Death by Parchment

So, I'm sure many of you who regularly read my blog remember my previous post about the discrepancy between America's appearance of jobs and its reality. No, I'm not going to withdraw that one, but I am singing a slightly different tune. that song being "I now have a job, the world is great and I'm making money!"

Shallow, no?

Still, I am extremely thankful for that job (at which i have my first full shift today). In fact, now that I have a job, one of my goals for summer break is finished. Now to work on that driver's license (a paperwork mission which rivals that of Vogons, I swear).

Okay, pleasantries aside, it's time to burst a bubble (I mean, what's the point of a semi-sarcastic, external commentary blog if there's nothing to shred to pieces?). So, most of you have done some sort of paperwork in the past, right? Have you ever stopped and wondered if it was all necessary? Let's look at some examples: for my job, I had to read through and periodically sign and inch-high stack of papers containing tax information for two years, acknowledgement of company rules, two other tax-related forms and a release form signing over my firstborn son; another example, my learner's permit application, didn't require as much signage, but it did need two proofs of identity, one proof of legal presence in the USA, one proof of state residence and one proof of my social security number.

Is this all necessary? Well, sadly, in America it is. There are so many thick-minded people here who search earnestly for some small loophole that would allow them to be paid for not working, evade taxes, receive certain privileges which aren't ascribed to them, etc. Additionally, some people will sue over trivial matters, so, to prevent being sued, the companies have to print large contracts, of which 99% of the pages are fine print.

So, I must ask, America, are you so lazy and lacking in common sense that you, as a result, deal  death penalty-level amounts of paperwork?

American Nightmare

America. The goal towards which many strive. Oh sure, everyone despises America for it's foreign policies and double share of numbskulls, but offer a chance to go live and work there and most internationals would jump for the opportunity.

Why?

America is AMERICA. It's only the most well-known nation. Aside from Hollywood, America has a reputation of freedom, inalienable rights and jobs - and not just the crummy street-sweeping ones either.

Well, It looks like I'm going to have to disappoint you. America, while it has the appearance of all the above characteristics, is crucially lacking in the job department. Unless you have an impressive resume (CV) and plenty of years left to work, you're pretty much sunk.

(Now, I'm going to be honest here; My resume's a little wimpy. Unfortunately, a wimpy resume makes it hard to get jobs, leaving your resume almost eternally wimpy. That small fact aside, coupled with the inability to work more than one summer in a continuous capability, renders me unhireable, it appears.) 

So, despite applying to more than 20 jobs in the last few days (not to mention over 30 in the past few weeks), I have only one lead and that one appears fragile at best. Needless to say, I'm practically bashing my brains out.

So yes, America the great employer still thrives in all its glory; the American Dream still shines its light into the world, a beacon of hope for individuals everywhere. All you need is an Italian silk suit and a Lexus. Meanwhile, the only American dream I see is an American Nightmare.

Death. A reason to celebrate?

So, Osama/Usama bin Laden/Ladin is now dead. I want to say 2 things about this.

Firstly, I am glad for America having achieved, after almost 10 years, the initial goal of the Afghan front. I won't lie and say I wasn't excited, I was. But, at the same time, neither was I overly ecstatic.

Secondly, it's pretty evident that the death has caused quite a stir. If you simply look on Facebook,  you have the opportunity to see many people posting comments about it. Among these comments, though, there are three different perspectives: the many ecstatic, caps-locked OSAMA IS DEAD followed by exclamation points, interjections, patriotic comments or combinations thereof; the few simple staters-of-the-event, like myself; and the even smaller group criticizing the first group. Yes, you read correctly, there are those who criticize the patriotic, enthusiastic celebrations of the masses, but, if you think about their reasons, they might make some sense or even convict you as they did me.

These lunatics show some degree of scorn towards the mass celebrations of bin Laden's death. "Why?" you ask; for 7 reasons:

1. Osama was not a Christian and, as such, will find himself subject to eternal damnation in hell.
2. Osama was a human being with family and friends that will mourn his loss and miss him.
3. It has been almost 10 years since the destruction of the WTC on 9/11, rendering the death no longer defense of the nation, but retribution.
4. While Osama was key in organizing the 9/11 attacks, he was, at the point of his death, more a figurehead than an actual leader, making his death of no significant import for Al Qaeda.
5. He was not made to account for his crimes leaving justice unfulfilled.
6. Since when do we celebrate death?                       -AND-
7. If we mourn the deaths of those we love and we are told to love our enemies, where does that leave us?

So, really America? Really? You who, for the most part, call yourselves a Christian nation rejoice in the death of another human? What message does this send to those of other religions? Yes, enjoy the satisfaction of the end of one who caused mass amounts of suffering and death, but at the same time, keep in mind the reality of death: final. Osama is no more, justice has not and will never be brought into account because of this and he will never have the chance to repent and be forgiven, condemning his soul to eternal suffering. So, I ask you, is the death of bin Laden truly an occasion for celebration? 

Passed over

disappointment.
inevitable developments.
saddening in direction.
aspirations sinking into disbelief.
projecting apathy showing internal disarray.
pillories placed against scarred injured dermis.
obstacles positioned precisely at secretly injurious demarcations.
in outer purpose portraying acceptance serenity imperial detachment.
nested inside piratically purloined aspiration starts instigating destruction.
tenuous notes incorporate ones present position and spirits initial disposition.
making tenacity notably important option performing positive acceptance sans irritated            dismay.
eventual motion towards new inevitable options preferred performance at slowly initializing     debriefing.

not excepted methods to negotiate interior orientations promoting personal and spiritual          identity destruction.

towering nigh exists more total never inferior omnipotence possessing pure and                      supernatural incomprehensible deity.

Trans-Atlantic Dealings.

Birthdays are, as most would agree, a very special time to be celebrated. Especially one's 18th. But what does one do when a very close someone else has their 18th birthday while one is halfway around the world? Some people may use such media as facebook, twitter or skype, but how many sisters have a whole blog devoted to them from across the big blue?
That's right, this whole blog today is devoted to the celebration of my sister's 18th. Why? It is my proxy. I would give almost anything to be back in SA celebrating the anniversary of my best friend's birth, but, alas, I cannot. So, instead (and because I did not have enough time to write a poem) here is my tribute.
To an amazing artist
To a stellar soccer player (and a determined defender)
To loads of laughter
To a comical card player (I wanted to say cheating, but it is your birthday)
To a vexing veteran of the Word War I, II & III
To a humongous heart
To a beautiful best friend and a stunning sister.

Happy Birthday, Sis!

Got Revolution?

If you were given news that could, and probably would, shatter the world and yet set it into an era of new understandings and revelations, would you share it? What if, upon hearing your news, the masses rose up against you while only a select few believed you & your message? Would you spread this news, and how fervently would you do so?

Let's put this into perspective. There is such news circulating the globe, reaching far-off, previously unknown people; yet, for the most part, those that already know this world-changing news are apathetic. Interestingly, those that are busy hearing it for the first time are seeing a revolution of thought. Previously "savage" native tribes have become curiously non-violent and the few calm people groups have gone up in arms for their fervor for or against this news. Would it surprise you if I told you that that same news had a similar effect on the people first hearing it some 2000 years ago?

12 men, along with other fellow news-bearers, first announced this news 50 days after the sabbath day of the Jewish Passover celebration. Surprising though it may seem, these men were not, for the most part, highly educated men. Their leader was a simple fisherman. The result, however was striking. 3000 men joined the cause in what was only the beginning of a revolution of thought and belief.

Even more striking is the uproar against this new motion. Local leadership bashed their brains out trying to cease this idea and, once it had spread, the whole Roman empire tried to have it outlawed. Somehow, despite these persecutions, this news gained more followers and was spread even further, reaching as far as Ethiopia, India and Russia.

Would it surprise you to learn that one such persecutor, a Saul of Tarsus, displayed a full revolution - ceased his persecution and, in turn, spread the news - and even went so far to show this as to change his name? You might recognize the name of Paul? He was only one of the most prominent bearers of this news and helped establish and instruct many gathering centers for the news-bearers. We even have translated copies of some such letters today.

What is it about this news, however, that makes such a change? A fisherman becomes an influential orator, opposition rages in futility and even the most hardened of persecutors becomes the most radical missionaries of this news. On the surface it seemed nothing new: do's and do not's, evil and punishment, good and rewards, the nature of man and the inability of man to be righteous, the aversion of God to evil and His restitutionary actions...

wait, what? A message that taught the inability of man to be considered righteous, that man was and is inherently evil really caused all this change? Yes,  but there's more.  In this message is a God who created all yet that which He created chose, of the free will He gave, not to honor and worship God, but himself, creating  a rift which would separate God and his creation, man, indefinitely. Enter Jewish culture and tradition. A blood sacrifice of a pure, blemish-fee animal atoned for the rift of a man until he created such a rift again in his own life, which was inevitable, given the nature of man since the initial one. This was but a temporary solution which was later addressed by this God sending a final atonement sacrifice of His own son to permanently seal this rift for all men, for all time. Unfortunately, this bridge is only open to those that accept the key, the sacrifice which was made. This last detail, in addition to the whole of it, is the reason there was such an urgency to get this news out.

If you haven't guessed by now what this news is, then, I'm afraid, you probably would be wise not to submit that application to Scotland Yard. This news is something many people have heard and are sadly taking for granted. This news is the Gospel (lit. "good news"). This news has changed lives and peoples past and present, yet somehow the idea of permanent salvation is reaching a state of being blase. Is it the news itself, the presentation of the news or merely the people hearing the news? It's definitely not the first - this message is still changing lives and challenging cultures - so it must be the last, if not the last two.

Are churches today becoming apathetic to this revolutionary news? Maybe. Is this message being  misportrayed? Increasingly so. Could the latter be influencing the former? To a large degree, yes. The news is not some average, run-of-the-mill idea. It has, and still does, cause revolution and persecution. Somehow Western nations have lost this sense of urgency, this sense of revolution. have we become so comfortable that we feel this could be put off or has it become so overheard that it is droned out? Either way, the time is ripe in the Christian nations of the Western world to realize the revolutionary nature of their faith, to raise the banner and answer the call given to spread the word.  There is a war going on. a war for the souls of the lost, a war for captives and hostages and we
need.
to.
set.
them.
FREE.

Welcome to the Fourth World.

Everyone knows 1st world (developed countries), 2nd world (ex-communist countries) and 3rd world (developing countries), but very few people know about the 4th world (partly because as far as I know, I just coined the term). Welcome to my world . The fourth world, as I call it, is the homeland of many TCKs (third culture kids) everywhere. Aside from airports, it's not actually a physical place, but a place of mental confusion and unrest. Why? Well, ask yourself where you're from, what your culture is, what your language is, who you are. In the 4th world, these are very hard questions to answer. Where is home? Is it one of two (or more) cities, the place you sleep for the night or the place you were born? What's your culture? American? International? or is it somewhere in between? Life's hard for us TCKs in the 4th world...

but I wouldn't change it for anything in the world.
Totsiens