From a Felon to a Seminary Grad
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Socrates said if you find “a good wife you’ll be happy; if not, you’ll become a philosopher.” Being a decent [armchair] apologist aside (a legend in my own mind) AND having a wonderful wife, my youngest child [military] has a closeness to Gracie Allen when she said, “when I was born, I was so surprised I couldn’t talk for a year and a half.” And my oldest son [military and law enforcement career] taught me that the difference between couple-hood and babyhood is moisture. Paul Reiser said it best, “everything in my life is now more moist. Between your spittle, your diapers, your spit-up and drool, you got your baby food, your wipes, your formula, your leaky bottles, sweaty baby backs, and numerous other untraceable sources – all creating an ever-present moistness in [our] life, which heretofore was mainly dry.” I was born in 1970, a perfect time to catch the re-runs of Felix the Cat and Lassie, as well as catching the new Justice League and S.W.A.T. We are the generation of arcade games and classic 80’s movies, Metallica and N.W.A. I wouldn’t want to be in any other time in history than the one I was born into.
I have mentioned for the audience of my old blog, but will again mention it here for any new readers:
this is not meant to be an explicitly Christian blog. While I hold to and vehemently defend a particular worldview, I do not intend this site to be “rosy cheeked” — “pure as the driven snow” depot for faith. I am biased in my viewpoints as I am informed by reading all sides of issues (both that support and counter my worldview) as well as my personal history. This site is meant for men and women who are confident enough in themselves, their faith, and their culture to know that the “holier-than-thou” lifestyle is best adhered to by those other than myself. So expect language and raw thoughts at times, in a respectful or satirical manner.
In other words… CAUTION…
Religio-Poltical Apologetics ahead!
Thirty-plus-years ago I was incarcerated for three-felonies, two originally in 88′ and one in nineteen-ninety. (I like to say I am a retired felon.) A Christian Sheriff got his hands on me ~ viewing me not through his eyes but through His eyes… God saving me from myself (Romans 7:13-25[a]) ~ and I was pulled by the Spirit back to the faith of my youth (Philippians 1:6) and the Finished work on the Cross (John 19:30) and have studied to show myself approved since (2 Timothy 2:15). I graduated in 2009 with an MATS (Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Faith Evangelical College and Seminary).
(My short 2-page testimony can be found in PDF form here.) Full circle, so-to-speak. In 2008 I was diagnosed with MS. And in 2017, with Lupus (not the kind that changes me into a werewolf at the full-moon).
I have interests, and most of them pertain to reading and learning as a hobby. My home library is well over 5,000 books (politics, religions, philosophy, economics, environment, history, origins, apologetics, etc… all non-fiction stuff my wife h-a-t-e-s), and about 600 DVDs dealing with much of the same (a lot of formal debates are in this collection). (A partial tour is in the video below [low-rez 2005].)
- This is a recovery from my Vimeo account and was made with a low-rez camera in 2005 as a package to help my admission into a seminary. One day I will run through my library with the high resolution of today. One day.
I have even written a book, free for the reading (linked at the tippy-top). Here is a question I received worth posting putting here:
Why the Name, “Papa Giorgio”?
A question regarding my “handle” came to me by way of my YouTube Channel — for those who do not know — my “handle” on the World Wide Web is “Papa Giorgio.” Here is the question:
- Is that your real name, Giorgio? regards
I respond to the question:
No. It is taken from “Vegas Vacation.” (The son of the Griswold’s is called “Rusty,” who becomes “Nick PappaGiorgio [from Yuma]” in the movie.)
I have been with my wife since 1990 (married since 1995), but there was a period of time I left. Selfishness… building a false narrative in my own mind to make me feel “right” about my actions, etc. After getting back into the church and being challenged by the Body of Christ to rethink my actions… she and I reunited and are stronger now than ever.
Likewise, the character “Rusty,” in Vegas Vacation, gets caught up with his own [false] narrative (a false life) and leaves his family to be selfish. In the end though, family is what matters, and where a journey to unconditional love happens — and it is this “micro” familial journey that represents in an imperfect way the love our Creator has for us — perfectly; in the “macro.”
My wife and I have been strong in the Lord since 2000.
I hope this answers the question :)
Hence, Papa Giorgio.
BTW, if you wish to Dialogue, here is my statement:
The following books I wish my sons to either read some of the below or have on the shelf for reference many of these by the time they’re 40, preferably earlier. Mind you, if this is my wish for the two guys I love and dig the most, others who visit here may benefit from this list as well. I truly believe the statement by Mark Twain that “The man who does not read good books is no better than the man who can’t.” Thomas Jefferson chimed in when he said that “Books constitute capital. A library book lasts as long as a house, for hundreds of years. It is not, then, an article of mere consumption but fairly of capital, and often in the case of professional men [or women], setting out in life, it is their only capital.” (My longer recommended reading is here) The first two presentations include a biographical sketch of myself in the beginning minutes ~ are in the below videos. The first was made by myself prior to the 2008 elections. The second is more recent. The third is just me talking about a racist cult: Here is the link — click the graphic — to my YouTube channel MY RUMBLE CHANNEL MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL
