Why Your Christian Friends and Family Members Are So Easily Fooled by Conspiracy Theories

Instrument of Mercy

In sixth grade, I participated in a debate in which I attempted to convince my fellow classmates that we never landed on the moon.

It was the first time I used the Internet to research, and my partner and I found a treasure trove of information. We couldn’t believe it. It was so obvious. The U.S. clearly faked the moon landing in 1969 to trick the Soviet Union that we had superior rocket technology.

On the day of the debate, we exceeded our allotted 30-minute timeslot by more than an hour. After the debate, we held a poll. My partner and I convinced 75% of our classmates that the 1969 moon landing was faked by the government.

I’m sure we made our science teacher proud.

---

In the words of the Apostle Paul, as I grew older I “did away with childish things.” And that includes my childhood belief…

View original post 4,344 more words

A Crisis of “Othering”

Othering occurs when structures and practices of one group define those not of one’s group as outsiders. To some extent, this is unavoidable. If I am not of your group, then I am by definition outside of it. But othering goes further than this. Othering defines difference as bad, unworthy, or dangerous.

God in the Midst of the City

In the fifteenth chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus finds himself—for about the hundredth time—confronted by the Pharisees. First century Pharisees, like all Palestinian Jews in that day, are faced with a real problem: secular culture is challenging their religious lives. (Does that sound familiar?) For years the Romans have ruled Palestine, and for centuries before that, the Greeks were in charge. During all that time, Greek culture, with its idols, its materialism, and its tendency toward sexual license have filtered into Jewish life. Virtue is regarded as quaint. Vice is often redefined as freedom. What has traditionally been forbidden is now accepted without question. To the Pharisees, it feels as if their world is a ship slowly but surely filling with water.

The Pharisees in Jesus’ day respond with a vengeance by teaching a renewed religious identity as Jews. They encourage strict observance of personal purity and dietary laws. They…

View original post 1,134 more words

I GOT THE PLACE

Well as it turned out, I got the East 19 location, signed the lease and September rent and now the next stage is to move. Since I’m not working, I’ll have lots of time to pack and purge and clean with little stress.

Exciting time’s

My Adventures in the search of a New Home

This past month I’ve been tirelessly looking for a place to live. The experience has had its ups and downs, it’s highs and lows, and its disappointments.

One of the first places I saw I absolutely loved and did everything I could to get the place, but it didn’t happen. A week later, I Found a nice Laneway house which I liked but it was too small for what I needed. The landlady offered it to me, but I begrudgingly turned it down.

Sigh……

Still Another place I saw which is a close walk to Joyce station I liked, and it came with a backyard for gardening. That too was offered to me. The deal breaker at the time was the fact the suite did not have laundry and no place close to take my laundry to. I turned that one down.

Then came a series of duds, dumps and rip offs that perplexed, confused, and angered me. How can they charge such rents on dives like these…!

$&@?!”:

Yet despite it, I kept soldering on, always looking for that ever-elusive affordable place I could call home.

I kept looking and found a place on Wales street, close to 41 and Clarendon.

The landlady was nice, and we got along well. A few days later I got a text saying it was mine if I wanted it. It was just a little too far for me to get to work, but It’s still a place I’m considering.

“You can’t be too picky.”

Then on Thursday I looked at two places which had such a contrast of style and substance

One had an East Van vibe, old house small yard which I loved at first sight. The inside felt cozy, warm, and inviting. However, it is an old house in a boring neighbourhood. Takes 26 minutes to walk to work, which is only a few minutes more than what I’m doing now.

The other place I looked at I loved as well. The suite was small yet roomy, with all the things I wanted in a home.

I liked the feel of the place and the landlady was nice and the place is also close to Nanaimo SkyTrain Station. I could go downtown or stop at Broadway station and pick up a few groceries at Safeway nearby.

The commute to work consisted of two buses which would take about 40 min.

Not much different than when I was living Cambie and 19.

To make this decision easier, I thought I’d list the pros and cons of each place and decide from there.

that is of course if I’m offered both places at the same time

Place on East 19

Pros:

• Roomy yet small and cozy
• Double sink
• $1000.00 month including utilities! (a deal!)
• Nice landlady
• Close to Nanaimo station so everything is a SkyTrain away.
• Nice neighbourhood
• Floor heat
• One SkyTrain downtown

Cons:

• Far from work so will have to take transit
• Small
• Crying baby next door
• No laundry
• Safeway is far though it’s only a SkyTrain away

Place on East 4th and Renfrew

Pros:

• Cozy and warm feeling… positive vibes
• Character
• Potential garden at front
• I won’t have to get rid of any furniture
• 26 min walk to work

Cons:

• Old house, slated for tear down eventually
• Not sure if there is a sub floor which could be a cold place in the winter.
• Old furnace
• Concern that people upstairs like to party
• Bit of a musty smell
• Getting downtown will be a chore
• $1200, all inclusive though

Both places have their merits but as I think about them, the East 19 avenue place seems long term while the other place, I could be gone in a few months if the owner decides it’s not worth fixing up anymore and demolish the house.

You can see both it’s benefits and its shortfalls… however I am thinking of the E19 place. Even though there is no laundry, there is a DROP OFF laundry service up near Nanaimo and Broadway, so I don’t have to spend hours wasting time washing clothes.

Whatever happens I hope something comes through for me.

I am determined to make it a home!