Passive Income

When teaching his writing students how to make a living with their craft, one of my college professors talked a lot about "passive income."  Money earned from already-published books is "passive" because the books don't require any more work, but the author receives royalty checks whenever they sell: "I might have a slow writing week--or maybe just take a vacation!!!--but those books are out there, generating passive income for me!!!"
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Two days ago, my dad and I--somewhat accidentally--found ourselves in the middle of a classic internet-poop flinging showdown, at the mercy of individuals who believe they are related to apes.

Dad shared a quote from a website* on his Facebook page and didn't realize it would link his wall--allowing (atheist) strangers to misunderstand the joke he was making and rip him apart. I also commented on the link, so I started getting splattered with nasty remarks as well...

A few times, it actually looked as though somebody wanted to discuss rationally. But, for the most part, Dad and I talked only to each other, while others regularly injected their observations of what "ignorant" "dumb asses" we are for respecting the Bible.  (Pause to inject my own observation: The Bible tells the story of the only NOT "dumb" ass that ever lived.)   Anyway, after 125 comments, Dad finally removed the link from his wall so--at least--he wouldn't be notified every time he disappointed the college kids who visit lolclicks.com.

...When we stopped participating in the conversation, there were two or three comments in a row, directed specifically at me--saying: "Jesus said to love and be merciful! Christians are the most hateful of all!"   It's not the first time I've been told I shame the God that doesn't exist. But, usually it makes me depressed when I'm unable to reason with the "make-me-laugh" lost souls. Instead, for the first time in...maybe ever, I felt that feeling of "rejoicing" and "being glad" that Jesus mentioned in the sermon on the mount.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:10-12


The conversation was so ludicrously emotional--on the part of my critics--that it made me think of the end times. It's almost eerie how out-of-control and irrational the world is becoming, even though Scripture predicts it. But, as I mused yesterday, "For me, one of the most convincing proofs of God's existence is how unreasonable angry His name makes nonbelievers." So, finally, being insulted and falsely accused of wrong carries an element of excitement. I'm part of prophecy, people! And Jesus is coming!

Further more, that thread is still available on the original website, which means--in all likelihood--people are continuing to mock and ridicule, without requiring Dad and me to do any further work. You might say even if we went on vacation, the godless trolls would be earning Heavenly blessings for us, in our absence. 

I agree with Dr. Hensley. Passive income is something to smile about.

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*To anyone interested in what the website quote said: "Suppose that every memory, written word, and piece of technology on earth was destroyed all at once, leaving humanity to start completely from scratch. Everything we have come to know about science would eventually be discovered again. Given a few thousand years, people would figure out chemistry and rediscover all of the same elements we know about now. People would once again understand biology, including its evolutionary origins. People would eventually see the motions of other galaxies in the sky, and work out the details of the Big Bang. This is the glorious part about science; it can and would all be replicated. I can assure you, however, that your story about the talking snake would be gone forever." 

My statement to Dad: "If I were God, this guy's statement would be totally true... In the event of a worldwide brain-wipe, I would NOT reach out in love a second time to rescue blind, pseudo-intellectual asses like him."     Then...we encountered heaps of pseudo-intellectual fury.