Let's start with politics.
I'm a libertarian. I believe that the government that governs least governs best. The intent of the formation of this republic we have was to limit the power of the government over the direct lives of the people it represents. Look at the Bill of Rights. Most every Bill is related to keeping the government out of our personal lives. A government does not belong in the bedroom. It's not responsible for raising our children. It's supposed to protect our borders and manage interstate commerce, and that's the primary purpose. All else should be and meant to be handled either by state or local government, or the private sector. State government has no place in our personal lives either, but I believe they can still do a better job at education, health care, and the like better than the federal government.

Somehow, both at our fault and our government's fault, we've grown comfortable with the idea of the government doing everything for us. Responsible for our lives. Our kids' lives. We expect our politicians to be our moral leaders as well as our governmental leaders. To be better than human, when that's not their job. First of all, career politicians are just that--politicians. Not gurus, not role models, not pastors, not saints, etc etc. They're politicians. Their job is to get elected to something so they can get paid for it. And even the "good ones" should not be put on any pedestal. Their motives for doing a job may still be a bit more honorable, but it's still a job. Like the President. His (or her, eventually,) job is chief executive officer. His job is to see to it the country is protected from foreign threats and protect our "interests" overseas. We've made him into some sort of icon for moral righteousness. Only Jimmy Carter, I believe, is the only President we've had without any skeletons in the closet, and look what kind of President he was. If we only required saints to run for office, we'd only have Carter clones. No John Adams', no Thomas Jefferson's, no FDR's, nor JFK's, no Reagan's either. Yes, I'm making some references to Clinton here. While if I HAD to choose a party, it'd likely be Republican, Clinton was a good President. He HELPED fix the damage to the economy the Reagan/Bush administration caused, he lowered unemployment, he protected our foreign interests. Should he have lied under oath? Abso-fricken-lutely not! Is he possibly a sex addict and rather stupid about his personal indiscretions, yes he's that too. Is he immoral? That's not for me to say. That's up to each individual to decide, and that's not his job to be moral. It's his job to serve the office, not be an icon for marital fidelity. Almost half our presidents are confirmed to have diddled a bit. And other countries' leaders have known to. The difference is a) they're less stupid about it, and b) the people in other countries don't really care. They understand that their politicians' personal lives are their own. Clinton shouldn't have lied on the stand but the public and the press also shouldn't have become crazed parasite ogres hungry to delve and tear and expose every little dirty secret like immature children who have to know everything and then gossip about it.

Ever since mass communication evidently became our God-given right, we Americans simply have to know all the dirt on everybody. Ask your grandparents. They knew that FDR had side affairs. They knew about some of the indiscretions of political leaders, but they understood the concept of the right to personal privacy. That being nosey and invasive is just as bad as any other indiscretion. It's the job of the parent to raise one's kids, not our President! Not the media, not Sesame Street even. So vote for people that are going to do the job, not what their personal lives reflect.

I'll add more about politics as I think of it.

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Since I mentioned child raising and social morés, let's go with that. I was in a discussion back after the Columbine, Colorado shootings about the "causes of all this child violence" that's seemed to crop up. I don't think there's any ONE cause of this epidemic of sociopathic kids. Look around. We have a media culture that glamorizes violence without the consequences MIXED with parents who expect everyone else except them to raise their kids AND a pronounced lack of teaching responsibility for one's actions, self discipline....

I'm not against violence in the media. Violent movies and video games, etc. But there are too many movies and games that encourage sociopathic murder and abuse. You can have a very violent movie with moral implications and "valuable lessons." Even if implied, they'll get through. There's been violence in fiction since Euripedies, but there has always been consequences to one's actions. But when you have video games that reward you for killing as many human beings as possible, what kind of message does that eventually send?

Violent media in and of itself I don't think is the reason. Truth be told, I really enjoy violent movies and games. When you mix it with parenting that relies on letting the TV, peers, and the government to raise them, what do you expect kids to be like? Nothing gets my goat like parents who get so riled up about schools and the media and politicians who "have failed" in teaching their kids right from wrong. Well, it's not their jobs. Schools teach the ABC's and 123's, the media entertains, and politicians receive money from special interest groups. The only people responsible for teaching morals and right and wrong are parents (and your religious leader/family if you're so inclined, I suppose.)

When you look up sociopathology, two of the most important accelerants to what MAY be a genetic condition are lack of affection growing up and inconsistent discipline. I believe that. When you grow up knowing you will not always have to "face the music" for what you do, and you can avoid discipline if you're clever enough, it really screws up one's sense of responsibility and ownership for actions.
More on that later.

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Religion.
Ooohhh...a dangerous subject to tread upon. If any of my above beliefs haven't offended, this might do it. No offense meant, by the way. All of my opinions are just that, opinions. No matter how strongly I feel about something, I'll accept anyone else's opinion and not try to convert anyone to my beliefs. So with that in mind....

I believe in a Supreme Being that's creator of this universe, and perhaps more. I believe this Being is sentient, but not a personae in human form in some plane of existence looking down on us and judging us. I'm still uncertain about whether God is a separate being or is a conglomerate of all living things. My very conservative Protestant upbringing still makes me want to think of God as being a single entity that has eyes and ears and listens to us and sees us like some vengeful, foul-mood juvie warden. Most everything we've been taught about the Judeo-Christian Yahweh, Jahova, Allah, etc, is based very heavily upon other mythological gods. Look at Greek mythology. Gods with very human personalities that decide upon people's worthiness and condemn their actions. Sound familiar? Descriptions of various Yahweh-like gods have existed long before the God of Abraham came about first in stories then written down by Moses and so on. The mythology of the Judeo-Christian God also shares with all other mythologies before and since is the need that humans have to have an all-knowing/all-seeing being watching over them. A parent figure to help explain all the mysteries of life. Why we're here, how did here get to be here, where we're going after we leave here. The most basic, fundamental questions we humans have that all religions strive to answer. So of course pre-science cultures use what they know to explain things. A father-figure that punishes us when we're bad, a god that POOFED the world into existence by mere will.

Well, in essence I believe that there was a creator, but not a human-like creature. That's pretty darn arrogant of us to make God in OUR image. I believe God is the life-force that we all share, and collectively it has sentience. It may have created the material that makes up THIS universe, and certainly instigated the Big Bang, and definitely guided this planet through it's AMAZINGLY lucky evolution as well as the evolution of its life living on it. The existence of a planet that can sustain all this abundant life really is a chance occurrence. And when you think about how AMAZING life is, and the human mind and spirit, you HAVE to believe in some greater force. Some divine creator, whatever form it takes. Life is pretty damn awesome.

OK, as for Christianity, it's my chosen philosophy. At least original Christianity and what Jesus taught. I don't go for a lot of what Paul taught preached, and I think organized religion was the worst thing to happen to the teachings of Christ. What Jesus taught was pretty easy to solidify down to a few words. Love, forgiveness, temperance, faith, humility, and joy. Not arrogance, not judgmentalism, not intolerance and hate like so MANY fundamental Christians. In fact, people who preach hate and intolerance need to re-read what's printed in red in the Bible and change their belief's name from Christian to Arrogant Hate Monger.

Speaking of the Bible, I don't believe it being a literal God-written tome. Spirit inspired in places perhaps. But written very much by human hands with human thoughts and emotions and agendas. The Old Testament is simply what was written down after centuries of word of mouth story telling and levitical teachings. And only one side of it too. The Dead Sea Scrolls tell many of the same stories from the vantage point of a different Jewish kingdom (correct me if my choice of word is incorrect.) Then the New Testament Gospels were written long after Jesus came and went. In fact, at least one of the four authors was even born after 35 AD. And each one wrote their Gospel based upon the others' with their own agendas.
If you want to really see my point, riddle me this: How many people were crucified along with Jesus, and how many of them insulted him, and how many of them asked for forgiveness? Very different answers depending on which book you read. Or this: Who discovered the empty tomb and what did they find there? Also VERY different answers. In Genesis, almost right after the 1st, well-known seven day creation story, there's another one with some differences. Why? In my opinion, it's not wrong, even for faithful Christians, to accept that the Bible is not literal. With all the contradictions how can it be? Isn't that what faith is for? I feel sorry for people who are so insecure about their faith that they have to blindly defend a book as perfect historical text. Faith comes from the heart, not from words on a page. Besides, the concept of historically accurate accounting didn't come into acceptance until the later half of the Middle Ages, and mainly the Renaissance. Until then, "historical" recounting, like the Gospels, were accepted to have reasons behind them aside from accuracy. They were written to promote a message or a purpose for the writing. It's hard for us to understand in this day and age of presumed historically accurate research that that hasn't always been the norm. Remember, we're talking about a time and culture very different from our own.

But I digress. In short, I take to heart the lessons Jesus gave for love and faith and how to treat our fellow man, but I don't believe in the Jewish Testament or what follows the Gospels. Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-Semitic. I have nothing against the Jewish faith or people, but I just don't follow that faith. Which also amazes me--how fundamental Christians can judge and persecute others based on small parts of the Old Testament, completely ignoring the rest of it. If you're going to live by and persecute others based on the rules of a religion, shouldn't you accept all of that religion or accept that all of it is optional, including your favorite passages of bigotry? For example, pretty much every admonition against non-heterosexual, non-monogamous sexuality comes from the Old Testament. But that's an extremely small portion of the OT. Ever read the book of Numbers? Ever read that passage about how a husband who is even only suspicious of his wife's infidelity is authorized to take her to the priest who would give her a tonic that would abort the child if it's not the husband's? Why don't fanatic Pro-Life'ers seem to recall that? How about the rules about people not allowed to wear clothing made of two different fibers, or cut the "corners" of their hair, or kosher diet? It seems that people like to bandy around the rules they like but all else is optional.

While we're on the Bible, I want to mention my thoughts on those OT rules. The Jewish tribes were initially and for the longest time wandering groups of nomads looking for a place to settle, trying to grow bigger and bigger. Thus all the rules about sex and marriage and such. Anything that didn't end in procreation was frowned upon because they needed people. Lots of them. Most of the OT rules did not come from God, that's supposedly the Ten Commandments. Almost all the rest evolved from being a nomadic people living in the Middle East a few thousand years ago, and simply don't apply today. And while I have respect for and appreciate the Jewish people, if you're going to call yourself a Christian, then what are you going to give more importance to? Your faith's namesake: Christ, or ancient Jewish rules, or some guy named Paul who had his own agenda? I'm sorry, but I think the ideas Jesus taught about love and faith and forgiveness are more important than making sure other people are following a few ancient rules out of hundreds that you think others should follow.
Well, that's all for now too.

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Sexuality.
Personally, I think I'll keep mine to myself. But as for in general, if it does not harm another and it's completely consensual, then whatever you want to do, go for it. Except dead things and minors. The dead can't give consent and is just plain uber-disgusting, and people below the general age of 18 simply aren't mature enough to make decisions about sexuality. Even if they "consent," it's not truly informed or right-mind consent. And the fact that I have a daughter also reaffirms that belief. While I want her to have her own mind and opinions, the idea of her being sexually active before oh say 25 really bothers me. *grin* Being a guy, and know how even the nicest guy can become a one-track-minded hormone controlled idiot with surprising convincing powers when in a "mood," I wish I could completely keep her away from guys until I'm positive she's emotionally mature, has great common sense, a superb sense of self-worth and reliance, and is a black belt in at least 2 martial art styles *grin*. Otherwise, barring that, as long as she's smart and has a good self-identity, her choices in sexuality are hers alone.

In any case, without going too far into my own interests (don't worry, they're all legal,) I'll just say they're pretty diverse.

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Personal Life Statements.
My big one: "When making your choice in life, do not neglect to live," Samuel Johnson. I believe we have a ridiculously short time on this planet, in this life, and the worst thing one can do is just let it pass by. To live a mediocre life, not taking chances, not celebrating this precious life we're given by actually living it, is a dishonor both to life itself and the giver of it. We're not cattle. We're incredibly creative, unique, complicated creatures unlike anything else on this planet. Why should we live as cattle?

The idea that we're "created in God's image," I don't take to mean that we LOOK like God--that's silly. I take it to mean that of all the creatures on this planet we have been created (or guided in evolution) to have God-like power to create our own lives. Unlike any other living thing on this planet, we can decide our own destiny. We can manipulate our lives and the world around us. To just throw away this power by living without passion, without jois d'vive (if someone can spell that properly for me, please let me know,) is a great sin. Why when time cruelly takes our life from us day by day, year by year, eventually taking pieces of us bit by bit: stamina, joint use, hair, memory, general health, why when each day of our lives we get closer to being able to do less and less do we put everything off? Or not take opportunities at all?! Are we so deluded with immortality that we think we're going to live forever until we're elderly and can't ignore it anymore? I refuse to come to the end of my life and regret not having as full of a life as I could have had. To not have experienced as much as possible of this world we're gifted for such a damn short time. I don't KNOW what the afterlife holds for me. I have faith that there's some sort of spiritual existence completely unimaginable, but even so, it won't be this planet again. This is the ONLY chance we have to experience life. Even if there's reincarnation (which I'm very on the fence about) I don't remember past lives, and I'm positive if I have a future life I won't remember this one, so for all intents and purposes it's as if we have only one life, so that's no excuse for not living.

Back to the bastard sadist that Time is, I consider it my mortal enemy. On the one hand, while time progresses new doors and windows of opportunity constantly open, and some times they're repeats of previous doors, but the rule of time is that most doors that pass will never come again. Because of age or situation or any number of reasons, most of the branches that we come to will forever be lost.
Now I know we can't do EVERYTHING we have the opportunity to, we can't follow EVERY branch in the road, much to my chagrin and frustration, but we can do as many as we can. More than just sitting on our butts, working in jobs that we hate making other people money, watching TV every night, missing out on interesting relationships and fascinating travels and great experiences.

My other life-belief: "An if it harm none, do what thou wilt." Not sure the original origin of that one but I think Wiccans use it. I'd like to say a few words about that. It goes along with my libertarian ideas and disgust for the persecution of what's called "consensual crimes." Who are we to say two or more people who want to do something that only involves them can't do it? That includes open relationships, bondage/discipline, minor recreational drugs, prostitution, etc. (By the way, just because I defend another's beliefs doesn't mean I participate--for example I've never taken an illegal substance and wouldn't enlist the services of a prostitute myself...but who am I to say someone else can't?) I'll accept that some of these items are closely tied into other social ills, but they don't have to be. In New York and LA prostitution is often populated by teen runaways and drug addicts. But in Nevada where prostitution's been legalized, it's a legitimate job not a last refuge for desperate people. Prostitutes have health care, are taxed, well treated and are considered employees, not "whores" in a "stable." And when alcohol was made illegal like marijuana is now, crime and the public cost for fighting that crime was astronomical. The government finally got smart and made it legal again. They get a LOT of money now from tax on alcohol. If the government made grass and other minor drugs legal, they could regulate its use, tax it, and the money spent on education and regulation will be a minor sliver of what's being spent now on a war that WILL NOT be won.

By the way, by "harm" I mean non-consensual/non-right-minded abuse to one physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. A person who likes some pain in sex-play for example, who gets no more than she or he likes is not being harmed. But someone who is in a relationship that's manipulative and stifling is being harmed in probably a number of ways.

That's a lot I see. You've just read pretty much everything that makes me Me. I hope it's at least interested you, maybe made you think of your own beliefs. If you'd like to discuss any of it, feel free to write me. Flames will get ignored. I don't have the time to read mindless argument bait much less reply to it. But I am willing to discuss and even debate issues with people who sound at least a little intelligent.
Thanks for taking the time and reading it. Peace!

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