annoyingly, i can’t remember who prompted this idea. please make yourself known. 
April 5, 2008
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The Ongoing Adventures of ASBO Jesus
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This is my congregation! (Sigh) I wish I could print this and hand it out on Sunday…
Comment by B. — April 5, 2008 @ 3:44 am
Do it! Or just print out several, and drop them around church surrepticiously!
Comment by Lewis — April 5, 2008 @ 6:20 am
yeh, go on b… you know you wanna.
Comment by jonbirch — April 5, 2008 @ 7:55 am
There could be a real ministry here… putting big unsubtle but much needed hints on posters all over the church when no-one’s looking. Hahahaha. I love it. B, tell us how it goes!
Incidentally this would be a much milder ministry than the one my mum thinks the Church of Scotland coudl do with – she thinks there is a real need for the ministry of arson to get rid of some of the biggest most depressing draughtiest buildings
Ax
PS Good cartoon, yet again, jon.
Comment by AnneDroid — April 5, 2008 @ 8:16 am
Ha! Ha!
Is this a deliberate link to the previous 2 toons? Our problems with prayer relate to our view of scripture – if we have an over-literal view of scripture, our concept of prayer will be affected.
After huge unanswered prayer, I felt the Bible promises so much, yet delivers so little.
I could go 3 ways – 1) give up on prayer completely 2)say, “oh well, it can’t have been the Lord’s will (even tho it was clearly in line with revealed truth about his will), shrug, and carry on believing what I’ve always believed
Which is the hamster effect! (do hamsters enjoy it??) and what we’re locked into if we can’t question the scripture – ie fundamental refusal to change
or 3) hold in tension the opposites of what scripture seems to say and what actually happens – and let this lead me to truth that is truer than I’ve known so far (mental images of hamster flying off his wheel, legs akimbo!)
Why did Jesus say, “Whatever you ask in prayer, my Father will give you”? – when he knew it would be misunderstood. Maybe because there is no other way to put it – he is using words to express the inexpressible, to point us to something profoundly true beyond the the way our small minds can understand
Fact is, I HAVE seen astounding answers to prayer; AM being held steady despite everything, and I am grateful. And when I hold my hurting brother and pray the blessing of heaven into his heart (”in Jesus name” – as his representative) “Be strong now, be strong” – something very real happens
Comment by Chris F — April 5, 2008 @ 8:50 am
ive been feeling like this lately, been doing “Christian” things, like going to church, being part of Christian union. in the past few weeks God’s been showing me that he didnt call us to join clubs or churches, but he called us to make disciples of all nations. the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. the gospel is what matters, and if we are just doing the christian routine, how can anyone hear the gospel?
dunno if im on the same track of thought as u, but thats what comes to mind when i saw this
Comment by ben — April 5, 2008 @ 8:56 am
Watch out some times the wheel retaining nut comes off!
Comment by slowburn — April 5, 2008 @ 9:35 am
re 1, 2 and 3 – ‘b bold b strong’ – sorry if that is too trivial just ignore! dave
Comment by Dave — April 5, 2008 @ 10:12 am
Yep, that’s it!
Comment by Robb — April 5, 2008 @ 10:30 am
i guess the trick is to decide to Just Stop…or to wait until that vital wheel retaining nut comes off.
Sometimes it’s like watching a car crash in slow motion……
Comment by gilly — April 5, 2008 @ 11:39 am
Interestingly we have just recently had a leadership away day and we came to this conclusion that in good faith we have arrived at a point where we are going round in circles and existing mainly for the benefit of those who come on a Sunday…therefore we are helping that retaining nut work its way loose quickly!
Comment by marcus — April 5, 2008 @ 11:48 am
[...] via ASPO [...]
Pingback by Die Hamsterradgemeinde « Utes & Christians Blog — April 5, 2008 @ 11:54 am
Just discovered your site via a friend’s sidebar and love your approach to blogging! It seems to me, in this case, though, that every church, just like we, ourselves, is going somehwere, even if we’re just spinning our wheels. Time dictates it. We have no choice in the matter other than what we elect to do with the flow as it comes…
Comment by jim — April 5, 2008 @ 12:14 pm
Yeah, but can’t we run on the wheel occasionally?
Does everything have to be productive?
Or can we enjoy silly little things sometimes?
Even after all those questions, it’s still a great post. Mainly because there are people that don’t know there is anything past
their
own
little
hamster
wheel.
Comment by ron — April 5, 2008 @ 3:02 pm
This reminds me of a group I had to leave – it was formed as an anti-poverty group and you’d go to the meeting and get a good vibe and some good food and we all had fun. But I left because I was looking for something more than a social club.
Comment by becky — April 5, 2008 @ 3:45 pm
I don’t know if this is a relevent link to make but this makes me think of James 2:14-18.
The Message ends this verse with ‘Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove.’
Comment by Hayley — April 5, 2008 @ 4:24 pm
I like your comment Hayley, if I’m reading it properly you seem to be suggesting their is a positive aspect to the hamster wheel.
looking at this image through half closed eye’s, the hamster himself a blur, the hamster’s wheel is causing a stir on an otherwise barren bed of straw, the impact of the wheel seems awesome.
as All Murray (The Pub Landlord) says about the development of Western Culture, ‘the Wheel came and went’ (apologies to non UK TV viewers)
I once belonged to a church that nearly unscrewed my own retaining nut, and I did need some time out, but looking back this was an amazing experience and I’ve only a few regrets from this time
Jesus said, ‘if salt looses it’s saltiness, it will be thrown out’.
Comment by subo — April 5, 2008 @ 8:27 pm
Hey Subo,
that isn’t what I meant but obviously we all interpret things differently! What I meant was that sometimes I feel like all I’m doing is chatting about and going round and round the same issues rather than jumping out of the wheel and doing something about it.
I think most of us can admit that a lot of the time we can be all talk and no action (or is that just me?!) It’s a lot easier to chat about being God’s hands on earth with a nice plate of chocolate digestives* in front of you and a hot cuppa in your hand than actually going out and doing something about it.
Perhaps I have misunderstood the toon, but that is how I interpret it.
How much better it would be if we could say ‘it IS going somewhere AND I enjoy it!’
*insert your favourite biccy of choice! Custard cream, anyone?
Comment by Hayley — April 5, 2008 @ 9:13 pm
Hayley #18, I’m reminded, by your comment, of this quote from John Wimber: “The first time I went to church (as a young Christian) I expected them to pray, use a map of the city and divide up the turf before sending us all out into sectors in small groups to speak to people, cast out demons and heal the sick. But we didn’t. We sang about it… talked about it… prayed about it. But we didn’t do it. I couldn’t understand it. When I worked for the devil he let me do things”.
Ax
Comment by AnneDroid — April 5, 2008 @ 10:08 pm
Incidentally, if that WAS what happened at church, I’d be way too scared to go…!
Comment by AnneDroid — April 5, 2008 @ 10:08 pm
What, even if there were biscuits there?
Comment by Hayley — April 5, 2008 @ 11:40 pm
I’m sorry to bring this up – tea and biscuits don’t make me do anything for the church. This will make me sound like an alchy – especially to our American friends – but tea and biscuits are rubbish. I don’t have a sweet tooth. Have an evening with beers and all of a sudden the all of the men in the North will be out there talking about Jesus!
Comment by Robb — April 6, 2008 @ 12:03 am
we men of the south are absolutely the same robb.
even the most beautiful churches do not have the right vibe for a proper conversation. in a pub i’ll talk about anything even before i’ve downed the first pint. house groups and cell groups and bible study groups nearly always seem such forced affairs… where as in the pub everything feels more natural, more workaday, more relaxed, more homely and much more real to me. i’ve not even been in to a coffee shop that comes close to the joy which is the great british pub.
in the pub, people are in the ‘downtime’ of their otherwise often hectic lives… they are often ready for meaningful talking, thinking, laughing and joking. i know i am. to be a christian in a pub feels less at odds to me than to be a christian in a church.
back to the wheel… mostly, whenever i feel like i’m on a wheel i instinctively do everything within my power to get off it. church instution, work, other demands…
there are some wheels which in all conscience i wouldn’t get off. being on the wheel and getting nowhere is worth the struggle sometimes, especially in relationships where it is good to get off the wheel together through hard effort or to help each other spin the wheel until it actually becomes joyful. but many things (i include our church institutions and most other things of that ilk) often seem peripheral to the important issues of love god, your neighbour, the sermon on the mount etc. etc.
just some thinking out loud… feel free to chime in and argue with me.
Comment by jonbirch — April 6, 2008 @ 12:46 am
Ax #19 – thanks for the Wimber quote – I remember reading that somewhere, too…
I spent the evening in a seminary library researching Matt. 5:43-48 and what it means to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect (essentially it means to love everybody completely and unconditionally even tho they may not love you or even be nice to you! now all i have to do is expand on that for 10-12 pages…)
and one of the things i learned is that love in the Bible is ALWAYS active – that is, it’s never JUST a feeling, but is accompanied by action.
Sometimes loving someone really is like being on that hamster wheel… you just keep going around and around again, and it seems like nothing’s coming of it… but I like what subo pointed out (#17) about the impact on the straw… there’s more than what we see or notice right off that’s really going on…
Jon, I wish I lived in the UK. I could so use a truly great British pub tonight.
Someday…
And I’m sorry to say that I think the important issues of loving God, your neighbor, etc often become peripheral to the minor issues of church politics and whatnot.
I am SO looking forward to the day the Bride wakes up, gives herself a good shake, and says, “what was I thinking?!” and gets back to what she was supposed to be about in the first place. One person at a time, God’s Girl is going to wake up in time to get to that wedding feast He promised us. 
Comment by Happy — April 6, 2008 @ 3:33 am
Intresting hamster themed topics have been hot news here recently (young children birthday present etc) and we where told emphatically by said youngsters that the hamsters need a hamster ball or hamster drag car. For those of you who are unfamilier with these devices, they allow the hamster to run in a safe enclosed space (the ball or ball set inside mini drag car (boys!))but to also explore the surrounding area, and get in all the nook and crannies. Could be the answer to ‘b’s congregation as a halfway step?
Comment by Helen — April 6, 2008 @ 8:34 am
haha! great idea helen!
happy… someday indeed… gladly have a pint with you.
Comment by jonbirch — April 6, 2008 @ 2:55 pm
23. I get the same vibe in a coffee shop – my only objection to meeting in pubs is that one may exclude recovered alcoholics for whom that atmosphere is toxic. Also, I have found that men (in UK and the States) are more inclined to want to have coffee than beer with an unattached female.
Personally a prefer a pub given my druthers.
Comment by becky — April 6, 2008 @ 5:25 pm
That last post was a bit off topic – perhaps fodder for Jon’s cartoons.
What also hits me about the hamster wheel is that one can enjoy the game without thinking – my first image is negative – people responding on cue to whatever a political or worship leader tells them to do.
But sometimes that’s a good thing. I’ve been doing improv for over 12 years and one of the key lessons I’ve learned is that by taking one’s mind out of the picture and doing a seemingly silly task, I have been taken to places of great discovery.
For example, I am doing a very repetitive freelance typing gig to make some money – and in the process I came up with some really out of the box article queries that I’ve been sending off to editors.
Comment by becky — April 6, 2008 @ 6:16 pm
‘taking one’s mind out of the picture and doing a seemingly silly task, I have been taken to places of great discovery.’
if you’ve ever had to do role play it’s amazing what you can learn about yourself. improv’s like that.
Comment by jonbirch — April 6, 2008 @ 10:38 pm
I find role play is critical for me so I can try and understand someone who is driving me nuts – what is it like to be in their shoes?
I’m talking stuff that’s even sillier – you do a repetitive task without thinking that allows your mind to wander – I find way, way cool stuff always comes up in these situations.
Comment by becky — April 7, 2008 @ 2:44 am
Hayley, do you have Boasters in your church (the biscuits, not the defective personalities!). That would attract me.
Robb, I’d go to the pub, but only if they served a nice chilled Sauvignon blanc – I can’t be doing with tepid Liebfraumilch. And you can keep the spit and sawdust.
Comment by Carole — April 7, 2008 @ 9:10 am
I’ve often wondered what would happen if (upon observing a high speed hamster wheel) I suddenly stopped it with my finger, would the hamster run a loop-de-loop?
Comment by Richard M. — April 7, 2008 @ 11:26 am
I’d go to the pub, but only if they served a nice chilled Sauvignon blanc – I can’t be doing with tepid Liebfraumilch. And you can keep the spit and sawdust.
And the reason why Northern Man will realise that it was too good to be true, “the church couldn’t possibly take us to the pub, there must be some mistake” is…….. the wine bar.
Totally devoid of spit. Not one speck of sawdust. People wearing suits. No one has even heard of Rugby. Tetley bitter is not for sale.
Comment by Robb — April 7, 2008 @ 11:39 am
Haha I really enjoy your blog! Great one!
Comment by Mimosa — April 7, 2008 @ 11:22 pm
Gilly(#10), due caution when abruptly stopping hamster-wheels. One can get tossed about rather violently until the inertia is spent.
AND, when perceiving one’s congregation on that wheel, please confirm that it is, in fact, the congregation, rather than simply oneself.
Comment by Jim Thompson — April 8, 2008 @ 1:23 am
thanks mimosa!
there is some great hamster wheel footage on youtube. a brilliant one where the wheel keeps going and the hamster rotates with it many times before getting launched. i gather this is fairly common with hamsters in wheels.
Comment by jonbirch — April 8, 2008 @ 10:36 am
In our house, Alice the hamster goes for broke on her wheel and then suddenly stops and stands still on her hind legs as the wheel rocks from side to side like some little skater dude. Proper little poser she is.
Oh, that life were so simple…
Comment by Carole — April 8, 2008 @ 3:16 pm
alice sounds dead cocky to me!
Comment by jonbirch — April 8, 2008 @ 4:19 pm
Yeah, but she’s dead cute, too!
Comment by Carole — April 8, 2008 @ 9:22 pm
This is how i really felt about our church… i wish i could put this in our multi-media projector for everybody to see.
Comment by Elyong — April 12, 2008 @ 11:49 pm
When i saw this cartoon I thought of the various hamsters myself and my siblings owned over the years, give em a wheel and they’d run for hours. going nowhere but seemingly happy. We’d also put them on the stairs; step by step up they’d run. i often wondered why they never turned round and went down.
Then i got gerbils.
(no it wasn’t infectious! – sorry, sounded like a disease!)
First thing i discovered is they weren’t interested in the wheel, they tried it few times then gave up and set themselves to figuring out escape routes. Tried the stair thing, thought it would be fun to race them. no luck, they’d go up a couple. stop, go down a couple and stop and investigate looking for other, more productive options. They escaped fairly often, I’d find them in the morning sitting by their tank waiting to be put back in so they could sleep off their adventures.
Got me thinking.
do we have a hamster faith? blindly running hard ‘the one and only true way’ never stopping to look and see the world around us.
or do we have a Gerbil faith? Curious, exploring, dangerous at times (there was a cat in the house) asking questions and always looking for opportunities.
interesting. thanks Jon.
Comment by Tom C — April 14, 2008 @ 8:09 pm
the gerbils sound fantastic tom.
Comment by jonbirch — April 14, 2008 @ 11:42 pm
Forgot to add that while hamster (most breeds anyway) are largely solitary, Gerbils are very social always supporting and working together. interesting. I think I know what i’m preaching on next Friday!
Gerbil Christians!
Comment by Tom C — April 15, 2008 @ 1:50 pm
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