Union Jedi

Sometimes at work when people ask me questions about labour law or rights, I feel like a jedi, like Obi--a secret member of the old religion. There are a select few who know that I was a union steward.

I'm thinking I should rename my blog.

I was thinking of changing the name of my blog, seeing as how it has degenerated into an opinion column. I thought My Soap Box was a good name; but it's not exactly original.  Then I thought Hermes is the messenger god, that's fitting; but, it's much too pagan. Angel is better, but too strange. What to do....

Am I a Puppet?

Why is it that anarchists think that I am a brain washed puppet of society? I happen to agree with them (society). I actually am a policy shaper. I'm part of society. Join it.

Gun Crime

Gun violence is becoming a hot topic. The conservative tough on crime approach isn't going to deter crime any more than the liberal anti gun laws. They are needed though (tough on crime laws), to remove offenders from society so that they can not re offend. I think the best answer is to require everybody to carry, and know how to use, a firearm. The first thing to learn is to get over your fear of firearms. More people die from car accidents. Fear cars, not guns. It has been said that we need to deal with the people behind the guns first. I agree.

Faith

St. Paul said that faith was to believe in something we couldn't see. Strictly using this definition, once one has seen a divine manifestation, it is no longer possible to have faith.

Guns

The problem isn't guns. The solution is guns. If every person was legally required to carry and know how to use a firearm, I'd like to see a nut job try to kill 12 people at a movie theater.

Colonialism

I was just saying to somebody yesterday something you can't say anymore. When history is taught now, we are tought about how bad the British were and that colonialism is wrong; it's wrong to subjagate a foreign people. Well, the last part is mostly true; but, all those people living in the violence of civil war, in poverty, in diesease, in hunger, would they not have been better off in the stability of colonialism? But you can't say that anymore; it's not politically correct. So, they're free and they die.

Nice

I guess to be nice is to not have an opinion about ANYTHING (or at least not to express it). They say you can't make all of the people happy all of the time; no matter what you do, you will p1$$ somebody off. I guess the trick is to do nothing; keep it to yourself. That's being nice. I've heard that the mark of a true gentleman is to see that those in his company are comfortable. They say one in never to talk about religion or politics in polite conversation. Truer words have never been spoken. Truer words have never been spoken.

Faith

Cindy was telling somebody that Christopher Plumber was saying how afraid of death he was. The person responded, "Why, was he a bad man?" What this means is that they believe in God and can't understand how anybody could truly fear death. That's faith.

Tree Nazis

If science is the new religion, then the tree nazis are it's newest cult.

Don't Understand Science

Somebody posted a pic on Facebook that said that if you weren't moved by science, you didn't understand science or you didn't understand yourself. I replied as follows:

...or I understand it and don't appreciate it, or I'm sick of it constantly being shoved down my throat by militant atheist neo darwinists.

Cable Packages

I discovered that I have been loosing posts from my cell. This is a re post as well--from today--of a lost post that I sent in from my cell phone:

I was thinking about how the political party is like a cable package. You can't buy single channels. You have to buy a package containing the few channels you want to see along with many, many more that you do not want to see, but must pay for. I'm a conservative, but I am also a unionist. I value free national health care; but, I also value fiscal responsibility, and the liberals don't know what that means. It's the same in the Church. As I look around at what's available--I've told myself I'm staying put until after Chandra goes to post secondary--I don't see where I fit in. Not judging people is something the liberals used to be so good at (they now persecute conservatives), but they take everything to the left, so far to the left. In truth, that's why I left the United Church; it was too liberal. I joined an orthodox Church...at the very beginning of a metamorphosis. I became an Anglican just as the Anglican Church started to become United. However, the conservative Churches think everybody is going to hell for something. Even if you're a confessing Christian, you're doing it wrong. But, they are so by the book. I hate the whole package....

FW:of a repost from first week of July

In what Church do I fit? I feel like a square peg; I look around me, and all I see are round holes.

FW:of a repost from first week of July

I am really angry that people who are supposed to represent Christ are pushing feminism, and quotas, and other left wing ideologies. I don't care what men did to women two hundred years ago. I did nothing. How is it fair to treat some people better and not equal? Quotas are not equality.

Total Freedom

 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.  To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.  To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.  I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.  
1 Cor 9:19-23 (NIV)

Whatever You Do?

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved."  1Cor 10:31-33 (NIV)

Whatever I do?  Not just eat and drink, but do?  Well, that sure opens a can of worms....

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Jesus is Freedom from the Law or the Assassin's Creed

I was thinking about something St. Paul said and the video game Assassin's Creed--a great tool for the evangelical atheist.  The Assassin's Creed is this:  "Nothing is true.  Everything is permitted."  It reminds me of something Peter Hitchens said about the feeling at the moment of his conversion to atheism.  Freedom, he felt totally free in the sense that there was no future punishment for any immoral action done in secret or public in this life and he could do what ever he desired.  This sounds a lot to me like the Assassin's Creed.  But, they're reinventing the wheel.  St. Paul said that everything is acceptable, but not everything is good for you.  WE ARE ALREADY FREE THROUGH JESUS!

Jesus is Amazing!

Suppose Jesus was just a man and teacher as the atheists would have us believe.  He stood up to the religious authority and even the Roman Empire, to the point of death on a cross, for His message of love and mercy.

Christians Aren't Supposed to be Perfect

"God does not call us to perfection, God calls us to faithfulness and wholeness."  Sr. Debra, SSJD

Gun Laws

I heard the most intelligent thing said on the topic the other day:  "We have to stop worrying about the guns [gun violence] and start dealing with the people behind them."

Attention Neo Freudians

Attention Neo Freudians:  I had a really messed up dream some time ago.  It must mean something.  So, a demon was resurrected/summoned along with two of his minions, a bat and a monkey.  I was the monkey.  I was afraid of the boss, and tried to hide the fact that I didn't know what was going on.  I found out much later in the dream that sometimes after resurrection, some beings have amnesia.  And, they knew that I was hiding being in the dark.  There was this secret elevator that went from hell to the back of a department store.  I let people into this back room to shop, and the bat freaked out on me for letting them in.  What's it all mean?

Science is a Gift

So, researchers claim to have proof of the God particle.  What does this mean?  What does this change?  For me?  Nothing.  For so many others, it is the pillar of atheism.  Science is wonderful.  Science gives us so much.  But, science should never replace God.  Science is a great gift from God. 

Poison

Some environments--and some people--are poison. They bring out the worst in us. They foster and nurture hate. They cause us to sin. In some cases they polarize us, draw us away from Christ to hold up another banner. In such cases, I believe it is better to remove yourself from the environment. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.