Call me Immune to the salt. Call me the Penny in the Rough.

(This is the last of the writings I'm sharing from my Facebook notes.)

Background to the writing:
There was a video of someone telling the story about the college student taking a class where the professor said, "If God exists, he'll stop this chalk from breaking when it hits the floor!" And the chalk slipped, and due to friction on the prof's clothes and shoe.. the chalk didn't break. There's a little more to the story as well as something talking about the christian faith after. I don't recall the name, but that might enlighten you if you're wondering what brought me to write this one.

Call me Immune to the salt. Call me the Penny in the Rough.

I find myself in the middle of a debate with a believer and an atheist which started from a video. A video that I saw simply as inspirational.

It is becoming quickly apparent to me that I am seeing things from a different angle than is expected of me. The expected angle is a bit startling seeing how it walks the path of the crude and undermining.

I feel that I need to establish a few things. The Church. Christianity. (short on that one, I promise) Grains of Salt and the Ostrich.

Firstly, Churches and their use in the common day. Know reading this that I come from a christian background so my terminology springs from it, replace Church with the name that applies to anything similar. They have two great uses. The first is the obvious.. to learn. To learn about your beliefs. You'll learn about things you agree with and then some that you won't. This is salt. This will be explained shortly. The second is to commune with others. Sure, you are saying to yourself, "I don't need to go to a church to meet and greet with others." In part you would be correct, but also in part you would also not be understanding what the church is. It is a group, a community. There are groups for all sorts of interests.. guns, ghosts, perversions, the color yellow, movies... you name it, you got a group for it. People go to these groups not only to LEARN about the topic, but also to be among others that share the same viewpoint. A common ground where one knows that they'll fit in no matter what. Sounds like the reasons to go to a church doesn't it?

Next is Christianity.
It seems that some will look at Christians and then be disgusted about how they (the Christians) will show their belief and then go so far as to say that their way is the right way and all others should "see the light" or see fire and flame. Be disgusted if you choose to be, but realize where they're coming from. They're not called CHRISTians for no reason. CHRIST, that's part of the name and why is it? To a Christian there is Christ, Jesus Christ. Your Savior. (Heaven's James Bond?) To not believe CHRIST to be who he is said to be... is to go against a fundamental of the religion. They believe that without him, you will perish. It's pretty black and white, they want you to share their fate, as opposed to the "fires and flames". What's my point you wonder? Simply that no matter where you go, you will find Christians that will boldly state what they believe and why you should too. It quite simply is part of their religion to do so. It happens. Is this salt to you?

And the real mention, the Salt and the Ostrich.
(No this isn't some crazed children's story I just thought up.)
Salt has many meanings, but the usage here is "with a grain of salt." An easy way to to delve into this is to look at an internet forum. There will be a lot of useful and factual information there, but all the same there will be a lot half-truths and untrue information.. and for some reason an Ostrich. Initially everything needs to be read and taken in "with a grain of salt." Simply because until you see it all, you won't be able to discern the truth from the lies. The Penny from the Salt... and the Ostrich. The Ostrich being that piece of information that has absolutely nothing to do with anything, much like it has nothing to do with what I type here.

This expected path that I was deemed expected to take is filled with salt, the penny, and the Ostrich. The path I take instead has a Penny, and some junk in the corner out of my way... probably the remains of whatever the Ostrich ate.. not sure, don't care. I don't see the "evil religious tactics" that reside within the video because I've taken it with a grain of salt, it doesn't apply beyond a reason to hate. I have no reason to hate, it's a grain of salt. I also don't see the end where it speaks of a man talking about his faith to a crowd. Good for him, I don't care. It is salt to me. What I saw was the message. The message isn't to hate people who are devout in their beliefs (which to the two that know of which I speak.. applies to both the believer and the atheist in the video), nor is it to talk about the one and only way or you shall burn in hell. If these things were the topics, I'd expect them touched on more. What I did see was a message of inspiration, which seems to apply beyond the realm of religion. To me, it said that one should believe (or think) what they believe (or think) regardless of the opposition against them. And that even when things seem dire and out of their favor.. (it) does not rule out the possibility that things will turn out alright. This in the Penny in the Rough.

As one would come to expect if you have read anything I've written before.. I've eluded to one more topic. Religion and everyone's thoughts.
This one is simple. Pick an organized religion. Now take 30 people within that and have them talk about what they believe. I am willing to say that the group will not be 100% on everything. There will be differences, but there will also be commonalities. Organized religions are for the reasons I stated above, but in the end, Religion is a personal thing. What you take from it will be different than what the person you sit next to today will take from it. No one is necessarily wrong either, merely different.

Though I will say this. IF there are differences among men (and women) within an organized religion, then one might infer that it is not a set way of life. If this holds true, then this would mean that there will be grains of salt everywhere.

The question is simple: Which grains of salt will be tossed away, and which will preserve (your food)?

-- Joe

A Believer

I wrote this years ago and have always held onto it. Originally the plan was to send it off in an email "FWD:FWD: type of thing and see how far it went and who I knew would send it to me unaware, "Did you read this?" But I ended up never doing so in part because it is MINE, but the point was to be anonymous, so how would I make it mine and keep it anonymous? Kind of can't.. Sure I could have made up a fake name, but once you read it, you'll see why I ended it with "A Believer." Either way, I felt (and still do feel) like I should share this with people.

So intro aside, here's another read into the depths of my mind.
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God

To believe in God or to not believe in God… is this really the question? Shakespeare aside, the question is irrelevant. Everyone is always more than happy to celebrate that someone believes in God, but what is said afterwards is where all the strife truly begins. Those who do not believe generally don’t care, and those that do… choose not to waste their time on someone who will not try to give the benefit of the doubt. What confuses me so much is all the time wasted on those that already believe. The reason is that they do not believe the way others want them to believe… again, aside from the fact that both of the individuals taking part in the strife believe in something more, something greater.

One is Lutheran, one is Catholic, one is Muslim, one is… you name it. Granted I do not know even the basics of all religions, but it seems apparent that most of them all have dealings with a greater power or being. If everyone seems to come to the same conclusion regardless of how they get there, why is there so much anger and hostilities between them? The answer is the same so let bygones be bygones and rejoice in the fact that everyone are brothers and sisters.

The problem is that they are not bygones. Everyone seems to feel that in order to be ‘equal’ everyone must believe in the same style of belief as the one doing the judging. And yes, I do see the irony in how Christians are told not to judge. Most religions have a place of worship and something to read about their religious beliefs. I grew up in the Christian background, borne and raised Catholic. That statement alone gets me into trouble, I said the word “Catholic.” I am often told, that it ‘has so many inaccurate statements because so many contradict each other,’ that others are ‘half truths,’ and then there are others still that are simply misread. Then again, we’ve all played the telephone game where messages are passed down from friend to friend only to hear the bizarre message at the end. Religions have done this for more than just 5 minutes between 8 friends, so I think it is understandable that some things aren’t going to make sense. The bigger picture is still there, that’s what I prefer to see. We all take different paths; it’s the destination that matters, that is all anyone should care to see.

I keep straying off of my topic; sorry it is just too easy to do. Places of worship & Books of worship. Are these required? Must these be delved into to believe? The first thing that comes to my mind is that how could such things exist if a higher being didn’t come first? Surely the higher power was the inspiration, if not, then it (read: God) could easily be refuted as made up. In this, God (or the higher being, power, whatever it is you call it) came first and the books and places came forth to help remind us of it. From this, why is it so important that we use such devices? I can understand why one would like to read the bible or go to church (Christian words, and much shorter, so I’ll use those words instead), as it helps reaffirm in their eyes what they believe and what they strive to attain. But the question still remains, is it necessary in order TO believe? No, it is not needed. Granted many of us would not know of the belief had it not been for a church or a bible, it had to come about without it… I’d like to think that the belief (which is a part of my logic) would have gotten us that far anyways.

Church – A place to go for worship. People congregate in churches to learn. This is its inherent purpose, but now it is also used to commune, to meet and greet, and socialize with others. Today it has two uses. The first being its intent… a place that is filled with that which is peace and good; to learn and grow with your relationship with the power you have come to know. The second is to spend time with others that believe similar to you. It gives everyone a place to talk about their day, their jobs, everything that they do without having people ridicule them for their beliefs, as humans as we all know are quite prone do to so.

Bible – A book that teaches us about the chronicles of the being and its followers throughout time. I don’t know about other books, but the bible is comprised of many many books written through time, all compressed into one very fat book with small text. Stories, parables (which are basically stories), letters, and anything else one might write are here. Albeit it can be quite hard to find what you are looking for without a guide or program to aid you, the book is seen like the handbook. “Go here for assistance!”

In my opinion they are tools. No not in the sense that we’re all being used, but rather devices that can make your life easier. Its kind of like a Carpenter and his tool-belt, sure it can really help you out, but it definitely is not required. Also just like any other tool, it is often misused. There are many that own a bible, but never read it or even merely acknowledge its existence, just as there are those that go to church, go through all the motions, but never think twice about what they are doing or why they’re doing it. They’re going to church, “Because we’re supposed to.” If one goes only because they feel they must, then do they want to? Is there a real purpose to going? “Surely you can spend at least one hour of your time each week” (as Catholic masses last about as long). Sure we can, but that’s not the issue. If you’re going to go there like a little robot because you’re programmed to, well then you’re a little robot going there because you’re programmed to. There is no emotion, there is no love, there is no want… what are you ‘giving’ to the god in return? Not much only to show that you’ll do whatever s/he says regardless of using that free will of yours that is oh so emphasized as to her/him giving you.

I do not believe that these tools are required to hold a belief in something greater, nor are they required to gain said belief. I will agree that in this day and age it definitely would be a lot easier to discern one’s beliefs by reading and listening with the use of these devices. With so many things being said, these are great sources to use. They are no end-all, but definitely something to work with and from. Once you know what you know and believe what you believe… what’s next? Use the tools? Sure, No one is stopping you, just as they should not stop you from venturing out on your own to further your belief as you see fit. This is the problem, they do. Your belief is different than another person’s and as such you must be blind to them as you do not see things the way they do. I love how judgmental everyone is, especially when they point out that only the higher power should be the one who judges.

I keep rambling, I can’t help it, this topic just makes me so flustered. The point of the matter is God, and God alone (emphasized the word because using names emphasizes a certain belief, so we’ll use the word and use a capital letter to point it out) nothing else should matter… Yet it does. What do people want? It seems more than needed. People need to look out into the world, the strife, the pain, the misery, and the hardships. The death, the blood, the fires, the destruction…… and lets not forget the Love. Through all that happens it still exists as does the Hope to go on, and the Brotherhood amongst those that follow a greater power. Through this belief people are able to bond as they each know that there is something better out there, if not in this lifetime then the next (so to speak). It shouldn’t matter what name is used or if they go to church or don’t… or if they read the book or they do not. These things are trivial in the bigger picture, which is that they believe just as ‘you’ do. So why the strife? Be happy knowing that they’ll end up where you’ll end up… at the final destination in one peace. (Pun intended).

-- A Believer

Here's the other poem I've written and saved.

--Stuttering In Confusion--

Things I expect and things I know;
Many of things one would expect to show.
I had planned for many, so far some have came;
But then there is a new one... one that's filled with shame.

Not all that occurs, goes as planned;
Nor are they always done by one's own hand.
Though they happen, that is for sure;
To deal with them, one must not deter.

What has to be done, has to be done;
Even if those are thoughts we very much shun.
Past that last step, there is an end;
Once reached, you no longer have to pretend.

To finally see it and to want to go;
Just getting there means that I might grow.
But standing here I hurt from head to toe;
Saying... I-I-I D-d-don't... Knnnooww.

JJPC 4/4/11

Here's the older poem that I wrote... "So Here I Am"

So Here I am  -- Joseph Cadwell

So here I am. Here... where is that exactly? No idea, nor do I know where I'm to go. On the verge of needing to go somewhere, but I haven't the slightest on where the path is, only aware that if I miss it, I'll fall wondering where and if there is a bottom.

Places. We’re all forced to go. A piece of mind with a push and a shove, I stand in my corner-less room, like a board game I’m only at the beginning meant to finish to the end. No rules; just go. The point of the game is to wander until the end, as the maze forks and paths are chosen, assuming of course that you don’t fall.

Easy. Take a chance; find your way, that’s all they ever say. But what happens when you look back to me, back at the beginning. I’ve moved my piece, yet here it stays, without a vision only a hope, Chances taken, chances failed. Have I fallen, or merely put back to the start?

Failure. One could say starting over is a blessing, being a game you cannot truly lose if you cannot truly fail. But if I cannot manage to get to Step Ten, Starting over doesn’t count, it only feels like I haven’t moved. Chances lost, lessons learned, apparently to not try to move again.

So here I am. Here. At the beginning. Do I move or do I stay? Sitting here where I began, you say I cannot fail so here I be. There’s my chance, or perhaps… I’ll simply fall, perhaps the bottom is simply a way to end the game (and start a new one.)

It's a start!

So, I've finally made a blog. I know what type of material I plan to focus on, but initially I just need some material so I can adjust how the page itself looks, loads, and what other pages I might add to it. Also, I want to grab most of the things I've written on Facebook and bring it over here. Political junk will stay, but there are two poems and a few writings I'd like to keep with me...

So until I get this thing all set up and happy, I'll be pulling in some already written stuff. The poems are depressing, just know that one is quite a few years old and the other is still a few years old. They're not me now, but I'm still proud of them.