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When Does It End?

Can you spare a couple of minutes?  I have to deal with spells of depression (and will not go back on the meds after several years away from them),  and have a tendency to look on the dark side of life. But still, this is important. (Did you know that Elijah, Jonah, and others in the Bible struggled with bouts of depression? Well, never mind about that now.) I'm saying that I get a bit reflective, possibly more often than some folks. My parents and oldest brother have passed away. None of that was a shock, we knew their times were near. Several years ago, someone I knew who had self-medicated with a powerful medication she bought on the street overdosed and died, never having reached age 30. A couple of weeks ago, one of the few people I met on the Internet and also met in real life died. Then I learned that Kerry Stoutenburgh of Kingston, NY was swimming in Maryland, and "died from a rare infection caused by an amoeba known as Naegleria fowleri". She

Watching My Language

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen No, this isn't about my saying rude things to the computer when it doesn't work the way it's supposed to. This is about wording choices in general. It's easy nowadays to have a misunderstanding, especially on the Web. At The Question Evolution Project , I made a remark about "st00pid dumb Xtians" that someone disliked. Mayhaps he was in a in a bit of a hurry, and sent a message: What is an Xtian??? If you don't have enough respect to spell out Christian, then you have little, or no power, to persuade. I will unfollow you. Since he wrote, I figured he would let me reply, so I wrote back: No need to get all excited, I also said "st00pid dumb" in that sentence. It was sarcasm on how anti-Christians treat us, and I have been called that several times - but not by Christians. Although "Xtian" (or "Xian") is considered by some to be a legitimate abbreviation, I don't use it unless I'm being sar

Errand Boy

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen Edited 7-10-2016 Another installment from the "Personal Musings Department". Something that this cowboy-at-heart has in common with Dr. Who is in the 1969 episode of "The War Games", the final story for the second Doctor (Patrick Troughton). In Episode 8, Jamie McCrimmon asks why the Time Lords are angry with him. The Doctor replies, "Well, It is a fact, Jamie, that I do tend to get involved with things". Part of Jamie's reply is, "Aye, you can say that again". That seems to fit me rather well. I want to present the truth, refute evolution, defend Christianity against heresy, and so on. Generally, I like to help people, especially in spiritual matters. People will post questions at The Question Evolution Project and occasionally on my " Public Figure " Facebook Pages. Great! Sometimes, I even know the answers myself. Other times, sorry, I just don't know. There are many resources available from pe

Piltdown Superman and the Burning Heart

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen Strange title, isn't it? Sounds like something in a young adult book series, number eight following  Piltdown Superman and the Clock in the Tower and The Case of the Vanishing Aircar.  Actually, this is a bit of an introspective and autobiographical thing; it helps me get some thoughts spelled out, and also reveals a bit of "behind the scenes" information for the few who may find it a mite interesting. And maybe I can get rid of an earworm . But I can't explain why I felt so compelled to write this article. "Burning Heart" image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net / digitalart People who have heard my interviews and podcasts may remember this part of the story. Way back yonder when I began the " Evolutionary Truth by Piltdown Superman  (There is no truth in goo-to-you evolution)" site, I was wondering what to call it. Piltdown Man was a fraudulent evolutionary ancestor that fooled many scientists for over 40 years, so put

The Gods Are Petty

While listening to an audio book of Homer's Odyssey, I was once again struck by the way the false gods in Greece and other cultures are very human. Oh, they were supposedly mighty gorgeous and powerful, but they were vindictive sidewinders. "...Eurytus came prematurely by his end, for Apollo was angry with him and killed him because he challenged him as an archer." Apollo and Diana, by Battista Tiepolo, 1757 Those beings considered gods had civil wars, jealous rivalries (including if another of their number got romantically involved with a human), murder, and more. Cronos-Saturn devored his own children, and that gruesome image became an allegory for the passing of generations. They were tricky, too , taking human form and walking among us when they got the urge. You never knew what they would do next on a whim; Minerva killed some people, but assisted Ulysses because she had a soft spot for him. In the Epic of Gi lgamesh , which contained one of the oldest variat

What If I'm Right?

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen No, this isn't a form of Pascal's Wager . I just got to speculating one day. Eschatology is not my strong point. I'll hear arguments from Amillennialists and Preterists (not the hyperpreterist heretics, though) that make some good points. However, I believe that the Premillennialist pre-tribulation rapture position is the strongest. Unfortunately, there are professing Christian sanctimonious tinhorns in various camps who take the "Premillennialism is a heresy that must be refuted " view. Not interested. Some even use the appeal to motive  fallacy of "Pretribs just want to escape, so they want to sit around doing nothing while they wait for Jesus to come and take them away". I don't cotton to the opposite happening, either. That's no way for Christians to act! Have rational discussions, if you please. " The Last Judgement " by Viktor Vasnetsov, 1904 Seems like through the ages, people have been saying t

Why was I the One?

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen This is a bit of wondering and pondering.  Back on Thanksgiving Day (November 26, 2015), my wife and I went out for a visit. When we returned home in the afternoon, we noticed that a smoke alarm was sounding from one of the buildings in the apartment complex. We didn't pay it no nevermind, figuring that someone cooked something a mite too long or spilled gravy on a stove on this heavy cooking day. Image credit: Freeimages.com / Roy White An hour or two later, it was getting dark and I realized that the alarm was still sounding, so I took a walk over to that building. People were moving in but ignoring the alarm, and I did not see any signs of fire, smoke, or other distress. Some time back, I read about a woman who had been murdered in the street and it took twenty minutes for her to die because people drew their blinds and didn't want to get involved. I had resolved not to be like that, and this was such a time. What if there really was a prob