atheist's version of The Ten Commandments

I thought these were flexible for all of us. :)

Penn Jillette's atheist's version of The Ten Commandments.

Here's his list:

1. The highest ideals are human intelligence, creativity and love. Respect these above all.

2. Do not put things or even ideas above other human beings. (Let's scream at each other about Kindle versus iPad, solar versus nuclear, Republican versus Libertarian- but when your house is on fire, I'll be there to help.)

3. Say what you mean, even when talking to yourself. (What used to be an oath to (G)od is now quite simply respecting yourself.)

4. Put aside some time to rest and think. (If you're religious, that might be the Sabbath; if you're a Vegas magician, that'll be the day with the lowest grosses.)

5. Be there for your family. Love your parents, your partner, and your children. (Love is deeper than honor, and parents matter, but so do spouse and children.)

6. Respect and protect all human life. (Many believe that "Thou shalt not kill" only refers to people in the same tribe. I say it's all human life.)

7. Keep your promises. (If you can't be sexually exclusive to your spouse, don't make that deal.)

8. Don't steal. (This includes magic tricks and jokes — you know who you are!)

9. Don't lie. (You know, unless you're doing magic tricks and it's part of your job. Does that make it OK for politicians, too?)


10. Don't waste too much time wishing, hoping, and being envious; it'll make you bugnutty.

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-10-28/penn-jillette-ten-commandments/50978982/1

Doubts are not signs of apostasy, and they should not be suppressed

Doubts are not signs of apostasy, and they should not be suppressed. Where they exist in good faith and sincere intent, they are simply an intellectual manifestation of a curiosity or concern, and as such should be addressed and investigated. Givens wrote:

I know I am grateful for a propensity to doubt because it gives me the capacity to freely believe. I hope you can find your way to feel the same. The call to faith is a summons to engage the heart, to attune it to resonate in sympathy with principles and values and ideals that we devoutly hope are true and which we have reasonable but not certain grounds for believing to be true. There must be grounds for doubt as well as belief in order to render the choice more truly a choice, and therefore more deliberate and laden with more personal vulnerability and investment. An overwhelming preponderance of evidence on either side would make our choice as meaningless as would a loaded gun pointed at our heads.

http://www.connorboyack.com/blog/doubting-your-doubts-before-doubting-your-faith#more-3222

C.S. Lewis: being in the present

C.S. Lewis: being in the present

“Never, in peace or war, commit your virtue or your happiness to the future. Happy work is best done by the man who takes his long-term plans somewhat lightly and works from moment to moment ‘as to the Lord.’ It is only our daily bread that we are encouraged to ask for. The present is the only time in which any duty can be done or any grace received.” —from The Weight of Glory

faith=trust

"...handing everything over to Christ does not, of course, mean that you stop trying. To trust Him means, of course, trying to do all that He says. There would be no sense in saying you trusted a person if you would not take his advice. Thus if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him. But trying in a new way, a less worried way. Not doing these things in order to be saved, but because He has begun to save you already."

~ Mere Christianity

Don't forget to sharpen the saw.  We get chopping and cutting the problem trees down in our life and it dulls us.  Take the time and replenish. Sharpen the saw :)

Pioneer

I was given a new nickname at Tai Chi on Saturday: The Pioneer.  
I was surprised because that name is important to my religion (which has been tough on me). And as I work through it, a week ago I stumbled on this profound poem.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTK-ijA5qYc

music preparation

Here's to the new school year.

Preparation step number one: Acquisition and organization of music

Preparation step number two: Practicing with technology

Preparation step number three: Prepare for the audition environment

Preparation step number four: Final run through(s) for musicians and non-musicians

Preparation step number five: Touch ups with honesty