Night Thoughts
A person asked me once “how do you honor God?” I assume that I had a puzzled look on my face because he went on to clarify.
“If you believe in God or a higher level of being or beings that created and have command of everything and yet has allowed people to have free will or choice what do you do to honor him/her/it/whatever? Assuming you don’t possess all of the answers yourself or not certain of all the operating instructions what do you do to indicate that you are appreciative of the existence that has been provided for you. Say you haven’t been raised to believe in any particular religion or better yet there is no church or temple in the town in which you live. Yet you believe in something, something that you believe you should praise. Something that you feel wants you to live or conduct yourself in a particular way. On a basic almost instinctual way what do you do to honor or to live in accordance with your belief in this entity?”
That was the question he posed to me. At the time I did not have a particular answer. Later that night I though long and hard about the question. I realized that what was asked was really two questions. What did I believe in and how did that make me act or how did my belief guide my actions? I smiled because it reminded me of the old Steve Martin routine, “What I Believe.”
So what do I believe? In no particular order here are some of the things I believe.
Belief in God. That the entity exists is real and all that stuff.
People are basically good. I know, I know that really puts me at odds with many of the organized religions in the world. Believe me I have been lectured to a great extent about the illogic of that belief. If I truly believed I would understand that humanity is fundamentally flawed and that the only salvation, redemption is to except the one true, savior, Lord, prophet, messenger etc. into your heart mind soul and through your new found faith only then will you become the truly good person that you wish to be. I heard it before, and truth be told emotionally as well as intellectually I just can’t buy it. I end up feeling bad for those who are trying to lead me to faith because I hate for them to feel as if they have failed with me. Usually I end of telling them that it’s not them or any lack of their discussion its just more along the lines of I’m not capable of letting the truth into my heart as of yet. One day, hopefully, I will be able to give me will, heart, emotions, love whatever to the deity. Then and only then will I be able to accept the truth into my entire being.
I will continue this discussion a little later as something has come up that I think may have quite a bit more relevance at this particular place and time.
The Center for Constitutional Rights has published a book entitled
ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT
AGAINST GEORGE W. BUSH
ISBN 1-933633-08-5
$9.95 paperback original (144 pages)
The authors of this book have investigated and gather evidence to present four articles of impeachment against the current President George W. Bush. The case is presented so well the charges and claims are so clearly defined and presented that on one hand you would think that no rational person could argue against what is being proposed. Yet I get the feeling that many people on the left don’t understand that many people who support Bush and his actions don’t really care that he’s broken the law or that he has violated the Constitution of the United States. As far as they are concerned the only thing that matters is that he, Bush, is a strong decisive president and that he is protecting us from the international terrorist conspiracy. Despite the fact that the Bush policies are bankrupting the economy and actually endangering the lives of millions of Americans many people support him on, pretty much, whatever he decides to do. So if the researchers and writers of the book are waiting for Congress to take the bait and step up and be adults, well don’t hold your breath waiting.
And for God’s sake don’t wait on the mainstream media to take the lead on much of anything.
I’m sleepy now. Let’s continue this later on this weekend.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Michael's Ramblings
Michael's Ramblings
Last night I learned of the passing of Octavia Butler this past weekend. My breath was taken away as I have been a fan of hers for many years. As fate would have it I was at a little coffee shop writing when I took a break and logged unto the internet to check out one or two of my favorite web sites.
Ms. Butler’s works speak for themselves and anything I might add will just be stating the obvious in that she was a brilliant writer. Being a black female science fiction was a rarity in and of itself. Yet she was such a brilliant observer of society and could weave her observations into wonderful, moving thrilling slices of literary greatness. I dare anyone to read her, to me, her two best novels, “Parable of the Sower” and “The Kindred” and not be moved both emotionally and intellectually. Read her short story “Speech Sounds” and fight to keep the tears inside.
She had been ill for the past few years which cut down on her writing productivity yet the work that she left us is, upon several rereading, still fresh and exciting as ever.
When current and future generations speak of her, and they will, what they will say is
“Octavia Butler was a great writer, and we are all the better for her talent blessing us.”
Peace and eternal joy to you dear lady.
Last night I learned of the passing of Octavia Butler this past weekend. My breath was taken away as I have been a fan of hers for many years. As fate would have it I was at a little coffee shop writing when I took a break and logged unto the internet to check out one or two of my favorite web sites.
Ms. Butler’s works speak for themselves and anything I might add will just be stating the obvious in that she was a brilliant writer. Being a black female science fiction was a rarity in and of itself. Yet she was such a brilliant observer of society and could weave her observations into wonderful, moving thrilling slices of literary greatness. I dare anyone to read her, to me, her two best novels, “Parable of the Sower” and “The Kindred” and not be moved both emotionally and intellectually. Read her short story “Speech Sounds” and fight to keep the tears inside.
She had been ill for the past few years which cut down on her writing productivity yet the work that she left us is, upon several rereading, still fresh and exciting as ever.
When current and future generations speak of her, and they will, what they will say is
“Octavia Butler was a great writer, and we are all the better for her talent blessing us.”
Peace and eternal joy to you dear lady.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Michael's Ramblings
Michael's Ramblings
Perhaps someone can explain to me? On some silly radio talk show a host was trying to explain that the reason for the invasion of Iraq was to be proactive in the war against terrorism. After 9/11 America had to track down the enemy and destroy them. The problem with that reasoning is that Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda had no relationship with Saddam Hussein and had no training camps or bases in Iraq. This was confirmed by the 9/11 Commission, which also stated that based on the intel that was available to them the administration had to know that this was true.
When a caller made this point on the air the host lit into his ass. The caller was a liberal unpatriotic crack pot. That by disagreeing with the administration you were given aid and support to the terrorists. We all know how Bin Laden is in to American politics and the public opinion of Americans.
What struck me was how I have heard and participated in similar discussions a good deal of the time. What happens is that they may start out as discussions but in of as shouting matches by the pro administration side about my lack of patriotism. It’s not an exchange of ideas as it becomes a series of attacks and accusations upon my character as the “liberal unpatriotic hater of America.” Since when is disagreeing with the official White House position the mark of being evil? When did we become so extreme and inflexible in this country?
Perhaps someone can explain to me? On some silly radio talk show a host was trying to explain that the reason for the invasion of Iraq was to be proactive in the war against terrorism. After 9/11 America had to track down the enemy and destroy them. The problem with that reasoning is that Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda had no relationship with Saddam Hussein and had no training camps or bases in Iraq. This was confirmed by the 9/11 Commission, which also stated that based on the intel that was available to them the administration had to know that this was true.
When a caller made this point on the air the host lit into his ass. The caller was a liberal unpatriotic crack pot. That by disagreeing with the administration you were given aid and support to the terrorists. We all know how Bin Laden is in to American politics and the public opinion of Americans.
What struck me was how I have heard and participated in similar discussions a good deal of the time. What happens is that they may start out as discussions but in of as shouting matches by the pro administration side about my lack of patriotism. It’s not an exchange of ideas as it becomes a series of attacks and accusations upon my character as the “liberal unpatriotic hater of America.” Since when is disagreeing with the official White House position the mark of being evil? When did we become so extreme and inflexible in this country?
Sunday, June 05, 2005
First Post
Hello,
I'm brand new at this blogging thing. So forgive me if I slip up somewhere along the way. Truth is like so many people, I think that I have so many things to say. And of course I'm interested in what other people have to say about my thoughts. I also think it is good excercise to be forced to put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboards as much as possible. Since I have a blog, hopefully, I will be forced to write material to post. So this is it. My first post.
I'm brand new at this blogging thing. So forgive me if I slip up somewhere along the way. Truth is like so many people, I think that I have so many things to say. And of course I'm interested in what other people have to say about my thoughts. I also think it is good excercise to be forced to put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboards as much as possible. Since I have a blog, hopefully, I will be forced to write material to post. So this is it. My first post.
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