Month: March 2006

Truth is scarier than fiction: Credit Card Companies will accept obviously torn and re-assembled applications.

In the spirit of Duke Nukem, I’d like to add that Chase Manhattan is a bottom-feeding, scum-sucking algae eater of a company. And that an essential personal protection device of the twenty-first century appears to be the shredder.

— Matthew P. Barnson – – – – Thought for the moment: algorithm, n.: Trendy dance for hip programmers.

So in the world of darn cool videos again, I give you Ryan Vs. Dorkman.

It has been a while since I’ve posted anything here. But the other day I had a thought that I wanted to post here. So here’s another post.

My previous posts have centered on God and spiritual things and of course this one is pretty much the same in that respect. I mean no offense to anyone by such posts. It would probably be worthwhile to remember the advice I’ve heard somewhere and paraphrase here:

A person is better off who takes no offense, even when offense is intended, than the one who finds offense when none is intended.

Anyway, I have sensed animosity from some of the posters here on this site toward God, religion, and/or the LDS church.

It may be true that many wars have been in some way connected with religion, as have other torment and atrocities. But “Pure religion and undefiled” the scripture says “… is … To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (see James 1:27) I believe it’s when people twist things that wars result “in the name of God.”

Anyway, to the thought I had the other day. Even if God did not exist, even if the LDS church were not true, would it really matter? As I follow them, I’m working for and promoting the cause of human happiness, of joy in people’s lives. The things I’ve learned there lead me to seek the good of others. As a result of the things I’ve learned through the church and my relationship with God, I strive to show love to others around me. (I know I’m not perfect, but I strive to improve.)

One could argue that truth is important and desirable, and that if the truth were that God did not exist or a particular religion were not true in its teachings, that they should be abandoned. But I would say that love is probably a higher cause than truth.

I’m not talking about romantic love that leads to desires of the flesh. I’m talking of love that leads to caring and concern for others, love that instills a desire to help someone else, even to give up something of value for the benefit of another. I’m talking about love that refrains from judging and overlooks negative things that may be obvious in another person, in order to lift him or her up.

Truth is a valuable thing, but I’d say that this kind of love is greater. So if my faith and belief in God and my following The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints lead me to such a love, then weather true or false, how far wrong could I be?

To all those here who were raised in the LDS church (or any church teaching “love one another”) and then left it and say you’ve reasoned out for yourselves many good and noble things for the good of humanity, may I suggest that perhaps the foundations of your reasoning might come from some of the ideals taught in your years of upbringing by the church (and God) that you’ve abandoned?

If you were raised up in a Hitler-style environment, and you were not the target of the hurt and pain inflicted, would you have come to the same conclusions? Maybe…but can you be sure?

I am sorry that for those who have left the circles of religion (and in my mind especially the LDS church) that apparently negative things came from the same organization that leads me to work for good things. None of us is perfect and some still haven’t really got the vision of love that Christ’s gospel teaches.

It’s not about a list of rules that magically get you into heaven. It’s about love–love that Jesus Christ has for us and the love he asks us to actively show to his Father and to all mankind.

In my church involvement, I enjoy opportunities to cheer up some of the kids I know there, to give them a hug and make them feel good. I love to see their smiles and know that I’m doing something good. I enjoy home teaching and meeting new people and building a friendship with them and helping them at times. I see children being raised in the Church and being taught inspiring things that tend to lead them to higher heights and greater causes. I see people striving to become better than they were before, seeking that ideal of love. Weather or not the Church is true, weather or not God exists, I know that the core things I see there are good and right.

Unfortunately, this world has a way of beating people down, of taking those ideals and belittling them, of making them seem useless or unimportant. This world and the struggles in it slowly draw many people away from the good that is taught. So while a certain core of the people may get closer to the ideal, there are those (and I believe statistically they are many) who don’t seem to understand it.

In the end, if my following God and the LDS church, lead me to find peace, hope, and joy in my life and also lead me to strive to add some measure of joy to others, what is lost? Even if there were no afterlife, then I would have lived my life with joy and spread joy also to others and then my life would end. In such a case, are there many better things that could be said about one life lived?

emilt

Hey, I’ve got 4 tix to the sold out Billy Joel concert this thursday (in 44 hours) and only 3 are spoken for.

MCI center.. 100 bucks.. Rowan, Kelly, and I are going, but there’s room for a fourth. I’ve sent out an email to folks, but I thought I’d post it up here too. I got one left.. any takers?

She has me frozen, daring to breathe This magic spell she conjures to weave Envelops me, carries me back in time To a place I could never find on my own

I am trapped, happily I am caught In this web of hers I have sought Peace, contentment, joy, life She is all or these, she my wife She my home

I couldn’t run, I couldn’t leave To try I lose the air I breathe Her sweet scent keeps my blood warm Her shelter harbors me in the storm Find me calm

Of her my greatest creations came Born of her and passed my flame As we fade, inevitable, from the earth They remain as our love’s rebirth Forever on

As I wake, she lies in our bed This love 5 years ago I wed Still perfect, still pure, angel Her face, her voice, her smell Caresses me

When I’m tired, when I’m broken She heals, nurses, until I’ve woken Starlight sparkles, her eyes alight As she carries me away this night She, my Amy

Matt, Since you are still listed on the MIA list, this may be news to you. I’ve gotten several emails lately about the planning of QOHS class of 91 reunion. Its still a few months away.. But I just wanted to check to see in any of you guys, from 1991, were thinking about making the trip back.

Bryan

PS Matt, maybe we can find Jen Ward for a basket toss. 🙂

For those of you who haven’t heard about spore yet, all I can say is wow. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-262774490184348066 I can’t say much about it, I will let the video speak for itself. Just remember this is will wright, the Midas of the computer gaming industry.

Hey, anyone remember me in High School? I was the one with the “Stop Abortion” button on my lapel and my “Save the Baby Humans” bumper sticker. Hey, former member of “Operation Rescue” here.. So, why did I stay out of the recent Abortion conflagration on Barnson?

Because I’ve argued this point to death, and I’ve made some discoveries that might make us better understand each other.

Much of the abortion argument ends up asking a single question.. is Abortion Murder? I mean, its not a matter of a potential human.. in that case, birth control would be wrong.. because to have eggs and sperm that close and not let them conceive is destroying a potential human. Its not a matter of “personal responsibility” because you can be WAY irresponsible and still take the pill or pop on a condom – that just means you were bolder in your search for birth control and perhaps better educated. And if it were just that, well who are we to punish?

No, the question comes down to this.. is Abortion killing a baby? Or, why is it legal to abort a viable fetus and a potential capital offense to dump a newborn in a dumpster?

Well, its that question.. is Abortion Murder?

PRO-LIFERS: Yes, and that’s why the right to live supercedes a “woman’s right to choose”. They believe that a woman should have a right to choose, but it is less important than a baby’s right to live – and it clearly is a baby.. just a smaller one. And I understand it.. I’ve seen the sonograms of my kid so far.. and it looks really really human. It moves in a really human way.. and this was at 14 weeks. Now at 19 weeks, it has fingerprints and ears and sleeps and swallows and sucks its thumb. So I can see the point of view. Other than its stage of development (which is just about as fast as out of the womb) whats the difference between it and a newborn? Not much.. and a good number of Babies aborted could be potentially viable with hospitalization.

PRO-CHOICERS: No, its justifiable killing of a not-yet human. There are rights that women should have. The right to do what you want with your own body and not be forced against your will to undergo a huge body change and then a dangerous medical procedure should be fundamental. And yes, it is unfortunate a fetus has to die, but a lot of them do on their own, and they’re developmentally less advanced than like a small animal – the size of a hamster, with less personality.. and to keep this alive, despite its potential, should not supercede an American Citizen’s right to keep herself as she would see fit to do. And again.. I see the tumultuous nature of pregnancy firsthand.. (or secondhand, as its my wife, not me). If there was nothing being looked forward to, this would be like a horrible disease.. discomfort, eating restrictions, nausea, scarring, pain, and finally labor. All to save something with less brain than a ferret.

So, its easy to see how these two sides can’t agree. Weed is right that a baby has a right to live and should not be killed, especially after a certain point. Ben is also right that a fourteen year old who made a mistake (and knowing teenage girls, this happens half the time under pressure or duress) should not have her life completely screwed up. Adoption is always an important choice.. but then there’s the question of the Mother’s pre-natal behavior.. and again, it doesn’t negate the trauma of pregnancy. Then again, a baby shouldn’t die.

They’re both right. And really, neither one is really wrong.. they are both looking out for what is (for them) a hypothetical – both looking out for different victims. So we can agree that a really unwanted pregnancy is going to victimize someone.

If we can’t agree.. and we never can, because we’re both right… then what do we do? Legislation of compromise. The Pro-Choicers want choice protected, the pro-lifers want fewer abortions.. Perhaps there is a way (free birth control, morning after pills, illegalizeing third trimester abortions, and legalizing first trimester abortions with second trimester abortions yet to be discussed) – nothing will be compltetely acceptable to everyone, but we all get a little more of what we want.

Meanwhile.. the discussion is important.. because these sides need to keep pulling in opposite directions – its the only way to make sure both victims have some protection.

You all have a fun couple of weeks. I’m taking a break for a while to enjoy my anniversary and birthday.

Happy St Paddy’s day to you all!

My $.02 Weed

Hey guys,

Do any of you have suggestions for more blogs to aggregate into the “Friends’ Blogs” column on the right-hand side? The principal requirement is that it needs to be a FOAF (Friend-of-a-friend) and not a commercial-type site. I’d be interested in seeing pretty much the whole thing rotating daily. Thanks!