So a lot of people have told me they enjoy reading my writings…  I guess they think I am kinda good at it. So I guess I shall put it out there are you can enjoy it.  Or not. 🙂  Below is a note I wrote about myself on Facebook as a way to explain who I am.  I’m not about reinventing the wheel, so this will give you a good idea of the person that I am.

Defining Jerod…

 

I have been thinking for quite a while that I should put into words my core beliefs and principles…  Let’s see how this works out…

 

 First and foremost, I am a follower of the teachings of Christ.  I believe that Jesus christ was a physical manifestation of The Supreme Being (God.)  I believe he came to pay for my (and all of humanity’s) sins, and that he died and returned to life, and ultimately to the plane he came from.

 

I believe the Bible is an historical book defining the history and beliefs of my faith.  I do not consider everything in it to be LITERAL.  I believe that God has presented history and parables to us in a manner that our finite minds can understand…  I understand one day, I do not understand a billion years, even if to God it’s only a moment.  I do not believe God is a trickster, nor that fossils, carbon dating and other scientifically found evidence of our planet’s history are “jokes.”  I believe that our mind and our understanding has found ways to define methods used to produce the world in which we live.  I believe that there is more to the universe than we can ever understand, having finite minds living in a construct of an infinite one.  I believe that the Bible as used today is the product of mans decisions, hopefully guided by divine wisdom, but that this fact isn’t certain.  I believe there are other historical works from the periods of the Bible which provided equally important information.

 

 I believe the foundations of being Christian are short, sweet, and to the point.  I believe Christ is who he claimed to be.  I asked for him to be a part of my life, willingly, and to carry the burden of my sins.  I believe that the most important rule is the Golden Rule and that, keeping that rule, in a life-long, demonstrated manner is part of the path towards moving on to our next plane of existence.  

 

I believe in love and that any genuine love should be respected, at least tolerated.  Yes, same sex love, yes, polygamy, no to anything that is NOT CONSENSUAL.  The teachings I follow are of a man who willingly associated with people from all walks of life, from the poorest and most humble to the richest and most known.  He taught to kings, queens, queers and straights, harlots and servants, judges and laborers willingly and with love and respect.  If my Savior found no place to judge the actions of these people, who am I to?  I have heard people profess that tolerance is akin to acceptance.  This is NOT the case.  When someones actions infringe upon the life, liberty or health of another, I believe in stepping in.  Otherwise, if it hurts none, it is not my place to stand in the path of another person’s hapiness.  

 

I believe that ALL humans are created equal.  Naked in the middle of Death Valley we are all in deep kimchee.  I do not believe in different human “races.”  We are all homo sapiens.  The same species.  

 

species plural of spe·cies

Noun: A group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding. The species is the principal natural taxonomic unit, ranking below a genus and denoted by a Latin binomial, e.g., Homo Sapiens.

 

Yes, we have varied cultures, varied levels of melanin in our skins, varied shapes, forms and physical characteristics.  So what?  Is a Chihuahua a cat and a great Dane a horse?  No.  

 

I believe that the grand experiment of 1776, the United States of America existing as a democratic republic is still the greatest idea for the formation of a nation ever tried.  I believe there are GRAND flaws in the system, and that most of them center around money.  I believe that anyone who takes a pay cut stepping into political office more than likely is someone who should be looked at with EXTREME scrutiny.  I believe that the Constitution of the United States of America is THE law of the land.  It is a living document only in so far as it is amended.  Period.  I believe the Amendments to the Constitution mean exactly what they say.  I believe that they were written in language that was infinitely clear to those speaking the American language of that time.  I believe that their are related documents that clear up and potential discrepancies.  An example of this is the second amendment, which is clarified quite clearly in Thomas Jefferson’s Federalist Papers and other period writings.  Do I believe any United States citizen should have the right to own any weapon from a sharpened pencil to a M1A Abrams Main Battle Tank?  Absolutely.  If you can afford it, have fun, so long as you respect you fellow citizens’ rights to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  Nuclear weapons?  I think this is a very touchy issue… NO ONE in history ever envisioned a weapon that could destroy the planet.  Personally, I would love to see them all destroyed.  This will never happen.  I feel that it is the duty of the citizens to place the control of these devices into the hands of a trusted and secure group of citizens.  The US Military and the President of the United States fill those roles.  God save us if they ever have to have that trust tested.  God save THEM if they violate it.

 

I ABSOLUTELY believe that all political parties are now so monetarily corrupted that they no longer serve the purpose of their charters.  I am best defined as a Libertarian, if you hadn’t guessed that, but I would say that to fit into more “mainstream” labels I would be a Conservative Democrat.  I believe in absolute personal liberty, social responsibility and the protection of citizens at ALL levels of society, especially the poor, sick and homeless.  I believe that having poverty in this nation is appalling, as is homelessness.  We have the resources to live in near Utopian circumstances, but for greed.  I believe that ALL citizens should pay an EQUAL AND BALANCED portion of their incomes to support the common good.  I do not believe an income tax is the best method to do this, but would much prefer to see the “Flat Tax” sales tax put into place.  20% of everything goes to the government to be spent equally in the protection of all citizens.  No exceptions, credits, or loopholes.  Get caught cheating once, half of you remaining life expectancy is spent in a work prison.  Do it again and you get shot in the head.  Period.

 

 I believe in minimal laws and punishments…  I do not believe we can legislate morality and make citizens a burden on society for moral crimes such as drug use, traffic offenses, fighting, CONSENSUAL sexual acts AMONG ADULTS, etc. are good for the nation.  We have a good military in place, serve your time and prove your worth at the same time.  Break the trust and you go off to an island with a knife.  Willingly take a life of an adult without cause?  Off you go to an island with a knife.  Commit forced rape, murder, child neglect, child endangerment, or any other crime that would now be considered capital, off you go to an island.  With no knife.  And identifying tattoos.  Everyone going to the island gets sterilized.  Anyone trying to escape the island gets executed without prejudice.  We have Predator drones, radar, sonar, ladar, night vision and really good guns.  Buh bye.  Don’t come back.

 

I believe that in the USA we have freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion.  Separation of church and state is an ideal found in the Establishment Clause that is designed to protect us, the citizen, from the government OFFICIALLY endorsing or preferring any one religion.  http://nationalparalegal.edu/conlawcrimproc_public/FreedomOfExpression/FreedomOfReligion&EstCl.asp has an excellent explanation for those who do not understand the concepts therein.  Your opinion may differ.  Your opinion isn’t the law.

 

I, personally, am appalled by the idea of abortion without good reason.  I think the test of “mother’s health, incest or rape” is a good idea.  I also don’t think we have the right to tell a woman what she can do with her body.  So I guess I am anti-abortion but pro-choice.  It’s not on the fence, it’s a legitimate stand on the issue.  I know there are MANY people in the world who would give limbs to have a healthy baby to adopt.  I feel that if there was more done to support mothers with unwanted pregnancies, an experience that could be a burden for them could be turned into something good in which they are supported respectfully, financially and medically and then move on with their life.  Again, your body, your choice.  By the same token, there are MUCH better birth control methods than abortion…  And now a viable option for men, as well, beyond a condom.  Everyone needs to take the PERSONAL responsibility to prevent.

 

While we are on personal responsibility, I believe people need to have it.  The government, the police, the fire department, the church and your friends cannot always be there to help you.  Self sufficiency goes a LONG way to learning to respect yourself and others.  Robert Heinlein once said “A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly.”  I’m pretty much on board with that.

 

 I believe that our government lies to us.  I do not believe that it arbitrarily executes its citizens in grandiose events and then covers it up.  I do not believe a secret that big could be kept, to be frank.  I believe there are a lot of sensationalists on both the fringe right and left who derive near physical masturbatory pleasure from creating controversy, hatred and societal disruption.  I am all for civil disobedience, I am not for terrorizing, white washing, brain washing or manipulating facts for personal of financial gains…  This means the media, as well.  The Internet has both given common ground for the afflicted and the insane.  A place of solace and commiseration, as well as one for dangerous like minds to gather.  Life, Liberty, the Pursuit of Happiness.  Don’t infringe and we’ll all get along just fine.

 

I do not believe in censorship, the banning of books, forbidden knowledge, the human body as something to be ashamed of nor worshiped.  I believe that it is reasonable to REQUEST easily accessible media to provide a reasonable warning as to potentially offensive content in any media…  By the same token, I do not believe that people have a right to NOT be offended.  Walk away.  Change the channel.  Grow a set of balls.  And a spine.  Parents, teach your children, guide them, do your best, and then, just as every generation of parents has EVER done, hope you did your best and move forward.  Sometimes you’ll lose, usually you’ll win.

 

This is NOT, by far, complete.  Still, if you can’t at least agree to disagree with me on my stands, and respect my right to have them, then you need to go the hell away.  Period.