Jonathots Daily Blog
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A. “A hip-hop hopeful from the hood”
B. “A guy who makes street signs named after him”
C. “The world’s oldest Lutheran”
D. “MLK–the most common misspelling of milk”
E. “An American patriot and revolutionary leader in civil rights”
Jonathots Daily Blog
(3398)
Randall changed his mind.
He came into the office on Monday morning, apologized for the legal maneuvering and explained that he was interested in being part of the project.
Matthew was suspicious. Perhaps Randall was just trying slip into the inner workings to find out if there was any money in play–to gain further ammunition for the court battle.
Matthew always hated himself for being cynical, regretting it even more when he was right.
Randall apparently sensed Matthew’s skepticism. “I suppose you wonder if I was visited by three ghosts, who spooked me into joining the club.”
Matthew said, “Well, I wouldn’t call you Ebenezer Scrooge, but you certainly might have attended one of his seminars.”
Randall laughed. “I was trying to explain it to Landy last night. She was pissed off at me. But you see, I’ve spent my life watching opportunities come my way, and analyzing them so much that they seem to run away from me in terror and leap into the lap of friendlier faces.”
Matthew got quiet, allowing Randall some space.
Randall continued, “I thought about it. Here’s an old man who dies who wants to give 250 million dollars to take an old religious icon who is known for loving and giving, and make the dude popular again. I thought to myself, what in the hell is wrong with that? Sure, I wish it wasn’t religious, or tied to some church, but when you need a cure, you don’t ask where the medicine comes from, right?”
Matthew just nodded his head.
About that time, Jo-Jay walked into the room and said, “I feel the same way. At least, I think so. I don’t want to miss out on something. I feel like I missed drugs and rock and roll. I never protested against anything. I missed civil rights. Gay rights. All rights. And by the way–what is heavy metal anyway?”
“It’s when you stack up a lot of light metal,” Matthew answered, chuckling at his own joke.
Randall added, “It was worse for me. I even missed Barry Manilow. My parents were very strict. It wasn’t all religion–part of it was our culture. But I wasn’t allowed to do much but study, go to school and attend church.”
Matthew sighed. “So you’re a church boy…”
Randall shook his head. “No–I went to church but I was never a church boy. I used the hour in church to quietly express my hatred for the Divine. While others sang praises, in my mind I asked God questions and then laughed at Him when He failed to come up with an answer.”
Jo-Jay stared in disbelief.
“So you want to do this because…?”Matthew posed.
Randall shook his head. “I don’t know. I know there are no answers in politics. Most of the law is mumbo-jumbo. Education just makes people smart-asses. There’s gotta be something else. I really don’t think it’s Jesus, but maybe we could at least get people to think.”
“Or maybe,” said Jo-Jay, “we just advertise the church and they end up ripping off more money from poor folks and spreading the message of doom and gloom.”
Matthew shook his head. “You know how sometimes the more you think about something, the better it sounds? I gotta tell you–the more I think about this the more it seems like a gigantic turd factory.”
“So you’re quitting?” Randall asked, surprised.
“Well, actually, I never started,” responded Matthew. “I just said I would check it out.”
“And here I came along to go on the magic carpet ride and Aladdin’s folding up shop.” said Jo-Jay.
Matthew squinted his face. “I would be Aladdin?”
Randall inquired, “And the magic carpet ride would be what?”
Jo-Jay laughed. “You guys are definitely over-educated, under-informed and without any natural feeling.”
“Part of me thinks I should say thank you,” Randall said.
There was a knock at the door. Matthew opened it to find a large man dressed in bib overalls and a plaid shirt, with a huge head of hair combed straight back. He reached out a big paw for greeting. Matthew placed his little hand into the acreage, shook it, and asked, “May I help you?”
The big, burly country boy responded. “Yes. My name is Prophet Morgan. I’m here to help you make my man Jesus, popular.”
All at once, Jo-Jay broke out in tears, which for some reason stimulated Randall to do the same, causing the recently arrived Prophet Morgan to sprout his own waterworks.
Matthew stared at the three of them in disbelief. “What in the hell is going on?”
Jo-Jay cleared her throat and managed a little smile. “I don’t know. But it’s neat shit.”
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Jonathots Daily Blog
(3382)
It is troubling.
“Family is everything.”
This philosophy is so widely accepted in our society that any attempt to question its veracity would be similar to suggesting the public execution of puppies in the town square.
Let’s first make something clear–Jesus was not an advocate for the genetic family. For instance:
–His clan was certainly dysfunctional.
–He was nearly killed by the hometown folk because they did not appreciate his message.
–And his family members went to Capernaum to bring him home because they thought he was crazy. He had to sidestep them, and informed them clearly that his family was anyone who did the will of his Father.
–When telling parables, he often criticized those who used family obligations as an excuse for not doing more for the world.
–He said our worst enemies would be those of our own household.
–And certainly he made the point that if you don’t “hate your mother and father, “you aren’t worthy of the kingdom.”
Jesus was concerned that we would love those who were connected with us through family ties, and not extend the same courtesy to our brothers and sisters throughout the planet. Why did this bother him? It’s really quite simple.
Please understand that evil never permanently leaves the spotlight, but merely goes backstage, dons a different costume, changes make-up and reappears as a new character. I believe this is what has happened in America. We are obsessed with the holiness of family. Yet it has suspiciously grown in popularity following the disintegration of segregation, Jim Crow and newfound civil rights for immigrants and the gay community.
Prejudice needed somewhere to hide. Bigotry was looking for a disguise. What could be better than family? It is literally “Mom and apple pie.”
So the same tenets which were promoted through segregation–that being “staying with your own kind”–have simply resurfaced as a maudlin proclamation of “loving your own.”
If everybody prefers their own family, we will isolate ourselves, making us vulnerable to evil tyrants who come and use our fears of one another to bring about mayhem and death.
I am troubled by the “family is everything” brigade. It is a way of hiding bigotry, which is no longer allowed to express itself through cross-burning, so instead is using cross-lifting.
My children know I love them–but they know I love them as I also love all of God’s children.
Remember, the last words of Jesus in the Great Commission were not, “Go back to your families and be happy.”
Rather, “Go into all the world.”The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity
Jonathots Daily Blog
(3171)
I am so frustrated. What happened in 2016??
Well, I’m not quite certain of your particular frustration, or what crosses your mind as a grievance concerning the year.
But certainly overall, the United States abandoned its sense of “civil” rights. In pursuing rights it is essential we maintain a civil attitude.
Somewhere along the line it became more important to chase down an agenda or voice opinions of opposition than to find ways to peacefully coexist and respect one another.
In the process, we had a lot of shouting without having any real interaction.
Because we humans are susceptible to selfishness, once we realized that our leaders were participating in playground antics, we felt the freedom to lessen our general toleration while increasing our volume.
It created a caustic environment.
So all the political parties, all the religions, and all the intellectuals who were supposed to guide us in ways of structured sensibility, instead became armed forts, where rocks were thrown across the chasm.
This will only change when we return to civil ways to establish our rights.
So what is civility?
1. It is impossible for me to completely be right.
I am human and therefore not only capable, but susceptible to error.
2. Listening means shutting up.
There is no such thing as listening with one ear as you prepare your speech to contradict your enemy.
3. Treat every human with the respect and reverence you would give to God.
If you don’t believe in God, treat every human like you would your mother.
4. Be fully aware that in a democracy you will need to include other people who have lifestyles and ideas which are completely opposed to your own.
If it isn’t killing anyone, you will have to learn to adapt.
5. Practice kindness whenever you can.
In other words, if there are going to be conflicts, we need to also have many moments of gentleness in between, or we will start bashing each other instead of learning to enjoy one another.
In 2016, rights became more important than civility.
It was not merely a liberal problem nor a conservative problem. It became universal.
Help change 2017 by making sure that the way you express your opinion is just as respectful as the passion with which you proclaim it.
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Jonathots Daily Blog
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Man: I have heard some of my more intelligent and well-educated friends, who would never speak a racial slur nor attack the civil rights of any individual, stand in my presence and tell a joke to the detriment and humiliation of the opposite sex.
Woman: Me, too. Matter of fact, I have many acquaintances who claim to be atheists–but who basically buy into the idea of a “fall” in Eden which left men struggling and women overly dependent.
Man: It seems the only thing people are willing to agree on is how disagreeable and unnatural the inner workings are between men and women.
Woman: So is it possible there actually was a fall?
Man: Well, let’s begin with a startling revelation. According to the Book of Genesis, humans were created perfect. So the premise that “nobody’s perfect” is contrary to the concept of the original layout. If we believe human beings are naturally imperfect and have a built-in excuse for inadequacy, then to a certain degree, we rubber-stamp the sinful fall from perfection.
Woman: Wow. That’s far out. The problem is, this alleged fall left men dominating and women afraid that they weren’t measuring up–submissive.
Man: It’s obvious in our society, even among those we comically refer to as “the elite,” that women want equality–a status that can only be confirmed by a generous, tender-hearted, loving and free-thinking male. But simultaneously, they tend to screw testosterone-driven dorks, who treat them like property. So women giggle through “Fifty Shades of Grey,” pretending it’s lascivious, while promoting the notion that this lady in the book only becomes free and happy when she is mistreated sexually and gradually develops an appetite for it.
Woman: That’s also far out. So what we as women really say is that men who are nice are either gay or obviously limp, and men who are mean may drive us mentally crazy but we can’t wait to get in the sack with them.
Man: So this creates a question. Can a man, simply by being courteous and equitable, change the environment between the sexes, or will women have to walk away from what seems to be their post-Eden curse of cuddling up to aggression?
Woman: I think it begins with women realizing that their sexuality is located in their brain, which stimulates the clitoris, and as long as they’re with someone who’s willing to be around when it’s stimulated, it would be better to choose someone who offers intelligent and kind conversation over coffee.
Man: And it’s up to men to realize that the movies, books and entertainment suggest that women have a weakness for bad boys, but there is no future in becoming one.
Woman: As far as I know, Eden was reported to be a place of perfection because men and women worked together and found pride in their accomplishments and joy in their sex.
Man: And until both men and women are ready to return to a life that is first heart-felt, secondly soulful, thirdly mindful, and therefore, finally sexually fulfilling, they will continue to act out a nightmare of dominance and submission.
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(3039)
Dear Man: It really perturbed me.
Dear Woman: “Perturbed?” What an odd word.
Dear Man: Well, I didn’t want to use “mad” or “angry.” I was looking for a softer term and I came up with perturbed.
Dear Woman: So, what perturbed you?
Dear Man: I was listening to some pundit on television talk about sexual politics.
Dear Woman: Sexual politics… I don’t hear that much anymore.
Dear Man: No. because we’ve taken it for granted. Now we call it gender wars, battle of the sexes…
Dear Woman: And the reason it upset you?
Dear Man: Not everything is politics. Not everything is a struggle for power and money. There are so many lies, I wouldn’t know where to begin.
Dear Woman: And if you did begin, you wouldn’t be able to finish because sexual politics is big business. Billions of dollars are made every year in television, movies, books and seminars, keeping the conflict going, so there is a lot at stake to keep men and women at odds.
Dear Man: So you’re saying that in a battle for power and money, we pretend that there’s a battle for power and money.
Dear Woman: Basically. Here’s how I know. The truth is, women don’t get along any better with women than they do men, and men don’t get along better with men than they do women. Women vie for place and men kill each other in war.
Dear Man: Wow. I hadn’t thought of that. Actually, the human beings that get along best are men and women, because they do succeed in procreating and raising families.
Dear Woman: Sometimes. But when you add the dimension of politics, then it’s kind of like men become the Republicans and women are the Democrats.
Dear Man: I see what you mean. In other words, men are the level-headed pragmatists and women are the “feely-good” liberals.
Dear Woman: Exactly. So what I think needs to be done…
Dear Man: Let me step in here and tell you what I think. I believe we need to call it out every time we see it. Every time that smirk comes across the face of a man, or a woman takes on the profile of bitching and complaining about a male problem, we should step in and say that if men and women can’t get along, the human race is doomed.
Dear Woman: Well, of course it is. If 50% of the people are fighting 50% of the people, you have a 0% chance of survival. But keep in mind, this applies to civil rights, too.
Dear Man: What do you mean?
Dear Woman: There’s money to be made in civil rights. Keeping black people agitated and white people pumped up with a sense of superiority generates huge donations to causes and eliminates the common sense of finding things we share.
Dear Man: So do you think it’s sinister?
Dear Woman: No, I think it’s greedy. If you’re a comedian making millions of dollars off of sexual politics, why would you repent and try to find another way to make millions of dollars?
Dear Man: So without a quiet revolution which gradually makes prejudice taboo, we will live in an ignited atmosphere of sexual politics, which feathers the nest of those odd birds who want to make a living off of the struggle for more power and more money.
Dear Woman: Exactly. That’s why the most important thing to remember is that we have a human problem, not a gender problem. We have a human problem, not a race problem. We have a human problem, not a cultural problem. And we have a human problem, not battles between nations.
Dear Man: Sounds impossible.
Dear Woman: It does, doesn’t it? Of course, we could take the first step. You and I can agree.
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A voice writing in the wilderness
Jonathots Daily Blog 
G-Poppers … February 23rd, 2018
Jonathots Daily Blog
(3592)
G-Pop looked on with a bit of sadness as social media lit up with posts about evangelist Billy Graham.
Many of them were cruel. Matter of fact, an inordinate number were laced with vindictive language and resentment against the deceased Reverend.
He lived for ninety-nine years, so trying to abridge his life into one space of time is completely impossible. So the last generation only has insights on the occasional press release which came from his home in North Carolina and the actions of his son, Franklin Graham.
G-Pop feels the same way about Billy Graham as he does about Michael Jackson. G-Pop is not sure either one of them would appreciate the comparison, but every person’s life, including Michael and Billy, comes down to two questions.
What did he or she do?
What did he or she miss?
Can it be as simple as the good doings outweighing the bad, which means someone ends up righteous?
Yes. Any other standard would be prejudicial.
What did Billy Graham do? He preached the Gospel to the whole world. Granted, it was a particular gospel–focused mainly on repenting of sin, accepting Jesus Christ as your personal savior and being baptized. Therefore he missed the greater glories of the Gospel of Jesus:
Michael Jackson arguably wrote the most unique blend of R & B and pop music ever penned. The tunes were filled with humanity, generosity, giving, joy and tolerance. We also have to note that he missed the opportunity to learn to love himself or accept who he was, and in the process may have accidentally damaged the lives of some young people because he was abused as a child.
Billy Graham stayed married to the same woman and was never involved in a sexual scandal throughout his entire ministry.
Yet he missed the opportunity to link arms with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and failed to encourage the South to join the North, East and West to accept civil rights in this country.
He missed the moment when the gay community sought equality as citizens, and instead evaluated them by his moral code and traditions, dating back thousands of years.
Michael Jackson was generous, childlike and desperately tried to address world hunger while simultaneously destroying himself through drug abuse.
It would be terrible if Dr. Billy Graham were to be known as “Billy Graham Cracker.”
Just as horrible would be “Michael Jackson, child molester.”
G-Pop thinks both of these men established that they had hearts to do more good than bad. The weakness of each one showed up at poor times in their personal histories, but with confidence, G-Pop will continue to respect their journeys.
So every time G-Pop hears the old hymn, “Just as I am without one plea,” he will think of the love, efforts and mission of Billy Graham of North Carolina.
And when G-Pop hears Beat It, Billy Jean and Man in the Mirror, his eyes will tear up over the memory of one of the greatest talents that ever inhabited the Earth.
If G-Pop expects this same quarter when he dies–to be evaluated by what he’s done, minus what he missed, hoping for a positive total–then he must first extend that grace to others.
We must first extend that grace to others.
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on February 23, 2018 at 3:55 pm Leave a CommentTags: abundant life, abuse, Beat It, Billy Graham, Billy Graham Cracker, Billy Jean, child molestor, Civil Rights, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., drug abuse, evangelist, Franklin Graham, G-Poppers, gay community, grace, judging others, just as I am, Man in the Mirror, Michael Jackson, moral code, North Carolina, personal savior, politics, pop music, prejudicial, R & B, repenting, resentment, sadness, sexual scandal, social media, tolerance, world hunger