Lent.

[Anchorman]

Any Christians doing anything special this Lent? Are you reading something new, or studying any Scripture in particular? I'll start the ball rolling: I'm going through my annual reading of "Never mind the reversing ducks" (For the uninitiated, that's Adrian Plass's unique take on Mark's Gospe) and a long ioverdue re-read of the brilliant John Stott's "The Cross".

[ippy]

Any Christians doing anything special this Lent? Are you reading something new, or studying any Scripture in particular? I'll start the ball rolling: I'm going through my annual reading of "Never mind the reversing ducks" (For the uninitiated, that's Adrian Plass's unique take on Mark's Gospe) and a long ioverdue re-read of the brilliant John Stott's "The Cross".

Wow this religion thing, it's a thrill a minute. I find it hard to understand how you religios contain yourselves with all of this excitement going on. 

ippy

[Humph Warden Bennett]

Any Christians doing anything special this Lent? Are you reading something new, or studying any Scripture in particular? I'll start the ball rolling: I'm going through my annual reading of "Never mind the reversing ducks" (For the uninitiated, that's Adrian Plass's unique take on Mark's Gospe) and a long ioverdue re-read of the brilliant John Stott's "The Cross".

I am already feeling hungry! For the record, the total fast is practised only by monks, and nuns, it is accepted that those who live in the "real" world should not make themselves ill through fasting.I shall be reading the Life of Father Arsenie Boca.

[SusanDoris]

Yesterday Radio 4 told me that Theresa May is giving up crisps!

Anchorman - Do you use audio, braille or very large print? What is your preference?

[Anchorman]

Yesterday Radio 4 told me that Theresa May is giving up crisps!

Anchorman - Do you use audio, braille or very large print? What is your preference?
[/quote



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Because of various other health issues, Susan, I'm not a braillist (though I can just about feel jumbo braille if the medication allows)
Fortunately I can read large print - though given my eye problem, black on white doesn't work. My screen is configured to a yellow on black mode, and I use a humanware Explore 5 pocket electronic magnifier with colour contrast to help me in shops and stuff.
For studying, I have an Optalec Traveller magnifier - with a screen the size of a lap top - which I can carry around.
However a lot of Adrian Plass stuff is available on audio, so I sometimes encourage my laziness by using that.

[Robbie]

I am an Adrian Plass fan too Anchorman.

Not doing anything for Lent, if it hadn't been mentioned to me a short while ago it would have passed me by.

I always felt it was good for Christians all over the world to be doing something together, in varied ways. About the only time I've had a real sense of Christian community and could set us up for the rest of the year, like recharging batteries.. Rather than giving something up my belief was we should do something positive. If we do give anything up, it can free up money to give bit extra to help others.

[Anchorman]

Robinson: Do you know Adrian has a new book - "The shadow Doctor" published? I use his "Bacon Sandwiches and Salvation" a lot for quotemining if I'm preparing a service, and I never tire of the Sacred Diaries! His serious works are well worth consideration, also. I don't really give anything up for Lent, but my local CofS presbytery (sorry about the language....the 'p' word depresses me) is twinned with a presbytery in Bandawe, Walawi, and we have initiated projects which have helped a lot with medical, social and educational needs as well as supplying seed for planting. We usually have fundraising projects every month, but during Lent, we try to have one every week.

[Anchorman]

 May as we well blow our own trumpet, I suppose. Here's a link to the Ayr Presbytery page dealing with our links to Malawi, and the difference we're making there. It makes interesting and encouraging reading. http://www.presbyteryofayr.org.uk/malawi.html

[Robbie]

Robinson: Do you know Adrian has a new book - "The shadow Doctor" published? I use his "Bacon Sandwiches and Salvation" a lot for quotemining if I'm preparing a service, and I never tire of the Sacred Diaries! His serious works are well worth consideration, also. I don't really give anything up for Lent, but my local CofS presbytery (sorry about the language....the 'p' word depresses me) is twinned with a presbytery in Bandawe, Walawi, and we have initiated projects which have helped a lot with medical, social and educational needs as well as supplying seed for planting. We usually have fundraising projects every month, but during Lent, we try to have one every week.

Those types of projects are wonderful Anchorman. Locally so are food banks.
No I didn't know about Adrian Plass's new book, thanks for saying.

[Enki]

Well, we had pancakes a couple of days ago. Apart from that Lent passed me by, although my wife and I did go to a public debate last night between Andrew Copson and Dr Andy Bannister(of Solas) on the subject of 'Can life have meaning without God?'.

[Robbie]

I forgot about pancakes! Might do some tonight if I feel like it. My mum's pancakes are to die for.

[Udayana]

Can life have meaning without pancakes?

[wigginhall]

If a pancake is frying in the pan, and no-one is watching over it, is it still a pancake, and does it have a soul?   

[Robbie]

Ah-so but lent themselves to many interpretations,some hot air but others more filling.
(WIll ask Siriam bout that! )

[Anchorman]

Well, we had pancakes a couple of days ago. Apart from that Lent passed me by, although my wife and I did go to a public debate last night between Andrew Copson and Dr Andy Bannister(of Solas) on the subject of 'Can life have meaning without God?'.

-
Solas?
I'm on nodding terms with David Robertson - I don't always agree with him, but Solas isn't a bad resource.

[Robbie]

Never heard of Solas before but looked them up, scrolled down after something about Safety at Sea of same name and found them.
From reading bits of the articles on the site I do not like Solas one bit.

[Enki]

If a pancake is frying in the pan, and no-one is watching over it, is it still a pancake, and does it have a soul?

Look, can you stop with all those deepities. They're doing my head in.  I keep trying to creep(crepe) up on a pancake without it knowing I'm there, just so that I might be able to observe if it has a soul or not.

[Enki]

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Solas?
I'm on nodding terms with David Robertson - I don't always agree with him, but Solas isn't a bad resource.

I wasn't exactly impressed with Dr Bannister or Andrew Copson really. Bannister trotted out all the usual arguments, and, in his case, well rehearsed anecdotes, jokes, quote mining etc. while Copson seemed mildly disinterested in the whole thing. Both seemed to attach different meanings to the word 'meaning' which meant that neither of them seemed to actually connect with the subject at all.

[Nearly Sane]

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Solas?
I'm on nodding terms with David Robertson - I don't always agree with him, but Solas isn't a bad resource.

Unbelievable is usually quite interesting

[Anchorman]

Unbelievable is usually quite interesting

-
He's a bit dogmatic, but, for a "Wee Free" minister, he's incredibly refreshing, and something of a rebel.
He certainly reinvigorated his church.
When he was called to the charge, there was a congregation of around eighty - now there are five times that number.
He must be doing something right.

[Nearly Sane]

-
He's a bit dogmatic, but, for a "Wee Free" minister, he's incredibly refreshing, and something of a rebel.
He certainly reinvigorated his church.
When he was called to the charge, there was a congregation of around eighty - now there are five times that number.
He must be doing something right.

Yes, on the Wee Free scale of dogmatism, he's just a big ball of liberal fluff

[bluehillside Retd.]

enki,

I wasn't exactly impressed with Dr Bannister or Andrew Copson really. Bannister trotted out all the usual arguments, and, in his case, well rehearsed anecdotes, jokes, quote mining etc. while Copson seemed mildly disinterested in the whole thing. Both seemed to attach different meanings to the word 'meaning' which meant that neither of them seemed to actually connect with the subject at all.

Perhaps if the title had been, "Can life have meaning with God?" there'd have been a more stimulating debate?

[Nearly Sane]

I wasn't exactly impressed with Dr Bannister or Andrew Copson really. Bannister trotted out all the usual arguments, and, in his case, well rehearsed anecdotes, jokes, quote mining etc. while Copson seemed mildly disinterested in the whole thing. Both seemed to attach different meanings to the word 'meaning' which meant that neither of them seemed to actually connect with the subject at all.

It is so often the problem with debates, see the ones on the formal debate board here! If things are not defined you have people talking past each other with no engagement.

[bluehillside Retd.]

NS,

It is so often the problem with debates, see the ones on the formal debate board here! If things are not defined you have people talking past each other with no engagement.

Quite. "Meaning" for example for whom? What objective measure for meaning could there be so as to tell whether someone has it?

It's also an implied argumentum ad consequentiam by the way: whether or not someone finds meaning because of their belief in "God" tells you nothing about whether there is a god. 

[SusanDoris]

anchorman

Thank you for reply re large print etc.