References:
• 1 Peter 5:1-11 NAS
• Matthew 12:22-29 NAS
• ST Nickolas
• Krampus
This may come as a real shock to some people, but I do enjoy a good horror movie once in a while. I am not talking about the ‘slasher’ films like ‘Friday the 13’ or Freddy Kruger movies. I am talking about the suspenseful, supernatural ones. Just some of the ones that I have enjoyed are “The Village,” “Dark Valley” (more of a suspenseful movie), “The Walking Dead” series, “An Amish Murder,” (again, more suspenseful), “The Others,” amongst others. Such a movie has to have a really good plot, otherwise I will probably not finish watching it. There are quite a few movies on Netflix that I have started, but soon lost interest in.
One horror movie that I saw in the theaters this week was Krampus. ‘Who is Krampus?’ you may ask? Basically, Krampus is the demonic twin brother of ST Nickolas, according to German folklore. What’s interesting to me is that, up until this past week, I had never heard of Krampus. In college, I was a German Studies major and read quite a bit about German history. I do know that there is a strong druid-like spiritual history (as far as ancient pagan religious customs go), but I had not heard of ‘Krampus,’ before. Learn something new every day….
Every year at this time here in America, all we hear about is Santa Claus, that ‘jolly ole’ elf.’ And we are told that he knows if we’ve been ‘naughty or nice.’ Yes, I am quoting a very popular Christmas song, “Santa Clause is Coming to Town.” According to tradition, ‘good’ little boys and girls get gifts and ‘bad’ little boys and girls get lumps of coal. I don’t know about you, but while I was growing up, I usually followed the rules, but not all of the time. I always got gifts each Christmas. And, there were quite a few kids that I knew who were bullies. And I never heard of them getting coal for Christmas. Not much incentive to be good, huh?
According to German folklore, Krampus would go around Austria and southern Germany and take away all of the bad boys and girls. According to the “Who is Krampus” page, a Krampus-like character has been around for more than 2,000 years. Potentially longer. During ancient times, I am sure that some children disappeared and, because they weren’t found and no other explanation was available, it was believed that Krampus had done it. In more modern times, that is probably not believed.
It doesn’t surprise me that, here in the US, that such characters like Krampus do not become part of the mainstream culture. As people have immigrated here from other countries, many have striven to get rid of what is perceived by them (or by others) as negative aspects of their culture. Or, even though the first generation or two intended on maintaining all of their culture, it eventually got lost within the mixed culture of the United States as a whole. When ethnic groups live together within the same geographical area, there is a stronger tendency for them to maintain more of the unique aspects of their culture. The farther away they are, the less likely they are to maintain them.
But, I have noticed a more disappointing, even disturbing trend that this parallels. I grew up within the Presbyterian Church (USA) and still consider myself to be Reformed in my theology. At age three, I was adopted by a PC(USA) minister and his wife. Because of this, I grew up being very involved with church life. During this time, I learned about how we are all fallen and sinful creatures. However, I knew almost nothing about Satan, demons, Spiritual Warfare, etc. It wasn’t until I gave my life to Christ (a Road to Emmaus experience) that I really started learning about this.
Up until I gave my life to Christ in 1994, about all I knew about Satan, demons, and the like, was what I read in books and saw in movies. Most of what I was exposed to was either that they are all a farce, not real, or just a figment of one’s imagination; something that was folklore and superstition, and now have been ‘proven by science’ to not be real; or something similar. At times, they were portrayed as real, but either not very powerful or exceptionally powerful and that there was no god (or that God was not powerful enough to stop them, almost like Greek or Roman mythology).
While I was in college, I started learning how to apply all that I had learned growing up with my walk with Christ. I started learning how to discern between what was Scripturally sound and what was not. I also realized that God was calling me to ministry. So, I attended Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary (LPTS) in order to fulfill that calling. Although I knew that the seminary was predominantly moderate to liberal in theology, I was expecting a good theological education. At LPTS, the predominate theology that was taught was ‘process theology.’ (Definitions can be found here and here for your understanding.) I liken ‘process theology’ to ‘processed cheese.’ Though it has some of the right, natural (correct) beliefs, it is full of artificial ingredients, making it, as a whole, ‘impure.’ (You can find definitions/explanations here and here, and here is a side-by-side comparison for you to digest.) Not only was it taught that there was no such thing as Satan or demons, I was often looked down upon for believing that they were real. And, it was during this time that I gained a lot of ‘practical experience’ in Spiritual Warfare.
Although I believe it is important to protect children from things that are harmful, but there needs to be a balance. If one only exposes children to ‘good things’ and hides all of the bad and evil in the world from them, then you are setting them up for failure. There needs to be a wise balance with helping children understand the evil that is in the world. Life is like a rose. You have the beautiful flower, but you also have the sharp thorns. If people do not know about, and therefore do not understand, the evil, hatred, and sadness that is a part of life, then they will not be equipped with the skills necessary to deal with them. Eventually, all of us will be confronted by the evil in the world and the sinful nature within each of us. If we are not prepared to deal with it, it will rule over us. In fact, if we are not prepared to deal with such things, it will destroy us. Do we really want to set our children up for failure, for emotional and spiritual destruction?
Showing posts with label prejudice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prejudice. Show all posts
Friday, December 18, 2015
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Cultural and Respect
References:
- Acts 17:16-34 NAS
- 1 Corinthians 9:16-27 NAS
- Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
- Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
- The Kingdom (2007)
I love a good, thought provoking movie, as well as a good action movie or a good thriller. For me, the movie has to have depth. I want to be touched by the message of the movie, not just something meaningless to watch. Yes, I am a bit picky about what movies I watch. Each of us has our own preferences. A movie that I have just recently added to my “very much enjoy list” is “Lawrence of Arabia.” This movie has a similar theme to other two movies that I really enjoy, “Kingdom of Heaven” and “The Kingdom.” But, I will get to that in a few minutes.
In the passage from Acts, we see Paul and Silas were traveling together on Paul's second missionary trip (Acts 15:36-41) and were currently in Athens, Greece. Paul sees all sorts of idols, including any empty pedestal, and uses them as a springboard for preaching to the local populace in a manner that they could understand. In the 1 Corinthians passage referenced above, we see Paul's strategy a little more in depth. He seeks to understand the culture that he is working in, and then uses that to inform how he teaches them about Christ. He doesn't change the Message of the Gospel, just how he explains it and how he lives amongst them. He does that so that they can understand who Christ Jesus is.
You see, each of us view life through the lens of our unique blend of culture, heritage, and experiences. All of this informs us how to view life. It's the framework that we use in order to understand the world around us. Not only does each country have its own unique culture, but communities within the same country have different forms of culture. Although a whole nation may share some similar cultural features, different areas within the same country will differ somewhat. Local customs, dialects, and unique histories vary greatly from place to place.
Besides the United States, I have experienced the local cultures of Europe and some parts of Iraq. Through visiting distant relatives in Europe and spending a semester in Strasbourg, France, I have a lot of first hand experience with European cultures. I have been able to see local history, experienced local traditions, and visited with many different people. This personal experience, combined with basic knowledge of the German language and history, has opened many doors for me. Whether traveling on a train, sitting in a restaurant, or some other environment, I have been blessed with some fascinating conversations with German people. There have been awkward times where neither of us had enough vocabulary to express all that we wanted to say. But yet, we strove to understand and to be understood.
My experience with the Iraqi culture is a bit more limited. But, especially during my third deployment in 2010-11, I did get to interact with some of the business, government and military leaders in Baghdad. That was because of my job with creating vehicle security passes for vehicles within the International Zone. Not only did I get to interact with some of the Iraqi citizens, but I also got to interact with many of the members of the different embassies. Although I had many positive experiences working with each of them, one situation in particular really stands out with me.
One of the PSD (Personal Security Detail) teams that I worked with was from the Korean Embassy. While in high school, college, and in seminary, I have gotten to know many people from different Asian countries. Because of these experiences, both good and bad, I had fairly good idea of what I should do. When they came to the door, I stood up, walked towards them, and then bowed to them. I acknowledged them according to their culture. They hesitated a moment, then returned the bow. We then got down to business. For whatever reason, they had to leave and return. When they came back a few days later, they literately stood at the door and politely told the OIC (Officer in Charge) that they would like to talk with me. They then patiently waited for me to be ready. Because of the way I had shown them respect, they went out of their way to show me respect.
Over the years, I have talked with many people from different countries while they were either visiting or studying in the United States. While many people do try to show respect to them, it is unfortunate that others within the US do not. This happens while Americans have traveled to different countries to visit and while foreigners have visited the US. Sometimes it's because someone just does not have any experience with other cultures and doesn't understand the differences. There are so many different cultures out there that it would be impossible to understand them all. And most foreigners visiting or studying here understand that. But, there is a big difference between not understanding because of no experience, and not even trying.
Each of the three movies have a common theme. Major world events caused two different cultures to have to work together. In each of the movies, each side had their cultural stereotypes of the other. These stereotypes caused a lot of friction and frustration initially. But, during the movie, people on both sides made the attempt to try and understand the others' perspective, while seeking to more clearly explaining their own. It took time, patience, and a lot of work. But, by the end of the movie, their work paved the way for a lot of mutual respect and learning. In working together, they were able to accomplish a lot of awesome things. Something they could not have accomplished separately.
There have been many times where, in trying to interact with someone of another culture, I 'put my foot into my mouth.' I have made mistakes. I have also striven to learn from those mistakes so that I can better interact with people from a different culture. It is not easy. What is normal in some cultures can be offensive to others. These are easy to find. However, will we strive to set aside the things that we find distasteful and annoying and seek common ground? That is something each and every one of us will have to decide when the time comes. For those of us who follow Christ, we are His ambassadors to this world. How shall we live this out?
- Acts 17:16-34 NAS
- 1 Corinthians 9:16-27 NAS
- Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
- Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
- The Kingdom (2007)
I love a good, thought provoking movie, as well as a good action movie or a good thriller. For me, the movie has to have depth. I want to be touched by the message of the movie, not just something meaningless to watch. Yes, I am a bit picky about what movies I watch. Each of us has our own preferences. A movie that I have just recently added to my “very much enjoy list” is “Lawrence of Arabia.” This movie has a similar theme to other two movies that I really enjoy, “Kingdom of Heaven” and “The Kingdom.” But, I will get to that in a few minutes.
In the passage from Acts, we see Paul and Silas were traveling together on Paul's second missionary trip (Acts 15:36-41) and were currently in Athens, Greece. Paul sees all sorts of idols, including any empty pedestal, and uses them as a springboard for preaching to the local populace in a manner that they could understand. In the 1 Corinthians passage referenced above, we see Paul's strategy a little more in depth. He seeks to understand the culture that he is working in, and then uses that to inform how he teaches them about Christ. He doesn't change the Message of the Gospel, just how he explains it and how he lives amongst them. He does that so that they can understand who Christ Jesus is.
You see, each of us view life through the lens of our unique blend of culture, heritage, and experiences. All of this informs us how to view life. It's the framework that we use in order to understand the world around us. Not only does each country have its own unique culture, but communities within the same country have different forms of culture. Although a whole nation may share some similar cultural features, different areas within the same country will differ somewhat. Local customs, dialects, and unique histories vary greatly from place to place.
Besides the United States, I have experienced the local cultures of Europe and some parts of Iraq. Through visiting distant relatives in Europe and spending a semester in Strasbourg, France, I have a lot of first hand experience with European cultures. I have been able to see local history, experienced local traditions, and visited with many different people. This personal experience, combined with basic knowledge of the German language and history, has opened many doors for me. Whether traveling on a train, sitting in a restaurant, or some other environment, I have been blessed with some fascinating conversations with German people. There have been awkward times where neither of us had enough vocabulary to express all that we wanted to say. But yet, we strove to understand and to be understood.
My experience with the Iraqi culture is a bit more limited. But, especially during my third deployment in 2010-11, I did get to interact with some of the business, government and military leaders in Baghdad. That was because of my job with creating vehicle security passes for vehicles within the International Zone. Not only did I get to interact with some of the Iraqi citizens, but I also got to interact with many of the members of the different embassies. Although I had many positive experiences working with each of them, one situation in particular really stands out with me.
One of the PSD (Personal Security Detail) teams that I worked with was from the Korean Embassy. While in high school, college, and in seminary, I have gotten to know many people from different Asian countries. Because of these experiences, both good and bad, I had fairly good idea of what I should do. When they came to the door, I stood up, walked towards them, and then bowed to them. I acknowledged them according to their culture. They hesitated a moment, then returned the bow. We then got down to business. For whatever reason, they had to leave and return. When they came back a few days later, they literately stood at the door and politely told the OIC (Officer in Charge) that they would like to talk with me. They then patiently waited for me to be ready. Because of the way I had shown them respect, they went out of their way to show me respect.
Over the years, I have talked with many people from different countries while they were either visiting or studying in the United States. While many people do try to show respect to them, it is unfortunate that others within the US do not. This happens while Americans have traveled to different countries to visit and while foreigners have visited the US. Sometimes it's because someone just does not have any experience with other cultures and doesn't understand the differences. There are so many different cultures out there that it would be impossible to understand them all. And most foreigners visiting or studying here understand that. But, there is a big difference between not understanding because of no experience, and not even trying.
Each of the three movies have a common theme. Major world events caused two different cultures to have to work together. In each of the movies, each side had their cultural stereotypes of the other. These stereotypes caused a lot of friction and frustration initially. But, during the movie, people on both sides made the attempt to try and understand the others' perspective, while seeking to more clearly explaining their own. It took time, patience, and a lot of work. But, by the end of the movie, their work paved the way for a lot of mutual respect and learning. In working together, they were able to accomplish a lot of awesome things. Something they could not have accomplished separately.
There have been many times where, in trying to interact with someone of another culture, I 'put my foot into my mouth.' I have made mistakes. I have also striven to learn from those mistakes so that I can better interact with people from a different culture. It is not easy. What is normal in some cultures can be offensive to others. These are easy to find. However, will we strive to set aside the things that we find distasteful and annoying and seek common ground? That is something each and every one of us will have to decide when the time comes. For those of us who follow Christ, we are His ambassadors to this world. How shall we live this out?
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Stereotypes and Prejudice
Picture this… You see a white guy running down a road, and he appears to be running as hard as he can. Be hind him, you see a black SUV with police lights on top and a black guy driving. The guy driving is wearing a Military Police uniform and is telling the white guy running to, “Keep running!” Think about this mental picture for a few minutes…
Over the last few months, I have become more and more disgusted with the media concerning stereotypes. Whether it was the situation in Ferguson, MO, last year, or the more recent situation in Baltimore, MD. Hundreds of people are protesting and capitalizing on many different stereotypes. Just a few of them that I see are:
- All blacks are persecuted and have to rise up.
- Most white cops are evil racists and must be eradicated.
- Since the Civil Rights Marches during the 1960's didn't 'fully get rid of' racism, we have to act out violently.
- Anytime a white cop arrests a black person, it has to be racially motivated.
I could go on and on, because there are many, many different stereotypes out there. There are stereotypes of people in colleges, there are stereotypes of people in politics, there are stereotypes of those in the military. But, since Ferguson and Baltimore have been in the news so much recently, I will focus on those.
I am sure that most of you out there reading this blog know the cliché, “Don't judge a book by it's cover...” In a nutshell, that means don't make a decision about reading or not reading a book based solely on the title, the cover art, etc. Actually take time to read the summary of the book, the preface, or scan a couple of the chapters. I know that all of us are guilty of doing this. Back in April, I had a birthday and I decided to pick out two books for myself since I knew that, due to an upcoming deployment, I would not get much in the way of gifts. And, I have been a very avid reader since I was in grade school. So, I spent some time scanning a number of books in a store. Since I did not have a lot of time, I had to make a purchase fairly quickly.
Because of that, I 'judged a lot of books by their covers.' If the genre was one that I didn't care for, wasn't a small paperback, or the title did not sound appealing, I did not consider it further. But, after going through once and not finding anything 'good,' I realized that I would have to spend a little more time looking at at least some of the books more closely, otherwise I would not have any travel books. So, I took more time looking through the books and finally found two that appealed to me. One appealed to me because it was about a former US soldier and his Military Working Dog (MWD), both who had been released from the military and doing private contract work. Being in the military and having a dog myself, when I saw what the book was actually about, I chose to buy it. And, although I haven't quite finished it yet, I have really enjoyed it! (For those who want to know, it is “The Kill Switch; A Tucker Wayne Novel” by James Rollins and Grant Blackwood.)
I also selected another book called, “The Lost Island” by Preston and Child. I have not read it yet, but based on the description on the back, it is potentially a good book. I love Indiana Jones movies, but I am a little critical of some of the books out there concerning archeology or searching for lost treasure. Being a lover of history and having studied theology and ancient writings (primarily ancient Hebrew and ancient Greek), I am critical with how such such movies/books are done.
I know that, had I not changed my attitude towards finding a book last month, I would have missed out on at least one really good book. The authors of “The Kill Switch” have done a very good job and portraying the former soldier and his dog in a believable way. And, since my family has had a dog for almost 7 years, and I have been in the military for almost 14 years now, I am a bit critical of such things. Sure, there are things that have to be taken with a grain of salt, like how some of the fight scenes are described. But, that comes with most any book or movie. I am very glad that I did not go with my 'first impression,' especially with this particular book.
As I just mentioned, I have been with the US Army, both Active Duty and with the Nebraska National Guard, for almost 14 whole years. I have had the privilege of serving with many different people of very different vocations, ethnic backgrounds, religious beliefs, etc. Although I have been skeptical of some people based on first impressions, I have found that I am often wrong with what I initially thought. They were either having a bad day, I misread them, or something else. Most of the people I have served with I have been proud to call a brother or sister in arms.
Even while in college and seminary, I learned that initial assumptions about a person can end up being totally wrong. My life has been blessed by knowing each of this different people from all over the United States. Nay… From all over the world. Each of these experiences have enriched my life and enabled me to be a better person, I am greatly thankful for each of them.
The rioting that has happened in Baltimore and in Ferguson are excellent examples, I believe, of what can happen when people focus on fist impressions and/or the prejudices that they already have. Instead of seeking to find out what all of the details of the incident to see if the situation was justified or not, they immediately assume that the white police officer was biased and racist because he caused injury and/or death to a black person.
Yes, it is saddening when a person dies, and having to live with the fact that someone died based on the actions you took, either justly or unjustly, are things that each person faced with those situations will have to remember and deal with for the rest of his/her life. I am thankful that, as of writing this blog entry, I have not been forced to take a life. I hope that I never have to. But, due to the nature of the work that I do, as a Military Police Officer or a Corporal with the Nebraska Department of Corrections, that will always be a significant possibility. Every time someone is seriously injured or killed during any kind of military, law enforcement, corrections, or even self-defense situation an investigation will be done. It's mandatory. It's done to make sure that what ever force was used was actually justifiable, based on what the person knew at that time.
To make an assumption that a white cop killed a black person for no other reason than racism and prejudice, without making an attempt to know why everything happened, that makes your racist and prejudice. In assuming that a situation happened based on what your perceive as the causes, without seeking to find out the actual details, makes you just as 'pre-judging' as a white person who judges a black person to be on welfare and incompetent and lazy because he/she saw the person wearing dirty clothes and not working during 'regular banker's hours.' Or, just as prejudice as a person who equates all followers of Islam with those who are extremist and seek to force their 'version of Islam' onto others.
We are all fallen people with broken relationships with each other and with God. Do to our finiteness, we cannot see all things or understand all that happens around us. And, in some jobs, a person may have to make judgment calls and react to a situation based on a very incomplete understanding of all that goes on around them. The military, law enforcement, working in corrections, and firefighting are just some of the many jobs where a person has to make a split-second decision based on what they know, at that time. If they perceive that their life or the life of someone else is in jeopardy of death or serious bodily injury, they have to react. Even if it is later proved to have been a bad decision, if it can be proved that, at that time, they acted correctly, based on what they typical person in a similar situation would have reacted, then their actions will be considered justified.
When a person makes judgments based only on what they think or assume happened, and make no attempt to find out what the details of the situation is, it is very likely that your perception and understanding will be incorrect. That is bad enough. But, to go around and state that your understanding of the situation is true (that the shooting in Ferguson, MO, was racially motivated, for example) and not listen at all to evidence being shown to the contradict what you believe, then you are not doing anything positive for society. You are, in fact, actively making things worse. And, if you you such situations as an excuse to do violent things, like assault officers, destroy private property, and otherwise riot and be destructive, you are no better than the person and situation that you are 'rioting' against. When you participate in such violent acts, you show yourself to be as closed minded, arrogant and hateful as the person and situation that you are 'rioting' against.
And, it doesn't help with the media, no matter who they are, help to portray that kind of stereotyping. My wife grew-up in the Baltimore area and we have talked at length about that situation. It isn't just a white/black thing, there is also deep rooted anger concerning job and education opportunities, perception that law enforcement officers of any race arrest first, ask questions later (perceived or actual), etc. These people who give us the news or share their 'educated insights' into situations should be the first ones to actively seek out the truth and then use that knowledge to bring things to a more peaceful end, not purposely encouraging it to be worse (either because it makes them look better, more rating, or just too lazy to seek out the truth).
We live in a fallen world. It is easy for us to hate, seek only after our own gain, seek after answers that please us while dispelling truths that make us uncomfortable, etc. It is a daily challenge to stop and examine all of the evidence. It is much easier, from the safety of one's own living room to 'armchair quarterback' the decisions of others. It is important to examine things that happen in the world and make informed decisions on them. But yet, the important word here is 'informed.' That requires time and energy. Just like making new friends, experiencing new places, learning a new skill, or reading a new book, it all takes time and energy. Although first impressions will always happen (and we should strive to make good first impressions), a person is more than just one's first impression. A situation is more than just your initial thoughts after seeing or hearing about it later on.
After all of that…. Let's go back to the illustration that I started this blog out. The white guy with a black cop driving behind him, telling him to keep running. Think it was an ironic version of Ferguson that happened somewhere in the world? Did you even think that the cop was chasing a white criminal? I am sure it looked quite humorous, a white guy running on the road with a SUV behind him and a black cop telling him to keep running. I am sure that it got a lot of double takes. The thing is, I don't know for sure, because I didn't see it. I was the guy running.
Back in 2011, during third deployment to Iraq, I had to take the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT). For those that don't know, the standard Army APFT includes the number of push-ups and sit-ups done by an individual within 2 minutes (for each event), and then a timed two mile run. While I was getting ready to take my APFT, a friend and fellow Military Policeman asked me if I would like him to pace me. I told him that it would be wonderful if he did. After a little discussing, we settled on him trailing me, lights on for our safety, and he would call out the time every so often. He also 'encouraged' my to 'keep running' throughout the 2 miles. Thanks to his help, I was able to successfully pass the 2 mile portion of the APFT. And, although we laughed later on about how it must have looked, I observed that it would have looked even more absurd (and hilarious), if he had been in front and I had 'chased' him. Now, wouldn't that be the sight, a white guy 'chasing' a black MP in a SUV, lights flashing, and him yelling at me to 'keep running!' Coffee and doughnuts, anyone?!
Over the last few months, I have become more and more disgusted with the media concerning stereotypes. Whether it was the situation in Ferguson, MO, last year, or the more recent situation in Baltimore, MD. Hundreds of people are protesting and capitalizing on many different stereotypes. Just a few of them that I see are:
- All blacks are persecuted and have to rise up.
- Most white cops are evil racists and must be eradicated.
- Since the Civil Rights Marches during the 1960's didn't 'fully get rid of' racism, we have to act out violently.
- Anytime a white cop arrests a black person, it has to be racially motivated.
I could go on and on, because there are many, many different stereotypes out there. There are stereotypes of people in colleges, there are stereotypes of people in politics, there are stereotypes of those in the military. But, since Ferguson and Baltimore have been in the news so much recently, I will focus on those.
I am sure that most of you out there reading this blog know the cliché, “Don't judge a book by it's cover...” In a nutshell, that means don't make a decision about reading or not reading a book based solely on the title, the cover art, etc. Actually take time to read the summary of the book, the preface, or scan a couple of the chapters. I know that all of us are guilty of doing this. Back in April, I had a birthday and I decided to pick out two books for myself since I knew that, due to an upcoming deployment, I would not get much in the way of gifts. And, I have been a very avid reader since I was in grade school. So, I spent some time scanning a number of books in a store. Since I did not have a lot of time, I had to make a purchase fairly quickly.
Because of that, I 'judged a lot of books by their covers.' If the genre was one that I didn't care for, wasn't a small paperback, or the title did not sound appealing, I did not consider it further. But, after going through once and not finding anything 'good,' I realized that I would have to spend a little more time looking at at least some of the books more closely, otherwise I would not have any travel books. So, I took more time looking through the books and finally found two that appealed to me. One appealed to me because it was about a former US soldier and his Military Working Dog (MWD), both who had been released from the military and doing private contract work. Being in the military and having a dog myself, when I saw what the book was actually about, I chose to buy it. And, although I haven't quite finished it yet, I have really enjoyed it! (For those who want to know, it is “The Kill Switch; A Tucker Wayne Novel” by James Rollins and Grant Blackwood.)
I also selected another book called, “The Lost Island” by Preston and Child. I have not read it yet, but based on the description on the back, it is potentially a good book. I love Indiana Jones movies, but I am a little critical of some of the books out there concerning archeology or searching for lost treasure. Being a lover of history and having studied theology and ancient writings (primarily ancient Hebrew and ancient Greek), I am critical with how such such movies/books are done.
I know that, had I not changed my attitude towards finding a book last month, I would have missed out on at least one really good book. The authors of “The Kill Switch” have done a very good job and portraying the former soldier and his dog in a believable way. And, since my family has had a dog for almost 7 years, and I have been in the military for almost 14 years now, I am a bit critical of such things. Sure, there are things that have to be taken with a grain of salt, like how some of the fight scenes are described. But, that comes with most any book or movie. I am very glad that I did not go with my 'first impression,' especially with this particular book.
As I just mentioned, I have been with the US Army, both Active Duty and with the Nebraska National Guard, for almost 14 whole years. I have had the privilege of serving with many different people of very different vocations, ethnic backgrounds, religious beliefs, etc. Although I have been skeptical of some people based on first impressions, I have found that I am often wrong with what I initially thought. They were either having a bad day, I misread them, or something else. Most of the people I have served with I have been proud to call a brother or sister in arms.
Even while in college and seminary, I learned that initial assumptions about a person can end up being totally wrong. My life has been blessed by knowing each of this different people from all over the United States. Nay… From all over the world. Each of these experiences have enriched my life and enabled me to be a better person, I am greatly thankful for each of them.
The rioting that has happened in Baltimore and in Ferguson are excellent examples, I believe, of what can happen when people focus on fist impressions and/or the prejudices that they already have. Instead of seeking to find out what all of the details of the incident to see if the situation was justified or not, they immediately assume that the white police officer was biased and racist because he caused injury and/or death to a black person.
Yes, it is saddening when a person dies, and having to live with the fact that someone died based on the actions you took, either justly or unjustly, are things that each person faced with those situations will have to remember and deal with for the rest of his/her life. I am thankful that, as of writing this blog entry, I have not been forced to take a life. I hope that I never have to. But, due to the nature of the work that I do, as a Military Police Officer or a Corporal with the Nebraska Department of Corrections, that will always be a significant possibility. Every time someone is seriously injured or killed during any kind of military, law enforcement, corrections, or even self-defense situation an investigation will be done. It's mandatory. It's done to make sure that what ever force was used was actually justifiable, based on what the person knew at that time.
To make an assumption that a white cop killed a black person for no other reason than racism and prejudice, without making an attempt to know why everything happened, that makes your racist and prejudice. In assuming that a situation happened based on what your perceive as the causes, without seeking to find out the actual details, makes you just as 'pre-judging' as a white person who judges a black person to be on welfare and incompetent and lazy because he/she saw the person wearing dirty clothes and not working during 'regular banker's hours.' Or, just as prejudice as a person who equates all followers of Islam with those who are extremist and seek to force their 'version of Islam' onto others.
We are all fallen people with broken relationships with each other and with God. Do to our finiteness, we cannot see all things or understand all that happens around us. And, in some jobs, a person may have to make judgment calls and react to a situation based on a very incomplete understanding of all that goes on around them. The military, law enforcement, working in corrections, and firefighting are just some of the many jobs where a person has to make a split-second decision based on what they know, at that time. If they perceive that their life or the life of someone else is in jeopardy of death or serious bodily injury, they have to react. Even if it is later proved to have been a bad decision, if it can be proved that, at that time, they acted correctly, based on what they typical person in a similar situation would have reacted, then their actions will be considered justified.
When a person makes judgments based only on what they think or assume happened, and make no attempt to find out what the details of the situation is, it is very likely that your perception and understanding will be incorrect. That is bad enough. But, to go around and state that your understanding of the situation is true (that the shooting in Ferguson, MO, was racially motivated, for example) and not listen at all to evidence being shown to the contradict what you believe, then you are not doing anything positive for society. You are, in fact, actively making things worse. And, if you you such situations as an excuse to do violent things, like assault officers, destroy private property, and otherwise riot and be destructive, you are no better than the person and situation that you are 'rioting' against. When you participate in such violent acts, you show yourself to be as closed minded, arrogant and hateful as the person and situation that you are 'rioting' against.
And, it doesn't help with the media, no matter who they are, help to portray that kind of stereotyping. My wife grew-up in the Baltimore area and we have talked at length about that situation. It isn't just a white/black thing, there is also deep rooted anger concerning job and education opportunities, perception that law enforcement officers of any race arrest first, ask questions later (perceived or actual), etc. These people who give us the news or share their 'educated insights' into situations should be the first ones to actively seek out the truth and then use that knowledge to bring things to a more peaceful end, not purposely encouraging it to be worse (either because it makes them look better, more rating, or just too lazy to seek out the truth).
We live in a fallen world. It is easy for us to hate, seek only after our own gain, seek after answers that please us while dispelling truths that make us uncomfortable, etc. It is a daily challenge to stop and examine all of the evidence. It is much easier, from the safety of one's own living room to 'armchair quarterback' the decisions of others. It is important to examine things that happen in the world and make informed decisions on them. But yet, the important word here is 'informed.' That requires time and energy. Just like making new friends, experiencing new places, learning a new skill, or reading a new book, it all takes time and energy. Although first impressions will always happen (and we should strive to make good first impressions), a person is more than just one's first impression. A situation is more than just your initial thoughts after seeing or hearing about it later on.
After all of that…. Let's go back to the illustration that I started this blog out. The white guy with a black cop driving behind him, telling him to keep running. Think it was an ironic version of Ferguson that happened somewhere in the world? Did you even think that the cop was chasing a white criminal? I am sure it looked quite humorous, a white guy running on the road with a SUV behind him and a black cop telling him to keep running. I am sure that it got a lot of double takes. The thing is, I don't know for sure, because I didn't see it. I was the guy running.
Back in 2011, during third deployment to Iraq, I had to take the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT). For those that don't know, the standard Army APFT includes the number of push-ups and sit-ups done by an individual within 2 minutes (for each event), and then a timed two mile run. While I was getting ready to take my APFT, a friend and fellow Military Policeman asked me if I would like him to pace me. I told him that it would be wonderful if he did. After a little discussing, we settled on him trailing me, lights on for our safety, and he would call out the time every so often. He also 'encouraged' my to 'keep running' throughout the 2 miles. Thanks to his help, I was able to successfully pass the 2 mile portion of the APFT. And, although we laughed later on about how it must have looked, I observed that it would have looked even more absurd (and hilarious), if he had been in front and I had 'chased' him. Now, wouldn't that be the sight, a white guy 'chasing' a black MP in a SUV, lights flashing, and him yelling at me to 'keep running!' Coffee and doughnuts, anyone?!
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