On the nature of truth:

To know the truth is to deny all other possibilities. To 'know' is to close your mind. To ‘seek’ is to open it. Only an open mind that has considered many opposing views can hope to see the truth in any of them.

It is therefore not the ‘truth’ that matters. It is the search for it. If someone has given you your truths then you have been misled because truth cannot be given. Only when in search of truth do you gain the wisdom to recognize it.

It is far easier to close an open mind than it is to open a closed one. You should be cautious when you believe you know the truth. For in so knowing, you have closed your mind to it.

This in essence denies the existence of any pure truth and demands that truth be what it inherently is; relative, subjective, ethereal. Your truth is not my truth. Summarily, truth is not an end unto itself but exists only as path to wisdom. Only when you let go of the arrogance of knowledge and embrace the humility of ignorance can you begin to understand this.

Restoring Honor?

I always viewed Beck as a source of derisive contempt. A bit like toilet paper for the brain. I might look his way long enough to make fun of him but for the most part he was beneath my notice. Then came the 'Restoring America' event.

I ignored the absurdity that he did not know it was scheduled for the anniversary of one of the most important events in U.S. history. I ignored the arrogant hype, that it would "change America" and "restore honor". I ignored it just as I had always ignored him. That is until at least 87,000 Americans traveled to DC to hear this man talk. These same people could have just stayed home and listened to him on the radio, or TV, but no. They traveled to the nations capital, fastidiously avoiding the green line, just to hear him and Palin rant in person.

Part pundit, part preacher. Beck's mix of religion and politics has resonated with the conservative discontent like a balm for the agony of independent thought. Beck's bugle call is one of anger and promises of a return to an idealized, romanticized, and untrue version of American history. His followers believe if they just pray and do what he says they can save America. The problem is how they seem to define 'save'. To them it means turning America into some sort of Christian fundamentalist dystopia. Where Christianity reigns over freedom like a vulture over the carcass of the Constitution. Slowly picking away at it until there is nothing left but the bare white bones of a once noble idea.

The truly sad part is that Beck is not even a true believer. His own lack of integrity and willingness to change his stance on points of principle prove his loyalty lies with his bank account and not with his followers cause. In my opinion this is the worst part. I mean, if you are going to do your best to destroy this country you should at least have the conviction of a tyrant instead of just the greed of one.

So where was I?

Well guess what? I'm back. After a long hiatus due to a new baby and some health problems I have returned to thrill the masses with with my brilliant, insightful, and pointless prattle.

Where was I? Oh yeah, I was going on about the Founding Fathers and whether this country was intended to be a Christian nation. I still have a couple of 'Fathers' to go and a couple of votes yet to cast but it occurs to me that it is a waste of time. We know the answer. Madison provided proof in spades. When the author of the First Amendment tells you what he intended, 'point blank' there is little room for debate. Anyone that insists on it beyond that point is so entrenched in their beliefs that they refuse to see the truth.

Our government was founded as a secular entity. This was not done to strip morality from government, but rather to promote it. It was not done to impede religious pursuit, but rather to protect it. It was put forth by James Madison and his contemporaries that religion (regardless of flavor) and government were both better off without the corrupting influence of the other. Two hundred plus years of history has proven their point repeatedly.

In fact even today as people debate the so called 'Ground Zero Mosque' we find that when government gets involved in religion it creates nothing but enmity and corruption. As politicians on both sides vie for gain by courting the volatile emotions of the masses. The media pundits and demagogues make millions by stoking the flames with their hyperbolic and irresponsible rhetoric. We are treated yet again to proof of our Founding Fathers wisdom. How wise must we be to recognize it? How foolish we must be to ignore it...