Thursday 30 July 2009

Pt 2: Critical Thinking.

They say there are two things you’re never supposed to talk about at the dinner table. I’m only going to mention one (hopefully you’re not eating). I sympathize with the hesitation many have with confronting tough questions about their thoughts on life. There is a lot of sensitivity to these situations, and unfortunately some people disregard the “handle with care” sticker and just throw it around like a mud pie. Pesky trolls have been no help, either. It’s no surprise then why more and more people are turned off to this stuff altogether.

For some, they feel such conversation leads to nothing but mindless yelling (which it often does). Others are intimidated by the idea because they haven't done much study and fear getting trampled by dense textbook jargon and highfalutin rebuttals. Some think it’s futile because they figure nobody is right, while others think it’s unnecessary because they figure everyone is right. Some aren’t touchy about it…they just don’t care. Here sensitivity isn’t the case, its apathy. "Just live your life."

Do you relate to any of these? No matter which ones you subscribe to, the verdict is usually the same:

"Just let people believe what they believe."

I’m relieved to know that there isn’t a single person who consistently holds true to this creed. A society where people never argue anything would be a world in which you couldn’t distinguish between truth and error. You would not be able to tell food from poison or friend from foe. You could not tell good from bad, right from wrong, healthy from unhealthy, or safe from unsafe. A scary reality that would be.

Have you ever seen someone you care about make a stupid decision? Do you throw up your hands and say “just let people believe what they believe,” or do you try to reason with them? Has a friend ever talked you out of a bad decision? Would you have preferred they didn't, and "just let you life your life?"

The ability to argue well is vital for clear thinking. Arguing is a virtue because it helps us determine what is true and discard what is false.

Some are happy to speak their mind, and spread awareness of their conclusions about life with boldness, but are still turned off to the idea of hearing other views or even defending their own. The issue here is something else: insecurity. To those who are healthy in talking but malnourished in listening, I offer this challenge: Truth is that which conforms to reality. And if it’s reality, then there’s no reason to be afraid, because it will ultimately speak for itself. Not wanting to talk about it, then, might be due to a bad feeling that the beliefs in possession are quite possibly wrong ones.

Indeed arguing is often hard to understand, intimidating, mishandled, futile, and injurious to relationships. But other times, arguing is beautiful, respectful, and inspiring. And those times, it’s just what we need to hear.

This is part 2 of the "Do Your Homework" series.

Thursday 16 July 2009

Pt. 1: True or False?


#1 Butter pecan is the single best-tasting flavor of ice cream known to man.

#2 Insulin is used to help control diabetes.

The first statement, of course, is false – cookies ‘n’ cream is the best, after all. Okay, okay, best for me. It’s really just a matter of personal preference. But the same couldn’t be said about insulin. What if I told my doctor that I didn’t care much for insulin, so I’m going to use butter pecan instead? Well I’d pretty soon die. Cookies ‘n’ Cream might work better, but still not good enough. There’s no preference in controlling your diabetes; you need insulin. period. I just expressed the nature of two types of truth:

Subjective truth - what’s right for me, but maybe not for you.
Objective truth - what’s right for everyone. period.

Pop Quiz: Ice Cream or Insulin?

1. That shirt is ugly: Ice Cream
2. That shirt is cotton: Insulin
3. R. Kelly can sing: Ice Cream
4. R. Kelly can fly: Insulin (meaning there's only one answer)
5. God is dog backwards: Insulin
6. God exists: ______

The last question is not so easy to answer. Many today might say ice cream -- it’s just a matter of what you believe. But consider this: If I believe God exists, then God created the world. If I believe in the Big Bang theory, then God didn’t create the world. We are certainly allowed to differ on what we believe, but only one of us can be right…because we both live in the same world. And either He created it, or he didn’t. Reality doesn’t alter to conform to the truth we create. Instead, truth is that which conforms to reality. R. Kelly may very well believe he can fly, but what happens when he jumps off the Eiffel tower?

“Americans think of God, religion, and morals like ice cream and not like insulin. They choose religious views according to tastes, according to what they prefer rather than according to what's true." - Greg Koukl, Stand to Reason

Sad to say even many Christians have come to believe religion is something that’s subjective – what’s true for you. This is not what the Bible talks about (and for good reason; if God depended on what I believed to be true…is He still God?). The Bible, like many things in life, is objective truth. So either it’s wrong, and is one royally unparalleled waste of time & money -- or it’s right, and is the inerrant, true word of God that demands we submit to an all-powerful Creator and be changed by the death & resurrection of His son Jesus Christ.

This is part 1 of the "Do Your Homework" series.

Tuesday 14 July 2009


Thursday 9 July 2009

Chat Log #2

[15:05] Julianthecoolian: telekinesis
[15:05] Julianthecoolian: for suuure
[15:07] mikefr0mtheBAY: teleportation is verry appealing to me right now
[15:07] mikefr0mtheBAY: zero travel time
[15:07] mikefr0mtheBAY: *snap* im there
[15:07] Julianthecoolian: yeah but think about the consequences
[15:08] Julianthecoolian: what happened after you got a car
[15:09] Julianthecoolian: people started asking you for rides, and your parents started making you run errands
[15:09] Julianthecoolian: can you imagine being the only one in the world with a car?
[15:10] mikefr0mtheBAY: oh hey julian. u got telekinesis. help me move stuff
[15:10] mikefr0mtheBAY: yeahhhh
[15:10] Julianthecoolian: hahaha
[15:10] Julianthecoolian: touche
[15:16] Julianthecoolian: brb
[15:16] mikefr0mtheBAY: you'd be back faster if you had teleportation

[16:19] Julianthecoolian: you still there?
[16:20] mikefr0mtheBAY: yep
[16:20] mikefr0mtheBAY: im at work
[16:20] Julianthecoolian: me too
[16:20] Julianthecoolian: hahaha
[16:24] Julianthecoolian: if someone asks me to help them move
[16:24] Julianthecoolian: i can say "sorry, i'm not available"
[16:25] Julianthecoolian: if someone asks you to take them somewhere
[16:25] Julianthecoolian: what are you gonna say?
[16:25] Julianthecoolian: sorry i don't have 30 seconds to take you somewhere

[16:31] mikefr0mtheBAY: OK new scenario
[16:31] mikefr0mtheBAY: you have a time machine
[16:32] mikefr0mtheBAY: but u can only travel to a point in time and u cannot return
[16:32] mikefr0mtheBAY: do u go to the past or the future?
[16:32] Julianthecoolian: hmm
[16:32] Julianthecoolian: the past
[16:32] Julianthecoolian: that way you don't miss anything
[16:33] mikefr0mtheBAY: lol. make billions on gambling and sports cuz u know the outcome?
[16:33] mikefr0mtheBAY: "invent" stuff?
[16:33] Julianthecoolian: bingo
[16:33] Julianthecoolian: i'll invent bingo
[16:34] Julianthecoolian: befriend celebrities before they make it big
[16:34] Julianthecoolian: skip buying the gamebody advance because you know the sp is gonna come out like a month later
[16:34] mikefr0mtheBAY: lol
[16:35] Julianthecoolian: that's something i wish i saw coming

http://superuseless.blogspot.com/


Thursday 2 July 2009

"I have slight OCD"

You’ve heard the phrase. Heck, you’ve probably said it.

OCD, right? So first you got Obsessive, noting an overwhelming passion; then Compulsive, characterized by an irresistible urge; and last, and most important, Disorder. Now people can very well have bad habits and idiosyncrasies, but for something to actually cross the threshold into disorder, you have to pretty much have a complete loss of control.

So how can any of this be slight? You wouldn't say “I have a slight disorder” and really mean it. That would be slightly ridiculous. Of course you don’t mean it, lest you actually make light of a mental condition complete with assorted damages. It’s just a saying. But why say it? Well, isn't it much more fascinating to say that "I absolutely have to have the hangers all facing the same way" than to just utter "I like having my hangers face the same way?" Calling it "slight OCD" makes you quirky without the drag of having to confess a real problem -- and really, it makes you just a bit more interesting, doesn’t it? I’ll elaborate more in a bit (stick around).

“I have slight ADD” encounters a similar problem.

You mean you just have a hard time paying attention? Okay, you’re human, we’ve established that much. More specifically, you’re a young, able-bodied person of moderate affluence living in what others have termed as the most selfish generation of all time. That much would make anyone struggle at having to pay attention to others. But tell you what: If Angelina Jolie comes up to you and tells you she has something really important to tell you so listen up, and you still manage to instead stare at the crow trying to snag an old taco from the trash can behind her, you got me. Otherwise, perhaps you can just work harder to pay attention to others.

I’m certainly not trying to deny anyone the right to claim a disorder, but what I want to make real is the danger that our pride can be. We are, by nature, self-centered people, and while we have the power in our character to fight it, sometimes it just feels good to be comfortable in our pride (especially when we know we can get away with it). For those of you who are comfortable, I can't offer anything. But to those who value humility, and strive for it, know it takes a keen and scrupulous eye to see through excuses for the problems of the heart.

"He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way."

- Psalm 25:9