Dude, what's in that baggie stuffed in your boot? I bet it ain't oregano!
Sunday, August 2, 2015
Ghog at 22...what Happened to You Ghog?
Dude, what's in that baggie stuffed in your boot? I bet it ain't oregano!
Ghog Explained by Plato
“Those who are able to see beyond the shadows and lies of their culture will never be understood, let alone believed, by the masses.”
― Plato
This Might Explain It...
Wouldn't it be funny if The Donald was just running Republican interference for his good friends, the Clintons? How do you prevent Jeb Bush? Throw a hornet's nest named Trump into the ring. No one can hear any of the other Republicans because Trump...
He could run his campaign on the interest he makes on his 10 billion. He can say anything he wants because he has 10 billion. He is beholden to no one because he has 10 billion.
But Hillary? She will owe Trump big time if this succeeds.
Jeb, you are going to have to deal with him somehow. Trump needs a scandal that will stick. Do you have any pics of him copulating with a manatee? You'll need something like that Jeb. Just saying.
Saturday, August 1, 2015
Matthew 7:1-6 Judging Others
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You
hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will
see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
Jesus now moves on to a personal character issue. He says flatly that we are not to judge others. The reason for this is that we will be judged by the same standard we apply to others. We have sinned. Our neighbors and friends have sinned. If we condemn them without first acknowledging our own sin, our penalty will be just as severe.
Jesus illustrates this point with a humorous story about two people that have something in their eyes. You can't very well help your friend take a speck of sawdust out of his eye when you have a 2x4 in your own eye. Or, put another way, you cannot condemn your neighbor for flaunting his wealth when your heart is filled with envy and covetousness.
We need to tend to our own spiritual problems rather than point to the failures of others. Once we acknowledge those failures before the Great Judge, then maybe we can use what we have learned from the experience to help (not judge) our failing brother or sister rather than condemn them.
God has little patience for hypocritical, judgmental people, but at the same time, I think He wants us to use an enlightened discernment about others. there are those in this world on whom words of warning and judgement would be wasted. Even offering an opinion about their behavior might be dangerous. We need to steer clear of these people because they are not in a place where a call to righteousness would have any value to them. This is what Jesus is talking about in verse 6. You can't give a new car to a 4 year old to drive and you should not waste scripture on a reprobate mind. Neither makes sense and both could be dangerous. We have to wait until God has made them ready and receptive.
-So what do you think was going on in the Judaism of Christ's time that He felt He needed to address this issue of judging others?
It's what has always gone on among human and even among God's people. They were judging each other. In Judea, the religious leadership regularly passed judgement on others using their interpretation of God's laws. However, their interpretation and practice of God's law was, as Jesus pointed out time and time again, a sin itself. They were no more righteous then the people they condemned, except in their own minds.
-What was the result of the self-righteous attitudes of the religious leadership?
Rank and file sinners were barred from their only source of help and salvation. They were separated from God by the rule keepers. There was no place for them to turn.
-What did Jesus' illustration about eyes and bits of wood say to His listeners?
We all have sin in our lives. Some have a lot and some not so much, but it all separates us from God if we let it. Pointing out a brother's sin does nothing for the sin in our own lives. Instead, we should all look to clearing our own spiritual vision by removing the sin from our own lives and then helping - not judging - our brothers and sisters with their sin problems.
-Have you ever noticed, after reading the gospels, just how comfortable sinners were in Jesus' presence? Why do you think this is the case?
He did not judge them. He helped them. He helped them see for themselves what their problems were and He had compassion on them and He forgave them.
-Have you sen the opposite pattern in the gospels where the religious people were very uncomfortable in Jesus' presence? Why do you think this was the case?
He convicted them of their abject failure to keep their own rules, let alone God's law. See Luke 7:36-50 and John 8:1-11 for examples of this. These are amazing examples of how, without judging, Jesus led people to see their own sin. The sinners in the story were glad for God's grace. Those that considered themselves religious, sort of slunk away in horror.
-So what about today? Do you think unbelieving sinners would feel comfortable with us today as they did with Jesus?
If you are honest, can you really say yes to that question?
-Has the Church become a fortress to protect the "pure" and keep out sin? Should it not be more like a hospital, admitting the diseased and injured in search of a cure or healing?
These are worrisome questions. We do not want to become like our world's culture, but we do want to welcome them in when they are ready and not beat them up for their former lives. We want them to know they have a place with us in His kingdom if that is what they want. We must not put up barriers of prejudgment.
-So is there ever a time or place for judgement of others?
Check out Romans 2:1-4. Read about the situation in Corinth in I Corinthians 5. Then see the best policy about the matter in I Thessalonians 5:14-24.
If we avoid sin, we will likely NOT be judged by anyone - God or man. Barring that, I think we have to immediately throw ourselves on the mercy of God's court. Grace is available. Men may not be so generous, but God will take up for us if repentance is in evidence.
Bottom line...don't judge others. Just don't. It does not help them or you.
Matthew 6:25-34 Do Not Worry...Really???
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry
about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what
you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than
clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
So...If we are to seek and serve God and not pursue or store up material things, who is going to pay the bills? There are no free lunches right? We still need food and drink and clothing and a roof over our heads...and maybe some health insurance wouldn't hurt either now that I think about it.
So where is all that going to come from? It stopped raining manna in the desert centuries ago. The answer, according to Jesus, is simple and obvious. If you seek and serve God, He is going to take care of you.
What does Jesus say? "Don't worry". Worrying about your personal or financial condition is a waste of time and energy. After all, do the birds eat? Who feeds them? It's God. And what about the flowers? Do they worry about what they will wear? The answer is no. God made them and they are already beautiful.
So what's Jesus' point? If God cares so much about flowers and birds that are here today and gone tomorrow, then how much more must He care about us - right? It's just not productive to worry about material things or what might happen tomorrow. God knows what we need and He knows what we will need. He will take care of us.
So, rather than worry, we need to spend our time seeking Him and pursuing His righteousness. If we do these things, then all that other stuff that preoccupies us so much of the time will be taken care of by Him. As Jesus says, "each day has enough trouble of its own." We need to leave tomorrow in God's hands.
-Do you believe that? Do you practice it...or do you worry?
It takes some faith not to worry, but as Jesus said, worrying will not fix a problem. God did give us all brains. There are things we can take care of ourselves. But there are also things that are totally out of our control - things that we must leave in God's hands - things that we cannot change of our own power.
-So should we prepare for tomorrow - for the future? Is being willing to dress like flowers and eat like birds enough to get us through this life, especially in our time?
Again, God gave us brains and the ingenuity to help us take care of our selves in cooperation with His gifting. If we genuinely seek Him and His righteousness, we will be all right.
-But what if it kills me?
Silly Christian. What if it does?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
So...If we are to seek and serve God and not pursue or store up material things, who is going to pay the bills? There are no free lunches right? We still need food and drink and clothing and a roof over our heads...and maybe some health insurance wouldn't hurt either now that I think about it.
So where is all that going to come from? It stopped raining manna in the desert centuries ago. The answer, according to Jesus, is simple and obvious. If you seek and serve God, He is going to take care of you.
What does Jesus say? "Don't worry". Worrying about your personal or financial condition is a waste of time and energy. After all, do the birds eat? Who feeds them? It's God. And what about the flowers? Do they worry about what they will wear? The answer is no. God made them and they are already beautiful.
So what's Jesus' point? If God cares so much about flowers and birds that are here today and gone tomorrow, then how much more must He care about us - right? It's just not productive to worry about material things or what might happen tomorrow. God knows what we need and He knows what we will need. He will take care of us.
So, rather than worry, we need to spend our time seeking Him and pursuing His righteousness. If we do these things, then all that other stuff that preoccupies us so much of the time will be taken care of by Him. As Jesus says, "each day has enough trouble of its own." We need to leave tomorrow in God's hands.
-Do you believe that? Do you practice it...or do you worry?
It takes some faith not to worry, but as Jesus said, worrying will not fix a problem. God did give us all brains. There are things we can take care of ourselves. But there are also things that are totally out of our control - things that we must leave in God's hands - things that we cannot change of our own power.
-So should we prepare for tomorrow - for the future? Is being willing to dress like flowers and eat like birds enough to get us through this life, especially in our time?
Again, God gave us brains and the ingenuity to help us take care of our selves in cooperation with His gifting. If we genuinely seek Him and His righteousness, we will be all right.
-But what if it kills me?
Silly Christian. What if it does?
Matthew 6:19-24 Is It a Sin to be Rich?
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[a] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[b] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Jesus expounds on the proper attitude toward wealth and again, He sets the bar high. His concern is that we should not be greedy, by hoarding our wealth, and further, that we should not become dependent on money or the many luxuries it can buy. Most of this has to do with the passing nature of material things, including money. They just do not last over the long haul. Stuff gets broken. Things get stolen or moth eaten or they fall apart with corrosion or rot. It's all just stuff anyway. For the most part, you can't eat it or drink it and clothes come and go over time.
Beyond all this, money has no eternal or lasting value. Jesus says that if we have an interest in storing up things - hoarding things - they should be things of spiritual value. These things can be stored up securely in the heavenly record - things like good works, generosity, honesty and compassion. These things do not rot. Moths do not eat them. They will not rust and they will not get stolen.
But we have to be careful because our eyes can lead us astray. If we use our eyes to seek good things - spiritual treasures - we can store these things in heaven. Our eyes will be full of light. However, if we allow our eyes to be distracted by material or fleshly things; if we let our eyes lead us into covetousness, envy and greed, then we will be filled with darkness - spiritual darkness that can overwhelm us.
Jesus' point in all this is that no one can serve two gods. We cannot serve both the one true God and also money and material possessions. We will either ignore God and love money or we will be devoted to Him and the pursuit of wealth will take a back seat. There is no middle ground. Greed and the love of money and material things is idolatry.
-So how do you store up treasures in heaven?
Through good works. By using the wealth that God gives us to help others. By being compassionate, generous, honest and forgiving.
-What does Jesus mean in verse 21 hen He says, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also"?
The things that we value in life say much about who we are and what our priorities might be. If our jobs or our personal property or our hobbies or accumulation of wealth are more important than loving God and our neighbors - that reveals much about where our hearts are. It says much about where we put God in the great schemes of our lives. I tells us who we love most. Is it ourselves or is it the Lord? The answer will be obvious.
-So is it a sin to be rich then?
That's a fair question. It again depends on how you view the things you have and what you do with them. For myself, I would say that God gives us everything to one degree or another. It is by His grace that I have anything at all, so it behooves me to share what He has made me the steward of.
Jesus tell three stories about rich men in the gospel of Luke that create a compelling answer to this question.
In Luke 12:16-21, Jesus tells a story of a rich man that had a bumper crop and decided to build bigger barns and sit back and live off his wealth. The plan was to eat, drink and be merry. Enjoy a life of leisure. Do what others only dream of. The problem was that there was no place for God in this plan. There was no place for sharing the wonderful wealth that God had so graciously given. There was only blatant self interest. It was obvious that the only god the man had was himself, so God took his life and others enjoyed the fruits of his treasures.
In Luke 16:19-25, Jesus tells the story of a rich man and a poor, lame beggar covered in sores named Lazarus. Daily, the rich man would see Lazarus by his gate begging. Daily Lazarus was ignored. Though the rich man had been given much by God that could have been shared with Lazarus to help with his health issues and make him productive in his life again, the rich man did not see it that way. What was his was his.
When the time came that both men died, Lazarus went to paradise, to the bosom of Abraham and to eternal comfort, but the rich man went to hell and eternal torment. He begged for relief. He begged that Lazarus be allowed to bring him water to quench his torment. Abraham advised that would not be happening.
Had the rich man's attitude toward his wealth been different when he was alive, his situation might be different after his death. As it was, he was in torment. He loved his wealth more than God.
In Luke 18:18-30, Jesus meets a rich, young ruler; probably a member of the Sanhedrin. The man asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life and he assures Jesus that he has kept all the commandments since he was young (which is probably a lie). Jesus advised him that he lacked just one thing. He needed to sell everything he had and give to the poor so that he could have treasure in heaven. This made the rich young man very sad. He had much and even though Jesus had not advised that he give it all away, he was still deeply disturbed by what Jesus had said.
When Jesus was questioned about it, He advised that is was easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. The crowds then wondered out loud if anyone could possibly get into heaven and Jesus said, "what is impossible with men is possible with God."
I think Jesus' point in all these stories about rich men is about their attitude toward their wealth.
If we see our wealth as things that God gives us, things that He has made us stewards over, then we will be on the right path. So how can we be proper stewards over the wealth God gives? By sharing and caring in our actions as well as our words.
This is not a Marxist ideology. This is simple sharing and caring for our fellow human beings. We need to be helping each other in the material sense and in the spiritual sense with what ever talents and treasures God gives us. He will bless those efforts accordingly, maybe now and most definitely in the Kingdom that is to come. There is nothing wrong with being rich. Money wealth and talent are gifts to us from God who owns everything. We must use them wisely as His stewards for His glory until He returns.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[a] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[b] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Jesus expounds on the proper attitude toward wealth and again, He sets the bar high. His concern is that we should not be greedy, by hoarding our wealth, and further, that we should not become dependent on money or the many luxuries it can buy. Most of this has to do with the passing nature of material things, including money. They just do not last over the long haul. Stuff gets broken. Things get stolen or moth eaten or they fall apart with corrosion or rot. It's all just stuff anyway. For the most part, you can't eat it or drink it and clothes come and go over time.
Beyond all this, money has no eternal or lasting value. Jesus says that if we have an interest in storing up things - hoarding things - they should be things of spiritual value. These things can be stored up securely in the heavenly record - things like good works, generosity, honesty and compassion. These things do not rot. Moths do not eat them. They will not rust and they will not get stolen.
But we have to be careful because our eyes can lead us astray. If we use our eyes to seek good things - spiritual treasures - we can store these things in heaven. Our eyes will be full of light. However, if we allow our eyes to be distracted by material or fleshly things; if we let our eyes lead us into covetousness, envy and greed, then we will be filled with darkness - spiritual darkness that can overwhelm us.
Jesus' point in all this is that no one can serve two gods. We cannot serve both the one true God and also money and material possessions. We will either ignore God and love money or we will be devoted to Him and the pursuit of wealth will take a back seat. There is no middle ground. Greed and the love of money and material things is idolatry.
-So how do you store up treasures in heaven?
Through good works. By using the wealth that God gives us to help others. By being compassionate, generous, honest and forgiving.
-What does Jesus mean in verse 21 hen He says, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also"?
The things that we value in life say much about who we are and what our priorities might be. If our jobs or our personal property or our hobbies or accumulation of wealth are more important than loving God and our neighbors - that reveals much about where our hearts are. It says much about where we put God in the great schemes of our lives. I tells us who we love most. Is it ourselves or is it the Lord? The answer will be obvious.
-So is it a sin to be rich then?
That's a fair question. It again depends on how you view the things you have and what you do with them. For myself, I would say that God gives us everything to one degree or another. It is by His grace that I have anything at all, so it behooves me to share what He has made me the steward of.
Jesus tell three stories about rich men in the gospel of Luke that create a compelling answer to this question.
In Luke 12:16-21, Jesus tells a story of a rich man that had a bumper crop and decided to build bigger barns and sit back and live off his wealth. The plan was to eat, drink and be merry. Enjoy a life of leisure. Do what others only dream of. The problem was that there was no place for God in this plan. There was no place for sharing the wonderful wealth that God had so graciously given. There was only blatant self interest. It was obvious that the only god the man had was himself, so God took his life and others enjoyed the fruits of his treasures.
In Luke 16:19-25, Jesus tells the story of a rich man and a poor, lame beggar covered in sores named Lazarus. Daily, the rich man would see Lazarus by his gate begging. Daily Lazarus was ignored. Though the rich man had been given much by God that could have been shared with Lazarus to help with his health issues and make him productive in his life again, the rich man did not see it that way. What was his was his.
When the time came that both men died, Lazarus went to paradise, to the bosom of Abraham and to eternal comfort, but the rich man went to hell and eternal torment. He begged for relief. He begged that Lazarus be allowed to bring him water to quench his torment. Abraham advised that would not be happening.
Had the rich man's attitude toward his wealth been different when he was alive, his situation might be different after his death. As it was, he was in torment. He loved his wealth more than God.
In Luke 18:18-30, Jesus meets a rich, young ruler; probably a member of the Sanhedrin. The man asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life and he assures Jesus that he has kept all the commandments since he was young (which is probably a lie). Jesus advised him that he lacked just one thing. He needed to sell everything he had and give to the poor so that he could have treasure in heaven. This made the rich young man very sad. He had much and even though Jesus had not advised that he give it all away, he was still deeply disturbed by what Jesus had said.
When Jesus was questioned about it, He advised that is was easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. The crowds then wondered out loud if anyone could possibly get into heaven and Jesus said, "what is impossible with men is possible with God."
I think Jesus' point in all these stories about rich men is about their attitude toward their wealth.
If we see our wealth as things that God gives us, things that He has made us stewards over, then we will be on the right path. So how can we be proper stewards over the wealth God gives? By sharing and caring in our actions as well as our words.
This is not a Marxist ideology. This is simple sharing and caring for our fellow human beings. We need to be helping each other in the material sense and in the spiritual sense with what ever talents and treasures God gives us. He will bless those efforts accordingly, maybe now and most definitely in the Kingdom that is to come. There is nothing wrong with being rich. Money wealth and talent are gifts to us from God who owns everything. We must use them wisely as His stewards for His glory until He returns.
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Cecil....Really? Your Upset About Cecil???
Cecil is one lion. He may have been a popular lion, both in his pride and in the world, but really people, he is just one lion that was killed by a dentist from Minnesota.
So what is all the angst and acrimony about here?
Since the Roe V Wade decision, over 50 million unborn humans have been killed by their own mothers. The unrealized potential there should be enough to make you question the human decision making process and how corrupt it must be. One of those kids might have cured cancer. One of them might have brought world peace. One of them might have been the greatest president in US history. One of them might have saved Cecil. Now we will never know what they could have been.
Where is the outrage over 50 million human lives lost in this genocidal holocaust? The hard hearted nature of humanity never ceases to amaze me. One lion makes worldwide headlines. Daily human holocaust (abortion) is a woman's right to her own body and not a big deal at all.
What a screwed up world we live in. Hitler and Stalin would think it's just great. Chairman Mao and Pol Pot would love it. Satan, I am sure, is loving it too.
Our race is bent.
Fukushima Aftermath
Do you remember the 9.0 undersea earthquake and resulting tsunami in the Pacific back in March of 2011 that devastated Fukushima, Japan? It caused the nuclear power plant there to ultimately go into a 3 way core meltdown. There were massive radiation releases on land and into the sea that Japan will be reeling from for perhaps centuries. Many believe that this thing continues to release its radioactive poison into the environment. It was truly a disaster of disaster film proportions, the effects of which the Japanese and indeed the world are only beginning to realize.
Natural Society is reporting that mutant daisies have been discovered 65 miles away from the nuclear facility in Fukushima. It is believed now that the radioactive water from the nuclear facility has made it's way into the underground fresh water aqua firs and the effects are being felt far from the original disaster site. This is tragic. I do not think we know yet what the full impact of the disaster will be for Japan or the life cycle of the Pacific ocean. The pain of this disaster will make us long for the days of coal fired power plants. A little CO2 is better than cobalt 90 any day of the week.
If the plant radiation is doing this to the flora of Japan, what is it doing to the people of Japan? What is it doing to the sea life around Japan? Is the radiation moving west?
I suppose the airborne stuff has been around the planet a few times by now. Makes you think twice about eating seafood from the Pacific too.
What will be the final results of this disaster in human terms? We need to find a better power source and we need to stop building nuclear power plants in earthquake zones. That would be a good start...if it's not too late.
Natural Society is reporting that mutant daisies have been discovered 65 miles away from the nuclear facility in Fukushima. It is believed now that the radioactive water from the nuclear facility has made it's way into the underground fresh water aqua firs and the effects are being felt far from the original disaster site. This is tragic. I do not think we know yet what the full impact of the disaster will be for Japan or the life cycle of the Pacific ocean. The pain of this disaster will make us long for the days of coal fired power plants. A little CO2 is better than cobalt 90 any day of the week.
I suppose the airborne stuff has been around the planet a few times by now. Makes you think twice about eating seafood from the Pacific too.
What will be the final results of this disaster in human terms? We need to find a better power source and we need to stop building nuclear power plants in earthquake zones. That would be a good start...if it's not too late.
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
The Way it Works - Take It From A Conspiracy Theorist
It's not a dissertation, but it reveals the brutal truth of why we have war, and seemingly never ending war since our Vietnam days . We have been creating our own enemies so that we can fight them. It started with the mujaheddin in Afghanistan. We armed and trained them to fight the Russians during the Carter administration. We promptly ignored them thereafter, so they became angry with us and transformed into the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. We created Saddam Hussein. We caused the backlash in Iran against the Shah with our support of his governing tactics.These events are not in historical order, but they are the excuse for never ending US and NATO intervention in parts of the world that we made very dangerous on purpose. The cycle is explained below. It is the 'why'. It's money and petrochemicals.
Now we are faced with the likes of ISIS or ISIL or whatever they are calling themselves today. Rumor has it that they are the creation of an unlikely cabal of governments, namely, the US, Saudi Arabia, Israel and the United Kingdom. Their purpose is to continually inflame the rift between the Sunnis and the Shia Moslems and cause general instability, creating the need for constant intervention by western powers - perpetual war.
It's about money, oil and minerals. It has nothing to do with right or wrong or freedom or slavery. There is no moral imperative. Empire is the goal. World government. One might think that with all the sabers rattling, world government was a long way off. I'm here to tell you that we already have it. It's just maintained in a way we never expected. There are no real nation-states. Government is just the enforcement arm of banks and corporations. If a government decides to buck corporate control, the allegedly free press is used against them. It is a system all of it's own and it's been running like a top since the end of WWII.
How are we, the average citizens, involved you ask? We pay for it with our money, our sweat and in some cases, our lives. We are their slaves. If anyone tells you otherwise, they probably work for the government or the controlled media. Don't be tricked. They are liars.
It's about money, oil and minerals. It has nothing to do with right or wrong or freedom or slavery. There is no moral imperative. Empire is the goal. World government. One might think that with all the sabers rattling, world government was a long way off. I'm here to tell you that we already have it. It's just maintained in a way we never expected. There are no real nation-states. Government is just the enforcement arm of banks and corporations. If a government decides to buck corporate control, the allegedly free press is used against them. It is a system all of it's own and it's been running like a top since the end of WWII.
How are we, the average citizens, involved you ask? We pay for it with our money, our sweat and in some cases, our lives. We are their slaves. If anyone tells you otherwise, they probably work for the government or the controlled media. Don't be tricked. They are liars.
All Things Fred
I have to confess. One of my guilty pleasures in life is reading Fred Reed. Fred is the pimple on the buttocks of political correctness. He is a man that knows who he is and what he is and he does not care what others think. He offers his thoughts bolstered by much fact and if you do not like it, surprisingly, he's OK with that. Just don't try to shut him up.
His most recent column is about the rise of matriarchy and its acceptance in the western world. It is at once hilarious and truth filled. Here's a quote:
"The United States has embarked, or been embarked, on a headlong rush into matriarchy, something never before attempted in a major country. Men remain numerically dominant in positions of power, yes, but their behavior and freedom are ever more constrained by the wishes of hostile women. The effects have been disastrous. They are likely to be more so.
The control, or near control, extends all through society. Politicians are terrified of women. The president of an Ivy university is fired, and replaced by a woman, if he makes the obvious observation that women are not much good at mathematics. Women dominate the schools and universities. A Nobelist in biology has to apologize profusely for having said that in laboratories women cry when criticized. Women have forced the lowering of standards for hiring police and firemen, for the military. They have made life miserable for small boys. The beat goes on.
The pathological egalitarianism of the age makes it career-ending to mention that women in fact are neither equal nor identical to men. The differences are many and most of them are obvious:
Women are less curious than men. They will learn to drive or use a computer, but will have no idea how either machine works.
They are totalitarian. A man is willing to let girls be girls and boys be boys. Women want all to be girls or, more accurately, to behave according to female standards.
Men enjoy competition; women deplore it. “Lel’s have a cooperative game led by a caring adult.”
Men prefer freedom to security; women, security to freedom. Wear your helmet on your bike. Use sunscreen. Dodge ball is violent and dangerous. Don’t swim without a lifeguard.
Women prefer emotion to substance. College is now more about feeling good and social arrangements than about academics. Note that if a man suggests that women are not terribly good at math, they do not respond with counterevidence, which would be substance. They become furious, and get their way by what amount s to a vast hissy-fit.
Women hate each other; men do not. In any office, for example, ninety percent of the interpersonal problems will be between women."
And then there is Fred on white supremacy:
"I find Cornel West, a black professor, complaining of White Supremacy, which he believes our black President needs to remedy. Obama, he says, is “niggerized.”
“A niggerized black person is a black person who is afraid and scared and intimidated when it comes to putting a spotlight on white supremacy and fighting against white supremacy,” West said.
I would like to explain to Professor West a few things about this dread supremacy:
We have White Supremacy, Professor, because for 2500 years we, whites, have produced the best minds on the planet, the greatest flourishing of the arts and sciences ever seen, the most complex and organized societies. We have White Supremacy, whatever exactly it may be, because we have been the earth’s most successful race. No other has come close. Deal with it."
In all, Fred is a throw back to better times when men were men and women were...well, maybe I better not say that. I will let Fred do it. (;^))))
Thanks Fred for some great reading. Go here for more Fred.
Monday, July 27, 2015
Focus
Focus is important. If the eyes do not focus properly, we cannot see things with the clarity needed to accurately portray the physical world to our brains. If microscopes and telescopes did not focus, we would not be able to see things like bacillus subtilus or the sombrero galaxy in any detail. Lack of focus can create distortions about reality. We would be peering into mirrors dimly as the apostle, Paul once observed. How did he put it?
" For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."
For the uninitiated, that's from the love chapter of I Corinthians - chapter 13, vs 12. He is talking about perception. He's talking about what we see and what we know about reality, about how things are and about how things should be. He is talking about the way we see spiritually and what kind of focus we have about such things and about how that will will one day change when something called "the completeness" comes. It's about focus.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[c] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"
So focus is all about the availability of the proper light with which to see reality, otherwise you are in darkness, able to perceive very little.
But it goes much deeper than that does it not? Mirrors and eyes really only observe what is going on outside of ourselves. And while it's true that what is going on outside of ourselves does much to reveal the truth of our existence, it is not the end of it is it? No. So really, Mirrors and eyes are just symbols for our perception are they not? It's our perception and what we choose to expose that perception to that determines the reality we perceive.
If we choose to see a godless, existential universe then we will see one. And why is this? It's because we have preconceived notions about reality before we ever look at it closely with any focus, on our own, without the colored glasses of the world. We also have attitudes and motivations that have formed within our minds and spirits that color the way we see things. They come from good places and bad places and neutral places, but they still color our world and influence how we react to it.
Jesus wanted to stop this lack of focus and end the prejudice that we have from living in a distorted, out of focus world bent by sin. He wanted to restore the vision that His Father had when He created the Universe all those millennia ago. He wanted us to be able to "see" everything with spiritual clarity. Of course, if you refuse to acknowledge that anything spiritual actually exists, then many things will remain out of focus for you. Your unhealthy eyes will not let in the light. Your perception of reality will only and always be partial.
Now if you are a Christian, you know what I am saying is true, but does this mean the light of your own perception is as bright as it should be? Are you really seeing things as God intended you to see them or are you still grappling in the shadows to determine the true form of things or the proper direction in which to go? Paul said that if we want to know how to live according to God's vision, we had to live by the Spirit. Are you living by the Spirit? Are your preconceived notions about the universe in which you live coloring your perception? Are you allowing the things of the world to determine how you live? Do you deal with the pressures of life through living by the Spirit or is your pressure vent more worldly?
For us who have faith, we have no other option but to live by the Spirit. We are supposed to be dead to all the preconceived notions about life in our world, but sometimes it's like we chose not to die to them isn't it? We keep the old self on life support in case we need him.
If this is the case for you Christian, then it's time to pull the plug. Let it die. Your old self is interfering with your perception. You will not see correctly until he is dead. He is blocking your access to the light.
In John 8:12, Jesus said, "“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”. He also said in 8:31, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Live by the Spirit Christian. Take your old self off life support so your new self can live fully and perceive the complete truth. Use your new, healthy eyes with the light of Jesus and look in that mirror again. The complete truth of reality will begin to unfold and you will never long for the darkness of your old self again.
Focus.
" For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."
For the uninitiated, that's from the love chapter of I Corinthians - chapter 13, vs 12. He is talking about perception. He's talking about what we see and what we know about reality, about how things are and about how things should be. He is talking about the way we see spiritually and what kind of focus we have about such things and about how that will will one day change when something called "the completeness" comes. It's about focus.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[c] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"
So focus is all about the availability of the proper light with which to see reality, otherwise you are in darkness, able to perceive very little.
But it goes much deeper than that does it not? Mirrors and eyes really only observe what is going on outside of ourselves. And while it's true that what is going on outside of ourselves does much to reveal the truth of our existence, it is not the end of it is it? No. So really, Mirrors and eyes are just symbols for our perception are they not? It's our perception and what we choose to expose that perception to that determines the reality we perceive.
If we choose to see a godless, existential universe then we will see one. And why is this? It's because we have preconceived notions about reality before we ever look at it closely with any focus, on our own, without the colored glasses of the world. We also have attitudes and motivations that have formed within our minds and spirits that color the way we see things. They come from good places and bad places and neutral places, but they still color our world and influence how we react to it.
Jesus wanted to stop this lack of focus and end the prejudice that we have from living in a distorted, out of focus world bent by sin. He wanted to restore the vision that His Father had when He created the Universe all those millennia ago. He wanted us to be able to "see" everything with spiritual clarity. Of course, if you refuse to acknowledge that anything spiritual actually exists, then many things will remain out of focus for you. Your unhealthy eyes will not let in the light. Your perception of reality will only and always be partial.
Now if you are a Christian, you know what I am saying is true, but does this mean the light of your own perception is as bright as it should be? Are you really seeing things as God intended you to see them or are you still grappling in the shadows to determine the true form of things or the proper direction in which to go? Paul said that if we want to know how to live according to God's vision, we had to live by the Spirit. Are you living by the Spirit? Are your preconceived notions about the universe in which you live coloring your perception? Are you allowing the things of the world to determine how you live? Do you deal with the pressures of life through living by the Spirit or is your pressure vent more worldly?
For us who have faith, we have no other option but to live by the Spirit. We are supposed to be dead to all the preconceived notions about life in our world, but sometimes it's like we chose not to die to them isn't it? We keep the old self on life support in case we need him.
If this is the case for you Christian, then it's time to pull the plug. Let it die. Your old self is interfering with your perception. You will not see correctly until he is dead. He is blocking your access to the light.
In John 8:12, Jesus said, "“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”. He also said in 8:31, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Live by the Spirit Christian. Take your old self off life support so your new self can live fully and perceive the complete truth. Use your new, healthy eyes with the light of Jesus and look in that mirror again. The complete truth of reality will begin to unfold and you will never long for the darkness of your old self again.
Focus.
Friday, July 24, 2015
The Church Police
You know who they are. They are the fruit inspectors. They proudly wear their badges and march through our world and our churches proclaiming the unrighteousness of others. It's a slick trick. It moves the focus of attention from them and to others - whoever that might be. They are the Christian version of the liberal social justice workers (SJW's) that see it as their duty to save us from ourselves and the world at large.
In an article in Relavant magazine, Cara Joyner discusses why Christians should not be culture's morality police. I think she is right on in her dissection of the issue. She says, "We were never commissioned to demand that secular culture reflect biblical principles. We were commissioned to reflect biblical principles in the middle of secular culture, pointing to God’s redemptive story."
This is what it's supposed to like for us. We are not part of the world, but we live in it and our job is to plant the seeds of our truth, salting the cultural landscape and making who and what we are seem attractive to people that might be struggling in their life journey. We cannot do that by making blanket judgements and condemnations about people that are not of the faith.
Christian, my thought is that if you cannot keep your judgements to yourself, then leave them/us alone. You are making the rest of us look bad. These people need Jesus. They do not need some morality cop beating them up.
Jesus ate with "publicans and sinners and tax collectors" on a regular basis. He had the strength of character to do this and He would also plant the seeds required to make these people question their status and their relationship with God. When I say, "strength of character", I mean he was strong enough spiritually to spend time with them and remain true to His principles. It needs to be the same with us. We must not become part of their lifestyle, but we must be part of their lives. We must be friends to them, planting seeds in their minds and salting our conversations with encouraging words about what we believe and why. There is no real place for fruit inspection of the Pharisaical variety in such conversations.
Inside the Church at large, there is some room for fruit inspection, but again, I do not think a policing attitude is going to generate much positive response. We live in a world full of churches. Some people will just go elsewhere if they are not comfortable with the level of conversation where they are at. We need to meet these people with their issues where they are at, come along side them and try to help them see whatever it is. Bludgeoning them with judgement and condemnation will not help them.
So, lets leave our badges at home and start by loving each other and loving our neighbors in the world. The Church will grow both spiritually and numerically this way.
I will close with the same quote from Paul that Cara used in her article.
I Timothy 1:15, 16
15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.
This is true for us as well. Let's live it.
In an article in Relavant magazine, Cara Joyner discusses why Christians should not be culture's morality police. I think she is right on in her dissection of the issue. She says, "We were never commissioned to demand that secular culture reflect biblical principles. We were commissioned to reflect biblical principles in the middle of secular culture, pointing to God’s redemptive story."
This is what it's supposed to like for us. We are not part of the world, but we live in it and our job is to plant the seeds of our truth, salting the cultural landscape and making who and what we are seem attractive to people that might be struggling in their life journey. We cannot do that by making blanket judgements and condemnations about people that are not of the faith.
Christian, my thought is that if you cannot keep your judgements to yourself, then leave them/us alone. You are making the rest of us look bad. These people need Jesus. They do not need some morality cop beating them up.
Jesus ate with "publicans and sinners and tax collectors" on a regular basis. He had the strength of character to do this and He would also plant the seeds required to make these people question their status and their relationship with God. When I say, "strength of character", I mean he was strong enough spiritually to spend time with them and remain true to His principles. It needs to be the same with us. We must not become part of their lifestyle, but we must be part of their lives. We must be friends to them, planting seeds in their minds and salting our conversations with encouraging words about what we believe and why. There is no real place for fruit inspection of the Pharisaical variety in such conversations.
Inside the Church at large, there is some room for fruit inspection, but again, I do not think a policing attitude is going to generate much positive response. We live in a world full of churches. Some people will just go elsewhere if they are not comfortable with the level of conversation where they are at. We need to meet these people with their issues where they are at, come along side them and try to help them see whatever it is. Bludgeoning them with judgement and condemnation will not help them.
So, lets leave our badges at home and start by loving each other and loving our neighbors in the world. The Church will grow both spiritually and numerically this way.
I will close with the same quote from Paul that Cara used in her article.
I Timothy 1:15, 16
15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.
This is true for us as well. Let's live it.
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Donald Trump - Repulican Nightmare
Donald Trump is many things. He is rich - over 10 billion by most sources. He is iconic - people loved his TV show. He is a loose cannon; his mouth is often engaged while his brain remains in neutral. But he is also something else. He is a Republican that is running for POTUS.
The Donald, in his early campaign, has completely distracted the voting public with outrageous comments about immigrants and the military record of Senator John McCain. He continually dominates the news cycles and distracts us with his inflammatory rhetoric. People say 'so what, it's entertaining and he's right about many things'.
My thought is that the Republicans should be very afraid - not of Trump - but what he is doing to the electoral process.
Currently, he has the media so distracted that they are not covering more viable candidates in the Republican barn. We hear nothing about other candidates. Instead we hear how the Donald leads with his mouth day to day. This will be devastating for the Republicans. If they do not do something about him, they will be faced with either bending the knee to his bluster or facing the strong possibility of his 3rd party candidacy.
Donald Trump is a calculated distraction. He is neither an actual Republican or Democrat. His job is to distract, to siphon off votes and ensure that we end up with another 'establishment' type president in the style of Clinton or Bush or Obama.
Donald Trump is the Ross Perot of our time. His job is to bring down one of the major party candidates and ensure the election of the other. At this point, it's too soon to say which candidate, but I would bet my vote that it's the Republican candidate that he is supposed to take down.
In a three way race in the general election, I'm thinking that Trump would draw away the most votes from Jeb Bush. Since I'm a Christian Libertarian, I am all for destroying all things Bushy. However, the prospect of a Hillary Clinton presidency elected by a minority of the voters makes me want to scream like a preteen girl. It is a loathsome and fearful prospect. The Evil Borg Queen or the Dark Lord of Mordor.
So, I can only hope that if the Donald runs 3rd party, that he wins. Frankly, he is the least disgusting of the three.
For the record, as a Christian Libertarian, I can only support Rand Paul of all the major party candidates. For me, he is the best choice. I am sure that I will not be able to support the Libertarian Party candidate. Normally, they are such odd balls, their own mothers would not vote for them. The Constitution party is an option. They will not win, but they are an option.
For now and the future, I must face the facts. I am a minority voter. I will not be heard, either in a Republic or a Democracy. My vote and my opinion does not matter. I can only hope for chaos and an eventual reordering of the culture. Yes, Revolution. This is the only thing that will fix the current political dyspepsia. The current ruling class, which has no political aspirations, will continue to manipulate the political process to their own ends. They do not have principle. They only have desire to keep what they have and steal more. They can only do this by controlling those who govern. The Empire of the United States is internationally controlled for this purpose. Until the controllers are destroyed, they will continue to manipulate the players, both corporate and political, for their own ends. It may well be time to introduce them to the guillotine. Whatever...I do not have time for revolution. I do not have much hope for our alleged republic either. I will wait quietly for the end.
Go Donald!
The Donald, in his early campaign, has completely distracted the voting public with outrageous comments about immigrants and the military record of Senator John McCain. He continually dominates the news cycles and distracts us with his inflammatory rhetoric. People say 'so what, it's entertaining and he's right about many things'.
My thought is that the Republicans should be very afraid - not of Trump - but what he is doing to the electoral process.
Currently, he has the media so distracted that they are not covering more viable candidates in the Republican barn. We hear nothing about other candidates. Instead we hear how the Donald leads with his mouth day to day. This will be devastating for the Republicans. If they do not do something about him, they will be faced with either bending the knee to his bluster or facing the strong possibility of his 3rd party candidacy.
Donald Trump is a calculated distraction. He is neither an actual Republican or Democrat. His job is to distract, to siphon off votes and ensure that we end up with another 'establishment' type president in the style of Clinton or Bush or Obama.
Donald Trump is the Ross Perot of our time. His job is to bring down one of the major party candidates and ensure the election of the other. At this point, it's too soon to say which candidate, but I would bet my vote that it's the Republican candidate that he is supposed to take down.
In a three way race in the general election, I'm thinking that Trump would draw away the most votes from Jeb Bush. Since I'm a Christian Libertarian, I am all for destroying all things Bushy. However, the prospect of a Hillary Clinton presidency elected by a minority of the voters makes me want to scream like a preteen girl. It is a loathsome and fearful prospect. The Evil Borg Queen or the Dark Lord of Mordor.
So, I can only hope that if the Donald runs 3rd party, that he wins. Frankly, he is the least disgusting of the three.
For the record, as a Christian Libertarian, I can only support Rand Paul of all the major party candidates. For me, he is the best choice. I am sure that I will not be able to support the Libertarian Party candidate. Normally, they are such odd balls, their own mothers would not vote for them. The Constitution party is an option. They will not win, but they are an option.
For now and the future, I must face the facts. I am a minority voter. I will not be heard, either in a Republic or a Democracy. My vote and my opinion does not matter. I can only hope for chaos and an eventual reordering of the culture. Yes, Revolution. This is the only thing that will fix the current political dyspepsia. The current ruling class, which has no political aspirations, will continue to manipulate the political process to their own ends. They do not have principle. They only have desire to keep what they have and steal more. They can only do this by controlling those who govern. The Empire of the United States is internationally controlled for this purpose. Until the controllers are destroyed, they will continue to manipulate the players, both corporate and political, for their own ends. It may well be time to introduce them to the guillotine. Whatever...I do not have time for revolution. I do not have much hope for our alleged republic either. I will wait quietly for the end.
Go Donald!
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Humility and Loving Your Neighbor
There is an article in Relevant magazine by Mike Mc Hargue about keeping humility in the proper perspective and how that can effect our ability to do what Jesus commanded - to love your neighbor as yourself. It seems that he has recognized a pattern in many Christian people toward self hatred that he believes effects our abilities to love others. This makes perfect sense, but at the same time, the self loathing aspect of their character is many times what drives them (us, meaning me) to achieve things we could not otherwise achieve.
He talks about talented Christian people that he knows that find the work they do with their talents unsatisfactory or even poor. At the place where I work, we call that "constructive dissatisfaction". It's actually a "best practice" designed to create processes of continual improvement over time and it works. We will take a look at what works and try to make it work better.
Many creative people use this process to push themselves. It can create an unhealthy mental state if you are not able to improve on what you did previously, but then if that's the case, it can also help you sort out what you are good at and what you have no business being involved in.
A few years ago I tried my hand at writing poetry and prose. I enjoyed the creation process, but my product always ended up sounding like something from Dr. Seuss....not that there's anything wrong with that. I do have some proverbs that I wrote and may one day share with y'all, but I think my poetry days have pretty much ended. I am not very good at it. That kind of writing did serve a purpose in my life though. It was a method I used to quantify what I knew about the world, the Bible and myself. And that last bit was quite therapeutic. It helped me to vent a lot of spiritual and mental pain. And while I am aware that there may be some argument about this, I think I am mentally and spiritually healthier now, having gone through that process even if it meant I gave up the poetry.
You see, it was the pain and anguish that drove the poetry. Today, much of that is gone or I have at least become mature enough to deal with it in the proper perspective. Getting old is wonderful for that very reason.
To my mind, the thing that really drives one's ability to love oneself and be able to love others is this. Friendship. Attaining quality friendships and learning healthy ways of interacting with other people that do not lead to acrimony, envy or self loathing. Friends build each other up. Friends do not use each other. Friends respect and love each other and their differences and they help one another to see their strengths and weaknesses in light of God's plan for their lives.
I have had many people in my life that I have called friends that were merely acquaintances. These were fairly shallow relationships, but they were good for the time and good times were had.
There have been about 5 people in my lifetime that I would call genuine friends. Trust and love developed in the friendships and this is a rare and precious thing. These people have helped me with my personal issues simply because they were willing to sacrifice a bit of themselves to get to know me. I hope they gained something from knowing me too, besides a headache. Of the 5, one is dead. Another is no longer a close friend even though she knows most everything about me. It's kind of like we had a respectful divorce, but that's an issue for another post. There is another that comments on this blog from time to time that I have known most of my life. The other two are professional God-botherers (as opposed to my amateur standing - I'm not in the union).
Of the last two, one has become an "old friend" even though he is not old and the other is a new friend that I hope to become closer to as our friendship develops. These two are completely different in their personalities but I love them both. If I had children, I would want sons like these two.
The thing that all 5 of these people have in common is that they have pushed me or push me from time to time - to think, to do or to change. This is what I think everyone needs from their friends to get a proper perspective on themselves and what they can do. This process has also helped me to learn to love. I'm still not real good at this, but it's getting better I think.
It's true that loving yourself is a key aspect to learning to love others, but I think that only happens by actually doing both in relationship - in friendship.
Let me just say one more thing to my friend Eric. Buddy, you probably do not even realize this, but our friendship did more to get me above water and breathing again than just about anything in my life to date. I can't thank you enough. I miss you. The amazing part is that you really didn't do anything except be my friend (and drop my rod in the pond). Thanks Man!
Friends are the ticket. Find yourself some.
He talks about talented Christian people that he knows that find the work they do with their talents unsatisfactory or even poor. At the place where I work, we call that "constructive dissatisfaction". It's actually a "best practice" designed to create processes of continual improvement over time and it works. We will take a look at what works and try to make it work better.
Many creative people use this process to push themselves. It can create an unhealthy mental state if you are not able to improve on what you did previously, but then if that's the case, it can also help you sort out what you are good at and what you have no business being involved in.
A few years ago I tried my hand at writing poetry and prose. I enjoyed the creation process, but my product always ended up sounding like something from Dr. Seuss....not that there's anything wrong with that. I do have some proverbs that I wrote and may one day share with y'all, but I think my poetry days have pretty much ended. I am not very good at it. That kind of writing did serve a purpose in my life though. It was a method I used to quantify what I knew about the world, the Bible and myself. And that last bit was quite therapeutic. It helped me to vent a lot of spiritual and mental pain. And while I am aware that there may be some argument about this, I think I am mentally and spiritually healthier now, having gone through that process even if it meant I gave up the poetry.
You see, it was the pain and anguish that drove the poetry. Today, much of that is gone or I have at least become mature enough to deal with it in the proper perspective. Getting old is wonderful for that very reason.
To my mind, the thing that really drives one's ability to love oneself and be able to love others is this. Friendship. Attaining quality friendships and learning healthy ways of interacting with other people that do not lead to acrimony, envy or self loathing. Friends build each other up. Friends do not use each other. Friends respect and love each other and their differences and they help one another to see their strengths and weaknesses in light of God's plan for their lives.
I have had many people in my life that I have called friends that were merely acquaintances. These were fairly shallow relationships, but they were good for the time and good times were had.
There have been about 5 people in my lifetime that I would call genuine friends. Trust and love developed in the friendships and this is a rare and precious thing. These people have helped me with my personal issues simply because they were willing to sacrifice a bit of themselves to get to know me. I hope they gained something from knowing me too, besides a headache. Of the 5, one is dead. Another is no longer a close friend even though she knows most everything about me. It's kind of like we had a respectful divorce, but that's an issue for another post. There is another that comments on this blog from time to time that I have known most of my life. The other two are professional God-botherers (as opposed to my amateur standing - I'm not in the union).
Of the last two, one has become an "old friend" even though he is not old and the other is a new friend that I hope to become closer to as our friendship develops. These two are completely different in their personalities but I love them both. If I had children, I would want sons like these two.
The thing that all 5 of these people have in common is that they have pushed me or push me from time to time - to think, to do or to change. This is what I think everyone needs from their friends to get a proper perspective on themselves and what they can do. This process has also helped me to learn to love. I'm still not real good at this, but it's getting better I think.
It's true that loving yourself is a key aspect to learning to love others, but I think that only happens by actually doing both in relationship - in friendship.
Let me just say one more thing to my friend Eric. Buddy, you probably do not even realize this, but our friendship did more to get me above water and breathing again than just about anything in my life to date. I can't thank you enough. I miss you. The amazing part is that you really didn't do anything except be my friend (and drop my rod in the pond). Thanks Man!
Friends are the ticket. Find yourself some.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
I Dreamed A Dream
It was intense, visual, in color and I thought it was really happening. I had a dream last night that I remember mostly because I finally woke up. Some might characterize it as a bad dream, but I do not. It was filled with bits and pieces of my life and there were people in it I recognized and conversed with. It seemed odd that some of them were there, but they were there nevertheless. A vigorous dream is a very good sign of some intense REM sleep. For the uninitiated, REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is the deepest sort of sleep of all the sleep stages and the best for your mental and physical help. I am told that REM sleep is hard for people of my age to come by, so I am encouraged by the genuine rest I received last night.
Sleep experts have said that dreaming is a way that your brain and particularly your subconscious, reboots itself. I suppose a better description would be that your brain runs a anti virus program and releases all the bad files to a containment area for deletion. Whatever the case, I was sleeping well last night. I hit the bed. I read a bit on the Kindle, Oliver was tightly coiled by my side. And I went into a very sound and deep sleep.
As I said, the dream was not bad, but it was, shall we say, disturbing.
I came home from work. It was early. There was still sunlight in the west. There were construction crews in the yard. They were taking out the front window and tearing up the ceiling in the lower level. Dad was home. He appeared to be 20 years younger - my age. He had on a tool belt and I asked him what the heck was going on. He informed me that he was having some long overdue repairs done to the house. I told him that we had only recently (5 years ago) had the front window replaced. He did not believe me. He never believes me. I do not know what I'm talking about. Such is and always has been his attitude.
As I moved around the house, I saw the workmen (who were all Hispanic) ripping out various things or pushing them over. The 3 seasons porch downstairs was being pushed over when I arrived. I went back upstairs and found a Hispanic woman that seemed to be the construction supervisor and began to argue with her to no avail. Everything was totally out of control.
By this time, Dad had sat down and was watching as his house was being destructed. At the same time a man from work appeared in the living room. He was in drag and putting on make up. I asked him what he was doing there and he said he wanted me to know what he did when he was off. I did not need to know.
At just about that time, I noticed thickening pendulous clouds to the south through the gaping hole that was once the front window. Lightning was flashing and there was the low rumble of what I thought was thunder. I went to the construction supervisor and told her that we would need to put up some tarps to keep the rain and hail out of the house. She agreed and her crew began to scurry in search of coverings for the now open air house.
As I watched the sky, the clouds moved closer and became thicker and lower to the ground. There was a strange red glow in the cloud's center. Like it was giving birth, a Boeing 727 passenger plane began to exit the storm. First the nose and then the wings and then the tail section emerged from the cloud. It was on fire and getting closer and closer to the house. I watched in stunned silence as it descended in altitude and almost made contact with the roof as it passed. It crashed to the north of a band of trees beyond the house. The explosion was tremendous. A fireball went up, and then the ear numbing noise blasted through the house.
Again I heard the sound of jet engines. I turned to the south again. This time, emerging from the clouds was a huge, black military aircraft seemingly on the same course as the 727. The cockpit section of the aircraft glowed like fire. There was smoke coming from all four engines and as it passed, it too crashed beyond the trees to the north. The ensuing explosion was 5 times what the 727 was. A mushroom cloud rose above the trees and then the shock wave moved past. The intensity of the light was blinding and the sound was deafening. Debris from the explosion was flying through the air. A small piece hit me in the chest and it burned with heat, but I was uninjured.
Immediately after, we all ran to the north to view the wreckage...except Dad. He remained in his chair staring toward the south unphased by these events.
As the rest of us walked toward the north to the red glow of the aftermath, we discovered another house being built. There were people from church there working hard to get it finished. There was one there who I have not seen for ages that now goes to another church. We were in awe that they continued to work while the wreckage to the north continued to burn. We were told that finishing the house was more important than what was going on to the north. All they would say was, this is what happens.
About this time I awoke, breathing very hard, but feeling very rested. Now you know why I don't go to movies anymore. I don't need them. (;^)))
Sleep experts have said that dreaming is a way that your brain and particularly your subconscious, reboots itself. I suppose a better description would be that your brain runs a anti virus program and releases all the bad files to a containment area for deletion. Whatever the case, I was sleeping well last night. I hit the bed. I read a bit on the Kindle, Oliver was tightly coiled by my side. And I went into a very sound and deep sleep.
As I said, the dream was not bad, but it was, shall we say, disturbing.
I came home from work. It was early. There was still sunlight in the west. There were construction crews in the yard. They were taking out the front window and tearing up the ceiling in the lower level. Dad was home. He appeared to be 20 years younger - my age. He had on a tool belt and I asked him what the heck was going on. He informed me that he was having some long overdue repairs done to the house. I told him that we had only recently (5 years ago) had the front window replaced. He did not believe me. He never believes me. I do not know what I'm talking about. Such is and always has been his attitude.
As I moved around the house, I saw the workmen (who were all Hispanic) ripping out various things or pushing them over. The 3 seasons porch downstairs was being pushed over when I arrived. I went back upstairs and found a Hispanic woman that seemed to be the construction supervisor and began to argue with her to no avail. Everything was totally out of control.
By this time, Dad had sat down and was watching as his house was being destructed. At the same time a man from work appeared in the living room. He was in drag and putting on make up. I asked him what he was doing there and he said he wanted me to know what he did when he was off. I did not need to know.
At just about that time, I noticed thickening pendulous clouds to the south through the gaping hole that was once the front window. Lightning was flashing and there was the low rumble of what I thought was thunder. I went to the construction supervisor and told her that we would need to put up some tarps to keep the rain and hail out of the house. She agreed and her crew began to scurry in search of coverings for the now open air house.
As I watched the sky, the clouds moved closer and became thicker and lower to the ground. There was a strange red glow in the cloud's center. Like it was giving birth, a Boeing 727 passenger plane began to exit the storm. First the nose and then the wings and then the tail section emerged from the cloud. It was on fire and getting closer and closer to the house. I watched in stunned silence as it descended in altitude and almost made contact with the roof as it passed. It crashed to the north of a band of trees beyond the house. The explosion was tremendous. A fireball went up, and then the ear numbing noise blasted through the house.
Again I heard the sound of jet engines. I turned to the south again. This time, emerging from the clouds was a huge, black military aircraft seemingly on the same course as the 727. The cockpit section of the aircraft glowed like fire. There was smoke coming from all four engines and as it passed, it too crashed beyond the trees to the north. The ensuing explosion was 5 times what the 727 was. A mushroom cloud rose above the trees and then the shock wave moved past. The intensity of the light was blinding and the sound was deafening. Debris from the explosion was flying through the air. A small piece hit me in the chest and it burned with heat, but I was uninjured.
Immediately after, we all ran to the north to view the wreckage...except Dad. He remained in his chair staring toward the south unphased by these events.
As the rest of us walked toward the north to the red glow of the aftermath, we discovered another house being built. There were people from church there working hard to get it finished. There was one there who I have not seen for ages that now goes to another church. We were in awe that they continued to work while the wreckage to the north continued to burn. We were told that finishing the house was more important than what was going on to the north. All they would say was, this is what happens.
About this time I awoke, breathing very hard, but feeling very rested. Now you know why I don't go to movies anymore. I don't need them. (;^)))
Monday, July 20, 2015
Make That Twice
Looks like there was another hack attempt from this IP - 41.58.56.48 - . It's even weirder.
The IP address is located here.
IP Address Location
Country: Nigeria (NG)
City: Lagos
Latitude: 6.45306
Longitude: 3.39583
Odd don't you think? Glad Google was on top of it though. I mostly believe that Google is the antichrist, but they did a fine job today.
I will probably find out tomorrow that it was not Google at all and by changing my email password, I gave everyone in the world access to my electronic guts.
Gee...I hope they don't blackmail me. I don't have any money. Come to think of it, all my blackmail-able behavior occurred before 1979 anyway. We didn't have computers then. I did have a pocket calculator though. Even so, they won't get much.
I Think I've Been Hacked
I received an email from Google concerning suspicious activity on my email account. They provided me with the IP of the source and suggested a password change. I did that, so if you do not get an expected email from me, please put it down to me not remembering my new password. I looked up the IP they sent and I got the following info. It's interesting in a geek sort of way, but I still do not know much about the source. Anyway...be careful out there. Feces happen.
IPv6 address:
|
|
IPv6 expanded:
|
2600:3c01:0000:0000:f03c:91ff:fe84:b1ba
|
IPv6 decimal:
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50511880863631184802145314315652346298
|
WHOIS data:
|
whois data is currently unavailable [GL85-85]. Try again in 20 hours, 34 min. |
Internet service provider:
|
Hurricane Electric |
Organization:
|
Hurricane Electric |
Country name:
|
 United States |
Country ISO alpha-2 code:
|
US |
State:
|
New Jersey |
City:
|
Absecon |
DMA code:
|
504 |
Timezone:
|
America/New_York |
Longitude:
|
-74.4957 |
Latitude:
|
39.4284 |
Reverse DNS in-addr.arpa:
|
Host a.b.1.b.4.8.e.f.f.f.1.9.c.3.0.f.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.1.0.c.3.0.0.6.2.ip6.arpa not found: 3(NXDOMAIN) |
Reverse DNS last updated:
|
1437449118 - 0 seconds ago |
Reverse DNS next update:
|
1438053918 - in 7 days |
Operating System
|
 Windows 7 |
Browser
|
 Chrome 35.0.1916.153 |
Device Type
|
Desktop |
User Agent String
|
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/35.0.1916.153 Safari/537.36 SE 2.X MetaSr 1.0 |
Bot/spider
|
No |
Record views
|
14 |
This IP pageloads:
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1 |
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