The Little Voice

So, this weekend I did something I wouldn't normally do. A couple friends from work invited me to go see a movie with them (a chick flick), and while I was really uncomfortable hanging out outside my normal circle of friends, I felt the little voice in the back of my mind telling me it would be good for me. So I went, and it was awesome, and I now I'm actually friends with two of my coworkers. So the little voice is apparently pretty smart. The thing is, I hear the little voice in God situations too. I think it might be time I started listening.

Creatures of Habit

Okay, I'm posting again.

It's kind of weird to see how important familiarity really is to people. I was talking to a bunch of homeless guys the other day (talking is a relative term; I got lost and showed up 45 minutes late) and I noticed that even though their lives pretty much suck, they find so much comfort in the devil they know - homelessness - that they don't even want to try for the devil they don't - still poverty, but at least with a job and a home. There are many people who can't or won't hire the homeless, but many homeless people who probably could get back on their feet again just don't want to try. Sometimes I think I'd rather go back to being a nihilist - even though I know how much I hated that the first time around - than try to be the Christian I want to be. Creatures of habit, we humans are.

fighting

i believe that fighting makes you weak, mentaly that is. if you cant resolve things threw descution or some other non violent means (physical or verbal), then you are, in fact, weak. now defending your self, others, an ideaology, or a country on the other hand i find acceptable. but there comes a point where the defender can become the agresser. people much more important than i am get to make the call on that most of the time. if that point is crossed, if you are no longer protecting but now causing the same problems that you had just faced, i believe that you are wrong in doing so.

This Life on Loan

I'll never understand why people continue to think that they can fix the world. The French believed that their revolution would take the world by storm, as did the Russians. Now, modern progressives and Marxists make excuses for why they failed, and assure us that their promised utopia is still attainable. Rousseau was wrong; you can't force people to be happy.

On the other hand, all those who think democracy is going to fix the world don't really seem to have much of a leg to stand on either. After all, Mussolini and Hitler were fairly elected, and the Athenians eventually followed the will of their people into imperialism (and they sort of killed Socrates, too). Most politicians don't have the balls to say it, but following the will of the people doesn't do shit if the people are stupid.

The world is broken, and if we haven't found a way to fix it by now, we aren't going to. We will continue to become more barbarous in the name of progress, and millions will continue to die in the name of peace. And of course, every generation will still believe that it is somehow more special than all the generations before it; that if everyone in the world really pulls together and respects each other, than the world will be just peachy. It's an endless, meaningless cycle.

I, for one, refuse to dedicate my existence to something as futile as progress. Even if it does fix the world eventually, I won't be involved in any process so cruel, calculating and impersonal. I'd prefer to actually live.

Individuals and civilizations both fade away, but God never does. The only way to get any meaning out of life is to sign it over to the only being that is eternal. God isn't our grandfather; he didn't give us life so that we squander it and then die (I'm aware most grandfathers don't do this either, but I like this analogy, so shut up). God is our father, and he gave us life so that we could use it.

This blog is going to have three main purposes. First, to reinforce that selfish and progress-obsessed ideologies are futile and dissatisfying. Second, to show that the only life worth living is a life given up to God. Third, to try and figure out what the hell a life lived for God actually looks like. Here's hoping we succeed.

expectations

we all have them, but why. why do we incist on knowing what is going to happen next? most people base their lives around some kind of scedual. they expect certain things to happen every day. its a luxury that most of us here in america have. but imagine how you would live if your city was a war zone. yes, your city turned into the host of piontless exchange of rounds that you are told is for a just cause. what would you expect on a day to day basis then.

personaly i like not knowing what the next day will bring. all i know when i wake up is that i will be ready to do what i do best, help those in need.

(the war zone analogy was all i could come up with)