Advent Conspiracy | itsawonderfilledlife

Posts Tagged ‘Advent Conspiracy’

A Conspiracy

Posted in christmas, life, WONDER, tagged advent, Advent Conspiracy, Christ Mass, christmas, conspiracy, conspiracy theories, consumerism, International Justice Mission, Living Water International on October 24, 2012| Leave a Comment »

I have to say I love a good conspiracy theory! I truly believe it shows great creativity of mind to think that the way things are may not be how they could be.

There are many conspiracy theories, but my favorite is probably that JFK, Marilyn Monroe and Elvis are all together, alive, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Maybe Princess Diana is there too!

A conspiracy does not have to be about famous people, or about deaths (or, presumed deaths). A conspiracy is simply a plan to do something out of the norm, strange, unique. For instance, our kids are constantly conspiring to get their dad to say yes to a cat (I, of course, would NEVER be in on that sort of conspiracy 😉 ).

There is a conspiracy that comes up each year about this time. It is a conspiracy to do something different, very different!

Just two short months from now is Christmas Eve, and you don’t have to celebrate it to know that it exists. From now on, every time you go to the mall, the grocery store, listen to the news, or open a newspaper Christmas will be the topic of the day. The only thing is it is not the Christ Mass (communion to celebrate the birth of Christ) that the day (or season) was originally about.

Christmas, as society celebrates it, has little to do with the babe born to the virgin girl, as sacrificial offering for the redemption of our sins. It has more to do with buying, busyness, baking and booze (I love alliteration). This is so far from the celebration mass for the babe in a manger! This is so far from anything that God himself would want for His children.

Advent is the season of anticipation, the season of waiting and preparing for the Messiah. It is a season which culminates in worship.

The following video is one I seek to watch, and inspire myself each Christmas season (for the past five or six). I encourage you, and me, to do Christmas differently … for the sake of ourselves, our families and others (who are so much more needy) around the world.

The Advent Conspiracy works with two organizations:

International Justice Mission in its efforts to bring rescue to victims of slavery (including sexual exploitation), prosecute the perpetrators (under the laws of that local country) and to change the justice system worldwide to protect individuals.

Living Water International seeks to get clean water to some of the 884 million people worldwide who do not have safe drinking water. This absence of clean, safe water means disease and death for so many. Something we take for granted, is so easily available to us, is gold to much of the world.

Consumerism does not equal:
Happiness
Memories
Meaning

Read Full Post »

Occupy Conspiracy

Posted in life, WONDER, tagged Adbusters, Advent Conspiracy, Occupy Protests, Occupy Vancouver, Poverty, Robin Hood Tax, We are the 99% on November 10, 2011| Leave a Comment »

It has been a few weeks since the first ‘Occupy’ protest began. A movement that is said to have been initiated by Canadian Adbusters magazine editor, Kalle Lasn (JTS Commentary, a thought proking response to one of the writings of Lasn), and is now global. In countries such as Kuala Lumpur, United States, Canada, China, Russia, Germany, the Netherlands, Brazil and South Africa (they are calling it Operation Ubuntu … personally, I think my blog post was more representative to the meaning of that word Ubuntu … just sayin’), among many others.

The participants are said to be passionate about social and economic inequality … something I would have to applaud them on.

They have been known to hold placards and shout, “we are the 99%!” I understand that what they mean is that 1% of America’s wealthiest are benefiting from the tax cuts and benefits that elude 99% of the working people in the country … hard for me to argue with that either.

Then there is the ‘Robin Hood tax’, or taxing the wealthy (banks, financial institutions) and giving it to the poor of our world and fighting climate change. I always have adored the teaching of that hooded forest fellow!

I also love that we have the freedom to public protest. If this were not the case, we would be living in a communist country. I love that we have the freedom to argue our viewpoints. If this were not the case we would have no freedom of speech. And I support and join people who work to make life better for those less fortunate.

But (you knew this was coming …), I am not sure that tent cities are the best means to attain such noble goals.

Unions have joined the protests (the wealthy unions should also be challenged to share their wealth). Some cities are looking into legal means of ending the occupations. And, in Vancouver, the original message has been lost in a drug overdose resulting in death, and at least a perception that the goal has become more about keeping the tent city than the original focus. Whatever good intentions were (and are) desired seem to be only lip service activism, and little action.

I have a better idea. One that is not just complaining about the world’s problems and it’s political leaders, but one which we, the true world’s 1% (lets look at our world more globally than simply North America. The World Health Organization estimates that one-third of the world is well-fed, one-third is under-fed one-third is starving) do all that we can, as individuals to be a part of the solution. WE are the world’s wealthy! If we, as individuals, do not make changes in how we spend our money, then we should pull up our tent pegs, duct tape our mouths, and stop insinuating that the problems of the world are the work of someone else, when they are the result of our unwillingness to alter how we live.

To me, the following short, simple, and peaceful proposition accomplishes far more for our world’s ~~99%~~ 100%.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IN0W3gjnNE%5D

Read Full Post »