Southern Hemispheric Pigfesting

The first ever Pigfest in Johannesburg convened on Friday March 10. There were 20 lively participants. BBQ Pork ribs and chicken were provided by the host. Side dishes, desserts, and drinks were brought by each participant. The following 7 proposals were discussed:

1. *The South African government is just as guilty of genocide as Zimbabwe, given their abysmal handling of the HIV/AIDS crisis.
2. It is time to drop the “S” word (submit) in marriage counseling and replace it with another word beginning with “S” (subordinate).
3. The technology connecting the global village is ravaging interpersonal relationships.
4. As a result of specialization, knowledge has become inaccessible because of its complexity. In the postmodern world, researchers have become the arbiters of truth, but given the $ link to sponsors, it produces knowledge with a spin.
5. After WWII, the Japanese said that education is strength. In light of what is happening in our country, I agree with this statement.
6. *A Christian political party is ill-conceived at best and counterproductive at worst.
7. If the role of a pet is to provide for the lacking deep-rooted emotional needs of the owner, in a house with a cat, the owner is the pet!

The second Pigfest convened the next night (Saturday, March 11) at the same venue and with the same meal setup. Attendance was 23. The following 6 proposals were discussed:

1. *The discovery of life elsewhere in the universe will undermine Christianity and creationism.
2. *Mainstream Christianity will ultimately have a postmodern flavor.
3. The Christian church in the west has failed by allowing attendance to drop to record lows.
4. *Poverty is a symptom of capitalism and as with any disease, we need to attack the cause, not the symptom.
5. If wealth is to be a source of blessing, it must not be uselessly hoarded, unjustly gained, self-indulgently spent, or ruthlessly acquired.
6. *There is no free choice. God is all-powerful and all knowing and has given us only a perception of free choice.

* liveliest discussion

Lessons learned:
1. It is going to work better for me to coach on and vet proposals by email in advance rather than on the spot.
2. Need stronger warning against long-winded comments.
3. I am ok with questionable proposals as long as I have a few “go to guys/gals” that can lovingly put the bwv spin on it.
4. A prize (The golden rule award) was voted on at the end. I had some extra copies of Packer’s Knowing God. This little carrot seemed to keep the conversation more gracious