How human are we?

So to someone who's rejecting fundamentalist faith, turning away from the dogma, sifting the relevance of Christianity what does Christmas mean?

Jesus became human, so we can become human. So why is Christmas so often such a dehumanising experience filled with want, greed, arguments, stress, unhealthy lifestyles? Does going to church and being bored to tears or simply becoming to angry and frustrated for words really enhance our humanity or spirituality? Is this really how to celebrate Jesus birth? I celebrated this year by being with my family and those close to me, and being in the hills. I celebrated all I knew of Jesus in nature and in my family, and I long to know Jesus more in me.

As we move on from celebrating Jesus becoming human, I hope that I am able to follow him more closely into more of my humanity.

Losing Faith?

A lot of my posts in the last month seem to be about me losing my idealism. Losing the faith that the world can be perfect. Can armed conflict really become a thing of the past? Is anti social behaviour really only a minority of young people? Can we really be any kind of light in the generational darkness?

During my two week stint at a youth club in Everton I wrote the following:

Just had my first major culture shock in a while… I went into Vineyard and found myself surrounded by middle class people! That was strange after hanging out with the young people and workers at the club. Not quite sure what to do with my theology now. I’ve seen he gospel lived out over the last week… by people who, frankly, would tell you to ‘f*ck off’ if you suggested that Jesus may in any way be relevant to them… yet they are passionate (and it’s genuine passion, not professional crap) about inclusion, freedom,
peace, the hurting. I’m reminded of the people in the parable who when Jesus calls them to heaven say “but LORD I never knew you. When did we see you sick or in prison or hungry” and Jesus says that what was done for the least of the people on earth he counts as service done to him. Yeah- this is partly a gospel of works… but I wonder if it is. It could also be a gospel of faith. Not necessarily faith in Jesus but faith that there is a better way, a higher path than the violence and the fighting. Faith in the good nature of humanity (who are made in the image of God) that all that is good in humanity will eventually win through and there will be peace.

I could cope with losing my faith in traditional Christianity, because there was still the hope for humanity, there was still Jesus. But now I seem to be losing my faith in the resilliance of good human nature. I can't cope with losing this faith.

Is this just a part of the natural process of gowing out of being young and idealistic? I don't know, but I don't like it.

God, help me keep the faith.

The best way of skipping a lecture

Is like this.

Perma Puppy

I have got to get me one of these...




No, really! ;p

I wonder if they come ready trained?
I wonder if they do any other mamals?
Partner who will stay the same age anyone?
Baby who misses out on the two year old tantrums?

Generational Darkness

I wake up
to the screaming of the neighbours baby
as they yell at it to shut up
and yell at each other to f*ck off.

I walk to work
to the shouting of mothers
at toddlers who walk too slowly
as they fall and are dragged to their feet.

And at work
I wonder why the young people
only know how to deal with their issues
by shouting, swearing, hitting, spitting.


What hope is there, realistically, of changing society for the better, when no-one engages with services, no-one learns to parent, no-one has communication skills, no-one can deal constructively with conflict? How can I set an example and and encourage young people's growth in these areas when for the rest of the week this is their example, their life, their role models?

Where does one start for f*ck sake?

Hoods, Yobs, and Access.

Hat tip to Richard for this link.

At first glance the refusal to allow a group of young people into a public space (which particularly wants to '...embrace it's broard community...' and '...generate a spirit of participation...') seems out of order.

Before I'd have pointed out that it's not all young people who are like this, just the minority.

But just recently I've been sitting talking with the librarian and security guard in a locked library, trying to advocate for the young people in the area who are banned from the building... all the whilst the young people concerned are intimidating the security guard and pulling up bollards. Sadly I've come to the conclusion it's true, the young men I currently work with have a long long way to go. The trouble is, I'm working in an area where this is the norm, not the minority, and I feel like I'm losing the faith that there is a way forwards for young people, especially when they're outside demonstrating backing up the points of the people who I'm trying to convince that actually they're a good bunch of young people.

I want to believe in the young people, I want to know that they are indeed 'good lads really'... but just now I don't know how to. When we work with them they're fab, they seem to be making good progress, they're engaging, participating, being pro-active, developing skills, and then the next day the bus stops are all smashed again, and the security guards are challenging me to explain why they behave the way they do if 'they're good lads really'.

Too much to do, too little time to procrastinate in

Therefore I'm not going to write any long deep and meaningful blog posts until this batch of essays and uni work is done.

Piet however, has managed to find time to write a blog post about procrastination.

And so, without further ado or procrastination, I'm off to bed to get a good nights sleep before a busy day tomorrow.