Ozzy77's blog

With 2006's Memorial Day still fresh in our minds, and with the many military-related casualties from Iraq and Afghanistan mentioned this past Memorial Day, I must ask "Was it really worth it?" Going to Iraq could've been avoided. No, it should have been avoided. With at least five other terrorists regimes and totalitarian nations that pose a greater threat than Iraq, this war is apparently a means to acquire one thing: oil. With global threats like Iran, North Korea, and Venezuela. Leaders like Kim Jong-Il and Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir pose a greater threat than Hussein ever will. With limited chemical resources and limited industrial capabilities, it seems unlikely that Iraq would have any "weapons of mass destruction". Kind of a vague description of nuclear weapons if you ask me. A high-powered machine gun sitting atop a tank could be a "weapon of mass destruction" since it could create a massive amount of destruction. A rocket launcher gun like the one on Grand Theft Auto 3 could be considered a "weapon of mass destruction" if used strategically. Bush's claims for going into Iraq were unsound, and so now, the America nation who backed this war are paying the price with many military/ defense casualties. Keep in mind that this is hundreds of thousands of soldiers that could have been used to help stop threats in Iran, uprisings in Sudan, torturous rule in North Korea, and criminal activity in other parts of the globe. I'm not saying that I approve of America "policing" the globe, but when a threat to humanity shows its face, we have the choice to work together to do something about it. If only Bush hadn't defied the UN, but maybe negotiated with them, or patiently waited a few years to see if the UN would let him go to Iraq now. No, Mr. Oil-business had to ramrod pass the UN, and bulldoze his way into Iraq. Personally, I think Bush knows that he picked the wrong battle and the wrong country to pick on. If he had sent troops to Sudan first and tried to squash the smaller Darfur uprisings, then he might would be done by now, and would still have men left over to send to Iraq in 2006 or 2007. But no, Shrubby had to be impatient and rush in when he wanted, where he wanted. Things had to be done his way. An ancient proverb says "Fools rush in where angels dare not tred."  Read More »

Dear Readers,

I've been deeply studying the validity of the claims The Da Vinci Code makes against the early Catholic Church. By "early", I mean around 200 - 300 C.E. (A.D. for you traditionalists), about the time when Constantine was running things. A peculiar man, that Constantine. The claim that I am addressing now is the claim that the early Church removed some of the other scriptural text from the Bible. The Catholics acknowledge that there are extra books floating around ot there. Probably because they are the ones that did away with them. Not to point the finger, but seeing that the Catholic Church was the main player in organized Christianity at the time when the books would've been written, it seems they would know better than any of these modern, Protestant religions that branched off because of the Reformation during the 15th and 16th centuries C.E. This may give reason to why the Catholics are more ritualistic and why they seem to have so much political sway over much of Europe. I've noticed that the longer you stay hooked into a system and the more alliances you make, the more you form a clique to exclude others from knowing certain information. The United States Senate is one big clique. Those who live their whole lives in the Senate, so to speak, are susceptible to more blackmail and threats. The "skeletons in the closet" are constantly held over your head as a threat. That is why I believe tha Catholic Church, or at least the highest ranking leaders over it, fight so hard to retain spiritual and political power. No one is above the cliqueish mentality, and only those who choose not to get involved with it in the first place are partially immune to it. Worst then senioritis or "group-think conformity", the cliqueish mentality plagues the mind and cause people to resort to hazing and truth-covering. That is why I believe the early Church has hidden information on these lost texts.  Read More »

Dear Readers,

Have you ever noticed how much christian folk, especially those in the red-states, find a way to put God into everything? I believe God is omnipresent, as well as omniscient and omnipotent, yet, I believe there are somethings that God leaves up to us to work at and complete. For instance, do you think God is a Phoenix Suns fan or a New England Patriots fan? Do you think that by some divine intervention in line with his will, he made one team win the championships? Do you really believe God has time to dabble in such trivial matters that are a trifle beneath his important will? I believe he allows people to exert a certain amount of free will in most circumstances while in his presence, so he is omnipresent. I believe God does not restrict his knowledge to knowing only ultimatiums, like "the hurricane will strike, or else!" Instead, he knows two things will happen: 1. The hurricane will strike and his force of nature will do damage or 2. Mankind will build levies, walls, or simply move away, diverting God's will. He knows that man can interrupt his will, and he can read a man's heart and know that a man will interrupt his will. Yet, God still gives us the free will to make certain choices because he knows he is all-powerful, and if we knock his train off-course, he can make a way out of no way to straighten it back on course. Of course, it isn't always this simple. Sometimes, God does intervene by contacting a person through answering prayer, revelation, or simply placing something on that person's heart. Many times, I feel God directing me a certain way, and often, I can feel on my very heart that something will go wrong if I go the other way. (I know this sounds a lot like "conscience", but I tell you it is God's divine intervention in my life.) I always say "God and Fate are one", meaning that when people leave things up to "Fate", they are really just conceding their free will and leaving it up to the only force left, God. I also believe that the percent that God balances between free will and divine intervention is 50/50. Half of life can be left to free will, allowing us to make our own choices, while the other half is God's intervention and cannot be deterred. Most things that we always pray to God about is merely free will: girlfriends, jobs, car payments, and other things linked to this world. Just imagine, for example, you have a perfectly good lead on a job opening at a store. However, you don't like that store; it smells funny and you would rather work at Six Flags amusement park. Well, when you go back and think about it, you just missed out on a good job, not because it wasn't in "God's will", but because you chose not to apply. If you applied, you can only assume that you would've got the job.  Read More »

I would like to introduce myself as a die-hard Phoenix Suns fan. Although I am Texas-bred, I choose to root for a team who aims to score when their opponents do not  ... and then score some more. I've been a fan of the Suns since they drafted Amare Stoudamire in 2003 and got rid of Stephon Marbury. With new editions of  Steve Nash, Boris Diaw, Tim Thomas, Raja Bell, Eddie House, and Leondrino Barbosa, the team is just unbeatable. Extradinarily amazing! I was sitting watching at home yesterday when Channel 8, ABC, devoted a ten-minute sports update to the Mavs during the six o' clock news. They were bragging on how the Mavs just whupped the Spurs and how the arena was going to be sooooo packed. I didn't care; I kept saying "The Suns are gonna do the thang" and I felt deep down that the Suns were ready for a repeat of last year's playoff victory over Dallas. Even though Stoudamire is sidelined with a knee injury, the Suns still brought their best to the game.  Read More »

Dear readers,

After watching The Da Vinci Code movie, I have purchased my own copy of the book, and I am reading it vehemonently. I have many reasons for reading it, many personal reasons because I am currently trying to completely understand Dan Brown's writing style. Primarily, I was content with how the story ends. Don't worry, I won't tell. However, now, my mind seems to be shaken. Recalling all of the biblical info I learned years ago in Sunday School and Church, I am warring with my flesh trying to discern fact from fiction. The very fabric of my faith has been torn, and now I dig endlessly trying to satisfy myself with the truth. Currently, I am researching the history of Islam, and how tensions among Muslims and Christians led to the Crusades. I am also reading a book titled "The Holy Grail" which surprisingly doesn't make reference to the theory of the Holy Grail being Mary Magdalene as expressed in Dan Brown's book. Instead, it lists the families of France and England who were believed to have descended from the child of Mary and Jesus. However, I have dug and found information, and have relied on my faith enough to guarantee three facts: 1. Mary Magdalene did somehow end up in France, and became acquainted to the royal families in Gaul, 2. Mary Magdalene is known as a saint in many parts of Europe, and 3. Mary Magdalene did give birth to a daughter in France. While acknowledging the fact that Mary had a child, and believing that Jesus and Mary had a very deep, intimate relationship built around eros love, I still do not believe that Mary and Jesus had sex or intercourse. Sure, they might've made out a little in private, and they might have been seen going into back rooms together to talk and connect, but I cannot conceive the notion that Mary and Jesus bumped uglies (Excuse me for my crude language). It probably was that upon seeing them go into a back room alone and stay in there for ten to twenty minutes, that people began to assume that Jesus and Mary had sex. And so, now we have groups like the Knights Templar and The Priory of Sion who worship Mary as the wife of Christ who slept with him. This seems like a common misconception. And now with that said, I would like to propose five key points.

   Read More »

Dear readers,

Listening to my 23 year old sister the other day, I realized that uncalled for profanity has become a social problem. Now I admit to dropping the occassional curse word for emphasis. But when I hear it used with such implied and contextual hatred and anger, I weep. I weep for a world gone wrong. Centuries ago, when the popular idealistic principles of civic virtue and a moral upbringing were still high on society's list of priorities, the world was better off. Despite slavery, imperialism, and endless warfare, the world was still better than it is now, in this f**ked-up society that we live in now. Oops, I did it again! But, seriously, the hatred and the disunity of the world is destroying the very common fabric that humanity shares. The declining moral standards of this age is only quickening the decay of modern civilization. Whenever I think on the collapsing of civilization as we know it, my mind always recall the informative, wise-beyond-years, hit song "Where is the love?" by the Black-eyed Peas. The lyrics in that song and the issue on which I am writing about go hand-in-hand. I suggest you check it out at metrolyrics.com and other lyric websites.  Read More »

Funny thing I did there with a rhyming title. Well, if that isn't enough to catch your attention, I will do so by announcing that today, May 20th, 2006, is, was, and will forever be the day of my high school graduation. (Notice how I avoided choosing only past or present to describe this memorable day) With the memory of The Da Vinci Code fresh in my mind, and what a pleasant memory seeing the movie was, I woke up and started dressing for graduation. My mind was clear, my heart pure, my bowels empty. No butterflies in my stomach today. No, siree! I was anticipating my graduation and seeing my high school chums for the last time. After I finished putting on my attire, and after I donned my gown with the honor stoles and honor cords I had recieved until it was more decked out than a Sitka Spruce Christmas tree, I was ready to go. I rode with my family to the graduation center that was just built two years ago to host our growing district's many graduation ceremonies. Once I arrived, I began to look for many of my friends, and I crowded around the closest group of people that I knew. We each complimented each other's stoles and awards. This was a happy event filled with smiles, laughter, giddiness, and picture-taking. We were escorted into the building, lined up by class rank, and then we walked in to "Pomp and Circumstance". We sat and listened intently to the Saluditorian and Valedictorian speeches. Then when our Principal asked us to stand, we each went, one row at a time, to the stage to get our temporary diplomas (our real diplomas will be handed out this coming Monday in the morning at school), and then to the back to take our graduation pictures. After the ceremony was complete, our Valedictorian rose to her feet and led us in changing our tassles on our caps, a gesture that represents graduating and completing one stage in life and moving on to another. We threw our caps into the air, some five feet, others twenty, and we were overjoyed that we had officially graduated high school. We grabbed our caps and left the auditorium to socialize and meet up with friends and families. Countless were the "Congratulations" and "Good Luck in Life" statements that I recieved. I am proud; I made it, despite many mistakes along the way. I am thankful that God, my parents, my friends, and my teachers have been there for me every step of the way. Now I can go into the world and be an independent and go on to college and a career somewhere.  Read More »

Dear Readers,

As I have announced through my blog account and through word of mouth, I went to the movie theaters on May 19th to see The Da Vinci Code. I was jazzed; nothing seemed to be able to go wrong on this opening day. However, I should've known that once I missed my ride and had to wait for it to circle back to pick me up, the day's mood had been set. Overtones of formidability hovered in the air, and this first calamity was an omen of forebodding evil. Yet, the outing wasn't a total disaster. Since I went to see the movie with members of our schools's book club, (I know, how lame it must be to be in a book club!), I atleast had some people to sit by. First, we all went to TGIFridays and ate a light lunch. Then, around 12:15, we headed back to the theaters for the 12:20 showing of The Da Vinci Code. Once in the theater that was actually featuring The Da Vinci Code, (Thank God I didn't accidentally end up in a theater showing Over The Hedge.), I began to actually enjoy the previews. Showing promising movies such as: Click, The Omen, and Miami Vice, the previews were actually not half-bad. Going into the movie, I had expected that Tom Hanks playing the role of Robert Langdon was going to be the major downfall of the movie. And at first, he did seem a little uncharacteristic of Langdon. Yet, by the end of the movie, he had began to fit the role a little more comfortably, making his portrayal of Langdon more credible. However, his role wasn't the only one that wasn't what I was expecting to see in the movie. Among all of the horrible casting errors, and even a few unnecessary editings, it seems the actor who played Silas was by far the best at portraying his character from the novel. However, the movie wasn't all bad; I actually laughed at a couple of funny scenes, and I was even enlightened, as I learned more about symbols, icons, European and religious history, the 'Sacred Feminine", and more tasty tidbits of intellectual cuisine. All in all, the movie is good to see, and I certainly recommend going to watch it, even if you haven't read the book. You might get lost in some of the symbology and history, but it is surely worth seeing.  Read More »