God?

God has been the inspiration of many things.  (S)He has caused wars, inspired books and faith, has been at the center of so many of the world’s powerful religions and have created a moral code of which we believe in today.  Of course, God did not directly cause war – that would be a silly statement to work.  Through the faithful, God has been the cause of War.  When Pope Urban II declared war to reclaim the Holy Lands (Jerusalem), God was the cause.  God’s people were experiencing persecution in the area – and as a faithful and dutiful Pope, Urban II decided he needed to create the greatest army the world had ever seen to take over the area.

Of course, the Muslims in the area were under the belief that God wanted them to reclaim their Holy Lands – God had taken Mohammad in Jerusalem – and of course the Holy Cities of Mecca and Medina.  These do not belong in the possession of the disrespectful Christians. Somehow a war with God on both sides doesn’t make sense – but hey – who am I to say anything?  These events happened almost 1000 years ago – I wasn’t even a thought in my great great great great great great great great great great great great grandfather’s brain (I typed out all those “great”s – is it enough to get me back to 1080 BCE? Let’s say it is).

Today, there we are much more liberal in our speech of God – some more liberal than others.  I almost got lynched in Indiana when I suggested that God be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance.  I guess freedom of speech is trumped by God in the Pledge (the Pledge was created in the Cold War Era – to differentiate ourselves from the godless communist forces in the world – seriously – also any act of espionage by anyone who has said the pledge is treasonous – go fig!).  But today, the remnants of God remain in our mainstream society.  Ideas such as the “Sanctity” of things is common place.  Here are some things I would change if this was my America – due to my understanding of the Bill of Rights and my ability to separate it from Religion and God.  

On Abortion:

Politically, I am pro-choice.  Personally, I am pro-life.  No one should be able to say what a person can do with their body, but I believe a fetus is a person at conception and should not be killed.  My answer to this is education on sex.  Yes, we should break the taboo and talk about it with teenagers –  they’re humping anyway! Now, someone might say this is only going to encourage kids to have sex if we talk about it… it might, but at the very least they are having sex safely and are very aware of the consequences.  Currently, there isn’t a real program to teach about sex.  Here’s how I learned about sex – in 7th grade we watched one of those birthing videos… that was the only time we had heard about sex.  

Puberty was an even larger mystery.  What was happening to me?! I had no idea – and no one was talking about it.  None of my friends said a word – though they were going through the same thing (Changing voice, odd body hair, perspiration that caused odors).  I didn’t know anything – man, God bless the teenage section at the library.  If it weren’t for that section – I would still probably think I was mutating into an ape.  In this instance – knowledge is power.

On Gay Marriage:

I do not believe homosexuality should be sanctioned by any church that currently opposes it. On the same note, the state does not answer to a god – it answers to its people.  So, since it is 2008, we should consider letting people happily live their lives.  If a man wants to marry another man, that’s their business.  As long as no man on man love happens blatantly on the street (I hate PDA in general) – let it happen.  The state under no obligation has to oblige to the sanctity of anything.  Homosexuality is obviously a natural occurrence – even the Greeks were all about same-sex couples.  

On Sodomy:

Sodomy was illegal?! I wasn’t aware of that until the Supreme Court had lifted the ban.  If that’s the case, i know a couple of people who could have been fine/jailed (whatever the sentence is) for sodomy – men and women alike.  From the definition I saw, sodomy was termed as inserting a penis into any human body part that was not a vagina (mouth, ear, nose, anus, belly button), If it’s not a vagina – it’s sodomy!  Is a hand in there? I guess that’s up for discussion.  Hey, when a blow-job is illegal… one’s gotta think – what’s the world coming to?

I mean there are things I understand as being illegal – like bestiality…. that’s just disgusting…. How about sex with the dead – that is no way to honor anyone’s memory…  Worse – having sex with a close family member.  All these things I understand as being unnatural and being outlawed – but when people decide to shove something in something else (As long as it’s not potentially life threatening), it should be ok within reason.  For example – oral sex? Nothing wrong with that.  Oral sex with a cow…. if you don’t know what’s wrong with that – then you really should be jailed.

On Evolution:

Unless we plan on teaching every religion’s creation story – creationism has no place in schools – would you really want your kids learning this: http://www.venganza.org/ ?

Being touched by that noodly appendage can’t be good…. I believe in Evolution – and creationism is a matter of faith – not fact. Even the Catholic Church came out with Intelligent Design which basically accepts Evolution- get with it, everybody!

*****

Now, I don’t plan on engaging in any of the acts mentioned above, but some people would.  I know a person affected by each of those laws or lack there of.  Good people – most of which I’d call my friends and some people I work with and respect.  This is the country of opportunity and freedom.  It is a country of any religion and any person should be free.  These issues may not be “natural” and morally acceptable, but on the basis of an individual – it’s a matter of preference.  Religion says it’s unnatural – but if it happens in our society on a consistent basis – then the state has an obligation to it’s people (even the gay ones!) not the loud bible thumpers pushing a God agenda…

JJRC

Friends

As I threw up outside of the Duane Reade on 53rd and 3rd, I thought to myself, “I should call my friends.”  I called Lilly – she didn’t answer.  The bar was probably too loud.  I called Lenny.  He might have answered.  I don’t quite know.  They found me sitting there about 10 minutes later. I was a mess and babbling about how I wanted to walk home.  It was a miracle I had walked over to the Duane Reade in my condition.  It turns out that 5 Rum and Cokes, 2 Whiskey Sours, 3 beers and anything else I may have had before I blacked out – was a bad idea.

My eyes opened in Lilly’s apartment.  Since I slept in my contacts, I was thankful for REM-less drunk sleep.  Had it been a normal sleep, my eyes would be dried out and red.  I’m still wearing those contacts.  She woke up and muttered something about how it’s a blessing I woke up today.  

These are the things that happened when I left Black Finn that night:

-I stumbled to the Duane Reade and sat outside – eventually I came to my senses enough to start calling people I was with – My friend Dora sent Rob out to find me – a troupe of people discovered me outside.

-Lilly bought me a huge thing of water – I eventually started pouring it all over them.

-I threw up everywhere – I tried to hurl on a Corvette.

-I called everyone “Bitch”

-I passed out on the way home and started doing my erratic breathing – this means things are about to get bad.  I rarely breathe like this intentionally.  I did it once to scare another friend when I was drunk – I had a good chuckle.

-Once I got into Lil’s apartment building – I fell to my knees on the 9th Floor and booted on the floor – luckily I missed the carpeted area.  I then proceeded to pass out – dead pan.  Lenny and Lilly grabbed my feet and began to drag me down the hall.  As the realized my shirt was riding up and my back was getting rug burn, they switched and grabbed my hands.

-Somewhere along the way, her neighbors came home and saw them dragging me around – they had a good chuckle. 

-I told Lilly to slap Lenny – and she did.

-I got up and announce my ass is hot.  I got to her couch and pass out immediately.  They proceed to have ice cream as they discuss my current state of drunk sleep.

I have good friends.  Every person whom I have made friends with is a wonderful person.  To put up with that is a huge deal.  At my age, this thing is a rarity (eh, not too common place?).  My friends have managed to put up with much worse.  A buddy of mine had to drag me across a baseball diamond at Harvard once…. that was another terrible night.  My friends are my family – and through thick and thin – we’re still friends.

Thanks everyone!

JJRC

Youtube

The idea of a Video Log is intriguing.  The idea that people video tape themselves and the post it on the internet is fascinating.  Who wants to watch you?  Apparently someone out there is watching something.  Everyone gets their 2 or 3 views somehow.  With Youtube, it’s especially easy.  Youtube is a mind sink.  There are millions of videos on Youtube.  I think I may have seen parts of every spectrum.

The funny:

There’s a group called “Runaway Box” and they do a segment called the Elevator…. If my elevator rides were that interesting, I would never leave the elevator.  Not even to pee, that or I would get a job as the security man to watch all the shit that happens – and probably laugh… and on occasion call the police. 

The very sad:

Seriously, there are videos that are depressing…. people sitting down and just wasting their time making stupid non-sensical crap… like this. 

Luckily – these people exist to make fun of the other vloggers…

Hmm – what’s the world coming to?  At least the last one made me laugh a little. 

Then there are the educational videos:

You know how much I’ve learned about the  masons, illuminati, aliens, 9/11 Conspiracy theories and the Catholic Church?  A shitload.  I just know that if I become a mason, I will join the ranks of powerful men, but at what price?!   This one!

So… let me get this straight… Tommy was possessed by Satan- because his father was a mason who took a moslem oath.  Don’t get me wrong, I totally see where they’re coming from on this.  I have spent many nights fighting off Satan because of my grandfather’s dabbling in the Masons, but Moslems being Satanic?! WTF – that’s just way off!  

Also, the Shriners are evil?! The people who drive around in little cars – wear a fez and do lots of charitable work?  I mean – call me naive – but that doesn’t quite make sense. One last thing, wouldn’t Satan want to perpetuate his evil minions and not kill the sons of his followers – but instead kill the followers of Christ?  

I’ve learned so much from this video.

The stuff I don’t even know why it’s popular:

Like this

If these people can make it… hell – I should make a video and it’ll most definitely get it’s couple of views.  If this blog is any indication of the amount of views I would get… then damn, I would have at least 2 people day!

JJRC

 

I forgot the instructional video!

God, and I was about to just spend the summer looking fat at the beach – God bless this woman!