Is marriage a right?

I have brought this point up so many times that I am LDS/Mormon, that it should be fairly evident by now. But, I would like to fully state that I am active in the concept of Human Rights for Humans movement, which includes Gay, Lesbian and Transexual rights. We are all children of God, so says the LDS doctrine, so we should have all the same rights. Makes sense to me, and that is all I really have to say on that, before jumping right into the point.
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Now, the main point in this blog post is this: Is marriage really a right?
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Now, I'm going to be saying some pretty heavy stuff concerning the definition of marriage. But, I'm not going to say the definition of "marriage is between a man and a woman", instead, I'm really going to pull to the forefront of you, my dear reader's mind if marriage is a right.
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There is no real set definition as marriage as a right in the Constitution of the United States. And I thought, honestly thought, that the Constitution protected the rights of "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" but, I was wrong there.
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The rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are never really mentioned in the constitution. Though the 5th amendment ensures the protection of life, liberty, and property, it never mentions the pursuit of happiness. A little chilling if you think about it too long, and really enjoy dystopia worlds, but besides the point.
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Unless you are suggesting that marriage is a form of property acquirement, then it isn't protected in the constitution. Also, on that note of married as property acquirement, that would be a form of slavery, which I'm really certain is outlawed in the Constitution, the 13th amendment to be exact.
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Now, I am not saying that I'm against gay marriage, nor am I saying I'm for it. I'm just posing the question, is it really a right?
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In my opinion, I think it isn't. It's a pledge to remain faithful to one person, and one person only, unless your a polygamist, but then that is illegal. Also, those nice little tax breaks that come from being married, I'm not quite sure if they are right. It is a governmental level thing weighing in on a subject that it shouldn't be. In fact, married is considered a religious rite (as in ceremony), so maybe it is really to be defined as between a man and a woman, (or man and women, women, women... [wait for it~!] and woman), but then again, that is my deal with the concept of separation of church and state as well as rights, definitions of stuff, and others.
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However, if it is really a right, and I would love to see some numbers on voting here, and so forth. Then it should only be governmental, instead of ran by institutions that are to begin with biased to people who are "righteous." I really hope this makes sense.
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So, in the end, is marriage really a right? If not, then why is the government treating it as such? If so, then why are we denying a right to a fellow human being? And if one really wants to get married, just figure out a small ceremony and a pledge to be faithful to someone you really care for, and have it witnessed by people. That's pretty much the formula folks, stripped of Governmental witnesses and theological witnesses. I hope I still have many of you after this post, and attracted much more as well.
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Yours Truly
Kamden G. Blackstone
Tiger, Mormon, Creative.



References
The Constitution: The Constitution has been the guiding light of the United States for the longest time, and still is and it should always be. I did a bit of digging about to bring your these links, I hope you enjoy.

http://www.usconstitution.net/constnot.html#life (This is the passage about Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, and the 5th amendment)

http://www.usconstitution.net/constnot.html#marr (This is a brief overview of the whole concept of Marriage as a right, and the whole fuss of 2004, that continues to this day, there is a link with a bit more, information if you are willing. I found that really helpful)

http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am13 (I really hope the wit found about marriage as an acquiring of property funny, cause I sure did)

Christmas Redux

This Decemember, you have heard me talk about a lot of things that make me annoyed, but I am not a person who would just complain all the time.
Honestly, I have had a great time with my immediate family. And I loved playing video games with them, part of our Christmas Tradition. I love them all and will miss these memories when it comes down to me leaving.
I will even admit that I have a soft spot for the extended family party. I love them and I like them. I may not always get along with them, but I'm thankful they exist.

I don't like half the folks I love

"God made friends to apologize for the family He made you."

Anonymous 

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I have an extended family Christmas party this weekend, and honestly, I don't like my extended family. They are an unnecessary source of stress for me. They put too much pressure on my mom, and my dad, and my sister, and my brother, and well, the whole family.

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Yes, this is a venting post, but please bare with me.

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I love them and all, but they are like I said, an unnecessary stress. Every time I encounter them, I feel like God put them on earth just to test my patience. And I am very certain they feel the same way about me and my family. 

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They have this thing about being judging about everything as well. So help me if they find out I'm a furry, I'll be lynched on site. I also have this nagging fear that they are conspiring to excommunicate me from the family, not that I would mind much. But so help me if I miss a family function, or I'm getting phone call upon phone call of wondering where I was, and was she pretty, or God forbid, I'm picking my friends over them. 

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There is no pleasing them. No matter what I do. I even make it a point to make sure I have gift receipts for the gifts I get them, in case they don't like it. But they still complain, and whine, and moan, and so on. But I get crap stuff, horrible holiday sweaters, another cup for hot cocoa, or some such nick-knack. Would it kill them just to get me a gift card to a Bookstore or a Music store? I've made it blatantly obvious, or so I'd think,  maybe they're just, well, lacking in the think tank compartment. 

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So, it got me thinking about who'd I'd rather be with over the weekend. Then it struck me. My friends. They are the family that I would have chosen if I could have. In fact, some are so close that they have became a surrogate family for me. And they are a lot more, tolerable then my extended family. Even when they are just, insane, dumb, what have you. 

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So, that was my soap box, getting off it, and going to practice my fake smile. 

Merry Christmas.

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Yours Truly

Kamden G. Blackstone

Tiger, Mormon, Creative.

Dreams we conceive

There is a Trans-Siberian Orchestra song I really love, more then any song I ever heard. It is called Dreams We Conceive.
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It's a power ballad, with a little more emphasis on the keyboards then the guitars. The vocals are to die for. But what really gets me right in my heart are the lyrics.
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The song is from one of their many concept albums, "Night Castle" Following the story of an American Soldier during the Khmer war, being told by a surprising narrator. During this part of the album, The soldier has been captured by the Khmer rebels. He is being interrogated by the well known General Tran-Do, and he tells the general that he newly married, has a daughter, and the dreams that he and his wife shared before his deployment. Among TSO's standard urban fantasy shtick, the night castle and the wizard in there that helped our soldier along his way. But that is not important in this song.
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The song is the soldier talking to his wife about the dreams they dared to share. During the safety of night, they fell in love, and were shortly married. Though he was to be deployed shortly after he and her were married, they loved each other and knew more about each other then they ever could. His passionate memories actually sway the general, to help him escape.
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Another thing that is striking to me about this song is the prelude story before the song, something that TSO really plays up. To actually get the whole story, you have to either A) see the show, or B) buy a physical copy of the Album. The soldier and Tran-Do were talking about why they are fighting. The soldier was there to try to do his part to help free other people from oppression. This reminds me of several of my friend who are in the military, and I feel happy that they are in their for what they believe are the right reasons.
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The bridge is what makes me smile and be all forms of serene. It goes about like this.
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As you stand all alone at your station.
What if God doesn't know where you are?
As you send out your prayers for salvation!
But afraid that they don't go that far. 
So you wait all alone in your darkness,
there's a train that drives on through the night.
And if everyone's on it except us!
Would it return for that single life?

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I can't help but feel peace when I hear this song, and I hope that you can find the same serenity in it as I have.
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Oh, and here is a reliable link to the song.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9SJVzKfY4A

Poem Post: The Song of the Creative Dreamer

There is a world inside my head.

Every time I think about it,

It keeps on getting bigger.

There is a world inside my head,

and it welcomes me when I go to bed.

Beckons me to come nearer.

I oft wonder.

If the world inside my head

Got big enough and wide enough.

Would it suck me right in?

This is made by me, please don't steal.

This poem is not about delusional thinking. No, it is a poem about an artist and creative slowly falling in love with his creation. At one point, the artist will wonder if the characters and the places are real in another realm of existence entirely, and they are just using him as a medium to get their stories out.

At least, I've ran into that question. Not sure if you have.

Soul Society

This Christmas season is a wonderful time for many things.
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During this time of year, I tend to think deeply.
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At times too deeply on things. I am a Mormon, as you have read in the ending tag, and as such, I subscribe to the after life and heaven especially. But, as I look about in the world, I have to wonder if such a place as heaven exists.
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People are too obsessed with the concepts of being better then one another. We have yet to really show promise about reaching beyond ourselves and caring about one another in the way that Christ, Confucius, Mohammad, and a countless list of prophets, philosophers, dreamers and healers have said we should. So, who does go to heaven?
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According to the scriptures, and the countless theological theories, the righteous get to heaven. But who is the Righteous?
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Are people born  inherently righteous? No, well, I don't think so. We are not born righteous, we are born and pulled into the world to exist like everyone else. We are mortal, flawed, and sinful. Anyone who tells you otherwise without the mention of Christ, Confucius, Mohammad, whatever, is a bald faced liar. And, yet, I see this so many times in Utah, people who were fortunate enough to be born Mormon will outright feel superior to those who aren't and vice versa. That isn't right.
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They are no better then a convert to the church. In total honesty, I think the Converts are more amazing then those who were born into the church, and more fortunate. They knew what life was before, and they know what it is now. We should be praising the converts for their courage.
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But, that is not all. I have found the most amazing, spiritual, kind and caring people outside of the church. And I have issues with those that would and do consider those who have made a choice not to follow the precepts of the church inferior to them. No one is inferior to anyone. We were all born equal, and in the end, we all die. We are no different then any other mortal on the face of the planet.
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That thought process works in reverse. Those who turn their noses up at people in the church, are just as bad, if not worse then those in the church who do the same thing. There is no one who has the right to cast a stone against anyone for the way they lead their life. Well, within bounds. One should not impede another person's right to live freely and as they choose. We are all sinners. We are all flawed. And we are amazing because of it.
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We are faulted, broken, twisted and fractured in the most beautiful ways. That is what makes us, us. We should not judge one another, because we are flawed. The moment when we let go of it, the more likely we are to have that soul society known as heaven. Or so I choose to believe.
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Yours Truly
Kamden G. Blackstone
Tiger, Mormon, Creative.

Introduction

My name is Kamden Gerald Blackstone, and I'm the humane predator.
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This is my blog.
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I'm not quite sure what else to say.
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This is a creative outlet for me. Probably this will catch my thoughts on humanity, heaven, the world, and whatever I feel like.
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Why is my blog called the Humane Predator? Simply put, I identify myself as a predatory animal more often then being a herbivore. I think that I am always a predatory creature then anything else. As for the Humane part. I believe that I am a kind individual, though I am something that is openly a predator. Dichotomy is part of what I am, so be warned. You'll find these Yin Yang themes working their ways into my blogs. Hope you enjoy them.
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Truly Yours
Kamden G. Blackstone
Tiger, Mormon, Creative.