cookie cutters for God’s sake

I’m sure we’re all familiar with the story of Elisha and the She-Bears, from 2 Kings 2:23-24:

“[Elisha] went up from there to Bethel; and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” And he turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. And two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys.”

A real barnstormer, that.

Meanwhile, I think Robert Heinlein mentioned this passage in about half his books. However, he wasn’t the only person to find this passage an inspiration… In the 18th century, some pious lunatic decided that this was the perfect scene to immortalize and emblazoned on a cookie mold. Because, clearly, there’s nothing that will make children happier, confident, and secure than when they get their treat with a reminder to respect their elders – or else.

The link will take you to the site of “House on a Hill”, a hearty and ferocious crew bent on helping to produce a modern facsimile. So you and your kids can share the type of experience that their therapists can spend years unpacking, all for the low price of $65.

If they offer a bulk discount, I’m sure Hemant Mehta would want one, too.

Peace be to my Brothers and Sisters.

Brian Patrick Cork

what is changing My mind: Part II

I realized one day that God can be separate from religion.

I took the position of thinking critically. Being a critical thinker is foundational to Heterodox. As many of you know, my Mom taught me to “question everything and accept nothing” – until my gut told me the truth.

I often find myself pondering:

“what would Jefferson posit?” and, “what would God have me do?”

I asked hard and carefully thought out questions and grew weary of the final answers being:

“it’s a mystery”, or, “it doesn’t to have make sense to me either, it’s what the Bible says”.

Or, worse for me:

“just read the Bible”.

Please understand (and , you have seen this on this Blog often enough), reader, that my Mom, for example, was never one to say:

“just because I tell you too”, or, “I know best, I am an adult”.

Those arguments, just like the aforementioned default Bible responses would be born of ignorance – and, possibly fear.

Mom taught me to be bold and fearless, and to trust light and truth.

I researched the history and authorship of the Bible (still working on this) – but, from a carefully considered secular perspective. After I understood the messy and controversial history of the Bible, and saw all the contradictions, I could not believe in inspiration much less infallibility; and, any faith I might have had in religion crashed down around me like a ton of improperly mortared bricks.

I began to trust God more, and the ignorance of people (blinded by unreasonable faith) less, as I came to understand their lack of discernment (perhaps His greatest gift to us).

And, yes, reader, there is more yet to come – and, it’s going to be a real barnstormer.

Peace be to my Brothers and Sisters.

Brian Patrick Cork

Racer X and the Mote in Gods Eye

At some point, unfortunately, you might conjecture this post represents miscellaneous ramblings. I am still sorting through the theme.

Off we go…

I don’t often directly discuss my secular work on this Blog. However, it is often the case, what occurs in-and-around my work, inspires my outside thinking.

Our Accelerator (a unique twist on a startup incubator. We have gone so far as coining the phrase “spinup” company – which is pre-startup) is getting traction and loads of attention. For example, earlier this week Bob Twitchell and his engineers (a ferocious and hardy crew that can spin code like few others) made high-tech history. Through a successful test, they accomplished a networking technology feat never accomplished before – right here in our offices, and I was a witness (and, took a picture with Bob’s iPhone for good measure).

Will I change the world? Have I changed the world? Will I at least get a footnote once the multiple pages that result from Googling (a lot is there; naught to hide; unsure if there is enough to boast of) me dissipate after I go to China?

More on that later.

Meanwhile, I recently found myself explaining my passion for Blogging to Joanne. If you check out my post Jehanne (that actually began with inexhaustable Brian Visaggio), you might read between the lines and understand that it is, in part, about her. I believe the name  Joanne is possibly, derived from “Jehanne” (It has also occurred to me this might be an interesting school lesson for Haley Anne – me drawing a correlation between Joan of Arc [Jehanne] and her own mother). In any event, this is a consistent theme with my Blog that only a few people have picked up on. There is meaning underneath what I say. And, often the titles of the posts drive their own message that are, hopefully, if not always well articulated, affirmed in the post. The process simply fascinates me.

But, I have recently come to realize that I have lived most of my last eighteen years trying to please Joanne. It never seemed to be enough. I really tried the best way I knew how. Ever resolute, I have every intention of revitalizing my efforts and making Joanne, Haley Anne and Emma Jo as happy as God will allow me.

I am working through an opportunity that may represent something of a second chance. It’s a tough spot that is requiring a lot of discipline in the face of enormous pressure. There is a lot at stake. The alternative is unimaginable.

According to WordPress analytics A LOT of people looking for Racer X find me.

Meanwhile, The Mote in God’s Eye, is a Science Fiction novel written by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, and first published in 1974. The story is set in the distant future of Pournelle’s CoDominium universe, and charts the first contact between humankind and an alien species called “Moties”.

None of that is particularly relevant to this Blog or my streaming thoughts. However, the title of the novel is a wordplay on Luke 6:41–42 and Matthew 7:3–5 and, that is, indeed, relevant to my current thinking.

⁴¹ And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

⁴² Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye. – Luke

However, it comes together in terms of personal experience and history, political rhetoric and public commemoration. Starting from the visual and textual documentation of a certain contextual day’s events, and the competing interpretations of its meaning and significance, the authors examines the role of the image in defining a place in cultural memory.

In essence, this means the author argues that “dust” became the dominant visual trope, casting a cloud – both actual and symbolic - over our capacity to comprehend a complex and traumatic moment in history.

So…

These are all simply events in the life a man that is not so simple. There is your elusive theme, after all.

And, I shall spare you a video or link to a song like Dust In the Wind (I don’t like it much any way).

Peace be to my Brothers and Sister.

Brian Patrick Cork

Muslims and Creationism?

Did you know that evolution is incompatible with the Bible the Qur’an? That some Christians Muslims dare to support the religion of Darwinism?

Thank Allah for the Qur’an, whose light of reason blazes brightly against the infidels!

(Not sure where I got that.  But, yes, that’s sarcasm, just in case that wasn’t clear.)

However, just to balance matters out a bit, please consider my prior post: “A Great Bargain”.

Peace be to my Brothers and Sisters.

Brian Patrick Cork

We are all going to die (probably)

We are all going to die (well, probably).

Some of us get to pick when death might occur.  Others will stumble into oblivion.

Generally speaking, I don’t think we should concern ourselves over the issue.

But, here are some theories my friends (beer drinkers, poets, patriots and philosophers all – collectively referred to as: The Prudent Society of Optimistic Gentlemen, or, simply, The Gentlemen) have come up with around the world’s cataclysmic end. We do this because our combined egos are so HUGE, that it, well, just needs to be fantastic (or, “fabulous” if you are Curtis).

Scientific experts (this certainly includes The Gentlemen) from around the world are predicting that five years from now, all life on Earth could well finish. Some are saying it’ll be humans (not beans though /1) that set it off. Others believe that a natural phenomenon will be the cause. And the religious folks are saying it’ll be God himself who presses the stop button…

In no particular order, although you have seen much of this before through a wide-variety of mediums (but, kinda cool if they all happened simultaneously):

1. Mayan Calendar

The first mob to predict 2012 as the end of the world were the Mayans, a bloodthirsty race that were good at two things:  Building highly accurate astrological equipment out of stone, and Sacrificing Virgins.

Thousands of years ago they managed to calculate the length of the lunar moon as 329.53020 days, only 34 seconds out. The Mayan calendar predicts that the Earth will end on December 21, 2012. /2 Given that they were pretty close to the mark with the lunar cycle, it’s likely they’ve got the end of the world right as well.

2. Sun Storms

Solar experts from around the world monitoring the sun have made a startling discovery: our sun is in a bit of strife. The energy output of the sun is, like most things in nature, cyclic, and it’s supposed to be in the middle of a period of relative stability. However, recent solar storms have been bombarding the Earth with so much radiation energy, it’s been knocking out power grids and destroying satellites. This activity is predicted to get worse, and calculations suggest it’ll reach its deadly peak sometime in 2012.

3. The Atom Smasher

I rather like this one (not to be confused with Cirith Ungol as exampled here).

However, you can learn more about it (the actual scientific experiment, not the Cirith Ungol tune) by watching the following video:

Scientists in Europe have been building the world’s largest particle accelerator. Basically its a 27km tunnel designed to smash atoms together to find out what makes the Universe tick. However, the mega-gadget has caused serious concern, with some scientists suggesting that it’s properly even a bad idea to turn it on in the first place. They’re predicting all manner of deadly results, including mini black holes. So when this machine is fired up for its first serious experiment in 2012, the world could be crushed into a super-dense blob the size of a basketball.

I want to get a telephone call or text message just before they pull the lever so I can start jumping up and down to see if it makes any difference (like when an air liner is rushing towards the ground).

Update: The Atom Smasher has been turned on, and the world has not yet been destroyed.

Consider a paradox, and peak into the future, by considering We live yet.

4. The Bible says…

If having scientists warning us about the end of the world isn’t bad enough, religious folks are getting in on the act as well. Interpretations of the Christian Bible reveal that the date for Armageddon, the final battle between Good an Evil, has been set down for 2012. The I Ching, also known as the Chinese book of Changes, says the same thing, as do various sections of the Hindu teachings.

5. Super Volcano

My personal favorite…

Yellowstone National Park in the United States is famous for its thermal springs and Old Faithful geyser. The reason for this is simple – it’s sitting on top of the world’s biggest volcano, and geological experts are beginning to get nervous sweats. The Yellowstone volcano has a pattern of erupting every 650,000 years or so, and we’re apparently many years overdue for an explosion that will fill the atmosphere with ash, blocking the sun and plunging the Earth into a frozen winter that could last up to 15,000 years. The pressure under the Yellowstone is building steadily, and geologists have set 2012 as a likely date for the big bang.

6. The Physicists

This one’s case of bog-simple maths mathematics. Physicists at Berekely Uni have been crunching the numbers. and they’ve determined that the Earth is well overdue for a major catastrophic event. Even worse, they’re claiming their calculations prove, that we’re all going to die, very soon – while also saying their prediction comes with a certainty of 99 percent- and 2012 just happens to be the best guess as to when it occurs.

7. (another) BANG!

We all know the Earth is surrounded by a magnetic field that sheilds us from most of the sun’s radiation. What you might not know is that the magnetic poles we call North and South apparently have a nasty habit of swapping places every 750,000 years or so – and right now we’re about 30,000 years overdue. Scientists have noted that the poles are drifting apart roughly 20-30kms each year, much faster than ever before, which points to a pole-shift being right around the corner. While the pole shift is underway, the magnetic field is disrupted and will eventually disappear, sometimes for up to 100 years. The result is enough UV outdoors to crisp your skin in seconds, killing everything it touches.

Peace be to my Brothers and Sisters.

Brian Patrick Cork

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1/ See My rantings (albeit sincere and heart-felt notions) around “Human Beans” – or, just ask me some time.

2/ This is just four (4) days before my parents wedding anniversary.  They are deceased, but, it is still relevant because they were, and probably are still, very cool.  Their parties were always great.  I remember one of my many God Mothers (this is a long story) yelling:  “Oh my GOD, we are all going to die!” with a pitcher of martinis sloshing in her hand.

Evidence

So… This Blog is not, generally, dedicated to any faith.

But, it is dedicated to what I think and care about. At the moment, I am caught up in why people have faith.

To wit…

Is it weakness or folly to believe without evidence? Or is it weakness or folly to require evidence to believe?

Must one have physical proof in order to believe something, or does that illustrate a crippled faith?

Certainly the carnal man prefers evidence, as solid and irrefutable as we can get, for our minds seek naturally for such proof. To proceed without proof, or evidence, is risky. As such, throughout biblical history we find such sign seekers… those unwilling to believe without some sort of evidence or sign.

But of these sign seekers we read…

“And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, this is an evil generation: they seek a sign” (Luke 11:29).

And in Mark we find that when the Pharisees came questioning Jesus, they sought from him a sign from heaven, and Jesus:

“sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, why doth this generation seek after a sign?” (Mark 8:11-12).

So should we seek for evidence? In Hebrews 11 (the great dissertation on faith by Paul), we find that faith IS evidence:

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1).

Clearly, we need not see to believe.

Verse 7:

“By faith Noah, being bwarned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house;”

Did Noah require evidence before building the ark?

When God told him that it would rain for 40 days and 40 nights, did he say “prove it”? He didn’t need to, for his faith was sufficient for action.

Verse 8:

“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.”

Did Abraham require proof, or evidence before he acted? Or was his faith sufficient?

What about Sarah in v.10, did she require evidence to have a child? Or in v. 17, when Abraham was told to sacrifice his very son, did he require evidence that this was necessary, or did he move on faith alone? In v. 29 when Moses approached the Red Sea, did he need evidence that he could part the sea or did he simply believe?

Were these people weak for not requiring evidence, or strong for not needing it?

In life we progress line upon line, precept upon precept. While the need for evidence might be a suitable start, there needs to come a time in our spiritual progression where we graduate from the requirement of such a crutch, where our faith becomes like that of Moses, Abraham, and Noah, enabling us to act based on nothing more than faith alone. Enabling us to act based on a witness from the spirit, and not some physical manifestation that our path is sure.

But even those who have asked such questions are coming close without knowing it.

For as the Lord said to Thomas, who doubted his resurrection “Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou has believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:29).

Here the Lord not only confirms that more blessed are they for whom faith is sufficient, but that they themselves, having not seen Jesus, yet who believe in him, have shown themselves capable of belief without proof.

While God may find it within His wisdom to provide evidence where he may, far be it from me to require it of him.

So…

“True faith does not require evidence. And while the wisdom of the world might find this imprudent, or call it weak, the wisdom of the world is not what I seek, but the strength of the faith of Noah, Moses, Abraham, and of all the great prophets, for God hath made foolish the wisdom of the world (1 Cor. 1:20)”.

This was a lot of work. And, I still don’t know why I believe there is one God, although I see that He is greatly evident. Its simply a matter of fact with me. NOTE: The Christ element remains a burden on my heart.

But all men know where they stand with me.  And, they  know my heart.

Peace be to my Brothers and Sisters.

Brian Patrick Cork

Madman or Evangelist

Show me a haggard man in rags pounding the Bible on a street corner and you would probably call him a vagrant.

Show me a man in a thousand dollar suit “preaching” and we call him an Evangelist /1.

Who would Christ love the most? And, who would you invite into your home to share bread and board?

Peace to my Brothers and Sisters.

Brian Patrick Cork

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1/ Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) e·van·ge·list/ a person marked by evangelical enthusiasm for or support of any cause.

Also of interest…

Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary – Evangelist

a “publisher of glad tidings;” a missionary preacher of the gospel (Eph. 4:11). This title is applied to Philip (Acts 21:8), who appears to have gone from city to city preaching the word (8:4, 40). Judging from the case of Philip, evangelists had neither the authority of an apostle, nor the gift of prophecy, nor the responsibility of pastoral supervision over a portion of the flock. They were itinerant preachers, having it as their special function to carry the gospel to places where it was previously unknown. The writers of the four Gospels are known as the Evangelists.