Thursday, April 26, 2012

Rhetoric vs. Logic

Here are the facts: 
Here is the assumption I urge you to make concerning said facts:
So where is the logic? Where have you attempted to make such a compelling argument that I have no choice but to agree. Oh wait, there was no argument presented. My mistake, this was an informative video not one making a case for any agenda {sarcasm}.

 Regardless of the political or religious leanings, a video that proposes to be informative but is actually designed to be persuasive is a LIE. I can only imagine the elitist mentality of the lecturer who thinks that the average viewer is moronic enough to buy the rhetoric in the absence of logical argumentation. Unfortunately, the lecturer may be correct in the approach to spreading propaganda. Play to self-love, emotion, preconceived notions and you have a recipe for success.

"One thousand Frenchmen can't be wrong!"

Lest I forget, we are not creatures of logic and reason. Few of us have been gifted and made responsible in its use, but the morass of people are more attuned to their emotions. So I will make my logical and rhetorical case for liberty. In this case specifically for economic liberty.

"Let Freedom Ring!"

I love my American freedoms. I enjoy a prosperity and liberty, the likes of which, the world has never seen. Oh you say, my freedoms are being eroded. 'Tis true. But I say since when? Oh you mean since we fought for our liberty about 200 years ago. Boy that was eons ago {sarcasm}. Hmmm, actually that is relatively recent history, so when I say that I enjoy these freedoms that my forefathers fought for, it's a true statement. Keep things in context. Pax Americana (think about it).

On the other hand, we have been complacent with our liberties and the ironic thing is; is that we actually have the liberty to be complacent if we want to. But there is just one little problem. With privilege comes responsibility. We are a privileged and lazy people. But we cannot be both of those indefinitely. We will either continue to be lazy and lose our privileges or we must bear the burden of responsibility that being a free people entails.

I vote liberty. Every time.

Work sucks, I know. But it's a necessary evil and I will take the liberty and responsibility together.

Laziness leads to less.

What do I mean? Less: liberty, wealth, time and satisfaction. Human nature wants and wants and can never be satisfied. There are people who seek power, money, influence, or some combination if not all of them. Laziness tends to allow these people to amass great power, fortunes, and influence at the expense of those who are unwilling to work for a piece of the same. The more people vying for power, the less any one person will acquire; which, if you think about it, is why the founders set up a congress rather than an American 'king.' Decentralize the power as much as possible.

Money gets tricky. Because it is tied to power, wealth begets power and power begets wealth. But in either case, preventing the centralization of power will, at the very least, prevent power from being used to create wealth [of an individual, not the wealth of nations]. Barriers to enter the market restrict the nation's wealth. Again this goes back to politics. Power corrupts. Central planners are primarily concerned with taking care of themselves. Everything they say to the opposite effect is a smokescreen designed to keep the lazy entrenched in a slavery they do not realize that they are in.

Influenced by entertainment. That is the average American. That is me. For me to say otherwise is a lie. That is you. How comfortable are you with facing truth? We are easily influenced. Want proof? I don't need to prove anything. The proof is in the pudding. Advertising and marketing. Does that answer the question? If it didn't work, Superbowl slots would not cost so little {sarcasm} for 30 seconds of air.

So there you have it. The ground work. From here I will go deeper into the logic of why liberty actually works. But at the core we do not want liberty. We want to be entertained, amused, or pleasured. Logic says liberty is the best choice. Our feelings say otherwise.

"But won't people starve to death if we don't have welfare?" I appreciate the liberal charity in wanting the best for our fellow humans, but I will posit that more liberty, not less is the answer to true humanitarianism.

"So you want the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer?" God forbid. I want the responsible to get richer and the lazy to get poorer. How is it right to take from one person that which belongs to them and give it to someone it does not belong to? The IRS is legal theft. But it does not fulfill the modern day role of Robin Hood either. "The wealthiest are taxed the most and that is given to the poorest right?" SMH. If only…The extreme wealthiest know how to shelter their riches from taxes. And how do they know how to do that? Simple. They designed the constructs. This is why government and corporations being in bed together is so bad for the common person. If and when I get rich, I will be excluded from the most elite circles where you learn the tricks of how to hide your money from the tax man. We don't tax "them," we tax "us." The wealthiest of us are the ones in the highest tax brackets, the modern "royalty" know how to play the game better than we do.

I don't want to play the game. I want to get rid of the rules and have the freedom to work hard, own my piece of America, and make it my paradise. More to follow; and dream about the paradise we will never have if we are unwilling to work harder and smarter than we have in the last 230-ish years since we fought for LIBERTY.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Look who's back…Back again. (smh;)

Life sucks. Sometimes. It's my fault. Every time.

It has been a while since I have laid down my "pen."

What have I done since then? I will tell you.

But before I do, let me preface with this: I spent about 7 years studying theology and 3 years studying economics. Nerd? Perhaps ;) And by that I mean, obviously so. Social skills? Lacking. Social ability? Potential.

I realized that there was a lack of social ability in my associations. Was it because I was homeschooled? ISTJ personality type? Antisocial parents? Yes, yes, and yes.

I got a job as a cashier at the local IGA grocery store when I was 16 and started to develop those social skills necessary to get along with my peers. I went to college and furthered my interactions, but still lacked. I joined the Navy, enlisted in the Nuclear Propulsion Program and became a social butterfly {sarcasm}. NOT! I was now surrounded by nerds like me who had only slightly better social skills. *Is this a dream?* Unfortunately it wasn't a dream. Those guys who I thought had amazing social skills, it turns out that their social arbitrations are well underdeveloped (in my current opinion and more to that soon).

Three years ago, I was thinking (dangerous, I know;) that I could raise my social intelligence. I deliberately looked for opportunities to place myself into the awkwardness that is society (for a nerd) to learn what I hadn't yet from my quarter of a century of existence. I paused my intellectual pursuits at that moment to pursue a pressing and very necessary course.

What have I learned?

Life sucks. Sometimes.

It's my fault. Every time.

LOL.

My pen is rusty. The world cares not. But I care.

TRUTH. Too important to bury my talents for social acceptance.

I am actually adept at deciphering social cues. I really did not think I had it in me. Thanks be to God, first and foremost for granting me eyes that see and ears that hear so that I may discern truth from lies. Even social intelligence is a learned intelligence.

People are fundamentally sss…

No. Not stupid.

Dead wrong.

Selfish.

They [and I, me, myself, you, him, her, as it 'were'] are primarily/fundamentally/basally selfish/self-absorbed/self-important/self-indulgent/et cetera…

How to make friends and influence people? Play to their self love. That's how it's done. I don't like it, but 'it is what it is.'

The point: I now know NO. And YES. (No point in what I just said, the real point follows.) There is both a science and an art to social intelligence. Being a natural born skeptic, I have always been the scientist. Embracing life, I have learned the art. I now feel free to practice my former pursuits knowing now how to make it accessible to everyone (within reason). "So what," you say, "will you (I) do with my new found knowledge/ability?" And that my friends is the right question ;)

Friday, April 23, 2010

…blame it on the alcohol.

with a few more a-a-a-a-a-a's in there, hence goes the song.

I Co 10:23

Good point AmericanAfrican. "Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial…" that does not mean that "everything" is permissible. "What!? but it says!!!" ok, this is why ppl were not allowed to read the bible for a very long time (sarcasm).

The point is not to overturn everything that has been scripturally established up to this point some 4000 yrs after "in the beginning." the point is to cover what has not been specifically ruled on…that is "everything [else]."

IF IT HAS NOT BEEN FORBIDDEN, IT IS PERMITTED.

ok, i'll stop yelling now. the "baptists" somehow turn scripture on its head and end up with something more like: 'if it is not permitted, it is forbidden.' this is wrong. they are manipulating scripture for good intentions (and yeah…uh…nvm;). but they are wrong to do so.

ok so, we can drink! woohoo, party at my place tonite!! now now, let's not get carried away. indulging is not expressly forbidden, but indulging to excess is forbidden.

but that is not an answer either. what is excess? this is why i say we have little ground to judge, w/o obvious destructive behavior. don't judge me and i will not judge you. how abt we leave it there.

NO?! not good enough huh? so here we go:

since i've written my june first post i've seen: alcohol makes ppl stupid, they make poor decisions, they are more prone to suggestion, the relationships kindled over drinking are very strong, bonds are formed that may not have formed or have been able to be formed otherwise…

now having said that, let me say that it's not the alcohol. IT doesn't make ppl stupid. alcohol speeds things up socially. self-destructive personalities may achieve 'success' sooner by imbibing. in my experience far too many ppl have self destructive habits…

a word abt relationships: if the ppl you're drinking with are ppl you already wanted to be friends with then great. you'll probably become friends faster. but if you don't know them, not really, if you don't know if you can trust them; then why in [someone important]'s name would you make yourself vulnerable?? rant. done.

i have tested my limits and found them. now i can drink and make merry, extremely merry, and not get "wasted." but again, who defines wasted? i think that it's a personal definition honestly. how do i feel the next day? can i do my job? take care of my boys? how do i treat ppl when i have "drunk"?

to conclude: it is permitted. warning: it is strong drink and must be handled accordingly.

Prov 31:4-7 & I Tim 3:3,8 & Tit 2:3

the lower on the totem pole = the more appropriate it is to indulge and make merry. the higher you go, it becomes less appropriate. misuse can bring someone low, really low. i have seen it. but for those who are already low, hey go for it. sadly, that is all some have to live for, why deny them that bit of earthly comfort? also note Prov 31:6,7. not only does scripture NOT forbid alcohol at this juncture, BUT it orders it to be given to a select special group of ppl: those who NEED it most…

once my thot…now my writ.

but to be explicitly or abundantly clear:

"At what point do you actually believe the consumption of alcohol is sinning?" ~J

b4
you have sinned before you even started when your intentions are sinful. this may not make sense at first. think abt it tho. when you want to do something you know is wrong, but won't 'let yourself' you can drink and poof! your inhibitions are gone…also if you know that you're prone to sinning when drunk (swd;) but drink anyways…strike one.

during
you go along with suggestions you normally wouldn't have, but that doesn't absolve you of wrong doing. you fight. all manner of sin can take place swd…strike two.

afterparty
you have a hangover that prevents you from completing your responsibilities. you wake up in a strangers house. ppl usually don't even remember what happens while they're sinning while wasted (sww)…but who ppl really are comes out. you default to your baseline programming sww.

drunk=merry
wasted=sin…strike three.

but bigger than the BAC a person has is their attitude/heart/intentions. these are the real sources of the SIN…

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Debate...

To quit the discussion at this juncture is to quit thinking and "prove" your own point that there can be no conclusions on absolutes.

I come from a very different school of thot...while most ppl are in their beds sleeping I am a slave driver—pushing my intellect past it's biases into the plane of absolute truths....

I readily admit when I am wrong...I have had plenty of practice...at 25 yrs old I have admitted being wrong twice as often as most ppl do by 50—thus I am four times further along in my intellectual development than most ;) obviously a math joke...with a hint of truth.

I am reformed, but I did not start that way. I am a Christian but I did not start that way. I hold to libertarian ideology but I did not start that way. I hold to free market economic theories but I did not start that way. I am in a box but I did not start that way...or I started in the same box that most ppl are still in, you can phrase it anyway you like, but I am a "truth seeker" and can easily detect untruths...I have a knack for it and have trained myself to do this for many years...

And I listen...that is my strength...ppl may not think I listen but I do...that is how I know so much. Only becuz I listen. I have listened/read as much as I can/could and sifted the truth from the lies...I have a working body of knowledge/wisdom and the gift of understanding...to understand philosophers and their dark sayings...

I have mathematical as well as visual acumen...I do not allow my own thots to cloud my judgments. I know pride...I have it, I've been horribly humbled. Jesus was humble, but he did not budge on truth.

I am not Jesus, but where I detect self-contradiction...I too will not budge...but I now have just come to the startling realization that to further discuss this with you would result in a loss of friendship before truth could be culled from the mess...

Monday, June 1, 2009

Blame it on the alcohol...

Well, it's been like forever...God is good, He is faithful even when we are not.

Just live and let live. Is there any validity to this sort of thinking? If this is the driving philosophy by which you live; mmm no, not a prudent modus operandi. But for those that are theistic in their reasoning, and are not pastors, what should the extent of our "meddling" be? Street-preachers I know would call anyone a sinner who does does go out evangelizing the lost. Is this right? Are they right? Don't judge/condemn another man's servant...this leads me to believe that their judgmental spirit is wrong. Now i'm not inconsistently calling them "heathen" or some such nonsense (tho they wouldn't hesitate in applying that word to this "hyper" Calvinist). Just because they are wrong doesn't mean they're gonna burn in hell for it. And that's the thing...they might burn in hell but I have no clue; it's not my call you see? They are so quick to cram religion down the throats of others. Some of these guys I love but they revel too much in stirring up strife and getting arrested "for the sake of the Gospel."

If there is blatant disregard; please approach a brother and nudge him, but if it's not clearly spelled out in Scripture the way that the Baptistic types teach it, then don't hold someone accountable to your theology...hold them accountable to the Word, not your interpretation of it. What you have "Biblical" definitions for: outlining proper Christian living-is what I refer to as an issue of conscience. Don't judge me. I'm learning to enjoy alcohol, does that make me a drunkard? I never get wasted; I continue to go to work; I provide for my family; I don't even "go out" every weekend...Yes, there is a learning curve there is sometimes more; sometimes less indulged in...I'm finding out what my limit(s) are, etc. I use it to make merry, and not all that often either...is that a sin?

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Deception

In Genesis we read of the sin committed by the parents of the human race. Often we like to point out how easily decieved Eve was for whatever reason...But what we fail to consider just how easy Adam was self-deceived.

You see the difference between the sexes at this juncture is not 'who is more easily deceived?' but 'how is each deceived?'. Women are more relational and will be more easily taken in by one who appears safe and friendly. OTOH, men are suspicious of others and are more likely to fool themselves rather than be fooled by another.

Just a thot...A generalization, obviously.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Are we in the millennium?

Isaiah 65:17-25

This is not a discourse on heaven-although it does say new 'heavens'-otherwise we would be left to conclude that their indeed is death in heaven.

Throughout Ezekiel and Isaiah I have noticed the discourse concerning the future plans God has for Israel. He wants to give them His spirit and the attendant ability to actually keep His law. There are very many promises made about the new covenant/new heavens and earth to Israel: spiritual Israel by extension.

Without understanding the Church to be the spirtual heir of Israel much of Scripture cannot be made sense of...But in considering the Church to be true Israel the promises of God from the OT can be seen to be fulfilled...The promises given to OT believers are fulfilled in the NT believers.

For us, that means we are living in the age where we build and inhabit; we plant and harvest our own crops...People will begin to live longer. In the same way that men's lifespans slowly dimished to about 70; so we shall see lifespans slowly lengthen to about 100.

Of course I don't know if it will happen in our lifetime, but at the very least I know that I can plant my crops and work hard on this earth because I will reap the temporal rewards for my physical labors. And that knowledge is very motivating..."Occupy till I come..."

Scoffers in the Last Days

Peter speaks at length about what the early Christians can expect to see in their near future. I don't want to take it out of its context but simply want to make an application to today.

2 Peter 3:3 talks about scoffers. Who were these scoffers? They were people who didn't believe...In the former days you had people who were so superstitious they believed just about anything. Monotheism was akin to atheism. But in the last days (which we are in) their will be scoffers...People who choose unbelief rather than belief. To them monotheism is akin to superstition.

Our God has not changed in the millennia that true believers have known Him but everything around us has...In this day and age we need to learn to deal with scoffers and not the polytheistic paganism of the former ages. The NT itself was written in the last days, or the time of scoffers, Jesus and the Apostles all dealt with unbelief. We can look to them for guidance on how to deal with scoffers.

It is written that the preaching of the cross is foolishness to them...We also see extensive use of the Law-Word of God in bringing conviction and conversion. We also see the humility of Christ and His disciples as well as love amongst the brethren.

In the contemporary age we have great examples to follow as well. Francis Schaeffer and the L'Abri Fellowship with its brotherly love towards all...Greg L. Bahnsen who with every breath stopped the mouths of the scornful...Gordon Clark with his Christian theistic philosophy in opposition to the philosophy of unbelieving man...

We should take comfort knowing that the extreme unbelief was not unforseen but was expected. If you have dealt with scoffers take heart, they have chosen unbelief; they are tares. They may be elect and thus we ought always to share the gospel with them, but don't get discouraged when they only revile you. They claim science but they hold to doctrines which are falsely called science. Our God is the creator and sustainer, without which science could not exist. If ignored by the scoffers, they do so to the damnation of their souls...

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Don't criticize me...

Yes, I'm in the Navy. But I'm on leave, what did you expect? I don't get much time to even pretend to grow a beard/mustache/goatee/whatever...

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Free On-Line Book on Covenant Theology

For those interested in Covenant Theology Read:
THE MARROW OF MODERN DIVINITY
by Edward Fisher