Everything

Alright, I've got more stuff running through my head then I can fit in the title, so I think the above title pretty well explains this post.

First, as most of you know I can be fairly cynical and caustic. I guess in some scenarios being cynical can be good. But for that to be the case the cynicism has to result in some type of positive action. I always hear about how corrupt our two big parties (Democrat and Republican) are; well my answer is to stop voting them into office! There is a plethora of third parties that we could elect. There is literally a third party that could cater to anybody's trifling whims. Even if we only gave third parties 20 seats in the Senate, and the two main parties both had about 40 third parties would be powerful enough to tilt a vote. We don't need overwhelming majority, just a solid minority. Look at British Parliament and people like Gladstone; they weren't only prominent when their party was in power. They were prominent when they made up a strong minority. It would be benefitting to this country to give the third parties a little bit of power. Now that I've done my political rant I think I should sum this up: cynicism can be good when it produces positive change.

Next, I'm tired of the Church being mis-represented by ignorant people. If people like Rosie O'Donnel honestly think that Christianity can be just as dangerous as Islam then one of two things has happened. 1. We in the Church have failed to show what the Church is really about. 2. People like O'Donnel are greatly mis-interpreting our message. Maybe it's a little bit of both. Pat Robertson hasn't really been a beacon of Christian love in this country. We in the Church need to distance ourselves from being dominated by a political agenda. It's not wrong for us to be involved in politics; but when politics run our churches we are in for a slew of trouble. Aside from this we have a tremendous amount of ignorant believers. Either they are Biblically ignorant but are "logical" or they are Biblically educated but can't seem to grasp logic. I would like the point out that you don't have the leave your brain at the Church door. There is room for educated, logical people in the Church. Like Aristotle said "it is the mark of an educated man to be able to entertain an idea without accepting it". This is not the state of the Church, so many Christian's are so closed to anything anybody (except Pat Robertson) says is wrong they have lost the ability to think for themselves.

Of course the same can be said of the far-left progressive movement. If the ACLU says it they believe it, no questions asked. They spout their mantras like is Canon; and if you disagree they respond as if they expect God to strike you down (even though they generally don't believe in God; which makes me ask, if there is no God then why should we give any thought to morals?).

Now getting a little bit more personal; I don't like it when people decide to take interest in me. Let me clarify: if I'm reading a book intently, please just leave me alone. I don't want you to sit there and watch me, I don't need your opinions of the author. If I want that stuff I'll engage you in conversation. I don't mind if you ask the title of the book, and what it's about; but don't go into a big speel about how much you disagree with the author. I honestly doubt you've read everything they have written in the first place. Now this applies not just when I'm reading, but when I'm talking with friends, when I'm writing, when I'm on myspace, when I'm doing anything like that. Please just let me do my thing.

Right along with that is I'm a very personal person. Let me try to put this into perspective for you. Think of a football field, I'm at one end of it. How open I am about personal matters with you depends on where you are in relation to the end zone that I'm at. There are few things that drive me nuts more then someone at the 50 yard line that thinks they're at the end zone. It is not my intention to be rude, but if you're at the fifty yard line I don't even know if you're on my team yet! Now keep in mind, this is a football field, you can always move closer (or farther away). Every mark you pass opens up the possibility for a closer relatinship, which opens the door for more openness and benefits as a friend. How do you become friends with me? Or anyone for that matter? Well, you have to talk, spend time with, help, encourage, and genuinly love anyone that is going to be a true friend, and that's just a start.

I know I normally do not get personal in my blogs, but this is something I've really been thinking about. What does friendship really mean? What does it entail? What is it in one person that would spark a desire for friendship with another?

I've always been of the opinion that we are measured by actions. But can we apply that measure to friendship? Having discussed this issue with a good friend we came to this conclusion: friendship is measured by your comfort around a person, how well that comfort allows you to communicate with that person, and what kind of bonds that allows you to form. This will then determine what you do with and for that relationship.

Any other thoughts on the topics?