Showing posts with label Faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Faith. Show all posts

Sunday, September 11, 2016

September 11

Today, yet again, the internet is full of people saying "I remember". They are pushing the idea that remembering the attacks on September 11th 2001 is enough. They are dead wrong.

Here are my questions for those of you who are remembering:

  • What actions have you personally taken to prevent such attacks from happening again? 
  • What have you done to improve the world? 
  • What have you done to stop religious hate? 
If you have no answer for those questions, you may as well forget what happened all those years ago. You clearly didn't learn anything.

For those of you who are sitting in church today, I have two more questions.


  • How many people have been murdered in the name of the religion you follow? 
  • Are you really okay with being a part of that history? 


You can claim all you want that it's zealots who push religion too far. That they are responsible for the deaths in the name of your faith. You can claim that you are representing what your religion really means. You can claim that you are far more open to other faiths than (insert alternate faith here).

We all know the truth though. Those are the exact same words any and every zealot has used to justify the atrocities they have committed. If you are religious, you are carrying along with you all of the sins, all of the horrors, all of the blood of those who have been unjustly murdered because they believed something different.

We will never have the peace your religion promises to provide, until religion no longer exists. If there are sides to choose between, someone will always think theirs is the best and be willing to do anything to prove it. Sadly, that is the human condition.

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Symbols

I've not put up a new post in a few years, but I'm feeling the need to talk to the internet again. So, here I go. (As always Polite discussion is always welcome, don't be an ass hole.)

Something has happened to society. Something very sad. All of the symbols we have created to inspire and drive ourselves, and others, to greatness are now looked upon with scorn. The Flag of The United States of America is one such victim. I’m not exactly sure when it was first chosen as the whipping boy of our country but the most politicized era of flag hate was in the 1970’s during the Vietnam War. Every person who felt the war was wrong, and fought U.S. Involvement, started burning The Stars and Stripes that represent our country.

I will always wonder what could have happened if those who burned The Flag in protest would have instead waved our Flag while performing acts that they felt were more in line with the ideals they carried, for how the government of these United States should act. The protestors who burned our Flag instead, also, burned all their hopes and dreams for our country. They gave up on the dream The United States of America has represented since the moment The Revolutionary War was set into motion. Old Glory, our primary symbol of who we wanted to be, was beaten, torn, and burned because people became confused about what she is. The Flag of The United States of America is our goal, not our present. Every time something happens that we disagree with we need to look to Our Flag. We need to remember what we want to be, and realign ourselves with that goal, that dream. Only through action, with a clear destination in mind, will we ever reach the finishing line our forefathers set for us.

Next time something happens in our country that you disagree with, please don’t take it out on our one true symbol of hope. Instead, please raise Our Flag as high, and as proudly, as you can. Let her fly in the wind before all to see. Let her call out with every flap in the wind “I am still here! We are United in our belief that we are the greatest nation. We will strive to be better than we are at every moment. We are here to treat every living thing as our equal, for we are, none of us, more important than anyone, anything, else. We are the United States of America. We will stand as one people, for liberty and justice. We are here. We remember why we came. We choose to make our struggles help us grow, to make our country, and all those living here, the absolute best we can possible be.”

That is what The Flag of These United States of America stands for.


From now on, when in doubt, when in fear, or when unsure of what to do: Look up at Our Flag and remember the dreams and hopes The Stars and Strips hold. She is waiting for us to reach out and achieve that dream.