Postlude Paradox

     The biggest hurdle that I seem to have to leap over seems to be that of dealing with myself.  Yes, everyone has conflicted feelings about identity and stuff, but the hardest thing for me is dealing with the trait of selfishness-- arrogance, vanity, self-centeredness, hubris-- all included.  Contrary to popular belief, not all missionaries are happy-go-lucky beings people who just love to help people-- they're supposed to be, but we're human, too.

     Selfishness is the bane of a collective society.  It's also the capital of societal progress.  To be prideful, arrogant, and boastful may not puff a positive connotation, but replaced with words like, individualistic, unique, and set-apart, the feeling changes-- the definition doesn't.  The feeling that grips my soul, blotching a giant black spot in my heart has definitely hard for me-- the purpose of a Latter-day Saint's missionary service is to "lose his life for my [Jesus'] sake" so that one may find it (Matthew 16:25).  A mission has definitely scrubbed off a sizeable portion of that dark stain, but it still shows.

     Once you do all that you've ever wanted to do and there's nothing else really to do, that's when one  can discover a true sense of selflessness.  It may come earlier for some rather than for others, but through it can society can get along.

Selflessness is an end result of the battle that selfishness proclaims victory over your mind.

     Aforementioned, a big part of spiritual growth, maturity comes from losing yourself versus keeping yourself.  As God has made us into progressive entities-- people who have to learn, develop and grow-- we must come to realize how that can be.  Slowly, progressively, we must learn to hit the point when we learn to become charitable.  At the same time, we cannot mature without such a trait.  A paradoxical flaw, it was meant to be so that we may be closer to becoming whole.

Selflessness = peace
Selfishness = progress

"Oh Lord, my God!"

     Footsteps clamor on the wooden staircase of the two-story Carthage jail.  Absurdly-dressed men, superficially discontent with their once beloved, rush the large wooden door separating them and the inhabitants thereof.  Shots go off.  With a bangs and pops, intertwined with profanity, four men, on the other side of that door push back the door, the impending death awaiting.

Depiction

     The firearms slip through the doorway.  The eagerly evil group of men release their flintlocks, igniting a hue of black smoke, propelling those lead shots into the direction of that room; many more come from the opposite direction-- from the window adjacent.

     "I am a dead man!"

     Shouts of shock.  Cries of help.  Panics of peril.  The four inhabitants of that room were then overpowered by these disgruntled men-- the mens' target, the "infamous" Joseph Smith, had attempted sanctuary, leaping toward the only exit remaining.

     Four shots having penetrated his body, the prophet Joseph Smith had fallen down those two stories, having cried the words:

     "Oh Lord, my God!"

     His dead or dying body now vulnerable to the mob members below, these people aimed to take him and disgrace him, even unto death.

     "The Mormons are coming!"

     The retreating cry of the mob members scurried frighteningly away at the news, leaving the dead bodies of Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, and the wounded, affrighted souls of two others, laying around Carthage jail.  In a matter of less than twenty minutes after the charge, hell had indeed broken loose.

Memorial

     Set June 27, 1844, four somewhat ordinary citizens of Nauvoo, Illinois were molested by the wrath of disgruntled townsfolk.  With the death of the very first church leader of the Latter-day Saints, it had sealed a testimony of his work.  The influence of God upon him and his followers are evidently shown through the events that had ensued.  A legacy left behind, Joseph Smith had influenced tens of thousands at the time-- millions, following.

Praise to his mem'ry, he died as a martyr; 

Honored and blest be his ever great name! 

Long shall his blood, which was shed by assassins, 

Plead unto heav'n while the earth lauds his fame.

     This year marks the 161st anniversary of this event.  Let it be known that if this man was not called of a higher deity, the Church would not have been true.  The Church would not have had a priesthood.  The Church would not have had an anointed servant of the Lord guide it.  The church would not have had 141+ temples in operation.  The church would not have been a major influence in domestic and international affairs of the world.  Praise to the man.  Praise unto God.

One More Time with Feeling

     It's been a while since anything new has been put up here.  It doesn't mean that I completely stopped writing up new things, but it does mean that I was busy for quite a while.  A lot of stuff has gone that, quite frankly, made it almost impossible to think and create.  Still, though, there may be occasional posts here and there, but as for now, I may be lessening my activity.  In that case, there are a few words I'd like to add-- just random, but sentimental stuff.


     This blog was created to help others come unto Jesus Christ.  Still, with the amount of content in it, there should be a few that fulfills that role.  As for all of it, I'll be honest, they didn't turn out too Christ-like.  Rather, a fire and brimstone-esque demeanor radiated from each word-- condemnation and disillusionment behind each metaphor and allegory.


     To those who have seen it that way and have been hindered or offended by what has been posted, I regret it-- I am sorry and if there comes a time where you would like something handwritten, please let me know.  My email is on the "My history" tab on the blog profile.  Send me a return address and expect something in the mail in the next week or so.


     Still, though, that does mean one thing-- although with this I may be all but through, it'll emerge with a non-missionary-related blog called "First Impressions."  Less gospel-oriented but more spreading happiness-oriented, it's a casual take on the things that make people... people.  Aesthetics in both an outer and an inner realm will be discussed and will be for the sake of making others happy and not necessarily a tool to bring others into the LDS Church.


     Thanks for the ride.  Still, through this, I have met some wonderful people and will continue to do so for the rest of my life.  As the things we go through are what makes the flames in the refiner's furnace, we'll come out okay in the end-- the world is a scary place, but with a big smile and God and a friend right next to you, anything is possible.


     So au revoir.  I'll still keep the posts up here.  With any questions and replies, I'll still reply.

Delinquency

     When you're on a mission, the first thing you have to do is to forget everything you've learned from the place where you received instructions for before leaving.  The rules outlined in a handbook are simply just "guidelines" to the missionaries.  It'll make life extremely difficult if you want to follow the rules-- you'll be labeled as a "goody-do-er," "not fun," "tattle-tale," and just negative labels-- it makes missionary work pretty hard.

     For the past year or so, it was like that-- constantly being picked on for being too upright about standards.  It got worse being around the missionaries who have been called English-speaking*-- no discipline and rampant rowdiness all over the place.  It was like walking midst middle-schoolers.  Now I understand that they haven't quite got the fact that the rules are in place for precautionary rather than for restrictive purposes; but to blatantly rebel against it was just unacceptable!  These people don't act like missionaries, period.

     Lock me up in a looney bin-- coat me with a strait jacket, too.  I've been going insane with so much hypocrisy going on.  Dying.  Decaying.  My mental state was deteriorating frighteningly fast.

     To those of you at work or even here in the mission field, it's stressful dealing with non-compliant people-- they don't follow the standards set in place.  Even worse, they think they're quite the chivalrous bunch-- they can't find fault in themselves, finding it for others!  Gossips spread fast, too.  So let me give you some pointers that'll help with such a seemingly hopeless situation:

You might be a perfectionist.

     I learned that the hard way-- this makes life unnecessarily difficult to those who want to do things by the books.  Although it says, many times, that perfection is to be sought for, perfectionism is to be avoided.  That comes from progressing yourself while looking back at others behind you in scorn.  

     "<sigh> I guess I'll have to clean up their mess."

     "Could you be any more stupid?"

     "Grow up!"

     "Why would you do that?"

     Let reality come back to you-- you're dealing with people who can make their own decisions.  This is something that isn't under anyone's control-- not even God.  Sure, God knows what his children will do long before they themselves, but He has no control over it.  One cannot dictate how another person should live his or her life-- coercion was never a principle preached by any religionist and moralist in good standing with society.

     Paul says that "his strength is made perfect in weakness" as he talks about the Atonement Jesus made for us (2 Corinthians 12:9).  We have to humble ourselves-- know that "there is so much good in the worst of us and so much bad in the best of us, that it hardly becomes any of us to talk about the rest of us."

     As soon as you know this, feel free to sulk around a little bit, swallow some pride, and start reaching out-- lovingly.  These people may be below us when it comes to maturity or understanding, but the things will work out.  The path to perfection isn't a solo road-- it's a group effort!  Remember: look back and reach out.  These kids-- these people-- won't understand why certain principles have to be followed, but through kind and loving example, they can be made right-- an invitation to do good.  Waiting for them to change without doing anything on your part will only make life more miserable.

The Donkey and the Fence (ANECDOTE)

     There lived a heard of donkeys, living on a very, very large ranch.  They all got along with each other very well, grazing on the nice, green pasture in which they were roaming.  Their ranchers, who would supervise where they were to go, were nice fellows-- very caring and very responsible as they would take care of the donkeys.

     Every now and then, some of the donkeys in the ranch were taken out by these ranchers so they would give rides to visiting tourists.  As the donkeys were more or less docile in their countenances, this wasn't a big problem with extremely few incidents of bucking or kicking.  It was a good life for these donkeys.  The work they had to do wasn't at all difficult and they were very well taken care of-- plenty of food, space, and time.

     However, beyond the fences in which they were surrounded by, there lied an unknown world to these donkeys; it wasn't anything like the trails they took their tourists.  The donkeys had no idea what was out past those, bright, white picket fences.  With that in mind, some of the donkeys got very curious.

     "Hey, what do think might be out there?" a donkey asked another donkey.

     "Beats me, Paula, but I bet Josh over there knows!"

     These two donkeys went to Josh-- he was notorious for the injuries caused to the humans-- he was the most extreme case of bucking and kicking the ranch has ever seen.  He would attempt running away many times, only to be found and returned back to where he lived.  He was seldom taken out of the ranch for fear of hurting more people and running away.

     "Hey Josh, have you ever been past the fence before?" Paula asked.

     "Oh plenty," Josh bluffed.  "The trick is, you have to kick off five of the tourists riding on you-- then you'll get strong enough legs to jump the fence over and see it for yourself!"

     "Won't the ranchers see me?"

     "Don't worry about that!  Your legs'll be so strong, they won't even know you leapt the fence!"

     Intrigued, these donkeys were extremely interested in the fact that there was a world out there and there was means to get there!  A rather reasonable task, these donkeys began to talk amongst themselves and with the other donkeys in the ranch-- many thought it was amusing at first.  Time passed, though, and many of the donkeys began feeling unsatisfied of their living conditions, even though they were treated extremely well and with care.  The donkeys looked to Josh, who would frequently run away and thought "maybe he isn't all that crazy."

     Through the months, these donkeys have begun to buck and kick a rather large amount of people as they rode the tourists.  Several deaths amounted, but these donkeys hadn't given much care anymore.  They now were set on wanting out.  Perhaps there lied freedom to do whatever they could-- or even paradise.  As each had accomplished what was told of them, the donkeys began to leap over the fence.  Surprising enough, each donkey that had kicked and injured and killed the five or more tourists had leapt that fence with very little difficulty.  In single file, each would see what the other side had beheld.  Little did these donkeys knew that over that fence was a very steep cliff.

Counterculture part 2

      Let's go into theological law here for a second.  In a typical Christian church, there are twelve laws that all have to try to follow:

• Let God be your top priority (Exodus 20:3).
• Idolatry is very bad (Exodus 20:4).
• Deity is not to be mocked (Exodus 20:7).
• Worship God on the Sabbath (Exodus 20.8)
• Respect your parents (Exodus 20.12).
• Don't kill (Exodus 20:13).
• Don't canoodle with a woman that isn't your wife (Exodus 20:14).
• Thievery is condoned (Exodus 20:15).
• Lying is not good (Exodus 20:16).
• Acting upon jealousy is a sin (Exodus 20.17).
• Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind (Matthew 22:37).
• Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself (Matthew 22:39).

     Yet most people don't seem to follow them as well as they can.  Many other Abrahamic religions such as Judaism and Islam have a book of laws (i.e. Talmud and Sharia respectively) that govern life so that one can live to be the best Jewish person or the best Muslim person God may want them to live.  There are rules and aphorisms for many of us to think about and apply to our own lives-- to be the decent human beings that we are.

     "Bigoted."
  
     "Chauvinistic pigs."
  
   "Narrow-minded."

     People come to disrespect the law-- other religions' laws.  Many become ashamed of their faiths and go down the deep end toward disillusionment.  Intolerance is a culture molded from a deep misunderstanding of one's own faith.  Many give up the faith after not being up to par with the laws in place and the people who slander them.

     Anarchy.  This religion-lacking population topples down the theological laws that have been put in place since the dawn of time-- a set of laws that each faith believes have been set by God Himself that cannot be compromised.  With that comes a contrast in "conservatism" and then "reform" flourishes**.

     As democracy is slowly filled with these secular men and women, there is much neglect in the theological laws that are put into place and the laws voted upon by the people are mostly those to advance those without such goals to benefit mankind-- sure, it may look like it, but the strife too often see among the religionists and the seculars result in a stalemate or an unappeasing compromise. For both sides.  Therefore, this low tolerance leads to a degradation of the purpose of democracy in the first place-- productivity goes down the drain and bickering jumps to uncomfortable proportions.

     Without applied theological law, socio-ethical law begins to weather away, as its foundation came from the very laws God has given us.

     When the people care more about their rights than their responsibilities, then you know that we're in trouble.

     See this pattern today?  Scared?  Angry?  Guilty?

     Here in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we do believe, like any other religious denomination, the belief that obedience [to God] will bring blessings regardless of its outcome.  It's a hard thing to do, but it's do-able.  We have the choice between doing so and reaping the long-term rewards thereafter or not doing so and suffering the consequences.

     Now, God doesn't expect us to follow ALL His commandments at once, but He asks us to improve each passing day.

     "Exact obedience means trying your best," I heard someone say.  It's true.  Because we're not perfect, every day is a learning and improving experience!

     "To be religious in this day and age means you have to sacrifice a lot of freedom and be persecuted by all the intellectuals out in the world," I hear.

     I'd like to take the example of one thing that Jesus pointed out to do-- a LOT.  That is to "love thy neighbor."   Regardless of situation or background, this is the one thing that is universally preached by all religionists.  It's hard to love people* who have wronged you and are different from you; however, it's possible.  Done properly, even if the other party may not be particularly fond of you, you will find that optimism and hope springs forth from a world filled with cynicism.

     I say that a lot-- that the world is cynical and mean, but it doesn't all have to be if we can go back to our roots!  Without religion, the world will not be able to function correctly.  Without pure Christianity, the world will not be as bent in loving others but loving the individual.

     The world* isn't a perfect place by far; it doesn't have to be.  We just need to make the choice to obey what God has instructed us to do.  This law is more universal than anything political-- those come and go, but God's law stays the same.  It has been given to us in this imperfect state that we may find joy-- not immediately, but over time.  To obey the [celestial] law in an ideal world means having utopia on Earth.  To obey the [celestial] law in an imperfect world means being that much closer to having utopia in the soul.



 *: "the world" and the general term for "people" refers to an assumption to mean citizens of the United States of America.  Much other parts of the world is unknown in the perspective of this peculiar person due to a lack of information, therefore not much argument or support can be backed up for them and their situation.
**: I do believe that many civil reforms were necessary for the advancement of society (e.g. the civil rights movement, the child labor reformation, the Catholic reformation (excluding the Inquisition), and many more.)

I may not be as informed as the majority of the American population about current events, but this opinion has arose from what I have seen over the days.

Human Nature (Digression)

     If you challenge someone like an atheist to live life without faith as your motivation for hope-- without depending on the knowledge that you'll go someplace else after you die, they'll definitely take it.  However, I say to that accepter of that challenge that he is completely nuts.  He already has a seed somewhere in his heart of a particular faith.  He turned atheist because he just wasn't satisfied with religion.  That in and of itself is a faith with its own set of rules and principles.

     Religion--faith-- is a weird yet very necessary thing.  Even in the dawn of time, man has had religion.  We humans are very peculiar creatures who rely on a very invisible entity to guide and direct us.  We are a social animal.  We are also a worshipping animal.  Evidently, it's in our nature to have religion, whatever it may be. 

     When you have it in your mind, even if it's just the remotest little knowledge of faith, life becomes bearable and hope can be seen.  Even if you're Hindu, Moslem, Wiccan, or anything else that involves a belief in something that cannot be seen, there's always a doctrine tied to a certain one of those creeds.  Those creeds enable us to see what is beyond the biotic life that we live right now.  It also enables us to be the type of people who don't have to succumb to the urges and yearnings of our body.  Taboos and cultural customs all have developed as a result of religion.

     If there happens to be a time in your life where you lost a loved one, got divorced, or something traumatic and painful, you need more than something physical to rely on.  Sure, you have your therapist and your drugs, but there comes a point in your life where you need more than things/people you can hold in your hands.  You need some of that invisible good stuff that can heal your aching soul.  Faith, no matter how significant and no matter how unknown, is ingrained deep inside the human soul. 

     Despair brings out a side of you that needs worship; a hope that a power much greater than you will correct your wrongs and continue your existence.  It enables also the hope that your significant other may be alright and that restitution may be possible on your part.  There will be a time in your life where such feelings will exist (if it hasn't already).  Life is tough and it requires more than just what you can see and touch.  Belief.  It's absolutely instrumental.

     I strongly believe in the inherent power of belief.  It has gotten me through the thick of life.  With a spiritual foundation in something that cannot be seen but feel, the confirmations of truth burning at the bosom have never felt so real.  On multiple occasions, there have been times where a warm feeling has overcome my soul, telling me that all will be well-- civility will rule over an uncivilized world.  This wasn't something I could explain, but I just knew that the feeling from such belief in such came from something much higher than me.  Without anything to hold on to, without a moral compass to guide you on your way, we are no better than animals.  We are no better than the actions we commit.

     So no matter who you are and what your background is, you're going to have to put faith in something to get you through the trials of life.  From God to wealth, it's all there for you to believe in.  However, a belief in God, the Eternal Father of our souls will get you farther in life than you've ever dreamed of.  We have Jesus Christ and also Joseph Smith to thank for that.

Keeper

     On the other side of the country is my family-- a group of people I can call home.  Although they may be scattered about in the east, I cannot deny the fact that they have shaped me into the person who I am.

     Of course, in that family are siblings-- brothers or sisters, we all love, despise or even neglect for five years or more.  They're there, whether we like them or not, and society revolves around how we put them in the grand equation that amounds to our life.

     Recently, through social media, I had stumbled upon mine own sibling for the first time in a year.  It's been some time now since I've physically seen him in person and even longer since I've actually talked to him.  It may be that over a year ago I've changed a lot or he has, or both, but it was appalling some of the things I saw him post.  I know he's a better person that what he shares.  The contrast between where our lives have gone is quite interesting.

     So in a nutshell, I am one of two kids-- one who is around 11... years minutes "older" than I am.  I don't really understand/know why without putting me to blame, but that fraternal relationship has been nonexistent for the longest time.  Eight years of estrangement can take its toll on the human psyche.

     We've all been given a charge to love our brother's keeper.  My message here is to all who have broken or rusted bonds with siblings or relatives in any form you want to connect with again.  When you're estranged, it's extremely frightening to reconnect, even if you really want to.  The thought of further rejection, waywardness, and hostility makes us quake.

     So the first step to overcoming our demons and repairing these bonds come from being receptive.  Showing that desire to want to reconnect is the first big step to reparation.  It can be something like a pact to yourself that you won't hold any more ill will toward your estranged relative or even a message to the world that your doors of acceptance is now open.  At this part, perhaps your estranged relative wants to accept your offer of benevolence-- great!  Be receptive and kindly when they initiate the conversation!

     That's the easy part.  The real threshold that has to be crossed with the majority of us is that of taking action.  More likely than not, the other party may be thinking that you'll be the one who reaches them rather than vice versa.  It takes a real human being to go out and look for the person to make amends with!  A small private message on facebook, a twitter mention, or even a piece of correspondence (if you know his or her address) never hurt anyone!  Be proactive, even if it's the scariest thing you'll ever do in the distant future.  The return on investment is great, so far as I've been told.

     This is something I'm doing.  Right now, I'm working on the first part.  I have some time left before I'm able to actually reach out, but I know that we can exemplify the happiness of a strong, cohesive family with a message of reconnection.

     To my own kin, my doors are open, but my mouth cannot until this journey out west is finished.

Injustice (Tangent)

     In the midst of a library's computer lab, there was a young man, diligently working on a story that was to be published in a non-profit magazine in the coming weeks.  In this computer lab, there walks in a short, little woman-- thick glasses, a hanging lower lip, and a problem with her attitude.  She plops right down on a computer and plugs in her headphone, not minding what others around her have to say.  The unwanted voices of Justin Bieber and a variety of other pop singers are heard through the headphones, radiating a maxed-out volume that reverberates around the computer lab.  The cacophony of a squealing water bottle is heard every several minutes, piercing its sound to those nearby.  Day by day, this habit continues and many are afraid of telling this disabled woman that she's being a distraction.

     One day, as the persistence of the music and peculiar habits get the best of this young author, he approaches this woman, all 5-foot 2 of her, and firmly tells her that she is being a distraction to those around her.  With an un-understood look in her face, she turns her attention away from the man and continues forth with her habit, undeterred and non-compliant.  A look of puzzlement and frustration in the young man's face, he goes toward the information desk of the library to voice his complaint.  The librarian listens intently to what the man has told her and she goes forth and in a loving but authoritative charge, she sends this woman out of the computer lab, never able to come back again.  Many in the computer lab look to this man with a sign of relief and thankfulness as they all continue to do what they have been doing-- in peace, finally.

     As the days approached, there, the short, little woman is seen again but with two tall men, a business-dressed woman, and an official-looking envelope.  The business-dressed woman, who addressed herself as a "Nancy," a representative from the local disabilities advocacy group and she told this young man that the envelope the short, little woman was holding was a subpoena-- that they had filed a lawsuit against the young man and also the library for kicking out the woman-- who turns out to have down syndrome.  The two parties were to owe this woman $3.2 million dollars in lawsuit and reparation each.

     The young man had nothing like this happen to him in his life before.  He was at a loss of what to do.  He didn't and couldn't raise enough money to pay for the lawsuit, let alone hiring an attorney.  The library wasn't going to do much to help his case, either.  Devastated, he returned home, looking poorly in the prospects of his future.

     As the court date was approaching closer and closer, the advocacy group had broadcasted the incident on a national scale, making it known to mainstream media and other public figures and groups.

     "Man responsible for kicking out handicapped patron out of library"

     "Inhumane act of atrocity took place in computer lab"

     "Woman with down syndrome abused for being mentally challenged"

     "Insensitive bigot claims superiority over the disabled"

     "Hate crime?  We think so!"

     Such headlines had become such a ubiquitous sight that many had seen and vilified this young man as he walked the streets, entered various establishments, and even published his articles.  Words of anger and retribution lashed the back of this man wherever he was, and was not given a day of mercy to rest from what he had done.  Abuse, robbery, and shame had followed him like a shadow, wherever he was to be seen.  His magazine organization had fired him because of his image.  He was evicted from his apartment because of his inability to pay rent.  He couldn't get another job because his name was so notorious among the public opinion.

     The court date was coming in a few weeks.  This man, homeless and without support, now wandered the streets of the city slums, living off of the blind charity of the church soup kitchens.  With what little money he could muster up, the young man had gone to a local pawn shop and put in all that he had to purchase a cold, long barrel-- trigger attached.  He had put in another couple of dollars to buy five red, cylindrical tubes, brass for its base.

     In a location far from the incivility and vile mouths of man, he faced a brick wall-- a racing river right behind him, running from an impending storm-- and uttered a last, desperate prayer.  He picks up the cold steel of the metal-and-wood salvation and inserts the red cylinder in a hole at its side.  With a quiet-as-possible click, the cylinder goes deeper into the barrel.  The shiny, barren emptiness is pointed into the young man's mouth.  As he closes his eyes and voices a final good-bye, he swallows the red pill-- never again to see the remnants of his mind and his soul again.  He was set free from the world, its torment now at ease.

     "Man's guilt gets the best of him"

     "An unsung death of a cruel and vicious man"

     "Good riddance"

Counterculture part 1

“In my youth I wanted freedom. In my mature years I want order.” --Will Durrant

     The motif of defying authority figure is an age-old concept, universal in its application.  From the hill-billy rednecks to the thugs of the inner cities, the lack of understanding of the law which governs us is more and more evident in the people.

     The rebellious nature of man is everywhere-- more rampant than ever.  Abuse of privilege tied sprinkled in with a lack of maturity, a lack of responsibility, and a lack of knowledge makes for an interestingly scary society.

     Legalize drugs!

     Ban theology!

     Power to the people!

     Get that tyrant out of office!

     Away with all the <insert minority non-Protestant religion here>!

     Down with the establishment!

     We see these phrases shouted by all sorts of people, educated or otherwise.  What service do they serve besides to advance their own ideology?  Do they benefit the population at large or is it self-serving?

     "It's the spirit of the law that really matters!"

     I have heard this for the first time, not too long ago.  It puzzles me, quite frankly.  Many a people* hawk for such things in the positions they're in regardless of political party-- much of the world* is becoming more and more polarized.

     If people don't like what they see, they choose to either ignore it or openly rebel against it.  Feelings are hurt and contention is rife.  The world* seems so filled with hateful words said to each other without regard to human frailty rather than the spirit of cooperation and understanding.  It seems as if self-service and copious amounts of criticism reigns supreme in the minds of all those view figures, governments, and other institutions.

     Honestly, I'm an idealist-- the world would be just right if everyone would just get along and pick pansies and frolick on the open meadow.  A society filled with love and understanding-- wouldn't that be nice?  Wouldn't it be just dandy if everyone could say to another, "you are my brother" or "you are my sister" and be done with it?

     Unfortunately, the situation doesn't seem like that and the majority of the world are left in the dust about how others genuinely feel and act, causing a lot of disconnects and problems.  I will explain why I say the things that I do in a later post why I bring up these issues.

     I address this to those who are disillusioned (Ernest Hemingway-style) and those who want to seek something greater in life.

     So the way I see it, laws that govern us (as human beings and not mathematically/scholastically) exist in three different dichotomies:

• Governmental - the set-in-stone laws written by a body of legislators in a government assembly or decreed by some sort of leader/dictator figure.
• Socio-ethical - the tentative, "unspoken" laws set in place by man to dictate what is culturally acceptable or not (e.g. cultural etiquette, common courtesy, manners, faux pas, taboos, &c.)
• Theological - a set of rules found primarily through books of holy writ (e.g. Ten Commandments, Five Pillars); this is where much of today's socio-ethical laws come from.

     Starting off, there are a LOT of rules to follow in today's society.  The world put up standards in which to abide by-- through these three types of laws.  If you put them all together, it's mind-boggling how many rules that we're supposed to follow compared to how many we actually do follow.

     It's definitely overwhelming and many don't succeed in following all of the dictations that have been put into place.  Sometimes, the regulations aren't something we might look favorably upon-- it may go against our intuition, or culture, or our beliefs.  These laws don't quite seem to be as universal as people make them out to be.

     Each person has the ability to choose between what is right and what is wrong.  This is called agency.  When people representing others come together in an assembly to decide what is right or wrong, this is called democracy. When people don't agree with certain facets of law, this is called one of two things: counterculture or apostasy.  When either of these things happen, society changes-- usually for the worst-- now there have been cases where disagreements of certain portions of law turned out to be for the best, but usually, it has let to a lot of material loss and a loosening of a standard set in place before the protest.  Disarray prevails and decorum is almost unobtainable without some kind of compromise.


 *: "the world" and the general term for "people" refers to an assumption to mean citizens of the United States of America.  Much other parts of the world is unknown in the perspective of this peculiar person due to a lack of information, therefore not much argument or support can be backed up for them and their situation.

I may not be as informed as the majority of the American population about current events, but this opinion has arose from what I have seen over the days.

The World Needs More Listeners part 2

     In my experience as a human being, I have come across something that seems to have made my life a tad more miserable than it ought to have be:

     Other people.

     As much as I avoid talking to people and associating myself with life, it seems like people have the most potential to do harm to another human being than anything else in the world.  How is it done, you ask?

    Surprisingly, the most common of hurts doesn't come from: sticks, stones, mallets, swords, knives, drugs, poison, fists, bombs, and guns.

     It comes from another person's lips.

     Those lips can utter a strange world of insult, madness, frustration, and slander.

     More than any weapon on Earth, words are the most used instruments of destruction.  Like many objects such as knives and hammers, they can be used for good purposes, but at the desperation and frustration of the individual, they convert these relatively pacified instruments into potentially harmful objects.

     Words.  Especially specific ones-- when used, can turn us into monsters.

    Much of the world are weary of so much slander-- ubiquitous in the mouths of many-- the television, the internet, the radio, and every instrument of media known to man.  A day doesn't pass where such acerbic words aren't conveyed to another person or party.

     These words build up-- they weather us.  They change us.  They change our nature.

     One has to know that people are like a block of clay; the potter being that of the world.  So are the words of the world like that of the potter's hands.  They can be rough, but they can be skilled.  In that sense, we are part of the world, too.

     Do we want to be the hands that turn the block of clay into mush, or a beautiful vase?

     As the individual is the block of clay, it is our duty to shape that person to be a beautiful instrument that can serve its purpose, whatever it may be.  A nice, accented, piece of glory that can be proudly displayed in any home.

     To do that, do we really need to hear and say such hateful words and convey such hateful action toward another human being?

     Over the days here, there are a TON of real-life examples I have seen where words just turned people into people who aren't really themselves.  I want to avoid that.  I want to see the world as a place where people aren't afraid to be themselves-- a place where all can cooperate and do what God has in store for them-- a place where one can unlock his or her fullest potential.  Beginning with you (me, also), here's some things that should be avoided as soon as possible.

Please don't avoid:

• Misunderstand another-- The key to many of today's problems could have been resolved if only people asked good questions.  Misunderstanding-- disconnects-- come from a lack of communication.  It comes from us not analyzing a situation before making a judgment.  To avoid such a tragedy, one must be able to humble themselves to seek understanding from the other party through looking through the lens of the that party.  So before calling someone out, ask what the person is doing and why he or she is doing it.  It'll help get a perspective on what really needs to be done rather than submit to name-calling or extreme frustration.
• Ignore a request - Neglect is one of the reasons why people have issues with abandonment, acceptance, and self-esteem.  Worse than giving someone a yes or no answer, this is not replying or acknowledging at all.  There's a great reason why jails and militaries use solitary confinement as punishment: the lack of human contact is unbearable to the most of us.  So it is with neglect.  The purposeful ignorance of a request-- of an idea of another human being-- may make another feel useless, angry, and depressed.  Believe me, people already have too much on their plates and the people with these ideas have gone through some effort so that you can hear the information they have collected-- just for you.  Don't ignore people.  Rather, acknowledge them.  Saying yes or no is all up to you, but just listen.  You may never know if that person whom you accept may be the next genius who benefits humankind!
• DENY a request - Saying "no" really hurts.  There is a time and a place for such, but personally, I try my best never to say "no."  There are a ton of alternatives to saying no such as "what about," "I'm afraid that [idea] will end up like," "here's what I think," and a plethora of other phrases.  No-- the word itself can boil the blood of a lot of people, giving them unnecessary stress and pain.
• Shoo off someone - This goes along with neglect.  Don't do this.  The person whom you've shooed off may have faced such rejection and unacceptance numerous times.  It may be his or her breaking point.  The shoo-er gives no clear explanation on why he wants this person out of his or her group, but there should be an explanation given!  That is the key to communication!  The one thing people in this life need more than anything is closure.  That is why religion exists.  That is why CSI people work so hard to find who killed who.  Remember always that before something like this happens, talk to the person you want to reject on why that is the case before actually doing the action.
• Discourage someone - Honestly, I think of this incredibly cruel.  Unless by some instance where the person may be doing something universally unacceptable, never EVER tell someone to quit what they're doing so hard with.  It kills morale, makes the other party really sad, and halts progression.  You may have potentially stopped the discouraged person from reaching his full potential as a musician, a teacher, a bus driver, a lawyer, a doctor, etc.  Patience.  This is incredibly important when dealing with others.
• Use any sort of violence to justify an action (or vice versa) - This is another incredibly cruel (and senseless) act that could be avoided altogether through effective communication.  Any sort of violence is unacceptable, because you're physically hurting another person because they had the audacity to call you out on something.  Swallow your pride.  Do whatever it takes to stop the rage from clenching your hands into fists and flying them to the other party's face.  Many laws protect the other person from such things and put you in a position where you may be facing a hefty fine and even jail time.  This may seriously damage another person both by bruises/broken/swollen body parts and even through psychological trauma.  We really don't want to go into any more of the repercussions that this has on a human being.  It's bad.  Try to reason.  Try to humble yourself.  Try to laugh.  Try to shout off a mountain.  Try to be the better man.  It'll alleviate any tense situation-- maybe not in a heartbeat, but eventually.

     Jesus had always told us to love and not to hate (John 13:34).  If hate abound even in a justifiable way, we have to forgive and love at least 490 times more (Matthew 18:21-22).  It's the Christian thing to do-- it's the right thing to do.  As we do it, we'll get closer to what agape truly means.  This is my wish to the world.  Don't be so hard on other people, because they're going through the same struggles as we all are.  We shouldn't make the world any cynical than it already is.

The World Needs More Listeners part 1

     Lately, the days have gone by a bit shaky-- a ton of things to complain about and a lot of neglect from leadership figures.  For the longest time, I was whining and getting absolutely flabbergasted because these people would procrastinate, slack off, and just evade doing work altogether.  Disillusionment set in fairly rapidly over these last couple of months.  I thought I was going to explode in frustration.  In a nutshell, I was (and still am, in my honest opinion), going through "missionary puberty."

     Now why do I bring that up?  Well, the fact of the matter is is that much of the pent-up anxiety, wrath, resentment, disconnect, and sadness comes not from purposeful hatred, but from a lack of communication-- a lack of love, better put.

SUICIDE NOTE 2: There is too much stress in my life from school and the environment it creates, expectation s for sports, expectations from friends, and expectations from my family (SOURCE).

     This was written, really, not too long ago.  A disconnect between child and society resulted in tragedy.  It's really unfortunate hearing about such news.  I would like to share one more thing with y'all:

SUICIDE NOTE 1: I have no hope, only dreams that have died.  I was never able to obtain satisfactory interpersonal relationships.  I feared the future and a lot of other things.  I felt inferior.  I have almost no will to achieve, perseverance, or sense of worth, so goodbye.  I should have listened to you but I didn't.  I started using acid last summer.  It's purgatory (SOURCE).

     Neglect-- failure to understand-- leads to abandonment-- forlornness of the soul.  The brightest of souls are destroyed because of the lack of care.

     The pinnacle of human yearning comes from wanting to be heard-- to be listened to.  More and more, I'm seeing that many people are all either sad or angry if they're not recognized (myself included:P).  I don't know if this is just a part of human nature, but if someone knows that they have been heard, they are happy, content, and confident.  I suppose Mavlov was right-- we strive to be self-confirmative in most all of our actions.

     If we reach out to those who need us-- the quiet ones especially--- imagine their gratitude!  They may not voice it immediately, but down the road, they'll be grateful that you didn't give up on them.  I want to share one more thing-- it's a sermon given in the 1970's.  It's been adapted to help you reach out.

"First, [these struggling people] need faith.  They need to believe.  They read to know the doctrines, the commandments, the principles of the gospel.  They need to grow in understanding and conviction.  They need to worship and to pray, but they live in a time when all of this is so seriously questioned, when doubt is encouraged.
 
Two, they need to be accepted as they are, and to be included.  They need a family, the most important social unity in the world; and even if they have a good family, they need the supportive influence outside their home-- of others, of neighbors, of friends... of brothers, of human beings.

Three, they need to be actively involved, to participate, to give service to give of themselves.

Four, they have to learn somehow that they are more important than their mistakes, that they are worthwhile, valuable, useful; that they are loved unconditionally" (Marion D. Hanks, October, 1971).

     The world needs more listeners.  How much better would it be if we all understood each other?  To the all of us, the world can be a vile place, but we don't have to be.  Help that one person who needs your hand.  We're here to serve others, says the teacher of teachers (Matthew 20:27).