Sunday, May 4, 2008

Don't Go There!

A couple of friends of mine have noted a "negative tone" when I write on certain topics (particularly climate models, recycling, energy conservation, and organic foods). While I have not written on them, other things that will generate a negative tone in conversations with me (this list is not all inclusive):

  • 9/11 conspiracy theories
  • Moon landing deniers, Area 51 fanatics, and Roswell Incident theorists
  • Conspiracy theories involving the Freemasons, the Tri-Lateral Commission, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Bilderberg Group, the Bohemian Grove, the Federal Reserve Bank, and the Order of Skull & Bones
  • The phrases: (1) War never solved anything. (2) Give peace a chance. (3) Bush is a Nazi. and (4) Cheney is a war criminal.
  • Christian fads like "The Purpose Driven Life", "The Prayer of Jabez", and "The Passion of the Christ"
Each of these things is likely to draw a least a sarcastic barb (if not much more) from me when introduced into a conversation.

The conspiracy theories are topics that at least entertain me with their creativity. I loved the X-Files and all the conspiracy theories that went with it. I followed the show closely until Scully said, "I yearn for you, Mulder" sometime in season 6 or 7. That was the end of my avid viewing days. In any case, most conspiracy theorists are looking for ways to explain world changing events with secret answers. I believe in the Occam's Razor approach for these types of things (i.e., the simpliest explanation is probably the best explanation). In the cases of 9/11, the JFK assassination, or events and activities surrounding Area 51, I believe that the government has concealed things (probably with good reasons) and this concealment caused people to fill in the blanks with sinister motives and connections that are really not there.

The phrases really set off my pet peave meter because they reveal either a unrealistic naivite or a complete misunderstanding of the English words that make up the sentences. For instance, what solved the problem of Fascism in Europe and Japan? If your answer was diplomacy, then your history books tell a much different tale than mine. I believe in Reagan's attitude of "Peace through strength," but that is not generally the meaning intended by those chanting for us to give peace a chance. The Nazis placed Jews, gypsies, and other "undesirables" into concentration camps, convinced the guards and the population that they were less than human, and executed over 6 million people in a systematic way. War criminals are those that ordered these things or carried them out without question. How can anyone make a serious comparison of those two things with the current occupants of the U.S. executive offices? The idiocy of that blows my mind.

It is possible to disagree with someone without the other person being a Nazi or war criminal. It is possible that both President Bush and Vice President Cheney believed that Saddam Hussein had WMD. The WORLD knows that he had them at one time because he used them against the Kurds. It is also possible that President Bush wanted to liberate Iraq and place a democracy in the Middle East as a future ally.

Finally, the Christian fad thing kind of drives me a little batty. There is nothing wrong with churches being "seeker-friendly" as long as that does not interfere with the worship, fellowship, and teaching that should be the basis for gathering as Christians. These fads are generated by slick marketing campaigns and advertising. I feel like I am being sold something (toothpaste, deodorant, etc.) rather than being fed as a Christian.

Since this post was a response to a comment on my attitude toward recycling and energy conservation, I will summarize why I feel the way I do toward these kind of things. As I have said in other places, I believe that we are stewards of all that we are given. I don't believe in wasting energy or polluting the planet. However, we have been sold a bill of goods that tells us that recycling and "negawatts" can get us out of our current energy crisis. If the U.S. is going to have economic growth, we must have affordable energy. The surest way to recession is put the cost of energy out of reach for the industries that need it. So, the negative attitude is not directed at those who reduce, reuse, and recycle. It is reserved for those policymakers and environmental activists who believe that we can save our way to economic growth and prosperity.

9 comments:

Cable said...

You forgot to inlcude the best football coach Texas A&M every had!


Jackie, expensive but worth it!

Josh and Margo said...

Very interesting, I can't wait to hang out with you guys sometime so I can bring up these things just to see you cringe, sounds like fun. :)

Anonymous said...

you forgot to mention the WWJD bracelets.

And speaking of conspiracy theories,WWWS? What Would Walt Say? Your sweet brother-in-law can't resist them.

David P

Kritter Krit said...

Yeah! (Fist pump.) I liked this post. Well written, Sweet Cakes. And, shock of all shockers, I actually agree with you on most of these points.

Dave, I hooted at your WWWS reference. Yes, my dear brother and hubby can certainly get into some DOOZIE discussions. I always want to blurt out (as the volume is rising and faces are reddening), "HUG! Right now! Hug so I know you don't hate each other!" =)

Anonymous said...

all i'm saying is do some research before you start dismissing things. it's easy to diss it if you haven't looked into it.

there are all kinds of serious questions that weren't touched on in the 911 commission report.

one great example.......
Most people don't even know that there was a "building 7" and that it was the first steel building in history to "collapse" because of small office fires. no jet fuel on this building to blame for a perfect collapse into it's own footprint.

i love it that christians can give lip service about there being a intelligent enemy (lucifer) and say that they believe that the things of daniel and revelations will come to pass but for some reason they don't understand that this enemy is using people right now to build this plan. setting up the world for a one world government and leader doesn't happen over night. Lucifer has been guiding men for hundreds of years to slowly bring this together. It's not a conspiracy when the major movers and shakers of the world are openly calling for a New World Order. Research what they mean before you right it off as a crazy conspiracy theory.
the problem is most people have been brain washed their entire lives to think a certain way. they watch the news and get the latest interpretation of the world around them from spin doctors on television. people need to start thinking for themselves instead of letting "the experts" tell them how to perceive current events.

i'm sure you guys will love responding to this post.
go for it.

-wm

Kritter Krit said...

Hey WM! (Otherwise known as WG)

What does it take to get you to respond on my blog (you know, your SISTER'S blog)? You little turkey! Do I have to whip out some Building 7 or New World Order talk? Or is your cute little niece, poking crayons up her nose enough? ;)

Love you. Miss you. Promise to have Skype soon.

Russ said...

Cable,

Jackie only bothers me when you bring him up.

Josh & Margo,

I am sure it will be fun when we hang out, but I doubt it will be because you start pushing these buttons.

Dave,

This post was designed to draw Walt out of hiding. The whole blog thing was basically a dare from Annie and him.

WG or WM,

As I said, just because we don't know the reasons behind world changing events doesn't necessarily mean that there are secret connections to make every thing make sense.

Do I believe wealthy, powerful men and women meet to talk about how they can increase their power? I certainly do, but I also believe that there is not a darn thing anyone can do about.

If they meet in the US and Europe, I am pretty sure that they have freedom of assembly (or is that just for the anarchists and light shiners that decide to protest their meetings). I have much more important things to worry about like trying to get this many comments on every post and getting more people to read the silliness that I write.

I also believe that it all will happen on God's schedule regardless of all the discussing and "bringing into the light" that you or I might do. It WILL happen whether people wake up or howl at the moon. If your task is to wake people up when most don't believe they are asleep, I think you should contact Sisyphus and ask him how moving that rock is going.

Thank you all for commenting!

Anonymous said...

kristy
sorry for not posting on your blog. i look at it often but i haven't had a chance to write much.
i had to respond to the post russ did. he's right. it worked to draw me out. miss you guys.

Russ
it doesn't take a lot of studying to see the connections behind world events and how they are connected. you don't have to speculate when the information is coming from the mouths of the people who are in charge. they publish it because they don't think most people read and look into it and they're right...... most don't

i agree that it's going to happen. it's in the scriptures. but we can know the times that we are living in and not be asleep about it. we can choose to not take part in Lucifers agenda and actually help it.

what i get frustrated in is that most of us (we as Americans) believe that these powerful leaders in our government and those behind the scenes are looking out for us... that they have our best interests in mind. Americans are unlike any country I've been to..... they trust their government.
These people in high places could care less about us. They only care about increasing their wealth and gaining more and more power. They are control freaks and as many of them say..... we are useless eaters taking up space and killing the environment.

wg

The Mani said...

I can't believe "people who think that nothing is black and white" didn't make your list! Come on! :-)
-zach

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