A God-Sized Puzzle

8-bit Last Supper

2012-02-24T08:40:00.000-05:00

I love a good Last Supper parody.

[Via Unreasonable Faith]

While searching for a full list of names for a few of the characters I didn't recognize on the far right I stumbled upon this page containing a treasure trove of Last Supper parodies. It's not completely up to date ( they didn't have the one from Lost) but it's got over 50+ parodies. Enjoy.

Time Lord Victorious

2012-02-12T20:04:00.000-05:00

Time Lord Victorious

There were a couple of recent articles found here and here, and a Doctor Who episode I recently rewatched on Netflix which all run along the same theme. They all touch upon the theme of a supreme/higher being with absolute power. The Doctor Who episode entitled "The Waters of Mars" displays one of the Doctor's darker moments after rescuing Captain Adelaide Brooke who should have died on Mars and is an important figure to earth's history thus altering, or so he thinks, a fixed point in time. The Doctor proclaims himself the Time Lord Victorious as Captain Adelaide Brooke challenges the monster the Doctor has become.

Captain Adelaide Brooke: "And if my family changes, the whole of history can change. The future of the human race. No one should have that much power."

The Doctor: "Tough."

Not only does the concept of an all powerful deity being in 100% control of everything in the universe reeks of injustice and immorality (at least to me), I can't imagine anyone with that much power over life and death without a broken heart, or in the Doctor's case, two broken hearts. A deity with absolute control over the cosmos may be comforting to many but to others comes across as a complete monster over the slaughter of women and children in the Old Testament and unjust as the giver (and withholder) of "God-given" rights. I acknowledge that this may simply be a difference of opinion in how we view the divine, but a deity which asks of us complete submission and repentance without reciprocating shared suffering and shared forgiveness seems too alienating for my taste. As the brilliant Amelia Pond says in "The Beast Below"

"If you're were that old and that kind, and the very last of your kind, you couldn't just stand there and watch children cry."

I find that the concept of an all-loving God is more comforting than an all-powerful God yet the all-powerful God seems to over shadow the all-loving. A God who suffers,a broken and lonely God, seems more in touch with humanity than one who rules over its creation. The image of the divine I lean more towards is that of God as a verb more than a noun, an action instead of a being.

Life in a Day

2012-02-02T09:12:00.000-05:00

For those who haven't seen this film yet I highly recommend watching Life in a Day which is streaming on Netflix. Life in a Day is a worldwide project where people submitted clips of what they did on July 24,2010. It's not entirely thrilling since it is just a series of clips of people going about there everyday business but what I love is the tender and vulnerable human moments in the film. What I also enjoyed is seeing the immense differences and similarities we share with our global neighbors. There's something about the these types of grand "big picture" films that reminds me how precious life is and how we are interconnected with each other. For those who don't have Netflix (really? If you don't have Netflix you really are missing out, the best $8 I spend every month) you can watch the entire film streaming on YouTube on their official channel here. Also on the channel there are clips showing a few people in the film where they are 1 year later and there comments on the project.

So What?

2012-01-17T10:36:00.000-05:00

I know this piece of news is a bit outdated but I just had to share. RNS posted an article over a week ago about how 4 out of 10 Americans just don't care for anything spiritual. Check out the link to read up on all the numbers but to me I still think numbers are well, numbers. But what catches my attention is the question behind the survey. Why are people drifting away from religion and things spiritual? I believe that Barry Kosmin, co-author of the ARIS and director of the Institute for the Study of Secularism at Trinity College hit the nail on the head.

“But a lot of these people are concerned more with the tangible, the real stuff like mortgages or their favorite football team or the everyday world,” Kosmin said.

People are more concerned with the here and now than what may or may not happen in the afterlife or concerned with seeking for the meaning of life. I know to many people religion is their number one priority and there is nothing wrong with that. I'm not saying just because your neighbor has different priorities that you should change yours, but it wouldn't hurt to get to know the why behind your neighbor's priorities. For example, there was an overly cheery, elderly gentleman who joined my family in the hospital elevator down to the ground floor. We were on our way back home from a visit with my wife's grandfather who is still recovering from major surgery when we ran into this elderly gentleman in the elevator. He was smiling from ear to ear and making small talk and joking with another passenger in the elevator when he made an interesting comment.

"I've not much time left in this world, we're all going to a better place."

Now in the South you run into someone just about everyday who enjoys witnessing and sharing their faith, and at first this comment appeared as another public witnessing. It wasn't until on the ride home that it hit me: the comment was a cry for help. The poor man was probably visiting someone, his wife perhaps, who doesn't have much time left. He is comforted by the fact that his loved one will soon be going to a better place and that the pain will soon be gone. If I had realized his suffering sooner I might have at the very least given him an it's gonna be okay smile than just a hello smile. Believe me there's a difference. I would have gone as far as having a quick 3 minute prayer session with the gentleman in the hospital corridor even though I don't believe in the power of prayer. Why? Because my spirituality is based on my relationship with my fellow man. Our shared suffering and our shared joy is what brings us and binds us to one another. So when Americans in this survey are saying so what to traditional religion and God I don't think for a second they are saying so what to their fellow man. I believe they are redefining the boundaries of their community and identity. I believe they are moving from just loving their neighbor who sits next them in church to also loving their non-Christian neighbor who they pass by in the supermarket.

Does it really matter if more Americans consider themselves as a part of the Nones category or even as far as this subset of So What? I believe our morality flows from our humanity and our interconnectedness with one another than from any outside divine source. In the original article by Cathy Lynn Grossman, Scott McConnell, director of LifeWay Research, fears that this apathetic mentality and the goodness vs. godliness mindset is a disaster for Christians, "If you're not worried about heaven, you won't notice or care if Jesus is essential your salvation. You're not thinking about any consequences," McConnell says. I believe this fear is more based on the fear of identity erosion than about consequences. Just because you don't believe that Christ is your savior means that all morality gets thrown out with the window. Anyone who has lived in a dormitory understands that even if the dean or the RA is not around doesn't mean you can light firecrackers in the hallway or fail to pay attention where you're "aiming" while using the restroom. We all still live under one global roof and being apathetic to religion and spirituality does not mean we will forget about consequences.

The Outcast

2012-01-03T10:20:00.002-05:00

I've been watching Star Trek: The Next Generation for the last couple months on Netflix when I came across an incredible scene in the episode entitled "The Outcast" and its commentary on LGBT rights. In this episode Commander Riker falls for a member of an androgynous species called the J'naii who later reveals she is actually female.

Of course when this episode originally aired back in 1992 I had no idea there was anything outside of heterosexuality (I was in the 2nd grade). But I just find it troubling that even nearly 20 years later that we are still debating whether or not these "deviants" should even be understood let alone allow them to equal rights.

A Christmas Nation

2011-12-23T09:26:00.000-05:00

Today at Unreasonable Faith Vorjack asked which Christian Principles created the foundation for this nation. American history is pretty messy even if we only like to focus on the high points in history class. I mean the slaves were eventually freed and women were granted the right to vote, but why did it take so long and why were these even in issue to begin with in a Christian nation?

This video is mostly about the War on Christmas but throws in the argument that anyone other than Christians have no reason to put up displays in a public square because a) America was founded by Christians (not Buddhist or Atheist) and b) we should not disrupt the tradition of displaying our faith publicly on a Christian holiday. Anyone attempting to modify or even stop tradition is in effect declaring war on Christianity. Even though this so called War on Christmas happens EVERY YEAR Christianity is still the dominate voice in America. I'm fine with people celebrating Christmas, and even as an Agnostic we even display a miniature nativity scene set in our home. Celebrate Christmas however you like. What I think these other groups are trying to get across is a bit of acknowledgement that they exist during the one time of the year we feel it's more acceptable to show off your faith. Maybe if some (not all) Christians weren't so aggressive with their exclusivity other groups wouldn't feel the need to be noticed. With faith being such a major part in many people's lives acknowledging their faith exists translates into an acknowledgement of their own existence. This is why I don't aggressively attack the beliefs of any group because I know for many it is felt as an attack on their own identity. I may have my beliefs but these are my own views, and just because I hold them doesn't mean I'm against anything or anyone. What I support is discovery, exploration, and growth not only of our universe but our fellow man.

However you may feel or believe about Christmas and Christianity the Nativity is at the very least a story of hope during dark and troubled times. It is a story about something new coming into this world to transform the world for the better. I celebrate Christmas (as well as the birth of Christ) by internalizing that hope and meditating on how I can change the world for the better. That is the true spirit of Christmas to me.

Super Best Friends, Go!

2011-12-21T11:02:00.000-05:00

I love it when stories like this come out, especially around the holidays, err I mean CHRISTmas/ New Year days. CBN reported last week that Christians and Muslims in Glasgow, Scotland are teaming up Super Best Friends style to fight off the gays.

Of course I highly doubt that this alliance will continue past whatever outcome the government comes up with over the issue of same sex marriage but I just love the fact that CBN reported on this story. Yes, the same CBN which reported in August of 2010 (and I'm sure many more times since then) that Islam is taking over America with their Mega Mosques. What tickles me is how much they point out that this is an unusual/unlikely partnership. Is homosexuality so dangerous, so "evil" that it inspires enemies to join together to stand for "family values"? Of course this is CBN which will only report on acceptable stories. Will this alliance stick around to fight of local injustices such as poverty or inequality of rights? Nah, this union was born out of a hate and will dissolve because of hate. The optimist in me hopes that this union might inspire the members of both sides to learn about the other, the realist in me knows that this union was born out of ignorance and will only stick around to keep homosexuals in their place: out of sight, out of mind.

The Meaning of Life

2011-12-14T15:02:00.000-05:00

I've been out for over a month due to one main reason. The Mrs. and I welcomed our new little girl into the world last week, and while my wife recovers from her c-section I've been taking care of all 3 of our kids including house duties. Although I've been silent and absent from the blogging world I've been keeping up as much as I can via Google Reader from my smartphone. I intend to start blogging again once everything settles and we get back to our daily routine. Without getting too cliché I'd like to say that even though I don't believe in a Divine Being with a master plan or some inherent meaning to life doesn't mean there isn't anything meaningful in this world. To watch my little ones grow, learn, and explore the world we live in is more than enough meaning for me. There will be suffering which I hope I'll be able to suffer with them when they need me. But there will also be love and happiness, which I also hope I'll be there to enjoy with them. Life isn't about worshiping a divine creator, and even if a creator existed I highly doubt we were created for his/her personal gratification. My wife and I decided to have kids because of Love. They were born out of Love and they will be loved no matter what they do or who they become, and I will teach them to share in this Love. How can anyone, including the Divine, bring something into such a chaotic world and say "I will only Love you if..."? I can't imagine not loving my family, and by extending who we consider family I can't imagine not loving my fellow man. John was right, all we need is Love.

On Violence in Religion

2011-11-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

"If we want to get rid of violence we have to get rid of human beings. It has nothing to do with religion, it has to do with us." ~Tariq Ramadan~

Tariq Ramadan speaking on the future of Islam in a pluralistic society. I know this video is a bit dated but I believe these are the types of conversations we should be having in regards to religion. He doesn't go as far as stating that religions and scriptures are man-made creations but that when sacred text mention elements of violence they are touching about aspects of our humanity. Essentially he states that the problem is not the source (the text) but the reader. I would personally go a bit further and state there is a problem with the source, but I believe mankind is the source. I applaud moderates like Tariq Ramadan because they struggle with the text and their faith while remaining faithful to their religion in an attempt to understand our neighbor, The Other.

On a similar note my favorite Tennessean rabbi, Rabbi Rami Shapiro, recently wrote on ending violence in religion and his hopes on interfaith dialogue.

This is Your Neighbor

2011-11-09T10:12:00.001-05:00

This is your neighbor.

Beautiful set of pictures found here from the Hajj and Eid al-Adha 2011 of Muslims across the globe.

My Thoughts on the Greatest Commandments

2011-11-07T08:32:00.003-05:00

I woke up this morning oddly thinking about the Greatest Commandments which for those who don't know their Bibles (myself included, I had to Google it) is found in Matthew 22:36-40.

³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'
⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

(I know I've used this picture in a recent post, but I just love it to bits. You can get the t-shirt here, now for only $12. Argh, I should have waited.)

The first thing I do whenever I read a passage from a sacred text is remember that these words were written in a different time and place. These words carried different weight and meaning back in 1st century Palestine than 21st century America. Regardless I am aware that these two commandments are references to the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-6) and to a reference to an Old Testament Law (Leviticus 19:18) Jesus was once again using to pull the rug from under his debater's feet. He took something his audience was familiar with and turned it upside down and inside out to make a point. How his message(s) were read depends on us the reader. Once we read, think, or write about it, the meaning changes. There are timeless truths in the Bible but I don't believe the Bible itself IS a timeless truth. If the Bible were a timeless unchanging truth our legal system, culture, heck even our grocery stores would be completely alien.

This passage reads differently for me than it would to a Southern Baptist Christian (my favorite example of Christianity because I live in Southern Baptist country, gimme that ol' time religion!), not because I want it to be different to fit my worldview but because I speak in a different language than a Southern Baptist. The words carry different meaning in my language.

To me the first commandment reads:

Open your heart, make yourself vulnerable to Reality with every ounce of your being, and by opening your heart you struggle lessens in shared suffering. No one has to suffer or enjoy bliss alone.
Be open-minded to what you can discover about Reality, you don't have to believe in magic there are enough wonders in the universe for humanity to unravel, experience, and explore.
Open your soul to Reality by understanding and embracing your individual uniqueness. You are a unique cosmic phenomenon, the universe never has nor will ever see the likes of you again.

The Second commandment reads like the first:

By opening your heart, mind and soul to the wondrous and beautiful reality we live in we understand that we are connected to one another. We don't have to live life as if we are completely separate and isolated beings, but connection to one another and to the universe makes us vulnerable, which, in my humble opinion, scares the shit out of us. We're all scared even though we try to hide that fear behind beliefs and faith (faith in general, not just religious faith). By understanding that we all (yes, that includes homosexuals and Muslims) are connected to one another we can empathize with our neighbor no matter how strange their beliefs and culture may seem on the surface. And through understanding and empathy blossoms the opportunity for love and beauty.

I know I might sound overly optimistic and slightly ignorant of how the real world works, and you might be right. I admit I'm a fairly open-minded person but I'm not going as far as saying that holding hands with your neighbor and singing "All You Need is Love" by the Beatles will make war and poverty go away. I'm just saying that by understanding our interconnectedness to each other, to the universe, we may begin to minutely understand how our personal actions and beliefs may affect our neighbor. I believe that even a tiny bit of understanding and empathy can go a long way.

Jesusween Vs. Halloween

2011-10-31T10:17:00.003-04:00

Hands down Jesusween is scarier. Why? Because in the minds of those celebrating Halloween the holiday is a night of fun and entertainment all based in a world of fiction. The kids (and sometimes parents, myself included) go out dressed as superheroes, princesses, and ghouls, but at the end of the night they all return back to reality. As for Christians attempting to Christianize Halloween (i.e. Jesusween, Trunk-or-Treat, Hell House) the horrors of Hell and the Devil remain a reality in their minds the following morning. Don't get me wrong I'm not attempting to bash the theology of Hell ( Liberal theologians within Christianity already do that), believe in Hell if you want to but examine how your beliefs affect your relationship with your fellow man.

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Via Onkneesforjesus

Do you really believe that broken, grief stricken people who turn to suicide and drugs actually belong in Hell, or is it the people who failed to reach out a helping hand to those in need? Why is it more popular for Christians to be so against homosexuality while at the same time so casual about poverty? Is not the greatest commandment within Christianity to love God and Man, not God or Man? If we, as human beings, are truly seeking to love our neighbor as we love ourselves we must learn to wrestle with the demons within us.

So instead of using Halloween to pass out Bibles and proselytize to young children how about saving your Bibles and Chick tracts for another day. Let's face it they're at your door for the candy and if you slip a Chick tract into their bag they'll just toss it out as another lame gift.

Beauty

2011-10-09T01:23:00.000-04:00

Enjoy! The video says it much better than I ever could.

(via Unreasonable Faith)

Hell House 21- Aftermath

2011-10-03T14:08:00.000-04:00

That's right it's that time of the year again. It's time to dust off your Bible and crosses and come on down to the Trinity Church in Cedar Hill, TX for their 21st production of Hell House subtitled Aftermath.

And after watching their newest trailer you can tell they went all out again this year all to the tune of Jesus Loves the Little Children (sends chills down my spine every time I watch it). Shudder.

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If you're new to the Hell House experience then, well, you must be living under a rock. Not only was there a documentary released a decade ago in 2001, directed by George Ratcliff entitled Hell House, but they are spreading like wildfire over the U.S. I'm not sure why these Christian haunted houses are so popular (especially in the South), maybe it's because the churches participating feel it's necessary to do anything to reel the youth back in to the fold. Maybe it's the reality factor of real life scenes (not ghouls and serial killers with masks) that attracts such a large audience. My personal attraction to hell houses are watching the reactions and comments of my fellow attendees. Here's a listing of local Judgement Houses and if you're lucky (or unlucky depending on your view on the matter) you may have one in your local area. And if not don't lose hope, there's always next year.

What's a Judgement House you ask, and what's the difference between a Judgement and a Hell House? The Judgement House website claims the main difference is that they offer the audience a choice to accept Jesus. Those Hell House heathens just want to scare the bejesus into you. Luckily there's one about 10 minutes from my house and hopefully I can convince the Mrs. to go. If not it's not like I'm missing anything new, either way all Non-believers are going to H-E- double hockey sticks.

Life Beyond Christianity

2011-09-26T06:38:00.001-04:00

My life beyond Christianity is not about giving any supreme being the finger or "enjoying" the sinful life. It's not about living a prideful life without the need of Big Daddy in the sky, or even a part of some Atheist/liberal/Evil anti-God agenda. My life beyond Christianity is not a life without meaning or sacredness, the core sacredness remains I've simply unchained the need for borders, labels, or tribal loyalties. At the heart of Christianity is (or at least should be) Love, love that transcends who we are and accepts us completely. The sacraments, rituals, and beliefs are just the language that attempts to translate that love into something tangible. I'm not seeking out to destroy the language but merely seeking THAT, the source beyond words.

If you were to ask a Christian (let's stick with Southern Baptist only because I know next to nothing about Eastern Orthodox Christianity) what God is, I mean really ask, they will inevitably end up telling you a story. Regardless if it's the Gospel story or their own testimony you will end up hearing a story. And why? Because there is power, beauty, and creation in words. Jesus is envisioned as The Word, as the source of all life, how can Christians not keep themselves from telling the Good News. But in the end the story points back towards That, the source beyond words! The story and the language are just vehicles and modes of expressions expressing a shared experience. It is that sense of community, the sense of connection with one another which is truly sacred. My personal choice to move beyond Christianity wasn't because the faith was lacking a sense of community but that I wanted to connect with a much larger community.This was as much of a personal choice as the personal choice of someone choosing to accept Christianity. The stories in the Bible don't have to be factually true to contain Truth, however, the Bible was written in a different time and place and many ideas, beliefs, taboos, etc. are no longer relatable or even morally acceptable. We've evolved (mostly) beyond slavery, treating women like property, and believing that the gods are the cause of natural disasters, so why can't we move beyond the need for our stories, our myths, to be factually true for them to hold any meaning or any values?

While I personally believe it's pretty messed up to turn to an outdated text for morality and daily guidance I understand why people do it: life is uncertain and people turn to something, anything which may anchor us through the chaos. But I find no peace or feel any transcendent love while reading Scripture (any scripture), just an interesting collection of stories. When I chose to leave Christianity I wasn't leaving behind Love, I was leaving the restraints which were keeping me from Love. This doesn't mean that Christianity is a monstrous, archaic evil organization filled with fearful angry bigoted people. Christianity can and is as beautiful and loving as the community of people which call themselves Christians. The beliefs and rituals don't speak to me, they don't help me to let things go, to move on, and to love my fellow man. It may work for others, and it worked for me for a time but not anymore. I know that may sound smug as if I were saying I'm too good for Christianity, and I apologize if that's the impression some may get. I see religion as language, it attempts to express something worth expressing but is limited by the words and symbols it uses. To me life beyond Christianity is an attempt to go beyond language to reach that something it tries to express. Or at the very least learn something about my own struggle, my own humanity, while attempting to reach THAT. The struggle, the journey, the experience itself is what I consider sacred, and the choice of leaving behind the Christian faith was my choice alone (not the Devil "tempting" me, nor the secular media "seducing" me into a life of Reason, etc.). I just want to express Love in other languages, or even using no language at all. We all know love when we see it, so can't we learn to let go of the words and experience it for a change? Is it really so evil/bad/sinful that I want to be more loving and understanding of my fellow man than I was yesterday?

B.F.F. T-Shirt Reprint

2011-09-16T12:15:00.000-04:00

I've been waiting for this t-shirt to reprint for about a year. I completely forgot about it until I got an email yesterday about their recent reprint. This picture tickles me every time mainly because I'll never see this happen in real life, well at least in my lifetime. Order your t-shirt today so that we can be B.F.F. for life!

How NOT to Explain 9/11 to Children

2011-09-14T11:31:00.000-04:00

Only in America can you turn a profit on a national tragedy and sell it to children. Presenting the We Shall Never Forget 9/11 Kids Coloring Book by Really Big Coloring Books, Inc. On their website the company states that the coloring book "is designed to be a tool that parents can use to help teach children about the facts surrounding 9/11. This book also describes basic freedoms in America. We suggest parental guidance." They also state that this has been their fastest selling book in their company's history. I'm not sure if I should be more concerned that this was marketed by the publisher as a "coloring novel" with a PG rating or that these coloring novels are flying off the shelves. Now there are and has been a lot of commemorative 9/11 merchandise out there but a coloring book for kids? Not only does the book fail to make any distinction between Islamic radicals and peaceful Muslims there is this following image of a Navy Seal taking out Bin Laden. The publisher has stated in multiple interviews that they have presented all the facts and are presenting them in this "coloring novel" to teach future generations about these "facts". Oh did I forget to mention that kids can color in the smoldering Twin Towers before their collapse?

I believe we shouldn't guard our children from heavy issues but for a parent to use this as a instruction tool just doesn't cut it for me. What's worse is that in the minds of an impressionable child material like this is similar to the propaganda distributed by terrorist organization: They are the enemy, They have attacked us, They hate us. The connection that children would naturally make is that Muslims= bad guys. The publisher states the book is not about Islam but about 19 hijackers who happen to be Muslim. The parents who purchase the book are more than likely to reinforce the negative stereotype that the publisher states is trying to avoid. Luckily children are very inquisitive and may begin to ask the tough questions their parents may not have the courage to ask themselves.

Hiatus...Hello Sweetie!

2011-09-04T11:34:00.000-04:00

So I've been out for awhile...a long while. I've been absent from the blogging world (reading and writing) due to minor health reasons and also because the Mrs. and I have been busy preparing for the arrival for our newest little bundle of joy. For the last month I've been busy painting and putting together the baby's furniture. Our kids are excited mainly because they now get to share a room with their new bunk beds. As a father of 2 kids I can honestly say that I can never get used to the anticipation of bringing new life into the world, and I'm sure my wife feels it 10 times more than I ever will. To be able to bring something new and unique into this beautiful, chaotic, and breath-taking universe is a blessing I will never take for granted. Which is why I can't understand why some people choose to abandon, abort, or even abuse their children. Now I'm not here to rally against abortion but simply stating that the anticipation and joy of bringing new life into the cosmos is so overwhelming that I can never imagine any other "options".

My wife is someone who is cutely impatient sometimes, and how can you blame her. I'd be the same way if I had to carry a life form which is constantly kicking and draining the life out of me. My wife is the type of person who can't wait to find out what happens in a book so she skips to the end or Googles the plot to see if the heroine of the story has a happy ending. This is why we're dishing out a few extra bucks to get the 4D ultrasound to see how River's face will look like. Yes, that's right, the Mrs. and I are HUGE Doctor Who fans and have named our new little girl after Riversong. I know it's not the most traditional of names but it is beautiful and of course my wife was also named after the witch from Bewitched. Nothing beats tradition. Now let's hope we don't run into a time traveling future version of River as we rush to the delivery room in December.

Spoilers!

Sing!

2011-08-10T00:31:00.001-04:00

"For the love you bring won't mean a thing
Unless you sing, sing, sing, sing."

-Travis "Sing"

I know this song came out a decade ago but I find the lyrics heartwarming and appropriate to the spirit of this blog. So regardless of what religious beliefs you hold or background you come from let your heart sing. Be your best self and share your song with the rest of reality. From the song of our lives we bring new life into this world.

Seventh-Day Adventists: It Gets Better!

2011-08-03T11:12:00.000-04:00

As a former SDA myself I found myself excited after viewing this It Gets Better video filmed by Seventh-day Adventist filmmakers and activists as a part of the It Gets Better campaign. You can read the full article here.

It Gets Better (for Adventists too) from Stephen Eyer on Vimeo.

I was surprised at my own ignorance of LGBT people within the SDA church but also of my views of the SDA church. Growing up in a SDA church I always found the church stuffy, filled with an aging congregation pushing their conservative, Bible based views on the younger folk (or at least what this particular group calls Bible-based). It wasn't until after graduating from my SDA boarding school that I first realized that even within our conservative community some people were "different" from the established norm (almost 1/8 of my graduating class came out shortly after graduation, one of them being a very dear friend of mine I had absolutely no clue was gay). No one talked about it on campus because we all knew anyone who openly contradicted the values of the SDA church was grounds for expulsion. I wouldn't call it an ingrained fear or indoctrination against any non Bible-based relationships but it was a view that stuck with me and took years to unravel.

Ryan Bell, author of the article, is right, this It Gets Better video is a step in the right direction for the SDA church. I once viewed the SDA church with their heels dug in so deep into their conservative evangelical roots that I thought they were beyond any form of reformation. I've forgotten there are individuals and groups within the Christian church that are pushing the envelope of what it means to be Christian. What gets me even more excited is not that there are those who are challenging the boundaries of religious group they identify with but that we (mankind) are continuing to push the envelope of what it means to be human and how we interact and love our neighbor.

Chattanooga Mosque update

2011-07-27T08:01:00.000-04:00

I've been keeping up with the construction on the new mosque being built on Gunbarrel Road and happen to get a quick snapshot with my phone on my way home. Anyone interested can actually see it from the highway traveling north on I-75 just past Hamilton Place Mall here in Chattanooga. But with all the buzz and protest covering the Islamic center in Murfreesboro I'm wondering why no one has protested the construction of this one which is well on its way to finish. Opponents of the Murfreesboro mosque have recently cautioned the local Muslims from commencing with the groundbreaking. Not that I'm trying to draw negative attention to the mosque being built in my backyard, but if Islam really was the "Great Evil" it is claimed to be by these patriotic God-fearing Americans how come this one is being built without any Bible-thumping, anti-Islamic rallies? Maybe the local Christian community isn't as God-lovin', or flag wavin', as the ones in Murfreesboro, or maybe they're just ignorant of the neighbor they're suppose to love that they're unaware of their presence. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

I fear that if any attention is raised during the construction of this house of worship there may be a local backlash. But then again once it's completed the local Christian community might cry foul and claim the Muslims are creeping in, sneaking into our peaceful town to convert everyone on pain of death. Damned if we know, damned if we don't. Either way it'll catch heat, unless the local citizens are **gasp!** reasonable, rational people accepting we are a multicultural society and that there is no danger in letting an already present community construct a larger facility to meet, pray, and come together.

Of course if people like GOP Presidential candidate Herman Cain had their way they would crush any sort of diversity and multiculturalism by claiming any outsider or foreigner as a threat. People like Herman Cain believe it's best that the Murfreesboro Muslim community stay in their presently cramped house of worship. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

Who Are You? Who Am I?

2011-07-19T07:42:00.000-04:00

It's questions like these which keep me probing, picking, and wrestling within my mind. The simple question "who are you?" is a corrosive enough question which most people don't even dare to reflect upon let alone answer. If you were to ask someone who they were they would respond with titles, labels, occupations, etc. But are you, am I, merely a collection of labels and titles?

That question itself is what put me on the path I'm on today. Once you allow yourself even once to peak beyond the Wizard's curtain you can't help but tear down every curtain you see. Asking questions is my spirituality, even though I know these questions might not ever lead to answers. I'm not looking for answers, which is what the religions of the world claim to have, I'm looking for interconnectedness with reality, my fellow man, the All. What better way to connect with one another than through the corrosive questions which melt away the labels and ideas which separate us.

Don't Waste Your Prayers on Me

2011-07-15T08:40:00.002-04:00

"I'm praying for you" is the most common closing response I get whenever I share my lack of belief in Christianity or a supreme Being. I don't find it offensive or disturbing, simply pointless. Now I'm sure there are plenty of people praying for me to "see the light" and change my mind but if the prayers haven't worked so far why continue wasting your prayers on me, or any other unbeliever for that matter? I'm not saying prayer is pointless, in fact even as an unbeliever I find prayer and meditation an incredible way to connect oneself with the All, with everyone and everything else. Prayer is the vehicle which cracks open our hearts to reality and teaches us how to love one another through understanding and interconnectedness. Of course, this is my opinion as to how prayer should be utilized and not for one's own personal gain. Praying that your loved ones agree with you, join in with your tribal/religious community, is more for one's own interest than in the interest of the ones you're praying for, your fellow man.

So when I say don't waste your prayers on me I'm not saying stop praying, I'm saying change what you're praying for.
-Instead of praying for someone to turn from their sinful lives, pray for the empathy to cry and suffer with the suffering. In shared suffering comes unending love.
-Instead of praying for situations to go your way, pray for the strength to get through the tough times. Some things may be out of our control but that is why we have each other, to get us through the downs while enjoying the ups.
-Instead of praying for people to turn to God (i.e. accept your belief system), pray for the humility to understand your neighbor.Through understanding comes love.
-Instead of praying for the defeat of your enemies and the destruction of evil, pray for the courage to stand up against injustices.

Prayer only gets us halfway there, we must do our part to answer our own prayers.

On a related note John Shore has an incredible 3 part series on compassion and prayer for those we dislike or consider or "enemy", and the difference between praying for and forgiveness.

Quote on Marriage

2011-06-30T22:44:00.000-04:00

I've been reading Robert Heinlein's sci-fi novel Time Enough for Love today when I happened to come across this thoughtful quote. And with the recent news of the Marriage Equality Act passing in New York I found it very apropos.

"Companionship, partnership, mutual reassurance, someone to laugh with and grieve with, loyalty that accepts foibles, someone to touch, someone to hold your hand -- these thing are "marriage", and sex is but the icing on the cake." Robert Heinlein

With all the condemnations by God-fearing folks like this guy focusing solely on the "ickyness" on what homosexuals do in the bedroom they never consider that as human beings we all need companionship. We all want to be loved and have someone to share the love we're born with. Does preventing someone's pursuit of companionship really make life better, safer, and more enriching for the rest of us? Or is it because as heterosexuals who have mucked up the institution of marriage **cough, divorce, cough cough** that we want everyone else to be as unhappy as we are?

(Just a note of clarification before I get into trouble with the Mrs. I am merely speaking in generalities, not from personal experience. Although to be honest, marriage is tough at times, but even the rough times are 1000 times better than one moment of loneliness. And I would never dream of taking those moments of companionship from anyone regardless of sexual orientation.)

Quote of the Rabbi...err I mean Day

2011-06-27T10:09:00.000-04:00

"If you’re going to imagine a god who chooses people, it isn’t surprising that you imagine this god choosing you. If you’re going to imagine a god who reveals truth in a book, it isn’t surprising that you would imagine this book is your book. And if you’re going to imagine a god who dabbles in real estate, it isn’t surprising that you would imagine that your land is in fact the Promised Land."" -Rabbi Rami Shapiro

Thought I would share this honest bit of truth Rabbi Rami shared today on his post on why Rabbi Rami is a Rabbi. And for you Facebook and Twitter followers you can find him here and here.