You Don’t Have to Be Stupid

I believe the vast majority of people are stupid.  When I say stupid I don’t necessarily mean without having a capacity for intellect or having an understanding of higher math, English psychics etc.  What I do mean is not reasoning correctly in matters of morality and choosing between right and wrong.   These types of people have no compass for right and wrong because they have made their own standard.   God does not exist because they have made their own god which allows them to do whatever pleases them.  It’s not that they wish to possess such stupidity or be known as stupid it’s just that breaking God’s commands has become more important to them.  Their hatred of biblical values and for God has blinded their mind to do anything but break His commands (sin).

There is hope however.  We all have made mistakes and at one time or another could be and should be considered stupid.  In fact the God of the Bible says we have all broken His commands (committed sin) and deserve Hell.    However, the point I want to make is not to dwell on the past but to look forward to a remedy, the remedy should you seek it.   Because there is a remedy and the only remedy that counts.   In fact, finding the remedy and the right one is a matter of life and death.  www.areyougood.us

 

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Forget Fairness: There’s a battle of Good vs. Evil

In the aftermath of CNBC’s liberal attempted whipping at the latest Republican presidential candidate debate, what many of us already know is the media could care less about treating conservative and God-fearing people fairly.  There is simply reason for this.  These are the media types many of whom are Democrats with liberal ideologies and anti-biblical worldviews.   They have a blinding hatred of God and because their love of sin comes first, there won’t be much interest taken for what is good, right or just.  Because of their love of breaking God’s commands (which is sin) is so great,  there isn’t going to be much interest in defending innocent life or praising biblically based family values either.   Fairness in their mind would mean they would have to look at what God thinks about sin. They would have to look outside themselves and acknowledge that perhaps they are accountable to a higher power.  This isn’t likely because doing so would mean facing hard truth’s and consequences about their own sin filled hearts.

Take a simple debate for example and suppose a candidate believes something contrary to what God says is right like gay marriage.  You better know that anybody who already wants to break God’s commands will support this candidate because they will publicly defend and even excuse breaking God’s commands (sin).   The opposite is true. When a candidate or person stands up to proclaim their support for biblical values and even believe God’s commands to be the truth and  worth obeying,  such a person might as well have a giant target on their back.  Therefore we see sides being clearly drawn but this shouldn’t surprise any of us.  This is a classic example of good vs evil.

We see this battle of good vs evil being played out in a literal and physical way when ISIS and Muslims kill Christians for a seemingly simple belief in Jesus.  We see the same battle when big-shot media types attempt to verbally destroy God-fearing presidential candidates in a debate and on their TV shows.  We see the battle of good vs evil when police are increasingly becoming characterized as the enemy even in the face of growing crime and murders.  The lines have already been drawn between good and evil and it’s up to us to recognize and call it for what it is.   So which side are you on?  What happens after you die will be determined by what you think now.

www.areyougood.us

“It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment”  Hebrews 9:27

 

Related interest:

Not Worthy

As News each day Affirms, Jesus Predicted the Hatred of Christians

Debate Debacle

Audacity Movie

The good person test and more

 

What Would You Do if the Internet Disappeared?

We humans consume a lot of information these days and more and more of it is trending online.   Whether it be Facebook, Twitter, online news, eBooks, digital apps to make life easier and weather apps and websites, we use the internet to get much of what we know.   Of course it wasn’t always that way because people only had books made out of paper to read and get information–and each other.   But what happens if and when the online realm of life disappears?  What happens when for whatever reason, the internet became inaccessible to us?  What would you do without Facebook, WordPress, CNN or your favorite internet-based phone apps?

Of course many of us don’t really care about what if scenarios because….well, none of what I’m talking about has happened before.  At least on a large-scale.  Maybe you have experienced a lost internet connection for a day but it’s usually an isolated event.   In many cities where business demands it, a reliable internet connection is essential.  However, I think if we have put all of our trust into online media and the internet to always exist and be our sole means to get news and current events, we are headed for a mistake bigger than most people care to imagine.   Unfortunately many lives would come crashing down.

The one question I so often wonder about is why aren’t many of us talking about it?  Anybody? Maybe it would do us good to pause and consider the future–especially the one that pertains to the afterlife.

Have you ever asked yourself, would you consider yourself to be a good person?  Good enough to go to heaven?  How will you know?  Why not check out the good person test linked at http://www.AreYouGood.us today since none of us are promised tomorrow on this earth.

Related Interest:

AreYouGood.us

 

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Windows 10: The New Vista?

Windows 10 desktop

 

Update:  Now that it has been nearly one and a half years since the public release of Windows 10 I will say it is my opinion and from experience many bugs (including in the anniversary update)  have been removed from or fixed in the operating system.  At this time since using Windows 10 for nearly the same amount of time,  I can finally recommend it to you.  ______________________

 

Unfortunately, many people may remember an operating system they once had running on their computer called Windows Vista.  This little nugget of fun of an operating system was great if you enjoyed trying to fix problems with a computer.   Like most people, I enjoy using a computer to play games, browse the internet, use a graphics editor and for writing but tracking down the source of why audio doesn’t work or the computer won’t connect to the internet is not really what I call “fun”.

Not all peaches and cream

So now it’s 2015 and we’ve turned a corner and a new operating system from Microsoft has come into our lives in the hope of making life easier, simpler and more fun.   At least I think that’s the intention.  But for me and many others our experience with this new revolutionary operating system called Windows 10 hasn’t really turned out all peaches and cream.

In fact,  today I pushed paused on a game I had been playing and then unpaused it to find the sound wasn’t working anymore.   I exited the game, figuring maybe it’s a simple game malfunction (even though it’s been fine for months past).  I then find myself on the Windows 10 desktop still without audio.    This isn’t the only difficulty I have experienced with Windows 10.

Just last week whenever I would start my computer the internet connection would be gone.  Windows 10 troubleshooting would report no network adapter could be found.  Really?  All of a sudden?   After a computer restart the connection would almost mysteriously return like a magic trick I was involved in.  That is, until the next computer restart when the connection would be gone again.  The connection had been fine for months before without a hiccup and so I figured maybe it was the cable from the extender or perhaps even the extender itself was failing.  I decided to hard-wire my connection with a new cat5e cable directly to the router.   This time even a restart of the computer wouldn’t bring the internet connection back.   My internet connection appeared lost forever, at least on this computer.    The only change to the computer I had noticed a few days before the lost connection was a Windows 10 update that had occurred. Hmmm..

Troubleshooting isn’t peaches and cream

Eventually the audio and the WI-FI connection would return but not before a few hours and days of troubleshooting using a different computer running a Linux, a new cable and updated driver–which I had to find online.   Apparently Windows 10 isn’t as smart as we are led to believe.    Lately,  I have noticed an inexplicable sluggishness when restarting the computer and opening folders and an overall sense of incompleteness with my copy of Windows 10 that has been giving me an old feeling of yesteryear, as if I were still running a version of Windows Vista underneath it all.

High Hopes

Now to be completely honest, I don’t believe Windows 10 is all bad news.   In fact, I really like it’s appearance and potential.  I saw Windows 10 during beta testing and had high hopes for Windows 10 and still do.   Visually Windows 10 has it going on, with its fresh-looking skin, but underneath its clean-looking exterior I am beginning to wonder why Microsoft released it.    It might be just my opinion, but I don’t think Windows 10 is really ready for prime-time.  Yet, maybe Microsoft knew that already and left themselves a loophole by giving copies away for free.  In the meantime, I do hope things get better under the hood of Windows 10, and whenever I turn the computer on I’ll try not to keep thinking I’m using a new copy of Windows Vista.

 

Related interest:

Linux Tinkering and XP Options

XP Options

Windows 10

Windows 10 Store: A Dream Gone Bad

 

Image:  personal computer screenshot

If the Dodgers Don’t

And for the third straight year, if the Los Angeles Dodger’s intend on being a serious contender in the post season, they must fix their pitching woes and the continued “not being able to hit” in the clutch.  They must spend some of the millions they have on players who are great at hitting and pitching when it counts.    Sadly for us fans however, I get the feeling upper management doesn’t really care about winning it all because whether win or lose, they get paid plenty.    So in the meantime, we Dodgers fans won’t hold our breath for things to change but we’ll keep rooting for our team anyways.

Related interest:

The Elephant in the 2015 Dodgers’ Clubhouse

Dodgers season ends

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Tinkering with MakuluLinux Xfce

 

My custom Makululinux desktop

Makulinux is a distribution of the Linux operating system.   There are hundreds of distributions of Linux each offering a unique flavor of Linux.  Many distributions offer similar features and appearances while others differ by applications and tools offered with the distribution.

Desktop Environments

Each distribution can offer various desktop environments.  Many distributions or distros of Linux often feature all or a combination of the following desktop environments: Gnome, KDE, XFCE, Cinnamon and MATE  (pronounced Ma TAY).   These variations of desktop environments are most common and in my opinion are most eye appealing but there are other desktop environments available depending on the Linux distribution.    For example, the Ubuntu distro includes only the Unity desktop environment.  Desktop environments and distros for that matter, work better (or worse) on different computers depending on whether the distribution is placed on a laptop or desktop computer with a lot or a little bit of memory (RAM).

Learning Curve

The MakuluLinux version I have been using is with the XFCE desktop environment which I have found runs great on older laptop computers and also anything in-between.  This is because the Xfce desktop environment is generally suited for older computers.    However, as with many distributions of Linux there can be a slight learning curve in its overall operation, especially if you have been familiar with Windows.   After one figures out how though, Linux distributions can be customized to your liking and some even offer nice application window eye candy. One such favorite is called wobbly windows.  Move your application window(s) around and it really moves!   Makulu is also fully customizable and includes a plethora of themes.

Compiz Wobbly windows effect

Eye Candy

MakuluLinux is no different when it comes to effects.  MakuluLinux 9 32-bit xfce includes what is called the Compiz effects window manager while KDE desktop environments include the KWin effects window manager.  One thing I really enjoy about MakuluLinux (32-bit verson only) is that it includes the option to turn effects on or off with a simple mouse click depending on the speed of your computer.

 

Installation

MakuluLinux also features some great themes and software ready for your enjoyment.  As much as I enjoy using MakuluLinux on my old Windows XP laptop computer (without Compiz effects on due to its extra resource requirements) I will note that I have had installation trouble with the normal edition of MakuluLinux Xfce 9.

In my experience Makulu isn’t as easy to install as has been Ubuntu or Kubuntu among others– that is, without a little understanding of some basic Linux syntax.   While I already noted that installing the normal 32-bit version of Makulu 9 Xfce failed for me, installing the 32-bit Makulu 9 Xfce Lite edition did not.  The lite edition is the same as the normal edition but includes less on-board software (what I call bloatware).  Once Makulu installs however, your choice of software packages can be downloaded anytime from the included software center!

Related Interest:

XP Options

Linux Desktop Environments

Distrowatch

MakuluLinux

What is XFCE?

Linux Tinkering and XP Options

TinkerXperience wouldn’t be such a great name for a blog if I neglected to talk about some actual tinkering–Linux tinkering that is.  Linux is an alternative operating system to Windows or OS X which is generally free aside from user donations.  I discovered Linux a few years ago with Ubuntu but didn’t realize until recently there is more to Linux than Ubuntu.

What is the difference between the terms Ubuntu and Linux?

Linux is the system (operating system) the computer runs on but there are hundreds of distros or distributions of Linux.  Each distribution features the Linux kernel (the underlying code) as it’s called to operate .  We users see the results, which is what appears on the desktop and that can feature hundreds of variations or flavors of Linux.   These variations are packaged within each distro and are what set a particular distribution of Linux apart from another.

For example, the Ubuntu distribution features what is called the Unity desktop but it is still Linux.  Visually speaking, instead of a task-bar located at the bottom of the desktop as in Windows, the task-bar is permanently fixed to the left side of the screen.   Other features of Ubuntu are top left positioned control buttons (minimize/maximize) on each window opened such as is found on Mac computers.

In up coming posts I hope to discuss some personal Linux tinkering in more detail when I discuss some of my favorite distributions!

Got an old XP Computer you don’t want? Don’t throw it away!

In the meantime, if you have one or know someone who has an old computer or laptop running Windows XP I have created a website addressing the issue of Microsoft’s end to XP support and some options for keeping that old computer running.    An old Windows XP computer (that runs) has a lot of days left even if you don’t run Windows XP on it.  In fact this blog post is coming to you from a former XP laptop computer now running MakuluLinux XFCE.   What’s Makululinux XFCE you ask? Find out next when I discuss MakuluLinux XFCE!

Related:

XP Options website

Windows XP end of support

DistroWatch

 

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Clash of World Views: NASA discredits itself again by believing in billions of years

In a news story found in the news recently, NASA reported they had found ancient lakes on Mars 2 to 3 billion years ago.  The title states  “NASA confirms ancient lakes existed on Mars 2 to 3 billion years ago” but is it true or lie?  For certain it is unprovable but is it something else?

For those of us who are willing to be truthful about facts, two blaring questions remain: who decided it was 2 or 3 billion years ago and if so, who was there that long ago to prove it?   This a serious and deliberate attempt at mass manipulation and indoctrination by a well-known government agency in this case, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).   But what we see at the heart of this indoctrination is simply a clash of worldviews.  Based on this supposed report, NASA’s worldview does not include God, the Biblical account of creation nor can even be based on realities we actually observe.

If nobody was there that long ago, I do not believe it can be proven to be true,  therefore it should not be reported as truth.   Therefore it can be reported as nothing more than someones’ opinion because it is part of a bigger belief system and religion.

Now I know my view of a six-day creation and that of God Almighty as the Creator of this Earth, the planets, stars, etc is discounted as untrue and considered none provable by all who hold fast to the opposite worldview.   And even if it was provable, the God deniers and God haters wouldn’t believe it and vice versa because we serve different masters.  Therefore the worldviews oppose each other.  I’ll say it again, the worldviews oppose each other for the same reason forces of good and forces of evil oppose each other.

To break it down a bit more, one worldview believes in God and one does not.  One worldview gets promoted by mass media, new outlets, schools, governments and one does not.  The worldview that is heralded as truth is that of macro-Evolution/Darwinian Evolution and millions/billions of years.  Those who subscribe to this belief and there are billions of you (no joke intended) holding to this worldview because it doesn’t involve God. 

As evidenced by NASA’s report and others who promote a Godless worldview believe it because it allows for sin and the breaking of God’s laws without accountability to someone higher than us.  And the Bible states that we all by nature are hostile and at enmity with God. Evidence for that is all vile, slanderous and hurtful comments someone like Ray Comfort and other Christians receive on a daily basis from people who claim they don’t have belief in God.  Therefore, in light of this knowledge I see it normal that I and those few who believe in the worldview that believes in a Creator God,  should also think that holding to a worldview without God to be ludicrous because it’s unprovable and because it is not based on reality.  

The one fact that remains and IS provable however is that the Godless man-centered evolutionary Darwinian worldview goes against the order and perfection we see in nature, and we who trust the Creator God, actually take God at His Word.

“Since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.”  Romans 1:20

“For by Him [Jesus] all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”   Colossians 1:16

Related interest:

Evolution vs. God movie

 

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Roseburg Shooter’s Hatred of Christians: Where do you stand?

There are those who possess true hatred of others which manifests itself through murderous, destructive actions such as we have seen in recent school shootings, homicides, beheadings, beatings and suicide bombings.  But there is also the attempt by some to disguise hatred for others simply for a belief in one person, namely Jesus Christ.  However, whether the hatred manifests itself in the form of ISIS terrorists, Islamic murder, torture or imprisonment, general Jewish and Christian persecution, school shootings, pro-life issues and Biblical marriage bashing, the hatred is the same because it is directed at the same God.  His name is Jesus Christ, who is the one true God and Lord, who we find in the Bible and who the Bible is written about.

Before I continue, I must first mention a different kind of hatred.  There is such a thing as righteous hatred which all persons should possess.  In fact, we would have true peace on this earth, if we all possessed this type of hatred.   This hatred is directed toward what is evil and toward what is called sin (the breaking of God’s moral law – see the good person test).    We all need righteous hatred but that will not be possible without repentance and faith/trust in Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately, sin-filled hatred is the one we all have from birth and as I mentioned already, is directed to none other than the One who we actually need for salvation from His coming judgment of sin.  Therefore our relationship with God has been broken and the consequence is that we all will face God’s judgment of sin someday.  However, this problem of us having a broken relationship with God didn’t always exist.  Let me explain.

In the Garden of Eden (found in Genesis, the first book in the Bible) when a man named Adam and women named Eve lived, there was harmony and right relationship with both their and our Creator, God.   Adam and Eve listened to Satan who is God’s Arch-enemy and broke that perfect sinless relationship they had with God.  They sinned against God and so do we each day–naturally.  If you don’t think so, take a look at the moral law also known as the Ten Commandments and see how you do.    Now, since we have a natural hatred toward God and are enemies of God by nature, the only way to remedy our broken relationship with Him, is to have someone without sin fix our problem.   Therefore the only one holy, who is without sin and perfect in every way who can fix us is God Himself.   He made the sacrifice on a cross in the person of Jesus Christ His Son.  God became flesh and paid the penalty for us breaking His law (the Ten Commandments – See the good test).   He completed the transaction when He rose from the grave defeating death.   With God’s loving provision, we have the only way of escape from sin, and Hell judgment.

“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:8

“God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.”  1 Timothy 3:16

So, a good question for us to ask ourselves is whether or not we have hatred of sin within ourselves or do we have sin-filled hatred for others?  Christians know the one we should possess but hatred of sin only comes from God once we have repented and put our trust in Him to do the work in us.  If you haven’t already find out more at www.areyougood.us

“All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him [Jesus] the iniquity of us all.”   Isaiah 53:6

 

Related interest:

Audacitymovie.com

180movie.com

 

 

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As News each day Affirms, Jesus Predicted the Hatred of Christians

In light of the Community College shooting in Roseburg Oregon, various reports have stated the shooter specifically targeted Christians.   Jesus made some very relevant statements concerning the hatred of His followers (also called Christians) a long time ago.  In the book of John from the Bible Jesus stated these words to His disciples,  “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”  (see John 15:19)  In verse 18, we read that Jesus made it clear that He would be the object of this hatred before it would come to Christians.   “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.”

The Bible also makes it clear that any hostility Christians face is actually aimed at God Himself.   If you don’t believe that, all one needs to do is take a look at the Ten Commandments.   Looking at just a few of the commandments, ask yourself if you have ever lied, used God’s name as a cuss word,  lusted (Jesus said that is committing adultery in the heart – see Matthew 5:27,28).  had hateful thoughts toward a brother, or failed to put God first?  If so, then we are seen from God’s perspective as breaking His perfect, holy law.  Take a moment to think about what this means.   Perhaps you find or have found yourself getting enraged at God.  Any anger or lack of humility we have toward God is the hostility we have by nature toward Him.  But our mind and flesh filled desires are to naturally desire to do evil and break God’s law.

“…the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”  see Romans 8:7,8

We all by nature deserve the judgment of God because we have broken God’s law.   We have all committed crimes against God who cannot have sin in His presence.  (Sin is the breaking of God’s perfect law and we are guilty of that as seen in the good person test. ) The question we all need to ask is what can be done, if anything, to remedy our relationship with God?  If God judges us who are deserving of Hell because we have sinned against Him, is that the end of us or is there a way of escape?

 “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”  Hebrews 9:27

For anyone sensitive to finding out the answer to this they will find it.   You may be surprised or not but the answer has nothing to do with good deeds we do or don’t do.  It has nothing to do with what sacrifice we can or cannot make for God either.  We cannot earn back a right relationship with God.  In fact, the answer really has nothing to do with us at all but Him.  And the answer will not be because one joined the right church, or became a better person or found Religion.   There is no Religion that has the answer for how to escape God’s judgment and restore a right relationship with Him because the answer is found only in God in the Bible.   God Himself is the only one who can provide a way of escape from His judgment.   Because His love is so great for us, He did that Himself 2000 years ago in the person of Jesus Christ.   Jesus Christ is the perfect, holy sacrifice who paid the penalty for us breaking His own law.

“now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”  Hebrews 9:26

“The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Jesus Christ is the answer for all humankind to be saved from coming judgment against sin.  Satan (God’s arch-enemy)  knows it and hates it.   Therefore he hates true Christians (followers of Jesus) because he hated God first.  More about this in a later post.  But there is hope because Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice satisfying the great wrath God has against sin.

“Therefore He [Jesus] is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”  Hebrews 7:25

“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.  For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”  see Romans 8:9-10

Related interest:  Would you consider yourself to be a good person? How will you know?

http://www.audacitymovie.com/

 

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