My Thoughts On Life: An Attempt To Realize Our Reason For Being

The brain, unfortunately is one of the most under-used muscles in our body. We are allowed to use about 10 percent of the brain in our human form, which leads me to believe that by design, someone or thing has left many things for us to learn at another time.

RELIGION.

Before I begin, allow me to explain my religious belief. I don't believe in religion, yet I believe in God and spirituality. I think religion is manmade, and everything that man makes tends to be flawed. I believe that God is the embodiment of perfection, so religion does not do Him justice. I'm not a religious basher, but my experience in church leads me to believe that the scope and premise of church is to raise money for personal use. Of course, this isn't the case with every religious institution, but from what I've personally seen, this is their only reason for having a church. In some inner city areas, you can even see up to three churches on a single block! They're literally in competition. The Bible tells you to "Seek and ye shall find" which in my opinion means that it isn't easy to become one of God's people, and that you have to work on it day in and day out, but these churches seemingly make that scripture a moot point since to become a member and become one of His people, all you have to do is go across the street and give a preacher money every week.
I once called the number on the bottom of the Christian channel because I was feeling down and I needed someone to talk to, and I felt no different than if I was calling the IRS or the DMV. The woman simply asked me my name, said we were about to pray and then started unenthusiastically speaking in tongues. I asked her if this was the way it should be done and she said bluntly "Do you want me to pray or not?" I felt as if she was probably in a bar and I interrupted her drink.
Recently, the same company Trinity Broadcasting Network had the audacity to send me a letter (the next day my mother received one too) with an envelope telling me to check off on a box how much money I would send them. ??? What is meaning behind that? Imagine, if you will that I sent you a letter in the mail saying "Mail me such and such amount of money." They must be insane, how much more money do they need? Have you seen the channel? Every week it seems they're going on a trip to Israel or a cruise somewhere, and their set looks like a mansion. Maybe if they sold their solid-gold microphones and velvet chairs they wouldn't have to mail insulting and unpractical letter such as the one they mailed me. But I bet you know at least one person who put money in the envelope and mailed it back like sheep. They have the nerve to quote scripture on the envelope that attempts to scare you into mailing money. Let me tell you something people, if you believe in tithes and want to give to people that are needy, what makes you think that sending it to worldwide television network (which is also a "non-profit organization) is helping anyone out? Give the money to an orphanage or a community center. If the church gave their tithes to charity like they're supposed to, orphanages wouldn't be in the unenviable position they're in. Yet you walk in a church and it's more luxurious than a casino. The bishop that has alot of my family under the spell has a church in an impoverished neighborhood, yet he only helps upkeep his OWN things, and even had enough of peoples' tithes to build another church in an even worse neighborhood. Annually he purchases a new Mercedes or Lexus. I see through their hypocricy. I'm sick of people who claim to be so religious, and tell me how I can't become one with God until I have Jesus save me, even though Jesus rebuked a man in scripture for calling him Master and Jesus replied that there is but ONE master. A man who is homosexual was telling me that I'll never go to heaven because I don't make Jesus my master and I'll never be able to get to God. What he considered speaking down on me gave me the last laugh, since God calls male sexuality an "Abomination." God also says in the Bible to NEVER bow to another god because he is a jealous God. I've heard the argument that says that God is weak because he gets jealous, but think of it this way, jealousy is an emotion that every human knows and can relate to. What if God didn't speak the human language and expected you to follow Him? You'd be screwed, so I see that as a way for humans to understand what He's saying.
What is my final thought on this topic? I believe that if you are a good person, you'll be rewarded for the good deeds you do. God says to build your riches in heaven instead of on Earth, that way nothing bad will happen to it. I say that if you're an evil person (MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL) and you build your riches here on Earth, then you'll have nothing when you pass and your death will be spent in regret. Now that doesn't necessarily mean to me that you'll burn in fire and brimstone for eternity, as I believe that regret and depression would in essence be worse. Imagine you die and you have to spend 1000 years in deep depression regretting what you do before you're allowed to be reincarnated? As I think of it, (I believe in past lives) I think that some of the saints may have done evil things in one of their previous lives and spent their next life doing great things to make up for them. As with everything, this is all opinion and cannot be proven.

RACISM

Being a minority in the United States, many subtle racist remarks and actions take place around me everyday. Be it from police harrassment, or simply a passing glare, minorities in the U.S. are often put in unenviable positions, sometimes on a daily basis. In the scathing book about media bias Unreliable Sources the authors make an argument for racism in media with the following paragraphs:

"Public images of racial minorities are still largely controlled by whites in America mass media. Newsrooms regularly foster unbalanced reporting about people of color. The patterns may go unnoticed because they're so routine."

"Likely to evoke sci-fi images at least unconsciously, the phrase 'illegal aliens'---standard in the news---is dehumanizing. That catch phrase [is] 'an inflammatory way to categorize a group of people. It's a polarizing term. An alien is someone who's not human, so the message is we don't need to care about how they're being treated. The use of these words in the media ends up justifying how people are looked at: 'illegal aliens' don't have rights because they're criminals and it's as if they're from another planet.'"

Two men considered above-average to good presidents served for 12 years straight, even though it wasn't much of a secret that they were racists. George Bush (who has had two sons, Jeb and George W. as governors of two large states at the same time, Texas and Florida) actually bought land in 1981 which had a contract that included a clause that said that the land could not be "sold, leased or rented to any person other than of the Caucasian race, except in the case of servant's quarters." He shrugged off the contract saying "There's really nothing to this." Did the media follow up on the story? Of course not. But a minority figure makes any kind of backwards remark, even jokingly, and the media will never forget it. Look at the way the media treats Rev. Al Sharpton and Louis Farrakhan. Who in the media knows who Robert Michel is though? A real popular topic that is usually associated with racism is slavery which is always a very controversial topic. I do not blame anyone for slavery, or slave trade. I think it was a deplorable act, but blaming people of the present for the heinous actions of their past is self-defeating, and for the most part, insulting. The thing that angers me about slavery is the attempt to dehumanize the slaves that you have. Determining that another human being is below an animal is mind-boggling, and a sure sign of unrelenting ignorance and stupidity. How was it determined that a person was inferior? The tone of their skin. I downplay skin-tone more than anyone else I know, because I understand that no matter what the shade of the skin is, it has no bearing on a person's personality or beliefs. If I were to hate every white person because their skin is pale in comparison, I'd in truth be doing myself an injustice. As you can see by the rest of this website, I tend to be a very diverse individual. I like a whole lot of things, and by shutting out a whole segment of the human race because their skin is different sounds less intelligent each time I say it. Why would I knowingly deny knowledge? What does the Ku Klux Klan know about the people they hate? Not much, because if they would take the time to learn more about the people they hate, their hatred would wane in time. Yet, they prefer to spend hundreds of years fighting a war because they're too ignorant to take a fraction of that time to exhibit some understanding. I've studied the KKK, and I find them to be intelligent and organized people. But they nullify those positive traits with the negative thoughts they so thoroughly believe in. Before I continue, allow me to say that I respect their right to say what they wish, just as they have to respect my right to disagree with what they say. Here is where the KKK explains it's beliefs:

"The Knights of the Ku Klux Klan is a fraternal, patriotic movement promoting the ideals of Western Christian Civilization and White Racial political self-determination. It is not merely a 'social association', but a dynamic, crusading White movement of world-historical perspective seeking the establishment of White Christian Political Self Determination. It is a duly incorporated, non-profit, legally recognized institution, working to rebuild our collapsing society on the principles of Christian honor, honesty, duty, courage, brotherhood, and patriotism. The Klan is sometimes referred to as the Invisible Empire because it is an entirely new community in itself. As the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan strives toward the ideals it wants for tomorrow, it lives by those today."

Their creed seems well written, but how can they consider themselves a Christian organization when Christ was born in a Middle Eastern country? Look at another glaring example of hypocrisy from their own website. This is one of the five beliefs the Klan stands for, as outlined on the site:

"America First
First before any foreign or alien influence or interest, and a foreign policy of military non-intervention."

Isn't Christianity a foriegn influence or interest? Surely they don't think that the events in the Bible took place in Georgia somewhere.

Let me take a time out to say, wow. Following is another example of the utter confusion that must be going on in these "Knights'" circles, explaining why they burn crosses:

"Why We Light the Cross
From the sacred pages of the Holy Bible comes the sad sweet story of the Holy Cross of Calvary. This Holy Cross is our symbol of sacrifice and service, and a sign of the Christian religion. It was sanctified and made Holy almost 2000 years ago by the suffering and blood of over 50 million martyrs who died in the most Holy Faith. The Cross stands in every Klan Den as a constant reminder that Jesus Christ is our Criterion of character and His teachings our life blood, bought Holy, sanctified and sublime. This old Cross was bathed in the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and became transformed into the symbol of faith, hope and love. Today it is used to rally the forces of Christianity against the ever increasing hordes of the anti-Christ and the enemies of America and the White Race. We light the Cross with fire to signify to the world that Jesus Christ is the light of the world. Where the Holy Light shall shine, there will be dispelled evil, darkness, gloom and despair. The Light of Truth dispels ignorance and superstition as fire purifies gold and silver, but destroys wood and stubble. So by the fire of the Cross of Calvary, we cleanse and purify our virtues by burning out our vices with the fire of His Word. Who can look upon this sublime symbol, or sit in its sacred Holy Light without being inspired with a Holy desire and determination to be a better person? By this Holy Light of the Cross, we will perservere."

Fine, but how do you explain breaking someone's window late in the night and putting a burning cross in their front yard? The funny thing about this whole reading is that these people truly to the depths of their heart and souls believe these things. They refuse to look past the simple hypocrisies in their OWN writings, but have all the answers when it comes to people different than them. Many a talk show in the past has had Klansmen, donned in their robes and hoods, trying to justify their existence by claiming that they don't hate anyone, they just love and have pride in their race. One with pride in their race wears it on their face. That person needs not yell out "Black Power!" or "Latino Power!" or "Asian Power!" to make it known that they love their race. Yet when the Klan comes onto the stage, the first thing you hear in Southern drawl is "WHITE POWER!" They make the point that they don't hate other races, but just have pride in their own, yet when the question and answer session comes around, and even before, they saturate the listening audience with countless "Nigger" comments. They have so many derogoratory terms towards people of other races, I'd be not surprised if they had a handbook listing them all circulating somewhere.

"The Knights of the Ku Klux Klan does not consider itself the enemy of non-Whites. The only way all races can develop their full potential and culture is through racial separation. We believe that every race has a natural right to have pride in its heritage and work to better itself. It is only the White race that is told that it cannot have White Pride! The Klan will oppose integration and all its manifestations including affirmative action, the high non-White crime rate, racial intermarriage, the destruction of our schools, lowering of labor standards, etc."

They claim that only whites are told that they cannot have white pride, but I defy anyone reading this to tell me where they've seen that? All kinds of parades take place yearly dedicated to the white race. Are there not holidays dedicated to the white race? Thanksgiving is a celebration of caucasians landing in Plymouth Rock in the 1600's. Columbus Day is a celebration of a white male sailing the Atlantic and landing in the West Indies. Lincoln's Birthday is a celebration of a white American who helped to abolish slavery (when it was convenient), Washington's Birthday is a celebration of a white man. The list continues when it comes to white pride. Seperating yourself from the rest of the human race, and making it seem (amongst yourselves) that you're superior is what is the most disturbung thing to me. Hypocritical statements like the ones above are what anger me.

"By our open stand on the issues, the men and women we attract to our movement are not cowards or hypocrites, but are of the quality and level of dedication that can bring our cause to victory."

Here is a suggestion. Instead of proofreading the two documents you hold in such high regard, The Bible, and The Constitution, read them thoroughly. Study the books of the Bible and do research on the historical relevance of their teachings. When you have become knowledgable on the subjects you claim to respect and cherish, perhaps then you will understand that there is but one race, the HUMAN RACE. You don't want race-mixing, yet they're already mixed. If you believe in the Bible as you say you do, you will recall the story of the Garden of Eden. The Earth according to the first chapter of Genesis began with two people. Therefore if the book you "respect" so much is true, we are all in essence the same people, with different "homelands". Yet at a time, every one of our "homelands" were connected, as can be noted by looking at a map of the world, or a globe. You see, we are all one. We will always be one. No matter what propaganda is distributed, no matter which harsh remarks are uttered, we will all return to the same place, and that place is with God, and won't you feel silly then?


MONEY

Currency, in the early 21st Century seems to be the only thing mankind is interested in. Of course, we all need some kind of currency to live, which shows how society is so dependant on it. Blood has been spilled for it, families have been destroyed because of it, yet, humans can't seem to get enough of a piece of paper that "makes them a person." What isn't run by money? People think that money makes the world go round, but the Earth is what bears the trees that makes the money. Government power is stemmed in money and every single human endeavor of the present time is centered around monetary gain. Peter Edmunds, a columnist for the Orion newsletter seems to agree:

"Taking astronomy, I know that money is not what makes the world go around. It does, however, have an enormous effect on our lives and the structure of our society.

In our capitalistic culture, cabbage is the only means of obtaining material goods, as well as the essentials of survival, like food, clothes and shelter."

This is unfortunate, but true. Too much faith is put in currency, as seen by the countless stories of men committing suicide during the Great Depression. Gaining money during their lives was more important than living their lives. Evil intentions are usually based on money. Nearly every movie we watch that includes criminals have these criminals commiting crimes because they need money, or simply, they want it. If that isn't the modus operandi of their operations, the criminal is considered even more insane, perhaps because the crime was not motivated by cash. Men risk years of imprisonment, my own brother as an example, running towards money. Money sits in your pocket, doesn't say a word, seems like a friend and seems neutral, yet the second you need it the most, it isn't there for you. When my brother was incarcerated, where was money, something we all seem to depend on so much? It was in the pocket of the very people that were imprisoning him. Laughing all the way to the bank. Peter Edmunds made a terrific point, stating that:

"Money creates envy, hate and greed. Almost all the crimes that are committed in the United States are over money."

Most of those men who committed suicide over money probably wouldn't have jumped in front of a bullet to save one of their own family members, yet when they felt that the monetary system was hopeless, they put a bullet in themselves, or took a fatal leap out of a window.

Russell H. Conwell seems to think that "Money is power, you ought to be reasonably ambitious to have it." I think knowledge is power. I think piece of mind is power. I think love is power. I think money leads to a false sense of power. I've witnessed a man who has to scrape by every day. Bills come, and he is barely able to pay it. When he had a child, he knew that would bring even more expenses to him. What was going through his mind? HAPPINESS. He just had a child, he had no time to think about the stressful situations money was bringing towards him. He's starting a family, he HAS no time to think about money all the time. Something more important than a paycheck was now in his life. He knows, and knew, that money would be needed to help feed this new child, but money would be no longer the most important thing to him. He's on the right track. Depend on yourself, and your closest friends (including that someone.) Depend on your OWN creations (that being your thoughts) instead of the Federal Reserve's creation. It may be the hardest thing you've ever done, but it will be well worth it in the long run.