TU Cent Thoughts, 1-24-06

[greybeta]

Administration
I will be absent from blogging world until Friday. Stuff needs to get done. Leave a comment on this post if I need to read something.

Fighting fire with fire
I don't stoop down to others when fighting fire with fire. I actually have to rise up to fight fire with fire. But maybe that's because I view the world upside down.

Why name changes are important
When you change the name you go by, it's a telling point on your character. Like when I switched from Daniel to "D2", a signficant part of my personality changed. That's how important names are.

How to lose the argument even when you're right
No matter how well you argue, no matter how right you are, it still matters on how you say it. You can have the most brilliant piece of writing ever and then lose it all to a simple sig, former opinion editor.

That's just hubristic to use the sig "former opinion editor" to the current one. And deserves to be treated with bigotry.

That's the problem with the Democratic Party. They're right, but then I always hear "The people are stupid." And so their words belie their true thoughts.

Stupid people don't like being called stupid.

When D2 seems to be overreacting
He's not. He's in full control. He's just making himself into a straw man to demonstrate the point.

And the point is that sometimes you have to be different from who you really are to grab someone's attention.

If someone already considers you a bigot, then it's very difficult for you to break that. No matter how "enlightened" you act, they'll still consider you a bigot. So sometimes you have to take the opposite tact and act like a bigot to prove that you're enlightened.

If you don't know, I'm actually a heretic
Just because I go to church, memorize Scripture, pray to God daily, and defend the Christian position does not make me a Christian. This is because there is one tenet of Christianity that I do not agree with. And it has to do with John 14:6.

I believe Jesus is my Way, my Truth, and my Life. And that makes me a heretic, because strict orthodox Christianity mandates that one must believe Jesus Christ is "The Way, The Truth, and The Life." I don't believe that.

And I haven't heard a satisfactory argument for me either.

Verse of the Day
"A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
~John 13:34-35

Convos of the Day

Stu: I won't date until God tells me to date.
D2: Well, you don't know this, but I'm Jesus. I command you to ask that girl out on a date.
[PC, Stu, and D2 laughs]
PC: That might have been slightly blasphemous.
D2: It's okay, I'm a heretic.

D2: So has anyone drafted here before?
Alex: I haven't!
D2: I don't believe you.

Mo: Okay, I'll offer you two packs...
D2: Excuse me, are you bribing your opponent?
Mo: You're not supposed to be standing there!
D2: I'm a judge. I'm everywhere.

Zach: I think we may have done selections on a Thursday or a Friday...
D2: Friday.
Zach: Well, someone else told me Thursday.
D2: No, it was Friday because I remember having to give up a Friday.

D2: You must not shuffle well enough, Rouge.
Rouge: BULLSH*T!
D2: Dude, I didn't know it was that big of a deal.
Rouge: I get mad when people act stupid. If I don't like something, and then someone makes a stupid joke about it, I'm going to get mad.
D2: Hmmm, that's a good policy to have.


Quote of the Day
"You do a better job, and then you can complain!"
~Anime Mike, on living life without a job

Link of the Day
Blackberries may be shut down. Litigation shuts down innovation once again.

Sports Report
Steelers are going to win the Super Bowl. I called it, baby!

Entertainment
The next TU theater show is Laramie Project, about that gay guy (Matthew Shepard) getting beat to death. I'm going to go watch it.

Piano
Final Fantasy music is very, very difficult to play.

Divisive question
Do you believe Jesus is "a way, a truth, a life" or "The Way, The Truth, The Life."? Why?

If you feel like you need to answer this in a post, link it in a comment please. You have until my return on Friday to answer this divisive question.

Comments

[jfargo.livejournal.com]

When you change the name you go by, it's a telling point on your character. Like when I switched from Daniel to "D2", a signficant part of my personality changed. That's how important names are.

Or, you know, it means you really didn't like the name you were given...or maybe you hang out with too many people in one crowd with that name, so a few of you decide to go by your middle name, and so it sticks...or a million reasons that might slightly reflect on your personality, but are actually very practical.

You know, for a guy that tells people you're friending them because you believe you can learn a lot from their writing, you sure seem to spend a lot of time telling those people why they're always wrong, and that since you're extremely egotistical it must mean that you're right.

Ever thought that "stupid people don't like being called stupid" might not apply to just everyone else here? We're all stupid in one way or another, but the only way we'll improve is if we admit it.

What would your sensei say about the response to this man's letter to you? Have you asked Him if you're overreacting? Sometimes it seems as though it's only his opinion that you would take over your own.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

What would your sensei say about the response to this man's letter to you? Have you asked Him if you're overreacting? Sometimes it seems as though it's only his opinion that you would take over your own.
I don't know. I'm not Ferrett-sensei.

And, as usual, LJ can be misleading when it comes to advice that I would take. Remember, you only see a tiny part of me on LJ. Sometimes it's my better side, sometimes it's my worst side.

[(Anonymous)]

You know, my cats -- actually, only Cordelia does this -- will sometimes make a leap for the cat tree, miscalculate, baaarely grab the cat tree, struggle futilly as the cat tree rocks like a real tree in a hurricane, and then fall over backwards. She will then stop, look around, and regally begin washing her face, turning a haughty eye to me and DARING me to so much as imply that she didn't fully mean to do that.

I think it's cute when she does it, and I think it's cute when you do it :)

As for the Divisive Question. My answer is A. My reason is because I wasn't raise with it. My father grew up in a time and a place when if Jesus wasn't The Way, The Truth, The Life, then you were clearly a sick, misguided soul who deserved to be scorned, and he wanted me to feel that I had a choice in what I believed. So he encouraged me to investigate a lot of religions, he exposed me to people who believe a lot of different things, and I've come out with a deep appreciation for the truth in many disparate beliefs. With so much wisdom out there, it's impossible to say that any one person is more right than the other.

The amusing thing is that athiest that he was, my father has a very slight leaning towards buddhism and taoist philosophy -- he likes the calmness and simplicity of it. And guess what I lean towards ever so slightly for the same reasons? It's true that children wind up imitating their parents in what they believe, like it or not.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

We do end up imitating a lot of what our parents believe.

[purplkat.livejournal.com]

Goddamnit. Livejournal logged me out again. The comment about Cordelia, etc was me.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

I'd be one of those teachers that would make a mistake on purpose just to see if anyone was paying attention.

[purplkat.livejournal.com]

I'm one of those students who doesn't call teachers on their mistakes because half the time, the teacher is right and the only reason I think they're not is because I'm too ignorant to know better, and in all but a few cases when the teacher is wrong and I -know- the teacher is wrong, it's something piddly that doesn't matter, and I don't want to embarrass them by being a snot and stopping the whole lecture to correct them, and the rest of the time, I hate them, they hate me, and I don't want to give them an excuse to fail me.

So if you were my teacher, you'd be convinced that I wasn't paying attention, when in reality I was trying to be polite ;)

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

Actually, I would know if you're paying attention or not by your test scores. ^_^

[purplkat.livejournal.com]

Then why need to get things wrong at all?

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

Everybody learns differently.

[sleepybluekitty.livejournal.com]

I believe He is "The Way, The Truth, The Life". Why is a little harder to answer. First, the idea that there are multiple religions that are right, just doesn't make sense to me. Especially since most of them contradict each other on the bigger issues. Second: if you believe in everything Jesus is, God in the flesh, and He says He is The Way, The Truth and The Life, I can't see agruing with Him. Thirdly: I see a lot of proof that Christianity is true in everyday life and in every person I meet. For me The Bible is obviously true and Jesus obviously real and therefore obviously the only way to go.

[renough.livejournal.com]

Well said, and I concur.

I vote "The." But you probably already knew that.

The way

[nickel.livejournal.com]

I believe in objective right and wrong. I believe in the universal moral imperative. I believe that the definition of these things cannot be contained in mere words and that we must rely on faith, intuition and the guidance of the holy spirit to reach these lofty goals. I believe that when achieved, only the evil and the ignorant are capable of denying success. I believe that failure is indistinguishable from not trying at all. It's an all or nothing reality.

That said, the closest anyone has come to voicing the universal moral imperative is the Golden Rule. Confucius wrote it down centuries before Christ was born. One of the five pillars of Islam is charity. When Jesus said, I am the Way, he was not saying, kiss my ass or sit out in the cold. He was saying that his example was the one we should follow if we sought everlasting salvation, indeed, there is no other example as perfect as his.

Mormons, and I am one, believe that even the most ignorant among us will not be denied a chance to come to the way. No soul is lost because of time or chance. Each person as an individual can find the way, and through finding it, find everlasting salvation. The billions of souls that preceded Christ's birth aren't condemned to Hell by their lack of foreknowledge. They await their own opportunity to find the way.

Other sheep I have, that are not of this fold... John 10:16

This scripture has been used in every which way, but regardless of who it applied to when it was written down, it is clear that everyone would have the opportunity to return to their Heavenly Father and the rewards therein. I am satisfied to accept that there is one way to find God, I believe that it is not enough to say that Christ is that way and rely on faith alone to prove it so.

I believe that we must emulate Christ as much as possible and repudiate those inevitable mistakes we will make along the path. Only through this work will we find the way, and return to our Father. I believe that every individual, living or dead, will be shown this example at some point, either by Christ or one of the prophets or sages that have also recognized that there is a universal moral imperative and encouraged their people to find it and abide by it.

I do not say these things because they are right. I do not say these things because those who read this should believe. I say these things because I believe them, and I am proud of believing them. To do any less would be a crime on my conscience.

Re: The way

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

I respect you for saying what you believe, not what you believe you should say. I find too often people regurgitating "Sunday School" answers to me and it gets tiring after awhile. It's refreshing to hear people speak from their heart.

[visgoth.livejournal.com]

Neither, but closer to "a" than "The." 'Cause I'm an atheist.

Really, it's the word "truth" that gives me pause. I think that from a strictly objective point of view, the story of Jesus is not absolute truth, but that portions of the teachings of Jesus[1] expose moral truths. For example I believe many of his methods of dealing with others are correct, but do not accept the idea that he was the direct son of God[2].

Which reminds me... I read some survey results where the number of Americans who believe Jesus was the direct son of God is about 15% higher than the number who believe Mary was a virgin. I'm not sure what that says about how those people think Jesus was conceived. Maybe Joseph was acting on behalf of God?

-----------------------------------
[1] Assuming he existed. I'm not fully conversant with the issues, but apparently there is some honest question if he really lived among historians. I tend to default to the idea that he did exist as a person.

[2] After all, not believing in God would make accepting that... problematic.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

Saying that there's truth implies there are lies. And no one wants to admit they're lying...

[purplkat.livejournal.com]

Oh bah. That's silly. You can say that there is truth, thus implying the existance of lies, without having to admit that you're lying. You just say "there's truth. I'm telling it to you. I'm right, anyone who says otherwise is lying."

Agnostics and spiritual agnostics like myself are the ones who are so horribly afraid of being caught in an inadvertant lie that we're hesitant to make any definate statements about truth at all ;)

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Jesus is not only a way, he is many ways, because there are lots of different Jesuses.

We all see him differently or, as William Blake, more trenchantly, put it,

"the vision of Christ that thou dost see
Is my vision's greatest enemy."

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

Random question: Would the plural of Jesus be "Jesuses" or "Jesi"?

[moocowrich.livejournal.com]

Stupid people don't like being called stupid.

Do smart people?

And who are you proving your 'enlightenment' to? The former opinion editor? I doubt it. He probably thinks you're even more bigoted than he may (or may not, I don't know) have previously thought. Are you proving it to your readers? Reading through the comments, I'd certainly say no. Are you proving it to yourself? Doubtful. You already seem to think you're enlightened, so what is there to prove? So just what the heck are you trying to prove? I think most of what you've said in several sections of this post is a cop-out. You were wrong. Admit it and learn from it.

I guess all I'm saying is that I agree with jfargo's earlier comment.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

No, I'm not wrong. You could say I'm like Napoleon Dynamite: I'm not out to prove anything.

[usmu.livejournal.com]

You can have the most brilliant piece of writing ever and then lose it all to a simple sig, former opinion editor.
I completely fail to see how this could be true in any way shape or form. It stands up on its own or it doesn't.

That's just hubristic to use the sig "former opinion editor" to the current one.
Why? And if this is true, how does calling yourself enlightened compare?

And deserves to be treated with bigotry.
I find this to be an odd statement for someone claiming not to be a bigot. You sound like you at least condone it.

So sometimes you have to take the opposite tact and act like a bigot to prove that you're enlightened.
So you're basically saying that behaving like something to prove you're the opposite is a good tactic. In other words you can prove somebody wrong by confirming his believes about you. How does that work?

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

I completely fail to see how this could be true in any way shape or form. It stands up on its own or it doesn't.
How you say something matters just as much as what you say.

Why? And if this is true, how does calling yourself enlightened compare?
Favorably. Fighting fire with fire, remember?

I find this to be an odd statement for someone claiming not to be a bigot. You sound like you at least condone it.
In plainer words, sometimes you have to do what people do not expect to grab their attention. Now, he probably expects me to claim that I'm not a bigot. The correct strategy to foil this would be to claim that I am a bigot.

So you're basically saying that behaving like something to prove you're the opposite is a good tactic. In other words you can prove somebody wrong by confirming his believes about you. How does that work?
Because your action speaks louder than words. I can say I'm a bigot all I want...but if what I do goes against that, then what would you trust? My words that say I am a bigot, or my actions that say I am not a bigot. Since you only know me on my LJ, you only have my words to go by. In person you might understand a bit better what I'm trying to do here.

[stella-x3x3.livejournal.com]

I miss you and your posts...you should come back... I HAVE NOTHING TO READ!!!

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

I'll try to write at least two thoughtful posts a week but I can't guarantee anything as I am on a very hectic schedule.