Thursday, November 30, 2006

Conversations with Bono - Part 1

These days I'm really enjoying reading a book called "Bono on Bono" which is not a typical biography but a series of conversations that he had with a friend of his who is a french journalist. I thought it would be interesting to post small bits of the book.

Correct. But you've also never seen a skeptic or an atheist smash himself to pieces in order to kill as many people as possible. I mean, atheists would organize concentration camps or would plan collective starvation, but this kind of terror we are dealing with now is of a spiritual nature. You can't hide from that.

It's true. Yeah, smashing other people to pieces doesn't need the same conviction. Most terrorist want to change the material world. Well, add eternity to that, and people can go a lot further to pursue their ends. It's a big prize, isn't it, eternity? It's not a two-term presidency. (laughs) But of course, this is always a corruption of some holy thesis, whether it's the Koran or the Bible. My understanding of the Scriptures has been made simple by the person of Christ. Christ teaches that God is love. What does that mean? What it means for me: a study of the life of Christ. Love here describes itself as a child born in straw poverty, the most vulnerable situation of all, without honor. I don't let my religious world get too complicated. I just kind of go: Well, I think I know who God is. God is love, and as much as I respond in allowing myself to be transformed by that love and acting in that love, that's my religion. Where things get complicated for me, is when I try to live this love. Now, that's not so easy.

What about the God of the Old Testament? He wasn't so "peace and love."


There's nothing hippie about my picture of Christ. The Gospels paint a picture of a very demanding, sometimes divisive love, but love it is. I accept the Old Testament as more of an action movie: blood, car chases, evacuations, a lot of special effects, seas dividing, mass murder, adultery. The children of God are running amok, wayward. Maybe that's why they're so relatable. But the way we would see it, those of us who are trying to figure out our Christian conundrum, is that the God of the Old Testament is like the journey from stern father to friend. When you're a child, you need clear directions and some strict rules. But with Christ, we have access in a one-to-one relationship, for as in the Old Testament, it was more one of worship and awe, a vertical relationship. The New Testament, on the other hand, we look across at a Jesus who looks familiar, horizontal. The combination is what makes the Cross.

Thursday, November 23, 2006

This guy is preaching my heart


I prefer to write myself on the blog and not take stuff from other sites but I thought this is worth listening to. I promise I will not bother you with too much youtube. The guy is Jason Upton.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Stay cool San Diego!

Just to mention that from now on www.mcglasnost.blogspot.com will be regularly updated. Make sure you check that out. Also wendsday at 6 p.m. we see each other at the square for giving out free drinks (tea and hot chocolate! stay away you drunkards.) :)

Free Hugs

This is a very cool
  • video
  • about a guy in Sydney giving free hugs. I think is worth seeing it. Also this is a
  • video
  • from the news report. Enjoy.

    Friday, November 17, 2006

    Dog City



    I dedicate this song to the mayor of Skopje and the mayors of all the municipalities in this Dog City.

    Dogs in the school yards,
    dogs by my building
    dogs on the bus stops,
    what a lovely feeling.

    Dogs in the park,
    dogs in the square,
    dogs are lurking everywhere.

    Dogs on the streets,
    dogs in the mall
    If I can I would k**l them all.

    I don't have anything against the dogs. They are lovely animals. But this is too much. You can't even walk through the center of town and not be surrounded by dogs. There are thousands of them in Skopje. And we want to be EU. Nobody is doing anything about that. "There is no money about that. The city bank account is empty" they will say. Yes, but someone must have helped empty that account. And what do I care if you don't have money. Find them somewhere. People are more important than money.

    Friday, November 10, 2006

    photo selection





    Here are some photos from the time with the norwegian team last month. I didn't took these photos but I thought they're cool. So give your vote for your favourite one.

    Wednesday, November 08, 2006

    Sons of the preacher man! (think twice about the title)

    Just few days ago an affair broke out about a well known pastor among the evangelical believers and the american public. The man admitted that he was involved in sexual sin. The heathens loath and the christians are confused and dissapointed. I don't have anything special to add about this scandal but few thoughts. Let us be reminded of 3 things. First: It can happen to me or you. Second: How would you like to be treated if you were in his position. And third: God has enough grace to restore anyone. This is a lesson that we need to live lives of accountability and be open in front of other people. Don't think you can do it on your own. We need each other. And just one more thing. The time of christian superstars and lone rangers is over.It's OVER! For too long America is selling individualistic christianity of superstars. There is an army of faceless and nameless people rising.

    Saturday, November 04, 2006

    THE CAFE IS DEAD, MAN! THA CAFE IS DEAD! IS IT?

    The "Glasnost Cafe" is closed. We moved the stuff 2 days ago. I think it served it's purpose well. Things could have been done better off course but...it was good. People came, there were good conversations, prayer. And honestly I don't feel disappointed,(is this true?) maybe a little bit nostalgic. I told someone the other day "Well, see you in the coffee bar on friday. Wait! What coffee bar?"
    I believe that God knows what he is doing. I don't want to make statements like it was God or it was the devil. I just know what we need to do, with or without a coffee bar. We need to go for God (strive to know him more and to be obedient to him) and go for people (share our faith and lives with those that don't know Him) no matter what. Maybe it's time to "go out" and be with people. To dare to live what you believe and not be afraid that you won't be holy if you hear cussing and cursing and people living in all kinds of sin. To be who you are. A child of God.
    And also maybe it's a time to call people who are you friends. To ask them how are they doing, to start caring for someone else, to listen, to share, to pray, to give, to cry, to laugh, to love.
    And maybe it's my time...
    To leave this internet cafe.

    Music




    Just to mention few artists and bands that are worth checking. In the last two weeks I'm really enjoying their music. The first one is Damien Rice. He has only one album released in 2003 and it's called O. The second are Arcade Fire and their album is called Funeral. The third is Sufjan Stevens and the album that I have is Illinois. (he is very smart musically and the lyrics are so open, vulnerable.)