Had to write this for a mythology class, figured I’d post it here to refer back to if the novel came up again in my life.
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Ishmael’s statement, “it should be noted that what is crucial to your survival as a race is not the redistribution of power and wealth within the prison, but rather the destruction of the prison itself,” is a statement about the purpose of life.

Everyone born into the world, at one time or another, comes to face the question, “Why are we here? What is our purpose?” Inevitably, they come to certain beliefs about that purpose; some believe they are here to serve a God, some conclude they are here just “to be a nice person”, some are here to get the most money possible, some look to establish themselves in positions of power, and some look to gain the most knowledge possible. The two biggest goals we usually find people to have (especially in Western culture) are the obtaining of power and wealth.

Ishmael focuses on these two goals people grab as the purpose of their life. He states that we should not be so concerned with power and wealth, and that it should not be our purpose of life, but rather that our purpose (specifically to ensure the survival of our race) is to destroy the “prison” itself. In this statement, Ishmael is taking a step back from typical worldviews and encourages us to do so as well.

This can sort of be likened to a group of boys living at the bottom of a well. They’ve been living down there since as far back as they can remember, and can’t imagine the world that exists just out of reach, if they could get out of the well. At the bottom of the well, most of the boys are fighting over an apple that fell from a tree into the well. In their fight these boys are rolling and bouncing all around the well, knocking over everyone stuck down there – even knocking down those few boys who can dream of sometime better and attempt to climb up out of the well.

With the above analogy to hopefully make it more clear, we can compare Ishmael’s response to the idea of stopping the fight over the apple (redistribution of power and wealth) but to focus on escaping (or destroying) our prison to be able to get to the abundant fruit and huge world overhead just out of reach. It’s not just a question of aesthetics though; if the boys are stuck down there for much longer, they will die. One apple can only give their bodies enough energy to go on for “so long”.

Ishmael’s prison that he is talking about is our culture: driven by lust for money and power, driven by the “Takers”. The prison is made of up the worldview or mindset behind it, shared by most people on the earth. The epitome of Ishmael’s prison is Capitalism.

I can fully see and agree with Ishmael’s basic premises, but not his conclusion. We are destroying the world. We are killing off animal races, destroying the environment, using up non-renewable resources, perhaps even poking holes in the ozone and contributing to global warming.

Whereas Ishmael connects this with us adopting the “Takers” culture instead of the “Leavers”, I interpret this as the difference between before the “Fall” and after it.

Before the fall of mankind, man were to be the caretakers and lords of the earth. We were to have dominion over the animals – the beasts of the field, birds of the air, and fish of the sea. We were to help them grow, and in their interaction with us, become almost human (think of a strong family you know with a dog that is extremely intelligent, and seems to have emotions, acting almost just like a child. That is a [poor] image of how we were to raise these animals). On top of the dominion over animals, we were called to walk with our God, and just enjoy His fellowship and love in full obedience.

We fell. In our fall, all of creation fell with us. The world is not as it should have been. It’s a “dog-eat-dog” world now. We level forests to build houses. We wipe out animals for food or sport. We are not stewards of this world, but rather attempt to be it’s slavemaster.

The “Leavers” were humankind before the fall. The “Takers” are who we became after it. There have been some people throughout history who had a “Leavers” worldview (the prophets, Abraham, Noah, etc.), but as a general population the world is full of “Takers”. So in that sense, I agree with Ishmael; there are two groups of people who neatly fit into his categories of “Takers” and “Leavers”, I just disagree with what parts of history those people are drawn from.

Ishmael speaks of the need for us to stop living as “Takers” but to focus on breaking out of the prison. He advocates that we need (in essence) to return to the society of the “Leavers”.

I again agree on the premise, but disagree on the methodology. We are a sinful species. We need to eradicate that sin, and come to see the fruits above of just out of our reach (a relationship with our God, whom loves us and is just waiting for us to reach out our hand to him). This is something we simply cannot do of our own accord. Luckily, God didn’t leave it merely up to us. He gave us the gospel. There was a man who lived among the “Takers” as a “Leaver”. True, he was killed. However, for some reason that totally mystified the “Takers”, he didn’t stay dead.

It is in the power of this man’s resurrection that we can trust; in God. This man started a revolution of the “Leavers”. His philosophies, his worldview, his God all spread like wildfire. Beginning in the Middle East a couple millenium ago, his story and love now permeate throughout a third or so of the human race. He calls his followers to live like true “Leavers” (similar in some senses to Ishmael’s, but with some differences). His followers have been attempting to do so to the best of their abilities, strengthened by the grace they are given in different measures. It is true that some of these “converted Leavers” still have traces of “Takers” in them (some a lot, making them almost indistinguishable from “Takers”, while some indeed do bear the looks of the “Leavers”), but this is not cause to doubt they are “Leavers”. I can be a boy, and go against my nature by wearing a dress like a woman would. This does not make me a woman – I merely may appear like one at first glance from somebody on the outside. In the same way, when someone converts into a “Leaver”, he is a “Leaver”, even if he still has enough external traces of being a “Taker” on him that people on the outside have trouble telling him apart from other “Takers”.

So, in summary, there is a prison. We, as “Takers”, live within that prison. The situation is not as dire as Ishmael implied though – there are many “Leavers” in the world, just many may bear marks of the “Takers”, as the conversion process is not simple nor easy. We do need to fight against the prison, and seek to destroy it. However, we can do so with the full knowledge that God has promised the prison will be destroyed, conquered by His gospel. It is important to realize in our fight that we are not alone – and that we are not fighting from a strength of pride (to make a name for ourselves or any such similar nonsense), but rather with the knowledge that God could win the battle with us or without us. The prison will be overthrown, that has been determined. The gospel will conquer the world. Our shackles will be cut off. We will be free. The battle is being fought, one soul, one individual, at a time. The question really is just this: Which side of the battle are you on?

Today my Philosophy of Religion class actually hit something that sparked my interest.

The conversation was on the ‘moral argument’ for the existence of God. I don’t want to quite go there… but essentially, what everyone in the class (and especially the teacher) seemed to agree on was the idea that morals are largely learned from your environment and the influences in your life. Some people went a step further, and included that some morals are just innate.

In general, the agreement was (although no one absolutely stated this) that morality was relative.

I wish to pose the following question:
What if Obama passed a law* tomorrow stating that a “born fetus” is only given the status of child (or human being) after it has spoken it’s first word? Until it can share that specific defining characteristic of humanity (spoken words), it is not part of humanity.

You may say it’s a ludicrous idea, but really, think about the progress of abortion. Prior to 1973, abortion was only legal like it is today in 4 states, and was completely outlawed in 30. Now it’s accepted pretty much all over the US. Partial Birth abortions were just barely kept illegal in 2003 by a vote of 5-4, so doctors have been hugging the gray area (such as injecting/killing the fetus before pulling it out). It’s not as far-fetched as it seems; yet, even if it was, that’s only mildly relevant to the question above. Chances are I could come up with some idea of a law you would think immoral that sounds plausible. Let’s work with this example for a minute.

If Obama does as stated above, then the environment you are living in and the laws you live under will change. If you believe there is no absolute standard of morality, then Obama is free to do what is suggested above, and as long as the majority of people go along with it (if that is how you determine your ‘relative’ morality) this becomes factored into what is acceptable in your morality.

And yet… don’t you find the idea repulsive? Why?

I would submit there is an absolute morality, and it is God (and ultimately, God’s character) that determines right from wrong, good from bad. Moreover, we are given both a conscience and “the judicial sentiment“** to discern right from wrong – the former people can harden themselves against, the latter will always speak to you.

*Yes, I’m aware Obama can’t pass a law, but only veto them. But really… he has the democratic party within his fist, and if he “suggests” a law, they will do their best to pass it – and he would then not veto it, etc, etc. For the sake of this discussion, assume Congress passes the law, Obama doesn’t veto it, and the Supreme Court upholds it as well.
**”The judicial sentiment is the moral faculty that is duly offended when we are mistreated.” -John Piper, Desiring God, page 60 (footnotes)

Dear Mrs. ____
Thanks for yours of the 16th. Our climatic troubles are just the opposite of yours; one of the coldest and wettest summers I remember. But I’d dislike your heat very much more than our cold. I am so glad you gave me an account of the lovely priest. How little people know who think that holiness is dull. When one meets the real thing (and perhaps, like you, I have met it only once) it is irresistable. If even 10% of the world’s population had it, would not the whole world be converted and happy before a year’s end? Yes, I too think there is lots to be said for being no longer young; and I do most heartily agree that it is just as well to be past the age when one expects or desires to attract the other sex. It’s natural enough in our species, as in others, that the young birds should show off their plumage – in the mating season. But the trouble in the modern world is that there’s a tendency to rush all the birds on to that age as soon as possible and then keep them there as late as possible, thus losing all the real value of the other parts of life in a senseless, pitiful attempt to prolong what, after all, is neither its wisest, its happiest, or most innocent period. I suspect merely commercial motives are behind it all: for it is at the showing-off age that birds of both sexes have least sales-resistance! Naturally I can have no views on a choice between your home town and Washington any more than on one between Omsk and Teheran! but of course you shall have my prayers. Sorry to hear about the fall, they’re nasty things. I must stop now, for I’m dead tired from standing at catalogue-shelves in a library all morning verifying titles of books and editions. I think, like the Irishman in the story “I’d sooner walk 10 miles than stand one”. I go to Ireland on the 11th so don’t be surprised if you don’t hear from me again till the end of September. All blessings.
Yours,
C. S. Lewis

(Speaking of his own profession, teaching)

“If we are any good we must always be working towards the moment at which our pupils are fit to become our critics and rivals. We should be delighted when it arrives, as the fencing master is delighted when his pupil can pink and disarm him…”

“We must aim at making ourselves superfluous.”

-C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

So true. Unfortunately, teaching is no longer done like this. Now, it’s like a profession where one person with ‘facts and knowledge’ attempts to pour this, like water from one pot to another, into another human being. There is no real training, no actual experience of what you’re going into, except for in some majors for the last year of college. There is no personal relation, and no desire to make your pupil understand and surpass yourself.

“Education is not mere ‘data transfer.’ We are not moving around ones and zeros. The student must think . . . The receiving mind is not a bucket into which the teacher drops things” (The Case for Classical Christian Education, p. 192).

I think we had it right in the old days. General education should stop at a young age – at max, 10th grade. We need the apprentice/master system back.16 years of general education, with 1-2 years of specialized education, is not working. If a kid is interested in being a car mechanic in 10th grade, by then he knows enough english and ‘art’ to get his job done. Let him start getting specialized.

Of course, with laziness sweeping the nation… people aren’t really interested. In anything. At all. It’s tough to find something you enjoy doing when you’re lazy and enjoy doing… nothing.

So I came to the realization today that practice, in and of itself, does not make perfect. More is needed.

Today, for the first time in several months, I pulled out my old knife set and threw some knives against a target board I made over a year ago. Back then, I’d practice every day, for a few hours a day. I got decently good for a beginner, and was able to stick 1 in 4 knives or so at my peak.

Well… now, after taking a break for several months, I went back to it. After about 15 minutes of warming up, I was sticking 3 in 4 knives.

And this is after little/no practice in several months.

Sometimes, I think we need to take a break from whatever it is we are training ourself to do, be it throwing knives, coding, or… whatever else normal people out there do. A break can help clear your mind, and get you over the hurdle you find yourself stuck at.

So yes. Practice, practice, practice. Then take a month off. Then come back for a few months. Then take a month off.

I’ve noticed this principle in several other areas of my life as well.

Read an article about virginity pledges (chastity rings, etc) today. Basically, the viewpoint of the psychologist involved can be summed up in the following quote:

Promoting the pledges gives a “false sense of security and energy could be better spent in education,” he says. “It is time to stop spending money on these useless programs and funnel it into safer-sex counseling.”

He supplies much data from his research, which basically says that most people forget their pledges, and those who pledged were just as likely to have premarital sex as those who didn’t pledge (though they tended to wait a few years longer).

The solution? Somehow I don’t think it’s to ditch teaching kids abstinence all together.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/12/30/virginity.pledges/index.html#cnnSTCText?iref=werecommend

Simple solution:

Get/Find a friend. Get close to the point where they become a part of you (1 Samuel 18:1 style) and you would be crushed if you disappointed them.

Promise them you will overcome/never do again/whatever your problem is.

If your love for them is true, your desire not to disappoint them will overrule any temptation or desire the addiction you had was.

Wow, that was easy.
(3 done for me so far, another couple to go)

Ever have one of those days when everything you put your mind to just instantly clicked into place? Everything made sense to you, every problem that came your way you were able to instantly solve, and you just felt like your brain was on hyperdrive?

They are rare.

I had one today.

I don’t typically blog about my days (Ah! That would be like an online journal!), but today was exceptional. I woke up after 6 hours of sleep to do a devotion, then go to Aikido (a martial art). Aikido really got my mind going. My Sensei started talking about some eastern philosophies, which really made the engine start turning…

After Aikido I had a 2 hour break. I went to my room, and spent 80 minutes mastering a new language (AutoIt – you’ll hear more about it shortly). Incredibly programming language, incredibly useful. I wrote a quick program in it (borrowing a lot of code from other sources – no need to reinvent the wheel) for a friend, one he has been requesting for some weeks.

After this I go to philosophy class, where the professor starts talking about fallacies. My memory had never been so perfect – I was able to go through dozens of debates I personally have had or that I’ve read and see the fallacies in them.

Finally comes my visual basic class. I decide to try an experiment. Many people (myself included) talk about how love is a choice. I decided I would fall in love with a girl, and then fall out of love with her, all in the span of the lecture and lab.

Won’t go into details there – suffice it to say, I was able to do it (and actually surprised myself!). It took no more than a few hours. She had (and will never have) any clue about it, and the only thing she may have noticed was that I was exceedingly nice and helpful to her, joking around a bit. I already shook it off though, and am back to where I was (where exactly that is I cannot say).

What a day!

I go to ponder the nature of our triune God before this power wears off and I go back to being a mere mortal.

-Sb

I cannot even begin to guess how many times I have heard this question asked.

Someone comes up to you after spending a few hours thinking, and ask you this question. They feel like they have you stumped; after all, in their mind, there is no way you can answer this question.

If you say no, then you are saying there is something God cannot do (create this rock), which means He is not all-powerful.

If you say yes, then you are saying there is something God cannot do (lift this rock), which also means He is not all-powerful.

I love seeing the smug look people get after thinking that they stumped you.

In truth, it is their own ignorance that blinds them. You cannot confine an infinite, spiritual God into finite, physical reality. Heck, he created that reality! If he was limited to the universe and reality that we find ourselves in, He wouldn’t be God. Plain and simple.

The question itself is invalid. It’s on the same line as asking “What does blue smell like?”. The color blue does not exist within olfactory perception.

Be aware that a similar problem happened to Jesus during His days here on earth. In Matthew 21, starting at verse 23, we get a story about some chief priests trying to trap Jesus. They came up to Him and asked, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”. They knew Jesus had two options: either say “From God”, and be called a blasphemer, or say “From Satan”, and have his reputation and image destroyed (not to mention his life put into danger). Jesus, being God, was a pretty smart guy. He saw straight through their trap, and knew there was no answer to their question. He did not attempt to answer the question, but neatly sidestepped their trap and set up a counter-trap of his own.

The key to this story is just to be aware when someone asks you a question like this. Not ALL questions need to be answered. Many times throughout your walk as a Christian, you will find people who will try to challenge you, perhaps asking you a question that you truly don’t know the answer to. I encourage you to step back, and make sure their question is valid before even thinking about answering it.

While driving home tonight, I heard a female speaker say this. It spiked my curiosity, so I listened a bit more closely.

She was talking about how people today take their problems to Oprah, or Dr. Phil. Sometimes people are really bold, and go to a psychologist or counselor. This is all well and good – but it’s the same as taking a Mercedes to a Ford Dealer to get it fixed.

They may fix up a couple parts, but chances are it will be a poor job, with low quality parts – nothing fit to be inside your Mercedes.

Likewise, asking Dr. Phil or Oprah for help is really shorting yourself out. You have your Creator, the very One who made you, listening patiently, just waiting for you to talk to Him. He doesn’t ignore us, but cares about each and every one of us. As Matthew 10:30 says, God knows each one of us so intimately that He knows the number of hairs on our head!

I urge you, if you have a problem in your life, if you’ve been feeling down lately, or got some issues with family, or whatever it may be, take it to God tonight. Right now. Don’t settle for some second-rate help. Talk to the One who created you, who is just waiting for you to call Him.

Go for it. What do you have to lose?