Why I'm a Pacifist

     It amazes me that there are so many Bible reading Christians out there that believe killing another human being can sometimes be okay. Especially when it comes to saving your life. People will justify war by saying it's self-defense. Not that it isn't, but did you skip over the part in the Bible where Jesus says "Love your enemies," or "Turn the other cheek?"
     I am happy I was raised with a Christian upbringing (especially Mennonite) because if I hadn't I probably wouldn't have even thought about this topic and would have been okay with war. Thanks to my wanting to know why God has certain rules I have some good arguments that I can use to defend my beliefs. If we don't question God's motives, we won't know how to defend them. I often can't just "Trust in the Lord my God, and lean not on my own understanding." I need to know why God says them. Often I just find that God was only speaking to the people of that time period and that specific culture and it doesn't apply today. But I'm pretty sure loving your enemies and turning the other cheek applies today.
     I realize that not everyone reading this is necessarily a Christian. Let me try to explain why killing in all forms is wrong without God being the center of the argument... Okay this is harder than I thought it would be. Let me put it this way... It's another human being! Somebody just by chance is born in a different country, is taught that these other people (us) are bad people. We all know that every human being grows up generally having the same beliefs as their parents. None of us can choose which culture we were born into. "The world in which you were born is just one model of reality. OTHER CULTURES ARE NOT FAILED ATTEMPTS AT BEING YOU; they are unique manifestations of the human spirit."

     Fighting for peace is like fucking for virginity. The two just don't go together. Why are we so quick to retaliate after an attack? Next time there's a terrorist attack on America I encourage us to not do anything and just see the response the other side has. They might be so confused and eventually apologize for the attack. Who knows? Or they might just think we're weak and attack again (that's probably what you're thinking they'd do). But what if we do another thing that Jesus says and forgive 7x70 times? (I think he probably just meant always forgive. 490 is a random number.) After all if Jesus said it we best obey.

This Is Me

     You ever notice how people are always focusing on the negatives of others? For some reason what we don't like about a person always seems to overshadow what we do like about them. We are a species that loves to complain and we all think we know how something should be done whether that be a job, how something is communicated, whatever. We are just always complaining and judging. I do not claim to not be a part of this statistic. It's just something I've noticed and I hate it about us. Yet more proof that we are a messed up species.

     In high school I was in a play called "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarden." One of the skits in this play posed the question, "What is the meaning of life?" I realize this question did not originate from the play but if I hadn't been in it I have a feeling this question wouldn't have stuck with me so much. I find myself always wondering what the answer really is. Is it possible to ever know? Most likely not but I like to try.

     Maybe there is no meaning in life. We are just simply here. That all we are is "Dust in the Wind." In evolutionary terms what is natural for us is to just live and do anything possible to protect us and our family. A lot of times I think though that what is natural for us as a species in the animal kingdom isn't necessarily what is ethical. I feel like most will agree. Especially for the religious folks in the world. So what does that mean for me? I don't know. This blog post I just feel like raising questions and not having answers.

     Speaking of religion, it's time for another update on where I'm at spiritually. Because it has changed slightly since I last updated. I'm starting to pray again....at night as I'm laying in bed trying to go to sleep. I'm still not sure if I actually believe there is someone listening to me but I'm not waisting anybody's time (except maybe my sleep). Why not try? My prayers are more specific these days though. Before I used to pray for things like all the starving children in third world countries and such. I've decided that it doesn't feel as personal though when I'm praying for a group rather than individuals. I make sure that my prayers these days are not coming from selfishness. I make sure that nothing I'm praying for is gonna have an affect on me. I want to make sure that what I pray for is truly coming from a place where I can say for sure I care for this person and I wish them the best. So do you want to know who I'm praying for? I pray for some of our homeless clients that come into the center I work at. I pray for the mentally ill ones that don't know any better. I pray for the drug addicts that are so addicted they don't know any better to stop or make logical decisions in life. My prayers aren't so specific that I'm praying they get off drugs, or their illness is cured, or even get off the streets. I just simply pray they are content in life. I pray they can feel some sort of happiness. The kind of happiness that isn't based from the thrill of drugs, sex, or food. Real, deep, happiness. Amen.

     I'm really sounding like a religious nut right now, aren't I? You're probably thinking that I'm referring to the happiness that you get when you have the presence of God in you. If that's what you want to call it, that's fine. Who knows what it is? I believe in a higher power. I would like to believe this higher power has the power to make things better for people. But there is still suffering in the world. Just simply praying can't be all that we need. Some of it has to fall on us....and that's what I'm trying to figure out how and what that is.

Homophobia is a joke, right?

     Something I can't wrap my mind around is how some people believe homosexuality is wrong and gay marriage shouldn't be legal. That's like saying black people shouldn't have rights. 40 years from now (hopefully less) people will look back and wonder how stupid we were for even questioning it. I have yet to hear a good reason why homosexuality is wrong.
     For those that argue marriage is defined as a union between only a man and a woman, let's break this down, shall we? WHO MAKES THE DEFINITION OF MARRIAGE?? That's a bullshit definition. People who say that found their beliefs based on what the Bible says. "God created Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve." Or those verses that talk about how we were only created to be fruitful and multiply. Our only purpose is to create more of us. Considering the fact that the earth is in extreme danger of overpopulation I really would discourage that as an argument. Creating more people just doesn't seem to apply anymore.
     Some people just don't like the idea of gay sex. How does that affect you? Plus that's just insensitive to think all people should enjoy the same kinds of sexual pleasure. We were all created different and unique. Some people like the more kinky stuff, others don't. Hey, whatever tickles your pickle. Legalizing gay marriage won't encourage YOU to be gay. They are not gonna all of a sudden start shoving gay sex in our faces and make us heterosexuals have gay sex.
     If you are just concerned of the sexual immorality these "gay people" are having. First of all, I don't think you should be judging in the first place. Second, maybe allowing gay marriage will decrease all the "sleeping around" and encourage more people to settle down with one partner for life.
     The most popular argument as to why homosexuality is wrong is that the Bible says so. I'm a little tired of going back to this but here is my response, "No it doesn't!" Sure we can quote Leviticus 18:22 or Romans 1:26-27 but if you truly take that into the context of the times you'll find it doesn't apply to today. It's a really long and detailed explanation but if you truly want to know why the Bible doesn't forbid homosexuality you can read my theologian roommate's blog here: http://messesofben.wordpress.com/2012/04/19/why-the-bible-does-not-forbid-homosexuality/
     If you still want to believe that the Bible is 100% clear on the subject that's fine. But you also have to realize you are just picking and choosing what you want to follow in the Bible. The Bible has so many laws that most Christians don't follow. Why follow this one? I know why. Because you just love to hate something, don't you? You just love to criticize what you can't understand.
     Let me just make clear that I am not gay. I feel like I have to just because people might assume that the only way someone could possibly fight for gay rights is if they themselves are gay. But then I feel bad because some people might argue that me saying this is a form of homophobia. That I don't want people thinking I'm gay because I think it's weird. I don't want people thinking I'm gay because I'm not. That's it. No matter what it is, most people don't want people to think they are something they're not. It's the same thing if you're a woman and you don't want people to think you're a man because you're not... but you don't have anything against people who are men. Anyway I'm going off topic.
     I, like most people, fight for what I believe in. And I believe homosexuals should have the right to marry. Who are we to decide who gets to marry who? That's just so un-Christian :).

Alcohol

     I turned 21 this week. Because of this specific age I was turning I decided that it was fitting for me to drink, as do a lot of people think when they turn 21. This goes completely against how I was raised though. I grew up around friends and family that would certainly not approve of the consumption of alcohol.
     Don't get me wrong, I am aware of the of bad situations that have come from drinking alcohol. A lot of parents who beat their kids, lots of car accidents ending in death, etc. Very sad situations, yes. What we have to realize though is that not everybody who drinks is gonna become an alcoholic or have those things happen because of their drinking. Will everybody who drives a car have a bad accident? No. Most people would say it's perfectly fine to drive and see nothing wrong with it, and yet accidents happen all the time and people are killed. It's the same mindset.
     So do we not drink at all so we eliminate the risk completely? No because there is definitely some fun involved when you are drunk. Judge all you want but you can never truly understand something unless you've tried it. So if you have never been drunk, don't judge people who do get drunk. You don't understand the appeal until you have. I have been drunk only two times in my life. Once, it was really fun, once it wasn't that great. I have yet to decide if I want it to happen again. Basically, what my opinion is now is to please drink responsibly.

I Don't Like the Label "Christian"

     Occasionally I will get the question, "Are you a Christian?" Through my assumptions I decide what the motivation of their question is and I always am quick to answer "Yes." And I know I'm right to assume that their motivation in asking the question is never a good reason. It is most always gonna be a question of judgement. That if I answer "No" I'm doomed to the fires of Hell for eternity unless I put this correct label on. I guess my biggest fear is hearing somebody preach to me, as if that's the worst thing in the world. Or my other fear would be them asking me why not and then having to go into a long detailed explanation of my spiritual journey. Because it is literally 20 (almost 21) years in the making. I also fear that once somebody knows that I don't consider myself a Christian I will always be "that guy." Whenever the person who knows is around me, they won't think about the good time we might be having together, it will always be, "this guy isn't a Christian" and our relationship will never be the same. Why do we need this God as the main topic of our lives? I believe I have found a way to not let it be. Is it not possible to be a good person and not have God be the center of this motivation of wanting to be good?
     You may be thinking, "Wait, so you DON'T consider yourself a Christian then?" Not so fast... Don't come to any conclusions yet. I merely don't by your definition. First off, let me just say that I don't like labels. So I don't even like to call myself a Christian by my definition either. What is my definition? I have an idea but I won't go into it. It doesn't matter. I think the question people should be asking is, "What do you believe?" Because there are many definitions for the word Christian. But then again what a person believes shouldn't matter too much. It matters if that effects how you live your life, whether you live ethically or more on the selfish side. Not whether you pray to some higher power or not. I'm sure a lot of you people reading this disagree with me. I tend to get the same responses on each post.
     I'm thinking at this point I should remind you again what I believe (even though I just told you it shouldn't matter). Despite me giving hints in each blog post, it's always good to be reminded. Also, I change what I believe quite often so it is good to be updated. I believe that there is some form of higher power out there. I call this power God. I believe God is mysterious and acts differently in each individual situation. That could be why there are so many different beliefs out there. Why some people are convinced God has given them visions or has told them to do something. I also believe that most likely God isn't actively involved in the world today, which is why there is so much suffering. That it is our job to attempt to make the world a better place. I don't believe in Hell as we know it. I believe that the punishment of eternal suffering is way too harsh. I also acknowledge that if there isn't a hell then there's the possibility that there's no heaven either. And I'm getting better at accepting that. I certainly hope there is some sort of life after death though, but I think people shouldn't focus on the reward of death and instead think that there must be some reason we are on this earth other than to see if we can make it to Heaven and not Hell. I hope you can see past our different beliefs. I hope we can all just get along knowing we don't agree with each other.

A Perfect World: Is it Possible?

     One of the themes of this year of service and learning is that the world is messed up. I had always heard the phrase as a child, "Life isn't fair." That was always thrown around like it's no big deal. So if life isn't fair, why do we try to make it fair? Is it even possible? I'm not so sure it is.

     What sparked my interest in writing this blog is this trip we're on to Arizona and Mexico to learn about the border. I've never been opposed to illegal immigrants and I've always thought that our government should not make it so difficult for people to come here. Since we are mainly here to learn about why it IS wrong to have a border like this, I knew that part wasn't going to be the issue for me. What filled me was this feeling of hopelessness. Seriously, what CAN we do?

     Another thing that I've been hearing throughout the year is about the food industry. Why we should be buying locally grown fruits and veggies and grass-fed meat. I completely understand this issue. What gets me is how expensive it is to live this way. Most people do not have the kind of money to eat ethically. It's pretty hopeless if you ask me.

     We can stop the mass production of corn but then I'm sure there is going to be another issue. Can't say what it would be yet but I truly believe there is no such thing as a perfect world. I can't stand it when I try to be a good person and live ethically and then people tell me I'm not doing enough. Not to point fingers (okay, I'm pointing fingers) but I hear that a lot from two of my roommates, Tyler and ben adam. I love them to death but that part of them kind of bugs me. They are good at making people feel guilty. But I'm not sure they have all the answers either. My prediction is that no matter how hard you try to make the world a better place, there will always be another problem that comes up. So do I sacrifice everything to try to make it better with the possibility that at the end of my life I realize it was a complete waste of time and I didn't accomplish anything, or not do a thing and be considered selfish? It is a lot easier to choose the second option because people want to play it safe and make sure that at least THEY are living life to the fullest. I feel like I'm gonna get a lot of flack for that one but I try to be honest. Let's just all be honest with ourselves.

     Despite all that I am still trying to make the world a better place. I may not be doing enough but it's at least something. So why do I try at all when I'm pretty sure it's hopeless? I don't know. Maybe I would rather be considered just kind of selfish rather than selfish.

Quotes That Influence Me

Here are a bunch of quotes that I really like. If you combine these into one they basically explain what I believe. These are all available to see on my facebook...


"Do not let what you CAN'T do keep you from doing what you CAN do."

"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use."
-Galileo

"You can safely assume that you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do."
-Anne Lamott

“When the stakes are this high- when calling God by the right name can make the difference between eternal happiness and eternal suffering, it is impossible to respect the beliefs of others who don't believe as you do.” 
― Sam Harris

"An Atheist believes that a hospital should be built instead of a church. An atheist believes that deed must be done instead of prayer said. An atheist strives for involvement in life and not escape into death. He wants disease conquered, poverty vanished, war eliminated." --Madalyn Murray O'Hair
(I'm not an atheist but I love the quote. too often do we rely on God to fix all the problems of the world)

15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

“I cannot believe in a God who wants to be praised all the time.” 
― Friedrich Nietzsche

"The world in which you were born is just one model of reality. OTHER CULTURES ARE NOT FAILED ATTEMPTS AT BEING YOU; they are unique manifestations of the human spirit."

It's not who you are underneath, but what you do that defines you.
-Batman

"An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind"
-Ghandi

"A lot of what the Church discusses is not about the compassionate path of Christ, it’s about what kind of lifestyle is acceptable and approved of by the Church when God knows what they’re doing behind closed doors. You have a lot of people waking up every morning who feel paralyzed to act because of these judgments. All around us, people are not only experiencing physical bondage but emotional and mental bondage behind perfectly groomed lawns." - Tori Amos

"Can't we all just get along?"

"Magic is only science we don't know about yet."
-Natalie Portman in Thor

"Your ancestors called it magic... but you call it science. I come from a land where they are one and the same."
-Thor (btw these quotes from Thor aren't me just being nerdy. they actually play a significant role in what I believe about God)

“Jesus, as a philosopher is wonderful. There's no greater role model, in my view, than Jesus Christ. It's just a shame that most of the people who follow him and call themselves Christians act nothing like him.”
Bill Maher

"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing."