Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Well, actually

Have you ever noticed how often people use the word "actually"? It drive me nuts. It seems that about 90% of the population can't get through two sentences without qualifying something with "actually". I often wonder if omitting this adverb indicates that the speaker is being virtual.

This isn't the only word that people seem to get stuck on and use repetitively in their speech patterns, it's just the one that for the past few months has started to grind on my auditory nerves and bruise my cochleas.

I actually went to lunch with Bruno today. I guess if actually is not there the listener is to assume the speaker means his imaginary friend Kunta Kente`.

I attended a training class today and the person leading the class must have used actually about 200 times in an hour. I'm not exaggerating. The guy is incredibly intelligent; the class was software development training. Intellect seems to have little to do with this infliction. In years past I probably would have said something sarcastic to him during or after the class, but I have mellowed with age and I don't really enjoy offending nice people like I once did. Now I write on this blog or on my website and hope those spoken of and about just don't notice (Since I estimate 90% of the population to be suffering from this though, maybe you are one of the spoken of individuals). At the height of the speaker's madness he used actually three times in two sentences.

The overuse of this word ranks up there with other things like saying "have went" instead of "have gone". I can't prove it but I think I may be the last living, English speaking person that knows the difference.

I also often wonder why so many people say "I could care less" when they obviously mean to say "I could not care less". If you could care less then you care about the subject at hand to some degree. The degree to which you care is not clear, only that you care at least some. But if you say I could not care less, it is clear that you care nothing at all about the subject matter.

Since I'm on this rant, why do people constantly refer to anything that can be qualified numerically with "ton". Ton is a weight, yet every day i hear things like: "I have a ton of work to do." Good for you, you will really have some muscles when you are through. Since I am a geek I constantly hear things like: "That program has tons of code in it" or "I've visited tons of technical sites and I cannot find the answer." Can't people say something like: "I visited numerous sites without finding anything that helped."?

This one really annoys me - calling people "anal". That word has become a euphemism for a__h____. Freud was probably the first person to use that term. He basically meant stingy. But today, quite often, when someone is annoying they are referred to as anal. People using this word frequently seem like pseudo-intellectual fruitcakes to me, throwing around words they think make them sound cool, but in fact make them sound silly to anyone who knows the meaning of the words.

Maybe you are wondering what my problem is because you think these things don't matter. They do matter though. Every time a word changes meaning slightly or to a larger degree, the entire language is changed. These nuances make it harder for present day people to understand the language of the past and even harder for people years from now to try to understand things written today in context of things written in the past. Colloquialisms change with each generation, perhaps even several times within a generation in some case. This causes confusion in the language and causes misinterpretation in historical writings. If someone living in 2098 reads an informal document written by an average speaker in 2008 and sees the word "actually" or "actual" used she may not realize that it was merely a way of joining thoughts used by people with poor grammar skills. That word may cause the document to be interpreted incorrectly when a sentence not containing the word "actual" or "actually" is not implied leading the reader to believe the meaning is "not real".

There are certainly many other words that are being misused in our society. We never say "the" correctly - almost always "thu". In the south we say "ya'll" and "gonna". Someone digging up a letter written by two people from the southern U.S. 200 years from now without having good documentation from the current era would certainly have trouble with that one. How would anyone ever get "going to" from "gonna". We say "fixing to leave" in place of "preparing to leave" or "about to leave".

I often wonder how much we don't know about history because we freely and happily modify the language to sound cool (another word that undergoes meaning change frequently). Think of the confusion a reader in 100 years might have comparing a document from the 1700s to one written in 2008 if both use the word "gay" to refer to someone.

Saturday, October 4, 2008

The Christian Trinity

The concept of the trinity is ingrained in christian theology to the point that those of us who do not believe it are scorned, accused of heresy and told that we cannot be saved because we deny the trinity. What is it that leads so many christians to believe pagan teachings? Orthodox Christians claim that God is three separate and distinct entities in one godhead. There is nothing in the bible that teaches this concept. In order to find anything in the bible that references the trinity, one must first accept that the trinity is truth and then go to the bible searching for verses to back up what they have decided to believe before studying the scriptures. Consider the following verses:

Matt 7:21 (KJV)
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Matt 10:32-33 (KJV)
32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.


Matt 11:25-27 (KJV)
At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.

All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.


Matt 26:39-42 (KJV)
39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.


Matt 12:48-50 (KJV)
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.



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It's clear in those verses that Yeshua distinguishes himself from the Father. Why would Yeshua pray to himself?

Think carefully about John 3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Yeshua was born of a human mother, flesh. Elohim is not flesh, He is spirit.


My good friend Keith Murray shared this list of questions with me. Keith's suggestion is that you answer these questions with scripture and not what you have been taught and accept as truth without having looked to scripture. In fact, always look to scripture for verification of what you believe to be truth. Don't passively accept what someone else (including me) tells you. Find support for your beliefs with scripture. If there is no support to be found look for a mentor that truly knows what the Bible says or think about revising what you think is truth.


1 Is G-d a man?
Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?


2 Is G-d a spirit?
John 4:24
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.


3 Was Y'shua flesh and bone?
4 Was Y'shua a spirit?
Luke 24:39
Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.


5 Can G-d be tempted?
James 1:13
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:



6 Was Y'shua tempted?
Matthew 4:1
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.


Hebrews 4:15
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.


7 Is G-d omnicient?
Isaiah 46:10
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:


Job 42:2
I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.


Psalm 44:21
Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.



8 Was Y'shua omnincient?
Mark 13:32
But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.


Luke 2:52
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.


Isaiah 7:14-16
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.


9 Does G-d sleep?
Psalm 121:4
Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.


10 Did Y'shua sleep?

Matthew 8:24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.


11 Does G-d become weary?
Isaiah 40:28
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.


12 Does G-d hunger or thirst?
Psalm 50:12
If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.


13 Did Y'shua hunger or thirst?
Mark 11:12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:


Matthew 25:42
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:


John 19:28
After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.



14 Has anyone seen G-d at any time?
John 1:18
No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.


1 John 4:12
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.


Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.


15 Did anyone see Y'shua?
Matthew 8:34
And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.


16 Was Y'shua's will always the same as YHVH?
17 Did Y'shua do his own will?

Luke 22:42
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.



18 Does G-d do his own will?
Isaiah 48:11
For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.


Isaiah 55:11
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.


19 Who raised Y'shua from the grave?
Acts 2:24
Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.


Acts 2:32
This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.


Acts 3:15
And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.


Acts 3:26
Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.


Acts 4:10
Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.


Acts 5:30
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.


Acts 10:40
Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;


20 Did Y'shua become sin?
2 Corinthians 5:21
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.


21 Can G-d be sin?
James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.


22 Was Y'shua forsaken? If so, by who?
Matthew 27:46
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?


Mark 15:34
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?


23 Was Y'shua sent?
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.


24 Is G-d sent?
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.


25 Can G-d become lower than angels?
Psalm 18:13
The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.


Psalm 47:2
For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.


26 Did Y'shua become lower than angels?
Hebrews 2:7
Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:


27 Does G-d pray?
Psalm 50:12
If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.


28 Did Y'shua pray?
Matthew 26:36
Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.


29 Is G-d a mediator?
Galatians 3:20
Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.


30 Is Y'shua a mediator?
1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;


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This is not the complete list. There are quite a few more. I'll be happy to post them all if anyone is interested.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

McAfee AntiVirus Software...

constantly pops up windows telling me some of the features are not turned on. This is because I turned the email spam filter off. McAfee slows my email to a crawl if I let their spam service run. It also places a large number of valid emails in its spam folder that it creates in my Outlook folders. When I move an email out of the spam folder into my inbox where it belongs McAfee conveniently moves it back to its own spam folder pissing me off really bad.

When Internet Explorer 7.0 beta was released I installed it and the McAfee security center opened up in an empty white window. Recently I installed the new beta of Internet Explorer and again McAfee Security Center opens in an empty white window. This is so totally ridiculous that I won't even rant on it. There is absolutely no reason for a desktop application to be dependent on the version of a browser installed on a pc. McAfee blames Microsoft. I'm a developer. I rant about Microsoft quite often. This is not Microsoft's issue. It's crappy programing from McAfee and they just won't live up to it and fix the problem.

In addition to popups about my settings, I get popups encouraging me to upgrade to a more expensive version. Sure McAfee, your software sucks so bad that I can hardly wait to give you more money for something that REALLY sucks. A few days ago I got a popup telling me that my subscription would be expiring in February 2009. That's right - 5 months in advance.

Frequently my entire PC freezes because McAfee is updating. Rather than using a threading model, McAfee takes control of both of my processors and won't let go until it is finished. McAfee does not create software. They create crapware.

I have begun sending them emails every time I get an annoying popup. I offered to stop if they would give me a partial refund and cancel my subscription, but they refused. I'll just keep emailing them several times a day - each time I am annoyed by one of their useless popups.

If you use McAfee and find it annoying as I do, then join me in sending them an email every time it annoys you. I don't think they have the talent or desire to make their software right, but at least we can all have some therapy by irritating them and making them pay for annoying the hell out of us with their crapware.

jw