Sunday, January 24, 2016

Sacred Books


     Many religions have their sacred books containing an historical account of their particular group passed down orally before being written down many centuries later and translated into many languages.  Added to the history is a belief that God has revealed Himself and inspired men to record it all.
     Believers today think their own sacred book has the truth and reveals the will of God.  Their belief in God is based on the validity of their book, handed down through multiple generations since the beginning of the human race.   The written word also reveals a guide to proper behavior.  Many believe this guide should be used to make the laws of their land which affect believers and non-believers alike.
     Extremists believe only their book is true and their interpretation correct.  Easier to see how extremists of "other religions" are not logical and don't make sense for the perpetuation of  our advanced civilization.  Harder to see how "our religion" may be viewed as illogical and designed for a past culture which accepted patriarchy and slavery, a past society that did not have the benefit of our scientific knowledge.
     All religions think they have the truth and a connection to God.  Those outside of religion have their own opinions about the validity of the various sacred books.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

What We Are Given

   
     Wherever our gifts come from, whether you give credit to a spiritual, genetic, or familial source or have created them yourself, we need to decide what to do with our time, talent, and finances.  What we have been given by the luck of the draw is beyond our control: when and where we were born, our DNA, our parents, their talents and financial situation.  As we mature, we assume more control of what we do with what we have.
     Usually, gifts are considered assets.  Often we want to develop and increase the value of these desirable treasures; but much of what we have been "given" may not seem desirable, more like obstacles to overcome.  For our survival or for the benefit of others, we have to learn new skills.
     At times, what has been dumped into our laps can be a gift which gives us reason to grow and develop a talent out of necessity.  I don't believe that hardships are part of a master plan or exist for a "reason."  I don't agree that we are given only as much as we can bare.  The luck of the draw, the chaos of life, is often unjust, horrible, and without merit.  Some people seem to have all the luck with very few financial or health difficulties.  Other people seem to have way too many challenges or issues: the politically correct terms for lots of shit.
     Most gifts, good or bad, are not deserved.  We just have to use what we have, develop what we need, and do our best.

Sunday, January 17, 2016

Inside Out


     What's going on inside your head, your memories and emotions, influence what's going on in your thinking and behavior.  In the movie "Inside Out" five emotions are personified: Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Fear, and Anger.  Joy tries to keep us optimistic and happy; however, Sadness at times creeps in, but we learn to handle unhappiness and stress.  Disgust is a reaction to something unpleasant, something that repulses us to avoid.  Fear keeps us safe from danger.  Anger comes in when we are disappointed and can explode with words and actions.
     Personality forms as memories and emotions develop.  Some memories are long-term while others fade and are forgotten.  Parental influences and friendships add to the way we act and react.  Sometimes, we overreact when certain emotions dominate our thinking.
     In this movie, we see into Riley's mind as she develops from a baby into an 11-year old girl.  She learns to navigate her life and all seems to end well; however, puberty is about to begin.  The last words of the movie are "What could happen?"
     Let's hope for a sequel.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Lottery

     
     Buy a lottery ticket, indulge in a fantasy of becoming wealthy, buying anything you desire, living a life of leisure, and then feeling charitable to others.
     Don't buy a lottery ticket, be content with what you have and work for what you want, develop a charitable attitude and help care for the earth and other human beings.
     Ignore the fantasy world.  Resist mob mentality.  Provide for yourself.  Pay your fair share of taxes.  Support government representatives who will allocate funds to help us all.
     I don't believe in gambling with my money or in encouraging others to gamble.  Even if you win, someone else has to lose.
     Life itself is a gamble, a series of risk-taking decisions.  Dreaming is also part of life, wishing for good things in the future.  Indulging in fantasy may create a temporary distraction from the mundane, but living in reality guides you toward making a plan.
 

Sunday, January 10, 2016

On the Road

     The more people we get to know, the wide variety of people we listen to, the better we see the total picture: history beyond textbooks, cultures beyond our own, real life situations, philosophies with  similarities and differences.  Everyone deserves to be treated equally under the law, within religions, in society, and in marriage.
     What seems to be one thing from a distance is very different close up.  Anybody who is experiencing something is more expert than the experts.  Decisions are best made by the people affected by them.  One of the simplest paths to deep change is for the less powerful to speak as much as they listen, and for the most powerful to listen as much as they speak.
     Patriarchy causes an imbalance in power and an unhealthy society.  Women should decide whether and when to give birth.  Pressuring women to have too many children is the biggest cause of environmental distress.  Males and females should have equal educational opportunities and equal pay for the same job.  All ethnic groups should be treated equally.
     A big difference exists between protesting people's rules and making one's own.  For decades, many women have organized people who saw the need for change, who continue to do what it takes to have equal rights and eradicate racism and sexism.
     Most of the ideas in this blog come from Gloria Steinem's book "My Life on the Road."  As she traveled throughout her life to many foreign countries and to many places in the US, she listened to people, learned their history, their stories, and their hopes for the future.  She wrote and spoke about what she learned and organized people who are still making strides toward equality.

   
    

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Open and Shut

 
     Communication with someone who already agrees with your way of thinking is relatively easy.  Communication with someone with an open mind can be challenging.  But holding the attention of someone whose mind is made up, who already has shut the book on other opinions, this is very difficult.  When you are on the left and they are on the right, when you are socially liberal and they are conservative, when you are a Democrat and they are Republicans, (and vise versa) communication becomes very hard. 
    I try to listen to and read all points of view, but I am constantly amazed at the naivete of those who have closed their minds, are swayed by negativity, and don't realize when they are being manipulated.  This can be a scary situation when a large percentage of Americans seem to fit into this category.  Prejudice and bias can usurp intelligence and wise decisions.
    No matter what your beliefs are, responding to someone who is on the "other side" takes patience, tact, and well- thought out arguments.  Reacting emotionally or taking something personally delays constructive debate.  When you  have lost compassion and no longer honor the opposition, your mind will begin to close.
   When the police label a case as open-and-shut, they have opened the investigation, gathered all the evidence, and found the guilty party.  When we look at any situation, editorial, blog, or political speech, we need to open our minds, analyze the evidence, and investigate a variety of opinions before closing the case.  Please try to keep your mind open just a crack or you will shut yourself out of understanding and being understood.

    
     
     
     
    

Saturday, January 2, 2016

Time and Again

      Many secular and religious calendars already have days labeled to commemorate historical events and to honor important people, then we add birthdays and anniversaries of family members, school schedules, and other important upcoming events.  Those close to nature like farmers and gardeners note the best days to plant, prune, and harvest.  We need to stop and consider who decides when it's time to do something.
     Countries label days that encourage citizens to be patriotic.  Many religions set aside days of worship and schedule topics to be emphasized throughout the year.  Retailers encourage people to buy lots of stuff for special days: presents, decorations, special food.  We have allowed other people to decide when it's time to do things.
    Realistically speaking, we all have to consider family needs and work schedules, but we have an obligation to ourselves to decide how we use our days.  Time should allow us to develop and make decisions based on our own needs instead of perpetuating decisions and traditions made by others.   Each of us needs to control when it's time to do whatever we decide to do.  When we keep doing the same things time and again, we decrease the opportunity to plan our own calendar, to design our own lives.
    

Friday, January 1, 2016

January

    
 
     Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen, 2016 that is.  Time marches on, but the way we measure it is both natural and man-made.
     Many centuries ago, humans thought the earth was the center with the sun and stars revolving around it.  Now, we know that the earth revolves around the sun in 365 days.  We measure time by the day (one rotation) and the year (one revolution.)  Other divisions of time are man-made: 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week, 12 months in a year.
     Many people still believe they are the center of the universe, that the world exists to perpetuate their species when in actuality, we exist because we have adapted to nature.  Our bodies and brains have evolved to survive and understand the world around us.  We can organize our time and plan our lives.
     In January, many people evaluate the past and set goals for the future, but this can be done at any time.  While you consider changes for the future, don't focus on the negatives you wish to eliminate but on the positives you wish to continue.
     Happy New Year!