Somewhat Talented

Very few people are excellent. Very few people are pathetic. The vast majority of people are simply… average… in every way.

Some ordinary people are better than others… but still ordinary. They are smarter but not geniuses or stronger but not strong or faster but not fast. They may be prettier but not gorgeous or richer but not rich or popular but not famous.

I write fiction. My genre is usually action-adventure. The stories are about heroes and villains. A hero is not merely someone who is brave or virtuous. He is superhuman, one way or another. His excellence may not be obvious at first, but is revealed by his adventure.

A fiction does not prove its hero is extraordinary by having him outmatch fantastic baddies. On the contrary: If everyone is fantastic then the setting is simply ridiculous.

The foot soldiers of villainy set the standard of ordinary. The hero’s excellence is measured by his effectiveness against them. Some of these nameless baddies are better than others, however. Though hopelessly outmatched by the hero, it takes fewer of them to give him trouble.

NOTE: A type of soldier twice as formidable as a common soldier is indeed elite. He is still slaughtered in droves by a hero who kills common soldiers by the hundreds, however. The ordinary is still ordinary. The best of the insignificant are still insignificant.

The Man of Every Year

NOT AS BAD is not a measure of goodness.

Sincerity is immeasurable. It is insincere otherwise. Every evil is but a partial goodness, for evil is a lack and “pure” evil would be nothing at all, thus, pure indeed.

The sins of others do not justify your own. You do right or not and shall be judged accordingly, regardless of your reasons.

“To have loved but lost” is not better than “to never have loved at all.” The sacrifice of Jesus was meaningless till he rose again. What is lost must be found… or it is gone.

Most people are “not as bad” and this is their supposed goodness. They assume evil always wins because they confuse lukewarm as better than cold against.

The evils of the world are not inequality or inequity or racism or sexism or homophobia or any other of the countless things deemed sins by the sinners themselves. Those who make excuses for themselves are unworthy to judge others. Their social commentary is insincere.

The best of the world are NOT AS BAD as most everyone else. They are not good. They are evil, as evil as anyone else.

A good man is not of the world. His love is not lust. His fear is not cowardice. His wealth is not money. His power is not control. He is sincere. He prevails by his sincerity. His every failing is a success. His every defeat a victory. Jesus conquered death accordingly.

Innocence

I live in a world of sin. It is assumed I am a sinner too, since I look like everyone else. I am as powerless as everyone else.

People are annoyed by my quirks. Am I a sinner because I annoy them? People expect of me. Am I a sinner because I have my own priorities? I am accused of hate because I judge people. Is it hate if my judgments are sound? I am accused of profanity because my speech is sometimes colorful. What of it? I am accused of perversion because I fancy strange ideas. Am I a pervert if my life is wholesome?

I judge a tree by the fruit is bears. I judge myself accordingly, first and foremost.

I do not deem people sinners because their quirks annoy me… or I expect them to abide by my agenda… or because they discriminate… or they have weird fantasies. Sin is actual sins, not matters of opinion or convenience. It is indifference and malevolence. The self-righteous rationalize their sins… but they are not righteous. They are indifferent and malevolent. They are sinners.

I am sacrificed by the wicked for the sake of others, themselves specifically. I am accused of being selfish when I resist being expended. Sacrifice yourself if need be. I am not your lamb and shall not be gathered to the slaughter.

https://www.deviantart.com/yellowplasma