The Vatican: Priests and Marriage

Thursday, the Vatican Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, made a comment in the Venezuelan newspaper, El Universal, that has everyone thinking the Pope is prepared to discuss whether or not priests should be able to marry.  Several things bother me, right off the bat, about this article.

 

Just to be clear, the photo to the left is of me, not Parolin.  He does not have male pattern baldness, although I think he carries a bit more weight around the middle than I do.  Regardless, I think I'm the one that has it all "goin on!"  I could be wrong, but I doubt it. 

Anyway, the Secretary of State makes a comment.  How many times have Hilary Clinton or Joe Biden talked "out of school" and done some serious "what I meant to say was" back pedaling?  Second, who did he make the comment too?  A Venezuelan newspaper.  Venezuela, well known for their stands on free speech and freedom of the press.

 

But, lets assume the statement VSS Parolin made had some teeth to it.  What is the issue?  Celibacy is not church dogma, it is tradition.  Some would argue, the Apostle Paul made this clear in his First Epistle to the Corinthians, 7:32-35, to wit:

 

"He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord--how he may please the Lord.  But he who is married cares about the things of the world--how he may please his wife.  The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy in both body and spirit.  But she who is married cares about the things of the world--how she may please her husband.  And I say this for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction."

This seems to make it fairly clear that in order to serve the Lord fully, you must be untethered by matters of the heart and things of the world.  The verse even covers women which, of course, would explain the many convents where nuns can ply their service to the Lord.  So, Paul seems to make a case for the Lord, except, there seems to be a small issue of authorship.

 

Like most of the rest of the Bible, the Epistles to the Corinthians may  have passages that were added at later stages.  Two passages of note are  11:2-16 and 14:34-35, the latter of which has been "hotly debated" for issues I will not bore you with.  Suffice to say that, for me, this calls into question what historians and Christian theologians classify as "undisputed" authorship.  There is no pure source document available.  I offer that there seems to be plenty open for dispute, especially when the issues are being "hotly debated" by the powers that be. 

 

I begin to think, believing what you read in the Bible is like believing everything you read on the Internet.  What we need for the Bible is an app directing us to a "Snopes" style site that would give us a Bill O'Reilly-esque "fair and balanced" opinion of everything we read, so we can make an informed decision on how much faith we should invest in any one verse.

 

Turns out, from the research I've done, the earliest textual evidence forbidding marriage lies with two councils, the Councils of Elvira and Carthage.

 

It is decided that marriage be altogether prohibited to bishops, priests, and deacons, or to all clerics placed in the ministry, and that they keep away from their wives and not beget children; whoever does this, shall be deprived of the honor of the clerical office.  -- Council of Elvira, circa 305

  

It is fitting that the holy bishops and priests of God as well as the Levites, i.e. those who are in the service of the divine sacraments, observe perfect continence, so that they may obtain in all simplicity what they are asking from God; what the Apostles taught and what antiquity itself observed, let us also endeavour to keep… It pleases us all that bishop, priest and deacon, guardians of purity, abstain from conjugal intercourse with their wives, so that those who serve at the altar may keep a perfect chastity.  -- Council of Carthage, circa 390

 For me, historically, this makes more sense given the political and religious climate of the time.  Once again it would seem the religious leaders of old, to accommodate whatever agenda was being force fed in this period of history, saddled priests for the next 1700 years with the curse of celibacy.

Celibacy has not always been an edict of the church.  Boston College theology professor Thomas Groome states, "all of the apostles were married, with the possible exception of John."  he goes on to note that the Orthodox Church has always had a married priesthood.

I believe this will go the way of "no fish Friday" and wearing a suit to church.  I also believe that there will always be a sect of the Catholic faith not willing to give up the old ways.  For all the naysayers there will be a number of the faithful unwilling to toe the new party line. 

Maybe that's a good thing.  There should always be a last bastion of the faithful, just in case we're wrong.

As always, this is just my opinion.  Yours are just as important, if not more so.  Feel free to comment or sent me a confidential e-mail with your own take on this controversial topic.

Be at peace and try to have a glorious Sunday of spiritual awakening or discovery!

The Dock - A Love Story

I remember the day when you left.  The pain you felt.  The pain I felt.  I loved you for so many years.  I tried to tell you that, every day.  I’m not sure I understood how to, but I tried.  I hoped you heard.  I hope you understood.

I thought to bring you flowers said enough.  I didn’t know.  My family never displayed affection, that I can remember, so I was always at a loss when it came to that aspect of life, of relationships.  It was a problem you never seemed to have.

You were always so beautiful, so energetic.  I remember the when we met, teenagers at the homecoming game.  We scored the winning touchdown and you turned and gave me the biggest hug, deafening me in the process with your excited screams.  I could have been anyone standing there, but I wasn’t.  I felt that I was in love that night, amid all the lights and noise.  After the walk down to the dock at the country club, I knew it.  I tried to kiss you that night.  Remember?  I failed miserably in my naiveté, but you smiled and tutored me.

I loved you for the next seventy years.  Through three wars, you were all I could think about on the battlefield, and off.  I wanted to think of no one else.  If I couldn’t be with you, then I would rather be alone.  That was how much I love you.  And then, you left me.  Not that you had much of a choice in the matter.  I love you, and it broke my heart.

So, every Sunday I go back to visit that old dock, thinking of you, again.  Sometimes I find myself, like this morning, sitting with my bare feet in the water.  Sometimes I find myself sobbing, feeling sorry for myself that I am alone.  I guess I’ve been waiting for you to come back.  It is selfish of me, I know, thinking that you would remember me.  But, I come anyway, just in case.  I bring a flower, when they’re in bloom, to toss into the Sound.  Maybe one of them might find its way to you.  I could only hope.

Then, one day, when I heard a sound behind me, I turned to find you standing there, still as pretty as the young girl at the game.  You looked older, yes, we both are.  But, you are still just as beautiful, with your shining white hair and frilly white summer dress.  You smiled and said nothing as you reached up to wipe the tear from my cheek.  I, also, couldn’t speak.  I also couldn't take my eyes from you.  

You took my hand and helped me up.  I reached for my cane but you shook your head and I left it on the weathered timbers at my feet.  I somehow knew I wouldn't be needing it.  You walked me away from the dock, out across the water of Puget Sound. 

As we left, I looked back at that old dock for the last time.  I saw an old man sitting there with his feet in the water, leaning against a piling as if asleep, his cane resting on the dock next to him.  His VFW hat set rakishly on his bald head.  I thought to myself, "Goodbye, old fella."

You squeezed my hand and I turned back to look into your bright, green eyes.  I thanked God that you remembered, and came back for me.

I love you.

**************************************

Life is all about experience, about winning and losing, and about how we play the game.  We fall in love and out of love.  If we're lucky, we find someone to share all of who we are and cherish what they share with us in return.

Give of yourself.  Do it selflessly, without any thought of recompense.  How much we share shows how much we care, and how much we care for others is priceless to those in need.  Sooner, or later, we will be remembered.  Our love will be paid forward or, in some cases, come back to us.

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 an alternate 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 22 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 the premier, world renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved 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, and wages 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.

The Dalai Lama

I don't speak too much, and probably not enough, concerning the Congregation for Religious Tolerance.  If you consider your self part of the movement for more tolerance of other's spiritual beliefs, I applaud you.  I have tried to supplement my modest posts with the occasional item on tolerance.  I preface the titles of these with "Tolerance:" to make it easier for you, and me, to differentiate them from the other issues I write about.

 

I also try to mix it up a bit so we can all entertain a broad spectrum of religious and spiritual thought.  I feel that, in this way, I might best be able to pique you interest in learning more about other beliefs.  I firmly feel that knowledge is the first step to tolerance.

 

I was just reading an address by the Dalai Lama to the inter-faith seminar on August 25, 2013, which was organized by the International Association for Religious Freedom.  The entire address was very interesting, but I always find His Holiness to be interesting.  Of particular note for me and the Congregation was the following excerpt.  I think it defines what we are be all about.

"As far as the Muslims are concerned it is appropriate for them to have complete devotion to Allah while praying in the mosques. This is also the same with Buddhists who are completely devoted to the Buddha when they pray in Buddhist temples. A society, which has many religions should also have many prophets and sources of refuge. In such a society it is very important to have harmony and respect amongst the different religions and their practitioners. We must distinguish between belief and respect. Belief refers to total faith, which you must have in your own religion. At the same time you should have respect for all other religions."

Consider it, think on it, and form your own opinion as it is your path. 

I have nothing else.

Life is Marvelous

Life is marvelous in it's wonders!  To a botanist, this is probably explainable through science, as the heartwood, missing in the photo, is dead once it fully forms.  So, having the tree split open and continue to thrive is no big deal.  For average people like me, I only know that, somehow, this tree has managed to live without a heart and a long opened scar running up the trunk.

 

Everything that gives the tree life, makes it beautiful, and provides for other life around it, takes place on the periphery of the heartwood.  The scar may look ravaging, but it does not define the life of the tree or the outer beauty and life giving capabilities it still possesses.  Will it live as long as a tree without the scar?  Probably not, but while it does it will continue to be a vital part of life around it.

 

Isn't this true for us as well?  When we see a soldier with massive burn scars, missing limbs, wheelchair bound, do we see the loving husband and father, the beloved son, the hero of our country?  Or, do we see a horror to be turned away from?

 

And what of the scars we cannot see?  The psychological scars inflicted by war, or by the physical damage they live with for the rest of their lives?

 

There are people all around us that suffer from one malady or another, whether soldier or civilian, young or old.  How do we try to handle what they have to handle, and should we even care?

 

Scars do not define who we are.  Scars are proof of life, not proof of death.  To me it is proof of the resiliency of the human body, and spirit, to overcome adversity.

 

Ask yourself how you react to the scars of someone you see, or know personally.  Do you really take it in stride?  Do you turn your head so as not to deal with it?  Does it hurt your heart to even think of trying?  Imagine how they feel.

 

Life is marvelous in it's wonders!  The multiple amputee's girlfriend carrying him across a river on her back, and then proving her love in marriage.  The retiree who takes it upon himself to push a paralyzed student around to finish high school and then throughout college, while taking notes to ensure he graduates, and being awarded an honorary degree from the college.  The father without arms hugging the small child that is hugging him back, like there is nothing wrong with daddy.  There is nothing wrong with daddy.  If anything, his love is stronger.

 

We go out of our way to marvel at the wonders of nature.  Aren't there wonders of nature surrounding us?

 

Next time you have the chance to meet someone you might normally turn away from, try treating them like everyone else. 

 

They are.  I think they would like us to acknowledge it, every now and then. 

9/11 As a Celebration of Life

“When I look out the window, I exhale a prayer of thanks for the color green, for my children’s safety, for the simple acts of faith like planting a garden that helped see us through another spring, another summer. And I inhale some kind of promise to protect my kids’ hopes and good intentions we began with in this country. Freedom of speech, the protection of diversity — these are the most important ingredients of American civil life and my own survival. If I ever took them for granted, I don’t know.”

-Barbara Kingsolver, novelist

 

 After 12 years we still mourn the loss of so many, and so many more in the fight against the terrorism that grips our world.  There will be many festivities to day in remembrance.  I hope that these festivities celebrate life and not focus on the loss.

 

I hope we remember the good times for these families.  I hope we remember the strength and courage of this nation and its people.  I hope we remember that, when faced with adversity we pull together, in support and in hope, one people united. 

 

If we are nothing else, we are and always will be Americans.

 

Today, go forth and love each other, hug the children and your loved ones, and remember how lucky we all are to be able to remember and to celebrate life.

The Arts and our Youth

Continuing a post I did just the other day on quality education in America, I want to touch on another sore point between me and the educational system in this country -- music and art, more commonly referred to as, "the Arts."

 

The Arts really add nothing to the education of our young, so if the budget gets tight we can deprive our children of this useless, elective, crap.  You can hear the collective grunts and screams coming from the jock gorilla cage if the meat axe comes any where near the sports programs, however.

 

But, wait!  If the budget really gets tight, the school systems, grudgingly, will be forced to put their cherished sports programs on the chopping block, as well.  What?  Heaven forbid!  Not sports!  What will all the non-jocks do without the school sports program?

 

The "Three R's" is all we should concern our students with --reading, righting, and rithmatic!  Righting?  Rithmatic?  Hey, I didn't come up with this catchy phrase, and its driving my spell check to an aneurism.  The phrase, unfortunately, is a reflection of our countries current view of education, stupid, and not even cute.

So, why save an arts program that nobody can afford?  Why not just pay attention to the basics?  Won't narrowing our curriculum to focus on the basics produce smarter citizens? 

I'm not the brightest guy in the world, and I'm the first to admit it.  Right now I live for the people who read my blog, and the few criticisms I get on the posts.  Usually the critique is due to them totally missing the point of the post, or the quoted material.  I try to keep it simple and figure that common sense will take care of the rest, but then, what is "common sense?" 

I have an friend with an engineering degree that says "common sense" doesn't exist.  There is nothing "common" about it.  I would have to agree.  If it were common then the majority of people would exercise the ability, and we know that isn't happening, just look at Congress.  I have to say, my engineering friend is one of the few I have seen come out of college without having his "common sense" sucked from his brain.  The fact he was years in the Navy, and Air Force, may have had an impact on that as well, though.

I think the arts allow us to retain some of this ability, and sharpen our other senses which allow us to learn, which make us want to learn.

I was never good at music or languages, or math, science.  Come to think of it, I'm amazed I graduated from high school much less get into a career field that allowed me to play in the "top ten percent of the Air Force" sand box. 

 

I loved drama and would have done some acting, but... I suffered from stage fright as a kid.  My art teacher tried to stifle my abilities to draw and paint.  Good teacher?  Hmmm.  I went on to draw, paint, and carve wood. I still enjoy photography, and have written an adventure novel just for my own enjoyment.  Most of this I taught myself.  But, I wonder, where would I be if my abilities had been nourished by my teachers?  What might I have accomplished? 

 

Have you ever asked yourself, "What if?"

I pulled the following off www.DoSomething.org as an example of what is out there to assist in answering this important issue to me:

11 Facts About Arts in Education

 

1. Students who study art are 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement and 3 times more likely to be awarded for school attendance.
2. Arts and music education programs are mandatory in countries that rank consistently among the highest for math and science test scores, like Japan, Hungary, and the Netherlands.
3. The No Child Left Behind Act clearly mandates The Arts (music, art, foreign language, etc.) as a core academic subject.
4. One study group showed that third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students who were taught a foreign language every day in school outperformed the students who were not exposed to a foreign language on their Basic Skills Test.
5. While nearly all schools in America are required to offer coursework in languages, the amount of instruction provided for those subjects does not come close to that of math, science, and English courses.
6. Federal funding for the arts and humanities rolls in around $250 million a year, while the National Science Foundation is funded around the $5 billion mark.
7. Researchers find that sustained learning in music and theatre correlates strongly with higher achievement in both math and reading.
8. In a study of a high-poverty schools in Chicago, the schools that were participating in the Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE) made huge strides in closing the gap between high- and low-income students’ academic achievement.  
9. Multiple studies have concluded that curricular and extracurricular art studies and activities help keep high-risk dropout students stay in school.
10. New brain research shows that not only does music improve skills in math and reading, but it promotes creativity, social development, personality adjustment, and self-worth.
11. Research suggests that studying a second language is essential to the learning process, creative inquiry, and critical thinking. Foreign language studies have proven to increase problem-solving skills and overall cognitive development.

Thank God for "Band Camp!"

Sunday Thought - September 8, 2013: For Lack of Want

That's about 56 years ago, give or take. 

I look in that face and don't see the future that awaited him.  I don't see a comprehension of responsibilities that would change, impact, so many people's lives.  I see a little boy that wants to get down so he can play.  Eating the banana just isn't making it for him.

I had a pancake breakfast this morning.  I wanted to make cornbread and smother it with molasses, but the cornmeal I brought back from Mississippi had bugs in it.  I went to the store and bought pancake fixings.

I ate my pancakes while contemplating this photo.  Then I thought about how lucky I had been to have a banana back then--how lucky I was to have pancakes this morning.  My parents both worked and made sure there was food on the table.  Had I known how lucky I was to have it, I wouldn't have always tried to ditch the vegetables.

I got up from the computer and made a couple of fried eggs.

I could be wanting for food, hungry, poor, wondering where the next meal was coming from as I pick the lent from my wallet.  But, I'm not.  I have been blessed, as have my whole family.  Blessed to be able to provide for ourselves, to be self-sufficient, to buy a banana when we want to.

If you read this and find that you are also not wanting, consider how lucky you are to be in that position.  If you're approaching 60, think back to when you were 4, or 5.  Was it as great?  Did your parents put a happy face on the struggles they endured to put three squares on the table every day?  Or, did you wake up every morning in a cardboard box, in an alley, wearing ratty clothes and playing with a paper boat in some water filled gutter?

I look at that face and think of my children and grandchildren.  I think of how lucky they are to have a chance at making it, still amazed that I made it to this point.

I look at that face and don't see it in the mirror any more.  I stand in front of the mirror every morning amazed that I'm in such great shape for my age.  Other that the pin they put in my leg from the motorcycle accident, my body is scar free.  Other than the sonic removal of a couple of kidney stones, I've never had to endure major surgery.  I'm near sighted and my hearing is going, but I'm in pretty good shape.  Knock wood.

Take a moment this Sunday to reflect on who you are, what you have, and what might have been.  Consider how blessed you are in your life?  You may be living from payday to payday, but you are living!  There are those around you that wonder if they'll wake up the next morning.

I'm going to say a little prayer of thanks, of sincere gratitude, this morning, then I'm getting out of this chair to go outside and play.

I just may go get a banana.  Now, if I could just find a highchair...

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.

It turns what we have into enough, and more.

It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, 

confusion to clarity.

It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home,

a stranger into a friend.

Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today

and creates a vision for tomorrow.”     - Melody Beattie

Toward Quality Education in America

I just love this speech.  It has come through my e-mail several times now.  I do not question the reality of the post, for me it is not material to the fact that I agree with the content. 

Every single student in this country should take note of the words here, their meaning to them as students, citizens of the world, and as future productive citizens of this country.  To let someone in authority over you tell you that this is not applicable to you, is selling your potential down the river and demeaning you as a human being.

This is education.

A Speech Every American High School Principal Should Give. By Dennis Prager .
To the students and faculty of our high school:
 
I am your new principal, and honored to be so.
There is no greater calling than to teach young people.
I would like to apprise you of some important changes coming to our school.
I am making these changes because I am convinced that most of the ideas that have dominated public education in America have worked against you, against your teachers and against our country.
 
First, this school will no longer honor race or ethnicity.
I could not care less if your racial makeup is black, brown, red, yellow or white. I could not care less if your origins are African, Latin American, Asian or European, or if your ancestors arrived here on the Mayflower or on slave ships. The only identity I care about, the only one this school will recognize, is your individual identity -- your character, your scholarship, your humanity. And the only national identity this school will care about is American.
 
This is an American public school, and American public schools were created to make better Americans. If you wish to affirm an ethnic, racial or religious identity through school, you will have to go elsewhere. We will end all ethnicity, race and non-American nationality-based celebrations. They undermine the motto of America , one of its three central values -- epluribus Unum, "from many, one." And this school will be guided by America 's values. This includes all after-school clubs. I will not authorize clubs that divide students based on any identities. This includes race, language, religion, sexual orientation or whatever else may become in vogue in a society divided by political
correctness.
 
Your clubs will be based on interests and passions, not blood, ethnic, racial or other physically defined ties. Those clubs just cultivate narcissism -- an unhealthy preoccupation with the self -- while the purpose of education is to get you to think beyond yourself. So we will have clubs that transport you to the wonders and glories of art, music, astronomy, languages you do not already speak, carpentry and more. If the only extracurricular activities you can imagine being interested in are those based on ethnic, racial or sexual identity, that means that little outside of yourself really interests you.
 
Second, I am uninterested in whether English is your native language.

My only interest in terms of language is that you leave this school speaking and writing English as fluently as possible. The English language has united America 's citizens for over 200 years, and it will unite us at this school. It is one of the indispensable reasons this country of immigrants has always come to be one country. And if you leave this school without excellent English language skills, I would be remiss in my duty to ensure that you will be prepared to successfully compete in the American job market. We will learn other languages here -- it is deplorable that most Americans only speak English -- but if you want classes taught in your native language rather than in English, this is not your school.
 
Third, because I regard learning as a sacred endeavor, everything in this school will reflect learning's elevated status.

This means, among other things, that you and your teachers will dress  accordingly. Many people in our society dress more formally for Hollywood events than for church or school. These people have their priorities backward. Therefore, there will be a formal dress code at this school.
 
Fourth, no obscene language will be tolerated anywhere on this school's property -- whether in
class, in the hallways or at athletic events.

If you can't speak without using the f -word, you can't speak. By obscene language I mean the words banned by the Federal Communications Commission, plus epithets such as "Nigger," even when used by one black student to address another black, or "bitch," even when addressed by a girl to a girlfriend. It is my intent that by the time you leave this school, you will be among the few your age to instinctively distinguish between the elevated and the degraded, the holy and the obscene.
 
Fifth, we will end all self-esteem programs. In this school, self-esteem will be attained in only one ay -- the way people attained it until decided otherwise a generation ago -- by earning it. One immediate consequence is that there will be one valedictorian, not eight.

Sixth, and last, I am reorienting the school toward academics and away from politics and propaganda.
No more time will be devoted to scaring you about smoking and caffeine, or terrifying you about sexual harassment or global warming. No more semesters will be devoted to condom wearing and teaching you to regard sexual relations as only or primarily a health issue... There will be no more attempts to convince you that you are a victim because you are not white, or not male, or not heterosexual or not Christian. We will have failed if any one of you graduates this school and does not consider him or herself inordinately fortunate -- to be alive and to be an American.

Now, please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of our country.  As many of you do not know the words, your teachers will hand them out to you.

Education: Dreadlocks or Uniforms

We're going to discuss those layers of "who we are," again.  This time I want to touch on who we are expected to be, because what others expect of us has an impact on, not only how we might be perceived, but possibly who we choose to become.

There was a little grade school girl in the news the other day.  She was attending a school where uniforms were required and a dress code was enforced.  When you read what the dress code says, it leaves little doubt what was expected of the students.

 

This girl's father is a barber and had her hair in dreadlocks, unacceptable according to the school code.  She was told her hair was non-conforming and was asked to change it.  Father says it was that way the year prior and there was no issue, so why now?  The school has photos, they tell the father, showing he was mistaken.  Bottom line is, instead of conforming to school policy, she now attends a public school where non-conformity is accepted and the possibility for an education worth the price of admission is more than probable.

 

So, typical of our declining culture of real exceptionalism, instead of redoing the hairstyle so she can get that quality education and become an exceptional member of society making an exceptional wage, she now gets a mediocre public education from union teachers that could give a rats ass how she dresses, or whether she actually learns anything of substance, as long as she buys into their far left ideology.  This ideology buys into conforming to, what American communists would refer to as, "American exceptionalism."  Unfortunately, this has no comparison to real exceptionalism.

 

Sorry, got political there for a moment.

 

In every society there are rules that must be conformed to.  The rules are there for a purpose.  In this case they were in place to try to instill a sense of pride and professionalism, as a way of removing the distractions of fashion in favor of attention to the quality education being provided.  So what has the family accomplished?

 

The brick and mortar of who she is, or might become, has been corrupted.  The solid foundation so desperately needed by the young, particularly in today's society, has developed cracks.  What follows next, when parents defer to the child for the rules they will adhere to?  Smoking, alcohol, drugs, multiple tattoos and piercings, early pregnancy, and maybe some semblance of an education?  And what will she be able to do with this education she gets?  Doctor?  Lawyer?  Judge?  Politician?  What chance does she have now that her world has been opened to "no rules" as a life option?

 

Her coat of fresh paint, planned for a background of solid brick and mortar, is now decorated with gang graffiti.  She will struggle with her sense of self.  She will become another of the "do for me" generation where mediocrity is the rule and not the exception.  If, by some miracle, she finds God and does not blame who she is on a lack of one, she may look to the heavens for the reasons behind her plight, instead of placing the reasons squarely on her parents where they belong.

 

The strong foundation, brick and mortar, and the colorful paint of who we are in society is a product of the rules and regulations, moral and societal, we are taught to respect.  Without this respect, we as individuals limit ourselves and our potential.  As a nation we begin to collapse into a rabble of the homeless and unemployable.  Our system of government becomes a joke as we become a welfare state and helplessly watch our economy fall apart.  Civilization becomes a runaway train with nobody at the controls, heading toward an inevitable wreck.

 

Kind of where we are now, isn't it?

 

So, why the dreadlocks?  Why not just conform to the rules which the parents and student knew were in place when they opted to enroll her for the quality of education this institution was going to provide?  It is easier to not conform.  It is always easier to not follow rules.

 

I leave you with this final thought from a quality lady, back when I was growing up:

 

“A quality education has the power to transform societies in a single generation, provide children with the protection they need from the hazards of poverty, labor exploitation and disease, and give them the knowledge, skills, and confidence to reach their full potential.”

-- Audrey Hepburn

Coming Out Gay? Invite the Parents!

Have you seen this article posted on Yahoo! Shine Today?  It's from a mother that read her son's post that he was bi-sexual.  Her concern...that he clean up the trash in his room before ants invade the house and, "I love you always, Mom."  She could have written only the first and last sentence.  The middle part he was already aware of, if the love in the letter is any indication.

Not long back I wrote a post on gay orientation and how many can be lost in a sea of non-support or understanding.  I stand by that.  I also stand by my notion that this is slowly changing.  If you haven't read the article in Yahoo! Shine, I recommend it.  There are several stories of parental love and acceptance included.  Not everything we hear has to be negative, and this was a wonderful article. 

If you haven't read my post, Homosexuality:  Is it a choice?, I'd recommend it as well (of course).

I'm not sure if the parents in the Yahoo! Shine article are indicative of all parents of homosexual or bi young people, but I'd like to think so.  Maybe, soon, it won't be a dicey consideration to invite parents to your "coming out" party.

Tolerance and acceptance, understanding would be nice, whether you agree with what they are, or not, at least love them.  After all, they are your children.

The Better Part of Valour

"The better part of valour is discretion; 

in the which better part I have saved my life." 

--Falstaff in Henry IV, Part One, Shakespeare, 1596

The last time I got very close to a sleeping cat with my face was back around 1981ish.  The cat woke up, grabbed both sides of my head with her claws while growling and trying to make her eyes go wider than mine.  Mine were wide in terror and bugging out of my head.  Her entire reaction to me, being right in her face, may have had something to do with the furry monkey mask I was wearing for a Halloween party that evening.  One might ask, "What was I thinking?"  I know I did. 

I had made a faulty assumption that, with her eyes being slightly opened, she was awake and just "catnapping."  I let out a low growl to elicit some response.  Nothing.  I growled louder.  Still nothing.

At this point, any intelligent human, a woman perhaps, would have put two and two together, but my addition kept coming up with eight and a little voice kept trying to tell me a woman wouldn't be doing this.  I leaned in closer to slap my hands down on both sides of the cushion she was lying on.  The shock and awe of having an animal go rabid cat crazy all over my head is a life-changing experience.  Fear turned to terror.  I felt her hind feet trying to find purchase on my chin and the mask was making that difficult, but not impossible.  Not for a cat.  I realized there were only seconds left before she positioned herself to utilize those flesh shredding hind feet.  She didn't, thank goodness, make it that far.  My cries for help (screaming like a little girl) were immediately answered by my wife who found me kneeling in front of the chair,  the cat firmly attached to my monkey face with claw anchors as I whimpered "nice kitty," over and over again. 

As an Air Force sergeant I was embarrassed.  As a man I was mortified.  As a smart-ass, I got what I deserved and learned a valuable lesson.  As a member of military intelligence, well, it is an oxymoron, after all.

Cats can sleep with their eyes opened, slightly.  I was familiar with the old saying, "Let sleeping dogs lie."  I didn't know, until that moment, the advice extended to cats.  Let sleeping dogs and cats lie.  I also didn't know a cat could hiss that much, or that their pupils could go so black and big as to look satanic.  I am more careful with humor now days, I give cats a bit more respect and a wider berth.  I have also learned to move faster when trouble presents itself, especially when I'm the cause. I usually am the cause.  I am my worst enemy.

This experience taught me the valid advice to "let sleeping giants sleep."  If I absolutely have to wake them up, I make sure the possible trouble I'm inviting is going to be worth it.  A person needs to pick and choose their battles.  It is always better to pick those you have a chance of winning and leave the other ones to fight some other day when you are better prepared to take the heat and have the time to recover from your wounds.  If you opt to take on every battle that comes your way, you might end up looking like beaten dog pooh when you grow older; a visual testament to your own stupidy. 

As for the unknown, those sleeping, furry little faces?  Discretion can be the better part of valor.  Make sure you're not alone when you do something stupid around animals with claws and teeth. Don't let the difference in your sizes give you a false sense of superiority, and have a friend is close by to remove the claws or talk you out of folly.  If you are intent on following through with an experiment to evidence your lack of good sense, a thickly padded monkey mask does offer a bit of protection. 

“An English traveler relates how he lived upon intimate terms with a tiger; he had reared it and used to play with it, but always kept a loaded pistol on the table.”

-- Stendhal (1783-1842), writer, novelist

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 an alternate 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 22 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 the premier, world renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved 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, and wages 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.

Design vs. Talent

"Design has taken the place of what sailing used to be."

- Dennis Conner

One of the best known sailors of our generation, his quote holds true for more than just sailing.  Almost everything in today's life has been geared toward replacing talent through design.  I'm not sure I can come up with many instances where this would be better for mankind.  Designing in safety, for instance, would seem better, but it causes a lackadaisical attitude and inattention to details which may cause a worse safety issue.

 

I took up photography as a hobby when I was young, producing some beautiful works.  I even dabbled in the dark room.  Now, with the advent of digital photography and photo shop tools, the talent of the "pure" photographer is being lost.  Anyone can produce a great photo and call it art.  Really?  Or, is it the illusion of talent made possible through technology?

 

Think about using your computer.  How much do we rely upon spell check instead of remembering how to spell?  Worse, with the advent of electronic calculators I flat forgot how to do math.  I found myself struggling with the simplest of addition and multiplication, and let's not even discuss my division ability.  My check book suffers constantly unless I use the trust calculator.

 

I was out on the golf course taking pictures during a tournament and noticed all of the new tech for golfing.  Putters that tell you when they are level, range finders, golf shoes with swivel chassis on the spikes, balls that go a mile, and club heads the size of small Volkswagen (Nice hit?  How the hell were you going to miss?).  So, you don't have to know how to golf anymore, you just need to know how to use the technology to your advantage.  I have an idea, let's have a "pure" tournament.  Everyone has to use a pre-1960's set of clubs.  I have real money that says Tiger tanks.

 

As a society we are becoming too reliant on technology to think for us, to make our lives easier, to make us lazy and complacent.  I'm sorry, I don't mean for you to have to reach for the dictionary. 

 

Allow me:  Complacent - marked by self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies.

 

I assume "lazy" is self-explanatory?

 

If you want to be proud of an achievement, try something that requires nothing but physical and mental prowess.  I was never more content than when I was wood carving, and more so when I did it sans the power tools.  No electric sander, jigsaw or drill, just a sanding block, wood chisels, mallet, pencil, paper, and a ruler.  It gave me an appreciation for the hard work it takes to create true art, not to mention the pride of creating something with my own hands, and talent.  It is the difference between cooking a delicious meal using a kitchen, or using ironware over a campfire.  Which would be more impressive?

 

Some will read this and say, "But, I have no talent."  My daughter drew stick figures, bemoaning her inability and lack of talent for art, until she took an art class and discovered a new world.  So, what do you want to do?  Whatever it is, try doing it the old fashioned way first and you'll appreciate it more down the road.

 

To those still feeling trepidation at the thought of trying something "retro" for fear of failing, I quote another sailor who invented sailing around the world for sport, and I agree that this is some of the best advise a young person can get: 

 

"To young men contemplating a voyage I would say go."

- Joshua Slocum      

Maternity Care: HONK! Just Be Cause.

I tried to question my induction when I got drafted to go fight in Nam.  I ended up joining the Air Force to prevent becoming fodder for some congressional shell game.  I haven't changed my attitude about questioning things, which got me into heat quite a lot in the military when it came to following orders.  My way or the highway?  For me this was situational.  Your way, if I don't get hurt, and if I haven't come up with a better way.  I spent over twenty years building a better mouse trap.

But that isn't what this is about.  This is about doing something meaningful with your day off on Labor Day.  This is about making a statement for something near and dear to my heart. 

No, it isn't about drawing colorful signs.  Although this is the one that caught my attention as I drove passed the crowd lining the street, waving at me. 

I parked to find out what all the hoopla was for, grabbing the cameras just in case.

I was impressed to see that these folks weren't the scowling monkeys I'm used to seeing waving signs at me.  These were happy people doing something worthy of a beautiful sunny.

It's about children.  More importantly, it's about mothers and childbirth.  Both are dear to me and, for once, this isn't all about abortion.  My personal feelings on abortion are moot since I think that particular moral judgment is best left in the hands of women, since I have no physical or mental point of reference.  But, like I said, that's not what this is all about.

This is about the most beneficial maternity care based on the highest quality, most current medical evidence.  It's about women being fully informed and understanding artificial induction and C-section surgery.  It's about a woman's rights.

I'm not going to restate what their website is much better at getting across.  Although, I think they need to make the "read more" buttons bigger at the bottom of each section.  

 

If you are a woman of child bearing age, please don't miss the opportunity to check them out.  Hey, you'd do your due diligence for any investment, right?  Children are our biggest investment! 

 

I applaud the efforts of this organization, and all these folks that gave of their time on a holiday.  I hope they were headed out for a well deserved bar-b-que afterwards.

The founder of the organization states it pretty clearly up front:

“This movement isn’t about natural birth vs. medicated birth.

It’s not about hospital birth vs. home birth or birth center birth.

It’s about women being capable of making safer, more informed decisions about their care and that of their babies, when they are given full and accurate information about their care options, including the potential harms, benefits, and alternatives.

Then, within that choice, they are treated with dignity and compassion.”

                                  ~ Dawn Thompson, Founder of ImprovingBirth.org

The Book of Mormon

What is your opinion of Mormonism?  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints?  The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ?

When I discuss Mormonism with other Christians one of their first comments will be the finding of the golden plates by Joseph Smith upon which the Book of Mormon is based.  It's a nice story, but these are golden plates that even the Mormon faithful aren't sure were ever seen, except in a vision, by ten of the eleven chosen by Smith.

Ok, and the Ten Commandments?  Where are they now to prove to the faithful of a hand of God?  What of the Ark of the Covenant and contents therein?  The staff of Moses?  The cup of Christ, the holy grail?  Where are the physical proofs of Judaism and Christianity?

Yet, we question the story of Joseph Smith and these golden plates.  Because they don't fit in with our own faith in intangible icons?

I have to ask myself what was going through Smith's mind when he came up with the plan to create hundreds of pages of fiction concerning an unheard of history in the Americas with an underlying agenda of fostering a new Christian sect.  Remember that this was 1823, and Joseph Smith, Jr. was the crippled son of a poor merchant and farmer.  Granted he grew up during the Second Great Awakening, a Protestant revival movement of the early 19th century which greatly increased Baptist and Methodist congregations, but still, here we have a young man that wrote a 500 page "fiction" which I would have to believe was long for most books of the day coming from crippled children of poor farmers.  But we would be led to believe he did this as a con to become the leader of a congregation of his own, and not because he was guided by the hand of God?  Hmmm...

 

We would give Joseph Smith the same credibility we give to the prophet Muhammad (may God's blessings and peace be upon him).  Yet, they base their beliefs in the Old Testament, and the teachings of both Judaism and Christianity.  It is not as though they were professing faith in Scientology, the consciousness of aliens in the lava of some volcano, or use of LSD as a basis for religious belief.

 

I enjoy reading the Book of Mormon.  It provides an intriguing tale that, if one believes,  builds upon the New Testament.  I offer an excerpt from the introduction of  my own copy of the Book of Mormon that piqued my own interest, and then a bit of personal history that explains my own continued interest.

 

"It is a record of God's dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas..." 

 

"The record gives an account of two great civilizations.  One came from Jerusalem in 600 B.C...."

 

"The other came earlier when the Lord confounded the tongues at the Tower of Babel."

 

The introduction goes on to discuss the crowning event as the personal ministry to  these early Americans of the Lord Jesus Christ soon after his resurrection.  Not looking to be converted to Mormonism, I non the less found the introduction as enticing as any adventure novel I would consider reading.

 

I offer up a recent bit of my own experience in Mexico which I find quite interesting.  It concerns the Rancho Perla Negra in Manzanillo, Mexico.  I spent about two years on this property and learned some interesting history behind the white cross erected there, overlooking the ocean.

 

As I understand it, old Indians in the area tell the story of a massacre by the Spanish of a village being run as a "healing" center on the property.  The Spanish were exploring their way up the coast when they saw a white "cross" on the hill overlooking the water.  This was totally unexpected by the Christian priests on board.  The ship pulled in to investigate.  They were welcomed and found a village  involving healing ceremonies considered heathen rituals by the priests who ordered everyone put to death. 

 

The old Indians telling the story say the cross was not a cross at all, but rather a representation of the being dressed in white that appeared to the local people from light in the sky that shown down on the hill, imparted the word of God, and explained to them that this was a holy place and everything they needed would be found below where he was standing.

 

The story continues to tell of a lost tunnel beneath the cross that led to a secret "treasure" of this native culture, a tunnel probably buried to protect it from the Spanish conquerors.  Was it a treasure of gold or silver, or perhaps the healing knowledge imparted to them by this mysterious figure?  Remember, the Mormon belief that the Lord Jesus Christ came to these early Americans with his personal ministry soon after his resurrection?  Reminiscent of Christ appearing to the Apostles?  Hmmm...

 

And the is the pottery shard found by the owners of the property.  I was picking through the collection of pottery, shards, and figurines found along the beach properties when I came across an unmistakable pottery cap for an urn or other container.  On the top was etched, with a reed, a Hebrew making of some sort.  Having an interest in archeology, I thought this to be pretty unmistakable.  The Indians sure didn't make it, and heaven knows the Christians didn't bring it to the new world. 

 

So, what does that leave us with?  Remember, again, the Mormon belief quoted above, "One came from Jerusalem in 600B.C...." 

 

I'm not saying there is anything to the Book of Mormon.  What I am saying is, it offers yet more to think about.  If there is a lost tribe of Israel that ended up in the new world, why wouldn't Jesus want to ensure they received the word of God as well?  Archaeologically, wouldn't the knowledge from these lost Israelites possibly help explain some of the architecture of the early culture here?  The stories in the book of Mormon are fascinating to read and may, in fact, offer up much in the way of lost history yet to be validated.  Who knows?

 

I offer the Book as another reference document to consider on your own path, if only for the enjoyment of a good read, it might also make you think.

Sunday Thought - September 1, 2013: Labor Day

I thought it might benefit some to reflect on the holiday.  It actually has more meaning than just another day off and the last three day weekend of the summer.  My take on it might open a few eyes, though.  The following information was gleaned from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and direct excerpts are in quotations.

It is the creation of the American labor movement celebrating "the economic achievements American workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well being of our country."  A noble sentiment if ever there were one.

I have to laugh each year I find myself celebrating this holiday, and wonder if  any anti-union or anti-socialist disavow the holiday.  For all intents and purposes it is the brainchild of the labor unions (which, I believe, have their root in socialist doctrine).  Even though there is doubt as two which of the two men first proposed the idea for the holiday, both were union men.

Peter J. McGuire was "general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and co-founder of the American federation of Labor."  Mathew Maguire is said to have developed the idea "while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York."  According to the DOL the Central Labor Union adopted the proposal "appointing a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic."

God, knows unions are famous for demonstrations and picnics, so who better to come up with this day for us?

Point being that, while I munch down on your ears of corn, ribs, burgers, or those cholesterol ridden torpedoes called hot dogs, I remember the day.  A day brought to us by the same unions that have destroyed the economy of our country by guaranteeing all of our products are overpriced, and that jobs are sent overseas where the labor is cheaper.  I'd like those without jobs to think about this while they are attending a picnic this Monday, or if they can't afford to have one.

I would like to think that the Department of Labor is not a lap dog for the unions.  I would like to think that. 

Every time Boeing or airline workers go on strike, driving up the price of our tickets and baggage costs I wonder when I'm going to have to give up air travel all together.  I'd like to thank the labor in this country, and I do.

I thank all of those people that are not union.  I'd like us to remember, today in worship, and tomorrow during the celebrations, all of the non-union people that struggle to make this country a better place without constantly driving up the prices of everything we purchase and without driving our jobs into the hands of some poor schmuck in New Delhi instead of leaving it here at home.

Remember, as always, this is just my opinion.  I invite you to share yours.

Enjoy the day, this beautiful Sunday.  Enjoy, also, the festivities of tomorrow and celebrate all you have done, or will do, to make this the greatest country to live in. 

I already have a cooler of beer with ice in it ready to go!

God bless us all and God bless America!