The Spirit of Religion

What makes a religion right? What makes it just? Is it the scripture or is it the people who follow it? I think it's kinda both. In Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi and even in another graphic novel I read Maus by Art Spiegelman, religion plays a big roll in the why's and the wherefores of why things went on. Women being forced to cover their hair, being segregated and even executed because your Jewish, wtf over? I have dabbled in most religions, (which is how I came to the Asatru faith) and most scriptures have one common underlined principal: "Do unto others as you would have done unto you!" Bottom line, bar none, wake up and smell the coffee, this means "treat other people as how you would like to be treated yourself." Which is not limited but includes religious beliefs even if their views are difference than yours. How is it that tolerance is at an all time low when these simple words are at the heart of any spiritual scripture? How is it that two people of different faiths could not respect one anthers beliefs if they truly love each other? Maybe that's the problem, we don't understand what it is to love anymore as sentient beings, we only care about our views and perceptions of the world at hand, which is a travesty, as there is so much beauty in diversity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deE9yHiX9i0

War Pigs

Wow! What a powerful presentation by Sky and Bryce, hats off! This really hit home for me as I was a Marine stationed at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina and have seen some of the after math that not only the Iraqi War but many others, have effected the mind state of our troops. The increase in domestic violence, drug trafficking, and drunk and disorderly have alarmingly skyrocketed amongst our solders. There is a saying in the military that it will turn you into one of three things: a drunk, a P.T (or physical training) nut, or a religious freak. Seeing as how I'm still scrawny and I only have stability in my religious and spiritual views you can guess the path that I chose. Good thing for me that now I am only a social drinker, (not to mention I have no money to waist on pleasures as such.) Unfortunately any of these roads can lead to destruction, as they say "too much of anything is a bad thing."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo135x0oXo8

Myrter or Dumb Ass?

I really have no clue as to how to feel about the subject of having a family member in jail. In Persepolis the author has many family members in and out of jail, (some even die there,) yet she considers them heroes. I guess they were freedom fighters, but what about a man protecting his children? If he picks up a gun and kills his ex wife for abusing and allowing abuse upon his three son's does this make his actions correct, or does it make him a dumb ass for not bringing it to the attention of others. Or if he did bring it to the attention of proper authorities, why the hell didn't they do anything about it before it got this bad? Why would they wait until the man got pushed to the brink of madness and then rake him over the coals for trying to protect his children? Fortunately for me the mother of my children isn't abusive, she's just a bad parent, (I don't know how that's any better but I guess it has to be because I haven't done anything stupid yet.) Though I don't know if I could, I'm just not violent enough to take another life, and if my children were in danger I would hope that I was wise enough to make the right decision, not a rash one that could ruin more lives than just mine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W69SSLfRJho

A rubber ball

How do you bounce back from not just a bad relationship, but one that has totally screwed you up so bad that any sane person wouldn't want you for all the money in the world? I keep telling myself I can come back from this but being 32 and single with two kids is almost impossible. I'm good looking, smart, sensitive, witty, but yet try as I might every time I let a woman into my life, it seems to go down hill. Take my last girlfriend for example. From the moment I got with her I was paying her bills (and mine), taking care of her kids (and mine), working crazy overtime to help compensate for the child support going out for my kids, cooking, cleaning house, and yet it still wasn't enough for her to give me any kind of decent attention. Not saying I was a saint (as the relationship went on I got more and more frustrated so I started doing dumb shit things just to piss her off) but I never cheated, never hit her, hell...I barely even yelled; yet try as I might...it still ended up in the toilet. The story of Noah said it best, "in every life rain must fall which is why you should partner up, as it makes weathering it all that more bearable." Yet as the storm of life rages on I still find myself cold and alone...long live the bachelor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjM1Lrsb7I8

To the Faithful...

Ever had some one cheat on you? It sucks, especially when it's with a family member. The mother of my two kids slept with my younger cousin (at the time she was 32 and he was 22.) I still don't talk to my cousin even though they don't date anymore. I can safely say I have never cheated on a girlfriend or significant other and I can also assuredly say that, (because of my past with the subject and how it made me feel,) that I never will. That oath hasn't helped me in my relationships yet but hay...I'm sure there's a girl out there that will appreciate me someday. In Persepolis she had her very first boyfriend cheat on her, but we pick up the pieces and carry on with our lives as that is all we can do from there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wG6pSfgdec

Sex, Lies, and Love

I have come to the conclusion that I know absolutely nothing about the opposite sex. I always hope and pray I can find a girl that loves me and finds me interesting but it hasn't happened yet. In Persepolis she has a few failed relationships (heck she even married one of them.) I got close to marrying a girl once but it fell apart at the end, she didn't really love me. I have to believe that love is something you don't just turn off like a light switch, it's more complicated than that. Yet all the girls I have dated in the past say "they don't love me anymore," well lucky them. I still think about a few of them and how I might have done things different, but most of them fall into self serving bias and the belief they did nothing wrong. This flippen kills me time and time again because how could I have been the only one screwing up the relationship? I don't think I was. I think that I did some things wrong, but if you honestly love somebody you should be willing to sit down and work it out with them in a mature fashion. So I guess that leads me to the question...is anyone mature anymore?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWzlD7Lc6w8

Legalize it!

Are we really that brainwashed that we can't think for ourselves? Are we really that shortsighted that we can't see truth or even note a lie under our own noses? The graphic novel I'm reading in English class Persepolis mentions that during her time in Vienna, Austria Marjane Satrapi uses marijuana with her friends during a confusing and dark period of her life. Since the dawn of man we have used herbal remades to cure ailments from stomach aches all the way to the Black Plague, (which essential oils played a big part in getting rid of.) Yet when we as humans self indulge and go overboard with something, we fall in to our self serving bias saying, "it couldn't be me that went out of control, it must be the "drug" I'm taking." Marijuana, cannabis, pot, reefer, what ever you want to call it has gotten the bad rap of being a "drug" ever since the propaganda Reefer Madness hit in 1936; existentially this gave the white collar America something to fear and war on. Later it gave hippies and youthful America in the 1960's and beyond something to laugh at as most of the clam's it made are so far-fetched that one can't help but laugh. Why are most Americans so quick to jump on the bandwagon about this herb? Simple, money! First and foremost a drug, as defined by pharmacology texts, is "a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being." Where marijuana does carry chemicals such as THC, many naturally grown products carry complex chemical compounds that change the body's natural chemistry; does this make an apple a drug? Besides one might argue that any natural substance has a more complex chemical compound that the body likes and will use for a longer period of time. "Man made drugs" are extremely simplistic in their chemical makeup which makes them easy and cheep to manufacture, but yet half of these you have to trade risk of drowsiness, heart attack, stroke, constipation, a nervous eye twitch, and gods know what else just to relieve your allergies; not to mention the chance for addiction where marijuana is non addictive physically, (admittedly people can become mentally addicted to it but hay, we also have food and alcohol which can become mental crutch's as well.) Anyone would be able to grow marijuana as it is such an easy adapting plant thus making it harder to regulate and tax upon the legalization of it, (yes the government has to see a benefit for themselves and not just the people before they make ANY decision.) As long as the DEA sees no potential gain for themselves they will never banish the prohibition war against this most useful plant, which is a crime in itself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX2HHRE-m8o

Overtly Graphic Novel's

I happen to like graphic novel's. My class mate Steven did make a point in his report that they leave little to the imagination, but I don't think that this detracts from the validity of a well written story line. The pictures combined with story is a captivating method to draw readers in, (especially of a younger generation,) and heck I have loved comic books since I was a kid, anything from Marvel to DC to Chaos Comics (Evil Ernie and Lady Death.) In the graphic novel Persepolis my favorite part is when she's in Vienna, Austria with her friend talking about boys and Marjane's friend makes a reference to her vagina and how it's "paradise" (the topic was brought about by Marjane's friend talking about slang words for vagina.) Also another part is when Marjane is back in Iran and attending college. She misses her bus and has to run for it when she is stopped by police and told her ass is making them have impure thoughts, so she yells at them not to look at it. Very Freudian I know, but I'm only a man. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fqncj3G6tg

Mause

Mause was a really good graphic novel by Art Spiegelman and was actually an inspiration for Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. Mause is set in World War II and is about the authors father going through Auschwitz. It has a subplot of the relationship between the author and his father and how they try to get along with each other. Both Persepolis and Maus were set in war time, both lead characters got sick, (one with Typhoid one with Bronchitis.) I liked the animals that Spiegelman used to depict the different races of Mause: cats for the Germans, mice for the Jews, dogs for the Americans, pigs for the Polish, etc.) There is even one part where the author is arguing with his wife over weather or not he should draw her as a frog as she is French. If you liked The Dairy of Ann Frank or Persepolis, you would love this book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doTBT46wMvA

Homeless

Being homeless sucks ass! Never having what you need, people looking down on you, being cold and hungry. I was homeless at age 17 and joined the military to try to get away from it, but here it is full circle and I find myself back out on the street again. :p In the story Persepolis she was homeless for a time as well in Vienna, Austria; what's up with artists and suffering? (yes I consider myself a writer so I suffer as well!) They say you have to suffer for your art but this is ridiculous! At least I can play my guitar out on the street for money though, (I hate begging!) Just once I would love to know the thrill of success, having the knowledge that I have succeeded at making a living. Unfortunately, reality sets in and I find most likely (if I am ever noticed) I will be dead and gone before I am ever appreciated as most artists are. A song that depicts this is 8 Mile by Eminem, I have included a video link to the song (for those who may have not heard it) and have also included a poem of my own creation for your enjoyment.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=139YbwposAw <---(8 Mile by Eminem)


Homeless

If you ever think of family
Then you’ll never think of me
Best if you just count me out
So the black sheep I will be.

I never was that special
And I never was that strong
The chains of hearth do bind me
Yet I know I don’t belong.

Forgotten in my exile
Cast aside without a thought
Seems the only ones who love me
Are the bed bugs I have caught.

I’m sure you think this funny
And I’ll laugh along with you
But would you still be laughing
If you found out it was true?

By
The American Jester

WTF?

What the hell is up with the world today? Everywhere we see repression, mistrust of our fellow man, poverty, war, can this really be the world we want to live in? Are we as human beings so against unity and acceptance of one another that we must repeat the mistakes of our past? In my English Honors 1A class today my classmate Adam gave his presentation on Persepolis today. In this ancient city it was scribed in three languages at the entrance, "Be kind to travelers" and "Respect other cultures." So this proves that from near the dawn of man that these ideals were engraved into us, so what the hell are we doing to one another? Being Asatru (of the old gods) the Edda states the exact same thing almost verbatim, so I believe strongly in these words. I believe many other religious texts also state this, though if people claim to be as religious as they pretend to be, why is our world in the state that it's in? To quote the Edda, "A smile costs nothing."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5bponByBOc&feature=related