Ironic Much?

 

“Thoughts are the gun, words are the bullets, deeds are the target, the bulls-eye is heaven.” —Douglas Horton 

 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” 

-Matthew 2652-54

 

If you're the one who read my book, There's Never Been Nothing, then you've already heard the story of my walk in the woods and the sign I came across randomly hanging from a lone tree in a remote area.

I was entering my senior year of university and had just finished a day of training at a camp aimed at training several of us to be Student Assistants at dorms across campus. After a full day of close contact with other young folks from all walks of life, this introvert needed some alone time. As I walked alone through the woods near the cabins where we stayed, I, quite literally, stumbled across a sign hanging randomly from a tree along the path. "Be still, and know that I am God" was the simple message.  

At that moment, it was exactly what I needed to see, and to be still for a moment is exactly what I did.  I had no actual concept of "God" at that time, but the message and connection was clear to me. I felt nearer to whatever greater energy exists beyond my human existence than at any other time in my life. It was, well, magical.

As spelled out in agonizing detail in There's Never Been Nothing, the journey has been long for me. I wouldn't change it for anything. And no, I'm not a Christian. Nor am I Buddhist, Muslim, Atheist, or even agnostic. And yet, I feel a strong connection to a power greater than myself.

Along this winding path of spiritual searching, I have actually read the Bible from cover to cover. I've taken small stabs at Buddhism, Hinduism, etc, and have sought the council of those more learned than myself. I've challenged my belief system at every step. Having done all that, the message delivered on the billboard shown above, as well as, messages with a similar target continue to puzzle me.

Regardless of the religion I've studied (especially Christianity), I've found the message to be fairly constant at its core. Love. Love is the message.  Beyond that, Christianity especially teaches us that God is in control. God is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniwhatever. God is in control. "I got this," I can hear him/her/it/they say. 

At it's core, I have no great issue with the message from the billboard. If you take each item separately, we can, at least, have a conversation about content. Worship "God" (whatever that word means to you), then cool. If you find peace in that endeavor, then I'm happy for you. It has no part in government, but that's another discussion for another time.

Love/want/need guns? Ok. I'm good with that. I own several myself. All were obtained legally through required processes at the time. It was easy. The 2nd Amendment, misunderstood as it may be, gives Americans the right to bear arms. It gives us that right for an entirely different reason than you've been brainwashed to believe, but whatever. Buy it. Keep it. Stock up on ammunition. Do it legally and responsibly and we're rock solid.

Family? Well, there's a no-brainer! Of course family is important. And standing united strengthens us all. I have no doubt the posters of this billboard had nothing but encouragement and inspiration in mind when they carefully placed the letters for all to see. But, they're wrong. They're dead wrong. 

For starters, please tell me you're not placing guns above family on your list of priorities. And if you think Jesus, the main character at the core of your belief system (I happen to know these folks are active in their local church), would favor this national obsession with guns, then you seriously need to pull out your bible and read it...... all of it. I'd especially have you read the New Testament and get to know your Jesus on a personal level. You simply cannot reconcile an obsession with guns and a man like Jesus. If you can, you've completely missed the message.

But let's forget about Jesus for the moment and talk about the all-powerful, vengeful god of the Old Testament. That's the part where you extract, through a process of spiritual cherry-picking, things like "an eye for an eye." Just as clear as Jesus' message of love, is his dad's message of, "I got this."

Let me put it this way. If you walk around with a gun strapped to your waist or slung over your shoulder (law enforcement and military excluded), then you lack faith in the god you worship. It's painfully clear. If you want to harbor a particular system of belief, especially if you want to try selling it to me, then you better come forward with evidence you've read the manual you profess to follow. This is a topic I've covered on more than one occasion.

And I'd be remiss if I didn't take the conservative irony a step further. At the risk of overgeneralizing......if you think you must tote a gun to protect yourself because God won't, but won't get a vaccine or wear a mask to protect yourself and others because God will, then I simply have no words for you. You can't possibly take this stance and sell me some bill of goods about how you love Jesus and think God will protect you. 

It boils down to this. If your belief system is that God is in control, then leave your guns at home and don't wear a mask.  If you're not convinced, then,  by all means, strap on your 9mm. But........ you have to wear a mask. You can't have it both ways.

God, Guns, then Family? Your ignorance is showing. And to be honest, you scare me a little.

 

Namaste,

Matt

 

 

 

Why Wouldn't You?

 

“To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.” 

~Nelson Mandela~

 

It's been a challenging year, has it not? Between the onset of a pandemic and one of the most ferocious elections I can remember, our nation has definitely shown its ugly polarization. Perhaps the fact that we all still identify by nation rather than planet is the heart of the problem. I just can't be sure about that. 

But for the moment, if you'll indulge me, let's set aside politics, religion, ethnicity, and all that seems to divide us, and talk about our humanity. In my heart, I continue to hope we all want the same basic things for each other. Perhaps we have different views about getting there, but we want it just the same. If I'm wrong about that, then I'm disheartened beyond words. I need some explanation.

So, let's begin with the one topic most near and dear to our hearts; face masks. Oh my goodness, the cries have been loud and clear from both sides of the issue. I don't think I have to remind you of the extreme positions regarding the wearing of masks and how they do (or do not) help reduce the rate of infection for Covid-19. But my god, pretty much every expert on the planet has told us they work. They, at the very least, help. But I'll play devil's advocate with you. Sure. Why not? Let's assume for the sake of argument that all these experts are wrong and are just trying to "keep you down" and "destroy your freedoms."  Let's say they only work half as well as they say. Hell, let's say they only work a small fraction of what the experts tell us. Now let's assume you're going to go see your sickly grandmother and you're not really sure if you've been exposed to Covid. Would you wear it? Even if it only helps just a teensy-weensy bit, would you? Even if it only approves the odds a little, it could save your grandmother's life. Why wouldn't you?!?!

Ah, let's move on to the good ole Covid-19 Vaccine. You know the one. It's the one that could move us more rapidly to herd immunity. It's the one that uses technology you've never heard of (mRNA) and so you think it's new. It's the one you won't take because you don't want to be a guinea pig. If folks less than 100 years ago would have taken that approach, we'd still be in the clutches of Polio and Smallpox. It IS a new approach to vaccines. But it isn't new. And you're not a guinea pig. It's been tested plenty. But let's consider your grandmother or even your children again. I'll bite and say it's dangerous. It isn't, but I'll bite. If it WORKS, even if there are some long-term effects, I'd take it in a heartbeat to protect my family. Why Wouldn't You?!?!

And now for one of my all-time favorites; Gun Control. For the love of all things holy, no one is coming for your guns. I'll be the first to admit that there are probably a handful on the far left that would love to see guns banned altogether. It's a handful that'll never get a foothold. Hell, I own several guns. Gun ownership is a Second Amendment right, but that doesn't mean it should be easy or that any fool can go out and by a handgun or assault weapon without some level of scrutiny. That just makes sense. Oh, and by the way, take a good look at that Second Amendment again. The way I read it, it's so our government can easily call up a militia against an enemy, not so you can rise up against them. So keep them. Dear lord, keep them. But surely, if you're a sane, legal, responsible gun owner, what could you possibly have against registering guns, even if it's guns you already have? Criminals will always find a way to get guns. That's reality. And you should be able to keep yours. That's the Constitution. But I'm more than willing to make it inconvenient and do my part. Why Wouldn't You?!?!

In the United States, we have some of the finest doctors and hospitals in the world. Some of them. We don't have them all. But what good are they if basic, hard-working folks can't afford to take advantage of them? Is Universal Health Care the answer? I'm not sure I have the answer for that. But I do know this. A medical condition shouldn't force you into bankruptcy. And neither should the cost of health insurance. That's ridiculous. And don't even get me started on the cost of prescription drugs. It's criminal. "But my taxes!!" you scream from the rooftops. Let me help you with some math, or at least how the math works for me. I came across a sweet deal, and my monthly health insurance is still almost 25% of my monthly income. If I paid full price, it would be nearly half. So if raising my income tax another 25% gets me universal health coverage, I'm all in. I'll be money way ahead and I won't have to fear bankruptcy. I'd be in on something like that. Why Wouldn't You?!?!

I'll try to be brief on this part. Let's lump it all into one big "ism." Racism, Sexism, or nearly any other ism. Things are changing and change is hard. But change is good!! Look, I wasn't warped by Pepe Le Pew, but now that my eyes are opened to the kind of attitude something like that COULD breed, I'm ok with it being discontinued. Dr Seuss? Bravo to those that decided to stop publication of books with racist undertones of any kind. Does it seem like over-kill? Yeah, I'll be honest. It kinda does. But I'm not a racial minority or a woman who's been sexually assaulted. So I'll defer to their expertise and say, these changes are good. Do it! Why Wouldn't You?!?!

I won't lie. The level of ignorance surrounding this next topic infuriates me. No one (hear me now), NO ONE from Mexico is taking your job. And zero percent of immigrants without status qualify for, well, just about anything. I'll tell you what's taking your jobs. Automation is taking your jobs. Rich corporations using labor oversees that'll work for 25 cents a day is taking your jobs. And you.....your lack of willingness to at least make an attempt to evolve in a changing workforce is taking your job. If you have any humanity left in your body at all, you know damned well you'd cross a thousand miles and two rivers to make a better life for your family, even if it was for the most menial of jobs. You'd risk anything. If you say no, then you're either a liar or lazy. This is America, for crying out loud. Bring us your poor, and all that. There's room. There's plenty of room. At the very, very least, it seems like we should make the path to citizenship reasonable and affordable. You think immigrants are rapists, murderers, and drug dealers? Then you're a special kind of ignorant. There's a good chance you can look across the street to find those. I would be more than willing to make this the land of the free for those who seek it. Why Wouldn't You?!?!

Just one more and then I'll wrap it up and wait for the fallout. Gas prices are increasing. Do you know why? No, it isn't because of Biden any more than it was Trump that kept them low, so you can stop the political rhetoric about gas prices. It's a complicated issue, but it's basically about supply and demand, and there are a plethora of issues that effect those two things. There is something else that will drive the price of gasoline up, and frankly, I'm all for it: the pursuit of renewable/green energy. I know shutting down pipelines and the laying off of pipeline workers is horrible on a micro-economic scale. I really do hurt for those making that sacrifice. But know this. Oil and natural gas are finite resources. Beyond that, their combustion is killing our planet. A change has to happen. It has to. Climate change is a real issue. We have to consider alternative power sources and it's gonna hurt. Pipeline workers will have to consider a career shift to renewable energy plants. Pipelines are going to need to be replaced with something else. And gas prices will have to rise to a level that makes burning fossil fuels undesirable. That's going to hurt. A lot! But even if the scientists are only a fraction correct about climate change, I'd be willing to make some changes to help our species. 

Why Wouldn't You?!?!

I'm Not Leaving. I'm Only Dying.

 

"Death is not the opposite of life, but a part of it." 

~ Haruki Murakami~

 

It's been nearly 8 years since my father died, and until recently, I hadn't shed a tear about it. And while you may find that odd, it may be helpful to know that I speak to and understand my father more now than I ever did when his body was alive. And even though his body is no longer, he is as alive to me now as ever. In fact, more so.

I was at my father's bedside when he transitioned from where he lived then to where he resides now. His entire family was there. But my part was a unique blessing. Not only was I there, but I had my right hand on his shoulder and my left hand on his wrist. I felt his body take its last breath and felt his heart take its last beat. It was at that moment my father became a part of everything. I believe we all are a part of everything even while our bodies are alive, but that's probably a deeper subject for another time.

I didn't cry as he died. I didn't even miss him initially. And before you think me calloused and unfeeling, I often long for the physical form of his voice or the hugs where he didn't want to let go. But, you see (and this is reeeeally important), my father didn't leave. He only died.  Or more accurately, his body died. Our body is a biological, carbon, and star-dust based vessel. It will age and wear out. But we won't.

There is an enormous amount of debate regarding the presence of a "soul" and where it goes when we die. There is scientific evidence now of a soul actually having mass. People making their transition have been weighed right before and immediately after death and the difference in weight is scientifically significant. There are those, of course, who believe our soul travels to a place called heaven (or hell, depending on your interpretation of biblical scripture). 

There was a time not many years ago when I adhered to that same belief system. Oh my gosh, what an incredible burden to bear!! How heartbreaking to think someone you cared for is somehow spending their eternal life in misery because they missed the boat on some religious, man-made notion. It wasn't big enough for me. 

When people learn I'm not a Christian, they often assume I'm an atheist. And while I find that shallow and, to be honest, ignorant, it often leaves me struggling to explain where I do land in the vast arena of spiritual belief.  It's simple. I believe everyone and every THING is part of the same universe. (I could go on for days about the fascinating studies being done in the area of Quantum Mechanics and the possibility of multiple dimensions, but let's just leave it in this dimension for now.) We are, all of us, made of the same thing. Every THING is made of the same material at its core.....energy. Everything vibrates at different frequencies, which is why you move and your kitchen table doesn't, but at our very core, we're the same. 

It's a debate that goes far beyond the typical length of this blog and my attention span, but I'm trying to come full circle to why I didn't find deep sadness when my father died. He's here. Right now. He's here. He's a part of the keyboard where I type. He's part of every tree, blade of grass, and every tool I own that was once his. EVERY. WHERE. 

I can't even begin to tell you the times I struggle with something and ask him right out loud, "You have any input on this, Pops?" I get an answer each and every time. Sometimes it's silence, but my head is instantly filled with his input. Sometimes I can just feel his presence. I can hear him say,
"There's mah buddy!" And sometimes I can hear him say, "Shine the light where I'm working, boy!" Makes me smile every time. 

I don't consider myself all that handy or mechanical, but I've taken on some projects I hadn't the foggiest idea how to complete, and somehow they just fell together. I know that's my dad's hand guiding every nail. I know he's helping with tool selection, and I know it's him telling me when to get help. He's everywhere. And I get so much peace knowing he has "the answers" now. He's pure energy. He's spirit, and he's everywhere. He didn't leave, not for one second.

I hope as I approach my 7th decade and understand more and more about my body's mortality, those that know me and/or love me, know that I don't fear death. My time in this body has been remarkable and I wouldn't feel the slightest bit cheated if it decided to quit today. It happens to us all. Just remember that, no matter what happens to my body, I'm not going anywhere. Or, you might say, I'm going everywhere.

I'm not leaving. I'm only dying

Namaste

Great Idea. Lousy Slogan.

 

"Defund the police” means reallocating or redirecting funding away from the police department to other government agencies funded by the local municipality. That’s it. It’s that simple. Defund does not mean abolish policing."

~Wikiquotes ~

 

I was a career firefighter for over 23 years. I can tell you, first-hand and unequivocally, there is now, and always will be, a need for some level of law enforcement. I can't tell you the number of times I was in situations as a first responder where the need for a brother or sister with training in enforcement was both needed and welcomed. Firefighters and cops are brothers and sisters....... two arms of the same body in the truest sense.

Now, I'll also tell you there were cops I encountered (firefighters, too) who had no business wearing the badge. There are those in every profession who lack the control, compassion, training, brains, or whatever to do the job at hand. But in my opinion, cops (and probably teachers) have it the hardest of all. It's easy to arm-chair quarterback something you see on the news without a clue what happened in real time. Split-second decisions are knee-jerk and based largely on training and muscle memory. And you cannot possibly stand there and criticize those kinds of decisions unless you've been there. I have.

And that, my friends, brings me to the entire "Defund the Police" movement. If you look past the title, you couldn't help but agree this is a great idea. We'll get to that in a moment. But for the love of all things holy, in a time of civil unrest, where all most of us want to do is just move forward in unity, why on earth would you settle on a title that breeds division? Why? Unless you're targeting people who look beyond a title, you'd have to know a movement with this type of heading would bring a violent reaction. It makes me question your motives.

So, let's take a look at where this is intended to go at its core. "Defund the Police" would be more clearly defined as, "Let's Divert Some Police Funding to Areas of Our Communities That Need It Most." And to be clear, it need not come from just police budgets. 

At its very core, this movement simply addresses the need to be fiscally responsible in all areas of government. It is statistically significant to note that communities with higher levels of public involvement have lower crime rates. That, dear friends, is why you get fewer patrols in some areas than others. You can twist this to suggest minority communities have higher crime rates, and that's true. But why? Look deeper. Minority communities tend to have fewer opportunities and resources compared to some others. There are a thousand reasons, including historical racism, that could explain why that is, but instead of having that debate, let's play the "What If" Game.

What if, instead of a million-dollar grant to improve riot gear, you spent that money on a community center? What if you sent 100 minority kids to college or trade school?  What if you funded summer reading programs, housing development and/or cleanup? What if you invested in communities with the highest crime rates instead of spending the money to protect yourselves more against them? Spend it on education. Spend it on community outreach. Spend it on things that bring a community in need into the collective fold. 

Has this been tried before? Sure it has. At least it's been given a haphazard try without full community support. And when it doesn't work in the span of some unrealistic time-frame, we throw up our hands and scream from the rooftops that it didn't work. But it can.

We live in a time of the desire for instant stimulation and results. Defunding the police isn't an overnight solution. It will take years. It will take generations of people coming to a new understanding of what policing should be all about. But truly, wouldn't you prefer it that way? Wouldn't you rather live in a world where police weren't necessary? None of us reading this will likely live long enough to see that come to fruition, but can't we start walking that direction? In the name of those coming after us, can't we try to improve lives for everyone?

Look, and I speak from experience, I want our police to be well-trained, and most of all, safe. They have a thankless, dangerous job, and they deserve our support. But what they deserve even more than that, is for people to invest in their communities and behave in such a way police services aren't needed.......at least not as much.

Be safe, brothers and sisters. We're going to try to make it better for you.

Namaste 

***Authors Note: I fully realize that some of the topics I touched on in this little blurb are far more complex and multi-layered than I can cover in a small space. And I most certainly do not have all the answers. And before we even begin the political backlash, I also fully realize there are a handful on the left who would suggest police be fully defunded. But that's certainly not the majority of those who would support this concept. (And by the way, most of us on the left don't want your guns either. Keep em). If local, state, and federal government can't funnel funds to communities, how about some of the rich corporations? Hell, how about some of the smaller companies? Invest in where you live. And can we please revisit the whole notion of privately owned prisons? I can't help you if you don't see an issue with that concept.***