On Being Thick Skinned
Okay when you look at my picture one could easily say that I am "Fat Skinned", what am I talking about?
Who's the girl in an open faced Hajib?
Well...
I had this pic taken in Ephesus, Turkey. (2014) standing beside a pretty girl from Qatar.
Okay...?
Well, It is just that the other day I heard of someone leaving the church and very possibly their faith because someone else in the Eldership had criticized their preaching and particular bend on Theology, something they both considered radical.
(One for the positive the other the negative, and then this is subjective as well)
Give me a break.
Running away because you're thin skinned, can't take the heat, you got criticized for what you believe.
How many people have given me the gears for my Theology, something I think is very radical (especially with what's happening in the world today)
Being a Non-Resistant, Anabaptist, Mennonite, Pacifist.
(thinking Peace is the only answer)
Then compounding that by simply telling me I'm a Jerk, a non conformist, always in your face on opinion, the worst fat.
(okay maybe on fat they would be correct they are correct),
but...
I'm not running away, not taking their personal dislike or negative consideration of me and what I believe, personal!
What you think of me doesn't alter my relationship with Christ one iota. and then leaving the church. Don't families often fight and argue, call each other names. (don't forget I'm also on Facebook).
Plus, I already do jeopardize my own relationships on my own, but I wander... (no pun intended)
So what has this got to do with the pic of the pretty girl from Qatar?
It's because I think she's "thick skinned", radical.
1. Having her pic taken, 2. With a man, 3. who isn't Muslim,
4. and definitely not my wife, Lorna's just up from me here. (I'm not Muslim so only one wife for me)
5. could receive crap for it if found out (I'm counting of no Qatar followers of my blog)
She took a risk being different from her spiritual community, radical and isn't that what we should all be "different", radical even it is what I would think was only a small little pic, she thot it as huge.
She came to me and asked if I had a problem taking a pic with her! Giant leap for a Muslim girl, (only thing I couldn't do was put my arm around her shoulder.)
Moving the world forward one inch at a time
I would say that if you wish to be radical also be thick skinned.
Don't run from even the severest of criticism.
(This girl is a huge candidate for such criticism).
If people had caved, been thin skinned, 120 years ago there wouldn't be any Mennonite Brethren or 500 years ago no Anabaptists.
Oh yes, I think being thick skinned is just another way of saying, get a set of "cohunes" even if its figurative as in the girls case.
You're not radical no matter the subject, if you wilt from criticism
... But then again that is only my opinion!
p.s. Wasn't the Apostles Paul and Timothy also radicals, possibly on this very spot where I'm standing.)
On the Teachers Strike
Okay so they are striking, not good but their right.
They have a number of issues that seem legit to me.
I particularly agree with the issue of special needs student ratios in a given class.
Maybe even an increase in pay.
Not with class sizes, I think they can be bigger,
However, this is where I am drawing my line
I'm hearing from many of my Christian Teacher friends about how awful the Govt. is being to them.
The Govt. is holding the kids hostage
The Politicos are not bargaining in good faith.
As a matter of fact they are being sneaky and underhanded
That the current Education Minister is a jerk, mean, sticking it to the Teachers.
My problem however, is that I personally know the education minister.
He's a close friend of much of my family
He has been in politics for years, knows how the system works
oh yes, He's a fine Christian guy, with great integrity, honest as they come.
How do I know, because I took the time to get to know him, over the last 15 years.
(p.s. I also know Christy Clark, she isn't the witch that everyone paints her to be)
So if I'm to throw my support behind one side or the other, I'll choose the Govt. just because the Union is using mean underhanded sneaky comments to bring down a guy who I am sure prays for them daily.
(does the union pray for Peter and the govt.)
No matter the legitimacy of the issues, they are lost on me when their rhetoric is unfounded and with out substantiation. Show me the evidence of such behaviour.
(yes union you have made a lot of accusations but never have presented the underlying evidence)
I can understand the secularists speaking as such, but the Christians, come on now, what happened to praying for your govt. even in adversity.
Coming to an agreement with your adversary as you come into the court (as this is where it is going to go).
Making up mean rhetoric doesn't sound much like the Christian Teachers are doing much praying.
But then again that is only my opinion
