
<TextBlock>
<T.Heading size={T.HSize.MEDIUM}>An Introduction</T.Heading>

<LargeFirstLetter>
  A few days before Easter of this year, I decided to write a little something
  commemorating the day. I figured a short essay on the reason Christians
  celebrate on that day would make a nice post. While beginning to put the ideas
  to a mind map, however, it seemed there was something larger taking shape. I’d
  begun to launch a light defense of Christianity against Secularism. I soon
  realized what I’d originally planned on writing had grown into a larger more
  involved piece and I wouldn’t be able to finish by Easter day.
</LargeFirstLetter>

## A for the Future

Since the essay began to approach a significant length, I decided to break the whole thing down into a series of pieces in hopes it’d be more readable and effective. There have been a number of occasions where I'd been [wanting to write something on secular humanism](https://twitter.com/imdonaldjohn/status/969366824788877318) but just didn't have the time or format. Let this post serve as the first and introductory post for the whole series which will take up a yet unknown number of posts since I’m not yet done fleshing things out although I have a good amount planned out. I’d like to outline in this post the thesis I’ll be proving in the essay and tie that thesis to the structure’d I’ve mapped out for the whole series.

<OutlinedLabeledText label="Thesis">
  A life lived in submission to the teaching of the risen Christ is a life of
  unmatched freedom which leads to an eternal existence greater in every measure
  to the life lived before.
</OutlinedLabeledText>

**First -** _I would like to liken the experiences of the Christian and Secularist here in this world._<br/>
The world they were born into isn’t the way it ought to be, and both parties know this. People in general are not the way they ought to be, and both parties know that as well. Contrary to [what the new atheists are trying to tell you](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Og08XbGjg4), Christians are not insane - they know exactly the place they’re living in. They know the circumstances they and their neighbors are sitting under. They can feel the weight of impatience on their consciences when they see something going wrong in the world - or in themselves. Suffering is obvious and evil is too - both parties see it but they differ in the way they respond to it. In this section, I’d like to discuss the common birth, needs, and the common road to salvation Christians and Secularists have. This topic corresponds to the “life lived before” part of the thesis since it’ll deal mostly with the things Christians and Secularists both experience in the here and now.

**Secondly -** _I’d like to explain the reason Christians have a solid footing when it comes to our response to the “life lived before” - mainly our manifold experiences or circumstances as well as evil in the world and in ourselves._<br/>
I want to make clear the framework Christians are working within when it comes to calling the things that happen externally in the world or internally within themselves out for what they are. I also want to demonstrate how that solid footing gives Christians not only the vocabulary to think clearly

<Blockquote author="Author Jackson">
  about the world, but also how it creates for them an urgency when it comes to
  living out and sharing that solid footing. I’ll also demonstrate how this
  footing stems from real events in space and time and, because of that, is more
  meaningful and deeper than any other philosophy or worldview based not in
  fact, but conjecture. This portion of the essay will correspond to the “A life
  lived in submission to the teaching of the risen Christ” part of the thesis
  since it’ll zoom in on the foundations of the Christian faith (i.e. the ’solid
  footing’) and how they completely envelope the life of the Christian.
</Blockquote>

**Thirdly -** _I’ll explain what it is Secularists have to gain when they consider and hopefully devote their lives to the teachings of Christ._<br/>
The bible explains the conversion of a person from an incorrect self-serving worldview to a worldview with Jesus Christ at it’s center in terms of passing from darkness into light. The bible also describes this transition in terms of a person transitioning from death to life. Since the bible speaks so strongly about what is to be gained when a person comes to faith in Jesus Christ, I’d like to spend time listing the new freedoms those who transition in to belief experience. I’d like to address freedoms and securities present in the new life of a believer and contrast them over and against areas of insecurity and lack in the former life. I’d also, in this portion of the essay, like to make a distinction between God and God’s gifts, making clear that it is God that we’re after, not His gifts. I’d like to end this portion of the essay by asserting God’s goodness apart from the great things we might encounter after having changed in our relationship to Him.

**Lastly -** _The final thing I’d like to do in defense of the stated premise is a light deconstruction of a Christ-less worldview._<br/>
In doing this with respect and honesty, I plan to bring to the surface truths about the Christ-less worldview one might miss if that worldview is left unexamined - hopefully awaking the reader, to the reality of where they stand. My arguments here will be largely against what I believe to be the prevailing anti-Christian philosophy of the modern age, [Secular Humanism](https://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php).

</TextBlock>


How and why Christendom is replacing Secularism in the West

Leaving Flatland


## 🚀 The Leap to Mars: A New Era in Human Exploration

In an extraordinary leap for humanity, the first manned mission to Mars has successfully touched down. With its red sands beneath our boots and the stars in our grasp, this marks the beginning of a new chapter in space exploration. But while the world focuses on the glory of human achievement, there’s a quieter revolution taking place – one that involves decentralized technologies like the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS).

### 🌌 The InterPlanetary Context of IPFS

For the uninitiated, IPFS is a decentralized protocol designed to make the web faster, safer, and more open. It replaces the centralized server model of the traditional internet with a peer-to-peer network, distributing files across multiple nodes.

The journey to Mars presents a unique challenge: communication delays. Due to the vast distance, signals between Earth and Mars can experience delays of up to 22 minutes. In such an environment, our conventional methods of data transmission and storage, heavily reliant on central servers on Earth, become less feasible. This is where IPFS steps in.

### 📡 Redefining Data Transmission in Space

Imagine astronauts on Mars trying to access crucial data, ranging from navigation charts to scientific research papers. With a traditional, Earth-bound internet, every request would be painfully slow. However, with IPFS, data storage and access become location-independent.

By storing data across a decentralized network, IPFS enables astronauts to retrieve information from local nodes on Mars, reducing latency and dependency on Earth’s infrastructure. This creates a more resilient network, vital for space missions where every second counts.

### 🌍 The Broader Implications for Earth

The Mars mission acts as a testbed for IPFS's true potential. If we can use a decentralized protocol to manage data across planets, similar methods could vastly improve internet access and resilience back on Earth.

The first manned mission to Mars signals more than just a leap for humanity; it represents the rise of truly global – and now interplanetary – data systems. By harnessing the power of IPFS, we're not only solving problems for space exploration but also paving the way for a more decentralized, robust internet on Earth.

### 🧑‍🚀 A Giant Leap for Decentralized Technology

As we look up at the night sky and marvel at our species' courage, let's not forget the quieter heroes of this mission: the technologies that make such ventures possible. IPFS, with its decentralized, peer-to-peer model, is one of these champions, pushing the boundaries of how we store, share, and access data.

So, as we take our first steps on Mars, we also step into a new era for the internet – one that is as boundless as the universe itself.


The First Manned Mission to Mars: Implications for IPFS


<TextBlock>
## An Introduction

{' '}

<LargeFirstLetter>
  A few days before Easter of this year, I decided to write a little something
  commemorating the day. I figured a short essay on the reason Christians
  celebrate on that day would make a nice post. While beginning to put the ideas
  to a mind map, however, it seemed there was something larger taking shape. I’d
  begun to launch a light defense of Christianity against Secularism. I soon
  realized what I’d originally planned on writing had grown into a larger more
  involved piece and I wouldn’t be able to finish by Easter day.
</LargeFirstLetter>

## A for the Future

</TextBlock>


Heavenly Minded


<TextBlock>
## An Introduction

{' '}

<LargeFirstLetter>
  A few days before Easter of this year, I decided to write a little something
  commemorating the day. I figured a short essay on the reason Christians
  celebrate on that day would make a nice post. While beginning to put the ideas
  to a mind map, however, it seemed there was something larger taking shape. I’d
  begun to launch a light defense of Christianity against Secularism. I soon
  realized what I’d originally planned on writing had grown into a larger more
  involved piece and I wouldn’t be able to finish by Easter day.
</LargeFirstLetter>

Since the essay began to approach a significant length, I decided to break the whole thing down into a series of pieces in hopes it’d be more readable and effective. There have been a number of occasions where I'd been [wanting to write something on secular humanism](https://twitter.com/imdonaldjohn/status/969366824788877318) but just didn't have the time or format. Let this post serve as the first and introductory post for the whole series which will take up a yet unknown number of posts since I’m not yet done fleshing things out although I have a good amount planned out. I’d like to outline in this post the thesis I’ll be proving in the essay and tie that thesis to the structure’d I’ve mapped out for the whole series.

</TextBlock>


Writing

Leaving Flatland

The First Manned Mission to Mars: Implications for IPFS