What we do to the earth we do to ourselves...... for the earth is mother to us all

Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2005 9:54 am
Post subject: Climate warming is not a political issue;it's a moral issue!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Subject:The chickens are coming home to roost.
(Playing Chicken with Mother Nature/reaping the consequences of conspicuous consumption)

Climate warming has the potential of causing an immense amount of human suffering and death!
The U.S. is the worst polluter on the planet(it produces 25% of the total global greenhouse gas emmissions), yet it refused to sign the
Kyoto Agreement.Some say that the record number and intensity of
hurricanes this year(and the increased frequency of extreme weather events) is the punishment of God,but in fact it is simply the inexorable consequence of our own actions.
The leaders of the "developed" nations with capitalist economies are
so fixated on "growth" and so paranoid of any measures that might
slow growth that their "economies of greed" have become a cancer
upon the earth--ravaging it's resources and destroying it's
ecology--at the expense of all living creatures.
The rate of species extinction is increasing. Creatures that have taken millions of years to evolve are disappearing in one lifetime.One-third of 600 species of frogs are endangered. One-quarter of all mammalian species are also threatened due to habitat destruction, pollution and climate warming.The capacity of the planet to sustain complex life forms is diminishing--a result of man's stewardship and dominion of the earth.The earth,our mother and life-support,has been ravaged and poisoned by man's greed and lust.
In every case that the United States has had the opportunity to take the moral high ground (to be a force for good) it has failed to do so. Is it any wonder that it is despised for it's decadance, hypocrisy, and moral weakness!Animosity toward the United States has never been stronger(peoples of vastly divergent beliefs are uniting in their opposition to the United States:why do they hate us?why have we alienated/antagonized the world?),and demoralization in America has never been higher. Americans are afraid of what they have allowed their country to become!
If the richest nation on the planet (wch has the greatest greenhouse gas emissions and the enormous military budget of 600 billion dollars per year)(The proliferation of weapons takes food away from the hungry and homes away from the homeless...and more weapons means more death!)refuses to accept it's moral responsibility for what's happening to the planet's ecosystems and refuses to restrain it's desires/greed, what hope is there for the impoverished nations of the world whose people merely struggle to survive!? The people least responsible for climate warming are the one's who are going to be most harmed by it.
As long as countries and companies(corporate profiteers) can continue to profit from polluting with impunity (while avoiding the costs/consequences),pollution will continue.
And with war having become immensely profitable to the military-industrial complex(war enriches the defense industries) we can only expect to see more of it.Does anyone doubt that the military-industrial complex has taken over the American government, or that government policy is dictated by corporate interests?
Politicians have not the wisdom to see that all things come from the earth,and if we destroy the environment there will be no economy,for it is the earth that
sustains us and upon wch we are dependent for not just our livelihoods but our lives... and the lives of all future generations.
Rampant growth at the cost of environmental degradation is like sawing off the branch we are roosting on!
It is in man's self-interest to preserve and protect the environment.The environment is the world in wch we live!
The earth groans with the pressure of the demands placed upon
it,and yet human leaders are blind to the impending disaster wch
must inevitably result if we do not change our course/behavior.And
those who still place their trust in politicians have been
brainwashed into believing that the sky is not falling in.--and any
voice to the contrary is merely an apocalyptic voice of doom.
Where are the political leaders who are willing to acknowledge and embrace the fact that we have a serious problem,who have the courage to fight for the earth,and who have the vision to plan a change of course before it is too late. If we do not stand and make our voice heard ,we betray not only ourselves but all future generations!
If we do not act to correct the situation ,we betray not only our children ,but all life on this planet wch is our home.


Isaac Newton predicted that the period of Tribulation would begin
in 2060. I suggest it is already upon us!

The Messenger/aka "Chicken Little".

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Deadly Effects of Future U.S. Heat Waves Predicted
Sara Goudarzi
Special to LiveScience

LiveScience.com Tue Nov 15, 3:00 PM ET

In 2003, a summer heat wave killed between 22,000 and 35,000 people
in five European countries. Temperatures soared to 104 degrees
Fahrenheit in Paris, and London recorded its first triple-digit
Fahrenheit temperature in history.


If a similar heat wave struck the United States, the results would
be disastrous, a new study suggests.
Researchers looked at what would happen if a comparable
extreme-heat event settled on five major U.S. cities, learning that
not only would the country experience massive blackouts, but
thousands of people could die. In New York alone, the number of
deaths would increase to nearly 3,000 in a single summer.
"That would literally double the number of excess deaths over the
next hottest summer in the last 40 years in New York," said study
leader Laurence Kalkstein, senior research fellow at the University
of Delaware's Center for Climatic Research.

History shows that heat waves are deadlier than hurricanes or
tornadoes. And studies have indicated that extreme weather events
will become more common with global warming.
The warming is underway. With temperatures up to 30 percent higher
than the seasonal average over the past few decades in most of
Europe, the summer of 2003 was one of the hottest in centuries.
Scientists expect 2005 to set a modern record for the warmest
average global temperature. Leading computer models show continued
warming for at least several decades, even if greenhouse gas
emissions are curbed, with only wild schemes proposed to put the
brakes on.
Urban areas are particularly vulnerable, because dark asphalt and
rooftops absorb more solar radiation than natural landscapes,
raising nighttime temperatures by as much as five degrees,
according to NASA studies.
In order to see the effects of extreme heat events on the United
States, the researchers developed s to simulate scenarios
analogous to that of Europe's for heat-sensitive urban areas.
"We tried to take the Paris heat wave in 2003 and transpose it onto
the climate of five different cities," Kalkstein said. The cities:
Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C.
The results were not cool.
In the nation's capital, there were 11 days with temperatures at or
above 105 degrees in the virtual scenario. St. Louis reached an
all-time maximum of 116. New York and Philadelphia each broke
all-time highs for four days. In Detroit the mercury set all-time
records twice.
The total simulated excess deaths were more than five times the
historical summer average, with New York and St. Louis showing the
highest numbers. This the researchers attribute to size and city
structures.
"New York is much bigger and clearly will have more deaths than
cities like Washington and Detroit," Kalkstein said. "The second
thing is that [a place such as] New York is a very sensitive city
with a lot of high-rises and buildings that are sensitive to
extreme heat."
Plan for it
Better planning and simple innovations in architecture could
effectively reduce mortality rates should things heat up.
There are many things that can be done immediately, Kalkstein told
LiveScience.
Cities could provide air-conditioned shelters and cut down on the
use of black asphalt in favor of lighter-colored materials. More
heat-absorbing trees and gardens could dot urban areas. Cities
could work to provide better public transportation, decrease
traffic congestion and minimize commutes. Property owners could be
encouraged to paint roofs white and build roof gardens.

The study is part of a recently released report titled Climate
Change Futures, a project of the Center for Health and the Global
Environment at Harvard Medical School.
Natural Disasters: Top 10 U.S. Threats
Natural Disasters Becoming More Common
Dire Future if Fossil Fuel Use Not Curbed, Scientists Say

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

for everything you never wanted to know about climate change:
INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE:www.ipcc.ch

**************"

https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-43-north-by-northwest/clip/16059491-wade-davis-looking-beneath-surface-things

stopping the violence in the world

Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 2:07 pm
Post subject: stopping the violence in the world (breaking the cycle of hatred and violence)

Geopolitical tensions ,divisions and conflicts have their origin in the inequalities/disparities of wealth wch exist on this planet,
We will always have our differences and disagreements, but we must always remember that what we share in common is infinitely more important than the differences wch divide us.
If we want to see a kinder/juster world we must see all people as members of one family (wch is our family)connected by a bond of sympathy. That wch binds us together is the essence of our humanity. Love must triumph over hate!
We live in a global village/community.Air travel and the internet have brought us closer together in a web of mutuality/interrelatedness/intimacy.We are one human family!
This earth is the mother of us all.All are entitled to a fair share of it's abundant resources.None are entitled to a disproportionate share.
We can no longer ignore the suffering of others who are deprived of dignity and a decent quality of life through being denied the opportunity to find employment.Nor can we shirk our responsibility to relieve that suffering.We must take up the cause of justice and peace! Justice must prevail! There can be no peace and no security without justice!
If we truely want others to be free we must take upon ourselves the struggle of the oppressed and the dispossesed.Violence and terrorism is a response/reaction to a situation wch is intolerable.We must seek to understand what drives men to desperate acts of violence,terror, and war.What kind of life experience creates a criminal mindset (that regards the inflicting of pain/suffering/injury as acceptable and justifiable behavior) and a loss of respect for life? When the use of force/violence becomes entrenched as a cultural norm and comes to be regarded as an acceptable means of pursueing self-interest and resolving difference...the entire fabric of society is threatened.
No child is born a criminal/evil.Childrem raised with love and taught empathy for others will not want to hurt others.
How does a human being go "bad"? If it takes an entire community to raise a child ,we must ask how we as a society are forming dangerous-minded people with a criminal mindset. And how can such socially deviant/maladjusted persons be transformed into productive, responsible and respected members of society?
Criminal actions are perpetrated by those who are desperate--who have nothing to lose and nothing to live for--who are alienated and radicalized by having no sense of belonging and benefiting from the existing system of things.We must work with the socially and economically excluded so that they also can benefit from and participate as equals in community life.
In a society that measures a person's worth and value by their income and possesions , the poor and disadvantaged are made to feel worthless.Deprived of everything (their self-worth is not validated)they have nothing to lose by breaking the rules (social contract)and engaging in criminal activity.If the existing individual and societal behaviour does not change to correct the inequality , the wealthy and economically privileged face the threat of having their quality of life degraded (see,"the preservation of privilege"),and the crisis of violence and terrorism and criminality will only escalate.
Victims of injustice,oppression,exploitation will resort to violence as a last resort.Injustice is the soil in wch hatred,violence,and fanaticism germinate and grow.
Hence there can be no peace and no security without justice!
The social cost of inequality and injustice is insecurity and the loss of social cohesion.The widening of the income gap can only result in further destabilization of the social fabric.
To stop the violence in the world we must address the issues of the oppressed and relieve their oppression.We must eliminate poverty(half the planet's population lives on less than two dollars per day), inequality (10% of the people own 90% of the world's wealth), and injustice.We must break down the religious,racial,economic barriers that separate and divide us.Fairness and dignity must belong to all people at all times.
Our future as a humane species and our very survival depends on our capacity to walk in each other's shoes!
We can make a difference! We can change the world! We can create a better living environment for ourselves,our children, and all creatures of the world. We have only to look at the example of Christ--a single person from Galilee-- to see what one individual can do.Sometimes it only takes the initiative of one person to ignite a spirit of change, to start a movement of change.The individual actions of a single person can have a positive impact on the global community.We can each make a small but influential difference by quietly living out the secret message of the kingdom of God in our daily workaday lives in the classroom,office,kitchen,factory,market,and neighbourhood.We need not be actors on the global stage to effect positive change.
Are we responding to our neighbor's need?How are we treating
children, poor people,disabled, minorities, the last, the lost, the least?
How are we treating our enemies?
If we live by the principles expressed by Jesus in the Sermon on the
Mount, would not the Kingdom become manifest/real on earth?!
Every person can be a secret agent (agent of goodness)in the struggle to establish
God's kingdom on earth.This is not the exclusive role of religious
leaders or politicians.The politicians and the governments of the world have failed to solve the problems . It's time to return power to the people. It is time for people to reclaim the power they have given to those who have proven themselves unworthy of it.
We need leaders with integrity and a positive vision (the vision of Oneness) that embraces all mankind!Leadership is something to wch many who are called refuse to accept.We are afraid that God may call upon us to do something difficult.We must not be afraid to live the life of righteousness and love that God wants us to live.Jesus invites us to a whole new way of seeing, being, and doing centered upon God's kingdom.
Love and sacrifice are the means by wch the peace of God's Kingdom
arrives and is maintained.God demands of us a supreme sacrifice--that the notion of "I" and "mine" be obliterated from the mind.
But the mind/ego wch doesn't want to give up anything for the common good will protest:"Perhaps Jesus was mistaken when he spoke of loving your neighbor,letting others go first,or that being a servant was the route to fulfillment. How can I get what I want if I'm always putting others first?In the meantime the gulf between the rich and the poor continues to increase.
The radical revolutionary empire of God is advancing by
reconciliation and peace, expanding by faith, hope, and love
beginning with the poorest, the weakest, the meekest, and the
least. It's time to change our thinking/mindset. It's time for a new way of life--and a new world order!If the richest people and the richest countries in the world would take the moral high ground ,it would be an example for all others to follow.
The work goes on and the dream of justice and equality (of opportunity) shall never die!
Systemic evil can inhabit the most respected institutions--
government, politics,corporations, religion, family. The greatest
threat arises when religion aligns itself with evil powers: "We
have no king but Caesar!" When this happens, people reject the
true power of God for an idol.Great suffering has been inflicted on
others by religious extremists in the name of God --who use religion to promote their political goals and their economic interests.
The KKK was a religious organization. The Catholic Inquisition burned "heretics". Christ and Martin Luther King were murdered.Moslem fundamentalists(Jihadists) have been brainwashed into believing that killing a non-muslim is a ticket to heaven.
Hatred is not the monopoly of Islamic extremists;it is an emotion wch every human being is capable of,and wch we must all struggle to exorcise.
There is only one true religion...and that is the religion of love!Love is the healing power and the reconciling force in all human affairs.It breaks down walls of separation...reuniting man with God ,man with man, and man with himself. This is the universal core message of all religion. Love is the root and essence of all spirituality.Love is the essence of God's character.
Only when this message is put into daily practice can religion be a positive force in the world.
There is no other way!There is no other path to peace, safety, and security!
We cannot injure and kill God's creatures (nor live in such a way that defiles the earth--for if we continue on our present course we will transform the earth into a place not fit for life)and still claim to love God.
For God has said that he who claims to love God but not his fellow man is a liar.
Man must express/manifest his love of God through his love of his neighbour(fellow man). We are to love God by loving one another!
We must learn to live in harmony with each other and Nature.
May this message be a source of inspiration ,courage, and empowerment to all who live today.

"We must become the change we wish to see in the world"
--Gandhi

What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy names of liberty and democracy?
--Mahatma Gandhi

"My notion of democracy is that under it the weakest shall have the same opportunities as the strongest...no country in the world today shows any but patronizing regard for the weak... Western democracy, as it functions today, is diluted fascism...true democracy cannot be worked by twenty men sitting at the center. It has to be worked from below, by the people of every village."
-- Gandhi


Democracy is not a state in which people act like sheep.
Mahatma Gandhi

Retaliation is counter-poison and poison breeds more poison. The nectar of Love alone can destroy the poison of hate.
Mahatma Gandhi

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
Mahatma Gandhi

There is no reason to believe that there is one law for families and another for nations.
Mahatma Gandhi

Nonviolence is not a weapon of the weak. It is a weapon of the strongest and bravest.
Mahatma Gandhi

I see neither bravery nor sacrifice in destroying life or property, for offense or defense.
Mahatma Gandhi

To answer brutality with brutality is to admit one's moral and intellectual bankruptcy.
Mahatma Gandhi

Whenever you have truth it must be given with love, or the message and the messenger will be rejected.
Mahatma Gandhi

Civil disobedience becomes a sacred duty when the state becomes lawless or corrupt.
Mahatma Gandhi

Democracy and violence can ill go together.
Mahatma Gandhi

Evolution of democracy is not possible if we are not prepared to hear the other side.
Mahatma Gandhi

In true democracy every man and woman is taught to think for himself or herself.
Mahatma Gandhi

The force generated by nonviolence is infinitely greater than the force of all the arms created by man's ingenuity.
Mahatma Gandhi

A "No" uttered from deepest conviction is better and greater than a "Yes" merely uttered to please, or what is worse, to avoid trouble.
Mahatma Gandhi

I understand democracy as something that gives the weak the same chance as the strong.
Mahatma Gandhi

The spirit of democracy cannot be superimposed from the outside. It must come from within.
Mahatma Gandhi

Performance of one's duties should be independent of public opinion.
Mahatma Gandhi

The only devils in the world are those running around in our own hearts - that is where the battle should be fought.
Mahatma Gandhi

the way to peace,safety and security

Subject: Decreasing the quantity of hate in the world


Subject: people power and humanity's dream: We can make it work…if we care to.
What if God's dream were to become humanity's dream!

Safety cannot come with bigger weapons (to kill people with), sharper swords, cleverer political organizing or technology.It cannot come from hatred, force, manipulation, propaganda ,espionage/surveillance,and pre-emptive violence.
We've already tried that method and learned it doesn't work!
It's how we've gotten to where we are!
Combating evil with evil only leads to escalating evil.

Martin Luther King, Jr. put it well:

"Through violence you may murder a murderer, but you can’t murder murder.
Through violence you may murder a liar, but you can’t establish truth.
Through violence you may murder a hater, but you can’t murder hate.
Darkness cannot put out darkness. Only light can do that."
"Violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both impractical and immoral. It is impractical because it is a descending spiral ending in destruction for all. The old law of an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind. It is immoral because it seeks to humiliate the opponent rather than win his understanding; it seeks to annihilate rather than convert. Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love. It destroys community and makes brotherhood impossible. It leaves society in monologue rather than dialogue. Violence ends by defeating itself. It creates bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers."

-Dr. Martin Luther King, jr.

I appreciate that to many this solution seems laughable and unrealistic--the crazy, naive,utopian fantasy of poets and mystics--certainly not the way of generals,military advisors (who live for war),the military industry (for whom war and armaments are a lucrative livelihood),and some politicians who believe in violence/militarism(and lay waste the resources of the earth in their pursuit of military supremacy/dominance.U.S. defense budget is 3/4 trillion dollars)
as a legitimate problem-solving strategy for settling dispute and conflict(see "the military solution:giving war a chance").(Bush Doctrine:We will dominate the world by our superior military power)
But what’s actually crazy is what we’re doing and pursuing instead –- thinking, after all these millennia, that "might is right",that hate can conquer hate, war end war, pride overcome pride, violence end violence, revenge stop revenge, and exclusion create cohesion.Endlessly repeating the same behaviour yet somehow expecting a different result--is this not the definition of madness!?
Perhaps it is time to embrace a different paradigm rather than continueing in the same mindset that has filled the world with violence!
To change our habitual patterns of behaviour we must change the patterns of thought wch cause the behaviour.For our actions are but the outward manifestation of our thoughts!
If we want to change "the way of the world",we have to begin to think differently.We have to change the mindset that condones violence and war.
We have to oppose those who believe that power is gained and maintained at the point of a sword. We have to replace the pre-eminance of military strenght with moral strenght.
We can choose to cherish and nurture one another ,to cooperate in achieving common goals, or we can choose to kill each other.In other words ,if we do not choose to love each other we will end up killing each other.
None can avoid reaping the consequences of their actions. We will reap what we sow.
What kind of harvest are we planting!
If we want to be loved(respected,appreciated),we must love--it's the Golden Rule.
The war between good and evil has been going on forever.
It is upon the battlefield of each human heart that God
and the Devil (good and evil) contend for victory.
We create the world we want to live in through the exercise of our free will by
every choice that we make.
WE create our own enemies and our friends.
Such is the power of choice!: the rule of force vs the rule of love.
The choices we make will determine what we become!
Our actions today shape the future and the living world that we will pass on to our children.
We must be careful what we plant/sow ,because it will grow up!
Every action evokes a response. What kind of response do we want to elicit?!
The future is not something that just happens;
the future is something that we create!
What kind of world do we want to create,and are we willing to make the effort to make it real?! Are we doing our best to create the world we want?
We are here....six billion strong! We have the power and the means to change the world --to make it better!Do we care enuf to use this opportunity to help/serve/benefit our community and our fellow man? What kind of people do we want to become ? What kind of world do we want to leave behind for our children?
Why do we teach young children not to hit/fight and hurt others both physically and emotionally if as grown ups we are not willing to practice this teaching in our own behavior?
If it is okay to solve international conflicts between nation states by resorting to force/violence,why is it not equally acceptable to employ violence to solve interpersonal differences within the boundaries of a nation?
By using force against another ,we give them permission to use force against us in return.see "the normalization of violence"

Humans must learn to resolve their differences peacefully!
May we see the day when those who engage in war (who commit or profit from acts of war)as a means of resolving conflict will be tried and punished by a world court for committing war crimes (the crime of committing the atrocity of war)--as criminals who violate the sanctity of life!

No more crime,violence, or war
"They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation,neither will they learn war anymore."
--Isaiah 2:4

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

May love and harmony prevail on earth.May we serve one another and live in peace. When the members of a family are divided there is conflict and misery.Discord and conflict are the result of an absence of love(mutual respect). But when there is unity there is happiness.Love is the greatest unifying force. Although we belong to different nationalities and religions and see the world through different eyes ,we are essentially One in Spirit and trace our origins to a common source(One parent).True religion unifies men through the affirmation of the same indwelling spirit in all. Peace cannot be achieved by politicians whose vision is distorted by narrow personal(self-serving)and national self-interests. Selfishness, pride and greed whether among individuals or nations can only cause misery for all.
Love limited to one's country,loyalty confined to one's race,religion,community,attachment to one's family and identification of Self with one's body,are all alike the offspring of ignorance wch confines us to a cage of smaller or bigger dimensions
Wars,religious conflicts,social injustice ,economic exploitation,and political tyrannies all spring from greed and selfishness born of the failure to realize the unity of all beings and creatures. All world teachers unanamously declare "oh man! If you want peace for yourself and others in the world,adjust your conduct to comply with the law of Love. Expand your vision and the boundaries of your identity so as to embrace all fellow beings. Rise above narrow creeds and personal or national interests and embrace the common interest of humanity.
We are called on(challenged) not only to think but to act beyond our existing/usual limits in order to effect a positive improvement in the condition of the world.
It is as simple as stretching to understand others.We are each unique and have a great deal to learn from one another.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>




subject: love is the antidote to hatred(hatred instills fear;love instills security )--it's the law of the universe!

Thanks for the feedback and the invitation to your site!

I'm just trying to "keep 'em honest" ,"make 'em think" ,and bring Truth to the issues.
In the search for Truth we need to test the evidence,challenge the
official story, disclose concealed information ,and question
everything.
If we are dissatisfied with the state of the world and would like
to construct a better ,kinder,more loving world then there has to be a drastic
change in our way of thinking (and our core beliefs).Because all that we see happening in the world originates in the human mind!
Lets watch and see how the universe unfolds before us!

But basically the age-old argument is rather simple:

Hatred and the the ideology of hatred(retaliation, vengeance,pre-emptive aggression/violence )are eroding our peace, sense of security and threatening our survival (our capacity to live).
Hate cannot overcome /vanquish hatred,but only generates a spiral of
continueing and escalating hatred.Violent acts merely generate retaliatory violence.
We cannot solve the problem of terrorism by killing all those who hate.
The doctrine of pre-emption is based on faulty logic.
Only love (the Golden Rule is common to all the world's religions --the doctrine of
forgiveness,non-retaliation and pre-emptive kindness)can be victorious over hatred .All healing and reconciliation must begin with forgiveness!
If we want to decrease the amount of hatred in the world we must stop hating and start exercising our capacity to love.
The question is: What kind of world do we want to create for our children , and are
we willing to make the effort to make it real?!
If belief in the basic goodness of oneself and others makes for a better world then kindness is the only thing that makes sense.For it is kindness that calls forth the basic goodness of others! Love begets love!
This philosophy of living is as ancient as time. The reason it continues to survive as a formula for living is because it works!
It is a message for all times and all ages--a message never more needed than when righteousness declines and evil prevails in the world.


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"Hatred does not cease through hatred. Hatred ceases through love. This is the eternal law." --Buddha
Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one getting burned.
-The Buddha
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Retaliation is counter-poison and poison breeds more poison.
The nectar of Love alone can destroy the poison of hate.
-Mahatma Gandhi

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
-Mahatma Gandhi

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
''The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting, it has
been found difficult and left untried.'' -G.K. Chesterton

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
"..Christians in the USA think Bush is a religious man.
I wonder what part of his policies they think reflect the teachings
of Jesus Christ?"
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Cross and Christians ,end to end, i examined. He was not on the
Cross. I went to the Hindu Temple , to the ancient pagoda. In none
of them there was any sign. To the heights of Herat I went and to
Kandhar, I looked. He was not on the elevation not on the low
lands. Resolutely I went to summit of the fabulous mountain of
Ka'af. There was only the dwelling of the Anqa bird.I went to Kaaba
at Mecca. He was not there. I asked him from Avicenna the
philosopher. he was beyond the range of Avicenna, I looked into my
own heart. In that place I saw him
He was in no other place.

Mevlana RUMI

kindness has the power to transform
Sworn enemies into firm friends.
And if there is healing of bad feeling,
There certainly will be less ill will,
Because kindness is the greatest of all balms.

- Rumi
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Love

Love makes bitter things sweet.
Love turns copper to gold.

With love dregs settle into clarity.
With love suffering ceases.

Love brings the dead back to life.
Love transforms the King into a slave.

Love is the consummation of Gnosis.
How could a fool sit on such a throne?

- Rumi



>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>



An Impossible Dream?

Beyond all else, it is a story of the future, of something trying to happen, of a four-hundred-year-old age rattling in its deathbed as another struggles to be born -- a transformation of consciousness, culture, society, and institutions such as the world has never experienced.
It is written with deep conviction that it is far too late and things are far too bad for pessimism. In time such as these, it is no failure to fall short of realizing all that we might dream -- the failure is to fall short of dreaming all that we might realize.

We must try.

- - Dee Hock, introduction to Birth of the Chaordic Age

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Not to try is to be tormented for the rest of one's life by the feeling of having betrayed the earth, it's creatures ,and especially one's own soul!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Imagine

You may say I'm a dreamer,
But I'm not the only one.
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will live as One.

--John Lennon

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Dare to hope for a better world!

religious extremism

Subject: religious extremism
To: schaggi
Sent Date 09-12-2006 2:37:10 PM
From bill dality <@yahoo.com>

Whoever demeans /diminishes another human being with hatred or by calling him "infidel" cannot claim to serve God. God is present in every creature!
"All creatures are members of the one family of God" "Verily Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in their heart"-- Mohammed.
We are called upon to love every creature as ourself .
The essence of every authentic religious faith is love, compassion and non-violence.Every world faith has some version of "the Golden Rule": "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
There is but one God and one religion and that is the religion of love. It is not so important that we worship correctly but rather that we live correctly!Correct belief/dogma does not redeem or justify incorrect conduct!
Where does it say in the Quran or in the teachings of Mohammed (or any religious faith) that it's okay to kill innocent people?
No just or loving God would condone such action.
To justify the taking of life is a perversion of the Islamic faith (that is not what Mohammed taught!)and of any belief in God.Those who seek to spread Islam (or any other ideology including "Democracy" ) by the sword are in grievous error.
The misuse of religion to justify murder in the name of God (whose command is: "Thou shall not kill!")and to achieve political objectives is wrong/immoral.As is the distortion, falsification and denial of scientific facts in the service of religious and political ideology.Dogmatism and zealotry are the cause of a great deal of human suffering.The practice of divisive (versus "unitive") politics is a common political and individual ego-defence strategy.It's purpose is to distract one from internal negative qualities by projecting them outward upon an external "evil enemy"(see "the outsourcing of evil").The real adversary that we must overcome is within ourselves.
We do not help ourselves by debasing/dehumanizing others!
Dehumanization is the essential nature of war.Dehumanization is the first step in the commital of all manner of atrocities.
When children are taught/indoctrinated to hate rather than love and to respond with violance to perceived threats...such teachings transform men into beasts.
The Jihadists no more represent the spirit of Islam than the American Christian Right (JudeoChristian Fundamentalists)reflect the teachings and values of Christ.
Intolerance and fundamentalist/religious extremism are not exclusive to Islam.Hatred is the enemy within.Hatred is not the monopoly of Islamic extremists;it is an emotion wch every human being is capable of ,and wch we must each struggle to exorcise/overcome.
Every religion has an extremist element/faction wch distorts the true spiritual message of love .. for it's own self-interested goals.
God is love! He who claims to love God yet seeks the destruction of His creatures is a lier!
Without love there can be no life!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
"Every new child that is born is evidence that God has not yet given up on human beings"--Tagore

Interview:
Long but fascinating
http://switch3.castup.net/cunet/gm.asp?ai=214&ar=1050wmv&ak=null

The selective nature of our perception

Subject: The selective nature of our perception...(how our thoughts determine our reality)

To: Tuesday

Our way of thinking and seeing (our outlook) are formed by our conditioning.Often we only see what we want to see and disregard the rest,or project the contents of our mind onto the world.

Thus it is said that when a pickpocket meets a saint, all he sees is his pockets.


Here are some examples of the selective nature of human perception, and how the meaning wch we attribute/give to the neutral energy input that impinges upon our senses can be so different.

These simple stories contain the insights of the world's greatest sages . Through them you can learn to change the way your mind operates,free yourself from unhappiness, and gain the joy and fulfillment that is your true birthright.
By changing our internal state/attitude we change our external reality.
By changing our thoughts we change not only the outside world ,but also ourselves!That is, our thoughts effect changes in our body.
We cannot carpet the earth but by putting slippers on our feet ,the earth beneath our feet becomes carpeted.Similarly, he who sees through the eyes of love acquires the vision to see the Beloved everywhere he looks.
Thus by changing ourselves(our attitude and outlook)we transform the world of our experience.
We may travel the world in search of beauty ,but until we find it within ourselves we will see it not.Becuz beauty and value--you see--are in the eye and mind of the beholder!
Heaven is not a place to get to ,as much as a way of seeing the place you're in.

"Discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes but in having new eyes."--Proust

"It's not the mountain that we conquor but ourselves."--Sir Edward Hilary

We have the power to choose our emotional state and inner experience. It need not be determined by external circumstances and the actions of others.We cannot attain inner peace and fulfillment by trying to change the world outside.
It is our attitude (not more money) wch will determine the quality of our life!
Therefor if you seek happiness change your attitude and do something for others.

People become trapped in the chambers of their own minds.

"I will permit no man to reduce my soul to hatred."
Bokker T. Washington

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

What we see depends mainly on what we look for.
- John Lubbock


A hunter goes out to the marsh with his labrador retreiver ,sets up his blind,and waits.Along comes a duck.He shoots it and sends his dog after the bird. . The dog walks across the water and comes back with the bird.The hunter is amazed. He can't believe what he's seen.His dog has never demonstrated this remarkable ability before.So he tries it again to make sure he's not dreaming. ....Again the dog walks over the water and brings back the bird. . So the hunter gets very excited and looks around to share this with someone.He walks over to another hunter behind his own "blind",and proposes to show off his dog's ability. . So a duck flies by,he shoots it and he sends his dog to get it.The man's "best friend" doesn't disappoint:He runs across the water and brings back the bird. .. The first hunter looks to the second with pride overflowing his heart. .. The second hunter's only response is: "Your dog can't swim!"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Seeing things as being "half full" or "half empty"


One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the

country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?" "It was great, Dad."

"Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked. "Oh yeah," said the son.

"So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.

The son answered: "I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek

that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the e stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.

We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them." The boy's father was speechless.

Then his son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are."

Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have.

Appreciate every single thing you have, especially your friends! Please pass this page on to friends and acquaintances to help them refresh their perspective and appreciation. Life is too short and friends are too few.





>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Wherever our treasure is, there also is our heart!





There was once a rich king in India. He was famous for not being attached to his possessions and for being a deeply spiritual person, something very unusual in his days for a person in his position. A sadhu was curious about this and set to find out the king's secret. He was allowed an audience with the king and asked him: "What is the secret that allows you to cultivate spiritual life while at the same time not being dazzled by the jewels and luxuries that surround you?"

The king answered:" I'll reveal it to you if you tour my palace to comprehend the magnitude of my riches and treasures. However you must carry a lit candle in your hand. If the candle goes out I'll have you beheaded."

After the tour of the palace and treasuries the king asked the sadhu: "What do you think of my riches?"

The man answered: "I didn't see anything, I was busy watching the candle, all the time worrying it would go out."

Then the king said: "That is my secret. I'm so preoccupied
with the internal flame, the riches outside do not interest me."




>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

What we see is determined by what is important to us



A native American and his friend were in downtown New York City,walking near Times Square in Manhattan. It was during the noon lunch hour and the streets were filled with people. Cars were honking their horns, taxicabs were squealing around corners,sirens were wailing,and the sounds of the city were almost deafening.

Suddenly the Native American said, "I hear a cricket."

His friend said, "What? You must be crazy. You

couldn't possibly hear a cricket in all of this noise!" >

"No, I'm sure of it," the Native American said, "I

heard a cricket."

"That's crazy," said the friend.

The Native American listened carefully for a moment, and

then walked across the street to a big cement planter where

some shrubs were growing. He looked into the bushes, beneath

the branches, and sure enough, he located a small cricket.

His friend was utterly amazed.

"That's incredible," said his friend. "You must have

super-human ears!"

"No," said the Native American. "My ears are no

different from yours. It all depends on what you're listening

for."

"But that can't be!" said the friend. "I could never

hear a cricket in this noise."

"Yes, it's true," came the reply. "It depends on what is

really important to you. Here, let me show you." He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and discreetly dropped them on the sidewalk. And then, with

the noise of the crowded street still blaring in

their ears, they noticed every head within twenty feet turn and

look to see if the money that tinkled on the pavement was

theirs.



"See what I mean?" asked the Native American. "It

all depends on what's important to you."




>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Cherokee Wisdom... Two Wolves




One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a
battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son,
the battle is between two 'wolves' inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret,
greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment
inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope,
serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence,
empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute
and then asked his grandfather,
"Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Subject: Having Lunch with God




A little boy wanted to meet God.

He knew it was a long trip to where God
lived, so he packed his suitcase with a bag of potato
chips and a six-pack of root beer
and started his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks,
he met an old woman. She was sitting in
the park, just staring at some pigeons.

The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase.
He was about to take a drink from
his root beer when he noticed that the old lady
looked hungry, so he offered her some chips.

She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him

Her smile was so pretty that the
boy wanted to see it again, so he
offered her a root beer. Again,
she smiled at him. The boy was
delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating
and smiling, but they never said a word.

As twilight approached, the boy realized
how tired he was and he got up
to leave; but before he had gone
more than a few steps, he turned
around, ran back to the old woman, and gave
her a hug. She gave him her biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his
own house a short time later, his
mother was surprised by the look
of joy on his face. She asked him,
"What did you do today that made you so
happy?" He replied, "I had lunch
with God." But before his mother could
respond, he added, "You know what?
She's got the most beautiful
smile I've ever seen!"


Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant
with joy, returned to her home.
Her son was stunned by the look
of peace on her face and he asked,
"Mother, what did you do today
that made you so happy?" She replied,
"I ate potato chips in the park with God."
However, before her son responded,
she added, "You know, he's much
younger than I expected."



Have lunch with God.......bring chips.


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The most precious thing we have is our attention!
What are you giving your attention to?

__________________________________________________
Miracles happen everyday.
Change  your perception and you shall see them all around you . 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.

Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of the mind rather than upon outward circumstance.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
  "Everything you have in life can be taken from you except one thing, your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation. This is what determines the quality of the life we've lived. Not whether we've been rich or poor, famous or unknown, healthy or suffering. What determines our quality of life is how we relate to these realities..."  --Viktor Frankl,

 

for all wisdom seekers

--photo by Brook Zeiss

Can you see the glory of God in the perfection of a flower?!




Open your eyes and see!



>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

WisdomQuotes :http://www.indianchild.com/Quotes/wisdom_quotes.htm





Quotes about wisdom:

One's first step in wisdom is to question everything and one's last is to come to terms with everything.
--Georg Christoph Lichtenberg

By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.
--Confucius

The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of nonessentials.
--Lin Yutang

Humility is the only true wisdom by which we prepare our minds for all the possible changes of life.
--George Arliss

Every now and again take a good look at something not made with hands, a mountain, a star, the turn of a stream. There will come to you wisdom and patience and solace and, above all, the assurance that you are not alone in the world.
--Sidney Lovett

The plainest sign of wisdom is a continual cheerfulness: her state is like that of things in the regions above the moon, always clear and serene.
--Michel de Montaigne

A chief event of life is the day in which we have encountered a mind that startled us.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what's right.
--Isaac Asimov

Honesty is the first chapter in the Book of wisdom. Let it be our endeavor to merit the character of a just nation.
--Thomas Jefferson

The road must be trod, but it will be very hard. And neither strength nor wisdom will carry us far upon it. This quest may be attempted by the weak with as much hope as the strong. Yet such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere.
--J.R.R. Tolkien (The Fellowship of the Ring)

We judge of man's wisdom by his hope.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson The Forbes Book of Business Quotations

Logic is the beginning of wisdom; not the end.
--Spock Star Trek VI Final Frontier

Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the life-long attempt to acquire it.
--Albert Einstein

The heart has a wisdom that the mind knows not of!
-- J.C. Delight

It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.
-Gandhi
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES on life


Life is like a taxi. The meter just keeps a-ticking whether you are getting somewhere or just standing still. -- Lou Erickso
Life is a grindstone. Whether it grinds us down or polishes us up depends on us. -- Thomas L. Holdcroft

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give. -- Winston Churchill

Live as if your were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. -- Gandhiji

Nobody gets to live life backward. Look ahead, that is where your future lies. -- Ann Landers





Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.-- Buddha

Life is like riding a bicycle. You don't fall off unless you plan to stop peddling.-- Claude Pepper

For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin--real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.-- Alfred D. Souza




In the book of life every page has two sides: we human beings fill the upper side with our plans, hopes and wishes, but providence writes on the other side, and what it ordains is seldom our goal. -- Nisami

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. -- Buddha

It is not length of life, but depth of life. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

In the game of life it's a good idea to have a few early losses, which relieves you of the pressure of trying to maintain an undefeated season. -- Bill Baughan

The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it. -- Anonymous

Expecting life to treat you well because you are a good person is like expecting an angry bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian.-- Shari R. Barr

All of the animals except for man know that the principle business of life is to enjoy it.-- Samuel Butler

Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well. -- Josh Billings


A great secret of success is to go through life as a man who never gets used up. -- Albert Schweitzer

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. -- Anonymous

Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can. -- Danny Kaye

And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.-- Abraham Lincoln

Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before, how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way, and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever...-- Isak Dinesen

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. -- Albert Einstein

Attack life, it's going to kill you anyway. -- Steven Coallier

Life isn't worth living unless you're willing to take some big chances and go for broke.-- Eliot Wiggington

Being on the tightrope is living; everything else is waiting. -- Karl Wallenda

On life's journey faith is nourishment, virtuous deeds are a shelter, wisdom is the light by day and right mindfulness is the protection by night. If a man lives a pure life, nothing can destroy him. -- Buddha

In between goals is a thing called life, that has to be lived and enjoyed. -- Sid Caesar

Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyways. -- Anonymous

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

William Blake - Auguries of Innocence

To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.

A robin redbreast in a cage
Puts all heaven in a rage.

A dove-house fill'd with doves and pigeons
Shudders hell thro' all its regions.
A dog starv'd at his master's gate
Predicts the ruin of the state.

A horse misused upon the road
Calls to heaven for human blood.
Each outcry of the hunted hare
A fibre from the brain does tear.

A skylark wounded in the wing,
A cherubim does cease to sing.
The game-cock clipt and arm'd for fight
Does the rising sun affright.

Every wolf's and lion's howl
Raises from hell a human soul.

The wild deer, wand'ring here and there,
Keeps the human soul from care.
The lamb misus'd breeds public strife,
And yet forgives the butcher's knife.

The bat that flits at close of eve
Has left the brain that won't believe.
The owl that calls upon the night
Speaks the unbeliever's fright.

He who shall hurt the little wren
Shall never be belov'd by men.
He who the ox to wrath has mov'd
Shall never be by woman lov'd.

The wanton boy that kills the fly
Shall feel the spider's enmity.
He who torments the chafer's sprite
Weaves a bower in endless night.

The caterpillar on the leaf
Repeats to thee thy mother's grief.
Kill not the moth nor butterfly,
For the last judgement draweth nigh.

He who shall train the horse to war
Shall never pass the polar bar.
The beggar's dog and widow's cat,
Feed them and thou wilt grow fat.

The gnat that sings his summer's song
Poison gets from slander's tongue.
The poison of the snake and newt
Is the sweat of envy's foot.

The poison of the honey bee
Is the artist's jealousy.

The prince's robes and beggar's rags
Are toadstools on the miser's bags.
A truth that's told with bad intent
Beats all the lies you can invent.

It is right it should be so;
Man was made for joy and woe;
And when this we rightly know,
Thro' the world we safely go.

Joy and woe are woven fine,
A clothing for the soul divine.
Under every grief and pine
Runs a joy with silken twine.

The babe is more than swaddling bands;
Every farmer understands.
Every tear from every eye
Becomes a babe in eternity;

This is caught by females bright,
And return'd to its own delight.
The bleat, the bark, bellow, and roar,
Are waves that beat on heaven's shore.

The babe that weeps the rod beneath
Writes revenge in realms of death.
The beggar's rags, fluttering in air,
Does to rags the heavens tear.

The soldier, arm'd with sword and gun,
Palsied strikes the summer's sun.
The poor man's farthing is worth more
Than all the gold on Afric's shore.

One mite wrung from the lab'rer's hands
Shall buy and sell the miser's lands;
Or, if protected from on high,
Does that whole nation sell and buy.

He who mocks the infant's faith
Shall be mock'd in age and death.
He who shall teach the child to doubt
The rotting grave shall ne'er get out.

He who respects the infant's faith
Triumphs over hell and death.
The child's toys and the old man's reasons
Are the fruits of the two seasons.

The questioner, who sits so sly,
Shall never know how to reply.
He who replies to words of doubt
Doth put the light of knowledge out.

The strongest poison ever known
Came from Caesar's laurel crown.
Nought can deform the human race
Like to the armour's iron brace.

When gold and gems adorn the plow,
To peaceful arts shall envy bow.
A riddle, or the cricket's cry,
Is to doubt a fit reply.

The emmet's inch and eagle's mile
Make lame philosophy to smile.
He who doubts from what he sees
Will ne'er believe, do what you please.

If the sun and moon should doubt,
They'd immediately go out.
To be in a passion you good may do,
But no good if a passion is in you.

The whore and gambler, by the state
Licensed, build that nation's fate.
The harlot's cry from street to street
Shall weave old England's winding-sheet.

The winner's shout, the loser's curse,
Dance before dead England's hearse.

Every night and every morn
Some to misery are born,
Every morn and every night
Some are born to sweet delight.

Some are born to sweet delight,
Some are born to endless night.

We are led to believe a lie
When we see not thro' the eye,
Which was born in a night to perish in a night,
When the soul slept in beams of light.

God appears, and God is light,
To those poor souls who dwell in night;
But does a human form display
To those who dwell in realms of day.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
And may we live in a world at peace and with the awareness of God's love in every sunset, every flower's unfolding petals, every baby's smile, every lover's kiss, and every wonderful, astonishing, miraculous beat of our heart.

formula for overcoming all of life's difficulties

WHEN YOU ARE IN DEEP SHIT, LOOK STRAIGHT AHEAD, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT , SAY NOTHING...and hang on to your breath!!!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Methods for Managing Stress


Life is full of uncertainties and challenges.No one is spared obstacles and difficulties in life.We can't always avoid stress, but the failure to manage stress effectively can be life-threatening with such consequences as heart disease, dementia, obesity and substance abuse.Chronically high levels of adrenalin and cortisol are harmful to health.
Many of us have become habituated--even addicted--to a high level of stress (caffeine and adrenalin junkies). Discipline is required to practice self-reflection in order to stay centered amidst the intensity and chaos of everyday life events.
From the laid-back surfer type to the gung ho workaholic, everyone feels the effects of stress from time to time - many people on a daily basis. Where your individual disposition comes in to play is not with regard to avoiding stress, but managing it. For many, especially those with a more easily excitable temperament, managing stress can be a difficult problem to solve, one that can have significant and potentially life-threatening negative side effects.
That said, managing stress doesn't have to be that difficult. There are several things you can do, day-in and day-out, that will help you avoid the pitfalls of stress.

Exercise. Though many people experiencing extreme or even moderate stress may claim they don't have the time to exercise, the combination of stress and lack of physical activity will actually make it more difficult for you to manage what time you do have, as fatigue is bound to catch up with you. Exercise will not only increase your physical health, but has been proven in countless studies to increase mental health as well.
Through exercise, you're giving your body a chance to drain the built up energy that stress creates. A stress reaction in your body actually increases the amount of energy you have, but continuing to go on with that built-up energy inside and providing it with no outlet is dangerous. Exercise is a wonderful way to both escape stressful thoughts and relieve your body of nervous energy. It's important to make sure you exercise regularly as well. Once a week, for instance, is only a marginal improvement from no exercise at all, and won't do much in the way of stress energy relief. Three times per week for a minimum of 30 minutes each day won't put a drastic dent in your active schedule, but will do wonders for"Your health, both mentaland" physical.

Healthy diet.Nutrition probably has a bigger influence than any other outside factor on your health and longevity.To optimize the bodies own capacity to defend against disease and repair itself, eat raw organic fruits and veggies.Decrease or remove caffeine from your diet. Caffeine comes in a number of products you probably enjoy everyday, be it coffee or chocolate or soda. Eliminating caffeine is a good way to relieve stress, because caffeine is a stimulant that causes a stress reaction in your body. Removing or greatly reducing the amount of caffeine in your body can help you eliminate feelings of being on edge. These feelings only enhance the negative impacts of stress. Though caffeine is likely not the primary cause of your stress, eliminating or minimizing the amount of caffeine in your diet will help you better manage stress.

Learn to relax. Do you include relaxation as part of your daily regimen? Most people do not. The reasons for this are more often than not psychological. In a 2004 survey paid for by Beverly Hills-based Hilton Hotels and conducted by Harris Interactive, researchers found that nearly a third of the roughly 1,550 participants said they postpone leisure activities because they feel guilty when not doing something productive. That same study revealed that 70 percent of respondents were aware they needed more fun in their lives.
Such fmdings reveal a culture that perhaps cultivates stress, possibly placing too great an emphasis on work and not enough of an emphasis on creating an equal balance of work and leisure. Properly managing stress might not call for an even 50/50 split in terms of work and leisure, but certainly invloves allotting substanital time for relaxation. Proponents of meditative techniques have long claimed that meditation is more benefical than sleep. Whatever your means of relaxation, making time to relax every day is nothing to be ashamed of.

Sleep. A great way to manage stress is .to get sleep. Many people suffering from daily stress battle constant feelings of fatigue. Add to that lack of sleep (which can be a result of stress-induced insonmiia) and your stress could quickly reach drastically unhealthy heights. In their 2005 "Sleep in America" study, conducted with 1,506 adult participants via telephone, the National Sleep Foundation found that nearly 25 per cent of Americans are not getting enough sleep. Twenty percent of males and 26 percent of females are not getting the minimum amount of sleep necessary (seven to eight hours per night). People who fail to get enough sleep typically respond worse to stressfttl situations, as lack of sleep only worsens the fatigue problems their stress has already caused. If you're trying to sleep more but seem to be suffering from insonmia or it's taking you extended periods of time to fall asleep, consult with your physician and make sure you tell him or her about your current stress levels. Often times, insonmia is a result of stress, and your doctor might have a solution that could help you reduce your stress levels so you can get a good night's sleep.

Manage your expectations. A good way to manage stress is to manage your expectations. Unrealistic expectations, both in your professional and private life, can cause a great amount of unnecessary stress. In the workplace, setting yourself up for stress is easy, especially if you work in a deadline-controlled environment. Setting unrealistic personal deadlines is foolish. Don't be afraid to ask for help or admit you've taken on more than you can handle. Remember, a good way to relieving stress is to relax, which you can do with your family. If you set unrealistic expectations at work, you're decreasing the amount of time you can spend with your family and putting yourself in a stressful place while removing a key element that is necessary to relieive that stress in the first place. Similarly, learn to set proper private expectations. You may work five days and have the weekends off, and try to cram too much into those two days to make amends for long work weeks. Expecting too much out of your weekends can be extremely stressful, as you're more inclined to feel angry if you're not getting everything out of your time away from the office.

So powerful are the lures of money,sex, and fame that we quickly entangle ourselves(become caught up in the frenzied pace of modern life) in worldly commitments(becoming imprisoned in a tangled web made of our own desires),so complicating our lives as to be overwhelmed by the demands made upon us.
When we want too much,demands outstrip capacity and we become stressed out and distressed.


The solution is to simplify our lives by restraining our desires:slow down,breathe,and just "be"!



The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of nonessentials.
--Lin Yutang

To learn more about stress, visit the International Stress Management Association web

site at wwwisma,org.TF064610


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Living as fast as we can! Human being vs human doing


Learning to Relax:
Take a deep breath, unwind ,and enjoy the present moment!

What if we just enjoyed the present moment--moment by moment?
We live life one moment at a time.If we're not fully present or fully inside each moment ...it passes without us!
To be in the here-and-now has never been harder,the variables and stresses affecting us never more complex. Our overloaded brains seem continuosly on the verge of fragmenting,and we are all in need of an effective means of quieting our overactive minds.
Our brains have two modes of activity--doing and being.
"Doing" is bent on accomplishment--striving to resolve the dissonance between where things are and where you want them to be.It's what motivates you to get things done.But it's never satisfied,causing judgments to loop over and over in your head.We lose ourselves in a frenzy of activity and are lost.
"Being" is going with the flow--simply taking in the immediate moment.
For most of us "doing" usually pushes out "being" as our society values achievment above everything.So much so that being chronically stressed and harried becomes our habitual state and we forget how to relax.
The Buddhist concept of "mindfulness" is about focusing on the present with full alertness but without judgment.It is about controlling your mind instead of letting it control you .It's about separating what you need from what you want.
This practice has been found to alleviate many stress-related physical and mental ailments and to simply help one to function better and enjoy life more.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Training the Mind - Science & Spirituality
Renowned author, photographer, and Buddhist monk, Matthieu Ricard (PhD, Biochemistry) will draw from his book Happiness: A Guide to Life's Most Important Skill, his research in brain plasticity and cognitive neuropsychology, and from his long-time collaboration with the Mind and Life Institute. The Institute was co-founded by the Dalai Lama and is comprised of neuroscientists and practitioners of the Buddhist contemplative sciences , to examine the relationship between brain circuitry and affective responses in achieving mental clarity and emotional balance.
Visit www.ricard.cfis.ubc.ca for details on this event and more.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
STRESS MANAGEMENT



A lecturer when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked
"How heavy is this glass of water?"



Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.



The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it.



If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem.



If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.



If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.



In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."



He continued,



"And that's the way it is with stress management.



If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later,



as the burden becomes increasingly heavy,



we won't be able to carry on. "



"As with the glass of water,



you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again.



When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden."



So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down.



Don't carry it home.



You can pick it up tomorrow.



Whatever burdens you're carrying now,



let them down for a moment if you can."



So, my friend, Put down anything that may be a burden to you right now.



Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while.



Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life:



* Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.



* Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.



* Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.



* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.



* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.



* If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.



* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply be kind to others.



* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.



* Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.



* Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.



* The second mouse gets the cheese.



* When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.



* Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.



* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.



* We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.



*A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.


- William Ellery

the out-sourcing of "evil"--a political perspective

Deliver us from evil!


Democratically-elected Leftist Regimes taking over South America...much to the chagrin of the American Government.

The U.S. has been trying to justify it's imperialist foreign policy in terms of democratizing the world.
But in the past it has often supported dictators (and turned a blind eye to their human rights violations) when it was in its interests to do so.
And now when democratically-elected governments are coming to power wch oppose American interests , the American administration claims they are not truely democratic.For example,in the case of the democratically elected Hamas party in Palestine , the American government now claims that the advocacy of violence is incompatible with democracy.And "corruption" (see below )it appears is also incompatible with democracy.
 Perhaps everything wch hinders the furtherance of American interests is incompatible with Democracy.The united States thinks that military might dictates what is right*.Therefore it will do what it wants and anyone who defies or stands in it's way will be punished and made a victim of it's wrath.
An "enemy"(adversary)after all is anyone who impedes,obstructs,or opposes the furtherance of one's interests and desires!
Talk about a double standard! They want to keep their cake and eat it too. They do not see their occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan as achieved by violent aggression and maintained by force.They justify their actions as bringing freedom and democracy to the oppressed people of these countries, and cannot understand why they are perceived as "infidel occupiers" like the Christian Crusaders of an earlier time,rather than as "liberators".For the victims of American aggression, GWB is far more appropriately compared to Hitler.
What is right and what is wrong (good and evil) depends on one's point of view. Often whatever hinders the furtherance of our interests/desires we call "evil". Clearly the U.S. foreign policy is not motivated by a desire to liberate the oppressed and to export democratic values(see "in the guise of exporting democracy") ,but to protect their supply of oil.The American economy is dependent on oil for it's energy source.The United States consumes 1/4 of the world's total oil consumption (the total daily world oil consumption is 80 billion barrels /day). In his recent State of the Union address George W. Bush starkly acknowledged that "Americans are addicted to oil!"

*If the only "rule of law" that men are willing to heed and live by is the "law of the jungle" then there is no stopping men from treating each other with the ferocity of jungle beasts.

"I have seen the enemy and they are us"
-Pogo


see "the self-exemption delusion" --blaming everyone else except oneself
see "the enemy as mirror"
(since everything must have an opposite, there must be something in opposition)


 Psycholigists have long been aware of the ego defense mechanism of "projection" whereby we project our inner demons onto others in order to avoid acknowledging and dealing with them within ourselves. We have a deep need to see ourselves as "good" and the "other" as "evil".
The ego seeks to augment/inflate it's self-worth by attributing all it's problems to an external source. That is, it relieves itself of responsibility by blaming others.
Politicians have refined the "blame game" to an art.It is as if they sincerely believe that the best way to solve problems is to villanize and demonize others.

P.Z. You may not wish to have this on your computer.
Remember we live in a Brave New World.
Big Brother is monitoring your every thought!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld likened Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to Adolf Hitler , reflecting continuing tension in relations between the United States and the Latin American government.
Rumsfeld, asked during a National Press Club appearance Thursday about indications of a deteriorating general relationship between Washington and parts of Latin America, said he believes such a characterization "misses the mark."
"We saw dictatorships there. And then we saw most of those countries, with the exception of Cuba, for the most part move towards democracies," he said. "We also saw corruption in that part of the world. And corruption is something that is corrosive of democracy."
The secretary acknowledged that "we've seen some populist leadership appealing to masses of people in those countries. And elections like Evo Morales in Bolivia take place that clearly are worrisome."
"I mean, we've got Chavez in Venezuela with a lot of oil money," Rumsfeld added. "He's a person who was elected legally just as Adolf Hitler was elected legally and then consolidated power and now is, of course, working closely with Fidel Castro and Mr. Morales and others."
There have been increasing signs of hostility between Washington and Caracas, and on Monday Chavez said Venezuela's intelligence agencies have "infiltrated" a group of military officials from the U.S. Embassy who were allegedly involved in espionage.
Venezuelan authorities, including the vice president, have accused officials at the U.S. Embassy of involvement in a spying case in which Venezuelan naval officers allegedly passed sensitive information to the Pentagon.
It was not the first such charge by Chavez.
He has accused President Bush of backing efforts to overthrow his leftist government, and specifically has charged that the United States supported a short-lived coup in 2002, fomented a devastating strike in 2004 and expelled some American missionaries from Venezuela for alleged links to the CIA.

.
Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 2:49 pm
 subject: "in the name of "national security"

Crackdown on dissent and dissenters: Criticizing the government may be hazardous to your health.
Bush is constructing the infrastructure characteristic of all
authoritarian/police states in wch those who question or criticize government policy are categorized as a threat to national security.Authoritarian regimes use the blanket rationale of "national security" to erode all human rights--despoiling the precious freedoms guaranteerd by the constitution.
This intolerance of dissent means that the entire weight of the state's
security system can come down on your head .If you so much as
express opposition to gov't. policy you will come under suspicion as a potential traitor and terrorist ,and become a target of surveillence.The "patriotism police"
will hunt you down!

Torture, Secrecy, and the Bush Administration
By Scott Horton

We have a duty to posterity, and that is to bear witness to these events. We must document them carefully. We must act to avoid the destruction of valuable evidence-and recognize, as we have already seen, that it is in the character of those who commit crimes to destroy the evidence of their misdeeds. In this way we lay the path for the justice which will in good time be meted out to those who betrayed a nation's trust.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17540.htm

see the movie "Rendition"  directed by Gavin Hood and starring  Meryl Streep

Joined: 17 Nov 2005
Posts: 32
Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 1:40 pm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Perhaps the one event that would bolster Bush’s approval rating (apart from the capture of Bin Ladin )more than anything would be another terrorist attack of the proportions of 911.And so one has to wonder as to how much of a political and public relations component there is in the recent arrests of alleged terrorists in Canada and Britain.The arrests are being conveniently presented as a vindication of all of Bush’s policies.Would it surprise anyone if the charges were unsupportable by evidence or dismissed on grounds of entrapment?!

The greater Canada's involvement in the American-led invasion and occupation of Afghanistan, the greater the risk that Canada (perceived as an American ally and collaborator)will be a target of retaliation by those who see the occupation of Afghanistan by foreigners as unjustified.It is a sacred duty to resist occupation of one's homeland by a foregn military force.The resistance movement (referred to by American military and media as “the insurgency”)will only grow-- both within the occupied countries and within the countries of the occupiers.
The justification given by those recently accused of planning a terrorist attack in Canada was to force Harper to recall Canadian troops from Afghanistan.(this is to explicate and not to condone such retaliation as morally justifiable)
The world has become a tiny place ,and war can no longer be
confined to a particular geographic region without felt
repercussions throughout the planet.Globalization has changed the rules of war.
The "killing ground" may no longer be in some distant land --out of sight and mind,...but may very well be in one's own backyard!
In war, atrocities are perpetrated by both sides.
War is the use of force to settle a dispute ,and as such it legitimizes/sanctions the use of force/violence as a means of solving conflict.
It teaches that violence is an acceptable means of achieving one's goals and desires.
In so doing it devalues life and desensitizes us to violence.If we truely seek to reduce crime and violence,condoning the use of military force as an acceptable means of advancing/protecting one's interests/desires/goals is clearly counterproductive.

There are three main factions in Iraq--the Kurds, Sunnis and the
Shiites--who have been at each others throats for generations. Only
a strong authoritarian leader like Saddam who was willing to use
force to keep these factions from tearing each other apart could
maintain civil order.With the strong effective leader deposed and the
Americans having dismantled the Iraqi army , insisting on a democratic system ,and failing to provide the forces to maintain social order the country has degenerated into lawless anarchy .
Islamic(Shiite) extremists/fundamentalists control Iran.
Saddam's presence effectively contained Iranian westward influence and ambition.
The vacuum created by Saddam's deposition now allows a westward surge/spread of Iranian(Moslem Fundamentalist) hegemony (empowering of Iran).
The American effort to construct a democratic Iraq is being sabotaged by all factions (who do not perceive American motives as honourable).
It simply isn’t working.


Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 8:33 am
Post subject: the violation of human rights is incompatible with democracy

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Control of information is power

Information control:governing from behind a wall of deception:
When President Bush authorizes wiretapes and torture without court
approval he places himself above the law .Such Human rights violations
in the name of "the war on terror" cannot be justified. Such behavior is not only subversive of democracy, it is the essence of dictatorship.
When a leader fabricates evidence(falsifies information)to justify
his actions (the war in Iraq is premised upon lies, deception, and disinformation),he is not only being dishonest and deceitful (intent to mislead and deceive)...he undermines the legitemacy of his leadership.


"Politics is the rule of the few over the many!"
"Democracy is the art of telling people what they want to hear so as to win their approval and their vote...and then doing what you want."

Everything is sunshine! We are beings of light!

diversity out of unity

E Unum, Pluribus

There is more to light than meets the eye.

Most light (electromagnetic radiation spectrum) is invisible to the human eye.
(Visible light makes up less than one ten-billionth of the entire electromagnetic radiation spectrum)

Physiological effects of light:
Sunlight is key to the emergence of life in the universe.
the effects of light on biological clocks are well documented, It affects both our mood states and our physical health.Our inner biorhyths are attuned to the rhythms of day and night(light and darkness) as well as seasonal occilations in sunlight.
Light also regulates our physiology and biochemistry extensively and has an important effect on our mood.

The divinity of Light:
God is the eternal light that pervades the universe!
Every culture reveres light/rainbow as a symbol of hope and deliverance.It strikes a chord deep within our psyche.
What is the universe made of?
What is the nature of matter?
Light is the smallest, most elemental constituent of the universe--the substance of wch all elementary particles (quarks) are made?
Light is the elemental substance of wch the universe is made.
If light is a primary/elemental concept then we cannot get to a deeper ,more basic truth.
We cannot ask what was before light?
We cannot ask what is light made of?
A quantum of light (photon)is by definition an indivisible unit of energy.

The universe is light's kaleidiscopic self-manifestation.
The universe is a phantasmagora of light!
Light is the one and only Reality.
What words can describe it's beauty, power and glory!
If the universe is made of light and we are made in it's image (i.e.,of the same substance) then we are beings of light. Light is the essence of who we are!
We ourselves and all the diversity of forms wch surround us are made of light!We have to look past the form and experience that out of wch all form is made to escape from the bondage to materiality.
When this energy assumes human form (the Word made flesh) it acquires awareness and becomes subject to desire.
Light is the only thing wch is eternal.
This knowledge/gnosis frees one from bondage to materiality (the illusion of matteriality is shattered!)and gives one the realization that we are integrally a part of (one with) the whole/universe!

Yes,..."from dust unto dust",..but more importantly, "from light unto light"!