Violence a solution?

Most people will have heard of or seen footage of an audience member throwing his shoes at former Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, on ABC's Q&A the other night. If you haven't, have a look:



This was what one 'Txt the Editor' submission in today's Townsville Bulletin had to say:

___________________________

2 the guy who threw shoe at johnny howard, good 2 c someone so strong against war that they r willing 2 use violence 2 get their point across. Imagine if he was pm [sic, emphasis mine]

___________________________

I'm not going to point out the obvious flaw in that peculiar train of thought. I decided to write a short, succinct comment for tomorrow's paper. I hope it gets printed.

As for the ambushing shoe-thrower, I hope his anger held out for the entire walk home...

Geek Bling

I wonder if this comes in Ag...

Courage as small as a mustard seed

Tonight I was enjoying a leisurely conversation on DisgraceBook when the topic turned from cherry ripes to making the decision to become a Christian.


Don't ask me how this transfiguration occurred...


Anyway, I decided to make the point that 'sacrificing the world's ways' and the persecution we face as Christians make this decision a difficult one. This was the response from one participant:

_____________________________________________

"I like to be persecuted for my faith. It gives me a chance to take up a sword for God. I think the decision to live God's way or the world's way, while it is a big one to make, shouldn't be /harder/ [sic] to make because of what's involved. If you truly have faith in God, then courage should come with that. Otherwise you only have what I would call a "placebo relationship" with Him in the first place." (Emphasis mine)

_____________________________________________

Now while I admire this Christian's zeal for 'taking up a sword for God', his latter point struck an unpleasant chord within me. 


Leaving beside the notion that he appears to be referring to decided Christians (as opposed to the 'contemplating non-Christians we were discussing), I felt uncomfortable with the idea that if I am not 'courageous', then I must be experiencing some transient, pseudo-relationship with God. If I acknowledge the uncertainty in life, being what it is, and the very real risk of persecution and physical danger, and if I am unsettled by these ideas, then I'm not really right with God? Can I not be a Christian if I am a realist?


I wanted to respond a little more emotively than I should have, but thanks to God, I took the time to mull over his words a little more first. And low and behold, God actually taught me something.


It's true: for many of us, our days seem so devoid of 'courage' per se, and it takes that whole little mustard of seed of faith just to make it through to the end of each day, and be able to say 'God is good'. The real risk of persecution and the sacrifices we make to live God's way can render our lives full of uncertainty which can make us very uncomfortable! But when we endure the pain, the trials, the suffering and the uncertainty and make it to the end of the day still following God, has that not taken courage of a sort? 


A courageous man may charge into battle to fight for those he loves. A courageous man speak up against opposition to defend the weak and the orphan. What does it take to cling to the Truth in the storms of life, when the world tells him he is a fool, if not a courageous man?


While I do not agree one-hundred per cent with this person's statements (perhaps 'trust' would be a better word than courage to use in his remarks), I am glad that I was able to ponder this a little harder.


When we are of brave hearts, may God give us the strength to fight the good fight. When we are thrashed about by the wind and the waves, may he give us the strength to hold firm to the Rock of our salvation.

_____________________________________________

"The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock." (Matthew 7:25)

Coming in from Cairns

Today’s instalment comes to you from the delightful Cairns Base Hospital. In Cairns. Cairns. What the hell am I doing in Cairns? You might well ask such a question – I asked that of myself not too long ago.

I have travelled up on a mission of supreme international importance. I plan to eliminate world poverty, make the world safe for democracy, and be home in time for Glee tonight.

My cover story, should anybody ask, is quite the cunning plan. The delightful Miss Mel, cleverly arranged a physio job interview at the hospital today so that I could accompany her up as a ‘travel companion’.  While she has planted herself in the interview room and is wowing and amazing the panel with her distracting display of all things physiotherapical, I am setting the wheels in motion which will ultimately bring about world peace, an unlimited supply of clean energy, and a mint on your pillow every night before you go to bed.

The spies planted here by my secret enemy tried to thwart our attempts to gain access to the hospital, by charging us four dollars to gain access to a car park with no available car parks! However we were not deterred by this demoralising display of underhanded misdeeds. After some creative backtracking, I planted Miss Mel on her distraction run, and have made my way to the core of terror and vice that holds mankind as we know it in its mighty grasp: the Sea Breeze Café.

I can’t share the details of political sleight of hand, incredibly intricate tactical manoeuvring and mental manipulation through my commanding talents concerning The Force; that would give the game away to my opponents. Instead, I will tell you a little about the Cairns hospital.

 It appears to have everything which makes a Queensland Health Facility: inadequate car parking, lots of futile construction to keep up with growing populace which has since left it far behind, an overpriced café, agitated visitors, ‘no smoking’ signs which are ignored by the majority of smokers, employees wandering around who carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. If it weren’t for the lovely, cool sea breezes, I’d firmly believe I was back at work.  Well, that and the fact that a friendly, local pigeon has decided to visit my table. I dare not touch it. It probably has MRSA. Then again, I probably do too from working in the hospital for so long. Consider it a token of appreciation for my years of service thus far.

Well, Miss Mel will probably be back soon, so I had better post this and then eat my computer to dispose of the evidence. And remember; if you don’t find a mint on your pillow tonight, then you know my plan has failed and I will be lying low for a while.

Surreptitiously yours,

Scott, the MRSA-positive Super Spy

Musical Humour: The key to a good time

Two of the world's funniest pianists perform together.

A Pharmacist's Ode to Haloperidol

This is a little composition of mine for all my friends working in the hospital. I have been meaning to put it to paper for a while. I sincerely hope it brightens your day.

Where I go for a pick-me-up

In too high esteem?

Considering the contemporary ideologies that have permeated into the education system over the years, I wonder if there has ever been one which has impacted educational philosophy with such detrimental effects, as much as our obsessive focus on a child's self-esteem.

Image from
www.billboardmama.com

I recently learned from a peer in the teaching profession that progress through the primary and secondary education system is not performance-based, but rather age-based. That is to say, in my understanding, a youngling in grade 6 will progress to grade 7 simply because he is of the appropriate age to; not because he has satisfied the grade 6 curricular requirements. Indeed, it seems unsatisfactory performance is of no consequence, provided he keeps tearing the pages from his calendar day by day.

I don't know how 'recent' this change in the system is. I remember early in my primary school days rumours of kids being 'left behind', but not so much in high school. Despite the fact that I knew some of my classmates had failed certain classes, some of them were sitting across from me the following year.

Apparently one of the ideas underpinning this move is the potential damage that the child in question could sustain with regards to his or her self-esteem, or self-image. We don't want to tell a child he has 'failed' out of a concern that he will see himself as a 'failure'. Rather, some would prefer the term 'deferred success' (such was a laughable move by one educational institution some years ago). We are afraid to compare children to one another, because it may mess with their perceived value of themselves in comparison to others. Any benefits derived from the competitive motivation this may inspire aren't considered worth the risk of 'harm'.

The lack of discipline seems to run along a similar vein. 'Discipline damages self-esteem. Discipline shouldn't be necessary. Children really DO want to learn - we just need to create the right environment and it will happen.' Needless to say, anecdotes from a family friend who used to do supply teaching at a public school which followed this framework have left me somewhat unconvinced. Remove the discipline and chaos ensues. But I digress; this piece doesn't intend to focus on the bizzarre ideas driving discipline in schools these days.

So we push our younglings through the education system, despite their performance, remaining determined that their self-esteem is the most important thing.

In that case, what happens when, ten to fifteen years down the track, this self-assured individual discovers that he cannot exercise a basic grasp of mathematics which might enable him to manage his finances? This assumes he can get a job, which he probably can't, because his resume was so full of spelling and grammatical errors, that every employer tossed it aside.

What happens to his self-esteem then? How will his self-assurance hold up in the unemployment line, whilst his competent colleagues are out earning a steady income? Where does he go then? The education system is finished with him.

Those happy-clappy, group-hugging feel-goods who pushed him through the system for the sake of his ego, well-meaning though they may have been, have ended up failing this child. Not just in his education, but in giving him some atrociously misguided expectations about life in the real world. Outside those four walls of the school building, if you are not competent at your job, not only do you not get promoted; you most likely get fired.

So then what of self-esteem? Do we educate an individual to within an inch of his life with no regard for their mental health? Of course not, but let's consider how these humanistic ideologies might be creating the very problems they seek to resolve.

Many children come from broken homes; a large proportion of which may endure physical, sexual and emotional abuse of every kind. Their perceived value of themselves already cops a beating from mum and / or dad, which doesn't get them off to a good start. Likewise, discipline may be minimal, inconsistent or even non-existent. 'Parent's don't discipline their children - that's what school is for, right?' (Sorry Mum and Dad - the teacher's job is to teach.)

The child then spends twelve years of his life in an institution pervaded by atheism, learning a curriculum which reeks of evolutionary thinking like rancid parmesan, under which he learns that he is simply the result of random chance, spawned from the primordial sludge of yesteryears to become "stardust with a conscience" (as one of my past physiology lecturers would say), with no more inherent value or worth than the chair he is sitting on.

We rob our children of the divine truth that they are lovingly created in the image of their heavenly Father, and are shocked when their fragile ideas of self-worth collapse under the assault of the everyday realities of life.  

To my colleagues in the teaching profession, you certainly have your work cut out for you. I sincerely hope that God blesses each of you in your endeavours to shape and mould the children of society. You have been called to a service of supreme importance, and may you be encouraged and strengthened daily in your efforts, as you work in an education system such as ours.

I was encouraged by a video on YouTube, taken from a conference in the UK earlier this month. While our system in Australia does not appear to be this bad (although some may disagree), I admired the courage this woman had to speak up about some of the issues which prompted this piece.

Finally, I will leave you with a passage from Gary DeMar's foreword in Douglas Wilson's Letter from a Christian Citizen, in which he quotes C.S. Lewis. I think it nicely captures the frustration many of us feel toward the humanistic ideologies of today:

---

"We make men without chests and we expect of them virtue and enterprise," C.S. Lewis writes. "We laugh at honor and we are shocked to find traitors in their midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful." We strip men and women of the certainty that they are created in the image of God, and we are surprised when they act like the beasts of the field.

SG

Atheistic Morality?

Recently, I had the pleasure of participating in a small Facebook debate, triggered by a video of a Christian abortion survivor speaking out, and proclaiming Christ, at a summit of political and religious leaders in Australia. This ventured into the question of moral foundations for atheists.

It makes for interesting reading.

ATHIEST: [Quoting the young woman speaking in the video] "It is not at all politically correct to say the name of Jesus Christ in a place like this." She's quite right, it's not. And for good reason: that was on the eve of a Parliamentary debate over abortion, and Australia maintains separation of Church and State, presumably. It would be 'politically incorrect' to mention the name of Krishna or Muhammad just as much as it would be to mention Jesus.

Religion should be kept out of public debate. If she wanted to speak about her experience as a survivor of an abortion, that's fine - her experience provides a perfectly valid argument in the matter. There was no need to bring Jesus Christ into it. What an offense against the secular democracy that is Australia!

M

ME: God help the secular democracy. If a government rejects any kind of religious considerations, surely it rejects any kind of foundation for morality. In that instance, what does her experience provide in the way of argument over right and wrong? It would simply be her experience.

ATHEIST: ‎"If a government rejects any kind of religious considerations, surely it rejects any kind of foundation for morality."

/facepalm [Author's comment: I have since learned this is an expression of dumbfounded awe upon perceiving a person's ignorance]

No it doesn't. There are plenty of secular ethical theories that provide a splendid reason to be moral.

ME: If you were able to point me toward some of these secular ethical theories, I would appreciate it. It would be helpful to understand what foundation of reasoning these theorists use to support any moral framework. I find it difficult to understand how one can 'define' right and wrong while leaving God out of the picture. Without any kind of divine authority to declare what is right and what is wrong, it comes down to your definition and my definition. And where our definitions conflict, who is right? And why should you be forced to subscribe to my definition, or I to yours?

Sadly, the exchange was short, but gratifying in that my opponent was unable (or perhaps not bothered) to supply any of these theories, as I requested. But then, I would not expect him to be able to.

In Letter from a Christian Citizen, Christian author and apologist Douglas Wilson responds to some age-old atheist arguments in a clear and engaging fashion. The book was written in response to atheist propaganda widely distributed in the US by atheist, Sam Harris; a book entitled Letter to a Christian Nation.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to anyone interested in getting a basic understanding of some of the premises of atheism, and some straightforward Christian responses.

With respect to the exchange above, I'll reiterate that I am confounded by atheists' claims to have a foundation for morality. Simplistically put:

If we, as human beings, are simply the result of a big bang (or, as Wilson puts it, "time and chance acting on matter") and you and I, and the rest of our random existence, are destined for dust and oblivion, then everything that happens in between amounts to nothing. What reasoning then, motivates me to be moral, or 'good'?

And even if we assume that we should, what is universally defined as 'good'? Harris argues that whatever brings pleasure and happiness is good, and whatever brings pain and suffering is bad, but what brings pleasure to my set of nerve endings may be different to what brings pleasure to yours. Paedophilia brings pleasure to some, yet even your average atheist would argue that this is 'immoral' (which is, gratefully, inconsistent with their world view). So then, what, do we go with the majority? A greater proportion of society believe it's wrong than right, so we're going to say it's wrong? That's just preference. That's no foundation for morality - it's just governed by numbers, or in some particularly unfortunate nations, governed by firearms. And if I disagree with your idea of 'right', why should I conform to it? If good is what brings pleasure, then why should I be concerned about anything that happens beyond my set of nerve endings?

The only person who can set a universal standard for right and wrong, good and evil, is the one who set the universe in place; the one who can claim the authority to decide such things.

But if you get the chance, read Wilson's book. He sets things out much better than I. It's a great and useful read. SG

• 
  UPDATE: Google books has the whole thing online. You can read it here. The foreword is worthwhile reading in itself.

Greetings from Gracemere

Hi everyones,

Today's published peculiarities come to you from the little town of Gracemere, located about ten kilometres west of Rockhampton. My family moved out here from Rockhampton last year, to a lovely house complete with veggie gardens and nice breezes. Since then, they have added an aviary, two birds and several guinea pigs to the list of facilities, and if you're lucky, the odd horse wanders down the street from time to time, ideally emblazoned with a rider of some kind.

It's a wonderful example of city-country hybrid living, and it's a great place to chill. I have travelled down here for a week to spend time with my family because my father turns the ripe, young age of 60 on Saturday. Quite the milestone of achievement, really, so good on ya', Pa - Happy Birthday!

The trip down here was reasonably non-eventful. I like to travel by road overnight, as some people know, and others consider unsettling. I enjoy it - it's cooler, there is much less traffic on the road and provided you know your body well enough to pull over and power nap when necessary, it can be done safely. Having a healthy supply of caffeine helps too, and a good collection of CDs to carry you down the highway as you sing your guts out.

So, having insomniated a total of about seven hours' sleep since Sunday morning, I didn't think I'd have any problems staying awake driving down with my friends, Mr Red Bull and Mr Ice Break (who, incidentally, are selfish prats when it comes to driving and won't do any of it for you).

And so here we are. Thanks, God, for the safe trip. And thanks to Miss Melanie, who assembled a pack of physical and intellectual stimulation to keep me going on the trip down. (Mel, I have not yet told you but your ANZAC biscuits are fantastic!) She taught me not only that I know more about Australian trivia than I thought, but also that seedless grapes are fantastic car food. They're fruit, they're healthy and you can make your way through them easily with no mess and no fuss! I think I polished off that whole bag by the time I made it to Mackay. So good...

Taskmaster Mel also set me an objective to compose a happy story about a sailing adventure, and an additional verse to our national anthem. I wasn't able to do this on my way down (too busy warbling) but I'll endeavour to work on these and post the results over the next few days.

I am hoping to travel further to Gladstone tomorrow (just for the day) to visit a paramedic friend of mine down there. That's only an hour-and-a-half drive, so since it doesn't justify a Red Bull, Mel's ANZAC biscuits are definitely coming with. SG

Morning musings

Good morning, once more from Mocha Mecca.

Bit of an earlier start today. The great thing about morning appointments is that they ensure your carcass is out of its coffin at a decent hour, allowing you to embrace the fullness of every opportunity the day has to offer.

If only there was something worth doing...

Just kidding.

I read a quote yesterday. Sadly my defunct cognition prohibits me from remembering the exact words, or even the poor sod who said it. Incidentally, he or she is probably lying derelict in a ditch, starving as a result of unpaid royalties. This is now likely to weigh heavily on my conscience, but rest assured that my crisis of moral obligation shan't interfere with my commitment to my readers, which is publishing a good minute-and-a-half of something not entirely unlike entertainment, approximately so often when it suits me.

What was I saying? Oh yes, the quote.

“The life of the optimist is one of disappointment.”

Granted, not the most inspired phrasing – my apologies to those who were expecting something a little more upbeat – but it highlights the 'no expectations; no disappointments' philosophy that the pessimists among us live by. Pessimists are the ones who aren't optimists, and I confidently count myself among them. Not that I awake every morning to find my pillow stained with tears and cheap mascara (please, somebody get me to a cosmetician the day that I do), but I do appreciate a healthy dose of reality in my perspective, which serves as a daily reminder of the fallen world in which we live. It may not make me Mr Congeniality, but a basal level of disappointment in this world helps me keep the foundation of my hope and joy built upon the life to come – the eternal life I have through faith in Jesus Christ – so as not to be consumed by these present and numbered days.

(Sidenote: a plainclothes Cowboys player walked into the coffee shop. I think I know exactly who he is. What the hell is happening to me?)

Anyway, back to the point of my article, and disappointment.

Last night I went to see The Last Airbender at the cinemas with a good buddy of mine from work. I'll try not to give too much away from the plot for those who'd like to see it, but I was excited at the beginning of this movie because it appeared to set up a strong theme analogous to Christianity.

Basically, the story concerns a world divided into four nations, each founded upon an element (earth, water, fire and air), and living among these nations were gifted individuals who were able to manipulate (or 'bend') the element concerned with their nation.

These nations lived in peace and harmony, under the authority of the 'spirit world', which maintained order and communicated with the nations through the Avatar, a particular individual who could bend all four elements.

A century ago, the Avatar went missing, cutting the link with the spirit world. Consequently, the fire nation sought to take over and enslave the other nations, and the story begins with the world awaiting the return of the Avatar to restore order and balance, in a war that would be won “in the hearts of men”, according to a tribal elder.

I was excited because this painted a similar picture to Christianity: an enslaved world waiting for a saviour, who is 'master over all creation', intercedes for the world of men with the spirit world, and who is ultimately sent to unite the nations and win the ultimate battle for men's hearts.

Sadly, any similarity may have been unintentional, or pluralistic at best, as the story seemed to prominently feature themes of eastern religions (such as elemental spirits, reincarnation, Yin and Yang, and inner Chi) as it progressed. Still, potential to trigger some stimulating conversation.

So disappointing to a degree, but a reasonably entertaining story. In my opinion, there was far too much happening in such a short space of time, and as a consequence the film lacked character and conceptual development. My buddy tells me it was based on a comic strip, so as far as most book-to-movie type recreations go, this shouldn't have been surprising. If you're interested, wait for the DVD. SG

Controversy sells

Ok, so this one is no surprise, but after reflecting on recent events in Australian free-to-air media and their outcomes, my dander is well and truly on end.

Matty Johns, former Australian rugby league assistant coach to Melbourne Storm and co-host of Channel Nine's The Footy Show, removed from both positions following reports of involvement in a non-consensual 'group sex' with 11 other teammates/colleagues and a 19-year old New Zealand girl in 2002.

Recently hired by competing network Channel Seven to host his own, "family-friendly" The Matty Johns Show. Additionally, hosts Matty Johns' Controversy Corner on Sunday mornings. How appropriate.

Radio/TV personality Kyle Sandilands sacked from Channel Ten's Australian Idol following an incident (just one among a broad repertoire of well-publicised controversy) in which the 2Day FM morning radio show which he co-hosts with Jackie O, strapped a 14-year old girl to a lie detector, in the presence of her mother, and proceded to question her on a number of things, including drugs and sex. The girl revealed she had been raped at the age of 12. Sandilands was suspended from the radio show. Idol commendably sacked Sandilands, stating that "His radio persona has taken on a more controversial position ... which is not in the interest of the [family-focused] show."

A few weeks later, Sandilands resumed hosting the 2Day FM radio show, but was suspended again within less than a month, over remarks made Australian personality, and face of the Jenny Craig weightloss company, Magda Szubanski, concerning how much more effectively she would lose weight if she was simply put in a concentration camp. Szubanski's father, incidentally, was a Polish resistance fighter in World War II.

Sandilands is still currently hosting his radio show, and has taken up a similar judging role on Channel Seven's (again family-focused) The X Factor.

To quote Scott Adams' well-known comic strip character, Dilbert,

"Are you saying I'm more employable as a famous screw-up than as a competent nobody?"

What are the media (particularly Channel Seven in both of these cases) communicating in regards to the idea that 'actions have consequences'? In a society already deafened by cries over the inadequate sentencing of criminal behaviour, we get to endure two controversial public figures doing whatever the hell they like, and even though they are reprimanded (in a sense), they continue to be upheld in the public eye by competing commercial enterprises, simply because they are well-known in their industry, because of the controversy that surrounds them.

When will Channel Seven, and the media in general, acknowledge the social responsibility they have to their viewers? 

May God be merciful on our society, as we all keep riding the roller-coaster to anarchy.