Balancing Kiwis

95% knowledge – as Christ followers we have to be in the other 5% where we are in the mystery.

All great scientific discoveries are found in the unknown – we have been telling folks we know more than we do.  We just know God.

We will live in mystery and uncertainty forever.

Car hitting you from nowhere – why?  We block out and are blinded to the onslaught of Gods communication to us. 

For too long we have been in the wrong conversation and our minds have become rigid.

Imaginary friends – If one transforms you, dnt get rid of him . . .  Kids eat dirt, but not vegetables.  Teach them how not to eat rocks. 

Maybe the imagination is there because an infinite God needs a finite place to interact with us.  Prod and provoke one another to a greater imagination.  Imagine a new future and a new world, then live as if that future is coming and as if you are a part of that.

God gives us freedom – we choose shoes and bagels – We think when it comes to the church we act as if it’s different for the future?

What comes after the postmodern world?  Whatever you choose – We wait to see what kind of future the world creates, rather than creating it and letting the world respond to it.  We need to create the future instead of reacting to it.

Day 2 of Humana 2.0 - Yesterday was inspiring, creative and thought-provoking.  Avatars and Idols, Who We Are and Where We Are, Strength Finding, Contagion, Wandering . . . The future is invading and affecting the  present . . . Now. 

 Some will not understand.  Some will understand, but not go.  Some will go.

Notes and thoughts to follow, but one of the questions that stood out:

“What are you doing that demands explanation?”

Much more to follow . . .

Quote from “Hope In The Dark” by Jena Lee. Someone Jena met on her travels in Africa:

“We know that Americans pity Africans,” he told me. “But sometimes I think Africans pity Americans.

“How so?” I asked him.

“Americans seem to expect that everything will be provided for them. For us,” he said, “this ear of corn is a gift from God. This evening’s rain is a shower of mercy upon us. This healthy breath is life-giving. And maybe tomorrow we will not have such things, but our hearts are so full of God’s provision.”

One of the books on my coffee table at the moment is “The Paradox of Choice� by sociologist Barry Schwartz. Schwartz (Professor of Social Theory at Swarthmore College) here examines the social phenomenon of choice: How we are having to alter our modes of choosing and decision-making to incorporate the incredible range of choices, detail and information available to us.

Advances in technology have created a landscape wherein it is now possible to spend an entire 24-hour day purchasing a pair of jeans online, and still be unsure we have made the “best� choice. Whilst this may seem bizarre and unlikely to most, Schwartz argues that our learned leaning toward “maximizing every opportunity� has created a nation which includes large numbers of “maximizers� who want to make sure they make the “best� decisions, and thereby end up in an abyss of choices they cannot escape from. New behavior, Schwartz argues, is needed.

“By vastly expanding the range of choices they had also created a new problem that needed to be solved. When people have no choice, life is almost unbearable. As the number of available choices increases, as it has in our consumer culture, the autonomy, control, and liberation this variety brings are powerful and positive. But as the number of choices keeps growing, negative aspects of having a multitude of options begins to appear. As the number of choices grows further, the negatives escalate until we become overloaded. At this point, choice no longer liberates, but debilitates.�

Referencing political philosopher Berlin’s concepts of “Positive liberty� (freedom to . . .) vs “Negative liberty� (freedom from . ..) he argues that our human quest for freedom now necessitates a change in behavior for many. The paradox of our times is that we want control over the details of our lives, but also want to simplify our lives. Our brains – used to filtering out extraneous information – are having to do this on a massive scale, and the situation continues to increase in speed and mass. With abundant quality and quantity of information, decision making has just become . . . harder.

I’m continuing to read with interest . . . Schwartz is arguing (as per his subtitle) that “the culture of abundance robs us of satisfaction� . . . I would venture to suggest (at this point in the text) that the abundance of choice still offers incredible freedom, but that we are having to come up with new ways to manage this freedom. To me the exciting possibilities lie not in learning how to “correctly� manage the choices of buying a pair of jeans or cookies, but rather in where we choose to exercise our freedom. We live in an age where we can be an awakened humanity, fighting together epic battles against Global Poverty, AIDS and other injustices. Perhaps our abundance of information and choice offers us the opportunity to choose and make a difference in these global arenas rather than worrying about jeans, cookies and breakfast cereals.

(Part 2 of Musing to follow – Paralysis of Analysis: Are “Maximized Leaders� Paralyzed By 21st Century Abundance?)

So I went to see “Apocalypto” with Alex the other day.

Tis the season for killing tapirs, human sacrifice and revenge. Welcome to the frosty world of Mel Gibson, and what a world it is!! Beautifully filmed (the lush setting of one of the only parts of the rainforest left is incredible) and shot in an ancient language, this is a study from beginning to end in Mayans, culture, civilization and most of all . . . brutality.

I confess I wasn’t really sure of what to expect going in. As one of the few moviegoers who has never (I know!!) seen “Braveheart”, my exposure to Mel’s work has been limited. I found “The Patriot” to be a mildly interesting and entertaining flick, and thought “The Passion of The Christ” was well done. “Apocalypto” is a fictional look at Mayan tribes and some of their practices, as well as a pretty intense chase movie. From the very beginning Mel appears to revel in adding as much gore and detail as he can into every scene - if one beheading will do, show two . . . or even ten. The effect was one of unending violence and shock, and cannot help but make an impact. But when it was all over, the question at the front of my mind was . . . “What was Mel Gibson trying to say?”

Is it “solely” a meditation on the “inhumanity” of man? Did it point toward how we have “progressed”, or to how we have “not progressed at all”? Does “Apocalypto” accurately portray the Mayan culture? And how apocryphal (or not) was the final scene? So I left with mixed feelings about the movie . . . that a genius director had dropped me into a foreign culture and civilization for two hours and then shown more disturbing violence than probably any other movie I can think of. Cliches like “visually stunning” and “puts you INTO the action” all apply here, as do “relentlessly” and “brutal”. . . .

So as a cultural window into an ancient fictional tribe “Apocalypto” is powerful, as it is also as a meditation on the nature of humanity and inhumanity. I could have done without most of the violence, but if Mel’s motive was to evoke questions rather than giving answers, many will feel he has succeeded here.

Link To The First Podcast from the City of Voices
http://alex.voxtropolis.com/2006/11/20/podcast-from-the-city-of-voices/

So today we get to vote . . . Anyone interested in the fight to stop global poverty can sign ONE more ballot by putting your name on the ONE voter pledge at www.one.org.

Here’s the email from Josh Peck for those who are interested . . .

——————————

Tomorrow, as American citizens, we will vote. But as ONE members, we can do even more. We’ll show our elected leaders — whoever they turn out to be — that we’re a large, organized group of voters who put our commitment to global poverty above party lines — and we ask them to do the same.

Before the Congressional leadership meets to set the priorities for the new Congress, you can make sure they know global poverty is a top priority when you cast your ballot. Please sign the ONE Voter pledge, to show you’re going to vote with the fight against global poverty at the top of your agenda. And tell the next Congress that you’re sending them to Washington to lead that fight.

We’ll deliver your signatures and comments to the leadership of the new Congress.

On Election Day, like every other day, there will be over 1 billion people around the world living on less than $1 a day. But unlike every other day, ONE voters can begin a chain reaction that will create hope and opportunity for the world’s poorest people. 2006 is the first year we’ve been able to cast our votes together as members of the ONE community. This is an historic opportunity.

Voting is just the start; together we can show our leaders that a grassroots force is emerging they should not ignore. Republicans and Democrats alike will sign the ONE Voter pledge side-by-side, because our commitment to ending extreme poverty cuts across partisan divides. And together, we will send a powerful message to leaders of the new Congress that we want them to make the fight against global poverty a top priority.

Sign the ONE Voter pledge and we’ll deliver your signatures and comments to the leadership of the new Congress.

Thanks,

Josh Peck, ONE.org

Went to the Guluwalk (and we actually ended up running a large part of it despite some crazy heat!) this Saturday to raise money for the children of Northern Uganda . . . It was a good event with a lot of folks with a lot of passion and drive, and a good amount raised I believe. It was wonderful to be around so many folks of all ages who were actively involved, and it got me thinking . . . There seems to be such a groundswell these days of politicians, movie stars and ordinary folks like you and I engaged in the growing awreness of need in the world, coupled with a commitment to “do something”. I know that it is far from a new thing, but it is heartening to see the trifecta of action, awareness and passion that continues to rise.

I have been reading Jeffrey Sachs book “The End of Poverty - Economic Possibilities for Our Time”, which outlines in some detail a specific plan to end extreme poverty in a relatively short time. Sachs’ contention is that we are the first generation in the history of civilization that has the ability to do this in such a targeted way. As the economic advisor to the UN his voice is one I am excited to listen to . . . His plan may not be perfect (and I am DEFINITELY not an economist!), but if there is a chance we can stop it, can we do anything else but try?

And just think, how amazing it would be to tell our grandkids about how extreme poverty is “just something we teach in the history books”. I hate apathy, and yet see it so much in myself - May my heart burn ever more strongly for those in brokenness in our world . . .

Some resources I have found of interest:

Books:
Irresistible Revolution -Shane Claiborne
The End of Poverty - Jeffrey Sachs
Under The Overpass - Mike Yankoski
Arrow Pointing to Heaven - James Smith

Movies:
Hotel Rwanda
Invisible Children
The Interpreter
The Corporation
The Constant Gardener
Born Into Brothels (Haven’t seen this one yet, but hear it is amazing)

Please let me know if you recommend any others . . .

Ta’Mar over at Kaleidescope has a link to an Amnesty website calling for more UN peacekeepers to be sent to Darfur immediately - over 30,000 have signed the petition and you can sign up in a few moments . . . A way to BE part of the change we want to see.

Also, this Saturday I’ll be taking part in the GULUWalk - This is to raise money and awareness for the children of Northern Uganda. Click on this link to go the home page - There are walks taking place all over the world and in a ton of cities around the States . . .

I didn’t see the Samuel L Jackson flick, but am always happy to see snakes in real life here - they are just another reminder that I’m “not in Kansas (ie England!) anymore”. I was leaving work and there was this beautiful rat snake sitting just outside the door! They are usually considered the best tree climbing snake in the state, and hang out in the brush so it was neat to get a good look at this one . . .