- Do you believe in God?
- If yes, was God created and subject to the Universe or is God the creator of the Universe? If no, how are you sure that God does not exist?
- Is there a purpose to existance? If so, what is it?
- Is there a purpose for human life?
- What happens when we die?
- What is the soul? Does it exist?
- What is the mind? Is it different than the soul?
- What is the secret to love?
- What is the secret to peace?
- What do you do all day? Why?
- What are you accomplishing? Is it worth it?
- What does it mean to be alone?
- What is Good, what is Evil, do either or both of them exist?
- What does it mean to be something (sad, happy, hungry, red, blue, rich, fat, alive, dead)?
- Do you think?
- How do you know?
- Do you have a purpose?
- Are you Good?
- What determines if something/ someone is Good or Not Good.
- Are you powerful? How do you know?
- What is more powerful than you? Why?
- Do you pray? Why?
Showing posts with label people. Show all posts
Showing posts with label people. Show all posts
Sunday, January 1, 2012
New Year, Same Questions
Saturday, November 19, 2011
literally Fun, literary
...hope you can keep your pace and peace, perpetual peace is a perfect place to ponder and pontificate, perhaps, proliferate some prose pertaining to pomegranets, purple pastures, and pink people...then, perchance, you may propegate a propensity for providing persistent peace to placate those persons who populate your life... the very principle of it would be your prime purpose.
Alliteration is the very best way to start your day (unless an iambic rhyme comes out to play)
*snort*
Jobs for snobs,
work for dorks,
herds of nerds.
Alliteration is the very best way to start your day (unless an iambic rhyme comes out to play)
*snort*
Jobs for snobs,
work for dorks,
herds of nerds.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Last Day In Russia
Not having a cell phone has been surreal, which means that I need to spend more time without one. I have had plenty of time to think of new ventures and how to help take Integris to a new level. Spending time with my family was wonderful. I realize now that the time to put away some parts of "me" and some dreams on a shelf has come. I think its time to figure out how to put more into God, people, community.
Here in Russia people don't smile they walk around with blank stares. I am aware of this because I don't speak the language... so I've noticed. Is it the same back home? Shouldn't we be cognizant of our connection to each other? Smile to strangers because we aren't really strangers? Wave hi and say hello to people we don't know, because in a way, we do know them?
It is a thought.
I also realized that it is better to be the good guy, noble, compassionate, strong, fun... good. Our society has crippled the concept of Clark Kent and Superman. But I think some major healing needs to be done with our concept of what has value, and what is just empty.
Russia is full of beautiful, knock out, georgeous women. But many know it, and it lessens them. God is a crucifix on a necklace here. Icons on a wall, church on Sunday (rarely for most). They look at my interpretation of Christ as a "Cult". Praying over meals - quaint and quirky.
But the people here have Spirit - it resonates here. Like God is saying, I won't let go of you, even if you forget about me. You can feel the Holy Spirit everywhere -- I think its called common grace, or something like that. And those that are religious are also Reverent.
I think we have forgotten how to be reverent. I think we only view the Spirit through seldom moments, miracles, whispers. But the Spirit is constant - an ever present Help. So how can we be more spirit filled as a people?
Russia could embrace our type of Christianity -- I just need a good old fashion barbeque (oh and alcohol must be welcomed, its a cultural thing here) and if the food is free, and the music good, the people will come. And they would enjoy the fellowship and they would discuss and contemplate God and Jesus. It would be a start.
Back home, I think my participation at Calvary Chapel is going to change. I am going to be more out going, more involved and connected... but moreso, we as a family are going to bring some of Russia back with us. A bridge to the Spirit, to reverence of God.
I miss Texas, but it can wait one more day.
I am enjoying the surroundings and the hum of family.
Here in Russia people don't smile they walk around with blank stares. I am aware of this because I don't speak the language... so I've noticed. Is it the same back home? Shouldn't we be cognizant of our connection to each other? Smile to strangers because we aren't really strangers? Wave hi and say hello to people we don't know, because in a way, we do know them?
It is a thought.
I also realized that it is better to be the good guy, noble, compassionate, strong, fun... good. Our society has crippled the concept of Clark Kent and Superman. But I think some major healing needs to be done with our concept of what has value, and what is just empty.
Russia is full of beautiful, knock out, georgeous women. But many know it, and it lessens them. God is a crucifix on a necklace here. Icons on a wall, church on Sunday (rarely for most). They look at my interpretation of Christ as a "Cult". Praying over meals - quaint and quirky.
But the people here have Spirit - it resonates here. Like God is saying, I won't let go of you, even if you forget about me. You can feel the Holy Spirit everywhere -- I think its called common grace, or something like that. And those that are religious are also Reverent.
I think we have forgotten how to be reverent. I think we only view the Spirit through seldom moments, miracles, whispers. But the Spirit is constant - an ever present Help. So how can we be more spirit filled as a people?
Russia could embrace our type of Christianity -- I just need a good old fashion barbeque (oh and alcohol must be welcomed, its a cultural thing here) and if the food is free, and the music good, the people will come. And they would enjoy the fellowship and they would discuss and contemplate God and Jesus. It would be a start.
Back home, I think my participation at Calvary Chapel is going to change. I am going to be more out going, more involved and connected... but moreso, we as a family are going to bring some of Russia back with us. A bridge to the Spirit, to reverence of God.
I miss Texas, but it can wait one more day.
I am enjoying the surroundings and the hum of family.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Parents and Children
by John Coblentz © Copyright 1992, Christian Light Publications
Honoring Parents
God's expectations for the family are based solidly upon Scriptural principles. We have already observed some of those principles in relation to heritage, but there is another basic principle which has suffered such neglect and abuse in Western society that we must pick it up here and consider it carefully. That is the principle of honoring parents.
Among the commands God gave to His people was one specifically related to families. "Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee" (Exodus 20:12). Paul, writing to the Ephesians, notes that this is the only command of the ten to which a promise is attached. The promise has to do with well-being and long life. Inasmuch as life is a social existence, and inasmuch as the family is the basic social unit, it follows that our obedience or disobedience to a basic family principle will directly affect our lives.
What does it mean to honor our parents? Do Westerners generally honor their parents? Do Western Christians honor their parents? These are questions we must honestly face.
The Hebrew word for honor literally has the idea of heaviness. In verb form it means to give weight to, or to hold as significant or worthy in contrast to something light or frivolous. The practical outworking of such a high regard for parents is invariably associated with such things as obedience, helpfulness, and deference. Children do what their parents instruct them to do, help their parents with work and responsibility, and where there are differences of opinion about plans or desires, they yield to their parents.
Of course, the other side of the coin is that parents are to be honorable. That is, they are to be venerable, loving, and wise. The truth, however, is that all parents have faults and fall short of the ideal, and that some parents are actually unloving, foolish, and contemptible. Does a parent need to be honorable to be honored?
The direction God gives for children to honor their parents makes no exception for parents who are not honorable. In another authority relationship where God calls for honor, He says specifically, "not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward [unreasonable]" (1 Peter 2:18). Young children do not grapple with whether they should obey or not. They tend to respond as their nature dictates. Older children and youths, however, begin to analyze their parents' performance as well as their own reasons for or against obeying. Those with Christian teaching struggle with this command of God in view of their imperfect parents. Three things must be kept in focus for those whose parents may not be honorable:
1. One must honor the position of a parent even when the parent does not seem deserving of honor. All authority rests in God. The position of parenthood with its responsibilities was given by God, and where parents are unfaithful in their responsibilities, they are unfaithful not simply to their children, but to God. By honoring the position of parents, children can leave in God's hands the task of rebuking, chastening, and correcting. With this view, one can say, "Even though my mother screams at me, she is still my mother. And I will try by God's grace to do cheerfully what she says."
2. The giving of honor is more dependent on the heart of the one honoring than the life of the one being honored. To honor parents, one must have an honoring heart, that is, a heart with the qualities suited to honoring. Such qualities include submission, love, faithfulness, meekness, wisdom, etc. Without these qualities, one would find it impossible to find a parent he could honor. With these qualities, one will find grace to honor the parents God has given.
3. Since God commands honor to parents, and God is perfectly honorable, obedience and honor can be given to imperfect parents as obedience unto God. As long as we focus on the imperfections of earthly parents, honor will be difficult. But when we focus on the glory and perfection of our heavenly Father, we have no reasonable option but to honor Him. Since He told us to honor our parents, our honor and obedience to them can be viewed as honor and obedience to Him.
Many Christian young people struggle with practical questions about honoring their parents. They wonder HOW? Here are some specific suggestions for teens who are serious about giving honor:
1. Develop a conscious habit of expressing gratitude to your parents. When you begin to consider, you realize your parents have done, and continue to do for you, far more than you can ever calculate.
2. Discuss with your parents plans you are making. Share both short-range plans for the week and any long-range plans you may have for the next year, several years, or your life. Failure to communicate is one of the most common problems between teens and their parents.
3. Ask for advice. Even if you think you know what your parents will say, ask them what they think. Many teens complain about overrestrictive parents, but probably the biggest cause of overrestriction in parents is underaccountability in teens. Initial advice from parents may not be intended to be the final word on an issue. If you have other thoughts, their advice provides a basis for you to discuss your view point with them. When it comes down to the final decision, of course, you will need to honor them. But even if this means you do not do what you had wanted to do, you will have gained respect and the benefit of further openness with them.
4. Value evenings at home. This will mean, especially in some communities, that you will not go to every activity available to you. Discuss with your parents a suitable schedule and then ask for advice when faced with schedule conflicts. Believe it or not, there will come a time (and shortly) when you will think back to evenings at home as a teen and wish that you could roll back time and just for one evening return.
5. Look for opportunities to do what is not asked. It is hard to describe all that happens when a task is done voluntarily as a gesture of kindness. The work becomes lighter, the worker is changed, and the one for whom it is done is affected. Parents find immeasurable joy in those who honor them in this way.
6. Honor your parents when away from them. Those young people who are really serious about honoring their parents will find that their actions do not change when they are removed from their parents. Neither do their words. Neither does their appearance.
7. Involve your parents on any steps you take on acquiring a life companion. This is not saying we should return to the oriental custom of parents arranging totally for the marriages of their children. It is to say, however, that the notion that only "I" can ultimately tell who is best for me is a false notion in the other extreme. More specific guidelines for this will be given in Chapter 3.
The principle of honoring parents is a lifetime principle. Certainly roles change as a person moves from childhood to teenage to adulthood to old age. But all through life there are ways to show respect and honor to one's parents. As a person moves out of his parents' home, one of the foremost ways to show honor is to seek counsel. As one's parents move into old age and frailty, honor is shown by caring for them. Some of the difficulties associated with that care are discussed more fully in Chapter 8. Here we will simply note that the benefits which come from honoring parents in this way more than offset the difficulties. Furthermore, the practice of sending old folks off to care centers has left a vacancy in the family which convenience cannot replace. The separation and loneliness experienced by many aged parents is a tragedy they should not be required to endure.
Honoring Parents
God's expectations for the family are based solidly upon Scriptural principles. We have already observed some of those principles in relation to heritage, but there is another basic principle which has suffered such neglect and abuse in Western society that we must pick it up here and consider it carefully. That is the principle of honoring parents.
Among the commands God gave to His people was one specifically related to families. "Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee" (Exodus 20:12). Paul, writing to the Ephesians, notes that this is the only command of the ten to which a promise is attached. The promise has to do with well-being and long life. Inasmuch as life is a social existence, and inasmuch as the family is the basic social unit, it follows that our obedience or disobedience to a basic family principle will directly affect our lives.
What does it mean to honor our parents? Do Westerners generally honor their parents? Do Western Christians honor their parents? These are questions we must honestly face.
The Hebrew word for honor literally has the idea of heaviness. In verb form it means to give weight to, or to hold as significant or worthy in contrast to something light or frivolous. The practical outworking of such a high regard for parents is invariably associated with such things as obedience, helpfulness, and deference. Children do what their parents instruct them to do, help their parents with work and responsibility, and where there are differences of opinion about plans or desires, they yield to their parents.
Of course, the other side of the coin is that parents are to be honorable. That is, they are to be venerable, loving, and wise. The truth, however, is that all parents have faults and fall short of the ideal, and that some parents are actually unloving, foolish, and contemptible. Does a parent need to be honorable to be honored?
The direction God gives for children to honor their parents makes no exception for parents who are not honorable. In another authority relationship where God calls for honor, He says specifically, "not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward [unreasonable]" (1 Peter 2:18). Young children do not grapple with whether they should obey or not. They tend to respond as their nature dictates. Older children and youths, however, begin to analyze their parents' performance as well as their own reasons for or against obeying. Those with Christian teaching struggle with this command of God in view of their imperfect parents. Three things must be kept in focus for those whose parents may not be honorable:
1. One must honor the position of a parent even when the parent does not seem deserving of honor. All authority rests in God. The position of parenthood with its responsibilities was given by God, and where parents are unfaithful in their responsibilities, they are unfaithful not simply to their children, but to God. By honoring the position of parents, children can leave in God's hands the task of rebuking, chastening, and correcting. With this view, one can say, "Even though my mother screams at me, she is still my mother. And I will try by God's grace to do cheerfully what she says."
2. The giving of honor is more dependent on the heart of the one honoring than the life of the one being honored. To honor parents, one must have an honoring heart, that is, a heart with the qualities suited to honoring. Such qualities include submission, love, faithfulness, meekness, wisdom, etc. Without these qualities, one would find it impossible to find a parent he could honor. With these qualities, one will find grace to honor the parents God has given.
3. Since God commands honor to parents, and God is perfectly honorable, obedience and honor can be given to imperfect parents as obedience unto God. As long as we focus on the imperfections of earthly parents, honor will be difficult. But when we focus on the glory and perfection of our heavenly Father, we have no reasonable option but to honor Him. Since He told us to honor our parents, our honor and obedience to them can be viewed as honor and obedience to Him.
Many Christian young people struggle with practical questions about honoring their parents. They wonder HOW? Here are some specific suggestions for teens who are serious about giving honor:
1. Develop a conscious habit of expressing gratitude to your parents. When you begin to consider, you realize your parents have done, and continue to do for you, far more than you can ever calculate.
2. Discuss with your parents plans you are making. Share both short-range plans for the week and any long-range plans you may have for the next year, several years, or your life. Failure to communicate is one of the most common problems between teens and their parents.
3. Ask for advice. Even if you think you know what your parents will say, ask them what they think. Many teens complain about overrestrictive parents, but probably the biggest cause of overrestriction in parents is underaccountability in teens. Initial advice from parents may not be intended to be the final word on an issue. If you have other thoughts, their advice provides a basis for you to discuss your view point with them. When it comes down to the final decision, of course, you will need to honor them. But even if this means you do not do what you had wanted to do, you will have gained respect and the benefit of further openness with them.
4. Value evenings at home. This will mean, especially in some communities, that you will not go to every activity available to you. Discuss with your parents a suitable schedule and then ask for advice when faced with schedule conflicts. Believe it or not, there will come a time (and shortly) when you will think back to evenings at home as a teen and wish that you could roll back time and just for one evening return.
5. Look for opportunities to do what is not asked. It is hard to describe all that happens when a task is done voluntarily as a gesture of kindness. The work becomes lighter, the worker is changed, and the one for whom it is done is affected. Parents find immeasurable joy in those who honor them in this way.
6. Honor your parents when away from them. Those young people who are really serious about honoring their parents will find that their actions do not change when they are removed from their parents. Neither do their words. Neither does their appearance.
7. Involve your parents on any steps you take on acquiring a life companion. This is not saying we should return to the oriental custom of parents arranging totally for the marriages of their children. It is to say, however, that the notion that only "I" can ultimately tell who is best for me is a false notion in the other extreme. More specific guidelines for this will be given in Chapter 3.
The principle of honoring parents is a lifetime principle. Certainly roles change as a person moves from childhood to teenage to adulthood to old age. But all through life there are ways to show respect and honor to one's parents. As a person moves out of his parents' home, one of the foremost ways to show honor is to seek counsel. As one's parents move into old age and frailty, honor is shown by caring for them. Some of the difficulties associated with that care are discussed more fully in Chapter 8. Here we will simply note that the benefits which come from honoring parents in this way more than offset the difficulties. Furthermore, the practice of sending old folks off to care centers has left a vacancy in the family which convenience cannot replace. The separation and loneliness experienced by many aged parents is a tragedy they should not be required to endure.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Christmas 2010
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all...
Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a savior who is Christ the Lord.
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men...
Merry Christmas, may your soul have rest and your yoke be light.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all...
Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a savior who is Christ the Lord.
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men...
Merry Christmas, may your soul have rest and your yoke be light.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Being Beautiful
it never took much to be beautiful.
It takes a smile and some effort to comb your hair and scrub your cheeks. but most of all, it takes love.
Smile at people. Hug them. Listen and let them speak for hours, without saying a word. Be confident in your own happiness and share it with others. Encourage others to be ok with being happy. Look people in the eyes and make sure to look for the warmth in their eyes.
Touch people. Touch their shoulder while they are talking to you. Get in close and smell them - even if they smell bad, purify them in your mind and make them smell more beautiful than roses.
Love them deeply - even if it will rock their boat because they have never been loved deeply before. Without any desire of romance, regardless of gender, just purely and in an agape fashion, connect and Love Deep....
Let each individual that you meet know that they are sincerely valued by you, important to you, and most of all treasured by your God.
Control your emotion. Control your connection. Be a leader, and teach people how to handle a true relationship.
In English, our word "love" is limited - so for most of us, we reserve it for our immediate families and our romantic partners.
I tell my friends (men and women) that I miss them and I love them. They know the difference between that love and the love that I share with my wife, my siblings, and my parents....
But they know that it is Love.
Loving others makes you beautiful and attractive - and in the process you will be doing some good.
It takes a smile and some effort to comb your hair and scrub your cheeks. but most of all, it takes love.
Smile at people. Hug them. Listen and let them speak for hours, without saying a word. Be confident in your own happiness and share it with others. Encourage others to be ok with being happy. Look people in the eyes and make sure to look for the warmth in their eyes.
Touch people. Touch their shoulder while they are talking to you. Get in close and smell them - even if they smell bad, purify them in your mind and make them smell more beautiful than roses.
Love them deeply - even if it will rock their boat because they have never been loved deeply before. Without any desire of romance, regardless of gender, just purely and in an agape fashion, connect and Love Deep....
Let each individual that you meet know that they are sincerely valued by you, important to you, and most of all treasured by your God.
Control your emotion. Control your connection. Be a leader, and teach people how to handle a true relationship.
In English, our word "love" is limited - so for most of us, we reserve it for our immediate families and our romantic partners.
I tell my friends (men and women) that I miss them and I love them. They know the difference between that love and the love that I share with my wife, my siblings, and my parents....
But they know that it is Love.
Loving others makes you beautiful and attractive - and in the process you will be doing some good.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Miscegenation
Main Entry: mis·ce·ge·na·tion
Pronunciation: ..(?)mi-?se-j?-,,n,,-sh?n, ?mi-si-j?-,,n,,-..
Function: noun
Etymology: irregular from Latin misc,,re to mix + genus race — more at mix, kin
Date: 1863
: a mixture of races; especially : marriage, cohabitation, or sexual intercourse between a white person and a member of another race
— mis·ce·ge·na·tion·al ..-shn?l, -sh?-n?l.. adjective
I have a lot of "Odin" worshipping friends... new odinists... one of their cultural beliefs is to not mix via marriage or intercourse with other races... they are a shamanistic belief system, where they believe that Gods are region specific... therefore, if you are from Norway, the Gods of that region take care of you. If you are from Kenya, the Kenyan Gods take care of you. Black with Black, white with white, yellow with yellow... you get the picture.
This is a valid belief, not tainted with hate and predjudice, nor lacking in morality -- it is akin to the Japanese belief that civilized Japanese should not marry barbaric "other" races. Cultures should be encouraged to have a variety of perspectives and beliefs...it is healthier for our population.
However, three things pop into my mind: 1. Modern Neo-Odinic sub-Cultures often warp this thinking into hate filled, ethnic clensing type behavior, 2. Original Icelandic, Norwegian, and Scandanavian Cultures PROMOTED intermarriage, and co-mingling. 3. Modern day science shows that inter-racial mixing is healthier for the child (hybrid vigor ring a bell?).
1. I don't really need to get into an indepth discussion on Neo Nazism....or Aryan discussions... we all know the hype. Fact is a majority of New Odinists do NOT ascribe to hate and violence, and prefer to just be with their own kind...but there is a significant amount of others within their clans that remind me of radical islamists and fundamental christians. So as a universal rule, it seems none of our religions can keep the bad apples out... grrr...
2. If one does and anthropologic study of the Nordic regions, they will find a lot of research scientific, in the literature, and in the architecture - in the economy, the cultural practices (like drinking of mead), and in the beliefs that CLEARY PROVE that the humans who ended up living in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, East Russia, etc. were the resultant children of a 1,300+ years of migration, intercultural mixing, and on and on. FACT... the Aryan race was not white, blue eyed, and blond... they were a mix of Caucasoid, and Indo Dravid... (meaning they came from Africa, through India, into Europe and made several stops along the way). The literature suggests that even later on, the culture of the Vikings, promoted the taking of wives and children from conquered lands.
No where, from start to present, is there a clear indication that the original culture or the culture post Christian invasion, ever sought to be separatists....truly this idea of culture preservation is a NEW THINKING from the 60's and 70's -- what is at the heart of it, I don't know... maybe hate, maybe fear, maybe a desire just to preserve the past and take it into the future. (Only active dialog will tell, so far most of the people I have spoken with don't know themselves... they only seem to recite garble that they were told by their spiritual leaders - just like most of modern day christiandom, where the average Christian doesn't know what "grace" is, just the fact that they are "saved by it"...
The languages spoken, the genetic code of the people, the practices all stem from an Indo-Africaans back ground... yup, nearly all vikings are BLACK on the inside... bet you didn't guess that one. The shamanistic belief structure can be traced back through Vedic India into Proto-Mesapotamic Africa. Genetic tracing demonstrates that most people from modern day Scandanavia to as far south as the Czec Republic and Hungary share IDENTICAL Genetic markings as their African counterparts including: bone structure in spine, legs, arms, rib cage and jaw, blood types and illnesses, teethshape, and mitochondrial DNA...
In addition, the cultural practices, Hearth Fires, Drinking of Mead, Celebrating Past Victories, Attacking Tribes for any of a number of reasons, are almost identical between the practices of the peoples in Coastal Africa and the Nordic Peoples... even the way that they made their boats, structured their economy (typically with women in leading political roles), and their languages share common phonetic structures not found anywhere else....
3. Modern Biology has shown that hybrid vigor, i.e. the mixing of diverse sub species of human (i.e. races) results in children that are healthier, more prone to conception (more attractive), more intelligent, and stronger, than either of the parent race. 90% of the time the progeny have the "best" traits (the dominant ones)...
It has been demonstrated that a majority of the recessive traits :propogated during trans migration... with no one else to concieve with the tribes migrating from Africa to the north of Europe, were forced to, yup, inbreed... leading to whiter skin, lighter eyes, blonder more straight hair, thinner bones, more dry skin, smaller breasts and butts, weaker thyroid glands, weaker nails... etc.
So my point is:
While many of the new odinic rite may be trying to preserve culture, and prevent dilution of their peope and beliefs... they may in fact be leading themselves closer and closer into genetic and cultural repression. If this is the case, rather than rising up out of the milue, they run the risk of falling ever into the back drop - like an endangered species.
So while I applaud their desire to preserve -- I must ask, is it healthy? Is it worth the risk? I know that other cultures have tried - despite the odds... native americans, Jewish people, Japanese, heck even the Chaldeans at a point went the route of being isolationsist.... but all have withered away... or ultimately found a way to mix in with Global populations...
I hope, for what it is worth, that this new rising of a pre-modern culture will not go the way of the Amish, the Aztec, or the Atlantian, but rather find a healthy nich in which it can prosper and contribute back to the diaspora of human civilization.
I for one, want to read more about this people, beyond Lief Erricson, Eric the Red, Odin, Thor, and Wulfgar... there must be more than Denmark... (had to throw in that reference...)
Good luck in staving off Miscengenation...however, it may very well be the downfall of your culture....
Pronunciation: ..(?)mi-?se-j?-,,n,,-sh?n, ?mi-si-j?-,,n,,-..
Function: noun
Etymology: irregular from Latin misc,,re to mix + genus race — more at mix, kin
Date: 1863
: a mixture of races; especially : marriage, cohabitation, or sexual intercourse between a white person and a member of another race
— mis·ce·ge·na·tion·al ..-shn?l, -sh?-n?l.. adjective
I have a lot of "Odin" worshipping friends... new odinists... one of their cultural beliefs is to not mix via marriage or intercourse with other races... they are a shamanistic belief system, where they believe that Gods are region specific... therefore, if you are from Norway, the Gods of that region take care of you. If you are from Kenya, the Kenyan Gods take care of you. Black with Black, white with white, yellow with yellow... you get the picture.
This is a valid belief, not tainted with hate and predjudice, nor lacking in morality -- it is akin to the Japanese belief that civilized Japanese should not marry barbaric "other" races. Cultures should be encouraged to have a variety of perspectives and beliefs...it is healthier for our population.
However, three things pop into my mind: 1. Modern Neo-Odinic sub-Cultures often warp this thinking into hate filled, ethnic clensing type behavior, 2. Original Icelandic, Norwegian, and Scandanavian Cultures PROMOTED intermarriage, and co-mingling. 3. Modern day science shows that inter-racial mixing is healthier for the child (hybrid vigor ring a bell?).
1. I don't really need to get into an indepth discussion on Neo Nazism....or Aryan discussions... we all know the hype. Fact is a majority of New Odinists do NOT ascribe to hate and violence, and prefer to just be with their own kind...but there is a significant amount of others within their clans that remind me of radical islamists and fundamental christians. So as a universal rule, it seems none of our religions can keep the bad apples out... grrr...
2. If one does and anthropologic study of the Nordic regions, they will find a lot of research scientific, in the literature, and in the architecture - in the economy, the cultural practices (like drinking of mead), and in the beliefs that CLEARY PROVE that the humans who ended up living in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, East Russia, etc. were the resultant children of a 1,300+ years of migration, intercultural mixing, and on and on. FACT... the Aryan race was not white, blue eyed, and blond... they were a mix of Caucasoid, and Indo Dravid... (meaning they came from Africa, through India, into Europe and made several stops along the way). The literature suggests that even later on, the culture of the Vikings, promoted the taking of wives and children from conquered lands.
No where, from start to present, is there a clear indication that the original culture or the culture post Christian invasion, ever sought to be separatists....truly this idea of culture preservation is a NEW THINKING from the 60's and 70's -- what is at the heart of it, I don't know... maybe hate, maybe fear, maybe a desire just to preserve the past and take it into the future. (Only active dialog will tell, so far most of the people I have spoken with don't know themselves... they only seem to recite garble that they were told by their spiritual leaders - just like most of modern day christiandom, where the average Christian doesn't know what "grace" is, just the fact that they are "saved by it"...
The languages spoken, the genetic code of the people, the practices all stem from an Indo-Africaans back ground... yup, nearly all vikings are BLACK on the inside... bet you didn't guess that one. The shamanistic belief structure can be traced back through Vedic India into Proto-Mesapotamic Africa. Genetic tracing demonstrates that most people from modern day Scandanavia to as far south as the Czec Republic and Hungary share IDENTICAL Genetic markings as their African counterparts including: bone structure in spine, legs, arms, rib cage and jaw, blood types and illnesses, teethshape, and mitochondrial DNA...
In addition, the cultural practices, Hearth Fires, Drinking of Mead, Celebrating Past Victories, Attacking Tribes for any of a number of reasons, are almost identical between the practices of the peoples in Coastal Africa and the Nordic Peoples... even the way that they made their boats, structured their economy (typically with women in leading political roles), and their languages share common phonetic structures not found anywhere else....
3. Modern Biology has shown that hybrid vigor, i.e. the mixing of diverse sub species of human (i.e. races) results in children that are healthier, more prone to conception (more attractive), more intelligent, and stronger, than either of the parent race. 90% of the time the progeny have the "best" traits (the dominant ones)...
It has been demonstrated that a majority of the recessive traits :propogated during trans migration... with no one else to concieve with the tribes migrating from Africa to the north of Europe, were forced to, yup, inbreed... leading to whiter skin, lighter eyes, blonder more straight hair, thinner bones, more dry skin, smaller breasts and butts, weaker thyroid glands, weaker nails... etc.
So my point is:
While many of the new odinic rite may be trying to preserve culture, and prevent dilution of their peope and beliefs... they may in fact be leading themselves closer and closer into genetic and cultural repression. If this is the case, rather than rising up out of the milue, they run the risk of falling ever into the back drop - like an endangered species.
So while I applaud their desire to preserve -- I must ask, is it healthy? Is it worth the risk? I know that other cultures have tried - despite the odds... native americans, Jewish people, Japanese, heck even the Chaldeans at a point went the route of being isolationsist.... but all have withered away... or ultimately found a way to mix in with Global populations...
I hope, for what it is worth, that this new rising of a pre-modern culture will not go the way of the Amish, the Aztec, or the Atlantian, but rather find a healthy nich in which it can prosper and contribute back to the diaspora of human civilization.
I for one, want to read more about this people, beyond Lief Erricson, Eric the Red, Odin, Thor, and Wulfgar... there must be more than Denmark... (had to throw in that reference...)
Good luck in staving off Miscengenation...however, it may very well be the downfall of your culture....
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Thank You tiny Humans
My phone used to have a chord attached...and required analog dialing
Come to think of it, at one point, if it rang and no-one was home, it just rang...
Now, we don't have a "home phone"... our cell phones are surfing the internet, call forwarding to our skype accounts, and I text more than talk...
I hated trying to get the antennas "just right" to see a picture on NBC... then when the antenna went away, the cable bill, then satellite bill seemed enormous... now I just pay a simple $40 bucks for internet and get everything on line, highspeed, in HD...
Block Buster? hello Netflicks.
Light bulbs used to go out every other week -- and at 60 watts per bulb... lets just say my electric bill was yucky.. now my bulbs give off more light and only use 11 watts... what's more, they won't be changed for several YEARS...
My convection toaster oven cooks food faster and with less electricity than the oven we had growing up. Our microwave wont give us cancer.
My refridgerator as a kid didn't make ice, then it did, then it poured water, then it poured water and dispensed ice (both crushed and cubed)... now ours does all of the above, uses 1/4 the energy, auto controls the humidity, and I swear it can think... maybe not
I used to have an Atari, then a TSR 80, our upgrade was the commodore 64 and then the Nintendo... today I have a quad core, 64 bit processor gaming machine... and an Xbox 360, and wii.... did I mention that my keyboard and mouse are wireless?
When I was 4, dad would scold my sister for wasting good "tapes"... now I run through blank dvd's like yesterday's paper... whatever happened to the mix tape?
Walmart has EVERYTHING that JCPenny and SEARS only dreamed of having...
Speedracer gave way to GIJoe and Transformers... I loved cartoons... now they are movies with Actors.
Graduating Highschool was terrifying, because it meant leaving my world of friends and fun behind... letters and emails of promises... internet... then myspace and classmates.com (who would really pay when we all knew it would someday be free?)
Now Facebook.. well, here we are aren't we...?
don't forget calculators... I thought solar powered calculators were cool... don't ask me how to use a TI-83, ti-85 or those hp ones...but we have them.
Encyclopedias that noone read to Wikipedia... and Google...
Toll booths that we all avoided to EZ pass...
Clothing stores were targeted to girls... now express, BR, AF, GAP... all have guy clothes... and that's cool...
And who ever invented the Kureig coffee maker is my hero...
Life is pretty cool
Come to think of it, at one point, if it rang and no-one was home, it just rang...
Now, we don't have a "home phone"... our cell phones are surfing the internet, call forwarding to our skype accounts, and I text more than talk...
I hated trying to get the antennas "just right" to see a picture on NBC... then when the antenna went away, the cable bill, then satellite bill seemed enormous... now I just pay a simple $40 bucks for internet and get everything on line, highspeed, in HD...
Block Buster? hello Netflicks.
Light bulbs used to go out every other week -- and at 60 watts per bulb... lets just say my electric bill was yucky.. now my bulbs give off more light and only use 11 watts... what's more, they won't be changed for several YEARS...
My convection toaster oven cooks food faster and with less electricity than the oven we had growing up. Our microwave wont give us cancer.
My refridgerator as a kid didn't make ice, then it did, then it poured water, then it poured water and dispensed ice (both crushed and cubed)... now ours does all of the above, uses 1/4 the energy, auto controls the humidity, and I swear it can think... maybe not
I used to have an Atari, then a TSR 80, our upgrade was the commodore 64 and then the Nintendo... today I have a quad core, 64 bit processor gaming machine... and an Xbox 360, and wii.... did I mention that my keyboard and mouse are wireless?
When I was 4, dad would scold my sister for wasting good "tapes"... now I run through blank dvd's like yesterday's paper... whatever happened to the mix tape?
Walmart has EVERYTHING that JCPenny and SEARS only dreamed of having...
Speedracer gave way to GIJoe and Transformers... I loved cartoons... now they are movies with Actors.
Graduating Highschool was terrifying, because it meant leaving my world of friends and fun behind... letters and emails of promises... internet... then myspace and classmates.com (who would really pay when we all knew it would someday be free?)
Now Facebook.. well, here we are aren't we...?
don't forget calculators... I thought solar powered calculators were cool... don't ask me how to use a TI-83, ti-85 or those hp ones...but we have them.
Encyclopedias that noone read to Wikipedia... and Google...
Toll booths that we all avoided to EZ pass...
Clothing stores were targeted to girls... now express, BR, AF, GAP... all have guy clothes... and that's cool...
And who ever invented the Kureig coffee maker is my hero...
Life is pretty cool
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Simple Truth
You are loved deeply. If you haven't heard the words or felt the touch of love, then you are not listening to the right music nor holding the right hands.
Noone should die thinking that love is far away. Love is here -- always.
It is whispered in your ears all the time, all day long. Learn to cancel out the noise of a distracting life, and learn to feel loved.
Love others and you will find peace, rest, and sanctuary.
Noone should die thinking that love is far away. Love is here -- always.
It is whispered in your ears all the time, all day long. Learn to cancel out the noise of a distracting life, and learn to feel loved.
Love others and you will find peace, rest, and sanctuary.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Critical Thinking
A majority of humankind is content with existing in a state of constant distraction, unable or unwilling to truly discern the nature of their world and life.
I can make that statement with enough confidence that only a few people on the planet would be able to make an opposing argument and plausibly defend it in a good conversation.
(Hint: if you thought the the first statement was insulting, the second statement arrogant, or if you "just don't care" then you most likely are not one of the people qualified to create a suitable retort. And you are probably one of the people that I have depicted in the first statement.)
ok, ok... moving on. Here is the first tip to increase your intelligence:
1. Define everything. Do not slip into a habit of just accepting the given "meaning" of something. Pick up a dictionary, read articles, talk with people, gain a perspective on everything you discuss and think about.
"Where are you?"
I am here...
"Where are you?"
I am here in Houston, Texas
"Where are you?"
I am here in a composition of atoms, organized into clusters or molecules (most of which are commonly termed "water"), which themselves have formed into macro-groups commonly refered to as tissue, fluid, also called cells, these cells are organized into tissue and fluid systems which are contained as one 5'5" unit, called Sidhartha Sen, which is in a shell of materials called clothing, upon a chair, fixed within an outer shell called shelter, this shelter being called an apartment, with a positional situation within Houston, Texas, USA, North America, Earth, Sol System, Milky Way, Universe...
"Who are you?"
Uh, oh...
"How do you know"
ok, stop
"what do you believe?"
"what do you know?"
"why"
"How do you work?"
"How do you come to have knowledge?"
So many simple questions and most people have minds that are two weak to answer them... even in a silent moment of meditation.
So then how can these people claim to have "faith" "belief in God" "support for Democracy" "a relationship" with anything; when they don't even know what they mean when they say these things?
I can make that statement with enough confidence that only a few people on the planet would be able to make an opposing argument and plausibly defend it in a good conversation.
(Hint: if you thought the the first statement was insulting, the second statement arrogant, or if you "just don't care" then you most likely are not one of the people qualified to create a suitable retort. And you are probably one of the people that I have depicted in the first statement.)
ok, ok... moving on. Here is the first tip to increase your intelligence:
1. Define everything. Do not slip into a habit of just accepting the given "meaning" of something. Pick up a dictionary, read articles, talk with people, gain a perspective on everything you discuss and think about.
"Where are you?"
I am here...
"Where are you?"
I am here in Houston, Texas
"Where are you?"
I am here in a composition of atoms, organized into clusters or molecules (most of which are commonly termed "water"), which themselves have formed into macro-groups commonly refered to as tissue, fluid, also called cells, these cells are organized into tissue and fluid systems which are contained as one 5'5" unit, called Sidhartha Sen, which is in a shell of materials called clothing, upon a chair, fixed within an outer shell called shelter, this shelter being called an apartment, with a positional situation within Houston, Texas, USA, North America, Earth, Sol System, Milky Way, Universe...
"Who are you?"
Uh, oh...
"How do you know"
ok, stop
"what do you believe?"
"what do you know?"
"why"
"How do you work?"
"How do you come to have knowledge?"
So many simple questions and most people have minds that are two weak to answer them... even in a silent moment of meditation.
So then how can these people claim to have "faith" "belief in God" "support for Democracy" "a relationship" with anything; when they don't even know what they mean when they say these things?
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Talking with God
"you mean you actually speak with God?"
"yes"
"you mean you pray to Him?"
"no, well I pray too, but we speak, have dialogue...its cool"
"you're insane..."
"faithful"
"How do you know its God and not the devil, or just your brain?"
"The content of the conversations are different... and he just whispers..."
"huh?"
"The devil speaks AT everyone, he talks, whispers, yells, pleads in your ear... and he always wants you to keep talking, keep thinking, keep going in endless circles of diatribe... never finding peace, never finding progression, always stressful, or distracting...EVERYONE speaks to him."
"uh, yeah... ok" *sarcasm*
*sigh*
"when I pray, God doesn't talk back.. .he just lets me talk, and talk, scream, yell, whisper, plead.... I end up talking at Him, not to Him..."
"So you're like Satan" *grin*
"In a way, but unlike satan, I've learned to shut up, to get quiet, to listen, learn - to let myself be loved, and to obey."
"Obey? - Sounds like slavery"
"It is, we all are slaves, we all serve a master... some the Devil, others money, others lust, drugs, power, amusement, family, duty, righteousness, charity, philanthropy, careers, pride...no one can serve two masters, I bow to God. If anyone will be a good master, it will be Him."
"I'm not a slave, I have free will"
"Sure"
"I DO. I am not a robot - what would the point be in that?"
"African slaves were able to think, feel, sing, cry, but they were still slaves. They only had one choice, to obey or not. All humans are the same."
"What's the point in having religion, or belief in God, if there is no free will? - That would make God responsible for all the evil in the world..."
"Depends on how you define Evil...evil from your point of view is not the same as His..."
"whatever, bad is bad, good is good... you're crazy"
"man is hungry, his family is starving, he sees a huge field with tons of corn, and he has a gun...
farmer has worked all season, fingers to the bone, yielding a whole field of corn - and yet the harvest wont be enough to pay the mortgage....if the hungry man takes the corn to feed his family is he good or is he a thief? Are all thieves bad? If the farmer defends his farm and kills the thief, is he defending his family or a murderer?"
"You're an ass... that's a hypothetical"
"It happens all the time, the first time recorded is the story of Cincinattus...the american civil war and WWII were started in much the same way...just not over corn. BUT if the murderer and the thief, learned to listen, speak and obey God THEN the thief would have asked the farmer, the farmer would have fed the thief...God would have been glorified..."
"Dude, over my head"
"I know. I can't explain it, I am not God."
"So when you speak to him, he speaks back..."
"NO, when HE speaks to me, I shut up and listen."
"When does he talk?"
"All the time...but I am not always listening"
"Why?"
*shrug* "I let life lure me into disobediance, God whispers, he refuses to talk above the chatter and confusion of life... I must seek Him"
"You're weird"
"yup"
"You really believe in a God like that"
"I believe in a God that has broken me, rebuilt me, broken me again, rebuilt me again, given me riches and poverty, heartbreak and a physically broken heart, a career that many would spend their whole lives questing for, a beautiful intelligent loving wife, a future, and GRACE. I exist to serve him, good or bad, better or worse, young and old, rich, poor, sick, healthy, in this life and the next...he has placed the begining of wisdom on my poor shoulders, and softened my voice... he has replaced my boyish laughter with a steady voice that can sing and command, and my innocent eyes have been opened to all that I have done, will do, and am doing...in essence, I speak with God and He speaks to me... and that God I trust - to do less would be insane."
"too deep for me..."
"you should learn to swim then..."
"shallow water seems fine" *smirk*
"thats where the sharks are"
"ever thought that I am one of those sharks"
"no, you are a lamprey feeding off the shark, dependent on it, rather than swimming on your own. I want you to swim... like we are doing right now"
"hmm"
"gotta go, my wife needs me... "
"see ya"
"bye"
"Uh, tell Him hi, the next time you chat"
"He heard you" *grin*
--True Account
"yes"
"you mean you pray to Him?"
"no, well I pray too, but we speak, have dialogue...its cool"
"you're insane..."
"faithful"
"How do you know its God and not the devil, or just your brain?"
"The content of the conversations are different... and he just whispers..."
"huh?"
"The devil speaks AT everyone, he talks, whispers, yells, pleads in your ear... and he always wants you to keep talking, keep thinking, keep going in endless circles of diatribe... never finding peace, never finding progression, always stressful, or distracting...EVERYONE speaks to him."
"uh, yeah... ok" *sarcasm*
*sigh*
"when I pray, God doesn't talk back.. .he just lets me talk, and talk, scream, yell, whisper, plead.... I end up talking at Him, not to Him..."
"So you're like Satan" *grin*
"In a way, but unlike satan, I've learned to shut up, to get quiet, to listen, learn - to let myself be loved, and to obey."
"Obey? - Sounds like slavery"
"It is, we all are slaves, we all serve a master... some the Devil, others money, others lust, drugs, power, amusement, family, duty, righteousness, charity, philanthropy, careers, pride...no one can serve two masters, I bow to God. If anyone will be a good master, it will be Him."
"I'm not a slave, I have free will"
"Sure"
"I DO. I am not a robot - what would the point be in that?"
"African slaves were able to think, feel, sing, cry, but they were still slaves. They only had one choice, to obey or not. All humans are the same."
"What's the point in having religion, or belief in God, if there is no free will? - That would make God responsible for all the evil in the world..."
"Depends on how you define Evil...evil from your point of view is not the same as His..."
"whatever, bad is bad, good is good... you're crazy"
"man is hungry, his family is starving, he sees a huge field with tons of corn, and he has a gun...
farmer has worked all season, fingers to the bone, yielding a whole field of corn - and yet the harvest wont be enough to pay the mortgage....if the hungry man takes the corn to feed his family is he good or is he a thief? Are all thieves bad? If the farmer defends his farm and kills the thief, is he defending his family or a murderer?"
"You're an ass... that's a hypothetical"
"It happens all the time, the first time recorded is the story of Cincinattus...the american civil war and WWII were started in much the same way...just not over corn. BUT if the murderer and the thief, learned to listen, speak and obey God THEN the thief would have asked the farmer, the farmer would have fed the thief...God would have been glorified..."
"Dude, over my head"
"I know. I can't explain it, I am not God."
"So when you speak to him, he speaks back..."
"NO, when HE speaks to me, I shut up and listen."
"When does he talk?"
"All the time...but I am not always listening"
"Why?"
*shrug* "I let life lure me into disobediance, God whispers, he refuses to talk above the chatter and confusion of life... I must seek Him"
"You're weird"
"yup"
"You really believe in a God like that"
"I believe in a God that has broken me, rebuilt me, broken me again, rebuilt me again, given me riches and poverty, heartbreak and a physically broken heart, a career that many would spend their whole lives questing for, a beautiful intelligent loving wife, a future, and GRACE. I exist to serve him, good or bad, better or worse, young and old, rich, poor, sick, healthy, in this life and the next...he has placed the begining of wisdom on my poor shoulders, and softened my voice... he has replaced my boyish laughter with a steady voice that can sing and command, and my innocent eyes have been opened to all that I have done, will do, and am doing...in essence, I speak with God and He speaks to me... and that God I trust - to do less would be insane."
"too deep for me..."
"you should learn to swim then..."
"shallow water seems fine" *smirk*
"thats where the sharks are"
"ever thought that I am one of those sharks"
"no, you are a lamprey feeding off the shark, dependent on it, rather than swimming on your own. I want you to swim... like we are doing right now"
"hmm"
"gotta go, my wife needs me... "
"see ya"
"bye"
"Uh, tell Him hi, the next time you chat"
"He heard you" *grin*
--True Account
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Condensed Surfing
So, I started looking at the random posts on my facebook page... and clicked on one... a friend of mine and her mom were heading for Europe... then another click and I notice that a friend is having twins... another click and I learn that the heart surgery went fine...click..and I see the wedding photos from last weekend...click...the trick or treating wasn't as fun this year...click...trick or treating rocked... click... someone's recently divorced mom is starting to date again... click... the dog is ok, but the vet wants him to get some more vaccines... click...she can't believe McCain lost (idiot)... click... he is thinking about moving to Canada now that Obama won (idiot)...click... God is in control regardless of who is president... click...there is no God and no burning bush... click....click...click...
3 hours of my life gone...but i have witnessed/experienced about 2 years of life... weird.
3 hours of my life gone...but i have witnessed/experienced about 2 years of life... weird.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
New Year
No one is perfect. We all have fear, we all have pride. We all make mistakes. I have lied, cheated, and hurt many people. Many people have lied, cheated, and hurt me.
Life happens. We choose to feel hurt and angry. And we choose to feel joy and hope.
We all want to be better people, honorable, kind, just, good. In essence, most people want to be righteous. But in the light of our inadequacies, our failures, and over all let downs, we loose hope. Some people cry. Some get angry. Others run.
You are people who I have come to call my friend. Not because of your perfections, nor because of your imperfections, but rather because you hope for a good future - for yourselves and your children.
You try to understand things like faith. Faith in things greater than your self. Faith in the virtues and essences that drive your soul. Faith in your family, community, your people.
You believe in the connection that comes from your folk. Your community creates a sense of harmony, security, and joy. You have witnessed failure, heartbreak, dishonor, betrayal, and still you have poured yourselves into your community. Forgiving the faults of others, bridging peace, and learning to keep the flames of your small community alive.
Most of all you try to have a definition of Family, that transcends the ties of blood - into something more real: trust, loyalty, and love. You understand that real family is built by relationship. You implicitly realize that an unknowable love, exists in the tether of friendship, romance, and long endured time.
Family forgives. Family adapts. Family endures.
Life happens. It is how we deal with the choices before us, that determines the memories of our hearts, the songs of our lives, and the stories of our souls.
If any God exists, yours or mine, then let Him be honored by our ability to stay true to our beliefs... even when we are injured the most - especially when we are afraid, angry, and confused.
God, wants truth and relationship. You know this. The relationship with God is easy to mimic when we have no need of His wisdom and grace. But when times send us into places that are dark, angry, or sorrowful, it is our trust in His truth that truly defines our song.
I hope you are facing the New Year with hearts ready for new adventures, burdens, and Joy. I wish you peace and hope you honor your responsibilities to your community, to your children, to your God, and most of all to each other.
Always your friend, and always ready to listen,
Sidhartha
27 Dec 2007
Life happens. We choose to feel hurt and angry. And we choose to feel joy and hope.
We all want to be better people, honorable, kind, just, good. In essence, most people want to be righteous. But in the light of our inadequacies, our failures, and over all let downs, we loose hope. Some people cry. Some get angry. Others run.
You are people who I have come to call my friend. Not because of your perfections, nor because of your imperfections, but rather because you hope for a good future - for yourselves and your children.
You try to understand things like faith. Faith in things greater than your self. Faith in the virtues and essences that drive your soul. Faith in your family, community, your people.
You believe in the connection that comes from your folk. Your community creates a sense of harmony, security, and joy. You have witnessed failure, heartbreak, dishonor, betrayal, and still you have poured yourselves into your community. Forgiving the faults of others, bridging peace, and learning to keep the flames of your small community alive.
Most of all you try to have a definition of Family, that transcends the ties of blood - into something more real: trust, loyalty, and love. You understand that real family is built by relationship. You implicitly realize that an unknowable love, exists in the tether of friendship, romance, and long endured time.
Family forgives. Family adapts. Family endures.
Life happens. It is how we deal with the choices before us, that determines the memories of our hearts, the songs of our lives, and the stories of our souls.
If any God exists, yours or mine, then let Him be honored by our ability to stay true to our beliefs... even when we are injured the most - especially when we are afraid, angry, and confused.
God, wants truth and relationship. You know this. The relationship with God is easy to mimic when we have no need of His wisdom and grace. But when times send us into places that are dark, angry, or sorrowful, it is our trust in His truth that truly defines our song.
I hope you are facing the New Year with hearts ready for new adventures, burdens, and Joy. I wish you peace and hope you honor your responsibilities to your community, to your children, to your God, and most of all to each other.
Always your friend, and always ready to listen,
Sidhartha
27 Dec 2007
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Solving Iraq
Consider giving Iraq statehood...
Then all their people would be our people. Our laws would be their laws. Our soldiers would be defending our people.
Iraq could be divided into 3 states... giving them 6 senators and a ton of congressmen.
They would get roads, hospitals, schools, a vote, freedom of religion, freedom of speech... they would have the right to bear arms and eat at McDonalds.
They would pay taxes, and we could declare a state of emergency and rebuild that part of OUR country very fast.
We could offer incentives:
1. Any business that invests in Iraq will pay no income tax or social security tax. Doctors, Engineers, and Teachers will get a government stipend for 5 years on top of normal salaries, and have no income tax.
2. Amnesty and "no-look-backs" for people claiming to be of Iraqi decent... immediate citizenship for 5 years... after that, you need birth certificates like the rest of us.
3. If you want to be a us citizen or green card holder, do a tour for two years in Iraq as a Teacher, Engineer, or Doctor, or a 1 year tour as a soldier...upon your completion of rebuilding or defending our Country, you will have an immediate granting of your status with the US.
4.Offer domestic US citizens to live in Iraq for a period of time in exchange for no income tax.
In addition to the incentives, adding Iraq as states under the protection of the US - our country gains a permanent footing in the middle east, access to oil, independence from Saudi, and we now have a good rational for investing in the region.
Terrorism against Iraq would be considered terrorism against the US... requiring a permanent military (national guard) presence.
As Iraqis become adjusted to their status as Americans, the majority will desire to maintain their liberties, they will encourage promotion of capitalistic ideas and discourage violence against their homes...
Regional oppression will create a desire to immigrate into Iraq from areas like Saudi, Iran, Qatar, etc.
Economic wealth can be exponentially increased as the US/Iraq builds an economic trade alliance with UAE (United Arab Emirates) and Dubai.
The current parliment becomes the state senate, the PM becomes one of the Govenors...
In Ten years we would have peace, and a new New York...
Then all their people would be our people. Our laws would be their laws. Our soldiers would be defending our people.
Iraq could be divided into 3 states... giving them 6 senators and a ton of congressmen.
They would get roads, hospitals, schools, a vote, freedom of religion, freedom of speech... they would have the right to bear arms and eat at McDonalds.
They would pay taxes, and we could declare a state of emergency and rebuild that part of OUR country very fast.
We could offer incentives:
1. Any business that invests in Iraq will pay no income tax or social security tax. Doctors, Engineers, and Teachers will get a government stipend for 5 years on top of normal salaries, and have no income tax.
2. Amnesty and "no-look-backs" for people claiming to be of Iraqi decent... immediate citizenship for 5 years... after that, you need birth certificates like the rest of us.
3. If you want to be a us citizen or green card holder, do a tour for two years in Iraq as a Teacher, Engineer, or Doctor, or a 1 year tour as a soldier...upon your completion of rebuilding or defending our Country, you will have an immediate granting of your status with the US.
4.Offer domestic US citizens to live in Iraq for a period of time in exchange for no income tax.
In addition to the incentives, adding Iraq as states under the protection of the US - our country gains a permanent footing in the middle east, access to oil, independence from Saudi, and we now have a good rational for investing in the region.
Terrorism against Iraq would be considered terrorism against the US... requiring a permanent military (national guard) presence.
As Iraqis become adjusted to their status as Americans, the majority will desire to maintain their liberties, they will encourage promotion of capitalistic ideas and discourage violence against their homes...
Regional oppression will create a desire to immigrate into Iraq from areas like Saudi, Iran, Qatar, etc.
Economic wealth can be exponentially increased as the US/Iraq builds an economic trade alliance with UAE (United Arab Emirates) and Dubai.
The current parliment becomes the state senate, the PM becomes one of the Govenors...
In Ten years we would have peace, and a new New York...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)