Puerto Rico: Misconceptions, Ignorance, and Devastation

Following the devastation of hurricane Maria, there has sadly been a great deal of ignorance from my fellow Americans in regards to Puerto Rico. From President Trump seemingly ignoring their needs, to general public misconceptions, and even outright racism, I feel a compulsion to offer a basic educational understanding of Puerto Rico and its people. A people who are as unique culturally as they are politically.

To begin with, Puerto Rico is not a foreign country, it is a territory of the US. This means Puerto Ricans are US Citizens. They pay taxes, they vote, they can legally own property and firearms, they serve in our military, and they can come to the States without a passport. It is also not a single island, there is one very large island with several hundred smaller islands. Some of those smaller islands are naval bases and thus remain off limits to civilians. Others have vibrant communities that serve as tourist attractions, and some are uninhabited nature preserves with the exception of the occasional scientific research teams.

These are not foreigners who are suffering, these are our fellow Americans. Simply because Puerto Ricans are of a darker complexion does not make them undocumented immigrants despite the inane rantings of right-wing radio extremists. While it is true that Spanish is their primary language, most Puerto Ricans are also equally fluent in English, with businesses and street signs  often displaying both. It is an easy place for English-speaking visitors to navigate, as well as move to (at least for for American citizens). In fact, there have been Caucasians living in Puerto Rico for centuries, as well as Africans. The Caribbean remains one of the most integrated regions in the world, and Puerto Rico is no exception.

Unfortunately all of this often gets overlooked in the media. Most Americans tend to see Puerto Rico as being little more than a vacation destination, a sort of East Coast version of Hawaii but with Latinos instead of Polynesians. Rarely do they take the time to look beyond the resorts and overpriced bars that dot the tropical beaches, if they did they would discover a group of proud American citizens who give more to their country than they receive.

The economy of Puerto Rico happens to have a great deal of wealth, however because it is a territory and not a state, it receives very little in Federal resources. What results is a system without stability, and a harsh fiscal divide between the well-off and the impoverished. Unlike here in the States where taxes go to fund programs that the needy can rely upon, Puerto Ricans do not have as much access to these sustaining services. They are severely underfunded, and when people in need are unable to receive their needs, crime begins to breed. Indeed, some parts of Peurto Rico have living standards equivalent to that of a third-world country, while others are that of Beverly Hills or downtown Manhattan. There is little middle-ground between the two, and little that is being done to improve upon the situation.

Of course much of this could be fixed via Puerto Rico becoming a state. However such a process is sadly ignored by the Government despite Puerto Ricans having voted in favor of statehood in the past (although they have also voted against it as well). Votes are not enough for a territory to achieve state-status, it ultimately requires Congress to decide via a bipartisan vote. Given the current nature of partisan division, with the Democrats having a Center-Left to Left platform and the GOP having a nearly solid Far-Right one, any chances of bipartisanship agreement on any issue, let alone statehood of a US territory, is slim to none.

Generally speaking, some Democrats have expressed views in favor of statehood while Republicans have expressed disapproval. The reasons cited by Democrats is, of course, the fact that Puerto Ricans pay taxes but receive little in return as farvas services go. They also emphasise its location which would serve as a second international trade port for American interests in Latin America. As of now, Miami, Florida is the only international port city that has a wealthy trade influence with Latin America. Having a second major port would greatly benefit our revenue in this regard.

Republicans however cite the possibility if Puerto Rico becoming another “blue state” as reasons against statehood. As well as the cost of resources to fund programs, which they argue would raise taxation. While these arguments may sound compelling to many Americans, the fact is that the former is pure conjecture, and the latter is simply false.

When it comes to “Blue States vs Red States,” there isn’t really a whole lot to go on simply because there are no actual “blue” or “red” states. There are blue areas and red areas in all states, with the ruling party being the one who decides which areas are worth more than others via their district drawings. For example, Texas is considered a deep red state with heavy conservative values, and California is considered a deep blue state steeped in vast liberalism. Yet in reality there are many solid liberal areas of Texas such as Austin and Dallas (as well as the Southwest portion of the state), and there are many hardline conservative aress in California such as Orange County, San Diego, and the Inland Empire.

All of these areas consist of hundreds of thousands of voters, with about half of Californians voting for Trump and a littke over 40% of Texans voting for Clinton. The percentages would be more of a toss up if the voting districts were drawn fairly, with the liberal and conservative areas being given equal value. This however is never going to happen, as each party is motivated of course by their own interests, and controlling those interests in their favor. The only solution to such an issue would be to either abolish or scale-down the electoral college system. That however is a rabbit-hole discussion for another time.

With this knowledge now presented, how can one assume which way Puerto Rico would lean? It certainly would have its liberal and conservative areas just like any other state, and while many of the lower-income Puerto Ricans would no doubt be in favor of Left-Wing fiscal policies, its wealthier and business-class inhabitants would more likely be in favor of Right-Wing economic policies. On Social Issues it would be a likely toss-up, with Puerto Ricans being predominately Catholic and thus less likely to favor liberal policies on abortion and LGBT-equality. However, because it has a huge influx of cultural diversity, Puerto Rico could very well be in favor of socially  liberal legislation, at least moderately so. Especially considering the large numbers of young state-side Americans who have moved there over recent years.

This ultimately places Puerto Rico in a position that would cause both Democrats and Republicans to fight over, leading to the formation of a swing state. Which is actually beneficial to our electoral process as it prevents either party from rigging voting districts within their favor. When this occurs, political parties actually have to compete for votes. Forcing them to constantly listen to the needs of the communities they seek so desperately to win. Political competition, as opposed to rigged partisan monopolie, is a good thing.
This brings us to the tax-burden argument. While Puerto Rican statehood would no doubt increase our level of Federal spending, it would also increase our revenue, likely reducing the overall deficit. If impoverished areas can receive the programs that the people are paying into but not receiving, quality of life would improve. Causing those areas to stabilize. With local economic stability comes the opportunity for businesses and industries to flourish in those areas. They would pay taxes no doubt, as would the people employed by them (a broke and unemployed population cannot pay taxes, afterall). Thus giving an overall increase to Federal resources.

Regardless, the fact remains that Puerto Ricans as of now are essentially being subjugated to taxation without representation. Which is in fact unconstitutional for all intents and purposes. Yet because the Constitution “technically” only applies to states and not territories, this unethical practice is allowed.despite Puerto Ricans being US citizens. As such, they deserve to be treated as US citizens.

It is wrong for our media to portay some of our citizens as more “American” than others. It is wrong for our general population to deliberately remain ignorant about the needs of our other citizens. Even more so, it is wrong for our Government to not treat all US citizens equally. Puerto Ricans are US citizens, and they deserve to be treated as US citizens. Nothing more, nothing less.

© – J.Adam Snyder

The Amnesia of Humanity

After the fall of the Roman Empire came the Dark Ages. During this period, half of the world lost the knowledge of how to write, keep time, create medicine, and how to build. Maps of the world became smaller, with distant lands in Asia, once previously mapped with trade routes, becoming myth and forgotten about.

The people saw the remains of Roman architecture; the aqueducts, roads, and temples, but had no explanation for how they got there. They had no historical knowledge of Roman history, believing that such a previously more advanced civilization was a fictional pagan invention. The Roman records they assumed were just crude drawings due to being illiterate.

As far as they believed, Europe was the only place in existence, Rome was just a fable, the more ancient advanced structures were explained away as just being an act of God or nature, and life was just beginning. It was as if humanity had suffered a sudden case of amnesia. We wouldn’t regain our previous knowledge until the Renaissance, brought upon by the fall of the Catholic Church and the expansion of free trade. It was then that Rome, Egypt, Greece, Babylon, and other ancient civilizations became accepted as historical fact, and their achievements utilized once again.

I often wonder if we still haven’t fully recovered from our amnesiac symptoms. We have various ancient structures, artifacts, and documents that depict evidence of something more advanced than modern academic circles would like to admit. Antikythera Mechanism (which is literally an analog computer), the Nazca Lines, Stonehenge, Tiwanacu and Puma Punku (pictured below), and countless other examples prove that human history isn’t so cut-and-dry like we would like to believe. There is also the story of Atlantis, which Plato recorded not as an allegory but as a historical documented event. The story of Atlantis did not originate in ancient Greece either, it originated in ancient Egypt as a factual account. It was then taught to Socrates, Plato’s teacher, who eventually relayed it to his students.

It is humanity’s Ego that prevents us from exploring these things further. We like to think of ourselves on a path of endless progression as a species, with our contemporary life being the most civilized and knowing. The thought that our ancestors from a lost period of history could possibly have known more about the world than we do today scares us. It would require us admitting that we don’t know as much as we would like to think we do, perhaps even that we are not as civilized as we would like to think.

The other issue is protecting one’s self-interest, which exists in all humans and professions. Academia no exception. People have spent their lives, money, and time on studying our history and have reached personal theories and conclusions regarding them. If their theories and conclusions were suddenly shown to be wrong, their careers would suffer greatly. Therefore they have a motivated self-interest not to investigate these matters, and to try and discredit any attempt at doing so.

By no means am I suggesting that current theories are necessarily wrong, only that they are rather disingenuous. When one observes the perfectly stone cut remains of Tiwanca, cuts so perfect that even our most advanced technology has difficulty replicating, or the profound detail of the Nazca Lines that can only be observed from an ariel viewpoint, it is dishonest to write them off with shallow explanations that have no supporting evidence, especially when all the existing evidence disproves those explanations. Even more so to treat such evidence as if it doesn’t exist as an excuse to not continue investigaton.

It’s okay to admit that we don’t have all the answers. It’s okay to accept that we might be wrong in what we believe. It’s okay to reconsider ourselves and ask if we, like our Dark Age ancestors, are still living with amnesia.

“Three things cannot remain hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.” – The Buddha

© – J. Adam Snyder

A Millennial’s Response to Baby Boomers

  “A Millineal’s Response to Baby Boomers” – J.Adam Snyder

The older generation needs to stop judging my generation for our lack of economic prosperity, as they are the one’s who fucked it up for us in the first place. Back “in their day,” the dollar had for more value and decent paying jobs were in abundance. Inflation was at at an all-time low, making the cost-of-living easily affordable. Even a couple earning two minimum wage incomes could purchase a full-sized home in their early 20’s.

Today however, inflation and the cost-of-living continue to increase while the value of the dollar continues to decrease, creating what is essentially an endless recession that we can never truly recover from unless a drastic change is made. Millennials are not lazy, in fact social data has revealed us to be the most hardworking and innovative generation in America, as well as the most tolerant and world-aware. To give an example, many millennials work 40+ hours a week (along with attending college) and still require affordable housing and food stamps to survive (unless one wishes to live in a rural setting with no jobs for miles) .This isn’t taking into account the lack of healthcare that millineals face, it is beyond ridiculous to expect us to acquire it when it is beyond our capacity to afford it. College debt is also a contribution, as even base minimum wage jobs have become more difficult to find (with many college students being forced to take such jobs as higher paying careers simply do not exist at the time being).

Another point that Baby Boomers seem to be unaware of is the issue of mental health. Mental illness has only recently been given serious understanding and brought to the forefront of our culture, which for many in the older generation means that mental illness is not a “real” illness in their eyes. For them, the only true illnesses and disabilities are the physical ones, anything else such as anxiety, depression, bi-polar, ADHD, OCD, SAD, PTSD etc…., are simply “all in one’s head” and something that a person can easily “snap out of” if they chose to. It is this line if thinking that prevents those who have mental illnesses from being able to receive the care they need, which when left untreated, leads to more severe mental health issues such as suicide.
The reality is that millineals are simply trying to do our best in the shit that we have inherited from the Baby Boomers, who destroyed our chance at prosperity by wasting countless money and lives in Vietnam and Iraq (among oppressive trade legislations and unregulated Capitalism). The result today is that a small group of Government legislators and Corporate executives control the vast majority of wealth in our nation (commonly referred to as the 1% or 2%). This is a group that the Baby Boomers helped give rise to, and now their children and grandchildren have to drown in the consequences.

There is a reason why Bernie Sanders resonated so deeply with millineals. The system has failed, it (like the views of the Baby Boomers) is outdated and no longer reliable. It needs not reform, but an entire new system in its place. Millineals in other 1st world nations are living considerably more prosperous and quality lives than millineals in the US. This goes for their older generation as well.

The reason? Democratic Socialism. While the taxation is higher, the economic gap is less drastic, with more social services  (including healthcare and college) being adequately provided to the population. This in addition to higher wages that counteract inflation, creates a civilization where the control of the 1% doesn’t exist, allowing full prosperity for all. The populations of every other 1st world nation generally live longer, are better educated, and enjoy a higher quality of life than their US counterparts.
However, the beast that the American Baby Boomers have created is now rearing its ugly head and beginning to bite the hands of those who fed it. Due to the oppressive fiscal system for millineals, Social Security is now on the edge of bankruptcy and its only a matter of time before it collapses entirely unless drastic changes are made. Social Security only works because it is funded by the next generation that pays into it, given the lack of economic prosperity and opportunities for millineals, nobody is paying into it which means the older generation will be retiring into poverty, if they are able to retire at all as some legislators are considering raising the retirement age in a last desperate effort to save Social Security.
It is therefore vital for the older generation to understand millineals and the struggles that we are facing today, instead of falsely judging us and assuming that the world is still the same as what was for them. If they wish to survive from being burned by the fire that they ignited, they will need to learn to work with us. Otherwise, America will eventually collapse into a 3rd-world economy, burying the American Dream for good.

© – J.Adam Snyder 

Judaism: The Survival of The Egyptian Priesthood

“Judaism: The Survival of The Egyptian Priesthood” – J.Adam Snyder

Despite the polytheism of ancient Egypt, the Priesthood was actually monotheistic. The Priesthood of Egypt constituted a belief in one Supreme God who was without image, however the masses found such a concept to be impossible for them to understand. This was especially the case as the vast majority the population was illiterate at the time.

In response, the Priesthood created physical representations and mythological poems to help teach the various spiritual aspects of the one Supreme God. As the ages passed however, the masses (including the Pharoah) started mistaking these physical images and fables as being literal gods themselves. This created the first esoteric divide, with the small Priesthood knowing the true meaning of the symbols and the ignorant blindly worshipping such symbols as divine idols.
It also lead to the slow downfall of Egyptian prosperity, as what was once benevolent spiritual wisdom became a dogmatic organized religion by the masses, with the Pharoah arrogantly believing himself to be a god. The original Priesthood did not have the political power to prevent this corruption, and were forced to keep the truth hidden for its own protection by establishing a deeply mystical system invoked in symbolism. Among the many similarities between Judaism and ancient Egypt, perhaps the greatest similarity involves the Ten Commandments found in the Book of Exodus within the Torah, and the commandments found within the Egyptian Book of the Dead.

“Exodus 20-14
1 – I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery.

2 – You shall not recognize other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.

3 – You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

4 – Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant, your animal or your stranger within your gates.

5 – Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.

6 – You shall not murder.

7 – You shall not commit adultery.

8 – You shall not steal.

9 – You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

10 – You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Compare this to the commandments found within the Book of the Dead that an Egyptian was expected to keep within his lifetime in order to be judged righteously by Anubis in the Underworld:

“Hail to thee, great God, Lord of the Two Truths. I have come unto thee, my Lord, that thou mayest bring me to see thy beauty. I know thee, I know thy name, I know the names of God who are with thee in this broad hall of the Two Truths . . . Behold, I am come unto thee. I have brought thee truth; I have done away with sin for thee. I have not sinned against anyone. I have not mistreated people. I have not done evil instead of righteousness . . .

1 – I have not reviled the God.

2 – I have not laid violent hands on an orphan.

3 – I have not done what the God abominates .

4 – I have not killed; I have not turned anyone over to a killer. 

5 – I have not caused anyone’s suffering . . . I have not copulated (illicitly); I have not been unchaste.

6 – I have not increased nor diminished the measure, I have not diminished the palm; I have not encroached upon the fields.

7 – I have not added to the balance weights; I have not tempered with the plumb bob of the balance.

8 – I have not taken milk from a child’s mouth; I have not driven small cattle from their herbage . . .

9 – I have not stopped the flow of water in its seasons; I have not built a dam against flowing water.

10 – I have not quenched a fire in its time . . .

11 – I have not kept cattle away from the God’s property.

12 – I have not blocked the God at his processions.”

This suggests some profound notions:
The first being evident that the ancient Jews did in fact live in ancient Egypt at some point in their history. The second being the story of Moses miraculously receiving the Ten Commandments via divine intervention on Mt. Sinai from God may not be an actual event at all (or at least, a greatly exaggerated one), but rather the ancient Jews took the Commandments found within the Egyptian Book of the Dead and adopted them within their culture, reforming its teachings to suit their own.

This makes even more sense if Moses was an actual historical figure (the debate is still out on that one), and if he was, the story of him being adopted by the Pharoah as that would imply he was raised within the Egyptian priesthood and took their spiritual teachings with him. The Book of the Dead is not the only aspect that Judaism shares with ancient Egypt. The phrase “Amen” originates from the Egyptian sun-deity, “Amun-Ra.” The Kabbalah (Jewish Magic and Mysticism) also shares many similarities to the ancient Egyptian Priesthood inner mystical teachings.

The Star of David, which did not originate from David, was from his successor Solomon. The Star is in fact the Key of Solomon, which is an ancient occultic symbol believed to conjure and control djin (spirits), which Solomon to construct his temple. This symbol can also be found among the Egyptian Priesthood. It is therefore conclusive to state that Judaism is the survival of the ancient Egyptian Priesthood religion, learned by Moses and taught to the Israelites who then adopted and reformed it as their own.

© – J.Adam Snyder

The Culture War on Women

“The Culture War on Women”– J.Adam Snyder

Our culture hates women. It has convinced an entire gender to feel inadequate and ashamed of their natural beauty through the use of anorexic and white racially biased propaganda. By doing so, our culture controls women. It takes away their ability to feel empowered, to feel confident, to feel strong, to feel independent.

The deleterious result is beautiful women being encouraged not only to commit slow suicide by starving themselves to death, but also being discouraged to make their own decisions (in terms of health, sex, fashion, and otherwise), to pursue their passions, and to be anything but submissive in a relationship. Your body is God’s ultimate work of living art, the epitome of visual poetry. You must cleanse your mind and soul of the body shaming propaganda you have been brainwashed into believing your entire life. Beauty comes in variety, and it is this uniqueness that makes us all truly enticing to the senses.

You have a right to feel sexy because you are. You have a right to be sexually empowered because it is the only way to be fully empowered. You have a right to feel beautiful because you are beautiful.

You have a right to make your own decisions because you are already an individual. You have the right to pursue your passions because you have a purpose. You have a right to instigate romances because you have a right to be romanced.

To believe anything less is to be guilty of self-abuse.

© – J.Adam Snyder 

Fuck The NRA

“Fuck The NRA” – J.Adam Snyder

Anyone who is choosing to remain a member of the NRA after recent events is guilty of indirectly supporting domestic terrorism.

They fought against a bill that would have outlawed individuals who are on the No Fly list from being able to purchase high-capacity weaponry.

That is the equivalent of NAMBLA fighting against a bill that would outlaw sexual predators from being on school campuses.

Only in this case, the NRA won.

I am publicly revoking my honorary membership to the NRA at this moment and will not be renewing my membership upon its expiration. I am not against the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, I am against organizations that continue to abuse tragedies and violence for the sake of profit.

I want a solution, not more excuses. I want the hate to end, not to keep it alive for use against your political enemies. I want the violence to stop, not to blame others and decide to do nothing but “pray” about it.

I want to live in the America where I can walk the streets in safety.

I want to live in the America where I can attend the cinema without the fear of being crucified by a machine gun.

I want to live in the America where the children of my community can go to school without the dreadful possibility of having their innocent lives cut short by a lunatic with an assault weapon.

I want to live in the America where my homosexual neighbors can enjoy a night out with their friends and lovers without suffering the anxiety of having that night be their last.

I want to live in the America where people of all faiths can gather and worship in peace without being subjugated to the evil actions of a racist with an AR-15.

I want to live in the America where women can safely make their own healthcare decisions without the daunting threat of being violently punished and murdered by a religious fundamentalist.

I will not accept living in the America that chooses to accept such hate and violence as normal, and neither should anyone else.

© – J.Adam Snyder

The True Temple of Solomon

“The True Temple of Solomon” – J.Adam Snyder

Many Jews would like to rebuild Solomon’s Temple. To do so however would usher in WW3 as the Muslim holy site, the Dome of the Rock, sits atop on the exact area where the Temple once stood. Currently only devout Muslims are allowed to enter the area, a policy that the IDF enforces grudgingly. Which is ironic considering that the prophet Muhammad intended the site to be open for all, hence why one will find not only Arabic writings from the Quran inside the Dome, but also Hebrew from the Torah and Latin and Greek from the early Bible translations.

Today we Jews have Solomon’s Wall, the Muslims have their Dome, and the Christians have their Calvary Hill. Perhaps God did this to prevent religious fighting? Regardless, I feel all sides need to take a lesson from Jesus on this issue, including those who do not believe he was the literal son of God (and I’m saying this as a person who is not a Christian). Jesus taught “your body is your temple,” signifying that God lives within.

Physical places such as synagogues, mosques, temples, shrines, and churches do not matter. They are but stone and brick afterall, hence why it is meaningless to fight over them. To truly find God you must look inside for your own inner divinity. That is the true temple.

We are not bodies with a soul, we are souls with a body. When we understand this, we will grow closer in divine consciousness and will no longer be concerned with attempting to convert, dominate, or destroy the true temple of another. Our concern will instead be focused on helping one another in the construction of our own internal temples.

© – J. Adam Snyder

Understanding the History and Purpose of the 2nd Amendment

“Understanding the History and Purpose of the 2nd Amendment” – J. Adam Snyder

  Many are currently quoting the 2nd Amendment in mass droves as some type of argument both for and against common sense gun control laws, however those doing so seem to unfortunately be unaware of the 2nd Amendment’s actual origins. Before the Constitution as we know it today was drafted, there was a document called “The Articles of Confederation” which served as a rough outline for the Constitution. It was crafted by many of the Founding Fathers, although James Madison produced the vast majority of its content.

In the original texts, Madison worded the 2nd Amendment as follows:

“A well regulated Militia composed of the body of the people trained to arms is the proper, natural and safe defence of a free State.”

  However, Madison felt that his wording was too complex for the average layperson to understand. Taking into account that he and his fellow Founders were all well-educated scholars, something that the majority of the population at the time wasn’t (most people were illiterate afterall), Madison redrafted the 2nd Amendment in an attempt to make it easier to understand for all.

The end result is what we have today:

“A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”

So what does this all mean exactly?

  Taking both drafts into account, the Founding Fathers were indicating a need for an early National Guard program of sorts to protect the colonies from threats both foriegn and domestic. This is not to say that they were opposed to the common man bearing arms, as Jefferson clearly stated that “A free people will never be debarred from bearing arms.”

  However, in the context of the time, Jefferson was essentially paraphrasing a statement outlined by Washington in his 1st national address regarding the purpose of the 2nd Amendment which reads as follows:

“A free people ought not only to be armed, but disciplined; to which end a uniform and well-digested plan is requisite; and their safety and interest require that they should promote such manufactories as tend to render them independent of others for essential, particularly military, supplies.”

  In summary, he was advocating for a National Guard. Under the draft, common civilians were allowed to personally own firearms for hunting and self-defense purposes. However there was a limit on what arsenals they could own, and if a civilian desired to extend beyond that he was required to register and train with his local state-militia. I personally agree with our Founding Fathers, many of whom were also Brother Freemasons. I support the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, but I support the Right to do so responsibly.

  The last thing our Founding Fathers wanted was the easy availability for civilians to own high-capacity weaponry, along with the utmost prevention of Congress establishing a standing army (hence why the Constitution allows Congress to collect unlimited taxation on virtually anything accept the military, and to reform it every two years). If one truly wishes to “go back” to what the Founding Fathers intended, you would see a very small Congressional military with no ability to fight over seas alone, and a major National Guard influence within every individual state and territory, which are confined exclusively within their state borders except in the case of national emergency.

© – J.Adam Snyder

The Sins of Christian Cinema

“The Sins of Christian Cinema” – J. Adam Snyder

Within the recent years, Christian cinema has exploded upon the Hollywood scene, and often with mixed results. A good majority of these films are independently funded by various Churches and religious organizations, and tend to consist of small-budgets yet still manage to make blockbuster sales at the box office. It therefore comes as no surprise as to why such films are being mass-produced so quickly, given the large target audience who is often encouraged by their congregations to see these films upon release, sometimes as if it is there Godly-duty to do so.

Despite not identifying as a Christian myself (which shouldn’t matter), there has been a small number of Christian-based films I have enjoyed, “Soul Surfer” and “The Blind Side” to name a couple. While certainly Christian, these two films present true stories of love and grace, and do not attempt to proselytize the viewer. The faith of the main characters serve more as personal inspiration for their benevolent actions, all the while not becoming preachy about it. The result is that these films come across as being respectful and genuine.

Let me state something for the record: I’m not against Christians making Christian films, as no-doubt some overzealous Christians will falsely assume. Afterall, the theater is an art form and all have the right to free expression. I enjoy seeing the beliefs of others being presented across all creative mediums, and the cinema certainly has a place for Christian-based projects.

However, there is a serious issue with the Christian-film genre that I feel the need to address, for not only are many of these films offensive, they are also dangerous. I understand Hollywood is a business, and despite the more tolerant and liberal viewpoints of the actors and directors (acting and directing are artistic professions, and most artists tend to be inclined towards left-of-center views by default), the executives and producers of the industry are driven solely by the all-mighty dollar. Not that there is anything inherently wrong with this mind you. An industry thrives on creating a profit to stay innovative, and Hollywood provides not only the benefit safe of marketing people’s hard work, but also a living for all those involved in a creative project. All the way from the directors and the actors to the make-up artists and camera crew.

The issue I am referring to is in relation to the content that a sizable amount of these Christian-based films present. Hollywood is committing a great disservice to the majority of loving, moderate Christians by catering to the conservative fundamentalists of Christianity, a dying but still influential group that is primarily interested in having their religious dogmas and political prejudices reinforced and exploited. The end result is the production of abusive films that echo only the dangerous views of a small but loud sect within the Christian faith for easy wealth, as opposed to creating an artistic experience that reflects the more compassionate viewpoints of Christians that everyone in society can enjoy regardless of their spiritual background or beliefs.

From “God’s Not Dead” which gives the liberal character cancer and kills the atheist (all the while presenting these characters as obnoxious assholes), “Passion of the Christ” with its heavy anti-Semetic racist undertones, to “I’m Not Ashamed” which gives a false and downright disgustingly offensive portrayl of the Columbine tragedy. Such films are nothing more than hateful indoctrination and inspire irrational and deleterious feelings of zealotry among their target audience. They are essentially right-wing propaganda, lacking the substance from the authentic teachings of Jesus. Love Thy Neighbor is showcased in these films as only loving those who share your beliefs, and Do Not Judge Lest Thee Be Judged is presented with self-righteous hypocrisy of judging non-Christians and liberals as being vile people who are agressively driven to eradicate Christianity from the face of the Earth.

Creating this “us vs them” mentality only further divides our civilization, and only further leads to garnering Christianity more of a negative image. I’m very grateful for having loving Christian friends in my life who debunk that image, because if I didn’t, and if I were to just finish watching say, “God’s Not Dead” for the first time, I would get the impression that Christians are absolutely abhorrent and angry, which would only make me suspicious of Christianity in general.

It doesn’t stop only at those films unfortunately. Other Christian-based films such as “Old Fashioned” present a mentally and emotionally abusive relationship between a Christian man who is “courting” a non-Christian woman (the term “dating” is frowned upon in the film, go figure) as being moral. Throughout the “plot,” which is severely lacking mind you, the lead male character attempts to make the lead female character “a Christian” by telling her what clothes are appropriate for her to wear, what music she can listen to, and even going so far to forbid her from being in a room with him alone, lest she “tempt him” into the “sin” of premarital sex. Such a message is anti-feminst by depicting women as being powerless and incapable of making their own decisions, and as such, must rely on a man’s “strong” guidance. Not to mention the notion that we men cannot control ourselves around women is entirely asinine and only reinforces the already harmful and pervasive notions of rape culture, that a rape victim is at fault for the actions of the rapist.

These films also reek of rabid political statements, seeming to be more focused on pushing a right-wing agenda as opposed to a spiritual message. In “God’s Not Dead 2” for example, the film portrays a fabricated scenario that involves a teacher being taken to the Supreme Court for simply explaining how the non-violent teachings of Jesus inspired the actions of civil-rights leaders such as Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.. Throughout the course of the story, there are many snide attacks at liberals, secularism, and “big government” with a showcase of Christians and pastors being arrested for refusing to renounce that Jesus existed  (something that would never happen within any courtroom or legal jurisdiction in America, anywhere). Hell there’s even a cameo by, and I fucking kid you not, Mike Huckabee who briefly chimes in to inform everyone that the world is at war with Christians and it is time for Christians to “fight back” and “put God back in leadership.” This eludes the film to feel more like one is watching Fox News or listening to rabid far-right rhetoric, the kind that stems from the likes of Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, and not actually a film about the teachings of Jesus. In short; these films speak to the choir. A small, but fanatically loud choir that will pay good amounts of money to have their biases regurgitated and consumed again.

If Hollywood wishes to make films that actually showcase the teachings of Jesus, and seeks to move beyond the quick cash-grab that is the Christian-right, they will have to abandon that fundamentalist base. Why not make a Christian film that simply features, say, a man who decides to care for the impoverished in his area? Or a couple who takes in a runaway youth and helps them get their life back? Or perhaps even a tale about a certain pastor whose Christian beliefs inspire him to fight against social injustices?

As long as such films are done in a way that isn’t preachy or politically driven, but focused solely on how one’s faith can lead one to do benevolent things, I feel Christian cinema might actually be able to redeem itself. Because as of now, the genre has become little more than a showcase for Pharisees.

© – J.Adam Snyder

The Occult: An in-depth Definition

  “The Occult: An in-depth Definition”– J. Adam Snyder

Being an occultist has nothing to do with Satan worship or any other nefarious practices, it is simply the scientific study of metaphysics and the pursuit of esoteric wisdom. Like a table, on the initial surface if you ask a man what he sees, he will answer with the claim that it is a piece of furniture. Such an answer, while not necessarily being incorrect, is rudimentary.

The deeper answer is that the table is more than just mere furniture, it consists of someone’s design, someone’s work, someone’s measurements and tools, someone’s craft. Look even deeper and one will see the tree that the table was birthed from, the atoms that form its vital structure, and finally the innate desire of the man who had conjured a vision to create the table in the first place.

You are not a body with a soul, you are a soul with a body. Until you can realize this, you will not find the answers you seek. You must first awaken your consciousness by realizing your consciousness. Everything else is but a manifested extension.

Occultism is the scraping away from the mundane, delving into the endless mystic oceans of life, and emerging more enlightened and more powerful because of it. This makes the occult the highest of all sciences, and the purest expression of art.

 © – J.Adam Snyder