Ramblings along the narrow way

After a day where my greatest achievement was replacing a shower tube, I spent the evening round my sister’s playing poker with her husband and some friends. I say playing poker, but I do wonder. It would appear that men require some activity to be happening, rather than just visit each other socially. Women seem to have no problem just visiting each other, without having to manufacture an activity as an excuse. I actually was more interested in playing poker, rather than be social, but that’s just me. Saying that, it was good to catch up, even though I lost.

Almost All Hobbes You are 10% Calvin and 90% Hobbes

You’re a clever tiger with a dash of little boy. A bit pessimistic about human nature, you think most people would be better as meals than as friends, and maybe you’re right. At least, I’ve known several guys who fit that description. But your cannabalistic streak notwithstanding, you’re a sensitive, (mostly) patient, and supportive friend. You have a few wild ideas here and there, but over all, you’re quite sensible. Finally, my guess is you’re the kind of person who gets along well with others, but who really needs space to be alone, like me.

My test tracked 2 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 0% on calvin You scored higher than 97% on hobbes

Link: The Calvin Or Hobbes Test written by gwendolynbooks on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Everything was all a bit new this evening. Played some snooker with a work colleague this evening – with whom I’d never played, at the Riley’s snooker club in Staines – where I’d never been before, with a cue I’d never used before – the tip fell off my cue, so I had to use a house cue. Fortunately, Ed was a little rusty as well so we had three close frames, eventually ending 2-1 in his favour.

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
This took place to fulfil what was spoken through the prophet:
“Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'”
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” Mt 21:1-11 (NIV)

Spent the evening celebrating the birthday of Sarah. Those of you who read this blog regularly, or know Sarah in the flesh (so to speak), will know that Sarah is a very generous self-denying person, and so it was great to be able to make her the centre of attention for an evening. I think she might’ve even enjoyed it. 🙂

Whilst the bible is special to Christians the world over, it would seem that the bible also has a special place in literature for non-Christians. It is possibly the only book which takes considerable, and constant, battering from the ideas and mythologies of the world. Of course this is nothing new, as this is what the Gnostics did, producing “gospels” with differing accounts to those of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John a century after Jesus’ death and resurrection. The recent discovery of the Gospel of Judas is no exception. Ireneaus, a prominent Christian at the time these differing accounts were produced had no problem discounting them.

Irenaeus, an early Christian bishop, denounced it as heretical. He declared that, of the many gospels circulating at that time, just four should be recognised – those of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The Times, April 07, 2006

Whilst the major discrepancies between the Gospel of Judas and the four Irenaeus accepted could be put down to differing opinions, looking closer at the text reveals the discrepancies of the Gospel of Judas to life in the 1st century. As quoted in The Times, Simon Gathercole puts it this way

“The so-called Gospel of Judas is certainly an ancient text, but not ancient enough to tell us anything new. It contains religious themes which are completely alien to the 1st-century world of Jesus and Judas, but which did become popular later, in the 2nd century. An analogy would be finding a speech claiming to be written by Queen Victoria, in which she talked about The Lord of the Rings and her CD collection.”The Times, April 07, 2006

In a way, inaccurate writings, such as the Gospel of Judas, just show how accurate and historical the bible is, however much people dislike it. Whilst the remains of many Gnostic writings few and far between, are dated centuries after the event, written by people who were far removed from the events, the New Testament can be shown to be written by witnesses to the events within decades and there are numerous remains of fragments and even whole codices.

Maybe this new found interest in biblical accuracy stirred up by the book, The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown, might cause people to think about these things seriously? They might realise the bible stands up to historical investigation and comes out with a glowing report, with a good case for for it being historical fact, rather than just coming across as another great work of fiction. If they came across a volume containing the accounts, by many separate individuals, of the greatest event in all history, surely it would demand their attention? Then again, maybe people just ignore the bible because they fear what it might say, or of those who have looked into it maybe they just don’t like its message?

I think I’ve identified the trickiest thing about trying to learn the violin as a competant pianist. Reading the basic notes is simple – there’s only one line compared to reading multiple lines for the piano. Playing all notes on just four strings takes a bit of practise, but is achievable – whilst both hands are in use, they are working together to produce one note most of the time! Shifting isn’t too tricky, it’s no different from taking your hands completely on the piano keyboard and landing an octave higher, you even get to keep your finger on the string and slide to the new position.

A slightly tricky thing to learn was the extra musical notation I have to keep track of. It took a while to get used to the up and down bow markings, but it eventually sunk in.

The most difficult part is the slurring! On the piano, you read slurs for phrasing purposes. On the violin, they actually have technical meaning – you are supposed to play slurred notes in one bow movement! If I could just embed the significance of this into my mind when reading the music, I’d be OK! For some reason though, I find it difficult to take note of them…

As Jesus travelled around Judaea, he met all kinds of people, many who became followers. Those who followed weren’t all respectable people though.

Amongst those was Matthew the publican (civil servant), more specifically a tax collector, a man despised by many of his fellow Jews because he worked for the occupying Imperial Roman powers.

By leaving his booth that he might dine with Jesus, Matthew was putting himself last, as he would deprive himself of income.

Jesus was happy to accept him though, to forgive him his sins and to dine with him. The Jewish establishment of the day, the Pharisees, were astounded that Jesus would eat with such ‘sinners’, without realising that they themselves were sinners instead being self-righteous.

Jesus responded by saying that he had come to save sinners. Indeed his disciples would be comprised of a tax collector who worked for the Romans, and a freedom fighting Zealot – both who were changed by Jesus’ power and who would consider themselves brothers.

How often do we think that someone is beyond saving? Yet, Jesus will save who he will save, and no one is beyond his power. Regardless of their ideology, culture, ethnicity or even attitude.

Had an interesting game of Diplomacy this evening, with five other seasoned players and one newbie. Alas, the newbie had drawn Russia, and I’d not picked Germany or Italy, which was a good start.
The game progressed with England and France allying, and Turkey and Austria-Hungary allying. It became clear that any country not in one of the two main alliances was doomed to be carved up, as England and France carved up Germany, Austria-Hungary took out Italy and Turkey poked Russia in the southern ribs.
Alas, an oversight on my part meant I forgot to build a unit when I could and left Brest open to English incursion, leading to the downfall of France and an eventual victory for England.

Went walking on the North Downs today with some other bods from church. We started off at Newlands Corner, walked down to Shere and then back up again. Usually, I wouldn’t have had a problem keeping up, but I think I’m still in recovery as I am now rather knackered! A good opportunity to see the wonders of creation and get some fresh air though!

Q: Which is the seventh commandment?
A: The seventh commandment is, Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Q: What is required in the seventh commandment?
A: The seventh commandment requireth the preservation of our own, and our neighbour’s chastity, in heart, speech, and behaviour.

Q: What is forbidden in the seventh commandment?
A: The seventh commandment forbiddeth all unchaste thoughts, words, and actions.

(Questions LXX, LXXI and LXXII from the Westminster Shorter Catechism.)

I do seem to be going through a lot of pieces on the violin these days. It might be worth getting pieces from the library to learn than to buy books, but unfortunately my local library is a bit small. Currently learning the Rondeau from Purcell’s Abdelazar which is really rather cool. (You’ll probably more familiar with it’s use as the theme to Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.) Also trying to learn the Neapolitan Song from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, which might be cool as well, but it’s rather difficult!

Well, the Monday night football with my work colleagues is coming to an end. I’ll miss the regular opportunity for exercise, as well as the exposure to danger – mostly from harsh language, but occassionally from the odd heavy tackle! Saying that, it has improved my fitness and stamina, which should hopefully be sustained with the football I play on a Saturday now.

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 1 Jn 1:5

God is holy and just, he can be trusted in all things for there is nothing in him which is deceitful. It is this holiness which makes heaven, heaven, and this same holiness which makes hell, hell. For those who trust Jesus Christ to take away their sin will be able to stand in that holiness and enjoy it, but those who cling to their sin will find that same holiness causes them pain and suffering.

If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth…If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 1 Jn 1:6,8

If we have put out faith in Jesus Christ, the Spirit will work in us and cause up to become more like Christ. We will live more and more according to the word of God and will avoid that which is contrary to the word of God more and more. This is not to say that if we put our faith in Jesus Christ that we will be sinless in this life. Our old sinful nature still contends with the Spirit within us.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin…If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 Jn 1:7,9

Yet, if we have faith in Jesus Christ, he will cleanse us from all sin that we might be spotless in the presence of God. We will want to be around those who have also trusted in Christ, and when we sin, which we shall surely do this side of death, if we honest about them before God and others, he will deal with them.

Well, after a week of feeling a little rough, I decided against travelling half-way across the country and back again in one day. Instead, Sarah had twigged I wouldn’t be doing anything so asked if I wanted to go to a talk by Paul Taylor from Answers in Genesis at Hatfield Evangelical Baptist Church. Whilst I’m not a supreme fan of the AIG lot (ask me, and I might explain), I’m certainly no evolutionist, so I thought it would be interesting to find out what’s new on the creation/evolution debate. I came away with very little new information. This isn’t to say the exisiting information was bad – I just knew it already. I knew that evolution relied on a few suppositions, such as a very old earth (approximately 4.6 billion years old) and a necessity for a lot of beneficial genetic mutation, which a lot of the evidence didn’t support.

I did away with something new though. There has been found to be carbon-14 in coal. Now, according to evolutionary theory, coal was formed millions of years ago from dead plant material in mangrove swamps. However, carbon-14 has a very short half-life (relatively speaking) and only takes about 50,000 years to complete decay to carbon-12. The significance of this is that for carbon-14 to exist in this coal, it has to be less than 50,000 years old. The coal cannot be millions of years old. There you go.

Anyway, after two talks, we headed back to Sarah’s and sat around and chatted until we realised the time. A nice relaxing and slightly educational end to the week.