G-d causes Life. (Like the chosen people of G-d, I am now seeing how any human word for
G-d limits the understanding of our Creator) Humans are life's crown. Evil soils life.
G-d has the final burden for evil. At the beginning, we humans were not created as puppets. G-d made us so we were able to oppose the will of G-d, if we desired. If this was not so, why did G-d command them not to eat of the tree? At that moment, they were not sinful people. They had a clear choice before them, but with no clear consequences. In that world choices counted. The divine-human relationship had not been mapped out by G-d. The first humans enjoyed a special freedom!
Evil destroyed that freedom. Today, humans are still searching for the lost freedom of walking daily with G-d in the Garden of life. What is this thing we call evil? It is anything that destroys our innocent connection with G-d. The story of the Garden is the classic explanation.
The earliest account tells of two supernatural trees in Eden, the Garden of G-d, the tree of life and a tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We humans were forbidden on pain of death to eat of the special trees. The reason seems to be G-d's concern that we would gain knowledge of good and evil. This would make us more like G-d. Maybe, with this knowledge we might could even threaten G-d's design for Creation. So we had to be removed from any access to the tree of life. With it our new position would be a permanent threat to the designed order of things.
Some say that the evil force there was the serpent or demon. They say he deliberately lied to lead them astray and they were helpless to his cunning ways. Many like that approach, because it makes us victims and not responsible for our fallen condition. I think this is an intellectual cop out and a cowards approach to G-d in regards to our sin.
That old serpent was hostile to G-d, and wanted the humans to know a truth about the trees, so they could be like G-d. Evil takes place when we desire to open our eyes and see what G-d sees, just to benefit ourselves. With opened eyes we see things differently from a theological perspective.
But like the first couple we soon realize that once we must decide for ourselves what is in our best own interest, things look rather different. On our own, we see the world entirely through our own eyes. We now only live out of our own resources.
Real evil is our trying to be G-d for ourselves. The primal sin is defined as mistrust of G-d and G-d's word. This is seen in human disobedience and our blaming others for our own bad actions. Evil is not our being victims in the state of sin. Our condition is merely the consequences of evil, which is our wanting to be G-d. As G-d we will know what is best for everyone. We will have final say so in every matter. Our way will be the right and only way. Evil is ambitious. In the world evil drives us to seek and grab power now.
A story: A person thought of running for mayor of a big city. If elected, they wanted to be the best mayor ever. But they knew that would not be enough. They would need to be Governor. Not just Governor, but the best one ever. No, it still would not be enough. President would be next, and the best one ever! No, wait their sights must be set on being a world leader, the best ever. Still, this was not enough. They must become the greatest person in all history and change all humanity. Then it suddenly hit this person. They were wanting to be the Christ, G-d incarnate!
End of story? The person chose to follow G-d, rather than compete with G-d. Like the humans in the beginning he was free to decide either to walk with G-d or not. They chose the walk, and the struggle that accompanies that freedom.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Survival of Everyday men and Women
Title: The everyday men and women of the world and how they survive
Regardless of your religion, nationality, race, gender most of us live in a real world unlike what we hear from our religious leaders, our politicians, and yes, our TV and internet connections. And over a hundred years ago, Edwin Markum wrote a poem that vividly captures the real world of the everyday men and women, It was titled “The Man with the Hoe.” Here it is:
“Bowed by the weight of centuries he leans
Upon his hoe and gazes on the ground,
The emptiness of ages in his face,
And on his back the burden of the world.”
That burden is still there and it always will be. The everyday men and women of the world still are the foundation of all that takes place on this planet. Most of the everyday men and women handle this burden with great pride in what part they must play in keeping this old world moving and spinning ahead. Pride in what I do and who I am has been the backbone of all great civilizations.
But the sad thing for me is how many of the everyday men and women are now handling the burden of the world on their shoulders. They no longer see the pride in carrying that burden. Instead it is a depressing position, not one of pride. These men and women wrap their burden in things like depression, alcohol, or drugs. And in the new electronic era many are wrapping themselves up in the internet and twitter world to escape the reality of their true burden in life - the world.
To rid ourselves of “the emptiness of ages” we take the advice of others and wrap ourselves in every new medication that is designed and promises to free of us of our burden and enclose our lives in impenetrable stupors. We even believe them when they assure us we are “victims” of something greater than ourselves. And we happily line up like sheep, passively leaning on our hoes gazing on the ground with almost empty blank faces because we believe we only carry these burdens as a result of the actions of others.
But is the man with the hoe a victim filled with despair? Not the way I read the poem.
“Bowed by the weight of centuries” recognizes we are all components (large and small) of a long history of hardworking peoples. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our ancestors and our children and their children’s children. How can we be depressed or feel like victims if we ourselves as reflections of others in this long line in history? We are proud members of the human race!
“Gazing on the ground” tells me that this man, like myself and millions of others, is a man who contemplates life. In the earth he sees his survival in the fruits of his labor. He does see dirt, he sees earth that sustains life. As I gaze into my world I see it is as a place that allows me freedom to survive and enjoy the fruits of my labors, no matter how limited they may be.
“The emptiness of ages in his face” illustrates to me that he is a man of peace, who does not need to escape reality with depression brought on by loneliness. He does not need a drug legal or illegal to anesthetize him from his reality. He knows life is what life is going to be. None of us were promised a rose garden, only a chance to smell the flowers we have planted and nurtured.
“On his back the burden of the world” lets us know he shares this planet and life with others. Therefore he will never be alone in this life. Depression will never visit this man. This man is not a victim. The everyday man with the hoe is part of something beyond his vision and comprehension, but his faith in the greater truth sustains him every day of his life.
Oh, the burden of life is always there. What can we do about it? Accept it as the normal terrain of life. Hold any judgements of it being good or bad. Simply approach it as a garden you must work in side by side with others. Escaping life is a futile folly because there is nothing to escape to or from in life. Our lives are where we find ourselves at birth and on each day as it unfolds as a chapter in the story of our individual lives.
Burdens are not negative, they are the exciting purpose of our lives. They are unique to us and ours to savor and enjoy as we enjoy all the facets of life. Wishing I had another person’s burden and escaping into a fantasy is nonproductive and never removes the actual burden of my life.
The man with the hoe knows that things like depression, alcoholism, drugs, and any means of escaping his burden are for men and women who have never actually stopped and leaned on their hoes to gaze at the soil they have worked and think upon the other men and women, who have shared their burdens. These poor souls see themselves as unique and victims of something greater.
The man with the hoe does not see life the way they do. The man with the hoe sees that he is part of the ages and stands shoulder to shoulder with the everyday men and women of the world and he is proud of it. Lean on your hoe and gaze upon what your toil has produced and remember it is a small part of a greater story. This where true peace is found.
Regardless of your religion, nationality, race, gender most of us live in a real world unlike what we hear from our religious leaders, our politicians, and yes, our TV and internet connections. And over a hundred years ago, Edwin Markum wrote a poem that vividly captures the real world of the everyday men and women, It was titled “The Man with the Hoe.” Here it is:
“Bowed by the weight of centuries he leans
Upon his hoe and gazes on the ground,
The emptiness of ages in his face,
And on his back the burden of the world.”
That burden is still there and it always will be. The everyday men and women of the world still are the foundation of all that takes place on this planet. Most of the everyday men and women handle this burden with great pride in what part they must play in keeping this old world moving and spinning ahead. Pride in what I do and who I am has been the backbone of all great civilizations.
But the sad thing for me is how many of the everyday men and women are now handling the burden of the world on their shoulders. They no longer see the pride in carrying that burden. Instead it is a depressing position, not one of pride. These men and women wrap their burden in things like depression, alcohol, or drugs. And in the new electronic era many are wrapping themselves up in the internet and twitter world to escape the reality of their true burden in life - the world.
To rid ourselves of “the emptiness of ages” we take the advice of others and wrap ourselves in every new medication that is designed and promises to free of us of our burden and enclose our lives in impenetrable stupors. We even believe them when they assure us we are “victims” of something greater than ourselves. And we happily line up like sheep, passively leaning on our hoes gazing on the ground with almost empty blank faces because we believe we only carry these burdens as a result of the actions of others.
But is the man with the hoe a victim filled with despair? Not the way I read the poem.
“Bowed by the weight of centuries” recognizes we are all components (large and small) of a long history of hardworking peoples. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our ancestors and our children and their children’s children. How can we be depressed or feel like victims if we ourselves as reflections of others in this long line in history? We are proud members of the human race!
“Gazing on the ground” tells me that this man, like myself and millions of others, is a man who contemplates life. In the earth he sees his survival in the fruits of his labor. He does see dirt, he sees earth that sustains life. As I gaze into my world I see it is as a place that allows me freedom to survive and enjoy the fruits of my labors, no matter how limited they may be.
“The emptiness of ages in his face” illustrates to me that he is a man of peace, who does not need to escape reality with depression brought on by loneliness. He does not need a drug legal or illegal to anesthetize him from his reality. He knows life is what life is going to be. None of us were promised a rose garden, only a chance to smell the flowers we have planted and nurtured.
“On his back the burden of the world” lets us know he shares this planet and life with others. Therefore he will never be alone in this life. Depression will never visit this man. This man is not a victim. The everyday man with the hoe is part of something beyond his vision and comprehension, but his faith in the greater truth sustains him every day of his life.
Oh, the burden of life is always there. What can we do about it? Accept it as the normal terrain of life. Hold any judgements of it being good or bad. Simply approach it as a garden you must work in side by side with others. Escaping life is a futile folly because there is nothing to escape to or from in life. Our lives are where we find ourselves at birth and on each day as it unfolds as a chapter in the story of our individual lives.
Burdens are not negative, they are the exciting purpose of our lives. They are unique to us and ours to savor and enjoy as we enjoy all the facets of life. Wishing I had another person’s burden and escaping into a fantasy is nonproductive and never removes the actual burden of my life.
The man with the hoe knows that things like depression, alcoholism, drugs, and any means of escaping his burden are for men and women who have never actually stopped and leaned on their hoes to gaze at the soil they have worked and think upon the other men and women, who have shared their burdens. These poor souls see themselves as unique and victims of something greater.
The man with the hoe does not see life the way they do. The man with the hoe sees that he is part of the ages and stands shoulder to shoulder with the everyday men and women of the world and he is proud of it. Lean on your hoe and gaze upon what your toil has produced and remember it is a small part of a greater story. This where true peace is found.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Cain, Bloomberg and others New Founding Fathers?
Is it time for The USA to find a new set of Founding Fathers?
The original set of Founding Fathers established a Republic based on a democracy that protected the entire citizenry against leadership that lived off the government. They feared that the heavy hand of the Lords and Earls of King George’s court could be replicated in this new nation if they didn’t take strong constitutional action to prevent it.
Escaping the yoke of royalty that lived off of income provided by the taxes imposed on the citizenry was a primary goal of most of the colonist. The same colonist that provided us those brave and insightful first Founding Fathers.
What was the profile of the first leaders who laid the foundation of our great nation that lasted nearly two hundred years? First there were no career politicians. There were none who were seeking positions of leadership that would set them financially for life. They were leaders from a wide variety of backgrounds, who sought to gather and do what was best for the citizenry as a whole. They had no special interest groups padding their pockets to buy their votes. They did not deem it necessary to give up their lives and businesses back home, because service to their country was temporary, not a whole new career. George Washington demonstrated that when he refused to serve more than two terms in office. He feared that any longer term of service might develop the greedy mentality of the Lords and Earls of King George’s court.
So how did it turn out? We don’t call them Lords and Earls. No, we call them representatives and Senators. We see them as career politicians, who live fully off of income provided by the taxes imposed on the citizenry. It looks as if, in the long run, it isn’t turning out so well. We are right back where we didn’t want to be in this new land of individual opportunity and freedom.
What now?
It is time for a new set of Founding Fathers. The Mayans believe the world calendar will reset in 2012 and a new era will begin. I think they are correct and we should reset our nation back to what the Founding Fathers intended.
How to do it?
The solution is ever so simple. We need only follow their example. In the 2012 election let us send leaders from our communities and businesses on temporary assignments in our governing bodies. Let us make sure there are no career politicians among them. Let us make sure there are none with ties to special interest groups that are padding their pockets. Let us make sure they all understand it is a temporary thing and we wish that they follow the lead of George Washington and serve no more than two terms.
If we don’t pry the reins of government from the hands of career politicians and self-serving greedy beings looking for a lifetime of income, this great nation is set to fail in a catastrophic way.
It thrills me when I see some new Founding fathers emerging from the business communities. Look what Bloomberg has done in New York. Maybe it is time to give the men like Herbert Cain, Donald Trump, and a hundred others an opportunity to reset our great nation, so we are once again what the original Founding father’s intended.
Let us have new Revolutionary War, but instead of bullets let us use ballots.
The original set of Founding Fathers established a Republic based on a democracy that protected the entire citizenry against leadership that lived off the government. They feared that the heavy hand of the Lords and Earls of King George’s court could be replicated in this new nation if they didn’t take strong constitutional action to prevent it.
Escaping the yoke of royalty that lived off of income provided by the taxes imposed on the citizenry was a primary goal of most of the colonist. The same colonist that provided us those brave and insightful first Founding Fathers.
What was the profile of the first leaders who laid the foundation of our great nation that lasted nearly two hundred years? First there were no career politicians. There were none who were seeking positions of leadership that would set them financially for life. They were leaders from a wide variety of backgrounds, who sought to gather and do what was best for the citizenry as a whole. They had no special interest groups padding their pockets to buy their votes. They did not deem it necessary to give up their lives and businesses back home, because service to their country was temporary, not a whole new career. George Washington demonstrated that when he refused to serve more than two terms in office. He feared that any longer term of service might develop the greedy mentality of the Lords and Earls of King George’s court.
So how did it turn out? We don’t call them Lords and Earls. No, we call them representatives and Senators. We see them as career politicians, who live fully off of income provided by the taxes imposed on the citizenry. It looks as if, in the long run, it isn’t turning out so well. We are right back where we didn’t want to be in this new land of individual opportunity and freedom.
What now?
It is time for a new set of Founding Fathers. The Mayans believe the world calendar will reset in 2012 and a new era will begin. I think they are correct and we should reset our nation back to what the Founding Fathers intended.
How to do it?
The solution is ever so simple. We need only follow their example. In the 2012 election let us send leaders from our communities and businesses on temporary assignments in our governing bodies. Let us make sure there are no career politicians among them. Let us make sure there are none with ties to special interest groups that are padding their pockets. Let us make sure they all understand it is a temporary thing and we wish that they follow the lead of George Washington and serve no more than two terms.
If we don’t pry the reins of government from the hands of career politicians and self-serving greedy beings looking for a lifetime of income, this great nation is set to fail in a catastrophic way.
It thrills me when I see some new Founding fathers emerging from the business communities. Look what Bloomberg has done in New York. Maybe it is time to give the men like Herbert Cain, Donald Trump, and a hundred others an opportunity to reset our great nation, so we are once again what the original Founding father’s intended.
Let us have new Revolutionary War, but instead of bullets let us use ballots.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Crisis Management The World Needs
The Chinese word for crisis combines the symbols for danger plus opportunity. For decades this nation has been in one crisis or another. Politicians, preachers, news people, and other public person are always declaring, The sky is falling_ The sky is falling_ Run for cover__ Danger seems to be every where.
First it was the big war in Europe. Then the Atomic age_ The Evil Empire of Communism_ Global Warming_ Bigotry_ Zero Population_ Dictators_ The Far Left_ The Far Right_ The Indifferent Middle_ Danger every where_ The world and this nation are going to hell in a hand basket_
Could we please do something different this time? Let us assume the dangers are self evident and focus on the opportunity side of each crisis faced. Aunt Mary taught me long ago that every girl has some nice or unique qualities. I also learned it was true about the boys. If I know another's strengths and good points, I know what opportunities we can have together.
Relationships are meant to be constructive not destructive. The same is true when viewing communities, nations and planets_ Perhaps it might be more beneficial, if we approach a crisis with the intent of discovering more opportunities than dangers? The old sayings carry a lot of truth. _You can get more flies with honey than vinegar._ or _The glass is half full not half empty._
Would this approach work at local levels in our society? Can we focus on opportunities in a crisis, rather than danger? If so, how? We know what is wrong. What about what is right? Local communities, already know the dangers of one particular crisis. That being the growing crisis of the poor. Amongst the poor education levels have diminished to near extinction; jobs and career opportunities have all but vanished; crime and gangs have become the norm; welfare has become a demanded right and a way of life; families with two parents are an exception rather than a rule; and the pride of a community has no clear focus. Yet every segment of society is affected in this crisis.
Initially in each community, gather a designated group of people under one roof. Then challenge, no, demand the group answer two questions: _What opportunities exist for our poor at this time?_ and _What opportunities may we have to create for them ourselves?_ Keep them assembled until they have listed and acknowledged actual opportunities apparent in the crisis of the poor today.
Who should be in the group? First, no elected officials. They have a mechanism to do all of this and they fail to ever use it properly. The group might be about thirty people from a variety of backgrounds and positions. Maybe a local federal judge; a local school superintendent; an unemployed single parent; an adult in a two parent home; a high school junior; a college senior; a tech school sophomore; a member of the local police and fire departments; a divorce lawyer; a criminal lawyer; an assistant district attorney; a fourth grade teacher; a high school teacher; a public housing resident; three clergy - fundamentalist, liberal, and moderate; a member of AA; a county prisoner convicted of robbery; a owner of a small business; presidents of three businesses - small, medium, and large; a doctor with a family practice; a hospital nurse; a food stamp counselor; a homeless person; a newspaper editor; and a TV reporter. A farmer or rancher would be a good chairperson.
Thirty people, vowing to enter a room together and not emerge until the opportunities available in the crisis amongst the poor are discovered. The resulting list of opportunities would be a social agenda and mandate for eliminating this crisis amongst the poor in our community. Opportunities would be provided for everyone, because everyone is involved. While the poor feel the biggest impact, we are all effected by their plight.
The list will provide signs of hope, not more warnings of danger. It produces something everyone enjoys, progress. Any win - win situation stimulates enthusiasm, cooperation as well as progress. Examinations of opportunities are much more productive than those that only look at dangers. In this up lifting approach, the dangers of the crisis are not ignored, they are simply treated as cautions.
Over fifty years ago, president Sukarno of Indonesia used this method to stabilize his nation. That small, but populated, nation still remains one of the few stable areas in the world. This approach is not limited to small or local communities. It is a perfect instrument for a nation in crisis. As a nation what would result if we addressed a budget deficit crisis with the same positive approach? We know the problems. Now we want them solved_
Crisis produces opportunity not just danger. Let us once again make this wonderful nation a land of opportunity seekers and not a brood of chicken littles_
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