The Theology Of Victimization
It's not my fault!
A saw a few commercials lately that have gotten my brain housing group kicked into high gear.
The first commercial was for a miracle diet pill. The hook went along these lines... stubborn belly fat is not your fault! The second one was for some get-out-of-debt-painlessly scam, and their hook was if your in credit card debt over $5,000, you are a victim!
As Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) said in Pulp Fiction, "this is what alcoholics call a 'moment of clarity'".
First off, I have stubborn belly fat because I shovel too damn much chow down my throat. Secondly, I have $5,000 in credit card debt because I spend too damn much money on superfluous bullshit that I don't really need.
Lent is a matter of hours away, and that got me to thinking. How many times have we heard huckster priests with their happy-happy joy-joy, I'm OK - your OK sermons? Too damn many... that's how many. Any shyster who dares preach that we mere humans are essentially good, simply doesn't know their basic theology. Sure, we strive to be good, but then that nasty old Original Sin rears it's ugly head. Face it, it's easy to be evil, it's tough to be holy. That's why we strive for holiness.
I've come to three basic truths that miracle diet pill manufacturers, scam artists, and Satan hate to hear;
1. Stubborn belly fat ~ my fault
2. Credit card debt ~ my fault
3. Sins on my Immortal Soul ~ my fault
...and don't let anyone tell ya different.
It's not my fault!
A saw a few commercials lately that have gotten my brain housing group kicked into high gear.
The first commercial was for a miracle diet pill. The hook went along these lines... stubborn belly fat is not your fault! The second one was for some get-out-of-debt-painlessly scam, and their hook was if your in credit card debt over $5,000, you are a victim!
As Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) said in Pulp Fiction, "this is what alcoholics call a 'moment of clarity'".
First off, I have stubborn belly fat because I shovel too damn much chow down my throat. Secondly, I have $5,000 in credit card debt because I spend too damn much money on superfluous bullshit that I don't really need.
Lent is a matter of hours away, and that got me to thinking. How many times have we heard huckster priests with their happy-happy joy-joy, I'm OK - your OK sermons? Too damn many... that's how many. Any shyster who dares preach that we mere humans are essentially good, simply doesn't know their basic theology. Sure, we strive to be good, but then that nasty old Original Sin rears it's ugly head. Face it, it's easy to be evil, it's tough to be holy. That's why we strive for holiness.
I've come to three basic truths that miracle diet pill manufacturers, scam artists, and Satan hate to hear;
1. Stubborn belly fat ~ my fault
2. Credit card debt ~ my fault
3. Sins on my Immortal Soul ~ my fault
...and don't let anyone tell ya different.
posted by Kevin Whiteman at
7:02 PM
6 Comments:
-Caveman
In response to my "interesting conversation" post.
Things aren't exactly going at the speed of sound here. First thing's first I have to get accepted to law school and I don't think I apply for that till Fall.
I think my prefrences come down to the Marines and the Army JAG Corps. It will be one of those two. I'll have to really play-down my childhood Asthma (mostly all done by the time I was 12/13) to have any kind of a chance.
It's really hard to find much info on finances but I think with the Marines one does 10 weeks of OCS in VA then goes inactive till graduation. They might be paying for lawschool during that time. After that point there is like 7 more months of training than a few years of active duty commitment.
I don't know if I'm neccesairly good enough for the Marines though(yes I know that a statement like that probably refelects a flaw in attitude.) When I read about Marine OCS it seems like all those guys are like President's of their college and captians of their football teams and have resumes that would put mine to shame.
As for the fitness aspect of things I have been running quite a bit lately but I'm by no means a D1 athelete.
The army won't give any money for lawschool but I think I'd have a better chance of getting in and have no trouble with the training. The main advantage to the army though is I can do army reserve. If I have a job as a civilian lawyer and then am raking in additional money from the Army I can pay off lawschool pretty well. Additionaly, I do not know what my life will be like in a few years and being in the military in a reserve capicity rather than active duty might be necesary (especailly if marriage comes into the picture.)
As it stands now, I guess I have some time to think about it, I need to keep working hard in school and keep exercising.
I will say that talking with guys like you has given me a really positive impression of the Marine Corps, one that I definantly didn't get from books and movies like "Jarhead."
My dad works with a lot of elderly people and the ones he speaks about most highly are WWII vets who served in the Marines in the South Pacific, hearing about them has also left a possitive impression.
Ideally I would love it if there was a way to do Marine JAG, get my college paid off and then serve in a reserve capicity (though I would have no aversion to being called up of course). Still I don't want to sound selfish as if I am just trying to meet my own needs. It is very important to me that I some how serve this country. For all the flaws, and all the idiots running the show, the America that the Founding Father's created is still around and its a great place.
Caveman, you may tell it rough sometimes, but you tell it like it is! In my line o'business, I hear the whine, whine, WHINE of "entitlement" all friggin' day long, it seems. And sometimes when too much complaining goes on, I have to remind my client, "I didn't tell you to marry her, I didn't tell you to have a kid or two, like it or not that is the route YOU chose and this is how reality is going to be!"
Fidei Defensor,
Some thoughts on the Corps option:
If you go to Marine OCS, they will kick your ass for 10 solid weeks. It has nothing to do with training you to be a Marine or an officer. It only exists to see if you have the balls and brains to lead Marines, regardless of your MOS. The DIs are all hand picked from Parris Island and MCRD-San Diego. And they will kick your ass & balls through the roof of your mouth!
After OCS, you must spend six months at The Basic School (TBS). Here you will learn to function as a basic line officer with a strong knowledge of infantry tactics. Following that, you go on to further MOS training and then your first assignment. That "90 day wonder" crap may fly for other services, but not the Corps. I spent over one year in training prior to taking over my first Rifle Platoon (yes, I was an infantry officer).
As to reserve duty: ALL Marine officers MUST complete a stint of 3 to 4 years on Active duty before rotating to a reserve billet.
If you want to go Corps as a JAG officer, start running, running, and more running, followed by massive pull-ups, sit-ups until you puke, weight training, and then...more running. Get ready for a true ass-kicking.
(But I wouldn't change a thing!)
Semper Fi-
FD-
Why would you consider the Army over "being" a Marine? Weenie at heart? Yeah, the Army is great but remember, only God looks down on the Marines, everyone else looks up. A good friend of mine was a Martine rifleman in Vietnam, a Cobra pilot, went to law school while on active duty (commuting 90 miles roundtrip 3x a week), lateraled into the JAG corps after passing the bar, and is now a full bird. Yes, you could do it, too, if you want it bad enough. If you're going to settle for second best, why ain't you an Episcopalian?
FD,
Under the "for what it's worth" file... when I served on DI Duty, I saw quite a bit of the 'High School Football Captain' who couldn't cut it. Seems they were too used to being top dog. When they showed up to Parris Island, all of a sudden, they were just another run of the mill, puke recruit.
I also saw a lot of the average (or even a wee bit under average) kid who kicked in a rather large Gut Check and pulled up a lot of character and inner strength... and made it.
Best bet, contact your local OSO (Officer Selection Office) or the closest Naval ROTC (Marine Corps Option) unit. They can pass all the straight scoop.
In the meantime, like PreVatII said, run till ya puke, then run some more. AND LIFT WEIGHTS!!
Thanks for the advice guys!
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