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As I sit at my desk pondering the mysteries of life, I see the bust of a Hindu goddess sitting on my laptop, eyes closed, brows arched, and head adorned with sacred golden chains. This image strangely impresses upon me two very different feelings; a certain sort of peace, as well as disgust at how commercial and degraded religion has become. Whoever bought this mass-produced joke of a sacrament knew nothing of its purpose or meaning within the culture that spawned it. I personally have no idea what the significance of her head adornment or drooping ear lobes is, and so I feel almost embarrassed that it is within my house, let alone in a room that is used primarily for storing things that can’t be put somewhere meaningful. Should I feel guilty for having something that is meaningless to me, yet assumedly very important to many others sitting here, on a computer desk, with nobody to take care of it properly?

This dilemma leads to a more general problem which I mentioned earlier; the degradation of religion. So many people around the world take religions that are not their own for granted. We see it all the time, especially in the Western world, where phrases like “zen” and “karma” have practically nothing to do with their true meaning and where you can be “jokingly” called a Jew or Muslim for maybe doing something that has been stereotyped as being done by those who practice Judaism or Islam. This sort of behavior is downright disrespectful, and I will not deny that I have probably said a few things in the past that were terrible, so if I have insulted anyone that is reading this, I truly apologize.

It seems to me that humans have a natural tendency to think that whatever they believe in is the best thing to believe in (obviously, or why would they choose to believe in it?) and that anything that differs from their belief is stupid or wrong. How arrogant do you have to be to completely dismiss thousands or millions or billions of people just because they have a different opinion? You wouldn’t dismiss your best friend simply because they liked a different sports team than you, and I am in no way saying religion holds the same importance as sports, but the situation really isn’t that dissimilar. In most religions, humility is a virtue. If you don’t have enough humility to open your mind to the idea that your way isn’t the only way, then what does that say about your faithfulness?

Now this might just be the American in me talking, but I truly believe that each and everyone of us has the right to peacefully practice and believe in whatever we want to believe in. I’ve never understood how or why religious groups could combat with other religious groups. As gooey and heart-warming as this sounds, we’re all in this together! We all want to find happiness and peace, and so we should go about it whichever way we want and respect everyone for having the courage to try, even if they aren’t trying exactly the way we’re trying.

Imagine how much happier this world would be if all religiously-based hate was gone…

So next time you want to make a joke about “that Islamic guy’s head towel” or those “crazy bible-thumpers that exorcise the demons,” remember that what seems like a harmless joke to you could actually be spreading negativity and hate. And if you aren’t the one making the joke, remember that laughing at the joke has the same effect as making it. I’m not trying to be a downer here, but some things really do deserve serious contemplation and effort.

None of us are perfect, and sometimes we do things that are very destructive, but I expect all of us to try our very best to be better in order to make the world we live in better, brighter, and happier. After all, what have we got to lose?

Jimmy Page has changed.

How did such a thing happen? What went wrong? Did his dabbling in black magic do this?

The answer is no. After extensive googling, it turns out Jimmy Page actually does have some Chinese ancestry. Why has it only recently appeared, though? For that, I have no answer. All I can tell you is that I was rather shocked at what popped up when searching for images of him. Perhaps I have this idolized mental picture of Page in his heyday, rocking out on stage in one of those satiny, bell-bottom suits with dragons crawling up the leg and his chest bared for the world to see, which is totally being contradicted by the more recent images of this other-worldly, albeit aged, man. What comforts me is the knowledge that after I finish and post this blog, all that will remain is that beautiful picture in my mind and gone will be the not-so-subtle reminder that even our heroes get old and eventually die.

Woah. That may have been a bit too deep for a blog about Jimmy Page looking Chinese. So be it.

Mikey, X-Factor

Why has America’s political axis completely shifted to the right? The Democratic Party is now moderate-right and the Republican Party is, how shall I put this, way the fuck out in right field! How do I know the Republican Party is WAY right? They are hoping for Palin 2012. Need I say more?

So, basically, we have a one-party state. We all know that a third party (i.e. Green Party, Libertarian Party, etc.) will never win a major election, at least not in the near future. Therefore, we get stuck with someone who is “Republican” or someone who is ”Really Republican” for most elections. That leaves someone like myself, a rather Left-wing, liberal-minded person left feeling unrepresented and downright frustrated with the government! I know I am not alone in this. I know there are many many people out there who stand on similar political ground.

This is what I ask of future politicians; If you claim to be from the Left side (or any side really), then show it! Have the courage to say what you truly think, not what will gain you the most constituents. I’m not the first to call for such a thing, this I know, but every voice helps, right? Anyway, I think we would all greatly appreciate some true variety in our political system. If you are pro-gay marriage, pro-gun control, pro-stem cell research, pro-taxing the shit out of the rich, then simply come out with it! And be proud of it! I am…

This is not rocket science, people. If politicians were more honest about their true opinions, instead of being attention-craving, money-hungry figureheads for all things douchey (see below image), then there would be less corruption in the government and real progress could be made.

I look forward to the day when our country gets over itself and finally steps into the 21st Century.