What's your theological worldview?

I took the quiz, and not really surprisingly came out...

"You scored as Emergent/Postmodern. You are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well. No one knows the whole truth about God, and we have much to learn from each other, and so learning takes place in dialogue. Evangelism should take place in relationships rather than through crusades and altar-calls. People are interested in spirituality and want to ask questions, so the church should help them to do this. "

For those interested, here is the link for the quiz.

You will always have the poor among you

I'm not sure I can fully understand what Jesus says here. It appears in context of the woman who annoints him with the expensive bottle of perfume, and the disciples were commenting on it being a waste of money. But what I am increasingly beginning to grasp is Jesus' call to his followers and also his example of caring for the poor. In fact, al the way back in Deuteronomy there was instructions on caring for the poor. The poor have always had a special place in God's heart.

It seems the world's rich boys'club have made a decision on debt relief (click here for the BBC report). I think that is a great start, but I think it is the responsibility of the richer nations to help the poorer nations of the world. OK. That sounds like an ideal situation. But it is simply an extrapolation of the responsibilities of the rich towards the poor.

In saying that, I hoping these nations wouldn't feel too smug about themselves and pat themselves on the back too much. Its about time they did something about debt relief. But a much bigger issue hangs in the balance. Trade. Giving money (or dropping debt for that matter) do help. But if rich countries don't work towards fair trade, then the poor nations are back in square one. They are not able to make a living for themselves. They are already on the backfoot - technology, systems in place etc. But if the US or EU don't cut subsidies to their own producers, then poorer countries like Africa will be dumped with cheap food surpluses. Food that the rich don't need, but sold at prices cheaper than the African farmers can produce. Let's see what the rich boys put on the table after this debt relief offer.

Does evil exist?

We had a discussion about in this in one of our Uni SE meetings. Well, it wasn't really the topic but seeped into the discussion. Some people don't think that evil exists. I wasn't very sure about it, but then I went to the Human Rights Film Festival and watched a movie about innocent Burmese girls, taken from their villages and tricked into a life of prostitution in Thailand. They usually come form poor families and are told that they will get work in the city - washing dishes, cleaning etc. - and thus be able to earn some money to help their family. So scared, but optimistic about the prospect of supporting their family, they go along with these smugglers and are taken to brothels and similar such places. They don't really understand what is happening. Some of them eventually contract STDs.

After watching that, I was pretty sure that evil exists. And its not just a force, but some people are evil. They knowingly trick and manipulate innocent people to lead life of misery so they can profit from it. It is beyond just greed and selfishness. There has to be an element of evil in it. And that is just one example.

Make Poverty History

2005 has been designated the year to make lots of noise and make a difference and to make poverty history. There is a global campaign launched to end poverty as we finally have the resources, knowledge and opportunity to do so. Click here to check out the campaign in NZ.

We are the first generation that can look extreme and stupid poverty in the eye, look across the water to Africa and elsewhere and say this and mean it: we have the cash, we have the drugs, we have the science, butdo we have the will? Do we have the will to make poverty history? Some say we can't afford to. I say we can't afford not to.
- Bono, 29 September, 2004

An excerpt...

An excerpt for Life of Pi which I am currently reading (and enjoying).

There are always those who take it upon themselves to defend God, as if Ultimate Reality, as if the sustaining frame of existence, were something weak and helpless. These people walk by a widow deformed with leprosy, begging for a few paise, walk by children dressed in rags living in the street, and they think, "Business as usual". But if they perceive a slight against God, it is a different story. Their faces go red, their chests heave mightily, they sputter angry words. The degree of their indignation is astonishing. Their resolve is frightening.

These people fail to realise that it is on the inside that God must be defended, not on the outside. They should direct their anger at themselves. For evil in the open is but evil from within that has been let out. The main battlefield for good is not the open ground of the public arena but the small clearing from each heart. Meanwhile, the lot of widows and homeless children is very hard, and it is to their defense, not God's, that the self-righteous should rush.

a (belated) tribute

Postdate-dated, but nonetheless, still a tribute. During his life, I never really bothered to find out more about him and what contributions he has made. But with the failing his health and his subsequent death and funeral, there has been lots of snippets of the Pope John Paul II's life.

He somehow reminds me of Paul. Paul was passionate. His life showed it. He was passionate about Jesus and about sharing the teachings of Jesus. The Pope was also passionate about Jesus and never wavered from that. He was also passionate about justice (or injustice as it is) and spoke up for the down-trodden.

I reflect on my own life and wonder... if I died now, what would people say I was passionate about? I'm not sure if I would like the answers! How does one develop a life that is lived out of passion. Blogging about it gives clues about what I am interesting in. But I want it to reflect in my life. I want people around me to pick up from my actions and words, what my passions are. Thats hard.

Also in a day and age, when people that seems to have integrity one day betray that trust, it has been refreshing to know that there has been a man of recent times who stood for justice, for Jesus and was man of humility and of integrity. And I bet, Jesus would have welcomed him saying, "Good on ya, mate!"