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

In studying apparent trends in our culture, I am very concerned about the direction in which we are headed. It occurs to me that the main objective of the Liberal-left has become the removal our our basic personal freedoms and God-given rights in order to replace them with state granted entitlements, “privileges” and virtue signalling pronouncements. Individual freedoms... in fact individualism itself, is an anathema to them. It seems they would much prefer we all simply become 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) pronounces 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. 

To control individual speech even further, the liberal mind sets aside numerous groups determined by special interest, race, gender and “victim” status. To such groups are granted special status for treatment, politically correct speech and commandeered concepts (such as a redefined view of bullying and hate). All this to insure such special status can never be questioned while any contrarian personal values and views can be vilified. 

The right to worship and freedom of religion (in a liberal world) becomes the “privilege” 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 and they will determine how the child will be raised, what they must be taught (socially – not just academically) and what they must believe so that they can all one-day become good little socialist liberals. 

What has happened, at this point in our history, 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 accompanied by venomous attacks (on personal freedoms and individual rights) and repeated attempts to demonize a capitalist system that, over the years, has supported a high degree of financial freedom and prosperity. I believe there may be several answers to my question but 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 which will then give those in central control an almost god-like power and control. 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 him He (God) will be with him and is promising the successful outcome...and yet 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 following 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 to which the Egyptians had been subjected. The final straw, leading to the release, 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 was (and 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. When faced by obstacles, 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. It was this lack of faith and constant struggle against God’s plans for them that turned (what should have been) a relatively short trip into a 40 year epic journey.

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) into the land as scouts to help prepare for the Israelites 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.

The journey ended (after that additional thirty-seven and a half year delay) 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; either that, or we can (because of the choices we make) spend our own prolonged period (wandering and complaining) within in our own wilderness – 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 (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) debts. 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 (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 realms 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, at least in part, to how change (even when needed) 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 - and 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…and 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 self – 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 and even after we run up against the same problems over and over again, he gently lets us know He does have a better way and 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…and yet; 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 travelling 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.

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 last three months together, there were times when we both expressed regrets for mistakes made during our journey together.

A Veneer of Freedom –or– 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 regulations created that decide (on behalf of you or your family) what you may eat, drink or otherwise consume? Should the state be able to tell you what you must wear (think all the different kinds of protective gear) or in what shape your body should be - in order to forgo critical scrutiny (fat, body weight, activity level etc)? 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 EDUCATED choice or should the “government” simply decide and thus remove that choice from you?

How about the state unilaterally assuming the authority to dictate how they will “co-parent” your kids by deciding what they must study, how they may play or what they can say and believe – is that OK? 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 there sometimes need to be reasonable limits on personal freedoms in so far as is necessary to be able to live in 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 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 and 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 cover 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 safety standards, humanity should have disappeared from the planet long ago – but it hasn’t 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 over regulated society is simply drawing closer to that day when they slowly but surely suck all the fun out of life – along with any potential risk. When that day finally dawns, they can sit looking down their bureaucratic noses, at the long rows of folks (sitting in the proper prescribed manner, wearing their nerf suits and helmets) slowly aging in the government approved manner.

Of course, along with the push to ever more laws and regulation, there must be a corresponding increase in government survalence, bureaucracy and spending. Never question their sincerity however, 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 and if necessary, they’d happily spend all the money in your kids pockets as well – for the next 3 generations if necessary. A cradle to grave nanny state will finally have been accomplished. Ya-freakin’-hoo!

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; but lately 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.