The Consequences of Individualism VS Collectivism

As I was reading this morning I came across this statement from William F. Buckley Jr. (found in his book "God & Man at Yale"). He said: "I myself believe that the duel between Christianity and atheism is the most important in the world. I further believe that the struggle between individualism and collectivism is the same struggle reproduced on another level" (italics mine). Think about that a minute- if Buckley is correct- and I tend to heartily agree with him- then we can make a direct correlation between the advancement of atheistic belief and the advance of socialistic thought and agendas in our society today. (Collectivism is the basis for socialism).

Conversely, the advancement of Christianity promotes individualism. That is the basis for our free enterprise system, or capitalism. So why are so many people so resistant to indiviualism today? I believe that answer accountability- not to man but to God. To accept the premise that there is a God, and a God who is active in this creation- to say He loves and cares for us- is to have to accept responsibility or accountability to that God for our actions, our lives. If we accept the premise of God we realize we have a moral responsibility in the way we conduct our lives. Immorality becomes wrong, becomes sin. Things like "sex week"- first started on Yale's campus but now spread across major campuses today- are practices in immorality. Adultery, pornography, spousal/child abuse, domestic violence, homosexuality, et al- all cry out for moral resposibility. And yet our society today is more likely to accept the sin than the accountability. Why?

 Because we've turned from God. The mindset is now "No God, no guilt". Many of us have turned from God to try and assauge our consciences, to try and allieviate our guilt. The guilt remains, mind you- it's just buried- stuffed down by our rebellious nature. But one day it will again surface and we will be forced to deal with it again. In the Bible there's the story of David, king of Israel, and his affair with Bathsheba. We read his words in the Psalms, as he dealt with the guilt. He says that as he kept silent (pushed down and buried the adultery, et al.) his spirit withered like in the summer heat but when he confessed his sin (ie. accepted the responsibility of his actions) his burden was lifted and God removed the guilt of his sin. You see, our accountability doesn't "allow" God to forgive our sins- indeed, our sins are already forgiven, for Jesus paid that price on the cross- but it does allow him to relieve the guilt of our sins. He clears our conscience of guilt and we are freed to live and grow in a moral and responsible manner. We accept responsibility and grow as indiviuals, when we deny or reject responsibility we seek solace in groups... Individualism vs collectivism, capitalism vs socialism- the choices are ours, but it boils down to God vs atheism. In what direction do we want to lead our country for our children, our grandchildren?
Food for thought...

Bridging the Congressional Aisle...

A friend stopped in today and asked for my thoughts on the Obama Inaugural speech. My thoughts were initially much the same as those of many of the GOP leadership- long on "lofty", short on sspecifics, and completely devoid of any attempt to reach out to the "Republicans", those Obama clearly portrays as his political "enemies". As I reflected on it I was asked how I would attempt to solve this grid-lock problem, if I were president.

My response was simply this- it has to be more than lip service. If I were president my first task would be to tell my vice-president that, as president of the Senate, it is now his job to integrate both parties together. I would suggest that there is no more "Democratic" side, or "Republican" side of the aisle. Instead seat senators alphabetically by state. You might sit next to a republican, you might sit next to a democrat, but bottom line is the parties would be dispersed among each other.

I would go to the Speaker of the House and suggest a similar plan for the House. Once everyone was intermixed I would address both houses and say: "It is time to forget whether you are a Republican or a Democrat for today we are all here elected as Americans. We have issues that face our nation that can only be resolved by working together. So vote your heart, not your party, and we can achieve great things together. We can find solutions for our problems, through negotiation and compromise, if we only determine to work together. So leave party affliation on the campaign trail, or at least at the door, and let's step forward together and show those who elected us that their votes were not cast in vain!"

I dare say, it would at least show some in Congress that the spirit is willing- something this President can never hope to achieve, for he has demegoged his political "enemies", ridiculed them, blamed them, and thrown them under the bus too mant times to ever hope to achieve or show (on his part) a spirit of willingness and compromise. It is the difference between serving our country humbly, accepting the challenge to conquer the enormous task at hand in the best interests of our country, and "serving" his term as an entitled and arogant dictator, (repeatedly snubbing his nose at the Constitution), that he's shown himself to be. Thank God for term limits...

Food for thought...

Taxable Dependents...

I received this little ditty from a friend, and, as tax season is upon us I thought it very apprapo... I think it would be a hoot if all us hard-working, gainfully-employed, tax-paying citizens used this in our "Dependents" list- if nothing more than to mess with the IRS...

 

I just received my tax return for 2011 back from the IRS. It puzzles me!!! 

They are questioning how many dependents I claimed. 

I guess it was because of my response to the question: "List all dependents?"

I replied 12 million illegal immigrants; 3 million crack heads; 

42 million unemployed people on food stamps, 

2 million people in over 243 prisons; Half of Mexico; 

And 535 persons in the U.S. House and Senate."
Evidently, this was NOT an acceptable answer. 

I KEEP ASKING MYSELF, WHO THE HELL DID I MISS?

 

To answer the question of who he missed, he didn't list the President and the nine Supreme Court justices...

Relational Currency...

Though I am far from an expert on relationships (I suppose I learn most through my failed ones!) I have pondered much on what makes them go, and makes them grow. I've come to realize there are a number of ways we "pay" to keep our relationships healthy. For example, keeping the romance alive, or giving gifts, doing things, listening- many big and little things to keep it healthy. But underlying all these things is one key thing that is the glue, the main currency in our relational economy. And what is that one thing? Time- or more specifically, Our Time.

While the total amount of time each of us have on this rock differs, each day here we find ourselves with the same number of hours at our disposal. Some of us cram as much "doing" in our hours as we can, often ending our day slumped on the couch catching the news or a show before retiring to bed, just to repeat the cycle tomorrow. As a matter of fact, our society pushes us to do more and more- but at what cost to our relationships?

Time is the greatest measure of our commitment. Not just time, but quality time. Time we make specifically for another, despite our hectic schedules. It doesn't matter, in the long run, what gifts we give, what words we say, what acts we do, if we just aren't "there" for another. Our time is our most precious commodity, and how we share it with another shows the importance of that relationship. And you better believe, it doesn't matter to another how busy we are if we're in a relationship. What matters (to them) is our making time for them despite our schedule. For time, our time, is our currency, and how we spend it shows others just what is important to us...

Food for thought...

TV- Truth or Fallacy?

So I begin this new year on a sad note... I was watching TV last night and a commercial came on promoting "ChristianMingle.com", a Christian dating site. Being a Christian man I listened and was surprised to hear that the partner that God wants for me is found on Cheistian Mingle. This is sad, because currently I thought I was quite happy in the relationship I am in, but if I am to believe this ad then clearly my relationship is not the one God wants for me... Or, Christian Mingle is taking a very liberal licence with the truth. Hmmm...
So, do I believe television, or more specifically, the "Christian" dating organization that says that the partner God has for me is found on their website, which in turn means I must break off the relationship I currently find myself in, one which brings me joy and contentment, or do I believe that my relationship is good and God can ordain it despite the fact that it wasn't birthed through Christian Mingle? If I opt for the latter then I must conclude that TV allows obvious mistruths to permeate the airwaves, which, by extention, calls into question the truth and validity of virtually every "political" report I hear. Personally, I'm happy where I'm at, and I wish Washington would learn how to be forthright and truthful to the people who put them there...
Food for thought...

Resolutions- Think Carefully!

Happy New Year to all!
But before you all start making New Year resolutions consider them carefully. Personally, I've resolved not to make any more resolutions...
For those of you who resolve to lose weight this new year consider this: I have this theory- there's only so much weight in the world and when one person loses weight another person ends up gaining it... I figured this out because so many of my friends lost weight this year and I just kept packing it on. So to all you dieters I plead with you, I beg you, give me a break! I can't afford to put on any more weight! Perhaps, in the spirit of fairness, some of you will resolve to put on weight so I might lose a bit... Either that or I'll be forced to relocate to a country that needs some fattening up... So Happy New Year, and eat hearty all this 2013!

Food for thought...