#cop15

"if the world can finance trillion dollar bank bailouts why can't it do the same to prevent African and Bangladeshi children dying from climate change-induced floods and droughts?"

Good point! Crikey correspondent Matthew Knot on the negotiating battles going on at the Un's Copenhagen summit. Read his full article here.

An economic-cultural crisis is in the works

Guy Rundle has a couple of articles up on Crikey in which he proposes a post-capitalist system that "reverses the current relationship between culture/society and market/economy so that the former determines the latter and not, as currently happens, economy dictating to society and culture."

A neat excerpt:

2) Relocalisation and decommodification -- the current culture economy web of capitalism is based on an implicit social contract, that no-one ever signed up to. Under this contract you work longer and harder, while the price of essentials -- especially home ownership -- are ramped up into lifelong servitude to payment to institutions. The pay-off? Cheap consumer durables and entertainment services.

Forget the civilisational critique of this for a moment -- on its own terms, it pitches the whole society into trembling economic fragility in which a whole way of life is based on Xmas sales, and shopping becomes an essential patriotic activity.

Of course this can't continue -- but the expectations it has raised in people cannot be assuaged by any shift to a harsher economy. A half-century ago, you could get people to work 48 hours a week for a weatherboard, a radiogram, a pub counter meal once a week and three course meal when their daughter got married. Any breach of the current contract -- 50 hours in the office partition for $12 cocktails and DVD box sets -- ain't gonna fly.

Protestant capitalism cannot be re-established after consumer capitalism. And consumer capitalism cannot continue to sustain the Western economy. An economic-cultural crisis is in the works.

and later he says..

a left vision grounds itself ethically on the notion -- promulgated in the great religions, secularised by Kant – that humans should treated each other as ends, not means.

This is from the final part (part three) of Guy Rundle’s rather in-depth but interesting musing on the state of the modern Left, and it's vision of the future.
Part two - "The past and future of the Left" and part one - "The Australian can’t tell its left from right" are also online at Crikey.

Good friends, there's more spirit in a quake than a shake

Here’s a fantastic newspaper article by Melbourne columnist Catherine Deveny of The Age, describing in a wonderful, humorous way her experience of visiting a Quaker meeting last Sunday. Her reflections are even more striking when compared to her experience and previous article about a mega-church youth event she attended.

This article helped me realise why I'm feeling more and more at home with the Quakers, those 'Selfish, power-hungry bastards'. Have a read and please do laugh!

AS I was leaving for the Quakers’ meeting, my mate said: "You need to get there 10 minutes early for the Unveiling Of The Relic".

"What happens then?" I asked.

"Well, the men with the beards, wearing the hoods, shave, brand and sacrifice the newest member, known as The Unclean, before they perform acts in the Circle Of Darkness on The Goat of Truth."

"So who quakes?" I asked.

"Everyone," he said. "Wear clean undies. Trust me."

A discussion then followed about what Quakers were, that, typically, ended up more about what they weren’t. "Aren’t they the ones with the big hats and buckles?" No, they’re the Pilgrims. "Aren’t they the ones who make furniture?" No, they’re the Shakers. "Well, are they the ones with the horses and buggies, Abe Lincoln beards and Little House On the Prairie outfits, who raise barns?" No, they’re the Amish.

Eventually, and after a mention of Uncle Toby (as in the oats), I was off for some red-hot Quaker action. And I was excited. In a grey carpet, fluorescent lights, lots of pamphlets, instant coffee kind of way.

And I wasn’t disappointed. There was indeed grey carpet, fluorescent lights, lots of pamphlets, instant coffee … and 20 chairs in a circle.

If you like sitting in a circle staring into space, you’re gonna love the Quakers. They’re the Claytons religion. The religion you have when you don’t have a religion. Because they’re not a religion. They’re a ‘‘religious society of friends’’. You don’t even have to believe in God to be a Quaker. You don’t even need to be a Quaker to be a Quaker. You can sign up and become a member, or just be an ‘‘attender’’. Jesus! Would it kill you to give me something to be scared of? I’m an escaped Catholic.

They don’t have a church. Or clergy. Or parishioners. Or a doctrine. Just friends, a room, and an ethos of truth, equality, peace and simplicity. Selfish, power-hungry bastards.

"Our worship follows no ritual or order of service. We gather together in a silent meeting, for an hour."

And so we did. Sitting round a coffee table covered in pamphlets with a pot plant in the middle, we mostly sat in silence. Part meditation, part group therapy, part sitting in a doctor’s waiting room.

Every now and then someone would say something about faith, journeys, occasionally even God. One woman talked about a Quaker meeting as a place you come to have your answers questioned. The idea is the spirit connects us all and anyone moved by the spirit can speak.

I was more moved by a dozen people sitting in silence than I was last week by a thousand or so being force-fed mumbo jumbo between power anthems at Planetshakers. I felt more connected to the man asleep next to me at the Quakers than the Planetshaker who spoke in tongues through a song about Opening Your Legs For Jesus, or something.

At the end of the meeting we all held hands and had coffee. I chatted with some Quaker friends who were lovely, despite their belief in an imaginary friend in the sky. They talked about how Quakers are about working it out yourself. DIY spirituality. And how the nature of people being attracted to spiritual anarchy made it difficult to get decisions made and stuff done at times. "God loved the world so much she didn’t send a committee," one joked.

I couldn’t help thinking there’d never be a Quaker terrorist cell. Their inherent non-conformity would make it impossible for them to be extremist about anything. I relate with them. The only thing I believe in is nihilism.

Quakers are mavericks. God, no God. Member, no member. Turn up, don’t. They encourage people to explore other religions. "Quakers do not have a fixed creed, but believe that each individual must find their own understanding of God, and is guided by their conscience in finding the way to live."

It’s hard to be cynical about the Quakers, but that’s not going to stop me. I kept thinking about comedian Bill Hicks talking about the anti-marketing dollar being a good market.

Despite the sensible shoes, serviceable clothes and no-nonsense haircuts, the Quakers know how to have a good time. They’re holding a ’50s night next month called Quake, Rattle and Roll. You gotta laugh. Or not.

What a fantastic column, and sense of humour! Catherine has a new fan!

doubtful intelligence

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt."

-- Bertrand Russel

I love this quote. Seems to be true of most progressive people (and faiths) that I know. A big struggle within Quakers is that there is no emphasis on telling people what Quakers believe (because you can only find it out for yourself/there is 'that of God' within you) yet many of the young members' frsutration with the Society comes from the lack of explicit teaching of Quaker principles and values. How do you teach your truth humbly, with the knowledge that there may well be other 'right' ways, and the aim that people think for themselves?

Russel seems to be pretty sure of his intelligent opinions though!

Quote of the day

"When does the mandate of victimhood expire?" he asked. "At what point does the Nazi genocide of Europe's Jews cease to excuse the state of Israel from the demands of international law and of common humanity?"

Fintan O'Toole, the Irish Times' resident philosopher-in-chief, daring to speak the unspeakable.

If you aren’t tired of all the media coverage and speculation by western writers from their safe offices (like me!) , then you can read the Robert Fisk’s full article, Wherever I go, I hear the same tired Middle East comparisons, in The Independent here.

Fisk continues to say that “journalists should be on the side of those who suffer” – sounds like liberation theology to me.

For a visual representation of O’Tooles thoughts, see Zapiro’s two most recent cartoons.

And then, to balance it out, here’s another well argued piece in the Sydney Morning Herald, from a different point of view - It's too easy just to blame Jews.

Whoever is to blame, it is still a very complex and sorry situation. I hope the violence stops soon, though I’m not holding my breath. Ever since I was old enough to read, I can recall newspaper headlines about violence in the ‘Holy land’ region. When will we realise that violence is never redemptive?

pearls of wisdom from c&h

Calvin and Hobbes is one of my favourite cartoon strips. For me, it ranks right up there alongside the Far Side, Madam and Eve, and Zapiro. I think Calvin has a fabulous imagination, and ridicules 'adult' norms very well. Get your daily dose here.

Here are some priceless quotes for today:

Talking with you is sort of the conversational equivalent of an out-of-body experience.
~ susie to calvin

People who get nostalgic about childhood were obviously never children.
~ calvin

Looking out for Joy

In a completely different vein to the last two posts, here's installment 2 of the Advent reflections on Joy for this week. (You can follow the whole series here.)

Oh, and i'm feeling a bit more joyful and inspired than last time. Last night i did a bit of creative writing, some quick charcoal sketches, and started to read The Little Prince again - all of which seemed to clear some of the clouds up.

Advent Reflection 2 - Looking out for Joy

Two reflective pieces to mull over as we wait with anticipation for the Joy of the world to come:

Unpredictable Joy

In the Gospel of John, Jesus sums up pretty much everything by saying, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11). He said it at the supper that he knew was the last one he’d have a mouth to eat.
Happiness turns up more or less where you’d expect it to – a good marriage, a rewarding job, a pleasant vacation. Joy, on the other hand, is as notoriously unpredictable as the one who bequeaths it.
~ Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house empty
of its furniture, still,
treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.
~ Rumi, The Guest House

When did Joy unexpectedly knock on your door this Advent season? Was she alone, or accompanied by some friends? (Say, perhaps sadness, or peace?) And, how did you treat these unexpected guests?

(un-joyful) advent thoughts about joy

I’ve been feeling rather uninspired and uninspiring lately. Something you may have picked up by the quality and number of posts. Quite a bad spot to be in, when you add in missing home, nostalgia about studying in the states, trying to find meaning in a new country, and some really big conversations about meaning, identity and spirituality. There seem to be some lights and the end of some of the tunnels, and I’ll let you in on them when I know what they are!

There’s also cool news about jobs for next year, furniture at home, and some pictures of our second Sydney adventure. When/if I get to them. Oh, and my garden now has some green tomatoes, capsicums and strawberries. No signs yet of any melons, and the rocket has aphids. There are pictures of them too (the garden, not the aphids), that I’ve been meaning to put up, but like I said, haven’t had a substantial amount of motivation or inspiration to get it done.

Deadlines and external pressure help in that regard. So I do have one piece of creativity that I can show for the last while - a reflection on Joy for Advent. I was asked to write 3 pieces for this week for a church. Quite an interesting task, since Joy is not up there with the many emotions running around in me head.

But I tried. Here’s the first piece… a bit cerebral and cynical, with some big words thrown in to show off, but true to where I am. Something to read if you are looking for an un-joyful Advent reflection on joy. (Hey, you never know what arb things people are looking for these days) ;)


Advent Reflection 1 - ‘Defining’ Joy

I’m not usually a supporter of ‘dialectic definitions’. Actually, I don’t really know if there is such a thing as a ‘dialectic definition’, but let’s pretend there is. What I mean, is that I don’t usually buy sayings such as, ‘you can only know peace if you have seen war’, or ‘only real sinners understand grace’ etc. The implication is that an emotion or state can only really be known once you have experienced its opposite or absence. For me, this type of reasoning seems too negative and dualistic.

However, this advent, my ‘rule’ seems to have met its exception in Joy.

I’ve been trying to ‘describe’ joy, and found that it is rather hard. The fabric or texture of joy is rather elusive. You either know what joy is, or you don’t. It’s not a propositional truth - something you can explain - but rather an experiential or relational truth – something you must experience. Hence my struggle in trying to reflect on Joy using words.

The only way I can come close to grasping the real texture of joy, is to place it alongside two other strong and complimentary emotions (themselves also rather hard to explain). So, let us begin our reflection on Joy this week by holding it alongside Sadness and Peace.

Although you would think Sadness is the opposite of Joy, it isn’t really. In a strange way, in times of despair the only thing that allows us to truly mourn, and still come out the other side, is that sliver of joy that seems to be hiding patiently, graciously, just below the surface of our lives. In my life, my saddest moments have often been a precursor to a renewed understanding of true joy and life.

When I rise up, let me rise up joyful, like a bird

When I fall, let me fall without regret, like a leaf.

~Wendell Berry, Let Me Rise

For his anger is but for a moment, his favour is for a lifetime.
Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

~ David (?), Psalm 30

And then there is Peace. Peace is far more restful, controlled, and safe than exuberant, wild-partying Joy, but yet, there’s a common texture to the two:

Joy is Peace at play,

And Peace is Joy at rest

~ Anne Lamott, Travelling Mercies

Joy. It’s not the opposite of sadness, nor equal to peace, but it’s somewhere in there. It is an other-worldy state that can’t be drowned by sadness, nor quietened by peace.
Perhaps, like any real emotion associated with the mystery of advent, it is actually just grace by another name.

becoming myself

A succinct Hasidic tale for monday:

Rabbi Zusya, when he was an old man, said, “In the coming world, they will not
ask me: ‘Why were you not Moses?’ They will ask me: ‘Why were you not Zusya?’”

American Incongruity

"The earth, reeling as it is, produces more than enough food to feed plentifully every man, woman and child on the planet. There is enough food; yet, our economic system produces murderous scarcity. A few have more than they can consume, so much that garbage disposal is a critical problem; while millions perish in sight of plenty. One nation, containing a tiny fraction of the earth's population (the majority of whom think of themselves as Christians), consumes half the earth's resources, yet it still manages not to feed its own hungry."

Theodore Jennings, Jr. - Good News to the Poor

At Ease?

At Ease

Too lazy to be ambitious,
I let the world take care of itself.
Ten days' worth of rice in my bag;
a bundle of twigs by the fireplace.
Why chatter about delusion and enlightenment?
Listening to the night rain on my roof,
I sit comfortably, with both legs stretched out.

Ryokan, The Enlightened Heart, an Anthology of Sacred Poetry

Hmmm... what an enticing picture. Reminds me of the 'perfect plan' that Gus constructs in David James Duncan's The River Why - living in his self-sufficient little hermit cottage in the woods fishing for 8 hours a day. I often wish I was less driven and 'responsible' and ambitious and could just 'be'. Let the world take care of itself.
Some wise fellow at Quaker meeting in Canberra last week said this:

"The most dangerous people in the world are those who claim to know what is wrong with the world and how to fix it".

Hmm. I'm challenged by how to balance Ryokan and this wise Quakers' thoughts with the calling I seem to have that encourages me to change/save/enlighten myself/society/the world.
E B White seems to capture my struggle:

If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve (or save) the world and a desire to enjoy (or savor) the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.

E B White, Planning the Day, Notes and Comment, the New Yorker

the last day

On the last day of the world
I would want to plant a tree.

W. S. Merwin, Place

self esteem 101

Didactics at CPE this week was on Self esteem. Self esteem is a need, and a healthy self esteem is needed for growth in the spiritual life. It was very revealing for me to see how i have allowed others control over my self esteem, where in fact it is my personal responsibility (hence self esteem). According to the presenter, the main ingredient for a live-giving life is love of oneself, which is self esteem, Further, in her mind, the most important role of a leader is to create a space where self esteem can grow. I ventured that it seemed to me that healthy 'self esteems' would naturally undermine the need for hierarchy in a community.

Apparently the equation for self esteem (which is self-love) is:

self-knowledge + self-acceptance = self esteem

You can't love or accept yourself in a vacuum, so you need to know yourself first. 3 quotes on self-knowledge that stuck out for me were:

• "Self-knowledge is a prerequisite for holiness" - St Catherine of Sienna

• "Trials and unrest come because you do not know yourself" - St Theresa of Avila

and my favourite:

• "Know yourself, but always doubt your motives" - a Rabbi

There we go... a few of the CPE gleanings this week.
(BTW - should self esteem be written with a hyphen?)

Seeing the other as brother (an example)

I went to the funeral of Rev Rob Robertson yesterday. Yes, I managed to get excused from CPE for the afternoon! Thomas was there too. Rob was a Presby minister who started the first multi-racial Presbyterian congregation in SA and was very involved in the anti-apartheid struggle. He died on Saturday at 82 on his daily run. When I came to Cape Town I was told by three different people in independent circumstances (Greg Andrews, Rob Steiner and Keith Vermeulen) that I would do well to meet Rob, as he had done some of the things I was expressing and desiring in the church. My to-do list in my wallet still has the words "Rob Robertson - Milnerton" on it.

Hearing of his death, and more of his story, made me regret not contacting him. I thought i better go along to the service, to get one last chance to 'meet' him and hear how people spoke of him. After the service (and after greeting far too many Presby Colleagues and friends) I went up to his wife to introduce myself. I felt I needed to tell her that, as a Presbyterian student of the ministry, I hope to continue Rob's multi-racial congregation legacy in our country. She thanked me, adding that it desperately needed to be done.

Another moving moment was the story Rob Steiner used to open the service. I want to post and paraphrase it here for others to hear. From what I heard, Rob Robertson really did see the other as brother:

A Hasidic Rabbi once asked his students "How do you know when the night has ended and it is day?" (for they measure days from sunset and sunrise)
One student ventured: "Is it when you can look into the field and there is enough light to tell the difference between a sheep and a dog?" "No" was the reply.
Another tried, "Is it when it is light enough to look at your hand and make out your finger prints?" And another said, "Is it when you can tell the difference between a fig tree and a pear tree in the distance?" Still the answer was "No."
"So what is it then?" insisted the students.

"It is when you can look into the face of another person, any woman or man, and see that they are in fact your your sister and your brother. Until that time, we are still living in the dark" the Rabbi replied.

Here's to carrying on the legacy of this man I almost met.

(See Barry's latest post for another realisation of the other as brother)

Startling mantra

Ed is a friend of mine who last year gave up his post as a school principal and moved to Kenya to serve the poor in a more tangible way. He’s just updated his blog with an interesting reflection on how he has changed being there, as well as thoughts on the tribal conflict that is still gripping the country. He also quoted and reflected on some lines that Richard Rohr (his friend) uses in his book Adam’s Return. These apparently are lessons every young man must learn during initiation. I found them most startling and alternative as far as mantras go. So, meditate on this happy thoughts for a while:

YOU ARE NOT IMPORTANT.
YOUR LIFE IS NOT ABOUT YOU.
YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL.
YOU ARE GOING TO DIE.

I’m sure Richard has some meaningful explanation for them, but they seem helpful in their ‘startling-ness’ just as they are.

Friday's odds and ends and bits and bobs

bit:

Paradox
The Way of Ways

Twist and get whole.
Bend and get straight.
Be empty and get filled.
Be worn and get renewed.
Have little: get much.
Have much: get baffled.

Inward/outward's reflection for today. Source - Tao

odd:
There seems to be a ‘tell me about your reading list’ bug going around. If my, and Adam and Adam’s lists weren’t enough, then check out what the Emergent peeps in SA are reading over here. 10 points to Nic for playing the book-tag game too.

bob (otherwise know as dion):
Dion Forster sent me some flattering linklove this morning. So, in response I shall amass my thousands of dedicated readers and do the same: Go check out his blog. He is the dean of the Methodist seminary in SA, has a couple of doctorates, rides a Vespa and is a fan of Apple and technology, especially Apple technology.

end:
Eben, a high school colleague of mine (who also happened to be deputy head boy, chess captain and 1st team rugby player) had a jab at my “shameless self-promotion for my blog” on facebook today. Turns out he could do with a bit more promotion considering his own status as a financial blogger in New York. I met up with him last year in NYC and we had a wonderful half-day of conversing and sight-seeing. Eben works on Wall Street (for real), writes for two publications as well as a most interesting site on ethics and investing. Hmm… ethical investing? Most of it is uber-deep finance talk, but check it out anyway. If I could understand it, I’m sure I would find it to be very good! ;)

That’s all. Now it’s the weekend and pay day and really hot. Going home to watch the cricket and meet a friend for sundowners.

gate of knowledge? yeah right!

Flipping through my posts, I came across this quote again:

do not search for the gate of knowledge;
only stop believing in walls and their security.

Wow. Wow again. I’m not sure if I really comprehend it all, but each time I read it strikes me in a new way. umm… yeah, that’s about it. At a loss for words.

Oh, and you may have noticed this new quote in my sidebar:

Look ahead. You are not expected to complete the task.
Neither are you permitted to lay it down.

It’s from the Talmud. Can you say ‘realised-yet-hopeful-eschatology’?

mondays are for subversive quotes

Seeing that pomo-Adam has this cool* “Fridays are for new music” thing going, I thought that I’d do a “Mondays are for subversive quotes” thing. Well, this Monday at least. I had 2 quotes sitting in my inbox for a while now, desperate to get put up here. And, what do you know, another one arrived today. So, here are 3 subversive quotes to shake this blue Monday up:

*I assume it is cool. I haven’t actually listened to his music, but judging by his playlist when we drove to Virginia for an Ultimate tournament, I’m sure it’s good. If we had the bandwidth here in SA to listen to streaming audio then trust me, I’d be listening. And then it would be cool.


Those at the Edge Hold the Secret

Those at the edge, ironically, always hold the secret for the conversion of every age and culture. They always hold the projected and denied parts of our soul, the parts of ourselves that we are ashamed of, that we hate and deny, that we're afraid of in ourselves. Only as the People of God receive the stranger and the leper, those who don't play our game, do we discover not only the hidden and hated parts of our own souls, but the Lord Jesus himself. That's how we say, "Come, Lord Jesus." In letting go, we make room for the Other. The church is always converted when the outcasts are reinvited into the temple.

Richard Rohr, Preparing for Christmas with Richard Rohr


A Gospel That Unsettles

A church that doesn't provoke any crises, a gospel that doesn't unsettle, a word of God that doesn't get under anyone's skin, a word of God that doesn't touch the real sin of the society in which it is being proclaimed - what gospel is that? Very nice, pious considerations that don't bother anyone, that's the way many would like preaching to be. Those preachers who avoid every thorny matter so as not to be harassed, so as not to have conflicts and difficulties, do not light up the world they live in.

Oscar Romero, The Violence of Love


Living in Hope

Here's what I've decided: the very least you can do in your life is figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof. What I want is so simple I almost can't say it: elementary kindness. Enough to eat, enough to go around. The possibility that kids might one day grow up to be neither the destroyers nor the destroyed. That's about it. Right now I'm living in that hope, running down its hallways and touching the walls on both sides. I can't tell you how good it feels.

Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams

These thoughtful quotes come from daily emails I subscribe to from Richard Rohr and inward/outward. You can too!

holiday quote

I have to move out of Ariel’s flat today. I hate seriously dislike moving. Anyways, I was going through my papers and found this quote that I got from a labyrinth gathering a earlier this year:

do not search for the gate of knowledge; only stop believing in walls and their security

yes. Think on that for a while! I’m off to Jozi tonight to hang out with my fandamily. Looking forward to it - I haven’t really spent time with them since I returned from Atlanta. It will be a pity to leave the beautiful beaches of CT though.

Do you have a question?

The devotions from inward/outward lately have been all about questions. I share a few below:

Afraid to Ask
Thomas Merton

• Anxiety is the mark of spiritual insecurity. It is the fruit of unanswered questions. But questions cannot go unanswered unless they first be asked. And there is a far worse anxiety, a far worse insecurity, which comes from being afraid to ask the right questions--because they might turn out to have no answer. One of the moral diseases we communicate to one another in society comes from huddling together in the pale light of an insufficient answer to a question we are afraid to ask.

Source: Prologue to No Man Is an Island

The Courage to Ask
Dawna Markova

• Questions can be dangerous. They can take us right to the edge of what is known and comfortable. They can require tremendous courage to ask, because we know that new questions can lead to new ways of perceiving, and new perceptions can lead to new explorations of our world. Pick any question you have been avoiding asking yourself and you'll see what I mean.... The asking of new questions often leads us to the perilous, growing edge of our minds. That’s because all new and original thought begins with a question, which leads to an exploration…. Can we embrace the unanswered? Can we live in the mystery?

The Question
Jesus of Nazareth

• What do you want me to do for you?

Source: Gospel of Mark