Last evening I saw frightful evidence that there are those who feel that the Biblical reference to "end times" is fact and that the schedule of events is set and unchangeable. It gave me pause to consider the dozens of millenarian beliefs that have come and gone over the decades. If we do this, it will surely mean the end of civilization as we know it. If we do that, it spells disaster, the aliens will beam us up if we wait in a certain field on a hilltop during the full moon of October, etc. Friends, and I mean it in the most New Jersey of ways, we cannot keep basing our decisions on a book that has been fabricated to placate the human need for power and control over vast populations. You know it, the women get a very raw deal in the biblical "rule book". Clinging to the end times as a relief from ways of the world is as absurd as setting a date certain for the demise of humankind. Belief in a prophet as the son of God is only silly when you realize that Bible Thumpers have fabricated an image of god that is as unbalanced as we are. I can tell you, if I loved the world so much as to give them my only begotten son, I sure as hell wouldn't turn around and destroy it. The frightening thing about realizing that these "believers" are amongst us is that they have no semblance of responsibility for what is going to happen in the future.
I suppose, for them, having the joy of doing pretty much whatever they want until the rapture, which will close the book on civilization, has a liberating effect. Like watching the flowing river can take us wherever we want to go, the efficacy of god's exit strategy exempts us from having to do or try anything. From time to time there are facets of our lives that seem as alien to me as the concept of missionaries. Fortunately, there are also times that I can see past the events of the day and the processes that we have developed to live "civilized" lives, knowing that they too will change and develop or be cast off when they are no longer useful or capable of taking us where we need to go. Certainly, the intolerance of my grandfather's generation had to change. If it had not, there would be far more people dying in the streets than we have today. Religiosity too has fared poorly in these times, which some fear is a dangerous reflection on our moral code of ethics. Ironically, the abandonment of organized religion speaks to the fact that out of touch myths have lost their power over our minds. I find this one of the most refreshing parts of being alive at this time. There is finally a new way of seeing the world that allows us to be directed from our hearts rather than our minds, or what some well-meaning person says from the pulpit.
When we take a trip, or go on vacation, we must leave behind a set of expectations and comforts that we have become accustomed to. The same can be said about the times we are living in. What has worked in the past cannot thrive in the face of mounting evidence that we are killing our species off through ever increasing burdens of toxic and carcinogenic substances in our food, air, water and the soils. I have to laugh at the recent media campaign "Stand Up To Cancer", the first two people I knew who died from that disease were my grandmothers, over fifteen years apart. Now, twenty-five years later, I would relish even a single year without losing several friends or loved ones to the disease. In spite of the truth about cancer, we still seek to research the heck out of it and to develop treatments for the disease rather than stopping the process where we can be most effective. I blame those who are seeking a way out or a method for forsaking the idea of change.
As our train has already left the station, it is for us to do what we can to pass the time in ways that do not disrupt other people who may be on a different trip. Some claim, very convincingly, that their itinerary is the best one, but as we eventually come to learn, it is the trip that matters, not your schedule of events. The times may not inspire hope for everyone, but the one sure thing is that nothing will stay the same except the moon and the sky. We cannot hope to move either one, but we can make changes in our selves. In my own way, I have come to a place of giving back. This is a challenge for someone who has been told that I am in poverty for nearly my entire life, but as we have come to learn, the best things in life are free. A good friend sings a song that has the lyric, "There's only two things you just can't buy, that's true love and homegrown tomatoes." The abundance of nature keeps staring us in the face, day after day. How we meet the challenges of our daily lives is completely up to us, but my own feeling is that by sharing the love we have with others, we can learn to grow together. Unlike those awaiting the "end times", I am committed and invested in the unending arc of time.
As we learn and grow, we continue to make strides toward a future that none of us can imagine today. What we can be sure of is that without kindness and sensitivity to the results of our actions, learning to cope will not get any easier. This month I am involved in a massive remodel of our home. We have a tiny little place that is warm and welcoming, but the cost of owning it has exceeded our expectations. As a fine friend once put it, we are left to find ways of generating more income. However, as we have all see, especially in the recent past and foreseeable future, any pennies saved are actually earned. Therefore, I have invested heavily in insulation and anxiously await the heat bills of an upgraded home. In researching figures about the carbon footprints of people around the world, I have found the one thing about the worldwide recession that may hint at a silver lining. Our assault on mother Nature has lessened as we spend less and rely on more and more local sources for our way of life. As far as I am concerned, there is no downside to living within our means and trying to live without cheap plastic crap from China. I do believe in a future with my fellow human beings. What others believe in is ultimately up to them, but when it cuts off access to making up our own minds, or acting responsible in the light of new information, that is where I part company with the doomsday prophecies.
Try to do one thing every day that will make a difference in 100 years. You may be surprised to find out where that perspective leads. Lord and Lady both know trying things the other way has not worked up 'til now. The change that is coming will most certainly be frustrating at times, perhaps even unwelcome from time to time, but if we change the eyes with which we see these events unfold, actively participating in becoming a solution to difficult times, troubles and challenges, we have the greatest source of power at our disposal. The ability to love one another and our planet as we love our selves. Don't place your faith in antiquated writings, but rather the people who share a vision of a better life through active participation in the world rather than forsaking them. Arms are for hugging and through the love that a hug represents, all the troubles of the world can be faced unafraid.
I suppose, for them, having the joy of doing pretty much whatever they want until the rapture, which will close the book on civilization, has a liberating effect. Like watching the flowing river can take us wherever we want to go, the efficacy of god's exit strategy exempts us from having to do or try anything. From time to time there are facets of our lives that seem as alien to me as the concept of missionaries. Fortunately, there are also times that I can see past the events of the day and the processes that we have developed to live "civilized" lives, knowing that they too will change and develop or be cast off when they are no longer useful or capable of taking us where we need to go. Certainly, the intolerance of my grandfather's generation had to change. If it had not, there would be far more people dying in the streets than we have today. Religiosity too has fared poorly in these times, which some fear is a dangerous reflection on our moral code of ethics. Ironically, the abandonment of organized religion speaks to the fact that out of touch myths have lost their power over our minds. I find this one of the most refreshing parts of being alive at this time. There is finally a new way of seeing the world that allows us to be directed from our hearts rather than our minds, or what some well-meaning person says from the pulpit.
When we take a trip, or go on vacation, we must leave behind a set of expectations and comforts that we have become accustomed to. The same can be said about the times we are living in. What has worked in the past cannot thrive in the face of mounting evidence that we are killing our species off through ever increasing burdens of toxic and carcinogenic substances in our food, air, water and the soils. I have to laugh at the recent media campaign "Stand Up To Cancer", the first two people I knew who died from that disease were my grandmothers, over fifteen years apart. Now, twenty-five years later, I would relish even a single year without losing several friends or loved ones to the disease. In spite of the truth about cancer, we still seek to research the heck out of it and to develop treatments for the disease rather than stopping the process where we can be most effective. I blame those who are seeking a way out or a method for forsaking the idea of change.
As our train has already left the station, it is for us to do what we can to pass the time in ways that do not disrupt other people who may be on a different trip. Some claim, very convincingly, that their itinerary is the best one, but as we eventually come to learn, it is the trip that matters, not your schedule of events. The times may not inspire hope for everyone, but the one sure thing is that nothing will stay the same except the moon and the sky. We cannot hope to move either one, but we can make changes in our selves. In my own way, I have come to a place of giving back. This is a challenge for someone who has been told that I am in poverty for nearly my entire life, but as we have come to learn, the best things in life are free. A good friend sings a song that has the lyric, "There's only two things you just can't buy, that's true love and homegrown tomatoes." The abundance of nature keeps staring us in the face, day after day. How we meet the challenges of our daily lives is completely up to us, but my own feeling is that by sharing the love we have with others, we can learn to grow together. Unlike those awaiting the "end times", I am committed and invested in the unending arc of time.
As we learn and grow, we continue to make strides toward a future that none of us can imagine today. What we can be sure of is that without kindness and sensitivity to the results of our actions, learning to cope will not get any easier. This month I am involved in a massive remodel of our home. We have a tiny little place that is warm and welcoming, but the cost of owning it has exceeded our expectations. As a fine friend once put it, we are left to find ways of generating more income. However, as we have all see, especially in the recent past and foreseeable future, any pennies saved are actually earned. Therefore, I have invested heavily in insulation and anxiously await the heat bills of an upgraded home. In researching figures about the carbon footprints of people around the world, I have found the one thing about the worldwide recession that may hint at a silver lining. Our assault on mother Nature has lessened as we spend less and rely on more and more local sources for our way of life. As far as I am concerned, there is no downside to living within our means and trying to live without cheap plastic crap from China. I do believe in a future with my fellow human beings. What others believe in is ultimately up to them, but when it cuts off access to making up our own minds, or acting responsible in the light of new information, that is where I part company with the doomsday prophecies.
Try to do one thing every day that will make a difference in 100 years. You may be surprised to find out where that perspective leads. Lord and Lady both know trying things the other way has not worked up 'til now. The change that is coming will most certainly be frustrating at times, perhaps even unwelcome from time to time, but if we change the eyes with which we see these events unfold, actively participating in becoming a solution to difficult times, troubles and challenges, we have the greatest source of power at our disposal. The ability to love one another and our planet as we love our selves. Don't place your faith in antiquated writings, but rather the people who share a vision of a better life through active participation in the world rather than forsaking them. Arms are for hugging and through the love that a hug represents, all the troubles of the world can be faced unafraid.
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