Spelunking, Conundrums, and Peace on Earth

I’ve been spelunking in my craft cave on a steady basis lately. It’s amazing how quickly project time passes.

Yesterday I baked a cake for my husband’s birthday. He’s really old now.

I’ve decided to enter the cake, Italian Cream, in an ugliest cake contest.

We are happy to report that it tasted good.

If this cake were cognizant it would surely hide away in embarrassment. Good thing I wasn’t responsible for creating the universe.

I’ve been thinking again. I know it’s dangerous. I can’t seem to help myself. The question posited for pondering is: “Why do we treat Congressman and Senators with respect when the favor is apparently not returned?”

Instead of addressing them as ‘Senator’ or ‘Congressman’ perhaps we should use a more familiar form of address. For example: Idiotic Rand or Stupid John. I was going to say ‘asshole’ but I’m trying to keep it clean.

Does anyone offer to edit their remarks? Do they read the copy and make corrections and changes before speaking it in public? Just asking….

I might want to think about that last question as I have found missed errors in my own published copy. But then I don’t have the whole nation and half the world sitting in judgement.

Here’s another conundrum.

“Don't buy the new Pepsi can coming out with pictures of the Empire State Building & The Pledge of Allegiance on them. Pepsi Left Out 2 BIG words on the pledge "Under God". Pepsi said they didn't want to offend anyone, so if we don't buy them they won't be offended when they don't get our money that has the words "In God We Trust" on it. How fast can you repost this???”

This was posted by a cousin to Facebook today. It’s very old, but reappears occasionally.  This post is indicative of differing opinions about God’s place and the role of respect for humanity in society.

I’m going to repeat myself.

On the one hand I would really like to compliment all ye of Christian or any other religion on your steadfast faith. But then on the other I would like to chastise you for a conviction that holds little or no respect for people of differing viewpoints.

Bertrand Russell again comes to mind.

I see all of this in gray. It is not a black and white issue. In my opinion, if this were true, then the omission of ‘under God’ and ‘in God we trust’ would be appropriate because it venerates everyone.

However, it is not true according to www.snopes.com and a number of other fact checking sites.

According to Snopes, Dr. Pepper did produce a patriotic can in 2001-2002 using three of the thirty-one words in the Pledge: ‘one nation….indivisible’ and a pic of the Statue of Liberty. There was a bit of a controversy, but by and large very few complaints were lodged. Personally I find the Dr. Pepper choice for its patriotic can imminently agreeable. It is easy to identify and interpret and it is not offensive, unless you are one of those of which Bertrand Russell spoke.

Is there any possibility that you of faith could dial it down and come to understand that your convictions are personal? The rest of us have the right to choose our beliefs just as you have chosen yours. We deserve your respect of our choices if you anticipate our respect for yours. This is a two-way street peeps.

I spoke about the paths we choose last week. The choices we make, including our beliefs, are not right or wrong, they are just human. Being human is a difficult state at best. It is a struggle to accomplish our ends only made easier by our coming together in community and understanding.

I would like to advocate for the rights of all humans regardless of race, creed, gender, sexual preference…we are all in this together.

Think about it.  Wouldn’t tolerance and understanding make this journey more bearable?

I think so.