Christianity,Games and Ethics

Monday, February 22, 2010

Habits

Habits that business persons should follow.
1. Always Pray to God
2. Make work a Pleasure
3. Try new things (nothing ventured nothing gained)*
4. Have a positive Attitude
5. Be a Servant
6. Don’t be Prejudice
From these habits the one that really made an impact was number three “try new things, nothing ventured nothing gained” I think that’s real important. All too often I see people not wanting to venture from there safe zone .Its hard to get people to buy into something different they either shy away or just give up.
Coming here to school it’s really something new
1. Different Country (landscape ,no warm sunny beaches)
2. Different temperatures (much cooler, snow )
3. Different Culture(Halloween ,thanksgiving)
4. Different style of Driving (driving on the right not left)
5. Different school system
6. Different living conditions(apartments ,heating)
7. Different Church atmosphere
8. Different work ethics

And the list goes on, the thing is these things are in the venture and what’s gained is not only an education but something far greater far more expensive it’s a life experience. Most people don’t see the value of having life experiences I guess as we get older some of us do get better.
I value the life experiences and I think these help shape your personality .The more you have the more you understand the world around you. And these dinners have done that through them I have gained some life experienced that are unforgettable some tips and habits if used are life changing .If I hadn’t ventured into the dinner I would not have gained and such experience.

Early Years

What I saw in my early years was that wisdom is an experience and experience comes with time and time a relationship with God.

That’s all it is! The time we take in that relationship with God breeds an environment for wisdom. When I look at the wisdom literature the books of Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon these contain timeless experiences all derived from a relationship with God. What is real is that this relationship is one that is also intertwined with the relationship with others ‘no man/woman is an island “ and that’s what God intended that we learn from the people around us.

How does that relate to me today? It’s for me to be in the position to relate to my Family I can’t even see and family I am yet to see. Wisdom dictates that home is where the heart is and if that’s so then where ever I am is home (should be made to feel like home). That means my relationships should reflect that meaning, that is the meaning of been welcoming, kind, hospitable and in an attitude of Love.

What I’m doing is ongoing and it is depending on my heavenly Father for his guidance and this word (wisdom) to shape my life. The relationship I have with Him should reflect my relationship with the people around me.

Free Markets No!!!!

There is no such thing as a Free Market.

“The best things in life are Free” this is a quote we hear often but is it true? That’s the million dollar question. We hear of a free meal and free market but it’s not free at all not by a long shot. They are things that go into these free markets someone had to bear the cost. In the case of free markets this can simply mean the removal of government restrictions in relation to trade. Country X can feely exchange and move goods and services to Country Y this free movement seams well but it is at a cost .The question is a cost to whom?
Who is really affected, who bears the cost of “free”. With free markets it’s the unsuspecting consumer who has to makeup for the cost of the government providing.
1. Protection of free market conditions.
2. The condition of no Subsidies.
3. The condition of no Monopolies.
Someone has to pay, its like having friends over to a party hosted by you they don’t bring anything you provide the food, drink and venue. The preparation that goes into that party is of such that
1. There is a cost involve as you have to buy the food and drink.
2. There is a cost in transportation of the food items.
3. There is a cost in the preparation and cleanup of the party environment electrical cost, rental cost etc.
So the party is free to those that attend it but it was not really.
I can conclude that our world system is not based on anything that’s fee at all. The word free is used to point out that it’s not a cost to you but to someone else.
The presentation for me just reiterated that concept I’m made more aware that the quote “ The best thing in life is free “ is true someone paid so the you can have it fee that suggest that someone actually cared .The feeling of someone caring is the best thing (feeling )a person could ever have.

What is He Doing

What is He really doing? When we read the Bible it is possible to see that God wants to continue the things he has already started. The Egypt to which the Israelites were born was just a stepping stone to the place where God wanted to take them up to. The familiar is good but the unfamiliar is questionable. God wants to take you to a better place and if we take the time to look at the stages of our lives, with much patience we can see that the path gets better the closer we get (if we take the time to look and remember). Yes, there are sometimes bad patches along the way and that’s all that they are. Bad weather just like in the natural but there are far more days of sunshine ahead.

The thing is that we look at the negative and do not focus on the fact that God is the one leading us. If we look closely I’m sure we can see his cloud and his fire, see his manna and hear his voice its if we are listening. The thing is if we continue to look back at the past it will always haunt us until we face forward (the worship of the golden calf and the worship of baal of peor). Continuity is all about trusting God. Reversal is all about looking forward and not making the same mistakes. That’s what makes the difference and that’s what is comforting. That’s what will take the pain away. Continue to trust God and he will always reverse the struggles in our lives the moments when we want to look back we will quickly look forward.

As I write this journal it is clear to see there are far more good moments than bad, more sunshine than rain, though when it rains it’s for a while but not forever. The rain is just for a moment to prepare the earth for the many days of sunshine ahead. The blessings ahead are given through obedience, and obedience is forged through trust.

May God continue to enlighten and bless us as we journey form “Egypt” to the ‘Land” he has promised to you and me and my family.

History

When I hear the word history a few key words brainstorm in my mind .Words like past, back then, when I was younger, yesterday the list goes on. But rarely is the word history associated with the future. One of my countries musicians wrote a song with the lyrics “don’t know your past don’t know your future” and in some ways that’s true. The children of Israel when you look at their world the world that relate to Joshua, Judges, Ruth, first and second Samuel, first and second Kings, first and second Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and, Esther we see a progression a progression towards not knowing God to knowing God and for each chapter God is revealing himself more and more to the Israelites. This would spell happily ever after but in this case and in many cases no. In fact in most of the accounts the people forgot their past and their future was uncertain. They fell to the world and circumstances around them turning away from the one that was showing himself to them to things that were not so clear. God was right there with them he came as cloud, as fire, he moved he met with them showed signs and wonders yet the Israelites forgot and assumed that the grass was greener on the other side of the fence.
I look at my life and the life of others and I see the same thing happing today in terms of the progression and the history. God reveled himself to me some years ago as a small boy and since then he has been taking me forward. The thing is just as the Israelites had their idols I too have had mine in the form of the modern day attractions. Things like the television, computer the video games even the quest for a better education has gotten in the way of that solid relationship with God. Know your past know your future is important the things of the past keep coming at you and if you don’t pass that part of life‘s test it will return time and time again until you are finally able to over come that bad patch of your life. And the Israelites had this too it took them forty years to figure some things out and in some cases the legacy of the before generation impacted in the upcoming generation example in Joshua where the Israelites started to drive the people from the land it was because they started to trust and be faithful to God where as the previous generation were not successful in that area because of the lack of trust see the contrast in these chapters Joshua chapter 6 Jericho battle was successful because of trust and total obedience to God where as in chapter 7 the defeat at Ai was because of disobedience .
How does this all tie in the history of my life and that of Gods people the thing is its all about learning for your mistakes and constantly taking the and remembering the bath that you were always successful in the things of God. History has taught me that always act on the successes and success is where I am obedient to God .And been obedient God lifts me up and keeps me there .The challenge for me is to be obedient to God, it is difficult because I want to do my own things sometimes what help is when I look at the history and realize its better to be obedient and be blessed than to be disobedient and have to endure Gods punishment.

Keys To Living

Most often than not when we go to the dinner table the expectation is to receive food for the physical body and not necessarily the mind. But that is exactly what I got today food for both body and mind. Here are some keys to successes models that we can use in our every day living. These were presented as follows:

Do not restrict yourself –too often we limit ourselves to a particular mold or environment which can stifle or stunt the growth of one’s business.
Continue to learn and not just in a formal setting but from your friends as well for they can become the best teachers
Communications is most important but note that while communicating, the receiver controls everything. If the receiver is not listening then the message will never get across. Therefore, it is import to ensure active listening
Building relationships is important to life in general and the life of a business. A chain reaction happens when a friend tells a friend and that friend tells another and so on. There is strength and security in this process.
Good ethical and moral decision making is important. Many business fail today because of poor decision making practices.
Having the right attitude to life and work is important for the saying is true that goes, “We hire for attitude not aptitude.”
Conflict is inevitable and therefore cannot be avoided, but the best way to manage conflict is to get the facts. Seek to understand the sides of both parties. Try to see if a solution is possible so that both parties involve can win.

I look forward to the other events that are planned for this semester if they are anything like this one I am excited.

Spiritual Exercises or Just Games

4Based on personal experience, I can say with conviction that our life experiences shape us into the people we become. From the simple things like a class test or a test of faith to the tragic loss of a loved one and emotional distress; one can move, based on choice into places of faith and love. In the case of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, his wounding experience drove him to a time of rest and reading and it is through this experience that he has become one of the pivotal characters in church history.

According to Gary Gaudreau, Ignatius was born in “…in 1491 at Loyola in Spain. He spent his early years at court and as a soldier. Ignatius’ right shin had been shattered by a cannon ball at the battle of Pamplona. Not only was his leg shattered but for the twenty-nine year old Ignatius, his heart was torn open as well, knowing full well that he would not taste the glory of victory militarily that he had his initial sites on.”[1] Ignatius’ recovery from tragic wounds would influence his spiritual path and bring about the development of the Spiritual Exercises. Through his discovery of the life of Christ and the lives of the saints, Ignatius began to realize that the saints were not different but the same as he was in their humanity. Why could he not become like them in holiness? He thought and aspired to reach toward the consciousness of spiritual enlightenment. He thought “What if I should do what Saint Francis of Assisi or Saint Dominic did?” The whole recovery period along with the mental attitude of Ignatius was only a catalyst, convincing him that only God could bring peace to his soul. Meditating on the things of God only brought what he considered essentials: spiritual peace, joy whereas his deformity brought pain and hurt. But when he considered the things of the world he observes within himself a sense of temporary delight. All this convinced him that he needed to live his life in the model of the saints and full service to God.

This need to model after the saints and service to God challenged Ignatius to develop and document the “Spiritual Exercises” which consisted of the following typical methodology and structure, so that others would be able to follow along.

1. A way of understanding and living the human relationship with God in the world.

2. Designed to take place in the setting of a secluded retreat.

3. Within the Exercises, daily instructions include various meditations and contemplations on the nature of the world.

4. (One two and three above contain the details on setting the stage for prayers)

The Exercises is divided into "four weeks" of varying lengths with four major themes.

From a Spiritual viewpoint God and Satan are presented as active players in the world and in human consciousness. The main aim of the Exercises is to develop “discernment” between good and evil spirits. Bible stories, imagination and prayer are interwoven into the Exercises in an incredible way. With his vision of the Blessed Mother and later his trip to the Holy Land, Saint Ignatius began a trend that included deep spiritual formats into the Exercises. With four major themes: Sin, The life of Jesus, The Passion of Jesus and The Resurrection of Jesus making up the framework , these were then expanded in the form of the following: 1) Consideration of God's generosity and mercy , 2) Complex reality of human sin, 3) An imagining of the life and public ministry of Jesus,. 4) Of Jesus’ Resurrection, 5)Jesus’ ascension and the pouring-forth of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. 6) And Christ’s continued life in the world through the Spirit today and in the Messianic People called and commissioned to his cause.

The purpose therefore of these exercises is to present a formula of spirituality in a format of prayer exercises, thought experiments, and examinations of consciousness—designed to help a person usually with the aid of a spiritual director to experience a deeper conversion into life with God. They also allow our personal stories to be interpreted by being subsumed into an ongoing story that God himself began.

In his document, John J. Callahan[2] presents an explanation of the Spiritual Exercises but neither of which challenged me. The format (and language) was less than appealing to me and was not as interesting to read. Likewise, Randy Roche[3] took the same approach as Callahan. First off I do not support Ignatius’ steps. Though there may be merit for some spiritual direction, it is void of ensuring that Christ is the focus. Instead, the individual and their actions are the focus. Further, the exercises are steeped in methods and non biblical practices. For example, “Ignatius asks the pray-er to "see in the imagination" the angels misusing "the freedom God gave them," to visualize Adam and Eve in the Garden, and to picture the effects of one person's sin of hatred or neglect. In our time, Ignatius would invite the pray-er to "see" the results of sin, e.g., to feel the pain of ethnic hatred, to touch the horror of war, to breathe the killing smog of Eastern Europe.”

If you take this quote and compare it to any biblical passage nowhere in the bible does it ask for such exercises to reach “spiritual enlightenment?” The use of one’s imagination in this case provides a very dangerous practice as many people are exposed to so many different circumstances and therefore having in many cases, undesirable results. The question is how I can measure my own spiritual path and spiritual pilgrimage? I would say it’s based on the results of relationships with the people around me and with God.

This statement would seem obscure and shallow but it isn’t when it is mirrored with Matthew 22:34-40 (New International Version)

The Greatest Commandment

³⁴Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. ³⁵One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:

³⁶"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" ³⁷Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'^[a] ³⁸This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'^[b] ⁴⁰All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

In my opinion Callahan and Rohe both give the impression that the ‘Exercises’ should be embraced rather than giving you a comparison with what we should consider the ultimate yardstick which is the Bible.

Which brings me to the article by T.A. McMahon called “Contemplation Techniques for Youth?” With reference to The Exercises, he declares,

“Suppose you were introduced to a promotion promising a direct line of communication with the Creator of the universe. Let's say you're initially skeptical, but you also find the idea appealing. After all, who wouldn't want to be able to hear from and speak with God as though He were on one's cell phone? As you listen to the deal being pitched and peruse some of the literature, you realize that the key to this is the use of a Ouija board. You push the literature aside and head for the exit…. Ouija board is an instrument of divination, a device for contacting spirit entities, which the Bible explicitly condemns (Dt. 18:10)….., even though the diviner is sincerely attempting to contact God, the entities with which one ends up communicating are demons (posing as Jesus, God, angels, departed loved ones, aliens, gods, etc.).”

McMahon’s criticism of Ignatian spirituality is that he sees within it similarities of occult methodologies. He declares that “God has given His Word and His Holy Spirit to help discern what is of Him and what is not……. Under the guise of "spiritual exercises that invite direct experiences with God," and with the assurance that they are "classical forms of biblical meditation," growing numbers of our "church" kids are being led unwittingly into the occult.” I tend to agree with McMahon based on the facts copied throughout; I see where the Ignatian spirituality methods can lead to McMahon’s criticism and mine. One of the striking things is the fact that Mary the mother of Jesus has a part to play in all of this quote from Gary Gaudreau” Ignatius would soon be rewarded for his decision to follow Christ as did the saints, when one evening the Blessed Mother, holding the child Jesus in her arms appeared to him.” For me that is a bit farfetched.

This is where I’m challenged to critique and or deepen my spiritual pilgrimage. Unlike with the readings of Callahan and Rohe, McMahon gives me the option to weigh his extract with that of the Bible and the teachings of Ignatius. I am forced after reading McMahon to have the bible, Ignatius “spiritual exercises” and his article on the same space. Whereas I see Callahan and Roche regurgitate Ignatius teachings McMahon clarifies what the exercises are and this helps me to frame a better understanding of Ignatius’s work. “God has given His Word and His Holy Spirit to help discern what is of Him and what is not…”(McMahon). While I agree that the hope of getting closer to God is a good thing but at what cost at what method? And in reading the beginnings and the core teachings of the Ignatian Spirituality methods I have become weary of what would seem as merely surface methods but to a healthy Christian development.

[1] Gaudreau, Gary. Saint Ignatius of Loyola .Accessed February 18^th 2010

[2] Discovering a Sacred World: Ignatius Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises and Its Influence on Education,

[3] “Discernment in Everyday Life”