-Joseph & MGB
Muses
A space for life and thoughts to make itself known. Dive into the good of humanity and the ugliness that sometimes rears its head. Find beauty in the mundane and explore what is life giving. Enjoy
Monday, December 14, 2015
[We've MOVED!]
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Tuesday, December 8, 2015
[My Earnest Prayer]
My soul has been deeply disturbed
for some time now. Perhaps the silence of my journal & blog-spot explains
as much. In part, I have been rapidly realizing the fractures, schisms, sins,
& fundamental evils of this world as if for the first time. The mass
slaughtering of innocent lives, murders, beheadings, & inhumane terror
around the world has caused my soul to grapple the fear, evil, malice, slander,
bigotry, & blasphemy each night as I wrestle the demons of current events.
The Paris attacks, San Bernadino shootings, Planned Parenthood shootings, &
the Beirut terrorist attacks have consumed my thoughts & prayers.
Though I have no way made sense of
the senseless atrocities, I seek solace in YHWH. I’m reminded that apart form
the light darkness abides; where light abides, darkness retreats. Where there
is light, darkness cannot be. For if light did not repel the darkness, light
would cease to exist. Therefore, virtues such as love & peace exist in this
world. However, existing all together the same are evil & violence. Why?
Because in order for water to exist in all of its wetness, there must also
exist a desert in all of its dryness. But without the wetness of water, the
desert’s parched soil would cease to have even its most barren forms of life.
For water nourishes dry clay the same as God’s love nourishes our emaciated
souls. But if light & water were to exist in all places at all times how
could we recognize light or water without first knowing the absence of these? This is the condition of the human soul apart from God: wretched & sinful. But with the nourishment of God's love, we are transformed.
While our limited intellects see
problems with this or prefer it to simply not be the case, I’m reminded of A.W.
Tozer’s words of wisdom: “God’s thoughts are not only greater than ours
quantitatively, but qualitatively wholly different than ours. God’s thoughts
belong to the world of spirit, man’s to the world of intellect, the human
intellect can never comprehend spirit. Man’s thoughts cannot cross over into
God’s… Many by reason [alone] cannot know God; he can only know about God.”
Consequently, these tragedies &
crises that plague our society raise not only urgent intellectual &
pragmatic queries, but it also demands spiritual query & engagement. These
events currently happening cannot be comprehended void of spiritual engagement.
In the same way that oxygen facilitates human life or the way abstract thought
govern human agency, so do spiritual matters drive the course of human events. Often
times, things unseen sustain that which is seen. The most rudimentary of
examples are our skin cells, which plain to the naked eye, maintains the very
fabric of our physical existence. Similarly, our foundation for human happiness
lies in our spiritual connectedness & cohesion with God. If we are not
connected, our very fabric begins to unravel.
And so while our human intellect grapple
with perplexing questions such as: “Where is God?” or “Why does He allow these
atrocities?” or “Why does evil exist if God is good & all powerful?” We
must not abandon perhaps the most essential vein of our inquiries: The nature of the Spirit of God [The
Holy Spirit]. More importantly, the Spirit of God as it relates to the nature
of the spirit of man. It is abundantly clear that mankind is indeed “spirited
creatures.”
In case convincing is needed:
Consider quickly humanity’s notion of eternity, ethics, morals, faithfulness,
love, government & justice. These attributions remain unique to the human
race alone. All of these innate qualities separate us from other animals.
Without these, mankind would simply be carnal mammals. Instead, we possess profound
notions of eternity. For it is as the book of Ecclesiastes proclaims, “God set
eternity in the hearts of man” (3:11). This is, in part, what it means to be
made in His image. But if we follow the Scriptural evidence of God’s character
as it relates to our own nature we find that apart from the Spirit of God we
are “dead in our sins” (Ephesians 2:1, Colossians 2:13, Ephesians 2:5, Romans
6:11). But it’s essential to understand what this means.
Again, Tozer provides insight:
“’Dead in sin’ is a description not of the body nor yet of the intellect, but
of the organ of God-knowledge within the human soul.” In other words, the
consequence of the first sin was not death of the flesh, but rather death of spiritual
discernment-- mankind’s ability to know right from wrong. The lines were
forever blurred by the serpent; the first con job in recorded history. The
cunning serpent gilded death with desire, decorated betrayal with glamour, &
presented lies shelled with a thin layer of truth. Ever since the fall, our
organs have failed at times to recognize the Creator. And while we should think
deeply upon current issues, the most salient truth in its simplest form is
this: He is Creator & we are created. He is the light & we are called
to be children of the light.
As long as we remain in Him, he
remains in us. But if we stray, if we choose forbidden fruit over Him, our
light slowly fades. Eventually, the light given by our Creator fades from our
bones & darkness consumes us. So if light expels darkness & darkness eradicates
light, we must constantly beware of developing a greyish hue. For it is as
Revelation 3:16 condemns the lukewarm: “So, because you are lukewarm--neither
hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Pragmatically, we must
all beware of lukewarm-ness in such times of crises as this. We must be
proactive leaders. Whether that mean standing in solidarity or donating
supplies to those affected by tragedy, we all must be on the offensive. Without
fervent devotion & preparedness we cannot affect change. Thus we are
reminded of the necessity & our dependence upon Christ. Apart from Him our
light slowly fades & we become swayed too easily from fighting for what is
right despite how hard it gets.
So I encourage you, the reader, to
seek after the character of God. Engage in this world beyond physical &
intellectual means, but always allow the guidance & prudence of Scriptures
& Godly community. Remember the promise of Christ, the vested power of the
faithful saints, & the immanence of the Holy Spirit. My earnest prayer of
devotion is that God fulfill His covenant promise to His people. Father, echo
throughout the earth, in Your Providence guide Your people. “[May] the Lord
bless you & keep you; [may] the Lord make His face shine upon you, & be
gracious to you; [may] the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, & give
you peace” Numbers 6:24-26.
-MGB
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
[Fleeting Memories & Outdated Chariots]
Today is November 11, 2015. Two
years ago on this date, the second Hunger Games premiered in the UK. Even more
importantly, on this date ninety-seven years ago World War I ended.
Ninety-seven years ago, the scourge of human carnage known as WWI came to an
end. According to some sources, the terrible crisis claimed more than
sixty-five million lives. Today,
World War I often is less known by the average American then WWII or Vietnam. Yet
though many don’t remember or recall the facts or figures, the reality is that
WWI still claimed more than sixty-five
million lives. That is sixty-five million souls we can never recover.
But the most astonishing part of it
for me is the fact that ninety-seven years can seemingly erase the relevance of
such a monumental event in human history. Time, truly is fleeting. So fleeting
that ninety-seven years after the absolute charring of most of the globe, many
people are largely unaware of even the most basic facts that truly dismantle
the lives & livelihood of so many across the globe.
The point of realizing all this is
to assert a very sobering reality: The human experience is fleeting &
finite. Even more humbling than that thought, is the fact that our individual
experiences remain virtually non-existent to much of the world & history.
Proof of this is the fact that we must study WWI to truly allow the lives of
those involved to impact us today.
Another example of this truth is
found about three miles from my house. The Nixon Library commemorates the
birthplace & life of Richard Nixon. I often ride my bike to it. Every time
I do, I ride my bike within ten feet of his once private & exclusive
helicopter. Every time, I am struck with an incredible sense of awe &
wonder.
What was once the most elegant
chariot for the leader of the New World is now a piece of rubble charged with a
$12 admittance. Short lived huh? Even more so for Nixon considering Watergate,
but I wonder if the most powerful men & women realize in their moments in
the sun that their influence has already, in many ways, been stripped from
their clutches.
Perhaps this is what Matthew 6:19 is
getting at when it warns us not to store up in our hearts treasures of this
earth, for they rust & destroy. Scriptures are endless in their warning of
the fleeting pleasure of the world. After all, it wasn’t even a complete
lifetime ago that Mr. Richard Nixon was leading the American crusade against
communism & shaping the new world as he saw fit. Now, he is in many ways an
outcast to most American minds that judge its leaders.
So each time I ride by Nixon’s
helicopter I wonder about what truly matters. Is it your elegant chariot or
perhaps your home? I know for myself I want the answer to be no. The most
important things for me are those unseen. I want to love, be generous, be
courageous, & be compassionate. Simply put, I’d rather take time investing
in my humanity then my worldly status or prestige because the reality is that
at some point, we will all die.
So the next time I ride my bike past
fleeting memories, I will continue to marvel at the graveyard of of outdated
chariots. That which is fit for a king sooner or later becomes recreation for
the common man. Therefore, I choose to invest in that which does not rust or
destroy & that which has inherent value: my humanity. It is as Genesis 3:19
so vividly reminds us of: “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food
until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are
and to dust you will return.”
-MGB
-MGB
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
[The Power of Paradoxes]
*The
Christian faith cannot be examined
solely through an intellectual lens nor solely an emotional lens; rather, a
synthesis of the two is essential for it is only
through the marriage of intellect & soul that you truly find our
humanity & our Maker.
If you are a Christian then you
proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord & Savior of your life. He is the ultimate
authority. As a believer I truly believe that Christ reigns supreme past,
present, & future. The origins for these radical assertions are found in
the Old Testament. The ancient Scriptures are chalked full of prophecies
proclaiming Christ’s Kingdom: “His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom,
& all the rulers will worship him” [Daniel 7:27].
Jeremiah 23 also proclaims that
Christ’s Kingdom will flourish & “execute judgment & justice.” Of
course, the New Testament is the fulfilling of these prophecies & the
documentation of Christ’s time spent on earth. But to believers &
non-believers alike it is perplexing to look around the world today seeing all
the evil & atrocities still occurring, while also reconciling the supposed
truth of these prophecies. If Christ truly is King, where is His never ending
Kingdom? Where is His throne & scepter? Where are His acts of judgment
condemning the weak? Where are His acts of mercy to the afflicted? Why do the
innocent suffer? In the midst of the refugee crisis, or the terror of ISIS, or
the terrible poverty rate… Where is God?
It is these questions that often
serve as roadblocks to believers & non-believers alike. I truly believe that
our comfort & reassurance to these complex questions are found in the
paradoxes of Scripture. In fact, at its absolute core, Scriptures is a
collection of paradoxes, but it is essential to realize that a paradoxical
answer to the questions prior are perhaps the only plausible answers. Before I
address the infallibility of the Scriptures, allow me to present three “real
world” paradoxes that encompass profound truths to build a case for Scriptural supremacy.
Only after convincing you of a paradoxical power in non-spiritual matters can I
grab your attention to entertain spiritual paradoxes:
1.
The paradoxes of a woman’s power. A caring, loving, & gentle woman
possesses the most powerful influence
over a man. This of course is paradoxical because for a man to exercise power
over another man force, violence, & cunning is often the only solution.
Yet, women possess a very profound & paradoxical power over a man; it is in
her incredibly soft voice that a man’s stubbornness reaches an impasse. A
woman’s soothing voice & sound reasoning often persuades a man more
effectively than the sword.
2.
Another paradox is best summed up in an old Chinese proverb: “He who asks a
question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a
fool forever.” The gateway to infinite knowledge & wisdom is acknowledging
your “foolishness.” This proves to be truly a paradoxical process.
3. The
last paradox lies within tragedy, yet is entirely relevant to our discussion.
Unfortunately, there is a very tragic paradoxical relationship between wealth
& happiness. Countless Hollywood musicians, artists, actors, etc. all
lament of the evils of wealth & fame. Being an avid fan of rap I’ve grown
up listening to this sad reality. Perhaps the most chilling phrase which has
remained in my conscious is from J. Cole’s “Chaining Day” in which he
acknowledges his trust in wealth is foolish: “Don’t take this chain [wealth] from
me/because I chose this slavery/my guilt as heavy as this piece [jewelry] I
wear.” This acknowledgment that wealth can never satisfy is not a new
phenomenon. This is an age-old reality lamented by humanity throughout time. Perhaps
our happiness, & future generations’ happiness, could be better informed
based on the study of the past & the warnings of those with wealth. But
here I am progressing down the rabbit hole of another paradox [the study of
history] so I digress.
Now that we can all agree that some
of the most profound realities in this world exist in the form of paradoxes
& in the most unlikely ways, I will now present three incredibly monumental
[& relevant] paradoxes of the Christian faith. It is important to note that
although the following three are spiritual at its core, there are pragmatic,
moral truths in here that transcend to good citizenship, regardless of your
religious convictions:
1. The
most effective leader is the selfless servant. Jesus Christ the full embodiment
of this. As the Son of God, the one with absolute dominion over the earth,
Jesus humbled Himself to the most humiliating
execution of His day [crucifixion]. It was such an awful death that it was
reserved only for the most despicable of criminals, & it was so gruesome
that the Roman government condemned executions within its city walls because of
the nature of the death. It was pure torcher. The Son of Man who was present at
creation decided in those moments to subject Himself to our death sentence. He committed the ultimate act of servant-hood
& humility. This is the charge given to us. Therefore another paradox
emerges for Christians: In order to effectively lead others, you must first
learn what it means to follow Christ.
2. That
which is perceived as earthly weakness is actually heavenly power. Again, I
will use the example of Christ: While He was whipped & lashed & put on
a cross; Christ could have called down twelve
legions of angels to rescue Him & destroy His enemies [Matthew 26:53].
In other words, His act of mercy & meekness is perceived as weak or even
stupid by human standards, but within the confines of Christianity,
understanding Christ’s sacrifice for us, it is the most powerful & profound
action ever recorded in human history. This coincides with Matthew 5:5. It also
helps explain why love always triumphs. Though you can take advantage of love,
beat up love, attack love, even physically kill a loving person; love always
triumphs- it always wins. Is it coincidence that every Hollywood movie plays
out this way? No, the incredible power of Christian virtue [love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, etc.] is engrained in the very DNA of humanity- that is why
we see it in Hollywood films & children’s bedtime stories alike. It is a
paradoxical truth we were born understanding. Some of us simply need to regain
this knowledge.
3.
To find stability & peace we must stop trying to control events in our
lives & let go & give it to Christ. It is only once we acquiesce to a
God more powerful than us that we are able to receive His aid & blessing.
This difficult practice is always the wiser decision. One of my favorite
rappers [Andy Mineo] sums it up perfectly: “You [God] wanna put treasures
inside my hands but you cease/because they’re clamped, holding onto sins I
won’t release.”
In closing, I hope that this begins
a conversation. The profundity of the Christian faith & its complexities
runs much deeper than two pages. But I pray that this begins to show us the
fallibility of human reason & thought. In the midst of terrible atrocity
& pain I can’t help but hear Christ whisper to us to draw near to him.
Paradoxes are so perplexing because
they often go against “logic” or “the way things work,” but when you live on a
globe that travels around a flaming ball of fire at roughly 66,600 miles per
hour… nothing is “logical.” This is a peculiar world- it’s time that we cease
to allow the peculiarities of God to limit our faith & trust in Him.
-MGB
Monday, November 2, 2015
[The Proof of God]
Proof (noun): evidence or argument establishing or helping
to establish a fact or the truth of a statement.
*This article is not an exhaustive examination of the
matters considered; rather it is designed to begin an honest, humble discussion
pursuing truth.
I
frequently have conversations with people about the existence of God. In the
midst of those conversations I frequently hear the argument, “Well there just
isn’t any proof- you can’t definitively
prove the existence of God.” While this statement is true in one sense, it is
completely false in another. It is correct in the sense that I cannot rub my
magic bottle & have the God of Israel come puffing out like a genie. So in
that sense, yes you are correct I do not have physical, tangible proof. But
it’s also peculiar to point out that the contrary, scientific argument is the
Big Bang theory.
It is
interesting to note that the concept of a big bang is just as much elusive as
definitively proving the existence of the God of Israel. For example, while
humans share more than 98% similarity in DNA with chimpanzees, humans also
share about 50% similarity in DNA makeup with a banana. Furthermore, the probability of a big bang occurring is
about the same chance that these letters randomly combusted & fell onto
this paper in order to form this cohesive, intelligent thought (excuse the
self-flattery). Clearly, the loopholes & ambiguities persist for the belief
in a cosmic explosion creating such intelligence & complexities. This distinction is important because this is the foundational platform from which modern science begins. But this
is a whole different article to write to fully explore these depths. So I
digress.
On the
other hand, while I can’t prove the existence of God directly, there is
irrefutable, undeniable proof in another sense. I can indirectly prove His
existence. I will offer three examples:
1). There is an overwhelming consensus amongst mankind that
the things of this world never fully satisfy. Countless examples are found
through the tragic, endless pursuits of men after money, drugs, &
satisfaction. So many people such as Kurt Cobain, Whitney Houston, & Heath
Ledger are examples. This is because we were built & designed for a very
specific purpose: To commune with God.
2). Gravity. While
an astronaut may explore space, the moon, or Mars free from the gravitational laws of earth, it does not mean that gravity ceases to exist. In fact, on the moon or Mars gravity does exist, just simply in a different capacity. Human beings are
fallible beings. I mean it in this sense: We are limited to time & space. I
cannot be in New York City & California at once. I cannot endure the sunshine of California while simultaneously enduring the rain of New York. Yet, in spite of these
limitations, both continue to exist & operate within the laws of the universe simultaneously without our conscious thoughts/efforts. This is proof
that someone somewhere is orchestrating the complexities of the earth without
us. It is to this end that the astronaut standing on Mars may irrefutably know
that though gravity may be relative in the present moment, there are still irrefutable laws of existence that endure without us. Therefore, the relativity of gravity depends upon location, but the metanarrative of gravity's holistic properties endures. This is another complex proof of God.
3). Morality. Humanity,
though we don’t always do what is right, we all inexplicably know that good and
evil exist simultaneously. Each day we are tasked with the choices of what is
good and what is wrong. Sometimes we choose honesty over lies, kindness instead
of spite, & generosity over greed. But we do not always choose what is
good. This is because we are broken- defective when apart from our Maker.
Undeniably though, we can all assert that there is a sense of morality- of
right and wrong. It is all engrained in us that virtue exists. This is the
third proof.
Ultimately though, the proof of God can be summed up as simply as C.S. Lewis put it, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”
-MGB
Ultimately though, the proof of God can be summed up as simply as C.S. Lewis put it, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”
-MGB
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Ski Boats
I love the nature of this blog because nothing is off limits. I can pick a topic I love and write about it.
Today, I am talking about boats. I acknowledge that I don't have the most vast or detailed knowledge about them, but let me tell you, I love boats. And more specifically, old ski boats.
There is something special about sitting behind the wheel of an old ski boat and letting the engine warm up early in the morning. The motor growls and progressively gets louder as you push down on the throttle. It settles into a steady rhythm and if you listen long enough, you can tell where the needle sits on the tachometer just by listening to the engine's tone. Most of my experience comes from driving Ski Nautiques from 1978-1999 with Lightning towers or Skylon high poles. The newer models have direct fuel injection, but nothing beats the growl of an old Ford 351 or Chevy 350.
There are two boats that I love the most to drive. The first is a Ski Nautique from 1985. It is the boat I spent the majority of my time in when learning how to pull skiers, kneeboarders, wakeboarders, and banana boaters. The boat features a wrap around passenger seat that flips up and a different paint design than the 1984 model. The boat throws a very nice wake for wakeboarding, especially when you have the back weighted down. For some reason, I feel the safest when driving this boat. She is big boned and I love it. Her deep hull slices through the water so nicely and she turns on a dime. Call me a big fan of the '85 Ski Nautique
The other boat I love to drive is a Ski Nautique from 1982. It differs from the '85 slightly. Its 3 years older so the paint design on the outside is different. This boat had the option for a Chevy 350 and I absolutely love the way she sounds. The driving experience is a little different, but not by much. She throws an even wake and drives through chop pretty well. The passenger seat is a two person bench but you could squeeze three if you really wanted. The hull design is pretty much the same as the '85; they are both dubbed the "2001 model." The 2001 hull design debuted in 1982 and was kept until 1989.
I consider myself fortunate to have the experience of driving these awesome boats.
Today, I am talking about boats. I acknowledge that I don't have the most vast or detailed knowledge about them, but let me tell you, I love boats. And more specifically, old ski boats.
There is something special about sitting behind the wheel of an old ski boat and letting the engine warm up early in the morning. The motor growls and progressively gets louder as you push down on the throttle. It settles into a steady rhythm and if you listen long enough, you can tell where the needle sits on the tachometer just by listening to the engine's tone. Most of my experience comes from driving Ski Nautiques from 1978-1999 with Lightning towers or Skylon high poles. The newer models have direct fuel injection, but nothing beats the growl of an old Ford 351 or Chevy 350.
There are two boats that I love the most to drive. The first is a Ski Nautique from 1985. It is the boat I spent the majority of my time in when learning how to pull skiers, kneeboarders, wakeboarders, and banana boaters. The boat features a wrap around passenger seat that flips up and a different paint design than the 1984 model. The boat throws a very nice wake for wakeboarding, especially when you have the back weighted down. For some reason, I feel the safest when driving this boat. She is big boned and I love it. Her deep hull slices through the water so nicely and she turns on a dime. Call me a big fan of the '85 Ski Nautique
The other boat I love to drive is a Ski Nautique from 1982. It differs from the '85 slightly. Its 3 years older so the paint design on the outside is different. This boat had the option for a Chevy 350 and I absolutely love the way she sounds. The driving experience is a little different, but not by much. She throws an even wake and drives through chop pretty well. The passenger seat is a two person bench but you could squeeze three if you really wanted. The hull design is pretty much the same as the '85; they are both dubbed the "2001 model." The 2001 hull design debuted in 1982 and was kept until 1989.
I consider myself fortunate to have the experience of driving these awesome boats.
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
A Week in Music 9/28
The Japanese House.
Listening to them on spotify at the moment. Will come back later this week with thoughts and opinions.
Cheers!
Joseph
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