changing patterns of thinking etc. but now we can, to some extent, see what that might be about a little more.
Of course, someone has already done the obvious initial research into people's brains in meditation and prayer and although it can be a bit scary to contemplate at first, this research raises no substantially new issues; just that some Christians tend to get a bit nervous, probably mainly because science is too often seen and even used in faith unfriendly ways.
We Pledge Allegiance to the Penguin
Wired 12.11: We Pledge Allegiance to the Penguin: "'A world opened up by communications cannot remain closed up in a feudal vision of property,'" -Brazil's minister of culture, Gilberto Gil. 
The more I become aware of open source issues the more I hear about Brazil; it's clearly a place to watch [10th nation in the world in terms of wealth but it's really very unequally distributed]. To get a sense of why this is a good article -it goes back to AIDS and drug patents. Quite an inspiring story in many ways.
The more I become aware of open source issues the more I hear about Brazil; it's clearly a place to watch [10th nation in the world in terms of wealth but it's really very unequally distributed]. To get a sense of why this is a good article -it goes back to AIDS and drug patents. Quite an inspiring story in many ways.
29 October 2004
Intro to Mimesis
Metanexus Institute Ever wondered what all this mimetic stuff I keep alluding to is about? Well, this article has a nice introduction to Girard and to the theory. Personally I think that it is a pretty important thing to get your head round -whether or not you agree with it or want to disagree with some of it, it is an important upcoming theory and alreaedy making an impact on some areas of theology [notably, at the moment, atonement and theological anthropology].
So this is your 'being well-read' call.
So this is your 'being well-read' call.
Monolith
Metanexus Institute
"This image is part of the museum exhibit “Approaching Chaos: Visions from the Quantum Frontier”
"This image is part of the museum exhibit “Approaching Chaos: Visions from the Quantum Frontier”
28 October 2004
Bush/Cheney '04: Because you don't change horsemen mid-apocalypse.
SojoMail: "Bush/Cheney '04: Because you don't change horsemen mid-apocalypse."
Someone's favourite car sticker... the article about toleranceand prospects for USA after the election.
Someone's favourite car sticker... the article about toleranceand prospects for USA after the election.
Landmark ruling as judge erases couple's debt
Guardian Unlimited Money | Credit and debt |
In my time I've had a bit to do with helping people where debt has spiralled out of control and I must say that it seems to me that this kind of thing is usurious; I do hope that the fall out from this ruling provokes some changes to the rules. I don't in principle think that charging fees for loans is a bad thing [even if they are based on percentages over time -ie interest -because at low rates interest seems like quite a good way to charge a fee]. What does need looking at is charging interest on arrears and penalty fees which is the big factor that leads to debts spiralling uncontrollably. Perhaps there should be a ceiling so that the total paid pbakc cannot be over a certain amount ... it's tough but what happened to this couple is clearly iniquitous and there should be a grown-up way to address the iniquity.
From the judge:
"'Where the rate concerned is as high as 34.9% it seems to me that the combination of factors is so potentially exorbitant that it is grossly so and does grossly contravene the ordinary principles of fair dealing.' He added: 'This is one of the few credit bargains which is extortionate.'"
In my time I've had a bit to do with helping people where debt has spiralled out of control and I must say that it seems to me that this kind of thing is usurious; I do hope that the fall out from this ruling provokes some changes to the rules. I don't in principle think that charging fees for loans is a bad thing [even if they are based on percentages over time -ie interest -because at low rates interest seems like quite a good way to charge a fee]. What does need looking at is charging interest on arrears and penalty fees which is the big factor that leads to debts spiralling uncontrollably. Perhaps there should be a ceiling so that the total paid pbakc cannot be over a certain amount ... it's tough but what happened to this couple is clearly iniquitous and there should be a grown-up way to address the iniquity.
From the judge:
"'Where the rate concerned is as high as 34.9% it seems to me that the combination of factors is so potentially exorbitant that it is grossly so and does grossly contravene the ordinary principles of fair dealing.' He added: 'This is one of the few credit bargains which is extortionate.'"
Pheonix Travel Mug > Reynbow Design | CafePress
Pheonix Travel Mug > Reynbow Design | CafePress 
My dauhter has just launched into design and brings you [well me] the Phoenix design for a mug [she knows I like to have my own at work -saves on plastic /styrofoam etc]. Make her day!
My dauhter has just launched into design and brings you [well me] the Phoenix design for a mug [she knows I like to have my own at work -saves on plastic /styrofoam etc]. Make her day!
Sorbonne curriculum change as a result of pressure
Issue no. 28 of the Post-Autistic Economics Review "There has been a PAE reform of the economics curriculum at the Sorbonne (Paris I)
“At our university (the leading one for economics in France) we have succeeded in cutting back the programs of micro, macro and maths, something that would have been inconceivable a few years ago. This is in the aid of an approach more open, more multidisciplinary. The ‘orthodoxes’ have rather easily given way, having, despite everything, interiorized the arguments advanced against them. In the colloquiums and in the press they feel obliged to justify what they do, thereby admitting at least in part the aptness of the ‘anti autistes’ criticisms.” Bernard Guerrien"
This is quietly very significant, imho. Perhaps, also this is the way it needs to be done so that economist [or whoever] are trained into ways that suit what we are learning about the way things are rather than the way that certain theories say they should be ...
“At our university (the leading one for economics in France) we have succeeded in cutting back the programs of micro, macro and maths, something that would have been inconceivable a few years ago. This is in the aid of an approach more open, more multidisciplinary. The ‘orthodoxes’ have rather easily given way, having, despite everything, interiorized the arguments advanced against them. In the colloquiums and in the press they feel obliged to justify what they do, thereby admitting at least in part the aptness of the ‘anti autistes’ criticisms.” Bernard Guerrien"
This is quietly very significant, imho. Perhaps, also this is the way it needs to be done so that economist [or whoever] are trained into ways that suit what we are learning about the way things are rather than the way that certain theories say they should be ...
The disenfranchised -again
Continuing my reflections on the fact that most of the poeple who will be most deeply impacted by the USA's presidential elections cannot vote because they are not USAyers ...
"Africa roots for Kerry. Few premiers are so undiplomatic as to say it publicly but commentators and ordinary people across the continent are loud and proud in voicing support for the Democrat. It is not that they know or like him. Besides promising a more robust challenge to Sudanese abuses in Darfur Kerry has said little about Africa. Nor are they especially impressed by his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, romanticising her upbringing in Mozambique and South Africa. It is enough that Kerry is not Bush. "
Its about Iraq, unilateralism, contempt for the UN ... all of which make Africans nervous and raise spectres of colonialist attitudes. The reality may be that whoever is in charge it won't actually make that much difference to Africa unles there's a sea-change in what is actually done as opposed to what is trailed.
"Africa roots for Kerry. Few premiers are so undiplomatic as to say it publicly but commentators and ordinary people across the continent are loud and proud in voicing support for the Democrat. It is not that they know or like him. Besides promising a more robust challenge to Sudanese abuses in Darfur Kerry has said little about Africa. Nor are they especially impressed by his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, romanticising her upbringing in Mozambique and South Africa. It is enough that Kerry is not Bush. "
Its about Iraq, unilateralism, contempt for the UN ... all of which make Africans nervous and raise spectres of colonialist attitudes. The reality may be that whoever is in charge it won't actually make that much difference to Africa unles there's a sea-change in what is actually done as opposed to what is trailed.
27 October 2004
God's purpose for us
I liked this article, though the folksy addressing of the reader as "friends" several times feels a bit corny, don't let that put you off. Discipleship Journal -the source of this article- is a Campus Crusade for Christ offshoot publication and so is heavily evangelical with an emphasis on personal growth in Christ. It does it well and is a reasonable showcase of humane 'classical' evangelicalism.
The heart of the article is -I think- this paragraph:
"The ultimate good is not happiness in this life … not that souls will rush to know the Savior … not even that finally Christ will be more glorified (though these things may result). No. The good that Ro. 8:28 is talking about is that we be like Jesus. Fashioned in His image. Conformed to be like Him. To paraphrase it: All things work together for the ultimate good purpose of making us like Jesus."
It is a useful reflection to put into perspective those issues around suffering, God's action or inaction inour lives, prayers that are not answered etc. Certainly not the last word but a useful meditation and a helpful addition to our resources in dealing with these issues.I certainly ofound it not only helpful but a renewed call to keep my eyes on the ball, so to speak.
Consuming Faith
Consuming Faith: I wonder whether some of my readers wonder where my concern about economic things like the last post comes from. Is this just political activism or is it really something to do with faith? Well, my perspective is fairly close to that in the referenced article written by Tom Beaudoin. So this is my pause for thought by way of comment on what I posted only a few minutes ago.
"when I turned back to scripture to see how Jesus of Nazareth dealt with economics, I was shocked at what I found. Jesus very seldom talks about God's final judgment, about 'heaven' and 'hell,' but when he does, as his way of talking about what is most important in a life of spiritual maturity before God, he does something interesting. He almost always talks about intimacy with God in the next life as bound up with one's economic relationships in this life. He speaks of a wealthy man who ignores a poor man at his gate finding himself later in hell, crying out to the poor man for help. He talks about those who use their resources of time and money to visit prisoners and clothe the naked as going on to a final happiness with God, and those who do not as having failed to love God and live a truly human life. Jesus was not focused on whom one is sleeping with, whether one has properly obeyed religious authorities, or how religious institutions can preserve themselves. He saw economic relationships as ultimate expressions of one's true faith"
"when I turned back to scripture to see how Jesus of Nazareth dealt with economics, I was shocked at what I found. Jesus very seldom talks about God's final judgment, about 'heaven' and 'hell,' but when he does, as his way of talking about what is most important in a life of spiritual maturity before God, he does something interesting. He almost always talks about intimacy with God in the next life as bound up with one's economic relationships in this life. He speaks of a wealthy man who ignores a poor man at his gate finding himself later in hell, crying out to the poor man for help. He talks about those who use their resources of time and money to visit prisoners and clothe the naked as going on to a final happiness with God, and those who do not as having failed to love God and live a truly human life. Jesus was not focused on whom one is sleeping with, whether one has properly obeyed religious authorities, or how religious institutions can preserve themselves. He saw economic relationships as ultimate expressions of one's true faith"
Danger: 750 million poor people at risk from new trade deal
Danger: 750 million poor people at risk from new trade deal 
Campaign action for the week. I followed this up with an amended email to Patricia hewitt on this issue giving my understanding of the unfairness of this particular EU action. I encourage you to do simililarly.
Here's what I wrote:
"Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) will probably increase poverty and rather than benefit poor countries drive them deeper into a debt/primary commodity-producer spiral. I note that Britain and other countries have historically been able to protect fledgling and developing industries and now reap the benefit. I hope that we will allow developing ocuntries the same opportunity
I call on you to support the rights of ACP governments to protect and develop their industries and urge you to work within the EU to:
- Stop using EPAs to force ACP countries to further open up their economies while they are yet unready tomeet the competitive demands set de facto by more mature economies.
- Stop using EPAs to push through issues that developing countries have already rejected at world trade talks. This is underhand and unworthy and amounts to bullying. Not in my name!
- Reform WTO rules to allow fairer alternatives to EPAs to be negotiated."
Campaign action for the week. I followed this up with an amended email to Patricia hewitt on this issue giving my understanding of the unfairness of this particular EU action. I encourage you to do simililarly.
Here's what I wrote:
"Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) will probably increase poverty and rather than benefit poor countries drive them deeper into a debt/primary commodity-producer spiral. I note that Britain and other countries have historically been able to protect fledgling and developing industries and now reap the benefit. I hope that we will allow developing ocuntries the same opportunity
I call on you to support the rights of ACP governments to protect and develop their industries and urge you to work within the EU to:
- Stop using EPAs to force ACP countries to further open up their economies while they are yet unready tomeet the competitive demands set de facto by more mature economies.
- Stop using EPAs to push through issues that developing countries have already rejected at world trade talks. This is underhand and unworthy and amounts to bullying. Not in my name!
- Reform WTO rules to allow fairer alternatives to EPAs to be negotiated."
26 October 2004
Dire warnings from global warming report
SocietyGuardian.co.uk | Society Environment |report: "As much as �200bn-worth of "property and infrastructure including 2m homes could be at risk from flooding and coastal erosion by the middle of the century, the projection suggests. The cost of buildings subsidence, exacerbated by weather extremes, could top £600m a year and storm damage could add another £800m to annual insurance claims."
Not the first time this kind of thing has been reported but here is a report to back up the more conjectural aspects. Figures relate to UK. Lists and enumerates a wide variety of changes likely including insects and village greens.
Not the first time this kind of thing has been reported but here is a report to back up the more conjectural aspects. Figures relate to UK. Lists and enumerates a wide variety of changes likely including insects and village greens.
World Sales of Solar Cells Jump 32 Percent
Eco-Economy Indicators 2004: : 
There've been indications of this and here are the stats. One thing in addition caught my attention:
"While the off-grid sector was the initial major market for solar cells, the grid-connected sector has grown significantly since 1996, after the implementation of the 70,000 Roofs Program in Japan. In 2003, the grid-connected sector represented 77 percent of the total market worldwide."
There've been indications of this and here are the stats. One thing in addition caught my attention:
"While the off-grid sector was the initial major market for solar cells, the grid-connected sector has grown significantly since 1996, after the implementation of the 70,000 Roofs Program in Japan. In 2003, the grid-connected sector represented 77 percent of the total market worldwide."
Sustainable Energy in the Developing World
WorldChanging: Another World Is Here: Sustainable Energy in the Developing World:
Nice intro to the issues raising some of the things that we tend not to know, eg:
"more rural people in Kenya get electricity from PV than the grid but there's no coordination between the grid and the distribution of PV"
So, as you can see, more than a one-dimensional view.
And again: "The crucial problem is less reading light and a radio/TV/computer than a safe, efficient, and non-polluting stove. If we can do that, some space heating (or a hearth) would be nice."
-It's easy to forget that solutions have to be based on what people need not what we think would be nice.
Nice intro to the issues raising some of the things that we tend not to know, eg:
"more rural people in Kenya get electricity from PV than the grid but there's no coordination between the grid and the distribution of PV"
So, as you can see, more than a one-dimensional view.
And again: "The crucial problem is less reading light and a radio/TV/computer than a safe, efficient, and non-polluting stove. If we can do that, some space heating (or a hearth) would be nice."
-It's easy to forget that solutions have to be based on what people need not what we think would be nice.
25 October 2004
Wired News: Raise the Roof: Power Source
Wired News: Raise the Roof: Power Source: "One company is aiming its product at the consumer who lives in 'low light' conditions." -Which is certainly significant for us northern Europeans ... Interesting possibilities start to arise for Chruch buildings here, I think. Their low usage means that they could find onsite generation quite lucrative if combined with building repairs or necessary maintainance and especially where grants may be involved.
bilogical computing
Wired News: Is That a Pilot in Your Pocket? It is me or is there something creepy and Frankensteinish about this? I'm not hormally luddite but I am pausing over this. Don't get me wrong: I don't think that this is any threat to notions of ensoulment but just that fact that . I think that this is related to the report here about microchips with a biological interface. I can't quite locate the source of my disquiet. I don't have objections to biological computing. I suspect that it's the idea of growing neurons in a petrie dish and linking them up to a machine. I suspect that it is the idea that we could be 'growing' a sentient being as a kind of slave, a kind of ghost in the the machine. Needs more reflection.
WorldChanging: Another World Is Here: Think of it as Insurance
WorldChanging: Another World Is Here: Think of it as Insurance a way of thinking about carbon tax in th elight of global climate realties. May even be able to be agnostic about causes ...
22 October 2004
NEWater
Salon.com Life | Would you drink this water?: "NEWater is the product of Singapore's new water-treatment system, and it is wastewater that has been purified through advanced synthetic membranes called ZeeWeed"Given climate change we could need this kind of thing ...
Dr. Tony Campolo on marriage and gay-ity
An Interview With Dr. Tony Campolo by Brian MunzGet this quote and then realise that Tony Campolo is not in favour of Gay partnerships being seen as Christian options but is in favour of truth and justice. I have to say that I think that what he says here is spot on. PArticularly as I've been doing some reading lately on heterosexuality and marriage ..
"So do you think that President Bush is doing the wrong thing by trying to amend the constitution?
TC: Well, I think that what he called the “Defense of Marriage Act” is ridiculous because I've got news for you-- it's not the gays that are getting divorced, it's the heterosexuals. If you want a defense of marriage bill, you will begin to put some restrictions on who can get divorces and how they get divorces. The problem with American families right now is not that the homosexuals want to get married, it's that the heterosexuals are getting divorced. It's about time that we faced up to the facts. It's a superficial, pious hypocrisy when the heterosexual divorced people in churches stand up and say, “We don't want gays to get married.” I don't want them to get married either, but I've got to tell you, the Bible doesn't say anything about homosexual marriages...well, I shouldn't say that. Jesus doesn't say anything about homosexual marriages. He does say some very specific things about people that are divorced and who get remarried. I want to know why we can be so hard on people who are coming into relationships that Jesus never even mentions and so kind to people that are in marital relationships that Jesus specifically condemns. "
"So do you think that President Bush is doing the wrong thing by trying to amend the constitution?
TC: Well, I think that what he called the “Defense of Marriage Act” is ridiculous because I've got news for you-- it's not the gays that are getting divorced, it's the heterosexuals. If you want a defense of marriage bill, you will begin to put some restrictions on who can get divorces and how they get divorces. The problem with American families right now is not that the homosexuals want to get married, it's that the heterosexuals are getting divorced. It's about time that we faced up to the facts. It's a superficial, pious hypocrisy when the heterosexual divorced people in churches stand up and say, “We don't want gays to get married.” I don't want them to get married either, but I've got to tell you, the Bible doesn't say anything about homosexual marriages...well, I shouldn't say that. Jesus doesn't say anything about homosexual marriages. He does say some very specific things about people that are divorced and who get remarried. I want to know why we can be so hard on people who are coming into relationships that Jesus never even mentions and so kind to people that are in marital relationships that Jesus specifically condemns. "
Quiet times
Interesting blog post about how evangelicals may miss doing what the 'recipe' says. I weighed in with:
Perhaps it may help to remember that historically the pattern you are trying to emulate hasn’t been on the block for long. Only since the invention of movable-type printing some 600 years ago and only really since evangelical piety took hold of the possibilities of this technological advance and combined it with a particular approach to scripture and Christian life made possible by the Enlightenment and -hey presto!- you have the evangelical quiet time. Previously things were more hit-and miss but included things lke going to church on market days, daily mass, wandering preachers, family devotions etc etc -note how many of those things are corporate too …
What may be needed is an audit of where/when/how you do feel most connected to God and also what you sense is the next bit of your growth under God? Then with that tentative understanding can emerge a pattern for relating to God that is intentional and goes with the grain of who you are and what God is actually doing with you at the moment and it may not be the quiet time. Heck -I was called to stop intercessory/petitionary prayer once for a season because God seemed to be saying it was getting in the way of enjoying His presence and grace.
On reflection thsi sounded a bit directive and 'father knows best',
I followed up with.
Just read my comments back -apologies that it may have come over a bit big brotherly! Anyway reacting to the introvert/extrovert thing. I think that’s spot on: we need to recognise it. For me the best Bible reflection is corporate, and I like to build it in regularly when I have the chance [certain kinds of daily office can do this if there is time for reflection out loud given]. Which reminds me that one way to do this can be to take yourself off regularly to an Anglican church, say, and join in regular morning or evening prayer each day.
On the other hand -returning to extraverts etc- we often find that God speaks quite powerfully to us in our least preferred personality dimensions. But it’s less easy to plan for that we need to as a general rule, run with the grain of our personality.
What we need to do really, I suspect, is to have someone help us to take stock of our lives so that we can weave into the fabric of it a strand of explicit converse with God, through scripture and prayer, that actually fits with the pattern of our lives rather than pinned like a badge or broach to it. We may need to be creative: redeem time spent in communting by using an iPod or similar to play scripture, music or daily offices, or reading a book or listening to things in the car. We may need to recognise that we are coporate and build that in [joining morning prayer at a nearby church or a lunchtime communion or somesuch]. It's a kind of life coaching approach: look at the context and the goals and make plans accordingly that are specific and do-able. Then review and readjust according to what we learn about trying it the first time[s].
Law on renewable energy in China
Law on renewable energy in pipeline:
From here, China's seriousness aobut renewables seems fairly impressive and long-sighted. See what you think. It is also very significant globally as it will almost certainly be a major factor in reducing costs of reneables.
"The Outline of China's Energy Programme states clearly that the government will 'enhance environmental protection and strive to reduce the impact of energy production and consumption on the environment.'
China's legislation on renewable energy is certainly not an expedient measure to solve the problem of power shortage but more forward-looking."
From here, China's seriousness aobut renewables seems fairly impressive and long-sighted. See what you think. It is also very significant globally as it will almost certainly be a major factor in reducing costs of reneables.
"The Outline of China's Energy Programme states clearly that the government will 'enhance environmental protection and strive to reduce the impact of energy production and consumption on the environment.'
China's legislation on renewable energy is certainly not an expedient measure to solve the problem of power shortage but more forward-looking."
what they should teach at the vicar factory
Church Marketing Sucks: More Marketing Savvy, Less TheologyQuote of a quote of a quote:
"Tony Campolo, in Adventures in Missing the Point: How the Church neutered the Gsopel, a book he co-authored with Brian McLaren, gives some poignant comments on church marketing. In their chapter titled "Seminary," Campolo says this:
What if the credits eaten up by subjects seminarians seldom if ever use after graduation were instead devoted to more subjects they will actually need in churches – like business and marketing courses? It is not true that with a gifted preacher, a church will inevitably grow. Good sermons may get visitors to stay once they come, but getting folks to come in the first place may take some marketing expertise.
It was a marketing degree, not an M.Div., that Bill Hybels had when he launched the tiny fellowship that would one day be Willow Creek Community Church. It's not that Hybels is a theological lightweight, contrary to some critics. His sermons are biblically sound and brilliantly relevant to the needs of his congregation – and the relevance comes not from giftedness or theological discernment, but from thoughtfully studying his congregation. As any good marketer would, Hybels deliberately surveys his people with questionnaires in order to determine what they worry about, what their needs are, what's important to them. During the summer months he reflects on their responses, studies the Bible for how it speaks to their issues, and reads extensively about the same issues. Then he schedules what subjects he will preach on in the coming year, and circulates the schedule to those on his team responsible for music and drama in the services.
The result is preaching that is utterly biblical and acutely relevant. But the process isn't something you'll learn in most seminaries. Maybe it's time that some business school courses find their way into seminary."
I am here in Durham occasionally attending classes and events at a theological college ['seminary' to USAers] because my wife is training for diaconal and presbyteral orders at Cramner Hall, St.John's College in Durham. So I'm in the position of being an unemployed priest married to a trainee priest. It's interesting to be loking, perhaps more critically, at the process of ministerial formation.
Some comments; it seems to have got more narrowly academic. I think that in proinciple I don't mind academic rigour; good thinking is a good thing. what I'm objecting to is the way that it's narrowed. it seems like on the whole, only essays show competence. Where are the means ot assess using different media of expression? It is possible but somehow, perhaps due to pressure on academics, the imagination to think how learning outcomes can be evidenced in other ways and so written into the design of courses has been lost or surpressed.
Naturally we want ministers who are as theologically astute as possible and so we want them to do all kinds 'traditional' theology and some not so traditional too. But then we only fund two years of training so it is squeezed even before we start to think about the kinds of stuff Tony Campolo is recommending.
I may write more on this at another point but for now I want to raise the question; what else do we think it would be useful for minsiterial training and formation to include? Tony Campolo suggests something like entrepreneurship, I would suggest that conflict resolution would be an excellent idea, and you suggest ...?
Bush supporters' strange reality: folie a deux
PIPA - What's New
This is a concerning piece of research; it appears that USAmerican Republicans have all kinds of out-ot-touch-with-reality views:that Iraq was supporting Al Qaida, that most people outsied the USA think that Bush and the USA were on the right lines and that most of us favour Bush's realection [recent figures say otherwise], that WMD did exist in Iraq, and -get this- "Majorities incorrectly assume that Bush supports multilateral approaches to various international issues--the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (69%), the treaty banning land mines (72%)--and for addressing the problem of global warming: 51% incorrectly assume he favors US participation in the Kyoto treaty. After he denounced the International Criminal Court in the debates, the perception that he favored it dropped from 66%, but still 53% continue to believe that he favors it. An overwhelming 74% incorrectly assumes that he favors including labor and environmental standards in trade agreements. In all these cases, majorities of Bush supporters favor the positions they impute to Bush."
It's an interesting case of style over substance and hearing what they want to hear. This is postmodern politics [?] The interesting reflection beyond all of this is that modern communications are clearly shackled to some extent: the failure to communicate what appear to be quite fundamental policy stances to supporters seems almost unbelievable. The report that these figures come from suggests that the bonding with Bush after the fall of the twin towers [I refrain from illogical USAmerican dating to characterise the event] is the chief driver of these misperceptions. If I get it right, I think that logic of it is something like; Bush did good after the twin towers thing, he's a good man and a good president. These policies are good, therefore, being a good president, Bush must favour them.
IT's an easy thing to get into; on one or two occasions I have encouraged people to see their local clergy over some issue or other, recommending them from my own experience and pretty much extrapolating on the basis of my experience of them only to discover that their actual approach to things is somewhat differnt in practice from the assumption I made on the bais of finding them to be reasonable. I made the assumption that their being reasonable meant that they would be reasonable in the same way as I would.
There's something in this of human sociability. Our 'instinct' to bond and to imitate and to presume imitation and to begin to harmonise is vital for group cohesiveness, but it can lead us astray. at its extreme we get a folie a deux where the bonding creates its own reality which may get further and further from the reality most of the rest of us experience. I believe that this relates to our being made in the image of God: a God who is community. I think that it is of the nature of love to take the part of the beloved and to believe the best of them [1Cor13.4-7]. The down side is that this perichoretic relating can be subverted so that rather than carrying good things between the community members, bad things are exchanged; poisons slow or quick.
I personally think that this is what the main mechanism for the tranmission of original sin is. We are born with the need and ability to make relationships and we take our default and foundational learning through the agency of this ability [there's plenty of research supports this]. Unfortunately in our world as it now is this is a poisoned well which, while it nourishes us, also introduces the toxins to us. We cannot avoid it since we cannot grow up without being formed by other human beings who are themselves the tranmitters of the toxin of OS ... It is both necessary [because we cannot but be formed by others] and contingent [because, in a sense, it could be otherwise] at once.
This is a concerning piece of research; it appears that USAmerican Republicans have all kinds of out-ot-touch-with-reality views:that Iraq was supporting Al Qaida, that most people outsied the USA think that Bush and the USA were on the right lines and that most of us favour Bush's realection [recent figures say otherwise], that WMD did exist in Iraq, and -get this- "Majorities incorrectly assume that Bush supports multilateral approaches to various international issues--the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (69%), the treaty banning land mines (72%)--and for addressing the problem of global warming: 51% incorrectly assume he favors US participation in the Kyoto treaty. After he denounced the International Criminal Court in the debates, the perception that he favored it dropped from 66%, but still 53% continue to believe that he favors it. An overwhelming 74% incorrectly assumes that he favors including labor and environmental standards in trade agreements. In all these cases, majorities of Bush supporters favor the positions they impute to Bush."
It's an interesting case of style over substance and hearing what they want to hear. This is postmodern politics [?] The interesting reflection beyond all of this is that modern communications are clearly shackled to some extent: the failure to communicate what appear to be quite fundamental policy stances to supporters seems almost unbelievable. The report that these figures come from suggests that the bonding with Bush after the fall of the twin towers [I refrain from illogical USAmerican dating to characterise the event] is the chief driver of these misperceptions. If I get it right, I think that logic of it is something like; Bush did good after the twin towers thing, he's a good man and a good president. These policies are good, therefore, being a good president, Bush must favour them.
IT's an easy thing to get into; on one or two occasions I have encouraged people to see their local clergy over some issue or other, recommending them from my own experience and pretty much extrapolating on the basis of my experience of them only to discover that their actual approach to things is somewhat differnt in practice from the assumption I made on the bais of finding them to be reasonable. I made the assumption that their being reasonable meant that they would be reasonable in the same way as I would.
There's something in this of human sociability. Our 'instinct' to bond and to imitate and to presume imitation and to begin to harmonise is vital for group cohesiveness, but it can lead us astray. at its extreme we get a folie a deux where the bonding creates its own reality which may get further and further from the reality most of the rest of us experience. I believe that this relates to our being made in the image of God: a God who is community. I think that it is of the nature of love to take the part of the beloved and to believe the best of them [1Cor13.4-7]. The down side is that this perichoretic relating can be subverted so that rather than carrying good things between the community members, bad things are exchanged; poisons slow or quick.
I personally think that this is what the main mechanism for the tranmission of original sin is. We are born with the need and ability to make relationships and we take our default and foundational learning through the agency of this ability [there's plenty of research supports this]. Unfortunately in our world as it now is this is a poisoned well which, while it nourishes us, also introduces the toxins to us. We cannot avoid it since we cannot grow up without being formed by other human beings who are themselves the tranmitters of the toxin of OS ... It is both necessary [because we cannot but be formed by others] and contingent [because, in a sense, it could be otherwise] at once.
21 October 2004
FedEx to Build 2nd-Largest US Private Solar System
Planet Ark : FedEx to Build 2nd-Largest US Private Solar System: "'We should do this because it makes economic sense and because it makes environmental sense,' said Mitch Jackson, FedEx's environmental director"
It may not be noble ideals but it is a step in the right direction. Let's face it; if this green stuf is going to work it's going to be because it makes bottom-line sense. Worth noting the role of state subsidy too...
It may not be noble ideals but it is a step in the right direction. Let's face it; if this green stuf is going to work it's going to be because it makes bottom-line sense. Worth noting the role of state subsidy too...
London -green capital of Europe?
Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Global quest for 'Mr Green' ends just down the road: They've jsut apointed the man with the mission: "turn London into the 'green capital of Europe'." He's got a track-record too: did wonders in woking.
A new Confession of Christ
SojoMail
Jim Wallis in the latest Sojourners newsletter write this in conjunction with over 200 theologians and ethicists in the USA. They are concerned at the situatoin that USA [and Uk] have got into over Iraq.
Amongst the things that they say are:
"In this time of crisis, we need a new confession of Christ.
1. Jesus Christ, as attested in Holy Scripture, knows no national boundaries. Those who confess his name are found throughout the earth. Our allegiance to Christ takes priority over national identity. Whenever Christianity compromises with empire, the gospel of Christ is discredited.
We reject the false teaching that any nation-state can ever be described with the words, "the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it." These words, used in scripture, apply only to Christ. No political or religious leader has the right to twist them in the service of war.
2. Christ commits Christians to a strong presumption against war. The wanton destructiveness of modern warfare strengthens this obligation. Standing in the shadow of the Cross, Christians have a responsibility to count the cost, speak out for the victims, and explore every alternative before a nation goes to war. We are committed to international cooperation rather than unilateral policies.
We reject the false teaching that a war on terrorism takes precedence over ethical and legal norms. Some things ought never be done - torture, the deliberate bombing of civilians, the use of indiscriminate weapons of mass destruction - regardless of the consequences.
3. Christ commands us to see not only the splinter in our adversary's eye, but also the beam in our own. The distinction between good and evil does not run between one nation and another, or one group and another. It runs straight through every human heart.
We reject the false teaching that America is a "Christian nation," representing only virtue, while its adversaries are nothing but vicious. We reject the belief that America has nothing to repent of, even as we reject that it represents most of the world's evil. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23).
4. Christ shows us that enemy-love is the heart of the gospel. While we were yet enemies, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8, 10). We are to show love to our enemies even as we believe God in Christ has shown love to us and the whole world. Enemy-love does not mean capitulating to hostile agendas or domination. It does mean refusing to demonize any human being created in God's image.
We reject the false teaching that any human being can be defined as outside the law's protection. We reject the demonization of perceived enemies, which only paves the way to abuse; and we reject the mistreatment of prisoners, regardless of supposed benefits to their captors.
5. Christ teaches us that humility is the virtue befitting forgiven sinners. It tempers all political disagreements, and it allows that our own political perceptions, in a complex world, may be wrong. ..."
I'm particularly taken with part 2 "Christ commits Christians to a strong presumption against war." American Christians, and I guess the rest of us could join in too, are asked to share this with as many as possible. Thorugh this blog I do so now.
Jim Wallis in the latest Sojourners newsletter write this in conjunction with over 200 theologians and ethicists in the USA. They are concerned at the situatoin that USA [and Uk] have got into over Iraq.
Amongst the things that they say are:
"In this time of crisis, we need a new confession of Christ.
1. Jesus Christ, as attested in Holy Scripture, knows no national boundaries. Those who confess his name are found throughout the earth. Our allegiance to Christ takes priority over national identity. Whenever Christianity compromises with empire, the gospel of Christ is discredited.
We reject the false teaching that any nation-state can ever be described with the words, "the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it." These words, used in scripture, apply only to Christ. No political or religious leader has the right to twist them in the service of war.
2. Christ commits Christians to a strong presumption against war. The wanton destructiveness of modern warfare strengthens this obligation. Standing in the shadow of the Cross, Christians have a responsibility to count the cost, speak out for the victims, and explore every alternative before a nation goes to war. We are committed to international cooperation rather than unilateral policies.
We reject the false teaching that a war on terrorism takes precedence over ethical and legal norms. Some things ought never be done - torture, the deliberate bombing of civilians, the use of indiscriminate weapons of mass destruction - regardless of the consequences.
3. Christ commands us to see not only the splinter in our adversary's eye, but also the beam in our own. The distinction between good and evil does not run between one nation and another, or one group and another. It runs straight through every human heart.
We reject the false teaching that America is a "Christian nation," representing only virtue, while its adversaries are nothing but vicious. We reject the belief that America has nothing to repent of, even as we reject that it represents most of the world's evil. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23).
4. Christ shows us that enemy-love is the heart of the gospel. While we were yet enemies, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8, 10). We are to show love to our enemies even as we believe God in Christ has shown love to us and the whole world. Enemy-love does not mean capitulating to hostile agendas or domination. It does mean refusing to demonize any human being created in God's image.
We reject the false teaching that any human being can be defined as outside the law's protection. We reject the demonization of perceived enemies, which only paves the way to abuse; and we reject the mistreatment of prisoners, regardless of supposed benefits to their captors.
5. Christ teaches us that humility is the virtue befitting forgiven sinners. It tempers all political disagreements, and it allows that our own political perceptions, in a complex world, may be wrong. ..."
I'm particularly taken with part 2 "Christ commits Christians to a strong presumption against war." American Christians, and I guess the rest of us could join in too, are asked to share this with as many as possible. Thorugh this blog I do so now.
Up In Smoke: Climate change could reverse human progress
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | :
This precis of the report wherein various charities including Greenpeace, Oxfam and Action Aid [acting as the "Working Group on Climate Change and Development"]. The group urges the international community to take urgent action to introduce:
�" A global risk assessment of the likely costs of adaptation to climate change in poor countries
� Cuts in emissions of greenhouse gases by industrialised countries of between 60% and 80%, relative to 1990 levels, by the middle of this century. This goes far beyond the targets of the Kyoto protocol on climate change.
� New funding to help poor countries adapt - bearing in mind that rich countries' subsidies to their own fossil fuel industries stood at $73bn �(40bn) a year in the late 1990s.
� Effective and efficient arrangements to respond to the increasing burden of climate-related disaster relief.
� Small-scale renewable energy projects promoted by governments and community groups that can be copied and developed in order to help tackle poverty and reduce climate change."
This precis of the report wherein various charities including Greenpeace, Oxfam and Action Aid [acting as the "Working Group on Climate Change and Development"]. The group urges the international community to take urgent action to introduce:
�" A global risk assessment of the likely costs of adaptation to climate change in poor countries
� Cuts in emissions of greenhouse gases by industrialised countries of between 60% and 80%, relative to 1990 levels, by the middle of this century. This goes far beyond the targets of the Kyoto protocol on climate change.
� New funding to help poor countries adapt - bearing in mind that rich countries' subsidies to their own fossil fuel industries stood at $73bn �(40bn) a year in the late 1990s.
� Effective and efficient arrangements to respond to the increasing burden of climate-related disaster relief.
� Small-scale renewable energy projects promoted by governments and community groups that can be copied and developed in order to help tackle poverty and reduce climate change."
20 October 2004
Gristmill: The environmental news blog | Grist Magazine
Gristmill: The environmental news blog | Grist Magazine
New kid on the blog. I'm blogrolling it to see how useful it is in finding eco news
New kid on the blog. I'm blogrolling it to see how useful it is in finding eco news
Enough faith to fast?
Enough faith to fast? | csmonitor.com
a kind of introduction to ramamdan by a Muslim who is not necessarily very orthodox. Helpful insight for those of us who are not followers of Mohammed's teachings. I'm actually shying away from saying /writing 'muslim' because technically it means someone submitted to God and that applies to Christians; muslim biMasih: submitted in Christ.
a kind of introduction to ramamdan by a Muslim who is not necessarily very orthodox. Helpful insight for those of us who are not followers of Mohammed's teachings. I'm actually shying away from saying /writing 'muslim' because technically it means someone submitted to God and that applies to Christians; muslim biMasih: submitted in Christ.
Self-sufficient desert home
WorldChanging: Another World Is Here: Self-sufficient desert home
I'm pretty intersted in green home design and this seems to offer some thought provoking ideas.
I'm pretty intersted in green home design and this seems to offer some thought provoking ideas.
19 October 2004
Business learns from Purpose Driven Church
Forbes.com: Purpose Driven Yep, you read that right. Business leaders are learning from 'The Purpose Driven Church'. Now, I've never read the book; I suspect I've tended to feel let down by the whole grow-your-church thing since I never found any of it that 'successful' when I was in Parish ministry. But looking at this article I think I may have misjudged, somewhat.
From the article: "So let's engage our imaginations, substitute the word "business" for "church" and see what Warren has to tell us. • Don't try to make your business grow. Instead, work to make your business healthy. Because if it's healthy, it will grow...."
That's the principle of of obliquity again! In fact the best thing that came out of the whole Church Growth movement of late has been Christian Schwartz's Natrual Church development"> which takes exactly the view Rick Warren propogates in the quote: Churches grow if they're healthy. The book then goes on to help you to administer and understand the results of a health check. Had I still been in parish ministry, this is the kind of approach I would be looking seriously at.
From the article: "So let's engage our imaginations, substitute the word "business" for "church" and see what Warren has to tell us. • Don't try to make your business grow. Instead, work to make your business healthy. Because if it's healthy, it will grow...."
That's the principle of of obliquity again! In fact the best thing that came out of the whole Church Growth movement of late has been Christian Schwartz's Natrual Church development"> which takes exactly the view Rick Warren propogates in the quote: Churches grow if they're healthy. The book then goes on to help you to administer and understand the results of a health check. Had I still been in parish ministry, this is the kind of approach I would be looking seriously at.
18 October 2004
YoLG: Recycle your second hand books.
I said I'd mention, every so often what was happening with me and the Year of Living Generously. Well I've signed up for tow things -I was so excited by the ideas. You see When in the summer we moved house, it was to a smaller house which had much less space for books, so we've been trying to get rid of them. My rule has been get rid of two before you can buy another one. Some I'm selling some have just gone to Oxfam. So here are two ideas [one of which I've blogged before but never did anything about ]. One is the 
Book Crossing idea: get the book an indent at BookCrossing and then leave it somewhere to be picked up. The finder then reads and logs the book and sets it free again. So my mission is to identify potential candidates for "Free Bookie" and do it.
The other thing is to sell and buy books from Green Metropolis.
who give 5p for every book sold to Woodland trust. So I shall be signing up some of my books to sell there and perhaps buy there too.
Book Crossing idea: get the book an indent at BookCrossing and then leave it somewhere to be picked up. The finder then reads and logs the book and sets it free again. So my mission is to identify potential candidates for "Free Bookie" and do it.
The other thing is to sell and buy books from Green Metropolis.
who give 5p for every book sold to Woodland trust. So I shall be signing up some of my books to sell there and perhaps buy there too.
fellow peasants -our leaders are ruining us
Orion > Discourse and Dissent > Kenny Ausubel: "When Diamond studied the ecological downfall of Mexico's ancient Mayan civilization, he determined that the final strand in its unraveling was a crisis of political leadership. 'Their [leaders] attention was evidently focused on the short-term concerns of enriching themselves, waging wars, erecting monuments, competing with one another, and extracting enough food from the peasants to support all these activities.' Sound familiar, fellow peasants?"
Good article: thought provoking. Leads to studies of historical ecology are welcome.
Good article: thought provoking. Leads to studies of historical ecology are welcome.
Fractal Democracy
WorldChanging: 
Given ruminations on this blog of late on democracy, it's only fair also that this should get a look-in. In fact the strongest suggestion about a democratic system looks to me rather like using a kind of focus group as a ginger group for wider consultation. I think it could be part of the solution. The real key is finding ways to involve people in the debates at a sufficient depth. How could we harness all the chat-show and Kilroy/Oprah style stuff into proper democratic debate?
I like the idea of voting everyday over issues. I was going to write a sci-fi novella once on this idea -the punch line, so to speak was going to be when people woke up to the fact that the power 'now' resided with those who got to put the questions!
I think that there are issues here relating to church government. I was particularly interested in the 7-person decision group. Put me in mind of cell-groups. Now in the Anglican church of England all we have to do is work out a way to empower cell groups as part of the decision-making machinery of church which means replacing or placing within the PCC system.
Given ruminations on this blog of late on democracy, it's only fair also that this should get a look-in. In fact the strongest suggestion about a democratic system looks to me rather like using a kind of focus group as a ginger group for wider consultation. I think it could be part of the solution. The real key is finding ways to involve people in the debates at a sufficient depth. How could we harness all the chat-show and Kilroy/Oprah style stuff into proper democratic debate?
I like the idea of voting everyday over issues. I was going to write a sci-fi novella once on this idea -the punch line, so to speak was going to be when people woke up to the fact that the power 'now' resided with those who got to put the questions!
I think that there are issues here relating to church government. I was particularly interested in the 7-person decision group. Put me in mind of cell-groups. Now in the Anglican church of England all we have to do is work out a way to empower cell groups as part of the decision-making machinery of church which means replacing or placing within the PCC system.
The Long Green
WorldChanging: : 
Normally I might blog this on TheGreening but I felt a wider readership should be alerted. I wonder how you react to this quote?
"there's a revolution taking place, one which is powered by (and in turn powers) the efforts of thousands of disparate movements, groups, networks, ideas, and people, all over the world. They are distributed and diverse, not focused on ideology or power; in fact, this is the largest movement in history not seeking power. It is mainstream, but not centralized, so it often seems to operate beneath the media radar. It links social justice and environmentalism, activism and science. And it is changing the world"
Sound nice and idelistic, doesn't it? and my heart warms to it, but is it true? There is certainly much in it that rings true. SOme good quotes in the article too. Like: "Why do you let the Wall Street Journal choose your science? We don't let science magazines choose our stocks."
Normally I might blog this on TheGreening but I felt a wider readership should be alerted. I wonder how you react to this quote?
"there's a revolution taking place, one which is powered by (and in turn powers) the efforts of thousands of disparate movements, groups, networks, ideas, and people, all over the world. They are distributed and diverse, not focused on ideology or power; in fact, this is the largest movement in history not seeking power. It is mainstream, but not centralized, so it often seems to operate beneath the media radar. It links social justice and environmentalism, activism and science. And it is changing the world"
Sound nice and idelistic, doesn't it? and my heart warms to it, but is it true? There is certainly much in it that rings true. SOme good quotes in the article too. Like: "Why do you let the Wall Street Journal choose your science? We don't let science magazines choose our stocks."
The Long Green
I wonder how you react to this quote Paul Hawken: ?
"... there's a revolution taking place, one which is powered by (and in turn powers) the efforts of thousands of disparate movements, groups, networks, ideas, and people, all over the world. They are distributed and diverse, not focused on ideology or power; in fact, this is the largest movement in history not seeking power. It is mainstream, but not centralized, so it often seems to operate beneath the media radar. It links social justice and environmentalism, activism and science. And it is changing the world"
Sound nice and idelistic, doesn't it? and my heart warms to it, but is it true? There is certainly much in it that rings true. Some good quotes in the article too. Like: "Why do you let the Wall Street Journal choose your science? We don't let science magazines choose our stocks."
"... there's a revolution taking place, one which is powered by (and in turn powers) the efforts of thousands of disparate movements, groups, networks, ideas, and people, all over the world. They are distributed and diverse, not focused on ideology or power; in fact, this is the largest movement in history not seeking power. It is mainstream, but not centralized, so it often seems to operate beneath the media radar. It links social justice and environmentalism, activism and science. And it is changing the world"
Sound nice and idelistic, doesn't it? and my heart warms to it, but is it true? There is certainly much in it that rings true. Some good quotes in the article too. Like: "Why do you let the Wall Street Journal choose your science? We don't let science magazines choose our stocks."
Iceland = Q8 of the hydrogen economy?
CBC News: Venture - Powering the Future
Interesting article about Iceland and the prospects for its leadership in developing a hydrogen economy.
Interesting article about Iceland and the prospects for its leadership in developing a hydrogen economy.
More biomimetic art
GNN - Protein Sculptures
If the Andy Goldsworthy stuff got your juices flowing, you might like to have a look at some of this stuff. Worth checking their art gallery too.
If the Andy Goldsworthy stuff got your juices flowing, you might like to have a look at some of this stuff. Worth checking their art gallery too.
The culture of work
small ritual: I really want to flag this up: an excellent set of articles by Steve Collins on contemporary British work culture and its effects.
I've responded thus:
... [As a church leader] I became aware of two things: one is the disconnect between work life and church life the other is the way that for too many work saps energy from the rest of life; energy that used to be there for family and community and increasingly is not any longer. Of course much of our social structure is predicated on this volunteer army that can no longer volunteer because of work commitments. The government is even increasing reliance on it! Churches are being asked to step up to fill the gaps in community care/building etc at a time when they are less and less able to find volunteers to do the work.
So, ironically, church leaders begin to reproduce the same patterns when really they/we should be modelling a better way and encouraging a different culture.
I think that the individualising of response [vs unionised responses] is spot on -read Bauman's Liquid Modernity- it may be what lies behind the growth in life coaching [yes and I'm one, but critical and frustrated sometimes that what my clients really need is a union].
I have really found your analysis good. Thanks.
I've responded thus:
... [As a church leader] I became aware of two things: one is the disconnect between work life and church life the other is the way that for too many work saps energy from the rest of life; energy that used to be there for family and community and increasingly is not any longer. Of course much of our social structure is predicated on this volunteer army that can no longer volunteer because of work commitments. The government is even increasing reliance on it! Churches are being asked to step up to fill the gaps in community care/building etc at a time when they are less and less able to find volunteers to do the work.
So, ironically, church leaders begin to reproduce the same patterns when really they/we should be modelling a better way and encouraging a different culture.
I think that the individualising of response [vs unionised responses] is spot on -read Bauman's Liquid Modernity- it may be what lies behind the growth in life coaching [yes and I'm one, but critical and frustrated sometimes that what my clients really need is a union].
I have really found your analysis good. Thanks.
Blasphemy law to be scrapped?
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | : "The move is being considered as part of a package that will include a new offence of incitement to religious hatred, in order to make clear that freedom of speech and the freedom to criticise religions will not be curtailed."
Quite so: at present the blasphemy law only applies to the Church of England and I can't see how it is justified in today's society, really. The real thing to get right is how to protect people from 'religious' hatred [it should be an oxymoron!] without curtailing freedom of speech appreciably. The situation I want to avoid is a law that effectively allows, as a prominent example, Muslims to stop people subjecting the Qur'an to textual and historical criticism or examining Mohammed's life and sayings. We should be able to do this without fear of violent reprisal, in fact muslims should be able to do so, but at present it is risky and we need to make sure that law does not make it more so.
Quite so: at present the blasphemy law only applies to the Church of England and I can't see how it is justified in today's society, really. The real thing to get right is how to protect people from 'religious' hatred [it should be an oxymoron!] without curtailing freedom of speech appreciably. The situation I want to avoid is a law that effectively allows, as a prominent example, Muslims to stop people subjecting the Qur'an to textual and historical criticism or examining Mohammed's life and sayings. We should be able to do this without fear of violent reprisal, in fact muslims should be able to do so, but at present it is risky and we need to make sure that law does not make it more so.
CBI and Amicus warn of energy crisis
Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | : "The union wants a government review of future energy requirements and greater investment in clean coal-fired power stations which cut emissions of gases such as sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide."
There is also mention of nuclear -but hang on ... hese are more immediate concerns -do they know how long it takes to get a nuke station built and commissioned? if they start now it might just get done by 2015 .... it's quicker and safer to get people to save elecricity, generate their own and invest in renewables.
A sensible way to frame that call -unlike the coal scraps thing over in the USA where environmental controls seem tenuous. The lurking issues is whether there are ways to get more power online while renewables come on stream. I guess my question is, if markets are so damn good, then they should be albe to work us out of this one ... challenge to the capitalists: I'm surprised the CBI aren't more excited at the possibilities for investment in renewables; there's a huge and growing market in this just waiting for people to exploit it and they want business as usual. What are they teaching these people in business schools?
There is also mention of nuclear -but hang on ... hese are more immediate concerns -do they know how long it takes to get a nuke station built and commissioned? if they start now it might just get done by 2015 .... it's quicker and safer to get people to save elecricity, generate their own and invest in renewables.
A sensible way to frame that call -unlike the coal scraps thing over in the USA where environmental controls seem tenuous. The lurking issues is whether there are ways to get more power online while renewables come on stream. I guess my question is, if markets are so damn good, then they should be albe to work us out of this one ... challenge to the capitalists: I'm surprised the CBI aren't more excited at the possibilities for investment in renewables; there's a huge and growing market in this just waiting for people to exploit it and they want business as usual. What are they teaching these people in business schools?
future generations vote now?
Wired 12.10:: I little while back I blogged about the way that my/our futures were likely to be greatly impacted by the outcomes of the USA elections but that we could not vote. I had also been thinking about how future generations -our children and grandchildren are likewise affected without a chance to vote and then I found this comment from the USA which I think expresses it well and applies more widely.
"Think about our behavior over the past four years. We have cut taxes but increased spending, benefiting us but burdening our kids. We have relaxed the control of greenhouse emissions, creating cheaper energy for us but astronomically higher costs for our kids, if they are to avoid catastrophic climatic change. We have waged an effectively unilateral war against Iraq, giving some a feeling of resolve but engendering three generations of angry souls focused upon a single act of revenge: killing Americans. ...
This is the shameful application of a simple political truth: The future doesn't vote. And when tomorrow's generations get their turn at the polls, they won't be able to punish those who failed to consider their interests. The cost of shifting burdens to the future is thus quite small to us, even if it is quite large to them. And we, or the politicians representing us, happily follow this calculus."
I guess my question is how we can find proper mechanisms to make sure that all stakeholders get represented in decision-making. I don't necessarioy think that it has to be by voting: the price mechanisms including costs for environmental degradation, for example, would help represent the interests of future generations and indeed of non-national-therefore-non-voters. But I think that it is an urgent need to plug that democratic deficit. Perhaps it is one of the defining tasks of our generation? It is certainly an outworking of loving our neighbour as ourselves.
"Think about our behavior over the past four years. We have cut taxes but increased spending, benefiting us but burdening our kids. We have relaxed the control of greenhouse emissions, creating cheaper energy for us but astronomically higher costs for our kids, if they are to avoid catastrophic climatic change. We have waged an effectively unilateral war against Iraq, giving some a feeling of resolve but engendering three generations of angry souls focused upon a single act of revenge: killing Americans. ...
This is the shameful application of a simple political truth: The future doesn't vote. And when tomorrow's generations get their turn at the polls, they won't be able to punish those who failed to consider their interests. The cost of shifting burdens to the future is thus quite small to us, even if it is quite large to them. And we, or the politicians representing us, happily follow this calculus."
I guess my question is how we can find proper mechanisms to make sure that all stakeholders get represented in decision-making. I don't necessarioy think that it has to be by voting: the price mechanisms including costs for environmental degradation, for example, would help represent the interests of future generations and indeed of non-national-therefore-non-voters. But I think that it is an urgent need to plug that democratic deficit. Perhaps it is one of the defining tasks of our generation? It is certainly an outworking of loving our neighbour as ourselves.
Jam Cell Calls
Wired News: Word From on High:
I wonder how people feel about this. I find a mobile phone useful but I do tend to forget I have it with me and on a couple of occasions have been embarrassed to be reminded of its presence with me by the arricval of a text or call in circumstances I'd have preferred not to be interrupted. Usually I appreciate the call at the start of an event to switch off or silence mobiles and do so. Does this become part of our liturgy>
"The Lord be with you
R and also with you.
Please turn off your mobile phones
R and also your own!
..."
But this technology could make that liturgical development obsolete befre it got onto the page.
I wonder how people feel about this. I find a mobile phone useful but I do tend to forget I have it with me and on a couple of occasions have been embarrassed to be reminded of its presence with me by the arricval of a text or call in circumstances I'd have preferred not to be interrupted. Usually I appreciate the call at the start of an event to switch off or silence mobiles and do so. Does this become part of our liturgy>
"The Lord be with you
R and also with you.
Please turn off your mobile phones
R and also your own!
..."
But this technology could make that liturgical development obsolete befre it got onto the page.
Babies with three parents ahead
The Observer | UK News | :
I highlight this one because I think that it is the kind of thing that is likely to get a knee-jerk reaction orm the right-wing Christian community. The story, it seems to me, is far more innocent than the headline would imply:
"by implanting the nucleus of an embryo of a mother with defective mitochondria into the egg of a woman with healthy mitochondria, the resultant foetus will be free of the destructive genetic diseases [that can be carried by mitochondrial DNA]." Iow: this is a replacement of cell nucleus into a healthy cell. THe three parent thing is that mitochdrial dna is entirely inherited from the mother and so you would produce a child genetically of its father and mother but mitochondrially of a third party. I can't really see that this is more moral complex than a blood transfusion, but we shall see.
I highlight this one because I think that it is the kind of thing that is likely to get a knee-jerk reaction orm the right-wing Christian community. The story, it seems to me, is far more innocent than the headline would imply:
"by implanting the nucleus of an embryo of a mother with defective mitochondria into the egg of a woman with healthy mitochondria, the resultant foetus will be free of the destructive genetic diseases [that can be carried by mitochondrial DNA]." Iow: this is a replacement of cell nucleus into a healthy cell. THe three parent thing is that mitochdrial dna is entirely inherited from the mother and so you would produce a child genetically of its father and mother but mitochondrially of a third party. I can't really see that this is more moral complex than a blood transfusion, but we shall see.
Coffee in a progressive key
One to keep an eye on: a new chain of coffee bars with a fair trde ethos. If you see them patronise them they are good for developing countries' coffee workers.
Some thoughts to start the week
THINGS THAT IT TOOK ME OVER 50 YEARS TO LEARN:
by Dave Barry, Nationally Syndicated Columnist
[Selected favourites]
If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be "meetings."
I think I'd have to say that, also, often the reason why it has achieved great things is meetings: our problem is that we all too often have no idea at all how to make meetings work well. Two heads really are potentially better than one but only if we knoe what we're doing .... Is supect that behind this grain of truth a rather larger cultural prejudice in favour of individual despotism lurks
People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.
Interesting idictment, don't you think? Is this a gotcha for you? It certainly has been true of me at times. I include this thought because I now feel that there is something vitally important about creating dialogue and, in a way, doing a kind of spiritual direction with people who aren't Christians; which means listening far more than we ourselves share and showing a genuine empathy and interest and questioning [counselling skills there folks] that can help people move further and perhpas begin to link up their search with Christ's care and offer.
You should not confuse your career with your life.
Or as someone else once said, "Who on their deathbed is going to say that they wished they'd spent more time at the office?" The interesting thing is that it seems to take people into their early mid-life before they realise this and sometimes, by then, it's quite hard to change course.
The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.
Straight from the book of James.
The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.
Except those of us who don't drive. We just think that drivers are extremely ignorant when it comes to non-drivers, and of course we'd do better if we did drive...:-)
A person, who is nice to you, but rude to a waiter, is not a nice person. (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails.)
I think that there really is something in this. Not just waiters: anyone in a public service role; it's a vital life skill; distinguishing the person from the role they currently undertake; half the time they are only carrying out company policy on a pittance of wage and information. Do as you would be done by
Your friends love you anyway.
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.
This is the one I need to hear: I've spent too long thinking that people knew what they were doing and deferring to it, and discovered that most of the time they're on autopilot and have no real idea.However, note the previous but one analect and the starter on meetings.
FINAL THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
There is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra than on Alzheimer's research. This means that by 2030, there should be a large elderly population with perky boobs and huge erections and absolutely no recollection of what to do with them.
17 October 2004
No sex please, we're asexual
Guardian Unlimited | Life | I'm still thinking about the implications of this; can't help feeling that it may be an important phenomenon to mix into debates on sexuality and indeed thinking about the phenomenon more academically and I didn't want not to have a reference back to it if the time came that it seemed relevant again.
Andy Goldsworthy -natural art
Eversince I saw this guy's work in Resurgence, I have been inspired by the idea of creating temporary visual art from natural found materials and photographing the results. The interesting thing to do would be to combine urban elements as well ... anyway go to this page and enjoy the pictures. Also worth looking at more sculptural work of his as well.
[COVER: Leaves laid on a river boulder held with water, green to yellow, dark to light. Sculpture by Andy Goldsworthy]
15 October 2004
REsurrection bodies
Metanexus Institute
Intersting article from a philospher with scientific interests on the resurrection of the body. Not sure that I go entirely with it all but I do think that the non-dualist approach is basically right. Just wondered how God was supposed to fit in. I have my ideas -God is the holder of our pattern and guarantor of identity, thereby -which seems perhaps to be plug one of the holes in the argument. But then is that a God of the gaps or a legitimate 'place' for God?
Intersting article from a philospher with scientific interests on the resurrection of the body. Not sure that I go entirely with it all but I do think that the non-dualist approach is basically right. Just wondered how God was supposed to fit in. I have my ideas -God is the holder of our pattern and guarantor of identity, thereby -which seems perhaps to be plug one of the holes in the argument. But then is that a God of the gaps or a legitimate 'place' for God?
PhysOrg: Discovery is a step towards pollution-free cars
PhysOrg: Discovery is a step towards pollution-free cars: "At the present time, no existing hydrogen storage technology meets the challenging performance required to make hydrogen-powered automobiles competitive with traditional vehicles. New and innovative ideas are needed. The Liverpool and Newcastle researchers have found a workable method of injecting the gas at high pressure into the tiny pores - of ten to the minus nine metres in size - in specially-designed materials to give a dense form of hydrogen. They then reduce the pressure within the material in order to store the captured hydrogen safely. Heat can be applied to release the hydrogen as energy, on which a car could potentially run. "
So another case of watch this space. It's nice to see a British contribution -again! Let's hope we suport it like we haven't done in the past with British inventiveness.
So another case of watch this space. It's nice to see a British contribution -again! Let's hope we suport it like we haven't done in the past with British inventiveness.
The scriptures are corporate
Dylan's lectionary blog:
I felt I had to draw attention to this; I've been saying it for years and it is so good to see someone else, independently saying it.
"And furthermore, much as I give thanks for the printing press and the Internet, these media are a mixed blessing in creating the illusion that we can read the Bible in our 'prayer closets,' in isolation from community. In the ancient world, writing materials were very expensive, so copies of scriptural works were difficult for individuals to obtain, and most Christians would have been unable to read anyway. As a result, the early Christians studied Scripture in community, pooling resources to obtain copies of books and reading them aloud together, in community."
It is the case, I think, that in giving us our own personal and relatively cheap Bibles, the moveable-type printing press has contributed enormously to the individualism of the post Reformation world. In fact Evangelical piety [and also Catholic breviary and similar piety] is seen in this light to be a cultural possibility that just wasn't there without that technology to make it possible. It kind of puts into perspective things we take for granted. It would, for example, make it harder if we primarily heard the scriptures in a communal setting, to hear the 'you' in most of Paul's letters as a singular. The daily quiet time is a cultural product, not a set-in-stone biblical practice. That's not to say that there are not good arguments for it, just not totally applicable to everyone, everywhere, everywhen arguments. For many Christians in the first thousand years and more of Christianity, exposure to scripture was [at best] something that happened two or three times a week when you went to the market town to buy and sell and the local church had services at which scripture was read and perhaps there might have been opportunities to talk about them informally afterwards. IT would have meant working hard at committing passages to memory and it increased the responsibility of those who read aloud [hence the office of Reader, revived by Anglicanism in the Victorian period] and those who had a teaching role. Of course, for many there had to be a translation too.
What are the effects also of losing the human voice from our interaction with scripture? And of scripture being recontextualised from an object in church which is liturgically venerated to one which we have at home and for which the churchy ceremonial seems inappropriate? The possibility of seeing scripture as somehow paradigmatic with books on natural history and philosophy and other 'textbooks' must surely have been influential in getting us to where we are now.
Wrt the loss of the human voice, I think it is significant. In Bible study groups I usually encourage reading out loud because it slows the pace of assimilation down [for most people] and in so doing gives time for the imagination to work, for significant details to be acknowledged and significance to begin to be weighed. We should remember that the gospel stories, at least, were told before being written down, In fact that I think is significant for the form they take; the pericopae of the gospels are well polished stories that have the well-roundedness of many repetitions as story. They are in scripture because experience showed that these are the stories that 'told well' with economy, beauty and enough multi-layering to bear returning to many times. Textual criticism of the Gospels may be missing an important point in treating them as texts in the first place. I know an oral stage is acknowledged but I am not aware of much that really takes the effects of that seriously. I may be wrong and I'm happy to be told where to look for this.
The recontextualising of scripture into domestic and other 'real life' settings, must surely lead also to reinforcing a sense that we own and in some way stand over scripture. I know that many would be appalled to think that we might but I can't help thinking that domestication might refer, in this case, not only to placing scripture in the domestic sphere. The flip side, and the reason for pursuing the project of 'domestication', presumably, is that interaction with scripture becomes a more everyday event, potentially more transformative of individuals over time. But every development has its dangers as well as its commendations. It also decisively undermines hierarchical pretensions, for good and ill...
With all this in mind, I wonder what happens in Islam when their scriptures begin to be read in vernacular and individually ...
I felt I had to draw attention to this; I've been saying it for years and it is so good to see someone else, independently saying it.
"And furthermore, much as I give thanks for the printing press and the Internet, these media are a mixed blessing in creating the illusion that we can read the Bible in our 'prayer closets,' in isolation from community. In the ancient world, writing materials were very expensive, so copies of scriptural works were difficult for individuals to obtain, and most Christians would have been unable to read anyway. As a result, the early Christians studied Scripture in community, pooling resources to obtain copies of books and reading them aloud together, in community."
It is the case, I think, that in giving us our own personal and relatively cheap Bibles, the moveable-type printing press has contributed enormously to the individualism of the post Reformation world. In fact Evangelical piety [and also Catholic breviary and similar piety] is seen in this light to be a cultural possibility that just wasn't there without that technology to make it possible. It kind of puts into perspective things we take for granted. It would, for example, make it harder if we primarily heard the scriptures in a communal setting, to hear the 'you' in most of Paul's letters as a singular. The daily quiet time is a cultural product, not a set-in-stone biblical practice. That's not to say that there are not good arguments for it, just not totally applicable to everyone, everywhere, everywhen arguments. For many Christians in the first thousand years and more of Christianity, exposure to scripture was [at best] something that happened two or three times a week when you went to the market town to buy and sell and the local church had services at which scripture was read and perhaps there might have been opportunities to talk about them informally afterwards. IT would have meant working hard at committing passages to memory and it increased the responsibility of those who read aloud [hence the office of Reader, revived by Anglicanism in the Victorian period] and those who had a teaching role. Of course, for many there had to be a translation too.
What are the effects also of losing the human voice from our interaction with scripture? And of scripture being recontextualised from an object in church which is liturgically venerated to one which we have at home and for which the churchy ceremonial seems inappropriate? The possibility of seeing scripture as somehow paradigmatic with books on natural history and philosophy and other 'textbooks' must surely have been influential in getting us to where we are now.
Wrt the loss of the human voice, I think it is significant. In Bible study groups I usually encourage reading out loud because it slows the pace of assimilation down [for most people] and in so doing gives time for the imagination to work, for significant details to be acknowledged and significance to begin to be weighed. We should remember that the gospel stories, at least, were told before being written down, In fact that I think is significant for the form they take; the pericopae of the gospels are well polished stories that have the well-roundedness of many repetitions as story. They are in scripture because experience showed that these are the stories that 'told well' with economy, beauty and enough multi-layering to bear returning to many times. Textual criticism of the Gospels may be missing an important point in treating them as texts in the first place. I know an oral stage is acknowledged but I am not aware of much that really takes the effects of that seriously. I may be wrong and I'm happy to be told where to look for this.
The recontextualising of scripture into domestic and other 'real life' settings, must surely lead also to reinforcing a sense that we own and in some way stand over scripture. I know that many would be appalled to think that we might but I can't help thinking that domestication might refer, in this case, not only to placing scripture in the domestic sphere. The flip side, and the reason for pursuing the project of 'domestication', presumably, is that interaction with scripture becomes a more everyday event, potentially more transformative of individuals over time. But every development has its dangers as well as its commendations. It also decisively undermines hierarchical pretensions, for good and ill...
With all this in mind, I wonder what happens in Islam when their scriptures begin to be read in vernacular and individually ...
Canary in a coalmine or tipping points?
WorldChanging: Another World Is Here: Twelve Tipping Points: "What's most troubling is the manner in which such disruptions would very often trigger positive-feedback loops -- environmental changes which would in turn serve to accelerate the effects of global warming."
Useful introductory summary of two fo the tipping points from John Schellnhuber's development of twelve tipping points where small environmental effects could have big positive feedback effects which would accelerate climate changes. One is the greening of the Sahara but while this sounds good there are interesting benefits that ride on the Sahara being a desert and they would be lost. The other one summarised here is the effect on and of the monsoon. Interesting reading, and then you realise what it would mean and it becomes more than interesting.
Useful introductory summary of two fo the tipping points from John Schellnhuber's development of twelve tipping points where small environmental effects could have big positive feedback effects which would accelerate climate changes. One is the greening of the Sahara but while this sounds good there are interesting benefits that ride on the Sahara being a desert and they would be lost. The other one summarised here is the effect on and of the monsoon. Interesting reading, and then you realise what it would mean and it becomes more than interesting.
14 October 2004
Signed up to A Year of Living Generously
"The Hunch
Many of us think that the gap between rich and poor should not be the way it is, that we only have one planet to share and that there is more to life than how much stuff we can pile up. Maybe we are not meant to be empty vehicles of consumerism but only ever find ourselves in each other, living for the common good. So what could a community of people achieve if they acted together to live more generously in the world?"
I signed up for this at Greenbelt and I've just signed up online. It will be challenging because, as I look down the list of suggested actions, I already do a number of them so I'm going to be pushed on some of this, I have to admit. But that is as it should be and what the project is designed to do.
I will try to blog about how I'm doing every so often and to provide links, where appropriate, to other things that are happening with this project. The idea is that it will grow beyond the inital 100 projecteers after about a year. So then maybe you could get involved having learnt from our experience?
Powered by sunlight
Powered by sunlight: "'Nobody has ever made a car that runs on sunlight and water,' Waxman said. 'There are other cars that run on hydrogen, but they don't make their own fuel.'
Built for less than $10,000, the project has caught the attention of experts in alternative-fuel research."
This deserves reading if only because if they could devellop this it could solve some of the foreseen difficulties of a hydrogen economy which are around storage and distribution [hydrogen molecules are pretty small and tend to leak through the larger molecules of pipes and containers]. It does mean a decentralised power source too which is probably good news for security and scaling.
Built for less than $10,000, the project has caught the attention of experts in alternative-fuel research."
This deserves reading if only because if they could devellop this it could solve some of the foreseen difficulties of a hydrogen economy which are around storage and distribution [hydrogen molecules are pretty small and tend to leak through the larger molecules of pipes and containers]. It does mean a decentralised power source too which is probably good news for security and scaling.
"The Long Green" Friday Night
WorldChanging: Another World Is Here: :
"The environmental movement has moved on. It has become so deep and wide that it adds up to something new entirely, still unnamed. Whatever it is, it is now the largest movement in the world and the least ideological. Driven by science and patience, it is civilization-scale therapy."
I am looking forward to the further reports elucidating this very fascinating trailer for the talk tommorrow. 'civilization-scale therapy' -almost sounds like something from a NOS liturgy. Eh?
"The environmental movement has moved on. It has become so deep and wide that it adds up to something new entirely, still unnamed. Whatever it is, it is now the largest movement in the world and the least ideological. Driven by science and patience, it is civilization-scale therapy."
I am looking forward to the further reports elucidating this very fascinating trailer for the talk tommorrow. 'civilization-scale therapy' -almost sounds like something from a NOS liturgy. Eh?
New Tack Wins Prisoner's Dilemma
Wired News: : "its strategy involved a series of moves allowing players to recognize each other and act cooperatively."
I suspect that what this means is that there is further evidence to show that co-operation is an importnat part of evolution, not just competition. And note how it happened in the 'game': "Once two Southampton players recognized each other, they were designed to immediately assume "master and slave" roles -- one would sacrifice itself so the other could win repeatedly." One of the effect of this was that there were three winners but a whole load of their 'partners' were at the bottom of the pile. And the further intersting result was : "if we start off with a reasonable number of our colluders in the system, in the end everyone will be a colluder like ours,". Suggesting that collusion is a fundamental part of corporate life, in all likelihood. And the other interestiong thing is, "... to see how many colluders you need in a population. It turns out we had far too many -- we would have won with around 20."
This is important because it suggests that you need a critical mass of colluders but that once you have it you develop a system where some kind of co-operative behaviour is the norm. Now this has implications for thinking about ethics and justice. It also has implications for understanding human nature. In a God driven/shaped universe it is not unlikely that we might see that somehow things unfold [avoiding the E-word!] in ways that are reflective of and consonant with a unity-in-diversity Divinity; furhter; that the image of God is found, in part at least, in just such interdependence and mutual formation as emerges from individuality. In short I am suggeting that the universe is structured to bring unity our of diversity and co-operation/perichoresis out of 'selfishness' I think that perhaps it is to go too far to suggest full-on altruism emerges, but co-operation certainly.
It further seems to me that this is in some way related to the whole thing about the anthropic cosmological principle; in this case that the way the universe unfolds in relation to co-operation has a degree of necessity about it which almost suggests design. It could be seen as part of a final anthropic principle, I guess. This would be because at least by our experience of intelligence, it requires a reasonable degree of social construction to emerge. Intelligence is not for sollipsistic species. Thius, sociability needs to be wired in to produce the kind of intelligence that it sufficiently reflexive and reflective to be aware of the paradox that it appears to be both necessary and non-necessary.
I think I'll stop before it gets really confusing!
I suspect that what this means is that there is further evidence to show that co-operation is an importnat part of evolution, not just competition. And note how it happened in the 'game': "Once two Southampton players recognized each other, they were designed to immediately assume "master and slave" roles -- one would sacrifice itself so the other could win repeatedly." One of the effect of this was that there were three winners but a whole load of their 'partners' were at the bottom of the pile. And the further intersting result was : "if we start off with a reasonable number of our colluders in the system, in the end everyone will be a colluder like ours,". Suggesting that collusion is a fundamental part of corporate life, in all likelihood. And the other interestiong thing is, "... to see how many colluders you need in a population. It turns out we had far too many -- we would have won with around 20."
This is important because it suggests that you need a critical mass of colluders but that once you have it you develop a system where some kind of co-operative behaviour is the norm. Now this has implications for thinking about ethics and justice. It also has implications for understanding human nature. In a God driven/shaped universe it is not unlikely that we might see that somehow things unfold [avoiding the E-word!] in ways that are reflective of and consonant with a unity-in-diversity Divinity; furhter; that the image of God is found, in part at least, in just such interdependence and mutual formation as emerges from individuality. In short I am suggeting that the universe is structured to bring unity our of diversity and co-operation/perichoresis out of 'selfishness' I think that perhaps it is to go too far to suggest full-on altruism emerges, but co-operation certainly.
It further seems to me that this is in some way related to the whole thing about the anthropic cosmological principle; in this case that the way the universe unfolds in relation to co-operation has a degree of necessity about it which almost suggests design. It could be seen as part of a final anthropic principle, I guess. This would be because at least by our experience of intelligence, it requires a reasonable degree of social construction to emerge. Intelligence is not for sollipsistic species. Thius, sociability needs to be wired in to produce the kind of intelligence that it sufficiently reflexive and reflective to be aware of the paradox that it appears to be both necessary and non-necessary.
I think I'll stop before it gets really confusing!
Southern Africa: Coping With Climate Change
allAfrica.com::
"In a statement marking the International Day for Disaster Reduction on Wednesday, the International Federation of the Red Cross/Crescent (IFRC) noted that lives and livelihoods could be saved by investing more resources in disaster prepardness.
The IFRC senior disaster management officer for Southern Africa, Tamuka Chitemere, noted that 'many governments of disaster-prone countries do not invest in preparedness because some disasters are a once-off event, but the effects are long-lasting'.
'We believe hazards don't always need to become disasters ... we can save lives and resources by investing in disaster reduction measures,' he added.
Franc�oise Le Goff, the Federation's head of the regional delegation for Southern Africa, said disaster preparedness 'through proper early warning systems and other mitigation measures will certainly pay in saving lives and livelihood protection'."
Seems to be an entriely sensible way forward: climate change is ahppening; prepare for some of the worst. Every government should be doing this. Are they?
"In a statement marking the International Day for Disaster Reduction on Wednesday, the International Federation of the Red Cross/Crescent (IFRC) noted that lives and livelihoods could be saved by investing more resources in disaster prepardness.
The IFRC senior disaster management officer for Southern Africa, Tamuka Chitemere, noted that 'many governments of disaster-prone countries do not invest in preparedness because some disasters are a once-off event, but the effects are long-lasting'.
'We believe hazards don't always need to become disasters ... we can save lives and resources by investing in disaster reduction measures,' he added.
Franc�oise Le Goff, the Federation's head of the regional delegation for Southern Africa, said disaster preparedness 'through proper early warning systems and other mitigation measures will certainly pay in saving lives and livelihood protection'."
Seems to be an entriely sensible way forward: climate change is ahppening; prepare for some of the worst. Every government should be doing this. Are they?
UK unemployment hits 20-year low
Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | 
Last time I was unemployed it was in the midst of the high figures in the early 1980's. This time it's the total opposite. Last time I felt somehow it was kind of okay to be unemployed: there were lots of others who were. This time I feel really embarrasssed. Last time I had few choices, this time I seem to have many but I'm having to be careful to make ones that allow for the kinds of future developments I think are the right ones in view of my vocational commitments.
LAst time I wrote [and wish I'd kept] with another unemployed Christian at my then church, a theological reflection on employment, human value and social structures. This time I have too many other things I want/need/ should write ... but it would be fun to revisit it.
It's a funny old world.
Last time I was unemployed it was in the midst of the high figures in the early 1980's. This time it's the total opposite. Last time I felt somehow it was kind of okay to be unemployed: there were lots of others who were. This time I feel really embarrasssed. Last time I had few choices, this time I seem to have many but I'm having to be careful to make ones that allow for the kinds of future developments I think are the right ones in view of my vocational commitments.
LAst time I wrote [and wish I'd kept] with another unemployed Christian at my then church, a theological reflection on employment, human value and social structures. This time I have too many other things I want/need/ should write ... but it would be fun to revisit it.
It's a funny old world.
SocietyGuardian.co.uk | Society | Homes plan 'will swamp' countryside
SocietyGuardian.co.uk | Society | Homes plan 'will swamp' countryside: "the government plan 'is likely to have serious negative impacts on water resources, biodiversity, tranquillity, air quality, recreational access and congestion. The larger the volume of development the harder it will be to avoid increased flood risk, erosion of the quality and distinctiveness of settlements and the built environment, and landscape.'"
They've really got to find some other wya of dealing with thsis haven't they?
They've really got to find some other wya of dealing with thsis haven't they?
BT goes green
Guardian Unlimited Money | Business news |. Well what do you think I'm going to say: good for them! Your'e right!. Of course this is the easiest way; perhaps their next challenge though should be to generate more elecricity locally, on site by means of PVC's, wind turbines, water genreation ... one step ata time, but let's hope they don't get complacent. Perhaps this reminds us that the ext stage is to make people realise that locally-produced generation is even better than far-produced and distributed.
13 October 2004
Zoosemiotics (Primates)
Susan Anker sculpture. Check out the site referenced to find out more. Clicking on the picture takes you to a pictuer of a wider contextual view.
Hythane -could use existing nat gas infrastructure
Fuel Cell Works Supplemental News Page Watch out for this -it could help solve transport of hydrogen issues so hydrogen could carry energy generated elsewhere .... hythane is a mixture of methane and hydrogen.
Energy Service Bulletin says:
"a fuel that may serve as a stepping stone to the hydrogen economy. The trademarked Hythane mixes a small amount of hydrogen into a fuel already used in many fleets—compressed natural gas. A blend of 15 percent hydrogen by volume with 85 percent natural gas amplifies the clean burning properties of CNG to reduce overall emissions up to 50 percent."
Energy Service Bulletin says:
"a fuel that may serve as a stepping stone to the hydrogen economy. The trademarked Hythane mixes a small amount of hydrogen into a fuel already used in many fleets—compressed natural gas. A blend of 15 percent hydrogen by volume with 85 percent natural gas amplifies the clean burning properties of CNG to reduce overall emissions up to 50 percent."
Some work
Spiritual Direction. 
I've just got back from a meeting in which it was agreed that I might be able to be paid to do some development of courses on Spiritual Direction [though we will probably market it as 'Spiritual growth and development' or somesuch] for distance learning. So I've just got to finish the MA disertation and get the learning outcomes, assesment criteria and outlines if not content sorted out , hopefully before I might start on a PhD in the new year ....
"Rejoice with me!"
I've just got back from a meeting in which it was agreed that I might be able to be paid to do some development of courses on Spiritual Direction [though we will probably market it as 'Spiritual growth and development' or somesuch] for distance learning. So I've just got to finish the MA disertation and get the learning outcomes, assesment criteria and outlines if not content sorted out , hopefully before I might start on a PhD in the new year ....
"Rejoice with me!"
Pastoring for spiritual formation
Steve at emergent kiwi is starting to get me thinking that pastoring a church could be something I could get back into after all after my recent experiences and disillusionment with it all and my ongoing questions about whether propping up the iunstitutional church in its present form is actually helping, really.
It's that posts like the one referenced here and other hints at what' he's doing make me say to myself: "Actually I would like to have a go". Mark Pearson is another who similarly inspires me. I'm seriously thinking of putting an ad in the church press sometime: "Clergybeing in search of church: must be looking for hurch life full of experiment, creativity, artistry, including in decision-making. Willing to consider make-or-break situation in urban area. Part-time considered.". So what holds me back -well just now I need to be where I am to support my wife and children where they are ... but in a couple of years .... ? But then I have a few ideas to explore hereabouts too. Hmmmmmmm
My fellow non-Americans ...
Guardian Unlimited | US elections 2004 | 
: "Certainly, the actions of the US impact on our lives in overwhelming ways; British political life may now be at least as heavily influenced by White House policy as by the choices of UK voters. And yet, though the US Declaration of Independence speaks of 'a decent respect to the opinions of mankind', you don't, of course, have a vote. You can't even donate money to the campaigns: foreign contributions are outlawed. And you're unlikely to have the chance to do any campaigning on the ground. All you can do is wait and watch: you're powerless."
Returners to this blog will not be surprised to see that this article interested me; I too have expressed a sense of helplessness that USA global dominence means that their elections affect my life bigtime but I can't influence the outcome. Perhaps you feel the same?
So fancy letter writing, citizen to citizen in one of USA's swing counties? Sounds better than just moaning about it! There's even a bit of theinking about potentially alienating potential support for your preferred candidate ...
go to this page to see how to proceed.
: "Certainly, the actions of the US impact on our lives in overwhelming ways; British political life may now be at least as heavily influenced by White House policy as by the choices of UK voters. And yet, though the US Declaration of Independence speaks of 'a decent respect to the opinions of mankind', you don't, of course, have a vote. You can't even donate money to the campaigns: foreign contributions are outlawed. And you're unlikely to have the chance to do any campaigning on the ground. All you can do is wait and watch: you're powerless."
Returners to this blog will not be surprised to see that this article interested me; I too have expressed a sense of helplessness that USA global dominence means that their elections affect my life bigtime but I can't influence the outcome. Perhaps you feel the same?
So fancy letter writing, citizen to citizen in one of USA's swing counties? Sounds better than just moaning about it! There's even a bit of theinking about potentially alienating potential support for your preferred candidate ...
go to this page to see how to proceed.
Nuclear items missing in Iraq
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | I was afraid something like this would happen.
At least with the inspection regime we knew pretty much what was happening [as has recently been further demonstrated] ... fears are, of course, that nuclear material is now in the hands of Al Qaida groups.
"As the disappearance of such equipment and materials may be of proliferation significance, any state that has information about the location of such items should provide IAEA with that information," Mr ElBaradei said.
Oh dear. God preserve us all.
At least with the inspection regime we knew pretty much what was happening [as has recently been further demonstrated] ... fears are, of course, that nuclear material is now in the hands of Al Qaida groups.
"As the disappearance of such equipment and materials may be of proliferation significance, any state that has information about the location of such items should provide IAEA with that information," Mr ElBaradei said.
Oh dear. God preserve us all.
Italy plans SUV tax, incentives to scrap old cars
Planet Ark : Italy leads the way. COme on the rest, follow the example [and learn from the mistakes?]
HoustonChronicle.com - Reliant uses mining leftovers to power new plant
HoustonChronicle.com - Reliant uses mining leftovers to power new plant: "Other power producers had used coal waste before, but Reliant's station is on a grander scale. When fully commercial by year's end, the 521-megawatt plant will rank as the largest waste-coal-fired plant in the world."
I'm assuming that appropriate measures are in place to reduce pollution and carbon emissions; if so then this actually looks like good news. However, I'm a bit concerned that the carbon cost may be high.
I'm assuming that appropriate measures are in place to reduce pollution and carbon emissions; if so then this actually looks like good news. However, I'm a bit concerned that the carbon cost may be high.
Venezuela raises oil drilling tax
BBC NEWS | World | Americas |
Hmm, looks like they're on to something: not only recognising that Venezualan oil productivity is three times the pre-estimate but I suspect, doing this just as oil produciton is peaking is a smart financial move. The implications are a further reason to beleive that oil prices may not be about to reduce much, if at all, further fuelling [sorry] renewables' development.
Hmm, looks like they're on to something: not only recognising that Venezualan oil productivity is three times the pre-estimate but I suspect, doing this just as oil produciton is peaking is a smart financial move. The implications are a further reason to beleive that oil prices may not be about to reduce much, if at all, further fuelling [sorry] renewables' development.
Blue Green -for USA
Redefining Progress: Blue Green
For my USAMerican readers [I know you're out there -according to my site stats] just in case you missed this; "new report that clearly demonstrates how smarter environmental policies can lead to significant job creation" state by state ...
For my USAMerican readers [I know you're out there -according to my site stats] just in case you missed this; "new report that clearly demonstrates how smarter environmental policies can lead to significant job creation" state by state ...
Facing other faiths
Recently I've been in discussion email-ly with someone about how we should tackle Muslims about some of the things that we are concerned about in Islam, in particular thsoe passages in Qur'an and parts of Sunna that clearly seem to advocate killing hostages and lying if one feels that the advantage of Islam lies with that course of action. I reproduce here some of what I wrote about how we go about it, particualrly starting with the dangers of assuming that no reply from our 'dialogue partners' means that we have 'touched a spot'.
'touching a spot' may be as much a result of reacting in kind to perceived aggression as to guilty conscience, 'bad faith' or a 'gotcha'. In fact it could be that the lack of reaction is simply dismissal of the possibly 'shrill' tone. I know that if I get something similar from an atheist or other faith-member [and I have], I would react that way; life's too short to engage with the people who come across as if they won't listen and are just waiting to say 'gotcha' and are only going to miss the point of what you say because they are too concerned to pick holes in the peripheral minutiae. [Cf. Jesus: don't cast your pearl before swine ...] So we need to come
across engagingly, winsomely.
Only if we can get past the aggressive stuff into the kinds of things that mark conflict resolution will we be able to make big hits for the kingdom. Upping the ante in terms of aggressiveness and lack of sympathy for those who oppose us only hardens opposition for the most
part. How do we practically love our enemy in this case? I would suggest that by treating them humanely, as capable of seeing a reasonable argument and by giving them the same -or better- respect as we expect or desire for ourselves. Most of life is not lived in set-piece debate situations and respect is vital from a Christian point of view.
I think that we are in parable territory here not in denouncing the scribes and pharisees, for the most part. I agree that we should be pressing the issue of why there are no fatwas [assuming that we've not missed them] against Osama bin Laden and his ilk, but that will only really work if there is a perception on the part of most Muslims that we are genuinely wanting them to be the best rather than waiting to do them down.
I think that perhaps what I am saying is that we really need to consider tactics and that I reckon that 'shrill', aggressive and disrespectful is counterproductive and probably unChristlike. I am concerned that you may have been heard in that way and written-off or ignored as not worth engaging with; which would be a shame because I think that you have a good
couple of points and I for one would like to know the answers and the responses. But it's only when we get those answers that we can go to work or at least probe a bit more. But to probe a bit more we will need not to have alienated our interlocutors.
One of the points I made earlier in the discussion, regarding the spirit in which we approach dialogue, needs to be mentioned too:
I have no difficulty understanding the 'commands' as given; I do have difficulty knowing/anticipating how they are handled with in a living tradition [fiqh] which is not my own. It will not do to say "The issue here isn't "ways of reading Christian Scriptures and history,"" since that was written in the context of alluding to an example of how an apprently open and shut case of how Christian scriptures pretty near the heart of our scriptural centre could be face-value read as supporting slavery. If we don't now read them that way then I would like to give Muslim conversation partners the same courtesy as I would want myself of it being assumed that I may have ways of dealing with apparent barbarisms in my faith traditions. In fact I consider it a Christian duty to do so. By all means be robust in pressing the points but don't assume that there may be nothing further to say.
Now I know that I have reporduced parts of one side of a conversation [to protect the identity of my conversation partner/s] but I'd be interested to have any feedback on or off blog about this kind of approach and the issues it raises ....
What's the fuss about? Well here are [some of]the concerning passages:
Qur'anic injunctions such as contained in: Surahs 8:12-17 and 47:4 .
Have a look at them using the on-line Qur'an giving English translations, together with transliterated Arabic, at:-http://www.quranbrowser.com
On one occasion, Muhammad had up to 900 Jewish Men of the Bani Qurayzah tribe beheaded, and on another occasion, around 400 were beheaded. http://www.muhammadanism.org/Islam/islam_beheading.pdf
this the "model for all mankind" (sic) who in the last sermon he preached (632 AD in
Medina) said: I leave behind me two things, the Qur'an and my example, the Sunnah, and
if you follow these, you will never go astray."
Whilst the Qur'an says:- "Ye have indeed in the apostle of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct)
for any one whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the Praise of Allah." Surah 33:21
And lastly, a point of view from someone else -again I don't want to out them and trust that this view is okay expressed here:
"we need to know why moderate Muslims feel their stance is not incompatible with Islam, indeed why they feel Osama et al are not true Muslims - it can't only be because they fear being jailed if they publicly support O bin L surely? And to do that we can't approach them with the attitude that any Muslim who doesn't support O bin L isn't a true Muslim so has no authority to give us their opinion anyhow."
11 October 2004
Kyoto site goes back up
UNFCCC. Useful for bookmarkers! The place to go for news on Kyoto protocol related issues.
Jacques Derrida Dies
willzhead: Willzhead: Thanks to Will Samson for this; haven't seen it in papers or newsfeeds but for me this is more significant than Christopher Reeve's dying [respect to his work especially on quadraplegia issues].
People Are Human-Bacteria Hybrid
Wired News: People Are Human-Bacteria Hybrid: "Most of the cells in your body are not your own, nor are they even human. They are bacterial. From the invisible strands of fungi waiting to sprout between our toes, to the kilogram of bacterial matter in our guts, we are best viewed as walking 'superorganisms,' highly complex conglomerations of human, fungal, bacterial and viral cells."
Evolution isn't just 'nature, red in tooth and claw' it's also symbiosis -and this article puts the case for co-operation being part of nature too. Ever since I read
The Symbiotic Planet: A New Look at... I've felt that we need to take this pardigm on board too.
Evolution isn't just 'nature, red in tooth and claw' it's also symbiosis -and this article puts the case for co-operation being part of nature too. Ever since I read
The Symbiotic Planet: A New Look at... I've felt that we need to take this pardigm on board too.
Oil prices surge to new high
Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Given the fact that oil production has peaked /is peaking it seems that prospects for cheaper oil are small. Which is bad news for the world ecopnomy as currently configured though good in the medium to longer term for renewables which are already been looked at again by a far bigger audience/market. The trick will be managing, if possible, the transition form oil-based to remeables based energy with as little harm to people and planet as possible ...
Climate fear as carbon levels soar
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Climate fear as carbon levels soar Carefully reproted with an emphasis on the fact that it is really too early to know what the significance may be. Of course the fear is that it could be that we've just reached the tip-over opint into a run away warming loop. I hope that the sensible counsel here is the truth, and it seems the sanest comment:
"My guess is that there were extra forest fires in the northern hemisphere, and particularly a very hot summer in Europe," Dr Cox said. "This led to a die-back in vegetation and an increase in release of carbon from the soil, rather than more growing plants taking carbon out of the atmosphere, which is usually the case in summer."
Problem is that small amounts of carbon dioxide have big effects and then there is the potential for exponentiality.
"My guess is that there were extra forest fires in the northern hemisphere, and particularly a very hot summer in Europe," Dr Cox said. "This led to a die-back in vegetation and an increase in release of carbon from the soil, rather than more growing plants taking carbon out of the atmosphere, which is usually the case in summer."
Problem is that small amounts of carbon dioxide have big effects and then there is the potential for exponentiality.
Ships sabotage war on acid rain
The Observer | UK News | Perhaps an illustration of the law of unintended consequences? I too thought that the acid rain problem ought to have been cracked; just goes to show....
Crisis ends dream of early retirement
The Observer | Politics | Of more than passing interest to me, since at the moment I'm not on the Church Commissioners roll gaining years of service which counts towards my pension ... dangnabbit ... so I'm certinly considering that I may have to work past 65 anyway [assuming I live that long and am able-bodied]. The fact that like most western societies we are an aging population is something of a problem for personal and social planning.
It will also affect the church, other things being equal. In my last church we relied quite a bit on early-retired pople to exercise ministries such as administration, visiting and pastoral care and we tended to find tht they were often well-enough off not to want to ask for expenses. I don't see that this kind of condition can be sustained. Retiremnet ministries will be more constrained in future. On the other hand their may be more retired clergy around, but this may lead to a problem of reinforcing clericalism, perhaps. Though that being said, it would depend on how many churches are being used and how thinly other clergy are spread.
It just seems to me that the whole institutional church as we have known it is in long-term trouble at this rate. Having lived abroad and experienced expat chaplaincy-style church life, it seems to me that that is what we are headed for, in all probability. Except that we have this difficulty of loads of buildings an historical plant to think about so the economies of scale which mean that sharing and working with congregational units of reasonable sizes may not be possible.
I look at the churches I have seen in this area and I wonder what will happen in twenty years time when they have a dozen active members left ...
It will also affect the church, other things being equal. In my last church we relied quite a bit on early-retired pople to exercise ministries such as administration, visiting and pastoral care and we tended to find tht they were often well-enough off not to want to ask for expenses. I don't see that this kind of condition can be sustained. Retiremnet ministries will be more constrained in future. On the other hand their may be more retired clergy around, but this may lead to a problem of reinforcing clericalism, perhaps. Though that being said, it would depend on how many churches are being used and how thinly other clergy are spread.
It just seems to me that the whole institutional church as we have known it is in long-term trouble at this rate. Having lived abroad and experienced expat chaplaincy-style church life, it seems to me that that is what we are headed for, in all probability. Except that we have this difficulty of loads of buildings an historical plant to think about so the economies of scale which mean that sharing and working with congregational units of reasonable sizes may not be possible.
I look at the churches I have seen in this area and I wonder what will happen in twenty years time when they have a dozen active members left ...
Charibaptomethanglicathorthevangelicostal
There's this site which takes you through a set of beliefs which you have to agree with one in each section and it tells you at the end what you fit into: I come out as orthodox quaker ! I think mainly becasue I'm fairly orthodox in blief wrt things like the nature of God and incarnation and have a lot of sympathy with the historic peace witness of quakers, mennonites etc.
The quiz isn't that good, to be honest: although it does have a weighting factor for answers, it doesn't give options at several points to holdmore than one view or to say none of the above. For example on sacraments etc it had no way to say they are important without being essential or on moral issues to be more nuanced. Sounds like I'm a bit of a liberal too -but it didn't pick up that either!
The quiz isn't that good, to be honest: although it does have a weighting factor for answers, it doesn't give options at several points to holdmore than one view or to say none of the above. For example on sacraments etc it had no way to say they are important without being essential or on moral issues to be more nuanced. Sounds like I'm a bit of a liberal too -but it didn't pick up that either!
An Augustinian Understanding of Love in an Ecological Context - by Francisco Benzoni
Quodlibet Online Journal: Francisco Benzoni: "Cupiditas: Loving the world to death"
While I don't think that this article give us any startling or new insights it does give a good exposition of cupidity and relates it to our ecological challenges. It got my attention because, in a way, it marks out part of my intellectual path to faith: I was a memeber of what is now the Green Party even before I was old enough to vote. And, being a youth of reflective tendencies, got to wondering what the basic issue was behind our ecological crisis. It seemed to me that greed and selfishness were at the heart of the matter and so, also being a youth of spiritual curiosity, I felt that what was needed was a spiritual path that addressed that and did something about changing human greed and selfishness. It seemed to me that Christ offered such change ...
In terms of this article, what I had done was identify cupidity as the problem.
I love the title of the sub-heading I have quoted: 'loving the world to death'.
10 October 2004
We must ask why kill Ken Bigley
The Observer | Comment | We must ask why: "Mohammed Atta piloted a plane into the Twin Towers because he felt that, as a believer, he had to strike at a supposed global conspiracy against Muslims. Bin Laden has internationalised the issue. Now activists from Kashmir to Morocco talk of the 'Crusader-Zionist alliance' set on crushing Islam."
This is a good article that helps us to understand more fully what's going on in a way that pushes past cheap and jingoistic slogans. We need apart form any other considerations, to understand how the West is part of the problem without necessarily being totally to blame. There's a reflexivity about it that needs to be borne in mind. Articles like this help us to do that.
I like that in this article there is an attempt to see how while the west has a part to play in creating the problem, it nevertheless doesn't entirely hold the west responsible since there is considerable responsibility left with the perpetrators. But it does bring together the sense that there is a cocktail of drivers, poverty, affront, oppression, the possibility of finding and using certain 'resources' within Islamic foundation documents to justify terrorist acts.
There is some debate about how far these 'resources' represent the true spirit of Islam. Some would say that the Islamists are right: Islam is essentially a violent religion which advocates extreme and brutal measures and dishonesty in certain circumstances whilst others [clearly a majority of Muslims] believe Islam to be basically peaceful and humane. For those of us who are not followers of Muhammed's teachings it is hard to judge and the general rule about interfaith dialogue and relations would lead us to not prescribe which outcome: it is for Muslims to decide what is truest of their faith, though we can obviously say how it might look to us and ask for explanations, just as others may do with Us Christians. But we must be prepared to be told we are wrong in our suppositions or interpretations, and to be prepared to work a little at understaning how issues of hermeneutics and authority might work within, in this case, Islam.
It does look to me as if the advocations of violence within Islamic tradition are well-founded and more authoritative within Islamic sources than I can see supports a more moderate view. So I am awaiting the evidence that shows me how more moderate Muslims handle such matters and how that relates to official teaching in the form of fatwas [for example, has there been any fatwa against Osama Bin Laden?]. It kind of looks like Muslims have the problem of trying to justify humane and non-violent ways from their scriptures whiles Christians tend to have the reverse issue. And all of us are in the boat of trying to relate scriptures which advocate things that appear to be not good in our societies to a notion of what is good that seems independent of any external authority.
I have met humane Muslims who have advocated that, for example, Amina Lawal should not be stoned [when that was an issue] on the basis that adultery needs to be witnessed by two [or was it four] other people and has to be the act itself. Since that was clearly not the case and is rarely going to be the case, it all seems a lot more humane. However, I had to say that my reply was that it seemed a harsh punishment to have on the books for that offence in any case no matter how mitigated it was in practice and theory... there's been no come back on that point.
This is a good article that helps us to understand more fully what's going on in a way that pushes past cheap and jingoistic slogans. We need apart form any other considerations, to understand how the West is part of the problem without necessarily being totally to blame. There's a reflexivity about it that needs to be borne in mind. Articles like this help us to do that.
I like that in this article there is an attempt to see how while the west has a part to play in creating the problem, it nevertheless doesn't entirely hold the west responsible since there is considerable responsibility left with the perpetrators. But it does bring together the sense that there is a cocktail of drivers, poverty, affront, oppression, the possibility of finding and using certain 'resources' within Islamic foundation documents to justify terrorist acts.
There is some debate about how far these 'resources' represent the true spirit of Islam. Some would say that the Islamists are right: Islam is essentially a violent religion which advocates extreme and brutal measures and dishonesty in certain circumstances whilst others [clearly a majority of Muslims] believe Islam to be basically peaceful and humane. For those of us who are not followers of Muhammed's teachings it is hard to judge and the general rule about interfaith dialogue and relations would lead us to not prescribe which outcome: it is for Muslims to decide what is truest of their faith, though we can obviously say how it might look to us and ask for explanations, just as others may do with Us Christians. But we must be prepared to be told we are wrong in our suppositions or interpretations, and to be prepared to work a little at understaning how issues of hermeneutics and authority might work within, in this case, Islam.
It does look to me as if the advocations of violence within Islamic tradition are well-founded and more authoritative within Islamic sources than I can see supports a more moderate view. So I am awaiting the evidence that shows me how more moderate Muslims handle such matters and how that relates to official teaching in the form of fatwas [for example, has there been any fatwa against Osama Bin Laden?]. It kind of looks like Muslims have the problem of trying to justify humane and non-violent ways from their scriptures whiles Christians tend to have the reverse issue. And all of us are in the boat of trying to relate scriptures which advocate things that appear to be not good in our societies to a notion of what is good that seems independent of any external authority.
I have met humane Muslims who have advocated that, for example, Amina Lawal should not be stoned [when that was an issue] on the basis that adultery needs to be witnessed by two [or was it four] other people and has to be the act itself. Since that was clearly not the case and is rarely going to be the case, it all seems a lot more humane. However, I had to say that my reply was that it seemed a harsh punishment to have on the books for that offence in any case no matter how mitigated it was in practice and theory... there's been no come back on that point.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
-
I've been watching the TV series 'Foundation'. I read the books about 50 years ago (I know!) but scarcely now remember anything...
-
I've just had an article published on emergingchurch.info. It's an adaptation of some of my book, but I thought I'd share it and...
-
from: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/online/2012/5/22/1337672561216/Annular-solar-eclipse--008.jpg