Mark Keown

I heard today on the news that some Australian scientist has come out and declared that time travel is possible. All that is required is trillions of dollars so that we can travel at 3/4 the speed of light. Interesting! It got me thinking. I don't think time travel is possible theologically. It is one of two things that to me science will never resolve. Time travel requires unravelling the cosmic plan of God in terms of this universe and planet at least. Only God himself stands outside of time. Whether he can or would choose to move back in time is questionable. Whether he can is not to say he is not omnipotent; rather it is saying he may have limited himself in this regard to allow human history to play out i.e. he has subjected himself to the rule that he and no other agency can travel back. As the 'Back to the Future' movies demonstrates, to do so could possibly disrupt the time-space continuum and cause history to be rewritten. Would even God do this? Especially, when w...

What a performance by Tonga. Sensational! Brilliant! South Africa got out of jail. It was the South African second team I suppose, so it doesn't mean a lot in one sense. On the other hand, Tonga exposed weaknesses in the South Africans. Really NZ should win this world cup. England are average. Ireland are aweful. France are average as Argentina proved. South Africa and Australia can be good. But, if NZ plays to their potential, does not have a shocker, they should not lose this one. But we have said this before. I really do hope they win. What sort of reception will Graham Henry and the team get if they do not! They will be hammered mercilessly. Talkback will be a free for all! I hope they win too because they have been so much better than the world for 4 years, it would be greatly sad if they do not. I will go out on a limb. I think they will.

I was listening to Radio Sport today and I though Brendon Telfer made a brilliant point. He suggested that Graham Henry, Wayne Smith and Steve Hanson could not do much more to help NZ win the cup. Once they hit the quarters and it is knock out, it is no longer up to them but the players. I think he is so right. When they go onto the field, apart from a few substitutions, it is not the coaches any more but the players. This got me thinking about John Mitchell and John Hart. Why were they so castigated. Especially Hart; it was the players going to sleep in 1999 that lost us that match, not Hart. In 2003 one could criticise MacDonald being picked, but it was the players who played so poorly and without vitality. We need to mature as a nation and accept what happens. So I thought I would be the first to get in. Regardless of the results at the world cup, Kudos to Graham Henry. He could do no more. They are brilliantly prepared. Some of us think that their combinations may not be quite what...

More good news! Iran is threatening to retaliate if they are bombed because of their nuclear potential (see http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10465423 ). I was watching Triangle a few weeks ago, and a group of American commentators were not speaking about if the US would attack Iran, but when. What a mess the middle east is? Unbelievable. This brings me to a question that I can't really adequately answer. Why is it that the nations who are angry with Iran are allowed nuclear weapons but Iran is not? I do not want Iran to have nuclear weapons, it could be a disaster. But neither do I want the US, Russia, Israel, France and others to have them either. I don't trust any of them with them! This also raises another question. It is obvious that the NT teaches that salvation is found in Christ and Christ alone. Israel in terms of salvation is not an issue. Christ is now 'Israel'; salvation-history is centred on him. The land is not a factor in t...

I watched the news tonight. I was thrilled to see another attempt at a Christian party! Destiny are going into bed with Gordon Copeland to form a party to stand for Christian values. The whole thing turned into a disaster. Brian Tamaki announced the disolution of Destiny and the formation of a new as yet unnamed Christian party. He announced that Richard Lewis would again lead it, but with a yet to be accounced leader. Meanwhile Independent MP Gordon Copeland was interviewed admitting he was totally surprised that Richard Lewis would be join leader. Unbelievable! Do such people not talk to each other. Good solid Christian communication! Copeland's response was classic: 'I think I can probably live with that, but the reality is that I have got five years of parliamentary experience!' What a vote of confidence for Lewis! What a start of a political partnership! What a witness to grace and Christian relationship. He then went on in a totally condescending way to say, 'So f...

Have you heard about the Mother Teresa doubts? A book is coming out which reflects on her letters which speak of her doubts. She was certainly a Thomas. Check it out? Some Protestants doubt her as a Catholic nun. I never have, if she had doubts she is like us all at one point of another, we all have doubts. For me, she lived the faith as few have. In response to Jesus' call, she went to those who Jesus called us to go to, the dying, the marginalised, the untouchable. In terms of ministry to the poor and marginalised, I am not aware of anyone who has sought to walk in Jesus' shoes as Teresa did. But do her doubts cause you to doubt her legacy? Check out this little article. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=500818&objectid=10459804

Some people are brought up on the Bible or something edifying. I was brought up on Coronation Street. It is weird, but when I hear the theme music it actually soothes my soul! Man that is a worry. It is tough to admit it actually. Anyway, the program has an interesting ethical question. Let me explain. There is a character called Roy Cropper who owns a cafe. There is another character called Hayley. Now Hayley was originally Harold and became Hayley. Now Roy met Hayley and was attracted to her (him), not actually knowing she was a he. In time she/he let Roy know that she was a he but that she was off to get a sex change operation. Roy went through a terrible time of angst before deciding to support her. He recovered as a she and then they moved in together. They eventually 'married' with a civil union. Clearly Roy was not 'gay' when he thought Hayley was a woman. Then he realised she was a 'he' and then 'he' became a 'she'. So the question is, ...