This American Life

So, I was recently introduced - by a really awesome person - to a radio show called "This American Life". I have been listening to the archives at work and really liked this episode.

I find the format and the content really well done. It is worth a listen.

Something a little different...

Normally I use this blog as a creative (sorry to my 2 friends who claim writing is not creative) outlet for my random, sarcastic, and occasionally-cynical observations and views of the world. However, today I was reading about Terry Jones and his "Burn a Quran" day and am so bothered by it that I would rather address that.

For those of you who don't know, Terry Jones is a pastor for a small church in Florida who plans to burn copies of the Quran (a book which Muslims revere as sacred and holy) on September 11, 2010. He plans to do this as a form of protest against Islam (he maintains that Islam is a church of the devil) and terrorists.

I find this offensive and intolerant. I am dumbfounded by it on many levels, but the fact is this is completely out of line with the teachings in the bible. In Matthew 5:43-48, Christ states:

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Christ spent His time doing good and spreading His message. Not tearing down the beliefs of others. I fail to see what cause Terry Jones believes he is promoting or problem he thinks he is solving with this offensive display.

In the face of criticism over his plan, Mr. Jones said, "How much do we back down? How many times do we back down? Instead of us backing down, maybe it's to time to stand up. Maybe it's time to send a message to radical Islam that we will not tolerate their behavior."

What does he think we are backing down from? I agree that there are times that we must stand for our beliefs, but I fail to see what beliefs he is standing for by offending hundreds of millions of innocent people.

As a Christian and a member of a church which has faced and continues to face persecution, I would be very offended if the scriptures which I hold as sacred were burned in a self-serving mock-protest.

Two final points:

• I find it sad and ironic that Mr. Jones hides behind the Constitution and the freedom of speech (which the Constitution ensures) to disparage and disrespect another religion when that same Constitution also guarantees the freedom of religion.
  
• It will be a great day when members of society can discuss our difference without responding to hate with hate.
  

Happiness

So, this will be a bit of a deviation from my normal light-hearted posts, but I think it is worth it.

I was reading on MSNBC.com this morning and came across a couple of articles about on the subject of happiness.

The first was "5 Things That Will Make You Happier". None of them were a surprise to me, but I found it interesting that it came out of a study of 51 studies. I really liked this quote: "recent research suggests people actually can take charge of their own happiness and boost it through certain practices."

People do need to TAKE CHARGE of happiness in their lives. Life is not just about things that happen to us, it is about how we react to those things. It is interesting that they state "life situations have a smaller influence on our happiness than we think they do".

In summary, the 5 things are:

1. Be Grateful
2. Be Optimistic
3. Count Your Blessings
4. Use Your Strengths
5. Commit Acts of Kindness

Like I said, no shockers - in fact, it is funny that this study reinforces what the Bible and scriptures have been saying, well, FOREVER.

The next article I found interesting because it was about what States people were happiest in. Honestly, I did not expect Utah to be very high because so many people (in Utah) talk about how people here are unhappy because of the pressures placed on them by the prominent religion (I made that argument many times as a teenager). However, I have since changed my thinking and feel that it is not as bad as I once thought it was. I think a lot of those pressures are more perceived than actual.

Interesting side note, while putting this together, I was talking with CLR and posed the question "where do you think Utah ranked in a study analyzing what states had the happiest people?" He said he didn't think that Utah would be very high (citing a high rate of people treated for depression).

Without further ado, Utah is number two. I guess people who think otherwise are giving into the stigma (Like CLR and me).

Top 5:
Hawaii: 70.2
Utah: 68.3
Montana: 68.3
Minnesota: 67.8
Iowa: 67.6

The final feature was "7 Thoughts that are Bad for You". I don't think they are as much thoughts, per se, as they are states-of-mind or attitudes, but relevant in any case.

7. Cynicism
6. Lack of Meaning
5. Fretting
4. Lack of Self-Control
3. Anxiety
2. Gloom and Doom
1. Stress

Like I said, interesting.

The main take-away I got was the reinforced belief that a person can have a large effect on their own happiness.

Quotes (Part 1)

A couple of quotes that I like...

"How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling the tail a leg doesn't make it one."

-Abraham Lincoln

"It takes a pretty thin pancake to only have one side."

-President Keller, CA-SF Mission

"Firm in principle; Flexible in proceedure."

-President Keller, CA-SF Mission

"Use your best judgement."

-President Keller, CA-SF Mission

"It is a sad fate for a man to die too well known to everyone, but still unknown to himself."

-Francis Bacon

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate; our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'who am it to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, or fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? Your are a child of God. Your playing small does't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so other don't feel insecure are around you. We are born to manifest God's glory within us. Its not just in some of us, its in everyone. And, as you let your own light shine, you unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As you are liberated from your own fears, your presence automatically liberates others."

-Marianne Williamson (See note below)

"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed. The fact is that most putts donít drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just like people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, and most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is just like an old time rail journey ... delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.

-Gordon B. Hinckley

"The best antidote I know for worry is work. The best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is even more tired. One of the great ironies of life is this: He or she who serves almost always benefits more than he or she who is served."

-Gordon B. Hinckley

"I don't worry too much about the future, and I don't worry very much about the past. The past is gone, and you can't change, you can't correct it. The future, you can anticipate, but you can't necessrily do very much about it. It is the present you have to deal with. Reach out for every good opportunity to do what you ought to do."

- Gordon B Hinckley

** Some may be devastated to know that this quote did not come from one Mr. Nelson Mandela. His own website states this. And this site may be useful also...

On a more serious note...

On a serious note, I am not a huge fan of the Dave Matthews Band musically – I do like some songs – however, I thought that Dave Matthews had a great point in this interview with CNN.com:

"CNN: (speaking of politics in America) Everything has gone to such a frenzied pitch.

"Matthews: I think a lot of it has to be on the press. We give the podium to a lot of people who shouldn't have the podium. The message that's delivered the loudest and in the most entertaining way is the one that we're going to put on because that's what we want. We want ratings more than we want to deliver information. That's just where the culture's gotten.

"There's no way that Walter Cronkite, as a young journalist, no way Ed Murrow would be hired to do news today. Not a chance.

"CNN: Because they're too low-key? Because they're not bombastic?

"Matthews: Because they're thoughtful, and they're patient, and they're trying to tell you a truly balanced story. They're trying to impart information. I don't think that's the goal [now] because it's not a good business plan. ...

"Everyone's outraged all the time. Why are you outraged? There's war -- there's always been war, as long as most of us have been alive. There have always been people being abused, there's always been horrible things in the world. Why are we outraged? We should just be quiet and figure it out, and work it out together. ... There's no solution in Washington as long as people are shouting like that."

It drives me crazy when I watch or listen to the news and all I hear are people ranting and raving trying to cause a stir or a panic. It seems like ratings and "breaking" (or - unfortunately - making up) stories are valued more than being insightful, accurate, and trying to help solve problems.

Maybe I am being a bit extreme, but that is what if feels like. It seems like the media and the politicians feel it is better for them if the country is extremely polarized, so they do what the can to make every issue a polarizing issue.

I am tired of feeling like all I hear is the party line from politician and that every media personality is just looking to bolster their ratings at any cost.

I would like to feel like we are all looking for the best solutions to the problems we are facing - no matter where the idea comes from. Meaning, judge an idea based on the merits of the idea, not who the idea came from (or whether a "Dem" or "Rep" is below their name).