February 23, 2017
10:51 p.m.


Oh boy, oh boy! To the next person who tells me that global warming cannot be a thing because it's snowing out there--Science! You've got a brain, put it to work. Global warming could conceivably be the cause of the next ice age. I am not kidding.

I don't know why, but people who don't know anything about anything seem to love to try to start arguments with me. It's not that I think I know everything, but at least I make an effort to know something before I start talking about it.

I even make an effort to learn things I'm not particularly interested in--just in case someone decides to try to make me look stupid. Because, for reasons I cannot begin to understand, there are people out there who actually spend a great deal of time trying to do that!

(Look, I can make me look stupid all by myself, thanks. I have fallen up stairs and choked on air. I don't need help.)

As an example, I get a lot of people who try to say that things are "God's will". Things like excluding groups of people because they are not the same as the group excluding them. Things like allowing children to be bullied and ostracized because they don't "fit the mold". Things like exhorting others to hate, lie, cheat.

These are people who happily deport all immigrants, steal land from the Native Americans, deny basic human rights to transgender children, throw garbage in our waterways and lie repeatedly to everyone--probably to themselves most of all.

Calling something like that "God's will" sends me straight to my Bible. Wow, guess what? The bible says we should welcome the foreigner as one born in our lands. The bible says we should love one another as we love ourselves. It says God created the world--and nowhere does it say He created man to destroy His beautiful work. It tells us that Jesus taught that whatever we do to the least of His brethren, that we do also to Him.

So, from that you've learned...what? Bully the teen who finally built up the courage to come out? Steal from your neighbors? Pollute the earth to gain money? Judge others for the color of their skin or for the way they choose to worship--or not?

Find that in the bible and tell me it's God's will.

Insanity.

And let me tell you something: I am a lazy Christian. I really am. I don't spend hours studying my bible, I go to church whenever and skip church more often than not. I am a believer, but I'm lax on the practicing part of church-going.

I'm honest enough to admit it, however.

So for challenging me to research--good job! For trying to make me feel foolish--nice try! For being judgmental, racial, homophobic, etc.--for shame! It's time for you to do your own research and realize that God has not put you in charge of judging mankind.

Matthew 25:40  "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Watch your step.

There's a reason I try very hard to treat others the way I'd like to be treated myself--if I don't, the day will come I will have to answer for it.

I'm not for a second claiming that I always succeed. I am so far from perfect that I can barely see it ahead of me in the distance. I strive, and I fail. Daily. But I do keep trying. I do. Because it's the right thing to do.

My biggest failing, I feel at this time, is letting myself be upset by the people who have been using the word of God to promote their un-God-like agendas. I have let them bait me into wanting to turn the tables on them and prove them wrong--which, if I am honest, makes me look petty and is probably just what they want.

So I am going to try very hard to ignore the baiting. I will try very hard to stay out of debates with people who, frankly, will not really pay attention to me in the first place. I have to understand that their agenda is to say what they have to say, and when others respond, however logically, repeat themselves rather than responding to what others have told them; rather than trying to learn new things by having an honest give and take conversation.

Personally, I welcome the chance to research, and to have conversations where I can learn new things. I can be reasonable, and if given a logical explanation I can sometimes be persuaded to look at things from another perspective.

But--and this is a big but--I will not be bullied into believing things simply because some obscure someone somewhere said so, and I will not be persuaded that God would ever encourage His children to mistreat one another or the beautiful world he created for us.
___________________________________________________________________________________

February 24, 2017
1:10 a.m.

Oops, kind of went off there, didn't I? But--come on! Dumping coal waste into streams is not God's will, so please don't bring Him into the conversation when I mention that polluting our water will doom the planet. (Seriously, I said this, and the reply was "It's God's will for the government to save coal miners' jobs". Uh...I didn't say eliminate jobs, I just said don't pollute the water while you're at it! Duh! There's got to be a way to do both. Be smart. Find a way!)

Okay, I'm done.
___________________________________________________________________________________

On a whole new and exciting track--who's watching "Jane the Virgin"? I recently caught up, and I really want to go crazy talking about it but I don't want to spoil it for anyone who's recording it to catch up later. I will just say--wow. Love the show.

Also, has anyone watched the new Netflix series "Santa Clarita Diet" with Drew Barrymore? I am a fan!!
___________________________________________________________________________________

In case you didn't notice, I have started a whole new day, and I'm thinking it's bedtime. So have a great rest of the darkness before the dawn and I'll think at you later.

Good night!