Missing Persons

 

OPINION—Since the Parkland school shooting on Valentine’s Day, retailers have been scrambling to figure out which side of the gun debate to support. Yeti has pretty much cooked its own goose with its retraction of support for the NRA, since a large portion of the company’s customers are also gun owners. Yeti coolers are exploding all over, and not in a good way for the brand.

But as impressive as Yeti’s meltdown is, Dick’s Sporting Goods has dug itself a far deeper hole. First the company declared it would not sell rifles to anyone under 21, which is arguably illegal, and then they announced they would destroy all the ARs they had in stock, instead of selling them or returning them to the manufacturers. Now they’ve hired anti-gun lobbyists to try to keep their competition from selling ARs, too.

The problem with all this virtue signaling is that, if the management of the companies in question really believed their policies needed to be changed, they should have made those changes before the shooting. If it’s wrong to sell ARs, or to sell rifles to 18-20 year olds, it was just as wrong before the Parkland tragedy. If they suddenly started caring, why didn’t they care before? Or were they just too ignorant to understand what was happening before? If so, it had to have been willful ignorance.

The business of business is business. Any adjustments to corporate policy these companies have made were based entirely on projected P&L statements. Time will tell whether the decisions will be profitable. I suspect not.

But what companies do, and what government does, and what lobbyists do, all has limited affect on what happens in our lives. We can buy ice chests from Coleman or Rtic, and guns from Bass Pro Shops or the local gun shop. Lobbyists can only buy those politicians who are for sale, and politicians are as dependable as weather vanes. Governments can pass any laws, and criminals can ignore them all. If anything is to change, it is, as always, up to We the people to change it.

The first step in any recovery is admitting there is a problem. The second step is accepting responsibility for creating that problem. When We the people admit that we created our own problems, and that only We the people are capable of solving them, then we can begin to change things.

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Every time a mass shooting occurs, myriad correlations are made to try to figure out the motive. Prescription drugs, bullying, alienation, depression, religious affiliation (or lack thereof), and political leanings are scrutinized. Some of those are often factors, but there is one common trait shared by almost all mass shooters – they come from broken homes.

According to the Institute for Family Studies, it was rare for a child to be born outside of marriage in 1960. Today over 40% of children are born to unwed mothers. In some areas, and among some ethnic groups, that figure jumps to more than 72%. More children than ever are growing up in single-parent homes, and most of the time that parent is Mom. Add to that our alarming divorce rate, and the American Family is essentially an endangered institution.

Almost all mass shooters are boys, and boys have a hard time maturing into normal, well-adjusted men without a father figure, preferably their biological father. Despite what you may have heard from feminists, fathers are actually essential to the growth and development of children. No woman, no matter how hard she works or how much she sacrifices, can teach a boy how to become a man. That isn’t her job, and we do her a great disservice if we expect her to manage it. It’s like asking the Gubmint to operate efficiently. Ain’t gonna happen.

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So a dominant factor in American culture today is fatherlessness. During the past half century we have told men they should become less adventurous, that women can fill their roles just as well. We’ve told fathers they’re not needed, we can get along just fine without you, thanks all the same. As a matter of fact, we’ve made it clear to men that they’ve caused most of the problems, anyway, and it would be better for all concerned if they would just become more like women. So many of them have.

The family is the basic building block of communities, cities, and nations. Trying to build a country with broken families is like trying to build a house with broken bricks. You end up with something that doesn’t look right, and is far less stable than it should be. It will stand for a while, but when faced with strong opposition, it topples.

It would be foolish to say that men, and men alone, built our nation. Strong women were equally responsible, and are equally necessary today. But it’s just as inaccurate to say that strong, masculine men are any less essential today than they have always been. Only men can teach boys to become men, and the only way men can honor women is by stepping up and taking responsibility in their lives and in their families.

When we claim men are not valuable human beings with something unique to offer, and we claim marriage is not a crucial institution to the health and well-being of our children, we destroy the family. For want of a family, the nation is lost . . .

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Masaru, Mon, 05/14/2018 - 11:19

Some people in the community seem to have figured out that I've been partaking of great trolling practices in service to the community as "Rita Repulsa" for several years now. Somehow. So I'll just post under my main account, and may those who cast slings and arrows beware the ricochet of their own missiles.

Confucius taught that the family is the foundation of the nation. Christians understand this as well, and there should be no confusion as to why two such disparate yet great civilizations came to the same conclusion: They did because it is true. Today it is common to blame the men for this, as it has always been, since men are naturally the actors, builders, innovators, and destroyers of the human species, but in an age where women are expected to act out of their own agency and where Feminism has declared all attempts to correct a wayward woman by a man "misogyny" and all attempts by another woman to be "internalized misogyny," there are few ways to tame the Molochian beast that plagues our collective future. In the Hebrew Bible, Proverbs 14:1 says "Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands," and Isaiah 3:12 says "As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths." These dynamics have always lain at the foundation of societal stability for humankind—and always will unless our descendants cease to be human as we know it.

There is a saying that comes from the classical European civilization, that collapsed and was reborn part Christian and part Muslim, which goes something like, "The mills of heaven grind exceedingly fine," which means that, however slowly, the results of our actions always materialize. Today we are sowing the seeds of our eventual collapse as a society while foreign nations grow strong, with strong families and strong ethics. Tolerance has collapsed into decadence, idealism has settled for commercialism, realism has corrupted into cynicism, morality has been cowed into debased approval seeking, and interests have taken up their Luciferian throne to subjugate all through the strife selfishness always bears in time.

If we love America, liberty, and we can remember the words of Abraham Lincoln, good friend of Benito Juarez, who called this nation, "the last, best hope of Earth," it behooves us all to work together to repair its fabric. It seems outlandishly bombastic to consider that any of us could have a real effect on the direction of history, but none of us can escape the totality of life we are immersed in—nor can it escape us. If America fractures at its core, humanity will remember democracy as a failure and freedom as a lie.

Mothers, sisters, daughters, do not abandon those who have protected you since time immemorial. The serpents that call are vipers.

What a great article. I believe in every word written. Businesses should stay out of politics and stick to treating customers with respect. I personally will never give my hard earned money to any business that is anti NRA or anti family. Period. Kneejerk reactions all to often backfire and I hope yeti and dicks will soon have to close their doors for stabbing a lot of us in the back. Good riddance.

So true! Since when did being a "Man", turn into something undesirable? I do believe that, aside from all of the traits that are most commonly associated with "Masculinity", a man should be gentle as he raises his children, and express his love for them through constant words of encouragement and support, also, with physical signs of affection.

Too many "Men", negate bestowing these gifts on their children because of the idea that being an authoritarian is the way to raise kids... An "Authoritarian" parent, which a great number of "Men" are, is someone who has high expectations of their child but provides little in the way of "Feedback", and "Nurturance".

It becomes a "Power Struggle" for many "Men", as they raise their children in this way, and well, let's face it, the child will win this "Struggle" every time. Although a "Man", can make his child "Obey", a certain command like "Sit Down Now!", the child may sit down on the outside, but they are standing up on the inside.

No wonder kids grow up not wanting to be a "Man" if that's what they grow up believing a real "Man" is like.

Someone once described parenting as having, "Great Power" but keeping it in restraint. Love and grace do more to teach boys how to grow into "Men", than "Punishment". It's very hard to see things through the eye's of a "Stubborn" 5 yr. old boy when he's behaving irrationally. But seeing things how he sees them is the only way to actually connect to him when you try to communicate your desires about how he needs to behave.

I know that as a "Man", I have "Great Power". I can overpower my children both physically and verbally, but being a real "Man", means keeping that power in reserve and practicing self control. It means, being a gentle, and loving Daddy to my boy's and showing them through my actions and attitudes, the way that I want them to behave.

I believe that the institution of marriage being available to same sex couples has had a huge impact on the perception of marriage and family in America.
if we don't draw the line on the things that are most important, they will fade into things that don't matter... No wonder the family has fallen apart.

The institution of marriage used to be considered to be sacred, along with the duties of "Fathering" children... Our society seems to want something for nothing nowadays... They want to have all the "Blessings" that are connected with marriage and family, but they don't want to do what it takes to build and sustain them... You can't have a marriage and a family while you have a love interest on the side... It won't work, it will fall apart because you devote what belongs to your wife to another woman and your interest switch to her or self instead of family.

I thank God for my beautiful wife and our children, and I do all that I can to show them how much I love them so that I don't lose them for a lack thereof.

Masaru, Mon, 05/14/2018 - 12:08

There are men even in the Concho Valley who live in fear of the financial ruin that will be brought down on them for testing their wives. It's easy to stand up to another man and tell him not to keep a mistress, but who corrects the woman who acts impetuously? When nature lashes out, who dares to tame nature? And so we make our slow descent back into the forest, like beasts.

There are all kinds of folks in the Concho Vally, men and women, who need "correction", and that's where the challenge is. As much as some folks try to make a difference, there's just as many, if not more that rebuke you for offering that guidance and wisdom.

People are "wired" to do those things that are forbidden. If I told you not to open my backpack and I walked away, you'd naturally be inclined to at least considering opening it, even if you didn't. If I had simply put it down and walked off, it wouldn't have crossed your mind more than likely.

Point being, more-so noticeable now than before, people are doing those things that give immediate gratification to self and have walked away from the idea of something more important than themselves, while at the same time speaking about how righteous they are in comparison to others...

When speaking of my behaviors, I purposely try not to reference other's actions, instead, point back at my own prior behaviors as an indicator of the difference in action's. I realize that I'm no better than anyone else at my core...

I try to reach into the live's that I can and share from a perspective that many reject.

I feel sorry for those who are in fear in their relationships... Marriage is a beautiful thing when it works as intended. I mainly focused on "Men" because of the article's focus on the "Man's" position in the family and society.

The only time I get "Natural" and make a slow descent into the woods like a beast is when I'm hunting...

Masaru, Mon, 05/14/2018 - 16:13

"Mr. Tate," as I've read you referred to elsewhere, my comment in response to this seems to have been lost in moderation. I understand that you mostly mean to help with your response here. At some point in the future we may meet in person, and if we do, there are many things we should discuss.

As far as your practice of that martial sport of hunting, all I can say is "May you never meet the buck deer head to head."

_/|\_
Respect

I've not taken my first deer, although I've been deer hunting twice. I may not fashion a bow and string the way that was customary to many hunters before me, but I don't feel right about shooting a deer that is 175 yards away with a gun. I prefer to be close and not in a blind either.

I ran with all my might at a doe in my yard one time to see if I could tackle it with my skill alone, alas, she was too fast for the likes of me but what a rush! I got very close to a few deer in my time... Like a ninja! I don't look down on those who hunt with rifles, I would take a rabbit or squirrel with an air rifle... Also like the idea of predator hunting but I don't come close to wanting to slay every creature that crosses my path. I enjoy the outdoors and the skills necessary to kill, clean, and cook my own meat and fish but I only kill what I will eat.

I would fight like I've never fought before if Mr. Buck decided to have a go and I bet I would walk away hurting unless I get my hands on those horns. I once read of a man who saved his hog dog that had been cornered by a panther by killing the panther with his bare hands.

Masaru, Mon, 05/14/2018 - 17:37

Bucks are usually gentle creatures. They won't attack unless threatened or attacked first; we only reap what we've sown. Nonetheless, you hunt like an "Indian," Mr Tate. All the more reason we should meet in the flesh!

Masaru, Mon, 05/14/2018 - 15:23

There are many more who, rather than acknowledge the good within them and others would rather pull others down to the level of their own flaws. Rather than let another move beyond their own imperfections, they must justify their own to themselves by harping endlessly on those in others. I'm speaking from my best nature, who I am in potential and as a reminder of what we all may be. If others feel a need to attack that, this is as natural as homicide, or rape, or any other barbaric act. But it isn't civilized and it isn't "right." And of course, bowing to such things makes us all that much lower and worse off. To stand up against it must be done.

You're very much correct in what you've written previously here about everyone having flaws and errors, having made "mistakes" or done things which would bring disapproval or which might have even brought harm to other people. All of us have to one extent or another, and for every few who have been caught in something atrocious, there are many others whose imperfections still like hidden beneath the surface waiting to be exposed. And of what use is that?

However, if we have a double standard in law or in custom which causes social strife and disharmony, it must be examined. There are many men who are married and fear their wives, yes, because of the legal leverage they hold over him. There are many women and even some men who will jump to attack, in unison, upon this being pointed out. It's unjust, simply put. No amount of character assassination, gossip, libel, or even physical attacks on whoever points that out would ever make it less so. And its a symptom of a greater problem.

In fact, it's for that reason that the Christian church cannot honor the Bible. The Bible has been labeled as "patriarchal" and oppressive.

Of course, there may be some who would like to "correct' my view or even more. Perhaps all of them put together could do that. But they would still be wrong, and they know it.

You left so many stats out. Granted, this is an opinion piece and not a well investigated article. You left out numbers that would shine more light on the problem and numbers that would place the blame on a particular section of the US population. But since the Editor sees out of the same broken glasses, it ultimately makes him and his site responsible for so much...... disinformation.

live, Mon, 05/14/2018 - 15:34
https://www.lee.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/3a6e738b-305b-4553-b03b-3c71382f102c/love-marriage-and-the-baby-carriage.pdf

If it matters that much to you "Old Salt", produce a rant that covers all the missed information and provide links to cross reference the data and we'll see who's news is fake.

I suppose that you're a proponent of predictive policing as well? Let's lock up people for things that they might do based on the statistics we have for each "race". That'll be the next thing we see. Old Salt... we don't deal in likelyhoods, just reality and in reality, it doesn't matter what race a murderous psychopath is.

Robert Ressler of the F.B.I., coined the term "Serial Killer", But I guess John Wayne Gacy didn't exist until after it was named.

Several times in Genesis, God created things and then named them... Yep, in that order.

Masaru, Mon, 05/14/2018 - 20:17

So you guys believe in God. Lots of people do. Joseph Campbell believed that all religion was metaphor. If you can keep the peace, Nate, who am I to challenge you?

Non Sequitur + Levity: Takeo Ischi coined the phrase "chicken attack!"

https://youtu.be/h2pe01hEwUg

You still have yet to post any relevant links for the rest of us to research your claims... Seems like the "fake news" spews from someone who's not confident enough in what they are saying to provide the evidence to back up the "fake news" that they are spewing themselves. Well, I guess you could, but then you would get called out for citing a source that is completely biased and working off an agenda meant to make uniformed and ignorant folks forego reason and work off of basic emotion alone.

I am an objective and highly educated expert in this field. After conducting a sophisticated double blind deep-data mining statistical analysis, as well as other maths, I can attest to the factuality of the claims made by "Old Salt." This same analysis has also revealed that the user "Big Daddy" is a malevolent super-genius. The results of the data have been plotted here on this graph:
https://i2.wp.com/yarnloveaffair.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/ambigram02-256x208grid.png

You mean like police uniform, or uninformed, like the folks fed the Jade helm plot? Or the terror baby plot? Or that homes with no men in them to rule, breed mass shooters?

I did mean to type "uninformed", thank you for catching that for me... It reads totally different, "uniformed".

Home's, that don't have men to love, and guide their children, have much more of an affect than you may give credit to. You can cry all you want about how all this news is fake, but if it's fake, then how much of your view has been shaped by lies? Statistics are not 100% accurate in every case...

I wonder how much research it would take to expose the flaws in the data that you claim makes you one of the few "elite", and enlightened ones. Just because you spend your day watching left wing media and tossing the baby out with the bathwater, doesn't mean you have an unbiased and honest view on these issues. I have an absolute source for all of my belief's, and it's not the media. In fact, I'd be happy to debate the correlations between my source and current events with you.

I am far from elite and have no time for the quest of enlightenment. As for the debate, we have both reached our conclusions. I spend my days on welfare watching left wing media, and you spend your days being told what to think and to infect as many people with their idea of a Great America. I won't keep you, Putin has big plans for you.

Masaru, Tue, 05/15/2018 - 18:22

An expert comments, and suddenly no one here is qualified anymore! LOL.

Masaru, Tue, 05/15/2018 - 01:53

I think he just means they tend to be raised there, Old Salt. Obviously the father can't be absent and breeding to make a new mass shooter at the same time. Wording is crucial here. But the trend is real, and very serious.

How can you leftist loons write so much and have so little of value to say?
As we spiral in that whirlpool down the drain, with you, heaven forbid someone like Mr. Hemphill point out the obvious, Families need fathers, not just sperm donors.
Dicks and yeti will never see a dime from me, hopefully good riddance to both.

How can you leftist loons write so much and have so little of value to say?
As we spiral in that whirlpool down the drain, with you, heaven forbid someone like Mr. Hemphill point out the obvious, Families need fathers, not just sperm donors.
Dicks and yeti will never see a dime from me, hopefully good riddance to both.

Masaru, Tue, 05/15/2018 - 21:29

"Families need fathers, not just sperm donors."

Like President Donald Trump stating that he knows politics are corrupt because he's bought politicians, I agree with this statement. One question is whether society and the legal system actually fosters this. In fact, Feminists have spent a good deal of time and effort and money over the past half century coming up with "alternatives" to the "traditional" family and doing everything they can to break the latter down. The personal becomes the political, and now a new generation has to pay for the spite some had against their exes and even their own fathers. A movement that set out for equality began to divide society at the level of the family by placing the two interdependent genders into separate political classes. And here we are.

You can tell us sperm donors to stand up and even act as though family law courts are entirely impartial entities run by infallible angels rather than very fallible, humanly biased people, but expect some much needed change. You asked for it.

"Deflection" That's the word of the day! I will quote Forrest here, "I may not be a smart man.", but I can tell when someone has nothing of value to write.

If something of importance, that was truthful, needed to be said, any rational notion would presuppose that you'd be able to clearly, and concisely present, and defend your statement.

It stands to reason that if you truly believe the validity of your own claims, you would be willing to take apart, "Discuss" the topic without getting upset when others ask you questions about why you believe what you do.

When practicing the art of deflection, a tried and true sidekick of the deflector is, "brow beating", or intimidation through the medium of abusive language.

Honestly, I feel like that's enough for now. If the shoe fits...

Masaru, Tue, 05/15/2018 - 21:25

You do this deflecting too. Par for the course, I say. I enjoy the exchange, though!

Masaru, Tue, 05/15/2018 - 21:50

One of the things I learned from watching Ninja Turtles as a child was that wisdom can be found anywhere—even in us beninighted worldlings stumbling along in the dark searching for something better. Also, this is part of the premise of the Platform Sutra. Go figure. We all might have something wise to say at some point, about something, even if it's only like a broken watch being viewed at the right moment of the day.

So I would like to know what it is you see as the reason that men aren't being men, and what it is that is driving individuals to take the "forbidden" route of divorce so often, I suppose with the idea that they'll Eat, Pray, Love into a happier ending? And what can, or should, be done for the sake of remedying this to build stronger families and a more stable society?

You know, and give us wretched dead beats a hint or something.

The reason men aren't being men?

Men were created by God. God has a clear design for the way a family should be structured and operate, and men aren't following that design by the droves.

What drives men to take the "forbidden" route of divorce? Not following the design.

What can and should be done to remedy this to build stronger families and a more stable society? Call men to come to God, the divine designer who can "Make all things new" and who can do "Exceedingly far more than you could ever ask for or imagine."

Wretched deadbeat? Once again, not my words.

Masaru, Wed, 05/16/2018 - 20:53

I've been thinking about my response and I think I have it down to a pith: Conservatives could learn a lot from Dr Phil.

We make concessions in relationships. We "agree" (lie) even when we don't agree because we value the other person. We choose being loved over being right. On the personal level, that's just the way it is, but in the public sphere we're seeing the consequences of years of concessions made to spare the feelings of others even when the consequences if ignoring the facts may be direly detrimental. The info that Mr Hyde posted is an example of such consequences. Sometimes we just have to be direct and be "that jerk" if we want to do what needs to be done. Me may hurt some feelings initially, but we earn respect and, most importantly, ultimately get the job done. This is essentially how the President got elected, despite all opposition. And he's still the President.

Also, women are actually driving divorce, not men, and many people are opting to skip marriage altogether. Marriages of one kind or another exist in all high civilizations like ours. Whether the God you follow is the foundation of all of those arrangements I find doubtful, but when people are opting out of the institution altogether, that's a sign that people are probably becoming less "engaged" in the health of the society they live in.

Regarding your beliefs, Nate, my beliefs tell me that as long as people do and, at the very least, mean well, they'll reap positive rewards from that. There's no condemnation of anyone just because their beliefs or theology may differ. The teaching of the Lotus Sutra is is that all are in the path to awakening even if they aren't aware of it consciously. I'm no priest, but it is my responsibility to share what I know.

How does lying to your partner show them that they are valued? Sounds like your story very much resembles that of Siddhartha Guatama... "He lived a life of luxury, had it all and one day saw the "4 passing sights", beyond his castle walls... a crippled man, a leper, a rotting corpse, and a pious ascetic...

After the 4 passing sights, he renounced his comfortable life in pursuit of "enlightenment". He abandoned his wife and child as they were considered to be "distractions. His driving force was to pinpoint the origin of pain and suffering and propose a solution?"

I'm paraphrasing my source by the way... Lot's of correlation between this story here and much of what you have brought to the table. One thing I can say is that it seems that you don't like to see suffering any more than I do... I know the depths of agony and despair and how those things can lead us to look for answers.

I found mine in a book that has more evidence of it's authenticity than any other work of antiquity in the world, and is the worlds bestseller and most distributed... I'll choose that over sanskrit and "oral tradition hand me downs" any day.

Buddhist info link: https://answersingenesis.org/world-religions/buddhism/

Authenticity of the Bible info: http://www.icr.org/bible-manuscripts/

Masaru, Wed, 05/16/2018 - 23:39

The reason I've avoided discussing this is because the teaching of the tradition I follow represents the crux of the Buddhist teaching. If you or anyone else reading rejects it, you will fall into hell in your next lives. But, Nichiren taught that since most people born into this epoch of the world's lifespan already have that karma, to teach anyway, so I suppose I should.

So, Lord Buddha actually reunited with His family in the Sangha, or "congregation," after His enlightenment. Rahula and Yasodhara both entered the order. I had no choice in my case, but this does inspire me.

As far as "lying" to your spouse or significant other, this might be a bit like "upaya" in a way. People have misconceptions that they latch onto and we may have to be inaccurate or withhold the whole truth if they aren't ready and try to explain things in a way they can understand and relate to beyond those misconceptions. If a woman flirted with you in the supermarket in a very unabashed way and your wife was very jealous, you might not tell her about it. The important thing is your committed love for her.

As far as God and the Bible, I'm hesitant to say anything that might seem insulting about your scriptures. There are terrible things that happen in this world. Why doesn't the God you follow stop them? Rapes, murders, genocides, torture. Either this God can stop such things and chooses not to, or he is unable to stop them. Now, if you could pile wood up for a bonfire and call your God to bring fire down from heaven, I might be convinced. Otherwise, those texts you follow seem suspect, even if they sold more copies than the novels they sell in bookstores.

In this age practice is difficult. Corruption is everywhere, and you're right that many of the Buddha's teachings are obscured by time, just as he predicted. But there is a spark of awakened nature in everyone, and if they understand that it is there they can access that wisdom. The Buddha is alive in our own hearts, and always has been and always will be. When we awakened to that, we are enlightened just as we are. This is the message of the Lotus Sutra.

There is no "original sin," we are all destined to become Buddhas.

Yeah but you're no divine authority... Neither is Buddha. I profess belief in a God who already brought fire down bro... Read about it briefly in 1 Kings... Elijah and the prophets of Baal... It's kind of funny that you brought that up... The prophets of Baal get to call on him to set fire to an altar and Elijah mocks them... "Call louder! He can't hear you!" Gotta love that. Then Elijah has his altar wet down multiple times and prays to God and Ka-Boom! Even licked up the water from the trenches. There is no ultimate authority in Buddhism, no divinity claims either. My God claims both.

God is not subject to fallen notions of fairness... God is all the way fair, He paid the penalty for sin by punishing His own son and now we live in a world full of sin because of the curse that sin brought... If God took out rapists, He'd have to take out liars and thieves too... He'd have to take us all out because all sin is equally evil to a Holy and Righteous God. Good thing He didn't huh. Instead, he gave you the free will to discover Him and choose to accept or deny. God is a Gentleman... Until He comes back.
I'm going to bed now. If you want to hear more from what I believe, I'll be around on Live, if not, that's cool too.

Masaru, Thu, 05/17/2018 - 00:06

Well, folks here said it wouldn't make much of a stir.. You seem stirred.

Your God could have just forgiven everyone and avoided all the suffering of human life in the first place. No need for a sacrifice, just a change of heart.

Well, at least we understand each other a bit better now. Goodnight.

_/|\_
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo

Not stirred, tired is more like it. I do get exited when I look at what God has done in the past though.

My God gave free will to His creation and we did the one and only "no no" in the garden of Eden... Sin entered humanity... The Holiness of God demands payment for this sin... any real concept of justice will stand on the same ground. My God did give everyone the gift of forgiveness... He has already paid the penalty for sin on the cross...

Most folks don't want to accept His love and forgiveness, all He asks is for us to believe that what He says is the truth...
Just like in the garden, our foolish pride gets in the way still... "No God, I don't want your gift that didn't cost me anything, I can do fine on my own."

I do try to at least research the other side of things, it's only right, besides, what a blundering idiot I would make of myself if I was trying to reach others with the gospel without knowing something about what they believe. I'd never be effective.

It wasn't God's choice to cause suffering, it was an option... The first man, being a representative of the whole race of humanity ate of the fruit that his wife gave him... He made an informed choice and then tried to place the blame on His wife.

Free will plays an important part of the life we have, a very important part. With it, we will "choose" which way we want to spend eternity.

You really should take the time to research the authenticity and historicity of the Bible, you might be surprised with what you discover.

For clarity's sake, I didn't say those words. It would be easier to break things down one at a time.

According to what I understand about the "Family", there is a "Natural" order that is designed to be followed. As with other designs, when the pattern for the design isn't followed, you can't reap the benefits of having followed the design. We can dive into society, the legal system and feminists later. First let's build a foundation to work from.

What is your understanding of the origin of the family unit?

Actually agree with the perils of group think, though find it incredibly ironic considering the messenger.
Additionally, if you're going to continue to cut and paste large portions of your "rants" from other published sources, it's typically polite to cite those authors.

(Picture Forrest Gump) Mama always said "Brevity is a virtue." Obviously some of the longwinded contributors here missed that. We're all adults, we all have beliefs, values, standards etc. that are unlikely to be changed by others. I'm not foolish enough to think my entire philosophy of life matters to anyone....besides myself. Oh crap, I've said too much...

If I'm less than willing to read through reams of mumbo jumbo, I'm even less inclined to watch nearly 15 hours of ethereal, spiritual, pie in the sky, hogwash. I didn't see anything pertaining to the much too frequently overlooked druids..... that I might have watched.

Masaru, Thu, 05/17/2018 - 20:02

I'm glad my comments haven't bothered you. You just overlook them if you don't like them. That's wise. You really get it.

Masaru, Wed, 05/16/2018 - 23:50

For you are all destined to become Buddhas!

_/|\_
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo

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