Month: January 2015

I’ve honestly lost track of the number of times I’ve been told I should get a new cell phone. Currently, I’m still using an Iphone 3GS, which with the latest release is now over four versions old. Having watched the Iphone 4, 4s, 5, 5s, and now 6 come and go, most would say that my cell phone is an ancient dinosaur in technology standards. But I’ve decided for now I’m ok with that for two reasons. One, it’s not broken, and two, I really don’t want to become one of those who’s almost 100% absorbed on it throughout the day.

A long time ago, it really didn’t matter to me whether my cell phone was broken or not. In most cases, it never was, yet that never stopped me from buying the latest and greatest one. Truthfully, I once had to have the next best thing, even if what I had was still functioning A-Okay. Doing so not only made for a lot of “junk” piling up around my house, but it only further solidified my growing ego. I actually remember in the 90’s getting the first flip-phone from Bell Atlantic Mobile and barely having enough money to use it. Yet, I sat there at times and walked around various public venues, pretending to be on it, just so that I could believe I was better off than everyone else. While my current 3GS may well be quite old, it continues to send and receive calls and text messages just fine. Ok, so the camera might not take the greatest of pictures, and the Internet connection might be rather slow, but seriously, that’s not why I got a cell phone in the first place all those years ago.

That’s where the lines are becoming blurred because the gadgetry in cell phones is becoming so advanced now that people are on them more than not. They can now control televisions and cable boxes, garages, appliances, alarm systems, and then some. There’s an app for just about everything and many seem to be using them now to enhance various addictions from gambling to sex. Before we know it, they’ll probably be able to start our cars and maybe even drive them one day. All I know is that people are becoming so completely immersed on them these days that the world is slipping by around them. This is precisely the second reason why I haven’t upgraded my phone yet. I already spend enough time on it responding to calls and text messages and making them as well. According to AT&T, I’ve also been averaging about ½ Gigabyte of Internet data on my phone each month as well. In comparison, the agent told me that her family uses about 25 Gigabytes of data each month on their cell phones. In fact, she said that translates to them being on them almost 24/7 except when sleeping and because of it, they had to create a no cell phone day on Sundays, meaning each are totally shut off. I have no desire to watch my life slip away like this, by immersing myself in my cell phone that much.

The bottom line is that I have a cell phone right now that’s not broken. It also has enough technology still built into it to do what I need it to do, without me wanting to occupy my entire day on it. I’m sure there’s going to come a day when I’ll need to get a new one, but until then, at least it’s slowness and lack of advanced features continue to deter me from spending the majority of my days on it, where I’d only miss seeing much of the beauty that exists all around me, all the time…

Peace, love, light, and joy,

Andrew Arthur Dawson

“Love the sinner, not the sin…”

I’m truly not a big fan of the word “sin” because of the amount of religious weight that comes along with it. But I have to say I still love this phrase because of a belief I hold within me these days, which is that I’m meant to love everyone unconditionally. It’s probably best though that I begin with a definition of the word “sin” before I explain why.

Most would define “sin” as this, “an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law.” But I found it interesting that Merriam-Webster provided a few other definitions where one was listed as “an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible.” This meaning is specifically the reason why I never liked the word “sin”. What one person thinks as a sin is truly just their belief and opinion. There is a large majority of people in this world who would probably find my same-sex relationship to be living in sin, although I most assuredly do not. No different than I personally believe it’s a sin to marry multiple people, except there are plenty of religious people in this world who definitely feel different.

Regardless, I think the word “sin” can be simplified down to three words, no matter what one’s religious background or spiritual beliefs are. From what I can see, it really comes down to what one considers being “a detestable action”. And of course, that’s always going to vary depending on the person. But there is one thing I’ve seen to be shared in common amongst all of the major religious and spiritualties and it’s about loving everyone, no matter what.

Jesus helped explain this lesson when he asked those to cast a stone at Mary if they never had sinned themselves. None supposedly did. Have you ever done a detestable action at some point in your life? I know I have. But does that make me unworthy of receiving love? Sadly, some continue to say it does and treat me accordingly.

What I believe though is that inside each and every individual in this world is a piece of God, or if you shall, a soul, that’s fully worthy and deserving of love. Unfortunately, so many suppress that part of themselves so deeply that it becomes difficult to see it within them. Instead, all that’s frequently seen is their darkness, i.e. their “sin.” And even though that may be the case and even though they may continue to do behaviors that seem detestable to another, I choose to follow this teaching of Christ by still loving them unconditionally.

Now that doesn’t mean I have to condone their actions nor does it mean that I have to spend time with them. It just means that I choose to love them from my heart because a part of God still lives within them somewhere. Some could say that I for years lived in a “sin” based life due to my massive addiction issues. So much of my behaviors were ultimately detestable. But that piece of God never flickered out within me and eventually it was able to burn away all that darkness so that I could become a much brighter being of light.

Thus it’s because of my own spiritual transformation I’ve come to believe we should all “love the sinner, and not the sin”. It’s because of those who continued to love me, even when I kept on “sinning” that I eventually found the light. And it’s because of my spiritual growth that I’ve realized that not everything I thought was a sin really was one. So today I do my best to love everyone unconditionally, no matter what their actions. Because in the end, by loving them, I love God, and to me, that’s all that matters anymore…

Peace, love, light, and joy,

Andrew Arthur Dawson