12/12/2012 - The End? Part 2

A few days ago I posted some interesting info that I'd compiled about the date 12/21/2012...

What I didn't say in that post was what my personal thoughts are about all of the information that I'd posted, I'll do that now...

Q. Do I believe that the world and everything in it will cease to exist on 12/21/2012?
A. Of course not.

Q. Do I believe that some kind of fundamental change will occur on 12/21/2012?
A. Maybe, there certainly seems to be some intriguing information from very old sources that say that the date of 12/21/2012 does represent some kind of end, does that mean the end of the world? I don't think so...and to be truthful, the Maya people don't think the world will end either - What the Maya do believe is that there will be some kind of "End" - Whether that be the end of A Civilization OR All Civilizations OR The level that all civilizations will have come to be comfortable by that date.

Q. Do I believe in Astrology?
A. No, that is not a belief system in which I subscribe

Q. Do I believe in the "End Times"?
A. I'm going to say that yes, I do...BUT...I believe that the "End Times" began when Christ ascended and so for someone to say to me that the "End Times" are coming; sounds to me like lunacy...to be honest.
Also, fretting constantly about how the world will end is one sure-fire way to alienate yourself from the rest of the world that is just trying to make it to the weekend intact.

So, what will happen, if anything?
I hope that gas prices will go down personally. I'd also like to see the Crime rates and Divorce rates go down and I'd also like to see interest rates go up.

But seriously, everybody just calm down and worry about what your gonna eat for dinner tonight instead of how soon the world will end and how it'll do it.

To quote our 33rd President; Harry S. Truman - "Those who do not read and understand history are doomed to repeat it."

Agnus Dei
Agnus Dei
Qui tollis peccata mundi

Agnus Dei
Agnus Dei
Qui tollis peccata mundi

Dona nobis pacem
Dona nobis pacem
Pacem
Dona nobis pacem



Lamb of God
You who take away the sins of the world

Lamb of God
You who take away the sins of the world

Give Us Peace
Give Us Peace
Peace
Give Us Peace

12/21/2012 - The End?

If I mention the date December 21st of the year 2012 and ask how you feel about it; you'd probably do some quick calculations, come up with what your age will be on that day and say something witty and dry about aging before your time...but you might miss something that could be important...ultimately important, as is becoming increasingly clear.
Before you stop reading this and start making a talking motion with your hand and saying "Yada, Yada, Yada..." - Take a few minutes to read the following facts about the date 12/21/2012.


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The Infallible Calendar
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The Mayan, or Maya people are perhaps the most mysterious of all of the ancient civilizations that have disappeared from the face of the earth...what we don't know about Mayans outweighs what we do know about them by about 100 times - That's pretty substantial, to say the least.
A few of the things that we do know about the Mayans was that they were smart...Incredibly so.
So smart in fact that they created (perhaps) one of the first written languages based solely upon mathematical principals rather than symbols and designs made to imply a commonly understood idea...So, they were very smart with math...and just saying "They were smart with math" doesn't even begin to encompass how smart.

Another thing we know is that the Mayans were as knowledgeable about the pattern of stars and constellations as we are today, if not more...

Here comes the kicker...

Their calendar was (is) so accurate that it told the future...(Fact)...Predicting the exact time of such events as Solar and Lunar Eclipses, Dynamic changes in the heavens such as Super-Novae and Black Holes, Extended extreme weather forecasts far into their own future...And, are you ready?...

The Maya Calendar Ends on 12/21/2012.

This is not a theory, it's not even an educated guess - That the most advanced calendar of all time ends in our very near future is a solid and confirmable fact.


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The Age of Aquarius
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There are many in the Astrological community (If you can take them seriously) who believe that the Age of Pisces ends soon and the Age of Aquarius begins...Can you guess on what date?
Now, if you can stop humming that uber-annoying song by Hair for a moment - I'll continue...
If you pay any sort of attention to what the crystal-wearer's are mumbling as you pass them on the street corner; you would know a little of the following...

1. Prior to the Age of Aquarius is the Age of Pisces - most commonly associated with the fish symbol that represents Jesus (And gets torn gleefully from the bumper of the faithful's cars while they attend service) - The Age of Pisces is most notably seen as an era where Man is told what to think, how to feel, what to say and how to live, again, in a nutshell...I guess this could be seen in a few different ways...The Church telling people how things should be, The Government telling people how things should be, The People telling the People how things should be...take it at your own speed, I can't say I understand it...my point out of all this gobbledy-gook is what I'll hit on in a moment...

2. The Age of Aquarius (In a nutshell) is supposed to be a period of time where man is no longer imposed upon by the powers that be - whatever those powers may be - and that the mind would be opened up so that people could live freely in the mind, spirit and body...again, this in a very brief and tiny nutshell...

Anywho, all of these changes are supposed to take place, according to some, on a specific date...that's right, you got it...12/21/2012


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The Singularity
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The date of 12/21/2012 also presents a Mathematical Certainty or Singularity which is not very widely understood but is discussed briefly here...

I'll try and give you an instructional walkthrough that points out the major issues of this Singularity...
1. Some mathematicians have plotted the asymptotic graphs of all of humanity's technological developments and projected them out to a point where they all, almost simultaneously - Hit infinity...The day that they arrived at is 12/21/2012 - the one projected date of "The Singularity."
This day is when some say Everything as we know it will change. Drastically.

*Stick with me on this next one...it may take you a while to wrap your head around it...*

2. If we take a look at some of the Species-Altering events in our history, we can see three MAJOR developments that changed the entire course of Human History.

*The Agricultural Revolution, 30,000 years ago we learned how to farm.

*The Industrial Revolution, 350 years ago we learned how to mass-produce machines.

*The Information Revolution, About 50 years ago we learned how to build computers.

As you can see, the rate of change is increasing; as is our abilities afforded by the changes.
With computers, we have the ability to build more efficient things, fly planes and spaceships, educate more people, etc...Each of these enabling technologies will build further development, and at a faster rate...But to what point?

According to the mathematical model, we should see approximately 61 more of these Species-Altering developments before 12/21/2012 and all of the changes will have the same magnitude as the three noted above.
Again, it's only a model.

But, the mathematical model predicts that 18 of these changes will be on the last day prior to 12/21/2012, and that 13 of these changes are to happen in the last FRACTION OF A SECOND of 12/20/2012, as things accelerate towards that infinity point - The Singularity.

I won't give you my own version of how things could go down, I'm sure you can create your own.

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The Bible Code
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The date 12/21/2012 also makes an appearance in the much-disputed Bible Code.
If you haven't read anything about the Bible Code I would recommend it, I'm not ready to tell you that I believe in it totally - but I will say that the Bible Code has (apparently) predicted many major events, such as assassinations of major world and religious leaders, disasters - both unpredicted and planned and many, many dates.
One of which is of course 12/21/2012.

In the Bible Code the 21st day of the 12 month of the year two-thousand-and-twelve is criss-crossed by the words "EARTH DESTROYED".
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Now, I don't know what all this means, I don't even know if I'm going to think about it again after I finish with this article - But I do know that all of these small points do seem to line up and point to a certain date.
Does all this mean that the earth will be destroyed?
That all man will be wiped out and our beautiful planet will be turned into a lifeless rock?
Or does it mean that the world as we know it will change, for better or worse...Not that we'll die, Not that life will cease...But, just change?

Come Sinner, Come Saint...I welcome your thoughts on the END...whatever that may be.

"You've got to do something, Or else..."

Have you ever been in a group setting and been asked to open up to the group and share sensitive and sometimes unnecessary personal information; all in the name of Group Edification, Openness and "Personal Healing"?

I'm sure that if you have been in any "Small Group" sessions at a Church, Alcoholics Anonymous, Jenny Craig or Goat Burners Recovery Group - you've probably been confronted in one way or another by a group leader or fellow-sufferer to "Share your feelings" and "Tell the group what you think about this or that or how or why"...ad nauseam.

I was in a situation, such as the one I've described, a few years ago that I'd like to tell you about in the hopes that in the telling you can draw some...(I don't know)...something from it that would enrich you...

So, there I was sitting cross-legged on the carpet like a good little Indian, waiting patiently for my turn to share something about myself that would show how willing I was to open up to this new group of friends; when I realized that the bit of info that I was preparing to share seemed to be a little bit more explosive than what the other 25-30 people in the circle were talking about...

Let me give you some perspective on the scene before I continue...

It was a planning and retreat weekend for the ministry team of a brand new church; the crowd was eclectic in a SoCal/College kind of way...
The question that was asked of everyone in the room was this "Name one instance in your life where you knew you would never be the same."

Somebody once told me that we all answer questions in three phases of honesty, depending on how comfortable we feel with our surroundings. Those three phases are Honest, More Honest and Most Honest...Honest will earn you a sympathetic look from across the room, More Honest will earn you a hug or a hand squeeze, Most Honest will earn you a slobbered on shoulder and a snot-encrusted upper lip...

Everybody in the circle seemed to be giving very honest answers and seemed to be letting every one else get an intimate glimpse into their lives and thoughts...granted some of the answers turned inexorably toward subjects like first pets, lost teeth and drivers permits; but some people were truly reaching deep and taking out the trash.

I chose the easy way out.

When it came my turn to show which level of Honesty I was prepared to divulge; I opened my mouth and found myself saying something about writing songs that expressed my soul and how I felt...Ralph-Splat...I accomplished nothing...I was less than Honest, I earned a few raised eyebrows and a golf-clap.

Now, that's what I said. Not what I wanted to say.

I don't know that if I had opened up completely and made myself vulnerable that anything would have been different in how anyone else saw me, but I know that I would have seen myself differently - Maybe better - More confidant.

What I wanted to say...

In the last few months of '99 I found myself faced with a decision of some importance...
I could rent a room from a Star-Trek-Loving-Ex-Hippy in Rohnert Park and continue being anonymous amongst the people I grew up with...OR...Take my chances and move to one of two locations in the US where I could start fresh and make my own way...It was going to be either Colorado Springs, Colorado to take a job as a youth pastor for an evangelical ministry where a place had already been carved out for me - OR - San Diego, California where I knew exactly one person, no prospects, no opportunities and no niche prepared for me...

I chose San Diego and gave everyone I knew a few days notice that I was leaving. I packed everything I owned into a 1967 Chrysler Newport Custom and left town on September 1st 1999 at 4:00AM in the morning...I was scared shitless.

To summarize the next few months I'll say this...I slept on my friends bedroom floor, searched for a job for 2 months and ran out of money before the gay assistant manager at the local Starbucks took pity on me and gave me a job...sufficed to say; by this time I had lost quite a bit of weight from my poor-person diet and my health was on the decline...I was also as lonely as I'd ever been.

I'd been living with my friend for several months now and I could sense that I was cramping his style in a big way, things were coming to a head and I was not prepared for the outcome.
We had a blow-out, the kind of blow-out where Choice-Suggestions and "F-You's" are handed out liberally...At the end of the blow-out I was faced with an ultimatum...Move out.

With the money I was making at Starbucks I could barely afford to feed myself and keep my gas tank full - let alone pay rent in San Diego...I just wasn't ready for this yet, not even close.
The date was February 16th.

A few days prior I had asked a girl out on a date...Yes, on Valentines Day...She never showed.
I felt extremely lonely, rejected and altogether...a loser.

At the same time that I got rejected I was also told that my hours were being cut back at Starbucks and that I was lucky that my bosses liked me so much because if they hadn't - I wouldn't have had that job anymore...Apparently the regional manager had found that too many people were working at this one location and that many of the people had to be let go...I was one of those on the chopping block and by the grace of my gay assistant manager; I was spared...but just barely.

By this time it must be easy for you to see that things were not going my way...in fact it's fair to say that I was devastated...Personally, Emotionally and increasingly; Spiritually.

You see, I'd been so busy focusing on surviving that I'd forgotten who gave me the strength to go on...don't misunderstand me, I don't believe that God is all that concerned with my every-day actions, he's more concerned with my soul...this is probably the reason that I felt a tug on my sleeve that evening after the blow-out and final slap in my face...

It was after the argument that I was sitting in my '67 Chrysler in the parking lot of a Denny's restaurant, I had less than $5.00 to my name, it was one week till payday when I would get a paycheck of no more than $300.00, my car was running on fumes and was about 10,000 miles overdue for an oil change.
I was starving, tired, hurt, scared and utterly alone. And it was raining; hard...which is rare for San Diego - but fitting for the circumstances...

I remember sitting there in my car and thinking to myself "What am I going to do?"

I also remember being mad at God.
I remember yelling at God and crying, a lot; I didn't understand how I, the second-born son of Godly parents, beloved worship leader and devoted servant of God and Man, could suddenly find myself in a situation that was beyond my control - perhaps for the first time.

I remember now that in my desperation I had cried so bitterly and cried out to God that I was "Tapped-out", "Done" and "Tired of living" - I realized even as I was saying it that I was saying that I wanted to die rather than feel afraid and alone. I was thinking about suicide as an alternative...I think that that realization scared me more than the circumstances that had brought me to that place of despair...

It was then that I cried out to God for a new reason, altogether different in desperation..."God, I'm worn out and I'm talking about dying here, I don't want to die but I'm so tired of this life, I'm desperate for something, anything that will make my life make sense...You've got to help me! - You've got to do something or else..."

I'm not sure if God responds to our ultimatums and I know that I didn't feel any better after ranting and raving like a lunatic in my car, in the rain, in a Denny's parking lot for several hours...but I did realize that I was made of tougher stuff than I'd previously realized and that encouraged me.
It didn't change anything though. The rain didn't stop, my gas tank didn't fill up, my wallet wasn't suddenly full of cash and I was still screwed...But at least I was ready for whatever was going to happen...with that in mind; I slept in my car.

Would you like to know what happened next?

A red-necked, hill-billied, fat-man from Alabama called me out of the blue and said "I heard through the grapevine that you need a place to live...I just moved into town to help a local youth ministry get off the ground and I'm renting a two bedroom apartment that I can't afford on my own; if you can afford $450.00 a month I'd like it if you could be my roommate..."
It turns out that this guy from Alabama was going to be working with the same youth ministry that I'd been thinking about working with too, and we did end up being roommates and it made all the difference in the world...

The youth ministry that my new roommate and I were involved in took a drastic turn and decided to become a Church; we called it Mission Gathering and I've been a part of Mission Gathering pretty much since that beginning and I've been the leader of worship ministries for the Church for about 3 years now - Mission Gathering Christian Church will be 6 years old this October.

Soon after I moved into that new apartment and started going to my new church; I met a girl named Lindsay while working at my Starbucks job one evening...

I flirted with Lindsay intensely and asked her out on a date a few weeks later.
Our first date was on March 3rd of 2000, we went to the Hard Rock Cafe in La Jolla where she challenged me to a beer chugging contest, I lost, the beer went all over my shirt and she thought it was hilarious - Yes, she was a keeper. We got married 3 years later.

Now, I've never seen God, I've never heard a small, still voice telling me that every thing is going to be OK and I've never felt the touch of God's hand...at least not in any way where I could point it out to you and say "See, I told you so!"

But, I can say that I have yelled and screamed and cursed at God...And I can tell you that he saw the tears rolling down my cheeks in that '67 Chrysler, he heard my cries for help on that rainy night and he felt me reaching out to him in my darkest hour...

And maybe that made all the difference.

The Bride, the Geisha and the Whitewashed Tomb...

I am intrigued by the Geisha culture of Japan.
You might say I'm drawn to it like a moth to flame - admittedly; I don't know why this simple attraction exists...

The Geisha culture seems (to me) to be beautiful in appearance in all of the ways that one would want for a culture to be. The history of the culture seems to be rich in Color and Life while mixed liberally with a strong sense of Honor, Pride and Propriety...A place for every thing and every thing in its place.

I say "In appearance" because admittedly; I don't know much about it.

In order to more fully understand some of the more complex models of human behavior that surround us and mystify me, I try to simplify issues and technical thoughts to elemental levels and compare them to more commonly understood themes and ideals...
Not necessarily Apples-to-Oranges but more Granny-Smiths to Fuji.

The Geisha appear as if from another time and place altogether, they are totally different in appearance than almost any other group of people on earth...Why?
Why the separation from other cultures-if only by appearance and behavior?

What is the most apparent difference that is clear when you look at the Geisha?



You could say that their make-up sets them apart, the white face paint signifies their position in society and also gives them particular importance in some inner circles of Japanese culture.
Next would probably come the hair in all of its intricacies of design which also drip with a sense of order and standing...Than probably the clothing, beautiful cloth with amazing designs, wrapped about the body in a certain way, now, as it was, and has been for a thousand years.

Also, something that may draw your attention to the Geisha is their nature, seemingly dour in countenance and almost sad to look at...

I'm sure that if we were to look beyond the white make-up and the perfect appearance of the Geisha we would find a very familiar scene...A young girl using the Means available to reach the End desired.

Let me explain...

If you look a little deeper into the Geisha culture you'll find out a few things right away...the Geisha are part of an ancient tradition of hostesses that have always labored to be the perfect host...No matter who that guest happens to be...
Dancing was an early form of entertainment by the Geisha that continues through till today...
Being able to carry on a conversation with business men about business and hold their own in a technical and diverse world...
Providing a comfortable space for weary travelers and warriors alike to rest their bodies and minds while taking part in the Geishas food, drink and yes, even partaking in the Geisha girls themselves...That's right, sex.
This was the service provided - They were after all; the perfect hostesses.

So, in some ways the Geisha were and are a symbol of the perfect female, at least from a male perspective.

As the years have passed, especially in the last 50 years, the Geisha lifestyle has become less about servicing the sexual needs of the clientele and more about servicing the mental and meta-physical needs...Geisha have endeavored to become adept at speaking confidently in matters of business, politics, commerce, sports, pop culture, food, alcohol and just about any other thing that a male client may want to discuss...Because of this ability and desire to be able to communicate effectively and with knowledge in all of these areas, the Geisha are themselves; a society of business women unto themselves.

As an outsider we may ask why a girl would want to be a Geisha in this day and age...The reason that a young girl may choose to be a Geisha now is to someday endear herself so fully to a male guest (or client) that he would propose marriage to her and take her away from the life of public service to many men, to a life of private service to one man - her husband.

By this token, the Geisha, from the time she is a young girl, endeavors to become the perfect wife, the perfect bride...A priceless diamond among worthless coal.

There is only one culture other than the Geisha that I know of that so fully alienates itself - on purpose - from its own culture in order to achieve the appearance of a perfect bride...

The Christian Church.



I'm sure that if you've ever been in a church service where random people shout "Hallelujah" or "Amen" at the top of their lungs for apparently no reason; you've probably heard a preacher refer to their church as "The Bride of Christ"...
If you haven't heard this term or know why some people may say it or in some cases abuse it; I'll give you some background...

In the Bible, you know, the Word of God, there is a book called "Revelations" it's mostly filled with some pretty fantastic visions and prophecies that most modern day pastors and preachers won't touch for fear of freaking out their congregations with more information than their pastors and preachers are capable of explaining or teaching them about...effectively anyway...

Where was I?
Oh yeah...In the book of Revelations, which was written by a guy named John, there is a verse that says "Let us rejoice and be glad and give him (God) glory! For the wedding of the Lamb (Jesus) has come, and his bride (Believers in Jesus) has made herself ready." - Rev. 19:7
There are also a few other verses in the Bible that say things about Brides and Grooms and preparations and bridal parties and all other kinds of hoopla...BUT ((And please understand me; I'm not making light of the scripture-I'm coming to a point that I hope you'll stick around to read))...

...I've got tell you...Christians, Believers, Followers - Jesus never referred to himself as Bridegroom or a Groom nor did he refer to his followers as Brides.

I'm sorry, but he didn't.

Jesus never called those who followed him his "Bride" or anything even close to it, he didn't call them Fiancés or Girlfriends either...
SIMPLY: Jesus called them Followers, Disciples and Fishers of Men.

There are entire ministries that are built on the idea of a group of people needing to be perfectly Holy in order to become The Bride of Christ - when in fact it was Jesus that sat with Whores, Thieves, Ruffians and - Worst in his day - Tax Collectors...
Jesus hung with the worst and required that his disciples do the same while they were with him.

And yet today - Some of his so-called followers berate those who would be interested in Jesus Christ by telling them "You must first be washed in the Blood of the Lamb and become Sin-Less and Pure of Heart in order to become the Bride of Christ and enter his Heavenly Kingdom." - WHOA! STOP!

That is not the Jesus that I have found in the scriptures on my own.

Maybe you've seen some beer-soaked sports fans holding up a sign that says JOHN 3:16 on it, have you ever wondered what that says?
Jesus said it, it went like this..."This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him." - John 3:16-18 - Jesus' words, nobody else's - read this part again; "God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was."

You see, I think that "The Bride" has got it all backwards and they're crucifying Jesus on their public access shows everyday in the publics mind by painting an inaccurate, un-loving and un-lovable Christ.

Understand me, I'm not talking about followers of Christ in general being "The Bride".

I'm talking about the fundamentalist, extra-crispy-right-wing, bible-thumpers that have no connection with the "real-world" or their community whatsoever and have been brainwashed from early ages to believe that the "Secular World" is sinful in so many ways as to make it beyond help, hope or rescue by anyone other than God Himself!

I'm here to tell you this type of thought is not right; it's not right and it's not Biblical.

If you ever wanted to challenge one of these types of so-called Christians to a duel of words and scripture; I'd suggest quoting this one to them...
In the book of Matthew in Chapter 10, Verses 5-16 the Bible says this...
"Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge: "Don't begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don't try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously. Don't think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start. You don't need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day. Travel light. When you enter a town or village, don't insist on staying in a luxury inn. Get a modest place with some modest people, and be content there until you leave. When you knock on a door, be courteous in your greeting. If they welcome you, be gentle in your conversation. If they don't welcome you, quietly withdraw. Don't make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way. You can be sure that on Judgment Day they'll be mighty sorry--but it's no concern of yours now. Stay alert. This is hazardous work I'm assigning you. You're going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don't call attention to yourselves. Be as cunning as a snake, inoffensive as a dove."

Read that one again and again if you want to understand and know what it really was that Jesus was trying to get his followers to do and be...Him.

In my short 27 years I have have seen groups of hundreds and thousands of grown men and women teaching their children and each other how to throw great "Potlucks", "Last-Tupper-Ware Parties" and "Lock-ins" - While avoiding the world that surrounds them as much as possible for fear of sin contamination...To seek out foreign lands to "Claim for Christ" - While ignoring the pain and apparent need in their own neighbors eyes...To hand out tracts to drug addicts that are not helpful - Instead of trying their damnedest to actually know that strung-out kid on a personal level...To hide behind closed doors while singing obscure songs and saying words and phrases that nobody else could understand - Instead of sitting down in a Pub or a Coffee shop with our Bibles wide open before us-welcoming all those around you that may have questions...To feed the hungry one time per year instead of a constant effort to ease the suffering of the needy...don't even get me started on this one...read this verse in the Bible - Matthew 25:31-46 - for some of Jesus' teachings on the needy...

Now look, I grew up in the kind of churches that I am writing about and speaking against right now. But I'm here to tell you that I am as guilty as them. Ok? But, I'm trying to change and be more like Christ was...
So, for right now, don't bitch at me, ok?
I'm allowed to have my point of view based in dissent, hard questions and grievances that need to be aired - For the purpose of change.

Here it is, the Point...

The Church today is a whitewashed tomb hiding Pride, Envy, Gluttony, Lust, Anger, Greed and Sloth within - While on the outside, trying to appear to all the world as something it is not; Full of Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control.

The Church today has become something that Jesus would never have desired her to become; A Geisha.

A Geisha who knows all, sees all, smiles politely, says nothing and waits for a perfect Groom to remove her from the service of all mankind.

Shame on us.