Freedom Beauty Truth

Those stupid, plastic-looking people in the posters on the wall of the "industry medical" doctors' office!! I can see them still, in my resentful mind's eye. Smiling down on me as I sat waiting for my "pre-employment" medical. Like some sort of work horse, in days gone by, having its teeth and legs checked for any health problems, defects..."Must get our money's worth from these little workers. Don't want any hassles or issues". The poster people are all perfect little workers, "professionals" - well groomed, smiling cheesy smiles, dressed according to their professions...and   vanilla.   So vanilla, so pastel, I want to puke. One's got a headset (call centre person, like I may be soon?) and another is typing away like a good little office amoeba. Erggg. And of course there's a man in a hard hat, and another...oh who cares - they are like clones of "the ideal system fodder" in various shades of pastel. Ergg...

Last week on the bus, I witnessed the driver losing his temper, quite spectacularly. So over-the-top, it seemed to me - but then I had no idea what the rest of his day, or his life, had been up to that point... A car tried to turn at the same time as the bus, by pushing its way into the far left lane - overtaking from the inside - and the bus driver cursed him loudly (through the door he had opened, to ensure all the other motorists and pedestrians could hear, and see his gestures). This went on for a few minutes, as all around us came to a stop to watch two grown men vent their frustrations on each other in this rather strange public display. I felt a bit sad about it all, but that didn't stop me feeling a bit amused, and judgemental, at the same time. yet how many times have I lost my temper, in situations that would seem ridiculous to a casual observer? Anyway, many buses later that day, I caught myself pushing in at the frantic semi-queue, which heaves and surges as...

...or will it? Obama's inauguration: a masterpiece of carefully crafted state propaganda...and the whole world lapped it up. It's a revolution, but a calm one - ever so civilised...co-opted? Is all this Obama-hysteria going to leave everyone with a big hangover one day soon, I wonder? For weeks the news has been saturated with Obama - his election, his plans, his inauguration...the world can't seem to get enough. The celeb-style President and his family have been on "Women's Day" and "Who Weekly" covers ever since... But this wonderful, hopeful feeling that seems to have taken hold across the world - I share it - what if it's all hype? Anyway, aren't we expecting more than is humanly possible, given the world's problems today, and the U.S. system - which is not as free as they like to tell themselves… I really hope it all goes well for Obama - that he does bring back some hope, some more unity and integrity and vision...but I can...

Thoughts on the pope's visit, human rights and the freedom to speak... I walked past the pope having breakfast today on my way to work. He was surrounded by many red mini-popes, but not much obvious security – it seemed as if I could easily have walked up to him and started a conversation. What would I have asked him? I wondered about this as I continued walking up the street, and nearly bumped into a group of students protesting about ‘victims of hope’ – I wasn’t sure what they meant exactly, but felt strangely tempted to tell them the pope was just around the corner, if they wanted to move their protest somewhere more noticeable…I resisted the urge, and continued through the grey streets in the chilly early morning – noticing the gradual build-up of fluoro-daypack wearing pilgrims filtering into Sydney’s CBD. What do they all hope to get out of this week? Are they ‘victims of hope’ too? Their youthful hope in such a materialistic, ostentatious religion seems to me misplace...

Why I believe in a Loving, Personal, Creator God 1. Design The argument for design is well-known in philosophical and other intellectual circles – it is the belief that the universe in all its complexity, order, and precision, could not have happened by chance and evolution alone. The more scientific knowledge we gain, the more it becomes apparent how little we really know about the hidden reasons and causes behind everything. The most honest scientist will admit that these questions cannot be solved by science, but must be left to the realm of metaphysics, philosophy and religion… We struggle to explain and predict aspects of even the material world through quantitative experiments and logical reasoning – let alone the spiritual and infinite dimensions beyond our reach. When I look at the ocean, or an underwater reef with its kaleidoscope of life, or a kitten at play, or stare into another person’s eyes, I cannot believe anything other than a magnificent and al...