Quintessential Little Prick

"All problems become smaller if you don't dodge them, but confront them. Touch a thistle timidly, and it pricks you; grasp it boldly, and its spines crumble."

-- William Halsey, Jr. (1882-1959), Fleet Admiral (WWII)

Interesting how the mind works, huh? I'll bet you thought this post was going to be about some little condescending know-it-all. Well, aren't both, the thistle and the other little "son of a gun" potentially painful to be around? Like most of us, you probably went for the more colorful slang, at least until the thistle came to mind. Personally, I've been "intimate" with the defensive needles on that puppy, and I can attest to the vulgar obscenities which rocketed forth from my pie hole. Having been subjected to Catholic school, I think my choice of words would have rendered a cathedral full of nuns comatose and made many a navy man smile with pride.

I'm sure this is probably what happened in 1263 when a barefoot Norseman stepped on a thistle and cried out in pain, alerting the Scot encampment to the impending invasion which would become known as the Battle of Largs.  This cry of pain was most certainly followed by a stream of expletives worthy of many a Norseman (re: navy men).  The passive, humble, thistle thus became the symbol of all Scotland.

Interesting how the mind works, yes?

When I consider Jesus Christ as he is nailed to the cross, I can't help but think how that must have hurt.  Would any of us have been able to endure, in silence, what that pain must be like?  Did Jesus endure in silence or did he satisfy the soldiers by screaming out in agony with His own stream of expletives?  Would we think less of Him if He gave in to the pain?  After all, He was just a man, human, like any one of us... only not.

Thinking about it gives me pause to reflect on my own frailties. 

By the way, I have to throw a "yellow flag" on Halsey.  He may have been one hell of a naval fighting man, but I don't think he ever grasped a thistle boldly without it pricking him.  Just saying. 

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.

Four Geese of the Apocalypse

Duck, duck, duck, duck...GOOSE! 

This was no pre-school children's game, and the goose wasn't tackling the picker. Have you ever noticed that geese are just plain mean? This old girl and her three cronies paddled up to this log occupied by the four ducks, climbed aboard at the very end of it and proceeded to waddle her way down the log forcing all the ducks to leave.

The geese were claiming the resting spot, you say? Oh, didn't I just wish this were the case as I watched the short-lived drama unfold? 

Nope. She got to the end of the log, re-entered the water and the four of them paddled away, honking their horns in triumph over the smaller ducks. Needless to say, ducks not being too bright, they re-mounted the log to await the next round of "Duck, Duck, Goose."

Have we seen this play out in our own lives? We get nice and comfortable on our log just to have some bully come and knock us off. What do we do? Just like the ducks, we climb back on. We turn the other cheek, and now both sides of our face hurt.

Bullies, like ducks, soon get bored and go away, or meet bigger bullies.

One can only hope....duck, duck, goose, HUNTER!

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.

Religious Tolerance - A Sermon Excerpt

Note to the reader: 

I happened upon this sermon in my normal course of researching religious tolerance.  I pulled excerpts, from the much longer version, to maintain the interest of my readers and hope I have managed to keep the spirit of what Rev. Frederick-Gray was saying. 

Excerpts from -
Ramadan: Religious Tolerance
By Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray

 

"What is happening in the Muslim world is not the sole definition of Islam. In fact, it is in direct opposition to Islam’s initial practice of religious tolerance in its early centuries. Similarly, what happened in Europe during the Inquisitions do not solely define Christianity or Western European people and cultural. They were dark periods of history--ones we never wish to return to.

We cannot let terrorists, or extremists of any religious tradition, define any one religion, or its people. Nor must we tolerate those who perpetuate violence in the name of any religion. Rather we must learn to build bridges with and between those who are also willing to build bridges of learning, understanding and engagement. The way to do this is by partnering with and supporting moderate voices and staying true to our highest ideals of love, compassion and religious freedom. We will never be able to do this if we try to silence or shut out moderate voices in Islam, out of our fear of extremists. Turning our back on moderation only makes the extreme stronger.

We do indeed live in an interconnected world.  An interconnected world, where many religious leaders are learning about and teaching their communities about the wisdom found in other religious traditions. An interconnected world where we gather across lines of race and class, culture, even language to seek a better way--to seek a way to feel enlarged and strengthened and hopeful because of our differences and what we have to learn and teach one another."


I think her sermon is wonderful.  Those of you that have read my posts on tolerance know this reflects my personal views on what is happening concerning our attitudes toward Islam as a whole.  I know I tend to beat this horse a lot, but I feel these attitudes are a prime example of forgetting our own religious histories of persecution and intolerance.  We forget the "do unto others" and "people in glass houses" lessons our parents tried to ingrain in us as children.

I hope you find these three paragraphs from the Reverend as insightful as I do.  I am going to add them to my material, as I move forward with the Congregation for Religious Tolerance, and refer to them often. 

Where are you headed?

Some young students saw an old man walking down a narrow country road one day, as they sat on a park bench eating their lunch. 

 

The elderly gentleman had a pack slung over one shoulder and a long, decorated, walking stick.  The walking stick clattered and jiggled with numerous bells and beads that hung from it.  A golf ball sized, cobalt blue, translucent bead decorated the top, held in place by a single brass screw.  Metal pins denoting military service covered the face of his pack, and a sterling silver Christian cross was attached to the main zippered pouch.  He was clean shaved and dressed in well worn hiking boots, blue jeans and a denim work shirt.  Atop his head was an olive colored felt, Australian outback hat.

One of the students yelled to him, "Hey!"

The old man stopped and turned toward the group, smiling as the teenager asked, "Where are you headed?"

 

The man tilted his head in the direction he was going and said, "That way."

The teen glanced at his friends who were giggling at the knowledge that not much was down that road except a trail head leading into the wilderness.  He looked back to the man and asked, "What's that way?"

 

His inflection elicited more giggling from his friends.

The old man continued smiling and raised an eyebrow as he answered, "Where I'm headed."

The other students chuckled at their companion as he continued, "No, I mean...well, don't you have a goal...a final destination?"

"Of course."  answered the old man began, "We should all have a goal.  Mine is my final destination.  When you kids find your goals, never lose sight of it them.  It makes it harder to arrive."

The young man was getting a little aggravated at not getting a straight answer.  He let out a sigh and asked his last question in an exasperated tone, "What is your goal?"

At this point the old man laughed with a twinkle in his eyes as he turned and continued his journey.  He yelled back over his shoulder to the group, "To arrive, young friends.  Our goal is to arrive.  Enjoy your journey!" 

 

Seconds later he went around a bend in the road and was lost from sight behind a tree.  The students waited for him to appear out from the other side of the narrow tree as he continued down the road.  He never did.  Just like that he was gone, as if he had walked through a door behind the tree. 

 

When the students went to see where he might have disappeared to, all they found was his walking stick leaning against  the tree.

 

The student that had asked the questions picked up the walking stick and rolled it in his hands.  He looked down the road, whispering to himself.

 

"Enjoy your journey." 

Tolerance: Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the year for the Jewish people.  Its central themes are atonement and repentance.  Jewish people traditionally observe this holy day with an approximate 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services.

  

Yom Kippur is one of two Jewish High Holy Days.  The first is Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year).  Yom Kippur falls 10 days after on the 10th of Tishrei, which is a Hebrew month that correlates with September-October on the secular calendar.  The purpose of Yom Kippur is to bring about reconciliation between people and between individuals and God.   Yom means "day" in Hebrew and Kippur comes from a root that means "to atone."  Thus Yom Kippur has come to mean "day of atonement."  Yom Kippur is also regarded as the "Sabbath of Sabbaths."

 

According to Jewish tradition it is also the day when God decides the fate of each human being.  God inscribes each person's fate for the coming year into the Book of Life, on Rosh Hashanah, and waits until Yom Kippur to "seal" the verdict.  During the Days of Awe, which commences with Rosh Hashanah, each person tries to amend their behavior and seek forgiveness for wrongs done against God and against each other.  The evening and day of Yom Kippur are set aside for petitions and confessions of guilt.  At the end of Yom Kippur, one hopes that they have been forgiven by God.

 

This year is the Jewish year 5774 and Yom Kippur will occur from sunset on September 13th until nightfall of September 14th.

 

Note to the reader:  I have tried to blend and condense information from several sources in order to keep the post short enough to maintain your interest.  I think I have captured the essence of the holiday without offending my Jewish friends for whom I wish the most fruitful holiday season.  Tzom kal and may God bless you all.

...In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and you shall not do any work ... For on that day he shall provide atonement for you to cleanse you from all your sins before the LORD.

-Leviticus 16:29-30

 

Thoughts Approaching Sixty

Definition of ANACHRONISM

1: an error in chronology; especially: a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other

2:  a person or a thing that is chronologically out of place; especially: one from a former age that is incongruous in the present

3: the state or condition of being chronologically out of place

4:  noun - see, Frank A. Villari

 

I’m a bit more than two months away from becoming an old anachronism.  I am an error in chronology, out of place, from a former age that is incongruous with the present.  I am a closet Luddite, brought kicking and screaming into any new technology.  It was bad enough when I was young, but at 60 I have thrown up my hands in resignation that I will always shy away from technology.  I use it as a means to an end, not an end to a means. 

And, I tend to ramble.  I am going to do that now.  It might offend some, so I offer an apology up front.  As usual, this is just my opinion, I could be wrong.  After all…I’m getting old, right?

I use cell phones because they are needed for my job.  I did fine without one in Mexico and  I do fine without one, after work, here.  It only bothers those that can’t reach me.  Sometimes I don’t want to be reached.  I use a car because I have to, for work.  I would be just as happy walking or using a bike.  And, I use a computer, as a means to reach out, as a medium to communicate to a mass audience.  When I’m done, I turn it off.

I see kids blowing money they don’t have on cars that don’t look like cars, when they finish butchering them.  I see kids and adults with blue tooth devices welded onto their heads, talking to themselves, and laughing like idiots in a quiet crowd (like everyone really wants to hear their conversation).  I see adults dressed like teenagers with their pants down around their knees like so many other white, preppy, gangstas that need to pull their pants up so they can actually outrun the cop, or look their age.  Don’t bother grabbing your junk and giving me "the look."  You have to have something down there to grab in order to make it look believable.  

Chests puffed up and bared to show off tattoos that will soon melt into unrecognizable, colorful, crap as the owner approaches 80 and develops man breasts that sag to their knees like the ones on their overweight wife.  I can see them standing in front of a mirror wishing they could remember what the hell it was, the shapeless tattoo that is, and maybe the wife.  Everyone else wanders around with ear buds shoved into the sides of their heads so they don’t have to worry about interpersonal communication.  

States are legalizing marijuana.  Now everyone can, legally, remain stoned and zoned out, oblivious to the world around them.  Maybe that is for the best.  They are caught up in the zombie wave, not realizing that they are the walking dead.

Others are begging for money they haven’t earned, on a street corner, with a sign stating how hungry they are as they smoke through a pack of cigarettes and pet the big crap machine of a dog at their feet.  I would tell them to stop smoking and eat the dog, but they aren’t anymore hungry than they are willing to work, and the dog probably eats better than I do.

People have more piercings than common sense.  Human pin cushions striving to be something different and failing miserably, failing to realize they are just like everyone they hang with.  They march for a political system that they don’t have the time, or desire, to understand, and then bitch like spoiled brats when everything falls apart.  The flag so many have died for is just a piece of cloth.  God?  God is just a prefix for damn, and most Christians would say, He is as dead to these people as they are to Him.

This is modern society.  This is what progress has brought us to, and I am an anachronism. 

At 60 I have taken up jogging again.  When I jog I don’t fill my ears with music.  I listen to the world around me, my breathing, and my heartbeat.  I have brought my weight down to 175, from a high of 208.  I eat better food and less junk.  I work because I want to, and because I have to.  I firmly believe if I didn’t keep busy I would surely die from boredom. 

Yet, I am an anachronism.

One of these days someone is going to crash the system, the grid.  Power will fail and batteries will run out long before the power is restored.  I will put my pack together and hike to a hillside high enough that I can watch the city below.  The sound of cars will soon die out and it will be easier to hear the screams and the crying, the terror of a people lost without their technology.  The wailing will die out, not long after that, as they fail to come to grips with their situation and have a psychotic break. They will have become they’re fondest dream, as they wander listlessly through the streets like true zombies.  But, unlike the movies, they will become the prey for all the sick predators still able to make a bad situation worse.

One dark, possible, future with a silver lining.

I will no longer be an anachronism.  I was born for this scenario.

Do you ever think about the future?  Do you ever put down the technology?  Or, do you go camping and wonder why your cell phone doesn’t work, only to plan the next trip closer to a tower or a site offering Wi-Fi?

I don’t think we were intended to be mindless zombies, cookie cutter versions of the worst of us.  I think we were intended to be loving, caring, individuals, communicating with each other.  Technology isn’t communicating.  I am not communicating with you now.  I am sending a message and hoping you understand it, that it doesn’t get lost in translation between my fingers and your mind.  Communication requires attentive hearing, listening, and watching.  Those without sight magnify the hearing and listening by learning to be more attentive to those around them.

After 60 years I have learned only a few truths in my life.  One is that most everything else is just crap.  Love is paramount, forgiveness is sublime, human communication and interaction is a necessity, and children are a gift from God.  A little money is a good thing, more can be better if tempered with common sense and not greed.  There is nothing better for a private moment than a glass of good bourbon, a candle, a tub full of hot water and a woman singing the jazz with a big band.  And, being like everyone else is boring.

And you should have a good, personal, relationship with God.  Don’t be afraid to speak up, don’t be afraid at all.  God already knows.  Don’t fear God, and don’t fear life.  To fear life is to fear death.  Both are inevitable.  You are, and you will be.  Everything else is in your hands.  God put it there for you.

Be polite, take the megawatt bass speakers out of your ears once in a while and say, thank you.  You won’t be able to hear the response, but that ringing will pass with time.

Teenage Dating Abuse

Just my opinion, I could be wrong...but...I'm a father, and a grandfather, so this is my two cents worth (and we all know how much two cents will buy us).  You will probably be wondering what the bee has to do with this.  I actually managed to work it in father down the page.

 

Teenage "any kind" of abuse denotes a bully in the relationship.  Teenagers are not alone in their terror, it is true for adults as well.  Bully's need to be dealt with, and that can be frightening if you aren't capable of defending yourself.  Finding a protector would seem to be the best solution, providing you don't jump from the frying pan into the fire.  This would be finding a defending hero to protect you from the abuser just to discover the hero is also wanting a "little something" for their efforts on your behalf.  They could be a subtle abuser, or just a user, which can be just as bad.

 

The whole situation can make you feel alone, on your own, and a victim with little recourse.  Abused adults go through the same thing.  And it doesn't matter if you're male or female, it happens to both sexes, hetero and homosexual.  Abuse is abuse.  You need to remember it is not your fault!  It doesn't matter what you did, how bad you think it was, how bad someone else thinks it was, you never deserve to be beaten or raped.  And, lets not be stupid, there is a difference between a parental spanking, to enforce right from wrong, and a brutal beating.  Parents know this, and so do kids.What can you do?

 

The first thing you need to do is admit you are being abused.  The first step to any cure is admitting there is a problem.  The next step is to find some help.  Voicing the problem to others makes it real by bringing it out of the shadows.  This is something the abuser does not want and the abuse may escalate because of it, but by then it is too late for them.  They have been labeled as an abuser and what they do from that point forward can go on record against them.

 

How do you find help?

 

Your friends is a great first step.  Someone you trust.  If you don't think you have a good friend, find an abuse hotline.  Many schools, police departments, and city social services now offer abuse assistance.
 

Parental support?
 

If the parents aren't the problem, often they are the solution.  You may be afraid that they won't understand because they are stern, or rarely listen.  As stern as a parent can be, they are often that way because they love you, want the best for you, and expect you to be better than they are.  They spend most of 18 years preparing you for the world at large, and herein lies both problems for you.
 

One, you may have screwed up in their eyes.  Get over it.  Everyone screws up, and some of us really screw up.  Poo happens.  Your parents are upset because they expect more, not because they love you less.  The good news is that we tend to learn valuable lessons from our mistakes and those lessons can make us the better people our parents hope for us to become.
 

Two, the abuser has messed with your parents master plan for you.  This will piss a parent off significantly more than you stumbling into a bad situation.  Not to say they won't be mad as hell at you, they love you so of course they'll be mad.  Love them for being mad, it means they love you!

What kids and adults need to think about is, what's worse?  Do nothing and continue with the abuse, or take a stand?
 

As a kid you have the right to go to mom and dad and say, "I screwed up my life, protect me!"  As an abused adult you have the right to just leave the situation.  If you don't leave, you're either a glutton for punishment, a masochist, frightened to death, or an idiot.  Point being, regardless of the category you fall into as an adult, unless you're the masochist, there are multiple options other than staying until one of you kills the other.  There is never a reason for it to come to that unless it has come down to self-defense, but the question will always be, "Why did you stay?"  Suck up your pride and get some help.  The situation isn't worth dying for.
 

For teenagers, it all comes down to parents, and if you can't go to them then find someone else you trust.  A minister, policeman, social services, child protection services, and the numerous non-government offices set up to protect women and children from domestic violence.  For most teenagers your support group surrounds you everyday at school in your friends and teachers.  Your friends have parents that will be just as concerned for their own children being at risk, for those with problems at home these parents may be a better avenue for advice and action.
 

Most important to remember is, this is not your fault!  Whatever you did, you never deserve to be beaten or raped.  The choice you made didn't break the law.  The choice the abuser made probably broke several laws.  Let someone standup for you.  Let someone help you to protect yourself.

God loves you and wants you to love yourself.
 

I was brought up in a family that loved and showed that love by hugging, and holding.  I was spanked when the situation warranted, and then my parents sat down with me and made sure I understood why it happened.  This was the way I tried to raise my own children.
 

I was taught that, only a coward strikes a woman.  Now days women are starting to beat on men, so I would have to qualify it by saying, only in self-defense and then only as a last resort.  It is always better to take the high road, just turn around and walk away.  Leave her standing in the driveway, screaming at your back as you leave.  Like the bee, you can sting or fly away, and live to fly another day!  Don't give in to violence.  This is true for everyone, not just men.
 

YOU HAVE NON-VIOLENT OPTIONS!  Please make use of them before it is too late.
 

Again, this is just my opinion and everyone has an opinion.  I would be interested in hearing yours.

 

 

Stay tuned this Sunday, August 11, when I offer up another installment of "Sunday Thought."

Leapin Lizard Tails, Batman!

"Holy crap on a cracker!"

It has been a couple of years since I first heard of this "miracle" of medical science and, when I think about the ramifications, I can still only quote my favorite blond on the sitcom, The Big Bang Theory.

 

Lizards can regrow tails, but what would you say if you'd heard of a man that regrew his finger tip right down to the fingernail and original finger print?  Or of an Army soldier, wounded in Afghanistan, missing most of his thigh muscle and close to having his leg amputated, that is now jogging and looking forward to applying to a police force for duty in the field?  I was so taken with this medical miracle I included it in the adventure novel I wrote while in Mexico.

 

The implications of this technology, when perfected, are staggering to think about.  From what I have read the Army is even investing in it now.  This will be a godsend to wounded soldiers returning from conflicts, like the soldier from Afghanistan.  It will save the country millions in continued care.  But, is it true?

 

There have been skeptics to the regrown finger articles, but the soldier re-growing thigh muscle?  This seems to have more credence.  These stories are so fascinating that I think everyone needs to make their own opinion concerning the validity.  As a retired veteran I sincerely hope it is true.

 

I have included the links to these articles for those interested in reading more.

 

God gives us the tools...

 

 

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/18611042/doctors-regenerate-mans-finger

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/17/health/research/human-muscle-regenerated-with-animal-help.html?pagewanted=all

The Ladies at House 7

This is a short little tale of my recent visit to a local mushroom festival.  We don't get many good summers in Olympia, but this summer has been particularly great.  Days have been in the mid to upper 80's and sunshine has been plentiful.  This Saturday I was hoping for more pictures to lead the posts in my blog so I grabbed my Nikon and headed for the festival.

It was hot.  It was almost unbearably hot.  The fact that the festival was being held on an open athletic field, all the displays were in tents, and there was no breeze, really didn't help.

I saw this group as they wandered through the displays, bumping into them again at the fire truck where firemen were handing out red fire hats and stickers to the kids.  Now, the three girls in question were not that young, I put them in the early to late teens.  I suck at estimating ages though.  It seems that any girl, even through the teens and into the 20's, like to have a handsome fireman give them a red, plastic firefighter hat.  I remember my daughter was no different.  One of these young ladies had fallen victim to the desire for the prized red fire hat.  The firemen were accommodating and I wish I could have snapped a picture of the smile on her face as she gripped her prize and came back to the group.

I found myself with them again, behind me in line at the hot dog stand, and I struck up a conversation with the oldest of the girls.  I found her eager to talk and very engaging.  After getting our food, I asked their two chaperons if I might join them at the picnic table.  The girls and I chatted a bit and I was shown the fire hat prize which she was so proud of.  I asked the women in charge of the three ladies if they were part of a larger group at the festival.  They were not.  They were just having a girls day out.

I found out that they were know as "The Ladies at House 7" and immediately thought someone was missing an opportunity to put these ladies in several novels of mystery and adventure.  I mean, really, think about it.  The Ladies at House 7 and The Mystery of the Missing Firefighter.

You can almost feel the thunder and lightning, and hear the sound of a creaking door as the creepy organ music queuing up.

I asked if I could snap a picture of them and send it to their e-mail, knowing that I would not be able to use it on the blog without jumping through paperwork and guardian consent issues.  After a few snaps I bid the ladies farewell and hurried home to hydrate myself with a cold beer (when I got there I opted for lemonade instead).

I reviewed the few moments with "The Ladies" as I cooled off, then downloaded the best photo and sent it on.  I was surprised, more than a week later, when I received permission to use the photo for this short tale.

The entire moment spent with these young ladies lasted 30 minutes at most, and was the bright spot of the overheated festival.  If you find yourself alone at a festival one day, search out someone interesting, that you don't know, and ask if you might join them.  I don't do that often enough, but these ladies have made me promise myself to do it more.

I hope I see them again one day.

Chromosome 21 Trisomy

Down's syndrome. 

What just went through your mind?  How did you react?  When I was younger I reacted in various ways, none of them good, and none that would make me proud today.  Children with Down's are made fun of, adults with it can have a tough time as well.

The change for me came when I was in the military and had an opportunity to go to a Special Olympics activity in Spokane, Washington.  I watched track for a bit, then went to the weight lifting competition.  I was taken by the attitudes of these young competitors.  At the finish line on the track, before the adults could rush in and congratulate the winners, their fellow competitors were all over them with hugs and praise.  The same response was evident during the weight lifting as all the competitors cheered each other on.  When do you see a weight lifter cheering their competition to beat the pants off of them? 

As competitors we can learn volumes from these "special" people.  I wonder if we might also learn something about living life.

This has been my experience with Down's syndrome.  I have found them to be curious, happy, and personable.  I'm sure there are challenges, there are with all those with special needs.  I'm not so sure I would be up for it. 

I challenge you, though, the next time you have the opportunity, to engage a Down's child or adult, to take a moment and say hello.  I think you will come away richer for the effort.

As for me, I have grown up since my younger days.  These are certainly God's special children, and I wish them the best. 

Sunday Thought for August 4, 2013: Just Another Boat

What sets us apart from every other boat in the marina?  Are we the largest, or maybe the prettiest?  Do we deck ourselves out with lots of bling?  Are we the fastest or the most steadfast?  I would venture that these make up what we are, not necessarily who we are.

I got up early and dressed for my morning jog.  Even at 6:30 it was already quite warm and humid on the gulf coast of Mississippi where I'm visiting.  People were already up watering their yards and fetching the morning paper from driveways.  Southern charm was already awake and in full swing, however.  Everyone I passed offered up a greeting and a smile, even the drivers of vehicles gave a little wave of "good morning!"

If we do nothing else on this Sunday of rest, I think it would be nice to offer each of our neighbors our smile, a kind verbal greeting, or even a small wave.  I say a t-shirt yesterday, and I thought what was written on it was apropos for this morning.

"If you don't have a smile of your own, you can borrow mine!"

The Forgotten Gospel of Mary

This post has been sitting as a draft for a couple of weeks as I considered how best to approach the subject.  There isn't much to deal with as far as physical evidence to a Gospel of Mary, but what little is presented paints a significantly different picture of politics and women of the day, as well as a glimpse into the inner circle of Christ.

That Peter is a moody sexist is evident from his confrontation with Mary.

"Sister, we know that the Savior loved you more than other women.  Tell us the words of the Savior which you have in mind since you know him and we do not, nor have we heard them."

Now, as we have learned from texting and e-mail, emotion rarely translates well into the written word.  Are we to take Peter's request of Mary at face value, or is Peter baiting her?  Is Peter being a condescending smart ass?

After Mary tells her story of the Savior's conversation with her, Peter responds to the other Apostles with,

"Did he then speak secretly with a woman, in preference to us, and not openly?  Are we to turn back and all listen to her?  Did he prefer her to us?"

You can almost hear the disdain for women and his particular issue with Mary as the most beloved of Christ, as "woman" rolls off his tongue like vinegar.  Even Levi, in response to Peter's statement, and speaking to Peter's usual emotional state, as an attempt at defense of Mary, addresses her as "the woman."

"Peter, you are always irate.  Now I see that you are contending against the woman like the adversaries."

Male dominated society coming to grips with a Savior that saw all as equal in the eyes of God, and yet, even after His death they carry the old attitudes forward.  Now one has to wonder if Peter was pissed at being called down in front of a woman.  How does this affect his teachings and his writings?  Andrew had already voiced his disbelief of Mary's dialogue with Christ.  How are we to give credence to anything these men say when confronted with these obvious attitudes and agendas?  Where does this leave the written word of the Bible?

 

As one scholar describes it,

 

"It [The Gospel of Mary] presents the most straightforward and convincing argument in any Christian writing for the legitimacy of women's leadership; it offers a sharp critique of illegitimate power and a utopian vision of spiritual perfection; it challenges our rather romantic views about the harmony and unanimity of the first Christians; and it asks us to rethink the basis for church authority.  All written in the name of a woman."

I think it is necessary for Christians to look at all the gospels, not just those that have been translated until the meat and feeling of the story has been lost, and not just those some council of men dictated were all we need.  These new texts coming to light give us a new insight into the world of the Apostles.  This should not diminish the message behind the Bible or our faith in the teachings of Christ.  We should use this information to look at the stories in a new light.

 

I recommend everyone look up the Gospel of Mary online.  Read the associated commentary by numerous scholars.  It is free.  Christ wanted us to do our own due diligence, to seek the truth within ourselves, not just to accept a version of truth fed to us by others. 

 

You learn nothing through blind acceptance, except the flavor of the current Kool-Aid. 

After you have considered the words of Mary, look up The Sophia of Jesus Christ.  This document made my head hurt.  When you read the text, and try to understand it, I think you'll see why.  There is a difference between reading and understanding; this is a good example.  I will be re-reading this for years.

Remember always that science and archeology are not the enemies of God, they constantly provide new proof of God's greatness while providing new material with which to define our faith.

Your Jury Rights: The Fully Informed Jury

 

It has always bothered my that a jury, holding a persons freedom, or life, in their hands, are told what they can or can't see or hear as evidence in a case.  They are told what they can and cannot pay attention to or consider while forming their verdict.  It just didn't seem right.

 

It isn't.

 

"I consider trial by jury as the only anchor yet imagined by man by which a government can be held to the principles of its constitution."  Thomas Jefferson

"It is not only his right, but his duty...to find the verdict according to his own best understanding, judgment, and conscience, though in direct opposition to the direction of the court."  John Adams

 

 

Our constitution is under attack, by no less than the current administration, so the fact that the anchorage President Jefferson discussed in the first quote is questionable should come as no surprise to many Americans.  The second quote literally flies in the face of everything the courts would have us believe as jurors.  Read the quote again, slowly, and think about the power President Adams endows the juror with.

 

In 1972 the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals held that the jury has an...

 

"...Unreviewable and irreversible power...to acquit in disregard of the instruction on the law given by the trial judge.  The pages of history shine upon instances of the jury's exercise of its prerogative to disregard instructions of the judge; for example, acquittals under the fugitive slave law." (473F. 2d 1113)  

If we can't be allowed to find a verdict according to conscience and all of the evidence, then why do we have a jury at all?  Don't they just become the legitimate face for a corrupt, broken, socialist, judicial system? 

I can't answer my own questions, and that pisses me off to no end.  When I hear a judge prevent testimony, or other evidence from being viewed by the jurors, or when I hear a judge tell jurors to disregard a statement, I just get angry knowing some poor sap isn't getting justice.

I don't like being political on my blog, but I felt this was knowledge that needed to be passed around for your own discussion.  It weighs heavily on any discussion we would have on Christian morality and conscience, that separation of church and state.

  For further information, I point you to the Fully Informed Jury Association (FIJA) website shown below.

Rapture: Will You Choose to Stay?



"You gave Him what He asked for, I gave Him what He needed." 

Legion, 2010

"Speak up for those who have no voice, for the justice of all who

are dispossessed."

Proverbs 31:8

"In the end, I will hold my ground when called.  I will say to God, "I will stay for them, those that you leave behind."  God will likely remind me I was staying anyway, so it will have worked out nicely."

Frank A. Villari, Pastor 



What will the righteous do at the end?  My assumption, from what I've seen and heard, is that they will jump at the chance for a place on God's lifeboat.  The righteous of God will have given what was asked for, and will stand ready for God's promise to them showing their true nature.

Who, in their piety, will stand in the face of life everlasting, looking down on the multitude being left behind, and not feel compassion for their ignorance and their pain, some modicum of pity?  Who will stand up for them, one more time, and renew the faith of God in mankind?  Who is willing to turn their back on what God wants, in order to give that which is needed?  Who will stand with me on that day of judgment?  Who will stay and guide the children left behind, through the tribulation and what lies beyond?

"I will stay for them, those that you leave behind."  As I close my eyes and lift my face to heaven, spreading  my arms slightly from my sides, palms forward, I feel a hand grasp my right, and yet another grasp my left.  I cry.

Who will stay?  More than anyone realizes, I think.

I Love You

Some say my love is like chalk,

That I can write it on and erase it.

Well, they're wrong. 

I use Crayons.

"Some say my love is like chalk, that I can write it on and erase it. Well, they're wrong. I use Crayons." When I wrote this, so many years ago, little did I know how it would, constantly, have an impact on my life. Of course, the poem was meant for my "true love" and, well, we all know how that goes. The divorce not only impacted my life, it almost cost me my life. But, I have since discovered that the poem holds true for any relationship you have. 

I also found how true the saying is, "I love you, I just can't be with you." I find that many people I've known have a hard time with this concept.  When you invest yourself in someone, it's very hard not to bring those deep feelings with you when the relationship ends.  I've also known those people who can leave relationships and just "flip off the switch" as though nothing ever happened.  One has to wonder how much was there, to begin with, if it was that easy to stop feeling, to stop loving.  I wonder what they consider "being used" would entail?

Even with my abject hatred of a particular individual, one time in my life, deep down inside I knew I had true love in my heart for this person.  I know this because of how easy it was for me to finally find forgiveness, years later, for her long history of using me and through her own admission of never loving me.

The next time you easily spit out those three words, "I love you," ask yourself if you can just as easily erase them.  If the answer is yes, then they are meaningless, so don't say them.  Love is something you should not be able to easily get shed of.  Love should be like getting hit with skunk spray.  It should stick, no matter how horrible the smell, and no matter how hard you try to ignore it.

Don't misunderstand, love will change.  You can finally, after much work, get rid of the skunk smell, but you will always remember it in your heart. Some things you just can't forget.  You may find you're not able to live with someone once you're together, for whatever reason, but you should always carry them in your heart, or what was the point?  If you don't still love them, on some level, I think you need to ask yourself what kind of a person that makes you.  Perhaps a person of non-existent depth? You know, shallow.

So, you're asking, what if you're the kind of person who equates love to snugglin' up with a stinky skunk?  Well, I quote those famous lyrics from the J.Geils Band:

I've been through diamonds

I've been through minks

I've been through it all

Love stinks

This may be true, but...I'm also the kind of person that keeps coming back for more, so how bad can it be?  Or, are we all just eternal masochists?

Until my next post, please remember that... I love you!

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 the 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 volunteered as a chaplain at the regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony:  tolerantpastor@gmail.com

Tolerance: Buddhism

  

 

I purchased this drab, concrete, garden statue of Buddha a little more than ten years ago.  I wanted something substantial for my meditation garden and concrete fit the bill.  With a bit of watered down acrylic paint I was able to affect the antique look I was after, though it took several years of northwest weather to accomplish the task.

 

As a Christian I was constantly asked how I could entertain Buddhist philosophy and still profess Christian tenets of "no other god" and such.  The answer is so simple most Christians refuse to understand it.  Unlike Taoism which pays homage to deities, Buddhism focuses on the "Three Fold Path" of morality, concentration, and wisdom.  When the Buddha was dying he said to his followers that he had taught them everything he could, and now it was time for them to teach themselves.  He did not want to be worshipped.  In fact, pure Buddhism does not recognize a god or gods and rejects the concept of a "second coming" of Jesus Christ.  They do, however, believe in reincarnation where you will be reborn into any of the 31 planes of existence, as your karma dictates, until you attain nirvana.

 

Notice the mention of "pure" Buddhism.  Some find it difficult to reconcile rejecting the concept of a second coming of Jesus from a belief system that incorporates reincarnation.  Personally, I found the Three Fold Path and Buddhist meditation helpful along my own path.  The fact that there is no deity in the Buddhist system makes it easier to fold parts of it into other faith concepts as a way of focusing on your goals.

 

Like most of the world religions, this one has also been misunderstood by most and corrupted by well-meaning followers throughout its history.  The basis is sound.  Buddha taught what was on his mind, what he had learned from his own observations and practice.  He longed for confrontation and discussion of these ideas as the whole point of the philosophy is to learn and become more than you are.  In this way, I think Buddha wasn't so much pushing his belief on others as he was trying to make you think for yourself as you follow his path, until you found your own. 

 

As he tried to make his disciples understand, we are all Buddha whether we know it yet or not.



We Live in a Pond

I have always tried to explain to young people the idea that we all live in the same social pond.  Every decision we make in life has an effect on that pond, like a pebble thrown into it causing a ripple.  Every ripple can be viewed as an action taken, a choice or decision, and for every action, as we all know from physics, there is a reaction.

If the decisions we make are small and insignificant, the effects will be virtually unnoticeable.  If the decision leads to, let's say, an arrest, this can have a large impact on the pond in general.  It would be the difference between dropping a grain of sand in the pond or a large rock.  The ripples of one don't matter much whereas the ripples of the other can swamp lily pads, erode the shore, and destroy habitat and the like.  And if you constantly make poor decisions even the smallest ripples can build upon each other to become a tempest.

Let's take an arrest of "Bill" an example.  Bill says to himself this is no big deal as he was the one arrested so it's his bad.  But, Bill has to go to his mother for bail.  Now mom has to spend money she was saving for another purpose, maybe for food or medical.  Let's say mom can't raise the money so she has to ask her friend, and now the friend is in the same boat.  While out on bail Bill gets arrested again.  The friend of mom's is beginning to feel used, and this affects their friendship.  This story will continue, but right away we see the damage from what Bill thought was his problem.  It has had an effect on Bill, his mother, her friend, their friendship, and possibly others; if the friend is married it may have created strife in the relationship there, and so on.

We tend not to think passed the damage done to our own lives with decisions we make, when, in reality, all of our decisions have the possibility to create far reaching repercussions which affect so many other residents in our pond.  One ripple can cause another ripple, bouncing off someone else to cause yet another ripple, and so on.  One must also be mindful that even the smallest ripple might be the cause of a larger effect, like soil slowly eroding from beneath a rock until that one insignificant ripple removes the last vestige of support and the rock comes sliding into the pond with devastating effect.

Once we understand how the pond works, the best rule of thumb is still to think before we act.  What effect will my actions have on those around me?  It is, truly, not always about you.  Considering others before you take action, or make choices and decisions, may temper selfish desires and help to promote peace and serenity in the greater pond.

It is better, at times, to simply put the pebble down.

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.