The fit and the faithful

“I am a FAT Christian”, quipped a dear friend of mine. Well…I have heard this phrase far too often. I have nothing against being a FAT Christian, if by FAT you mean being faithful, available and teachable. But, we are also called to be fit Christians. We must be spiritually fit and shed the flab we pick up along the way. But, more importantly we must be physically fit too.

Being physically fit is (and must be) an important part of our spiritual discipline. Those of us who spend a lot of energies on the exercise of godliness forget the importance of being physically fit and the need to take daily decisions that would help us keep fit and faithful. Traditionally, Indian spirituality includes an emphasis on the physical, mental and the devotional. Unfortunately, Christian spirituality tends to be preoccupied with the devotional, almost to the exclusion of the mental and the physical. Christian spirituality, therefore, is not attractive to many urbanites who are looking for spirituality that is relevant for everyday life and personal productivity.

It is important that we include fitness as part of our spirituality, particularly at time when people in urban conglomerations are haunted by workplace (dis)stress and daily (con) strain.  But such teaching is missing in our churches and fellowship groups. I don’t remember listening to a sermon on the Christian understanding of the body and the importance of being fit and healthy at Church. In fact, in popular Christianity it is even abnormal to consider a walk, morning jogs and regular workout as part of spiritual discipline.

The bible places significant importance to our embodied existence. In fact, our bodies are temples wherein God dwells. An emphasis on fitness does not mean we succumb to the ridiculous body images presented and promoted by the media. Rather, it means that we take adequate care of our bodies.

South Asian churches must include the emphasis on health and fitness into our spiritual lives. Did you know that south Asians are a high risk group for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes?  Studies in UK, USA and Canada have shown that South Asians are particularly vulnerable to heart disease and worse, have a high chance of getting heart disease at a younger age. According to WHO estimates, 60% of the world’s heart patients will be south Asians. Among the many reasons are the tendencies to have more fat around our abdomen or waist, abnormal levels of cholesterol, high insulin, and high blood pressure. South Asians are a high risk group because of high fat diet and less physical activity.

We must call people to be fit and faithful. Churches and faith-based groups must include physical activity and excercise as part of building fellowship, providing pastoral care and spiritual nurtureSpirituality is not just for the soul but for the body as well. There must be teaching on self-control and moderation in eating habits. The bible encourages us to control our appetitites (See Deuteronomy 21:20, Proverbs 23:2, 2 Peter 1:5-7, 2 Timothy 3:1-9, and 2 Corinthians 10:5.). Besides, the ability to say “no” to anything in excess—self-control—is one of the fruits of the Spirit common to all believers (Galatians 5:22). Spirit-filled Christians must also be fit Christians and in being fit we honour God. We could also invite others in our neighbourhood to join us in our practice of health and fitness consciousness. In fact, the call to be fit can be an aspect of our engagement in public space.

There are important decisions we need to take as individuals and churches in the New year. Staying fit and faithful can be one among 2010 resolutions….

Flop-en-hagen

Avatar

Review: http://beta.thehindu.com/arts/movies/article66463.ece?homepage=true

Questions for further discussion ( prepared by Todd Hertz, Christianity Today.com)

1. One alien character says, “Every person is born twice. The second time is when you are part of your people forever.” What does that mean to you? How does that idea compare to Christian notion of being born again
2. Does the spirituality of the Na’vi bother you? Why or why not? What is their belief system and how does it compare to the God of the Bible? Did you feel that the worship of the Na’vi God had parallels—intended or unintended—to your faith?
3. At one point, a character says, “I’m not talking about pagan voodoo but something that is real biologically—a global network of neurons that the Na’vis can tap into.” But later, this same person says, “I’m with her. She’s real.” What does this tell you about this spiritual presence on Pandora? Did you look at it as a spiritual being or as a strange alien creature?
4. How would you sum up what Avatar says about nature and creation? Anything in that view bother you? How does it compare/contrast with how the Bible treats creation care?

Original link: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/movies/reviews/2009/avatar.html

Flip’s Hopenhagen Green-Rap

Flip’s gone to Copenhagen, with great hopes for definite emission cut commitments, conscience and a change for the better. Here’s Flip sharing his experience at COP 15.

RIOT

Thinkspace: Characters

Had to add two more characters the previous list of 8 main characters: SNIFF and SNAP

Reclaiming Santa Claus!

You think I’m a fraud, don’t you? [Kris Kringle]
Fraud is a bit too strong of a word. [Dorey Walker]
But you don’t believe in me. [Kris Kringle]
I believe that Christmas is for children. [Dorey Walker]
Well your daughter doesn’t believe in me, either. [Kris Kringle]
I don’t think that there’s any harm in not believing in a figure that many do acknowledge to be a fiction. [Dorey Walker]
Oh, but there is. I’m not just a whimsical figure who wears a charming suit and affects a jolly demeanour. You know, I… I… I’m a symbol. I’m a symbol of the human ability to be able to suppress the selfish and hateful tendencies that rule the major part of our lives. If… you can’t believe, if you can’t accept anything on faith, then you’re doomed for a life dominated by doubt. [Kris Kringle]
– Miracle on the 34th Street (1994)

I just watched Miracle on the 34th street and became a believer in Santa Claus. I have never fancied Santa Claus, and to be honest I thought he was a distraction, if not a nuisance for the Christmas season. To me, he was just a mascot for consumerism. But then…

I never realized his value for our Christmas celebration. He is a symbol of generosity and benevolence. We have lost him at the Shopping Mall.. and they make a profit out of him. The Santa Claus at our Shopping Malls is a poor shadow of the ‘real’  Santa Claus.

We have to reclaim Santa Klaus… and what he stands for… Santa is everywhere…reminding us that we need to suppress selfish and hateful tendencies that rule the major part of our lives.  It’s just a way of saying ‘peace and goodwill to all’ – which is the message of Christmas. And more importantly, he symbolically points to the need for redemption from greed and hate.

Children need the ‘real’  Santa Claus to trigger their imagination. The ‘real’  Santa Clause becomes a gateway for children to understand what it means to ‘give and forgive’. We need the ‘real’ Santa Claus to capture our collective imagination too. We need to reclaim him…for the sake of our children… I believe in Santa Claus…

Let’s invite the real Santa Claus… a symbol of the human ability to be able to suppress the selfish and hateful tendencies that rule the major part of our lives…this Christmas…into our lifespace. Let’s celebrate, share, inspire  the hope and joy of Christmas.

Tagore’s poetic insight

Life of my Life, I shall ever try to keep my body pure, knowing that thy living touch is upon all my limbs.

I shall every try to keep all untruths out of my thoughts, knowing that thou art that truth which has kindled the light of reason in my mind.

I shall every try to drive all evils away from my heart and keep my love in flower, knowing that thou hast they seat in the inmost shrine of my heart.

And it shall be my endeavour to reveal thee in my actions, knowing it is thy power that gives me strength to act.

Source: Gitanjali

Comic Book Art – Yes! We Can

Visual imagery is a defining feature of the wider culture.  We need to reach out to young people with visual imagery. Graphic art is popular among young people. Well… I am no artist and I have always found it difficult to draw…

Comic art is a specialized skill and therefore making comic strips was an impossiblity. I knew we could turn photographs into comic-book like art.  For some months, I have been struggling to make comic book like art from photographs. Thankfully, I found freeware softwares ( like GIMP, Photoscape, Paintnet etc) and free tutorials this week.

This is my first attempt: An Obama poster!

The Original & the Comic book like art I made with GIMP

For the tutorial click. There are also many video tutorials available on youtube and google.

You can download GIMP, Photoscape and Paintnet from the Internet.

A whole new skill sets are necessary if you are working with SCREENAGERS.  I know it isn’t easy. But! then it is not impossible!

Can we make graphic art? Yes! We can…

Bible Study 3: Peace – What does it cost?

A bible study on conflict resolution based on Genesis 13: 1- 12

Let’s read Gen 13: 1 -12

So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold. From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the LORD. Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. And quarrelling arose between Abram’s herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time. So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarrelling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers. Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.” Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom – Genesis 13: 1 – 12

Conversations

( Study questions prepared by samuel thambusamy)

1) What is this passage all about?

2) Who are the characters mentioned in the passage? What do we know about them?

3) What led to the quarrel between Abram’s herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot? What do you think about this? How did this affect the relationship between Abraham and Lot? Creatively, re-tell this story about the conflict over resources.

4) The quarrel was between the Abraham’s herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot. Why do you think Abraham got involved? Does it take courage to face a conflict situation? What are the challenges involved in facing conflict?

5) Abraham and Lot parted company. However, Abraham gave Lot the first advantage. Interestingly, despite being older and even responsible for making Lot richer. Do you (dis)agree with his decision? Why? What do you think Abraham’s herdsmen felt about this?

6) Why do you think Lot listened to Abraham? Why do you think Lot did not choose to stay with Abraham? What did Lot’s servants feel about this?

7) Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar. Lot chose the best. How did Abraham feel about this? Why do you think Abraham remained calm and was less worried?

What is God telling me through the passage? What am I going to do in response to God’s word to me?

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Further Reading

1) Why people avoid conflicts? by Susan M. Heathfield

2) Personal Courage and Conflict Resolution at work by Susan M. Heathfield