I took the Belief-O-Matic quiz at BeliefNet.com!
 
 

1.  Orthodox Quaker (100%) 2.  Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (96%) 3.  Seventh Day Adventist (90%) 4.  Liberal Quakers (80%) 5.  Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (79%) 6.  Eastern Orthodox (77%) 7.  Roman Catholic (77%) 8.  Unitarian Universalism (68%) 9.  Hinduism (61%) 10.  Theravada Buddhism (53%) 11.  Mahayana Buddhism (52%) 12.  Sikhism (50%) 13.  Bahá'í Faith (49%) 14.  Reform Judaism (48%) 15.  Taoism (44%) 16.  Orthodox Judaism (41%) 17.  Jainism (40%) 18.  Islam (38%) 19.  New Age (33%) 20.  Neo-Pagan (31%) 21.  New Thought (29%) 22.  Secular Humanism (29%) 23.  Scientology (28%) 24.  Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (24%) 25.  Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (23%) 26.  Nontheist (22%) 27.  Jehovah's Witness (21%)

 
 

What Orthodox Quakers Believe:

•	Belief in Deity There is a Trinity of the Father (God), the Son (Christ), and the Holy Spirit that comprises one God Almighty. God is personal and incorporeal.
•	Incarnations Jesus Christ is God's only incarnation. God is manifest within all as the light. Jesus possessed the light to the highest degree and is "the Light" within.
•	Origin of Universe and Life The most orthodox Quakers hold to the authority of the Bible, and the book of Genesis--that God created all in less than seven days and less that 10,000 years ago. But many would maintain that a biblical "day" is not a literal 24 hours.
•	After Death Most orthodox Quakers believe in direct reward and punishment, heaven and hell, the second coming of Christ, and resurrection of the dead (similar to conservative Christian view).
•	Why Evil? Some Orthodox Quakers adhere to similar beliefs as conservative Christians--belief in original sin and Satan. Many believe that lack of awareness of God's divine light within, or rebellion against it, is the cause of wrongdoing, and that alienation from God leaves one vulnerable to temptation or Satan.
•	Salvation Some Friends (the formal name of the group) churches include rites of baptism and communion, but sacraments to God are most often considered to arise from inward experiences, a personal encounter with God, rather than church ritual. Salvation is found internally through union with Christ, the divine Light within all. Many Quaker churches, e.g. evangelical, believe similarly to Conservative Protestant, that salvation is a free gift from God, with faith, independent of good works. Yet moral behavior and good works are viewed as essential to showing faith and obedience to God. Good works, such as humanitarian service, social justice, and peace efforts, are an expression of Christian love. Simplicity and humility are viewed as essential to living a Christian life.
•	Undeserved Suffering The most orthodox Quakers maintain that Satan causes suffering. Suffering is allowed by God as part of His divine will and plan. Quakers focus on reducing human suffering, especially that caused by social injustice or violence.
•	Contemporary Issues Social-betterment programs and nonviolence are fundamental to Quakerism. Some Orthodox Quaker churches are very accepting of homosexuality, and others condemn it as contrary to God's will.

(quiz stolen from Jesse's livejournal)

-Full Name: Brian Long Schroeder
-Sex: Male
-Birthday: April 10th, 1986
-Hair color: Dark brown
-Eye color: Overall hazel. If you look closely, they change colors from the outerrim to the inner.
-Sibling(s): One here (Eric), one in the big house in the sky (Jamie)
-Song: Hmmm. That's REALLY tough. I can't answer that.
-Band/singer: Dave Matthews, maybe?
-Actor: Hmmm. Robin Williams, maybe?
-Actress: Janeane Garofalo -- again, maybe?
-Movie: Dogma.
-Clothing brand name: Dah... I guess No Boundaries. Most of my shirts are that brand, mainly because it's fairly cheap at Wal-Mart.
-Animal: Funky Chicken. Wait, that's a dance . . .
-Day of the week: During the school year, Saturday; During the summer, Monday. (reminds me that I don't have to get up and go to school!)
-Color: Dark green, probably.
-Store: Great Escape, Borders
-Sport: Football
-Internet site: No clue. Nude as the News is pretty cool . . . .
-Ice cream flavor: Bear Attack.
-Season: Fall.
-Holiday: Hrm. Christmas.
-Flower: No clue.
-Cartoon: Wowsa. Those Ralph-and-Sam Looney Tunes cartoons. They're great.
-Hobby: Drawing, writing, thinking
-Flavor: Is grilled-hamburger a flavor?
-Hot or cold: Cold
-Sweet or sour: sweet
-Spicy or bland: Spicy
-Half-full or half-empty: Just needs to be refilled, man!
-Light or dark: Darker than light but not TOO dark.
-E-mail or letter : Letter, because I get so much junk e-mail that I'll probably delete it on accident!
-Phone or instant message: Phone
-Day or night: Night. Stupid sun . . . .
-Radio or CD: CD
-Rain or shine: LIGHT rain
-Cat or dog: Dog.
-Are you in love?: No.
-Are you in a relationship: No sir/ma'am.
-Would/did you have sex before marriage? Have not yet. I guess it really depends on the circumstances.
-Is there a difference between a crush and being in love?: Of course.
-Do you believe in true love?: Yes.
-Can long-distance relationships work?: Not unless built on an already firm foundation, where you were close, or you know you will be near each other soon, or something.
-Have you ever been in love?: Probably not.
-Have you had sex in the past and regretted it?: Haven't had sex yet.
-Have you ever been in love with someone so much that you've cried over them? I've cried over girls. Again, don't think I was in love with them.
-Have/would you ever see(n) an "X"-rated movie?: Haven't yet, but they don't sound all that entertaining . . . .
-Would you (honestly) sacrifice your life for your beloved?: Maybe.
-What do you look for in a lover (physically)?: A good combination of traits. The overall should all be good together. I normally look for a fairly nice butt, but other than that . . . :)
-What do you look for in lover(mentally/emotionally)?: Intelligence, openness, nicest.
-Have you ever had your heart broken?: Not really.
-Are you (honestly) afraid of commitment?: To an extent. I'm sure if I really found the right person and got to know them, I'd have no problem. But, at this point, yes.
-Are you attracted to people with accents?: Very.
-Do you drink?: Nope.
-Do you trust others easily?: I don't think so. I normally assume people aren't lying, but aren't normally TAKEN by people . . . .


Fashion
1. Do you wear a watch? No.
2. How many coats and jackets do you own? One, but I never wear it.
3. Favorite pants/skirt color? Blue, ya know, blue jeans?
4. Most expensive item of clothing? No clue.
5. Most treasured? My "Mad Monkey" shirt.
6. What kind of shoes do you wear? Sandals.
7. Describe your style in one word? Casual.

Your friends
1. Do your friends 'know' you? Very few, if any.
2. What do they tend to be like? I have all kinds of friends. Which leads to problem when different groups of friends are around me, and they aren't at all alike.
3. Are there traits in you that are universally liked? Wit, maybe? I dunno.
4. How many people do you tell everything to? None.
5. How many people tell you everything? Probably none.

Music/TV/Film/Books
1. Favorite band ever? Gosh. You asked this. I guess on a scale of GREATNESS, the Beatles.
2. Most listened to bands? Dave Matthews.
3. Do you find any musicians good-looking? Aaliyah was probably the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Shirley Manson, before she cut her hair, was gorgeous.
4. Can you play an instrument? Not in any GOOD way.
5. Type of music most listened to? Um...good music! ;)
6. Type never listened to? I listen to all kinds. I used to be very anti-country, but I'm less so now, though I still strongly dislike most current mainstream country music.
7. Favorite book? Hrm. 1984.

Underwear
1. What is the nicest colour for underwear? Plaid!
2. Do you find it uncomfortable without a bra? Well, no, cause, you know, I'm a guy...uh...
3. Do your bras fit properly? Um...no...?
4. Do you make it a habit of showing people your underwear? Not intentionally, heh.

Religion
1. Do you detest religion? No. I incredibly dislike putting tradition before spirituality, though.
2. How do you think this universe was formed (explain in detail)? By the hand of God, more than likely over a long, long, long time.
3. If you currently follow a religion, do you think people who belong to another religion are ignorant? No. I actually find many people in my religion ignorant...*cough*Jerry*cough*Falwell*cough*
4. If you were in a hostage situation, and you were given a choice, to either praise the demon they follow or die, what would you choose? I'd die, but attempt to beat them up before they could.

Homosexuality
1. What is the first thing you think when you see two gay guys or lesbians holding hands? "How brave to do that in public in Nashville."
2. Do you detest homesexuality? Nope.
3. Do you agree or disagree with gay or lesbian couples bringing up children? No more than straight couples.

General Questions
-Whom do you believe is the smartest man alive at the moment?: Who's the most depressed? It's probably him . . . .
-What do you prefer, a sunny or rainy day? Lightly raining day.
-Do you consider yourself lucky? I consider myself not unlucky, at least.
-Do you feel pity for people who commit suicide? I feel sorry that they didn't see the other way out of their situation.
-Choose one word to describe how you feel most often? Intrigued.
 
 


Dancin' in the District was awesome Thursday night.

I have decided to give you a detailed and boring description of events!

I got there are at around 6, and waited.

Practically noone showed. Evidently Nathan got there really late, and Jessica evidently couldn't come, I guess because of work. Scott and the four people he was driving evidently broke down at David Lipscomb. Which I find incredibly ironic in some way . . . .

But, finally, Jesse Baker came along at some point, and I hung out with him, walking from Fort Nashborough to Broadway SEVERAL times looking for, you know, ANYONE. Ran into Cory-from-church, and rammed myself into him. Evidently hurt his shoulder badly, and left him in much pain. He threatened me. I laughed. I sometimes wonder whether or not he really will, like, kill me someday when I've given him one too many sarcastic remarks.

Saw Ben Hailey, who was unable to sneak in his hippie-sticks, and Corey-from-downtown, the tall one that has this Muppet-ish quality to him (this opinion of course might be tainted by the fact that my brother just got done watching "Elmo in Grouchland," which I watched as well) . . . .

Oh! And Eric freakin' Ferrari! A kid from BROOKEMEADE ELEMENTARY, who I haven't seen since, at the latest, fourth grade!

How incredibly odd THAT was. He came up to me while I wasn't paying attention, and attempted to give me dap and I was like "Do I know you?" and he reintroduced himself. See, I pretty much have looked exactly the same since age 3 in the face, so everyone who has a good memory can tell when they run into me.

It's just interesting, because I, at least, think I've changed alot since elementary school. I remember myself being quite shy then, because kids liked to pick on me. Now I'm loud and incredibly sarcastic, and I hope a bit witty. Wonder how much I Eric thought I had changed . . . .

I always wonder if people receive a better or worse impression of me when seeing me again after a long time. I tend to seem stand-off-ish to 'new' people, which I don't mean to -- it's just that I don't know what their personality is like and want to get a feel for them before I start really talking to them. And, if I haven't seen anybody in a while, and they don't look the same, I probably end up acting like that. (Which I think I did with Eric at first.)

Well, eventually, Jesse and I wandered into Sera (from the "Jessica McKelley(-Havron)'s Friends™" collection) and I pretty much hung around with her for the rest of the night. At some point Jesse got lost in the crowd, (but, I swear, he was talking to someone, and I TOLD him we were walking ahead, and I looked back soon, and he wasn't there) leaving me and Sera. We decided to go ahead and see the show, since nobody had shown up and Béla Fleck and the Flecktones had started.

Béla Fleck is amazing. Lance wasn't kidding at all. He said they were his favorite band. It sucks that he's at working at the YI camp; he'd have loved this show. Not a disappointment at all. Amazingly good introduction to Béla Fleck for me. All the members of the Flecktones were amazing. Just four people all together -- Béla Fleck, playing the bango, a bassist, a saxophonist (is that what they are called?), and Future-Man, who did the entire percussion section -- gong, drums, everything, and sang, too. It was like God had plucked the best musicians currently living and plopped them down on the stage together to jam for the good people of Nashville.

Me and Sera just sat there in awe, and I was trying my best to understand how anybody could play any instrument like these people. For the finale, Future-Man made sounds with his mouth that should be IMPOSSIBLE to mimic on a bango, but Béla Fleck, somehow, did it. I was frickin' FLABBERGASTED.

It was great -- all the drunk guys were dancing around, doing a little jig to the music -- which was VERY easy to jig to, by the way. It was a very peaceful moment, for everybody. The music was incredibly relaxing, but enthralling at the same time. I was so into it.

Once Béla Fleck was done, and we had recovered, me and Sera made way to be picked up by our respective parents. I really wish I could see her more often; she's an incredibly cool female . . . .

So, that is the recap.

How amazingly entertaining that must have been for you, eh?

Peace and love, everybody!

EXPERIMENTER

(Dominant Introvert Abstract Thinker)

Like just 4% of the population you are an EXPERIMENTER (DIAT). Although you're slightly shy (admit it!), you love control. When a problem comes in your way, you stomp on it swiftly and decisively. You are bothered easily by failure in others and failure in yourself. You don't like people that you don't think are intelligent. Rather than arguing with them, however, you would just as soon ignore them altogether.

In relationships, you have a strong heart. And because you're introverted, people take you as someone they can trust. But the fact is that in addition to solving problems, you like to create them. So there's a decent chance that you'll cheat on a loved one. If you do, you'll likely get away with it.

You're a good person at heart, but then again, who isn't?

Check out the Spark for this and other tests!


Interesting.
 
 

Anyways . . . .

I can not understand some people.

There are some things which can be debated.

Abortion, for example. You can debate whether it can be justified.

But, does anyone actually think that pedophilia can be justified, outside the pedophiles?

I mean, if someone is attracted to a teenager that's something different. That's somewhat understandable. (Though they still shouldn't ever act on it.)

But, I mean . . . .

Okay, for example. There is this guy in the news here locally.

Not ONLY did he look at child pornography. (And I think make it, I'm not sure.) That is a grievious offense in and of itself, and is completely sick . . . .

But, this guy had the intention of buying a five and a seven year old for 200 dollars (who in the world is selling these kids, anyway?) for no other reason than to have SEX with them.

A FIVE year old and a SEVEN year old.

I mean, my God, how sick do you have to be?

At what point does someone BECOME this?

At what point does a grown man become attracted to little girls?

Do they not realize how much that scars that child? Do they have no respect for a child's well being, for their future?

I mean, a child's personality, for the rest of their life, can be destroyed by a single incident with a freaky CLOWN talking to them.

How many more times will a child's life be destroyed by a grown man having SEX with them?

I just don't get it.

I will never understand it, as much as people might try to explain it off as a mental disease that can not be helped. Of COURSE it's a mental disease.

BUT LEAVE THE CHILDREN ALONE. DO NOT TOUCH THEM. STAY AWAY FROM THEM.

I don't see how you can justify it.

I see no saving grace from it. You do that to a child -- you have the INTENTION of doing that to a child, you deserve your genitials removed from your body; preferably in a very painful way. And a cage around you at all times.

There is no excuse.

At all.



That's enough of that.



Peace and love, everybody.

find your element
at mutedfaith.com.

<º>





Which Peanuts Character Are You Quiz

Kind of ironic that I'm not Schroeder . . . .

Anyways, someguy (1000journals.com) e-mailed me back.

I've decided to just not have any rules for what to put in the journal, and not mention anything about number of pages to take up or writing on other people's stuff.

I assume most people will have the common sense not to mess with other people's stuff. And, most people will probably think twice about using too many pages, or using excessive profanity, and whatnot. But, if anybody REALLY feels the need to, there is no reason to stop them.

The whole thing is about self-expression. Not self-expression in THIS cage or THAT cage. Self-expression. If that is part of what you want to convey to people, than so be it.

I just have to stress NOT LOSING IT. And not spending a WHOLE lot of time on it. I want it back by the time I graduate!

Yup, yup. This is gonna be fun.

I like getting people to do creative stuff while not ACTUALLY being creative myself. I tend to simply copy other people as far as creativity. (i.e. this whole project is copied off someguy, etc.)

But, it's all good. Maybe I'm simply the PRODUCER, the CONNOISSEUR, not the artist.

But not the critic. Ew. No, not the jealous-that-he-doesn't-have-talent critic.

I'm content with being the connoiseur, though. There is a need for those people, I think.

But, at the same time -- who else had the idea to DO a journal project here?

Maybe I'm an artist in my own right.

Hrm.

Maybe I'm rambling a whole lot.

I shall stop now.

Peace and love to the good people of the internet!

So, hey kids, now it's time for . . .

Food For Thought from the Comic Book pages!

Today's installment is from the pages of Watchmen, a 12 issue mini-series which I highly recommend for everybody.

This is from issue #9, "The Darkness of Mere Being."

-----

Laurie:

My whole life's a big joke. One big, stupid, meaningless... [ ... ]

Jon:	I don't think your life is meaningless.

Laurie:

Oh no, well, obviously that's what you're going to say because anything I'm stupid enough to believe is true, you just disagree with it and... ... Uh ... You don't?

Jon:

No.

Laurie:

But... Listen, you've just been saying life is meaningless, so how can...?

Jon:	I changed my mind.

Laurie:

But... why?

Jon:

Thermodynamic miracles... events with odds against so astronomical they're effectively impossible, like oxygen spontaneously becoming gold. I long to observe such a thing. And yet, in each human coupling, a thousand million sperm vie for a single egg. Multiply those odds by countless generations, against the odds of your ancestors being alive; meeting; siring this precise son; that exact daughter... ...Until your mother loves a man [ ... ] , and of that union, of the thousand million children competing for fertilization, it was you, only you, that emerged. To distill so specific a form from that chaos of improbability, like forming air into gold... That is the crowning unlikelihood. The thermodynamic miracle.

Laurie:

But... if me, my birth, if that's a thermodynamic miracle... I mean, you could say that about anybody in the world!

Jon:

Yes. Anybody in the world. But the world is so full of people, so crowded with these miracles that they become commonplace and we forget... I forget. We gaze continually at the world and it grows dull in our perceptions. Yet seen from another's vantage point, as if new, it may still take your breath away. [ ... ] You are life, rarer than a quark and unpredictable beyond the dreams of Heisenberg; the clay in which the forces that shape all things leave their fingerprints most clearly.

-----

Every one of us, a thermodynamic miracle.

Every last one of us . . .

A miracle.


What an awesome thought, eh?



Peace and love, everybody.

So, I've had an odd combination song lyrics running through my head today . . . .

The Clash . . . and "Day-O."

"I fought the law and the law won
I fough the law and the law won
Hey Mr. Tally Man, Tally me banana
Daylight come and me wanna go home"

I will start to sing "I Fought the Law," and then will slip into "Day-O," without even thinking about it.

What does this mean?

I'm really not sure.

But I'm scared.

Very scared.

Anyways . . . .

I've been thinking of this idea to create a Nashville High School Journal Project, based off someguy's work at 1000journals.com. I finally e-mailed him yesterday, and he sent an e-mail back saying he'd be glad for me to do it, and to update him on the progress.

The problem of course is the guidelines. Do I want to go his route, of collaborative effort and thus perhaps having people draw or write on other people's stuff? I don't know. I mean, to an extent, that's a wonderful idea. But at the same time, if the original person's work is powerful, and someone marks on it, it loses that power, and the marker gains it.

Should I have regulations on the number of pages you can use?

Argh.

Oh well. I e-mailed someguy and asked him to send me the guidelines he puts in the journals. Hopefully he'll get around to doing that -- I assume he's quite the busy man. I just want a starting point to go on . . . .

But, yes, hopefully I'll have this all ready to begin before school starts. It really shouldn't take that long . . . I just think it might come out more productive once school begins. I'd also like to set up a website for it, so that everyone can touch base and update on the progress of it. And to contact me if they lost it or something. Because, I know teens -- especially Nashville teens -- could easily do that.

Which brings up another important guideline -- DON'T LOOSE IT!

Well, I'll be off now. Hopefully I'll hear from someguy by tomorrow, and be able to begin getting everything together.

In the meantime, PLEASE check out:

1000journals.com.

It is an awesome site, and you can see exactly what I'm talking about.

Peace and love, everybody!