The Baron vs. The Cynic

The baron and the cynics. Such a lovely titled for this. It's meaning? I'm glad you inquired:

baron - a member of the lowest grade of nobility.

cynic - a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or disinterested points of view.

This is the very essence of Christianity (true, Biblical Christianity) and secular humanism. While these two groups argue back and forth constantly without getting anywhere with their point of view, no one can deny this to be a fact; Christianity at its core considers its "followers" to be accepted by God and thereby inheriting His kingdom (lowest grade of nobility). Cynicism at its core derives its meaning from what secular humanists and atheists preach constantly in their religion (yes, it is a religion), which is "there is no god," "natural selection shall take its course" and following a certain religion is "disingenuous" at best.

Ironically, both have nearly the same principles without having the same motive. Both consider people not affiliated with the group to be clueless. Both have followers and leaders. Both have books held in high esteem. Both have great minds and thinkers and both have colossal "truths" that one should follow if to claim partially in the group. Both groups try to make 'converts' of the other.

However, the differences are astounding (I know this is repeat for you but stay with me). Christianity says there is a higher authority. Atheism says there is no god and if there is he/she/it is incomprehensible. [C] says there are morals and this higher being called God gave them to us. [C] have the Bible while [A] have numerous materials not compiled into one book but rather outlined and based in Darwin’s Origin of Species. [A] says there are morals but only what we as a society deem to a 'value' is considered one. [C] says you aren't a good person by nature. [A] says we're all inherently good and this goodness just has to be instilled (if allowed by that person) in us by our respective societies.

So taking these major views, we have to see which one matches up to reality.

I’ve have an ex-girlfriend that’s insanely awesome in her field, that being biology. Being a kind boyfriend, I would genuinely show interest in that field and actually, I learned quite a lot from her. But simply put, the more I learned, the more I began to notice more and more the complexities of matter and that such complexities are too unreal to have “just happened.”

However, just because this may be true, doesn’t mean that Christianity is correct. There are 3 ways that this could end up. Atheism is wrong; Christianity is right. Christianity is wrong; atheism is right. Both Christianity and Atheism are wrong.

The only way to prove if one or the other is correct or both are wrong is by testing each side OBJECTIVELY. And that’s my challenge to you, my reader.

It’s the baron vs. the cynic. It’s the dummies vs. the smarties. It’s Christianity vs. Atheism. You have to fall on one side or the other. There is no in between. Choose this day to which religion you will be a slave. However, no matter which you choose, you’re still a slave; a slave to yourself or a slave to a God (if He exists).

Ready… go.

What is Love? NOT!

"Never pretend to a love which you do not actually feel, for love is not ours to command."
- Alan Watts

Do you believe this quote to be true? Is love not ours to command? I've pondered. Follow down this road with me...

If love is not ours to command, whose is it? If love is not something taken but something given as many people believe it to be, who gives it if its not ours to command? What is love after all?

Love in a simplistic definition is truly simple to understand: self-sacrificition. Love in a broader and more indepth definition is a bit harder for it is the rightful choosing of laying our wants, desires and even needs down at another person's feet and saying to him/her "I'm done with me and all I have is yours. It is you and your joyfulness that I live for and no one else." Can anyone really say this defintion is not true? Apparently Alan Watts can...

Love from this definition cannot be an emotion either. How can "self-sacrifice" be considered an emotion? Anger can manifest itself but also be felt throughout the body. I really dont think love can. Can we get butterflies? Yes. But how many times have you gotten those flitter-flutters and ended up not sacrificing yourself for the other person or vice versa? Plus, aren't those little buggers a sign of what someone else does for you, thereby implying selfishness?

Don't get me wrong, I completely believe that love is reciprical. It's give and take because we can only give out what's been given to us without Divine intervention (which is why so many non-Christians have a problems with achieving peace and understanding self-sacrifce). But what I'm driving at here is simply that many people have lost this definition. I mean goodness sakes, brith control devices are being given out to 11 year olds in Maine so that they can have sex "safer." Amazing. That's the only word I can think to describe it.

How can anyone love without self-sacrificition? I truly dont think that's even possible. Anything other than self-sacrifiition is lust of the flesh and the desires of a horribly wicked heart full of pride. I don't know how to describe it any other way. Any comments from you? If not, just think this through.

The Unexpected Road

Today's theme seems to be that of taking a road you totally don't expect...

I was in chapel today and Dr. Jeff Iorg was the speaker. He's the president of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. His sermon was on the story of when Jesus called Peter, James and John as told in Luke 5. What caught my attention was that Dr. Iorg consistently divulged the fact that these 3 dropped all they had and went in an entirely different direction from where their path started.

Number two: I talked to a friend of mine who has had issues with someone they wanted to date but decided that waiting was something they could not do. While this person had major feelings for their aspiration, they did not compromise a commitment they had made in the past in regards to not dating. This turn was one that was completely unexpected and now this person must travel down a different path than they originally planned.

Number three: Wedding Crashers. Wow. I cannot believe I'm using this movie to prove a Biblical point. Anyways, if you dont know the premise it is as follows: two guys go to weddings looking for girls to sleep with. John Beckwith (played by Owen Wilson) 3/4 of the way through the movie, begins to realize the disgusting path he's going down. His partner Jeremy Grey (played by Vince Vaughn) tells him that it's no big deal doing what he's doing and even urges him to keep going after John falls in love with this girl named Claire.

Here's the point: While your life may go a different direction than you plan on it and things may get crazy, conviction and truth are the only things constant to stand upon; and this must be done. I've noticed that tons of times my life gets hectic and crazy. Yet somehow my convictions and truths remain. I go off the path of righteousness every now and then but even when I go off that path, truth and conviction follow me. But what are am I or anyone else to do when the truth or conviction is said to be a fabricated lie or that a certain something will never happen.

You must continue to stand on what you know to be convicting you of the truth.

Nothing can, should or would ever get in the way of that as long as you're standing on TRUTH with a conviction in your heart that it is true. I dont know how else to say or put it. It's something that must be done.

I have no idea how to finish up this blog by saying anything other than that. Maybe this will suffice... while you may stand on truth, be prepared to get kicked down, tossed around and stomped on the ground. It's not a sweet whimsical ride of fun. It's dirty and grungy and to be honest... lonely. But it is something that has to be done and it has to be done with love, with family and most of all... Biblically.