Truth and Tribulation

I’ve been feeling a little discombobulated of late. It is amazing how isolating it has been to be alone in one’s religious beliefs, surrounded by people whose religion informs them that I am anathema and destined for hell. I long to have a like minded person in my life to talk to and openly express myself. But more than that, I wish I could be open and honest with the people who are most important in my life, my family. I envy the freedom with which my Christian acquaintances express their beliefs, as though it would be unheard of to challenge them, whereas my thoughts are unwelcome and unwanted. I am sick of it all, the charade, the game, the half-lies and partial truths I am forced to use less I upset the religiously informed sentiments of those around me.

I want the truth, I want it just as badly as these Christians want the truth. No, in fact, I am certain I want the truth more than them, for they do not want to know the truth about me, as the lies are more palatable to their ears and present a more pleasant alternative, whereas I am comfortable accepting them whatever their particular beliefs be, so long as it constitutes no threat to myself or others. They proclaim their longing for truth, and indeed their savior is declared to be truth, and yet when presented with the opportunity to acknowledge the truth, they turn aside and embrace gentler falsehoods to ease their minds of the discomfort which truth too often bears.

Cease this senseless bigotry, and let me be who I will be, a truth seeker before gods and men.


No More Latin Posts

At least not in the form I was doing it in before. Apparently the publisher of Wheelock didn’t like what I was doing and put in a take-down request for my latin posts to my host. I don’t blame him for complying, but it is disappointing that Wheelock won’t allow such posts, since it greatly


Thinking about baptism, the enlightenment, and philosophical paradigms

I was reading a blog post on my church’s website and thought it was strange, especially coming from a church whose roots are in the Methodist tradition. Of course, I suppose I shouldn’t find it all that strange since we have since chosen to go the Southern Baptist route rather than continue with that tradition,


Ashes

The flames of sunset scorch the sky with hues of red But though they burn within my eye the heart still lies Its cold ashes fail to ignite within this particular warmth And what remains from this moment lost the long chill of night Impervious to the flames of memory locked behind the horizon.


Vagrant

The crane soars above A land scorched by wind and sun Vagrant to the end


An anatomy of bigotry

A college professor stood up on his chair and said, “If God really exists then let him knock me off this chair?!” Nothing happened as the class sat quietly, and he said, “See!” An Army veteran stood up and punched him in the face, knocking him out and off the chair, then sat back down.


Neitzschean Ethics

Self-mastery is the root of all morality. To be controlled by neither external influences or internal compulsions, but rather to draw up a vision of who it is you want to be, and then to bring this vision to fruition. Which is not to say that the ethical man does not consider what these external