That is a statement I simply must dissagree with. I read that in a cartoon online somewhere. The toon was kidding of course, but some folks just don't like the violence of HALO or other video games.
Me? Well, my screen name is "A Bad Rash" (I like it b/c when I knowck someone off it says "You were killed by A Bad Rash") and I rock at CTF, especially in Blood Gulch and Death Island. I sound like a 12 year old who's had too much sugar! But no, I am but a humble thirty something who enjoys the occasional (weekly) smack down of noobs everywhere. There's nothing like hearing the sultry sound of the announcer saying in his deep radio style voice "Blue team score!", especially if I'm on the blue team AND I'm the one that scored.
But alas it is a love, hate relationship.
LOVE:
1. Working as a TEAM. I love ppl who know how to co-op and work like one unit.
2. Driving the Warthog with a great gunner.
3. Me...running....cloaked....rocket launcher.....boom.
4. Mods that make sense.
HATE:
1. As many do, TKERS! (Team Killers) for you non-players, this is a person that finds it witty to kill thier own team mates. Sick people in this world.
2. Bad Warthog drivers.
3. Others....snipeing me.....a lot.
4. Mods with portals that make you appear 300 feet above the map only yo drop you to your death. Worse than tilting in pinball!
So in short, I like HALO 1. HALO 2 is ok, but my son destroys me in that, so I dare not venture onto any map with him on the opposite team.
For those out there who are totally oppossed to video games, I respect your oppinion. And....I steal your flag and SCORE!!!! To those of you who play any video game for more that 14 hours per week, seek help now, you're an addict. And...I steal YOUR flag and SCORE!!!!
A Bad Rash out......
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Monday, October 10, 2005
Church....the other white meat.
"Us" and "them". "You" and "Us". "Churched" and "Unchurched". "In" and "out". I'm beginning to rethink how I refer to myself as a follower of Jesus and how I refer to people who don't. As a Christian, I've heard, and even said it myself, that we are Christians and therefore, we're on the inside. My thinking for a long time was that since I'm a Christian, I'm in. In the truth, in the faith, in the plan of God, in store for eternity...you get the picture. Of course if I was a Christian and I was "in", then that would mean that someone who is not a Christian is on the "outside". Now scripture does talk about people who believe and those who don't. People who love God and those who don't.
But I see in the “church” an attitude of “Hey, God’s in here [the church] and you’re out there!” A kind of thinking that says Truth and all that God is, is only found within the church or within a group of Christians. I used to think this way. One time I was “preaching” (I think that’s such a silly word…PREACH!!!) about reaching out and going to the “world” with God. Did you catch that? I was saying “We have God so let’s take him ‘there’!” As if God isn’t…..there. Yet the Bible says that the Earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. He’s everywhere. You may think “So? What’s the big deal with that kind of attitude?”
Well, I think that sometimes we portray to people that the church/Christians have absolute truth and no else has any. I know, some may read this and baulk. “Of course we have the truth! Jesus IS truth! If someone rejects Jesus, then they reject truth!” Yeah….sorta.
Let’s say person Q is driving down the road and sees a lady broken down on the side of the road. Hood up, hazard lights on. Let’s say that person Q feels sorry for the lady on the side of the road b/c it’s getting dark, she’s got an infant in the back seat and it’s cold outside. So person Q pulls over to help. Person Q assesses the situation and uses his or her cell phone to call for a tow truck. Then offers the lady and her baby a seat in their warm car while they wait for the truck. Now, forgetting that one really shouldn’t do that from a safety “don’t get abducted” point of view, what would you think about person Q? I mean let’s say that person Q is NOT a mechanic, NOT a super hero and….NOT a Christian. Would you say that person Q did something good? Did person Q do something compassionate? Did person Q live out truth? Yes times 3. But person Q ISN’T A CHRISTIAN. How could he/she do something “true” or “good”?
See, when I read the scriptures, especially about Jesus I see some things different. I don’t see Jesus saying to people “You can’t come to the hillside, until you believe the way we do.” I hear Jesus saying things like “Come to me ALL who are tired and I’ll give you rest.” I mean look at His life. He got accused of being a drunkard and glutton b/c of the company He kept. He hung out with tax collectors, prostitutes and uneducated fishermen (if you like to fish, don’t be offended….the first disciples were fishermen and they really were uneducated….I like fish….and shrimp). Jesus didn’t come to establish a holiness club. He didn’t come and love, live, die and rise for us to build four walls, put up a sign and then say “You there…us here. Line drawn.” He came to show us that ultimate reality IS God and IS everywhere. Now, I am NOT saying that God is IN the trees and water and termites. But all of creation does reflect Him.
Why am I rambling on about this? Because I’m tired of Christians living in a bubble. And I’m tired of people who don’t follow Jesus thinking that “they” don’t belong. I know that when it comes down to it, you can’t really erase completely the labels. There is a HUGE difference between Christian and non (I don’t even like that term). But I wonder what would happen if the average Christian viewed the “world” not as evil, but as belonging to God. Not the “world” as in the anti-God, anti-truth systems/philosophies/ideals, but the “world” as in people and places.
Go outside tomorrow and ask yourself “Am I at home right now? Or am I really waiting to go somewhere else?” If your answer is to go to Heaven, great….and not so great. Don’t forget that one day, the Earth will be your home forever. Read the end of the Book. In fact, I’ve been surprised to see that God started out after making it all He visited the Earth, then He came to fix some things and one day, He’ll move in for good.
Chew for while.
But I see in the “church” an attitude of “Hey, God’s in here [the church] and you’re out there!” A kind of thinking that says Truth and all that God is, is only found within the church or within a group of Christians. I used to think this way. One time I was “preaching” (I think that’s such a silly word…PREACH!!!) about reaching out and going to the “world” with God. Did you catch that? I was saying “We have God so let’s take him ‘there’!” As if God isn’t…..there. Yet the Bible says that the Earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. He’s everywhere. You may think “So? What’s the big deal with that kind of attitude?”
Well, I think that sometimes we portray to people that the church/Christians have absolute truth and no else has any. I know, some may read this and baulk. “Of course we have the truth! Jesus IS truth! If someone rejects Jesus, then they reject truth!” Yeah….sorta.
Let’s say person Q is driving down the road and sees a lady broken down on the side of the road. Hood up, hazard lights on. Let’s say that person Q feels sorry for the lady on the side of the road b/c it’s getting dark, she’s got an infant in the back seat and it’s cold outside. So person Q pulls over to help. Person Q assesses the situation and uses his or her cell phone to call for a tow truck. Then offers the lady and her baby a seat in their warm car while they wait for the truck. Now, forgetting that one really shouldn’t do that from a safety “don’t get abducted” point of view, what would you think about person Q? I mean let’s say that person Q is NOT a mechanic, NOT a super hero and….NOT a Christian. Would you say that person Q did something good? Did person Q do something compassionate? Did person Q live out truth? Yes times 3. But person Q ISN’T A CHRISTIAN. How could he/she do something “true” or “good”?
See, when I read the scriptures, especially about Jesus I see some things different. I don’t see Jesus saying to people “You can’t come to the hillside, until you believe the way we do.” I hear Jesus saying things like “Come to me ALL who are tired and I’ll give you rest.” I mean look at His life. He got accused of being a drunkard and glutton b/c of the company He kept. He hung out with tax collectors, prostitutes and uneducated fishermen (if you like to fish, don’t be offended….the first disciples were fishermen and they really were uneducated….I like fish….and shrimp). Jesus didn’t come to establish a holiness club. He didn’t come and love, live, die and rise for us to build four walls, put up a sign and then say “You there…us here. Line drawn.” He came to show us that ultimate reality IS God and IS everywhere. Now, I am NOT saying that God is IN the trees and water and termites. But all of creation does reflect Him.
Why am I rambling on about this? Because I’m tired of Christians living in a bubble. And I’m tired of people who don’t follow Jesus thinking that “they” don’t belong. I know that when it comes down to it, you can’t really erase completely the labels. There is a HUGE difference between Christian and non (I don’t even like that term). But I wonder what would happen if the average Christian viewed the “world” not as evil, but as belonging to God. Not the “world” as in the anti-God, anti-truth systems/philosophies/ideals, but the “world” as in people and places.
Go outside tomorrow and ask yourself “Am I at home right now? Or am I really waiting to go somewhere else?” If your answer is to go to Heaven, great….and not so great. Don’t forget that one day, the Earth will be your home forever. Read the end of the Book. In fact, I’ve been surprised to see that God started out after making it all He visited the Earth, then He came to fix some things and one day, He’ll move in for good.
Chew for while.
Saturday, June 11, 2005
immortal?! pilgrim?! What the?!
Ever have one of those days where you look around you and think "There is more going on here than I can see."? It's like that timeless, age-old Question that has haunted the minds of people for thousands of years. And it hits you at odd times. Cutting the grass, finishing a test, sitting in traffic, listening to the rain, paying a bill. "Is there more?" Lot's of people have developed the ability to simply do away with Question. Like you know you're about to sneeze and you hold it in. I've found I don't do that very well. It gets messy....lol. But some...maybe lots of people take the "Why am I here?" question and stuff it back down. I guess I can't blame them. I did that for a long time too. The seemingly easy way to take is to ignore the bony finger of Question tapping you on the shoulder and pretend that no one is there. Ever do that? Like when you're working on something and someone is trying to get your attention by just looking at you. And finally after a few minutes you’re like “DUDE! Just say something!” But with Question....no you dare not look up and demand a statement....because you'll just get a question. So you just keep doing whatever and pretend that it's not there. Maybe it'll go away. Probably not. Love compels it to stay and stare at you.
It's a tough question to ponder. Like looking at an ugly kid and saying "How cute....ummmm...how old is he?"
"It's a girl." responds the irritated mother.
"Oh....sorry"
"Why am I here?" "What's it all about?" "Is there more?"
Morpheus - "Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real. What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?"
Morpheus - "Do you want to know the truth?"
Neo - "Yes."
The question or idea or whatever you want to call it, is tough because it demands some kind of answer. Maybe not a full answer, but at least a direction to start in. That's why I think so many refuse to answer Question and just run from it.
Run to the club, that's where I'll find love.
Run to the sport, that's where I'll find achievement.
Run to the stage, that's where I'll find fame.
Run to the girl, that's where I'll find respect.
Run to the guy, that's where I'll find acceptance.
Run to the job, that’s where I’ll find money, power and whiteout.
Run run run....from one thing or person or event....on and on.
Others are far more courageous. They look Question square in the eye. They stand up and declare the answer....from their own heads. A man-made answer for a cosmic question. I mean, seriously, is it that easy? Just formulate your own reality and "poof" you got yur very own purpose for life! To me, that's shallow living. It's slap in the face to this age old Question and it's Sender.
Me? Well, for years I ran. I hated to think of Question because it's mere existence reminded me that I was being watched...which was a bit spooky. Like the eyes in the painting of an old horror flick. It also reminded me that I was...gulp...responsible!!! What a dirty word on this post-modern world huh? Responsible to explore for the answer. And I mean REALLY explore. So I ran. I loaded up my hurts, my pain, my rage. Even my dreams (limited as they were) and my hopes went into my hobo style knapsack and off I ran. "Run run as fast as I can, you'll never catch me....because I don't want you to!"
Then one day I got tired of running. The drugs got boring, despite the fact that I was an addict. The booze (what an old fashioned word...booze...lol) went dry. The girls lost interest. The friends....that's another post.
So there I was. Trying to look busy while Question stood across the room and starred at me. I really didn't want to make eye contact, but I couldn't help it. So I looked up. I HATE that look. You know, that look you get from people who think they are right and that you are a moron. It's like a half grin, one eye brow slightly up, hands in pockets, head tilted a little and foot tapping on the floor.
"What?! What the #&#% do you want?!" (of course I didn't actually say those symbols....I cursed...just to clarify)
Question just smiled more.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT?!"
"What do YOU want is more like it."
"OK Dr. Spock, let's play the little game. I want a pony and a Red Ryder bee-bee gun with a compass in the stock and a thing that tells time."
Question laughed....like a big Jamaican laugh...head back and all. "Muwahhhhaaaa haaaaaa...."
"Now do you mind, I'm busy."
"Oh yeah....you're busy....running."
When it said "running"....weird but everything came into view. My whole little life. Suddenly I began to feel like....well, like it wouldn't be so bad to ask.
".....why am I here?"
At that moment....the phone rang. I was in my apartment in Virginia. A loaded gun in one hand and bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 in the other (that sounds so ghetto dramatic but it’s true.) That started a long series of events that led to this day.
I'm an immortal pilgrim. I dared to look Question in the face and now, now I know much more. I've seen (mostly) how far down the rabbit hole goes....and it's amazing. Yeah, there's more. Much more. But you have to be willing to look Question in the face and ask it for yourself.
It's ok to wonder and ask and not know everything. For me, Question turned out to be God. Amazing how He could be both the question and the answer. Go ahead, He's not afraid of your questions or your doubts or fears. His love is bigger than that.
It's a tough question to ponder. Like looking at an ugly kid and saying "How cute....ummmm...how old is he?"
"It's a girl." responds the irritated mother.
"Oh....sorry"
"Why am I here?" "What's it all about?" "Is there more?"
Morpheus - "Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real. What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?"
Morpheus - "Do you want to know the truth?"
Neo - "Yes."
The question or idea or whatever you want to call it, is tough because it demands some kind of answer. Maybe not a full answer, but at least a direction to start in. That's why I think so many refuse to answer Question and just run from it.
Run to the club, that's where I'll find love.
Run to the sport, that's where I'll find achievement.
Run to the stage, that's where I'll find fame.
Run to the girl, that's where I'll find respect.
Run to the guy, that's where I'll find acceptance.
Run to the job, that’s where I’ll find money, power and whiteout.
Run run run....from one thing or person or event....on and on.
Others are far more courageous. They look Question square in the eye. They stand up and declare the answer....from their own heads. A man-made answer for a cosmic question. I mean, seriously, is it that easy? Just formulate your own reality and "poof" you got yur very own purpose for life! To me, that's shallow living. It's slap in the face to this age old Question and it's Sender.
Me? Well, for years I ran. I hated to think of Question because it's mere existence reminded me that I was being watched...which was a bit spooky. Like the eyes in the painting of an old horror flick. It also reminded me that I was...gulp...responsible!!! What a dirty word on this post-modern world huh? Responsible to explore for the answer. And I mean REALLY explore. So I ran. I loaded up my hurts, my pain, my rage. Even my dreams (limited as they were) and my hopes went into my hobo style knapsack and off I ran. "Run run as fast as I can, you'll never catch me....because I don't want you to!"
Then one day I got tired of running. The drugs got boring, despite the fact that I was an addict. The booze (what an old fashioned word...booze...lol) went dry. The girls lost interest. The friends....that's another post.
So there I was. Trying to look busy while Question stood across the room and starred at me. I really didn't want to make eye contact, but I couldn't help it. So I looked up. I HATE that look. You know, that look you get from people who think they are right and that you are a moron. It's like a half grin, one eye brow slightly up, hands in pockets, head tilted a little and foot tapping on the floor.
"What?! What the #&#% do you want?!" (of course I didn't actually say those symbols....I cursed...just to clarify)
Question just smiled more.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT?!"
"What do YOU want is more like it."
"OK Dr. Spock, let's play the little game. I want a pony and a Red Ryder bee-bee gun with a compass in the stock and a thing that tells time."
Question laughed....like a big Jamaican laugh...head back and all. "Muwahhhhaaaa haaaaaa...."
"Now do you mind, I'm busy."
"Oh yeah....you're busy....running."
When it said "running"....weird but everything came into view. My whole little life. Suddenly I began to feel like....well, like it wouldn't be so bad to ask.
".....why am I here?"
At that moment....the phone rang. I was in my apartment in Virginia. A loaded gun in one hand and bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 in the other (that sounds so ghetto dramatic but it’s true.) That started a long series of events that led to this day.
I'm an immortal pilgrim. I dared to look Question in the face and now, now I know much more. I've seen (mostly) how far down the rabbit hole goes....and it's amazing. Yeah, there's more. Much more. But you have to be willing to look Question in the face and ask it for yourself.
It's ok to wonder and ask and not know everything. For me, Question turned out to be God. Amazing how He could be both the question and the answer. Go ahead, He's not afraid of your questions or your doubts or fears. His love is bigger than that.
My first blog entry....i feel so....
odd. I'm not sure if anyone will actually read any of my entries, but this will be fun non- the less. A few things to know:
1. I spell like a drunk'n monkey....so please don't correct me. Unless it's funny.
2. I am madly in love with my wife.
3. I am crazy about my 3 kids.
4. I am a Christian. simple. A follower of the creator of the universe and the savior of all mankind, Jesus Christ.
5. Cats waste space.
6. My dog has gas....often. But I still manage to love him.
7. My entries will be a plethera of ideas, complaints, victories and stories.
8. My entries will NOT be regular unless I have a MAJOR change in lifestyle which can only be described as "MAD CRAZY"!
1. I spell like a drunk'n monkey....so please don't correct me. Unless it's funny.
2. I am madly in love with my wife.
3. I am crazy about my 3 kids.
4. I am a Christian. simple. A follower of the creator of the universe and the savior of all mankind, Jesus Christ.
5. Cats waste space.
6. My dog has gas....often. But I still manage to love him.
7. My entries will be a plethera of ideas, complaints, victories and stories.
8. My entries will NOT be regular unless I have a MAJOR change in lifestyle which can only be described as "MAD CRAZY"!
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