One Nation Under God?

As one meditates and prays on life's questions, it becomes apparent how easy it is to be contradictory in our nature. A great example of this is the war in Iraq and what it means to each of us as a person. My thoughts on this come directly from this video found on You Tube. If this is true, and I believe it is, we are going down the dangerous road and our actions are unforgivable.



Contradictions as one grows spiritually and mentally will always happen. The more you need to grow, the more you will end up being contradictory. It is, of course, the person who doesn't change who contradicts themselves the most. If this is true, than I must have grown a lot over the past months, because my attitude about this war changes with every body I see, with every innocent life lost, and with every coffin laid to rest.

I find it odd that we went to war to punish those who attacked innocent people. We label the terrorists "monsters" and "evil". I will say that after watching the video, the American voices heard could have easily been Arabic and the weapon of choice a car bomb. We, in defending our "one nation, under God" have become our enemy. We have sunk to their level, and have taken on their morality.

It makes me wonder if we have sunk to their level and taken on their morality or if they have sunk to ours and taken on our morality years ago. We, a supposedly "Christian" nation, have rejected the teachings of Christ and have not only attacked our enemies, but also attack innocent people without provocation. Call it battle stress, call it an itch trigger, or just call it what it is: evil.

There is no excuse for this behavior. The man on the tractor, I wonder if he knew this was the last kiss he would give his son. The son, I wonder if he knew that the rains of hell were about to fall upon his family. Either way, we have made enemies here, and we need to ask for forgiveness.

Let's end the lunacy now, before forgiveness cannot be found. Peace.

Thoughts: Who is Jesus?

This question has dogged me for my entire memory. I always struggled with my beliefs and how they fit into common conception of religion. So, here goes (NO SOUND BITE WARNING: this will be long, so please try to get through it all)

Having been baptised a Methodist and raised a Catholic, the divinity of Jesus has been drilled into me almost from birth. Jesus is God and God is Jesus. Whereas this may be true, I found that the struggle I had with this obviously unanswerable question really kept me from understanding the true role of Jesus in history, in faith, and in the way we as people live our lives. People seem to focus on the things they cannot answer so much they overlook the things they actually can do something about.

Was Jesus God's Son? Well, we are all children of God, so I guess that answer is obvious. Jesus prayed to "our Father, who art in heaven", which kind of lumps him in with the rest of us. He was, however, much different from the rest of us. I believe he communicated with God in ways others could not. Like other Prophets, from Noah to Isaiah, from John the Baptist to the Apostles, and yes, possibly, from Muhammad to John Smith, God chose Jesus to carry a message to the world. Why?

We are all God's children, and like our own children, we must be taught in stages. You do not teach infants as you would teach adults, everyone is taught in stages depending on their development and abilities. God has done the same thing. From the beginning of life as we know it, we have been developing and growing. The Old Testament (or the Torah), taught humanity in it's infancy how to behave, and what God expected of us as we lived the gift of life. We were given a set of rules (the Ten Commandments) as well as other lessons from the Prophets that were designed to instruct us on how to live, how to worship, how to love, how to punish, and how to conduct ourselves daily as humans. If you think about it, the rules given to earlier versions of man made perfect sense. You were to honor God, your Creator, and to worship no other. You were not to kill. You were not to covet. You were not to commit adultery. You were not to steal. All of these are well within man's ability to honor and grasp. Yet, like children, we pushed the envelope. We violated "curfew". We worshiped idols. We killed. We stole, and we committed adultery. We did everything we were not supposed to do, and like children, we began to pretend the rules didn't pertain to us. Well, can anyone say "Time Out"?

The one thing God doesn't do is grab us and put us in the time out chair. He does, however, tell us that we will be punished for being bad, and, just like children, we don't believe Him until we finally get the belt across the butt. So, in around the year 6 BC, God sent Jesus to begin a new lesson. The life of Jesus wasn't lived to have us debate whether or not he was God on earth, but rather to give us an example of how to live our lives. Jesus didn't want to change any of the old rules, he just wanted to add a few rules to the set. People of that time period had lost their way, and God, just like any parent would, decided that He needed to set us straight before we really did ourselves harm. The world was full of people, like the Romans, who valued life little, who killed others for sport, and who ruled others with an iron hand and little mercy. Then you had the Jews, who had turned God's house into a money factory, and who had basically put the written letter of the law before the spirit of the law. So, He sent us Jesus, who was to set an example for us all to try to follow. There are many examples of Jesus challenging the interpretation of the law although never trying to change the law itself.

It is interesting to note that Jesus never took up arms against anyone, and he did things that religious leaders of his day thought wrong. He sat with tax collectors (hated during that time),
mingled with the sick, showed unparalleled tolerance and love, and preached only one message; to love God and each other unconditionally. He asked us to forgive our enemies (in contradiction of religious laws of the time). If you read chapters 5 and 6 of Matthew you will learn quite a lot about what Jesus was really all about. These chapters are excellent guides for life and are very relevant today. How many of us would ask forgiveness for those who bore false witness against us? How many would, if we had the power, allow the weak to beat us, spit in our face, torture us, and then kill us? Only someone with a unique perspective, a unique understanding, and a unique love could do all of those things.

In my personal belief system, Jesus was all human with divine providence. He was sent on a mission, not to just die for us, but to set an example for us all to try to adhere to. He explained that God did not expect us to be perfect, but He expect us to try and to be truly sorry for our transgressions (forgive us our trespasses as we forgive our trespassers). The great thing about the Jesus "story" is that you don't have to believe it in order to live it. You don't have to believe in Christ to live like him. You don't have to believe in his divinity in order to believe in his message. Some of the most Christian people I know are not Christian in the slightest, while some of the most non-Christian I can find in church every Sunday. Jesus was, and is, part of God and God part of him, and he lived as we all should, with love, tolerance, and an understanding of what is expected of us.

Peace.

Is being gay a sin?

I was reading with some interest the apparent "curing" of Evangelical minister Ted Haggard. I find it odd that the so-called "men of Christ" that "cured" him have not cured him of his adulterous behavior, but of his homosexual behavior. Makes you wonder where their collective head is.

My Christianity is a tolerant one. If Jesus taught us anything, it was that tolerance and love should be of utmost concern for each of us. Jesus sat and ate with all types of reviled characters, and even invited them into His inner circle, and yet here are supposed teachers of Christ's word curing a man of something they revile while saying nothing about the real sin this minister committed: adultery.

It seems most Christians of today are more interested in listening to false prophets in ministry then in the actual words and teachings of God. Jesus came to mankind to reverse the words of the Old Testaments, words of hate, anger, murder and chaos. He came to preach love, tolerance and fogiveness as a means to Him. He said nothing of punishing those who are not like us for being different, instead choosing to tell us all "he without sin may cast the first stone".

It's time the faithful stop acting like those wayward souls running their churches and more like the Messiah sent as an example to us all. It is time to stop killing people for who they love and accepting them for who they are.

Science Explains Away God?

I have heard religion explained away in scientific terms. It seems that as long as there is a scientific explanation to something, than that could serve as proof that God does not exist. Conception and birth are no longer miracles because science has explained how they happen. The heat and light of the sun are no longer things of amazement because science has explained how it all happens. Once, man was amazed at lightning and thunder, and now even those have lost their luster in the eyes of grown men and women. So, is it possible that science has explained away religion?

To most, this is an easy question depending on what belief system you employ. To someone who does not believe in God, religion is a fantasy created by those in need of something to believe (I was given this evaluation by an atheist). Religion is nothing more than a fantasy based on more fantasy. God becomes a crutch and eternal life a dream. To others, the Bible is to be taken quite literally, every word dissected and believed without question. To one person, believing in God is silly, to others, God not only exists but bore a son to save the world from sin.

Let's dissect religion for one moment. The "major" religions (i.e. Christianity, Islam, Judaism) base their rules and beliefs on books. Most of these books are filled with rules that, well, could scare the crap out of anyone. Death, destruction, sex, violence - it's all there in the black and white text of the Old Testament and the Torah. The Qur'an isn't much different - non-believers must die unless they either submit to Islam or pay a hefty tax for not being Muslim. It is no wonder some could not believe in the religion based on any of these books. They are not scientific documents, with theories tested and hypothesis rendered. They are, after all, written by mostly uneducated men in rather primitive times.

But what if science actually supported the existence of God? What if these explanations, while demystifying certain events that once bewildered men, actually offered proof proof that God existed?

Take the miracle of conception. While science has actually explained how conception happens, no one has actually explained why the HOW happens. What method of design actually created conception? What actually causes the joining of the female sex cell and her chromosomes with the male sex cell and his chromosomes? What mysterious presence actually joins the chromosomes and creates a new life? Exactly what created this miracle, what exactly created the mechanisms by which all life on earth reproduces?

Even those who think that the Theory of Evolution completely dispels the Creationist view on man's creation, could it be that God actually created humans in a way different than that stated in written text? Could it be that man, in his primitive state, decided to simplify the method and design by which he got here? Could it be that God actually created man out of something else long before homo sapiens began the reign we now enjoy? Isn't it entirely possible that evolution itself is a creation of God to ensure life survives the eventual changes in our environment?

So while science explains the hows and whys of life, death, birth, illness, emotion, and suffering, it cannot explain the origins of those things. So, it would seem there is still some room to believe that God, this Ultimate Designer, created these origins of the hows and whys we strive to understand. It would seem, that although we know how the Earth was formed, how the Sun produces the light and heat we need to live, and even how Evolution itself is a creation of God?

Whereas it seems that men have divided religion into sects and sub-sects, it is quite apparent that most religions are all based on the resounding principals of compassion, peace, love, and tolerance. It is also part of the contradictory nature of man that those tenets are only seem to apply to members of their own "sect". It does appear odd that most major religions lose their tolerance, love, and compassion for those not of their faith. Again, it isn't hard to see why there are non-believers.

As each of us goes on our own path, it may prove important to think about the possibilities. It is important to understand what it is that makes us who we are. The human genome may have just been deciphered, the the author of the genome has yet to be credited. The deciphering may be a great discovery, but in meeting the author we may find the greatest discovery of all.

My Daughter...the Comedienne

At least someone thinks she is hysterical and worth the price of admission:



Today, Gianna's kitchen, tomorrow Carnegie Hall!

My blood brother

The time is late, just after midnight on Sunday morning. Man, this Saturday went flying by, and I think I wasted much of it working and organizing. I did, however, get some pretty good things done.

My oldest and bestest friend IM'd me from Utah. I grew up with this kid, (yep, a kid even if he is in his thirties now) He now has lovely children and a wife who makes him better than he is. We realized that we have that in common, having wives that make us better than we are, just like we have a common link between us: our childhood.

Vince grew up two doors down from me, and was always someone I could talk to. Of course I tried to be Mr. Tough Guy and never let the pain of my childhood show, but I felt, and always have, that Vince was the one person I could always be myself around. We could talk about all kinds of stuff, and rarely got into fights about our beliefs. He was always someone I admired, as he never quit, showed fear or weakness, and stood firm in his beliefs and morals. Although he was a little shorter than most, he didn't earn his nickname "Bulldog" because he wasn't housebroken and needed to go for walks 10 times a day. No, he earned that nickname because of his tenacity, a trait only surpassed by his kindness and humanity. I realized when we stopped "talking" online today that I really miss him, and it brought a smile to my face to remember all the silly crap we did as young kids.

I will say that although we have both moved on from the "best friend" and "blood brother" stage (yes we actually cut our hands to become blood brothers), I still love this guy as if he were my brother. Gone are the days of digging tunnels, playing war, practicing football in his back yard, the endless games of flashlight tag and hide and go seek. I do, however, trade those days gone by with the memories they bring. I remember the first day when I was 8 when Vince introduced himself to the new kid (me) moving in down the street. I am proud to say that I can still remember that silly smile of his, with his curly red hair all over the place as he swung upside down from a branch in the big tree next to his house. I remember the tire swing he had, the countless tree forts, and all the fun stuff we did with some of the other kids in our 'hood.

I remember Denise R., who we all had crushes on when we were just turning into teenagers. I remember when his brother Joseph was born, and his sister Katherine. I remember when my sister broke her thumb jumping ramps with us, and we tried to get her to lie and say she did it in the pool (we weren't supposed to let her jump with us). I remember the break dancing contests in his living room, the same time we all thought we could dance like Michael Jackson (I am laughing out loud at that one). God, there are so many memories I dare not list them all. I can honestly say, with much joy, that all of them are happy.

I haven't seen Vince in about 20 years. (Has it really been that long?) We went our separate ways about the time I graduated high school, started partying, and doing many other stupid things I am not too proud of. Vince always kept the firmness of his morality, the strength of his character, and the sense of who he was longer after all of that waned on me. You can see it in his family pictures he sends from time to time. You can see it in how he followed his heart and moved to Utah. I could see it today, when in the cold of Utah's winter, my old buddy Vince was going out in the early morning to help a friend do some work. Yep, he hadn't changed much at all.

So, my friend, if you are reading this, know that this man has never forgotten you, and still loves you dearly as a friend for all the bad times you helped me through and all the good times you have left in my memory. I thank you for the smiles I had today thinking about all of those days that were not nearly plentiful enough. You will always be my friend, and though the scar on my hand is long gone, the symbolic meaning will never fade. You will always be my "blood brother".

Peace.

The Smell of Rain - Awesome Email Sent to me...

I wanted to share with you this email sent to me by my brother-in-law Chris (he is a wealth of great emails). It certainly puts life, love, and faith into perspective.

The Smell of Rain

A cold March wind danced around the dead of night in Dallas as the doctor walked into the small hospital room of Diana Blessing. She was still groggy from surgery.

Her husband, David, held her hand as they braced themselves for the latest news. That afternoon of March 10, 1991, complications had forced Diana, only 24-weeks pregnant, to undergo an emergency Cesarean to deliver couple's new daughter, Dana Lu Blessing.

At 12 inches long and weighing only one pound nine ounces, they already knew she was perilously premature.

Still, the doctor's soft words dropped like bombs. "I don't think she's going to make it," he said, as kindly as he could.

"There's only a 10-percent chance she will live through the night, and even then, if by some slim chance she does make it, her future could be a very cruel one"

Numb with disbelief, David and Diana listened as the doctor described the devastating problems Dana would likely face if she survived.

She would never walk, she would never talk, she would probably be blind, and she would certainly be prone to other catastrophic conditions from cerebral palsy to complete mental retardation, and on and on.

"No! No!" was all Diana could say.

She and David, with their 5-year-old son Dustin, had long dreamed of the day they would have a daughter to become a family of four.

Now, within a matter of hours, that dream was slipping away.

But as those first days passed, a new agony set in for David and Diana. Because Dana's underdeveloped nervous system was essentially 'raw', the lightest kiss or caress only intensified her discomfort, so they couldn't even cradle their tiny baby girl against their chests to offer the strength of their love. All they could do, as Dana struggled alone beneath the ultraviolet light in the tangle of tubes and wires, was to pray that God would stay close to their precious little girl.

There was never a moment when Dana suddenly grew stronger.

But as the weeks went by, she did slowly gain an ounce of weight here and an ounce of strength there.

At last, when Dana turned two months old. her parents were able to hold her in their arms for the very first time.

And two months later, though doctors continued to gently but grimly warn that her chances of surviving, much less living any kind of normal life, were next to zero, Dana went home from the hospital, just as her mother had predicted.

Five years later, when Dana was a petite but feisty young girl with glittering gray eyes and an unquenchable zest for life.

She showed no signs whatsoever of any mental or physical impairment. Simply, she was everything a little girl can be and more. But that happy ending is far from the end of her story. One blistering afternoon in the summer of 1996 near her home in Irving, Texas, Dana was sitting in her mother's lap in the bleachers of a local ball park where her brother Dustin's baseball team was practicing.

As always, Dana was chattering nonstop with her mother and several other adults sitting nearby when she suddenly fell silent. Hugging her arms across her chest, little Dana asked, "Do you smell that?"
Smelling the air and detecting the approach of a thunderstorm, Diana replied, "Yes, it smells like rain."

Dana closed her eyes and again asked, "Do you smell that?"

Once again, her mother replied, "Yes, I think we're about to get wet. It smells like rain."

Still caught in the moment, Dana shook her head, patted her thin shoulders with her small hands and loudly announced, "No, it smells like Him. It smells like God when you lay your head on His chest."

Tears blurred Diana's eyes as Dana happily hopped down to play with the other children.

Before the rains came, her daughter's words confirmed what Diana and all the members of the extended Blessing family had known, at least in their hearts, all along.

During those long days and nights of her first two months of her life, when her nerves were too sensitive for them to touch her, God was holding Dana on His chest and it is His loving scent that she remembers so well.