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How Odd

  • Posted on February 6, 2010

Oswald Chambers states in his book The Moral Foundations of Life in the chapter Natural Growth in Supernatural Grace, “If you live much by yourself you become an oddity, you never see the quirks in yourself.”

Most people want to be unique, but don’t want to be perceived as odd. By definition, there are no degrees of uniqueness. Either someone is the only one of his kind or he is not. On one level, everyone is unique, but superficially most people are not.

Since most people have a social life, their quirks in behavior are not peculiar. They can’t be if they’re going to have a social life. Being sociable requires staying within the boundaries of what’s considered usual behavior and not scaring people by behaving and/or thinking in ways unexpected. Insecure people find comfort in predictability, so when a person comes along who is enigmatic (as in the sense not clear to understand), he acquires the label of being odd. Once that happens, anyone who associates himself with the odd individual risks becoming an outcast from his own kind.

There exists a poignant difference or incongruity between what is expected and what actually is in regard to being superficially unique. It’s hypocritical to diagnose superficially unique persons as a minority to be biased against. That’s being prejudiced and proud. These are the days the majority insist on tolerance of all individuals, but yet those making the most noise in that populace are unable to see their own quirks because of being enmeshed into their own agendas.

Know About Knowledge

  • Posted on February 4, 2010

Growing up spiritually constantly reveals mistakes made from ignorance. Revelations affect one’s existing knowledge. If there is no spiritual maturing process going on, acquired knowledge is mainly used for regurgitation and/or is kept covert for gaining power. It doesn’t change the being of an individual. He may think he possesses an education, but in reality it’s him who is being possessed (controlled) by it.

When there is a spiritual maturing process happening, the one whom it’s happening to cannot remain unchanged. Knowledge begins to have a metamorphic effect if the person will take hold of it for thinking how to use it for God’s will being done through him. One’s conscience is limited by the knowledge he has of the bible. The less knowledge a saved person has of the bible, the more other knowledge dangerously puffs up his pride.

In the minds of false Christians, knowledge of the bible can be a weapon of attack used on non-believers. They act like god and think it’s their job to change others to be like them.

A true Christian minds his own business and knows that the things to ‘fix’ are not external.¹ Good works (e.g., feeding the hungry) and bad works (e.g., lying) are not always dependable indicators of whether or not someone is saved, because what is seen can be temporary and/or manipulated.

When God tells us we can know others by their fruit, He is referring a person’s overall disposition. We all have different moods that change like the weather, but each of us have characters that remain generally consistent. We live with our own unique and delicate ecosystem. Some are barren like a dry desert where life isn’t as easy to spot. Others are like a lush rain forest that’s noisy with life.

Anybody can work on looking like a good person to others. That’s something controllable. If it wasn’t so, we wouldn’t have social services, therapy groups, psychologists, etc. What we can’t control is what’s inside the heart. We’re all born in sin. That’s why there is such a high failure rate to permanently rehabilitate criminals, addicts, etc. Just because one addiction may end (e.g., alcohol) does not mean it couldn’t have been replaced by another dependency (e.g., AA).

Only when the dependency becomes solely upon God is there a successful change to the being of an individual.

An example how education has become a god is when people refuse to accept others the way they are and think that others should be like them. Non-Christians complain about Christians proselytizing, but yet they can’t see how they’re doing the same thing by acting like the world would be a better place without Christians. Neurotypicals want to change Aspies, but yet they can’t see how much of their traits annoy Aspies.

The definition of worship is to serve. If education wasn’t worshipped, people would stop being servants to it. Knowledge per se isn’t bad. It becomes corrupt in the minds of those whose hearts are proud.

I’m beginning to suspect it’s because of pride that I was trying so hard to keep up with editing my posts whenever I noticed improvements were in order. A voracious thinker is bound to encounter a lot more changes in perception of theories than someone who doesn’t analyze material to the same level of intensity, especially when under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

A wise man admits being capable of making mistakes, but it’s foolish to be fanatically trying to be flawless to please those who think they’re already flawless.

The fruit of fool who thinks he knows himself is seen by how he looks down upon others as being inferior to himself. No matter how educated or how much knowledge any of us hold, we’re all idiots in the eyes of our creator. Thinking that we can compare ourselves to others only proves how little we know.

I’m not going to jump from the frying pan of analyzing myself into the fire of someone else analyzing me. I hope I’ve been on the heat of God’s flames long enough to finally evaporate sufficiently to end a long-time bad habit.

¹In a “Christianized” country like America where bibles, the internet, radio, television, telephone, and printed media abound as resources for those who seek how to become saved, the Christian’s business is to be ready to give an answer to those who seek the gospel. In the regions of the world where the the gospel has not yet been preached (i.e., heard or known about), Christians are to spread the word. When it comes to a place where either could be the case (as is the world wide web), Christians should both preach the word and be ready to give an answer to those who genuinely seek God. Giving an answer doesn’t mean arguing. It means guiding others to Christ. God draws His elect towards Him. Those who aren’t attracted to what Christians have online don’t have to read it, but they also have no right to deny others from reading it who may want to.

A Christian’s business is to be working on ‘fixing’ his internal sins. Those are the hidden abominations. Examples are: envy, deceit, backbiting, coveting, maliciousness, fornication, pride, gossiping, implacability, breaking promises, being spiteful, unmerciful, etc.

Leisure time for my heart.

  • Posted on February 3, 2010

Extracted from The Complete Works of Oswald Chambers, in his book The Moral Foundations of Life, under the chapter The Soul’s Awakening, were these words that spoke loud and clear to me about my being bothered over not being understood by neurotypical people:

By heeding the reality of God’s grace within us we are never bothered again by the fact that we do not understand ourselves, or that other people do not understand us. If anyone understood me, he would be my god. The only Being Who understands me is the Being Who made me and Who redeems me, and He will never expound me to myself; He will only bring me to the place of reality, viz., into contact with Himself, and the heart is at leisure from itself for ever afterwards.

After having thought about that, I realized how true it is. It explains the craving to be understood and to know oneself. Both things are a trap, especially because of how impossible it is to satisfy either yearning.

When I reflect upon how much torment my heart would endure because of being an Aspie in a NT world, I find Chambers’ advice awesome! I can only imagine how something like this rubs against the grain of today’s Asperger awareness movement.

I’m not saying anything against neurodiversity advocates or those opposing them. What I am saying is that I’m beginning to believe I will quietly exit out of the arena of the Asperger movement. I have no regrets being an Aspie, but the more time I spend of my life focused on Aspergers, the more I feel I’m not living up to my full potential.

I can’t think of anything better to retire from than the work of trying to get others to understand me.

The last time I went to an Asperger group meeting for adults was on December 12th of last year. If I were to continue, it would be almost three years of going. There isn’t anything much left for me to give to the group information wise about Aspergers that I haven’t already said and there isn’t anything much left for me to gain by going.

Group meetings are not like gathering together for leisure activities; such as hanging out at a pub for pizza, going on a picnic or hike, etc. A lot of time in my life was occupied in settings similar to classrooms, bible study groups, support groups, and other special interest groups (e.g., computer clubs, sportsman clubs etc.). Rarely have I been able to simply enjoy time with another person outside of some programmed or planned project that’s restricted to a scheduled time and run by a leader.

I grew up in the era of when people dropped by unexpectedly for a cup of coffee, answered their phones, and made time to do fun things together. I can’t bring them back, but I also don’t have to do things that are not satisfying to me.

Long ago, church was satisfying and I attended many different ones. Today I realized I have a pastor again and he’s bar none the best I’ve ever experienced! Just because Oswald Chambers isn’t alive anymore does not mean he can’t shepherd my soul through his words left behind in print. God did it by leaving us His word in the Bible and He can just as well keep a pastor (or chaplain, which is what Chambers was) blessing congregations after that individual has been taken home to be with the Lord.

It seems fitting that Chambers was a chaplain rather than a pastor. The basic difference between a pastor and a chaplain is that a pastor stays put in one place while a chaplain is “God on the go.” Chaplains serve people where there is no organized church.

Chambers wasn’t famous in his lifetime (1874-1917). Now he’s somewhat famous. I say somewhat because he should be more well-known than what he is by now. I can imagine why his popularity level is relatively low. One can’t read much of Chambers without it having a strong effect on his or her life. Modern Christianity wants God diluted. Chambers gives God’s message in concentrate and concentration is what it demands.

How often do you see nothing but the highest rating given by every reviewer?

Spring Seeds

  • Posted on February 2, 2010

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you’d know by now that the titles for my posts can be misleading. In this case, the kind of garden I’m going to till this spring (pun intended) is for the roots of my soul. Gardening is getting back to the basics and I’m composting my soil with these nutritious books:

Simple Life

Oswald Chambers

The Simple Life: Devotional Thoughts from Amish Country is by Wanda E. Brunstetter. Her book offers sixty intriguing and encouraging lessons. Each reading features a brief story of the Amish, providing a “behind the scenes” insight into their culture; a spiritual lesson, accompanied by scripture, drawn from the story; and a “bonus” of an Amish witticism or recipe. I’m looking forward to enjoying the peace and quiet of Amish country that’s reflected within the pages of this book.

The Complete Works of Oswald Chambers is packaged with a companion searchable CD-ROM using the Logos software. A program like that is very helpful for readers reading a 1,492 page book that’s a must for Chambers aficionados. Transcribed by his wife Biddy, and drawn from his numerous sermons, lectures, and speeches, this monumental book includes more than forty titles from the popular, thought-provoking chaplain, including never- before published notes on Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Jeremiah.

If that’s not enough to cultivate my spirit, I can tap into the Amish America blog for more refreshments! It contains plain insights and observations from Pennsylvania to Oregon and is loaded with wonderful photographs!

The bedrock of my garden is always God’s word. The creator of our universe is the light for the core of my being. When spring beckons me to be outdoors more, I want to hike along with some good food packed for thought as I enjoy the nature God so perfectly made.

I just realized it’s Groundhog Day! My thoughts must be deep within the ground or something today?!?!

Excellent Toothpaste!

  • Posted on February 1, 2010

I’ve been using Vicco toothpaste for some time now and I’m absolutely in love with this stuff! I must be or else my last order for this would have been less than nineteen 200 gram tubes (i.e., 8.378 pounds) for my household (of 3)!

Ayurvedic Toothpaste

Read more about it at Vicco’s website. I stumbled upon while shopping in a Hannaford Supermarket.

I was determined to find toothpaste without fluoride, glycerin, or silica in it. Vicco was the first one I found. Immediately after the first time I brushed with it, my teeth felt more clean than even how they’ve felt after getting them cleaned in a dentist office!

Weston A. Price, DDS changed my way of thinking about what government schools taught me what good health is, especially his book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. Because of Price, I no longer will buy anything but raw milk.

Ramiel Nagel’s book pushed me beyond what Price started by convincing me to stop using the toothpastes dentists recommend.

Cure Tooth Decay

Here are just a few reasons why I didn’t want to use anymore toothpaste containing fluoride, glycerin, or silica:

Fluoride is a severe biological poison. Being intensely negative, it unlatches positive hydrogen bonds in enzymes and proteins. Toothpaste typically comes with this warning: “Warning. Keep out of reach of children under 6 years of age. If more than used for brushing is accidentally swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.” Fluoride decreases IQ levels. Most states add at least 1 ppm of sodium fluoride or fluorosilic acid (radioactive toxic waste that contains fluoride) to the water supply, even though it has been proven that at least 113 medical side effects from cancer to headaches are caused by fluoride in the water.

Toothpaste contains viscous, sticky glycerin, the main ingredient in toothpaste, which coats the teeth and prevents re-enamelization from nutrients in the diet. Glycerin takes over 20 rinses to be removed and leaves your teeth coated. To get convinced, start with a clean sink and smear some of your toothpaste on the sink. Rinse it off and see how the water beads up because of the sticky glycerin. You will have to keep rinsing and rinsing to remove it. Your teeth are similar to a porcelain sink, and your teeth are being coated every time you use toothpaste. Coated teeth cannot re-enamelize from nutrients in the diet.

Most toothpaste has silica, which is sand. It can harm gums and abrade tooth enamel.

My gums used to hurt a lot when I’d brush my teeth. I was using special toothpaste for sensitive teeth and highly expensive mouth wash for sensitive gums. The combination of the two didn’t stop the pain in my gums.

As soon as I started using only Vicco toothpaste¹ and quit using the nasty mouthwash, my gums never hurt again! What does that tell you? It tells me the American Dental Association wants people to remain ignorant so that they can make more money. What angers me even more is that dentists would deny how poisonous amalgam fillings are.

If you’re interested, you can read more about what I’ve said on this subject in my posts Dentist Shopping by an Aspie and Raw Milk, Heart Disease, and More.

¹I started brushing with Vicco approximately one year ago. When a tube of Vicco was empty, I resorted to using a crappy tube of paste left around. After my last bout with pain while brushing over a month ago, I decided those other tubes could go right into the garbage where they belong for all I care!

Say what?

  • Posted on January 31, 2010

I got reminded of a cultural difference between NTs and Aspies. As much as I understand and know about figures of speech, it’s still something that requires a translation process. If I’m the one using a figure of speech, obviously I’m not going to misread what I’m thinking. But if I’m not expecting someone else to speak figuratively, I can still jump to the wrong conclusion.

I think I’m understanding how it happens thanks to a recent example today. I won’t mention who this involves (and I’ll even change the initials to protect their privacy), but if she read this, I hope she knows that she has nothing to apologize for. I thank her for progressing my learning experience and the reminder I needed to know that I’m still taking what others say literally without realizing I’m doing it.

Here is what she said to me in an email:

Oh, yes, D is in heaven, and I don’t begrudge him that! It’s high time he had a good friend, as D has so much to give and truly loves everyone. It’s nice to see that reciprocated. My heart just breaks for T nonetheless!

Here was my response:

Your statement, “Oh, yes, D is in heaven,…” had me in complete confusion for about 15-20 minutes. I went to your blog searching for news of his passing away. In the email you just sent me, I thought you were referring to Jesus as being D’s good friend. I thought I overcame taking things literal, but now I doubt it’s something that I’ll ever be able to stop doing.

I left a comment on her blog where she wrote a post about the effects of her high-functioning autistic son’s new found friendship. I’m assuming that because my last impression I had when I left her blog was of a serious nature, it kept me in that same frame of mind when I read her words, “…D is in heaven…” Adding to that image my own difficult experiences throughout my life in the area of friendships, caused my mind to think that the only possible good friend an Aspie can have to keep ongoing contact with over a substantial length of time is Jesus. Being that Jesus is in heaven, naturally I assumed that D’s mother was telling me that D died.

On rare occasions, I’ve enjoyed a few months of an occasional blissful friendship before realizing what flaws were demanding its extinction. My hopes were up too high when I thought the solution for me was to have an Aspie friend. It’s not that my Aspie ‘friends’ become enemies. The Aspie whom I feel most closely bonded to (like a soul mate/brother) has too much of a need to be in control to be able to handle inconsistent contact from me. It saddened me to feel his pain and I miss being in contact with him, but because I don’t want him to suffer from my sporadic and unpredictable ways of being in touch, I decided it was best for the both of us if I would leave him alone.

I still ‘visit’ with him by going to the places he is online, but I have stopped communicating with him many months ago. Just the other day, I saw this photo of him online and it immediately reminded me of how much our lives are spent in solitude and the deep ways we are so much alike.

I have a female Aspie friend I can visit about twice a year for a couple of hours at most. If I’m lucky, I’ll get a phone call just as often. Any received emails (once every couple of months?) say very little. So, by the time there is a reconnection, I struggle to know what to say.

For my own well-being, I need a friendship where I know that if I need to call that person, he or she will be there for me. It might sound hypocritical of me to be repulsed by always hearing an answering machine I must leave a message on and then wait days for a potential return call, especially since I rarely answer my phone. However, if I knew that I had a friend who would call me (like I’d call her or him), I’d be more than happy to answer my phone. If I have enough time to get to the phone as someone is leaving me a message (who I want to talk with and wants to talk with me), I will pick up the phone. It’s only fair that the other person reciprocates with the same courtesy.

I’d enjoy a good friendship just like most people would, but when challenges involved are so difficult, it’s not that hard to learn how to live contentedly in solitude. Some days are not as pleasant as others, but all-in-all, with Jesus as a friend, my eyes look up to heaven knowing that the time spent in this world is nothing compared to eternity with Him.

Resolutions Made Easier

  • Posted on January 30, 2010

Sixty days ago I came to the conclusion that my days for being able to have any form of drug, in any amount, now has intolerable consequences. Twice in that period of time I doubted that reality and both times paid the price. The first time was when I consumed two ounces of red wine one Saturday evening. The result was a maximum of two hours of sleep that night. The second mistake was when I had three ounces of white wine with a meal of shrimp.¹ Again, the most sleep I got afterward was a couple of hours. Sudden decreases in the amount of sleep can cause a vicious downward spiraling effect on me. The potential result can be one week of about a maximum of 14 hours totaled! I can go two-to-three nights (including the days in-between) without even a minute of sleep.

It’s not just wine that will trigger chronic insomnia. All my husband has to do is talk in an disturbingly unpleasant tone of voice. Then my nervous system gets shocked and I’m extra hyper-sensitive² for days. If another person talks nasty to me, it doesn’t have quite the same effect. I can only guess it’s because I don’t have to live with other people, so when they’re gone I know I won’t hear it. Not having any control over the exposure is what makes it worse, especially when trying to manage living with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Besides insomnia being a consequence to my sensory system being overloaded, headaches become more common. I used to be able to take over-the-counter pain relief medications. Not anymore I can. My bladder becomes hyper-sensitive and weaker. I try to keep a good distance from anything a pharmaceutical lab says is fit for human consumption (along with, of course, keeping away from what they say isn’t okay).

Fumes from chemicals like paint, polyurethane, bleach, ammonia, perfume, etc. are horrible to the nervous system. I used to be able to be indoors with the windows open if there was some mild usage of those products. Now I have to be outside and not come back in until all of it is gone from the air.

My eyesight isn’t what it once was (it’s worse); neither is my hearing (it’s now more acute). Certain sounds children and small dogs can emit quickly stress me out. Tension comes instantly, but can take days to go away.

The topping to all these joys is knowing how ignorantly people misjudge the reasons why a hyper-sensitive person likes to stay reclusive and do a minimal amount of socializing.

The easy resolution is to simply stay as far away as I can from things that are harmful to my health. That includes avoiding toxic people (who may mean well), especially those who think they know how to help others (but yet they have no clue what it is like to be in someone else’s shoes).

I have tried just about everything known to cause drowsiness. Most of them did (once upon a time) work to some degree for awhile, but the long-term consequences (especially with some of them) taught me something very important.

I’ve always known God works all things for the good to those who are called according to His purpose. I’ve been praying for help to overcome some obstacles in my life that should be as easy as a physically sound individual walking out of a room on his own accord. God wanted me to walk His way and He didn’t submit to doing the walk for me. What He did do though was make it very unpleasant for me to stay on the same path I’ve been on (some of them for decades).

It’s a lot harder to quit seeking from substances, activities, and/or certain people, what God alone can give. Instant gratification usually justifies itself with this thought, “God wants me to use these alternatives.” In my case, God knew how to turn up the dial of discomfort to get me moving in a better direction.

Depending on God never has any bad side effects — short term or long term!

¹I’m allergic to shrimp. Drinking a small glass of wine while eating shrimp is enough to stop me from breaking out in hives. Saying goodbye to wine means saying goodbye to shrimp and my sweet Straw-Buried-Bombers too.

²Aspies are prone to being hyper-sensitive as it is.

My mind too often.

  • Posted on January 29, 2010

It’s kind of going through this season again…

Rabbit or duck season?

whether it’s creating a new weblog design¹ or new post.

I think I’ll allow comments for a change, but who knows for how long? Special events pass quickly.

I’m curious what my readers think of the new look for this site. Please don’t feel offended if I don’t make more alterations that what I’ve already done.

If you’re experiencing slower than usual page loading, it’s not the software’s fault. It’s the hosting company’s poor management of accounts they’ve acquired. They offer no money-back guarantee for dissatisfied annual subscribers.

[Edit added 14 hours after publication time — This post went up before I went to sleep last night. This morning it's as if the web hosting fairy came while I was asleep. I'm stunned by how much faster the pages load on my site! How's that for a weird coincidence?!?!]

[Edit added 3 days after publication time — This morning I see that the speed at which the pages on my site load has slowed down a lot. I guess the hosting company's service is also like my mind too often. Some kind of indecision has to be going on somewhere with them, because it's not me that's causing big fluctuations in loading speeds from one day to the next!]

¹The theme’s name is Victorian Xmas. Mel Pedley developed it. I removed the Christmas season look and gave it a garden touch by adding ivy leaves. The delicate wildlife reflects my nature (although I probably write like a nasty critter sometimes).

Illuminating Disillusionments

  • Posted on January 28, 2010

In my post I wrote last January 18th I said, “I’m also going back to 1 Corinthians 2:2 and being thankful for God’s never ending perfect love.” I never really stopped being thankful for God’s love. What would have been accurate for me to say was that I’m more appreciative of His love, especially after realizing how easy it is to take things for granted.

What I meant by going back to 1 Corinthians 2:2 was going back to meditating upon what it means. I don’t know why that verse impulsively came to my attention as I was finishing that post. I can only guess that I was unconsciously connecting it to the devotional for April 2nd from Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest. It’s entitled THE GLORY THAT EXCELS. At that time, my eye was in a lot of pain from a recent accident and I didn’t know if a permanent visual impairment would be the result. To see the connection between my physical/emotional state of being and the devotional including 1 Corinthians 2:2, all you need to do is read it:

“The Lord . . . hath sent me that thou mightest receive thy sight.” Acts 9:17

When Paul received his sight, he received spiritually an insight into the Person of Jesus Christ, and the whole of his subsequent life and preaching was nothing but Jesus Christ – “I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” No attraction was ever allowed to hold the mind and soul of Paul save the face of Jesus Christ.

We have to learn to maintain an unimpaired state of character up to the last notch revealed in the vision of Jesus Christ.

The abiding characteristic of a spiritual man is the interpretation of the Lord Jesus Christ to himself, and the interpretation to others of the purposes of God. The one concentrated passion of the life is Jesus Christ. Whenever you meet this note in a man, you feel he is a man after God’s own heart.

Never allow anything to deflect you from insight into Jesus Christ. It is the test of whether you are spiritual or not. To be unspiritual means that other things have a growing fascination for you.

“Since mine eyes have looked on Jesus,
I’ve lost sight of all beside,
So enchained my spirit’s vision,
Gazing on the Crucified.”

The last time when I read that day’s devotion, I didn’t have the same understanding of it as I do now. I also didn’t have the same understanding of the one for July 30th as I do now. The deeper insight behind what Paul meant by saying he determined not to know anything among the others he was with except for Jesus Christ and Him crucified came to me sometime between the 19th and the 23rd of this year’s January. It’s now the 27th and my deeper understanding was just now confirmed when I did a search for which days Chambers based his devotionals on 1 Corinthians 2:2. If you take a look at the one for July 30th (entitled THE DISCIPLINE OF DISILLUSIONMENT), you will not see that bible verse referenced to, but yet the message is applicable to the verse:

“Jesus did not commit Himself unto them for He knew what was in man.” John 2:24-25

Disillusionment means that there are no more false judgments in life. To be undeceived by disillusionment may leave us cynical and unkindly severe in our judgment of others, but the disillusionment which comes from God brings us to the place where we see men and women as they really are, and yet there is no cynicism, we have no stinging, bitter things to say. Many of the cruel things in life spring from the fact that we suffer from illusions. We are not true to one another as facts; we are true only to our ideas of one another. Everything is either delightful and fine, or mean and dastardly, according to our idea.

The refusal to be disillusioned is the cause of much of the suffering in human life. It works in this way – if we love a human being and do not love God, we demand of him every perfection and every rectitude, and when we do not get it we become cruel and vindictive; we are demanding of a human being that which he or she cannot give. There is only one Being Who can satisfy the last aching abyss of the human heart, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Why Our Lord is apparently so severe regarding every human relationship is because He knows that every relationship not based on loyalty to Himself will end in disaster. Our Lord trusted no man, yet He was never suspicious, never bitter. Our Lord’s confidence in God and in what His grace could do for any man, was so perfect that He despaired of no one. If our trust is placed in human beings, we shall end in despairing of everyone.

Jesus says in Luke 13:32, “…Go ye, and tell that fox,…” and in chapter 23 of Matthew he uses the words, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!; Ye fools and blind guides; Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers…” John the Baptist also used similar language; plus, he added, “who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Fools would describe that kind of talk as being suspicious and bitter. There are more verses besides those that are said by others in the bible which some might misinterpret as being ungodly behavior.

There are several bible verses where God advises against trusting anyone other than Him. Because of Christ’s righteousness imputed into God’s elect, not only are Christians free from guilt,¹ the ability to not know anything about others that only God needs to know is something attainable with determination. That means Christians don’t need to try to figure people out completely.² Whatever way others are, that’s between them and God.  Those who depend on self rather than God seek security in their confidence to size people up beyond what they’re capable of.

[A portion was removed from this section of my post on 1.28.10 for editing purposes.]

I’m still skeptical about the idea that being cynical is completely bad. Something within me is saying that it may be wise to blow off the dust from my by book Mark Ellingsen called Blessed Are the Cynical: How Original Sin Can Make America A Better Place and take some time to re-read what’s inside.

Being cynical is like a fire. It can burn people or it can provide necessary protection from the cold and predatory wildlife; plus, it can bring light to expel darkness. A fire is only useful and safe when it’s contained to where it belongs (e.g., a fireplace). If it burns out of control, it can be deadly.

To never be skeptical of the motives of others would be like being willing to leave a fox in charge of the hen house.

I think Matthew 10:16 illuminates any disillusionments by saying, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” In other words, if we want to protect ourselves from criminals, we need to know the way their minds work. What we can’t know is what God has planned for their hearts, nor do we need to know. It would be criminal to relish in the death of a murder rather than pray for his salvation. Capital punishment may kill a human being, but it’s not the same thing as murder. Murder always resides in a malicious heart, but not necessarily all acts of killing.

Maybe it’s because we can’t see the internal sins of ourselves and others as easily as the external ones that we’re tempted to stray beyond the boundaries of seeking to know more than what’s necessary about others? If we can’t gather enough information to satisfy our carnal cravings (caused by not trusting God), imagination kicks in to fill the void.

¹“For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.” — Hebrews 10:2

²This includes Aspie Christians!

Tag Surfer Users

  • Posted on January 26, 2010

If you’re not a WordPress Tag Surfer user (subscribed to Asperger/autism related material), you’re not missing any relevant information by not reading this post (except for maybe the note at the end).

This post is to explain why those who have used WordPress’s Tag Surfer subscription feature to view posts of mine might not have been able to do so and now will be able to.

I have two identical blogs. When I first began blogging on January 24, 2008, I had only one blog. It has the url address sheilaschoonmaker.wordpress.com. The next day after creating that blog, I got a domain mapping upgrade. It caused that blog to eliminate wordpress from the center of the url, so all that was then seen was sheilaschoonmaker.com.

On May 22, 2008, I acquired an account from a web hosting company. I then created a second blog (also with the domain sheilaschoonmaker.com) and proceeded to ignore the first one hosted by WordPress. All the traffic from my first blog at WordPress became automatically redirected to my second blog hosted by another company. It still works that same way today.

Due to recently renewing my domain mapping for another year for my original WordPress account, it brought my attention back to the features WordPress has — more specifically, its tag surfer subscription feature. I also re-enabled search engines to allow its tags back into public view. I checked to see if it would work by adding in all the posts from my second blog, but I changed the dates of some so that they would be listed as being recent. That caused tag surfers subscribed to Aspergers or autism to reach a broken link because of the conflict between the dates of those posts (one blog versus the other). I now have fixed that problem by making the dates match.

I plan to continually add all the future posts from my second blog into my first blog (the first blog is always invisible because it redirects traffic to the second one).¹ If I didn’t do so, then the Asperger/autism Tag Surfer subscribers would miss out on seeing a blog written by a 55 year old Aspie woman. My blog isn’t restricted to Asperger related topics.

The other thing that is different about my first blog versus the second one are the themes. They both now have a liquid layout, but the first one (not visible to visitors) is plain and white (some long-time readers of my blog might remember it). The second one is now colorful (I recently changed its theme).

Please note — [Edited on 1.28.10] The publication time is no longer displayed because the time zone had to be advanced for each post; therefore it became inaccurate. Because of the new blog theme, the software updates are unable to correct a bug in the display of its calendar. In order to prevent the calendar from distorting, I had to choose to distort the time instead. Two days after publishing this post, I realized the time isn’t even necessary so I got rid of it.

¹My first blog ends up being a backup for my backup held on my hard drive. How cool is that?! thinking

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