Think! That’s what I’d like to address here. I wander around the web a lot, looking for interesting thoughts and ideas, history and mythology, politics and religion. My overwhelming frustration is always “why won’t people think”? I’ve even heard “leaders” of one kind or another telling their followers “don’t expose yourselves to new ideas” because that sort of thing may “cause doubt” and lead to “your confusion”. Apparently, questioning is bad because to question any given dogma proves you’re not “faithful” in whatever you’ve been told to believe (and thinking for yourself is “dangerous”). Personally, I believe that to think, to evaluate, to question, to use your own intelligence and common sense is a good thing! What about you?
For example, the current leader of the free world, DJT, President of the United States. He regularly lies outright attempting to get his way. He refuses to acknowledge white nationalist terrorism while ranting about a non-existent invasion along our southern order. He attempts to control the outlook of his “base” with irrational narrative and “alternate facts”. He ignores truth in favor of a slanted point of view to misguide his listeners. It is just too easy to listen, and believe, without questioning what you’re being told. Some evangelicals even think ‘god’ wants Trumps to be king. It is especially dangerous to believe this kind of rhetoric in government — when government leaders are trying to tell you not to trust the news, not to trust other government agencies, not to trust the other branches of government — this folks, is the way to a dictatorship.
The same techniques are used in religions throughout the world. An attempt to silence critics (Syria, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria) by enforcing primitive religious laws against blasphemy, mockery, heresy, or other criticism of the state enforced religion. Or in China, where the various Christian religious factions are fighting among themselves in a secular communist state. It would be too easy for the communist leaders just to ban religion altogether for the dissension it’s causing on its own accord. What kind of crazy is this, within the churches themselves?
Another thing is the generalized hatred shown towards those perceived as different or “other”, whether by skin color, religious affiliations, sexual preference, idealistic concepts, or ethnicity — why such bile? Why not talk, question, communicate, understand? From that, we will find we are much more alike than we are different. Together we can work towards solutions instead of being distracted by hyperbole being spewed by those seeking to fan the flames of discontent. The power brokers know that one of the ways to maintain their superior positions is to keep we the peons fighting among ourselves. As long as we do that instead of uniting together to fight for what we all know is right, no one really notices their continued abuses. We are surely smart enough to see and recognize that. Shall we do that; open our eyes and really see? Open our ears and really hear? Open our minds and really think? Begin in our own neighborhoods. Talk with our neighbors. Notice how their concerns for safe streets and good schools mesh with your own. Work together to make it be so. All our lives will ultimately be better.
Global climate change is occurring. In spite of denials from many fronts, we see it in many ways almost daily. More severe weather – cyclone in Zimbabwe, forest fires in the mid-west U.S., severe drought in the Horn of Africa area, Ethiopia and other countries, melting ice caps and the loss of perma-frost in Greenland and further northern arctic region, melting glaciers – mostly as a result of man made carbon emissions. Think! How can we help stop this? Stop factory farming — it takes far more space to grow corn to feed beef cattle than corn for human consumption; add the slaughter, packaging, transport, and whatnot costs in exhaust and fuel to get that meat to market. Ditto chickens and eggs. We can change our diets — go meatless once a week, maybe twice a week. Drive less, use public transportation, share a taxi or uber. Use fewer electronic devices, choose energy efficient appliances. Elect representatives who will help address nationwide solutions before it’s too late. Invest in solar, geothermal, wind, maybe ocean current power as a source for our electric demand. As I have said before, we need the earth to live. The earth does not need us.
On another brief note, the weather was kind enough to give me a couple hours to wander outside a bit yesterday. We lost the 30+ year old magnolia during the winter storms, and a couple large branches from cherry and walnut trees in the woods. I did get to see the crocus is just beginning to bloom! The daffodils are between 2-5inches high, depending in where in the yard they are. Some of the iris are peeking or coming up. No robins yet, no sign of rabbits or groundhogs yet, but saw plenty of deer tracks; they’ve rubbed the bark off more of the sumac colony I’n trying to develop. I did hear (but not see) spring peepers in the pond!
Equinox is only a couple days away! Blessed be, and peace to all.
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