Why you need to invite your enemies to a Sufjan Stevens concert.

I need to journal today more than ever. I am a mixed bag of anger, joy, peace and angst rolled into one. One minute I want to punch my enemy in the face and then I want to pray for them. I want to grab some people by the scruff of their neck and throw them against a wall. I want to sit down with the same people and listen to why they are so angry, so against others being at peace, so bitter.

I feel pity for them. I feel fury at them. I am a mixed bag and it’s about to burst at the seems. Continue reading

Who said it? Kanye or Jesus?

Finally, what we’ve all been waiting for. No, not an end to Madonna’s leather wearing and dancing days (we know you’re not 40 anymore). Even better. A new Bible that replaces all mention of God or Jesus with Kanye West.

I guess this is a natural progression for someone who has an ego so huge it makes Shia Labeouf seem like the shy retiring type. But if you’re honest can you really tell the difference between Kanye and Jesus? At least Kanye has made more than one album, although to be fair, Jesus’ first one sold really well.  Kanye

Below are some famous quotes. Some from Jesus and some from the new Yeezus. (Yeah I don’t understand it either). See if you can accredit the quotes to the correct Messiah.

A/ “I jog in Lanvin.”

B/ “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

C/ “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and  have it to the full.”

D/ “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.”

E/ “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

F/ “I am so credible and so influential and so relevant that I will change things.”

G/ “I am God’s vessel. But my greatest pain in life is that I will never be able to see myself perform live.”

H/ “Nobody can tell me where I can and can’t go.”

I/ “I have come to steal from the rich and give to the poor”

ANSWERS

A/ Kanye- This one is clearly Kanye by applying some simple logic. Jesus was like Superman which meant He never had to run, He just flew. Duh! Plus Jesus could never afford Lavin’s on a carpenters salary.

B/ Kanye- Somewhat surprisingly this was also Kanye. Presumably directed at his critics.

C/ Jesus- This one was definitely Jesus but could easily have been Kanye e.g. talking about how Spotify is stealing from millionaire musicians as opposed to Tidal which as far as I can tell is a new Laundry detergent that Kanye and his struggling to make ends meet pals like Jay-Z and Madonna have developed.

D/ Kanye or maybe, Jesus. Go on admit it, you genuinely can’t tell who said this.

E/ Kanye- LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL ha ha aahh…. ah no no… I can’t get that one past you. No, yeah, you’re right, that was Jesus.

F/ Kanye- Although Jesus could easily have said that if it wasn’t for lots of us screwing it up for him.

G/ Jesus- It’s hard to believe the man behind such hits as “I won”, from his final resurrection album, “Jesus Walks” about his stroll along the surface of water and of course the fan favorite, “Hold My Liqour” from his experimental Water into Wine era, never got to see them live.

H/ Jesus- Because if physics can’t stop Him, nothing can.

I/ Robin Hood

How did you do?

What’s the Point of Easter Sunday?

What does Easter Sunday and the resurrection of Jesus mean?

Well it means a lot. We don’t all agree exactly what it means. But it means something.

Whatever it means though, it won’t matter unless it’s something that draws us into a deeper and more meaningful life that creates room for the darkest and brightest parts of our lives to live side by side.

What matters is that something that changed the world forever occurred. Something that is opening up the world to a way where our pain doesn’t have to have the final say anymore.

Easter Sunday is the day we learn to accept our forgiveness.

In order that we can learn to forgive our enemies. (Tweet this)

Easter Sunday is the day we learn to pray like Jesus did, for the people that have wronged us. Where the people and the groups and the enemies that seek to destroy us can not, because Jesus took them on and came out on top.

But not through violence or a desire to even the score, but through a simple plea for forgiveness. The “them” Jesus calls for God to forgive is not one specific group of people (sorry) but all people (sorry). (Tweet this)

It’s me.
It’s the bullying boss who makes your life a living nightmare.
It’s Isis.
It’s Protestants and Catholics.
It’s Child Abusers.
It’s Republicans and Democrats.
It’s Muslims, Jews and Buddhists and every person who sees the world different than me.
It’s the LGBT community.
It’s the heterosexual community.
It’s the groups that want to reject someone for their skin color, political ideology or sexual orientation.
It’s Barack Obama.
It’s the terrorists who murdered journalists in Paris.
It’s the high jackers from 9/11.
It’s you.
It’s Nigel Farage.
It’s David Cameron.
It’s Sinn Fein.
It’s the DUP.
It’s Boko Haram.
It’s Joseph Kony.
It’s “them”.

It’s the destruction of the curtain that separates the worthy and unworthy to create reconciliations that will surprise and shock us all.

It’s the great reconciliation between God and every man, woman and child.

This is where we find Hope. This is where we find Peace. This is where we find Forgiveness.

This is not just good news.

This, is the the best news.