History Lives

I hate to say it and some may view this as melodramatic, but I love how history can repeat itself.

The Virginia legislature has passed the most hateful law in the land about homosexual rights. Here is a synopsis from Equality Virginia. I know they may not be totally unbiased, but the law text is there and it speaks for itself.

Once again, we have a group of people who take away the rights of another because they are different. It has happened again and again. Well, I have learned from history and it is time to speak up now before there is no one left to speak up. I don't want to be in this situation, but if I don't no one will cause for the vast majority it doesn't affect them.

Great Poem about this.

Home...

I am so glad to be home. It was a good time at Origins, busier than all hell, but good. It was fantastic for me to actually meet the fans of the game and hear from them.

Highlights for me were:

Margaret Weis - signed book
Larry Elmore - just chatted with about his Fantasy Villains painting which I want very badly.
Dave Arneson - to just meet the Grand Old Man of DnD was fantastic and he is such a nice guy too.
Mark Poole - Artist for Magic the Gathering. Huge DAOC player. Has both a 50 runie and 50 savage.

By far the best was chatting with the fans. They love Frontiers and had lots of questions. 99% of which I couldnt answer, but still something new for me and I enjoyed it. I know how to communicate and to act so I think I gave a good impression.

I am estatic to be home though. Chat with folks soon..

Off to Origins

Well I am heading out of town this morning to fly and work at Origins. I am going with 6 other folks from the company. We shall see how it goes. This is still a little bit too loose for me. I would prefer something a little more structured, but then I am TYPE A.

I hope to wander the floor some and do some playing and see some playing in progress. But first and foremost, I am there to work and make my company look good. So that probably means I will be at our booth all the time ala E3.

If I can I will post stuff, but I am unsure if I will have time since I dont have a pc.

Old Testament Christians vs. New Testament Christians

Kidder asked in a comment what I think brought about Old Testament Christianity. I think it was several factors, but I think the transformation of the vast majority of Christianity to this viewpoint is one of the major watersheds and I think needs to be covered in its own post.

1. Enter Politics - One of the first steps on the road to Old Testament Christianity(OTC) was that Christianity changed from being just a group of people gathered together in a faith to a state endorsed and supported religion. Once Constantine endorsed the Christian Church, people flocked to it in droves for power and position. Money also flowed into the Church unlike had in the past. Small communities were transformed into large organizations, which breeds a whole new type of creature. Large groups have to be controlled. One tried and true human method is fear and FEAR for your immortal soul is a very strong fear.

2. Christ as Warrior/Ruler - Another aspect of this change came from the fact that Christ changed from being the King of Heaven to the King of this world. I am a Roman general, why would I follow a God who says we shouldn't fight or kill. Here the church changed to say it was okay to kill unbelievers and others if you were doing the churches will. This change brings forward the Martial Christ. Some of this comes from reading and interpreting the writings of Paul. Paul and other believers us military symbolism to explain concepts of what they mean in a Spiritual battle, unfortunately this can then be recatagorized in real terms. You have only to look at the pope to see this change. He is not just a spiritual leader, but a temporal one as well. Also look at England, where the Queen is Head of the Church of England (now more ceremonial, but not to Henry VIII it wasn't). Finally under this header, you cannot forget the Crusades. While at one hand a testament to power of faith that people could move whole armies to liberate conquer a land. You have once again Christ being re-cast in a martial mood. The Crusades represent the highwater mark of Church authority and zeal.

3. Conversion of Rural Populations - At the end of the 300s and 400s, you see the Christian faith spreading to more rural populations as well as the barbarians invasions. Christ is once again reclassified to make him understandable to these people. There is a lot of evidence that fundamental changes in the church and how it acted came about because of the influx of less urbanized members. An urban church based in a Greco-Roman setting would not appeal or attract followers outside that setting easily. Several books have been written in the last 20 years covering this period and the transformation of the church.

4. Councils and Edicts - Over the course of the last 2000 years, we have increasing lived in a church transformed by Edicts and Councils on how people should worship. Much of this having more to do with prevailing social viewpoints than anything else. Along the way earlier versions of the Christian experience are scattered around (Ethopian; Coptic; Celtic). These different versions show some of the changes that Christian belief has gone through as it passed through the centuries. This has even influenced translation of the scriptures. NOTE: The Old Testament was written and re-written at least a dozen times before it entered the modern era. The New Testament was not first collected till almost around 200AD and people still debate what is canon there. For example, you can look at the "King James" Bible and see some of the prejudices of the translators there because many of them had axes to grind with the upstart Scottish King. These translations can change the emphasis of Christian belief.

While this may be a very high overview and a bit scattershot, I hope it makes some sense. I hope that as time marches forward, New Testament Christianity will come more to the forefront of the Faith. You can see it in some writtings by various theologians, but it still a very small segment and perhaps always will be. The vast majority of people want a God who sits up in Heaven and promises to bring them justice versus their oppressors. They want a God who makes the world a simple place, with only their viewpoint being dominant. Sadly this I think is true of all religions all over the world.

Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame

WOOT! Now I must go to Seattle to see this.

I would love to be a curator at this place.

To the Stars

Well the first flight was a success for SpaceShip One. You can see one story about it here.

I really hope this pushes some development forward. Since I am such a science fiction freak, I am very excited about this.

Here's hoping we will get back to the moon in my lifetime :)

Weekend...

Well this was a good weekend. Spent some really good time with Chris. We saw the play I mentioned earlier. We went out and at some nice good places, including having tapas for the first time. I spent Sunday at home working on laundry and power-napping.

All in all, it was a good weekend. Now to gear up to head out to Origins and work out there for Mythic. Well at least I am only herding 6 not 96. I am hoping to see Sean Astin as well as all the RPG stuff. Should be a busy week. We dont get back till Monday.

Orpheus Descending

Well, we went and saw this rarely produced Tennessee Williams play today at Arena Stage.

I found it very moving. It is not a happy play by any means, but it has alot about love and desire. Set in his own Southern past, I see so much of my family in their attitudes in it. Val seemed to bring life back to Lady especially after she discovers Jabe's dark secret. The play really moved me. I see why it took 17 years for Williams to write, before it was produced. It also has some of his most powerful imagery in my mind compared to what I have seen in Cat on A Hot Tin Roof or the Steetcar Named Desire. I see why it is rarely done because of this. There are points in time, where I found myself very disturbed. There are also times where I laughed very heartily.

Arena Stage always does wonderful performances and this time was no exception.

Faith versus Religion, take 1

Sort of an answer to Kismet's great post on my first religion post...

I have a problem with organized religion as well. Religions in my mind are created by men for men. (NOTE: I use men to refer to humanity, dont read more into it than is there I follow the classic usage of the word).

Organized Religions are a function of mankind being a political and social animal. They have no bearing on Faith. Unfortunately, we as a species like to group and then define our groups with boundaries. Organized Religion is mankind setting boundaries on God and how we are relate to God.

I said earlier that I am a Christian. I am a member of the Christian Faith, which I think is more important than being of one sect or another. That is why when people ask me what religion I reply Christian. To me, in my reading and understanding it is BELIEF that makes Faith. Christ, in my interpretation, confirms this by telling the one thief that acknowledges him on the cross that they will be in paradise this day. That thief believed and thereby he was redeemed. He didnt have to have any complicated rituals or worship in anyway. So many Christians today seem to think you have to be tied to some set of rituals to make it to heaven.

Now, I do like ritual. I like the orderliness of it. I like feeling that I am following in traditions, but all of that matters less than belief.

But to get back to Kismets point, I think Faith and Belief are most important to God. After that comes living out your Faith, so others see it. At the end of the Book of John after Christ restores Peter as the leader of His followers, Peter asks about John and Christ replies that it is none of Peter's business and that Peter needs to focus on following Christ. I think more Christians need to do that. We worry about others so much that we forget we are to be Following Christ. Should we help our brother and sister, yes we must. But we must also never forget two important things. One is that all are sinners. Two is that we always have logs in our own eyes and need to deal with them before critizing someone elses twig.

Cars and Karma

Well, it is my turn.

Spyke had car problems. Then KC, then Craig. Finally, I stop off to get a cup of coffee near work since I am running early. Come out and the car wont turn over. Try several times and nothing happens.

Figure the starter is shot. Have to get the car towed. Ah well another black hole of money opens up. So much for saving a bunch this year. At least if I have to rent a car, it is only for a couple days as we leave for Ohio on Wednesday. We shall see. I pray that the warranty and the parts arent too expensive.

Thankfully, Craig was able to come by and pick me up and bring me in. Now all I have to do is get it to the shop and pray that it easily fixable.

The worst part is that it will put a damper on what I can do for Chris' birthday.

life goes on...

Work

Minor rant about work. I sometimes think I am the only person who operates on a corporate mindset where I work.

Anyway...that was yesterday. We shall see how today goes.

Iraq...

So some more Americans and other aid personnel were killed last night. Iraqis cheered and danced around the burning corpses chanting things about the US.

I dont think we should leave. We started and now we have to finish it. I dont like the choices but I am really un-happy with a Commander in Chief who put American lives at risk and doesnt seem to care to fix the situation. He pissed away our international agreements and didnt listen to history. He pushed an agenda without considering the ramifications of his actions and now he is dodging the bullet. The saddest part of all is American soldiers are paying for his actions.

Kerry isnt much better. I dont know who the leader is to fix the problem, but we need to do it or we will have another Weimer Republic on our hands. History can and does repeat itself.

Being A Christian...

This is the first of a series of posts on my faith.

I am a Christian. Yes, I was raised as a Christian, but my parents always said that I should follow where my faith lead me. Alot of it was rote till I hit college. I was sitting in a beginning theology class where we had to examine other faiths. Alot had really good things about them, but it struck me that true Christianity is different.

Christ calls on us to live; to love; to act. He doesnt say we should do X cause the law says so. Act out of love. Christ doesnt want us to do something cause he says we have to, but because we want to and will do it in an act of love. NOTE: I dont mean love the way people today mean, but back to the older concept of Agape. Love that gives of one's self. Love that means you care and accept people for who and what they are.

Too many Christians today are what I call Old Testament Christians. They want the God of Thunder and Retribution. They want a god of Vengence. Christ is not like that. Christ is about being an adult. He wants to act a certain way, but it is not about a carrot or stick. It is the way a person acts if they are an adult. We are responsible for each other and we are called to care for each other just like God cares for us.

So many Christians, dont keep the love of Christ at the forefront. Christ did all that he did for love. None of us are perfect, but we are still loved and can love. The person that cant love; cant know God.

I have a bunch of friends who dont believe. They have been driven away from knowing Christ by people who have perverted the message or just dont understand it. It really hits me sometimes cause I care for them and want them to understand how important Christ is and how important believing is. We have a co-worker who has told them that they are going to hell cause they dont believe. On one hand he is right, but he typifies what the problem is. Rather than showing them that Christians can be caring loving people...he hits them with the you are going to hell thing. He wants to put to put faith in a box. You cant do that. I love and care for my friends, but I dont know how to get my point across to them. Dont toss out Christ because of how Christians act.

God doesnt want us to fear him. He wants love. He did everything he has done because of love. That is what makes the difference from the Old and New Testament. The Old Testament is about talking to children..do this or else. The New is about I love you and want to help you live a happy and fulfilling life. Sometimes, I think that listening to people talk about Christianity it is as if they never opened the book and read it.

Anyway, this has rambled enough...

What will happen here...

This space will be used for the following...

Thoughts on Politics; Religion; History; Contemporary Culture, and anything else that crosses my mind.

If you are offended or disagree with something I say, that is fine. Understand that this is a place for my thoughts, they are not always coherent or collected but they are there.

I welcome true discussion not just ad hominum attacks.

Beginnings are Fragile things...

I have been thinking about starting this for some time now. A place to put random thoughts and post feelings and things that cross my mind or I feel passionate about. I cant claim to have any corner on the right way to do things, but I have to view the world through my own eyes. Welcome to my musings...