Topic: Blog Tours
After Owen Fiddler had a run in with Amanda the kitty cat yesterday over at http://unwriter1.wordpress.com/ I wasn't sure he'd show up here today. Not only has he showed up, he's put on his best thinking cap and given some thoughtful answers. Let's hear what Owen Fiddler has to say!
(Hey folks, this is Owen-he cleans up well, don't you think??)
Joyce: Thanks for joining us here today, Owen! I'd like to take a few minutes to discuss the recent election if that's okay with you? I'd shy away from politics with most people, but I know you don't mind a bit of controversy :-) I'd like to give our readers a deeper glimpse into your thought processes. Which brings me to my first question:
Most of the world sees the recent election of Barack Obama as an historical election because of his heritage. I see it more as a move ahead spiritually. Tell me, Owen, do you see any spiritual significance in America's choice for president?
Owen: Hm. I don't know if I would say there is any spiritual significance in the peoples' choice. As a man, speaking of Barak Obama now, I don't know for sure really who he is. Nor do a great many of the voters. What we know is what we get through the media, and that is always packaged carefully to present us with an image. The image is not the real man. Close to election day, I once saw a clip from the Howard Stern show. I don't watch his show, but someone sent me this clip. It was very revealing and quite disturbing, about how misinformed the voting population is. They sent two people out into African American neighborhoods posing as news reporters. They would walk up and ask people who they were voting for and why. Everyone was voting for Obama of course. He's black. Gotta vote for the brother, right? Well here's the catch. When they claimed they were voting for him because of his platform and policies, the two imposter reporters would query them further about those policies, only they were using McCain's positions. Without exception, everyone said "yes" that's why they supported Obama, when if fact, Obama's position was the exact opposite of the position or policy they had been asked about!
Like they would ask, "So you are in favor of smaller government then, right?
"Yes. Smaller government. That's why I'm for Obama."
And then you are against abortion, against pro-choice, right?"
"Yup. I'm with Obama on that one too."
It was hysterical. In a way, and frightening in another. So much ignorance in the hands and minds of our voters. We hold the power to elect our leaders, but the truth is our leaders do not get elected by people with correct information. Not true of everyone, of course, some folks take the time to dig through all the hype and propaganda to know the real what and why of their voting decisions. But not enough to make me comfortable.
The only aspect of spirituality I see in the election process now is that I pray to God that Obama will be blessed and led by God to do a good job leading this country. He is now our president and that is a tremendous responsibility. So God bless Barak Obama and our country and our world.
Joyce: I'm hearing a number of opposing views on the recent bailout plan by this administration as well as plans set forth by the incoming administration. The viewpoint that interested me the most is that America is moving toward a socialism mindset. Owen, what are your thoughts on this?
Owen: You know Joyce, I'm really not in favor of putting so much power into the hands of government. I mean, if that's what everybody wants, higher taxes, bigger big brother government, and more socialism, then fine - I'll go along with it. We DID ask for it. But to me, government has never been the answer. Big government, small government, lots of programs, fewer programs, this country will not turn around and become a nation of true freedom and justice for all until we return to God. I would have never had this opinion before, back when I was a devil-may-care selfish irresponsible jerk, but I've seen the light. God is the answer. Loving each other with the love of Christ is the answer. The Golden Rule is the answer. Paying higher taxes and assuming now we will all get along and be all happy happy because everyone will be cared for by our elected officials is to my way of thinking just passing the spiritual buck along to our elected officials. It's the proverbial ostrich head in the sand lunacy. My author, Marvin Wilson, did a whole post about this very subject on Free spirit, titled, We the People. That's pretty much my stance as well.
Joyce: Last question in this area, Owen. What changes do you foresee taking place in the future with the vastly different mindset of the incoming administration as opposed to that of the past eight years?
Owen: On the down side, we will have bigger government, higher taxes, higher prices (big business will be passing on their higher taxes to us in the form of jacking their prices - their profit margins will remain the same, count on it), so the cost of living will go up. Way up. On the positive side, there will be more programs to assist the poor and more money spent, hopefully, on taking care of our environment. I also think the majority worldview of Obama is at least so far favorable; he may be able to make strides toward a better image of America overseas, better global public relations, and God - I hope he and this administration can do something to help bring about peace. Pounding Muslim nations to death is not doing anything to lessen radical terrorist Islamic hatred of our country. Hate never conquers hate, Love conquers hate. Here again, however, governments are not in a position to be able to love their enemies and to do good unto those who harm them. People are. We the people. It's on us.
Joyce: Onto other matters, Owen. The recent Thanksgiving holiday had many people considering what they are thankful for in their lives. Can you tell us, Owen - what is Owen Fiddler most thankful about today?
Owen: Oh, gosh soooooooooo many things. My daughter, Frenda. She's passed on, but visits me regularly in visions and dreams. Talks to me. Encourages me. My family. Mom, God bless her, she never threw me away all those years when I was such a disrespectful, spiteful, finger-pointing selfish jerk. I put that poor woman through hell but she never gave up on me. I'm thankful for her for sure. And Paize, my brother. I always was jealous of him, harbored ill feelings toward him for all his success and self-confidence. He knew it. But he never returned the animosity. In fact, once I had recovered from the coma and he saw the change in me he offered me to be partners with him in his landscaping business. I've leaned a whole lot about the right way to live from my little brother. And lastly but most importantly, I'm thankful for a God that loves me and has saved me from the pitiful state of being I had been in. Amazing grace. How sweet the sound!
Joyce: Owen, what do you think it takes to really make a person thankful for the things in their life? Is there anything you discovered on your journey that might help others reaching out for that thankful state?
Owen: Well I think that oftentimes people have to lose what they have in order to appreciate what they have. What's that old 70's song? "Don't it always seem to go - that you don't know what you've got ‘til it's gone?" I never appreciated life until I nearly lost it. I never appreciated my wonderful wife until I lost her. I couldn't really be with my daughter much as she was growing up because of the divorce and then Frenda was taken from this world at such a young age. No matter what you think you don't have enough of in life, there are always others worse off. Just look around. Be thankful for and appreciate what you do have rather than whining over what you think you ought to have.
Joyce: Any other thoughts on thankfulness before we move on?
Owen: Just this. Thanksgiving, it's okay, I mean picking out a day to be thankful. But like all holidays, it is meant to be symbolical of how we should always be. Thankfulness should be a life attitude, not a goody goody feeling we get all stuffed on Turkey over once a year.
Joyce: We will be celebrating Christmas here shortly, Owen, and I was wondering if you would like to share with us some of your thoughts on this time of year. Christmas started out as a celebration of the birth of Jesus (as opposed to Jesus' birthday). Tell me, Owen, do you think we still maintain this purpose or has Christmas become something far removed from its original purpose?
Owen: At this point let's just get real. Christmas is too far gone down the road of consumer-driven materialistic madness to consider it a real spiritual event anymore. The madness starts the day after Thanksgiving with "Black Friday." Throngs of people clamoring all over each other at the retail stores to buy the latest baubles at discount. You heard in the news where someone had been trampled to death at a Wal-Mart by the stampeding storm shoppers? It's sick. And not sick like cool the way the young people use that word these days. Sick as in sickening.
So but anyway, Christmas is what you make of it. It can still be a celebration of the birth of Jesus. That's the way I celebrate it. Here again though, why limit that celebration to one arbitrary day? There is only one day, only one now, and the birth of Jesus should be cause for celebration in every waking here and now moment. And many people who are not Christians find joy in the Christmas holiday, and they act nice to each other and smile a lot and feel good and treat people especially well. Even if that's all it is, if it's just a good excuse to get the warm & fuzzies, then I'm okay with that too. Free country.
Joyce: Christmas isn't the only celebration this time of year, as you know, Owen. There is Yule, Hanukah and Kwanzaa. I have often thought how great it would be if we could somehow take the best elements from all four celebrations and combine them into one grand celebration of life. What are your thoughts on this, Owen? Do you think humans are ready to put aside differences long enough to make something like this work?
Owen: I would LOVE that. But I'd be totally like, shockerood if it ever happened. The biggest divisive element of society is religion. Religion divides people into opposing camps and splits our unity apart into animosity towards one another out of ignorance and fear. If we as a society could become more enlightened and see through the constraining fetters of organized religion and become truly spiritual, we would see that there is a fundamental sameness in all the great Masters' teachings and while we all might still choose to follow one path rather than the other, we certainly could gather together once in a while and celebrate our sameness and the Oneness of All. That's a great idea, Joyce. You gonna start a movement? If so, where do I sign up?
Joyce: I'll let you know, Owen. I'd love to see it happen. Now for an easy one. How will Owen Fiddler be spending the Christmas holiday?
Owen: I'll be helping out Marv at our church's free food and clothing pantry all morning and until probably late afternoon. Then he'll be going back to Camp Shiloh to celebrate and have a nice meal together with the four young men he mentors there. Me, I'm invited over to Paize's house for dinner. He and his wife invited me and also Jewel to come over. I'm really hoping Jewel will come. I'm trying my best to get back together with her.
Joyce: One last thing before we go, Owen. Would you please tell our visitors where they can find out more about you and purchase your book? Also, is there anything else you'd like to share with us today?
Owen: Oh sure - thanks for asking. The Owen Fiddler info site is at http://www.owenfiddler.com/ Best way to get a copy of the book is through http://www.amazon.com/ or http://www.cambridgebooks.us/
(By the way, that there on the right is the cover! Great one, isn't it?)
One last thing? Well, Marvin asked me to put in a plug for his blog, Free Spirit. http://inspiritandtruths.blogspot.com/ Marvin has been offered a contract by All Things That Matter Press to publish an anthology of some of the best posts. It's going to be titled, Between the Storm and the Rainbow, and should be out early in 2009. And also everyone remember that there are still lots of great stops left on this virtual tour. For all the prize giveaways and a listing of the entire agenda just go to: http://owenfiddler.com/Links2.html
And thanks for having me on here, Joyce! My former self has been taking a pretty good beating on some of the tour stops, and rightfully so - lol. But it was good to be able to come on here today and let people know that the new Owen Fiddler ain't all that bad anymore.
Joyce: It was truly my pleasure, Owen. I look forward to seeing what you and Marvin have planned tomorrow over at http://www.danafredsti.com/blog/ Rumor has it Marvin is actually posting one of his humor pieces!!
I'd also like to remind everyone about the prizes being offered by Marvin (details here http://owenfiddler.com/Links2.html ).
Oh...you want to know a bit about this Marvin character? Okay, here goes: 
Marvin D. Wilson is the author of two published books, I Romanced the Stone (Memoirs of a Recovering Hippie), and Owen Fiddler. Owen Fiddler has been awarded the prestigious AVATAR award for excellence in spiritual books. Wilson has had articles published in several Ezines, and has been interviewed on hundreds of blogs, radio and TV shows, both over the internet and on the airwaves. He maintains his internationally popular blogsite at: FREE SPIRIT (http://inspiritandtruths.blogspot.com/) Free Spirit recently was awarded first place in the 2008 Book Blogger Appreciation Week award contest, in the Christian/Inspirational Fiction category.
Wilson is a family man, married for thirty two years, with three adult children and five grandchildren. He has been around the block of life several times, through the ups and downs, and has survived in good enough spirits to desire to write about life, to write about living life on purpose. Wilson is a self-described non-religious dogma-free Maverick spiritualist Christian. He writes books that deliver spiritual and inspirational messages in an engaging, thought provoking, often times humorous, more than often irreverent, sometimes sexy and even ribald way, through the spinning of an entertaining tale.
Contact Information:
E-mail: marvwilson2010@gmail.com
MySpace: www.myspace.com/Paize_Fiddler
Blog: http://inspiritandtruths.blogspot.com/
New Book Website: http://www.owenfiddler.com/
