The Category of a Misunderstood Faith

I am a Christian. This is convenient, given my name, but that's the way it actually is. I have, throughout my life, come across countless people who totally misunderstand the fundamental concepts of this faith, including those who are "practicing". It somewhat frustrates me, because many people will challenge aspects of my faith, thinking they have hit on an excellent point, and thinking there is no answer. I know that people believe different things, but I would expect those who know me and respect me to trust that anything I claim to believe, I have some sort of good reason for. I'm not crazy.

Maybe it is because I do not think that any one religion gets it totally correct. Maybe it's because I think that religion and faith should make sense and be intuitive, instead of something you need to be totally convinced of. This could all be due to my moral upbringing, but regardless of the reason, I know that there is something good to what I believe. People making broad claims about the total falsity about either aspects of the faith that barely matter, or making challenges so simple they are barely worth addressing, tires me. I should be happy to talk about religion, but too often I see people not actually asking for their own knowledge, but in an attempt to trip me up; they care little for the answer, they just hope it won't be quick enough.

I am a Christian, which means that I am a follower of Christ. I do not believe that the Muslims, and Buddhists, and Jews got it wrong, and I'm right. I think I have certain information and evidence that supports my belief and understanding, and they have alternate understandings. What really matters in a religion is what it wants from its followers, and why it wants it. These, in my opinion, are all that truly matter. I have faith in my religion which tells me to love God and love others. EVERYTHING I believe stems from this important life philosophy. So if you want to challenge my faith, just hold up your question to that philosophy, and that's what I believe.

Christianity is not evil for the evils of the church, or the people who abuse power. That speaks badly about human nature. If you look closely, it was the church that called for crusades, not the Bible. It was always people using religion for some evil purpose, never the actual religion itself. I follow a faith that is based in love, forgiveness, and morality. There is nothing wrong with this, and it is strange that people would like to prove to me otherwise. I would enjoy a friendly debate over the origins of the faiths, or the main figures, or whatever, but that is not what I believe matters. What matters is that religion is a guiding force to better your own life, and the lives of those around you. Some people seem so angry at religious people, and think they must be insane, living in a romantic fantasy about the afterlife. Some people are crazy about religion, yes, but not all of us are without logic.

I would like to clarify that I don't really believe anything that doesn't make sense. For example, I would be a creationist, based on the story in the Bible alone, until I found out about evolution. Now I have a better understanding of what sort of physical system God put into play to allow things to happen. Science has never proven anything that does not make sense with religion, and how could it? Science doesn't even claim to prove any aspects of an immaterial, non-physical, infinite existence. It's not equipped to. It is aware that you couldn't use physical senses and physical tests to conclude anything about things that don't follow those rules. Science has yet to reach a point where it can conclude anything about religion; all it can do is make religion more clear.

Maybe I'm an oddity, and not too many people hold the same beliefs. If someone asked me, does your religion say homosexuality is wrong? I would answer yes. But I would hope they would pursue the topic instead of making judgement on the religion I hold. Other relevant questions would include "Do you think gay people are bad people?" (No) "Do you think they are going to hell?" (No way of knowing who is or isn't) "Would you treat them differently?" (No). Yes, I believe certain things are a sin that other people don't, but I also believe in love and non-judgement about people on the whole. Every single person sins, and one sin does not make you any worse than any other sinner. We all do it, so we can't point fingers.

This post went longer than expected, but the main message is that I believe the parts of the world religions that got it right, are the ones that tell us there is something more to existence than the physical world, but that the other people in the world are just as important as ourselves. The goal of this idea is to create a happy, fulfilling world for everyone, which truly is a noble goal. It is important to identify, when choosing a religion, the similarities that all religions hold, like love, morality, truth, and the rejection of temptation and evil. For example, all religions would say that zombies are bad, and we should destroy them. Nothing wrong with that claim.

The Category of Getting More Presents

Shortest post yet, go!

I was thinking that it really pays off to be the kind of person that it is easy to shop for. I know that my father is the opposite, simply because whatever he wants he usually just buys. I, on the other hand, love absolutely anything to do with superheroes or zombies. Because of this, it is simple for people who know me to purchase even small inexpensive things I will love.

Another friend of mine loves monkeys and robots. In the last week she has gotten 2 gifts that are perfect for her from her friends simply because they are perfect for her. It is a lot of fun giving something to someone that you know will love it. Therefore, being easy to shop for is an easy way to get extra presents. I can think of multiple presents I have bought for people simply for this reason.

Thank you Jason for the Green Lantern notebook. It really was a perfect kind of gift for me.

The Category of Smashing Your Own Dreams

I mean the title of this post quite literally, and it comes from a strange experience I had this morning. For some reason last night I was overcome with exhaustion and went to bed by 10pm. Usually I am going to bed by 1am, so this was strange. However, it also meant I woke up much earlier than usual. I was regaining consciousness by about 7am, and this is when the strangest thing happened to me in my own head.

I had been dreaming, and it seemed that today I was coming out of the dream world slowly. I was slowly gaining control of my senses, and though my eyes were closed, I began an internal dialogue with myself. It was as if one part of me was convinced that the objects of my dream were still real and relevant, and my waking side was showing me why this was a mistake. Now, this being a dream, it seems I only remember 2 parts that I held to, and that I had to convince myself were simply dreams. It was a little like this...

Dream Me (DM): Well now that I have been at my place of work for a significant amount of time, and explained to Jake exactly where it is located, I am certain that I know where it is.

Waking Me (WM): Oh yeah? Where did you tell him it was near?

DM: I told him that the Pier 1 I work at is located in Waterloo, in the plaza that has Zehrs on its left, and the Beer Store that Mark used to work at on the right. I remember the Beer Store because earlier Matt Prestwich stopped there to buy some booze!

WM: That's funny, I clearly remember that Mark works at the Beer Store on Victoria St. He has not worked at any other locations. I also know Waterloo, and there is no Beer Store near Conestoga Mall, though there is a Zehrs attached. I also know your logic is flawed because Matt Prestwich doesn't drink beer. He would not have gone to a Beer Store there. I am picturing the area of Waterloo that Pier 1 is in; can you see it? Everything you describe is not reality.

DM: ...

WM: What are you holding?

DM: This is a book I'm still reading. I can't wake up, I'm not done reading it. I know it has something to do with blizzards.

WM: *snatches book out of hand, slams it down on the ground, closed*

DM: *stares gaping in shock at Waking Me*

WM: I know what you're thinking. You are thinking I lost your page. But you know what? You weren't really reading that book. I didn't lose your page because you weren't on a page. Look at that book; do you remember what you had last read? Do you know what part of the book approximately you were in? No, and if you try to look at the pages of the book now, they will be nonsense or blank. There is no way for me to lose your spot in that book, because there is no book.

DM: ... *stares at the book realizing I'm right. I know the book has no content*

WM: I guess I'm going to have to wake up now. I have no dreams left.

So this may seem like a strange way to share this story, but this is how it happened. I felt divided somehow, the logic stamping out the creative imagination. I am glad it was just in order to wake up, and not my personality as a whole. It's good though; we should not let our creativity keep us from totally understanding reality. I guess my brain is good at that. Maybe this sort of thing happens when you wake up more suddenly, it just happens much quicker. I'm not sure. It was just strange to have these epiphanies of things I already knew about the way things are. I know that this is how I remain calm after waking from a nightmare. The following seconds are filled with me reminding myself of reality, and that the danger was just a dream. This is why I don't panic whenever I am running from hordes of undead, and then suddenly am not.

A Reworked Category of a Popular Cultural Favourite

Travelling along a sand dusted road, with the chilled night air in my face,

My nose caught the wafting drafts of marijuana,

When suddenly, in front of me, a ways off, the was some faint illumination.

I had felt trouble keeping my head up any longer, and my vision had blurred;

I could not continue my travel this evening.

A female figure was standing between the outside and the in,

And there was a sound like the ringing of a church bell.

I began to consider the implications of the scene before me,

Thinking that it may be my salvation or my damnation.

Before I decided, she pulled a match and pressed it to the wick of tapered wax

And guided me inside. From somewhere down the hall I heard someone address me,

And though I could not be sure, I was almost certain that they were saying the following:

“We extend to you a sincere greeting from this establishment. It really is a beautiful resort to behold, and the beauty of your features may be compared to it. We have vacancy at present, in this establishment, and we are open year round at this location.”

My female guide seemed somewhat crazed about the topic of diamonds and jewellery,

And she spoke of fine cars with an almost sick obsession.

She explained that many of the people she spent time with were attractive younger men,

And she was close with them all.

She tells me of how they spend their summers in the inner gardens of the establishment,

Dancing to music until they are soaked with sweat.

She assumes that some of them will never forget those beautiful summer memories,

While others more than likely only used them to brighten the dark memories of their past.

I requested an audience with the head of the establishment,

And I requested that he fetch the alcohol I always preferred to drink.

He explained to me that this establishment no longer carried that particular alcohol,

And in fact, they had not for some time.

Interrupting our conversation, I could once again hear the hidden voice down the hall.

The voice did not cease, often disrupting my sleep, just to hear the repeated message:

“We extend to you a sincere greeting from this establishment. It really is a beautiful resort to behold, and the beauty of your features may be compared to it. Currently our patrons are partying here at our establishment, and though it was not expected, it is most welcome. We encourage you to come down to the party, using any excuse necessary!”

In my room, I was able to gaze at my reflection above me as I lay on my bed,

And in place of my choice alcohol, I had a bubbly, pale rose coloured drink, chilled.

My female guide had explained to me that the patrons at the establishment,

Were really here against their own will, in a way, but for their own reasons.

The patrons she spoke about were, at the time, in the headmaster’s suite;

They had come together to share a large, albeit strange, meal.

It began with the attempt to slaughter the main course together with their utensils.

It was proving quite difficult.

The final memory that I could share with you of this place,

Was that of the night I decided to leave. I had planned to leave by the same way I had entered when I had arrived.

Before going however, the man on duty that evening advised that I stay calm.

He went on to tell me that the establishment was well equipped to receive new patrons.

Unfortunately, due to the nature of the establishment I found myself in,

I was allowed to go through the motions of making my escape,

But I would never be permitted to actually leave the premises…

*Note: Zombies will not be mentioned this post.

The Category of Being Right Whether I Know It Or Not

I have talked to some people before and asked them their opinion on this question. "If I say today that the sun will rise tomorrow, can I be right or wrong about this statement at the moment I speak it?" Basically people adhere to one of two main arguments. The first, and in my experience the most common, is that it is not capable of being a true or false statement; since it refers to something that has not happened, it can not have its validity determined (and therefore cannot exist). The second idea, which I hold, is that the statement is true or false (depending on what happens the next day) you just can't know that you're right or wrong.

I believe that it is possible to be right without knowing it. I would never say someone can KNOW the sun will rise tomorrow, but their statement of whether it will or not is either true or false. This belief comes from my understanding of how time works, as well as cause and effect. Understanding that time is a measurement of reality, and that physics obeys a cause and effect system of functioning, I believe that many aspects of reality can really only happen a certain way. I will NOT be going into determinism and moral responsiblity and free will, I am just talking about the world and truth. Anyway, I believe that because there is inevitably a way that things will go, AND a reason that it will have to go that way, there is truth or falsity right away, and it does not require that the person speaking it know the truth.

I have had this idea in my head that some people seek truth without knowledge. It seems that some people want to come up with ideas that make sense, but cannot yet be confirmed. Yet they hold to these ideas in the belief that they MAY be right, rather than saying that they are neither right or wrong. I seem to feel that if there is a truth out there about something, I'd like to think I've considered it, and not just assumed that because it can't be confirmed it is irrelevant or disproven. Whoa, this is moving to religion, and I am not trying to go that far...

Basically I feel I may write a book or something someday about the desire for our rational intellect to be right without knowing that we're right. It's how philosophy functions, it's how new ideas come to fruition, and it is what drives people to seek truths that seemed totally out of reach. I admire those who seek to find that which is believed to not exist or be possible, and inevitably forward science and technology, as well as philosophy and theology.

And call be crazy, but I think a zombie outbreak is going to happen. And I might be right about that.

What's "Good Quality"?; A Category

I know this is a topic that often applies to art, and many will be familiar with the question. There is a real difference in how people feel about "good" art. As a poet, I am quick to judge other poems that are either not as seriously worked on, or considered, and may even look down on certain kinds of poetry that I feel should not be classified as such. Some music purists will tell you what a "good" song should have, or a movie critic telling you what is "great" about a movie. Of course some people believe that a standard exists, others claim it is really a personal choice; this is how certain unusual forms of art exist. Rap music for example. Okay, that was a cheap shot.

This post isn't really about that question though, because everyone already thinks about that. What has been brought to my attention is the question as it applies to philosophy. It's interesting to me how some people love/hate, believe/disbelieve different branches of philosophy or arguments. Some people think certain branches are useless or stupid, while others claim it is quite necessary. I also find it strange, as someone who has studied academically, what others consider philosophy. Maybe I'm being a purist, so stop me if I start to sound too biased...

For those people who have not studied philosophy academically, I think it is rare to find someone who is smart enough to get it on their own. Frankly I believe that to learn philosophy, you require a collective attempt and intelligence, or you miss things. I had a friend who came up with his own idea, and even read a little on the subject, and loved to share his brilliant idea with others. Unfortunately, while he told my friend and I (us both having philosophy degrees), we thought of so many problems with his theories, we couldn't even begin to explain. For him, it was a great thought, and to us, it was just not tested enough.

The point is, I think there are people out there who don't think philosophy should be a challenge; it isn't just an argument with serious debate in an attempt to discover a deep unknown truth. I honestly think some people love philosophy that is not too academic, or too complex, but rather gives someone food for thought. For some, philosophy is a mental exercise, a game, to toss around for the fun of it. This is why some people don't delve too deep, or hear the questions without hearing the detailed answers. It is also why people make money on books that are like, "South Park and Philosophy" or "Batman and Philosophy", and other pop philosophy ideas. So many philosophy books are just a bunch of pages with examples of questions, and a half page theory to go with it.

For me, this is not philosophy, and these things make light of the seriousness of philosophy. Not that it isn't funny, but there books make people wonder why it is a university course. REAL philosophy, if I may call it that for this post at least, is a question or problem posed, seriously, for consideration in an attempt to find an answer where there seems to be inconclusive ideas. It is fun, but it is work, and there is so much to consider. Real philosophy is open, should be discussed and argued, and is full of passion. The pop philosophy books, and even movies like "Waking Life" don't really tell you what philosophy is like, and it even gives the real thing a bad name. It's making a very intellectual study into a passing curiosity. Realistically, because it is complicated, it does take massive amounts of time to properly cover what needs to be covered, and not everyone has the time, but for me, it should be understood that if all you've read are the pop philosophy books, watched the mind-blowing movies, and chatted with friends who seem to just be fascinated at all the "deep" stuff you think about, you are scratching the surface and should consider the real source of this brilliant study.

But the main point of this post is, am I right? It seems right to say art COULD be subjective, but when I think about something I am passionate about, it seems like I couldn't actually agree. I believe there is "good" and "bad" poetry, and I think that though there are slightly different ways to determine it, there are some universal good and bad poems. With philosophy, I know how I believe it should be, and would think someone telling me otherwise just didn't understand as deeply as I did. What I'm saying is, I want to be open to other people's ideas, but I want to be able to trust my own intelligence. I'm not so curious about art, but am I right when it comes to thinking philosophically? Not that you need to be academically trained, but if you want to get serious, you should at least talk to someone who's been in the field if you can. It's just so hard to determine if there is a universal "good" and "bad" philosophy. I suppose this is the philosopher in me, asking this.

Also, are there good and bad zombies? Not like morally, since they are either evil or neutral (since they're mindless), but could there be a zombie concept that is so lame it is a "bad" zombie? Do we have sparkling zombies yet?