quality

Those of you conscious in the 80's will remember the advertising slogan that the Ford Motor Company used to market its vehicles in North America. I guess, if the fact that there are still far too many Tempos and Topaz's out there is any indication, Ford may have delivered on its promise.

That is if you think that quality means the ability to function for a long time. Not many of us would think our definition to adequate. We would be suspicious if that definition of quality were applied to food, for example. Food that could 'function' or last for a very long time – I mean like since the eighties – now we would be quite suspicious of that food.

Hank: Hey Sally wanna burger?

Sally: Sure Hank, you got any more of those one's from 1984 left? They sure were high quality.

Anyways, if you're like me thinking about how we define quality rarely enters our brain. Yet this little lever word tends to pry open our mind to suggestions and desires we often fail to realize. Quality as a descriptor of the products peddled to us in advertising is rampant. So maybe we should pay attention to what quality means to us and what it means to others.

Mostly likely we think that quality used as an adjective means: "of superior grade; of high or superior quality or performance."

McDonalds has quality as one of four of its core values (also: Service, Cleanliness and Value (known as Q.S.C.V.)). McDonald's definition of quality is rather different: "…in McDonald's (strategy), quality means something else. It refers to a consistent, reliable, tolerable, culturally appropriate product, rather than an exceptional one."-Prime-Time Society,
Conrad Kottak. Essentially this version of quality is not something superior but rather likely quite average performance. Technically this would still be an exacting standard to meet and quite difficult to be sure. But the goal is categorically distinct from what we might hold in common understanding.

All this makes me think of the effort that church has taken to make 'the gospel' accessible to the common person. From the Willow Creek and Saddleback franchise churches to the grassroots bring-the-message-to-the-people movements we've sorta bought into the McD's version of quality. Now I'm not advocating that we make our message so 'high quality' that no one understands it. It would also be a fallacy to believe that quality equals some sort of incomprehensibility. I just think it is time that we cared about things like theology. And caring about theology does not happen to mean that we remain entrenched in parochial battle lines of theological animosity.

Alright time to do a few minutes on my treadmill and listen to some great old eighties tunes – now that's quality…

I'm not quite done with Christmas Carols yet...

ain't this a beaut

The roots of our preoccupation with heaven…

...and our (by our I mean Christian) nasty tendency to alienate ourselves from this world can be traced as far back as Augustine. Rome having been recently sacked in 410 was shaken to the core and alarmed. Growing sentiment in Rome suggested that it was due to the empires espousal of Christianity as the official religion of the state. There was an outcry to have the old Roman religious practices with their plethora of gods revisited. Augustine rallies to the defence of Christianity with a brilliant treatise, De civitate Dei.

The book presents human history as being a conflict between what Augustine calls the City of Man and the City of God (a conflict that is destined to end in victory of the latter). The City of God is marked by people who forgo earthly pleasure and dedicate themselves to the promotion of Christian values. The City of Man, on the other hand, consists of people who have strayed from the City of God. The two cities are not meant to represent any actual places or organizations, though Augustine clearly thought that the Christian Church was at the heart of the City of God.

It is clear that he was also referencing Rome as the earthly city which would pass away. Thus heaven become the focus of the church and conveniently enough the Church holds onto control and steps in to fill the void left by deposed and deserted leaders of Rome at the time. The focus on getting into heaven arguably helps to keep the poor satisfied in their lowly status by focusing on the gain they would receive after this life. It also helps focus the activity of the church to getting as many people into heaven as possible and keeping them going there. Arguably you can pin a lot of the oppressive and evil things the Church did on this undercurrent – indulgences, penance, even the Crusades.

We covered this material in History of Western Civ today. Christianity is so intertwined with Western Civ. One of the things that is dawning on me is a sense of contextual power we (Christians) have had over time.

For some time now I have wondered why it seems that there is such an aggressively antagonistic attitude toward Christianity in secular (and even more so in educated secular) society. I mean relatively speaking we are very much a minority in terms practiced religion - in Canada – so why all the fuss. I'm beginning to see Christian influence throughout our history in the light of how influential we have been to the shape of our world. I don't think we really take into account how our history precedes us. It also makes me question how much I really want to be identified with what has been at times a very embarrassing past.

Translation of picture: By the authority of all the saints, and in mercy
towards you, I absolve you from all sins and misdeeds and remit all punishments
for ten days. - indulgence as sold by John Tetzel.

Funny dancing parrot

We watched this clip in Brain and Behaviour - birds like this have brains that are proportionally as big as chimps. Interestingly, primates and parrots rarely share the same habitat as they are competitors for the same food - FRUIT. Seems like in the development of things the fact that both monkeys and parrots eat fruit accounts for their larger brain size portionate to their body size. Eating fruit is a complex behaviour in the untamed places unlike it is for most of us humans in Canada.

What's wrong with adults? - A Response

Youth: Why do you have to be clueless about so much of the new stuff.
Adult: quite frankly I think I am doing fine at keeping up with all the new fad and gizmos - you guys seem to be so savvy about.
Youth: I don't know man. It's hard to take you seriously when you are pretty much ignorant of all this 'new fangled stuff'. Seriously, and the first thing you always seem to do whenever you get locked on to some new aspect of newness is slam it as some vehicle of Satan. Come on man...
Adult: Gosh, i miss rugby pants, tied-around-the-neck knitter sweaters, cassettes, and the Comodore 64...

deviance

In my class on Deviance and Social Control we talked about how difficult it is to really nail down a good definition of deviance.

There are a few basic takes on this…

There's the absolutist approach – this defines deviance as something that is somehow intrinsically or inherently wrong. That is, there is something about the action itself that makes it wrong. This definition would, as you can imagine, be pretty rigid and inflexible. You might say that me wearing a speedo is always wrong but you'd be hard pressed to keep that perspective with regards to my personal/romantic dress code in my own home.

There's the Statistical deviation approach – which suggest that behaviours that are statistically rare are deviant. Almost no one holds to this view. There are many things that are statistically rare but are hardly deviant. The fact that I can imitate Nacho Libre's famous love song might be rare but it is hardly deviant.

There's the Harmfulness approach – which suggests that if a certain action is harmful in some way it must be deviant. This seems like a decent approach but we know that there are plenty of things that aren't really harmful that are still considered deviant. The fact that I can regurgitate the meal I just ate and show it to you may be deviant but it isn't especially harmful to me or you. I can pick my nose and it hurts no one unless I have just cut my nails and make my nose bleed…you get the point…

The normative approach suggests that culture sets the guidelines for what is right and wrong. The question is here who controls culture.

This approach is similar to the constructionist approach that says that deviance is a social construction whose purpose is to control society in some significant way. Deviance is defined in a struggle between the powerful and those who comply. This is kind of like when I was a youth pastor on a weekend retreat. When I entered the cabin for night what I said was the law. If someone wanted to fart my recourse was to give them the Human Blanket (deviant in itself from some points of view). If I wanted to fart – I did. I got to say what was what.

The reactive approach is almost opposite of the absolutist approach and prides itself on being the most objective and unbiased. This one basically contends that something is deviant only because and when it elicits a reaction especially a negative one. There is nothing intrinsically deviant in and of itself – just as a result of a negative response to some action or condition. This view would say that there is nothing wrong with me leaving my socks on the floor around the house – it is only my wife's strong and negative reaction that makes it such. Try explaining that to Char…

So then the question comes – how do you define deviance?

Funny thing is that Christianity has been preoccupied with sin for millennia. We have made it a huge part of our theological enterprise. Of course we all are most comfortable with the way we define deviance for ourselves but the Christian perspective suggests that not only can our own ideas not be reliable in determining what is right and wrong but there is something that transcends all these approaches and claims the authority to create standards of deviance. I remember debating at length as a boy whether certain things were wrong in certain situations and not in others or whether there was this absolute standard that made things right or wrong.

Alberta Grizzly

It's rare to find a coffee that delivers on taste in different aspects and without noticeable imperfections. So imagine my delight when I happened on this beauty. A full bodied flavor that is not dark and acidic. Hints of cinnamon and caramel color the front end, followed by a deep nutty finish. It's not aggressive enough to stand out against a piece of Saskatoon pie but you'll be quite content sliding this across your palate in mid afternoon. This is coffee could easily weasel its way into becoming a staple in your cupboard. No need for a gustatory workout here but there is just enough complexity to keep you interested every time. The Planet Coffee Roasters is another micro-roaster with a number of great products and an extensive repertoire. Check out the toll free phone order line with most roasts around the ten dollar mark. Nothing to grizzly about Alberta Grizzly.

Nothing really exists

There's this fun little philosophical problem that might keep party guests entertained for – oh minutes.

Nothing really exists.

There's the past. The past is what used to exist but no longer does. We get to it basically through our memories.

The future is what will exist but does not yet exist. No matter how much we want it to – we will never experience the future.

The present is a tricky little thing. The problem with the present is that everything we perceive (that is everything that we receive through our senses takes time to be processed (even if only in a few milliseconds). So essentially everything we experience as now is essentially in the past which we already know no longer exists.

So is it possible to prove that you exist right now…

Well, something to chew on – especially at those times when start feeling particularly self important.

What’s wrong with kids these days… …2?

Adult: Sometimes I worry that kids these days will never make it into adulthood.

Youth: What do you mean? If you mean that we won't become like you than – I certainly hope that never happens.

Adult: Well, even if you don't adopt my lifestyle, I really hope you won't throw all that we have worked for - squandered in irresponsible reckless living.

Youth: What exactly have you done that is so great?

Adult: Well, we essentially ended the global nuclear threat.

Youth: Was it really ever was a real threat – come on.

Adult: Exactly, you don't appreciate the stuff you have never had to dread.

Youth: But if my history teacher was correct – you guys sorta started the "Cold War" – didn't you?

Adult: Never mind – that was complicated. What about the sexual revolution?

Youth: You guys actually revolted against sex?

Adult: Shut up wise guy. I mean we fought and won major battles for equality in women's rights, gay and lesbian legitimacy. And we tore down those archaic institutionalized forms of marriage that essentially where beat zones for women.

Youth: Does that have anything to do with the fact that I have three dad's and two mom's?

Adult: You really don't get it. Women were locked in repressive relationships dictated by society. We gave them freedom. We gave them opportunities for jobs they never dreamed of having before.

Youth: So now both parents work all the time and that's better?

Adult: Well maybe if some of you younger folks would contribute the family could make it more easily. I hate to flog a dead horse but you guys are irresponsible brats. You have sex with who ever you want, you can't stick with a job let alone a career, you're in debt up to your eyeballs and loaded on some sorta substance. You just can't throw all that on our laps as if we made you into these bumbling oafs.

Youth: Ooooh! You got me. Now listen are you going to get that text message – it could be mom you know…

Adult: How do I pick those up again?

Youth: No not like that you'll get screwed on your minutes. Give it here. Gosh for someone who 'created' this wonderful 21^st Century you really are a bit of bumbling – what was it again…

Words for a picture

He leaves again

He leaves longing for the left behind

The comfort of lust satisfied

Over and over again

He leaves the lover

He believes the leaving will not last

He leaves and light deceives him

He leaves and turns

Rolls up his sleeves to look into the deep days of the dark season

When the sun slides away on purpose

Hides from him

Hints of the familiar lost

Then vanishes and deceives him

He leaves

He cannot return

There is no home in the past

He leaves again

And what he leaves is nothing more than

Leaves