Brad Nelson
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עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶת־ הַתְּשׁוּעָ֥ה הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את
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Post by Brad Nelson on Dec 24, 2021 9:53:25 GMT -8
I agree with that.
And this next bit is self-evidently true:
If we are witnessing a war between forces of the light and forces of the dark, there's no question that the "woke" side is the agent of darkness.
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Post by kungfuzu on Dec 24, 2021 10:54:59 GMT -8
This gives one an idea of the "equipment" the Woke use to observe the world around them. Think there is much distortion?
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Brad Nelson
Administrator
עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶת־ הַתְּשׁוּעָ֥ה הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את
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Post by Brad Nelson on Dec 24, 2021 11:23:53 GMT -8
Yikes. Yep. That's woke, for sure.
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Brad Nelson
Administrator
עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶת־ הַתְּשׁוּעָ֥ה הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את
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Post by Brad Nelson on Dec 24, 2021 14:11:21 GMT -8
Speaking of that article, I should show it to my sister-in-law who is an ardent Christian who doesn't celebrate Christmas. Jehovah's Witnesses the same. I don't see the harm although I perhaps wonder if people haven't found a reason to puff themselves up and be better-than-thou.
Even though Christmas is highly secularized, you can't help but be impressed by the power of this day to influence even atheists. They may call it "winter festival" and wish you "happy holiday." But all such baloney is measured against The Real Thing. And that's why these secular sentiments seem so empty. Perhaps this is so because The Real Thing – as difficult as it is for Yours Truly to connect fully with it – is real.
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Post by kungfuzu on Dec 24, 2021 14:24:04 GMT -8
I grew up in a Church which did not celebrate Christmas nor Easter (very much.) I believe the reasoning behind this was that the Bible did not talk about celebrating either day on a specific date. We simply don't know when either event occurred. More importantly, we should celebrate Christ daily. Particularly on Sundays when taking the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.
I understand the reasoning, but as with many things to do with Christianity, there are no specific prohibitions or support for celebrating either holiday. As such, I think it is up to each person to decide how to proceed. It certainly doesn't hurt to occasionally focus the mind on the transcendent. Most of us are not made of Puritan stuff and cannot maintain the single-mindedness on God that the Puritans were renown for. We also don't have their self-assurance on complete understanding of God's message. This being the case, I say enjoy Christmas as you will.
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Brad Nelson
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עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶת־ הַתְּשׁוּעָ֥ה הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את
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Post by Brad Nelson on Dec 24, 2021 14:30:42 GMT -8
It's a date that is not easily ignored. I suppose what one can do is make the most of it. Many do. But many are lonely and sad on this day because such days tend to accentuate the problems even though the point is to celebrate the joys.
I like the lights and cookies and festive food. It's perhaps worth it for all Christians to consider that God is not a dumb ass. He surely knows most of us don't have the stuff to be a Puritan (and I'm guessing he's very glad of that in many ways). Although tinged with the pagan, and certainly thoroughly doused in the commercial, the entire Christmas experience can be thought of as a Sacrament. Surely God cannot be displeased by the sharing of gifts and the enjoying of spiked eggnog in front of a Yule log. But then what do I know? Certainly not as much as those who think it's holier not to Celebrate Christmas. But that sentiment doesn't seem holy to me. It just seems humbug.
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Post by kungfuzu on Dec 24, 2021 14:38:52 GMT -8
I can't help but believe that God cannot but love the spreading of wholesome joy at any time. Does that not bring us somewhat closer to him? Who can say, but I tend to believe it does.
By the way, I added this line to my original post about Puritans, which you quoted.
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Brad Nelson
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עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶת־ הַתְּשׁוּעָ֥ה הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את
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Post by Brad Nelson on Dec 24, 2021 17:25:17 GMT -8
LOL. For sure
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Post by kungfuzu on Dec 24, 2021 21:06:04 GMT -8
I had heard of the famous line, "Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus," but I thought it was just some gag used by the media. Today, I ran into this letter in the Swiss magazine, "Weltwoche." I thought the letter and reply wonderful, so I found the original English and pass it on to you. I think we need to be reminded of both these days. Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus
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Brad Nelson
Administrator
עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶת־ הַתְּשׁוּעָ֥ה הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את
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Post by Brad Nelson on Dec 24, 2021 21:23:20 GMT -8
I long to be able to write prose that well.
Stu-fucking-pendous.
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Post by kungfuzu on Dec 24, 2021 21:30:18 GMT -8
The time has come for me to wish you a Very Merry Christmas. I will now go to bed and await Santa's gifts in the morning. In our cases, these will be rising in a refreshed and improving state. I think we will have steaks for our Christmas Dinner.
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Brad Nelson
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עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶת־ הַתְּשׁוּעָ֥ה הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את
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Post by Brad Nelson on Dec 24, 2021 21:33:55 GMT -8
Merry Christmas. We had steaks for Christmas Eve dinner. Good choice.
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Brad Nelson
Administrator
עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶת־ הַתְּשׁוּעָ֥ה הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את
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Post by Brad Nelson on Dec 1, 2023 9:37:37 GMT -8
It's December 1st. At least it is on the Left coast. As far as I can see we have four competing religions:
1) DEI 2) Church of Global Warming 3) The Seahawks 4) Christianity
Yesterday, the Church of the Seahawks took a hit when they lost a close one to the Cowboys. That's likely the end of the season for the Seahawks. And that win should cement the Cowboys in the playoffs. And you might suppose that by equating Seahawk football to a religion that I was talking about a phenomenon well known in Texas and the rest of the football-crazy South. I can appreciate a good, passionate love of one's team. But on the Left coast, it's less a meat-and-potatoes affair and more of a limp-wristed "niceness." It's a thing that all share...like watching rainbow-haired weirdos parade down the business district on a Sunday afternoon….but with a different goal (touchdowns, not...whatever the true goal of the weirdos is).
That leaves three entities competing for our hearts and souls. And, of course, I left out the one that will always win (or usually win) at this time of year. It's not a religion, per se. But it is a force more powerful than any of the above: consumerism.
Now, if you were expecting a "get back to basics" and "appreciate the simple things in life" speech, you've come to the wrong place. That's not something I can impart to another. It has to come from within. You have to value something other than consumer goods. And if you don't, I'm not here to lecture you.
But I do think consumerism is even more powerful than Progressivism (or any of the other competing religions) in terms of the sheer number of dollars allocated during the season. Follow the money, as they say. Although far too many will in high virtue-signaling triumphalism be the very picture of: "Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men." The bottom line is that, no matter their caterwauling about the planet being over-populated and that Bambi should be given back Central Park, their spending for consumer goods shows what their idol really is.
Frauds, fakes, and phonies are a dime a dozen. Surely Jesus knew this, as did Moses, Isaiah, Abraham, et al. This idea is ironically perhaps best captured in A Charlie Brown Christmas where Charlie struggles with the rampant consumerism and is finally comforted and shown the light at the end by his friend, Linus. This cartoon couldn't be made today, and barely made it on the air back then because it was thought to be "too religious" by the suits. But it is an enduring masterpiece and a poke in the eye of the various progressive posers, hypocrites, and quite a few "conservatives" as well.
Finding a balance in all this is not possible. On a fortune cookie, yes. It would say "Find balance, go lightly, and seek peace." But in the real world, perhaps all you can do is hold your nose or ears and try (if one desires) to find some meaning above the torrents of Baubles, Bangles, & Beads. Cue the music…
But December is here and we shouldn't let it arrive without proper notice. Have a very happy Christmas and especially a happy Hanukkah. And may Muslims not necessarily burn in hell but at least may they find a light other than war, hating Jews and...well...hating Jews. Tis the season, after all.
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Post by kungfuzu on Dec 1, 2023 9:58:46 GMT -8
Nice piece.
One should never forget that modern propaganda aka advertising was first used to promote consumerism. That should give us all a hint as to what our betters found, and still find, important.
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Brad Nelson
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עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶת־ הַתְּשׁוּעָ֥ה הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את
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Post by Brad Nelson on Dec 3, 2023 6:35:15 GMT -8
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Post by kungfuzu on Dec 3, 2023 13:58:06 GMT -8
A beautiful ad. I am amazed that any company would touch the subject. Everything about the commercial was old-fashioned, from the car, to the house, to the town's main street. The softest of soft sells. It was almost as if Chevy was thanking an America which is almost gone, but still trying to hang on to its roots.
The one thing which was different was the acknowledgment of those around us who have cognitive problems, and that one might be able to help these people with a little kindness. Maybe the result was somewhat unlikely, romanticized, but it was a message that all of us can make a difference.
I will repeat my favorite maxim. Unfortunately, I didn't come up with it. That sly Greek Aesop did.
No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
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Brad Nelson
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עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶת־ הַתְּשׁוּעָ֥ה הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את
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Post by Brad Nelson on Dec 3, 2023 14:47:04 GMT -8
I knew there was a reason we kept you around here, Mr. Kung. That's very well said.
My natural cynical nature (built up and perfected over the years) is to dismiss the commercial as so much . . .
. . . and marketing pablum. They're trying to sell cars. And if GM thought they could sell cars by draping a dozen Mulvaneys over the hood of a truck, they would do so.
And yet, they didn't do so. I'm suspicious as to their motives. An American corporation not willing to sell out traditional America for a buck?
But then the practical, reasonable side of me says: Doing good business can also be in the interest of the country. However, I don't trust the GM/Chevy executives as far as I can throw them. I need more background on this. I don't trust the sons-of-bitches in any corporation these days.
But, even if it is a cold and calculated move to attract middle America, the upside is that if they actually do good business by this and attract middle America, others may be watching. Others may follow. Others may realize that the Mulvaneys of the world might get you the accolades of the Weirdos, but it's poison to much of America who actually spend money on things other than nose rings, butt plugs, and eating whatever they eat to get so fat and ugly.
Yes, this cynicism is well-honed over the years. Still, maybe this ad is fallout from Bud Light. I'm guessing there is some connection. The day we can make it more poisonous to flatter and fall-in with weirdos and perverts and less poisonous simply to stand for normalcy, then maybe we can win this culture war.
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Post by kungfuzu on Dec 3, 2023 15:18:20 GMT -8
I have to admit that I often sympathize with Mr. Potter more than Bailey. However, Potter becomes a complete blackguard when he steals the money that the idiot Uncle Billy leaves on the bank counter. Frankly, George was himself irresponsible and stupid for letting Uncle Billy handle the daily cash receipts. For that alone, he deserved the harrowing experience he went through. Hopefully, he learned a lesson. One must always remain somewhat skeptical. But we should not forget that some of the most beautiful art created for the Church was done so by some very questionable characters. Nobody remembers the faults of these people, but the art lives on. Culture is upstream of politics.
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Brad Nelson
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עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶת־ הַתְּשׁוּעָ֥ה הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את
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Post by Brad Nelson on Dec 3, 2023 15:56:09 GMT -8
That's a good point. I didn't watch that movie last year. I'll have to rack it up this year. Nearly every scene is an icon. Yes, why on God's green earth was George trusting Billy with handing so much cash? But the big question all of you are no doubt asking is: Was there more behind that bit with Violet than just a little friendly little loan? Tongues will wag, you know. But, hey we was already married to one of the most gorgeous women in the world...Donna Reed. Hell, when I was watching that show back in the 60's, she held a special attraction for my eye, although I know not for what back then. I was probably a little jealous of Carl. Therefore, Mr. Kung, do not think too badly of me when I tell you that when I view It's a Wonderful Life and there is that scene outside on the street – just after the swimming pool incident, and where Mary gets her robe caught on a branch of a bush and she is momentarily (off-camera) made alfresco – that I picture her naked (and in CinemaScope). Still, Gloria was a dish. Even a married man has a right to look.
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Post by kungfuzu on Dec 3, 2023 20:21:57 GMT -8
As a businessman, that scene has always bothered me. It's great to be a nice guy and try to help people, but putting major aspects of one's business in the hands of an incompetent, no matter how likable, is as cruel as anything Potter does. One puts the incompetent in a very bad position. He is bound to screw up big time and, when he does, this will damage the incompetent's mental state and very likely the economic standing of the business. In a bank, this would be particularly damaging. Not only would George and family be hurt, but all the depositors would be as well.
I know it is just a movie, but I have long thought the movie sends some very wrong messages. I have always had a soft spot for her and her poutish/pouty/sulky demeanor.
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