Where is your North Star?

Tags

abortion, agnostic, change, church, control, free speech, human sacrifice, North, power, Religion, The Left

I have often wondered why I believe a certain way while others choose to believe in a different way. There are obviously many ways to believe and many methods to follow, but the area that I find the most confusing is the dogmatic, politically, and godly agnostic beliefs of those who openly despise and hate the traditionally religious.

The synonyms of the word religious are many, here are a few: clerical, devout, doctrinal, holy, moral, pious, sacred, sectarian, spiritual, theological, believing, devotional, divine, pontifical, supernatural, born-again, canonical…

Of course, there are those who are political and religious as suggested by the words above, but it seems, at least to me, that a growing number of those in the political arena, are no longer religious, again as suggested in the synonyms above. There are many who, like the Pharisees of old, put on a good show but cannot live by the principles that those who call themselves religious would naturally expect.

There is nothing new about this revelation, man has acted in his own best interest for as long as man has had the ability to think for himself. The troubling issue is not necessarily why they act like they do, but what they are allowing to happen because of who they are.

Most will agree, at least I hope most will agree that we are living in a time of unprecedented selfishness, selfishness that leads many to act in horrific ways toward their fellow man.  

Children’s Hospitals, previously places of hope and care for our youth, are now engaging in horrifying activities that directly harm the children they are charged with protecting and doing so in unalterable and atrocious ways. In the name of their beliefs, they are surgically altering the sex of both young boys and girls. They are removing and rearranging their private parts to proximate the sex of their choice at an age when children should not be able to choose, destroying the life and possibilities of all those who fall prey to these monsters.  

The hospitals, the doctors, and the nurses of these institutions have devised a system of belief, based on profits, and excuse their behaviors behind words of feigned support that purposefully cloud the minds of both the child and their parents. 

These once revered institutions have fallen for the political rhetoric of the day and are now in complete support of the transgender movement sweeping the country, refusing their Hippocratic oath of Do No Harm, for a religiously pursued doctrine introduced by the small but growing number of transgender lobbyist, who infect our society and demand the sacrifice of children on their alter of their unknown, unnamed and silent deity.  

The religious Left have its sermons, they have their holy places, its places of worship, its priest, and parishioners. They have their missions and they have their followers. Their ranks and memberships are growing and the list of those who have fallen into this religion are also those that can be sacrificed for their cause.

The same is true with abortion activists. They scream and cry over the right to choose while denying those same rights to the not yet born. With religious fervor, equalling. those of any devout Christian, or fanatical believer, they spew hate and discord toward all who fail to support their cause, their crusade to sway the public to their beliefs.  

Political violence is also a member of this denomination. They castigated those who do not follow their commandments and adjudicated on the spot and as with conservatives who supported Trump; they are harassed and jailed. 

They have labeled parents as a domestic terrorist for simply disagreeing with local school boards.

Protesters have been jailed for protesting on the capitol grounds on January 6th of 2020, but unlike the violent protest of that previous summer that allowed murder and wholesale destruction of property, these, mostly peaceful protesters have been jailed, held without bail, and prosecuted under the full force of the United States Government.  

Sounds and looks like persecution to me.

The Religious Left, raises money, outspending the opposing Republicans 3 to 1. They pass the collection plate and their followers gleefully fill the coffers for their church, knowing that the priests and priestesses will forward their cause, as stated by Barack Obama “We are five days away from fundamentally transforming the United States of America.”

I don’t mind change, good change is what we should all strive for.  Changing our lives, improving ourselves, and creating a better person for the express purpose of being a better servant to others. I am not a proponent of fundamental changes to the United States toward the changes I see now. We should all be worried about the changes over the last few years.

Where we once had liberty, we are now subjugated, forced to get a vaccine that doesn’t work. Where we once had free speech, our speech is now monitored, reviewed, and fact-checked.  Where we used to have borders, we have allowed close to 3 million illegal immigrants into our country. Where we once had a stable economy we have skyrocketing gas prices, falling stock and bonds, a weak dollar, and a world on the brink of war, and for what?

So a few can control the many.  

America is different, and not in a wholesome, good way.  America is fundamentally changing so that those at the top can remain at the top, the powerful can become more powerful, and the degradation of our morality can be completely eviscerated, leaving us without the God that we were founded upon, leaving us without the foundations of:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,

I have my own Religious beliefs, as do the majority of Americans. I do not want to be Fundamentally changed, especially by a government that has forsaken its role as constituted without our Divinely inspired Constitution.  

I believe in God; I believe in His Son Jesus Christ and I believe in His words.  I will not join, participate, or support this new Religion that is sacrificing our children, separating families, and taking away my Rights that were given to me BY GOD HIMSELF.

We are at war and I will fight for what is good, what is right, and what is truth. My compass points North, to the stars above, to the God of the Heavens and this earth. My goal is to stay true to my God, there is no other way. No other North, no other truth than God, that’s my RELIGION.

Do the Republicans deserve the Racist and Fascist label given by President Biden?

Tags

Blame, Democrat, Evil, Fascist, Genocide, Racist, Republican

The Ten Stages of Genocide

As some of you know, I love to take pictures. I don’t want to use the term photographs because I only use my iPhone. A photograph, at least to me requires a “real” camera, but, regardless I enjoy taking pictures. It is these pictures that help to remind me where I am, who I am, and where I would like to go next.

The beauty that surrounds us inspires us and motivates us to do better, so it’s worth the effort to “snap the shot”, and save for another day. The physical beauty, the grandeur of our parks, and the endless sunrises and sunsets are truly amazing. We absolutely live in a wonderful world.  

Those stunning vistas are only half of the beauty that this world offers. Beauty by itself is only a perception of time and place. Beauty cannot exist without the ugliness that also permeates all that we see. Similar to “no pain, no gain.” We need adversity to grow stronger and wiser. We learn from our adversities.

When an out-of-control fire decimates a beautiful landmark, or when earthquakes destroy, tornados level, the beauty that was in forever changed, and with it our perception of beauty itself.

Each of us needs to learn to accept the good and the bad, the healthy and the infirm, as well as the beautiful and the not-so-beautiful in order to see the differences between them/. When we look into a mirror what do we see? When a troubled mind looks into a mirror what do they see?

Despite the beauty of our world, there are those who may acknowledge those astounding and unique visions, but cannot see them emotionally and therefore cannot appreciate those gifts, nor value their intrinsic worth. They may see beauty but it has no value and is therefore not worth a second thought.

America the Beautiful, we sing it; we listen to its words, and it fills our hearts with pride, but there are those who fail to see that beauty, fail to recognize the grandeur and majesty of this great country. To those who hate, there is no beauty, there is no “Purple Mountains Majesty” or “Amber waves of grain”.

They do not see America the Beautiful; All they see is the opportunity to control, especially for those who scream about injustice, they are most likely those who have committed the crimes. Don’t misunderstand me here, I know there is injustice, criminality, gangs, drug lords, good cops and bad cops and downright Evil, but so often some scream and cry that America is unfair and racist while demonizing others, calling them White Supremacists, Fascists, and homophobic. They believe we are a broken nation; broken because of those who believe differently than they do. They forget our Constitucion was the first of its kind in the world and remains unique and empowering to this day.

From my perspective here is what’s happened over the last 18 months since Biden took office.  

Disband the Police. May 2020.

Curtail or eliminate free speech. Ongoing.

Put an end to the 2nd Amendment. Ongoing.

No bail DA’s https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/10/30/the-state-of-bail-reform

No choice, covid vaccine or lose your job. https://www.npr.org/2021/10/24/1047947268/covid-vaccine-workers-quitting-getting-fired-mandates

Nationwide riots of 2021, where many were killed, thousands were injured and millions upon millions of dollars in damaged property, were encouraged, but the Jan 6th protest, locked down DC and put many in Prison.

Vote tampering by the FBI (Facebook, Russian collusion, Hunter Biden laptop, Mar a Lago raid, etc… Hunter Biden laptop, Ask Zuckerberg, and Facebook.

Covid lockdown March 15, 2020

School closures March 2020

Parents as terrorists Sept. 29, 2021

Immigration Invasion After Biden took office

Males in women’s sports

Recession

Gas prices

BLM

Crime is at a 40-year high and climbing……

If you haven’t figured out who is to blame, let me help. The Left, as in the Democrats, they have abandoned the constitution and adopted the Ten Stages of Genocide.

In, the Ten Stages of Genocide you can see a direct correlation between the current leadership in Washington and these steps outlined in the article. https://genocideeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/ten_stages_of_genocide.pdf

Step 1. Classification

All cultures have categories to distinguish people into “us and them” by ethnicity, race, religion, or nationality: German and Jew, Hutu and Tutsi. If societies are too segregated (divided) they are most likely to have genocide.

Step 2.  Symbolization

We name people “Jews” or “Gypsies”, or distinguish them by colors or dress, and apply them to members of groups. When combined with hatred, genocide is possible.

Step 3. Discrimination

A dominant group uses law, custom, and political power to deny the rights of other groups. BLM, reverse discrimination if you will. This is a good time to remind you of the party that instituted Jim Crow, poll taxes, etc… and slavery, they started the KKK; and they were and still are Democrats.

Step 4. Dehumanization

A good example comes from Biden’s recent address to the country where he vilifies all Republicans and specifically the MAGA movement.

Step 5. Organization

This administration and the congress prior to this administration have used the FBI and the Justice Department as a weapon for their desire for control. Trump’s Impeachments, fabricated evidence.

Step 6. Polarization 

The United States of America has never been more Polarized since the Civil War. Extremists drive the groups apart. Hate groups broadcast propaganda that reinforces prejudice and hate.

Steps 7-10 Preparation, Persecution, Extermination, and Denial

Biden is destroying America. Those that support him are culpable and are also responsible.  

Let me be clear, the Republicans are far from perfect, there are good and capable Democrats, and there are honest leaders on both sides of the aisle, but when our leaders impeach the past president, two times over fallacious and made-up charges, attack his supporters as racist, stupid or fascist and then raid his home 18 months after he leaves office, the idea of justice takes on a whole new meaning, especially in view of the Ten Stages of Genocide.

The democrats don’t want justice; they want REVENGE. They may see beauty, but they cannot appreciate what they see. We are at war. We are in the middle of a Civil WAR, again, a war over morality, true justice, and the heart of America. Not the America Biden talked about in words only but as our founding fathers wrote about and recorded for all of us to follow, in the Constitution.

This is a beautiful country, an amazing country and it used to be a safe country. In the space of 18 months, this country is on the verge of an all-out war with itself. Decide who is to blame and what needs to be done to fix it.  

You know my opinion and the facts I use, tell me I’m wrong and why. If we do nothing, the ten stages could become real, it happened in Germany; it happened in Rwanda, in Cambodia, it happen to the Jews, and the Armenians and it can happen again if we let it.  

The Natural Man or it is Just being Lazy?

Tags

animals, boys, Dysphoria, Girls, man, Nature, selfishness, society

The Natural Man is trending of late, and unless I dare to offend, so is the Natural Woman.  

We love nature, the beauty, and grandeur of untouched and unspoiled wildlife are awe-inspiring. Seeing the landscapes and scenery, the sunsets and sunrises are beyond words. There is nothing better for the soul than watching the sun rise or set from a clear vantage point.

Nature, in all its grandeur, is also cruel, vicious, and unforgiving. No one can deny the reality of life as we watch the brutality of animals hunting, stalking, and eating their prey or the heart-wrenching helplessness of a small creature in the grips of a loathsome predator. So often, it seems, we forget that animals have no morals, no conscious or guiding social construct to help them overcome their natural tendencies toward survival, nor the animal instincts that drive them to feed, mate, kill and consume, again, without constraint or guilt.  

There are some examples of animal behaviors that show signs of a higher moral standard, but those examples are from mostly domesticated animals. Animals who have learned the importance of association. They understand the need to protect and have developed a sense of belonging, to the point of changing their animal instincts‌. And let us not forget the shared instincts of motherhood, that drives women and females of most of the animal kingdom toward diligence as they protect their young and help them ‌learn to survive. 

We understand those differences and even accept those realities, as part of what nature is, but, what I think we are forgetting is that the Natural Man, (I will forgo the Natural Woman part, you all know what I mean) is not entirely an Animal.  

We may act like animals. We may do horrendous things to each other, in our ruthless and unrestrained, heartless attempts to control others. We should also understand that, that humanity, that conscience, and guilt is still present within all of us, albeit suppressed in those who do unspeakable things to others of their kind, but of the billions who have lived on this earth, most, keep and attempt to grow that conscious. We ‌differ from the animals and have the expectation to rise above nature, not simply be driven in acquiescent to it.

Of the approximately 400 generations of life to date, man has always been more prone to following the rules and creating rules and guidelines than simply allowing the animal instincts to define his nature, but ‌we are now abandoning those historical and instinctual desires of order and structure for the supposed freedom of nature.

The defining words of Man and Woman are quickly becoming debased and obsolete. Children are not only encouraged, but they are being taught that sex and gender are nothing more than a fluid activity of choice based on whim and desire. The family is no longer the foundation of society and with that change comes the increasing instability of humanity. 

There is a definite trend away from the order of life, by many who wish to have no order, no consistency, or stability. Our institutions used to support those foundational principles, but now, they have all turned away, not wanting to be associated, choosing instead to partner with the chaos for some supposed short-term gain in public approval, or profit. 

We can easily see the chaos expanding in all areas of existence. From the before mentioned, self-induced, and societally supported dysphoria… 

(rapid onset‌ of gender dysphoria, which has a 100-year historical basis, and included young boys exclusively, has now jumped from boys to girls in epidemic proportions in just under 10 years, (the numbers are staggeringly disturbing), fueled by the psychological society, schools, medical professionals, governments, not only supporting but teaching and encouraging these young girls to destroy their lives.)  

… to a political environment that supports wholesale riots, changes simple words that have devastating effects on society, to the unthinkable raid on a former and popular President of the United States, based on a non-criminal statute.  

Our finances, our economies, our livelihoods, and our commerce are all spiraling out of control. We are devolving away from our inherent humanity toward the baseless idea of nature being the controlling motivator of our lives. Take what you want. Do what you want and create yourself in the image of whatever you can dream of and in the process lose yourself, lose sacrifice your humanity and your self-worth.

Forsake the patterns of life, abandon the desire to become more than the sum of your parts, Man has rejected the god-given ability to pursue a life higher than nature; he now only wants to be a subject of the Natural Man, no divinity allowed, no higher purpose, no vaulted goals of life that help us obtain our humanity, we are nothing more than animals… Kill or be Killed, eat or be eaten. Live on the run, take what you can, when you can, you are nothing but an animal, except…. the animals I know are less dangerous than this new breed of creature we used to call MAN… or Woman…

Do we really have no concern over what our selfish choices of today will do to our tomorrows?

Is your light shining?

A Little Light Goes A Long Way

The question, does evil exist, seems to creep back into our lives, as it has in years past.  There have always been those who do evil, but those evil acts seem to be on the rise.  This world has already seen its fair share of evildoers, and I think it’s fair to say that there will be much more to come.

What is evil?

Evil, in a general sense, is the opposite or absence of good. It can be an extremely broad concept, although in everyday usage it is often more narrowly used to talk about profound wickedness and against the common good. Wikipedia

In a similar sense, the definition between light and darkness has an interesting commonality. Each has in their definition a condition of absence, rather than simply being the opposite of the other.  

Both light and good have a definition, while their opposites, darkness, and evil exist simply by minimizing the power or influence of the other. For example, Darkness is the absence of light, and Evil is the absence of good.

In terms of this discussion, the cause of evil or that of good is somewhat irrelevant since all men (all women) may choose between, the infinite choices, that fall upon the spectrum of good and evil.  

Regardless of your affinity or aversion to religion, all of our choices create the pathways that are invariably paved with desires toward good or evil. Obviously, not so Black and White in most cases, but in making our choices, we set the foundations for the general hue of our lives.  

The choice is not always an easy right or left up or down decision. There are countless decisions that are made where the good or bad, the right or wrongs are impossible to ascertain at the time of the decision, but, again, generally speaking, the overall focus of those decisions can be understood, especially as we grow older and hopefully wiser.

I have often wondered where I am on that imaginary line between good and bad, understanding perhaps the need to make changes to the choices I had made, to alter my trajectory in order to balance my life and fine-tune my desire toward good works and forsake those actions that are questionable or not definable as good.

Most of us, I believe pursue a similar path, knowing that what we do, influences those around us. We want our children to do better. We want our houses to look nice, be safe and create a life that we are proud of, as opposed to the opposite of simply living and letting the chips fall where they may.

But, choosing to be good is not as easy as it sounds.  

If there is evil in the world, then how do we combat that evil? If evil is the absence of good, then all we need to do is to do more good. Again, not so easy perhaps, especially in today’s environment where we are surrounded by not-so-good individuals, companies, and governments who seem to go out of their way to do us harm.

Marginal living is the practice of existing on the fence between good and evil, freely stepping from one side to the other, as it pleases us to do so. We are then not good, nor are we evil, just existing on the plane between, rationalizing our existence in order to maintain our manufactured opinion of ourselves.  

These are the people who close their blinds in the face of evil but do not engage against that evil. It is those who step over or go around avoiding the problem before them. We have all done this; I have done this, and I am ashamed to admit it, but I will probably do it again, being fearful of the situation, my age, or my lack of patients or ability to help as I rationalize my way through this life.

The question of what is good needs to be answered.

Good is:

Adjective:

 to be desired or approved of.
“a good quality of life”

 having the qualities required for a particular role.
“The schools here are good”

Noun:

that which is morally right; righteousness.

“a mysterious balance of good and evil”

benefit or advantage to someone or something.

“he convinces his father to use his genius for the good of mankind”

In relation to this discussion, the noun is perhaps the best qualifier of what we should try to emulate, That which is morally right; righteousness.  

I fully understand the difficulties of pursuing a life of righteousness, having faltered so often I cannot recall those instances, and gratefully so, but I am convinced that, starting now, we can change our lives, we can adopt and new foundation and pursue that which is good, for the benefit of others and ourselves.  

If we do not make those changes, Evil will prevail. The quotes below are attributed to Edmund Burke, but as far as I can tell only the second one is his. They both, however, contribute to this discussion and our need to be actively engaged in good works.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,”

 “When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.”

 “men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; “For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves.(D&C 58:27–28.)

We are free agents and can choose for ourselves. I think it’s time for all of us to choose more carefully who we associate with, who we emulate, and understand that our choices have consequences. We cannot manage the affairs of others, but we can manage our own affairs, hoping what we choose to do will create a better future.

Living in a Reflection

Reflections

Everywhere we looked, it looked hot.  The hills were shimmering from the heat, rippling as the waves of never-ending calefaction animated the boulders and sand into gooey, agitated shapes.  What you thought you were seeing was manipulated and transformed, an ever-changing landscape of intensity from the relentless and all-consuming fever of nature.  In other words, it was HOT.  115 degrees, stifling and deadly.

Our car was cool, unaffected by the intensity of the desert conditions, but our view from our comfortable automobile was not.  My wife was driving, we had just left Las Vegas, and the road ahead was vacillating from the waves of persistent, unabated heat.

Our view of life is also affected by the heat of this world, our life’s view is often just a reflection of the reality all around us.  

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting: 

The soul that rises with us, our life’s Star, 

Hath had elsewhere its setting, And cometh from afar: 

Not in entire forgetfulness, And not in utter nakedness, 

But trailing clouds of glory do we come 

From God, who is our home

William Wordsworth 

Even when the weather is not oppressively hot our views, our perspectives of our surroundings are altered and diffused from the reality of clarity, leaving us with the task of interpreting what we see.

We are all manipulated, influenced, exploited, and even choreographed into thinking, feeling, or being something other than what we are meant to be. Wordsworth may have been right, but that search for clarity is up to all of us to ascertain.  

Clarity is an interesting concept, especially when it entails the human mind or even the very soul of man.  We are often told that each of our realities is different, based on our perceptions, our experiences, and our motivations, but we all live here, on this earth, on this spinning ball, hurling through space at 67,000 miles per hour. In addition, our solar system—Earth, whirls around the center of our galaxy at some 490,000 miles per hour. Scientific American.

It is hard to get a clear picture of anything at those speeds, but we seem to prevail, occasionally when our focus is balanced with a dose of inspiration and motivation; we achieve at seeing what should be seen and establish a foundational view, a platform to build upon and to expand our understanding of what truth is and what life is all about.

But those foundations are being toppled, our history destroyed and our young are being sacrificed to the gods of chaos and frivolity.

There are a few truths that I have learned that when understood (as well as any of us can truly understand) will bring clarity to this chaotic world.  Chaos today seems to be the norm, let me explain:

1. Only Black Lives Matter.
2. Abortion should be a right.
3. Free speech is only for those who deserve it.
4. Gender is fluid.
5. Men can give birth.
6. Freedoms for some, but not others.
7. Climate Change.
8. Men’s rights over Woman’s rights (see #4)
9. Biological men competing in girl’s sports
10. If you have a #10 let me know….

We are being lied to, manipulated to accept the shimmering waves of reflections over the clarity of our existence.

One good example is the rapid increase of young women who are seeing gender reassignment from “gender dysphoria”. I put that into quotes because of the factual and historical definition of gender dysphoria that dealt primarily with young boys and men.

Over the last decade, there has been a demographic jump from the early onset of gender dysphoria in boys, sometimes continuing into adulthood, to young adolescent girls, that writer Abigail Shrier describes in her book Irreversible Damage, she explains, in detail the surging epidemic of young girls with no childhood history or historical demographic of a predisposition to dysphoria, to becoming the leading demographic of dysphoric individuals today. From a historical male-only issue, with young girls’ statistical ratio of near zero instances to a 4000% increase in ten years, she has described this phenomenon as a social epidemic.  

This current condition is exacerbated by the new wave of affirmative care, which simply agrees with the young girls’ current view of themselves and quickly affirms her feelings by supporting her desire to change her gender.  Very little if any true psychological therapy, no medical oversight into the risks, the issues, or the long-term hazards of the proposed drugs.  Simply put, the young female voices her desire to become a male, and everyone around her wiskes her into the loving arms of those that will change her life forever. 

On the other side of this issue are the men and boys who want to become women.  The current laws in many states make it possible for boys and men to compete with girls in sports, use their bathrooms, and share their showers.  

California is either looking at or has supported the desire of male prison inmates to transfer to female prisons and jails simply by announcing their preferred gender of female.

This is INSANE. 

With the current inflationary cycle, the wars around the world, mass immigration, political discord, fires, and starvation and death the world is in a constant state of Chaos.

I choose not to participate.  I choose clarity.  I choose my family, I choose my wife, and most importantly, I choose my God…Not the god of chaos, not the demonic god of confusion or lust, power, politics, and not the god of pleasure, but the God of Mercy, forgiveness, order, clarity, and humility, knowing that only through God will I be able to find my way home.

You May Want to Change

Change is good

I don’t think I have to quote statistics or site-specific studies in relation to how happiness is created rather than purchased.  “The Happiest People don’t have the best of everything, They just MAKE the best of everything.”  I’m not even sure who coined that phrase, but it was sent to me by my wife, who has lived her life, Making the best of Everything.  

There really is a simple answer to all of our current problems,  do you want to guess what that answer would be?  Here is a hint, it’s written above in bold/ Italicized words, but if you need a clearer understanding of what I am trying to get at, let me repeat myself.  “The Happiest People don’t have the best of everything, They just MAKE the best of everything.”

There is obviously some debate regarding what is happiness but, the general rule is contentment, cheery and joyful.  Being content with your surroundings, your life, your station.  This is not to suggest that being content means not wanting to improve, but it’s understanding that we can be content while striving to improve or expand, or alter our lives.  Perhaps it’s like having a job, being grateful for your employment, thinking positively about your job, but also realizing that you can do better.  

Instead of going to work each day and grumbling or complaining about your current situation, you smile, are cheerful, and try to seek the positives of this aspect of your life, grateful for the opportunity that you have to work, earn and have the freedom to do so.

For those who are not naturally happy, this process can be difficult.  We often follow a pattern of behavior that prompts us to act in accordance with how we have acted in the past.   Old habits are hard to overcome.  Or, it’s hard to train an old dog new tricks, but when you think about it, most of us can learn and expand, regardless of our decisions, patterns, or current mindset.

As we strive to change our behaviors and accept the reality that, happiness is our goal, we will eventually become what we practice.  I think most of us agree with this, and understand the value of acting toward a given goal, and in this case happiness.

I can hear the naysayers now:  but our economy is so bad, gas prices are so high, our politicians are this or the government is that etc…etc…etc…we can always find much more wrong with our lives if we choose to focus on those negative and harmful emotions.

The opposite is also true.  If we focus on the good, the wholesome, the kind, and the beautiful, we can develop new engrams into our thought processes, and in so doing, develop new attitudes of positivity that supersede the old ways of negativity, that used to cloud our judgments, alter our emotions and disturb our peace of mind.  

One good example from my life comes from a recent condition that forced me to adopt the above process literally. I developed a blood clot in my right leg; the pain was excruciating and debilitating. I was told I needed surgery ASAP but didn’t like how the doctor was trying to push me into that surgery. I eventually went to the emergency room, and they checked me into the hospital for three days and two sleepless nights. Not my favorite place to be.

The good news, however, was that I could see different doctors, that agreed that surgery was not warranted, but I had to start walking. I had to walk through the pain and force my veins to reroute my blood flow away from the clot, that was 100% blocked.

At first, I could only take a few steps before the pain stopped me from moving, but every day I walked longer and every day I improved. I am now walking about three miles a day and the pain is lessened considerably. We can all change, and we can all improve our lives.

The simplicity of this suggestion is universally available to everyone who wants to live a happier and more fulfilling life; they only have to want it, and live in accordance with that principle.  

My best advice is to try it.  You can start now.  No training is needed, no education is required, just you and your mind deciding to want to live a happier life, regardless of your current situation, despite your surroundings, your income, or lack of, your marriage, or lack of, relationships, your skin color, your background, your mistakes…Do I really have to spell it out here?

Even if you’re in the most dire of situations, a prisoner or in prison you can decide right now to look at life as a positive and not a negative and begin to reap the benefits of this new you, this changed person, who now looks at this life as the gift that it is.  

I beg you to try, what have you got to lose?  I mean, really what do you have to lose?

There is no better time than now, this weekend is perfect, and we are celebrating Memorial day.  On this day we honor our fallen soldiers who gave their lives for us.  We show gratitude for their efforts to keep us free and safe.

Of course, there are those who only use this day as a day off or even those who feel anger or shame about our country’s role in these “unjust wars or conflicts”, but let’s leave the negativity behind us this weekend and be grateful for those who died.  They may not have understood the politics or the reasons why they fought but they did and we should HONOR them for their SACRIFICES.

What better day or time is there to think of HAPPINESS than this Memorial Day, 2022.  We can all use a bit more happiness, don’t you think?

Democracy? I don’t think so.

TYRANNY

When you think about life, your life, or the life of others, we all really want, pretty much, the same things.

Black or White, Asian or Latino, we are all the same.  The problems arise when one group of individuals what’s to take from you and keep it for themselves. 

Governments, Political leaders and Parties, Democrats or Republicans, kings, despots, local taxes, state taxes, or however you want to dissect the many issues that plague our lives, they all come down to individuals working together to take from others, so they can enrich their lives, their influence to control and enslave those who are less able to defend themselves.

Regardless of the past atrocities by men toward other men and women, groups, beliefs, or skin color, we are all the same.

Like most of you, I have no desire to control another, force another or even influence another to do as I say.  I will admit that I am in favor of teaching the truth, searching for the truth, and attempting to live by what I believe, but I also understand that even though what I believe is life-changing for me, it may not be to others, so be it.

The beauty of this life is in the choice we enjoy choosing and decide for ourselves.  Those choices cannot and should not be forced, mandated, or limited by those in power, especially when they fail to follow those mandates that they have demanded from us.

Your politics and our choices are yours to make, as mine are as well, but when your choices infringe upon my choices, then one of us has moved beyond the principle of example and has adopted the idea of force. Those that use force to muscle or constrain others to their will, are not interested in your willingness to follow or not, you will comply to their will or may die, depending on how much power they have over you.

I am willing to let others live any way they desire, but on that path, when I do, the response has inevitably been to force me to comply with their choices in such a manner that I am forced to agree with their choices, not just letting them make their choices.  I am forced to be complicit and agreeable with them and their choices and their lifestyles, even if I am not.

Abortion is one of those issues.  The mandated use of pronouns in another.  Racial tensions are another.  The political decisions of the left scare me and the changes they want for this country scare me.  Men being allowed to compete in girls’ sports?  Men giving birth?  Radical abortion laws?  

Like I said above, you can be or do whatever makes you happy.  If you want to act like a woman and even surgically alter your body to conform to that desire, by all means, have at it, but when your choices affect my choices, then that becomes a group of individuals working together to take advantage of other individuals, like myself, with the general motivation to force me and others to comply to your choices.  

THAT IS SIMPLY WRONG AND THAT IS THE DEFINITION OF TYRANNY.  

Wouldn’t you agree?

Power

The Power of Politics

In our fractured society, there is nothing more divisive than opposing political views, especially when those views are politically motivated.

Some believe that “Politics is everything, and everything is political.”  

The definition of politics is:  the activities associated with the governance of a country or other area, especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power.

The above definition, taken from a simple Google Search, seems to agree with the variation of multiple individuals regarding politics.  It has definitely moved beyond the simple aspects of …the activities associated with the governance of a country…

We can plainly see how the idea of …Achieving Power…  comes into play.

But through the efforts to achieve power, there has developed an almost incongruent defiance toward Common Sense that defies logic, and promotes a ridiculousness never before exhibited.

How irrational will a power thirsty individual go to create a web of deceit, or lies, to achieve their goal?  And, when combined with a group dynamic, that desire for power can be transferred to those who gain very little actual power, but fall for the specter of association, grasping onto the tendrils of hope to buoy their unrelenting lust, not for power but to be on the side that ultimately wins.

There are two sides in this conflict and both have their issues with the truth, and common sense, but if you will indulge me, I will focus on the most egregious of examples to illustrate my point.

Keep in mind that the focus of this discussion is to analyze the decisions towards power that fall the furthest from Common Sense and Logic.

As a note of thanks, I have taken these points from Dennis Preager, who is to me, one of the most consistent and logical thinkers of our Day.

1.  Men can give birth.  This is absurd on its face.  The words are completely illogical and have been since the dawn of man, or woman, don’t want to make any enemies here.  Need I go into the biological basics of life itself?

One thing to think about if you’re unsure regarding this topic.  After you die and someone, anyone, finds your bones, they will only be able to determine your sex as a male or female, based on your bones.  No one will be able to tell if your Sis-Gender or your Bi-status or any of the other self proclaiming dysphoric ideas you wish to engage in during life.  

2. Biological men competing against women.  The idea of men competing in women’s sports defies any explanation, especially if you’re a woman vying for that top prize, only to see it slip away because a young man decided to become a “woman” so they could compete against less muscular, with less bone density, women who are smaller, but who have trained just as hard, shown the same devotion and dedication as their male counterparts.  

There is a reason why they call it “Women’s Sports”, Men are not allowed to compete, even those who simply decide that they would rather be a woman in name only.  Despicable, cowardice and politically motivated, as the definition for power stated above outlines.

3. Defunding the police.  The cries for defunding the police was not motivated to improve policing of our cities or assist in controlling the rising crime rate.   It was a political move by a few to gain power over the many, so the few could control our lives through fear, and intimidation.  I have no issues with improving our police efforts, the organizations and the practices but the notion of “Defunding” with the end goal of improvement flies in the face of logic and common sense.

4. Free speech does not allow for hate speech.  We all know the drill.  We walk into a store or answer an ad online for this free event, or product;  we know, but we fall into their trap, forgetting that FREE is very often very costley.  If something, anything is Free, then it is a safe bet that there is no cost, no obligation, no need to pay up front for the privilege.  Free is Free, and like Free Speech, it can not be free when there are conditions, options for some and not others, regulations etc…   simply stated, why is one opinion held up, while others are not?  Even if we have definitive and concrete facts, does not the dissenting opinion matter, should it be allowed to exist?  I say yes.  Remember, who benefits from one position over another?  Is not Politics at play here as well?

Here are a few more topics to consider.  Race matters, really, does it?  

Diversity is strength, I thought strength comes from working together, not through the politically motivated idea that diversity alone will raise your game. 

You’re not Human until you are born, but even now there are strong indications that abortions after birth have been performed and are becoming more common.  Makes you wonder if Margurets Sanger is still in charge of Planned Parenthood, (just another oxymoronic title that defies the logic of what really happens behind their doors.  And last but but not a complete list is:

Capitalism is Evil.  Just in case you don’t know, There are advantages to Capitalism, not available in other forms of Governance.

1. Capitalism encourages innovation.  Because there is a need to compete to remain profitable, Capitalism is a system that encourages innovation like no other system of economics. 

2. It is a society that is based on the service of others.

3. Capitalism promotes equality.   We are all trying to buy and sell our products and services equally

4. It provides freedom. Freedom to choose for yourself and your family, more choices than any other system.

5. Capitalism promotes self-regulation. Businesses in a Capitalistic society only have power because consumers allow them to have it. If buyers are not interested in the goods or services that are offered by an organization, then that business will not continue to exist. This means businesses must create goods or services that are desired by the society and this helps to serve the needs of individuals and households.

6. It provides a wider range of products or services.  People have unique problems which must be solved. This wide array of needs allows for businesses to find a niche so they can exist. If there is value in the goods or services being offered, defined as being able to solve a problem, then it will continue to operate. 

7. There is an opportunity to be involved in governance.  Capitalism encourages people to get involved in all aspects of society to create the best possible outcome for themselves. That means it is a system that encourages people to be involved with their governance. From voting to serving on local boards to running for a national office, people get involved with government so they can create their preferred outcome.

Breeders Beware

I was always raised to stand up for good, to help those in need and to intervene if someone else is in trouble; I still believe in those principles.  As I get older how I pursue those guidelines have changed but my desire to do what is right is still intact, and I believe that most Americans still follow those guidelines or they think they do.

I don’t think this is a revelation to anyone, but we have become more hedonistic and less charitable.  I can hear the whispers of “NO Duh, are you just now finding this out Einstein?”

It may seem obvious to some, but the way many we look at life, religion, and each other has changed and those changes have been dramatic.  Just look at the changes in Social Media with the recent purchase of Twitter by Elon Musk, or the changes politically, that seem to happen every day.

One prime example is the current state of the “family” as defined in a traditional sense as being composed of one man, one woman, and their children.  It has to be understood, however, that there are variations to that traditional dynamic but they should be the exception and not the norm. 

I mean no disrespect for single mothers or fathers, for whatever the reasons that interrupted the union of two loving partners (as expressed above), but the ideal should be pursued and re-initialized as the optimum situation to raise children.  Life is not perfect, the people are not perfect, but regardless of these universal inconsistencies, following a proven principle increases our chances for success as humans.

In today’s world and specifically within the United States we are all faced with an increased skepticism that generally affects virtually every facet of our lives, and has had such a disruptive influence that once held patterns of behavior and long-standing beliefs have been discarded and replaced.

When I was newly married, my wife and I found a place to rent in what we thought was a quaint and quiet area called Hillcrest in San Diego.  The houses were older but stylish and we were lucky to find a 2 bedroom house with a fenced backyard for our two girls to play.

On a Sunday afternoon in 1984, (not related to the book, by George Orwell) after returning from our church services; we took our girls, put them into their strollers, and explored our new community.  We crossed one busy street and turned right onto 5th Avenue and were surprised by the huge gathering.

Thinking nothing of it, we continued south on 5th.  It was then that the whispers and not-so-subtle looks helped us to realize where we were.  

“Breeders”  The group closest to us could be heard, loudly whispering, but unmistakably making their point clear, we were not wanted here. 

We had walked right into the middle of the Hillcrest Gay Pride Parade; we walked a few more feet when we decided to leave and retreat back to your rented house.

Society, over the past two hundred years, has gone from a mostly agrarian to industrial and then scientific to what can now be described as a general mistrust of ideologies, and past norms.

Not only is the family in jeopardy, but the basic ideas of self are now being torn apart and discarded, not for something else, but for a cornucopia of choices that continue the chaotic spiral toward an unknown and undefinable conclusion.  

In 1984, my family was accosted and vilified, not for something we had done, but for something we had chosen to become.  A man and his wife and their two children were now the point of ridicule, hated for following what men and women had followed for thousands of years.  

Then it was the Gay Community, but now there are 72 pronouns and 78 genders.  

You can look them up and choose one for yourself.  I’m not trying to be rude or argumentative but logically speaking when an individual, for thousands of years, never had a choice regarding their “gender” and now has 78 different options to choose from then you have to think how that hedonistic pattern of life has affected not only the Family, but the individuals involved.  

Our society is less caring, and less giving, even though in the United States we give as much as most of the world combined.   We have become more selfish, less compassionate, and much more dysphoric about who we are,  and with those negative traits comes an altered state of consciousness, a more dysfunctional attitude toward life, beauty, and the future.  

My conclusion is that we are all a bit dysphoric, and as we accept the acute dysphoria of others as “normal” our combined behaviors become less defined, more confused, and more chaotic.  What is normal now is not what was normal in the past.  We need to once again, stand for good, believe in positive principles, and rebuild our morality until there is nothing left to believe in.

Only God Knows

Tags

Electricity, God, oil, politics, Religion, Science, truth

God Only Knows

Let us not be totally deluded about the hype we read in the news, what a friend of a friend says, or even what we think we hear or see.  Our ability to perceive the “truth” is contingent on the following:

Scientifically: 

Four factors determine the truthfulness of a theory or explanation: congruence, consistency, coherence, and usefulness. A true theory is congruent with our experience – meaning, it fits the facts. It is in principle falsifiable, but nothing falsifying it has been found.

Generally:

“All truth is God’s truth” is probably the most familiar and famous quote from St. Augustine (A.D. 354-430). Those five words express confidence in God, truth, the Bible, science and the ultimate alignment of all inquiry and discovery.

Religiously:

The Witness of truth from the Holy Ghost is available to all, everywhere, all around the globe. All who seek to know the truth, who study it out in their minds, ²⁷ and who “ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, [will know] the truth … by the power of the Holy Ghost.”

But, the above depends on which religious philosophy you pursue.  Some say that the truth is only found in the Bible, some say the Koran and others find other ways to express God’s will in helping us determine the truth.

I think we can all agree, at least to some extent, that “truth” is difficult to ascertain and harder to hold on too.  But one thing about truth should be understood, and that is that truth is the same, always.  There is no individual truth, no opinion based truth or situational process that changes the definition of what is true based on the perceived needs of an individual or group.

“Truth is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”  I am not sure who originated that particular statement but it was derived from  Hebrews 13:8  “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Our God is immutable; that is, He is unchanging”.

Logically then, If Jesus Christ is unchanging throughout history and He is the originator of TRUTH, then we can extrapolate that truth is also unchanging.

Here is the problem:  

God and his Son, Jesus Christ are as one and they are immutable, but we are not.  We look and see, watch and perceive, think and theorize our way to the truth, with only marginal success in that pursuit.  We are getting better, or so it seems.

From a religious perspective those truths from God and his Son are misinterpreted, maligned and often ignored, altogether, leaving us scratching our heads and arguing and fighting about what is right, what is wrong, and who said what and in what context it was said.  

Politics in general is the process of trying to convince the most that your message, your ideology should be preferred over what the other side is saying.  And then you have those who purposely manipulate the facts and evidence in order to alter the truth, for their own designs, very rarely helpful.

Then you have the problem of trying to determine the truth by those who reject the idea that God exists and that all truth comes from God, leaving them with the task of searching for truths on their own.  Keep in mind that they are not bothered by this dilemma, they see no problem, they have no belief and therefore do not utilize that connection.

Here is a question:

Are their truths that have been discovered that fit the religious definition of unchanging, that also fit within the Scientific or General definitions of truth?   

2+2=4 may be considered an unchanging truth, but it is only a miniscule portion of a greater mathematical truth, still being uncovered and refined.  Mathematicians, please chime in?

In Conclusion:

I started this blog over a simple question I read from a post regarding the environmental impact of Electric cars over those powered by oil.  I have read positives about both and negatives about both, leading me to once again write about “truth” and how to find it, how to replicate.  I am no closer now to the truth of oil vs electric but I think I understand if there is truth, immutable truth, it has to come from beyond our abilities to ascertain and understand.  

For me, God is essential to that search. But, that’s me, if you have other ideas, or methods to help in discovering the truths of this world, and hopefully beyond, I’m listening…