So I havent posted on here is a really long time, My wife, my dog, and I moved to Florida so I could attend Full Sail University for Digital Arts and Design. Its awesome but long hours, (being 40hrs a week in class, plus 20+ hrs of homework/projects a week) thats long for school anyway. So I’ve been super busy, but have plans to start this again. My wife is really getting into and teaching me about health and environmental issues. I’m sure there will be some kind of environmental blog here soon. We’ve been really into this for years but just getting more serious about it as of late. Also have been having interesting conversations with people about faith, politics, design, and a whole slew of other random shit that will hopefully turn into blogs and be put up here soon. Alright see ya and may God bless the hell out of you!
Jonny the irreligious disciple.
America: A God Damned Nation or God Damnation?
Posted: April 28, 2010 in UncategorizedTags: America politics poetry
This is a poem I wrote a few years ago, in 2006 or 2007 I believe. When I wrote it I was thinking about how America has changed so much and the things that we sing in our anthems don’t really reflect how America is today. The freedom, mercy, grace, peace, liberty and justice just seem to be void now and in some cases were never there. I think they were great “ideas” but they are not very evident now. I thought what if we sang how things SEEM to be. It may be offensive to some but the point of it was to get us to think about it. We have come a long way and we are actually doing better in some areas but failing miserably in others. I know that the country is run by politicians but maybe “we the people” can actually change the state of America if we act out those “ideas” that were so good. We need to be the definitions of those words. That’s the idea. I have struggled with actually posting it because I don’t want people to think I’m anti America. I do love America; I am just Pro- freedom, mercy, grace, peace, liberty, justice, and the idea that all are created equally. I would love to live in a country that stood for these things. And if we did… well never mind that. I really hope this just makes you think that is the point.
America: a God Damned Nation or God Damnation?
By: Jonathan Ristow
Please place your right hand over your heart and face the flag:
Pledge Allegiance to the flag
Of the Divided States of America.
The nation damned by God
Where liberty and justice seem void
America, America
Where’s your grace & mercy?
There is no good or brotherhood
But lots of bigotry.
My country cannot see
It’s become too greedy
A place of loss.
We have own freedoms
Taken away from us.
Losing sight & creating
Contradictions.
It’s a grand old flag
And a high flying flag
But never in peace will it wave.
Now the emblem of
Greed & hate not love.
The home of the robot and slave.
Colors that should be flew
Should be Red, Black and Blue,
Where there’s always a boast & a brag.
The auld acquaintance was forgot,
Keep your eye on that grand old flag.
America, void of Christ,
void of peace,
A virtual heaven and hell,
Purgatory, call it what you will
We want to bring some of this somewhere over there
We speak of peace but stand firm in our position
We sing of mercy, Right on the lines & prepared war
We speak of equal rights, but only give them to a certain few
We sing of freedom and liberty. What for?
To fight for what we stand for?
What do we stand for? The words don’t match the actions
And now in the mirror we see our two-faced affliction
Yet we are proud to fight for our contradiction,
Someday we may say let’s fight for our God damned nation
Yeah let’s fight for our God damnation
Thinking about what it means to dream. Dreaming, I know that we all have in some point in our life had dreams of becoming… being… going…doing… you get the idea. Dreams are a great thing. But you can dream and dream and dream your life away. I know that I have done this in different times of my life. I still do it. We all do. Great ideas that we never follow through on. I actually thought “I have so many ideas that I will never actually get to do, maybe I should write a book called “101 Great Ideas That I Can’t Do But Someone Should.” But I never wrote it. This is what I’m talking about, don’t be a dreamer that doesn’t DO anything with those dreams. Martin Luther King had a dream and put it to action. We are all affected by his dream. And that is awesome! When people accomplish their dreams they succeed, because it may be hard to do but the reward is great! If we, and I’m talking to myself mostly, stopped day dreaming about accomplishing our dreams, just think of how the world would change if we actually accomplished our dreams and lived by the quote from The Rocky Horror Picture Show “Don’t dream it, be it!”
I want to go against everything you may have been taught about Christianity. And totally reject it! I have been told that doubt is a bad thing, that arguing with God is wrong, and that the bible tells us everything. In other words we must blindly believe. No questions, no challenging, just do as the religion has told you to. But this is so stupid. When you do this you are a drone and a robot. When we were kids we always asked Why? Who? What? When? Where? How? Sure our parents and others would sometimes get annoyed, but we learned by questioning. A couple of my friends and I will play devil’s advocate with each other. I love doing this especially when I feel strongly on an issue, to argue the other side will sometimes open your mind and other times it will simply strengthen your faith. Argue! Doubt!
The bible has been translated so many times throughout history, words have many meanings, I started to look at some of the words and look at the earlier translations, then look at other writings from that time period and you start to see that sometimes our English translations don’t really fit in context with the other writings during the time and culture like. Writers like Homer use the same language that’s in the bible. Word comparisons to other literature are a good thing. Ripping the bible apart in study is amazing.
When you do these things you learn more and more about God the father and Jesus. It’s almost like you receive a revelation from the holy spirit. A new found love and admiration of God. You start to feel more as if coming alive. Jacob was called Israel because he wrestled with God. It was an endearing term and a blessing.
So all that to say when I doubt, question, rip apart, and reject, I learn, grow, feel, and taste more of God. God is different to all people; we all have preconceived notions of how God is. No one has all the answers. Nobody has the image of God prefect.
I made a goal and I hope you will join me in my quest to kill God. By that I mean kill “your image of God”. Cut it all away, God is not our pet; we shouldn’t be putting him in a box or a cage. I’m starting to kill God each night. And I notice that every time I put God to death, I see God’s grace and mercy more. I notice more. I am thankful for more. I don’t have a corner on truth but I feel as if I am “closer” to truth and to God.
I challenge you to reject everything. Don’t just blindly follow. Argue, doubt, rip your bible apart, and kill “your” God! This is when God really comes to life! Just let Gods grace and mercy blow your mind!
This is a poem I wrote back in June of 2009.
It seems to be that a Christian fundamental
Always turns out to be judgmental.
I don’t know why, maybe it’s all just accidental.
But they never seem to be very gentle.
Oh, and if you step out of their belief box they get very temperamental
As if you just grabbed them by the genital!
These actions just seem so detrimental!
They are almost… regimental.
Many Christians’ faith is just ornamental.
Hardly do you find one with faith that is truly sentimental
Or for that matter even conventional.
But yet these attitudes are always supplemental
To a Christian fundamental.
Didn’t Jesus teach love and grace? That should be monumental!
Jesus’ teachings should not need an advisory that is parental!
Yet it is almost explicit or profane to show love and grace. Coincidental?
Most Christians will think I am too Liberal!
My way of living my faith is not experimental,
But rather it is very Christ-centered and biblical.
I pray for my faith to be incremental.
I see others grow in Christ’s love and grace through all lines denominational
And I rejoice! Maybe I’m wrong. You can call me mental,
I believe Jesus was a rebel.
Could this be developmental?
Most “Christians” are like trained dogs stuck in a religious kennel.
But when you start to love, you notice everything transcendental.
My challenge to you is to rebel against the judgmental
And start growing in Christ by simply loving him and all people,
Unconditional.
Winter is probably one of the most disrespectful seasons of all. None of us want it to be that way. It is usually thought of as a time for getting together and being with loved ones, disrespect isn’t really thought of, but it happens. Mostly because people are forceful about their beliefs and celebration. My holiday wish this year: I wish that there was more respect during the holidays. Christians want to celebrate Christ’s birth, Judaism wants to celebrate Hanukkah, Buddists celebrate Rohatsu, Shabe-Yalda is celebrated in Iran, Wiccans celebrate Yule, then there’s Ramadan celebrated by Muslims, while others celebrate Winter Solstice in a variety of different ways, and still others just want to celebrate gift giving and Santa. And there are many others that celebrate something during this winter holiday month. Even if America was founded on Christian beliefs it also allows for freedom of religious expression. Also, America is not really a melting pot but more of a tossed salad, while being all mixed together; we all keep our distinct shape and flavor. I want to celebrate my views and beliefs on the holidays as do all of us. We all want to celebrate and express our views. Don’t force your views on others and they won’t force theirs on you. you know “treat others how you want to be treated.” Sometimes how others celebrate or don’t celebrate is ”offensive” to you or others. But how you celebrate or don’t celebrate is also “offensive” to others. You want respect during this month for your special holiday celebrating, and others do also. America is so beautiful because we all are different with differing beliefs. Please respect others beliefs. That doesn’t mean you have to believe the way they do, but at least let them be themselves and embrace their culture and/or beliefs. For my fellow Christians, Christ will only be taken out of Christmas if you take Him out. I understand wanting to celebrate, but don’t make others celebrate it too. You wouldn’t want to be forced to celebrate something you don’t believe in. Please stop forcing that issue. It is really up to the ones that celebrate Christmas whether or not Christ is taken out or not. I doubt that being forceful and rude about it is really showing the love of the Christ that we believe in and it is definitely not a birthday present that He would want. To everyone else I hope you have fun on your holidays and remember that it is a time for respect and being with loved ones. Happy holidays to all!
I am excited to finally have my blog set up. I like questioning, challenging, talking theology, politics, and all sorts of random things like… well brain farts, I am experiencing one right now. I also have come to the conclusion that common sense must not exist. Just look at all the things that we say this bout “well you would think its common sense that…” I wish it was common sense that common sense does not exist. But oh well. Anyways I look forward to sharing my opinion and challenging yours.
