Month: April 2014

Thoughts

14.4.14

– The divinity of Adam & the humanity of Christ

– Money & meaning

Money & relationships

Money & health

Money & happiness

Money & work

Money & power

Money & art

– Taught by GOD – stages:

Jn.9:11,15 » Jn.9:25,17,30-32 » Jn.9:35-38

– Metatheology – GOD & self; faith & life; personhood & the world

– When Jesus of Nazareth fully attained GOD-consciousness/self-realization, he became Jesus Christ!

– ‘The Deep Magic’:

Self-sacrifice as substitution or compensation for another person’s faults/flaws » ‘reversal of death’ (since the Law-link between an individual’s sin & their own death is broken) » divinization of the self & salvation of the other!

So the vicarious victim’s death is not a result of their own sin, & the death of the ‘sinner’ is also not due to his/her sin, because it has already been ‘paid’ for by the death of the substitute. The death of the substitute is due to the another’s (sinner’s) misdeeds and the death of the sinner is due to another’s (‘original/Adamic’) sin. So both the substitute and the sinner are resurrected, since neither of their death is ‘deserved’!!!

– Evil = law-sin (personal) + suffering-death (cosmic)

Therefore, salvation/redemption = reconciliation-atonement + renewal-resurrection!

– Education ~ training ~ coaching ~ moulding

– Social cognitive theory

– Distinguish:

Anti-establishment

&

Anti-social

– Moral judgment:

Self-interest

Vs.

Social order

Vs.

Intuitive ideals

– Distinguish:

Social order

&

Human welfare

Self-esteem

&

Self-importance

– Institutionalism

– Individual – originality, authenticity & creativity

– Personal freedom & the fulfilling of (esp. biblical) prophecy.

– What do you think about the theory that says, before they were even born, each person chose their own parents!

– Facetious

Bohemian shaman

There are 2 kinds of language:
Descriptive
&
Kerygmatic!

Satori – trying not to try!

Life, power & truth

Is ‘formal’ the opposite of ‘spiritual’?

The liquidation/fluidification (NOT sublimation/transformation) of the ego!

In “flagrante delicto”

Intelligent humour

Chattel

Hot toddy

Belly-laugh

Good sense, compassion & humour

Lines

12.4.14

– I am an unrepentant sinner, on the way to Heaven!

– Rooted & built up:

Foundation – Jesus Christ

Material – costly/high quality

Plan – GOD’s will

Purpose – GOD’s glory

13.4.14

– Movies:

Death of a Salesman

– “…listen to the tongue of one who is taught.”

– Superb sermons which are absolutely useless!

Haberdasher

Commonland

Limerick

Bawdy

Spartan (adj.)

Compare the childhood of C.S. Lewis & Alan Watts – especially the boarding school experience
Ronin

Koan

Simplicity, spontaneity & humour

Rascal-guru

Zazen

Tai-chi

Sensei

A sexual spirituality

Layabout

Any spirituality that talks only of one’s “intimacy with GOD” and no place for human relationships, personal vocation, social concerns, etc. is worthless!

Thomas Merton & Zen

Eclecticism >> syncretism!

Words

11.4.14

– Change watching (night sleep + day sleep) from 4+2 to 4&1/2 + 2&1/2

– Advanced search

– Egghead     Longhair

– Townie

– Interloper

– Have you ever smelt the breath of GOD?!

– Research, education & service

Religion, faith & witness

– Vox populi ~ Vox dei?

– Radical reformulation

– Ultimately, spiritual growth is an individual responsibility, and mainly depends upon the people themselves, not the leader or the resources or the system – these factors are only secondary.

– Is there such a thing as divine tradition?

– Power of GOD

Vs.

Worldly wisdom

Divine wisdom

Vs.

Carnal power

Spirit

Vs.

Intellect

– Is Jesus still in the church??

– Sensuous asceticism!

– Knowledge, discipline & mystery

– Is play as important as purpose & passion?

– Language as symbol – vehicle for communicating realities.

– Dr. Augustine Asir

– Parents worthy to have a ‘special’ (handicapped) child!

– Personal retardation » burden/suffering for those close to you!

– Dr. Emmma thinks I may have a ‘developmental problem’!

– We need a new jargon for this generation!

– Seasonal fruits & evergreen trees

– Where is the faith & peace?

Where is the hope & joy?

Where is the love?

– From what do you draw your strength?

– Certain things, in fact the most important things, cannot be done hurriedly!

– Abiding in the fellowship

– NOT fearing (fleeing/fighting) whatever happens to you is obedience (to GOD)!

– If you love those you live with, then you will be blessed/joyful!

– Self-understanding + self-discipline + self-sacrifice = self-realization!

– Walking in Christ

– You become like the one with whom you spend most of your time!

– Knowing » loving » obeying

– Conversation/intercourse (give/speak & take/listen) » intimacy

– Loving sex & lustful relationship

– How can I reach, touch & hold GOD?

– Community-living – maybe this is the resolution of the family/fellowship divide, just like Calling is the answer to the career/ministry tension!

– Do you think the menace of busyness can be solved just by being better organized, or is a more radical solution required?

– D.G.S. Dhinakaran & Jim Reeves

Scribbles

10.4.14

– Is my wife an ‘intellectual’?

– Lament & invective

– No guidance, no focus

No focus, no passion

No passion, no excellence

No excellence, no joy

No joy, no meaning!

– There are only 2 kinds of people in this world:

Those who give up

&

Those who don’t

– Talent

Vs.

Skill

– Intellect

Vs.

Conscience

– Are all bisexuals also promiscuous?

Are all those who are promiscuous also sex-addicts?

– Downloads:

Edward Debono ebook collection

TTC Course on Creative Thinking

– Which is more dangerous:

Belief without thought

Or

Thought without belief?

– Which is more harmful:

Individualism

Or

Communism?

– Why is this short film called “8”?

– Wacky

– Short films:

8

Abigail

Black hole

Captivus

Shave it

The God

You there

Runners

Jatku Leiba

Requiem for Romance

– Doing theology = faith + aspiration + experience + practice + understanding

– Have one-to-one meetings with members of the online fellowship also.

– Community-living – building a new family (upon the foundation of the old)!

– Doing Theology – Chapter 1 from “Faith in Search of Understanding”

– Herpetology

– The Church, Christendom & the Kingdom of GOD

– DIY

– Dilettantism

– Theology – sources, norms/criteria & methods

– Introduction to “Shaping Your Faith”

– Theology – our words on the Word.

Are there any ‘self-evident truths’ left?

One-to-one – confide, lament, rant, muse, whine……

Musings

9.4.14

– Strong vs. Weak:

Do I derive my self-esteem from my work, or do I minister out of a sense of vocational identity?

– Maybe the urge to get an official qualification for my role as a minister and the thought of charging for my services are temptations that I should resist.

It should never be forgotten that this is a SPIRITUAL (not academic or social or even ecclesiastical) work!

– The greatest sin is that of indifference, apathy & complacency! The manifestation of the supreme evil of pride-despair-anxiety……

– What does “bondage to sin” mean, here & now, for you & me?

– Sometimes the difference between soul-salvation & self-destruction is completely invisible!

– Was there any interaction between the schools of Greek & Indian philosophy in the ancient world?

– Be true (real).

Be good (positive).

Be beautiful (interesting).

– Journal a minimum of ten lines every day.

Virtue
Vs.
Duty

Faith
Vs.
Conscience

Distinguish:
Ignorance
&
Forgetfulness

4Mac. 3:5

Is lust automatically infidelity?
The challenge is to be idealistic without becoming unrealistic!

The Tenth Commandment & feminism

4Maccabees & Moses Maimonedes

Arab philosophy/Islamic theology

What does not bring suffering (existential/social) cannot be called evil (moral/ontological).

Kingdom = forgiveness-reconciliation + miracles-mission + resurrection-perfection!

Purchased NET Bible ebook (with complete notes)

Started vocational counseling for bro.Abraham

Updated certain framework documents

Organised the charitable fund for this month

Now only these 3 remain – pride, greed & cruelty. And the greatest of these is pride!

King
Vs.
High priest
Vs.
Prophet
Vs.
People
Where is GOD in all of this?!

Compare & contrast the coverage of the General Elections by:
The Indian news channels
&
The BBC

Loving the alien & the “beautiful stranger”

Why did Hitler hate the Jews??
The (anti-Semitic) Roman Catholic Church as a partner in (the execution of) the Holocaust!

Why were the Jews an especially persecuted people since ancient times??

Conspiracy theories, demonization, scapegoating

Multi-culturalism, religious pluralism & xenophobia

Sexual minorities

Propaganda >> fear >> hatred!

Reflections

7.4.14

– Should I be paid for my ministry?

Would this be good for the members of the fellowship groups also??

Rs.500 per head may be a good amount……

8.4.14

– Even C.S. Lewis was not a seminary graduate!

– Do this:

To be accepted by family.

To be respected by the society.

To be admired by the church.

To be appreciated by your colleagues.

– I am an eccentric, reclusive contemplative, autodidact. Period.

– Maybe I am the exception. Maybe even a genius……!

– From degree (without education) to education (without degree)!

– feckless

– “Why are we (always) the good guys?”

– Is it possible to be too intense/focused?

– When are you releasing your manifesto?

– Elections – but what (happens) if the majority of Indians are fools?!

– Off-field events steal the spotlight!

– Ira Trivedi

Lavina Melwani

– Purloin

– Gallivanting gallant

– Excalibur

– Debonair

– Research & fiction

– Greatness is NOT good enough for these normal folk!

– What is the purpose of life, but to wrestle honestly, courageously & creatively, with the confusions, contradictions & conflicts of our existence?!

That is ultimate human faithfulness……

– History, identity & aspiration

– Uniform Civil Code

– Is the ‘Modi wave’ a reality or is it just a media hype?

– If GOD loves, accepts and celebrates us as we are, then why can’t we do the same for him??

– Who I was & how I lived will be my greatest legacy, even more than what I taught!

– Nuanced ~ accurate

– Historical imagination

– Post-modern rationality

– Organized irrationality

– Jamboree

Experience

5.4.14

– Culture = religion + philosophy + arts

– Maturity – what are the hallmarks (distinguishing features) of an adult?

– Psychotherapy, religious beliefs & moral values

– Is curiosity a virtue or a vice?

– Can we understand perfection without falling into the trap of legalism?

6.4.14

– Marriage is made (by GOD) for man, not man for marriage!

– Life-skills

– Self-help

– Wellness/health/fitness coach

– First-aid

– Tracklist

– Mentor ~ monitor ~ trainer

– Physical education

– Social & emotional learning

– Personal management

– Resource stewardship

– Erotica – “Ching, ching, ching!”  😉

– “Make available offline”

Free download!

– Preventive lifestyle design

– ALL we have to do is receive & allow!

– Theodicy, spiritual warfare & the final vindication.

– Meditation, proclamation, adoration & celebration of the mystery of Christ!

– Jn.11:21-27

Ordet!

– Charisms – tongues, knowledge, wisdom, interpretation, prophecy, discernment, healing, miracles, faith, raising the dead, exorcism.

Charisms – gifts, fruit of the Spirit, & answer to all your intentions!

– To be anointed:

Repentance, faith, reconciliation & prayer.

– Pray for:

Personal salvation, local community needs & world peace

– “This is Jesus Christ, who came into this world to make you happy, & to be your best friend, forever!”

– Put all your sins, problems & sufferings into His chalice!

– Good Shepherd, Sacred Heart, Divine Mercy

– Divine Mercy:

A – ask for Mercy – pray the chaplet.

B – be merciful.

C – complete trust in the Lord.

– GOD allows Satan to run amock, so that he can later turn it around – in response to our prayers – for his (greater) glory!

– “The LORD is plenteous in mercy, & with him is fullness of redemption.”

– Profound, irreverent & delightful

– Intentionality, improvisation & inter-dependence

– In my dream, I had a mystical experience…!

– Movies:

Mr. Nobody

Is there life BEFORE death?!

Finitude, fallibility & frailty

Choice, time & fantasy

Notes

3.4.14

– Fascinated with the irrelevant!

– Faith IN action

– Lackadaisical

– The sexual mafia & the hijacking of youth!

– Journal of Adolescence

– Persistent spiritual youth – is immaturity necessary for virility?

– Suicidology

– Deception, manipulation & coercion

– Emotional blackmail

– Psychological struggles » existential crisis » escapism!

– Preventive, educative & supportive counseling

– Learn the ‘language’ of your audience/clientele

– Successful suicides

– Accidents > homicide > suicide

4.4.14

– Green cabs

Why don’t you consider investing in this novel & noble venture?!

– Dr. Emma Gonzalves

She is a spiritual-psychologist, but not a philosophical-theologian.

– “But HOW can we cut ourselves off from GOD??”

The mystery of original sin!

– Analogies of Sin

1. The uprooted (& decaying) plant

2. The falling plates.

– Sin cannot be understood apart from Law (condemnation/curse) & Death (ultimate destruction).

And Salvation cannot be understood apart from Grace (forgiveness & reconciliation) & Resurrection (abundant & everlasting life).

– Uprooting & rerooting

The ground of being ~ the sustaining soil!

– Comparing the story of ‘The Fall’ to the parable of the Prodigal Son.

– Judgment as offence-retribution

Vs.

Judgment as choice-consequence

– The unique role of revelation & faith in spiritual truth, as opposed to physical reality…

– The Cross of Christ » our conversion/baptism » cosmic renewal!

– Tree of life (faith/spirituality/religion/theology)

&

Fruit of Knowledge (reason/science/culture/politics)

Adulthood is NOT growing out of childhood, but building upon it!

DON’T hurry/skip the transition phase – adolescence is crucial!

– Pastor: I hate to go after people & drive them, I would rather that each person takes more initiative, but since that is not the case, I have to use more of the rod-&-staff approach!

Jottings

1.4.14

– Capital-ize

– The Century of the Self – Happiness Machines

– Indexicals

– Scripture » interpretation » commentary

– What is the ideal ideal?!

– “The matter & form of Maimonedes’ Guide” – Josef Stern

– Astropsychology

Oooh!

– Belief & knowledge

Understanding & explanation

– Truth-claims

2.4.14

– How is parenting to be done when the child is 18-25 years old – when he/she is legally a major, but psychologically not yet an adult??

– Spiritual ~ ultimate ~ metaphysical/ontological

– Eccl.11:9-10 – Oxford Annotated Bible: “GOD calls people to account for failure to accept the gift of enjoyment.”

WOW!

A new definition for “the dangerous duty of delight”.

“GOD will bring you into judgment” ~ the threat of a meaningless life for those who do not learn from their youthful vanities.

– Capitalism (Devil/Money)

Vs.

Materialism (GOD/Man)

– Eccl.2:24-26; 3:10-15; 5:18-20; 9:7-9

– Abortion & break-up

– Is ‘enjoying oneself’ a good/noble/holy/godly thing?

– Nostalgia (Eden)

Vs.

Hope (Heaven)

– Past-Law, present-pleasure & future-consequences

– Time (experience) & space (context)

Matter (body) & energy (psyche)

– Possibilities – the inevitable, the probable/potential & the desirable

– How can legal/executive measures resolve personal/relational problems?!

Force will only make things worse……

– “Enjoy your toil”

…be satisfied (occupied/fulfilled) with your busyness!

THIS is your (divinely ordained) portion……

– Biopsychoecological ethic

Vs.

Religiopoliticocultural morality

– Legislating on emotion

Moralizing about affection

– Dreamer ~ visionary ~ prophet

– Adolescent spirituality