The Pursuit Of Excellence

2 Peter 1:5-7 (NIV)

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

Quite a shopping list, eh? These verses were shared during today's meeting - we were reviewing the subject of 'stretching our faith' from this year's Commitment Sunday cards - and there was plenty said during that meeting for me to reflect on this week.

Let's take the word 'goodness' for example: the New Living Translation actually uses the term 'moral excellence'. And, after some further study when I got home, I found a whole host of different words in a variety of scripture translations, all trying to best describe that particular quality:

'virtue' —KJV, NEB, Berkeley

'moral character' —Williams

'manliness' —Helen Montgomery (The Centenary Translation)

'noble character' —Weymouth

'integrity' - God's Word translation

'real goodness of life'—Phillips

It was the word 'excellence' that initially captured my interest. We are often told for our need to strive for excellence in our working lives - so why not in our Christian lives? Actually, the sort of 'excellence' we often look for as Christians is often the same one we seek in our secular lives - a concept all wrapped up in modern day stats, in achieving standards.

After some reflection, I am more drawn to something that is best defined as 'moral character', as we seek to become more and more Christ-like as we follow Him through His teachings.And I like the use of the word 'integrity'... I've blogged on this before. 

Where to start? First thing to have is faith... These things are all built on our faith. 

More later...

Essentials

A recent study by The Children's Society asked a group of children aged between eight and fifteen to identify a list of possessions that they believed were now 'essential' for someone of their age. As the father of a 15-year-old and an 11-year-old, I was very interested in their findings.

Although the study did show there were several luxury items in their final 'must-have' list (iPods, the right sort of trainers, satellite TV), the top five essentials included the use of a garden or open space and 'at least one family holiday away from home each year'.

The number one item which children most commonly missed out on in the 21st Century? It's pocket money, with more than a third of those polled (37 per cent) saying they did not receive any, and 22 per cent saying they missed having it (presumably, this means the children miss have spending money of their own, as the current economic climate means that parents have to watch their outgoings more closely).

You often hear people say that our children 'have too much nowadays'. Interesting, then, to see that the only one material 'possession' that appeared in the top five items was a personal music player. And I remember how important my transistor radio was to me as a teenager!

Here's the top ten they produced, which they've listed in order of importance:

• Some money that you can save each month
• A garden at home or some outdoor space nearby
• Some pocket money each week
• At least one family holiday away from home each year
• A personal music player
• Monthly trips or days out with your family
• A pair of designer or brand name trainers
• The right kind of clothes to fit in
• A family car
• Cable or satellite TV at home

Read the summary of the report here - and their conclusions!

What is a Christian?

Nearly three out of four Brits claim to be Christian. According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of people who said they were not religious rose from 20.5% last year to 23.2% in 2011, however the proportion describing themselves as Christian remained steady at 68.5%.

Compare that to the report on Churchgoing in the UK published by Tearfund in April 2007 that showed that only 15% of the population go to Church at least once a month.

Confused by the statistics? I think the issue is more like people are confused about what a Christian actually is. Some think that if you live in a Christian country then you must be a Christian; some think you're a Christian only if you go to church, or only if you have been baptised.

What does the Bible say?

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

That's why people refer to Christians being 'born again'. Do you know where that phrase comes from? Here's where:

John 3:3-8 (NIV)
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

Statistics

In his autobiography, Mark Twain confirmed that "there are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." How true.

I've been looking at the various stats that Blogger offer you regarding traffic to your site, in terms of what posts are the most popular, where people live, what browser they are using. And was very surprised at what I found.

According to this, the most popular post that I have ever written since I started this blog was a small article about the Father Dowling Mysteries, that I wrote as part of my A-Z of Detectives a year or two ago. What?

The second most popular was a light-hearted post about 'International Talk Like A Pirate Day'. How random is that?

This doesn't really add up. What was so wonderful about these particular blog entries? In order to understand this a bit better you need to factor in other things, like the fact that that first post seems to get two or three spam attempts a week via the comments tab. Anything from internet mailings in Russian script to pedicures and the obligatory sales pitch for little blue pills. Thank heavens for Blogger's very effective spam filter!

Here's a few more quotes to round this entry off:

98% of all statistics are made up. (Author Unknown)

Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are more pliable. (Author Unknown)

Lies and Statistics - part two

Some quotations on lying:

You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time - Abraham Lincoln (attributed)

One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. The bamboozle has captured us. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back - Carl Sagan

Always tell the truth. That way, you don't have to remember what you said - Mark Twain

A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes - Mark Twain, again (attributed)

Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practise to deceive! - Sir Walter Scott

Liars when they speak the truth are not believed - Aristotle

It is always the best policy to speak the truth--unless, of course, you are an exceptionally good liar - Jerome K. Jerome

A lie told often enough becomes the truth - Lenin

And a further mention of statistics, which was mentioned in part one and is shown clearly in the title of this thread. Statistics can prove anything - you analyse the data to try and make it demonstrate whatever it is you're trying to prove. Thus, although containing facts of one sort or another, statistics can lie as well.

A statistician is a person who stands in a bucket of ice water, sticks their head in an oven and says "on average, I feel fine!" - K.Dunnigan

More to follow.

Lies and Statistics - part one

The heading of this entry to my blog is inspired by a phrase attributed to Benjamin Disraeli and popularised in the United States by Mark Twain: "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." And as I published in my last entry, we know that some statistics might simply be made up on the spot!

One definition of a lie is an untruthful statement, with the implied intention of deceiving others. This may be to maintain a secret or a reputation. It might be in order to protect someone's feelings, or to avoid a punishment.

Some people also include those occasions where someone has stated something which they don't know for sure is true, with the intention that it be taken for the truth.

Of course, once you start to lie, you need to lie repeatedly to maintain those lies. You therefore become a liar by force of habit. Remember, like all habits, these can be broken - if you truly want to.

Since starting this article, I have discovered much debate on the Internet disputing the fact that Disraeli was the first to say the phrase that I commenced with. Which means there may already be one lie in this part of my blog already! So in an effort not to fall foul of my own definitions I'll just mention Henry Du Pré Labouchère (1831-1912), Leonard H. Courtney, 1st Baron Courtney of Penwith (1832-1918), Cornelia Augusta Hewitt Crosse (1827-1895), William Abraham Hewitt (1875-1966) and Commander Holloway Halstead Frost (1889-1935) - all of whom have also been attributed with the phrase. Whew!

I think I'm going to be reflecting quite a bit on lies this week. As you will see, lying is actually quite a commonplace thing. More later.

Useful tips - October

Thought these might brighten someone's day - or give you food for thought:

42.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

Remember, half the people you know are below average.

Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.

The early bird may get the worm, but it's the second mouse that gets the cheese.

A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.

Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.