Mistake

I want to be someone's mistake.  (Not in the Superbad sense)

I read somewhere about this company (for anonymity we'll call it "Walmart"), one of the Bigwigs of this company would refer to a former employee ("Bob Dole") as "Walmart's biggest mistake."  I never got to know Bob well, but from what I understand he was a very talented, very smart employee at Walmart.  From what I was told, He got fired from Walmart because he was explaining all of the pros and cons of working at Walmart to a friend, and it got back to someone higher on the totem pole that he was talking bad about Walmart to people, so he got fired.  An enormous misunderstanding, which Walmart and, in particular, the aforementioned Bigwig has sincerely noticed.  

I came to the realization, after noticing a similar thing may happen to me in the near future, that I would really like to have such a title.  To be the one that got away, to be someone's big mistake.  Like I would like to have some girl somewhere saying "I really wish I would have said something." Or some company saying, "We really shouldn't have screwed him over."  

But the larger truth is I would probably much rather have those people's wishes come true.  I think I would much rather enjoy my life if I was working where I was needed.  And when she did say how she felt.  But I guess thats the good thing about God's will, it is often much different from ours.

Funny Craigslist Postings

http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/sfo/901965406.html
http://www.craigslist.org/about/den/807294694.html
http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/atl/917410616.html

I'm in Love with this Site

http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/realtime/

This gives satellite images over the last day or so.  Pretty cool. Major timewaster.

This Week the Trend

A young man commits suicide, live to the world on his webcam. I hear a story of an elementary school class riding the train on a field trip, only to experience the shock and gore of a woman throwing herself before that train. A loved member of SLO Crusade's fellowship ends her life. My tutoring student asks me jokingly how as a math major I hadn't killed myself. Laziness. Having struggled with depression like many Americans, the thing stopping me in dark times was sleepiness and lack of proximity to a deadly substance that wouldn't make too much of a mess.

I've noticed a continual trend these last weeks about depression and suicide. Depression related deaths are a leading cause of death in my age group, and it seems God is dropping it on my heart. But every human being with a soul ought to help in this. The key: Love.

People need honest love. Not the fake love that just tries to convince an individual that there life is important, but a love that causes the person to know why anyone around would be deprived when he or she was gone.

Let the people you love know that you do love them.  I am certain that every person that has committed suicide was loved, but it was just not made known of it. Save a life. Love.

-Tyler Hall

Middle of Nowhere

Note: I only did this because I thought was a clever chain-letter forward thing.

1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. Tag this with 10 people you think will like this


IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY
Prodigal

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
We Will Become Silhouettes

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Darkshines

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
You Can Do Better than Me (Bummer)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
You're So Damn Hot

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Satan Is My Motor (Exactly)

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU
Hanging by a Moment

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Melatonin

WHAT IS 2 + 2?
Soothsayer

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Nature 1

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Can't Get Enough of You Baby (Yeah that's right)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
The New Year

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
No Sunlight (I hope not)

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
All The Things She Said (A song by two women married to men, pretending to be lesbians. Perfect.)

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
I Believe In A Thing Called Love (That will probably be in my will)

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots pt.2 (Preparing for a robot/zombie uprising is fairly common for me)

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
The Only Thing Worse Than Beating a Dead Horse is Betting on One

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Closing Time

WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Black Wave (Not racist I swear)

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Short Skirt/Long Jacket (Death by cross-dressing?)

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Nothingwrong

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Losing Hope

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Like Spinning Plates

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
A Legacy's Demise (That's pretty conclusive/harsh. Also kinda strange since my brother has children, so I think the Hall Legacy shall not demise)

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Save Us (I think that's a yes)

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Come On Home

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Sleeper (If Insomnia counts, then this is truth)

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Middle of Nowhere

Why Democracy is a Bad Idea

There is this idea that every American is told in elementary school, that America was based on the idea of democracy, which is true. The United States wrote up a constitution in 1777, that was very democratic. Around 1787, the leaders of the US noticed that democracy wasn't working. Some of the reasons: a simple majority of people will never want to raise taxes against themselves, inability to agree on treaties, as well as others. James Madison, as well as others, outlined some of the reasons why the current system wasn't working in the Federalist Papers. One reason was that democracy leads to something called a "Tyrannical Majority."

Basically in a truly democratic system, if a majority hates a minority, then they could pass a bill calling for the systematic execution of that minority. So, in essence, America's founding fathers were downright fearful of democracy, since, in its purest form, democracy is mob rule, or anarchy. This is why there are so many "checks and balances" that were embedded in our Constitution, to make ways that tyranny by mob would be reduced.

Jump ahead 221 years, and California has a Constitution which allows for a painful amount of democratic influence. Californian voters can make a decision on bills by way of ballot initiatives. So if, say, a majority of Californians really disliked homosexuals, and then pushed for an initiative to limit a member of this minority to be treated as slightly less of than that of a human, then there would be nothing the homosexual minority could do. So basically after the passage of Proposition 8 the homosexual community is on the receiving end of a broken governmental machine being controlled by the moral majority of California.

So say if for some reason 51% of Californians decided that some race of people, we'll pick the Welsh, was the cause to all their problems, I don't know, because their language doesn't make any sense. So then that simple majority could vote that every Welsh person in California could be put into camps to keep them in concentrated groups and away from interfering with our issues again. And this whole process would just be democracy speaking.

America is the land of the free majorities, and oppressed minorities.

When Jesus said to love your enemies, he did not mean to kill them

When an expert of the Jewish Law asks Christ what is the greatest commandment, He knows this question is trivial. Every Jew from an early age must memorize the Sh’ma, which says, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, The Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”(Deut. 6:4-5) The lawyer knew this, Jesus knew this, and every Jew knew the potency of this commandment. To give everything that God has blessed upon us as a living sacrifice to his glory is our greatest responsibility as God’s creation. So Jesus fed him that passage, but he also added, “The second commandment is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:31)

In a similar passage a lawyer responds asking, “Who is my neighbor?” Christ then goes into the parable of the Good Samaritan. Basically answering the question saying even those whom you ought to hate the most are your neighbors. So if that is what our neighbor looks like, then what does it look like to love them. Our example of love comes from the only one who can perfectly love. “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) While we were still in complete opposition to God’s will he poured grace upon us. Even though God knows that we will continue to dig through the trash after he pours out his grace upon us.

So loving our neighbor includes giving to the poor, regardless of how they will use what we give them. If they are going to take the money to buy drugs, booze, or porn, that ought to be no hindrance to our love, for how often do we do far worse things with the greater things that God has given us. Loving your neighbor also means that even if someone maliciously attacks our fellow countrymen, we are not to fight back, but be merciful as God shows mercy. “Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers…” (Eph 6:12)

Another ridiculous kicker Christ throws onto this response is: “There is no other commandment greater than these.” So often we put other commandments above these; trying to be holy as God is holy, having an excellent work ethic, being subservient to one’s government, providing for one’s family, staying comfortable, etc. What are you treating as your second commandment? What is more important to you than loving your neighbor?

God's Will and Western Romanticism

For many Christians the idea of following God's will is a tricky and often daunting situation.  We often worry so much if what we are doing falls into God's will or whether we are walking along a downward path.  The truth is we need to just focus on serving God where we are at now.

Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about you body, what you will wear....For the pagans run after these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."  

Although worrying about food, water, clothes, and other basic necessities is different from worrying about doing God's will, there is still a substantial lesson in that.  If the very essential things for our very survival are trivial in God's eyes, then ought not every non-life-threatening item we worry so often about be even more trivial.  

However, the idea of "do not worry about tomorrow," can also apply to God's will.  Instead of worrying, we are commanded to seek first his kingdom and righteousness.   The best use of the now is to seek His kingdom, instead of worrying about how we should seek his kingdom in our next steps in life.  Whether or not it was God's will that you are in a given situation is irrelevant, but how you will react to your given situation is very relevant.  

The whole realm of God's will in a romantic relationship is probably the biggest stress for any person.  Our movies and sappy love stories preach this idea that there is "The One" for you waiting somewhere.  Apologies for lack of a better term, but this is bullshit.  This is probably the leading cause of divorce among many individuals even "Christian" couples.  It also part of the cause for the fact that the leading cause of depression among single adults is from being single, and for married adults is from being married.  The only reference to there being one person that is ever mentioned in the Bible is in reference to marriage.  "What God has joined together, let man not separate."  So for whatever reason that two individuals marry, that person is the one for you.  

This applies to the point that if two strong Christian individuals of each distinct gender, then a marriage ought to work with this mindset.  The question just comes down to how much each of those two people want to sacrifice to make their relationship work.  

The moral of this long-winded rant: In whatever situation you have be placed, seek to glorify God, by seeking his kingdom and righteousness, whether single or married, poor or wealthy, college student or teaching pastor; glorify God.  Each situation has its own advantages and unique impact.  

Being A Suicidal Christian

So many Christian churches teach a false view a Christianity. Often churches lay down various sermons about 5 steps to a better prayer life, 4 ways to keep your children from being rebellious, but is this what Christianity is supposed to be. A Christian by definition is a disciple of Christ. In Luke 9:23, Jesus is speaking to his followers: "And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. ...'"

What does it mean to deny ourselves and take up our crosses daily? Denying ourselves is one of the hardest things to do as a human being, it is realizing that we cannot bring ourselves out of our totally depraved state. We cannot pull ourselves out by our own bootstraps, it is basic Law of Conservation of Momentum, an outside force is required to initiate momentum. Once we realize this we must take up our cross. A lot of churches read this as we must partake in Christ's suffering, but to this audience the cross was our gas chamber or firing squad. Taking it up yourself is essentially suicide.

Christ tells us to deny we have the power to save ourselves then to kill ourselves, and daily? How can we kill ourself daily? Is Jesus insane? Paul understood this in Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. " We are killing the selfish part of ourself whose only goal is to profit ourself. This is the same part that vainly tries to pull itself from the mire.

So, in reality the proper place to be in spiritually as a Christian is suicidal. I have an unrighteous jealousy of those on suicide watch, because they realize that they are in a wretched position and cannot save themselves. The folly though is that they do not realize that there is a solution. It is not the physical body that must die, since the problem is not with the physical body. Instead our the rebellious sinner within us must die.

Christ's simple solution is "Follow Me." This often his simple command is proclaimed again and again within the gospel. Although light in words it is heavy in its implications. Christ formed a nigh impossible standard and started a revolution among the religious apostasy of his time. To many people are following pastors and theologians and not directly following Christ.

A Corollary to all "Christians"

Our English translations to the Bible are flawed. We may have the best literal translations but something seems to be missing. Alot of the passion seems to be quenched from writers hands. Isaiah 64:6 says in the NASB "...And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment..." which is saying how meaningless good works are apart from God's glory. The literal translation is "menstrual rags" instead of just the harmless "filthy rags." Much more graphic and much more potent. Another instance is in many points in the New Testament one will utter or write "By no means!" The Cotton Patch Bible (which is not at all an inspired text) writes this as "Hell no!" Which choice for Romans 6:15 is more powerful:
1. "Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! " or
2. "Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? Hell no!"
One strikes deep and moves you emotionally, while the other can easily be passively read with no change of heart. If we have a Bible that refrained from sugarcoating essential issues it could much more easily touch the hearts of more people.
Many may be thinking "Tyler, this just a minor issue such an issue is just a church splitting matter." This is true I wouldn't call for a burning of all old Bible; current Bibles are stil amazing and important to my life. However, such a Bible would not be comfortable to read it would stir emotions and scare children, which is not what we as Americans should do. Forget that! People ought not feel comfortable. They are doomed to Hell and we ought to let them know of their declining state, their terminal disease. Making anyone comfortable should be the least of our worries. None of this beating around the bush. None of this frolicking through the tulips. There is more in the Bible than Jesus loves you. There is much more passion and life changing ways to live. Step on people's toes, make them uncomfortable, or else their lives will be far more uncomfortable in the future. Hell is not sugarcoated, despite what you may read.

A Message to all "Christians"

Martin Luther started his reformation by announcing the flaws in the church fo his time in his 95 Theses. Here is what is wrong with current church and where it counteracts the Bible. When most everyone thinks of Christians they think of the many things that the religious right has stood behind. Anti-Gay Marraige. Anti-Abortion. But is this really what we ought to be known by? Hell no! (or as you find in your NASB "May it never be!") Jesus said to his disciples, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34-35) We are to be known by our love, and this generation's church's intolerance is unacceptable. Our goal ought not to be to make sinners to stop sinning, this is like trying to drive a car up a cliff. But our goal is try to lead sinners to the path of salvation. "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." (John 3:13) If Jesus is the perfect example that Christians ought to follow, then why are we trying to condemn those we ought to be leading toward salvation?