Hey, you're religious, right?

So many times, people assume that I am--or think I am--better than others, or that all Christians think they are better than others.  If anything, Christianity is a like standing in front of a mirror naked and letting it all hang out.  So, thank God we have Jesus to cancel out our sins.  I'm not going to save myself; I fight my share of demons (i.e. I am far from perfect), chief amoung them Asmodeus and Acedia.  But, we have to try to minister to others too (not to show superiority, but to manifest the Fruit of The Spirit).

I believe it was St. James who said that faith without works was dead.  Thanks for that St. James.  So we can't just hide in our homes.  When I was very young, I used to hope (maybe even have asked) that God would make me one of the two prophets from the book of Revelation who are killed and have their bodies left in the streets.  Looking back, I realize that it was a very arrogant desire; I am nowhere near worthy.  I later asked for a very different ministry.  I, however, have never felt that I was called.  I just keep on keeping on.  I trust in God, even when I don't (doubt), and believe that there is a plan for me; nothing happens by chance.  

As a side note of sorts, as a young boy, I was heavily influenced by the TV show of The Worldwide Church of God, especially by their apocalyptic content and literature. I can still see the cover of one pamphlet with the Beast rising from the sea.

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Little Green Men

I can't believe I've never written about Great Filter Theory or the Fermi Paradox (I queried my blog).  The two GFT explanations I find most likely are that all intelligent life destroys itself, and the Dark Forest Theory.

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Satire

@wramier: It's not well known that the origin of Feb. 29th is actually tied to Groundhog Day. Like the clockwork of an American election, the little rodent only has four years to get it right. More like a banana republic revolution, he is deposed/eaten on Feb 29th. #frythefurylittlebastard  Shared via TweetCaster

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@wramier: Where's all the Episcopalians at?  I was really looking forward to Ash Wednesday service tonight, but I can't find a local service. https://youtu.be/fcWo1hKHu40 via @YouTube  Shared via TweetCaster

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Man Oh Man

When the BCP was penned in 1549, man meant human.  When I pray the Office, even alone, I usually leave out man, and especially when with others; I don't eat meat if I can help it around those who cannot eat meat.  Today, as we celebrated Holy Communion from the BCP, I reflected on the "comfortable words" that the Apostles wrote.  How did leaving out "man" make me feel?  How gracious of you to ask me.  Honestly?  Knowing that man means human and not people with a penis and that we're altering the age old text, I feel like man has become a bad word, like being a man is wrong, emasculated.

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We Are Artificial Intelligence

If there is ID, then we ARE machines.  We are machines using soft rubber like materials called flesh (creative new age alternative to steel and plastic, bio-tech), concrete like frame made from ground minerals, hard drives using memory engrams and Random Access Memory using neuropathways, built of readily available materials on this 3rd rock from the sun, capable of self replication, with an operating system called DNA, and applications that run called behaviour, instinct, customs, culture, and the hedonistic calculus. Programmed to reason, compete, and survive, we are almost totally self sufficient. 

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Such A Near Run Thing

If even one small little thing like memory were missing, would we have consciousness?  Would we be self aware? 

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A Holy Lent

I was planning on diving into the Anglican Breaviary as part of my Lenten devotion to prayer.   I think I might add fasting from Facebook and certain other indulgences maybe.  

The object of Lent should never be to punish ourselves, of course.  But, fasting can be a good thing and can be spiritually strengthening. 

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Stumbling Block

I speak often of a stumbling block.  Normally,  I mean the law.  The reading from Romans Ch 9 is refrencing Jesus.  Ironic that the one who frees us from the law is a stumbling block for so many others.

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What's wrong with Ishmael?

As I read the appointed reading from Genesis, it moved from the death and burial of Abraham to the life of Isaac.  It skipped over Ishmael, and I thought of the Arabs.

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Re: Anglican Fellowship of Prayer (Canada)

Are you ready for Lent?

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On Sat, Feb 15, 2020 at 11:33 AM, Win Mizon

<newsletter@anglicanprayer.org> wrote:

Please find the AFP-C Lent Newsletter on our website by clicking the link below:

http://anglicanprayer.org/newsletters/Vol%2028%20No1%20Newsletter%20Lent%202020.pdf

You can also see past newsletters on this site www.anglicanprayer.org/newsletters/

Remember our new postal address:

Anglican Fellowship of Prayer (Canada)
P.O. Box 43021
LONDON, ON  N6J 0A7

Blessings

Win

Win (Winnifred) Mizon
newsletter@anglicanprayer.org
AFP-C Membership Coordinator
AFP-C Newsletter Co-editor

Psalm 104

I read the 104th psalm tonight.  I was drawn to verse 29.  I am also afraid when I do not see God's face.  I fear returning to the dust.

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Does this sound crazy?

Lately, I have had a growing fear that I am becoming crazy.  I've heard it said that the ability to question your sanity is a sure sign that you are sane.  Is that crazy?

Negligent

I haven't prayed the Office in days!  I am lazy and distracted.  I'm already in bed as I write this.  I need to get back on my horse.

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Disappointed

Irresponsible Reckless Self-destructive Selfish Dangerous Criminal

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Alien Metal

This is actually two posts, one about aliens, one about metal.  I couldn't resist writing about both so that the subject could be alien metal.

Last night, I drempt about aliens.  I found my way to an old "abandoned" fort that was an ops centre for alien activity.  I also figured out what was going on, so the operatives inside told me everything I wanted to know, knowing that they were going to give me a mind wipe.  It was harmless.  I begged them to let me remember.   Obviously, they did not; I remember nothing.  ☺

I've been listening to 80s metal lately.  I started thinking about how "liberal" it is, Run To The Hills, Symphony Of Destruction.  Then I thought about the irony; the leftest boomers who raised us thought it was corrupting us, and it was.  It was leftist propaganda.  Then I thought of the irony of irony in Iron Made and Metal.  ☺

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List of Influential People--Updated

It was interesting to revisit this post today:

https://wramier.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-people-who-were-biggest-influences.html?showComment=1581282505855#c6066608714546342371

It became evident that it was a time sensitive post, in that it was me at that time; I've added names (see the comment below the original post in the link) of influence on the me before and the me after the post to flesh out the skeleton of the list that was then the me in the now.  I can't discount the impact people like Skinner had on my young adulthood, Cranmer and others midway to present, and that of Carl Jung Thomas, Jefferson, and Jordan Peterson (oops, I left him off the list) later in my life (so far).  There are so many influences and great thinkers.  If pressed, I'm sure I could name so many more.  That's not even mentioning the people that God has placed in my path like Jennifer, Christian, Gerald, Vivian, etc....

Idea

I have an idea for Lent.  I think I'm going to dive into The Anglican Breviary.  Wish me luck and pray for me. 

Light of Christ

https://gratefulness.org/candle/wdr-canada/

Salt & Light

The Gospel reading at Church today was from the Sermon on the Mount.  As I reflected on the reading, I thought a lot about the law.  I've been telling many people recently that we are not bound by the law.  Want tattoos even though Leviticus says not to mark your body?  We are not bound by the law.  Want to marry somebody of the same sex?  Go ahead; we are not bound by the law.  Want to have women priests in the Church?  Absolutely, we are not bound by the law.  What if plucking out the eye to enter the Kingdom of Heaven is allowing ourselves to not follow the law, realizing that we can't live up to it anyway?  Christ is the atonement for our sins.  AND, he released us from the law, what a great gift!  I don't want to be the one who sets a stumbling block before my brother and causes him to turn away from Christ.  Better that he should enter the Kingdom of Heaven, I think.  I've long liked Romans 14 to support my view on the law, and have recently taken a real liking to Galatians 5.  But, as I reflected on today's Gospel reading today at Church, I judged myself; that's me in verse 19 of the Sermon on the Mount.  Maybe I will be least in the Kingdom of Heaven.  Maybe that's why St. Paul kept referring to himself as least of the Apostles (aside from the stoning of St. Stephen and the persecution of the Church).  He was the author of the idea (literally, although not primary source) that we didn't have to submit to the law for salvation. 

Wow 37

Psalm 37 Part II was the assigned reading the other day.  I remember verse 21 of course; it first hit me as a judgement on the welfare state some time ago.  But, then there's the second half of that very same verse saying to give generously.  23 and 24 reassure me that I will not fall, though I should.  25 through 28 say to do good; God will protect the good and their children, but the evil will be destroyed.  Skip ahead to 33, God will not leave us in the power of the wicked.  35 and 36 say that the wicked do so well; but, they will not last forever.  39 and 40, God will save the righteous because they take refuge in Him.

H

Last night I drempt that I went back to my old job.  I went back to the H.  It was one shift.  Although, I think was working part of the time as a janitor.   I quit after one day.  The long hours were a factor.  I guess the manual labor isn't what it used to be.  You could just turn your brain off and slug steel all night in the heat.  But, I guess it isn't for me anymore.

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We Are Forever And Always In The Matrix

Many people have speculated that we are inside a computer simulation a la Matrix.  With Quantum Computers pulling data from alternate realities and engineers wanting those same computers to be self aware coupled with CERN's apparent ability to break down the walls between realities and change the time line, could reality BE the simulation? 

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Today's Sermon or Left Turn Only Lane

Heavy on the judgement of Trump, lite on the Judge Yea Not, a plug for socialism, yup, that's why I don't like to go to Church.

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Women

Somebody will likely be upset, so I'll try to head this one off at the pass.  Let me tell you a story.  So, when I was in my late teens/early twenties, my dad and I used to have this argument.  He didn't think women should be in the military.  God forgive me for telling this story, and maybe he's changed his mind.  He does have two young granddaughters now, one of whom is an accomplished scholar.  So, I'll continue.  I told him that a woman could do anything a man could do.  He asked me if I was a soldier on the ground, would I be comfortable with a woman flying a supersonic jet above me.  I said that I would be totally fine with it if she was trained to do the job.  A woman could do anything a man could do.  He said that they can't.  They have monthly cycles and have to be accommodated and mood swings and have babies and can't work.  I argued no, that was not the case.  A woman could do it.  They should be treated the same as men.  Then the world changed.  Feminists don't want equality.  It's sexist to pay a man and a woman $20/hour because she might take mat leave and her annual reported income will be lower and there will be a pay gap.  Women have to be hired and then accommodated in an industrial setting; even when not pregnant they can't be asked to lift more than 50 lbs.  Women get 14 minutes to run the 11.26 min. timed 1.5 mile certification run for the military police.  Laws (like infanticide) are written to accommodate them.  Stats Can shows that punishments for crimes are disproportionately handed down, a hold over from pathological sociology' focus on males.  Nobody fights for equal sentences for equal crime.  Like Natives and Blacks, men are over represented in the prison system.  Statically, far more mothers than fathers are awarded full custody of children.  Feminists don't fight for equal deployment of women to combat zones.  There is very little help for post-youth homeless men.  Shelters are hard to find.  Rape culture ideology vilifies men and normal human behavior.  Feminists' pro-abortion ideology marginalizes men and strips them of any rights...even to an opinion.  Anything left of centre is a human right to feminists and you are a misogynist if you don't support it.  Special (beneficial/privilege) treatment is needed for feminists, not the same treatment for all.  Men who think women are weak and have to be accommodated are chauvinists.  Women are our equals.  Lets start treating them like it.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10155558571046994&id=568856993

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Custodi me a tragoedia.

No seeds should ever perish and fail to germinate before the plant dies. 

Pater meus filiae defendat.

The worry is exhausting. 

On Democratic Socialism

When I was in my teens, I was a self professed Democratic Socialist. I believed with all my heart that is was THE best way (everybody makes mistakes (currently a Blue Tory)). I believed both that the poor should be helped (as I still do now) and that we should collect money to fund programs to that end. As I reflect on that now, I am struck by the hidden meaning of the two word term; even as a teen, I understood the danger of socialism because I realized the need for the qualifier word democratic. Knowing that it needed to be controlled and believing that democracy could accomplish that task, understanding that socialism was like a fire that could heat or burn down your home, I missed a few important points; communism has failed every single time it has been tried and it reduces the standard of living to the lowest common denominator while making individuals dependent on authority. Vladimir Lenin said, very matter-of-factly, that THE goal of socialism is communism; you don't have to understand or believe that for it to be true either, nor for it to happen. I'm reminded of what an American statesman said in reference to establishing a navy; in reference to government programs, he stated that if a navy was established to fight the conflict, it would become a standing navy that would remain long after and that would be very hard--if not impossible--to end or abolish. Ronald Reagan said that if welfare programs were designed to help people, shouldn't there be fewer and fewer people requiring these programs every year? The opposite is true; since their establishment, more and more people come to depend on them. And, big government bureaucracy needs them as a raison d'etre. It's in their best interest to grow the program, not help reduce the number of those dependent on it. It's an industry, and their jobs and offices depend on it. I forgot something else too; socialism is not voluntary. It is maintained by force. The collection of funds is done through coercion, starting with letters, warnings, and notices, and ending with incarceration or worse. And, like the Hotel California, you can never leave. The converse is true; in a liberal (classical liberalism) free market democracy, you can choose to join or belong to a social group that fosters the care of it's members, like the Sons of Scotland. You can never leave socialism but by bloody revolution and resistance. Also, as Elbert Lee Guillory pointed out when he said that, liberal (leftist) policies are not designed to lift the Black community out of poverty but were designed to keep them in servitude while truly being about maintaining power. Socialism is always only about power.

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Lies

Was recycling ALWAYS a lie? With Toronto and other communities being busted sending recycling to landfills, foreign plastic recycling contractors dumping bottles in rivers/oceans, recycling being rejected for being "dirty" when we were never told that was a problem before, certain recycling being "unrecyclable", and being told that certain items are cost prohibitive (weren't they always) to recycle, has it been 🐄 💩 all along?

Are they lying to us now about Global Warming? Is this...Déjà Moo?

When I was in high school, I loved ecology and was very environmentally conscious. In college, I even took an Environmental Awareness course as an elective (in Police Foundations). I also took music appreciation (don't judge me). At some point, I became convinced that environmentalism was a loosing battle. I became jaded. I used to dislike the tactics of the far left and eco-terrorism anyway; but, I was convinced that people would need to start dying before they would change. At one point, I used to proudly proclaim that although I was no tree hugger, that I believed that we should care for and protect the Earth. Although, in the same breath, I declared that no change would be big enough or fast enough to make a difference. Enter Global Warming.

At first I was receptive. But, the politics of it all made me hesitant to accept claims at face value. The evident attack on sovereignty as well as the power consolidation and tax grab alarmed me. It looked a lot like socialism. The Moral Panic and sheep like followers were repugnant to me. The cult like devotion of its followers and the personal and professional targeted destruction of any person who questioned it was much too far. I learned that the science was not settled at all. I watched the 2015 target date for completely melted ice caps come and go. I watched as evidence of data tampering surfaced, to facilitate the myth. I observed the conflict of interest as billions of (mostly government) dollars were awarded as research grants and such for perpetuating the myth. I watched in cynical amusement as they changed the name from Global Warming to Climate Change, coupled with a 13 year period of no observed actual warming. I watched as challengers surfaced questioning the projection models at great professional risk. I looked on in anger as Canada declared a national climate emergency and more so as the UN announced 12 years until the end of the world. Enter landfill controversy.

When I learned that municipalities had been lying to us about recycling, I felt used and cheated. The one thing maybe that I believed in, it was all a lie! It's all about control, consolidation of power, and money! All of it! I'm disgusted! I'm not just skeptical, I'm angry.



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