Category: Uncategorized

Is simple, take a personality test. Actually, take several personality tests as each one asks slightly different questions. I specifically am recommending that you take tests that align with the Jung and Myers typology as I believe people, in general, are sliding scales not neat little packages. I also recommend you read the accompanying information on each of the websites as well as spending some time researching the different personality types to gain an understanding of yourself as well as others.

Basically, though the Jung-Myers topology consists of sixteen basic personality types, based on combinations of the following four areas.

general attitude:
Extraverted (E) vs. Introverted (I)
Function of perception:
Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N)
Function of judgement:
Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F)
Balance of Perception and Judgement
Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P)

Now, do not be surprised if you discover that you do not cleanly fit into just a single personality type. I myself am borderline on Function and Balance to such a degree that I fluctuate between INTJ, INFJ, INTP, and INFP usually within 1-3% on any given test. So go and take the following tests and maybe gain a bit of insight into yourself and others.

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp
https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test
http://personality-testing.info/tests/OEJTS/
http://similarminds.com/jung_word_pair.html
and for fun try this one as well
http://www.testcolor.com/personalitytest/personalitytest.php

It does not matter whether we are  liberal, conservative, or somewhere in between; Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Atheist, or any other religion; no matter how society defines us or we define ourselves, as human beings we have biases that drive our views of the world and of other people. These are the biases we are raised with, we learn them from our families, friends, schools, religious institutions. Even in adulthood we can learn new biases whether on the job or through experiences of life.  These biases can  be manipulated easily through fear and uncertainty.

We have choices though about the way we live our lives and the people we choose to be. Just as we can choose to do right or wrong, we can choose to acknowledge the biases that we have and work through them. It is not enough though that we as individuals work to overcome our biases, we must take a stand against these biases.

How often do we see the Bible verse from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 about what Love is printed on posters, t-shirts, and other items. It is one of those go-to Christian motivation passages of the Bible which people pull out and I think that is good, it is important to learn, study, and understand what love is meant to be if one is a Disciple of the Christ who is Jesus. It is my concern though that when we pull out only those verses we miss out on the fullness of the lesson that is taught in 1 Corinthians 13 which I see is so valid in today’s world

Let us look first at verses 1-3 – 1 If I speak in the tongues of humans and of angels, but I do not have love, I have become a sounding brass [gong] or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but I do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I dole-out all my possessions, and if I hand-over my body so that I may boast, but I do not have love, I am profited nothing.

When we react to something out of anger or frustration, how often do we get our point across? Probably never, we end up throwing insults and using disparaging language that shuts down any communication. Sometimes both sides of the disagreement end up yelling past each other, accusing the other party of doing exactly what they themselves are doing. Now in a perfect world, we would all have hearts full of love and we could simply tell people I disagree with you and here are my reasons, because their hearts are also filled with love they would listen and consider our reasons. Since ours is not a perfect world we should temper our disagreements, expressing ourselves in a loving and respectful way but expecting neither love nor respect in return. We must accept that there are those in this world we cannot reach but by doing what is right we send sparks into the world that can light flames in the darkness.

We all have “visions” of what will happen if someone does X or Y and a “body of knowledge about certain things” upon which rests all that we believe, these visions and body of knowledge are the strength upon which our faith ultimately rests. Now we each have a responsibility to evaluate what we believe and honestly test those beliefs against what Love is. There will be times when those beliefs will pass the litmus test, the majority of the time though if examined closely they will not. We must constantly be testing what we believe so that we can grow.

Then there are those who give out charity on their terms and then boast that for example they “Support Veterans” or “Feed the Homeless” and they put out their statements for all to hear. If coming from a position of love, one would be trying to convince others to join them in these charitable tasks not just making statements. More people would be saying “I work with an organization that supports Veterans and we need help with …” or similar statements to try and encourage others to become more charitable.

Let us move on then to verses 4-8 that describe what Love is – 4 Love is patient. Love shows-kindness. Love does not envy, does not brag, is not puffed-up, 5 does not behave-dishonorably, does not seek its own things, is not provoked, does not count the bad, 6 does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices-with the truth, 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But if there are prophecies, they will be set-aside. If there are tongues, they will cease. If there is knowledge, it will be set-aside.

So this is it, our litmus test by which we check our words, actions, and beliefs about ourselves and other people. Ourselves? Absolutely, we are told the second greatest commandment is to love our neighbors, as we love ourselves. How can your heart towards others be loving if you loathe yourself? If you do not see that you have self-worth can you truly value another? So you have to start looking at your life through this microscope and it is hard. Here is a harsh truth, you will fall down, come up short, and fail at this more times than you can count. You could spend a lifetime trying to master this as a way of life and still find yourself getting angry and lashing out at someone. There are people in this world who will hate you and express that openly to you and you will react. That is why when Jesus taught his disciples to pray he taught that we are to be constantly asking the Lord to “And forgive us our debts, as we also forgave our debtors” because this is a way of life to be learned.

This brings us into the rest of 1 Corinthians 13 8-13 – 8 Love never fails. But if there are prophecies, they will be set-aside. If there are tongues, they will cease. If there is knowledge, it will be set-aside. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part— 10 but when the complete thing comes, the thing in part will be set-aside. 11 When I was a child, I was speaking like a child, thinking like a child, counting like a child— when I have become a man, I have set-aside the things of the child. 12 For now we are seeing through a mirror, in an enigma— but then face to face. Now I know in part— but then I will know-fully, just as I also was fully-known. 13 But now these three are remaining— faith, hope, love. But love is the greater of these.

Yes I duplicated verse 8 in this section, not only is the statement “Love never fails” part of the litmus test we use, but it speaks to the permanence of love. As we mature and exam our lives through the lens of love we will be changed and we will change the world. Our language towards others will change, our perception towards others will change until we reach the stage of verse 12 “For now we are seeing through a mirror, in an enigma- but then face to face,” in Luke 6:31 Jesus said “And just as you want people to be doing to you, be doing to them likewise”. Everyone will be your equal, there will be no desire to see anyone otherwise, and you will be kind to them because you will have achieved God’s peace.

If you adhere to being a Disciple of the Christ, who is Jesus, then how do you take a principled stand against the things being wrought by Trump and still maintain a loving heart and attitude towards him and his supporters. In the following passage from 1 Peter 4 we are admonished that love covers a multitude of sins and to be hospitable.

1 Peter 4 7 And the end of all things has drawn-near. Therefore be sound-minded and be sober in your prayers— 8 above all, having fervent love for each other, because love covers a multitude of sins; 9 being hospitable to one another without grumbling; 10 as each received a grace-gift, ministering it to each other as good stewards of the diversified grace of God

And I think on these words and I do try to understand how to actually put that into action, it weighs heavy on my heart because I have seen how conservatism has twisted the words of God, I have personally felt the wrath and disdain that can come from believing that everyone is my neighbor. I see myself growing angry and I try to check myself but I am the least of the Disciples in this world, young and immature in my faith, still crawling. I cry out to God for understanding and I am reminded that Jesus referred to Pharisees and Sadducees as vipers and threw the money-changers out of the temple. God admonishes me at every turn that love, justice, mercy, and forgiveness are his ways, a parent does not simply allow their child to do wrong but provides correction and instruction which is in accordance with sowing love and knowledge. In Proverbs 1:7 it says The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. But I see my tongue as harsh and lack faith that I am one to provide instruction or impart wisdom.

 

I am a special snowflake. I was raised to be a gentleman. I take my hat off when I come indoors. I open doors for other people. I use words like ma’am and sir, usually accompanied by a yes or no. I was taught to serve, from the oath I took at Seventeen when I enlisted in the US Army, being a PTA President when my kids were in elementary school, to volunteering in my community. I know everyone was not raised the same way I was and that is okay I am not here to judge.

I am a special snowflake. I know that by myself, as with any snowflake, I amount to nothing when alone, it is only when large amounts of snowflakes are together that they form anything substantial. Togetherness of snowflakes does not mean being identical, we can all be unique and still exist in harmony. If we were all identical we would still be naked in a cave.

I am a special snowflake. My parents are giants and I have reached as high as I have by standing on their shoulders. I hope that my shoulders have been high enough for my children to see the mountain top in all it’s glory, because that is a place for special snowflakes to congregate. As my children rise towards the mountain top, it is my hope they take as many other special snowflakes with them as they can because there is strength in numbers.

I am a special snowflake and I am unapologetic of that fact.

The steps of men are cold and empty. They strut like peacocks in the yard, flashy, dazzling the masses as they show their asses. Jokesters looking for a laugh, angry  with the world they turn away, hiding their insecurities. Incoherently calling out in an empty room, why?  But God moved on, catch you later. When you’re  ready.

I keep coming back to this passage and different messages I have heard lately bring me back to It as well, thank you Reverend Youngblood.

Isaiah 1 15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood! 16 Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. 17 Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.

And my mind goes straight to the following passage because learning to do right must start with what is most important to God.

Matthew 22:36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

As I meditate on these two passages, I know that I am to have love in my heart for all. I know that I must seek justice and that mercy follows justice because God’s love is merciful and he stands by the needy.

Psalm 109 30 With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord; in the great throng of worshipers, I will praise him. 31 For he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save their lives from those who would condemn them.

So, if I am not working for the needy, then I stand in opposition to God. If I place barriers between myself and others, then I stand in opposition to God because we are either Jew or Gentile and the New Covenant in Christ is for both. Not only is it for Jew and Gentile but it is each person’s free will to accept or reject. My acceptance means that I must take up my cross and follow Jesus. Now here is the thing about Jesus, he bowed down to God, not men who ruled, he gave himself over to the rulers only so that he could be the sacrifice. The petty kingdoms of men are not why he came, he came proclaiming the Kingdom of Heaven.

What then is a true Disciple of Christ to do? Are we to establish governments of men or to do God’s work? Should we implement bastardized versions of Mosaic law or do God’s work? I wonder if maybe there is something, some passages perhaps that spelled out what Disciples of Christ are supposed to do, what God’s work entails?

Matthew 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Mark 16:15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

Luke 24:46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power, the Holy Spirit having come upon you. And you will be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and as far as the last place of the earth”.

So, God wants his Disciples to go out into the world and preach his gospel to all creation and yes nations are mentioned but since salvation is an individual relationship with God then I believe this means all people. Also, God wants his people to do what is right, pursue justice and mercy, to be God’s ambassadors on earth. Now, I am sure others can take the Bible and find justification for discrimination, immigration bans, walls or whatever else suits their hearts desires, but my prayer is that I am understanding God’s desires and that what I have expressed is right and true.

This is weighing heavy on my mind today.

Matthew 7:24 Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and is doing them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the bed-rock. 25 And the rain came down, and the rivers came, and the winds blew— and they fell against that house. And it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the bedrock. 26 And everyone hearing these words of Mine and not doing them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand. 27 And the rain came down, and the rivers came, and the winds blew— and they struck against that house. And it fell, and the falling of it was great”.

Sometimes the houses we build are the countries we live in and the ideologies that were used to form the governments to which we are loyal. Governments some of us swore oaths to because we were willing to lay down our lives for ideas like freedom, liberty, and equality. Ideas that we believe are for all people no matter their color, sex, sexuality, creed, religion, or age. Nothing should be a measure of a person by which these unalienable rights are denied. And yet there are those who come into power and authority, who believe that these rights are not of the Creator and can be taken away, denied, or not applicable to certain people. We see the sand crumbling beneath our feet and can only cry out.
Sometimes the houses we build are tangible parts of our lives that we take for granted until we realize they are made of sand and we see the approaching rain.

Mark 12:17 And Jesus said to them, “Give back the things of Caesar to Caesar, and the things of God to God”.

If we give our hearts over to God and focus on loving our neighbors and our enemies, we will be ok in the end, but we must not lose our faith in the storms and valleys.

This topic has been slipping through my grasp since Kelly Anne the Clown said it, and yes I said clown but not because I mean it with hate or spite, no it is because she is straight up clowning or needs to be drug tested. But seriously we should all be proud of Kelly Anne for finally admitting that there are Republicans who believe and operate from a perspective that you can have alternative facts. It really explains a lot about conservatism in general and why there are people who wholeheartedly believe the way they do.

Here is a list of just a few things that work if you use alternative facts:
Climate Change denial
Denial of systemic racism
Belief that the USA is a Christian promise land
Denying the deist beliefs of the founding fathers
That we found WMDs in Iraq
That Al Qaeda was in Iraq
That it is the fault of minorities or illegal aliens or NAFTA that they do not have good jobs.
That the same business people who shipped jobs overseas for their own profit, can and will bring them back with good wages.
That President Obama wasn’t born in America.
That President Obama created the entire mess in the Middle East.
That Black Lives Matter is a terrorist organization that wants more than just the same seat at the table as white people.
That the Republican party of today is the same as it was when Lincoln was president, and that the Democratic Party is the same as they were before the two swapped sides during the Civil Rights movement.
That Republicans didn’t protest after President Obama got elected. What else would you call the tea party, the oath keepers, and probably the largest gun and ammo buying spree in history, but protest?

It is easy to keep going, heartbreakingly easy. What worries me the most is the question, how do you work, having meaningful dialog, and reach compromise with people who believe that facts can be so arbitrary and capricious? Between alternative facts, goal posts that keep moving, and republican religious zealotry that prevents compromise, I question whether we can ever heal the divide. I wonder if the Republic has reached the end of its lifespan.

I know trying times are nothing new, but I have a family and friends I love deeply and must be pragmatic in how I consider what tomorrow brings and how I will react.
 

I believe that if you think the worst of people, your actions towards them condemn no one but yourself.

The problem is that we do not live isolated in a vacuum, we live in societies and each of us has influence over those around us. When groups of people start to think the worst of other people because they are different. When they verbally or physically abuse them, isolating them in different ways, people will lash out.

I believe that we all have severe mental disconnects in our thinking. There are people who think kids should fight back against bullies, but if the bullies happen to be cops and those fighting back are a racial or ethnic minority then it is wrong. There are also those who think spiking trees to prevent logging is ok, resulting in death and maiming, but if the police or loggers react aggressively then they are wrong.

I believe that we are all so set in our ways at this point, so determined to hang onto our own beliefs, that listening to reason is a dog that won’t hunt. People who believe that all Muslims are bad can not be convinced otherwise. People who believe that any barriers to immigration are wrong cannot be convinced otherwise. But no matter which ideology you have adhered to and will not back down from I believe that if you do not love your neighbors and your enemies as yourself, well then you have condemned yourself.