• ProChrist 2006

Added on December 13, 2006:

• Savants and Asperger Syndrome

Added on December 6, 2006:

• Powers of Ten

Added on December 4, 2006:

• Arca Musurgica

Added on December 2, 2006:

• KrazyDad

Some churches in Herrnhut and the surrounding area took part in ProChrist, today it was the turn of Christliches Zentrum. Matching the subject of the upcoming satellite transmission by Ulrich Parzany, our pastor Frank spoke about the Ten Commandments. Using a chainsaw as an example, he described their role as a good instruction manual for our protection, or as guard rails. I would add to this their purpose of conviction of sin (Romans 7:7). We cannot keep the Commandments by our own strength, so that we are dependent on God’s grace and the sacrifice of Jesus and nobody can save themselves.

Unfortunately, as is common for many Christian events, the central program before the sermon was quite bad. I think something like this should either be done well or left off. At least the local efforts were really good, the King’s Kids were powerful – I was excited to see how the boys in particular went for it. The dances (if you could call them that) were so much different than during my days (I’m sounding like an old man now …). It is a different generation.

Specific criticism: The “Allee der Kosmonauten” sang their song “Engel” (Angels), whose lyrics have little Biblical content. The chorus goes as follows (translation by the author):

Angels are with you on your way
Angels always know where you go
When you are discouraged
When you are lonely
Angels guard your dream
And when you lose your strength
They will carry you a while.

All nice and well, but not the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This on an evangelization event where (one hopes) thousands of non-Christians will hear this song.

I was even angrier over the song “Frag mich nicht” (Don’t ask me) by Klaus-André Eichhoff. It was practically an invitation to not evangelize. Anybody heard about 1 Peter 3:15 before? “… and be ready always to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason of the hope in you, with meekness and fear.” Not to mention rather unimportant things like the Last Command of Jesus.

To be fair, there were positive things as well. The actors from the short theater play were quite good, especially Mirjana Angelina. The actual subject of the evening, as mentioned above, were the Ten Commandments. Ulrich Parzany emphasized their position as extremely important and foundational rules for human living and community. Human life is much more complicated than machines are, which is why we need a Sabbath rest and must not be driven by Mammon continually. Turning from lying brings about the fresh air of honesty. I was especially impressed that Parzany actually preached conviction of sin and repentance – something that is almost a rarity today. Unfortunately, he did not mention baptism, which should follow conversion. I am also concerned about the practice of leading people in a prayer for conversion: Should one not be so overwhelmed of one’s sin and have understood the sacrifice of Jesus so that one can speak to God with own words? Otherwise, I see the danger of equating conversion with a formulaic prayer and putting the responsibility for one’s own salvation on the preacher.

In this context I heard of a condition related to autism, called Asperger syndrome (AS), which is much milder than “classic” autism and is also called “Little Professor Syndrome” or “Geek Syndrome” in English. This online test poses interesting questions for a self-evaluation. (Disclaimer: Of course, this must never replace a professional diagnosis, if needed.)

http://www.powersof10.com/

http://krazydad.com/blog/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/krazydad/sets/140323/

http://hcs.harvard.edu/~jrus/Site/Cocoa%20Text%20System.html

I have had to figure out a lot of this myself when developing JobTimer X (an in-house time keeping tool for Buttgereit und Heidenreich) and Kaleidotype. But this is also the fun in programming – bending the system to your needs.

A foreign photographer originally wanted to document the general living conditions there, but she stayed longer and eventually taught the children how to take pictures. They got their own cameras with which they photographed their environment from their own perspective.

The children are really cute (like all Indian children), but it was sad to see how knowing and grown-up they had already become through their experiences. Quoting one of the children: “Even if I stayed poor, I would be happy; you just have to accept that life is sad and painful, then you’ll be fine.” The father of a ten-year-old girl tried to sell her; she hopes not to become like her parents … Most of the husbands of the prostitutes are completely unable to do anything due to their addiction to alcohol and hashish, like the father of Avijit, a very talented boy. The adults are loud and constantly yelling at the children. Mothers try to make their own daughters “work” (read, prostitute themselves).

Because the quality of the children’s pictures was so good, the photographer organized an exhibition at a bookstore – radiant faces everywhere. Soon the attempt was made to provide them with an education through the Sabera Foundation. The Indian bureaucracy was not exactly helpful in this endeavor. Some of the parents took their children back to the red light district, and even some of the children left on their own.

After Avijit’s mother was burnt to death by pimps, he lost interest in school, did not take pictures anymore. He was supposed to travel to World Press Photo in the Netherlands … In the meantime, a lot of good things have happened, as you can read here. Book and DVD can be ordered there as well.