Can It Get Any Worse?

I voted for Obama twice, would do it again considering who ran against him . . . but I've not been pleased with his performance as President.  I'm an old college professor, retired now for some time, but I still can't stop myself from grading performance.  Obama gets a C but with a bit of an asterisk.  Here it is: *Anyone who would've had the job of cleaning up the mess left by Bush and his hoard of Republican marauders would have done no better.  So if you're naive enough to think things can't get much worse than they are now you should pull your head out of your ass and look around.  You won't have to look far . . . just at who is running for President.  The Republican pretenders to be presidential material, and lust for that job, are miserable excuses at being politicians or office holders . . . and some of them are miserable excuses as human beings.  I like a couple of them, like Rand Paul, but I don't think he's presidential material.  And then there are the Democrats . . . or should I say the Democrat - Hillary.  I shall at this point refrain from vulgarities, but I will at least say that I'd rather eat rancid buzzard eggs than vote for her.  And, I won't.

This comes from someone who's consistently voted for Democrats for a long time.  I weakened a time or two and voted for Republicans, but voting for them is like peeing your pants in a wool suit. At first you might get a warm and fuzzy feeling, but it won't be long before it chaps your ass.  I have not missed voting in a presidential election since reaching voting age, but if my choices come down to Hillary and Trump, I'm gonna miss one.  And then I'm going to call my friend down in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, an American expat who got enough of American government some time ago, and plead for help.  "Find me a house, amigo . . . and hurry.  This place is about to explode."  I think that's possible, you know.  If we have enough people here stupid enough to vote for candidates like that, meaning it will take some sixty million or so votes, the methane produced by that many brain farts will create an environmental hazard never before seen in this country.  One little spark could set it off, and I don't want to be here when that happens. And even if the explosion doesn't happen, the stench will be unbearable.

My point is that maybe we should cut Obama some slack, at least give him credit for holding things together this long.  Considering what is likely to replace him, he's starting to look and sound pretty damn good.  And that ought to make all us run to the bathroom and throw up.

REASONS WHY AN AGNOSTIC SHOULD PRAY

I once expressed some doubts about the existence of a divine being, not something a religious family wants to hear . . . but I said it anyway, expecting some repercussions.  I was a teenager at the time, but I didn't get the scolding I expected.  Instead, my mother gave me a book to read called The Christian Agnostic written by a British theologian.  I don't remember much of what I read, but the book at least gave me some insights about the credibility of doubt.  It is through doubt we seek answers, something we're not likely to do when we follow blind faith.  Now, at the age of 74, I still describe myself as an agnostic, one who doubts the existence of God.  But I'm also one who wants to believe in a Supreme Being.  I like the idea of that there might be some divine providence in our lives, and that means I occasionally pray.  Sounds foolish, right?  If you doubt, then why pray?

First, I'd like the dismiss the notion that God would turn a deaf ear to anyone who has not made a definite commitment to him.  I even start some prayers with, "Ok, if you're out there and listening, I need a little guidance here."  Praying in a selfish vain somehow doesn't strike me as being worth the effort, like asking for a new corvette, or even a raise in pay at work.  If I thought that worked, I'd be on my knees all the time.  Most of my prayers might just be short, a brief thank you. "If you did that for me, I sure appreciate it."  What the heck?  It never hurts to say thank you.

Second, praying is good for the soul.  Personally, I think praying is important to soul development, something we all need to work on.  I pray for other people most of the time when I think they need some help, and most people do, you know.  I pray for myself sometimes by silently saying, "Oh, Lord, please don't let me do anything really stupid."  I still have problems with doing stupid things, and it's not because I didn't try to do it right.  Sometimes my good intentions take a left turn where there's no road.  I'm sure you know the feeling.

Third, praying is a good way of improving your memory.  Sometimes when a little good fortune comes your way, you might look up and ask, "Uh, did I ask for that?"  If you can't remember, the answer might well be, "No, but I thought you needed it."  Actually, it might be a good thing if we didn't remember most of our prayers, since most people tend to offer them up when they need something.  My sister, a devout Christian, says she sometimes just says, "You know, Lord, you could fix this is you wanted to."  To save myself some disappointment, I don't ask for much, and I try to never pray selfishly.

Fourth, be careful what you pray for because God might give you what you need rather than what you want.  This means you should pray believing He knows best.  I like to think He doesn't really care about my every little whim or problem, and that mostly what I get in life is what I deserve.  That's not always true, but if we go with averages, it works out that way.  From a personal perspective, I don't think I deserve shitty government (which we have), outrageous utility bills, crippling taxes, and meddlesome bureaucrats . . . and I sure don't blame that on God.  If God gives us what we need, I can only assume that we all need to be praying more.

And Fifth, you should pray just because it helps you cover the bases.  In other words, if you don't ask, you shouldn't be disappointed when you get nothing.  Perhaps we should see praying as an opportunity to express some opinions no one else could appreciate or accept.  Try it on God; He's big and He can handle it.  He won't think your nuts if you say things like, "So, what's the deal with fleas, mosquitoes, and wasps?  Do we really need those things?"  Or perhaps you've just seen some dingy politician spouting talk of war and conquest, and all the while claiming to be a good Christian, and you say, "Can't you do something about this ignoramus?"  In other words, prayer gives you a chance to express some of your doubts and dislikes, and some of your joys and good fortunes.  You know, it's like talking to someone who really understands . . . and that's hard to find these days.