Life under the Sword: Christian Persecution

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out –
because I was not a communist; 

Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out –
because I was not a socialist; 

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out –
because I was not a trade unionist; 

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out –
because I was not a Jew; 

Then they came for me –
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

-- Martin Niemöller

This post is, in a way, my response to an article published 04/26/17 by the Universal life Church Monastery in their periodical The Visionary. The article, How Christians Around the World Respond to Persecution, begins by stating, "Open Doors, a Christian non-profit, estimates that nearly 7,100 Christians died because of their faith in 2015 alone."  It goes on to state, "Research has shown that Christians are the most persecuted religious group worldwide."

While I'm pretty certain the stats will bear out the facts posted in this article, I am always leery of charts which list numbers of countries which persecute each particular religion, as this article does. To state a number instead of a particular country gives us a false sense of what's going on. For instance, if we state five countries persecute Christians as well as Buddhists, it is vastly different when we discover the populations of China and Russia as part of the Christian list, but the five countries for Buddhists include countries with populations significantly smaller. In other words, just because more countries persecute a particular religion, it doesn't follow that more people persecute them, or that more members of a particular religion are persecuted. I would much rather see specific relative percentages as a comparisons, but that's just me. This is how we tell an incomplete story. It would be like the media showing two competing political candidates at podiums, yet never showing that one is addressing a crowd barely filling a high school gymnasium of a hundred while the other is addressing a packed stadium of thousands. Did they both fill their venues? Yes, but only one would seem to have the voter's ear.

This is how we, and the media, tell incomplete or slanted stories.  It would be like the media showing two competing political candidates at podiums, yet never showing that one is addressing a crowd barely filling a high school gymnasium of a hundred while the other is addressing a packed stadium of thousands.  Did they both fill their venues?  Yes, but only one obviously has the voter's ear.  We leave out context, tell half-truths, and assume the audience is intelligent enough to know, or we just outright lie because we know the vast majority of them don't have a clue.  Personally, because we constantly find the need to evidence the truth of it, I favor the latter; the majority of us are just gullible.

The article does shine, however in pointing out that many religions throughout the world suffer persecution in a variety of countries, including right here in the United States where we have touted ourselves as celebrating a diversity of cultures for over 240 years. The problem with celebrating this diversity of culture is that many adherents of these diverse cultures we celebrate don't necessarily celebrate diversity. Hell, many of our own citizens, who have had to fight for equality and acceptance themselves, can't even celebrate this diversity. It seems harsh, and I may be wrong in the comparison, but this seems like Jew collaborating with Nazis to ostracize their own during the 1930s and 40s. This isn't a matter of legal citizenship but, rather, a matter of persecution simply because of differing, peaceful, religious beliefs, whether a legal citizen or not.

"If we look back into history for the character of present sects in Christianity, we shall find few that have not in their turns been persecutors, and complainers of persecution. The primitive Christians thought persecution extremely wrong in the Pagans, but practised it on one another. The first Protestants of the Church of England, blamed persecution in the Roman church, but practised it against the Puritans: these found it wrong in the Bishops, but fell into the same practice themselves both here and in New England."

-- Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), U.S. Founding Father, polymath, scientist

Let's not be lulled into thinking this is just an 'us against them' issue.  The Hillsboro Baptist Church evidences that Christians are just as capable, and willing, to terrorize their own as another faith, not to mention the years of strife between Catholics and Protestants in Ireland.  Muslims have their own issues as evidenced by violence between the Sunni and Shi'ite sects of Islam.  By the way, for those who think these are the only two Islamic sects, my research (re: Sects of Islam) shows Wahhabis, Kharijites, Sunni, Shi'ite, Ghulat, and Sufi, not to mention the added differences as to whether they are cultural, liberal, conservative, or innovative.  This explains why our ignorance of this religion may have us targeting the wrong Islamic groups with our own particular brand of hateful rhetoric.  I also ask that you take a moment to consider this hateful rhetoric as an act of judgment by what we generously refer to as peaceful, tolerant, understanding, loving, Christians.  So, maybe the question we should ask ourselves is, "Who are the persecuted persecuting this week?"

“Because the persecuting majority is vile, says the liberal, therefore the persecuted minority must be stainlessly pure...What's to prevent the bad from being persecuted by the worse? Did all the Christian victims on the arena have to be saints?"

-- Christopher Isherwood 

(1904-1986), novelist

The persecuted can certainly persecute.  Simply because you're a minority doesn't make you immune to also thinking you're better than someone else.  There are 33,000 plus sects of Christianity in the world, today, and each of them thinks their message is better than the rest, regardless of the numbers of their adherents.  Matthew Arnold (1822-1888) might say they all have the secret, or the method, of Christ "too much left out of mind," and none of them "has His unerring balance, His intuition, His sweet reasonableness."  Their one common factor is they all have is that they "have hold of a great truth and get from it a great power."  We have all come to learn that, with great power comes great responsibility.

It would seem minorities who are persecuted rarely learn the correct lesson from their persecution, which would be what not to do to other human beings.  To hell with "do unto others as you would have them do unto you."  Vengeance is an ugly thing, and quiet vengeance, delivered with a lie and a smile or a knife in the back, is the purview of cowards.  Revenge is a dish best served cold, and yet, like cold pasta even mayonnaise can't truly make it palatable without putting it between two slices of sourdough bread.  Truly I say, vengeance is the purview of God alone and we constantly forget this lesson, as well.

"...A minority has its own kind of aggression. It absolutely dares the majority to attack it. It hates the majority - not without a cause, I grant you. It even hates the other minorities - because all minorities are in competition; each one proclaims that its sufferings are the worst and its wrongs are the blackest. And the more they all hate, and the more they're all persecuted, the nastier they become! Do you think it makes people nasty to be loved? You know it doesn’t! Then why should it make them nice to be loathed? While you’re being persecuted, you hate what’s happening to you, you hate the people who are making it happen; you’re in a world of hate. Why, you wouldn’t recognize love if you met it! You’d suspect love! You’d think there was something behind it—some motive—some trick.”

-- Christopher Isherwood (1904-1986), novelist

Again, it seems we always forget Christ's "unerring balance, His intuition, His sweet reasonableness," and twist this great truth we have discovered into a great power which we choose to wield as a sword of vengeance instead of understanding.  But if it isn't for us to judge, to deliver payback in the guise of pain in kind, then how do we prevent the virus of persecution from spreading?  As with Nazism, the world must stand shoulder to shoulder against evil, secure in the knowledge that the hammer about to fall, the upcoming spanking, the answer to evil, is being delivered from what we give unto Caesar, for what we give unto our elected leaders is in keeping with scripture when it is for the salvation of mankind and the protection of the innocent.

The 1880s English philosopher, John Stuart Mill, wrote, "The idea that truth always triumphs over persecution is one of those pleasant falsehoods, which most experience refutes. History is teeming with instances of truth put down by persecution. If not put down forever, it may be set back for centuries."  As a civilization we proved this not to be the case when we rallied together as world allies to defeat the evil perpetrated on us by the Axis powers in World War II.  We have to believe that truth will always win the day over persecution and evil.  Unfortunately, it is evil which may not be put down forever, but we can always hope we have dealt it a setback for centuries.

We must confront persecution faced by many Christian communities and the intolerance that plagues us. We must overcome anti-Semitism and the prejudice that divides us. We must defeat Islamophobia and the fears that weaken us.

-- Ban Ki-moon, South Korean diplomat, eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations

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 then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

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

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

My Sunday Thought for 050717: I Now Pronounce You, Gender Dysphoric

“Gender is like a Rubik’s Cube with one hundred squares per side, and every time you twist it to take a look at another angle, you make it that much harder a puzzle to solve.”

-- Sam Killermann,  advocate, author

Most of us wish it were as easy as looking into our pants to solve the question of gender identity, and for most of us it is. But, for a growing number of our population, many have to struggle with a confusion they’ve been at odds with since birth. The parts they see when they look down don’t fit with their emotions. They constantly try to put the square peg in the round hole while family and friends scream at them to get a hammer and make fit in. Most of us don’t have a clue.

Psychology Today posted this about Gender Dysphoria:  "Cross-gender behaviors begin as early as 2 years, which is the start of the developmental period in which children begin expressing gendered behaviors and interests. Early-onset gender dysphoria typically starts in childhood and continues into adolescence and adulthood, which late-onset gender dysphoria occurs around puberty or much later in life.  The cause of gender dysphoria is unknown, but hormonal influences in the womb are suspected to be involved. The condition is rare and may occur in children or adults.  Onset of cross-gender interests and activities is usually between ages 2 and 4 years, and some parents report that their child has always had cross-gender interests."  Read the full post at this link, Gender Dysphoria.

"Cross-gender behaviors begin as early as 2 years," which is probably going to be confusing for those who insist on believing sexual identity is a choice. I will speak up for the gender confused when I state, those that believe gender confusion at the age of four is a choice, are getting off easy. Their particular confusion is one of ignorance.

Wikipedia's take on Gender Dysphoria attempts to simplify all this into a couple of sentences: "Gender dysphoria or gender identity disorder (GID) is the dysphoria (distress) a person experiences as a result of the sex and gender they were assigned at birth. In these cases, the assigned sex and gender do not match the person's gender identity, and the person is transgender."  Okay, I have a headache and find myself still confused over the entire issue.  I suppose this also makes me sympathetic to the plight of those who find themselves dysphoric.

Ignorance, unlike being shunned by society or ostracized by friends and family and made to feel less that human, rarely leads one to consider suicide as their only recourse. Teenagers have enough trouble handling emotions without making a "choice" to be purposely confused about their gender and to suffer the slings and arrows of such a choice. Who would consciously make this decision, fully knowing what hells they will have to endure? This is a choice? Use your brain, for God's sake.  Considering their vast homosexual experience through the age of four, I would have to make the logical conclusion that these people either give toddlers way too much credit, or these people are ill-informed.

“It is not possible to preserve one's identity by adjusting for any length of time to a frame of reference that is in itself destructive to it. It is very hard indeed for a human being to sustain such an 'inner' split - conforming outwardly to one reality, while trying to maintain inwardly the value it denies.”

-- Betty Friedan (1921-2006) author, feminine activist 

Being a father and a grandfather, I am forced to give toddlers a pass and go with the latter.  Saying these judgmental folks are ill-informed is being kind, however, as many might say only an idiot would think a child of four could possibly understand the unfortunate ramifications of coming out gay.  They must forget how cruel other kids can be, or were one of the cruel kids.  But, I will give this group of judges more tolerance and understanding than they give the confused children by saying, I could be wrong about them being idiots.  What do you think?

If this subject were simply about men or women, of age, who had a propensity for people of the same sex, I would be willing to consider arguments to the point that these people might have issues of choice.  It is not.  Much of this begins with children of ages which preclude any homosexual "experience," per se.  This choice they speak of is about putting oneself in the crosshairs of hate, intolerance, bigotry, violence and, unfortunately, the very real possibility of suicide. 

"Unity depends on respect for diversity, no matter what tools of language are ultimately used. This is a very early stage for trans peoples with such diverse histories and blends of cultures to form community. Perhaps we don't have to strive to be one community. In reality, there isn't one women's, or lesbian, gay, bi community. What is realistic is the goal to build a coalition between our many strong communities in order to form a movement capable of defending all our lives.”

-- Leslie Feinberg (1949-2014), author "Trans Liberation: Beyond Pink or Blue"

Gender dysphoria is a part of our society - no, scratch that.  It is a part of our civilization, and history might reveal that it always has been.  Why so prevalent now?  Science will tell.  Perhaps it is a sign of our times - mass media, the internet, social freedoms, open minds, etc.  This is not the first time we have seen civilization grow it's inclusivity, though we seem constantly at odds, for whatever selfish reasons, with letting minorities into the 'club' of civilized society.  Civilized society?  This would be the society which benefits from the arts and sciences supplied to us by the very gender dysphoric people of which society would sit in judgment?  How very civilized of us to judge, and how very Christian.

I have written so many posts on tolerance for the LGBTQ+ community, one might think I am one of them.  Well, in a way, I am.  They are people.  They are searching, as much as those who judge them, for who and why they are.  They search for Christ and for salvation.  They search for love and for life.  They hope for peace and for acceptance.  We make a good show of celebrating diversity as long as it doesn't rock the boat of normalcy, but our normal is a vibrant, robust sense of our ever changing ability to accept those who have much to offer our colorful society, and our desire for a civilized future where we all have an equal chance for happiness.

“Sometimes I don't know what I am. But what I would like to be on the outside, what I want other people to see -- is a girl.”

-- Alyssa Brugman, author, "Alex As Well"

I went back through the 635 posts I have written for the Congregation for Religious Tolerance, rereading those posts dealing with this topic, wondering if I have done it justice.  I am my own worst critic, in art as in writing.  I think I have done fine, but the ultimate test would be the opinion of the community for which they are all written.  For those of you interested in having a read on more of my views concerning this topic, I have included a list of the posts I could readily find.  I think the most important and meaningful, to me, would be the last one on the list, Quietly Confused.  I could say much about it, but I think reading it will explain why more than elaborating on what, I feel, is obvious.   

1. Transgender - An Absence of Compassion
2. Gays and Christianity Revisited, Yet Again
3. LGBT Conservatism
4. Gay Marriage Equality
5. The Gay Christian
6. LGB, LGBT, LGBTQ, LGBTQQ... and Confused
7. Church Law or God's Love?
8. Homosexuality: Is It a Choice?
9. Gay Christian, Gay Marriage
10. Gay Christian, Gay Marriage - Part 2
11. LGBT Teenage Suicides
12. Coming Out Gay? Invite the Parents!
13. Teenage Transgender Suicide
14. Quietly Confused

Am I a lesbian because I love women, and am I gay if I profess love for a good friend who is male?  If so, then I would be a gay lesbian who, mathematically, works out... straight?  Even the thought of this as a mathematical equation verily wreaks of judgment; a negative times a negative equals a positive, or a negative plus a negative equals a much bigger negative?  Talk about your emotional confusion!  Maybe it would be better for us to simply see the positive in all of it.

“At some point during my research, I came across the term "gender fluid." Reading those words was a revelation. It was like someone tore a layer of gauze off the mirror, and I could see myself clearly for the first time. There was a name for what I was. It was a thing. Gender fluid.

-- Jeff Garvin, actor, author, "Symptoms of Being Human"

A far as my gender is concerned, however, I am secure in the knowledge that when I look down into my drawers, I will be gratefully satisfied with the gender package which presents itself and, hopefully, possess the emotional stability to handle it.  My sadness is for those who feel they have no recourse than to suffer the labels, the judgment of peers, parents, and society.  I feel a true sense of sorrow for what others must endure; those who find themselves, for whatever reason, at odds with themselves and society for being... well, themselves.  I wish we could all just learn to accept each other for why, who, and what we are.

“What matters most is not 'what' you are, but 'who' you are.”

-- Dr. DaShanne Stokes, author, civil rights advocate

I firmly believe that once you come to accept what you are, you will then learn to be at peace with the more important aspect of who you are, and finally be ready to accept the challenge of finding out why you are.  Once we discover why we are, our personal path is clear and all else becomes the local color and excitement along our journey.

“Heather Looy, in offering some tentative considerations about the image of God in her discussion of intersexuality, offers that it is possible that the “genderfulness” of God [may have been] deliberately separated into female and male by God in the creation of humankind as a way of structuring into creation a basic need for us to be in relationship, so that it is in community, not individually, that we most fully reflect God’s image and are most fully equipped for the tasks to which we are called.” -- Mark A. Yarhouse, Professor of Psychology, author, Understanding Gender Dysphoria: Navigating Transgender Issues in a Changing Culture

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 then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

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

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

Homework?

“There’s a huge philosophical divide between parents who want their kids to be very scheduled, very driven, and very ambitiously focused at school -- those parents want their kids to do homework. And then there are the parents who want a more child-centered life with their kids, who want their kids to be able to explore different aspects of themselves, who think their kids should have free time.”

-- Etta Kralovec, associate professor of teacher education, University of Arizona South

I can almost bet the "huge philosophical divide" of which Etta Kralovec speaks would show up on a poll as primarily those parents with a political leaning toward liberalism and, for once, they might find an ally - in me.  

It isn't that I agree with no homework, I simply see this as a way to hold a teacher's feet to the fire and prove whether they are capable of teaching.  Parents, nowadays, whine that they have no time to assist teachers by helping students with their lessons at home or hearing from the teachers that, as parents paying said teacher's wage, they should also be expected to take more responsibility for the child's education.  If parents have no time or desire to ensure students do their homework, much less to assist them, then when is a parent going to find time to spend their "evenings doing things that are proven to correlate with student success.  Eat dinner as a family, read together, play outside, and get your child to bed early," in their selfish schedule?  And, if the students are doing their work at school, when are the teachers going to teach them how to do the work.  This defeats the entire point of learn at school and practice at home.

I have to agree with Etta Kralovec that there is a huge philosophical divide.  There are parents who want their children to be able to survive the real world, and there are those parents who want a kinder, gentler, fantasy of what the real world will offer.  These children will grow into whiners which will replace the whiners who bred them.  This experiment will travel down the same path as Dr. Spock saying to spare the rod, stop spanking your child.  He reversed his opinion many years later when he saw how screwed up our society had become due to the lack of respect for work, education, and authority.

But, like I said, I agree with this experiment and I'm very surprised teacher unions support it.  The unions have long fought for a teacher's right to not be held accountable and to dump the responsibility for the teacher's shortcomings onto the parent as a way of shifting blame while protecting their paycheck and union dues.  This idea puts the entire responsibility, for a teacher being proficient at their trade, right back where it belongs - on the teacher.  This allows us to finally separate the "getting along" for a paycheck, from the teachers that truly care about education.

This isn't about homework, it is about responsibility.  This is about parental responsibility for bringing a child into the world and ensuring that child has the tools to succeed and be a productive member of society.  It is about the teacher's responsibility to do their damned job or go find another in the foodservice industry.  And, it is about the responsibility of the child to learn, even if they have to educate themselves, so they can be all they hope to be.  It is, after all, their life.

In the end, parents will finally understand that students who actually find a future will be those who have responsible parents that find the time to ensure their children are learning, who purchase additional material for them to fill their time at home, and who impress upon their children the importance of knowledge for themselves, their society, and the world they live in.  The downside of this experiment is that, while we wait for our children to fail and parents to wake up, we will be falling farther behind the rest of the world in education, and we already suck so badly.

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 another viewpoint. 

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

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

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

My Sunday Thought for 043017: Ripples

"Everything we do, even the slightest thing we do, can have a ripple effect and repercussions that emanate. If you throw a pebble into the water on one side of the ocean, it can create a tidal wave on the other side."

-- Victor Webster, actor

The following article was posted by the Universal Life Church Monastery periodical The Visionary on April 14, Alabama Megachurch Close to Creating Its Own Police Force. I found it both humorous and disturbing. Fringe lunatic congregations like the Hillsboro Baptist Church threaten the security, safety, peace and tranquility of military funerals to the point patriotic motorcycle groups have to cordon off the cemetery to keep the congregation at bay, yet this Alabama church feels threatened from outside forces to the point of a paranoia requiring their own police force to quell.

The reader's comments, listed at the bottom of the Monastery article, are telling to the general mindset of folks.   4000 people want to ensure their own safety in these trying times, and it would seem a majority of people feel they should suck it up and hang it out there like the rest of us.  Maybe the offended have a point - if we all can't have a personal police force, why should they?  And why should the taxpayers foot the bill when we're supposed to have a separation of church and state?  Yet, members of the League of the Perpetually Offended are the very ones who have created the fear for safety which has been brought down upon this church, and our society, like mass paranoia.

I suppose, if the congregation of these 4000 feel this threatened, the church should probably ask each congregation member to pony up one dollar every Sunday which would bring $4000 a week into the coffers enabling them to hire a private security force, armed to the teeth, with which to ensure the feeling of safety which they seem to feel the State police are unable to provide.  They could also have closed circuit monitoring, and snipers posted at strategic locations with which to blow the head off of any offended terrorist before they can rain death and mayhem down on the peaceful parishioners.  After all, it's what Christ would have wanted, right?

"There is a ripple effect to the gospel that's inevitable. There's a ripple effect to true grace. It doesn't lead us to only sit and contemplate what happened to us. It leads us to proclaim what's happened to us—and what can happen to anybody and everybody on the planet."

-- Louie Giglio, pastor, author

Whether the church foots the cost for security or the government does, it is money not being used to feed the hungry, cloth the needy or shelter the homeless, and if none of this is being accomplished the League of the Perpetually Offended wins.  Any time good falls prey to evil, the League wins another battle.

No matter how peaceful we can make this pond we live in, no matter how much we all try to get along, there will always be some splinter group of the League wanting to create ripples in the pond, a disturbance in the force, rattling the cage and trying to awaken the sleeping bear of personal offense, an offense at something or someone the greater majority of us are fine with.  What the League perpetually seems incapable of understanding is that a miniscule splinter can be bothersome, whereas a variety of large trees adds beauty and positive purpose to a forest.  If the splinter offends thee, pluck it out.  If there is infection, excise it before it spreads.  Or, the offended could simply learn to live and let live, to be tolerant, understanding, and reasonable.  It is time much better spent, and we have so little time as it is.

“It's sad that in a world of billions, people can still feel isolated and alone. Sometimes all it takes to brighten up someone's day is a smile or kind word, or the generous actions of a complete stranger. Small things, the tiny details, these are the things that matter in life — the little glint in the eye, curve of a lip, nod of a head, wave of a hand — such minuscule movements have huge ripple effects.”

-- Shaun Hick, author, poet

The pond of our existence can be as smooth as glass, as turbulent and foreboding as a North Atlantic storm, or as beautiful as waves crashing along the Pacific shore.  Whether we offend or take offense, the calm of our pond is dependent on the quantity of all which society chucks into it.  Peace is dependent on understanding which comes from knowledge and education, and a tolerance we are willing to exercise so those around us can seek their own personal path to happiness; it is our willingness to live and let live.  This, however, is a concept which runs contrary to the tenets of the League of the Perpetually Offended because the "live and let live" concept negates perpetuity of any desired feeling of offense for which they dedicate their own pleasantly masochistic feelings of misery here on earth.

"Every loving word and action create a far reaching ripple effect - like the waves of the ocean."

-- Swami Dhyan Giten, author, spiritual teacher

The ripples we cause should be gentle and have loving purpose, we should be always cognizant of the what, when, where, how, and why of our words and actions while we each travel along our path in this life.  Our actions and words should complement what others do, or allow others to compliment what we are striving to accomplish.  Our ripples should add to the beauty of the pond and interact with other ripples to create a symphony of movement we can all enjoy and find purpose in.  Our ripples should be the impetus for miracles, not the destructive force of tsunamis.

Does all this mean we should never show offense?  Absolutely not, but perhaps we would be better served to ensure our offense isn't driven by our own selfish desires... of which there are many.  We would be better served to pick and choose well thought out battles to ensure we don't come off as selfish, self-centered assholes to the rest of society.  Let us, instead, celebrate the peaceful diversity of culture, philosophy, religion, race, and personal belief.  

When a person finds something wrong in everything, it makes others wonder if they are capable of ever finding anything right in anything.  Just saying.

“Having a vested interest in other souls unconditionally creates a ripple effect that produces miracles in the lives of those around us.”

-- Molly Friedenfeld, author, spiritual teacher, radio host

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 then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

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

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

The Greatest Thing

The greatest thing?

Curly: Do you know what the secret of life is?
Curly: This. [holds up one finger]
Mitch: Your finger?
Curly: One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and the rest don't mean shit.
Mitch: But what is the "one thing?"
Curly: [smiles] That's what you have to find out.

-- "City Slickers" (1991)

I always thought this was simple "Curly-an" philosophy:  The secret to life is "one thing."  What is this "one thing?"  Well, the secret to life, of course, would be the obvious sequitur.  Actually, I think the whole thing wreaks more of Taoism.  Regardless of the root, however, the point is that you hold within you the ability to find out what the secret of life is.  Once you find the secret of life, you'll understand it isn't just one thing.

I have learned that, for me, life does not end with death.  Death is just an end to another act in a much greater dramatic production of this thing we call "life."  If our consciousness moves on to other realms then how can we call this death?  Our life on this plane of existence has simply come to an end, the curtain has closed, and the lights have dimmed to blackness.  The, as we fear the story has ended - a light grows brighter to reveal the opening of yet another curtain as the story of life moves forward as we continue to become all we were intended to be.

The greatest thing is, at any moment, to be willing to give up who we are in order to become all that we can be. 

-- Max de Pree

For a moment, please consider the next few paragraphs.

The Coptic Gospel of Thomas reads, "These are the secret sayings which the living Jesus spoke and which Didymos Judas Thomas wrote down.  And He said, "Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not experience death." Jesus said, "Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds. When he finds, he will become troubled. When he becomes troubled, he will be astonished, and he will rule over the All." 

  

The name of God is explained to Moses by God as this, "Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you’, and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you’... this is my name for ever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.” 

If we buy into the rumor, by some, that Jesus traveled to Nepal where He spent some years training His mind while learning Buddhist philosophy and mysticism, then we might find some enlightenment in a similar idea concerning the Tao, the way or the method toward enlightenment:

The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth.
The named is the mother of ten thousand things.
Ever desireless, one can see the mystery.
Ever desiring, one can see the manifestations.
These two spring from the same sources but differ in name;
this appears as darkness.
Darkness within darkness.
The gate to all mystery.

-- Laozi (604-531 BC), "Tao Te Ching" (1)

Now consider this:  "Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds," because the mystery of everlasting life is in the interpretation of what Christ said.  We simply cannot see the forest for the trees because all we do is desire.  "Ever desiring, one can see the manifestations," only the manifestations, but not the mystery.  Only when we are desireless will the "darkness within darkness" become clear and "the gate to all mystery" will be opened.  Max de Pree may be right; maybe the greatest thing is to give up all we are in order to become all that we can be.

The greatest thing a man can do in this world is to make the most possible out of the stuff that has been given him. This is success, and there is no other.

-- Orison Swett Marden

Most of great religions tout knowledge as the way to enlightenment, a higher state of being.  The ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Moorish, Asian, and even the Maya and Aztec cultures all considered knowledge paramount to civilization.   Astronomy, medicine, anatomy, physics, architecture, and earth science were all discovered millennia ago, forgotten, relearned and forgotten, and so on.  The Egyptians moving massive stones for pyramids, Greek and Roman science, Moorish medical knowledge, Maya and Aztec astronomy, and Chinese oil drilling were some of the things we are just now discovering they all knew first.  We have to come to terms with the fact that we don't have people discovering things first, we have people discovering things - again.  The fact that most of this great knowledge has been lost to modern man is why we are forced to learn it all again.  But, was it lost or was it written down and forgotten, incorporated into sacred texts and scholarly volumes without the scribe or monk realizing what it was?

The "one thing" could be the mystery contained within these texts, and yet the "one thing" might not be a mystery at all.  It could be we simply refuse to see what ancient scholars saw so clearly because we have been taught not to consider that which is too easy, or that our “novel” idea runs against academic orthodoxy.  Selfish desires blind us to the obvious, the forest of knowledge hidden behind a line of trees which we can’t see beyond due to prejudices; we fail to see what is right in front of us.  If we were to stop thinking about it, it would come to us.  Maybe the real secret in the translation is we already know what we know.  Maybe we are already like gods and we simply don't realize it.  I think God hinted at this in the Holy Scripture: 

"Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil..."

-- Genesis 3:22

Perhaps what we need to do is stop thinking in negative absolutes.  Let us give up words like can't, won't, and never, and start using might, could, and maybe tomorrow.  We need to acknowledge our only limitation is the knowledge we currently possess.  Anything might be possible once we find the knowledge to accomplish it.

So, what is the one thing?  As I stated in the beginning, it isn't just one thing - it is the greatest thing.  Our awareness of self, our God, and our universe would not be possible without this one gift, this one greatest thing.  What it is, you already know, and we will continue to expand our knowledge until we understand that which we know.  When that time comes, we will understand desire, let go, and simply remember, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing of good and evil..."  The beginning is upon us.

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.

-- Henry Ford

I leave you with a final thought concerning knowledge, a fairly obvious truth.  Knowledge resides in our mind, our soul, and our soul is... timeless.

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 then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

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

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

Choices & Consequences

To be, or not to be, that is the question:

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of having rolled 

In a steaming pile of fresh, steaming, cow manure 

And, by doing so, force a bath, 

Or to sniff the south end of a friend heading north.

To die, to sleep--No more-- 

And by a sleep we mean to dream

Of chasing rabbits and humping legs,

The thousand natural shocks which dog is heir to.

If I were to die, I'd like to come back as a dog.  Whoever thinks this is a good idea really needs to consider reevaluating the life they live and the choices they make.  I love dogs, but dogs have flea issues, they smell like, well... a dog, they eat kitty Rocca out of the cat box, hump the legs of strangers (I might be able to get over this one), eat rotting dead road kill, and roll in the first fresh cow pie they come across.  Oh, yeah!  Sounds like a hoot to me.  The next time a dog licks your face or your mouth, think about where the tongue has been.  I mean, really, they clean their crusty private parts with it - constantly.

Dogs act exactly the way we would act if we had no shame.

-- Cynthia Heimel, feminist, humorist, author

Humans say and do things without thinking through the consequences.  Our mouths are attached to vocal cords spring loaded in preparation for the next knee-jerk reaction to some ridiculous thought that traverses the wasteland of our mind.  Sometimes it takes us years to develop an understanding of the relationship between choices and consequences, and more years to master the art of thinking before we act, if we ever manage to.  Without good breeding we simply wander through life like so many trailer trash sires and bitches, wondering where we went wrong and shaking the empties looking for the dregs of warm beer as we wait for the next welfare check to hit the mailbox.  The last thing we do is worry about the meaning of life or what tomorrow brings.

My dog doesn't worry about the meaning of life. She may worry if she doesn't get her breakfast, but she doesn't sit around worrying about whether she will get fulfilled or liberated or enlightened. As long as she gets some food and a little affection, her life is fine.

-- Joko Beck (1917-2011), Zen master

German sexologist and author, Ingelore Ebberfeld, says, "Kissing originates from animals sniffing each other." Okay, I'll buy that, but if this is true, we must have been sniffing each other's mouths, right?  I mean, otherwise, like a dog, we'd probably be planting a juicy wet one on each other's ass.  The choices we make and the consequences of those choices can have far reaching historical and cultural effects.  Perhaps it is better if we're, at least a bit, concerned about getting fulfilled, liberated, and enlightened as we travel down our path looking for our next meal and a little affection.  

Some people have compared butt sniffing in dogs to saying “hi” or shaking hands, but it actually goes much deeper than that. A dog’s anal glands can reveal its gender, reproductive status, general health, and even what it had for breakfast. In other words, it’s like peeking at someone’s Facebook page before you meet them.

Scent can also reveal whether the dog is friendly, nervous or hostile – which are obviously important things to know when two dogs meet for the first time. But just as important is the butt sniffing ritual itself. How dogs conduct themselves when sniffing and being sniffed is key to harmonious canine relationships. That’s why you should let dogs sniff away when greeting each other, regardless of how distasteful it might seem.

-- Matt Jobe, The Smell Test

Coming back as a dog might have some advantages.  We might learn how to conduct ourselves when "sniffing and being sniffed."  We might find, as dogs do, how our conduct is the key to harmonious relationships.  It really isn't veterinary science.

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 then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

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

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