Comments for Mephistos

Comment on Sequenced Traffic Lights by Man Overboard

Man Overboard — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:35:30 +0000

I live in a seaside town on the Jersey Shore and in the summer time this drives me insane as the traffic lights are only three blocks apart and in sequence.

The key to a successful trip down Long Beach Blvd in July is a heavy foot and a reaction time on par with drag racers. Also required is a blatant disregard for the welfare of pedestrians, their children, and their pets.

Do this and you will defeat the sequence.

Comment on Non-Commercial Christmas by cime shadow weaver

cime shadow weaver — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:44:34 +0000

thanks Ray!!!! If you ever want to barter just let me know I love the handmade gifts the best. When one takes the time to think about all the hard work and time that goes into the handmade –really makes that gift special. I gave handquilted potholders last year . Took several hours a potholder to make . But my friends knew I thought enough of them to spend my time making them . They werent a cheap dollar tree one. Love your blog !!

Comment on Non-Commercial Christmas by Becky

Becky — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:16:19 +0000

I agree completely that a gift from the heart is worth so much more than money can buy. (at least to most people). And just remember that sometimes homemade candy and cookies go along way for those people with little kids, no talent for crafts or just plain no time.

Keep up the great work. I love to read your blogs.

Comment on WWJD by rcornish

rcornish — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:35:31 +0000

Well said Cort. And I agree 100% the system that we have today is not at all what was the true intent of the founding fathers. If you read through all the blogs here on occasion you find my little rants where I get off on a tangent about just that exact thing.

Comment on WWJD by Cort Kirkland

Cort Kirkland — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 08:03:54 +0000

Let me try to take this one at a time with empirical evidence. Faith is a personal experience or at least it should be. About choosing sides let me share this from Abraham Lincoln, a Republican and devout believer-”Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God’s assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men’s faces; but let us judge not that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered; that of neither has been answered fully.”
As an aside Lincoln also put the kibosh on a movement to pass legislation that Christianity be named officially the religion of the country. Why is that? Simply that religious beliefs don’t make the best policy, and Lincoln still had a good idea of what religious persecution was.
Today, we have a movement to reform our corporate oligarchy into a corporate theocracy. Just curious-how is a government run based on a belief in Christianity any different than one based on Allah? You’re right about god not choosing sides because as an all-powerful being he could choose to eliminate disease, death, miscarriages, and strife in general.
Another hero of the right is Thomas Jefferson, who no doubt was a devout man that just happened to bang his slaves. He also despite his beliefs supported the right to believe in anything because he also knew what persecution was-”Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly, That no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burdened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in nowise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities.”- Virginia Act For Establishing Religious Freedom 1786. In other words, if you choose to worship a rock in your front yard then you certainly can.
From a political perspective our problem is simple, the party system is killing ideas and thought for the sake of affiliation. George Washington warned of this inevitable problem in his farewell address in 1796- “They [political parties] serve to organize faction, to give it an artificial and extraordinary force; to put, in the place of the delegated will of the nation, the will of a party, often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the community; and, according to the alternate triumphs of different parties, to make the public administration the mirror of the ill-concerted and incongruous projects of faction, rather than the organ of consistent and wholesome plans digested by common counsels, and modified by mutual interests.” Or as put more succinctly by Jefferson, “A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.”
So, what can we take away from all this? We all are certainly perfect in believing whatever we want when it comes to faith and religion, but we can just as certainly disagree. Who would Jesus vote for? Neither, obviously. Because this is an issue for man to decide, free will for lack of a better term. Something an omnipotent, omniscient creator is impossible of granting because of the nature of the concept. But in the end, it’s simple, we have destroyed the vision of the founding fathers when it comes to our political system. This is something that our society nor god seems to care about, but as most people forget three telling bible passages. “But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Matthew 5:39. “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12 “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Romans 13:9.

Comment on Seven Year Love by Molly

Molly — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:43:40 +0000

ray, funny, i am in the middle of an awesome book called “the red tent” - it is the entire story (of course brought to life at the liberty of the author) of jacob and leah, rachel, and other 2 wives and all their children …wow, he ended up with 4 wives - probably worth the wait for most guys this book is really amazing if you get the chance - a really fast read, but eye-opening to what was probably going on during those times - she does a great job of bringing those people to life.

Comment on Seven Year Love by keith taylor

keith taylor — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:29:46 +0000

great blog, ray. I enjoyed it very much. ….

Comment on Seven Year Love by rcornish

rcornish — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:58:02 +0000

I guess that is really the hard part then isn’t it - figuring out the ones you truly love and worth the energy to love more.

Comment on Seven Year Love by Scarlet

Scarlet — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:41:46 +0000

The beauty of “Love More” is that it isn’t hard to do. . . .
If you can figure out the ones you love, you want to do it.

Comment on Sequenced Traffic Lights by rcornish

rcornish — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:20:18 +0000

I have had the thought that things were purposefully set to be mismatched on the timing to do just that kind of thing. Yet again - orderly flow of traffic versus retarding the flow of traffic. And come to think of it, another pet peeve of mine - do you think our founding fathers like Washington and Jefferson ever intended for there to be the kind of setup we have with the police and courts regarding traffic issues? That sounds like another blog.