be the change you wish to see in the world - gandhi

Symbolic and Diabolic

jasonvalendy — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:19:00 +0000

It was shared with me the other day by a wonderful professor I had in Seminary, Dr. Charles Bellinger something he encountered in a book. (I am sorry I cannot recall the book).

The word Symbolic is a combination of two Greek words:

Sym – Together

Bol – That which is thrown

So symbols are things which we throw things together and make meaning out of them. The American flag is a symbol because we throw together ideals of America and the material cloth of the flag. Therefore it is a powerful statement to burn a flag – you are not just burning the cloth but also that which is thrown together with it – American ideals.

Contrary the word Diabolic is a combination of two Greek words:

Dia – through, thoroughly; across; entirely, utterly

Bol – That which is thrown

So to act diabolically is to throw something through or across things. The diabolic act it that act which drives things apart, puts a wedge between things or people. Some circles might think of triangulation as a diabolic action in that it attempts to throw another person in the middle of the conflict to create an “us” verses “them” dichotomy.

While there are 1,000s of was this can go and many ways in which this idea feeds into my understanding and experience with Rene Girard, let me just end with a question:

Are you/we acting/moving symbolically or diabolically?

Influence 1/2 of the world every day

jasonvalendy — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:18:00 +0000

Currently I am reading Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives. And while I am only 1/2 of the way though it, I am fascinated with the power of the social networks we are each located in. Especially in regards to the power we each possess in the networks we are in.

So here is something to consider from the findings in the book…

You and I are influenced by people who are three degrees away from us. So I have a friend (that is one degree) and they have a friend (that is two degrees) and they have a friend (that is three degrees). My friend’s friend friend has an impact on my life, as much as I do not think about it or as little control I have over that – this is the truth we each live with each day.

So we are influenced by people three degrees away from us, and therefore we have an influence on people who are three degrees away from us. But here is the kicker we are each separated from anyone else in the world by only 6 degrees. You have heard of “6 degrees of separation”?

Therefore, theoretically, you and I have the power to influence 1/2 of the world each day.

I just blew my own mind.

"Who do you say that I am? " – Jesus

jasonvalendy — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Recently ran across this artist – Dave Chapelle. His surreal art is interesting to say the least. This slideshow comes out of the “Jesus is my homeboy” series.

What do you think about this image of Jesus?

Perhaps the shock I felt the first time I saw Jesus with the prostitute washing his feet is what the disciples and Synagogue leaders felt?

For bigger pictures, click here.

Jesus Saves, I spend

jasonvalendy — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:00:00 +0000

I ran across this song today:

What do you think? I posted the lyrics below. I am not sure I understand the song. Anyone able to help?

While Jesus is saving I’m spending all my days
in backgrounds and landscapes with the languages of saints
While people are spinning like toys on Christmas day
I’m inside a still life with the other absentee

While Jesus is saving, I’m spending all my days
in the garden-grey pallor of lines across your face
While people will cheer on the spectacle we’ve made
I’m sitting and sculpting menageries of saints

Oh, my man my absentee
I’d do anything to please you
Come my love the stage is waiting
Be the one to save my saving grace

While Jesus is saving I’m spending all my grace
on rosy-red pallor of lights on center stage
While people have cheered on the awful mess we’ve made
through storms of red roses we’ve exited the stage

Worship as soccer

jasonvalendy — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Last week I began to express a metaphor for worship as football. While there may very well be wonderful things about the football approach and understanding of worship, I find it to be too ‘control’ focused and highly protective. Rather, I wonder what would it be if worship were approached not as football but as soccer?

Soccer seems like the ultimate game of trust. Each team knows what they are doing even though they do not come together as a total unit throughout the game to check in with each other. As the plays develop each person must be keenly aware of what they are doing as individuals but must make sure their actions are connected to the overall plan of the team. There is a lot of deviation that happens throughout the course of the game, but that deviation must instantly be figured into the scheme of the game. For instance, if one player in the ‘back’ position decided it would best serve the team to move to a forward position, then communication happens on the fly (verbal or not) and the other team members must cover the actions taken by the former ‘back’.

There are not a lot of pads in soccer, just thin shin guards. So if you want to tackle someone, you have to physically touch them. This is dangerous for both players, not just the one being hit. There is one coach, but they do not have control over the plays as they develop. There is no play to “call”, only persuasion.

If you see a soccer game in Europe, the crowd is very involved with the game – and not just when there is momentum. People are singing and dancing, with a feeling that what you are doing as a crowd actually effects the game. In fact, if you are not singing and dancing in the crowd, you stand out.

The spontaneous play of the game could very well contribute as to why soccer is known as the “beautiful game”.

Can you connect going up stairs with worship

jasonvalendy — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:00:00 +0000

I found this video, and while it is not profound it does seem to visually articulate something about human nature.

See more funny videos and Technology Videos at Today’s Big Thing.

My question is, in light of this experiment, what do you think could change in worship to have 66% more people using the path of worship than another path?

Or, if that is too specific or outside your normal thinking, what about these questions:

What can you do to change a mundane behavior into something people want to participate in?

What if music cam with every footstep?

How can you and I nudge people to partake in activities/actions which are better for their health?

Would you have stopped in your day to ‘play’ a bit on the stairs?

How is Marge Simpson any different from the others?

jasonvalendy — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:00:00 +0000

While I do not read Playboy magazine, there has been a bit of buzz about the recent cover of this months issue featuring Marge Simpson.

If you have been under a rock for the past several decades, Marge Simpson is a cartoon character from the long running “Simpsons”.

I have no idea why Marge Simpson was chosen for the cover of the magazine. I probably should do some research, but I have reservations of looking up playboy information on the church computer. Therefore, I may be uninformed and my take on this might be a common thread of thought in this conversation, however I wonder something about this?

How is Marge Simpson any different from the other cover girls?

Some would say this difference is obvious, Marge Simpson is a drawing of a woman. She is not real. And I would agree. But I would also submit the women who usually dawn the cover of Playboy also are so highly airbrushed that they are also ‘drawn’. I would also submit the usual cover girl is not real.

So, while I do think it is weird that a fictional character is on the cover of Playboy, I am not surprised.

It happens every month.

Worship as football

jasonvalendy — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:00:00 +0000

It is becoming clearer to me the more I consider worship the more I realize my metaphor for worship is conflicting to the dominate metaphor at the setting I find myself located. It seems we tend to approach worship as one might approach a the game of football. These are just some thoughts I have so far on this metaphor.

*(To be honest I have never played football and am more than willing to admit my observations of the game are limited. I also know metaphors break down if stretched too far and so I mindful of too much stretching. But here we go.)

Football seems like the ultimate game of control. Each team knows when they are on offense and when they are on defense. Whatever side of the ball you are on, every 40 or so seconds there is another play. Each play, is drawn up and each person has a specific task they must do in order for the play to work. There is little deviation from the play. Even the quarterback is given options of routes which are in a priority dependent upon the factors of the game. Pads are used in football to protect the players from crashing into one another. Although it is dangerous, it is as controlled danger as we might get. In football, there are so many players and back ups for the backups. There are several coaches who specialize in their area from defensive line coach to special teams coach. When a play ‘breaks down’ it is considered wasted or it is the opportunity for creativity (I am sure you all have seen the plays where there is are 15 laterals done in order to get to win the game. Those are amazingly memorable and fun to watch). Football audiences are involved with the game only if there is momentum (and if you are a fanatic and use body paint, you are considered extreme and a bit odd.)

Perhaps the issue of worship is not only we dominantly view it as the “start” to the detriment of the “culmination” of our week, but also that we approach worship as a football game.

Tomorrow I will put some thoughts down to the question, “What if we approached worship like a soccer game?”

Until then, what do you think thus far?

Could the problem with Sunday worship be that it begins our week?

jasonvalendy — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:00:00 +0000

I have been taught throughout my life that there is no better way to begin your week than to begin it with worship.

Getting your priorities in perspective

Focus on God

Take time to quite your minds

Give your first fruits to God

All of these, and others, have been used to describe why worship on Sunday is a wonderful way to begin our week and it should be that way.

However I wonder if this mentality has also contributed to the decline of Sunday worship.

If this is the way we need to start our week, then it is easy to see how worship is for the individual. That is, worship is a way to enhance the life of the individual because it sets the week off in a certain way for the individual. We are told that when we preach we should preach so that we are excited about life and energized to go out into the world and make it better. All of this lends itself to view Sunday worship as an internal and individual practice.

But what if Sunday worship was not see exclusively as the beginning of our week, but the culmination of our week. That is what if Sunday worship was framed as a place where we come together and share where we saw God in the previous weeks workings on the Kingdom of God? What if we could not wait to get to Sunday worship and share with others where we saw God the previous week? What if we could not wait to get to Sunday worship and discover where others saw God moving in the previous week?

What if Sunday worship was a culmination of our week?

The story says God created the world in 6 days and then on the last day, the day when work was done, the day the work culminated, God observed Sabbath.

If Sabbath for God is practiced at the end of the week and celebrated as the culmination of the work done, why wouldn’t we?

What if Sunday worship was the culmination of our week?

God’s ‘acountabili-buddy’

jasonvalendy — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Recently I was in a group and the question was asked, “Why does God want a chosen people? Why does God want a people to be set apart and chosen in the Biblical narrative?”

I do not know the answer to that, however I wonder if God does not want a people, but, God needs a people.

When the flood in the story of Noah happened God put a bow in the clouds and said that each time that bow appears God will be reminded of the covenant God made with Noah. The bow becomes a reminder to God. The rainbow becomes an accountability partner to God, reminding God of the promise God made.

I wonder if God needs a people in order to help keep God accountable to the promises God makes? I know we do not like to think God needs anything, but even that is a human idea about God and falls short of the reality of God.

Perhaps God needs a people to hold God accountable to the promises God made to creation. When God looks at you and I, God is reminded of the love God bestowed upon creation. We hold God accountable to God’s promises.

Just like God holds us accountable to our promises to God. When we look toward God we are reminded of our parts of the covenant and promises. We are reminded that we are to love the other and seek reconciliation. When we look at God we are kept accountable to the promises we have made.

It is stated that the only hands God has is ours. The only eyes God has is ours. The only feet God has is ours. If God needs us to do the work of God, then why would not God need an accountabili-buddy?