Merry Christmas!

 I love that the person I hear on the album is absolutely standing there answering questions. It’s not some “musical escape” or “fantasy”. This is her truth. The best part is her saying that if she couldn’t challenge the basic formulaic way the industry is ran then why even record music anymore? Realizing that she has to now make her art for her first and not worry about radio, reactions, or critics is the best lesson she could have learned  and she will be better off for it. She is the best example in mainstream music of what it means to tear down walls & perceptions of what people place on your brand. They always say when you start your own business, expect to not see any major returns within the first year. That’s how I look at the release of her last album, firing her manager/father, and the creation of her production company Parkwood. There was so much going on at once, but it was the transition & turning point in her career. Self managed, answering to no one, opening a company, and releasing an album full of soul music & midtempos during a market of electro dance pop. There were a lot of mistakes and people working but she didn’t let it break her. She continued to move forward and build on her foundation which represented reliability & talent. That foundation and trustworthy brand blessed her with the Super Bowl halftime show, the Inauguration, and a world tour without any new music out. She was setting new rules all year. The pay off for all her hard work happened December 12. And as a fan I am so inspired.

So much respect and adoration for Beyoncé.

The Bus...

I find it irritating when people get on the bus and don’t have their money ready. You should have had your clipper card or cash, coins, iTunes gift card, etc ready to pay the fare. There’s no reason why you get on the bus and search through your carryon luggage some people call a purse. YOU KNEW 10 minutes ago you were getting on the bus. You should have taken care of that beforehand. Now, I can understand if you were running to make it, that’s justified. But when you’ve been standing at the bus stop for at least a minute watching the bus approach, there’s no justification. There’s nothing that irritates me more than when a bus stops at the corner, and the second the bus begins to pull off, the light changes and we have to stop, especially when I am in a hurry to get somewhere.

On Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays my first class is conveniently at 8:10 in the morning. So, today I really didn’t feel like getting out of my bed and to going to the class, so I planned to show up late so I wouldn’t have to sit through all 50 minutes of the class. I left my home around 7:40 and got to class around 8:30. Upon my arrival to class I noticed the professor never showed up, and everyone was signing the role and leaving.

I was talking about the Trayvon Martin case  to someone yesterday and she really pissed me off. She had this mentality of "it can happen to anyone, horrible things can happen to everyone" and then she makes other comparisons that happened. After I told the story about George Zimmermen threatening to shoot his current girlfriend she told me about a guy who jumped out a plane while someone was with him. Like...ok.

Thrill to Kill

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwgOi0WJ7TQ

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/11/21/philip-chism-accused-raping-murdering-danvers-high-teacher-colleen-ritzer/5bcPieUo0n6R3fyYqRTxWN/story.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/21/philip-chism-indicted-in-_n_4319312.html

This is absolutely awful and shocked me. They say they found him with her underwear in his possession. The fact that he kept her underwear is almost a close and shut case in my opinion. I've been following this story for awhile and originally I didn't know what the motive was or what triggered this until those two articles came out today. This wasn't an act of anger, this was a thrill kill. To me, the fact that he kept her underwear shows that he took thrill in killing her, as there is a pattern in people who murder and rape keep 'special' items belonging to their victims. IMO, that all points to that this kid would have murdered again if he had the opportunity.

Working at Target

A typical work day as a target cashier is standing at the register talking to customers and making sure their experience is great and giving them what they need out of their shopping time. I've learned to be fast and accurate. The management is very flexible and easy to deal with. They always make sure to acknowledge us when they notice that we are doing a great job. If it gets too slow during a given period of time, you are always welcome to cross train in other areas of the store. Co-workers are very nice. The most enjoyable part is getting to interact with all different kinds of people. 

The hardest part of the job i would say is having to borderline harass all the guest to sign up for a Target credit or debit card. It gets exhausting and I can only bare people giving me an adamant no so many times.

Self Control

I am horrible when it comes to procrastinating. Whenever I am studying or in the middle of writing a paper I always find something to distract me, usually online. Recently, I discovered an app called Self Control for the MAC.  You create a list of websites you want to block, set a timer for how long they should be blocked, and it goes into your computers backsystem and blacklists them. There is NO way to turn it off until the timer goes off. It is the BEST thing ever created.

Finally updated to iOS7. I love all of the new features. The only thing I absolutely hate about it is, the wallpaper configuration SUCKS. The way they crop your image and the way it doesn't let you zoom out to get it exactly how you want. It reallyyyyyy annoys me. :|

As some who likes to look at history very closely, I believe the world is prepped for another major global conflict if the right diplomatic steps aren't taken. The Iranian's believe Syria is their buffer as well as an ally. The United States intervening in Syria would almost be like of Russia putting nukes in Cuba. It is a complete act of agressioin to their national interest. Anything that weakens their interest is veiwed favorably by Israel. Israel is on the sidelines cheerleading with pom pom's hoping this all blows up in Iran's face. Problem is, Iran will be coming for them after the attack, if there is one. The U.S. is already using this as an opportunity to beef up a case against Iran by leaking intel out to the press about how Iran have plans to attack U.S. embassies and other interest. If that were to happen McCain and Obama will be calling for war bombs over Tehran. All this and we haven't begun talking about Russia and China who are Allies to both Iran and Syria and what their possible actions. 

I am also perplexed by Obama's choice to take this to congress. On the surface it seems like the noble thing to do - let the people's representative's decide. However, there is a good chance congress is going to say no. How could he cause all of this hype and bang on the war drums only to make himself look like a fool internationally? I can't even imagine that. He will look terrible. However, that would still be better than taking us to war.

Royals

Wow...

Miley Cyrus comes off very try hard and so contrived. We all understand this is a business and part of marketing is amping up certain parts of your personality. So atleast make me somewhat believe this new image is somewhat genuine even though it's not. Urban culture isn't just twerking or hood music but hey she's the one that looks a fool.

Read. Repeat. Forget

When I study something, I like to study it because I want to learn, appreciate and actually UNDERSTAND it. I was always eager get out off high school. Why? Because I was forced to memorize some REALLY useless things I didn't give a single care about. Most of the I time just managed to read what was assigned in a book and then vomited it out during the examination and most cases forgot what I "learned." 

I think most school marks are highly subjective, and in many cases inaccurate, because they do not properly measure someone's intelligence. Just another way for society to rank people.

Ever wonder when to stop forgiving? When do you stop quickly “getting over” what angers or hurts you because most of the time, the offender doesn’t offend? How do you fairly define and create the list of "Bad Things” that will over-ride all of the previous good?

Race and The Vampire Diaries

"This is the South, honey. But no one likes to reminisce about the old slave days." - Mayor Lockewood, Vampire Dairies

I’ve been watching a show call The Vampire Diaries all week on Netflix and the race politics hit me in the face. Pretty much all the vampires in this show are white, while almost all the African Americans are witches/warlocks. 

I think the problem does not lie in that there aren't many minority characters on the show (and there have been a select few) but all the black people are witches. It creates a distinction, and it's not necessarily against black people in my mind (unless you count witches as bad) but reinforces racism in general.

I'm just going to quote this part from the World English Dictionary:

Racism is "the belief that races have distinctive cultural characteristics determined by hereditary factors and that this endows some races with an intrinsic superiority over others"

Independently of the part about superiority, since I think that witches can have the upper hand but can also be subjected to following orders on their vampire friends. 

I'm afraid of waking up in the middle of the night in a dark room.

It's not so much the dark I'm afraid of, it's the eeriness. The mystery.

It's like I'm afraid of what I might find if I turn on the lights.

This was my 5th tour and first time seeing Beyoncé live in person, by far the best. I'm positive there's no better experience than being in the VIP pit by the stage because you can touch her. Being able to see her face that close is so amazing, her facial expressions were the highlight of the show for me. It was even better because the crowd was so hype, she was clearly surprised and kept saying how much she loved our energy and fed off of it.

I was really blown away by her dancing, obviously I've always known she's an exceptional dancer but this is the most (and best) choreography I've seen her do on a tour (via DVDs). Her voice was on point, as always, and again the energy was off the charts throughout the whole show. Why Don't You Love Me was definitely my favorite performance of the night, and I always say this but I love how she keeps her hit songs from 10 years ago in her shows but gives them new life with fresh routines (proving how timeless they are.) She's starting to do the same with Single Ladies and I can tell that performance is going to get even better over the years as well. Seeing her perform Schoolin' Life live was very surreal because EVERYONE around me knew the words. It's so bizarre because the song hasn't officially been released, no one has a clue what's going on with it, but we all went nuts over the performance haha.

The VIP experience was definitely worth it, being so close was a dream. I thought I would get tired from standing so long but I guess my adrenaline and excitement kept me from feeling it. My legs and back hurt that night when I went to bed but by the next morning I didn't feel a thing lol. I've worked my way up to better seats each time I've seen Bey and next time I will definitely be getting the pit again.

A few highlights (I didn't record these videos)

Excited...

Do you judge children by their names?

This is by far the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

Random Thoughts

• I know that you are suppose to respect your elders, but what about the elders who are down right disrespectful to you for no reason? I am one of those people who always try to show the utmost respect to older people. I always try to say yes/no Sir and yes/no Ma'am or put Mr,Ms, or Mrs in front of their name, but I've also had my share of older people disrepsecting me out of nowhere and it's usually the ones that don't know me at all.

• Paula Deen is trash. Her operation as an innocent is over. And damn if I didn't like her so much prior to the incident.

• Earl Grey Tea is delicious.

• Using the phone is my least favorite form of communication, I don't know why but I hate making phone calls. I'd rather communicate through carrier pigeon or something.

• I feel so bad for laughing at this gif.

• I actually enjoyed watching this. It's sad people still believe we're in victorian era.

• The amount of money I spend on food is ridiculous. 

“Do you think it was fair, what they got? They did something stupid, but I don’t know. I’m not blaming the girl, but if you’re a 16-year-old and you’re drunk like that, your parents should teach you—don’t take drinks from other people. She’s 16, why was she that drunk where she doesn’t remember? It could have been much worse. She’s lucky. Obviously I don’t know, maybe she wasn’t a virgin, but she shouldn’t have put herself in that position, unless they slipped her something, then that’s different.” -Serena Williams on Steubenville Rape Case

Victim blaming? Oh

While I understand where she was going with it, the statement came across as ignorant, uninformed, and just plain dumb. She's lucky? lucky that she got raped or lucky that she didn't die? What does her being a virgin or not have to do with anything? 

I can't at "your parents should teach you don't take drinks from other people". Your parents should teach you not to rape people, that's the problem.

This is why so many victims are afraid to come forward. Because people find a way to place the blame on them. Who wants to be told they asked for such a violent attack? That they deserved it?

Ricahrd Ramirez dead

Richard Ramirez -- aka The Night Stalker -- who went on a rape-murder spree in Los Angeles in the mid-80s and terrorized the entire city -- is dead at 53 ... but we're getting conflicting info on the cause.

Ramirez killed at least 13 people and attempted 5 more ... by climbing in the windows of homes. He also committed 11 sexual assaults, and probably more.

Ramirez was convicted and sentenced to death in 1989, and sat on San Quentin's death row ever since. The death sentence was not carried out because of endless appeals.

A San Quentin spokesperson reportedly says Ramirez died of natural causes ... HOWEVER ... a prison official told TMZ ... the murderer died from Hepatitis C, which some doctors say can be transmitted through sexual contact. Hep C is verifiably contracted through IV drug use and blood transfusions.

The Night Stalker's crimes were particularly heinous ... he killed people as young as 9 and as old as 83. 

On June 2, 1985, he murdered a 29-year-old man ... and then raped the victim's girlfriend, who survived the attack. 

On July 20, 1985 ... he murdered another man -- and forced the victim's wife to perform oral sex on him. The wife survived the attack. 

Just 3 weeks after that ... Ramirez committed an almost identical crime -- killing husband, raping wife. 

On August 25, 1985, he committed yet another crime -- shooting a man in the head and raping the victim's fiancee ... only this time, he made her swear her love for Satan during the attack. The man, Bill Carns,miraculously survived the attack. 

Eventually, cops were able to obtain a fingerprint -- and released a mug shot of Ramirez to the public. He was captured days later, when an angry mob in East L.A. found him trying to steal a car ... and beat him within an inch of his life. 

When Ramirez appeared in court, he famously flashed an image of a pentagram that was tattooed on his palm. 

In short -- he was one of the absolute worst people to ever walk the Earth.

Read more: http://www.tmz.com#ixzz2VZj7Qx7r

_____________________________________________

Ramirez was a monster. If there's a hell, he's definitely there. And I'm sure he's happy.

But, I find it quite odd that he has so many young female admirers. A lot of them were having meltdowns on social networking site Tumblr when the news broke.

These girls have apparently been writing him letters back and forth.

This is funny and sad at the same time.

He's like a misunderstood poet to them. It's the reason why girls love Edward Cullen and bad boys but to a much more extreme extent. These girls fantasize about falling in love with a dangerous man and think that their love will cure them. And it's also a big sign of attention seeking and wanting to root and defend the underdog/loser for the sake of it. Or they find disturbed anger attractive.

I have a fascination with serial killers. Some of them are fascinating people. Intelligent, to some degree. But psychopaths are interesting people and they've inspired so much so I don't find it unusual to be interested in them. But to think of them in a romantic way is really creepy, at least to me.

So, for the past week I've been working later hours at Dominos Pizza since I'm on break from school. . I try to stay as upbeat as possible but it doesn't always turn out that way.

 The store closes at 2:30am. Most people know this and yet every single night, we get people that run into the door at 2:25 and start laughing and doing a praise dance because in their eyes they "just made it". Um, I'm sorry but, I don't know what planet you come from where walking into a place 5 minutes before they close and wanting to place a huge order is "Just making it". Especially at a place like Dominos where it takes at least ten minutes to make the food.

I don't know if it's because I work there, but I would never go someplace to eat knowing they were only open for another 5 minutes, that's just rude.

Well, last night, me and the other employee who closed stayed an extra fifteen minutes because we had to prepare an order of 30 pizzas. It got to be about 2:40 and this guy comes up, trying to be funny but coming off as a jerk, says to me "Hey don't you close at 2:30?" I, said yes and he looked at me said, "oh" and tried to make an order. I told he we are not taking anymore orders and he starts yelling my coworker and I, then rushes out of the store

Like, I don't get people. Usually I smile, take their orders, laugh at their not funny jokes, cook their food and get on with it but some people just really get to me.

There is so much talk about how America is dense and lacks social awareness, but it seems like no one is making a move towards change. It seems very few people support productive and creative outlets. Using a personal example, when I post a Facebook status about something political or societal, hardly anyone comments, but when I post a picture of a celebrity or something comical, several people leave remarks and likes. 

Realization

Let’s start at the beginning. Until the age of 14, I thought I was straight. But after getting my first girlfriend, I knew something was different about me. I didn’t know what it was, but I just knew that I didn’t like dating girls. It took me 4 years to accept that I regularly developed feelings for men . And once I accepted it, it took me another year to get up the courage to tell just one person.

The first person I told was someone who I now consider my best friend, Taelyn, who I had met 3 weeks prior in Introduction to Marketing. It was a quiet evening in her dorm. She and I were sitting around with, watching funny YouTube videos and snacking on fatty foods.  So we got the conversation on the popular talking point of me never mention women in my life. We discussed it, and she jokingly asked if I was gay. For a a few moments, I joined in the laughter not knowing how to answer and I finally said “you know what, I’m gay, nothing more, nothing less." At that moment I felt a big chunk of weight come off of my shoulder, for I wouldn't have to put on a facade anymore and eventually end up blocking friendships from going far due to me not wanting anyone to know as I had done all through high school.

See, I had barely known Taelyn which is why it was easier to tell her and others I met that during the year I spent in Chicago. I knew I was starting with fresh slate with these people and being honest would be the best way to go. The hard part would be telling my family and others from back home. 

When I decided to leave Chicago and come back out to San Francisco I knew I would have to tell, I just didn't know how. After being back I started to enclosed many emotions which eventually turned into stress, because I was not able to express myself the way I wanted. Whenever I was asked how I am feeling, I would always respond with a positive adjective, but deep down I wanted to die.

For the past few months I had become so stressed that I started alienating myself from the world. I would go to school, work and then go home and lock myself in my room. Then, about a week ago I started realizing how pathetic I was making myself look so after spending about an hour or so debating with myself I finally mustered up the courage to walk into my mother's room and tell her. You would have thought I died, she spent that day laying around the house mourning before she could finally speak to me. She was so sad, but she said it wasn't about me, it was the life she had planned for me in her head, dealing with a gay son isn't exactly something she imagined, but I'm happy to say she and a lot of my family members accepted me.

 

What I hate about working at Dominos...

Sure everyone hates their manger, even the managers hate each other, but its the managers at Dominos that I hate the most. In my eyes the managers at Dominos used to be like me, a ordinary crew member, but maybe they didn’t go to college, maybe they did but left because they started earning, or maybe they are just dumb and think working for Dominos is awesome. So gradually through the wasted years working at Dominos they got promoted done a few managerial courses (learning how to use Microsoft Word and wearing slightly more formal clothes) and eventually became an assistant manager, who looks down upon us mere crew members, and are possible just that little bit jealous that we are still in college or are about to go and aren’t going to work in Dominos for 30 years. 

I would just like to add, I don’t hate the people, I just hate what they do…actually I do hate one.

This is insane.

The bombs went off at a time where the average people were crossing the line.  Apparently, the 4 hour mark is usually the finishing time for the average marathon runner so whoever did this was trying to make a statement - making sure there were families and children there waiting to meet up with whoever was finishing the race.

I feel so bad for all of those people who were injured. An 8 year-old dead, 2 others dead, several injured, several people lost their limbs - their arms or legs, mostly legs. Its all so sad.

Random Thought

Sometimes, I’m petrified of feeling great because there’s nothing like having the rug pulled off from under you and falling thousands of feet down a jagged, rough, dark pit and hitting a cold bottom hard- especially if that happens repeatedly in a short time. Yes, they say the best thing about being at the bottom is that there’s nowhere else to go but up, but once you get up….the direction down is a lingering option. 

Album Review: Justin Timberlake - The 20/20 Experience

As someone 100% sure that he would not provide anything better than his last album, FutureSex/LoveSounds, I sat with it for multiple listens before giving a knee jerk reaction and had an open mind.

The 20/20 Experience is a result of artistic restlessness and being unsure of how to move forward. When you can't move forward and paint the next progressive musical picture, the easiest thing to do is pull from the past. Reworking old R&B/Soul records and adding a 2013 mainstream finish is the meat & potatoes of the album. Unfortunately, what worked for and what was so cool about the first single  "Suit & Tie" just doesn't work for 10 more tracks of the same structure and format.

I had a conversation with a friend (a big Justin fan) this morning, and she described the album as "time consuming". I think a better description is self indulgent and empty. The production on The 20/20 Experience is a lot better than some of the actual songs and melodies. The slick production gives off the appearance of something extremely grand, but behind Timberlake's glitz & glam, it's really just average. The song lengths are afterthoughts I'm sure. I'd be willing to bet the original form of the tracks, and album in general, was thin & lean. To make up for that, they added transitions to every song & overproduced it through fun (and at times retread) production quirks. I think it was actually a very insecure thing to do, and to some degree it's a little desperate in trying to make every song eventful. There's a lot of polish here, but the polish is see through. When all else fails, beatbox and add in a couple 808's for 2 more minutes I guess.

With all that being said, I think it's a decent effort. The songs that standout are "Don't Hold The Wall' and "Strawberry Bubblegum".

“Everything in our life, every person in our life…every relationship…everything is there for a reason and when you really pay attention, there’s certain little clues we get; it’s so crystal clear what the next step is. It’s like a puzzle; everything is in it right place and as we grow, we take the next step, the dots get connected and eventually we become what we’re supposed to be.” - Beyoncé Knowles

Something that I am realizing more and more each and everyday.

So I decided to take a personality test...

My Results:

Paranoid 78%

Schizoid 38%
Schizotypal 62%
Antisocial 26%
Borderline 30%
Histrionic 18%
Narcissistic 18%
Avoidant 86%
Dependent 46%
Obsessive-Compulsive 42%

Eccentric Personality Disorders: Paranoid, Schizoid, Schizotypal

Individuals with these disorders often appear odd or peculiar.

Paranoid Personality Disorder - individual generally tends to interpret the actions of others as threatening; preoccupied with suspiciousness/paranoia. They are stuck between their need for others and their mistrust of others.

Schizoid Personality Disorder - individual generally detached from social relationships, and shows a narrow range of emotional expression in various social settings; emotional zombies who stopped feeling due to trauma(s) and/or can't feel due to organic depression.

Schizotypal Personality Disorder - individual is uncomfortable in close relationships, has thought or perceptual distortions, and peculiarities of behavior; preoccupied with seeing themselves and/or the world as strange/odd.

Dramatic Personality Disorders: Antisocial, Borderline, Histrionic, and Narcissistic

Individuals with these disorders have intense, unstable emotions, distorted self-perception, and/or behavioral impulsiveness.

Antisocial Personality Disorder - individual shows a pervasive disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others; Preoccupied with disdain/contempt for others and often a need for control/power over others.

Borderline Personality Disorder - individual shows a generalized pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and observable emotions, and significant impulsiveness. Core issue is an inability to regulate emotions.

Histrionic Personality Disorder - individual often displays excessive emotionality and attention seeking in various contexts. They tend to overreact to other people, and are often perceived as shallow and self-centered. Core issue is attention addiction.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder - individual has a grandiose view of themselves, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy that begins by early adulthood and is present in various situations. These individuals are very demanding in their relationships. Core issue is entitlement.

Anxious Personality Disorders: Avoidant, Dependent, Obsessive-Compulsive

Individuals with these disorders often appear anxious or fearful.

Avoidant Personality Disorder - individual is socially inhibited, feels inadequate, and is oversensitive to criticism. Core issue is an inability to resolve their codependent need for connection with their codependent fear of rejection and/or discomfort/anxiety around others.

Dependent Personality Disorder - individual shows an extreme need to be taken care of that leads to fears of separation, and passive and clinging behavior. Core issue is the need to be parented by others (i.e. avoid growing up / becoming self-sufficient).

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder - individual is preoccupied with orderliness, perfectionism, and control at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency. Core issue is mental and behavioral rigidity/inflexibility.

After taking it, I was confused at what the results said about my personality and took my results to my Psych professor. She said to me, "Looks like you're afraid of being betrayed and don't trust people because you're afraid of opening up to people and showing your real side because you're afraid they'll judge you and it upsets you because you're a really nice person but just paranoid at the thought of rejection in general."

I was actually freaked out about the accuracy of her statement and it made me take more in depth look of things discuss in class and apply it to myself. Seems like a lot of my decisions/actions comes from the kind of relationship with my parents. Looking at the Ainsworth theory, I was an insecure/anxious child due to the fact that I did not have a close relationship with my mother. This caused me to grow up and not properly develop trust, due to the avoiding relationship I had with my caregiver. 

I know there is more to discover, but as I learn more and become closer to the core of my issues I am starting to gain a better sense of self.

Sometimes when there is no one to talk to, I record myself talking aloud so that I can get all my thoughts out and try to figure out the issues that I’m having and try to find the answers.


I've had some of my best "Ah Ha" moments by taking this approach.

I love dry humor (The Office, Parks and Recreation) and a lot of people I know are more in your face, tell a joke people so most of things I do they don't really get. It's vice verse though because I don't like in your face, on the surface humor so most jokes people make, I'm like, "Oh."

There's a twisted comfort in self-imposed alienation. You say how much people don't understand, but you really don't want them to. I guess it's because when you're completely understood by society, then society's rules/standards apply to you. Maybe. Meh. I don't know.

I just don't know. Some people just try so hard to be different. Being misunderstood is trendy.

Random Thought

It’s a fascinating thing, the person you become when you die. No matter how eventful and full your life was all that matters is the fact that you’r gone. You’re a tombstone now. How you died is the most notable or memorable thing you did, or what anybody talks about. Even if people reflect on the highlights of your life, it’s always gotta end with some depressing statement like “they were gone too soon”, “I can’t believe there gone”, “too bad they’re not here anymore, or “where were you when you got the news?”

One word expresses how I feel after watching this movie...WOW! I found it by accident, and I'm glad that I did. They say that there is no being more cruel than the human being. I have figured for some time now that slavery still exist, but I've never seen it depicted like this. I am also so happy that they depicted the love that exist also amongst us.I also liked how they showed us, that when she was tired of being sick and tired of her condition, the door out was right in front of her and all avenues opened up to release her

The History of the Devil

Amazing hour documentary I think everyone should watch if they're interested.

The documentary discusses the origins of the devil and where certain concepts come from.

What I learned from watching this (Notes/ Summary if you can't watch):

• In the bible, there is no mention of a dark figure up against God in the early Testament.

• A misconception is that the serpent in Adam & Eve was the devil -  there is no mention of the serpent ever being the devil taking form, it's a talking serpent that is a symbol of evil - as Eve picked the apple from The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

• Satan is only mentioned in the Bible as unwary angel. In the book of Job, Satan argues that Job is only obedient to God because he has a good life. God agreed for Satan to test Job by inflicting disease that would cause pain to him and his family. In the end, Job continues to worship God and Satan loses the argument. Satan was never depicted as a bad angel.

• In the Old Testament, heaven and hell does not exist. Instead, all people who die go to a place called Sheol.

• People have always believed in evil. In several religions, there are several god and bad gods. 3,500 years ago it was a Persian man named Zoroaster, a religious teacher, reduced the whole cast of good and evil Gods to 2; a Good God and a Bad God. This is what created a true separation of Good and Evil. These Persian ideas made their way into the Hebrew scriptures soon after.

• Greek culture comes to Israel. We all know Greek Mythology. The God that shaped our image of Satan was the Greek God - Hades, ruler of the underworld who has a black face or black beard and sits on a black throne with a black fork. He's also the God of wealth and abundance.

• In another Greek story, Zeus defeats the winged half-God/half-serpent Typhon and throws him down to into the underworld. This was the story that inspired God throwing the rebellious angel Satan into the underworld.

• When we think of hell - we think of fire, lava, and people being tortured. Where did it come from? In the New Testament, Jesus warns people of Gehenna. Gehenna is a town near Jerusalem which was a rubbish heap and it would stink so badly that they would set fire to the town that would burn for several days or even weeks. It was also where they burned the bodies of executed criminals. This was the inspiration for Hell.

• When the Romans conquered Jerusalem, they were hated and accused them of being demonic. In the Book of Revelation, the devil is known as The Beast with the symbol 666 appearing. The Beast 666 could refer to Caesar. If you take Nero Caesar in Aramaic and count out the numeral values of the letters, it comes to 666.

• 4 centuries after the death of Jesus, Constantine makes Christianity the official state religion and use Satan as a weapon for anyone who refused to convert or disagreed with the Church. And people who were "Satanic" were put to death. These were the earliest witch hunts.

• Because people worshiped Pagan Gods, the church had to discredit these Gods to get people to convert to Christianity. They turned the happy loving God Pan into a scary demon. He is depicted with horns.

All of this is told in the first 20 minutes of the documentary. The rest talks about how the Church and the government have used Satan to control the world and maintain power and how it is still used today. 

Random Thought

Why does everyone have a stick up their ass about smoking cigarettes but it's ok to drink. Yeah smoking can kill you in the long term but it's not going to trigger someone to beat up their wife and children or smash into a car. I can smoke 20 cigarettes in a row (I don't smoke, btw) and my mood won't change 1 bit. Give me 20 drinks in a row, I would hope to die of alcohol poisoning before I'd think about getting into a car and killing someone or hurting others.

It's the media. Do you know how much money alcohol companies pump into television? They keep the media from anti-alcohol campaigns because if there was ever a "Truth About Alcohol" like there were "Truth About Smoking" on TV, they'd pull the plug on advertising and TV would loose billions. You never see anti-alcohol, you always see anti-drunk driving or whatever, which is different. 

No One is Weak

We often like to measure and judge other people’s level of strength. We throw out adjectives like pathetic, spineless, cowardly, and fragile and forgetting times where we could be easily pegged as such. A breakup may be the end of the world for one person, and not a big deal to someone else. Having little money may turn one person’s hair gray, while another person doesn’t stress about it at all. I think we shouldn't be so quick to call someone weak. We’re all a little bit tough in our own way. It’s funny how the simplest conversations inspire a blog post, huh?