A Conservative Estimate

Conservative.

That word has been on my mind lately. Ok, maybe not the word but the concept. We hear that word a lot these days. It's usually referring to politics but not always.

This is where I don't cite Webster or any other dictionary in regard to the definition of the word. So many others would do that at this point. I'm not faulting someone else for doing so. It's just not my thing. Following a familiar pattern can be conservative but not always. 

In fact, I don't think we need to address what a conservative is. I think that is a a common problem facing Americans today. Too many assume that a conservative is an adherent to the platform of the Republican Party. This line of thinking would lead anyone to believe that a pickup truck with a "Romney/Ryan 2012" bumper sticker would automatically belong to a Conservative. you could follow this line of reasoning that anyone living in reasonable social acceptance in a "Red State" would be a conservative.

However, regardless of what the bumper sticker is on your car says, Wal-Mart is not conservative. Wearing your pajamas to Wal-Mart (or anywhere else further from home than your mailbox) is certainly not conservative. Using profanity in public, or in front of women or children, is not conservative. Coal ash in a North Carolina river is not conservative. Doing anything with the planned intention of offending liberals is not conservative.

These are the sorts of thing my great-grandmother would identify as "common". They are beneath the dignity of a lady or a gentleman. This is not a haughty or arrogant stance. It is a statement of fact about the expectations of someone with "home training". There is no rule or law to force a certain code of behavior because there doesn't have to be. A gentleman is a representative of himself, his family and any other group that he finds himself affiliated with and his behavior reflects on each and every one of them.

So if you climb down out of your pick up truck in your pajamas and use the common tongue to enquire about the overhead contents of your allegedly Oedipal acquaintance on the other side of the parking lot while some poor lady tries to shield her kids from your behavior and get them safely inside, your Republican bumper sticker doesn't make you conservative. It makes you a barbarian with a Republican bumper sticker.

Yes, I understand that you're a "grown man" and that you don't care what the opinions of others matter. I know its a free country and you can do what you want. And you're right about all of that. But a true conservative understands that his "right" or "ability" to do such things never sets him apart from anyone else. That's right, anyone can do those things. But restraint is an art. Dignity is a gift. And there's no rule that says you should lower your standards to behave in a manner that is beneath you.

Other things inaccurately portrayed as conservative: Abraham Lincoln, The Pledge of Allegiance, war & cheap beer.

But those are stories for another day...

The Time is Nye.

Haven't been able to get the words to come together so far this year. I've tinkered with a few posts but nothing has come together like I wanted it to. That's the reason for the hiatus.

Hopefully, this will get me back on track

So let's talk about the big debate tomorrow. I'm a creationist. It's a matter of faith to me. It might look a bit different than some positions you've heard. If you must know, I've discussed it here before. I believe in intelligent design and a finite beginning to our universe.

I'm also a pretty big fan of Bill Nye. He has spent many evenings with me and my son (via YouTube at least) helping us get through concepts that a science textbook just had difficulty communicating to him. I also think he conducts himself with class under the situations I've witnessed.

And so "The Science Guy" heads into the Lions' Den. While I'd like to believe that he will receive a classy and gracious environment, my personal experience leaves me doubtful. I fear a Lions' Den is exactly what he'll find.

Admittedly, I'm unfamiliar with Ken Ham. Therefore, I'll pass no judgement or make no claims for or against him. But I do have some serious concerns about the audience. Especially after Bill was booed for claiming that the moon doesn't make it's own light but instead reflects that light of the sun. I disagree with him that this disproves the creation accounts but I'm not prepared to boo him off the stage over it.

Honestly, I hope I'm wrong. I hope the audience shows up and politely watches the two participants. I hope dignity and etiquette are themes of the evening. I hope two men have an intelligent discussion on the topic of intelligent design. I hope at the end of the debate, they shake hands and walk away with a mutual respect that can come from having been civilized, shared your opinion and allowed another to do the same.

I think our nation needs to see that sort of event. I think we need to remember what that is like.

Christmas Rant, 2013

And so it's Christmastime. The Holidays. A time of Season's Greetings.

But it isn't very merry or happy and I sure don't feel like greeting anyone. It's hard to get into the idea of "Silent Night" with the constant din of the season ringing in my ears.

For me it isn't the "commercialization" of the season, per se. Yes, it was quite depressing that all the major retail centers were in full Christmas mode before they even had all the excess Halloween candy on the discount racks. But in reality, I don't frequent such places enough to cause such malaise.

I've touched on part of the cause here before. But to be honest, our December problem is not getting better.

So, I'm going to emit a few thoughts, to let off some of the pressure and see if it gets me into the spirit.

Santa Claus. Seriously? What race is the Easter Bunny? The Tooth Fairy? The Great Pumpkin? St. Nicholas (the original 3rd & 4th century saint) was Greek and/or Turkish. The guy in the red suit in America has influences that are, shall we say, "non-Mediterranean". He has typically been portrayed as white due to the cultural norms of the time. If I go in a mall and I see Santa that is Black, White, Greek, Native American or Filipino, I'm not going to freak out. I promise that I'm going to be a lot more disturbed by being in a mall at Christmastime than I will be at what color Santa Claus is.

Happy Holidays. Seriously. There's a lot of them this time of year. In fact, between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day there are between four and 10 feasts, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and 4 Advent Sundays - depending on which Christian liturgical calendar you follow. There is also usually Hanukkah - which isn't Christian but is important to Judaism, which is pivotal to the understanding of Christianity and since Christmas celebrates the birth of an observer of Hanukkah (John 10:22-23), I think it's ok to include it. And while I don't celebrate Kwanzaa myself, I'm not offended by those that do and if someone were to politely wish me a "Happy Kwanzaa" I wouldn't be offended. I'd be happy that someone thought enough to say something nice to me instead of many of the other things I get called or told.

Fighting over what displays are and are not allowed in town. How old are you? Are you really that offended that something you do not believe in is on display in the town square? Regardless of how you identify Him, Jesus Christ is world renowned as a teacher, spiritual leader, bringer of peace and prophet that compelled people to love one another. Are you really offended by that? If so, don't live in the Bible Belt where people parade Him around like a trophy.

Are you offended that He isn't being paraded around enough? What personal insecurity might be causing that? Jesus was born in a stable and 2000 years later is still common in conversation and remains one of the most celebrated people ever. I don't think He's offended by not being displayed outside the courthouse. He has a way of getting into the places He wants to be (John 20:19)

This is a really long way around to say I have a lot of fatigue related to the bickering and arguing that accompanies this time of the year.

My request for this Christmas is just that we be a little more kind, a little more polite and a little more accommodating to each other. If someone bids you a polite greeting that you might not have chosen, be polite with your response and go on about your way.

In short, be merry, be happy, be whatever one you choose. But if you can't be polite, please be quiet.