idle banter

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

blog bible study

IN the light of recent discussion on this blog, I would like to invite Herc to share with me in some bible study. WE have been wrestling with issues like healing, theology, simple faith, postmodernism etc.
Herc, perhaps we could find some common ground if we focus our different "approaches" on a passage of scripture and consider how we each interpret the passage.

Acts 3:1-11 records a dramatic incident of healing in the New Testament. I would be very interested in hearing your thoughts on the significance of this passage for us today. I also have some thoughts to offer...

How about we share our various views and interpretations of this passage in conversation and see where that leads? Would you like to start or should I?

Thursday, June 08, 2006

to look or not to look

yesterday i was parking at the Spar and a women caught my eye. she wasn't young, but she was dressed nicely. actually she was looking quite sexy for a woman older than myself. I had a second glance. and she noticed me looking.

I wasn't gawking. just galncing. but she noticed nevertheless. she looked down. carried on walking past the front of my car. looking a little self conscious.

I didn't mean to cause her to feel self-conscious, and yet I felt a little guilty. Should I be "looking" at women in that way?

And then as I drove out of the parking lot, I thought to myself, "but what she was wearing wasn't designed to hide her body. She was wearing clothes that clearly highlighted her appearance!" So then, should I feel guilty that I noticed her. Isn't that exactly what nice clothes are designed to do?

How do we balance these two values: I want to be a respectful person who doesn't embarass people by focussing on their body at the expense of what they have to say/contribute etc. I also sense that our bodies are sexual, beautiful etc... and we want them to express something attractive? I want to affirm a person who looks attractive without embarrassing them...

any thoughts?