I believe God exists!........................ I don't expect to convert anyone with that statement because I don't believe my life's purpose is to Evangelize. My purpose is to be the best, most genuine me. I fail in some way on a daily basis, but I keep trying.
So, you ask, what is the cause/purpose of this post?
Menopause likely! I'm finding that I get irritated with extreme mindsets. I'm referring to those of us that proclaim they believe in God and eagerly engage in bad behavior and vicious gossip. I'm also referring to those that proclaim they don't believe and slam religion at every opportunity.
I've heard viewpoints about the existence of God from:
-People that go to church regularly, admit they attend only because it's expected and don't think about God for the rest of the week.
-People that choose not to believe God exists and will tell you that religion is only 'brainwashing'.
-People that insert the Bible into EVERY conversation about faith and can cite any and every appropriate verse for a given circumstance.
-People that don't believe and just don't discuss it.
-People that believe and just don't discuss it.
While it's not an interest I actively pursue, the path that brings people to their current tenet is to me somewhat intriguing. I only ask that you don't tell me that believing what I've heard or read is less valid than your believing what you've heard or read. I would rather listen to the reasons you don't believe (so I can get to know you), than listen to why you think I shouldn't believe.
Please don't misunderstand me, I'm only saying that I think most people are intelligent enough to choose for themselves. The spiel about how the Church brainwashed me into believing in God, is not proof He doesn't exist, it's only proof you question my intelligence.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Friends
When I send a 'friend request' on facebook, I don't expect that everyone will accept. Many of the women I know that are around my age, don't intend to use facebook as a true social network with everyone they know on their friends list like many young adults. They prefer to keep their contacts limited to their family for sharing updates and pictures. That was certainly my intention. I will admit, I have a few more 'friends' than I originally intended and now there is more pressure to keep my page updated.
In this blog and notes on facebook, I've talked about friends and acquaintances and how it's normal for lives to go in separate directions. That we each take different things from the relationships in our lives. How some relationships leave a deeper mark on one life than they do another. It's the friendships in our early lives that likely leave the biggest impression as we were able to spend more time each day discovering who our friends were and who we were with them.
Today I found my very first childhood friend on facebook, and it drew me back to the very core of my being. We haven't talked in a long time, but she is one of a very few people that have been 'present' my entire life. We knew each other before we were old enough to go to school, we went all through school together, and reconnect every now and again. When there is a major event in either of our families of origin, the need to touch base emerges for me. I don't know if she feels the same, but when she touches base, the same genuine friend is there. This is one friend request I REALLY want to have accepted.
In this blog and notes on facebook, I've talked about friends and acquaintances and how it's normal for lives to go in separate directions. That we each take different things from the relationships in our lives. How some relationships leave a deeper mark on one life than they do another. It's the friendships in our early lives that likely leave the biggest impression as we were able to spend more time each day discovering who our friends were and who we were with them.
Today I found my very first childhood friend on facebook, and it drew me back to the very core of my being. We haven't talked in a long time, but she is one of a very few people that have been 'present' my entire life. We knew each other before we were old enough to go to school, we went all through school together, and reconnect every now and again. When there is a major event in either of our families of origin, the need to touch base emerges for me. I don't know if she feels the same, but when she touches base, the same genuine friend is there. This is one friend request I REALLY want to have accepted.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Integrity is neither private nor public.
When did we get into the habit of ignoring the blatant indiscretions of our public figures? Many of my peers pass it off as normal, saying we only hear about the ones that get caught, implying or even saying up front that all public leaders behave badly as if that makes it okay. Too often we excuse bad sexual behavior because some believe men can't control their physical urges.
New York Congressman Anthony Weiner admitted today that he lied to the nation a week ago when he denied sending an explicit photo to a woman who is not his wife. He made up a story saying he was the victim of someone that had 'hacked' his computer and sent it in his name. After he took 'full responsibility' for taking the pictures and sending them, he went on to say that he would not resign because he doesn't think he "did anything that violated any law or rule of the house" or anything to compromise his 'oath of office to uphold the Constitution'. Excuse me? How does an outright lie to the public not become glaring evidence that he has compromised his ability to even make/keep an oath ?
Why would we accept that one can behave one way in private and another in public? It is unacceptable to me that we don't set a standard for our 'public servants' private behavior at the same level we expect of their public behavior. I don't believe anyone is perfect nor do I expect it, but the level of a person's deceptive behavior in private should give us a glimpse at the potential of deception in public.
I have a favorite quote that sums up my feelings about the people that I want to serve my community.
'The true character of a man is determined by what he would do if he knew no one would find out.' -Unknown
New York Congressman Anthony Weiner admitted today that he lied to the nation a week ago when he denied sending an explicit photo to a woman who is not his wife. He made up a story saying he was the victim of someone that had 'hacked' his computer and sent it in his name. After he took 'full responsibility' for taking the pictures and sending them, he went on to say that he would not resign because he doesn't think he "did anything that violated any law or rule of the house" or anything to compromise his 'oath of office to uphold the Constitution'. Excuse me? How does an outright lie to the public not become glaring evidence that he has compromised his ability to even make/keep an oath ?
Why would we accept that one can behave one way in private and another in public? It is unacceptable to me that we don't set a standard for our 'public servants' private behavior at the same level we expect of their public behavior. I don't believe anyone is perfect nor do I expect it, but the level of a person's deceptive behavior in private should give us a glimpse at the potential of deception in public.
I have a favorite quote that sums up my feelings about the people that I want to serve my community.
'The true character of a man is determined by what he would do if he knew no one would find out.' -Unknown
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