One for the road...

How (not) to empower...

Speaking of leadership i've reposted these thoughts on following/leading on Jason Clark's site

why are you bovvered to be a christian... [part 2]

I just wanted to say thank you for the brilliant thougths being shared by people on my recent post: why are you bothered to be a christian exploring faith/mission/evangelism in a culture which is increasingly 'not bothered.'

I rasied the same issue here on Jason Clark's blog and included the following clip from English commedian Catherine Tate to illustrate:

Ari has also highlighted a really great looking sermon which explores finding God in the other and she follows it up with some awesome reflections on Christianity and love. Similarly this site advocating a new progressive alliance between people of faith [either in God or no God] seems to be a great opportunity to learn from each other rather than take a position of i'm right/you're wrong...

One of the most interesting/profound things i took from watching the TV programme ‘God is green’ that i blogged about, was how many religions have something at the heart of their sacred texts about caring for the planet - it was fascinating seeing this christian presenter interviewing hindus and muslims as well as evengelical american christians and exploring not just what the bible says but what their own faith teachings said…

I found that quite humbling in that often we look to overthrow a different faith, prove it wrong etc but this was an insight in how to view/engage/explore what all religions could do if they took these texts seriously…

Choosing church...

So you're fed up with your church, tired, frustrated, disallusioned... it's too light weight, too deep, too loud, too quiet, too much bible, not enough bible, too big, too small, too worldly, too sheltered, too inward looking, too outward going, too modern, too ancient, too many comfy sofas, too many pews... etc etc.

So how do you choose another church to go to?  Maybe these might help...

1) Be clear about what you are looking for...

2) Lessons from one family's journey to find a new church...

God, Inc.

Really have been enjoying this short indie (no canned laughter) commedy The Office-esque series on youtube, except the office in question is run by The Boss...God...

Here's episode 1: In the beginning there was paper work ...

If you liked that then check out... epsidode 2: the mircles department and episode 3: who stole God's lunch?

Stephen Colbert interviews Richard Dawkins

I blogged here how I think Christians should be open/welcome (to) critique and used the example of Richard Dawkin's new atheism and his critique that religion is evil. It has sparked off some deep insightful comments...

For a critique of Richard Dawkins, please do enjoy the following clip...

PMS - survival tips. Men, this film might just save your life as well as your relationship...

Box'd by a 'dox?

What is a paradox?  Well the dictionary tells me...

par‧a‧dox 

–noun

1.	a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.

2.	a self-contradictory and false proposition.

3.	any person, thing, or situation exhibiting an apparently contradictory nature.

4.	an opinion or statement contrary to commonly accepted opinion.

---

[Origin: 1530–40; < L paradoxum < Gk parádoxon, n. use of neut. of parádoxos unbelievable, lit., beyond belief. See para-¹, orthodox]

Now you know you can go and see whether you agree with Makeesha and her joys of paradox...

As for me, I hated being box'd by the 'dox (could be my ENFP personality ) - and/or maybe it's just my zanny charm, who knows, anywho it inspired me to write this corrupted Dr Seuss esque poem...

Box'd by a 'dox

I do not like all this email spam
oh what a foolish christian I am
it keeps on coming and filling my in box
more ads for viagra than i have pairs of soxs
But worse I do not like these blogging posts
that make me itch like unbuttered toast
who wants to be put into such a box
by this strange thing called a paradox?
Oh what is this  foolish christian to do
apart from keep buying those tables blue?

Health warning: me doing theology is like Homer building a BBQ...

The picture on the box will only in the vaguest way resemble what actually is real life...

Creation - another take

Ricky Gervais takes a  look at Genesis 1-3 (bit more swearing than your average church sermon but then again slightly more intersting :) - amazing what you can do in the dark!

spud you like...

This radio phone in clip is the funniest and best example I have heard of the saying "you can take a horse to water but you cannot make it drink..." Class!