Random Ideas and Possible Entries

Good day to all.  I’ve had alot of ideas recently but haven’t had the time to write them all down.  Let’s see what I can remember. 

  Well, this morning on the drive to school we were listening to NPR (National Public Radio) and they were talking about how the House of Reps. is approving legislation to increase the fine on “indecent” television.  Personally, I think this is a waste of time.  Who are these people trying to fool?  Why aren’t they working on legislation to increase the fine on corporations that dump toxic waste or cheat their employees, or many other things to really help people? Because the corporations pay them to waste their time on things like this. 

  We all know that this was started by that “wardrobe malfunction” of Janet Jackson during the Superbowl.  In all honesty, who was really tramatized by seeing Janet Jackson’s tit?  The way the media made this uproar about it, you’d think she started playing with it onstage.  Not to sound crude, but let’s look at the facts.  First of all, it was a flash of one breast, almost like someone cut a hole to show it.  It wasn’t like she popped open her dress.  Second, as said, it’s not like she started playing with it or something.  As soon as she saw that she was exposed, she covered it up.  Third, once again, at the risk of sounding crude, you could see more breasts by watching the Discovery channel when they show those rain forest villages or whatever than you could see of Janet’s unexpected flash.  Haven’t they shown the backside of that older guy, Dennis Franz or something, from NYPD Blue on TV?  Now that is tramatizing.  But I didn’t hear any big uproar about that.

  I think alot of this stems from the hypocritical nature of our nation today.  Politicians know that putting religious values into their arguement gets votes.  It doesn’t matter if they really believe that or not.  They know that if there’s anything to get people in an uproar, it’s religion.  People go about their lives preaching this and that from whatever religion they supposedly follow and then go out and do the opposite in life.  As soon as people get out of the church parking lot, watch out.  How many of these church goers says “Goddamn” which is blasmephy by every Christian religion?  I’m not saying that people can’t make mistakes, that people can’t be human and have emotions.  But let’s all realize that.  Instead of getting all in a uproar because someone says something that has to do with religion or morals or values, really look at the issue.  Does what they’re saying make sense?  Are they really telling it like it is?  How many people really know the facts behind all those issues that they feel so strongly about?

  I was watching Dogma the other day on Comedy Central.  If you haven’t seen that, watch it.  I know it’s the strangest movie to make you seriously think about religion, but it does make you think.  Now, I know that I’ve got some crazy ideas when it comes to certain aspects of religion.  I haven’t met anyone that believes like I do; I’ve met people that have agreed with things I think after discussing it, but no one that’s come to those conclusions thinking about it otherwise.  I just remember a line from the movie.  Bethany is talking to Rufus, the 13th apostle.  She asks him about Jesus.  Rufus is talking about him and he says this one line that really made me think. 

“Jesus never really liked the idea of religion, all those things carried out in his name….”  Bethany says, “You’re saying that having beliefs is a bad thing?”  “I think it’s better to have ideas. You can change an idea, changing a belief is trickier.”

  Now you think about that and it’s true.  A belief is harder to change.  But why is it harder?  Because people tend to associate a belief with fact.  Well belief does not equal fact, no matter how much anyone wants it to.  When it comes down to it no one on this earth can prove that God exists.  Now I believe in God.  I believe that God exists.  There is no one that can make me believe that He does not exist.  On the other hand, I cannot prove to an Atheist that He does exist.  There is nothing I can say to make an Atheist believe in God.  It seems so obvious to say that belief is not fact, especially after this little example.  Yet, making yourself truely believe it is a whole lot harder.  We can always hear things and say it’s true, but that doesn’t mean we believe it.  Having the ability to open your mind to hearing the possibilities of other things is a rare thing.  Listening to someone else does not make your beliefs any less valid or any less important.  And maybe there’s something that person can teach you to add new depth to your beliefs, whatever they may be.

  Well, it’s almost time to leave work for the day, so I’ll close up.  Someone remind me I have a few other subject type entries to do.  There’s one I want to do called Suddenly Beautiful.  There’s another one on Relationships and Marriage.  There’s others but I can’t remember at the moment.  Good eve to all.

-Damien