Trending Now ~ Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

There are so many things that clamor for our attention.  The engine of the world is run on getting and spending.  We are asked to invest in what trending but then it is out of fashion before we have a chance to enjoy it.  We are driven to be in the know and to fit in the trends that are popular today.

We have to choose what is going to get our time, attention, and resources.  We increasingly seem to invest in things fleeting in popularity and value.  The entire day is filled with choices about where our time and attention will go.  The choices are ours but they get weighted by our desire to be part of whatever trend is attractive to us or embraced by our tribe.

The filter for me becomes more simplified daily.  If I cannot see Christ in the moment of attention, investment, or participation then I do not want to give it my time.  This does not mean that everything is focused on the church or doing things that are religious.  It is determining that I will seek Christ in every moment for every purpose.  It is hard to see him ranting about politics or social issues instead of lovingly assisting.

We are supposed to communicate the love of Christ in all that we do and we are supposed to seek him in every experience.  If we do that then trends wash around us like the changing tides they are.  We see things for their true value instead of being towed under by the receding worth of the latest social distraction.

I am certain that things will shine and get my attention.  I am particularly sure that some things will distract me.  I must shorten the time between seeing something shiny and realizing that it is just clever packaging and sly marketing.  I must avoid the trends and invest constantly in the things that last.

Love, kindness, mercy, grace, and peace are all things that we can invest in with confidence Dear Reader.  Even when no one admits it, they are always trending where it matters.  Shall we hashtag them all?

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

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Trending Now ~ And Then…

Greetings Dear Reader,

Consider how long you spend on any one item in your social feed unless that item really catches your attention.  Consider the brevity of advertisements.  Even our articles and books have been broken down into smaller lengths and more digestible chunks.  It seems that we are all seeking something predigested instead of something hefty to chew on with our minds.

We seem to no longer give thought to things that are deep and long.  Our business, leisure, and social communication have become the traffic of short responses and clever quips instead of thorough analysis and thoughtful interaction.  The idea of careful discourse with reason and respect seems to be lost.

In the depth of who we long to understand and be understood.  We find great solace when we connect with others at a genuine level of communication.  It is the basis for enduring relationships. 

Earlier this week, I was pondering the relationship I have with my brother.  In over forty years of relationship and friendship, we have never had an argument or been at odds with each other.  I know he is the only human that I can honestly say this about.  We have disagreed but we have done so properly. 

We have conversations about important matters but we take the time to hear and see each other in an attitude of love and respect.  We give attention to the time and patience required to communicate well.  We defer to love and kindness over being right or making our point. 

We are all in need of expressing our hearts and minds.  As our attention takes on deficit, our circle of friends increasingly expect faster responses.  We scroll through conversations and interactions as if we will actually catch up with all the information coming at us.  We will not.  The idea is to filter out the things that do not matter and not grasp at things just because they are trending or speak to our pet causes.

I have been without commercial television for nine months now.  I am blissfully aware of the things of which I am unaware.  I have missed out on months of political, medical, and product ads that want to grab my attention long enough for me to vote, ask my physician, or act now to buy.  It is all the same; they want my money and support in the middle of me trying to watch something that I am paying to watch.  Those thirty-second spots are much more costly than I consider because they train me to digest things as they are given to me rather than chewing on them first.

I must take my time and evaluate what is sent my way.  I must filter what I take in.  I must further and better filter what I put out.  It does not matter that the trend is to be clever, quippy, and brief.  What matters, Dear Reader is that we communicate love and kindness.  Those are things worthy of long and focused attention.  This is where we should act now.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels on Amazon             

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

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This BLOG:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/ 

Trending Now ~ Meme - Me Me – Meme Me

Greetings Dear Reader,

I love a humorous meme and often find good food for thought in them.   I also find that they are used as stones so that others can hurl insults, hurt, and anger whilst hiding behind the wall of social media.  People I love will launch venomous attacks using humor that is trending across the social pages of our lives.

This psychological defense mechanism, hurling and hiding, is focused on expressing hurt, anger, anxiety, or outrage without having to deal with the consequences of that expression.  The meme is focused on the poster’s expression or social signal and not considering the negative impact on those who see it.  Or, worse, the individual realizes the impact and either does not care or wishes it to be thus.

The harsh or negative meme is about the individual.  It imparts feelings of cleverness or pride when posted.  When one becomes viral or even locally (as in recognized by your social media circle) popular, then the feelings of power and validation become stronger.  The trend toward negative memes is a clear signal of our frustration with the world and our self-centered way of dealing with it.  Memes are about me even when they are not.

If you disagree with this, I would ask you to ponder something, Dear Reader.   I would ask you to consider that negative or hateful memes break the hard deck of our journey.  You cannot create or redistribute hate of any kind in a loving way.  It does not matter how witty or clever the meme is crafted. 

When we celebrate causes or social issues of the day, then we are free to celebrate them with love.  It does not matter what your cause is, it is not celebration to attack, insult, or generalize negatively about your opposition.  It is a trend that only does harm to others and weakens one’s position.

I see clever memes often that attack and insult things that I think are wrong.  I have to check my heart when I find that I want to enjoy them or pass them on to friends.  What I need to do is reaffirm that I must not think that way.  I must love others with all that I am.  I must avoid insults and refuse to hurl and hide even from the relative anonymity of social media.  The memes that are trending now are not always good for us Dear Reader.  If I am going to make it about me, I want to make it about creating a better me.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

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Trending Now ~ Intolerant of Tolerance

Greetings Dear Reader,

My pen stroke is broad today.  I do not think that there is any group that does not trend toward this particular problem.  Well, there are extremes that avoid it but they are the exceptions that prove the rule. 

I had already chosen this topic for today.  Avalon and I happened to discuss it deeply last night.  We agree that this is a problem that plagues every group and not just this conservative or that liberal one.  We claim that we are tolerant of those who are different from us and the trend is not to judge, be prejudice, and tolerate hate. 

There is nothing wrong with those things.  I think that we are lying to ourselves.  I think we claim we are tolerant but we hold out exceptions because there is that one group or sect that we make the exception and outwardly disavow.  There is also the idea that we think our ideas are right and that is the end of it.

We are not supposed to tolerate anyone.  I submit that tolerance is intolerant.  When someone says to you, “Hey, I like your coat!”, should our response ever be, “Hey, I tolerate yours”?  We need to get over the idea that being tolerant is a good thing.  It is not because we should be tolerant.  It is because we must be much more.

The trend is to be tolerant of everyone.  Let me say some things about what I am required to be and we can go from there.  I am not allowed to be simply tolerant.  I am supposed to actively, practically, and inclusively love every human there is.  It goes far beyond tolerance.  The requirement is to sacrifice and to love.  The demand is to see every life as precious and worthy of my love and God’s. 

Further, I am required to love with this depth and intensity without compromising my own standards.  I think this is how the tolerance trend began.  In place of love or hate, we put tolerance.  We construct something bland that we can social signal whilst nursing our rejection and judgment under its summer parasol.  The problem is our parasol cannot shield us from the thunderstorm of conflict that has risen because of the intolerance we still carry.

The storm of difficulties exists because in our failure to love we have believed that lie that if we feel something is wrong then we must hate those who live in that wrong.  That is not how anything is going to work.  It is not how love ever works.  Love is never tolerant because that is condescending.  Oh, and in case you wonder why I do not get down to real examples, it is because I will offend someone because I either did or did not use their pet example. 

I know what I believe about right and wrong.  I know that some of those things will cause others to hate, sideline, discount, or tolerate me just because I do not agree with the popular or trending thought on their issue.   I will try to choose a neutral way to make my point.  There are people out there who think it is WRONG to put pineapple on pizza.  It happens to be one of my favorite pizza toppings.  Paired with bacon or ham and slivered almonds, it is my favorite full stop.

Now, I would not deny healthcare, social status, or human rights to anyone who hates pineapple on pizza or hates me because of my love for it.  I would go further and say that I will love and demonstrate that love to anyone no matter their pizza topping identification choices.  I might even buy him or her a pizza. 

Tolerance is trending but it cannot sustain.  It is not what we are meant to do Dear Reader.  It is instead, our obligation to love deeply every human that exists.  There is no room for simple tolerance or half measures.  If you would like to discuss it further, I will buy the pizza.  You can get yours with whatever toppings you choose.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

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Trending Now ~ Do You Love You

Greetings Dear Reader,

Do not think for a moment that I will suggest that we not love ourselves.  We must have self-respect and value our lives.  We must love ourselves if we are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.  

The problem is the trend toward self-love over responsibility and community.  We are too self-absorbed.  We put ourselves first in too many situations.  Advertising, social media, and popular trends push us to focus on our own wants over the needs of others.

There are things we must seek before we seek things for ourselves.  We are to be willing to sacrifice everything for Christ.  We are to seek the kingdom and righteousness.  We are to seek the welfare of others over our own wants. 

Instead, trends tell us to focus on ourselves.  We can give token effort to the needs of others but everything that comes at us is geared toward our wants and desires.  We are told that it is acceptable to neglect others and fill our own vessel first.

It is not the way in which we are supposed to trend Dear Reader.  We put so many things ahead of our faith and following.  We fail to see that every moment is supposed to be focused on Christ and seeking him.  If we do this, then there will be less need for the trends that do not satisfy.  There will be less need to recover and heal when we trend toward the selflessness of Christ.

I must seek what is good and right over what I want and wish.  My needs will be met by the Father if I seek only to follow.  The trend toward self-absorption not satisfy and will untimely fail.  Do I need to take proper care of myself?  Yes, but not to the exclusion of the path I am called to walk.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels on Amazon             

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

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This BLOG:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/  

Trending Now ~ Emoji Engaged

Greetings Dear Reader,

If you do not yet know what an Emoji is, you may wish to remain in the bliss of ignorance. 😊  An Emoji is “a small digital image or icon used to express an idea or emotion.” They are popular enough to get their own plush toys and even a very bad movie. ☹ 

I may use more Emoji (not “Emojis”) in this post than all the collective Emoji I have ever used.   For those who are baffled about the meanings of Emoji, there is an Emoji  Encyclopedia.  👍  One can insert them into one’s text by simply pressing the WIN and period keys at the same time.  This brings up a box with thousands of choices.  You may wish to consult the Emojipedia before going too crazy on this. 😁

So, what, you may ask does this have to do with following Jesus?  I am glad you asked even if you did not. ⁉  Even though it seems to be a simple playful thing it has value in communication.  It can bridge communication barriers.  I once had a conversation to give directions to someone who did not speak English using only Emoji.  😲  It proved useful to be able to help. 

Anything we can do to enhance our ability to help or communicate has great value.  💰  We can also benefit from the brevity of conversation when texting or using other messaging tools.  ✍  Emoji are also valuable in communicating emotion. 💖🤟  There is a danger of being misunderstood, so, again there is Emojipedia. 

I think my favorite Emoji are those that represent food.  Here is a message I received from a friend recently.  “Do you want to get 🍕 and 🍺, or would you rather get🍔 and 🍟 at 🔔🔔?  Can you 🚙?”  Were the bells unclear to you Dear Reader?  There is a great burger place here called Bell’s.  I am sure you understood the rest of this.  The point is that she was able to communicate more in a smaller space. 

I think that Emoji will have a long run at being a popular trend.  I use them rarely but will learn them so that I understand others.  There is great value for me in understanding what others communicate.  Your thoughts and insights always get my attention Dear Reader.  What do you think of Emoji?

This is not as deep as most of my thinking but it is also important.  Tomorrow I will return to deeper things.  For today, however, know that 🤟 and am thankful that you read my 📚.  

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels on Amazon             

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

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This BLOG:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/  

Trending Now ~ Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

What’s the buzz?  Any news?  Did you hear about the new ap?  How do you inquire about what is trending in the world?  We want to know what is going on.  “You got to keep up to know what’s going down.” 

Our society is geared in many ways to chase whatever trend is at the peak of the news, entertainment, or our Twitter feed.  Information about what is new or popular is not bad.  It is the question about what is trending that captures my attention.  With so many things rushing at us to demand our time and attention, I must filter what gets in.  I must monitor which trends I choose to give my time and effort.

One of the requirements of following Christ is to be able to be accountable for all that I do.  It is to bring into captivity every thought so that they are focused on faith and following.  The point is to choose where I will focus and to know why I focus there.  It is my responsibility to control what I do with my time and attention relative to what has focus.

I am going to spend some time on some of the larger trends and determine what will be both my filter and my standard.  You are welcome in the conversation Dear Reader.  Your thoughts and questions will always trend with me.  Let us walk together a bit and sharpen our focus on what matters. 

Oh, and I realize that this song is very dated.  It is still worth a listen.  The title is always a link to the song in my blog.

They Won’t Tell You – Dion

Good Morning America glad to tune you in,

The days of our lives are playing around to the end

On the morning examine you find the price is right.

Your mid-day romance you’ll find on the edge of night.

And we’ll take a pause to tell you what you need

To get through the days of our lives and to succeed,

A pill for pain, some soap to clean you up,

A brand-new car, and some coffee to fill your cup.

But they won’t tell you what you need to know

That Jesus paid the price to save your soul.

TV keeps you strung out on the pleasures of this world,

While the radio keeps you hooked on rock ‘n roll.

I tell you now it don’t make no sense at all,

But it’s been that way ever since the fall

The powers of darkness trying to do you in

Driving you deeper and deeper into your sin

Now it’s time to turn on the evening news.

But I’d rather hear Muddy Waters sing the blues.

You gotta keep up to know what’s going down,

Who’s winning and losing; which side’s gaining ground.

A little bit later we’ll turn on some comic relief,

Something funny to make you show your teeth,

A fantasy island to help you get away,

A celebrity show to see what they got to say.

But you won’t find it on the Johnny Carson show,

And Norman Lear won’t put you in the know,

Archie Bunker will say goodbye when the season ends,

But Jesus will always be your friend.

I tell you there’s just one way to go;

Turn on your life and turn of the picture show

Stand in the love and the light of reality,

Accept him as Lord and he will make you free.

But you find it in the People Magazine

The Truth; the Life, the One who makes you clean

Charlie’s Angels cannot save you from the darkness in this world

Barnaby Jones, he cannot clue you in the know.

But they won’t tell you what you need to know

That Jesus paid the price to save your soul.

TV keeps you strung out on the pleasures of this world,

While the radio keeps you hooked on rock ‘n roll.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels on Amazon             

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

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Medium   Instagram  Kids BLOG   

This BLOG:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/  

Anti-Social Media ~ Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

As I read through my differing media sources I consider the volume of hatred that is spewed across it.  It is difficult to find honest news sources.  If you think any of the mainstream ones are not biased you might wish to look a little deeper.

It is not wrong for us to discuss the issues of the day in our social media.  It is not the place to spill our vitriol and hatred.  It takes so very much energy to hate.  It also solves nothing.  I have friends that I love dearly whom I see screaming their hatred for this or that person or issue.  It saddens me to see their precious energy spent on this instead of the great good they can and often do in the world.

The true application for me is to never hate anyone for any reason.  It is not my place to judge, condemn, or revile anyone.  I will disagree politely when I think differently.  I will not engage in anger and hatred.  Disagreement does not equal hatred, prejudice, or a phobia.  Holding the position that it does is neither honest nor tolerant.

Whether you consider your position to be right or left it is never tolerant to hate.  It is never a signal that I am correct when I choose anger or hatred over love and compassion.  Christ reserved his anger for those who believed they had the high ground and used it to look down on others. 

Only through loving humility can I hope to reflect what is true.  I will speak what I believe to be true but I will strive to do so with love and compassion.  I will hope always to assure that as I examine my own life that I can weed out anything that is not a reflection of the love of Christ.  Next up will be an issue that I have addressed briefly in the past.  I feel the need to fight off anger in it.  I hope you join me Dear Reader. 

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Anti-Social Media ~ No Dissenting Views

Greetings Dear Reader,

No one agrees with me concerning every issue.  In some areas I have close friends with whom I disagree fundamentally on many things.  We are still friends.  We do not argue over things that we know will not be changed by arguing.

I am not saying that I tolerate everything.  I believe that some things are inherently wrong.  I am not, however, convinced that rejecting someone because he or she disagrees with you is sound theology.  In truth, it is directly opposed to the idea of loving my enemies. 

The people with whom I disagree know that I disagree with them.  They also know that I am required not to judge, reject, or hate them.  In Social Media we often see people beaten down by those with dissenting views.  It seems that the more one disagrees the less one is tolerant of disagreement.  Instead of polite intellectual discussion there is a sea of vitriol and charter attack. 

We cannot have justice and freedom in a nation that shames you for disagreeing.  When we refuse to hear what others have to say we are violating the very spirit of true tolerance.  No matter what color you paint your political animal or what religious symbol you venerate, you cannot be honest and refuse to hear others.  One cannot have much faith in his or her position if one cannot withstand hearing the ideas of others. 

We must express our ideas with kind intelligence.  I must listen with love and patience.  I must value the person speaking no matter how wrong I may think him or her to be.  If I do not I cannot earn the right to be heard.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Anti-Social Media ~ Popular Pejoratives

Greetings Dear Reader,

In the discussion thus far, we have talked about anonymity and integrity.  One of the elements one must consider is that of launching pejoratives without considering the impact to your target.  Or even if you feel that the target deserves the impact perhaps one should consider if it is right to launch such things.

It is easy to get a laugh or drip some venom at the expense of others.  It is a great way to gain popularity in the tribe.  It is even legal as long as one avoids slander or defamation.  I am seeking a higher plane of thinking.

Whether we like it or not, we are required to love our enemies.  We are obligated to love and pray for our political leaders (yes even him [whomever “him” is to you]).   I dislike the words and work of most of our politicians.  I know that there is corruption and scandal.  There is in almost every endeavor. 

None of this allows me to launch insults, accusations, and hatred at anyone.  Nothing permits me to speculate publicly about someone’s character.  Nothing allows me to reject someone based on hearsay.  It saddens me when others I love and respect participate in the popular hatred of someone. 

I understand that we will not always agree.  What I cannot understand is where our decency and respect have gone.  We need to respect our leaders even when we disagree with them.  We can demand that they act properly and fire them if they do not.  All we accomplish with running pejoratives is to foster division and hatred. 

I must love everyone. I must not launch insults at anyone no matter how heinous I find their actions.  My obligation is to love, pray, and work for what I believe is correct in that spirit.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Anti-Social Media ~ Light-speed Lies

Greetings Dear Reader,

We have all seen it.  The story of a celebrity death pops up on our social feed.  We express our sorrow at the loss.  Then we find out it is a hoax.  I have been fooled by this.

In the news of late we have found that some professional journalists have abandoned their integrity.  They have coloured, flavored, or in some cases fabricated “reports” to influence political or social positions.  Stories of the negative spread so quickly in our feeds and we believe them without verification.

Terms like “alternative facts” and “somewhat verified” are used to excuse poor journalism and outright lies.  It used to be that journalists and news people were taught to have evidence and verification of their stories.  This grew out of the abuses of print media in the eighteenth century.

Now we can post a lie and it can travel the world at light-speed.  We can turn a spark of rumor into a raging fire of anger and accusation just by typing a few lines and clicking “post”.  Lies become the truth because they scroll through your feed unfettered and unverified.  People repeat and re-post the lie until we all think it is true.

I must verify.  I must not think that something is true just because I read it on my social feed.  The tools are available to me to do the research and learn the truth.  It is my obligation to have integrity in all that I read and write.  It is my duty to put forth only the truth.  I cannot follow Christ properly without filtering out the lies, even when they are told by my allies.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Anti-Social Media ~ Anonymous Assaults

Greetings Dear Reader,

There is something fundamentally wrong about hurling insults at someone from the cover of anonymity.  I will occasionally receive anonymous comments on this blog that attack my faith, writing, or me.  I read them and consider whether there is truth in them.  I do not, however, allow vitriol or attacks on my page.

It is too easy to snipe from hiding on social media.  It never does anything but harm.  It is one of the great ills that comes of the ease of communication.  We can create a persona that is hidden and free to spread any rancor it wishes.  One can say horrid things without accountability or fear of reprisal.

Even when we think we are correct in our view we must not be unkind and harsh.   The venom of such attacks does no good and can do a great deal of harm.  One of the reasons that I do not allow negative posts on this page is that I do not want to be a part of spreading the negativity.

Since I am required to love everyone, tolerating this behaviour is an untenable position.  If I need to disagree with someone publicly then I must do so with kindness and respect. I must never resort to insults or attacks.  All that I say must be filtered through grace and love. 

This then allows few occasions for me to say anything other than the things that are good.  If I have good things to say then I can do so with openness and integrity.  I realize that this begs the question of my use of a nom-de-plume.  I choose this because I do not seek fame.  It is simple enough to work out who I am (that is not a challenge).  It is not anonymity but an attempt to live in humility.

Still, Dear Reader, we must never resort to insults and attacks to make our point.  It is futile and useless.  Let me know if I fail in my resolve to never do this.  I promise not to attack you if you do so.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Anti-Social Media ~ Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

First, a little data to get us started on this section of the path.   It often helps to know the terrain before one traverses it.  The data comes from Hootsuite. 

• 2.8 billion people were using social media by the end of 2016, up 21 percent from 2015.
  
• Social media use on mobile increased by 30 percent year-over-year in 2016, surpassing 2.5 billion users globally (91 percent of all social media users).
• 83 percent of Americans have a social media account.
• In the U.K., 77 percent of people have a social media account.
• In the Asia-Pacific region (APAC), social media growth rates increased by over 50 percent year-on-year in 2016.
• More than 1.5 billion people across APAC now use social media on a monthly basis, 95 percent of whom access social via mobile—the highest ratio in the world.
• Social media use in Europe grew by five percent to pass 400 million users across the continent, 85 percent of whom access social on mobile platforms each month.

This sounds like a great many people because it is.  We are given very much because of the ease of access and plentitude of information via social media.  Too often what is posted is unkind or untrue.  At best we often get only part of the story.  At worst we get complete fabrications intended to manipulate our thinking.

I admit that social media has value.  I use it daily for communication and work.  I must, however, be vigilant to be accurate, honest, and careful.  I must not get caught up in things that are not reflective of who Christ is.  I must be accountable and responsible for what I take in and what I send out. 

For a few days I will examine some of the ills that are there to be avoided along the way.  I will review the framework that guides my thinking and writing in this arena.  It is simple to join the cacophony of voices shouting in print and photo about this or that issue.  It is easy to catch the virulent voices vilifying this or that person.  The challenge is to remain a voice set apart for love and truth; for kindness and acceptance.

Journey with me Dear Reader.  I need your company and counsel.  I also highly value your presence.   

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Masks ~ Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

Even the most honest among us wears a mask at times.  I do not think it possible to be completely free of them until we are in a much different world.  Just yesterday I needed to mask my feelings to keep the peace. 

Like an addiction to an analgesic we often wear the mask until we love, long forgetting what our true faces look like.  “How do I take off a mask when it stops being a mask? When it's as much a part of me as I am?” (Mr. Robot) 

That is the danger of the mask.  It can become fused to us; part of us.  We become the thing we pretend to be and cannot discern where our true selves leave off.  Whether the mask is affixed by others or self-ordained we are the only ones who can choose to abandon it.  We are the ones who affix it anew in our preparations for the day.

I am required to be who I am created to be by God.  Perhaps the greatest complement I have ever been given was when a friend recently told me that you get the same “me” in every situation.  Even under the guise of this nam-de-plum I am the same man.  I carry the same wounds, scars, and triumphs.  I carry the requirement to love everyone into every situation.

Perhaps it is the masks we choose that cause us to inflict so much pain upon each other.  We fear that who we are behind the mask will be found unloved, unneeded, and unwanted.  Yet the one who loves me; who gave his life for me and my reclamation sees further past the mask than ever could any man.  Seeing who I am he proclaims that he loves me and it is the real me that he loves. 

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Masks ~ Versus Resolve and Resolution

Greetings Dear Reader,

There are those who would have it that we should express how we feel in every moment without reservation.  Carried to its logical extreme this would be a very dangerous practice.  This has already led to some very serious problems.

Too often our culture seems to erupt with emotion and make that the evidence of a thing.  What happens is that fact and information are set aside for outrage and anger.  Perhaps this is actually putting on a mask of emotion to hide truth.  Perhaps we take on a guise of offense on behalf of others for our own purpose.

Do not think that I am not saying that it is wrong to feel outrage over injustice.  It is required.  What I would submit is that engulfing the facts in a mask of anger detracts from others hearing truth.  It is often the case that the cause gets lost in the throngs angry shouts.

The face of logic, reason, and peaceful discourse is what moves us further down the road to truth and justice.  We mask it when we lessen ourselves by causing harm and destruction.  There are times when showing how I feel about something is inappropriate.  In these cases, I must not wear a mask but I must be myself whilst not indulging my emotions.  I must speak the truth in love.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)