Monday 30 January 2012

The Filter Bubble

This TED video illustrates how we can (unknowingly) find ourselves in an information bubble.


Websites can tailor the information we recieve to what they think we want to see. The result is that despite living in diverse world, we get only certain types of information. I think this diagram shows it best.


As the presenter points out, this same type of filtering has always occurred in other media - by newspaper editors, tv producers etc. But here i wanted to ask where we think this might happen in church circles.

How often do we seriously listen to views from people other than church people? Do we listen to sermons by preachers other than our local pastor. Do we read the full gospels (or even full bible) or just the snippets from the lectionary? Do we talk with people who see Jesus differently from us - or do those people get bounced away by our own personal filter bubble?

Thursday 12 January 2012

Jesus > Religion

Love this great verse from Jefferson Bethke. Full lyrics can be found here, and some of my favourite pieces are below. We often get caught up doing the whole church/religion thing. I think it does us good to be reminded that we are supposed to be following Jesus.



I mean if religion is so great, why has it started so many wars
Why does it build huge churches, but fails to feed the poor

They can't fix their problems, and so they just mask it
Not realising religion's like spraying perfume on a casket

Now I ain't judgin, I'm just saying quit putting on a fake look
Cause there's a problem - If people only know you're a Christian by your Facebook

I mean in every other aspect of life, you know that logic's unworthy
It's like saying you play for the Lakers just because you bought a jersey

Because if grace is water, then the church should be an ocean
It's not a museum for good people, it's a hospital for the broken

Now let me clarify, I love the church, I love the bible, and yes I believe in sin
But if Jesus came to your church would they actually let him in

See remember he was called a glutton, and a drunkard by religious men
But the son of God never supports self righteousness not now, not then

Now back to the point, one thing is vital to mention
How Jesus and religion are on opposite spectrums

See one's the work of God, but one's a man made invention
See one is the cure, but the other's the infection

See because religion says do, Jesus says done
Religion says slave, Jesus says son

Religion puts you in bondage, while Jesus sets you free
Religion makes you blind, but Jesus makes you see


[More of Jefferson's stuff is available through the Chisel Season website, including more thoughts on 7 differences between Jesus and Religion]

Tuesday 3 January 2012

Doing Something Great

This is a good positive video to start the new year.



I've written some about this before, but i just love how the internet connects enough Christians to enable us to do great works.