So what's going on?

Just some things that have happened.  Nothing gripping. Just chit-chat.

Boots just ate a blue-bottle fly.  I heard it buzzing in her mouth...and then she crunched it.  YUK!

I've been on a short course at Bible college looking at the Book of Job.  Job is my least favourite book of the Bible, I like the beginning and the end, but the discourses just go on TOO long.  However, I got myself a commentary and attended the course, and the book means so much more to me now.  I'm quite interested in the concept of redemptive suffering now.

I have too many books on the go:

• Let God Be God: Life-Changing Truths from the Book of Job- Ray Stedman [the Job commentary I mentioned above]
• Sacred Rhythms - Ruth Hayley Barton [About creating space in various ways to seek God taking inspiration from monastic traditions.  To be honest I'm not getting much out of it...but hopefully will have the willpower to finish LOL]
• A Reformation Reader - Denis R. Janz [A compilation of various theological texts from the Reformation and pre-reformation period from both sides of the fence. Each text has a brief introduction]

Got a stack that I want to read too.  *Sigh* not enough hours in the day.

Husband broke my garden swing today.  I was sat on it, reading A Reformation Reader, enjoying the sunshine and I thought to myself, "Chuh! Bloomin' husband sat in the living room on a nice day like this!"  So I told him to come and join me on the swing, to which he harumphed but obliged.  After about five minutes of sitting his side of the swing collapsed.  Curses!

And then he "fixed" it...

Such artisan skills

We did some work on the garden today.  I've been busy over the past two weeks planting and tidying, but as usual I've let the whole thing slip so far that it's a bit of an uphill task.  I'll post some photos perhaps but it's getting dark now.

I've also been painting the bathroom and toilet.  The plan is to decorate the house ready to sell..AGAIN. Lol we've been down this road before and been unsuccessful, so please pray.  Pray for wisdom about timing and price and all that jazz.  We've tried to sell many times over 10 years, we've not be entirely happy here but we want the people who buy to love it and enjoy it, so please pray about that, thanks!

Granddad has had some operations recently on his head - some cancerous growths - he's in quite a bit of pain.  I was going to visit, but Dad said that he wasn't feeling up to it, so perhaps next week I'll get over there.  Please pray for his recovery, he's had skin removed from his neck to graft.  At 95 years old it doesn't heal quickly.

Please pray for Mum too, she's been quite poorly, she's diagnosed with polymyalgia rhumatica and was in quite a bit of pain.  She's on steroids and they are helping, but she's very tired and the steroids have side-effects.  She's fed-up with being ill.  I'm basically in charge of Grandma at the moment, which is fine, but I just want Mum to be well.

OK...so is that everything? I think so.

Have a great weekend. :)

Brainwashing: The Science of Thought Control, Book Review

3 stars

This book was very interesting but, for me, difficult to read in some places. It's 20 years since I completed my degree in Psychology and I certainly haven't kept up with things and this book does contain some technical neuro-stuff. However, Kathleen Taylor's explanation of the many varieties of influence techniques used in politics, religion and advertising were fascinating and very useful (to me).

Her expression 'cogwebs', as an abbreviation for cognitive web - connections in the brain made through reinforcement of certain beliefs and thought patterns often through external influence, were particularly interesting. The stronger the reinforcement of these beliefs the harder they are to change. Rather like a gully cut into rock by a small stream - even though the force of the water isn't strong the constant flow gradually erodes the rock. It is then very difficult to change the route of the stream. It is the same with beliefs, it is very difficult to change beliefs when current beliefs have been reinforced over and over. Therefore, those who are part of cults or totalitarian regimes of some kind are trapped by their own minds and the influence that the leaders of these groups have over them by the constant reinforcement of certain messages.

Taylor mentions Robert Lifton's Thought Reform Criteria:

** Milieu Control – The control of information and communication.
** Mystical Manipulation – The manipulation of experiences that appear spontaneous but in fact were planned and orchestrated.
** Demand for Purity – The world is viewed as black and white and the members are constantly exhorted to conform to the ideology of the group and strive for perfection.
** Confession – Sins, as defined by the group, are to be confessed either to a personal monitor or publicly to the group.
** Sacred Science – The group's doctrine or ideology is considered to be the ultimate Truth, beyond all questioning or dispute.
** Loading the Language – The group interprets or uses words and phrases in new ways so that often the outside world does not understand.
** Doctrine over person – The member's personal experiences are subordinated to the sacred science and any contrary experiences must be denied or reinterpreted to fit the ideology of the group.
** Dispensing of existence – The group has the prerogative to decide who has the right to exist and who does not.

But how does one resist such influence? Stop and think! She also suggests that cynicism and humour assist resisting influence - which is great, because being English we are endlessly cynical and like to use humour as a defence. Awesome. :)

Great book, if you're interested in this kind of thing.