tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42265402545728227452024-03-12T19:57:24.403-07:00Will HathawayA unique perspective on many tough Christian topics and questions. Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.comBlogger176125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-72276190412300338322019-09-02T12:21:00.000-07:002019-09-02T12:21:35.879-07:00The God Portal<div style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zh-4qpmu3jE/XW1rPfStPzI/AAAAAAAAAdM/1VkWOChqXxo11RnbuYCS6ryq6nhFIpadgCLcBGAs/s1600/starry%2Bsky%2B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="1280" height="206" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zh-4qpmu3jE/XW1rPfStPzI/AAAAAAAAAdM/1VkWOChqXxo11RnbuYCS6ryq6nhFIpadgCLcBGAs/s400/starry%2Bsky%2B.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.8px;">“I really just want to grow closer to God....”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">It’s a phrase I’</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">ve both heard and said multiple times. Typically it has accompanied some deep yearning for some sort of change in my life or a new resolution to seek out greater spirituality. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">Maybe you’re like me and perhaps you’ve said or pondered it as well? And i</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">f you</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> are like me</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> that quest to “grow closer to God” was more than likely followed by a new commitment to studying my Bible, spend</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">ing</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> more time in prayer, and more time soul</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">-</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">searching. Often my pursuit of God has caused me to withdraw from the busy world </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">surrounding me and retreat to places of solitude in hopes of getting better spiritual reception so as to clearly learn and discover God’s next steps in His plan for my life. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">In recent</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> years, I’ve found myself pondering the elements of this spiritual j</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">ourney I’ve embarked on</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> and the constant quest to attain spiritual harmony with the Almighty. One of the big questions that has begun to haunt me is how can I know that I love God if I’m not really sure I know Him all that well? I mean I think I love Hi</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">m....I feel positive feelings surrounding the thought and idea of Him......but if I must seek to strive to draw near Him......that means I have spent a great deal of time in my life “not” near Him. And if I haven’t been near Him, how can I know I really l</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">ove Him......like......love who He really is......rather than who I want Him to be? </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">Christians believe that Jesus Christ was God in the flesh</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">.</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">I</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">f we are honest with ourselves</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> we have to address the fact that it was the religious people who struggled </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">with Jesus the most</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">--</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> the very people who “loved God” and “were striving to draw near” to Him. In fact, the people that Jesus seemed to do the best with </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">were</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> all the same people who</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">s</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">e</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> behavior we</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> in the church world still to this day seek to avoid and not e</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">mulate. It was the religious that sought His death</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">.</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">It was the ones seeking God the most who most failed to recognize Him in their presence. To be objective to that thought, I must honestly ask myself.......if I were suddenly in the presenc</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">e of God in the flesh......would I even like the guy? After all He did seem to have quite the tendency to make people feel uncomfortable.</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">H</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">ow do I know He wouldn’t do the same to me? </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">What is the personality of God really like? We can easily say “pe</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">rfect” but what is perfect? If we each have a different perspective of what perfection is then that complicates things a bit</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> doesn’t it? And if we all agree that nobody is perfect......that would indicate none of us has ever seen or experienced a “perfe</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">ct person.” If nobody has ever seen perfection in this manner then how would we recognize it if we ever actually were to experience it? We clearly didn’t do a very good job of recognizing it the one time it did show up on Earth as we ended up rejecting a</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">nd nailing that perfection to a cross.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">One of the most troubling questions I’ve ever had to ask myself was whether I really loved God for who and what He really is.......or.......did I love the image of God that existed in my mind? When we consider the t</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">wo great commands of Jesus Christ, to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, strength, and mind and the second which he declared to me like the first, to love our neighbor as ourselves....an interesting dilemma begins to develop. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">One of those comman</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">ds involves a subject matter that is much more tangible than the other. It seems easy to love God....especially when I have so little to work with in regards to who and what exactly He is like</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">Or do I?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">In this world </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">where</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> God chooses to subtly exist</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> invisibl</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">y</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">, then the next best thing I have to work with would be dealing with the tangible creatures made in His image</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">. The ones</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> with which I can interact with every day. After all, if I struggle to love other people in this world and those people are made in the </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">image of God, then</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> is it possible I also struggle to love God</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">? With God, I can mentally and emotionally fill in the personality gaps with what I’d like Him to be</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">.</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">W</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">ith people, it’s different. People have the capacity to annoy, irritate, anger, an</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">d frustrate us......yet......even with these detracting attributes, they are still made in the image of God. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.2px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">Perhaps in seeking to draw nearer to God I’ve been frustrated by the fact that for most of my life I’ve sought God in ways that allow me to bypas</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.2px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">s others. But what if others are actually the gateway to God? What if the only way to truly grow close to Him is through each other? He did say that where two or more are gathered in His name He is there also.....an interesting comment for a God of love</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.2px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">. Perhaps it is though the others, including the very people with whom I struggle the most</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.2px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.2px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> that my doorway to the Almighty exists. Perhaps it has been in my confusion of love the emotion versus love the action, the attempt to feel good things about peopl</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.2px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">e rather than to do good things for people no matter my emotions</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.2px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.2px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> that have tripped me up on my journey to climb God’s mountain? Perhaps </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.2px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">the great</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.2px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">est</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.2px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> mystery in discovering God</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.2px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> is that to see His wonders we can look to the heavens but t</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.2px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">o learn His he</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.2px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.8px;">art.....I must travel though yours. </span></span></span></div>
Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-42535789295715729702019-08-28T16:30:00.000-07:002019-08-28T19:08:57.332-07:00Miracles, Signs, and Wonders.......Oh My <div style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7-h4HdoSUss/XWboM5kz4XI/AAAAAAAAAdA/lyToKOGJ05wDPKwbPkbvzHvVOXMLztrTwCEwYBhgL/s1600/empty-tomb-3326100_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7-h4HdoSUss/XWboM5kz4XI/AAAAAAAAAdA/lyToKOGJ05wDPKwbPkbvzHvVOXMLztrTwCEwYBhgL/s320/empty-tomb-3326100_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.8px;">Contained in the pages of the Old Testament of the Bible there exists a story that is among the favorites of those who draw faith from the ancient writings. In Chapter 18 of First Kings, Elijah</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> the prophet of God</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> finds himself squaring off against 450 pag</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">an priests who worship the god Baal. In the course of the story, a challenge is established between the 450 priest</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">s</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> and Elijah</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">.</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">T</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">wo sacrifices are prepared, one for the priest</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">s</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> and one for Elijah. Each will </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">in turn cry out to their </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">g</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">od and which</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">ever answers by setting the sacrifice ablaze will be established as the one true God. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">In the story</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> the 450 priest</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">s</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> go first. After preparing their sacrifice</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> they began crying out to Baal to light the slain bull atop the altar and prove himself to be the</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> one true God. All day they cry out in vain</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> even to the point of cutting their bodies in desperation for him to reply. During this ordeal</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> the prophet Elijah begins to taunt and mock them</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> suggesting perhaps he’s on vacation, using the restroom, or taking </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">a nap. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">At the end of the day</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> dejected from their lack of answers, the priest</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">s</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> finally give up and it is Elijah’s turn to cry out to his God. But prior to making his plea, Elijah takes things a step f</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">u</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">rther. He first orders that his sacrifice be soaked </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">in water, to the point of making a trench around the altar to hold all the water that is being used to saturate his sacrifice. Then, on his first attempt, Elijah cries out to God</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> who responds with fire so intense</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> the sacrifice, the water, and even the roc</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">ks that made up the altar were consumed in the inferno........leaving absolutely no doubt as to who was the one true and real God. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">It’s a colorful story with a great flair for the dramatic</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> which I’m sure is one of the reasons it is such a favorite among </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">Bible believers. But another reason I suspect it is a favorite comes down to the final result of the encounter. No</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> not the burnt offering, or evaporated water, or stones burnt to the point of dust.....those are fun details</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> but they aren’t the final resu</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">lt of being a first</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">hand witness to such an event. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">For most people who are governed by faith, an experience like this is coveted</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> because</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> it would not just confirm their faith.......it would actually remove all need for it. After all</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> for “faith” to exist</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">one can</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">n</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">ot be completely certain of something...thus the need for faith. But if God (any </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">g</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">od</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">really) w</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">as</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> to reveal </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">Himself</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">in such an undeniable way, then man’s search for God would be made simple</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">.</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">T</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">here would no longer be</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> any room or need for do</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">ubt. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">One of the things that the </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">non-</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">religious find odd about the religious is their ability to believe in things like fires from heaven, parting oceans, miraculous healings, men walking on water and rising from the dead. It is in clinging to the possibil</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">ity </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">such events occurred that millions place their bets of faith in hopes to secure a place in the next life. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">Strangely, it is Jesus himself who creates the ultimate paradox when He bristles at the requests of others to perform signs to validate </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">H</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">e has t</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">he authority to teach the things he taught. Things like love. Love God, Love Your Neighbor, Love yourself.....they seem like great teachings at face value. But as simple and clear as they seem, they clearly weren’t that obvious to many of </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">H</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">is hearers</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> as</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> they often asked for some sort of a miracle to validate these teachings. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">It was Jesus himself that pointed out in the Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man that if people couldn’t be convinced of truth based on the teachings that already existed in this </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">world</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> then even a man returning from the dead wouldn’t be enough to convince them.....an ironic point if there ever was one. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">The Gospels contain an interesting progression as Jesus teaches love</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> and is asked for a “sign.” He is irritated at the request bu</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">t eventually heals a man with a withered hand. Impressive but not enough that his detractors are convinced, he then heals a blind man. Nice try</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> but still not enough</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">.</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">H</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">e raises Lazarus from the dead</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> only to have his enemies seek to re-kill Lazarus. L</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">astly, Jesus himself returns from the dead only to return to a world that still contained people that simply could not accept...and still do not accept</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">….</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">his teaching of love. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">In fact, when given the choice</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> many today would rather focus on </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">H</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">is miracul</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">ous resurrection than all of the life</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">changing teachings that proceeded it. We’d rather base our “salvation” on believing </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">H</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">e rose from the dead</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> instead of striving</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> to embrace and fulfill his greatest calling....the calling to love. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">And let</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">’</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">s face it....when </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">given the choice of believing a man rose from the dead or having to love my enemies.....the easier choice of the two is faith in the miracle. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">In the end</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">,</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> was the resurrection of Christ really to prove he was God? Or was it to prove the fact that it was a</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">ctually His great and profound love for all that displayed His true divine power...and if one can’t see</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;"> how clearly special that was........even a man returning from the dead won’t </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">be </span></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span class="s2" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 19.8px;">enough to convince someone otherwise. </span></span></span></div>
Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-35678246924873809832019-07-14T17:22:00.000-07:002019-07-31T17:14:16.678-07:00The Gift of Conflict<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bCMy0mhalk8/XUDfPbcxXKI/AAAAAAAAAcs/_iLwgIBHD1kA_0D-pM7u5u16beADSLHiACLcBGAs/s1600/conflict.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="847" data-original-width="1280" height="211" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bCMy0mhalk8/XUDfPbcxXKI/AAAAAAAAAcs/_iLwgIBHD1kA_0D-pM7u5u16beADSLHiACLcBGAs/s320/conflict.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Conflict......that explosive concept that threatens to destroy marriages, end friendships, and sever the bonds we share with each other. There seems to be a growing gravitation towards seeking to disavow those with whom we disagree. To create distance and retreat to the safe confines of like-minded individuals while using the likes of social media and such to blindly lob verbal bombs of disdain into a crowded cyber world of opinions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I must admit, I’m growing fearful of what appears to be a social tactic of avoidance when it comes to interacting with those with whom we fail to see eye to eye. Lately some of the more high profile examples have been with sports teams, or individual stars, deciding whether or not to accept invitations to the White House should they have the opportunity to receive one. And while that is only one example, there are countless others that take place on a regular basis where people are unfriended or unfollowed or un-whatever other ways we can “un” people, due to the inflammatory emotions they may provoke within us. And, in all honesty, who can blame anyone for not wanting to associate with someone who upsets them?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yet while it might be human nature to avoid these interactions, the great danger that lies in the byproduct of such actions is that for change to take place, people who see the world one way will have to be convinced to consider seeing the world a different way. Somewhere, in some way, someone must be convinced to change their mind....and in some instances, we must consider the possibility that that someone might even be ourselves. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But even if it isn’t us, if one feels powerfully about the need for transformation in society, then refusing opportunities to have an audience with those with whom we disagree doesn’t lead to change...it, in fact, secures a reality in which change will never actually occur.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To use the example of the sports teams, it is extremely rare that members of a nation gain the opportunity to have a one-on-one interaction with their highest leaders. So when such opportunities present themselves, it seems to me that it would be extremely important for the people who disagree with political leaders take that opportunity to have a chance to talk to them in person. If the only people who ever meet with those in power are those who agree with the positions they hold, then we solidify the only opinions and perspectives they will hear. They are all voices from the same echo chamber. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Likewise, when we come across people in our daily lives with whom we disagree, rather than batten down the hatches and fight, we may have to swallow our pride enough to listen to their case in order to have an opportunity to present ours.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the war of ideals, the only way ground is gained is to seek opportunities for those interactions. For when we fail to do so, and we seek to avoid opposing thoughts, surrounding ourselves with those of like mind to affirm our believes and perspectives, we risk transforming the war of ideas into just war.......where we literally turn to violence to overpower those with whom we disagree. And that is a type of war that nobody wins.</span></div>
Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-49840614493618360272019-06-28T17:12:00.000-07:002019-07-31T17:14:16.744-07:00Solitary Confinement <div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-75amYbQ50H4/XUDcmdC36NI/AAAAAAAAAcg/4cH85SrfzfI9M2kLoZz06UZD16n_qSckwCLcBGAs/s1600/solitary%2Bconfinement%2B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-75amYbQ50H4/XUDcmdC36NI/AAAAAAAAAcg/4cH85SrfzfI9M2kLoZz06UZD16n_qSckwCLcBGAs/s320/solitary%2Bconfinement%2B.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Solitary confinement.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Considered to be the worst of all punishments for a human being.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Complete and total confinement, absent of any other person...full and absolute existence only with one’s self.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
How ironic, the greatest fear and torment of the majority is to be trapped with the most intimate relationship any human could have....me.</div>
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Whether we are a celebrity with millions of followers or a world leader with throngs willing to obey our every command....in the end....we all are alone.</div>
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In the depths of our being, in the deepest recesses of our souls..it is still just the individual.</div>
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Alone we take our very first breath, even if we are surrounded by loved ones. And alone we take our final breath… even if we are surrounded by loved ones.</div>
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We can seek to occupy ourselves with every distraction possible. We can spend hours in the company of others....but ultimately ....the true person we must learn to come to terms with is the individual that nobody else on earth can possibly fully know....the true self that lies within us all.</div>
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The one we often seek to drown out with exterior elements is the one that most haunts us.....the true self.</div>
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We can strive and crave affirmation from others, but ultimately, the affirmation we need most doesn’t come from outside sources, but from the ultimate internal source.</div>
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Made in the image of God, it is in the core of the individual that peace must be made with our creator. It is there...in the depths of our individuality that we must ultimately come to terms with our maker and our purpose. And it is only there that true fulfillment, purpose, and peace can be found.</div>
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Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-78950140737289677302018-11-27T08:46:00.000-07:002018-11-27T08:46:46.690-07:00A Case For Nationalism <div style="font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dhudZ6-U4Ao/W_1jB7a8YBI/AAAAAAAAAa4/M5W0IHSaHq8tzXynK7q_wbeF_QcorJJWQCLcBGAs/s1600/continents-1055960_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1280" height="218" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dhudZ6-U4Ao/W_1jB7a8YBI/AAAAAAAAAa4/M5W0IHSaHq8tzXynK7q_wbeF_QcorJJWQCLcBGAs/s320/continents-1055960_1280.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Recently the president yet again made news for a controversial statement that he is a “nationalist.” For those who support the president, this was seen as a good thing and for those who dislike him this was seen as disturbing. As the political landscape of our society seems to be moving more and more to a place of polarization, at least in the competition for the attention of the nation, it seems that topics are seldom ever examined from a position of moderation. Almost all topics are dangerous when carried out to extremes in any direction, but must every single topic always be viewed from the position of the extreme? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">For instance.....regarding the topic of nationalism. When taken to the extreme, you have the Nazis who promoted the belief that every nation, culture, and way of life was beneath them and therefore was subject to conquest. To the other extreme you have the anti-nationalism dream of a utopian dream world with no borders, no nations and peace and love on Earth. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Either extreme would be difficult to achieve. World conquest has been attempted a number of times with devastatingly destructive consequences. The other extreme...Utopia...to this point in history, has been make-believe due to the perpetual and eternal existence of...idiots. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">While a utopian world is something noble to strive for, to ignore setting in place precautions to deal with the world as it currently is would be irresponsible. It is pretty safe to assume that there will always be people in this world that will attempt to seize power if given the opportunity, and while that might be a pessimist outlook, I have the entire history of humanity on which to base that premise going all the way back to the earliest recordings of man.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">If we have learned anything from history, the greatest threat to personal, individual freedom isn’t tyrants...it's the consolidation of power. It is possible for a society to live with great freedom and liberation under a king provided the king is good and benevolent. But when that king’s reign ends, all the power found in the position of a king is already consolidated so that all that is needed is for a bad king to take his place and the whole society changes. But in a society where the power is dispersed among the people, even tyrants can exist but their influence is minimal due to the fact that they don’t possess the individual power to do much. Thus, the difference between a tyrant king and the idiot next door (a phrase I use only to make this point...my actual neighbors aren’t idiots...in fact I like the people next door, just to be clear).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">While it has had its flaws, the democratic form of government, complete with checks and balances of power, has so far led to the greatest realization of freedom for the common man. Extreme nationalism is dangerous as it leads nations to “inflict” their way of life and government upon the rest of the world, which if ever successful would lead to world conquest and an eventual one-world government. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Extreme anti-nationalism would lead to the dissolution of nations as we meld into a utopian world that for organizational purposes still needs....a one-world government. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">If the consolidation of power is the greatest threat to personal freedoms, then nothing would be more dangerous than a single world government. While there are still very flawed national systems around the world in which people live under oppression and tyranny, the mere existence of nations looking out for the interest of their own people helps to create a worldwide check and balance as to the influence and power of any particular culture or society. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Among nations that provide the most personal freedom for their citizens, there are systems in place to provide checks and balances to disperse power within that country. Here in the U.S., we have three branches of government. We have a congress composed of 535 people, 50 states that each have their own three branches of government, and from there counties and municipalities, etc. Other free nations have similar setups that disperse power throughout their societies. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">If freedom and liberation are ever to be attained worldwide for the common man, our best chance for it will be for the power of the world to be distributed among nations that check and balance each other, who maintain a form of nationalism so as to look after their own interests but not seek to trample others. And among those nations, governmental systems that disperse and balance power among their inhabitants must be in place. In that setting it might be possible to one day have the ideal world we strive for, one of peace and freedom for all. But we will always need a structure in place that won’t allow any one person to obtain too much individual power. </span></div>
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Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-28270703548609371622018-11-21T08:01:00.000-07:002018-11-21T16:58:33.729-07:00The Church of State<div style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“...I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that <span style="text-decoration: underline;">their</span> legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.” - Thomas Jefferson</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A common statement I’ve heard among church goers is that America is a “Christian Nation.” And while it might be true that many of the founders of America were of the Christian faith and were influenced by Christian values, they also saw the dangers of blending the elements of church with the governing responsibilities of the State. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Growing up in a religious home and going to church my entire life, I didn’t always see the wisdom and benefit that comes from the idea that Church and State should be separate matters. I was taught that God should permeate every element of our lives, and therefore be included in our governmental decisions and policies. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It wasn’t until I got a little older and gained a better grasp on how our government works that I began to see the wisdom and benefit to Jefferson’s observation that we should possess a “wall of separation between Church and State.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Like most kids, I only saw the world from my prospective, and since I was a Christian, naturally that perspective was from the platform of Christianity. I used to believe that our nation would be better if there was a strong infusion of Christianity into our government. Then it occurred to me......if our nation is a republic with democratic ideals, then what would happen if the demographic of our nation were to become less and less Christian? What would happen if our nation became dominated by some other religion whose values I didn’t share? If that were to occur, would I want my nation to already have the established practice of following the tenets of the majority religion? My answer to this was a firm “No!” And with that realization, I began to understand the meaning of Jefferson’s idea. If I don’t want the government imparting a religion on me that I was not inclined to adhere to....then I couldn’t wish for the government to impart my religion onto others. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The other component to this wall of separation is that the wall works both ways and serves to keep the State out of the Church as well. While the concept of this wall has been in effect since our nation's founding, the adherence to it has not necessarily been followed. With the granting of tax exemptions to churches, the state reached into church and offered a special treatment that can be revoked should the church not behave in ways the State deems appropriate to maintain that tax exempt status. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Likewise, as can be seen in the realm of marriage, the church has reached into the State with the religious institution of marriage, and what was once a religious practice is now something that must be done with the permission of the State in the form of a marriage license. Even the term “legally married” has worked its way into church vernacular as being the standard that legitimizes a marriage. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">With the recent gay marriage rulings, many in the church were upset with the State’s attempt to “redefine” marriage. The problem is that marriage was never the business of the State to begin with as it is a religious institution. And since it is the job of the State to protect people’s freedom to worship as they please, the gay marriage issue wasn’t one that should have needed to go to the State for definition. Gay people should not have ever needed to petition the State to seek the “right” to marriage. Under the freedom of religion, should a religion have emerged that agreed with gay marriage, then they could have been married in that setting with no interference from the State. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In short, that should always have been a church issue, not a State issue. As a result of this blend, ordained ministers are licensed by the State to perform marriages on behalf of the State. And since the State must treat people alike, the door has been opened for ministers to perform marriages they may not agree with. As a result, they end up becoming representatives of the State when it comes to marriage. Had the State and church not blended over the topic of marriage, ministers and parishioners alike could have pursued or rejected the theologies and practices of their choosing with no fear of retribution from the State. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Want to have a gay marriage? Fine, go to a church that will do that for you...the State won’t stand in the way. Don’t want to perform a gay marriage as a minister? Fine, go ahead and refuse with no worry that the State can try to force you to as an agent of such. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But what happens in a nation where people become more and more secular? What about all the people who don’t believe in God, or theology, or organized religion? After all, there are many people, perhaps even a majority now, who would not consider themselves to be “religious” yet still believe in the basic premises of caring for their common man. What happens to the “wall of separation” for those who only have a State but no “church?” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">From its outset, the concept of “Church” wasn’t simply for the purposes of worship but also mobilization. The community of church allowed for people to organize and become more effective in implementing their world view through the power of community. This is part of why the separation of Church and State is so important. We can see, historically and contemporarily, the power of theocracies to use the power of State to inflict the world view of a particular religion upon its people. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But in a secular society....or for members of a society that consider themselves secular, adhering no particular “church”, there is no church from which to separate their State. As a result...to the secularist...there is great danger in the State BECOMING this person’s church. Think about it. People of different religions naturally believe a certain way...thus the reason they join their church. And churches are organizations in which people use to attempt to influence the world around them. If you have no “church” then the natural place to turn to influence others with your world view is...the State. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Without realizing it, we begin to use the State as our mobilization force to care for the sick, tend to the weak, and take care of the poor. Each of these things being elements that used to belong to “the church”, whatever that church might look like. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The purpose of State in the American paradigm is to limit power. Therefore it is dangerous to blend the ideals of compassion and care for your common man as responsibilities of the State. In doing so, the State becomes more powerful with each citizen that becomes dependent upon it for sustenance. While it might not feel compassionate, to confuse the role of the State to be the distributor of care rather than the limiter of power is to continue to blur the line Jefferson so wisely established as completely separate responsibilities. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The care and compassion for one another must rest in the hearts and minds of the citizens that compose a nation. It is a personal responsibility belonging to us as individuals, a decision that rests between us and the God we worship or the god we don’t worship. But to begin to legislate that compassion through the State tears down Jefferson’s wall by creating the Church <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">of</span> State. </span></div>
Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-16219154892596040612018-11-10T10:32:00.002-07:002018-11-10T10:32:42.619-07:00CNN vs The Whitehouse <div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As our nation seems to be daily moving farther and farther apart ideologically, the recent confrontation between the White House and CNN’s Jim Acosta seems to perfectly capture where we stand today as a society. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Over the past few days, I’ve seen posts explaining how Acosta “put his hands on” a White House intern, followed by “Acosta never touched her,” followed by “his credentials being suspended is a violation of the freedom of the press.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The most disturbing element of this entire saga is not the drama between CNN and the White House.....it is us. We the people have become so blinded by our own loyalties that we seem to be intentionally blinding ourselves to the reality of a situation that has played out before our collective eyes. Sadly, as people, we seem intent on seeing the situation from the perspective of the side for which we root. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If we the people are ever to be “We the People” we must at least learn to be honest with ourselves about the theatrics we are presented by BOTH the government that oversees us and the media that exploits us for the financial gain of good ratings. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">During this exchange, Acosta asked the President a question. The President answered the question before, Acosta who didn’t like the answer, began to challenge it with not just follow up questions, but follow up commentary about his perception as to the reality of the situation. When told to hand over the mic, he became confrontational with the President, who became confrontational with him back. An intern came over to retrieve the mic and Acosta pulled away, trying to maintain control of the mic. His left hand made contact with the lady’s arm. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The claim of the White House that Acosta “put his hands on” this young lady is a very gross exaggeration of what occurred as the contact was slight. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">At the same time Acosta’s claim that he “never touched her” is equally false as he clearly “touched” her however incidental that contact might have been. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">CNN has since accused the White House of doctoring the footage of the incident to make it appear the contact was more aggressive than it was, a claim that may very well be valid. Yet the hypocrisy of CNN to accuse the White House of doctoring footage is glaring, as they have already been caught several times manipulating footage of events to make them appear different than they were. The selective editing of a video involving the sister of Sylville Smith comes to mind. She was made to appear as if she was calling for peace, when the entirety of the incident shows she was calling for violence in a different neighborhood.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The president then takes a few moments to scold Acosta for being rude, another hypocritical act from a man who takes to Twitter to berate people on a regular basis. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After all of this, when Acosta’s press credentials are revoked, there are hysterical cries that the freedom of the press is under assault by this action. This completely disregards the fact that Acosta on many, many occasions seeks to grandstand with the White House and monopolize the media time by interrupting and essentially robbing all of the other press outlets time to ask questions of their own. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What “We the People” might want to eventually consider...is that when the White House calls CNN “fake news” and CNN accuses the White House of being divisive and fear mongering....rather than take sides.....perhaps we should be open to the possibility that both of them are right. </span></div>
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Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-45819930771049841412018-11-06T05:35:00.000-07:002018-11-06T05:35:36.412-07:00The “Freedom”of the Press<div style="font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">One of the great realizations our founding fathers had, in addition to the importance of the freedoms of religion, speech, assembly, and the ability to petition the government, was the significance of a free press. Students of history need not study long before coming to the realization that the repeated story of humanity is one of power, oppression, and the steps many of us take to obtain those things. From the moment Adam and Eve first reached for that forbidden fruit with the intention of becoming like God, mankind has continued reaching for that elusive goal of shedding our mortality in an attempt to grasp what isn’t available to us. In doing so, if we can’t become gods, the next best thing is to at least rise above each other to live lives of power and comfort on the backs of those who will serve us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">A long list of kings, emperors, dictators, and rulers litter the text of our history books. Seldom found are </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">stories of societies consisting entirely of free and liberated people. Our founders knew that one of the most dangerous elements to freedom is the existence of unchallenged power. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">With the five pillars of the very first amendment to what would become the Constitution of the United States, they established the principles needed to allow for the people to hold those in power accountable by having the freedom to question and challenge a government meant to represent them rather than rule them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The mere existence of these articulated rights creates an accountability on the part of the government. When those rights are infringed upon, it serves to sound the alarm to the people that someone is moving in on their freedoms. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">But.........what if it were possible for a government to allow the people to maintain these freedoms on paper and yet still quietly rob them of the benefits they provide? The purpose of a free press was for it to work on behalf of the people to keep the government in check and provide a voice for the people. By allowing for the free press, the founding fathers opened the door for the people to get their information from multiple sources, providing checks and balances to the information we receive. If the government were every to attempt to take over the media, it should be obvious to the public that an attempt was being made to infringe on their freedoms. That same brief look through history should teach us that eventually, people will attempt to consolidate power through the government for their own gain. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">But what good is a free press if that free press becomes so competitive and greedy for the money that comes from ratings that it no longer seeks to provide people with boring truth so much as tantalizing content to keep them glued to their particular “news” outlet? What if those running the “free press” become so confident in their own personal opinions that they lose the ability to objectively share information with the public and allow the people do decide for themselves what they believe about situations? What if the press became more interested in using their free speech and freedoms to impress the public with their superior intelligence and insights, choosing to tell people what to think about things rather than telling them the things to think about? What if the press outlets became so divisive and competitive with one another that people no longer knew who to believe? What if the government no longer had the need to infringe upon the freedoms of the press, since the press had used that freedom so recklessly that it was no longer believed by the people it was meant to represent and protect?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Our founding fathers sought to set up a government less powerful than the people so that it could never overpower the people. But sadly, government need not take power from a people who freely give that power away....and if history teaches us anything.....it teaches us we eventually will do just that. </span>Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-86808191865906546772018-10-29T21:17:00.000-07:002018-10-29T21:17:10.648-07:00Go Ahead...Be Offensive <div style="font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">“Learn to laugh at yourself!” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">I was young when my father uttered these words to me. I can’t remember what I was specifically upset about, but I know it was something for which I was feeling embarrassed. I’d probably tripped on something or said something silly, and rather than embrace the humor of the moment, I chose to get upset at being laughed at.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Few things can trigger greater reactions from insecure people than feeling mocked or laughed at. And when my father chose to console me not by scolding those laughing (my siblings), but instead encouraging me to join in, finding the humor of a situation coming at my expense, I didn’t immediately realize the path to liberation he was sharing. After all, it felt bad enough to have other people laugh at me....but for me to laugh at me??? That seemed like the highest level of self betrayal. But I was wrong.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Lately in our society, strong messages have been sent on the importance of not being offensive to others. And we are seeing the results of that in a society that seems to be becoming more and more fragmented and disgruntled. The natural result of not being offensive is that it sends an secondary message that it's ok TO BE offended. This is a dangerous position for anyone. It creates a dynamic where our happiness rests firmly in the hands of the people who are offending us. If they change their behavior and stop being offensive....I can be happy. If they don’t.....I’ll remain in my caustic misery of being offended. Ultimately, they are in control, they decide my happiness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">When I demand others stop with “offensive rhetoric” or whatever we wish to call it, I am essentially demanding the whole world behave in a manner that doesn’t upset me. And for every individual who might have the capacity and compassion to change their behavior to be less offensive, there will be another standing in line to take their place and keep me entrapped in my prison of offense. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">But what if instead we were to make a social push not about being less offensive.....but to being offended less? After all, being offended is a choice I must make. In fact, it's even worded that way. People must “take offense” to things. We “take” it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Imagine if someone were to place a goblet of what I knew to be poison before me and I were to drink it and get sick, then scold the person for placing the goblet there? And what if they decided to keep placing more goblets and I kept drinking and scolding....only to stop when they decided to stop placing the goblets? That would be crazy as anyone in their right mind would say, “Just stop drinking from the cups!!” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">But that’s not what we do with offensive material. For unknown reasons we take information that will upset us and drink deeply from its bitter waters. Then, as quickly as we can, we share it with others, willingly placing the chains of misery on our own shoulders to bear the darkness of angst spouted by others. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">When my dad told me to learn to laugh at myself, I didn’t immediately recognize that it's harder for others to laugh “at” me if I join them in finding the humor. And by learning to not take myself so seriously, I found a greater liberation in my life with the understanding that I don’t have to let others dictate how I feel about myself. Especially when those “others” want me to feel miserable.......so why let them? Seems silly doesn’t it? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Yet at times I still struggle with it to be honest. I still have to hearken back to those words spoken from a father to a little boy....the wisdom still had to be applied. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">For instance, as an author, why is it that I have to work harder at not being affected by the handful of negative comments from strangers about my work than the many positive ones from people I know and love? My initial reaction is still to reach for the goblet. And while I’ve gotten a lot better at not sipping its content, I still battle the temptation at times to reach before withdrawing my hand. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">It’s human to be defensive when we hear others bash our religious, political, social, and personal perspectives on things. It’s even more so when they do it to us personally. But in both cases, the key to our liberation isn’t them......it's us. It's our ability to recognize the poison flowing from their lips is a testament to what is within them......not us. Unless, of course, we decide to partake as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">So go ahead. Laugh at me. I’ll join you and we will both have a good laugh together.</span></div>
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Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-70630412094411058852018-10-09T08:19:00.001-07:002018-10-09T08:19:47.315-07:00The Art of Protest<div style="font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">It’s hard to make it through a day of the news or social media cycle anymore without seeing some sort of protest. Protest is an interesting tool, really. When used appropriately, it can change the world. Yet when used incorrectly, it can do the exact opposite of its intended purpose and rather than push society toward its desired direction, can actually create further resistance to its own cause. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">I think the key to protest comes with the intention behind it. Often times the idea behind protest is to enact change. But sadly, especially in a selfie-driven, self centered society, I fear protest has become much more about seeking attention rather than creating change. One downside to being a protester who is motivated by seeking attention is if their cause actually attains success. For once success occurs, there is no longer a need for protest. And if their is no longer a need for protest then there is no longer the avenue of protest with which to gain attention. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">If we are honest with ourselves, we have to acknowledge that protest might be a great way to draw attention to an issue, but it is a terrible way to actually solve the issue. For solutions, civil discussion is significantly more useful. Don’t believe me? Well then ask yourself.....when was the last time someone changed my mind about something by screaming at me through protest? I’ll give you a moment to reminisce. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: red;">Protest, like violence, is a very dangerous activity to enter into and should only be done so after careful consideration. A case can be made that there is a place for violence in extreme situations (ending slavery comes to mind) but we should caution this. When we decide to resort to violence for our cause, we shift the emphasis from being who has the position of intellectual and moral superiority to simply who is strongest.</span> Likewise, once we decide to engage in protest it can shift the emphasis from the nature of our cause to simply who is loudest. For instance, the Westboro Baptist Church hate group is well known for their bombastic protests, and while they themselves are a small group of people, they are known nationally. So for those wishing to further their cause, it may be worth while to consider other options before choosing the perfected method of Westboro Baptist, Americas most notorious hate group, to promote your cause.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">If we wish to seek true unity, we must first relinquish the need to be “right” at all costs and stop seeking to impose our will upon others. While we may not ever agree with those who hold views in opposition to our own, we can at least take the time to try to understand them and why they have come to the conclusions they have reached. If we do these things we could make the case that we are actually seeking change. But if we’d rather keep posting to the masses and screaming from bullhorns, then we might want to consider the possibility that our motivation isn’t to bring others together.....but to elevate one’s self. </span></div>
Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-10484059228101068452018-10-01T19:46:00.001-07:002018-10-02T09:22:50.512-07:00The Sins of Our Fathers<div style="font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Balbir Singh Sodhi. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">His name may not be familiar to you. But his name is nonetheless significant for it represents the worst elements of humanity. It is not Balbir Singh Sodhi himself that represents the worst of us....but what was done to him. You see, Balbir Singh Sodhi was of the Sikh religion. Followers have beards and wear turbans. Shortly after September 11th 2001, Sodhi, who had worked at a convenience store in Arizona was murdered by a man seeking revenge for the 9/11 terrorist attacks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Only there were several problems with this “revenge.” First, Sodhi had absolutely nothing to do with the terror activities or anything related to them. Other than having an outward appearance that resembled middle eastern descent, there was absolutely nothing else about him or his life that had anything to do with the events that unbeknownst to him would orchestrate the circumstances of his death. Instead, his life only added to the innocence that died as the result of the 9/11 attacks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Revenge is a strange monster in that it is an illusion. Somewhere in the deranged mind of a man who felt the sting of the pain caused by a terrorist attack, he somehow came to the conclusion that finding and killing someone he thought was Muslim would somehow help make amends to the situation. Instead....only more senseless pain was cause and in doing so....he actually aided in the cause of the people he hated by contributing to the loss of innocent life they perpetrated. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Sadly, we have become a society of labels....and labels strip individuals of their personal responsibility for their own actions, allowing us instead to give ourselves permission to stigmatize entire groups rather than see the actions of an individual as simply that...the actions of an individual. The tendency seems to be that when we are cursed with terrible emotions generated by terrible events, our desire is to find an outlet for them. When we learn of a horrible crime....one of the first things we crave from the media is a picture of the assailant, an image that will allow us to focus our collective rage and hatred.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The problem is we don’t seem to stop there....we continue....and we have a dangerous tendency to expand that rage and hatred to anyone else that seems remotely similar to those we feel we have a legitimate reason to hate. We see it happening today. There are groups of people who hate each other even though they’ve never met and have no specific knowledge of each other. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Labels allow us to demonize entire groups as “all the same” and to be honest it's the highest form of emotional laziness. It divides our society and it prevents us from seeing each other as complex individual people, instead simplifying us into groups that are easily demonized. It also allows us to stay safely within the echo chambers of the “groups” with which we identify. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">On a personal example, I have a friend named Darren. According to the all the paradigms society has established, Darren and I shouldn’t even associate with one another. When it comes to a number of some of the most emotionally charged issues in current society, on face value anyway, it would be assumed that we fall on opposite sides. But because we are actually friends, it's harder to label each other into “groups.” He’s Darren with his views and I’m Will with mine. And to each other...we are just Darren and Will. Not liberal or conservative, gay or straight or anything else. Our first hand knowledge of each other allows for dialogue and discussion but not demonization. As a result, when I reference him...I can simply say Darren. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Sadly, on September 15th, 2001, Balbir Singh Sodhi was never given the opportunity by one man to simply be Balbir. Instead he was seen as “one of them.” A general label that robbed a him of his entire complex, personal, individuality and allowed him to be placed into the shallow confines of one man’s mind to the point that he could be viewed as not even worthy of life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Thankfully most of us won’t go so far as to murder another person, but sometimes I wonder if that isn’t more out of fear of the ramifications. How often do we allow ourselves to strip people of all of their endearing qualities to the point that we can despise them? How often do we actively seek to not understand each other better simply to make it more convenient to maintain the negative feelings we already want to have about them? How often do we look back into the past and observe the sins of our fathers....or the sins perpetrated against our fathers...and rather than view those acts as the depraved actions conducted by those specific individuals, instead project them onto others who remind us of those individuals or descended from those individuals? How often to we treat them as if they themselves were the very perpetrators of past atrocities?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">It was once said that a house divided cannot stand....I pray that this statement is not true....for if it is......and I fear that it is.....we are all living on borrowed time as the very structure we depend on for safety and protection may be the source of our greatest danger as it threatens to collapse upon us all. </span></div>
Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-43120634814149336842018-09-25T08:54:00.003-07:002021-10-05T04:51:37.532-07:00The Danger of Freedom<div style="font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Freedom.......</span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">It sounds nice doesn’t it? It has a nice ring to it........freedom. </span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Hear it? </span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">We often hear it said that freedom is something we all want and seek. Freedom to make my own choices, to pursue my own ambitions, to live my own dreams. </span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">But what if all of that is a lie? What if freedom is not what most people seek but only what we say or think we seek? </span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">We say America is a free country, and while it started that way, is it really continuing on that great path? Freedom at its core is a truly double edged sword. To have freedom also means to embrace what comes with it. The great and often unspoken partner of freedom is a thing called risk. </span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Throughout history, the most popular forms of government that have ever existed in the world have been tyrannical. They haven’t always been evil per se, but they have been dictatorial where powerful kings and monarchs were the primary decision makers for the people. In these systems either a key person or select few were given the great power to make decisions in which the masses were to live by. Sometimes they were theocratic and a prophet or religious leader would serve as the mouthpiece of god, declaring to all the people the unquestioned will of the Almighty.....a God who apparently gave mankind ears, but only a select few the gift of being able to hear him. </span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">No matter what the set up, the common theme is a massive amount of people being controlled by a small few who hold all the power. As if.....power can be held. The truth is, power cannot be held......it can only be given away. When Pontius Pilate declared to Jesus that he had the power to have him crucified or set free, he must have fully expected the man before him to cower in fear rather than boldly declare a truth that had to create insecurity for the ruthless leader. That truth was that all of Pilate’s power was not his own....it came from somewhere else. </span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">The same is true for anyone in power. All that is needed is for the people that currently obey them to stop obeying them and all their power goes away. This means that there are truly no innately powerful people in this world......only people in which the masses will grant great power to by carrying out their wishes. </span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">So how is it that this species called mankind claims it so cherishes freedom when historically it has been shown time and time again we will give away that freedom to others? We will willingly give that freedom to governments, kings, and religions. Almost unquestioned sometimes.......but why? </span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">I believe the answer to that question is why Jesus himself never became overly popular during his life. After all, the Book of Acts reveals that after his time on Earth, there were only about 120 followers of Christ total. That’s not exactly a huge network. In fact, today that would be a tiny church, barely able to keep its doors open. One would think to gather enough attention to warrant crucifixion that Jesus must have had thousands following him. Yet if we recall, it was the masses that were crying out for his death in the end, not for their own liberation. </span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">So where did Jesus go wrong in appealing to the crowds? How did he fail to win them over? Perhaps Jesus made the critical “error” of only offering people freedom.....without removing all risk. If the greatest motivator of humanity was freedom we would all seek it. But our greatest motivation isn’t freedom.....our greatest motivator is fear. And we will willingly and enthusiastically give up great amounts of freedom if we can be made to feel safe. </span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Pilate attempted to appeal to this fear in Christ by declaring he had the ability to keep him from ending up on the cross....a power he clearly did not have as was later revealed in his act of washing his hands of Christ and declaring he found no guilt in him.......yet Jesus still ended up on the cross. But that real display of Pilate’s lack of power came from Christ himself, for when Pilate went searching for the fear in Christ, the fear of being killed and tortured, he found none. It was that lack of fear that kept Christ from seeking his own comfort and safety in the matter. He never caved. </span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">We now live in an American society that declares a love of freedom. But at the end of the day, are we now lying to ourselves? After all we....like the vast majority of mankind before us.....seem to be falling into the same traps. As it stands, our primary motivator is fear. Primarily fear of consequence. We want a safety net for our freedom, something that allows us to feel free.....but if our freedoms lead us to a place of failure, we want safety from the consequences that very freedom provides. </span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">When the early adventurers set out to explore the Earth on their own, there was a great chance they were never coming back, that they would get themselves killed.......but they were free. Out on the open seas, where were no kings to answer to, just themselves. </span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">We now live in a world where we have insurance for: cars, homes, renters, liability, flood, fire, health, and even life itself. The list is almost endless and the entire idea behind it all is that we pay money to feel better about the possibility something bad might happen. Money to people who tell us if we pay them they will make sure everything will be okay. And insurance companies are just one example--we give away our freedoms to think for ourselves to religions that tell us everything will be okay when we die if we just think what they tell us to think. We will tolerate kings--even bad kings--if that king can convince the majority that life would be worse without him. </span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Yes...the greatest failure of Christ was that he didn’t hide the risk of following him...in fact he warned that you'd</span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> better count the cost before signing up for his club....you’ll be free, but that freedom might lead you to a cross. Just as it did for not only him, but for so many that followed him. Yet somehow in today’s world the church views being threatened with losing its tax exempt status as persecution. </span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><div><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div>Additionally freedom also involves the risk of some people misusing their freedoms in ways that are detrimental to others. For example, every year thousands are killed in car accidents due to the irresponsible behavior of some, a terrible price that accompanies the freedom to drive, the most effective solution might be to ban vehicles all together from all people, and while that reduction of freedom might keep us all safer, would that safety enhance our lives on the whole? Sadly while freedom is good…it certainly isn’t safe. </span><div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">We must be more careful than ever, America. We have become a very, very prosperous country, perhaps the most prosperous of all time. And the problem with prosperity is that with it comes the ability to lose it....and with great amounts comes the great fear of losing those great amounts. And when we are ruled by fear, we are primed and ready to not have our freedoms taken......but to simply give them away in exchange for feeling safe. </span></div>
</div>Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-65079932234759649432018-09-07T19:21:00.000-07:002018-09-07T19:21:24.610-07:00The Resistance<div style="font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Earlier this week national news was made when an anonymously written editorial was published in the New York Times, containing the claim that the author was an active member of our current presidential administration and actively working to undermine a sitting president. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">This editorial is troubling on several levels. Let’s begin with the possibility that it is fabricated. Under that premise, the actions taken by the Times to publish such a piece would be the highest level of dirty politics, seeking to create suspicion and doubt within the White House and would display a political agenda so bent on winning that it would sacrifice the safety and stability of an entire nation to topple an active presidency at any cost. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Another possibility is that the piece is authentic. This means that somewhere within the halls of our government, there is a small group of vigilantes who, in the name of protecting a nation, are willing to violate every aspect or our current governmental system. We live in a country where we have already seen presidents impeached, so we know the system works when used as it is intended. But for the system to be undermined in the form of a silent coup should create concern for every American. If this can be done to this president.....it can be done to any future president. In fact, should these people not be discovered and held accountable for their actions, they run the risk of destroying the validity of one of our three branches of government, showing that it is not a president who runs the executive branch, but a secret group of self-labeled crusaders who have decided they speak on behalf of an entire nation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">If history has taught us anything it is that power corrupts. Our founding fathers understood this principle when they set up our constitution to distribute the power of a nation in such a manner as to prevent one person from ever being too powerful. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">But our founding fathers also understood the proper way to run a resistance. They set the example when FIFTY-SIX men boldly signed their NAMES to their letter of resistance. And rather than passively aggressively publish it under the cloak of anonymity.....they sent if first class directly to the man they opposed. Open and unabashed. Most of those men paid the ultimate price for that resistance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">What we have seen recently is indeed a resistance. If the letter is authentic, we have covert members of the presidential administration seeking to thwart it movements rather than trusting the voice of the people with their votes. We have open protests inside the very chambers of the hearings for a new Supreme Court justice. We have members of Congress encouraging the public to actively harass current members of the administration when they are seen in public.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Prior to this election, two families (Bush’s and Clinton’s) have effectively been able to use the two-party system to ensure a member of either family has held a position no less than Secretary of State since 1981. And had Hillary Clinton won the election and held two terms, that would have lasted until 2025. Almost 50 years!!! That would have equaled 20 percent of the entire time our nation has existed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Yes, the resistance we are seeing is a governmental establishment of power that is threatened by the emergence of a threat that came from outside of Washington -- a threat that is controversial and unpopular to half the nation. And they are using that threat to gain even more power as they are now openly violating and subverting the Constitution of the United States of America in order to “save the country.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Only they aren’t saving the country.....they are taking the country from the very citizens to whom our founding fathers empowered. </span></div>
Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-34747510739606490652018-09-04T05:11:00.000-07:002018-09-04T05:11:00.776-07:00Birthday Suits<div style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Have you ever stopped and thought about the fact that there are millions of species of animals on Earth and only one that wears clothes? I have......it’s answers to questions like these that occupy my mind when pondering the depths of life. Questions like this one and others like why do we drive on parkways but park on driveways? But I digress. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Think about it though. We are the only ones that take the time to cover ourselves sheerly for the purpose of not being uncovered. Do you think dogs ever look at each other and are like "Hey, Rex is naked!" Or do you think other dogs notice when owners put those sweaters on their canine companions? Other than to laugh at them of course. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">How is it that of all the creatures on Earth only one became so self conscious as to hide its body? I understand clothing for the purpose of staying warm or for protection from the elements, but beyond that, how did we get to wearing them for the sheer sake of wearing them? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">As the highest reasoning creature on Earth, how did we become so concerned with something that matters so little? Now don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting that we all start running around in our birthday suits. I'm just wondering how we got to be so different?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Whether you believe we evolved from monkeys or were created by the hand of God, it's the same question. If we evolved, what inspired Cro-Magnon Man to look upon his body with shame and don the first loin coverings, launching what would eventually become the fashion industry? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">And if you have religious beliefs as to the origins of man, then your probably familiar with the Bible’s explanation of mankind’s transition from “they were naked and knew no shame” to making clothes from salad ingredients after Adam and Eve sampled that fateful fruit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">However it occurred, whether you believe in Evolution or Creation, somewhere back then a person, for the first time, concluded "Hey, I'm not wearing any clothes............and neither are you!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">It makes very little sense from either perspective really. If we evolved, then the practice of covering our bodies simply out of shame seems a silly and illogical development as at some point back then everyone was naked, all the time. And from a religious position, while the Bible contains the idea that Adam and Eve were “ashamed,” the reaction of covering their bodies makes little sense when their sin was not being naked but disobeying. It would have made more sense if they had tried to cover the spot on the tree the fruit had been plucked from, or buried the left over remnants of their forbidden snack. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">After all, in their case, Adam and Eve were made in the very image of God! To have been made in the image God and then to find shame in that image seems rather insulting to God, does it not?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">This is even more baffling when we acknowledge the fact that we are all born naked, and while small, we're as carefree about our birthday suits as any other animal on Earth. Any parent of a toddler knows at any given moment you could suddenly find yourself frantically chasing a two and a half foot tall streaker through any given social setting. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">The comfort in which kids can unabashedly don their birthday suits tells me this is not a shame we are born with........it's one we have to learn. We have to learn to be ashamed of our bodies. Yet even as adults, most of us are as comfortable as small children with the idea of being naked--as long as it's in private. Which is fortunate as it contributes to a society with a lot less body odor! But all it takes is presence of another person for the idea to be met with anxiety and fear, to the point that a common nightmare many people dream is the experience of being naked in public. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Now I do recognize there are some brave souls out there who don't feel awkward at all about being naked in public........but I assure you the rest of the public feels awkward about you! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">You see, when nobody is around, we can let our guards down, both physically and emotionally. We are ourselves. When we are alone we can disrobe not only our bodies but our hearts as well. It's in the empty house or the shower that we not only might shed our coverings, but also belt out that song we would never sing in public. Where we dance like nobody’s watching and talk to ourselves about our inner most genuine thoughts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">But when others are introduced to the equation, all of the sudden our focus shifts from me just being me to what does that other person think of me. In fact, even in our most intimate of relationships, it is our hearts that are the last thing to be uncovered in the presence of another. How many couples have spent years in marriages and relationships where they physically know every square inch of their partner's body, but are still strangers to the secret chambers of one another’s hearts? Thoughts, fears, and insecurities protected deep in the labyrinth of the soul in mysterious lairs known only to ourselves, fiercely protected and secured away from any other person.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">The Bible warns that “it is not good for man to be alone” yet isn’t that the case for so many people? Isn’t there often a part deep within the vast majority of us that will always be alone? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">For most of us it takes a great deal of time, trust, and hormonal encouragement to have the courage to physically reveal ourselves to another. But to reveal the depths of our hearts? That requires the deepest trust and greatest courage of all. Ironically, in the case of children, this is another area where they tend to be very comfortable opening up. From the mouths of babes we hear the unbridled inner thoughts of the most physically, emotionally, and mentally authentic people of all. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Little ones who still dwell in the Garden of Eden, a place where they are still physically and emotionally unashamed of who they are, made in The Image of God. But day by day, year by year, we feed them bites from that Tree of Knowledge....we teach them to cover their bodies and hide their little hearts as we lure them step by step out of the Garden and into our broken and lonely world of facades and outward perceptions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Bit by bit they begin to "cover up" their emotions, chipping away the rough edges they were born with and eventually sculpting themselves into whatever society dictates for them to survive. In the process, letting go little by little of who they really are, becoming less and less the "human" they were made to be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">It is very interesting to me that Jesus said in order for us to experience The Kingdom of Heaven we have to become like children. Children are the only ones among us who have the capacity to not be “alone” as they are the only ones with the innocence and courage to allow themselves to be fully known. They don't worry about how they look physically. They don't worry about what anyone will think when they reveal their inner most thoughts. The are truly genuine and honest with the ability to create just as much discomfort streaking through a crowded room as they can speaking what's really on their mind to that crowded room. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Is it possible that is how far we’ve fallen? After all, few things are more uncomfortable than complete and total physical and emotional authenticity. But what if it is there that God dwells? In the real, the messy, the true core of who we are, the parts we hide in shame and try to suffocate away? What if the reason we struggle to find God is because the parts of us that are closest to his image are the same parts in which we draw the most shame? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">What if the greatest irony of Heaven is that it isn’t a place we are striving to get to.....but a place we willingly walked away from? A place we once dwelt as children that we learned to shun as adults? What if Eden isn’t a place locked away in the halls of time.....but rather as the children we once were....now locked away in the chambers of our hearts? </span></div>
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Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-73610678820211068602018-08-28T12:48:00.000-07:002018-08-28T12:48:29.937-07:00Learning to Love Thyself<div style="font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus replied it was to love God with all of one's heart, soul and mind. But then He continued stating the second greatest commandment is “like” the first. That being, to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus said if someone were to master these commandments, they would not need to worry about any of the rest as every other commandment was covered by these two. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">There is a lot to unpack from these concise yet powerful words. The first command, to love God seems pretty obvious and many a preacher has spend ample pulpit time orating on the importance of loving God. The second, to love one’s neighbor, has also received a lot of preach time, probably not as much as the first, but we’ve heard it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">But it's that last part, “as yourself”, that seems to have been conspicuously ignored by our church culture in the past few generations. In fact, rather than being encouraged, learning to love ourselves has actually been warned against as self-centered and evil. Could it be in a religious culture that has spent centuries rooted in self-loathing we may be undermining our own cause? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">After all, it becomes a little difficult to love myself if I go to church and learn that I am a wretched sinner, unworthy of God’s immense compassion and grace, that my intentions and heart are broken and evil. And if I am to love my neighbor as myself, and I view myself as a piece of garbage, then won’t that have a profound effect on they way I love my neighbor? By that logic, technically the active shooter who kills himself at the end of his rampage is “loving his neighbor as himself” in that he is projecting his self loathing on those around him and is literally doing to others as he does to himself. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">We’ve done quite the job of dancing around the idea of loving ourselves within the church dynamic, constantly sending mixed messages that we are wretches yet made in God’s image, that we are worthless yet God still paid a king’s ransom for our souls. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Perhaps where we have dropped the ball has been deciphering the difference between “self centered” and “self love.” To be self centered is the opposite of love--it is selfish. And while it may appear as self love, it is actually to the contrary. It is a prison of insecurity that constantly demands the world adhere to the wants and whims of one’s own desires to receive the illusion of worth. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">But self love? That’s a whole different creature. We currently live in a society that encourages us to “be ourselves” but then in the very next breath offers us countless ways in which we can change into something different. That somehow if we change our hair color, our eye color, our clothing attire, how old we look, and in extreme cases even removing our sex organs one can come into alignment with “who I really am.” But if we are honest in pursuing who we “really are” then shouldn’t our real goal be to learn to love what’s already there rather than enact changes? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">We deceive ourselves when we mistake accepting and pursuing who we wish we were with who we really are. For if I can’t accept myself for who I really am....what hope do I ever have of accepting my neighbors for who they really are? And when it comes to God, we seem to think loving God is the easiest of the three. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">But I fear we also love God for who we want Him to be rather than who He really is. Why do I think that? I think it because when He showed up 2,000 years ago, we were looking for a God of power, might, and prestige. But when He didn’t fit our paradigm of what He should be...when we instead got a God of love who outwardly looked a lot like us, rough around the edges, not washing His hands the right way and dwelling, drinking, and partying among the lowly. We didn’t recognize Him for who He actually was, and instead killed Him for not being who we wished He was. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Perhaps the greatest deception we ever face is the idea that we actually do love God. For if I can’t love myself or my neighbor, both of whom are made in His image........then how could I possibly think I love God? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Is it possible that falling in love with who I wish I was rather than who I actually am could also be transposed to God, where we end up loving God for who we wished He was rather that who He is actually? And likewise, perhaps when we to learn to love the Lord Thy God for who He really is, maybe we can also learn to love ourselves for who we really are. And then......then we can genuinely love thy neighbor........as thyself. </span></div>
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Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-23358289372885120302018-08-21T04:56:00.000-07:002018-08-21T04:56:53.335-07:00Identity Crisis <div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Have you ever heard those types of statements before? Most likely you have. In fact, most of us have not only heard them, we’ve probably uttered them ourselves. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">They sound like good sentiments as many would argue that we should be proud of our personal attributes, who we are, and what elements help define us. But should we always “take pride” in such uncontrollable and arbitrary elements of our lives? After all, we really didn’t do anything to obtain them -- we were all born and we came out the way we came out. We had zero control over coming out any particular race or gender. We didn’t even pick the period of time we were born into or the location in the world or the socioeconomic status. It all just happened to us. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">We were born and as we grew older we learned the circumstances in which we were born into. To take pride in such randomness makes about as much sense as taking pride in the fact that the sun shines on us or that I rolled some dice and got whatever number turned up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">And if we do take pride in such things, are we also prepared to take shame in all the negative attributes of our histories that we had an equal lack of control in creating? And will we also look upon others born just as randomly into their circumstances and hold them accountable for heritages? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">While it's undeniable that the random circumstances surrounding our births can and do play large roles in how we interact with the world around us and how that world interacts with us, it does not make that inheritance any less random, or the person receiving that inheritance a better or worse person. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">At some point it is going to behoove us socially to begin seeing the actions of people as just that--actions of specific individuals, testaments to them personally. For to see others, including ourselves, as the manifestation of the decisions and actions of the past, blinds us to fully appreciating and experiencing the unique individual before us. And sometimes, that unique individual before us might be the one in the mirror. Sometimes we can be just as bad at labeling ourselves as we are of others, feeling forced into the mold in which we think we are destined to conform. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">In recent years we have had two high profile emergency landings involving passenger planes. One was a plane that struck a bird and landed in the Hudson River of New York. While that pilot was praised for skill in landing the plane, another pilot who more recently landed a plane after the engine exploded and a passenger sucked part way out, was also praised for displaying coolness under pressure. But what was also highlighted was her gender. Almost as much media attention was directed at the fact that the pilot was a woman as was directed to her actual accomplishment of saving lives. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">While it is important to condemn the negatives of racial or gender prejudice, we must also be careful when enhancing the accomplishments due those same prejudices. Sometimes, as was the case with the female pilot, enhancing accomplishments can actually diminish the accomplishment itself. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Martin Luther King gave his famous “I Have A Dream” speech and articulated his dream of a time when people would be judged, “...not by the color or their skin but by the content of their character.” There was an emphasis to rate people based on the decisions they made and their own individual accomplishments. If we are truly committed to being a society that shares value in his dream, then at some point we must move beyond the general generic labels that are applied to us randomly at birth as enhancing or detracting from individual accomplishments or failures. Eventually, it may benefit us to take pride not in the random elements of who we were born as but the deliberate decisions and accomplishments that will determine who we die as. </span></div>
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Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-43835073646617980232018-08-14T05:31:00.000-07:002018-08-14T05:31:25.565-07:00Thieves, Prostitutes, and Sinners<div style="font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">In the Book of Matthew, chapter 21, verse 31, Jesus makes a declaration to the religious leaders of his day that tax collectors and prostitutes where entering the kingdom of heaven ahead of them. While few are big fans of the IRS, in those days, the Jewish people under Roman occupation viewed the tax collectors as traitorous thieves....and they were. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Clearly this was a huge slap to the religious leaders as they would have taken great exception to the idea that these seedy people could possibly dawn the gates of Heaven at all...let alone a head of them. So what was it that made these bottom dwelling outcasts so exceptional that they would ascend the ranks of Heaven’s social structure to be among the first to enter its gates? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">There is a common theme that is often thrust upon us regarding the significance of obedience to God as being a major factor in who gets accepted into eternity’s most extravagant gated community. But if obedience to the rules was such a big deal, then it is odd that Jesus doesn’t spend more time talking about personal discipline and living more structured lives. Instead He often talks about servanthood, selflessness, and generosity. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">There is an interesting theme through out the sacred Scriptures, one that is not so much linked to obedience but the pursuit of status. From the moment Adam and Eve reached for the forbidden fruit in an attempt to “be like God,” all the way down to the disciples themselves arguing who would be the greatest in Heaven, the Bible documents (quite repetitively) man’s struggle to accept his place in the universal hierarchy. From the beginning of time we’ve chased the elusive winds of the divine attempting to attain power, prestige, and everlasting youth. We have a genuine, “better than you” psychology that still exists today in our attempts to rise to the top of the social ladder as a politician, celebrity, person of great importance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Even those who don’t wish to rise to the very top are often still lured by the opportunity to get into the VIP section of the restaurant or be presented special treatment. What’s terrifying is this dangerous mindset has even worked its way into the churches of today, where pastors will pass up opportunities for one-on-one interactions in favor of preparing for their weekly, or sometimes multiple times a week, addresses to the masses. This is where we stand up above the people on our stages and from our pulpits soak in the intoxicating experience of having the collective attention of a crowd. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Yet when we study Jesus we see Him giving few public sermons, as most of his teachings took place in small groups. On the occasions where He did speak to big crowds He almost immediately moves on, avoiding the opportunity to continue to bask in their adoration. He tells us to become servants, to become like little children, that the first shall be last and the last first. Jesus shuns status, taking on the roles of the most lowly servants as demonstrations to His followers of what Heaven values. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Is it possible that the reason thieves, prostitutes, and sinners are moved to the front of Heaven’s entrance line is because even with all of their failures, the one thing they don’t do is see themselves as better than anyone else? That while they learned to embrace their value to God as being made in His image, perhaps they were also humbled by their broken lives to the point that they could look upon another person and not see that person as below them? After all, isn’t that how servants are supposed to be? Isn’t that how children were supposed to be, especially in an era where they were to be seen and not heard? Perhaps in a world of people striving to elevate themselves above others through fame, power, and yes...even religion....perhaps Heaven is a place we fall to rather than rise to. Perhaps it is those willing to take the down escalator to the servant quarters in the basement, rather than seeking the penthouse suite, who actually find the home of God. </span></div>
Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-44022167421589797182018-08-07T05:48:00.001-07:002018-08-07T05:50:04.321-07:00The Gift of Death<div style="font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">“Come along buddy,” I called out as I continued along the sidewalk heading back to the house. I was a young father of twenty seven at the time, my two and a half year old son, toddling along behind me. Expecting to hear a little voice reply to me, I turned around when I heard nothing. I turned to see my little son about 20 yards behind me squatting at the edge of the sidewalk, peering with intensity at something on the ground. Eager to get back to the house, I was a little annoyed as I called to him again, “Come on son.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">“Look Daddy!” he replied pointing to the ground in front of him. Curious as to what had captured his attention, I walked back and discovered a small ant hill with its occupants scurrying to and fro with their various ant tasks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">“Yeah, its just an ant hill, buddy. Let's go,” I told him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">His expression of wonder changed to one of slight sadness as he began to stand up to walk with me, his eyes never leaving the sight that had entranced him. It was in that moment that I had one of the more profound realizations of my life...to me they were “just ants” because I had seen them my entire life...but to him they were a completely new wonder in this world of new wonders he had only stepped into 30 months earlier. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">As this hit me, I took his little hand in mine and we stepped back toward the ants and took a few more moments to enjoy the little nuances of their busy little lives. I had forgotten how interesting they are to watch up close and it wasn’t until I was asked to look at them through the wide eyes of a small child that I re-appreciated this. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Over time, it's easy to begin to dismiss the mundane repetitive things in life. It's amazing how quickly we stop finding intrigue in the thousands of continued stimulations we encounter each day. Be it the song of a bird, the buzzing of insects, the passing of clouds, or the joy of macaroni and cheese, children seem to have a much more acute ability to extract the most from this life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">On an intellectual level this is odd to me. After all, if anyone should take life lightly, it should be those who one would think have the most time ahead of them. But that’s often not the case. Often it is the adult who is much closer to life’s conclusion than the child who fails to appreciate all the little gifts each day presents. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">We hear it said regularly that we should live each day as if it were our last, as we never know for certain how much time we have left on this earth. Yet, we still don’t. We still race through our days with the idea we will get things done tomorrow, as if we have an eternal amount of tomorrows awaiting us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">For most of us, death is an idea we dismiss, something that scares us and we prefer not to think about it. But what if death isn’t a bad thing? After all, if we are able to idly and dismissively live our lives now, knowing that death is inevitable...then how much more wasteful would we be with our lives if we lived forever? We could start each day assured that there would always be a tomorrow to do the important things, and as a result, never feel truly compelled to get around to anything. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">But in a world with death, a world where life is destined to conclude, it's as if this life is crying out for us to take hold of every opportunity and fully submerge ourselves in the experience. To make sure we stop for a second and watch the ants march, to express our love to those important to us, to take in the sights, sounds, scents, and sensations this life is begging to share with us. Perhaps it is in that way that death is a gift, a gift meant to enhance this life and rob us of the apathy that would accompany an eternal existence where tomorrow was always assured...an apathy we strangely seem compelled to embrace anyway. </span></div>
Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-34142796088401512922018-07-24T11:34:00.000-07:002018-07-24T11:34:49.148-07:00Sometimes.....Love Doesn’t<div style="font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">When my kids were little, I stumbled upon a hummingbird nest next to our house. This discovery was made as I was attempting to trim a large bougainvillea that was getting a little out of control when suddenly I was being repeatedly dive bombed by a rather aggressive hummingbird. After my surprise of having come across such a bold little bird, it occurred to me that perhaps I was near a nest as they are normally quite docile. Sure enough, as I scanned the branches of the plant I was preparing to trim, I saw it, an organic little bowl, about the size of a ping pong ball. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">As fortune would have it, the branch containing this little jewel was positioned about a foot from the kitchen window. I went inside, gathered the kids up onto the kitchen counter and from there, protected by a couple panes of glass, our little bird allowed us to watch all we wanted. As a family, we got to observe the whole process of watching two little eggs about the size of bumble bees eventually hatch and reveal their weak and fragile contents. In the beginning the baby birds were so small and emaciated, the only thing that gave away they were still alive was the flutter of their little lungs as they breathed. Day in and day out the devoted mother would bring them food and keep them warm. Eventually they grew to the point they were almost as big as their mother and actually looked silly with their lower halves shoved into the nest and their upper bodies bulging out the top. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Then one day it happened....and we were there to see it. They started to beat their wings. At first they would rise up about an inch or so and hover briefly before coming back down into the nest. Then they flew about a foot to neighboring branches. About 10 minutes later they had flown to the wall about 8 feet away, and soon after they were gone, never to return. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">It was a little sad to be at the kitchen sink for the next day or two and see the momma bird come back and frantically scan her empty nest in search of her babies to no avail. Among all the little wonders we were able to observe during the whole process, one of them was a demonstration of success. Sad as it was to see the baby birds fly away, their departure was the ultimate sign of the mother’s triumph. She had raised babies that now no longer needed her to survive and were off to thrive on their own. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Built into nature's system of parenting is the inability for parents to provide total comfort for their spawn. In this case, while the babies were tiny, the mother could adequately feed them and keep them warm. But as they grew, she could not keep up with their growing appetites and, at the end, could not even fit into the nest anymore to cover them. Ultimately, part of what lead to the babies independence was the discomfort they had to have been experiencing, crammed into a nest that was too small for them and constantly hungry as momma just couldn’t keep up any more. What they needed was to venture out on their own and find their own way. Basically.......to leave the nest. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">When it comes to the application of love in this life, both with our children and other people, it can be difficult. As they say, there is no handbook for such things, and while love is a powerful and beautiful motivator, the application of love requires great wisdom. We can’t always rely on what feels best to us to be our guide. Watching the baby birds struggle to break out of their eggs was difficult for my kids to watch as in their tender little hearts they wanted to go outside and help them. They didn’t understand that had they done so, the babies almost certainly would have died, not having benefited from the strength gained from their struggle to be born. It might have felt better to go out and build a bigger nest for them to fit in as they appeared to be in great discomfort in the tiny one they occupied. It might have felt good to assist the mother in getting them enough food by going out and feeding them sugar water from an eye dropper. And while each of those things might have felt good, they would have ultimately reduced and perhaps prevented all together the success of those birds. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">When it comes to applying love, one of the options that is most difficult to embrace is the idea that sometimes the most loving thing to do for another person is nothing at all. And the greater difficulty is knowing when that is the best move and when it is detrimental. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">They say give a man a fish and he eats for a day but teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime. What is not mentioned in that little bit of wisdom is that it might take awhile to teach the man to fish. It might require committing to a long enough relationship with the man to mentor him into a position of being proficient. It also requires patience, as the fisherman may have to painfully watch the man learn, when he could easily catch another fish for him and be done for the day. Lastly, it requires the ability to discern at what point to refuse to catch anymore fish for the man. For what incentive is there for the man to put these new skills to use, if he knows someone will bail him out with a fish at the end of a day of failure. At some point, there comes a moment that the best thing for that man is the reality if he doesn’t succeed on his own, nobody is going to save him. And, like the hummingbirds, that do or die conundrum may be the motivation needed to complete his success in becoming a proficient fisherman. The ultimate key comes down to the mentor’s ability to eventually say no to further assistance, a decision the mentor would have the greatest knowledge to make base on his personal relationship and understanding of the apprentice’s learned skills. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The balance between doing good and doing what feels good can be a thin line, and sometimes love can’t be about what feels best....sometimes it's about what does best, however unloving that might feel. </span></div>
Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-62075860078220018172018-07-16T23:35:00.000-07:002018-07-16T23:35:01.178-07:00Miracles, Signs, and Wonders.....Where Did They All Go?<div style="font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">As a kid growing up in church, one of my great desires was to see a miracle on par with something mentioned in the Bible. I specifically remember a Sunday School class as a child where we learned that the Israelites turned from God and began worshiping a golden calf they had made when Moses failed to return from the top of Mt. Sinai within the time frame they felt appropriate. What is amazing about this, is it took place immediately after God had brought them out of Israel through a series of 10 supernatural plagues and a parted ocean. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">I remembered my young mind thinking, I would never have doubted God after seeing all that! As I got older and continued attending church, there was a little part of me that was jealous of those in the Bible that got to see these amazing things. While I was pretty sure about Christianity, the Bible, Jesus, and God, I was certain all I needed was one solid miracle in my life to lock it all in and remove all doubt. Fortunately, I eventually grew up and became a pastor where this craving to see and experience a supernatural anomaly finally...........got worse. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">For upon obtaining the title of pastor, I not only wanted to see one, I wanted to have one performed through me! After all, what better way to be certain of your walk with God than to have the Almighty perform a few miracles through you? I’m not proud of it...but somewhere in the deeper chambers of my heart, those feelings actually lurked. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Over time, as I prepared hundreds and hundreds of lessons, bible studies, sermons and the like, I began to notice a disturbing pattern in regard to those in the Bible experiencing miracles.....that being....when it came to faith, it didn’t seem to matter. Over and over again the Bible tells stories of God’s presence being displayed through miracles, signs, and wonders only for many of those closest to these events to remain unconvinced. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Jesus concluded the parable of The Rich Man and Lazarus with, “If they don’t LISTEN to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” (Luke 16:31). Jesus would later prove this true on multiple occasions as even after bringing back people from the dead (one of which was also named Lazarus) and even after rising Himself, there were still people who didn’t buy it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Is it possible that the primary message of Christ...the message of love...is so obvious, so clear, and so undeniable that if people can’t see its power then even miracles won’t be enough?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">If everyone on Earth were to buy into the single notion of loving our neighbor as ourself, we could have a utopian world......tomorrow! That one concept.....that one truth, LOVE.....could instantly transform the world. Perhaps that’s why Jesus would bristle at times when asked to perform a sign...for Jesus knew better than anyone, if you can’t see the power of love, then even a man rising from the dead won’t be enough. And you know what??? He was right.....</span></div>
Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-79955235736274512972018-07-09T07:25:00.001-07:002018-07-09T07:25:29.314-07:00Christian Bakers and Gay Weddings<div style="font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">With the recent Supreme Court Ruling in regards to the Christian baker and the gay wedding cake, I have to admit it has roused in me a number of conflicting emotions. This is one of the few instances where my emotional mind and my rational mind clash. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">As a Christian myself and as an Ordained Minister, my personal position would be to have made the cake. Now, that is just my personal opinion and I know the Bible well enough to know a case could be made for either position the baker had decided to go with on this matter. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">That said, should the baker have the ability to refuse to make a cake for an “activity” he doesn’t approve of its use in? Assuming he’s willing to serve everyone equally, regardless of their race, religion, orientation, gender, etc, which appears to be the case, at what point should a private business owner legally be able to discriminate in regards to the service they provide? It was argued that it wasn’t the orientation of the couple for which he was refusing to make the cake but the activity for which it was to be used. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">With this in mind, proponents of the position that the baker should not have been able to deny service should be leery of the foundation a ruling in their favor would lay for if this baker can be forced to provide a service for an activity in which he doesn’t approve, then the stage becomes set for the same rules to be applied to an entire nation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Sometimes we should be careful what we ask for as we just might get it. For had this legislation passed, then any gay owned bakery or business may also be put in a position where they too may lose the ability to refuse to provide a service for something they don’t believe in. If the Westboro Baptist Church were to stroll into a gay owned bakery and begin asking for cakes to be made for an event they wanted to hold that was defamatory to gays, the business would not be able to refuse that service either. The same would go for any other group that would seek to harass those who possess opposing values. The KKK asking for racist slogan T-shirts from a minority-owned print shop for instance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">In a nation like ours we must always remember when we demand laws or rules against those with whom we disagree, those laws and rules are double edged swords that can come back to haunt us as well. For if a government can make one group have to compromise their values it can certainly do the same to others. Remember, this was not a government owned bakery, but a private business. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">But where is the balance? Had the government not intervened, we might still have segregation and businesses might still be able to refuse service to people due to their ethnicity. It was too much “liberty” by business owners that lead to the oppression of others in past generations, but as the government intervened, the pendulum swung. The key to pendulums is they don’t keep going on forever in the same direction, should they go too far in one direction, the need will arise for a correction to the opposite direction until they settle into a comfortable middle ground.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">If businesses adhere to the anti-discrimination rules currently in place and don’t discriminate based on the current criteria, then they are unable to shift too far to one side, creating hostility to certain customers of their choosing. But to say a business is not able to refuse service for certain activities or beliefs is also dangerous as it can swing the pendulum to the opposite extreme to where certain customers can harass and create hostility for the business owners. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">We are all people, both business owners and customers alike and as such, both need a middle ground to protect the rights and interests of each side in a balance of tension that allows for a functioning free society. To agree or disagree with the bakers decision is one thing, but to force him to act would have created a dangerous setting for all business owners of every persuasion. </span>Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-49690668389405800252018-07-02T23:19:00.002-07:002018-07-02T23:19:58.983-07:00Sanitizing History<div style="font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">With the recent decision of the American Library Association to rescind the Wilder’s Medal for Excellence in Children’s Literature due to “...dated cultural attitudes toward indigenous people and people of color,” reflected in the work of the award’s namesake, Laura Ingalls Wilder, I fear we take another step in the dangerous direction of repeating the very history these actions seek to avoid. While the American Library Association has every right to create or rescind any award they would like, it is concerning with the recent emphasis of silencing offensive historical content, we also risk silencing some of the most important parts of history. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn has again been the subject of criticism, a book written and set in pre-Civil War America due to it containing offensive and derogatory terms. The troublesome element of Twain’s censorship is we may be throwing the baby out with the bath water. In rejection of these offensive terms we also reject how bold of a statement Twain was making in his day by humanizing a slave and making him one of the heros of his book. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">In the case of Wilder, to remove an award in her name, due to “...dated cultural attitudes...” is equally dangerous as we must then begin to embrace the fact that if certain attitudes were “cultural” and “dated” then it would be unwise to ever honor anyone, as their memory and accomplishments will always be subject to the evolving views of future cultures. We must be careful when sanitizing history’s unpleasant elements, for as we tear down statutes and memorials dedicated to people who were viewed as the heroes of their day but the villains of today, we also tear down their memory. In doing so, it's possible we will also tear down the opportunity of future generations to understand why these figures were so controversial. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">If history has taught us anything, it's that it is repetitive. Should the prevailing mindsets of past generations ever come back around, shouldn't we have preserved all of history, both the negative and positive?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Statues don’t honor people.....people honor people. But statues can help us to remember people -- and even evil and flawed people are worth remembering. In fact, evil people may be the most important of all to remember! For if it is forgotten history that is more likely to be repeated shouldn't we seek to never forget history's most troubling or uncomfortable elements? Lest future generations recreate the very things we erased. </span></div>
Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-38533803543784644632018-07-01T17:07:00.000-07:002018-07-01T17:09:21.068-07:00The Lost Art of Debate<div style="font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">I’m quite a few years removed now from both high school and college, but to this day one of the greatest educational experiences of my life was my senior year in high school government class. Our teacher was Mr. Thomson. Every year Mr. Thomson would take us to a statewide competition where, for some reason, our school always seemed to place second. But our perennial second place finish was never due to a lack of effort and commitment on his part to prepare us. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">When it came to politics, the Constitution, and a variety of other civic issues, Mr. Thomson did not simply encourage us to examine and discover our own personal positions on issues, but would also challenge us to publicly present views of issues in opposition to our own. He would have us prepare in such a way that we often were able to argue and present an issue from multiple perspectives to the point that should we encounter someone who had an opposing view we could often argue their position better than they could.....even if it wasn’t the position we supported. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">It wasn’t until much later in life that I came to the realization of what a great gift Mr. Thomson gave the Nogales High School Senior Class of 1995.....and many senior classes before and after. He taught us to not just take an emotional position on an issue, but to take the time to understand an issue from every perspective, so as to be able to identify the pros and cons of multiple angles. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">In today’s battle station culture, where immediately upon hearing of an issue we retreat to fortresses of preconceived thought, the ability to slow down and examine a topic has become a lost art. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">George Bush said it therefore its good because I’m a Republican or bad because I’m a Democrat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Barack Obama said it therefore it is good because I’m a Democrat or bad because I’m a Republican.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Go on down the list....Reagan, Bush Jr, Hillary, Trump, Bill Clinton...name your team and the decisions are already decided. We are no longer provided news in which we make our own decisions , rather thanks to our modern Left vs Right outlets we are told WHAT to believe by our team’s purveyors of information......and sadly.......we tend to eat that information right out of their hands. Education and intellectual thought are under attack in our society where even things as basic as the world being round is now called into question. Basic biology such as the validity of the anatomical differences between male and female are scrutinized. If a society can be convinced to question things as universally undeniable as whether the Earth is round or if male and female exist, then that society can be taught to question anything and everything. And a society that learns to examine issues through emotion rather than reason will begin to derive truth by the emotions topics cause to well up from within them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Mr. Thomson did us a great favor in 1995...he taught us to look at situations from perspectives in which we didn’t WANT to see them, having to push past our resistant emotions to examine a position that didn’t “feel” right in order to better understand things. As a result, occasionally our emotions would change with better understanding and sometimes they didn’t but either way....there was always better understanding....so for that I say......Thank you Mr. Thomson. </span>Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-75518937577456705912018-06-19T17:54:00.000-07:002018-06-19T17:54:32.075-07:00If you support DACA, ending child/parent separation, and gun control.....you should also support the wall<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For a generation now, the issues of border security and immigration have been talking points on both sides of the political aisle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Recently the headlines have been ablaze with the revelation that parents and children are being separated at the border, an existing policy recently enforced by the Trump administration. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Since Trump began his election bid, one of his very first proposals was to put a wall along the US/Mexican border. His detractors immediately began to ridicule the idea as ridiculous and pointless as it would have no effect and would not work. Build a 20-foot wall and somebody will have a 21-foot ladder was one of the often-used replies. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When Trump threatened to deport hundreds of thousands of Dreamers it was viewed as inhumane to separate these people from the only nation they have ever known. Now Trump's enforcement of a policy separating children from their parents upon detainment at the border is also viewed as inhumane. Yet for some inexplicable reason there is resistance among Trump’s opponents to grant him a wall that "will not matter" in exchange for ending these deeply inhumane practices that do matter! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If Trump's request for a wall is silly and pointless, then exchanging it for things of such profound importance, things that have such a huge impact on the lives of so many should be a no-brainer. Yet the resistance continues. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In addition to this, there have been outcries from the newest generation of Americans pleading for gun control. And when examples such as Chicago are given as places with the most strict gun control, yet the highest gun crime, the immediate retort is that the guns used in Chicago come from outside areas with lax gun control laws, thus the need for nationwide gun control measures. But if guns are able to move into Chicago from areas less secure, then naturally if the entire United States were to have the same type of laws, guns could also come into the United States from other areas. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">According to that logic, if Chicago possessed a secure border with its neighboring areas it would be able to prevent guns from moving back-and-forth into the area allowing it's gun control laws to work to their full capacity and violent crime in Chicago would significantly decline. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If the United States was to have strict and efficient gun control measures implemented, then a secure border would be paramount in ensuring that the same problem occurring in Chicago did not occur nationwide, which means secure borders would be needed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is what is so confusing about those who oppose Trump in their positions. By all measures, they should give him his wall if doing so would ensure the freedom of hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients and end the cruel process of having children separated from their parents at the border. A bonus benefit would be taking a step towards ensuring that, should their desired strict gun control measures ever be implemented nationwide, those laws aren't undermined by an unsecure border allowing for the free flow of weapons the way they are in Chicago and other areas with strict gun control measures in place. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It can be argued that Trump is a monster for using the Dreamers and the separation of small children from their parents as a negotiating tool to get a wall. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But it is just as bad to stand in the way of a wall if it would end these practices, and contribute towards creating the necessary circumstances for America to have the gun laws that Trump's opponents say they desire. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If the wall won't matter.......then why not give him his stupid wall in exchange for things that do matter!! And if they really do believe that the reason current strict gun control laws in certain areas of the country don't work is because they are undermined by the ability of guns to come in from outside areas, then there is no excuse whatsoever not to give him his wall!! A wall that would create a more humane nation while at the same time taking steps to ensure that if gun control legislation ever passes, it will not be undermined the same way it is in Chicago and other areas. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Trump may in fact be a monster, but at least he is a monster who openly reveals himself as such, unlike his opponents who hide under the cloak of compassion while actively taking steps to ensure the compassion they proclaim is never realized… making them the most dangerous monsters of all… monsters that are concealed as friends. </span></div>
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Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226540254572822745.post-7584995447067623892018-06-18T20:47:00.001-07:002018-07-31T09:33:04.377-07:00Outrage!!<div style="font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Outrage......we see it all the time in the headlines. (Fill in the Blank) sparks outrage! It could be anything really. An athlete kneeling during the National Anthem, a statement by the NRA, anything spoken by a politician, a prejudicial statement by a celebrity, an act of aggression by the police...or toward the police....it was something yesterday, something different today, and there will be yet another thing tomorrow. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">As a society, we love our outrage. For some reason we are obsessed with the fiery emotions that well up within us, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">and thanks to social media, we now have an outlet to scream those emotions to the world like we’ve never had before. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">But does expressing our personal outrage to the cyberverse do much to actually help society grow and improve? Or does it simply make me feel a little better while transferring those hostile emotions to someone of an opposing view? Does it bridge gaps or drive further wedges into the already broadening chasms that divide us as a society? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">While there are some things that should always warrant a social backlash, to draw personal anger at another person’s opinion is not a position of liberation. It's a position of slavery...leaving the keys to my happiness continually in the hands of another, dictated by their personal position on subjects for which I feel passionate. And these feelings of angst are often ones that we must seek out by actively entering into a social media forum through our phone or computer, rather than something blindly thrust upon us. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">As I write this, I’m in my backyard, watching the sun rise after a night of soft rains. The device with the power to pull me from this tranquil status sits a foot away on the table. A place it will remain for now, as there are no political or controversial statements scrolling across the sky, the birds have not broken from their usual morning chatter to debate stances on issues. Perhaps one if the easiest ways to defeat outrage is to spend less time with the things that cause it. With that, I have a sunrise to finish watching....... </span></div>
Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02575435170918197699noreply@blogger.com0