It's Pretty Scary Here Too

            I just finish diving through the sea of American public opinion that can be found online.  It can be a little overwhelming.  I am a Christian and also a political Conservative.  I'm not going to argue those points here, but it's relevant to what I have to say.  I have discovered (through scrutinizing scientific means, of course) that people on the other side of things can be a bit vicious.  That's not to say that that kind of thing doesn't exist on my side of the argument, or that all liberals, humanists, atheists, etc. act that way, or even that people on the opposing side make up a unified block.  I have noticed, however, that, while the vicious people on my side can be just about universally disliked as "rednecks" or ignorant hate mongers, the vicious few on the other side tend to be pretty well liked.  How does that work exactly.  Perhaps we "reasonable" people on both sides could try to do a little better at cleaning our own houses.  Maybe we need to be as vocal in standing up to hateful people that claim to be on "our side" as we are to those on the other side of things.  Maybe more so.
Tell me what you think.
That's all. God Bless.

It's Scary out There

            North Africa and the Middle East are undergoing serious turmoil, there are riots in the streets in a bankrupt Greece, Belgium is racing toward their 300th day without a real government, and China is on track to become a/the new super-power.  All of this makes me wonder how non-believers cope without the belief that there is a Supreme Being who can manage to use all of our human craziness to further a plan based on love and peace.  No, really, it makes me wonder.  I realize this may sound condescending to non-believers,but that is not my intention.  I am truly curious and would appreciate your input.  For the rest of us who happen to be weak-minded children in need of cosmic reassurance(I certainly am), we can rest in the peace that comes from knowing that the God who gave us the free will to cause such craziness is the same God that controls the fate of nations.  I also want to take this time to ask any praying people out there to pray for those who are going through uncertain times all over the world.
God Bless. 

Freedom for Now

            Some would say that the activity going on in Egypt is controversial.  As an American, however, I don't see much room for controversy.  The Israelis and the Saudis may call it naive idealism, but we as a country are based on the belief that a contract exists, whether it is written or not, between the government and the governed.  This foundational belief states that if the governed feel strongly enough that the contract has been broken, then they have the right to form a new contract.  Remember that the two parties are not on equal footing in this view.  It is not far-right anti-government rhetoric to say that the governed are the contracting party and that the government works for them.  This is the very stuff of the Declaration of Independence.  The responsibility now rests on the sovereign people of Egypt to decide who will govern them.  A similar contract renegotiation occurred on this continent in 1776.  At the table were the "far leftists" of their day who believed in personal liberty along with proponents of slavery and even some religious fundamentalists.  Simply because our government could easily have taken a far different form than it eventually did, doesn't mean that the Revolution was a bad idea.  The future is indeed uncertain, even treacherous, for Egypt, the middle East, and the world, but history can now at least record that on this day, Friday February 11, 2011, Liberty made her voice heard in the streets of Cairo.
That's all.
God Bless.  

Super? Bowl

            Just imagine for a moment that all the emotion, energy, mental memory space, money, and ad time that America puts into sports as a whole was directed somewhere else.  Somewhere, I don't know, constructive maybe.  Don't get me wrong, I don't think sports are bad in and of themselves.  Sports have a wide array of positive effects.  It's just that they are all felt only by those who actually participate in them.  Sportsmanship, physical fitness, teamwork, leadership, self-esteem(to a point), and a good work ethic are all positive things that can be gained by participating in sports.  What, however, is the point in the spectator side of spectator sports?  Rivalries, silly emotional investment, the pride that comes from watching someone do well (even if you actually had nothing to do with it)?  The only real positive aspects of watching sports is in what ever basic entertainment value they hold.  Everyone needs a release after all, but the human fascination with sports often goes much farther than that.  I mean, if its a choice between a good movie and watching grown men run around with a ball, I know what I'm going to choose.  I'm sure some anthropologist somewhere would say that it all has to do with leftover hunting instincts or the remains of a more primal past that has carried on into our more civilized age.  But I don't buy it.  You can actually still hunt nowadays, and actually participating in sports would seem like a much more sensible release valve for such pent-up aggression.  So I say once again, just imagine if all the educational advantages that are given to certain young people just because they run fast or can throw a ball were given to the bright young students who show the most potential to actually use to the utmost the gift of knowledge they are given.  How many positive educational programs could be established if given the amount of money spent on competitive sports programs.  It seems to me that this, if anything, shows the primitive nature of sport fanaticism: the educated elite, the venerable academic bodies of universities who look at a potential student and say,"Him run faast, him goood!"  Surely, however, one should give such academics the benefit of the doubt.  They must have a better reason than that.  Right? 
Tell me what you think
That's all.  God Bless

Introductions

           Although I don't suppose many will read it, I feel I should introduce myself and my blog seeing as this is my first post.  I chose the nom de plum Anon Amos out of a personal philosophy that is at odds with the cult of personality and celebrity that seems to pervade society today.  Simply put, I think a novelist, for example, is perfectly able to write a wonderful work without a photograph of themselves plastered across the back of it.  In keeping with that I chose a name that was, well, anonymous, and that made anonymity the point of the name.  Not that I think this little weblog will gain any kind of mass following or anything, it's just that, if I am anything, I am a man of principle.  One of those principles obviously being humility.
          For the foresee...forseea...immediate future I plan on posting whatever comes to mind that seems of any kind of importance to me at the time, possibly rangeing from philosophy, religion, meaning of life stuff, etc., to musings on music and food.  You should know, I like food.  While this may not sound like overwhelmingly thrilling reading, the point of me starting this blog has to do more with self-expression than hardcore, thought provoking journalism.  If I can get anyone to actually read it, that's just gravy... or icing... or... well you get my point.  I promise, though, that I will attemp to remain on topic and not let my "puppy with a butterfly" attension span get in the way.  No one likes to read a bunch of stream-of-consciousness junk when they don't have to.
          It is also worth pointing out that I am neither a tech-genius, nor an interior decorator.  When it comes to tech, I'm pretty much like the stereotypical eighty year-old geezer who would just as soon use a manual typewriter to a computer. Just as soon as they could figure out how to put spell-check on it anyway.  I mention the enterior decorater bit because I realize puke-green, poo-brown, and grey would not be most people's choice for their blog design.  Fortunately, I'm not most people and happen to like those colors.  I basically just wanted to nip any pigment-based snickering in the proverbial bud. 
         Also worth noting is that, while I am pretty darn conservative (both socially and politically), I also do my utmost to remain an independent-thinking individual willing to listen to other sides.  I actually really do enjoy descussing things with people I don't agree with, as long as both sides (including me) can stay civil.  What's the point in talking to people if you agree with eachother all the time.  So, if you have any kind of input please share.  It will make this whole blogging experience much more fun for everybody conserned.
That's all.  God Bless.