My Sunday Thought for 040818: I Just Shake My Head... and Smile

"I am wiser than this man, for neither of us appears to know anything great and good; but he fancies he knows something, although he knows nothing; whereas I, as I do not know anything, so I do not fancy I do. In this trifling particular, then, I appear to be wiser than he, because I do not fancy I know what I do not know."

-- The Socratic Paradox

Wisdom or intelligence, which would you prefer?  I know, and have known, many "intelligent" people, few of which had wisdom worth acknowledging.  Intelligence is certainly no indicator of good sense, and to find folks with both is so uncommon as to bode the question as to whether the two are, indeed, mutually exclusive.  I have reached the point in my life where intelligence with good sense has become a "Holy Grail" to be sought in others.  This quest is tempered with the sad realization it will rarely be found.  When intelligence comes into any discussion, I just shake my head... and smile.  Wisdom is usually left at the door.

Intelligence and I are strange bedfellows.  I was an average student and my teachers attributed this to a lack of focus.  By the same token, I rarely cracked a book during the first two years of psychology and pulled down a 3.2 grade average.  I enjoyed college, so maybe I wasn't focused before then because my teachers were not engaged at whatever level I was playing in.  For better or worse, this "lack of focus" seems to be an inherited trait.  Whether it is a curse or blessing will depend on who has it, more than what "flavor of the month" medical science hangs on it or the "patient" living with it.  It depends much, however, on what each person does with their focus when, or if, they discover it. 

Two Buddhist monks were arguing about a flag flapping in the wind.  “It’s the wind that is really moving,” stated the first one.  “No, it is the flag that is moving,” contended the second.  A third interrupted them.  “Neither the flag nor the wind is moving,” he said, “It is MIND that is moving.”

-- Zen Buddhism

Do I wish for more intelligence than I have?  Why?  To what end?  And the question presupposes that I actually have intelligence to begin with, a subject often debated hotly at my local watering hole. A popular prayer written by American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971) explains my view best, "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference."  If I am to be blessed with more of something, let it be wisdom.  As a matter of fact, people in general could use more wisdom in their lives.  Wisdom is something few are taught, fewer grasp, yet fewer exercise, and even fewer recognize.  Wisdom is something we are all endowed with and it usually, paradoxically, takes second seat to intelligence.  I have found wisdom in the most unlikely of people, which makes a logical kind of sense.  If you're unlikely to find something, then look for it in the most unlikely places.

Have you ever listened to children dying from cancer?  If you are interested in some sage wisdom, these children are amazing.  Isn't this odd, though, that the only great sage advice comes from dying children and the elderly.  I think the rest of us are holding on much too tightly to what we think is important in life.  The children don't have a clue yet, and the elderly have been there, done that, and generally weren't impressed.  As it turns out, the only thing important in life is... now.  Sadly it takes most of us our entire lives to understand this simple concept.

Word spread across the countryside about the wise Holy Man who lived in a small house atop the mountain. A man from the village decided to make the long and difficult journey to visit him. When he arrived at the house, he saw an old servant inside who greeted him at the door. 

“I would like to see the wise Holy Man,” he said to the servant. The servant smiled and led him inside. As they walked through the house, the man from the village looked eagerly around the house, anticipating his encounter with the Holy Man. Before he knew it, he had been led to the back door and escorted outside. He stopped and turned to the servant, “But I want to see the Holy Man!” 

“You already have,” said the old man. “Everyone you may meet in life, even if they appear plain and insignificant… see each of them as a wise Holy Man. If you do this, then whatever problem you brought here today will be solved.”

-- Zen Buddhism

If you have wisdom, I think it is incumbent upon you to impart that wisdom to others.  If you have no wisdom, what have you been doing with your life?  Of what use is intelligence if you have no wisdom with which to guide it?  Having dabbled in Zen for a time, I try to look at everyone as "a wise Holy Man" until they open their pie hole and prove me wrong.  

We tend to spend most of life exercising a total lack of wisdom.  We can see this play out in the news each and every day.  People are taught to defy authority.  People are taught to defy authority by watching those in authority defy authority.  They will continue to defy authority until they need that authority, and then they will scream bloody murder because they can't get support from those in authority.  "Sanctuary cities" are a prime example of cutting off your nose to spite your face.  How's the wisdom of that debacle working out for their law abiding citizens, the ones who haven't been killed by the violent criminals they protect at the risk of those same law abiding citizens?  The fact that this insanity plays out in places like California never surprises me; I grew up there and I'm glad I left.  I still shake my head at the continuing stupidity of it all.

How about raising the minimum wage?  Ask the people who wanted this, and got it, how that lack of wisdom worked out for them.  If you raise wages where does the money come from?  Businesses have to lay off workers to pay the workers who are left.  Those who lose jobs may have to go on unemployment or welfare, and someone has to pay for that.  The workers who get a raise may no longer qualify for government aid, and might just meet the next higher tax bracket.  Higher wages also mean higher prices; you might make 15% more, but you'll spend 25% more for the privilege of waiting in line for that "fast food" hamburger because there's now only one cook on the line.  

Raising the minimum wage is simply paying off the workers who lack the wisdom to see through the bullshit.  Thinking this will, in any way, help the economy is faulty logic.  Instead of working to get rid of unions, lawyers, and other issues which drive the cost of consumer goods through the roof, issues and protections which are also now covered by legal and Constitutional means, we raise wages so people can afford better lives which, in turn, cost more because of the higher wages.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand basic economics, but it does take a bit of wisdom to put the blame where it belongs... and then own it.  I tend to shake my head and smile whenever I hear the ignorance of people wanting to raise their minimum wage and not understanding how it will, and  therefore won't, be paid for. 

Nothing is free, and if they tell you it is, remember that nothing is free.  I suppose the exceptions would be free thought and free religion, though many religions even make you pay for the privilege of worship.  I think I'll just continue to have faith.  You still have the ability to think for free, just learn to keep most of it to yourself or always be prepared for an assault by the League of the Perpetually Offended.

A hermit was meditating by a river when a young man interrupted him. “Master, I wish to become your disciple,” said the man. “Why?” replied the hermit. The young man thought for a moment. “Because I want to find God.”

The master jumped up, grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, dragged him into the river, and plunged his head under water. After holding him there for a minute, with him kicking and struggling to free himself, the master finally pulled him up out of the river. The young man coughed up water and gasped to get his breath. When he eventually quieted down, the master spoke. “Tell me, what did you want most of all when you were under water.”

“Air!” answered the man.

“Very well,” said the master. “Go home and come back to me when you want God as much as you just wanted air.”

-- Zen Buddhism

In the 1880s sculptor Auguste Rodin conceived "The Poet" as a central figure in his work "The Gates of Hell" at the Musée Rodin.  It has since come to be called "The Thinker," though I personally like the "The Poet" more.  Whenever I envision someone in thought, a chimpanzee comes to mind.  I always wonder what deep philosophical thoughts are going through their minds, or if it all centers on scratching their butt.   "What is the meaning of life?  Why am I here?  Is there a God?  I think I'll scratch my butt."  I'm not sure what this says about wisdom, intelligence, or lack thereof, but it does make me shake my head and smile as I continue to consider the human condition.  Maybe I'll scratch my butt.

How about you?  What are your thoughts on wisdom?  I bet you saw the chimp, shook your head... and smiled.  Wisdom is funny that way.

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

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. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, 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 learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 23 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with a world renowned Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, to wage his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.

My Sunday Thought for 040118: Love Is Not Like Chalk

You say my love is like chalk,

That I can write it on you

And erase it whenever I choose.

Well, you're wrong.

I use crayons.

Even when I was a young man, sowing my oats, I knew that love was not like chalk; it was not erasable.  It seems pretty obvious that the love that can be erased is not true love.  Oh, the love can change, can morph into something more or less, but if the love is true it will always be love and it will endure.  I have loved my share of people, and I still love them today to a greater or lesser extent.  And then, there are those cherished few who are like water to my oil; as much as I love them, we simply weren't meant to be, but they still remain dear friends.

Someone I loved deeply once told me, "I don't love you.  I never loved you.  I just used you."  Hurtful?  Well, yeah, but can you imagine living with the fact that you are capable of doing this, saying this, to someone to someone who truly loves you?  This wasn't using chalk and erasing it as much as it seemed to be sociopathic.  And what does it say about the kind of person it takes to say this to someone else?  And, how about the poor sap they finally end up with?  God bless them both.

"...what’s worse than knowing you want something, besides knowing you can never have it?"

-- James Patterson, author

This is someone who would forever be looking for love in all the wrong places and, very soon, would have to settle for whoever would have them, as none of us get any younger.  But, hurtful as they were, I still hold a special place for them in my heart.  That's the trouble with using crayons; you just can't seem to get rid of the marks once they're made, no matter how mean the person is toward you.  Looking back on this relationship, I have to say that a single bad one out of the many is doing pretty good and, as it turned out, I was better off without this person in my life anyway.  One bad apple in a barrel filled with gemstones simply smells and looks bad until you deal with it.

People will say that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.  Bull shit.  Unless you're also a shallow user of people, what doesn't kill you can hurt like hell, weaken you, and make you shy away from situations which might result in you getting hurt like that ever again.  It changes your reality, makes you appreciate what you have and those people who truly care, and it can make you a better judge of people you dare get close to.

Forgiving does not erase the bitter past. A healed memory is not a deleted memory. Instead, forgiving what we cannot forget creates a new way to remember. We change the memory of our past into a hope for our future.

-- Lewis B. Smedes (1921-2002), author, ethicist, theologian

Relationships like this are life lessons.  Painful, yes, but for those strong enough to forgive, for those strong enough to learn from it, rise above it and move forward, it will make you a better person.  If you can do all of this, and still have love for them, you humble yourself.  A little humility is never a bad thing.  Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger?  Well, I'm an optimist and even I try to stay out of harm's way.  Emotions raked raw don't necessarily make you stronger, but it can change the victim's point of view if they approach it with a positive attitude and an ability to understand, forgive, and even to see their own culpability in what transpired.

You cannot forget a bad memory.  You can try, but it will always be hidden in the seldom visited recesses of the mind, subconsciously dropped behind the file cabinet marked "ELEPHANT SHIT" where it will be in the fine company of cockroaches and rats.  Time cannot erase bad memories, either, but time can certainly make you feel like you've put some distance into the equation, even though the bad memory is really simply waiting until you're vulnerable before it beats you up... again.

Memories will always be with us, some hidden and others not so much.  When it comes to bad memories we need to understand the emotions surrounding them, own them, forgive ourselves and the perpetrator, and then let the emotions go.  I have found you can't help other people until you learn to help yourself.

I think we all wish we could erase some dark times in our lives. But all of life's experiences, bad and good make you who you are. Erasing any of life's experiences would be a great mistake.

-- Luis Miguel, Latin singer and icon

I'm a firm believer that, if we ask ourselves why something happened, and we're honest with ourselves, we will discover it truly takes two to tango; everyone gets their share of the guilt pie.  For instance, if your marriage goes south and you feel you've done nothing to cause it, why is the failure on you?  Well, which one of you promised "till death do us part" during the wedding?  Next time make a better choice and you'll probably have a better consequence.  But, it isn't about blame inasmuch as it is about owning your decisions and the consequences of your own actions.  Scripture states it best:  "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands."

As an artist I have an arsenal of emotional media to decorate my life with.  I have a 120 count box of crayons marked with the colors of positivity.  I also have a ten pack of white chalk used when the emotion is new and raw, and I'm not yet sure how to decorate it with positivity... yet.  As bad as things can get in life, we must always find the positive.  Being able to find the positive, to own our shortcomings, to forgive others who wrong us and, in doing so, wrong themselves, allows us to decorate life with pretty colors and move forward in our journey.  It also sets an example for others who have, or will, go through similar events as they travel their own path.

Everyone lives by example.  Learn to erase negativity and replace it with the vibrant fiesta colors of party time, happiness, and lovingly positive thought which everyone can see.  Everything else is just elephant shit better shoveled out of that paddock we call a brain.  The smell will remain, but we'll be so much happier when we're not constantly stepping in it.

"The past is a great place and I don't want to erase it or to regret it, but I don't want to be its prisoner either."

-- Mick Jagger, singer, songwriter

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

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. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, 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 learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 23 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with a world renowned Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, to wage his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.

My Sunday Thought for 031818: Perpetually Catching at Straws

"When you're grasping for straws, don't be choosy about the color."

- Linda Poindexter, writer, humorist

The phrase, "Catching at straws," is hundreds of years old.  It eventually morphed into "clutching at straws" and then, more recently, "grasping" at straws.  No matter which you remember or prefer, the meaning is the same:  To try and do something as a last resort that is very unlikely to succeed, or to simply consider positive suggestions or thoughts in a bad situation when you've tried, or thought, of everything else.  I think there's another meaning which mass media, of late, has been guilty of:  If you can't find anything bad to say about someone you don't like, don't stress over it - make something up.  After all, what's journalism if you can't take a little artistic liberty with the truth, right?  

What?  You were expecting facts in your news?  Why would the news media do such a thing?  Because the majority of us act as if we're really this clueless, of course.  We concern ourselves with someone else's interpretation of facts, like a Hollywood star, which might be thick as a brick and have great hooters but is so much more interesting, entertaining, and convoluted, than the facts.  Get with the programming!  This is the 21st century, after all; when you're grasping at straws, don't be so concerned about the quality, think about the participation award!  

“The world is drowning in weirdness and lies......and here we are, so used to it that we're actually bored!”

-- Inio Asano, author, manga "Solanin" creator

It would seem one would need to lower their bar a bit, quite a bit, to be a journalist nowadays, much less be interested in getting at the truth.  A Hollywood star, on the other hand, is an actor and very good at acting as if they really know anything of substance.  Believing anything coming out of an actor's pie hole is tantamount to believing anything on the internet - Bonjour!  Or, if you've mindlessly fallen prey to those pesky Russians who've hacked into what we see and hear - Здравствуйте!  

So, where am I headed with all this?  I have no idea, I just write this drivel as it comes to me in the moment.  But, the following comment came to light in an article recently, posted by The Monastery, which might point us in a direction:

"Critics point out that the Bible doesn’t explicitly mention guns (well, how could it?). But they also insist that religious folks who cite the Bible are simply clutching at straws in an attempt to connect the Second Amendment to Biblical values. Vague references such as a “rod of iron” don’t constitute an endorsement of modern firearms, they claim."

-- TheMonastery.org, "Pennsylvania Church Holds Mass Blessing Ceremony for AR-15s"

"Religious folks who cite the Bible are simply clutching at straws." Okay, but half of the population in the U.S. states this same thing about the other half when those folks dare cite the Constitution. In the absence of facts we tend to grasp at straws or resign to drown in a swimming pool of bullshit which we created, never realizing the pool is only three feet deep. Is this really easier than helping each other by simply being forthright and truthful? It would seem so, and I hesitate to point out, as mentioned above, that the vast majority of us act as if we're really that clueless.

We create government the same way we create religion, by giving it life through belief, loyalty, faith, hard work and sacrifice, then we standby and hope we did the right thing.  We hope all of the belief, loyalty, and faith, aren't misplaced, and the hard work and sacrifice hasn't been in vain.  But, then, who are we to complain?  Didn't we give up the reins of control to some nimrod we voted in to do the work for us?  Or, maybe it's the Russians, or the Chinese that are in control.  Or, God forbid, the Iranians!  This is reminding me too much of the opening to the original Outer Limits program: 

"There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission. If we wish to make it louder, we will bring up the volume. If we wish to make it softer, we will tune it to a whisper. We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical. We can roll the image; make it flutter. We can change the focus to a soft blur or sharpen it to crystal clarity. For the next hour, sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear. We repeat: there is nothing wrong with your television set. You are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to the outer limits."

And what's the scary part?  Well, today they can actually do all of this remotely controlled Outer Limits crap, and they can even watch us through our TV screen.  Heaven only knows what they've seen me doing, but then, I've always wanted to be on the "big screen."  As I understand it, the capability for this little invasion of our privacy has been removed.  Yeah, right.  Unless you're an exhibitionist, I'd stay out from in front of any flat screen monitor,

Like Socrates, the only thing I know for certain is that I know nothing, and I'm not even sure about that.  But, it would seem to me that those people we put in control are, in fact, thinking they are in complete control.  The church thinks for us, and government thinks for us.  We allow it, and some of us even so ignorant as to want more of it.  Freedom of thought is the smoke and mirrors which dazzle us into submission, and religion is, in fact, the opium of the people.  We think we have freedom and, it would seem, that very thought is the only freedom we're allowed.  

Is there separation of church and state?  We would seem to demand it, yet they both want to exercise the control, we give them, of everything!  We are, all of us, about as righteous as we are intelligent and, according to scripture, "there is no one righteous, not even one."  No one is ever really in control; the people, religion, government, and the "deep state," all wallow in their denial of this.  Any control we think exists is fleeting.  We are, all of us, grasping at straws until a greater power shows up to humble us with our own ignorance.

“You don't drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there.”

-- Edwin Louis Cole (1922-2002), "father of  Christian men's movement"  

We need to recognize the straws we're grasping for are floating atop the pond of crap we've created for ourselves and are close to drowning in.  We should all take a moment and consider draining this pond before we're at risk and, maybe, we should learn to do the backstroke.

2,500 years ago, the Chinese spiritual teacher and philosopher Gautama Buddha stated, "No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path," and 2,500 years later, this is still sage advice.  We create our out circumstances, our own consequences, through the decisions we alone make and the unquestionable faith we alone can have.  We can listen to advice from doctors, lawyers, friends, and clergy, but it is ultimately up to us whether we heed that advice or, perhaps, morph it into a decision of our own.  If we don't learn the lessons which make up our lives we are doomed to repeat the mistakes; we will find ourselves constantly at odds with our poor decisions and happiness will be a straw forever out of reach.  

If I were God, I'd have my thumb caressing the big red DELETE button.  We must be doing something right, however, because we're still here.  Go figure.

“It is like a drowning man catching at a straw. You yourself will agree that, unless he were drowning he would not mistake a straw for the trunk of a tree.”

-- Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821-1881), novelist, engineer

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

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. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, 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 learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 23 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with an Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, to wage his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as Chaplain Program Liaison, at a regional medical center.

You Cannot Be a Gay Christian!

"Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, even against your own brothers!  Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God..."

-- Berean Study Bible,  1 Corinthians 6:8-10

I think the Berean Study Bible used a translation of 1 Corinthians 6:8-10 which was in line with most other translations, indicating men are the only homosexuals; if you're a lesbian you seem to get a pass.  But, regardless, how dare we presume to judge?

I gleaned the following from biblehub.com, and direct you to this link for further study of the referenced chapter and verse, in context.  Let's take a quick look at a few of these other translations, concerning 1 Corinthians 6:8-10, so you have a flavor of the rhetoric I'm going to cover in this post.  In particular, I'm looking at the line "nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts":

Men who have sex with men, men who practice homosexuality, men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, males who have sex with males, is a pervert or behaves like a homosexual, practicing homosexuals, nor abusers of themselves with men, nor any who are guilty of unnatural crime, nor sodomites...

...and yadda, yadda, yadda, ad nauseam.  Each one of these is another translation of "nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts..."  Well, where are the women in all this?  Is it that they're included in the "nor abusers of themselves with men" statement?  We don't know, and anyone that thinks they do know had better explain why there are so many different translations of just these three very short verses.  If it were clear there would be only one way to read it, and this one way would prevent heretics from judging the servants of another master, right?  Oh, hell no!  The perpetually offended would find some way to tell us all what God really meant to say, and why this was left off of the Ten Commandments as well as the list of seven cardinal sins.

1 Corinthians 6:9 is generally used as the argument against homosexuality; taken out of context, it is easy to see how. But, put into context and it is a statement against the "wicked" and how the "wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God." Now, I understand wicked to have a meaning synonymous, and in context, with the rest of the three versus, to wit: sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, verbal abusers, and swindlers. Taken in this context, "men who submit to or perform homosexual acts" would seem more in the context of whoring and sexual misconduct, than that of a loving relationship. It certainly does not concern itself with love as much as it seems to totally cover wickedness and sin. None of it intones the loving relationship between two people, much less anyone seriously searching for a relationship with Christ or God. But then, how are we to really know what was meant when there are so many different translations? Take it on faith? I think not. So much scripture has been removed, lost, or hidden from the faithful.

My faith prohibits me from condemning a group of people based on someone's interpretation of a questionable translation of a document written by men with agendas who say its the inspired Word of God, especially when said document demands that, as a good and righteous Christian, I will not judge.

One of my readers got into it with the person who posted the "header" graphic, above.  The following was her reply to the posting:

If you can't be a gay Christian, then you can't be a remarried Christian unless the divorce was granted based on the grounds laid out in the Bible. If you can't be a gay Christian, then you can't be an alcoholic Christian or a tobacco-addicted Christian or a drug-addicted Christian. If you can't be a gay Christian, then you can't be a spouse-abusing Christian or an adulterer Christian. If you can't be a gay Christian, then you can't be an overeater Christian. Dang! It appears we're all doomed!

What am I missing in this life??? Why is being gay the end all be all where Christianity is involved? I’m divorced and remarried. According to the Bible, I live in sin daily, and quite frankly, I will do so until death do us part. Why don’t “Christians” pick on me or make memes about my situation?

He wasn’t budging! The most pathetic part is that he chose to completely ignore all of the examples I laid out of “daily living in sin”, but he stayed on the gay issue. It was as if that’s the worst possible sin. That’s just not how I interpret the scripture at all.

It is about heresy. It is about judging when Jesus said judgement was the purview of God. Your perceived "sin" is not as controversial, nor does it get the attention that the gay community gets from the League of the Perpetually Offended. Romans 14:4 might be a good response. "Who are you to judge another man's servant?" If being a gay Christian is wrong, then what does this say about his own heresy, his own sin, of standing in judgement of anyone? “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 

I'll make this difficult for the League of the Perpetually Offended to understand:  "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."  Okay, I'll simplify it:  We are all children of God, but it would seem only a few, abandoning all humility, rise above their station and presume to speak for the Almighty, but then, "the importance of a person or thing is the way it is; not because of what it is called."  Stupid is as stupid does?  Of course, if that's what's important to you.  And calling someone a genius or clergy isn't going to make them any less a jackass, if that's what they actually are.  You have to weigh the evidence set before you and ask, "Who is the real deceiver?"  While you're coming up with that answer, ask yourself, "Who am I to judge?"

This is one of those subjects which I could write volumes on.  I already have a pretty good start.  It deals with intolerance and judgment, a lack of understanding and knowledge.  Most of all it deals with our own prejudices and ignorance, most of which we allow people we trust to teach us, you know, those people we assume to be tolerant, understanding, knowledgeable, non-judgmental and smart.  We assume too much of those we place our trust in.  How about we try thinking for ourselves and get into that unerring balance and sweet reasonableness which is Christ the Lord.

An avid reader of my work has stated he doesn't let this subject rattle his cage anymore, and perhaps he has a point.  Maybe, if we ignore the League of the Perpetually Offended, they will eventually go away, though I doubt it.  As for me, I am doomed to remain perpetually offended by the perpetually offended whose only goal in life is to perpetually offend others with the offense of their ignorant and hateful rhetoric.  I suppose this means I am either offended at my own inability to tolerate their bullshit, or I find some need to defend those who peacefully seek the love of their God, those who seek a greater faith and purpose than their detractors.  I will probably burn in a hell of my own creation, but I will go down with the knowledge that I have fought the good fight.

Who we judge, how we judge, and why we judge, will be held as evidence against us when we are ultimately called to answer for our thoughts and actions against others, especially those we judge as weaker than ourselves.  Humility is the hallmark of the meek, and the meek shall inherit the earth. 

Meaning of A Rose by Any Other Name:  The importance of a person or thing is the way it is; not because of what it is called. Simply, it means the names of things cannot affect what they actually are. This line is, in fact, very profound, suggesting that a name is just a label to distinguish one thing from another. It neither has any worth, nor gives true meaning. Only an individual or thing has a worth when it deserves it; for example, even if we call a rose by an entirely different name, it would smell the same as it does by its name “rose.” 

-- literarydevices.net

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

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. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, 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 learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 23 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with an Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, to wage his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as Chaplain Program Liaison, at a regional medical center.

My Sunday Thought for 031118: Abrahamic Religions - The Great Manipulation?

"Once admitted, scholars must request which specific documents they wish to review. They are only allowed to request three per day. So instead of being able to browse the contents of the archive, they must select articles from catalogs in which items are handwritten in Italian or Latin. These catalogs are quite imposing considering that the archives contain “50 miles [80 km] of shelving and documents dating back to the eighth century” (Keyser, 2015). “If in just a few minutes they realize that what they’re seeking isn’t in the requested folders, they’re forced to pack up for the day - a challenge for scholars on a deadline or those who have traveled long distances” (O’Loughlin, 2014). Computers are allowed but not photography so scholars spend most of the sessions in reading rooms typing up notes."

-- Kerry Sullivan, "What Really Lies Hidden in the Vatican Secret Archives?"

After a career in military intelligence, I'm pretty savvy as to why society doesn't need to know everything.  Some secrets and activities are best left in the purview of those who protect us.  These activities are necessary for the security of the country, mom, and apple pie.  We grudgingly have to put our trust in a fallible and oft time corrupt political system in hope that what we're paying the criminals we voted into office won't be squandered, stolen, or used against us.  We have a misplaced faith that someone is overseeing governing activities so we can catch traitors when they try to give away two-thirds of our uranium production, or go into debt borrowing money from, our mortal enemies - like China.  Treason takes many forms and crosses all political party lines, so sometimes we miss the obvious and arrive late to the party; this is why we have federal judges, special counsels, and a Supreme Court.  But, I digress... or, do I?  Hmmm...

The current investigations into impropriety, which runs rampant in our capitol, brought to mind the Vatican's "secret" archives.  But, wait; these archives are not referred to as "secret" by the Vatican, of course not.  These are actually just the pope's "private papers," all "50 miles [80 km] of shelving and documents dating back to the eighth century."  Hmmm...  And, at risk of seeming inappropriately rude to His Holiness, the yellow bullshit flags are just flyin' onto the field against the collective pontiff's offense.  I'm not certain if there's a way for one to be "appropriately" rude.  I'll work on it.

Just to prove these "private files" aren't secret, there is actually access granted, but there are rules, of course, as described by Kerry Sullivan in the article, What Really Lies Hidden in the Vatican Secret Archives?: "Once admitted, scholars must request which specific documents they wish to review. They are only allowed to request three per day. So instead of being able to browse the contents of the archive, they must select articles from catalogs in which items are handwritten in Italian or Latin. These catalogs are quite imposing considering that the archives contain “50 miles [80 km] of shelving and documents dating back to the eighth century” (Keyser, 2015). “If in just a few minutes they realize that what they’re seeking isn’t in the requested folders, they’re forced to pack up for the day - a challenge for scholars on a deadline or those who have traveled long distances” (O’Loughlin, 2014). Computers are allowed but not photography so scholars spend most of the sessions in reading rooms typing up notes."

So, these archives are so "private" that the Vatican's idea of access is to limit access to only scholars,  and then vet even those few, limit the number of items few day to just a few, limit notes to handwritten, and prevent any and all photocopying.  Oh, and the items must be requested, so it is really up to them if they feel like admitting they actually have the requested information.  This is not the Freedom of Information act where you might get a document which is highly redacted;  it is up to them to even admit they have it.  No, one would have to be seriously naive to think this dog and pony show makes these anything but secret archives.  But, why is there all the secrecy in religions of peace and love?  Hmmm...  

Secrecy provides one thing above all else.  It limits access and knowledge to a chosen few, and in the absence of physical proof it provides the much lauded ability for plausible deniability.  The Vatican is a country unto itself and, therefore, cannot be required by any court to open these archives to public scrutiny.  Well, lucky them.  And if you don't think this was part of the Vatican design, refer back to my comment on being naive.  And the fact that they are a country unto themselves brings up the question of spies, secret police, and "enforcement" of the faith (re: hit squads).

What is religion hiding from the faithful?  Why doesn't Islam still celebrate images of Muhammad when said images were a part of their culture until around 1500 A.D.?  Nowhere in the Qur'an does it prohibit images of Muhammad.  Where are the golden plates of Mormonism's Joseph Smith?  Where is the Arc of the Covenant, the staff of Moses, the stone tablets with the Ten Commandments etched in stone?  Where is the letter, the single page letter, third secret of the "Three Secrets of Fátima" which is now four pages and not in the form of a letter, nor does it involve, as we have been led to believe, "the "importance of the novissimi", and "dangers threatening the faith and the life of the Christian and therefore (the life) of the world."  What is the point of messages from God to mankind if said messages are kept from the target audience by clergy with their own agenda which might not reflect that of the God they serve?

What other "secrets" are being kept from mankind by organized religion, I wonder?  But, this is the guise of religion; belief in a peaceful and loving faith for all of mankind, right? Peace, love, tolerance, understanding and sweet reasonableness, all come with an acceptance of secrets, right?  Hmmm... 

Secrecy is fine in the context of security and protection of a population, but it begins to fall short when used as a tool to control said population or the knowledge they are privy to, unless you're a socialist, communist, fascist, or Nazi.  I think one has to ask why security or protection needs to be provided for one's faith.  Doesn't God provide all of this?  Doesn't one's strength of faith scream "Just bring it!" to evil in the world?  We have a right to protect ourselves from evil.  The commandment doesn't say you shouldn't kill, it says you shouldn't murder.  In the words of that greatest of philosophers, Ron White, "If you come to Texas and kill somebody, we will kill you back!  That's our policy!"  This is a policy the faithful can all live with, yet it is easier to make policy for all if nothing is kept secret, and here is the conundrum.  Who do you trust to determine what is secret and why?

The only reason I can see organized religion keeping any secret is if that secret threatens the very foundations of said religion, and the only threat would be to disprove the premise behind it.  Therefore, these secrets are only in place to maintain control over the faithful because the faith must be based on something other than the truth.  Truth is something man can find a path to live with, whereas lies doom the very fabric of our reality.  How can the righteous base righteousness on a premise which is anything but righteous?

The question for all of us to grapple with is, what are we willing to base our faith on?  If Satan is The Great Deceiver of the faithful, we need to determine if religion is The Great Manipulator of the faithful, and then we need to determine which worse or if they're both just as bad.  Only you can save yourself, God gave you this ability.  No one can walk your path but you.  You have the freedom to choose your fate, to change it, and to live with it.

People are questioning the church more than ever before.  As Lenny Bruce once said, "Every day, people are straying away from the church and going back to God."  Personally, I don't see this as a bad thing.

Islam raises its hand against the Chosen of God when it is explicitly forbidden by Allah, and heretical factions kill the innocent when killing of innocence is an unforgivable sin.  And, there is Jewish guilt; well, have you read the Old Testament?  The Christians attend church when attending church is frowned upon in the gospel of Matthew, and they praise God with multiple prayers when only one seems to be sanctioned in their bible.  The validity of scripture itself is undergoing scrutiny.  Scholars are questioning the history of Judaism as being contrived to make the Jews more fearsome than they were.  Books have been stripped away from scripture, not just once but several times; gospels, possible links to truth, lost to mankind.  We begin to question the Immaculate Conception, biblical stories, places and events.  Most recently we have begun to question the very existence, the life and death of Jesus Christ.  We, none of us, have any proof for our religious faith.  

Once we begin down this road of mistrust in religion, is questioning our faith, or God, any less reasonable?

"Oh! what a tangled web we weave

When first we practise to deceive!"

-- Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832), novelist, poet, historian

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

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. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, 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 learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 23 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with an Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, to wage his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as Chaplain Program Liaison, at a regional medical center.