how to make me happy…

Arcade Fire in a lift.

Clip #41.1   its about 3 mins in/ 

[am technologically retarded so don't know how to put the link in as a picture to click]

How to make me momentarily happy:
One part Elliot Smith’s musical genius, one part re-enactment of a scene from The Royal Tenenbaums, and finally a dash of my childhood.

We spend most of our time in meetings, or at a computer… Jesus spent most of his time eating. I often wonder if he was perhaps a little bit fatter than we have traditionally thought. Anyway following in the footsteps of Jesus we have decided that headspace will have hospitality month. This means that you need to be hospitable. How’s it gonna work?

1. Organically: make an extra effort this month to have people over. You can have a meal, share a party, get people to come to your art exhibition (Abi Spedlove), buy someone a coffee. Just hang out!

2. Less organically: We have a list of events that you can sign up to. If you want to go to one get in touch with the person who is running it. The list will go up on the blog, on facebook, and @ church.co.uk on the notice board. I would also encourage you to read Meal Time Habits of the Messiah by Conrad Gempf. Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. 

http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/the_way_we_live/article3848081.ece

I really urge you to read this article, it’s really interesting, it made me cry, but then again I’ve been in that mood for the last couple of weeks. It just goes to show how love can transform even the most desperate of places. I know, that was corny. But just because it’s corny, doesn’t mean it’s not TRUE! x

Death Row Rodeo: the Louisiana prison miracle
Through rodeos and rehabilitation, Burl Cain has transformed America’s most violent maximum security prison into its safest.

This is (one of) the recurrent question(s) of a society which, like it or not, is moving towards a postmodern way of thinking.  What is?  No not that.  Rather, how can every point of view be acceptable, and equally valid, when some assert the suppression of others? 

This blog is getting a bit more popular.  For those of you interested in numbers, we had 860 hits in April.  Probably not by 860 different people, but it’s impressive nonetheless.  Well, I think so.  So now might be a reasonable time to ask ourselves whether some opinions are not acceptable; whether some things cannot be said.

We do have the same problem in actual Headspace meetings, but the internet does present different problems.  Or perhaps they’re much the same, just to a different extent online.  A problem with the internet, blogging and posting and so forth is the relative anonymity of it.  You (and when I say ‘you’, I do of course mean ‘one’) can say anything, and there it is for anyone who cares to read it to see.  Who cares about the consequences?  Secondly, it’s not a conventional conversation.  You can say what you like and you can’t be interrupted.  You can’t be asked to clarify mid-flow.  You can just keep going for as long as you like, and only then can people respond.  Often in kind – if they don’t agree or if they find it offensive, their response can just as easily be offensive to the recipient.

So what can’t we say?  Is there anything we can’t say?

Well, it’s not my place to make up any rules.  Obviously.  But how about a suggestion or two, simply because I’ve read so many message boards and blogs and such like which end up becoming slanging matches – generally between the few most vocal commentators. 

Firstly don’t expect everyone to agree with you.  When you say something, people have a right to reply.  Even if they’re wrong.  Especially when you’re wrong.  Be controversial, but always be prepared to back up what you say.  And accept the possibility that you may be wrong.  Think about what others have actually said, and try to understand where they’re coming from.  Imagine you’re actually saying it to actual people.  You are.  Say what you want here, but don’t necessarily assume that it’ll be left for everyone to read if it is truly offensive.  (Although that does raise the question of who decides…)

Language is a wonderful thing, but it is limited – there are ambiguities and there is confusion, as we all have at least slightly different understandings of the world we find ourselves in and the symbols we use to represent it.  And much as I love language I think it would be fair to say that miscommunication – in fact language itself – has surely been an essential component of all atrocities, war and oppression that humans have ever carried out.  Nothing more than small scale violence would be possible without such an advanced form of communication. 

So does that mean we should rid ourselves of language?  Or should we try to communicate a little better?

So…Grand Theft Auto 4, it’s tipped to break gaming sales records, it’s had record breaking reviews from those who’ve given it a test drive, the graphics are apparently unimaginably good, it’s more violent and depraved than ever before.  Is anyone else guiltily intrigued (and I’m not even interested in computer games as a rule)?

The Divine Lorraine Hotel.

This is a bit of an announcement so sorry for using the blog… in the run up to an evening on Justice at Headspace this Sunday…

Amnesty International has helped save thousands of lives by stopping torture, preventing executions and protecting human rights defenders. One way they do this is by mobilizing members and supporters to put pressure on governments, armed groups, companies and intergovernmental bodies. Last year Headspace added its voice to a number of cases where action was needed as we sent letters of appeal relating to 14 different cases of injustice around the world.

The good news is that there have been positive outcomes for two of them Alhamdulillah! See details below.

Amnesty’s appeals for action are listed on their website (www.amnesty.org) and are a direct way to add your voice to the call for justice in hundreds of situations around the world – and they work.

Would we as a community like to do more of this? Would people like to focus on one appeal, or a small number of individuals and both lobby their oppressor and extend support to them as individuals? Is there a situation that we are already connected with that we could get more involved with?

Your + thoughts = welcome.

ROYAL PARDON FOR MOROCCAN DEMONSTRATORS

11 April 2008

Eight members of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights, convicted of undermining the monarchy in Morocco last year have been released after they were pardoned by the King on Friday, 4 April. Nine others facing judicial proceedings based on the same charges also benefited from the Royal pardon. Amnesty International, who adopted the men as prisoners of conscience, imprisoned solely for peacefully exercising their rights, welcomed their release.

HUNGARY TO INTRODUCE PROTOCOL FOR RAPE VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS

26 December 2007

Representatives of the Government of Hungary met with non-governmental organizations, including Amnesty International, on 5 December 2007 to discuss the introduction of a protocol for survivors of sexual violence in the home. The protocol will govern how the victim is treated by all services she comes into contact with from when she reports the crime. While the process is in its early stages, Amnesty International welcomes the fact that this issue now features on the political agenda in Hungary and the commitment of all involved to provide proper protection for victims of rape in the home.

I’ve always had my doubts about church.co.uk as a name for a church.  But now I’m beginning to have second thoughts about the name Headspace.  See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headspace .  As far as I know, there is no connection.  I hope not anyway.

There is a live debate tonight, discussing ”Is religion a threat to rationality and science?”  http://education.guardian.co.uk/egweekly/story/0,,2275308,00.html  being held between Sir Robert Winston and Prof Daniel Dennett - its being podcasted.  A couple of choice quotes from both sides of the table: “Religion may make many people better, but it is preventing them from being as good as they could be”.  “Both religion and science are expressions of man’s uncertainty. Perhaps the paradox is that certainty, whether it be in science or religion, is dangerous.” 

I studied physics, which I guess was supposed to make be better equipped to grapple with this debate…I always found it interesting that people I talked to either wanted to seperate rationality and religion as far apart as they could possibly go, or to look at them as inextricably linked. I think I fall on the latter, so never had much problem reconciling my religion with my subject- maybe its easier with Physics as so many concepts stem from theory? As to whether people would be ‘better’ without religion, I don’t know.

Anyone else have musings on the metaphysical?