How long must we dance around the possibility of reformation? Who has the courage to stand in the face of adversity and declare their own destiny? Not stopping at anything to accomplish the will of God. We can no longer sit idly by while the rest of the world continues on. There is no time to waste pondering at the pool of popularity! My way is narrow, my journey is rough, and my companions are few. I will not let up, I will not be bought, and I will stand firm in the faith to which I have been called! Living for Him is to die to self. Our desires, wishes, and plans should consistently take second place to the plans that God has for us. Rise up, take your place, answer His call, refuse to turn back to the desires that we so desperately clung to in days of old, be ye holy, for He is holy!!!!
God’s ways and thoughts are higher than our own. Do we dare undertake the mind of Christ? Forgetting that which is behind and pressing on to that which is ahead. I say foolish is the one who tries to balance both God and the world. It can’t be done. No man can serve two masters, he will love the one and hate the other! We’ve made living for God a hobby, trying to fit it into our lives; when, we should be laying down our life and following Him in all we do. God has big plans for you! He wants to raise you up higher than you’ve ever imagined. Higher than you may feel you want to go, but who are we to tell God what we’ll do? God has put gifts and talents in each of us that are to bring Him glory and honor! Don’t sit on the sidelines watching to see everything unfold. God wants you on the field. You have a purpose and a destiny to fulfill. Dare to walk on the water.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Racism
Much time has passed since I've last put my thoughts to script. There is a controversial subject to which I have long since formed an opinion. I would like to take a moment to express myself, if I may. I am sure there are a few readers who will take this writing the wrong way, but to those of you who are capable of seeing through the superficial level of racism, this piece is for you.
No one person living in today's world can deny the existence of racism. Many people living all around the world face this matter each day. Racism can be defined in many ways. It can be said that racism is the prejudice of one race over another. Animosity of a certain culture or nationality also qualifies one for being considered a racist. Racism is also defined in the belief that all races have inherent qualities and abilities which lead to racial superiority or inferiority. These beliefs and feelings are among many others which lead to the existence of racism in our everyday lives.
Human nature dictates many aspects of our lives. Many of an individuals actions can be explained through the idea that all humans have a certain nature about them. Self-love, self-preservation, and ambition are only a few of the many innate characteristics of the common man or woman. As is well known, these human qualities are not found equally among all people. Some have much more ambition than others, while others have a much greater need for self-preservation than that of another. Human nature in itself is a controversial subject due to the inconsistent science of which behavior is learned and that which is as innate as breathing.
It is my belief that racism is not in itself human nature; however, it is only part of a much deeper quality to which all humans fall susceptible. Natural segregation is a metaphysical force which leads all living creatures to seek out the company of their own kind. Look at the fish in the sea or the birds of the sky. There are an overwhelming number of examples in nature that suggest natural segregation not only exists, but is also healthy and important to the continuance of the master race, that is the human race.
As was previously mentioned racism can be the belief that different races have inherent qualities or beliefs which lead to racial superiority or inferiority. It is my belief that this form of racism is only half true. I agree with the concept that each race has it's own qualities and abilities as well as it's own faults and ineptitudes; however, I do not feel that this should lead to racial superiority. Just as different varieties of birds, fish or even dogs have their own strengths and inabilities, that does not make them any less of a bird, fish or dog. I do believe humans to follow this same natural order. I believe each group of people, or race, has strengths which enable them to flourish in a particular area. On the other hand, each race has inabilities which inhibit a particular person from succeeding in certain areas. This is not to say that there are not exceptions. I do not believe a person to be limited to the qualifications of their race. I do feel, however, that certain generalities can be drawn based upon the history and overall competence of a race. Not to be confused with the all to common black and white issue which plagues us in America, my thinking is deeper than that. After all, black and white are not races, they are colors. I feel certain nationalities in their purist of forms have certain attributes. While these qualities are not confined to a certain race, I believe them to be more prominent within certain races.
Speaking of the black and white issue, allow me a moment to alleviate some of the tension which has been building within myself for some time now. Putting it lightly, I am disgusted with people who continually scream racism when they themselves repeatedly separate themselves based on color. As I have written earlier, black and white are not races, they are colors. A person's color may only be used to direct one to the ancestry of their race, but does not constitute a race in itself. It is my opinion that anyone who constantly blames a person's color for their or someone else's misfortune are only showing their own racist views.If a black woman is killed by a white man, does this in itself make it a hate crime? I say, No! There are those and you all know someone like this that will say she was murdered because she was black. I pose this question, why can't it just be a woman was killed by a man? What about when a white kid gets assaulted by several black kids and the culprits are given a harsh sentence by the courts? As you've all heard in the past, the culprits received such a sentence, why, because they were black. Not because they relentlessly beat this kid within an inch of his life. I think it is way past time that we stop judging a person's situation by their color. I'm not saying that it doesn't happen, but not every single time.
I recently got into a verbal altercation with someone of a different ethnicity than myself. It began by my responding to his constant ranting of "White America" keeping the black man down. As I listened to his tirade, I noticed, like many others, that he kept referring to black this and white that. So I confronted him, proposing that maybe the situations about which he spoke where the consequences of one's actions. Oh no, apparently I was terribly mistaken. Every negative situation involving a black individual was due to the fact that they were misfortunate enough to not be born white. Imagine that. I specifically made a point through-out the conversation to not mention any color. As if he needed anything else to rant about. Keep in mind that his issue was with the racism against 'black' people, he ended up screaming that it was time for black men across America to stand up and go to war against America to stop racism. In fact, he even spoke of "killin' crackas!" Which he tried to turn on me by saying that he should start with me. Needless to say, I'm still alive. Thing is, it's thinking like this that keeps racism alive. Drop the color. Treat others as an individual and not as a black man or a white man or black woman or a white woman.
There is a fine line in my beliefs of the races. We should treat others as individuals and not base our opinion simply on color. Can we derive an initial impression of a person based on race? Limited at best. Yes, I do believe each race carries certain traits and characteristics; however, in the end each person should be judged on his or her own abilities and actions. After all, we are all God's creation and should be treated as such.Upon reading this, you may feel that I have a racist standpoint in life, but be assured this is not the case. Just as anyone else does upon meeting someone new, I make a quick assessment based on appearance, speech and body language. From this, I draw a somewhat educated impression of an individual. I do hope that this piece will not only offer insight into my own belief system, but will provoke others to face their own beliefs and decide if their view of others is a healthy one.
No one person living in today's world can deny the existence of racism. Many people living all around the world face this matter each day. Racism can be defined in many ways. It can be said that racism is the prejudice of one race over another. Animosity of a certain culture or nationality also qualifies one for being considered a racist. Racism is also defined in the belief that all races have inherent qualities and abilities which lead to racial superiority or inferiority. These beliefs and feelings are among many others which lead to the existence of racism in our everyday lives.
Human nature dictates many aspects of our lives. Many of an individuals actions can be explained through the idea that all humans have a certain nature about them. Self-love, self-preservation, and ambition are only a few of the many innate characteristics of the common man or woman. As is well known, these human qualities are not found equally among all people. Some have much more ambition than others, while others have a much greater need for self-preservation than that of another. Human nature in itself is a controversial subject due to the inconsistent science of which behavior is learned and that which is as innate as breathing.
It is my belief that racism is not in itself human nature; however, it is only part of a much deeper quality to which all humans fall susceptible. Natural segregation is a metaphysical force which leads all living creatures to seek out the company of their own kind. Look at the fish in the sea or the birds of the sky. There are an overwhelming number of examples in nature that suggest natural segregation not only exists, but is also healthy and important to the continuance of the master race, that is the human race.
As was previously mentioned racism can be the belief that different races have inherent qualities or beliefs which lead to racial superiority or inferiority. It is my belief that this form of racism is only half true. I agree with the concept that each race has it's own qualities and abilities as well as it's own faults and ineptitudes; however, I do not feel that this should lead to racial superiority. Just as different varieties of birds, fish or even dogs have their own strengths and inabilities, that does not make them any less of a bird, fish or dog. I do believe humans to follow this same natural order. I believe each group of people, or race, has strengths which enable them to flourish in a particular area. On the other hand, each race has inabilities which inhibit a particular person from succeeding in certain areas. This is not to say that there are not exceptions. I do not believe a person to be limited to the qualifications of their race. I do feel, however, that certain generalities can be drawn based upon the history and overall competence of a race. Not to be confused with the all to common black and white issue which plagues us in America, my thinking is deeper than that. After all, black and white are not races, they are colors. I feel certain nationalities in their purist of forms have certain attributes. While these qualities are not confined to a certain race, I believe them to be more prominent within certain races.
Speaking of the black and white issue, allow me a moment to alleviate some of the tension which has been building within myself for some time now. Putting it lightly, I am disgusted with people who continually scream racism when they themselves repeatedly separate themselves based on color. As I have written earlier, black and white are not races, they are colors. A person's color may only be used to direct one to the ancestry of their race, but does not constitute a race in itself. It is my opinion that anyone who constantly blames a person's color for their or someone else's misfortune are only showing their own racist views.If a black woman is killed by a white man, does this in itself make it a hate crime? I say, No! There are those and you all know someone like this that will say she was murdered because she was black. I pose this question, why can't it just be a woman was killed by a man? What about when a white kid gets assaulted by several black kids and the culprits are given a harsh sentence by the courts? As you've all heard in the past, the culprits received such a sentence, why, because they were black. Not because they relentlessly beat this kid within an inch of his life. I think it is way past time that we stop judging a person's situation by their color. I'm not saying that it doesn't happen, but not every single time.
I recently got into a verbal altercation with someone of a different ethnicity than myself. It began by my responding to his constant ranting of "White America" keeping the black man down. As I listened to his tirade, I noticed, like many others, that he kept referring to black this and white that. So I confronted him, proposing that maybe the situations about which he spoke where the consequences of one's actions. Oh no, apparently I was terribly mistaken. Every negative situation involving a black individual was due to the fact that they were misfortunate enough to not be born white. Imagine that. I specifically made a point through-out the conversation to not mention any color. As if he needed anything else to rant about. Keep in mind that his issue was with the racism against 'black' people, he ended up screaming that it was time for black men across America to stand up and go to war against America to stop racism. In fact, he even spoke of "killin' crackas!" Which he tried to turn on me by saying that he should start with me. Needless to say, I'm still alive. Thing is, it's thinking like this that keeps racism alive. Drop the color. Treat others as an individual and not as a black man or a white man or black woman or a white woman.
There is a fine line in my beliefs of the races. We should treat others as individuals and not base our opinion simply on color. Can we derive an initial impression of a person based on race? Limited at best. Yes, I do believe each race carries certain traits and characteristics; however, in the end each person should be judged on his or her own abilities and actions. After all, we are all God's creation and should be treated as such.Upon reading this, you may feel that I have a racist standpoint in life, but be assured this is not the case. Just as anyone else does upon meeting someone new, I make a quick assessment based on appearance, speech and body language. From this, I draw a somewhat educated impression of an individual. I do hope that this piece will not only offer insight into my own belief system, but will provoke others to face their own beliefs and decide if their view of others is a healthy one.
A moment in time...
originally penned 05/'04
love and hate, love and hate
why can't it wait
it hurts so bad
you don't want to get mad
you lose control and can't figure anything out
your feelings go on without you
they pass you by
leaving you confused
love and hate, love and hate
why can't it wait
things you once knew
are no longer
things that were once fact
are now fiction
lost hope, lost cause
you want to stay
the pain within grows
not letting you rest
but still you try your best
others are at stake
this ain't easy
being true begins at you
if you don't know yourself
how can you know others
confusion sets in
life is good, but could it be better
you can't figure it out
you try, but is there any justice
i sit, i think
i become restless and depressed
happiness is my goal
but sadness in either choice
what can i do
how do i survive
how do i go on
sorrow and hurt
sorrow and hurt
comes to everyone
this isn't supposed to be
life is too short
where's the enjoyment in confusion
the music plays on
i sit, i think
a ray of sunshine on both paths
but clouds loom overhead
a gray shadow lingers on
God loves all the same
and He forgives
so why can't we forgive ourselves
thoughts on a page
pen to paper
eventually even the ink will fade
is anything definite
is anything final
other than heaven and hell
no one says life is easy,
but how long does the
hardship go on
still i wonder the possibilities
good and bad
love and hate
sorrow and hurt
misery is destiny
people change and life goes on
but you'll never forget
you'll never forget
what it was like
what it could have been
the hopes, the dreams
fade away, leaving an emptiness inside
God is my only hope
my only solution
how long must i wait
to be sure
i know He listens to my cries
i know He cares
how long must i wait
one is right, one is wrong
which one is which
earth is too big
life has too much to offer
how can we handle it all
how can we decide
let go and let God
the only answer that makes sense
but He needs us to act
we are His hands, His feet
we just have to hear His voice
then shall we know the right way.
love and hate, love and hate
why can't it wait
it hurts so bad
you don't want to get mad
you lose control and can't figure anything out
your feelings go on without you
they pass you by
leaving you confused
love and hate, love and hate
why can't it wait
things you once knew
are no longer
things that were once fact
are now fiction
lost hope, lost cause
you want to stay
the pain within grows
not letting you rest
but still you try your best
others are at stake
this ain't easy
being true begins at you
if you don't know yourself
how can you know others
confusion sets in
life is good, but could it be better
you can't figure it out
you try, but is there any justice
i sit, i think
i become restless and depressed
happiness is my goal
but sadness in either choice
what can i do
how do i survive
how do i go on
sorrow and hurt
sorrow and hurt
comes to everyone
this isn't supposed to be
life is too short
where's the enjoyment in confusion
the music plays on
i sit, i think
a ray of sunshine on both paths
but clouds loom overhead
a gray shadow lingers on
God loves all the same
and He forgives
so why can't we forgive ourselves
thoughts on a page
pen to paper
eventually even the ink will fade
is anything definite
is anything final
other than heaven and hell
no one says life is easy,
but how long does the
hardship go on
still i wonder the possibilities
good and bad
love and hate
sorrow and hurt
misery is destiny
people change and life goes on
but you'll never forget
you'll never forget
what it was like
what it could have been
the hopes, the dreams
fade away, leaving an emptiness inside
God is my only hope
my only solution
how long must i wait
to be sure
i know He listens to my cries
i know He cares
how long must i wait
one is right, one is wrong
which one is which
earth is too big
life has too much to offer
how can we handle it all
how can we decide
let go and let God
the only answer that makes sense
but He needs us to act
we are His hands, His feet
we just have to hear His voice
then shall we know the right way.
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