An Open Letter to Christians

What is a Christian? The Apostle Paul is credited with coining the term "Christian" when he stated everyone should strive to be "Christ-like." What is meant by "Christ-like?" Whether or not one believes that Jesus is the son of the Biblical God, being Christ-like is still relevant in that we should practice the love, peace, tolerance and understanding that Jesus spread in his travels. I am an athiest; anyone who knows me knows this of me. There is no pretense to me, and I have no hidden agenda. I am who I am and believe what I believe based on empirical experience and observation, which lends more credence to self-substantiation than blind faith. There are Christians who have a warped idea of what athiesm encompasses, and who choose to hide in the blissful refuge of their ignorance rather than educate themselves to the contrary. Being an athiest does not make me a Satan worshipper; if I do not believe in any godhead, how could I possibly believe in one of his or her creations? Being an athiest does not make me evil; I am sure than any who have interacted with me could speak well of my kind, generous nature; giving, caring heart; and ability to rationalize any situation so that the most positive and mutually beneficial of results are achieved. On the other hand, I know several people who choose to categorize themselves as"Christians" who are so quick to judge, can't form a complete sentence without infusing one or more cuss/curse words, drink alcoholic beverages to the point of getting drunk, are promiscuous, and hate others based solely on their nationality, color of their skin, beliefs, or any other myriad of reasons. It is these people who have the audacity to tell me I am wrong for believing as I do. It is these same people who condemn me for not believing in a god they show complete and utter disrespect for. I suppose they no longer believe they can do these things as long as they are in church on Sunday, because most admit they do not even go to church. I have said this before and I will say it again: I am kind, understanding, peaceful, tolerant, loving, caring--in short, as an athiest, I am more of a Christian than most who claim to be. Isn't that an enigma?

MLK Day: Just an Excuse for Another Holiday?

Contrary to the tone the title may set, this is actually a piece in favor of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration/holiday. Sure, we can look at bits and pieces from his storied past, picking controversial statements from his speeches such as...Oh, let us say his views on communism, that may decry the legitimacy of the claim for remembrance--keep in mind that as controversial as his statements were in the sixties, they are more suited to today's audience as most Democrats are Socialists and most Republicans are Moderates or Progressives--but the man did a lot of good, and should be recognized for his efforts in the Civil Rights Movement. I do promise this will not turn into a political paper: As stated earlier, I am in favor of the celebration, and it is upon this my paper shall focus.
It is extremely difficult at times to put oneself in another's head, yet at other times we have but to look around us, observing the behaviors of people to know what they are thinking. I feel this is true with the celebrators of MLK Day in that they have turned it into more of a non-holiday much like Hallowe'en, and the celebration is not very different, either: There are festivals, goody-bags for children, and activities for everyone, and in-between all this some message about Dr. King is liberally sprinkled to an audience who cares more for what is in the goody-bag than the man himself. The actual celebration of the day is not so much for the community but for community leaders to say, "Hey, look at the effort we put forth," and if, at the end of the day, all the goody-bags are gone, they view their efforts as a success.
Sadly, we live in a time when and where people are more focused on what benefits them right here, right now as an individual; sure, there are those among us who are old enough to remember the Civil Rights Movement, but has time jaded them to the responsibilities they have to educate others these fifty years later? Dr. King's significance as man and messenger is barely taught in our schools, and I dare say to no great degree in our homes. Todays youth--Nay! Anyone age 45 and under has no real grasp of how consequential this period in our nation's history was simply because we did not experience it first-hand. My generation did see the immediate after-effects of the movement, but every generation since has continuously lost touch, and I blame their parents for this, but not just the parents, but the individuals themselves. Everything today is my-my-my, me-me-me, I-I-I, and to hell with history and how it has given me the freedoms I enjoy today. People place more importance on Kobe's words of the week or Kanye's rant of the day or Tebow's pre-game rituals; they spend dollar after dollar making brand-name manufacturers rich when the reality is that, at the end of the day, they barely have two nickels to rub together, but that's okay because they have the latest phone, pad, app, clothes, rims...you get the point.
When thinking of the significance Dr. King should have in every person's life, I think of the Blues. Blues, at one time, was the ultimate expression of black culture, but now more whites are keeping the craft alive. The same applies to Dr. King. Blacks claim him because he is black, but do blacks really identify with him anymore? Are whites keeping the dream alive as blacks continue to say, "King ain't done a damn thing for me?"
The federal government has set aside this day to celebrate the life of an American who made a difference, who changed history, and whose life should be remembered and celebrated for those reasons. Dr. King invited everyone to join him on this journey, thus should everyone be like-minded in their response. Recognize that which is deserving of recognition; remark upon that which should be remarked upon. Sadly, even this may be too much to ask.
I suppose the bottom line is that we get a day off from work and school, and everyone seems to be content with that.

Resolutions, or Revolutions?

Yes, it's that time of year again when we all make promises that we'd LIKE to keep, but very seldom do. Before I get into my 2012 resolutions, I'd like to speak on the 2011 resolutions I was able to keep, and those I did not. KEPT: Maintained a perfect 4.0 the entire calendar year; Lost weight; Was an all-around better person. BROKEN: Still smoked; Did not lose all the weight I could have; Paid a 4-month membership to a gym and went maybe 3 times. 2012 resolutions: Maintain 4.0 average; Lose SUBSTANTIAL amount of weight (20+ lbs.); Become a better person; Stop Smoking. I've got 12 months to make it all happen...