Zen

My band has two recordings we just finished yesterday. Posted up on here: www.myspace.com/eyescastdown Let me know what you guys think.

[size=1]Really enjoying this band right now.[/size] [YOUTUBE=The Ghost Inside - "Faith or Forgiveness"]Pja6FSE7o2k[/YOUTUBE]

[size=1] I only have four. [b]Rosario Dawson[/b] [img]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3Fs8vZEn2DM/S4VVW41JgeI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/1SGAG9_f_9g/s400/rosario-dawson_l.jpg[/img] [b]Oli Sykes[/b] [img]http://cdn.buzznet.com/assets/users16/emosoul3000/default/oli-sykes--large-msg-123967749997.jpg[/img] [b]Krysta Cameron[/b] [img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_x5kaOQed4yc/Smd5hpE331I/AAAAAAAABH0/hanlDhDPJr4/s400/KrystaCameron.jpg[/img] [b]Frank Zane[/b] [img]http://slowburn.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d21c953ef010536bc7468970b-800wi[/img] [/size]

[size=1]These have been in regular rotation on my Zune for the past couple of days.[/size] [YOUTUBE=The Acacia Strain - "See You Next Tuesday"]UEZjJGjK8sM[/YOUTUBE] [YOUTUBE=Born of Osiris - "Now Arise"]2CGwnwKaF10[/YOUTUBE] [YOUTUBE=Arsonists Get All The Girls - "Scobra vs. Cupcake: Battle of the Bulge"]m8baoZ38Xg4[/YOUTUBE]

[size=1] I just saw it two days ago. Really, really enjoyed it. Hit-Girl is probably the greatest action-heroine I've ever seen on film, period. Also, this was really good for Nick Cage, me thinks.[/size]

[size=1] You almost had me until I saw the pic.[/size]

[size=1] My band, [b]Eyes Cast Down[/b], just had our first show at a local venue. We had the biggest turn out, I got lots of compliments, it felt really good. Vindication after all those months of screaming like an idiot in my car alone. I'm the guy with the microphone jumping around. Well.... Here you go: [YOUTUBE="Big Lurch Is My Homeboy"]4s2WMkPYkH0[/YOUTUBE] [YOUTUBE="Five Feet Of Whoop ***"]1TgmlPrEkjM[/YOUTUBE] [YOUTUBE="Seen Your Own Clone/IOI or IED?"]CPqVFP1v7uc[/YOUTUBE] [/size]

[size=1] Despite my haircut and lack of piercings, I dress like the stereotypical hardcore/metalcore guy. Medium-tight band t-shirts, usually black or very colorful. I own a pair of skinny jeans that loosened up on me much to my suprise, so now I must buy another pair (very comfortable). I also wear alot of athletic shorts (particularly my band shorts, A Day To Remember and Devil Wears Prada). Dark hoodies and band hoodies. My favorite shoes are my Adidas Sambas, my skull-bandana red slip-on Vans, and my Nike Dunks and SBs. Sometimes I wear a nice button up flannel. I like to match.[/size]

[size=1] I just acquired the discographis for [b]HORSE The Band[/b], [b]Genghis Tron[/b], and [b]The Ghost Inside[/b]. I also got ahold of the debut album of [b]ABACABB[/b]. Good times.[/size]

[size=1] My new band [b]Eyes Cast Down[/b], I'm vocalist. This was our first show two days ago. [/size] [YOUTUBE="Big Lurch Is My Homeboy"]4s2WMkPYkH0[/YOUTUBE] [YOUTUBE="Five Feet"]1TgmlPrEkjM[/YOUTUBE]

[size=1] I have no idea what you're talking about. If you mean there are alot of J-Rock bands touring the US, that's been happening for a while last I knew. Polysics, Dir En Grey, etc. Same with some J-Metal and J-Grind bands. If there's some sort of Japanese-language rock band movemet happening in the US, then that's a big ol' facepalm right there.[/size]

[size=1] This happened at my first convention. That's me on stage with the big guy. I'm wearing the white Bring Me The Horizon shirt, haha. [YOUTUBE="Deathcore at Momo Con 2010"]gd27DpWENys[/YOUTUBE] I did all the high screams and low growls, big guy was doing inhales mostly, haha. That song is Emmure's "10 Signs Your Shoul Leave", btw. Had alot of fun. I did like two or three more songs, but can't find any videos yet :[. My shirt is dirty because some kid asked me to wrestle earlier that day after seeing me do a random Tae Kwon Do 360 roundhouse kick. I ended up triangle-choking him in like fifteen seconds. Good times. [/size]

[size=1] I just picked up [b]The Dillinger Escape Plan[/b]'s new album [i]Option Paralysis[/i] today. It's making me go "HNNNNNNNNG!" In a good way.[/size]

[quote name='Stephanie'][size=1]Where was it at this year? And yeah, that's pretty common. When I went to AWA last year we all just preordered our badges. :) It was pretty awesome.[/size][/QUOTE] [size=1] Atlanta, on the Georgia Tech campus.[/size]

[quote name='Stephanie'][size=1]Asphy: Sounds good. xD Zen: Dude, I always forget about it until someone mentions that it's happening two days before; by then, it's too late to get a ticket. >.

[size=1] I just returned from my first ever anime convention, Momo Con in Atlanta on the Georgia Tech campus. I must say, it was quite the fun experience. I'd definetly do it again. Saw some cool cosplayes(which made me think it might be fun to do one at some point), grabbed some bargain box sets (Ergo Proxy, Hellsing, Claymore, and Eureka 7), and had a good time with friends and met some really cool people. Highlight: Doing a death metal cover of "Raining Blood" by Slayer during Karaoke, received by applause, screams, and two autograph requests. Good times.[/size]

[quote name='Sabre'] [SIZE=1][SIZE=2]Don't you think that in some way it validates it? I mean, if there is a book that is the divine inspired word of God, you'd expect that any enemies of God would attack it's wording and attempt to prove a fatal flaw in it's logic, suggesting that the author was not inspired by God at all. The fact it has withstood the scrutiny applied in various formns througout the ages, not just the recent enlightenment period, says something.[/SIZE] [/SIZE][/quote] [size=1] I really don't believe so to tell you the truth. It's a rather negative view to have of critics of Christianity to call them the "enemies of God". I don't call my teachers who give me a bad grade on a paper my enemy for pointing out the contradictions and problems with my logic or reasoning. The book itself is riddled with hypocritical statements and teachings, like the peaceful, infinitely forgiving God verses the one who killed millions by the flood, or the “mercy killings” of the innocent Egyptian first born children. Or Jesus supposedly representing peace and love, while also stating that “he comes as a sword” for those who question the righteous teachings he presents. I’m by no means a theologian, but I know a good bit about the Bible itself. I also know that it was never an actual book until much later when it was compiled, and then later edited further and further, to go along with the translations that may or may not have been inaccurate. The thing I always liked about Zen teaching is that it doesn’t rely so much on giving an answer to your questions about life and the universe as it does make you answer those questions for yourself through insight and logic. It may guide you here or there, but the answers are always ones found by yourself. Christianity places that answer in a book that is not only thousands of years old, but also one that has been altered countless times, and it seems like a very illogical thing to do.[/size] [quote] No, not outdaded, but every scripture in the Bible has a context and purpose. In the OT the focus was on God delivering the Nation of Israel to a standard of purity so a messiah, saviour of humaity could usher in the current era. In the New Testament we get Christ's teachings and what we, as Christians, should do in this time to spread the salvation message. An overall theme throughout all 66 books is redemption, specifically the redemption of man to God. It is all useful in some way even if some scripture is not intended to be authoritave law.[/quote] [size=1] From whence came sin? Man created sin? The Devil? But did not God create both? So man must redeem himself in the eyes of God for falling to the sins that God not only ordained as sins, but also, more or less created himself. That seems to border on sadistic.[/size] [quote] This argument does not stand up when you look at what God is saying through the Bible. It is not a tome filled with his delights, his laws and what he accepts. It has a lot of that, sure, but there are also the scriptures which deal with historical accounts. It does not meant that God accepts what has happened, or enjoys it, the writer of the scripture is only reporting the event. Again, this is like saying that American's endorsed the attacks of 9/11 because they were widely reported in American media. [/quote] [size=1] But we are mortals, and God is the endless omnipresent. Everywhere, all the time, capable of anything. And the difference between God in this scenario, and America in the 9/11 one is that God created the things, and was fully aware of the things, that occured, or created the beings that caused the to occur, and again, was fully aware. America didn't breed, train, or oversee the path and lives of the terrorists who flew the planes into the twin towers. [/size] [quote] To understand why God created, we need to go back to the beginning, when everything was good. God and man shared a deep bond in Eden, God entrusted the world to the care of man and gave us the huge responsibility of being the guardians of this great world. When sin entered the world, it disgusted God, he was heart-broken by the disobedience of Adam and Eve, and this caused a separation. Nevertheless, God has always desired to reconcile the rift and is seen throuought history to be intimately involved in creation, a guiding hand leading our world to the ultimate redemption where the world will be put right again. God has not lef the world to rot, he didn't make it so he could sit back and watch carnage unfold. As bad as it gets, that is the curse of sin in the world. To see this is to understand the gravity of the situation, how lost we are without Him. In his mercy we will one day share the same kind of bond Adam and Eve had with God, in the kingdom to come, everlasting peace.[/quote] [size=1] What I meant was, why did God bother to create the world and universe to begin with? There was nothing but him, complete and perfect. He created that which would become imperfect, including Satan, the serpent, man, hell, and all other things that would come to signify "imperfection" and evil. Particularly if you are a determinist within Christianity, it becomes a weird dilemma, because that means that not only did God create the things (with all their weaknesses and imperfections), but also KNEW that they would go and do the things they did (and honestly, how can the "all knowing, all seeing" God not know it would happen?).[/size] [quote] That is a diffculty. I would say God is willing to prevent evil, and is working to abolish it altogether. He desries to reconcile us because he loves us. However, he also desires that we choose him of our own free will and it is that free will that allowed Adam and Eve to take the forbidden fruit and caused the rift. Like a naughty child, humanity is reaping the rewards of it's vice, but it does not mean that God is not benevolent, and that he does not love us. Soemtimes tough love can be the greatest expression of such emotion.[/quote] [size=1] But that doesn't answer where this evil came from. And why would God have a difficult time preventing evil? Working to abolish? He should be capable of aboloshing outright. He's God, he's very capable. So is he no longer omniscient? "Then why call him God?" Again, the problem with Free Will in Christianity is that, God knows everything. Correct? And if he knows everything, and the outcome of everything, and if he indeed does have a "plan" for everybody, then that must meen that he knows what everyone will do and has done, and there fore, what free will do we have? As well, there is a big difference between choosing something of your free will. If you were faced with "Bow to me and worship me, or be sent to burn in eternal hell fire", there isn't very much "free will" involved. Your only choices are "Do what I say, or suffer for the rest of infinity (which I may or may not send you to early if I so please". God could have easily created the world so that man was unable to stray from his path, but since God didn't, it means that he probably wanted someone to feed his ego with some way. Its like a Tyrant asking his servants "am I awesome", and killing them if they offend him in anyway.[/size] [quote] You'll find that I'm quite open minded too. I'm genuinely interested in other's beliefs and what they hold to be sacred and true. As a consequence my religious debates very rarely get nasty, so this should continue to be fun![/quote] [size=1] I suppose the answer to that would be "everything and nothing". Buddhism is greatly about duality. I find all things in natural existance to be sacred, as I am part of that existance. But when everything is sacred, nothing is. Nothing is worth worship, but should be treated as sacred. My particular brand of Zen is called "Soto" sect, as introduced to me by author and Zen Master Brad Warner.[/size]

[size=1] I'm not here to bash a religion, btw. But it seems pretty wacky that, for a book that is supposed to be the divinely inspired word of God, it needs people to stand up for its merits. And going by half the things you said, a good, thick chunk of the Holy Bible is "outdated" by today's standards. For a God to accept or allow anything is for him to endorse it. He's a God. And for me,the fatal flaw for Judeo-Christian God is that, why create? The fact that God created the world, the heavens, hell, his angels, and humanity and all that, and then just watch it, as bad as it can get, seems very, very irresponsible and malevolent. I'm sure people will use the "works in mysterious ways" line, but it never made any form of logical sense for God to just decide create the universe just for kicks, and then just watch all this horrible stuff happen in it, and still be deemed benevolen. It's very late, so I'm not quite up to further addressing the debate right this moment, but I will return to it. I leave you with a quote from the great Greek philosopher Epicurus: [i] "Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?"[/i] Forgive me if I use aggressive language, this is, again, by no means me trying to bash or be mean about your religion. I just enjoy the debate, and gaining insight on the reasoning behind believers, and maybe sharing my ideas with them. Also I'm not an athiest. I'm a Zen Buddhist, which is honestly more of a philosophy, but you could consider me a pantheist I suppose.[/size]

[quote name='Sabre'] [COLOR=black]Not when you understand the context, and the purpose of Bilbical scripture rather than accepting the caricature it is painted as. ;)[/COLOR][/QUOTE] [size=1] Just doing the math, God killed somewhere in the two millions with his plagues, floods, natural disasters, and "damning" of several people he wasn't a fan of. Satan caused about 10? Maybe? [b]Read in context:[/b] [i]1) If one curses his father or mother, his lamp will go out at the coming of darkness.[/i] (Proverbs 20:20 NAB) [i]2) All who curse their father or mother must be put to death. They are guilty of a capital offense.[/i] (Leviticus 20:9 NLT) [i]"Happy those who seize your children and smash them against a rock."[/i] Psalms 137:9 NAB [i]Whoever strikes his father or mother shall be put to death.[/i] (Exodus 21:15 NAB) [i]From there Elisha went up to Bethel. While he was on his way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him. "Go up baldhead," they shouted, "go up baldhead!" The prophet turned and saw them, and he cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two shebears came out of the woods and tore forty two of the children to pieces. [/i] (2 Kings 2:23-24 NAB) [i]Make ready to slaughter his sons for the guilt of their fathers; Lest they rise and posses the earth, and fill the breadth of the world with tyrants. (Isaiah 14:21 NAB) [/i] [i]Anyone who is captured will be run through with a sword. Their little children will be dashed to death right before their eyes. Their homes will be sacked and their wives raped by the attacking hordes. For I will stir up the Medes against Babylon, and no amount of silver or gold will buy them off. The attacking armies will shoot down the young people with arrows. They will have no mercy on helpless babies and will show no compassion for the children.[/i] (Isaiah 13:15-18 NLT) [i]"The people of Samaria must bear the consequences of their guilt because they rebelled against their God. They will be killed by an invading army, their little ones dashed to death against the ground, their pregnant women ripped open by swords."[/i] (Hosea 13:16 NLT) [i]When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she will not be freed at the end of six years as the men are. If she does not please the man who bought her, he may allow her to be bought back again. But he is not allowed to sell her to foreigners, since he is the one who broke the contract with her. And if the slave girl's owner arranges for her to marry his son, he may no longer treat her as a slave girl, but he must treat her as his daughter. If he himself marries her and then takes another wife, he may not reduce her food or clothing or fail to sleep with her as his wife. If he fails in any of these three ways, she may leave as a free woman without making any payment.[/i] (Exodus 21:7-11 NLT) [b]In the words of Jesus:[/b] [i]“He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.”[/i] Matthew 15:4-7 Also, Jesus criticizes the Jews for not killing their disobedient children according to Old Testament law. Mark 7:9 Nice guy. Also I think it's rather wacky to have such an obsession with foreskins and sex lives. [quote name='taperson'][SIZE="1"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]Doesn't mean it can't make me sad.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/QUOTE] Why be sad? The denial of Christian faith and religion isn't proof of a nihilistic world view. There are plenty of other ways to look at the world and the meaning of life. [/size]

[quote name='James'][font=franklin gothic medium]Not Exactly by Deadmau5 is awesome, by the way. One of my most-played tracks at the moment. :catgirl:[/font][/QUOTE] [size=1] I'm a big fan of his track "Ghosts 'n' Stuff" and a few others. I'm a big electro-style techno fan, with the 'whompier' beats and samples, like Justice, Daft Punk, and Bloody Beetroots. A lil' Dubstep is nice also.[/size]

[size=1] [b]Battlefield Bad Company 2[/b]!!! \m/[/size]

[size=1] I've 'acquired' the comlete discographies (barring split records and demos) of both [b]The Blood Brothers[/b] and [b]Botch[/b]. If you're a fan of avant-garde, experimental, indie, technically revolutionary post-hardcore or metal I'd recommend you check both bands out as they are AMAZING. Recommended listening: [b]The Blood Brothers[/b]: "Ambulance vs. Ambulance", "Cecilia and the Silhouette Saloon", "Teen Heat", "Set Fire To The Face On Fire". [b]Botch[/b]: "O Fortuna", yes that is a cover. Incredible. [/size]

[quote name='Citric']Shaun White is the man.[/QUOTE] [size=1] Seriously, he blew my freaking mind last night. I was extremely impressed with everyone that went before him in the medal round, in awe of their talent. And then White stepped up to the plate and I was speechless. Me during the boarders before him: "Holy crap! Did I just see that!? Amazing!" Me after Shaun White: ".....:animestun".[/size]

[quote name='Zombie_Nosh']I'm not big into winter sports, but I did catch a couple of events. I am surprised by Korea's talent during the skating-racing (real name is?). That's something I wouldn't have expected.[/QUOTE] [size=1] It's called Speed Skating. We got STOMPED by China in Pairs Figure Skating, and Germany stomped us in Luge, but we've still got the highest medal count, Gold in two of the cooler sports (Snowboard Cross and Women's Ski Moguls). I'm watching Hockey right now, America vs. Sweden. We're winning by 2. Tuned in to the Olympics all day.[/size]