anthropocentric ethics

Anthropocentric Ethics – In Ancient & Modern Perspective

The author/composer/poet/community which produced the text we know of as Genesis 1 observed many things. Just one of these is the uniqueness of humans in relation to our environment.

Day and night, earth and sky, sea and land, vegetation, and fruits, creatures great and tiny, both in the sea and on land…

And then behold – human beings. These humans are at the pinnacle of creation and are invested with the task and responsibility of governing the entire earth.

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porn parade – questions

The Erotica porn industry exhibition (forgive me for not hunting for a link – !!!) got free advertising by way of the now infamous and highly controversial ‘Boobs on Bikes’ parade.

Auckland City Council tried to stop the topless ride down Queen St., but Judge Nicola Mathers allowed it, commenting that it was ‘not offensive per se for women to be topless’, and that her court was not one ‘of morals and it was her job to stick to the law.’  She also said, “It may well be that the parade is tasteless but equally it may be that in a more mature society the vast majority might consider it harmless.” (source)

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pain bears a message

This post over at ‘Just Thomism‘ is short, sweet and very thought-provoking.

I’m thankful for pain. Not generally at the moment I experience it, but when I think about it, yes I’m glad (for example) that my body tells me when I’m burning my hand on the stove-top. It’s a painful message that my body sends, but it’s one I desperately need to hear.

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immoral eating?

I saw some footage tonight from a hot-dog eating contest…

Disgusting…

Utterly disgusting…

Yet somewhat amusing…

But later I thought…

“Hey, isn’t that shocking? All these people cramming down (and I don’t know how long they stayed ‘down’…) dozens of hot-dogs each, while food is scarce for most/many in the world!!??”

Is this utterly immoral?

Am I too idealistic?

Now, I do think that we are capable of growing plenty of food for all to have enough to eat – heck even enough for us to have a bit of fun with our food. But these kinds of clashing realities (or to use a phrase from NZ Baptist Assembly last year – ‘colliding worlds’) just seem to jump out at me more and more…

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gould: science a natural venture

Here Gould threatens a ‘knuckle-rapping’ to both theists and atheists who would try to use science (in general) or the theory of evolution by natural selection (in particular) to butress their worldview.

People familiar with Gould will detect the scent of N.O.M.A. (Nonoverlapping Magesteria – don’t ask me why it’s not N.M. or N.O.M.) in this, but it still seems to make some good points…

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investigating modern miracles

An interesting person is gaining popularity at the moment. His name is Todd Bentley.

A Google or YouTube search (which I’ve not had time to do) should provide very ‘interesting’ material.

Apparently, 25 (or so) people have been ‘raised from the dead’…

A few thoughts:

1. If this stuff is really happening, then for Bentley’s sake (not to mention God’s) get it on tape!
2. Don’t complain when people like me want evidence that people really had cancer or were really dead (the biblical story of Lazarus being raised includes the detail that he was beginning to stink – that’s dead).
3. Don’t complain when I remain hesitant to accept these reports if no evidence is given.
4. I hear of ALL KINDS of such things happening all over the world, and I’m prepared to believe that it’s not ALL nonsense; but for crying out loud, somebody do some investigation! Wouldn’t it be great to have it!?

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sexual identity – again…

I’ve posted before on this topic, and thought I’d share a bit more about it. Hopefully, these thoughts will be helpful in aiding fruitful discussion…

I’ve observed a distinction between 3 things that I feel are necessary to distinguish between in order to most helpfully discuss the topic of sexuality. Actually, these three things can, I suggest, be distinguished helpfully when discussing other topics as well… See what you think…

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trust and believe… criminals!?

Do you trust? Do you believe?

I’m not talking (at least in this post!) about God – I’m talking about convicted criminals!

Tapu Misa has written another thought-provoking piece about –among other things– the house-arrest conditions of Bailey Kurariki, suggesting that the public needs to trust him to learn how to live in society.

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a gentler universe?

Consolmagno has done it again…

Yet another poignant and wise article, helpfully navigating the intersection of faith and science…

Here’s a sampler:

…there’s the world of nature, the world I study as a scientist, nice and neat and well described by some beautiful equations, elegant in their simplicity. And there’s the world of human beings, strange fleshy bundles of ego and free will, who can sometimes be described in a statistical sense but who as individuals never cease to surprise you.

Read the whole thing here.

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public service: worship and prayer included

Issues of culture, religion, politics and the like are of much interest to me.

This Friday, quite an interesting complex of issues will be focused in one event in which I’ll be taking part.

As a pastor of one of the churches in the Northcote area, I’ve been asked to take part in the ANZAC Day Commemorative Service, where we will (as the brochure will read) commemorate “those who have fallen in service of their Country.” My part in this event –which I will do gladly– will be (and I quote – again from the already printed order of service) to offer a “Call to Worship”, a “Prayer of Remembrance” and a “Benediction”.

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