tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-305988862024-03-19T07:40:08.897-04:00Vetting Roots by the Heater. Research Beliefs Against Early Texts. Power shapes the message..Explore early meanings, secular and religious belief systems. Who interprets, changes the shape, exploits, indoctrinates in another direction, and why. Violence done to origins, truth. Weed out later human agenda, from modifications in early texts. Vet. Gristmill site. By Dint. Some whimsy. :Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comBlogger174125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-55108781808042483642021-06-16T05:10:00.000-04:002021-06-16T05:10:24.291-04:00Immortality. Added to the mix later. Can we do without?.<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfBsXpHo1BVTfpXOQVb5hIgNuAwCHON7dwEbG8rpYKgG_8Ypy5E8A_mrhCdpu7lPTx-wHMZsjTtY_PCTafrTNiGjjJtxmo2LsGTFqXWH5xpcsbn8j96ltTM-LscdGYdfRbPfs/s686/StClemWindow2.jpg" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="472" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfBsXpHo1BVTfpXOQVb5hIgNuAwCHON7dwEbG8rpYKgG_8Ypy5E8A_mrhCdpu7lPTx-wHMZsjTtY_PCTafrTNiGjjJtxmo2LsGTFqXWH5xpcsbn8j96ltTM-LscdGYdfRbPfs/s320/StClemWindow2.jpg" />St. Clement, Church, Rodel, Harris, Scotland.</a></p><p>The first century / Jesus movement ended hard /with influx converts/</p><p>Organizations / with their rules and exclusions / devoured the message.</p><p>Not just spread good words / but now forced conformity/. to Men-tality..</p><p>No more the quiet/ voluntary join/ support with others</p><p>Hierarchy looms / Say anything to persuade / Who's in and who's out.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>1. Vet origins. Vet changes. Sometime, look up the documentary addressing archeology and the first century, The Lost Tomb of Jesus. Vet, see the process at work still.</p><p>2, Scotland: The ancient church at Rodel, with its crude crucifix there in the plain-paned widow, old stone walls, propped up on a makeshift pedestal-- squint. What did that man really say. Who added "immortality" to the mix. </p><p>3. Stone lasts long. Let the paper fly away.</p>Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-82476621066371625812020-12-11T09:49:00.219-05:002021-06-16T05:27:30.648-04:00Fear of sustenance<div>Many groups appear to fear sustenance for all. Instead, controls limit who can strive and where.</div><div><br /></div><div>1. People of Praise covenant group joiners apparently must adopt this tenet before being allowed to benefit.</div><div><span face="MrEavesXLSanRRegular, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e; font-size: 17px;"></span><blockquote><span face="MrEavesXLSanRRegular, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e; font-size: 17px;">"*** Our community life is grounded in a lifelong promise of love and service to fellow community members.***" [no obligation to others outside>]</span></blockquote><blockquote><span face="MrEavesXLSanRRegular, sans-serif" style="color: #3e3e3e;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">See <a href="https://peopleofpraise.org/about/who-we-are/">https://peopleofpraise.org/about/who-we-are/</a></span></span></blockquote><span face="MrEavesXLSanRRegular, sans-serif" style="color: #3e3e3e;"><span style="font-size: 17px;"><a href="https://peopleofpraise.org/about/who-we-are/"></a></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://www.conservativedailynews.com/2020/10/heres-the-full-text-of-the-people-of-praise-covenant/"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkTlnPxm0BTrOl7AlFG4vr-bJcBTXbQSRvOVwF1vzKQ_dOvA0VZcqAA0D8sbdiPRR6Es915YTmfAsBYGjv8FwHV3aUu7AB-Zxwc7rUdB_zwW_hPRQ9Pjj3yWNClD7wSlj_aFNj/s2048/angelphlpts.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1419" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkTlnPxm0BTrOl7AlFG4vr-bJcBTXbQSRvOVwF1vzKQ_dOvA0VZcqAA0D8sbdiPRR6Es915YTmfAsBYGjv8FwHV3aUu7AB-Zxwc7rUdB_zwW_hPRQ9Pjj3yWNClD7wSlj_aFNj/s320/angelphlpts.jpg" width="320" />Us vs. Them. Our title to Old German print copy, a purchase, unsigned,
</a>
</div>
2. Proud Boys </div><div><br /></div><div>Status depends on adopting the hierarchy. See h<a href="ttps://www.wisconsinwatch.org/2017/11/proud-boys-group-wisconsin/">ttps://www.wisconsinwatch.org/2017/11/proud-boys-group-wisconsin/</a></div><div><br /></div><div>3. The effect of the caging</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Stockholm syndrome lives. See <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/stockholm-syndrome">https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/stockholm-syndrome</a>. </li><li>Politicians toady up. See starter: <a href="https://www.ibtimes.com/donald-trump-insulted-ted-cruzs-wife-father-faith-theyre-having-dinner-anyway-2504948">https://www.ibtimes.com/donald-trump-insulted-ted-cruzs-wife-father-faith-theyre-having-dinner-anyway-2504948</a> </li><li>Obedience suggests a setting like the Wizard of Oz. The witch's castle -- <i>oh-ee-oh--we-oooh-oh. </i>Glorify obedience.<i> </i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjBrkfX_XHwT.">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjBrkfX_XHwT.</a></li><li>Acceptance of Inquisition; and he French Revolution that touted liberty, equality, fraternity, and brought on the guillotine first. See <u>Tale of Two Cities</u> on DVD. </li></ul></div><div>4. Institutions follow ideology; inculcate first, institutions follow.</div><div><br /></div><div>5. Policies for sustenance </div><div> </div><div>We could easily provide sustenance for all,
without judgment. We could free millions of administrative people working for government from political judgments, shame, enforcement and evaluation -- to
themselves go out and be uniquely roductive. </div><div> </div><div> Easing the way for others to have choices increases competition, however, and capitalism cannot have that.
Those on high might just find that they are not superior when their cudgels are
taken away, and other people get broad educations, healthcare, opportunity to
move. See Ezra Klein h<a href="ttps://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/13/opinion/stimulus-unemployment-republicans-poverty.html">ttps://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/13/opinion/stimulus-unemployment-republicans-poverty.html</a></div>Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-16204893318261253242020-05-20T11:07:00.001-04:002020-06-24T08:28:42.884-04:00Crematory Chronicles II. NY Diary of the Macabre. Corona Virus Wait List.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Cremation lines in a time of Corona. Ironies and images of life and death. The dance of the<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/macabre"> old macabre</a> continues in the backups for cremating our loved ones. Just in:<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/04/20/coronavirus-crematoriums-meet-demand-cemeteries/5148779002/"> https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/04/20/coronavirus-crematoriums-meet-demand-cemeteries/5148779002/</a><br />
<br />
Update June 20, 2020. The cremains finally arrived, with the death certificate on the same day, after the death on April 30, 2020. We are grateful, but the last 7 weeks are haunting, and a cruel result of failure to plan for what was known on the way in the early year.<br />
<br />
1. Our experience was: The wait goes on. Brother D is still in line, reclined, in decline, for a cremation from a NY death in this corona era.He died at end of April, and here is it late May, had been scheduled for May 8 and still waiting (bag or box or both in a truck?). <br />
<br />
He was an autonomous person who said he would never be a face in the wall. IHe valued independence highly. A fellow West-Sider, he enjoyed John Lennon -- cremation also at the same cemetery where we waited -- whose face 'they' indeed put in a wall, in protruding relief looking out, in Prague near the center here.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU462kGWLnoYgmDQ-vKD7JeL0mmuhbfuqRRkUE1Q3rxLTnOf60uWFrhlDragFoUlEg5uhlOmv_08R9O4NMpeWpb7-TKcX-ONPd6prPAdpmWXrMQvGanoqYrO04yJ36eQ5_Mw7p/s1600/prglitqrtrgrpriorysqlennon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1189" data-original-width="804" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU462kGWLnoYgmDQ-vKD7JeL0mmuhbfuqRRkUE1Q3rxLTnOf60uWFrhlDragFoUlEg5uhlOmv_08R9O4NMpeWpb7-TKcX-ONPd6prPAdpmWXrMQvGanoqYrO04yJ36eQ5_Mw7p/s320/prglitqrtrgrpriorysqlennon.jpg" width="216" />John Lennon Wall, Prague, Czech Republic 2007</a></div>
<br />
2. The irony for D : Despite his determination not to be a face in a wall, is D instead, just a bag in storage, its own kind of impersonal wall. O, gods, O ironies.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Ivanka! Is there any room for humor and even irreverence in grief, when circumstances overwhelm and hurl us into the unreal. Perhaps Ivanka and Donald
could tap into this marketing opportunity and send out a catalogue of variations in bag color and style for families, to slip the old one into as a freshener us as we wait, and wait. If there is no body left in the bag when it reaches the door, who gets a refund?</li>
<li>Even that kind of cheap humor cannot soothe here. D's life has been, by that national government faux-chief, too undermined for surface soothing. So I whine.</li>
</ul>
3. Philosophical diversion is needed. Is there any consolation that John Lennon himself was cremated at the same place where D now is somewhere. But for JL and others of lucre, there was no comparable line up of indignity. No, no compensation there.<br />
<br />
4. This is not a rant, but reflection on responsibility. Our family continues to appreciates the caregivers, the care place, Riverside Rehabilitation at Riverside and 87th, and the post-death services provided nearly at a moment's notice online (!) at City Funeral, to enable a dignified cremation. Applause for NY. Tribute also to New York. New York as city and state both have made do admirably and tough choices as required by the Chief of Nation distractions: and wilful denials of known likely deadly scope of the virus. No excuses.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Responsibility resting place: Here, for the foreshadowed intolerable and cruel scope of this contagion. I am not responsible, says the little orange rooster. Oh? How so? </li>
<li>February 2020 should have been the month of analysis, probing, action decisive and focused. Chief of Nation. Blind, blind. See NY assets directed over years out of the city and state to elsewhere, and this Chief of Nation turns a blind eye to any return in 2020 commensurate to the need his negligence created.</li>
</ul>
<div>
5. Given those, for us, truths, what helps a family?<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Fact-based journalism, multiple news sources that demonstrate we are not alone.</li>
<li> Even off the main pages, find tributes to the <a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/herculean">herculean </a>effort to process the dead, collateral damage that nobody wants to think about (bring on some humor, please) and that is a help.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<ul>
<li>For example, news fair use: <a href="https://www.scarsdalenews.com/community/local_life/clergy-funeral-homes-cemeteries-carry-significant-burden-during-pandemic/article_51e7c518-9625-11ea-b5f6-5f126a96fcea.html"><i>Scarsdale News </i>5.14.2020</a></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<ul style="text-align: left;"><ul>
<li>"*****Kevin Boyd, president of Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, has been
taxing his two cremation employees and five cremators seven days a week,
with extended daily hours to process more than double the usual number
of deceased for the last seven weeks. While there is about a one-week
wait on interment, cremation requests are several weeks behind.*****" </li>
</ul>
</ul>
</blockquote>
6. A remaining gripe.<br />
<br />
Even a resting place has been trumped by rigid old rules supplanting thought. Woodlawn intransigence and myopia is next. There, in the Bronx, is a fine cemetery but it won't open the old family plot (from 1913, our grandparents) even for one little box for the last McConaghy heir whose family seeks it. Surely there is room with little Robbie who died at age 6, of the flu in 1913.<br />
<br />
Ultimate inflexibility. Can we move beyond rules. Here, in this family separated by generations, two guys and a virus. Let them meet. There is a process for approvals and we can meet the criteria. <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1NlPvvSou_NZgfypmnBH82drBCURsoJ0tPYT4-l_73clwEf1H8qnXAWX_wEImSCCWKgq1dVQvZS2j6IunMbAW-CEsDlPyxcY4yHSyDVNWKVM8Eqm-sa6_o2hrWa6KUe3FbcS/s1600/2020s_Carol.fam%252CWoodlawn.card.1913..1963_0001_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1378" data-original-width="1600" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1NlPvvSou_NZgfypmnBH82drBCURsoJ0tPYT4-l_73clwEf1H8qnXAWX_wEImSCCWKgq1dVQvZS2j6IunMbAW-CEsDlPyxcY4yHSyDVNWKVM8Eqm-sa6_o2hrWa6KUe3FbcS/s320/2020s_Carol.fam%252CWoodlawn.card.1913..1963_0001_a.jpg" width="320" />Woodlawn Cemetery will not open old plots for newcomers, even after a hundred years and a tiny cremation box coming</a></div>
<br />
So, we are ready for you to come home with us, D. This is not NY, but it is us. Family When they let you go.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-80148440123089919062020-05-09T19:02:00.001-04:002020-05-20T07:30:25.554-04:00Crematory Chronicles. Death in a time of COVID 19. Need for preparations ignored at top.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Where is my brother? Chief of Nation in the large seat (ahem) of government cares not a <a href="https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=whit">whit.</a><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZu4fu3nECe9I7OxtO2iZcoCJvL39opbz8mVruZXcCXI00hvzQKMJRDTjzcD5u0kDEzr5w-mr2lN9KL3TDUCoTAgllS7LBVBLIKAemZdpDi3l8GGYu_AjKKqvO1WcGsGygo2c6/s1600/Demolition.5.2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1328" data-original-width="1057" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZu4fu3nECe9I7OxtO2iZcoCJvL39opbz8mVruZXcCXI00hvzQKMJRDTjzcD5u0kDEzr5w-mr2lN9KL3TDUCoTAgllS7LBVBLIKAemZdpDi3l8GGYu_AjKKqvO1WcGsGygo2c6/s320/Demolition.5.2020.jpg" width="254" />Corona cremations as collateral damage inflicted by Chief of Nation negligence, wrecking the end of life</a></div>
<br />
The sister was down there a year, every week and more just so.<br />
With heart full to busting she can be with her bro. <br />
Who fell and ended up in a place<br />
That did its best, but the bug beat the space.<br />
Finally, tests. And with that word, Positive,<br />
Take him out<br />
(What of the room-mates)<br />
And all had been shut down for weeks before.<br />
Her bro said, when he could,<br />
No face in the wall for me.<br />
And we knew what he meant.<br />
Friends also, and medicals, his reluctant intent, <br />
And then he was gone. Corona said time's up, gent.<br />
Loss of autonomy, else in there, adding to the pain.<br />
Now get this straight.<br />
No complaints. Appreciate Caretakers doing, in their space.<br />
<br />
Then arrange -- find a funeral place<br />
No complaints there either get this straight.<br />
State and city did what they could, on own devices. <br />
Who in New York has luxury to sit back and pray.<br />
Arrange! Arrange! Cremation set.<br />
Crematory backup met.<br />
Funds to pay. Now: <br />
We're here.<br />
But where's bro -- in their care, yes.<br />
<br />
But the cremating? On what schedule, done?<br />
White House, where's my bro<br />
Done? On his way up here?<br />
Did he have to die, now, in this way<br />
And you Chief of Nation<br />
Just pansy* around telling us lies.<br />
*Roots of pansy: <u><a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/pansy">Etymonline:</a></u><br />
A figurative use of a frequentative of pendere "to hang, cause to hang; weith; pay"<br />
([F]rom PIE root (s)pen - "to draw, stretch, spin").<br />
<br />
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<span style="background-color: #0c0c0c; border: 0px; color: white; font-family: "roboto" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #0c0c0c; border: 0px; color: white; font-family: "roboto" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #0c0c0c; border: 0px; color: white; font-family: "roboto" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
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<br /></div>
Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-57481265010810922802020-04-14T13:11:00.005-04:002020-04-20T10:45:42.270-04:00From Thee All Skill and Science Flow. 1789. History in nonconformist worship.Thomas Williams, Psalmodia Evangelica.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
<br />
Hymnals -- Meet this nonconformist hymn with melody from 1789, words later reflect the times as much as the teaching. This hymn, naming skill and science as part of creation, is not found in most volumes of more traditional belief systems. Go look.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmR0NwB3XFcCfzuDphAG210EI9qhQgr6ssbVuvgMHl2wY5Z5E0QoZYqM-sQTat2aObgjmqh3Dt11-qedsYxrM9QhNtFKmD0hWN1A7JvCB-5QEJJwZay7nDfmj_gejmL9S6wXW/s1600/20200414_113547%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="778" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmR0NwB3XFcCfzuDphAG210EI9qhQgr6ssbVuvgMHl2wY5Z5E0QoZYqM-sQTat2aObgjmqh3Dt11-qedsYxrM9QhNtFKmD0hWN1A7JvCB-5QEJJwZay7nDfmj_gejmL9S6wXW/s400/20200414_113547%25282%2529.jpg" width="193" />Nonconformist hymn from Psalmodia Evangelica,* From thee all skill and science flow. 1789. </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
* Psalmodia Evangelica: see <a href="http://www.essexrecordofficeblog.co.uk/document-of-the-month-june-2016-psalmodia-evangelica-c-1789/a:">http://www.essexrecordofficeblog.co.uk/document-of-the-month-june-2016-psalmodia-evangelica-c-1789/a:</a> Source: Bromsgrove C.M. <i>Charles Kingsley, 1871 <b>Thomas Williams' 'Psalmodia Evangelica,' 1789,</b>*
abridged Harm. from 'The B.B.C.Hymn Book, 1951. Here: The Hymnal for
Colleges and Schools, Hymn #275, Yale University Press and Pennsylvania
College for Women, soon to be Chatham College, Pittsburgh. Hello,
Russell G. Wichmann.</i></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li> "*** ‘a complete set of psalm and hymn tunes for public worship’, published
in St Paul’s Churchyard, London by Thomas Williams of Clerkenwell Green
in about 1789.*** </li>
<li>"It is a charming volume of psalm and hymn tunes which opens a window
into protestant and non-conformist worship at the time of Jane Austen.
The volume once belonged to Stebbing Independent Chapel (later
Congregational Church), See site.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
All rise: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"1.
From thee all skill and science flow, All pity, care, and love, All
calm and courage, faith and hope: O pour them from above!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2.
And part them, Lord, to each and all, As each and all shall need, To
rise, like incense,, each to thee, In noble thought and deed.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3.
And hasten, Lord, that perfect day When pain and death shall cease, And
thy just rule shall fill the earth 3. With health and light and peace.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. When ever blue the sky shall gleam, And ever green the sod, And man's rude work deface no more The paradise of God."</span></div>
</blockquote>
Age-old tension: independent thought vs. authority.<br />
<br />
1. What else happened 1789 and what followed:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1789. The French Revolution. </li>
<li>Chaplains were authorized to serve the armed forces in the US. <a href="https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:10%20section:1789%20edition:prelim)">https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:10%20section:1789%20edition:prelim)</a>. </li>
<li>The Constitution of the United States superseded the Articles of Confederation</li>
<li>Jane Austen 1775-1817. </li>
<li>Political parties flexed muscle <a href="https://www.preceden.com/timelines/41475-top-12-events-between-1789-and-1820">https://www.preceden.com/timelines/41475-top-12-events-between-1789-and-1820</a></li>
<li>History and hysterics: Teaching and understanding. Now, as then, a split among believers and their adopted doctrines. Beware the fruits:<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif;"><a href="https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/mistake-trumps-evangelical-allies-ignore-science-when-it-comes-coronavirus-139212" target="_blank"> Mistake: Trump's Evangelical Allies Ignore Science When It
Comes To Coronavirus</a></span></span> </li>
</ul>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidDtShdqihA6L2FhUaWSZpCrvkp6KYpyFWXw9UAQQTSso1ZmGylnr4MeNAUBsFpCM-ZuZLCygA5kjelIm9L4ICaQzILMGu-gIo0_fHCabz-673GAQo4WoRUNbrrqR-ie07wE1h/s1600/Oconnellsewingcardgoodevil.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="864" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidDtShdqihA6L2FhUaWSZpCrvkp6KYpyFWXw9UAQQTSso1ZmGylnr4MeNAUBsFpCM-ZuZLCygA5kjelIm9L4ICaQzILMGu-gIo0_fHCabz-673GAQo4WoRUNbrrqR-ie07wE1h/s200/Oconnellsewingcardgoodevil.jpg" width="200" />Victorian yarn card, Mary O'Connell, Philadelphia.</a><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"></ul>
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif;"> </span></span>2. Gog and Magog as anything not understood,<br />
<br />
All <a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/agog">agog</a>. Cultural roots. Interesting even for those not currently institutionally connected: A modern weaponized <a href="http://everything.explained.today/Gog_and_Magog/">Gog and Magog</a> come to represent nonformists as determined by the determiners, who then have permission to do battle "and bring about end times" -- a manipulation of Gog and Magog who may wonder what happened.in the Great Preemption by Religious Politics, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Gog">https://www.britannica.com/topic/Gog</a><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Choose history or hysterics. History as sequential hysteria. One and the same? End times, apocalypses, The primordial <a href="https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=goggle">Goggle</a>. Or google? A seeker demonized by peda-gogues. Explore truth in science as well as teaching anyway. See Magog follow the ancient, frightened path to confine belief to the self interest of temporal powers. All agog. <a href="https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/mistake-trumps-evangelical-allies-ignore-science-when-it-comes-coronavirus-139212">https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/mistake-trumps-evangelical-allies-ignore-science-when-it-comes-coronavirus-139212</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-60704051135627934692019-08-11T12:20:00.002-04:002019-08-22T06:58:29.664-04:00Here I am, Lord. Lying down, Lord. Melodies and hallelujah in nonsectarian settings. With liberties.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I. Here I am, Lord. Lying down, Lord.<br />
I have not given up,<br />
But I'm so tired.<br />
<br />
Unnamed creator,<br />
May I rest here<br />
Until the next knock, seeking anchor in the mire.*<br />
<br />
Hallelujah.<br />
<br />
<br />
II. Silent there, Lord, Don lies offering<br />
Secret chords of his mind, a baffled king.<br />
His life a great run. We agree. What of this thing?. <br />
<br />
Hallelujah ....<br />
Hallelujah?<br />
<br />
Why cut him down, Lord. And like this -- god?<br />
Loss surrounding the abyss. He sees it<i>. Stop it, god!</i> <br />
He: Resigned. Looks afar. Joys of mind, failing him. Now, staring, grits teeth,<br />
<br />
Hallelujah. <br />
Hallelujah.<br />
<br />
III. Life's Bathsheba can be work, or a her,<br />
Or holding to dream., For him, Seeker, what answers.<br />
Cavafy watches, with Antony, as Hercules' procession veers elsewhere. ***.<br />
<br />
Hallelujah.....**<br />
<br />
*With thanks to Dan Schutte, fine sectarian composer, the original Here I Am, Lord, see Dan Schutte at Wiki <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Schutte">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Schutte</a><br />
** And to Leonard Cohen, via Kurt Nilson, <a href="https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x37vigd">https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x37vigd </a><br />
*** Constantin Cavafy, <a href="https://www.cs.toronto.edu/~gehalk/Cavafy_The_God_Abandons_Antony.html">The God Abandons Antony</a>. Also <a href="https://davidprashkersprivatecollection.blogspot.com/2014/09/when-cohen-met-cavafy.html">David Prashker</a>, referencing Leonard Cohen, And it was Hercules, not Bacchus; explore translations .... research on.<br />
<br />
.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuPtL0uXKlp90RpMef8ExBstgbsDTnzCl2VI0idgKnldXPuGeHJJE7wZPIhc-8vjkdmvjRv-yYj_xo9uaymT-4fMY6TCts5I_3LOGQFZUXNBRfRRrOUtlCZiUWJyUJL-MLhrp0/s1600/callenishlewis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="953" height="109" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuPtL0uXKlp90RpMef8ExBstgbsDTnzCl2VI0idgKnldXPuGeHJJE7wZPIhc-8vjkdmvjRv-yYj_xo9uaymT-4fMY6TCts5I_3LOGQFZUXNBRfRRrOUtlCZiUWJyUJL-MLhrp0/s320/callenishlewis.jpg" width="320" />Callenish standing stones, Isle of Lewis, Scotland</a></div>
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Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-71915495310414246232018-10-22T02:00:00.000-04:002018-10-22T06:50:45.391-04:00Heresy redux. Political orthodoxy suppresses autonomy. Old inquisition ideas target women. The Kavanaugh archetype. Susan Collins.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Politics by heresy distraction. Update: New-old heresies continue past any immediate issue. Humans seem to love identifying heresies and finding heretics . Is it because the immediate emotional rush of seeing conflict is an excuse for not thinking long term; or looking around at what else is happening at the time. And with what impact? Listen to the leaders who incite. See <i>Bad Times at the El Royale Hotel </i>-- <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2018/09/27/review-bad-times-at-the-el-royale-dakota-johnson-jeff-bridges-chris-hemsworth-jon-hamm-cynthia-erivo/#1be338341a57">Forbes review</a>. Here, my favorite takeaway: </div>
<br />1. Cult leader incites a "tussle" between two incited followers who had been neutral toward each other, but now compelled to represent one absolute side, against the other. as opposing absolute side. </div>
<div>
2. As they fight, the onlookers variously are entranced, repelled, drawn in, etc. </div>
<div>
3. Meanwhile, while everyone is distracted, he leader comments to one standing at his side, that he just needs to get them to fight about who is right and who is wrong, and they won't notice he's stealing from both of them, or some such. </div>
<div>
4. And he slips his hand into the pack of one of the fighters and takes what he wants.<br /><br />So: Immediate issues may fade, new fights be incited, but the reality is that the fight serves the leader who, with everyone distracted by the emotions of fights, can take what he wants from everyone.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
How does this apply to Susan Collins Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford? Everything. As Trump says, what is important is winning and statements made in pursuit of winning are fine if they work. See <a href="https://theweek.com/speedreads/801867/trump-says-mocking-christine-blasey-ford-doesnt-matter-because-won">The Week</a>. Forget what may be truth; it you win, truth does ot matter. but new wisdom about the phenomenon continues.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nJlal-rtEMsx2KlmPUeS2XvqwmNrBm8mEJBEm5iqWoOimJTupobjyykkNaVxrSx0UHr9f2qR38Oj_BsIHx9Dz3LERKZZmekekl48UdpzvvgUECYcqJhtj-lqokl8cQKcjf8R/s1600/DanSpeyer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="802" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nJlal-rtEMsx2KlmPUeS2XvqwmNrBm8mEJBEm5iqWoOimJTupobjyykkNaVxrSx0UHr9f2qR38Oj_BsIHx9Dz3LERKZZmekekl48UdpzvvgUECYcqJhtj-lqokl8cQKcjf8R/s320/DanSpeyer.jpg" width="214" />Dan Widing at the fount, Speyer Cathedral, Germany: Imperial Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption and St. Stephen. At Speyer the <i>Malleus Maleficarum, the Inquisition's Hammer of Witches, </i>was published 1487.</a></div>
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Back to the theological issue of humans loving heresies:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
A. Christine Blasey Ford, the Heretic. Susan Collins, tool of a fake inquisition. <span style="text-align: center;">Result: Suppress autonomy.</span>Attention, Susan Collins. Issues today of who is responsible for what, how to deal with heretics against political power, how to satisfy proofs for some accountability, has ancient roots in who has power and who not. Here, see Speyer, Germany, seat of Bishops and the famous huge fount for wine, and tribute to pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela, see <a href="https://germanyroadways.blogspot.com/search?q=Speyer">https://germanyroadways.blogspot.com/search?q=Speyer</a>.</div>
</div>
<br />
B. Where? Here, Speyer also has an infamous past, from today's perspective -- in 1487 the <i><a href="https://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist257/stephwhit/final/malleus.html">Malleus Maleficarum </a></i>was published there: the <i>Hammer of Witches</i>, the how-to handbook of the Inquisition written in a year or so earlier by Dominican Heinrich Kramer, Henricus Institoris, a Dominican. Sounds like a body part already. Those not buying into the orthodoxy, who challenge authority and claim rights to self, must be rooted out. Thy vote did that. Let's examine the now-witch, Christine Ford, who dared to call out those in power for what they, she said, did to her; and it if matters that she could not pinpoint date and place. With stress, is that unusual.<br />
Apparently for women, not to be considered. The poor man, Now, that is one to feel sorry for.e<br />
<br />
C. Background:<br />
<br />
1. The co-author of the <i>Malleus Maleficarum</i>, the witch-hunt handbook of the Inquisition, was Dominican <a href="http://www.historymuse.net/readings/Malleus.htm">Jakob Sprenger.</a> Catholic. Authoritarian. Trust the priest. He is sometimes referred to as Johan Sprenger. A later <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakob_Sprenger">Jakob Sprenger</a> was a Nazi politician, so keep searching for the Inquisition Dominican Sprenger. Read how the religious order sees itself, at <a href="https://dominicanfriars.org/about/history-dominican-friars/">https://dominicanfriars.org/about/history-dominican-friars/</a>/<br />
<br />
2. Not original. Both of these Dominicans were implementers of the policy of Gregory IX in 1227 to root out and kill all tho opposed orthodoxy by belief or practice or appearance or claimed temptation of others to veer from the path, instigators of the centuries of killing, see <a href="https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1201-1500/dominicans-became-dreaded-inquisitors-11629829.html">https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1201-1500/dominicans-became-dreaded-inquisitors-11629829.html</a>. One of history's most successful anti-autonomy machines, and women have never recovered.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>For Christine Ford, see now the <i>Cage of Disgrace,</i> also known as the Cage of Shame, at Levoca, Slovakia, <a href="https://slovakiaroadways.wordpress.com/2012/06/27/levoca-slovakia-cage-of-disgrace/">https://slovakiaroadways.wordpress.com/2012/06/27/levoca-slovakia-cage-of-disgrace/</a>. For many, a prelude to the ultimate separation from family and community. </li>
<li>Today, the idea of the cage is culturally diluted (just a place for gossips, etc, as it may well have become after the Inquisition itself faded -- don't waste the resource), see <a href="http://www.slovakiasite.com/levoca-sites.php">http://www.slovakiasite.com/levoca-sites.php</a>.</li>
</ul>
D. Heresy as a recurrent tool of power against dissenters.<br />
<br />
1. Today's politics is heresy <i>redux</i>, repeated:<br />
<br />
Is that so?<br />
<br />
Whoever is disloyal to the declared orthodoxy must die a kind of death.<br />
<br />
Look back. The Inquisition orthodoxy, as today, hurled political and theological weapons against heretical women speaking against "high quality" men and their control.<br />
<br />
2. So what heresy is that, again? It is heresy to attest against the 'quality,' as President Trump says of now Justice Kavanaugh, in the gospel of the high quality person, see high quality as primary at <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/donald-trump-my-supreme-court-pick-is-one-of-the-highest-quality-people-11508556">https://news.sky.com/story/donald-trump-my-supreme-court-pick-is-one-of-the-highest-quality-people-11508556</a>, as he also characterized his own son, <a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2017/07/11/white-house-briefing-donald-trump-jr-240410">https://www.politico.com/story/2017/07/11/white-house-briefing-donald-trump-jr-240410</a>.<br />
<br />
The judgment calls of high quality people cannot be challenged by the low. No repercussions against them shall follow. There shall be no objective finding of facts, just rail against the act of challenge..<br />
<br />
Ask: re The Kavanaugh archetype. What does power do when it thinks there will be no negative consequence to taint a future glory. Do the young, in line to power, pick a place where, in the case of a woman, she is alone. Or where you can depend on those present to obey the <a href="https://hellofodderhellobuyer.blogspot.com/2018/09/omerta-of-wealthy-shunning-entitled.html.">Omerta of the wealthy</a>, and do as you like because you are entitled. Who escapes scrutiny, see <a href="http://gender%20weaponry%20taught%20early/">Gender Weaponry Taught Early</a>. Does the pattern once established as deserved and right persist but like magic, there are suddenly no obstacles to it.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Is the heresy "feminism" itself because no other "ism" fits. Heresy of feminism: if we shape self-determination as an -ism against orthodoxy, then the ideas can be criticized with impunity because the godhead has spoken, as translated, tweaked and taught by the orthodox and their property and power interests, is that so? <a href="https://genius.com/The-beatles-get-back-lyrics">Get back, Loretta</a>. Issues do get complex. </li>
</ul>
2. Review histories of other heresies for context. Some heresies are post-1800 modern era, now mainstream.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><i>Mormonism</i> that emerged as a heresy in 1820, and </li>
<li><i>Jehovah's Witnesses</i> that emerged as a heresy in 1870 </li>
</ul>
Scroll down for these and others at <a href="http://www.godscholar.com/christian-heresies/">http://www.godscholar.com/christian-heresies/</a>.<br />
<br />
3. Return to this concept: Heresy today. Diluted in nomenclature, but the root remains. There still appears no name to the heresy of women exercising autonomy, emerging from shadows where they were silent. Heresy is useful as a subliminal force that holds women responsible for ills in our own country. Without the women's behavior, these ills would never have happened -- no challenge to a Supreme Court nominee, for example. Fie on the women! See <a href="https://witchhuntsaroundtheworld.weebly.com/the-malleus-maleficarum.html">https://witchhuntsaroundtheworld.weebly.com/the-malleus-maleficarum.html</a>. Our own Hammer of Women sets up its stage set, brings in experts to see she is decimated.<br />
<br />
See there this fair use illustration, not otherwise attributed, see at that site (looking for another source):<br />
<h2 class="wsite-content-title" style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Alice, sans-serif; font-size: 26px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0.3em 0px;">
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<h2 class="wsite-content-title" style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Alice, sans-serif; font-size: 26px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0.3em 0px;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The <i style="position: relative;">Malleus Maleficarum</i> </span></h2>
<span class="imgPusher" style="background-color: white; color: #8e8e8e; display: block; float: left; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; height: 0px; overflow: hidden;"></span><span style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #8e8e8e; display: table; float: left; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; position: relative; width: auto; z-index: 10;"><img alt="Picture" class="galleryImageBorder wsite-image" src="https://witchhuntsaroundtheworld.weebly.com/uploads/4/8/6/1/48616727/1293548_orig.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(208, 208, 208); margin: 5px 10px 10px 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle;" />Illustration, Malleus Maleficarum, Salem Witch Trials Background source</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
D. In 1490, the Church banned the Malleus Maleficarum in 1490. In 1492, Columbus sailed the<br />
ocean blue.<br />
<br />
And the ideas of the Malleus, the need for a handbook for those who wielded the hammer, did not stay in Europe. Kavanaugh, Ford.<br />
<br />
E. Back to the top. What begins the inquisition process? An incited fight. Someone laying out a absolute against which all else is evil. <br />
<br />
Whose action initiated this issue: an act or omission of Kavanaugh, or an act or omission of Ford.<br />
Kavanaugh did or did not do what he did. The point is that he is iinsulated from consequence because he chose an environment with only a loyalist as witness. It is Kavenaugh represents orthodoxy, the entitlement of the ranking man over the lesser woman, <i>droit de seigneur</i>, the rights of the male.<br />
<br />
If that is the orthodoxy, then the woman pursuing autonomy is the heretic, worthy of burniing. itude. Hello, Ford. The heretic loses, unless her tale remains told and retold until history changes.<br />
<br />
Let the spectacle continue: power against the person. Line up. Why do the people not speak up at the time. Guess. The leader incites the polarity and when the people fight it out, takes from all of them. </div>
Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-17418868103008228342018-10-18T03:53:00.000-04:002019-04-20T12:50:47.233-04:00Hair in history. Roots. Samson, Trump, Sikhs, Women. Choice strengthens. Fake loses. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Braids in life. Tresses/ Through the years. More fuss, less strength./ Go back to length.<br />
<br />
I. Once joy in great braids / Flying behind my bike, see /Hets and Lol and Pol.//<br />
Then enter roles, rules/ Blend in for safety, girl. So, /Snip. Braids now in frame.//<br />
Loss not weakening,/ Loss timely, chosen./ Freedom from talk. Dear! Such hair!//<br />
<br />
II. Some grow hair for <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/29/world/asia/29turban.html">God</a>./ Choice to believe. A signal./ No need to comment.//<br />
<br />
III. Some grow hair in fear/ Of loss of power. Samson./ Hirsute, but duped, he.//<br />
<br />
IV. Trump womanish hair./ Fakes it, fear of the back-shot./ Sikhs, sincere, worthy//.<br />
<br />
V. Who makes our choices./ Why follow. Chose own pathway.//Wise Sikhs, foolish Trump.//<br />
Eve as, <a href="https://margmowczko.com/ezer-kenegdo-subordinate-helper-eve/">guide</a>, denied./ Gender: <a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/red%20herring">Red herring</a>. Control./ <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=willie+nelson&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS751US751&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjByOivhZzeAhXPneAKHWJOAWMQ_AUIDygC&biw=1280&bih=579&dpr=2.5">Willie Nelson</a> wins.//<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhklgQe13DWjAoruneM0tC9SVt9wVWgyI28zJuIEj9au9by9AoTK_txenA33iAi5OJtqx5Cpw9h-Cp3oc10ZRiSQglRDoCyMDTxElimSGGtwcnRrST_LKSsz4qr8AnlsRHAZ5Nk/s1600/caroldonabe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="414" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhklgQe13DWjAoruneM0tC9SVt9wVWgyI28zJuIEj9au9by9AoTK_txenA33iAi5OJtqx5Cpw9h-Cp3oc10ZRiSQglRDoCyMDTxElimSGGtwcnRrST_LKSsz4qr8AnlsRHAZ5Nk/s320/caroldonabe.jpg" width="221" />Braids in the making. Approval from Honest Abe..Frees folks from tress fuss. </a></div>
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<br /></div>
Brush it, life in it.<br />
Sent them, framed, to Locks of Love.<br />
Never heard back. Loss.</div>
Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-19245364881766298672018-03-17T11:02:00.004-04:002018-03-17T11:02:56.917-04:00Montaigne. Religion's Renaissance alternative to over-involvement. Wise.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Counter-measures in a Time of Authoritarian Cudgelism</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Montaigne: Renaissance at the door.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Religion invited to exit?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Why is the past always with us. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
What is freedom. What brings serenity.<br />
Does force solve what.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhut2j9ADek93qknLicZvy7VxDbSeTFyDE3MF5cFuukZqoIEjz9SF3hHmP4ZDOozVCuWc4LN-M6PYNJU4Aq_rUbOOTpuX3XhCqkcoN0xlqxqC7gGGTVOgmu6exTrAOxE8lng-uS/s1600/IMG_0626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1204" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhut2j9ADek93qknLicZvy7VxDbSeTFyDE3MF5cFuukZqoIEjz9SF3hHmP4ZDOozVCuWc4LN-M6PYNJU4Aq_rUbOOTpuX3XhCqkcoN0xlqxqC7gGGTVOgmu6exTrAOxE8lng-uS/s640/IMG_0626.JPG" width="640" />Dan Widing learns the past. Why is this at the Hermitage, St. Petersburg? Trafficking is human.</a></div>
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<br />
Michel Montaigne, Renaissance essayist and philosopher, approached life his way, and left dogma behind. That was 1533-1592. The key to full life: "Be free from" -- see list at <a href="https://hudsonreview.com/2017/10/the-freedom-of-montaigne/#.Wq0nAejwY2w">The Freedom of Montaigne</a> regarding assessment of <i>Stefan Zweig</i>, book by David Mason.<br />
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A. Montaigne: Click on <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=montaigne&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS751US751&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjj_KagtfPZAhVEyYMKHZRyBssQ_AUICygC&biw=1280&bih=615">Images</a> and find a dour face, thin visage above a stiff <a href="http://www.thefashionhistorian.com/2011/11/ruffs.html">ruff</a>, and wonder that there is anything other than convention that found its way through that starched wardrobe fortress with its layers and folds of robes below. Other depictions show more normal, movable collars, etchings, not portraits. Is that really Montaigne? See contrarian portrait at the Mason review, above. Need further examination: which portraits are a blurring with his friend, Etienne de la Boetie?<br />
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B. Montaigne examined life whatever his costume as a noble or at leisure, and documented and observed how to live; In Sara Bakewell's book, there is a don't, followed by do's. How to make life more full. Learn of his great 'friendship' with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT0qCie-ZqA">Etienne de la Boetie'</a> in detail: Sara Bakewell, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/18/books/18montaigne.html">How to Live, a Life of Montaigne,</a> not new but worth another look, biography and commentary 2000. Review at <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/18/books/18montaigne.html">NYT.</a> Oddly, the feature portrait at YouTube there is the same as the portrait of Michel Montaigne, above. Vet everything. Trust no assertion. Someone clear this up. Meanwhile, admire this from the <a href="https://mises.org/library/politics-obedience-discourse-voluntary-servitude">Politics of Servitude</a>:<br />
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"Resolve to serve no more, and you are at once freed. I do not ask that you place hands upon the tyrant to topple him over, but simply that you support him no longer; then you will behold him, like a great Colossus whose pedestal has been pulled away, fall of his own weight and break in pieces."<br />
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The relationship of Montaigne and la Boetie' was close, apparently emotional (so far no suggestion of physical) as well as intellectual, see references in Bakewellian precepts. <br />
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C. Montaigne precepts: These precepts are, for modern times, useful in a time of authoritarian cudgelism. Largely Bakewellian categories, echoing Stefan Zweig, above, repeated at Life of Montaigne at p. 219:<br />
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1. Don't fear death. Montaigne had a near experience of it, found a release in facing it, and surviving; and lived more fully with that knowledge. Nature will do what nature will do.<br />
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2. Accept birth origins, examine the lives of one's parents, but with an eye to tweaks fostering upward mobility even with origins in trades or disfavored ethnic-religious groups. Inborn tendencies can be molded, but only to a point. Be objective: Some are born to the trades, lower caste; others to a degree of noble class and style. Room to maneuver -- Watch the naming in surnames and places, so nobility is suggested. Pay no taxes for at least three years (trades pay taxes) but accumulate in a commercial way through estate projects like wineries. For Montaigne, a Jewish angle through his mother need not be focused upon. Record things. Question convictions, certainties. Allow no prejudice to control uninvestigated. An unusual upbringing? A fostering out? Admire the wisdom of the father who opened that aspect of others' lives to a son. Learn naturally, by exposures and experiences; not by rote or admonition.<br />
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3. Read much, then forget much. Camouflage. Allow memory to do its involuntary tricks and fadings. Shunt quick wits aside, for use only when advantageous. Remember but do not let on. Even with difficult learning, the lesson once taken in after long blur, will last longer than the fast surface recall. Be skeptical of laws, of the influence assumed by tall stature (he was short).<br />
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Foster inner freedom, let political positions follow.<br />
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4. Survive. Just survive. Love, loss, and here the relationship with La Boetie is featured. Detach enough in relationships that the ultimate severance is not a ripping of the skin. Distract: as by writing about it all.<br />
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5. Picture the <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Jesus+bug&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS751US751&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjA0vDqwfPZAhUK4YMKHZ-TCe0Q_AUICigB&biw=1280&bih=615">Jesus bug </a>-- the insect mounted on its long bent splayed legs scooting across the surface of water.<br />
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6. Attend, attend. Miss nothing. Every sensation counts, is to be catalogued at its time of notice. Calm and inner freedom over duty. Both benefit.<br />
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7. Foster equanimity. Imagine something else when matters become uncomfortable. Today: <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/mindfulness">mindfulness.</a> Live with full awareness of surroundings, without drive to change. What cannot be combatted, can be escaped. Don't bother. Uselessness of human reason: Serenity requires more<br />
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8. Vet it. Question. All of it. Cultivate indifference for use when needed. Truth is never fixed. Every viewpoint counts, of every sentient being or life form. The human is not above. Leap about perspectives, one to another. Look upon the failings of persons with humor and tolerance, not wailings. To suppress views is to perpetuate them.<br />
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9. <a href="https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/a-room-of-ones-own-by-virginia-woolf">A Room of One's Own.</a> Virginia Woolf 1928. Find her roots also in Montaigne, is that so? The value of the private physical space, the surround for the self, away. In particular, Montaigne and his wife, both, had their spaces, while doing what was needed for duty to family and estate. For him, the emphasis was less on the practical, more for the internal satisfaction. He avoids obligations, overt need of anyone. MYOB, stay in bounds. Does that mean restriction of love? Or is it a result of lack of it.<br />
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10. Now: A Basket. Get along. Enjoy. Then withdraw. Customary behavior? Scatter habits, and see others' objectively and not in comparison. Habits: somnolent. Exception: The useful habit of recording one's thoughts, experiences. Journalism. Read Forbes on <a href="https://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/?toURL=https://www.forbes.com/sites/nomanazish/2017/12/29/five-legit-reasons-to-keep-a-journal-in-2018/&refURL=https://www.google.com/&referrer=https://www.google.com/">Five Reasons to Keep a Journal in 2018.</a> Add temperance: this is difficult, as humans tend to self-destruct, see <i>Bakewell </i>on Freud; and <a href="https://thenewinquiry.com/only-one-part-of-us-is-sane/">Rebecca West</a> -- p.201. Hold fast to what makes you human. Suppression brings suffering and not peace. Murder to please God: a pretext.<br />
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11. Be original. Focus on the inner world. Travel much. Do well, but do not attract attention because of it No focus on philosophy, but let it emerge. Open your hands and let go. Ordinary and imperfect? Live with it. Enjoy.<br />
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Montaigne emerged in a time of great religious violence, long wars, as well as pockets of peace. He makes sense. Revisit it. Then ask the Hermitage to let go its <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/04/arts/hermitage-reveals-it-hid-trove-of-impressionist-art.html">war booty art</a>, retain only as third party justice may see fit. Montaigne: let go control. Live instead. Impressionists: regroup. See the one above, at Photo<a href="http://mtkgphoto.blogspot.com/2012/06/st-petersburg-hermitage-impressionists.html">http://mtkgphoto.blogspot.com/2012/06/st-petersburg-hermitage-impressionists.html</a>blog. Or do we rise above petty claims to cultural heritage, apply ennui?<br />
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Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-33797214834748294442017-04-25T07:51:00.000-04:002017-04-26T07:12:39.796-04:00Beliefs and fake news in church or state. Mar-a-Lago. Add state dot gov to untrusted list.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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An Eight-Point Plan: Understanding <i>Mar-a-Lago</i> as tool for coverups.</div>
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The US <i>returned</i> Mar-a-Lago as too expensive, after bequest 1973. </div>
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Guess who bought it from the original Foundation 1985.<br />
Who pays now?</div>
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Fake News. Omit what is needed for assessment. Autocrats fear Autonomy.<br />
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<i>To what degree do leaders of movements, institutions, in religion as well as politics, filter out of circulation information inimical to their control of the believing population. </i></div>
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1. Fake news. State Dept gushes, then goes dry.<br />
2. Why fake news, if only omissions?<br />
3. State Dept -- Omissions engage in a coverup of emoluments, secret contacts, personal enrichment.<br />
4. Why fake news sells: Science -- Brains wants certainty. Fake news gives it, reinforces.<br />
5. Autocrats love certainty because it undermines peoples drive to autonomy.<br />
6. But there is no certainty. <br />
7. Re-enter the autocrat: No certainty? Fabricate it. Include implicit lure of insiderism, rankism.<br />
8. So, <i>Mar-a-Lago </i>the fiction, wins. It is already sold to many as the ideal setting to serve the nation's business. Oh oh, we are so grateful to you, generous president. Pay no mind to cost to whom, personal gain to whom. How do I know? The State Dept tells me so. Yes, oh, yes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTLfY-Z3J0afG5hW5rIiftX9wWV3P8Pyk_Qm_zB1L9R2whuhTsqKj_4enjZjzLnoVk_fuoKC0ZM6zu3mdpL7Z_9qxp8VtzIxJ04TJWX2ohyphenhyphen3Md2XhsrsL-dAuQhB2dHMI6KOoS/s1600/IMG_0472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTLfY-Z3J0afG5hW5rIiftX9wWV3P8Pyk_Qm_zB1L9R2whuhTsqKj_4enjZjzLnoVk_fuoKC0ZM6zu3mdpL7Z_9qxp8VtzIxJ04TJWX2ohyphenhyphen3Md2XhsrsL-dAuQhB2dHMI6KOoS/s320/IMG_0472.JPG" width="320" />Little voter, on the outside. Those inside the Palace oppose voter autonomy, is that so? Here, The Yusupov, St. Petersburg.</a></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>The topic of uses and abuses of <i>Mar-a-Lago:</i> update, mainstream <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-04-25/mar-a-lago-ad-belongs-in-impeachment-file">https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-04-25/mar-a-lago-ad-belongs-in-impeachment-file</a></li>
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1. Fake news. The State Department, for all its ga-ga about the glories of Trump's estate, <i>Mar-a-Lago,</i> handily omitted the crux of the story: That original owner, Marjorie Merriwether Post, had her dream of the place, serving as the Southern White House, fulfilled when she bequeathed it (death 1973) to the United States Government for that purpose. See <i>Timeline,</i> scroll down past other issues, at <a href="https://hellofodderhellobuyer.blogspot.com/2017/02/mar-a-lago-ghost-of-marjorie-merriwether-post-history-of-uses.html">https://hellofodderhellobuyer.blogspot.com/2017/02/mar-a-lago-ghost-of-marjorie-merriwether-post-history-of-uses.html</a>.<br />
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<li>Richard Nixon was president at the time. He never used it. After him came Gerald Ford, and he never used it. Then came Jimmy Carter, and he did not use it. Upkeep for the times was high -- a million $ per year, see <a href="http://www.townandcountrymag.com/style/home-decor/a7144/mar-a-lago-history">http://www.townandcountrymag.com/style/home-decor/a7144/mar-a-lago-history</a>. Accordingly, President Carter recommended to Congress that they return it to the original Foundation, surely with a thank you but.. And so our government did. The estate languished there for a while, until bought by Donald Trump in 1985. </li>
<li>Add the cost to the Coast Guard, not in Trump's budget, see <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/coast-guard-faces-growing-costs-for-protecting-trumps-mar-a-lago/2017/04/12/6bf3b3a8-1f96-11e7-a0a7-8b2a45e3dc84_story.html?utm_term=.888cd85e893d">Coast Guard faces growing costs for protecting Trump]s Mar-a-Lago </a></li>
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<li>Does diverting those resources help the drug smuggling problem? Build a wall, they will go by sea.</li>
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So the real story is that the government made a rational decision as to cost to the nation, for maintaining it, and said no. That side of the story is handily omitted from the State Dept site, now gone. Who can retrieve it? Isn't it government's job to consider a total budget when pols are <a href="https://vimeo.com/6971656">puttin' on the ritz?</a><br />
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<li>Today, the cost of maintaining it with mowers and maids is on the president's side of the ledger, but the cost to the nation of his going there -- and the rewards to him and his tentacles are vast. How vast? Really vast. And free transportation and perks.</li>
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<li>This site estimates each trip costs <i>us</i> 3.6 million $. See <a href="http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2017/apr/18/center-american-progress-action-fund/how-much-do-donald-trumps-trips-mar-lago-cost/">http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2017/apr/18/center-american-progress-action-fund/how-much-do-donald-trumps-trips-mar-lago-cost/</a></li>
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<li>While lining the president's pockets?</li>
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2. Omissions as 'fake news.' How does that work? <a href="https://joyofequivocating.blogspot.com/2008/10/quotation-dreaded-dots-death-by.html?q=ellipsis">Quotation abuse</a>, context abuse. Leave out the vital part.<br />
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Fake news is not limited to malicious fabrication -- for political gain or personal <a href="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=vendetta">vendetta</a>. Fake news is also the imposed <a href="https://joyofequivocating.blogspot.com/2008/10/quotation-dreaded-dots-death-by.html?q=ellipsis">ellipsis</a>, the secret truncation: plucking off a few facts as though they represent a reasonable whole, and presenting the glommed result as worthy of belief. In religion, that is to be expected. How many founders' movements have managed to block its later institutional profiteers over centuries. Those who apply the death-by-ellipsis fall within <a href="http://www.uvm.edu/~jleonard/AGRI183/propoaganda.html">propaganda techniques</a> to vet. <br />
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3. State Department cover-up. Is this really happening, just because all the underlying facts seem to point to it? Is our own State Dept covering up a <i>crime</i>? Violation of '<a href="https://www.aclu.org/blog/speak-freely/trump-violating-constitution">emoluments</a>' -- and personal enrichment through use and abuse of the office -- could come to that. If not a crime (yet), why not file to clarify the law as to a new situation,<br />
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Tillerson? Are you at home yet? See <a href="https://www.state.gov/secretary/travel/">https://www.state.gov/secretary/travel/</a> This is your post, your employment. And surely, an extreme of conflicts of interest, really extreme, should trigger an interpretation of the Constitution that yes, even a president, can be so out of line that he should be removed from it. Bring a suit. Why rely on old ideas insulating the president from conflicts consequences, personal enrichment (how much time<i> is</i> spent on the nation's business, and how much for personal empire?) with these facts.<br />
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<li>The other post: The Washington Post and others found that the effect of the gushing post is to <a href="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=shill">shill</a> for the president's own personal business interests. Does this side perk, covered up, masks possible violations of the Constitution's <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/04/donald-trump-conflicts-of-interests/508382/">emoluments</a> provisions. See Washington Post 4/24/2017: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/state-department-website-touts-glittering-history-of-trumps-mar-a-lago-estate/2017/04/24/bd298e44-292f-11e7-b605-33413c691853_story.html?utm_term=.b3ad23b548d2"> State department website touts glittering history of Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate</a>; and Atlantic Monthly at <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/04/donald-trump-conflicts-of-interests/508382/">https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/04/donald-trump-conflicts-of-interests/508382/</a></li>
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4. Why does fake news sell?<br />
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Science. Brains want certainty. Religion or politics. See <a href="http://www.livescience.com/3966-ambiguity-messes-brains.html">http://www.livescience.com/3966-ambiguity-messes-brains.html</a>. Are we so afraid of ambiguity and ambivalence that we don't even list fear of uncertaintyN in the funny-not-funny phobias list: Look up <a href="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=phobia">phobias</a>, irrational fears. Note, however, the role of fear. A fear-phobia lurks through them all, beneath the rational, is there, fear of fear. Induce fear, and the believers believe and follow, in order to feel safe again. See <a href="http://www.bizedmagazine.com/archives/2016/4/research/fear-ambiguity-affects-decision-making">http://www.bizedmagazine.com/archives/2016/4/research/fear-ambiguity-affects-decision-making</a>.<br />
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Even fear of war is shown as a personal fear, <a href="http://common-phobias.com/Traumato/phobia.htm">traumotophobia</a>. Not fear of the idea. So sell war and security at the same time. Winner.<br />
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5. How does certainty support the autocrat?<br />
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Fear emerges from uncertainty: can that be agreed? So make fear precede the autocrat's <i>giving of certainty</i> through the <i>proclamation of certainty</i>.<br />
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That works. which means that (probably) the brain's first job is to get certain so that action can follow, and fast. How to do that? In politics, the idea is not new -- find a strong-man, see, e.g.,<a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/basic-lizard-brain-psychology-explain-rise-trump-article-1.2960261"> http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/basic-lizard-brain-psychology-explain-rise-trump-article-1.2960261</a> <i><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Maslow%27s_Hierarchy_of_Needs.svg">Maslov's hierarchy of needs</a></i>: even that old saw overlooks the role of uncertainty, need for social connection, see <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevedenning/2012/03/29/what-maslow-missed/#252c8bf6661b">https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevedenning/2012/03/29/what-maslow-missed/#252c8bf6661b</a><br />
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In religion and politics both, enter the ideology-maker to assuage the fear that the ideology-maker exploits, even creates. Tell people before a situation arises that it is coming and what to do in it and why. Persuasion as a short-cut path, circumventing merit, and that suits the ideology-maker.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>For example: present war as absolutely needed, now. War solves things. War is certain. Must do it.</li>
</ul>
Fear prevents self-determination. Self-actualizing. The concept of autonomy extends from the ancient Greeks, to again in 1620 or so, to the early 1800's -- never dies. See <a href="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=autonomy">http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=autonomy.</a> Start early: Prime the little pumps. Autonomy theory, <a href="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=autonomy">https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/autonomy-moral/.</a> And from history, people like autonomy, pride of place, pride of role.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Autocrat: Figure out what a whole person needs, and deprive it. Control follows.</li>
<li>A whole human needs the ability for independent assessment and ability, health, mobility, conditions fostering choices for action, or inaction, as the human may decide. <a href="http://www.iep.utm.edu/autonomy/">http://www.iep.utm.edu/autonomy/</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Depriving people of autonomy creates serfs.</li>
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6. But there is no certainty. The only certainty is the certainty of proclamation of it by one who wants you to believe for his or her own reasons. See the <i>Forbes</i> critique of <i>Maslow</i>, above; and .<br />
<a href="http://194.81.189.19/ojs/index.php/step/article/viewFile/274/400">King-Hill Critical analysis of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need</a><br />
7. Re-enter the autocrat, who will provide certainty by proclamation and punishment. No wonder. It works. What is certain about <i>Mar-a-Lago</i>? Certainly more than the State Department is laying out. Theft of consent. Make that a crime to describe intentional misrepresentation, omission, wild interpretation, in order to garner support. That also applies to religions that do not, or did not, permit people to hear scripture in their own languages, etc. See <a href="https://croatiaroadways.blogspot.com/2006/09/nin-and-zadar-on-easter-morning.html">Nin, Croatia</a>.<br />
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Autonomy in a population is the greatest threat that an autocratic leader faces. And autonomy can be countered rather easily. Deprive of the means to it. Autonomy demands a reliable information base for choice, verifiable, reasonably comprehensive facts; and if not immediately verifiable, how close can good faith get us to it.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>The autocrat's response: </li>
<ul>
<li>Must harness the energy toward autonomy, Promise rank and standing to those whose lives may have been bereft of it, if they will just follow.</li>
<li>Manipulate what is told to deciders and the people whose support he needs keep secret and deflect any </li>
<ul>
<li>evidence pointing to the contrary of what the autocrat wants. Ideologies get rewritten, facts contested without evidence but repeated and repeated; reduce sources of independent investigation, exposure to revelation by a seeker not on the autocrat's side. And <i>Saturday Night Live</i> goes up in the ratings, but does not reach those most affected.</li>
</ul>
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A sad angle is this: That if allowed to follow talent and interest, without restriction; enough people would choose each important activity, to ensure all covered. But that challenges those absorbed in rank, <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/somebodies-and-nobodies/200908/somebodies-and-nobodies-understanding-rankism">somebodies v nobodies</a>.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Brains now so happy. Do this and get punished like that. No equity, no individuals. Do that and feel sure. On the receiving end, get your just desserts. Bleep out and freeze if uncertainty arises, Need that autocrat.</li>
<li>And so <i>Mar-a-Lago</i> becomes just a rich lady's dream come true. Mar-a-Lago now in the tender hands of her intended scion is revealed to be, <a href="https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/ulysses-excerpt">yes, oh</a> ... <i>Donald Trump. </i></li>
</ul>
Untrust it. So the State Department we once would have trusted because it is out State Department, would have us believe. Put it on the untrusted list. Call Google.<br />
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8. Next?<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Mar-a-Lago</i>. So many issues, not referenced in the State Department propaganda piece, swirl, that those who like sanity click the mental remote off.<br />
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Does human conflict, at its core, stem from Rankism. Organized religions and politics have long used the idea. Nonbelievers are disposable and heretic, Turn belief into a weapon.. Believe. Your grandpa's hometown little hardware store might have been the one that supplied war materiel in WWI or WWII, and whose grandson morphed into a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/lists/2005/fictional/02.html">daddy-warbucks</a> a billionaire great-grandson's dream trust. You can have that, too. Dream on.<br />
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Yusupov Palace up there. Lots of money in guided tours, for days when the secrets do not waft about the galleries. Perhaps little golden gilt buses can scoot about the grounds with tourists (who pay through the nose) so they can say they were there, even if no plebeian foot dare touch the gr ass. </div>
Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-56597323290742447272017-01-19T20:24:00.001-05:002017-01-19T20:26:11.597-05:00Profit worship. New Baal. Commodify the world. Sustenance as a market opportunity. Trump.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The commodifying of religion. Nobody gets mobility, health, the vote, sustenance, education, opportunity, forty acres and a mule to seed the future after horrendous deprivation by culture and government, unless that person already can pay now for it, and no mind why he is so far behind. <br />
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The Trump Presidency. We have hopes that he will make decent decisions for more than his status-equals, defined by himself. Our own son is not in that group. We have worked hard, he is ever so deserving as a fine human being, but heaven or somebody please help him when we are gone, and what we have has run out. We are not hope-full, but we can always hope. Or is that delusional?<br />
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Putin perpetuates serf-hood in his land. Trump follows suit here. I may be back later with a positive assessment update, but am not hope-filled. Good morning, America. I hope it is.<br />
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Baal.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQbp5Ckhs2uY_mGx2aUkOYTkTYMUjFAWAiP9XQFwo4KFWiJnzwHSysh5KPE7y4JNav757ThIrP5KreaqBjgxULc3YbL-maVu2O3kd9y0uWfNpKQlwbVjw6FRyZfUNs7Sczz6i/s1600/102_5341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQbp5Ckhs2uY_mGx2aUkOYTkTYMUjFAWAiP9XQFwo4KFWiJnzwHSysh5KPE7y4JNav757ThIrP5KreaqBjgxULc3YbL-maVu2O3kd9y0uWfNpKQlwbVjw6FRyZfUNs7Sczz6i/s320/102_5341.JPG" width="240" />Moscow, Sins of the adults visited on the children, Shemiakin sculpture group</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQbp5Ckhs2uY_mGx2aUkOYTkTYMUjFAWAiP9XQFwo4KFWiJnzwHSysh5KPE7y4JNav757ThIrP5KreaqBjgxULc3YbL-maVu2O3kd9y0uWfNpKQlwbVjw6FRyZfUNs7Sczz6i/s1600/102_5341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">. </a></div>
See <a href="http://russiaroadways.blogspot.com/2015/08/children-are-victims-of-adult-vices-the-mikail-shemyakin.html?q=chemiakin">http://russiaroadways.blogspot.com/2015/08/children-are-victims-of-adult-vices-the-mikail-shemyakin.html?q=chemiakin</a>/ Baal us out?<br />
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That, Mr. Trump, is not the way. </div>
Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-63773401770487161522016-12-06T11:50:00.000-05:002016-12-06T11:50:03.896-05:00Duped believer syndrome. Secular and religious shape-shifters and accountability. Time to free the electors<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Expanded idolatries. Duping believers. Soliciting converts. </div>
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Financial, economic, religious, political.</div>
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All based on words, words. </div>
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Get there fast, all ye on the internet express, before full information is out. </div>
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A fine art.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV6vkVK5NXD-I1ePkJ0HPT58FuQk9acJ25Indij5G-q5H0dg-PlJ3SbbrlmKM40OKad2tKX0Nf0JiVjGhiR2TnDCnfxnmTirBQ5y2zW3UsweQI12i76tk6lyp2Qtba68o1LpKv/s1600/100_1889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV6vkVK5NXD-I1ePkJ0HPT58FuQk9acJ25Indij5G-q5H0dg-PlJ3SbbrlmKM40OKad2tKX0Nf0JiVjGhiR2TnDCnfxnmTirBQ5y2zW3UsweQI12i76tk6lyp2Qtba68o1LpKv/s320/100_1889.JPG" width="240" />Lured in by the music. Shapeshifter? Heilbrunn Palace, Salzburg; View from the top, at the fountains</a><br />
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Elections, religions, politics, fashion: Moneymakers all. How to discern the <i>duper</i>, the insincere profiteer, barker, who gets the cash, the vote, the conversion, the disseminator who spreads false words for his own ignorant, entertainment or nefarious reasons, a commitment before full information is out and can be vetted. How to warn the <i>duped</i>, the voter, penitent, party-member, buyer, that this product is not and cannot/will not deliver as promised. What is the <a href="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=McCoy">real McCoy</a>; or (source) <a href="http://www.snopes.com/language/eponyms/mccoy.asp">http://www.snopes.com/language/eponyms/mccoy.asp</a>.<br />
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Is there a shapeshifter at the helm? In the pool? How to tell? Is that even the right word to describe a duper? A super duper?<br />
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Shapeshifting takes intentionality. What if it is just in the nature of the beast to have one aspect visible from the top, and another aspect lurking beneath, all the time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVfKrdbbqhlaC0QaCnOldkogD-GCjb44X83IHD2MGxVNQfshwVF7QXHHsYaoQIVVADbbzr3BQtSPStylRtRKU-g8_3TyQaBERm7x5eKXTdqgksJ9GOyXPR9EUkw9cGQ_z0fjj/s1600/100_1891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVfKrdbbqhlaC0QaCnOldkogD-GCjb44X83IHD2MGxVNQfshwVF7QXHHsYaoQIVVADbbzr3BQtSPStylRtRKU-g8_3TyQaBERm7x5eKXTdqgksJ9GOyXPR9EUkw9cGQ_z0fjj/s320/100_1891.JPG" width="240" />Deceived by the music: Shapeshifter? What lay beneath. Heilbrunn Palace, Salzburg, Austria. The fountains. With this now known, should the electors now vote conscience?</a></div>
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A. Nature of the duped. The gullible believer believes, out of circumstance, lack of access to information in time, or whatever reason -- and if there is remorse of enough, is it time to free the electors? what other accountability can there be? Is all speech alike, is <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/anncon/html/amdt1dfrag1_user.html">political speech</a> commercial speech, and if so, add protections. This is sales, people.:<br />
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1. In the Big Lie du jour, internet hokum, absorbed as truth,and spread not out of merit but because it can be spread. That <a href="http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Man-With-Assault-Rifle-Arrested-at-Comet-Ping-Pong-in-NW-DC-404634716.html">Comet Ping Pong</a> houses <a href="http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Man-With-Assault-Rifle-Arrested-at-Comet-Ping-Pong-in-NW-DC-404634716.html">exploited children</a>. Get your gun, invade, and shoot. Wrong? <a href="http://www.mydestinationnigeria.com/usefulinfo/nigerian-language-and-slang">Sorry-o</a>. Idolizing what the herd says, finding comfort in the herd.<br />
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2. In the Big Lie ongoing. That there is widespread voter fraud. No, there isn't. Idolizing political ideology, the false conclusion without fact support, where the real result does not serve the ideology. See <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/opinion/the-success-of-the-voter-fraud-myth.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/opinion/the-success-of-the-voter-fraud-myth.html</a><br />
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3. In the Big Lie of yesteryear, carrying on today. That heresy is defined by God, so it is permissible, even sin-eradicating, to kill the heretic. Blow them away. <a href="http://www-tc.pbs.org/inquisition/pdf/TheCatharHeresy.pdf">Cathars</a> all. In favor of a non-finding of heretic: One finds <a href="http://franceroadways.blogspot.com/2012/09/carcassonne-walled-cathar-city.html">merit </a>in their beliefs and right to so believe. In favor of obliteration of heretics. No, they deserved to die because they were heretics as the church defined it, and that is enough, says <a href="https://rs80b.wordpress.com/2013/08/18/albigensian-crusade-was-justified/">another</a> still. Idolizing religious ideology.<br />
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4. In the western economic Big Lie. That the free market <i>without regulation of exploitation</i> serves the wealthy best, and so for all of us. Subheading: All who profess to be republican must believe, see <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/05/us/politics/house-republicans-trade-trump.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/05/us/politics/house-republicans-trade-trump.html</a>. Disagree on pain of heresy, <a href="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=apostate">apostasy</a>. Idolizing economic ideology.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>And <i>so say all of us</i>, sing the Brits, proper reference to the source of adulation: the particular group there present. </li>
<li><i>Which nobody can deny</i>, sing the Americans, regressing to leading the pack to absolutism, in what is to be adulated; and finding consequences of failure to vet even that, see <a href="https://www.acousticmusicarchive.com/for-hes-a-jolly-good-fellow-chords-lyrics">https://www.acousticmusicarchive.com/for-hes-a-jolly-good-fellow-chords-lyrics</a></li>
</ul>
5. In the Big Lie of platitudes, idolizing fairy tales, trivializing gender abuse, drug abuse. See <a href="http://reason.com/archives/2016/03/14/the-darker-side-of-just-say-no">http://reason.com/archives/2016/03/14/the-darker-side-of-just-say-no</a>. Idolatry of ideology, cultural ideology.<br />
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6. In the big lie of persuader veracity idolizing the position, the person holding it. A kind of divine ordination, like the Oz until the curtain is lifted, is that so? Now who does that look like? See <a href="https://www.google.com/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1284&bih=642&q=oz+behind+the+curtain&oq=oz+behind+the+curtain&gs_l=img.3..0.3315.6053.0.6718.21.5.0.16.16.0.157.438.4j1.5.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..0.21.456.QZ5xeyiQe1A#imgrc=Ol0Ux3vMhRzRSM%3A">google</a> (pay-no-attention-to-that-person-behind-the-curtain).<br />
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<li>Even emperors get duped, looking for shortcuts where there are none. </li>
<li>There is no shortcut in discerning a swindler from a bona fide. And what if the ruler is a swindler? </li>
<ul>
<li>You have to vet. See <i>The Emperor's New Clothes</i>, a prime duped ruler -- with morals from Denmark, where the Emperor wanted to use the cloth to discern the stupid from the smart, to other tales where the Emperor wanted to use the cloth to discern the "legitimate" from the illegitimate, in a culture where rank and birth were all. See <a href="http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type1620.html">http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type1620.html</a></li>
<li>And as needed, strike out for change based on the new vetting, and in a timely way -- before all is etched online. See <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/05/opinion/why-i-will-not-cast-my-electoral-vote-for-donald-trump.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/05/opinion/why-i-will-not-cast-my-electoral-vote-for-donald-trump.html</a></li>
<ul>
<li>In Russia, see the Church unite with the State in a <i>social contract</i>, each then buttressed by the other, see <a href="http://carnegie.ru/commentary/?fa=60401">http://carnegie.ru/commentary/?fa=60401</a>. but with the state holding the purse-strings (again)so the Church has to fall in line ideologically or find itself confiscated (again)(<a href="http://www.fsmitha.com/h3/h31-gr6c.htm">Catherine the Great</a>, <a href="http://www.loyno.edu/~history/journal/1987-8/byrnes.htm">Bolsheviks</a>). The carrot is being fed out again see <a href="https://www.csis.org/blogs/post-soviet-post/church-state-relations-and-property-restitution-modern-russia">https://www.csis.org/blogs/post-soviet-post/church-state-relations-and-property-restitution-modern-russia </a></li>
<ul>
<li>Idolatry of ideology, and a hierarchy of ideologies.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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B. Forewarning the duped believer. If too late, can mere information change a convinced mind. Hardly. What if there is new information in this old Codex, about 800 CE, and held at the <a href="http://austriaroadways.blogspot.com/2009/10/kremsmunster-and-kremsmunster-abbey.html">Kremsmunster Abbey,</a> Austria. Fear of facts.<a href="http://www.cultus.hk/Latin_vocab/noun1245/factum.html"> Phobiafactorum</a>. Or <i>factaphobia.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NFT4w09RsYwPajthwvY7sCJjx8iVo8f1Q-Khd-4gh1SxUiavSkdbU1GiTpO4ynXhevtnYqsNy1DiyZHEAcsBljTSDcLGejRcQq_RwN0mMWK6M3htGYFuLDahkaQbl7FJpScu/s1600/100_2025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NFT4w09RsYwPajthwvY7sCJjx8iVo8f1Q-Khd-4gh1SxUiavSkdbU1GiTpO4ynXhevtnYqsNy1DiyZHEAcsBljTSDcLGejRcQq_RwN0mMWK6M3htGYFuLDahkaQbl7FJpScu/s320/100_2025.JPG" width="240" />9th Century Codex, Kremsmunster Abbey, Austria. Not yet scanned for the internet. Why not?</a></div>
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There upside down. So it goes. So is life.<br />
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Conclusion, if any. Secular and religious idolatry, shape-shifters abound. We have come nowhere. Our new wrinkle: not so new. Legitimacy depends on ethnicity, belief system, party affiliation, and so on. Is so-and-so Republican enough? Plus ca change.<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Believe <i>this</i>, and you will be delivered: from them, from yourself, from responsibility for your own vetting of what you are told, from your life that seems dead-ended, from picking up things that explode, X(Russia is not alone here, look back, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/10/opinion/soviet-toys-of-death.html">http://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/10/opinion/soviet-toys-of-death.html</a>), believe me and you will be lifted up into glory, especially <a href="http://reliableplant.com/Read/11398/manufacturing-job-losses-cripple-growth-in-pennsylvania">Scranton</a>.</li>
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Duped voter syndrome. Duped believer syndrome. <a href="http://plainmeaning.blogspot.com/2016/08/separate-merit-from-the-made-up-in-political-speech-spot-viruses-fake-news-big-lie-propaganda-techniques.html">Propaganda techniques</a> can sell anything. Control. Marketing, sales, techniques apply to religious and moral ideas, as well as commercial, martial. why the market should be the sole referent for legislative virtue. Even bleeding madras could be morphed into a preppy moneymaker. See <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/What-is-bleeding-Madras/articleshow/7126008.cms">http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/What-is-bleeding-Madras/articleshow/7126008.cms</a>. Time to free the electors. Have a little lunch, do something nice for somebody.<br />
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Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-58961520967670738652016-11-06T13:36:00.000-05:002016-11-12T05:07:32.010-05:00Moscow statue Vladimir I. Surprising non Byzantine cross of Vladimir the Great near Kremlin<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIYc28tbcNuDr1QlzUYI3ZGk36ZoRRn1WsawTEbGSFIaFOn6M3CILTVrTEZPDdAFlMBsYh7czDqk_Y6GtMIa7RK6_w2gIiXQImc-JigZWEFs_zoENMohkxUv1NyznwqiuYeCr/s1600/102_5330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIYc28tbcNuDr1QlzUYI3ZGk36ZoRRn1WsawTEbGSFIaFOn6M3CILTVrTEZPDdAFlMBsYh7czDqk_Y6GtMIa7RK6_w2gIiXQImc-JigZWEFs_zoENMohkxUv1NyznwqiuYeCr/s320/102_5330.JPG" width="320" />Vladimir the Great statue, new, outside Kremlin walls. Near near St. Basil's Cathedral? About here, down to the left? Moscow, Russia.</a></div>
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Vladimir I in Moscow: See photograph of Vladimir I, Vladimir the Great, ruler of Kievan Rus 980-1215 CE; and the elongated simple cross he holds, in a new statue near the Kremlin at <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/05/world/europe/vladimir-statue-moscow-kremlin.html"> http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/05/world/europe/vladimir-statue-moscow-kremlin.html</a>.; and at <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/04/vladimir-putin-unveils-statue-of-medieval-namesake-who-united-ru/">Vladimir Putin unveils statue of medieval namesake who 'united Russian lands.'</a> <br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Yet Vladimir I was <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Byzantine+Christian+cross+988+CE&rlz=1C1FGUR_enUS700US700&espv=2&biw=1144&bih=595&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwis5dLZw5TQAhVK64MKHSPVAskQsAQIGg">Byzantine</a>, after he converted, adopting a highly ornamental complex ideological system. The old Byzantine Crosses, if the images are reasonably correct, are not simple. They are shorter, stubbier, ornate, heavy, it appears. They also have (when did these come in?) a slanted footrest portion, and separate sign area at the top. This, however, looks posts-Reformation Protestant. </li>
<ul>
<li>Pick out the simplest ones at <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=images+western+christian+cross&rlz=1C1FGUR_enUS700US700&espv=2&biw=1144&bih=595&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjJybTtx5TQAhWn6IMKHYIlDIAQ7AkILQ&dpr=1.1#tbm=isch&q=images+protestant+western+christian+cross">images</a>. Long, narrow vertical, shorter horizontal toward the top for the arms, and the head rests on the ongoing vertical above the arm support. </li>
</ul>
<li>There are possible explanations. </li>
<ul>
<li>This simple form, however, also is the same as shown with the Vladimir the Great statue in <i>Kiev,</i> Vladimir's city, Ukraine. See <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=public+domain+photo+Saint+Vladimir+I+Moscow&rlz=1C1FGUR_enUS700US700&espv=2&biw=1144&bih=595&tbm=isch&imgil=r6y5Lfp6Se-kFM%253A%253B0TN4pp_ujOG7mM%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fen.wikipedia.org%25252Fwiki%25252FVladimir_the_Great&source=iu&pf=m&fir=r6y5Lfp6Se-kFM%253A%252C0TN4pp_ujOG7mM%252C_&usg=__ggU2CPqGVnxDYjDF761eo13m70A%3D&dpr=1.1&ved=0ahUKEwia1ZGjvZbQAhUn44MKHXbKAi4QyjcIKg&ei=Fl0gWJryDafGjwT2lIvwAg#imgrc=r6y5Lfp6Se-kFM%3A">Kiev photo</a>. Moscow adopts Kiev's viewpoint.</li>
<li>See also the simple form that appears at the painting of Saint Olga 1892 by Mikhail Nesterov, Olga ruled Kiev 945-963 CE, and herself converted (but noone followed) see <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St_Olga_by_Nesterov_in_1892.jpg"> https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St_Olga_by_Nesterov_in_1892.jpg</a>.</li>
<li>It also is the same as held by St. Andrew in iconography, reflecting legends that he himself came to Ukraine in the 1st Century and planted such a cross at a hill at Kiev area. He is <a href="http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2012/07/saint-anthony-of-kiev-caves.html">St. Anthony of the Caves</a>, but nowhere near being an Apostle.</li>
<ul>
<li>On the other hand, and this is a new area for me, there is the <a href="https://oca.org/saints/lives/2015/01/17/100216-venerable-and-god-bearing-father-anthony-the-great">Asceti</a>c (who looks the same as the one in <a href="http://www.coptic.net/synexarion/anthony.txt">Egypt</a>), founder of monasticism, 12th Century, Ukraine (Monastery of the Caves), but this Anthony is shown with no cross at all, see <a href="https://oca.org/saints/lives/2015/01/17/100216-venerable-and-god-bearing-father-anthony-the-great">https://oca.org/saints/lives/2015/01/17/100216-venerable-and-god-bearing-father-anthony-the-great</a></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li>Would Vladimir himself cared much about all the Anthonies? Probably not. He became a man of faith and good deeds <i>after</i> he converted and already had what he wanted, after the violence needed to unify a disparate area, and had his political cards at the ready throughout, see See <a href="http://russiapedia.rt.com/prominent-russians/history-and-mythology/vladimir-i">http://russiapedia.rt.com/prominent-russians/history-and-mythology/vladimir-i</a>/ </li>
<ul>
<li>See the <a href="http://www.mgh-bibliothek.de/dokumente/a/a011458.pdf">Primary Chronicle</a> at pp. 107ff (and before). Arguments were entertained, lifestyles compared, a choice made, people told to convert and so they did, and <i>without bloodshed.</i></li>
<ul>
<li>Without bloodshed. Now, that is a religious idea worth dying for.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
Crosses can defy easy explanation. Still, this one, <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=images+western+christian+cross&rlz=1C1FGUR_enUS700US700&espv=2&biw=1144&bih=595&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjJybTtx5TQAhWn6IMKHYIlDIAQ7AkILQ&dpr=1.1#tbm=isch&q=images+western+protestant+christian+cross">Vladimir I's Moscow Cross, </a> looks like (anathema!) a Western Protestant Christian cross. The question remains, Why that form used in Moscow, here, now? The mindset in modern times has, apparently, stressed the need for re-Russianization, not cultural dilution, see Church and State, and both in international realm.<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Metropolitan Kyrill has shown concern the nature of another's religious influence being not just faith, but an invasion.an intententional undermining of <i>Russian</i> culture, identity, influences. See <i>Report, Orthodoxy on the Threshhold of the Third Millennium</i>, at <a href="https://mospat.ru/archive/en/2000/03/ne003161">https://mospat.ru/archive/en/2000/03/ne003161</a>/. </li>
<li>How does this form of cross, rather than the Eastern Orthodox, serve that interest?</li>
</ul>
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a. Check out the Apostle St. Andrew's connection, if any. The St. Andrew of the Caves, Kiev, is historically corroborated. How about the Apostle? The Apostle, vouched for. Andrew the First-Called. See <a href="https://orthodoxwiki.org/Apostle_Andrew">Orthodox Wiki</a>. Is St. Andrew the Apostle in Ukraine more than legend? and new questions.<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>The history of the Orthodox Church and connections to an Apostle St. Andrew are not sure things. This site mentions no St. Andrew in connection with Orthodoxy's founding or Kiev. See <a href="http://www.cs.toronto.edu/~mes/russia/moscow/history.html">http://www.cs.toronto.edu/~mes/russia/moscow/history.html</a>. Instead, see references to early missionaries from Byzantium as part of its outreach in the 9th century (very late).</li>
</ul>
<br />
Another site <i>does </i>put Apostle Andrew at the focal point, so that pictures of him in Russia holding a cross would make sense, but it relies on a cultural-support source, not an objective historical one. And there is no corroboration. The <i>Russian Primary Chronicle</i> written with an ideological bent and compiled in about 1113 CE in Kiev, as to stories of origins centuries and a millennia earlier, and by religious institution persons. See <a href="http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/evans/his241/Notes/Andrew.html">http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/evans/his241/Notes/Andrew.html </a> The Chronicles is not historiography, not a history text. So did the monks just put Andrew in the Kiev area because it had become more than legend in minds of believers, and added weight to the position of the Church? It looks like it. There is a St. Andrew's Church in Kiev, but it is baroque, built 1747-1754, hardly on a historic site. See <a href="http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkpath=pages%5CS%5CA%5CSaintAndrewsChurch.htm">Encyclopedia of Ukraine</a>.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>The move from folktale to fact-belief process is familiar: There is no one <a href="http://englandroadways.blogspot.com/2016/08/nottingham-and-robin-hood-sherwood.html?q=Robin+Hood">Robin Hood</a>, for example, but many individuals over time engaged in brigandage, their stories congealing. Also for <a href="http://switzerlandroadways.blogspot.com/2009/10/altdorf-and-burglen-william-tell.html?q=william+tell">William Tell</a> -- no such, just a very long period of resisting the Canton authorities for this and that, and congealing into one legendary person. </li>
</ul>
The apparently disputed connection of St. Andrew * other than legend (of course, there are probably some <i>kernels</i> that somehow apply, in some way, explore) should be a matter that even religious persons would welcome as a figurative matter, not literal. Fact-failures with anything actually Russian-Ukrainian does not detract from the arguments about messages to the people, in the fold and out, so long as the figurative is accepted. The simple cross either way, fact or not, affirms a universal, the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baNueuDCue0">Gift to be Simple</a> idea, with its own complex <a href="http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1998-12-02/news/1998336046_1_shaker-simple-gifts-simple-life">history</a>. From that choice of Vladimir for an ally, a nice and locally already significan t religion that allowed him to continue his lifestyle,flows the ritual-filled Russian Orthodox Church that takes it to a new exclusionary level: identifies its ideology as absolutely right-believing Holy Russia. What would St. Andrew say to that? Would Vladimir I even recognize the concept, he who had free choice.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Use of the simple cross it raises issues critical of Moscow now usurping the role of Vladimir I in the first place for identification with the very different Moscow-Muscovy. Vladimir's ultimate conversion (which was for political reasons, but followed, apparently, by faith) coterminous with absorption of Ukraine and its firstr son, Vladimir, both to become Russia's ideological turf. </li>
<li>Then ask, east and west, what is gained by all these instutitons calling themselves Christian adding their culture-control gewgaws to what was a perfectly good message by JC in the long ago. The site at <a href="http://www.cs.toronto.edu/~mes/russia/moscow/history.html">Russian Orthodox Church, Early History and Art.</a>at least explains the cross.</li>
<li>Use of the elongated simple cross here as a crutch, for artistic reasons only.</li>
<ul>
<li>Any statue requires 3-point stabilizers or some such to hold it up, Here, however, the cross form itself stabilizes the statue. To do that, it reaches all the way from 'way over head, down to the toes -- and with its lack of ornamentation (a little bush would have helped). But take it further: Vladimir leaning on this particular form? Really? </li>
</ul>
</ul>
b, Why not the traditional Orthodox Cross? Vladimir in traditional form: See the Orthodox cross consistently elsewhere, example <i>Medieval Prince Vladimir deepens Russia-Ukraine Split</i>, at <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33689641">http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33689641</a><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>See <a href="http://byzantine%20christian%20cross%20988%20ce/">examples</a>, and ask again why, when Vladimir himself finally converted in 988 CE, intentionally, to the <i>Byzantine Christian</i> church (Byzantium is not far away), he is not carrying its symbol. He then converted his entire population, to <i>Byzantine </i>Christianity. See the <a href="http://www.mgh-bibliothek.de/dokumente/a/a011458.pdf">Russian Primary Chronicle</a> (index is a good starting point). See the <a href="http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/VIR_WAT/VLADIMIR_ST_c_956_1015_.html">1911 Encyclopedia Britannica on Vladimir I. </a></li>
<li>What is the earliest "Byzantine cross"? Need a date.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><ul>
<li>At the time, there was no <i>institutional</i> distinction between Byzantine Christianity and Western Roman Catholic Christianity, just in practice, ritual, rules. Yet, there were indeed <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Eastern-Orthodoxy">Byzantine</a> Christians and Roman Christians,and Vladimir specifically chose the Byzantine, see <a href="http://www.napavalley.edu/people/shutton/Documents/Readings/23.Russian_Primary_Chronicle.pdf">http://www.napavalley.edu/people/shutton/Documents/Readings/23.Russian_Primary_Chronicle.pdf</a>. </li>
<li>The Great Schism between the branches came later, in 1054</li>
</ul>
</ul>
b. Cross clearly is not Orthodox; or later Byzantine, each with a long vertical, but three differing length horizontals: <a href="http://www.pinmart.com/eastern-orthodox-cross-pin/s924/?gclid=CMLklLPdlNACFYFbhgodHA8EtQ">Here is one</a>. at top, short one for a nameplate; somewhat below, a longer one as for nailed arms, and at bottom, a slanted medium length, slanted up to meet the side of the thief who repented; or perhaps an anchor shape with other Christian significance, do a search, see <a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/photos/russian-orthodox-cross?excludenudity=true&sort=mostpopular&mediatype=photography&phrase=russian%20orthodox%20cross">images</a>. See an informal forum on the topic at<a href="http://www.byzcath.org/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/412530/Dispute_between_Russia_&am"> http://www.byzcath.org/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/412530/Dispute_between_Russia_&am</a><br />
<br />
c. Cross is not Roman Catholic (here of a later date) with the body right there, hanging on the cross, long vertical: But even the shape of the narrow cross, even without the body, suggests some affinity perhaps with Lithuanian-Polish Catholics in Ukraine, like an appeasement? Make Vladimir the saint also of them?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXzm_K3JDeypsWIXWv17VlJJO8c9gwNrMvZejVo4YAE7tX0QDClk9xJStlO-B3lpzAIYq2lIcd5Sg8l3TAZodYIOAqh5CWTvTgJ9s6HWVN2jgulB276GfPDiJLQOz8NEofuCkzIw/s1600/P1070063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXzm_K3JDeypsWIXWv17VlJJO8c9gwNrMvZejVo4YAE7tX0QDClk9xJStlO-B3lpzAIYq2lIcd5Sg8l3TAZodYIOAqh5CWTvTgJ9s6HWVN2jgulB276GfPDiJLQOz8NEofuCkzIw/s320/P1070063.JPG" width="320" />Roman Catholic cross, with body on it, long vertical, site of Cathar crusade massacre, Montsegur, France, mm</a><br />
<br />
d. Cross is not anchor. The cross is not an anchor cross, with the crescent below. Here, such an anchor cross, among the Roma. First Century CE: Christian symbol as anchor, not Christian symbol as cross, see <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/2008/august/what-is-origin-of-anchor-as-christian-symbol-and-why-do-we.html">http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/2008/august/what-is-origin-of-anchor-as-christian-symbol-and-why-do-we.html</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVbKUuH6hvC0HPevqYyNfadOiAoAlwb51TUIjikbWCYITeK2uHfSbTfjJlzVxPSw-2U7Y4KlbZqo7oZkm0W4QSZ6vy2piuY3bAELJWHEjVe-ZyFKcNH1nUVvxMljYYa8L7nYwsA/s1600/P1070489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVbKUuH6hvC0HPevqYyNfadOiAoAlwb51TUIjikbWCYITeK2uHfSbTfjJlzVxPSw-2U7Y4KlbZqo7oZkm0W4QSZ6vy2piuY3bAELJWHEjVe-ZyFKcNH1nUVvxMljYYa8L7nYwsA/s320/P1070489.JPG" width="195" />Roma anchor cross, Saintes Maries de la Mer, France</a><br />
<br />
There is a later connection with anchor crosses, the Black Sea, and St. Clement, but that is not in issue here.<br />
<br />
d. So why the elongated simple Protestant-type cross in the hands of old St. Vladimir?<br />
<br />
1) The optimist says this:<br />
<br />
<i> Compromise</i> was needed by Vladimir then, so he would not alienate his people in changing their ways. In order for the conversions to spread without violence, as they apparently did, he could not push too much ideology at once. He let the multi-deists coexist, without forcing a strictly ideological symbol on them. Christians did the same thing in Scandinavia, using the "hanging on a tree" to sound like Odin on the tree, an area religious story.<br />
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2). The pessimist says this:<br />
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It is in error. Noone thought to research it. Surely the Russian Orthodox cross would be held out for all to see, if this is Holy Russia, and its Orthodoxy the chosen framework, from which all Right-Believers flow..<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>And it is not an even better compromise, an equal-armed cross, here from a medieval graveyard</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkvD96ADjAaEF0kJU_ZHgt-QvmrXyh9LOxBP_LDqTbFzkUbzB_2jcR_8GTtRQqO4DZuvLqVM2Sgh3t8fkxj-BdMMc3C_VWFv8ZTaYl-NomqoxdjMXTDC_w2hpIxh0XF99AvdHlw/s1600/DSCN5527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkvD96ADjAaEF0kJU_ZHgt-QvmrXyh9LOxBP_LDqTbFzkUbzB_2jcR_8GTtRQqO4DZuvLqVM2Sgh3t8fkxj-BdMMc3C_VWFv8ZTaYl-NomqoxdjMXTDC_w2hpIxh0XF99AvdHlw/s320/DSCN5527.JPG" width="320" />Equal-armed cross, medieval, Couvertoirade, France. Crusader town.</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAc_xyD0XyuR0UXiLcSJ7H0RWuEkhSwIgoQUreQbdg68k4BWn4CQ6xAQ8x42lQILpcw1IFDAdOOKqCwTS0IfyBoddZhA70pTKmKw6IhzxUNfYr6FnLjGGZffqCSW0O7GuG0kwChQ/s1600/DSCN5538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAc_xyD0XyuR0UXiLcSJ7H0RWuEkhSwIgoQUreQbdg68k4BWn4CQ6xAQ8x42lQILpcw1IFDAdOOKqCwTS0IfyBoddZhA70pTKmKw6IhzxUNfYr6FnLjGGZffqCSW0O7GuG0kwChQ/s320/DSCN5538.JPG" width="320" />Templar cross, crusader, Couvertoirade, Francenn</a></div>
<br />
Those stubborn Varangians. Go back to Vladimir's context.<br />
<br />
A simple cross eases compromise. It took a Reformation, and conflict, but it started to come about. Symbols matter. Is that a subtext. See <a href="http://www.asianews.it/news-en/For-Bishop-Tikhon,-something-concrete-will-come-with-respect-to-a-meeting-between-the-pope-and-the-Russian-patriarch-35727.html">http://www.asianews.it/news-en/For-Bishop-Tikhon,-something-concrete-will-come-with-respect-to-a-meeting-between-the-pope-and-the-Russian-patriarch-35727.html</a>. No, says <a href="https://02varvara.wordpress.com/2016/10/29/29-october-2016-sergianism-is-active-collaboration-with-all-godless-elements-not-merely-leftist-ones/">Varvara</a>. Let the 1992 reflections on <a href="http://www.holy-trinity.org/ecclesiology/tikhon.about-sergianism.html">Sergianism</a>, whether the church inappropriately collaborated with communism (the general idea, see <a href="http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/cat_tal.aspx">http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/cat_tal.aspx</a>), slide into history and let the state continue to hold the church's pursestrings now. Compromise, allowance for difference. A global issue. See footnote.<br />
<br />
e. Why the deep opposition to this statue here, now, regardless of the cross? <br />
<br />
There are issues of legitimacy, of the identity, of the takings of physical as well as ideological territory of others. See <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33689641">BBC site</a>, above. Review facts: <a href="http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/VIR_WAT/VLADIMIR_ST_c_956_1015_.html">Vladimir the Great</a>. 975-1015 CE.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Ukraine as seat of the Kievan Rus has always claimed him because Vladimir was born, lived, ruled as Grand Prince and died here (nearby). Ukraine fears further absorption, involuntary, into the Federation. Vladimir had even been baptised in Crimea, and that territory is already in flux. Fears are with good reason. [So far, however, UN complaints go round and round, see <a href="https://www.sott.net/article/325844-Delusional-Ukraine-issues-note-of-protest-over-Putins-trip-to-Crimea-calling-it-illegal">https://www.sott.net/article/325844-Delusional-Ukraine-issues-note-of-protest-over-Putins-trip-to-Crimea-calling-it-illegal</a>]</li>
<li>Vladimir represents the success of the <i>Varangian Period</i> of the Kievan Rus, expansion, organization, structure, military and trade skills hand in hand, and its transition to the <i>Christian Period</i> when principalities of heirs warred with each other for turf, Kiev was abandoned to the Mongols, the Lithuanians, the Poles. Important. Vladimir ruling as Prince in Novgorod: Areas blur, but there is a persistence of concept, supporting Varangian roots of Vladimir, and tolerance of Vladimir, once peace was attained see <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/20621109.pdf?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents">https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/20621109.pdf?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents</a>. </li>
</ul>
Regardless, with ties north (Novgorod) and south (Kiev) for Vladimir I, the statue, is now installed, and still opposed by too many and for reasonable reasons.<br />
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<br />
Footnote:<br />
<br />
a. Kievan Rus as multicultural, multiethnic, those with organizational, military, long-distance trade and focus skills ruling at the top, but needing the production of all the cultures in the boundaries, At p.91 and elsewhere, <a href="http://www.mgh-bibliothek.de/dokumente/a/a011458.pdf">Russian Primary Chronicle</a>, note the context: Vladimir was allied with Varangians (Scandinavians), was related to their royalty, went to Scandinavia to recruit his army, etc. In Vladimir's pre-Christian era, before his adoption of Byzantine monotheism, the Rus era was Varangian, multitheist. Vladimir made the fast transition, without alienating broad groups, when it suited his political and organizational needs. Fast forward. Does adoption of a simple cross, a more neutral symbolic cross help bridge differences, help coax the ongoing multi-theists of the day to join the fold, nothing to fear here. Consider: acknowledging the legitimacy of the Other is the first step to coexistence. Start to understand Orthodoxy with <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Eastern-Orthodoxy">https://www.britannica.com/topic/Eastern-Orthodoxy</a><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><ul>
<li>Is a pendulum swinging back from a) persecution of the church era 1917, to b) over-adoption of it (taking it over, with State paramount still) in Federation era, to c) church as part of life but to have now some autonomy? I thought I thaw a thaw? Probably hardly.</li>
<li>Many currents in the ROC today, as always, see <a href="http://www.holy-trinity.org/ecclesiology/tikhon.about-sergianism.html">http://www.holy-trinity.org/ecclesiology/tikhon.about-sergianism.html</a>; and <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-putin-church-idUSBRE91016F20130201">http://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-putin-church-idUSBRE91016F20130201</a></li>
</ul>
</ul>
Or is the choice of cross simply not an issue, somebody just picked one out. Please, Mr. Putin, let it be.<br />
<br />
b. Is the expedience of Vladimir enough to make him a saint? Disconnect. Examine Vladimir's purposeful conversion to a specific alliance and religious form, the Byzantine Christian, because it let him continue to live his chosen life without much interruption; and the later rigidity of religious rules of behavior and belief, Holy Russia and its sense of chosenness; and its blurring with the State in various pendulum moves in history, see footnote.<br />
<br />
So Russia had a choice here. A. Stress the importance of the nation's adoption of this Byzantine-based specific Orthodoxy in the cross symbol; the Holy Russia; or B. Use a generic symbol for the common origins of all Christianity, St. Andrew's; and so C. Affirm how, in the original disciples, there was focus on essential message, not ideology. That is a compromises for the good of more people, not fewer. Different messages. Just make them conscious. It has confused the issue of roots by putting St. Andrew's cross in Vladimir's hands, instead of the Byzantine Cross, representing the institution to which Vladimir converted.<br />
<br />
Change Vladimir's cross to the Byzantine, and for so long as that particular form of Christianity (a choice) is blurred with the Russian state and its merits or not. Leave St. Andrew's essential form as an attractor for any so inclined, who do not then have to also fall into lockstep with the Russian state. There. Done.<br />
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Appendix:<br />
<br />
1. Locations of the statue: An earlier proposed location had been at the former <a href="http://fas.org/irp/world/russia/kgb/lubyanka.htm">KGB building</a>, Lubyanka, see <a href="http://www.byzcath.org/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/412530/Dispute_between_Russia_&am">http://www.byzcath.org/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/412530/Dispute_between_Russia_&am</a>; and at high <a href="http://russiaroadways.blogspot.com/2015/10/a-saint-for-sparrow-hills-moscow.html?q=sparrow+hills">Sparrow Hills</a>, where another saint would be more apt. Saint Vladimir, Vladimir the Great, has now been installed outside these walls at the Kremlin, November 2016. Better idea.<br />
<div>
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2. Get the sound of Orthodoxy. Wonderful.<br />
Find a youtube or other <a href="https://orthodoxwiki.org/Troparion">Troparion</a> (Tone 4), short hymn, rhythmic prose form to honor: Andrew, first-called of the Apostles and brother of the foremost disciple,entreat the Master of all to grant peace to the world and to our souls great mercy.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://orthodoxwiki.org/Kontakion">Kontakion</a> (Tone 2), a form of thematic hymn, takes experts to explain difference with Troparion. Is it where it is found in the service? Let us praise Andrew, the herald of God,the namesake of courage,the first-called of the Savior's disciples and the brother of Peter.As he once called to his brother, he now cries out to us:'Come, for we have found the One whom the world desires!'<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Here is a broadly relevant one, in Greek and then English, at<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEEZrCq6pog"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEEZrCq6pog</a><br />
<br />
* [Andrew is also the patron saint of Scotland and Romania. President-elect Trump has a golf course in the area in Scotland, oops, page gone, go figure. See (cannot see) <a href="http://www.linksgolfstandrews.com/tour-locations/scotland-golf-tours/where-to-play/north-east/trump-international">http://www.linksgolfstandrews.com/tour-locations/scotland-golf-tours/where-to-play/north-east/trump-international</a>. At any rate, St. Andrew is associated financially with lucrative golf, as well as religious roots in Ukraine and now Russia]. In the religious arena, Andrew was associated with miracles and preaching, and was tortured and martyred for it. Vladimir, however, is a man of no miracles (any preaching?) but led a common-good life (education, hospitals, schools) after conversion, so that's ok.</div>
</div>
Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-5107335148468816602016-09-28T13:14:00.000-04:002016-09-28T14:30:50.961-04:00Judaism in China: Disputed roots. Khazaria. Ancient minority now oppressed. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Jews in China. An ancient group, persecuted.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Timeline. Explore Khazars, and fostering Jewish roots.</div>
<br />
I. Background<br />
<br />
A recent news account of persecution of Jews in China speculates about their origins, noting only a generic idea of Persian merchants involved. Look deeper into the roots of Chinese Judaism. Look specifically to the Khazars, ancient Khazaria. Khazar rulers indeed invited Persian and Byzantine refugees from various warring areas to settle in Khazaria, see <a href="http://www.khazaria.com/khazar-history.html">An Introduction to the History of Khazaria</a>. There is agreement that Jewish-Persian merchants traded along the Silk Road. A side point, however, is whether Khazars themselves converted to Judaism.<br />
<br />
A. Yea, If Khazars converted to Judaism, Khazaria would then be the first and perhaps only State where the Jews ruled themselves, not as subjects to others, and conversions were completely by choice after comparisons. That issue of conversion is not mentioned in the news article, see <i>New York Times, </i> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/25/world/asia/china-kaifeng-jews.html?_r=0">http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/25/world/asia/china-kaifeng-jews.html?_r=0 </a>. Then again, there is no external evidence other than the legend-favorite tale in favor of the conversion theory? See arguments favoring the conversion at<a href="http://rechtman.com/khazaria.htm"> http://rechtman.com/khazaria.htm</a><br />
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B. Nay. Perhaps the Times is convinced that there was no such conversion, and therefore the origin of the Chinese Jews is satisfactorily explained by Jewish-Persian merchants on the Silk Road.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Some indeed say there was no such conversion, see reference to Hebrew University historian Professor Shaul Stampfer at<span style="background-color: #ffffcc; text-align: justify;"> </span> <a href="http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/khazars.html">http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/khazars.html</a>. Scroll down at that site for arguments surrounding the conversion story as originating in the 1800's. Is the issue translations and linguistics? </li>
<li>The significance of whether Jews have historic roots here relates also to Israel. This topic is beyond me, so here is my best summary: If the Jewish people are not descended from Khazars, their historic claim to legitimacy in the srael is questionable (why should all hinge on the Khazars?), and relates to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. See <i>Jewish Virtual Library</i> site.</li>
<li>If there were no Jewish Khazars, then the <i>Chinese</i> Jewish minority population is not related to the Khazars other than by happenstance overlap with the vaguely worded Persian merchant connection, see NYT article above.</li>
<ul>
<li>Jewish-Persian merchants: Significance beyond their trade.</li>
<ul>
<li>Fascinating topic. Did they originate Yiddish? See <a href="http://www.sci-news.com/genetics/yiddish-language-slavo-iranian-jewish-merchants-03797.html">http://www.sci-news.com/genetics/yiddish-language-slavo-iranian-jewish-merchants-03797.</a></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
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C. Start here. Find the Khazars. </div>
<br />
See <i>Maps of the Khazar Kingdom from 300 CE - 1000 CE</i>, at <a href="http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/esp_sociopol_khazar03.htm">http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/esp_sociopol_khazar03.htm</a>. They were Turkic, and noteworthy for reddish hair, at least before the Mongol conquest and dilution. See <a href="http://www.khazaria.com/khazar-history.html">History of Khazaria</a> (hair color is of interest because of the fabulous red hair of the current <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-29950844">Udmurts </a>in Russia, and any issue of genetics and Jewish ancestry among them is beyond my pay grade, see <a href="http://www.khazaria.com/genetics/aj-east-european-admixture.html">http://www.khazaria.com/genetics/aj-east-european-admixture.html</a>). Site notes some Ashkenazic Jewish people resemble in phyiscal appearance East Slavs and West Slavs, even Lithuanians, see site. Is this DNA video topic reliable? See <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmSVpsoHM9w">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmSVpsoHM9w</a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
II. Timeline. Begin a timeline for the Turkic Khazars, any Jewish connections, myth or: </div>
<br />
I first summarize from <a href="http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/esp_sociopol_khazar03.htm">http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/esp_sociopol_khazar03.htm</a>. Refer to that unless otherwise indicated.<br />
<br />
550 CE: Death of Attila the Hun, whose empire had been controlled. Collection of tribute kept tribes in check, and a power vacuum emerges in Eastern Europe. See <a href="http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/esp_sociopol_khazar03.htm.">http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/esp_sociopol_khazar03.htm.</a> With no protection from invasion from local tribes that the old tribute system provided, many Avars and Uighurs move west. <br />
<br />
Khazars stay put, Caspian Sea on one side, Black Sea on the other. See <a href="http://www.khazaria.com/khazar-history.html">An Introduction to the History of Khazaria</a>. Khazars at that location enjoyed another power vacuum where neither Rome nor Persia ruled, to their south so they could plunder and raid and enrich their own empire. Incursions: Into Georgia, plunder but not conquest over time, see <a href="http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/esp_sociopol_khazar03.htm">http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/esp_sociopol_khazar03.htm</a><br />
<br />
622 CE: Muslim community migrates from Mecca to Medina (the <i>Hegira</i>); Islamic lunar calendar commences<br />
<br />
627 CE: Khazars ally with Byzantines and others for mutual protection, form the Western Turkish Empire (a/k/a <i>Turkut)</i>, a kind of continuation of a Hun-type empire, see <a href="http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/esp_sociopol_khazar03.htm">http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/esp_sociopol_khazar03.htm </a><i> </i>Leader: called a <i>Kagan </i>The Khazars also adopt the title Kagan for their rulers. Is this Turkut related to the <a href="http://www.allempires.com/article/index.php?q=The_Gok_Turk_Empire">Gok Turks</a>?<br />
<br />
632 CE: Prophet Muhammad dies. Research separate topic, competing claims for legitimacy of claims of succession, Sunni, Shia, not primary issue here.<br />
<br />
633 CE: Muslims conquer the Arabian peninsula, parts of North Africa, and Asia Minor, and Persia (Iran). This parsed the region:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Superpower 1: Byzantine Empire</li>
<li>Superpower 2: Umayyad Caliphate, with advanced art, see <a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/umay/hd_umay.htm">http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/umay/hd_umay.htm</a></li>
<li>Superpower 3: The emerging <i>Khazarian Empire</i></li>
</ul>
<div>
642 CE: Islamists conquer Persia (Iran) and Egypt, see <a href="http://www.fsmitha.com/h3/islam08b.htm">http://www.fsmitha.com/h3/islam08b.htm</a><br />
<br />
651 CE -- Arab-Khazar wars. Khazar resist Islamization</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
680 CE: Descendants of Muhammad: <br />
a) Al-Husain from Benu Hashem Muhammad; and<br />
b) Yazid Ibn Mu'Awiya from Benu Umayah Abu Sufyan<br />
<br />
Hussayen, Grandson of the Prophet is killed at <a href="https://www.al-islam.org/articles/karbala-the-chain-of-events-ramzan-sabir">Karbala</a> (site favoring the cause of Hussayen, a/k/a Husayn.<br />
<br />
680 CE: The Prophet's son-in-law, Ali ibn Abi Talib, founds the party to carry on, as the Party of the Prophet, a/k/a Shiat-Ali or Shi'ias (is this correct so far?); the Shi'ias start their battle to become independent from the <a href="http://islamichistory.org/the-umayyads/">Umayyad</a> Caliphate. <br />
<br />
651-737 CE -- Arab-Khazar wars: Arabs prevailed. Were the Khazars at that time <i>Slavs</i>? See social stratification below. See <a href="http://survincity.com/2012/07/the-role-of-the-slavs-in-the-arab-khazar-war/">http://survincity.com/2012/07/the-role-of-the-slavs-in-the-arab-khazar-war/</a> Need to vet that site, but keep it in for now.<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Arab-Khazar wars. Arabs defeated Khazars but elected not to control area of Darband, north of the Caucasus, but leave it and deal with other territorial and governance issues. </li>
<li>Khazars develop agriculture, influenced by Greek colonies in the region (especially in the Crimea) in the 700's. Soon followed settlements, castles, a hierarchical social system:</li>
</ul>
<br />
Top tier: Ak-Khazars, with fair skin<br />
Lower tier: the Kara Khazars, darker skin (India?)<br />
<br />
730 CE -- Khazars attack the Caliphate, cities of Ardabil and Mosul, but were pushed back before arriving at Damascus.<br />
<br />
732 CE: A Khazar princess marries the future Emperor Constantine V. Their son: Leo IV, is known as Leo the Khazar, and subsequently rules.<br />
<br />
Khazars expand to the north, in Dnieper River valley, forcing tribute from the Aral Sea, to the Urals and west to the Danube.<br />
<br />
800's -- Yiddish emerges, among Persian-Jewish populations and merchants, Ashkenazic, at points near crossroads for the Sikl Road, some also from Turkish village areas. Jewish traders plied the Silk Road trade routes, see <a href="http://www.sci-news.com/genetics/yiddish-language-slavo-iranian-jewish-merchants-03797.html">http://www.sci-news.com/genetics/yiddish-language-slavo-iranian-jewish-merchants-03797.html</a><br />
<br />
840 CE -- Khazars sack Kiev, taking vast tribute from the Slavs there.<br />
<br />
861 -- First Khazar Kagan (king), Bulan, converts to Judaism. Several versions, the first very like the story attached to Vladimir the Great. Does this suggest that the Khazar Jewish tale borrows from the Rus, and is indeed a myth?<br />
<br />
Version A. Yehudah ha-Levi (Bulan) is visited by a angel who says God is pleased with his thinking but not his acting. A philosopher consultant says either being Christian or Muslim would be right ways of acting. Bulan consults a Christian wise man, and comes away with his logical conclusions unsatisfied. Goes to check further. Bulan consults a Muslim Mullah, and still is unsatisfied. He seeks out a rabbi and is persuaded that the Jewish way is most legitimate because they descend from the Children of Israel, and evidence divine law here on earth. Bulan goes to a cave in the mountains where Jews observe the Sabbath. He is circumcised but only tells special friends. He fosters a community of Jews (from upper-class Khazars, apparently), they convert, and he goes public.<br />
<br />
Version B. Bulan invites three religious sages Christian, Muslim, Jewish (the origin of Three Men go into a ________ ... ) and they debate.<br />
<br />
Version C. The Khazars (not just Bulan first?) convert after an Army general became Kagan.<br />
<br />
Not all became Jewish, however. There apparently was no forced conversion, and many were or became Muslim.<br />
<br />
961 CE -- Khazars barred the Vikings/Russians/Rus from reaching the Caspian Sea. See <a href="http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/khazars.html">http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/khazars.html. </a><br />
<br />
965 CE -- Rus attack the Khazars. About this time, is there a Khagan who converts to Islam? See<br />
<a href="http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/khazars.html">http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/khazars.html. </a>d<br />
The Khazars are not referenced hereafter.<br />
<br />
By 1020 -- Fall of Khazaria -- See the competing cultural groups at map, <a href="http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/imagenes_sociopol/khazar03_04.jpg">http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/imagenes_sociopol/khazar03_04.jpg</a>. The Muslim victors there are the Khazar Muslims, not Muslims of the Caliphate, see site. The battle shown there is against the Scandinavian Vikings, see site.<br />
<br />
Is all that so? Constant vetting. Do your own searches to be reasonably sure.</div>
Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-80119969405067035972015-04-17T12:02:00.001-04:002015-04-17T20:28:47.179-04:00Andrew Jackson's Bible. That Old White Religion. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Andrew Jackson. Seventh President. The Tennessee House of Representatives has voted to make Andrew Jackson's Bible the official State book. See <a href="http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2015/04/15/house-makes-bible-official-state-book/25811959/">http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2015/04/15/house-makes-bible-official-state-book/25811959/</a> Role model, or just his Bible. Which Bible? The one
from his Inauguration, or the one on the floor by his feet as he grew
old. Were they the same? Nobody knows what specific scripture was read at Jackson's inauguration,
but this was true of other presidents as well, and many presidents did not choose, but heard whatever
the random book-opening produced, see <a href="http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/pihtml/pibible.html">http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/pihtml/pibible.html</a>/ In the US, Catholics seem to have used the Douay Rheims version of the
Bible, and Protestants the King James. Is that so? What others were in circulation?<br />
<br />
Compare Biblical translations
beginning at <a href="http://www.hebrewoldtestament.com/B01C001.htm">http://www.hebrewoldtestament.com/B01C001.htm</a>. Interpretations vary. Jackson's era was also a time of the Bible Riots, see <a href="http://ivn.us/2015/01/28/bible-riots-can-teach-us-modern-american-society/">http://ivn.us/2015/01/28/bible-riots-can-teach-us-modern-american-society/</a> Sectarian disagreements were rampant. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16q14i6qHPxmpYuzJBpvgg9cHQMoomlgZvp_h7hlY3HTbz_O069SLY2lrOJZT1yixaEuPqDDBK2mU50uz36fuWzu7oLzu42l3wi6Q9M4usoUU1SlL2TIlyyjAfIhaAb2eCtPx/s1600/100_0379-003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16q14i6qHPxmpYuzJBpvgg9cHQMoomlgZvp_h7hlY3HTbz_O069SLY2lrOJZT1yixaEuPqDDBK2mU50uz36fuWzu7oLzu42l3wi6Q9M4usoUU1SlL2TIlyyjAfIhaAb2eCtPx/s1600/100_0379-003.JPG" height="320" width="240" />Protestant Church, 1811-1814. Sample. Era of Andrew Jackson. Here, Episcopal, New England. </a></div>
<br />
<br />
Mormons were also weighing in at the time with critiques of existing translations of the "common Bible", and came up with their own, see<a href="http://rsc.byu.edu/archived/king-james-bible-and-restoration/9-king-james-bible-days-joseph-smith"> http://rsc.byu.edu/archived/king-james-bible-and-restoration/9-king-james-bible-days-joseph-smith</a>/ So: Does Tennessee, by its choice of AJ's Bible, intend to assert its old white supremacism idea over competitors, like Mormonism, as well as over any other religious group adopting a different translation from the old King James? Write your legislator. Find out. The debate enspicens. That is, spices up.<br />
<br />
Aside from the religious version book-adoption's Constitutionality, gather facts about which Bible should be deemed Jackson's (we surmise out of default that it was the King James); and move on to his views on what to implement in life from that King James. He was president from 1829-1837.<br />
<br />
1. Jackson's religion. Apparently he separated religious ideology from political and other aspects of actual life, although he occasionally attended Presbyterian services and his wife was Baptist. In the 1830's, the many available translations of the Bible and those still emerging in areas where the language, the vernacular, had had no Bible before, incensed self-proclaimed purists complained about words used, see <a href="http://baptisthistoryhomepage.com/illinois.baptist.hist.38.html">http://baptisthistoryhomepage.com/illinois.baptist.hist.38.html</a>. <a href="http://ivn.us/2015/01/28/bible-riots-can-teach-us-modern-american-society/"></a><br />
<br />
Was he a late convert, when the lights were dimming, or had he been religious under it all?<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Did he ever invoke his religion as a guiding light while in office? Apparently not.
Yet, he referred while in declining health to his confidence that he
would meet both black and white in heaven, see <a href="http://www.biblebelievers.com/Grady1.html.">http://www.biblebelievers.com/Grady1.html.</a> </li>
<li>He came
to a pious end, see <i>Millercenter</i> site below.</li>
<li> above, and said, buttressing the view that he sympathized with the needy rather than the rich, "The great can
protect themselves, but the poor and humble require the arm and shield
of the law." See <a href="http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/25995.html">http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/25995.html</a>/
He also said that one man with courage makes a majority, but he did not
use that kind of courage to buck the brutality against others of this
timed, see the Trail of Tears, below.</li>
</ul>
Religious precepts vs. real life. Today, same old same old. Tennessee also now does not use its laws to protect the poor; the medicaid expansion option has been rejected, see <br />
<a href="http://www.medicaid.gov/Medicaid-CHIP-Program-Information/By-State/tennessee.html">http://www.medicaid.gov/Medicaid-CHIP-Program-Information/By-State/tennessee.html</a><br />
<br />
2. Jackson's policies. Has Tennessee researched this President to see if more than his specific Bible should be referenced? Is Jackson to be the official State President?<br />
<br />
2.1 Find that, surprise, to now Red States, that Jackson was decidedly Blue in his age, fostering interests of the poor and farmers as opposed to banks and "conservatives," and wanting mail deliveries on Sunday, see <a href="http://www.conservapedia.com/Andrew_Jackson">http://www.conservapedia.com/Andrew_Jackson</a>/<br />
<br />
2.2 The Trail of Tears. American genocide effort. Jackson is decried for his policy of Indian removal (quasi-genocide) to make room for internal white migrants, the Cherokee particularly afflicted in <i>The Trail of Tears</i>. Blaming Indians for trying to defend their ancestral lands against white
settlers and land speculators, he authorized the Indian Removal Act,
resulting in Georgia's forced march, <i>The Trail of Tears</i>, see <a href="http://www.ushistory.org/us/24f.asp">http://www.ushistory.org/us/24f.asp</a>;
a policy as controversial then as now. Some 4,000 Cherokee died
(attempted genocide?) on this route from Georgia to Oklahoma in
midwinter, see brief overview at <a href="http://www.americanpresidents.org/classroom/timeline_event1838.asp">http://www.americanpresidents.org/classroom/timeline_event1838.asp</a>/; and <a href="http://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/trail-of-tears">http://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/trail-of-tears</a><br />
<br />
2.3 Andrew Jackson also fully availed himself of a <i>spoils to the victor</i> criteria for his hirings and firings, also true of others then and now. See <a href="http://www.mrvanduyne.com/jackson/html/spoils2.htm">http://www.mrvanduyne.com/jackson/html/spoils2.htm</a>/ <br />
<br />
2.4 Jackson fostered the <i>American System</i> including tariff issues affecting trade, and
federal subsidies for transportation, a position deplored by the South
as a way to pass wealth to the North, see
<a href="http://millercenter.org/president/jackson/essays/biography/4">http://millercenter.org/president/jackson/essays/biography/4</a>; then
backtracked when he saw corruption, but remained dedicated to a strong
federal government, even if not expanded. He subsequently also sought
increased power to enforce revenue laws. See <a href="http://millercenter.org/president/jackson/essays/biography/4/">http://millercenter.org/president/jackson/essays/biography/4/</a>. Read details of those and other policy contests; he ultimately caved as to the American System, apparently.<br />
<br />
3. Tabloids of the times. Among scandals exciting the electorate was this social-cultural issue: whether his wife by out-of-state elopement, Rachel, was immoral. Her first husband claimed adultery and abandonment, then obtained a divorce (examine the chronology). Did she and Andrew do whatever before they should, and was anybody bigamous here awhile. Or had she been abused, and the scenario very different? see <a href="http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=7">http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=7</a>/ Does a sinful woman deserve the White House? The Jacksons then remarried after the divorce, just to be sure i's dotted.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0fnjz_WMzgkspFC-QPQR6NTWEwDrWWpRvFWRAP8i7epW9-z0z4k1PinGoDgY8qsgGoGejBVomBYVmVL4jNrD3rdAXYEWrts5rfxqzBTtx3-KvjuEJXTYRdW-iXMTkK11WL-S/s1600/anything!.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0fnjz_WMzgkspFC-QPQR6NTWEwDrWWpRvFWRAP8i7epW9-z0z4k1PinGoDgY8qsgGoGejBVomBYVmVL4jNrD3rdAXYEWrts5rfxqzBTtx3-KvjuEJXTYRdW-iXMTkK11WL-S/s1600/anything!.JPG" height="320" width="203" />Andrew Jackson. He went a-courtin', uh-huh.</a></div>
<br />
4. Mystery. Where did Jackson's parrot learn to cuss? Jackson was known to be religious especially as he aged, but he also had a pet parrot with a wide vocabulary of obscenities and nasty words that upset his slaves, or so the feathered tale goes, see <a href="http://jacksonianamerica.com/2012/04/16/andrew-jacksons-profane-parrot/">http://jacksonianamerica.com/2012/04/16/andrew-jacksons-profane-parrot/</a> Pet parrots were popular at the time, and that and other bird species have perched with presidents, see <a href="http://presidentialpetmuseum.com/blog/andrew-jacksons-pet-parrot/">http://presidentialpetmuseum.com/blog/andrew-jacksons-pet-parrot/</a> The whole thing about Jackson's avian friend sounds apocryphal, amusing and oft-repeated as it is. There is no verifiable source for this story, say various message boards. <br />
<a href="http://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/trail-of-tears"></a><br />
Conclusion: Go ahead, Tennessee. Adopt some version of the Bible as your own true light; and find that no issues are solved, no bridges built, no-one else's positions destroyed, but probably re-energized. <br />
<br />
Is this so: That dogma about fact, significance, text intent, is a matter of cultural
choice, a decision to believe in an "inspired" interpretation, and so
justify the practices that come to surround it. So, gather all the exegetes,
eisegetes and hermeneuts -- all fancy terms for people doing text
analysis -- and see them point fingers at each other, accusing each other of
imposing an interpretation outside the text.<br />
<br />
But what text is
"original"? How much of opposing views were simply destroyed, buried.
By who definitions are definitions we take for granted, definite. <a href="http://www.agapebiblestudy.com/documents/Definition%20of%20Hermeneutics%20and%20Exegesis.htm">Cardinal Ratzinger's Erasmus lecture 1/27/1988</a>. Texts to not easily, or clearly, yield intent or "significance." <br />
<br />
Andrew Jackson: role model? Hardly, except to shelve moral issues until you are old, then adopt what you like. Is that so, just to be sure?<br />
<br /></div>
Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-14570723305553976562014-09-25T09:14:00.001-04:002014-09-25T15:28:12.573-04:00Originalism and Which God Condones Which Violence. The cultural religion empire complex east and west.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
The Silence of the Churches. The Prequel.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Our sectarian origins are as violent as anywhere else now.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
'Fess Up: to the brutality of institutions on the move.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
1. Issue. The silence of the churches about our own violent religious history. Why the lack of analysis, acknowledgment, calls for accountability for it, even in adjusting historical record. What preservation, compensation could be considered in some way.<br />
<br />
President Obama declares that no God condones the kind of violence erupting and erupted in the Middle East. It it was not condoned before, ask how did the Western convert-or-die crusades, heresy killings, inquisitions, wipe-out efforts against Jews, indigenous peoples, the culturo-religious empire-building prevail over centuries. And if unauthorized in the sense of finding that the deity condoned none of it, what then. How different were we then from Middle East forces now.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgUVOo4DXVz0DyjN9pnDp46eC9r2l3jQ5WbT0TdtNNSb4RVnnD0kKGAMKuwmao4qJHuk-WPzg8ucLVPU4woORueKqBkzRCdqPtMomqJFKknaWm895GH4ECIL7Fb3vvZmi84v5dQ/s1600/DSCN5767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgUVOo4DXVz0DyjN9pnDp46eC9r2l3jQ5WbT0TdtNNSb4RVnnD0kKGAMKuwmao4qJHuk-WPzg8ucLVPU4woORueKqBkzRCdqPtMomqJFKknaWm895GH4ECIL7Fb3vvZmi84v5dQ/s1600/DSCN5767.JPG" height="240" width="320" />Albigensian Crusade, Lavaur, France. Burning of Cathars.</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Going back to foundations is difficult, uncomfortable.<br />
<br />
Originalists, those who focus exclusively on founder intent (currently a Constitutional interpretion idea being floated), may, to our surprise, use their principle of reverting to origins and point to the letter of attack-founder Osama bin Laden after 9/11. explaining the attack, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/nov/24/theobserver.<br />
<br />
The next step for the Originalists would be to ask how Mayor Giuliani reduced those concerns to a mere desire to break our will by an unprovoked attack, clearly not an Original description. See http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/rwg/html/2001b/un_remarks.html/. Unprovoked? Simplistic, and applying a too-short cultural time frame. Read <i>Lawrence in Arabia</i>, by Scott Anderson (good review at NYT) to find the violence and machinations of Europe and America to get at oil in the Middle East before and during WWI, before dismissing bin Laden's accusations. <br />
<br />
Unauthorized? Perhaps a deity wanted no part of all that? but did that make a difference.<br />
<br />
2. Context. Some institutional religious voices do speak up, but stop before taking responsibility for their own infractions. The Pope decries current violence, see
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/10/pope-francis-iraq-isis-islamic-state-religious-minorities-violence,
but swivels away from an examination of it as applied so efficiently on
his sect's way up. The Church of England decries gender and sexual violence, and promotes human religious rights, see https://www.churchofengland.org/our-views/international-affairs.aspx/ but I seen nothing about Western religious killings, that great vehicle of control and conversion.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-HDtMQE6bBarJEQxpBQPgCWPYHBZwI-zGQEcKVqqJ7984nsp6F-Vyv0LBoNNq9nbjF8n6kN5p0BlJ3rEWLgoxegk-1n2Zjs8tJ3F4oAsVkok_UeYMYsZ8Ci445HNQVNaG_u5gw/s1600/caroldraw0022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-HDtMQE6bBarJEQxpBQPgCWPYHBZwI-zGQEcKVqqJ7984nsp6F-Vyv0LBoNNq9nbjF8n6kN5p0BlJ3rEWLgoxegk-1n2Zjs8tJ3F4oAsVkok_UeYMYsZ8Ci445HNQVNaG_u5gw/s1600/caroldraw0022.jpg" height="320" width="231" />Women also are capable of violence, but historically were outdone, out manned. Docile she became. </a><br />
<br />
Do culturo-religion-empire wannabes pay attention to other views of what the deity just might want instead? Check your own sect. At the door? Baptist Global Response continues its focus on hunger and Sudan refugees, for example, see https://gobgr.org/projects/project_detail/south-sudan-crisis/<br />
<br />
Ah. Here's one. Baptist News cites historical Christian violence, with the position that preaching religious liberty stopped it. I would say that it was not the preaching, but the natural (unnatural?) winding down of a stage of religious institutional development that made the time for the preaching ripe. A different view. See http://www.bpnews.net/42936/when-christians-killed-amp-why-muslim-violence-continues/<br />
<br />
3. Tools. Apply some Originalism. ** Look to the Founder of each religion, not those who hopped the bandwagon later and molded ideology as they desired; but the Founder. Examine what violence was advocated, used, and in what context. Check the words used, the meanings from the Day and now. That is easier for Islam, but having basically one text did not stop them from dividing. How did the cultural-religion-empire complex take over.<br />
<br />
Constant reference, as a lodestar, to the Founder may result in the sidelining of Paul, for example; undermine the idea of revealed Truth through voices in some imposed idea of succession, and the like, but it is time for that. Go ahead. Sideline Paul and other cultural spokesmen (women be silent in church? really? where did J say that? Does P think he is on a par with J? Of course there is more of what Paul wanted in the NT than J, but that merely weakens his viewpoints, is that so?) Do the same with others who followed the Original voice. <br />
<br />
Originalism. Go back to the Founder's intent. In our Constitution, that is a multiple; and multiple interpretations are waiting for debate. In Christianity, one Founder but multiple recollections, interpretations as well.<br />
<br />
Upshot. Originalism does not solve the issue of what God condones or not, or the nature of a God, intent, but the difficulty of agreeing on intent, and its role later, leads to an uncomfortable conclusion. Institutions are cultural, not necessarily related to the Originator. Everybody leave everybody else be. Preach, model, be kind, share, respect, and let unbelievers go their way. Use force to enable that kind of autonomy of belief, but not to foist one's own. Selah. <br />
<br />
Then the cultural-institutional-power coalitions take over, and is that when the broader violence takes hold, east and west. Is one part of the remedy to hold accountable those who began the process in earliest days, the way our historically dominant sect took over. Perhaps a divesting of the Vatican Museum? Give it and its value over to another entity as a penance? Consider. We are still living with old dogma that promotes violence against body and spirit. Our Bibles will never get back on a track that reflects meanings from the time, but only ideologically slanted ones, is that so?<br />
<br />
Perhaps start with putting on line this old Kremsmunster Codex. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZKl-mHL4p5WzYV_lPMKMAmKmeFVURNIs9U1OtmMZ2XFjWSyLIoiSr_mK_fqMtjG7gVELTd8JzKgzlK-c-bevO-hFRk8My_nEkyX_e8raU278G5BFfuLtJfvgGsSYD-BhJVs1/s1600/100_2025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZKl-mHL4p5WzYV_lPMKMAmKmeFVURNIs9U1OtmMZ2XFjWSyLIoiSr_mK_fqMtjG7gVELTd8JzKgzlK-c-bevO-hFRk8My_nEkyX_e8raU278G5BFfuLtJfvgGsSYD-BhJVs1/s1600/100_2025.JPG" height="320" width="240" />Codex, Kremsmunster Abbey, Austria</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
It is at Kremsmunster Abbey, Austria, and to my knowledge not online (has it been translated?). If it is pristine, are its words the same as others longn in the mainstream? <br />
<br />
4. Perspective. Is an explanation for the silence related to a perception of natural cultural and institutional growth (unnatural?). Do religions that become cultural institutions "have to" go through stages if they are to get power over people. That a stage of acquiring religious control has to include violence, abhorrent practices, before emerging later in a different form. Without violence, the proseletyzing would have to be by role model, persuasion, debate, perhaps a miracle or two. That is slow and iffy. Unbelievers could get away. Better to kill them if our power is to be strong, is that so?<br />
<br />
If so, perhaps containment of the Middle East groups, for as long as it takes for them to grow out of it, may be a useful tool. It cannot be eradicated because this particular jihadist behavior, that many condemn, is strong in its youth. Our cultural religious empire complex was young once, too. Run!<br />
......................................................................<br />
<br />
*Examine the perspective that institutional, power-seeking faiths east and west have used violence extensively in achieving dominance, getting toppled by rivals, and rising under their godly banners to kill again. Against individuals as heretics, apostates, infidels, against groups whose dogma is different, violence has reigned supreme. The voices of Founders that may well include advocacy for respect, peace, autonomy, are shunted aside.<br />
<br />
<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;">
Convert or die was an effective proseletyzing tool. Is that why we do not condemn what we did in our history. Is there an element of religious maturation where groups indeed go through these horrendous, zeal-tainted centuries, a matter of religion becoming culture-driven, and tainted.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
** Apply some Originalism, but not too much. Political Originalism, for example, is opposed by historians who find the methodology flawed.
Fordham University, for example, offers a course examining and wary of
Originalism at the American Historian's Association, <i>History, Originalism and the Founders Constitution </i>(1)<i>. </i>Please
put that course online, even for a fee. At least, publicize the
syllabus. Richard A. Posner, for example, reviews Justice Scalia and
Bryan
Garner's book extolling Originalism, <i>Reading Law: The Interpretation of Legal Texts</i>
(2), and finds the idea wanting, as both defensive in particular
arguments, and equivocal in whether to address changing circumstances.
Avoid discussion of omitting equity, and extolling rigid law, see
http://law.justia.com/constitution/us/amendment-07/06-continuing-law-equity-distinction.html.
Ignore issues of lobby money buying legislation. See <i>Recusal</i> at<a href="http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Recuse"> http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Recuse</a> </div>
Why
not offer both sides. Why? Because then someone might not commit your
way.
http://parablemania.ektopos.com/archives/2005/10/why_originalism.html/.<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Religious extremists are themselves Originalists, is that so? Tighten up all the bolts, say the Originalists.
There shall be no flex even when the wind blows. Let the tower fall
before we build in bend. Bar the gates. What if the plague is already
in? Avast ye, knave. The plague will be kept out. We will see to it.
Your betters have spoken.</li>
</ul>
<br />
What? Is this a prophet speaking even now? Hush, child! <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Speak, O Western Sects.<br />
Speak of the violence used to promote your cause in your religion's early zeal.<br />
Give restitution for property taken, lives snuffed. *<br />
Reject ongoing benefit from violence precedent. <br />
Then go back to your place of worship, if you so desire. </blockquote>
Psalm Wishful Thinking.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-40218609685079581472014-04-26T16:40:00.000-04:002014-08-14T20:40:07.992-04:00Rights of Autonomous Life. Where in the World Did We Get Sanctity of Human Life. A Human Construct. A Trip to Yesteryear.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Human life is no big deal, according to texts.</b><br />
<br />
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Sanctity of human life is a a human construct. Evolved religious institutions evolve dogma and teachings that put humanity central to Creation, but the texts do not support it. With that privileged status, however, economic and power goals are met. For many, because humanity is considered sanctified, then humanity is not to be interfered with 1) in its exploitation of other life forms; and/or 2) in prioritizing even uterine or ectopic and potential human life forms above the breathing one with a womb. So, check the sources. Do institutions subsume original texts in their own power interests, or is the subsuming of the one with the womb a natural outgrowth of teaching. <br />
<br />
So: Sanctity of human life.<br />
<br />
Check transliterations, mechanical translations word for word, and not a narrative, grammatical forcing. Chapters 1-4 of Genesis. What is the creating deity (deities') behavior toward human life, different from other forms of life. <br />
<br />
1. Start with <i>Online Hebrew Interlinear Bible</i>, <i>Scripture4All </i>or S4A, at <a href="http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/Hebrew_Index.htm">http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/Hebrew_Index.htm</a> Go to Genesis 1:22. He (Creator Elohim) "is blessing them" the created creatures of the deep, the flyers of wing, the movers, the roamers, every soul the living. And the word for "blessing" or "he is blessing them" is pronounced "u-ibrk" and given as<br />
וַיְ בָ רֶ<br />
and that is easily copied from <i>Parallel Hebrew Old Testament</i>, at <a href="http://www.hebrewoldtestament.com/index2.htm">http://www.hebrewoldtestament.com/index2.htm.</a><br />
<br />
2. Find a transliteration there <span style="font-family: ARIAL; font-size: medium;"> VYBUrK </span>that looks close to "u-ibrk"<span style="font-family: ARIAL; font-size: medium;">, </span>look up to the Hebrew passage for it, and see <br />
בארץ׃<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
</ul>
Is this the same as at S4A that shows וַיְ בָ רֶ ? </div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Still not clear to an amateur who does not even share this heritage what the word is or means. Go to a third transliteration site, <i>A Mechanical Translation of Genesis (MT)</i>, at <a href="http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/bookstore/e-books/mtg.pdf">http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/bookstore/e-books/mtg.pdf/ </a></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
3. Find Genesis 1:22. Find no blessing, but find this: "and he [Eloyihm <i>Powers</i>] will much Kneel At them"; and the narrative in the right-hand column translates "much Kneel At them" as "respected." The Hebrew closest to the forms already found is</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
בָּאָרֶץ</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Looks like it. Now what does that word mean: bless, respected? One is a ritual, a religious act, the other is a salute.</div>
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</div>
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4. Look down at the Creator(s)' behavior upon finishing the human male and female (both together in this first Creation story at Genesis1:28). MT again lays out that same word,<br />
הָּאָרֶץ<br />
and translates it as he will "much Kneel At them," and that is the same behavior as with all the other creatures. No special treatment at all. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
5. But does kneel mean "respect" or "bless" -- so far, mankind is equally respected and/or blessed with all the other creatures? Look further for the same word.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
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</div>
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</div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
There it is: "And he will much Kneel Elohiym <i>Powers</i> at Day the Seventh." That is the section where the Creator(s) rest. Does kneel mean merely to rest after an exertion? MT lays out these Hebrew words:<br />
<br />
<div data-angle="0" data-canvas-width="496.31758816686636" data-font-name="g_font_559_0" dir="rtl" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 23.2px; left: 174.883px; top: 138.833px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: rotate(0deg) scale(1.00266, 1);">
וַיְּבָּרֶךְ אֱלֹהִׁים אֶת יוֹם הַשְּבִׁיעִׁי וַיְּקַדֵש אֹתוֹ כִׁי בוֹ שָּבַת מִׁכָּל </div>
<div data-angle="0" data-canvas-width="282.0887932744789" data-font-name="g_font_559_0" dir="rtl" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 23.2px; left: 389.8px; top: 162.083px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: rotate(0deg) scale(0.953003, 1);">
מְּלַאכְּתוֹ אֲשֶר בָּרָּא אֱלֹהִׁים לַעֲשׂוֹת </div>
Where is the one that begins with a Y, goes to an upside down capital backwards L, then an X, then a backwards C with a squib? The closest seems to be</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
הַשְּבִׁיעִׁי<br />
But MT does not do a word-for-word translation of each Hebrew.<br />
<br />
6. Scripture4All transliterates the word the same as before - the "u-ibrk" or<br />
הָּאָרֶץ <br />
<br />
and translates it as the Creator(s)' blessing the Day the Seventh. Not resting after creating something, but blessing the Day.<br />
<br />
But what is the act of blessing? This is pre-religious institution-ritual.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
.....................................................................................................<br />
<br />
A. First-occurring Genesis Creation Story (is it also oldest in time? does it matter?)<br />
<br />
<u>Genesis 1:1-Genesis 2:3 Creation Story</u> -<br />
<br />
<br />
1. Creating - <a href="http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/bookstore/e-books/mtg.pdf">http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/bookstore/e-books/mtg.pdf</a><br />
1.1 Who did the creating. Elohiym. Powers. Plural. Where were the Powers? At summit.<br />
1.2 Method. There was first darkness and confusion. Powers use speech. Powers say light and light is. That is deemed "functional." Move on to darkness. Separate it from the light. Evening and morning become the day unit. There is a 'sheet' in the water, separating waters. Bind up the waters and make dry ground. And that is functional. Then grass, seeds, herbs, each to own kind. Go out and sow yourselves. That functional. Say Not given. What the creatures and humans are made of is not
said: there is no dust of the ground, no breathing into nostrils, no
Sistine-like extension of a forefinger to a creature already clearly
alive, and then not making the connection after all; and <br />
1.3 Shaping. Use the "likeness" of "us", the Powers, for the shape of both men and women as to the human. Making something
in the likeness of something else does not make it <i>it</i>. I once had a salt and pepper set made in the likeness of electric light bulbs. The new
creation does not necessarily share any of the moral or functional attributes of the
creator; so Eloyihm made them, then "fattened" them, humans and other
creatures.<br />
1.4 Directives: To Increase. This directive is given by the Powers, equally to the furred, the finny, the feathered, and also to the human. <br />
1.5 Movements: There is a detail as to the movement of the "powers" [Elohiym] as they
gave each group that same directive. The Elohiym knelt separately to
each
type of the living created, the animals, fish, birds and
humans in turn, and then said the directive: Is that a kneel without
significance except the need to get down where they were, so they would
hear and pay attention; or does it add a gesture of culture, ritualism,
respect, even intimidation? Either way, the kneeling in the passages is
given no significance, no ritual religious blessing on one form and not
another. No different body language or directive is extended to any of
the different species differently. All alike. The Elohiym at the end of
the story, however, much kneels on the day of rest, and there is no
other designation of meaning, not respecting, nothing, just, whew-- can
kneel at least. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1.6. Sanctification. Any sanctification, ritual requirements, religious overtones? Not. There is no sanctity of human life laid out in Genesis 1:1-2:3 story:<br />
2. Human role. The human is to <i>rule and subdue</i>, but what do those words mean? Rule and subdue is <i>not </i>the right to exploit. It is to lead, as a god, see <a href="http://kngdv.blogspot.com/2010/11/dominion-worst-concept-in-world-wolf.html">http://kngdv.blogspot.com/2010/11/dominion-worst-concept-in-world-wolf.html</a><br />
3. Food. Herbs and seeds are for food for the human, and the animals; all eat green herb for food, no hunting, not eating each other. <br />
<br />
4. What is creation success? The criteria for measuring the creatures (including the human) created is whether they are functional, not that they are or are not "good" in a moral sense. <br />
<br />
<br />
...................................................................................................................<br />
Genesis 2:4-<br />
1. Creating <br />
1.1 Who did the creating: There are now two entities doing the creating, not just one: The Eloyihm, Powers, and now YHWH, "He Exists." The deity-creater is YHWH<i>, which means He Exists. </i>Is that YHWH <i>of</i> the <i>Powers</i>, that is, a part of the Powers, or is YHWH-Powers [Elohiym] still one being, but two aspects, and how?<br />
1.2 Method - New description: "Birthings" of the sky and the land. That is a female idea -- create by birthing. No male shaper at work on heavens and earth, waters and ground.<br />
1.3 Shaping. Make in <i>our</i> Image. But if a human is made in the image of the creators who themselves <i>birthed </i>creation, then the image is female. And make the human into that shape from the powder of the ground. Note that the creatures are merely made; but the human is made of the powder of the ground; once so formed, the Powers. <br />
Powers-JHWH make <i>tree the life</i> and <i>tree the discernment</i> of [not some moral good and evil but] function and dysfunction - what works and what doesn't. Then make the rivers.<br />
1.4 Directives<br />
1.5 Movements <br />
<br />
1.6. Sanctification? <br />
2. Human role. To serve at the land, in pleasure garden of the Powers-JJWH, that they made for themselves? It was not made for the human. Eloyihm-JHWH set the human in the garden-pleasure to serve her and guard her, not enjoy her. And name the creatures. Then, arose the need to make a "helper opposite" him, and the story continues to use the rib, make woman etc.<br />
2.1 Halt. The terms for what was to be made in old forms are not words for helper or opposite. That is incomplete and misleading. What was needed were zr kngdv, ezer kenegdo, or <i>guide as in front of him</i>; nothing about <i>opposite</i>, see <a href="http://martinlutherstove.blogspot.com/2008/11/kngdv-k-ngd-u-k-ngd-v-eves.html">http://martinlutherstove.blogspot.com/2008/11/kngdv-k-ngd-u-k-ngd-v-eves.html</a>/; <a href="http://kngdv.blogspot.com/2010/07/woman-as-guide-in-front-can-or-does.html">http://kngdv.blogspot.com/2010/07/woman-as-guide-in-front-can-or-does.html</a><br />
2.2. So: Caveat. No one site gets it all accurately. Each incorporates its exclusions, ambiguities, errors. That is the point. It all is ambiguous, perhaps wonderful in ambiguity if it inspires to better lives, but not if the ambiguity fosters false assumptions of superiority over others who are heretic, arbitrarily chooses one translation over another.<br />
3. Food. Human can eat of the trees in the garden but is not to eat of the tree of function and dysfunction or you die. <br />
3. The Human is to serve the ground<br />
4. Who did the creating: </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1. <a href="http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/Hebrew_Index.htm">Scripture4all</a>. Click on the Genesis 1 for one creation story, click on Genesis 2-3 for another, and so on. Hebrew interlinear for the Old Testament. If you find a clearly ideological term, like "blessing" for example, turn fast to Mechanical Translation to check it. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2. Mechanical Translation. Anything other than those ambiguous, inconsistent, even inspiring ideas floating amid the Paleo-Hebrew, Hebrew, Phoenician roots, Aramaic, see -- no vowels, Putting words to memory distorts the memory. One writer imposes this meaning, another imposes another, The act of imposing a meaning by use of this term or that, is a cultural act, the writer-scribe bound by human drives to make sense in a way that supports the group identity. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
, a drive to make sense of the ambiguous, distant recollection, Our egos and institutions distort the earliest texts, ambiguous and inconsistent as they are. , to create organized culturo-religions, with firm cohesion requirements. What if real "religion," going back to the only text roots we have, has nothing to do with later evolved ideologies of sanctity, ordained roles, elaborate ideologies, the idea of one path, and mine is right and you are wrong. The culturo-religious war-mongers east and west fight that idea, that there can be no really knowable truth: All is ambiguous, so make your best choice, live that life, and let others be? Nuts. Our western persecutions, Crusades, Inquisitions and sectarian wars beginning about 400-700 years after The Death, were just as horrific as eastern battles now. Perhaps organized religion moves along for 400-700 years after a founder, then lapses into cultural fights for dominance. That puts the Middle East right on target, as we were, on the timeline.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
1. What are the grounds for sanctity of human life<br />
<br />
a. Genesis 1<br />
<br />
b. Genesis 2<br />
<br />
c. Genesis 4 <br />
human life form (adm) is <i>sanctified.</i> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2. The human life form (adm) is sanctified because we are made "in the image(s)" of the deity-creator(s).<br />
3. The human life form has "soul". There is a point of "ensoulment."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
3. And recently, the human life form is so sanctified <i>from fertilization onward; such that </i>any act that prevents or obstructs fertilization, or the fertilized entity from digging in, blossoming and ultimately breathing on the outside, is abortion and evil.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<u>B. Explore The Devil's Advocate:</u></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>None of those premises fits the texts in raw form. Cultures filled in the blanks to suit those seeking power, dominance, survival against adversaries.</li>
<li>The texts disagree with each other, offering several accounts of events. There is a creation in Genesis 1, another in Genesis 2, another in </li>
<li>Different translations produce different grounds for ideology.</li>
<li>In other words, texts are ambiguous, incomplete, and narrative fill-ins to make sense of obscure and those vowel-less word forms, definitions up for grabs, are culturally self-serving, with no arguable connection to a clear directive of a deity-creator except perhaps the human belief, forced culturally on others, that somebody who wrote it all down was inspired.</li>
</ul>
C. Western religion is not alone in grappling with these issues: culture cohesion goals v. believed inspiration.<br />
<br />
Background reading: A view from Islam, to compare with western conservative views, framing many common issues well, see <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3616796/">Divergent Views on Abortion and the Period of Ensoulment http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3616796/</a>, by Badawy A. B. Khitami. Missing, however, is reference to Islam's earliest texts, just as western religions ignore the inconsistencies and gaps in Genesis, origin ideas from which peoples of the Book have sprung. The focus is too much on cultural theologies in both religious, as they evolved to justify institutions and societal roles and priorities so created, not real roots. And even the roots are tangled. Can we live with ambiguity? Is ambiguity the real reality, in east and west, so that those who want structure choose a reality of many, then become able to let go, to leave others to choose their reality as well. After all, all is ambiguous and force only produces wars. </div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1. On what ground is the human life form considered sanctified?</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
a. First story. Genesis 1: Go back to origins, one perspective of origins. <a href="http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/OTpdf/gen1.pdf">http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/OTpdf/gen1.pdf</a>/. Deity does not create <i>a man</i>. Deity creates <i>mankind,</i> human male and human female at the same time. Adm. Human. Then this site translates </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Does having "soul' or nphsh, nephesh, make a life holy?</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
Soul. In Genesis, nphsh, or nephesh. Find it first in Genesis 1:20, at a good starting point for translation of early text, at <a href="http://www.scripture4all.org/">Scripture4all</a>. Click on the Hebrew-Interlinear link midway down. Aim for Genesis 1:20, 21, ff: Roamer of soul living, every of soul the living, to be fruitful and increase, bring forth the earth soul living, and he is seeing that <i>good</i> *<br />
.........................................................................<br />
* Even declaring what has been created as "good" is a dicey moralistic translation concept. At <i>Mechanical Translation</i>, another translation site, the word is defined differently. There the word we find in our translations as "good" means merely "functional." See <a href="http://www.mechanical-translation.org/files/downloads/2-Genesis.pdf">http://www.mechanical-translation.org/files/downloads/1-Genesis.pdf/</a> That would mean good as in, Is this a good battery? If it functions, yes. If it does not function as it should, not. So, is the created battery morally good or bad? Tilt.<br />
........................................................................... <br />
<br />
Now, to the human in Genesis 1:26. Is there nephesh, soul, and is the human good? Good as functional? Or good morally fine.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
Instead, find in Genesis the concept of<i> nephesh</i> that, over millennia, morph into vague ideas of the psyche, but in humans only.<br />
<br />
Research for Everyman. Start with some basic Biblical translation sites, starting here with<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Example: Made in an image gives you also the attributes of the creator? </li>
<li>How about image of a jug? Does that mean that the jug takes on moral or functional aspects of a jug's creator. </li>
<li>Let me make an image of you. Stay still. Good. There. It is lovely, but is it <i>you</i>? No? Yes? On what ground? </li>
<li>And where the soul? </li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
Find that all finny, furred, feathered beings, have souls. The birds flying, the great monsters of the deep, all with <i>nphsh</i>, our <i>nephesh</i> when we put in the vowels. <br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Look further, another site. What is this Ne'phesh. It means living, see <a href="http://www.mechanical-translation.org/files/downloads/2-Genesis.pdf">http://www.mechanical-translation.org/files/downloads/2-Genesis.pdf</a>/. </li>
</ul>
The<i> nphsh</i>. A common denominator, and all of that is "good".* Or is it?<br />
<br />
But as for humans, they are only made in the image of the deity, and that is an idea of <i>fattening</i>, and as to both the male and the female, and neither taking on other attributes of holiness, see <a href="http://www.mechanical-translation.org/files/downloads/2-Genesis.pdf">http://www.mechanical-translation.org/files/downloads/2-Genesis.pdf</a>; and<br />
<br />
Eve certainly never had every foetus that came down the pike. <br />
<br />
A. The words "sanctity of human life" are not Biblical, even though they dominate some ideologies later constructed.<br />
<br />
<br />
ollow the idea of sanctity from a condition; a given, a status open
to all; to the idea of a prerequisite in order for the sanctity to take
hold. Enter the idea of a sacrament needed to make a specific entity
sacred, an institutional formula laid upon someone. That then means
setting aside certain persons to enact the sacrament, and they then take
on special meaning in the community. Ask, however, who is sure that
the deity cares?<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>3. Tracking concepts, evolving concepts of the soul</i><br />
<br />
3.1 "Psyche" <i></i><br />
3.2 Nephesh -breath<i></i><br />
3.3 Animals and humans with; and the soul as female - see <a href="http://www.scripture4all.org/">http://www.scripture4all.org</a><br />
. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>4. Ensoulment - when does the soul become incorporated in the body. </i><br />
<br />
The soul as arriving with "breath" (Genesis)(very practical). Or does it never. Or is it not. Are we just cells dividing, and if one believes in soul, does it instantly infuse with the first mitosis? Do we dare even try to figure? Stay with the breath idea because at least that has a concrete beginning.<i><br />
</i><br />
<br />
4.1 Thomas Aquinas, RC Church <i></i><br />
4.2 Pope Pius IX 1869 - along with declaration of papal infallibility at the same time so nothing could be refuted, came the edict that ensoulment occurs at conception. John McCain, and Saddleback, adopt Pius IX.<br />
<i>.<br />
</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>5. What if Human souls are no different from other living being souls</i><br />
<br />
<i>6. What formal texts support the idea of a soul. <br />
</i></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>............................................................................................................................</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>METHODS OF DISPERSION</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX064gQR5rnzzUXNtXcKICjBfPhDkskYHJ7TB_a9Gp3YkA4VVFiI0ZSlx-XUsMtdYwFXNvb5-UrM7L1JxvV9_h2O1GTWSW1mWC8Uj3YarbhhAMad9cLi1x8EzJkp7zhKcYO7Vi/s1600-h/soccer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGihrNOfouR_kzBKqrkLlWcx4F8imUzCdYififPPOvtnC2P86zf8B-NMDKyEIsZ7npaxAZM0kJ11jfJO2d-ic-u-cMGACksCr2oC4CEEqjY5hsrot5538wVPe193rK6BdV3oVJ/s320-r/soccer.jpg" />Real Life. Ideas spread by contact. Is that so?<br />
</a><br />
<b>1. How ideas spread <br />
</b><br />
<br />
<b>1.1. Predisposition idea</b><br />
<br />
Are minds predisposed to receive certain concepts, mental representations. There are a number of universal interests, principles for organizing thought. Humans are likely to "acquire, memorize and transmit" these basics, including a religious orientation.<br />
<br />
Thus, similarities in religions in vastly differing places are not surprising. "Religious ideas have a reliable crosscultural structure; metaphysical beings are ascribed all the properties specific to the human domain" - including the "naive" idea of intentional, purposeful behavior, with the more metaphysical - invisibility etc.<br />
<br />
This site covers various sources, big words, but sort through for a start.How ideas spread, regardless of the roots. See "How Cultural Representations Spread: Experimental Evidence on Religious Concepts and Evolved Ontologies," by Pascal Boyer 1999, ://www.anth.ucsb.edu/projects/esm/Boyer_99.html. Many commonalities suggest that these ideas spread quickly upon contact. Children's minds may have a conceptual slot for reality + fantasy, and dealing with both.<br />
<br />
None of this addresses whether a "deity" put the amenability there. That is for theoreticians.<br />
<br />
<b>1.2. Culture Hearth Areas. </b><br />
<br />
There are identifiable "culture hearth" areas of the world, and cultural "diffusion," see ://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/a/culturehearths.htm/. These areas are particularly rich in religious imagery and mythology.<br />
<br />
<b>1.3 Anchor Areas.</b><br />
<br />
Some cultural ideas are such "anchors" for the culture that they survive relatively unchanged for long periods. See ://www.evolutionary-philosophy.net/culture.html. Is the sanctity of human life become one of those, despite <i>no roots to speak of.</i> That is not addressed, but sounds plausible.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>SIGNIFICANCE </b></div>
<br />
<b>2. Tracking Meaning - From Sacred to Secular<br />
</b><br />
<br />
<b>Etymology</b> - a linguistic element's history<br />
<br />
2.1 The word "sacred," or the related "sanctity: these date only from the 14th Century, from uses of "consecrate," see ://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sacred%20. Sanctity is closer to a deity-like status, "holiness" - see holiness at ://www.thefreedictionary.com/sanctity.<br />
.<br />
The gist is something like, "set apart for the worship or service of a deity." "Worthy of religious veneration." "Devoted to one service or use." Clearly not applicable to the whole population from Day 1. Certain persons, even entire groups, so long as there is a related event for which they are to "be" sanctified, considered sacred. Is that right?<br />
<br />
2.2 What is <i>meant</i> by "sacred?" Here's a blog that defines "sacred" from various sources - but the layout is hard to read. See ://www.davidmetz.net/blog/2007/06/all-life-is-sacred.html/ Dark backgrounds on websites look modern but get in the way.<br />
<br />
Next? Will get back to that one. He discusses the Bush policy of life. Look up soul in Wikipedia to get started. Not to believe all of it, but to get concepts.<br />
<br />
2.3 Then come the secular uses of the word - sacred simply meaning highly valued, or important.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>TRACKING MEANING </b></div>
<br />
<b>3. Tracking meaning. History of Concept - the "Soul."</b><br />
<br />
3.1 What is the soul. See for starters, ://www.bibletexts.com/terms/soul.htm<b> - </b>earliest Hebrew seemed to mean the "self" ("nephesh") or, New Testament, Greek "psyche."<br />
<br />
3.2 Neither the OT or the NT say that those <i>are</i> "God," says the site.<b> </b>This topic interests many religious and other philosophers. Even though Wikipedia changes with the entries, see the overview of "soul" at ://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul/; and nephesh, and its meaning as <i>breath</i>, among other things.<br />
<br />
3.3 Earliest transliterated texts apparently affirm that animals <i>do</i> have souls, not just the <i>human</i> form in the shape of the deity, see <a href="http://martinlutherstove.blogspot.com/2008/08/additional-transliteration-site.html">Martin Luther's Stove, Additional Transliterations, Animals Have Souls</a>. See the text at www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/Hebrew_Index.htm.<br />
<br />
This is also part of Jewish tradition - see <a href="http://martinlutherstove.blogspot.com/2009/04/what-do-you-do-i-create-tumors.html">Martin Luther's Stove, What Do You Do? I Create Tumors - Animals and Soul stories</a>. <br />
<br />
3.4 The soul is female in earliest Hebrew? Example, see ://www.scripture4all.org; Genesis 19:20 in interlinear transliteration (the Sodom and Gomorrah story part) where it says, in the literal, "...and she shall live soul of me..." - Lot talking about his gratitude for being led to a small city away from Sodom before its destruction. The linguistic construct of the earliest Hebrew puts the pronoun first then the identification - do read Genesis in this transliteration. The English is the usual "my soul shall live" - we don't keep gender attributes with nouns - other languages do.<br />
<br />
What do languages change in taking gender attributes for nouns, and in the target language, turning it into "it."<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>ENSOULMENT ISSUES </b></div>
<br />
<b>4. "Ensoulment" - when does a soul attach to dividing cells</b><br />
<br />
4.1 For cells dividing after fertilization, the human variety, the idea of the sanctity or sacredness of human life also relates to old doctrines of "ensoulment."<br />
<br />
4.2 Ensoulment seems to be when the dividing cells of sperm+egg then get a "soul" - there is a long history of medieval and earlier and later debate on that, as more became known of embryology and scientific process, see discussions of the Roman Catholic Church positions, and contrary ones of Thomas Aquinas, and the evolution of the entire concept - ://www2.franciscan.edu/plee/aquinas_on_human_ensoulment.htm.<br />
<br />
When does that "ensoulment" happen (assuming for now that something does):<br />
<ul>
<li>Most currently, John McCain believes the "soul" attaches at conception, whenever that is (when a zygote burrows in and settles, or when an egg is fertilized, and who can tell), or whether it is known to have occurred or not, so that any woman after intercourse has no recourse but wait and take her dues.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Pope Pius IX 1869. Note that two new ideas that seem to control modern Catholic thinking were enshrined very recently, or very late in time, depending:<br />
<br />
On June 28, 1869, Pius IX declared, on his own, in a papal bull, "Aeterni Patris,"</li>
</ul>
<ul><ul>
<li>a) that the soul springs at conception; and then in the same bull, </li>
<li>b) that popes are infallible. </li>
</ul>
</ul>
There goes the ballgame. "I say this is that and I cannot make a mistake." See "Can A Cell Have A Soul," by John Burn, a professor of clinical genetics on the topic of cell research and religion at Newcastle University (England) ://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/336/7653/1132.<br />
.<br />
Accordingly, people who are inclined to believe authority, believe. Authority rules. Comment: So, now we have opposition to any pills to keep a zygote from attaching. Is she to be prevented from running on treadmills. The woman's liberty, whether or not she believes in souls, or any religion, is defined by someone's idea of when their idea of a theological "soul" enters her body and attaches to cells dividing there. We say no, but who are we?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>OTHER SENTIENT BEINGS </b></div>
<br />
<b>5. What if there is no soul that differs from humans from any other sentient being.</b><br />
<br />
Could we accept that, or do we <i>use</i> the soul concept to put ourselves above other beings and have our way (animals, aborigines)<b><br />
</b><br />
<br />
What if we suddenly learned definitively<br />
<ul>
<li>that there is no such thing as a soul; </li>
<li>or, if there is, that it is no different from animal souls, other sentient beings; </li>
<li>or that no soul attaches until 6.1 months of pregnancy; </li>
<li>or that (and we probably have this already) fully humane and life-preserving methods could re-plant any zygote - foetus at any time.</li>
</ul>
Would views change? What do we get out of this soul business. FN 1<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>TEXTS </b></div>
<br />
<b>6. What texts support the idea of a soul. </b><br />
<br />
How we got to sanctity for our blessed selves, if we ever did, or did we dream it up: Follow us, follow, down to the hollow, and there we shall wallow....the Hippotamus Song, by Flanders & Swan.<br />
<br />
<b>6.1. Mosaic law.</b> <br />
<br />
This seems to mean the laws that God is supposed to have given Moses on Sinai, for the Israelites below at the base of the mountain. It begins with the Ten Commandments, and includes a prohibition against murder. FN 1 <br />
<br />
<b>6.3 Other Bible passages. </b><br />
<br />
Genesis 1:27 - this site gives this verse as supporting human life as sacred - but that verse only says God made man in God's image. See ://www.circleofprayer.com/life.html. <br />
.<br />
But that is just descriptive - God's image then has two legs, two arms and a head and indeterminate genitalia of both m+f are in that image. Being in an "image" does not confer special "sacredness." From there on, it is just interpretive subjective narrative. Gloss. Dogma.<br />
<br />
Even God strikes people down, right? A Righteous Kill? What then, is the histor of abortion, for whose reasons, whose control - see ://home.earthlink.net/~davidlperry/abortion.htm<br />
<br />
<b>6.4 Other Culturo-Religious "authority"</b><br />
<br />
Focus on the Family cops out completely. Goes to Genesis 1:27 also - even though that says nothing about sacredness, only image - mirror, mirror - see<br />
://www.family.org/socialissues, /A000001095.cfm/ and then starts on the dogma, teaching, interpreting, institutional construct.<br />
<br />
Problem remains: that verse doesn't say anything about that - is just the image. Find a mirror. Propaganda, persuasion, not information. Next?<br />
<br />
There must have been a pope who at one point made that an official teaching. Looking.<br />
<br />
So far, still a puzzle. Not clear at all what makes human soul different from animals, in scripture?<br />
<br />
......................................................................<br />
<br />
FN 1 With the soul idea, how is that being used to define women, use "morality" as a kind of club, as though women cannot make moral decisions on their own.<br />
<ul>
<li>. We get to punish women, for one thing. We can force them to carry on with pregnancies when they do not want to. With no soul, there would have to be secular state-related reasons for that forcing. We may be able to expand humane ways of relocating the zygote or foetus if the state wants each one to come to fruition.</li>
</ul>
Reasons for continuing many pregnancy situations would probably be found in the secular consideration, but there would be less <i>punishment</i> involved, less approbation.<br />
<br />
That is also probably why we hang on to the moral idea - it makes some feel good to judge and restrict others. True? Not True? Some may not want the <i>punishment </i>of the woman to go away, and sometimes we think that is what is going on here. Simple matter of relocating it? Watch the outcry - make her have it! Make her have it! Ok.<br />
<ul>
<li>We get to control whether stem cells from embryos can be used (set aside that maybe there are alternatives - great). We get to make some people stay sick.<br />
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>We win economically. We get to enslave entire peoples who we say are without them (technically in the past for us, but also still in the world)</li>
</ul>
Who out there is questioning, not whether there is a prime mover or "God," but the <i>dogma</i> that has attached to that concept through the years? There are many sites questioning the issue of a prime mover, some more flip than others, see ://www.physicsforums.com/archive/index.php/t-2313.html. Dogma attaching depends on the hearer's susceptibility.<br />
<br />
..............................<br />
FN 1 and includes many rules in the first five books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch, see ://www.answers.com/topic/mosaic-law and ://www.bartleby.com/59/1/mosaiclaw.html; The New Testament, says this site, holds that (for Paul) "Christians" are no longer accountable under Mosaic law. Read the discussion at ://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=880<br />
<br />
How the Ten Commandments came to be. See this site for a narrative, ://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english/command.htm#_Toc513258220. But we seem to remember that the first set of tablets was destroyed, and Moses had to go back up. So we went to th OT itself - Exodus 19-20.<br />
<br />
Note there are two sets of Commandments also in the Bible - the set at Exodus 20:1-17; and another at Deuteronomy 5:16-21. We are going back to our favorite easy-read English, the Catholic Douay Rheims version from 1609 to see both: Just plug in Douay Rheims and Exodus 19 to get started yourself. We are at ://www.drbo.org/chapter/02019.htm.<br />
<br />
Not good. It adds in Catholic interpretation and we want just the translation. Here - the comparative translations at ://www.hebrewoldtestament.com. Go there.<br />
<br />
So far, we think it says on this issue that whoever sheds man's blood, by man, shall his blood be shed. That means no killing other men or you will be killed. This conflicts with Genesis, where Cain killed Abel and Cain was not killed. Instead, Cain was marked so that all would know what he did.<br />
.<br />
What is the difference? It looks like the Mosaic law is different because it reflects the <span style="font-style: italic;">patriarchy</span> that evolved <span style="font-style: italic;">after Creation,</span> the era of <span style="font-style: italic;">men, not God</span>. Cain and Abel were in the Creation generation era. The era God set up. Capital punishment as a punishment for killing another only emerged with the patriarchy later.<br />
<br />
Tell that to Texas.<br />
<br />
<b> Is capital punishment a universal idea? </b>Looks like it, to degrees. China - also has the Mosaic law, but in many parts of the world, capital punishment is no longer adhered to automatically. It is adhered to in China to a great degree, says this site, See "The Sacredness of Human Life in China," at sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkjo/view/23/2600349.pdf<br />
<br />
What is the <i>year</i> of that sunzi.lib site talking about China? Looks <i>dated</i> in its cultural and ethnic characteristic descriptions? Old source, A.H.Smith, but no year that we can see.<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Update 2014. Autonomy as factor in rights.. Can this life form
make decisions, broadly. Can it choose, based on its perceptions. The
issue of rights of non-persons. </li>
<li>Who is a legal person. Who gets rights. Are we making progress. Who
is human. Is a legal person the same. Why not. Corporations have
legal personhood rights, even to speech, spending money. Why not the
sentient, autonomous, actually living things among us. See <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/23/opinion/animals-are-persons-too.html?_r=0">http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/23/opinion/animals-are-persons-too.html?_r=0</a>; and <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/03/science/rights-group-sues-to-have-chimp-recognized-as-legal-person.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/03/science/rights-group-sues-to-have-chimp-recognized-as-legal-person.html </a>; and <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/27/magazine/the-rights-of-man-and-beast.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/27/magazine/the-rights-of-man-and-beast.html</a>; and others. Rights of man and beast. Return to yesteryear, reexamine. </li>
<li>If the theory of autonomy, ability to make decisions, is definitive
as an issue in part, why do we give legal personhood to the unborn, the
merely potential human being with ability to decide; and when do we
decide a human form unable to think, even without a brain, has more
rights than a sentient being. </li>
<li>Go back to your Testaments, in addition to the legal arguments of common law and other sources, in recent news. </li>
</ul>
The concept of soul takes many forms.<br />
<br />
Bless my soul.<br />
Oh, my soul.<br />
Body and soul.<br />
Sell your
soul.<br />
Soul man.<br />
Soul
mate.<br />
Soulless.<b> </b><br />
Soul food at The Gutsy Gourmet,
://www.thegutsygourmet.net/soul.html.<br />
Meet <i>Mendel the Chassid</i> and a soul searching discussion at <a href="https://www.blogger.com/Meet%20Mendel%20the%20Chassid%20and%20a%20soul%20searching%20discussion%20at%20://www.jewishmag.com/131mag/mendel_soul/mendel_soul.htm/">http://www.jewishmag.com/131mag/mendel_soul/mendel_soul.htm<b>/</b> </a><br />
<br />
Soul is an animating, spiritual principle, and here just
said to predate the 12th C. See Merriam-Webster OnLine Dictionary at<a href="https://www.blogger.com/Meet%20Mendel%20the%20Chassid%20and%20a%20soul%20searching%20discussion%20at%20://www.jewishmag.com/131mag/mendel_soul/mendel_soul.htm/"> http://mw1.m-w.com/dictionary/soul</a>. Even there Merriam-Webster restricts its definition to person, without looking up the origins of the Paleo-Hebrew, breath, breath of life, a breathing entity, not in utero, whether feathered, finny, furry or human.<b></b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Religious ideas amok. Spread of religious ideas.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Religious origin stories are our oldest
human attempts to 1) express understandings and desires as to origins,
and 2) tie those origins to special intent of a divinity-creator,
permeate western religions, perhaps others, so that 3) our group is superior to that group, who do not share our beliefs and are 'unsanctified.'.</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Some groups spread our religious ideas by teaching that they are via direct
dictation of a deity to a chosen channel, question it not; or teaching
we have in our brains and elsewhere a deity implant, a god-given
predisposition of the human brain-being, a direct implant of the deity
for right-thinking. A direct deity implant means that any who deviate
from the claimed right-thinking is a heretic, and can be dispensed with,
ignored, excluded from right humanity.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Others spread
origin ideas through the culture-hearth idea: growing up in a community
of similar believers, much informality and absorption going on in the
long-house, listening to the stories. Similar culture-hearths lead to
the idea of <i>anchor</i> areas for particular religions, where clusters
large and small can unite according to a community of belief, in
excluding others, touting self.</li>
</ul>
Others keep trying to resurrect old creeds and force them long after they have desiccated, then wonder why the churches close.<br />
................................................................................................................. <br />
<br />
FN 1<br />
<br />
Discussion is endless. Autonomous life, out there breathing; making choices; no matter. If
it moves, it has life. And if it moves, or even if it does not but
might, the breathing one (the one with the womb) shall subsume herself.
She shall subsume herself and her autonomy by virtue of having been
allocated the space to allow reproduction, be forced to subsume her life
to every zygote that comes down the track, and ultimately to foster
every new life born. Ask Marge Piercy. She opposed the idea. See <a href="http://ginster-plantagenet.blogspot.com/2012/03/right-to-life-by-marge-piercy-to-read.html">Marge Piercy, Right to Life </a><br />
<br />
a. The
sanctity of human life view would establish legally that any stage of
human or possible human life is religiously untouchable? Is that
supported? Or is human life to be <i>respected</i> in a multi-faceted
culture, balanced whether as zygote or Death Row inmate, among other
matters worthy of respect in the society, and with broader goals in
mind. What do our roots say. Are we to be governed by absolutes of
religious belief of some in each immediate case, or balancing of
interests, looking to the long term well-being of most. If we balance,
we leave the decision-maker to meet his or her ultimate Maker, and let
it go at that. Is that preferable to vigilantism into lives unrelated
to the religion.<br />
<br />
<br />
b. Later sources of belief, after the earliest texts we can find, of course include<br />
1) believed deity revelation (show of hands), or<br />
2)
human taint in dealing with old texts: accident, error or imagination
in translations, self-serving choices of words in translation, and all
leading erratically to<br />
3) additional dogma serving those in power
so they can firm it all up for themselves, kill heretics, conduct
crusades and their equivalent, declare inquisitions, and order mayhem in
the name of the Lord. Onward, Christian Soldiers.<br />
<br />
c. Onward
any soldiers of any religion believing it the Only Way,including ISIS
(this by way of update). <br />
<br />
d. A further topic is how close are the Yazidi, our contemporary heretics, to the early texts. Are they closer than we are, whether eastern, middle eastern, or western religious? No evil, sin, heaven, hell, no devil (scroll down the discussion to post by Iashtar, at <a href="http://www.lashtal.com/forum/index.php?topic=2191.25;wap2">http://www.lashtal.com/forum/index.php?topic=2191.25;wap2</a>, referring to a BBC site, am looking for that BBC report). And the "devil" they are accused of worshipping had been forgiven by the deity, so what's not to like? That was Malak Taus, sounds like Michael, <br />
<br />
e. Ask this: What if the persecuted Bogomils,
Cathars (trapped on Montsegur, France in the 1240's, the pyres below), Gnostics, all the other
sects with sincerely held beliefs and revered texts, and now focus on
the Yazidi whose ideas may well predate our own; were and are as right
as anybody else. That is, the human condition, human origins, human
morality, all stems from ambiguity. Can we live with that? Can we let
others live with their explanations of life and religion. In the past,
drive for profits and lands and converts may well have been the real
reason for rallying the people to kill heretics and unbelievers so the
Religion du Jour would be First Among Men. Is that still so? Rally the
rabble on articulated religious grounds, then the powers are freed to swoop in and take the money.<br />
<br />
f. On with claims of sanctity of human life. These do appear to rest on
grounds highly susceptible to human taint in the translations and
additional dogma: wish, power-drive, need to fill in gaps in ways most
favorable to the ruling group. the notion of later deity revelation, as
some find for their own group; or arbitrary conclusion selected by a few
who choose themselves as guardians of Spiritual Truth over time,
resulting in absolutely correct dogma for them, and the consequence that
nonbelievers can be killed off, called heretic and marginalized,
without vetting: not origins as best we parse them. human-worded,
human transmitted dogma and not necessarily having any connection with
original deity (deities'?) intent. Some say their particular dogma is
the result of cosmic teletype through all the translations and fragments
and power plays at the time, nctity of human life rests on dogma, not
cosmic teletype, evolved over centuries so one group can force
conformity of belief on others, and power compressed; conformity
buttressed by human power enforcement, not necessarily merit of idea,
and not necessarily related to original deity (deities') intent in
creating us. That is the ultimate ambiguity of all human knowing: that
there are indeed other ways of looking at the world and creation, also
based on texts and long tradition; and our own is not necessarily
superior or closer to the deity (deities?), despite our pomp and love of
pyres for others.<br />
<br />
g. What was the creating deity-deities' intent. Why -- except for culture -- is the human cell cluster prioritized
above the breathing hostess it latches on to? The Supreme Court ducks
this issue, in failing to examine which, if any, of the claimed
religious beliefs of some should be imposed by law on another, so we
begin. How, or should, or can, ordinary people themselves vet the <i>bona fides</i>
of beliefs that employers claim as religious, and who then use those
"religious" beliefs against ordinary people to restrict the ordinary
peoples' life choices.<br />
<br />
h. Religious belief is indeed
subject to analysis. It can be asked, by intelligent, contemplative
beings, what in this particular dogma or idea is mere is culture at
work, a power play to benefit some, regardless of original texts to the
contrary or ambiguous and we ourselves are capable of making up our own
minds. What is a false, self-serving claim of inspiration, who down
the line cast it that way, what is a self-serving construct geared to
power one's group and own gold pile.<br />
<br />
i. Can and should
ordinary people decide which (if any) others should impose those others'
beliefs on them, the ordinary people, particularly in a now-plural
society. What sites, if they have Internet, are useful as starts.
Whether anyone is comfortable vetting his or her own religious <i>bona fides,</i>
or someone else's, is up for grabs. Still, follow the thought. Can
people unchain themselves from others' directives, without vetting the
others first.<br />
<br />
Then ask: What if The People find that
the belief particularly of an employer in issue, now sanctioned as law,
so that the employer's belief can restrict The People in their lives and
choices, is an arbitrary construct, like a Tinkertoy (go back in time).<br />
<br />
j/ Tinkertoys
enabled vast towers of sticks and hubs with arms and gadgets, all
a-whirligiging. Tinkertoys were far superior to the blocky Lego stodges
that kids now have, that replicate but do not imagine. Bring back the
Tinkertoy. Let things fly. One stick into one hub. More sticks, more
lengths, more gizmos, Where will it go?<br />
<br />
In summary, we
need analogies in culture, to contrast the rigid primary color
impositions handed to us for our play and analysis. Contrast those,
with their horrid raised convex dots and horrid lined-up convex holes,
all fungible blocks just like workers.<br />
<img src="http://carsoncraig.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/i-made-a-tinkertoy-car.jpg" height="217" id="irc_mi" style="margin-top: 88px;" width="320" /><br />
Tinkertoy
is air, transparency, see through it, We need air. We need movement.
Bring back Tinkertoys so we can assess our own religions. Set the
Tinkertoy on a single stone labelled Inspiration, the long forgotten in
the glamor (like Avalon) and money-raising (for use by the raisers)
capacity of the upper Tinkertoy.<br />
<br />
Go back to earliest
concepts and see how far dogma and ideology have come from the
best-we-can-figure original roots. Start with transliteration: we pick
<a href="http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/bookstore/e-books/mtg.pdf">http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/bookstore/e-books/mtg.pdf</a> here as a beginning point; skip all <i>narrative</i>
translations, written to flow in the target language, whether or not it
fits the original roots. To find earliest roots of concepts, go to
transliteration -- or <i>mechanical </i>translation -- that offer
word-form by word-form equivalents to language today. Do that because
all cultural, personal, religious-event memory is both tainted and
shaped by the choice of words of the individual or group putting it in
writing, or in story form.<br />
<br />
If there is indeed some one
cosmic teletype determining one true depiction of ancient memory
correctly completely and irrefutably set forth, and its place as number
one among cultural-religious institutional structures, it hasn't shown
itself yet. Try looking back yourself. Skip narrative translations.
They all fill in blanks with whatever the institution du jour lays out
as acceptable in its dogma. What are the original ideas, in all their
ambiguity, fragmented state, self-interest of the recorders shining
through, the drive to forge survival of a group by compelling conformity
of belief. Look at all the alphabets, the evolution of forms, see <a href="http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/15420/which-alphabet-were-the-original-torah-scrolls-in?rq=1">Judaism: Stackexchange; Original Torah</a>/
Find Paleo-Hebrew, Phoenician roots, early Hebrew. Is this so: that
any words encasing a memory, imposing a translation using particular
terms to a concept from another culture, distort whatever that memory
might have been. There are no true memory-catchers. There remains
ambiguity, choice in life's trajectory, anchors for values, but always
ambiguity and the requirement in that ambiguity to respect the
conclusions of others. Then explore:<br />
<br />
If they are ambiguous, subject to interpretation, then enter a crossroads: Is the interpretation <i>culture</i> in creating <i>religious systems </i>to explain this impossibly ambiguous creation; or is the interpretation <i>Divine Inspiration</i>,
and necessarily transmitted without flaw in understanding or
implementation, only to the particular group claiming it. Everyone else
is heretic. The cosmic teletype coming without static to one receiver
only, who then wrote exactly what was said. What if all our heretics
were right, righter than we are?<br />
<br />
Here, test ideology
as to human sanctity, and purpose of creation, and human relationship to
the rest of creation. The conclusion may well be that the basic
criteria for creation was its functionality, and that the creating power
was not a mono-god, but plural, as with companions. Respect the
differing believers. Is there ground in the texts for a Melek Tau,
Malak Tau, Michael. Sounds like the Yaziti. not good and evil. Is a
moral overlay part of earliest Genesis, or are the Yezidi on closer
track: What if 1) human sanctity as a special status apart from other
life forms, particularly "blessed", is<i> not </i>provided for in early
texts found to date; and 2) creation itself, by the texts, was roughly
whimsy, experiment, what is functional what is not.<br />
<br />
You
may find that all those heretics (as others defined them) slaughtered,
trapped, burned, marginalized, excluded, etc;, had as much textual and
traditioanal ground for their beliefs as people of mainstream do today.
Would that information cause the Supreme Court to keep from allowing one
set of religious beliefs to be imposed on others outside their
voluntary faith community, especially when the believer is operating in
the public square.<br />
<br />
If religious ideas came afterwards,
explore whether there is any reason to put one set of beliefs over
another, except for crowd-persuasion that their particular mouthpiece
was Divinely Inspired, and all that , and . The notion came later. By
whom, for what purpose? For now, stay with the texts. YouWhat is the
evidence? How do beliefs take hold. Is it merit, or persuasion, or
force. And if humans are just one among many life forms, go further. If
sanctity is out, what do the texts say of the original purpose of
creation itself. You may well find that 2) . Was equally arguably whim
and functionality, with nothing about good and evil, sin, heaven, hell.
Then sanctity and ideas of what is evil as a moral matter, must come
from sources later, and a drive in humans to explain things, and so they
did. What if the most persecuted of our eastern and western heretics,
Bogomils, Cathars, Yazidi, all other groups of sincere belief who
refused to conform to the beliefs of others, were closer to early texts
than the rest of our traditions are. Melek Taus. Malak Taus. Michael.
Peacocks. NBC Peacock? In the tradition? Don't tell Fox. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MhZPqHeEAQ">Sound of the peacock, YouTube</a>, FN 1. They're he-e-e-ere. Hark .... <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWTABEOFYoY">Call of the Peacock, Youtube</a><br />
<br />
What if all the heretics and unbelievers that western Christian Soldiers
killed on their way onward, all those murdered in Inquisitions, on our
own mountaintops (Montsegur), excluded, marginalized, demonized, were as
right as we are, in terms of texts. Will the Pope then atone for the
slaughter of the those deemed heretic, and slaughtered; but whose views
now are seen as closer to Genesis and original texts, than all the dogma
fanning out afterwards. <br />
<br />
Maybe the groups closest to earliest texts are right; and the later
spinner cultures east and west, not right. Enter, Yazidis. Keep in
mind their one main deity creating, another taking over, the seven
aspects of that deity, Melek Taus, peacock angel (NBC?) as the lead,
like Michael? centrality of <i>forgiveness</i> of Melek, see <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/07/who-yazidi-isis-iraq-religion-ethnicity-mountains">http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/07/who-yazidi-isis-iraq-religion-ethnicity-mountains</a>,
the creating deity not all that involved afterwards (sounds about
right!), no concern for heaven, hell, good v.evil, sin, all that. And
reincarnation ideas. If you offend the first time, try again. Also not
far off the mainstream.<br />
<br />
If there is little similarity or consistency in translations, how did
the religious institutions grow? Enter the idea of divine inspiration.
Our religious wars east and west have been wars of two kinds, is this
so: 1) competing claims of divine inspiration, divine root, and is that
because the very texts are indeed ambivalent. or 2) political and
cultural wars for turf and riches, under the<i> guise</i> of competing
claims of divine inspiration, Divine Will; and so revving up masses who
believed the powers and did not have the tools or opportunity to vet.
Examine persecutions, crusades, inquisitions, etc, <br />
<br />
Early text is what somebody recorded about an event, or what he heard
about it (oral tradition stories), and its meaning, the closer to the
event the more reliable, possibly. The more narrative added to make
sense of first scratchings, the less the result resembles the original
transmission, is that so? Like memory. As soon as words are put to it,
to a recollection, the words replace, redefine the memory, and what was
originally experienced, in all its conglomeration of sensations, fades
away.<br />
<br />
Ideology is the belief system that grew around that
text source after the period of memory, the rituals developed to foster
its favored tenets, the structure and hierarchies that enable it to
enforce its primacy and transmit itself, overcoming others less well
equipped, or at least enabling its survival. The human problem arises
with the need to conjure Divine Inspiration to justify a particular
tack, when the text is silent, ambiguous, unknowable. Filling in the
gaps is the job of ideology; and the only way to do that is to claim
Divine Will for this interpretation or that. <br />
<br />
If text
does not support a particular ideology, how does that religious system
justify itself. The obvious answer is belief: a claim of divine
inspiration, and many groups and individuals claim that. Are we at a
point now, however, with competing religious and cultural systems
bumping against another faster than ever before, where the merits of an
ideology and not just the religious nature of the claim have to be
examined. How else to shape institutions that can live together. Look
back at oldest texts in order to highlight whether our ideologies bear
much resemblance to them. Here, find the frameworks of the first two
creation stories in Genesis 1:1-2:3; and Genesis 2;3-____. These come
from various transliteration sites, and not using our traditional
translations, sect-inspired narratives.<br />
<br />
1. It appears that most human groups hold themselves in high esteem,
at the center of the universe, to whom even gods may bow down or do
homage. If that is based on oral tradition, what are the stories. If
the stories are recorded, those can only be tracked to earliest
tablets-parchments-fragments; and even then the question of
self-interest or taint or error of the recorder enters in. Stories, just
because they are old carry no guarantees of any divine inspiration, or
that they were not changed along the way. There is just the belief of
some later that their group or prophet is special, as if course it just
might be, and the survival of that belief by force or need (unity as
means of survival) or because of voluntary persuasion. This way of life
is a great idea. Test the evolution. Follow the stories into successive
translations into target languages with little structural similarity,
and sharing virtually no cultural context with, the original.<br />
<br />
The issue is not academic. If human life is <i>respected</i>
as a cultural matter, weighed as other societal interests along a
continuum from time to time, there is leeway for state intervention.
Once some group successfully invokes Deity interest, however, seeking to
put their deity over somebody else's, If, however, courts and
legislatures move beyond into personal, family decisions. ate
intervenes rationally in decisions affecting promoting all or some forms
of life. If human life is sanctified as a religious matter, the door
opens to extremists <br />
<br />
<br />
<cite></cite></div>
Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-57544103912498739282014-04-26T14:16:00.000-04:002014-10-20T08:27:22.365-04:00War against Women. Woman-Fear in History. Rush Channels Old St. Peter Damian. Cultural Misogyny<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxhkfsQ8GS1FVtrUE1S2yVN2oZVQJX4Md6WZbbJnkYV1c2lRDIJmrxcBy6Tnn5ahiXX75Wc8eJrTh9L36eKQy0CHDbg6osekyhdaUAjamDQzYDaj7Sw62x81cS0JvZY2uHLHet/s1600/100_2585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxhkfsQ8GS1FVtrUE1S2yVN2oZVQJX4Md6WZbbJnkYV1c2lRDIJmrxcBy6Tnn5ahiXX75Wc8eJrTh9L36eKQy0CHDbg6osekyhdaUAjamDQzYDaj7Sw62x81cS0JvZY2uHLHet/s320/100_2585.JPG" height="240" width="320" />St. Peter's, Geneva, Switzerland. Choir stalls.</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>.</b><br />
<b>Woman-Fear in History.</b><br />
<b>Politics, religion, blurring boundaries.</b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Update to 2014. Plus ca change. See Jimmy Carter on topic: http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/losing-my-religion-for-equality-20090714-dk0v.html<b> </b></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Ask, in this history of wars against women, how did this happen when woman is the default, preferred gene XX? By side reference, the New York Times affirms that to be woman is the
default, the beginning. Man is the later switched to the "other."
Yet, the effort continues to make the male something special, better
than the woman who is the absolute beginning. See<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/24/science/researchers-see-new-importance-for-y-chromosome.html"> http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/24/science/researchers-see-new-importance-for-y-chromosome.html</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Why the drive to control her? It accelerated with St. (Saint??) Jerome substituting the Latin for "wife" for the original Hebrew for "woman" in Creation, suddenly she was secondary, in subservience, and so it remained. See Gen.2:22, http://www.hebrewoldtestament.com/B01C002.htm/ Woman becomes uxor. </div>
<a href="http://www.sassafrasthicket.blogspot.com/#!http://sassafrasthicket.blogspot.com/2012/03/poor-rush-her-name-is-gaia.html">Rush: PS. Her Name is Gaia</a>. Go to the (update) New York Times. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/24/science/researchers-see-new-importance-for-y-chromosome.html"></a><br />
.<br />
1. Role of Women<br />
<br />
1.1 Start with Peter Damian, in the line that leads to Rush Limbaugh today, and his ideas come from, that marriage is so vital (although there was none
in Creation), a woman is a prostitute for having sex at age 30 if
unmarried, or under any other voluntary, noncommercial setting, no
pimps, autonomy autonomy autonomy? Is she to be allowed autonomy?<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Perhaps
Rush is, unwittingly or because he is so ready to do it, channeling the
unlikely Damian. He fits the old mold, see http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-buzz/post/rush-limbaugh-calls-georgetown-student-sandra-fluke-a-slut-for-advocating-contraception/2012/03/02/gIQAvjfSmR_blog.html</li>
</ul>
<br />
Look back at one Saint Peter Damian, monk, Order of St. Benedict, ascetic, 12th Century misogynist, and definer of virtue in ways that the Founder never did. For him, the question of whether God could restore virginity was paramount to believing in God's power, because non-virginity was evil, see http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/peter-damian/#4/<br />
<br />
Gender equality was indeed a topic at the time of the Founder, and until the Canon, and opposed by Paul and others (scroll down to issues) at <a href="http://www.religioustolerance.org/nfe_bibl.htm">http://www.religioustolerance.org/nfe_bibl.htm</a>.<br />
<br />
1.2. The Damian Effect<br />
<br />
The Modern "We" are affected by our
toxic forbears: See <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/13/opinion/for-priests-wives-a-word-of-caution.html?scp=1&sq=caution+wives+of+priests&st=nyt.">http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/13/opinion/for-priests-wives-a-word-of-caution.html?scp=1&sq=caution+wives+of+priests&st=nyt.</a> <blockquote class="tr_bq">
He
[Peter Damian, monk, ascetic and later saint] chastised priests’ wives
as “furious vipers who out of ardor of impatient lust decapitate Christ,
the head of clerics,” with their lovers. According to the historian
Dyan Elliott, priests’ wives were perceived as raping the altar, a
perpetration not only of the priest but also of the whole Christian
community</blockquote>
See fear for status and
property, meet with ideology, and extended to priests' families. Property and
inheritance came into the denigration of women. What if the priest had children, and the priest left material goods to the children instead of the church, or fromchurch donations, and the children set up a rival
dynasty to the local church power interests.<br />
<br />
The great preoccupation: Property, property. So, ensure no children that could inherit.
That did not work out so well, however. so Pope Leo IX had a better idea: make
the wife and kids work at the Lateran. Even today, is the clergy wife, where the sect allows marriage, also expected to do the work of the church?<br />
.<br />
Go back to the NYT Op-Ed: Women as<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“the
clerics’ charmers, devil’s choice tidbits, expellers from paradise,
virus of minds, sword of soul, wolfbane to drinkers, poison to
companions, material of sinning, occasion of death ... the female
chambers of the ancient enemy, of hoopoes, of screech owls, of night
owls, of she-wolves, of blood suckers.”<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li> Peter
Damian indeed. Is Damian now channeling through Rush. Even though Damian was an ascetic, and Rush an Accumulator, look at the substance of the ideas: Peter Damian, of the 12th Century, living a thousand years after the
Founder never said any such things about homosexuality or women as evil,
is full of it now. </li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>See quotes at <a href="http://www.bettnet.com/blog/index.php/weblog/comments/12_quotes_from_st_peter_damian/">http://www.bettnet.com/blog/index.php/weblog/comments/12_quotes_from_st_peter_damian/</a></li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
Why
pay attention at all to this kind of bootstrapping. Introduce celibacy
so the institution can have its way, make somebody a saint, centuries
later go for infallibility, and there you are. CheckMate. Go to the
Founder, Peter Damian, tucked away in the dusty archives but speaking loudly. Damian touts culture, not religion.<br />
<br />
1.3 Is Damian an appropriate measure of institutional misogyny.<br />
<br />
What else happened, if anything to lead to Damian. Rush does not come out of nowhere.<br />
<br />
Damian focused on crimes against nature, whatever he conceived that to be, more than just women as a gender. See <a href="http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/homo-damian1.asp">http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/homo-damian1.asp</a>. Still, it appears that a woman is open season. Who is she to assert autonomy? Is misogyny so culturally entrenched that we cannnot even question its origins or current mouthpieces. Is she really so frightening?<br />
.<br />
There is a history here. How are women viewed and why? Who's in the kitchen with Dinah?<br />
<br />
a. Revisit the "rape" of Dinah (Genesis 34) (what did happen? old texts are ambiguous here, as they are elsewhere -- people fill in the gaps). <br />
.<br />
Look with a critical eye at the issues it sparked, in the already patriarchal society, that echo some of our own that seek to continue the domination. For this, go simply -- for a start -- to Wikipedia, at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamor">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamor</a>. <br />
.<br />
b Then go back to Dinah's tale, the young girl who was raped by Schechem, and who had transformative powers, see http://www.aish.com/jl/b/women/Women-in-the-Bible-5-Dinah.html/ Those powers were quashed, as the same quality was quashed in others. She bore a daughter, and, fair use excerpt: "The sefira (God's character trait manifested in this world) of righteousness – a deep inner ruling over passions, along with the ability to influence externally “from afar” without becoming affected negatively in the process – is what Dinah contributed to her daughter." <br />
.<br />
Dinah, Biblically, is part of the evolution of ideas of the status of women .Quash her, even with her God-given gifts. Dinah's story also explains to Rush why the outrage against calling his our sister a harlot.<br />
<br />
b. Consider Eve, and her power <br />
<br />
Eve had bargaining power that Adm did not have, and the last say on when she would bear children. She even used birth control -- two little toddlers together, and only another after one met his demise as an adult.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Even Eve bargained with God to have a child. She decided when she wanted to bear. To bargain means being in a roughly equal (!) position -- otherwise the word would not have been "bargain." The other, Adm, was oblivious and never forced to father. It was her idea. Through JHWH, see <a href="http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/OTpdf/gen4.pdf">http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/OTpdf/gen4.pdf</a></li>
</ul>
2. The rocky path of religious tolerance. <br />
<br />
Tolerance has been denied in the process of merely emphasizing selectively what Scripture might say, not its content. See <a href="http://www.religioustolerance.org/nfe_bibl.htm">http://www.religioustolerance.org/nfe_bibl.htm</a>. Letters, selectively included, for the dogma they support. The religious timeline is frightening, if original sources are compared to the later forced dogma, see <br />
For the long form, see <a href="http://italyroadways.blogspot.com/#%21/2012/02/salvation-or-marketing-religions.html">Rome: Timeline of Doctrine, Methods</a>. <br />
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2.1 Celibacy<br />
<br />
Wives again: Episcopal priests allowed to become Catholic clergy, and bring their existing wives with them <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/13/opinion/for-priests-wives-a-word-of-caution.html?scp=4&sq=catholic%20priests%20wives%20episcopalian&st=cse">For Priests' Wives, A Word of Caution,</a> Op-Ed by Sarah Ritchey. They are not to marry if not already married. Now, what sense is that?.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Celibacy. Celibacy was not required until the 11th Century, and then to distinguish clergy from people and increase the distance between them. </li>
<ul>
<li>A hierarchy so required; and a general denigration of women accelerated. </li>
<li>Think of a change in mindset </li>
<ul>
<li>from acceptance of roundtable organizations, more egalitarian, to the iron rungs of a Ladder. </li>
<li>This shift showed even in architecture. Most of the round churches built in early days, had been converted, remodeled into a cruciform, focus at front where the priest presided. See <a href="http://austriaroadways.blogspot.com/search/label/round%20church#!/2009/12/lienz-castle-round-church-dolomites.html">http://austriaroadways.blogspot.com/search/label/round%20church#!/2009/12/lienz-castle-round-church-dolomites.html</a>. See also <a href="http://denmarkroadways.blogspot.com/?view=snapshot#!/2011/07/bjernede-round-church-bjernede-kirke.html">http://denmarkroadways.blogspot.com/?view=snapshot#!/2011/07/bjernede-round-church-bjernede-kirke.html</a></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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2.2 Who and how: Setting Policy.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Lateran Councils. These are ecclesiastical synods, held at the Lateran Palace next to the Lateral Basilica, Cathedral Church of Rome. The Lateran Palace, named for a family functioning as administrators for early Roman emperors, used to be a nobleman's palace, then became residence of Popes, before the Avignon exile. </li>
</ul>
There had been a Lateran Council convened in 649 CE (the Lateran is a palace from Roman times, given to the Pope by Constantine in the 4th Century, and residence of many Popes), but the big one is known as the First Lateran Council of 1123. <br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>There, "theology" as a preoccupation of intellect took the place of following teachings of the Founder. </li>
<ul>
<li>The decline of following the Founder was probably inevitable: loving one's neighbor as oneself and giving two coats if one had been asked for, was not popular. It got in the way of Getting Ahead, Getting the Better Of. </li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<li>Augustine fell in line. A theologian from the 5th Century, he could not tolerate the idea of women autonomous, as celibacy and non-marriage would allow them if, again, allowed. See <a href="http://heritage.villanova.edu/vu/heritage/allthings/2001SU.htm">http://heritage.villanova.edu/vu/heritage/allthings/2001SU.htm</a>. Women should not be educated or enlightened in any way. See <a href="http://thinkexist.com/quotation/women_should_not_be_enlightened_or_educated_in/339678.html">http://thinkexist.com/quotation/women_should_not_be_enlightened_or_educated_in/339678.html</a></li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Later, the excuse for celibacy was the human idea of "consecration." The argument was for "purity" of the consecrator, since the consecrator apparently suddenly is actually touching the body and blood. </li>
<ul>
<li>If we just reinvigorate and push the idea, earlier hatched but not followed at all by the Founder, that the woman is evil, wanton, and associates with the devil, we get her out of the consecrating of anything. Magic! </li>
<li>At the moment of touch, the bread and wine become The Actual Body. If we then keep women away, the male cultural supremacist hierarchy is safe. Nobody could top that idea. PBS examines the role of women, and finds formidable man-made obstacles, see <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/first/women.html">http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/first/women.html</a></li>
</ul>
</ul>
.<br />
3. Any religious climate, where things are believed on the basis of somebody's "inspiration," pervades people's thought processes.<br />
<br />
What they do, believing because of the spin of translation, cultural overlays on power allocations, that their acts please the deity (deities), is nearly impossible to counter rationally.<br />
.<br />
Explore the waters of today's political religious environment. What are the toxins, and once ensconced, can they be neutralized. A dominant toxin is the evolved exploitation of women, is that so. Goldfish, as may be the plan, belly up and give up for lack of oxygen, overwhelmed by the fog. NYT, the perspective offered is excellent. It affects not only priest's wives coming into the Catholic "fold" but all of us. <br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/13/opinion/for-priests-wives-a-word-of-caution.html?scp=4&sq=catholic%20priests%20wives%20episcopalian&st=cse">http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/13/opinion/for-priests-wives-a-word-of-caution.html?scp=4&sq=catholic%20priests%20wives%20episcopalian&st=cse</a><br />
<br />
Her role is a cultural matter, not one of capability. See <i>When a Woman Ruled Egypt</i>, Biblical Archeology Review March-April 2006 at 64 ff, Hatshepsut. As with Western Religion: if she is strong when alive, efface her after death.<br />
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Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-13807365851390491572014-04-06T11:28:00.004-04:002014-04-07T17:30:27.889-04:00Novel Approaches to Violence: Goats and Constellations. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Violence: Transmitted, Potential, Actual or Intrinsic </b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqENUAU5GuyucCtl5zktmpfVQJcGkNJINn8AjFEbi7B8XM0L_ApTmi9Ldoaqn7XoS0gnQ57RP1zRIR0oBsxanLagAtrbgkxS3v94vdNUecuM5Z-8WrTiduE3anJnHfhBjpUF9/s1600/Bojdancourt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqENUAU5GuyucCtl5zktmpfVQJcGkNJINn8AjFEbi7B8XM0L_ApTmi9Ldoaqn7XoS0gnQ57RP1zRIR0oBsxanLagAtrbgkxS3v94vdNUecuM5Z-8WrTiduE3anJnHfhBjpUF9/s1600/Bojdancourt.jpg" height="240" width="320" />Violence: Transmitted, potential, actual, or intrinsic. Response: Pass it on, or combine elements for life. Dan Widing contemplates. Slovakia Road Ways, Bojnice. </a></div>
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I. Two current novels address issues of violence: <i>Goat Mountain</i>; and <i>Constellation of Vital Phenomena</i>.<br />
II. Violence perpetuated by numbing. <i>Goat.</i> Violence followed up: hope for survival of some, despite violence, where a combination of human factors converge. Including humor, dark as it may be.<br />
III. Uses of violence in perpetuating delusion<br />
IV. Line of Cain, Line of Seth. Internalized dichotomy, or can choice prevail. Will adults let children be taught to analyze<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Is there a beginning forviolence-aversion: See <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/b5df33b8-b539-11e3-af92-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2yEqKOhCB">The Surprising Power of Peace</a>, article by Simon Kuper, Financial Times March 29, 2014. </li>
</ul>
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I. Current Novels<br />
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One, <i>Goat Mountain,</i> 2013 novel by David Vann. sets a story within violence imposed from within close family and friend connections.<br />
<br />
<i>Goat Mountain</i> shows violence relentlessly and deniably taught, carefully taught, so that the characters mostly all numb out to it, as does the reader, with brutality after brutality and its effect and acting out by a child. <i> </i> Spoiler review by Mark O'Connell, at <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/20/goat-mountain-david-vann-review">http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/20/goat-mountain-david-vann-review</a>.<br />
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Read book first. A child is trailed along, taught, sees, learns. The adults demonstrate, while denying it, and while feigning horror at the fruition, that violence is a self-fulfilling idea. The story is a taking of a child through ritual and repeated experience, and modeling, by the relevant adults, so that he gains approval through his own violence. Teach that child. Model for that child. That child will fall into line. Yet, with all those efforts, the myth is verbalized repetitively that violence is intrinsic and necessary, and the adults are only doing what is their nature and required. That is cover for the devastation chosen. There is despair for the future when that child pays violence forward, himself numbed. There is despair for the future because the violence is do deniably but carefully taught; <br />
<br />
The other, <i>A Constellation of Vital Phenomena</i>, 2013 novel by Anthony Marra, sets a story within an unfathomable violence imposed from outside. This is no community issue, family and friends; it is invasion, subjugation, torture, bombing and its aftermaths. There is despair at the infliction, but see how many participate, feel compelled to be complicit, to rat out others. Yet, there is hope in that despite the despair and brutality, human elements survive and taken in the aggregate, see that life can continue. There is survival of life in a <i>constellation</i> of vital phenomena, even if not as to a particular individual who is beaten, lost, perhaps. Out of the constellation needed.<br />
<br />
The review of <i>Goat Mountain</i> by Mark O'Connell at <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/20/goat-mountain-david-vann-review">http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/20/goat-mountain-david-vann-review</a>
is a spoiler, so do not read it until you have read the book. The
focus
here is not on details of plot, which should not be laid out as
spoilers, but my focus instead is on foundational precepts about
violence taken for
granted without context in Goat Mountain, that are not so. <br />
<br />
II. Perpetuation of Violence<br />
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In<i> Goat</i>, the emphasis on the mechanics of violence so that wallowing becomes an incitement to try it, as to the characters -- and perhaps even a vulnerable reader. Killing for some becomes a pleasure, infliction of pain is so natural, that we might as well culturally institutionalize it, be sure that no-one coming along behind, will escape its joys. The alter to violence must remain well tended. Teach your children well.<br />
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This idea in <i>Goat </i>misrepresents the idea that the old Line of Cain from the Bible set us on a fixed orbit to kill or be killed. Killing is manly. Man up. The violent response in Cain's case was not kill or be killed; but the deity's unfairness in setting man's role as tiller of the field, by sweat; then turncoating and favoring the disobedient Abel, who liked flocks instead. Cain became jealous, infuriated. Cain dared not question the deity's perfidy. He lashed out at Abel, just out there with the flocks, doing his thing. Understandable? </div>
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In <i>Goat,</i> violence is articulated or justified on many grounds other than inbred. It can be moral if people or groups have "reasons." More power, a way to prove to Dad that you are a man, etc.<br />
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Turn to <i>Constellation.</i> The reasons people act out the violence required of them by the invaders and their own desire to further themselves, are moral because they are intended, supposedly, to lead to an ultimate positive. What? Read carefully for the brutalization of those who inflict tortures and mass killings and disappearances on others. The violence stems from actions of those preceding, and are necessary for the larger goal.<br />
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III. Uses of Violence in Perpetuating Delusion.<br />
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Are we now to apply the lessons of <i>Constellation t</i>o the subjugation of Ukraine, violence in Syria, elsewhere? Turmoil and violence for a greater good, the Greater Russia, the greater whatever? Again? That is for the experts. In <i>Constellation</i>, however, the idea is not a new one. These attempts at becoming a national deity are as misplaced now as earlier in history<br />
<br />
The justifications of takings, and the motivations of individuals. Are these only distractions from a larger power play, from examination by the population of premises that may well be false. Who will be taken in by the violent ones presenting their volence as a necessary first and transient step to a larger good later. The possibility of a positive. Can we, as a human race, avoid those taking pathways that lead to violent response. Or not? Do some see dissemination of violence even among the abused, as a way to accomplish their own goals. </div>
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IV. Line of Cain, Line of Seth. Venus and Mars. Skip the religious sites, and address the issue conceptually, not theologically by some system imposed to serve some institution. <br />
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What is natural, what is merely a part of life so deal with it; the violence of <i>Goat Mountain</i>, with its horrors and teaching one generation to another; or<i> Constellation</i>, where horrors abound, but shoots emerge anyway.<br />
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Noah. Seth's line. What seeds are left to reseed in that line, and what has been taught to one of Noah's children,despite the most careful attempts to vilify violence itself. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMm1zzMFPLHlHLRxjDxsppsR-zqvpI0gCy5zItN0fKl-KqXFNe7ThGKeQTvbNBemd0vXK4VboukOXjCURNlUrR155eoFO9nZZQI8DjCUgW2WpLnNlCd4tS-CGqQj3kIFm_qVR/s1600/scan0050-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMm1zzMFPLHlHLRxjDxsppsR-zqvpI0gCy5zItN0fKl-KqXFNe7ThGKeQTvbNBemd0vXK4VboukOXjCURNlUrR155eoFO9nZZQI8DjCUgW2WpLnNlCd4tS-CGqQj3kIFm_qVR/s1600/scan0050-1.jpg" height="320" width="216" />Human and natural violence. Discern? Ossuary; Kudowa Zdroj, Poland. after Thirty Years' War, and Plague. </a><br />
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<i>Goat Mountain</i> is essentially a
novel not of the effect of genes, but how the excuse of the idea of
genes enables the actors to deflect their own culpability. <br />
How to frame violence. Are we victims of genes, or have we choice. Just say no. Money is to be made, power exerted, if violence is not to be contained. Civilization is to be achieved, civility, mutuality and community and global survival fostered, if violence can be contained, the propaganda that perpetuates it, transmits it through culture and generations, made transparent so choice can take place.</div>
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Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-8166179879465492362014-04-06T10:43:00.000-04:002014-04-06T18:39:18.110-04:00Servers and Predators. Force in the Game of Creation, Politics. Line of Seth, Line of Cain. Noah, Weiner, and Buddha.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Update to Anthony Weiner Analysis:<br />
What is the role of individual or lifestyle vilification in the larger context of exploitations.<br />
Who engages in it, why.<br />
Uses of vilification and cultural value judgments, as distraction from other issues. <br />
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Look at our cultural response to misbehavior, bad judgment, inquiry into possible pathology in leaders. Pit the Server Line of Seth, how to analyze whether to contain negatives, for the sake of the larger whole; and when to loose the bombs, the Predatory Line of Cain. Does judgmental cultural vilification become a smokescreen, a distraction, so real exploitation can continue unhindered elsewhere.</div>
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Force: What was Creation's Intent? How to know?</div>
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Where there is force to compel, does it even matter? </div>
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Is cultural vilification really based on merit, danger to culture and theology, or merely self-serving force. </div>
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Update. The recent film, <i>Noah</i>, looks at the line of Seth (Noah and Methuselah), and service to sustaining, serving Creation; and the Line of Cain (King who could be Tubal-Cain); and Rule of Force to Benefit Self in Creation. What divide continues to drive those who are vilified for foibles, letting the destroyers go free. The earlier focus of this post, on the foibles of Anthony Weiner (See the DSM-5 notable absence of concern) and the vilification of him, touched on the concept, and looked to Buddha for enlightenment. The post now applies Noah's experience, he of the more benign line of Seth vs. the Tubal-Cain, the forcer line.</div>
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1. Noah explores the line of Seth, and its roots and results. Serve creation, perpetuate it, foster its diversity. King Tubal-Cain explores the line of Cain -- and Dominion, dammit, dominion! Roar! <br />
2. Buddha -- apply my analysis, and gain insight, seek enlightenment<br />
4. Anthony Weiner -- Does this all explain why, given foibles rather easily avoided by those who can simply not open my emails once on notice (see what I am up to this time? just click! Horror at my predilections only lasts the millisecond of first glimpse, then further is choice).<br />
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1. Noah; then Tubal-Cain</div>
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<li>I, Noah, am of Seth's benign line, like my grandfather Methuselah before. Yet, I am vilified by the line of Cain, for my failure to take "dominion" over Creation by forcing it to my will. So, the conflict: Who gets to do what with Creation. What did the Creator intend? </li>
</ul>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>And I look at predation gratuitous exploitation, killing financially, psychologically and physically, in business, in relationships, in politics, in war, all to enhance the status of one against another. Is that the intent of Creation? Hey. Anybody up there listening? Speak up. Clouds. Clouds.</li>
</ul>
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<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><ul>
<li> <i>Dominion</i>! shouts they, and especially cinematically, King Tubal-Cain. Done in the name of dominion. But that is ignorant of the meaning of the term. Dominion -- lead like a god, Dominus, and subdue -- lead gently. Vet terms. <a href="http://kngdv.blogspot.com/2010/11/dominion-worst-concept-in-world-wolf.html"></a></li>
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<li>Rejecting force is not to say that, if in great hunger and without other choice, I would not provide animal parts as food for my family and myself, or kill a man or animal about to harm me or mine, or as in my story, take over the Ark. In extremis, survival should prevail, but with great respect and care given to the manner.</li>
</ul>
2. Buddha.<br />
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Buddha identifies Three Poisons at the root of human disaster --<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Greed, </li>
<li>Anger,</li>
<li>Ignorance, and </li>
<li>Folly -- a/k/a Delusion</li>
</ul>
See <a href="http://buddhismteacher.com/three_poisons.php">http://buddhismteacher.com/three_poisons.php</a>; and <i>Buddhist Ideals of Government by Gunaseela Vitanage,</i> at <a href="http://www.bps.lk/olib/bl/bl011.pdf">http://www.bps.lk/olib/bl/bl011.pdf. </a>Then, Buddha identifies and emulates the counter-behaviors -- what can the enlightened one do, in the face of the poisons?<br />
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Exercise these counterweights:</div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Generosity, </li>
<li>Compassion, </li>
<li>Wisdom.</li>
</ul>
Similarities: With JC and theological western tilt on Christianity:<br />
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Sins: Pride, envy, wrath (the three spiritual sins); and sloth, greed, gluttony, lust (the four corporeal sins). </li>
<li>Virtues: Faith, hope, charity (the three theological virtues); and
prudence, temperance, fortitude and justice (the four civil or pagan
virtues). </li>
</ul>
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</ul>
3. Creation relationship<br />
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3.1 Line of Seth -- where the Three Poisons overflow to impact on the well-being of others, then muster force only as needed to contain it. Dominion: guide, as a god. Dominus. Subdue: Lead gently, douce, docile, dulce. See <a href="http://kngdv.blogspot.com/2010/11/dominion-worst-concept-in-world-wolf.html">http://kngdv.blogspot.com/2010/11/dominion-worst-concept-in-world-wolf.html</a>/. Put a hold on zealotry, see <a href="http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/books/138735/reza-aslan-jesus-zealot">http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/books/138735/reza-aslan-jesus-zealot</a>, <br />
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Punishment called for? Apply <i>Contrapasso.</i>Contrapasso is the old idea -- make the punishment fit the crime. See Dante in his<i> Inferno</i>. There, the greatest punishment is reserved for one particular sin, disloyalty. In the religious concept, the stakes are high: which side is being "loyal" to the Creator? Line of Seth continues to struggle with Deity Intent. See <a href="http://sassafrastree.blogspot.com/2013/05/study-in-punishments-contrapasso-sin.html">http://sassafrastree.blogspot.com/2013/05/study-in-punishments-contrapasso-sin.html/</a><br />
Line of Cain assumes it Knows what loyalty to Creation means, and will not reexamine old ideas, is that so? <br />
<br />
Another ostensibly in the Line of Seth: Saint Francis. Give thanks, not brickbats. Give thanks for many things in this
Creation, exult in the joy of it, especially in the Canticle of the Sun,
Saint Francis, in 1907 open-library incarnation at <a href="http://archive.org/stream/canticleofsunofs00fran#page/n7/mode/2up">http://archive.org/stream/canticleofsunofs00fran#page/n7/mode/2up</a>/.<br />
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3.2 Line of Cain. Ayn Rand. Take it. It's yours, or should be. Where the Three Poisons overflow to impact on the well-being of others, then exercise even more predatory and exploitive behaviors, including killing psychologically, physically, financially and so forth and so forth and so forth so that the advantage to the forcers is made concrete, complete, irrevocable. That is dominion. We subdue. We subdue you.<br />
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4. So, who is culturally vilified in our culture? </div>
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4.1 Noah, vilified by those who fear loss of their decided status as humans first, creation second; and use of generosity and compassion first, defensive violence second.<br />
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4.2 Anthony Weiner, vilified by the offended aghast police because someone has foibles, even if easily avoided.<br />
Spank him! Spank him! And so they do.<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>The Weiner Foible. How someone gets stimulated is not even in the new DSM-5 as a pathology unless a pattern arises that is so negative against self and others that there is really no choice in terms of protecting Us against Them. See the mild-mannered <i>Paraphilic Disorder</i>, see <a href="http://www.dsm5.org/Documents/Paraphilic%20Disorders%20Fact%20Sheet.pd">http://www.dsm5.org/Documents/Paraphilic%20Disorders%20Fact%20Sheet.pd</a>f/ </li>
<li>Accordingly, Anthony Weiner can no longer be vilified as a sex addict, because there is none such. </li>
<li>See the new American Psychiatric Association's DSM-5 (<a href="http://www.dsm5.org/Pages/Default.aspx">Diagnostic and Statistical Manual)</a> excludes that option. Also excluded is something called <i>Hyper-Sexual Disorder,</i> or <i>HD</i>. </li>
<ul>
<li> Some had wanted a category of sexual addiction included, see <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2012/12/03/what-effect-will-changes-to-the-dsm-5-have-on-people-with-and-without-mental-health-issues/">http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2012/12/03/what-effect-will-changes-to-the-dsm-5-have-on-people-with-and-without-mental-health-issues/</a> and<a href="http://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/features/is-sex-addiction-real"> http://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/features/is-sex-addiction-real</a>. As the Forbes site notes, the person may now be left with the
designation "trouble" and left to fend without covered professional
help. That may leave us with this next option, a mere paraphilic disorder.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
Explore further: In a paraphilic disorder, a person derives pleasure from an unusual activity, and where that repeated activity then gives rise to such negative consequences upon self or others as to become a pathology. <a href="http://hellofodderhellobuyer.blogspot.com/2013/07/is-weiner-pix-texting-psychopathology.html">Is Weiner Pix-Texting a Psychopathology</a>. Enter and exit the experts. Is it, instead, our preoccupation with body parts that distracts us from real injury to others: see the News Feed when self-displays get out of the cage and on Fox on air, even accidentally, and do you really think someone would put unreviewed photos on air? Talk shows for dummies. See <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/18/fox-affiliate-airs-penis-pic-video_n_4987124.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/18/fox-affiliate-airs-penis-pic-video_n_4987124.html</a>/ The identity of the displayer has been withheld. Rats! Inquiring minds want to know.<br />
<div>
<div>
<br />
Without HD, if HD is excluded from the DSM-V, then Wiener and others who might otherwise be diagnosed with it, are not eligible for services -- the person is on his own, and open to punishment.<br />
<br />
Someone else can address other religious groups. For other oriental religions, and Buddhism,<a href="http://www.bps.lk/olib/bl/bl011.pdf"></a></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><ul>
</ul>
<ul></ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
5. Vilify instead The Business Model? Is the focus on Weiner and other social culture behaviors a smokescreen?</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Fatal flaw: A culture, like an individual bent on a course without reality reflection from time to time, cannot see itself. See the old Greek hamartia, see <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Fatal+Flaw">http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Fatal+Flaw</a>;<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYknNhMYmhbiO4yPWedPPTnTM7HBDjg0UZmavcvZhxf3a-FUhfsw4Yg-fwwAx501mHBMFBRCvLWZueGwee-0ZWxCOcOqix18wtbKdurFEA8sYFWiWCp2ysaCE67Kw3TJFNpqYUbQ/s1600/scan0044A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYknNhMYmhbiO4yPWedPPTnTM7HBDjg0UZmavcvZhxf3a-FUhfsw4Yg-fwwAx501mHBMFBRCvLWZueGwee-0ZWxCOcOqix18wtbKdurFEA8sYFWiWCp2ysaCE67Kw3TJFNpqYUbQ/s320/scan0044A.jpg" height="263" width="320" />Consider Global Virtues for President. Generosity, compassion, wisdom applied daily. Repeat</a></div>
<br />
Moral: <br />
<ul><ul>
<li>Line of Seth: Let live the foibled ones who only offend but do not endanger self or other. Just spam them out of your emails, photo sharing. That's only Tony again. Click. </li>
<li>Line of Cain: Vilify individuals and culture behaviors, so the ones with power can distract entire populations from the exploitation and deception in the name of profit that thrives in the shadow.(pun). Spam it. Problem solved..</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-1019430096902629372013-07-01T20:03:00.000-04:002013-07-05T11:14:14.757-04:00Bible Spies and the CIA. Secrecy or Transparency. CIA Misstates Its Source.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Bible spy issues: Joseph, Moses, Joshua</b><br />
<br />
<b>Secrecy v transparency: never an absolute.</b><br />
Proceedings leak regardless if containment efforts;</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
so include everybody in everything in order to avoid misconstruing and mishearing?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<b></b><b>See the CIA justify secrecy with a <i>misstatement</i> of the old Joshua spy narrative: as though the pat response of keep it secret is the secret.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b> Et tu CIA?</b><br />
<b>CIA abuse of text for its own purposes</b><br />
<b>.................................................................... </b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
From Hilary Mantel's Bring Up the Bodies, at page 159: fair use excerpt --</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"What
is the nature of the border between truth and lies? It is permeable and
blurred because it is planted thick with rumour, confabulation,
misunderstandings and twisted tales. Truth can break the gates down,
truth can howl in the street; unless truth is pleasing, personable and
easy to like, she is condemned to stay whimpering at the back door." </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Review at <a href="http://us.macmillan.com/bringupthebodies/HilaryMantel">http://us.macmillan.com/bringupthebodies/HilaryMantel </a><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<b>................................................................................ </b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I. Issue.<br />
<br />
Conclusions are as often drawn by secular agencies on flawed facts, just as by religious groups. Is that so? What happens when a secular agency attempts to use a religious source to justify itself, and also on flawed facts. Should we become more skeptical rather than less, any time someone or some entity refers to the Bible in its support. Does anybody vet the texts, from which they misstate. In 1978, the CIA drew conclusions, that secrecy beats transparency in the spying field., It arrived at that supposition from a flawed retelling of the Biblical spy story about Moses sending 12 spies into Canaan. Read the CIA's application in 1978 of its version of Biblical models in spying, in its background paper, <a href="http://southerncrossreview.org/44/cia-bible.htm">Bible Lesson on Spying</a>.<br />
<br />
II. Significance.<br />
<br />
If we can't trust the CIA to tell an old Bible story right, to its own trainees, employees, in support of its policies, what can any ordinary citizen and amateur theology-explorer trust from any secular or religious source. Vet, people. Vet. The tools are there, right online. Leave your home Bible and venture to scripture4all and see old Hebrew, for example, as we do here.<br />
<br />
III. Fact summaries.<br />
<br />
In its paper, <i>Bible Lesson Spying</i>, the CIA states it was Moses' decisions that were flawed, in sending high-ranking leaders of the tribes out to be spies into Canaan.<br />
<br />
If that was true (as it was not), the CIA concludes it was upon Moses' head that things fell apart.<br />
<br />
The next steps, where egos and conflicting roles among immediate task and old allegiances took over, and too much public airings of issues just panicked the people, accordingly meant that Moses erred in transparency and lack of reality-testing.<br />
<br />
The leaders returned and testified publicly<br />
of what they, the spies, found (each Ego had to be heard).<br />
<br />
That transparency led to public panic when 10 of the 12 cowered in the face of Canaanite fortress cities and their tall stature (think Goliath). There was popular loss of confidence in God and Moses, and further punishments ensued through God upon the Israelites and upon those spies whose views did not conform to those of the deity, although they had not been told to come back with any particular point of view. The 10 who said stay out of Canaan were killed by God's plague upon them, people over 20 were barred from entering the Promised Land (Moses himself did not make it), and the people had to wander another 40 years before trying again. Only 2 spies said trust and go for it. One was Joshua. Remember that.<br />
<br />
The CIA fails to reveal, or was wilfully ignorant in not checking out texts, that it was not Moses' idea to send in Princes as spies. It was <i>God</i> who said to get the Princes. See <a href="http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/OTpdf/num13.pdf">http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/OTpdf/num13.pdf</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZW9SsiU0FNSTpPJrB7TyspDrMwKNItnZ8h-uwYyp6hDmMmXCBRt9ljfTz9_ZMVTOgDotfs2bNFkvxTw6jYbne6BIpPZTthxI8jOpM4Pr5i5PCDggOcXtDz5rdnyyaQOKjlhw/s800/100_2583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZW9SsiU0FNSTpPJrB7TyspDrMwKNItnZ8h-uwYyp6hDmMmXCBRt9ljfTz9_ZMVTOgDotfs2bNFkvxTw6jYbne6BIpPZTthxI8jOpM4Pr5i5PCDggOcXtDz5rdnyyaQOKjlhw/s320/100_2583.JPG" width="320" />When spies opine too openly, should a gag order enter? Ask the deity. Ask Moses.</a></div>
<br />
So who should be blamed for the Israelites' loss in confidence, delays and suffering? Not Moses, who did as he was told; but at -- gasp -- God.<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Now, this is an interesting issue. What if analysis of Old Testament texts shows a whimsical, error-prone God, inexperienced in Creation as the deity was, with devastating consequences to some, and why should that obvious reality not be made part of religion? Reality Religion. Imagine the OT gripes about a God who blows as the wind blows, saying one thing, doing another. </li>
</ul>
<br />
Back to the CIA. The overall point about the effectiveness of secrecy in spy matters may be valid for the Biblical era as well as ours, but it is more complex than that. The CIA should have gone beyond that shallow analysis to apply it to eras of increasingly intrusive and expansive communications. Even in 1978, the beginnings of leaks and instant recording and transmission to millions. How to effectuate secrecy under those circumstances, and what compromises must be made.<br />
<br />
IV. Discussion: </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1. CIA. Do more on Intelligence ethics. This is a topic that seeks for more input, see<a href="http://intelligence-ethics.blogspot.com/p/online-articles.html"> http://intelligence-ethics.blogspot.com/p/online-articles.html</a>. The CIA offers an index of declassified articles, including its <i>Bible Lesson on Spying</i>: see <a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/index-of-declassified-articles/index-of-declassified-articles-by-title.html">https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/index-of-declassified-articles/index-of-declassified-articles-by-title.html/</a> Another government site alphabetizes authors, but this is from 1999, <a href="http://www.odci.gov/csi/studies/97index/artsauth.htm%20on%2018%20Nov%2099">http://www.odci.gov/csi/studies/97index/artsauth.htm on 18 Nov 99. </a></div>
To be updated.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
2. CIA. Must you, too, reshape a deity to conform to what you want to conclude? An all-knowing, all benevolent, super Deity? Is that supported by the texts? Et tu, CIA?</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Our own history says we don't even <i>want</i> to look. Our theologies depend on old views. Authority! Bow! Nuts.<br />
<br />
From Job, to Cain -- who, after all, did God's will by tilling the soil and offering its fruits, but was rejected by God in favor of Abel who was a herder -- what?? -- to untold others who found themselves abandoned, rejected, can that be fit into theology with more than Pollyanna have-faith. Eve -- her role as guide as in front of the prototype who was not doing well on his own -- search kngdv, kngdu, kenegdo, etc -- and who was never told which tree was where, to the God who could not control the borders of Eden (Nshch got in) (and who made <i>that</i> one?) any more than we can be expected to control our borders against human aspiration, to on and on.<br />
<br />
Modern theology: go to old texts. Skip<br />
<br />
3. The stories of spies in the Bible. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
3.1. Joseph. Benign, informative. His story reveals how ancient spying is, and how well known. He sought to mask his recognition of his brother who came to Egypt
seeking food, so accused him of spying. Reference to the term suggests that
spying was a
familiar activity. Plus ca change. Perhaps all those decrying lack of transparency should agree to a mutual enforceable and simultaneous exchange so that all nations critical must reveal all theirs before casting aspersions on all ours. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
3.2. Moses. Followed God's orders in enlisting prima donnas to go spy. Fatal error, or at least, a delaying and killing and cruel one.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
a. After the first 40 years of Israelites wandering in the wilderness, the Promised Land came in sight. God directed Moses to send Princes as spies, prominent and named persons with leadership and political
responsibilities, military ties, in their tribes. Directions: Go in, get intel, are the Canaanites slackers or diligent, tall of shrimpy (tall), what of fortresses, is the land fruitful, etc.... Find out, get out.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
b. The
spies returned after 40 days with reports of the topography, that the Canaanites were strong (but they had no evidence of the Canaanites' attitudes, beliefs), and the spies returned with physical evidence, fruit to evidence the bounty. They
reported their
findings publicly for discussion, and then went on to make recommendations based on their own opinions, predilections, but no facts other than strong physiques of the Canaanites, nice fruit: Ten of
the 12 spies concluded that the Canaanites would be a formidable
enemy and there should be no invasion. Two of the spies, with the same evidence, said to go ahead and
invade. Then the ten who had no confidence in action, shouted to stone the two. War of opinion. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
c. The people panicked and questioned why they had come so far, and
also came to support the 10, showing no confidence in Moses' leadership ability,
despite successes to date. God came close to passing over these loser
Israelites entirely. Moses interceded and got God to reconsider, and the people -- probably still embroiled in their views of the public mission-briefing -- were
punished for their lack of faith -- a year more in the wilderness for
each day that the spies were in Canaan. Forty more years. And nobody
over age 20 got to to into the Promised Land. (Neither did Moses). Excessive oversight, opinions without facts, and politics -- seeds of later societies similarly amok. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Moses recruited leaders of the tribes for the job, as he was directed by God. Then
conducted political affairs in public, aired laundry, let opinions run
wild, let the public follow the loudest - and those were the 10
against. The result? Years of delay in effectuating the Plan (God's
plan there, for Israelites to enter the Promised Land), anybody over 20
was barred from the great entry, as was Moses himself who died before
the Great Day.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
And the 10 who advocated no-invasion, were beset by plague by God and died. Is that fair? They had not been sent to come back with an particular evidence or findings, and when they exercised their judgment, whack. Something's missing here. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
3.3. Joshua</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Joshua also sent spies into
Canaan to scope the situation, after the 40 years had passed. He
selected and sent two in secret to spy, but neither was otherwise a tribal leader, and they did not
participate in later policy and strategy. They remain unnamed. The spies embedded (pun) themselves in the household of a woman prostitute (suggesting there were also men prostitutes?) see <a href="http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/OTpdf/jos2.pdf">http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/OTpdf/jos2.pdf</a>,</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Joshua
himself had been one of the 12 Moses spies, and was one of the two
spies recommending the invasion (commonly interpreted as having faith) decades earlier, says the paper. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Joshua
was methodical. He had himself selected two spies who then embedded (!) themselves
in the household of a prostitute, Rahab, and she concealed them and
protected them from capture, even when discovered. She
told the spies that the people were expecting an invasion, feared the
Israelites, knew of their reputation for endurance, and she would help
the spies escape if they in turn would protect her and her family. And
all did as bargained for. Joshua planned the attack, using the
intelligence; Rahab and her family were spared, and the walls tumbled
down, now with some archeological support as an idea, but not entirely
accepted, see <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1990/02/22/world/believers-score-in-battle-over-the-battle-of-jericho.html">http://www.nytimes.com/1990/02/22/world/believers-score-in-battle-over-the-battle-of-jericho.html</a>. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Saint Rahab. Shall we encourage the saint-making process back to the Old Testament? And shall we use Jericho's Rahab as a model. </li>
<li>Rahab the woman prostitute. Note the specific gender. There were clearly male prostitutes around as well. She was a prostitute, but without her aid, would Jericho have fallen. Aside from her effectiveness, can her experience inform us as to our nation's policy in rewarding, in helping those who helped us in our occupations by collaborating, translating, otherwise assisting. </li>
<li>Her reward. She collaborated in exchange for safety. Joshua's word was good. When the city fell, she and her family were saved. </li>
<li>Without Rahab, no fall of Jericho? Compare ourselves: We abandon those who help us when their use is over, is that so. See <a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2011/jul/19/us-shouldnt-abandon-friends-iraq/">http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2011/jul/19/us-shouldnt-abandon-friends-iraq/</a> </li>
</ul>
Joshua: no oversight issues, because he held all the cards. Ultimate secrecy. It worked. The people never learned anything to cause their faith and confidence to waiver. But although this arrangement was an administrative nightmare, says the paper, it was an unqualified success.<br />
<br />
V. Conclusion.<br />
<br />
There is a time for secrecy, a time for transparency. A time for each approach under heaven. But look at text v teaching. Any agency that misstates the Bible, for all the secular and religious interest in it, does so at its peril. If there are arguments to be made, CIA, be sure you have your own facts straight. If you deceive your own, you will deceive us. And are. <br />
<br />
</div>
Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-67778989550677366452013-06-23T11:45:00.001-04:002014-04-26T18:46:07.863-04:00Origins of religious practice. Superman Was Circumcised. Krypton Practice Religious or Secular in Origin. Hebraic? Ask Man of Steel <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Cross-Religious Cross-Political Themes in <i>Man of Steel</i>. </b></div>
<br />
Krypton! Circumcised<br />
Its dude-babes! See <i>Man of Steel</i><br />
(Superman). <i>No fore</i>.<br />
<br />
Raises questions re<br />
Origins of same. Hebrew?<br />
There? Babe from space.<br />
<br />
Some of life's questions<br />
Have no answers. Make them up.<br />
Force it on others.<br />
<br />
Coming installment:<br />
There were multiple capsules<br />
With wee babes. Check then. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhkTNaDvckQXQyIYhiR1YAToabkMlxfZUwhRP8kQxADavxEi_cZYOY8u5S2BDleeKt0pB-HPbwFyg2e72e4DUqX6CbXHrEz6S1Kz38wWY_mDudbl2KNdXU2cwNZ-vJ373nxvU/s733/001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhkTNaDvckQXQyIYhiR1YAToabkMlxfZUwhRP8kQxADavxEi_cZYOY8u5S2BDleeKt0pB-HPbwFyg2e72e4DUqX6CbXHrEz6S1Kz38wWY_mDudbl2KNdXU2cwNZ-vJ373nxvU/s320/001.jpg" height="139" width="320" />Dan Widing with Superman sibling, hiding in plain sight.</a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Western Way.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>In absence of provable answers, make them up to justify the powers that benefit. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Claim religion as buttress.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Cultural practices adopt religious explanations. Reformation to today. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>How about Krypton? Next installment.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>1. Circumcision</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>2. Status of Women</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>3. Inevitability of War</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>4. Reforms and Taxes </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>5. Transparency and Secrets</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>6. Inequalities </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>7. Immigration - new application for Pardons, Indulgences?</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>8. Rebels; and squeeze the powerless</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>9. Torture - Inquisitions to Warfare</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
When institutional religion fails, emerge Humanitarian Humanism: The New Universal Ideal?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
What does Krypton Teach?</div>
<br />
Some quasi-religious ideas originate in a desire to justify an existing cultural practice that benefits those in power. Is that so? Review the West's approach to these <i>cultural factoti -- </i>practices that a culture adopts to serve its own needs for identification, or defense, or other perpetuation, and then the culture justifies by "religion."<br />
<br />
1. Circumcision. Was this really a deity demand, where the creation powers were multiple (read Genesis and the "we" recurrence), and non-gendered -- neither male nor female. See <a href="http://www.historyofcircumcision.net/">http://www.historyofcircumcision.net/</a>. Why not see it as the cultural identity marker, and one that did have health advantages probably or possibly. See also <a href="http://www.d.umn.edu/~mcco0322/history.htm">http://www.d.umn.edu/~mcco0322/history.htm</a><br />
<br />
And why focus on a circumcised child from Krypton?? <br />
<br />
For other issues of cultural practice assuming religious trappings:<br />
<br />
2. Status of Women.<br />
<br />
Read <i>Wolf Hall</i>, by Hilary Mantel, for similar issues as to origins of cultural belief. See<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/01/books/review/Benfey-t.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0"> http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/01/books/review/Benfey-t.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0.</a> Ask in any religious-justified status, how does religious power benefit from the caging of women. Does it merely keep down the competition, and easy to do once the dogma is in place, because the women are inconvenienced in pregnancy and that is the time to pounce and reinstate power over her.<br />
<br />
a. Cardinal Wolsey in <i>Wolf Hall </i>at page 102.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"We shouldn't mourn, he says, if our wife or daughter dies in childbirth -- she's only doing what God made her for." </blockquote>
El Salvador agreed, for a time, and may still again: see where the mother was to be sacrificed for a flawed, no-hope foetus; and was finally given relief so she could live. See <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57586726/pregnant-el-salvador-woman-denied-life-saving-abortion">http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57586726/pregnant-el-salvador-woman-denied-life-saving-abortion</a>/<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><ul>
<li>Reprieve there for that mother. But next time? See <a href="http://www.lifenews.com/2013/06/03/el-salvador-upholds-right-to-life-of-mother-and-child-in-beatriz-case/">http://www.lifenews.com/2013/06/03/el-salvador-upholds-right-to-life-of-mother-and-child-in-beatriz-case/</a> </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
b. The Renaissance gentleman, Castiglione, with a contrarian view soon shunted aside -- writing about life at court, see <a href="http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/library/alumni/online_exhibits/digital/2000/c_n_c/c_05_renaissance/courtier.htm">http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/library/alumni/online_exhibits/digital/2000/c_n_c/c_05_renaissance/courtier.htm</a>.<br />
<br />
Find Castiglione at <a href="http://www.nndb.com/people/351/000095066/">http://www.nndb.com/people/351/000095066/ </a>The schools may not teach humanities any more, but you can teach yourself. Become a humanitarian humanist despite them. A view, as presented by Thomas Cromwell (in <i>Wolf Hall</i>) to the young gentleman Fitzroy, the Duke of Richmond, and who was also a bastard of Henry VIII (for those unversed in history, that means a child conceived out of legally recognized wedlock, and therefore out of the line of succession), at page 328: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Castiglione says that everything that can be understood by men can be understood by women, that their apprehension is the same, their faculties, no doubt their loves and hates." </blockquote>
Whoa! Even in the Renaissance there were those who advocated equality between the sexes as to ability. Go, Castiliglione!<br />
<br />
3. The Inevitability of War.<br />
<br />
a. Think of the war tradition in Christianity, militant sword-bearing Popes and Bishops, the Crusades both abroad and within Europe against other Christians, the genocide. Onward Christian soldiers, etc. La gloire, needed for recruitment. The absurdity is still with us, see <a href="http://www.city-journal.org/html/17_3_military_history.html">http://www.city-journal.org/html/17_3_military_history.html</a><br />
<br />
And our battlefields expanded with the idea that Christianity must coerce conversions, dispatch Inquisitors and Crusades to wipe out Rome-determined heretics. See <a href="http://worldwar1worldwar2.blogspot.com/">Studying Wars</a> -- rainbow of conflict. <br />
<br />
b. Reformation warfare:<br />
<br />
Idea then, as now: War can only be rightly be understood by the elite; keep common people out of the decision-making.<br />
<br />
Commoners [such as Thomas Cromwell, with only remote connections to nobility, and an immediately abusive blacksmith father] just don't understand how power should and does work. We decide at the top, they follow. Example: England must invade France, or France must invade England, even though there can be no winner, because there is ancestral claim, see pp.135-36, here a little loose on the quotations in order to identify the speakers -- <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Duke of Norfolk: " 'We can't win,' the duke says [of an invasion of France], but we have to fight as if we can. Hang the expense. Hang the waste -- money, men, horses, ships. That's what's wrong with Wolsey [Cardinal Wolsey] you see. Always at the treaty table. How can a butcher's son [speaking to Thomas Cromwell, who sets him straight that he was a blacksmith's son] understand --'<br />
<br />
Cromwell: '<i>La gloire?</i>' </blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
[Then ensues a discussion of: who can better imagine war's glory -- Cromwell who served as a soldier but did not command? This Cromwell who had low birth but became a wiser statesman? At that point Cromwell, indeed showing his wisdom, turns the discussion to cost, and that the virtues of the much-touted long-bow are now outdated.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
</ul>
Cromwell, continuing: 'Then how about not fighting any? Negotiate, my lord. It's cheaper.'</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Duke of Norfolk: 'I tell you, Cromwell, you've got face, coming here.' </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Cromwell: 'My lord -- you sent for me.' </blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Norfolk: 'Did I?' Norfolk looks alarmed. 'It's come to that? ' " </blockquote>
4. Reforms and Taxes. Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, etc.<br />
<br />
Reformation rewrites of history, both sides; corruption everywhere, both sides, Catholic and Reformer. And how to collect taxes best. See p.161. And at 476, the topic turns to using the majority rule, the "vast map of Christendom" as it has been imposed and grown by the Catholic Church, as justification for its continuance.<br />
<br />
That is not new as to the Reformation, and the arguments are ongoing. No reform solves everything. The taxes idea is more interesting, and is always resisted:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
" 'Take no lessons from King Francois,' he [Cromwell] says. 'He likes war too much and trade too little.'</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Henry smiles faintly. 'You do not think so, but to me that is the remit of a king.'</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
'There is more tax to be raised when trade is good. And if taxes are resisted, there may be other ways. ' "</blockquote>
<br />
Later, Thomas Cromwell's thoughts on taxes and betrayals at page 294: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
" The cardinal used to say, the English will forgive a king anything, until he tries to tax them. He also used to say, it doesn't really matter what the title of the office is. Let any colleague on the council turn his back, he would turn again to find that I was doing his job."</blockquote>
<br />
5. Transparency and secrets. Can religious or secular power survive full openness with everyone? <br />
<br />
Reformation and The Schmooze. For the statesman: To schmooze or not to schmooze? To lay one's past open to discussion, or not. Cromwell is tempted to lay his past open more, beyond what is already known, but he knows what others will do with the information:<br />
<br />
Shall schmoozing then serve? No. <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Sometimes, when Chapuys [the London Ambassador for Charles V, Emperor HRE] has finished digging up Walter's bones [Walter Cromwell, father to Thomas, and the abusive blacksmith] and making his own life unfamiliar to him, he feels almost impelled to speak in defense of his father, his childhood. But it is no use to justify yourself. It is no good to explain. It is weak to anecdotal. It is wise to conceal the past even if there is nothing to conceal. A man's power is in the half-light, in the half-seen movements of his hand and the ungressed-at expression of his face. It is the absence of facts that frightens people: the gap you open, into which they pour their fears, fantasies, desires."</blockquote>
6. Inequality; or give your goods to the poor.<br />
<br />
The Reformation era and the income/class gap: Skip the poor, say the wealthy in England. A great heritage.<br />
<br />
Summarize at page 472 -- a condemned must pay the hangman, or risk being let live longer than otherwise. Pay the executioner, even if you are poorest of the poor. Here is one poor heretic soul where Cromwell directed that with all that, she be given a coin for the hangman:<br />
<br />
"She had imagined how long it takes to burn, but not how long it takes to choke at the end of a rope. In England there is no mercy for the poor. You pay for everything, even a broken neck." <br />
<br />
If you have not considered the mechanics and vagaries of burnings at the stake, the pyre, the gibbet, this book will well inform you. Green Mile. The dry electrocution. Plus ca change.<br />
<br />
7. Reformation and immigrants, or ethnically different; who would not conform, or who did: Do we really want to spend time with the Gentiles, idea.<br />
<br />
The Jews, see p.476. A house was established by an earlier Henry (in the 1200's or so?) as a refuge for Jews, who, faced with death for not converting to Christianity, decided to convert. The crown protected them to the extend of offering this safe house, so long as the Jews forfeit all they had to the Crown, and then the Crown would feed and house them there for their lifetimes. After that first Henry established the house, the Jews were expelled. There were always stragglers, however, arriving at the house. The house is still in service in the time of Henry VIII. <br />
<br />
8. Rebels. Squeeze the powerless.<br />
<br />
We think we have uproar? Ireland, Scotland, rebels everywhere against the Crown, law barely respected, the keeping of garrisons at huge expense out of fear that if it is let go, who might enter in, see p. 479.<br />
<br />
Of interest: the concept of murder being paid for in money, rather than the gibbet.<br />
<br />
That was also true of the Norse, is that so, who only instituted capital punishment when the Benedictines invaded Scandinavia?. Under the earlier more Celtic contemplative monks, killing was not so routinely punished with more killing, is that so? Check the sagas. Negotiation, buying off claims, is that so awful compared to killing as recourse? Freeing the serfs: for compensation to the Lord. Interesting era.<br />
<br />
9. Reformation torture. Think Inquisitions in the Christian Church.<br />
<br />
Routine. Tyndale is the heretic du jour, with his translation of scripture into English itself, so even a commoner -- who can read and many used this text to learn -- can delve and find what else is there, than exudes from pulpits. See the punishments for heretics who advocate self-education, at p 483.<br />
<br />
<br />
So: Religion and culture and origins. Superman and Krypton. Where and when did our new hottie, <i>Man of Steel</i>, get his now telegenic circumcision? Is this a tease for a new episode, more about how Krypton depleted its psychic as well as physical planetary core, and imploded. </div>
Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-39136144248848892572013-05-20T10:17:00.002-04:002013-05-20T18:00:54.545-04:00News for DOMA. Woman she was; wife she was not. Go, Genesis.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
DOMA Alert. The Defense of Marriage Act is based on non-original Biblical translation concepts, including ideas of ceremony and obligation and possession not present in the oldest texts. Original old Hebrew reflects none of that formality or hierarchy. Later insertion of "marriage" and "wife" reflects cultural evolution as the patriarchists later shaped it. Example: He took his woman, he got his woman, but from whence cometh "marriage" out of the oldest days? It was woman and man. Period. No his, no hers, in the Paleo Hebrew. The only thing not "good" at Creation was man -- it was not good to leave him on his own. He needed guidance. Help. What else? Where did the idea of ordained Biblical "marriage" come from, except from later usual Hebrew inflicting its established preferences.<br />
<br />
We already know that Eve had privileges not left to Adm. We already know she was not forced out of Eden -- she could even go back there. She was made "like" him, a help (as in O God our help in ages past??) but only the man was expelled. Go back to Tyndale's translation and see: <a href="http://wesley.nnu.edu/fileadmin/imported_site/tyndale/gen.txt">http://wesley.nnu.edu/fileadmin/imported_site/tyndale/gen.txt</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvtPbQECqqUI0_bqar6QYyP5eJQ3MrF-XYAgRqncOL1qHm1jMXoUm-vvWxwAaHaHSsIBshwX6qLJAMgV60fSZluBQu-YYQZ_M42cmPJKlp40VT3A_6_n_jrzeq7EtoI5zczNBh/s1600/100_2230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvtPbQECqqUI0_bqar6QYyP5eJQ3MrF-XYAgRqncOL1qHm1jMXoUm-vvWxwAaHaHSsIBshwX6qLJAMgV60fSZluBQu-YYQZ_M42cmPJKlp40VT3A_6_n_jrzeq7EtoI5zczNBh/s320/100_2230.JPG" width="240" />Adam on the run. From Eden? Fresco, Church of San Nicolo, Lazise, Italy</a></div>
<br />
<br />
Accordingly, Hear ye. All translations and
transliterations shall be corrected forthwith such that the woman is
referred to as such, and not as the number 2 in some ceremonial
culturally defined get-up. <br />
<br />
<br />
Genesis and further Old Testament locations that now use the word-concept "wife" in its many spellings through the centuries (as meaning the relationship of the man and the She, as in formal marriage as we know it with roles and property allocations and hierarchical entitlements), shall instead read "woman."<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>See<a href="http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/emagazine/017.html"> http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/emagazine/017.html:</a> wherein it be writ wrought --</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
There is no Biblical Hebrew word for "wife" instead it is "his woman", "my woman", etc.</blockquote>
DOMA, then, reflects cultural history, not religious requirement from texts. Mistranslation and institutional self-serving impositions do not make marriage the will of any deity-deities. Is that so? Does it matter when feelings and identity get wrapped up in culture? Can the tangle untangle, when even Tyndale and Wycliffe, see <a href="http://wesley.nnu.edu/fileadmin/imported_site/biblical_studies/wycliffe/Gen.txt">http://wesley.nnu.edu/fileadmin/imported_site/biblical_studies/wycliffe/Gen.txt</a> failed to go back to Old Hebrew and fell in lockstep adoration of the concept of "wife". <br />
<br />
If Muslims, Christians and Jews pride themselves on being People of the Book, shall they now convene with their scholars and arrive at a theological construct all three can agree to? Of course not. Each must be right, and the woman left.<br />
<br />
Would a just deity require "marriage" as it has evolved, putting her beneath him? Would a just deity create man to till and tend; then when it comes to playing favorites between Cain who was the tiller, and Abel who was the herder, would the deity reject Cain in favor of the upstart Abel? Conundrums abound.<br />
<br /></div>
Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-52777876387497751062013-04-22T21:17:00.001-04:002013-04-26T19:52:57.493-04:00Temptation's Roots. Siren Bandwagon. Soliloquy Against Dowdism. Oust Bullies from Bully Pulpits, Anywhere<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Blank verse: Maureen Dowd. *</b><br />
<b>Siren. Wisdom UnenDowd, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>By whom none are cowed. </b><br />
<br />
<b>Martial Iambics </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Coupled with pentameter: </b><br />
<b>Seek the quiet loud.</b></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Soliloquy. Muser enters stage Left, orates:</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Temptation's roots: Media bandwagon.<br />
Lash thyself to the mast, Barack. Stoop not <br />
To base bullying. Let the Sirens whine.<br />
<br />
New rule. Let the blowhards blow. Fight them not <br />
On their own turf, despite the old school that<br />
Sees its old crass way as the only way.<br />
<br />
Oust bullies from schools, politics, lecterns,<br />
Cast them from government, shadows ka-ching,<br />
Koching up tactics to target voters<br />
Through their gullible Emotional Seats.<br />
<br />
Up with Paratge, Malama, and Respect<br />
Revive Equity to its honored place.<br />
Displace with history the abuses<br />
Of the strict liability Law types,<br />
Who pretend Equity has no place in<br />
All just sentencing. Equity balance.<br />
<br />
Without Equity, are we crude hammers,<br />
Forcers misusing ideology.<br />
Inequity sensed fosters extremism.<br />
<br />
Op-eds? Tempters in print, blare from low road.<br />
We? Recall need for change, how to get there. <br />
Washington cannot change through the old rules, <br />
Where those with vision are forced back in mold<br />
By lame-brains who game own self-interest.<br />
<br />
Gun control or terrorism: Battles of<br />
Ideas fed to the vulnerable 'til<br />
Someone acts on idea, not real vetting.<br />
Colisseum time. Take sides in mayhem.<br />
Enough. Find real facts, find the guilt or not;<br />
Then turn to Equity and its context.<br />
Why fear it? Maureen fears absence of force.<br />
Even the vigorous virtues, David<br />
Brooks, *** must be free of the bully mindset. <br />
<br />
Bombers with arms: a gun. Would background checks<br />
Have worked to slow? They with their guilt, we ours.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhxNX4RNWsTWmga_kDApFmv7saELTcUq64E2lTEQbJ3x3_632ODLLBB6BdFtUMK6yWTW9y_6hYEfstsZwwdfaEVkWBg3xCk9JYjk88fThQ_nbsnEgWS_NYIFlLKNxIabGHcqQ/s1600/DSCN5477.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhxNX4RNWsTWmga_kDApFmv7saELTcUq64E2lTEQbJ3x3_632ODLLBB6BdFtUMK6yWTW9y_6hYEfstsZwwdfaEVkWBg3xCk9JYjk88fThQ_nbsnEgWS_NYIFlLKNxIabGHcqQ/s320/DSCN5477.JPG" width="320" />Soliloquy Against Maureen Dowd. No Bullies In the Pulpit? Good. Here, Citizen Dan practicing at Arles.</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Outlaw the bully. A vote for change is<br />
Roots redirection. Change partners. Repeat.<br />
No mere cutting in on dances of old.<br />
Edge force-bullies out from anyone's life. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Exit.</i></div>
....................................................................................<br />
<br />
* Blank verse: See choices at <a href="http://www.uni.edu/%7Egotera/CraftOfPoetry/blankverse.html">http://www.uni.edu/~gotera/CraftOfPoetry/blankverse.html</a><br />
<br />
** Op Ed, Maureen Dowd -- <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/21/opinion/sunday/dowd-president-obama-is-no-bully-in-the-pulpit.html?_r=0">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/21/opinion/sunday/dowd-president-obama-is-no-bully-in-the-pulpit.html?_r=0; </a><br />
<br />
*** Op Ed, David Brooks -- <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/09/opinion/brooks-the-vigorous-virtues.html?comments&_r=0">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/09/opinion/brooks-the-vigorous-virtues.html?comments&_r=0</a><br />
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<br /></div>
Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598886.post-78842686065948283062013-04-19T20:39:00.003-04:002013-04-25T08:57:59.077-04:00Roots tribute: George Beverly Shea, Life is Like a Mountain Railroad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> Beverly Shea 1909-2013</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Traditionalist Roots of a Family Later Dispersed</b></div>
<br />
George Beverly Shea has died at 104. His strong baritone echoes through an extended family: Hear him sing -- <i>Life is Like a Mountain Railroad. </i>Formal title: <i>Life's Railway to Heaven.</i><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXGCeNdAxy4">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXGCeNdAxy4 </a>. He sang for all of us, and in support of Billy Graham, for decades, at those huge gatherings, and in small.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdPb_fy3kYPUnv3eDT6MbllbUraAiJTUBhzC-bstv8JImPsZvSRKx6y3ZTDcj_RNbj6-julaoOWz8xQr6m7WKXdt1u769ivvZpLg0m4_WYnEZDJRyYvg-pda3McoT9sTGM0Rh/s1600/cogfog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdPb_fy3kYPUnv3eDT6MbllbUraAiJTUBhzC-bstv8JImPsZvSRKx6y3ZTDcj_RNbj6-julaoOWz8xQr6m7WKXdt1u769ivvZpLg0m4_WYnEZDJRyYvg-pda3McoT9sTGM0Rh/s320/cogfog2.jpg" width="271" /><i>Life's Railway to Heaven; Life is Like a Mountain Railroad</i>. George Beverly Shea</a></div>
<br />
<br />
Who? A man we called Beverly? Just so. And he represents more than a fine, warm person who stood up for his beliefs in traditional interpretation of Christian. He stood beyond that for the vital concept of commitment, awareness, extending a hand, inclusion, opportunity for discussion, understanding. Look up his obituary at NYT. Excellent, but limited. There are broader families here. See <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/18/arts/music/george-beverly-shea-billy-grahams-singer-dies-at-104.html?ref=obituaries&_r=0">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/18/arts/music/george-beverly-shea-billy-grahams-singer-dies-at-104.html?ref=obituaries&_r=0</a><br />
<br />
Beverly Shea means, to this perhaps distant relative (my father's cousin, Erma, was his first wife) a tie to our deep, traditional religious roots; a family from Canada that branched into the US, where some of us veered from the conservative to vetting our original concepts. With a personal connection, however, even the vetters welcome an opportunity that a family member offers, to go back and ask nonetheless:<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>What is good and even eternal about traditional precepts, even if those have been tragically reshaped into personal wealth-building and status fortification by institutions with their own turf-interests paramount. Can we go forward, it is not back, to the basic essential dedication to service to all, that transcends the petty dogmatics and label identifications.</li>
</ul>
<br />
George Beverly Shea. My father's cousin's husband. Erma Scharfe. Track that relationship. Howard Scharfe, of Ottawa, cousin of Erma Scharfe, first wife of George Beverly Shea, both from Canadian families with now various branches in the US, and widely varying belief systems.<br />
<br />
Billy Graham, who thankfully did not sing; and Beverly Shea who did, the inspired singing; at various times sat in our Pittsburgh breakfast room when a crusade was going on in the region. There was loud, fun informality and mutual respect among people who morphed into differences in approach to Christianity, but felt love for each other's efforts overall. Revered for his work by both religious spectrum right and left, see <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/16/george-beverly-shea-dead-singer-billy-graham-crusades-obituary_n_3096945.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/16/george-beverly-shea-dead-singer-billy-graham-crusades-obituary_n_3096945.html</a><br />
<br />
Meanwhile, upstairs, in my brother's bedroom, as it was the boy of course, not the girl, who had the portable record player thing at the time, I would put on the 45 rmp record with the big hole in the middle. I set the needle down on the slow-whirling black disc, and listened and sang along to Beverly sing about life being a mountain railroad. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3ndUX1tsKk">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3ndUX1tsKk </a><br />
<br />
Erma Scharfe. I have no picture of her, but Scharfes look alike, and Uncle Hank, there, looks like Dad. My aunts also strongly resembled each other. Genes!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftVhl3IiEAdkKG_SmczjCUmNWZjUkPlR9X8XTAOmcgwQOigbZS022GNMuytl186zQLz_U2yeIuFatjLjcEllZzMS4neEqohRDH1idCkApv5_IYbosB4OgNDVvE-jhgFQxqW4V/s1600/Hankdicksallyunclealmarg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftVhl3IiEAdkKG_SmczjCUmNWZjUkPlR9X8XTAOmcgwQOigbZS022GNMuytl186zQLz_U2yeIuFatjLjcEllZzMS4neEqohRDH1idCkApv5_IYbosB4OgNDVvE-jhgFQxqW4V/s320/Hankdicksallyunclealmarg.jpg" width="274" />Uncle Hank joins in the Scharfe tribute to George Beverly Shea, I am confident</a></div>
<br />
Uncle Hank you indeed look just like my Dad.<br />
<br />
Life has lots of holes in the middle. Beverly, we all, all the Scharfes, miss you. Sally, if you do not want this online, just call -- c. You are the littlest one here. <br />
<br />
Carol Scharfe. We changed our names back then. Do we necessarily ever give up our pre-marriage identification even if we, as 1960's conformists, were expected to change the name? No. And the reason I cannot get to the public service for Beverly in Montreat, NC, is the cancellation of the Amtrak that could have deposited me in NC when I could get a rental car, cancellation of that one route and caused by the Marathon bomber man-hunt and Amtrak shut-down in Boston. We all are affected, even at this small, personal level. May the issue there resolve justly, and quickly.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Carol Widinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331887976767892283noreply@blogger.com