Our State Religion (or…The Devil’s in the Progressive Details)

The apparent trends in our culture and the direction in which we are headed are, I believe, a serious cause for concern. It seems to me that the main objective of the Liberal-left is the removal of our God-given rights and basic personal freedoms. The intent it seems, is to replace them with state granted entitlements, “privileges” and virtue signalling pronouncements. Individual freedoms... in fact individualism itself, is an anathema to them. Apparently they would much prefer that we all simply become a part of the societal organism and collective mind. Freedom of speech therefore – in a liberal world – becomes freedom to speak in a state defined politically correct manner, so long as it:

a) doesn’t offend anyone,

b) declares only the “truth” as determined by the state,

c) doesn’t contain any state determined “hate” language, “triggers” or “code” and

d) meets all other necessary, to-be-determined, state regulations.

Today’s progressive liberal mindset is geared toward creating division amongst people. It selects and then sets aside various “identified groups,” as determined by special interest, race, gender and “victim” status. These divisions are then used to control individual speech even further. Such groups are granted special status for treatment and concepts commandeered to insure politically correct speech consisting of redefined words and terms i.e. racism, prejudice, marriage, bullying and hate to name just a few. All this is done to insure such special status can never be questioned and so that any contrarian personal values and views can be vilified.

In a “Progressive/Liberal world, the right to worship and freedom of religion becomes a carefully and suspiciously monitored privilege. Practically speaking, freedom of religion seems to mean nothing more than your right to decide which church you may attend (if you must) and beyond that, matters of conscience will be determined by the state. Your children are no longer your own, because now the state has declared themselves a co-parent. They will determine how the child will be raised, what they must be taught (socially – not just academically) and what they must believe. The hoped for result is that they can all one-day become fully indoctrinated and good little socialist liberals.

At this point in our history, what has happened to create such a strong embrace of left-wing Marxist ideology? It is my opinion that this move toward socialist liberalism is no overnight phenomenon but has been orchestrated with much planning. The move, to the left, has been accomplished by prolonged, venomous attacks on personal freedoms and individual rights. This attack has been accompanied by repeated attempts to demonize a successful capitalist system. Over the years, our system of capitalism does have its’ flaws nevertheless it has supported a high degree of financial freedom and prosperity. I believe there may be several answers to my question about why this push toward Marxism. I suspect that a major motivation is the desire to move all power, control and wealth away from the individual and place it in the hands of the state. The ruling class will then centralize control to achieve an almost god-like power and authority. That’s my opinion – what’s yours?

Wandering in the Desert

As a young lad growing up, I learned many stories from the Bible. One such story is about the children of Israel and their forty year trip wandering through the desert. What stood out to me were all the amazing instances of overcoming impossible odds, epic battles and the countless victories and survival despite the harshest of elements. Despite all this, the journey was frequently interrupted by periods of complaining and condemnation with occasional brief episodes of rebellion. If you are anything like me, perhaps you were led to wonder why, despite an abundance of miracles, the Israelites seemed to continually show a lack of faith whenever confronted by various obstacles or difficulties.

Right from the start, beginning with Moses and the Burning Bush, I would find myself scratching my head in puzzlement. Here, despite an obvious miracle, we find Moses arguing and resisting. God is asking him to do something, telling Moses that He will be with him and is promising the successful outcome. Even then, Moses resists and wants God to find someone else. To my way of thinking, I believed that if I clearly heard the voice of God coming from a burning bush (especially one that was not being consumed as it burned) I'd do as asked.

Next, there is the actual journey. This began with the Egyptian pharaoh’s grudging release of the Israelites from a lengthy period of slavery. This release to leave was granted only after numerous pleadings of Moses and Aaron plus a series of miraculous plagues that the Egyptians had been subjected to. The final straw, for the pharaoh, was the Passover in which all the first-born of the Egyptians were killed while all the Israelites that followed God’s instructions were spared. To my way of thinking, this would be a pretty convincing start to the journey and leave no doubt that God would remain with them.

What followed was a series of remarkable and miraculous events. To just name a few there was:

- The parting of the Red Sea

- The destruction of the Egyptian army that pursued them

- The daily visible presence of God (pillar of cloud by day – fire by night)

- All their daily needs met (provision of food and water throughout the journey and clothing and shoes that did not wear out).

All this (and much more) should have been ample evidence that they had nothing to fear…and yet we read of their many instances of complaining. It was this lack of faith and constant struggle against God’s plans for them when faced by obstacles, that turned a relatively short trip into a 40 year epic journey. When faced by challenges where the solution wasn’t immediately obvious, they were known to say that they were better off in Egypt and that Moses had brought them into the desert to perish.

While most people are aware the journey took forty years, some may not realize that the first opportunity to move into the Promised Land came after only about two and a half years. This was when they were camped close to the Promised Land and Moses sent 12 spies, ahead of the main group. They went into the land as scouts to help the Israelites prepare to move in and take what God had promised them. Ten of the spies brought back a negative, fear-filled report of giants and huge armies in the land. Despite all the amazing miracles and victories they had witnessed during the journey up to this point, they said it couldn’t be done and recommended against going forward. However, two of the spies (Caleb and Joshua) advocated they move forward in faith into the land and believed God would deliver as He had promised. The Israelites chose to accept the report of the ten negative spies and rebelled at going forward. Therefore God sent them to the desert until all those 20 years of age and over – except for Caleb and Joshua - died off. The additional thirty-seven and a half years were because the Israelites chose not to accept God’s guidance and protection.

Their long journey ended with Joshua leading the Israelites into the land as promised. God did as He had promised – He helped them defeat their enemies and gave them the land. Thus, in a much abbreviated form, we have the story of the Exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land of Canaan. End of story…right?

Ah, not so fast. It wasn't until much later in my life, that I began to realize that there is a parallel to be drawn, between the Israelites wandering, and life as it is today. My own life experience would certainly suggest this is the case. On a broader scale, how many times has a very similar story been repeated throughout our time here on this planet? I would suggest that the story of the Exodus really helps illustrate some things about human nature. There are many lessons to be learned and warnings to be mindful of. Because of the choices we make, we can spend our own prolonged period wandering and complaining within in our own wilderness. This truth applies both individually and collectively.

We know that a great human weakness is the failure to learn the lessons of history and therefore we become doomed to repeat them – sometimes over and over again. This was true for the Israelites and it was also true for those generations to follow. It should be obvious that even today, thousands of years later; there are lessons still to be learned – sometimes with painful consequences.

Even in the face of conclusive proof, doubts and fears often hold sway. Overcoming one's fears is difficult. Education by learning the facts about that which is feared is a start, but by itself it is not enough. Knowing is not the same as doing, and learning the facts about something is only one piece of the puzzle for overcoming doubt and fear. Action is also required. While the statement, “the truth shall set you free” is a fact, we need to recognize that freedom is a concept that must be exercised and acted upon. Without action we will remain just as stuck.

It seems one of the first obstacles to confront and overcome is that of instant gratification versus patiently working toward a worthwhile goal. Our culture seems driven, in many ways, by the desire for “instant gratification.” The desire to obtain or do something NOW is a powerful motivating factor; and it is costing us dearly. This “satisfy yourself now and pay later,” approach is resulting in huge and growing personal as well as national debt. It is also resulting in sometimes rash decision making which, while possibly satisfying in the short term, can ultimately lead to painful consequences resulting from poorly considered actions.

This dynamic of sacrificing patience in favour of instant gratification and self-appeasement is not only at work in a monetary sense, i.e. choices that result in mounting debt; it is also true in the long-term physical, emotional and spiritual sense as well. Such poor choices often result in painful consequences that are simply the result of engaging in behaviour that is destructive or damaging. When I look at the personal costs I’ve accumulated in my own life over the years, I can bear testimony to this fact. Some of the choices I made as a much younger person have resulted in debts I’ve had to pay and must continue paying to this day.

One lesson I’m beginning to understand (perhaps I’m just a slow learner) is that when effort precedes reward, the outcome is usually satisfying because the choices are more wisely made and can be enjoyed for quite a long time. On the other hand, anytime reward precedes effort, the resulting satisfaction very rarely lasts as long as the resulting debt or any of the other consequences.

Another obstacle to face and overcome is holding on to old ways even when God has better ways and plans for us. Albert Einstein is said to have defined insanity as, “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” This was a very keen observation of a very common human tendency. We can see evidence of this form of insanity throughout history (including the time of the Exodus) and extending through to today. This is due in part at least, to how change is perceived, the resistance to change and the comfort people often express in continuing with the familiar.

Throughout my professional career working as a nurse in a mental health setting, I could see this dynamic at work on a daily basis. It often led to some very serious and chronic problems. People with long histories of dysfunction and distress would often be able to cite what they needed to change in their life in order to resolve some very destructive problems. Yet they would continue resisting those necessary changes. Often they would begin a statement with, “I know I need to stop _____” or they might begin with, “I really need to start _____” However, even when confronted with critical advice about necessary changes - along with dire warnings of what would happen if they didn’t change, they still would often fail to follow through. Knowing and doing are two different things.

God, who knows us better than anyone, any professional advisor/worker, or even better than we know our selves has something better in mind for us and a plan to help us get there. He doesn’t stop us from determinedly continuing on our own way if we so choose. But He does let us know what to expect if we continue on the path we have chosen. He is patient with us even after we run up against the same problems over and over again. He gently lets us know that He does have a better way. He invites us to follow His plan. When I look at it in this manner, I find it hard to be too critical of the Israelites for I’m really not much different.

Another major stumbling block is having a sense of entitlement which destroys the ability to recognize one's blessings and experience gratitude. Every sunrise is a blessing. It becomes an entitlement when I begin to complain about how early I have to wake up in order to see it. How soon the things we once felt grateful for quickly become the things we expect. How easy it is to complain about the things that, not so very long ago, we were once thankful to receive. This happens when we allow showers of blessings to become lists of expectations and entitlements.

In the story of the Exodus, Israel had all their basic daily needs met. Their food, water, clothing and safety were all assured. In return, their own responsibilities were clearly spelled out for them. In terms of “job security” (using the language of today) this would appear to be the ideal arrangement or “contract.” The daily blessings in their lives were obvious. We see time and time again the complaining, doubt, fear and failure to comply on the part of such a blessed people. Miraculous occurrences could no longer be truly appreciated or enjoyed once they became something that was simply taken for granted. During their journey, Israel seemed to suffer every time they failed to regard themselves as a truly blessed people but instead regarded themselves as an entitled people.

I recognized this dynamic very quickly in the exodus of Israel but it took much, much longer before I began to see the very same dynamic at work within myself. However, while it took a while to see the connection, my life experience does parallel that of the Israelites in a number of ways:

- Too many times I can find myself doubting, complaining and failing to be thankful.

- There are many times when I find myself doing something ill-advised, on the one hand, or else failing to do some things that I know I should do, on the other.

- Then there are the times when I allow myself to become overwhelmed with fear and doubt because I’ve lost sight of God’s gifts, grace, mercy and guidance…despite the fact that I may have just recently been thankful for those very same things!

In my own life, my daily needs have been met and I’ve experienced much to be thankful for. I know that my time here will be limited and that there will be troubles and challenges ahead – this is life and true for everyone. However, to meet life’s challenges, I have been blessed with good judgment, intelligence and some excellent guidelines for living my life so as to make the best of things to come. I’ve also been assured that I’ll get all the help I need to get me through the difficulties that lie ahead and will never have to face more than I’m able to endure. As a Christian, I view all these blessings and assurances as gifts from God, given out of love, and sealed by the life, death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. With all this in mind, I’m able to move onward and need not remain forever stuck, wandering in the desert.

Road Ahead

So you’re traveling along – sometimes, barely paying attention – when out of nowhere, life happens. Well, you stop (you’ve kinda’ been forced to)… oh, and you also wake up.

So now you’re sittin’ and waitin’ till its time to start moving again. How long do ya have to wait? I don’t know. Life is like that – sometimes you get to set the pace and sometimes the pace sets you.

OK, its time. Time to start moving again… but not on the road you’ve been travelling. Nope, ’cause you see, that road is now closed – permanently. You’ve still got numerous possibilities open before you – just one road has been closed… oh, and you can’t go back. But wait, all my plans lay along that road and that’s where I thought my destination was… and now I find out the bloody road’s closed.

How ‘bout the road beside it, where’s that one go?

...Don’t know.

What’s on that road?

...Don’t know that either.

Well then, how’m I supposed to choose?

...Good question.

Can I just sit here for a while and figure this one out?

...Sure – but know this, the answer ain’t where you’re sittin’ – sooner or later you’ll have to begin moving.

This might take awhile. Think I might need some help with this one. Think I’ll close my eyes and ask.

Don’t Waste Your Time

Note:  The following was a note I wrote and posted to my Facebook page just a few weeks ago and is therefore not a brand new post.  Nevertheless, many people found the message useful and so I've decided to share it here - on my blog - with apologies to those who may have already seen and read it.

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Don’t Waste Your Time

As Susan and I were going through our final three months, there were times when we both expressed regrets for mistakes made during our journey together. Several times I felt the need, in my sorrow, to apologize for every rotten thing I had ever put her through, and she repeatedly assured me of her forgiveness. She even told me time is too short and I didn’t need to keep apologizing for things in the past.

The past… To me, that is one powerful thought. The past is the place where all regrets are stored. The past is a place full of missed chances and ignored opportunities. While there is both much good and bad contained in the past, it must be realized that it is one of the places we can never get back to no matter how much we wish we could. While I was expressing the need for forgiveness, Susan not only forgave, but she also gently reminded me of the things that were good and right and for which we could be thankful.

In a conversation I had with a pastor friend, after Susan had passed away, he asked me if I had any regrets and what might they be. After giving this question several long moments of thoughtful consideration, I replied that I regretted all the wasted time and I went on to explain just what I meant. I certainly did not want to leave him with the impression that I might have viewed the time Susan and I spent together as wasted.

When two people decide to share their lives with each other to form a loving partnership, one of the most valuable resources they have – in only a limited supply – is the time they get to be together. In looking back, I can see where I wasted some of that precious time. Along with the time are the missed opportunities those moments might have contained.

As young people start out together, they tend to view their future together as “forever” and speak of the road ahead as, “the rest of our life” – without giving real thought to just what that means. This was certainly the case for me. The road ahead was to be full of countless opportunities for hugs and kisses, long walks and activities, deep/meaningful talks and loving moments together. Even though we might have had an intellectual awareness of an eventual end, I certainly didn’t grasp the reality of that fact. It is that very end that makes the intervening time such a valuable and limited gift to be cherished and not wasted.

All couples have quarrels, arguments and disagreements; working through such times is a necessary and healthy part of building a relationship together. However, I now look at the time spent holding on to anger or resentment, as wasted. How often do we get “all bent out of shape,” over some silly little thing where it seems more important to be proven “right” instead of swallowing our pride and quickly getting our relationship back on track. Behind this dynamic is always the risky belief that there will be plenty of time later to resolve any conflict.

It was during those very times that I now wonder how many opportunities, to spend loving time together, I missed . The answer is, I simply don’t know, but I do know I can never get them back. I also know that today I would handle disagreements differently if I had the chance to do things over. What matters, what would I decide if I were offered either a hug or the chance to stand there indignantly holding on to a belief that I’m right. The opportunity for the hug is gone and whether or not I was right simply doesn’t matter.

If you knew that you only had a day, a week, a month or a year left to spend with the person you love, what would you do differently? How much of that time would you be willing to waste? How much different would your priorities be? If you knew your time was limited, what is the first thing you would do? ……. Perhaps you should consider doing just that because your time is limited – don’t waste it.

The Veneer of Freedom... Praise be To the Nanny State

Just how involved do you believe the state should be in our personal, day-to-day lives? For instance, is it good to have government regulations to mandate what you and your family may eat, drink or otherwise consume? Should the state be able to tell you what you must wear, including all the various kinds of protective/safety gear? Should laws be enacted dictating the state of health you are required to attain and what steps you must take to maintain that state? Now I’m not suggesting for a minute that these things aren’t important but I’m asking should you get to be the one to make an informed and educated choice or should the “government” simply decide and thus remove that choice from you?

Is it OK for the state deciding to unilaterally assume the authority to “co-parent” your children and thus decide what they must study, how they may play or what they can say and believe? In many instances these “schooling” issues go well beyond the realm of the “3R’s” (academics) and become nothing more than indoctrination and social engineering.

On the other hand, we do live in a civilized society and sometimes there needs to be reasonable limits placed on personal freedoms in order to be able to live freely and peacefully together within the communities we choose. Sometimes we agree to compromise a little in order to support the needs of the bigger picture. We agree to be governed BUT that government must be limited (and, I believe, constantly monitored and actively restrained to prevent it from exceeding its limits). After all, in a free society we choose our leaders and we agree to follow their leadership so long as they do not exceed the limits which we have imposed upon them. They do not grant us our freedoms – rather it is us who grants them the limited privilege to serve, govern and lead.

With the above view in mind, I believe the degree to which the state should be permitted involvement in our own personal lives (if at all) should be absolutely minimal. Unfortunately, more and more, this is not the case. From where I stand, both governmental and bureaucratic involvement has become an insidious, ever growing malignancy that is slowly taking over our personal rights, freedoms and responsibilities. The thing is, the process has been implemented in such a manner as to make every intrusion seem “reasonable” and barely noticeable. Each intrusion is craftily prepared to sell to a largely uninformed public. It is often presented in a highly crafted manner of 30 second sound-bites within some mass media broadcast. The cumulative effect is designed to make the loss of particular freedoms more palatable. With every utterance of, “there oughta’ be a law…,” someone else’s freedom is at risk, because laws always have “unintended consequences” and are applied with very broad strokes.

In the short time I’ve been on the planet, as a “baby boomer,” I’ve seen a significant erosion of individual rights and freedoms. As I was growing up, we enjoyed a number of activities including various sports, running about or riding our bicycles, climbing trees, rocks and anything else we could find to climb. We had skateboards and we swam and boated in the lakes and/or ocean. We ate all sorts of things (sweet and otherwise) in our lunches. The only requirements for these activities were set by our parents and the only things you needed to participate were the bare minimum (as for example, to play hockey you needed skates and a stick).

It’s not that we were reckless or our parents were irresponsible (indeed quite the opposite is true) but rather the state didn’t presume to dictate the mandatory safety restrictions. That responsibility was properly left up to our parents. Occasionally a kid would get hurt… but guess what; they still do today despite the piling on of even more and more onerous regulation. Frankly, by today’s so called necessary safety standards, humanity should have disappeared from the planet long ago. It hasn’t however, and I truly believe we were all the better off because of the variety of experiences we enjoyed growing up. Now, in a foolish and relentless effort to eliminate all risks, our freedom to choose for ourselves has become way over regulated. Society is simply drawing closer to that day when slowly but surely, along with any potential risk, all the fun will get sucked out of life. When that day finally dawns, beaming government bureaucrats will sit looking down their collective nose at the long rows of compliant, complacent folks. Perhaps they will all be sitting in the properly prescribed manner, wearing their safety suits and helmets while aging slowly in a government approved manner.

Of course, along with the push to ever more laws and regulation, there must be a corresponding increase in government surveillance, bureaucracy and spending. Afterall it is for your own good and to keep everyone safe. Never question their sincerity for they are so committed to this vision of governmental nirvana that they are prepared to spend every penny in your pocket to get there. If necessary, they’d happily spend all the money in your kids pockets as well… and for the next 3 generations if necessary. A “cradle to grave” nanny state will finally have been accomplished. Well whoopy-doo!

What do You Believe?

No event in this life has quite the same impact as coming face to face with a life-threatening experience. This statement is meant to include any experience which threatens your own life as well as anything threatening the life of a very close loved one or partner. Every plan you might have made, every dream you may have shared, everything you might have thought your life is about, is suddenly and abruptly shaken-up and then paused. Your whole life – everything – suddenly comes up for serious re-evaluation and review.

The impetus for writing this short piece was loosing my wife to cancer earlier this year. Our journey as husband and wife began August 13, 1972 and ended January 5, 2012. That was a journey which saw us (as a couple teenagers) take a truckload of dreams, hopes and beliefs on a trip together, down a long and winding road. Much changed, during that journey, as teenagers changed into adults and on into middle age. Some dreams were realized and hopes were built upon while some beliefs underwent critical review and ultimately were renewed or discarded.

Then August 24, 2011 arrived and we were totally unprepared. The news was chilling and with a sickening realization, we were hit squarely between the eyes by the stark reality of the present. “It’s serious, it’s cancer and it doesn’t look good.” Your journey together is nearly over, time to wrap things up. Everything that was so unavoidably important (just yesterday) is suddenly very easy to set aside or even discard altogether. Grasping at straws, trying desperately to find another reality are all strategies used to try to avoid the cruel reality in which we suddenly find ourselves. The clock becomes relentless as it ticks off all remaining time.

OK, so now you gain some real insight into phrases we’ve all heard (perhaps even repeated) and what has actually been so earnestly stated … “till death,” or “as long as you both shall live” or “the rest of my life.” Intellectually we all know these things but usually we are able to avoid or ignore them so they don’t interfere too much in our day to day life with all of its important minutia. Perhaps we wisely make plans for 5, 10 and even 40 years down the road…and maybe we even superstitiously throw in the phrase, “God willing.” Well, “God willing(ly)” gave us 42 years together (39 married) – and He even gave us a three year extension in 2008 after Susan ended up twice in ICU following major abdominal surgeries. If He would have given us an additional extension, I’m certain we would gladly have taken it – but ultimately we know the clock would have to run out.

Once you are forced to give up the belief that “there’s still lots of time for ______,” it becomes a real opportunity to take a look at just what do you believe. For the record, I am a Christian and contained within that statement are certain implied beliefs. Despite my history (raised in a Christian household) I would say that I’ve not always been a Christian and my life journey has taken some pretty crazy twists and turns. If I could have asked for “do-overs,” there would have been plenty of times I might have done so. If you believe in God or if you don’t, I’m not trying to convince you otherwise – I would simply ask that you honestly examine your path, even as you follow it.

Aside from the harsh and unavoidable reality checks, many events in our everyday lives also constantly challenge us to examine what we believe. Is there a purpose to this very brief period of time we’ve all been granted or is it simply a short period of awareness nestled between two indefinite periods of oblivion? Is how you spend your time here important? What do you believe? If you’re willing, God bless – and if you’re not, have a nice day.

Post, The First

For much of my life I've enjoyed writing; and in many ways have found the written word to be a more satisfying form of self expression than the spoken word. Much of my past writing has been about dogs and dog training. Lately however, I find myself wanting to write less about those subjects and write more on other topics as well - topics I've stumbled upon during my life's journey. In addition to the dogs (which are definitely a part of my journey) I also have views on "Life, the Universe and Everything," a phrase I’ll shamelessly borrow from Douglas Adams. I thought perhaps others might also share similar thoughts, views and experiences and may even find something of value in my scribbling - after all we're all simply Carbon Based Lifeforms on this once in a lifetime journey.