When you understand the relationship
of subject and object
thinker and thought
and how they create each other
you recognise that these are not two,but one
Sosan
.
del.icio.us Tags: Sosan,enlightenment
Friday, December 26, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Fairness..........?
Following the entry about confused and/or conflicting moral and ethical
standards (Dignitas Personae etc.) I endeavour to attempt to be fair
by now showing this item of news:
It appears that the Saudi court - enforcing Shia law - does not have the right to protect the child either!
Oh dear.You would think that any major religion would by now have realised
the universal repulsion of ordinary people at such activities.
(source:Daily Mail)
.Sunday, December 21, 2008
Christmas Myths...the real message
Clearing the record about things like donkeys and wise men doesn’t show us the real truth of Christmas. The power of the Christmas story has little to do with who did what and when. It doesn’t matter if Jesus was born on December 25 or on Flag Day. What matters is that he came into the world as a fragile human being, a baby boy in the care of a teenage girl with a skittish husband. God showed us that humility and grace mean so much more than power and glory. Once we clear away the decorations and the subterfuge, we see God revealed in an impoverished infant. I don’t know the mind of God, but it seems like he was making a point.
from an article by Stephen W Simpson
Love that phrase 'humility and Grace mean so much more than power and glory'
.
.Friday, December 19, 2008
"DIGNITAS PERSONAE" or Dignity of the Person
Well, it must be getting near Christmas I guess. How do I know? Not the snow on the ground,that's melted. Not the upsurge in 'help your neighbour' scenarios,that's digitalised. I know because the Vat has come out with a 'pro-life'(translated-extra members::translated - more money) document this last week with the above title.
SUPER grandiose
quote"the Vatican yields to no one in its pro-life commitments. In effect, “Dignitas Personae” is a reminder that there will be no “truce,” no strategic silence, about the defense of human life from the moment of conception.
end quote: source-http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/19/opinion/19allen.html?hp
NOW THERE'S AN INTERESTING CONCEPT
So, for the benefit of those with short memories excuse me for reminding you of.........
Crimen Sollicationis
as 'Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith ' aka inquisition,, Ratzinger's 2001 letter “Crimen Sollicitationis” which clarified the confidentiality of internal Church investigations into accusations made against priests of certain crimes, including sexual abuse, became a target of controversy during the sex abuse scandal
Cardinal Ratzinger is better known as Pope Benedict XVI - the present pope.If you want to read about excommunication for Bishops,et.al, who disclose details of clergy/child sexual abuse to the Police, read it here
http://ito.blogspot.com/2006/05/crimen-sollicationis.html
Now what was that about specks in eyes?
And what was that about millstones around the neck of those who abuse 'my little ones'?
Truly, I tell you, as a business the Vat may have some time left - but in a spiritual guidance
function,the Vat is drowning!
.
.
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Eid al-Adha
It was very much a tradition and the expected thing to
do in the society that circulated within the differing
cultures of those days. Sacrificing your first born or
your most loved. Human sacrifice.
Ibrahim and Ishmael or if you prefer the other variant
of the story, Abraham and Isaac, enter into this
sacrificial scenario only to discover that the One God
does not require human sacrifice, so a goat is sacrificed
instead.
Of course, there could just as easily be another
interpretation of the events which is no less holy,
namely, Ibrahim(Abraham) understood that it was
not in the power of a human being to
destroy God's gift of life to another whatever the
religious or philosophical arguments!
What a problem! To honour tradition or to honour
the sanctity of life.
Well if these stories mean anything at all,they
most surely mean that to honour a tradition in
the knowledge that we destroy another God
given life...... is about as far from holiness and
the One God as it is possible to get.
Upholding tradition has it's limitations in respect
of respect for God and respect for God given life!
Better to sacrifice the cantankerous goat of
inhuman tradition.
Eid al-Adha
.
.
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Visons 1
My answer to the terrorists.......with special empathy for all those affected
by the atrocities at Mumbai.
"Your eyes are brown,
mine are blue,
his are green
You have good vision, young and fresh,
mine is ageing, blurred a mite,
his is like yours, sharp and true.
You have precise colour seperation sight,
mine is confused on brown and blue hues,
his is genetically perfect.
Behold, the tree.
What do you see?
Do you see differently than me?
If so, is it any less a tree
or greater, maybe?
Behold, your God.
Does it matter how you see?
If you see differently than me?
Does it change the fact of sight
or lessen God's omnipotence that we differentiate?
Ah, but we can philosophise and speculate,
intellectualise and humanise,
from such activity we can grow to love or hate,
We can, ego-driven, minimise or maximise.
It all depends upon our eyes.
Or does it?
Is God any less God
for all our discourse, all our debate?
Is the fact of God
affected by our genetic code
or even indoctrinated load
Is not the fact that we can see
enough of a fact for you and me?
Shall you tell me
I cannot see
because I see differently?
Better, rather, you tell me what you see
for the beauty of your vision
when added to my own
gives extra dimension
depth, colour, form
to that which I have known.
The fact that you can see
does not take anything away from me
but adds to my perception
if you will care
enough to share
and I with you
that which we see as true."
gg
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Wanderings in Wonderment - 01
Last Monday I drove for 250 kms. A beautiful early winter's sunny day.
I drove along pleasant roads with just light traffic in a far more luxurious
car than my childhood memories evoked. The journey was far from
uneventful as I travelled through the unending assault of magnificence
that is the nature of this,my adopted country, Sweden.
This journey began whilst the frost-fingerprints still lay upon the ground,
clothing everything in a mystical hue,hinting at the fine subtlety of nature's
intelligence.Most surely nature knows what she is doing and there is a
rationale of rest and rebirth that underscores all of her methodologies.
It was not long before I settled in to a kind of rhythm. It was like that
half-dreamy awareness that assumes dominance as you listen to some
great symphony or love song. A harmony enters into the consciousness.
The music of these meandering moments was a visual melody as,almost
at each swing in the road,new crescendoes of colour and form fraternised
with my feelings.
Half-toned frost shaded tree groups surrendered to large expanses of
sun-sparkled forests.Lush full autumnal green meadows capitulated to
white crested sunshielded slopes. From one forested area to the next
each forest seemed framed with it's own personality and within each
forest individual trees pronounced themselves with a vocabulary of
uniqueness that even as I travelled could not be ignored. Why was that
tree at that angle? Was that one Silver Birch flirting amongst that group
of Pine trees? The top two or so meters of that tree bent almost at right
angles to it's trunk?
Above me a clear blue sky to the west held that golden brilliance that is
the pivot around which all else functions.It's authority subdued by it's
lessened presence at this time of the year was nevertheless still evident
upon the small cotton-wool stranded clouds that dared to venture into
the western sky. Their timidity underscored by the grey-blue density of
the gathering storm in the eastern sky, creating a counterpoint, a descant
to the melody of the land.
The further I journeyed the more the rhythm and melody of nature rose
in volume within me. The feeling of not wanting this journey to end, of
somehow being adrift on a cloud myself, grew and grew within me.
I reached my destination quite a while before I reached the place to which
I was actually traveling. It was a recognition so powerful as to still remain
palpably present some 24 hours later.
We are surrounded,all the time, everywhere, with blessings of beauty
so enormous,so incalculable in their effect upon our inner self that it is
only whenwe have released the reality of their presence from our grasp
that we are overtaken by the sheer heavenliness of what we have experienced.
As our spirit sighs with the extravagance of all this individualised caress
of creativity we are simply left in wonderment.
Last Monday I drove for 250 kms. A beautiful early winter's sunny day.
I drove along pleasant roads with just light traffic in a far more luxurious
car than my childhood memories evoked. The journey was far from
uneventful as I travelled through the unending assault of magnificence
that is the nature of this,my adopted country, Sweden.
This journey began whilst the frost-fingerprints still lay upon the ground,
clothing everything in a mystical hue,hinting at the fine subtlety of nature's
intelligence.Most surely nature knows what she is doing and there is a
rationale of rest and rebirth that underscores all of her methodologies.
It was not long before I settled in to a kind of rhythm. It was like that
half-dreamy awareness that assumes dominance as you listen to some
great symphony or love song. A harmony enters into the consciousness.
The music of these meandering moments was a visual melody as,almost
at each swing in the road,new crescendoes of colour and form fraternised
with my feelings.
Half-toned frost shaded tree groups surrendered to large expanses of
sun-sparkled forests.Lush full autumnal green meadows capitulated to
white crested sunshielded slopes. From one forested area to the next
each forest seemed framed with it's own personality and within each
forest individual trees pronounced themselves with a vocabulary of
uniqueness that even as I travelled could not be ignored. Why was that
tree at that angle? Was that one Silver Birch flirting amongst that group
of Pine trees? The top two or so meters of that tree bent almost at right
angles to it's trunk?
Above me a clear blue sky to the west held that golden brilliance that is
the pivot around which all else functions.It's authority subdued by it's
lessened presence at this time of the year was nevertheless still evident
upon the small cotton-wool stranded clouds that dared to venture into
the western sky. Their timidity underscored by the grey-blue density of
the gathering storm in the eastern sky, creating a counterpoint, a descant
to the melody of the land.
The further I journeyed the more the rhythm and melody of nature rose
in volume within me. The feeling of not wanting this journey to end, of
somehow being adrift on a cloud myself, grew and grew within me.
I reached my destination quite a while before I reached the place to which
I was actually traveling. It was a recognition so powerful as to still remain
palpably present some 24 hours later.
We are surrounded,all the time, everywhere, with blessings of beauty
so enormous,so incalculable in their effect upon our inner self that it is
only whenwe have released the reality of their presence from our grasp
that we are overtaken by the sheer heavenliness of what we have experienced.
As our spirit sighs with the extravagance of all this individualised caress
of creativity we are simply left in wonderment.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
"a problem is a solution awaiting it's time of birth" gg
"It is time to change and our problems can facilitate our solutions"
Neil YoungOh, those teenagers and kids.....
For those of you who have an insatiable appetite for BAD NEWS and a
pessimistic outlook for the human race----read no further.
"If your image of a philanthropist is a stout, gray geezer, then meet Talia Leman, an eighth grader in Iowa who loves soccer and swimming, and whose favorite subject is science. I’m supporting her for president in 2044.
When Talia was 10 years old, she saw television clips of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and decided to help. She galvanized other kids and started a movement to trick-or-treat at Halloween for coins for hurricane victims.
The movement caught the public imagination, Talia made it on the “Today” show, and the campaign raised more than $10 million. With that success behind her, Talia organized a program called RandomKid to help other young social entrepreneurs organize and raise money.
At randomkid.org, young people can link up with others to participate in various philanthropic ventures. On the Web site, Talia has organized a campaign to build a school in rural Cambodia, backed by children in 48 states and 19 countries.
Likewise, she’s working with schools in seven states to provide clean water for rural African villages. She is a frequent guest speaker at other schools, although she acknowledges she’s just a bit intimidated when she visits a high school.
“I’m only in middle school, so I see high schoolers as the big kids,” she said. “When I go to high school to pass out Unicef boxes, I see them as the big, scary ones.”
At a dinner a few days ago in New York, Talia was honored by World of Children, an organization that encourages youth activism and calls its awards the “Nobel Prizes for children.” If kids like Talia can accomplish so much, without credit cards or driving licenses, just imagine what adults could achieve." (source:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/16/opinion/16kristof.html?hp
and if you want to watch a good film about youthful enthusiasm/innocence/determination in the face of life's trials.....
"Saint Ralph" with Adam Butcher is another superb film from Canada
.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
The 'real' DaVinci Code type scandal
Nag Hamadi,1946 Those scrolls are found.
How many have found their way to the secret vaults of the Catholic Church?
How many of the Scrolls have been allowed to be studied by modern academics?
Does 'The Gospel of Thomas:the secret sayings of Jesus", and other such scrolls, really threaten the fundamentals of the church - or do such documents more adequately reflect the way in which Christianity has been manipulated from within?
Can the institutionalised Christian Church survive the open study of ALL the scrolls documents from Nag Hamadi or must these remain 'protected from public view?'
"Unless drastic measures are taken at once,the greatest and most valuable of all Hebrew and Aramaic manuscript discoveries
is likely to become the academic scandal par excellence of the twentieth century."
-- Geza Vermes, The Dead Sea Scrolls: Qumran in Perspective (Fortress, 1981), p. 24.
All that which is hidden shall be revealed (St.Mark's Gospel)
.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Superior religions......... ?
........................................see post below......................................
.
Flickr Tags: Saudi Blasphemy laws
Be aware of religious "rights"
"They undermine the standards codified in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the keystone of the United Nations, by granting greater rights to religions than to individuals, including those who choose to hold no faith – or who would seek to convert.
Another stark irony hangs over the UN special session this week. Saudi Arabia is one of the world's worst abusers of religious freedom, a fact recognized by the Bush administration when it named it a "country of particular concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act in 2004. The king couldn't hold such a conference at home, where conservative clerics no doubt would purge the guest list of Jews from Israel, Baha'is, and Ahmadis."
"The Saudis' dubious interfaith agenda at the UN" is the name of the article which discusses repressive and inhumane religious laws...and the rest of the article is here
It should be read regardless of what religion - or none - you hold.
But control-freak rules have always been the domain of insecure "faiths",and especially those sects,
religio-politico orgs that seek to control a state, a country....or a world
Personally,I think that religions should earn the loving respect of the world community. This they can do by upholding modern standards of human rights and by so demonstrating their LOVE for humanity as to be a catalyst for lovingness.
.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Obama on his Faith - 1
"And so, the biggest challenge, I think, is always maintaining your moral compass. Those are the conversations I'm having internally. I'm measuring my actions against that inner voice that for me at least is audible, is active, it tells me where I think I'm on track and where I think I'm off track. ...
Looking for, ... It's interesting, the most powerful political moments for me come when I feel like my actions are aligned with a certain truth. I can feel it. When I'm talking to a group and I'm saying something truthful, I can feel a power that comes out of those statements that is different than when I'm just being glib or clever"
You can read part of this interview which originally appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times in 2004 here.
.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Christian contradiction
just in case there are some folks smugly smiling the 'I told you so'
thing over my last posting,I thought I would update with another event
from yesterday
you can read more HERE
Islam struggling to survive
.
.
Comments have appeared previously in this blog concerning
the 'hijacking of Islam', and there is no doubt that the honour
and purity of Islam suffered a grievous wound on 11th September
2001.
The integrity of Islam,however,received a mortal blow at Beslan.
Throughout this blog,over these years, I have sought to demonstrate
the contradictions within faiths of all kinds and have especially sought
to counteract the amazingly distorted proclamations of many religions
that were based upon spurious and dubious interpretations of old
(and somewhat mystic) writings.
My main argument with Islam is the deafening silence of the Imams
and persons of high,even royal,influence within the Islamic world on
the subject of jihadist violence based,not on the Koran, but on extreme
interpretations of not always clearly translated hadiths. In the absence
of outrage at the murder of innocents, the imprisonment torture and
execution of even children..in the absence of that outrage,
silence becomes approval!
It appears that Islam is now beginning to understand it's loss of influence
in the lives of ordinary,decent,compassionate & peace loving Muslims
(which are,by far,the great majority of Islam and for whom I have love
and respect). In India,yesterday, 6000 muslim clerics issued a FATWA
against terrorism. Amongst it's words were:
"Islam rejects all kinds of unjust violence, breach of peace, bloodshed,
murder and plunder and does not allow it in any form"......... the fatwa
written at the Darul Uloom Deoband, India's foremost Islamic seminary.
The Darul Uloom is one of the most revered Islamic centres in the world.
Here,at last, an authoritative and respected centre of Islamic knowledge,
has made a clearly unambigious (?) declaration...yet as with so many of
these 'fatwas' there is always an inherent stumbling block (as there also is
in many so-called Christian pronouncements). In this fatwa it is found
in the word 'unjust'
Why is it always so hard to simply say 'The One God is a God of
unconditional lovingness and violence against each other is a
denial of that lovingness,ergo,is not from God" ?
Is this too much to expect from any "religious expression" ?
.
Comments have appeared previously in this blog concerning
the 'hijacking of Islam', and there is no doubt that the honour
and purity of Islam suffered a grievous wound on 11th September
2001.
The integrity of Islam,however,received a mortal blow at Beslan.
Throughout this blog,over these years, I have sought to demonstrate
the contradictions within faiths of all kinds and have especially sought
to counteract the amazingly distorted proclamations of many religions
that were based upon spurious and dubious interpretations of old
(and somewhat mystic) writings.
My main argument with Islam is the deafening silence of the Imams
and persons of high,even royal,influence within the Islamic world on
the subject of jihadist violence based,not on the Koran, but on extreme
interpretations of not always clearly translated hadiths. In the absence
of outrage at the murder of innocents, the imprisonment torture and
execution of even children..in the absence of that outrage,
silence becomes approval!
It appears that Islam is now beginning to understand it's loss of influence
in the lives of ordinary,decent,compassionate & peace loving Muslims
(which are,by far,the great majority of Islam and for whom I have love
and respect). In India,yesterday, 6000 muslim clerics issued a FATWA
against terrorism. Amongst it's words were:
"Islam rejects all kinds of unjust violence, breach of peace, bloodshed,
murder and plunder and does not allow it in any form"......... the fatwa
written at the Darul Uloom Deoband, India's foremost Islamic seminary.
The Darul Uloom is one of the most revered Islamic centres in the world.
Here,at last, an authoritative and respected centre of Islamic knowledge,
has made a clearly unambigious (?) declaration...yet as with so many of
these 'fatwas' there is always an inherent stumbling block (as there also is
in many so-called Christian pronouncements). In this fatwa it is found
in the word 'unjust'
Why is it always so hard to simply say 'The One God is a God of
unconditional lovingness and violence against each other is a
denial of that lovingness,ergo,is not from God" ?
Is this too much to expect from any "religious expression" ?
Saturday, November 08, 2008
In God's name........?
Researchers at Oxford University have compiled a list of the
top 10 most irritating phrases.
These are,apparently,as follows:
The top ten most irritating phrases:
1 - At the end of the day
2 - Fairly unique
3 - I personally
4 - At this moment in time
5 - With all due respect
6 - Absolutely
7 - It's a nightmare
8 - Shouldn't of
9 - 24/7
10 - It's not rocket science
(this list as published in the Daily Telegraph ).
Personally, the one that irritates me the most is that one
which implies that one person or another (usually clerics
of whatever faith,but occasionally politicians) has some
'special relationship', elitist position, unique insight, into
God's will for humanity.I find it irritating because,more often
than not, their claim is refuted by their actions!
If it isn't loving,forgiving,compassionate,enduring,......it almost
certainly derives it's origin from a human source that is somewhat
disconnected from it's divine linkage.
'
'
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Come fly with me...............
The other day I got an e-mail message saying simply this: Rosa Parks sat in 1955. Martin Luther King walked in 1963. Barack Obama ran in 2008. That our children might fly.
from an article by one of my favourites,Roger Cohen,NYT.Wednesday, November 05, 2008
President Elect Barack Obama
HuffingtonPost.com had a fantastic election page also with various 'election data widgets' from other sources,like MSNBC,DailyKos,
Google,CNN,etc. So I was 'stuck' at HuffingtonPost.com for all my data. Here's their headline,up at 04-05 am Swedish time
Sunday, November 02, 2008
One of US.......USA and world
for more of these pictures (from AP and Ghetty) of Obama in the rain
go to HuffingtonPost
I guess it's not hard to see who I support.
.Wednesday, August 13, 2008
An important 'insider' perspective
Mosab Hassan Yousef is an extraordinary young man with an extraordinary story. He was born the son of one of the most influential leaders of the militant Hamas organization in the West Bank and grew up in a strict Islamic family.
Now, at 30 years old, he attends an evangelical Christian church, Barabbas Road in San Diego, Calif. He renounced his Muslim faith, left his family behind in Ramallah and is seeking asylum in the United States
You can read the full interview/story here:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,402483,00.html
It is a very interesting article
.
.
Mosab Hassan Yousef is an extraordinary young man with an extraordinary story. He was born the son of one of the most influential leaders of the militant Hamas organization in the West Bank and grew up in a strict Islamic family.
Now, at 30 years old, he attends an evangelical Christian church, Barabbas Road in San Diego, Calif. He renounced his Muslim faith, left his family behind in Ramallah and is seeking asylum in the United States
You can read the full interview/story here:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,402483,00.html
It is a very interesting article
.
.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Indivisibility of Integrity
In the article mentioned in the previous blog entry,Roger Cohen used a very
interesting phrase 'the indivisibility of integrity'
Indivisibility: incapable of being divided,split,seperated
integrity: "One can describe a person as having integrity to the extent that everything that that person does derives from the same core set of values. While those values may change, their consistency with each other and with the person's actions determine the person's degree of integrity.
Some commentators stress the idea of integrity as personal honesty: acting according to one's beliefs and values at all times" Wikipedia
Thus it was well said that 'by their fruits ye shall know them",in other words a person's actions manifest their core values, their personal beliefs,their honesty, their respect for others.
Here is a fool-proof system for assessing the validity of another's words, be it a priest,politician,guru,imman, - indeed anyone.
It is in our actions and inter-actions that we define our own self-belief, our own self-standard. Therefore it was also said "to thine own self be true". Compromise your standards of self and you cease to be yourself but become shaped and formed by the desires and/or standards of others.
We have only ONE responsibility in life. To be the best 'self' that we can be as defined by our OWN standards.
When we allow our spirit to speak to our consciousness - and this voice is heard above all other voices - we bear only the fruits of lovingness
.
.
In the article mentioned in the previous blog entry,Roger Cohen used a very
interesting phrase 'the indivisibility of integrity'
Indivisibility: incapable of being divided,split,seperated
integrity: "One can describe a person as having integrity to the extent that everything that that person does derives from the same core set of values. While those values may change, their consistency with each other and with the person's actions determine the person's degree of integrity.
Some commentators stress the idea of integrity as personal honesty: acting according to one's beliefs and values at all times" Wikipedia
Thus it was well said that 'by their fruits ye shall know them",in other words a person's actions manifest their core values, their personal beliefs,their honesty, their respect for others.
Here is a fool-proof system for assessing the validity of another's words, be it a priest,politician,guru,imman, - indeed anyone.
It is in our actions and inter-actions that we define our own self-belief, our own self-standard. Therefore it was also said "to thine own self be true". Compromise your standards of self and you cease to be yourself but become shaped and formed by the desires and/or standards of others.
We have only ONE responsibility in life. To be the best 'self' that we can be as defined by our OWN standards.
When we allow our spirit to speak to our consciousness - and this voice is heard above all other voices - we bear only the fruits of lovingness
.
.
Friday, July 25, 2008
LESSONS OF WAR
We exist in a cocoon of armchair observation. Well many do and I am one of them. Life,country,religion has never required of me that I must go to war. I am of a blessed generation living in a blessed area of the world. Whatever I could say,therefore,about war, about my deep idealism towards pacifism and yet my logical awereness of the need for reality in these issues, pales into insignificance when confronted with a sober,intelligent and 'objective' essay. An essay that can find these things in the midst of war:
.
the stubbornness of love
the fierceness of moral clarity
the quietness of courage
the indivisibility of integrity and the importance of
the fierceness of moral clarity
the quietness of courage
the indivisibility of integrity and the importance of
a single dissenting voice
.
My words are simply opinions. The words of Roger Cohen are insightful and clearly deeply-caring observations that have an authority which commands respect.
You can read his full 'essay' here:
.
.
Let us remember,as we read, the emotional and intellectual trauma that lingers like a cess-pit stench even in the heart and mind of a trained observer when confronted by the horrors of war - and not least the 'intellectual gymnastics' (that offend every moral fibre of our being) performed by many who wage war.
.
.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
When someone attempts to encourage us to hate - or be intolerant - it is well to remember where that journey ends......
For so often, so tragically often, it is the children that pay the highest price for our foolishness
This young boy (13) was executed in Srebrenica. He was of the 'wrong religion' in the 'wrong place' at the 'wrong time'........ but there can never be a justification for the wrong that was done to him.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Did the previous picture of children parading in terrorist style depress you?
Are you just going through a 'depressive patch' in your life at this time?
Got that,'why do I bother feeling?'.
Well,hey,just think about grass (no not the smoking kind). It's summer and we keep cutting it...what if the grass said 'Oh,heck,why do I bother?'
If this comment doesn't inspire you then go here:
and watch this
His name is George Sampson, he's just 14...he didn't give up the previous year and won the contest his second year. He's a nice guy...and you should Google him to learn something of his life. Not such an easy life,but that didn't stop him.
There's inspiration all around, often in the most unlikely forms, for those who are willing to simply see.
.
Monday, July 07, 2008
.
Friday, June 20, 2008
"Jimmy taught us all to let anger and hate go, look deep
in your heart and the love will flow".
Sometimes somebody says something that hits right into our hearts.
The power of these words is hugely magnified,however,when you
consider that the family of 16 year old Jimmy Mizen say these words
at Jimmy's funeral.Jimmy was murdered just 500 metres from his home
and was an exceptional light of lovingness in his short life.
The above words have a power beyond death.
You can see more about this here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7464972.stm
.
.
in your heart and the love will flow".
Sometimes somebody says something that hits right into our hearts.
The power of these words is hugely magnified,however,when you
consider that the family of 16 year old Jimmy Mizen say these words
at Jimmy's funeral.Jimmy was murdered just 500 metres from his home
and was an exceptional light of lovingness in his short life.
The above words have a power beyond death.
You can see more about this here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7464972.stm
.
.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
"Here, the past always buries the future, not the other way "
Thomas L Friedman, New York Times columnist
An article observing the unprogressive attitudes in Middle Easterncountries.
It's so easy to 'rest in our past' than accept the challenge and
excitement of every new day. It's a trap we can all fall into!
.
Thomas L Friedman, New York Times columnist
An article observing the unprogressive attitudes in Middle Easterncountries.
It's so easy to 'rest in our past' than accept the challenge and
excitement of every new day. It's a trap we can all fall into!
.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
The clarity of One-ness
Worship is a wonderful thing for many people. It is uplifting.
It is inspiring.
Generally speaking, the more we put into worship - the
sincerity with which we pray, the enthusiasm with
which we sing, the studied concentration with which we
listen - the more we receive from it.
That's a basic law of life - the more we put into it, the more
we receive from it.
But I cannot help thinking that worship can be a self-rewarding
scenario and has little to do with pleasing, honouring, a
perception of God. Or it can be a ritualistic rhythm of conformity
in religio-politico societies.
Would it not be more 'self rewarding' to do an action of
kindness or display an ernestness of compassion without
placing upon another the 'burden of gratitude'?
Would this not be a truly worthy offering to any
perception of Divinity?
In other words, worship can be a 'strength builder', a
means of focusing. Yet worship in and of itself is not
a substitute. For a moment of kindliness,compassion,
unconditional lovingness is a melody of worship of
the highest calibre.
"If you do it to the least of my brethren,you do it unto me"
Worship is a wonderful thing for many people. It is uplifting.
It is inspiring.
Generally speaking, the more we put into worship - the
sincerity with which we pray, the enthusiasm with
which we sing, the studied concentration with which we
listen - the more we receive from it.
That's a basic law of life - the more we put into it, the more
we receive from it.
But I cannot help thinking that worship can be a self-rewarding
scenario and has little to do with pleasing, honouring, a
perception of God. Or it can be a ritualistic rhythm of conformity
in religio-politico societies.
Would it not be more 'self rewarding' to do an action of
kindness or display an ernestness of compassion without
placing upon another the 'burden of gratitude'?
Would this not be a truly worthy offering to any
perception of Divinity?
In other words, worship can be a 'strength builder', a
means of focusing. Yet worship in and of itself is not
a substitute. For a moment of kindliness,compassion,
unconditional lovingness is a melody of worship of
the highest calibre.
"If you do it to the least of my brethren,you do it unto me"
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Islam re-orientating?
Since this blog started 7 years ago,I have on many occasions
protested the distortion of spiritual insights by so called 'religious
leaders/scholars/preachers/Immams'. I have particulary and specifically
tried to show that 'fatwas' and 'jihads' are,generally, socio-political
tools derived from highly questionable 'interpretations' of ancient
texts/quotations. This campaign for 'religious accuracy' has nothing
to do with a specific religion (see also my blogs on,for example,
The Vatican's distortions). It has to do with TRUTH. Spiritual TRUTH.
Today, here, appears an interesting report documenting efforts within
Islam by moderates to reclaim the beauty of Islam and transform it
from the religion of terror and oppression which Jihadists and power
hungry Immams have created into it's original concepts of lovingness.
Here are some excerpts from the well-worth-reading article:
"Back in the mid-1990s, Osama bin Laden had a problem, and it was Islam. He
wanted to say the Qur'an gave his followers license to kill innocents—and
themselves—in the cause of "jihad." That was how he could justify his global
campaign of terror. But that's not what the Muslim holy book says,
and that's not the way it was interpreted by any of the great
scholars and preachers of the faith.(see this blog as recently
as 22 April on this subject)
Once sympathetic publics in the Middle East and South Asia are growing
disillusioned
Momentum is building within the Muslim world to re-examine what had
seemed immutable tenets of the faith, to challenge what had been taken
as literal truths and to open wide the doors of interpretation (ijtihad)
that some schools of Islam tried to close centuries ago".
Differing cultures,differing traditions,differing languages are all used by
the One God to disseminate spiritual truths that speak to the individual's heart
in a comprehensible manner. Conformity is not an option if you truly believe
in the awesome power of lovingness.Nor is any proclamation that does
not speak of love.
I wish all, who seek to speak with loving and compassionate hearts about a
perception of LOVE and healing as an active force in society,every success in
their endeavours to celebrate the differences that are the expressions of
uniqueness.
Since this blog started 7 years ago,I have on many occasions
protested the distortion of spiritual insights by so called 'religious
leaders/scholars/preachers/Immams'. I have particulary and specifically
tried to show that 'fatwas' and 'jihads' are,generally, socio-political
tools derived from highly questionable 'interpretations' of ancient
texts/quotations. This campaign for 'religious accuracy' has nothing
to do with a specific religion (see also my blogs on,for example,
The Vatican's distortions). It has to do with TRUTH. Spiritual TRUTH.
Today, here, appears an interesting report documenting efforts within
Islam by moderates to reclaim the beauty of Islam and transform it
from the religion of terror and oppression which Jihadists and power
hungry Immams have created into it's original concepts of lovingness.
Here are some excerpts from the well-worth-reading article:
"Back in the mid-1990s, Osama bin Laden had a problem, and it was Islam. He
wanted to say the Qur'an gave his followers license to kill innocents—and
themselves—in the cause of "jihad." That was how he could justify his global
campaign of terror. But that's not what the Muslim holy book says,
and that's not the way it was interpreted by any of the great
scholars and preachers of the faith.(see this blog as recently
as 22 April on this subject)
Once sympathetic publics in the Middle East and South Asia are growing
disillusioned
Momentum is building within the Muslim world to re-examine what had
seemed immutable tenets of the faith, to challenge what had been taken
as literal truths and to open wide the doors of interpretation (ijtihad)
that some schools of Islam tried to close centuries ago".
Differing cultures,differing traditions,differing languages are all used by
the One God to disseminate spiritual truths that speak to the individual's heart
in a comprehensible manner. Conformity is not an option if you truly believe
in the awesome power of lovingness.Nor is any proclamation that does
not speak of love.
I wish all, who seek to speak with loving and compassionate hearts about a
perception of LOVE and healing as an active force in society,every success in
their endeavours to celebrate the differences that are the expressions of
uniqueness.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
If one man gains spiritually, the whole world gains with him.
Mahatma Gandhi
(photo courtesy:http://www.themothersunion.org/worship.aspx)
Friday, May 23, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Today the country with the largest population in the world stopped for a 3 minute silence
in memory of all the
victims of the earthquake.
.
.
"Our tears are the jewels with which we adorn the memories of those
we have loved and have lost.
Our heartache is the pulse of unfulfilled loving in this life's walk:
and one day
we will know the beauty of the tears
and the infinite joy of the heartache
for in that moment
we shall behold the indestructibility of Love.
.
But for now,
let us weep together"
gg
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
In these moments the politics of a nation are irrelevant. Devastation
and bereavement on such a scale evoke compassion that transcends
all,all,barriers. Deepest condolences and heartfelt empathy to the
peoples of China who have been affected by this catastrophe.
A student aiding a classmate still in the ruins of a high school in Beichuan County.
Photo: Chen Xie/Xinhua, via Associated Press
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
UN-prejudice
I am not sure that I understand all the intricacies of sex-change operation
needs.But then, I am only challenged to accept another person's character
and self-requirements.To be willing to accept the person as they are and as
they seek to be.
It seems as if humanity is really making some progress on the issues of
intolerance and prejudice.As evidence take a look at the truly wonderful
support these young people are giving to another young person:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,354426,00.html
Ah, what we can achieve when we set the needs of others as a priority -
even above our own misconceptions, misunderstandings, or simply
lack of awareness.
I am not sure that I understand all the intricacies of sex-change operation
needs.But then, I am only challenged to accept another person's character
and self-requirements.To be willing to accept the person as they are and as
they seek to be.
It seems as if humanity is really making some progress on the issues of
intolerance and prejudice.As evidence take a look at the truly wonderful
support these young people are giving to another young person:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,354426,00.html
Ah, what we can achieve when we set the needs of others as a priority -
even above our own misconceptions, misunderstandings, or simply
lack of awareness.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The Reign of Confusion causes death
Last week, British teacher Daud Hassan Ali, 64, was shot dead in Somalia. His widow, Margaret Ali, said her husband was targeted by Islamists who "believe it is ok to kill any man who was born into Islam and left the faith".
" I was staggered to learn that the Quran does not say anything about punishing apostates and that its proponents use two hadiths instead to support their view. Hadiths are the recorded traditions and sayings of the Prophet which, in addition to the Quran, provide an additional source of Islamic law.
The hadiths which relate to apostasy are linguistically ambiguous and open to interpretation. Distinguished scholars told me that the hadiths actually speak about a death penalty for treason, not apostasy. And even then, they stressed the punishment is discretionary. "
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7355515.stm
Oh with what ease we take words and twist,distort or disorientate them to suit our own purposes.In case you misread, I show again:
The Quran does NOT SAY ANYTHING about punishing apostates
??????????????
Last week, British teacher Daud Hassan Ali, 64, was shot dead in Somalia. His widow, Margaret Ali, said her husband was targeted by Islamists who "believe it is ok to kill any man who was born into Islam and left the faith".
" I was staggered to learn that the Quran does not say anything about punishing apostates and that its proponents use two hadiths instead to support their view. Hadiths are the recorded traditions and sayings of the Prophet which, in addition to the Quran, provide an additional source of Islamic law.
The hadiths which relate to apostasy are linguistically ambiguous and open to interpretation. Distinguished scholars told me that the hadiths actually speak about a death penalty for treason, not apostasy. And even then, they stressed the punishment is discretionary. "
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7355515.stm
Oh with what ease we take words and twist,distort or disorientate them to suit our own purposes.In case you misread, I show again:
The Quran does NOT SAY ANYTHING about punishing apostates
??????????????
SALES DRIVE?
In the face of falling revenues, membership, new-priest sign-ups, the VATPRC did what all sales organisations do - they organised a sales drive (otherwise called a Papal visit).
photo Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/Newsweek
Speeches to the UN, at Yankee Stadium, to clerics about child Sex Abuse - all,of course, played to the tune of Vaticanus Harmonius Humilitatus.I,however, would be better able to contemplate the concept of 'sinners becoming saints'. or in this case cardinals becoming popes, if apologies were adequately made for ......Crimen Sollicationus (the present pope was in charge of thee department responsible for the issuance of this)
In the absence of adequate and suitable attention to this 'minor' (as in child) detail, the rest is simply a marketing road show (see duck rolling).
The church still has a very long way to go to catch up to the higher standard of morality currently shown by and in secular society. I doubt it can ever catch up
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Duck-rolling,Rick-rolling, God-rolling
IT began with a duck. A while ago contributors to an anarchic internet message board called 4chan started fooling others by luring them to click on interesting-sounding links. The clickers thought they were going to get the latest video game news or pictures of hot babes or celebrity gossip; what they actually got was a picture of a duck on wheels. They had been “duck-rolled”.
Then an idle inspired prankster changed tack and replaced the duck with a video of Rick Astley singing his 1987 classic 'never going to give you up' creating the (so far) largest viral video on the net (You tube hits of 7m last month) - hence Rickrolling.
The whole principle of the prank is to take you somewhere you had not expected to go - whether this is a pleasant or unpleasant experience is entirely subjective.
This kind of reminded me of the track record of so many 'religions'. You 'click on God' and the network ends up taking you somewhere else entirely.
LOVE ROLLING, in the spiritual sense, is absolutely different. The whole purpose is to go where you had not expected to go, do what you had not self-wished to do, be what you had not thought yourself to be (thought being the operative word here).
UNCONDITIONAL LOVINGNESS is the biggest,best,most invigorating trip you'll ever take....when you 'clicked on the life url' you started the networking.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
"That which we cannot change, we ignore" Gail Collins, New York Times columnist.
"When you meet a life circumstance that you feel you cannot change,
change your perception of it, change the way you view it. Then,the
'unchangeable life circumstance' has lost it's power over you, it's ability to
frustrate your spirit's pathway by clouding you with emotion.
A good way of achieving this perceptive mechanism is to seek out the
blessing in the life circumstance. Believe it,there always is one hiding
there somewhere. A blessing that reveals more of who you really are,
spiritually, than your consciousness had manifest to you". (gg.gallnas)
One cannot ignore 'earthquakes'. Events which shake the foundations of
one's existence/belief system/concepts.
"When you meet a life circumstance that you feel you cannot change,
change your perception of it, change the way you view it. Then,the
'unchangeable life circumstance' has lost it's power over you, it's ability to
frustrate your spirit's pathway by clouding you with emotion.
A good way of achieving this perceptive mechanism is to seek out the
blessing in the life circumstance. Believe it,there always is one hiding
there somewhere. A blessing that reveals more of who you really are,
spiritually, than your consciousness had manifest to you". (gg.gallnas)
One cannot ignore 'earthquakes'. Events which shake the foundations of
one's existence/belief system/concepts.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Aeschylus wrote: "Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God
Quoted by Robert F Kennedy during a speech in Indianapolis in which he broke the news to the unknowing crowd of the assasination of Martin Luther King.
Quoted by Robert F Kennedy during a speech in Indianapolis in which he broke the news to the unknowing crowd of the assasination of Martin Luther King.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Sometimes, most times, unconditional lovingness creates miracles.
Check out this story.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/03/27/heroes.andersen/index.html
I wish them both well.
Check out this story.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/03/27/heroes.andersen/index.html
I wish them both well.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?'
The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.
Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.
When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,
'Nothing, I just helped him cry'
The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.
Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.
When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,
'Nothing, I just helped him cry'
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
shadows of Divinity
Knowledge is not necessarily understanding.
Understanding is not necessarily wisdom.
Wisdom is not necessarily Love.
For even a small child may be lacking in knowledge, understanding and wisdom...
but exudes such unconditional love
as to render these other things a poor reflection of Divinity.
gg
Knowledge is not necessarily understanding.
Understanding is not necessarily wisdom.
Wisdom is not necessarily Love.
For even a small child may be lacking in knowledge, understanding and wisdom...
but exudes such unconditional love
as to render these other things a poor reflection of Divinity.
gg
The ABUSE of understanding - Fitna
As I have commented before on this blog, the 'beauty' of ancient manuscripts is the lack of real understanding of what the language actually meant in the culture of the time. This allows for all sorts of 'misinterpretations and kaleidoscopic conclusions' - giving rise to sectarianism, schism,
dysfunction.
There is no greater threat to the established 'religions' than the proclamations of one of influence who claims to have discovered THE truth about God (as opposed to A truth about God), and then proceeds to 'justify this declaration' with all sorts of ancient texts interpreted to suit the argument.
FITNA is a case in point! 'Anonymous' responded to my blog thursday post on Sat, Mar 22, 2008 at 8:16 AM with :"Fitna doesnt mean "oppression", it means "opposition". The same way a dictator would outlaw and squash any political opposition This is totalitarian theocracy imposed by the sword and it is why Geert Wilders title his movie "Fitna". Muslims try to twist the meaning of fitna to make them sound like victims when actually it is quite the opposite. " (I will post comments that are signed with something more precise than anon and reserve the right to edit any comments I deem especially offensive)
So I thought I better google and check out other meanings of the word FITNA to those I had already assembled: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitna_%28word%29 and this article starts "Arabic word, generally regarded as very difficult to translate", difficult to translate is a euphanism for 'it can mean almost anything".
This is Islamist centrist intellectual Mohamed al-Amara who published a thought provoking, faith enlightening - and storm
surrounded book "Fitna al-Takfir" last year.
You can see some of the turmoil in The Islamic religion's propensity to accept innumerable interpretations of a sura/text/takfir here: http://abuaardvark.typepad.com/abuaardvark/2007/02/amaras_fitna_al.html
and one of the comments on that blog says as follows:
"He is focused on "fitna" - or in-fighting amongst Muslims. He is saying, basically, that it is brother with brother, and brother with cousin against the stranger, i.e. Muslims should not fight amongst themselves and hence weaken themselves vis a vis the West"
In short, there is not ONE Islamic religion,there are many - though there is but 'One God'. As I wrote on thursday:
"In the normal way of old-fashioned politics,if you seek to unite a people - or distract a population from what you are doing - the finest way is to' create a common enemy'. Where 'traditions and sectarian religious concepts are concerned' it is fairly easy to find targets".
Thus we see that the dysfunction of Islam, the 'civil war within Islam', gives rise to attacks upon 'kafir'(non-believers) not because of their non-belief, but because of Islam's inability to define what IT really believes in a universally agreed format.
But,hey, don't just point the finger at Islam here - almost every major religion has divided into warring sects. Even worse, most have claimed 'divine authority' for imposing torture and death upon their victims - like they have played the role of God, taking life (note, they are not so good at the other extreme of giving/creating life).Remember Beslan. Remember Islam Khardykov?
So who to believe? which to accept?
I have a very simple test - if it isn't loving, compassionate, merciful - it isn't from God!
Listen to your heart
As I have commented before on this blog, the 'beauty' of ancient manuscripts is the lack of real understanding of what the language actually meant in the culture of the time. This allows for all sorts of 'misinterpretations and kaleidoscopic conclusions' - giving rise to sectarianism, schism,
dysfunction.
There is no greater threat to the established 'religions' than the proclamations of one of influence who claims to have discovered THE truth about God (as opposed to A truth about God), and then proceeds to 'justify this declaration' with all sorts of ancient texts interpreted to suit the argument.
FITNA is a case in point! 'Anonymous' responded to my blog thursday post on Sat, Mar 22, 2008 at 8:16 AM with :"Fitna doesnt mean "oppression", it means "opposition". The same way a dictator would outlaw and squash any political opposition This is totalitarian theocracy imposed by the sword and it is why Geert Wilders title his movie "Fitna". Muslims try to twist the meaning of fitna to make them sound like victims when actually it is quite the opposite. " (I will post comments that are signed with something more precise than anon and reserve the right to edit any comments I deem especially offensive)
So I thought I better google and check out other meanings of the word FITNA to those I had already assembled: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitna_%28word%29 and this article starts "Arabic word, generally regarded as very difficult to translate", difficult to translate is a euphanism for 'it can mean almost anything".
This is Islamist centrist intellectual Mohamed al-Amara who published a thought provoking, faith enlightening - and storm
surrounded book "Fitna al-Takfir" last year.
You can see some of the turmoil in The Islamic religion's propensity to accept innumerable interpretations of a sura/text/takfir here: http://abuaardvark.typepad.com/abuaardvark/2007/02/amaras_fitna_al.html
and one of the comments on that blog says as follows:
"He is focused on "fitna" - or in-fighting amongst Muslims. He is saying, basically, that it is brother with brother, and brother with cousin against the stranger, i.e. Muslims should not fight amongst themselves and hence weaken themselves vis a vis the West"
In short, there is not ONE Islamic religion,there are many - though there is but 'One God'. As I wrote on thursday:
"In the normal way of old-fashioned politics,if you seek to unite a people - or distract a population from what you are doing - the finest way is to' create a common enemy'. Where 'traditions and sectarian religious concepts are concerned' it is fairly easy to find targets".
Thus we see that the dysfunction of Islam, the 'civil war within Islam', gives rise to attacks upon 'kafir'(non-believers) not because of their non-belief, but because of Islam's inability to define what IT really believes in a universally agreed format.
But,hey, don't just point the finger at Islam here - almost every major religion has divided into warring sects. Even worse, most have claimed 'divine authority' for imposing torture and death upon their victims - like they have played the role of God, taking life (note, they are not so good at the other extreme of giving/creating life).Remember Beslan. Remember Islam Khardykov?
So who to believe? which to accept?
I have a very simple test - if it isn't loving, compassionate, merciful - it isn't from God!
Listen to your heart
Friday, March 21, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Fitna
Qur'an 8:39 says, "And fight them until there is no more fitna [variously translated as tumult or oppression or persecution]Tags: Fitna, Geer Wilders, Qur'an, Koran, Jihad, love
It is not clear to me where this oppression and/or persecution originates. It seems that there is far more of it in Islamic lands than is imported into those countries. In so many areas, muslim fight muslim for dominance of a particular sect,interpretation,tradition.
In the normal way of old-fashioned politics,if you seek to unite a people - or distract a population from what you are doing - the finest way is to' create a common enemy'. Where 'traditions and sectarian religious concepts are concerned' it is fairly easy to find targets.
Fitna, an Islamic/arabic word meaning 'things than can test the faith' is also the film, shortly to be released on the internet, from the Dutch politician Geer Wilders. It is reported to be not very flattering to Islam.
Beware, Islam, lest in the fury of your anger at this film you simply validate it's argument that Islam is a religion of violence. The muslim friends I have are far from this 'fundamentalist violence' and demonstrate their faith in actions of kindness and lovingness.
Powered by Qumana
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Most,initially, come to God out of fear - and meet a concept of God that broadens until eventually many see the enormity of lovingness that called them to a higher awareness - and then come to God out of Love. When this happens, we meet the reality that is God. The metafor of the crucifixion is to remove our fear and open the pathways of love, tearing the veil until we see into the holy of holies, the holiest of truths: Love is all there is.
Tags: God, crucifixion, holy of holies, awarenessPowered by Qumana
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)