Abortionist murderer = Dietrich Bonhoeffer?

News from the States is that Eric Rudolph, the man who blew up abortion clinics, gay bars and the Olympics has admitted his crimes in exchange for his life. Whatever we think about abortion and homosexuality, there is no justification for committing murder to stem the (real or perceived) ill*. That doesn't stop some people ("Intolerant Elle") from trying to make an equation between this murderer and Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was involved from before the outset of the Second World War, in a ring of plotters who tried to take Hitler's life.

The question, then is this: was Bonhoeffer's attempt to save innocent Jewish life comparable to the bombing campaign perpetrated by Eric Rudolph? You may think, given the tone of my article thus far, that my answer is obvious. I assure you it is not.

The reason why my answer is not obvious is not because of what I believe about Eric Rudolph; rather, it is due to my questions about Bonhoeffer. Was he really justified in conspiring to assassinate Adolf Hitler and his Cabinet?

This is a thorny issue, and one on which I cannot give a complete answer. But my instinct (which I tend to trust, until I can give full justification) is that, in actual fact, he wasn't. We've discussed this over at the Boar's Head Tavern (see link in sidebar), although I leave for York tomorrow, so my side of the discussion will probably wither. My suspicions are raised by the following concerns.

A fellow lurker over at the Boar's Head informed me that his reason was to protect the German church from Nazification. But I have moral problems with Christian resisting persecution through violence. And I doubt I'm the only one. Flee persecution, by all means, but we are not called to resist violently. Indeed, we are to turn the other cheek, to pray for our enemies and those who persecute us, and to expect to shed our blood.

But supposing his motive were to stop the Nazi holocaust -- which, at least, is more morally justifiable. Would it even have worked? Could Bonhoeffer have expected it to work? I have my doubts. Hiding Jews and sending them abroad (à la Corrie ten Boom) would have been far more effective.

In short, I don't think a consistent justification of Bonhoeffer's actions is yet forthcoming. Either his motives were wrong or his course of action was. An unfortunate double bind.

I think that all too often, we unthinkingly attribute moral goodness to initally attractive positions. As Isaac, the aforementioned lurker from the BHT, put it, "I think we like [Bonhoeffer's course of action] better than ten Boom's because there's things like explosions and intrigue and political machinations and secret trips to Sweden to meet with English bishops." And that's when we hit problems -- Bonhoeffer must have been right; his course of action was pyrotechnic!

But I don't want to be too negative (principally because I am not certain he was wrong): Bonhoefferwas brave, almost despite his actions. As Joel Hunter (BHT regular) put it, "Bonhoeffer was willing to sacrifice his life, reputation, and family WITHOUT TRYING TO JUSTIFY IT OR ESCAPE ITS CONSEQUENCES. THAT's acting on faith, willing to become accursed from Christ for the sake of others (Rom 9:3). ... If he was wrong, then he was perfectly willing to let his name be accursed and not give opportunity for others to dishonor God."

* For the record, I believe abortion to be the murder of unborn human life; I also believe that homosexual conduct is sinful, just as stealing or lying are. I do not take these positions in the expectation that my view should be enshrined in law; nor that I have the right to enforce my moral views on other people.

Glorious things of thee are spoken

Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God!
He, whose word cannot be broken,
Formed thee for his own abode.
On the Rock of Ages founded,
What can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded,
Thou may’st smile at all thy foes.

Round each habitation hovering,
See the cloud and fire appear!
For a glory and a cov’ring
Showing that the Lord is near.
Thus deriving from our banner
Light by night and shade by day;
Safe they feed upon the manna
Which he gives them when they pray.

Saviour, if of Zion’s city,
I through grace a member am,
Let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in thy Name.
Fading is the worldling’s pleasure,
All his boasted pomp and show;
Solid joys and lasting treasure
None but Zion’s children know.
(John Newton, 1725-1807)

As we enter a period in the UK of election fever, I thought I'd post this hymn, whose focus is the heavenly city. I may blog a little on the election separately, but here are a few thoughts to be getting on with.

John Newton wants us to look at the city of heaven, where God resides. Founded on the Rock of Ages, it is, and unshakeable. Each person's dwelling is surrounded by the presence of God, who is their glory, covering, banner, light and provision. And if I'm a member of this city, then may I conduct myself in a manner becoming of a citizen of heaven. Let me glory in the name of my God and King.

Of course, as Christians, we are citizens of two cities -- the city of earth and the city of heaven. We should use our citizenship of the former for the benefit of the latter; our citizenship of the latter should compel to seek the improvement of the former. As we enter the election race, people will be talking a lot about it; discussing issues and parties and candidates. I hope that Christians will have these discussions in good faith, not thinking everyone must agree with them nor that everyone must vote the way they do. Above all, in the words of the church campaign last election, may we "make the Cross count".

TTDPatch - The Transport Tycoon Deluxe Patch

While I'm at it, a link which I found useful. Transport Tycoon Deluxe now available and working in Window XP! There's also an excellent website which I shall link separately, wherein you can find screenshots of all sorts of complicated junctions made for railways in TTDLX.

The Semi-Pelagian Narrower Catechism

With thanks to Phillip Winn of the Boar's Head Tavern for flagging up this little gem.

A rather amusing take on revivalistic American theology. Obviously aimed as a dig, but it's also interspersed with more surreal moments. Such as the quintuplet interrogative-rejoinder qhich runs

10. Q: What is thy story? What is thy song?
A: Praising my Savior all the day long.

11. Q: You ask me how I know he lives?
A: He lives within my heart.

12. Q: And what else hast thou got in thine heart?
A: I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.

13. Q: Where??
A: Down in my heart!

14. Q: Where???
A: Down in my heart!!

All rather amusing, really. Read, laugh, forward to someone who'll appreciate it.

Peter, the fisher of men

A few weeks ago, we heard a sermon on the calling of Peter and the others, from Luke (Luke 5:1-11). During that sermon, another light flicked on; only I'd forgotten about it until I was reading something on the 'Net recently.

The offending article was by Peter Leithart, who seems to write prolifically on Biblical studies. In it, he reports an idea he read in a book, where the author suggests that there are literary parallels between Luke and Acts. My idea is a small part of that broader sweep.

Basically, I want to look at Jesus' calling of Peter et al. and link it with Acts 2:1-41 -- the disciples' (particularly Peter's) calling of the crowd to follow Jesus. Jesus promised them that they would be "fishers of men", and so they became. "There were added that day 3,000 souls." In Luke, there is a miraculous catch of fish, but in Acts, there is a miraculous catch of men, women and children.

There are a couple of reasons why I think that this is a possible link, mainly to do with position in Jesus' story/the church's story; Peter's prominence and the effects of a meeting with God. The big problem is that I don't know what effects this has. Or even if it's valid. As usual with my ideas, they come with a health warning: caveat lector.

Sony Patents Matrix-Like Game Technology

Sony has filed a patent which effectively allows computers to give sensory input directly to the human neurosystem. Some people are probably freaking out about "The Matrix" already. I'm not; I wish they were getting on with it. However, I have just one small problem.

How in the name of all things holy will it work? The Yahoo! News article tells us that

a Sony Electronics spokeswoman told the magazine that no experiments had been conducted, and that the patent "was based on an inspiration that this may someday be the direction that technology will take us."

Sony has no designs, no experiments, no prototypes. The patents (I've looked at them, folks) are a load of words with a couple of supporting diagrams. Actually, they're just line drawings which make very little sense, even when you read the "detailed description" alongside them. The whole thing is terribly vague. For instance, patent 06729337 explains that the supposed system "may comprise other modules and ocmponents in addition to or instead of the modules and components shown in Fig. 1". For which, read "the system may look completely different". But hey, they patented the idea, right?

And herein lies the problem. Either this is a new invention, worthy of patent protection, or it isn't. Under the terms of the U.S. Patent Act, there must have been an invention or discovery of a "new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof". Has Sony done this? Well, the Patent Office's opinion aside, I submit they can't have done.

This patent is speculative -- Sony admits as much. And the patents are waffle; neither contains what you might call a "real design". It's the kind of thing I could design -- you just put a few electronic things here and there, tell someone what they do and hey presto! A working sci-fi toy. Remind me to patent spaceships and asteroid mining on that principle.

They might have more of a claim under its being a process than a machine, but even there, I would beg to differ. If all they're talking about is the process of transferring sensory input to the neurosystem by ultrasound, then the work's already out there in the form of experiments. So, Sony, go on and say it. There isn't anything new or inventive about this patent. You're simply pulling together a couple of science papers into a science fiction.

(Courtesy of slashdot.org)

Alert: Gratuitous pictures of Firefox

Having come home for the Easter break, and having installed Windows XP on my machine recently, I put Firefox back on and got it sorted out.

So I have a few extensions; the most useful being AdBlock and JustBlogIt. (Why doesn't Firefox come with AdBlock as standard, I wonder?) The theme, though, is my proudest download. SaferFoxExpanded 2.3.1 is a beautiful theme, nice and shiny and silver. Lookit!

Main browser screen

Dialogue boxes

And the buttons turn blue and everything! It's so nice to look at. And much, much swisher than anything Microsoft produces.

Incidentally, if anyone reads this and can understand the following problem, please help! I'm behind a wireless ADSL connection and have attmepted to use BitTorrent. Unfortunately, my machine, for some reason, downloads things from BT at an incredibly slow rate, despite performing normal downloads quite rapidly. On the other hand, my Dad's machine, which is connected directly to the router, downloads from BT at a perfectly respectable rate. Is this something I've got to live with, or is there something I can do to sort it out?

Book review

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Alexander McCall Smith, Abacus 2003.

The most-raved-about book of a couple of years back. I finally got round to reading it, having bought a copy last term. I really enjoyed this book, its descriptions of Africa and McCall Smith's wry humour. Particularly, his ways of bringing out the ludicrous situations people can get into when they are trying to impress.

'It says [in your passport], under occupation, that you are a detective,' [the border guard] said in a surly tone. 'How can a woman be a detective?'

...

'Many women are detectives,' said Mma Ramotswe, with dignity. 'Have you not read Agatha Christie?'

The clerk looked up at her and bristled.

'Are you saying I am not an educated man?' he growled. 'Is that what you are saying? That I have not read this Mr Christie?'

You can see he also captures the African way of speaking very well. I could hear the African accents in my head -- and even tell when a white African was speaking as opposed to a black African.

The story is basically a series of shorts set in the context of a larger story. Perhaps not quite as clever as Isaac Asimov's Foundation books (especially the first one) but certainly that sort of format. Individual clients come and go (and their problems are normally solved by a nice little trick, reminiscent of the Father Brown stories), but all the while Mma Ramotswe, the No. 1 Ladies' Detective, worries about how much she can help a man who has lost his son. Well worth a read; beg, borrow or buy a copy.

The Lord Jehovah reigns

The Lord Jehovah reigns; his throne is built on high.
The garments he assumes are light and majesty.
His glories shine with beams so bright
No mortal eye can bear the sight.

The thunders of his hand keep the wide world in awe;
His wrath and justice stand to guard his holy law.
And where his love resolves to bless
His truth confirms and seals the grace.

Through all his mighty works surprising wisdom shines—
Confounds the powers of hell, and breaks their cursed designs.
Strong is his arm, and shall fulfill
His great decrees, his sovereign will.

And will this mighty King of glory condescend,
And will he write his Name: my Father and my Friend?
I love his Name; I love his word.
Join all my powers, and praise the Lord!

Isaac Watts (1674-1748)
Tune: Millennium

Another of Watts' fine hymns, this time describing the majesty of God.

Verse one describes the unapproachable God. He reigns from a throne built "on high"; a Biblical metaphor used to illustrate how different God is from mortal humanity. He clothes himself in light; another Biblical metaphor for God's glory and transcendence. His glory is such that mortals, dimmed in sight by sin, cannot look upon the Lord. "Woe to me, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips," cried Isaiah when he saw the Lord throned in glory.

Verse two describes some of the attributes of God we meet most often. A God of power and might, in whose sovereign will the world is constantly turning. A God of wrath and justice, whose holiness cannot abide the presence of sin. A God of love and mercy, who desires to give his children good gifts. A God of truth -- the author of all truth, but principally a God who is always true to himself. These qualities meet supremely in the Cross, God's solution to the problem of human sin.

Verse three, while written in a manner which could describe any of God's acts in history, is most truly fulfilled in the Cross. Through this mighty work, the wisdom of God is revealed. The Cross, where the powers of evil and godlessness seemed to achieve their greatest triumph, was the point of their ultimate defeat. At the Cross, Jesus defeated death and hell, and brought captives out from their dominion into his Kingdom. The Cross, the place where God seemed to have lost control, was the place where he demonstrated his complete control; just as God looks like he lost the battle, his final victory is revealed.

Verse four reminds us that, although our God is a consuming fire, whose holiness and justice mean we cannot approach him, yet through the Cross, he draws near to us. The "Lord Jehovah", the great "I AM" of history, becomes my heavenly Father and my constant Friend. Then let my whole person join together in praise of this gracious God!