The other day, I looked through some snapshots of different blogs of mine as captured by the Internet Wayback Machine site. They seemed so free, so easy. Probably not the case, . . . → Read More: Haven’t Been Around Much Lately]]> I apologize for that. Been having a lot of trouble finding time, energy and focus for writing. The tendinitis in my left hand hasn’t helped much.

The other day, I looked through some snapshots of different blogs of mine as captured by the Internet Wayback Machine site. They seemed so free, so easy. Probably not the case, but there was a definite breeziness and ease that has since gone missing. I’m dong what I can to reclaim that gift.

Especially the gift of caring, of empathy, of compassion and concern for the people behind the screen names and written word. I don’t believe that’s gone anywhere, but it can never be overemphasized.

Never.

I know there are many issues facing our nation, and I’ve spent a fair amount of time, during those times in recent months when I have been writing, addressing these as best I can. If it wasn’t important, I wouldn’t bother.

That said, these things can never be allowed to override human concern, and the sharing of Christ’s love with others.

Again, never.

If this precludes a wide readership by those who live and breathe politics 24/7, and wish to keep matters of faith as quiet as possible so as to avoid any potential conflict between not only themselves and their readers, but their political philosophy and the teachings of Christ, let it be so. Far, far better to offer something of value to the one than preach to the thunderous applause of ten thousand already in the choir.

Nor can these things ever be allowed to create a divide between myself and others who see things differently. For me, if I am not following the mission statement of Goldfish and Clowns (“the obligation to follow Christ doesn’t end where your job or political affiliation begin”), any words I write are meaningless. Love does not shun either side of the aisle. Neither should any of us.

No, haven’t been around much lately. Hopefully that will change. And hopefully, prayerfully, my commitment to follow Christ will never change.

Except to grow.

Monthly all-employee meeting today, check.

Presentation of service awards, check.

Brief speech upon being given said award, check.

Laryngitis that arrived yesterday and shows no sign of loosening its grip on my throat today, check.

No doubt extremely relieved management at the place of my employment, check.

Who says I’m not a . . . → Read More: Timing Is Everything!]]> Ten year anniversary at the place of my employment, check.

Monthly all-employee meeting today, check.

Presentation of service awards, check.

Brief speech upon being given said award, check.

Laryngitis that arrived yesterday and shows no sign of loosening its grip on my throat today, check.

No doubt extremely relieved management at the place of my employment, check.

Who says I’m not a conscientious employee putting others above himself?

Marc Borland wrote a few different blogs, most prominent among them one named Full Throttle that was devoted to auto racing. He was a true pioneer of the sports blogging genre, starting his in 2002 at a time when blogging in general was a generally unknown quantity to the world . . . → Read More: Memories of a fellow blogger]]> A personal note about a colleague, gone far too soon.

Marc Borland wrote a few different blogs, most prominent among them one named Full Throttle that was devoted to auto racing. He was a true pioneer of the sports blogging genre, starting his in 2002 at a time when blogging in general was a generally unknown quantity to the world at large. Sports blogging? Unheard of. Yet there was Marc, posting away about not only sports, but a sport many don’t so much as consider to be one.

He was a individualistic man of singular vision and purpose. Marc was a pure blogger; always old school in a new genre. He could and would become more than a tad cranky when he didn’t receive the acclaim he felt his work deserved. Yet any and all offers to go pro, as it were, were quickly rebuffed. Marc enjoyed being the master of his domain, and nothing would take him away from his chosen task. Full Throttle was his and his alone, a place on which he would comment at length on the individuals and events that together formed the sport he loved.

Marc was a walking encyclopedia of racing knowledge, which he would both generously share and bash over the head of anyone who expressed opinions contrary to his own. Woe unto any who dared argue with him without first arming themselves to the teeth with facts. Marc would chop the ill-informed down without a shred of mercy. Sometimes it came off as arrogance. But it never was, really. It was passion in action.

Marc was a Navy man, who after serving his country settled in the Philippines where he married and raised a family. If you ever wanted to turn the self-professed crusty curmudgeon into a bag of mush, a simple inquiry about his two daughters would do the trick. Marc ofttimes was thought of as being fierce. In fact, he was fiercely loyal to those who saw past the gruffness into the thoughtful, caring man that lived underneath a hardened surface.

Marc passed away earlier this month. It took several days for word to reach those of us who knew him online. When it did, those of us who’ve been around a while drew closer, comforting and consoling each other as the painful realization sank in. Our circle had once more drawn closer. One of our own was gone, an irreplaceable voice stilled.

There are certain fellowships for which membership is available only to participants. We’re familiar with the brotherhoods of cops and firefighters. Bloggers who center around the same theme also know this fellowship, especially if our chosen topic is anything but fashionable. We reach past the mechanics of what we write about into the whys of our subject matter. Which leads to who we are and how this leads to our writing. Which leads to bonds of friendship that, while seldom spoken, are always present. Yes, we still argue about things. But that disappears in a heartbeat as we genuinely care about, and for, the people behind the opinions.

It’s hard to accept that Marc is gone. Yet there it is.

Farewell, blogging buddy.

(Cross-posted at Examiner.com.)

ADDENDUM: Clance’ McClannahan shares her memories.

Namely, abject failure.

There will always be a fringe, living in its own private madhouse, that will never accept truth regardless of how it is presented. . . . → Read More: Of President Obama, Lunatic Fringes and Media Failures]]> The present brouhaha concerning President Obama’s beliefs, or lack thereof as some accuse, reveals far less about what he does believe than is being again unveiled about both his defenders and detractors.

Namely, abject failure.

There will always be a fringe, living in its own private madhouse, that will never accept truth regardless of how it is presented. There are three primary motivations at work in such individuals. The first part of this unholiest of trinities is blinding pride, an inability to accept anything other than ones own perception as truth no matter how flawed are the conclusions drawn from same. The second descends from this, that being a mixture of validation and ego gratification by convincing others to join in the crusade. Finally, there is the third element, which is also a result of the first: if you work it right, personal madness pays. A prime example of this is Andrew Sullivan, who routinely rants how Trig Palin cannot possibly be Todd and Sarah Palin’s son despite overwhelming evidence stating this is the case. For this he draws a tidy sum from the Atlantic magazine’s online version, for its part being more than happy to facilitate Sullivan’s babble as long as it brings site visits translating into advertising revenue.

The freak show duly noted, there is tremendous danger in dismissing all opposition as crackpot inanity, perpetrated by those infused with cracked insanity. This conveniently provides an excuse to doing the work needed for uncovering, verifying and presenting facts. “You’re nuts for believing that and I’m not going to waste my time proving you wrong” is no more a stand on the side of truth than “hope and change” coupled with “yes we can” is a policy platform.

Setting aside the aforementioned fringe, which can and will never be satisfied, on the right we have an angry mob utterly disinclined to believe Obama’s professions of faith based on how in its interpretation, his words and deeds reflect anything other than Christianity. On the left we have a media so deep in its naked worship of Obama it has and continuously fails to perform basic journalistic duties; i.e. learn the facts and report them. It also is individually and collectively so utterly ignorant of Christ and Christianity it wouldn’t know the facts if Jesus smacked them across the face with His nail-scarred hand. The are very, very few Elijahs present in this debate. Instead of listening to the small still voice, we are enveloped in a cacophony of shrill small voices. Small in quality of message, that is. In all other aspects, they are louder than God, or at the least doing their best to drown Him out.

Which isn’t a good thing.

Obama has repeatedly evidenced that should his faith influence his political beliefs, said beliefs are firmly rooted in socially liberal theology. Being a Catholic who grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area during the latter part of the ’60s, I am quite familiar with the tenets of this schema. It promotes the notion of Jesus as a revolutionary, One Who directly challenged the social and political system on behalf of the poor. In this view of things, the implementation of His teachings concerning His command to tend to each others needs ought to be manifested on a level far beyond simple, direct charity. It should be a societal mandate. In the most extreme extension of this philosophy, namely liberation theology, active resistance to oppressive governments, including armed insurrection, is not only acceptable but mandatory. This should be known to the media, but since it hasn’t covered radical priests or lesser variants since the Vietnam war it’s most likely escaped their attention.

The overriding theme of Obama’s agenda has been, and continues to be, the implementation of forced societal equality. Unlike classic liberation theology, however, he has chosen to attempt this change via governmental dictum rather than through radical opposition to government.

So does this mean Obama isn’t a Christian?

No.

A difference in theology is not an automatic signal someone has either deviated from faith in Christ, or has none despite any and all protestations to the contrary. It does make one wonder what kind of instruction in the faith the person received to be so addlepated in regards to what Jesus taught, though.

So yes, there is failure on both sides to grasp the nature of Obama’s faith. He has stated more than once he is a believer in Jesus Christ, and there is no reason to insist it isn’t so. The lack of knowledge about where he’s coming from in regard to his faith? The media bears the greatest amount of blame for this information gap. And all the sniping and whining about those crazy right-wing nut jobs won’t obscure the truth. No matter who chooses to believe it.

Or whatever anyone chooses to believe.