Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Luddites Unite – Well, sort of
The flashy promises of technology should be likened to those of the man in the plaid suit, with too big mouth, promising like-new used cars for a song. Shame on you for believing.
Rather, shame on me. I understand this technology, at least many parts of it; those I’ve studied. Not many years ago, it was discovered by researchers that people believed what showed up on a computer screen more than they would believe the same information on paper. It did not take advertisers long to capitalize on this. They simply peddled their stuff via a computer screen shown in a TV or magazine ad.
The second part. Religion is defined as the service and worship of God or the supernatural. Some say that traditional religion has been replaced by science, that in fact, science is religion for many, a belief system. Despite all it’s revelations, science will never afford us salvation, nor will the purchase of more stuff. A good walk in the woods will heal the soul just as well.
Rather, shame on me. I understand this technology, at least many parts of it; those I’ve studied. Not many years ago, it was discovered by researchers that people believed what showed up on a computer screen more than they would believe the same information on paper. It did not take advertisers long to capitalize on this. They simply peddled their stuff via a computer screen shown in a TV or magazine ad.
The second part. Religion is defined as the service and worship of God or the supernatural. Some say that traditional religion has been replaced by science, that in fact, science is religion for many, a belief system. Despite all it’s revelations, science will never afford us salvation, nor will the purchase of more stuff. A good walk in the woods will heal the soul just as well.
# posted by F X @ 7:42 AM 
Sunday, July 17, 2005
The Dogs of Babel
a novel by Carolyn Parkhurst
"I remember my wife in white. I remember her walking toward me on our wedding day, a bouquet of red flowers in her hand.
And I remember her running away from me in anger, her body stiff as a stone. I remember the sound of her breath as she slept, I remember the way her body felt in my arms. I remember, always I remember, that she brought solace to my life as well as grief. That for every dark moment we shared between us, there was a moment of such brightness I almost could not bear to look at it head-on. I try to remember the woman she was and not the woman I have built out of spare parts to comfort me in my mourning. And I find, more and more, as the days go by and the balm of my forgiveness washes over the cracked and patched surface of my heart, I find that remembering her as she was is a gift I can give us both."
"I remember my wife in white. I remember her walking toward me on our wedding day, a bouquet of red flowers in her hand.
And I remember her running away from me in anger, her body stiff as a stone. I remember the sound of her breath as she slept, I remember the way her body felt in my arms. I remember, always I remember, that she brought solace to my life as well as grief. That for every dark moment we shared between us, there was a moment of such brightness I almost could not bear to look at it head-on. I try to remember the woman she was and not the woman I have built out of spare parts to comfort me in my mourning. And I find, more and more, as the days go by and the balm of my forgiveness washes over the cracked and patched surface of my heart, I find that remembering her as she was is a gift I can give us both."
# posted by F X @ 2:36 PM
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Equal Rights
I received an email from Mary recently, with the following lines:
“Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.”
I too believe in God, as Mary does. Minorities have multiplied, unmanaged, unbalanced, loud only for their own voice, self interested only.
"My way!" they demand.
Seems some management is in Order. Let's see.... Hmmmm. Perhaps we should elect, hmmm, a President. That's it! A President - someone to manage the varities of interests and citizens in the Country, without creating laws for every damn thing. This country's success is founded in innovation, in creative thinking, with a respect for all, and enough of a legal system.
Of course, management sometimes means some people are unhappy for a while, till they see the good of the decisions, and get used to it. I for one am not getting used to the current style of letting smaller voices have their way, regardless of impact on the majority. Tolerance, yes, of course. That is what America is. Common sense about issues, too, has a real place in our lives. It is not the job of lawyers and judges to create laws for common sense.
“Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.”
I too believe in God, as Mary does. Minorities have multiplied, unmanaged, unbalanced, loud only for their own voice, self interested only.
"My way!" they demand.
Seems some management is in Order. Let's see.... Hmmmm. Perhaps we should elect, hmmm, a President. That's it! A President - someone to manage the varities of interests and citizens in the Country, without creating laws for every damn thing. This country's success is founded in innovation, in creative thinking, with a respect for all, and enough of a legal system.
Of course, management sometimes means some people are unhappy for a while, till they see the good of the decisions, and get used to it. I for one am not getting used to the current style of letting smaller voices have their way, regardless of impact on the majority. Tolerance, yes, of course. That is what America is. Common sense about issues, too, has a real place in our lives. It is not the job of lawyers and judges to create laws for common sense.
# posted by F X @ 7:26 AM
