In addition...

I don't normally just blog in these venues, on my own blogs I just spill out whatever and then edit as appropriate and reply to individual commentators... and since the last blog was more in line with that style - apparently I need to clarify.

First and foremost, while I don't believe that vegetarianism is supported by the scriptures, I also don't believe that when we were instructed to care for the animals, that that involved feed lots (cattle), force feed ducks (fois gras), massive fishing/fish farms or caged hens (eggs/chicken). I know I'm sounding like a PETA spokesperson, sorry... and so I've made a choice to go with a simpler diet, and no animal products. The point I was getting at about the resultant being "set apart," is more the idea of indicating with my actions that I am trying to avoid consumerist North American culture, which is eat more than I need, waste, and "rape" the land of everything it has kind of mentality. In relation to spirituality, I believe that it's more the issue that consumerism has become a distraction if not a god for our society, including Christians, it's one that we are totally unaware of, but have willingly allowed to infiltrate our lives with our glossy churches, the booming expansion of Christian media (CBC did an awesome documentary on this about 4-5 years ago), where Christian leaders like James Dobson are calling for more capitalist ventures... This all sort of lead into the discussion on the vegan culture as "wondering out loud" moment, of what the original church must have been like, a group of people the world scoffs at, look weird, act weird etc, but who have bound together to do something they feel is right. In the idea that I believe we lose sight of how, well weird John the Baptist and Jesus really were. I know that animal rights and Christianity are on a different level, and not trying to equate them as such, more just the general idea that both groups were/are passionate about a cause, and were not concerned with being a part of the status quo.

I sure hope that makes sense. If not I would reference my own rambling on my myspace page for a further rationalization of this all.

No chocolate this year...

I didn't receive any chocolates this year, like all the previous years from what I can recall, honestly no big suprise. But it's not that I could eat them anyways, no I'm not on a "diet" nor did I start lent early this year... I'm vegan. But that's not the point of this blog to discuss me because that's what my own blog is for (which you are free to read if you can track it down on myspace). But it is sort of the point. I was talking with Leaha, an SFU student, who just happened be a teammate on the Perm trip in 2003. We're were talking about the events of last week, my being given an awesome new job to have it taken away, and the issue that at my core I am expecting God to continually flame my passion - medicine and that whenever something goes wrong I find myself yelling, "What are you doing letting them blow on the flame?" But doesn't a flame that doesn't extinguish after being blown on burn hotter, stronger? It's that always the case, we want to be cuddled, protected from the true nature of our faith and this world? And with that comes where my veganism and our conversation got interesting. It's my frustration at all that is North American Christianity and it's lack of genunine community - I hear over and over that no one wants to go to C&C or related activities because it's fake... it's all fake. I know it all to well, and I've had enough of it, I've had enough of watching my peers become disillusioned by it all. The thing that frustrates me the most I guess is that now being vegan, and I'm going to say I am, is that they (vegans) have this amazing supportive community, that nurtures regardless of perfection, we all have those moments of weakness when that cheesecake or what have you gets to you. They blog about it, they form groups to bake and talk about and in the process seek to impact their communities on every level - isn't the Church suppose to look like that - like crazy hippies who value love, life and community over their new house, BMW parked across two spaces in the church parking lot, or their mega church with all the gloss you can handle... The more I look at the Todd Agnew lyrics for "My Jesus" the more I see my Jesus as the dreadhead guy who sells me my organic raw vegan food, and less like the man who was going to be my boss - Hugo Boss suit, palm pilot in one hand and his Starbucks triple grande soy, no foam, extra hot latte in the other...

How about you? Do you think it's important to make changes in your life to set yourself apart? And therefor drawn nearer to Him, and His truth.

coming of the spirit

So we are studying the book of Acts. the book of Acts has always been one of my favorites. The action is amazing. The drama, is compelling.Why my christian life is nothing like it, frustrating....
I am looking for comments personal response to the narritive in the early church.

This Holiday Season...

So, a movie review may not be what you would be expecting on UCM's blog. But I'm going to try and combine them to convey something related,

Passion

In the season of like, lust and love, the word passion is thrown around from passion fruit to the feelings we are suppose to be feeling for other people. What about a passion for God's calling for you? Not in any broad save the world sense, but for you specifically. A "Mission's Sunday" years ago, I took to heart this simple truth, you've been given a passion, and that's where God intends to use you because it's the point of your greatest impact.

Simply your passion is your purpose. Don't know your's? That's okay considering some of us don't even know what courses to take next semester. However, I know you'll have a moment, a realization, one of those "light bulbs" in which you find yourself saying "Wait a minute, that's it! Whoa, did I just say that?" I know that sounds so cheesy, and all that, but it's not. I promise there will come a time when you find yourself feeling different - it comes across in how you feel, how you talk and so on. And since I am the one blogging away, my passion? My passion is a little boy - who's picture I've had prominently displayed for the last 7 years, and the thousands of children like him, and the country they call home. It's been a passion that has seen it's light grow dim, but it's one I feel fanned as of late, and here's where "The Italian" fits in.

On Friday as I was leafing through the paper I found something that caught my attention, the movie review for the Italian - the review in 24hrs actually seems like one of the only ones where the person watching understood the gravity of the film.

If you haven't figured it all out yet, and know nothing about the movie, it isn't about an Italian at all, it's about a young Russian orphan's journey. I am asking you to please see it, I would if I could even pay for anyone who wanted to see it to, maybe when it comes out on DVD I'll do that... The being said, please go see it, it's currently at Tinseltown. Yes, the movie has an interesting story, but it overlays something so much more important, the reality of what Russia is. It's an ego, that is attempting to gesture a dead carcass of a country into an Industrialized format and it can't, it's rotten, too far gone, but because of our "need" for Russia to be an ally, we've ignored that they are much like our enemies - with human rights atrocities and system of care far worse that any thing we, in North America can fathom. My dad asked me if it was realistic as we were standing waiting for the elevator, and my response, not near enough, it's good, but sterile. While I would love to go on and talk about the situation in Russia, I want you to see the movie, maybe get an understanding - see why organizations like New Manna are a source of hope and love in a country that doesn't know what to do outside of the militaristic control of dictatorship aka as "communism."

Want to know more about Russian orphans? http://www.newmanna.org/site/index.html