Scripture Sunday 2 Nephi 2:27

Jesus Christ and His (and our) Heavenly Father are great believers in choice and free agency. He will never, ever force beleif on you. If you choose to live your life without His assistance, you are certainly free to do so.  After all, you are free to choose your actions. What you are not free to choose, are the consequences of them. 

As a believer it should come as no surprise that I think choosing to follow Satan instead of Christ is a bad idea. A real bad idea that has grave effects for your soul in the next life. Even though I think it's terrible idea to choose to follow Satan, I can't stop you from it. I would pray for you and try to convince you otherwise-but I can't stop you. What I can tell you though is that you will not appreciate the outcome. 

The Simpsons and their fans

Do you remember the Simpsons episode where Itchy and Scratchy introduce Poochie, the new character that Homer provides the voice to? I'm a big Simpsons fan, but I'm not so big where I have every line from every episode memorized-so if I'm off by an episode or, my apologies. Comic book guy gives the great line "Worst. Episode. Ever" to express his disgust with the Itchy and Scratchy episode. It's a line that has broken into pop culture, for sure. In response, Bart says "What could they possibly owe you, they've given you countless hours of entertainment for free? If anything you owe them!" Well far be it for me to argue with an eight year old, but that line has always bothered me. Probably because it's exactly how too many people in Hollywood view their fans and the people who watch their shows.

At first, Bart has a good point. After all, we've been entertained by The Simpsons for over twenty years now. It is probably the best tv show in history and it's longevity and ability to stay fresh is truly amazing. Not many tv shows can do that. I love how fearless it is-taking shots at everything, including the network that puts it on the air. Without the Simpsons, we wouldn't have South Park or Family Guy. So don't we owe them?

Um, no.

Because of them entertaining peons like you, they've become rich. Very rich. In fact, they've become part of the one percenters they dislike and despise. They can afford lives that put them totally out of touch with the lowly commoners. Sure their jokes about Fox are funny as hell, but without the evil Fox network-they'd still be broke and struggling. The money puts them out of touch in many ways, but it makes them forget that at one point McFarlane and Groening were totally unknown and could never have imagined the heights their shows would take them to. Here's the part they need to remember-if their fans didn't watch their shows, regardless of how good they were-they'd still be broke and unknown. The world is littered with great bands and great tv shows that just never took off and their creators would sell their souls for what Matt Groening has.

Album of the weekend

Nirvana-Unlpugged

Like all unplugged albums there is an initial shock hearing your favorite plugged in songs that are stripped down. I'm not a musician but I've heard that electric instruments are bit more forgiving than acoustic ones. So you have really have to avoid mistakes and be very careful.  This album also has a particularly somber mood-I'm fairly certain it was the first release after the death of Kurt Cobain.

The album is (surprise!) outstanding. It's Nirvana after all, and I remain convinced that they simply cannot create a bad album. Nirvana is so acclaimed that they walk right up to the line of being almost overrated. In fact, some backlash has occurred against them-did they define the music of the era or did they just come along at the right time?

They defined not only the music, but the era as well. As a closing chapter to their band this album is five stars. Moody and sentimental but still with the giant middle finger to the world that Nirvana epitomizes-every song on the album is unforgettable. 

Stores setting up Christmas displays early

Like I mentioned last year, until very recently christmas hasn't always been a wonderful time of year for me. I don't have wildly positive memories of past Christmases. No, that doesn't make me a Scrooge because I don't spend my time ruining it for everyone. In fact, no one even knew I usually had a rough time at Christmas because I kept it to myself. So no, no Scrooge here. I try not to bring everyone else down if I'm not comfortable or wildly positive. That might be me acting "fake" but it's also me putting others feelings and consideration first. Aren't I wonderful?

I know that people like the Christmas season. Some people go insane and put up incredible decorations everywhere. In order to get these decorations, they need to buy them somewhere. Some people buy them at department stores. And if people like the Christmas season (I admit that me feeling uncomfortable around the season is not common) why do people complain about seeing decorations out early? Doesn't it make people feel better about the season? Stores are in a no win situation. If they put out Christmas decorations early, people complain. If they don't put them out till after Christmas they might be accused of being part of the "war" on Christmas. I've seen this happen on Facebook several times-people bitch about seeing early Christmas displays and then next week complain about stores being part of the war on Christmas. 

In other words, be like Punk on this one. If you don't like decorations being put out early, don't complain about it. If you like it, great. Enjoy.

This election is finally over, thank God.

It's brought out the worst in people but it's also brought out the best. There is so much to despise in both Trump and Hillary that most good people have spoken out against these lunatics and have really come together in their dislike of the major parties. Who says dislike and distrust can't breed unity? It sure has in that way. I admit I'm grasping at straws here.

It's important to remember that life continues. I've been a political junkie for twenty years now (I was a pretentious, obnoxious and yes, lonely child) and I've taken political losses with great agony and sadness in the past. I was devastated when my candidate lost and I thought life would end. While I'm still not happy when my candidate loses-I realize and understand now that life continues. There is a morning after and we still live in the greatest county in history. 

Why people post a lot about politics

I get it, some people who aren't political junkies don't understood why those of us who are post so much about politics. 

There are many reasons for this. One-it is an interest to us. Not everyone has the same interests as you do, and what you find terribly dull and boring some people might find very fascinating. in this society today, people take everything personal and can't fathom that their own interests might be boring to others. No, that doesn't mean you personally are boring-it means everyone is not the same. So while you love reading about true crime, zombies, Asian cooking-some of us prefer politics instead. Ironically just by me mentioning true crime, zombies and Asian cooking I'm sure someone might read into and think I'm insulting people who like those things. I'm not, just using them as an example. 

Next, people share political ideas to show others that they aren't alone. In 2016 it can be very isolating to not be in the majority. If you are in the majority, you don't know what I'm talking about. If you aren't, you know exactly what I'm talking about. When you think differently about everything it's a chilling feeling. The left knows how this feels and the right knows how this feels. Speaking from personal experience the internet has helped me a great deal in meeting people who have share interests. So those of us who are political junkies talk about that to reach out to others. 

And yes, we get it-we probably won't convince you to see things our way. You won't convince us to stop posting about it either. 

Things you learn about politics as you mature

I have always thought that it's a sign of laziness (and in some cases, stupidity) to be totally ignorant about politics. Sure, it can be frustrating to take the time to learn things about how politics and government work-but these things have a direct impact on your quality of life. When talking with people who are ignorant about politics you'll often hear "Opinions? Oh everyone has one and it's not worth a damn." Wrong. People who downplay or dismiss others opinions are usually intimidated by them or simply too stupid to form their own opinion about issues. 

As you grow up, you being to to learn two things about politics that the extreme right and the extreme left will never understand. One-good people can and do disagree. Two-the extreme right and left are truly the problem. 

The first one isn't obvious, but it should be. If you can't figure out how two people who are diametrically opposed in their views can still get along and be good people than congratulations. You are partially why things are so messed up here. Getting your morality from politics is a terrible idea for many reasons but perhaps the worst is because it teaches you to think that you are noble and wonderful and everyone who disagrees with you is a scumbag. Your own political heroes can be personally reprehensible people and yes, that goes for liberal and conservative heroes. If someone doesn't lie, cheat, steal gives to charity and thinks of others in their actions-they are a good person. Regardless if they are liberal or conservative. 

The second is obvious. The extreme right and extreme left are both part of the problem. This isn't an argument for the mushy middle-but as you get older you begin to realize that governments and politics require compromise in order to keep everything going. There is "sticking to what is right and sticking with your morals" and there is "being stubborn and unrealistic." The perfect examples of this are the right on abortion and the left on guns. Banning all types of abortion is impossible and will not happen-and it shouldn't. Sadly pro-lifers can't celebrate even minor restrictions on abortion because they demand all or nothing. What I just said about guns is the exact same. Leftists who want all guns banned are just as silly as the radical pro-lifers.