|
|
Via the useful website writetothem.com, I recently sent the following letter to my my MP: Mr Douglas Naysmith. For a while I have been extremely concerned about the way the British and Dutch governments have been treating Iceland. I finally decided to voice my opinion.
Dear Doug Naysmith,
I am writing to express my concern and dismay about the way the British government is treating the nation of Iceland as a result of the IceSave problems.
First of all, it seems outrageous to me that anti-terrorist legislation was ever used as a tool against the Icelandic people. Not only does this set an extremely dangerous precedent – can Mr Brown simply declare anyone a terrorist? – but it’s also a clearly inappropriate use of such laws. It may well have also accelerated the collapse of the Icelandic banks.
I am also led to believe that, before the current economic crisis and IceSave’s part in it, the British government were warned about the potential problems with a bank backed by such a small economy. Obviously, the Icelandic government and business community hold a significant responsibility themselves. However, I cannot see that this is in anyway justification for bullying them.
Despite the fact that the losses suffered were the result of the actions of a few individuals; the Icelandic government has undertaken to repay the money lost by the British and Dutch governments. They are, however, looking to add conditions that will protect them and their economy from being enslaved to a debt they can never repay. Given that the Icelandic taxpayers are undertaking a debt which is in no way their responsibility; these measures do not seem unreasonable. However the British government seems intent on continuing to bully the Icelandic nation. In some ways it seems little better than the schoolyard bully trying to steal the smaller child’s lunch money. In fact – it’s more like making sure that child is never allowed to have any lunch money again!
Naturally I am as dismayed by the stance that the Dutch government has taken, but I have no way of making my feelings known to them.
I wonder if you would undertake to ask in parliament why such a position has been taken by our government and why our Prime Minister seems so intent on bullying a small nation.
Yours sincerely,
Paul Hunnisett
I don’t have much expectation of a favourable response – but at least I wrote to my MP about something I feel strongly about!
This post is a bit of a test post to see what it’s like writing blog posts from my phone. I’m not expecting it to be quite as easy as posting from a computer but it might be useable. The main reason that I wanted to even try this is simply that, despite the inconvenience of writing on my phone, I’m far more likely to actually do it!
Having written all that from my phone; it turns out that it’s not particularly painful after all…
I’m having a thinky moment…
I’m wondering what is happening to different people around the world right now. As I type. How many people, as I type, are being killed and how many are being born? How many people are falling asleep and how many are waking up? How many people have just fallen in love and how many are having their hearts broken? How many people are being born again? How many people are eating and how many starving? How many people looking at the sunset and how many looking at it rise again? How many people are sitting at a computer typing?
This morning, while going through all my Twitter updates, I came across a short article by John Piper on why he doesn’t own a television or go to movies.
One of the problems I face with my recent health problems is that I rarely have any energy (and I mean any!) or concentration. This means that I frequently spend my evening watching DVDs; simply because they require very little of me and provide an entertaining pastime.
I really don’t, however, want to waste my life in this way. What I want to do is spend time with my wife & kids, read books that will envision and inspire me, watch videos of excellent sermons and, above all, I want to pray and seek to enjoy the prescence of God. The problem is that all of these thing require more energy and commitment than I have available for the most part.
I have decided to try and take a slowly slowly catchee monkey approach. Although my energy levels may still cause me to waste an unfortunate amount of time, I’m going to try and make sure that I read a page or two of a good book most days. I’m going to commit to talking/playing with my children – even briefly, every day. I’m also going to try and seek the Lord as much as I am able – especially on my days off.
The sivler lining to our situation is that it often drives Kirstine & I together to simply chat and share the burden together. I am appreciating my wonderful wife more than ever these days.
I can’t pretend that I’m going to improve much in any of these areas but, perhaps, I’ll be able to use what little energy I do have in a constructive way before I lose it and crash out in front of the telly…
There are also good things that I do occasionally find that I have the time inclination for. Writing a short blog post for example. Being creative – writing music etc. – is a good use of time. These things relax me and, on my days off, provide something useful to do. I also refuse to accept that watching rugby is anything other than a glorious use of my time! 
I can’t contribute enourmous things to the the Kingdom of God but, perhaps, I can move forward, albeit slowly. In that way I will try to not waste my life.
Recently a friend of mine, Al Shaw, asked me, via Twitter:
Yeah, so what is it with you and Iceland? Give us the inside story. Huh? A blog post, perhaps….
So here is the inside story…
I’m afraid that it’s not a very exciting one. I have a fascination with a unique people and a rich culture. As I read the sagas and enjoy Icelandic music I find that myself more and more intrigued by the people and their country. If my wife has my way, however, it will never be more than a simple fascination – an interest. That is not because she doesn’t like Iceland – we both enjoyed a weekend there together – it is simply because she doesn’t like the cold.
I’ve only ever been there twice in my life. Once, when I was twelve, I went with King’s Kids to do outreach in Iceland. We were there for about 10 days and I had a wonderful time. More recently, my wife surprised me by taking me to Reykjavik for a weekend to celebrate my thirtieth birthday. This was a much closer, albeit shorter, look at Iceland and it’s people.
Would I one day like to move there? Would I even like to see a church planted there? Absolutely, yes – but I cannot in any sense say that I think that’s because of a call of God on my life. In fact, though it would take less to convince me, I think that my wife would need to see angels before she would !be brought around to the idea! (Any volunteers to dress up as angels welcome).
I would certainly, however, want to encourage and pray for anyone else who feels God calling them to this amazing country. Officially the country is a christian one; although it is dominated by religiosity and legalism. According to the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 83% of Icelanders belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Only 1% of Icelanders belong to what is considered a charismatic congegation. Most of the church activity is outside of the capital city. The Operation World website records that there are 8 charismatic congregations (and 1 pentecostal) with under 700 members.
The influence of Paganism is still quite strong in Iceland; perhaps largely due to a sense of history and an acient culture.
If nothing else – I would certainly recommend to anyone that they visit this wonderful country. One side effect of the awful economic breakdown is that visiting is much cheaper than it used to be (although still not cheap). This means you can help their economy and have a wonderful holiday at the same time!
One of the subjects that I have given most thought to in my life is the sovereignty of God. In particular, I’ve wrestled with the implications of a sovereign God on human freedom and responsibility.
Let me start out by saying that my position is very much a reformed one. I have come to a place (and actually been here for years) where I love the fact that God is sovereign ruler over all. I love that, of everyone in the entire universe, God alone is entirely unfettered in his freedom (Ps. 115:3). It is of enormous comfort to me to know that he is in control; that every situation I might encounter is planned by one who is for me, who works all things for the good of those who love him and whom he has sovereignly called according to his purpose.
I have recently read through 1&2 Kings again and have been so struck with how unashamedly the author(s) ascribe sovereignty to God. Many significant events are described as happening in response to something God said or promised – often a generation or so before!
The main issue that people (certainly in western cultures) seem to have when discussing the sovereignty of God is that of free will. Sometimes people will simply say that the there is a tension to be held between mankind’s free will and the sovereignty of God. There are many who contend that “the one thing God will never do is override your free will”. For example:
Jesus is coming back for a Bride that will be without spot or blemish. He is calling His Church to clean up their act and allow His Holy Spirit to begin this sanctifying work in their lives. However, the choice is up to each individual believer. Sanctification is not something that can be forced upon anyone. God really respects everyone’s free will and He will never force His will or His ways on anyone - bible-knowledge.com.
I also recently came across openness theology. This seeks to put limits on God, particularly in reference to his knowledge of the future, in order to facilitate our ability to freely make choices. My concern with this is simply that it seems to be to be, at best, bordering on blasphemy and having no foundation that I can see in scripture. Perhaps one day some open theists will read this and be able to point out what I have missed.
Despite the obsession we seem to have with how to balance God’s sovereignty with our apparent free will; it seems to me that the biblical tension is actually between God’s sovereignty and our responsibility. Certainly this seems to be what Paul is most keen to address in Romans 9:
9 For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” 10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— 12 she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hosea,
ESV
This also seems very evident from several episodes in scripture – one of the clearest being David’s census. The passage clearly shows that not only did David sin because God caused him to; but God then also held him responsible for that sin and punished him for it.
In some ways this may seem more difficult to reconcile than the question of free will. Our immediate response is that this doesn’t seem fair. God is the one who is ultimately in control of what happens and what decisions are made and yet we are still held responsible for our decisions and actions. Paul seems to think that this is a perfectly reasonable concern. In fact he addresses exactly this question in the same section of Romans 9. The biblical response to the question of whether this is just is simply that God is God and, as the creator, is justified in using his creation as he pleases.
Coming full circle – does this mean that we don’t have free will? The only assertion that seems biblical to me is that, if we do, it is subect to God’s will and his purposes. We may have free will – but it is not absolute and unfettered. Certainly the idea that “the one thing God will never do is override your free will” seems to me to be entirely unfounded on scripture.
I recently came across this very interesting video which may shed some light. Perhaps we can learn something from how marketing strategies can manipulate us into making decisions, despite being certain that we are freely making those decisions. It seems far easier to understand how we might have the perception of absolute free will even though we are all subject to the plans and purposes of God.
Ultimately, however, we are left able to be confident that God is sovereign over all things; but we also need to remember that we are responsible for all of our own actions – whether our choices are freely made or not.
Sorry – I had technical problems and missed most of the match. Seemed like it was going to be a good one though…
Final Score: Cheetahs 24 – 26 Lions
Watching the Lions of Saturday gave me an unpleasant sense of Déjà vu. There have been so many times in the last season watching Bath (or listening on the radio) when they squandered a strong lead. When the Lions were 20 – 0 up, I thought that this was going to be another convincing victory. Somehow, however, they managed to get themselves turned over at the breakdown far too often and only won the game by the width of a goal post. With only minutes to go, the Cheetahs fly half attempted a drop goal which would have won them the game. It missed, but only narrowly, and the Lions were saved their blushes…
Final Score: Golden Lions 10-74 Lions
We must now rethink the possible cause of saturday’s weak performance. Perhaps it was the altitude or maybe it was simply that the combinations didn’t work. What is much harder, in the light of last night’s Lions game, is too suggest it was simply lack of cohesion or ‘gelling’ that would come with time.
The British & Irish Lions team that played last night, and thumped a poor Golden Lions side, had little or no more reason to ‘gel’ than the team who played on Saturday. But they were superb. Some will suggest that the opponents were too weak to expect anything – but you can only play what is in front of you and the Lions played well for 80 minutes. They even finished the game with 14 men after Ugo Monye (who had a, largely, suberb game) went of injured at 70 minutes.
It certainly is true that the Golden Lions didn’t really offer very much; as it is also true that the Royal XV played with a lot of heart. But the Lions (B & I) linked extremely well, offloaded well, tackled well and simply dominated in very way.
It’s far from a reason to think we’ll win the test series, but it may mean we get a clearer idea of the test side a bit earlier than expected. That can only help.
A little while ago, I was in a car with some very dear male friends and I overheard one of them, in the context of a discussion of men and worship, say that he didn’t think love or intimacy were particularly male attributes. At the time I was shocked and, I must admit, a little angry. Thankfully I was far too tired to have made any comment.
This particular event started me on a train of thought on masculinity and, in particular, biblical masculinity which has led me to this post. I suspect it will be the first of many posts on the subject as I do not yet think I have reached many firm conclusions.
Except to say that not only do I think that both love and intimacy are masculine traits, but I think that one of the things that the church is perhaps lacking these days is men who are passionate about intimacy with Jesus and about loving him. David was a man of passion, love and intimacy for God. He was also a “man’s man”. Even with the most basic definition of that as someone who could quite happily beat us all in a fight.
I do see a couple of reasons why some men might find struggle with this.
First of all, we refer to Jesus, appropriately enough, in the masculine. This can lead to, as I heard someone say recently, “Jesus is my Boyfriend” type songs and situations. Many men in today’s Christian culture find the idea of relating to another man in any way other than friendship uncomfortable. There are plenty of guys who are willing to say “I love Jesus”, but there seem to be far less who will exuberantly show that they mean it in worship. Don’t misunderstand me – I’m not particularly a fan of leaping around like a crazed thing; nor for the trend of wanting to be undignified for it’s own sake, as if that was a virtue. But I do have enourmous respect for men who can be passionate in worship. For some that will mean dancing, but equally it can be seen simply shining from the faces of other men.
The second problem is one of newer Christians or non-Christians. These men will be coming from a view of masculinity that is entirely based upon their culture. This will include many valid ideas – but will also include some ideas that actually make it difficult for some men to really enter in to a church community and worship. I’m not sure what the answer to this is, except that I’m certain that toning down our own passion isn’t it.
As I say, I suspect this will be an ongoing source of subject matter for me and I’d love to hear any comments whether they agree or disagree. I think this is an important subject that it not talked about enough.
Any suggestions for resources in the further study of this would also be very welcome.
|
|