I've been blogging just not here...

I've been desperately trying to give my vegan blog some love even though I've yet to re-acquire my beloved camera. That and I've been trying to determine the order of topics to be discussed - 1. Weather 2. Church issues 3. American foreign policy - does that sound good? Well I thought so initially but now I'm not so sure... but I'm going to try and tie them altogether.

I've been reading Naomi Klein's, Shock Doctrine - and I realized that while I'm familiar with a lot of it - I wasn't as familiar as I believe I or even we should be, in the sense that while she is writing to support and by extension enrage as specific portion of society by vilifying the US's foreign policy (rightfully so) and demonstrating that socialism just like democracy and well all forms of government can lay the ground work for power distortions and ultimately dictatorships of varying degrees. These ruler-ships occur when power is concentrated and there is money to be had at the expense of an undereducated overly government supported people - where there is an idealist relationship between government and people, grave events happen.

On my way to Donald's yesterday to pick up ingredients for the best darn vegan brunch ever, this thought came to mind - I wonder how many people can name the other September 11th's that US foreign policy brought into fruition? Then as I was lost in thought, as is common a couple with a child passed me - dad with dreads and facial piercings and mom dressed with the jeans, dress and sweaterish combo - very East Vancouver ghetto-ish were we live - but that had me thinking about the Church. In that Tenth is growing due to a surge in young adults and newly married not families, now granted Vancouver is one of the most expensive places to live but I wonder if for the sake of luxuries we are abandoning our city? Now maybe because I'm left leaning who knows but I would love to live in East Vancouver with my family however that looked for two big reasons: ethnic and societal diversity. But I know many in the Christian community are concerned that such an environment would serve to function as Sodom and Gomorrah did for Lot's family - too much temptation - I would disagree - I believe our closed minded, almost xenophobic Church structure is more of a risk. To believe that because you live in Surrey, Maple Ridge or Abbotsford that your kids are more likely to turn out "good" - just go look at the kids the private schools in those areas pump out...

Well that's enough out of me today I promise less dry more humor filled blogs - but right now I'm off to get this day started.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aletteke/484287096/ - the tree don't look like that quite yet, but give it one week of sun and all the cherry blossoms will be out...

Jesus Male Chauvanist? - a repost, note the question mark Leah

Simone de Beavvoir in The Second Sex, says, "How can a human being in woman's situation attain fulfillment? What roads are open to her? Which are blocked?" (xxix). This is not just a question spurred on in a post Feminine Mystique era; the position of women has been a source of debate for years, millennia in fact. Within this debate, Christianity, with its machismo undercurrents, has most often been labeled the enemy. The Church has often deserved this label, but does Jesus?

A look at the biblical Jesus reveals that his ministry, in its essence, affirms women. His actions and even the events surrounding his birth convey the significance and value of women, independent of men. God could have chosen any method for Jesus' arrival on this earth; despite societal disapproval, Mary was the choice. Even the genealogy accounted in Matthew prior to the announcement of Jesus' birth lists women. Jesus' choice to integrally involve women in his ministry demonstrates one of the key points of his message: that we can all come and be accepted as we are. His interaction with women: Mary Magdalene, the Samaritan woman, the sisters Mary and Martha, and his own mother, demonstrate his compassion for their situations and a desire to equip women like Mary Magdalene or the Samaritan woman to appropriately address their lives and change them. His actions, such as the defense of the adulteress woman, shows that he sought to eliminate the patriarchal interpretations of Old Testament law. As much as Jesus called people to holiness, his response to the woman caught in adultery is compassion and protection—a recognition of a system that unfairly condemns the woman and allows the man to go free (John 8).

Jesus' legacy of valuing women continues after his death and resurrection. In the early church leaders such as Priscilla are noted for their involvement and teaching (Acts 18). This movement towards equality despite societal structures is reiterated in Acts 2 with the arrival of the Holy Spirit, promised to all believers, and in Paul's letter to the Galatians: "There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galations 3:28, NLT).

In the end, it was because of his radical desire to change his society's view of women, orphans, widows, and the socially despised that He was crucified and we have freedom. Our salvation and worth are not determined by gender; women are free.

Well I don't know if I should glare at you or hug you Leah...

I've been confronted with the perfect situation and I'm paralyzed - seems to be happening a lot these days - this threshold is not being traversed about I'm about to go all Rosencrantz and Guildernstern but I can't and yet I am them... (*mumbles*). Leah has just informed me Geez is having a contest 30 Sermons You'd Never Hear in Church - it's the perfect situation, my chance to speak in public but not have to deal with all the stress and anguish of being in front of a group of people - in essence blog a sermon. But on what? Something relevant, yet not over discussed, something intriguing but not so out there that is has no commonality - what? Suggestions? My first thought was to go back to my piece for Jesus Week last year - Jesus: Male Chauvanist? But who wants to hear a feminist or even a piece that is in many respects common sense - then again - it is one of the hallmark arguments... Then I was thinking about the war - and pacifism, and then I started to think about the book Nobodies - and the issue of social conscience and slavery, or the Rape of Tamar... The catch to it is it is only 750 words - I've written enough 900 word essays in my 300 level classes to know that they are hard, really hard, worse than 15 page papers. Though if I am super eager I can submit more than one...

So in the spirit of days gone past (when I lived with Steve) - I propose the following: I will buy anyone interested a coffee - and you get to serve as a sounding board, someone to help me bring form to the fog. I'm also looking for an editor? Joel? Does a pecan pie or seafood lasagna sound like enough to tempt you into helping me.

Talked to death...

I work with predominately women and all being in some stage of relationship and me the single unmarried one in the office - what then shall we talk about but me. Single me... Seriously I'm not actively looking - if someone where to come along with serious intents then maybe that would change - strong emphasis on the maybe.

I just overall find it exhausting to deal with the social constructs that dictate goals that I don't have for my life now or know if I ever will have - and all the while trying to explain that I'm in a season of waiting - waiting is acceptable is it not? Are we not called to wait on the Lord, not blaze ahead on a path we feel we are destined for regardless of the actual timing and will of God. I realized that due to the societal constructs I am inherently a disappointment. I have yet to give birth and honestly I have no intention on doing so – I really do not want to give birth – not the whole pain issue – I do not believe it’s socially/ethically responsible in light of the number of children suffering around this world without families as such adoption is the only option for me. Marriage doesn’t float my boat either to be honest, while the concept of companionship is wonderful, I’m not sure it’s entirely necessary for me and or that it wouldn’t be a hindrance. But regardless I face the onslaught daily – the You are not married? You’re not pregnant? (No, that’s just IBS…), You are not even looking?

But at the end of the day I don't really know what to do when continually forced to deal with these questions, grace is running in short supply and at the same time there is this perception that this is your fault – this is your decision, you’re the one who walks around with red hair, it should be your natural brown or spinach in your teeth or those tattoos - all acts ensure you are single when have we ever thought to think God just doesn’t think it’s important right now – He’s working on other more important things? We all have our path right or wrong? The whole path analogy is only ever used when things are dissatisfactory for ourselves, never recognized when things in another’s life are dissatisfactory to us.

Of course in an act of hypocrisy I will not deny that there was a boy in the front row of 10th that caught my attention - but that is a whole long long ways away from me ever acknowledging him in any formal sense because as stated to death, talked about to death and my complete and utter mental break I am changing my life because I know it's needed not for a man, I don't need one to be complete and I sure as hell don't need one messing up my life right now.

Monday Mornings and a whole lot else...

I attended 10th again last night in the hopes that I would provide further clarity into this whole vision and changing churches thing - it did, I think.... While I have impulsive tendencies I do know that when it comes to faith related issues I'm lethargic, impractically slow to change, even slower as time goes on, after plenty of times in recent past where I acted impulsive I've found it just isn't the way to do it sometimes.... Impulse though is still a wonderful thing. So attending last night apparently I lost my brain in the fog of the time change, and set my alarm clock for 6:45 am, when it should have been for 5:45 - so I was a little panicked when I heard the radio say it was 7:20... while I should have been on a bus downtown, I was standing in my room with Velcro rollers in and no clue what to wear... made it to work by the grace of God on time. Back on the note of church - yes I will be continuing to attend until I see it fit to change...no more visions but serentity and emotion were definitely on the menu last night.

The whole lot else - well 10th has brought a lot of other things to the surface - such as what next? I still feel drawn towards getting my yoga certificate primarily because it's a flexible, healthy and fulfilling job and it would be nice to remove myself from the medical field. Regent is looking like a good option down the road, they offer an Interdisciplinary program, one that lends itself to a focus in Gender and the Church - a topic that I'm fascinated with - especially post last night's sermon/talk - one of the members of 10th talked about his transition through homosexuality - while I'm not a proponent of these "fixes" advertised by the Church I am aware that change's in orientation are possible... I realize that's a load statement - let me explain my thoughts - Homosexuality is complex, it is in no way a decision - I choose to be ___ today - it is a result of sociological, physical, biochemical and a myriad of other factors, each situation is different - as such I'm hesitant to even the discuss the issue of "change" as I don't feel that it should be the mindset. There though does need to be the general recognition that from a Biblical view a union is between male and female and as such it does exclude the union of same genders - furthermore it does require that any individual who is Christian and cannot enter a Church supported union to remain celibate... Tony Campolo does a better job at explaining this...

So that being said, the lack of transparency around these issues in the Church as often grieved me - when I look at Willingdon - with it's 6000+ people in services, it isn't unreasonable to assume that there are several if not hundreds of individuals dealing with some degree of relational and gender uncertainty, even extrapolate that to those individuals dealing with gender roles - like myself - finding a place for a feminist, can be just as difficult as finding a place for an effeminate male. Willingdon has never in my time dealt with any of these issues directly, more just in passing. The issue of gender roles has been slightly discussed but not in a manner which is constructive, rather a you are female because he is male - it's a definition that doesn't stand up in the long run - it can be argued that women are more masculine now due to a response of the shift towards feminization of men, which is the crux of this new movement seen with leaders like Driscoll to push the traditional concept of masculinity...

One thing I am unsure about with 10th is being that it is a younger population of primarily single individuals you can't seem to escape the whole vibe of this is dating central - not my goal in attending and a part of my life I would prefer to leave out right now - entirely, then again there was that handsome guy in the front row last night who wouldn't have been in my eye line if that guy hadn't sat next to Leah - so I blame it all on Fidgety Man...

One more thing - since I'm adding this at the end of the day - my horoscope - which I read for pure humor sake claimed today was going to be a day of passion and romance - ahaha is what I said at lunch, but why not hold out, I mean seriously I'm not going to stop it if it's coming my way... but it hasn't sigh* (relief) and off to bed.