Common Sense Changes We Must Make to Decrease Violence in the United States

We used to have a ban on AR-15 assault rifles. Did you even notice it at the time? Did it infringe on your rights because you wanted to buy one? If so, why did or do you want to buy an AR-15 assault rifle? Be specific to your particular case. Not some generalized "so I can defend myself just in case." You could defend yourself in many other ways, and you didn't need it when we had a ban on the AR-15. Why are you all in a panic when it is suggested we need to ban it? You are not legally allowed to buy a Russian AK-47 and an AK-74. Are you crying over that and whining that it is infringing on your rights? No? Then why argue over the AR-15?

We must ban the AR-15 again. If you disagree, apparently you do not respect the lives of all the people who have died in the mass shootings. You put an AR-15 over the lives of people.

This is not my only issue. There are many things we must change - I already talked about how we must raise our males differently, and that is one of the most important things we must examine. Our culture must become peace oriented in action as well as thought.

We must vote Blue this November. We have to rein in the vicious, violent talk of Trump. He has instigated a lot of violence, and if you disagree, I know it is because you are willfully ignoring the punches in the face, the calls to rough up people, the rise of white gangs and violent white protests, and the mass shootings that have resulted from his followers who are enamored of Trump.

We have to talk about other things than Trump. I despise having to talk about it here. Unfortunately, when he spews undeserved hatred every day and tells his followers lies, we have to address his words. Currently, he is spending his time going to rallies, working on his own campaign, instead of running the country. His staff inserted some language into his "worship Trump rally" to make him seem sympathetic to those who lost their lives today. You can tell he never saw that part of the speech and that he read it for the first time at the rally. They were not his thoughts.

He should be comforting those people and talking to the whole country, and either at the White House or at the town of the shooting.

He lacks presidential ability in so many ways.

Therefore, we must find a way to change him, and I think voting Blue in November will do the trick, because he changes his ideas according to who is giving him information and who is in power in Congress and Senate.

These are the major things I think we need to change and I know our country will be better for these changes.

The Problem is the White Conservative Christian Male

Once again, we must talk about the latest shooting, and I am just sick of addressing these tragedies. 

It is so obvious who does most of the shootings - white, conservative males. What we need to do is study how they are being raised, and why so many conservative males can't be peaceful. Certainly I have friends who are conservative Christian males who are not violent at all, but we have a terrorist problem in our nation and the most common terrorist is a male - a conservative Christian male. 

Although I have not yet heard many details of the shooting at the Synagogue, my deepest sympathies extend to the congregation and their families. It is obvious that no matter what god you worship, no matter what religion you are, no god will protect you. We must be honest and accept this.
You should be safe. We can't all carry weapons all the time and we should not have to do so. We must fix the problem at its source. Demand that our government admit and address the problem of the violent American white Christian conservative male.

How God Should Respond "When We Get to Heaven"

The god of the Bible is supposed to judge people based solely on whether “they accepted Jesus” or not while they were alive on earth.  Those who did not believe in God will be sent to Hell, because “they had many chances to change”; at least this is the most popular explanation given to me. 

Funny then, that people pray after a person dies, to magically change God’s mind and let the person into Heaven!  At Christian funerals, it is not uncommon to hear a minister claiming that God is forgiving and will certainly accept “Mom” in Heaven, even though she did not believe.  The minister will read off all the good things Mom did, and people in the audience will accept that she made it safely to Heaven, even though they do not believe other people whom they don’t know can make it based on their merits.  I guess it depends (in your own minds) whether a person “has to accept Jesus” in order to get into Heaven, or whether there are exceptions to the rule!

I was surprised to find out there are atheists who still retain some of the fear of “What if you’re wrong?”  They worry about being sent to Hell, even though they don’t believe in Hell!  They simply fear that they may be wrong, so the fear continues.  This usually happens to adults who deconverted out of a fundamentalist household, where fear and the Christian worldview are deeply ingrained in them. 

What should a loving god say when meeting a nonbeliever at the Pearly Gates?  I think it depends on your own personality what you think God should say.  If I were God and a nonbeliever showed up for “judgment,” I would smile and say “Welcome!”  I would chuckle that the person did not believe I was real, and I would assure him that everything would be fine, as I am a loving god that also likes people as well as loves them.  I would explain that Hell was just a fabricated place, made up by people who didn’t know better. 

I would apologize to the nonbeliever that I was not convincing enough for them to believe in me - that I thought my hints were good enough, but I didn’t want to make it too obvious I existed, because I like to be anonymous so people can live their lives as they wish.    

You see, what I just described is what I think a kind, loving God would do.  My god sounds like a really nice human!  But this is not the picture of God that most people believe in. 

If the god I just created (by figuring out how I would like God to act toward me) is so much better and kinder than the god of the Bible, then how can the god of the Bible possibly be a loving god; and if he is supposed to be such a superior being, then how can the god of the Bible possibly be true, as he is much worse than what most people would create if they were to create their own god?  Be honest with yourselves – would you really want to worship the god who is described in the Bible?  Would you even want to be anywhere near him?  How can that be your all-loving, omnipotent God?

Hyperventilation Syndrome - An Invisible Disorder That Is Miserable!

Anyone else deal with hyperventilation syndrome? I bet you are thinking, "How difficult is it to breathe correctly?" It's the dumbest mental illness to have, so of course, I have it! Seriously, I know it is stupid!

Do you know what it feels like to keep breathing out, and then hold your breath for as long as possible, simply because you are afraid to breathe in; because you know you will take in too much oxygen and continue screwing up your system? 

It's exhausting, and my rib muscles even get sore. Nearly every breath has too much oxygen, but I can't describe to you what happens chemically to the body, because it is confusing!  It does make me a bit spacey, but most people think that is my personality anyway, so no one knows when I am in the throws of a hyperventilation attack! 

I have had this malady on and off since I was in my 20's.  The first time I had it, I drove myself to Foote Hospital in Jackson, Michigan, thinking I was having a heart attack!  An ER staff member hooked me up to something (an EKG?) and said nothing was wrong with my heart, and that I was just hyperventilating. 

Over the years I have learned ways to cope with it, so that I don't get light-headed and feel like I will faint, but I haven't conquered it yet. Just thinking about breathing can bring it on, so yoga and meditation involving breathing are not a good fit for me! Still, I do practice some relaxation techniques, and also try to get busy to distract myself - my breathing will naturally go back to normal for a little while when I concentrate on something else.   

Eventually, after a few days (or a month of on and off problems), I start breathing normally again for several months and don't even think about it.
 

I am very healthy and want to show people how healthy I am, but then I get these ridiculous maladies! It's like my brain tries to sabotage me!  It usually happens to insecure people who project themselves to be cool and confident. At least that is what I read, and it does sound like how I am a good share of the time. Plus, I acquire habits easily. Breathing in fast gasps is a really annoying habit!

Up until recently, we were told to breathe into a paper bag, but now experts say it doesn't do any good, and sometimes makes it worse.  I could see that people would breathe in very strongly into a paper bag – perhaps that is the problem!  One of the things they now say to do is breathe in slowly for the count of 2, and out for the count of 4, because the ratio is what is close to normal and it is supposed to reset the brain. All I can say is that it is very difficult to figure out how much air to let in or out and really hard to control it.  They offer other suggestions like “not deeply sighing” which is what we naturally do when having trouble breathing, covering one nostril to breathe in and then breathe out slowly through pursed lips, or even just hold your breath if you know you are taking in too much oxygen!  I do all of these techniques.

 
I have to be happy that I have not had any "near fainting" episodes with my hands cramping up, or any hyperventilation combined with a panic attack, like I used to get. So it's "under control" to an extent! Hopefully, it will disappear one day forever, but I am not holding my breath!

WHY ISN’T COMPASSION ENOUGH?

This past month, I had a conversation with a very intelligent friend who is a member of a new type of evangelical Christian religion.  Even though the new religion is a modern, hip interpretation, his concerns to me were just the same as “old-time” fundamentalists.  

          The zealously religious usually face their own unique set of hurdles before they can support animals having rights.  Of course, there are some religious people who quickly become vegan, but even religious blogs such as All-creatures.org speak about the problem of getting a good share of religious people to accept veganism.  

          Sometimes I wonder whether I should talk in their world, using Bible references, or just stick with trying to get them to face the reality of what is happening to animals on farms today.  It seems like it should be enough to just look at the cruelty of animal agriculture and see that it must be changed, but I find myself referencing how Jesus’s main message was love, and that love is not exclusionary. 

          When questions come up about Jesus eating fish, the first thing I have to remember to tell religious people is that they didn’t have grocery stores 2,000 years ago and did not have all our variety, so most food had to be caught and killed, or they had a few types of grains that grew in that area.  Whether you believe that Jesus actually fed the multitudes from five loaves and two small fish, whether you think the story is a metaphor, or whether you think it is just a story, there still was more of a reason to eat an animal during that time period than there is for the average person these days.

          Yet, there were vegans back then!  There were vegan groups, vegetarian groups and pescatarian groups, and many of the food rules went along with their religious beliefs.  This may be one reason why the Bible has rules about how to eat meat; it could have been a way to differentiate from the other groups and compete for converts; i.e., “We allow meat!”  It also could be why both meat eaters and those who don’t consume animals can both find passages that support their beliefs – it depends upon who was writing which parts of the Bible.

          A big hurdle is the “dominion” word and its common meaning versus its intended meaning.  Again, I wish I did not have to try to knock down these roadblocks to compassionate eating through biblical explanations and instead, just reach people by asking them to have compassion for animals.  This should be natural for religious people who want to help “the least among us” and to “sacrifice” for the sake of others.  

          Once I get past the religious barriers, then come the usual, nonreligious walls that I have to knock down with almost everybody, such as “circle of life” and “I am at peace with myself being a predator” and “Look at my canines!”  Sometimes I feel like they do not listen to my answers, but are thinking of their next defense while I am answering!  It can get tiring.  I also wonder why they know all the defenses, which shows that they have read “the other side” about the subject, but they have not watched factory farm videos! 

          Anyway, back to my friend.  I asked him why innocent animals had to suffer, when, if I were a god, I would immediately end suffering all over the world, especially of the innocent.  I know the typical answer about how “suffering is necessary in order to appreciate joy.”  Why so much suffering?  How about just a paper cut?  Why does this torture of animals never stop? 

          He gave me his answer, and I expected something more original out of him than the usual: “We don’t always understand.”  His exact answer was, “I don’t know the answer, but why don’t you go to the Alpha website, because I am sure they can give you a reason that will help you understand.”

          Later, I realized what he was actually saying to me. He thought some expert could give me some answer where I would say, “Oh, I see!  Now that I understand, I won’t worry about those animals anymore.”  I feel great and at peace and will eat some meat! 

          He did not realize that there will never be an acceptable reason that someone would, on purpose, make sentient animals suffer when it is not necessary.  Apparently, the important thing to this intelligent friend is that I learn a good excuse for the cruelty so that I can feel fine!  It’s all about the person again!  Our culture is human centered and we practice speciesism all the time.    

          You can see how annoying I can be on Facebook, getting into debates all the time!  But I don’t understand how some people can look at helpless beings who just want to live, and think “they are fine in the big plan” and the one I am told so often, “Life is but a second – they are in Paradise now for eternity.”  It is an excuse not to treat animals well right now and not to do anything about their conditions.  We have to get people sensitive enough so they can just look at an animal suffering, see the inhumanity of it, know that it is wrong, and be motivated to fix it. 

          Why must I learn about how to talk in religious ways for the religious, speak about health to a good share of the population, speak about climate to some before they care, speak about world hunger before others care, and speak about dogs before a good share of people care!  Why must I know everything from intestinal length to algal blooms in lakes when talking with people about caring for animals?  Why, if I don’t have an answer to one of their questions, is the entire idea of eating peacefully nixed in their minds?

 

          Really, though, I do understand.  I can relate to the refusal to think animal rights is important, because I was the same way.  I refused to read a book about animal rights my mother loaned to me.  I refused to look at any pictures and videos because I knew they would be awful.  I wanted to protect my way of life and my food and everything comfortable about my society.  

Changing my food was like changing me.  I did not want to deal with the issue. 

          Years later, however, I did change, so I know it is possible for all these other people to change too.  I just have to find the right words, something that will trigger a desire to change.  Until then, I will ramble away, and hope something I say hits home!
 

Animal Abuse is Not a Problem for Evangelical Christians

In a recent conversation, I was discussing reasons not to believe in the Christian god.  I was up against an old friend who has always been intelligent, but apparently he has selective intelligence, because he is an evangelical!  My first clue that G.D. (his initials) is not as critical a thinker as I thought is that he calls himself a “centrist,” instead of being what he should be:  a “radical, progressive, action-oriented, far-leftist!”  

G.D. subscribes to the dogma of a new group called “Alpha,” with their slant on being evangelical, which is to believe only in the good parts of Christianity and to interpret the Hell out of the Bible - literally!  He recommended that I join “Alpha Courses” – lessons from Alpha - the newest “positive” apologetic organization that is making money off of Christians who don’t want to be hateful. 

The suffering of people and animals was a big issue in our online conversation, and I expected G.D. would put some effort in explaining to me why a loving god would allow animals to suffer for millions of years, having to eat each other in the most painful ways in order to survive, and nowadays being prisoners to the atrocities committed on our farms.  G.D. disappointed me, because he passed off the answer like any other Christian.  “Ask Alpha!  I am sure one of their experts can give you an answer so you will understand.” 

I should have pounced right at that moment, but our conversation went in another direction.  Why should anyone accept an answer for animal cruelty?  What was it I needed to understand about hearing animals screaming and seeing them writhe in pain?  Why would he think there would be an answer that would ever be convincing or sufficient? 

G.D.’s thoughts were NOT that man was wrong or that god was wrong, but that I did not have the right understanding of why we torture animals and that I NEEDED to have the understanding because I NEEDED the happiness and peace of God!  To G.D. and other Christians, it is I who is lacking and has the problem - animal abuse is not a problem.  It is “sad,” but acceptable because it is part of God’s plan.  They don’t have to think about any part of "God's Plan," and will not think about it.

I saw how shallow G.D.'s thinking was to actually posit I should listen to some apologist come up with some “good” reason to torture animals, and then I would see the light: “Oh, I understand now!  It all makes sense!  Thank you and Praise God!  I’m a convert!” 
What shocks me is that people are actually that daft!  They must be, since “Room for Doubt” and other similar crazes are popular and spreading in the Christian communities; groups that tell people it is fine to doubt and they are welcome to come ask questions of experts, and then the experts give pat answers like, “Have faith, have God, don’t worry, just love.”  People fall for this because they can’t see the psychology behind what the ‘experts” are doing to them – keeping them in the church! 

Odd that my fervent proclamations like, “You should NEVER accept animal abuse – not for all the stars in the sky [or the rewards in Heaven]” are only seen as “me rebelling against God due to some childhood fear,” or “me persecuting Christians.”  They can’t see the issue of animal abuse for what it is, and they have no problem with accepting a god that allows animal abuse, because they assume, “God has a reason for all things; just have faith!” 

If I had time on my hands, I would join Alpha just to kick their butts in debates (I am that confident I can reveal their foolishness) and hopefully insert doubt into their minds, but I am too busy these days with animal rights activities, working, etc. to add “arguing with Alpha” onto the duty list.  Perhaps after I retire in a few years this will be my mission!    

Forced Forgiveness Is Harmful

No one has to forgive. It can be nice if you can and sometimes it is helpful, but sometimes I do not think it is the best answer. For instance, there are a few things in my life I do not want people to forgive me for. I want them to understand what happened, but I feel I would get off too easily if they forgave me. I do not forgive most people, but I sure do like when they change and I let the bad situations that person caused recess in my brain; but I don't forget either! "Forgive and forget" is bad advice! Forced forgiveness, as they do in churches, is harmful.

I don't forgive or forget my piano teacher for molesting me, for instance, nor do I think I should! I can accept that it happened and I can understand how it happened, and I can still love the good things about my piano teacher and be glad that I took lessons from him for other reasons; but I will never forgive him. Nor should anyone else - but that's up to you how you handle things. This is just my opinion.

So we have Easter coming up - a holiday about the sun and seasons and spring renewal that was taken over by a start-up religion to become a celebration of a fictitious man who rises from the dead after being killed by his father, the all-powerful, all-wise god. The reason for a sacrifice of an innocent person? To forgive people "for their sins!" Forgiving is not necessary! Even animals make poor judgment calls and mistakes, and here we are in a very complex society trying to deal with all sorts of people every day. We will make mistakes. It is to be expected and not to be seen as a "sin" or a "failing"; it should be seen as us not having the smarts to give a better response at the time. But if I want forgiveness or at least for the other person to understand why I lashed out, for instance, I need to talk to that person. There is absolutely no reason to switch to asking forgiveness from a third-party - a sky-god. It's like getting another person involved who has nothing to do with the situation and is not as important as the person I hurt. I can guarantee you, if I asked a sky-god for forgiveness because I wanted forgiveness, the sky-god would forgive me. I wonder why?!

There are times I forgive a person, especially if I overall like that person, but there are other times I just accept the situation happened and that's the way that person is, or I understand that the person used a poor choice of words, and move on. Sometimes, I learn from the situation just who that person is and what their mindset is and learn I don't trust that person! That is smarter than forgiving the person and hanging around a person who will harm you.

Why does it take bloodshed for an all-powerful god to forgive when he could just forgive? Why did he have to add the torture story? What a poor example he has set. Violence as a solution!

As you celebrate a "perfect person" (whose story and personality were not perfect in my opinion), and give thanks to an "all-loving" god who seems quite imperfect, perhaps add some humanistic features such as giving thanks for those who made your food, and try to eat less meat and dairy because they come from animals who were tortured and killed as youngsters, which is never good. Enjoy great company if you have friends and family over, and be thankful for that! Be thankful for having a life! Be thankful for warmer weather and a sun whose rays will be felt again! Enjoy the holiday without the yearly, "He is risen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" proclamations. No one escapes death. No one gets rewarded for doing better than someone else in this life. The rewards for having a good life - an easy life or a difficult life done well - are your own and for those around you and for whatever positive effect you left while you were living on this earth.

Happy Easter!