Review of The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine

Thomas Paine was one of the most influential writers during the American Enlightenment and The Age of Reason was his most controversial piece. The goal of this book was to call into question the fundamentals of the Christian Religion focusing on the Christian scripture and ultimately undermine the power of the Church.

First you have to take into consideration the time and setting that Paine was in when this was written. It was at the beginning of the American Revolution when the church and state were one. As many know the church didn't exactly have the best intentions and put too much focus on power and money. With that said Paine tried to use The Age of Reason as a political piece as well as religious to sway the government to keep the church separate from the state.

Paine had several insightful ideas in this writing relating to the "Word of God". He holds the belief that the word of God lies in the principles of science in the world around us instead of in written scripture. He argues that the Bible was written by man in human language which there are many and translations between can be easily misunderstood. Why would God choose such an unreliable method to convey his word? Instead Paine sees the word of God in the universal language of the creation which is independent from human language and can be read by any man no matter his speech. It cannot be changed, lost, or skewed by humans... it is eternal.

He supports this theory by trying to discredit the books of the Bible. He starts with the Old Testament and I have to admit he had some very appealing arguments. First he tries to show that the accredited authors did not in fact write the books. To me this is not a pertinent argument. What was more interesting were his arguments about Moses, Samuel, and Joshua. All these men carried out horrific atrocities in the name of the Lord, and even said that God had told them to do it. We look now at all the wars going on and most of the are carried out in the name of God, but I think we can all agree that God is not fighting these wars men are and it is appalling to think that God would want us to treat each other like this and commit this awful acts of violence. If we think this of the wars now, why is it that we accept the same thing from Moses, Samuel, and Joshua. There is an account of one of Moses "wars" where he said:

"Have ye saved all the women alive? Behold, these caused the children of Israel to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord. Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known a man by lying with him; but all the women-children that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves."

That statement alone makes me question the validity of the Old Testament. Now I don't know what the Christian counter argument is for this. But I believe in a loving God and by the teachings of Jesus, His son and human example, I do not believe in any way that God would have wanted Moses to act in this way. Jesus was about forgiveness and love of all human beings and that is completely opposite of everything Jesus believed in.

I personally don't know what I think about the Old Testament. The Age of Reason has brought to light more reasons for me not to believe it is true, but I don't think it matters if it is true or not. It is about the lessons it teaches us and about the study of our religion and the history of our religion.

Paine's arguments about the New Testament hold much less validity and persuasiveness. They are mere rantings and empty accusations. He calls the Virgin Mary a liar, Jesus a fraud, and the apostles far less than creditable. The New Testament has been quoted one of the most authentic documents of history. Now everyone has the right to their own opinions, but Paine is calling Mary a liar with no proof. Here is the proof that she wasn't lying... I think it would be a big coincidence that Mary lie about how she got pregnant and then that son ended up being the single most influential and important person in human history. Just because she said she was pregnant with the son of God does not mean that that child is going to end up acting like it. Now if he turned out to be a drunk, or craftsman like his father, or farmer, or any normal man then yes, I would agree that Mary was lying... but that is not how he turned out.

The Age of Reason is a book that I think every Christian should read, if for no other reason then to learn the arguments against the Bible and be able to rebut them in a debate. I think it is good to know both sides of an argument. However I think there is a reason that the Bible is the best seller of all time and not The Age of Reason.

Automatic doors make me feel like a badass!!

"You know what I'm talking about. The daunting hallway, the bold stride, the absolute and complete assurance that nothing and nobody can get in your way. People can only hope but stare as you pass by, slightly intimidated by your air of supremacy, without really knowing why until you reach the door, which, facing the sheer force of your burning will, can do naught but remove its own inanimate self from your path, and that's when it hits them- this guy is a freakin badass...
It is the force, my friends... And you, in a plane of existance so far above that of the common spectator, move on unheeding into a world that will open itself up for you, and you alone."

I 100% agree with this statement... walking though automatic doors totally makes me feel like a badass!!

God vs. Science

This has been one of the biggest debates in modern day history... God vs. Science. I have had my own views on this subject, but it wasn't till recently that I read the best way to answer this ongoing argument. I personally believe that this is one of the most ridiculous debates in history.. God and science are not separate but the same. In the book The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine, one of the most influential thinkers of the American Enlightenment, he says:

"God is the mechanic of the universe and so knowledge of God is knowledge of the workings of the universe - geometry, astronomy, physics, and the other sciences. Devotion to these sciences will lead to the knowledge of scientific principles. These are the actual truths of God... It is only in the creation that all our ideas and conceptions of a word of God can unite. The creation speaketh an universal language, independently of human speech or human language, multiplied and various they be. It cannot be forged; it cannot be counterfeited; it cannot be lost; it cannot be altered; it cannot be suppressed. It does not depend upon the will of man whether it shall be published or not; it publishes itself from one end of the earth to the other. It preaches to all nations and to all worlds; and this word of God reveals to man all that is necessary for man to know God"

In other words the principles that govern this world and are applied in various forms of math and science are the true word of God. In science we discover the inner workings of this world He created. The whole debate between God and science stemmed from the inconsistency of scientific theories and religious scripture. I am personally a believer of both, but I must point out to both parties that theories and scripture are both man made. Evolutionist will argue that their theories have proof but how many times in history have we humans believed in scientific theories that later were proven false. Are we to be so arrogant to think that there isn't the slightest possibility that the theories we believe in now might be wrong. And the religious activist will say that the Bible's authors were inspired by God... God told them what to write. But this still means it was written by man and until God speaks to you personally and says He wrote the Bible... we are still believing in what men wrote. And as well all know men are far from infallible.

Now take this into consideration. Can you honestly tell me that when you look around at this world, and as you grow in knowledge about the workings of this world.. that there isn't a higher power? Everything is perfect... from the position of the earth in the universe to the molecules and inner workings of the human body to nature and all her glory... Even the big bang theory, which is widely accepted as the birth of the universe. For example in order for there to be the existence of intelligent life several constants had to be true. Here are three examples from A Case for Faith by Lee Strobel; 1.) if the rate of the universe expansion 1 second after the big bang had been smaller by one part in one hundred thousand million million, the universe would have collapsed. 2.) If the initial conditions of the universe were different by one followed by one thousand billion billion zeros the star systems would not have been able to form. 3.) If the strength in gravity was changed by one part in 10 to the 100th power it would have prevented life permitting universe. (to put this in perspective it is estimated that there are between 10 to the 69th power and 10 to the 81st power atoms in the universe) Knowing this it seems only logical that it was intelligent design that made the universe. Paul Davies, a once aganostic, said "Through my scientific work I have come to believe more and more strongly that the physical universe is put together with an ingenuity so astonishing that I cannot accept it merely as brute fact. There must be, it seems to me, a deeper level of explanation."

You do not need to choose between God and science. It is not a war between one and the other because God is science and science is God. You need look no further than your own backyard or the park around the corner to see the beauty and perfection of this world made and governed by God and science as one.

Getting up in the morning..

I think getting up in the morning is exceedingly close to the worst thing in the world. You know.. next to murder, poverty, war and rape. It's almost a form of torture... I will literally wait till the very last second... until it is absolutely imperative that I get up. Every morning when my alarm goes off it makes me want to cry. The mere act of waking up has made the sound of my alarm, which is chiming clock tower bells, the worst sound in the world for me which in any other circumstance would be wonderfully beautiful and enjoyable music to the ear. And now it literally makes my skin crawl. Its the sound of something horrid to come and evokes all feelings that are negative. The winter multiplies the agony of waking up a thousand times over. Not only are you forced from the bliss of sleep and the land of dreaming but you then have to get out of your warm comfortable bed (which at the time is the only place in the world that you care to be) and enter the open air. And you wonder how in the world the icy winds of the artic made their way into your bedroom. All you can do to escape certain frost bite is run to the shower. And why at these times does the shower water take years to heat up. Even the water is against you in the morning. So I conclude that early mornings are awful things that are no doubt controlled by the powers of all evil.

Review of War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning by Chris Hedges

War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning by Chris Hedges is a deeply insightful and a provocative and illuminating anatomy of war. It unveils war for what it truly is; organized murder disguised as a myth that gives us meaning to our lives. Hedges uses his own war experiences from the 15 years he spent as a foreign correspondent to address and gives light to the realities of war.

I have previously posted a blog about the addictiveness of war, which was also influenced by this book. After finishing, I realize that that statement is only partly true. War is a drug and "a force that gives us meaning" to our lives, but only to those who haven't yet faced the true horrors of war... those who still believe the myth of war. That war is full of heroes and glory. That killing is quick and painless. That in the face of danger we will act brave and selflessly. All this is not the real nature of war. In reality the atrocities of war are more horrid than anything I want to write about and if you are really interested in real war stories I suggest this book, In the Hot Zone by Kevin Sites, or The Things They Carried by Tim O'brien.

Hedges concludes that in the end the meaning that war gives our lives is superficial and short lived. The feeling of honor and glory is a lie. The only true way to find meaning in your life is through love. Love gives us the two things human being strive their entire life to find... happiness and meaning. It is the only way to compete with the drug that is war. It is the only way to compete with the corruption, atrocities, and mental and physical destruction that stems from war. "We need to recognize love in the lives of others, even those with whom we are in conflict, love that is like our own. It does not mean we will avoid war or death. It does not mean that we as distinct individuals will survive. But love, in its mystery, has its own power. It alone gives us meaning that endures. It along allows us to embrace and cherish life. Love has power both to resist in our nature what we know we must resist, and to affirm what we know we must affirm. And love, as the poets remind us, is eternal."

What's up with the asian writing systems??

Why can't these languages just be like everyone else and use letters. Why do they have to be difficult and use little picture things that all freaking look the same. I mean when you are learning to read as a child you can't "sound it out" like we tell all our kids. You just have to know what the symbol is. Granted I have never tried to learn Chinese or Japanese (and I would very much like to learn Japanese considering its half of what I am) but it doesn't seem as though there is much structure... or at least I can't imagine how there could be that much structure. Like how do you differentiate between verbs and nouns and such. Does the little symbol for run, ran, running, etc. all look similar, completely different, or are they the same? How do you write questions... or even sentences... cause I don't think I have ever seen any punctuation in Chinese or Japanese writing. It is just so foreign and weird to me. Most other languages have the same writing system. We have symbols (or letters) for a sound and then combine them to make or spell out a word. Why can't the Japanese be like everyone else and make it more simple so I can learn? Why does my culture have to be so difficult? If only I was spanish... french... or OOOOO Italian!! I've always wanted to know Italian.. its such a pretty language.. and they use LETTERS!! The same letters as english no less... not like the Greek letters. I mean really, what does delta sound like... or omega? But even the weird Greek letters are better than the Japanese symbols!

Best prank ever!

I think I'm going to add this to my "life's to-do list". Number 103 - to pull off a massive prank that will receive online viral attention!

War is a drug

I am currently reading a book called "War is a Force that Gives us Meaning" and it talks about how war is a drug. We get addicted to the chaos and high that war inflicts on us. We become intrigued and sucked into the myth of war that the movies and the press portray and blinds us from what it really is, organized murder. Just in the 1990's 62 million people died from the wars being fought all over the world. 62 million! Many of the wars were for petty reasons.

You can say there are two sides to every war but they are two and the same. Both sides believe they are just, they are the right that needs to fix the wrong. Both sides paint the opposing as pure evil and it is their duty to destroy it. By believing that the enemy is evil and corrupt this war that they are now engaged in give them meaning to their lives. The soldiers who go against all logic and thrust themselves into eminent danger, knowing they very well might die today, do this willingly because they believe they are fighting for a cause, they are fighting for their country, they are fighting for the man next to him... and therefore their otherwise insignificant lives now have meaning.

Humans are fighters by nature. Even on an individual level we are all fighters. Anytime someone publicly insults you, there becomes this desire to inflict pain on them. And more often than not, boys (yes i say only boys cause girls fight on a mental level and rarely engage in physical fighting) act on that instinct and we get a fight... at school... at a bar... at a concert... wherever... and for reasons the rest of us probably don't understand.

I have to admit I am drawn to fighting in movies... but I hate fighting in real life. Try to figure that out. Some of my favorite movies are 300 or Green Street Hooligans. Both completely about fighting and I am intrigued by the characters for their triumphs and bravery.. and their sheer macho-savage-tough-guyness. I eat it up! And then there is real life where I dated one of these fighters guys and hated it... and wound up ending it with him because of the fighting.

I have seen fights and I personally don't understand it, but there was a line in Green Street Hooligans that stuck with me. The movie is about soccer gangs in England that just fight other soccer gangs and the main character said "It's not about knowing your friends have your back, its about knowing you have theirs"

Michael Stone's Story

The first time I heard this story was at a previous job. They were trying to motivate us to work harder or whatever... where as this story might not have motivated me at that particular job, it has definitely inspired me in other aspects of my life and think it should be shared... so here it is...

His palms were sweating. He needed a towel to dry his grip. A glass of ice water quenched his thirst, but hardly cooled his intensity. The Astroturf he was sitting on was as hot as the competition he faced today at the National Junior Olympics. The crossbar was set at 17 feet. That was three inches higher than his personal best. Michael Stone confronted the most challenging day of his pole-vaulting career.

The stands were still filled with about 20,000 people even though the final race had ended an hour earlier. The pole vault is truly the glamour event of any track-and-field competition. It combines the grace of a gymnast with the strength of a body builder. It also has the element of flying, and the thought of flying as high as a two-story building is a mere fantasy to anyone watching such an event. Today and now, it is not only Michael Stone's reality and dream -- it is his quest.

As long as Michael could remember, he had always dreamed of flying. Michael's mother read him numerous stories about flying when he was growing up. Her stories were always ones that described the land from a bird's eye view. Her excitement and passion for details made Michael's dreams full of color and beauty. Michael had this one recurring dream. He would be running down a country road. He could feel the rocks and chunks of dirt at his feet. As he raced down the golden-lined wheat fields, he always out-ran the locomotives passing by. It was at the exact moment he took a deep breath that he lifted off the ground. He would soar like an eagle.

Where he flew always coincided with his mother's stories. Wherever he flew was with a keen eye for detail and the free spirit of his mother's love. His dad, on the other hand, was not a dreamer. Bert Stone was a hardcore realist. He believed in hard work and sweat. His motto: If you want something, work for it!

From the age of 14, Michael did just that. He began a very careful and regimented weight-lifting program. He worked out every other day with weights, with some kind of running work on alternate days. The program was carefully monitored by Michael's coach, trainer and father. Michael's dedication, determination and discipline were a coach's dream. Besides being an honor student and only child, Michael Stone continued to help his parents with their farm chores. Michael's persistence in striving for perfection was not only has obsession but his passion.

Mildred Stone, Michael's mother, wished he could relax a bit more and be that "free dreaming" little boy. On one occasion she attempted to talk to him and his father about this, but his dad quickly interrupted, smiled and said, "You want something: work for it!"

All of Michael's vaults today seemed to be the reward for his hard work. If Michael Stone was surprised, thrilled or arrogant about clearing the bar at 17 feet, you couldn't tell. As soon as he landed on the inflated landing mat, and with the crowd on their feet, Michael immediately began preparing for his next attempt at flight. He seemed oblivious of the fact he had just surpassed his personal best by one foot and that he was one of the final two competitors in the pole-vaulting event at the National Junior Olympics.

When Michael cleared the bar at 17 feet, 2 inches and 17 feet, 4 inches, again he showed no emotion. Constant preparation and determination were his vision. As he lay on his back and heard the crowd moan, he knew the other vaulter had missed his final jump. He knew it was time for his final jump. Since the other vaulter had fewer misses, Michael needed to clear this vault to win. A miss would get him second place. Nothing to be ashamed of, but Michael would not allow himself the thought of not winning first place.

He rolled over and did his ritual of three finger-tipped push-ups along with three Marine-style push-ups. He found his pole, stood and stepped on the runway that led to the most challenging event of his 17-year-old life.

The runway felt different this time. It startled him for a brief moment. Then it all hit him like a wet bale of hay. The bar was set at nine inches higher than his personal best. That's only one inch off the national record, he thought. He began to get nervous. Fear would be a more accurate description. What was he going to do? He had never experienced these feelings. Then out of nowhere, and from the deepest depths of his soul, he envisioned his mother. Why now? What was his mother doing in his thoughts at a time like this? It was simple. His mother always used to tell him that when you felt tense, anxious, or even scared, to take deep breaths.

So he did. Along with shaking the tension from his legs, he gently laid his pole at his feet. He began to stretch out his arms and upper body. The light breeze that was once there was now gone. He could feel a trickle of cold sweat running down his back. He carefully picked up his pole. He felt his heart pounding. He was sure the crowd did, too. The silence was deafening. When he heard the singing of some distant robins in flight, he knew it was his time to fly.

As he began sprinting down the runway, something felt wonderfully different, yet familiar. The surface below him felt like the country road he used to dream about. The rocks and chunks of dirt, the visions of the golden wheat fields seemed to fill his thoughts. When he took a deep breath, it happened. He began to fly. His take-off was effortless. Michael Stone was now flying, just like in his childhood dreams. Only this time he knew he wasn't dreaming. This was real. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. The air around him was the purest and freshest he had ever sensed. Michael was soaring with the majesty of an eagle.

It was either the eruption of the people in the stands or the thump of his landing that brought Michael back to earth. On his back with that wonderful hot sun on his face, he could only envision the smile on his mother's face. He knew his dad was probably smiling too, even laughing. Bert would always do that when he got excited: smile and then sort of giggle. What he didn't know was that his dad was hugging his wife and crying. That's right: Bert "if-you-want-it-work-for-it" Stone was crying like a baby in his wife's arms. He was crying harder than Mildred had ever seen before. She also knew he was crying the greatest tears of all: tears of pride. Michael was immediately swarmed with people hugging and congratulating him on the greatest accomplishment thus far in his life. He later went on that day to clear 17 feet 6 ½ inches: National and International Junior Olympics Record.

With all the media attention, endorsement possibilities and swarming herds of heartfelt congratulations, Michael's life would never be the same. It wasn't just because he won the National Junior Olympics and set a new world record. And it wasn't because he had just increased his personal best by 9 ½ inches. It was simply because Michael Stone is blind.

That is one of my favorite stories... can you just imagine being blind and pole vaulting... having to judge the distance of the runway and where to place the pole... and hurtling yourself in the air... all with out the ability to see. This guy amazes me in every possible way and I just wanted to share it.

Next step in my life...

In august my lease will be up on my apartment... and what to do and where to live next has been haunting me for awhile. I had planned to move to London... however after doing some research I realized it will be next to impossible to find a job there. Apparently your employer has to apply for your working visa and when they do that they have to prove they did everything in their power to try to fill the job with a citizen and couldn't. And the job market is so intense in London that there is rarely a situation where they wouldn't be able to fill the position with a citizen.

So my choices are to stay in San Diego, move back to the bay area, or go somewhere new. I have always wanted to live abroad, but only for a year or two.. and that makes it hard to find a good job. Besides London, I would have to go somewhere where they speak English... like Australia.

I love it here in San Diego. No where else can compete with this weather, there is so much to do here, as well as wonderful people. But alot of my friends that I have here are moving away and I haven't been able to find a job that I like.

Then, there is the bay area. All of my best friends are going to be there next year.. and where I don't really want to go back there so soon I think I might feel left out if I don't. I love all my friends that are going to be there... they are some of the best people I know. And I could live at home for awhile save some money and then buy a condo (which I really want to do cause the market is so good right now to buy).

So there is my dilemma. I don't know what to do. I'm hoping it will just come to me in time. I guess if I find a good job that I like, I'll stay here. Just wait to see where my life takes me...

Difference in engine sounds?

Today I was lying by the bay reading and a boat drove by, and the sound of the boat made me feel at eaze... almost peaceful. Where as the sound of cars literally stresses me out. Not, I have a deadline, or a presentation im not prepared for, or final exam stress... but it definitely adds a little bit of stress to my life. This is very inconvenient considering I live in a city, even more so because my apartment faces a busy road that with the speed of the cars can only be categorized as a highway. Its funny how two sounds which are so similar can evoke such different feelings. Of course these feelings stem from my favorite place in the whole world, my childhood lake house. Its out in the middle of nowhere so the only sounds that can be heard are nature and the engines of boats and jetskies alike. Because of this I will always be filled with peace and happiness at the sound of a boat engine... to the point where I have decided most definitely I will be living on a lake where I will be listening to the sound of boats and NOT cars!

All because he called..

I miss having a crush. Having someone to look forward to when I get up in the morning. Having someone to get ready for and get excited about. My world could be crumbling at my feet and just a simple call from a crush would bring a smile to my face. Knowing that he was thinking of me makes me tingle inside, and at the sight of his name flashing on my phone brings butterflies to my stomach, a sensation that can not be understood simply from a description but must be experienced. I choke up on my words from the jitters I get by speaking with him and chills arrive all through out my body as though I were sitting outside in the snow. I could sit and talk to him for hours because the sound of his voice brings me warmth and comfort and I know that everything will be ok. And even after we hang up, I am still cursed with a smile that even with effort wont fade away, all because he called.

Review of Everything Must Change by Brian McLaren

Everything Must Change, by Brian McLaren, is a almost revolutionary book about a movement of hope. It uses the life and teachings of Jesus to address the major global problems in our world today and what we can do about it. McLaren shows us a fresh and provocative vision of Jesus and his message, and how it "can infuse us with purpose and passion to address the economic, environmental, military, political, and social dysfunction that have over taken our world."

Where this book does focus on the teachings of Jesus, the reader, by no means has to be Christian to find this book interesting and insightful. Even people who do not believe Jesus was the son of God and our Savior still can't deny he was in fact an amazing person with an important message for all of us. McLaren uses this message to teach us how to make this world a better place. He points out all the major problems in this world and the suicidal framework that guide our lives.

His view of Jesus's message is exactly what I believe in, which some churches have lost sight of. McLaren suggests that Jesus's message was not only about the afterlife but about life here on earth as well, and his teachings were meant for us to use as guidance to fix the problems on earth. A message to help us change the world.

"Everything Must change invites us to imagine what would happen:

• if people of faith moved beyond political polarization and a few hot button issues to the deeper questions nobody is asking
• if the worlds leading nations spent less on weapons and more on peace making, poverty alleviation, and creation care
• if a renewed understanding of Jesus and his message sparked a profound spiritual awakening in a global movement of faith, hope, and love
• if we believed that God's will really could be done on earth and not just in heaven"

What is it about some guys??

I have been talking to a few of my girlfriends and we were discussing that essence that some guys have that make them so attractive. It has nothing to do with their looks.. or even with their personality.. it is just with the way they carry themselves. I don't know what it is or how to explain it, but any girl will know what I am talking about. You can tell instantly, just by the way a guy walks if he has IT or not. Its the air around him, his mere presence, the way everyone around him takes notice when he is there... its his sheer confidence. And I mean true confidence, not cockiness. One that is truly confident does not need to boast. A good is example is any "leader" of a group. The leaders usually always have it. I don't know if this comes natural to some people, or if you learn it... either way some have it and some don't. You would think whatever this is, would come with physical attractiveness.. but that is not the case. There are plenty of extremely attractive guys that do NOT have it, and there are some not so hot guys that do have it. Its the guys that seem to always land girls appearing to be out of their league. One of my good guy friends, who will remain nameless, is a prime example of someone who has it. He's attractive, but not super hot... he has a great personality, but not one that would necessarily charm girls... but he has IT... that presence... that confidence... that magnetic pull that you cant seem to resist.

True love...

Everybody has their own dreams, to be a famous actor, win a Grammy, be a doctor, be successful… what I dream of is true love. I dream of the day when I meet that one person who will give me what I always wanted. I’ve been waiting all my life for that moment where everything comes together, and in one touch, one smile, one kiss, one glance, you know that your suppose to spend the rest of your life with that person. From wishing I was the princess in all the fairy tales who gets rescued by her prince charming, to watching “a wedding story” and dreaming of the day I say “I do”, I have spent my life hoping for that feeling of being able to conquer anything while in their presence. Being able to stand in a crowd and not notice anybody else because to you, he is everything and you are everything to him. The freedom of jealousy, doubt, and fear, for in true love there is no need for these things, instead there is a feeling completeness, warmth, compassion, and all things that are good. You feel completely grounded and at the same time like you have been lifted off the earth and are floating above everyone else, wondering whether it is possible that heaven could be better than this. I dream of the little things… eating dinner together, cuddling in front of the TV, the feeling like you’ve been kissed for the first time, and waking up every morning next to him, knowing that even in pj’s with no makeup on and ratted hair that he thinks your beautiful.... that is what I dream of.

Review of His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman

His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, better known as the Golden Compass series, is an exciting and imaginative tale of adventures, witches, prophecies, battles, magic and other worlds. It is an extremely well written and engaging book. With that said the rest of my review is not about the story itself or how well it was written, but about the underlying religious and political implications. The author Philip Pullman is a known atheist and the controversy around this series was ignited with the release of the motion picture The Golden Compass, the first book in the three part series. His Dark Materials has previously been compared to C.S. Lewis's series The Chronicles of Narnia. Now I haven't read all the books of the Chronicles of Narnia, but I know that they are children's stories that mirror the books and stories of the Bible.

After reading His Dark Materials, I am confused about Pullmans religious status. Atheist believe that there is no God or higher power at all, however His Dark Materials centers around the Christian religion. Instead of being an atheist (if the book truly mirrors his beliefs), he seems to believe in God, Angels, the Bible, and an afterlife. Of course his views are very skewed from what Christians believe in. For example, in the books God or the Authority, the ruler of the Kingdom of Heaven is not the creator. He is the first angel that came into being. Secondly, the land of the dead is a desolate place of nothing, where everything that dies goes... murderers, rapist, Christians, monks... everyone. There is no heaven or hell... only the land of the dead.

In the end, the main characters kill the Authority. I took this as a symbol for his desire to end all religion. Through out the books he makes the Church the "bad guys". Saying that the Church is always doing horrific things in the name of God, and the root of his justification for getting rid of religion all together.

This book is a great example of how people misconstrue religion, especially the Christian religion. I cant speak for what has been done in the past. The Church has definitely been in the wrong several times, and will most definitely be wrong again. But this isn't the work of God, it is people, and people are imperfect. Christians get a bad rep for the work of a few and that is not what being a Christian is suppose to be about.

I don't pretend to be the perfect Christian, in fact I am still learning what this really means and I have a long way to go. I haven't even read the entire Bible (which I think every Christian should do, because how are you going to say you believe in something when you don't even know what it is all about). What I do know is what Jesus was all about, and that is loving and caring for people, helping those in need and trying to make this world a better place... and I do believe in that. Being Christian is being bound by those morals that guide your faith and your life. I definitely don't lead the perfect Christian life, there are many vices that I choose to indulge such as drinking, partying, swearing occasionally... but I do try to live morally with my faith. If Philip Pullman, or anyone else for that matter, thinks this is in anyway wrong please indulge me. I would love to hear your argument, and that is not meant to sound sarcastic. I would genuinely like to learn your views.

Finally I would like to say that I am shocked this is considered a children's book, and that Philip Pullman would intend it in that way. It is a good story, but there are ideas in it that a child should not be exposed to. It takes away the innocent and unwavering faith that children possess, and I'm not talking about faith in God alone, but faith in all things... faith in angels, santa clause, ghosts, the tooth fairy... children don't think angels are real... they know with every fiber in their being. This book questions the very morals that faith is bound too. It questions what we have faith in, questions that shouldn't be asked until adulthood.

Hot chocolate...

A story to go with my last post and something to think about... enjoy!

A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives. Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups-porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite -- telling them to help themselves to the hot chocolate.

When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said: "Notice that all the nice looking; expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. The cup that you're drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each others cups.

Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate; your job, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot
chocolate we have.

The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything that they have.

Crisis in Kenya..

Ive decided that this is a true passion of mine and I am going to dedicate part of my life to help these people. This might sound idealistic and even cheesy to some people, but it is truly something I want to do. I look around at my world and the people in it, directly or indirectly, and we are completely oblivious to how blessed we really are. People are always complaining about their life, thinking there is always something they need that they dont have, something in their life is missing. Most of the time it is something trivial... my car isnt good enough, im too fat, i need new clothes, i hate my job, my life just sucks. Nobody takes into consideration all the things you have, only the things you dont. The people i met in africa dont have running water, solid roofs, enough food, any sort of medical help... they honestly dont have some of the essential survival needs... yet they dont complain nearly as much as we do. These people are suffering from the worst famine in history and the united states is getting fatter by the year. In some places one in two people have AIDS and we are developing medicine for restless legs or stress (by the way thats just called life!). They have to walk several hours to and from school. We drive even if school is down the street in our new cars we got for our 16th birthday. Their kids are being kidnapped in the middle of the night and being forced to join rebel armies. They are being brainwashed, drugged, and forced to do horrific things... and we complain about curfews and watch shows of how kids are spending thousands and thousands of dollars on birthday parties. There is always an area in Africa that is suffering from war and violence where thousands of people are being brutally slaughtered yet our government with the best military in the world turns their cheek and we the people let them do it. Right now it is in Kenya. So far close to a thousand people have died and almost 300,000 have been displaced. Next month it will be somewhere else. I just wish there was some way to make it all stop.

I agree there are tons of organizations set up to help africa in all kinds of ways... but its not enough if the people dont help out as well. I guess we dont think its our responsibility to help these people or to take care of those who are less fortunate then ourselves. I dont really understand it... especially for those who consider themselves moral and just... people bound by their religious beliefs, because in my opinion it is your responsibility. Not that you have to devote your life to them, or live in poverty to help them, but you should do something... anything. you know for $32 a month you can sponsor a child... this will give them an education, medical attention, clothes and food.... $32!!! for anyone who has a job this is nothing... most of the people i know spend over twice that in one night at a bar. Ive even found organizations where it is only $10 a month per child... I dont care who you are... but if you live in the U.S. you can freaking afford $10 a month to save a kid. We spend $150 on a pair of sunglasses, $200 on a pair of jeans, over $300 for a purse... think about it... is that particular purse vital to hold all your belongings, are the $50 purses defective and useless? Does that $150 pair of sunglasses keep the sun out of your eyes better than the $30 pair? Is it really necessary to spend $200 on a pair of jeans?? If you dont have these things, will it be detrimental to your health? Do they really improve the quality of your life??

In the book Everything must change by Brian Mclaren, he talks about the global problems and how we might solve them. He explains that if 10% of the United States military budget were reinvested in foreign aid and development it would care for the basic needs of the ENTIRE worlds poor. And furthermore if a mere half a percent of the military budget would cut hunger in Africa in half. HALF A PERCENT!! we already have enough nuclear weapons to destroy 9 planet earths... i think we could spare 10% of the military budget to get rid of the worlds poverty. what do you think?

Now i know i started off saying how i was going to dedicate my life to helping these people... then went off in a raged vent. But here's how i plan to start. In Kenya, they have a problem called street gangs. Parents cant afford to take care of their kids so they are forced to roam the streets. For survival purposes, they form gangs and are forced to violence and crime. If these kids had a place to go for food and shelter it would solve many of the problems arised from the street gangs. Something like a YMCA. These YMCA's would also create jobs in a jobless environment (adults to work at the YMCA, look after the kids, mentor them, coach sports, etc). I want to propose a program like this to the NGO.. obviously it needs tweeking and brainstorming on the details and legistics... but there it is. Step 1 to changing the world....