THIS IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION

EDIT – 2009-07-27 – edited the above to reflect some changes as discussed here, and add a couple of new pieces
EDIT – 2009-08-11 - a small edit expanding a couple of entry’s, nothing really new
EDIT – 2009-09-11 - a series of edits across the board including some rewrites for clarity
EDIT – 2009-11-11 – small edits and additions
EDIT – 2010-05-06 – couple of additions to political section (being election day and all)
EDIT – 2010-06-30 – one small addition in spiritual
EDIT – 2010-07-04 – various edits throughout

This has been brewing for a while, basically I thought it was time for me to sit down, keyboard at the ready, and put into some sort of words what I believe/think about certain things mainly for my benefit but you never know it may be helpful for someone else.

So yeah, take what you will, hopefully it will come together and perhaps give you more of an idea of what I am like and maybe even spark questions about your beliefs (and I’m not just talking about religion). My aim is that each statement should be self explanatory with other statements reaffirming and further defining each other.

I believe…

(SPIRITUAL)

• in one infinite God, who is beyond human comprehension but yet still knowable, that is to say that his fullness can never be fully grasped but we can understand and know God in a way which is complete enough
• in the Trinity of God, that within the One God that there are aspects, that is The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit, a self sustaining and perfect union, it has no need for outside influence or input but still seeks it
• that Trinity is the perfect community, and as such Christianity should have community at its heart
• in the Father, the creator aspect, the part who is seen as God but is only a part of the whole
• in Jesus Christ, Son of God, Son of Man, the part of God woven into humanities story so utterly to become fully human, and yet in spirit and soul be fully part of God
• in the Holy Spirit, as a carrier of the will of God, a messenger, a provider, a supplier, an essence that unites all who follow the will of God… no not the Force
• that Jesus Christ was a historical figure and that he died on the cross, and that he was resurrected, and then finally ascended to return into the Godhead fully
• that the only way to have full eternal life is through Christs life, death, resurrection, and acceptance of his message, and forgiveness of our sins through his sacrifice
• that the effects of the Cross and Resurrection extends forward, and backward, through time and across borders unknown so that all may who believe will be saved and that its sacrifice is enough for all
• that in the beginning was God
• that God is author, creator, and sustainer of reality, He loving created a complex world full of wonder and hidden glory so that we could discover it and by doing so further marvel at His glory
• that God loves, cares for, inspires, guides, and challenges all people, regardless of wither or not they believe in Him, and that all people have a touch of the divine
• that all have sinned, all will sin, but all can be cleansed from all sin
• that no barrier should ever be put between God and man, all are welcome, that are no exclusions, God removed the barriers through Christ and we should never be responsible for putting those barriers back up
• in a personal relationship with God which must be developed as human relationships are, and it suffers for the same reasons as them
• there is only one Church, and it knows no border, no limits, it is not limited by a physical location and extends into the infinite and into heaven itself, it is not a denomination, it is not a place, it is not a set of beliefs or dogmas, it is the pure and unblemished Kingdom
• that there is a devil, and fallen angels & demons, and he and his minions are intelligent, subtle, and not to be taken lightly, they are however can be conquered but it is not a task to be taken lightly
• that there is a battle ongoing for the souls of this universe, and this war is not wholly fought not only in the physical world but takes place in the realm unseen and that prayer is a mighty weapon in this war, but we must always be aware that the war is reflected in this world and that is where we are so our mind and attention must be on the elevating the negative aspects of this world
• that not everything bad that happens is a result of this spiritual war, and we should be wary of seeing demons where there are none, or saying that none exist, discernment and wisdom are called for not hysteria or blind obedience
• in the power of prayer, it can change things,
• that you can change the mind of God, there is plenty of scripture where God is going to do one thing and then is persuaded to either wait or change His mind
• that God is here, not there, He is not remote and distant
• that God is an active part of this universe and is bound within it and yet not a part of it, He has bound Himself into its existence and takes pleasure in its existence and its workings
• that God is a creative being and delights in creativity, be it artistic or intellectual
• that miracles, signs, and wonders, still happen today, however that many alleged miracles, signs, and wonders are either misinterpreted, faked, or worse
• that everyone is unique and has a purpose, place, and worth, and everyone is known by, and can know, God personally
• that only God has the right and ability to sit in judgement for through infinite understanding, infinite knowledge, and infinite wisdom, His judgements are always just and true despite what we may think and that many who enter the gates we will not have considered “worthy”
• that everyone has a choice
• in the Kingdom of Heaven which is both to come and is here now, and that can be made real in this world, and that it is our duty and pleasure to make it real in this world through our actions and the will of God
• in moments of perfect beauty and that these are glimpses of the perfect possibilities
• in worship, and worship that goes beyond singing and into other forms, the creative, the intellectual, the physical, the practical, the private, the public, worship is life not an hour on a Sunday
• that many churches have become a perversion of what church was intended to be and through this has become a force for ill not good
• that the church has developed an overly concerned view on “the state of the church” and focusing on numbers, size, dogma, and “returning to our values” when they should be looking forward and doing as their forefathers did and embracing the challenges of the world in their day and reforming the church into what it needs to be for this day and this age
• that sometimes there must be a harvest so that new, stronger, more productive, shoots of growth can begin, and many churches need that harvest soon
• in the priesthood of all believers so that all may serve and be served by each other
• that all can, and should, have a voice within the Church, so that they may share what they believe God is saying to them and the church
• that everything must be tested, no matter its source, and if found unworthy ignored
• that no one human should every have dominion, rule, or power, over another, especially not in the church, in this I mean that the idea of a role where one person has utter control over another’s belief and life is un-biblical as the apostles which were the leaders in their day were a group not a single person
• in discussion and debate about all issues, and that such things should be done in a spirit of seeking new truths, and understanding others, and while we may disagree that should not make us enemies or cause undue friction
• that too many in the church would much rather ignore facts and debates because it makes them think, or because its inconvenient, or clashes with their world view, and too often say “well prove it” and then ignore or deny the proof
• in discipleship and that we must be taught the word of God as it is revealed by the Holy Spirit and that discussion of the word is a must for growth
• that the bible is the inspired word of God, as are many other texts since the formation of the bible
• that God and Christianity, that is the way of following and accepting Christ, is bigger and more rebust than we give it credit
• that if there is an apparent contradiction in scripture it is their to help us find out something more, something deeper about God and our relationship to Him
• it is possible for all things to be used by God if God so chooses, and just because God doesn’y does not imply a negative or dismissive God
• that although we should fear God, yet also we should not worship or follow out of fear. (NB: This is a really complicated issue and I have only just begun to really start unpacking it, but basically it relates to “beginning of wisdom is fear of God” and all the times God says “be not afraid”… like I say a complicated one)
• that “if you don’t have [faith] you can’t understand it, and if you do… no explanation is necessary.” (Kira)

(POLITICAL)

• that we should be involved in our governments and call them to account when they act against the will of the people
• that there should be one person one vote, and the should be reflected in how the government forms, through such a systems like proportional representation
• in the power of revolution
• in the right to privacy, be that personal beliefs or personal life
• that rhetoric and ideology are all well and good but the actions, and inactions,  of a government speak louder
• that (and this is very UK specific) the Prime Minister (and party leaders) should NOT be MPs, but must have been one for at least one term of government, this perhaps should also be applied to the major positions within the cabinet
• that governments do what they need must to try and keep the status quo and maintain the established power and influence of the current system
• that governments should not be blindly trusted and should be held accountable to series of checks and balances, and a set of strict guidelines for how they must act
• that elected officials work for the people and NOT for lobbyists or corporations
• that we are in danger of blindly walking into the world of “1984” and that many are happy with this because they falsely believe this will give security
• that that statement “if you’ve got nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear” is dangerous and ill-informed
• that one “man” can change the world
• that there is NOT a global conspiracy, in whatever form this takes, at least as far as such things go
• that “people should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people” (V)

(SOCIETY)

• the human race is one people, that is one species
• that we are all created equal, and we should strive towards equality in all things, despite our differences and even if we don not accept those differences it is right and proper that all should be treated equally
• in equality for all, in life, in God, and in the law of man, none should be treated differently than another for any reason, neither given preferential treatment, nor denied
• in social justice and that is our duty to speak out for the oppressed, the voiceless, the downtrodden, and against those, be they individual, corporate, or governments, who would seek to use, oppress, and control others
• that there is an apparent unwillingness to help our fellow man if it inconveniences, or seems like to much effort, or that it would “do no good anyway”
• that those who have should help those who have not
• in the need for community, and that communities dwell in ever larger communities
• that living in and changing communities is more effective for changing those communities than any current form of government and when done can bring about greater and more profound change
• that reality TV, the cult of celebrity, the blind pursuit of becoming famous, is taking part in the destruction of our society in ways we seem unwilling to accept
• we need to reassess our views on wealth, income, and the way we treat those with, and without, it is not right that in the 21st century we still have those in this world that cannot have enough food to eat or a place to call home
• that the news media, and others are lying to us and twisting the news to fit their, and those who own them, views and ideals so that we can blindly accept their opinions as facts, their news as truth
• that “we need not be afraid of those who are different, we can embrace that difference and learn from it” (G’Kar)
• that “The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.” (Nietzsche)

(SCIENCE/KNOWLEDGE)

• that creativity goes beyond what most consider art and extends throughout our being in reflection of the creative and imaginative creator
• in the need for human progress and endeavour, to explore, to understand, to create
• we must be careful that as we progress we do not loose the things that matter most, such as, community, personal identity, personal liberty, the human spirit, love, joy, peace
• we must educate to inspire and create a desire to learn and know, not force feed facts just to pass exams
• that we have shafted this world and are in danger of causing unrepairable damage to our ability to survive on this planet
• that nature will survive our passing, it is more resilient than one species, however that does not give us the right or excuse for what we have done to it
• that all life evolved from a common ancestor and that the theory of evolution and its associated theories should not be seen as against scripture, but rather as further proof that we are a part of nature and that we are all one people
• in more than that I believe that through cosmological forces where upon stars a re born live and ultimately die creating new elements that we are, in a very literally sense “made of star stuff”.
• that science has the ability to completely understand the physical universe, for God created a complex, intelligent, and intriguing universe so we can explore it and by that see His love for us
• that there is true beauty and wonder within the quantum world, its complexity and impossibilities are utterly beautiful, if hard, to even try and fully comprehend
• that science evolves and develops and that we are not yet close to fully comprehending everything, there is still much to learn, see, explore, and understand
• in the scientific view of the universe in that it is governed by the laws and theories of physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics
• that science cannot answer the why, for that is not its intent and no scientific theory or study can prove, or disprove, the existence of, or the need for, God, it is not within the realm of science but rather philosophy and theology
• in the likelihood of life on other place, and the possibilities of it being sentient
• in the need to expand into space, to see new worlds, to venture into the unknown
• that “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” (Albert Einstein)
• that “there are more things in heaven and earth” than can be “dreamt of in your philosophy” (Shakespeare)
• that “We are all connected; To each other, biologically, to the earth, chemically, to the rest of the universe atomically” (deGrasse Tyson)
• that “Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” – Carl Sagan
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