When I was a teen, the world was different. Growing up in the 1980s was a whole different animal. There weren’t many people with personal computers. We actually had print media like magazines, newspapers, television and for a teen, or at least for me, radio was king. Or so it was, back then at least. In my cross-section of the world, as a guitar playing “metal head”, Rush and Yes were among the biggest bands in the world.... Read more
The clock strikes midnight. It’s always too soon. Another year older, maybe wiser, or so we think. We look back on all the people and things that came and went. Maybe the year was good. That’s an easy one. There’s nothing to forget but then maybe there was nothing to remember. Having a “nothing” year is not necessarily a bad thing. But maybe the year or this and many years were bad. How many, oh so many, watch the... Read more
We all know the famous or now, infamous tune “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”. It’s a 1940s tune that is not really the subject of this article. However, I chose its title because it strikes a somewhat resonant chord with the Nativity as well as the image of homeless families and infants who sometimes spend the holidays on the street and in the cold. If you’ve ever lived or visited any big city, you have seen them. They sit... Read more
The post-modern world which has, especially in recent years, influenced 21st century pop culture in general, frequently challenges the viability of all religions and their foundational sacred texts. The post-modernist movement essentially adheres to the notion that there is no universal truth or reality and that the only reality or “truth” is what an individual constructs in their own head. What began mostly as evolution from existentialist and modernist philosophical movement in the 20th century has since morphed into... Read more
Do you talk to God? Ok, so maybe you pray. That is not really anything new. But how does He talk to you? First off, what is the reason for your prayers? Maybe it’s for one of the reasons below. Atonement – to ask for forgiveness. For protection For guidance To be relieved from pain and suffering Do you Pray for Favors? Some people ask or petition God to attain something of temporal value such... Read more
The Origins of Narcissism Most people know of the story of Narcissus, the self-loving Greek god who was told to have fallen in love with his own reflection in the water so much that it caused his downfall. Ultimately, we learn from this myth that prideful, self-loving, ego-centric behavior only undermines human societies by its practice. Narcissism in Politics There is something inherently narcissistic in political candidates. There is the allure of being a prominent decision maker... Read more
How many times has it happened? You know the formula don’t you? Some event, some act of violence happens clearly in public view with cameras and ensuing controversies about who did what. Whether it happens within the USA or offshore in some foreign or not so foreign land, the formula is always the same. Someone, or perhaps a large group of people are killed with massive craters in their wake. Perhaps the suffering was the result of some extremism masked... Read more
Why do we care about other worlds and other civilizations? So much emphasis is placed on worlds where humans are the inhabitants with some variation. In other scenarios, non-humans are the speculative life form. Is it because the presence of such extraterrestrial life, if found, might pose an existential threat to God? What might happen to religious worship if advanced or primitive beings were found elsewhere? The recent news media has been ripe with stories of pilots’ testimony... Read more
There has been much in the way of recent talk of whether the Catholic church needs to undergo a Vatican III reform initiative. The proponents of a 3rd Vatican council on potential changes & reforms argue that such changes are needed to ensure that the church maintains its relevance and strength in the modern world. The Pope has, as of this writing, rejected any movement towards having a Vatican III since some of the reforms suggested during Vatican II in... Read more
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 10 years, you must have seen the specter of socialism making its usual cyclical recurrence. You may have likewise seen some articles and stories written by politicians and ministers in some cases advocating the prospective egalitarian benefits of socialism. We know why this happens. There is no government on Earth that is without huge flaws. Thus, our USA is no different. We have, in our times of anger, of... Read more
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