Tuesday, May 04, 2004
Interesting debate here between Richard NevilleCome on, kids, dare to resist - Opinion - www.smh.com.au and a young lawyer Boomer debt burdens a generation - Opinion - www.smh.com.au.
Both have some great points that add up to a great debate. I think that Richard Neville is blinded by hindsight to some extent. The 60s generation took a long time to wake up to the evil of Vietnam. Either way, it is good to see some debate about the issues of greed and public conscience.
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Both have some great points that add up to a great debate. I think that Richard Neville is blinded by hindsight to some extent. The 60s generation took a long time to wake up to the evil of Vietnam. Either way, it is good to see some debate about the issues of greed and public conscience.
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
It was rape, say police - National - www.smh.com.au
I am glad the police came out and said this. Already the media this morning were deliberately choosing to interpret this as if the Bulldogs players had not done anything wrong. Obviously that is not true. At least this way it is harder for people to maintain that lie.
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I am glad the police came out and said this. Already the media this morning were deliberately choosing to interpret this as if the Bulldogs players had not done anything wrong. Obviously that is not true. At least this way it is harder for people to maintain that lie.
Friday, April 23, 2004
Anzac Day
Isn't it great how the Howard government is continuing the Anzac tradition by sending our troops overseas at the command of our foreign rulers to fight a war for the financial benefit of rich foreigners against people that we have no quarrel with.
Lest we Forget.
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
:: Meg Lees on Poverty
It is good to see a politician talking about poverty. What a pity that the Labour Party isn't taking up the issue too.
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It is good to see a politician talking about poverty. What a pity that the Labour Party isn't taking up the issue too.
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Awareness Chapter 1This has been the most disturbing thing I have ever read. I have never felt more confident that I am on the right track, but in another way, I have had hardly a moment's rest since I started to 'wake up'.
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Al-Sadr: Australians are kidnapping targets - SpecialsWarOnIraq - www.smh.com.au
This sort of reporting as initiated by the ABC and transmitted by SMH annoys me. The implication in the headline is that Sadr spontaneously made threats against Australians. I wonder how people will react to it. I suspect it might make some people scared for our people and support withdrawal, but I dont think that promoting a sense of fear is ever a good thing, no matter what the purpose.
Yes, it is probably true that Australians because of 'our' military involvement are more likely to be a target, but to suggest as this headline does that they have been singled out by Sadr is fear mongering.
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This sort of reporting as initiated by the ABC and transmitted by SMH annoys me. The implication in the headline is that Sadr spontaneously made threats against Australians. I wonder how people will react to it. I suspect it might make some people scared for our people and support withdrawal, but I dont think that promoting a sense of fear is ever a good thing, no matter what the purpose.
Yes, it is probably true that Australians because of 'our' military involvement are more likely to be a target, but to suggest as this headline does that they have been singled out by Sadr is fear mongering.
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
Mouse may hold secret of ages - SpecialsScience - www.smh.com.au
It is interesting that we work so hard to prolong life, but hardly at all to improve the real quality of life. To be satisfied with today and what I have now is a far more important pursuit than to have more of what I am unhappy with.
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It is interesting that we work so hard to prolong life, but hardly at all to improve the real quality of life. To be satisfied with today and what I have now is a far more important pursuit than to have more of what I am unhappy with.
Unconditional Love
As part of my exercises in Awareness, I have noticed that what I am seeking in my interactions with others is “unconditional love”. This was confirmed by a recent article In our culture, sex and power are rarely as simple as 'yes' or 'no'. I read. In this article, the writer suggests that although we are all seeking unconditional love, and most people see that as being achieved through intimacy, that many people, the writer included reject intimacy in favour of sex. Although the term ‘unconditional love’ is one that I have heard many times before, I decided to try to approach it with new eyes. My first step was a Google search and one of the first articles I found was The myth of unconditional love. This surprised and disappointed me. To say that uncondional love is a myth, because humans are incapable of it seems particularly destructive. Is Perfection a myth, just because humans are incapable of achieving it. What about Heaven. I can understand the argument that for us to achieve unconditional love in this life is the same as suggesting that we can achieve “enlightenment” (actually when I think about it it is exactly the same.) But what the author of this article is suggesting is that it is okay not to give unconditional love. While I agree that we should not beat ourselves up if we are unable to give unconditional love, this almost sounds like a justification for withholding unconditional love. In fact the author seems to suggest that God’s love is only for the believers. How convenient. I guess we can draw that circle as tightly as we like and still feel okay about it. How strange that people who obviously ‘commit their lives to God’ are unable to feel the heartbeat of God in the world around them.
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As part of my exercises in Awareness, I have noticed that what I am seeking in my interactions with others is “unconditional love”. This was confirmed by a recent article In our culture, sex and power are rarely as simple as 'yes' or 'no'. I read. In this article, the writer suggests that although we are all seeking unconditional love, and most people see that as being achieved through intimacy, that many people, the writer included reject intimacy in favour of sex. Although the term ‘unconditional love’ is one that I have heard many times before, I decided to try to approach it with new eyes. My first step was a Google search and one of the first articles I found was The myth of unconditional love. This surprised and disappointed me. To say that uncondional love is a myth, because humans are incapable of it seems particularly destructive. Is Perfection a myth, just because humans are incapable of achieving it. What about Heaven. I can understand the argument that for us to achieve unconditional love in this life is the same as suggesting that we can achieve “enlightenment” (actually when I think about it it is exactly the same.) But what the author of this article is suggesting is that it is okay not to give unconditional love. While I agree that we should not beat ourselves up if we are unable to give unconditional love, this almost sounds like a justification for withholding unconditional love. In fact the author seems to suggest that God’s love is only for the believers. How convenient. I guess we can draw that circle as tightly as we like and still feel okay about it. How strange that people who obviously ‘commit their lives to God’ are unable to feel the heartbeat of God in the world around them.
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
Lindsay Tanner suggests ways the Churches could improve community engagement - On Line Opinion - 13/4/2004
In this interesting article, Lindsay Tanner highlights the social problems caused by the increasing importance of individualism in society and suggests how the churches could change their strategy to regain their relevance and support "Community" in a greater way.
I find it interesting because although I see myself as a "rugged individualist" though in a gentle way, I also clamour for community. For me, one of the reasons that I have moved away from 'community' as it is expressed in the church, is because it seems to be a double-edged sword. what I mean by this is that in order to stay inside, we are required to conform to a certain norm. Although I don't strive to be different, I resist any pressure to 'fit in'. Obviously, the churches, being intrinsically conservative, tend to make anyone outside of their 'norm' feel uncomfortable. Though unstated, the choice is generally, 'fit in or ship out'.
What I look for and long for, is a community where I am accepted regardless of what I am like. I don't find that Christian churches are very often like that. There is a danger in saying that it is 'Christians', rather, it is just humans generally. Community, I think, tends to be driven from a tribe mentality. One of the characteristics of a tribe is the need to make everyone 'look' similar, so that the tribe can tell the difference between those who are inside and those who are not. Creating communities of unconditional love almost seems to be self defeating if this is true.
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In this interesting article, Lindsay Tanner highlights the social problems caused by the increasing importance of individualism in society and suggests how the churches could change their strategy to regain their relevance and support "Community" in a greater way.
I find it interesting because although I see myself as a "rugged individualist" though in a gentle way, I also clamour for community. For me, one of the reasons that I have moved away from 'community' as it is expressed in the church, is because it seems to be a double-edged sword. what I mean by this is that in order to stay inside, we are required to conform to a certain norm. Although I don't strive to be different, I resist any pressure to 'fit in'. Obviously, the churches, being intrinsically conservative, tend to make anyone outside of their 'norm' feel uncomfortable. Though unstated, the choice is generally, 'fit in or ship out'.
What I look for and long for, is a community where I am accepted regardless of what I am like. I don't find that Christian churches are very often like that. There is a danger in saying that it is 'Christians', rather, it is just humans generally. Community, I think, tends to be driven from a tribe mentality. One of the characteristics of a tribe is the need to make everyone 'look' similar, so that the tribe can tell the difference between those who are inside and those who are not. Creating communities of unconditional love almost seems to be self defeating if this is true.
