Who was the most ignorant American you have ever met?

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I'm generalizing to open so as to set the context:

Australians, perhaps like other countries, stereotypically consider American tourists in Australia as loud and slightly obnoxious. At Australian tourist attractions you see the Americans spending more time looking through a camera view-finder than absorbing the ambience.

Rainbow lorikeet

Now to the setting:

To the west of Sydney, Australia is a mountain range that runs to a North South alignment from the southern tip of the continent through to the northern tip of the continent. It is called the Great Dividing Range. The part of the Great Dividing Range immediately west of Sydney is called the Blue Mountains. It is called the Blue Mountains as the trees release oil on extremely hot days and the oil creates a blue haze from a distance.

Within the Blue Mountains there is a popular tourist attraction called the Three Sisters. The Three Sisters are three outcrops of sandstone rocks. They are named the Three Sisters from an indigenous Australian story about three sisters that were turned into stone. Tourists view the Three Sisters from a series of platforms. There is a drop from the platforms to a valley floor. I image the drop exceeds 300 feet (think Grand Canyon but with a carpet of green tree tops as far as the eye can see).

At the Three Sisters is a tourist information center that is perched out onto the drop to the valley floor. The tourist information center has broad windows that give a scenic view of the valley. Tall trees tower up to the height of the windows.

In the Blue Mountains there are many varieties of Australian Native birds. This includes many parrots, galahs, cockatoos, kookaburras, lorikeets, rosellas and more. Many of these birds have very colorful plumage with bright oranges, reds and yellows common. The birds tend not to be too shy of humans.

The tourist information center includes bird feeders that sit out beyond the windows. The staff fill the feeders with seed each morning. I remember there being four of these feeders and each could fit about ten birds at a time.

Now to the scene:

I stood at the window of the tourist information center one day to watch the birds. I quickly counted eighteen different species amongst the birds that were freely coming and going and concluded that there was probably more species than I had counted. My mind was to how there was probably up to one hundred birds in the immediate vicinity. The wild birds could freely come and go and like most Australian native birds they fed at a number of locations on any given day.

So, I hope you have got that - the birds were numerous and they were freely coming and going from the bird feeders.

An American woman arrived beside me. She was wearing a fresh t-shirt that had a popular Sydney logo on the front which told me that she was probably only just off an airplane the previous day. She bustled in and quickly took about ten photographs of the birds. She possibly did not look beyond the birds to view the valley. As her husband joined her they both stopped to take in the bird feeders and the comings-and-goings of the numerous colorful species. She then turned to go as rushed as she had come. Before leaving she made a pronouncement at volume that everyone in the tourist information center heard:

"These Australians are so stupid, they should put those birds in a cage."

Book review: The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Philip Yancey in a book; Soul Survivor, How my Faith Survived the Church, identifies how reading can sometimes deliver a message powerfully.  In reading some Christian titles Yancey recalls how:

"I felt the power that allows one human mind to penetrate another with no intermediary but a piece of flattened wood pulp.  I saw that writing could seep into crevices, bringing spiritual oxygen to people trapped in air-tight boxes". page 7, 2001, paperback. 

In reading The Cost of Discipleship I have experienced that power.  Bonhoeffer speaks wonderfully across the Christian communion.  Bonhoeffer is as relevant today as when he was writing the book in the 1930s.

Bonhoeffer’s book The Cost of Discipleship stands out in two ways.  Firstly, in the opening chapter; Costly Grace, and, secondly in the extended consideration of the Sermon on the Mount. 

Bonhoeffer is at his most ardent in the book’s opening chapter.  Bonhoeffer is making a passionate plea to the church.  He begs the church to take great care.  The church need ensure that God’s grace is dispensed respectfully.  At risk, is a cheap dispensation of the grace – preaching of God’s forgiveness where the hearer is not obliged to repentance.  Bonhoeffer’s warning is to the church yet the warning has application to people who hear the church’s message. 

The hearer need understand that offer of grace requires a response of the hearer.  It is in this way that grace is costly grace.  The hearer should respond with a genuine change of heart.  A person who has such a change of heart will willingly be yoked to Jesus as a follower.  Once yoked to Jesus the hearer willingly serves as a disciple in fulfilment of the ongoing mission of Christ’s people in the world.

Bonhoeffer’s extended consideration of the Sermon on the Mount – from the Gospel of Matthew – is a very worthy read.  Bonhoeffer identifies how Jesus employs the sermon as a way of heralding in his kingdom.  Perhaps, the heralding of the kingdom is exhibited best in Bonhoeffer consideration of a single verse – from Matthew 5:4:

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” 

Matthew 5:4 NIV

Bonhoeffer identifies that it is the disciples who will mourn the world and the ways of the world.  The disciples will mourn as they know that much more awaits the disciples in their eternal lives.  The disciples will also mourn because not everyone will heed God’s call to a repentant life.  They will mourn in yearning, as God does, for all men to be part of Christ’s kingdom.  And, in their mourning God will provide them their joyous eternal comfort.

 

I encourage you to read The Cost of Discipleship.  If pressed for time please consider reaching for the book to read just its first powerful chapter.  It may change your life!

 

Shalom, Ozhamada

The sun buckled pavers

On a Lane Cove day that reached 39 degrees Celsius buckling of paving and drainage grate materials was noticed.  The day was the second of similar temperature.  The buckling occurred on the Epping Road bridge crossing Stringybark Creek.  In particular the observation was on the western side of the road (or the Epping bound side of the road).  For an image of the location observe this Google Map image of expansion joint.

 

Here is a photograph of the expansion joint.  

 

The expansion joint was effectively closed.  The expansion joint at the other side of the bridge - the city bound side - was also effectively closed.  The difference between the gap in this photograph and the one in the Google Map is probably about 50 millimetres.  Therefore, the bridge has probably expanded by 100 millimetres.  One presumes that the Google Map image was taken on a cooler day.  The Google Map image is dated to November 2016.  November 2016 average temperature for Lane Cove was 24 degree Celsius.

A drainage grate that was set within the pavement adjoining the road:



and pavers had also lifted:

A bicycle path runs through the area of the lifted drainage grate.  Indeed, the grate marks the distinction between the Epping bound cycle lane and the City bound cycle lane.  Take care if cycling by!


Shalom,

Ozhamada

 

Note: Links good as at 11 November 2017.  I took these photographs on route to a bush food foraging experience.  See this linked post.

Church playing games

“All of us have witnessed some pretty amazingly ridiculous interpretations of Scripture, undertaken by well-meaning folk who are not much used to disciplined reading of any texts. When biblical scholars engage in the same game, of course, our tools are much more sophisticated. But make no mistake: many of us really do continue to play the game.” 

The Trials of Biblical Interpretation – Don Carson

The church is playing the game that Carson speaks of.  It is playing the game in respect to homosexuality. 

It is playing the game in disciplining itself – not, humbly, to the identity of Christ – but, pretentiously, to individuals who custom their identity on sexuality.  It is playing the game by splitting hairs as to the Bible’s whole canonical message of homosexuality.  The splitting – as if such a split was merited at all – is of bad homosexuality; promiscuity - from good homosexuality; celibate same sex attraction.  [And the church knows that tacitly it is supporting promiscuity if it first supports celibate same sex attraction].

The game playing church will one day tragedise the game so that bad homosexuality is not bad any more.  Indeed, the church, in parts, has already made that leap. 

“We’ve attained the game’s topmost prize”, they say, 

“come see our openly homosexual clergy”.  

It is an insidious game with Orwellian tones.  Just as the Ninety-Eighty-Four novel had identified catchphrases such as “War is Peace” and “Freedom is Slavery”, the game has catchphrases such as “to endure we must be more inclusive”.

It is a lazy game because it adopts a worldly air in recognising that homosexuals number in most congregant’s families (‘best not offend’).  It is a laconic game because it is resigned to the Australian Government’s broadening of the legal definition of marriage.  It is a cagey game as the church has had failed attempts at homosexual restorative therapies and other such practices (‘pray the gay away’).

It is a devolution game as the church is playing the hand of the cultural Marxists and/or the libertarians and/or the humanists – the church first having failed to educate congregants to the artifices of such worldly influences.

It is a treacherous game that only serves to make the church more like the world.  It is a game of despicable betrayal as the church snubs those that built up the church in favour of those who, once brought into the fold, will only aid the church in its demise.  It is the cheap grace as identified by Bonhoeffer – the church selling grace on the market “like cheapjack’s wares”.

It is a deplorable game as the church should stand and plea homosexuality be seen for what it is. 

And homosexuality; in all its forms, is sin.

"I thought of a rather cruel trick I once played on a wasp. He was sucking jam on my plate, and I cut him in half. He paid no attention, merely went on with his meal, while a tiny stream of jam tricked out of his oesophagus. Only when he tried to fly away did he grasp the dreadful thing that had happened to him. It is the same with modern man. The thing that has been cut away is his soul."

George Orwell

Shalom,

Ozhamada

Note 1: This is intentionally written as "elder brother".  It is written as a foil to those with liberal views.  It is not intended to be pastoral.  We are caught between the truth and the relative truth - these are the times. Approach Christ with open palms, not clenched fists.

Note 2: All links good as at 18 October 2016

Note 3: Here is a wonderful link to a story of redemption. The beauty of this story is that the women's emergence from homosexuality came from in-depth absorption of the Bible. 

Book review Chic-lit

Book review, Conditioned to Death, by C. K. Cambray

It was a rare moment that drove me to chick-lit.  This piece of chick-lit was in a special genre all of its own as it also serves as a murder mystery.

The protagonist, Dawn Gray, is a co-owner of a downtown U.S. health club.  Two accidental deaths within the club premises are quickly followed by three murders.  Along the way Dawn is threatened with death, subject to violence and proposed offers of ownership buy-out.  Dawn’s paramour count accumulates as fast as the death rate.  One-by-one the paramours met every possible variety: the wealthy one, the skinny Buddhist influenced masseur, and the giant body builder.

By about three quarters of the way through the book I was compelled to keep reading only to know who copped it first.  Would the health club fail from the steady departure of members who feared for their own lives amidst the murders?  Would Dawn finally meet the perfect man and sail off into the sunset? Would the hulk of the body builder crack the skinny masseur’s skull?  Then there was the plod, who seemingly followed every lead yet never found a culprit.  Would the lieutenant reach a solution by the end of the book?

Dawn, with her multiple romances, her suspect-everyone-mind, and her perfect-gym-toned-body-but-poor-business-acumen struck me as an impeccable Trump voter.  She certainly would have voted to Brexit.

The book was published in 1992, the year that U.S. President George H. W. Bush fell violently ill at a state dinner in Japan.  It was the year that U.S.Vice President Dan Quayle erroneously corrects a student's spelling of the word potato, indicating it should have an e at the end.  In amongst such monumental events, the suffering of a fictional U.S. health club would hardly have caused a ripple.

Shalom,

Ozhamada

All links good 30 June 2016

Make a friend of a weed Purslane

Everyone seems to be talking about the Paleo Diet.  They are even sharing Paleo Diet jokes:

"I'm on the Paleo Diet, it is just that I'm the caveman who
 discovered Snickers Bars"

"How do you know if someone east Paleo? Don't worry they will tell you."

Warrigal greens (top) and cooked purslane

One thing you do learn from Paleo Diet is that where man once ate Omega 3 fatty acids in a ratio of 1:1 with Omega 6 fatty acids, the ratio is now something like 1:40.  That's a lot of Omega 6 at the expense of Omega 3.

Okay, so where do you get Omega 3s so you can balance your diet?  A weed, which is probably growing in your backyard, or within walking distance of your home, contains more Omega 3 fatty acids than any other known plant in the universe.  The weed is called purslane.

Huge patch of purslane found at Albury airport

For those in Sydney, purslane can be found on a handy wild food map.  I used the map to locate purslane in Bella Vista.

At Bella Vista purslane was happily growing in red chip bark.

While the stems are edible I choose to simply strip the leaves. I steep these in boiling water for three minutes before rinsing with cold water. Drain water before serving. By steeping them you remove excessive oxalic acid. I then serve them with a stir fry giving those at the table the option to sprinkle some of the purslane over their stir fry.   Pick purslane after noon as the plant generates an acid - malic acid - overnight to help kickstart the photosynthesis process in the morning.  By noon the malic acid is used up. Malic acid gives a sour taste.  If you have ever eaten sour lollies, like sour worms, then you've had malic acid.

Immediately near this location is the Woolworths Headquarters. Picking purslane from outside their office puts a new meaning to their marketing tagline "Fresh food people".

When picking weeds ensure that the weed:

1. Has not been sprayed with weed killer.
2. Is not subject to people or animal traffic of faecas.
3. Is free of any insect invasion.

There are a list of nutritional benefits of purslane listed on this link.  Purslane has been used in treating Multiple Sclerosis.

Shalom,
Ozhamada

P.S. there is one Sydney greengrocer that sells purslane.  Chooks love purslane and the Omega 3 passes through to their eggs.  I has been observed that chooks let loose on a new paddock will flock to purslane before any other food.  I've received fantastic feedback on this post including an understanding that Purslane is available in Cabramatta markets and that Chinese people consume it both for its digestive benefits and in addition as a medicine.

All links up-to-date at 25 February 2016

#foraging #wildfood

In the silence

Two portions of the Bible, one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament, have a common thread.  They both speak of indecisiveness or inaction.  Through indecision or inaction evil runs rampant. 

In 1 Kings 18:21-22 Elijah tests the people with an either/or proposition.  Elijah’s test is one in logic.  The test requires an outcome of either follow God, or follow Baal.  God and Baal are incompatible – one is the antithesis of the other.  To that end, the test is one of polemic extremes – light or dark, hot or cold, heaven or hell:

“Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing.”

The people could not choose.  They were indecisive and impassionate. Their spirituality suffered and society suffered because of pluralism. 


In Matthew 21:24-27 Jesus tests the Chief Priests and Elders with an either/or proposition. The test is one in logic.  The test requires one of two outcomes. Both outcomes are unattractive to the Chief Priests and Elders:

“Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me,  I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.  John's baptism - where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?"  They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say. 'From heaven', he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' But if we say, 'Of human origin' - we are afraid of these people, for they all hold that John was a prophet." So they answered Jesus, "We don't know".

The answer: “We don’t know” is almost interchangeable with the silence that followed Elijah’s question.  Like the people of Elijah’s day the Chief Priests and Elders were indecisive and impassionate.  Jesus arguably would have perhaps preferred the wrong answer than a limp answer.  A wrong answer would at least identify that there was some passion whereas a limp answer functions as a protectionist maneuverer.  Indeed, Jesus would have perhaps preferred silence in that it would have bought mirth to him that Elijah’s question/and the people’s response was still pertinent to the very day.

The spirituality of the Chief Priests and Elders suffered and society suffered.  It was only by tearing down the temple and re-building it (John 2:19) that Jesus would set mankind straight.

Silence is often a poor response. It may be an indicator of sin of omission.  It does not allow all to be bought into the light (Ephesians 5:13).

Shalom,
Ozhamada