Sunday Thought - November 30, 2014: Ferguson, MO - Boots on the Ground, or Let It Burn?

From the picture above I think we can conclude that these folks at least know what they are.  They can continue to be what they are if the can learn what the word STOP means when a police officer says it.  They can pad the bets on living if they don't steal, grab for an officer's gun and push around those smaller than they are, or act like a sociopath. 

The following article came across my Facebook page the other day and, as much as we are all tired of hearing about the criminals acting out in Ferguson, I thought I'd share it:

http://viral.buzz/kkk-resurgence-in-ferguson-and-you-thought-things-couldnt-get-worse/

My comment to the article was the following:

Okay, so we have the police trying to control the terrorists, the terrorists being threatened by the KKK, another group of terrorists terrorizing the police and the KKK in order to protect the original terrorists, homegrown Islamic terrorists threatening to hit unknown targets, and ISIS terrorists promising to plant their flag on the Capitol. Here's just a thought. Let Ferguson play out and "burn baby burn." Let the KKK and these terrorists have at each other and we'll deal with the winner down the road. This will cut the legs out from under Anonymous. It also leaves the rest of us free to handle the real threat of ISIS and the homegrown murdering heretics. Just a thought.

I know I left out the Black Panthers, but really, without the left calling the shots for them, they are fairly impotent. They have been relegated to enforcement thugs, evidenced by their threatening people at polling places and the AG turning a blind eye to it. The left has it's hands full putting out all the fires they've started in Washington right now to really care about feeding their dogs new assignments, but if they'd like to join the fray I'm sure the KKK and the Ferguson terrorists won't mind a bit.

And, yes, I was being flippant.  This whole situation is ridiculous.  When a student from UCLA lectures an older, black, police officer on what racism means, the educational system in this country needs to take a hard look at their curriculum.  But, this lack of quality education has just added to a situation already spinning out of control.  Authorities should declare martial law and put an end to it.  Civil rights for these criminals should be curtailed and the law abiding population should be protected.  The situation here went south the minute after the stepfather yelled to burn the bitch down.  He should be immediately taken into custody, tried, and convicted of crimes too numerous to list.  To make this situation even worse, I heard on the news this morning that the communist party from New York is now onsite.  Oh, joy... more socialists.

The problem here isn't that a police officer shot a black man in the commission of a crime, attacking said police officer but, rather, the anarchist attitudes and decay of the family unit that permeates our society as a whole.  Ferguson is not a lesson on black crime in poor neighborhoods.  The protesters and criminals that have come out of the woodwork in response to the killing of this young criminal, white, black, Hispanic, communist, KKK, Black Panthers, Anonymous, and all the others not from Ferguson, are evidence of the much larger problem.  This is not free speech.  This is anarchy.  This is burning property and hurting innocent people when all the evidence, the facts, shows Mike Brown to be a thug, and a criminal.  This is a lack of respect for the rule of law and the perpetrators should be dealt with harshly.   

What has happened in Ferguson is a reflection of the deterioration of American values, family values, religious values, and the laws of our society.  For too long we have bowed to the minority in this country that find fault at every turn.  Like putting too much water in lemonade, the flavor has dissipated.  We have thinned our laws to the point of non-existence; to the point where, for many, they are meaningless and become more like guidelines than something of substance.  For the law abiding, we hope an officer shows up when we call for help, but deep inside we know if they do it will oft times be too late.

If the grand jury had been comprised of equal parts black and white, would it have made a difference?  Probably not.  This crowd was an unstable explosive waiting for a match which came in the form of the step-fathers exclamation to burn it all down.  This was blatant disrespect for the laws of our country that began with Mike Brown and his family of "upstanding" role models.  This continues to be a disregard for the truth behind the evidence and testimony that shows what really went down during the incident, and the lies that were revealed when witnesses began  changing the stories and coming forward with the truth that many didn't even witness anything.  What the black community in Ferguson needs to address has more to do with truth than with justice, because the truth will set you free.  I hate to be cold, but Mike Brown's real father seems to be the only voice of reason in this insanity, and I find the difference in attitudes between him and the stepfather interesting.  Perhaps evidence of why the marriage failed; why this family unit collapsed?  

We, all of us, need to work on family values.  We need to work on keeping families together and not making divorce or abandonment a matter of fact.  We need to sit down with family for our meals and discuss the day's activities and news.  We need to have meaningful discussion and debate over things that happen in our country.  We need to ensure our young people are brought up to think for themselves and not believe the hype.  We need to show them there is a process for grievances that is peaceful so the protest is not worse than the crime it stands for, and so innocence doesn't suffer the effects of intentional, or unintentional, criminal stupidity.

My own marriage collapsed in on itself, but only after I spent fifteen years trying to hold it together.  It was long enough to ensure the kids could make their own sound and moral judgments.  Sometimes things just don't work out, but that does not excuse you from your responsibilities to your family or to society.

Do we need more boots on the ground in Ferguson, or should we just let the "bitch" burn?  I don't know.  As an interfaith minister I can only judge the inaction of the community as a whole to prevent their community, their neighbors, from being torched.  I can only judge the obvious lack of Christian, and other religious and societal values evidenced by the protesters.

Will we learn from Ferguson?  Probably not, when you consider that we, as a society, are also beginning to spin out of control.  History will continue to repeat until mankind learns from it.  Are we not traveling down the same path as Rome?  

We already seem to be burning.

Note from Pastor Tony, the founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance, as well as the author and editor of "The Path," the Congregation's official blogsite:  

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion.  It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other.  An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion and debate in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth.  After over twenty years as a military intelligence analyst, planner, and briefer, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human.  God's test for us is what we do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.
  

Frank Anthony Villari, Pastor

The Ferguson Mirror

"Social justice cannot be attained by violence.  Violence kills what it intends to create."

-- Pope John Paul II

Another young, black, criminal is killed after assaulting a police officer.  That he was a thief - proof by video.  That he was a bully - proof by video.  That his parents did not know him - proof by their ignorance of his being a thief and a bully, and the fact he thought it was proper to attack a police officer.  There is an idea running through the land that if the black children had a father in the household, this kind of violence would subside.  Michael Brown had a "father" in the household, a father that seemed to have no clue what his son truly was.

Everyone is upset at the violence in Ferguson.  The violence is a reflection of society's inept ability to control criminal activity.  The violence is a reflection of the damage "well-meaning" religious leaders can do when they fan the flames of intolerance.  The violence is a reflection of the black citizens of Ferguson not exercising the ability to vote for a more racially equitable police presence.  More importantly, the violence is a reflection of the apathy of Ferguson citizens to stand up against the violent demonstrators, looters, and criminals, in order to protect their businesses and way of life.

Ferguson is a mirror of what we all, our society, is becoming.  I sat with a black gentleman at a local restaurant and we watched CNN as blacks in Ferguson compared what was happening there to Mississippi and the reporter mentioned the impending violence that would occur when "justice isn't served."  The reporter, and CNN, seemed to have already convicted the Police officer of wrongdoing ahead of the grand jury finding; news agencies fanning the flames of discontent.  We both agreed that these were northern blacks that had no clue where racism existed in America, and the newscaster was an ass.  The south still has its pockets of intolerance, but the north are the ones constantly dealing with issues like Ferguson.  Mississippi touts a more than equitable percentage of black politicians and government officials than any other state.  Racist?  Be real.

Ferguson is mirroring the frustration of a country's poor that have been prevented from moving forward to something better by the very social programs that were meant to assist them.  They exist under the heel of a welfare boot that politicians keep firmly planted on their necks.  The promises of better times the politicians have no intent of fulfilling.  It is a frustration that is rearing its ugly head as more and more poor come to the realization they are being used as a tool; a realization becoming painfully evident thanks to the personal computer age bringing easy access to all sides of information and opinion.

Ferguson erupted due to mistakes.  Governmental, police, community, and family mistakes that came to a head after a young man stole cigars then pushed around the store owner when confronted.  Everything that came after was a reflection of people steeped in a culture that thinks this kind of activity should be rewarded and held up as a model for more of their young people to emulate, an attitude that is evidenced by the ensuing violence that hurt more of their own people than it affected the population outside of Ferguson.

Everyone in this country needs to ask why this happened.  Everyone needs to look at the mirror that is Ferguson and ask how it reflects their own regions current state of racial tension.  Most of all we need to ask if it is appropriate to continue awarding bad behavior.  We need to ask if it is appropriate to teach our children that it is okay to be standard, to not award for "first place," that it is appropriate to just "get by" in life.  And the bad behavior extends to our government that considers it appropriate to send jobs overseas, and invite millions of illegals into this country to steal our jobs and our chances for a better life.

We worry about ISIS breeding domestic terrorism when, in reality, domestic terrorism has been with us for years.  We breed it in every inner-city in this country.  We nurture by allowing students to threaten teachers in our "schools" whose curriculum literally sucks as we teach liberal or conservative values instead of reading, writing, arithmetic, and "factual" history; a curriculum that would be well served to include world religions as a topic to promote understanding and tolerance.

"The Ferguson Mirror" will be a talking point until it is forgotten.  If history is any indication, this will occur all too soon.  As Americans, and people of conscience, we need to look into this mirror every day.  We need to constantly be mindful of where we've been, who we vote for, and that we do vote.


Note from Pastor Tony, the founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance, as well as the author and editor of "The Path," the Congregation's official blogsite:  

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion.  It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other.  An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion and debate in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth.  After over twenty years as a military intelligence analyst, planner, and briefer, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human.  God's test for us is what we do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.
  

Frank Anthony Villari, Pastor

Feeding The Homeless and Needy

It is that time of the year when thoughts, for many of us, turn to those in need.  The time was when I threw a few cans in the food bank box, a few dollars in the Salvation Army kettle, and called that my annual Christmas treat.  Then I went downtown and helped feed the truly needy - the homeless.

One can find many reasons not to support feeding "deadbeats" on the street.  My favorite was always, "God helps those that help themselves."  For the most part this is true, and one is justified in taking that stand.  There are those that leech off of society, sucking the life blood of those that work hard for a living.  Those that consider welfare a way of life are considered to be unworthy of a second glance, much less a first.  I will not argue this, except to say that many of the homeless are physically or mentally incapable of work; the "abandoned" of society.  As for the rest, you cannot save the poor from their lot, only they can.  The truly poor, that is trying to better their lot, should be policing themselves and crying foul on those that abuse the system.  The leeches not only steal money from the "haves" but from the "have nots" as well.

The biggest losers in all of this, whether the family is struggling or leaching, are the children.  There are three possible futures for them; they grow up to leach off of society like the parents, they never catch a break and continue to struggle for anything better in life, or they grow up with the knowledge and desire to be more than they left behind.  There is nothing to be done for the people that leach except to offer them no alternative than work.  Those that can't catch a break need an avenue to find the break, much less catch it.  Until a child grasps the opportunities, knowledge, and desire, to be more than they left behind, they are still children and the most vulnerable of our society.

How do we, as a society, break this cycle of poverty and homelessness?  For all but the leech, this is a simple answer.  JOBS!  We need to create a vibrant job market and quit sending everything overseas.  We need to train those that want to break free of poverty and offer incentives to companies that offer training and placement as well as penalties for those that outsource overseas.  We need to take away incentives for welfare.  If you aren't working, you get no assistance.  If you are handicapped, you can mentor, assist in a soup kitchen and volunteer (believe it or not, this is work!).  Most importantly, if have a child you cannot afford to support without subsistence, it is tantamount to child abuse. You are abusing this child and any other that this new child will take away from in order to survive your stupidity. 

Regardless of what we do, there may always be poor struggling to survive.  Even if we provide jobs and assistance for all, there will be those that will prefer to live on the fringes of society.  We have attempted the great experiment of trying to provide "the world's highest standard of living."  For the most part we have failed, and history continues to repeat itself as a way of rubbing our noses in it.  History is that annoyingly tacky buzzer with a red flashing sign proclaiming "LOSER" whenever the subject of jobs, the poor, or the homeless rears their ugly heads.

Our governments leave us little recourse than to try and do what we can.  Government, religious and social organizations can only do so much due to rules and regulations laid down by, you guessed it, governments.  Some hypocritical Christian soup kitchens do not welcome "all" to the table, and others demand you sit through their relentless pounding of the scripture as payment for the lifesaving meal.  

I have personally talked to many homeless that have forsaken missions and other soup kitchen venues preferring to go hungry than to be hammered with faith they feel has forsaken them, or have their "paid for" criminal records continue to be held against them.  One has to ask, where the forgiveness, love, and tender understanding come into play.  What would Jesus do?  It strikes me as odd how  Christianity always seems to be the first to deny Christ.  There are those whose only friend is their faithful pet, ever at their side, enduring the hardship along with their master.  These homeless cannot bring their furry friend into the shelter or soup kitchen so, not wanting to risk leaving them outside, they opt to do without or find other means of obtaining sustenance.  Many of these folks showed up to the outdoor kitchen I was a part of.  The outdoors was cold and wet, but it was friendly to all and asked only that garbage was policed and peace was maintained.  None of this was ever an issue, however.

From the beginning of civilization there have been soup kitchens; a need to feed and do for the weaker of us.  At some time prior, an alpha male must have made a human decision that would define civilization from that day forward.  The decision was made not to abandon the orphaned, injured, or weak to their own devices; maybe it was better for the group to go beyond just the physical protection of the group from predators, to show compassion, preserve the core knowledge possessed by those individuals; maybe there was busy work to be done that would free up the stronger of the group and thus ensure the survival of all.  Civilization was born of humanity and the necessity for survival.  The only way we survive is through our humanity.  People that have much tend to forget this, as do those that leech off of them.  It takes all of us to make this work, from the mentally handicapped sweeping a walk or bussing dishes, to the CEO of a large company with the moral responsibility of assisting government to find new jobs for the masses.

This is the time of year when I religiously read my favorite seasonal book, A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens (at least when I haven't lost my only copy while moving).  I identify with Scrooge in so many ways, as should most of us I would think.  My early opinion of the majority of the poor that leech off of society was reflected in Scrooge's comment, "If they'd rather die, then they had better do it and decrease the surplus population."  I softened on this when it came to the helplessness of children caught up in an adult world of pervasive welfare as an excuse for not bringing anything of value to the society that gives them everything.  One of my favorite scenes in the book is between Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Present:

"'Forgive me if I am not justified in what I ask,' said Scrooge, looking intently at the Spirit's robe,' but I see something strange, and not belonging to yourself, protruding from your skirts. Is it a foot or a claw.' 

  'It might be a claw, for the flesh there is upon it,' was the Spirit's sorrowful reply. 'Look here.'

  From the foldings of its robe, it brought two children; wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable. They knelt down at its feet, and clung upon the outside of its garment.

  'Oh, Man. look here. Look, look, down here.' exclaimed the Ghost.

  They were a boy and a girl. Yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling, wolfish; but prostrate, too, in their humility. Where graceful youth should have filled their features out, and touched them with its freshest tints, a stale and shrivelled hand, like that of age, had pinched, and twisted them, and pulled them into shreds. Where angels might have sat enthroned, devils lurked, and glared out menacing. No change, no degradation, no perversion of humanity, in any grade, through all the mysteries of wonderful creation, has monsters half so horrible and dread.

  Scrooge started back, appalled. Having them shown to him in this way, he tried to say they were fine children, but the words choked themselves, rather than be parties to a lie of such enormous magnitude.

  'Spirit. are they yours.' Scrooge could say no more.

  'They are Man's,' said the Spirit, looking down upon them. 'And they cling to me, appealing from their fathers. This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased. Deny it.' cried the Spirit, stretching out its hand towards the city. 'Slander those who tell it ye. Admit it for your factious purposes, and make it worse. And abide the end.' 

  'Have they no refuge or resource.' cried Scrooge.

  'Are there no prisons.' said the Spirit, turning on him
for the last time with his own words. 'Are there no workhouses.'"

   - A Christmas Carol, Stave 3: The Second of the Three Spirits

I will find myself working and providing for  soup kitchen again this holiday season, now that I have found one in need.  I also have plans to continue this throughout the year, as I can.  When I first fed the homeless I went there with many preconceptions.  When I left after the first day, those preconceptions had changed.  Many were valid, but quite a few were proved faulty.  Families living in cars because of losing their home due to factory layoffs and other reasons, more to do with our countries inability to stay as great as we once were, than people not looking for work.  

We no longer let a "vagrant" sweep out walks or clean our windows for a few dollars for fear of being sued if they injure themselves.  Most homeless won't be considered for a job because they have no "permanent" address to offer.  We need to look at these basic issues and let us get back to the days of yesteryear when we could offer a few simple tasks around the house or shop without fear of lawsuits.  We need to allow people the opportunity to provide an opportunity for those less fortunate that have a willingness and desire to better their lot.

What does it benefit a contractor to give a man a shot?  Let him show his worth, park his vehicle on the jobsite and also act as night watchman.  Pay him a few bucks for the first day's work so he can eat and feed his family.  Maybe pay him after the first week as well, so he can get on his feet a bit.  What does it hurt to bend the ruled a bit in the name of charity for those that want to do better?  Maybe we get a loyal employee.  Maybe we get a productive member of society.  Maybe we give a man, or woman, back their pride.  But if these people are not fed an occasional nutritious meal, if there are none of us willing to help those that truly want to help themselves, how do we expect them to be physically prepared for the work they seek when the opportunity is presented?  

This recent election a black man in Chicago put it best.  He voiced the concern that government was too intent on raising the minimum wage for jobs that didn't exist, than creating jobs they needed in order for the people to continue to exist.  

He has a point.

For those interested in my past postings dealing with feeding the homeless and giving thanks, I have included the following links:

The Path: Joyful Hands!!

The Path: Feeding the Homeless in Olympia

The Path: Sunday Thought - November 3, 2013: Thanksgiving

The Path: Another Homeless Breakfast

The Path: Why I Am Thankful

The Path: Hungry & Homeless in Olympia

The Path: Sermon for Sunday - January 26, 2014: Thoughts on the Poor

The Path: Surprisingly Homeless: Mary in Olympia

The Path: Sermon for Sunday - February 23, 2014: Homeless in Olympia (Part Whatever)


Note from Pastor Tony, the founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance, as well as the author and editor of "The Path," the Congregation's official blogsite:  

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion.  It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other.  An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion and debate in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth.  After over twenty years as a military intelligence analyst, planner, and briefer, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human.  God's test for us is what we do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.
  

Frank Anthony Villari, Pastor

Sunday Thought for August 11, 2013: The Marvel of God

Go outside today and marvel at something God has made.  If you're an atheist, just go out and marvel at something. 

Take the flower I photographed above.  Pretty?  But, what makes it pretty?  Is it pretty enough to make us marvel at it?  If we take a closer look, the flower is giving us the best parts of itself in its attempt be beautiful.  The stamen, pistil, petals, the sepal, and within those we would see the filaments and stigma.  If we were to cut it open we would see it has ovaries as well.

It is not just what we see from a distance that makes something what it is, I think its what we see when we get closer to it, and when we look inside it that makes us truly marvel at God's work, or the intricacy of nature left to its own devices. 

As it is with a flower so it is with the people around us.  The natural fullness of a woman's lips, the salt and pepper greying in an older man's hair, the crow's feet at the corners of their eyes, the spring in some one's step, the way their mouth turns up when they smile, the light in a child's eyes, a look of wonder.  And within each their is the way they greet us or the pies they bake, their caring touch or the fact that they are so giving of themselves.

But, is everything we marvel at beautiful?  I think when we look closer there is always something to marvel at in God's, or nature's, creation, something to make even the ugly around us beautiful.  I know a person who is beautifully perfect at being an ass.  I marvel at the fact they are a quintessentially perfect ass, yet, upon closer examination I find they are also beautiful in their own way.  I'm not sure why but, the mere fact they are an ass makes me smile when I see them coming.  I'll have to take a closer look.

Go outside today and think that you marvel at something God, or nature has made, then take a closer look, and smile as you find a reason to marvel!

I don't care who you are, you'll have to wonder, "How marvelous is that?"

Thought for Sunday, November 23, 2014: Giving Thanks

Being brought up as a Christian in a Sicilian household with a Mother hailing from Mississippi, Thanksgiving was a much anticipated holiday. There was the obligatory saying of Grace, table full of food, and house full of family and friends. Traditional turkey eventually gave way to ham, pork roast, lasagna, and so many other tasty dishes than the same ol' "hit or miss" turkey that would usually turn out being a self-proclaiming prophecy - a turkey. I still try to keep turkey and cornbread stuffing on the menu just to pay homage to the tradition, however. Plenty of turkey neck meat and fresh broth, with cubes of mom's iron skillet cornbread, all tossed together with sauteed onions, celery, walnuts, cranberries, and spices. I am so glad it's almost lunch.

Saying Grace slowly gave way to an uncomfortable mumbling of something unintelligible from one of the attendees to the Thanksgiving meal, and the tradition of "saying Grace" was eventually forgotten by most people altogether or left to some smartass yelling out "GRACE!" before the table became a mass of reaching arms. Some atheists must have been thrilled not to be put through the thirty second agony of deifying the holiday with Grace.

Prayers of thanks and special thanksgiving ceremonies are common among almost all religions after harvests and at other times. The Thanksgiving holiday's history in North America is rooted in English traditions dating from the Protestant Reformation.

-- Wikipedia, "Thanksgiving" 

Well, stand by for news.  The League of the Perpetually Offended (LPO) will probably target this holiday next.  The mere fact that any day is referred to as a holiday (aka, holy day) will have this group uncomfortably dissatisfied even though the term "holiday" has become a generic reference to any recognized celebration we take off from work to celebrate.  The fact that some folks still link God to a holiday is just salt in an open wound to the LPO.  Everyone in the LPO still, hypocritically, wants the day off, but they want God left out of the equation.  Kind of like Christmas not being linked to the birth of Christ, it makes little sense except to those the holiday has no meaning for.  

On the secular side, the LPO has also gone after Halloween with the long accepted costumes depicting ghosts and goblins.  Oh, wait, that would be Wiccan based and, therefore, probably under attack by the Christian arm of the LPO; the CLPO as I call them, as opposed to the other two major religious arms, the JLPO, ILPO, or the secular ALPO and LGBTLPO (if you're an avid reader of my posts you might remember this latter might be more properly referred to as the "LGBTQQ" LPO, only now I'm even more confused.)  Regardless, it would seem the days of small children, and some adults, dressed up in costumes of Tweety Bird, Casper, Puddy Tat, and Jason Voorhies, are numbered.  More's the pity. 

If it isn't one group sucking the fun, peace and tranquility out of our lives, it's another. If we don't have a group to attack something, give it a few days and I'm certain one will rear its rabidly divisive head. It is what unhappy people tend to do; drag other people down with them to wallow in feelings of self-pity, inadequacy, meanness, anger, intolerance and selfishness. This all denotes a general lack of imagination; a one dimensional being that celebrates the truth that it is so much easier to tear down than to build. To quote Rodney King, "Can't we all get along?"

It really must really suck being perpetually offended, though it speaks volumes of the people who are, God bless their lil' ol' hearts. What makes this even more confusing is that the perpetually offended, most times, don't even realize they are and will deny it if confronted. Only non-members can usually tell if someone follows the path of the perpetually offended. And, if we find these people perpetually offensive, what does this say about us? Oh, crap! Could we also unknowingly be members of the perpetually offended? Hmmmm... Makes my head want to explode.

"I am grateful for what I am and have.  My thanksgiving is perpetual.  It is surprising how contented one can be with nothing definite - only a sense of existence.  Well, anything for variety.  I am ready to try this for the next ten thousand years, and exhaust it.

O how I laugh when I think of my vague indefinite riches.  No run on my bank can drain it, for my wealth is not possession but enjoyment."

-- Henry David Thoreau

I found a Baptist church in our little town that feeds the needy once a week. They will be providing a Thanksgiving meal for over two hundred people that can't afford it. Dad and I have been in contact with them and will be assisting in providing some of the food on their list. Actually, I'm not sure if dad realizes how much money I am planning to spend or he might consider an LPO charter membership. I enjoyed talking to the folks at the kitchen and will probably end up volunteering some time there as well supplying some food every now and again. The ministry is looking to take the project to a daily meal five days per week and will be in need of extra hands. This is my definition of "Thanksgiving."

This holiday season, try your damnedest not to be offended. Try not to offend anyone (please don't do as I do, follow your own path). And, above all, try to show a smidgen more tolerance and love for anyone you think is a member of the LPO. You might just turn their world around.

May God bless, love, and keep us, one and all.

"When asked if my cup is half-full or half-empty my only response is that I am thankful I have a cup"

-- Sam Lefkowitz

Note from Pastor Tony, the founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance, as well as the author and editor of "The Path," the Congregation's official blogsite:  

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch,  or offended, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion.  It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other.  An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion and debate in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth.  After over twenty years as a military intelligence analyst, planner, and briefer, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human.  God's test for us is what we do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.

  

Frank Anthony Villari, Pastor

Paraplegia

Who walks their path better than I?

The child upon a first step

The woman wheelchair-bound

The old man breathing his last

Do the humble walk with head bowed?

They see nothing but the path

Missing all around them

Focused on what lies before

Do the blind not see the trek?

The cane swings left and right

Night merges with day

Safer to just be still

Who walks their path better than I?

Everyone who walks a path

For it is their path

Only they can walk it

Do the humble walk with head bowed?

Smiling at all around them

Where they have been and are now

The reality before them

Do the blind not see the trek?

The closed eye does not stop perception

Sleeping does not stop the dream

Incarceration does not stop flight

To find a path is the goal of life

The first step, the beginning of a journey

More important than the destination

Actions more important than ego

Not taking the first step

Admits paraplegia

Not traveling a path

Admits being crippled

On a path, the child can teach the master

The paralyzed, the runner

The sinner, the righteous

The dying, the living

One's path is in the mind's eye

The destination is ahead

You will arrive tomorrow

Or, you are already there

Envision a first step and the journey has begun!

Offending Opinions

One of the ministers at the monastery posted this little tidbit, and I was amazed at how many of us actually identify with it.  Maybe it has to do with learning that you're not responsible for everyone else's happiness, or that you really don't give a rat's patoot what other people think of you.

Opinions can, at times, be offensive.  Oh, hell, let's not sugar coat it.  For some of us opinions are, more times than not, offensive.  One of the blessings of a free society and a free will is that you can ignore what you don't find acceptable, change the channel, find another article, and always voice your own opinion regardless of what anyone tells you to the contrary.  It is not your fault that the some people are proud, lifetime members of the League of the Perpetually Offended.

In posting about religion, and such, I have run into quite a bit of this.  Being tolerant of other people's opinions does not mean having to agree with them.  Sometimes just being tolerant of the opinion is tough enough.  One of my failings is that, if I don't agree with your opinion, I will beat that rabbit to death, run it over with the lawn mower, set it on fire and, "Damn the torpedos!  Four bells.  Captain Drayton, go ahead!  Jouett, full speed!"

Not one of my shining attributes.  Mother always said my mouth will get me into trouble.  I'm happy to report she was right as always, and it still does.  For most of us, religion, politics, free speech, and patriotism make a volatile combination due to the high emotion which runs through the subject matter for, just about, everybody.

I guess, for me, the bigger question would be why we offend, and why we are offended.  I think, for the most part, we offend because we are offended, or threatened.  It is a knee jerk defense mechanism when all good sense on both sides of an argument seems to have gone south for the duration.  I would think this reaction might be excused if the comment was aimed at one who was dying or dealing with some debilitation.  If you haven't walked a mile in their shoes... I think you get my point.  But, even where death is concerned, I would think that if you are at peace with the facts and ready to move on, the possibility of being offended would seem small potatoes for you.

If I have not offended you, yet, grow a broad set of shoulders, a thicker skin, learn to let crap roll off your back, and rest assured, I will get to you soon whether I intend to or not.  However, try to remember it is all just opinion, and our ability to voice opinion is one of the few freedoms we, as a society, have not had taken from us, yet.  So... Exercise it!  Don't worry about people's opinions of you when you do exercise it, because if we are concerned about  what others think of us we might never voice our opinions or have meaningful conversations.  We would all agree with each other, and how boring would that be?  The trick here is to put on your "big boy" pants, wade into the fray, take no prisoners, and at the end of the day take everyone, even those that haven't agree with you, out for beer and pizza.  Call each other names, slap each other around, make rude comments about each other's lineage, and then shake hands and a big kiss.  It is all just opinion!  Try to learn not to take everything so damned personal.

"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact.
Everything we see is perspective, not the truth."

-- Marcus Aurelius (121-180 A.D.), Roman Emperor, Stoic philosopher

But, opinion is not necessarily based on fact.  In a free, democratic society we rely on news agencies and journalists to give us the information required to make informed and intelligent decisions.  When these "news" agencies stop reporting facts and begin reporting opinion, or worse, when they bow to political pressure to report only that which is politically correct, we are left with information of questionable validity.  In the political arena it means the government has lost the trust of the people.  In religion it becomes a war of intolerance against those of differing faiths, or no faith at all, and God becomes the big loser of the trust of the faithful.

Whenever we hear news or intelligence reports, we need to have the facts; who, what, when, where, how, and why.  If any one of these is questionable we need to be advised of such, and if perspective is given in place of fact this also needs to be told to us up front.  Perspective should not be based on personal bias but, rather, on those facts which are known.  Quotes should not be taken out of context, either.  Presenting information out of context, whether it's jobs numbers, unemployment numbers, or Holy Scripture, is just lying by omission.

"There are lies, damned lies and statistics."

--Mark Twain

News agencies have been mired down in personal opinion, not perspective and certainly not in factually reporting the news.  This is not a new problem.  When I was in military Intelligence, we fell back on the Christian Science Monitor so many times for factual reporting that it became part of our annual subscriptions.  You could pretty much trust their analysis would be more spot on than government intelligence agencies.  I haven't read the CSM in years, but I hope they have continued this philosophy of reporting facts.  Instead of getting better, news reporting in general  has become a complete disaster to the point that reporters are dictated which stories to run with by virtue of whether it embarrasses the government or the President; print the facts and lose your job.

"The slickest way in the world to lie is to tell the right amount of truth at the right time - and then shut up."

-- Robert A. Heinlein, "Stranger in a Strange Land"

Reporting should follow a logical process of thought so people know what to expect.  Report the facts, report perspective based on the facts before stating any opinion of the perspective.  This opinion of the perspective should be what leans your reporting left or right of center, but the facts should never be colored by opinion or it is not credible journalism or reporting of the news.  Reporting the facts allows the reader to make their own conclusion to agree or disagree with the reporter's analysis, perspective, or opinion.

Is it any wonder we have Houston pastors being ordered by the mayor to turn over all of their sermons, riots in Missouri over facts that are held back in favor of assumption, or a Catholic pope of change that we fear might crumble and become another puppet of the ultra-conservative Vatican.

If you question this opinion of mine, good for you!  Now, do your own due diligence.  Go online and read some foreign newspapers.  See what they're reporting overseas that we aren't hearing at home.  Check out their opinion of us as a country, our leaders, and our world credibility.  Check out how "peaceful" Islam is really slamming hardline and radical Islamic thought over the terrorism issue.  This reporting is something we never hear, and it makes one wonder why.  More importantly, it should make us wonder what else the news and, by extension, the government aren't reporting factually if at all.

"Every time I write something, I think, this is the most offensive thing I will ever write.  But, no.  I always surprise myself."

-- Chuck Palahniuk, novelist and freelance journalist

I make a sincere effort at the end of every post to inform my readers that this is all just my opinion.  As an opinion it is a perspective based on information that can be of questionable validity.  Opinions presented in this context are springboards for conversation and debate.  Sometimes the opinions can be offensive.  I would like to say the offense is not intended but, more times than not, it is, and I apologize for that.  If I haven't named you, try not to take it personally.  It is intended as a cold slap to an unsuspecting face in order to illicit a response, a contrary opinion, to wake up the spiritually lazy and/or those in a self-imposed emotional coma.  Hopefully you will continue to follow The Path through the holiday season and into the New Year.  Hopefully I will find some time to write, or someone else will send a guest post and give me a mental break (I could have phrased that better).

Also, I hope you will comment, or at least develop an opinion of your own, pro or con.  Agreeing with me is not necessarily the right course, it is just my course.  I do not edit comments to the posts, as long as they are reasonable.  If I do,  I will explain what the change was so the comment is not taken out of context.

"People misinterpret what I say all the time:  They think I'm being offensive, when really, I'm only being opinionated."

-- Taylor Momsen, actress, musician, and model

Note from Pastor Tony, the founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance, as well as author and editor of "The Path," the Congregation's official blogsite:  

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion.  It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other.  An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion and debate in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth.  After over twenty years as a military intelligence analyst, planner, and briefer, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human.  God's test for us is what we do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.
  

Frank Anthony Villari, Pastor

Thought for Sunday, November 16, 2014: Misreading the Written Word

“In a language as idiomatically stressed as English, opportunities for misreadings are bound to arise. By a mere backward movement of stress, a verb can become a noun, an act a thing. To refuse, to insist on saying no to what you believe is wrong, becomes at a stroke refuse, an insurmountable pile of garbage.” 

-- Ian McEwan, "Amsterdam"

Have you ever read something in a novel and found you had to go back to read it again because it didn't make sense the first time around?  Sometimes it's due to a confusing sentence on the author's part; at times it's due to a preconception on our part as to what we thought was meant due to our limited points of reference.  But, this is a novel, not a presentation of information for argument or a debate.  

Someone commented on a monastery newsletter article, about Islam, quoting the Qur'an twelve times.  When one quotes it is a difficult task not to take what is quoted out of context.  Just about every quote was.  Not only out of context but many also seemed to be, for the most part, paraphrased and reinterpreted.  Without going through the entire list, I'll use the just one as an example:

"Kill the unbelievers wherever you find them."

Koran 2:191

First of all, even my spell-check is trying to correct "Koran" to "Qur'an."  Second of all the quote is only the first half of the first sentence and incorrect in any case.

"And slay them wherever you catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but do not fight them at the Sacred Mosque, unless they fight you there; but if they fight you, slay them.  Such is the reward of those who suppress faith."

Now it seems to read more like the old philosophy of an eye for an eye.  But let's go one more step and look at the surah prior to this one, 2:190, in order to get some context:

"Fight in the cause of God those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for God does not love transgressors." 

Whoa!  Now wait a minute.  So this is all dealing with someone who has started some fighting against Islam.  Now we have context.

I use Islam as my example because of common misconceptions we all harbor about this "peaceful" religion.  We have these misconceptions because we believe what we read without going into the documents ourselves and putting it proper context.  Where Islam is concerned I would recommend everyone consider Surah 2:190 when discussing radical Islam.  "...but do not transgress limits; for God does not love transgressors."  Terrorists transgress limits set by God constantly.  My question is, does this make them Muslims or heretics?  

My point, however, is that our misconceptions generally come from piss poor reporting by news agencies, quotes that are taken out of context, quotes that are misquoted, and our own innate gullibility to believe everything we read or are told without doing our own due diligence so we can separate the truth and fact from all the smoke and mirrors of personal and political agendas.

Let's go back, now, to the opening quote from McEwan where he discusses "refuse."  Did you understand it to begin with?  Did you catch the two different meanings of the word, or was it confusing?  He tells you, right there, what each meaning is, yet some completely miss the point.

This Sunday, consider not believing everything you read just because you base your faith in it on misplaced trust.  Before you get into the "braying contest with a jackass," consider doing your own due diligence.  Find out the truth.  We all fall from grace, some of us more often than others; it is part of being human.  God's test for us is what we do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.

"And you will know the truth, and that truth will set you free."

John 8:32

Note from Pastor Tony, the founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance, as well as the author and editor of "The Path," the Congregation's official blogsite:  

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion.  It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other.  An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion and debate in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth.  After over twenty years as a military intelligence analyst, planner, and briefer, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human.  God's test for us is what we do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.
  

Frank Anthony Villari, Pastor

Sunday Thought, November 9, 2014: Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign!

And the sign said, "Everybody welcome. Come in, kneel down and pray"
But when they passed around the plate at the end of it all,
I didn't have a penny to pay
So I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own little sign
I said, "Thank you, Lord, for thinkin' 'bout me. I'm alive and doin' fine."

-- Robert Leslie 'Les' Emmerson, from the lyrics to "Signs"

Released in 1971, the year I was drafted for Vietnam, "Signs" reflected the hippie mantra concerning rules, laws, and class.  It was a mantra that visited upon us such bestsellers as The Anarchist Cookbook, published the same year, and containing instructions for making explosives, drugs, hacking into communications systems, and many other socially non-redeeming subjects;  basically, all the things we've come to love about terrorists, cartels, and criminals.

"The lyrics within "Signs" seem to show an extreme level of frustration with the omnipresent, authoritative symbols employed by governments, institutions, and religion to commit society to a "conform or pay the price" system of control."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signs_(Five_Man_Electrical_Band_song) 

The Anarchist Cookbook should have been banned the year it was published.  In 2013 there was a renewed effort to this end as it was found to be a recipe for many of the school shootings and such.  With ISIS and the threat of homegrown terrorism, why publish a "how to" book for them?

Most of the old school hippies have either gone onto corporate jobs or other pay checks that put them onto the national rolls.  Whether that admit it or not you will find them cashing checks, paying taxes, and driving the SUV parked next to you.  Hypocrites or realists?  Many that refused to succumb to much of what they fought against have retired to farming communes and were instrumental in feeding many in need after hurricane Katrina hit the Mississippi coast.

But what about all of the signs?  They are still with us and, at times, more funny that meaningful.  I was researching online and came across a few of note:

"This is not a trail?  Really?  It looks like a trail or you wouldn't have nailed a sign to it.  What about that?  You nailed a sign to dirt?  We can all see where that is going.  A very expensive brass plate is screwed to a weathered, cracking piece of old wood.  The nails, or the board, will soon work loose and present a tetanus issue for an unsuspecting foot.

Would someone get this area a tissue?  Sensitive?  I think the tree hugging has gone afield.  And this sign should really be professional if you want us to pay attention, and screw it to the post!  The reason it's on the ground are the two ties in the middle of the sign.  Learn something about gravity.  We all have our sensitive issues, get over it.

I love this one.  You have to live in California to find your hiking options have narrowed to the local sewage treatment areas.  The warning is really a moot point.  Who in God's good name would want to wander off this trail?  Oh!  The smell of it all!  I would be all about voting to bring some change to local government and getting the tax money grooming trails elsewhere.  But, that's just me.

Another sign for the "dummer than bricks" of us.  God has a way of weeding out those that perhaps need to be slapped.  Approaching an animal that can eviscerate you with one swipe of a paw in order to offer it a donut rates right up there with swimming in shark infested waters or putting on a rubber suit to see what it feels like to have an anaconda swallow you (no kidding, a new reality show I heard about on TV).  I love the two additional warning at the bottom.  Anyone that cares this little for their own welfare is caring squat for the safety of others.  Donut eaters take note, "GARBAGE KILLS BEARS."  You're about one fifth of their weight, so imagine what it's doing to you.

If you're concerned about bears, watch out for Bigfoot!  Some things to consider:  Bigfoot will slap the bear, take the donut, then slap you and take whatever else you have, then, if you're lucky, it will go on its merry way.  If it likes your food, however, it might initiate mating rituals and you'll never be seen again.  Oh, and men, there is no proof they don't entertain thoughts of same sex relationships.  Stay on the marked trail?  Has anyone told Bigfoot to stay off the marked trail and in the forest?  This sign ranks with the bear sign - go home!

Of course there are plenty of Joe and Mary SakO'Hammers out there that can't read a sign no matter how many you put up.  I think this young lady missed the one off to the right warning of the acid waterfall and 300 degree water.  The Landslide might be the least of worries.

If the trail ahead is the most difficult, why in God's good name would you want to get off of it?  You don't make a trail more difficult than the territory it goes through; it defeats the purpose of a trail.  This is why no one goes straight up the face of a cliff.  Okay, some people do and, I reiterate, God has a way of weeding out those that press their luck.  How often to you win in Vegas?  When you do, do you lose it all back?  Sooner or later the house always wins or there would be no casinos.

And, speaking of cliffs, just an easy reminder to those of us with a knack for self-preservation, a warning of "injury or possible death" if you don't stay on the trail.

Finally we come to the end of the trail.  This one will be completed in 2014, but feel free to show your intelligence, or lack thereof, and wander ahead to see what you can look forward to.  Be sure to leave your cell phone at home and not tell anyone where you went which really won't matter to the search teams that will be keeping close to the trails you were supposed to stay on.

I can't help but think God intended us to live by a set of rules; rules and laws that would give unto God that which is God's and unto Caesar that which is his,  like... staying off the grass.  Maybe it isn't a bad thing to let anarchists play with matches, or people with no sense of social responsibility to wander off the marked trail.

This Sunday, when you're out and about, pay attention to the signs and ask yourself, "Was Ralph Waldo Emerson a moron or a visionary?"

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Note from Pastor Tony, the founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance, as well as the author and editor of "The Path," the Congregation's official blogsite:  

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion.  It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other.  An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion and debate in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth.  After over twenty years as a military intelligence analyst, planner, and briefer, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

  

Frank Anthony Villari, Pastor