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 12 Dec 2004 @ 04:20, by nemue. Spirituality
I wrote recently about the potential risk to our culture and the impact of political correctness. My attention was drawn to the lack of celebration of our Christian heritage and the impact of the moral minority in sanitising our demonstration of who and what we are. Merry Christmas replaced by Seasons Greetings for fear of offending. The complete lack of outward show, no decoration (or limited decoration) and often NO outward show at all.
I am pleased to say that people power won the day in a small way clearly showing that we could all celebrate each other’s differences and enjoy the experience of doing so. In Sydney, hundreds of people wrote to the papers, rang radio stations and emailed people voicing their concern. I was one of those people. It wasn’t just Christians who wrote and rang but Muslims, Jews and the like. Their voice was united and those of different religious beliefs stated we love Christmas and we want to celebrate with you, we are not offended.
In fact in one of our larger shopping centres where a sizeable Lebanese Muslim community shops many, many small Muslim children had their photos taken with Santa Claus. I have never seen my suburb so colourful before. Many houses festooned with lights and messages of goodwill. Merry Christmas emblazoned for all to see. There are still some who resist but change is happening and whilst this year things started a little late, next year will be even better. That said, the ‘wake-up’ call did prompt many to act so the Christmas message is alive.
So you see, people can make a difference. It is just a matter of tolerance, goodwill and the joy of sharing. Whilst in the4 scheme of world events this is a little win, it is a win nevertheless so remember - speak up for what you believe in, you can make a difference. Do not allow those with a mission to divide to win the day. We don’t need wars to change things only those willing to speak out in peace. How is that for a wonderful Christmas Message?
Peace, love and goodwill to all. You CAN a difference. More >
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11 Dec 2004 @ 18:39, by bushman. Spirituality
God gave himself AIDS, when he created man. Look what we do to his creation. Humans are no different than an oxident, slow burning the creation with an eternal flame, making toxic emissions and spewing toxic fluids that ooz all over everything. Just take a look around, God has an immune defficiancy. The eternal flame will finaly go out when theres nothing left to burn. More >
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11 Dec 2004 @ 12:05, by swanny. Personal Development
Towards A Holistic Lifestyle
It seems with each passing day, we are beginning to hear more and more about how the planet can no longer tolerate or process, what seems to amount to our abuse or ignorance of it. Our desires for instant gratification and addictive natures seem to have accumulated to the point where, if we do not become conscious of and change some of these destructive patterns and now, the consequences to the future will be compounded and dire. It is interesting to realize that hey, we puny human beings as a whole, can have an impact on this planet, which when thought about is quite extraordinary given its vastness and scope. Yet wouldn't it be more logical and better to have an impact that is perhaps beneficial, constructive, and advantageous rather than negative or destructive.
What though, could be considered in a nutshell, to be our most destructive behavior pattern? It is difficult to say and to nail it down to one predominant behavior. I think the effects are cumulative and habitual and the problem lies in the area of "behaviors" or lifestyles. I suspect then that it is the "consumptive" lifestyles that have allowed the problem to propagate and fester. They say for instance, that there are now more cars in North America than people. An indication that something is rather skewed. It would seem then that this consumptive lifestyle is somewhat inconsistent, problematic, and incompatible with the planets design constraints or at least the design constraints of the existing and current "biosphere."
Now over time perhaps, the planet could possibly "evolve" to accommodate this human error but evolution does not happen overnight or not usually and I think humanity has to kick a little cash and effort and contribute something to the equation. How? What can be done? What can we do?
Well in my own opinion and estimation, I think part of the answer perhaps lies in making and adopting a more conscious, committed and holistic lifestyle and thusly living in a more holistic manner or what could be called, adopting a more holistic outlook to life rather that the consumptive one. What would a more holistic lifestyle or outlook involve or be? Being holistic perhaps is about thinking logically but also living a little more out of ones own box and on a global scale or sense and being conscious and aware of how ones behaviors, actions and even thoughts effect, affect and impact the well being and health of the planet as a whole. And it means not simply paying lip service to such but actually doing, living and embodying it. It means accommodating and following the process and path through to its natural, logical and cumulative outcome and outputs, in the that way things work on this Earth, which to my understanding, is in a sense, in a whole systems and cyclic manner.
Is this the answer then? Ah alas if only life were so simple but If we can at least begin and do this and perhaps a little more and then if we can pass this knowledge and wisdom on to the future generations then humanity could stand a better chance of being more than just a minor blip on the universe's timetable.
Alfred G. Jonas
2004 Earth (c) More >
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10 Dec 2004 @ 09:42, by swanny. Religion
Quote
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When I was attending a Presbyterian seminary, in training to becoming an ordained minister, I learned that, during the 300 years following the death of Jesus, the early Roman Church carried out considerable research to choose which of the many religious writings, which were available, to include in the canon the church was assemblying. They included the Old Testament, whose writings portray a perception of an angry, jealous, vengeful, judging and punishing God, which are quite at variance with the loving God portrayed in the New Testament. They also included a Book of Apocrypha, which has since been omitted in our modern versions of the early Roman canon, which we now call the Holy Bible.
It is historical fact that neither God nor Jesus directly contributed any writings to the Bible. All of the writings in the Bible were created, edited and interpreted by men (no women!). Many of these men were inspired and created very inspiring writings, but the writings for the New Testament were translated, interpreted and edited by the early church authorities into the ancient language of Attica, from whence they were again translated, interpreted and edited into Latin and other languages. The Bible can be a powerfully inspiring source of good for the benefit of humankind, but, depending on who is doing the translating, interpretation and editing, it can also be a powerfully inspiring source of evil for the detriment of humankind (for example, www.raptureready.com ).
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Thankyou for this Sir Mindlink
It just bespeaks for the troubling questions religion faces in our time yet it even the piece I contributed offers hope but does not come right out and say what is needed.
It strikes me that the great need then for religion is a Global Holy Bible or Conconcordance. This would not necessarily just be another dogmatic text but a global reference book on spiritual stories and traditions from around the world and of many even some obscure religions. It would be a massive undertaking and who would be responsible for its authorship and editing would probably have to be of a democratic nature at least in part which would be somewhat problematic but perhaps a good exercise in itself.
I think the first task might be easiest in that it could be based on the "themes" of the current text ie Genesis or Creation Stories. It would be interesting to have a collection of say Creation Stories that are say old or on the order of 500 or so years old for it has to has some credibility in time and tradition. These could be derived I suppose for ancient writings and I suppose even some verbal traditions from what few remaining tribal elders are still practicing. Then I suppose you could have a book on miracles or such and another on noteable prohits so we have three books so far and then I suppose one on moral laws so thats four
Heres How it breaks so far
THE GLOBAL HOLY BIBLE
1, CREATION STORIES
2. EARLY MIRACLES
3. THE PROPHETS OF OLD
4. THE LAW GIVERS
etc. etc
Even this would be a massive, problematic but exciting undertaking for some or all to undertake but it would be a start and perhaps a solution to the troubles our world now faces but it would recognize the globality of religion or spirituality and its interpretation would probably give rise to many sects anyway depending on the emphasis and interpretation readers choose to empasis and embrace but at least it would provide an intitial core and unifying reference. It would sort of be the rebirth of a tree on a global basis..... The tree giving birth to itself. More >
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8 Dec 2004 @ 10:28, by fleer. Politics
Ming writes about a programmer who made a affidavit about vote rigging software in his newslog: Vote Rigging Program Story.
I started to search and found to my big surprise serveral big irregularties not only in Ohio but all over the country More >
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 7 Dec 2004 @ 13:55, by ming. Politics
There are some interesting stories breaking on The Brad Blog. In particular the one about a Florida programmer who in 2000 was asked by Tom Feeney, now U.S. Congressman and member of the House Judiciary Committee, to create software that would manipulate the votes in voting machines, while remaining undetectable, and that the software was used in Florida elections. That was while he was working for a company that Tom Feeney acted as lobbyist for, and which at the time also employed a later convicted Chinese spy who installed monitoring components in other kinds of software. There's a number of twists and turns, including the murder of an official who was planning on blowing the cover on some of this. His affidavit is here. All of this probably hasn't been verified yet, so all I can say is that the guy says so, and that the story seems consistent. If it happens to be true, it could be big, of course. The Brad Blog site seems to be overwhelmed most of the time, so I'm pasting in below the e-mail I got, with most of the information, so you can read it. More >
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 6 Dec 2004 @ 23:50, by raypows. Performing Arts
The Garden Goddess
I've been helping a friend launch a new endeavor that I am excited about. I have been a big fan of her sculpting and recently, after some research and some design considerations, we can finally break out of the mold, literally.
The Garden Goddess is a line of ornamental art designed to enhance potted plants and gardens while offering empowerment and inspiration through the messages and stories of goddess mythology.
Each figure represents a particular Goddess taken from ancient Greek or Nordic mythology. Each comes with a card that reveals her unique story, as well as an inspirational message to support us in our daily lives.
Also, if you are interested in Neolithic Goddess symbology, you can visit my Ceremonial Gourd Rattle site. I have been creating these for a few years now and have really enjoyed sharing these ancient images based on Marija Gimbutas' research. The images are carved and woodburned onto gourds and represent cultures from 1500-5000 B.C.
And...for you music lovers, my CD, Heart of the Mother, is still available. It has continued to bring experiences of peace and beauty into peoples lives. Remember, 30% of each sale is donated to the Ojai Birth Resource and Family Center. More >
 
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5 Dec 2004 @ 15:41, by swanny. Personal Development
ahh hello world.....
what of the now....
where and what is the now
the global now.....???
or the local now.....????
well it be Sunday..... Yes?
and December.... Yes?
and the year 2004 ...... yes?
on the planet Earth.... yes?
in many places..... Yes?
and it is the 5th of Dec...... yes?
and morning..... yes?
Yes and no.....
we live in a swirling whirling dervish of time
Locally it is cold and windy here today and early.....
and cloudy... but quiet......
Globally ..... it is many and every thing perhaps.... yes?
Now again .......
what is our "agreement"...???
of this?
of now?
What is our "understanding".....???
of this?
of now?
time is circularly passing......... More >
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 5 Dec 2004 @ 02:04, by i2i. Spirituality
“Saturn devouring one of his children” (1821-23), Francisco de Goya y Lucientes (Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain)
Hannah Arendt, in her ground breaking book, Eichmann in Jerusalem, discovered what she least expected and least wanted to face. During multiple interviews with Eichmann, the German Jewish author discovered that he was not a monster. He was not even an anti-Semitic maniac or twisted, distorted demon of a man. Eichmann, she said was a man who simply wanted to get ahead, to succeed in life, to please his superiors, to be respected by his peers, to do his job well, to be patriotic, devoted, and responsible.
Since the ovens of the concentration camps and the mushrooms clouds over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, mankind seems nowadays to have managed to industrialized evil to the point where total madness and collective evil can now be perpetrated with no intention at all.
Are we increasingly becoming participants in a system which progressively has been turning ordinary citizens into “willing but intentionless death dealers”?
So asks Joan Chittister in a timely article published in the December 2004 issue of Spirituality & Health:
"Today, the breadth and depth of human complicity in mass murder knows no end. We have assemblyline systems that crank out sheet steel for bombs in one state and warheads for bombs in another, fins for missiles in a third state, and delivery systems of trains and ships and packing crates in the next. The profits of this system, reaped on Wall Street, leave us all innocent, all intentionless, and all guilty at the same time." More >
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 4 Dec 2004 @ 04:16, by skookum. Ideas, Creativity
What Manner of Magic?
What manner of magic enters the world,
When lovers cross into timelessness?
This ship of fools never docks
But goes forever on into the night
Lights twinkling on and off
Eyes shining, hearts beating. More >
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