It's been a while...

Haven't posted in a while. Life has been a little crazy.

My beautiful wife had our fourth child a couple of weeks ago, so this post is more sleep-deprived than normal. In that light, here's two quotes I thought worth sharing and a link to something quite humorous.

And then a thought-provoking link. Not for those who agree with Henry Ford's quote about thinking is the hardest work that can be done, which is why so few do it, so they choose not to think. The last link will make you think.

The quotes:

“Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.” - Franz Kafka

Kafka. 'Nuff said.

“If you want knowledge, you must take part in the practice of changing reality. If you want to know the taste of a pear, you must change the pear by eating it yourself… All genuine knowledge originates in direct experience.” - Mao Tse-Tung

I disagree with Mao Tse-Tung on about everything philosophically, politically and religiously, but he got this right. Thanks to my friend, Blair Warren, for putting that quote in my hands.

The humorous link is here. BBspot slays me. Too funny.

The thought provoking link is here. You've been forewarned.

Oh, and I signed up for twitter. Not sure I'll use for anything other than to follow other people's tweets (kind of like I signed up for myspace so I can read the blogs of certain musicians that interest me), but, hey, I may post there occassionally. For those who care if I ever post there.

That's it for now. Desperately needing sleep.

- John

Currently listening to:
Dyer's Eve - Metallica (when they were still putting out music worth listening to, i.e. before whatever came out after the black album)
You Oughta Know - Alanis Morissette (IMO, the last track that Dave Navarro worked on after the first three Jane's Addiction cd's that's worth listening to)
A Charming Spell - Splashdown
Secret Journey - The Police
Miss Sarajevo - Passengers (U2 with Brian Eno) with Luciano Pavarrati (Possibly more brilliant than U2 and Eno's usual fare.)

And now for something completely different....

Since I'm on a roll of trying to offend people, here's a beautiful post by Drayton Bird that, I think, beautifully illustrates the deficiency in thinking that is so rampant these days.

That said, I laughed my "behind" off, and this should offend plenty of people, particularly journalists, politicians and the average person who gets all of their information from standard media outlets.

Frankly, I think that only leaves about half a dozen people in America over the age of 10 out of this group.

Now, I shall smugly walk along and continue my day, thank you. :-)

- John

P.S. And for a quick commentary on our education system and the adversarial relationship some "educators" have with parents, here's some food for thought. And people wonder why I don't trust a governmental penal... er... school system with the children of America.

Currently listening to:
Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie
Nothing - Ballydowse (oh, how I wish these folks would get back together and record some more stuff...)

Nine Inch Nails' new cd

You know, I loved Ghosts I-IV by Nine Inch Nails (that first Creative Commons licensed cd they released. Get the free download here). It's just brilliant, but I didn't really care for the one they just released (The Slip).

Personally, I prefer Trent Reznor's work when he's either doing ambient or industrial (I LOVE the first three NiN cd's, Pretty Hate Machine, Broken and The Downward Spiral), but when he veers toward 80's new wave like some of his later stuff, it just doesn't grab me.

Oh, well.

I think I'll go listen to David Bowie's Outside (his best cd in the last 20 years).

- John

Currently listening to:
The Middle - Great Northern (don't know who they are, but this song from the 2006 SXSW compilation is great)
Donostia: Dolor - Andres Segovia
No Time To Cry - The Sisters of Mercy
2 Ghosts I - Nine Inch Nails
In the Face of All of This - Jesus Jones
Problems - The Sex Pistols
Switchback (album version) - Celldweller

Nature or Nurture?

I read this interesting article about Alice Walker's (The Color Purple) daughter and their relationship.

It made me think about the whole nature vs nurture question in regards to gender.

Now, to be clear, I do believe that nurture makes a big difference in our lives (look at the repetitive life patterns of alcoholism, physical abuse, poverty, and even wealth and business ownership. I don't think that's genetic. That's learned behavior.). However, that being said, anyone who thinks that male and female infants don't have behavioral (and, at least later, cognitive) differences purely based on the fact that they are genetically male or female is either delusional or still taking lots of drugs from the '60's.

Nurture is important, but my sons are much more physically active and have been since birth than my daughter.

Which brings me back to the article. Is radical feminism (not equal pay for equal work, but the radical kind that says things like all sex is rape and heterosexual marriage is a form of enslavement (what's their position on homosexual marriage?)) nature or nurture? I assert that it is nurture. I look at my daughter and the things she has cared about from birth, and I read this article, and I can't help but come to that conclusion.

The denial of nature that is so popular today is simply Skinnerianism taken to a ludicrous extreme.

That'll irk some professor at some college somewhere.

- John

Currently listening to:
Disposal - The Crucified
GOD - The Crucified
Procreation Chick - Splashdown
Letters To Emily - Julie Miller
The Reasons - P.O.D.

More ways to irk people...

This is going to irk some people.

Whether you agree with it or not, though, it might be worth thinking through. You've got to study to show yourself approved. Don't believe this letter or someone teaching the opposite just because they said it (or wrote it). Look it up yourselves. Pray about it. Trust that God will give you wisdom when you ask for it (He said He will.).

Here you go.

- John

Currently listening to:
Kaliforn-Eye-A - P.O.D. featuring Mike Muir of Suicidal Tendencies (that should irk some people, too :-)

Thoughts on Education

This should irk some people. I've been busy with tax season (and recovering from it), so all this post will be is some links to interesting articles on education.

Warning, if you're pro-public schools, you'll hate every single one of these. Which also means you and I will disagree on education issues. Put simply, teaching my kids is my business, and it's not your right to dictate what they learn.

And, by the way, remember, everything you teach conveys your point of view. Objectivity is a fallacy for all human beings. And, if you're Vulcan, let me know. I'll manage your live appearances for a modest cut of the action.

Here are the links:
If we have the cojones to do this, we should. Lew Rockwell. 'Nuff said.

John Stossel on the California homeschooling court controversy.

This will irk some folks, but I think she has a point.

John Taylor Gatto. 'Nuff said.

More John Taylor Gatto. Always worth reading.

Interesting viewpoint, especially on what the real cause of teen angst is. I think he has a good point here.

The first cartoon, I think, pretty much mirrors my thoughts on the subject, and how I felt going to public schools:

That should keep some thinking people busy for a little while, and it should irk some people who don't actually want to think about the subject.

- John

Currently listening to:
U Don't Dans 2 Tekno Anymore - Alabama 3 (A3)
Villa-Lobos - Study No. 1 in E Minor - Andres Segovia
Orion - Zombi (from SXSW 2006 compilation)
Bullet Proof - Alabama 3 (A3) - What a great cut!
Low Life - The Police
Alice - The Sisters of Mercy
The Trees - Rush

Intentions vs Actions

My friend, Blair Warren, is stirring the pot up again. And he's making a very intriguing point with all kinds of implications. Check it out here.

Here are some of the fascinating implications that come to mind for me in reference to Christianity, if Blair's point here is true.

- We get to heaven by what Christ did for us. But we are rewarded in heaven for what we do. Not for our intentions, but for our actions. Like in the parable that Jesus tells of the two sons whose father told them to do something. One said yes and didn't do it. One said no but then did it. Which one was obedient? The one who didn't intend to do it but did.

- If that's the case, then our intentions are meaningless (which may be (or not) what Blair asserts).

- So, what did Jesus die for? The Bible says that at least one reason He died was to cleanse our conscience. But it never says we are rewarded for having a clean conscience. It says having a clean conscience (via Christ's sacrifice) allows us to be in open relationship with God. But then we are further rewarded for our actions. The pure conscience (good intentions) is good (did the Pharisees have good intentions?), but the actions are what define us as people, as Christians. They shall not know us by our clean consciences or by our good intentions. They shall know us by our love.

I'm not sure what the full implications are of thus for my worldview and theology, but I think it's worth chewing on.

After all, I want to be a Berean (I want to study to find out whether any thing I hear is true. I don't want to accept it based on anyone's intentions.).

- John

Controversy

My friend, Blair Warren is stirring things up over at his blog. People are criticizing his bewilderment and concern over the extreme reaction some people are having over Barack Obama (women crying, people swooning, etc.). You'd think they were questioning the existence of Jesus in front of Fundamentalist Christians or questioning their interpretation of the Koran to Fundamentalists Muslims.

And Blair isn't even commenting on whether Obama is a good guy or would make a good President.

Check out his last several posts here.

And, if you are a fan of The Secret, you'd better run for cover instead of reading his older posts. Just giving you fair warning.

- John

Currently listening to:
David Bowie - Changes
Lifesavers Underground - Our Time Has Come (brilliant work and unknown. It's a tragedy!)
Terl Bryant - The Lord Reigns

FINALLY! Someone else gets it....

Okay, no more marketing posts (that last one was the only one I've done anyways, so I'd prefer not to hear any complaints, please). Now, for something near and dear to my heart (I say this in all seriousness):

http://gregboyd.blogspot.com/2008/01/god-government-and-christian-anarchy.html

Now, I'm not familiar with Greg Boyd, can't tell you anything about him other than some of the stuff in his profile on his blog; I've never read anything else that he's written (never heard of him before I read this article today), but I have to say that it's nice to hear someone else espouse my view of government and the relationship of Christians to it. And what is that relationship? Read Greg Boyd's blog post and find out. He got it right. And he even uses the passage of scripture that shaped my view on this subject (though, admittedly, I did have a bias towards this political direction before I became serious about my Christianity). And it's nice to hear someone with a voice and influence (unlike me at this point) espouse the same thing for the same reason.

Great post. Great thinking. And it's the Truth, too. What more can you ask for?

- John

Currently listening to:
Bullet Proof - The Goo Goo Dolls
Crucible - Sarah Jahn (if you're haven't heard either of her cd's, you are missing out. Simply brilliant. Both out of print. Check ebay.)