Parliament opened up this week in Canberra. After the last federal election, this was the first time for the re-elected and newly elected people to meet in the house. It was a rowdy affair. Members of political parties from all political stripes were trying to prove that they were better than the other parties. There was a lot of name calling, a lot of heckling, a lot of jeering. I can't say that much will get done in this first 27 sitting days of parliament, other than trying to outdo each other who can get the best jab in and who gets the most headlines belittling their opponent.
This seems to be the way with politics right now. Too often we vote against someone rather then truly voting for someone because we support their policies. It is more about keeping some people out of office rather than keeping some people in office.
It is sad really. I think most politicians get involved in politics in the first place to make a difference. I know I will disagree with many of them on their views, but I think that each politician really does get into that profession because they believe that they are doing the best thing for their city, their state or province, or their country. They may have diametrically opposed views on what is the best thing- but still they do hold common welfare as their primary goal- at least in the beginning of their careers. Then sadly, very quickly, the primary goal of the politician changes from doing the best for society to being re-elected. In order to be re-elected, they need to prove that they are the best person for the job and not someone else. And so very soon after politicians are elected to office their prime motivation moves from helping others to besting their opponents at all costs. Hence the heckling and name calling that we see in parliament and the like.
It is not a good way to be motivated. In life, someone who has as their prime motivation making themselves better at the expense of others has a low sense of self worth at best to a horribly vindictive and cruel character at worst. Psychologists would not call this a healthy way to view the world. If I were to apply the golden rule, I would see that I suffer when another suffers. I am built up when others are built up. My self worth is healthy only when it allows the self worth of others to increase. If my sense of self worth is unhealthy, then it will be based upon how much I can put down others.
I am not naive enough to think that everything will be wonderful if the politicians and the like just stop the name calling and decide to work together. There will always be debates. There will always be people who are forgotten by society. There will still be hundreds whose cries are not heard. There will still be those who are smug enough to believe that they are better than those who disagree with them. But just imagine, if we put less energy into the name calling, the one up man/woman ship, less energy into the game of politics and the keeping ahead of the Joneses. What might happen then? Maybe there would be a bit more assistance for the poor, a bit more working together to finding solution to problems rather than placing blame on those who are on the other side of the house. Maybe things might be just a bit nicer. Blessings.
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Safety in numbers
A few weeks ago I was at a book study. A young woman said that they no longer felt safe in our world. What with so much news about crime and extremist violence happening in our world, this woman has begun to fear the world. Oh she is fine with people she knows. But she has observed that she can't always trust strangers so she has begun to fear the world.
In some ways I can understand her fears. Crimes do happen. Acts of extremist violence happen as well. With the television and internet, we can watch stories about crime and violence 24 hours a day if we want to and it does frighten me that such events can happen.
But in other ways, I can't imagine her fears. You see the vast majority of people that I have met, and they have been people from all races, creeds, religions, and countries are quite decent. Oh sure no one is perfect, but most people I would deem as being good people. They are concerned mostly about the well being of their families and their neighbourhoods. They don't consider hurting others to be a good thing to do. Yes there are a few who for some reason commit crimes or do horrible acts of violence. But considering there are 7 billion people in the world, they are a tiny fraction of a percentage of all people. Thank goodness.
However, that doesn't mean that we can become complacent and think that acts of violence and crime can't happen here. Because they do. No I am not advocating spying on and reporting on neighbours like a recent television ad campaign suggested we do in order to prevent terrorism. Doing that strikes me as behaviour that belonged in the Third Reich not the 21st century. But we are foolish to think it can't happen to me.
Take cyber crime for instance. I check my spam folder every few days because occasional emails from Synod or Presbytery end up in that folder. I am not sure why it happens but it does. In amongst the few good emails that I find there, I always have a few messages from people, usually childless African widows who are dying of cancer and want to give me their riches in order that I might share some with charity and benefit my family as well. If I can send them a blank cheque, they will deposit the money right into my account. I always laugh when I receive these emails. Who would be stupid enough to fall for this? No one is going to give me money for nothing. And if a person wants their money to go to charity, then I think they can make such donations themselves. They don't need me to do it.
But cyber criminals are getting smarter each day. Last week several churches and Uniting church ministers, myself included, were victims of some cyber criminals. Our names and contacts as well as the names and contacts of local church treasurers and secretaries had been mistakenly published on to a publicweb site. The crooks used this information to try to extort money by setting up fake email addresses and sending out emails saying a purchase has been made and that immediate payment must be sent. The fact that I have spam filters, my own good personal malarky detector, and internet security did not matter. The cyber criminals were able to find a way.
Such an incident did bother me. How much information is out there about us that could fall into the wrong hands? How could they do this to a church and especially my church? And what if the criminal used this information to take out a credit card or run up bills in my name. I vowed to do whatever I can to be vigilant. But I still trust others. I still believe that people are by far and away very good. I still think there are just a few bad apples out there but I refuse to live by fear. Blessings.
In some ways I can understand her fears. Crimes do happen. Acts of extremist violence happen as well. With the television and internet, we can watch stories about crime and violence 24 hours a day if we want to and it does frighten me that such events can happen.
But in other ways, I can't imagine her fears. You see the vast majority of people that I have met, and they have been people from all races, creeds, religions, and countries are quite decent. Oh sure no one is perfect, but most people I would deem as being good people. They are concerned mostly about the well being of their families and their neighbourhoods. They don't consider hurting others to be a good thing to do. Yes there are a few who for some reason commit crimes or do horrible acts of violence. But considering there are 7 billion people in the world, they are a tiny fraction of a percentage of all people. Thank goodness.
However, that doesn't mean that we can become complacent and think that acts of violence and crime can't happen here. Because they do. No I am not advocating spying on and reporting on neighbours like a recent television ad campaign suggested we do in order to prevent terrorism. Doing that strikes me as behaviour that belonged in the Third Reich not the 21st century. But we are foolish to think it can't happen to me.
Take cyber crime for instance. I check my spam folder every few days because occasional emails from Synod or Presbytery end up in that folder. I am not sure why it happens but it does. In amongst the few good emails that I find there, I always have a few messages from people, usually childless African widows who are dying of cancer and want to give me their riches in order that I might share some with charity and benefit my family as well. If I can send them a blank cheque, they will deposit the money right into my account. I always laugh when I receive these emails. Who would be stupid enough to fall for this? No one is going to give me money for nothing. And if a person wants their money to go to charity, then I think they can make such donations themselves. They don't need me to do it.
But cyber criminals are getting smarter each day. Last week several churches and Uniting church ministers, myself included, were victims of some cyber criminals. Our names and contacts as well as the names and contacts of local church treasurers and secretaries had been mistakenly published on to a publicweb site. The crooks used this information to try to extort money by setting up fake email addresses and sending out emails saying a purchase has been made and that immediate payment must be sent. The fact that I have spam filters, my own good personal malarky detector, and internet security did not matter. The cyber criminals were able to find a way.
Such an incident did bother me. How much information is out there about us that could fall into the wrong hands? How could they do this to a church and especially my church? And what if the criminal used this information to take out a credit card or run up bills in my name. I vowed to do whatever I can to be vigilant. But I still trust others. I still believe that people are by far and away very good. I still think there are just a few bad apples out there but I refuse to live by fear. Blessings.
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Interdependence
In June, we held a book study here at the church on Diana Butler Bass' book, Grounded. This month we are studying the same book in the Lower North Shore Zone of the Uniting Church. In one of the chapters it spends a lot of the time talking about Interdependence. Basically the concept is this, all life on this planet is dependent upon all living creatures and plants working together to make up a healthy ecosystem. If one species is threatened, that could topple the whole food chain. Climate change, over hunting, pollution all threaten the health of our world. Even though we humans are rather adaptable to variable climates and diets, we are still dependent on a healthy world to give us life. Too many changes threaten our very life as well.
In one way, this interdependence is hard for us to understand. For we as a species are bound to compare ourselves to others. We are prone to see problems as thankfully being over there and not here. For instance, each year surveys are published as to what countries are the best to live in. I take solace in the fact that the two countries in which I have lived always seem to rate in the top 5 most liveable countries. Other than short visits to a couple of developing countries, I don't know what it is like to live in countries on the bottom part of the list. Their reality seems so far from mine. It would be easy for me to say thank goodness I live in Australia or Canada and not somewhere else. It would be easy for me to think only of my well being and not that of others.
However, such local gazing is wrong. A North America First Nations version of the golden rule tell us that when one person suffers then we all suffer. How can this be you might say? I live in one of the top suburbs, in one of the best cities, in one of the globe's most liveable countries. I have won the lottery of life haven't I? Well in one way, yes you have. I am lucky to live where I do and to have had the opportunities that I have had, when so many people "over there" suffer.
Their suffering does effect me though. Diseases spring up in countries where there are not proper medical facilities. In our global world a single traveller can spread a disease to many different countries alarmingly quickly. Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking have been two of the greatest minds of the past 100 years. Yet how man other brilliant minds have been unable to produce theories that would benefit humanity because there was no one to teach them to read in their country. We might have our favourite authors who have inspired us, yet how many other great voices have been silenced because they live in a poor village, in a destitute country miles away from here. I suffer then because others face the hardship of war, because others are refugees, because others are illiterate, because others have no medical facilities. I suffer because I do not benefit from the rich gifts that so many people could give, but circumstances mean that they cannot share.
With this I am not suggesting that we give up everything and live just like the rest of the world. I like my computer, living in a city full of museums, concert halls, sports stadiums, hospitals, libraries, and safe drinking water. I would like to keep them thank you very much. However, maybe I need to be more concerned about my brothers and sisters around the world and how they are doing. My life would benefit if they had food to eat, safe water to drink, could go to school, had access to medical care.
In the same way, my life depends on the health of the ecosystems of this planet. I need to do what is necessary to ensure that all parts of the food chain, the oceans, the air, the fertile ground is healthy. I need to do my little part to cut pollution, to take only what I need, and to promote healthy living. My life depends on it. Blessings.
In one way, this interdependence is hard for us to understand. For we as a species are bound to compare ourselves to others. We are prone to see problems as thankfully being over there and not here. For instance, each year surveys are published as to what countries are the best to live in. I take solace in the fact that the two countries in which I have lived always seem to rate in the top 5 most liveable countries. Other than short visits to a couple of developing countries, I don't know what it is like to live in countries on the bottom part of the list. Their reality seems so far from mine. It would be easy for me to say thank goodness I live in Australia or Canada and not somewhere else. It would be easy for me to think only of my well being and not that of others.
However, such local gazing is wrong. A North America First Nations version of the golden rule tell us that when one person suffers then we all suffer. How can this be you might say? I live in one of the top suburbs, in one of the best cities, in one of the globe's most liveable countries. I have won the lottery of life haven't I? Well in one way, yes you have. I am lucky to live where I do and to have had the opportunities that I have had, when so many people "over there" suffer.
Their suffering does effect me though. Diseases spring up in countries where there are not proper medical facilities. In our global world a single traveller can spread a disease to many different countries alarmingly quickly. Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking have been two of the greatest minds of the past 100 years. Yet how man other brilliant minds have been unable to produce theories that would benefit humanity because there was no one to teach them to read in their country. We might have our favourite authors who have inspired us, yet how many other great voices have been silenced because they live in a poor village, in a destitute country miles away from here. I suffer then because others face the hardship of war, because others are refugees, because others are illiterate, because others have no medical facilities. I suffer because I do not benefit from the rich gifts that so many people could give, but circumstances mean that they cannot share.
With this I am not suggesting that we give up everything and live just like the rest of the world. I like my computer, living in a city full of museums, concert halls, sports stadiums, hospitals, libraries, and safe drinking water. I would like to keep them thank you very much. However, maybe I need to be more concerned about my brothers and sisters around the world and how they are doing. My life would benefit if they had food to eat, safe water to drink, could go to school, had access to medical care.
In the same way, my life depends on the health of the ecosystems of this planet. I need to do what is necessary to ensure that all parts of the food chain, the oceans, the air, the fertile ground is healthy. I need to do my little part to cut pollution, to take only what I need, and to promote healthy living. My life depends on it. Blessings.
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Let the games begin
On Saturday morning, Sydney time, the Olympic games began in Rio de Janeiro. The opening ceremonies are something that I always enjoy watching. Oh there are the boring bits, I'll admit. The speeches go on and on. I do enjoy the music and dancing, celebrating the country's history, but sometimes that gets a little confused and you always wonder which parts of the country's history is being left out. However, my favourite part is the parade of nations especially the tiny countries that have little chance of winning a medal but are just so happy to be there. There is such joy and wonder as those athletes march by.
Now some people complain about the costs of the games. Surely the billions of dollars spent on the games in Rio could have been better used assisting the poor and increasing the social safety net in Brazil. On this point, I can see some merit. The billions of dollars spent seems to be a lot of money for a 17 day party. Yes some things like improved transit and infrastructure improvements will be of benefit for Brazilians for years. But how many multi million dollar sports stadiums does a city need when so many live in dire poverty?
But despite all of the problems and the huge costs, there are things that the Olympics bring which you can't put a price tag on. Take for instance the picture of the South Korean and North Korean gymnasts taking a selfie. Despite 60 years of war, these two young women showed that maybe peace is possible. The same way during the opening ceremonies both Palestinians and Israelis marched into the stadium. Sixty eight years of being in conflict were set aside. The refugee team demonstrated to the world that hope can come out of the midst of great despair.
In one way, the games are very frivolous. I mean what does it matter that an athlete from one country is faster than an athlete from another country? What does it matter if China hears their national anthem played many times while India might not hear their anthem at all? Life won't change for the better because of this.
But in other ways, the Olympics gives us a glimpse of what we could be. All nations coming together. All nations putting aside differences and playing together. Maybe there are better, cheaper ways for this global unity to be achieved. But for right now, the Olympics is one of the few venues where we can catch a glimpse of what it means to be one global people. Blessings.
Now some people complain about the costs of the games. Surely the billions of dollars spent on the games in Rio could have been better used assisting the poor and increasing the social safety net in Brazil. On this point, I can see some merit. The billions of dollars spent seems to be a lot of money for a 17 day party. Yes some things like improved transit and infrastructure improvements will be of benefit for Brazilians for years. But how many multi million dollar sports stadiums does a city need when so many live in dire poverty?
But despite all of the problems and the huge costs, there are things that the Olympics bring which you can't put a price tag on. Take for instance the picture of the South Korean and North Korean gymnasts taking a selfie. Despite 60 years of war, these two young women showed that maybe peace is possible. The same way during the opening ceremonies both Palestinians and Israelis marched into the stadium. Sixty eight years of being in conflict were set aside. The refugee team demonstrated to the world that hope can come out of the midst of great despair.
In one way, the games are very frivolous. I mean what does it matter that an athlete from one country is faster than an athlete from another country? What does it matter if China hears their national anthem played many times while India might not hear their anthem at all? Life won't change for the better because of this.
But in other ways, the Olympics gives us a glimpse of what we could be. All nations coming together. All nations putting aside differences and playing together. Maybe there are better, cheaper ways for this global unity to be achieved. But for right now, the Olympics is one of the few venues where we can catch a glimpse of what it means to be one global people. Blessings.
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Great Expectations
The past few days, I was able to go on the presbytery minister's retreat. Having never been to one of their retreats before, I went into the event with low expectations. I guess, I didn't feel like I needed to go on a retreat right then. There were so many other things I could have been doing. I have a number of things on my to do list. Secondly, being an introvert, I wasn't all that keen to go away with many people I hardly knew. Despite the fact that I am in a "people" profession, and despite the fact that I meet strangers constantly as part of my job, being introduced to new people is still a nerve wracking experience for me. And I didn't really think I needed a break right now. Oh sure I have some holiday time built up. But I do good self care I thought. So why go on a retreat.
However, as soon as I got there, many of my fears were allayed. The strangers were not that difficult to meet. We had much in common. My to do list was full, but nothing was on it that needed to be done right now. And as I sat back and did some reflection, I came to realise that I did indeed need a few minutes to just slow down and be. My expectations for the event were more than exceeded and I came back rested and recharged.
Expectations. Sometimes we go to events and we have great expectations. We have anticipated what might happen and how that will make us feel. Sometimes we get what we anticipated or even an event exceeds our expectations. Many times though when we go in with high expectations, we get disappointed. Something didn't live up to expectations. It was not as good as you had hoped it would be. This leaves us disappointed and demoralised.
However, sometimes, we leave an event pleasantly surprised. Like my retreat, we come away with more than we had hoped for and this fills us with joy. Something you had dreaded doing becomes pleasurable. This is an unexpected joy that brightens our journey.
We are only human. We are bound to have certain predispositions towards things if for example, a friend likes or hates a movie, or if someone is kind to a relative or nasty to them. Sometimes our expectations are met. But other times we get disappointed or come away with a pleasant "aha" moment. I guess my learning is not to let my preconceived ideas ruin my experience of events. By nature, we are bound to be disappointed sometimes. However, we need to learn to treasure those pleasant surprises that we find on the way. Blessings.
However, as soon as I got there, many of my fears were allayed. The strangers were not that difficult to meet. We had much in common. My to do list was full, but nothing was on it that needed to be done right now. And as I sat back and did some reflection, I came to realise that I did indeed need a few minutes to just slow down and be. My expectations for the event were more than exceeded and I came back rested and recharged.
Expectations. Sometimes we go to events and we have great expectations. We have anticipated what might happen and how that will make us feel. Sometimes we get what we anticipated or even an event exceeds our expectations. Many times though when we go in with high expectations, we get disappointed. Something didn't live up to expectations. It was not as good as you had hoped it would be. This leaves us disappointed and demoralised.
However, sometimes, we leave an event pleasantly surprised. Like my retreat, we come away with more than we had hoped for and this fills us with joy. Something you had dreaded doing becomes pleasurable. This is an unexpected joy that brightens our journey.
We are only human. We are bound to have certain predispositions towards things if for example, a friend likes or hates a movie, or if someone is kind to a relative or nasty to them. Sometimes our expectations are met. But other times we get disappointed or come away with a pleasant "aha" moment. I guess my learning is not to let my preconceived ideas ruin my experience of events. By nature, we are bound to be disappointed sometimes. However, we need to learn to treasure those pleasant surprises that we find on the way. Blessings.
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