Happy Christmas to you all

I hope you all have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year.

With my departure from New Zealand in just over two weeks, and all the packing, cleaning, organising etc to be done I am taking a break from blogging. Maybe to be picked up again in the new year, once established in my new location at Preston, (just outside Melbourne) in Australia.

So until we meet again. Insha'Allah.

Detours are a Problem

I knew my ultimate destination, and I knew the roads to get there, but as I came round the corner I saw the fluorescent 'DETOUR" sign that preceded a barricaded road, the only way I knew to get to my goal was closed! Momentary panic ensued - a decision needed to be made. I didn't know the roads that the detour arrows led me down and I was not comfortable with the change of scenery, let alone the change of roads.

My road trip experience has parallels for me in the spiritual dynamic of the church. I think that many people (Christians) want concrete direction, some want decisions made for them, many want the church to tell them what to do, to wear, to say, to work at and to think. They want to know not only the ultimate destination but what roads to take and a guarantee that they are safe, open and dependable.

These people, usually fundamentalists, can come unstuck when the dynamic, messy and undependable reality of society and relationship collide with their neat, controlled, predictable spiritual Rubik cube.

Life is full of unexpected detours which can throw us off track momentarily, or if we have no foundation upon which to negotiate our own re-alignment they can throw us off track permanently.

In cultural terms this could find some clarity in the idea that for a 'modern', spirituality is a series of decisions - controlled, predictable and rational, (like colour coded squares rotating on a rigid and unforgiving framework). For a 'post-modern', spirituality is a 'journey' which has a specific destination but a flexibility that finds detours not annoying and panic inducing, but exciting and possibly opportunities to learn.

Despite this 'clarity' it is impossible to label moderns as fundamentalists, and post-moderns as liberals - it's not a matter of culture, and it's not a static state that defines us for eternity. Perhaps it's a matter of personality, genetics or contextual necessity.

I have the privilege of interacting with people of numerous denominations, faiths and belief systems. I don't have the luxury of absolutes, in fact I have not found many to exist. What I need to know is my destination (and I know that) and the non-negotiables of the journey (love - for God and others).

What frustrates some people is that I refuse to give them concrete answers. (I can't do the cube!) I'll tell them what I believe God reveals, I'll share my own experience, and that of others I know and read and I'll love and accept them as best I can, as I believe Jesus would: but then the decision, the journey is up to them.

Respected Leaders

Respect demanded is Dictatorship!

At a recent leaders event I was reminded that respect (and loyalty) must be earned. It's only my opinion, (as are all the comments on this blog) but I think that leaders that demand respect, 'because I'm the boss', are frightened people. Their fear finds its genesis in the knowledge, and their observation, that they do not have the substance of character, experience and relationship to influence without exerting and abusing the power of their position, or appointment.

I operate in an autocratic community, and I accept that there is a certain amount of military-style leadership, but that does not give me, or my leaders, the right to demand unconditional respect and uninformed loyalty .

Show me a track record that reveals you care, show me your life, show me you understand (even if you don't agree), and show me that my individuality matters - and I'll listen to you, I'll respect you and I may even follow you.

A Multicultural Veneer

It would appear that there are two categories of adopted Citizen in New Zealand. First, those that with right hand raised to heaven and left hand holding the Christian Scriptures swear the Oath of Allegiance: to be faithful to the Queen, to observe the laws of the country, fulfil the duties of citizenship, and do so with the help of God. Second, those that declare the Affirmation of Allegiance: declaring their allegiance to the Queen, their commitment to observe the laws of the country and to fulfil the duties of citizenship. (Are there really two classes of citizen?)

Approximately half the people in the room swore on the Christian Scriptures, and called on the help of the Christian God. The allegiance to the Christian God was not obscure, it was explicit. But amongst these candidates for citizenship were Hindu's, Muslims, Buddhists and probably adherents of other religions.

If we have a mandate for multiculturalism then we must be willing to respect and honour the cultural foundations of others - and that includes their faith and religious allegiances. Why were the Hindus not allowed to swear on the Bhagavad Gita, or the Muslims on the Qur'an? Is this an innocent Cultural Christianisation, an unspoken (and unforced) expectation that many who do not really understand the English adhere to because that's what you do to be a Kiwi?

Given that there is obviously a choice: Swear by the Christian God on the Bible or Affirm your commitment by your own will to be a good citizen, why do we only allow the pronouncement of allegiance, and call for help to one God.

If we are serious about celebrating cultural diversity, and accepting all cultures into our family then why does there appear to be an agenda for a dominant christo-centric citizenship? (Interesting that both the most recent past Prime-Minister (Helen Clarke) and Prime-Minister John Key affirm their atheism publicly and loudly - and yet, like all those present at the ceremony sing a prayer to God in the National Anthem.)

Personally, I believe that the Creator, the God of the Christian Scriptures is the One True God, but I am never going to have the opportunity to influence another if I demand an allegiance to my faith and culture as a prerequisite to a relationship of trust. Multiculturalism is messier (and more exciting) than that and demands respect for all cultural mores not just the ones that I feel comfortable with.

A Veneer of Relevance

After eight years in New Zealand, Sandy's ESOL student, a refugee from Jaffna in Sri Lanka, and her three oldest children became 'Kiwi' citizens at a City function last night. It was a fascinating event that made me think about relevance and multiculturalism.

Here were about 400 people and their guests: people who obviously came from a multitude of cultural backgrounds. Many wore their first nation dress which revealed their religious and national heritage. There were middle aged parents in sari's and sarongs with teenagers in jeans, hoodies and jelled up hair styles.

The majority were middle aged and younger and English was obviously not their heart language. But we walked into the theatre to the sound of a pipe organ playing music written centuries ago in Russia or Austria, the dignitaries processed in with robes and chains of office, the opening greeting, done in English, with the obligatory and somewhat insincere Maori greeting, was delivered at break-neck speed that was difficult for an Aussie to follow, and the last item of entertainment was a young lady playing a violin solo, (again a piece written for a foreign culture, centuries ago).

I wonder, if at this celebration of acceptance and citizenship there was any effort to connect with the people, any effort to engender an atmosphere of joy and celebration - or if it really was, as it appeared to me, all about upholding tradition, order and procedure at the expense of valuing humanity, individuality and culture.

It made me remember that I've been to churches like that! They look great, they sound professional, the leaders look impressive and convey confidence - but please, don't be an individual, don't expect to be 'spoken' to in a language you understand and remember, we maintain the dignity and order of the occasion at all costs.

My second observation, a Multicultural Veneer is to come...

Sacred Space

I have never found it easy to 'be still'; to imagine that my (self-appointed) agenda and priorities are not so important that I can't put them aside for a few minutes and stop. I've read the biographies of numerous 'world changing' heroes, most of them apparently managed to make time to shut out the world for a while each day and still change the world.

I know it's important to put everything and even everyone aside for a few minutes and refocus on the Source of my existence and on the occassions when I manage it I always feel better, ready to be a world changer. But the 'excitement' of opening new emails, informing facebook status, massaging budgets, completing HQ administration expectations and preparing the next powerpoint are so powerfully magnetic - surely they are the most important and whorthwhile uses of my time today!

When I do manage to drag myself away from the 'tyranny of the urgent' one of my favourite places to go is Sacred Space. It's an Irish Jesuit based cyberspace sight that guides my reflection, and informs my spirit. It provides a guided mediation for each day and if you're really keen it offers techniques for meditation, reflection and contemplation. Check it out, I find it helpful - most of the time.

Energised to Party

Recently a well known, and controversial, Christian Church leader in New Zealand announced that he was in the process of purchasing land in the middle of one of the north island cities. The land he says was to be set aside to build a 'holy city'. It will be a 'walled city' a protected place where children will be educated in a christian environment, not in the secular public school system. It will be a place exclusive to the members of the church who are willing to sell up and move in.

It will be a safe place to live, protected from the evils of the world: a place that will provide all the needs of the people: it will have its own shops, gyms, banks, schools - people who live here will lack for nothing and require nothing from the wider society. It will be a city governed by the church leaders according to the principles of the Bible, or their interpretation of it.

This is an influential church, led by a charismatic leader, with thousands of adherents around the country and there are already reports of people ready to sell-up and move into this exclusive, protected inner city fortress.

I wonder sometimes if I read a different Bible! I don't see or hear Jesus modelling an agenda that speaks about a craving for protectionist exclusivity. I don't see Jesus barricading himself away from "the real world" as a lifestyle. Sure, he took time out, but only to re energise himself to attend another party with the 'sinners' or to remind himself that his focus was 'others'.

I admit there have been times as a father that I would love to have locked my family and friends away from the pressures and confusions of society - but that's not what the Jesus model of 'in the world, but not of the world' is all about, is it? And frankly, I think that being barricaded away with any group of like-minded people with little, or no, interaction with people of different opinions, lifestyles and beliefs would drive me crazy.

And yet, I think many churches comes dangerously close to recommending that its members separate themselves from 'the world'. And many Christians, (including Salvos) become so church-centric that they never attempt to cultivate non-christian friends, or they lose contact with friends from their previous 'worldly' life, or they become so busy with the 'church' that they become completely irrelevant to, and out of touch with 'others'.

If Christianity, as we have heard so often, is all about relationship - then it cannot be exclusive and protective: it must be open, frustrating, joyful, confusing, empowering, painful, engaging, messy and amazingly unpredictable. That's sounds more like life (and a party) to me!

Demonising Others

Like some other bloggers recently, I have been wondering about continuing to blog. I don't want to read for the sake of it, likewise I don't want to write for the sake of it. So I haven't put fingers to keys for over a week.

But this morning I received a well known international Christian aid agency's periodical that caused me to be angry, frustrated and concerned. The magazine reports on the agency's current projects most of which are fantastic responses to disasters, both humanitarian and natural. But the not so subtle message on every page is the persecution of Christians, predominantly by Muslims. The underlying, and unapologetic foundation of the agency is their Christian faith and I do not have a problem with that. (One of the reasons I am engaged in this work is my response to Jesus' call to meet the needs of others.)

But, in my opinion, the centrefold goes over the top. It is a collection of quotes by well known Islamic Extremists claiming a priority for the Islamisation of the Western World through migration and birth rates. The quotes, probably pulled out of context, speak of this agenda as being the only agenda of all Muslims.

I have two problems with these kinds of publications:

1. Aid and Development should not be delivered with any requirement for faith commitment. An agenda to disseminate an obvious bias against people of any other faith is both dangerous and anti-Christian. To imply that this religion's agenda is the eradication of all 'others' is unhelpful - and I would think counter intuitive to the aim of any agency to alleviate the suffering of those impacted by disaster.
2. I could come up with a list of quotes by Christian Extremists that would be equally as frightening. Some of the comments made by world leaders and self proclaimed Christians are equally as inflammatory. White 'Christian' Supremacists who seek to assassinate leaders because of skin colour are surely as frightening.

I find myself increasingly angry at the apparent agenda of some Christians to demonise all Muslims and assigning them the blame for all global ills. I think there are probably as many scary Christian extremists we need to be wary of, and let's not forget that history records that there have been some pretty horrific acts carried out in the name of both God and Allah.

The Other Side of Death Valley

My overwhelming experience of Rwanda, and her people, is that whilst they have passed through the deepest of death valleys, they have and are climbing out - together. The people refuse to be defined and destroyed by the hatred and fear that has left a permanent scar.

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken.
We are perplexed… but we don’t give up and quit.
We are hunted down, but God never abandons us.
We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going.
(2 Corinthians 4:8,9)

I'm not suggesting it has been, or ever will be any easy journey for people to put aside the fear invoked by memories of past betrayal, distrust and pain. But there comes a time, when for the sake of a future, people of different beliefs and cultures must be willing to look for common ground upon which hope can be built. Rather than perpetuate and celebrate the discontinuities that exist between all humanity - claim, celebrate and develop the small but powerful similarities.

Rwanda is, I think, a thumbnail portrait of the world. The labels are different, but more and more we are allowing the labels "Christian" and "Muslim" to define and separate us. And in the process of gaining supremacy more and more innocents are dying.

The future of our world may well be in the willingness of the members of these two 'superpowers' to honour one another. It begins with genuine dialogue (not pre-planned lecture), it will include justice and it is underwritten by a committment to forgiveness.

Religion & Reflection

It can take time and distance to reflect and sort through lessons learnt!

As I heard the stories of betrayal by friends, family and church and I saw the evidence of the complicity of the Christian church (and other faiths), I was once again reminded of the saturating seduction of power. The things people will do, or not do, to protect reputation: the betrayals rationalised so as not to get involved and words carefully chosen and spoken to sanitise and desensitise.

The accounts of the church's involvement in the 100 day Rwnada massacre reveals that at best the church turned a blind eye, ignoring the murder; at worst it became a partner in the mechanics of genocide, all so that the church would be protected.

I wonder sometimes if we are so busy protecting our religion, and our God, that we fail to protect humanity (and not just in Rwanda).

I believe I know and have a personal relationship with the living God. But at the moment when protecting my faith, or my religion, becomes more important to me than accepting, loving, protecting and honouring humanity - of whatever race or religion - that is the moment that I lose the right to claim faith.

We're on the Move - Soonish

That day in the year that is marked on all Salvo Officer's calendars has come and gone and 'Salvo Santa' left a couple of parcels under our tree. On opening our parcels we found the confirmation that come January 8, 2009 we are on the move back to Australia.

Our new home will be in Preston, Victoria (just outside the city of Melbourne) where Sandy and I will be responsible for The Salvation Army Preston Corps (church). As well as heading up the leadership team at this suburban church Sandy will be joining the staff team at The Salvation Army's Officer Training College as a Lecturer, and I will be developing a new role as an Overseas Development Consultant.

But that's all in January of next year - until then we continue at the most exciting Corps in New Zeland, The Meeting House - Mt Albert.

Stand Up Against Poverty

From October 17 to 19, people all around the world will be invited to Stand Up and Take Action, to be a part of the growing global movement determined to stamp out poverty and inequality.

Last year, more than 43 million people all over the world stood up and spoke out sending a clear and powerful message to governments: Keep your promises to end poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals.