David Kelsen

Basra’s murderous militias tell Christian women to cover up or face death

The headline above is from a TimesOnline(UK) news article from Dec. 8th. I was outraged and saddened when I read the story. Obviously the violence and the actions of this Shia Militia are astounding to western thinkers, but the part that is most upsetting is the misuse of faith. I consider faith and religion two separate entities in that faith exists without religion. Faith was first. Religion is manufactured by man. Unfortunately, like many man-made things, religion is flawed.

How many times has the Christian bible been re-written? It is well known that Kings from centuries ago employed their own selfish influence over the scribes who copied each letter-character by hand. How many translations, revisions, additions and interpretations exist? You have the power to dictate your beliefs, even when there is no supporting evidence. You can train yourself to adhere to a set of moral standards based on a belief. Your beliefs can blind you with eyes wide open, but your faith can enable you to see without eyes.

Faith has the power to heal. Faith has the power to change the world. Many throughout history have used that knowledge to their selfish advantage and many continue to do so today. Your belief is a commodity that funds a corporation called a church. But your faith is the driving force behind life.

I believe there is one raw and basic necessity worthy to dictate your morality and standard of living; survival. I’m not referring to self-survival which could lead you to step on the face of child to exit a burning building. I believe there is an impulse in all of us to survive as a group. The same impulse that demands you save the child first, even at the risk of personal injury or death. Your survival, ultimately depends on a cooperative effort by all of humankind. Not the exclusion of one or another based on belief, but the basic organic necessity we all share. I believe that once we embrace that idea, true respect can be attained, and our individual and personal faiths will blend to create a sensitive, intelligent, sustainable, enriched and blessed existence.

peace

Ayn Rand, one of the greatest minds of the 20th century, has a message for the Presidential Candidates of 2008.

Fat and Happy. We’re so spoiled we think if we ignore the corruption and crime around us, maybe it will go away. We peer out of our windows at sirens and screams and assume someone else will handle it. We turn our heads at the obvious and blatant misdeeds of our leaders and figure we can’t do anything about it. We’re so happy and protective of our lifestyle that we’re terrified of anything messing it up. We’re our own worst enemy.

Man, I don’t mean everybody, there are a few of you who will actually stand up, and you need to keep doing it, but most of us don’t. Take a look at what is seriously happening around you. You have the power to change things. CHANGE THINGS.

Thanksgiving is upon us. (whole heart) You need to reach out to those who have made a difference in your life.  Tell them how you feel. Tell them what they mean to you. You may not have that opportunity tomorrow.

“Tomorrow Never Knows” – George Harrison

[BREAK]

Now

When votes are party driven rather than motivated by principal or belief, we run the risk of losing our most valuable trait as a country.

Sitting in a garage chair,  listening to Internet Radio and street activity.

High on cheap vodka and remembering the Wizard of Oz.

Trying to solve IE7 CSS div positioning problems, and thinking I’ve passed the point of objectivity, or coherency,

thinking about Tacos.

Did you hear that?

Sorry, just a moth.

Pragmatical economist in me demands I finish the bottle.

Humanist is too weak to respond.

The cells are rapidly deteriorating, not much I can do about that.

Do I accelerate the process, or combat it?

I’m going to die anyway.

Do you remember in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory when Veruca Salt at the end of her “I Want it Now!!” rant, jumped up on the Egg-dicator. She was identified as a bad egg and was dropped down the chute to the incinerator. Don’t you wish politicians were required to jump up on the Egg-dicator before they ran for office? If you are a “Career Politician”, what is your number one priority? Is it your constituents or your career? If your main source of income relies on staying in office, how objective can you be?