Easter Activists are Arrested

Updates etc can be found here ?http://paceebene.org/blog/jarrod-mckenna/breaking-news-bonhoeffer-activists-secret-military-base-now and?from the activists as it happens:?http://twitter.com/jarrodmckenna

BREAKING NEWS: Bonhoeffer activists in Secret Military base NOW!!!

Rev. Simon Moyle (Baptist Minister), Jacob Bolton (Community Worker), Jessica Morrison (University Lecturer) and Simon Reeves (Social Worker) have called themselves the Bonhoeffer Peace Collective after Kevin Rudd?s favourite theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was also an antiwar activist.

News Release:

The Bonhoeffer Peace Collective

Activists breach secret military base

At 6am this morning, four Christian peace activists entered?Swan?Island, one ofAustralia?s most secret military installations near?Queenscliff,?Victoria, seeking to disrupt the war in?Afghanistan.

?Both Swan?Island?and the war on?Afghanistan?are out of sight, out of mind. It?s time to end further suffering of the Afghan people and our soldiers by bringing our troops home,? the group said.

Swan?Island?is a highly secretive military installation used by the Army?s elite Special Air Service (SAS) and the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS).?Swan?Island?is said to be more secretive than Pine Gap in central?Australia.

?In the week before the first Easter, Jesus blockaded the temple and turned the tables inside.???Today we are imitating Jesus? disruption?,??the group said.??Sometimes you have to get in the way of injustice?.

?War can?t bring peace, it can only bring further terror, death and poverty,? the group said.

Rev. Simon Moyle (Baptist Minister), Jacob Bolton (Community Worker), Jessica Morrison (University Lecturer) and Simon Reeves (Social Worker) have called themselves the Bonhoeffer Peace Collective after Kevin Rudd?s favourite theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was also an antiwar activist.

you may remember the updates we had back here?http://morepraxis.org.au/bonhoeffer-4-update-action-info/

Easter Feature - Just about to break

‘Heavensent To Spill My Stuff’

This song has been spinning in my head this Palm Sunday and the lead up to Easter. There is something about the Bible going into real time this week, that plays with my spirit.?So not being an expert of Paul Kelly (just a fan really) I am overlaying my framework of this week on his writings. Of course I also would argue ?that this is what we all do anyway - just without the preamble.

Those who know me would have heard my rants about Palm Sunday and practicing ‘missing the point’ in our churches. I guess in following the ?Holy week this year, I am reflecting on the Monday after Palm Sunday.

In Mark 11, you will see that on Sunday Jesus comes in “triuphantly” (inspired headings of the bible) into Jerusalem?as the ‘answer to your prayer ..from the great nowhere.’ But he does not take over powers of empire etc but does a quick reconnaissance of the temple and heads off to Bethany.

Jesus’ teachings and his way has ‘rocked our heads‘ and we are all impressed by the ‘multiplying fish and bread’. Following his way is exciting and confronting being a part of building a better world based on radical love.?Certainly if any figure in history has been ‘canonised, demonised, moralised, sermonised’ (here even) ’sold the rights and serialised’, it is Jesus.

On monday he returns and trashes the temple, much ‘like a sleeping time bomb‘ and a ‘heart crying enough!’ he confronts oppressive exploitative religion.

So what about us? ? ?Are we about to break? ? ?When and over what issue will our hearts cry enough? ? ? To be heaven sent to spill our stuff?

Maybe it was the Close the Gap actions last week or the indigenous focused preamble of the UCA (and the discussions surrounding it) or maybe just Paul Kelly’s continuing reflections on aboriginal injustice but I found myself thinking, “when will our heart cry enough!”. When will we find a way to recognise the first people in this land and close the gap? Is this just my response? Probably. As I write, my inbox has emails about human traffiking, peace activism, Non Violent Direct Action, human shields groups and global poverty engagements. So I know that people are called to various causes and I find a sense of admiration (maybe a bit of jealously) for people who are fully engaged in the issue that caused them to break. Yes, I am talking about ?my peace buddies, youth workers, social workers, those adopting orphanages and rehab centres OS and here in Australia.

I am certain that those that have found their issues, like Jesus, act because their ‘heart is full of love‘ for people and they did break. Hearts break over people. They don’t have the answers, they don’t have ‘tactics’ but they act because they did break.

God broke and Jesus broke for us. God’s love for us was revealed in Jesus at Easter by the cost he faced, the life he lived and the grace we know.

Happy Easter - I pray we’re about to break.

Age

Just About To Break - Paul Kelly

Nothing but a Dream,

Handle me with care
I’m the answer to your prayer
I come from the great nowhere
Step back! Give me some air
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break

I’ve been dreaming some
I’m a sleeping time bomb
When I wake it won’t take long
I’ll hit from here to kingdom come
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break

They’re gonna want to analyse me
Canonise and demonise me
Buy the rights and serialise me
Moralize and sermonise against me
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break

I’m gonna rock your head
Start a burning in your bed
I’m making gold from lead
Multiplying fish and bread
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break

My philosophy’s eclectic
Things round here are gonna get hectic
There’s no defense ’cause I got no tactics
I sing the body electric
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break

The thunderstorm is just above
Every heart one day must cry enough
I’m heavensent to spill my stuff
My heart, my hear is full of love
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break

The Prodigal Part Deux – The Brother Bites Back

Daz put this up and is worth a repost in my book ?(Again insight into my brain with the choice of image alongside someone else’s thinking)-?Age

The Prodigal Part Deux ? The Brother Bites Back

Last week?s lectionary reading was the story of the ?Prodigal Son? or of the ?Ungrateful Senior Son? or ?The Father of Grace,? whatever you?d like to call it. ?The actual reading was: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

As the story was being re-told I started to zone out and imagine what would happen if I were to add a second part to the story, one that?s not that familiar (because it was never told) but one that somehow feels true enough to engage the cynical side of my psyche. ?As it happens the minister asked us what we were thinking, and I decided to share my sequel to the parable.

I thought I?d write it here, feel free to alter, change, get pissed off, be inspired, I don?t really mind?

I?m currently calling this The Prodigal Part Deux ? The Brother Bites Back.

The elder son, having heard news of his father?s extravagant grace and the way that he had welcomed his younger brother back into the house became outraged. (How dare his father welcome that ungrateful prick back into the house like that, and what?s up with not inviting him to the party?) Having to be told about all of this by a servant made matters worse?

Continue here

Congress (UAICC) Press Release

?TUCKEY AND ABBOTT STUCK IN THE DARK AGES’

The Indigenous arm of the Uniting Church in Australia has today labeled the comments made by Tony Abbott and Wilson Tuckey concerning acknowledgement of Indigenous traditional owners of land as nothing more than an opposition desperate to maintain its relevancy.

National UAICC Administrator Rev Shayne Blackman and UAICC Chairperson Rev Ken Sumner said the venomous and archaic comments were deeply offensive to all Indigenous people and would unravel any goodwill the opposition may have had made in recent times.

“It is now clear that the Leader of the Opposition and his learned underling have no genuine understanding of how to politically or culturally align themselves to Aboriginal people and their struggle and regrettably their comments and stance will cost them down the line” Rev Blackman said.

“These are elected members of parliament who cannot be allowed to use their tax payer salary to incite contempt under the guise of genuine political commentary - it is one thing to make legitimate political statements, it is another to belittle any group within the nation for sensationalism” said Rev Blackman.

Rev Ken Sumner said Tony Abbott getting lost in the outback recently was indicative of planned media attention which may have been amusing to some however; the line was drawn in the sand over these obnoxious ?media driven’ comments which cut to the very heart of the respect and recognition for what Indigenous people have been struggling for since this country was invaded.

“Further, by Wilson Tuckey deriding the weight of some Welcome to Country dancers is unhelpful and indicative of an individual who has no understanding of the very real health issues facing Indigenous people not having equitable access to good nutrition in remote communities” Rev Sumner said.

“We would have hoped for a responsible opposition party that sought to outline alternative policy to address the socio-economic plight of many Indigenous people - one of them being obesity linked to proper nutrition, not via derision and mockery” said Rev Sumner.

Sign up for the newsletter of congress here

EurekaStreet - Atheists

Hi guys, yesterday I found myself pondering the bus ads for the atheist convention here in Melbourne “celebrate reason!” they say and heaps of radio interviews about why they are right and smart. ?I don’t know if it was their intention to mimic the violent “we have the truth and want to impose it on others” feel of the fruitcake of our faith or the?bully’s approach to self esteem ie?”lets gain our identity by bagging others” . ?But they did. ?Anyhoo this morning I found this more considered and useful reflection than mine in Eureka Street. Enjoy.

Hype undermines atheists’ mission

TIM ROBERTS MARCH 12, 2010

While the so-called ‘New Atheists’ have recently found their voices, the 2010 Global Atheist Convention, ‘Rise of Atheism’, taking place in Melbourne this weekend, suggests that this movement may be in danger of believing its own hype. Judging by the program, the convention aims to increase atheism’s flock by pouring scorn on those whom it should be courting. If that’s the case, the message won’t reach beyond the fans.Some of the speakers at the convention take a pragmatic approach (’reason with opponents’) while others take an idealistic approach (’alienate opponents’). The former approach, while substantially more difficult than the latter, is potentially far more productive.

But it’s unclear whether the convention’s overall aim is to reduce the intensity of religious belief or to crush religion altogether. Though Richard Dawkins and others may earnestly hope for the latter, attempting this will only pick off religious doubters while steeling firmer believers against compromise.

Failing to include debating panels with religious moderates is a missed opportunity. Excluding the religious, of course, probably seemed like an obvious move: after all, one wouldn’t invite creationists to speak at a biology convention for balance’s sake. But inviting representatives from major religions would have prevented the conference from becoming a mere exercise in polemic.

keep reading here

Palm Sunday Peace March 2010

Build not Bomb

palm-sunday-poster (poster pdf - pls distribute)

Plus there’s a Vigil against the war on Afghanistan
Tue 16 March, 4-6pm, Defence Plaza, 661 Bourke St, Melbourne.

justact action - Help UCCP workers

Get online and help Dr Alexis Montes, a lay leader in the health ministry of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) and his health Worker colleagues.

There have been illegal arrests, disappearances and detentions.

This is an awfull situation involving people being put in danger. There has been?llegal arrest and detention of 43 health workers in the Philippines including the prominent lay member of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Dr Alexis Montes

We would be very grateful if you would consider using this easy online action in support of the doctor and his colleagues.

http://www.justact.org.au/just-take-action/

(Scroll down the link)

Please consider passing this on to interested friends or colleagues.

Surrender 2010

Hi Guys,

Have you registered for surrender conference yet? Well get onto it. Good speakers and workshops are the norm, including this year has Dave Andrews “plan be” stuff ?and workshops run by the usual suspects?of the radical discipleship, social justice and peace ?mobs. ?Oh and tear are running slum survivor plus the youth night is a fun celebration. So cya there.

What is it?

SURRENDER is a message (and a conference!) that invites and encourages Jesus followers on a journey from believer to disciple. It?s an invitation to follow Jesus among the poor, to influence the broader climate of church opinion and sow seeds for the future of incarnational mission. SURRENDER does this by focussing primarily on inspiring young adults to engage directly with God through the bible, people facing oppression and fellow disciples on the road.

http://surrender.org.au/