I am Michael Crook.
I presently reside in upstate New York, somewhere between Syracuse and Canada. The area has been my home for over a decade.
I do not like you. I do not trust you.
I have a general disdain for humanity and I would absolutely consider myself to be a hateful person, devoid of any compassion or empathy whatsoever for humanity.
I always assume the worst about people. Therefore, I postulate that people are, without exception, trying to get one over or attempting to otherwise pull a stunt on me. I furthermore operate on the belief that everyone is always out to get me. I act accordingly. I can count the people who have my trust and who are in my inner circle on one hand.
I do not socialize in real life or online.
I never have much cared for socializing to begin with, so it follows that I do not hang around other people. I do not chat just as I do not maintain a weblog, crudely known as a "blog." There are no social networking profiles to share.
I choose to be a Christian.
I am a Christian and was raised in the Seventh-day Adventist faith and even attended a private SDA academy until I was nine years of age, something for which I will always be grateful.
Although I have attended several churches since that age, including (in order of appearance) LDS (Mormon), Pentacostal, Baptist, Methodist and Catholic services, I no longer attend church.
I simply do not think a loving God takes attendance, and no pastor is required to be Christian.
Not only that, but--and I cannot stress this enough--God does not need money, whether yours, mine or anyone else's. There is no need for adults to part with ten percent or more of their hard-earned money and there is no need for innocent children to part with their allowances in the name of "tithing."
Funny thing: in my younger years, I would ask God to take whatever He needed out of my paycheck and I would toss the money in the air. The oddest thing happened: every bill and coin fell onto the table. I took it as a sign to order pizza rather than throw it into a tithing envelope or collection plate.
The more a church claims that tithing is in any way, shape or form a commandment or requirement and that there will be any sort of negative consequence or denial of ordinances, blessings or privileges for not paying said tithing, the more greedy, suspicious and corrupt that church and its leaders are, in my opinion.
Yes, I am aware of the numerous biblical references to tithing. But again, the greed of man has corrupted the intent of God.
So what to do with that money? Some would say it is a good deed to feed or clothe a homeless person or donate food to a shelter.
Not so!
By doing that, you enable them and reward them for chosen behavior. If a Christian truly seeks to aid such a person or cause, sit down with a homeless person and help them examine his or her role in the situation. That person will then be blessed with the knowledge of what not to do again.
If a Christian insists on helping such a person, however, I recommend never giving cash directly to a homeless person as those sorts, in my opinion, tend to run to the nearest booze or tobacco concern.
I shun evil.
As for me and my house, I do not believe in dancing--and the sin it leads to, fornicating and all of its related evils--smoking or otherwise using tobacco, drinking alcoholic beverages, using illegal drugs/abusing legal drugs, immodest dress (for which the wearer--most often female--must accept accountability for the outcome at all times), gambling and defiling one's body with tattoos and body piercings, just to name a few.
Though I hold tight to my own values, I do respect others' right to choose their own path in life. Apart from the fact that I do not socialize anyway, my normal action would be to simply shun them but respect their right to choose what they have chosen for themselves. But I shun most everyone anyway, so that is a moot point.
But there is one exception to my respect rule: I have absolutely no respect for those who, for whatever reason, turn their backs on and refuse to believe in God and His son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Jesus gave His life for us and their response is, in my opinion, ingratitude and arrogance. Obviously, it is their right to not believe.
But it is my right to not like those who turn their backs on God and it is my right to hold firm to my belief that they deserve naught but to be shunned. Of course, I also believe that no one is perfect and that anyone, except for a murderer, has the opportunity to repent and sin no more.
Guns do not fly with me...
I am not terribly political; I am not even registered to vote. But I will write this: I strongly oppose the Second Amendment and would, if registered, aggressively support any effort to have it repealed. It is beyond my comprehension why any civilized, non-violent person would in any way condone gun ownership.
I am one of the 44 million Americans with a mental illness...
Throughout my life, I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoid personality disorder, depression and anxiety. The voices I hear often warn me when someone or something is out to get me. Unlike some mentally ill folks, however, I do not attack. I flee.
I am presently under care for my mental conditions and I am taking medications such as Divalproex DR 1000 mg (500 x2) and Quetiapine Fumarate 200 mg.
Indeed, I am quite well medicated, owing to a wonderful health insurance policy. But even so, I shun all manner of socialization. Simply put, I am incapable of maintaining any sort of relationship or friendship, owing almost entirely to my mental illness.
I am a lone wolf. And I would not have it any other way.
michaelcrook.contact [at] gmail.com