TheGeoffRe(y)port

This afternoon, I will marry my best friend.

That’s all. See you in late January.

My wedding is in 33 sleeps. That’s coming up, really, really quickly. And it’s important, it’s big, and it will be very exciting. But it’s not the key part. The important thing is that in 33 sleeps, I’m going to be married. And that’s a whole different kettle of fish. Because while the people who are making small talk (and there’s nothing wrong with that at all) are asking “How’s the wedding preparations going?”, the people who I’m in really close relationship and who are wanting to find out what’s really going on are much more likely to ask something along the lines of “How are you going with preparing to be married?”

It’s a curious phenomenon that a culture who isn’t really sure what it wants to do with marriage, really wants to do something big and impressive for a wedding. And while I’m in awe of my bride-to-be’s ability to resist the pretentious and expensive in favour of the personal and home-grown, there is constant pressure to go bigger, more spectacular, more more more more more. We want to celebrate our wedding, we want it to be a very special day, but we don’t want to incur the sort of costs that are going to send us and our immediate families into debt. And ultimately - it’s a party. A big party, a nice party, a party with a beautiful sacrament in a church beforehand,  but it’s a party.

But preparing for a marriage. Wow. Marriage will surely be one of my life’s biggest challenges, and it’s a big call to be going into this thing. There’s so many ways I can stuff it up - and probably some of them that I will. There is no doubt in my mind that Rebecca and I should be taking this step together, but I’m nevertheless terrified by the scale of this commitment we’re entering into. It’s exciting, and it’s a happy feeling, but it’s undoubtedly mixed with fear and terror.

So how’s the wedding preparation going? Good. How’s the marriage preparation? That’s a bigger and better question.

The day that Steve Bracks (former Victorian Premier) resigned, he said that part of what he was proud of was that during his time in Government, they had changed the conversation to one around education, healthcare, blah blah. Now regardless of whether or not you agree that he did that, the point is a valid one. If you control the conversation, you control what is perceived to be valuable.

I think part of the reason that it appears the federal government is likely to lose the upcoming election is that they are no longer able to dictate the conversation with regard to media. Howard has used lots of the same lines as he used against Latham and Beazley, whereas Rudd at least seems to be offering something that sounds different enough that he has been able to change the way that the conversation is dictated.

Today is Blog Action Day. It’s a day when thousands of blogs all over the world, in all kinds of genres and niches are posting about the environment. In fact, you are reading one of those very posts. Because the conversation has changed. Where before the conversation around environmental concerns were mostly from the edges, or at least how much giving a token consideration to the environment would cost economically - it is now the mainstream that is talking about ways to take seriously the challenge to leave this earth in the same condition we start with.

As Christians, it’s time we stopped hiding behind ignorance or apathy and start trumpeting the cause of the environment. Because doing something about God’s creation is a kingdom purpose. And when the wider conversation aligns with the principles of the kingdom we have a responsibility to amplify that voice. We need to get behind people like Tri Robinson who are advocating the cause of the environment.

But even more - we need to get out there and do something. Whether it’s making lifestyle choices that can cut down on your transportation, limiting your use of extra plastic bags, choosing slightly more expensive but carbon-neutral energy options. Despite what Kermit might say - it’s relatively easy being green.

This one will lose any of the non-Australian readers, but I’ve got something I want to float with people. “Summer Heights High” (you can even download episodes from the website) is very funny, and very, very wrong. But does anyone else watch that show (and particularly the Jonah storyline), and feel a really strong pull towards doing something to help kids like that. And as someone who’s currently re-evaluating career orientation, what does that say?

Many of you who meander around the musings of my mesmerisingly magnificent Rebecca will understand the monumental mission that managing the initial ceremonial milestone of matrimony can morph into. Without a doubt, the marriage milieu can become magnified beyond most matter of fact measures. Plus there’s all that alliteration to worry about…

Small talk with anyone I haven’t spoken with for more than a few weeks always begins with: “How’s the wedding preparation going?” Now there’s a question without an interesting answer if ever I heard one. Because as much as people are asking out of genuine concern and interest, the truth is that they don’t really care that you’re tossing and turning about whether you want native flowers or non-natives, will serve those delicious little whatevers and blah, blah blah. And I understand, because I have a problem: I have to try really hard to have an opinion.

I know the things that I like about weddings: the service reflects the people, the venue isn’t too hideous, likewise the wedding party’s attire and good food at a reception. After that, it’s minor details. Would I have ever noticed flowers in a wedding? Not really. Have I ever thought about what colour I’d want my suit to be? Probably not more than once or twice.

It’s not a lack of caring. Bec’s been amazing in wanting to make sure that I have input into all the decisions being made, and I really want to do this thing together, not have Bec wear most of the load. But I look at two pictures of flowers, and that’s exactly what I see. Two pictures of flowers. Experience says that flowers make things look prettier. Some flowers fail at that, others do particularly well. That’s as far as my opinions on flowers go, and it’s a real effort to get any more out of me.

Ah, the tribulations of the wedding preparation

After a little bit of encouragement, and a little bit of over-excitement on my part, I’ve gone ahead and registered amateurtheology.org as a domain, and set up a wordpress blog. At the moment it displays a lovely “Amateur Theology is going to launch soon” page, and at this stage I’m hoping to launch with a few posts ready to go on September 2nd. Ideally they won’t just be posts that I’ve put together myself, so if you have anything you’d like to contribute, then PLEASE send an email to submissions@amateurtheology.org and we’ll look at it and almost definitely post it up on or just after launch.

I really don’t know whether or not this will fly, but if it does it’ll be good fun, and if it doesn’t it’ll be a good laugh at any rate. From the (not yet visible) site: “Guidelines for Submissions”

1. Don’t go on too long. That will be a part of the editing process. Ideally you shouldn’t need more than a few paragraphs. Sometimes a complex issue will take more than that to convey your meaning, but it’s not recommended. I really will edit.
2. Be willing to propose ideas you’re not certain about. Stimulating discussion usually means not waiting until you have the final answer for people, but instead offering the incomplete idea and allowing others to further refine thoughts.
3. Reference others. If your idea about something was triggered from another blog, link to them. If you’re not so sure about how to do that: let us know where you want to link to and we’ll handle the rest. But it’s nice to credit people when you steal their ideas.
4. Play nice. Sure, the ideas are serious, but that doesn’t allow you to be anything other than loving towards people. Respect other people’s rights to be more right than you (or perhaps even wrong). Submissions which are in any way discriminatory or defamatory will be deleted without hesitation.

I’d love to receive any submissions at all. Plus you’ll get a link to your blog on the front page: that’s got to be worth something .

In typically good timing, Dan Wilt posted a link through to this article: “Caring for Your Introvert“. From the article:

If we introverts ran the world, it would no doubt be a calmer, saner, more peaceful sort of place. As Coolidge is supposed to have said, “Don’t you know that four fifths of all our troubles in this life would disappear if we would just sit down and keep still?”

…

We can only dream that someday, when our condition is more widely understood, when perhaps an Introverts’ Rights movement has blossomed and borne fruit, it will not be impolite to say “I’m an introvert. You are a wonderful person and I like you. But now please shush.”

Well, after a few people did these; and having someone comment on how another personality test gave them a great insight into how I’d been reacting in a specific situation, I thought I’d better post my results up. INFP (as distinct from the INFJ I’ve got previously on Meyers Briggs) is classified as “The Dreamer”. Anyway, just in case you care. See Bec’s at her blog here.

Just thought (particularly if you’re an RSS Subscriber who tends not to visit the actual site) that it might be worth drawing attention to the very valuable, insightful (and at times quite personal) comments on the “Theology of Contraception” post. It’s been impressive to see the quality of responses there: I didn’t realise this would hit quite on such a rich vein of opinion. So if you haven’t read them (or read them back when there was only a few comments there instead of 21) I advise a perusal. You can also check out Bec’s contribution over on her blog.

And it’s worth highlighting that Kate (wife of Rohan, all round nice person) has written a paper on the subject which they’ve kindly posted up on their blog. Set some time aside and read through properly, because she’s got some pretty solid thought there and it’s worth reading through.

“Roman Catholicism believes in sexual intercourse not only for procreative but also unitive intents. Wife and husband surrender themselves to one another and come to a fuller knowledge of one another.Contraception, it follows, is wrong because it divides the procreative from the pleasure principles.”

The above quote comes from a thought-provoking post from Scot McKnight on Jesus Creed - “Augustine on the Protestant Sex Ethic”. So as someone who has never had to worry about potential theological implications of contraception in the past, but is drawing ever closer to a time when such questions become relevant; I wanted to hear what some of my very learned and wise readers believe on the issue. As McKnight pertinently asks: “In your community of faith is there any discussion about contraception — or is it either simply ignored or assumed as legitimate for the Christian? How realistic is the procreation theory of sexuality? the “unitive” or “communion” theory?”

In my experience we’re doing a pretty OK job of talking about a theology of sex outside of marriage, and we’re even starting to get closer to pre-marital sex is not God’s idea of a good thing, but I wouldn’t need to worry about a second hand to count the number of times I’ve heard any discussion of theology around contraception amongst protestants. I’m sure part of that has to do with the stage of life I’ve been at, but I’m also wondering if that’s a reflection of a wider trend.

So I’m after practical theology from the married peoples out there and completely theoretical thoughts from those of us who are single. Thoughts on contraception and what that says about your view on sex itself? Thoughts on “the pill”? I’d love to hear any of it; if only to spark some discussion in an area that I think tends to be a little bit neglected.