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Thursday, September 27, 2007
Betrayal
One thing that I hear across the board, whether reading, talking with folks in semi-counseling mode, or watching the Farnsworth box, is that if a woman is unfaithful (read: screws around on her S.O.) the virtually universal response is:
She shakes her blonde little head, and with quivering mouth and running mascara says in tearful tones:
"I was confused."
This brings me no small amount of amusement and angst.
I'm kind of a black-and-white guy. I even prefer B&W photography. All those colors just get in the way. So, emotional nuance is something that sometimes escapes me, even though I'm a sensitive 21st-century kind of guy.
What part of "faithful" do you not understand? What part of "vows" escapes your cognizance? What is confusing about "Don't commit adultery"? Does the brain utterly shut down in a fog of arousal? Is it pointless to train kids in morality, in Biblical standards of behavior?
Does God demand the utterly impossible?
"I was confused."
FEH.
One thing that I hear across the board, whether reading, talking with folks in semi-counseling mode, or watching the Farnsworth box, is that if a woman is unfaithful (read: screws around on her S.O.) the virtually universal response is:
She shakes her blonde little head, and with quivering mouth and running mascara says in tearful tones:
"I was confused."
This brings me no small amount of amusement and angst.
"Counselor Troi, what do you sense?"
"I feel ahnger...and great joy...."
I'm kind of a black-and-white guy. I even prefer B&W photography. All those colors just get in the way. So, emotional nuance is something that sometimes escapes me, even though I'm a sensitive 21st-century kind of guy.
What part of "faithful" do you not understand? What part of "vows" escapes your cognizance? What is confusing about "Don't commit adultery"? Does the brain utterly shut down in a fog of arousal? Is it pointless to train kids in morality, in Biblical standards of behavior?
Does God demand the utterly impossible?
"I was confused."
FEH.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
The Aamazing Aardvark makes his challenge
Well kiddies, I have a little challenge for the evangelicals around the ant-hill. The Lord makes various references to Doors and Keys in His teaching, so I want to know:
Where in the Gospel (or even in apostolic teaching in the New Testament) is it taught that in order to become a Christian, one must pray a prayer and "ask Jesus into your heart"?
I am offering a bounty of $200.00 (Two-hundred dollars) for the Biblical source of this teaching. Not a huge sum, but surely more than ZERO dollars.
There are two restrictions:
First: Do not deign twist the Scripture by pointing to Revelation 3:20
This is written to the church at Laodicea (the church, which is made up of people who are already IN Christ), and thus refers to fellowship with Christ, not entry into the Kingdom.
Second: Do not supply a daisy-chain of unrelated, de-contextualized bits of Scripture.
When the Jews in Acts 2, to whom Peter preached, cried out in terror upon learning of their theocide, Peter provided the remedy, the Keys to the Kingdom, if you will. He did not send them roaming through Romans (yes, I KNOW Romans had not been written yet), or marching through Malachi. He spoke simply and clearly, and gave them the answer.
So, If you can show me Biblically verifiable, apostolic teaching that cannot be Scripturally refuted, that you pray a prayer, and ask Jesus into your heart in order to become a Christian (in order to be saved), then the first one who does so will receive two hundred dollars, US. ($200.00).
On the other hand, if you cannot produce such evidence, then why do you believe it, and why do you teach it?
Well kiddies, I have a little challenge for the evangelicals around the ant-hill. The Lord makes various references to Doors and Keys in His teaching, so I want to know:
Where in the Gospel (or even in apostolic teaching in the New Testament) is it taught that in order to become a Christian, one must pray a prayer and "ask Jesus into your heart"?
I am offering a bounty of $200.00 (Two-hundred dollars) for the Biblical source of this teaching. Not a huge sum, but surely more than ZERO dollars.
There are two restrictions:
First: Do not deign twist the Scripture by pointing to Revelation 3:20
"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."
This is written to the church at Laodicea (the church, which is made up of people who are already IN Christ), and thus refers to fellowship with Christ, not entry into the Kingdom.
Second: Do not supply a daisy-chain of unrelated, de-contextualized bits of Scripture.
When the Jews in Acts 2, to whom Peter preached, cried out in terror upon learning of their theocide, Peter provided the remedy, the Keys to the Kingdom, if you will. He did not send them roaming through Romans (yes, I KNOW Romans had not been written yet), or marching through Malachi. He spoke simply and clearly, and gave them the answer.
So, If you can show me Biblically verifiable, apostolic teaching that cannot be Scripturally refuted, that you pray a prayer, and ask Jesus into your heart in order to become a Christian (in order to be saved), then the first one who does so will receive two hundred dollars, US. ($200.00).
On the other hand, if you cannot produce such evidence, then why do you believe it, and why do you teach it?
Friday, September 21, 2007
If I may shoot from the hip, the Jena LA racial tensions may be misplaced.
The CBS Radio news had a young woman of color defending the six stalwarts of hue who beat up one white stoont. She said that there was a double standard in the way justice is applied between the races. Clearly a product of the public schools, as it should be clear that six-to-one beats a mere double standard any day.
I am aware that there was Provocation. There always is, especially where the unalike are forced to be in close proximity.
"Oooooooh, he's a RAY-cisst." Nope. some of my best friends...blah blah. The Freedom to Assemble is a dearly won right which has been trampled in the effort to Be Nice To Everyone. As a youth, I was struck by inequities that I saw. My (then in his eighties) grandfather was a doctor, the last of the breed of GPs who would make house calls, and accept produce as payment. Turnips and okra and country hams have been seriously devalued in their rate of exchange of late. Ben Bernanke should see to this. His office had two-count 'em- two waiting rooms. One was somewhat cushier than the other. This was odd to me, but I was too young to become a Freedom Rider.
We have a broad assortment vari-colored folk in our orbit. A good friend and business associate is the spokesman for the local NAACP chapter, and he is not in the habit of hanging out with bigots. The Klan visited our town last weekend, and I suggested that we both go in sheets, throw off our hoods, and have him shout "Where the white wimmen at?" He loves "Blazing Saddles", but we agreed it was probably a bad move.
My youngest son is a budding photojournalist, and went to the rally to take pictures of the sheetsters. I'll post some with suitable commentary.
My point is, like people tend to flock together. The classic microcosmic sociological study occurred at the filming of "Planet of the Apes". The makeup was so involved that the actors had to eat in costume. Sure enough, the chimps ate with the chimps, the orangutans ate with orangutans, gorillas with gorillas. Charlton Heston ate with God, I guess.
If I want to hang out with Asians, or Africans, or Guatemalans, or even Presbyterians, then I'll happily do so. Just don't MAKE me do it.
It's like teaching a pig to sing.
You just get all muddy,
...and it annoys the pig.
The CBS Radio news had a young woman of color defending the six stalwarts of hue who beat up one white stoont. She said that there was a double standard in the way justice is applied between the races. Clearly a product of the public schools, as it should be clear that six-to-one beats a mere double standard any day.
I am aware that there was Provocation. There always is, especially where the unalike are forced to be in close proximity.
"Oooooooh, he's a RAY-cisst." Nope. some of my best friends...blah blah. The Freedom to Assemble is a dearly won right which has been trampled in the effort to Be Nice To Everyone. As a youth, I was struck by inequities that I saw. My (then in his eighties) grandfather was a doctor, the last of the breed of GPs who would make house calls, and accept produce as payment. Turnips and okra and country hams have been seriously devalued in their rate of exchange of late. Ben Bernanke should see to this. His office had two-count 'em- two waiting rooms. One was somewhat cushier than the other. This was odd to me, but I was too young to become a Freedom Rider.
We have a broad assortment vari-colored folk in our orbit. A good friend and business associate is the spokesman for the local NAACP chapter, and he is not in the habit of hanging out with bigots. The Klan visited our town last weekend, and I suggested that we both go in sheets, throw off our hoods, and have him shout "Where the white wimmen at?" He loves "Blazing Saddles", but we agreed it was probably a bad move.
My youngest son is a budding photojournalist, and went to the rally to take pictures of the sheetsters. I'll post some with suitable commentary.
My point is, like people tend to flock together. The classic microcosmic sociological study occurred at the filming of "Planet of the Apes". The makeup was so involved that the actors had to eat in costume. Sure enough, the chimps ate with the chimps, the orangutans ate with orangutans, gorillas with gorillas. Charlton Heston ate with God, I guess.
If I want to hang out with Asians, or Africans, or Guatemalans, or even Presbyterians, then I'll happily do so. Just don't MAKE me do it.
It's like teaching a pig to sing.
You just get all muddy,
...and it annoys the pig.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
I love all my reader.
I will be back in the bloggish saddle this weekend. We have been absolutely swamped at Aardvark Screenprinting. It is amazing how busy we are. Keeps me away from the Important. Ahhh, the Tyranny of the Immediate.
As I said LAST weekend, I'll finish my answers to Rocinante's 12 questions. This weekend.
I will also post a Challenge. With Money, even. If the Amazing Randi can do it....
I will be back in the bloggish saddle this weekend. We have been absolutely swamped at Aardvark Screenprinting. It is amazing how busy we are. Keeps me away from the Important. Ahhh, the Tyranny of the Immediate.
As I said LAST weekend, I'll finish my answers to Rocinante's 12 questions. This weekend.
I will also post a Challenge. With Money, even. If the Amazing Randi can do it....
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
9-11 musing
(Firstly, Roci's questioning is not being ignored. My work load has avalanched, and I've not been able to finish. This weekend is my goal)
Nine-eleven. (NOT nine-one-one...that's the emergency phone number.) Tune in your television box, or radio, and let the scab-picking commence. Rolls of Our Honored Dead are unfurled and read to renew the mourning of those who should be over it by now.If it were for a purpose, it would be one thing. It could be a tool of maintaining National Rage at the Evil Ones wot done it. (Curse the Japs...kill The Hun...like that. We used to do war so well .) Now we are involved in an endless round of Kum-ba-ya. Light those candles, and get out the Kleenex. If we had a focus of Evil, we could at least flick our scabs at it, but even Osama bin Ladin is reduced to a Grecian Formula ad, with his hot new beard color and all. No, kiddies, there must be an Emperor, a Fuehrer, to aim our rage at. "Terrorism" is wholly insufficient. An "ism" is only good for Cold wars, filled with spies and propaganda. The Hatfields did not aim thar shootin' irons at "McCoyism"; they were too busy shooting at Cletus and Clem. This hoedown is yet another reminder of our National Impotency, and there is no magic pill to save us.
At least the mourners have gotten a day off.
(Firstly, Roci's questioning is not being ignored. My work load has avalanched, and I've not been able to finish. This weekend is my goal)
Nine-eleven. (NOT nine-one-one...that's the emergency phone number.) Tune in your television box, or radio, and let the scab-picking commence. Rolls of Our Honored Dead are unfurled and read to renew the mourning of those who should be over it by now.If it were for a purpose, it would be one thing. It could be a tool of maintaining National Rage at the Evil Ones wot done it. (Curse the Japs...kill The Hun...like that. We used to do war so well .) Now we are involved in an endless round of Kum-ba-ya. Light those candles, and get out the Kleenex. If we had a focus of Evil, we could at least flick our scabs at it, but even Osama bin Ladin is reduced to a Grecian Formula ad, with his hot new beard color and all. No, kiddies, there must be an Emperor, a Fuehrer, to aim our rage at. "Terrorism" is wholly insufficient. An "ism" is only good for Cold wars, filled with spies and propaganda. The Hatfields did not aim thar shootin' irons at "McCoyism"; they were too busy shooting at Cletus and Clem. This hoedown is yet another reminder of our National Impotency, and there is no magic pill to save us.
At least the mourners have gotten a day off.
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