Russell Purvis's Weblog

Delirious

I saw Delirious perform their final concert in Kentucky. It was at the Ichthus musical festival. I remember liking them before Hillsong United and even before Passion. Hearing them was quite refreshing and now has me remembering how good they really were with praise and worship. So to all the American and Australian praise and worship authors, aside from just a number I can count using 1 (maybe 2) hands, Britain is quite possibly better at praise and worship than we are.

I noticed some things on an article online (Another explanatory article of Iranian politics here). They are pictures of the current unrest within Iran. This unrest might be what eases the American nuclear concerns, but like most international struggles, we’ll probably forget this. Remember that we had our own concerns throughout history. First through the debates concerning the votes of colored people, but also in the Bush vs. Gore election. The level of the failure within the system was at an undefinable level which no one now can figure out. What is important is that the American people began to seek ways to hear everyone’s vote and discover the consensus of the American public. We went through our beatings of those we saw as different and challenging. But today we have progressed past fire hoses and the unrestrained usage of batons and bullets.

The problem, it seems, with Iran is that they are at the stage where the challengers to the status quo are being slighted. Many of the pictures depict college students which is a spark of hope for the future of that country. The country could be at a breaking point and at a time of change or a time of failure. The one thing that struck me was the first pictures of the protesters who support the reformist party (supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi). Then showing how the conservative party (supporters of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad) beating the reformists, but later there are some pictures of some reformist protesters protecting a riot officer who might have beat some of the protesters. Some of the reformists might have gone awry and abandoned peaceful protests, but there were some who protected him.

I haven’t studied on the challenger to the current president, but I noticed the polls showed a substantial lean for him over the president. We will just have to see what happens. I would just encourage people to pay attention instead of feeling safer since they will not have to worry about a nuclear explosion. Any smart leader would never fire a nuclear weapon knowing that his own people would not survive the aftermath. Even the fundamentalist of Islam would hold back (although there are a good number I fear would not think about that since they are willing to die). Just pay attention and know that we need to deliver whatever good and helpful things to the “righteous”. The Torah would by far support the ones who are being slighted. Even Jesus was partial to those who were slighted, even those who were not considered followers of his Father. These are just things to look at. Make sure to look at the pictures and see that the pacifists seem to be closer to God in helping someone who is suppressing them rather than the fundamentalists who are acting in violence

Just some food for thought.

Grace and peace to you all.

I am actually on two books. Umberto Eco’s The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana, N. T. Wright’s Paul, and Henri Nouwen’s In the Name of Jesus. I am almost done with Eco’s book, very unique and yet quite enjoyable. I will be starting Nouwen’s book tonight. Many do not like him (much like those people who do not like Rob Bell and call him a flaming liberal when he tends to be a very conservative Christian). I have heard the rumors about Nouwen being a homosexual. I have not confirmed that, but if you know me, I won’t believe until I see the proof. This will be more than just someone telling me they read it somewhere (“I read somewhere…” is one intro to myths that I hate and I usually have trouble having respect for those people). And such an argument does not ruin the truth found in writings. One mishap of one’s life only shows humanity. Look at Ray Bolts. His life has taken turns for the gay persuasion, yet none can challenge the fact that his music has touched the lives of many Christians and have encouraged them to continue on there path.

All that is to say that I will read his book with an open mind and heart. I hope others will consider the same.

Grace and Peace.

I am still reading Bolton’s book and I am almost done. I am very appreciative of comments that he has made concerning companies and buyers in the western world. He mention how it is peculiar how we blame the companies for dealing with evil intentions concerning the poor of the world. He mentions that it is only logical that the companies act in ways that save and make money, with no real knowledge of the oppression or with the knowledge that other companies are going to do it too. His other observations is that the consumers are just as evil in these acts since they buy the cheap products that are obtained through oppressive dealings. If we make it worth the companies time and money to obtain good, ethically obtained products, they will go after it, since that is where the money making market will be, but it is a long term process that most of us think is unfair and unworthy of our attention. I tend to call this apathy, because that is what it is. If you aren’t able to put all your funds towards the better products, then put aside some money somewhere and when you have enough to spare, purchase the items that have been deemed ethical.

Grace and peace to you all.