Simon Reeves (Jahwork in Doveton)

Song sung for Barwon by Shobie Luff

2009-12-17T03:24:00.000-08:00

This is the song that Shobie sang for Barwon at his dedication. It is such an amazing song. And Shob's sang this to Barwon in such an intimate and beautiful way. As soon as Shob's began singing Barwon looked up and watched. Thanks Shob's for chosing a great song and singing it wonderfully.

Xavier Rudd – Messages

So now come sit down
Will you talk with me now
Let me see through your eyes
As if we wander the night
We are biding our time
As these histories unwind
For these changes we will confront

But please take care
Don't get tangled up down there
When you talk from your soul
I feel these things we know
For the trees that we see
Can not forever breathe
And neither can we, alone

CHORUS:
You know some people they just won't understand
no I just won't understand
These things
Thank you for your message but I don't understand
no I just won't understand
These things

For this sacred land
It has seen many hands
Its been green and gold
Now its fragile and old
And those too greedy to see
Just won't believe
the changes we must confront

So speak to all
Of the things you are sure
And if you love this land
Hold it in the palm of your hand
'Cause the way that it shines
May just dwindle with time
With the changes it might confront

CHORUS:
You know some people they just won't understand
no I just won't understand
These things
Thank you for your message but I don't understand
no I just won't understand
These things

So hold nice and close
Once you get to your soul
So that when it is cold
You won't feel so alone
'Cause the roads that you take
May just crumble and break
With the changes you will confront

With the times that we share
We may heal and repair
Each day that we live
We see what we can give
Well I know you are strong
May your journey be long
And now I wish you the best of luck
Well I know you are strong
May your journey be long
And now I wish you the best of luck.

CHORUS:
You know some people they just won't understand
no I just won't understand
These things
Thank you for your message but I don't understand
no I just won't understand
These things

Little Barwon's Dedication and Naming Ceremony

2009-12-17T03:01:00.001-08:00

Kaylene and I were thrilled to see so many of our wonderful community of Family and Friends here on this day to witness our dedication of and to Barwon and presentation of his name.

It was held in the beautiful Australian bushland regions of the Yarra River (Jumping Creek) up near Warrendyte.

Here is a short outline of our ceremony which was led by our good friend Joel McKerrow. Joel led the ceremony in an amazing way bringing our attention to care for the most vunerable (our young), attention to our communities responsibilties in raising children and the importance of elders, drawing connections to the care of creation and the acknowledgement as Barwon arriving to join God's wonderful creation here on this earth as a son of God.

WELCOME/OPENING SPIEL (inc. Welcome to country)/ land acknowledgement

SONG: Shobie Luff – Xavier Rudd ‘Message’ (See next post for the words to this unbelievable song!)

GRANDPARENTS GIFTS:
In our society grandparents and elders are not given the opportunity to contribute nearly as much as they used too, often being placed in homes away from other generations, especially babies and children. Barwon is the first Grandchild on both sides and is lucky enough to be blessed with 6 doting grandparents and 2 great grandmothers. Simon and Kaylene believe that we have a lot to learn from the elders in our lives, and have invited Barwon’s Grandparents to present him with a gift that draws upon their wisdom and life experiences.

Raymond and Kaye (nan and pa)
Glennis and Rob (Granma and granpa)
Will and Harley (Papa Billy and Nana Harls)

SCRIPTURE PASSAGE: Isaiah 58 (selected) - Andrew Reeves
Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of injustice,
to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them,
and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up quickly;
...

If you remove the yoke from among you,
the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,
if you offer your food to the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
then your light shall rise in the darkness
and your gloom be like the noonday.
The LORD will guide you continually,
and satisfy your needs in parched places,
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters never fail.
Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
the restorer of streets to live in.

DEDICATION:

Reading from Kahlil Gibran The Prophet

• Simon and Kaylene:

Earth representing God’s creation
Do you recognize Barwon as God’s creation and that Barwon is now part of the rest of humankind, an equal child of God, caretaker of the earth and all its living creatures?

Water representing life
Do you promise to be Barwon’s primary care givers; to love him, look after him and never harm him?

Leaves representing uniqueness
Do you acknowledge that Barwon is his own person, a son of God and not yours to own? Do you promise to guide him into finding his true self and God within him, putting aside all personal desires and dreams for his life?

Stone to represent unwavering support
Will you support him through whatever he chooses, and take him to soccer practice, even if you think he would make a great ruckman for Geelong or Carlton?

• To Barwon’s community of family and friends gathered today:
(If you are willing to make this commitment today please respond with ‘we will’)

Do you, as Barwon’s Aunties, uncles, cousins and grandparents, promise to love, support, guide and nurture Barwon along his life’s journey?

Do you, as Barwon’s Aunties, uncles, cousins and grandparents, promise to support and encourage Kaylene and Simon on their journey as parents?

SILENT PRAYER/THOUGHTS FOR BARWON: Everyone

PRAYER : Joel

NAME MEANING: Simon and Kaylene

Barwon means River and is an indigenous name to symbolize our respect, concern for and desire to learn from the all indigenous people of this land…that their identity, language, culture and deep wisdom are past down to the children of this country.

River, symbolizing a reconnection to land and creation. A connection we as people have severed for profit and greed, at the loss not just to us but our future children who may not share the same earth that we now know. The name Barwon for us represents the hope of new life for this earth and those of us who share it together. Hope that flows like living water.

Isaiah, well he’s a kick arse Old Testament prophet whose words still ring truth today! Together we have our little river prophet and Kaylene and I are truly blessed to be given this responsibility to care for and love this little (or should I say big) one!

2009-12-06T01:41:00.000-08:00

"MODELS OF SURRENDER

2009-11-17T21:54:00.000-08:00

From Richard Rohr's Daily Meditations

Question of the Day:
What enabled John the Baptizer to surrender?

John the Baptist is the prophet who rejects the system without apology, eats the harsh food of that choice, and wears the clothes of rejection.
Like our native peoples here in New Mexico, he goes on his vision quest into the desert where he faces his aloneness, boredom and naked self. He returns with a message, a clarity, a sureness of heart that reveals a totally surrendered man.
First he listens long and self-forgetfully; then he speaks, acts and accepts the consequences. Transformed people transform people, and John’s little offbeat ritual down by the riverside (outside of the temple where his father served) has become for us the very symbol of Christian transformation. And Jesus went along with it!"

Australian church denounces cluster bomb financing | Ekklesia

2009-11-17T21:48:00.000-08:00

An Australian church leader has strongly criticised one of the country's largest financial institutions for providing financial support to an international firm that manufactures cluster bombs - writes Kim Cain.

The Uniting Church in Australia has claimed that in 2007, the Australia and New Zealand Bank (ANZ) provided a $US37.5 million line of credit to Lockheed Martin, a company that produces cluster bombs despite an international convention banning their manufacture, trade and use.

Mark Zirnsak, director of justice and international mission of the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, said the ANZ has a policy that it will not directly fund the production of cluster munitions or landmines, but continues to provide finance to companies engaged in such activities.

"The ANZ is trying to have its cake and eat it. They don't want to be seen to be to facilitating the production of cluster munitions, but they still want to profit from being able to provide loans to companies involved in producing these dodgy weapons," Zirnsak said.

He claimed the ANZ was the only major Australian bank involved in supporting the making of cluster bombs.

The Uniting Church is Australia’s third largest denomination, and is a shareholder in ANZ. The church claims come as the Australian parliament is to consider a recommendation which calls for the prohibition of Australian investment in companies that manufacture cluster bombs.

Zirnsak said he has just discovered that the bank made the loan to Lockheed Martin back in 2007. At that time he was negotiating with the company to disinvest in businesses involved in the manufacture of cluster bombs or land-mines. "At no point did the ANZ disclose that it was in the process of providing such finance as an on-going activity," Zirnsak said.

He told Ecumenical News International that the church would continue to challenge ANZ on the issue and let the wider Australian public know of ANZ’s activities.

"We cannot understand why the bank would continue to invest in such companies with this level of commitment, and which could potentially embarrass them here and internationally when there are so many other excellent investments that they could make," Zirnsak noted.

An ANZ spokesperson was reported by Melbourne's Age newspaper as saying "the bank's defence policy explicitly prohibited directly financing 'controversial weapons', but the policy allowed general financing of the defence industry".

However Zirnsak said, "The reality is that to provide finance to one part of a company still frees up funds for all the activities the company is involved in. The ANZ cannot pretend that its hands are clean."

A cluster bomb contains multiple small explosives designed to break open in mid-air, releasing the explosives over a wide area.

[With acknowledgements to ENI. Ecumenical News International is jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Conference of European Churches.]

ILLEGAL BIBLE STUDY AT PINE GAP

2009-11-11T22:07:00.000-08:00

Last Tuesday on the 27th October Chris, Johnny and I headed to the Pine Gap US Military Spy Base 20kms outside of Alice Springs. This was my first visit to Pine Gap and the experience was more significant than I expected. Kaylene, Barwon and I only had a couple of weeks in Alice Springs and when Chris asked me what I would like to do whilst here, I mentioned that I had heard much about this Spy Base and would like to pay a low key visit, just to have a look etc. Chris suggested it might be interesting to do reading from the Gospel of Mark whilst there (as we are keen followers of the Gospel of Mark) as often the place and context you read Scripture profoundly influences the message. This I thought would be a great experience but also quite low key. It turns out that you can’t do low key at Pine Gap.

We found the unmarked turn off quite easily from Stuart Highway as Johnny had attended a couple of the protests in previous years. We drove along Hatt Road in the empty darkness around 8pm, outside of Alice Springs which is in the heart of Australia’s Outback and Wilderness, 1500kms from a Capital City, heading to a site known as one of the world’s largest ECHELON ground stations, home away from home to the US National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency and a place where missiles and other weapons are guided to their destinations in places such as Iraq to harm, kill and destroy. Needless to say I felt a deep sensation of heading into the surreal, which was ironic as, on one hand we were entering the vicinity of what is largely an invisible piece of our society, yet on the other hand is a place that is deathly real.

As we got deeper in we passed two signs indicating we were approaching the Joint Defence Space Facility and should turn around now. We’d never seen such signs before on a public road and wondered about their legal status. We drove on; surely they were just warnings for lost tourists? Surely we had a right to look at a facility built in the country we live? As we approached the last bend we came in view of the entrance to Pine Gap. Lights flooded the road and illuminated the huge wire fences that were only shadowed by the enormous gates and security measures (bit like Jurassic Park really…the theme music stuck in my head for days after). We pulled up underneath a third sign about 100 metres from the gates that indicated if we passed this point we could be imprisoned for 7 years, which wasn’t in my list of things to do in Alice Springs.

As we turned off the engine someone asked if we had a plan, to which we all said ‘nope’. But we did have some Bibles and we got out and sat in the back of the Ute tray, Aussie style, underneath what I’d like to say was the beautiful night sky, but instead it was the scores of security lights burning wastefully into the night. No sooner had we got comfy, looked at one another and comprehended where we were, we heard an alarm and noticed the gates opening slowly to an Australian Federal Police vehicle. “Is this for us?” we asked. Surely not, we were not even close to their ‘prohibited land’ and hardly causing a threat as three blokes with a bible sitting in the back of a Ute. But you guessed it; this was our welcome to Pine Gap. I didn’t expect a cuppa, but things weren’t looking up on our arrival at Pine Gap.

Two officers hopped out of the vehicle and enquired about our business at Pine Gap. Apparently reading the Bible is not the business of Pine Gap and it is actually prohibited, and we were asked to leave the vicinity. We politely questioned the police as to why we were required to move on when we were sitting here peacefully and not even wanting to enter the secured area? We were informed that the even the vicinity of the secure area was out of bounds (sounds like we’re in school now). We asked then where could we go for our bible study? They responded that we shouldn’t be anywhere on the 5kms of Hatt Rd at all. Not looking to get arrested we discontinued our questions and agreed to leave. However, they wanted to take down our drivers license details. Why one of us asked? They responded “to get checked”. We asked, “checked for what?” They said to get checked. So I guess they’ll be ‘checked’.

While they examined and noted our beautiful license photos we took the initiative to do our Gospel reading of Mark 13 real fast. They then searched our vehicle and took its details down and thanked us for our cooperation. We said no worries and hoped that we had made their night a little bit more interesting. As we got into our Ute and they got into their massive 4wd Federal Police Vehicle fully decked out I asked in humour if they would like to swap vehicles, which only got me a blank look. Fine. Time to leave ‘the vicinity’ of Pine Gap.

When we returned home we spent some time reflecting on our experience and marvelled at the appropriateness of the reading of Mark 13 (which was found and read under extreme pressure!). We remarked similarities of the disciples stating sarcastically in verse 1 ‘Look Teacher what large stones and large buildings’ and the huge temple of war on our left. We noted the irony of the ‘signs’ (v4) as we sat underneath one threatening to take away 7 years of our life. We read the constant urgings of Jesus to ‘be aware (but not alarmed [wait that’s John Howard])’, to watch out, to stay awake in this time of wars and rumours of wars. To stay awake is a repeated discipleship metaphor for Marks Gospel and incredibly relevant for us as we sit in a country that has been in perpetual war for the last 8 years. We also reflected on Jesus’ warning to his disciples ‘you will be handed over to councils, beaten in synagogues and stand before governors and kings’ (v9) while we stood before the Australian Federal Police and were searched, questioned and our behaviour reported to ‘higher authorities’. However, verse 14 hit us like a ton of bricks and as Chris read it in the midst of the police reporting our presence we turned to look at Pine Gap – ‘But when you see the desolating sacrilege setup where it ought not to be…flee to the mountains’ (except it was dark and we couldn’t see the mountains!) Interestingly, one can see pine gap from the nearby mountains, and also be far enough away as to not elicit the attendance of the Feds.

After setting out for a simple look at Pine Gap and a quiet Bible Study our encounter made us aware that we had experienced something significant. To go to such a place as Pine Gap, to open up the Bible where it is not allowed, to challenge the culture of war with Scripture gave us a little taste of the prophets of old and also the prophets of new such as Martin Luther King. And for once in our life we didn’t fall asleep during a bible study! Maybe more bible studies and church meetings should be held in the places where God’s love has been made criminal, illegal and even traitorous. Where the threat of arrest is imminent and the message of Jesus Christ to not harm one another, to love our enemies, to forgive one another and lay down our lives has been forgotten.

Note : Pictures not our own

Hiroshima Day 2009

2009-07-31T05:38:00.000-07:00

Hiroshima Day Prayer Vigil (South East Melbourne)

August 6th
at Lockheed Martin Australia
208 Princess Highway, Dandenong
8am-9am

If you'd like please bring musical instruments and/or a reflection to share

Lockheed Martin were approached to participate in the vigil but management declined the invitation and its employees told that it would not look good for career advancement if they were to attend. LHM informed us that police will be present despite our peaceful, open and transparent nonviolent actions. LHM remain undisclosed about their activities in side their highly secure building in Dandenong, maintaining its on a need to know basis and we don't need to know.

Why we chose to remember Hiroshima Day :

Aug 6 is one of the most important dates for us to remember in human history. On this day the humans committed the worst ever act of human violence. On this day we remember not only those who suffered but those who perpetrated this horrendous act of violence. And we remember both, because we have the capacity to be both. We could suffer the result of a nuclear attack by any one of the 25,000 nukes still in existence (2500 on hair trigger alert). And anyone of us are capable of committing the worst act of violence, of pushing a button causing the deaths of thousands. We must remember that violence doesn't lie with any particular people group, but within each of our hearts and if we can disarm our own hearts, we will disarm the world. Thus we vigil to stay awake in a culture of violence, to make sure that we remain committed to peace, not violence and hatred.

Why we chose to vilgil outside Lockheed Martin Australia in Dandenong :

Violence is all around us, in our suburbs. LHM is the worlds no1. weapons manufactor and defence contractor. Responsible for equiping the 'warfighter' through missiles, fighter jets, weapon systems etc (see http://lockheedmartin.com/ for a full catologue of weapons you can purchase) in all regions of conflict around the world but particulary used by the superpowers in Iraq, Afghanistan and Israel/Palestine - where millions of people have been killed and continue to do so while we read this email. LHM is responsible for promoting, providing and profiteering from mini-Hiroshimas all around the world.

Links worth reading
http://www.crocodyl.org/wiki/lockheed_martin
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?list=type&type=9

Peace
Simon

Our new baby boy

2009-06-19T06:13:00.000-07:00

Announcing the newest part of our family. Barwon Isaiah Reeves. Born 18th June at 1am. He's a nice big healthy baby boy weighing 10.2lbs. Mother, Father and baby are all doing fantastic!!

Barwon means River and is an indigenous name to symbolize our respect and concern for the indigenous people of this land…that their identity, language and culture remain with us. River, symbolizing a reconnection to land and creation. A connection we as people have severed for profit, at the loss to us and our future children. The name Barwon for us represents the hope of new life for this earth and those of us who share it together.

Isaiah, well he’s a kick arse Old Testament prophet whose words still ring truth today! Together we have our little river prophet and Kaylene and I are truly blessed to be given this responsibility to care for and love this little (or should I say big) one!

Can't wait for him to meet you all.

Lots of love - the three of us!

G20 Police Attack

2009-04-11T00:48:00.000-07:00

Guardian publishes footage of assault on Ian Tomlinson R.I.P. around G20

A video recently posted on the Guardian website clearly shows a police officer in riot gear pushing Tomlinson to the ground minutes before his death.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/video/2009/apr/07/g20-poli...video

Footage depicts Tomlinson when attacked -alone not part of any demonstration-hands in pocket (non-threatening)-back to police who attack him (no warning)

Report
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20090408/tuk-g20-victim-s-son-demands-answers-dba1618.html

Annual Palm Sunday Rally - Come Along With Us!

2009-03-21T00:44:00.001-07:00

Let me know by phone, email or a comment if you'd like to come in with us or meet us there (ps - byo banner is recommended!)

We'll be heading in for the Ecumenical Christian Service at 1.45pm so leaving the Dove around 12.15pm.

cheers

Climate of Change

2009-02-09T20:21:00.000-08:00

After the horrendous extreme weather of late, especially the fatal heat wave on saturday it has come home to us that climate change will begin to threaten our existance. I found this utube clip today that looks at what is happening to Bangladesh who like us are coping fatal extreme weather create by us - the weather makers. It is interesting to see what is happening around the world, particularly as now Victorians are well and truly welcomed into what will only become more frequent abnormal weather patterns.

For more information - please read climate code red! by David Spratt and Phillip Sutton. I'll post down some stuff from this reading sometime soon - I'm blown away by what is happening and what we now need to do!

Peace

Gaza pastor: 'We cry and nobody hears us'

2009-01-06T13:07:00.000-08:00

News from NCRonline.org January 6, 2009
National Catholic Reporter

This is one of the stories posted to NCRonline.org today.

Catholic pastor describes Gaza as 'drowning in blood'

'What you see on television cannot be compared to what is happening. The word love is choking in my throat. ... We are living like animals in Gaza. We cry and nobody hears us. I am asking God for mercy and pray.'Read more.

Or paste this link into your browser: http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001-74iulnOk1RXEFIFjWoPbrakgDPd46zOabrrwNT0Uwty2Hl9MsQ3S2a9F_tkfybgnHBioskP062YDmHx_ukxU6Mwgd1LrR57XdHKhK6jHA9dmKLxnalSjRI99swL1fMD0b1hokLtiXtgQNZ4fV0OuA==

5% when 40% may not even be enough

2008-12-18T22:49:00.000-08:00

Climate change, climate disaster

"now is a time for weeping, for mourning, then for action"

"if not now when, if not us who?"

"we must act, we must act now"

"we must become climate warriors...fearless, couragous, passionate, direct"

I've always been onboard for adverting the possible climate change tragedy, but afterlast monday...there comes a time when you really get onboard and I think i'm now there!

Kevin Rudd announced Australia would be striving for a 5% carbon reduction by 2020 and a possible 15% if the rest of the world agrees (rest of the world being US and China who are aiming for 0% reductions!). The Government's own research team headed by Ross Garnaut recommended 10% I think, and we still went for 5%. A good day for business, a bad day for the great barrier reef, kakudu, and people.

I say if the Government won't commit to reducing carbon emmisions then we all should - in order to prove that its possible. In our community in Doveton we have been doing so for a few years now. But we can do more.

We can also reduce at home, work, schools, our shops & in everything we do in life...

Here's a good tool to help...

http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/ecologicalfootprint/calculators/default.asp

Some quotes from http://www.climateredcode.net/

In 2005 the eminent climate scientist Dr. James Hansen warned that: “We are on the precipice of climate system tipping points beyond which there is no redemption.” Three years later, we are now crossing some of those tipping points. In June 2008, Professor Barry Brook cautioned that even the most ambitious international greenhouse gas reduction targets might not prevent a catastrophic increase in temperatures: "Two degrees has the potential to lead to three or four degrees because of carbon-cycle feedbacks."

‘I think the tipping point for perennial sea-ice has already passed… It looks like [it] will continue to decline and there’s no hope for it to recover’ in the near period. — Dr Josefino Comiso, senior research scientist, NASA Goddard Space Centre

‘The Arctic is often cited as the canary in the coal mine for climate warming… and now as a sign of climate warming, the canary has died.” — Dr Jay Zwally, glaciologist, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

I've also attached my email/plea to my local member for Parliament...you can do the same...takes 5 minutes

Hi Anthony, My name is Simon Reeves and I have meet you a few times around the place. ONce on Australia day 2007 as I recieved an award and secondly at my workplace of Handbrake Turn in Dandenong. I am writing to you know because I am dismayed at the decision announced on Monday by PM Kevin Rudd to aim for a 5%-15% target for carbon reduction. This decision I believe was to be one of the most decisive decisions Australia has seen in many generations and one that required dedicated leadership committed to putting the people and this planet ahead of any other vested interests of corporations committed to personal profits. I would urge as strongly as possible that you lead the way towards helping the Government reconsider these targets. I would beg this of you. I am not sure how much you do or don't know about climate change and would probably assume you've done reading on the subject and although I am no way at all an expert - I am still happy to come in and share the small learnings that I have made in this regard and thus the extreme need for committed action on this issue. I also suggest this website to consider : http://www.climatecodered.net/ I am surrounded by a community of friends who equally share these concerns and support this request to reconsider the targets. We are all committed to climate change and years ago we began personally to transition towards a lower dependance and reduced carbon emmission. Our small community have found ways to do this on the small scale and now wish to see our Government do the same. Thankyou for the time taken to read this email and once again I am happy to come in and chat further, or alternatively you can come to our community in doveton and we could show you some of the small ways in which we are trying personally to avert this disaster. My number is 0408 299 981. Many thanks again, Simon Reeves JAHWORK in Doveton

Christianity and War

2008-11-21T22:08:00.000-08:00

Thought this was a good simple explanation of church history - and also of relevence today.

An excerpt from a Ciaron O'Reilly reflection on a recent debate he participated in with Assistant British Military Chaplain General Land Forces and Principal RC Chaplain at the V1 Form Theology conference at St Mary's School, Ascot, England :

I pointed out that there has been 3 responses to the issues of war and violence in church history....

1. Pacifism for the first 3 centuries, pracitsed and taught by Jesus living under the Roman colonisers and the Herodian collaborators -embraced by the Catholic Worker movement and other remnants of radical disciplehip.

2. The Just War theory thought up by Augustine after the 3rd. century Constantine shift when the church was legalised, patronised by the emperor and was fasttracked to become basic to Roman citizenship. This "Constantine Shift" turned christian ethics on its head. The ethical question of how do you run the Roman (British, Portugese, Spanish, any empire ) in a Christian way? should never have been our problem...like how do you run a firing squad in a christian way? is not our problem either.Both recent popes have mused that given the nature of modern warfare technology the a just war may now be an impossibilty (eg. your not supposed to kill civilians for starters!)

3 Crusades - "kill em all and let God sort them out". Theologically discredited in the Catholic tradition but is very much the theology of nuclear weapons, aerial and naval bombardment which is basic to the present wars on Afghanistan and Iraq.

Earthworms

2008-11-19T21:21:00.000-08:00

Earthworms was an open space conference that we hosted a month or so ago. The space was devoted to communities talking about community. It provided a place for us to talk with other people living in community about the things that matter and to help us get better at practising the ancient and long lost art of community.

Earthworms was inspired into existance in an effort to go beyond all the conferences on community, mission etc that are more aimed at getting people into this kind of lifestyle rather than what to do when your're living it out!

About 8 different communities from across melbourne came across the weekend to share, talk, discuss...

The weekend was structured around non=structure. The agenda was decided upon by those who were there and there were no guest speakers. We converesed around our different homes/spaces in doveton, over breakfast and coffee and so forth - tried to keep the weekend open space conference as natural as possible. And it was good!

Here's some reflections from Niki and Josh' blog (http://www.nj-oo.blogspot.com/)

Well, after the Earthworms* gathering I now have all the answers. Ok, not really, but I did meet/hang out with some inspiring people who have been asking the same questions. Some of the questions we discussed/debated/shared about:

- How can community be sustained during the various seasons of life and how do we stay motivated when experiencing discouragement and depression?

- What does leadership mean in community? We know that traditional hierarchies don’t work, but how can we empower each other to each take a role in group leadership/serving and how do we make decisions together?

- How do we communicate well as a community? What strategies can we use to resolve conflict well and ensure that everyone is heard and acknowledged?

- Housing in Melbourne is becoming more and more of an issue. If we struggle to find decent, affordable housing, how much more difficult is it for those without our resources! How do we best respond to this as a community and how can we lobby on behalf of the marginalised and the homeless?

- How can we best use our resources to be environmentally and economically friendly? Ideas around community gardening, resourcefulness and dumpster diving were discussed.

- Relationships in community – how do we include singles, couples & families within community while respecting boundaries?Lots of food for thought! The conversations were pretty relaxed and it was only afterwards that I realised a) how exhausted I was and b) the magnitude of what we were discussing. These questions are so essential to our ethos of how & why we live in community, thanks everyone who contributed toward Earthworms!

*Earthworms is an Open Space. It is a small and simple gathering of like-minded people. You bring the topics from you and your community. We facilitate together in mutual respect.

Celebrating our 1 Year Wedding ANniversary

2008-11-08T05:04:00.001-08:00

To celebrate our wedding anniversary, we decided to go camping...a week earlier...cause someone had a class on the day of our actual anniversary...lets just say it wasn't Kaylene. Well, getting out of the bad books is quite easy when you have such a fantastic amazing wife as mine...yep, she's right next to me as i write this so I have to say all that. But yep its true...kiss. no, no kiss. Well. here's a few happy snaps of the beautiful Toorongo Falls. Quite spectacular! Camping was a bit crowded, got there late, had to camp on a bloody 35degree angle. But that's ok. Well, its ok until it started belting down rain. Happy camping ended and we went home early! Was fun building one fire out of a possible three (can't tell I resent that can you!). And below is a nice snap of the herd of 4WD's and our hunk a junk...with its proud owner!

Claudette Werleigh's Visit - A Peacemakers Retreat

2008-10-01T04:01:00.000-07:00

On Sunday 5 of us from Jahwork attended a Peacemakers Retreat with Claudette Werleigh. Claudette is general secutary of Pax Christi - an International Christian Peace organisation.
As an organisation aging quickly, we recieved any directed questions about young people and the peace movement and overall felt very much valued by the beautiful people of Pax Christi. We also saw on a dvd from the Phillipines of normal young folk like us getting majorily involved in working Peace - which was a great inspiration

Defence White Paper Community Consultation

2008-09-17T21:14:00.000-07:00

Recently the Government announced it would be conducting a white paper on Defence. In doing so the Government is inviting submissions and holding community consultations. Focusing on the following key questions :

What role should our armed forces play? What kinds of armed forces should we develop? Can we afford such forces?

I attended the Melbourne Consultation with Sarah from my community. Many of my friends were there who are quite involved in the Peace Movement. Together we provided the Government with some very interesting and well thoughtout responses towards a future of no violence and non-partipication with aggressive and offensive countries! It was fantastic and together we compromised well over half of all the contributions. Bold statements were made despite an acknowledgement that most likely these statements will fall on deaf ears (interesting term that one!).

However, one can only speak the truth. And that is what we did.

There were a range of other people there...defence personal etc and it was a very interesting meeting! Some people said we need to teach all young Australians how to use a gun as its an OHS issue. Others said we’ve forgotten how to shoot straight. Others said we need to campaign harder and provide greater incentives for people to join the Army. Strange for so many people to sit around and talk ‘normally’ about how best to harm and kill others in order to protect us from ‘perceived’ threats.

Below is my statement which I contributed…despite feeling a bit intimidated by the experience I was able to stand up and speak confidently the truths of the Gospel and call on the Government to cease its pursuit of violent solutions to problems.

My name is Simon > 27yo > Live in Sth East Melbourne > P/T Social Worker > Married (1 pet cat, 5 fish and a chook named Doris which I think is very relevant to this discussion today (aiming for a little laughter)

1.) I think we spend too much money on Defence/Military
- The $55m a day could be better used elsewhere
- In my work in the community I have seen much poverty, disadvantage and sadness occurring that could be alleviated with just 1 day of our defence budget
- I’ve had young mothers turning up to training courses I’ve been running, bursting into tears, unable to concentrate because they have no food in the cupboard to feed her young ones
- Last year I spent time with a family of 4 living in a single caravan in this park that is the closest thing I’ve seen to a slum in Australia. In my community, disadvantaged families have to wait 15 years for a home
- I’ve spent time talking a young guy with a disability out of ending his life, because he cannot find anything valuable to contribute – no job, no hope, his life’s purpose reduced to conquering the latest X-box game
- I think this $55m should be redistributed among key areas such as housing, health, education, employment and the environmental challenges we face
- With growing global concerns over our biosphere – that in which we live – unless we act in greater ways we may have nothing left to fight over (Military well equipped to help us with these environmental challenges!)

2.) The underlying assumptions upon which we base our Defence and military force need to be questioned
a.) To be secure and defend our country we must align ourselves with the worlds most aggressive country. Our strategy in doing so has made us less secure, more terrified and more open to becoming a target
b.) Our responses to conflict require the use of violence
- Reliance on violence to bring about peace is contradictory, we become no better than those already using violence (the very people we oppose – we become them!)
- Violence creates destruction of people’s lives, towns, families, environment and places we live > More problems than when we started (eg. Iraq)
- Violence breeds more hatred, greater retaliation and a cycle we can’t break out of
- Violence does nothing to build greater relations and security with our enemies > Instead we must love our enemies as Jesus taught
- This is our way out of this cycle of violence
- Real security – real security comes from creating jobs, housing, schools, infrastructure. Doing good to one another, even when they don’t deserve it. We need to go on the offensive with this strategy (eg. Imagine Afgahnistan…)
- At the same time, we need to begin to invest in training/creating an Australian Nonviolent Force that can deal with violent conflict without resorting to the use of violence
- Yes still requires discipline of an army and the courage of a soldier. But there are options. If the only tool in our tool box is a hammer – then we will use a hammer. We need to expand the number of tools at our disposal to resolve conflict
- Start investing in nonviolent education, broadening our imaginations.
- 32 major social movements have successfully employed nonviolence as a direct strategy for social change in the past 40years. Time to learn from them

In conclusion
· People thought it was impossible to rid the world of slavery – we must remind ourselves that it is possible to create a world of no wars, no violence no military. Australia can led the world in this. If it so choses. We have the choice to make – violence, harm and death or life. Lets understand its not even a choice – its got to be life.
· I am tired of Australia being involved in violence, my tax dollars being used to kill other people.
· This is what we are really talking about here…lets be honest. We are discussing the best ways to kill others whom we see as a threat
· Last time I checked – killing people is wrong, immoral, against the law. We are not murderers.
· If the Government continues to go down the path of violence, I will stand in its way, I will not pay taxes, I will not be silent.
· But I have confidence that we can pave a new path, one where war is not the way to peace but peace IS the way.
· I challenge us all to invest in a new radical possibility – to not use violence as a defence. To not use violence ever

Wilson's Prom Adventure

2008-09-06T21:15:00.000-07:00

Last Weekend Marty, Pete and Myself got away for the weekend and did some camping down at Yirak (Indigenous name for Wilson's Prom).

It was a fantastic and relaxing weekend - with superfine weather on friday/saturday. The stars on the beach were phenonomal! You forget what stars look like living in the city.

Saturday was a day of bike rides, walking trails and eating food. Until the rain came while we were up on pillar point. And it didn't stop until we got home.

But a nice rain whilst camping is sometimes enjoyable. Except for cooking our bbq - we had to run back to the tent before our sausages become sausage soup.

Sunday was chilled out, cooking porrige in the morning during a brief shower interlude and then we hit the coffee shop as the rain picked up again, we scored the couches and enjoyed the morning until the drive back.

It was great to spend sometime in the mountians and by the beach! We gotta do it more often I reckon.

Report on Hiroshima Day Vigil (6th August 2008)

2008-08-16T18:56:00.000-07:00

On 6th August Jahwork held a small vigil to remember those whose lives were taken from them by the dropping of the most destructive weapon ever created – the atom bomb. Moved by the discovery of the extent of our own numbness and apathy towards our history of violence we decided as a community that we must remember the horror of the dropping of the first ever nuclear bomb.

Last year we also remembered by holding a vigil outside a small Military Depot in Doveton, located on the Princess Highway. Partly swayed by the fact that our candles were blown out by every passing car in 2007 and partly swayed by our growing awareness of the contributions by Corporations towards violence and murder we decided to shift to hold our vigil out the front of Lockheed Martin (worlds number one weapons manufacturer) office in Dandenong.

We are constantly amazed that the culture and business of war sits on our doorsteps as easily does the local Safeway or Coles. It also goes to show that there is so much we all can do in our communities, in our localities.

We gathered around 7pm with some good friends of Jahwork. Placing our banner strategically over the corporate Lockheed sign, we begun with some sharing of the events of Hiroshima day and some sharing of the ongoing nuclear weapons industry as it is today. Krystal then appropriately sang us a song by Michael Franti – “You can bomb the world to pieces, but you can’t bomb it into peace”. While Sarah read out a reflection from Jesuit Priest Father John Dear who lives near Los Alamos – the birthplace of the bomb.

After some prayers, we were invited to take some chalk and write our messages, our apologies, our yearnings and our prayers. These chalk prayers stretched all the way around the Lockheed building with some special emphasis on the driveway to which the employees would drive in the following day.

Surprisingly security had remained silent all night, despite the heavy face set by the high fences, barbed wire, razor wire, floodlights, security cameras, and impenetrable gates. Yet, as we gathered to leave the Police arrived in convoy to ensure the peace wasn’t being disturbed (their words!). What a surprise! We were there for the same thing! Unfortunately a witty comment wasn’t produced by our crowd – but we did get to explain why we were there on that cold winters evening. And I thought to myself for perhaps the first time the people of Lockheed Martin in Dandenong felt in-secure.

So from a night set apart to remember, it became a night to remember. As a few of us ordinary people gathered underneath the lights of a deadly corporation – that may have just lit another tiny spark towards a bright future without war.

The Gift Relationship

2008-06-27T20:43:00.000-07:00

Been learning about the gift relationship...here are some sketchpad notes

The gift relationship and the gift economy is based around four principles > reciprocity, sharing of time, sharing of space and sacrifice.

Reciprocity
Basis of the concept of Gift Economy : The Gift giver is indebted to the receiver for receiving his/her gift. In contrast to the basis of the concept of Market Economy : Receiver owes the giver for the gift received

The Gift : Value not in the gifts worth. Value is in the relationship that it creates, reproduces and enhances.

In the gift economy one seeks others to receive their gift. Identity, acceptance and belonging is bound in one receiving their gift. To not receive a gift is an insult in the gift economy.

In our market economy. Receiving is done warily as we are afraid in doing so we create a dependency on that person or an indebtness

Basic human relationship is centred around : Interdependence
The first act of a child is to reconnect when harshly disconnected from the mother’s womb. The mother doesn’t charge her baby for milk. It is a free gift, based upon the need for interdependence.

Gift constipation of the elderly : Retirement is the collection of all gifts ‘owed’. Not allowed hence force to pass on gifts to others

Imagine if social workers/teachers and the like viewed it a ‘gift’ that clients/students shared their concerns with them or received their teaching.

Addiction = overdependence on a substitute for human interdependence

Instead of the feelings associated with the giving in our market economy which are largely based upon :
§ You now owe me > Superiority > Creates dependency

However, the gift economy still exists and actually is the foundation from which the market economy is ‘allowed’ to exist. The gift economy goes mostly unrecognized in all our relationships. Yet it can be seen if one looks closely. For example a parent goes to work to provide gifts (home, food, goods etc) for his/her family.

Sharing of Time and Sharing of Space
More and more distancing of sharing. Construction of virtual ‘real’ time. Space falls out of the equation. We think we’ve overcome the barriers of time and space through our technology. Instead we’ve removed both from the relationship.

Sacrifice
I give up of my own > so I can make whole > so that I can also be
“sacrum” = the holy = to make whole = to make healthy

Our understanding of sacrifice in market exchange system is “I lose, they win”. This diminishes us as individuals and claims that the whole is greater than ourselves.

In Gift Relationship : Altruism is impossible. Altruism is a product of market thinking. The self cannot be without contribution to the other.

Death of the Mountains...

2008-06-21T03:33:00.000-07:00

This is un-believable! How can we live with ourselves?

Kentucky, West Virginia.

Over 480 mountains have had their summits removed. Why? To feed our coal addiction. they become open-cut mines similiar to the one's we have in Latrobe Valley. It is called Mountaintop removal mining (MTR). Explosives are used to remove up to 1000 vertical feet of rock to get to the coal semms...this rock is then deposited in river valleys. One can only imagine the effect upon the ecology (our home), other species and our selves. Cancers, illness, pollutants, heavy metals leaching into river systems that run right through the US.

"The first time I flew over southern West Virginia and saw mountaintop removal coal mining from the air, I knew that if everyone could see what I had seen - mountain after mountain blown up and then dumped into streams in the neighboring valleys - they would think twice about where their electricity came from the next time they flipped a light switch."

Now it’s your turn to fly over the region.

To view the mountaintop removal layer in the new featured content for Google Earth (available for free download), go to the “Layers” sidebar in Google Earth, on the left-hand side of the screen. In the “Featured Content” folder, look for “Appalachian Mountaintop Removal” in the “Global Awareness” folder. More detailed instructions are available on the iLoveMountains Tutorial page where you can also download the full-featured version of the Memorial.

http://www.ilovemountains.org/press

GUAM, US Military Bases and Australia

2008-05-29T00:15:00.000-07:00

Lisa Natividad and Julian Aguon
Chamoru activists from Guahan (Guam) who are campaigning against US military bases will be coming to Melbourne for 2 good gigs.

Friday 13th June

6.30pm @ Old Stables of Earthly Pleasures Café, Belgrave
(enter via back carpark)

Saturday 14th June

12.30-5pm @ 60 Leiscester St, Cartlon

Join us for an afternoon workshop with panels, presentations and action planning on US bases and militarisation in Australia, Japan and the Pacific.

As the US prepares to move thousands of Marines from Okinawa to Guam, find out about the struggle for Indigenous self-determination in the Pacific and Australia’s links to regional militarisation.

Militarisation of the Pacific

US militarisation of the north-west Pacific is anchored around the small island of Guam, east of the Philippines. The island, known as Guahan to its indigenous Chamoru population, is three hours' flying time from Japan, Okinawa, Indonesia and the Philippines. Flying to China or North Korea from Guahan takes four hours. Guahan is currently a US territory, so the Pentagon can act there without seeking permission from allies.

Guahan is strategically located close to several of the world's most important sea lanes through which some 50% of the world's oil passes each year. In addition to the upgrading of facilities and increased deployments of planes, submarines and other equipment, Guahan now faces a doubling of the military troops stationed there. Washington and Tokyo have agreed to move 8,000 Marines to Guahan from Okinawa by 2014. This build-up will add 35,000 people to Guahan's current population of 170,000.

The Struggle of the Chamoru people

The Chamoru people of Guahan have resisted the take over of their land and waters since the arrival of Europeans in 1668. They are not prepared to give up that struggle. In October 2006, a delegation of young Chamoru stood before the United Nations’ Special Committee on Decolonisation and demanded that they “hold the United States accountable, as Guahan’s administering power, to its moral and legal responsibilities to ensure the ... right to self-determination of the native Chamoru people” and put an end to the “massive US military build-up [which] hinders the right of Chamorus to decolonization and violates the human rights of all people from Guahan”.

The link with Australia

Australia’s military alliance with the United States allows US Air Force planes from Guam to fly across our country for exercises and to use bombing ranges. The alliance makes us complicit in the denial of Chamoru indigenous rights and in the threat to regional peace and security posed by the militarisation of Guahan. In addition, the Australian Defence Force participates in various military exercises with US forces based in Guahan and ADF elements visit and transit through Guahan during these war games.

Reflections on the World's Dominating System

2008-05-24T02:39:00.000-07:00

I wrote these reflections after class (Entering the Social Domain) that's part of my Masters Course in Integrative and Transformative Studies. Oh and then I watched the Matrix to unwind at the end of the day - bad move. I didn't realise just how much my brain can resist imploding...

-------------------------------------------------------

“I didn’t come here to tell you how it ends. I came here to tell you how it begins”
Neo – The Matrix

After suffering a heavy day sifting through the complex weaving of capitalism and its stranglehold on our society and on us – I was left with a heavy heart. Understanding with some gladness that I was part of and helping create the new – and that in a way I am involved in the resistance. Yet simultaneously realizing that I will never see its total transformation in my lifetime- nor will anything I do bring about its total revolution.

What can I do but be involved in and help create small, localized fronts of resistance that create pockets of the new. Spaces where the empire is shut out, with high walls and new orders that are congruent between our humanity and the systems by which our humanity exists through. Because here the danger lies in creating alternative spaces fenced off from the empire – to use the same oppressive systems and structures which we’re attempting to guide through liberation and salvation.

And there is a deeper hope that lies with Christ. Christ who has already come and smashed the ways of old. Its defeat has already occurred at the cross when Jesus nonviolently lay down his life – teaching us and ushering in a new realm that at its core says no longer will we take life to save life but we will give our lives in order to save life. The kingdom of God is here and now. Yet its fullness remains to come to pass. And God in all God’s glory affirms Jesus’ life and nonviolent death by resurrection.

Now we know that we too if we follow in the path of Jesus, the narrow path that leads to the cross that at the end lies our resurrection and the total liberation of the world.
Thus we work, we fight, and we struggle onwards in this knowledge against the powers of this world, against Capitalism which rewards our greatest weaknesses, a system growing in power for 500+ years. Now an established, globalised system of dominance, invisible to the naked eye. Yet unlike in the movie The Matrix, it is not all encompassing virtual world though it may feel as such.

We can awaken; our eyes and ears can see and hear. We can create spaces in which the realm of God can flourish. Even though the weight of the world’s dominating system crushes in, bearing in on us, popping rivets, creating leaks that need plugging and sometimes blowing wide open holes from structural weaknesses – and it collapses.

Would it help to articulate this more as we live, create and fight. To know what we’re up against, to keep our focus? It’s easy to lose sight and slip back in the status quo. And we say ‘is it worth it’?

It’s always worth it. We must only remember. In the words of Rage Against The Machine ‘know your enemy’ – lest your enemy sneak up on you, lest your friends get captured, lest you become your enemy.

Thankyou's

2008-05-09T07:11:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Just like to send around a big thankyou to you all and your support during our recent Court Case for our Nonviolent Direct Action at Samuel Hill Airbase during Operation Talisman Sabre 2007. Without your support, encouraging words, advocacy, support letters (they were amazing - and helped immensly!), financial assistence, prayers, emails and so much more - we/I would have struggled very much so during this intense experience. It was so reassuring during the times of difficulty or nervousness to think of all our support, right round the country and also those overseas. Your contributions to the action took it further than we'd ever thought it would go. Feel free to check out our blog http://www.samuelhill5.blogspot.com/for court reports and pictures.

I encourage you in your work for peace and justice and offer my support and solidarity always.

Stay tuned for whats happening with Talisman Sabre 2009 (http://www.peaceconvergence.com/)

To finish up just wanted to let peoples know that Kaylene and myself (plus a few other mates I know are going) are heading up to the School of Discipleship (http://schoolofdiscipleship.org.au/) in canberra July 10-13th. Other than some good people going, Ched Myers (http://bcm-net.org/wordpress/theological-animation/#aboutched)%C2%A0 ) will be there too - ched's books have been responsible for getting me in many rowdy discipleship adventures! itz good.

Cheers Simon

Are the Frisbee 4 Ordinary People?

2008-05-07T03:18:00.000-07:00

Reports as written by Bryan Law (Pine Gap4) and his wife Margaret who personally came along to support us and was fantastic!!

I know these reports talk us up a bit - but hey i think we did an alright job for total law hacks!

The verdict in the court case for the Samuel Hill 4, basically came down to the question: Are they ORDINARY people?

The sitting magistrate Ms Baldwin quoted Justice Brennan in rejecting a plea of not guilty and finding the 4 did not have ‘lawful excuse’ for being on the Shoalwater Base. [warning loose quoting ahead] Brennan had said“Lofty aspirations should not be confused with rule of law” and “it is essential to separate the functions of court and government”. I think Brennan had been trying to intimate you can't influence public policy through the court system.

The 4 defendants made an excellent case that they were not attempting to 'influence public policy" but to interfere directly in the "social harms created when people are given skills and knowledge and tactics for mid to hight intensity combat" [Simon Reeves]. Mr Simon Moyle said: "Training for war creates more war; training for peace creates peace".Like the Pine Gap 4 and others before them, the 4 attempted to convince the magistrate that they had a legitimate purpose in being there: to prevent GREATER HARMS.

The magistrate first addressed the defence under 10.3 of the Commonwealth criminal code: the idea that the 4 had an extraordinary emergency that gave them reason to be on the tarmac stopping the training and skilling in combat methods. She did however say in relation to the defence that “in the circumstances [she] would be prepared to find that [the reasons they were there] were extraordinary”.

But she didn’t think that it was ‘reasonable’ that they were there. Perhaps “subjectively”; but according to her “objective” test their actions were not reasonable.. She said she needed and “objective assessment of reasonability." Quoting from Mr Justice Gallop in the case “Mark and Henshaw” she said “the critical issue [is] not the appellants belief or state of mind...[but] will come from an objective assessment ...[which] requires application of community standards ...[as to] whether the conduct is acceptable to the community.”

Earlier she had invoked the “man on the Clapham bus” as the standard of ordinary set by some English judge sometime. [I’ll come back to that]But now she discussed the “ultimate impact of a breach of law on the community standards”. she implied that such breaches of law went against “community standards”. She pointed out that that the people involved in Talisman Sabre were also entitled to the protection of the law.

Ms Baldwin said “I believe all four defendants believed that what they were doing was reasonable but on an objective test could not be seen to be reasonable.”She also addressed 10.4 of the criminal code: the idea that Samuel Hill 4 were compelled to intervene in the training and skilling of people in violent methods [war games] in defence of others who would otherwise be subject to great harm. She said that none of the defendants was ultimately able to show imminent peril and therefore she “must determine reasonability in relation to community standards. She again thought that community standards didn’t yet extend to “allowing breach of the law” and this was “not withstanding the method of execution through nonviolence.”

Margaret's Comment

So were they ordinary people? Each of the 4 thought they were pretty ordinary. Simon Reeves claimed to use bikes [he also has a bike he said!] But apparently it is not ordinary in our society to listen to the stories of people around you and then translate that to behaviours that intervene in the unjust acts that you hear about in those narratives.

Personally I thought they were pretty extraordinary not withstanding their use of buses and rather lowly jobs in the outer suburbs of Melbourne.I thought they were extraordinary because of the way they engaged intellectually with the legal material, the way they showed respect and love in the court room, the way they spoke clearly and brilliantly about why they did what they did.

I loved how they summoned Gandhi and King and John Dear and Dorothy Day - yay.From Simon Moyle’s evocation of the nonviolent Jesus.; Chrystal Spencer's bold solidarity with Indigenous Australians and their Country; Sarah’s appeal that they were “everyday Australians armed with another message : ‘Love at All Costs’; Simon Reeves’ argument about concerning the 3 harms of Talisman Sabre and his own compulsion to intervene in those harms on humanity and the Earth each person was particularly lovely there in the court room. Each participant spoke thoughtfully from the heart and with the Spirit of God shining forth.

Blessed Be.Margaret Pestorius

C'mon on Aussies C'mon!

2008-05-03T01:36:00.000-07:00

Australia acknowledges need for an NWC
Australia today delivered a statement on nuclear disarmament to the Non-Proliferation Treaty meeting in Geneva. It was much different from statements made in previous years. It even included a reference to the need for a nuclear weapons convention (NWC) for the first time ever. This is something which disarmament experts have described as quite significant. The reference is a cautious one, but using those words in this forum is rare. The only other countries so far to have mentioned an NWC at the meeting have been Costa Rica, Malaysia and Iran.

The statement read: “Australia under a new Government is fully committed to realizing a world free from nuclear weapons … A world free of nuclear weapons will require carefully calibrated steps that buttress international peace and security. Every state, whether holding nuclear weapons or not, must play a part in realizing that world. And at an appropriate time, the international community will likely need to consider complementary legal frameworks, including a possible nuclear weapons convention, for the eventual abolition of nuclear weapons.”

Australia welcomed reductions made by the nuclear weapon states in the size of their arsenals but said that “the international community, Australia included, remains hungry for further, irreversible reductions and greater transparency from states holding nuclear weapons. Concurrent with their warhead reductions, nuclear weapon states need to confirm a reduced role for their nuclear weapons in national security policies.”

It concluded with these words: “We are making progress towards realising the vision of a world free from nuclear weapons, albeit neither as fast nor as consistently as we would wish. Yet one thing is for certain – that without a renewed global commitment to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation … the vision will remain little more than that. Australia is ready to join such a renewed commitment.”
Source from the ICAN blog: http://icanw.blogspot.com/2008/04/australia-acknowledges-possible-need.html

"the strike of mass murder by weapon of mass destruction in hiroshima"

The Story - The Court Case - the Verdict

2008-04-30T22:11:00.000-07:00

Back from legal writing world, to blogging world! Here is our story of our court appearance. I will blog some reflections on our action as an overall a bit later. And if you’re lucky I’ll include my very very long legal defence. Check our www.samuelhill5.blogspot.com for sarah’s and simon’s legal arguments.

The Story. We’ll the four of us had done a-lot of work for this day in court. And what a day it was to remember. 3.5 hours in court arguing our case - why we had a lawful excuse for trespass that day. However as the time in court progressed it wasn’t just us on trial = but Talisman Sabre was on trial, Howard Government Policy was on trial and violence and war were on trial. All in the name of the nonviolent Jesus. We got to say all these things in court and it is official – we have publicly opposed war, violence and these war-games.

I was fairly nervous. We met at 8am in the morning and held a time of silence by the Yeppoon beach. Our supporters (Kaylene, the Moyles, Anthony, Cheryl and Margaret – all GREAT people who helped make our day in court happen well!) joined us. This time together, communing with God was very meaningful. Disarming our hearts, forgiving, seeing this as an opportunity to love and offer God’s invitation to transform this world.

In the waiting room, we conversed with the Police Prosecutor (who shall be known from now on as PP) and other locals who were very happy that the hippies (us!) were here to make court more relaxing and fun! The Mag was excellent in helping explain to us ignorant people the court process and correct us when we doing the wrong thing.

The four of us sat on the bench together as one. The PP made the Crown’s case against us which was like two second’s worth cause we agreed on all the facts. Thus, it was our turn then to explain why we thought we had a lawful excuse and were not-guilty of an offence which happened!

We were all thrown when we were asked – were we giving evidence or were we preseting legal defence – well it was both. So we had to re-jig and do the highland jig a bit. So we got up and gave evidence – well at least the subjective bits of our arguments. It ended up better I think as we got to present twice – the four of us – that makes 8 presentations! Each presentation adding on more weight to the argument presented by our comrades before us! Of course the PP cross-examined us and made us sweat our armpits off like in the movies, trying to get us to say stuff that would blow any chance we had, while our supporters ah’ed and ooh’ed when we got the heavy questions and wangled our way out!

After summing up by the PP, again very short – we got to sum up too! We did well I think. It seems like we got as close as possible to legally defending ourselves, that we had a lawful excuse because of the harm going on during Talisman Sabre – however, were we couldn’t quite get there was proving that we were ordinary people! Ha. What a laugh (Moyle did laugh actually!). We couldn’t do it.

Well, the mag took ½ hour to decide. We spent the time pacing around out in the sun. nervous, anticipating – wondering whether the mag was an extra-ordinary mag – bold enough to take on a nation and declare an amazing precedent by finding us not-guilty. We were summoned back in.

It then took another 20 minutes of legal speech by the mag to give us our verdict. It wasn’t until 10mins in that we knew it wasn’t heading our way. GUILTY. Neverless we could feel, see, hear the respect for our actions, the respect for why we did what we did, the understanding that at least in our opinon this situation was harmful and warrented action. Unfortunately the Mag decided that our actions were not of ordinary character and that not an everyday Australian would do such a thing – this is a sad commentary on our society.

Then came sentencing. PP up again – down again. Nothing much to say other than we should get something like what all our other comrades have received so far – fines, convictions, 12month good behaviour bonds. The mag then asked us for our sentencing statements. Well it was fun. The four of us got up and reeled off our resumes – our community work and volunteer work and everything we do. At the end of doing so – the PP jumped to his feet and exclaimed, something like “after hearing the work that these people do in our community, I move for no conviction and no fine”. The Mag just smiled and said something like I wasn’t going too! Amazing. Our Prosecutor became our advocate! What a transformation.

So we all got a mere 6mth good behaviour bond – which was fine by us. We won’t be back in QLD for 6 months. Operation Talisman Sabre 2009 is at least 12 months away!

And it was over. An action which started 10 months ago, well really another 6 months before if you include planning – over. What an amazing and empowering experience. Nothing like it have I experienced. It felt like I was in a gospel story, your honor Jesus changed my life and made me do it! A story to remember, another testimony to the power of God. Thanks to God for such grace at every step of our journey, the spirit was indeed present and without none of this could have happened.

So we got to relax. Spent some time in Yeppon and Byfield eating some great meals with some of the great locals. A moments rest. The job not yet done. There’s more on the way…

An invitation

2008-04-04T23:16:00.000-07:00

In Case you can't read what it says...

Thursday 17th April
7:30pm
@ Borderlands Co-op
2 Minona St, Hawthorn
(Melways Ref. 45 E11)
SUPPER PROVIDED

To Vote or Not to Vote

2008-03-26T22:05:00.000-07:00

So along came my letter - "apparent failure to vote" in the Federal election - well it wasn't apparent - I didn't vote. They wanted to slap me with a $20 fine (scary!) or they said if I had a valid and sufficient reason then they wouldn't fine me. Of course religious expression is a valid and sufficient reason - although apparently it is difficult to prove. Here is my letter: Whatdoya think?

11th March 2008

Peter Glover
Divisional Returning Officer
HOLT
PO Box 597
Dandenong Vic, 3176

Dear Peter

I am writing to you to express my reasons for not voting in the Federal election. These reasons are based upon my religious convictions of being a disciple of Jesus Christ, following his teachings, his lifestyle and his actions. These are difficult teachings and not easy to live out, nevertheless I try to do so and this leads me to a life in community with one another, volunteering in my neighbourhood, sharing meals with the hungry, homes with the homeless and personal time with the socially isolated. I attempt to integrate these acts of kindness into a fullness of life that includes many beautiful things such as cricket, footy, camping, movies and gardening.

From what I’ve come to understand of Jesus and the Scriptures, is that it wasn’t God’s plan for humans to rule over other humans (see 1 Samuel 8:1-22, John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11, 2 Cor 4.4 and Luke 4:5-7). In fact, the Scriptures I follow suggest that God alone should be our supreme power, our Lord, our Prime Minister. Jesus came to usher in the Kingdom of God where God is the sole ruler. Any form of Government that doesn’t rely on God as the sole ruler is one in which I cannot belong too, participate in; give my consent or even vote for. As followers of Jesus, we are to pledge allegiance to God and declare freedom from all other powers.

As you know, Australia governs through democracy, which is meant to be ‘government by the people for the people’. Even if this form of governance were governed according to this principle, which it is not, it still fails to place God as the head. Instead it is a human ruler, a prime minister and his/her cabinet. This ruler, who is graciously voted in by the people then proceeds to act for the next three years unhindered, often using violent methods, waging wars, killing people, damaging our home the earth, failing to adequately care for the most marginalized and poor people in our society and so on. It is unfortunate that the Australian Government doesn’t acknowledge God as its head, and instead chooses to elect humans to rule over us.

This is not to say that God cannot use governments to achieve law and order and the fullness of the Kingdom of God. God uses governments despite their corruptness, despite their violence, despite their human failings. I think this has been shown to be true with some of what we’ve seen with the Rudd Government. Yet, already there are failings already creeping into the Rudd Government such as the dredging of the Port Phillip Bay and troops in Afghanistan, proposed nuclear waste dumps, unaffordable housing etc.

Greg Boyd, a professor of theology and senior minister of Woodland Hills Church says “It follows that Kingdom people should place no more trust in governments than Jesus did – which was none. If a government's laws happen to be consistent with the rule of God, we obey them. If they’re not, we follow the example of Jesus and disobey them” (www.gregboyd.blogspot.com). While Vernard Eller in Christian Anarchy states we are not to fight the government or attempt to convert the government, least we use the same forms of violence and oppression (unconscious or consciously) that all human governments adopt.

Thus, I see it as my Christian duty to not vote or participate Australia’s system of government that fails to acknowledge God as sole ruler, instead placing humans to rule over other humans. I am happy to discuss these convictions further with you if necessary, acknowledging that I too am human and have not resolved them completely. Feel free to phone or email me (contact details are below). I look forward to your response.

Yours Sincerely

Simon Reeves

Palm Sunday 2008

2008-03-12T21:27:00.000-07:00

Palm sunday is this Sunday! Come along and share in a day where the Kingdom of God is embodied. Together we can both embody what it is to live as nonviolent people and also protest against the violent wars carried out around the world, supported by our Governments and our taxes. Remember Silence = Permission. Evil is allowed to occur when good people remain silent. Lets not remain silent!

Palm sunday peace service
& rally

16 march 2008 (THIS SUNDAY)
On the 5th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq

1.15 Ecumenical Service
of Prayer and Reflection
Wesley Uniting Church, Lonsdale Street

'bring your banners, your palm leaves, your instruments,
your yearnings for action for peace’

2 p.m. Palm Sunday Rally & March
for peace and Nuclear Disarmament

Stop the wars
in Iraq & Afghanistan!
No Uranium Mining.

Blessed is the one
who comes in the Name of the Lord
Hosanna in the Highest!!

A Prayer of Allegance...kinda?

2008-03-04T00:08:00.000-08:00

I wrote this prayer when trying to imagine what I would say if I was to begin each and every day with a prayer of allegiance to God and in doing so dennounce all other allegiances that is demanded of us each and every day!

Let me know what you think...any additions, subtractions...

PRAYER

I/We remember you Jesus
Your body and your blood
Your life and your peaceful sacrifice
Your ways that work slowly, humanly, peacefully, not inhumanly, violently, forcibly like the empire
In remembering you I/We seek to :

Follow the way of Jesus, knowing it leads to the Cross

Love God and declare our/my allegiance to God and God alone

Care for our/my family

Stand with the poor, the exploited, the oppressed, the victimized, the marginalized, the hurting, the sad, the lonely

Be responsible for the earth

Stand in the way of wars and violence

Love my/our enemies, praying for those who persecute us

Reject affluence, lust and ‘power over’

To watch where the Father is at work and join in this great activity, rather than doing my/our own thing

Be merciful and forgive others even if it takes a billion go’s

Cultivating meekness, a gentle strength and to never ever resort to any form of violence to anyone or anything

Always to have faith beyond human eyes and be strong when fighting against the powers of injustice

Be faithful to God, not successful

Do small things with great love

Be generous and never refuse anyone who wants to borrow from me/us

Never speak unkindly about anyone

Contribute towards Community life

To try and live out the Kingdom of God here and now

What was all that about then? The Rise & Demise of the Anti-War Movement! Where to Now Then?

2008-02-15T17:59:00.000-08:00

A great little article by my mate Ciaron O'Reilly, who has raised that scary topic most of us seem unwilling to discuss - millions marched, yet the war went on ahead regardless. The where to now is particular good reading...

by Ciaron O'Reilly Pitstop Ploughshares/ Catholic Worker

It's five years on since millions marched against the invasion of Iraq.

Today, the war escalates in Iraq & Afghanistan and expands into Lebanon, Palestine, Somalia, northern Pakistan and maybe soon Iran. Irish complicity is as deep as ever as Shannon Airport remains the major pitstop for U.S. troops getting from North America to the theatres of war.

The once anti-war Green Party has morphed into an Irish government betraying Irish neutrality and facilitating U.S. invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. Meanwhile the anti-war movement that was taken for a ride by the mainstream opposition parties, the authorirtarian left and moderate NGO's has all but disappeared from the streets.

On Feb 15th. 03 I was sharing a Limerick prison cell with a young seminarian, Damien Moran, where we watching the Sky live feed from London of 1-2 million folks marching in the streets aginst the war. Meanwhile 150,000+ were marching in Ireland. Our co-defendants Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop & Karen Fallon were in the women's section of Limerick Prison. We had helped to pull off the most disruptive action to U.S. military deployment www.peaceontrial.com (a bit like winning the Eurovision...there wasn't a lot of NVDA competition from a timid, soon to evaporate, anti-war movement)..causing one U.S. war plane to turn around and return to Texas unable to contribute to the war effort. Also in response to our action, 4 U.S. companies, transporting U.S. troops to war, abandoned Ireland as a secure place to refuel. Although we we were in an Irish prison for this nonviolent resistance to war, any mention of it was censored by the Feb 15th. Dublin rally organisers.

An interesting article on the demise of the anti-war movement appears in today's The Guardian G2 section cover titled "15.02.03 Millions Marched Did it Change Anything?". Inside the zine it is entitiled "The Day Politics Stopped Working" by John Harte stimulates reflection on waht led to the demise of a massive anti-war movement during an unpopular war that escalates and expands...http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/feb/15/iraq

Where to now for the anti war movement (to be honest remnant!) in brief.....

1) We have to make the massive passive anti-war opinion visible. People who are serious about opposing the war should make that opinion visible for an hour a week with a sign in the street. See link.....http://www.indymedia.ie/article/85865

2) If 1% of those who marched against this war had gone in tho serious nonviolent resistance in the spirit of Gandhi and King...resisted until jailed...we could have stopped this war. If the other 99% who had marched against this war had done serious proactive solidarity with the movement's imprisoned resisters ...helped feed the cat, paid the rent, dealt with the hysterical parents.....we would have have a mass movement still active and visible. Such solidarity is contrary to what happened in Ireland, at the time, when the Feb 15 Dublin rally organisers blanked the imprisoned anti-war resisters and did little as they went to trials etc. Why?..... because a lot of the anti-war leadership were not serous about resisitng Irish complicity in the war, they saw the war as a marketing/ media profile opportunity. Noting more, nothing less!

3) We need to support those who are presently before the courts, in prisons and brigs for nonviolently resisting this war.I've been living in London for 3 months now and have seen no mention of the Raytheon 9. 3 of the 9 are SWP members. The SWP pretty much run the "Stop the War Coalition" and are well placed to promote this trial. Why the silence? Is it an anti-Irish prejudice? Is it an anti-NVDA party policy. Dunno? Go figure?A few weeks ago there was a "Stop the War Coalition" demo in Stoke Newington. I made up a sign "Disable the War Machine! Free the Raytheon 9! www.raytheon9.org " I stood there for two hours not one SWP member asked me about the 9....these are 3 of there party members looking at years in jail, go figure?

Anyways there are folks resisting the war. I'd encourage you to make contact with them

Raytheon 9 - Disabling Raytheon Equipment in Derry During the Bombing of Lebanonwww.raytheon9.org

Anti-Torture Training Resisters Arrested at Ft. Huachuca in Arizonawww.tortureontrial.org

Pine Gap 4 - Citizens' Inspection of U.S. N.S.A. Base in Alice Springs, Australiawww.pinegap6.org

U.S. Military Resistershttp://www.couragetoresist.org/x/

Related Link http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/feb/15/iraq
Related Link: http://www.peaceontrial.com

On this historic day

2008-02-13T03:17:00.000-08:00

We pay tribute to the courageous souls of the Pine Gap4 and pray for them during this time.

musings on their arrest...

Wednesday 13th February is now a historic day. Australia said ‘sorry’ to the stolen generation of indigenous Australians. On this day, Australia has admitted its past mistakes, its past injustices and committed to a new future of restoring that which was taken and damaged. What a beautiful day to share and be an Australian. Yet, also this day is a sad day to share and be an Australian. For in the same day, under the same rising sun, Australia fails to learn from history and continues past mistakes as we imprison the Pine Gap 4. The Pine Gap 4 are four Australian nonviolent activists (Christians Against All Terrorism) whose voice cries out in the wilderness (literally the wilderness) highlighting the injustice of our devastating involvement in the killing of many generations of Iraqi’s and Afghani’s. Of particular concern to these peace activists is the significance of the Pine Gap Military Spy Base, 20kms from Alice Springs.

We all know the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are unfortunate, some of us even believe them to be terrible and like our forebearers who instituted horrific policies straying close to genocide of indigenous Australians, we too share the shame of our current policies that appear to bring life to other peoples, but in reality bring the opposite. Just in Iraq, it is estimated that over 1 million Iraqi’s have died since the invasion (http://www.justforeignpolicy.com/), through weapons, chemicals, bombs and missiles. Australia’s Pine Gap Military Spy Base is been found to be responsible for directing on whom those missiles fall. Below is an excerpt from reflections by Bryan Law one of the Pine Gap4 about his action.

“We’ve found out a lot more about what Pine Gap is and does. It’s a gleaming high tech machine being used for some of the darkest and most insane (demonic) military activity/terror on our planet. Read this US document to get a picture of what Pine gap contributes to. http://space.au.af.mil/stratcom/spacemissions.htm You’ll find Pine Gap’s functions under “Space Force Enhancements” . “Space assets have provided key support to coalition forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, the most digitally intensive conflict ever, with virtually every military platform linked by satellite. Military satellites help choose bomb targets, guide precision munitions, provide weather reports, warn of missile launches, let commanders talk to one another, and allow soldiers to pinpoint their position”. Pine Gap makes a much more vital contribution to US warfighting than any amount of combat troops in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Thus, in December 2005 the Christians Against All Terrorism decided to conduct a concerned citizen’s inspection of this facility. They were arrested and charged under Defence Special Undertakings Act (1952), and had the honour of being the first people charged under this special Act since its inception some fifty years prior. Why is a question that springs to mind? At their trial, prosecution fought for jail time, but the trial judge gave them fines. The State appealed this sentence and at the same time ironically issued arrest warrents for the non payment of these fines. Bravely, the four headed to Darwin to face their jail time. On Wednesday 13th February, they were taken in and with the upcoming appeal attempting to place them in jail for an unspecified amount of time they are unsure when they will be coming out.

For Bryan spiritually his focus has been on the Sermon on the Mount, and its call to love our enemies. This Sermon by Jesus includes such statements as:

Blessed are the peacemakersfor they shall be called children of GodBlessed are they who suffer persecution for righteousness sake,for theirs is the kingdom of HeavenIndeed the Pine Gap 4 are suffering persecution by the State and others, and indeed it is for righteousness sake. After all how righteous it is to cry out ‘stop the wars’, ‘end Australia’s involvement through Pine Gap’, ‘stop the killing of other humans’ and so forth. These are righteous statements. It is even more righteous to be willing as the Pine Gap 4 have been, to put their words into actions and in the nature of Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Jesus to be willing to put their very lives on the line. Would it be that we could all do the same. Maybe we could see these wars abolished. The actions of the Pine Gap 4 say, that it is possible. If enough people are willing to do what is right, to take on suffering and persecution a world without war could exist. If only a nation like Australia could possibly learn to never kill again! If only we could, in our own hearts learn to forgive one anther and especially our enemies. Here is where violence starts and where it ends – with all of us individually.

Our silence has made all Australian’s complicit to murder in Iraq and Afghanistan. We, once again must step up and admit our injustice, immediately begin to seek forgiveness and to heal our mistakes. As we say sorry to indigenous Australia, we have proven that as a nation that we are capable of fulfilling our humanity. Let us continue to pursue our humanity and whether its working together with indigenous Australia towards healing past wrongs or joining those who are calling to end Australia’s involvement war and killing in other countries. Let us all take up one or two projects of peace and justice. Let us all stand true. And let us all be ready to suffer persecution in the name of justice.

Christians Against ALL Terrorism are going back to the sacred compound at Pine Gap on ANZAC Day 2008. There’ll be solidarity actions in Australia and New Zealand. You can join them. Check out http://www.pinegap6.org/

Have You Seen This Ship?

2008-02-09T02:10:00.000-08:00

As you read this blog the Queen of the Netherlands slowly is dredging our Bay. Is this good or is this bad? Most people I speak to say this is good.

- After all isn't it only removing a layer of sand from the bottom of the bay and moving it somewhere else?

- Isn't it going to be great for our economy?

- Our port needs to keep up with the growing economy, we need bigger ships to come here.

As usual, it is necessary to hear both sides before forming opinions. Let's hear the other side :

Only a few of the worlds oversized ships will be able to use this new deepened port - 14 metre draught container vessels and oil tankers with a bit more load.

Over 100 species of sponge exist here that occur nowhere else in the World.

The Bay's eco system (of seals, penguins, whales, sharks, and thousands of marine plants and creatures) functions much like a lake and requires a high degree of sunlight in order to survive. Dedgeing will reduce visibility dramatically.

Nitrogen balance is also very importance and is maintained by seafloor organisms (benthic)

Yarra dredging will affect anchovy levels. The penguins of Phillip Island rely on eating anchovy

Risks to human health haven't been adequatly addressed as 4 million m3 of Yarra sediment contain heavy metals like arsenic - which will be dumped into the bay. Swimming and eating fish from the bay will become a concern

Studies indicate that by 2035 trade will have quadrupled in the port regardless of channel deepening

Fishing in the bay already contributes $1 billion a year. This is 10 times more than the channel deepening will produce. It has also been admitted that fish stocks will be affected.

Best channel deepening estimates for the economy will yield only $1.9 billion by 2035. $70million per year - equivalent to the current dive industry "(and you realise why I say current).

I could go on...

Needless to say, I believe channel deepening to be not good at all. In fact maybe even disgraceful that we are allowing a few rich people with big ships dictate to us what we need and in the process destroying the environment. Furthermore, do we even need more 'stuff' to be shipped in from other countries like China?

I say simply. WE MUST WORK WITH THE EARTH AND NOT AGAINST IT (capitals not to be angry but to state clearly my overall problem with channel deepening). This is a simple thought that not only will see the world we live in cared for, but it may even yield greater opportunities for growth.

Lets work with this...not against it. There are alternatives. Check out this website fore more details.

http://www.bluewedges.org/

Check out this website for actions
http://www.operationquarrantine.com/

and for a good news story (with my mate carey priest getting a say too!)

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23177810-2862,00.html

People say the protestors pictured here were putting themselves in danger. Ironic, no one mentions the danger that ship is doing...

Sides of the River

2008-02-02T02:39:00.000-08:00

We often talk about the gap between the rich and the poor and we all know of its realities. And sometimes we go to places in the world where the gap seems to lie starkly naked. We were meet with such a place in Vietnam on the Mekong Delta. Literally one side of the river was rich an the poor (you’ll have to forgive my blatent generalizations of rich and poor – this is also something learnt in Vietnam and shall share my thoughts on this later, but to benefit this blog I generalize). For affluent western tourists (yep, like ourselves!), big business owners, corporations like the ones riding the backs of the poor – this side of the bank was theirs.

For the other side of the river, an amazing array of homes piled ontop of one another, made from whatever can be found. This is the side of the river where the majority of people of Vietnam live.

I did not spend much time on either side of the river – mostly we floated on down the middle, so I cannot say much more about this divide except that neither side of the river should be the world over. For the poor, poverty is terrible. No one who is truly poor wants to be poor. It is a harsh life full of difficulties to overcome. We shouldn’t idealise the poor or seek to glorify the poor. Same goes for the affluent. Accumulating and hoarding loads of money/possessions is not the way. What’s more is that this accumulation and hoarding is in reality stealing from the poor. The poor suffer so that the affluent may continue their existence (for most of us in Australia this is our category). But somehow, somewhere those in the western world have been taught that to accumulate loads of money is to be successful and fulfilled. Yet we all know affluence and hoarding does not bring about the happiness promised. In fact they often result in social poverty, depression, and other social evils.

Instead, maybe what we should aim for is ‘enough’. Prosperity and poverty teachings occupy much of the church, yet I think that Jesus was on about ‘enough’ for everyone. Enough, so that every human person has land and shelter, food and drink, clothes and the same amount of all the wonderful creations by humankind (sustainably of course!).

Some 'Rage Against The Machine' Lyrics I heard at Big Day Out Melb. - I think they mean something...to do with the story of the pictures

Brotha did ya frget my name
Did ya lose it on the wall
Playin' tic-tac-toe

Yo, check the diagonal
Three brothers gone
Come on Doesn't that make it three in a row

Anger is a gift

Yo, check the diagonal
Three million gone
Come on
'Cause ya know they're counting backwards to zero

Environment
The environment exceeding on the level
Of our unconsciousness
For example What does the billboard say
Come and play, come and play
Forget about the movement

Anger is a gift

Freedom, freedom, yea right

A Tour Around Vietnam

2008-01-23T17:06:00.000-08:00

Here are some images from our time in the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. It was such a beautiful time together as husband and wife, seeing a totally different way of life, meeting wonderful people, experiencing the sights and smells of another country, learning about life in an occupied country living a war-torn existance and the hearing about the effects of violence upon individuals and an entire nation...

(top) Socialist Billboards a dime a dozen, or whatever that cliche is...

(bottom) Sunset in Saigon (now known as Ho Chi Minh City)

A typical tourist shop and a typical palace with war machine relics

(top) How many people you know with a smile like that?

(bottom) There are almost more bikes than people in Vietnam, or so it seems - brillent form of transport for 80million people living in the one country - great for the environment, practical and fun!

The floating Markets in the Mekong Delta (6am...in the morning!). Do kids just follow Kaylene or does Kaylene follow kids?

New religions to learn about...

the remote-ish hill tribes of around Sapa

great places to jump off!

one of my fav pics! Halong Bay.

Washing Osama's Feet

2008-01-15T19:54:00.000-08:00

'nough said

http://gregboyd.blogspot.com/2007/11/washing-osamas-feet.html

OUR WEDDING CEREMONY

2007-12-27T16:40:00.000-08:00

Our theme for the wedding

Celebrating the Creation of Life &

The Community of Love

Covenants

During the wedding we asked our three circles of community/family to covenant love, protection and support for our marriage. Each circle was represented by a planting to symbolise nurture towards growth.

Family
Doveton Krew
Community of family and friends

My lil' sis Hannah wrote a wonderful song called 'Days Like These' and played it beautifully!

Vow To each other (and binding of hands)

I Kaylene Michelle Allgood, take you Simon Paul Reeves to be my life-long and faithful companion. Forsaking all others, I promise to encourage that which is Christ-like within you and challenge you to reflect and act upon God’s reign of mercy and justice. Finding you has been my greatest joy and gift from God. I love you and I will keep loving you through all seasons of our lives

And so the binding is made

I take you through the Summers…
When we will share times of deep blue brightness, joy, laughter and warmth
I will always hold your hand during these times of happiness as we walk along the beach on those balmy summers eve’s

And so the binding is made

I take you through the Autumns…
When we will share times of neither hot nor cold, the ordinary, days of non-event
I will always stand by you as we do the dishes in silence after one of those days

And so the binding is made

I take you through the Winters…
When we will share times of bitter cold, weeping sorrow and heart-wrenching pain
I will always hold you close during these times of sadness, snuggling in the flickering shadows of a cold winters fire

And so the binding is made

I take you through the Spring
When we will share times of glorious colour, change and amazing new life
I will always kiss you sweetly during picnics in the park

After the celtic handbinding of our vows to one another we took vows together that we called the steps of life. To do so we borrowed a hindu tradition and walked five steps together. They were walked around a Bible to symbolise following God. Here are our five steps :

Vows – Steps of Life

Love God
Simon and Kaylene do you covenant to love God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind, following in the footsteps of the nonviolent Jesus wherever that may lead?

Grow Home
Kaylene and Simon do you covenant to grow home, provide a place of warmth, safety and happiness for your family and all who may enter your home?

Love your Neighbour
Simon and Kaylene do you covenant to love your neighbour as each other? To treat everyone as you would your own brother and sister, striving for a world of justice and peace?

Share Life
Kaylene and Simon do you covenant to share life in community with others. Journeying with them, always forgiving, learning from them and teaching others to do the same?

Walk Lightly
Simon and Kaylene do you covenant to walk lightly across this earth. To care for and participate in the healing of this earth and to live simply, remembering to worship God and not wealth?

An Excerpt from one of our readings called 'The Country of Marriage'

Our bond is no little economy based on the exchangeof my love and work for yours, so much for so muchof an expendable fund. We don't know what its limits are--that puts us in the dark. We are more togetherthan we know, how else could we keep on discoveringwe are more together than we thought?You are the known way leading always to the unknown,and you are the known place to which the unknown is alwaysleading me back. More blessed in you than I know,I possess nothing worthy to give you, nothingnot belittled by my saying that I possess it.Even an hour of love is a moral predicament, a blessingsomeone may be hard up to be worthy of. I can onlyaccept it, as a plant accepts from all the bounty of the lightenough to live, and then accepts the dark,passing unencumbered back to the earth, as Ihave fallen time and again from the great strength
of my desire, helpless, into your arms.

Wendell Berry

The Blessing
You are God’s servants gifted with dreams and visions.
Upon you rests the grace of God like flames of fire.
Love and serve the Lord in the strength of the Spirit.
May the deep peace of Christ be with you,
The strong arms of God sustain you,
And the power of the Holy Spirit strengthen you in every way.Amen

THE BIG DAY

2007-11-07T20:00:00.000-08:00

No, not the election. Kaylene and I are getting married - tomorrow. Just wanted to say a huge thankyou to everyone who has helped us get this day together. It's been a mammoth job and couldn't have done it with you!

We'll be away for the next month in Vietnam. So, will probably be fairly quiet on the blogging scene for a while. There's a small chance i'll put some pic's up of our tour round vietnam. But, if not I'll be posting again in December - and definately have some pics of the wedding to post! Anyway. I better go now and do something wedding like.

Cheers

WHY I AM NOT VOTING

2007-11-07T19:56:00.000-08:00

First of all, I’d like to state that I don’t think voting is wrong. I encourage everyone to vote seriously, with research, energy, effort and contemplation. However, personally not voting is being obedient for what God would have me do. It is a public action that points to the inherit problems associated with voting and the massive flaws in our system of governance. Here are some reasons why. And I will finish with some more personal comments.

VOTING

- Supports the common fallacy that social change occurs once every three years during voting time. The system says this is our highest and greatest political action. The fulfillment of democracy. Yet, I believe we are asked to vote with our whole life, every day of our life.
- This great importance on voting makes us lazy citizens. Once we fulfill our voting obligations, we believe we can sit back and continue our comfortable lives uninterrupted, pursuing all things that make ‘us’ happy. In the same way we get others to grow our food, make our furniture, educate our kids, build our houses, look after the poor and so on – we give ‘power’ to others (government) to make decisions for us. We setup proxy governments, with processes that we need not get involved in or become too highly complex for simpletons like ourselves. They require professionals and highly educated people. This is partly the reason why whenever people want change – it involves moving incredible mountains.
- Compulsory voting is undemocratic. Don’t agree with any of the parties? Don’t like the system? Cop a fine. Fail to vote repeatedly and you’ll get thrown in jail.

SYSTEM

- When we vote we give power to others to lord it over us. The democracy we have is not one of participation it is one of ruling. Ruling democracy. We get to chose our ruler, our dictator. Our voices are not heard, we cannot have a say whether or not we go to war or sell Uranium, or pursue build nuclear power plants.
- The system lacks adequate representation. We are too large a group of people to be governed over so that every community within this country is looked after and particular nuances of various groups are taken into consideration. Minority groups always suffer and minority groups are usually the poorest and most marginalized in the community. We blindly accept that yes some people will not like all the decisions made and yes some people will have suffer. Why do we accept that this has to happen? Of course, most of the time we are in the majority and it doesn’t affect us.
- There are inadequate choices. We get to chose between two parties who are remarkably similar. Sure we can vote Green (who I have a soft spot in my heart for), democrats or family first – but how much chance do they have of forming Government? Yet a vote for Greens is a vote for labor in the end with our preferential system. You must fill out all preferences on the ballot card otherwise your vote doesn’t count. That means somewhere along the line you are voting for again – labor or liberal. Your vote won’t stop the forests being logged, it won’t make wars cease, it won’t make sure the poor are looked after. Instead you get to merely get to chose how much forest you want logged, or which country you’d like to war against, or to what level should we look after the poor.

So, to not vote. These are my thoughts and my decision after much contemplation and reading of the scriptures. But, I am still learning about this stance. I have made the decision, but I now I must understand why. I welcome interaction and conversation on this matter whole heartedly. For me being obedient to God means not voting. For you it may require voting. The important thing is that we are seeking God and following our humanity.

Yet, I do not do this lightly. It rests uneasily with all that society has drummed into my head. I look from left to right thinking am I crazy? Funny enough this is what reassures me that this is what God would have me do. My greatest problem in all this is – what is my alternative I’m offering. While I can’t come up with a whole new system, I believe I am learning the values (that is the values of the reign of God) and attempting to live them out in my place in this world. Here in Doveton, we are beginning to look a little different from the rest of the world. It s here, and yet its not.

My allegiance lies with God who is sovereign in my life. And the reign of God is the alternative to the empires of this world.

The Greens and the Australian Christian Lobby

2007-10-30T21:57:00.000-07:00

more tension again this election between these two parties. Recently the ACL questioned all the political parties about certain issues. However, the Greens refused to answer the questions. why? well, they wrote a letter to the ACL and asked them to put it on their website to explain why the didn't answer their questions.

The letter by the Greens has some great explanations that helps me understand why I have a problem with the ACL despite being a Christian myself! And also why, I am sympathetic towards the Green's Party. Personally, however I a considering to publically and politically 'not vote' in this election - stay tuned for why.

the link as follows http://webdiary.com.au/cms/?q=node/2109

some quotes from the Greens letter to the ACL

"We are, of course, aware that many Christians vote Green because they recognise the Greens’ commitment to peace and non-violence, social justice and the environment and to participatory democracy are consistent with Christian values. The Greens have an ongoing dialogue with the established Christian churches with a long association with faith traditions and demonstrated commitment to social justice and to the Gospels.

"The Australian Christian Lobby has never spoken out on the values behind Federal Budgets that give tax cuts to the rich and which deny Indigenous communities the funding to maintain their languages or to provide even the most basic health and education services. At no stage in the last 4 years has the Australian Christian Lobby ever commented on the Howard government inaction on climate change or refusal to recognise environmental refugees. This, in spite of calls by the World Council of Churches to act on climate change to protect God's Earth and to support the millions of people in developing countries who will be first and most dramatically affected.

Muslims for Peace

2007-10-30T21:18:00.000-07:00

and to think this still took me by suprise...that our faith and Islam are so simliar! Both working for a better world here on earth. Both striving for peace and justice. Both have extremist ends causing injustice and oppression in the name of faith. Both claiming our faith can make this place harmoniouis and peaceful! both struggling with people of faith who believe salvation is only about the after life and not about the now! how wonderful to find this essay. follow the link for the full version or maybe read the excerpt below...

http://www.mfp.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/tawhid-talk-transcript.doc

Tawhid and Social Justice
Dr. Ali White

"Pardon me for speaking very bluntly at this point. Are we Muslims going to make the effort to obtain the knowledge we need to offer society the only alternative that can save it — Islam? Islam has a complete solution for social and generational harmony, but most of us neither know what it is, nor are inclined to find out. Most Muslims are too absorbed in this dünya, to become involved in struggling for a better world, for social justice. Yet, the Qur’an makes it abundantly clear that salvation in the hereafter is as much a matter of having faith as fulfilling the obligation of striving to good works. Several ayaat may be cited in this regard:

[3:142] Do you think you will go to Paradise while Allah has not yet seen who among you struggle and persevere?

[9:16] Do you think you will get away before Allah sees who among you would struggle…?

[29:69] We shall guide those who struggle in Our cause to the paths leading to Us…

[61:10-11] O believers! May I offer you a bargain which will save you from a painful punishment? Have faith in Allah and His messenger, and struggle in the way of Allah, with your wealth and souls. This is better for you if you can understand.

[49:15] They alone are believers who come to have faith in Allah and His messenger, then do not fall into doubt, and struggle with their wealth and their souls in the way of Allah. They are the truthful and sincere.

Striving in Allah’s path for a better world — and for the knowledge to do this properly — is mentioned so much in the Holy Qur’an that it must be vital to our salvation as individuals. We are told, in fact: ‘The one who strives, does so for his [her] own sake’ (29:6). Instead of letting ourselves become steadily absorbed by the decadent Allahless dominant culture, Allah (SWT) reminds us in three places that He:

is the one who has sent His messenger with the guidance and the true way of life, so that he make it prevail over all aspects of living... (9:33; 48:28; & 61:9).

Allah (SWT) adds:

We have surely sent our messengers with clear signs, and sent with them the Book and the Balance, so that people may stand by justice (57:25).

Elsewhere in the Qur’an we are told:

“O believers! Stand up for justice, as witnesses for Allah…” (4:135) and “O believers! Stand up for Allah, as witnesses for justice…” (5:8).

We are commanded to enjoin good and oppose evil. Let us all be very clear. Islam is under attack everywhere not because it is a source of terror, but because true Islam is the framework of genuine justice. Exploiters and evil-doers really do fear genuine Islam.

Islam grasps that humanity today is on the brink of a precipice, centrally because humanity is devoid of the vital values which are necessary for its survival. By proposing that the basis for world peace is Allah’s Oneness (Tawhid), Islam provides the basis for the emergence of peace with justice.

Our beautiful religion commits Muslims to oppose injustice and oppression. This is the only path to sustainable peace — that is, peace with justice. Instead of conflicts on the basis of nationality, ethnicity and factionalism, Islam counterposes a world in harmony, where we are able to live in equitable relations with each other, because each regards the other as equally one of Allah’s creatures.

Islam provides the basis for the emergence of peace with justice. It is time for all Muslims to unite together in this struggle for justice, and in the collective striving for the knowledge needed to obtain this.

Revised: 22 March 2007.

Response to 'Outraged' Onfire letter and more incoming 'outrages'

2007-10-24T18:14:00.000-07:00

So in August I posted 'outraged', a copy of a letter to the editor in a salvo publication called 'onfire' by Darren Chandler that was fairly against our nonviolent direct action at the Military War Games. And I promised to post my response to Darren. We'll here it is. it was published a couple of editions ago in Onfire.

And it seems that there's some incoming mail for the October 26th Onfire in opposition to my letter that you'll find posted here. we'll have to wait and see for tomorrow's onfire publication.

To Darren Chandler

Thank you Darren for your courage and passionate views regarding ‘Talisman Sabre’. However, can I propose some matters for your further consideration.

You suggested that Christian’s should not break the law. I would ask the question, what do we do when a law encourages the killing of people? Jesus himself broke many laws of his day and stated “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill?” (Mk 3:4). When considering my actions I too asked all these questions. What is a greater act? To obey a law or save the life of neighbour? If your next-door neighbour was trapped in their burning house, I’m sure you wouldn’t hesitate to illegally break down the door to save them?

I also commend your dislike of war, but disagree in the need to have a military defense force. Why do even us Christians believe violence should only be used as a last resort? When we resort to violence what we are really doing is idolatry. Here our belief in the god of violence is stronger than our faith in the God of peace.

In war, whether we use violence or nonviolence, people most likely are going to die. Is Jesus not to be followed even during a times of war? When we follow Christ who died for us, we should be prepared to die for others, not kill them. It seems to me that Jesus offered the solution for which humanity is desperately searching. “Love your enemies”. Gandhi and many others have showed us this alternative can be lived out. As can all of Jesus teachings, though they are challenging.

To answer your question “where would we stand if invaded by a foreign nation?” I’d be on the frontlines, hopefully with all the other salvo’s…ready to meet the enemy! We’ll have the brass band playing, some hot tea or coffee, some biscuits and a place for them to stay if they need. I believe in Jesus’ commandments. I think He was serious and not a joke. I will never harm a brother or sister. I will not stand by while others do. I’d take a bullet and follow him with my cross. But, maybe I’m just young and naïve.

Simon Reeves

Wedding Details and Maps

2007-10-21T19:38:00.000-07:00

the countdown continues (literally...on Kaylene's facebook she has a clock that countsdown to the wedding!)...I'm posting the wedding details again for all who may have 'misplaced' the invite.

Also for others who'd like to come along who want to check it out you'd be more than welcome...

You are invited to attend the wedding of,

Kaylene Michelle
&
Simon Paul

On Friday 9th November

The Ceremony will be held at
Lysterfield Lake
Horswood Road Lysterfield
At 2:45pm

Then a Reception following at
Myuna Farm
182 Kidds Road Doveton
At 6pm

View Larger Map

View Larger Map

Racism and vilification in the mainstream media

2007-10-14T19:26:00.000-07:00

From a good mate of mine at Noble Park...

G'day Justice Wingers,

The last month has been a particulalry trying time where my wife and I live. In the space of one week there were two murders, one of which made national news. Many within our Corps community are related to this young man who was left unconscious after being brutally beaten.

To add insult to injury Kevin Andrews made revealed that no more migrants from Africa would be allowed to resettle until at leats July next year. The Minister for immigration made many claims about problems with the settlement and integration of African migrants which is certainly true - there have been some problems. BUT, for every story of woe I could tell ten stories of indidividuals, families and communities who are working overtime to make the most of their new life in Australia and who devote hours of their own time to help others do the same. I'm sure you can imagine how hurtful it has been for some within our corps to be labelled as being in gangs, that they are ill-educated and that they are not integrating into Australia's laws and lifestyle.

Histeria in the mainstream media recahed fever pitch last week whilst we were on holidays last week but through a few phone calls from Kaylene who serves in our Cafe we were able to get the media department to make a statement to the Herald-Sun expressing concern at the type of generalisations that were being made.

Check out media watch's website below - watch the video and be stunned at the incredibly poor standard of journalism. This is holy cyncism.
http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2054150.htm

That's it from me, but read this email I got from Miriam Gluyas who is the CO at Auburn Corps in Sydney who shares similar concerns to me.
Aaron

1 month remaining...

2007-10-10T23:44:00.000-07:00

Last tuesday night, Kaylene and I went out with our Bridal Party to dinner at an excellant resturant in Dandenong called 'taste of africa'.

We had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed both the company and the food. It is now one month to our wedding and we are getting just a little bit excited. although there is much to do! We are still hoping we are successful for a house to rent - this is a nervous wait. time is running out. But we know that we are always looked after by this world in many ways so we are comfortable in this wait.

Thankyou so far to everyone who has wished us the best and all those who are helping us put together this special day. and thanks to everyone who reminds me the ball and chain is in the mail! Just jokes - i think! Kaylene don't read this.

Anyway. definately check out his resturant we went to - Amir the owner/chef is the most friendlyy and welcoming bloke you'll ever meet. And the food is very well priced. Plus, he has drinks from Eygpt! Including strawberry juice!

Through his resturant, Amir hopes to bring his two cultures together to meet and understand one another - he flies the sudanese and australian flags proudly. Despite what the media is reporting, the Sudanese are integrating extremly well and this should be celebrated! This is a great way to get to know one of the many gifts the Sudanese population are bringing to Australia! Eat. enjoy.

Citizens Against War Crimes

2007-09-26T19:04:00.000-07:00

Just received this via email...interesting that all the news coverage of the last sitting day of parliament was centred around the childish bickering of politicians, with no mention of this...

Media Release: (Thursday 20 September 2007; Canberra)

Iraqi deaths due to US invasion - 1,051,145 (Just Foreign Policy, & The Lancel - UK medical journal) "We had to destroy the country in order to save it.

"Citizens Arrest of John Howard, Alexander Downer, Philip Ruddock, & Brendan Nelson as War Criminals."Point of order Mister Speaker: I have a Warrant for the arrest of John Howard, Alexander Downer, Philip Ruddock, & Brendan Nelson as War Criminals.

"Yesterday in Federal Parliament at Question Time, an anti-war activist confronted the Government with a formal Citizens Arrest Warrant, charging them with various breaches of international law. (see Warrant below)

Peter McGregor, a retired academic from Newcastle, was himself then arrested, & charged with 'unlawful entry on inclosed lands' & taken into custody. McGregor was calling for the Speaker of the House of Representatives to have the police arrest the 4 Ministers. "Just the Howard Government's abandoning of Habeas Corpus should make it a social pariah, especially with those who believe in the rule of law & human rights. Instead of people like me, the Pine Gap 4, the Talisman Sabre Peace Convergence, Rising Tide, Greenpeace, etc. resorting to acts of civil disobedience, it would be preferable if groups like Amnesty, councils for civil liberties, university law faculties, etc. practiced what they preached, and brought formal legal charges against the Howard Government for its War Crimes."

"In order for evil to triumph, it is enough for good people to do nothing."No date has been set for the trial, but McGregor will be pleading not guilty.Contact: Peter McGregor - mcgregorpeter@yahoo.com.au & 49293587----------

Warrant for the Citizens Arrest of John Howard, Alexander Downer, Philip Ruddock, & Brendan Nelson: John Howard, Prime Minister; Alexander Downer, Minister for Foreign Affairs; Philip Ruddock, Attorney-General; & Brendan Nelson, Minister for Defence are hereby charged, to be trial by the International Criminal Court, with:

(1) Planning, preparing, initiation or waging a war of aggression or a war in violation of international treaties, agreements or assurances - VI (i) Nuremburg Principles

(2) Participation in a common plan or conspiracy for accomplishment of the above - V (ii) Nuremburg Principles

(3) Participating in the use of cluster bombs in contravention of the AUSTRALIAN MINES CONVENTION ACT, 1998

(4) Participating in the use of weapons of mass destruction in breach of the GENEVA Convention including Fuel Air Explosives which cause death by asphyxiation

(5) Conspiring to pervert the course of justice by
(i) abandoning habeas corpus both in the domestic 'anti-terror' laws & in international policy; &(ii) covering up or defending the use of torture & over breaches of the GENEVA Convention, the International Covenant for Civil & Political Rights, & the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, against Australian – and other - citizens, at Guantanamo Bay

(6) Failing in its duty to protect Australian citizens overseas, & conspiring to continue the illegal detention of Australian citizens without trial or changes for over 5 years

(7) Demonizing and incarcerating asylum seekers under the policies of mandatory detention and fortress Australia. Such policies contravene the legal principle of habeus corpus and have induced undue suffering and mental illness for detainees.

Dated this Wednesday 19th September, 2007.Signature(s): Peter McGregor: (mcgregorpeter [at] yahoo.com.au)

Issued & authorized by Citizens against War Crimes

So whats happening in Burma?

2007-09-26T18:59:00.000-07:00

JUST RECEIVED THIS MOVING MESSAGE FROM A GOOD FRIEND OF PACE E BENE, JACK HEALEY, FORMER DIRECTOR OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA AND A FOUNDER OF THE BURMA CAMPAIGN. HE HAS BEEN WORKING TIRELESSLY ON BURMESE FREEDOM SINCE MEETING AUNG SAN SUU KYI IN 1999. BEST, KEN BUTIGAN

Dear all, The demonstrations inside Burma have escalated into a full-scale nonviolent Gandhian revolution. Yesterday 200,000 monks, civilians, and students marched through the capital city of Rangoon, calling for human rights and democracy.

The day before, they forced through barriers on the street outside Aung San Suu Kyi's house to go and visit her. She stepped outside for a brief conversation and it was the first time she can been seen in 4 years. Our colleagues inside Burma tell us that she looked fit and healthy.

I am attaching a photo here of her -- you can see her in the middle with yellow shirt clasping her hands together. When the monks approached her, she started crying as she was overwhelmed by their courage and bravery. Yesterday, inspired by the strong support from Hollywood actors and actresses, several of Burma's most prominent actors joined the protests and offered alms to the marching monks, a highly symbolic and important show of support.

We have been briefing journalists virtually 24 hours a day as they cover the situation. Tonight we are going on CNN and BBC World. There are over 2,500 news articles on Burma right now -- the #1 story in the world.

Journalists are calling this the "Saffron Revolution", noting the color of the monks robes. Ominous news is that the regime is shaving heads of some of its soldiers so they can pose as monks and these "monks" can incite military soldiers into a crackdown. Just amazing to see the power of the human spirit.

Jack and Jeremy

Alternatives 2 Empire

2007-09-19T23:03:00.000-07:00

The Another World is Possible conference invites people of all faiths and no particular faith to create a shared spiritual and moral vision of a new economic, political and cultural order; which rejects greed, domination and violence, respects the rights and dignity of all humanity; seeks sustainable and just stewardship of the Earth’s ecological systems; and which understands the sacredness and unity of all life and creation.The conference will consider the fundamental questions of human existence: Who are we? What is our purpose on this earth? How should we live? How should we address the challenges that face humanity at this critical moment of its history?

Only when we consider these questions can we begin the task of building political, economic and cultural institutions and policies that overcome the structures of greed, domination and violence.

Salvo's Moblised for Peace

2007-09-18T22:48:00.001-07:00

watch out the salvo's are getting involved! this sunday, the salvo's have organised a prayer for peace rally. this a fantastic start to getting involved in the campaign for the abolition of war. lets hope we can go deeper and further, inspired by time praying with the God of Peace on Sunday.

Details are Sunday 23rd Sept. 69 Burke St Melbourne, 7pm and then a candle lit vigil to the steps of parliament. Hope you can come!

"you can have your protest, if we can have our war".

2007-09-16T21:01:00.000-07:00

some blog posting worthy conversations from Christian Activist Network egroup...

There is an> agreement (maybe only implicitly) between the authorities and the> anti-war movement that "you can have your protest, if we can have> our war". Anything outside of the limits on protest set by the> authorities is criticized by the "mainstream" anti-war movement.

...anti-war protests and the warorganisors and beneficiaries forming a kind of co-dependency. I do thinkthat it is more complex than this and possibly a major reason for thisis the way that the war organisers have acted to restrict andmarginalise any dissent and protest to the extent where at a major eventlike APEC they employ extreme measures to prevent any disruptionregardless of the costs.

This is what i think is different from thepast, is that those conducting the war are changing the rules andrestricting free speech and dissent so that there is no possible waythat their activities can be disrupted by protests. The governmnts and corporations involved have powerful allies in the corporate mediaworking to demonise anti-war protestors at any opportunity in ordersilence them and marginalise them further.

For some who are able tothink critically about the issues and who do not have an interest andare continuing to profit from current political policies they maybe ableto see through the media and political spin, for others and possibly themajority they unfortunately accept what's dished up to them. All of thisas we know is not good news for our supposed democracy and it's thisunrelenting war on democracy and free speech that i find most disturbing.

However It's in this space that i think there is room for creative civildisobedience that could act as a catalyst in causing people to thinkmore critically about the issues. To be effective however we do need tobe able to capture an effective voice outside of the mainstream media tomake sure that there is balance in the message thats being reported.

comments by paul dyson and paul jameson

Large Scale nonviolence movement

2007-09-16T20:53:00.000-07:00

A MARCH by thousands of protesters demanding an end to the Iraq war turned chaotic near the US Capitol, where hundreds sprawled on the ground in a symbolic "die-in", and police arrested almost 200 people, including war veterans.

Police used a chemical spray against some protesters and pushed back others who tried to jump a barrier in a self-described effort to be arrested. The "die-in", on a walkway in front of the Capitol building on Saturday, was generally peaceful until scores of protesters were arrested when they tried to climb over metal fences and a low stone wall.

Phil Aliff, 21, marched wearing his US Army jacket as part of a group called Iraq Veterans Against the War. He first arrived in Iraq in July last year. "I stayed there for a year, in Abu Ghraib and outside Fallujah," he said.

"When we arrived, we were told we were here to bring stabilisation to the country. But we were not rebuilding anything. The Iraqis had only two hours of electricity. And I saw the atrocities committed by the Americans there."

full story...

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/hundreds-arrested-in-iraq-war-diein/2007/09/16/1189881340899.html

Violence at peaceful protests...

2007-09-04T19:14:00.000-07:00

Just found a new blog. Its called Peaceful People Power Australia .

They seem to be really committed towards addressing the issue of violent protesters at actions. APEC is a good example as to how they will be doing so - nonviolently of course! So check it out! http://pppoz.blogspot.com/

Here is a good description of what PPPOZ is about :

We hope to continue the conversation about nonviolence as a political strategy with as many political activist groups and individuals as possible.

It is intended for PPPA to help provide impetus for activist groups and individuals committed to nonviolence to form a coalition within which ongoing dialogue continues to explore ways to implement our common goal of keeping political protest nonviolent.

It's time that those seeking to bring violence to peaceful protest actions are made unwelcome at such events. The future integrity and credibility of peaceful protests depends on this.Please help us.

Join us. You can make a difference.

No provocateurs wanted at APEC...

2007-09-04T19:09:00.000-07:00

From the desk of Sylvia Hale MLC (NSW Greens):

Canadian authorities admitted last week that three people photographed wearing bandanas covering their faces and carrying rocks at a recent demonstration at a North American government leaders summit were undercover police officers.

This week I called on the NSW Premier to guarantee that there will be no undercover police or other security agents attempting to provoke violence at Sydney's APEC demonstrations.

The most provocative statements about possible violence at the APEC protests have come from the PM, the Premier, the Police Minister and the new Police Commissioner, not the protest organisers.

Sydney has a long history of peaceful political protest and the Greens want to see that historycontinue.We are discouraging any violence by either protesters or police.

Taken from http://pppoz.blogspot.com/

A guide for political and social action

2007-09-02T19:14:00.000-07:00

The Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings
The mindfulness trainings of the Order of Interbeing,
first enumerated by Thich Nhat Hanh in 1966 at the
height of the Vietnam War, expand on the traditional
Buddhist precepts.

1. Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory,
or ideology, even Buddhist ones. Buddhist systems of thought
are guiding means; they are not absolute truth.

2. Do not think the knowledge you presently possess is changeless,
absolute truth. Avoid being narrow-minded and bound to
present views. Learn and practice nonattachment from views in
order to be open to receive others’ viewpoints. Truth is found in
life and not merely in conceptual knowledge. Be ready to learn
throughout your entire life and to observe reality in yourself and
in the world at all times.

3. Do not force others, including children, by any means whatsoever,
to adopt your views, whether by authority, threat, money,
propaganda, or even education. However, through compassionate
dialogue, help others renounce fanaticism and narrowness.

4. Do not avoid contact with suffering or close your eyes before suffering.
Do not lose awareness of the existence of suffering in the life
of the world. Find ways to be with those who are suffering, including
personal contact, images, and sound. By such means, awaken yourself
and others to the reality of suffering in the world.

5. Do not accumulate wealth while millions are hungry. Do not
take as the aim of your life fame, profit, wealth, or sensual pleasure.
Live simply and share time, energy, and material resources
with those who are in need.

6. Do not maintain anger or hatred. Learn to penetrate and
transform them when they are still seeds in your consciousness.
As soon as they arise, turn your attention to your breath in
order to see and understand the nature of your anger and hatred
and the nature of the persons who have caused your anger and
hatred.

7. Do not lose yourself in dispersion and in your surroundings.
Practice mindful breathing to come back to what is happening
in the present moment. Be in touch with what is wondrous, refreshing,
and healing both inside and around you. Plant seeds of
joy, peace, and understanding in yourself in order to facilitate the
work of transformation in the depths of your consciousness.

8. Do not utter words that can create discord and cause the community
to break. Make every effort to reconcile and resolve all
conflicts, however small.

9. Do not say untruthful things for the sake of personal interest
or to impress people. Do not utter words that cause division and
hatred. Do not spread news that you do not know to be certain.
Do not criticize or condemn things of which you are not sure.
Always speak truthfully and constructively. Have the courage to
speak out about situations of injustice, even when doing so may
threaten your own safety.

10. Do not use the Buddhist community for personal gain or
profit or transform your community into a political party. A religious
community, however, should take a clear stand against oppression
and injustice and should strive to change the situation
without engaging in partisan conflicts.

11. Do not live with a vocation that is harmful to humans and
nature. Do not invest in companies that deprive others of their
chance to live. Select a vocation that helps realize your ideal of
compassion.

12. Do not kill. Do not let others kill. Find whatever means possible
to protect life and prevent war.

13. Possess nothing that should belong to others. Respect the
property of others, but prevent others from profiting from
human suffering or the suffering of other species on earth.

14. Do not mistreat your body. Learn to handle it with respect.
Preserve vital energies (sexual, breath, spirit) for the realization
of the Way. Be fully aware of the responsibility of bringing new
lives into the world. Meditate on the world into which you are
bringing new beings. ♦

Excerpted from Learning True Love: Practicing Buddhism in a Time of War by
Sister Chang Khong. © 2007 Unified Buddhist Church. Reprinted with permission
from Parallax Press.

Making yet another small difference...

2007-08-29T22:39:00.000-07:00

Got this info from Steven Said's blog. http://www.neurotribe.net/blog/

If Google had a black screen, taking in account the huge number of page views, according to calculations, 750 mega watts/hour per year would be saved. In response, Google created a black version of its search engine, called Blackle, with the exact same functions as the white version, but with lower energy consumption so spread the word and convert to blackle.

www.blackle.com

Thich Nhat Hanh

2007-08-29T21:40:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce you to, Thich Nhat Hanh. Thich Nhat Hanh is an expatriate Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk. A teacher, author, and peace activist.

In the early 1960's, he founded the School of Youth for Social Services (SYSS) in Saigon, a grass roots relief organization that rebuilt bombed villages, set up schools and medical centers, and resettled families left homeless during the Vietnam War. He traveled to the U.S. a number of times to study and later teach at Columbia University, and to promote the cause of peace. He urged Martin Luther King, Jr. to oppose the Vietnam War publicly, and spoke with many people and groups about peace. In 1967, King nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize.

He has authored more than 75 books, including Being Peace, Peace Is Every Step, No Fear, No Death, and Living Buddha, Living Christ. He has published five books a year for the last six years.

"Every breath we take, every step we make, can be filled with peace, joy and serenity," Thay writes. "We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment." He teaches the practice of mindfulness, being aware of your breathing and being centered in the present moment, throughout our day -- when getting up, sitting down, walking, eating, driving, talking, doing the laundry and washing the dishes. His teaching makes the connection between the world's wars, poverty and destruction, and the way we live our day to day lives, moment to moment.

"Practicing nonviolence," he once said, "is first of all to become nonviolence … The essence of nonviolence is love. Out of love and the willingness to act selflessly, strategies, tactics and techniques for a nonviolent struggle arise naturally. Nonviolence is not a dogma; it is a process. Other struggles may be fueled by greed, fear or ignorance, but a nonviolent one cannot use such blind sources of energy, for they will destroy those involved and also the struggle itself. Nonviolent action, born of the awareness of suffering and nurtured by love, is the most effective way to confront adversity."

He created the Order of Interbeing in 1966, and established monastic and practice centers around the world. His home is Plum Village Monastery in the Dordogne region in the South of France. He travels internationally giving retreats and talks. Exiled from Vietnam for many years, he was allowed to return for a trip in 2005.

Nhat Hanh continues to be active in the peace movement. He has sponsored retreats for Israelis and Palestinians, encouraging them to listen and learn about each other; given speeches urging warring countries to stop fighting and look for non-violent solutions to problems; and conducted a peace walk in Los Angeles in 2005 attended by thousands of people.

Excerpts from Father John Dear http://ncrcafe.org/node/1283 and www.katinkahesselink.net/other/c/Thich-Nhat-Hanh.html

People's Alternative to APEC Conference Melbourne

2007-08-26T19:06:00.000-07:00

Some information on the People's Alternative to APEC Conference Melbourne. It has some great speakers and topics. Read below for more information. This alternative conference is fantastic on so many levels. Plus its better than throwing eggs at George Bush!

Movements throughout history like Mandela during Apartheid have used Alternative Events to the ones organised by the powers to bring about the change that the people know is coming. In reality the power lies with the people, not the few rich and powerful that dominate unchallenged and without accountability. So, if you disagree with where the US and Australian Governments and Multinational Companies are taking this world and feel silenced then this is a good place to go.

Yes, its a small act to attend an alternative forum - but as Gandhi says 'be the change' - think about the world you want to see and live it out now. I can imagine a world where all people can go to events like APEC and have their say on what they want to see happen in the Asia-Pacific region. This is the world that the alternative APEC is imagining.

OUTRAGED

2007-08-23T06:50:00.000-07:00

Here is a interesting letter to the editor of Salvo publication Onfire in response to an article about our arrest at Shoalwater Bay military facility. I sent in a response to Onfire and will post it here soon...so stay tuned...!

I was outraged by the manipulative use of OnFire as a political propaganda tool by Simon Reeves, Sarah Williams and Krystal Spencer in the Faith in Action article ‘Talisman Sabred’ (21 July issue).

These three ‘Salvationists’ obviously have strong convictions regarding Australia’s involvement in ‘war games’ and war in general, and are correctly entitled to those opinions.

However, when they decided to willingly break the law and trespass onto Commonwealth land to protest, they lost the right to paint themselves as Christian martyrs. I cannot see why you chose to publish this article when it condones criminal activity (or so-called ‘civil disobedience’) and sends the message that it’s okay to break the law if you do’t agree with it.

One of the photographs even shows the group in question standing outside the police watch-house as if they had done something noble! They had not, and publishing this article was irresponsible, and could encourage this type of behavior, possibly leading to repeats of the Melbourne G20 summit protests.

I do not like war, either. But today, as much as in the past, our country needs to have functional and combat-ready armed forces. Where would these activists stand if we were invaded by a foreign nation?

Would they be protesting against our troops defending our country, or ‘getting in there’ to support our soldiers and population in their greatest time of need, a have true Salvationists in previous times of war?

How many times does 'child' appear in the N.T National Emergency Response Bill?

2007-08-16T20:42:00.001-07:00

Muriel BamblettAugust 13, 2007

http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/lets-fight-these-laws-together/2007/08/12/1186857338728.html?page=2

ONE of the most telling facts about the rushed Northern Territory National Emergency Response Bill becomes clear when you look for how many times the word "children" or "child" appears. You would think that any legislation that is supposedly part of an emergency response to the issues raised by the Little Children Are Sacred report on child abuse in indigenous communities would have children mentioned throughout its scores of pages. Our legislators had these pages in front of them for only a day or so before they were passed by the House of Representatives with the support of both main parties.
Guess how many times the words "children" or "child" appear in the bill? One hundred? Twenty? Five? Wrong — the answer is zero.

There is no mention of children in the main bill, which supposedly addresses the emergency of child abuse. That is why the majority of indigenous leaders, academics and practitioners in social work and child protection are continuing to say that this bill has nothing to do with children. That is why the actual authors and advisers who delivered the report have condemned the Government for failing to pay due regard to their considered recommendations.

But it has everything to do with a government seeking re-election by blowing the dog whistle of racism in the guise of caring for indigenous children. It has everything to do with a Labor Party too fearful of another Tampa to act with principle and courage. It has everything to do with the assessment of the main parties that the Australian public are too racist and too uncaring of indigenous children to actually support governments doing something principled and evidence-based to tackle both the causes and the symptoms of disadvantage that lead to child abuse.

You should feel insulted. Insulted that you are seen as racist and uncaring. Insulted by the low regard in which your political leaders hold you. Insulted that the assessment of the politicians in the major parties is that you are too lazy to see past policy forming from media releases and political bluster.

But this is the way it seems always to have been for indigenous people.
The federal ALP government in 1995 commissioned the Secretariat for National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care to prepare a National Plan for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect in Aboriginal Communities. The Keating Government sat on the plan for months, only for the Howard Government to shelve it soon after its 1996 election victory.
At the 2003 Prime Minister's Indigenous Family Violence and Child Abuse Summit, the secretariat again developed comprehensive proposals for a national indigenous children's wellbeing and development taskforce that was to include representation from all governments, the secretariat and other indigenous organisations, report directly to the Council of Australian Governments and develop measures to address child abuse and the lack of services in prevention, early childhood support, health and education. And now we can add Little Children Are Sacred to the ignored reports.

This legislation does nothing for children, nothing for indigenous disadvantage, nothing to actually stop child abuse. So what does it do? It takes control away from indigenous communities. It allows government bureaucrats to force themselves into our boardrooms. It takes over our land. It takes away our ability to have a say on who can come onto our freehold title land. It places bureaucrats in charge of our lives. And it exempts these and other actions from the Racial Discrimination Act, which means it acknowledges that some of its measures may be racially discriminatory.

This legislation is an attack on our people. How would you feel if you had to allow a bureaucrat from Canberra into your community meetings, netball committee meetings and business meetings? How would you feel if there was a law which made it OK for you to be discriminated against, just because of your race?

Are the major parties right? Or will you stand with us and fight this abuse of our people and let your local MPs and senators know what you really think?
Muriel Bamblett is chairwoman of the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care.

At the 2003 Prime Minister's Indigenous Family Violence and Child Abuse Summit, the secretariat again developed comprehensive proposals for a national indigenous children's wellbeing and development taskforce that was to include representation from all governments, the secretariat and other indigenous organisations, report directly to the Council of Australian Governments and develop measures to address child abuse and the lack of services in prevention, early childhood support, health and education. And now we can add Little Children Are Sacred to the ignored reports.
This legislation does nothing for children, nothing for indigenous disadvantage, nothing to actually stop child abuse. So what does it do? It takes control away from indigenous communities. It allows government bureaucrats to force themselves into our boardrooms. It takes over our land. It takes away our ability to have a say on who can come onto our freehold title land. It places bureaucrats in charge of our lives. And it exempts these and other actions from the Racial Discrimination Act, which means it acknowledges that some of its measures may be racially discriminatory.
This legislation is an attack on our people. How would you feel if you had to allow a bureaucrat from Canberra into your community meetings, netball committee meetings and business meetings? How would you feel if there was a law which made it OK for you to be discriminated against, just because of your race?
Are the major parties right? Or will you stand with us and fight this abuse of our people and let your local MPs and senators know what you really think?
Muriel Bamblett is chairwoman of the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care.

bloody chocolate!

2007-08-15T22:01:00.000-07:00

From a new friend's blog - Danielle Strickland. the Salvo's new Territorial Social Justice coordinator or something or rather...sorry I forgot your title Danielle.

http://armybarmyremix.blogspot.com.html (very interesting blogging...well worth a read!)

I've heard about the chocolate issues but have lacked concrete info to really watch my consumer habits... here's some I found that might help...

An award-winning filmmaker/photographer, sponsored by the Washington, DC-based International Labor Rights Fund (ILRF), has just returned from West Africa after conducting filmed interviews with six young men currently living in Mali who are plaintiffs in a suit in US Court in Los Angeles. The men are former child slaves who had been trafficked as 14/-15 year-olds to Ivory Coast and forced to work on cocoa plantations.

The photographer also interviewed and took pictures of children currently working on cocoa plantations in Ivory Coast.

KNOW WHAT CHOCOLATE YOU ARE EATING, KNOW WHAT IT SUPPORTS:

Nestlé
One-third of Nestle's chocolate is from West Africa, where over 286,000 children have been reported working in slave conditions on cocoa (chocolate) farms. Nestle promotes genetically engineered foods while claiming "the Fair Trade approach is not a solution." learn more

Nestlé is the largest food manufacturer and chocolate company in the world with over $65 billion in annual sales. Fair Trade Certification, which guarantees a modest minimum price of $.80 per pound, would establish a "floor" or minimum price that Nestlé could easily afford to pay, thus providing a fair price to small farmers, a subsistence wage for cocoa plantation workers, and an end to the practice of child slavery.

Dole
Dole is the largest cut-flower producer in the world, the majority of which is imported from Columbia and Ecuador where low paid farmworkers are exposed to 127 different chemicals, including neurotoxins and carcinogens. Studies show 60% of these long-term workers have signs of early cancer.

David H. Murdock, Dole's CEO, is ranked by Forbes as one of the wealthiest men in the world. If you took the amount Dole pays all of its thousands of international floral farm workers, per year, and multiplied it times 100 years, you'd still have less than the amount that Mr. Murdock is "worth" (over $2 billion), yet he refuses to have the company invest in paying its farmers liveable wages.

Dole is also responsible for union busting in Columbia (firing union supporters).

Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart is the largest retailer of cut-flowers in the United States, the majority of which come from Dole. Wal-Mart is also one of the largest retailers of Valentine's chocolate candies, mainly sourced from Nestle, Mars, and Hershey.

Wal-Mart's 1,713 stores do not sell or support Fair Trade or organic chocolates or flowers.

While Wal-Mart, the world's largest corporation, rakes in over $250 billion in sales each year, the average pay for a Wal-Mart sales associate is $1,000 below the poverty line for a family of three, and the company is now well known for outsourcing its production to sweat shops.

M&Ms/Mars Inc.
M&Ms/Mars Inc. has been accused of buying from contractors who utilize child labor and child slavery on cocoa farms on the Ivory Coast.

M&M/Mars Inc. is the third wealthiest private company in the United States. The three private owners of the company are each "worth" $10.4 billion, while the West African farmers actually growing the cocoa for M&Ms chocolate make a baseline income of only $108 annually. M&M/Mars Inc. continues to report record profits while flat out refusing to consider Fair Trade.

West African Cocoa Farming

* Estimated number of cocoa farms in West Africa:
1.2 - 1.5 Million
* Average size of cocoa farms in West Africa:
10-15 Acres
* Average number of family members who live on a cocoa farm:
8-10
* Number of people in West Africa who live on cocoa farms:
10 Million
* Amount of cocoa produced worldwide each year:
3 Million Tons
* Percentage of world cocoa supply that comes from West Africa:
Approximately 70%

http://www.american.edu/ted/chocolate-slave.htm

http://vision.ucsd.edu/~kbranson/stopchocolateslavery/newsandinformation.html

ARREST UPDATE

2007-08-14T23:38:00.000-07:00

On the 2nd August our bail conditions stated we had to surrender to the Yeppoon Court. So that we did. It was a great time of catching up with the other 19 arrestees. On the court date we gathered in the morning for a time by the sea in reflection for the day ahead. We were all invited to say something…I chose to read out part of Jesus Sermon on the Mount, one which I read daily so I thought what better time to read it that day. The others all shared in meaningful ways and it was a deep experience for us. We were well supported by the locals and the media. Under the watchful eye of the police (as we are dangerous people…not!) we walked up the street to the Magistrate’s court where we gathered to walk into court together.

I’d done way too much preparation for this court appearance. I was ready for the unexpected, yet got the expected. The court was packed that day with the 19 of us and many other folk from around the area coming to court for various reasons. The court itself was so small, that we could only trickle in one at a time. Some of the guys who’d been arrested in 2005 went first and did a great job of breaking the ice and showing us how it was done.

It was a weird experience sitting in the court room, and gathering the confidence to get up and face the magistrate. But I summoned the courage when I was ready. I stated my full name to the court and the magistrate asked if I understood the charge. I said “Yes Ma’am”. She then asked how I was going to plead and I stated “Not guilty Ma’am”. This is a moment I will remember for some time. It was a moment of truth, of following the way of Jesus and the apostles before the courts they faced. So, a not guilty plea meant a new date was set for October 4th. However, like everyone else pleading not guilty, I was excused from attending as it is only a contest mention. The real court date will be later on. So that means one less trip to QLD and some money saved! It also means that the trial date will most likely not be on Kaylene and my wedding date (I rang a very relieved KL straight away…she didn’t fancy a wedding in a court room). I thanked the magistrate, wished her a good day (which caught her by surprise) and I was done!
We then spent the most refreshing and energizing four days I’ve had all year. The weather was fantastic, we had the most hospitable hosts, we got to stay on a beautiful and serene property, we climbed the biggest tree of my life (16m high!), we helped put on a fundraising concert for the arrestees, we shared our experiences at that event in front of the crowd, we watched the local news for our story, we read about our stories for three days straight in the paper, we did radio interviews, we had great food, we visited many people in the local area (even helping push their 22,000litre water tank up a mountain), we ate homegrown food, we drank from homemade mugs, we listened to music, we sat by a fire every night, we ate prawns for dinner, we shared stories with the other guys, we made new friends…

Rev Moyle at the place we were arrested...

We Remember Anthony

2007-07-30T23:07:00.000-07:00

Last week we recieved some sad news. Our friend Anthony Cornish who lived with us for some time passsed away. Anthony was always a great joy to have around and constantly was cooking meals, cleaning up and listening to how you were going. Anthony was a keen artist and spent much time working and planting in our garden at the back of our place.

Anthony shared with us the many trouble and difficulties he'd experienced in life. He said that he went through much, yet was content to still live day to day and enjoy life's small joy's. Anthony's story was moving and his desire to do good to people and love them was inspirational given what he'd been through.

Anthony shared many meals and discussions with us - contributing to our discipleship nights with great insight. Anthony would often encourage us for our community values, the love that he felt and acceptance. Anthony spoke of the transformation that living in Doveton with us brought and how his desire once again to have faith in God.

Unfortunatly, Anthony's stay with us was only ever temporary due to a lack of rooms that we have here in Doveton. We are ever praying for people to donate houses, rooms, caravans and spaces so we can share life with more great Anthony's of this world. So Anthony headed back into the world and it was said that he died peacefully in his sleep.

We remember Anthony and the time he shared with us along this journey of life.

Birds of Prey

2007-07-24T22:29:00.000-07:00

An article written by my mate Rev. Simon Moyle (www.smoyle.blogspot.com) who entered the Samuel Hill Airbase...an interesting 'tail' within the wider adventure we had that day!

Every morning we’d been woken by the kookaburras. If you’ve ever been camping, you’d know that birds are often the first creatures stirring in the morning, but ordinarily you’d expect peaceful twittering, not the raucous laughter of the kookaburra. But there they were, these iconic Australian birds, day after day, faithfully rousing us from our slumber with their mirthful calls.

We were camping at a caravan park in Yeppoon, almost 150 of the 300 people who had converged from around Australia to demonstrate a peaceful alternative to war. Just a few kilometres up the road, the Australian and US militaries were practicing to kill; Operation Talisman Sabre they called it, a series of live fire exercises including bombing and short range missile attacks. Projectiles cutting their destructive way through the sky, ultimately crashing to earth with explosive ferocity. Beautiful, pristine earth, thousands of years old rainforest with untold complexity of ecosystems; destroyed in a split second of human malevolence

Birds, of course, have a special place as God’s messengers in biblical stories. From the dove that Noah sent out from the ark, which has become the universal symbol of peace, to the ravens feeding Elijah in the wilderness; from the Spirit that descends upon Jesus like a dove at his baptism to his likening himself to a hen brooding over her chicks. In the indigenous lore in the place where I’m from, Melbourne, Australia the creator spirit is known as Bunjil, the eagle. Birds have a special place in spiritual lore; they soar above us, majestic, mysterious, floating near the heavens, seemingly untouched, unreachable by we earth-bound creatures.

Five of us from the peace convergence decided to oppose the war games by walking openly onto the base to request that they be stopped. In fact, we were positing an alternative; bringing a frisbee with us, we wanted to invite the soldiers to stop their war games in favour of peace games. A peaceful projectile floating gently between people, connecting them in the name of fun. We were aware, of course, that by setting foot on the base it would be likely to raise the ire of those who were conducting the exercises; soldiers, probably armed, and in aggressive mode. We wanted to be ready in ourselves for the likely aggression we would encounter. Choosing early morning as the most likely time to go undetected, we jokingly coded our entry time as, “When the kookaburras laugh.”

The whole week had been spent preparing, but it was essential that we be centred in ourselves at the moment of entry. After waking at 5:30am, we met together to pray; to respond to the Spirit’s leading, to act out of love rather than fear. Sitting in a circle, we descended into a period of silence. Connected in such a powerful way in such a powerful moment, I felt enfolded in the Spirit of Life that surrounded us. Quietly we began to sing, then hear from the Beatitudes, then a Thomas Merton quote. The formalities over, we had only to wait on the Spirit for leading.

Suddenly, inexplicably, the silence was broken by the laugh of a single solitary kookaburra. We opened our eyes, looked at each other, and joined in the laughter. No one needed to say anything; we were ready.

We walked for three hours through the bush to reach the fence; the five of us with our cameraman and documentary filmmaker Dujon. Dujon had journeyed the whole week with us, present for our planning, our meetings, our prayer times. We had grown close to each other, and as the time came for our entry, he was increasingly concerned for us and our safety. While not a Christian himself, Dujon had a keen sense of how important our faith was, and how it connected us to every living thing around us. Nonetheless, when he left us at the fence, he felt keenly aware of the risk we were taking. His return journey would be filled with questions for our welfare.

Until, as he rounded a bend in the road, he was stopped in his tracks by an eagle. Standing in the middle of the road as he approached, it turned and looked at him. With piercing eyes, it stared into him; then turning its head, it crouched, sprang into the air and flappings its powerful wings, flew into the sky. Dujon later told us that he knew at that moment that we would be ok; that this eagle had been sent to reassure him, and that it would watch over us. He continued on his return journey in that confidence.

We walked onto the main base in total confidence in the God of peace; not for one second did we feel unsafe. As we were arrested and taken outside the gates in the police car, a jet roared overhead. A bird of death disturbing the birds of life.

The following Sunday morning, out on bail, we attended Quaker meeting. Quaker meetings are usually silent affairs, waiting on the Spirit’s leading and prompting. Occasionally someone might speak, to bring a “word of ministry” for the group.

On this occasion several people spoke; but one stood out in particular. A lady who had been participating in the peace convergence all week was walking to the gates of the military base. With a group of 150 people, she had walked past a police road block and now found herself meandering slowly enough to be left behind by the group. As she walked silently down the dirt road, two emus emerged from the bush to her left. Immediately she stopped in her tracks as they stepped hesitantly out onto the road, watching her. It was, she recounted, a God moment; she spoke to them, telling them of her desire for peace for their home, for their families, for herself, and how she was working towards it. She apologised on behalf of the human race for all we had done to harm them They continued to watch her as she spoke, and as she talked that morning she recounted a sense of acknowledgment; that they heard her, and thanked her for all we were doing.

Kookaburras, eagles, and emus. All native birds, all part of the majestic ecosystem of the Shoalwater Bay wilderness, all significant messengers of God, symbols of the Spirit, present and at work. I thank God for the way we were looked after by God’s Spirit – undoubtedly present in unseen and unnoticed ways – but visible to us in these winged messengers.

O TALISMAN – STORIES UNTOLD

2007-07-10T22:01:00.000-07:00

Written By Sarah Williams - this piece has been sent out as our media release, read Brisbane Churches, picked up by the ABC, posted on various websites, networks and blogsites. It may also appear in a Salvo Publication in the near future.

We dream of a day when the story told in the news is not about missing persons and billion dollar war ships. We dream of a day when stories that are told are of brave people who gathered for the Peace Convergence in June 2007 to protest Operation Talisman Sabre where 26,000 U.S. and Australian troops practiced for war in Shoalwater Bay, QLD. Their message was very simple but profound: “We want to live in a world of peace and not war, we do not believe in war.” The stories not told are those of the people willing to step over the line saying we do not believe in war and we will break a law if it is unjust and leads to death of our brothers and sisters, we do not accept your barbwire fences, your blank faces, your lies about sovereignty.
The stories not told are of a young man who was arrested for doing the hokey pokey;
A story of whole communities in their diversity working together and living out of a common goal of peace;
A group of seven comrades prepared to risk their lives whilst camping in pristine wilderness, which happens to be military training ground and bombing site the size of Belgium;
Another group who do what Australians love most – spending time illegally at one of the most beautiful beaches (the Great Barrier Reef) in the world;
A couple of young lovers exposing their nakedness and their humanity declaring love not war;
A group of five Christian activists who walked down Samuel Hill tarmac wanting to play peace games not war games;
Stories of thousands marching together in colour and splendour to the beat of a different drum;
Independent media who follow their hearts in living for the truth uncensored;
Stories of strong women leaders from the Darumbal people (indigenous tribe of the area), from Hawaii and Guam who tell tales of what the U.S. bases have done in their countries;
Of a photographer who continues to be persecuted for taking photographs of deformed children and victims from the effects of the Gulf War;
The forgotten people who really are heroes.
Australia needs to wake up from its comfort and lives of ‘perceived’ fear of others and start opening up our hearts to the atrocities that go on every day in this world even in our own backyard. We need to ask the question: “Does our affluence fuel our apathy?” We need to say no to that plasma screen, a new flashy car and yes to our neighbours who are dying everyday in unnecessary wars. Our governments need to start operating under true democracy where people have freedom of speech and a right to stand up for what they believe in.
Sadly, these stories will not be told because of big dollars and control. We were three of the five who were voluntarily arrested on Samuel Hill airbase on the 21st June. We walked down the tarmac with other Christian activists armed with a peace flag, a Frisbee, two letters for the U.S. and Australian Major Generals and the hope for dialogue. Before we were taken away by police we enjoyed many in depth conversations with military personnel who shared their inner feelings about the Iraq war and what they saw and were exposed to (e.g. use of depleted uranium and its effects). We got to share about our concerns for their lives and civilian’s lives and about our worry over the environmental effects that war and these games have. To our utter disbelief the hypothetical mission at the games was in regards to hypothetical “terrorists” coming to take over the country. Were we those terrorists? We were just everyday Australians armed with another message: Love at all costs! As we were driven out I saw tanks and soldiers scattered all throughout the bush that had cease-fired as the base was closed whilst we were on the grounds. That day our concerns for our friend’s safety that were still on the base went to parliament, as no one believed it was possible. To me it was worth it just to have the conversation we wouldn’t have had whilst we were kept in silence. Please don’t silence it anymore!
As all the protesters go home the local are left with the night sky blaring, the sound of bombing, their homes shaking, their health at risk and the real threat that because this base is located where it is they will be a likely target. The destruction of Shoalwater Bay will continue until the 2nd July and will go on for the next twenty years. Australia continues to spend $55 million a day on its military whilst where we live in Doveton, Victoria many social problems are unaddressed and experienced daily such as lack of affordable housing, social isolation, mental health issues, lack of education to name a few.

For more information and media images please contact:
Justice and Peace Initiatives
Sarah Williams – 0418 146 601
Simon Reeves
Krystal Spencer
For our press release (June 21st, 2007) please follow the link - News “Media Coverage for Peace Convergence” and then go to “Activists Still Inside War Games Zone, More Go In: Press Conference in Action.” www.peaceconvergence.com/news/25

Some Photo's...

2007-07-01T19:18:00.000-07:00

We weren't the only people journeying North. Our travels up the east coast of Australia was shared with the Military and Navy...

Vigil at the Main Gate...

Not quite mugshots yet...

Main St in Yeppoon...the finale of the week long Peace Convergence (P for Pineapples, P for Peace!)

ARRESTED FOR PEACE - Personal Reflections of Nonviolent Direct Action – Samuel Hill 5

2007-07-01T19:15:00.000-07:00

This reflection focuses on the action in which I was involved. The entire week was full of peaceful prayer vigils, spectacular marches, protests at gates, street dramas, public meetings, art shows, community meals, an interactive Peace Embassy in the Plaza and so on.

After years of discipleship and following the way of a radical Jesus / After so many rallies and marches in opposition to war with my social justice comrades / After months of specific preparation, awareness raising, education, non-violent training, fundraising, planning meetings, media releases and lobbying of Parliamentarians in relation to Talisman Sabre War Games – I found myself sitting in the Rockhampton Police Watchhouse, after having being arrested for living out an alternative to war – for playing a peaceful game of Frisbee on beautiful Shoalwater Bay, located on the Great Barrier Reef that has been given permission by the Australian Government to be destroyed in order to practice and prepare for killing of our fellow brothers and sisters around the world.

Civil Disobedience
It had come time to engage in civil disobedience. It had come time to break an unjust law. For a nation living in mostly apathy or in a space of ‘what can I do’, this was one of the most significant and empowering act of democracy that I have ever engaged in – let alone extremely spiritual.

Our Action
I was part of an affinity group of 5 Christians Activists. On Thursday 21st July we crossed the line and unlawfully entered Shoalwater Bay Military Base. Beginning with a 5.30am prayer meeting, we walked 2.5 hours through the rain and bush, to the rumbling sounds of war machines on the horizon and the imminent expectation of being discovered. We carried a peace flag reclaiming the land, a letter for the US and Australian Major General (see attached) a Frisbee and a belief that another world was possible.

Samuel Hill Airbase
Our destination was Samuel Hill Airbase, a key logistical centre for the biggest war games in Australia’s history. While other affinity groups aimed to stay undetected for as long as possible to stop the war games, our affinity group aimed to deliberately walk right up to the main commanders to ask them to turn around and pursue life not death, creation not destruction as the way to a peaceful future.

We never expected to even make it onto the restricted area, let alone as far as the main Airbase. However, a series of near miracles led us right to the airstrip, where we were to walk down the middle of Samuel Hill Airbase and play Frisbee with the soldiers. Walking down that airstrip will be something I will not forgot for the rest of my life. Not only were we awe-struck that we’d gotten this far, but for the first time in our lives we believed that ‘ordinary people’ like us with a simple Faith can live out our beliefs with no fear and confront the powers that seemingly shape this world in ways we do not want. I felt a deep connection with Jesus as we walked down the tarmac, knowing something inside me had changed forever as I deliberately broke the law to illustrate a higher law as Jesus had done many a time – the law of love for one another.

Frisbee on the Tarmac
There was something also deeply significant as we played a peaceful game of Frisbee in the middle of their war games. And something ironic about watching a harmless Frisbee fly through the air over the tarmac, where other flying objects, made for death and destruction fly in and out preparing to do the worst.

Dialogue with the Troops
Our interactions with the troops were a highlight. We had the privilege of spending 1.5 hours playing Frisbee, drinking coffee, eating, sharing stories and challenging one another while the QLD police made their way to arrest us. Although, amusingly we walked in on them watching Team America, which they were slightly embarrassed about. It was like a social event, as the base was shut down and all the other soldiers came over to see the commotion. The 5 of us mingled, chatting with about 30 troops. I spoke with one guy who shared his Iraqi memories with me. He spoke of the use of Depleted Uranium in Iraq and his exposure to this deadly weapon. Another soldiers read our media statements (see attached) and we asked them to consider their vocation as we expressed worry for their safety. We talked about how to bring about peace, and of the most fulfilling role they all experienced in the military – the building of infrastructure and helping people. We applauded their courage, bravery and desire to do good, but we also challenged the method of murder by which they sought peace.

The Arrest
And so, we said our farewells as the QLD police speed us away, commenting that we were having too much fun. As we departed, we watched the tanks and soldiers in combat stop their games as we were taken through the base, and the fighter jets roared overhead…and it was still raining – my socks were very very wet.

We were charged with Trespass on Commonwealth land – a very minor offence said the officers. A small sacrifice for following Jesus’ way. So small, that 40 more people of all different faiths were to do the very same thing after us with 20 or so getting charged (including one guy, for doing the hokey pokey across the line whilst being read his rights). Our trial date is 2nd August (mention) and will require us to travel back to Yeppoon QLD (If you would like to support us in any way we would be highly appreciative).

Measurable Results
Aside from the spiritual impact and a personal obedience of living out a way of peace by crossing the line – what did we achieve? A lot, and not much at the same time.

Some Sample headlines across Australia, from Yeppoon, to Doveton, from Perth to Brisbane read :

Bomb Tests Opposed
Activists Play Peace Games with Captors After Arrest
Christian Activists Infiltrate War Games
Protestors Raise Stakes in War Games

While channels such as 9,10 and SBS showed short stories.

Our action also caused the military to changes its stance of denial that 7 of our friends, including 66year-old grandmother June were camping within the base.

While, the conversation went all the way to Parliament House where Brendan Nelson was questioned about why the military were continuing the live fire while civilians were in the base.

Our actions helped inspire and give hope to the locals, who thanked us profusely for our sacrifice. Yet, they are the hero’s of this story. Long-term campaigners, who will continue to live in the area, as the bombs fall, their houses shudder and windows shatter, while they continue living in the shadow of a likely target, while the testing of new weapons continue, while nuclear warships and nuclear submarines circle their waters, while the denial of the use of depleted uranium continues, while the environment is destroyed and dangerous chemicals infiltrate their water supply and lands. While the Darumbol people’s land, their ancestors and lives continue to be destroyed. The people’s vision – that the land be returned to the Durmbol people and become a place of peace once again.

In a time where countries like Australia and the US have lifted the ante for war – Peace Convergence 2007 and our actions has lifted the ante for Peace. I urge us all to do the same. In an age of perpetual war, in an age of 30,000 nuclear weapons, its Nonviolence or Nonexistence. We can abolish war.

Copy of our Letter to the US and Australian Generals

2007-07-01T19:14:00.001-07:00

Dear Australian and US forces participating in Operation Talisman Sabre,

We are five unarmed, nonviolent Christians who are extremely concerned about the military exercises in which you are taking part. We are here only to invite you to dialogue and exchange ideas. We would like to see these preparations for war cease, and preparations for peace begin. Thus we come here to invite you to play peace games with us, and stop the war games. We do so, as Martin Luther King Jr. said, “openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to pay the penalty”.

We have been inspired in our actions by people like Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Dorothy Day, who committed their lives to nonviolence and who bore the costs of it. On the night before he was killed, Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The choice is no longer between violence and nonviolence. It’s nonviolence or nonexistence.” I’m sure the fragile ecosystems of Shoalwater Bay would agree; as would the estimated 655,000 Iraqis who have died in the Iraq war, and the 3,500 Coalition soldiers. And so we work towards a world with no war.

In this cause we have written letters, had street marches, and held public meetings, yet still we have had no response. And so, as the saying goes, “If the mountain won’t come to Mohammed, Mohammed must go to the mountain.”

Now we place the choice before you: the way of life or the way of death; construction or destruction; nonviolence or nonexistence. We urge you to train for peace, by discovering the power of nonviolence. This is by no means an easy road as we, even today, are finding out. But this is the most important task of our lives; we dare not fail, and we invite you to join us in it.

With love,

Simon, Simon, Krystal, Carole, and Sarah.

Copy of Our Media Release For Our Nonviolent Direct Action

2007-07-01T19:04:00.000-07:00

21/6/07

A second group has entered SWBTA

Pacifists Penetrate Military Perimeter at Shoalwater Bay
Five Christian pacifists have entered the Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area today to raise their concerns about and stop the Talisman Sabre live military exercises taking place over the next two weeks.

Simon Reeves (26 yrs Melbourne – Social Worker), Simon Moyle (30 yrs Melbourne – Baptist Minister), Krystal Spencer (21yrs Melbourne – Student), Sarah Williams (23 yrs Melbourne – Support Worker) and Carol Powell (53yrs Brisbane – Nurse (Registered) release the following statement:

“Imagining Peace”

We plan to enter the base to disrupt these military exercise with our presence. We do so openly and honestly, without deception, and while actively seeking out military personnel with whom to dialogue.

We are five nonviolent Christian people who, like the prophet Isaiah, are working towards the day when people will beat swords into ploughshares and study war no more. As followers of the nonviolent Jesus, we cannot stand by while our country plans the destruction of our brothers and sisters in other countries and the environment here at Shoalwater Bay.

We do not take these actions lightly, but with an awareness that the gravity of our actions pales in comparison to the crimes of the Australian and US militaries this week. The destruction of pristine wilderness, with unique and endangered wildlife is unacceptable, as is the increased reliance on violent methods of conflict resolution.We take these actions because all other legal attempts to stop the exercises have failed.

People are likely to say that we have no respect for the law, however, this is not so. Rather, we say, with Martin Luther King Jr. and in accordance with the principles of nonviolence, “I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law.”

We believe that practicing for war only means more war. That is why we must imagine peace, embody peace, practice peace.

Another world is possible: that is why we act. (end statement)

More information about the action will be released when available.

WHY I AM GOING TO THE U.S/AUSTRALIAN WAR GAMES

2007-06-13T18:58:00.000-07:00

I am not going to protest against our Soldiers
I am not going in hatred for the U.S.
I am not going to raise my fist in anger at the Military
Their courage to die for others, I applaud.

I am going to oppose Violence and War
I am going to raise Nonviolence and Peace
Because ½ million Iraqi’s and 3000 Americans have been killed while I stood by,
I will no longer stand by.

For too long have I been passive
For too long has my silence spoken for me
My silence to war and silence to Empire granting permission for death
For we all are responsible for Wars
Violence lives in us all, we are trained in Violence
It lives In our relationships, in our schools, on our TV, even our superhero’s use violence for ‘good’

No single person can embody violence
These are not someone else’s problems
I cannot blame others for this
I am complicit in war, my taxes have served death
Transformation of this world begins and ends with each of us
For me it can’t get more clearer than when He said “love your enemies”
And, what about “who is your neighbour”?

I’ve heard $55 million ‘foreign policy’ dollars a day is spent on War
Is that right?
What about $55 million for Peace?
Hospitals, schools, clinics, housing, FOR LOVE?

Our message will be simple,
We should not be practicing and preparing for war
We should be practicing and living for peace

The task is huge,
To transform hate into love, and war into peace

I join the War Abolitionists who are here to say…
“I imagine a future of No More War”
Don’t think it can happen? What about Faith?
War is not the way to Peace,
Peace is the way

Our Wedding Date!

2007-06-13T18:44:00.000-07:00

So, Kaylene and I want to thank all who came to our Engagement Party and made it such a fanstatic, enjoyable, beautiful night! You are all beautiful people.

For your diaries. The date of our Wedding will be 9th November - this year!! Amazing hey! We're well into planning it already and can't wait to share this very important day with you. Sharing also means, we may ring you for some help in some way or another! Hope thats alright hey!

Oh, and a lovely photo of the day we got engaged!

TRIP TO QLD - PEACE CONVERGENCE

2007-06-08T07:02:00.000-07:00

So A few of you know that some of us are heading to QLD...but what for? Here's some thing you may not have heard is happening.

This is taken from our Media Release (Justice and Peace Initiatives INC.)

AUSTRALIAN-US War Games: Talisman Sabre 2007

This year Australia will host the largest ever joint military exercise – Operation Talisman Sabre. Nearly 14,000 US personnel and over 12,000 Australian military will participate, marking Australia’s continued and unwavering support of US led bombing campaigns such as in Iraq and Afghanistan.

For two weeks (19 June – 2 July) the US and Australian military will pound our fragile coastline round the clock with live naval, landbased and aerial bombings. The war games will take place in locations throughout QLD and the NT as well as the Coral Sea.

During Talisman Sabre, the US and Australian military are going to attack a piece of pristine coast at Shoalwater Bay near Rockhampton. US nuclear powered warships – possibly carrying nuclear weapons and most likely carrying Depleted Uranium munitions will sail inside the endangered Great Barrier Reef Marine National Park.

Iraqis killed since start of invasion : 655,000

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1892888,00.html

US soldiers killed since start of invasion : 3545

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/iraq_casualties.htm

Australia’s Military Spending Per Day : $55 million

PEACE CONVERGENCE

5 Members from a local group, Justice and Peace Initiatives, based in Doveton will be traveling to Shoalwater Bay to participate in a Peace Convergence (http://www.peaceconvergence.com/).

The Peace Convergence will be a nonviolent gathering on 18-24^th June to :

1. Nonviolently oppose the war games and the environmental destruction it will cause

2.To voice our call for an end to the war in Iraq and Australian involvement with illegal and unjust US-led wars

Australia must stop preparing for war and start practicing for peace.

PINE GAP - Solidarity Actions

2007-06-08T06:39:00.000-07:00

So, since I'm not an everyday blogger - a lot has happened. Recently I've participated in 2 Non-violent Solidarity actions for the Pine Gap 4 who are on trial for placing the spotlight on Pine Gap as an instrument of war, terror and murder - and with the attempt to transform it into an instrument of peace - to help in the fight against the Arms Trade by a neutral body such as the UN.

Pine Gap Vigil in Burke St Mall
Tuesday 29th May

A deeply moving experience was the public reading of names of those who've died (US and Iraqi's) in the current Invasion in front of Myer. This became an experience more powerful for us than those walking past. To read the names of mothers, babies, children, executed brothers, uncles and coalition soldiers of 18-19yo dying was incredibly humbling. In the words of Simon Moyle (www.smoyle.blogspot.com)...

"Realising how complicit we all are in this system of violence and destruction - confessing and repenting of it. So this turned out to be much more for our good than for anyone else's. And the sense I was left with is that there's such a long way to go. We barely scratched the surface - maybe read 2 or 3 hundred names - of somewhere in the ballpark of 650,000 casualties. The pain of this and the legacy of destruction cannot even begin to be touched. But we've begun."

We also had some banners, postcards and conversations to raise awareness of the importance of Pine Gap to US wars.

MEETING WITH US VICE CONSUL
1st June (my engagement party day!)

This was an amazing experience! To first of all get through the intense security and then have a conversation with the supposed 'enemy' about Pine Gap was such an eye opener. Nonviolence concerns friendships over hostility and this action was certainly holding that principle high in priority. I haven't meet with someone that 'high' up in the world of the rich and powerful and found the conversation was really constructive and much more effective than some other techniques we were considering, such as a sit-in. For a really good discussion of this meeting check out Simon Moyle's blog again and Christop's who both were there aswell!

www.smoyle.blogspot.com
www.emergentlayer.blogspot.com

PINE GAP - US Military Base

2007-06-07T23:15:00.000-07:00

Four Christians are currently on trial, facing 7 years for conducting a 'citizens inspection' of Pine Gap...here is some background information

Pine Gap

Pine Gap is a military spy base for the United States located 20 km outside Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. Pine Gap gathers military intelligence and uses a satellite tracking system to pinpoint targets in U.S. bombing raids on Iraq and Afghanistan. It is also the command centre for the 'Missile Defence System', an integral part of the US 'Star Wars' system enabling the US to dominate and control space.

"Certainly in relation to identifying specific targets, Pine Gap is important. The Pine Gap contribution (to the Iraq war) is much more significant than any sending of Australian soldiers" Dr Michael McKinley, Strategic analyst at the ANU Canberra.

Christians Against ALL Terrorism – Pine Gap Six

Christians Against ALL Terrorism condemns terrorism in all its forms including the state terrorism behind the U.S and Australia’s illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. In order to be morally consistent, we cannot distinguish between the terrorist acts of a suicide bomber in Baghdad, or of a U.S jet bomber in Fallujah. In both cases innocents are murdered and maimed for a political objective.

We believe in a better way. Christ told us to love our enemies, to seek justice and taught us how to live non-violently.

The Citizen’s Inspection.

At dawn on December 9, 2005 a ‘Citizen’s Inspection’ took place causing Pine Gap to shut down for five hours. Six hundred employees were denied access into the base and the employee’s cars queued up for several kilometres outside.

Two members of Christians Against ALL Terrorism, Jim Dowling from Daybora and Adele Goldie from Brisbane had entered the Pine Gap military base undetected and photographed themselves on the roof of a building before being arrested. Two other members of the group Donna Mulhearn from Sydney and Bryan Law from Cairns went undetected for an hour before being arrested cutting through the last inner fence.

The four had walked for several hours through desert terrain. Jessica Morrison from Melbourne and Sean O’Reilly from Brisbane held a peaceful vigil outside the front gates around six that morning. During the vigil Sean O’Reilly was arrested for hindering police. Sean was found not guilty in the Alice Springs Magistrates court.

Jim Dowling, Adele Goldie, Bryan Law and Donna Mulhearn have been charged under the Defence (Special Undertakings) Act 1952. The Act has not been used previously and carries a maximum jail sentence of 7 years, with an additional two years for taking photographs within the base. The four will be appearing in the Alice Springs Supreme Court; a trial date is soon to be set.

Background to the action:

In November 2005, Australia’s Parliament passed ‘anti-terror’ legislation sending Australia further down the path of becoming a militaristic police state.

At the same time, a group of citizen’s, alert and alarmed at the terrorism of war, wrote to then Defence Minister Senator Robert Hill seeking permission to do a Citizen’s Inspection of Pine Gap for suspected terrorist activity.

The six Christian pacifists wanted to bring some moral and intellectual consistency into the debate on terrorism.

Christ taught non-violence, to love our enemies and our neighbours, forgive sinners and seek justice. Pope Paul VI said “If you want peace, work for justice”.

Senator Hill did not give permission for the inspection and threatened the group with seven years in prison. CAAT informed the Government and media of its intention to go ahead with the inspection. Despite this publicity and Pine Gap being one of the most significant U.S Spy Bases in the world, four members of CAAT managed to breach the Pine Gap security to enter the facility on December 9, 2005.

Kaylene's Prayer Email

2007-05-20T19:42:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends!
It has been an extremely eventful few months!! We would love you to join us in prayer and praise for the following:

We have had a few new additions to the boys house. A local young guy faced with homelessness is now living in the caravan at the back of the boys house, and our long time friend Pete has moved into the now empty room in the house! both his wonderful sense of humour and his X-BOX have been welcomed by all the boys! Please pray for them as they adjust to their new living situations, and especially for Simon and Jacob as they invest hours of their time into these relationships.

My house was recently put on the market, which was quite a stressful time, with people walking through our house regularly and not knowing if and when we had to leave. On friday however, it was finally sold to an invester, who is going to let us stay! We are all extremely excited as we have grown to love that house and our neighbours!

Three of us have had the pleasure of being shown how stressfull owning a car can be. In my last email, i wrote that my car was starting to play up. About 3 days after that email, it broke down, costing me a lot of money to fix, then 2 weeks later it broke down again! Krystal has been having the same issues and Jake recently had a car accident that wrote his car off completely! This has left huge holes in our already empty wallets! for this, we would appreciate your prayer in whatever form it takes!

I am now a volunteer with Prison Network Ministries, and will be a support worker to women in the south eastern region of melbourne when they come out of prison. This is a great opportunity that i am extremely excited about. Please pray for me as i strive to understand what these women have been through and develop friendships with them.

Mine and Simon's engagement has been wonderful so far, but we are already starting to feel the pressure of getting everything done quickly and perfectly. Please Pray for us as we start this new and exciting journey in our relationship.

Thank you all for your prayers and support. They mean so much to our community.

Kaylene and Simon

WE'RE ENGAGED!!

2007-05-12T05:08:00.000-07:00

On the 4th of May, the moons aligned, the stars collided and I reached for the wrong hand when asking KAylene to marry me! Oops a daisy. But, it didn't matter because KL was a blubbering mess and hardly noticed my almost fateful blunder.

So its happening! And yes, the first question is answered - the date is Saturday 3rd November (we think...pretty sure...yep definately...i hope).

Should be an exciting time over the next 6 months - so if you happen to see us round make sure you shout us a coke or something and tell us to relax and not stress out - things like that!

WEll, thats all I have to say, except for Woo Hoo!

A New Journey Begins - Violence to Nonviolence

2007-04-12T06:59:00.000-07:00

The 12^th of March marked for me what has been a new journey beginning. Yesterday was a ‘turning around’ in my life. I am on the journey from someone being trained in violence to someone being trained in nonviolence.

For several years this has been building, lifting in intensity over the past few months and a workshop on Jesus nonviolence teachings with Father John Dear a Jesuit Priest and nonviolent activist moved me into readiness to pursue further a nonviolent life.

I am now reading Gandhi, King, Dorothy Day, Walter Wink, Nelson Mandela and others – and only just beginning to grasp how deep nonviolence goes. I can already see nonviolence is going to be a life-long pursuit of learning, experiences, actions, reflections and contemplative meditations. And it is already shaping up to shake up my already alternative lifestyle even further (June 2007 – Peace convergence in Shoalwater bay). I don’t know where this road is headed but I’ve got that anticipation feeling in my gut. There is a long way to go…I can only encourage others to also begin the journey from violence to nonviolence.

I have never seen a Mountain moved until now...

2007-04-12T06:57:00.000-07:00

These reflections come in the light of an ongoing struggle our community has recently experienced in assisting a family living in a caravan park obtain long-term affordable housing in a suburb they could only dream of living. In this struggle which reached political heights, the family fought all the way and we supported, providing extra strength necessary, solidarity and friendship. After 12 years waiting for social housing. After 1.5 years living in sub-standard and unsafe conditions. After being told to wait 3 more years on the state’s ‘priority’ list. A house was given. Jesus said mountains can be thrown into the sea – I have never seen a mountain moved until now – and its only the beginning. The lack of social housing is an incredible Mountain in Victoria and it will be moved. And so yesterday we celebrated with the family and it was good.

Can you see the lives of those around you getting better?

2007-04-12T06:52:00.000-07:00

In the Economy of God people will not sleep rough – they will have dwellings

In the Economy of God people will not hunger or thirst – they will be filled

In the Economy of God people will not be alone – they will have friends

Have you considered that when you feed someone, provide a room for someone or befriend someone – that you are making this world a better place, that you are participating in God’s ongoing creation, that you are providing people with glimpses of the reign of God?

And its not about needing a superman to save the world. Its not about finding the cure for cancer or solving world hunger. Its not about doing everything. Its about doing small things with great love (that’s what Mother Theresa said). Its about helping improve the experience of life for those around you. Its about good news.

Can you see the lives of those around you getting better? How is your life building up others and allowing creation to continue. It is so simple to see the economy of God breaking in. The more it breaks in, the more people experience it, the more it breaks in, the more we start to live in it, the more it breaks in the more we feel its life giving force upon us rather than the darkness.

Who around you needs to experience some of God’s economy? What around you needs transforming to a Godly economy? How can you help God’s economy break in? Locally, nationally, global – what can you do. Do these small things in great love. For if you do it, then your neighbour may begin to do it, and then follows the world…

Kaylene's Febuary Letter (And Simon's sneaky additions)

2007-03-22T05:49:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends!

About two weeks after my last email, I was ready to write a new one. It felt like a month had past!
It's been an extremely busy month and lots of prayer is needed. I would love it if you would join with us in prayer and praise for the following:

Praise for our 2 new wonderful members Krystal and Jacob! They have been the fresh air and encouragement we have all needed going into this new year. Please pray for them both as they continue to settle in and find their 'niche' here in Doveton.

We are also on the lookout for whitegoods for families in the area. In particular a washing machine - so if you know of any...you know who to call.

We have embarked on a campaign to help a family from the caravan park get housing. They are in desperate need of a house and have been told they will be waiting for 3 years. So far our campaign has involved trips to DHS and a visit to our local MP. We would love your prayer as we keep up this battle. Also if you would like to help out in any way just let us know.

The boys house has been providing us with a lot of drama recently. Effectively reminding us that we do not yet have all the answers. Please pray for wisdom and strength for Simon and Jacob as they figure out the best way to deal with this situation.

Since this Letter our dear friend Bol has moved out (after 1.5 years). We have had some great times and have learnt much about Sudan and Africa from him. We will miss him and wish him all the best in whatever he pursues.

A young 15 year old friend of ours has been on the run from home for quite a few months now. We have been able to give her a place to sleep a couple of times, but being the age that she is, she either needs to be at home or in foster care. Please pray for her as she makes some pretty important decisions and for our relationship with her, that we may be the role models and friends that she needs.

At the boys place we've had a great season for tomato's and zucchini's as opposed to others - and have just finished hooking up the shower water to a dripper system through the veggie garden. A chook house and autumn planting veggies are on the agenda for March!

As for me, i am having a pretty tough time in my job at the moment, and as a result my health is starting to deteriorate again. My car's health is also decreasing, I don't yet have the funds to take care of it, but, unfortunately, i am a bit too dependant on it and need it to keep running. So your prayers on both of those issues would be great!

Thanks a lot for all of your support and prayers. they mean a lot to all of us here in Doveton!
Love to you all.
Kaylene and sneaky simon

TWO STORIES

2007-02-21T04:02:00.000-08:00

A single mother struggling to care her 19 year old son who is experiencing drug and alcohol problems, undiagnosed mental illnesses and many health problems. She is all alone in caring for him. She cannot go to her family as they disrespect her. Her friends do not visit. He abuses her physically, financially and mentally. And yet he’s all she’s got. So she pours out her unfailing love for him and defends him to the end even when she’s the one whom he’s hurt. And she pours out all her troubles, hopes, wishes and dreams of a better life to me. Her words are wrapped in deep pain and her cries come loud and clear as tears falls. “I am so alone, I am so alone”.

An old guy in his last few independent years of life. Living, but wanting to die. Wanting to leave on all the gas cookers on, shut the doors and blow himself up. Addicted to alcohol. Unable to pay rent or bills. An ex-wife. A son killed in tragic circumstances. A daughter that is making a life for herself but wonders how long she can keep supporting ‘Dad’ in all of his….going from one bad situation to another. Unemployable. Unable to rise up and out. Depressed and paranoid. Hope gone but for a few conversations here and there.

One might ask – Where is God?

But I ask where are the followers of God? Salvation and Liberation we supposedly offer and claim is so easy to obtain. Who will be there to hold their hand and led them out of the darkness?

An Inconvenient Truth? – BUT WHY IS Global Warming OCCURING In The First Place?

2007-02-14T17:02:00.000-08:00

A couple of Thursday’s ago – our community watched ‘An Inconvenient Truth’. I would encourage you greatly to watch it with some mates and have a good old yarn about the global environmental political issues it raises. You may or may not agree on the points the movie raises – but the beauty is in the discussion and the shared experience of watching this movie. Unless you are George Bush who I don't think will be viewing this film.

The passion and dedication that Al Gore has for the issue of Global Warming leaves you wondering what kind of world we would be living in now if Gore were President instead of Bush?

My criticism of the movie lies in the fact that it places the onus of change upon the individual. Yes we all need to one by one change our way of life – but this leaves unchallenged the broader social structures that allow earth destroying practices to occur in the first place. Businesses and corporations and their unbridled freedom to do as they wish. Remaining unchecked by any accountable body. Going from nation to nation – reporting to no one but those that want them to create more money whatever the social / environmental cost.

Corporations produce a collective beyond an individual. Where one individual maybe eco-friendly in their personal and moral life – in the work environment – he or she may be contributing unbeknown to severe environmental problems in the disguise of ‘doing a good job for your company’ or ‘increasing profit’. Corporations and collectives often develop persona’s and actions that cannot be traced to any one individual. This is the problem.

An Inconvenient Truth also fails to critique why global warming is growing in the first place? Our capitalist and selfish desire for more continually pushes us to accumulate stuff, require more electricity, upgrade and replace, increase our territory, expand, build bigger and better and so on. Our capitalist based natures desires constant growth. How can we possibly keep the global temperature in its natural range when the 20% who control 80% of the world’s resources constantly seek more.

Our response as a community. Sure we helped push one of our cars home instead of driving. But more importantly a discussion emerged about ideas on how to reduce dependence on an already strained system and stop our over use of the world’s resources. We started dreaming about becoming more sustainable and how we might learn to live with less. In the end though, we can be philosophers, we can be dreamers – but most importantly can we be true and do what others say doesn’t even need to be done?

Some of Doveton's Summer Happenings...

2007-02-08T22:53:00.000-08:00

Guest star blogger – Kaaaayleeeene Allgoooooooood

Here is Kaylene’s Post-Christmas monthly prayer email – I thought it’d give you a good idea about what’s been happenings for Jahwork during the summer quiet season. (I’ve added a few sneaky additions – don’t tell Kaylene)

Dear friends,

Firstly i hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and New Year!

Personally, after tearing a tendon in my shoulder a few weeks before, I was able to recover and have a very relaxing christmas in Ballarat, followed by a fun filled beach mission in Wilson's Prom.
All of us in Doveton had a break over christmas, and are just starting to get back into the swing of things. We would love you to join us in prayer and praise for the following:

During our two weeks at Tidal River, we got the privilege of being involved in the baptism of Jacob, a young guy who has been journeying with us for about 6 months. After a tough year, it was encouraging for us to see that God is using our little community to touch peoples lives. Please pray for our ongoing relationship with Jacob, and praise God for the blessing that he has been to us. Jacob is about to join us in the guys house on 14^th feb to take over Luff’s room.

With a new year, comes some changes to our Doveton family. We recently said farewell to our longtime friend Bryan (Luffy) as he goes to start a new chapter in his life. We also welcome Krystal, who has moved in with me and Sarah. Please pray for both them as they settle in to their various houses, and for our community as we adjust to these changes. (we now total 7 members across 3 houses – yay we can now afford to actually pay our rents on time)

We returned from the prom to find the boys house with more people in it than when we left. We are extremely glad that this house has been able to help out some guys through the tough times in their lives. Please pray for our relationships with these guys and especially for Simon, as we journey with them, and help find them places to live.

I am back at work in the cafe, as of today, with health improving all the time. However i still have some bad days. Please praise God for my improvement and pray for continuing strength. Also pray for my time in the cafe, that i may be able to continue building relationships throughout the year.

I hope that all of you are well and would love to hear from you.
God bless,
Kaylene

Beach Mission 2007

2007-02-08T22:31:00.000-08:00

Missing In Action

So I’ve been away for a major piece of January at a Scripture Union Theos Beach Mission – this has been a good time for relaxation, inspiration, some challenges and reflection for the up and coming year. For those who I may not have caught up with you may be interested in hearing about the following Highlights…

Beach Mission 2007 Highlights

The challenge of discovering that the girls 9 person tent could not be setup as we were missing some key components

The challenge of discovering that our main living marquee’s tent walls did not join us and wouldn’t be joining us for the two weeks

Thus slowly accepting the reality that…we will be sleeping under the stars that night…

Battling the camp setup in massive winds whilst learning how to tie essential knots as we went along

Living with a great community for two weeks –

Eating starch (was it the pasta or was it the Tidal River water?)

Failing numerically but succeeding in living

Baptizing a great bloke called Jacob in the waters of Tidal River and witnessing a commitment in his life to following the way of Jesus

Understanding more and more that program should never be priority and that relationships are always the foundation of any program worth doing

Richard’s antics that led to more antics

Learning more and more how we can do nothing on our own but to always look to what God is doing and join what is already happening!

Stabbings (by branches) and subsequent doctor visits, infections, wound dressings and oh and ah-ing

Strolling along the beach at 1am underneath the stars

Climbing mountains and running down them

Leaping in faith off sand dunes

Learning that just cause everyone else does it, doesn’t mean you won’t get hurt

Watching Mary leap to a possible death into the waters of The Crack (was Jacob trying to save her?)

Spending loads of time with God (what else was there to do?)

Swimming and catching some good waves

Drumming, guitar-ing and singing some good tunes (as citronella fumes aroused our senses) to all hours of the night and then watching wrighty take the flak for it even though he just rocked up

Learning, Studying, praying (did we do that?…lifes a prayer), being,

Eating SUFM food

- Pleading with God to not hide Oberon and pour down with rain, wind and hail…asking God for forgiveness at our attempt at ‘mission’ and for his understanding so as not to strike us down (just jokes)

Why not join us next year!

Prayer and Revolution

2007-02-01T21:43:00.000-08:00

Words by Henri Nouwen...

You are Christian only so long as you look forward to a new world,
so long as you constantly pose critical questions to the society you live in,
so long as you emphasize the need of conversion both for yourself and for the world,

so long as you in no way let yourself become established in a situation of seeming calm,

so long as you stay unsatisfied with the status quo and keep saying that a new world is yet to come.

You are Christian only when you believe that you have a role to play in the realization of this new kingdom, and when you urge everyone you meet with a holy unrest to make haste so that the promise might soon be fulfilled.

So long as you live as a Christian you keep looking for a new order, a new structure, a new life.

Rudd / Gillard for PM?

2006-12-06T15:35:00.000-08:00

Maybe its a bit early to call > but the new appointment of Kevin Rudd, supported by Julia Gillard to the key Labor leadership positions could be an exciting time for Australia. Could Rudd and Gillard present the alternative that Australia is hungry for...to move away from the scare mongering/war promoting/US supporting / murderous / rich benefiting / poor losing politics of howard and costello > to a move towards a more justice orientated australia > spurred on by some solid Christian theology? Could Labor finally be returning to its historical roots where it supports the oppressed and marginalised?

Check out also Julia Gillards excellant article in The Age 'Mr Treasurer sadly history passed you by' > a response to the failings of the G20.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/mr-treasurer-sadly-history-passed-you-by/2006/11/30/1164777718030.html

Here is a post from my mate Liam's blog. http://www.greensy.blogspot.com/

It is an excerpt of an interview with Kevin Rudd on Lateline. I heard Rudd speak about this same issue on the Religion report last week. More comments to follow after his words:

TONY JONES: ...You write about Jesus' revulsion at the hypocrisy of the religious and political elites of his time. You seem to be suggesting that if Jesus were alive today, he would feel the same revulsion about Australia?Kevin Rudd: holy man

KEVIN RUDD: What I am saying is that from a social gospel tradition, or a Christian socialist tradition, what you see in the gospel is a strong emphasis on the impoverished, the poor, the dispossessed, the outcast, the oppressed. What we've sought to do, in that tradition of Christianity and politics, is to say that one of the functions of Christians in politics is to speak on their behalf; to speak for those who do not have a voice. Therefore when you look, for example, at global poverty today, who speaks for them? Who speaks for those who are currently suffering all sorts of human rights oppression around the world? Who speaks for the planet itself, which is currently subject to this enormous challenge called global climate change. That's where the contemporary challenge lies with this tradition of social justice, which you see alive in Bonhoeffer's teachings 60 years ago.

TONY JONES: Are you trying to co-opt Jesus for the ALP?

KEVIN RUDD: No, this a fight back on our part, Tony. For the last decade Mr Howard, Mr Costello, Mr Downer, Mr Abbott, at various occasions, have whacked various Christian leaders for daring to come out and say that they'd disagreed with various social policies, or economic policies, of the Howard Government. When, for example, we had church leaders come out and attack the Government's extreme industrial relations laws, Mr Costello laid into them, saying they had no qualifications to do so because they weren't economists. Mr Downer has done the same when leading churchmen have come out and attacked the Government's policies on the war in Iraq. I've got to say, when I heard Mr Howard say in Parliament the other day that there was no such thing as Catholic social teaching on industrial relations, I nearly choked. There is an entire Papal encyclical on the question of industrial relations explicitly in defence of the rights of trade unions. So what I am doing is simply rolling this back in the other direction and saying, "Enough is enough. There is an entirely different tradition of Christianity and politics," which we would call Christian Social Democracy, which needs to be heard, and that's why I'm speaking out.

Kevin Rudd recently spoke at the Bonhoeffer for today conference here in Melbourne. His speech also appeared as an article in the current Monthly magazine.Now contrary to what might be popular belief I am not a die hard Labor voter. Having said that, the more I hear Kevin Rudd speak the more I respect the man.He has been speaking coherently and logically on the need for both a seperation of church and state (secular democracy) and the need for politicians with a Christian conscience to stand up for what they believe in within public debate in Australia.

He has also been calling for people to stop thinking that Christian = Liberal/National Party.

I think that his comments have been a breath of fresh air into the political debate in Australia.

Vote for Greens and go to hell?

2006-11-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

I write this post with the experience of being discriminated against and seeing my friends also discriminated, abused, condemned and judged for not voting 'Family First'. What is going on?

I also write this post as I actively support my friend (who happens to be a follower of Christ) run for the Greens in Dandenong.

It seems that many Christians believe Family First to be the only option and all other parties are anti-christian. This is not so. There are many Christians right across the political spectrum. There are Christians in Labor, Liberal, Family First, Greens, Democrats and Independants. Just because a party claims to be Christian, doesn't necessarily mean all Christians must automatically vote Family First. It also doesn't, under any circumstance permit judgement, abuse and condemnation for those who don't vote Family First.

I believe no party has it right. Certainly Family First have some very worrying policies that tend to discriminate against gay and lesbians. Then others become very worried about the Green's policies around drug use. So, what do we do?

We vote after careful consideration of which party party is the most compatible with our understanding of how to live as a Christian in this world. We read, we listen, we talk with our communities, we use our brain, we pray.

If you would like to hear Jim Reiher's thoughts (Tabor Bible College Lecturer and Greens Candidate) about why he is running for the Greens...check out the link below. Its a good place to understand how the Greens policies and Christianity meet together.

http://www.evangelicalalliance.org.au/election/aGreens.htm

As an after thought...a lingering thought. What is the role of Christians in politics anyway? Is it about a Christian party seeking control and domination of society to 'make' this nation Christian. Was Jesus focussed on political conquest? I have much more to say on this...but shall let it linger for a while. Maybe I'll open up a can soon...

for all of us who LIVE IN COMMUNITY...which is everyone!

2006-10-27T20:12:00.000-07:00

Tonight I had an expectation of someone and was let down. I felt anger, resentment, frustration and disappointment. Yet, tonight I realized my need to live more and more in grace. This is especially true for all of us who live in community.

Tonight I was presented with an option to vent express my anger and disappointment or listen by chosing to love, forgive and grace. I chose the latter (though it was difficult…even to the point of physically aswell as being mentally difficult).

In doing so I heard this persons story and came to an understanding of why I was let down, and I was so glad I did. Hearing this persons story made me realize that I would have done the same thing in their situation…and I would have been the person letting someone done. How easy is it to judge.

Pure love – a constant love – that is what changes the world – not rules, expectations, programs, requirements, theories, plans, good intentions even mission. Love. We must all learn more about it. For in community it is essential that love forms your worldview, your cosmology, your center, your default.

Our default is often not love, but a self based response. Love must become our default. This is embodying the Kingdom of God.

Christ-Soldiers? True or not true?

2006-09-30T23:16:00.000-07:00

A controversial and slamming quote from Mick Duncan (Who Stands Fast). Can you read this and understand this to be how your life is lived and that of your fellow brothers/sisters? Or is this something you haven't considered? No judgement either way...just a challenge.

"My observation is that most christians live as though we were in peace times with little of their lives reflecting the characteristics of christ-soldiers in a war zone. Personal preferences rather than principles seem to dictate decisions. Discipline is a dirty word. Many a believer wastes many a night in watching stupid, soapies on television. As for prayer, what is offered up is a rushed five minutes at the beginning of the day or a tired few minutes at the end of the day. Weekends are for leisure and pleasure pursuits. Houses are filled with the latest and the greatest. A lazy lifestyle marks the modern believer".

to be continued...but please first share some of your thoughts

Honk if you don't have a car!

2006-09-25T05:37:00.000-07:00

I'm going to try and convince you to get rid of your car...well at least use it less. why am I going to do that? Well, because it is absolutely liberating!! I haven't had a car for 4-5years now and its taken me that long to realise how good it is - i want you guys to find out in less time than it took me.

Not having a car is...relaxing. The stress of driving and of traffic and of accidents and of misdirection is gone. That constant state of rush is gone. When not using a car i am carefree - i feel like i am more in tune with this world and the people around me. Without a car you are truly able to be in that place - your not about to go - because you can't. Then there are the journey's there and back - much longer for sure - but this is valuable time. Time to unwind - maybe think and pray about where you are headed. And on the way home its time to unwind and debrief/reflect/pray about what took place.

Sure Public transport is sometimes frustrating - but the bad public transport moments are few - and they cannot compete with the number of frustrating traffic jams etc that driving puts you through. On public transport is time for reading, music listening, simply being with others.

Since 1974 the federal government has spent $43 billion on roads and only about $1.5 billion on public transport

Then there are the massive costs associated with running a car - you know what they are! roughly $4500 per annum for the average family.

Australia is the 3rd highest transport emissions per-capita in the world

23% of world greenhouse gas emissions come from transport

You don't realise how much of a slave you are to your vehicle until its gone. You don't realise how often it is not needed and a good walk or bus trip will add to your day.

But most of all - without a car - your life starts becoming centred. Centred around your community - the place you spend most of your time. Connections increease. Isolation decreases. Its good. Its real good.

These are my thoughts from my experiences - maybe give it a go and see what happens and then post a comment in response?

What if people could believe and feel heaven now?

2006-09-24T23:30:00.000-07:00

When I hear Church goers constantly going on and on about heaven and hell, eternal life, and the questions like “is he save” or ‘has she been converted or “I wonder if he/her made it to heaven” – I shake my head in disbelief and shame. All these things, this obsession with eternity, the handing over of earth to damnation. Why do Church-goers have this total defeatist attitude? Sure there are some scriptural texts and theology around the eternal. But is it anymore scriptural and spiritual than the texts and theology about our existence here and now on earth?

Jesus preached that the Kingdom of God is happening all around us. Have we failed on one of Jesus most important talking points – that it has already begun. Eternal life begins now. Its no wonder non church go-ers don’t want a bar of what church go-ers try and offer – this reward of another life – its a fantasy compared to the suffering they are going through now here on earth. Its wistful…another reality I can go to after 80years of this place. Just grin and bear it we say. Because one day you’ll be richly rewarded in heaven. Fortune telling is what it is. People are already in hell. Why should they believe in a promised life when this one is so shit and not getting better. Church is simply trying to sell a fantasy life with a magic ticket called the sinners prayer.

So I say what if Church goers worked for a heaven on earth. This is part and parcel of the theology of The Salvation Army. What if people could believe and feel heaven now? Would this more truly help them ‘see’? Imagine a faith that was passionate for people’s lives here and now. That’s powerful! Is that not what we all seek now anyway? A life of meaning, goodness and true. Imagine if that was the type of faith church lived and preached. A positive life building message instead of an apocalyptic end times warning. Good news NOT bad news - its simple!

Love - always bloody amazing

2006-09-15T08:15:00.000-07:00

A few of you may remember me talking to you about a young guy from our neighborhood who we helped celebrate a major birthday. This young guy came from a broken, violent and abusive family. Courageously he completely separated himself at a very early age from this emotionally, mentally and physically destructive environment in order to find freedom. This young guy also has severe physical health conditions and a mental health illness he is currently battling through medication. Aside from his housing worker and another older bloke, this guy has no one. It was our privilege to throw a small party, give him a small gift, cut a cake and share in his birthday. As tears and speechlessness welled up in this young guy (as he expected this birthday to go unnoticed), I knew this was a moment given that he will always remember.

Yesterday, this young guy helped led our worship time after dinner. The changes in this young guy are brilliant, a face glowing instead of depressed, conversation instead of silence, reason to literally get out of bed and leave a lonely house . I am always, always amazed at the power that acts of love can bring. You just never know when an act of kindness or unprompted love can help a person turn around and begin to see Jesus. That’s what its all about. My challenge to you is to do something for someone that they totally do not expect and watch a small miracle happen before your eyes…it will amaze you everytime…

True Community

2006-09-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

The below is a discussion I led at a cafe with a group known as Rough Waters. The topic is True Community.
-----------------------------------------

Community These Days

q.) when you hear the term Community – what comes to mind?
- Community is a loose term these days
- The destruction of previous forms of community
o Tribe > Extended Family > Nuclear Family > Single parent > Single
- Disconnection of previous places of community
o Land > Rural town > City - Industrialization and Modernity (for work have to move to cities – now leading fragmented lives of different places and suburbs – transport availability – communication increase means you can find out before where your friends are at rather than rely on local place)
o Few Geographic communities out there (Neighborhood non existent)
- So with the loss and destruction of community and the places of community this has led to seeking new forms and places of community

Q.) What are some other ‘new’ forms and places to replace the old communities?
§ Workplace (eg. netball teams)
§ Sporting clubs
§ Interest Groups
§ Internet (virtual comm.)
§ Fitness centers
§ Shopping centers (walking groups, food court, movies, doctors etc)
§ Book stores (Cafes incl.)
§ AA, NA, Grow
§ Political / ideological. based groups (eg. greenpeace)
§ Churches (eg. cell church)
§ Schools (eg. parents clubs
§ Theatre Groups
§
§
§

- Community is now a brand – a selling point
- People seek it – for we are a people who need it
- Lack of it leads to things such as depression / isolation / breakdowns etc

WHAT IS TRUE COMMUNITY?
True community is not…

§ Living in same house
§ Sharing possessions
§ Eating together
§ Reading scripture together
§ Worshiping together
§ Sharing money
§ Talking
§ Mission together
§ Exercising together
§ Discussing, planning
§ Playing in same footy team
§ Spending time together
§ Sunday mornings together
§ Drinking coffee together
§ Shopping together
§ Working together
§ Living in same suburb
§
§
§

- It is not any of the above
- these assist to create true community and are outworking of community. On their own they are not community

True Community is…
- A heart connection (mine to yours)
- For followers of Jesus it is even more…it is an acceptance and acknowledgment that Christ is in you and Christ is in me (an understanding that we are connected through and to God)
- This is what community is about – genuine love for one another (eg. sometimes you can feel when groups of people have really found community – the love they have for one another)

Q.) When have you felt true community (eg. family, work)?
Q.) Who was it with?

BACK TO CONNECTION
- This heart connection doesn’t just happen – it requires a WILLINGNESS
- If there is one thing to take away its WILLINGNESS
- All true community comes out of a willingness

GIVING AND RECEIVING – A willingness to do one of these

By You > to Give (I want to be in this person’s life, therefore I will give my time or this is someone I want to be around)
By You > to Receive (People will target you – they will give something of themselves and it is up to you if you receive it or not – eg. phone call, coffee, time, email, invitation)
Also God…can bring about this about

Q.) Think about that particular connection…Why / how did it happen?
Q.) What did you give / receive
Q.) What were your willingness levels to have a connection

PROBLEM – Of Duty vs Love
- Often we do things out of a sense of duty – like go to work or church and fail to experience or give genuine love
- A genuine love to get to know one another
- A genuine love to get to know the people who come to our places
- Not saying we require to spend large amounts of time with each other – that is not True Community as we discussed earlier – its about the quality of love you bring (you can spend 4 hours with someone – and still not experience a connection with someone – eyes shut – heart shut – focused on yourself and not what you can give or what you can receive)
- Not just talking about lovey dovey stuff (connections occur in variety of ways)

PROBLEM – Of Expectation of Community
- We often expect to have our every needs filled by each other
- This is not community – this is divinity
- We as a community cannot met all of each others needs (only God can do that)
- Cannot carry each other (who carries the carrier)
- No. we walk side by side in the same direction
- If one stumbles we stop and help them out (lend a shoulder to lean on for a while)
- In fact it is good to have some space
- STORY Henri Nouwen calls this holy ground – wherever we go – we are not separated as the ground between us is connected through God
- Sometimes we feel more connected when apart or away

PROBLEM – Sometimes easy sometimes its hard

Common interest friends VS Little Interest Friends

1. Common – these you give much and receive much and life is good
2. Little interest – you don’t want to receive their stuff they give (its weird) / give little or your gifts are rejected
- Often you reject what they give (this stuffs up the connection – creates tension in the connection – in some cultures its bad to reject gifts – an insult – think of what happens to the community between giver and receiver)
- Feel like you have nothing to give or don’t want to
- Even a little WILLINGNESS TO receiving or giving is enough to create community with this personIt can be done – problem if you surround yourself with these people – but you cannot ignore them (especially if part of ‘official’ community)

Surrender 06 – UNOH’s conference

2006-08-29T00:43:00.000-07:00

Jahwork Community had the privilege of volunteering at this truly great conference – we had some very important roles such as coffee makers, ushers and even car ushers (which received a resounding three person applause in the thankyou’s – two of which were still clapping from the last thankyou.

It was a fantastic weekend and I am sure anyone who attended could not go away without sensing the Spirit of God in that place (and I’m no Pentecostal). But this blog is not a reflection on the conference as a whole. I want to highlight a some thoughts Tony Campolo raised which are worth mentioning.

KINGDOM OF GOD...stuff
Tony spoke about the crazy fuss around mission statements. Tony asked what would Jesus mission statement have been – and Tony’s suggestion was ‘I have come to usher in the Kingdom of God’. The first words of Jesus ministry in Matt, Mk and Luke all begin with Jesus stating the KOG is near.

Tony believes that the Church is responsible for bad publicity about the world – that the world is getting worse. And most Christians believe the world is going down the toilet and will end in a fiery ball of earthquakes, wars, famine and destruction. Thus the foolish belief in the rapture. He says often Christians see the KOG as some dilapidated cause. “Come and join the Christians…save yourself from the rampant evils of this world...we're outnumbered and losing...we’re not going to win…come and join the losers””

But Tony contends that the world is becoming a better place and that the KOG is getting closer. For example, 10 years ago 200million people were without clean water, today only 100 million. And he gave many more examples.

Tony says that there is hope. The KOG is growing. And we are invited to become Christians and join in the cause that will win and will take over the world. However, the Kingdom of Evil is also growing. They are growing simultaneously says Tony. Yet, Tony believes and preached it good when he said the Church of Jesus will not crawl out of history on its hands and knees as the losers – but it will march out victorious. Jesus came to initiate a movement that will change history.

In finishing Tony says it is like WWII. Dday was the decisive battle which won the war. But it wasn’t until Vday where the war stopped. But during that time there was more suffering and killing than before. Tony says it is like that with the KOG. Jesus came and when he died on the cross – Dday. And now we are invitied to join the cause and finish off the war and save the world. For Vday is coming and that is the day when Jesus returns to complete the good work we have started. And a huge cheer arose from the crowd!

I RECKON this is so important. Which is it? Do we believe the world is on the path of total destruction and there is nothing we can do?

Or do you believe that the Church of Jesus will exit history victorious having joined in God’s initial creation and helped restore our precious earth to its original plan?

How you answer this question profoundly affects your life – how you think, what you do with your time, how you treat people and whether or not you contribute towards a better world...

My first blog - an anti climax if ever i've seen one!

2006-08-21T04:53:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd better kick of this thing before I think of a reason not to do this thing. Also if i start with a boring, ordinary, nothing real exciting or meaningful, just like life sometimes hey - then I will have only up to go from here. So - cheers to the post modern world of blogging and allowing me to write stuff to the world and not needing any accountability or publisher. And cheers to better future blogs than this one...hear hear they all say!