My letter of explanation and intent/meaning.

**NOT a must read article**

the Rest is Mine, please read.

Actually, a little balanced, well written, article, for an “Atheist”. Comments section IS a good read, Spiritual folk more than hold their own. Thinking about getting in touch with one of them, a Reverend. “Sounds” Canadian, well spoken/honest/open.
Threw My penny-for-your-thought in. Makes ME Feel better.

“Atheist”, Suffer from an Impoverished Imagination, I Pity them that… Robbed, they were. And ‘most’ of the Noisy Ones, are Just as Incapable of Abstract Thought, as the REALLY Stupid, Other “Fundies” of ALL Stripes are. Haters. NOT my problem.
Lump’em all together.
My sin, I’m human too.

I AM NOT An ATHEIST!

“Agnostic” Ah, now There, is an interesting word. Human, Humble enough to Admit, that they don’t know the “Answer”, Smart enough, to Know that Something is up, So there Must be AN Answer. Usually balanced enough to explore without obsessing. Looking by their Own “lights”, Not Led by the Nose by some bureaucrat with his hand out. a seekers journey.

Any Intelligent Soul can take a REALLY Good Look at Nature, and See Humor There.
Humor takes Intelligence, Ergo there IS Intelligence in the Universe.
Any Observant Person, can See the Connections in Life, Ergo it is NOT a “Random” Universe.
Simplest one that fit’s. Occam’s Razor, I believe its called. It Really IS a small world, travel&talk, You’ll find out.

Theories&”Facts”, funny things, they ARE changeable. Most of the One’s WE were taught in school have been superseded, and Obsoleted. The ONLY Certain Thing in the Universe is CHANGE.

I am Not an agnostic, drilled down too tight from the start. Not my Choice. Never had a Chance.

I was Raised, to be Active in the “Church”, Grandpa Style, Steered&Groomed, to further the Gospel, Any way I could possibly. People had “Plans” for me. My family knows what happens when Somebody Tells Me I ‘Have” to do something. NOT the way to Motivate me.

I started “abstracting” “thought” a Bit before most, my curse, my blessing…

While most of you played ‘little league’ and ‘House’, I read the Bible through, 3 times. Ask my family what that means.

I have been Looking Forward with Joy to meeting my Maker Ever Since. QuestionsQuestionQuestions!!!
Sometimes in more of a hurry than not, sometimes too much so. I Still Am Looking Forward Even More Fondly NOW. Will Be WELCOME.
Lizette think’s a little Too fondly, too welcome.

I read my way through Grandpa&Grandma’s Library, the Church Library, the School’s Library’s, the Town’s Library, and was Started on the County’s Library’s. Pretty much had finished what was available of interest there by the time I was in High School.
Kept Going… Taken advantage of every chance to Learn that I could, as possible. When I Stop Learning, I’m dead&done.

I LOVE to Read!!! I LOVE to Learn!!! Thinking&Imagineering is Pretty Fun Too!=8^D
My Fondest Wish Always has been Time to Read Everything I wanted too, and More “Light” to go with it. Everything Else, is a Hobby.

It IS a Fascinating&WONDERFUL Universe. And Fun to Share. Wonderful “Things” are happening All the Time. Don’ get much Press.
ALL the “Answers” are already there.
FUD,(Fear, Uncertainy and Doubt), the Manipulators Friend, is What is Fed too People these Day’s. As Always, Truly looking at “history”, Fear ALWAYS motivates or Freezes, separates the Sheep from the Wolves that way. For the Feast.

Easier to pull the Con that way.

I Am totally on board with Jesus’s Message, near as I can make them out and Understand. Would Love to read Direct Aramaic.
I do have some perspective on Who he was aiming&shaping it at…

Have a little debate with him about the turn the other cheek thing. Nice idea, Lived it, Practiced it. Got to where I can REALLY take a punch!!!
NEVER had Anyone put out my lights! Tough Skull! Took a Moose at 57 mph. Didn’t knock me out. Did lizette, unfortunately.
Was great Training for working with Head-Injured patients too.
However I DO Dislike to Reward Bad Behaviour, And Bully’s get too much enjoyment out of causing Others Pain.
Will NOT put up with it Anymore. That goes for Bullying in ANY Form, from ANY one. ESPECIALLY Institutions!!!

I have Always Studied the Mystic’s, Who have “Direct” Experience with God. Go to the Source. Grandpa taught me that.

I have Always studied the Religions, MAN’s creation, Inspired by God. Mostly turned by man, to Control Society, NOT Nurture it.

I have Always studied the Church’s, Again, Man’s creation, Mostly Imperfect, Some Intending to Nuture Human Soul’s, some throw Nurturing the body in there, Actively, Not Just Talk. Some are Run by ConMen, Some by Saints, Some by MadMen. Some out of Sheer Agape. Like Those. Like the One’s who Build&Contribute to Community. Don’t Like the One’s Run on FUD, for CONTROL.
Detest Those.
Again, My sin, I’m human.
In General, a Good Thing, That sometimes goes Terribly Wrong. Just like Most Human Endeavours.
I served in the Coast Guard, with Congressman Leo Ryan’s Son. It’s a very small world.

I have Seen “Church’s&Religion’s do Terrible Things. Man’s work, Not God’s. Read History, or these days just All the “News”.

I saw a sign, When the Cheerleading for Iraq was Loudest, in front of my Family’s church, bout one of Imperial’s contributions to the Slaughter.
Said, “Marcus ******, GODS WARRIOR”
I felt like burning it, and the church Down.
Obscenity! FALSE Witness.
The “Church” had been USED to Propagate Propaganda!
Wasn’t, Isn’t, “God’s” War! All George and Friends. For Oil, Resources, CONTROL, of Other Peoples Land’s.
And keeping that Merican Military-Industrial complex Primed&Rich.

That’s “God’s” Work? Methinks you misread the book.

Mom,(E.J.) had the Best take on it I Ever Heard. She was a Wise Woman.

When I Expressed my offence of Hypocrisy of People claiming to be “Godly” at a young age, She Explained to me, That
“Church’s” were Hospitals for Sinners, Not Sanctuary’s for Saint’s… Best Analogy I have Heard Yet! And VERY Correct.

The more Extreme they are, the “Sicker” they are. Smart Lady.

So. My “Place of Worship” is Out in Nature, Alone with Open&Receiving Mind. I Try Really Hard, to be humble, life helps to keep me that way! I Share, the Wonder, with Others as I can. I Try to ACT, in my life, asking WWJD, WWGPD, and WWMD, My Leading Lights, Filter through That, what my Heart tells me, check head, act accordingly. Accept the Responsibility for MY Actions. Trying NOT to miss the mark.

And You Know What? Grandpa is Right With Me.

“Evangelism” bothers Me. Feel a Human, and a Religion, should live by Example, Not Talking someone else out of Their World Picture and Replacing it with Their Own. Rude.

The “Face” that Our Religion is SHOWING, Most Loudly, in Present Times, in the USA, is UGLY! HUBRIS. False Witness. Greed. TOTAL lack of Tolerance. Some Sick Sinners!!! Take a “Gut” check, and talk to some colleagues ELSEWHERE in the World.

Praying for Control? Greed
Praying for Judges to DIE. Now THAT I can relate to at the Moment. But NOT Act. But I Know what that is.
Praying Others Harm? Blasphemy. Serious Stuff.

Any Good Witch, can tell you Saying Things Three Times Constitutes a Spell, if directed at something. the Jews Agree.
That is Where they are Dabbling, in that “Prayer Warrior” Bunch. Are Ya’ll with’em? Hope Not. Why it OFFENDS me so much.

A Reality Check. My “Biggest” fear, has Always been to NOT Die with My Eyes Open. Answers Finally!!! Been Waiting Soooo Long.

Had a Chance to test that recently! 3 times.

Now, Once upon a time, I Studied, and fasted, and Meditated, Got my diet right…
Was Blessed to experience “Satori”, Oneness with the Universe, EveryThing in the Universe, is Going Exactly to Plan, You are Right where you need to be, even got a bit of “Out of Body” Experience, looked down on Myself, wandered a bit, Lovely Experience, and as ‘Real” as You could get, by My Perception.

the heart attack? barely hurt when I had it, No where NEAR what my spine does to me, just got short of breath. Little pain in left arm.
When in Hospital…

Each of the 3 Different times, the Heart Stopped.
It was like a switch was thrown.
Here Now.
Not.
Here Now.
Not
Here Now, looking at the doctor as he “Tested” whether I Really needed the Pacemaker’
Not…. Back.
Never Noticed!

Each time. No “Light”, No “Voice”, No Warning.

Very Disappointing! Hoping for Light on that one.

With My Love&My faith,
BP

“Here it tis, the MindMine that set me off! and my action. Read it,
INTERESTING comments

Hello Family, apologize for passing my Outrage along, But Y’all CAN Do
Something bout this…

Putting the X, in Xtianity, These People Have NOTHING to do with
Jesus, Other than Defaming his name… What’s the Deal, are Your
Churches pushing this FUD, (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt, the
Rebullican/Fascist Best Tool), Or Countering it???? These People are
PRAYING Others harm!!! They WILL Burn “Witches” if allowed the Oxygen,
(Media+Fools&Bigots+ those who Profit by it), to grow. Where is Jesus?
NOT With These Idiots. But then the Only “Houses of God” Making Noise
and Getting Oxygen in the Media are the One’s PUSHING it!!! I am
hearing tones of “subhuman”, and ANY Student of History KNOWS where
that leads.
Stand Up to these Impostors, and Get Religion Working for the
Well Being of Earth and the Residents of it… , ALL of them, It IS
Your Children’s, and Our ONLY Home. If You are in a RUSH to Join
Jesus, DO IT! Don’t try to drag the Rest of the World into Your
Dreams&Wishes, By Force! A Better Alternative is to Work to Get All
Humans the Chance of Their Dreams Too, Help make the World a Better
Place, And THEN Share Jesus’s Message GENTLY, With Some REAL Win/Win
DEED’s Behind You , Not Using the Message as a Club, backed by a
Physical one. That is EVIL. But then Our “Representative Government”
has been Doing a bit of that, without the “Church” making a peep,
Evidently bureaucrats of God, are not speaking with God. Or Even
listening. Any of You… ??? Love to hear your answer.
Prove me Wrong, Please.
BP

http://www.alternet.org/story/145796/heads_up:_prayer_warriors_and_sarah_palin_are_organizing_spiritual_warfare_to_take_over_america_?page=1

“This, is a beautiful piece of work, Just out, that Lay’s it Right
Down, it is Your Duty, as a Citizen, and a Human, to READ THIS. Share
This, Say’s it in Clear, Unambiguous terms. Please do read it,
Particularly the part analyzing Rebels and Why they DO. It Is already
started. Remember, Most of the USA Likes to think of themselves as
Rebels. NOW the rubber meets the road.

STUPID is gonna breakout Everywhere. Please Don’t join in on the
Stupid part, Your Children Will NEVER forgive YOU! My children already
have, for NOT bringing them Into this Mess, without getting Off My
Ass, to make it Right. Time IS short to steer Anything. Soon, Not A
Chance, do YOU want to be Accountable for THAT?
I Would Like to hear from the Folks who aspired to, Thought
about, Had, or Do have, a Flock, Do I Have to call you by Name? YOU
have a Responsibility! if your “Belief” is Strong, Your “Faith” Ought
to give you solid ground to stand on. Meet Me. Preferably Halfway, but
I’ll take Whatever You have the Courage to talk about. As You Know,
some things that Work at a Personal level, Don’t Work at a Societal
level. We Live in a DEMOCRACY. It’s NOT working Well at the Moment, it
WILL pass, with some tuning, Without… I Think Not. You Think You
Have a BETTER Alternative, Impress Me. Right NOW, all that IS showing
is a buncha whiners, getting Ready to take their Marbles Home, Don’t
think that THAT is going to Impress Anyone. Much less the One we All
want to.

Still Missing the Mark
BP

Finally, thanks for the article about Niebuhr.

Marco

Marco, You make some very strong points, and since I am not a pacifist in any absolutist way, nor well schooled in arguing pacifism’s case, I don’t know what I would think about all these specific instances if I took more time to read the books on nonviolence I have on my shelf. You say the moral appeal rarely works, but it feels to me as if we are only in the early stages of developing it as a tool of social change, and that it requires a great deal more social invention to make it work more often. I agree that we never get away from coercion altogether, and often have to choose one type over another; at the same time, not many of those who see the world through a coercion-lens (seeing above all the coercion and power dynamics in every interaction) would have predicted that MLK or Gandhi could have been as successful as they were — MLK and co. were roundly abused by those who thought him too “weak” as it was.

As for Niebuhr, you might be interested in this article in Tikkun by Gary Dorrien, which argues that Niebuhr was wrong in his socialist period, when he denounced the system in tones somewhat similar to Chris Hedges today, and wrong later:
“The Social Gospelers told a story about the necessity of gradually democratizing society; Niebuhr told a more dramatic story, that history would either move forward to socialism or move backward to barbarism. There was no third way. Radical socialism, communism, and fascism were supposedly more realistic than the tame progressivism of the social democratic, Social Gospel, and New Deal movements. But the radical alternatives crashed and burned, and afterward Niebuhr retreated to welfare state reformism and the liberal Democratic mainstream.” From http://www.tikkun.org/article.php/jan10_socialism

Hedges is pulling alarms in what is anyway a rather shaky progressive edifice. (“There’s no there there” sometimes seems like the actual meaning of “peace community,” for example). But alarm bells evoke a fight/flight response, and no one can remain an adrenaline factory for the long run. (Hedges the former war-reporter is actually an expert on that subject).

Me? I’m happy to cling to shreds of community like Tikkun, but need Hedges, Camus, Chomsky to ground (strange as it sounds) my sense of meaning and hope. I also know that what I actually do (if I am still free to choose — always a nasty little caveat.) will come more from my sense of the individuals involved than anything else. ‘ been wrong before, paid a big price. ‘ hope the country and world can afford such experimentalism in what may indeed be the age of “inverted totalitarianism.” (Seems that Wolinsky is reading Wolin. Maybe I’ll take an existential leap and submit a book review to a certain magazine that certainly doesn’t appreciate my poems.)

With respect to appealing to the enemy’s moral sense, that rarely works. The only reason King et al. won some major advances is that they got through to liberals who just had to be nudged in the right direction. They, being a majority in the Sixties ,passed legislation FORCING racists to desegrate in the south. How many racists did King et al. get through to morally? Not many, I would wager. Had liberals not been convinced, the Southern racists would have massacred the Civil Rights people. And then, as in South Africa, the only two options would have been: submit, or take up the gun. In South Africa, Mandela et al took up the gun, which was instrumental in bringing some of those whites to their senses, and paving the way to negotiations.

And what about this contradiction between King’s pacifism and the fact the Civil Rights movement wanted , understandably , legislation, outlawing segregation and discrimination. If you pass a law, it THREATHENS those who do not submit with retaliation and punishment. Is that pacifist? No. But it is reasonable and just. And, finally, if John and Robert Kennedy had not sent police and troops to defend Civil Rights workers at critical junctures, they would have been massacred (as when they were caught in a church). What difference is that with an anti-racist movement having its own troops defend themselves with guns and fists? You pacifists are full of contradictions, nonsense, and moral sellf-righteousness. Hey, if you want to pitch yourselves in front of an Israeli tank, go ahead, I don’t.

And , oh yeah, you might want to read the political writings of a famous American Christian theologian, Rheinhold Niebuhr, very influential in the Democratic Party in the last 20 years of his life. He started off as a pacifist and Christian socialist, and ended up as a just-war proponent in the 1930`s, and a humane capitalism advocate a la New Deal.

Marco

Marco