Thinking IS Fun

Since I have attempted to use Mondays as a fun way to start the week and this week was focused on - like it or not - a piece of history, Monday's humor falls on Wednesday this week.

As I state in my profile I am a big proponent of thinking and questioning what so many accept as the "norm." On the back of my vehicle I have a bumper sticker that reads: "Why Be Normal?" And, I put it on upside down. I do not have any desire to fall into the classification of "normal." Hence, the following thoughts.

According to a dictionary the word myth is defined as: "A fiction or half-truth, especially one that forms part of an ideology." Or, "A fictitious story, person, or thing."

There is a novel by Romain Gary titled The Ski Bum  where he expands on the meaning of the word myth. "A myth" he writes "is something no man has ever seen. That's how God got so far."

As a thinking individual, not prone to blind acceptance, one of the things I have to wonder about is the story of Moses. Oh yea, this will no doubt cause some folks to get upset but, it's my blog and I can do what I want.

Back in the time of the character Moses it is accepted that people were superstitious. Now I can't help but think here is this man surrounded by a culture of superstition and he goes walking on a hill when, for no apparent reason, a bush bursts into flame and he hears his name being called from the heavens.

I can picture the image of a man alone being somewhat surprised by a bush suddenly engulfed in fire, hearing his name booming from out of nowhere. What I find hard to imagine is anyone in that day and time stopping and answering. The more predominant mental picture is of robes flowing in the wind and sandals kicking up dust as he runs like hell to safety.

Another popular myth is that the phrase: "God helps those who helps themselves" is taken from the Bible. Actually, it is a quote from Benjamin Franklin.

While on the subject of the Bible I would like to clarify another popular belief. It is not a book. In reality it is an Anthology, a collection of 66 books written by at least 40 human authors over a period of time.

Continuing the theme of thinking, how about the term oxymoron. That word is derived from the Greek oxumoros meaning pointedly foolish.

Somewhat similar as when one person tells another they lost an item; more often than not the response is: "Where did you lose it?"

Here is a brief exercise in thinking. How did these common conjoined words become so popular? And, more to the point, did a thinking person conjure up the association?

All natural artificial flavor.
Bankrupt millionaire.
Civilized warfare.
Intimate strangers.
Jumbo shrimp.
Kosher ham.
Melted ice.
Non-stick glue.
Pretty ugly.

Perhaps, after the news of the day has been digested and you wonder what next? You can look back at this, smile and know life is fun ... if you think.