It’s great to hear people state their views. Whether you agree or disagree, this young man is passionate about his beliefs.

Personally, I do not hate religion. The people who believe in religion or anyone for that matter. In my mind, we’re all related. We are all part of the same organism, known as the human race. How could you hate your hand, arm, leg or any other part of your body? Although religion has stated that your mind is corrupt. How can that be? Even according to religion man was created in God’s image. Perfection.

When we realize we’re all one, that the only requirement is love and understanding, will we reach a state of perfection. That wonder and power of being, which religious texts allude to.

The thing is, religion has convinced it’s followers they must die to reach that perfection, which some call heaven. In addition they speak of a devil who is trying to “steal” their souls. In fact, many religions would say the words I’ve written here are the work of the devil. The problem is, the devil is a construct of religion.

How can an entity (religion) claim to be all powerful, when there is no opponent?

Religion is responsible for horrific wars, hate, strife, guilt, shame, separation and more. Every religion in the world believes that they worship the ONE and only God. When someone disagrees, they use intimidation and violence to force their beliefs on others. To me that sounds like the work of the devil.

Would the God you believe in hurt children? Mothers? Brothers? If so, is that something worth believing in?

To clarify, I am NOT an athiest. I believe in a higher power.

The difference is I believe we can all have a personal relationship to this higher power. Man-made religion is not needed. When we live with peace and love towards others, we don’t need religion to tell us what to believe or how to live. To believe that religious texts have been passed down through the ages and were not created by man’s hand, is naive.

It’s also naive to think that a true God would limit communication exclusively to people who lived over 2,000 years ago. How could it be possible to cut off all communication with his people? To me, that points to only one thing, control. By convincing followers that only religion can speak to God and religion shall pass down the word, is about dominance over others. Plain and simple.

If you disagree with me, that’s your choice. All I ask is that you think critically about the subject. Not just “take” someone’s word for it. Examine where your beliefs originated. Ensure that you were old enough to make a choice and were not “brain washed” before you had an opportunity to develop your own beliefs.

May I suggest you read the book from Neale Donald Walshe titled New Revelations. See if any of the information within resonates within your soul. Then make up your mind, whether you think this book or any other like it, has any more or less relevance than a religious text written eons ago.

What I dislike is people who label me based on my opinions. Looking through the lists of Conservative and Liberal Beliefs in the table linked below has been eye opening.

In some cases I agree with the Conservative view, in others the Liberal view, then in others I disagree with both. But going deeper, in some cases they both miss the point.

I see hypocrisy if you adhere exclusively with one point of view. Why is that?

Just because my beliefs don’t align neatly into one of these “boxes”, does not label me as a fascist, communist or Marxist. Or “insert label here”.

I believe freedom of the individual is the point. Not to be lumped into some small confines of a group to make it easy for others to discount what I have to say.

Think critically about what makes sense to you, based on facts. Not just spouting the party line. What I mean by facts are a set of laws, like gravity that can be proven by unbiased humans, that leave no room for “interpretation”.

http://www.studentnewsdaily.com/conservative-vs-liberal-beliefs/

‎”In the early 20th century, most scientists theoretically agreed that the airplane was probably impossible. However, the Wright Brothers were too busy bolting a gas engine to some wings in their bicycle shop to care about erroneous opinions. Soon after, they defied the authorities and invented the once considered impossible – “flying machine”.

The fact is, when a scientist tells you something is possible, he is likely correct. However, when he states something is impossible, he is likely wrong. Science and technology have continued to defy prior assumptions of possibility, and will continue to do so. It can safely be assumed that whatever the future holds from a technological standpoint, it will likely seem impossible and “ridiculous” from the standpoint of today’s understandings and methods.”

Just finished reading Bossypants, an autobiography from Tina Fey. If you’re not sure who she is, please look her up on Wikipedia, IMDB or YouTube.

It’s a breath of fresh air to look inside the life of a celebrity that reads more like a letter from your crazy aunt, then from the cousin spending time in jail.

Here is a excerpt from her book entitled “A Prayer for my Daughter”. Very moving.

First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.

May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.

When the Crystal Meth is offered, May she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half and stick with Beer.

Guide her, protect her when crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes and not have to wear high heels.

What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.

May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.

Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen. Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For childhood is short – a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day – And adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait.

O Lord, break the Internet forever, That she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers and the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.

And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.

And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back.

“My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.

Amen.

 

Of course this prayer has significant meaning to me, as I have a little girl, who is growing up fast. It’s a sometimes crazy, wacky world out there. All us parents truly care about is that our children grow up happy and well-adjusted. This is my sincerest wish for my daughter.

To read more, pick up a copy of Bossypants at your local library, bookstore, Audible or Amazon. It’s a fun!

One huge issue the citizens of Earth face is the ability to learn about life, love and the world without wading through agendas or advertising. How can we truly know if the news or facts of history are actually the truth or a method to manipulate others?

Many people state that they know the answers or have access to the truth, but do they really or have they been influenced by another. How can you tell?

In this day and age most people of the media savvy regions of the world have been exposed to numerous commercials, news programs and sound bites. Much of which is either manipulated to fit an agenda, quoted out of context to shame others or blatant mis-information is disseminated for a specific purpose.

While recycling is in the media, the news and on everyone’s lips it is not a new idea. Our society has expanded in many wonderful ways, but some changes have not been great for the environment.

An interesting e-mail appeared in my inbox yesterday. Unfortunately the full text contained a slight negative slant. But it got me thinking how some aspects of life were geared towards recycling and reuse in the old days.

Here’s an excerpt of the e-mail text;

Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. They really were recycled.

We walked up stairs, because we didn’t have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn’t climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.

Back then, we washed the baby’s diapers because we didn’t have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts — wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house — not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana .

In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn’t have electric machines to do everything for us.

When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.

Back then, we didn’t fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn’t need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water.

We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service.

Is it possible some of these ideas could be re-engineered to be used today?

We can all do our part in recycling. In addition to the same old ideas written in all forms of media, stuff like recycle newspapers, plastic and glass, here are a few others you could try.

When you are ready to “upgrade” any appliance, hardware or furniture pay it forward. There are sites like Freecycle and Craig’s List where you can list these items for free. Keep this stuff out of land fills as long as possible. When their life expectancy has ended, do your best to recycle these items.

Clothing – many times we buy clothes we just never wear. Do you have a friend who would like them? If not, donate them to a homeless shelter or the Salvation Army.

Think – do you really need that wizzy wig thingy from the dollar store? Many items are complete junk, sold with terrific marketing or low prices, which end up in the trash shortly after purchase.

Personally my wife and I choose to purchase high-quality long lasting items, like furniture  and electronics. Why “save” a few dollars buying cheap items that end up being replaced on a regular basis? Save up and buy high-quality products that will last many years.

Think – Recycle.