From Lake Toya, we made a day trip to Noboribetsu. Jigokudani or "Hell Valley", so named because of its sulphurous steam vents, streams, geysers and and stench, is located in this town. However, what I found charming about this town were the small cutesy statues of animals and Japanese "devils", which may be found every 200 m in the town.
(Behind the statute above is a geyser that erupts at regular intervals)
(The Noboribetsu "devils" are everywhere, including toilets !)
(About the only thin in Noboribetsu which wasn’t a "devil". (The bear is not real)
Jed turns five today. Which also makes me a father of five years ("five year old father" just sounded wrong). It’s been an amazing five years. Growing up I had the general idea that I’d meet someone, settle down and probably have kids. I never imagined that it would be this demanding, exhausting and unpredictable.
Unpredictability. Joyce and I are constantly surprised by the sweet and sometimes silly things which Jed does.
Jed is as unpredictable as any human person can be. Sure he has his personality and preferences. But he is very much an open book, probably until 25 years of age or so. We’re trying to inscribe on the blank pages, all the positive values and good stuff that we know, without smothering him with misplaced love. But we’re also acutely aware that we’ll have less control over what goes into those blank pages, as he grows older.
And so we hope that by creating a home where Jed feels secure and loved, Jed will always feel safe coming back, to home and to us, regardless of what is filling up the pages of his life.
And my prayer is that Jed will truly, truly love God (because I cannot imagine a meaningful existence without God) and (because I am such a terrible cynic and pessimist) that he will be less disappointed with life than me.
A pastor in South Africa has provoked controversy by preaching that Jesus had HIV : see BBC link "’Jesus had HIV’ sermon sparks South African Fury". His intention in preaching this highly unusual message (to say the least) was to paint "a picture of Jesus who takes upon himself the infirmities and brokeness of humanity".
The sermon has attracted severe criticism from some Christians. One scathing comment was that "no annointed leader with a sound mind about the scriptures … would deliberately drag the name of [ the transcendent ] Christ to the ground".
AIDS activists, on the other hand, are happy that the "sermon takes away the stigma that HIV is a sin and God’s punishment … to associate Jesus with HIV is powerful … now people are starting to think: ‘If Jesus could be HIV positive who am I not to have it even if I go to church ?’".
I am personally in agreement with the tone of the message, that the Biblical Jesus is one who identifies with the poor, sick and marginalised and who, at the time immediately before and on the cross, "took up our pain, and bore our suffering" (Isaiah 53 : 4), which would include the stigma and suffering of HIV victims.
I also agree that HIV is not necessarily a indication of "sin and God’s punishment" on a person. HIV may be acquired through contaminated blood or by children from HIV+ mothers, or by a spouse because of the unfaithfulness of the other. What have these to do with personal wrongdoing ? And to the extent that the sermon advances the humanitarian agenda that HIV victims need to be helped not marginalised, I think that is also positive.
I think that HIV is, however, a potent reminder of sin and brokeness in this world. The fact of the devastating effects of HIV if not treated, and how "innocent" victims can acquire it, like children from mothers, spouses from unfaithful partners, patients treated with infected blood, tell us that if the world — people around us and ourselves — were perfect and not morally corrupt, there would be no issue of HIV transmission and disease and death.
It is a reminder of a world in need of hope, which I believe (as a Christian) is found in Jesus. Isaiah 53 : 5 tells us that Jesus
"was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment which brought us peace, was upon Him".
In other words, our sins are so severe, that Jesus had to suffer a lingering death on the cross on our behalf ("punishment"), and by that punishment, He has redeemed for the world and for us, the forgiveness for our sins ("peace").
