Thursday, April 29, 2010
This Is Adorable...
After a few heavy posts I was happy to see this video.Posted by soft rock star at 12:49 AM
Is anybody human anymore?
The story of the man in NYC who had been stabbed while helping a woman who was being mugged and left for head by numerous passers by broke my heart. Video footage from a surveillance camera showed at least seven people going by, some turning their heads to look, others stopping to gawk. One took a picture with his camera phone. Another lifted the man's body, exposing what appeared to be blood on the sidewalk underneath him, before walking away.
It wasn't until after the 31-year-old Guatemalan immigrant had been lying there for nearly an hour that emergency workers arrived, and by then, it was too late. Hugo Alfredo Tale-Yax had died.
I just can't believe this man took the time to help someone in need that he didn't know and was killed for it. That people chose to ignore a dying man and walk away. I'd like to believe those people will live with horrible guilt for walking by and not even anonymously calling the police. What is wrong with humanity? Are we so disconnected from one another that we are unfazed by a man laying on the ground bleeding to death? It's absolutely insane.
Posted by soft rock star at 12:35 AM
Sunday, April 25, 2010
God Still Apparently Hates Me
I was watching Larry King Live the other night. I generally find Larry to be an annoying, under prepared, boorish, well-past-his-prime interviewer and a few nights before, his episode on bullying with Bill Cosby was the height of awkwardness and disinterest on his part. The man has admitted to purposely not over preparing for interviews because he wants it to be fresh, but his inability to listen to guests creates an awkward interview when he doesn't go logically where you think he should go. Anyway, this blog entry doesn't really have to do with Larry King or his interviewing skills (though he was actually engaged and on target this particular night). I just tend to be opinionated and thought I'd mention mine on old Larry, haha.Anyway, the topic this particular night was being gay and being religious and whether the two are mutually exclusive. Dove Award-winning Christian artist Jennifer Knapp was on to discuss her coming out as a lesbian. I've heard of Jennifer but wasn't familiar with her music and didn't honestly know a thing about her. From 1999-2001 she sold over a million copies of her first three CDs, winning Dove Awards for Best New Artist and Best Rock Song, was nominated for a Grammy and then later took a break from music and moved to Australia with her girlfriend, who she met in 2002. She has a new album coming out in May after having her love of music being rekindled but thought it was important to be truthful about who she was since she was stepping back into the public eye. I found her to be smart, interesting and articulate. After an opening segment with Jennifer, she was then joined by Pastor Bob Buford who quickly expressed his disappointment and concern for Jennifer's "sinful situation" and her "choice" to be gay. He informed Jennifer, Larry and the viewers that “we shouldn’t make decisions based on feelings, we should make decisions based on facts.” Um, ok. This, as it turns out, was just the beginning in a long line of dumb things Pastor Bob's would say. After listening to this man's continued blather and fear mongering I was so hot... livid.
Jennifer brought up the conversation that the Bible has been translated from Greek and some words have no equivalent to the languages they were translated into and were given different meanings. I've seen a number of programs that discuss this as well; (The Bible verse, "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination." (Leviticus 18:22) is the basis for the church's condemnation of homosexuality. But the term "abomination" did not mean what it does now. In fact, though this wasn't discussed on the show, that Bible passage doesn't refer to the act of sex between two homosexual men at all. One of the common practices at the time were for the heterosexual priests of Moloch to dress up as women as part of their rituals and have sex with men who came to worship. Hence the prohibition of laying with men as with women - it was part of the religious worship, not with other men as in natural homosexuality.
Larry was smart to ask the pastor if he ate shellfish, which Bob quickly admitted to (since Leviticus goes on to condemn anyone who eats pork, lobster, shellfish, mixes fibers in clothing, trims their beard, or has sex during a women's menstrual period.) Bob's response? That God changed his mind about shellfish. LOL. He also went on to say that the entire Old Testament is not really applicable or to be taken literally. Um, news to me! Didn't Bob just tell me that the Bible in the inspired word of God? Larry also asked the pastor how he knew he was attracted to women... Why he made that choice. Bob said he just knew. Larry wondered why it was so hard to believe that a gay person would feel the same way. I really was proud of old Larry.
Jennifer also asked Bob why her sin is worse than other sins, since the Bible clearly states that all sins are equal in the eyes of the Lord. Why can’t she be the one condemning HIM on national television, she asks. Well, Bob didn't seem to have a clear answer to that one but basically said that since Jennifer knew this was a sin but decided to continue to live the life she is living that her sin is somehow worse than any he could commit. Ah, good old passing judgment! It's something the church does so well until they are called out on it and then say, "oh... well... God is the ultimate judge." Well then, shouldn't you live by those words and not use fear mongering and judgment to divide people and turn them away from God?
Jennifer continually came across as sweet, diplomatic and peaceful, even saying that she respected the work Pastor Buford has done to bring people to God. Pastor Buford had no such reciprocation of God's love for Knapp. He drove me mad with his small-minded, ignorant hate speech in the guise of the concerned representative of Jesus Christ who is trying to prevent gays from burning in hell fire for the "choice" they have made to turn away from God, saying that you simply CAN'T be gay and be a believer. It drove me absolutely crazy! How ironic that it took the ridiculous inclusion of Ted Haggard in the night's debate to remind the pastor that God is love and love's us all despite our shortcomings and sin. I'll never understand how any religious leader thinks they are speaking on God's behalf by judging and condemning people. I'd like to think Buford will look back on the night and feel embarrassed that he was shown up and schooled by Ted Haggard.
After Pastor Bob had been given the smackdown by Knapp, King and Haggard, he relented, saying, "let’s just open up our arms of grace and welcome Jen back into our community" which warranted the priceless response from Jennifer: "When was I gone? Where did I go? Because I wasn’t in YOUR church?" All he could muster was "Well for eight years in Australia –." Wow, bright thinking pastor. I just found him to be so arrogant and judgmental.
So why did this get me so worked up? Because I am gay and I am a believer and I am just getting SO sick and tired of being told I am less than for the person I am. The argument that gay people make the choice to be gay is the cornerstone of the church's point of view, aside from the "interpretation" of select vague Bible verses that unbiased scholars have proven do not apply to homosexuality. I know in my heart that God made me this way. I know because for many years I prayed, even begged God to change my feelings. Why would anyone CHOOSE to be gay? To run the risk of alienating your friends and family, to be made fun or ridiculed, to be beat up or even killed. To be looked at as a second class citizen by your own country, unable to marry the person you love, unable to easily have children of your own. It makes no sense at all.
When you take that out of the equation, which, I'm sorry, you have to, suddenly there is no grounds for judgment. God made me this way. To say otherwise is to admit God makes mistakes and that is something I know the church would not agree with. Being gay does not define my life. I don't advertise it. I don't wear makeup and snap my fingers when I talk. I don't go on national TV and tell people their views prevent them from receiving God's love. But I am not ashamed or embarrassed about who I am. I thank God he finally showed me that I have to accept how he made me and that he wants me to be happy. The only choice I had to make was to accept that.
I have never felt compelled in the year I have had this blog to just come out on here and say that I am gay until I watched that show. To watch this man who say he represents God sit and tell another Christian who has certainly brought many people to Christ herself and will probably bring even more by standing up and saying who she is just made me so upset. It's the height of hypocrisy and it flies in the face of all I have been taught regarding who God is. We aren't here to judge one another. I don't judge people for the things they do that I don't agree with, As long we aren't intentionally hurting people with the choices we make, I don't see how the decisions we make affect the lives of others, especially strangers. I just wish everyone could see that.
Posted by soft rock star at 9:39 PM
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Death By Firing Squad
I'm going to share my view on two 'hot button' issues here. I'd share then if the two or so people who read this blog were the only ones who saw them or the entire world was reading because I believe with all my heart that my views are the most rational, common sense views one can have on both of them.
Tonight, it's capital punishment. I just read an article on msnbc.com where a man will be executed in Utah by firing squad. I had no idea that was even a choice in 2010 in the United States. Apparently in Utah you can choose lethal injection or firing squad. This is the third man to choose firing squad since capital punishment was reinstated in 1976.
My question is why is this somehow more 'inhumane' than lethal injection? You are murdering another human being. Is there a 'humane' way to do that? That seems to be the controversy here. I certainly do think murderers need to be punished. There is no defense to killing someone else in cold blood. It's reprehensible. But I think life in prison with no chance of parole is more than adequate. I've read somewhere that keeping prisoners in prison for life is cheaper than the use of capital punishment when you factor in the endless appeals most prisoners go through and the drugs used to kill them. So if price is a consideration, no win there.
I just find it odd that so many conservative Christians are vehemently opposed to abortion but for capital punishment. Isn't all life supposed to be precious in the eyes of God? Just as all sins are equal in the eyes of the Lord? I don't understand, even though these people have committed heinous acts, why this gives us the right to take their lives in response. Isn't that supposed to be God's will? And just so you wonder if I am for abortion I am not. As an aside, I can understand abortion in extreme cases (rape, incest, life of the mother in danger, baby severely damaged in some way), but ultimately it's also not my choice to tell a woman she can't have one. I think all life IS precious and I also believe that it's not my place to decide when another person's life should end. The two are the same thing.
I don't quite know how the people used in the firing squad of this man in June will not be considered murderers themselves. It's not self-defense. The man will be unarmed. He did nothing to provoke these men to kill him. I believe the people applying the lethal injection are murderers too for the same reason. It's the very last job in the world I would ever want.
You may ask, well, if someone murdered your dad or sister wouldn't you want them to be put to death? My answer is no. And I would get no pleasure in watching that person be put to death either. It wouldn't bring my loved one back. I would want that person locked up for the rest of their lives with no chance of ever getting out. I think that is a harsher punishment; to waste away in prison 'til old age and then to die alone.
I simply don't agree with capital punishment no matter how horrible the crime. No one person should get to decide when someone else should die. Murder is the killing of another person. And deciding when and how a murderer dies isn't somehow more noble a way of killing someone. It's murder, plain and simple. Now isn't that common sense? Yes!
Posted by soft rock star at 12:08 AM
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
It's Been A Year
For what it's worth, my blog is a year old. I'm not sure more than a handful of people ever see or read it. Sometimes I love posting on it and other times it feels like a chore. But I like having a little corner of the internet to call my own and post about what is exciting me, annoying me, moving me, saddening me, making me smile. It's fun to post about a song or a movie I love. It's important to me to speak up about social ills. And it's nice to commemorate someone I love who isn't here anymore. And whether anyone reads it or cares, I've put something out there about myself and over time, I guess it creates a picture of who I am on the inside.
There are so many of us in the world. So many people you could never grasp the reality of how insignificant each of us is in the grand scheme of things. The world stops for no one. But I also refuse to believe that my opinion doesn't count for something. And I hope that I'll have touched at least a few lives in a positive way. A blog certainly isn't a proactive way to do that and I have no illusions that it means more than it is. But it's mine. And that's enough.
Posted by soft rock star at 11:47 PM
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Kick Ass Kicks Ass
When I first saw the preview for this movie I had absolutely no desire to see it. But I was happy to be more than pleasantly surprised when we went today and I was treated to the best movie I've seen so far this year. A great story, interesting characters, tons of action and suspense, huge laughs... it really could not have been better. I highly recommend checking it out. My only gripe is I wish they had played the Mika song at some point during the movie or at least to start the closing credits! That song is too good to not be heard.
Posted by soft rock star at 12:56 PM
First Night Game At Target Field
I CANNOT WAIT to see a game here!!! The Twins played their first night game at the new Target Field and beat the Royals 10-3 to improve to 8-3 on the season :)
Posted by soft rock star at 12:41 AM
Kick-Ass Music!!
Here are a few songs that have been filling my ears and making me smile lately. The first is Mika's ode to Freddie Mercury, haha. He really does channel the Queen singer in this diabolically catchy song from the new movie "Kick Ass."The second song doesn't have an official video so no need to look at the accompanying visuals, but man, this song is a killer! It reminds me a lot of another fave band of mine, Phoenix. It's by Bright Light Bright Light (which is just one dude) and it's called "A New Word To Say."
The last song is from an excellent new record from the Irish indie-pop trio Two Door Cinema Club. There isn't a bad song on the record. This song is currently the free iTunes Download Of The Week. It's called "Something Good Can Work" and it rules!
Posted by soft rock star at 12:17 AM
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
While I Was Away
I haven't updated my blog recently. I guess a combination of time and not feeling inspired to made that happen. Gonna try to stay on it again now though... even if no one reads it, lol.Tina Fey is comedic GOLD. Her hosting SNL was a strong reminder of how far that show has falling without her as head writer. If it wasn't for Kristin Wiig it would be almost unwatchable. This Sarah Palin spoof is priceless!
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The Twins Home Opener was a great one! Their new stadium looks gorgeous. I can't wait to see the game I have scheduled to attend, May 9th. It was a sunny, warm (my Minnesota spring standards) day and the Twins beat Boston 5-2. The first hit? By a Twin. The first run scored? By a Twin. The first home run? By a Twin. The first win? By a Twin. The first save? By a Twin. As it should be :) The Twins are off to a 6-2 start against three teams many have picked to win the American League divisions. So I'm definitely hopeful about what is to come.
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Some iconic figures have passed away recently. Actor John Forsythe died at 92. I remember how much my grandma loved watching Dynasty so I saw him each week growing up. By all accounts he seemed like a really stand up guy that everyone who he worked with admired. Dixie Carter passed away at 70. That one was a surprise. And it's weird they won't say what the cause of death was. I feel bad for Hal Holbrook. They seemed like a really loving couple. And finally, little Meinhardt Raabe, the diminutive Munchkin Coroner has died. He was 94. Not too many munchkins are left and it's sad to lose another link to such a wonderful movie.
