Text Box: The Scribbling sage Text Box: March 1st, 2009 Wow, so much for getting this site off to a flying start. Not that anyone’s really visiting all that much at this point. I haven’t written anything for the site nor have I done anything to draw anyone to the site. Hopefully that’s about to change. I guess I’m just really struggling with what to say. I’m not quite sure what I want the tone of the site to be yet. Well, I kind of do, I just don’t know quite how to get there yet. You see, I don’t just want this to be a personal blog. I would like this to be a serious commentary site. At this point I’m just struggling with where to start. But start I must. I guess I’ll start with the easier stuff first. I plan to write about movies, music and writing, among other things. But that would be a nice easy place to start. I’ve been going through a spiritual transition for a couple of years now. Because of that, I’m not as sure of what I want to say as I would like to be. But I am getting there. When it comes to writing, I just have such a hard time starting. Once I get going, things usually just start to flow. That’s what I need to do here. I need to just start writing again. We’ll just see where that leads. One reason for the neglect of this site has been the fact that I’m writing a novel. I’ve actually been working on the thing for a few years now. But recently, I finally gained some momentum. Because of that, I’ve just been reluctant to stop. However, it isn’t going as smoothly as I would like. I feel as if writing here will help things to flow when it comes to the novel. I kind of need to have different writing projects to work on at the same time. I have a hard time immersing myself in one thing hour after hour, day after day. At this point, I work on the novel a little, then just watch TV, or do something else unproductive when I need a break. I would like to be able to work on this site as my relief from the novel. For bad or good, I seem to have this overwhelming drive to not be unproductive. I’m starting to feel as if my life is starting to slip away without my having really tried for some of the things I’m passionate about. This site is integral to making some of my dreams come true. One purpose and hope I have for this site is to meet others who have similar passions as mine. Many times I feel rather out of place in this world. But that is the beauty of the internet. Those who maybe have a different way of looking at the world have the opportunity to find each other. There is just nobody in my life that really gets what I want to do. I crave contact with those who do. Therefore, I resolve this day to once and for all get this thing moving. I really do have so much to say. I just need to start saying it. Until next time…. Joe Elliott November 9th, 2008 Well, the great Obama has been crowned the new king. Or is he the Messiah? Sure, I hate to see liberals get such a mandate. I’m basically a conservative and therefore believe that liberals are far too enamored with the supposed good government can do. But these things are cyclical. The pendulum will swing the other way at some point. No, what bothers me is the mania that surrounds this guy. He hasn’t done anything yet people. All he has so far are some eloquent words and a few decent ideas. But he doesn’t really have a record yet. Dangerous things can happen when we get too wrapped up in any person. He is just a person people. I also want to talk about all the supposed healing that is supposedly going to happen now. It’s not. The division is still there. In addition, the talk of healing is actually part of the problem. So much of the liberal rhetoric about Bush is just overblown. Some have the nerve to suggest that we live in some sort of fascist state. What? Fascist? Really? One local columnist said that the Bush presidency is the vilest in history. Vile? These are not the sentiments of those who want to heal. Once again I feel like a man without a country. I just don’t see what many claim they see. Everybody just seems so extreme these days. Healing? Just don’t see how that’s possible. Both sides are getting really overheated and overblown in the rhetoric. This applies to the right as well. Some of the things said about Obama have been outrageous. Disagree with his policy positions all you want. But to think that he wants to subvert the security of this country is quite a reach and actually is created a very dangerous environment. I hate to say it, but the potential for something very bad happening is definitely there. There is what I’ll call a perfect storm of things coming together around Obama that don’t bode well. Most of it is unfounded and outrageous. Nevertheless, people believe this stuff. There’s the fact that he’s black. On top of that are the Muslim rumors. The names don’t help in that regard either. Then there’s the connection to William Ayers, which I think is overstated. Then there’s Jeremiah Wright. Then there’s the wealth distribution talk. Then there’s the unnatural mania that is surrounding him. This may prove too much for some on the right fringe to take. I truly hope not. But it just seems that way to me. Too many just feel utterly pushed to the edge at this point. Healing? I doubt it. Joe Elliott September 26, 2008 Today marks the beginning of this site. I have had some sort of site for eleven years now, under several different names and formats. But this represents the most radical restructuring I have ever done. Why “Scribbling Sage”? I don’t know, I was just looking for something that had to do with writing. I thought it was catchy. Other possibilities were “Writing Wise One” or “Penning Pundit”. I like Scribbling Sage. Much of what I put here will also be found on the pages about me and about this site. In the future this space will obviously be reserved for my current two cents of wisdom. At this point there isn’t all that much content here, at least as far as original writing is concerned. I am in the process of reevaluating much of my work from the past. There are quite a few links already in place to sites that you may find interesting. But just give me a little time to fill the site in with my own writing. There’s much I want to say. It’ll just take a little time. What exactly will I be saying when I do begin posting my own pieces? To put it simply, I just want to endeavor to tell the truth. Truth is the most important thing in life to me. Truth is reality. We should all desire to be as much in reality as is possible. It just seems that there is so much misinformation and bias out there that cloud almost every issue. I’ll try to wipe at least some of that away, hopefully, without adding any of my own. One thing that I believe is true of humans is that we are all spiritual creatures. There is far more to us than mere flesh and bones. Much of my writing will explore this idea. There are many ways in which you can see the spiritual inspiration that takes place in humans, with both good and bad results. The past incarnations of this site have been much more religious oriented than what this version will be. This reflects a fundamental shift in the things I believe. I am a Christian. But I do not practice the religion of Christianity as it is practiced by many today. I like to say that I’m spiritual, but not necessarily religious. What does that mean? I’m not really sure. At this point, I’m really at a stage where I’m reevaluating many parts of my life. I guess the best way to put it is that religion as practiced by many just seems so meaningless and superficial. To me, belief and faith in God should lead to something far more meaningful, fundamental and dramatic than just keeping a few rules and regulations and practicing a few religious rites and ceremonies. I’m looking for something deeper than what religion as we know it has to offer. And I believe its out there. As I said, I am a Christian. Something just makes sense to me about much of what I see in the Bible. But that doesn’t mean I must justify or explain every single piece of scripture. There’s much I can’t explain. But something just makes sense. It just seems to fit what I see in my life. I used to be really dogmatic about what I believed to be true about Christianity and the Bible. But then I realized that I had no authority to be that way. What in my life shows that I have some special truth that the rest of you don’t have? The answer is nothing. In fact there is probably much in my life that would suggest to some that I am very far from the truth. One of the greatest principles espoused in the Bible is humbleness. Far too many self-appointed prophets today have forgotten this little truth. They are so sure that they have some special authority from God that they just plow blindly forward. Putting aside the question of ultimate truth for a second. Many of these supposed men of God today actually ignore principles that are actually in the Bible. They say that this book is what they live by, yet they actually ignore and overlook some key principles. Whether Christianity is the right way or not, if you say that’s what you are living, then at least live that way. Please live the tenets that your own religion espouses. I think that this is the problem that many have with religion, in particular Christianity. Believe what you want to believe but stop trying to impose your beliefs on others when you can’t even live your own beliefs yourself. Humbly stating what one believes is far more effective than shouting it from the rooftops. I guess because of my spiritual beliefs, I am plagued with the sometimes overpowering desire for everything in my life to mean something. I want this site to do the same. In everything I do on this site, I hope to shed at least a little light on the human condition and the meaning of it all. That is not always easy though. I love commenting on political issues. However, I’m not so sure how much any of that matters in the larger scheme of things. Conservatives fight for what they believe in. Liberals do the same. Many just live their lives caught somewhere in the middle of all of that. But it just seems that it doesn’t really matter all that much in the end. History has shown that civilizations and countries come and go. Do we really think it won’t be the same with the United States? Will this country endure forever? Are we even sure the world will be here forever? I just don’t know what it means in the end if one side wins or the other. Maybe it does, I just don’t see it. Because of this I will comment on political issues of the day. But I’ll do this mainly in an attempt to expose falsehood when I see it, whether it comes from the right or the left. The principle of the truth is what’s important to me. I’m never going to knowingly misrepresent the truth just to advance some cause that I believe in. And I will expose those who do. Speaking of politics, I am probably more of a libertarian than anything at this point. Libertarians simply believe in freedom. Free markets. Freedom to own what you want to own. Freedom to do what you want to do, unless what you want to do hurts another. As stated, I am a Christian, and I have views on certain social issues that are consistent with many conservative Christians. However, I do not seek to impose my views on society. That is one of the ways many Christians have strayed from the very faith they claim. The Bible they claim to live according to does not support the idea of imposing biblical morality on unwilling people. Humbly sharing our faith is all that we are called to do. I will just sit on the sideline when it comes to the so-called culture war. Christians should not be at war with anyone. At least that’s the principle I see in scripture. This site will no doubt evolve over time. Some things that I intend to do may indeed never get done. I have certain intentions at this point but things may change. As stated earlier, I am in the process of reexamining my life. I guess part of that is the fact that I have recently turned the corner into my forties. I’ve just realized that if there are things I want to do, they cannot be put off any longer. Hopefully, whatever comes out of this process will be of interest to others. I’ve always had such an interest in writing. For the last year I’ve had a tremendous case of writers block. I just didn’t know where to start. I’ve decided that this site is the best place. I’ll start off with this piece just to let you know what to expect in the future from these pages. You are most likely here because you have already read something of mine at a discussion board or forum. I don’t want to miss the opportunity of the election so I am going forward with this site a little quicker than I want to. So hopefully you will continue to check back to see what I’ve added. I believe that you will find my views different than the mainstream in many ways. I feel like an utter misfit in this world most of the time. My views just don’t fit. I feel at times that the whole world is irrational and crazy and I’m the only sane one left. But that would be arrogant to actually believe that. That is the beauty of the internet to me. Those who are in the minority can connect. I know that there are others who see the things I see. Through the magic of the web, we can find each other. Well, I guess that’s enough to get the ball rolling for now. Just check back often for updates, because they will come. At the very least, I usually post some of the things I write for forums at this site as well. Thank you for at least reading this far. For now, bye. Joe Elliott
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