Steven Colborne's Blog, page 69

The Blessing Dilemma

Is it truly more blessed to give than to receive? In this post I’d like to offer a few thoughts on this dilemma by recalling a situation I’m sure many of you will have encountered in daily life.

Love is a word at the heart of the Christian faith, as exemplified by the two commandments that Jesus said are the most important:

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

(Matthew 22:36-40 NIV)

So we are to love God and love our neighbour. But how does one’s obedience to the second of these commandments, to love our neighbour, play out in the theatre of life?

One scripture that provides some guidance is Acts 20:35, in which Paul quotes Jesus as saying “It is more blessed to give than to receive”. The context of the passage is that Paul is speaking to the leaders of the church in Ephesus (while on his missionary travels), giving examples of how to live with humility and serve the Lord.

But how does Jesus’ statement, recalled by Paul, apply to us today?

Let’s look at a practical example. Say you’ve gone out for a meal with a friend, and when it’s time to pay the bill a conversation must be had concerning who’s going to pay. You offer to pay, believing that the gesture would demonstrate kindness. Your friend responds by offering to pay, as they wish to be kind to you. At this point the blessing dilemma arises:

Is it more of a blessing to the other person for you to pay, or to let them pay?

It seems to me that the only way to ‘win’ in this situation is to reach a compromise. For example, one person can pay but with the agreement that the other will pay the next time you meet up. Or some other compromise can be struck; perhaps you split the bill or the one who doesn’t pay for the meal agrees to pay for the taxi home.

I suppose the main point I’d like to make in this article is that while we may feel generosity is instinctively an act of giving, we always have to be aware that if we are too generous, we may actually be hurting the feelings of others by making them feel guilty. Wherever possible, compromise seems to be the best way to be as loving as possible.

Do you agree? Let me know in the comments below!

A New Season on Perfect Chaos

There are two reasons for this post. Firstly, as a new month (and the last quarter of the year) begins, I wanted to give you an update regarding my plans for this blog moving forward. Secondly, I wanted to make some comments on recent changes WordPress have made to new post emails, which you may or may not have noticed, but that could have a significant impact on the WordPress platform.

My Plans for Perfect Chaos

In recent months my focus has been on the completion of my music project, so you will have noticed me posting a lot about new songs, album artwork, release info, etc. That project is now finished, so I have been able to regroup and give some thought to what I’d like to achieve over the next season in my life’s journey.

The Return of Friday Philosophy posts. As many of you will recall, a few months ago I was posting every Friday with a brief profile of a philosopher from history and my reflections on a big idea they had. This series was well-received, but I halted it temporarily to focus on the completion of my music project. I’m going to revive the series, so look out for a new Friday Philosophy post soon!
My New Writing and Video Project. I’ve felt inspired to embark upon a new project that will have several different components. I’m trying to formulate my philosophical / theological perspective in a way that will help me to reach a wider audience. In order to do this, I’m going to start making a new series of videos for my YouTube channel, which I’m in the process of redesigning. The videos I make will be tied to specific blog posts, so you will have the choice of whether to view or read the content. There is a big research component to this project, and I’ll be spending a lot of time in a central London library reading and writing. But I’m really excited about it, and there will be more news soon.
Occasional Music Content. I will continue to feature amazing music that I discover as well as my own compositions if I have time to write and record. But now that my music project is complete my blogging will be more focused on philosophy and theology.

Changes to WordPress Emails

Some of you may have noticed that WordPress.com have made a big change to the emails you receive when blogs you follow publish a new post. There are now advertisements at the bottom of these emails. Here is an example:

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I believe the adverts are only included in new post emails from WordPress.com users who don’t have a paid subscription. However, I think these adverts really devalue the content of the emails, and the WordPress platform as a whole.

If you would rather that the emails your readers receive remain ad free, please take action and contact WordPress support and let them know. This is an important issue and a support agent told me that they are only trialing this for the moment, so your feedback will be very important.

Okay, dear friends, that’s all for now, God bless you and have a wonderful week!

Words to Live By

When I’m not immersed in blog-related activities I spend a fair bit of screen time on a mental health forum where people generously support and comfort one another during times of distress. The way I would describe it is that it’s like Facebook, but with oodles of honesty and compassion thrown in. It’s really brilliant.

Anyway, somebody posted something tonight which I found incredibly helpful and comforting, so I thought I’d share it with you.

If you have to choose between being kind and being right, choose to be kind and you’ll always be right.

I feel this is a truth that I want to guide my conduct, and I hope it’s something I will always remember in those difficult situations we all have where we feel the need to defend ourselves because of pride or because we’re afraid of getting hurt.

If you’re struggling at the moment and would like to check out the mental health forum I mentioned, drop me an email via the contact page and I’ll tell you about it and send you a link. Have a wonderful weekend, dear ones, and be kind, whatever life throws at you!

Is Meditation Good For You?

Meditation has been a huge part of my spiritual journey. I have been on various meditation retreats and spent long periods practising mindfulness (even before it was cool!) and focusing on what is often referred to as ‘living in the now’. But is any of this really helpful? Here are a few reflections.

Being Grounded is Important

It’s possible to be so carried away in thought that we become out of touch with our bodies and immediate surroundings. Being in tune with our bodies helps us to stay healthy, and being in tune with our immediate surroundings helps us to be more relaxed, and at peace. If you experience a lot of stress, live a life that is very fast-paced, or have mental health issues, meditation could certainly be beneficial.

Don’t Meditate to Become ‘Enlightened’

If you’re attracted to meditation because you want to experience ‘Christ consciousness’ or some other deep state of spiritual awakening, you’re going to be disappointed. Often people begin meditation practice as a form of escape, and the dangling carrot of enlightenment has a strong pull for spiritually-inclined people. But as I explained in depth in this article, there is no enlightenment. You may experience more peace and a greater awareness, but if you’re looking for a grand mystical experience that will free you from your troubles, you’re taking the wrong approach. Psychotherapy or counselling are likely to be a much better option.

How do I get Started with Meditation?

There are of course many different ways in which to meditate, and I would encourage you to explore different approaches and methods and see what appeals. A great way to get started is the 5-4-3-2-1 meditation practice, which is explained in this video. By far my favourite meditation technique is Autogenic Training, which has helped me to counteract the onset of panic attacks, as well as to de-stress in times of personal difficulty.

If all of that sounds too complicated, try simply sitting or lying in a quiet space and focusing on the sensation of your feet. Whenever your thoughts wander, return your awareness to the feeling you are experiencing in your feet. Do this for 10-15 minutes and you might be surprised by how relaxed you feel.

Is Meditation Compatible with Religion?

Of course in certain Eastern religions, meditation is central. For Christians, things are rather more complicated. Prayer is itself a form of meditation, and many Christians will feel that prayer is the most important and most effective way in which to impact our circumstances. In my own experience, the practice of focusing deeply on my thoughts gave me a greater awareness of the existence of God, and while this isn’t necessarily typical, meditation is complementary to philosophy and religion in that we are exploring the nature of our experiences and what it means to be alive.

Conclusion

The word ‘meditation’ encompasses a variety of practices that are focused on making us more aware and in tune with how our minds and bodies function. Be aware of your motivations for wanting to meditate, and consider whether talking therapy might be more beneficial, or at least complementary to your meditation practice. Don’t expect miracles, but a small regular time commitment to a meditative practice can reap great rewards and contribute to a more balanced, happy life.

I have written an extensive account of some of the dangers of more extreme meditation practices in my book entitled The Philosophy of a Mad Man. For more information, go here. What’s your experience of meditation and/or mindfulness? Feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading!

Album Website Now Live!

Hi folks! I’m excited to share with you the news that Tell Everyone Now, my new album, is released today. It’s been a year in the making and I’ve been working hard to get everything ready for today’s release.

To visit the newly launched Tell Everyone Now album website, click here.

To visit the newly updated Perfect Chaos music page, click here.

You’ll also find the album is available to stream or buy from the following digital outlets:

Spotify
Apple Music
iTunes
Amazon Music
Google Play
Deezer
Tidal

There is a CD version of the album which is limited to 100 copies only. You can purchase a CD copy either from the music page of this blog or from the Tell Everyone Now website. Worldwide delivery is available.

I really hope you enjoy listening to this album! It’s been a really fun project. Thank you for your support throughout, I’ve appreciated all the encouragement and warm wishes.

[image error] 100 copies only!

It’s All Part of Who I Am

Hello everyone! I hope you’re all feeling lively and looking forward to a hopefully peaceful and productive week. Thought I’d check in with a quick update as it’s been a while.

I’m preparing to do some work which will hopefully promote this blog to a wider audience, and as part of this I’ve been doing some ‘spring cleaning’, looking over old articles and tidying them up, adding images, etc. I found a load of posts I wrote during a spell in psychiatric hospital, and they are very amusing (and quite wise in places!). I was going to delete them, but then I thought if I enjoy them hopefully other people will too. They are all part of my journey and demonstrate aspects of who I am, so I’ll keep them!

If you’d like to have a look, I’ve created a new ‘Psychiatric Hospital’ category which you can find here.

A week today I’m releasing my album. I’m going to be spending some time preparing for that this week, and if you missed my post with a preview of the songs, you can check it out here. I’ll be posting again on release day with a link to a new website I have created especially for the album

Album Unveiling!

Hello, my lovelies! Just a brief post to share with you my excitement that finished copies of my album have arrived. Scroll down to see the photos and let me know what you think…

[image error]The exciting bit!
[image error]Some complimentary Haribo – nice touch!
[image error]The suspense!
[image error]Ooooooh!

‘Confessions of a Philosopher’ by Bryan Magee (book review)

Bryan Magee is probably my favourite philosopher, if not of all time then certainly of those who have lived and worked during my lifetime. The book I’m reviewing here is Magee’s autobiography, and was first published in 1997, though he has gone on to write many more books and I believe he is still writing now, despite being in his late 80’s at the time I write this.

Why do I hold Magee in such high esteem? Because I believe his approach to philosophy is the correct one, and is one that is often neglected in contemporary study of the subject. As I wrote in the introduction to Part 2 of my book The Philosophy of a Mad Man, philosophy should be about the investigation of all of life’s mysteries, rather than a technical exercise undertaken by academics.

[image error]In fact, a large part of Magee’s autobiography is dedicated to his expressing an understandable frustration concerning what the study of philosophy has become. He heavily criticises the traditions of analytic philosophy and linguistic philosophy as being largely uninteresting and peripheral to what real philosophy should be.

Magee is what I would describe as a ‘philosopher of philosophers’ in that he isn’t well-known for producing any groundbreaking original ideas that have shaken the world of philosophy, but he has instead dedicated himself in an admirable way to understanding the great thinkers from the history of philosophy.

He has had a quite amazing career, which involved a nine-year spell as a member of Parliament in the UK, and he hosted various television series which brought philosophy to a mainstream audience, as well as authoring over 25 books. If you search the name Bryan Magee on YouTube you will be able to find some of his discussions and interviews with other philosophers, and if you watch them you’ll see what an incredibly articulate and adept presenter he is.

In Confessions of a Philosopher Magee talks about experiencing a kind of existential terror as a young man, due to having deep questions about the nature of reality that he couldn’t answer. In one particularly interesting passage, he describes watching himself bending his finger and being mystified and fascinated by the fact that he could do such a thing at will. Later in the book Magee describes various crises that he experienced (most notably what he described as a mid-life crisis) and how reading the great philosophers, especially Kant and Schopenhauer, provided a great deal of help during difficult times.

Being a theist myself, it pains me that Magee never received a revelation of the reality of God. So many of the problems that he struggled with throughout his life and career can be answered with reference to God, but Magee always felt (as many atheist philosophers do) that positing the existence of God was a kind of cop-out. He simply had no revelation that God exists, and this explains many of his struggles.

As I read Magee describing questions that he felt no philosopher has been able to answer, I felt a great sense of blessing that God has gifted me with answers to many of those difficult questions, though if I were to tell this to Magee I fear he would be sceptical (although who knows, maybe not beyond persuasion). I did actually write to Magee once when I was considering undertaking postgraduate studies at Oxford, as I knew he was associated with the university and I hoped he would be able to tutor me. He wrote me a lovely letter back explaining he had now retired from such work, but to receive a response from a philosopher who I admire so much was precious.

I believe that Confessions of a Philosopher serves as a good introduction to many of the great names and problems of philosophy, and it’s a large book that covers a lot of ground. Magee has a knack for writing in an accessible way, although I will warn readers that he uses some distinctly philosophical terms (e.g. phenomenal and noumenal, metaphysics, epistemology, etc) that might be off-putting to those who have no familiarity with the subject. He does his best to explain complex terminology when he uses it.

Magee’s life story is fascinating, especially so for British and American readers (he’s an Englishman but spent some time at Yale University in the US), though his work has been translated into many languages which demonstrates its broad appeal. Though he may not be widely recognised as one of the all-time great philosophers, I feel inspired by his integrity and knowledge, and his dedication to grappling with the deep mysteries of existence.

I purchased this book myself and was under no obligation to write a review, I just did so because I love reviewing important books that are relevant to theology and philosophy. You can check out some of my other book reviews by clicking here. If this review has whetted your appetite for philosophy, you can read my recent post entitled ‘Is Philosophy Important?’ by clicking here. Thank you for reading!

The Creativity of God

Have you noticed how the very same piece of music can have different meanings at different times?

Let’s think about a hypothetical song and call it ‘N’. When you first heard N it didn’t really strike you, but after a couple of listens it began to stir a feeling of excitement and joy in you. This feeling lasted for a few more plays but after a few weeks of listening to the song the excitement waned and you began to find N to be rather boring. A few years later you heard the song again and it made you feel melancholy, evoking a time in the past when your sense of self was palpably different.

What the experiences I have described above should tell us about the song is that its meaning is not contained within the song itself but is instead located in our reaction to it.

But what is it that causes our reaction to a piece of music?

If I’m correct and God is not only the creator but also the animator of all activity in existence, this means He is responsible for the emotions we experience when we listen to a piece of music. God is literally putting thoughts and feelings into our minds and bodies as we listen.

I have used the example of music in this article, but the same explanation could be stated for all creative works. The value of a piece of art is not in the thing itself, but rather in what God brings to the piece via our reactions to it.

Have you ever wondered why a bizarre abstract painting even qualifies as a piece of art? It’s because God evokes a certain reverence for it in the minds of those who view it.

Taking this suggestion to its logical conclusion, it would be correct to say that God is behind every book, every painting, every song, every movie, every opera, every theatre production, etc. He is behind every piece of creative work – and most importantly every interpretation of every creative work – that has ever been made in the history of humanity.

What does this tell us about the incredible power and creativity of God?

Of course, the examples I have given of human art only scratch the surface. I have said nothing of the plants, animals, stars, planets, foods, and an infinite amount of other objects and beings that are part of God’s creative work.

I find the infinite creativity of God to be truly awe-inspiring.

Don’t you?

Competition Winner Announced

Hi folks! Thanks to everyone who has been following my music project. Today, I’m happy to unveil the title for the album, the finished album artwork, and the winner of the T.E.N. Project competition.

There were some fantastic entries to the competition. If you aren’t aware, I invited listeners to submit possible titles for the album, with the only restriction being that the initials T.E.N. would need to be included in their suggestions.

Here are a few of my favourites:

Theology Expressed Novelly

The Tune Equivalent of Nachos

The End is Nigh

Tuned to the Eternal Nature

Theorising Ethereal Notions

Truths Echoing Naturally

Tenderly Entering Nirvana

All cracking suggestions! But I had to settle on a winner. I wanted to choose something impactful, punchy, and memorable, and although I would say all of the above suggestions meet those criteria, I finally settled on a title that I like because it’s versatile (i.e. it can mean different things to different people), and is also intriguing and will hopefully make people want to listen to the songs.

And the winner is…

TELL EVERYONE NOW!

Congratulations to Lisa Stride-Purves who suggested the title. Lisa is a Christian and the idea behind the suggestion was the urgency of the gospel message. I also feel it has meaning for the album itself, in other words, if you like my music then tell everyone about it now! And as indicated above it could have multiple other meanings, depending on the person reading it.

Lisa’s prize is a free copy of the album and signed copies of both my books. They’ll be in the post shortly after the release date, Lisa!

Artwork for the Album

Thank you to everyone who left a comment on this post in which I asked for feedback about my album artwork ideas. The feedback was pretty much unanimous, and I agreed with virtually everything that was said. It wasn’t very difficult, then, to decide which design to go for.

So here it is, the finished album artwork!

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The release date for the album is 10th September 2018 (tell everyone now!) and you can expect to receive an email from me on release day with details of how you can listen to and/or purchase a copy if you’d like to.

I’m excited to be making these songs available soon, and thank you once again for following me on this musical journey which has been a lot of fun!

Blessings and have a great weekend, everyone!