America is Not Christian
Why is Politics Not Christian?
Majority of people decide what is right and wrong instead of God
Why is Economics Not Christian?
Everything costs money in economics whereas salvation is free
Logical Moral Conclusion
If people decide what is right and wrong and everything costs money then society values evil things
Components of American Exceptionalism
Geography, Natural Resources, and Population Density
Historical Politics of The Netherlands, Economy of England, and Technology of Germans / Prussians
How is Religion Tied to Politics?
God is presumed to bless with and uses money and power
Why Church?
Why I Didn't Go to Church
I got angry afterwards
I felt I would be disruptive
I felt like it was a political conventionI didn't feel part of the church
I did not believe they wanted me
It was hard for me to sit through church service because they were long and because of my mental illness
Why Go Back to Church Now?
There is more humility in the American churches today
I have worked through most of my big issues with God and the church
There are little obvious political or doctrinal divisions
I have decided not to say much about myself
I felt like God wants me to go
I have an easier time sitting through shorter services as I have further recovered or compensated for my mental illness
Post Covid Church
Science Fiction has become Mainstream
So Interest in Supernatural Returned
Feminism has become Mainstream
So Negative on Men and Church
Wealthy Church
Sees Politics = Religion
No Compromise Politics
Each Side Claims the Moral High Ground
Politics has been getting more aggressive
Job from the Bible Situation
Does Persecuted Church Still Honor God?
Persecution as a Social Outcast
Winner Takes All Society
Does Not Respect Alternate Views
Majority Drops Out of Society
Incompatible Differences
This is a story as old as time. It is how marriages often break up and wars start. The only thing surprising is that it happened so quick compared to other conflicts in history.
We have had this happen in our own history before with the Civil War and the "Indian Wars". Ironically these are tied in as well. One thing everyone seems to agree to hate is hypocrisy. These groups have different moral systems as well.
How can you do opposite things at the same time? Where do you even start? Maybe there needs to be a separation. The anger is not healthy. You cannot discuss almost any topic without it getting into religion/politics.
It makes me want to stop writing or thinking about religion/politics. What does the Bible say? I think of the Letter of James. One place to start is to see ways in which we have personally contributed to the problem and things we are willing to change about ourselves.
The things that seems to be the most divisive and makes people angry the most is calling them immoral or challenging their sense of ethics. Maybe we need another frontier or some way to give people more space physically and in other ways as well.
Some people have a hard time explaining their point of view. And when someone's mind is already made up, there is no point in arguing. People across the board feel they have no voice. Some have waited for generations and feel they had no recourse but to wait.
Our first reaction is that this is persecution of Christians but maybe the problem is our sin and our behavior is not Biblical. Really we have controlled America for many years and now we are losing control not being persecuted.
Christians are now experiencing a gradual change in demographics and a major technology revolution. These social changes are seen as religious because they see the major divisions in society to be religion based.
Christians should embrace new technology and engage in development of new ideas. They are facing a big cultural backlash because they have a very small and isolated presence in the intellectual and technology communities in Europe and America. By the time ideas get traction in the Deep South and Western areas of America, it is too late to change them.
Some people think everything should be based on reasoned debate. But the same people who claim to be objective are the least objective of all. Also this favoritises people who are good at arguing. One of the biggest problems with America is we are obsessed with debate.
It also comes down to basic assumptions about life and the relative importance of different values. People are also heavily influenced by life experiences and advertising. I believe the whole modern world is a bad mistake. I could best describe my political view as apocalyptic.
Why Focus on the Church for Moral Improvement?
You can change yourself
But you cannot change others
You cannot expect society to adopt
God's ideas and way of life
If they do not see in you the changes
That they want to make in their lives
And you preach yourself
It doesn't start just with salvation
You need to prepare the way
Much as John the Baptist
And all the previous Prophets
Made Jesus Christ understandable
To the people who would later accept Him
Knowledge of God must proceed repentance
Responsible Patriotism
God OR Country
Acceptance of God means
Alienation from the world
The world means America
Patriotism mean nothing
When all the countries
Conspire against their poor
And a small number
Risk all to protect this system
American Patriotism
Should mean what we leave
To the next 10,000 generations
Who live here after us
2020 World
2020 Communication
When anyone can edit anything
Nothing is real
2020 Money
When all your money is math
Words become irrelevant
2020 Entertainment
When you give up written words
You give up civilization
Fear - Morality = Chaos
FEAR
FEAR
The World's Common Language
Propaganda and Ideology
To justify American world empire
Using the military and Hollywood
To solve the problems of the rich
With tax money for "defense"
2001-2021
Crisis to Crisis
Terrorism to Disease
9/11-COVID
The more things change
The more they stay the same
Notes About Schizophrenia
Insights from Living with it for 25 Years
These graphics illustrate what is common for a person with Schizophrenia but not all is applicable to me personally or any person in particular.
Most illnesses are spectrum disorders.
I do not suffer from poverty (I am not rich either) and my family has helped me a lot and continues to help me out greatly (partly because I have not alienated them).
Most importantly I also take my medicine as prescribed.
Life with Schizophrenia
Insights from Living with it for 25 Years
Stress or Adrenaline drives the interrelated factors listed below
Creative
Literal
Skeptical
Restless
Hypersensitive
Impulsive
Schizophrenia Treatments
Insights from Living with it for 25 Years
Calmness is achieved by the interrelated factors listed below
Medicine
Support Services
Diet
Sleep
Exercise
God
Schizophrenia Services
Insights from Living with it for 25 Years
Mental Health is achieved by the interrelated factors listed below
Prescriber
Recreation
Housing
Income
Food
Church
Schizophrenia Myths
Insights from Living with it for 25 Years
Ignorance or stereotypes inspire the interrelated myths listed below
Violent
Genius
Lazy
Anarchist
Unskilled
Evil Spirit
Schizophrenia Problems
Insights from Living with it for 25 Years
Real suffering is caused by the interrelated problems listed below
Withdraw from Society
Obsessive Compulsive
Victim of Crime
Poverty
Isolation
Depression
Do you have Schizophrenia in 2021?
This is our time to shine.
Civilization is breaking down all around us.
But the only parts of our brains that give us trouble are those ones designed for us to conform to work in stable societies.
We could be leaders and with our heightened sense of spiritual things and paranoia could actually be useful in the near future.
Maybe we could be even teachers or leaders to prepare society for a life without the constraints of social norms.
Because we really know what fear means.
Where others might find it easy to be overpowered by fear and not be able to deal with the increased emotional stress.
This is second nature to us plus few of us find law enforcement to be designed for our safety.
We may not have our medicines then but what is crazy now might be normal then.