Molly Ivins passed away. True sadness.
Yet, I'm sure she would not want us to mourn. She would want us to redouble our efforts to stop the madness that is our guv'ment.
Impeach the SHRUB!
She's probably up there telling God a thing or two about the way he should run the world.
Please, pleasantries only. Fond memories. Mourning thoughts.
Today, this is a no snipe zone.
Peace
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Love the US
You know, certain people think that hippies, pagans, homsexuals, transgendered, socialists and liberals hate the USA.
Not so, quite the opposite. You can find no more abiding love for this country among these groups.
We may not be patriotic, but we live in a great country where one need not be "patriotic". We love the constitution, and what else is this country if not the laws upon which we agree.
Which is patriotic, just not "PATRIOTIC".
I love the US of A. I also love all citizens of the world. I also love that I am not made to love the US of A.
Not so, quite the opposite. You can find no more abiding love for this country among these groups.
We may not be patriotic, but we live in a great country where one need not be "patriotic". We love the constitution, and what else is this country if not the laws upon which we agree.
Which is patriotic, just not "PATRIOTIC".
I love the US of A. I also love all citizens of the world. I also love that I am not made to love the US of A.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Inconvenient truth gets my oscar
Just saw it last night on DVD.
The most important and obvious point takes place fairly early on, where in order to follow the projected line of CO2 increase, Al Gore gets on a lift in order to rise to the point where CO2 will be in fifty years.
In comparrison, we are given the difference between the temperatures that, nearly exatly, eerily, follow the CO2 level that would result in 2 miles of ice being on top of Manhattan. The difference is, about, 2 feet between this cold world, and the world we lived in when CO2 was in normal range. Now, he had to move up several feet on said lift to show where CO2 would be. At least 10 ft. up. About 5 times the difference that had occurred naturally over the past several hundred years.
This combined with the fact that in all peer reviewed articles ranomly sampled (I believe there were over 900), every single one accepted global warming as happening.
Now, for those who want to know...peer review means that it just isn't any old study, but one that has been looked at by other scientists and found to be goood enough to be put into a journal. So good, that these other scientists put their names behind it.
The movie overcomes any doubt, better than I could, so I simply encourage you to watch, before you dismiss it. Watch before you vote. Read other science journals. Read a science article on global warming, it is scary.
Remember, for 30 years + the tobacco industry told us that smoking was safe and did not cause cancer.
The most important and obvious point takes place fairly early on, where in order to follow the projected line of CO2 increase, Al Gore gets on a lift in order to rise to the point where CO2 will be in fifty years.
In comparrison, we are given the difference between the temperatures that, nearly exatly, eerily, follow the CO2 level that would result in 2 miles of ice being on top of Manhattan. The difference is, about, 2 feet between this cold world, and the world we lived in when CO2 was in normal range. Now, he had to move up several feet on said lift to show where CO2 would be. At least 10 ft. up. About 5 times the difference that had occurred naturally over the past several hundred years.
This combined with the fact that in all peer reviewed articles ranomly sampled (I believe there were over 900), every single one accepted global warming as happening.
Now, for those who want to know...peer review means that it just isn't any old study, but one that has been looked at by other scientists and found to be goood enough to be put into a journal. So good, that these other scientists put their names behind it.
The movie overcomes any doubt, better than I could, so I simply encourage you to watch, before you dismiss it. Watch before you vote. Read other science journals. Read a science article on global warming, it is scary.
Remember, for 30 years + the tobacco industry told us that smoking was safe and did not cause cancer.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Thankful Sunday
Allright, it's thankful Sunday.
My three things I'm thankful for:
QCMediaghost, QCTimes, and "Breakfast At Victory" (great book) from which I take this quote from the beginning of a chapter:
"I sought God for thirty years until I realized that I was the one being sought" -Anonymous Sufi (this is a paraphrase, I will check the book as soon as I found what I did with it)
I invite all to join in with their three (max) thanks for the week.
Blessings Peace Shalom
SCHQC
My three things I'm thankful for:
QCMediaghost, QCTimes, and "Breakfast At Victory" (great book) from which I take this quote from the beginning of a chapter:
"I sought God for thirty years until I realized that I was the one being sought" -Anonymous Sufi (this is a paraphrase, I will check the book as soon as I found what I did with it)
I invite all to join in with their three (max) thanks for the week.
Blessings Peace Shalom
SCHQC
Friday, January 19, 2007
Why do Christians hate peace?
It intrigues me.
People profess themselves to be moral, loving, upright, Christians and then they go about denying every possible precept and shouting down those who speak up to say that the world could be more loving, accepting, caring and just.
I do not judge these people. They are quite welcome on the road to peace. They are worthy, excellent human beings.
One just wonders where the problem lies, exactly.
I am often told to live in the "real" world.
Yet, even science has yet to find this place. The world, as far as logic and science can take us, is just about as unreal and fanciful as it could possibly be.
This "real" world is also filled with people saying "Be true to yourself!", "Love one another!", "do the RIGHT thing".
We do not seek riches, we seek the "real" world. Many of us share what we have with others when we can.
We are not perfect people. Far from it. But many are open to all possibilities of life, and open to all different kinds of people; Fat, thin, rich, poor, injured, blind, ugly, pretty. Doesn't matter.
Stand up for these people! Stand for inclusion! Welcome all comers! Preach the gospel of PEACE!
And you're shouted at. Stolen from. Made fun of. Belittled.
Of course that's what the bible says would happen.
It's just weird seeing it come from people who claim to base their life on the book you got these ideas from in the first place.
Do any Christians agree? Disagree? How about other faiths? or Non-faiths?
People profess themselves to be moral, loving, upright, Christians and then they go about denying every possible precept and shouting down those who speak up to say that the world could be more loving, accepting, caring and just.
I do not judge these people. They are quite welcome on the road to peace. They are worthy, excellent human beings.
One just wonders where the problem lies, exactly.
I am often told to live in the "real" world.
Yet, even science has yet to find this place. The world, as far as logic and science can take us, is just about as unreal and fanciful as it could possibly be.
This "real" world is also filled with people saying "Be true to yourself!", "Love one another!", "do the RIGHT thing".
We do not seek riches, we seek the "real" world. Many of us share what we have with others when we can.
We are not perfect people. Far from it. But many are open to all possibilities of life, and open to all different kinds of people; Fat, thin, rich, poor, injured, blind, ugly, pretty. Doesn't matter.
Stand up for these people! Stand for inclusion! Welcome all comers! Preach the gospel of PEACE!
And you're shouted at. Stolen from. Made fun of. Belittled.
Of course that's what the bible says would happen.
It's just weird seeing it come from people who claim to base their life on the book you got these ideas from in the first place.
Do any Christians agree? Disagree? How about other faiths? or Non-faiths?
Thursday, December 28, 2006
We the people
Christmas time is past. Thank goodness. Now we can get back to being nice to each other. Does anyone else think that Xmas has become a misery? Money, blather, and triumphalism ruining the arrival of a Messiah who abhored all of the above?
Anyway, I was listening to a little Pete Seeger today as a palate cleanser, and that got me thinking.
Unionism is quite dead, but the ideas of solidarity, and brotherhood/sisterhood live on, or do they?
I was reading in Harpers about black power and the civil rights movement. They are dead too, but why is all that gone?
We the people. Most of us scraping by. We want health insurance, we want more family time, we want better communities. And the best community I was with this holiday season was at a pagan party. So there you go. A close second was the party at my church where we celebrated Las Posadas. We were having a pseudo spanish/hispanic party when real immigrants/hispanics showed up. They shared their carols and songs with us. Showed us how to have real fun with a pinata, woke up what would have been, otherwise, a boring, white, old people's party. It was unexpected, and it was bonding, and it was fun! One million words on immigration and on the "meaning of Christmas" were best expressed by pagans giving gifts and enjoying being a community, and spanish speaking members of our community invading our xmas celebration.
Yet, we too often drift to things to make us happy. I do it myself. When, we the people. We the non-judgemental, easy going, party happy, fun-loving people just need to open our hearts to others, instead of walling ourselves up with fear, greed, and things.
Jesus says "Take all that you have, and give it to the poor". Not just to help them, but to knock down the walls between the two.
The Gospel of Thomas has Jesus saying "The first shall be last, and the last shall be first until we all become one!" There, is the kingdom of God. Here, and now. We can have it, they just don't sell it anywhere.
Here endeth the lesson. Happy New Year!!!!!
Anyway, I was listening to a little Pete Seeger today as a palate cleanser, and that got me thinking.
Unionism is quite dead, but the ideas of solidarity, and brotherhood/sisterhood live on, or do they?
I was reading in Harpers about black power and the civil rights movement. They are dead too, but why is all that gone?
We the people. Most of us scraping by. We want health insurance, we want more family time, we want better communities. And the best community I was with this holiday season was at a pagan party. So there you go. A close second was the party at my church where we celebrated Las Posadas. We were having a pseudo spanish/hispanic party when real immigrants/hispanics showed up. They shared their carols and songs with us. Showed us how to have real fun with a pinata, woke up what would have been, otherwise, a boring, white, old people's party. It was unexpected, and it was bonding, and it was fun! One million words on immigration and on the "meaning of Christmas" were best expressed by pagans giving gifts and enjoying being a community, and spanish speaking members of our community invading our xmas celebration.
Yet, we too often drift to things to make us happy. I do it myself. When, we the people. We the non-judgemental, easy going, party happy, fun-loving people just need to open our hearts to others, instead of walling ourselves up with fear, greed, and things.
Jesus says "Take all that you have, and give it to the poor". Not just to help them, but to knock down the walls between the two.
The Gospel of Thomas has Jesus saying "The first shall be last, and the last shall be first until we all become one!" There, is the kingdom of God. Here, and now. We can have it, they just don't sell it anywhere.
Here endeth the lesson. Happy New Year!!!!!
Friday, December 15, 2006
Christmas Music
What's your favorite?
I'm torn between a couple of songs...Wachet Auf (Wake, oh Wake!) as an Advent carol that I adore. Also, The Linden Tree Carol is excellent. Then there's The Cherry Tree Carol which is probably my absolute favorite (AKA When Joseph went a walking).
The Cherry Tree Carol is an American carol, oddly enough, and it is about Mary asking Joseph to gather cherries, wherupon Joseph says "Let the Father of the Baby" gather cherries for you. Then Jesus speaks out of Mary's womb commanding the trees to bow down.
Mary does not rebuke Joseph, but simply rejoices in the miracle, and draws his attention to it "Oh, look now Joseph, I have cherries at command".
Then I've heard two different endings. One just repeats the opening phrase (When Joseph was an old man, he married virgin Mary...etc)
another has Joseph breaking down, and asking forgiveness of God.
I go back and forth between which I like better.
What are your favorites, and why? I would love to hear about them.
I'm torn between a couple of songs...Wachet Auf (Wake, oh Wake!) as an Advent carol that I adore. Also, The Linden Tree Carol is excellent. Then there's The Cherry Tree Carol which is probably my absolute favorite (AKA When Joseph went a walking).
The Cherry Tree Carol is an American carol, oddly enough, and it is about Mary asking Joseph to gather cherries, wherupon Joseph says "Let the Father of the Baby" gather cherries for you. Then Jesus speaks out of Mary's womb commanding the trees to bow down.
Mary does not rebuke Joseph, but simply rejoices in the miracle, and draws his attention to it "Oh, look now Joseph, I have cherries at command".
Then I've heard two different endings. One just repeats the opening phrase (When Joseph was an old man, he married virgin Mary...etc)
another has Joseph breaking down, and asking forgiveness of God.
I go back and forth between which I like better.
What are your favorites, and why? I would love to hear about them.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
The Peace on Christmas
Those who claim a "war on Christmas" are wrong, no matter who they speak for. All sides have lost. Peace rules!
You see I believe:
My God is large enough to embrace Pagans, Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, Jews, Muslims, and Athiests.
He appears to each as they can find him.
My God celebrates the Solstice, the Yule, Ramadan, Hannukah, Yom Kippur.
My God speaks through the bible, the torah, the Koran, Dr. Seuss, Yeats, Kipling, Stephen King, Rumi, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gnostic Gospels, through my children.
How dare you say that Christ is the son of a God who can only hold one religion.
Christ is who I follow to discover the truth of the beauty of God.
"My House has many rooms!" says God.
Jesus says "I am the way, the truth and the light". What a great play on words "I am" is the name of God, and "I am" being a call to find your own way, and "I am" being a call to follow his way.
My God is the God of contradiction.
My God sent his son to die for life. My Goddess takes care of the Earth. My God is in all people. My God rules over the dogs and comforts them. He is with my rat, even though my rat is 10 years gone.
She is the start of all creation. He is creativity, reminding me that all things are beautiful.
Merry Christmas! Wolcum Yule! Happy Solstice! Happy Channukah! Praise be to Allah! Praise be to Darwin, Einstein, Freud, Skinner and Sacks! Alleluia brother and sisters! Love all, hate none, fear no evil for God is good!
You see I believe:
My God is large enough to embrace Pagans, Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, Jews, Muslims, and Athiests.
He appears to each as they can find him.
My God celebrates the Solstice, the Yule, Ramadan, Hannukah, Yom Kippur.
My God speaks through the bible, the torah, the Koran, Dr. Seuss, Yeats, Kipling, Stephen King, Rumi, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gnostic Gospels, through my children.
How dare you say that Christ is the son of a God who can only hold one religion.
Christ is who I follow to discover the truth of the beauty of God.
"My House has many rooms!" says God.
Jesus says "I am the way, the truth and the light". What a great play on words "I am" is the name of God, and "I am" being a call to find your own way, and "I am" being a call to follow his way.
My God is the God of contradiction.
My God sent his son to die for life. My Goddess takes care of the Earth. My God is in all people. My God rules over the dogs and comforts them. He is with my rat, even though my rat is 10 years gone.
She is the start of all creation. He is creativity, reminding me that all things are beautiful.
Merry Christmas! Wolcum Yule! Happy Solstice! Happy Channukah! Praise be to Allah! Praise be to Darwin, Einstein, Freud, Skinner and Sacks! Alleluia brother and sisters! Love all, hate none, fear no evil for God is good!
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Thanks!
As we celebrate the white man's invasion of "America". Let us give thanks. So come one, come all. Thanks Sunday is extended: Post all week, please limit to ten (the normal limit of three is also lifted) the things that you are most thankful for this year.
My favorites:
1. Thanks and love to all those who have hated and argued with me over the past year. Especially those who loathe the socialist road to freedom and love.
2. My Family and friends
3. Borat
4. Brit-Coms
5. Peace that surpasseth all understanding.
6. My lovely, six acres of land, lovingly thieved from the indians around 150 or so years ago.
7. My pets that teach me what it means to be a loving, forgiving being by waking me up at 3am.
8. Opera Quad Cities, The Genesius Guild, Prenzie Players
9. Unitarian Universalists everywhere.
10. Gorillas
Of course, one should be thankful for all things. Extreme thankfulness brings one joy, and shows, quickly, what little money should really mean in this world.
Praise Be, Peace, Shalom, Enjoy the Turkey!
My favorites:
1. Thanks and love to all those who have hated and argued with me over the past year. Especially those who loathe the socialist road to freedom and love.
2. My Family and friends
3. Borat
4. Brit-Coms
5. Peace that surpasseth all understanding.
6. My lovely, six acres of land, lovingly thieved from the indians around 150 or so years ago.
7. My pets that teach me what it means to be a loving, forgiving being by waking me up at 3am.
8. Opera Quad Cities, The Genesius Guild, Prenzie Players
9. Unitarian Universalists everywhere.
10. Gorillas
Of course, one should be thankful for all things. Extreme thankfulness brings one joy, and shows, quickly, what little money should really mean in this world.
Praise Be, Peace, Shalom, Enjoy the Turkey!
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Minorities, John Deere, and $$$
An interesting article in the NY times. Concerns a local co. you may know. Check it out!
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/11/business/11watts.html?hp&ex=1163307600&en=99ea41a020e94379&ei=5094&partner=homepage
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/11/business/11watts.html?hp&ex=1163307600&en=99ea41a020e94379&ei=5094&partner=homepage
Peace.
Today I remember those who died for peace: Jesus, Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr., numerous members of workers', and socialist movements. The anonymous who die every day in factories and mines, not just our soldiers but the soldiers of the "enemy", many also poor and anonymous. Does Haliburton give $1. to the family of those who died so that they could have obscene profits? What about Exxon?
Let us pray for the day when we free ourselves from the tyranny of riches, and the folly of justified violence. When thankfulness and forgiveness will reign. And all life is equally sacred.
Let us pray for the day when we free ourselves from the tyranny of riches, and the folly of justified violence. When thankfulness and forgiveness will reign. And all life is equally sacred.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Real Terror
Suppose terrorists killed 35000 people a year.
Think about what a blow that would be to this country. Thousands of innocents dead every year. Maybe 10 X that many hurt. Many paralyzed, or losing a limb. What rights would we give up then?
Suppose the war in Iraq cost 35000 lives a year. We'd be approaching, what, 150000 deaths? What support would there be in this country for that? And what if many of them were children? Pregnant women?
We have a ban on Euthanasia.
Yet, the automobile does what the above cannot, and we sit, and we do nothing. 35000 dead. There were two pile ups on the I 74 bridge. Thank God, no one was hurt.
Hey, here's a test...who do you know who died in a terrorist attack, or in a war, or was hurt in either. Now...who do you know who died in a car accident or was hurt in one.
Given today's technology, our car addiction is a crime. Wrecking thousands of lives and costing the economy billions. Given the computing power that can be brought to bear, we should be able to have a personal, public, computerized, safe transportation system. But we absolutely refuse to put our money or give up our "freedom" to suport such a thing. We are like a primitive tribe. Sacrificing to the Gods for our self involved desires.
Would you be a Christian if it meant giving up your car?
Look, and I'm not even getting into the environmental damage.
We can go there too.
What do you think? Defend your transportation choice to the mother of a dead child.
Think about what a blow that would be to this country. Thousands of innocents dead every year. Maybe 10 X that many hurt. Many paralyzed, or losing a limb. What rights would we give up then?
Suppose the war in Iraq cost 35000 lives a year. We'd be approaching, what, 150000 deaths? What support would there be in this country for that? And what if many of them were children? Pregnant women?
We have a ban on Euthanasia.
Yet, the automobile does what the above cannot, and we sit, and we do nothing. 35000 dead. There were two pile ups on the I 74 bridge. Thank God, no one was hurt.
Hey, here's a test...who do you know who died in a terrorist attack, or in a war, or was hurt in either. Now...who do you know who died in a car accident or was hurt in one.
Given today's technology, our car addiction is a crime. Wrecking thousands of lives and costing the economy billions. Given the computing power that can be brought to bear, we should be able to have a personal, public, computerized, safe transportation system. But we absolutely refuse to put our money or give up our "freedom" to suport such a thing. We are like a primitive tribe. Sacrificing to the Gods for our self involved desires.
Would you be a Christian if it meant giving up your car?
Look, and I'm not even getting into the environmental damage.
We can go there too.
What do you think? Defend your transportation choice to the mother of a dead child.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Investigative Reporting?
QCTimes says that it was the Progressive Clergy, the Dispatch says it is Churches United, and goes further, printing contact information for Churches United.
Knowing both of these groups, it sounds to me, from who is quoted in the article, that it is the Progressive Clergy. This would be a fairly sizeable gaffe for the Dispatch as it is front page and includes, then, wrong contact information.
The second thing I notice in the Dispatch is the WiMAX article. It seems that BHC has sold its EBS to QCO. Given your and my property tax dollars support BHC, I would be interested in more 411.
We are told the FCC approved the sale of BHC's EBS to QCO. Yet, such a partnership, yea, near monopoly that this will create should have had a lot of public oversight. How will this affect the digital divide? Are there other options for using the EBS? How does this not give MDPC a great advantage in the delivery of content, phone service, video service and music service, without hardly any investment in infrastructure. DSL will allow the MDPC to be a phone service provider over public infrastructure. All for, what, under $100,000 a year? That, and it doesn't seem that anyone in the community will benefit from this partnership. Except the pocketbooks of those at MDPC who have just hit the jackpot.
Anyone else a little baffled, today?
Knowing both of these groups, it sounds to me, from who is quoted in the article, that it is the Progressive Clergy. This would be a fairly sizeable gaffe for the Dispatch as it is front page and includes, then, wrong contact information.
The second thing I notice in the Dispatch is the WiMAX article. It seems that BHC has sold its EBS to QCO. Given your and my property tax dollars support BHC, I would be interested in more 411.
We are told the FCC approved the sale of BHC's EBS to QCO. Yet, such a partnership, yea, near monopoly that this will create should have had a lot of public oversight. How will this affect the digital divide? Are there other options for using the EBS? How does this not give MDPC a great advantage in the delivery of content, phone service, video service and music service, without hardly any investment in infrastructure. DSL will allow the MDPC to be a phone service provider over public infrastructure. All for, what, under $100,000 a year? That, and it doesn't seem that anyone in the community will benefit from this partnership. Except the pocketbooks of those at MDPC who have just hit the jackpot.
Anyone else a little baffled, today?
Monday, October 30, 2006
I made the list!
Wow, after over a month of trying, I made the QC Online blog list. Happy days! I am proud to welcome all visitors to the home of off the wall and dead serious thought. I believe the two go together. Well, I am quite surprised, and will have to get moving and get more posts up.
A brief intro:
I am socialist, in that I believe a society rises and falls together. Poor and rich are all Americans. Everyone helps to make this land great. Except, perhaps, GW, but that's another issue.
I am a Christian, in that I follow the teachings of Christ. I believe in his social vision, and most of my moral philosophy arises from my long and continuing Christian roots. I believe in radical thankfullness, and radical forgiveness. I also believe in working on myself as much, if not more so, than preaching to others.
I am a hippie in that I go barefoot as often as possible, believe in peace, love my tiny farm, sing, unschool my kids, and have been known to have long hair, listen to folk music, and wear tie dyes.
Welcome, friends, all are friends here, and all are welcome!
A brief intro:
I am socialist, in that I believe a society rises and falls together. Poor and rich are all Americans. Everyone helps to make this land great. Except, perhaps, GW, but that's another issue.
I am a Christian, in that I follow the teachings of Christ. I believe in his social vision, and most of my moral philosophy arises from my long and continuing Christian roots. I believe in radical thankfullness, and radical forgiveness. I also believe in working on myself as much, if not more so, than preaching to others.
I am a hippie in that I go barefoot as often as possible, believe in peace, love my tiny farm, sing, unschool my kids, and have been known to have long hair, listen to folk music, and wear tie dyes.
Welcome, friends, all are friends here, and all are welcome!
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Freedom Opera
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/arts/AP-Germany-Opera-Islam.html
This shows where "sensitivity" leads to censorship. I am all for being sensitive, BUT freedom of speech wins. It is nice to see this debated in Germany. It is nice to see an opera staging choice debated in any nation. Hopefully, someday, the US will catch on to making opera current.
Even if pushing the envelope may wind up offending, the pushing is not wrong. It is needed by open and free societies.
Discuss.
Socialist Christian Hippie
This shows where "sensitivity" leads to censorship. I am all for being sensitive, BUT freedom of speech wins. It is nice to see this debated in Germany. It is nice to see an opera staging choice debated in any nation. Hopefully, someday, the US will catch on to making opera current.
Even if pushing the envelope may wind up offending, the pushing is not wrong. It is needed by open and free societies.
Discuss.
Socialist Christian Hippie
Freedom Opera
This shows where "sensitivity" leads to censorship. I am all for being sensitive, BUT freedom of speech wins. It is nice to see this debated in Germany. It is nice to see an opera staging choice debated in any nation. Hopefully, someday, the US will catch on to making opera current.
Even if pushing the envelope may wind up offending, the pushing is not wrong. It is needed by open and free societies.
Discuss.
Socialist Christian Hippie
Even if pushing the envelope may wind up offending, the pushing is not wrong. It is needed by open and free societies.
Discuss.
Socialist Christian Hippie
Monday, September 18, 2006
Greedy for truth
We are all greedy for truth. I, myself, am often selfish and greedy for truth. We often want to better ourselves, and the value of our truth by putting it on others. I do this all the time.
So, as part of being thankful, and embracing radical thankfulness, I am going to work on building truth by looking outside of myself for it.
What do you think truth is?
What is the paradise you seek?
Thank you for your input.
I will not respond until most of the responses are done.
A couple of brief caveats: I understand many people believe truth begins and ends with a savior, prophet or book. I am looking beyond that to what about that prophet, savior or book is attractive to you. What stirs your heart when you desire the truth of Wicca, or Islam, or Jehovah.
For me, the idea of radical thankfulness, pacifism, and egalitarianism leads to less violence, less envy, less jealousy and a strong sense of community that allows each person to find their place and to feel a part of something larger and joyous.
(anyway, that's as far as I go. But that's what I'm looking for. What would heaven on Earth look like? What does Allah want of his servants? What world would the goddess love to see? What would the world look like if you made it in your dreams?)
Take time, expand on it, leave multiple responses.
The Socialist Christian UU Hippie
So, as part of being thankful, and embracing radical thankfulness, I am going to work on building truth by looking outside of myself for it.
What do you think truth is?
What is the paradise you seek?
Thank you for your input.
I will not respond until most of the responses are done.
A couple of brief caveats: I understand many people believe truth begins and ends with a savior, prophet or book. I am looking beyond that to what about that prophet, savior or book is attractive to you. What stirs your heart when you desire the truth of Wicca, or Islam, or Jehovah.
For me, the idea of radical thankfulness, pacifism, and egalitarianism leads to less violence, less envy, less jealousy and a strong sense of community that allows each person to find their place and to feel a part of something larger and joyous.
(anyway, that's as far as I go. But that's what I'm looking for. What would heaven on Earth look like? What does Allah want of his servants? What world would the goddess love to see? What would the world look like if you made it in your dreams?)
Take time, expand on it, leave multiple responses.
The Socialist Christian UU Hippie
Friday, September 15, 2006
Resonse to the Pres, and those who fear
I am infinitely. INFINITELY more in danger of dying in my car than from islamic terrorism.
Also, I never, ever claimed that Bush didn't protect us on 9/11. I don't blame anyone for 9/11. It is an outgrowth of years of miserable cold war foreign policy, and our greed for oil.
Continued miserable foreign policy and greed for oil will not solve the problem.
The President takes an oath to "defend the constitution of the United States". Not me. Not you. Not the guy down the block. The oath says "defend the constitution of the United States".
On that part of his oath. The main part of the oath. He has FAILED.
As to MY privacy. I give away my information to those I please. If I leave my computer unprotected and Joe Blow tracks my computer, that's my problem (and soon his when I sue him). However, the government cannot track my computer unless I give my permission OR a court finds enough evidence otherwise to grant a warrant. Thus, we are protected.
As a socialist, I am concerned that I am monitored. As someone who has been with people who use drugs recreationally, home school, or violate our dumb medical licensing laws (God bless them, I have a healthy child because people will violate the law), or who non-violently protest, or who violate various code statues in an attempt to have a green lifestyle, or who are naturists, or who occasionally violate the hunting laws, or who don't want their livestock tracked by the FDA, or who don't vaccinate, and on and on.
Or people who discuss these things, such as the dream day when the socialist revolution will overturn this capitalist oligarchy.
I would hate to wake up without the constitution's protection, in a foreign country, under torture because of something I said. It chills free speech, free expression, free association, free press, for heaven's sake.
If you don't believe it, talk to the New York Times, go in a Mosque, talk to someone who is black, or latino. I have friends who can't go places in this country because of their race. TODAY. And they are scared, because the government will walk all over their rights!
Also, I never, ever claimed that Bush didn't protect us on 9/11. I don't blame anyone for 9/11. It is an outgrowth of years of miserable cold war foreign policy, and our greed for oil.
Continued miserable foreign policy and greed for oil will not solve the problem.
The President takes an oath to "defend the constitution of the United States". Not me. Not you. Not the guy down the block. The oath says "defend the constitution of the United States".
On that part of his oath. The main part of the oath. He has FAILED.
As to MY privacy. I give away my information to those I please. If I leave my computer unprotected and Joe Blow tracks my computer, that's my problem (and soon his when I sue him). However, the government cannot track my computer unless I give my permission OR a court finds enough evidence otherwise to grant a warrant. Thus, we are protected.
As a socialist, I am concerned that I am monitored. As someone who has been with people who use drugs recreationally, home school, or violate our dumb medical licensing laws (God bless them, I have a healthy child because people will violate the law), or who non-violently protest, or who violate various code statues in an attempt to have a green lifestyle, or who are naturists, or who occasionally violate the hunting laws, or who don't want their livestock tracked by the FDA, or who don't vaccinate, and on and on.
Or people who discuss these things, such as the dream day when the socialist revolution will overturn this capitalist oligarchy.
I would hate to wake up without the constitution's protection, in a foreign country, under torture because of something I said. It chills free speech, free expression, free association, free press, for heaven's sake.
If you don't believe it, talk to the New York Times, go in a Mosque, talk to someone who is black, or latino. I have friends who can't go places in this country because of their race. TODAY. And they are scared, because the government will walk all over their rights!
Vote Obama!
Simple post today. Please contact Senator Barak Obama and urge him to run for President. His views, record and charisma could take the democrats back to the promised land! Dan Hynes may be backing him for various political reasons, but a continued drive by voters to "draft" him will give us the best shot to get him into the campaign. Run Barak Run!
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Beauty and Truth
Here is something that I wrote responding to the question of evil on the Unitarian Universalist listserv that I belong to. I thought that this might be a good place for it. It represents my main philosophy:
Actually...truth and beauty exist, where evil does not.
Truth is the solid state, what is known, the past, simplicity, hard to say...impossible to reach...one is always on the way to truth.
Beauty is "truth in action". Change, novelty, variety, experience, the moment...now.
Evil is simply a misinterpretation of truth and beauty. Believing one knows "truth" causes two things to happen:
1. You then need to enforce truth regardless of consequences.2. Beauty ceases to exist. If truth becomes static and known, then beauty ceases to concern you. You race towards truth.
Truth sits in the middle of a many faceted jewel. There are so many facets, and infinite number of lifetimes would be required to view it from all of them. One wanders through this jewel, seeing glimpses. As one gets closer the light of truth grows, until it becomes blinding. Yet, the path is still before you. You still have not seen it all. Yet, the blinding light makes you feel as if you've seen it all. But as you get closer it is easier to make a mistake, see truth in entirely the wrong way. Go wandering on a dead end.
Christ solves this problem in an interesting way. He say "This is Truth. I am the way. Follow me!" Yet...he understands we cannot...will not go. So then he says FORGIVE we are all on this path and we all make mistakes, so forgive each other. Hold to what is beautiful in life. Forget about truth. I am truth. The way is truth. Don't worry about truth. Worry about each other.
This is beauty. Beauty main be painful, dark, sad...and yet without pain there is no joy. Without anger, no reconciliation. Without losing, no winning. Dynamic truth. Wonderful.
The Socialist Christian Hippie
Actually...truth and beauty exist, where evil does not.
Truth is the solid state, what is known, the past, simplicity, hard to say...impossible to reach...one is always on the way to truth.
Beauty is "truth in action". Change, novelty, variety, experience, the moment...now.
Evil is simply a misinterpretation of truth and beauty. Believing one knows "truth" causes two things to happen:
1. You then need to enforce truth regardless of consequences.2. Beauty ceases to exist. If truth becomes static and known, then beauty ceases to concern you. You race towards truth.
Truth sits in the middle of a many faceted jewel. There are so many facets, and infinite number of lifetimes would be required to view it from all of them. One wanders through this jewel, seeing glimpses. As one gets closer the light of truth grows, until it becomes blinding. Yet, the path is still before you. You still have not seen it all. Yet, the blinding light makes you feel as if you've seen it all. But as you get closer it is easier to make a mistake, see truth in entirely the wrong way. Go wandering on a dead end.
Christ solves this problem in an interesting way. He say "This is Truth. I am the way. Follow me!" Yet...he understands we cannot...will not go. So then he says FORGIVE we are all on this path and we all make mistakes, so forgive each other. Hold to what is beautiful in life. Forget about truth. I am truth. The way is truth. Don't worry about truth. Worry about each other.
This is beauty. Beauty main be painful, dark, sad...and yet without pain there is no joy. Without anger, no reconciliation. Without losing, no winning. Dynamic truth. Wonderful.
The Socialist Christian Hippie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
