Hey dudes/dudettes. Remember (if you happen to actually read this regularly, so that's probably one or two maybe) a couple of posts ago when I wrote "Also, only just remembered what I had originally planned to do for this post :P But that's cool, can save it for next time." As it happens, completely forgot what that thing was. :P Should really write these things down, cause I remember it was a good idea. Oh well. I'll just write on something else, unless I can remember that original idea.
Hmm...what to talk about. Well, how about we have a look today at a fairly scary place to be... my mind, that is.
A heck of the lot of the time, what I'm thinking about/imagining is hypothetical situations/possibilities. Of various kinds and instances. But I'm the sort of person that thinks about this stuff a lot - I'll take one situation, and take it to dozens of different tangents with ease. Suffice to say, I've got quite an imagination, but it works hand in hand with my analytical mind.
As a strange aside, in my imagination, there always seems to be quite an emphasis on sounds, rather than images. When a scene is playing out in my head, unless I'm actually concentrating on trying to do otherwise, I'll get a lot of details in sound, but only glimpses/senses/impulses (attempting to find the right word) of what the scene looks like. Perhaps it's because I'm more of an auditory learner, I dunno. Anyone else get their imaginations dominated by a particular sense?
Back out of the aside. So yeah, my mind is a lot of the time on what might happen in some distant (or not-so-distant, it varies) future. It's a lot less on how to get from A to B, and barely ever on what I'd actually do if I somehow managed to make it to B. Which isn't really very practical.
Which isn't very good. I mean, anyone could probably tell you that I'm more of a thinker than a doer; I'm not an extremely active person - when it comes to much at all, really. I talk/think/write/type/sing a fair bit about doing/changing/being various things, but it's not too common that I actually walk the walk. I suppose perhaps because I've never had that much motivation to do so. It's very easy to just be a voice, and leave it at that.
I'm hoping to change that. It's going to be difficult, but I'm going to give it my best shot. I know that I'm going to have a decent hand from God - because he wants me doing this more than I do - so once I get going, I should be able to do this. I think. It's the getting going that's always difficult.
Sunday, 10 July 2011
Saturday, 9 July 2011
In Christ.
OK. Just got back from a camp this week. Was an MYC, or Mid-Year Conference. For a few of the Christian groups from some of the unis. This one was UWS, Sydney Cumbo, and the Gong. Was originally meant to be on Relationships, but what with one thing and another, got changed to Humanity at the last moment.
It was really good :) Basically, a lot of it was about being in Christ. The idea was, if you're in something, then whatever happens to it also happens to you; so being in Christ, all that happens to Christ happens to you. It's the idea of being united with Christ, rather than just getting closer to Him. It's a great idea, and hopefully one that I should be able to implement it and not just have it as an idea. Which has always been difficult for me, but it's something I'm going to really try to work on - consciously thinking about these sort of things instead of just putting them on the backburner or whatever.
Also, a couple of other quick things. Firstly, an idea I've had means I will actually be doing an EP launch fairly soon (though only electronic), but that will be a different EP to the one I've been talking about before. Should be happening fairly soon, and I'll be getting the link up to that here when that does happen.
As well, will also be updating the post I did before on Christians and homosexuality in the next couple of minutes with another idea I've had recently. If you're interested in checking that, this is the link: http://modnarama.blogspot.com/2011/06/somewhat-touchy-issue-for-some.html
OK. Until next time.
It was really good :) Basically, a lot of it was about being in Christ. The idea was, if you're in something, then whatever happens to it also happens to you; so being in Christ, all that happens to Christ happens to you. It's the idea of being united with Christ, rather than just getting closer to Him. It's a great idea, and hopefully one that I should be able to implement it and not just have it as an idea. Which has always been difficult for me, but it's something I'm going to really try to work on - consciously thinking about these sort of things instead of just putting them on the backburner or whatever.
Also, a couple of other quick things. Firstly, an idea I've had means I will actually be doing an EP launch fairly soon (though only electronic), but that will be a different EP to the one I've been talking about before. Should be happening fairly soon, and I'll be getting the link up to that here when that does happen.
As well, will also be updating the post I did before on Christians and homosexuality in the next couple of minutes with another idea I've had recently. If you're interested in checking that, this is the link: http://modnarama.blogspot.com/2011/06/somewhat-touchy-issue-for-some.html
OK. Until next time.
Thursday, 7 July 2011
Godly humour.
I've had the idea for a fair while that God has a great sense of humour. In some ways, I believe that's fairly obvious. like I said in my "Randomified" page, he put a race of beings with no claws, sharp teeth, spines, disguise mechanisms, great speed, size, tough skin, outer shell/exoskeleton, or wings in charge of many different creatures who did. I know he goes for the whole "first will be last, last will be first" kinda thing, but that's just ludicrous. How on earth did we manage to survive early on? You put a human, without anything else, against any kind of aggressive animal - generally speaking, the animal will win. Unless they're extremely small, in which case maybe a swarm.
Also, I've had a fair few times when I've been looking for someone/something for ages, given up, and then one second later I see it, or they walk right past me. And it always makes me think that God's laughing up there in Heaven, saying, "You could've just asked!" or something to that effect.
There's more examples I've thought of before - many people talk about the platypus or the kangaroo, which seem to be faunal mash-ups - but I've either forgotten them, or they're a bit too specific to post up here at the moment. Also, only just remembered what I had originally planned to do for this post :P But that's cool, can save it for next time.
If anyone else has examples, would be great to hear.
Also, I've had a fair few times when I've been looking for someone/something for ages, given up, and then one second later I see it, or they walk right past me. And it always makes me think that God's laughing up there in Heaven, saying, "You could've just asked!" or something to that effect.
There's more examples I've thought of before - many people talk about the platypus or the kangaroo, which seem to be faunal mash-ups - but I've either forgotten them, or they're a bit too specific to post up here at the moment. Also, only just remembered what I had originally planned to do for this post :P But that's cool, can save it for next time.
If anyone else has examples, would be great to hear.
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Unexplainable.
Tonight (as in, when I wrote this, which is Sunday), I managed to initiate an extremely lengthy conversation between two of my friends (well, technically three, but he didn't come in much) on my Facebook by posting this status: "
Sunday, 3 July 2011
Defining faith.
Said I'd do this post, so this is me doing this post. Hopefully I haven't already written something to this effect.
Faith is often defined as belief despite proof to the contrary. Simple enough to understand, it's a common argument against faith/beliefs in general, not just Christianity.
I'd argue against this for one main reason - because there are many people who come to believe through proof and logical thought. Also, I think my definition makes more sense, and is better :P And I'd say that it describes more blind optimism than anything else.
I think that faith, quite simply, is trust. If you have faith in someone/something, you trust them, simple as that. It means that you think that they have a better idea of something than you do, whether they be a friend, deity, family member, person of power, whatever. It doesn't have anything to do with proof.
That's actually it for this post. I know, amazing, I haven't gone into epic length :D
I'm going to be away from tomorrow morning until Friday arvo, so I'll be doing the next two posts beforehand.
Faith is often defined as belief despite proof to the contrary. Simple enough to understand, it's a common argument against faith/beliefs in general, not just Christianity.
I'd argue against this for one main reason - because there are many people who come to believe through proof and logical thought. Also, I think my definition makes more sense, and is better :P And I'd say that it describes more blind optimism than anything else.
I think that faith, quite simply, is trust. If you have faith in someone/something, you trust them, simple as that. It means that you think that they have a better idea of something than you do, whether they be a friend, deity, family member, person of power, whatever. It doesn't have anything to do with proof.
That's actually it for this post. I know, amazing, I haven't gone into epic length :D
I'm going to be away from tomorrow morning until Friday arvo, so I'll be doing the next two posts beforehand.
Saturday, 2 July 2011
Lack of proof.
Many times I hear words to the effect of, "Yes, but you can't prove it!" That always makes me sigh a little.
Generally speaking, when people say this sort of thing, they don't mean that there is no proof whatsoever for a God. Because, of course, there are; enough that many people have come to believe through them. I won't go over that now, because that would take a very long post, and more knowledge than I have handy; but there's definitely proof out there. They usually mean something that basically means there isn't enough proof to prove there's a God. Which is a fair enough argument; and, most probably, many Christians would agree with that.
And that's a thing with most faiths, which is why they have their name. There is an element of "faith" involved. That's what is one of the fundamentals of it - though that doesn't mean believing despite lack of proof, or in the face of opposing proof (I think I've written about this before. Will check, and if not, will do so soon) (EDIT: Checked, funnily enough, can't find it. Thought I had done a post called "defining faith", but apparently not. So, that one will be coming shortly. Hopefully I haven't just renamed that one as something else and so you're getting this twice :P). Each person who believes will do so for different reasons. But there's always that element of faith involved - even if it's not much (especially when they don't think they do), it's still there.
So I suppose what I'm saying is this; to a certain extent, there's not much point in saying "but you can't prove it!" when that's kinda part of the point; and there is a fair bit of proof out there for God. Whether there's enough to actually prove there's a God, to a guy like Richard Dawkins or something - I'd say probably. The trick is in finding it and presenting it well.
Generally speaking, when people say this sort of thing, they don't mean that there is no proof whatsoever for a God. Because, of course, there are; enough that many people have come to believe through them. I won't go over that now, because that would take a very long post, and more knowledge than I have handy; but there's definitely proof out there. They usually mean something that basically means there isn't enough proof to prove there's a God. Which is a fair enough argument; and, most probably, many Christians would agree with that.
And that's a thing with most faiths, which is why they have their name. There is an element of "faith" involved. That's what is one of the fundamentals of it - though that doesn't mean believing despite lack of proof, or in the face of opposing proof (I think I've written about this before. Will check, and if not, will do so soon) (EDIT: Checked, funnily enough, can't find it. Thought I had done a post called "defining faith", but apparently not. So, that one will be coming shortly. Hopefully I haven't just renamed that one as something else and so you're getting this twice :P). Each person who believes will do so for different reasons. But there's always that element of faith involved - even if it's not much (especially when they don't think they do), it's still there.
So I suppose what I'm saying is this; to a certain extent, there's not much point in saying "but you can't prove it!" when that's kinda part of the point; and there is a fair bit of proof out there for God. Whether there's enough to actually prove there's a God, to a guy like Richard Dawkins or something - I'd say probably. The trick is in finding it and presenting it well.
Thursday, 30 June 2011
Apathy, Sympathy and Epathy.
I mentioned this in the letter that I put up as the last post, so I thought I might expand on that a bit. Just going to look at each of them in turn, basically.
Apathy is fairly simple to get. It's not caring, not making a choice. Just ignoring whatever's happening and trying to lie in your own little world. It's fairly common, unfortunately, in today's world. You get a pretty big bunch of people that are apathetic - or perhaps that's just my generation; we are the 'lazy' generation after all. Apathy is pretty easy to do. (Generally speaking, at least, though in some cases sympathy may be easier.) It's also, unfortunately, pretty hard to get people out of. Change is difficult, so often it has to be more gradual.
Sympathy is prettty simple to get too. It's basically feeling sorry for someone. A lot of people would say that there's nothing wrong with this - I have to say, I disagree here. Most people don't want people just feeling sorry for them. There's a pretty big portion these days of people that are just sympathetic, as well; lots of people feeling sorry when they see the ads on TV, or get approached by someone at an event, or see someone struggling on the street. Ultimately, though, that's all sympathy is; sometimes there's a bit of people ranting and raving as well, but there's nothing really constructive there. Sympathy is also very easy, and it's also easy to get other people that way as well.
Empathy is the hard one. Empathy is walking a mile in someone's shoes to get to know them better and really understand where they're coming from and what they're going through. And, ultimately, not just wanting to do something about it, but also doing it. It's the rarest one you see, but it's the one that people need. Empathy is a difficult thing to do, which is why it's not as common as it should be. It's also very difficult for people to change to this, and very easy for them to slip out again back to one of the others. But it's so important that we give it our best.
That's it from me for today. Until next time.
Apathy is fairly simple to get. It's not caring, not making a choice. Just ignoring whatever's happening and trying to lie in your own little world. It's fairly common, unfortunately, in today's world. You get a pretty big bunch of people that are apathetic - or perhaps that's just my generation; we are the 'lazy' generation after all. Apathy is pretty easy to do. (Generally speaking, at least, though in some cases sympathy may be easier.) It's also, unfortunately, pretty hard to get people out of. Change is difficult, so often it has to be more gradual.
Sympathy is prettty simple to get too. It's basically feeling sorry for someone. A lot of people would say that there's nothing wrong with this - I have to say, I disagree here. Most people don't want people just feeling sorry for them. There's a pretty big portion these days of people that are just sympathetic, as well; lots of people feeling sorry when they see the ads on TV, or get approached by someone at an event, or see someone struggling on the street. Ultimately, though, that's all sympathy is; sometimes there's a bit of people ranting and raving as well, but there's nothing really constructive there. Sympathy is also very easy, and it's also easy to get other people that way as well.
Empathy is the hard one. Empathy is walking a mile in someone's shoes to get to know them better and really understand where they're coming from and what they're going through. And, ultimately, not just wanting to do something about it, but also doing it. It's the rarest one you see, but it's the one that people need. Empathy is a difficult thing to do, which is why it's not as common as it should be. It's also very difficult for people to change to this, and very easy for them to slip out again back to one of the others. But it's so important that we give it our best.
That's it from me for today. Until next time.
Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Organisation...
Thankfully, as of 15 minutes ago, this internet is back up, so posting shall commence.
I have realised that this EP is probably not going to be released soon; many more ideas are coming through, and they are going to need a fair bit of organisation, time and money. The first I can do bit by bit, the second I have a fair amount of, but the third is sadly lacking. So, for the moment, it will have to wait. We'll see what happens.
I thought, however, that this was as good a place as any to put my main idea for this EP up. It's a fairly left field idea, so I suppose I'm looking for a bit of feedback. I'm sure that if Mozart is still looking at this he'll have an opinion, or even if TB happens to be looking at this again that'd be great. It's basically the words that I'd have on the insert to the CD, I guess. (So, yes, I think I will be doing a physical launch, when it comes round to it.) Will need a fair bit of fine tuning, obviously - especially if I'm wanting to get this out there a fair bit, which would be good.
That's it. Perhaps the point of it is ruined slightly by me posting it up here; however, I think I have few enough viewers that it should be fine. It may seem pretty corny or idealistic; as I said, it needs some fine-tuning. Your feedback would be most welcome.
I have realised that this EP is probably not going to be released soon; many more ideas are coming through, and they are going to need a fair bit of organisation, time and money. The first I can do bit by bit, the second I have a fair amount of, but the third is sadly lacking. So, for the moment, it will have to wait. We'll see what happens.
I thought, however, that this was as good a place as any to put my main idea for this EP up. It's a fairly left field idea, so I suppose I'm looking for a bit of feedback. I'm sure that if Mozart is still looking at this he'll have an opinion, or even if TB happens to be looking at this again that'd be great. It's basically the words that I'd have on the insert to the CD, I guess. (So, yes, I think I will be doing a physical launch, when it comes round to it.) Will need a fair bit of fine tuning, obviously - especially if I'm wanting to get this out there a fair bit, which would be good.
Dear Reader,
This is to you. Whoever you are, wherever you are, this is for you.
We don't know whether you were given this CD by friends or family, or bought it because you liked the music, or maybe just liked the cover. But we hope, whichever it is, that when you listen to this music you will not be thinking about the person that is playing or singing, or wrote the songs. That is not what this CD is about, and this is why you will not find any names on it.
And that is why this letter is being written. Because this is about the message. The songs are decent songs, but they are only a beginning; only there to start something. A change.
This letter we are writing is a challenge for you. To start a change, to make a change, to be a change. Both in yourself and in others.
This is your Challenge to Change.
1. Say what you mean, mean what you say. Be a person of integrity, and always walk the walk as well as talking the talk.
2. Don't be a content and comfortable person. Don't just be sympathetic; and certainly don't be apathetic. Be empathetic; care, and help to make a difference.
That is our challenge to you. It is the challenge we have also taken up. Don't expect to meet it; that is an impossible task, we are human. Just do your best, and keep at it.
Hopefully, you will have received a couple of seeds with this. They are there to be a reminder for you of how much a little thing, given some patience and love, can do. Keep one and plant the other where you will see it regularly. Hopefully, it will grow well for you.
Thankyou for taking the time to read this. Now your part begins. What you do with it is your choice, and yours alone. We cannot make it for you.
We hope that you will have every success in whatever path you choose.
Sincerely,
The Seeds of Change core team
That's it. Perhaps the point of it is ruined slightly by me posting it up here; however, I think I have few enough viewers that it should be fine. It may seem pretty corny or idealistic; as I said, it needs some fine-tuning. Your feedback would be most welcome.
Monday, 27 June 2011
Mistakes.
The internet went kaput at my house yesterday; hence why I am writing the post today, and from a PC in my local library. Also, it'll be a short one, because Mum's expecting me back soon.
The sermon on Sunday was a good sermon. Talking about spiritual excercise, and getting to know God more intimately. Definitely a good thing. But - being me - I couldn't stop myself from comparing the preacher's opinions to my own ideas on the matter, and I thought that he had perhaps said a couple of points in the wrong way. I had thought that I might send him an email, telling him of exactly where he went off. (Haha. Sounds pretty bad, actually, in retrospect.)
However, I got a little thought from the big guy: just leave it. God's word has been preached today, and his message has been heard. People make mistakes, God uses them. So I did. God has a fair bit of experience with working with our mistakes, after all...
But I suppose the idea is that we don't always need to correct people. Sometimes it's OK for them to make mistakes, and we just need to let them be a little freer. That's a good thing.
If I have internet up by tomorrow, I'll do another post on another idea I've had for the EP.
The sermon on Sunday was a good sermon. Talking about spiritual excercise, and getting to know God more intimately. Definitely a good thing. But - being me - I couldn't stop myself from comparing the preacher's opinions to my own ideas on the matter, and I thought that he had perhaps said a couple of points in the wrong way. I had thought that I might send him an email, telling him of exactly where he went off. (Haha. Sounds pretty bad, actually, in retrospect.)
However, I got a little thought from the big guy: just leave it. God's word has been preached today, and his message has been heard. People make mistakes, God uses them. So I did. God has a fair bit of experience with working with our mistakes, after all...
But I suppose the idea is that we don't always need to correct people. Sometimes it's OK for them to make mistakes, and we just need to let them be a little freer. That's a good thing.
If I have internet up by tomorrow, I'll do another post on another idea I've had for the EP.
Saturday, 25 June 2011
The Seeds of Change
Recently, I've been trying to get stuff together for something akin to an EP launch. At the moment, whether that will only be electronic or if I'll have actual CDs is an unknown, but we'll see.
I'm planning to call it the "Seeds of Change EP", after a song that I've just written today, actually. Basically, the idea is pretty simple; actually living up to the words you say and the promises you make, and not being content to just sit around. It's not an easy task. And I'm hoping to somehow incorporate that into the EP - perhaps all the money will go to a charity (or various charities, depending on how much I spread this around), or maybe I'll think of something else. That seems a bit unoriginal, so maybe something else as well as that.
The difficulty, though, lies in living up to this standard that I suppose I've set myself - after all, if I'm challenging other people to rise up to it, then I need to do so as well. And it's not easy. But I suppose not very many things that are really worthwhile are.
Hopefully, more on this EP launch will be coming up soon. Ish.
I'm planning to call it the "Seeds of Change EP", after a song that I've just written today, actually. Basically, the idea is pretty simple; actually living up to the words you say and the promises you make, and not being content to just sit around. It's not an easy task. And I'm hoping to somehow incorporate that into the EP - perhaps all the money will go to a charity (or various charities, depending on how much I spread this around), or maybe I'll think of something else. That seems a bit unoriginal, so maybe something else as well as that.
The difficulty, though, lies in living up to this standard that I suppose I've set myself - after all, if I'm challenging other people to rise up to it, then I need to do so as well. And it's not easy. But I suppose not very many things that are really worthwhile are.
Hopefully, more on this EP launch will be coming up soon. Ish.
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