Greater Love Hath No Man: Martyr or Coward?

Image via Wikipedia

The word Martyr conjures in me images of fear, ecstasy, faith and terror. The Christian stories of the martyred saints, Peter, Paul, Stephen, and Joan of Arc are both inspiring and chilling.

Especially the supreme sacrifice of Jesus.

I have never really had the courage to stand for anything I believe in and the thought of dying for a principle frightens me to death (no pun).

However, it seems to me that the crux of Martyrdom is the giving of one's life for one's belief.

Perhaps the most ominous example is that of the early Christians who chose to face Lions rather than denounce their faith in Christ.

In all religions, faiths, cultures there are probably stories of people who have died for causes. They have killed and been killed "In the name of God."

Legions have given their lives for causes worthy and unworthy, just and unjust.

Witness the recent debate over whether Jihadists who strap bombs on themselves killing dozens of infidels, including women and children, for the sake of their Deity, presumably assuring themselves a special place in heaven, are martyr or terrorist.

But we have a new ingredient in the mix. The martyr is supposed to die!! What if he screws up and lives after killing others in the name of God? Shouldn't he ask for a tighter noose, a sharper axe or sword, a second bullet, a hungrier lion and submit to dying?

Or will he say "Ooopps, God, I'm sorry I really didn't mean it!? Epecially, after he has taken the lives of a dozen poor souls?

Point in question: the recent massacre at Fort Hood, Texas. While no one knows for sure, the media talk is that the act for Nidal Malik Hasan was one of Jihad. If it was, he should have died, yet he lived. He should therefore request immediate death, and not accept another breath of life.

Yet today on CNN, his lawyer is saying Hasan is considering a plea of not guilty for reason on insanity!

Doesn't that automatically negate the act as one of Martyrdom? You can't have it both ways! Unless, of course, he means that Jihad is insanity.

I wonder where failed Martyrs go, Heaven or Hell? Or Limbo? Or whether they even go at all?

747: Join Your Local Campus Atheist Club

Image via Wikipedia

Just read about a girl in a campus Atheist club who said "very few people know we exist."

Funny, that's exactly what God says.

I wonder what they do at their meetings? Convince one another of their non beliefs?

If they fund raise, what do they do with "In God We Trust" engraved on bills?

I hope they give them back.

I wonder if they proselytize? Pass out flyers on corners? Baptize? Preach? Take up collections at their meetings.

Have they ever read Camus, Sartre?

There's still the old argument that the chances that life is just one big accident are as good as tossing a boxful of nuts and bolts into the air and having them fall to the ground as a 747.

I Read a billboard once that read: "I'd rather believe in Hell and be wrong than not believe in Hell and be wrong."

We really don't have much to lose if we lived our life believing in a God that doesn't exist. We just might have lived better lives, who knows?

But we would have missed a lot of parties....

I've always wondered if there is any difference is in asking "Do you believe in God?" or "Do you believe in a God?"

The Winds of Change Are Blowing: Adios, Senior Dobbs

Image via Wikipedia

The announcement of Lou Dobbs' retirement from CNN comes really as no big surprise. For some, it was long overdue.

His reasons for leaving are indeed noble: "to seek a more activist role" because "the strong winds of change have been buffeting our country", which must be engaged with "constructive problem solving". I like the "buffeting" part. Whew, the Vato waxes almost poetic here.

Dobbs is well known to Latinos and Hispanics for his tirades against the menace "immigrants" and illegal aliens pose to the American middle class ideal. His mockery of Mexico's government would be downright insulting if one were to ignore our own government and its shenanigans as the supposed role model.

If he would have had his way he would round up the whole bunch (12 million), and ship them back to their own country. Trouble is we tried this in the 30's and "Operation Wetback" became an embarrassment to the U.S. exacerbating racial profiling, as "legal" Mexicans were deported right along with the illegals! Oops. Rousting of bars and restaurants was common, harassing dozens of "legals" to net only one "illegal". It wasn't wise to eat at a Mexican restaurant.

The U.S. even paid Mexicans, legal or not, to go back "to where they came from". Problem was some of them came from "here", and their lineages could be traced back to before the arrival of the Mayflower!! Another problem was once illegals were deposited on the other side, they just swam back. The U.S. then tried dumping them off way down around Mexico City. This just made it a little harder for them to come back.

I suspect this is the probably "independent" "constructive problem solving" he refers to. Yeah, but we've heard it all before.

He tried to demonstrate his wit and rhetorical skills in a televised "debate" with Univision's "Noticiero" anchor woman Maria Elena Salinas. At worst, it was like a bully picking on a neighborhood pest. At best it was a draw.

His "no holds barred... acerbic... tough... relentless... independent" style sounded pretty much like just another right winged Republican to me. But it did catch the ire and attention of Latinos and Hispanics. So much so that groups across the country have recently united in calling for Sr. Lou's resignation (or firing) from CNN.

Of course, his retirement was not in the least, prompted by these protests. When one feels "the winds of change", he must of course, change. But isn't this a darned coincidence?

Bob Dylan said it best in the 60's: "The Times They Are A'Changin".... Si, they are changin'.

Small World, Small War

Image via Wikipedia

Several weeks ago a U.S. Chopper went down in Iraq.

There was nothing on the six o'clock news on NBC, nothing on ABC, nothing on CBS, nothing on CNN.

Later that day my wife received a phone call from a dear friend in Arizona telling her to pray for her son-in-law in Iraq.

Her daughter had just received a call from the Department of Defense telling her that a U.S. military chopper had been shot down in Iraq and of the four soldiers on board, three died and one had been mortally wounded, clinging to life.

They could only tell her that her husband was one of the soldiers on board.

My wife's friend asked for prayers. I prayed for the men who died and their families, especially for our friend's son-in-law, "Thy will be done."

A couple of days later, my wife's friend called to confirm that the one surviving soldier was her son-in-law, and that he had been moved to a trauma center.

Last week, my oldest son who is a truck driver, called to tell us that one of his fellow drivers had just attended the funeral of a local family whose son had died in Iraq. He had been one of the three men on board a downed helicopter who died and that a fourth one had survived. "The only thing the family knows", his friend said, "is that the surviving soldier's family lives somewhere in Arizona".

About a week ago my wife's friend called again saying that her son-in-law has been improving so quickly that the military will soon be sending him to the front. "Please continue to pray for him", she pleaded in tears.

"Son, This Is Going To Hurt Me More Than It Does You."

Image by HA! Designs - Artbyheather via Flickr

According to CNN, a recent study has found that children who were spanked scored 5 percentage points lower on IQ tests, than those who were not!! Give me a break.

What I want to know is how they know for sure that those who scored lower weren't already 5 points dumber in IQ before they were even spanked?

Maybe that's why they were spanked in the first place: because they weren't smart enough to figure out how to lie their way out of it?

Spare me the sobs. "Time outs" didn't work with us and neither did "Go to your room!" We were so poor we had no room to go to!

In my day, some of our parents believed they were entitled to beat the hell out us with belts, ironing cords or switches! And none of us were the worse for it.

Today, they would have been arrested for child abuse.

But now that I think about it, I have always wondered why I have such a low IQ.... hmmmmmmm.

Keeping America Safe: Happiness Is A Warm Gun

Democrats, Run for your lives!!!

Image via Wikipedia

Just read where the sale of ammuntion has skyrocketed this year, from 7 billion rounds last year to 9 billion bullets this year.

One dealer was cited as saying spikes in ammunition sales is not unusual during times when Democrats are in power, but that this is amazing.

America is literally "biting the bullet." Bullets for breakfast lunch, and dinner.

Does anyone remember the Beatles' song: Happiness is a Warm Gun"? That made me feel warm all over, like a nocturnal emmision of sorts.

"When I feel you, in my arms I know nobody can do me no harm"
(Beatles)

Maybe I'll become a Republican.

Late Summer Night's Dream: A Cricket Symphony

Image by azrainman via Flickr

Image by L-T-L via Flickr

I realized this summer just how many crickets we have in our backyard. As a child, through open screen doors and windows, it just wasn't summer unless the multitude of crickets was chirping in the darkness.

What a lovely chorus. One lives inside a potted plant sitting on a step of the deck, leading to our backyard.

He madly serenades his Senorita until he hears us approach, then abruptly cuts short the sonata in mid phrase! He will not begin again until he is absolutely certain it is safe.

We will miss our musical friends now that Fall approaches. I wonder where they spend the Winter?

Summer nights and crickets belong together, a perfect marriage, like the stars and the black abyss of night.

God couldn't have planned it better.

Excuse me, while I sing my own Senorita, a love song on my guitar.

Jiminy Cricket, man.