The Reality of Reality

Are you tired of the many asserting a reality that is not real?

They push evolution when there is no real evidence, and then they turn around and tell us that God is not real when there is an abundance of evidence.

Why do we listen to the dribble?

We listen to the dribble because that is all that we have been educated to hear. It is the dribble... that which is irrational, dull and void of the full array of sensory perceptions that has anesthetized our minds into craving nothing of substance.

We believe what we are told and never check facts. The lies mean nothing to us. The false truths, the insults, the mockery... none of it affects us because we are comfortable with the nothing, as long as we have company. We crave the nothing as long as there is a crowd.

Computers, smart phones, Ipads and the like all push our minds into this hibernative state. We are a sleep, but we are not. And, it is acceptable to us because it is what everyone else is doing. At least we think that is what everyone else is doing, but if truth be told, we are not real sure because we are so engulfed in our own personal being.

We believe what the mirror shows us and never read the fine print: things are always larger than they appear in a mirror. And, we crave what we see, and when our line of sight is only a mirror, well... you get the idea.

We would rather listen than read. We would rather believe than research. We would rather company than truth because listening, believing and the crowd allow me to slip back into who I am. This is reality, and it is not real.

So, what is real? What is reality? The reality of reality is that which is real without prompts, manipulation, lies or deceit. Reality is that which is true the first time, the seventh time and the hundredth time, and it is the same every time. It is that which does not need adjustment, an excuse or a lie. It is true all the time... every time.

And, there is only one who never changes... who is always the right way, the absolute truth and life. And, the only one I know who fits that definition perfectly is Jesus Christ.

There will be those of you who immediately discount this reality, but PLEASE, read just one more sentence.

Those of you who dismiss Jesus but then embrace evolution, Karma, reincarnation, atheism, humanism and the many other beliefs answer this question: have you really examined Christianity with any seriousness?

I encourage you to ask hard questions of what you believe and Christianity, and see which one has the answers. Be careful. You just might discover the reality of reality!








 

A Christian Lament: The World in Which We Live

The world in which we live is stranger than fiction; it is more bizarre than a nightmare.

It is a world where we value choice more than life, and fiction more than reality.

It is a world where truth is sacrificed for convenience, and honor has been all but forgotten.

It is a world where freedom has become equality, and where liberty has become illegal.

We live to be left alone, that is, at least enough, to be able to do what we want. Ignorance is bliss as we would rather not get involved in anything that will make us stand for something.

We crave the grey and avoid the colors. We fear questions as they demand answers. And, answers force us out into the sunlight when we would rather stay in the dark.

We are a people who test the wind to see which way it blows. We think the wind leads to the truth that we seek when it merely reveals the direction of the crowd.

We worship ourselves and call it real. We worship our ideas and call them new. We discard other ideas in favor of our own and call them better.

We like the future because we cannot be held responsible for it. We look to the future because it is unrealized. We worship the future because we think we have control of it.

We have become an entity to protect. We have become a commodity to sell. We have become our focus without even realizing it.  

We look at the world in which we live, and we are disgusted by it. Yet, we have become comfortable with being numb to it.

We think that we can live in our corner and avoid it, never realizing that our corner has become that which we have been trying to avoid.

We have become the world in which we live. We sacrifice people for programs. We give only if we get. We are the truth that we seek.

Who are we really worshiping? Who are we really serving? Who are we, really?

The world in which we live... is who we are!

If we do not like this world then we must start with... ourselves!

But, how do we change?

We are new creations. We are temples of the living God. We are a holy people and royal priesthood.

We are creation, created to serve and not be served, created to worship and not be worship and created to love and be loved by someone greater than ourselves.

We are lost, but we can be found. We are blind, but we can see again. We are dead, but we can be made alive.

The change that we seek in the world is really the change that we seek in ourselves.

We must first change.

We must surrender who we are.

We must submit to someone other than ourselves.

We must love everyone except ourselves.

Then, and only then, will we change the world.

The world in which I live is me, and I do not like it.

Therefore, I begin changing the world by changing... ME!
 

Self-Reflection

I was confronted with the idea of self-reflection the other day. Just how valuable is self-reflection?

I think there is merit to its use, but I am just not sure how much. My dilemma is not new. I am sure many more intelligent than me have struggled with the issue I am about to present, but just the same, it is an issue of struggle for me. Therefore, I am putting it out there for comments in order to be convinced one way or another; here it is.

I posit that self-reflection is a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy once one reaches a certain point. Let me stop here and acknowledge that I do not know what point at this juncture.

Here is my issue. At what point does self-reflection become contributory to self-perception? I see it eventually pushing the humble person into more self-condemnation and the haughty person into more self-admiration. I believe there is merit in considering self, to a point, but after a certain point what was valuable, to me, now seems more detrimental.

Self-reflection must, in my humble opinion, be considered in light of human nature. As one who ascribes to an originalist position regarding human nature and acknowledges that human nature is sinful and in need of saving, self-reflection is a tenuous proposition, at best. The idea of reflection does not trouble me nearly as much as the idea of an unchecked self.

It is the self that is my concern because I know myself. Even in Christ, I struggle with this addiction to myself so self-reflection would certainly incur a similar struggle unless held accountable by some other source. What that other source is, at this point, I do not know. I do know that too much of self reflection can run its course and actually destroy the good things accomplished by the initial self-reflection.

Is self-reflection valuable? Yes, I believe it is, to a certain point. What is that point? I am not sure where that point is, but I do think that the point is earlier than most think. 

Judgement

Have you noticed how so many are so quick to judge others these days.

Jim Kelly knows, without a doubt, that Tom Brady is a cheater. John Stewart is certain that Fox News lies about everything. And, Bill O'Reilly has no doubt that everyone at CNN is liberal and biased. 

How do these people know these things? Are they brighter? Did they learn this skill in college? Are they from another planet? Sadly, I fear that judgement is just a symptom of a greater social sickness from which we all suffer: we are addicted to ourselves. There is no fear, trepidation or concern for others; only concern for self.

And, those of us in Christ are not immune to this sickness. Scripture is somewhat absolute on the whole, "only God knows the heart" thing; yet, we still think we possess an ability to know the hearts of others. There is no concern for truth or someone's reputation; there is only an all-consuming concern for self.

This sickness seems to be everywhere and has reached an epidemic state. It can be found in churches and in Christian business, in ministries and inside Christian schools. It seems like everyone is so busy judging everyone else that there is little time to left to be concerned about one's own spiritual state.

Is that the issue? Do we judge others because we do not want to see what a mess our lives really are? Are we still playing king of the hill? Are we still knocking people down so we can climb higher? Scripture makes such succinct statements regarding judgement. We are not to judge or risk being judged by the King yet, we continue to judge.

I must confess that I, myself, am a recovering judge. I lived, worshiped and worked inside a vortex full of this judgement mentality. Judgement comes in all flavors when you live by it. It is found in your humor, your faith, your relationships and your spirit. It is sprinkled in your comments. You tend think your better than others. You make fun of what others believe.And, others, well, they become expendable.

Judges live to judge. Anyone who disagrees is discarded. Conversations are laced with gossip, and alliances are drawn up. Judges tend to be paranoid and insecure. Judges never admit to being wrong, and they never ever utter the words, "I am sorry." Judges enjoy conversations with those who agree with them, but avoid those people who disagree. Differences of opinion and thought are not welcomed in the kingdom of a judge.

Thankfully, I was saved from this life, but my salvation was not clean nor easy. It was hard and rough with jagged deep cuts to my soul. It was filled with harsh realities, broken relationships and isolation. At times, I did not know if my faith would survive the process, but here I am, thanks to a Holy God who did not forsake me.

I awake each morning with new eyes. I have discovered that judging others blinds you to everything else. When you judge others you really only see one thing... yourself. You only worry about yourself. You only think about yourself. It is a dreadful addiction, and one from which every person suffers in one way or another. When you are addicted to yourself you miss what God has put in front of you in order to help you grow in Him... others. 

When others are subservient to you, as they inevitably will be when you judge them, you miss out on what God has for you. It is often others that God uses to minister to us. Judgement robs us of others and, ultimately, robs us of God.

What we do not realize is that when we make ourselves a judge we are trying to become like god, and that never ends well. There is only one judge who can discern the heart. There is only one judge who can judge without hypocrisy. There is only one judge whose judgement will stand for eternity, and that judge is not confined to a celestial body. That judge is coming again... soon.   

So, climb to the top of the hill, if you must;but, as for me, I have a growing fondness for bottom of the hill. 

Christian Idealism

As Christians, we tend to be wary of idealistic tendencies because they are rooted in a realm confined to the ideas and ideology of those who do not share our beliefs.

What we fail to realize is that we, too, are idealists who operate according to a set of ideas.

The difference is that, as Christians, the ideas and ideology we believe are not ours but those of a Holy God.

Generally, idealism is the act or practice of envisioning things in an ideal or often impractical form. Idealism holds that reality essentially exists as spirit or consciousness, and that whatever exists is known only in mental dimensions through and/or as ideas. Idealists adhere and act according to their own perceived ideals; in matters of question, idealists tend to default to their own believed ideals rather than reality.

Idealists tend to pick and choose the  ideas and ideals in which they believe, and then they live and act according to these ideas, regardless of who or what they encounter. Ideas of judgement, priority and hierarchy all have tendencies extended from idealism; as Christians, we are not absolved from this extension, but this is where we should part ways with true idealism. Idealists hold their position no matter the situation or consequence because, for them (Idealists), it is the idea that matters.

There are many forms of idealism, but, for this post, I will focus only on epistemological idealism. Epistemological idealism holds that in the knowledge process, the mind has the only ability to understand and grasp objects as they really are (Those things that are true.). Ideas of truth are rooted in spirit and consciousness, and ideas of matter are suspect and not trusted.

There are tendencies in Christian culture that are similar to those found in epistemological idealism. The idea that the mind is paramount in the spiritual growth of faith could be considered a form of epistemological idealism. While most would not outwardly endorse this position (epistemological idealism), actions reveal tendencies that are manifestations of this position.

The belief that some can possess the mind of Christ and be spiritually at a higher level than others; the overt emphasis on the cognitive. The tendency to promote grace as a spiritual panacea absolving one from personal responsibility. Traditions that have become part of faith and worship. There are elements of power, popularity and relevance that take precedent over humility and servant-hood.  The church, in some instances, has evolved to an entity to defend instead of a body which serves. Each is not overtly evil or wrong, but each is an idea that, if pushed to the extreme position and considered in absolutes, could be detrimental.

These tendencies are not confined to anyone or anything; they are examples of extreme positions that connect, in ways, to idealism. German idealism had a huge impact on higher education in the late 20th century, and its influence was so deep and interwoven that some of our default positions in thought are actual extensions from the influence of German idealism.

An extreme approach tends to produce hierarchical forms of action that position one over others. I believe one of the most treacherous of all extremist approaches is the practice of the monopolization of ideas. A church, by its nature, is a bit ego-centric as an organization; it is the commonalities of a particular church that initially attract us to the church. But, after those initial attractions, it is Christ that unites Christians, in all their differences, into one body. It is the body of Christ (the church) that is different than all other bodies; it is the church that takes everyone as they are, with all their differences and idiosyncrasies, and conforms them into one body, a body of that unites in Christ. It is Christ that is our common uniting agent, and it is Christ who holds us as one. Paul reminds us of our difference in Romans 12:4,

"For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function..."

And, the church is a body of different members by design; it is in the church where all members are of equal importance, even in their difference. Paul, again, points this out to us,

"For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. (1 Corinthians 12:14-16)"


This is the major difference between the body of Christ and all other bodies or organizations. In regard to differences, I am not referring to theological or denominational differences as those are doctrinal, but I am referring to ideas of preference presented as if theological (all must agree) or heretical (all must reject).

Jesus gave clear instructions against these tendencies by presenting ideas such as "the first shall be last" and  "love your neighbor as yourself." These two commands intentionally position the follower in positions of the least so as to avoid the temptation of positioning to the ideal or formidable position (the most).

Does our calling as Believers in Christ call us to a particular position? Can a Christian be a idealist? Can an idealist be a true Christian?

I will explore these questions as I explore the interaction of idealism and Christianity in the next post.  

  



  

My New Year's Debilities

It is that time again; time to post my new year's debilities. I, personally, believe in reflecting critically back on the past year in order to learn for the new year.

Too often we focus on the new without learning from the past, which tends to doom us to repeating the past. An honest reflection on the past reveals our frailties, as painful as they may be.

For me, reflecting back on my debilities from the past year will reveal the faithfulness of God. So, without further delay, here, in all their glory, are last year's debilities.

1. Pride and arrogance abound in my soul and in the world in which I live.
2. Truth is something many claim to love, including myself, but if truth were told, we love it less than we admit.
3. The older I get, and I am getting old, the harder life is.
4. The more I think I understand the less I understand.
5. Resolution, no matter how much you want it, always takes two.
6. Despite my best intentions, my intentions are never purely best.
7. Forgiveness is the hardest thing I have ever had to do, and it becomes exponentially harder when forgiving something that was personal, but it does give one a small perspective of how God forgives us each day.
8. What you put into your heart the most will be that which comes out of your heart the most.
9. It is impossible to love someone the way they should be loved without Jesus Christ.
10. I have learned over the last year that the gospel is irrational, illogical and completely unbelievable if left up to human reason alone. It takes the Holy Spirit to believe in the gospel, and then it takes the Holy Spirit, a fellowship of Believers, much prayer, daily time in word and an assortment of other things to live the gospel out to others. I, nor anyone else, can live life as a Christian when focused on other things more than God.
11. God is never still and always moving.
12. The world in which we all live is moving towards destruction as scripture says.
13. The church is the bride of Christ, but it is not Christ himself; therefore, it is imperfect and sinful and in need of Jesus as much as I need Jesus.
14. The church is under attack and in need of constant prayer. I have not prayed for her the way I should.
15. This past year I have learned how beautiful and loving the church is.
16. I continue to learn the lesson that power is destructive and will make men do things they pledged never to do.
17. Bulverism is alive and well and growing (See C.S. Lewis's God in the Dock for an explanation of the term as it is his.).
18. I have learned that the reputation of others is worth protecting no matter what they have done to yours.
19. I have learned this lesson the hard way; it is easy to forget the things you do to others, but it is very difficult to forget the things done to you. Forgive me for the things I have done to others.
20. I have learned how hard it is to NOT live for one's own comfort and happiness. Most think living for Christ, no matter the cost, means giving up one's comfort and happiness. For me, it means that both my comfort and my happiness are in His hands and not mine. It also means that His glory is more important than my comfort and my happiness so when the two come into conflict it is His glory that should always win out.

It has been a good year for us this year. We have learned much, and we look forward to another year of life, learning and our Lord. God Bless!

 

Merry Christmas

Calvin and Hobbes, for me, is without equal. It is the perfect cartoon, in relation to all other aspects of creation that apply, of course.

Bill Watterson captures the human condition like no other, and here again, he captures, what I believe is a sentiment we have towards God at times, if we are not careful.

I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas! May each of you draw nearer to the Lord, Jesus Christ, this Christmas season. Blessings!

Perspective

Has the world truly gone mad? I have to ask myself that almost daily these days.

Have we forgotten about perspective? Defined, it means a particular attitude or way of regarding something or someone; a point of view; a view of the world; a strongly held opinion; a political aversion; a worldview shaped by beliefs.

All of these together capture the ethos of what perspective is. It has not changed nor evolved nor grown nor shrunk. Everyone sees the world from a certain perspective, which is colored by a life lived. Yet, this little truth seems to have been forgotten by many these days.

As a Christian, I understand that I see the world from my own perspective, which is greatly influenced by... me. Of course, as a Christian, I believe in Jesus Christ, who stated quite clearly that He was the Truth (For my obsession on this subject see other posts with the label, "truth."). But, I still acknowledge that not everyone sees the world from my perspective. I also acknowledge that even though I believe my worldview to be rooted in the Truth (Jesus Christ), it still is not absolute. As a fallible sinful human being, I see the world from one tainted vantage point... mine.

And, this vantage point is greatly influenced by my beliefs, my hurts, my past, my present situation, external forces, my peers, home, work, my education and most certainly, my faith, just to name a few. The above picture is an example of how different a vantage point can be. The picture was taken from the perspective of the ground looking forward. What would it look like if the picture was taken from the same spot, but this time I was standing up? What about looking straight up? What about straight down? What happens if someone else comes along and tries to take the same picture? You get my point.

Today, one perspective is always being presented as true and declared as absolute. As Christians, it is this very presentation that should sound an alarm in us. Jesus, in Matthew 18:20 presented to each of us the means of avoiding such temptation when He stated, " For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them." Truth cannot be found alone or from one perspective; instead, it takes several Christ-centered perspectives gathering together in the name of Christ before we can even hope to approach truth. Yet, we are presented daily with this idea that one perspective is true while all others are false.

I can only think of one instance in the history of the world when this occurred... one side was 100% right and the other was 100% wrong, and Jesus died for us anyone, knowing our complete guilt and ruin. Be wary of those who claim to be always right for you can be assured of only one thing... we will not be.

May we continue to live as Christ instructed us... to pray without ceasing that God would be glorified in all that we do.   

"Plane" Views

I love to fly, and I think the reason has to do with its autonomy. Flying, to me, is almost like a different world. The airport is a different world as is the terminal and the plane.

I also like to fly because it gives me a chance to watch my fellow human beings. So, for your reading pleasure, here are some of my latest "plane" views from my last flight.

1. If you work in a terminal in an airport then you have the patience of Job.

2. I believe airplanes have gotten smaller, or we, human beings, have gotten larger.

3. You can tell a good pilot from a great one by the landing.

4. Talking to a stranger is becoming a lost art. but texting is becoming a major form of communication.

5. I wish my bedroom took off and landed because I always sleep so well on a plane.

6. Flight attendants are special people.

7. If you are going to fly wear shoes that you can slip on and off because you will take your shoes off every time.

8. If you are afraid of small places you better go to the restroom before getting on the plane.

9. The website is always correct regarding arrival and departure. I was on a plane and the departure time changed on the website to 6:30 instead of the normal time of 5:30. We were in the plane already. The Captain announced the change, but that he did not know about it. He indicated he was going to get us in the air earlier than 6:30. Well, a part had to be found first... then, something had to be re-charged... then passengers had to be paged. Well, we pulled away from the terminal at 6:30. The website always knows.

10. Do not, for one moment, think you can steal a window seat when that is not your seat. If you move before take off the last passenger on will have the seat you moved to... guaranteed. If you want a window seat request it.

There you go... some of my "plane" views from my last flight.

Comfortably Numb

As I looked at the world around me, a phrase from my high school years came rushing into my mind, the phrase,"comfortably numb."

It is the title of a song from my time in high school, and as titles go, it is tainted with multiple connotations that abound.

Yet, the phrase is too appropriate to pass by at this present time as it applies so well to those of us who reside on this rock speeding around a burning star.

The words mean nothing to some and everything to others. Combined, they form phrase and sentences... some leading to the next sentence and others with seemingly no connection at all. The last stanza reads...

There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship, smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves.
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying.
When I was a child
I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye.
I turned to look but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now
The child is grown,
The dream is gone.
I have become comfortably numb.

What is it to be comfortably numb? To be numb is to be emotionally unresponsive; indifferent. It is to be void of the power to feel or move normally. To be numb is to become paralyzed and unable to move in response to movement because non-movement has become comfort, but to become comfortably numb is another state all together. I am reminded of the frog in the skillet... turn the heat up slowly and the frog will never move, succumbing to death because the frog has become "comfortably numb" with the skillet.

Revelation 3:15 states,  

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” (NIV)

I think being comfortably numb is akin to being lukewarm: being neither hot nor cold. Clearly, the scriptures warn against becoming lukewarm. Jesus, himself, teaches against becoming lukewarm in Matthew 12:30,

"Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters." (ESV, NIV)

Defined, a person who is lukewarm is indifferent, apathetic, tepid, unenthusiastic.... has become comfortable with non-movement, has become... comfortably numb.

Why do we seek lukewarmness? I know why I do. I do not want to lose what I have. I want to provide for my family. I do not want to judge. I do not want to be critical. All of these are good reasons, but they have roots in the desire to prosper, and that desire is a misguided desire when it comes to Christ.

John Calvin wrote the following regarding prosperity,

“Prosperity inebriates men, so that they take delights in their own merits.  Nothing is more dangerous than to be blinded by prosperity.”

And, why are we blinded by prosperity? Because we were created to serve and worship one... Jesus Christ. Striving for prosperity is, in essence, worshiping ourselves, at least for me it is.

Tomorrow, I will rise again and prayfully ask for help in my daily fight to avoid becoming "comfortably numb." 

1984?

Tolerance: Part II

After posting last night on tolerance and reading over my post, I still feel that there is more to be said on the subject. So, here is just a little more on the subject.

First, tolerance defined is "an ability or willingness to tolerate something." This ability does not seem collective in nature to me, but instead, it seems individual. It falls into the category of such individual traits as kindness, openness and perseverance. These are individual traits that come with various degrees and levels. What is kind for one may be rude for another. What is perseverance for a eight year old may be considered lazy for a thirty year old.

When we examine the grammar associated with the word, we find something interesting. Looking at verbs and adjectives, we find one verb, 'to tolerate' and one adjective 'tolerant,' only. Looking at nouns, we find two nouns 'tolerance' and 'toleration' and both have evolved to different meanings. Tolerance is an attitude of mind that implies non-judgmental acceptance of different lifestyles or beliefs that one holds; toleration implies putting up with something of which one disapproves. This idea of disapproval is an important part of toleration as it does not imply elimination of that which is not acceptable. It does not seem to me that there is anything in the semantics of the word even implying that tolerance is the elimination of that which is not acceptable. However, when I look up the word, "intolerance" I find this: "unwillingness to accept views, beliefs and behaviors that differ from one's own." Intolerant refers to active refusal to allow others to put into practice beliefs other than their own.

I do not approve of vile words filled with hate, racism or bigotry, and in the last several months, we have all heard our share of them. But, I do think we are on a slippery slope when it comes to playing judge and jury regarding what is acceptable and what is not. As a Christian, I have found it much safer to leave the judging to a Holy God. When we step into a role reserved for a Holy God we are stepping into an area of trouble. Lately, I am having trouble discerning tolerance from intolerance. Certainly, it is easy to label some of the words spoken publically as intolerant, but then, what label do we apply to those responses to those words. Do we meet intolerance with more intolerance? Or, do we confront intolerance with an example of tolerance and love? I am not sure the answer is in this world; I think the answer is found above, in a Holy God.

Perspective

This is a picture of Earth from Mars; it is also an example of how powerful perspective is.

The view of Earth from Mars is much different than the view from the International Space Station (ISS) or the view from the Moon. Both are views from space, but they are also views from different areas of space. All three are true in their respective contexts as well; an important point to be noted.

In today's world, we are entering, what I perceive, to be a very dangerous time. It is a time where one perspective is being presented as the true, moral, fair and right perspective. We live in a time where tolerance is being presented in the most intolerant of ways.

It is this idea of tolerance that is being used to reduce and devalue that which is perceived to be intolerant; it is this idea of tolerance that is being used to condemn, restrict and oppress other views not in line with the ideas of today's tolerance.

Today's tolerance is not really tolerance at all; instead it is intolerance masquerading as tolerance. Today's tolerance is against standards, anything Christian, and vehemently against anything with beliefs rooted in the spiritual. And, there is one simple reason for this... power. Labeling anything as immoral, wrong or sin is to remove from it a certain amount of power.

Now, as a Christian, I believe sin is sin. Whether it be a lie, pornography, stealing, adultery, or taking the Lord's name in vain... it is sin. Also, as Christians we are to love the sinner and hate the sin, but we are not to judge the sinner as if they are any better off than we are. That used to confuse me until I gained a new perspective on sin. We cannot judge the sinner because we are also sinners. What separates us from other sinners is Jesus. There is nothing in us that makes us any different than anyone else. It is only Jesus that changes us.

For too long, Christians have been overtly judgmental. As a collective group, we (I include myself as the chief culprit here.) have always looked to judge that sin which can separate us from other sinners because that is who we are... works-oriented egocentric beings. Any sin that will separate us from the pack and allow us to beat our chest like a Pharisee and state, "at least I do not sin that way God" will be a sin at which we hurl our rocks. Alternate life styles, murder and stealing are sins that allow us to beat our chest like a Pharisee and seemingly create a little space between us and everyone else, but do we really create any space? I am not sure we do.

This idea of tolerance is a nice idea, but it is absolutely impossible to achieve without standardizing perspective, and the only way perspective is standardized is with intolerance and oppression. How do you achieve tolerance? Well, you make sure everything is accepted and tolerated. How is this done? I am afraid its means are very much rooted in intolerance. I am not sure the idea of tolerance is even a collective idea meant for the many. To apply it in such way leads to places where I do not think we want to be. It is a vicious circle that we are about to enter, and once we enter, there are no easy ways out. I am open to being convinced otherwise, but I am doubtful of any convincing arguments. I know one thing... the perspective from Mars is only truthful from Mars, and Mars is a very long distance from here. It is still the perspective of a machine and will be until the first human visit.  

The Extra Mile

The Extinction of Silence

I tried something the other day that was harder than it really should have been. I sought to find silence, and sadly, I could not find it.

I woke up in the middle of the night and thought...I wonder if I can find silence. I went outside and sat on my front steps only to find noise. Sirens, cars and a plane all where there to rob me of efforts to find silence.

Silence is something I took for granted, but I really should not have. None of us should expect it anymore because I believe it is in danger of becoming extinct, especially when it comes to its relationship with people. But, does it really matter?

I see silence as vital to life itself. It is where we hear God speak to us; it is where God hears our hearts in response to Him. Silence is respect, humility and service. Silence communicates our thoughts to God; it is our proper response to God, and our beginning and end to prayer.

Silence is never neutral. Silence is not the void of everything, but instead, it is the stillness of all things. Silence is where everything is the same, where everything is balanced and where nothing has an advantage. To be silent is submit. To be silent is to listen. To be silent is to be last. Silence is not weakness but strength.

I will close with two questions and a verse.

Does it matter if silence is no longer with us?

"Be still and know that I am God."
Psalm 46:10 

If we are never still can we ever know God?

 

Percentage of Undeveloped Land in the United States

Before you read any further, answer the following question: what percentage of land is still relatively undeveloped in the United States?

Is it 50% or maybe 60%? Is the number higher or lower? If you like to watch the national News or listen to NPR or maybe you subscribe to a science magazine then your guess was probably on the low end. Do you want the truth?

Look at the picture in this post; it is Hope, ME, and for me, it represents the answer to my question. Look at the picture and render another guess. You see all that open space in between the houses, streets and farms... it is undeveloped land. OK, I have wasted enough time. It is time for me to give you the answer. Scroll down for the answer to this interesting question.

















The answer is 94.6 percent! According to the Census Bureau, 94.6 percent of the United States is rural open space. If you do not believe me then click HERE and see for yourself.

Now consider your guess and how close you were to the answer. If you were close to the answer then I will predict that you hardly ever listen to NPR, watch TV or subscribe to a well known science magazine. However, if you were way off then I will predict that you do watch one of the big three for your news (ABC, NBC or CBS), listen to NPR and subscribe to a well known science magazine. Makes you wonder about the accuracy of their other stories, or at least it should.

Bbbeeaach

What is one to do when the beach is cold and the only flags flying all week are purple and yellow? Well... one has to be creative.

My only goal for the week was to make sure that I did swim in the ocean, and I am happy to report that I accomplished that goal as soon as we arrived.

We pulled into the parking lot and quickly unloaded the van. After several brisk trips hauling all of our things up two flights of stairs ( I was wondering during the act how long we were staying as it seemed like we had enough for a month.), the kids and I ran to the beach. The air was a little cold, but we did not care because we were at the beach! Yeah, the beach... we love the beach. Once on the beach, the kids began building a sandcastle while I headed aggressively for the water. A little cold air was not going to deter me from swimming in the ocean. My aggression eased a bit once I entered the water... wow, it was cold. As I stood ankle deep in the water, I thought about my goal for the week. This was suppose to be the warmest day... if I did not get in today then my chances of getting in later in the week were slim to none.

I began to rationalize that my goal was just a goal and nothing more. After all, it was not that important to swim in the ocean, I thought. Then, I thought again, yes, it was important. I am going to swim in this water if it kills me. Of course, I was hoping that it would not kill me. I looked down and realized I was still only ankle deep and that cold numb feeling in my feet... was not going away like it was suppose to when one adjusts to the temperature. I wiggled my toes hoping to increase my circulation and adjust better to the water. They still felt cold and numb. I hugged myself hoping to squeeze a little warmth into my toes. Nothing helped.

I took a few more steps, advancing up to my knees. Now, it was really cold, and to make matters worse, I found myself in the section where the waves were breaking onto the shore. So, not only were my legs numb from the knees down, but I was being splashed by the breaking waves. Each drop of water hit me like a little snowball. My teeth were rattling now. I looked around and realized that there was no one else in the water. What am I doing? Why is this so important to me? Well, because it is the beach; I love the beach I thought as my body shook from the cold air and water.

I was now ten minutes into my ordeal. A swim in the ocean had never ever been an ordeal to me, and yet I had just used that word in my mind to describe this current experience. My legs were still cold and the splashing water felt like little daggers hitting my skin. I took a deep breath and advanced to my waist. I heard a scream and turned to see who was in trouble, and suddenly realized, it was me. That cold numb feeling had advanced to my waist, and it did not feel good at all. My legs no longer worked. I looked into the water to check and see if they were still there. There they were in water... nothing missing.

I looked back at the beach. It looked so warm and comfortable. There was my chair... just waiting to be used, and there was my towel... my warm thick towel. I looked back at the water, and then again at the towel. I told myself that in order to touch that towel I would have to get wet. I stuck both my hands into the water and smiled... no cold numb feeling, but I soon realized that this was due to the fact that they were already wet. At this point, little victories were welcomed, and I used my cold wet hands to wet my chest and shoulders. I immediately regretted leaving my shirt on my chair.

I advanced a little farther into the water and realized it was time to get this over; it was now or never. I took a large breath and dove into the cold surf. I stayed under for a minute so no one could hear my screams. As I came to the surface, I thought to myself, it is not that bad, but no matter how hard I tried I could not convince myself that it was not that bad. It certainly was. I swam around a bit, but could not rid my body of the cold numb feeling. I could not hear myself think due to the noise my teeth were making. Finally, after a full three minutes, I decided enough was enough. I swam to shore and rose to walk to the beach and immediately drop back into the water... the air was colder. Wow! I mustered all my energy and ran full stride to my chair and towel. A towel had never felt so warm and good.

I sat in that chair wrapped in that towel watching my children build the coolest sandcastle, happy that I was at the beach with my family at last. Yes, it was cold! Yes, there were several chances for rain, but none of that mattered. The beach is the beach. As our week draws to an end, I have not yet made it back in the water fully. I am hoping tomorrow will provide me that opportunity.

Here's hoping your vacation time with your family is restful, relaxing and re-charging. Mine certainly has been. Blessings!

The Reality of Equality

Is the cry for equality a cry rooted in fallacy and mediocrity? This idea of equality, it is the reason given for most new policies these days, but is equality even possible?

To be equal is defined as "the state or quality of being equal." What does that even mean? I mean equal seems like a nice and neat word, but it really is anything but nice and neat.

What does it mean to be equal? Does it mean that we have the same things? Does it mean that we have access to the same things? Does it mean that we have equal opportunities? What exactly does it mean to be equal?

What I have found is that there is absolutely no way to achieve equality in life. It is a fallacy. Life is not fair, and that is reality. Oh, you can achieve pockets of equality here and there in life, but it usually will not last.

Does equality lead to excellence? I have yet to hear a clear logical argument in support of any type of equality leading to excellence. I, personally, see no way for equality to lead to excellence. A strive for excellence involves effort, experience and education (I tried hard to keep the 'e' theme intact.). Each is different for each person. Some can give more effort than others; some have more experience or education than others. Some have the money and connections to get education or experience that will be out of reach for others. Life is just not fair at times. Encouraging everyone to strive for excellence means that some will reach points that others will not, and equality will not be attained. I see no way for equality and excellence to co-exist; as a matter of fact, I would present them as mutually exclusive.

The reality of equality, in my opinion, is mediocrity, plain and simple. The only way to achieve equality is to lower standards, but here is the dangerous part. This point of mediocrity, resulting from the desire for equality, is not a static point; instead, it is a moving point with its only movement being down. This idea of equality is a downward spiral as it lowers standards to the point where everyone becomes equal, but at that point, when everyone is equal, the reality is this: everyone will not remain equal. Some will not maintain the current standard and the standard will again need to be lowered to capture them. This is the downward spiral of equality, and there is no way for it change its trajectory.

But, here is the really sad thing about this whole focus on equality; I believe it is a focus on weakness. If a collective goal is to make every one equal then that collective goal is also to make everyone the same, which is weakness. I believe strength is found in diversity. A focus on equality actually rejects all difference except that which has been chosen as the standard. If there were a focus on diversity as a strength, recognizing and embracing each difference as contributory to collective strength, then we might make some progress.

So, there you go... more comments from me, the peanut vender. Blessings!

Right and Left

What constitutes a liberal? What constitutes a conservative? There seems to be a huge difference between the two these days, but is there?

Liberalism stood for some fairly solid ideas; ideas like liberty and equality were the core pillars in the liberal worldview. We owe our core beliefs in this country to liberalism; after all, liberals promoted ideas like fair and free elections, civil rights, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, free trade and one of the best ideas of modernity, private property. They fought and rejected oppressive ideas like monarchies, hereditary, privilege and the Divine Rights of the Royalty.

Today, liberalism is still associated with ideas of equality and freedom, but the semantics surrounding each have changed. Liberalism sees government as the panacea to most social ills, justifying the need for more government. Liberalism justifies higher taxes as a means to equality. Freedom is still important, but freedom, inside liberalism, has really become another means to equality.

Conservatism tended to root itself in the status quo. The main tenet of conservatism was the retaining of traditional social institutions, no matter their current condition. A conservative used to be someone who was averse to change and held strongly to tradition values, often avoiding innovation simply because it lead to change. Conservatives believed in the traditional powers of government and royalty. They were often content with the current social structure mainly because they were the rich and wealthy inside those current structures.

Today, conservatism is associated with ideas like family values, capitalism and individual rights. Most conservatives believe less government is best; they promote individual rights, a capitalist economy and traditional family values. Conservatism is also associated with second amendment rights, property rights and the rights of individuals. These all seem like solid ideas, but the real issue with today's conservatives is that most of them do not embrace all of these ideas in consistent ways. Some embrace certain issues more than others, which ends up fracturing their foundation.

Now, both sides will have plenty of items to add to my two lists, but that is not my point in this post. My point is this: each needs the other in order to be what they are suppose to be, but what are they suppose to be? Well, they are suppose to be... equal. Both parties used to stand for solid ideas; the differences in the two were which ideas were most important to you. What we have today is both parties working hard for their own party with their ideas being ideas that are grounded in their own party betterment and future. Does one party's position on an issue represent you or me, or does it represent the party?

Go to your preferred party's website or your state senator's website and see how many views actually represent you. I mean really represent you and your well-being, and your right to liberty and your right to the pursuit of happiness. I am not talking about those that you agree with in philosophy. I am talking views that are actually about you. Prepare to be disappointed. Your party and my party are, like it or not, egocentric... and that means one very important thing; neither party is doing what they were elected to do... work hard for you and me. And, we have only ourselves to blame. Cheer up! There is another election right around the corner, and another chance to correct our mistakes. The only question is will it still be important to us when November rolls around? We, Americans, tend to be very pragmatic and very forgetful. For the sake of my children and your children, let's hope we vote for our children's future and not our immediate comfort this election.   

Ukraine

This is Maidan Nezalezhnostil, which I know as Independence Square. It is located in the center of Kiev, Ukraine. I spent some time in Kiev years ago and walked this square several times. It is one of the more beautiful sites of Kiev, located on Khreshchatyk Street. While in Ukraine, I heard this site referred to simply as Maiden Square.

You have probably seen Maiden Square on the news as of late. It saddens me to see the unrest in Ukraine and the destruction taking place in Kiev. Kiev is an old stunning city. It is a city that is situated on both banks of the Dnieper River. The river runs through the city on its way to the Black Sea. Both banks provide points for recreation, fishing and other assorted activities for the city. I spent a day at a park on the Dnieper River. The park was old and aged, but the river, as I remember it, was beautiful.

As I watch the news and see the unrest in Kiev, I have seen areas of Kiev I visited when I was there, Independence Square being on those. Join me in praying for Ukraine as the country goes through yet another period of unrest and change. It is a dangerous time for Ukraine and for the rest of the world. May peace prevail and God be glorified!