Evil

***UPDATE: At the end of the post, after the jump***

I first wrote about Augusten Burroughs‘ not long ago. I was impressed with his writing ability and honesty.

I mentioned that I wasn’t really ready to read his book A Wolf At The Table because it sounded traumatizing. I knew it would trigger some of my own “stuff” and I was right.

It was horrible … very well written … but horrible.

I bought the book with a gift card I got for my birthday. It is easy to read … technically. Although, the subject matter kept my consumption of the book at a slow pace.

I was really surprised at the level of empathy I have for Augusten. Granted, I am not going to explore that in a blog post to any respectable degree. While the details of the different events in our respective lives are different I can relate to the systematic rejection, abuse and abandonment with the occasional violence and terror. Again, seperate lives and circumstances but many of the same themes and results.

Now, unlike Augusten, I never fantasized about killing my father … or anyone. Although, I did have serious other issues and ways to cope or escape.

I would recommend this for Christians interested in reading a non-Christian survival response ( I don’t think Augusten claims to be a Christian) to an abusive childhood. While the end result for Augusten is extraordinary (best selling author), his upbringing is unfortunately something millions and millions of people can relate to on some level. I would recommend this book, for the strong of heart. Augusten, again, displays a tremendous survival response, perseverance and amazing insights.

There is something about Augusten’s will to survive that speaks to the epic dignity of every human’s struggle against darkness and being able to cope in an imperfect world.

An Aside: It should be stated that Augusten’s Dad was planning to be a Pastor when he was young but he eventually fell away from faith with scorn and derision. It is a tough testimony to read.

While I do recommend the book, be warned… it could mess with your head. Make sure to take care and maintain proper stewardship of your time and attention.

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She might be dead but I see her everywhere …

Last fall I bought my first home. The structure itself isn’t very old but the lady who owned it before me was quite elderly. Her name was Dot and she is dead.

I hate to be so blunt but I never met her. I am not trying to be disrespectful either. That is pretty much all I know about her. All of my neighborhood loved her. They speak very highly of her and my one neighbor originally from Boston exclaimed with fingers lightly at the edge of her mouth, “Oh, that Dot… she was a GEM … a gem of a woman!”

I bought the home from her heirs so, I don’t even know what Dot looks like.

Anyway, Dot left me a lot of gifts. Dot collected paper products, picnic-ware and bleach (four bottles in the washer/dryer area). I just now, months later, had to start buying my own paper towels and still have a kitchen drawer full of plastic forks, spoons and knives. I found two false gods (Mayan?) made out of concrete in the outside storage, two hurricane lamps, a concrete head of a Chinese woman, a potty chair (clean… thank goodness), a large American flag, lots of scotch tape around the corners of the front door window (I don’t understand), a lamp that is hideous (yes… I am using it in my bedroom), a chair that attacks you (nail sticking out at the foot.) But the funnest, not funniest, of all the leftovers Dot left behind … we will get to that in a minute.

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I actually agree with something Nancy Pelosi is suggesting with regard to China. I don’t think I blogged about it but I was shocked to learn that the Olympics were going to be held in China.

Accountability: The Name of These Games (From FRC Action Email Update)

Adding her dissent to that of other world leaders, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is the latest to voice objections to the U.S.’s involvement in the upcoming Olympic Games. In a frank discussion on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Pelosi said, “I think boycotting the opening ceremony, which really gives respect to the Chinese government, is something that should be kept on the table… I think the President might want to rethink this later, depending on what other heads of state do. …I don’t think China should have gotten the Olympic Games to begin with… They got [them] with the promise that they would… have better respect for human rights and freedom of expression. They have not honored that.” Pelosi’s objections put even more pressure on the Bush administration to reconsider its presence at the Olympics. While Pelosi is motivated by the host’s violent treatment of Tibetans, China’s religious hostility runs much deeper than the Dalai Lama. Christians are being imprisoned in record numbers, yet the White House refuses to weigh in on the growing persecution of the church. FRC has waited 111 days for a response from the State Department to our letter in behalf of the Chinese pastors. How many more will have to suffer before Secretary Rice takes our complaint seriously?

I would add that it isn’t just religious issues and right about now I think the Chinese government hates the Dalai Lama just as deeply or deeper than the Christians. Either way, it doesn’t really matter, if you publicly disagree with the Chinese *communist* government… you have a very high probability of simply disappearing for a few days or more and coming home with a new or silent view of the government … that’s if you come home.

I am willing to boycott watching the opening ceremonies in honor of those persecuted and murdered in China and not honor the state of China. I have no doubt the ceremonies will be gorgeous and moving but I will never forget that day I saw Tiananmen Square’s “Tank Man.” It seems a lot of people have forgotten him and that awful series of events.

Please pray for a peaceful revolution of personal freedom in China.

Read Florida Victim of Anti-Gay Beating Appears in Online Video :: EDGE Boston

In this article some gay groups, activists and one blogger make the irresponsible assertion that violent crimes are created by people who disagree over the morality of homosexuality and dare to enforce existing law or affect future public policy (Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Naugle and Florida4marriage.org). Instead of focussing on the criminals who perpetrated these awful crimes … they blame people and groups that have nothing to do with these crimes.

It’s opportunistic of these activists to try and turn this horrible tragedy into an opportunity to smear those who oppose public sex and the same sex redefinition of marriage.

A friend of mine, who doesn’t have any “activist” involvement, said that he sees two waves toward what apparently “militant” gay activists want. The first one is to normalize homosexuality in every sphere possible. This has pretty much been accomplished. The second wave is to silence *any* dissent, opposing religious freedom or freedom of conscience by redefining it as hate speech which will in itself be lobbied to be reconsidered as a criminal act.

Along with the above example, I guess the second wave is in full swing.

I agree with the ending statement that Mayor Naugle could condemn the attacks. Whether he goes to the vigil or not, I hope he does, I do.  What happened to these two young men is horrible and should be denounced.  I pray that they find true justice and not a manufactured culture war campaign.

Some brave people fought against the “modesty” police and kept them from abducting a young woman for not dressing appropriately. The following video is not great quality but Pajamas Media has a rundown of what you are seeing. The crowd is chanting “We don’t want Islamic Regime!” “We don’t want Dictatorship!” and “Death to the Police!”

It’s difficult to imagine that one of the officers was badly beaten but at the same time, how great is it that this young woman did not just disappear to who knows what kind of treatment?

Lets not forget that among the many atrocities that go unreported about Iran, this regime routinely kills, rapes and tortures people who are or simply alleged as homosexual. Say what you will about Islam as a whole but from what I have seen, this Islamic regime is despicable and evil through and through. I am going to pray that a revolution in Iran gains footing, leadership and find tremendous success.Perhaps their plight and struggle for freedom should remind us to be grateful for what we take for granted here in the West.

I submitted some writing samples to a guy who knows his stuff about that kind of stuff. We both thought it would be good to read authors that I tend to write like. Not to copy them but to learn from them.

Enter David Sedaris’ books. I have read two of his other books. Those being Naked and Me Talk Pretty one Day. I like his style of writing. I enjoy his humor and his odd view of life. However, when he gets disturbing … he really gets disturbing. He even seems to like being disturbed.

The one word ETC Review of Holidays On Ice:

Yep, you guessed it … Disturbing

It got so bad I actually did not really enjoy it from about halfway through the book to the end. Holidays on Ice is a collection of essays about different Christmas stories he has penned. Some of them are of personal experience and some are fiction. I will break my critique down by essay.

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Joe Dallas is an incredibly gracious and smart man. I found the following article very informative and wanted to share it with you. It is published with permission.

Porn - 3 Reasons to Stop NOW - Joe Dallas

This is the first of a ten part series by Joe Dallas on recovery from pornography

If you’re a Christian man using pornography, you are, unfortunately, far from alone. Over 18 % of the men polled in a Zogby/Focus on the Family survey, for example, identified themselves as Christians who watch porn. Studies quoted in Newsweek magazine suggested that as many as 30% of the ministers interviewed had indulged, and during an informal polling at the 1996 Promise Keepers Men’s Conference, one out of three men admitted they “struggled” with pornography.

So why should they - or you - stop now? Let me offer three reasons.

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I was driving home from work tonight and the news was dark and depressing. I bought one of those cheapy car receivers for XM Satellite radio (had it for almost 18 months and hopefully will never turn back) and was listening to Fox News talk about all the horrible deaths in the storms across the South last night. Then I turn to one of the talk feeds and they are NON STOP whining about how stupid the American electorate must be. So I turn to CNN and they are talking about how the murderous monsters of Al Qeada are using children as young as six years old for propaganda.  Not only that, the barbarians kidnapped an 11 year old to force his poor parents to give them 100,000 US Dollars.

Tragedy abounds.

I’d had it. There is only so much horror and complaining you can take in and today my limit was even lower than usual. I then turned to one of my favorite XM Stations, XM 62 “The Suite” which is an R&B feed and Mariah Carey (whom I think is incredibly talented) blew my socks off. I am sure this song is not new but for some reason I just heard it this evening. The lyrics are listed after the jump and I think you will agree that the timing was perfect to hear her worship the Lord in this song.  The lyrics were right on time for me and put things back in proper perspective.

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One of my facebook friends sent me an “app” to help determine how evil I am.  I have a better test … just ask:

So, Randy, how evil are you?

I am not exactly sure but I bet if you try to take my ice cream away, we’d find out pretty quick.

BOO!