Yup, that's how insanely lame humans are.
Check us on 9 gag is you like.
A magazine for the young and free
Sunday, 20 April 2014
Luister jongmens ooit nog Afrikaans?
Kan ons relate met Afrikaanse musiek? Kan ons onself uitdruk in ons moedertaal?
Hier is wat 'n paar jongmense by 'n Heuwels show en by die huis te sê gehad het.
AFRIKAANSE MUSIEK IS: "Oulik" "te hard probeer" "daar gaan nie eintlik iets aan nie" "deel van ons" "dramaties" "gemengde kultuur"
Thursday, 20 February 2014
How to Dress your Shape
Pear, apple, hourglass, athletic…that's easy. Imagine you had a pentagon shape body.
Tuesday, 20 August 2013
"Christians": So Horribly Perfect, so Perfectly Horrible
 |
| The silly Smiles of a few kids who don't abide by the box |
speak "Christianese", DON'T wear make-up and heels, dramatically ask people how they FEEL with super intense eyes - even when you don't know them, DON'T go to clubs, DON'T like weird stuff, DON'T go where sinners go, DON'T speak up when something bothers you, FIT in, LOSE your voice, DON'T enjoy people - just try to change them into perfect little believers. Sigh.
Everyday I come to understand more and more how
one guy could change the entire course of mankind just by loving all people as
they are. How not judging people could
change everything. How seeing
prostitutes and priests all the same would turn the universe upside down. How Jesus set people free by loving them and
how Christians often do the opposite.
Not making the Mark
"I fear my Christian friends will judge my non-Christian friends, so I feel I have to celebrate my birthday separately with each group", "I feel judged because I pray very simply", "I feel judged because I love non-Christian bands", "I feel like I can only talk about emotional and spiritual issues with my church friends, like the rest of me doesn't matter", "I feel judged because I like to wear make-up and heels", "I feel I should always be sorted-out to go to church", "I feel like I'll be judged if I tell them I don't understand stuff", "I feel I can't say when I disagree with stuff at the church", "I feel judged because I don't speak Christianese, both in and outside of church".
The man-made Clique
Where do these expectations come from that we feel we don't match up to? From God? No sirree! Lately the word "Christian" is used to tag a little box bordered by man-made rules. The perfect believer box. If you want to get into this box, which somehow always seems two sizes to small, you are expected to always and only use words like "blessed", "grace", "have faith", "heart" etc; to dress blandly; not to go to clubs; not to drink alcohol (even if you are legally old enough to do so); only listen to Christian music; not to have non-Christian friends, etc...
Do you feel like you always fall short of fitting into the box? Well, that's the wrong question to ask. Do you know what it means to be a real Christian? Many people believe that the "rules" stipulated by this “Christian” clique show you how to be the perfect Christian, where in fact, the set of rules which applies to God's idea of perfect, can be summed up with one word: love. You've probably heard the Bible verse about what the first two most important commandments are: love God with all you are - all of your heart, mind and soul and love others just like you love yourself, right? (Matthew 22:36-40) Well, Christ said that.
It's a Killing Clique
When you try to fit into the "perfect Christian" man-made box (as if man could MAKE faith), you keep thinking about what's right and what's wrong. You keep thinking about the stuff you need to do so much, that eventually you can't stop thinking about what others should and shouldn’t be doing. You know what that amounts to? Judging.
This clique makes people feel judged, worthless and guilty, because they just can't match up to the never-ending set of rules that define this very small box. We're not meant to. We're meant to love and be loved by God. Like Christ. That's what it means to be called a Christian. Christians who are never told this, either keep on trying to fit into the "perfect Christian" box until they become cold religious-rule-abiding Pharisees (who eventually killed Jesus), or they dismiss Christianity altogether, because they instinctively feel something's not right with being so judged and forced into a man-made box, and they would not be wrong.
God's box
Love wouldn't build a little prototype Christian who only functions among other Christians. Love isn't a system of do's and don'ts. It's not a dress code, a music style, or a box with walls made out of rules. It's something so big and beautiful that "it's not arrogant", that it "doesn't insist on its own way", that it's "not irritable or resentful", that it "bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" and that it "never ends" (in Corinthians 13).
Jesus loved unrestrictedly and unconditionally. None of the other 10 commandments will ever be cancelled (says Jesus in Matthew 5:18-19), but if you love sincerely, it’s quite naturally to listen to them (Galatians 5:14). All you have to do love completely. Soooo simple. That's it. How come you're forgiven from all your sins? How come you get to see God's awesomeness, in this life and the next? How come God loves you always? Because that's just who God is. Because Jesus loved you just as you were before you met him, and that was, is and will always be, much more than enough. Not because you don't smoke, don’t wear heels or don't like to dance. David danced. God called him a man after his own heart, because David lovvvvvved God. He danced to show it!
Not making the Mark
"I fear my Christian friends will judge my non-Christian friends, so I feel I have to celebrate my birthday separately with each group", "I feel judged because I pray very simply", "I feel judged because I love non-Christian bands", "I feel like I can only talk about emotional and spiritual issues with my church friends, like the rest of me doesn't matter", "I feel judged because I like to wear make-up and heels", "I feel I should always be sorted-out to go to church", "I feel like I'll be judged if I tell them I don't understand stuff", "I feel I can't say when I disagree with stuff at the church", "I feel judged because I don't speak Christianese, both in and outside of church".
The man-made Clique
Where do these expectations come from that we feel we don't match up to? From God? No sirree! Lately the word "Christian" is used to tag a little box bordered by man-made rules. The perfect believer box. If you want to get into this box, which somehow always seems two sizes to small, you are expected to always and only use words like "blessed", "grace", "have faith", "heart" etc; to dress blandly; not to go to clubs; not to drink alcohol (even if you are legally old enough to do so); only listen to Christian music; not to have non-Christian friends, etc...
Do you feel like you always fall short of fitting into the box? Well, that's the wrong question to ask. Do you know what it means to be a real Christian? Many people believe that the "rules" stipulated by this “Christian” clique show you how to be the perfect Christian, where in fact, the set of rules which applies to God's idea of perfect, can be summed up with one word: love. You've probably heard the Bible verse about what the first two most important commandments are: love God with all you are - all of your heart, mind and soul and love others just like you love yourself, right? (Matthew 22:36-40) Well, Christ said that.
It's a Killing Clique
When you try to fit into the "perfect Christian" man-made box (as if man could MAKE faith), you keep thinking about what's right and what's wrong. You keep thinking about the stuff you need to do so much, that eventually you can't stop thinking about what others should and shouldn’t be doing. You know what that amounts to? Judging.
This clique makes people feel judged, worthless and guilty, because they just can't match up to the never-ending set of rules that define this very small box. We're not meant to. We're meant to love and be loved by God. Like Christ. That's what it means to be called a Christian. Christians who are never told this, either keep on trying to fit into the "perfect Christian" box until they become cold religious-rule-abiding Pharisees (who eventually killed Jesus), or they dismiss Christianity altogether, because they instinctively feel something's not right with being so judged and forced into a man-made box, and they would not be wrong.
God's box
Love wouldn't build a little prototype Christian who only functions among other Christians. Love isn't a system of do's and don'ts. It's not a dress code, a music style, or a box with walls made out of rules. It's something so big and beautiful that "it's not arrogant", that it "doesn't insist on its own way", that it's "not irritable or resentful", that it "bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" and that it "never ends" (in Corinthians 13).
Jesus loved unrestrictedly and unconditionally. None of the other 10 commandments will ever be cancelled (says Jesus in Matthew 5:18-19), but if you love sincerely, it’s quite naturally to listen to them (Galatians 5:14). All you have to do love completely. Soooo simple. That's it. How come you're forgiven from all your sins? How come you get to see God's awesomeness, in this life and the next? How come God loves you always? Because that's just who God is. Because Jesus loved you just as you were before you met him, and that was, is and will always be, much more than enough. Not because you don't smoke, don’t wear heels or don't like to dance. David danced. God called him a man after his own heart, because David lovvvvvved God. He danced to show it!
 |
| Photo by Nadia Jansen van Vuuren (checkout her awesome photography blog at http://www.shootcase.blogspot.com) |
How you feel when you Stay in the Clique
It seems like people in the "Perfect Christian clique" never make huge mistakes and never feel far from God. It's probably the most lonely and tiring clique to belong to. I've been there. Sure, it's nice to pat yourself on the back cos you're doing everything holy and you feel like you're a good servant to God, but in truth you're just tired of trying so hard all the time, of never being able to show your faults or truly ask for help. You can't show when you're down in the rut, or angry, or confused - cos everybody expects you to be perfect! To be the example.
The feelings of guilt and a false sense of supremacy are horrible parts of the clicque too. You feel guilty about the littlest things you do wrong and you worry so much about how your faults will reflect badly on God - cos you believe people associate God with you.
About the false sense of supremacy: you know God loves everyone, but you can't help feeling that you reeeally follow Him better. You try reeeallly hard to please Him, because you do. Then you swallow that prideful feeling and try to humble yourself by producing insincere over-emotional empathy and thankfulness for others. Yet often you wonder... "Why do I try so hard, but sometimes feel so completely alone and empty deep within me"? But then you just shrug the feeling and try harder. Because you think that's what good Christians do.
Time to let go and start loving. People really need more of your (His) love and
less of your "perfect". Sincere love for God and people will always
keep you on God's path!
Monday, 5 August 2013
How to download Digital Awe-sum Magazine Issue 1
Click here to get it for mahala (that's "free" if you were wondering): DOWNLOAD ISSUE 1
The link will take you here:
2) Don't just view it in scibd - the pages won't flip then, CLICK SAVE.
3) Then Scribd will give you a screen to log in via Facebook
4) Let the download begin, it takes a while, cos its an awesome mag.
5) You'll have to open this PDF fiel with ADOBE ACROBAT
6) CLICK AND DRAG the right-bottom corner of each page to flip through it
Cheers to the beginning of a great adventure with you guys!
The link will take you here:
2) Don't just view it in scibd - the pages won't flip then, CLICK SAVE.
3) Then Scribd will give you a screen to log in via Facebook
4) Let the download begin, it takes a while, cos its an awesome mag.
5) You'll have to open this PDF fiel with ADOBE ACROBAT
6) CLICK AND DRAG the right-bottom corner of each page to flip through it
Cheers to the beginning of a great adventure with you guys!
Sunday, 4 August 2013
How to be a Happy Teen
 |
| Three ladies just like Laura |
Laura's Story
Laura moved through a
few different friend groups in the last two years. She wished she found her
current group of friends much sooner, but there’s three girls in particular
that she'll always grateful for befriending in the last two years. Not because they were especially great
friends, but rather because they made the heart of happiness so much clearer to
her.
Skinny unhappy
Marilyn
"I get tons of compliments" Marilyn comforts
herself as she bites into her rye bread and cucumber sandwich. After breakfast
she runs up the stairs, takes off her pajamas, pinches the little layer of
fat on her hip. "I hate this, it's so freakin ugly". Then she puts on
her school uniform and sneakily applies an extra layer of foundation and
straightens her very curly hair into waves to do the perfect rough-but-perfect
bun on the top of her head.
When she gets to school she watches every eye for stares of
approval. If she doesn't any, she teases other girls who have more hip fat than
she does and secretly throws up her lunch in the bathroom. Actually even when kids shower her with compliments she throws up anyway, she doesn't want to gain weight. Ever.
Nobody will like her then.
Michelle is considered overweight. She's terribly unhappy about her figure. She envies every girl with a skinny frame, girls like Marilyn. "She's got the perfect body", thinks Michelle, "that's why she's so popular. If I could just look like her I'd be happy like she is." Sometimes Michelle diets and shakes off a few kilos, other times she just feels hopelessly stuck in this big body of hers.
Average unhappy Ruby
Ruby rates herself as mousy to average in looks. "I'll won't ever get to date a real hot guy and I HATE my thighs and my dull hair, but at least I don't look like Michelle. That's something to be grateful for, right?” she thinks, walking past Michelle in the schools hallway. But when Marilyn passes, Ruby's eyes jealously follow Marilyn's golden locks and skinny legs. Ruby just sighs, walks on and wonders if the diet Shanique told her about really makes you lose 3kg in two weeks. Also if lemon juice really lightens your hair.
It's all the same
All three girls mull over the way they look, ever worrying,
trying and comparing themselves with other girls. All three are devotedly
unhappy. Michelle just wants to trade in her body for a nice and skinny one. So
she'll be popular and she'll be truly happy. Ruby yearns for skinny legs with a
thigh gap and blonde locks, so she'll get a really cute guy to truly be happy. Marilyn
wished she had boney hips, straight hair, never put on weight so people would
like her so she could truly be happy. Cos being liked is happiness right?
Laura knows the
secret
"It's funny how they think a looking a certain way will make
them happy, yet no matter their shapes, they’re all equally unhappy", Laura realised when she thought of these three girls. "They're exactly the same,
even though they seem and think they're so different. I don't want to be like
any of them, I just wanna be freakin happy!"
On the day of Laura's realisation she decided not to waste
her thoughts on wishing she looked different or better in any way. "All three think the way you look is a road to acceptance and popularity which leads to being
happy. Why not just cut to being happy from the start. These roads just lead to being
unhappy about whatever they don't have, always trying harder to improve
themselves. They think they have to do stuff to be happy. So they'll never be
satisfied, they'll never be happy, cos they'll always want to improve whatever
they have."
Laura knows she doesn't look like the girls in the mags, but she knows she's not suppose to cos she's Laura, not Kate Surrow, or whoever the model is. She just loves her eyes. Nobody else have eyes like her, neither do they have a body like hers. Everybody is so magically different to one another. God did an incredible job in making so many different faces with a nose, a pair of eyes and nostrils. Laura doesn't worry about being popular. She knows her real friends and her real prince charming will like her just as she is and she'll like them as they are, cos God made them too.
"If people don't like me as I am, well then they won't be any good at being my friend or my prince charming, will they?", she thinks while combing her very own coffee brown hair as her very own dust pink lips part to form her very own big bright smile.
And Laura, well she's happy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)