Evilution? lol.

I found the whole evolution verse creation debate fairy frustrating at first, but now simply entertaining. I think the problem lies in that most people try to make the argument something that it isn't, and because of this you have hilarious irrationalities that people feel like they have to make familiarities of in order to maintain some consistency and integrity across their testimonies.

This stubborn insistence hurts their own cause though, their passion for something so irrelevant proves how much they've missed the point. Evolution remains a viable and plausible theory. Creationism becomes just a matter of particulars. We all know stuffed happened, 'how' is just speculation. Shouldn't people enjoy their god-given curiosity in pursuit of knowledge, and remain open-minded and appreciative to the unfolding universe around them?

I did try to engage in conversation recently on this topic, but I was greeted with that uneasy anxiety of people who hadn't been told what they were meant to believe yet. I found it quite sad. The idea that the words "I don't know" make you ashamed and susceptible to misteachings is I think a false conception. Indeed, it would be much more delusional to convince yourself of something you don't even know.

In my experience, the old beatitude runs true for this topic. I know a drop in the ocean regarding this universe, and I cannot even begin to appreciate it's depths, but that makes me value the small experience I have been afforded even more.

God forbid that I should be damned for admitting that I don't know instead of pretending that I do.

Regards,

Michael.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jB2RgDQrHgI
The funniest thing is that the song is actually awesome.


"I see trees of green, red roses too.
I see them bloom, for me and you.
And I think to myself... what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue, and clouds of white.
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world..." - Louis Armstrong

us and them?

Australia's primary religion becomes fairly obvious when 99% of it's newspapers are dedicated to it, and then the last remaining 1% which aren't about it are dedicated to the things people in it do. I stood in awe over the past week at the amount of influence that football has in our society. How's it get that way I wonder?



I've always struggled with the us-and-them mentality of the church. It's like some type of secret racism, but there's a biblical basis for it. The problem is that it can accomodate a presumptuious attitude towards others who harbor different opinions and perspectives. People short change themselves when they allow this to get in the way of learning from others.

I also find it to be fairly inconsistent. The values of people without I often aspire to and find more admirable than the people within. I find people who yearn with all their hearts to know truth. Why are they not considered like us, when our priority is the Truth, yet the most ignorant have ways of getting onto a pulpit? If this division were more apparent, I think we would find that the line is not where we initially thought it would be.



New favourite thing:
People who say "I can feel it in me waters"


"there are only 2 types of people in this world: The idiots who think that there are only 2 types of people in this world, and people who don't."

That's a quote from me :)

Michael

Those relgious nuts...

That whole atheist bandwagon is really starting to get on my nerves. I'm glad the movement has started gaining momentum, but it's picking up some incredibly zealous idiots along the way. It's almost become a religion in it's own right which is deliciously hypocritical. Mind you they'll argue that there different from everyone else, (again deliciously hypocritical), and that they know the truth and everyone else is wrong. People need to get away from this whole "declaration" and "absolute" mentality.

In the forums of failing subjective human perception, absolutes are a fantasy. Mankind is not capable of such a thing, and would do itself a favor by not trying. No, instead we must continue to work in the domain of speculation, of theorizing, of vigilant searching and of faith.

I admire the man who can admit he is confused over the one who pretends that he is not. Doubt is a very difficult burden, but a very honest and modest one.

Word,
Michael

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfLAv3JHRwY
I guarantee that I will post this video again in the future.

"This is one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind. "
- Neil Armstrong
(ever stop and think about just how incredible it is that a man left earth, and walked on the moon?)

Truth, love, and doubt...

In 21 years of living and breathing my faith I am yet to find a church that cares more about the truth than it's religion, it's community, and more than it's 'getting along.' It is something that is compromised with continuously as to minimize the tremors it sends through the foundations of our lives, the foundations we have built our entire existence around.

But it's not even the content I have a problem with. It's this pretentious certainty that has become valued and praised. We are encouraged to face our doubt, but then applaud when we find justifications for ignoring and moving around it. We get challenged, and we fail. So much we pretend to conquer doubt, when we just try and live around it.

If I can't go where I am going, and ask the questions that I have been asking, and not remain a christian, than Christianity as i have been taught it is truly broken. The only difference to what I was and what I am now is that I have finally decided to take the truth more seriously. And it comes at a cost that grows each day, but rewards with a freedom that liberates my soul. I think John had the idea.

I am no advocate for the church. I am no propagator. I do not speak from a pulpit. I am no evangelist. My agenda is not the gospel, but the truth. Once they are the same, than there will be no discord between. But may the good lord lead me to that conclusion, as I refuse to end up there, or anywhere, via my own delusions. I will merely do the best I can, with the little that I have.

But oh how that tears me...


Truth and love,

Michael

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG8eQBSp9Ao

"I'm not an atheist, though, because the belief that there is no God only mirrors the certitude of religion. No, I'm saying that doubt is the only appropriate response for human beings." - Bill Maher

To hope I was predestined to choose my destination...

My mind got ticking on the whole Predestination thing today. It's that always present debate that exists amongst the church, as to whether we are predestined to be Children of God, or whether it is a choice that comes from our own free will. I have heard several lectures regarding the topic and have been left dissatisfied with most of them, many copping out with the 'What is not possible for man, is possible with God' and claiming that both are true at the same time.

I honestly think that is not a legitimate answer. If predestination is the case, than we do not have a choice. Any notion of free will is then an illusion, or a deception. That implies that we are told we have free will, but do not actually.Because we talk of predestination and free will as it applies to us, which means there should be a point at which it is comprehensible. Indeed there is a rare occurrence of agreement between wider religious circles that God can only be perceived as he chooses to reveal himself to us. Thus the topic at hand is only known through revelation which means that if interpreted as such, God has given contradictory information, and he if he has not, sure we are able to discern some meaning from it.

My interpretation is that you cannot remove Free will. To do so would compromise the entire apex of the Christian Faith.. However predestination is a point well pressed. The only plausible answer I can understand that keeps the integrity of God intact is that whilst man might be predestined to heavenly things, he has a choice whether he accept it or not.

Mind you this all can only make sense if we make assumptions about other things. Which we do, but should be very careful about doing, as it can lend support to the equation that Faith = Blind Trust, a definition that is becoming fairly common across the interhigways. Unfortunately there are plenty of people creating evidence for this, and I can appreciate the view point.

Works a bit of a drag but I'm getting fairly settled and routined. I'm looking forward to the next few months with that whole marriage thing coming and what not.
Why are all American comedians deserving of their title Democrats? Perhaps it is because that, despite their humorous slights at what's going on, they actually know what's going on. I watched Real Time with Bill Maher today. It's nice to see Americans call out their idiots. It's one thing other than the obvious rekindles my hope in the country.

Honestly, who wouldn't vote for that guy when the alternative decides to pair up with this?

This blog is teaching me a lot about grammar,
Michael

http://www.pbfcomics.com/?cid=PBF247-Catch_Phrase.jpg

“I do think the patriotic thing to do is to critique my country. How else do you make a country better but by pointing out its flaws?” - Bill Maher

People are dumb.

One of the biggest reasons I have come to doubt my faith, or faith of any kind, or even any claim made by any man, is the ever growing appreciation I have for man's incredible aptitude to delude himself. It's not just the ignorant or stupid either that do it, it's any man with another agenda. I include myself amongst that number. People have a tendency to view things to suit their own needs, which is fine provided they're still seeing things for what they are. However in order to stay within the boundaries our small minds have conjured we compromise with our senses, and allow ourselves to pretend to believe something other than what is actually happening before us. Taken to the extreme, you get insanity.

The token response I get from the christian circles is to not trust the failing perceptions of man, but to trust God. Which would be legit, if the idea of God I had constructed did not stem from the failing human perceptions of man, my own included. To claim the non-existence of such an entity, or spirituality, would be nonsensical, however to even pretend that I'm sure about any of it would merely be deceptive. "I don't know," I find, is a good honest humble and accurate statement.

If God wants me to preach the gospel with conviction, then the implication is that God wants me to lie and pretend that I am convinced about something that I am not.

I began reading Stephen King's IT. Its surprisingly captivating, even though all I've read is a clown killing a child, a gay, and a rich middle-aged man suicide. It reinforces my belief that clowns are not fun, or funny. Just plain evil.

Michael

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Rl5SOuq6-g
I do hate that paperclip....

The hardest part about gaining any new idea is sweeping out the false idea occupying that niche. As long as that niche is occupied, evidence and proof and logical demonstration get nowhere. But once the niche is emptied of the wrong idea that has been filling it — once you can honestly say, "I don't know", then it becomes possible to get at the truth. - Unknown source

Hopefully more than a continual Facebook status....

Quite ironically I was late for work today, after reaching the station 10 minutes before my train was due. Whilst amusing in itself, the company I work for makes the experience all the more rich.

I've decided that a "daily" blog is a new necessity for me. As the job-grinding eats my brain, I feel an easy outlet to feed through my creativity, frustration and lust for controversy would be therapeutic. Also it will allow me a medium in which I can feel more comfortable about revealing my ever-changing thoughts and perceptions with less fear of outright reprimands, and with a vague hope that rather it would create more productive and interesting dialogue.

And sometimes I just need to outright vent, and feel like someone is listening.

I'm kind of doing a vague imitation of Penny-arcade's format, as I admire there ability to keep it short and to the point whilst maintaining thorough articulations on their subject matter, however the content should vary considerably as my gaming obsession sort of begins and ends here, with little deviation. Hopefully I can imitate there directness.

Last night I engaged in a heartening conversation with my father and fiance regarding the nature of Bible College, and things akin to it. I have noticed a pattern that the victims of these institutions seem to go through. It begins with an immediate exciting romantic period of shiny newness, followed by a painful realization of how much everyone actually hates each other, and then, hopefully, a slow stubborn difficult decision is made to choose to love and forgive the people who your stuck with irregardless of the amount of loathing that you've managed to justify amassing for them. In my experience of Year 13, I got to see it come full circle, and that was a beautiful thing, however, witnessing people stumble after phase two makes me question as to whether the entire ordeal is worth it. I have a few friends coming to terms of what their commitment really entails, and my heart goes out to them.

It also brought into question what are we really learning at these places, compared to what are we meant to be learning? The amount I learnt from the lessons paled in comparison to what I learnt from the volatile community. And I guarantee the things I learnt were far from what the directors had in mind.

Warcraft Servers are down tonight, leaving me to find productive ways to fill my time. It sucks.

Peace out,

Michael

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_8yPap-k_s
Warning: Naughty words said toward end

The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently

- Nietzsche