40 minute essay challenge!
16 July 2013
In life it can be hard to define terms that we use everyday. Defining beauty is one of these difficult things. When most people think of beauty they think of appearance, especially what is on the outside and most visible. However it could be argued that true beauty is deeper, more than “skin deep”. This essay will address the issue of true beauty.
Most of what we see and watch around us, reinforces set stereotypes of skin deep or superficial beauty. This includes what we watch on television, the internet and advertising that surrounds us every day. Nearly all of these things reinforce the idea the beauty is only skin deep. Beautiful enticing women are used to sell us everything from food to clothing. Muscular well chiseled men try to sell us underwear, beer and aftershave
Even some advertisements purported to be discouraging beauty myths still reinforce the idea that beauty is is on the outside rather than on the inside. This “skin deep” understanding of beauty is also very pervasive, subtle and widely accepted.
Christian theology affirms superficial beauty. Christians believe people are drawn to a creation made by God as good and visually beautiful. The Christian can praise God for the beautiful muscular body of the man, or the curvaceous body of a woman. The Christian can praise God for the beautiful mountains, sunset, and creation we live in.
Christian theology also understands that our perception of the world is tarnished by our rejection of God as the creator. Christians understand this to mean that our view of beauty is also tarnished and that we end up worshiping the beautiful world God has given us, rather than honouring it’s creator. In failing to worship God first, something in our very nature looses it’s beauty in the process. Christians understand that it’s only though restored relationship with God that we can again appreciate real true beauty and begin to understand it as something that is far more than skin deep.
More generally to argue that beauty is only skin deep is particularly narrow. It’s difficult to believe that the average person on the street would affirm this as being true. Our society often seems torn, on the one hand we surround ourselves with set patterns and stereotypes of what true beauty is. On the other hand people always seem to seek to redefine or reject stereotypes of beauty. One evidence for this comes from the many internet memes that circulate on social media that affirm that true beauty comes from within. These are not Christian in nature suggesting that people understand that something is not quite right when it comes to how our society looks at beauty. They would seem to suggest that beauty is indeed more than skin deep.
The definition of true beauty would include both internal and unseen things not just the external and seen. It could be argued that the order in which our world operates is beautiful even though we can’t visually “see” it. It could also be argued that things from Mathematics to feelings such as love, care and joy are all part of a world which is more than just visually or superficially beautiful.
While valuing external beauty Christian theology also teaches the value of beauty that is also hidden. Christians would argue that internal unseen values such as “love”, “peace” “joy”and are beautiful, when motivated by a desire to follow Jesus. A person may very well be “ugly” on the outside but very “beautiful” on the inside. Conversely a person may be very beautiful on the outside but on the inside very, very “ugly”.
In conclusion what is “true beauty”? This essay has argued that it is an internal and an external thing. Is beauty only skin deep? The answer clearly is no. Beauty in both internally and externally is affirmed both in Christian theology and the society in which we live.
A bit like Hobart all grown up
03 July 2013
I've always said that San Francisco feels like a grown up version of Hobart. When I say “grown up” I mean bigger. I really liked that San Francisco’s “bigness”, hasn't come at the expense of it’s eclectic charm. Population wise it’s around eight hundred thousand... Hobart at about two hundred thousand, means we’re not really in the same league. That said, it did feel uncannily like Hobart.
I visited San Francisco three years ago and I loved it, in fact it’s my favourite big city. I’m not really sure why I fell in love with the place. Perhaps it was a welcome relief, after spending time in the characterless stink and heat of Los Angels. Perhaps it was the mix of European and American Architecture. Perhaps it was the hipster cafes, and minimal Walmart and Brittany Spears boringness. Maybe it was that I had a couple of mates to show me around, visiting the most expensive car dealerships you can think of...
...But back to the similarities. Hobart and San Francisco both have a lush cool climate. Both have lots of hills and greenness. Both are politically progressive or "left wing". Politically Hobart (or Denison) is one of the most left leaning seats in Australia. San Francisco is seen as a “Centre for Liberalism in America”, at least according to Wikipedia.
In both places the natural environment and landscape features prominently in peoples mindset. In San Francisco the beautiful whips and flow of fog surrounds the Golden Gate Bridge in early morning and evening. In Hobart we have the Bridgewater Jerry. I couldn’t help but notice the similarities between the two following videos.
This video below is taken from the Marin Headland in San Francisco. I can promise you it’s as hauntingly beautiful in real life as it is in the video below, even in the mist of the traffic and tourists. Visiting it felt a little like making a pilgrimage. That said my attempt to cross the bridge on foot was thwarted by a heavily pregnant wife and young child who seemed intent on throwing a tantrum and herself off the bridge.
While watching I couldn’t help but be reminded of this video below. It’s a time-lapse taken from Hobart’s Mount Wellington looking at Ryoji Ikeda’s Spectra (part of the recent dark MOFO festival in Hobart).
I love both San Francisco and Hobart and I think you’d have to agree there are some pretty neat similarities. If you ever get to visit Americaland make sure you go to San Francisco you won’t regret it. It’s a bit like Hobart but all grown up.
tags linkage, thinking, travel, video
Not just bright lights, the art of Spectra
29 June 2013
“What is with that noise s**t?” says the bogan just near me. Just ahead an old woman in a wheelchair is being slowly pushed up the hill toward the towering lights. Spectra beams its way skyward seeming to reach to the very heavens. I crane my neck and almost fall backwards as I try to see where it ends. I thought the fifteen kilometre high claim might have been an exaggeration, now I believe it. It really does look awesome. Mad props to my mate Nick Monk for letting me use his images for this post.
Usually at this time of year Tasmanians are hunkered down staring at their own navels feeling depressed, complaining about the cold and the state of the Tasmanian economy. As one of my Facebook friends put it... for Tasmanians...
...Winter is the season where people try to keep the house as warm as it was in the summer, when they complained about the heat.Instead this winter Hobart was buzzing with Dark MOFO. If you’re from out of town Dark MOFO was a winter festival of music and art the brainchild of David Walsh and the folks from the Museum of Old and New Art. The crowning awesome was Ryoji Ikeda’s Spectra, a light installation on the Domain Cenotaph stretching fifteen kilometres up into the sky.
For a week my Facebook newsfeed was filled with pictures of the Spectra instead of baby photos and nightclub style selfies. I saw everything from grainy insta-phone images to professionally photographed shots. Unmissable in rain and fog, Spectra had become the night-time unifying point of reference for everyone in Hobart. It felt like everyone had to see it and get their little piece of it.
It got people talking. Discussions as to if a big bright light in the sky actually constituted art. Other arguments were had about the environment and effect that powering the huge beams had. There were even calls to make the installation permanent, as great herds of rugged up people could be seen flocking to Spectra like moths to a flame. The festival also had an alluring effect, with a flood of ex-pats coming back to Hobart to visit. Ordinarily this only happens during the warmer months and for family shenanigans at Christmas and Easter. Instead people were flying BACK to Hobart... for a festival... in the middle of winter. It’s unheard of for Tasmania.
I think the real success of Spectra was its accessibility. It got a huge number of people talking about art who wouldn’t otherwise have, from academics, to small children. People of all classes and socioeconomic statuses were united in looking toward and talking about the "great light in the sky".
There was also some discussion about what Spectra stood for. Quoting from Genesis 1:3 “Let there be light” the artist himself described the work as “Pointing a fleshless finger at our town straight down, it seems, from some sort of imagined, omniscient seat in the sky.” For me Spectra reminded me to look upward especially in the depths of a cold Tasmanian winter. It reminded me that the world is bigger than just me and my small life that I share it with many others. It reminded me that I’m linked to the hundreds of thousands of other people here in the greater Hobart area all who can see the same things I see. It pointed me to something bigger that despite my very best efforts I can’t quite reach.
For Tasmanians, it reminds us that we actually have a lot to be proud of. Thank-you David Walsh for reminding us that we have in Tasmania is unique, awesome and worth coming back to even in the depths of a cold winter.
tags friends, linkage, pictures, thinking
On Memes and the internet
21 June 2013
Memes go bad...
When they aren’t true - It’s frustrating when things are passed around that aren’t true. Lies are the enemy of truth. Christian or not we should be people about truth. Social media being what it is means ideas can spread fast. This means good or bad true or untrue they all spread fast. A quick check of Snopes if something seems too incredible, is not that much to ask. Don’t just read, believe, and repost.
When they are smug - The overall tone of many memes is smug or worse still self righteous. At worst they dichotomise opinion, identifying the reader/liker/re-poster as a “goodie” in the narrative. In debate smugness is neither constructive or loving.
When you do it all the time - Please don’t be one of these people. People aren’t just an endless stream of memes and you shouldn’t be either. Better to post a few carefully chosen pieces rather than endlessly bombard people’s Newsfeeds with spam.
Memes are good when they...
Are actually funny or original - If you’re not a good judge of this then it’s probably best to avoid re-posting.
Challenging and thoughtful - I like to write challenging things, and I like it when other people challenge my ideas. This often helps me to think more deeply about issues, people, politics and the world.
You think of others before re-posting - I’d call this one the smugness test. Calling to mind a bunch of friends before posting something is a helpful check to see if what you’re doing is just destructive and alienating to the relationships you have.
Accurately reflect shared culture and experience - This is essentially the heart of what a meme is. This means friends will actually get your joke. If it’s obscure it’s less likely to be successful.
Look nice - In the world of the Internet aesthetics is becoming more and more important. There is already enough ugly things in the world without you sharing another one. I realise the word "nice" is very subjective. I’m referring a quality picture and readable font. Note also the irony of some memes that intentionally subvert this requirement.
*Picture is from one of my favorite Memes. See here for an explanation.
A more thoughtful engagement...
23 May 2013
When I posted about gay marriage I expected to cop some flack. Surprisingly most of the interaction was helpful. Having said that I’m sure there’s plenty out there who disagreed with my position.
Taking a step back, one criticism I thought was fair, was that I talked a lot about what Christians were doing wrong, but not a lot about what they do right, or could do right. Generally speaking it’s easier to criticise something you disagree with, than it is to set forth a positive framework for something you agree with. So in this post I thought I’d address how Christians could communicate more positively with the secular world on the issue of marriage, relationships and parenting.
You don’t need marketing experience to know that it’s more effective to market a positive message than a negative one. I find it frustrating that Christians seem to pigeon hole themselves into communicating constantly negative messages. “We're against X, we're against Y”. While there is a place for saying what we stand opposed to, Christians generally seem to fall into the trap of being exclusively negative. I’d like to see this balanced out a little more, with Christians looking to define themselves more positively. “Christians are for Z”.
In doing so Christians would communicate a more balanced understanding of what Christianity is to the world. Christians are for forgiveness, sacrifice, compassion, growth and love, driven to follow Jesus in laying down their lives for others not just against gay marriage, abortion and euthanasia.
“Excellent Marriage” is one example of positive marketing. The Excellent Marriage video was carefully thought through and positively framed. It focused on the positive ideas of sacrifice, growth and love. All of these are Christian concepts (although not exclusively so). Sadly, reading the speech on the Excellent Marriage webpage, it seems that the subtle tone and careful turn of phrase wasn’t really carried through from the video.
In the area of relationships Christians also have much to offer. One example could involve starting a discussion about what constitutes a “good” marriage or “great” relationships. Christians are for good relationships. This could be explored though couples forums and marriage training courses run by churches, but open to the wider community. Questions worth considering would include. How do common goals enrich relationships? What should those goals and purposes be? How does a Jesus and/or a Christian world view help us understand relationships? In my own life, my Christian belief has certainly helped me with my relationships.
More generally there is ample scope to encourage people to think about to make their relationships better. I was disappointed that more of my Christian friends didn’t get behind shows like the ABCs Making Couples Happy. The ideas and advice offered over the five week show, were most helpful and importantly sat comfortably within a Christian framework (although not exclusively).
My friend Adam blogged some excellent thoughts recently about what Christians can do more positively around the very difficult issue of abortion. While I don’t agree with everything in his post it is well worth a read if you haven’t read it already.
Similarly I really liked this idea from a group calling itself Save the Storks. These guys and girls, are Christians who offer free sonograms to mothers considering abortion. (It’s well worth having a look at the link). However it would require some contextualisation, to be successful in Australia.
Offering parenting courses, where advice and support are supplied to new parents is another form of positive engagement. The success of Hobart Mums Network shows that there is a huge need for mothers to be supported and encouraged in our communities. It often troubles me that more Christians don’t get involved in the network, as a way of positively influencing our community and supporting mothers. Other questions to consider might include... How does a Christian world view inform parents? How has following Jesus, changed Christian parents for the better.
I would argue that once these positive links and relationships were established, people would be able to evaluate the claims of Jesus more accurately. They would see that Christians aren’t just opposed to a set number of issues, but are also for a whole bunch of things too. They would see Christians have a positive message not just a negative one. They would see Jesus had a positive message not just a negative one. Not one at the expense of the other, both-and. In this relational context, people would see how Jesus underpins and shapes the life of the Christian. They would see how Jesus love motivates and drives Christians to be kind, loving people.
When Christians lobby an exclusively negative message, it shouldn’t be a surprise when people don’t listen. However it should be deeply troubling, when people are turned away not because of Jesus claims, but because of negative religious morality.
tags christian, ministry tips, thinking
5 Movies to see before you die
10 May 2013
Donnie Darko - This is a dark brooding hipster thriller movie. It was made in the days before being a hipster was cool and stars an misunderstood delinquent emo kid. Maybe that’s why I like it. It has elements of horror, surrealism and time travel. I love a film that warps your mind and challenges conventional thinking, and Donnie Darko does this well. I should add finally it has a pretty cool sound track. Watch twice for maximum awesomeness.
American Beauty - I love Kevin Spacey. He’s brilliant in this. The interactions between his and Annette Bening’s character are hilarious. He’s a rebel and he sticks it to the man, something I think we’d all like to do sometimes. The film also deservedly won 5 academy awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay and Best Cinematography.
Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels - Violence and black humour. If you don’t like or understand black humour you’ll hate this film. It’s a very cleverly told story, the acting is good and the protagonists thoughtfully sympathetic. There’s a fair whack of violence but the plot will keep you guessing to the end.
The Matrix - The action in this film for it’s time was amazing. I also really like the philosophical idea that you can be living inside a dream world or a world and not be aware of it. This film also illustrates well a number of Christian themes while not being a “Christian” film.
Seven - One of the harshest films I’ve ever seen. Acting is fantastic and storyline compelling. I particularly like Kevin Spacey’s contribution. He’s one of my favourite actors. There is also great skill with which the film shows that given the right circumstances any of us are capable of extreme misdeeds. I could say more but I don’t want to spoil it.
Gay marriage... but I'd rather talk about Jesus
23 April 2013
There are few issues that cause more debate and disagreement, hatred and
misunderstanding. For this reason I’ve kept out of this debate for a
long time. Below is my attempt to explain and clarify my own position
for the benefit of others. I’m hoping that this is helpful and gets
people thinking rather than adding to the bile of nasty commentary that
pervades the Internet.
Before we get started
Many nasty things have been said and done to gay
people by Christians in the past. This is something that Christians
must bear in mind before entering the debate. They must also be prepared
to express sorrow, regret, empathy and compassion for actions done to gay
people in the name of Jesus over the years. The Church and Christians
have done a poor job at articulating why they are opposed to gay marriage
and homosexuality. There are smug, nasty, hateful people on both sides
of this debate. Christians who claim to live by their ethos should be
ashamed of this. They should know better. More needs to be done in our
society to recognise gay and lesbian people and their fight against discrimination.
However...
Christians have the right to express their views in a democracy, just as those who are in favour of gay marriage
also have the right to express their views. Christians have the right
to campaign for their views in a democracy, just as those who are in
favour of gay marriage have the right to campaign for their views.
Saying Homosexuality is wrong is not hate. No doubt there are people who
use it as an excuse to hate. However just because something is used
(abused) for wrong purposes, doesn’t mean it’s bad in and of itself. You
can express disagreement with a person’s lifestyle choice, or
understanding of sexuality, in a kind way while still maintaining love
and friendship. Real tolerance isn’t fudging differences but looking
them in the face and getting along anyway. I have friends who are gay
(perhaps who are reading this) I care deeply about them. I’m not
scared of them. I may disagree with them profoundly. I certainly don’t
hate them.
My Position
Firstly it’s my conviction that
it is inconsistent with Christianity to be a practising homosexual.
Over the years I’ve read the Bible a fair bit. It’s hard to read it and
come to any other conclusion. There doesn’t seem to be much disagreement
on this issue among orthodox Christians who take the Bible seriously.
But can Christians actively campaign against gay marriage in a secular society?
Yes. We live in a free and democratic society that permits freedom of
speech. This means that Christians have the right to lobby for their
views just as those in favour of gay marriage
have the right to lobby for theirs. I should point out that Christians
should feel free to follow their conscious. For many Christians this is
an important issue and one they feel strongly about.
Should Christians actively campaign against gay marriage in a secular society?
This
is a slightly different question. Just because you can do something
doesn’t always mean that you should. There is also an important but
subtle distinction between expressing a view and actively lobbying for
it. Regardless of which camp you’re in I want you to consider more
deeply the wisdom of your approach for the following reasons.
First
I’m not convinced Christians have earned the right to have their views
admitted to the public square on this issue. Speaking to society on an
issue which has caused hurt and pain for many people, requires great
sensitivity and wisdom, something that is sadly lacking in many of the
engagements I have seen. When Christians speak against gay marriage,
it should take place within the context of having earned trust and
respect from the people they are speaking to. Have Christians done this?
Second,
the Christian world view has some very significant presuppositions
which are rarely acknowledged. Seeking to share a Christian view of marriage
divorced from the accompanying framework will always cause
misunderstanding, offense and expose Christians to ridicule. Christians
also run the risk of speaking to the world of a morality divorced from
the gospel.... which in the end is merely religious conservatism.
Something Jesus had some very strong things to say about.
Third, it’s very difficult to hold to the Christian view of marriage using purely secular arguments. “Marriage is for the flourishing of society” is probably the best one I’ve heard. Christians fail when they argue against gay marriage like this...
- It’s about children having both parents male and female... what about divorced and single parents, adopted children etc.
- It will result in people marrying dogs... an appeal to the ridiculous and not what is currently proposed.
- It’s about the “Institution of Marriage”... Marriage as an institution is trashed and has been for sometime, one only needs to look at the divorce statistics to see that.
Fourth, I’m generally not fan of lobbying as it often results in voices being excluded from consideration or individuals having a disproportionate say in how our government runs things. I’m similarly unconvinced that some forms of lobbying achieve much at all. It’s more likely they drive people deeper into already intrenched beliefs. I’d like to see Christians be more thoughtful in how they choose to engage or lobby for what they believe in.
Finally the question of whether Christians should be engaged in lobbying for their views (which are in a minority) to be imposed on a secular majority also needs to be considered. Is there a Biblical mandate that says Christian values should be impressed upon a secular society and actively campaigned for? This is almost always assumed, and questions are never asked.
If you’re a Christian who likes to lobby, I don’t want to gag you. I don’t want to stop you expressing your views. I certainly don’t want you to go against your conscience... but I do want you to think about your views more deeply. If Christians choose to engage in this debate they must be careful that their views are articulated in the context of the gospel and not divorced from it. They must also bear in mind that there is a great hurt and anger around this issue.
Christians must always be in the business of speaking and acting in way that is gracious, loving, and respectful toward others. Unfortunately when I look around at what is said by Christians about gay marriage very often I see neither grace, love... or Jesus.
Yes I play the drums
13 April 2013
“You play Drums?!... Really I had no idea!”
This is usually the reaction when people find out I play the drums. I love playing the drums. When I say drums I mean kit. I’ve never owned one and am entirely self taught, although I’ve had some tips along the way. I started playing when I was at school and was taking flute lessons (which I hated). When I finished school and after five years of lessons I sold my flute and have not played since. Drumming has stayed with me. Whenever I've had an opportunity I've played and practiced.
In early Crossroads Church music days, I can remember playing with four or five of us bashing out tunes, focusing on “getting thorough song” without mistakes. These days music at Crossroads is much better. We’re more focused on thinking about how we can make the music we sing (and I play) at church better. This means we spend time actually thinking about how to arrange our music. Working out who will play when, where, why and how.
As a drummer I’ve noticed it’s easy to get bogged on technical stuff and showing off cool new beats or solos. While this may show technical brilliance and how awesome you are, often it doesn’t actually serve the song or arrangement. As Anthony Rochester has said to me many times “Just play a straight eight!” Sometimes simplest is the best.
Below are a couple of videos with arrangements of older songs which I really like. I enjoy them because of the way they build toward a climax very gradually. I also like the way the drumming serves the overall arrangement.
tags church, linkage, music, video
The Reason for God
10 April 2013
I don’t post links for many Christian things these days unless I actually think they are actually REALLY worth watching. So it’s in this context that I’m posting this video. Dr Tim Keller was invited to to speak at Google as part of Authors at Google talks back in 2008.
He was asked to speak on the reasons for belief in God. The video goes for just over an hour but the last 20 minutes or so are questions and answers. It’s well worth a watch especially if you don’t believe in God or necessarily sign up to Christian belief. He addresses why this is in his first point. Let me give you a taster summary for his talk.
- Why the reasons for God are important.
- How the reasons for God work.
- What the reasons for God are.
What ever your stripe you will enjoy this... at least what the Google employees are wearing at 54 minutes in.
tags christian, christians i respect, thinking, video
5 Albums I bought in the last 6 months...
04 April 2013
Lana Del Rey - Born to Die
I’m not really sure of the story here. Maybe I heard her voice on Triple J. I added a playlist of her album on Spotify and listened. Her husky tones bring to mind smoke filled men's clubs and Film Noir made the 30s 40s and 50s. The songs are poppy and catchy.
Owl City - The Midsummer Station
Total trash. I would never defend Owl City as good music. I bought this album because I have a couple of other Owl City Albums. I first listened to Owl City when Googling around about The Postal Service (another band I really like). From memory a number of critics mentioned that Owl City is similar to The Postal Service. I listened to and I liked it straight away. It’s very definitely pop and it’s great to dance and jump around to. Olivia and Ella like anything with the beat and some lyrics they can shout. They also picked up the tunes pretty easily.
Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
I like and own Kanye West’s album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. I think he’s a very good producer... but you wouldn’t let your Mum listen to that album. Frank Ocean is Mum friendly. A more palatable, gentle version, abate with a sprinkling of bad words. His style is probably closest to R&B with electronic keyboard, samples and subdued rhythms. I not really sure how I came to hear of him. He’s also pretty relaxing to listen to.
Ellie Goulding - Bright Lights
I saw the beautiful above video advertising an Octocopter last year (watch the video if you don't know what an Octocopter is). The video uses a remix of the track "Lights". Olivia and Ella really liked the video and the music. Again I added a Spotify playlist of album and began. I managed to also catch a performance she did in London as part of the iTunes music festival. Watched it on my big TV at home. It was very impressive. I enjoyed listening to her youngish girly voice.
Air - Moon Safari
This is a strange one. When I checked I was very surprised I bought it less than six months ago. I had the feeling that bought this album a few years ago. This is possibly because this is the oldest album here (1998). I think this was on high rotation on Triple J back in the early 2000’s when I lived at the Castle with Bernie and Chris. I’ve liked it ever since and finally got round to buying it. I find it dreamy and relaxing to listen to. If you were harsh you might call it chilled, electronic, elevator music.
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