BlackPhi Webitorial Ramblings

Comment & Opinion From A Christian's Perspective

Cartoons Update - Posted 25th February, 2006

Another brief update, this time to the post about the Danish Cartoons: most mainstream US media have been intimidated into not publishing the Danish cartoons, so US cartoonists have been producing cartoons of their own. Some are amusing, some less so, but I think the page is worth a look. The picture on the right is just a thumbnail of one of these cartoons: click on it to see the full sized cartoon.

Meanwhile the New Zealand TV station C4 is applying an increasingly common double standard. They have apologised to Muslim groups for causing offense by showing the Danish cartoons; now they are planning to respond to Roman Catholic protests over an offensive episode of South Park by showing it sooner than originally scheduled.

Respond to this item.

Luna Lovegood Update - Posted 24th February, 2006

A brief update to my earlier post about Luna Lovegood auditions: 14-year-old Irish girl Evanna Lynch has beaten 15,000 other hopefuls to get the part. If you click the picture it will take you to a CBBC page with casting details for the other new roles. It also shows Evanna with (presumably) undyed hair, looking more like I picture Luna. I suspect for the film they'll adjust the hair dye for a look somewhere between the two.

Respond to this item.

Lent - What's It All About? - Posted 24th February, 2006

It's pancake day next Tuesday, the shops are full of Easter eggs, hot cross buns at the bakers: it must be almost Lent - that long countdown to Easter. Is that the point of Lent, then: to wait for Easter whilst eating chocolate and spicy buns? If you click on the dusty picture to the right you can see a Roman Catholic website's take on Lent. They describe it as a time of recollection, penance and preparation for the great feast. If that hits the spot for you, well and good. To me it sounds old-fashioned and, well, rather pointless.

For my wife, Linda, this year Lent means stress. She is organising ecumenical Lent housegroups, which is a challenge even with help. Jesus prayed that all his followers would be one, so five or six weeks of churches working together in groups can't be a bad idea.

Most people associate Lent with giving up things they like, especially chocolate (so that the Easter eggs taste better?). The logic is that Jesus spent 40 days being tempted in the wilderness, so being tempted to eat chocolate (or whatever) helps us relate to him. But being offered food was only the first of Jesus' tests: after that were trusting God and doing things His way. Giving up potentially addictive treats for God - whether chocolate, coffee (something I have to take action on every few years), beer, soaps, gossip or computer games - can be helpful for avoiding idolatry and practising putting God first, but there's still something missing.

Jesus' time in the wilderness had a purpose. He had just been baptised and was about to start three years of ministry that would lead to his death. The wilderness was about preparing, but not for a feast. Jesus' "Lent" was about preparing for ministry - for action: helping and healing in God's name and in God's way. What about you? What are you preparing for this Lent? A chocolate-fest or something new? What will you be doing after Easter, that gives purpose to the preparation?

Respond to this item.

February Holiday Club - Posted 18th February, 2006

There has been another successful holiday club at CBC this half-term (yes, I know they don't call it 'half-term' any more). There were over 20 youngsters taking part during the week - both regulars and newcomers - doing an assortment of fun activities, including some very strange games! While I was visiting there were some really gross things done with Wotsits, as well as the strange musical-chair-like game (that didn't involve music, of course) shown in the picture.

I was only there for about half-an-hour or so, to take a few pictures, and I was pretty whacked when I left, so huge amounts of respect are due to the team of organisers and helpers, of all ages, who made it happen. The energy and commitment they have is wonderful.

I gather that Stuart Mathers has a range of activities planned for the Easter period, including another holiday club, so if you know children who might be interested, or if you could help, keep your eyes peeled for more info.

Respond to this item.

Quench - Live at Last - Posted 17th February, 2006

I managed to get to one of this year's Quench concerts, finally! This was the first time I'd seen them since Spring Harvest 2003, and they really hit the spot. The room, at Oxford's Zodiac club, was busy with a mostly teenage audience, who clearly had a fantastic time.

I arrived towards the end of the support artist, Sefton - an ex-member of Quench. He seemed a decent enough singer/ songwriter, but his acoustic style was clearly struggling with an audience who were there to rock. When you have to ask an audience to keep the noise down, because they are too busy talking in groups, I reckon you are onto a loser.

That all changed when Quench came on (to the sound of the Mission Impossible theme). First there was a burst of bass that had the hair tingling on my head, then Jamie Hill asked the audience to make some noise - they obliged - before getting the place jumping with Sirens. There followed a series of high-energy rock songs, old and new, played impeccably, with creativity, passion and style.

Jamie then introduced a quieter section by talking about Jesus - "I know some of you just want to hear the gig and are ready to throw a bottle if I say this stuff, but please wait 'till I put the guitar down." He basically said that sometimes life is pants, but the answer is not drinks or pills or random sexual affairs: the answer is Jesus. Quench then played Underwhelmed and Afterglow (the audience was quiet for this) before starting to ramp up the energy again.

The finale was Think about it - my favourite. When they came out for the encore they started with the first part of Tenacious D's Tribute, which might be thought to show a degree of hubris, before finishing with Beautiful, sending everybody home happy.

Respond to this item.

Great Quote on Science & Faith - Posted 9th February, 2006

There is a really good article on the BBC News website about Hillsong Church meeting at the Dominion Theatre in London, home to We Will Rock You, the Queen musical. I recommend both the article and the readers' comments which follow, but one part of one comment, by Tim S, really struck me, concerning the relative roles of science and faith today:

Science is great, it provides answers by breaking things down into smaller parts, but faith provides answers by connecting people and things - and that is what humans need - to feel connected.

Respond to this item.

Fantasy Epics - Posted 8th February, 2006

I was surprised to see that one of our local cinemas is still showing both the Narnia and the Harry Potter films (the Showcase over at Winnersh Triangle). Both have been on since before Christmas; Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire since mid-November. I am already getting emails encouraging me to preorder HPGOF before it comes out next month.

For the past few years it has become something of a pre-Christmas tradition to have two big budget fantasy epic films showing in cinemas. I assume that the film companies have some sort of marketing reason for this, but I think the films have been very appropriate for the season. Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia all depend for their appeal on generating a sense of wonder. All three chronicle the battle between good and evil with good eventually triumphant, although not without sacrifice. Finally, all three, although not explicitly Christian works, have strong Christian themes running throughout. (I am glad to see that most Christian groups, even quite conservative ones, now recognise this in the Harry Potter series).

I am in favour of anything that restores a sense of awe and wonder to Christmas. I think this is being lost in many churches: as we seek to make Christmas-tide worship less old-fashioned and (supposedly) more relevant there is a risk of throwing away the baby with the bathwater, of losing the mystery which inevitably lies at the heart of the story of God become man, born in a stable, to give His life to save the world.

Respond to this item.

Thanks - Posted 4th February, 2006

... to quirksmode.org I have finally moved that navigation bar around to the side (see below) - it was getting very crowded across the top. There are still layout issues to address, but at least that roadblock is out of the way.

Respond to this item.

Danish Cartoons Make Their Point - Posted 3rd February, 2006

When I first heard about the Islamic protests against the twelve cartoons published in Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten (click the cartoon on the right and scroll down to see the other eleven), I assumed this was another case of the media pushing freedom of expression in an irresponsible way.

Actually, though, the cartoons were printed to make a very serious point: artists, writers and others were being intimidated into avoiding Muslim themes by a very real fear of violence. Salman Rushdie and the murdered Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh spring to mind. As an illustration of the link between commentary on Islamic culture and mindless violence, the exercise worked only too well.

Partly this was down to a small but vociferous group of Danish imams, who toured middle-eastern countries stirring up anti-Danish feeling:

Meanwhile, the Danish tabloid Extra Bladet got hold of a 43-page report that Danish Muslim leaders and imams, on a tour of the Islamic world are handing out to their contacts to “explain” how offensive the cartoons are. The report contains 15 pictures instead of 12. The first of the three additional pictures, which are of dismal quality, shows Muhammad as a pedophile deamon, the second shows the prophet with a pigsnout and the third depicts a praying Muslim being raped by a dog. Apparently, the 12 original pictures were not deemed bad enough to convince other Muslims that Muslims in Denmark are the victims of a campaign of religious hatred. Akhmad Akkari, spokesman of the 21 Danish Muslim organizations which organized the tour, explained that the three drawings had been added to “give an insight in how hateful the atmosphere in Denmark is towards Muslims.”

I remember last winter when the controversial play Behzti was cancelled after violent protests and death threats by a small group of Sikh protestors. Shortly afterwards the BBC received almost 50,000 peaceful protests against its decision to show Jerry Springer - The Opera ... and ignored them all. The message was simple: violence works, at least in Britain.

Until that changes, and until all people's beliefs are treated with respect and courtesy, it is hard to see these troubles ending. Freedom of expression doesn't have to mean attacking the viewpoints of others; caring about one's religion doesn't have to mean attacking those who do not share your views. This applies in homes and in churches, between different nations and between different religions or ideologies. Will we ever learn?

Respond to this item.

Mordechai Vanunu - Free in Christ, Chained by Israel - Posted 1st February, 2006

Mordechai Vanunu's persecution continues. In spite of serving a full 18 year sentence (11½ years of that in solitary confinement) for telling the truth about Israel's nuclear weapons, he remains confined in Israel against his will. Last week, in a trial rescheduled to the same date as the Palestinian elections, Vanunu was accused of breaching the terms of his release. This trial continues, in a clear breach of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (which Israel has ratified). Is this persecution going on so long because he is a Christian or because he spoke the truth? Is it overly idealistic to suggest these two go together anyway?

Vanunu's story is told on Wikipedia, on the BBC website and on his own website. There is a very good interview on Metro Café, from last autumn, which starts with this summary:

Mordechai Vanunu is the technician who blew the whistle on Israel's nuclear weapons programme in 1986. He was lured to Rome by a Mossad honeytrap, kidnapped and sent back to Israel. Released last year after 18 years in prison but placed under state arrest, he cannot leave the country nor speak to foreigners and risked arrest by giving this interview to Metro.

Israel is thought to have around 400 nuclear weapons, far more than needed for any defensive purpose (figure from Jane's Information Review, referenced here). Yet Britain, France and the US, countries who helped Israel build up this arsenal, are now putting very public pressure on Iran because there is a possibility that they may be trying to build up a nuclear capability in several years' time. Fears about Iran's motives may well be valid, but there is no doubt that Israel's WMD are a serious destabilising influence in the region. Not to mention the harm done to those who have worked at the Dimona nuclear weapons facility.

More than two and a half millenia ago, the prophets urged Israel to seek justice and to help the oppressed. How much longer will it be before they take any notice.

Respond to this item.

BUGS Bans Christian Union - Posted 29th January, 2006

It seems that Birmingham University Guild of Students (BUGS) has lost the plot. According to members of the Birmingham University Christian Union, their society has been banned from the Guild, which controls student union rooms and facilities, and had its bank accounts frozen. The reason? The CU restricts its membership to Christians (being a Christian Union), it refused to allow BUGS to impose one of its own leaders onto the CU executive, and it wouldn't change the phrase "men and women" in its constitution to something deemed more inclusive for transsexual/ transgender persons .

I have seen the CU's press release, and there are reports in The Times, The Birmingham Post, and the BBC News Website. The best article I have seen is on the front page of the latest (27th Jan - 2nd Feb) edition of Redbrick (warning PDF: requires acrobat reader, and is quite large: 1Mb), the University of Birmingham's student newspaper. Yet I can find absolutely nothing about the issue on the BUGS website. The President of the Guild, Richard Angell, is quoted in several of the above links as claiming that this is required by the 1984 Education Act, which is hardly plausible given that the 76 year old CU has been happily operating under the Act for over twenty years.

Meanwhile Birmingham University is carefully distancing itself on its website:-

The University of Birmingham is aware of the internal dispute between the Birmingham University Evangelical Christian Union (BUECU) and the University of Birmingham Guild of Students.
...
We understand at the moment that the BUECU have not yet exhausted the internal procedures within the Guild, either to challenge their requirements for membership, or to suggest an amendment to the Constitution.

I think the university will need to get involved soon: this sort of religious discrimination is totally unacceptable and needs to be nipped in the bud sooner rather than later. Reading between the lines (always an uncertain business), it looks as though someone in BUGS has an anti-evangelical or anti-Christian agenda and has been allowed to abuse his/her position. Evangelical groups, including CUs, have been known to overstep the mark in the past, but I have seen no indication of that in this case. It looks very much like a simple abuse of power by BUGS. I'll keep an eye on this story and update here if there are further developments.

Update: 1st February, 2006
I've found a copy of the BUECU Constitution. The election process for the executive committee is undoubtedly odd. I wonder why the CU consider this to be non-negotiable?

Respond to this item.

Quench on Tour - Posted 28th January, 2006

Did anyone see Quench at Alton last night? Or indeed anywhere else on their current mini-tour? What were they like? I had hoped to get to last night's concert, but got stymied by last minute transport problems.

If you don't know who Quench are: they are a Christian rock band, who describe their music as: "uplifting, exhilarating and energising Emo Rock" - whatever that is - fusing "blistering guitars" and "harmony-laden hook-lines". You can see my take on their debut album, Afterglow, on the main CBC website - the final paragraph reads:

In summary: this is an album of top-quality British rock, and easily the best Christian rock album I have ever heard. If you like your rock music lively, heavyish, and thoughtful, get this album. If you like music that encourages and challenges you in your walk with God, and are not rock-phobic, get this album. But most of all, if you know any rock fans who equate Christian rock music with bland AOR pap, get this album for them … and tell them to Think About It.

If you are aged 13-18, or a youth leader for such, and in the Oxford area: they are playing a couple of songs at the Vertigo youth event on Saturday 4th February. If you are older then they are still in Oxford on Friday February 17th at The Zodiac on Cowley Road. I hope to actually get to that one.

Respond to this item.