Josh Plovanic's Writings and Thoughts

I am your sword and your shield. I will shield you from the wickedness of this world. My sword will strike down those who intend to harm you. With my wings, I will carry you to safety Even in the midst of your sin, I will still protect you Even when hate poisons those around you, I will still shield you. Even in the midst of your failures, I will still defend you. Even if your friends leave you, I will never forsake you. Even if you end up alone in your earthly life, I will be by your side and in your mind always. Even when life strips you of your dignity, robs you of those you love, breaks your will, and puts you in bondage, I will still be there, because I love you. I will protect you from the snares and poisons of the evil one. I am your guide Your guardian Your protector  Your defender Your warrior Your sword Your shield Your armor Your hero Your love Your friend Your guardian angel I will follow you whereever you go. I will scout your path for you. I will watch you and lead yo...

     Judgement is something humans do to react to a perceived violation or offense, whether social in our groups and friends, or in the legal sense where the consequences are more substantial and impactful. Judgement is almost always an exercise in power and authority. It's hand is harsh and its effects can be painful and uncomfortable. As an exercise of power, judgement is more like a flexing of a muscle than a compassionate help.  It comes from an interpretation of justice that has existed since the dawn of man, which is if you do wrong, you must feel the brunt of punishment that is deemed fitting for the violation. It's hard to be judgemental and graceful at the same time. It's also hard to be rigid and "by the book" in judging someone legally and be able to extend mercy.        Judgement is about the demonstration of authority and power, and even when justified it still often comes from a place of (often undeserved) moral superiority. In its p...

    One of my favorite mathematical theories to read about is Set theory. The mathematical study of sets of objects and numbers and their properties. I find it fascinating how complex or how simple sets can be, and set theory forms one of the cornerstones of mathematics.        Since I love to write a lot (and talk a lot), I noticed in my thoughts how you can consider a word, any word, to be a sort of set, but in a different manner than sets of numbers or physical objects. If you were to consider a word a set, the information that makes up that words "meaning" or purpose is what constitutes the contents of the set.       For example, lets say you have a word like truth. Truth would be the title of its own set. The definition of truth-"that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality," or any other definition of that word would constitute the contents of the set.     The major difference between mathematical sets and tre...

A lot of my readings, writings, and conversations this year have been about repairing or restoring things. Subjects like restorative justice has come up frequently in the talks I have with people in my life and people in my community. I feel like topics of restoration, reparation, and healing are more Christlike topics than the usual banter and bitterness of politics or gossip. The world is in a state where I think conversations of restoration and reparation would do this place more justice than the hatred or vitriol that dominates our culture.  Even I get sucked into it, but I've learned that wishing ill or suffering on the world because of an unfair hand is like drinking poison after already losing a game. I feel that this world doesn't need any more hate or destruction. It needs healing and repairing. This is the only world I know, I would hate to see it suffer any more than it already has. I've noticed that in my readings of the Bible, every miracle Jesus did was an act...

     Our universe is made up of many categories. Many groups and identities for objects, people, and systems exist throughout reality. We like to categorize objects and "things" so that we can interact with them more easily and attempt to better understand them. Categories and classes are a common and relatively simple way of ordering things and creating hierarchal systems and arrangements. Most hierarchies and categories aren't super complex. They are pretty straightforward.      Even so, I wanted to do a little thought experiment tonight. Something I've been trying to hash out in my head for awhile. It's called radical individualism, and it involves a hypothetical universe of an uncountable amount of objects or "things." However, in this hypothetical universe, every object that exists is completely unique and individualized to where there is no other like it anywhere in existence. It is one of a kind and every individual "thing" is completely...

        For 20,000 years our species has been on the "Special Mission." 20 millennia ago, my race advanced to a point where our technology and society got as close to perfection as you can get. We had a profound revolution of understanding which united our species and helped us overcome our destructive tendencies and our less dignified methods of operating. We no longer slaughtered each other, and the drive for war was replaced with an insatiable hunger for knowledge and truth.  Our ability to innovate and develop ideas and our understanding of existence grew at an almost exponential level, and our technology got to the point where we could travel the stars. The first Star Emperor issued the Edict of the Four Worlds, what we now call the "Special Mission." The Special Mission, simply stated, was the assignment of our race to be repairers and menders of worlds.  We advanced so quickly and so substantially not just technologically, but also socially and ethic...

Dreams are part of who we are. They are a source of hope, and define a huge component of our mind and personhood.  Dreams of what we want to be, where we want to go, and what we want to do often define our very souls and very being.  Dreams and desires are given to us, even wired into our nature, so that we have hope and have drive to face reality. I have a feeling that dreams are a glimpse into eternity, a role that God wants us to fill in His creation, and without dreams we don't see that extension of our existence into the endless. Some dreams are a glimpse of forever, and a construct of who we are. We are defined almost as much by what we want as by what we do. Our dreams form a core part of who we are. It is said that God puts the desires of the heart into us, and knows our dreams before we know them. If dreams are a glimpse of forever, they are a reflection of God's plans. I think in the broad scheme of things God takes very seriously our dreams and desires, and he takes...