Irrational beliefs

YOU CAN'T PROVE A NEGATIVE

Scientists have long been frustrated with religious beliefs because the very concept of “faith” requires believing something regardless of “evidence”. No matter how much evidence is presented regarding the gradual evolution of species from common ancestry, science cannot prove to bible believers that there is no God. It's a little like the problems with proving that there is no life on Mars to scientists … even landing a robot to send back live pictures will not satisfy those who truly “believe.” If they have found no evidence, it must be because the robot is not sensitive enough so another robot will have to be designed. Or perhaps the whole concept of life-form will have to be redefined! The truth is that a negative statement cannot be proved – only doubted or believed. This is the reason that humans can be deceived over and over and over again. Anyone can claim the existence of the most bizarre imagination and no one can prove them wrong.

Reality, on the other hand, exists regardless of belief or doubt. Science itself is a constant investigation of physical reality, using impartial evidence and rigorous testing of any theory before it is commonly accepted, much like what is supposed to happen in a courtroom trial. What truly exists, what truly happens, and what truly causes the myriad interactions in the universe adds up to Reality, and there can be seven billion different opinions about what is true, but the truth doesn't change. In my opinion, false and misleading statements are the root of all human confusion, and people who rewrite history, lie under oath, teach absurdity to innocent minds or use others as scapegoats to hide their own avarice and greed should be convicted and silenced. The whole concept of free speech is to allow everyone access to information and understanding, and people who have quiet wisdom to share are being drowned out by the noise of gibberish and hate.

The world today is being threatened by a financial system that is trying to borrow its way out of debt, governments that insist on peace by military conquest, nuclear power regulators that claim that Fukushima is under control (no harm done), and a host of religious peacocks strutting the stage and anticipating a triumphant appearance of a savior. I think that they are all wrong, but there is no way to prove a negative.

Quebec takes on Religious Hypocrisy

QUEBEC TAKES ON RELIGIOUS HYPOCRISY

The purpose of the new legislation that prohibits Quebec government employees from wearing obvious forms of religious paraphernalia is to guarantee a safe and rational base for society, free from artificial social barriers and the radicalized foment of religious sects. The founders of the religions themselves would probably support the new law enthusiastically, and remind their followers that devotion can't be demonstrated by wearing any kind of uniform or symbol, but by an inner purity and character that cannot be seen on the outside like an identity tattoo. If religious teachers had any reverence for the likes of Moses, Jesus, the prophet Mohammed, or even the Buddha, they would be teaching their followers the difference between real and pretend faith. Otherwise, we might end up with violent conflicts between Protestant and Catholic “christians”, Zionist and Orthodox “jews”, Shia and Sunni “muslims” etc., and thinking people would probably turn to Atheism or Hedonism in revolt.

What seems dubious to me is the posturing of the Parti Quebecois as an authority on bringing people together in peace, and protecting the gullible from separatist religious organizations that seek to sew division in a secular world. The strength of democratic government is an educated and sensible voting public, but all of the existing “parties” are guilty of repetitive fear mongering and emotional rabble rousing, and while the media focuses attention on silly headlines, the entire globe is being threatened by a collapse of the financial system, the explosion of nuclear fuel rods, the effects of fossil fuel pollution, and the constant threat of atomic, biological and conventional warfare at the whim of unstable human beings. These problems should be bringing the world together to find a solution, but our attention is riveted on the staged antics of both elected officials and religious leaders while the real issues are ignored. Hopefully, their time is running out.

Separation of Church and State

SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

In a perfect world, the mandate for government and the mandate for spiritual guidance would be identical – a quest for the “common good”. The state and the church would be two arms of authority gathering people together in a synchronized effort to end the constant bitterness and violence of human society, and create a sustainable, reasonable peace where every person could participate and flourish. The only difference between these institutions would be the method used to accomplish this goal – the state using decrees and enforcement while the church set an example and taught others to follow. In the real world, however, it is essential to keep the division between them absolute, and guard against any kind of overlap.

Imagine what would happen if a political party or military council was able to convince the population that they operated with divine inspiration behind every decision, behind every demand, and that their motive was a constant, selfless caring for their fellow man. They could spend the taxes they collected on projects that would perpetuate this appearance, hire writers and advertising firms to bolster their public image of altruistic effort, and publicly discredit anyone who refused to believe the deception. Government would become the holy sanctuary of forgiveness and mercy (for anyone who pledged support for the campaign). “Salvation” (approval) would come down to voting for the acceptable candidate, or volunteering for the army.

On the other hand, try to imagine the church as a cold, indifferent agency that administered a strict set of rules that must be obeyed to avoid punishment. Officers would be selected by their zeal to enforce the doctrine, and administer the approved “discipline”. The congregation of this church would become very orderly, as anyone that challenged the “discipline” would automatically be regarded as an “enemy” of the faith.

Obviously, in our present world, the lines between the state and the church have become blurred, and the result is confusion and hysteria. The goal of improving human relationships has been replaced by the struggle for position and power, and society is the loser. I believe that it is time to untangle this confusion by demanding that the government stick to telling us what we can do (rights and freedoms), cannot do (criminal law), and must do (taxes, licenses and inspections), and that the church return to the task of representing God in truth and spirit.

Stock Market Correction

STOCK MARKET CORRECTION

Now that the markets are stabilizing somewhat, we can all breathe a sigh of relief. That was scary – watching the prices plummet all at once around the entire world. There really wasn’t any need to worry, as the system has worked well for hundreds of years, but it does make me pause to wonder “what if?”


What if all of the major institutions are connected - interdependent so to speak? When the banks fail, (like the Savings and Loan debacle a few years back), the government steps in to restore confidence by bailing them out with tax dollars. When the stock market becomes unstable, the banks invest heavily with depositor’s cash to stabilize the situation and restore confidence. Governments take all the credit for a “booming economy” and a “robust market” to win elections and coast to victory on the restored confidence. What if all these institutions were built on foundations of greed, deception and arrogance and we all just stopped placing our confidence in them?

The result would probably be chaos! Wars would have no justification. Insurance companies would be forced to redefine an “Act of God”. Strikes and lockouts would make no sense. Farmers and tradesmen would be at the top of the “food chain”. Social assistance would have to be personal and close to home. In fact, if we all stopped relying on big government, bank credit and market “analysts” we would have to rely on each other as if we lived in a real community! The only things with any value to society would be integrity, friendship, cooperation and mutual respect.

Culture would eventually stop being something you purchase at a video store or on a CD. People would have to build honorable reputations like they used to. News would have to be reported, not created. Parents would have to tend to their children's education instead of arming them with Nike running shoes and sending them forth. It would be a nightmare. Utter chaos!

Bride of Frankenstein

THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN

Many pundits see the first trans-gender contestant in Donald Trump's “Miss Universe Contest” as a breakthrough from the historical simplicity of gender, claiming that the amazing beauty on stage was living proof that sex is more complicated than male and female, and that introducing personal feelings and choice to an otherwise cold and indifferent fact is simply the result of human compassion and ingenuity. I see this as the latest assault on reason and common sense by the harbingers of deception and confusion. Why do some people insist that truth cannot be simple and easily understood?

The refusal to acknowledge that gender is either male or female demonstrates the same stubborn stupidity as slogans like “Guns don't kill people, people kill people”, or “It's the economy, stupid!” The truth is simple – guns are designed and promoted to be used as weapons to maim and kill other people. And in a society where the wasted meals from restaurants could feed the entire homeless population of every city, and where giant, heated office towers stand empty every night while people cower in cardboard boxes in the street, there is no thought for economy in our present system.

Perhaps the tenacity of this ignorance is rooted in the desperation to be in charge of our own destiny, but attempting to reorder the universe to fit personalized specifications can become extremely complicated (and enormously expensive), so we usually settle for changing “reality” to suit our aspirations instead. We can all pretend that the Fukushima disaster is safely behind us, that the financial experts will solve the debt crisis, and that a war with Iran, or Russia, or China, ..., is necessary to guarantee lasting peace in the region and around the world. And while we're at it, we can just ignore the fact that the Miss Universe crown might go to a modern upgrade of the Bride of Frankenstein.

It seems to me that the simple answer is to find the serenity to accept those things we cannot change, courage to change the things we can, and wisdom to know the difference.

What the Pope should teach about Homosexuality

                                                            "Gay Marriage"

Two "scientific studies" have recently released their findings on the "evolution of monogomy", and their conclusions are completely different.  One asserts that the data shows that the husband/wife arrangement came about in response to murderous single males, while the other claims that the same information "proves" that single partner marriage has been caused by the intolerance and aggression of adult females.  So much for "science".

For everyone who ponders the mystery and madness of human relationships, and is unwilling to accept the arrogance of "scientists", there should be at least one public speaker who can teach about the issue with unbiased truth.

1. Marriage was always intended to be “gay” - if we have turned this basic relationship into drudgery and misery, it is no fault of the Creator.
2. Homosexuality occurs as frequently in nature as celibacy and pedophilia.
3. The “gay pride” movement deserves some credit for promoting an effective form of birth control, and God knows we need that. (Teachers of all the major religions have encouraged their followers to breed like fruit flies without teaching them how to multiply, and the global population will swell to 50 billion in just a few generations if things are not changed)
4. Personally, I think that Pierre Trudeau (ex prime minister of Canada) was on the right track when he proclaimed “the state has no business in the bedrooms of the nation!"   I would just like to add that "neither does the clergy,  the scientists, the marketplace or the camera crews"

Equal Justice

EQUAL JUSTICE

The recent killing of Trayvon Martin, a 17 year old boy on his way home from the store, cries out to ordinary people to fix the inequalities in the present justice system, (which is really just an archaic tradition of pomp handed down from centuries ago). When innocent people are convicted and guilty people go free, the system is broken and needs to be fixed.

To provide equal justice, we need to base our judgments on evidence, testimony and reasoning that is not tainted by personal prejudice or agendas, and to value every human life as equally important. This has always been the framework for justice, and the goal has always been to produce peace and security by holding perpetrators accountable for their actions by a punishment that answers the crime. If the system is effective, everyone benefits – even the criminals receive a much needed lesson in how to behave towards others. These lessons ought to be the responsibility of parents, caregivers and teachers but the overwhelming problem of the present day is that reasonable behavior is neither taught nor demonstrated to children, and accountability is avoided by almost everyone, from people in a position of authority to the rejects of society.

For this case to be tried properly, every statement should have been recorded on disc at the time it was given and the fanciful “demonstrations” and video “re-enactments” should have been cause to have the defense lawyers disbarred (if not sent to jail). The facts were never in question.. A neighborhood vigilante followed and confronted an innocent boy who was walking home from the store, talking to his friend on the phone. In panic the boy tried to protect himself from a “creepy cracka” and ended up being shot to death. Instead of meaningful punishment for the killer, the police investigators, the media manipulators, the gun manufacturers and distributors, the UFC promoters, the disappearing neighbors and the crafty lawyers, this will be recorded as one more “unfortunate accident” among the thousands of unanswered tragedies happening every year. The truth is that if there was no justice in the death of Trayvon, there is no justice for anyone. Our system has ruled that he must have done something wrong to deserve this.  Blame the victim!

War on Drugs

                                                      WAR ON DRUGS

I don't know why alcohol and prescription drugs are separated from other mind altering drugs. That's what they are – drugs. Instead of trying to classify drugs into dangerous vs. benign, addictive vs. medicinal, illegal vs. socially acceptable, we need to ask the question “Why are drugs so popular?”

The only reason I can come up with is that they imitate the feelings that a person experiences when he/she falls in love. The euphoria, sensitivity, excitement and determination that are produced from all kinds of love (from parental to romantic) can be artificially created by using various chemicals. The only problem is that none of it is real.  A lot of money is made by selling artificial experiences to desperate people who have been starved for the life that has been stolen from them by society.

The only way that drugs will lose their appeal is when human beings choose the real over the fake, but real love threatens the very foundations of this world, where security and happiness are sold to us by fraudsters and spin doctors. This is what the real "War on Drugs" should be - a "War on Deception".

Sustainable Society?

SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY?

Imagine the kinds of changes that need to be made to put a stop to the constant destruction of our environment. Pollution-free power generation would be a reasonable start. Limiting urban traffic to Public Transit or electric “smart cars” between 6 AM and 6PM would not only cut greenhouse emissions in half, but would double the capacity of existing roads and bridges. We could create a “no-fly” zone over the entire country (except for emergencies), ending the thick jet trails across the clear blue sky in the name of travel vacations. We could prevent more oil spills by refusing to allow oil tankers to sail across the oceans. To put it plainly, a “sustainable society” cannot continue to devour nature’s resources at an ever-increasing rate, turning our world into a barren and desolate garbage dump in the quest for a “higher standard” of living. But even if we stopped the destruction of the “rain forests”, abolished raw sewage, and found safe disposal for chemical and nuclear waste, we wouldn’t have a “sustainable society”.

Although pollution is a serious issue, the real destruction of society comes from inner decay. While disrespect for nature has obvious consequences, our total disregard for fellow human beings threatens the very existence of society itself. Why is it so hard to empathize with the suffering of others around the world? Farmers in North America are not that much different than farmers in China, Europe or the Middle East. Carpenters and laborers work to build bridges and homes in every corner of the planet. Every child needs food, water and shelter no matter where they are born. How can we justify threatening ordinary people in other countries by sending heavily armed troops instead of offering help? The answer is simple - our minds have been poisoned by propaganda and bigotry, and our thinking has become dazed and confused by the power of mass media.

From the dawn of time, con artists calling themselves “experts”, “leaders”, and “teachers”, have basked in popular attention as they spread wild speculations and ignorant ravings across the globe. This is the major threat to a “sustainable society” – the insidious pollution of our hearts towards others. I believe that the current spin and rhetoric of  mainstream media is the most toxic form of waste, and that human governments cannot continue to encourage the mass production and sales of deadly weapons, threatening to drop bombs and kill people for “world peace”. It’s a no-brainer.

The Cyprus Experiment

THE CYPRUS EXPERIMENT

What can we learn from Cyprus? A new bailout method is replacing the unpopular taxpayer grab that has worked well up until now. European finance ministers have come up with a plan to divide banks into “good” and “bad” (perhaps they draw straws, or roll dice) and salvage the one by shifting the deposits and liquid assets to the first while loading all the toxic debt onto the other. In a bold move to secure a prosperous future, 60% of the deposits over 100.000 euros will be collected in a one time savings tax called the “Mandatory Stabilization Contribution” (MSC).

It's too bad that ordinary Canadians can't get ahead of the curve somehow, and begin to move all of their savings and make all of their deposits into a local Credit Union account, removed from the stormy uncertainty of the teetering global economy. That way, when the Federal Reserve of the United States finally allows interest rates to rise, (causing an eruption of hyper-inflation and the inevitable tsunami of bankruptcies and lay-offs, leaving behind the desolation of crushed stock markets around the world), we can breathe a sigh of relief and continue on a local scale of commerce. When our elected representatives start pounding on their desks and vote unanimously to bring in the MSC as the salvation for our precious charter banks, we can politely shake our heads, herd these ravenous dinosaurs together and cheer as they stampede into the pages of history.

Communication Problem

THE COMMUNICATION PROBLEM

“I told them that we might get a massive earthquake that would cause a giant tsunami and wipe out the backup generators! They just wouldn't listen – all they were interested in was the cost of the changes. It was an election year, I think,” the stately Japanese lawmaker was pouring out his exasperation to the other four men gathered in front of the throne. “Why didn't they listen?”

“I hear you, man,” replied Moses, “When I came down from that mountain the first time, they were putting the finishing touches on a huge golden calf, bowing and scraping in holy reverence. It made me so mad I smashed the Commandments and started cursing. After all those miracles, they didn't want to hear 10 simple rules to live by without the constant frustration and bitterness. If it hadn't been for my brother, I wouldn't have gone to all the trouble of a rewrite! In the end, the lawyers took over anyway, so it was all for nothing.”

Jesus cleared his throat, “I had the same problem in my day – they weren't able to hear a word I spoke, so I told stories, and learned to delegate. I simplified your list down to the Golden Rule to make it easier for them, but that didn't work. In the end they tried to get rid of me and ignore what I was saying. A few years later, my people were running around pretending to be “special” and getting themselves martyred, so I finally gave up!”

A swarthy fellow in a brilliant white turban shook his head. “I didn't have any better luck with my followers. I thought it would be a good idea to pack explosives in their Idols and blow them up to make the point. Trouble is, everyone got the idea that God liked blowing things up, and they started designing guided missiles and nuclear weapons. If there is any way they can confuse themselves, they'll find it.”

A fat, grinning oriental man laughed and said, “You all give them too much credit. They'll never listen to the truth. I got all my followers to make little statues of me, so when they go through the whole worship thing, I will always have the last laugh!

100% Pro-Life and 100% Pro-Choice

100% PRO-LIFE, 100% PRO-CHOICE

To clarify the emotional controversy surrounding abortion, I think we need to put the debate in context, and stop trusting Supreme Courts to resolve the issue. The following is a larger perspective of the whole debate, addressing three separate problems with the possible choices for solutions.

1.)  Unwanted Babies

a) After birth, every unwanted child can be raised in an institution. (A poor choice, as evidenced by the infamous neglect found in many of these organizations around the world).

b) In the first trimester, the fetus can be aborted without risk to the mother, killing the child before it takes its first breath. (A poor choice, causing endless debate over the exact moment that a fertilized egg becomes a human being. This question is becoming extremely murky in light of the ever increasing capabilities of scientists – if a fertilized egg can be incubated outside of the womb, how is that different from premature babies?)

c.)After the baby is born, couples who either can't or don't want to go through childbirth can adopt him or her as their child. (A good choice, providing that both prospective parents realize that God has a parental interest that supersedes theirs.)

2.) Unwanted pregnancies.

a.) Surgical procedures. (Often irreversible.)

b.) Medication , condoms. (Not always 100% effective.)

c.) Masturbation. (Addiction can cause “spiritual blindness”.)

d.) Abstinence (Takes discipline and self-control)

3.) Unwanted sexual advances.

a.) Stoning to death. (A barbaric method of an ancient society.)

b.) Progressive jail sentences for offenders. (ineffective and costly.)

c.) Warnings to viewers on pornographic movies. (ineffective but cheap.)

d.) Permanent banishment for all sexual predators and complete forfeiture of all profits from the sale of sexually explicit material.  (Sexual crimes wound the victim permanently so the punishment needs to be permanent.  Voyeurism provides no benefit for society and deserves no financial reward.)

What is TRUTH?

WHAT IS TRUTH?

“Many years ago, a good friend assured me that “the Truth” would set me free. It sounded good, but I was immediately confronted with the problem of deciding what was truth – everyone I talked to seemed to have their own individual version, and I had to decide who and what to believe for myself. Today, years later, I finally have an answer that I am satisfied with.



“For most children, “Truth” is whatever their parents and teachers tell them it is. They accept whatever they are taught partly because they are helpless (and questioning the “wisdom of the elders” can often be dangerous), and partly because they naturally trust the adults around them that seem to know so much about everything. Instead of worrying too much about what is true and what isn’t, kids copy all the different styles of communication, from the tone of voice to body language and facial expression, and learn how to argue effectively – how to use sarcasm and insults, how to assign blame, and how to change the subject smoothly in the middle of the conversation, so that when they grow up, “Truth” can be anything they say it is.



“If they learn to be very convincing, they can become top – notch salesmen, or (on the other side of the law), successful con - artists. With dedication and training, they might turn out to be prominent religious preachers or high – powered lawyers. If they attend the right colleges, they have a chance to move up in the field of politics. Like it or not, it’s just the way the world works, and it boils down to this:



“You can fool SOME of the people ALL the time. You can fool ALL of the people SOME of the time. With a decent propaganda machine and a few loyal supporters, you can fool MOST of the people MOST of the time, and get democratically elected to run the country. I personally believe that nobody can fool GOD about anything – not even for an instant! THAT is Truth.”



The violence and confusion in the world would quickly disappear if everyone stopped believing in the artificial intelligence of human origin, and recognized that the rest of the universe is not just a “random explosion” of energy, but a precise, orderly creation ruled by the real intelligence of its creator.

Guns and Safety

GUNS AND SAFETY

The debate about regulating gun ownership goes on and on, and the more heated it gets, the less likely it becomes that there will ever be a resolution. Here are a few suggestions for “background checks”, “second amendment freedoms”, and “assault weapons ban” that could form a basis for agreement.

“Background checks” - When someone wants to buy a gun, instead of relying on complicated, expensive, security investigations (and creating a vast government bureaucracy of paperwork and enforcement officials), or trusting in “expert opinions” by “designated” psychiatrists on a person's mental health (which can often vary from expert to expert), there are really only two questions that need to be answered:

1. Have you ever fantasized about being judge, jury and executioner and holding the power of life and death in your hands?
2. Have you ever acted on this fantasy?

Answering “no” to either question would be an outright lie (unless they hunt for food, and only shoot something that they intend to eat), since they are seeking to buy a gun. Justifying a “yes” answer by the fear of rising crime rates or claiming the right to protect themselves from others who both fantasize and act on this same dementia is perpetuating the spiraling violence caused by guns – nobody wants to be the last person on the block to own a weapon. The only solution is to reclaim the equality of individuals that has been obliterated by the ownership of lethal weapons, whether that means everyone owning a gun, or nobody owning a gun. It is the same impasse to global disarmament – either every country should have nuclear weapons or no country should have them. Having the “freedom” to arm yourself takes away the freedom of others to live in a safe environment.

“Second amendment freedoms” - Perhaps there is a possibility of creating a “gun-free” zone and a “mandatory-vigilante” zone by relocating the security fence separating Mexico from the United States to surround the border of Texas, and anyone that demands the freedom to own guns can relocate to the Lone Star State, while the rest of the continent can direct local police forces to lock up their own guns and then ask peacefully for the population to freely turn in their weapons, without penalty. After a specified time, the military would have to be given a mandate to collect the remaining weapons (even if they have to pry them from the cold dead fingers of their owners). The brave men and women in the military have been busy disarming rebels in other countries around the world, and I think that it is only right that we should reap the benefits of their efforts here at home. After all we employ them.

“Assault weapons ban” - As for the manufacture and sale of “assault” weapons, a hunter uses a gun like a fisherman uses a fishing rod, and it's not that hard to distinguish a fishing rod from a boat load of dynamite, even though they can both be used for fishing!

It's Not the Economy, Stupid

IT'S NOT THE ECONOMY, STUPID

Anyone who has worked in a restaurant knows that the amount of food scraped into the garbage in one night could feed the homeless for a week. The question is not how to increase production, but how to share the wealth equitably. Daily we are bombarded with images from around the world that demonstrate the vast excesses of some, intertwined with the desperate poverty of others. The present system is rooted in secrecy and greed, not in “economy”, and is perpetuated by ordinary people operating on blind faith in the international religion that we call money.

Money itself is not evil – it is a way of specializing in the workplace, organizing the efforts of individuals to make life easier for everyone, but has become a tool of deception and a weapon of dominion in a giant board game that has fostered conflict and misery throughout history. Today's currencies are simply empty promises of corrupt institutions, but the vast majority of mankind still “believes” they have value. The only real value is the confidence that we place in them.

The only way to restore the usefulness of money is to set a standard of decency in it's creation and distribution, like cleaning a swimming pool after millions of gross children have polluted it. A line needs to be drawn. Working to meet our own needs, (and the needs of our families) is a healthy, natural and mature instinct, but enterprises like drugs, weapons, extortion, slavery, religion, fraud etc. cannot be rewarded with the same currency that is used for benign endeavors. Only after the financial system is cleansed from the present perversion, and there is some truth to the old adage that “crime doesn't pay”, can we talk about “economy”. Unfortunately, that would mean that a huge percentage of current “jobs” would disappear!

Less Said is More

ONE – LINERS

When “National interest” clashes with “National values”, the result is “National hypocrisy”.

Popularity ratings for news programs keep us from seeing the “elephant under the carpet”.

World leaders all go to the same school – “George W. Bush Institute for Advanced Conflict Resolution”

“Economy” means a lack of waste

“Cutbacks” hurt us all – but not equally.

IMF stands for “Ingenious Mesmerizing Force”

Pollution comes from tailpipes, spent fuel rods, and out of the “mouths of politicians”.

The “War on Terror” includes water-boarding, surgical strikes, cyber-attacks and nuclear threats.

Religions are like sawmills, busy making coffins out of the “Tree of Life”.

Science has finally proven that human knowledge is “Too Big to Fail”.

Intelligence is not possessed by bombs, automobiles or currency - it is the common ground of humility.

Homosexuality occurs in nature as frequently as celibacy and pedophilia

Guns don't kill people, bullets kill people.

True science is a search for wisdom and understanding. True religion IS wisdom and understanding.

90% of all money is from drugs, fraud, extortion, robbery and mass murder and needs to be laundered.

The unified purpose of all human government is to sustain and promote an unsustainable society.

People are like sheep that need a shepherd, they all follow the richest 1%?

Inflation is the grease that keeps the hamster wheel spinning quietly.

Justice is the other side of the “Golden Rule”... without either the world is a prison.

All scripture is valuable, but misunderstood – anyone who truly understands writes his own verses.

The only thing people hate more than being lied to is being told the truth.

Letter to the Scientific Community

LETTER TO THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY

Sam Harris’ new book entitled “Letter to a Christian Nation” was quite an experience. As a born again Christian, familiar with the Scriptures, I was thrilled to read his comments about the absurd doctrines and interpretations that are being pumped out of pulpits with formidable zeal and without the slightest regard for context, meaning or (what Mr. Harris calls) intellectual integrity. I thought, as I read further, that it was ironic that I could identify fully with the views of a self - proclaimed atheist as he illuminated the hypocrisy and theological inbreeding that govern the major religions of our world, causing so much violence and hatred. I was also astonished by his blunt admission that “no-one knows how the universe began”. (I found that honesty refreshing). My enthusiasm was shattered, however, when he smoothly announced that we should all just accept that God does NOT exist, and that the amazing spectrum of the existence that surrounds us is not the result of “ID” (Intelligent Design) but has been created by a combination of random genetic accidents (called “mutations”) and a severe natural selection (called “survival of the fittest”) over billions of years. I felt like I had been invited to step out of the absurd and into the preposterous.

Although the Evolutionary Theory (let’s call it ET) is taught as “gospel” in our schools, and cites the modern carbon dating techniques and the fossil record as irrefutable evidence, I wonder why the same critical examination that Mr. Harris applied to religious dogma was not used to question this “scientific” belief that is presently being propagated on a global scale. I am skeptical about the accuracy of the “scientific” model of the earth’s history for two reasons. Firstly, there is no way to verify the findings – if the scientists say a million years, it must be a million. If they say that the number is revised to a billion years, then we just have to accept their word for it. Secondly, I suspect that the law of “cause and effect” might be in operation, since “ET” would be implausible in a frame of thousands or even millions of years, it is convenient that the “more refined” dating process now affirms that “evolution” actually had billions of years to take place.

In my opinion, even with billions of years the entire concept of “evolution” is bizarre! I assume that this development only applies to living organisms since inorganic material tends to DEVOLVE over long periods of time. (I know for sure that if I park my car in a field, in a billion years all that will be left is a pile of rust.) Decay is the fundamental result of time.

If natural selection is applied to living organisms, logic dictates that the single cell amoeba would therefore be the “highest” form of life, while the more complicated species of plants and animals would be more vulnerable, and therefore not products of the “survival” code, but escapees. In fact, using the “natural selection” formula would contradict the idea of the “balance of nature”, as every species of life would be in competition, and not inter-dependent.

At the core of ET however, is the miracle of life itself. We are all comfortable with the reproductive powers that exist in every species, including humans. This is the arena that the scientists have chosen as the battleground of evolution through genetic mistakes. In our modern wisdom, we know that the genetic codes that guide the growth of any organism can be altered, causing mysterious abnormalities, and the conclusion that ET has reached is that these alterations MUST have occurred randomly (over billions of years) and MUST have produced deformities that improved the chances of survival, thus paving the road for fish, birds, cats, dogs and elephants to “evolve” from common ancestry. I find this far – fetched to say the least. I simply can’t remember a single case of genetic dysfunction that resulted in improvement without the meticulous supervision of human will. Scientists can alter genetic structure for their purposes, but random mutations are consistently debilitating. Even with billions of years, the chances of enough “benign” genetic mutations occurring to explain our myriad life forms is less than remote.

The last struggle that I have with ET concerns the origin of life. We are asked to believe that one day, a long, long time ago, a small chip of granite rolled into a puddle of acid and at the same time lightning struck and a “random” miracle took place! Inorganic became a living organism. My question is this – how many billions of times must this miracle have taken place until the living organism that was produced turned out to have the ability to reproduce itself? It makes no sense.

What does make sense is very simple. Humans have used selective breeding to create new types of animals, either for a purpose, or just for their appearance. Humans have developed new strains of wheat and tomatoes for increased profit. Humans invented the wheel and refined and improved upon their invention until they can produce a Swiss watch. The fossil record of the “evolution” from the first stone wheel to the watch would ATTEST to the creator of both. It seems to me that our own creative urge, and our ability to build things from our own imagination might just be a mirror of the attributes of God. We might actually be “made in His image!”

The Devout Atheist

THE DEVOUT ATHEIST

In order to understand what an atheist is, and how he thinks, we first have to define what a “theist” is and how he thinks. Just as it is impossible to describe asymmetrical without a working concept of symmetry, an atheist is simply someone who is “against theists”.

I would define a “theist” as a person who devotes years of their life to studying original texts from one or more religions, and learns ancient languages and history to help them become an “expert” in the field, perhaps earning a degree in Divinity from some college or university, and going on to years of research so that they can publish a thesis that indicates that the burial shroud of Jesus was actually recovered on the fifth day by Mary Magdalene's step-sister Berta, who tore it into diapers for a family from India, two of which are presently on display at a Hindu Temple in Calcutta.

Obviously, by this definition I am a devout A-Theist, and I think that the Church has missed the boat. We should set aside one week-end every month to join with our Atheist brothers in celebrating reason and common sense.

That being said, Atheism itself is just one more religion like all the others, based on what the followers deem to be false, without offering any conclusive proof that God does NOT exist. Also their belief in absolute randomness simply does not mesh with the Universe that I live in.

Unification of Species

Due to the current state of confusion and dissension across the globe, I am submitting these observations and suggestions in the hope of encouraging a peaceful and international resolution through intellectual agreement. I will begin by trying to establish basic, unchangeable statements as a foundation for a unified strategy to move from arguments to cooperation. As far as I can see, the best place to start is with the nature of human beings as a species. 

Unlike the rest of creation/existence the human mind is corrupt, whereas everything else in the Universe is perfectly adapted and connected. This corruption is dominant amongst our species, and the root of it is an arrogant belief that we are “super-smart” - so smart that we can individually judge what is good from what is evil. This belief is the source for all subsequent corruption, in beliefs, actions and communication. The simple truth is that we are not as smart as we think we are. Rather, we are all meddlers and manipulators in a perfect universe, patting each other on the back for our achievements, character, and abilities when, in reality, we have never created anything, (simply maneuvered forces and materials that already exist to bend to our will); we try to judge character by using our individual imagination as a pattern (extolling anything that suits our own disposition at the time); and we are unwilling to admit that creative expressions such as music, art and poetry come from a different source than our clever minds, (even though we often acknowledge them as “gifts”). The first global agreement that we need to enter is that the solution to our own corruption is our responsibility, our choice, and our redemption.

While many people might advocate a laissez-faire attitude towards putting an end to this universal corruption, history and experience demonstrate that it is truly a battle, and will not be won by “turning a blind eye” and hoping for the best. In order to avoid total anarchy, we have relied on government bodies (of one form or another), different religious organizations, community police forces, and various financial systems to limit and prosecute our corrupt behavior, but these institutions are only effective in creating a minimum standard, and only when they have the trust and confidence of the public – when this relationship breaks down, it is ground for violent revolution. The second global agreement would be to specify a separate mandate for each authority, keep them separate, and insist that they are self-regulated.  (Any betrayal of public trust ought to be disciplined harshly, immediately, and publicly by the authority itself, in order to restore public confidence)

To understand the human tendency towards corruption, we need to isolate the root of our conflict. In simple terms, there are two universally held paradigms, or perspectives, (sometimes referred to as Memes) that guide us in our lives. The first “reality” (or version of reality) is that we are born into a bleak wilderness, and must pit ourselves against nature, compete with others, and expend enormous energy to survive the ordeal of life, and success is measured by the degree of comfort we can achieve. This world-view is based on fear and selfishness and expands to fighting for the survival and comfort of our family, then the survival and comfort of our community, country, and so on. At its logical conclusion, we must all be on guard to fight for the survival and comfort of our species in case an inter galactic force threatens the planet. This “reality” is a paranoid delusion, but creates its own truth by filling the world with aggressive fear-mongers that collect evidence to support their belief from the carnage that they themselves wreak. This is the prevalent version of reality in our world.

The second perspective, or “Meme”, is the concept that we are all born into a large family aboard a self-powered spaceship on automatic pilot, hurtling to an unknown destination with our fellow passengers, that our magnificent craft has eternal sources of sustenance in abundance, a reliable heat source , and all manner of healthy, exciting experiences to fill our time as we travel. In this “reality”, the society we are born into, and the institutions that exist are simply crew members of the spaceship, some in uniform, some not, but all of them acting as guides and teachers as we mature. What is there to fight, or even argue about? When faced with the desperation and arrogance of the first paradigm, the people who think that life is an interesting holiday aboard a self-sustaining playground (like children) are hated, abused, ridiculed, and used as scapegoats to prove that their version of life is totally false and they need to “grow up”. When two or three passengers who hold to the second reality come together, however, they experience the validity of their beliefs, which encourages them to feel compassion for their unhappy relatives (sparking even more hatred and sometimes violence). In fact they become like “sheep among wolves”, and any attempt to dissuade their paranoid friends is suspect and most times ineffective. But occasionally David defeats Goliath, Jesus raises from the Dead, and Mohammed marches on Mecca. Since the end of human corruption relies on our ability to convince those trapped in the first “reality” to rethink their assumptions and reasoning, the third global agreement needs to be a commitment to ensure that all communication, whether verbal, physical, or financial must be consistent with a reality based on decency” (This insistence on decency in communication will no doubt be heralded as an attack on “free speech”, but the real enemies of free speech are deception, derision and violence, which paralyze our ability to think freely, thereby taking away the very source of “free expression”.)

The beginning of the transformation of our world needs to start at the top, with the United Nations, an organization formed to safeguard us from global conflict. To date, it is questionable whether they have had any influence towards world peace or not. Wildly drawing lines on a map, separating us by religious affiliations, creating an armed force directed by a “security council” made up of the five most heavily armed, belligerent countries, and imposing economic “sanctions” that penalize ordinary citizens who have no possibility of changing the decisions of their leaders doesn't seem to be a voice of reason that we can respect. If the goal is World Peace, the simple and plausible beginning would be to dismantle the pervasive cancer of weapons that already exist, and to punish manufacturers and distributors from every nation. This is a tall order, but the fourth global agreement should be “Operation Clean Sweep” - an order for all military personnel and equipment to return home to their respective countries and disarm their own citizens in preparation for destroying every weapon designed to inflict pain and suffering.

Obviously, the tenor of this essay is to establish a manifesto for the future, and to that end, I have published a draft constitution for “The United States of Canada “ (that is already circulating), in the hopes that we can set an example for other continents to follow. Africa, South America,and Australia, are similar geographical entities divided by borders that have been sporadically juggled at the cost of millions of lives and untold suffering. Sovereignty of any nation is vested in their accepted currency, and the concept of creating new, national currencies can unite existing countries (as with the Euro) while still allowing for individual culture (and even language), and give us the opportunity to “launder” the present system fairly by refusing to exchange money that has been accumulated through illegal or indecent means. The division of nations ought to be based on their currency, which is their chosen vehicle for financial communication, and this might provide a chance to draw lines around a variety of existing countries in the Middle-East to unite them as a distinct nation, as well as the Far-East (Tibet, China, the Korean and Asian Peninsulas); the Former Soviet Republics; India/Pakistan/ Bangladesh; Iran/Afghanistan etc. We might even designate a Federation of Islands that would garuntee every island self government without interference. Separating the world by National currencies would result in each nation taking responsibility for the health and welfare of its own citizens and put an end to continuous colonization and multinational conglomerates. The fifth global agreement would be to define the democratically owned currency for every nation as absolutely exclusive, not to be exported in any way.
 

There are a number of financial institutions whose time has come and gone, and need to be replaced. Insurance companies, credit brokers and stock markets have become a den of thieves over the years. Insurance is rooted in paranoia, propagating a religion of terror, where “Acts of God” are limited to horrific disasters of nature, and all human suffering and carelessness can be mitigated in terms of monetary settlements. Credit companies lure us to pay huge interest charges for the privilege of being impatient, arguing that 'life is short, why wait?' Stock markets began as a means of inviting public financial support in private enterprise, but have become giant gambling casinos that rule over our industries. All these corrupted institutions can be easily replaced by local, democratic, non-profit cooperatives like the Credit Unions. Essentially, these institutions would prioritize available money to respond to community needs and aspirations rather than supplying the artificial, immoral demands created by deceptive advertising. This would allow completely free and private enterprise (without the constant drain of usury and share dividends) under the supervision of elected boards concerned with the present needs and future prosperity of their members. The sixth global agreement should be to make it illegal to treat money itself as a 'commodity'.

If you add up all these agreements, it becomes obvious that millions upon millions of jobs that have no value for society will be eradicated, and much of our “training” and “education” will have been wasted. On the positive side, there is a never-ending list of worthwhile work to be done, and no excuse for people to shirk their personal responsibility to contribute. The eternal problem of humanity is that while we are working at implementing the details of these agreements, we tend to lose sight of the “big picture” and corruption is at the door, waiting to disrupt our unity. This has given rise to the importance of the 'Sabbath', (which gave way to the 'Weekend' and then 'Statutory Holidays'), where we could take time to reaffirm our place in the community, and exercise the freedom of simply enjoying the trip on our spaceship. In the computer age, with all the technological advances and scientific understanding that we have achieved over the centuries, I suggest that the seventh global agreement can be a four day work week.

I believe that if we could all agree on these seven basic suggestions, we could use our cunning ability to meddle and interfere to correct the current “crises” that we are presented with daily. For instance, the problem of 'global warming' melting the polar ice caps and flooding the continental land mass could be answered constructively by building massive desalinization plants close to arid deserts and using the excess water to grow crops where they don't grow naturally. The salt residue could be transformed into some kind of building material and solar power could be harnessed for the process, turning a perceived threat into an opportunity. Or, in the case of the coming oil shortage, we could extract hydrogen from some of this excess water to increase fuel economy, and redesign the “internal” combustion engine to become an “eternal' combustion engine. I hope one of the first challenges will be to redirect the energy and expense dedicated to planting a flag on the moon and shipping a transformer toy to Mars into a quest to develop unmanned minesweepers to neutralize millions of acres of minefields without the cost of a child's limbs.

This “unification” of our species has been a long time coming, but I believe the rest of the Universe has been waiting for it patiently, and we can all at least agree on one thing – we can't go on the way we're going, so I will close with this thought. As our own corrupt nature tries to destroy every attempt to improve our world, the universal understanding of words is of utmost importance, and we will need solid, unchanging definitions to keep us in agreement. The most critical word to keep us moving in the right direction is “SUCCESS” and I offer this definition: “If success is not mutual, it is not success. It is failure!” Thank you for reading, and I hope this essay provides food for thought and discussion.

THE END

The United States of Canada, (Constitution)

THE UNITED STATES OF CANADA

(CONSTITUTION)

1. The boundaries of this new nation shall extend from the Panama Canal to the North Pole, and from the West Coast to the East Coast of the continental land mass. The nine states above the 49^th parallel shall be named (from west to east) Alaska, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Labrador, and Newfoundland, separated by the existing borders. The two states below the 49^th parallel shall be named America and Mexico (following the existing borders already established). The twelfth state shall be comprised of all First Nations peoples, either by direct descent or by acclamation, and shall form a national government (hereinafter called the “Federal Authority”) to ratify and govern all matters of national defense, international trade, environmental protection, and internal disputes.
2. Each state shall elect twelve representatives from among its population by democratic vote, free of campaign finance and interference of any organized group of citizens, to meet weekly in the Capitol City of Winnipeg for the resolution of all interstate conflicts and difficulties by the federal authority.
3. The official languages of this new nation will be limited to “Truth” and “Mutual Respect” and all public communication, whether in print, by radio or television, entertainment media or internet shall be held to these standards, regardless of their origin.
4. A National Currency shall be provided for trade and commerce that will be void of any mention of Divinity or personage, honored only within the national boundaries. This currency shall be owned and governed by the population and deemed forfeit (along with any real assets) if used for illegal purposes, such as the manufacture or distribution of ANY weapons of mass destruction (from pistols to nuclear warheads), the manufacture or distribution of ANY mind altering drugs (from alcohol to psychotropic medicines), the abuse or enslavement of ANY human beings, the practice of “Usury” (defined as charging interest rates at other than the percentage increase in the Gross Domestic Product).
5. Community courts shall be established to dispense Justice (punishments that are defined by the nature of the infraction) except for capitol crimes that are so heinous that they cannot be addressed by reasonable sentences (such as murder, rape, child endangerment or torture). ALL such perpetrators shall be banished to isolated camps, never to return to civilized society.
6. Natural resources shall be deemed the property of the citizens of each state, and the use of raw materials shall be deemed an equal partnership with the population of that state in which they are protracted.
7. Off shore resources (including fisheries) shall be managed and protected by the Federal Authority.
8. Taxes on income shall be at the discretion of individual states, not to exceed ten percent.
9. Taxes on goods and services shall be limited to ten percent and used to create a “National Assistance Fund”, to be administered locally and with economy, to guarantee basic needs such as food, shelter, warmth, and services to every citizen according to need.
10. A “no-fly zone” shall be established above the entire nation limiting air traffic to emergency flights for domestic and international passengers, and traffic in major cities shall be limited to 'urban' cars and rapid transit between 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM.
11. The value of imported goods and services shall be matched with the value of exported goods and services exactly (and vice-verse) except for charitable donations.
12. War debts exacted by the United Nations shall be paid in goods and services manufactured or provided by the population of the nation as requisitioned by the Federal Authority.