quotes from philosophy

Here are the notable quotes I got from my intro to philosophy class this past semester. All but the one noted are from the professor. I should probably note that the meaning of the word philosophy is "love of wisdom."

"They're instituting things in public schools because children are overweight...I wonder if they'll call it 'no child left with a behind'?"

"It's October... Do you know where your parents are?" (??)

"Then the big essay. What's it going to be over? Probably something major."

"Assignments coming in late will be graded with prejudice."

"Did you write in red pen?" (peer to peer after seeing the one's unsatisfactory test grade)

"Hugging a tree is a good thing to do every once in a while. It's like hugging your great grandfather."

"Read Meditation II for God's sake... or your own sake."

some favorite quotes

I decided to share some of my favorite quotes I've heard from others in my college years. Enjoy. I've left off authors for privacy reasons.

"It's a good movie to nap through."

“Why were there 3 men in a tub in that nursury rhyme? What were they doing, and why do we teach kids that?”

“I think the little mouse ran out of the wheel in her head.”

“It’s like eating a maraca.” (referring to Nerds gumballs)

“Can you go on a honeymoon without getting married?” “I think they call that a vacation.”

"Technically Jiminy Cricket was a grasshopper since he was green." "He also had shoes and an umbrella, but we won't go into that."

A comment I got from a prof on a paper once: "I think you have something important to say here, but I lose track of what exactly it is."

"Too bad there aren't two "b's" in the alphabet."

missing 'person'

42-foot-tall inflatable snowman stolen in Tyler
The Associated Press

TYLER, Texas -- "Frosty" the snowman has been swiped.
The 42-foot-tall inflatable holiday decoration is missing from a tree farm in Tyler.
Officials at Dixon Farms say Frosty, worth about $10,000, was last seen Friday night.
So far no arrests.
Lot owner Royce Wisenbaker believes Frosty was hoisted over a fence.
A $1,000 reward has been posted for the safe return of the towering decoration.
Frosty is described as a white male, sporting a red hat and scarf, with a pipe in his mouth.

http://www.star-telegram.com/448/story/341319.html

I have nothing more to say about this, it speaks for itself. And it is hilarious.

"Living Large"

So, I was riding back from Garden Ridge Pottery with my roommate the other night when we drove past a large church, nondenominational I think, or maybe Baptist, though the denomination is rather irrelevant. On their sign was the topic for the upcoming sermon series, called "Living Large: A Life of Abundance." There are so many things wrong with that. The first thing that struck me was related to weight, and how in the midst of living a 'life of abundance' affluent Americans have been getting larger. Less physical activity in most people's daily lives because they have office jobs and work long hours behind a desk, going out to eat because it's quicker and easier and often part of a job, more stress and less healthy ways of coping with it. Based on what I know of this type of theology I am pretty sure this topic is supposed to be a positive sermon, a sermon to tell the congregation how if they trust God and 'live large' and have faith God will give abundantly to them. Unfortunately this translates into an equation: faith in God=lots of stuff. And that is not something God ever promised. I don't really know where this idea that being a good Christian means physical affluence came from, but quite the opposite is promised multiple times in the Bible. Followers of Jesus are promised trial, tribulation, persecution, etc, but no material wealth (though it's not all doom and despair!). Another problem with this view is that if one takes this view of Christianity then clearly all the Christians in other parts of the world that live in poverty and barely scrape by, partly due to the economic conditions of their countries, clearly just do not have enough faith. That is a bit disturbing, and unhelpful in dealing with others. It skews many aspects of theology. How does one work with charity and even share when one believes that everything one has is a sort of prize for being a good Christian? I believe this type of theology is dangerous and makes it difficult to create a positive vision to work toward. That is one thing I like about Lutheran theology. It says that we as Christians are acting out God's purpose in the world, and thus it is our responsibility to share wealth, care for those who are lacking, and promote peace and well-being for the WHOLE earth, ALL people, because we believe every person is God's and should be treated thus. Be careful, then, when promised material abundance in return for faith, because that is not a promise God gave, and in some instances it seems to me it is more in line with a curse.

delineate

So, I consolidated blogs (if there was an easier way than what I did...I don't want to know), and now we shall see if I can do this properly. Maybe now this blog can be what it was intended to be, I'll keep my livejournal for personal issues that have up to now been scattered (or I'll actually use a pen and paper so as not to make other people crazy with some of it), and then I moved my poetry so I have one account. Don't ask why I had done what I had done, I don't really know. Anyway. Life is a lot of work sometimes, just as a side note. Ok, this is the mediating post, I'll keep my previous ones, but from here on, turning over a new leaf, or what have you. Thanks, invisible readers.

Reformation Day and other thoughts

Red text for Reformation Day. Anyway. This is a pep talk to myself, as it were. I am having trouble now deciding if my therapist is useful since he said he doesn't believe in altruism except maybe towards children. And I am beginning to learn somehow that I can and must change ways of thinking if I want to be better. So here's an attempt at positive thinking. I am useful, a good person, worthwhile, and important. I am cared for and loved and important to other people. I have a purpose to discover, and something to give the world. I am intelligent, talented, and have gifts to use and share. It is Reformation Day, the day Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenburg church in 1517. It is time for personal reformation for me, and time for me to embrace the opportunities of reformation. I want to be, and I can't let crap get me down. Time for the stubborn self of me to stand up again and say no to hell. I have been saved, freed, given grace so that I may live, and it's time to live. I may have to repeat this, but I am tired of being sick. Tired of being like this. And I have as much to do with change as anyone. So here goes.

the edges of hell

Been to hell the past week or so, for the millionth time. I don't know what it will take to bring me home again, but my God I need out. I feel maybe God is creeping back in, and I don't want to lose her again. I don't even really know what to say anymore.