desultory_muse

abandon all hope, ye who enter here

Mon, 26 Jul 2004 01:08:10 GMT

Faith, contrary to what seems to be popular opinion, is not asserting you know truth or that you have all the answers. Faith is knowing that, as a human, you have imperfect knowledge. The truly faithful know that Truth exists, but also know that, due to their imperfections, they can only catch glimpses of it (through art, music, love, etc). Truth may elude humanity, but faith directs us to chase it, to pursue it, to always try to get closer. It is not the destination that is the key--it is the faithful journey. When people assert they have the answers, the truth, they have ignored the best part of life: the journey with their fellow people. Everyone is on the journey, but many have thought, in believing they have the truth, they must leave others behind. This, is not the journey. The quest for truth, walking the path, whatever you would call it, is begun by knowing that you don't know where you are going, but you're still willing to walk...

lonliness is such a drag

Mon, 21 Jun 2004 02:35:03 GMT

Favorite poem:

Let not my love be called idolatry,
Nor my beloved as an idol show,
Since all alike my songs and praises be
To one, of one, still such, and ever so.
Kind is my love to-day, to-morrow kind,
Still constant in a wondrous excellence;
Therefore my verse to constancy confined,
One thing expressing, leaves out difference.
Fair, kind, and true, is all my argument,
Fair, kind, and true, varying to other words;
And in this change is my invention spent,
Three themes in one, which wondrous scope affords.
Fair, kind, and true, have often lived alone,
Which three till now, never kept seat in one.

--William Shakespeare

These days, however, seems like I'll never have an opportunity to use such knowledge...

first post

Fri, 11 Jun 2004 23:13:42 GMT

Having somehow sustained a throbbing foot injury (making upwardly movement difficult, to say the least) during the pistons' game on Tuesday, I find myself relaxing (trapped?) in the comfort of my home for the weekend. Curiosity and boredom getting the better of me, here I sit typing away...

Some may wonder why such a private person would engage in seemingly public discourse on what has largely been considered private matters. Well, considering I've never been one for extensive internet use, I do suppose an explanation is in order.

First, not much goes down at home. Although solitude for reading and writing is welcome, the week at work I've had didn't leave too many cognitive resources for extensive academic discourse. I need some less taxing outlet...

Second, there's a great comic that has a dog sitting at a computer looking at his compatriot saying "on the internet, no one knows your a dog." Well, while not a quadruped, I think the opportunity for virtually anonymous discourse regarding ideas, beliefs and values allows for the best development and examination of those thoughts, beliefs etc. In this forum we can discuss ideas without repercussion in the rest of the world--hopefully allowing for the most honest discourse. Certainly, anonymity may lead to misleading behavior as well, but sometimes a little deception can be fun. That said, I would look to the example of the pamphleteers during the Revolutionary Era, issuing many of their ideas and calls for action in anonymous form--perhaps eluding any claim for personal glory or fame--led to some pretty fantastic results (even though the ideas forwarded then seem to be ignored these days...but that's a subject for a much longer post...)

Third, this looks to be fun. Everyone needs a hobby for a rainy day. Perhaps I can even meet a few new people...Detroit has been an interesting time for me in the past couple years, but I think I need something a bit more than the local watering holes.

Finally, I've always been a critic of the internet--claiming there's quite a bit of useless stuff out there. I guess I shouldn't criticize unless I make a stab at changing it--even the largely modest attempt I'll make. (in fact, I bet many of you will already consider this a piece of useless drivel...fine, I'm quite open to being a hypocrite...;)

well, here goes--time to press post.

Cheers.