Erin and I were reading Blue Like Jazz tonight and it once again provoked my thoughts into reevaluating some thing I just took as always true. God and politics. The Republican party has always used God to get votes, but are they really doing what God wants? The Democrats, not to leave them out, have always used the Republicans to get votes, basically I mean people who don't like Republicans vote Democrat. Despite what the politicians of today want us to think, Jesus didn't like politics. Politics killed Christ, not to say it wasn't God's plan, but thats basically what happened. We shouldn't vote for the Republicans just because they're "Christians." Republicans are known are rich white guys who live in the suburbs, have beautiful wives, and doing little to help the poor of the nation. That is a general statement, but overall, I feel its true. Democrats on the other hand are "screaming liberals" who care about so many different things that the party has many divisions. I going to stop using the terms of American politics now and just say liberals and conservatives. You hear the term Conservative Christian. This is disturbs me. There is nothing conservative about Christ and his message. His message changed the world, and is still having a huge impact. Conservative no. Liberal no. Liberating, YES! Basically all I'm trying to get at is: stand up for what you believe, if its to feed the poor or rescue whales or end a terrorizing regime, whatever, no matter what party believes it, no matter what other people just like you think. Think for yourself, be an independent thinker. Christ was.

I had a revelation tonight. Erin and I had just finished reading a chapter of Blue Like Jazz in which the author talks about laying in the Grand Canyon and seeing the billions of stars and feeling as if God was close. This is a very common occurrence. When I'm outside, with the stars hanging all around, I feel very close to God and a certain serenity. Why is that so? Is there something about the stars? Or is it just the feeling of being small? What is it? If I'm in the city amidst giant skyscrapers and monumental engineering achievements, this feeling never comes over me despite the fact that I'm surrounded by things much greater than myslef. I never have the feeling that God is close. Is it because man created these things and that they are not eternal? Is it because I don't like big cities? Is it because man is constantly striving for bigger and better while God is saying "look at what I made" ? All I know is how it makes me feel. It makes me believe John Elderidge's Wild at Heart even more. God is everywhere; cities, towns, mountain lakes and suburban pools, but to us He is easy to find among the wonder of nature and awe-inspiring wonder of His creation.

I do not ever want to be a person who doesn't have to introduce himself.

About the News Again

As you may know from a previous blog, I dislike the news. I watch the news almost ever night in hopes that something good will appear. It usually doesn't. I was channel surfing today and stumbled across Bowling for Columbine. Its a Micheal Moore documentary about a lot of things but mainly the NRA. One of his main points was the fact that Americans are scared and that they are scared because of the stuff they here on the news. They feel unsafe and insecure. I don't really like the man but he helps prove my point. Other countries have many of the same issues we do, troubled teens, media violence, etc and a lot of people have guns but there is not near as many people are killed by guns. He feels its partly because Americans live in fear, which is true if you think about it. The news only adds fuel to the fear fire. I do not agree with all of Moore's views but I think topic I do. I would love to start a news station with happy news. Somehow, someway. Its possible. At least, if I'm ever on the news, which is a great possibly being a Meteorology major and all, I want it to be happy and make people smile. I would love to live in a place where people do not lock their doors, where people take their kids trick or treating and aren't scared of the candy, and where people, even if they do not like each other, co-exist without fear. Take it from Yoda "Fear leads to the dark side" ( somewhat paraphrased). PEACE!

At the Office

Hello world. As of June 6, I started a new job in the Office of the State Climatologist. Sounds interesting, right? Well so far, nothing really fun. I was told maybe some research projects later, but for now nothing. I'm at the office right now and, as you can tell, I'm very busy. Other than that the past couple of weeks were great. I didn't work, which is good in some ways but bad in the financial area. I went to camp for staff week and now my heart longs to be there. Its such a great place to be. I'd love to do that my entire life, but I don't think thats where I'm suppose to be. I'm currently reading Blue Like Jazz. Great book, all of it seems to make sense. Its a great look at Christianity without all the needless fluff and religion. Well I guess thats about it for now. PEACE!