Welcome to my Velvet Elvis

Lately my mind has been stirred up a lot. Just things that have happened around me, they've been messing with my head. I feel very stretched and strained inside, because I have so many things pulling my interest all at the same time. That's hard for me. I would rather focus on one thing and analyze every side of it, pick apart every little detail until I've exhausted it. Instead, I find myself thinking about one thing, then 5 minutes later I think about this other thing, and then I'm jumping to something else and thinking about that, then.... yeah, it just keeps going, and I can't fully think ONE thing over. I'm all jumbled up!

First off, I've been thinking about psychology vs. sociology, and why I am drawn more to psychology and find myself agreeing with psychologist's views more than sociologist's views. I am in a Developmental Psych class, and it's fascinating. I am also in an Intro to Sociology class, and my professor is fascinating. Here are some things from my Sociology class that have really stirred me up lately. Ok. My prof was saying that many of us have been raised and taught to believe that what was true 2,000 years ago is still true today. Then he went on to say that Sociology is a different way of thinking about that, because Sociologists believe that truth is dependent on social circumstances. If truth is dependent on anything, doesn't that mean you're saying that one truth to someone doesn't necessarily mean truth to another? So, basically, there is no absolute truth? Whether that's what he meant or not, I'm finding more and more that people my age are buying into the same theory where there is no real truth, because what's true for you may not be true for someone else- and that's ok, because, the only thing that matters is if it's true for you. Like, I seriously hear it all the time it seems... with anything, someone will throw in-- "that's fine if it's what you believe is right, but i dont think thats right for me." so like, if youre talking about, say, having sex before you're married... the statement is: "having sex before you're married is ok as long as its with someone you really love." and a relativist would say, "that's not right for me, but if it's right for you go ahead and do it." because everything's relative. i dont buy it. i dont know, that just really bothered me thinking about it... because it's so flawed. so if youre talking to someone who thinks that way, and you see their wallet sitting on the table, just take their wallet and start walking off. theyre gonna say something to you immediately like hey give me back my wallet. all you have to say is, well... taking this wallet is right for me. because, see, i get your money and everything thats in it and that will definitely help me out and make my life better. i mean, it may not be right for you... but hey its right for me, its good for me, so, tough luck. and so this person who was just using the same logic of relativism for something else, is obviously going to threaten to get the police involved.. he's not just gonna let you walk off with his wallet. but... he JUST said, "hey that's not right for me, but if its ok for you... then thats fine." but the minute someone else uses the same logic for THEIR own benefit and not yours, of course you go to a higher authority like the police. right?--of course you cant really do that. but its just an example of how relativism is completely bogus. because.. you can literally use it for like anything, and it just doesnt work like that.

i dont know, it kind of makes my head spin when i try to grasp the concept. i dont know, ive just been thinking about it.

I've been reading the book Velvet Elvis, by Rob Bell, the guy who did the Nooma videos I watched in high school youth group so many wonderful times. hehe. I really do like Rob Bell. I like what he has to say about Christianity. It's not like everything he has to say in the book is amazing and profound and just what I need to hear, or anything like that at all. but, it's just enjoyable and interesting to read someone else's views about the Christian faith because it gets me thinking. It gets me questioning. It stirs me to dig a little deeper into my own beliefs and connect with God on another level. It helps me grow. I like this one excerpt about some of the common faith discussions people have these days...

'Think about some of the words that are used in these kinds of discussions, one of the most common being the phrase "open-minded". Often the person with spirtual convictions is seen as close-minded and others are seen as open-minded. What is fascinating to me is that at the center of the Christian faith is the assumption that this life isn't all there is. THat there is more to life than the material. That existence is not limited to what we can see, touch, measure, taste, hear, and observe. One of the central assertions of the Christian world-view is that there is "more". Those who oppose this insist that this is all there is, that only what we can measure and observe and see with our eyes is real. There is nothing else. Which perspective is more "close-minded"? Which perspective is more "open"?'

Then another excerpt I liked:

'Jesus at one point claimed to be "the way, the truth, and the life". Jesus was not making claims about one religion being better than all other religions. That completely misses the point, the depth, and the truth. Rather, he was telling those who were following him that his way is the way to the depth of reality. This kind of life Jesus was living, perfectly and completely in connection and cooperation with God, is the best possible way for a person to live. It is how things are.

Jesus exposes us to reality at its rawest.

So the way of Jesus is not about religion; it's about reality.

It's about lining yourself up with how things are.

Perhaps a better question than who's right, is who's living rightly?'

Those two parts really got me thinking.
Unfortunately, I have to end this blog and do "important" things like... study for my poli. sci. exam tomorrow, and shower. and sleep. yeah, sleep. <3