Blog Update

So, you can tell I've been a little unmotivated and a little busy lately. I'll be going on a much needed break until October 26th. I will not post again until then, and I'm sure both readers are just devastated by it. 

Dogs and humans

I love dogs. I've owned many wonderful dogs in my life and now I'm the proud owner of a bull terrier named Jaina, after the expanded universe Star Wars character.  She's the same breed as the Target dog, but the breed is not for everyone. Their history is a bit troubled-they were used as fighting dogs in their past, and I'm sure that in the wrong hands they could become extremely aggressive and very dangerous. Like all responsible owners of the breed, I'm careful to correct nay aggression that she might show. "Correct" doesn't mean use force or get violent-but it does mean they need firm leadership.

Humanizing dogs is a major problem in society because it's not fair to the dog. If you are desperate to treat something like a human-have a baby, not a dog.  Dressing up a dog in human clothes or having it be carried in your purse or giving it "people food" and reading it stories before bedtime shows that you are lacking something in you own life. Dogs are wonderful companions to humans and like I said-I love dogs and value them deeply. I also realize that some people get a dog for the wrong reason, sometimes because they are lacking something in their life.

Speaking of "wrong reasons" among the worst thing you can do is get a protective dog for some macho statement. Most men who act overly macho all the time are trying to overcompensate, and I've seen men who act like that get a pit bull or a rottie just to show the rest of the world how tough they are. Usually they can't provide the leadership that the dog needs and the dog turns into a violent monster. It's sad, because in the end the dog might kill another dog or much worse, another human.

Name calling

It is the nature of the internet to disagree, argue and debate. I accept this and so should everyone else on the internet. You don't want to be like the person who posts "99% of you won't repost this" status updates and the old lady who has "co-exist" bumper stickers-who think they can change the world by doing that. Like I've mentioned before part of being a grown up is realizing that you can't change people-they have to do so with their own actions and choices. Moving on.

I see people all the time on the internet call anything they disagree with "stupid". Or worse, they call the people they disagree with "stupid". Sure, some people make life choices the rest of us disagree with or say things that aren't the most cogent or logical-but calling everything you disagree with "stupid" or "foolish" shows a staggering lack of character on the person hurling the insult, not the person receiving them.

I know why people on the internet use name calling-it makes them feel better about themselves. Calling people names (unless it done in jest. Big, big difference between playful razzing between two friends and calling people you never met "dickheads") is obviously trying to cover up your own inadequacies.

Wearing what you want to church

LDS are expected to wear their Sunday best to church. You might be looked at differently if you do not, but in the end, wear whatever you are comfortable with.

Upfront, it's important to remember that no matter what you hink, do or wear, you will surely find someone who will complain about it. They do so to appear self righteous, holier than thou, or sometimes it's just because they are a jerk or a bully.

I usually wear a polo shirt and khakis. Ever since Catholic school I don't like wearing a suit and tie to anything. It makes me feel like I'm gong to a funeral. Church should be a joyous event-and while it does have a bit of solemnity to it being super serious and severe isn't exactly the warm and and friendly kind of believers that we should be.

Disagreements

There is something truly special about friends who are so close to you that you can disagree with them (sometimes strongly) and no one cares.

Anyone with strong views who is unafraid to share them better have the backbone and understanding to know that you can't please everyone.  Just expressing a view, you'll get someone angry. Usually, it's the tolerant people who are the first to block/defriend you. I know I've said that before, but it does merit repeating: The tolerant are the most likely to show screaming rages of intolerance.  Christopher Hitchens said it best, as he usually does "I learned that very often the most intolerant and narrow minded people are the ones who congratulate themselves on their tolerance and open mindedness."

Back to disagreements and friendships. In the world of social media and hyper sensitivity, we are quick to ban anyone from our lives if they disagree with us or "offend" us. Rare is the person who is strong enough - and secure in their own views - who can disagree with someone and still remain friends.

In other words-people need to grow up and stop acting like a 12 year old. If you only have friends who agree with you, you may not have friends. 

Ronald Reagan

I've been in a Ronald Reagan phase. He's always been among my favorite people to read about-both his Hollywood career and political career are amazing. Most people would not be able to excel in one of those careers. While he wasn't the greatest Hollywood actor (He's underrated though. Kings Row still holds up today) he made a lot of money and was very successful. Then, after a rough personal time-he bounced back from movies and thrived in the political world.

My favorite Reagan books are Ronald Reagan by John Patrick Diggins and A Different Drummer by Michael Deaver. Diggings discusses Reagan having more in common with Emerson-both had an innate positivity, a trust in human nature and a distrust of original sin-than with the religious right or "neocons". Deaver was one of the presidents most trusted aides. In fact, Reagan even mentioned once that Deaver was like a brother to him. Denver was right there for many of the key decisions in the life of Reagan. His love and admiration for the president is obvious. 

His auto-biography was called "An American Life" and it truly was one. A second chance marriage, a second chance career. America is many things, but it's mostly the land of second chances. President Reagan epitomized that. 

Album of the weekend

I know it's two weeks in a row where I don't have an album of the weekend. Both readers are surely devastated. I'm currently in the process of listening to this weeks choice, which was released this morning. I haven't had a chance to listen to it completely, so it'll be talked about next week. 

Feeling like a 1%er?

You should. If you live in America, you are a "have" in the war between the haves and the have nots. No, you aren't a 1%er, but if someone is lucky or works hard enough-well it's their right to be a 1%er. 

What most people have in America would be considered luxurious in most other countries. When I see people complain about "the rich", I usually see them doing it on social media. In Africa, the poor don't have the opportunity to complain via Facebook. In India, the poor usually are too busy starving to think about what car they can drive. 

Poverty exists in America-even in the extreme form. Most "poor" people though aren't starving. If you take a look at America you'll see that many people struggle with obesity, in particular poor people. Like I mentioned before-poor people in Africa and India don't struggle with obesity. They die of malnutrition and hunger. 

I've said things like this before, and of course-I've been accused of being mean, insensitive, and the worst in 2016-lacking compassion. One person in particular said it best "I know you have a big heart, but it isn't showing right now." It's flattering she said that, even though I've always thought that the size of your heart doesn't matter. It's what you do with it. Many people describe themselves as having "big hearts" but do nothing with it. 

Envy is also sinful, though no one talks about it anymore. 

Not caring about every single issue

I'm a passionate guy. I'm passionate about my hobbies, my interests, my political and religious views. Like Howard Roark in my all time favorite novel The Fountainhead, I can't do something I love only halfway. Usually people who care too much or are intense are laughed at in this culture-it's much more cool and hip to be detached. 

Now that that's out of the way, isn't there something obnoxious about people who get caught up in every single social cause, food trend, and latest moral craze? I'm talking about the moms who only feed their kid organic and breastfeed until they are 15. The celebrities who preach about environmentalism from their private jets. The preachers who want to ban the latest dance craze or video game. These people are so frustrating. 

It's okay to not care about a certain trendy social cause. In fact, it may very well keep you sane. If you worried about every single tree that was cut down by those "evil" lumberman, you wouldn't have the energy to worry about every manatee killed by a boat. If you worry about every manatee, you won't worry about malaria in Africa killing people left and right. 

The average human doesn't have the compassion level to care about all these issues. First off, if you cared about all of them passionately you'd be too busy trying to cure them to worry about other issues. Second, most people who care about all those issues don't care about them. They just want to seem like "Mr/Mrs Compassionate and wonderful." Digging deeper, they do nothing to actually alleviate the issue they "care" about. 

Sound harsh? Well it is, and it's also true. Look around. It's good to be committed to a cause-in fact, it's a good thing to care about several causes-but it's a better thing to do something meaningful to help those causes than jumping from cause to cause to show you "care". 

Motivated by me not caring about GMO foods, global warming, breastfeeding, and saving public libraries. I know, I'm such an immoral badass. 

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

There is nothing less "Rock and Roll" than a hall of fame that apparently claims to be "Rock and Roll".

Obviously-I like music. I like "Rock and Roll." In fact, I like the traditional pioneers of the genre like Buddy Holly, Elvis and Little Richard (yes there are more, those are the first three that just came into mind). I think the terms "legend" and "icon" are thrown away much too easily in this society but those men are truly iconic.  Without them, Rock and Roll would have developed but it would have taken years longer.

A Hall of Fame is a mainstream, established institution that tries to sell you what their version of Rock music is. It's sanitized, overly commercial and has no soul or innate passion. Basically, it's the antithesis of what rock and roll should be.

The Loki Anti-LDS Troll

In the great movie Dogma, there is a scene in the beginning of the movie where Loki, the character played by Matt Damon, is in the process of debunking the Catholic faith of a nun. Sure, it's just a movie, but I get the feeling that's how a lot of anti-religious people feel. So arrogant that after talking to any foolish believer for five minutes, the can debunk their faith, claim a victory, and leave the fool in tears. The meme of the fat, arrogant looking atheist with the shirt that says "I'm an atheist, debate me" comes to mind.  In the LDS online community, virtually every believer has encountered this type of person before.

There are all sorts of anti-LDS people out there. Some are former lifelong members who are so bitter and angry towards the church that al they can do is spew bile towards active, believing members. Some are people who have never been members but believe everything  negative that they read on the internet about the church. Some are what I call "The Loki Trolls" (I am so witty) because they seek out believers only to debunk and destroy everything that the believer thinks.

These types of atheists/non believers are the most obnoxious because of their level of self denial. There is nothing, absolutely nothing that they can say that most thinking believers haven't heard before. "Did you know Joseph Smith had multiple wives?" "Have you ever read No Man Knows my History?" The answer is yes. Most believers are not fools, even if you think they are. There is nothing they haven't heard before and won't hear again. In fact, most believers are far more savvy than atheists think they are.

General Conference

Happy General Conference weekend everyone. There will be no blog today. 

Album of the weekend update

On a road trip today, so there will be no album of the weekend. 

"Seven Year Switch" tv show

There is a new show on Lifetime called "Seven Year Switch". I have yet to see it, but it seems to be about couples who have been together for seven years and are in a bit of a down patch switching partners and seeing if that helps their relationship. I love reality shows and I find the Lifetime show "Married at First Sight" both addicting and incredibly fascinating. Instead of cheapening marriage, I think Married at First Sight shows how important it is.

I'm not sure about the Seven Year Switch show. It's trying to show that the grass isn't always greener, and I understand why it's doing that. My concern is that it's also going to make the couples who partake in it more envious and perhaps absence won't make the heart grow fonder. I'm not sure a struggling couple should spend time apart at all, especially with another person.

Clerks 3

So apparently, Kevin Smith has announced that there will be a Clerks 3. Click here for details, and to see a cool picture of Jay and Randall. Jeff Anderson, who played Randall, held out for awhile but apparently decided the money and time were right and agreed to take the role.

I loved the first movie. In fact, it's one of my all time favorite movies. I thought the second was shaky, and I have absolutely no desire to see the third. There are only so many stories to tell and who wants to see two guys pushing fifty make dick jokes and talk about how bad their lives are? Eventually if your life is terrible, you need to take responsibility for it instead of complaining. Every story needs an end point and to go out gracefully is an art form. One that Kevin Smith might not be familiar with.

Is being LDS easy?

No.

One of the bigger issues converts face is a lack of understanding from lifelong Latter Day Saints. I can understand the lifelong member side-if you've never smoked a joint or been a heavy drinker-you don't know how hard it is to quit. Worse, many LDS assume it's "easy" for converts to give up lifelong habits and not miss them.

I hope this doesn't turn into a bitch-fest-you know I have nothing but respect for all my brothers and sisters in the church-but here goes. 

Being LDS is not easy. The time commitment alone takes awhile to get used to. It's been my experience that active LDS usually associate with other active LDS, and most of their close friends/family are in the church.  That's fine and expected-most atheists associate with atheists, most vegans with other vegan. We tend to be most familiar with people who share our values.

Trying to explain to lifelong members that we have friends/family outside the church and we enjoy spending time with them too is often quite difficult. You can get blank stares, confrontation, preaching-you name it when decline temple trips, leave church early, etc.

The common response from the more obtuse members is "Well, being LDS isn't easy. Not everyone can do it." The answer is "No, being LDS isn't easy, but you need more understanding for those of us who aren't lifelong members." It's very strange to me that many lifelong members claim they are misunderstood-yet simply don't even try to "understand" what converts go through with their families and having other responsibilities.