I Don't Remember That

I’m reading a book by Timothy Keller called “The Reason for God”, and it’s quite thought provoking.  I’ve been so struck by part of it that I want to reproduce it here (and hope that I don’t get sued by the publisher for doing so).  It’s from the chapter “How Can A Loving God Send People To Hell?”, and here we go:

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Robert Bellah’s influential work Habits of the Heart speaks of the ‘expressive individualism’ that dominates American culture.  In his book Bellah notes that 80 per cent of Americans agree with the statement ‘an individual should arrive at his or her own religious beliefs independent of any church or synagogue’.  He concludes that the most fundamental belief in American culture is that moral truth is relative to individual consciousness.  Our culture, therefore, has no problem with a God of love who supports us no matter how we live.  It does, however, object strongly to the idea of a God who punishes people for their sincerely held beliefs, even if they are mistaken.  This objection, however, has a cultural history to it.

In C. S. Lewis’ classic The Abolition of Man, he outlines what he considers to be a major difference between the ancient and the modern view of reality.  Lewis attacks our smug belief that ancient people believed in magic and later modern science came along and supplanted it.  As an expert in the medieval age and how it gave way to modernity, Lewis knew that there had been very little magic in the Middle Ages, that the high noon of magic was in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, at the very time that modern science was developing.  The same cause, he contended, gave rise to them both.

The serious magical endeavour and the serious scientific endeavour are twins: one was sickly and died, the other was strong and throve.  But they are twins.  They were born of the same impulse.

Lewis describes that impulse – a new approach to moral and spiritual reality.

There is something which unites magic and applied science while separating both from the ‘wisdom’ of earlier ages.  For the wise men of old the cardinal problem had been how to conform the soul to reality, and the solution had been knowledge, self-discipline and virtue.  For magic and applied science alike the problem is how to subdue reality to the wishes of men: the solution is a technique; and both, in the practice of this technique, are ready to do things hitherto regarded as disgusting and impious….

In ancient times it was understood that there was a transcendent moral order outside the self, built in to the fabric of the universe.  If you violated that metaphysical order there were consequences just as severe as if you violated physical reality by placing your hand in a fire.  The path of wisdom was to learn to live in conformity with this unyielding reality.  That wisdom rested largely in developing qualities of character, such as humility, compassion, courage, discretion and loyalty.

Modernity reversed this.  Ultimate reality was seen not so much as a supernatural order but as the natural world, and that was malleable.  Instead of trying to shape our desires to fit reality, we now seek to control and shape reality to fit our desires.  The ancients looked at an anxious person and prescribed spiritual character change.  Modernity talks instead about stress-management techniques.

Lewis knew that readers might think he was against the scientific method as such, but he protested that he was not.  He wanted us to realise, however, that the modernity was born in ‘dreams of power’.  Writing during the Second World War, Lewis was standing in the midst of some of the bitterest fruit of the modern spirit.  Lewis’ friend J. R. R. Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings about the consequences of seeking power and control rather than wisdom and glad enjoyment of the ‘givenness’ of God’s creation.

The spirit of modernity, then, gave us the responsibility to determine right and wrong.  Our new confidence that we can control the physical environment has spilled over so we now think we can reshape the metaphysical realm as well.  It seems to our minds unfair, therefore, that we should determine that it is all right to have sex outside of marriage and later discover that there is a God who is going to punish us for that.  We believe so deeply in our personal rights in this realm that the very idea of a divine Judgement Day seems impossible.  However, as Lewis shows us, this belief is tied to a quest for control and power that has had terrible consequences in recent world history.  Not all the human race today has accepted modernity’s view of things.  Why should we act as if it is inescapable?

In one of my after-service discussions a woman told me that the very idea of a judging God was offensive.  I said, “Why aren’t you offended by the idea of a forgiving God?”  She looked puzzled.  I continued, “I respectfully urge you to consider your cultural location when you find the Christian teaching about hell offensive.”  I went on to point out that secular Westerners get upset by the Christian doctrines of hell, but they find biblical teaching about turning the other cheek and forgiving enemies appealing.  I then asked her to consider how someone from a very different culture sees Christianity.  In traditional societies the teaching about ‘turning the other cheek’ makes absolutely no sense.  It offends people’s deepest instincts about what is right.  For them the doctrine of a God of judgement, however, is no problem at all.  That society is repulsed by aspects of Christianty that Western people enjoy, and are attracted by the aspects that secular Westerners can’t stand.

Why, I concluded, should Western cultural sensibilities be the final court in which to judge whether Christianity is valid?  I asked the woman gently whether she thought her culture superior to non-Western ones.  She immediately answered “no”.  “Well then,” I asked, “why should your culture’s objections to Christianity trump theirs?”

For the sake of argument, let’s imagine that Christianity is not the product of any one culture but it is actually the transcultural truth of God.  If that were the case we would expect that it would contradict and offend every human culture at some point, because human cultures are ever-changing and imperfect.  If Christianity were the truth it would have to be offending and correcting your thinking at some place.  Maybe this is the place, the Christian doctrine of divine judgement.

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So there you have it, a thought-provoking and interesting section of a chapter that fascinated me.  The reason why I put it here is because it was threatening to break into my sermon for Sunday night and doesn’t really fit, but I had to put it somewhere.

Australia Day, Carla and I have gone to visit friends of hers.  We get to the property and I go to open the gate but pause at the sign that says “Beware of the dog”.

“I’m not great with dogs, darling” I tell Carla.  “Last time I was here it was just a couple of Maltese terriers” she replies.

Maltese terriers?  They don’t even come up to my knees – what can possibly go wrong?

We’re soon walking up to the house with these two little dogs bouncing around our feet and barking when suddenly… OW!

My left calf has two tooth scratches in it and is bleeding!  I’m not hurt, merely stunned, and consider (for a moment) drop punting the dog into the pool.  A cooler head prevails, and with some Dettol and the apologies of the owners I feel much better.

Bastard dog.  Next time I’ll get him first…

Didn’t keep me awake last night as I slept peacefully in the cool embrace of the air conditioning that was left on

Who am I, and what have I done with the real Alastair?

My bike is reassembled and I’m ready to hit the road (just as soon as my crook back sorts itself out…)

Ten weeks from today, God willing, I’ll be getting married.

Ash had his suit fitting this morning, so the suits are all organised now.  Carla’s dress is pretty much done, as are the bridesmaids’ dresses.  We’ve written our vows and done our order of service.  We’re meeting Richard (the minister who’s marrying us) on Tuesday night in Mittagong to discuss things.  RSVPs are due on the 20th so shortly after that we can plan the seating for the reception.  Things seem to be moving that little bit faster now!

This afternoon Carla and I are going to see Avatar 3D.  Everybody I’ve heard who’s seen it has said it’s brilliant, an epic, a classic.  Ashley summed it up in a word: “Averagetar”.  Let’s hope he’s just got a touch of the “Joels” (i.e. it’s popular so I don’t like it).

Granddad has won a civic award – he’s the Person of the Year for the Thoona Shire in Victoria.  He hasn’t lived there for nigh on 30 years, but never mind!  Maybe there’s a backlog.  He gets the award on Australia Day, and I’m sorry that I can’t get down there for it.  I’ve got no spare time off, though, between now and the wedding/honeymoon.

I’m really excited that it’s 2010, because now I’m getting married this year!

I’m getting in early.

I’m at work but nothing’s happening, we’ll all be gone in half an hour to our holidays.

Mine will involve lots of driving around, starting tomorrow after breakfast with Dad, Joel and Katherine and church when Carla and I drive to Manly for lunch with her parents and grandparents.  After that we’re back to Willoughby for dinner with Ash, Carly, Mum, Michael, Nan, Granddad, Joel and Katherine (and the two new puppies, Opie and Jax).  After that we’ll drive back to Narellan for the night.  Yikes!

I’m looking forward to tonight, actually.  Carols at church should be nice, then I always enjoy watching Carols by Candlelight from Melbourne.

Merry Christmas to you, whoever and wherever you are.

I just heard Mr Rudd on the radio saying he was in Copenhagen to get the very best deal for Australia, and that he wouldn’t sign anything that wasn’t in Australia’s national interest.

WAKE UP, COP15 delegates!

Whatever comes out of the conference is doomed to fail if countries are just trying to get what they can.  Yesterday’s radio coverage was all about how Australia is pushing an accounting method that allows us to not count land use emissions, such as from farming.  I’m sure the people behind that think it’s very clever and that those emissions don’t count but it’s false economy.  Any emission counts!  They are all stacking up in the atmosphere, and they must be cut.

I can’t believe that I’m facing a less comfortable old age (and my children are facing who knows what) because current leaders in the Western, developed world aren’t willing to give up a little profit.  As this extract from the Stern Review says, “Using the results from formal economic models, the Review estimates that if we don’t act, the overall costs and risks of climate change will be equivalent to losing at least 5% of global GDP each year, now and forever. If a wider range of risks and impacts is taken into account, the estimates of damage could rise to 20% of GDP or more. In contrast, the costs of action – reducing greenhouse gas emissions to avoid the worst impacts of climate change – can be limited to around 1% of global GDP each year.”

1% per year.  We’d be 1% less rich if we take concrete, effective action.  It breaks my heart that as a society we have become so greedy that we won’t consider a backwards step, having a bit less, going without some consumer toy or other.  There simply isn’t enough raw material and energy for the entire world to live as we do, and when our leaders say “But China’s building lots of coal plants, why shouldn’t they cut emissions too?” then it’s as David McWilliams put it when presenting the recent ABC series “Addicted to Money”, “We’re effectively saying to the third & developing worlds ‘You stay poor so we can stay rich’”.

Injustice, much?

I’m getting married in 102 days!

So much has happened since my last post that it’d be pointless trying to catch you up.

Instead, here’s the immediate past:

Friday morning we set up our Christmas tree here in the lounge room.  Moved furniture around to make space and then did the tree, lights, decorations and hung some tinsel around the room too.  Dad hates it but that’s par for the course.  It’s really pretty, and there are some presents under the tree, and it’ll be lovely when Joel and Katherine are down in a few weeks.

Friday afternoon/evening was Garth and Rebecca’s wedding, which was lovely.  It was at Ravensthorpe at Albion Park and both Carla and I really enjoyed ourselves.  At the reception Carla caught the bouquet and the I caught the garter, which everyone immediately declared rigged (but it wasn’t!).  I danced more than I have at any other wedding ever, even doing the Nutbush (Carla loves it – look for it at our wedding).  At one point in it I stepped on her causing her to yelp in pain but she recovered well enough and was soon kicking Garth in the butt.  By the time the dance was over I was exhausted so I’ll have to get a bit fitter if I’m to be able to go the distance in March.  A huge thank you to Garth and Rebecca for having us, it was a really awesome night.

Saturday was the final Fisher’s Ghost Youth Orchestra concert for the year, which Carla wasn’t going to be playing in until that morning when the conductor asked her to.  It was at the Campbelltown Performing Arts High School, and I ended up there from 2:30pm until 9:30pm setting up and packing up.  Mum and Michael came to the concert, which was nice, and at the end of it there was a surprise bouquet and thankyou for Carla from the president and conductor for her years of membership in the orchestra and her tireless work behind the scenes as well as as a musician.  She’s been their librarian for ages now as well as being on the committee and involved in running every concert, so they’re probably going to really miss her next year.

Sunday morning was the last church service at MCRC with Meaghan for six weeks, as she’s going overseas to visit Lachlan and then on to Europe for a bit with friends.  After church Carla and I went to have lunch with Bek and her boyfriend Brendan (who we were meeting for the first time).  Bek’s brother Rob and practical-sister-in-law Kate joined us and it was really nice.  The conversation was strange, with the idea of the Perpetual Virginity of Mary being discussed.  Bek was intrigued to discover that official Roman Catholic doctrine seems to say that Mary remained a virgin ‘intact’ even in the act of giving birth to Jesus.  This would suggest that a) Jesus was magically transported from within Mary to without or that b) Jesus was delivered by Caesarean section.  Option A reduces Jesus’ humanity in my mind, as it would be no different if he’d just been zapped straight down from heaven.  Option B has no real scriptural support that I can find, hence I personally believe option C: it’s just a bit of RC nonsense.  I’ve always thought that Mary and Joseph had other kids after Jesus, but it seems that even such staunch reformers as Martin Luther, John Calvin and John Wesley all believed in the continuing virginity of Mary.  Who knew?

Sunday night was a community meal at church and a rehearsal of the kids’ Christmas play.  We got our ushers for the wedding arranged, too

On Monday night when we got back to Carla’s place we received news that all was in readiness to send the wedding invitations.  Carla and I put the stamps on the envelopes and then she posted them today!  How exciting!  We’ve invited people to our wedding, it brings a whole new level of reality about the wedding.  I took Meags’, because she’s in India.  I scanned it at work this morning and emailed it to her, and then messaged her at 8am their time to tell her to check her email.  She rang straight back to see why I wanted her to do that and we had a good chat.  I really miss talking to her and can’t wait for her to come home.  During trivia tonight Carla SMS’d me to say Meags had called them to RSVP – she wanted to be first!  It’s so exciting!

Anyway, I’m off to bed.  I have to comment on the goings-on over here yet, but that might have to wait until tomorrow.

Am at Garth’s buck’s LAN, and it’s been decided that my new name should be Alzepicwin!