Your way or my way?

I find it extremely discerning that the one thing, which was meant to bring us together, is the thing we fight over. We not only fight, but we kill, exterminate, imprison, massacre and torture over it. And this is not a recent phenomenon; it’s been going on for CENTURIES! No, it’s not sex, or money, or land, or even political power. Of course, the atrocities and been performed for those reasons too. But what I refer to is RELIGION.The brief in a God. You know the phrase, the one that says, “LOVE YOUR BROTHER”? We, as the humans who occupy this planet, reversed the meaning of that philosophy to KILL YOUR BROTHER. Since Cain and Able, have we been doing these discretions toward each other. I am not looking for a perfect world. I just don’t expect someone to kill another person because they believe in Mohammad, Buddha, Jesus Christ or the guy down the street is God. If you want to try to convert them, that’s fine. But why kill them? Yeah, they may dress different, or speak a different language and eat spicy foods. But is that a reason to kill them? NO!Let’s go one step further. Do you kill someone because they have darker skin color than you? Or their eyes are different? Or maybe wear red shoes? Absolutely not! Maybe we all should be blind like the singer Stevie Wonder. He once said, “I did not know I was black until someone told me. How many millions have died or suffered due to a more powerful group thought the millions were a threat just for their briefs? Muslims against Jews, Catholics against Protestants, White against Black, or Yellow, or Red, or Brown. If the other person does not look, dress, eat or believe like you, we kill them. Does that sound similar to the Holocaust of World War II when the German Third Reich tried to annihilate the Jewish people? Hitler was afraid the Jews would control the World’s money and he wanted a ‘super race’.We feel threatened, or we think we are the ONLY correct person, so we try to change others with violence. Not always physical violence when other forms can be more devastating such as the interment camps full of Japanese-Americans. They lost homes, property, businesses and fortunes when imprisoned. After the war, they did not get anything back. Some racial religious advocates say other religions are sent from “Hell” to destroy them so they should kill the infidels. How do they know this? Their writings do not say that. Did they have a vision? No. It’s just because the other religion is different. Nothing more, nothing less. People are people. We are what we are. We are ALL different and that makes us unique. We are similar because we walk upright, have a large brain, speak, eat, (and most of us) dress our bodies. So, we are similar, but yet different to each other. I do not wear my jeans half way down my butt, or color my hair purple, or wear a turbine, but that does not mean I would consider killing anyone who does? All religions advocate to embrace others as brothers and not to kill them. Do not mistake my opinions as opposing Capital Punishment. I am not crazy about it, but believe it may be a necessary evil. We do not have a perfect civilization and there individuals who fall well below the level of majority acceptance of which we as the (I guess) more acceptable, have to control. That sounds just about like what I said we should not do, doesn’t it? I guess the keywords are TOLERANCE, RESPECT, ACCEPTANCE and UNDERSTANDING. Tolerant others, respect their beliefs, accept them for what and who there are, and get to understand who they are, and what they believe. You do not have to agree with them. But keep this in mind; you may be the one who wrong, so keep an open mind for in war and injustice, NO ONE WINS.

Super Sunday

Finally, FINALLY, I pick a NFL team I feel I can support and cheer for. A team I feel has the real team spirit and a quarterback who REALLY leads the team without acting like he is God. A team that plays this great game with enthusiasm, without all the commercial hype. A team that goes out there and just has fun, in good sportsmanship, and with no cheap shots. I finally picked the Indianapolis Colts. And they played AWESOME all year. I was getting pumped.
Then came the Super Bowl, and their opponent ... the New Orleans Saints...another great team.
Nancy and I were ready for a fabulous game, and it was, for most parts. But then, in the second half, the game began to fall apart for the Colts. The Saints pulled inspiration from the Saints fans who had attended in mega-numbers. The sound was deafening. And then the game was over. Saints 31, Colts 17... my Colts lost.
OK, I am not one who cries over losses like games because it IS a game, not life. But I was disappointed. I am not mad at the Saints. After what that City has gone through, they need a spiritual uplifting.
Now the season is over. Players go home to their families and let the injuries heal. In a few months, it starts again. And I'll be in front of the TV cheering for MY Colts again. Maybe next year I'll buy a team jersey... and paint my face blue?... NOT! Maybe just the jersey. GO COLTS!

Kauai Hawaii for a week

Last week, Nancy along with the Bauers (our daughter Tina, hubby John and their children) flew to Kauai for a well deserved break in paradise. It was tough watching those sunsets and breaching whales, walking along the beaches, looking for crabs, burying each other in the sand, exploring the topical forests and just sleeping late. I guess they just forced themselves.
John and Tina scuba and wanted to dive in the tropics again. Nancy, unlike me, likes Hawaii, so she went to watch the kids during the dive.
What did I do while they gone? Well, I played with my new Plasma Cutter and worked on my hot rod project car, went to lunch with "the guys" and hung-out with Scooter. Not totally exciting, but better than sand in your shorts...to me anyway.