As promised, here is "Number 7's" big goal.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Saturday, September 20, 2008
GOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!!!!
The Lilster Shoots and Scores....
Lilly scored her first goal this morning for the Ballantyne Y Bluejays. She scored after stealing a throw-in just in front of goalbox. She spent the first quarter
on the pitch playing right wing (from where she scored)...she had one critical block to preserve the Jays' 2-0 victory and keep them undefeated. And finished the game at her favorite position...midfield The Lilster was elated and I'll have the video up in the next couple of days.
on the pitch playing right wing (from where she scored)...she had one critical block to preserve the Jays' 2-0 victory and keep them undefeated. And finished the game at her favorite position...midfield The Lilster was elated and I'll have the video up in the next couple of days. 
Gabs has a good showing in her second game....
She gave it a brilliant run at goal during her time as center forward for the Morrison Y Blue Jets this morning...it took some fancy work in goal to deny the young phenom's f
irst score....Gabs split the game between fullback and center forward. Cousin Luna had a great showing as well, as these two are rapidly becoming a force with which to be reckoned...
irst score....Gabs split the game between fullback and center forward. Cousin Luna had a great showing as well, as these two are rapidly becoming a force with which to be reckoned...Friday, September 19, 2008
On Contradiction
Stepping off of the train this morning, I paused to ponder the ridiculous qualities inherent in the content of my character. To the naked eye I was just another suit in uptown Charlotte. Exiting public transport at the banking center stop reserved for power ties and man bags, I must have appeared to be just another financial professional clinging to the hope of an upward market swing. But, there was the issue of the Bible clutched in one hand, which could have lended to a notion that times are desperate on the Street. A closer examination would have eliminated that theory due to the Hailey's Bible Handbook and Cigar Caddy accompanying the slightly worn leather binding of the NASB translation. All of these evidence that would indicate me to be one of Charlotte's many "Christian" business leaders, somehow immune to the rising gas prices and insulated from the recent job cuts rampant in an industry's who's chickens truly are coming home to roost. This evidence would point to a high ranking position and would indicate that I was probably on my way to or from a small study and prayer group full of other high ranking position holders, all of us stepping over each other and anyone else as we climbed a corporate ladder. Hypocrisy had become a rationalized cost of doing business, never mind what the books I was carrying had to say on the issue.
The profile created by this evidence would lead a cultural observer to leap to seemingly certain conclusions; schools attended, political affiliations, and music preferences. All of which no doubt skewing conservative.
These conclusions were all too present in my mind as I considered the dichotomy of that which is real and that which is illusion. As Frank Black lept into his screeching vamp of semi-audible indie punk tirades through the blue tooth headset strapped tightly to my ears, I considered the potential rip in the Christian and political arenas down the lines of race. I was reminded that America was never meant be seen in black and white clarity. We appear clearer when gazed upon through the timeless murky shades of red, white and blue.
As I walked briskly, late for my weekly management meetings at an upstart media company insulated from recent economic troubles by faith alone, I noticed the recently swept grey sidewalk flanked by the well manicured shades of green that masked the concrete oasis which is home to well managed shades of the same color.
I considered the rhetoric. Pontifications, followed by platitudes finally giving way to proposals that would probably never become reality. The radio interviews, rallies, campaign stops, and controversy. I considered the tone of their voices when answering questions over the airwaves that I managed, and I contrasted those same voice's tones when delivering speeches to crowds that brought adoration absent of scrutiny...and made my decision.
I approach all of these decisions prayerfully and with much thought. I only hope those thoughts have not been clouded by the ever present greenery.
I am voting for Obama in the NC primary later today.
The profile created by this evidence would lead a cultural observer to leap to seemingly certain conclusions; schools attended, political affiliations, and music preferences. All of which no doubt skewing conservative.
These conclusions were all too present in my mind as I considered the dichotomy of that which is real and that which is illusion. As Frank Black lept into his screeching vamp of semi-audible indie punk tirades through the blue tooth headset strapped tightly to my ears, I considered the potential rip in the Christian and political arenas down the lines of race. I was reminded that America was never meant be seen in black and white clarity. We appear clearer when gazed upon through the timeless murky shades of red, white and blue.
As I walked briskly, late for my weekly management meetings at an upstart media company insulated from recent economic troubles by faith alone, I noticed the recently swept grey sidewalk flanked by the well manicured shades of green that masked the concrete oasis which is home to well managed shades of the same color.
I considered the rhetoric. Pontifications, followed by platitudes finally giving way to proposals that would probably never become reality. The radio interviews, rallies, campaign stops, and controversy. I considered the tone of their voices when answering questions over the airwaves that I managed, and I contrasted those same voice's tones when delivering speeches to crowds that brought adoration absent of scrutiny...and made my decision.
I approach all of these decisions prayerfully and with much thought. I only hope those thoughts have not been clouded by the ever present greenery.
I am voting for Obama in the NC primary later today.
On The Temporal Dychotemy
Studying the mathematical and philosophical concept of Phi, the notion of a "divine" ratio, has lended to a consideration of the motivation of history's greatest thinkers contrasted against the canvas of my worldview. The evolution of the pursuit of wisdom through channels of reason, science and math is a dizzying and fascinating journey that seems to lead all who have endeavored to one of two notions.
The human brain seems to universally subscribe to the notion of order (of one form or another). However, it is here where the two roads seem to split. One leading towards a world that subscribes to the notion of a created order, and the other road towards a world where order would seem to be a product of process that was set in motion by a perfectly random sequence of events.
I am ill equipped to speak to the pilgrims wandering the latter road. Sufficed to say, however, I am greatly intrigued by some of the common experiences and findings. One of which is in the realm of math and is called Phi.
Most are not aware of this discovery made (we think) by Euclid, but everyone has a notion of how it is manifested in nature and by the human mind. The ratio mathematically provides a perfect balance that we find in nature when looking a the spirals of a snail shell or the seemingly perfect symmetry of a starfish. We also see Phi at work in the engineering of the Pyramids in Egypt and the seemingly perfect symmetry of the Parthenon. Further studies demonstrate that Phi is achieved when you do God's math on the instructions he delivered to Noah when building the Arc, and ironically enough, Phi is the ratio used to draw a perfect pagan pentagram.
Pythagoras used it to develop his theorem as well as his own religion which (at least in part) seemed to be secretly devoted to proving the existence of the gods through math. If you know your history then the rest becomes a logical process to how we got here. Pythagoras was a contemporary of Gautama as well as Zoroaster. The mysticism mixed with intellectual pursuit created an intoxicating notion that we could "play" on the same courts as our deity....which today has evolved into the notion that we have advanced to becoming the captain of our deity of choices' teams. And, in some of the "pick-up" games of life, we can elect not to choose that deity if they do not suit our purposes.
Back to the two roads. The best that I can draw from all of this is that there is an infinite quality to the notion of Phi. If that be true than something equally as infinite had to devise it....and then plant the notion in the human soul. Music, structural engineering, photography and art are all examples of the human's intuitive proclivity to this "divine proportion". Yet, we are not infinite, and therefore if the universe were indeed a random thing....which science has proved to be building towards collapse, then we would no more be drawn to the harmony and balance of phi in music as we would be drawn to that which we hear in the random decofinization found in the moments before a symphony begins as the virtuosos all tune-up their instruments free and independent of one another....without order.
Furthermore, it appears that this divine proportion's practical manifestations are universally conforming to every major world religion....therefore insinuating that God "is", in spite of our differences in philosophies.
All things to consider when pondering the rather large questions of existence and humanity's corporate footprint...not to mention yours and mine.
The human brain seems to universally subscribe to the notion of order (of one form or another). However, it is here where the two roads seem to split. One leading towards a world that subscribes to the notion of a created order, and the other road towards a world where order would seem to be a product of process that was set in motion by a perfectly random sequence of events.
I am ill equipped to speak to the pilgrims wandering the latter road. Sufficed to say, however, I am greatly intrigued by some of the common experiences and findings. One of which is in the realm of math and is called Phi.
Most are not aware of this discovery made (we think) by Euclid, but everyone has a notion of how it is manifested in nature and by the human mind. The ratio mathematically provides a perfect balance that we find in nature when looking a the spirals of a snail shell or the seemingly perfect symmetry of a starfish. We also see Phi at work in the engineering of the Pyramids in Egypt and the seemingly perfect symmetry of the Parthenon. Further studies demonstrate that Phi is achieved when you do God's math on the instructions he delivered to Noah when building the Arc, and ironically enough, Phi is the ratio used to draw a perfect pagan pentagram.
Pythagoras used it to develop his theorem as well as his own religion which (at least in part) seemed to be secretly devoted to proving the existence of the gods through math. If you know your history then the rest becomes a logical process to how we got here. Pythagoras was a contemporary of Gautama as well as Zoroaster. The mysticism mixed with intellectual pursuit created an intoxicating notion that we could "play" on the same courts as our deity....which today has evolved into the notion that we have advanced to becoming the captain of our deity of choices' teams. And, in some of the "pick-up" games of life, we can elect not to choose that deity if they do not suit our purposes.
Back to the two roads. The best that I can draw from all of this is that there is an infinite quality to the notion of Phi. If that be true than something equally as infinite had to devise it....and then plant the notion in the human soul. Music, structural engineering, photography and art are all examples of the human's intuitive proclivity to this "divine proportion". Yet, we are not infinite, and therefore if the universe were indeed a random thing....which science has proved to be building towards collapse, then we would no more be drawn to the harmony and balance of phi in music as we would be drawn to that which we hear in the random decofinization found in the moments before a symphony begins as the virtuosos all tune-up their instruments free and independent of one another....without order.
Furthermore, it appears that this divine proportion's practical manifestations are universally conforming to every major world religion....therefore insinuating that God "is", in spite of our differences in philosophies.
All things to consider when pondering the rather large questions of existence and humanity's corporate footprint...not to mention yours and mine.
On Miracles
God creates the vine and teaches it to draw up water by its roots and, with the aid of the sun, to turn that water into a juice which will ferment and take on certain qualities. Thus every year, from Noah’s time till ours, God turns water into wine. That, men fail to see. Either like the Pagans they refer the process to some finite spirit, Bacchus or Dionysus: or else, like the moderns, they attribute real and ultimate causality to the chemical and other material phenomena which are all that our senses can discover in it. But when Christ at Cana makes water into wine, the mask is off. The miracle has only half its effect if it only convinces us that Christ is God: it will have its full effect if whenever we see a vineyard or drink a glass of wine we remember that here works He who sat at the wedding party in Cana.
CS Lewis - God in the Docks
CS Lewis - God in the Docks
I Really Hate That the Credit Crisis is Proving this True...
Considering the historical significance and alleged furor surrounding the presidential primary season and run-up to the national elections, I figured I would weigh-in with my 5 cents worth of analysis (which is currently worth about 1.8 cents in the international markets – so take it for what it's worth).
For the record, on the issues I am more in line with Tom Tancredo, Chris Dodd and Mike Huckabee's ideals. Considering the Huckster is hanging by a thread in the GOP primary, I am forced to turn elsewhere, and am even willing to go elsewhere should Huck pull out a miracle.
Mike Huckabee is a good candidate, and (from what I could tell during his brief fundraising visit that was hosted locally) a good man. However, one of the pillars that is supporting his platform is the fair tax. I love the fair tax. However, in today's political climate it will never gain traction because it calls upon American voters to trust that it is indeed "fair"
I have researched it, and in it's conceptual form…it is fair. However, I do not trust anything to politicians right now and believe that, left to their own devices, the fair tax would become anything-but, by the time it was written into law.
Upon further reflection – I think therein lies the overarching problem with this election.
People are always looking for hope and change, for protection of their interests and advocacy for their particular cultural and traditional proclivities. And, perhaps at no time is this more evident than during the fanatical-driven time that is the American open primary season. Therefore, I do not believe that this "mania" on all sides will last once we are into the difficult decision that will be laid at the public's feet come November 4th.
I believe you need go no further than statistics relating to America's lack of trust of any member of government. Perhaps our Legislative and Executive branch are unfairly measured, especially when you examine the dichotomy of congress when measured nationally vs. approval in a member's particular district.
This statistical trend is my empirical evidence lending to the notion that the problem Americans have with trust has little to do with performance – because, for the most part, our elected officials are doing exactly what the majority of the electorate have asked them to do. I would put forth the hypothesis that the problem has to do with strategic approach to governing and America's inability to put our finger on why it isn't working. And, ironically, perhaps the best answer to all of this can be found by turning to…Hollywood.
OK, that is a bit pretextual and certainly lends entirely too much credit to pop-culture and not enough to the progression of this most unlikely of economic experiments.
I believe that we need a return to John Nash's revisions to Adam Smith's original law of governing dynamics. Globally, these brilliant conclusions have helped international markets bring formerly destitute economies back to life…..one need look no further than China for proof of this notion. But, even with this proof playing out in markets around the world our elected officials have reverted back to the old model which stipulates that we should all pursue that which is in our own best interest pertaining to policy and positions without concern for collateral damage or potential synergistic advantages to pursuing what is good for ourselves AND all others in a common pursuit.
I believe that what is called for (in order for Americans to ever trust enough again to go for something as complicatedly simple as a "fair tax") is a return to a fact based, pragmatic approach to executive and legislative decisions and compromise. Sprinkle that with a hint of transparency and we could be looking at America's next Greatest Generation.
We need a return to the pragmatic approach of Truman that lead to a trusting nation and historically significant impact events like the Marshall Plan. We need a return to the civility of Ronald Reagan and his demur qualities which made everyone from members of the GOP to members of the Teamsters Union "feel American".
So which of our candidates provide the best option? I will leave that for all of you to decide. However, I would caution against your own proclivities toward faction-driven politics, as that is precisely what took Rome and Greece down. For clarity and assistance in identifying….faction-based politics is driven by the fear or greed of "all-or-nothing" candidates and positions (see Carl Rove and the forces behind move-on.org). America does not work when it is "all-or-nothing". And, as long as there is a Legislative Branch balancing the power of the Executive and Judiciary….these positions and candidates (and indeed, the time that they oversee) will become insignificant in the scope and context of history. I would like-wise encourage you to objectively seek facts about all of the candidates and not trust media-driven preconceived notions of what they may or may not embark on if elected. Be brave enough to consider that which is real and not that which is ideologically convenient or spun to your persuasion via clever electioneering.
Finally, should it be your persuasion (as it is mine), I would encourage you to pray that this nation return to a sense of national pride. One that does not need conflict to exist, but is not afraid to stand up at any time for it's God-given and inalienable rights. After all, this is what has made us the envy of ALL other nations for the better part of nearly 200 years.
For the record, on the issues I am more in line with Tom Tancredo, Chris Dodd and Mike Huckabee's ideals. Considering the Huckster is hanging by a thread in the GOP primary, I am forced to turn elsewhere, and am even willing to go elsewhere should Huck pull out a miracle.
Mike Huckabee is a good candidate, and (from what I could tell during his brief fundraising visit that was hosted locally) a good man. However, one of the pillars that is supporting his platform is the fair tax. I love the fair tax. However, in today's political climate it will never gain traction because it calls upon American voters to trust that it is indeed "fair"
I have researched it, and in it's conceptual form…it is fair. However, I do not trust anything to politicians right now and believe that, left to their own devices, the fair tax would become anything-but, by the time it was written into law.
Upon further reflection – I think therein lies the overarching problem with this election.
People are always looking for hope and change, for protection of their interests and advocacy for their particular cultural and traditional proclivities. And, perhaps at no time is this more evident than during the fanatical-driven time that is the American open primary season. Therefore, I do not believe that this "mania" on all sides will last once we are into the difficult decision that will be laid at the public's feet come November 4th.
I believe you need go no further than statistics relating to America's lack of trust of any member of government. Perhaps our Legislative and Executive branch are unfairly measured, especially when you examine the dichotomy of congress when measured nationally vs. approval in a member's particular district.
This statistical trend is my empirical evidence lending to the notion that the problem Americans have with trust has little to do with performance – because, for the most part, our elected officials are doing exactly what the majority of the electorate have asked them to do. I would put forth the hypothesis that the problem has to do with strategic approach to governing and America's inability to put our finger on why it isn't working. And, ironically, perhaps the best answer to all of this can be found by turning to…Hollywood.
OK, that is a bit pretextual and certainly lends entirely too much credit to pop-culture and not enough to the progression of this most unlikely of economic experiments.
I believe that we need a return to John Nash's revisions to Adam Smith's original law of governing dynamics. Globally, these brilliant conclusions have helped international markets bring formerly destitute economies back to life…..one need look no further than China for proof of this notion. But, even with this proof playing out in markets around the world our elected officials have reverted back to the old model which stipulates that we should all pursue that which is in our own best interest pertaining to policy and positions without concern for collateral damage or potential synergistic advantages to pursuing what is good for ourselves AND all others in a common pursuit.
I believe that what is called for (in order for Americans to ever trust enough again to go for something as complicatedly simple as a "fair tax") is a return to a fact based, pragmatic approach to executive and legislative decisions and compromise. Sprinkle that with a hint of transparency and we could be looking at America's next Greatest Generation.
We need a return to the pragmatic approach of Truman that lead to a trusting nation and historically significant impact events like the Marshall Plan. We need a return to the civility of Ronald Reagan and his demur qualities which made everyone from members of the GOP to members of the Teamsters Union "feel American".
So which of our candidates provide the best option? I will leave that for all of you to decide. However, I would caution against your own proclivities toward faction-driven politics, as that is precisely what took Rome and Greece down. For clarity and assistance in identifying….faction-based politics is driven by the fear or greed of "all-or-nothing" candidates and positions (see Carl Rove and the forces behind move-on.org). America does not work when it is "all-or-nothing". And, as long as there is a Legislative Branch balancing the power of the Executive and Judiciary….these positions and candidates (and indeed, the time that they oversee) will become insignificant in the scope and context of history. I would like-wise encourage you to objectively seek facts about all of the candidates and not trust media-driven preconceived notions of what they may or may not embark on if elected. Be brave enough to consider that which is real and not that which is ideologically convenient or spun to your persuasion via clever electioneering.
Finally, should it be your persuasion (as it is mine), I would encourage you to pray that this nation return to a sense of national pride. One that does not need conflict to exist, but is not afraid to stand up at any time for it's God-given and inalienable rights. After all, this is what has made us the envy of ALL other nations for the better part of nearly 200 years.
You Probably Don't Care, but...
I am the proud father of two literary award recipients (Lilly has now won two, Gabrielle won her first). As well, the Lilster was awarded with a Superior rating at her National Council Piano Festival this weekend at Queens University, and Gabs finished second in her breast stroke heat.
Kate and I are currently researching for our next novel on the proof that genetics have nothing to do with children's achievement (and humility....of which I am most proud).
Kate and I are currently researching for our next novel on the proof that genetics have nothing to do with children's achievement (and humility....of which I am most proud).
I had an epiphany today regarding the difference between what is and what is understood to be. I think that when it comes to absolute matters in life; our inclination is to fall back on time-forged human reactions to the trigger-emotions of hope, fear and greed.
After a few years of instruction from the financial bulls of the new south, I have learned that there is no better example of this than as is played out daily in the free financial markets of our time. You see and hear reports from the corporate mega props that would lead you to believe that there is a cause-and-effect nature to these markets. In reality this idea is the equivalent of a pharmaceutical company purporting to have patented a pill that can dictate the next thought to enter your head. It is misdirection in its most virulent form, and it is astonishing that most of us have not caught on.
Think about it. If you are (or have ever been) engaged in the information that is bandied about as to why this market did this and that stock did that, and so on, then why would we not just make the market respond in a perpetually positive direction through these various stimuli? Why are bear markets and recessions necessary (if not natural)? The explanation to this leads one to understand that it is nearly as hard to work-out this financial jaberwocky as it is to try to explain it in writing. So, we tend to fall back on what we do understand when investing…."this idea scares me", "that one sounds good", "that one (the one I really want to buy) is going to make me rich", and things of this nature.
The truth in all of this is that we are all being bamboozled to believe that there is a golden ticket, and that prospering in a free economy is as easy as finding the right button to press. In essence, we have all been manipulated to equate proper wealth building fundamentals to the same means by with which any lottery is conducted.
Doesn't that sound really wrong?
The inherent problem is that we do not want to expend any more effort in considering this notion. It has always lead us down the primrose path, and who has time to ponder such things any way? So, we reach out to those oversight institutions (which no doubt were founded on the notion of getting to truth), that have discovered people do not pay top dollar for that which is true, they would rather that which fits into the refined permeable membrane of their custom crafted self-interest filter. Unfortunately, we have failed to realize that the companies that mold the perceptions and preferences that lead to our choice of these filters, now own the oversight institutions that we get the information from...just check out the ownership of your local newspaper if you do not believe me. These forces are bound by the virtues of the code of the First Church of Fiduciary Responsibility, and that calling is (in the grand scheme of things) so much more purposeful to them than looking for truth. "After all," they say, "Isn't truth just that silly little island that we longed for in our youth which leads to silly little transcendental or post-modern houses?" "And, didn't those houses' walls collapse on the poor fools who inhabited them long ago?"
Capitalism is a noble concept (true statement adhered to by this author), and, to the best that I can tell, worth the risk. It is one of the fundamentals that our nation was built upon, and the grandest of experiments that (in its uncorrupted form) seems to provide proof to hypotheses about global freedom and democracy everyday. However, any economist worth his or her right to own a copy of Manifest der Kommunistischen Partei would not deny that a free-economy is just that. It is built on its inalienable right and responsibility to never be manipulated. It is (in its own way) a living organism that will respond to stimuli how it damn-well pleases. Any claims to the contrary are quick-pitches from traveling salesmen in the hopes that you will respond one-way-or-another.
And, therein lay the misdirection.
You see, it matters not what your response is. The devoted members of the First Church of Fiduciary Responsibility (and those elected officials who falsely believe that they can control it) get very wealthy as long as you do something.
So then, are we to take our resources off of the altar (and with it those hopes and dreams for our futures) and stuff them back into our mattresses at home?
Probably not.
Turn, rather, to those who have learned that the First Church of Fiduciary Accountability does not stand without your reaction to their quick-pitches, and therefore have to perform as well as they sell. What is it that these members of the bourgeoisie discovered that has advanced them to aristocracy (as an aside, I do not subscribe to the notion that America is built on class warfare….I lived in the UK, and therefore know what the remnants of that kind of economy feel like. I merely use this verbiage to invoke a visual image).
Forgive the indulgence here….it is faith. Not faith as it pertains to the way it is bandied about (rather wantonly at times) in religious circles. However, it is a faith that can be (to some degree) correlated to that which followers of Christ adhere to.
It is the truth, because it always has been. As improbable as it might seem to the skeptics. Even when you can not see it or sense it...it remains.
It not only holds up to scrutiny and attack, it takes those opportunities when under the heaviest scrutiny and attack to attract the casual observer and invite them to be bold enough to consider the ramifications of a truth rooted in the timeless code of a master artist's handiwork (for the record, I do not equate Hamilton's institutions to that of God's...however they must have been inspired by something).
Does this mean that we are to cast our resources into the kitty and wait for the profits to start pouring in free from concern and due diligence?
Heavens no.
Faith in an investments ability to turn a profit involves discipline (author's emphasis on the word's root)….discipline typically is managing those emotions (fear, greed), paying close attention that they do not impede any progress created by adherence to the truth. The truth that proper, prudent investing earns the investor substantial amounts of money over long periods of time in which there will indeed be seasons of suffering and great angst.
However, the end of these seasons will be met with the unfailing prosperity of the free-market capitalist's promises of a greater return than the losses sustained. All of this culminates (if the investor does not waiver) in the accumulation of substantial and sustaining wealth …that is the faith which is at the heart of all TRUE free market economies. That faith is augmented by the grander emotion of Hope (that you can prosper), and (in some very advanced capitalist circles) the grandest of them all...Charity (you can use that prosperity to better the lives of others)...
I find it very interesting, this notion of correlation between the pursuit of the Capitalist and that of the faith of the Christ follower. There is no cavalier intent on my part as it pertains to winning the souls of those motivated by money to Christ. As a cultural observer I am attracted to the similarity of the plight in both pilgrims' journeys.
Likewise this brings a bit more perspective in the on-going political coup over the misinterpretation of Jeffersonian writings that have lead some of our elected and appointed leaders to indicate that Christianity and its principals played no part in our nations formation and therefore should be banished from every national institution.
After a few years of instruction from the financial bulls of the new south, I have learned that there is no better example of this than as is played out daily in the free financial markets of our time. You see and hear reports from the corporate mega props that would lead you to believe that there is a cause-and-effect nature to these markets. In reality this idea is the equivalent of a pharmaceutical company purporting to have patented a pill that can dictate the next thought to enter your head. It is misdirection in its most virulent form, and it is astonishing that most of us have not caught on.
Think about it. If you are (or have ever been) engaged in the information that is bandied about as to why this market did this and that stock did that, and so on, then why would we not just make the market respond in a perpetually positive direction through these various stimuli? Why are bear markets and recessions necessary (if not natural)? The explanation to this leads one to understand that it is nearly as hard to work-out this financial jaberwocky as it is to try to explain it in writing. So, we tend to fall back on what we do understand when investing…."this idea scares me", "that one sounds good", "that one (the one I really want to buy) is going to make me rich", and things of this nature.
The truth in all of this is that we are all being bamboozled to believe that there is a golden ticket, and that prospering in a free economy is as easy as finding the right button to press. In essence, we have all been manipulated to equate proper wealth building fundamentals to the same means by with which any lottery is conducted.
Doesn't that sound really wrong?
The inherent problem is that we do not want to expend any more effort in considering this notion. It has always lead us down the primrose path, and who has time to ponder such things any way? So, we reach out to those oversight institutions (which no doubt were founded on the notion of getting to truth), that have discovered people do not pay top dollar for that which is true, they would rather that which fits into the refined permeable membrane of their custom crafted self-interest filter. Unfortunately, we have failed to realize that the companies that mold the perceptions and preferences that lead to our choice of these filters, now own the oversight institutions that we get the information from...just check out the ownership of your local newspaper if you do not believe me. These forces are bound by the virtues of the code of the First Church of Fiduciary Responsibility, and that calling is (in the grand scheme of things) so much more purposeful to them than looking for truth. "After all," they say, "Isn't truth just that silly little island that we longed for in our youth which leads to silly little transcendental or post-modern houses?" "And, didn't those houses' walls collapse on the poor fools who inhabited them long ago?"
Capitalism is a noble concept (true statement adhered to by this author), and, to the best that I can tell, worth the risk. It is one of the fundamentals that our nation was built upon, and the grandest of experiments that (in its uncorrupted form) seems to provide proof to hypotheses about global freedom and democracy everyday. However, any economist worth his or her right to own a copy of Manifest der Kommunistischen Partei would not deny that a free-economy is just that. It is built on its inalienable right and responsibility to never be manipulated. It is (in its own way) a living organism that will respond to stimuli how it damn-well pleases. Any claims to the contrary are quick-pitches from traveling salesmen in the hopes that you will respond one-way-or-another.
And, therein lay the misdirection.
You see, it matters not what your response is. The devoted members of the First Church of Fiduciary Responsibility (and those elected officials who falsely believe that they can control it) get very wealthy as long as you do something.
So then, are we to take our resources off of the altar (and with it those hopes and dreams for our futures) and stuff them back into our mattresses at home?
Probably not.
Turn, rather, to those who have learned that the First Church of Fiduciary Accountability does not stand without your reaction to their quick-pitches, and therefore have to perform as well as they sell. What is it that these members of the bourgeoisie discovered that has advanced them to aristocracy (as an aside, I do not subscribe to the notion that America is built on class warfare….I lived in the UK, and therefore know what the remnants of that kind of economy feel like. I merely use this verbiage to invoke a visual image).
Forgive the indulgence here….it is faith. Not faith as it pertains to the way it is bandied about (rather wantonly at times) in religious circles. However, it is a faith that can be (to some degree) correlated to that which followers of Christ adhere to.
It is the truth, because it always has been. As improbable as it might seem to the skeptics. Even when you can not see it or sense it...it remains.
It not only holds up to scrutiny and attack, it takes those opportunities when under the heaviest scrutiny and attack to attract the casual observer and invite them to be bold enough to consider the ramifications of a truth rooted in the timeless code of a master artist's handiwork (for the record, I do not equate Hamilton's institutions to that of God's...however they must have been inspired by something).
Does this mean that we are to cast our resources into the kitty and wait for the profits to start pouring in free from concern and due diligence?
Heavens no.
Faith in an investments ability to turn a profit involves discipline (author's emphasis on the word's root)….discipline typically is managing those emotions (fear, greed), paying close attention that they do not impede any progress created by adherence to the truth. The truth that proper, prudent investing earns the investor substantial amounts of money over long periods of time in which there will indeed be seasons of suffering and great angst.
However, the end of these seasons will be met with the unfailing prosperity of the free-market capitalist's promises of a greater return than the losses sustained. All of this culminates (if the investor does not waiver) in the accumulation of substantial and sustaining wealth …that is the faith which is at the heart of all TRUE free market economies. That faith is augmented by the grander emotion of Hope (that you can prosper), and (in some very advanced capitalist circles) the grandest of them all...Charity (you can use that prosperity to better the lives of others)...
I find it very interesting, this notion of correlation between the pursuit of the Capitalist and that of the faith of the Christ follower. There is no cavalier intent on my part as it pertains to winning the souls of those motivated by money to Christ. As a cultural observer I am attracted to the similarity of the plight in both pilgrims' journeys.
Likewise this brings a bit more perspective in the on-going political coup over the misinterpretation of Jeffersonian writings that have lead some of our elected and appointed leaders to indicate that Christianity and its principals played no part in our nations formation and therefore should be banished from every national institution.
On Faith
What is it to have faith?
Is it to claim belief in something and then expect that something to bring forth fruit every time you ask? Is it to believe that control is (in the grand scheme of things) not ours to posses and a subsequent relinquishing of hope for personal gain and accomplishment? Is faith death to all things earthly and new life in all things spiritual? Is faith governed by laws of reciprocity and thereby rewarded with the opportunity to further good works while weaving our way through this mortal coil? Or, is it governed by laws of righteousness that hold a standard so high that our only hope is to dive into the brightly lit water of life and go with the current?
Again, in my walk, I have found more questions regarding this than I have finite answers....proving (at least in accordance with my very narrow self interest) that God will not be compartmentalized.
What I am finding is that a faith matured is scaled and polished by the fires of trial. These fires are custom made for the purpose of burning away that which you (I) would hold onto most dearly. For me, family welfare, financial stability, and (I have been sad to realize) preconceived notions of how God works.
Through the course of these trials (and let me quickly mention, that in direct comparison to the trials of those in the Sudan and around the undeveloped world - I gladly accept the fire in which I find myself) I have learned a couple of truths thus far.
The first is from whom the fire's ability to shape my life comes. You see if I really believe (have abundant faith in what I say I do) then the logical becomes completely unfathomable. Though the fire does not come from my creator, as a living stone, it is used by Him to eradicate remnants of my original programming.
Therefore, as weapons are formed against me, in accordance with the covenants of God made applicable through my faith in Christ Jesus, they shall not prosper. Indeed, they are made to be worked for good in my life....and I believe that they will.
So, for me (today, at least) faith is my personal rationale for choosing to hold onto Christ and the promises of God through my redeemer, and letting go of everything else.
He asks me if I believe that He is able to do this (fulfill his promise...not of comfort and justice, but of deliverance and sustainment)? In faith, I say yes.
It kind of feels like what I imagine hang gliding would.
The other truth that I have learned (and at the ripe old age of 30, I anticipate many more down the road) is that God is indeed love. Real love as is defined biblically over and over again as the sort of love that you are drawn to never let go, because it will never let go of you. Our generalized misconception of this sort of all-forgiving love is that it's waters are comfortable for swimming in at any time.
I have found that when the waters are heated by the fires of trial they are anything but. God is love and his love is perfect. Perfect has limited tolerance for that which is not perfect, especially as we progress in our personal walk. So, the flames arise and even the waters that once provided the only haven from the torment of this world become unbearably hot.
And, so I am entered into a season of faith's perfection. And, I am learning that (as is the nature of God) faith will not be compartmentalized by any one definition.....it just is.
Is it to claim belief in something and then expect that something to bring forth fruit every time you ask? Is it to believe that control is (in the grand scheme of things) not ours to posses and a subsequent relinquishing of hope for personal gain and accomplishment? Is faith death to all things earthly and new life in all things spiritual? Is faith governed by laws of reciprocity and thereby rewarded with the opportunity to further good works while weaving our way through this mortal coil? Or, is it governed by laws of righteousness that hold a standard so high that our only hope is to dive into the brightly lit water of life and go with the current?
Again, in my walk, I have found more questions regarding this than I have finite answers....proving (at least in accordance with my very narrow self interest) that God will not be compartmentalized.
What I am finding is that a faith matured is scaled and polished by the fires of trial. These fires are custom made for the purpose of burning away that which you (I) would hold onto most dearly. For me, family welfare, financial stability, and (I have been sad to realize) preconceived notions of how God works.
Through the course of these trials (and let me quickly mention, that in direct comparison to the trials of those in the Sudan and around the undeveloped world - I gladly accept the fire in which I find myself) I have learned a couple of truths thus far.
The first is from whom the fire's ability to shape my life comes. You see if I really believe (have abundant faith in what I say I do) then the logical becomes completely unfathomable. Though the fire does not come from my creator, as a living stone, it is used by Him to eradicate remnants of my original programming.
Therefore, as weapons are formed against me, in accordance with the covenants of God made applicable through my faith in Christ Jesus, they shall not prosper. Indeed, they are made to be worked for good in my life....and I believe that they will.
So, for me (today, at least) faith is my personal rationale for choosing to hold onto Christ and the promises of God through my redeemer, and letting go of everything else.
He asks me if I believe that He is able to do this (fulfill his promise...not of comfort and justice, but of deliverance and sustainment)? In faith, I say yes.
It kind of feels like what I imagine hang gliding would.
The other truth that I have learned (and at the ripe old age of 30, I anticipate many more down the road) is that God is indeed love. Real love as is defined biblically over and over again as the sort of love that you are drawn to never let go, because it will never let go of you. Our generalized misconception of this sort of all-forgiving love is that it's waters are comfortable for swimming in at any time.
I have found that when the waters are heated by the fires of trial they are anything but. God is love and his love is perfect. Perfect has limited tolerance for that which is not perfect, especially as we progress in our personal walk. So, the flames arise and even the waters that once provided the only haven from the torment of this world become unbearably hot.
And, so I am entered into a season of faith's perfection. And, I am learning that (as is the nature of God) faith will not be compartmentalized by any one definition.....it just is.
On Pain
In the mid to late nineties any time that I came across Kurt Cobain or Elliott Smith on the radio, I stopped. When hosting my morning show, I played both artists ad nauseum. I tried to drill deep into the lyrics in search of what could stimulate the "genius" they both embodied, hoping to grasp a glimpse of the wisdom which brought forth this depth and perception.
Flash forward to earlier this week when I attempted to rekindle my college mindset and plugged into a little XO (Smith's first studio album, and one of the best CD's in my collection) during an evening jog, and didn't make it past the second track before having to switch over to another play list on my Blackjack. At that moment I wrote off my inability to absorb the melodramatic self-loathing that we came to expect and celebrate in the 90's, as being an entirely inappropriate musical accompaniment to my most recent endeavor in physical fitness...you know...heroin and dry-fit attire just won't mix.
Then driving home the other day, I heard a talk radio show host make a point, and it really resonated. "Numbing the pain in our lives is a bad idea". I can't listen to Smith and Cobain for extended periods of time for (tragically) reasons that have nothing to due with the fact that they were amazing artists. I can't listen to them because I choose not to relate.
Now, before the gallery begins to chant "No-Duh" in unison due to the fact that I am a middle class, father of two, non-narcotic ingesting, Jesus Freak...please allow me to make my point.
I can not relate, because my attempts to numb the pain in my life all failed miserably. Make no mistake...I tried. The harsh reality of a world which is not too concerned with conforming to what would make my life most comfortable led me to make the cognitive decision to attempt to tune out....it just never got past a certain point (as I am sure it must have with both Smith and Cobain who committed suicide at similar ages), and at this juncture in my life's walk it would be intellectually dishonest to deny the fact that I was not the one in control of that.
Pain and discomfort (physical, emotional and spiritual) are there for a reason. They are a created function in our existence to let us know that something is wrong. My experience tells me that the only antidote for pain is hope. Hope that it will dissipate. Hope that even if it does not go away, it will augment my character. Because, say what you will, but personal pain is one thing that you can claim as your own. And, because of that, it is something that makes you uniquely you.
I am blessed to have been able to cope with the limited pain in my life and I owe that ability entirely to the hope that was afforded me very early on.
I can not relate to the lyrics of Elliott Smith and Kurt Cobain (no matter how hard I try) because, at their core, the words are rooted in hopelessness. The hopelessness born of a lack of the realization that pain is not present so that it may be numbed. Pain is present so that it may be overcome.
Be careful what you allow into the ears of your young ones. At least do them the honor of explaining what they are listening to.
Flash forward to earlier this week when I attempted to rekindle my college mindset and plugged into a little XO (Smith's first studio album, and one of the best CD's in my collection) during an evening jog, and didn't make it past the second track before having to switch over to another play list on my Blackjack. At that moment I wrote off my inability to absorb the melodramatic self-loathing that we came to expect and celebrate in the 90's, as being an entirely inappropriate musical accompaniment to my most recent endeavor in physical fitness...you know...heroin and dry-fit attire just won't mix.
Then driving home the other day, I heard a talk radio show host make a point, and it really resonated. "Numbing the pain in our lives is a bad idea". I can't listen to Smith and Cobain for extended periods of time for (tragically) reasons that have nothing to due with the fact that they were amazing artists. I can't listen to them because I choose not to relate.
Now, before the gallery begins to chant "No-Duh" in unison due to the fact that I am a middle class, father of two, non-narcotic ingesting, Jesus Freak...please allow me to make my point.
I can not relate, because my attempts to numb the pain in my life all failed miserably. Make no mistake...I tried. The harsh reality of a world which is not too concerned with conforming to what would make my life most comfortable led me to make the cognitive decision to attempt to tune out....it just never got past a certain point (as I am sure it must have with both Smith and Cobain who committed suicide at similar ages), and at this juncture in my life's walk it would be intellectually dishonest to deny the fact that I was not the one in control of that.
Pain and discomfort (physical, emotional and spiritual) are there for a reason. They are a created function in our existence to let us know that something is wrong. My experience tells me that the only antidote for pain is hope. Hope that it will dissipate. Hope that even if it does not go away, it will augment my character. Because, say what you will, but personal pain is one thing that you can claim as your own. And, because of that, it is something that makes you uniquely you.
I am blessed to have been able to cope with the limited pain in my life and I owe that ability entirely to the hope that was afforded me very early on.
I can not relate to the lyrics of Elliott Smith and Kurt Cobain (no matter how hard I try) because, at their core, the words are rooted in hopelessness. The hopelessness born of a lack of the realization that pain is not present so that it may be numbed. Pain is present so that it may be overcome.
Be careful what you allow into the ears of your young ones. At least do them the honor of explaining what they are listening to.
You Probably Don't Care, but...
What can I say I am a proud dad!
To qualify this, I have a special chamber in my brain. Over the entrance to that chamber hangs a very prominently displayed sign that, in bold capital letters, reads "DISDAIN". In this chamber I house my contempt for all of the people of the world who find it necessary to send letters with their Christmas cards that serve as an annual resume for their children's accomplishments over the past 365 days.
You know the ones.....We are very proud of our Tommy as this past spring he was accepted into the Eastern Wyoming Conservatory for the Very Well Adjusted Preteens, and we can't rave enough about our little Susie's recently published research study on the correlation between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the number of Twinkies that children eat....
You know who you are....we don't care!
With all that said....let the world know that this week my little Lilly was recognised as a literary award winner by the North Carolina Young Writers Association.
I'm proud....so sue me.
To qualify this, I have a special chamber in my brain. Over the entrance to that chamber hangs a very prominently displayed sign that, in bold capital letters, reads "DISDAIN". In this chamber I house my contempt for all of the people of the world who find it necessary to send letters with their Christmas cards that serve as an annual resume for their children's accomplishments over the past 365 days.
You know the ones.....We are very proud of our Tommy as this past spring he was accepted into the Eastern Wyoming Conservatory for the Very Well Adjusted Preteens, and we can't rave enough about our little Susie's recently published research study on the correlation between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the number of Twinkies that children eat....
You know who you are....we don't care!
With all that said....let the world know that this week my little Lilly was recognised as a literary award winner by the North Carolina Young Writers Association.
I'm proud....so sue me.
For My Fellow Fathers
Examining the film side of popular culture, I stumbled across a personal revelation recently. What do Arthur, Little Miss Sunshine, Cash, Annie, Indiana Jones III, The Star Wars Series, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, etc all have in common?
They all feature the conflict of a child seeking his or her father's approval as a central theme within the script's plot development.
That got me to thinking. What is it about the approval of our father that resonates in the souls of enough people that Hollywood would adopt it as a sure-fire revenue generator?
Most folks don't know that I was born Casey Fontana and was later adopted by my dad when my mom remarried in 79. I only mention it because when it comes to seeking the approval of my father(s), I have earned the right to engage in the discourse.
As someone who has experienced the anxiety of wondering what my father who raised me would think when I reached out to the father who conceived me, and then (as far as I knew) vanished, I am acutely aware of what it is to need that approval. And, when I made the decision to professionally partner with my bio-dad and allow him intimate access to my wife and children, I learned what it was like to expect disapproval.
Subsequently, as I examined my relationship with my daughters, I found the answer. The relationship between committed father and child is one that can not be described to those who have not experienced it. Suffice it to say, it is the best example I have of how God would be willing to see past all the crap I put Him through back in-the-day.
The relationship starts with a desire to pursue that which you created in an attempt to allow the knowledge of the boundless depth of your passion for them in the hope that they might one day joyfully reciprocate. At the root of it, there is the fact that the passion is not earned or even augmented by what the child does for the father...it is entirely a product of the father's inability to not unconditionally and unfailingly love the child. And, the product of this root is the unhesitating willingness to go so far as to be prepared to die for your beloved.
After all, show me a man with nothing worth dying for, and I will show you someone who doesn't have much to live for (and doesn't that bring some perspective to the correlation between the American Intelligentsia's unwillingness to forsake his/her career or other life-pursuits for children, and the staggering number of antidepressants being prescribed?)...
And, therein lies the truth. American pop-culture grants relevancy to the relationship between father and child, because we are all programmed to desire the knowledge that our Dad would step in front of a train for us.
So, next time you are moved by the on-screen dramatic effect of this conflict, know that you are not tangled in suspended-disbelief....you are experiencing perhaps the most fundamental of human emotion (and if you are tempted to dismiss this due to religious overtones...I would humbly request that you examine Freud's publications on the subject).
And, for the record...I have three dads who unconditionally love me...and two daughters for whom I would step in front of a locomotive.
They all feature the conflict of a child seeking his or her father's approval as a central theme within the script's plot development.
That got me to thinking. What is it about the approval of our father that resonates in the souls of enough people that Hollywood would adopt it as a sure-fire revenue generator?
Most folks don't know that I was born Casey Fontana and was later adopted by my dad when my mom remarried in 79. I only mention it because when it comes to seeking the approval of my father(s), I have earned the right to engage in the discourse.
As someone who has experienced the anxiety of wondering what my father who raised me would think when I reached out to the father who conceived me, and then (as far as I knew) vanished, I am acutely aware of what it is to need that approval. And, when I made the decision to professionally partner with my bio-dad and allow him intimate access to my wife and children, I learned what it was like to expect disapproval.
Subsequently, as I examined my relationship with my daughters, I found the answer. The relationship between committed father and child is one that can not be described to those who have not experienced it. Suffice it to say, it is the best example I have of how God would be willing to see past all the crap I put Him through back in-the-day.
The relationship starts with a desire to pursue that which you created in an attempt to allow the knowledge of the boundless depth of your passion for them in the hope that they might one day joyfully reciprocate. At the root of it, there is the fact that the passion is not earned or even augmented by what the child does for the father...it is entirely a product of the father's inability to not unconditionally and unfailingly love the child. And, the product of this root is the unhesitating willingness to go so far as to be prepared to die for your beloved.
After all, show me a man with nothing worth dying for, and I will show you someone who doesn't have much to live for (and doesn't that bring some perspective to the correlation between the American Intelligentsia's unwillingness to forsake his/her career or other life-pursuits for children, and the staggering number of antidepressants being prescribed?)...
And, therein lies the truth. American pop-culture grants relevancy to the relationship between father and child, because we are all programmed to desire the knowledge that our Dad would step in front of a train for us.
So, next time you are moved by the on-screen dramatic effect of this conflict, know that you are not tangled in suspended-disbelief....you are experiencing perhaps the most fundamental of human emotion (and if you are tempted to dismiss this due to religious overtones...I would humbly request that you examine Freud's publications on the subject).
And, for the record...I have three dads who unconditionally love me...and two daughters for whom I would step in front of a locomotive.
Cash is King.
This post is a knee-jerk defense of the singer/songwriter genre I am compelled to write after learning that more than one critic has hailed Snow Patrol as a jolly good return to this form of musical expression.
First of all, the "great" singer/songwriter's are canonized based on a body of work...not potential. Secondly, (is this proper use of an adverb?), and of more import, urging people to "just lay here" or for that matter "wait for the world to change" hardly makes you great....cute maybe, but not great.
Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles...they are great.
I am a pop-culture junky (pronounced yuncky by Cubans) with a particular soft-spot for the singer songwriter (great or just OK, and for the record....I think that John Mayer is fabulous....but not great).
I could spend hours of extemporaneous discourse contemplating the social implications of a world without Billy or Willy or Leonard....But I can't imagine one without Cash. And, that (in a very dizzying way) is what I am getting at.
Leonard makes me nostalgic. Billy makes me smile. Ray makes me want to play the piano again, and Dylan confuses the hell out of me. But, Johnny Cash makes me hurt in areas of my subconscious that I thought had died and gone. Cash reminds me that the line by which morality is based was not drawn below my feet. He urges me to contemplate that which I take most comfort in from the paradigm of one who would spend a lifetime rejecting it. And, then reminds me that the reason they reject it is because I tend to use it like a blade.
I'm certain that this is an oversimplified argument, and based on the fact that I have not run across many "music" categories on myspace that do not include his name..his legacy needs no help. I just want to bring a little perspective.
Johnny Cash....full stop.
First of all, the "great" singer/songwriter's are canonized based on a body of work...not potential. Secondly, (is this proper use of an adverb?), and of more import, urging people to "just lay here" or for that matter "wait for the world to change" hardly makes you great....cute maybe, but not great.
Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles...they are great.
I am a pop-culture junky (pronounced yuncky by Cubans) with a particular soft-spot for the singer songwriter (great or just OK, and for the record....I think that John Mayer is fabulous....but not great).
I could spend hours of extemporaneous discourse contemplating the social implications of a world without Billy or Willy or Leonard....But I can't imagine one without Cash. And, that (in a very dizzying way) is what I am getting at.
Leonard makes me nostalgic. Billy makes me smile. Ray makes me want to play the piano again, and Dylan confuses the hell out of me. But, Johnny Cash makes me hurt in areas of my subconscious that I thought had died and gone. Cash reminds me that the line by which morality is based was not drawn below my feet. He urges me to contemplate that which I take most comfort in from the paradigm of one who would spend a lifetime rejecting it. And, then reminds me that the reason they reject it is because I tend to use it like a blade.
I'm certain that this is an oversimplified argument, and based on the fact that I have not run across many "music" categories on myspace that do not include his name..his legacy needs no help. I just want to bring a little perspective.
Johnny Cash....full stop.
Conflict and Life
OK, so if life is truly defined by conflict (good v. evil, right v. wrong, healthy v. sick, light v. dark, breath v. stop breathing, happy v. sad....think about it, everything which shapes our universe is defined by conflict), then here is what I believe about life's legacy.
No one's legacy will ever be defined by the hardships which they encountered. Hardships are brought on by natural events which are a direct result of the conflict by which our existence is defined (see above paragraph). That sort of definition would lend to the argument that a flower's beauty is best defined by the soil in which it is planted.
No, we are not defined by that which is out of our direct control (which is indeed most everything). We are defined by our attitude toward those things.
I do not have faith that I will continue to live through the hardships...I have faith because the hardships teach me to live.
No one's legacy will ever be defined by the hardships which they encountered. Hardships are brought on by natural events which are a direct result of the conflict by which our existence is defined (see above paragraph). That sort of definition would lend to the argument that a flower's beauty is best defined by the soil in which it is planted.
No, we are not defined by that which is out of our direct control (which is indeed most everything). We are defined by our attitude toward those things.
I do not have faith that I will continue to live through the hardships...I have faith because the hardships teach me to live.
Righteous Indignation Vs Grace?
We got into this on the show this week, and I (at least for the moment) believe that's the deal. It adequately frames the entire great contemporary debate. Red v Blue. Conservative v Liberal. AM Talk Radio v Main Stream Press. Dog v Cat.
I believe that everyone longs for purpose borne of a core recognition of right and wrong. There is no such thing as anarchy....it is a self-defeated world view. A state can not exist without organization. Similarly, Atheism is a rationalized method of avoiding reality. The human eye can no more be a product of chaotic universal chance than me throwing the letters of the alphabet in the air enough times to have the letters (at some point) come down in perfect encyclopedic order.
So please allow for the conversation to progress into the realm of mature world view...OK, pretty please?
With that said, you come to one of two conclusions about why it is we exist. Either we are to do enough to ensure our time has not been a waste, or it has already been done for us.
I subscribe to the latter notion....which I realize is a controversial stance even among fellow Christians.
As an aside...my desire for doing good works is not diminished because of this. In fact, it is augmented because it is not about me doing the work....it is about for whom the work benefits and why.
And, to me at least, that is the crux of our current state of domestic affairs. There are those who believe that grace is best conveyed to the masses through consideration of what God does not allow, rather than leading with what He did in order to prove to the wayward that His pursuit is, indeed, eternal.
So are grace and righteous indignation mutually exclusive elements of individual and corporate spiritual ebb and flow? Or, are we to experience and exude both?
Of this I am not certain, however I am quite sure that (once able to swim in omnipotence) we will rest in the knowledge that Love always wins.
Just a thought.
I believe that everyone longs for purpose borne of a core recognition of right and wrong. There is no such thing as anarchy....it is a self-defeated world view. A state can not exist without organization. Similarly, Atheism is a rationalized method of avoiding reality. The human eye can no more be a product of chaotic universal chance than me throwing the letters of the alphabet in the air enough times to have the letters (at some point) come down in perfect encyclopedic order.
So please allow for the conversation to progress into the realm of mature world view...OK, pretty please?
With that said, you come to one of two conclusions about why it is we exist. Either we are to do enough to ensure our time has not been a waste, or it has already been done for us.
I subscribe to the latter notion....which I realize is a controversial stance even among fellow Christians.
As an aside...my desire for doing good works is not diminished because of this. In fact, it is augmented because it is not about me doing the work....it is about for whom the work benefits and why.
And, to me at least, that is the crux of our current state of domestic affairs. There are those who believe that grace is best conveyed to the masses through consideration of what God does not allow, rather than leading with what He did in order to prove to the wayward that His pursuit is, indeed, eternal.
So are grace and righteous indignation mutually exclusive elements of individual and corporate spiritual ebb and flow? Or, are we to experience and exude both?
Of this I am not certain, however I am quite sure that (once able to swim in omnipotence) we will rest in the knowledge that Love always wins.
Just a thought.
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