Confusion of the Saints 9/12/11

Valleys of Fire and Valleys of Sand,

Millions of enemies reach for your hand,

Will you join them or not that’s not your choice to make,

That’s your horror of life, not controlling your fate.

All the pain and the sadness, the blood and the tears,

We forget that we felt them, in our  careless of years,

But they’re phantoms, they’re demons, they won’t go away,

They will haunt us till all of us lie in the grave.

We fought for the difference; we strived for the change,

Only to be beaten and strangled with chains.

This world wants no saviors; its heroes are crying,

Now join them or join us, your old friends are dying.

Your life is uncertain, your death is a fact,

Will you fall a hero, or live like a rat…?

I haven't wrote a blog post for nearly half a year. For all you wondering, no it wasn't "writer's block." Here are soem pieces I've unburied, all written during the past six months, or my "dry writing period" if you will. I will post quite a few pieces before I start blogging weekly again startign at the Holidays. This first piece is a brief view on changing the world, written August 29th:

Why do bad things happen to good people? Well, in actuality, we should be more clear with this statement. Bad things happen to all people, doesn’t matter if they’re good or bad. This is the world we live in. It’s a messed up place and unfortunately, there are people who choose to use their free will on the expense of others. It’s incredibly awful yet amazingly inevitable. To change this world, one must focus on the people themselves. What drives a human being to lay hands on another? Why do people find satisfaction in others’ distress?

In order to solve these issues we must be open and willing to answer these questions and ready to encounter adversity. No radical movements had it easy. In this world, change comes with hard work, tons of disappointments and retries, more hard work, pain and blood, and even more hard work. The education of people is the best way of shaping who they are. Now, by education I am not referring to school. This is a deeper, more radical view of education, one than can be equipped from a peaceful suburban home of Evansville, to the roughest streets of Brooklyn. In order to educate, first of all, you need to set yourself available. Place yourself in situations and places where you are needed. Yes, go for the danger zones. These are the areas that you want to influence anyway, right? If not, maybe you shouldn’t take a part in this cause at all. By trying to accomplish change, you are risking your reputation, and more essentially, in many cases, your own life!

a Dark Angel

Metallica released an entire album named after him. People around the world embrace him and make him the leader of their lives. Others despise him and declare him as the enemy of all that is virtuous and all that is good.

St. Anger

I've read quite a few books and articles that elaborate on the issue of anger. I observed that intellectual approaches mostly hold resentment and avoidance towards it. "To be happy, to become a better person, you should  rebuke all anger." That's the idea. On the other hand, most of the voices that embrace anger come mostly from anarchist and radical groups, terrorists and rebels, and religious sects.

Both extremes.

There is no middle ground. There is no balance.

“It is wise to direct your anger towards problems -- not people; to focus your energies on answers -- not excuses.”

        William Arthur Ward 

There are certain issues in which anger towards them can and should be justified. When the weak are being opressed, when the innocent are being convicted, and the pure discriminated, that is a good direction to target your anger towards. Not the people. The issue. And yes, there is a difference. Because when your anger is unleashed on people, there is the tendency of resenting them and ultimately separating from them, without showing them of what they're doing is wrong. When you're mad directly at them you don't care about helping them one bit. You just want to hurt them. Now, on the other side of the coin, if you are angry towards an issue (human trafficking, war, abortion) you partner up to help those who are involved with the issue to show them its harmful and dark side. And yes, you can help people when you're angry. In fact, most rehab organizations that I am familiar with started by people who fell in the trap of drugs, their anger towards them is indescribable, and simply wanted to help others escape from their claws.

Anger can be good. I like to see it as a necessary evil. Powerful, yet unpredictable. Its motives questionable and risky, a dark angel, but if used wisely- and for the right reasons- can play a major impact in the process of making this world a better place.

Tied Down

            I haven't written a post on here in nearly 3 months. Well, they say accepting a problem is the first step in fixing it. Well, I believe that, but going from accepting something to actually changing it is a huge, radical, and many times, painful step. So, understanding I'm not ready to take that step jsut yet, here's some advice for those of you who are:

           If I had to describe my lack of blog posting with the use of one word, that word would be "commitment." That's one of the areas in my life i mostly struggle with. Being a college student, having this peculiarity can be an interesting challenge. So, it's encouraging to daily hear that others deal with this same issue.But I feel but most of their commitment issues have to do with schoolwork. I mean, what college student's doesn't? You know you have serious issues when this commitment problem affects your hobbies, out of school  friendships, family, and intimate relationships. When you are even scared to commit in making it to a friend's birthday party, you know something is wrong.

    I feel that a significant key to commitment is trust. Trust that in that by agreeing to go through with an activity  you have something to gain from it, but also something to offer. This may be anything, from writing a creative piece, to commiting to marriage. If this kind of trust isn't present, the chances of you fully commiting are minimal.
   Another important aspect in commiting (maybe the most vital) is love. Even if you have doubts of the benefits you will get, or confidence in what you have to offer, love may be the factor that sparks the fire. When you love something, you put all your energy, thoughts, and emotions in it. In the presence of this other person (or activity, I guess), you feel fully alive, unbreakable, liberated. When there is love in the picture, commitment isn't the demon that ties you down, but more the reassurance of this love. People that have hard time commiting in different aspects of their life, don't lack discipline. They lack love for these different aspects.

   What about those people that have immense amoutns of love about a person, hobby or whatever, but just can't show it? Well, this is an entirely different topic that I won't touch right now.

Conforming

 (This is a post from 3 months ago)
As I've said before, I attend school in Northern Indiana.  So many people here ask me daily: "Why on earth do you wear shorts and flip flops in the winter? It's snowing!!!!" Well, there are some simple answers to this question. I don't do this to draw attention. I don't wear flip flops and shorts because i don't get cold, or  because I'm a masochist. In this life, there are things that happen that shape who we are. There are different circumstances that change and with them, so should we. My wearing flip flops and shorts is more a symbolic action than anything else.

   

"I have never seen snow and do not know what winter means." Duke Kahanamoku

    I agree, I live in denial...sometimes it's good to change for the better. But please, define "better!" Why conform? Why wear pants and shoes just because it's colder outside?   If you like wearing flip flops and shorts, why not do it throughout the year? I have to admit "Pneumonia," sounds like a good answer but it isn't. Look at me! I never got pneumonia, and I've swam in a lake with freezing temperatures.So here is what I have to say:

Sometimes, living in denial is a good thing. It can get your mind away from your troubles. This is what i'm doing with my shorts and flip flops. Am i cold? Yes. Do i think about it? No! Instead, I look at what i'm wearing and simply murmur: "Nah, it ain't that bad out here..."

This is the same method many people deal with solitary confinement in prison. By creating a utopia in your head, a lie if you may, you forget about the horrible situation you are in and time passes faster.Prisoners in isolation have used this same tactic to avoid paranoia. By planting the thought in their head that they are free men, they started feeling it, and eventually lived like they were. In a suffocating, secluded cell.

It's all in the mind... and it's until you realize that you will surpass your limits!

The people of Greece part 1

        Many people here in Bethel College hear me talk about how different my Greek culture and its' people are from Americans. When they ask me to list some of the differences I can't seem to recall all of them. Here i will take some time to talk the history of my people. Somebody's past tells you a lot about who they are and why they are the way they are today. Hopefully through my ideas you guys will be able to spot the similarities and differences Greek people from Americans.


 People from the Past
    
  Thousands of years ago,on the southeastern leg of Europe, bordering with the Mediterranean sea, was a land known as Hellas. Its occupants were known by the rest of the word as "Ellines" (pagan worshipers). These people were considered strange and mysterious to the rest of civilizations. Sharing -for the most part- the same language, culture, and religious practices, they were divided in city- states, some survive to this day (Athens, Sparta). What's very interesting about these city- states is that despite their acknowledgement that they have the same faith and culture as the other states of the region, they still proceeded in fighting each other. Civil warfare between these city-states was common.  This is the reason why many scholars today debate on whether or not ancient Hellas should be considered a country or not. The city-states acted as individual countries with their own government, army, and social events. They all knew however that they were a part of a whole and stuck by each other in the presence of a greater evil, but that's something we'll talk about later on.

Their Faith

        As stated earlier, religion was the same throughout all regions of Hellas and the islands. There were slight variations in certain areas. Ellines were polytheists, they believed in the existence of various gods, but they mainly focused their worship on 12 of them. These are the famous 12 gods of Olympus.

Olympus is the tallest mountain in all of Hellas. It was believed that it was the home of these 12 gods. Each god represented either an element of nature, an art, or an idea. There are hundreds of gods and other mythical creatures according to ancient Hellenic beliefs. Ellines worshipped many of these gods but each city-state had an appointed god- protector. Devoted followers built temples to honor and please these god protectors. The Parthenon, a temple still surviving to this day was dedicated to Athena, goddess of wisdom, and protector of Athens. The city takes after her name.

Ellines believed that their soul was trapped in their human body and could only be set free through death. They believed that living honorably would please the gods and in return they would grant them peace and prosperity. In this Hellenistic belief there is no heaven and hell. They knew that in the afterlife, the same fate awaited those who lived accordingly to their gods requests, and those who defied them. So trying to understand those who chose the narrow path of living a good life isn't an easy task. There are some accounts in their tales and myths of people who defied the gods and spent afterlife in a more painful manner than others. Their place of residence from the others, however, remains the same. Hades.

(to be continued)
p.s. Any questions you guys have on any of this material or how it relates with the modern Greeks you are welcome to either ask me or wait to read the next parts.

Musical Journeys

They say that an image is equal to 1,000 words. I believe that a musical piece can be equal to 1,000 images if conducted effectively. Now, how many words is that?

This is a song I was recently introduced to. I find it incredibly imaginative and addictive. Dubstep is a music genre only people with unique taste can enjoy. Many believe that through its' eccentric sounds, it speaks truth we don't often hear, or  don't want to hear. This song has definitely become one of my favorites in the genre.

Enjoy...

Part of "Back in Reality" ft. Planet Earth

One of the best aspects of my visits to Greece -besides all the food- is spending time with family and close friends. That's exactly why the idea of leaving seems unbearable. This time i made it. I am back in Indiana, trying to cope with all the differences. From the food, to the way people drive, and even my friends. Nothings the same... This is a good reminder that even though Earth is an extremely small planet compared with the rest of our galaxy, non of it is the same. We know that Mars is a bigger planet but from what we know, it's all similar in its every shape and form. Life brings such color to our small planet that others can't even compete in. Animals, plants, people are all forms of life that (so far) are not found in any other planets. It seems that from all forms of life, especially us people possess unique features and differences, but our veins still run blood, and that makes us -in a peculiar way- the similar.

(Don't you love how i started off talking about my Christmas break and trip back, but ended up discussing cosmology? I will lbe posting a blog shortly discussing what i failed to on this post. )