The Saw and The Ring...

Earlier I was riding in the Ford Fairmount and heading over to bathe a dog for a client.

That is when, because I have recently had enough with ads and skips, and still mourning my cd player being broken after choking on my Kansas album.

Since inheriting the hockey stick and the album collection I have really began to go back and learn about my dad's music journey through the riffs he liked. Learning to wield the axe to the rhythm of Hell's Bell and TNT is as good as I can do for now. Guitar is hard but it is fucking sick. The Axe rips so fucking hard and I love how the Bros Young put it when asked if ACDC means Anti-Christ Devil-Child.

To which the Bros reply with the simply facts...we're electric and power, mate. It was on the back of their sister's sewing machine. Historically all metal needs ACDC. You need Black Sabbath.

"Your trust is in Whiskey, and Weed, and Black Sabbath....It's g-ddamned electric. "

Reminds me of Ozzy when he said they liked a little weed and the interviewer tries to corner him or check Ozzy by asking him if he is just kidding and puts him on the spot.

Where is Roma from GlennGary GlennRoss to ask him,

• Ricky Roma: [to Williamson] You stupid fucking cunt. You, Williamson, I'm talking to you, shithead. You just cost me $6,000. Six thousand dollars, and one Cadillac. That's right. What are you going to do about it? What are you going to do about it, asshole? You're fucking shit. Where did you learn your trade, you stupid fucking cunt, you idiot? Who ever told you that you could work with men?

• Detective: Could I, uh...

• Ricky Roma: [before the detective could say anything else, Roma continues talking to Williamson] Oh, I'm gonna have your job, shithead. I'm going downtown to talk to Mitch and Murray, I'm going to Lemkin. I don't care whose nephew you are, who you know, whose dick you're sucking on, you're going out. I swear to you, you're going...

• Detective: Hey, fella, let's get this done.

• Ricky Roma: Anyone in this office lives on his wits.

• Ricky Roma: [to the detective] I'm going to be with you in a second.

• Ricky Roma: [back to Williamson] what you're hired for is to help us. Does that seem clear to you? To help us, not fuck us up. To help men who are going out there to try to earn a living, you fairy. You company man. I'll tell you something else, I hope you ripped the joint off, I can tell your friend here a little something might help him to catch you. You want to learn the first rule? You'd know if you spent a day in your life. Don't ever open your mouth 'till you know what the shot is. You're a fucking child.

• Shelley Levene: [after Roma leaves the room] You are a shithead, Williamson. If you can't think on your feet, you should keep your mouth closed.

Songs are easy to quote but it is harder to quote a sick riff in this environment but while sparring, oh boxing has been added back on the menu now that one of my youthful and large, strapping, young men leading the next generation has joined the ranks.

Like Bruce Lee and Judo Gene Lebell, he teaching me some striking and I have been teaching him to grapple. He is over 20 years younger, so this puts me in the Splinter role, or the Batman to the Nightwing. He calls me The Wizard, which because of my dad I always looked up to the Barbarian who wields the Axe.

My dad carries the residual wild streak of the Natives in him. He comes off very much like a true Conan. The natural progression of the Warrior is what?

A wizard, a Medicine Man, a Cowboy From Hell? IYKYK

Speaking of Cowboys From Hell, Sabbath, Friendship, Highwaymen, Kansas ect.

Highwaymen? Oh yes, ACDC, Back in Black, Black Sabbath, Man in Black, Johnny Cash.

Speaking of Cash, normally I would insert a reference to a club favorite scene from Halloween 6 when John confronts Debra regarding the one way cash exchange from a parent to child. This syphon in my experience doesn't work this way.

My post graduate experience at home was making less than 500 bucks every 2 weeks, owing my mom a monthly 500 bucks for the room with the same old rules, a super expensive car and full coverage insurance which chipped off a stout 390 off the 2nd check I received each month.

With the cool 110 per month left for gas and eating on the road and living expenses to stay out of the house to not appear lazy even on a day off it was just becoming brutal to keep up.

Not only this but the main source of the income is a temporary agency where I help the city as a day labour guy. This was cool and my first experience in the work-force post school. I'd ride around with the lawn crew for the city and they would mow a few parks and then post up and the shittier truck stop in town until it was time for lunch. We'd start at 7:00am work until 10:00, take break driving over to the truck stop, the leader would take a shit inside and we'd hang in the parking lot eating breakfast until about 11:50am then we'd head back into town to have lunch at the Farmer's Market.

This is not great if you are the guy that has the temp agency taking half your check and then you are stuck watching dudes eat all day. We'd finish lunch around 1PM and then head out to hit a few more parks before cleaning the mowers and calling it a day around 3:30pm.

This routine would be idea if you can get on with the city but the lead explained that it's tougher if you aren't like them because they have hiring policies that lean in a certain direction. They mostly used white kids and [Mexican] workers for day labour because we don't stick around long.

In this environment everyone who speaks Spanish was, presumed as, Mexican, unless it was otherwise stated by the person. Either that or it didn't come up often. Like nobody asks their white buddies, are you Scottish or some sort of Steppes Russian? Same with blacks in America. We're Americans.

This is like Nothing To Lose with Martin Lawrence and Tim Robbins. Police and criminals are both out to fuck over the average American (black or white)

What you see perpetuated in the media and the slogans taught are bullshit.

This country whips ass on the average.

On that real quick, think about the UFC, nothing more American than a combat league where it is dominated by the best regardless of feelings or fan support.

Doesn't matter the message or belief of the fighter. It is all age, work, and challenge.

Nothing more American than a martial arts cage fight where a Brazilian in a gi tunes up the best America and the world had to offer at UFC 1,2, and 4.

Royce did win at 3 but he also pulled out from the tournament. Hey, Jiu Jitsu is self-defense and self-preservation. First rule is not to engage.

This helps me circle back to the Cash, and speaking of the cash, my first memories of realizing what a comedian is was listening to a Jeff Foxworthy cassette. It isn't my first time hearing it but it was the first few times I realized what was going on.

I was experiencing most things at face value as a kid.

Ultimate Warrior was Conan the Barbarian.

Sting was some sort of Billy Idol turned Fighter.

Seeing Tony Hawk and the Bones Brigade hit badass moves with their skateboards, my favorite moves being the Air Christ and Air Judo.

Charles Manson was real.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a documentary.

So I heard Jeff Foxworthy tell a joke:

• [having his Camaro repossessed] He said, "Mr. Foxworthy, I'm from the bank, and unless you have $500, I am taking the Camaro with me." I got mad! I said, "$500?! Who keeps that kinda cash on them?" He said, "You can't write me a check?" I said, "No, I -- a check? Hell yeah, I can write you a check! I thought you needed money. Tell you what, I'm just gonna pay the whole thing off right now! I'm gonna be a congressman when I grow up."

My nephew just graduated from Marine Corps basic combat training in 2025.

Today I was driving in the 1969 Ford Fairmount and Johnny Cash's song Song of the Patriot. It was written by Marty Robbins and Shirl Milete

[Verse 1]

I'm a flag waving patriotic nephew of my Uncle Sam

A rough-riding fighting Yankee man

I love Mom and apple pie and the freedoms that we all enjoy

Across this beautiful land

I worked hard and I fight hard for the old red, white, and blue

And I'll die a whole lot harder if it comes to where I have to

I'm a flag-waving patriotic nephew of my Uncle Sam

A rough-riding fighting Yankee man

[Chorus]

And when I see Old Glory waving

I think of all the brave men

Who have fought and died for what is right and wrong

And when I see old glory burning

My blood begins to churning

And I could do some fighting of my own

I don't believe in violence, I'm a God-fearing man

But I'd stand up for my country just as long as I can stand

Because I'm a flag-waving patriotic nephew of my Uncle Sam

A rough-riding fighting Yankee man

[Verse 2]

I'm a flag-waving patriotic nephew of my Uncle Sam

A rough-riding fighting Yankee man

And I enjoy the liberty of being what I want to be

And achieved in many goals that I can

I was taught to turn the other cheek, but Teddy used to say

Walk soft and pack a big stick, but never walk away

I'm a flag-waving patriotic nephew of my Uncle Sam

A rough-riding fighting Yankee man

[Chorus]

And when I see Old Glory waving

I think of all the brave men

Who had fought and died for what is right and wrong

And when I see Old Glory burning

My blood begins to churning

And I could do some fighting of my own

Because I love all my brothers and we're proud of our group

We've got the greenest country here on God's green earth

And I'm a flag-waving patriotic nephew of my Uncle Sam

A rough-riding fighting Yankee man

Teddy was a Judoka, brown-belt, the first American to do so, he invited BMF's from JAPAN to come teach him and the boys at West Point and The Naval Academy.

I could troll the world as a president and add more "ballroom" cause of Deez, but whatever a dojo in the White Hice?

Roosevelt began taking judo lessons from Yamashita three times a week during his presidency. The two had met after Yamashita defeated a formidable wrestler, an event that greatly impressed Roosevelt. 

His enthusiasm helped to popularize judo in the United States. He advocated for judo training for American soldiers and was instrumental in ensuring Yamashita was hired to teach judo at the U.S. Naval Academy. 

There is a bit of romanticizing with the military, and not every job or career is spent in the field or driving a truck somewhere. You can get stuck in a loop of duty stations and admin. jobs and feel 100% trapped. It's like any other job. You can be Steve Rodgers and Colin Powell or you can be Tim McVeigh or Jeff Dahmer. It doesn't make anyone less of an American lover for not serving.

Where does love of country fit on the love is love spectrum? You can fuck the country without physically making love to it the way that produces life and potential? Or did you mean something else? Because as I've stated before, I came to this conclusion via a route of Naturalism and Atheism on the god, God, Sky Dad, Spinoza front.

You may disagree solely because it is a Bible guy providing the definition but there are atheist who present Pro-Life arguments without citing their Bible, most atheists should own a Bible, I have the one I used to try and disprove the Bible and marked with all the potential conflicts according to a lot of Bible opponents like Thomas Payne, who was a great American and Deist.

Some folks are like Trump Derangement Syndromes sufferers, you have to make sure we know you give a fuck about Trump. You either are talking about how you don't talk about him or you announce what you aren't going to talk about, but only after you made sure we know where you stand without room for an equal appeal or jab back.

Paul, formerly Saul, the Christian Killer turned Messenger to the Gentiles.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4–7 NIV)

Let me say this real quick about this because there are folks who would love to twist this to mean what they want or apply this to mean that I need to live up to their expectations of love or face-time.

Hopsin sampled the often mocked, maybe rightfully so, Joel Olsteen, on the outro to Ill Mind 8. In a track designed for an old friend to listen to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_n6_CXIE7g

Here is the full sermon:

I want to talk to you today about staying open for change. Mark Twain said, "The only person that likes change is a wet baby". Change is one of the most difficult things that we all face but change is inevitable. One reason we don't like change is we get comfortable where we are. We get used to our friends, our job; the place we live. And even if it's not perfect we accept it because it's familiar.

What happens is because we're not willing to change we get stuck in what God used to do instead of moving forward into what God is about to do. Just because God has blessed you where you are doesn't mean you can just sit back and settle there.

I read about these people that went to a leading company that rents out movies and videos. They said, "We've got an idea and we'd like to partner with you on it. We've developed the technology to send movies through the internet. That way people wouldn't have to come up to the store and rent the movie and drive back and drop it off. It would eliminate all the travel". The company wasn't interested. They said, "No, thanks. We're the leaders in our field. We know what we're doing".

The people said, "Fine". Went out and started their own company. They called it Netflix. Today it's taken off and practically put the other people out of business. My point is, you have to stay open to what God is doing now. What worked five years ago may not work today. If you're going to be successful you have to be willing to change. Every blessing is not supposed to be permanent. Every provision is not supposed to last forever.

When the people of Israel were in the desert on the way to the Promised Land God gave them manna to eat. That was good. It sustained them for a while but it wasn't permanent provision. The manna stopped coming. They had to move forward. God gave them quail. They were excited. That fed them for a while but it too was temporary. God was taking them to the Promised Land where they would have permanent provision, blessings and favor like they had never seen before. When the manna stopped coming, when the quail didn't show up, they were smart enough to recognize that was only temporary provision, that God had something much greater in their future so they kept moving forward.

The fact is God could have kept the quail and the manna coming. He is God. But God likes freshness. He works in seasons. You can't get stuck in a rut and think that one way is going to last forever. If you will stay open and be willing to change, make adjustments, make corrections, try something new, then your provision will lead you into your Promised Land. If the manna stops coming like it used to don't get upset. Don't get stuck there, try to make something happen that God is finished with. Just keep moving forward and you'll come into your quail. If the quail stops showing up look for new opportunities. Tweak what you're doing. That's a temporary provision. God wants to get you to your next place of blessing, one step closer to your Promised Land.

But too often we get stuck in the old. It worked at one time so we think it's going to work all the time. When they needed water back then God told Moses to strike the rock. He struck the rock and water flowed out freely. Another time they needed water God told Moses, "Speak to the rock". You know what Moses did? He went over and struck the rock. He thought, "Hey, it worked last time. It'll work this time". The same rock but God had a different plan.

You have to stay open for something new. You can do the same thing the same way you did last time and had great success but this time there is no success. It's because God is doing a new thing. It may not be something major where you're missing it, but like Moses, just something small. He was striking the rock when God had moved forward and he should have been speaking to the rock. A small tweak, a small adjustment, to stay in sync with the plan of God.

I read about this restaurant in Washington, D.C. They had great success for a while but then business started going down. They couldn't figure out why. They were serving the same food, same chef, same amount of advertisement, but business was about half what it used to be. One day a customer said to the owner, "A lot of people that come in here work for the CIA and your tables are too close together. There's no privacy". The owner made a small tweak, removed about a dozen tables on the floor, spread the others out and business went back to booming like it was before.

Sometimes a minor adjustment can make a major improvement. Let me make it more practical. One friend you're hanging around that was good for a season but now it's a new day and they're holding you back. If you would make a small tweak it would make a major difference in your life. Stay open for change. Be willing to make adjustments in your attitude, in relationships, in your career. Don't be like the first company I talked about and be a know-it-all and think that there is no room for improvement.

We should always stay open to advice, open to suggestions from friends, family members that love us and believe in us. Sometimes we can get so close to a situation we can't see the obvious. That's why you need to pay attention to who God has put in your life. You may not take every bit of advice but there will be certain things they say that bear witness to your spirit. You know it's right for you and it will be instrumental in you moving forward, just a small word of advice.

I talked to young man after the service a while back. He was raised in a really rough environment. He said, "Joel, the only thing I know how to do is sell drugs. I've never been to college. Don't have any special skills. That's the only way I know how to make a living". I told him what I'm telling you; a minor adjustment could make a major improvement.

I said, "What do you mean"? I said, "You're selling yourself short. If you can sell drugs that means you have to know how to market a product. That's marketing. You have to know how to get the word out. That's advertisement. You have to know how to take care of your clients. That's customer service". "You have to know when to sell and when not to sell. That's a management decision". "If you can sell drugs you can sell stocks and bonds. You can sell insurance. You can sell medical supplies. Be willing to change". Be willing to make adjustments.

When I first started ministering I used to write my sermons by hand. I know how to type but I was very slow and it's just easier to do it long hand. I would have pages and pages of notes. It would be like a maze. This paragraph goes over here, this one here. It would have all these lines drawn. It would take as much time and energy to try to remember where everything went as it did to prepare the message. I would sit down with my assistant afterwards and she would type it all for me.

But one day Victoria said, "Joel, you've got to get on the computer and start typing this yourself. You can cut and paste, move things around, make it so much easier, save you so much time". One day I took her advice and I made that adjustment. It saved me hours and hours every week. A minor adjustment made a major improvement.

My mother is 78 years old and just recently she learned how to text. Yeah, she's dangerous now. I get texts from her all the time. About half of them I understand; the other half is like she's speaking in tongues. I am so impressed that she stays open. She's willing to try something new. I already decided I'm going to get her a color TV for Christmas. She told me after the service, "Make sure it's HD".

Are you stuck in what God used to do and it's keeping you from what God is about to do? Are you still striking the rock trying to make what happened yesterday happen today? Too often we get comfortable with temporary provision. The good news is God loves us too much to leave us there. Like the people of Israel, there will be times when the provision dries up and it forces us to change. An opportunity shuts down. You lose a client. A friend moves to another city. What happened? The manna stopped coming. God is not trying to make your life miserable. He's trying to get you in position to receive a new level of his favor. If you're going to see this increase you have to recognize when the winds are shifting and not try to hold on to something that God is done with.

I know people that are trying to hold on to a relationship, a friendship-not a marriage-but a friendship that's been done for five years. It's dragging, not bringing them any joy. But they want it to be just like it was ten years ago before they had children, before they were married, before they had responsibility. No, it's a new day. That relationship was right for the time. God brought them into your life but the season has changed.

Now it's not going to be like it used to be but that's okay. God has something new in your future. The key is to enjoy the season you're in, enjoy the favor God has given you, but don't get stuck trying to make temporary provision permanent. In other words, don't try to make something last forever that was never meant to last forever. Just as God opens doors God will supernaturally close doors to push us into a new season. The same God that brings people into your life-divine connections-he will supernaturally move people out of your life. Not because they're bad but because the season is over. They've served their purpose.

On the way to your Promised Land don't be surprised if God removes certain people that you were counting on, people that you thought you couldn't live without. No, the truth is they were holding you back. They were a crutch keeping you from blossoming and if God didn't remove them you would be stuck living off a temporary provision. And sometimes when people leave our life we think, "How am I going to make it without them? They trained me. She encouraged me when I was down. They ran errands for me". No, God wouldn't have removed them if you weren't about to go to a new level. Be grateful for what they did but recognize this is your time to shine.

This is your time to step up. You don't need someone constantly encouraging you. If God moved them away they were temporary provision. God is saying, "You can encourage yourself. You can run that department yourself. You can raise those children yourself". You are equipped and empowered by the most high God. If they left you, accept it as a part of God's plan. It was not an accident. Let it go and God will open up new doors. If it was their time to go nothing you can do can stop it. Don't beg them. Don't play up to them. Don't let them manipulate you. Move forward and God will bring the right people. God will give you what you need to make it into your Promised Land.

But I know people that are holding on to someone that's holding them back. Just because it was good five years ago doesn't mean it's still good today. We should constantly evaluate our friendships. Who is speaking into your life? Who are you depending on? Make sure they're not dragging you down, limiting you from blossoming. I've learned if you don't get rid of the wrong friends you will never meet the right friends. If they're not adding to your life, if they're not making you better, inspiring you, it doesn't mean that they're bad people. Maybe they did at a time but you've grown. You've come up higher.

Now it's time to make a change. See, one of the hardest things for us to accept is everybody is not supposed to be in our life forever. Some people are, obviously: our spouse, our children, our parents. But there are people that come into our life like scaffolding. God designed them to be there for a season to help us get to the next level. When your children were young they were there to assist you. When you started at the office they were there to train you. When your spouse was working long hours they were the friend that kept you company. But if they were to stay in that same capacity instead of helping you they would hinder you. They would limit your growth.

Like scaffolding, it wasn't designed to be permanent. Once the building is built it's taken away. Now don't try to keep the scaffolding up in your life. Appreciate the people that have helped you. Always honor them but recognize when their part in your story is over. God didn't design it to be permanent. If you hold on to it and try to keep it the way it was you're going to miss out on the amazing things that God has in your future.

In the scripture God told the prophet Elijah to go to the brook Cherith and the ravens would feed him there. He got there and he had provision week after week. He didn't have to go get the food. The ravens came to him. Life was good. I'm sure he thought, "It doesn't get any better than this". Just as he was about to get comfortable and settle in, God said, "Alright, Elijah. Now I want you to go to the city of Zarephath. There is a widow there that's going to take care of you".

In other words, "Elijah, I know you like this job. I've blessed you here. But I've got a new opportunity. I've got a promotion. I want you to take a step of faith". Or, "Elijah, I know you like these friends. They're good people but it's a new season. I'm going to close that door and bring some new friends into your life". Elijah could have thought, "That couldn't be God. He blessed me here. I've seen his favor. I like this brook. I like these ravens. I'm going to stay where I am. I'm going to hold on to the old".

The problem is the ravens quit coming. The brook dried up. Why? It was temporary provision. That means God has something better but you have to let go of the old before you'll receive the new. If you don't understand that God has something greater in your future, God has something amazing in front of you, then you'll try to hold on to the old and keep it the way it used to be.

Don't get me wrong, Joel isn't everyone's cup of tea. He isn't my cup of tea but you know what a lot of things aren't a cup of tea. That doesn't mean he isn't dispensing vitamins and nutrition. Not everything good for you is flavored the way you like. You can add preservative and such but you realize what you are doing.

The Source is the Source. You don't need religion to get you to the Lorax. But you can listen to others discuss. Like Darwin suggested regarding observation and trusted sources.

Many come to this conclusion using the following to get their thoughts and free-thinking flowing:

The Cosmological Argument - Kalam

The Case for Contingency - Leibniz

The Moral Argument

The Fine-Tuning of the Cosmos

The Greater Possible Worlds Outcome

The Historic Case based on the Facts regarding Jesus of Nazareth (secular and Jewish)

These all seem to add up to a better outcomes than the Simpsons' Do What You Feel Festival that replaced their German based Do As We Say Festival.

The Cash song made me reflect a little on Steve's Dad, his dad really hit me hard regarding patriotism one day, and since Robert passed, I've started to champion the cause and history more because someone has to and he isn't here to.

I'm not his son or nephew but I'm a friend of his son, both sons. I love them both. Mick and I love Steve. No matter what. Steve loves us back this way. It isn't always about hanging out and phone calls. This is a Fellowship. Gandalf was away, sometimes Strider would be off doing things, but they are together in mission and quest.

So if I am the nephew of Uncle Sam, we need to realize that as a family member this tree has a lot of people. There is a lot of potential and purpose, there is a lot of soda chugging and laziness too in this analogy. Because we make up a larger body, like cells make a human. Cells need to regenerate and feed on life.

There needs to be some appreciation for the cells that defend the body and that work to be tough and protect us and replicate us. Oh so you're implying....nothing. You take a look at nature. If we have no workers and everyone lays up and takes it easy and assumes someone else will give up some of their freedoms so that you may shit safely requires a bit of humility and asks that you wipe you shoes at the door and flush the toilet when you take a shit.

This reminds me of when a chick, post high school, needed a place to crash and would suggest, "I can do a little cooking and cleaning around here to help out."

Fuck nah.

You need a job that is transferring you to the area and you need a place for two weeks. If you move in with no job then you are only going to look when motivated, you get free rent, and the convenience of claiming to have been on the grind all day with no bites.

Never fall for this.

I can park my trailer in your backyard?

The backyard space isn't free from the county, the electric cord isn't free.

People have to pay. If I am busting my ass and have to shit standing up, why do you get to pull a shift on the couch and get a heat-toilet seat?

This is equivalent to the person who is taking pre-requisite classes and electives and then head home while the rent-payer is busting his ass down the street putting in overtime so you can notch the AC down to 73 while he sweats down the street. You didn't do shit to earn that AC. You got it because the person before you loves you and has stake in you even when you don't invest in you.

The Giving Tree gives. The Lorax watches how you treat the Giving Tree.

Paul, formerly Saul, the Christian Killer turned Messenger to the Gentiles.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4–7 NIV)

The Nazarene said according to His best friend Jewish John of the 1 Century.

I posted this for verse 13 but would like you to see the greater context; this also doesn't allow for the gaslighting, nefarious character to take this part about the world hating The Force first and relating after or while promoting dicey stuff and receiving HEAT or HATE.

¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵ I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. ¹⁷ This is my command: Love each other.

****He says to love, not cosign or become the Public Defender or Devil's Advocate for a specific topic or trend****

The World Hates the Disciples

¹⁸ “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. ¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’^[b] If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. ²¹ They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. ²⁴ If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. ²⁵ But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’

The Law, secular or otherwise.

Does Legality determine Morality.

If they government signs off on something does that make it permissible.

I knew a girl who ate mostly processed, fake, foods because they were technically Kosher. Little Debbies and Kibble may taste great or not have pork, but I can't say that the snack cakes are better for you physically.

Who pays the bills, who pays the ills?

These writing exercises and thought experiments are fun and give me a time to crank up the Saw. To let it buzz out loud, but it isn't here to determine the direction of anything or to serve notice for anyone in particular.

You're so vain, you probably think this blog is about you.

You're so vain.... _ Carly Simon

I'm cranking the Saw, Steve is wearing the Ring.

Love is friendship and patience.

You come storming the gates it will not happen.

Our understanding of justice in the legal code comes from a Christian value system and this can be true and still separate Church and State. Human rights and slavery can be eliminated as a Christian value without demanding your business shut down and you confess Christ for citizenship or take a Bible quiz.

It has nothing to do with God/Jesus, it means the State is not subject to the local denominations. God's name isn't church. Separation of church and state, goes for synagogues, mosques, and locations that want equal footing. The Pharisee should not be able to influence the Roman governors, or vise versa, like when Hitler tried to force Bonhoeffer to preach a nationalist message or state message.

There is often, from the state-side, there seems to be the hope for credibility or rebellion for being 'hated' or want to claim their opponents are making cases from a [religious] meaning Christian perspective, but considering science and the pursuit of comes from those seeking how God operates, see Tycho Brahe, Galileo Galilei, and like Christopher Hitchens the atheist said, he isn't pro-life for the Bible.

These are like when Eminem or Fred Durst claim to be the most hated or in the most hated band in the world when in reality they are super beloved.

Limp Bizkit did receive a fair amount of hate, and ICP probably was the most hated for a while too, but I'd contend that the rapper Benzino who tried to diss Eminem never seems to have anyone on his side, or at least that thought he could rap, but probably never heard of him til he was buried.

Diddy seems pretty universally unpopular lately despite his ultimatums to "Vote of Die" of the 2000s. Let me address this side with an even-handed approach.

Was there any question who MTV and the gang wanted you to vote for and did they seem to give equal weight to ideas or make emotional appeals and grab for slogans, especially using words like DIE.

Vote or DIE.

Motherfucker to get a vote you may have to fight or DIE.

Did Diddy vote?

As a kid I was none the wiser but as I became an adult and could, like Roma said, Do business with men, I can see and draw my lines without fear of critique or being cut off in short form or to answer snarky strawmen.

Diddy did hang with Trump, and was cool with Obama, and the Clintons, and they were all left wing until recently.

This is why you cannot trust either side.

You maybe an atheist or believer (one who lacks a belief for now) but being in either politically motivated group doesn't help anything. It leaves no room for common-ground.

Christians and Atheists have a lot in common. More so folks interested in Nature.

The one group claims to lack belief and immediately tends to assume the other group believes a fairy tale with zero historic reference or logic attached.

There is also a misconception regarding science and technology. Holding up a cellphone and saying "science" isn't science. Reposting "I fucking love science" memes with neat facts doesn't make you science minded nor a nerd.

Going to church weekly and telling everyone have a blessed day doesn't make you any closer to the Kingdom. Nature is full of chameleons and people claiming to be something they are not.

Hearing someone assume The Word Became Flesh and dealt among us means a magic wand was waved over the Cosmos or that stating "why are monkey still around?" is an evolution defeater.

Common ancestors.

Just like Abraham. Just like Uncle Sam's family. You aren't American because you crossed the Bering Strait Land Bridge *

The ancestors of Native Americans crossed the Bering Strait from Siberia into Alaska between 12,000 and 20,000 years ago, following a land bridge that existed during the last ice age. Some evidence suggests migration could have occurred as early as 30,000 years ago or even earlier. The exact timing is still a subject of debate, with some theories suggesting initial migration during the last glacial maximum (between 26,500 and 19,000 years ago) followed by later migrations.  

There is also, as I wrote about before as well, a Solutrean hypothesis, where people crossed the Atlantic into the New World earlier.

This is often called a racist view, but, who implied they were white? What does that even mean back then?

It also seems to be implied with all the Columbus hate, why not focus on Italian Bread, and not all white people? What would be a Scottish immigrant to Brazil, like The Gracie family story begins with George Gracie, who emigrated from Scotland to Brazil. It is his son Gastão Gracie, who was the father of Carlos Gracie.

This just gets you heat when you check these folks with a deeper than surface level screening of the circumstances.

A well timed, "Yeah but still" or "but at the same time" is coming your way. If you are lucky a "So what your saying is" and instead of a steel man of your position and then a treatise to depose, the Hurting and Upset will strawman you and proceed to yell at it and hope to do some damage.