ON EQUALITY: A RAMBLING DECLARATION OF HOPE

The World is Waiting 

I have always loved traveling.

The world seems to me like an ethereal, strangely beautiful place, with mysteries waiting for me to discover and adventures waiting to be had. Nothing compares to the feeling as I step off a plane in a new place, my hands gripping my backpack straps, my glowing eyes betraying my tourist's heart. Art, philosophy, geography, architecture - every place has something new to share with me. The sweet-smelling breeze off a clear blue ocean, the majesty of a range of snow-capped mountains, the chill of dew on my face after a night spent outside, or the feel of a strangers breath on my neck as we press together in a crowded city - these are the feelings of freedom, of being breathlessly alone in such a big, big world. There is something so exciting to me about going, and I want to go everywhere.

If travel was free, you'd never be able to find me.

God has given me many opportunities to travel in my life. From family vacations to study trips abroad, I have been blessed to be able to cultivate my love of adventure. But one of the biggest things that draws me to a new place is the people.

People are struggling everywhere. And it is so interesting to me that through every culture, every kind of people, we are still the same, deep down. Under the surface, under all of the issues that divide us, we are all just people, each with a story, each trying to survive in this ethereal, strangely beautiful, cruel world. Part of the beauty of the world, part of its allure, is the darkness and brokenness that seeps into every part of life. Every country, every town, every person has it's own darkness, from east to west, from third-world to first-world. The world is cursed, and the more I travel, the more obvious it becomes.

Beauty in Darkness

The darkness of the world is not beautiful in and of itself. A solid black canvas is not art. A book with ink splattered all over it's pages is unreadable. The cruelty of our beloved earth is only beautiful because of what comes out of it. For example, I think that World War II was a very interesting, beautiful era - not because of the horrors that happened during that time, but because of the hope that came out of it. Countries came together, families were united in love and grief and trial. This happens all over the world. People find hope in hard times. It's miraculous.

Literally.

I'm not trying to make light of suffering. There is suffering in this world that is indescribable, and I pray for the people who have to go through that to find strength in Christ. And when they do, I see a beauty that is incomparable.

It is times like this that unite all of us. There is a depth to human beings that goes beyond gender, beyond race, and that uniting chord is a complex term simply referred to as humanity.

Our humanity.

Before the curse of this world, before this world was evil and cruel, we were created to be relational. We come together because we need to, because we cannot survive without each other.

Togetherness 

What is equality? 

Equality, simply defined, is "the state of being equal". People today take that to mean "the state of being treated equal". We are different. We shouldn't treat everyone exactly the same. That would kill all sense of originality, of art, of creativity, of differentiating between good and bad, right and wrong. There is nothing wrong with treating each other differently. But we have to treat people with fairness and kindness. 

The beauty of the world can only be found when people lay aside their differences and choose to love one another, as Christ loves us. "For God shows no partiality (Romans 2:11)" and we should not presume to, either. Partiality is a symptom of arrogance. Racism is a symptom of arrogance. Disrespecting the opposite gender is a symptom of arrogance. 

And arrogance is a symptom of being lost. 

I am tired of people marching for causes and being violent towards police officers. I am tired of kids walking out of schools in protest but continuing to disrespect their teachers, their parents, their friends. I am tired of people who fight for equality without knowing what it is, who go back to their lives with the proud feeling of having done "some good" but never intending to make a true life change. 

Change starts with us. We can't change the world if we don't change ourselves first. And the only way we can do that is to entrust our lives to the Holy Spirit, because alone, we will always, always, end up right back in the same place. Right back in the darkness, reading a book with ink splattered all over it that means nothing to us. 

Change starts with us. 

But change is only made possible through Christ. 

If you don't believe that, you are trusting in an empty hope. That's like trying to fly across the world using a helium ballon. Eventually, it's going to break, and the shreds of your hope will come crashing down around you. 

No Partiality 

Behind this struggle for equality is the real problem, the problem of sin. No matter how many people march on Washington, no matter how many kids walk out of schools, no matter how many bloggers write about their views on the issue, we will not be able to truly fix the problem without God's help. We think so highly of ourselves, humans. Pride is a worldwide trait. But we can't fix everything. We can hardly fix anything, really. 

When I look at the world, in all of its beautiful darkness, I can't help but dream about the day when Christ will unify everything and everyone, when he will create a new earth, in which the sickness and depravity and cruelty that we see today will be an all-but-forgotten thought in the annals of our history. Maybe we won't even remember it. But for now, we struggle. We struggle for equality. We struggle for peace. We struggle for hope. 

SEEKING THE GREAT PERHAPS - John Green Simple Book Review

LOOKING FOR ALASKA

John Green, Harper Collins UK, ISBN 975-0-00-752316-0

"If people were rain, I was drizzle and she was a hurricane." 

For Miles Halter, life has been nothing. Not exciting or boring exactly, simply one big non-event. But when he transfers to a small boarding school in Alabama, he meets the extraordinary, cynical, clever, "deeply unhappy" Alaska Young, and is drawn into her reckless world, stealing his heart and changing him into a different person. For Miles, nothing will ever be the same again. 

I didn't used to think I was a fan of John Green. Sure, I liked the cliched Fault in our Stars - it was an interesting read and, of course, a cute movie - but I thought that he tried much too hard to be philosophical. I understand this view is controversial in the teen-readers circle, so in order to redeem myself, I will admit that Looking for Alaska totally changed my mind about this author. John Green has written a beautiful image of a girl who has been irrevocably damaged and a boy who is searching for the meaning of life. 

There is truth in the way depression, post-traumatic stress, and grief are portrayed, and the philosophical concepts are pertinent, from Mile's search for A Great Perhaps to Alaska's obsession with
a quote from Simon Bolivar: "How will I ever get out of this labyrinth?" The story itself is relatively simple, but the metaphors are deep and beautiful, and that is an interesting, wonderful paradox. If John Green missed the mark with The Fault in our Stars,  he hit the bullseye twice over with Looking for Alaska.

 MY THOUGHTS

The main characters were well rounded and, though not entirely credible, were highly realistic. This is one of the most impressive improvements of Looking for Alaska over The Fault in our Stars.  In TFIOS, while Augustus Waters was a very good character, Hazel Grace Lancaster felt flat and unreliable, and most of her defining attributes made her annoying to readers. In contrast, Miles Halter, the realistically quiet, shy new kid, and Alaska Young, the passionate, hurting, impulsive prankster, felt like real people that I have just spent the past year and a half with (even though the book only took me a day and a half to finish). 

In addition to the realism of the characters, the storyline and their emotions in correspondence to it were relatable to everyone. I particularly related to Miles in his search for "A Great Perhaps" - in that I maybe am searching for something in my life as well. I think that we all are. And we all have felt the loneliness of coming to a new place, the familiarity that grows with making new friends, and the grief of losing one of those friends to reasons we do not understand. The book portrays life, and it is ugly and beautiful in equal parts. 

Something must be said, as well, for the depth of thought that was put into the storyline, albeit simple. To put it in layman's terms: "It really makes you think." It is not really a love story, although I believe it would be classified as one. It is a story of life and it's complexities, including, but not limited to, the emotions we call "love" and "hate" and "grief" and so many, many others.

All in all, this was a wonderful reflection of the loves and hurts of young adult life and the intellectualism held by many teens that is taken for granted in our culture today. Not only is it realistic, but it is witty, intelligent, and heartbreaking. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading clever stories that will get "in the feels", as they say. If you are looking yourself for that Great Perhaps, the Maybes and What-If-I's of life, then perhaps Miles, Alaska and the other characters can help you along your journey as well. 

FROM A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE 

From a Christian perspective...I would still recommend this book. Part of it follows Miles as he searches for his own beliefs about life after death, and, though he ultimately concludes something slightly vague, is a beginning to the search for true and ultimate meaning: ie. a life lived for Jesus, the Messiah. And while there is nothing in the story to suggest that there is truth to the claims of Christianity, there is nothing to suggest that Christian beliefs are not true. 

However, the characters obviously do not care about living like Christians, so if that is an issue, you might want to steer clear. But if you can look past the fact that this book is about teenagers sneaking off campus to play harmless pranks, smoke and get drunk, then I would definitely read this book. There is something to be said for a writer who can write a story about teenagers being teenagers and still instill it with truth about humanity. So, regardless of your beliefs, I give Looking for Alaska a big thumbs up. 

QUOTES 

"When you stopped wishing things wouldn't fall apart, you'd stop suffering when they did." 

"She loved mysteries so much that she became one." 

"I may die young, but at least I'll die smart." 

"The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive." 

"'Thomas Edison's last words were, 'It's very beautiful over there.' I don't know where there is, but I believe it's somewhere, and I hope it's beautiful." 

"I was born into Bolivar's labyrinth, and so I must believe in the hope of Rabelais' Great Perhaps." 

REACHING THE UNREACHABLE

In this world, there are people groups that have been virtually untouched by the Gospel, in so many words. These are the closed countries, the obsolete tribes of the rainforests, the islanders who still practice the pagan rituals of their ancestors. These groups, certainly, need workers of God to sally forth with their translators and doctors, teachers and preachers, all bringing the hope of Christ in their very capable hands. But one people group has consistently been overlooked.

This group is the academic elite.

The definition of a "people group" is "a category of people who identify with each other based on similarities such as common ancestry, language, society, culture or nation." I would argue that the intellectual elite qualify as a people group based on these criteria. Rather than being a group linked through one common ancestry, they are a community, linked through the various means by which they earned their status in said community. Most of these are fluent in multiple languages. This idea of academic or intellectual elite has snowballed, if you will, into a culture and society all it's own.

What makes the elite so different from untouched or "unreached" people groups is that the majority of scholars who comprise this group are very, very familiar with the ideas of Christianity - but they have never experienced it for themselves and thus reject the idea altogether. There is a great link between intellect and hubris, and I believe that the extent of this link is that the smarter you are, the harder it is to recognize the truth of Christ.

For example: Saul of Tarsus, or Paul, Apostle to the Gentiles and one of the greatest minds and missionaries that we know of. Think of Saul, before the Road to Damascus - born to Jewish parents in possession of Roman citizenship (a coveted privilege that would also fall to their son). His family moved to Jerusalem about AD 10, and about five years later, Saul would have begun his intensive studying of the Hebrew Scriptures and the Law under the esteemed Rabbi Gamaliel. Some years later,  in violation of Gamaliel's "wait-and-see" policy, Saul, in unthinkable pride, begins to violently oppose and oppress the new movement of "Christians" or "The Way". It takes a seemingly insane event - being blinded on the road to Damascus and being taught by Jesus - to break that pride (Acts 9:17).

This event and the changed life of Paul - formerly known as Saul - proves two things. First, that it is very nearly impossible for the highly intelligent to come to Christ on their own. Second, that it does happen. However, it is highly unlikely that Jesus will choose to repeat something like the road to Damascus. In modern times, God spreads his hope through those who are willing to go and share it. And the academic elite need someone to share it with them. Someone they will accept, someone they will respect, and someone whose ideas will be thoughtfully considered and studied as truth, versus fantasy.

This is not to say that there are not those who are highly intelligent and have an influence into this elitist circle who have background in Christianity and are willing to stand for their faith. In fact, there are many groups that are attempting to make a change in this culture. But it is understood that there is a massive prejudice against Christianity in academia today. In his article, "No Christianity Please, We're Academics", Timothy Larson of Inside Higher Ed relates the story of a young man who, while studying at a secular university, encountered this prejudice while writing a paper on the structure of marriage for an English assignment. The student was given a failing grade with the words, "I reject your dogmatism" written across the bottom of the paper. This same student was also not allowed to quote anything by C.S. Lewis in his papers - even though Lewis was known to be a professor at Cambridge who studied at Oxford. Stories like these are standard and expected, especially in the Ivy League. Why is it that this has become such an expected thing? "Like others experiencing discrimination, we expect that we might need to do significantly better than the competition to have a chance," says Larson. "Do academic institutions ever try to discover if their Christian students or scholars experience discrimination?"

This discrimination is exactly why some have called this group the "unreachable". It is not that they simply have not been reached yet, it is that they have chosen to adopt a culture that directly opposes Christianity. At best, Christians are considered to be "showing partiality"; at worst, Christianity is considered offensive and acted against. Larson calls for an effort to be made to stop this discrimination against Christianity in higher education. And, while I believe this is a most difficult task, I refuse to believe that these people are unreachable. In learning how to talk to them, in taking the time to prepare a strategy, Christians who have been given the responsibility of an intelligent mind should and must use it to break through the flesh-made barriers of pride that divide the academic elite from the peace and love and hope that Jesus brings.

Humanity lives on a cliff and walks around with blindfolds on. God calls some to be missionaries to the unreached. God calls others to be missionaries to the unreachable. They are both the same - people who are lost, who need our love, and Jesus'. The intelligent, the stubborn, the ones who would dare to look foolish in the eyes of the world for choosing to believe in a God who gives meaning - these are the ones who have the ability to reach into that world and show them the beauty of life. This is not a burden for everyone, but God has put it strongly on my heart to work in this line of missions.

OTHER ARTICLES ON THIS SUBJECT
No Christianity Please, We're Academics by Timothy Larson
Discrimination Against Christian Students on Campus by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
How to Engage Culture like C.S.Lewis by The Intersect Project

WE'RE ALL MAD HERE

I cannot remember a time when I wasn't interested in mental illness, whether that meant birth defects, emotional instability, or outrageous prodigies. Of course, I do not mean to demean these people by saying that they fascinate me - that would be hypocritical.

Minds interest me because most people have different ones - and most people are trained to think a certain way, therefore effectively squashing the uniqueness of their own brain while parroting the words of a culture that celebrates the very meaning of "unique", simultaneously twisting the true definition of the word.

I write about what I like to call, "the Different." I include myself among them. Many people, secretly, would include themselves as well. These are the thinkers, the dreamers, the lonely, the artists, the depressed, the intellectual, the autistic, the introverted, the free spirits, the social butterflies who don't care what others think about them - and I group all of these together not because I mean to make fun of who they are but because they have the "Different" capability of seeing beyond our culture. The autistic boy who, the minute he steps into a pool, becomes a mermaid. The emo guitarist who sits on a park bench and waits for an epiphany, clean for all of a week but forever, someday. The aging woman who expresses herself through dance because she believes in something that society would not approve of - something she can't even talk about in her workplace. She knows she will be bullied. She has been before. They all have.

Society.

And Society would say that we are all the same. Society, in it's effort to celebrate the "uniqueness" of humanity, has turned the young men and women of this generation into robots with very strong beliefs and very weak morals, very high tolerance and very low compassion. Teens will picket about anything but when one Christian stands up for what he believes on Facebook, a volley of Society's arrows condemn his "intolerance". Millennials march in parades but these same ones will be ignoring the drunks who stumble out of McHearney's Irish Pub at midnight - or maybe they will be counted among them, bleary eyed - and Society says that twenty-somethings are just acting like twenty-somethings.

"The Different" are the ones who can see past this veil - or who see straight through it.

A year ago I wrote a short story about one of "the Different" and it was published in an Oxford journal called the Paper Punt. I entitled it WE'RE ALL MAD HERE, a reference to Lewis Carroll's ALICE IN WONDERLAND (which was largely commercialized in Oxford due to the fact that Carroll lived there when he wrote it, but that had nothing to do with my inspiration.) The work follows a young man who suffers from a schizoid personality disorder with obsessive tendencies, and actually took a fair amount of research for only 2014 words. The piece actually won an award because it was so different from the others that were published - and this is because it is a first person account from the point of view of someone special. Someone "Different". (FOR YOUR BENEFIT, I HAVE INCLUDED THIS SHORT STORY IN THE EXTRAS TAB).

“Martin.” She said. It was his name. He couldn’t remember hers, even though he knew she had told him the last time she had seen him. “I’m Alice.” She said, as if in answer to his question, as if she’d said the same thing a hundred times.

I believe that the "Different" view the world through lenses that are clean from the filth of Society. Whether they were born that way or become that way, they can see clearly. But I'll go even further than that. I think that everyone can be "Different": if they choose. One must only take a step back and look at our culture, our Society, and attempt to see it objectively. And that is why I write on the mentally "Different" - not only to share their viewpoint, but to share their clarity.

SINCERELY,

TEMPORARY SETBACK

Hello, all!

I am afraid I must confess something unfortunate: due to a temporary setback, the much-anticipated release date of my newest novel To Mask A Soul has been pushed back to a date that I am not able to give out as of yet. We have been having some technical difficulties and the work is still in the last stages of editing. I had hoped that this would be finished much earlier, but, alas, sometimes these things happen, and at this point we just have to wait and see what is going to happen.

In light of the current situation, I have been taking the time to get down and dirty with my writing flaws. By this I mean that I have been taking classes on not only fiction writing, but non-fiction as well. I believe that there is always something new to learn.Without realizing that I am not already F. Scott Fitzgerald or J. K. Rowling or whichever famous author is preferred, I cannot change my flaws to become better. And that is an important truth in life as well, I believe. A huge part of writing is admitting that you aren't as great a writer as you thought you were. A huge part of life is admitting that maybe you weren't right in everything. This is still something I struggle with on a daily basis, but at least I can admit that it's a problem. As my father always says, "It's a strength to know your weaknesses." In fact, this is one of the themes of To Mask A Soul - that if you know what your problems are, you can better understand yourself and how to correct them.

These next few months are going to be very busy for me, as the beginning of summer always seems like life is starting over again - to paraphrase The Great Gatsby. This summer includes not only To Mask A Soul's release and the hype and advertising that comes with it, but I am also physically, mentally, and emotionally preparing for my move to New York this September. Uprooting is very difficult for me and will probably involve a halt in my writing for a while, as my mind will be more focused on getting settled and finding a new routine. The next few months will be, for me, a chance to get To Mask A Soul settled, and to wrap my mind around the adventure of free-falling into a new life. I would appreciate it if you would keep me in your thoughts and prayers for the next few months.

And, last but not least, since you are all waiting so very patiently for To Mask A Soul, I have decided that I could include the very first few paragraphs of the unreleased, unedited version on my website. I've already posted some other "sneak peaks" of this version, but hopefully this will get everyone as excited as I am for the official release of this novel. Check out the "EXTRAS" page of my website for this very special disclosure!

As always, God bless!

Sincerely,

TO MASK A SOUL'S BOOK TRAILER!

SO EXCITED! Here is To Mask a Soul's book trailer! Get excited!

SNEAK PEEK OF MY NEWEST NOVEL!

 

 

 

Hi, all! I hope you enjoy this sneak peek of my newest novel, To Mask A Soul, and start getting as excited as I am about it's upcoming release! Dedicated to "the ones who search", this novel is a fictional recreation of an emotional journey towards ultimate redemption and self-appreciation, and I put so much of my own emotions in it that the main character, Diggory, feels like something of a beloved child to me! Now, without further ado, let's get into the good stuff!

 

Title: To Mask A soul

 

Genre: Historical

Synopsis

An emotionally unstable man grapples with demons of the past as he fights to find his place in the judgmental structure of Victorian high society, but an adversary bent on revenge threatens any semblance of peace he may find. Will Diggory Cotterill find himself as he struggles to be who he needs to be, or will he give in to the guilt that threatens to overwhelm him?

Excerpt

                  Diggory opened the door and found himself in what appeared to be the lobby of the inn. A single dusty chandelier swung from the ceiling – too close to his head, but then, he was on the taller side. The room looked like it was trying to imitate the posh hotels of grand cities such as London, but it was failing miserably, at least in Diggory’s mind. He walked up to the desk on the far side of the room, where a little man was sitting reading the newspaper.

                “Point me in the direction of the pub, please.” Diggory pushed his chest out and looked over his nose at the small man.

                The man’s eyes widened behind his spectacles. “Lord Carlton! Is it true? Blimey, by my own eyes I see it!”

“Please, sir, if you would just point me in the direction…”

The little man pointed. “Through that door.”

                Diggory thanked him and walked into the pub, his coattails flapping behind him, an absurd display of wealth in the tiny hotel.

                The pub was not well lit. A woman with a smoky voice was playing the piano and singing. The bartender was talking with a man with dark, curly hair. Some men played poker in the corner, and a pretty girl stood next to them, offering them some drinks.

                Diggory walked up to the bar counter. “Your strongest, sir.”

                “’Sir’!” He exclaimed, winking at his younger companion. “That's summit I ain't been called in a while!”

                The curly-haired man scoffed and threw back the last of his beer.

                “'re ya Bobby ya can 'andle our strongest, Masta Carlton? Ya butcher's pretty young ter be aahhht drinkin' this Liz Hurley.” The bartender smiled at Diggory.

                Diggory stared blankly at him. “What?”

                The curly-haired man chuckled. “You’re obviously from London, old chap! Don’t you know rhyming slang when you hear it?”

                Diggory straightened his shoulders. “Never been to the East end, and I pray to God I’ll never have to.”

                “Well, you are hoity-toity one, are you not.” The man had a sparkle of fun in his dark eyes and a quick smile. “Seeing as you don’t seem to be feeling the need to blend in, I suppose I’ll translate for you.” He leaned over and whispered something in Diggory’s ear.

                Diggory pulled back sharply. “That’s not what he said!”

                The man laughed aloud. “No. I guess that’s just what I think of you.”

                Diggory frowned, slightly confused.

                “What’s your name, old chap?” The curly haired man put out his hand, and the smiling bartender set another flask into it.

                “Diggory de Lae Carlton the Third.” Diggory said splendidly, as if his name would matter to a bunch of country bumpkins.

                “Lord Carlton, ah, I see.” The man’s blue eyes turned thoughtful. “Carlton…as in Carlton Worldwide Vessels?”

                “That’s right.”

                “Well. The Third! That’s an impressive number.” The man grinned that charming grin and stuck out his hand. “James Gangfield. I go by Gangfield.”

                Diggory shook his hand. “It’s good to meet you, Mr. Gangfield.”

                Gangfield laughed at him and took a pipe out of his pocket, and lit it. “Good to meet you, Carlton. Seeing as you’re the richest man in Sherfield, how about buying a poor bloke a drink?”

               Diggory bought Gangfield a drink. And another. And another. And by eight that night, the two had wits as sharp as a couple of pillows.

                “So what’re ya doin’ in this ‘ere vill’ge, anywho?” Gangfield slurred, accidentally knocking over what was left of his beverage all over the counter. “Celebratin’ the ‘scension of the new queen? She can’t be much older’n you, for all yer airs an’ graces…”

                “Long live ‘er majesty, Victoria,” the bartender muttered, cleaning a flask with an old rag.

                Diggory, red-faced and bleary, tried to make a joke. “They put the craziest rooster farthest away from the henhouse…” And he laughed heartily over it.

                “The rooster…!” Gangfield cackled. “So you’re a bit balmy on the crumpet, then, are you?”

                “Senseless as a bat!” Diggory agreed, still laughing about his henhouse crack. “My parents are…are…wait.” He looked like he was about to pass out.

                “Oh, no.” Gangfield put his hands on Diggory’s shoulders and shook him. “Not now. What about your parents? Come on!”

                Diggory, as drunk as he was, tried to figure out what was wrong with Gangfield. He wasn’t as sleepy as Diggory was? “Wait a minute…”

“I need to know, Carlton!” Gangfield shook him a bit more.