inspiral blog

Friday’s Inspiral invited us to grapple with the somewhat loaded term ‘poverty’. We attempted to watch Morgan Spurlock’s doco on the issue: ‘30 Days: Minimum Wage’ (highly recommended!) but the misbehaving DVD left us with a bit too much grappling, so we opted for an abridged version from Simon and Julie.

Money is a funny topic, and one that has a stronger influence and power on our lives and choices than perhaps many of us would prefer. Is good stewardship more than ‘getting a bargain’? Is shopping an ethical issue? Where do quality and equity fit into the whole consumerism game? If money is power, then the lack thereof can be terribly debilitating. Or can it? What is poverty anyway? What does it look like? Is it even connected to money at all?

We considered some of the many guises poverty can take, while chewing on the questions of control, hope, opportunity and individual responsibility in this context. Up till now, our discussion had been based on the unspoken assumption that poverty is a negative thing. Where does this leave Jesus’ comment (qualified in Matthew, but not in Luke): “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God”? (Luke 6:20) (Is it not a paradoxical world that prompts us to think about liberation and possession-less-ness in the same sentence?)

The affluent and prosperity-indoctrinated state of many of our Western churches often betrays the fact that the Bible has stacks to say about the poor, and about money. We looked at just a few chunks from the Bible, including Jesus’ instruction to a rich man searching for eternal life to sell all of his possessions. (Matthew 19:16-26) Whilst our discussions didn’t convince us of a literal call to complete material poverty, it was sobering to question why we are so keen to opt for this interpretation (and yet so willing to take more palatable bits of the Bible literally).

Sacrifice is awkward and counter-cultural, but as followers of Jesus it is a call we must take seriously, whatever shape or form it may come in. In speaking of the hungry, the naked and imprisoned (ie. the impoverished and oppressed of society), Jesus told his listeners “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:31-46)

As one who claims to listen to Jesus today, I have been deeply challenged at to think not only about the way I use my money and the way I respond to others, but also about the way I respond to Jesus. I am convinced that Jesus’ call to “follow me” doesn’t apply just to my intellectualism, but to my hip-pocket (and everything else) as well. What exactly does this look like? I’m still pondering.
– Jane

A quick post on last week’s inspiral; it’s been a really tough past week so I can’t be bothered going into details. We had some time farewelling Alex and Em (which deserves a post or more in itself, they’ve been a wonderful part of this community) as they are off to Adelaide very soon for Em to start Med at Flinders and Alex to start Teaching at the Uni of SA.

Then we kicked off the year with some karaoke, using the Playstation Singstar program…which only made me feel old, because I only kind of knew most of the songs. Probably wasn’t as much fun as Buzz, but still good fun.

As I say, that’s all I got this week, despite it being our first week back after the break. More later.

I haven’t laughed out loud at Leunig for a long time…then came this in today’s Age:

I confess to having found Howard’s decisions depressing at times, and hence this cartoon made me laugh out loud.

But it is, of course, a reference to the WA Premier Geoff Gallop’s resignation over his battle with depression. There have been varied reactions in the press; Jeff Kennett referred to it as “probably the most significant contribution to public policy he has ever made” (although I had to ask whether this was an insult to his previous contributions to public policy or a lauding of this one). But I have to say, as a person to has struggled and continues to struggle with depression, the courage it took for Gallop to not only admit to it, but ensure that he was maximising his chances for recovery, was inspirational. And that comes from someone who usually baulks at the schmaltzy reactions to such stories (it’s the cynic in me).

Depression is too often seen as a weakness rather than an illness. Someone suffering from an equally treatable illness, such as diabetes, would be seen in a far more favourable light. Even where it is seen as an illness, it is seen as “mental illness” in a pejorative sense and therefore something that taints a person’s every judgement and ability. To admit to suffering from it goes against everything our society teaches us: don’t show weakness, don’t give your opponent (or even your friends) anything that might compromise you now or later on. But it’s that silence that perpetuates the problem, the same root problem as racism and all other forms of discrimination; insecurity and fear based in ignorance. That’s exactly what makes Geoff Gallop’s actions courageous; that he stood to lose so much, and yet did it anyway. And in doing so, he has made it easier for others to do the same, and further the breaking down of ignorance and the fear that results from it.

I think what makes Leunig’s observation so poignant is not merely the obvious point about Howard’s policies being depressing (that kind of blanket demonisation is inaccurate and unfair, however much my heart would affirm it), but also about the contrast between the way Howard goes about politics and the way Gallop has chosen to deal with his illness, and thus his politics. One covers up any potential sign of weakness at any cost, even to the point of being deliberately deceptive; the other opens itself up vulnerably, even at the expense of potential public ridicule. I am under no illusions that Gallop has never told a lie, but this time, at least, he has set a refreshing and important precedent, not only for mental illness advocates and depression sufferers, but for politicians in general. You are not compromised by admitting the truth; you are compromised by lying and covering up. It’s a point of integrity; being actively vulnerable is not a weakness, it’s a strength of character.

I must admit that depression returned somewhat when, in the finance section of the news last night, a financial expert talked about how Gallop’s resignation resulted in billions of dollars being made in uranium stocks (Gallop was opposing the mining of a significant WA uranium deposit). It’s hard to see how the world will get better and love proliferate when some people’s priorities will never move beyond the economic. But Gallop’s courage will have flow on effects, not only for those who suffer from depression, but for the wider community. Hopefully those effects will not only be in relation to depressive illnesses, but to honesty and openness as well.

* edit * Please note this post is not directed towards anyone. I use this blog to record what is happening at a given time, either in my life or in the life of inspiral, and this was just what happened this week. Know that if I ever have an issue with anyone personally, they will be the first to hear about it. There does seem to be some problems with the RSVP system, but it’s something we’ll address together openly, not backhandedly. Sorry if I caused anyone offence, it was not intended. Oh, and I stand by my nomination of Ewen McGregor to star me. * end edit *

And you think Jack Bauer goes through some stuff in 24 hours. Lucky it’s early days because this week has been a dead-set comedy of errors.

We ask for inspiral people to let us know by Thursday night whether or not they will be coming, so we know how many to cater and prepare for. It rarely happens that way. I was already behind the 8 ball this week after taking a three day trip to Deni to visit my grandparents. Then the fun really started.

By Thursday we had two replies, one in the negative, one in the positive (so we have at least 1, but are assuming 3, as 2 only reply if they are not coming). Come Friday morning, those two cancel (back to 1). We decided to cancel the night since there’s only one person coming. I wait to give her the news just in case. Lucky I did, because around lunchtime we get a text; two more are coming, but only after dinner (3). We’re back on, but now comes the decision; do we do what we had planned with only three people, or do we need more for it to work? Regardless, we ring the first, to say come after dinner. After much umming and aahing we decide to have a casual night instead of the planned activity. Then one more person texts that they are coming (4). We revert back to the planned activity. Now I have to get cracking to finish my preparation, since I’ve lost half a day expecting it to not happen.

At 5:40pm, 2 of those people drop out; they won’t make it back from the country in time (back to 2). By 6pm we ring the other two. They decide not to come. We’ve gone from three, to one, to three, to four, to two, to none in the space of 24 hours. And there were numerous permutations in between that I didn’t even mention.

Each week we have to ask ourselves not once, but numerous times: Do we have one, two, three, four or twenty people coming? Is each individual coming for dinner or not for dinner? Do we have enough people to go with the plan, or should we do something new? If we do something new, what do we do? If we do something new, what if those that are coming wouldn’t if they knew the new plan? The answers to all of these questions change, sometimes minute by minute, in the 24 hours before 6:30pm on a Friday night.

Seriously, the next edition of 24 will star Ewen McGregor as me.

Come on…not even for the latest Hillsong album?

In a New Beliefnet.Com Online Poll, 55% Vote That Jesus Wouldn’t Even Own an iPod

New York, NY – January 9, 2006 — Beliefnet, Inc., the leading multi-faith spirituality media company and online community, today announced the results of their online survey on “What Would Jesus Have on his iPod?” More than 55% of those polled voted that Jesus wouldn’t even own an iPod– proving that even the “Digital Messiah,” Steve Jobs still has room for further converts.

The following is the complete poll results:

Classic Rock – 11%

Traditional Gospel – 7%

Christian Rock – 13%

Hip-Hop/ Rap – 3%

Soul/ Funk – 4%

Songs of King David – 11%

Jesus would never have an iPod! – 55%

Eh * shrug *. Maybe he’s more of a discman kind of guy.

It occurred to me this year (or last year now) that we misunderstand Christmas if we focus on the birth of Jesus. “What?!” I hear you say. Let me explain what I mean.

We have four scriptural accounts of Jesus’ life in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Mark has no stories before Jesus’ baptism later in his life; Matthew and Luke begin with the birth. But John rewinds the tape even further:

Jn 1: 1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2. He was in the beginning with God.
3. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being
4. in him was life, {Or V3 [through him. And without him not one thing came into being that has come into being. V4 In him was life]} and the life was the light of all people.
5. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
6. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.
8. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.
9. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. {Or [He was the true light that enlightens everyone coming into the world]}
10. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.
11. He came to what was his own, {Or [to his own home]} and his own people did not accept him.
12. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God,
13. who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
14. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, {Or [the Father's only Son]} full of grace and truth.

In the beginning was the Word. This is what Christian theology recognises and emphasizes; that Jesus did not begin with his birth at Bethlehem, because he pre-existed that birth. Instead, what we celebrate is his incarnation. His enfleshment. His being concretely and fully human.

This might seem like a trivial distinction, but in fact it is fundamental to our understanding of the significance of Jesus.

I love that, far from the denigration of humanness and physicality, John says that (v.11) “he came to what was his own (or, his own home)”. So often we (wrongly) separate out the spiritual from the physical, and treat the spiritual as more important, or higher, than the physical. Humanity, too, is denigrated in this view, with comments like “oh, he’s only human”. According to John (and any other scriptural author if we read them properly) Jesus was not deigning to reduce himself to mere humanness for a time; his humanness was an expression of who he is; and not only that, but what humanity is as well. Jesus is the full expression of humanity; what humanity can, and must, be.

As important as this time of revelation is (and it we cannot underestimate its importance), we cannot forget that Jesus nonetheless existed as himself before and since the Christ event. Without getting into arguments about how God relates to time, we cannot simply reduce him to that 30 or so years he was (and this is where language gets tricky – “human”? no. “physically expressed”? no.) fully realised in human form (that’s the most accurate phrase I can think of). What is more, the resurrection affirms precisely the same thing – that despite his death by crucifixion, Jesus nonetheless lives, and goes on living. As it says in Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.”

This explains why Christmas is so rich for us as Christians. This is not simply a story that happened two thousand years ago; this is a story that happens yesterday, today and forever. Jesus was not merely born; he is incarnated, enfleshed, expressed in human form. That’s a tremendous encouragement to me. That’s something to celebrate.