My niece, tattling & her dad's beer can

Like every other generation before it I belong to a generation that bemoans what has happened to young people, and what they are doing to themselves.

I was reminded of this story from my life when listening to witness at church this weekend. The man bearing witness was struck by how several impoverished girls in an orphanage shared the remaining half bottle of his soda pop with a total of 15 other children, so each could get a sip. I observed the same type of thing with the Native American children I sponsored. But listen to what happened in my own family, back in the not so good old 1970's.

My brother and wife with their young child, my niece, was visiting grandma's house, where I still had a room. My brother being much older than I, when he went to college I moved into his room, had his furniture and the little knick knacks that he left for me. For example, he had a beautiful little ceramic of a fawn (that I still treasure, though I've not seen it in many years, as all my stuff is locked up in storage out of my reach). On the desk I had a beer can that my brother had used as a pencil cup, and I used it the same. It was cool, being of a brand of beer, Jaguar I think, with decoration of the same skin pattern.

My niece was fairly well grown, a child, not a toddler by any means. I was showing her around my room. In order to give her a feeling for how our family (small as it was) passed down the few things we had (we were poor and all my mom's stuff was lost in World War II), when we got to the pencil cup I told her how it was her dad's.

I was shocked, and still remember, how that little head whipped around to look at me with, to my amazement, dislike! Without a word she ran into the other room, squealing, "Dad! Dad! Aunt C has YOUR CAN!" running as fast as she could to, yep, you guessed it, "tattle" on me. Even when my bro came into the room and fondly reminisced about the can, she just glared at me, thinking only that I had stolen her precious dad's can.

Now, you might think that was funny, but it was quite a jolt for two reasons. One is that this was the first time I met a child that did not understand older sibling handing down to younger sibling his no longer wanted stuff. See, she had fine new bought things all her life. (She would later tell her grandmother that she didn't like staying in her house because she did not have a TV in every room). So I saw the first example of that very worrying and shallow, grasping trend in children, children who are old enough to know better. Second I had a premonition of where this mindset would lead her. And true, now she hangs out with celebrity tattle tales ha.

Parents, parents, parents... you are the generation that my niece belongs to. What are you teaching your children? If you were born into the way my niece was, how much worse is your children's generation? The Bible and good parenting teaches moderation, grace, good manners, appreciation, and being honorable (not tattlers) for a reason: it is not only the righteous and just way to be, but it is the way to avoid many physical and spiritual pitfalls in life. It is not healthy nor is it fair to not object when your little prince or princess has their fanny buffed constantly so that they think everyone else has "their stuff," where no matter what they have legitimately, they resent what others have, as small as it is.

So I'm glad there are still generous children who share rather than tattle, though according to the witness I heard on Sunday, I guess they are in Mongolia!

Urgent observation: who do you believe?

You are taught by your parents, your teachers, your friends, and society as a whole. Yet despite all the education that surrounds you, there is less truth being spoken than ever in human history. Young people (yes, this is mostly for you, as the older generations have a lot of zombie and metal robot mind that is now ingrown and a barrier), I have discussed the search for truth in the faith context, here is now secular guidance.

I'm stimulated to blog this because I just heard a talk show host whine about how much of a weird martyr he is, blah blah blah, as he tries to be the "educator" of truth. Now, understand this: I'm annoyed by that attitude even if I do agree with a particular statement. Here is why:

You cannot be taught by someone who serves two masters: the truth and commercial enterprise.

No one, no matter how well intentioned or well informed can be the "guru" or the "teacher" of the truth if they are partly zombie due to their being paid for their "truth giving."

This is the downfall of every false prophet, every paid teacher, every parent who has an agenda other than parenthood, and of course politics, media and the school systems in general.

All of them are being paid not to tell the truth, but to enact a role.

Before I continue to explain the problem, let me veer into the faith side of faith and reasoning (which is what I am teaching to you) to help you understand, now, more clearly God. Now you can understand that not only is God the truth in all matters, God is the gold standard by which you must measure truth because... God cannot be paid. God is everything and created everything, and is all Knowing and is everything that ever was or ever will be. God is the only existence that is not only all truth, but is not and cannot be reimbursed in any way for the truth. God gives his truth to the poorest person who gives him nothing; God even gives only the truth to people who spit on him and do not believe him.

So how do you determine who is a truthful teacher? Well, here's a big ring on the clue phone. How much are they paid, depend on having a paying job, write books and charge money for seminars, have perks and position, have prestige lavished on them, or, at the innocent end of the same spectrum though, are enslaved by people who hold their livelihood in their hands, and thus must toe the line in what they teach?

Friends, in the old days, many teachers were unpaid monks and nuns. The elders of villages that had no education system at all told the truth of their culture's beliefs unchanged by agenda to their children generation after generation. This is in contrast to salaries, prestige, offices, titles, retirement plans, second homes and other gains that drive just about every person who "teaches" in this society. How much can you believe the truth? You better understand that you are not getting the truth (intentionally or unintentionally) by anyone who is gaining lots of lucre, swag and ass kissing as a part of their job.

People in the talk show circuit of course are big shots and also peddle their wares and those of others. Don't bother telling me how they have to make a living and support their family; I get that more than anyone else. (By the way, if you've not read my capitalism series, or are ready to do so again, check it out under that label). But the problem is that in the old days people could survive without a salary (they could grow their own food, build their own houses, marry someone with a job, etc). So there was no monetary motivation to tell a particular "truth" or "truthiness." Parents genuinely wanted their kids to get life, to not stumble over the same stuff they did. But now parents teach their kids stuff that is commercial agenda driven, whether they know it or not. It may be innocent (you need to learn this in order to get a high paying job) or agenda driven (they want to justify their own bad behavior and lifestyle by teaching you stuff that is plain bogus... and if you wonder what I mean think of the worst example which is a household where parents justify drugs and alcohol). You are not going to get truth and you are not going to get even facts that you can string together using reasoning because it is not in the agenda and economic interest of just about everyone to teach: 1) faith 2) reasoning 3) facts about human history 4) discernment. Schools now teach none of the above.

In some kindness to your parents, they were the first guinea pigs to come out of the "nu" educational systems, the ones that don't teach 1-4, so they could not, in general, do better with you, even if they were aware and wanted to. I hope as they read my blog they want to change too, but my focus is on you, young people. This is because as I said here, the previous two generations are maimed in their ability to self critique. I have never seen people resist honest self assessment as these. They don't want to change a THING about themselves, but they want to go to seminars to be super heroes.

Young people, use the check list I have given to you here and be aware that no one can receive any sort of prestige or compensation and then be a totally truthful agenda free teacher to you or to anyone. Money, rather than truth and your welfare, drives everyone who opens their mouth, uses a pen, inputs to a computer or media device. God drives the truth.

If you connect with God, directly, in your own personal humble relationship with him, as you get to know him you understand that he is never compensated for being the truth, and he is not "paid" or "honored" in return for caring for every human being, believer or non believer. Once you have your gold standard for truth telling, which is God, you can now discern the motivations and infrastructures of learning that human beings offer to you. You will start to better understand teachers with a political or monetary axe to grind, versus those who are yes, stuck in the system, but who still do the best they are able to convey unvarnished truth and the tools by which to learn (1-4). Still, hear me and believe me: you cannot rely on anyone because everyone is stuck in the tar pit. You must supplement your honest learning from even the best of sources with your own study and powers of observation. Unfortunately it is a chain reaction whereby even well meaning teachers today rely on the bull crap that was taught to them.

I have more thoughts but want to get this essential message out because from this understanding all else derives. All the best and thinking of you.

Wrong Madonna visited

I reckon so.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=aVTxGjc5PE5k

Bible Reading: Luke 20:45-47

Then within the hearing of all the people, he said to [his] disciples, "Be on guard against the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and love greetings in marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. They will receive very severe condemnation."

Kindly read every word of this article

I would especially like people who consider themselves experts in the following areas: race relationships and civil rights, colonialism, the "failings" of organized religion, the "glories" of multi-cultural and paganistic "new age" beliefs. Humans have a brokenness that cannot be blamed on churches, society or a particular race. Here is what happens when witchcraft runs amok and infects several countries.

I would also like those of you who favor a slippery slope in the purchasing of body parts for transplants to read this article carefully and think about it. Do you really want to "live longer" if your life was bought by someone who used a machete to kill a baby and use his body parts? The membrane between the two scenarios is actually quite thin.

I would also like you morons who love "vampire fiction" and worse, let your children read it, think about this. Again, you are not much removed from running around with that machete in your hands. And that includes nut jobs like a certain actress who used to wear a "blood vial" around her neck along with her husband. You are encouraging that very mindset of commodity and supernatural body parts, rather than raising the kids to be sane and have faith in a mainstream genuine faith. Read every word of this article and try to imagine what it is like to have three countries worth of psychotics wanting to cut your babies (and you) into body parts for magic. Try not to be a literature or celebrity "poster child" for this "mindset."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7730193.stm

Mothers hacked in albino attacks

Two mothers in western Tanzania have been attacked by gangs who were after their children who have albinism.

The women were hacked with machetes when the attackers failed to find the two children.

Albinos have been targeted in a series of killings around the country due to a belief their body parts can make magic potions more effective.

At least 30 people with albinism have been killed since March, including a seven-month old baby.

On Wednesday, attackers forced a woman to take them to her home, looking for her nine-year-old daughter in Kibondo District, close to the Burundi border.

The girl was not in the house and so the men attacked the mother.

In the second attack, a gang of four men broke into a house at the Lugufu camp in Kigoma, which hosts refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, looking for a child with albinism.

The child, aged two, escaped kidnap after falling under the bed unnoticed.
The women are undergoing treatment for their injuries.

High prevalence

On Thursday, police in south-western Tanzania arrested a man who was attempting to sell his albino wife to Congolese traders.

The BBC's Vicky Ntetema in Dar es Salaam says the attacks appear to have spread from north-western Tanzania, where they were first reported.

The attacks also suggest that there is interest in albino body parts from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi, our correspondent says.

The Kigoma regional police commander said the attackers had fled and a manhunt was underway.

The attacks on albinos have been linked to witchdoctors who are peddling the belief that potions made from an albino's legs, hair, hands, and blood can make a person rich.

President Jakaya Kikwete ordered a police crackdown on those involved in the killings in March, and 170 witchdoctors have since been arrested.

But BBC investigations suggest that some police are being "bought off" in order to look away when such crimes are committed.

The prevalence of albinism in Tanzania appears to be high and the Albino Association of Tanzania says the actual number of albinos could be as high as 173,000.
A census is now underway to verify the figures.

Celebrities visiting Haiti

I appreciate it. I really, really do. As you know the Haitians are near and dear to my heart and I hate seeing their suffering.

But please do not go unless you also bring along with you supplies. Even a modest car load of supplies can make a huge difference. In other words, stock the kitchens, don't just "raise awareness."

When I sponsored Native American children and visited them in their homes, my husband and I always stopped at the grocery store on the way there and loaded up the rental car with food and toys for the children, and things for the bathroom. In other words, we stocked up and brought a full vehicle. Celebrities can and should do the same. Your luggage should be food and necessities, and you empty it out at the place that you visit. THAT is setting an example and trust me, even a modest amount of food is a God send to the people who have nothing.

I remember that absolute delight that my friends (family of nine at the time) had when one of our bags contained a giant jar of peanut butter. They had not had their own jar of peanut butter in the home in something like a year. When we brought milk it was the first milk they had for all seven of the children that was not saved for just the youngest to have, or obtained during the school lunch programs. One bag of groceries can provide incredible help to even a family of nine.

The days of the stupid "awareness raising" and "concerts for blah blah blah" are over. People are in trouble everywhere and sliding backwards in receiving assistance. It is time for people to be grassroots in their assistance. People who can afford to go to Haiti on good will visits should also be bringing supplies with them, just as was done in the early progressive days of charity and disaster relief. That is how it used to be done until the larger relief arrives and the systemic problems that cause the disaster can be addressed on a comprehensive level.

If the celebrities discretely left cash donations, not seeking publicity, more power to them and God will see and know. But they also need to teach the public how to help when institutional and large scale "fund raising" fails. If celebrities were "Martha Stewart" to the church food and supplies pantry for the day or week that they arrive, it has an enormous ripple effect.

So I thank you again for your concern that I know is genuine, and for your behind the scenes generosity where it occurs, but you must also be role models of modest scale "home making" for these desperate people. Stop waiting for the "big rescue" and "big projects." Fill up your stupid Hummers, rental cars, helicopter, plane, boat or whatever transport you used to get there with food and supplies, just as if you were visiting a huge family or clan in desperate need. You think that feeding a hundred people for a week is not large or good enough for you? Think again.

What ought to scare Damon instead of Palin

Having starred in this, um, "work of art." He ought to be much more frightened of that than the thought of a "President Palin."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuck_on_You_(film)