Monday, December 1, 2008
Charity:Water
More than 1 billion people living in the world are without something as basic as clean drinking water. Scott Harrison decided to do something about it and founded Charity:Water. Have a look at what they do, particularly the videos.
Justice (cont.)
Here are a couple of quotes from Relevant Magazine on this issue:
Brian McLaren: I believe these days it’s the economy, not the nation-state, that is driving the world. It would be good for people to consider the ways capitalism can become a form of idolatry, where markets are given godlike powers and people have an unwritten creed of salvation by consumption alone.One of the most powerful things the next generation of emerging Christians can do is be at the heart of a new global movement for ethical buying and fair trade. We can use the power of markets for good, just as they have been used for evil in so many ways—environmentally, socially and politically. It’s a question of the Kingdom of God—how would we expect economics to work in the Kingdom of God, as opposed to the systems of this world?
Cindy Jacobs: God has worked in this generation a desire to make the world a better place for all. This means grappling with issues of eliminating systemic poverty, taking care of the environment and living with each other in a kinder, more relational way.For this reason, I believe the question is, How much is enough? We need to make wealth to steward it to create jobs, help single moms, the elderly and find ways to deal with the AIDS crisis. Our lifestyle should not be “me” centric, but “Kingdom of God” centric.
Brian McLaren: I believe these days it’s the economy, not the nation-state, that is driving the world. It would be good for people to consider the ways capitalism can become a form of idolatry, where markets are given godlike powers and people have an unwritten creed of salvation by consumption alone.One of the most powerful things the next generation of emerging Christians can do is be at the heart of a new global movement for ethical buying and fair trade. We can use the power of markets for good, just as they have been used for evil in so many ways—environmentally, socially and politically. It’s a question of the Kingdom of God—how would we expect economics to work in the Kingdom of God, as opposed to the systems of this world?
Cindy Jacobs: God has worked in this generation a desire to make the world a better place for all. This means grappling with issues of eliminating systemic poverty, taking care of the environment and living with each other in a kinder, more relational way.For this reason, I believe the question is, How much is enough? We need to make wealth to steward it to create jobs, help single moms, the elderly and find ways to deal with the AIDS crisis. Our lifestyle should not be “me” centric, but “Kingdom of God” centric.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Justice cont.
What is justice?
Justice concerns the proper ordering of things and persons within a society.
We are to bring this proper order.We are to be bringers of justice
This is active!
It is possible that we are unjust without realising it.
I have just watched a movie called “Black Gold”. It is a documentary that explores the injustice created by the coffee industry. Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world behind oil. Despite the demand for coffee, the large coffee corporations ensure they pay as little as possible to coffee growers. They do this generally by keeping knowledge of trading practices from the growers and giving them no options but to sell at a price that keeps farmers in poverty.
Black Gold looks closely at the coffee industry in Ethiopia, and is well worth you watching (or even buying and giving to friends to watch). It chronicles the stories of farmers who are in generational poverty – poverty that could be reversed if the coffee cartels offered a fair price for the coffee. I think I worked out that it would cost us about an extra 50 cents a cup (at a cafe) to enable these farmers to have a reasonable level of income that enabled them to give an education to their children and sufficient food to eat. However, in order to maximise profits, these cartels keep many of these farmers in poverty.
This is where fair trade coffee comes in. Fair trade coffee is bought at a fair price that enables farmers to attain a reasonable standard of living. I have notice that generally it is no more expensive than coffee that is purchased at a price that literally destroys lives.
What can we do? Buy fair trade coffee. Ask your local cafe to stock fair trade coffee.
For all those smug non-coffee drinkers, this concept of fair trade does not just apply to coffee. Chocolate as well as many other products we buy can create injustice. The challenge to me and perhaps for you as well is to become aware of where what I buy comes from and who it affects.
But will it affect our wallet? Maybe.
Proverbs 16:8 Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice.
Justice concerns the proper ordering of things and persons within a society.
We are to bring this proper order.We are to be bringers of justice
This is active!
It is possible that we are unjust without realising it.
I have just watched a movie called “Black Gold”. It is a documentary that explores the injustice created by the coffee industry. Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world behind oil. Despite the demand for coffee, the large coffee corporations ensure they pay as little as possible to coffee growers. They do this generally by keeping knowledge of trading practices from the growers and giving them no options but to sell at a price that keeps farmers in poverty.
Black Gold looks closely at the coffee industry in Ethiopia, and is well worth you watching (or even buying and giving to friends to watch). It chronicles the stories of farmers who are in generational poverty – poverty that could be reversed if the coffee cartels offered a fair price for the coffee. I think I worked out that it would cost us about an extra 50 cents a cup (at a cafe) to enable these farmers to have a reasonable level of income that enabled them to give an education to their children and sufficient food to eat. However, in order to maximise profits, these cartels keep many of these farmers in poverty.
This is where fair trade coffee comes in. Fair trade coffee is bought at a fair price that enables farmers to attain a reasonable standard of living. I have notice that generally it is no more expensive than coffee that is purchased at a price that literally destroys lives.
What can we do? Buy fair trade coffee. Ask your local cafe to stock fair trade coffee.
For all those smug non-coffee drinkers, this concept of fair trade does not just apply to coffee. Chocolate as well as many other products we buy can create injustice. The challenge to me and perhaps for you as well is to become aware of where what I buy comes from and who it affects.
But will it affect our wallet? Maybe.
Proverbs 16:8 Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Justice
I have been pondering on concepts of Justice lately. One catalyst for this has been a movie called Black Gold about the injustice we can be part of unkowlingly through the coffee we buy. More about that later. Here are some thoughts from the Bible:
Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow.
Caring for the poor, the weak and the marginalized is central to the life of the Scriptures and its prophets.
God loves justice!
Psalms 33:5 The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.
Psalms 82:3-4
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless;
maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
Rescue the weak and needy:
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
Micah 6:8 8
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Jesus was focussed on Justice
Matt 12:18-21
Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope.
Jesus also taught on it.
Matthew 23:23
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.
We are charged to be justice-fighters for those who are unable to set things right on their own. Do we believe in these verses, not simply as words but rather a way of life?
Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow.
Caring for the poor, the weak and the marginalized is central to the life of the Scriptures and its prophets.
God loves justice!
Psalms 33:5 The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.
Psalms 82:3-4
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless;
maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
Rescue the weak and needy:
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
Micah 6:8 8
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Jesus was focussed on Justice
Matt 12:18-21
Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope.
Jesus also taught on it.
Matthew 23:23
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.
We are charged to be justice-fighters for those who are unable to set things right on their own. Do we believe in these verses, not simply as words but rather a way of life?
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Pick up Lines
From Sideswipe, in the NZ Herald:
Organisers asked churchgoers for chat up lines that they had used, or that had been used on them, in a story about Christian dating workshops. Examples included:
"Now I know why Solomon had 700 wives. He never met you."
"Is this pew taken?"
"I just don't feel called to celibacy."
"You float my ark."
"I didn't believe in predestination until tonight."
"Is that a thinline, duo-tone, compact, ESV travel Bible in your pocket?"
"How many times do I have to walk around you before you fall for me?"
"The name is Will. God's Will.'
(source: Telegraph.co.uk)
Organisers asked churchgoers for chat up lines that they had used, or that had been used on them, in a story about Christian dating workshops. Examples included:
"Now I know why Solomon had 700 wives. He never met you."
"Is this pew taken?"
"I just don't feel called to celibacy."
"You float my ark."
"I didn't believe in predestination until tonight."
"Is that a thinline, duo-tone, compact, ESV travel Bible in your pocket?"
"How many times do I have to walk around you before you fall for me?"
"The name is Will. God's Will.'
(source: Telegraph.co.uk)
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