And death i think is no parenthesis

So today I was going through a bunch of old notebooks I had stashed away in one of my dresser drawers. I was curious what kinds of things I had written in these things, some of which date back to my first years of high school. A few observations: 1) I had an awesome sense of humor. Where did that go? 2) My memories of the past often do not include my emotional state of the time. I read many entries about how miserable I was at certain points of my life, and I have a hard time remembering those feelings. 3) To build on #2, my past feelings aren't the only things that are unrecognizable. Some of those things were written by an entirely different person, somebody I would hardly recognize as myself were I to have coffee with him today. 4) My handwriting varies from wildly illegible to quite good. Why the hell didn't I just always  write in the latter style? 5) Some of the events I wrote about are still too painful for me to re-read, even after years of dis...

In March, I'm taking a much-needed leave of the city. Kansas City, thank you for the music, the food, the museums, and the hot hang-out spots, but frankly, you can go to Hell. A few weeks ago, I found myself standing at my window as the sun was setting, contemplating the streets and buildings below me. What I said came out almost automatically: "Every man, woman, and child in this city will die by my hand." Yep. I need a vacation. The city is just too full of people.  Every day that passes, I feel my patience for other people waning, my disgust bubbling over. In traffic, in the suburbs, in the library - it doesn't matter where I am - the people that surround me are rude, ignorant, or worse. Sometimes, I watch the sun go down over the West Bottoms from the edge of the park across the street. I like to watch the traffic, the trains, and the people in miniature. It's like a little anthill down there. Usually, an eagle or a flock of crows will catc...

An old friend and spiritual mentor of mine left a comment on my last "Religious Conversation" Post . It provoked so much thought that I wanted to share it with everybody, because I know quite a few of my religious friends are reading this, and I know quite a few of you who would make a similar statement. Here it is: There is an element in this conversation that is being overlooked (at least, I presume). There is an aesthetic beauty and, more, an affection, which Steven appears to have for God. This is not illogical; in fact, all human beings exhibit it for something. It may be subjective, and it is not conclusive, but it is completely logical. And I can't imagine an argument that would refute it. It is something like a man saying, "I love my wife. I appreciate her many virtues and charms; I believe her to be the woman most worthy of my affection and lifelong commitment." If I say this and someone were to say to me, "But EVERY man says that of his bride!...

Hi Stephan. I  promise promise promise  you that we will get into the historical accuracy of the Bible. I've been so excited to talk about it, actually, that I started piecing together a response. But I won't give it to you now, because that would be jumping the gun. You're only asking for clarification, after all, of the two questions from my last post. I don't want to enter into new territory before we've even surveyed our immediate surroundings, you know? So here I go: I don't mean to sound like a broken record, Stephan, but  I beg you  to recognize this: when you say things like,  faith & the existence of God was real in an almost  tangible  way   what I was  experiencing  was consistent with the God & gospel message of the Bible    I've been 'pulled back' and again more fully  experienced  this relationship with God, which always comes as a result of God  changing my heart  to cause me to aga...

Big surprise, right? Those of you who know me - you could have probably guessed I would pick Arcade Fire's spectacular album, The Suburbs. Arcade Fire is the most moving, interesting, and important group making music today. There, I said it. That's a pretty big claim, but after experiencing their third solid gold album, I'm convinced. They can be so somber . Gut-wrenchingly gloomy. And then, so damned uplifting and hopeful. They make me want to take their music seriously. But then, if Arcade Fire wanted me to listen to the their music while giving myself a hot tar bath, I'd probably do it. But seriously. From the opening track:      So can you understand      why I want a daughter while I'm still young?      I wanna hold her hand      and show her some beauty      before this damage is done.      But if it's too much to ask, if it's too much to ask,      then send me a son....

OK, well I'll first respond to your first 2 questions, which I think will require some clarification from you before I move on...since I found myself unable to really answer what you asked... What evidence would it take for me to doubt the veracity of the Bible? This question is difficult, because it is at the core of my faith – sola scriptura: I know that I can be clouded by emotion & prone to drifting, and this is why my “anchor” is in the Bible, because it is the unchanging word of God I can always depend on & go back to. When I made the decision to follow Christ personally, and make it not just something my parents did, it was because faith & the existence of God was real in an almost tangible way, similar (in some ways) to how I can know that gravity exists: by experiencing it. I found that what I was experiencing was consistent with the God & gospel message of the Bible. Further, I found the historical confirmation & reliability of what was recorded in ...

I didn't realize how much I loved this album until I really  listened to it. I remember the night well. Laying in bed, I stuck my in my earbuds and started up Are the Roaring Night.  By the middle of the first song, I had goosebumps all over my body, and I found myself grinning uncontrollably. This song is really awesome, I thought. The next track had the same effect. And the next. This is an album that sweeps you up and carries you along in its beautiful, dark melodies. And those are really the best two words to describe this album's sound: beautiful and dark . If you love the theatricality and emotion of, say, The Hazards of Love , you should definitely check out The Besnard Lakes. And don't neglect their previous album, The Besnard Lakes are the Dark Horse. So, if you are looking for a transcendent experience, put on some headphones, turn up the volume, close your eyes, and experience The Besnard Lakes are the Roaring Night.