Jim's Place

A Christian nation?

I think even an amateur historian would find indisputable evidence that America was founded on Christian and Biblical principles. A truly tolerant non-believer would accept that reality and not raise hell about the various Christian symbols, traditions and influences that are ingrained throughout the American system of governance.

To remove all vestiges of Christianity from the state would rip the heart out of what has made America the most enduring and shining opportunity for freedom, liberty and prosperity in human history. Instead of the utopia that atheists suggest it would create, the truth is that it would be hell for everyone - even those who don't believe in heaven or hell.

"Osho, the great"

Sometimes, I feel compelled to research popular cultural figures when my instincts tell me they are charlatans. Lately, I've seen a lot of nice-sounding quotes from Osho, also known as Rajneesh - a legendary Indian guru who died in 1990, but still has a worldwide following.

Oh man, underneath the peace and love veneer was a disturbing and destructive mindset. I wasn't surprised that he mocked Christianity and claimed that the resurrection never happened - that it was actually part of a conspiracy! But for such an "enlightened" person, he was quite adept at creating volumes of tortured logic to promote and rationalize a selfish, gratification-driven approach to life. In addition to being so hedonistic, he promoted such ideas as abandoning your marriage after it no longer serves your purpose (i.e. after having children) and he blamed rape on society - claiming that because society was so against sex, the man had no other option. Yikes! That's just a few examples of what I came across while reading his own words. My God, how in the world did this nutjob attract so many followers?!

These charlatans stand out like a sore thumb to me and I have a hard time understanding why so many people don't see what is so obvious to me. Actually, I do... People like Osho know how to say what appeals to vulnerable, hurting people - or anyone who has become disenchanted with society. The sayings and philosophy are driven by what sounds good and feels good, with no requirement that his approach works. And when you're free to ignore any inconvenient truth, it's a lot easier to say what your followers want to hear. On the surface, each quote may sound like a revelation - and might actually have some merit - but in my experience it's best to avoid such toxic influences...

Ok, that's my cultural observation of the day - time to work on writing something humorous! :)

"You could learn a lot from a soldier..."

Obviously, anyone who serves our country should be admired and respected, but there's an additional aspect to joining the military that I think is also of great importance to the well-being of our nation.

Throughout our culture, a dominate theme is how to get more money or whatever it is that a person desires. Whether it be to get an education, develop a skill, change occupations, find a partner, etc. Those pursuits are typically not selfish, but I really admire anyone who is more focused on giving than receiving.

Such is the case of the soldier. The soldier makes a legal and moral commitment to serve our country, knowing full well that it might mean giving it all. In a culture that promotes a selfish "what's in it for me" disposition and values personal gain over doing the right thing, the soldier puts honor, integrity, courage, dedication and loyalty above self. While so many in our society scoff at such "old-fashioned" values, the soldier is the shining example that those values are still as relevant and important as ever.

When so many people base their votes on what they hope they can get out of the government the soldier lives every day with the focus on serving our country. While so many Americans are looking for the easy way out, the soldier unequivocally accepts that sometimes suffering and sacrifice are necessary and that their responsibility is to face the battle with courage, rather than look for someone else to blame when things get rough.

I have tremendous respect for everyone in uniform, for what they do, but also for what they stand for. It is so popular nowadays to scoff at American traditions and values, deeming them outdated - the dominion of those who don't think for themselves...backward thinking Neanderthals who aren't smart enough to realize that the New Thought ideas are better than the "narrow-minded" approaches of the past...

Well, I've been a staunchly independent thinking person all of my life and have explored countless ideas with an open mind, refusing to adopt any belief or perspective without careful and thorough examination. Certain ideas and beliefs adopted by the masses did indeed prove to be flawed and I adjusted my own thinking to be better aligned to what I felt was the truth. But surprisingly, most of those traditional, "corny " ideas have stood up to my scrutiny and the test of time.

I'm all for exploring new ideas and ways of doing things, but with all of the distortions, deceptions and outright lies that dominate the attacks on American traditions and values, I have a suggestion for the young people of our nation. Whatever path you choose to take, consider committing to adopting the character of the American soldier. Honor, integrity, respect, personal responsibility, service to others, hard work, discipline, self-sacrifice are not out-of-date and the the truth is that the lack of those values is the problem, not the adherence to them. There is a disturbing shortage of suitable role models for young people today. I say that you'd be hard-pressed to find a better role model than a soldier who served with honor and integrity..