Dear Blogspot,
I was a little heavy with you last time we spoke, so I decided that today, I will lighten things up a bit with another list. I hope you don't mind. I don't think you will when I unveil the topic. Oh Blogspot, you've been so good to me thus far. I will now reward you with a list of 10 songs that I will drive around the block to finish if I am in the car at the time when said song is on the radio (with videos, of course.)
#10--Too Much Time on My Hands--Styx. I believe the quote from Big Daddy sums it up best. Styx is the greatest rock band ever, and they only got a bad rap because most critics are just cynical a-holes.
#9--Jesse's Girl--Rick Springfield. This one, I mean, I don't even have to ask. So much jealousy, angst, and "talkin' cute", how do you not love this song?
#8--Rosanna--Toto. I will actually stay in the car for any Toto song, but this one in particular is at a new level. Please notice the following things in this video: awesome aviator shades, the top pony-tail, and more chain-link fence than you can shake a stick at.
#7--Jenny/867-5309--Tommy Tutone. Forget the fact that my wife's name is Jenny. Forget the fact that this guy got this girl's number off the bathroom wall. Forget that I've actually tried to dial this number. Just enjoy the faux-fro hairdos.
#6--Boys of Summer--Don Henley. It just parallels all of the movies from the 80s. Guy wants girl. Girl leaves guy. Guy wants girl back. Pledges undying love. It's like middle school wrapped up in Don Henley's silky-smooth voice. The video is almost as homo-erotic as the volleyball scene in Top Gun.
#5--You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling--The Righteous Brothers. If you know me, you know. Top Gun, classic melody, uncomfortably high notes at the end. It's all in one.
#4--To Be With You--Mr. Big. A staple 80s hit. I think the video and audio are a bit off on this video, so just close your eyes, and let it take you there.
#3--Wonderwall--Oasis. One of my favorite songs ever. Enjoy.
#2--Its So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday--Boyz II Men. Why will I stay until the end? Because the best guy is the last one, that's why.
#1--Jukebox Hero--Foreigner. This song is like a dream to every kid that ever wanted to be a rock star, and let's be honest, that's just every kid. If you've ever walked into a guitar store and seen the shiny electric guitars hanging on the wall and not pictured yourself with golden angel wings singing lead for Lynyrd Skynyrd, well, you haven't really lived, have you?
June 10, 2010
June 07, 2010
The Best Offense...A Good Defense?
Recently I've noticed more and more negativity toward people of faith. I happen to follow Christ and his teachings, but this cynical, pessimistic view of religion is extending far beyond Christianity. A Facebook status I read recently had a comment where a self-professed agnostic stated that "religion was a crutch" that was used by people who were not mentally strong enough to handle life on their own (paraphrase). I took offense to this statement, and honestly, it made me angry.
This feeling and response made me question when it is appropriate to defend not only my faith, but the rights of anyone who falls under the "religion" umbrella. I did not comment on the FB thread because my attitude was not in love and respect, but instead in anger and for the sake of an argument. I realize that it is important to defend faith whenever we are directly persecuted, but how do you defend against a generally negative attitude toward all religion?
I generally do not like using churchy cliches and sayings, but I have kept coming back to the argument that my beliefs are, for lack of a better phrase, about a relationship, not religion. The person who stated that religion is a crutch could probably be right, but I have realized through this past week, that I no more use Christ as a crutch than I use any other good friend or family member as a crutch. Just as I would rely on a close friend or a family member during tough times, I know, although more significantly, that I can rely on Christ. And just as I would celebrate positive life events with a good friend or family member, I can do the same with Christ. If this means that I am using my religion as a crutch, I suppose I am also using my friends and family as "crutches." True, I also believe that Christ died for my sins and rose again and therefore gave me the opportunity to have eternal life, but I don't feel that believing this makes me mentally weak.
On the contrary, I believe having faith in something makes me mentally stronger. It is easy to doubt everything. It is easy to be pessimistic as the negative slant is often more apparent than the positive one. I don't feel it's okay to bash anyone for what they believe. I may think that those who do not follow Jesus are wrong, but I would never call them weak-minded, or say that they are using Islam or Buddhism or atheism as a crutch. I'm not okay with the fact that it is acceptable to put Christianity down as "for the weak." My hope today rests in the fact that He that is in me is greater than he who is in the world.
This feeling and response made me question when it is appropriate to defend not only my faith, but the rights of anyone who falls under the "religion" umbrella. I did not comment on the FB thread because my attitude was not in love and respect, but instead in anger and for the sake of an argument. I realize that it is important to defend faith whenever we are directly persecuted, but how do you defend against a generally negative attitude toward all religion?
I generally do not like using churchy cliches and sayings, but I have kept coming back to the argument that my beliefs are, for lack of a better phrase, about a relationship, not religion. The person who stated that religion is a crutch could probably be right, but I have realized through this past week, that I no more use Christ as a crutch than I use any other good friend or family member as a crutch. Just as I would rely on a close friend or a family member during tough times, I know, although more significantly, that I can rely on Christ. And just as I would celebrate positive life events with a good friend or family member, I can do the same with Christ. If this means that I am using my religion as a crutch, I suppose I am also using my friends and family as "crutches." True, I also believe that Christ died for my sins and rose again and therefore gave me the opportunity to have eternal life, but I don't feel that believing this makes me mentally weak.
On the contrary, I believe having faith in something makes me mentally stronger. It is easy to doubt everything. It is easy to be pessimistic as the negative slant is often more apparent than the positive one. I don't feel it's okay to bash anyone for what they believe. I may think that those who do not follow Jesus are wrong, but I would never call them weak-minded, or say that they are using Islam or Buddhism or atheism as a crutch. I'm not okay with the fact that it is acceptable to put Christianity down as "for the weak." My hope today rests in the fact that He that is in me is greater than he who is in the world.
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