Sunday Sermon......... A Bonds Society
As disgusting as Barry Bonds is by making a mockery of Baseball, it's even more pathetic that fans in San Francisco are in complete denial of his use of Andro, the Cream and the clear stuff. His Stats are without logical explanation other than the one given in "Game of Shadows". But bashing Barry Bonds is getting tired with this musician. I started the petition to remove Barry Bonds from Baseball basically just to give myself the feeling of "having done something". It's painful enough to just stand by and watch the "FREAK SHOW". I've decided that I will attempt to deal with things that enrage me (yet are out of my control) by doing something that might be constructive. In the end, it's not what we accomplish, but the feeling of helplessness that we are able to rid ourselves of.
But it occured to me that we are living in a "Barry Bonds" society. We're living in a society that sees shame in getting caught, not committing the crime. Stephen Covey teaches us that there are natural "Principals" that govern the universe. These principals are not central to any one religion, they're in all religions. A good example of a universal principal is, "treat your customer with respect". In ANY culture, customers that are treated with respect are more likely to return than customers that are treated with disrespect. With this in mind, consider what Covey calls "The law of the farm". The law of the farm refers to the agricultural principals involved in raising a crop. You can't neglect a field all season, then throw some seeds out in the fall, water it for a day, then expect a bountiful crop the next day. Unlike what we'll refer to as the "law of the school".
In college, it's very possible to show up on the first day of class, figure out how the teacher grades, and address that criteria only. For example; if she grades on tests only, do I really need to show up for class? If she grades on attendance and lectures, do I really need to buy the book? All I need to do is find out how she grades and "do it". In doing so, I can get a passing grade and deny myself of an education.
On the farm, there are no short cuts.
Barry Bonds and a host of other shortcutters, found that hitting 40 homeruns a year wasn't good enough. In the book "Game of Shadows" Bonds allegedly took massive doses of non-detectable designer steroids from his train Greg Anderson. Anderson plead guilty to buying steroids from Victor Conte, the president of Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative. (Balco). Yet thousands of San Francisco fans are telling themselves that as long as Barry never tested positive, then he never took steroids inspite of grand jury testimony and eye witness statements. You see, until he gets caught, IT'S OK. That's what people tell themselves when they cheat on their taxes. That's why people jump on the brake pedal when they see a highway patrolman in their rearview mirror. Let's take it a step further, our society wants to support the theory that, "if nobody gets hurt, it shouldn't be a crime". The truth is, hurt occurs in a trickle down fashion.
Example, If I choose to overdose on speed and kill myself, what harm is done to others? Does this exclude the drive by shootings that are a result of turf wars between drug dealers? Does it exclude the I.D. theft that is perpetrated by crystal meth addicts who have nothing better to do than to roam neighborhoods robbing mailboxes in hopes of grabbing a bankstatement? Does this exclude the women that prostitute their bodies to make money to support their habits? Does this exclude the STDs that are passed on as a result of the same prostitution?
San Francisco fans are quick to "rationalize" things saying, Babe Ruth played in an era that banned black ball players. So Bonds did what he had to do to excel in his era, the "Juiced" era. The problem is that although hundreds used steroids, there were hundreds that didn't. The ones that refused to abuse their bodies were "over-shadowed" by the Synthetic Goliaths that made their careers at the end of a 23 gage hypodermic needle.
One chapter in "Game of Shadows" is entitiled "Cheat or lose". This same mentality is ubiquitous in our society. It's not umcommon to see many credit card holders run up their credit cards past their limits on numerous accounts with the intent of filing chapter 13. Insurance fraud is sky rocketing. People cheat their insurance companies and do so with a feeling of "entitlement".
The apostle Paul wrote in his 2nd letter to Timothy (2 Timothy 4:3)
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths."
But it occured to me that we are living in a "Barry Bonds" society. We're living in a society that sees shame in getting caught, not committing the crime. Stephen Covey teaches us that there are natural "Principals" that govern the universe. These principals are not central to any one religion, they're in all religions. A good example of a universal principal is, "treat your customer with respect". In ANY culture, customers that are treated with respect are more likely to return than customers that are treated with disrespect. With this in mind, consider what Covey calls "The law of the farm". The law of the farm refers to the agricultural principals involved in raising a crop. You can't neglect a field all season, then throw some seeds out in the fall, water it for a day, then expect a bountiful crop the next day. Unlike what we'll refer to as the "law of the school".
In college, it's very possible to show up on the first day of class, figure out how the teacher grades, and address that criteria only. For example; if she grades on tests only, do I really need to show up for class? If she grades on attendance and lectures, do I really need to buy the book? All I need to do is find out how she grades and "do it". In doing so, I can get a passing grade and deny myself of an education.
On the farm, there are no short cuts.
Barry Bonds and a host of other shortcutters, found that hitting 40 homeruns a year wasn't good enough. In the book "Game of Shadows" Bonds allegedly took massive doses of non-detectable designer steroids from his train Greg Anderson. Anderson plead guilty to buying steroids from Victor Conte, the president of Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative. (Balco). Yet thousands of San Francisco fans are telling themselves that as long as Barry never tested positive, then he never took steroids inspite of grand jury testimony and eye witness statements. You see, until he gets caught, IT'S OK. That's what people tell themselves when they cheat on their taxes. That's why people jump on the brake pedal when they see a highway patrolman in their rearview mirror. Let's take it a step further, our society wants to support the theory that, "if nobody gets hurt, it shouldn't be a crime". The truth is, hurt occurs in a trickle down fashion.
Example, If I choose to overdose on speed and kill myself, what harm is done to others? Does this exclude the drive by shootings that are a result of turf wars between drug dealers? Does it exclude the I.D. theft that is perpetrated by crystal meth addicts who have nothing better to do than to roam neighborhoods robbing mailboxes in hopes of grabbing a bankstatement? Does this exclude the women that prostitute their bodies to make money to support their habits? Does this exclude the STDs that are passed on as a result of the same prostitution?
San Francisco fans are quick to "rationalize" things saying, Babe Ruth played in an era that banned black ball players. So Bonds did what he had to do to excel in his era, the "Juiced" era. The problem is that although hundreds used steroids, there were hundreds that didn't. The ones that refused to abuse their bodies were "over-shadowed" by the Synthetic Goliaths that made their careers at the end of a 23 gage hypodermic needle.
One chapter in "Game of Shadows" is entitiled "Cheat or lose". This same mentality is ubiquitous in our society. It's not umcommon to see many credit card holders run up their credit cards past their limits on numerous accounts with the intent of filing chapter 13. Insurance fraud is sky rocketing. People cheat their insurance companies and do so with a feeling of "entitlement".
The apostle Paul wrote in his 2nd letter to Timothy (2 Timothy 4:3)
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths."
posted by Ace at
7:40 PM
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