GOD TALK

Getting hold of God
GOD and the Western World View
Modern Marriage Makeover (in progress!)
Beginning Revelation Study
God's Treasure Chest - Grace
The Place to Grow a Christian
Sequential Bible Curriculum
Church Structure
"But We Know Him!" A sermon
The Ministry of Reconciliation
Don't just Pray for Revival!
Everyday Evangelism
The Hard Taskmaster
Church Discipline examined
Discipleship reality journey
More to come....

Myself, I'm a creative academic - not a super brain as measured in terms of knowledge/memory and logical ability. However I have had some original ideas - nuuspel, a new (nuu!) core curriculum for cognitive development from the cradle to the workplace - which sees children identifying their type of intelligence, and going on to use it. And other new ideas in various fields, like how the Western View of the world lessons the ability of the church to be like the Biblical model....

Now I'm not practical - I can often do things well the first time - but then I lose it - I can't keep my mind on it, simple arithmetic for instance. I'd rather do more complex tasks like a tax form... I just don't have `brains in my fingers'...

It opens up a new field of tests - how do you measure practicality? You don't have to, it becomes obvious when people are given a practical task. I've also noticed that practical people can have real wisdom - they learn useful things by experience rather than in the classroom.

Creativity? Try drawing a lot of little circles - and they had to be expressed visually, in as many different ways that could be thought of. Then check how many are done, how different/similar are the circles... The variety will show creative ability, rather than the number. In fact a lot done in repeats is more a practical craft trait...

Academic intelligence has been measured for years - we've made it an art form, a lifestyle - most school curriculums are based on the theory that academic intelligence is the only kind there is. It is a western concept - taken from the Greek philosopher, Aristotle - that knowledge and logic is all that's needed. And yet, as a guitar teacher - I notice that we `paleskins' may often know where to place fingers for chords, but can't always utilise them to accompany a song. Whereas New Zealand's first race - the Maori - can play and sing all night long, but don't necessarily have any idea what the names are of chords are being used.

In fact, as I told my class in the first week of school - we'd be dead without practical people to give us our food, clothing and shelter, - and we'd have nothing to live for, without our creative people.

I used this concept as a theme for a toastmaster's speech - and took everyone to different planets where each intelligence type was in turn the favoured one.... and ended in paradise where all were respected.... Oh well, I can dream n'est-ce-pas?

The speech was called: INTELLIGENT - MOI?

The average man on the street can easily admit to feeling stupid, but has real trouble admitting to feeling intelligent. Why? Does it matter?

Yes, as far as self esteem goes - it does seem to matter. And it may not have anything to do with academic prowess - it has much more to do with self respect... - "Nerd, egghead, bore, absent-minded professor, so high in the stratosphere they're no earthly use, beyond morals, runaway arms race"...

Need I go on? True - the trouble with some clever people is they don't get around to using their brain work to benefit mankind.

But everyone wants to do well at school - thinking that's what's needed to get a good job, and good money, and we don't like it when we see someone else do better. In the playground it's the sports people that have the most respect - and musicians and academics are given very little, and this may include the teachers.

So is this due to jealousy? A desire to bring everyone down to the same level? Ursula Le Guin wrote a brilliant small book based on this theme - called "A Long Way From Anywhere Else".

Once in my dreams, I visited three other planets...

The planet's name? - They changed it every week - Extasy, Bohemia, Ambrosia, Babylon - but mostly Creatika.

I can believe that some would not feel too comfortable there, so I go on to tell of my next dream planet on an other edge of the universe...

Well, most of them that is, except for the half of them that weren't very good at growing their own crops and shearing their own sheep and making their own clothes and dinners and houses...

At least they afforded great amusement for the others, except when they died...

But they didn't talk about that...

It was called Practiplanet...

Here they are trying to figure how wide the universe is - along with lots of other things - it's what they do best here, and they push everyone to try and find out such things...

At least the ones that aren't hungry or homeless; or emotionally, physically or sexually abused; or escaping by a number of clever means such as television, computer games, drugs, work; or killed by any number of sophisticated weapons...

I didn't like this planet - it was called Acadamia - (it sounds like a nut), and headed for the centre of the universe for a change...

They each did what they were good at - the practical people provided the food, clothing and shelter for everyone else - who appreciated it enormously.

The academics found better and easier ways to do it for them, and found ways to fix problems that arose such as sickness, weather control, organisation and utilisation of resources.

And the creative people made life exciting and enjoyable so that it gave a reason to do the other things.

And everyone had enough and more, and they all lived happily ever after.

Of course it had to be called Paradise...

And I can respect my own kind of intelligence, and encourage others to respect their own.

And ask them to help me where I need it, and appreciate it, and tell them so...

And offer my help when I can.

Can you?

Deb Burton

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