A Reason; A Season; A Lifetime
A brief telephone conversation with one of our blog members left me thinking. So many folks cross our paths throughout our lifetime. People come into our lives in three different capacities; a reason, a season or a lifetime. A poignant statement, since in our effort to force some individuals into a specific category we sometimes cause ourselves enormous heartache. You see, not everyone is intended to be with you for a lifetime. Without getting religious on anyone - whether you're an atheist or a Christian - know that what you may consider a chance meeting with someone was always in your life's plan. The danger is when we alter the course of an interaction by attempting to make someone that was placed in our life's path for a reason, into someone who is a lifelong participant. Without getting into the details of why they were placed there - there are millions of them - know that after that reason, they were intended to be gone. Those that are placed in our life's path for a season are those that are there for a slightly longer time. They are there to either teach us a lesson, get us through a difficult period or simply to enrich our lives. Following that purpose, you'll notice that life has a way of pushing them out. It is when we try to force them into a lifelong participant role that we see a deteriorating relationship (relationship is used in a general sense here). Lifetime players in our lives are remarkable in that they fit into all three categories and they continually serve a purpose in our lives. Your lives grow together and you learn each other's strengths and weaknesses. There are times when you don't speak to the lifetime participant for extended periods of time, but when you reconnect, it's like they've always been there. You know their idiosyncrasies and the effort to maintain an interaction with them never compromises who you are. Well, I won't pretend to know it all - I don't even know enough to always decipher what role is intended for all the folks that cross my path, but knowing what signs to look for and finding peace within myself to trust my gut instinct without forcing anyone into one of these categories is a healthy start. Wish me luck….
July 16 at Watkins Park; Largo, MD
We're almost one month out from our get together at Watkins Regional Park in Largo, Maryland. It's about that time to begin fleshing out (I hate when my boss uses that word) the details for our event. Previous BBQs have been fun, but I'd like to tackle some of the coordinating issues. The three categories that should be addressed: 1. Food/Beverages 2. Paper products/Condiments 3. Entertainment/Games/Decor. I'm opening the forum to ideas of how we can insure that each category is headed-up and covered. We don't want to overwhelm any one person, yet we need a point of contact for each category. Finally, we should designate a time (ie. Noon) to all be there. This should be an actual time and not CP Time arrivals. So let's have great time, meet new family additions, bring new folks into the group and really make this one of Summer 2005's best functions.
Long Story Short…
Caspar celebrated a birthday this week - happy birthday sunshine! Soul wifey (Marcia) held an exciting event that included Morris Chestnut - girl, we need details! Daylen celebrated two months on earth - we have new pics to share! J'Moo was overheard to be buying bands for him and his sweetie - uh, yeah, we believe you when you say they're "friendship" rings. Bottom Feeder… it's time to stop pushing up on your "friends" pieces - for real! No need to discuss that one further. Sean, Adam and Raymond, welcome aboard. Where are my ABA customer service ladies? I was thinkin' about y'all the other day! Hit me up… we want your wisdom on many of our issues too. Busta turned 6. That's right, my baby is all grown up!
Please post your questions for this afternoon's On Blast in the Morning Edition comments.
Keep passin' the open windows…
7 comments:
Hector your comment this morning regarding people being atheist...
If there are any atheist on the blog (not to put anyone out there) how do you NOT believe there is a God? Who do you think created the birds and the trees? How do you think the first people came into existance? I'm not trying to down anyone, I'm just curious to see how atheist think. Also, what do you think will become of you when you die? Do you believe in heaven and hell?
Thanks in advance for your comments! You don't have to share your name if you don't feel comfortable...I just want to know answers, I'm not concerned with who answers.
As I said earlier...I don't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable. It you don't feel comfortable commenting...don't!
As a PK I should be able to play devil's advocate on this religion question...here are the issues that may have some believing there is no God:
What God would permit the innocent to suffer such great tragedies when they are in full control to stop them? Is he a sadomasochist God? Why do certain religions choose to interpret the Bible to their benefit? For example, the same area of the Bible that mentions men not sleeping with men, says that we should not mix fabrics. Does this mean folks that wear poly/cottons will burn in hell? Women were forbidden from participating in church services while menstruating - what made the bleeders think it was okay to attend service on heavy-flow Sundays? What proof do we have that an actual hell exists and why should anyone service a God that demands your submission based on the threat of eternal damnation? Folks, the truth is, making a believer of a non-believer is best done by example. As an Islamic extremist "why the hate?" and they'll have a million responses as well - all in the name of their God, of course.
To the folks that are about to light me up... the blood of Jesus compells you! :)
I HATE USING ANONYMITY...IT SEEMS SO COWARDLY....BUT TODAY I WILL USE IT TO AVOID HURTING AND BODY'S FEELINGS OR INSULTING THEIR RELIGIOUSITT. I AM A SELF PROFESSED ATHIEST. I WAS RAISED CATHOLIC AND TRIED IN EVERY WAY TO PROVE THE EXISTANCE OF "a god". I HAVE COME TO BELIEVE THAT ORGANIZED RELIGION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE DRAMA AND ABOMINATION THAT EVER AFFLICTED HUMANITY SINCE TIME WAS RECORDED. IN MY LIFE TIME RELIGION GAVE US WWI....WW2.....HITLER....HIROHITO....BOSNIA....IRAQ....IRAN....NOT TO MENTION....RONALD REAGAN AND GEORGE W. BUSH AMOUNG OTHER ATROSITIES. I DON'T BELIEVE IN AN SUPREME CREATOR. NEITHER SCIENCE OR NATURE JUSTIFFIES SUCH FAITH. I DON'T BELIEVE IN IMACULATE CONCEPTION BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY FOR A WOMAN TO CONCEIVE. I, LIKE MOST ATHIEST BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE IS IS A WONDERFUL BOOK OF HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AND THE REASON SO MUCH OF WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE BIBLE RINGS TRUE TODAY IS BECAUSE HISTORY TENDS TO REPEAT ITSELF IF IDEAS DON'T EVOLVE TO KEEP UP WITH THE EVOLUTION OF HUMANITY. THERE IS AN ORDER IN NATURE, CONTROLED BY NATURE ITSELF. THE BELIEF THAT SOME (ONE)CREATOR HAS UMNIPOTENT POWER AND DOMINION OVER THAT ORDER IS SIMPLISTIC. AS CHILDREN WE NEED TO FEEL A SENSE OF GUIDANCE AND BELONGING...DADDY. AS ADULTS, LACKING ANY TANGIBLE EXPLANATION FOR BEING OR FOR MISFORTUNE WE INVENT DADDY...."DIOS EX MACHINA" TO RESCUE. IN THE END WE RELINQUISH OUR OWN POWER...OUR OWN MAGNIFICENCE...AND OUR OWN ENORMOUS ABILITIES AND PERFECTLY EVOLVED HUMAN BEINGS.
A GOD IS IRRELIVANT TO ME, THAT BELIEF, IN MY OPINION HAS NOT BEEN OF ANY USE TO MY EXISTANCE OR PROGRESS. IF I'M WRONG AND THERE IS A SINGLE CREATOR, THEN LIKE "RICKY RICHARDO", HE'S GOT ALOT OF "SPLAINING TO DO". IN THE END THOUGH, IT BECOMES MORE RELEVANT THAT WE APPRECIATE AND HONOR OUR OWN EXISTANCE INCLUDE EACH OTHER INSTEAD OF JUDGING EACH OTHER BASED ON A FAITH THAT IS TENUOUS AT BEST AND DEVISIVE AT ITS WORST. CONSIDER THIS: MINISTER FARRIKAN....POPE BENEDICT...PRIMEMINISTER SHIRON....PRESIDENT ABBAS AND ALL THE SHIITE MULLAS OF IRAQ AND IRAN...AND PRESIDENT BUSH ALL USE THEIR "GOD" TO CLUB THEIR RESPECTIVE ENEMIES OVER THEIR HEADS WITH CONVICTION AND ABSOLUTE SELF RIGHTIOUSNESS. IF LOVE AND INCLUSIVENESS AND RESPECT IS THE MOST ENDEARING PROPOGANDA OF "GOD", THEN HE HAS FAILED TOTALLY. I DO NOT BELIEVE IN THIS IMPOTENCE. I BELIEVE IN HUMANITY. I BELIEVE IN HIMAN RESOLVE. I BELIEVE IN OUR GENIOUS.
PEACE AND GOOD WILL TO YOU ALL
CASPAR..I RESPECT YOUR FAITH, BUT MY VERY POINT WAS NOBODY "GAVE" US FREE CHOICE TO DO ANYTHING. WE ALWAYS HAD IT. RELIGION HAD PROVIDED US WITH THE CO-DEPENDANT SPIRIT TO FEEL THAT WE NEED A HIER POWER TO GIVE US ABSOLUTION. "Faith in and love of ourselves is love for our Creator reciprocated. ".....WHAT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN....THAT'S LIKE TAKING EARTHLY CATASTROPHE AND APPLYING HEAVENLY MEANING. WHAT ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE WHOSE "PAIN" WASN'T CAUSED BY THEIR "DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD", BUT JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY ELSE WANTED THEM TO FEEL THAT PAIN? THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT JESUS EXISTED AS A GOOD MAN WHAT MEANT WELL, BUT HE WAS NO GOD. WE AS HUMANITY HAVE TO GET UP OFF OUR KNEES AND LEARN TO APPLY OUR COLLECTIVE REASON AND INTELLIGENCE TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. AND CASPAR I KNOW YOU ARE A GOOD WELL MEANING PERSON PERSON, BUT TRUST ME WHEN I SAY I'M NOT LOST, AND HAVE NO NEED TO "FIND MY WAY BACK"
SIDEBAR: COCOARICAN YOU ARE HILARIOUS. YOUR BIT ABOUT "THE BLEEDERS AND HEAVY-FLOW SUNDAYS" HAD ME ON THE FLOOR...YES ATHIEST HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR TOO....YOU ARE THE PK FROM HELL...OH!DID I SAY HELL...:-0
OH!! YOU KNOW I LOVE THIS GROUP SO PLEASE ACCEPT OR REJECT MY OPINION FOR WHAT IT IS...NOT PERSONALIZE IT....AND FORGIVE MY TYPOS...I WAS ON A ROLL. I BET LALA DIDN'T ASK FOR ALL THIS.
PEACE AND GOOD WILL TO ALL
Believer or not, we have to keep the playing field even. That's the problem now. We pick and choose what areas of the Bible we feel still apply, or might apply or just plain throw whole chunks of it out for our benefit. The part of the Bible I was referring to has the mention of men-sleeping with-men in the SAME chapter as the prohibition about mixing fabrics. So now you've decided because you want to wear a poly/rayon blend skirt we can throw that verse out and the one for the FAGS still applies. Think again sister! The Bible old, new, etc. was intended to be obeyed. Heck, the 10 commandments were "old" law, but I don't think I can reach over and jig your smart ass in the throat a couple of times, now can I? You know I'm laughing hard while I type this because I can see your f'ing face!! LOL Anyway poodle.. I love you, but you're wrong. Take it from a God-fearin'-fag who went to years of seminary - YOU'RE WRONG. I rebuke your spirit of divisivness... yours and Caspar's too.. y'all are both evil doers and only Anonymous and I will reap the riches of heaven... either that or we'll die and turn to dust and that will be that... ::::where are my purple pills?!?!?!?:::::
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