Finally decided to read "Pride and Prejudice" (Jane Austin) last night to find out why it was so popular among members of the "fairer sex". I've never seen the movie or read any other of the authors works. Any way downloaded a copy from Project Gutenberg and started reading it.
It's surprisingly good or to look at it another way it managed to keep me interested enough to finish it in one sitting, It wasn't as long as I thought it would be though I guess 6 hours reading is decent.
Any way back to the book the portrayal of the major characters is very well done as is the entire feel of the Society, an interesting look at early 19th century (I assume) English gentry.
Friday, June 24, 2005
Boredom = Bad
Thus after reading a certain blog
My #1 result for Five Love Languages of Gary Chapman, is
Quality Time
2nd)Acts of Service
3rd) Words of Affirmation
Touch, unsupprisingly was last by far!
My #1 result for Five Love Languages of Gary Chapman, is
Quality Time
2nd)Acts of Service
3rd) Words of Affirmation
Touch, unsupprisingly was last by far!
Thursday, June 23, 2005
Batman Begins?
Who'd be interested in going to see this movie sometime? The reviews I've read suggest it's quite good.
Speculum Conlectio update
Seeing most of you probably don't check Speculum Conlectio often I thought I'd better mention it's just been updated with a number of photo's taken by Matt and Paul at Katherine's 21st.
Also hopefully I'll manage to add some more photo's from the event taken by Alethea in the next couple of weeks.
As usual if you want high quality versions contact me or the people who took the photo's. Though with regards to Matt's ones it's probably easier to contact me.
Also hopefully I'll manage to add some more photo's from the event taken by Alethea in the next couple of weeks.
As usual if you want high quality versions contact me or the people who took the photo's. Though with regards to Matt's ones it's probably easier to contact me.
Faith
A recent testimony at church helped provide an interesting insight into my own faith and where I am in it.
The lady Discussed 3 phases that her faith had went through:
1) God is everywhere in every thing all around, faith with out knowledge with out question, innocent faith.
2) The loss of faith, faith weakened, questioned unknown, "My God, My God have you forsaken me"
3) Faith rekindled small, but strong slowly growing maturing, faith with reason.
That's not quite how she described her three steps but that is how I see them.
Looking at my own faith though there are some similarities.
The early faith was that that I had when I was a Child.
God is good, God is Love, God is the reason for all things, God saves me from hell, God is light God is life, Jesus my best friend, The bible unquestionable accurate and perfect. Christians are good people, god protects and looks after Christians.
This was the faith of a Child (6-10,11) having given one self to God it was strong and unquestioning, I think the commitment had a change at least on my public behaviour. Based years of bible stories, reading children's bibles, Bible in Schools, Bible Club, Sunday School (Brethren with a bit of Apostolic).
Next came faith with some reason. God is good, life and love. God forgives, God protects, God created the earth and the universe, the Bible accurate and near prefect pretty much literally. Christians are people and have people the same weaknesses as other people. The problems in the world are human based. It's better to be a Christian than not. Evolution and science wrong in some areas. Faith and religion not the same.
The faith of a teenager (11-18), a child growing up, finding Sunday School could no longer teach any more, discovering greater and greater diversity in Christian thought and circles, Attending a private Conservative Christian intermediate then a public coed high school. Starting to study and examine Science, History, Church History. Discussing things with Dad troubled by questions he raised to think about, arguing with friends at school about Christianity, Religion and Science. Gaining a deeper understanding of Science and History. Church hopping, attending a traditional style cell group. Disagreeing with other Christians in some areas agreeing in others. Reading more and more, learning more about our culture. Learning about politics and the world.
Next was "faith"? Can I, do I have faith? What do I have faith in?
Questions, always questions. Does God exist, can he exist, why do things happen, why do we exist? What is the world with out God what is our purpose if there is no God? Is this the true "faith"? Does it matter? One way to god? What is Heaven, what is Hell? What is death with out God? Is the bible all ways right? Is it the exact word of God? Is it a humans inadequate attempt to express the Divine? Genesis, fact? Historical fiction? or Story? Evolution or Creation, perhaps Intelligent design? Does one exclude the others? Social issues abortion, murder, crimes, victim and criminals place and rights?
The Question (18-19)? Still going to church, but wondering, questioning all that one sees. Going to Uni Studying Science, Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Computing. Questioning what was taught, but seeing underlying logic as well as holes. Mixing and merging ideas from all areas of interest Science and Christianity. Going to a cell group people who see black and white, I see grey and some black.
A new faith? Different, now things fit, small though, Questions still a plenty
Much is grey but now there is both Light and Darkness as well as they grey. Truth I may not know entirely, but some understanding achieved, such as a human may. Both Science and God now fit to a degree. God rules but free will for now has power. Heaven and hell of less importance. God IS! But what is the nature? What is the method?
The faith of one who has balanced internally at least to some degree the demands of two things that may appear to conflict (19- ). Involvement with CU, New friends, Christian Friends, Changing cell groups to my current.
The future? Growth of the faith a decrease in questions? Or more likely a decrease in the importance of the questions. An increase in the relationship with God, perhaps one day reaching a point were it dominates. Baptism, Hope for a future with God. Trust that in the end that which can not be explained, is not understood, will be explained or made irrelevant.
One thing I'll say with regards to the period of question, one thing there that scares me, more than pretty much any thing else is the question of "What if God doesn't exist"? Even contemplating that briefly is disturbing beyond anything else I've considered.
Any way what you see is part of the journey of one who has a faith of a kind. One raised in a Christian family.
I'm somewhat curious, if any one wants to comment, on how many others have experienced something similar, and if, if they don't mind me asking, they were raised in a Christian Family.
The lady Discussed 3 phases that her faith had went through:
1) God is everywhere in every thing all around, faith with out knowledge with out question, innocent faith.
2) The loss of faith, faith weakened, questioned unknown, "My God, My God have you forsaken me"
3) Faith rekindled small, but strong slowly growing maturing, faith with reason.
That's not quite how she described her three steps but that is how I see them.
Looking at my own faith though there are some similarities.
The early faith was that that I had when I was a Child.
God is good, God is Love, God is the reason for all things, God saves me from hell, God is light God is life, Jesus my best friend, The bible unquestionable accurate and perfect. Christians are good people, god protects and looks after Christians.
This was the faith of a Child (6-10,11) having given one self to God it was strong and unquestioning, I think the commitment had a change at least on my public behaviour. Based years of bible stories, reading children's bibles, Bible in Schools, Bible Club, Sunday School (Brethren with a bit of Apostolic).
Next came faith with some reason. God is good, life and love. God forgives, God protects, God created the earth and the universe, the Bible accurate and near prefect pretty much literally. Christians are people and have people the same weaknesses as other people. The problems in the world are human based. It's better to be a Christian than not. Evolution and science wrong in some areas. Faith and religion not the same.
The faith of a teenager (11-18), a child growing up, finding Sunday School could no longer teach any more, discovering greater and greater diversity in Christian thought and circles, Attending a private Conservative Christian intermediate then a public coed high school. Starting to study and examine Science, History, Church History. Discussing things with Dad troubled by questions he raised to think about, arguing with friends at school about Christianity, Religion and Science. Gaining a deeper understanding of Science and History. Church hopping, attending a traditional style cell group. Disagreeing with other Christians in some areas agreeing in others. Reading more and more, learning more about our culture. Learning about politics and the world.
Next was "faith"? Can I, do I have faith? What do I have faith in?
Questions, always questions. Does God exist, can he exist, why do things happen, why do we exist? What is the world with out God what is our purpose if there is no God? Is this the true "faith"? Does it matter? One way to god? What is Heaven, what is Hell? What is death with out God? Is the bible all ways right? Is it the exact word of God? Is it a humans inadequate attempt to express the Divine? Genesis, fact? Historical fiction? or Story? Evolution or Creation, perhaps Intelligent design? Does one exclude the others? Social issues abortion, murder, crimes, victim and criminals place and rights?
The Question (18-19)? Still going to church, but wondering, questioning all that one sees. Going to Uni Studying Science, Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Computing. Questioning what was taught, but seeing underlying logic as well as holes. Mixing and merging ideas from all areas of interest Science and Christianity. Going to a cell group people who see black and white, I see grey and some black.
A new faith? Different, now things fit, small though, Questions still a plenty
Much is grey but now there is both Light and Darkness as well as they grey. Truth I may not know entirely, but some understanding achieved, such as a human may. Both Science and God now fit to a degree. God rules but free will for now has power. Heaven and hell of less importance. God IS! But what is the nature? What is the method?
The faith of one who has balanced internally at least to some degree the demands of two things that may appear to conflict (19- ). Involvement with CU, New friends, Christian Friends, Changing cell groups to my current.
The future? Growth of the faith a decrease in questions? Or more likely a decrease in the importance of the questions. An increase in the relationship with God, perhaps one day reaching a point were it dominates. Baptism, Hope for a future with God. Trust that in the end that which can not be explained, is not understood, will be explained or made irrelevant.
One thing I'll say with regards to the period of question, one thing there that scares me, more than pretty much any thing else is the question of "What if God doesn't exist"? Even contemplating that briefly is disturbing beyond anything else I've considered.
Any way what you see is part of the journey of one who has a faith of a kind. One raised in a Christian family.
I'm somewhat curious, if any one wants to comment, on how many others have experienced something similar, and if, if they don't mind me asking, they were raised in a Christian Family.
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Beethoven downloads
If any one likes Beethoven, the BBC has been distributing some of his works being preformed by the BBC Philharmonic in MP3 format.
They're only making them available for download, for a few days after they're played on the Radio station.
I spotted the link a bit late and so only managed to download his 2nd, 4th and 5th Symphonies before they took them down.
How ever later this month they'll be playing the 6th - 9th and they'll be placed on the web for a day or two as well. So if you want a decent recording of the 6th - 9th Symphonies you should be able to download them from this page BBC BEETHOVEN DOWNLOADS at the dates mentioned below.
When are the symphonies available to download as mp3 files?
Symphony 6 will be broadcast on Monday 27th June, and available to download from Tuesday 28th June to Monday 4th July.
Symphony 7 will be broadcast on Tuesday 28th June, and available to download from Wednesday 29th June to Tuesday 5th July.
Symphony 8 will be broadcast on Wednesday 29th June, and available to download from Thursday 30th June to Wednesday 6th July.
Symphony 9 will be broadcast on Thursday 30th June, and available to download from Friday 1st July to Thursday 7th July.
They're only making them available for download, for a few days after they're played on the Radio station.
I spotted the link a bit late and so only managed to download his 2nd, 4th and 5th Symphonies before they took them down.
How ever later this month they'll be playing the 6th - 9th and they'll be placed on the web for a day or two as well. So if you want a decent recording of the 6th - 9th Symphonies you should be able to download them from this page BBC BEETHOVEN DOWNLOADS at the dates mentioned below.
When are the symphonies available to download as mp3 files?
Symphony 6 will be broadcast on Monday 27th June, and available to download from Tuesday 28th June to Monday 4th July.
Symphony 7 will be broadcast on Tuesday 28th June, and available to download from Wednesday 29th June to Tuesday 5th July.
Symphony 8 will be broadcast on Wednesday 29th June, and available to download from Thursday 30th June to Wednesday 6th July.
Symphony 9 will be broadcast on Thursday 30th June, and available to download from Friday 1st July to Thursday 7th July.
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
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