Sunday 19 October 2014

Pope, Football and Knees.



I took the opportunity to hobble out at one point this morning to experience some sunlight and blue sky. That interesting colour scheme when leaves begin to die was to be seen everywhere yet hanging from the branches were many young caterpillar type beasties convinced it was Spring! The warm weather may end tomorrow as the US is sending us another storm apparently. Just when the Gas and electric men are beginning to wonder where their million pound bonus's are coming from a storm approaches.  If even October is this warm how cold will February be I wonder?  

The day had begun with the BBC's continual support for the gay lobby.  The main news being Pope Francis and his desire to accept gays as people.  There was of course other news but that was way down the list at the BBC.  If only the news had been that he wished to accept that the reformation was what required study.  Jesus accepts gays and all others who do wrong simply because he came to earth to save sinners, not righteous folks.  Francie makes only two mistakes in his speech, he refuses to accept the word of God as written for him and does not proclaim Jesus first words - 'Repent!'
Jesus died to make us acceptable to God, however the turning from our was and turning to his way, repentance, is required.  We cannot continue doing our own thing, and when we do it brings misery I can tell you!   Real life, abundant life can only be found in him. 
I like Francis.  His poor theology aside he is a man who has attempted to build bridges with all around him, even the president who disliked him, and had an evangelical friend as his financial manager.  He clearly has a concern for the poor, he does wish to bring people together and is open to discussion with anyone, except the US Archbishop whom he has moved to a lesser position because he was too 'conservative' for him.  It all gives the impression of a man who wishes to accept everyone, just as God wishes to accept us all.  However without emphasising the death and resurrection of the Messiah on the cross and our need to be born anew his message could easily be seen as 'be nice to one another.' Eternity goes on forever and those unrepentant will not spend their eternity with Jesus.  
There is a thin dividing line between following Jesus and doing it our way.  At the moment Francis does it his churches way and this could deceive many. However there is always the possibility it could turn many back to considering God in their lives, and how we need this at this moment in time.


If you are going to make a mess of things do it properly I say.  These Queens Park Rangers men certainly did today.  They outplayed Liverpool from the start yet managed to score two, yes two goals for Liverpool!  At the end they lost 3-2 and had only themselves to blame.  
It's a funny old game and Jimmy Greaves never said, even if you are the best you still lose. Usually you lose because they score, not because you score for them and certainly not twice! How much do they pay these defenders I wonder?  
Pope Francis supports San Lorenzo by the way.

There was nothing else to do today.  I could not walk far as my pins ache from pulled muscles and aching other bits under strain from the way I walk.  This exercise is a good one, what a shame it is crippling me!!!

.

9 comments:

Lee said...

Perhaps Harper Lee's Atticus Finch should be the one to follow...his sense of fairness and goodwill to others seems logical to me. He didn't judge; he was evenhanded and unbiased.

I have a very good friend, one of long, long standing...she's probably my best friend in the world when it comes down to it...we've known each other since just before I turned 4 years old, and she, 8 (she came to my 4th birthday party).

My friend and I lived across the road from each other.. Many years have flown by since those days. I have a birthday coming up on 11th November; I'll be turning 70 on that day - so I don't lie when I say many years have gone by since my best friend and I first met.

Well, my friend is gay...I'm not...and I don't give a damn on either count- about the fact that she is gay and I am not. She doesn't care and has never cared that I am not. Her being the way she is and me being the way I am has never affected our friendship.

What counts is she is one of the best people I know...have ever known...and I love her dearly; and the feeling is mutual.

I don't care if she prefers women to men; and she doesn't give a damn if I'm "straight" (whatever that means)! With my wonky hip I'm flat out walking straight!

She prefers people who are of good character...as do I. She doesn't suffer fools, nor do I.

What others do in their bedrooms, within their own four walls, is their business. As long as no abuse is involved in any way...it has absolutely nothing to do with me.

I've had "gay" friends; I've had "straight" friends and I've probably had "a-sexual" friends, too...as long as they're not abusive to others and to children their sexual preference has nothing to do with me.

Good on Pope Francis for being open-minded and sensible. It's about time the church, not only the Catholic Church, woke up to itself and started living in the real world. I stopped believing in fairy tales many, many years ago.

I'll put my soapbox away now; my coffee machine has been fired up, so it's time for me to take a breath and it's time for a cup of coffee.

soubriquet said...

Your theology is, I think, a bit ropy.
If you accept that the pope has any validity, then I think you're supposed to accept the doctrine of infallibility, and accept that anything any pope says is effectively, God's words... A bit like Moses and his stone tablets, which I suspect were probably clay, but that's another matter.
If, of course, you are a Catholic, then the pope is infallible, always has been,always will be, and speaks with the authority of God as His spokesman on earth.
This, of course, leads some of us, the heathens like me, to suspect that: Either God's very indecisive and follows earthly trends, or.... Popes are just ordinary (or extraordinary) blokes who have risen to the position of chief executive of a vast global business, but they're bluffing and making it up as they go.

Carol said...

Sorry to hear your exercise regime is causing injury to you. We have water aerobics and Zumba here on the Esplanade ~ free of charge and low impact ~ check it out!
http://tinyurl.com/mbhsanb

@Lee I will be checking my letterbox for that birthday party invite in November :)

Adullamite said...

It never ceases to amaze how what is written is not what is read!

Lee, Fairy tales? I don't believe these either.

Soub, My theology is excellent. Catholic theology, as I thought I made clear, is indeed ropey, hence the reformation. Infallibility does not concern everything, merely spiritual bulls by the way.
What matters is folk like you not reading the book and thinking you understand what it's about.

Carol, Looking at that blew my other knee!
The sunshine is good mind, what a place to exercise!

the fly in the web said...

Transubstantiation....however could anyone come up with that one!
I too like Francis...he seems a good man...whether he is a good thing is something else.

Adullamite said...

Fly, You sum him up well.

soubriquet said...

Transubstantiation.... Reminds me of an old joke... Mike Harding? Or Billy Connolly....

Confirmation classes as St Alfonso's.
The priest is asking questions "Who can tell me what is.... Transubstantiation?"
Silence for a while, the boys all shuffle uneasily. Then a hand shoots up "Me! I know!" "Tommy, right now, tell the classs, what is transubstantiation"
"It's a big grey box, at the end of our street, and it hums!"

soubriquet said...

Now Adullamite, I must take issue with you. Firstly, I have read the bible, and been brought up as a churchgoer, in a christian tradition. Anglican, I know you'll consider that almost as heinous as Catholic. I attended a Methodist college. Some of my friends attended seminaries and became priests/pastors/vicars/ministers...
From where I'm sitting in my home I can see a couple of bibles, different versions, and the King James is in my bookcase in another room. I grew up with bible readings, singing psalms etc.
So, I've read the book. And I've read quite a bit written about the book.
One estimate I found about the number of religions in the world suggested there to be over 4,000. The adherents of all these surely believe their religion, their belief is right. Anglicans are certain that the catholics are wrong and vice-versa. How many subsects are there in Christianity alone? There are approximately 40,000 different sects.
The Methodist shakes his head sadly at the Seventh-Day Adventist, the Jesuit knows that pretty much everyone including hisself is condemned to a fiery hell.
So this is a problem. The bible, which is available in a heap of different translations and biases, is deemed to be the word of god, and the operations manual for all our souls. Yet in fact it's not one book but a fairly arbitrary collection of assorted writings, pretty much none of which are even remotely contemporary with the periods of which they write. Put simply, it's a mess of speculation and contradiction.
And all those different sects tend to believe their way of reading it, the unwritten meanings they ascribe to it are correct, and the next group's interpretations are wrong.

I would say that reading the bible, and becoming interested in the recorded history of the bible lands, and seeing some of the dead-sea scrolls in Tel Aviv was what led me to deep doubts about the veracity of all that my 'christian' upbringing had taught me. I don't claim to understand what the book's all about. What I take offence at, is those who do think they know what it's about.

For, with so many religions, so many subsects within religions, I ask you, how can YOU be sure that the Buddhists, the Sikhs, the Zoroastrians, the Cargo Cultists, that all of these are wrong. That those who see the Pope as infallible are wrong? And yet you, by the grace of god, fell into just the one right sect, the one true interpretation of god's word?
I find the far likelihood far greater, that there is no god

Adullamite said...

Soub, Dearie me, not just a Philistine but an Anglican one, with Methodist overtones at that! Not only but also your from Yorkshire! I fear there is no hope.

How nice to see you know something you talk about, most don't these days, and that annoys me.

There are two points of issue here.

"Yet in fact it's not one book but a fairly arbitrary collection of assorted writings, pretty much none of which are even remotely contemporary with the periods of which they write."

I understand many who like to see the book written years after the situations mentioned but I fail to agree with them. For every 'theologian' who says this there are many, usually 'conservative' ones who would argue the opposite. I find their approach not just easier to accept they usually are people who really show they know God. Lots of men such as you have read do not wish to accept the bible and keep their own theology. I have one large, readable and interesting history in which the author is determined to show how people did things differently from the usual way. His underlying and never spoken purpose is to make us accept his homosexuality! His bias runs through the book (and tv appearances!). You are old enough to remember Magnus Magnusson producing a book, 'The Bible BC.' which sold well and had rave reviews. The professor of Assyriology at Aberdeen University (who's name escapes me now) was annoyed and produced a cheaper booklet giving a biblical perspective. Magnus agreed he had only spoken to those with one viewpoint! If an intelligent man like him made the mistake of ignoring university folks bias so can we.
The Dead Sea Scrolls, of which I have read very little I admit, may well have influenced you. However many confirm the OT I understand.

You remind me of Eddie Turnbull, he said to his intelligent centre forward Alan Gordon, "Alan your problem is your brains are all in your head."
The thing is you mention the words but forget the Spirit.
You can read about other religions, and there are thousands, but only can be right as they all differ so.
Only one has the Holy Spirit.
You may say there are many 'spirits' and I would agree, but it is the action of the HS which affects me.
Answers to prayer, a variety of things, all pointing to the bible, indeed taking me through the bible was one, and daily events small and great which reveal Jesus alive and with us. He points to the book and questions which arise, and there are many, take a back seat as answers will come eventually.
It is not just reading the book it is meeting him, alive today, that counts.

In Jim Packers 'Knowing God' he begins with a discussion he had with a man thrown out of an Anglican Church for preaching the good news.
The man said "The thing is I know God, and they don't."
That is not an arrogance just a truth.
I guess you had a religious upbringing as had I in the sense of church attendance until around 12 or 13. Then we left.
Jesus took a hand when I was 18, much to my annoyance, and how glad I am now. Not just through a book but by numerous interventions.
I didn't fall into any sect,
I was certainly led to the right church in London. There is a difference, sects do not encourage free thought, nor demand you follow them. Jesus is the one and you are responsible for personal reaction to him.

That is a bit unclear possibly, but what I wish to indicate is the difference between the words and the reality.
Jesus is alive, that makes the difference.

Now I am off to find a football match that will not put me to sleep.