Critical Thinking Skills?

 As someone who thinks that the term "conspiracy theorist" was created to demonize critical thinking about certain subjects, I love William Ramsey Investigates for the film analysis videos.

Ramsey has a decent web presence, with videos, podcasts, and books that you can check out. I usually check out his YouTube videos and the podcast I get via Podcast Addict. 

If you buy into the fact that "conspiracy theorists" are crazy, just stop here. You obviously have an opinion that won't be changed. Or, you can read on. Just remember this: it's only a theory if it's not true.

Ramsey's bio reads along the lines of "Attorney, Author, and Researcher William Ramsey is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in History. Mr. Ramsey also has a J.D. and is a member of the State Bar of California." Then it goes on to list some of the subjects he has written about. The book usually mentioned first will either make you roll your eyes or be a bit intrigued: Prophet of Evil: Aleister Crowley, 9/11 and the New World Order. I haven't read the book but I have heard Ramsey discuss Crowley via that podcast.

I'm not here to talk about Ramsey's various works; I just want to mention something I thought of when listening to one of his podcast guests.

Ramsey and his guest for a particular episode were discussing a film that I saw years ago - "Eyes Wide Shut". I didn't like the film - mainly because I didn't like the two lead actors - and only watched it with a friend who wanted to see it. I thought the film was stupid and pointless. Then my friend told me that I was missing the deeper messages embedded in the story.

Whatever.

Fast forward several years and I started listening to and having discussions about the many ways evil manifests in the real world. As a Christian, I've been long aware that the world is sin-corrupted, but I never thought much about the various methods of that corruption. Listening to Ramsey and others who discuss such things, I learned that I have been a "surface" observer of many things.

On the surface, Kubrick's film is a big yawn. Looking deeper, it is full of symbolism and messages that should be more obvious to someone who is halfway well-read and educated. You can take a look at the 2-part analysis Ramsey's guest presented.

What do you think of their breakdown? Did you want to go back and take another look at the film? I didn't have to. Whether the information is legit or not, I missed picking up on half of what was presented.

Anyway.

My point is that we (or maybe just I) have gotten overwhelmed by the constant surge of information and tech noise. News and entertainment and other distractions are always whizzing around so fast that it's difficult to slow down and look closely at any one thing. Things blur and I have to remember to take the time to stop and focus.  Does that make sense? 

I am trying to keep a promise to myself to start paying closer attention. To everything. I need to sharpen the critical thinking skills I once had. What about you?

Peace

--Free

Just Something Beautiful

  Saw this on Reddit. So beautiful. I could look at this all day. 

I have a niece and nephew who are twins. I've heard them say things like, "it's a twin thing". Now I totally get it.

Peace

--Free

Daily Struggles

 I was thinking about how I sometimes seesaw between strength and weakness in my behavior. Some days, I find it easier to withstand temptation. Some days, I fold - elaborately and elegantly like a work of origami.

There are moments in my life when I find the wrong things so lovely and enchanting - not to my soul but to my flesh. Usually, these moments involve something or someone that I know is not having a positive influence on me but... it or they, are so... beautiful and intriguing. One day last week, I watched a movie with my neighbor who is a fan of the late Susan Sarandon. I'm not a Sarandon fan but I spent the rest of the week thinking about the absolutely startling gorgeousness of the male co-star. I would find myself randomly remembering his perfect mouth and the amazing color of his eyes. It was frightening to me that I could be so entranced by a total stranger.  On. A. Television. Screen. That's not healthy in any way.

Recently, I was thinking about my late best friend and a conversation we had six or seven years back. She was still one foot in and one foot out of "the world". She had come to realize that, while she now believed in what she called "a higher power", she had yet to decide what that power was. I reminded her that Evil is powerful. It's temporarily soothing. When you are undecided, Evil looks good, feels good, tastes good. When you are undecided, Evil - in your mind - is good. I advised her to make a decision and reminded her that we worship whatever we give power to.

Remembering that conversation often helps bring me back from my own wanderings. I think I gave my friend some good advice when I told her to read the Bible, pray, and meditate on what feels or seems good vs what truly is good. Give your heart and soul to what you worship. 

I try to focus on and take that same advice for myself. I often need to do just that.

It's when I start to get caught up in my emotions - "get all up in my feelings", is what my younger family members call this - I have to remember that what I feel isn't always a good thing. Of course, my feelings are real and a part of me, but feelings are fickle. Something can make me feel good while slowly killing me.

When I was a smoker, I loved smoking. I loved the way the nicotine made me feel. By the way, whenever I remember my days as a smoker,  I recall this scene from "Frasier":

When I was younger, sex was exquisite - whether it was with a spouse or not and whether or not it was happening for the best reasons or not. And here are scenes from the movie that left me wanting to commit every kind of immorality.

I, like a lot of people, forget that Satan (or what I prefer to call Evil) is the ruler of this world. We belong to God, but this age and this world do not. When Satan tried to tempt Jesus in the wilderness, the Lord did not dispute Satan's claim to the "kingdoms of the world", did he?

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 

And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. 

And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread along, but on every world that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ”

Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and *said to Him,

 “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you’; and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ” 

Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” 

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him,

 “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” 

Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, And serve Him only.’ ” 

Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him. (Matthew 4:1-11 NASB1995) (my bold)

For now, this is Evil's kingdom. Evil has reign and rules over most of what we see around us. We Christians live in this world and among its many lovely temptations: beautiful people who don't believe in the God we serve; music, art, and entertainment that does not glorify - and often despises -  Him; sex, drugs, and rock and roll. And it's sometimes so lovely and delicious.

Every day, I am Eve back and in the Garden, being tempted. Every day, I am trying not to make the mistake of accepting a taste of the sweetest of sin. Some days, I walk away, shaky and starved for what I remember feeling so wonderful. And some days, I am accepting a nibble, a bite, or I end up trying to gorge myself on a whole feast of whatever feels good at that moment.

My soul belongs to God but so often my feelings and my appetite belong to this present kingdom. I am just now reminded of the Guns and Roses album title, "Appetite for Destruction". 

The struggle truly is real. The struggle to stay focused on more than yesterday, today, or tomorrow. My struggle is to think of eternity. To live for eternity.

Peace

--Free