Rugby League

I like soccer. But Rugby League is okay. Tonight I watched my first League game for a while. The Bulldogs (the team I go for) were denied a last-ditch win by a stupid decision by the video ref to the Dragons. Ah well… still a great game! As exciting as the game was, the news this week in the Rugby League world that will be remembered will be about 4 Corners, Matt Johns, “Claire” from Christchurch, half the Cronulla Sharks team and the ‘consensual’ sex romp they had in 2002. Most of the Australian bloggers I read have commented on it. Below is a snippet from Phillip Jensen on “League Hypocrisy”. It’s brilliant. Go read the whole thing in full.

This dude from the Bulldogs, Jamal Idris, was awesome!

“There used to be a saying that consenting adults can do whatever they like with and to each other. That is, until the problem of the rugby league players in Christchurch was aired on the Four Corners Show. The ethic of consent taught by the league’s ethical feminists does not understand the nature of human corruption. Under the right social pressure people will consent to all manner of harmful and damaging behaviour. […]

Some of the leaders of the code are saying that group sex, even when consensual, is wrong. Good on them. But the code’s ethics lecturer is saying anything is permissible provided it is with consent. She seems to have no problem with pornography – as if that industry is going to teach young men to “respect” women! […]

Men need to do better than respect women, or gain consent to use them or even accept their offers to be used. Men need to be taught the meaning of genuine love and the conquest of love over lust. For love does not use the other person but seeks what is in the other person’s best interest. If we want footballers to be role models of morality, a questionable confusion of categories caused by our media celebrity hype, they need to be shown how to enjoy a real and loving relationship of marriage and family life.”

Go read the whole thing in full. Seriously.

Rejoice in the Global Financial Crisis

Check out the way the early Christians (written to in Hebrews) responded in the face of a financial crisis: “32Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. 33Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.” (Hebrews 10:32-34)

rainbow @ beach

If you’re a Christian, your perspective in life is larger than the person who doesn’t follow Jesus. That’s why the Hebrew Christians were able to rejoice in their suffering – they knew they had a better and lasting possession in Jesus. I think that Christians likewise today are better placed to deal with financial catastrophes. Our hope isn’t in gold, silver, stocks, bonds, property or any stuff here and now – our hope is in the inheritance made secure through the resurrection of Jesus.

Rice Regenerate Praise May 16

Avid followers of this blog would know that I like RICE. I’m really excited how God is at work through this movement. This Saturday there’s some more RICE action up for grabs… and it’s not too late to get tickets for RICE REGENERATE PRAISE. Featuring Deb Fung and Trevor Hodge – it pomises to be the goods! Details below.

www.riceregenerate.org

The 2009 Regenerate PRAISE Night, ‘Surrender’ hopes to encourage this vision of renewal through the gathering of like-minded believers to engage in a deeper praise and worship of our awesome Father.  Consisting of congregational singing, musical items, testimonies, bible readings and more, our prayer is that God would use this night to transform lives through a reinvigorated desire and affection for Him.

Date: Saturday May 16th 2009
Time: 7pm – 9:30pm
Place: North Shore Christian Centre, 175 Lower Gibbs Street, Chatswood, NSW
Entry via Chatswood Business Park (Off Smith Street)  

Church History on iTunes U

iTunes U is gold! It’s a stack of tertiary institutions around the world that share their lectures and resources online through iTunes. (I’ve linked to it before: here and here).

church history on iTunes U

We’ve got a Church History essay due next Tuesday. Over the last few days, I’ve listened to a couple of relevant lectures that have been helpful for setting the context. They are from Covenant Theological Seminary: Reformation and Modern Church History. Reformed Theological Seminary also have a stack of lectures online.

This might be helpful for others doing the same essay. Not doing the essay? Open iTunes (download here), go into the iTunes Store, and there’s an iTunes U button in the top left corner – lots of treasures to be found!

A warm fuzzy for the 1st person with the name of chick in the above pic…