Dostoevsky and the problem of evil

I'm sure no one reads this anymore, but if you are still subscribed to this blog and want to subscribe to one that will get regular updates and the topic tickles your fancy, please feel free to come on over to my new blog.

It will be looking at the problem of evil with a focus on the theodicy (or anti-theodocy) of Fyodor Dostoevsky given in his novel The Brothers Karamazov. Click here , or if that link didnt work, cut and past this

http://responsibleforall.wordpress.com/

cya!

Pragmatism fails in practice

Or so my good friend Craig thinks. I've always felt the tension between God choosing the weak and shameful of this world to accomplish his purpose against the desire to choose or look up to those who seem like natural leaders.

Anyway, check it out. He didn't actually give an example of where pragmatism might fail, or where he has seen it fail, but I asked him to so hopefully he will.

You can find his blog post here.

It might also be worth noting that Craig has worked and currently works in some of Sydney's biggest evangelical churches. He is not a disaffected cynic working in a church of 15 trying to find excuses for his church declining in numbers.

A Better Possession

My good friend Craig has just started a blog, A Better Possession.

Craig is an assistant minister out at Glenmore Park Anglican, and is a really thoughful guy, and reads lots on theology, ministry and leadership. I'm looking forward to hearing what he has to say, and you should too.

Go check it out and say hello.

Should Elton John adopt?

After a recent post where I questioned the idea of allowing gay adoption (not coming to any conclusions, of course), what do people think of Elton John wanting to adopt Lev, an orphan from the Ukraine?

Now I don't know the particular circumstances of Lev, nor the living conditions of the orphanage, but he lives in an orphanage where many of the parents have died of HIV and I'm imagining the living conditions aren't that crash hot. Would it be better for Lev to remain the orphanage, or adopted by Elton and David where his standard of living (education, health etc etc.) would be much better?

Now, I know there are so many particulars and variables for us to answer that question adequately, so my question is basically this: Both poverty and homosexuality are against the created order. Which is worse for a child to be raised in?

The Miniature Earth

Great vid to help put things into perspective.


Moore College peeps, don't ever refer to yourself as a poor student again. You're not.

Also, in light of this vid and our greedy culture, read this article on parents spending uber amounts of money on prams "for their children". In the word's of Homer; "It's funny cos it's true"

Why Gen-Y Can't Read Non-Verbal Clues

An intersting article on the effects the new digital media may be having on us, especially young people. The article notes how one of the biggest issues in cross-cultural communication is not language, but understanding the subtleties and nuances of gestures and so forth. The next generation may be faced with similar struggles immigrants have, but in their own country.

Anyway, this was the quote that I best identified with;

With a device close by, attendees at workplace meetings simply cannot keep their focus on the speaker. It's too easy to check email, stock quotes and Facebook. While a quick log-on may seem, to the user, a harmless break, others in the room receive it as a silent dismissal. It announces: "I'm not interested."

I do this all the time. I have an incredibly short attention span and my mind wanders, and subsequently I've become a terrible listener. Not the best character trait for a pastor in training!!

What's the difference?

The front of the SMH ran this tragic story of a lawyer who jumped from a 17 story building to his death. This is tragic. But why do you think the story got front page, while the man who plunged to his death from the housing commission across the road from my home didn't rate a mention?

Why is it that the lawyer's death has more public interest than the man from Redfern?

Free DVD's

Decluttering is good, and so is giving stuff away. Some of this stuff is really great quality, and I may regret giving this away, but that's doesn't mean it's bad, right?

Here is the list, let me know in the comments section what you want. Write down what you want in order from 1 to 5 (you may get all of them, or I may give them to someone else if I feel you have too many good ones).

Music
Radiohead: Homework (It's really crap)
Pixies: Sell out (It's really good)

Television Series - List which seasons you want
Scrubs, seasons 1 to 5
Curb your Enthusiasm, seasons 1 and 4
The Office, season 1
Arrested Development, season 2 and 3
Family Guy, Season 1 and 2


Movies (Don't judge me, they aren't all mine)
Shall we Dance?
The Incredibles
What Happens in Vegas
Dogtown and Z-Boys
Fast Food Nation
Bee Movie
Pretty Woman - 15th anniversary special edition, wow!

Forget New-Evangelicalism, become a Pentecostal

The two great, successful religions - I'm sorry to brand it in such market-driven terms - of the 20th century were Islam, which grew pretty astronomically from about 300 million to around about a billion. The other one which is arguably even more successful was Pentecostalism, which went from nobody in 1900 to close to 500 to 600 million by the end of the century.

Taken from an interview on Lateline.

I heard once that the pentecostal movement in South America is the largest social movement in the history of humankind.* What I've also noticed in my time in Redfern is that those on the poorer end of the spectrum tend to be attracted to a pentecostal-style service over our often rigid Anglican ones.

In my opinion more biblically minded persons need to leave evangelical institutions and join a pentecostal church and become people of influence there.

*Ahh blogs, where all unsubstantiated claims roam free

Urban Servant

Sarah found this really cool blog today about a Mother who has 10 children: 3 of her own and 7 adopted.

The blog is called Urban Servant and is written by a women named Dorothy. This is her blurb thing:

I am a 40 year old, homeschooling mom to 10 wonderful kids. I currently have the amazing opportunity to live in the inner-city experiencing what it means to be part of the urban life scape. I advocate for the elderly, the poor and the illiterate as they wade through our confusing American lives. And I LOVE working with the local police precinct as we search out new ways to build healthy community and reduce crime. Doing all of this in Jesus name - with no strings attached for those we serve, but He's the reason we live the way we do.

Sometimes Sarah and I think it's all a bit too much with 2 kids. We need to read more stuff like this. I'd like to think one day we'll have adopted or fostered children together. Check it out and be inspired.

Edit: I should add she has a husband

Never trust a man in a blue trench coat, never drive a car when you're dead

This was the theme song for Nick and I during our exams.



But if you wanna catch another great Tom Waits song, check out this one. Watch it too if you wanna learn how to preach better



They're both from the live album and video "Big Time". If you can find the video, I'll pay big bucks for it.

Luther quotes are brilliant

Great for remembering in exams, just cos they're so outrageous.

"Since God once spoke through an ass, why should He not come in our day and speak through a man of faith and even contradict the Pope?"

More of this gold and the exam will be a walk in the park. I have to say that because of this he makes for far more interesting than Calvin

Sorry for the delay in posting. I've had nothing to say for a while, and have been uber busy with kids, youth and study.