NVS Forum - Blogs - a piper too

Military Might: The Woof - The Weft and the Warp

a piper too — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:47:31 GMT

Military Might: The Woof - The Weft and the Warp of Life's Living Well:

Some may say I am my own "One Man Band" and pipe and drum as I will. But whatever I am, I always harken to the "Fundamental Drone Tone", which preceded all "knowing". "It" (the Creation of The Universe, Our Solar System, Our World, and All Things which burrow, swim, crawl, walk and fly below, upon, above it or within it etc) all came about because of the "Big Bang" years and aeons ago. This "Big Bang" was the "Union" of complementary opposites - like centripetal and centrifugal forces over Time.... ie.... (x)/T .

I have heard it said that "The unfailing composure of a saint is impressive beyond any sermon", so therefore, I have to wonder about "myself", since my "halo", how often it slips down to choke me ! Especially when I am confronted with deliberate, unkind actions of others, friends and foe, alike).

But I am reassured, vindicated even (since I am but a common "man", born to this earth of human parents), when I am told that "A university degree is not related to 'realization'." And that "Saints are not produced in batches every semester"....

It stands to reason, then, that "a 'good example' is ever the best sermon", and that it is ever "easier to preach ten sermons, than it is to live one". Preachers, take note - this figure is vastly under-estimated ! Life cannot be truly (lovingly) lived by puffing oneself up to put others down !

It seems "We" (saints, that is) are a "peculiar" breed, "uniquely created", mindful, great-hearted, singular, and standoffish. Like you too, perhaps, I can mostly "stand out" in a crowd, and not to be over-awed - by "myself" - nor diminished by others. On these occasions, my spirit soars !

Such "Freedom to Be" gives a right to "Privacy" between Equals, but never to "secrecy". Free people walk "Alongside ", but never "above", or "below" their fellow beings. "Loving-Kindness" (which is the chief endowment of any saint) allows nations and individuals to "rise up" when oppression rears its ugly head, but never to "boil over", wasting that which has been built up.

Freedom maintains that Military hardware, for the main part, should be converted for "mechanical advantage" for the benefit of All, and that the Military should use their resources to serve the people - responding to natural disasters, such as earthquake, flood, fire and famine - and to help nations recover their Balance in times of trial and adversity.

Those are the situations the Military should respond to (for the most part), rather than allowing dictators to use and demean them, to rule unequally. Co-operation is Balance. This is the path of humane (loving) people - both saints and sinners - who look for the reciprocating nurture of mutual support in all of their combined interactions.

This is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. This is the Intricate Weaving of Something Beautiful. And there is none other: there is no "other".

We are all in this - together - for better or for worse.... This is "Union" ! Lest we forget !

A New Pope ? Divisions in Religion.

a piper too — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 13:59:08 GMT

A New Pope ? Divisions in Religion. Aim for Love, and Kindly Action:

I tried to have this published as an article under my real names a couple of weeks ago, but for some reason or other, I have not yet been successful. Since a new Pope is about to be elected, it seems right that all of us should think about our religion, our culture, our world, etc, all of which are subject to ongoing change:

I used to be confused, but now I am more confused. According to the internet, it would seem that there are 73 divisions in Islam, but One True Jama'at (Message, or Call for a Gathering, or Assembly): Sunni, Shiite, Kharijis, Druze, Alawi, Ismali, Ahmadiyyah, Sufi, Wahhabi etc.

Another internet source shows there to be some 59 listed along with what appear to be a number of variations/duplications. Whatever the true number, we can be sure that these fault-lines in the faith have occurred because of sexual and racial and language barriers, along with man-made barriers such as occupation, wealth (or lack of it), appearance etc.

Now I am no expert; I have only devoted these last ten years (as I approach senility) into things religious and philosophical, and have done so as a lowly and ordinary person, not enabled by theatrics or political motivations, nor empowered by great intellect or wit. I am a plodder. I take one step at a time. Sometimes, I take a backward step, but rarely have to retreat further than that.

On the face of it I am human, just as we all are. Everything I do, for better or worse, I do with focus. I focus on Love's aim, the objective - the freedom to love, and to be happy and fulfilled. I am not alone in this desire. Such a desire springs naturally from each human heart. Everyone who has lived and died on this planet Earth, we humans call home, has held this hope, at some stage or other (if we take away distraction). Hope for the freedom to love as we will is our communal prayer, and stands at the heart of living well; the very breath of life.

In my former life and training, I examined and concentrated my thought on minutiae to try to make sure that "further along the track" I would not slip, or fall, or stumble. But like most, I have even fallen, big-time, despite my precautions and careful consideration. Like you, I am human, after all.

It is said that Lord Buddha lived as an ordinary man, and died a very human death. He was not a god but a mortal. He expressly told his disciples that he did not wish to be memorialized by the erection of images as if he was a god but, rather, he wanted to be remembered for his good thought philosophy:

The Four Noble Truths: 1. Life contains suffering, along with joy 2. Suffering is caused by unmet desire, 3. There is a way to overcome unmet desire, and to experience joy, 4. That way is the Eight Fold Path.

The Eight-Fold Path: 1. Right knowledge, 2. Right aspiration, 3. Right speech, 4. Right behaviour, 5. Right livelihood, 6. Right effort, 7. Right mindfulness, and 8. Right absorption.

All this is what we might call "common-sense", but what did his followers do ? They founded a new religion, which uses Buddha's image as an idealized idol for worship, hoping that good luck might favour them, to the exclusion of others. It is that concept that beggars belief.

Since then, Buddhism has splintered into many parts, each holding their own "school" or "tradition" to be more authentic than the others. And yet the Four Noble Truths and Eight-fold Path lives on to testify that Buddha was here, with us, sharing our destiny (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schools_of_Buddhism etc).

If we discount, or count it as nothing much, the ancient thought of Australia's aboriginal religions (plural), we are wrong. Each culture has its own unique perspective. Some cultures by necessity have locked themselves into the past. Others have moved on. To be fair, all tradition is rooted in antiquity.

All thought, both ancient and modern is an accumulation of good thought, along with the bad.

Whatever position we take, we should do so not by saying that "we" know best, but that we have learned more, from our accumulated storehouses of wisdom. When we learn more, we allow outmoded thinking to be "blown off" as chaff to the winds, so that the distilled seed may be safely stored. For the future.

In due process of time, this pure seed can be replanted and nurtured to new life with our own loving attention. When this can happen, the cycle of life continues, moving forward, and not backwards.

Hinduism, perhaps the oldest of recorded religions, supporting priests and scholars, has also had its share of divisions over the years. Rulers and Empires have come and gone, and yet we now have to search for the goodness and right motive for "self-realization" which started the ball rolling in the first place (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_denominations etc).

Hindu's believe there are many paths leading to the "One God" or the "Source", whatever one chooses to call that ultimate "Truth". But all other things aside, surely one modern-day Swami had it right when he recently wrote:

"Love, as you have pointed out, is the immutable foundation on which to build anything which is of enduring worth." (Swami Amarananda 29th December 2009, commenting after his participation in the 5th Parliament of the World's Religions)....

However, outmoded Hindu theories of priestly caste have acted to the detriment of others. Women have not been treated equally. There is still much to be done so that women, along with minorities are left unmolested and protected on the streets.

It is sad to say that oftentimes, when it is left to self-appointed or hereditary kings or rulers (who regularly grease the palms of the country's priesthood to keep themselves in power), the gap between rich and poor grows wider, and the unscrupulous pocket the difference.

Love of money, class, or position of power is not love of neighbour as self. There are many in India who do act on this knowledge; more power to them and the lowly people they serve. For these kindly people, we give thanks to our Creating God, the Ultimate Ruler of Our World, the Universe, and much else (we might well suppose), besides.

Of the three main Abrahamic faiths, which promote the thought of One God, all have been splintered by numerous schisms over time and place, while each one continues to proclaim that theirs is "The Truth", meaning the only truth.

In Judaism, there are now Ultra-orthodox, Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, Hasidic, Kabbalah, Liberal, Reconstructionist, Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots, Karaites and Rabbinical, Chasidic, Messianic, Humanistic, Flexidox to name but a few I found on the internet (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_religious_movements , http://jewishroots.net/library/misce...-judaism-2.htm etc).

Some groups support the State of Israel, to the detriment of the Palestinians, while others do not. One group has refuted a time honoured ritual of (male) circumcision as "a barbarous cruelty which disfigures and disgraces our ancestral heirloom...."

Clearly, some groups believe that the wearing of certain clothing or hairstyles sets them apart from "non-believers" - but this theory has never yet been put to the test.

Others believe this is anachronistic arrant nonsense, and yet still call themselves Jews. In Israel today, and around the world, there are secular Jews who choose to eat foods banned for them in ancient texts. The world has not stopped in its spinning.

Jesus, the focus of Christians, himself was a Jew, which practiced then things not now countenanced. By all accounts, he was well schooled and knew his texts (including Solomon's Wisdom) from an early age. It should be noted that Solomon's wisdom did not limit the number of wives or concubines he had at that time, and that Jesus preferred celibacy rather than marriage. Or so it would seem.

The popularity of Jesus very much annoyed the religious leaders of his day, and they plotted against him to safeguard their interests. Once, he was asked by an expert on the law of Moses as follows "Teacher, what does one need to do to live forever in heaven ?"

Jesus wisely turned the question around, and asked of that man "What does Moses' law say about it ?". It says, replied the expert that, "you should love your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind. And, you must love your neighbour just as much as you love yourself." Right ! said Jesus: "Do this and you will live !"

And thus it would seem that Jesus has indicated that "Loving your neighbour as you love yourself IS loving the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength (see Luke 10.27-28 etc), and that we should not judge others, so that God will not judge us; we should not condemn others, so that God will not condemn us; we should forgive others, so that God will forgive us, and Give to others, so that God will give to us, also (see Luke 6.37 etc).

There are many other examples of the Golden Rule, both in the Bible, and in other major religious texts. For example, in the Bible: Leviticus 19.18, Matthew 7.12, Matthew 22.39, Mark 12.31, Luke 6.31, Romans 13.9-10, Galatians 5.14, James 2.8 - to quote a few of them.

This is an obviously important theme, and not called "Golden" for nothing, since it (The "Phi" Φ Rule, or measure of fullness, or ripe maturity), as with "gold" is pure, uncontaminated. There is no hate in Love. This is the message of Love, which is God.

Micah, in his Old Testament message had this to say:

"The Lord has told us what is good. What God requires of us is this: to do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God" (Micah 6.8).

And yet, with man's intervention, there has been much hair-splitting as we wriggle like worms on a hook. Can you believe it ? There are over 55 divisions within Christendom according to my quick check on the internet (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._denominations etc), all of them claiming their own truth. But what claim of orthodoxy, or catechism, or dogma, or doctrine can trump the Good News I have outlined for you above ? None.

It is time that the Christian religious groups held council, and humbly confessed to each other that their partial view has been heresy to the call of the man Jesus, some call Christ. Why should they do it, and do it now ? For Christs sake; for God's sake; for love of God and Neighbour !

The same may be said of Islam, another Abrahamic religion claiming superiority. Regarding the divisions in Islam, there seem to be at least 55 (see http://capablewoman.hubpages.com/hub/islamicsects etc). Some believe that Prophet Muhammad was a messenger of God, while some hold him to be the Final prophet of God. Since we live in a continuous world, this latter view seems passing strange.

Some believe in hereditary rights of accession, while others hold that leader's should be appointed upon merit. Some groups allow only the Koran to be read, while others allow the Hadiths as interpreting tools.

Some like to called Muslims, but many do not. Some allow their women the right to dress as they choose - for comfort and practicality, while others require that women must "cover up" when outside the home. Some allow that "Violence and killing have no place in solving the problems of 'man' ", while others encourage it. What can be more different ?

And some go to seemingly ridiculous lengths to ensure that their women kowtow to men, denying them the opportunity of an education, and the freedom to "be".

Whatever their position, there is a large range of opinion, which can only be true, if and unless that opinion is rooted in Love. Prayers and fasting count for nothing when we have a guilty conscience, when we have "done to others what we would not like done to ourselves".

What good is an Islamic Life (or any other life) if we do not allow Muhammad's final thought, that we should "hurt not others, so that we shall not be hurt" ? This is but a variation of the Golden Rule of reciprocity dreamed throughout the ages by all manner of kindly men, along with their women and children.

When we allow that "All people are created equal members of one human family" we can see to the heart of the matter: "Freedom is at the heart of Me" (says the "Universal 'Man' of No Clan for All Clans" - see "Peace and Harmony" section of www.wound-wisdom.tk and PDF file pages 10 and 11).

In wondering whether we need a new Pope before Easter Sunday 2013, let us all hope that such a leader, and all leaders today and every day henceforth, have it within themselves to "get it right" - for the benefit of all people now alive and for those to come, for:

"Humanity is like a bouquet of flowers, in which each flower is beautiful in its own right, yet, the combination of all flowers, and the rich diversity of their colours and forms, is more beautiful".

Brother's and Sister's of the world, in this age and the next, the aim and focus of life is not religion, but Love of God and Neighbour. Religion is a tool to focus humanity towards that love. A religion is a way to read the world, but it is not the main thing. It is your efforts in life; your humanity, your love, your kindness, in good times and in bad.

It's OK whoever you are; focus on your own kindness within your own family and community, and in humanity generally. It is our role to be kind, even to our animals. This is the way the Creator of All Things wishes human life to be enriched... by the "brother and sister-hood" of all races and nations, black, white, and/or brindle.

So long as people suffer abuses, they cannot achieve their full potential, as free and equal members of society. The triumph of humanity over injustice, inequality, and inhumanity, all begins with an idea: a sense of justice and the relentless pursuit of compassion and kindness to preserve human dignity.

This is Loving. Lest we forget !

The Unity of Inclusion

a piper too — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 14:46:20 GMT

It's been a while, and so I must say a warm hello to you again, from the Land of Aus, "downunder". I'll have to re-learn the quirks of the system, so have patience with me, please !

I've written an article lodged today with NVS (just a few minutes ago, actually), but the matter is important, so I hope you may not mind "double dipping" in this case.

Here are a few links to a vision of the future which is clear and unambiguous, which links greatness to the credo of equality which calls the world to accept "our gay brothers and sisters," fully welcome "the striving, hopeful immigrants," and equally respect "our wives, our mothers, and daughters." Those three priorities were reflected in Tuesday's prayer service, which featured gays, Latinos, and women in key liturgical roles.

The Washington Post: Obama, Biden attend inaugural prayer service at Washington National Cathedral at http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001rZauW...dg1u4a1-pXTO-M

Read more: http://swampland.time.com/2013/01/22...#ixzz2Lj59wHTq

View more and hear more: http://www.nationalcathedral.org/webcasts/ips2013.html . This service takes a full one hour and thirty nine minutes to conclude, so take a break, and give yourself a drink and something to eat. Enjoy !

Now read Pastor Nancy's thoughts about this humbling but empowering interfaith experience: Gay Pastor Nancy Wilson to Participate in Inaugural Interfaith Prayer Service .
She concluded: "Let peace begin with me; let this be the moment."

Let us do likewise. Amen !

From Little Things, Big Things Grow !

a piper too — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 09:52:03 GMT

From little things, big things grow (Found in the Harmony of Love) -
Donald Chalmers, 1st July 2012.
Independence Day !

I've been thinking of how I might respond to a comment regarding a very popular header "Six word Stories, Dare to Write" in the linkedin "Writers & Bloggers: Passion Creative" Group regarding "Platitudes": "Good Lord, people. Stories. Stories! Dare to write! - do not mewl with platitudes !"

From my perspective, "from simpler propositions and (even) six-worded cliché's we form platitudes; from platitudes we form truism's; from truism's we gain maxim's; from maxim's we find axioms; from axioms we intuit aphorism's; from aphorism's we "know" what is moral, and what is not, what is good and what is bad, and what is right from what is wrong".

Forwards or backwards doesn't matter, so long as we progress, in a positive direction, so that we may Truly Live, and Love, with Goodness, and Productivity of Heart and Mind and Action as our only Goal !

This is how languages are built up, amplified and embroidered; this is how a child learns its first concepts, and words to express them. According to a recent documentary I watched on TV, most parents simplify their expression when their child is present, and thus build up the child's confidence "grain by grain", or "word by word" until suddenly the child can string thoughts, and then whole sentences together.

Current techniques are in hand so that as well as seeing things in the "macro" we can also now see these things in "micro". It is now seen that sometimes the macro and micro theories we've been able to come up with thus far, do not agree with each other. That's not necessary. But each seems true in its field. Even the nothingness of "space" is "three-dimensional", at the very least. Just a little thought confirms this for us.

"Time" itself can now be broken down to infinitesimal small fractions, so that "it" too can be "broken" (from what we had thought of as a continuous linear progression) down into separate "pieces" which can be "mirrored" and further separated by "brains" or "membranes".

It is my "belief" based on experience, that if something is true, or largely true, then we should be able to add these things together, in any order, and with only a few "joining" words, to make sense of them in a different way. The simpler the line, the easier it should get.

For example, from my title: "From little things, big things grow". This was a popular line and melody (with sweet and harmonious singing) which celebrated diversity here in Australia, just a few years ago.

Nothing split by Unity is "Phi", the "Constant of Creation" ("Φ"). "I" is the simplest "quote" possible, at least, in the English language, where it uses only one letter.

The meaning of "I" is very clear. "I" is all that "I Am", and "I Am" is God. Therefore, when we amplify "I" to "I Am", we see "Phi" ("Φ") which indicates that "I" exists within the everlasting, all-inclusive "whole", which we mostly represent as the "figure 1", meaning "one".

"Φ" is the symbol or "character" in the Greek language which represents the Greek three lettered word "Phi", a very special number which has very special properties relating to the circle, and the Greek symbol for "Pi" ("π").

Pi you might remember from secondary school, has a specific numerical value: 3.142... to an infinite number of decimal places (which roughly equates to 31/7), so that 2πr = the circumference of any circle of given radius "r". As angular measurements, Pi equals 180 "degrees", π/2 = 90˚ etc.

Numerically, Φ possesses exceptional mathematical properties: 1.618 ÷ 0.618 = 2.618; 1.618 × 1.618 = 2.618. That is, Phi "squared" - ie Φ "squared" = 2.618... to infinity, and Phi "cubed" = 3.618... etc.

In any increasing progression where Φ is the ratio between successive terms, each term is equal to the sum of the two preceding. This uniqueness affords the simple calculation of a series. From any two successive terms, all others may be defined by the use of compasses.

Phi has often also been called the "Constant of Beauty", in that it pervades the natural and numerical worlds, created by Nature itself, everywhere. Φ, which is a true, never ending, and never repeating series of numbers, which encapsulate the totality of the whole, is known as the "Golden Ratio", or "Golden Mean", or "Golden Proportion" or "Golden Section", or "Golden Number".

This additive sequence was apparently first rationalized in arithmetical terms by the 12th Century Leonardo Fibonacci of Pisa. It is generally known as the "Fibonacci Series", with each successive figure being the sum of the previous two - ie: 0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,89, etc.

This series is not only significant in practical terms, but has long been recognized as a fundamental principle in the structure of plant and animal organisms, and accounts for the spiraling nature of sea shells, and so on.

It is no "wonder" then: the "Constant of Creation" has Beauty and Proportion etc "inbuilt"....

Anything which is of enduring worth is slowly and gradually built in this way - sounds, words, language, vision, intuition, and understanding etc notwithstanding. It is on this solid ground that "all else" rests.

And thus, it should be no surprise to us that many mathematicians have written with great enthusiasm about this extraordinary concept, used by architects and builders worldwide for millennia to create structures of great beauty, as they try to emulate the perfection of Creation found in Nature, which is the work of something outside of our realm - "God", or "GΦd" - no less. Consider the following concepts:

i = phi φ (less than one's self); I = One Whole self (1); Phi = Ф (More than One's own: Self !).
0. 1. I. I am. I am Phi ! I am Phi I am ! I am that I am - two; you too !
0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, etc....

As a non-linear progression, the Fibonacci Series is represented pictorially by the following "sea-shell-like spiral" (as shown at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibonacci_number etc), and "in space" at http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2011/04...-think-lateral via the Hubble Telescope, the internet, etc.

According to ZaKaiRan (see http://www.zakairan.com/ZaKaiRansArt...m#.T_BrMhce7IY), "The real reason we are attracted to Sacred Geometry is because it represents creation; something we are all reawakening within our divine creative nature. We are attracted to Sacred Geometry because it is masculine and feminine; something we are all balancing within. Sacred Geometry represents or is an image to help us remember creation and how to create. Sacred Geometry is the essence of creation.

Sacred Geometry is a universal language that allows us to access ancient knowledge contained in our cellular memory. It is the key to understanding the nature and value of color, sound, light, love, creation... Sacred Geometry provides complete understanding and experience to consciously co-Create a new world of Divine Expression and accelerate the Ascension process. Sacred Geometry rekindles our cellular memory of knowledge lost during the old civilization's prime directive of "mastery of limitation."

Who are "we" to say "no" to this distilled vision, this "essence" ?

But to get back to simpler concepts: There are two single lettered words in the English language - "a" and "i". Both consist of two parts, as commonly written in "lower case". Most people, except perhaps linguists accept this. There are but a few two lettered words: am, me, no, oh, we - and - an, in, on, of, or, to, etc (?).

There are not many three lettered words which "make sense" in and of themselves: "all", arm, axe, bad, bag, cut, dip, dot, dry, hip, hot, hut, fan, fat, fog, gun, gum, ice, off, oil, one, old, pal, red, sky, sue, two, wet etc (?). There are perhaps a few more which must be combined with others to make sense - eg "act", add, and, bid, bin, baa, fob, law, our, put, sue, the, too, two (etc ?) !

Then there are many four lettered words, and many many more others - longer still (but mainly made up from simpler "others"), which we combine with other words both long and short as a "mix", to make up "one sentence", which can be as short as "I", "I am" or long.

Some sentences can even be constructed to contain all of the twenty-six letters of the Latin Alphabet without repetition - eg "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog."

The English language is indeed a puzzle. There are many "pointers" along the "way" to the "meaning" we intend to "convey". Sometimes we "restate" the sentence "in other words" to make our point "crystal clear". And as in all languages and relationships, "context" is everything, but choosing just the right word, or words is important. Luckily for "us", we now have electronic aides of all sorts to help us select them.

Some words such as "live" can be "reversed" to give a completely opposite meaning (evil). That "God" is "good" can perhaps be inferred in that only one extra letter (the central letter !) needs to be added (repeated) to gain one aspect of the fundamental "character" we attribute to "God", the "Creator of All Things - both animate and inanimate, time and space, male and female, food and drink, etc ad infinitum".

Indeed, as the modern-day keypads of mobile phones are "configured", it is amazing that the eight keys used to configure the twenty six letters of the alphabet, when used in "predictive mode", reveal amazing similarities in words containing the same number of letters.

For instance, the keys we press to spell out "good" can simultaneously mean "home", "respect" can also spell out the first letters of its opposite - "persecu(te)", "love" is "loud", and "clear" is "clear" etc. The list of surprises goes on and on. "Push" equals "surge", also, for example.

Take a look at your mobile phone to confirm these "facts". These are facts, and only facts !

But my understanding of language springs from my naïve and native verbal use of English, and from my reading etc. The rules of grammar and the pedagogy of linguists are wasted on me, for I am but a common person.

Language specialists are trained in the art of writing, and of diction; they may rework their own thoughts to fit the rules they have learned regarding "present" and "past" tense, adjectives and verbs etc - and sometimes so much so, that their work becomes almost "unreadable" and "unintelligible" to non specialists - like "me" - and the rest of "us".

In the simplified way I can understand it, some languages use miniature "characters" or "pictograms" or "hieroglyphs" rather than combinations of letters to denote concepts, or words. These are however "built up" from simpler "meanings" (plural), often layer upon layer.

These layers may resemble the outline of the "figure" (person, or house, or object etc), or the "action" (type of work, or even status) meant to be conveyed, like currently used internationally recognizable "symbols" which serve as simplified pictorial representational "signs" (eg, for Male, or Female etc).

The "brush strokes" of the writer must be clear, or confusion reigns - and the meaning must be teased out from the context with other signs, just as we do with words in English.

Some concepts require more than one word ("character") to describe them. Thus, "pairs of characters", may be written vertically downwards, from left to right, or vice versa. Or they may be written horizontally from right to left, rather than from left to right. When this latter occurs, then each book seems to English readers, to require opening and reading from "the back", and the spine of the book is held to "the right", rather than to "the left", as "we" are used to.

To complicate matters further, the pairs of characters used to describe many concepts are not usually "boxed" as a pair, and can be mixed in with the single characters of less complex concepts, so that the reader has to pair up appropriate characters as he/she proceeds from the beginning to the end.

Thus it would appear that this "building up of relationships" is a "constant" throughout language groups; otherwise all systems fail, and "darkness falls" (ignorance reigns), until the groundwork is re-established, illuminated, and "built up" once more.

When we wrestle with the concept of "Divinely Inspired" but man-made "religion" - which is surely the study of "all that is good" (God) - and what is "not", we must recognize that "There is no hate in Love". Love is the immutable foundation on which to build anything which is of enduring worth (Swami Amarananda) and that apart from these things, There should be no compulsion in religion (Koran):

For it's only space which separates us (Nothing separates us). We should Hurt no one - so that we may not be hurt (Muhammad). We should Be kind, even to our animals (Solomon). Love your neighbour as you love yourself: Do this and you will live (Jesus): If I have no love, I am nothing (Saul, who became Paul).

The worth of a life is measured by how much love it has. Everything else is nothing. Nothing at all (Dietrich Bonhoeffer). If we do not see God in ALL, then we do not see God - at all ! (Concluding song, 5th Parliament of the World's Religions, Melbourne, Australia, December 2009)".

As I've already mentioned, it seems to me that "From simple propositions and (even) six-worded cliché's we form platitudes; from platitudes we form truism's; from truism's we gain maxim's; from maxim's we find axioms; from axioms we intuit aphorism's; from aphorism's we "know" what is moral, and what is not, what is good and what is bad, and what is right from what is wrong". Forwards or backwards doesn't matter, so long as we progress towards the flowering of our "understanding", and "kindly action" ! :

From little things, big things grow.
Feed the earth; feed the world.
Be generous and kind. Be strong.

Get busy living: get busy loving.
Gold and Silver have I none:
Excepting for me and thee - All !

"Gold" - always has a positive balance.
"Sterling" still has a good name;
They don't only refer to money.

"That" only IS, which is Eternal.
Thou Alone, the Eternal remaineth, and
Thou art Enough. Remain in "US".

Wish you were here, with me....
Lost in the Harmony of Love....
Worshipping God in Spirit, and Truth !

Now consider the "reverse" of the above six-word aphorisms, which (perhaps) reveals another aspect of living "well":

Worshipping God in Spirit, and Truth !
Lost in the Harmony of Love....
Wish you were here, with me....

Thou art Enough. Remain in "US".
"That" only IS, which is Eternal.
Thou Alone, the Eternal remaineth, and

"Gold" - always has a positive balance.
"Sterling" still has a good name;
"They" don't only refer to money.

Gold and Silver have I none:
Excepting for me and thee - All !
Get busy living: get busy loving.

Be generous and kind. Be strong.
Feed the earth; feed the world.
From little things, big things grow.

In conclusion: I trust, hope and pray that these few words, the amalgam of many, will not be lost with you.

May all of life's benefits and blessings be yours, also ! Amen, and Amen ! Salaam ! Shalom ! Pax ! Peace !

Donald Chalmers, "a piper too", 1st July 2012

Prayer for “Earth Day”, Sunday 22nd April 2012

a piper too — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:07:26 GMT

Prayer for "Earth Day", Sunday 22nd April 2012

This prayer "crossed my desk" yesterday, and, since it is so relevant to "Good God" living and loving, and "Politics" the world over, I present it here:

A prayer for the Earth by Jason O'Neill:

God of many names and God beyond naming,
we celebrate your creation and provision.

Forgive us for abusing this precious resource.
Remind us we are called to be good stewards.

Our love for you leads us to respect for all...
All living things and all of creation.

Make us aware of the impact of our actions.
We commit to steps to balance those actions.

Guide us in shifting the conversation.
We commit to changing our ways.

Amen.

It seems to me that this prayer (good thought) is like unto the "Prayer of Jesus", or, as we commonly refer to it "The Lord's Prayer", and is thus a valuable resource, to which we should refer to often, as we negotiate life's path, for the benefit of our children, and their children, and so on.

"Worship of God" stands for nothing if it does not include "Respect" for "Mother Earth" which sustains us, and which should not be raped and pillaged until "it" prematurely dies, and is Dead, Dead, Dead !

That is not what we should want for our own children, or any children..., so let us "pray" with sincerity, as we "wish" our Earth and all who dwell thereon "All of Life's Blessings and Benefits" - for as long as time allows it.

Emotional boundaries and manipulation: Parenting and the Ten Commandments:

a piper too — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:31:19 GMT

Emotional boundaries and manipulation: Parenting and the Ten Commandments:

The following was sourced from the internet with a little helpful starter by my online friend Jendi Reiter (see her blog at http://jendireiter.com/2012/03/23/my...he-family.aspx ). This is the "gist of it", helped along by just a little "google-searching", fore-knowledge, and at least ten years of my own work, as well.

The quotes I have selected may not be "exactly" as taken; I have cobbled some of them together, or added to them, to encompass the "drift of thought". They are almost in the same order as I selected them, so should certainly form a "cohesive whole".

What offers better advice about emotional boundaries and manipulation than many therapists and clergy provide ? Read on:

Childhood is not a bill that you have to pay for later. Parenting is not charity, or a loan - it is a requirement for those who took on the job, whether they meant to or not.

For the first 20 years of your life, you are being trained to be a caregiver. At no point in that time should you be required to be one yourself. That's not your job. Your job is to learn and grow. When you become a parent yourself, you will be required to do it as well, without thanks or compensation.

You can't fix the addictions of your parents, or your children, or their depression, or stupidity, or chronic need to constantly be in some kind of dramatic crisis. Only "they" can do that !

If I had a penny for every time a religious leader has enabled an abuser with the Fifth "Commandment" (Honour thy father and thy mother - Exodus 20.12)... I could do some serious damage with my piggy bank.

It's easy to argue that, as a general principle, "honouring one's parents" is a good idea.... To say that it's good as a general principle is not, however, the same as saying that it should be regarded as an absolute.

If a survivor of parental abuse does not feel able to honour his/her parents, or their abuser, no one should be surprised and no one should try to insist that they act otherwise.

People are "commanded" to honour "both" mother and father, not simply the father, and not the father to a greater degree.

What we know of the "Ten Commandments" is that they were translated first (and for many centuries) as "the ten words", "the ten sayings" or "the ten matters". Words, sayings, or matters can hardly be understood as "commandments" - at all !

But they may be the best we have, as in "God's Word": The "ten words", "the ten sayings" or "the ten matters", appear twice in the Old Testament (in Exodus 20.3-12-17, and Deuteronomy 5.7-16-21).

We often remember the "others" of such matters (which we can more easily keep, perhaps), but not the "third" ("Do not use God's name for evil purposes" - see Exodus 20.07 and Deuteronomy 5.11). The "third", along with the "first" (worship no god but "me"), encompass "all that is good", while the others fall within that limit.

The "Ten Commandments" concern only matters of fundamental importance: the greatest obligation (to worship only God), the greatest injury to a person (murder/disfigurement etc), the greatest injury to family bonds (abuse/adultery etc), the greatest injury to commerce and law (bearing false witness/cheating etc), the greatest intergenerational obligation (honour to parents/children etc), the greatest obligation to community (truthfulness/nurture etc), the greatest injury to moveable property (theft/arson/malicious damage etc).

Because they are "fundamental" {"I am God, no idols: Love", use not God's Good for evil purposes, Day of rest per week dedicated to Goodness and Health, Respect equally (honour your mother and father), No Murder/abuse, No adultery/cheating, No stealing/damage, No false witness/secrets}, the "Ten Commandments" (otherwise interpreted as "words", "sayings", or 'matters") are written with room for varying interpretation.

They are not as explicit or detailed as rules and regulations..., because they provide "guiding" principles that apply "universally", across changing circumstances. They do not specify punishments for their violation. Their precise import must be worked out in each separate situation.

What we don't know far outweighs what we do know. Blessings are where we find them. We are to enjoin all people to hold fast by the best in the precepts.... Only then is the voice of "the people" the voice, or the "word" of "God". When it is "Good" !

And now, as to what we do know for a fact, now in 2012: "There is more genetic variance regarding the shape of your earlobe than the melanin in your skin."

Therefore: Black equals White (for there is some white in black), White equals Black (for there is some black in white), Man equals Woman (for there is some female in male), Female equals Male (for there is some man in woman), God equals Love, Love equals God: God of Love, Truth, Goodness, Equity, Mercy, Nature, Nurture, Growth, Refuge, Shield, Strength, Peace, Freedom....

To "Love one another" is the loving essence of "Good God Living", and progressing, through "Time". "Good-God" Loving Loves..., and progresses, and difference is celebrated, lovingly:

We are, God IS: I am, you are, we are, they are, all are.

Of faith, hope, and love, the greatest of these is Love: It is love then we should strive for. To help, encourage, comfort, and support. The Bible tells us so (see 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 etc) ! Without Love (helping, encouraging, comforting and supporting), we are nothing ! Nothing at all !

Anything less than love is not holy (not from God).

Hardly any of us is "perfect" when put to the test, and those who are would surely shrink from such perfection given a second chance - to escape the flames of cruel and sense-less martydom. Thus it would seem that "Where we cannot love, our only duty is to respect and to do no harm" (live, and let live).

If we respect ourselves, we will respect others. I know I have mentioned these things before, but they bear repeating in this troubled world - of "ours".

Love gives, but is not restricted to a formula. It also receives, and everyone gains. This is the best option for imperfect people - the over-whelming great majority of populations throughout the ages. This issue is at the heart of world sanity and peace, and acts - as we all should - so as to reflect the Love of God.

"We" (all of "us") are gods without being "God". When we reflect God from ourselves into the world, then we are in Union with God, doing God's will, loving others and working - together, for the good of all people and peoples.

God is Love: Live Love ! Love and move inwards; discover your will....
Love all, by recognising yourself in all others. Live and let live !
KindlyAction - Life Long ! Amen !

The Humble Bucket

a piper too — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:10:59 GMT

Bucket or Chalice ?

When WE consider the humble bucket, we have to allow that it has a certain "mass", or density of outline and shape, irrespective of its "content", or lack thereof. This mass will vary in "weight" depending upon where it is situated - in space, or out of it.

Subjected to earth's "gravity" the bucket has weight as well as mass.

When the bucket is out "in" space, the buckets internal forces shall expand its outline, whereas, if it is subjected to external pressures of great enough magnitude, the bucket will be compressed and made smaller.

The humble bucket has a value whether it is half full, half empty, filled to the brim, or is quite empty. It has a value in and of itself, whether it sits "vertically", or not. In fact, the humble bucket is, in "normal" circumstances here on earth, filled with, and surrounded by "air", the very stuff which we "breathe" - both "in" and both "out".

When it rains "here" on earth, an "upturned" bucket left out in the "open" will "fill" - with water. When upturned "face down" it will "void it". Whether it is a thimble, cup or bucket in "size", it will still have the "capacity" to contain "something" - even if that something is "space" - itself.

The value upon which we place upon our "own" selves, should not depend upon whether we see ourselves as (just) "half full" or "half empty". Even an empty bucket is filled with "something" and has "worth" in and of, and by itself. This is the "given" of our existence - the "presence" which exists WITH "Self".

Whether we call "this" Self "God" or some other name matters not. The concept is born with us - a "present" pre-sent along "with" our very "conception" which is the resultant of "desire", or hope-filled inclination, which can only exist through the aegis and progression of "Time". Present "moments" as a plural are a "continuum". They exist (even) in the "vacuum" (nothingness) of space over time.

Time itself is "warped" (bent out of shape) depending on the speed of its travel, so thus can "re-appear" over a long "period" - though whether this is "one turn in" or "one turn out" depends on our own viewing "platform" (vantage point, or perspective).

Time requires "movement" to exist. It must "progress" over time. If it were to stand still at any point, it (we and the forces at play in the universe and the galaxies beyond- known and unknown) would "implode" and cease to exist.

"And if the Wine you drink, the Lip you press, End in the Nothing all Things end in — Yes — Then fancy while Thou art, Thou art but what Thou shalt be — Nothing — Thou shalt not be less !"

So said that great physician and polymath Omar Khayyám (1048 - 1123 AD) about 900 years ago.

In considering what has gone on "before", we must consider the direction we should take to achieve our goals. If we seek "the light", then we should "progress", even though our paths will vary. History is "herstory", also. Like moths drawn to "the flame" we dart hither and thither, backwards and forwards, up and down, in and out.

Sometimes, we might draw too close to the flame, and are "consumed" by it - in electrical "discharge". Nothing is wasted.

In the "meantime", our lives are spent coupling and uncoupling, ingesting and voiding. However we might try, we cannot stand "alone", for to stand alone is to be "dead" to the world and all those who live and breathe in and on it.

To "live" and to "love" and to "progress" is our only "duty" and responsibility. Multiplication without limits is unthinking hindrance to "good cause", and effect. All else is sinking sand.

Evil can only be reversed by "living" ("evil" is the word "live" - in reverse) - and living "well". When we recognize that we "ourselves" (plural) have "value" in and of ourselves, then we value that from which we have sprung. To "have" value is a "good" in and of itself, while (at the same time) we "hold" it.

Indeed, to "have and to hold" is the primal urge granted "within" us at birth. However, to have and to hold does not mean to "grasp", which meanly grabs what should be shared - with others, since not one of us has greater worth than another.

Balance and justice have two sides - as do "we". Both sides are uplifted by the (positive) power of Love; both sides are depressed by the (negative) power of evil.

The "pivot point" (which, for want of a better word we might call "God") is our "stumbling block", in that we often try to reposition ourselves with regard to it, so as to lever "advantage" - to our side, to the detriment of "others".

From "a-theists" to "z-theists" - all are "theists" to some degree, in that they are part of a greater whole; one of the "many" who happen to have been born in a similar time-frame. Our ancestor's were no less; nor were they greater.

The worship of "ancestors" makes no sense, unless we include them with our own living selves; what we venerate in death we must venerate in life. Otherwise, our hopes and work in this world will have been "in vain" - to "no avail". If we do not venerate the memories of our forbears, and commemorate the kind works and achievements of "others", we cannot positively move forward in life.

Life, it will be better without us unless we choose to "love". That was the message of Jesus the Jew. For the betterment of humanity as a whole, it behoves us to heed this message - to hold it close to our hearts, sleeping or waking, in dying and in living.

It is when we "hurt not others so that we ourselves are not hurt" (this thought was one of the last recorded thoughts of Muhammad (570-632AD), we do ourselves and our kin a favour. A "kind word" and "forgiveness" is better than charity followed by injury.

There should be No Compulsion in Religion (which is all about living and loving well):

Many are the leaders who in falsehood defraud people of their possessions and bar people from The Path...; Why follow obscure verses, desiring sedition (conflict) ?

Some verses of religious texts are precisely "kind" in meaning: they are the foundation of "The Book of Life", and of "Good-God Living, and Loving". Fierce bigotry is the fierce bigotry of ignorance; Do not argue with the People of the Scripture (those who hold to a different view), except with better ways (an expanded and more loving view).

Never charge a soul with more than it can bear (for it is mean-spirited to do so).

Righteousness is not whether you face towards the east or the west; Give just weight and full measure. There is no fault in you if you make mistakes, but only in what your hearts intended. Be just, even if it affects your own kin (close family). Speak of goodness to people.

Lower your voice; the most hideous of voices is the braying of the donkey. Take time: Listen to the Fundamental drone-tone !

And thus we return to our subject matter, the humble "bucket". If we desire it, and "will it" to be so, this can be for "us" a "chalice" (a Holy, Hearted Vessel) to contain the "Living Waters" described for us (you and me, also) in the Words (plural) of "Holy Writ" (Guide for Good Living), which can be found, if we seek truly, without malice of forethought. The Holy Grail.

Now, unto "God" (you are gods, along with all of the "others" !), say and do what is right. Don't use your power to cheat the poor, and don't accept bribes. Don't join with those who plan to commit murder or do other evil things. Then you will be safe; you will be as secure as if you were in a strong fortress. You will have food to eat and water to drink....

And to conclude: Whatever you do, see that you are a piper too ! Enough of air and breath ! Amen ! and Amen !

This is "The Key" to "Good Living": Sing of Love and Just Love: Kindly Action, and Inter-action ! Enough ! Let it be so !

Loving-Kindness depends on You, and Me, in Concert ! Together ! Amen !

May all the blessing, honour and power so freely given to us

www.wound-wisdom.tk , www.myspace.com/a_piper_too , http://wound-wisdom-letters.blogspot.com , http://wound-wisdom-poetry.blogspot.com , http://www.thingsihavelearnedinmylif...sers/apipertoo

... return to the One God who gave life to US...

“Spare the Rod and Spoil the Child ? Good News 2012”

a piper too — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:28:30 GMT

I don't know what went wrong in my initial posting of this as an article ("Spare the Rod and Spoil the Child ? Good News 2012" )under my own name on 9th January 2012. The below is now posted as a "comment" to the article, because only the paragraph containing the Biblical references "took".

The following first appeared as my "linkedin" response to a blog which has been locked in "debate" ever since (quite a few hundred long responses). The question put was "Should we discipline our children ?"

Someone brought up the "Biblical" view that if we "spare the rod, then we spoil the child". That this was a biblical view at all was hotly contested, and I responded as follows (my comment "here" being the gist of my response, and the basis of my article at NVS):

Biblical passages in the Old Testament from which this understanding springs seem to stem from Proverbs 13:24, Proverbs 19:18, Proverbs 22:15, Proverbs 23:13, Proverbs 29:15, 17.

I have had both my grown sons recently remind me that I did (for each of them) wash their mouths out with soap for what they had "said". I asked them if they remembered what they had said, but neither of them thought my action was justified - even though I had merely given them the same treatment I had received from my own grandmother, at around the same age. I remember feeling hurt and outraged as a child myself, at the time. I admitted that I had done wrong, but warned them that "your turn will come" as you become parents: parenting is not all fun and games, but "hard work". The "hard work" of parenting is in "respectful communication", not in unjust or unequal punishment.

Two wrongs never make a "right" ! In fact, the second wrong compounds the first. Hopefully, our respectful discussion about this as adults will ensure that my grandchildren will not be so affected, and that the society in which they live will allow them to grow into mature and responsible adults, loving all.

With regard to the saying attributed to Solomon, we must remember that the Book of Proverbs was a collection from the sayings of King Solomon (about 3000 years ago) to demonstrate the (good) power of "wisdom", which was praised above all other things. A good look at the whole of "Proverbs", and its sequel "Ecclesiastes" (which are practically slap bang in the middle of the Bible) should be compulsory reading for all people, religious or not, I believe. Mostly, it is "common-sense". But it is hardly ever discussed among the "religious" today, though referred to in the teaching of Jesus (see Matthew 6.29 and Luke 11:29).

These days, it is easy for all people to "google-search" to find references for almost any problem, or any malady; we don't especially need to follow the words and deeds of the latest religious or political "heroes", who have the "gift of the gab", and want us to follow "them", like sheep. We can do our own homework, and reach our own conclusions, especially if we have read from the "left" to the "right" of practical and unbiased opinion. If we have read and "understand" the "rights" and the "wrongs" of the recorded sayings of Solomon (and his conclusions in Ecclesiastes), then we cannot fail to be "blessed".

Luckily for us, we have evolved, and for the better. It has taken us thousands of years to do so. The ownership of wives and concubines (as sexual slaves) along with slavery is seen for what it is - abuse and worse - an abomination (not right in any respect, and definitely not fair to all concerned). The usurping of the rights of others is an abomination ! Leaders these days who do not also assume responsibility for the care of the people who elected them, are promptly "thrown out", unless they can establish themselves as "dictators" (another "dirty" word !), to the detriment of all except "themselves".

We are also fortunate that most of us are not blind to scientific research, which details the damage "religion run amuk" (idolatrous and skewed fundamentalism) still wreaks in our lives, even today. Concepts of love, nurture, and care, freedom, respect, and kindness are the only fundamentals which need "inculcation". We do this for those we love by our own demonstration of "Good-God" living (Kind living !). And where we cannot love, then our (only and every) duty is to "respect" and "do no harm".

Jesus identified the very heart of his "Good News Gospel" thus: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (see Matt 22:37-40, Mark 12.28-34, and Luke 10.25-37).

The Golden Rule of Love made its appearance a number of times in the Old as well as the New Testaments, as far back as Genesis 21.23-4, Leviticus 19.17-18 and 19.33-4,, and Deuteronomy 6.4-9.

The Golden Rule is also supported in Micah 6.8 etc, but is not given as the "crux" of all teaching; the thing on which all else must rest. And we have to ask ourselves why ? Once we have this understanding repeated "while we are at home, when we are away, when we are resting, and when we are working", we cannot go "astray", and we (all) will make "wise" parents.

As to myself, I don't know for sure, because I once "smacked" a pre-school child (a very slight tap on the hand) who was being very "naughty" and "disruptive" and was beginning to draw with a biro upon the bank counter, while her mother took absolutely no notice of the glares of all the people around. Luckily for me, the mother took absolutely no notice (but the child was shocked into silence and stopped her doodling). And all of the people, including the "tellers" - smiled to thank me. But then, I have never claimed to be "perfect" ! No-one of us is. We can but try, kindly....

At "linkedin" many people weighed in from Doctors to Psychologists, along with a plethora of mum's and dad's, teachers etc, so it will be interesting if Nigerian Village Square will "drum up" the same interest and divergence of views.

Oh Dear ! Get yours ? Another War Story

a piper too — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 15:11:49 GMT

Oh Dear ! Get Yours ? Another War Story

I have taken the trouble to view both the �Burma Boy� documentary and the �Jungle War in Burma� videoclip, and taken some notes from these, and the comments made thus far (see http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/...urma-boys.html ).

In my country also, both white and black Australian boys (and some men) hurried off �in droves� to war to stave off Japanese subjugation, while those who stayed at home worked night and day, under strict rationing of food, to feed the war machine. Lean were the pickings in Australia during World War 2, and the hard times extended for several years more. And �our� world changed. I was born in the shadow of Hiroshima.

Both during and after the war, women too became a part of the paid workforce, and although it divided men for a while, little by little �their� lot in Australia improved.

Australian women were granted the right to vote in 1903 at �Federation� (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_a...t_in_Australia ).

Aboriginal Australians were granted suffrage in 1967 following the results of a National referendum. With the help of women, and those who had been exposed to the injustice of war and non-representation, the amendments to the Australian Constitution were overwhelmingly endorsed, winning 90.77 percent of votes cast and carrying in all six states (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austral..._(Aboriginals) ).

This was only the first �step�. But it was a vital one for the health of the country. For all Australians. And indeed, for all people the world over, as �the balance� shifted to �equality for all�, rather than �monopoly�. Nobody is being an apologist for any colonial power here.

My ancestors came to Australia just to survive the terrible famine and deplorable conditions imposed upon them by an inherited class system, which was anything but equal, even in their own country. Does this sound depressingly familiar ?

Trust me: I know the sins of colonialism and nepotism. There is history and there is biography. And much of that is �made up� to �coddle� fragile, cocooned ego�s.

What are the remedy�s to these blots in world �his� and �her� history (and black and white, hetero and homo sexual stories etc, as well) ?

It is only when we focus our attention on what good we can do �right now� as we serve others (rather than just take, take, and take) that we can more easily �strike a fine balance� and can �live to love� as we are commanded by the �Good Book� and other religious texts, which also include a lot of other, less wholesome �stuff� to make clear that which is pure, and unadulterated: Loving Thought and Kindly Action.

Roughly speaking (since it matters not a jot who said what) I have put together the following, from which I hope you will recognize my painfully extracted quotes in �italix� (all good African stuff, �above� and �below�). My thanks to all who commented; it was your effort and passion which enabled me to finish this summary, which I trust you will find �fair� (meaning �evenly balanced, without vitriol�).

Hopefully, some good will come from it:

War �levels us� and we find that �we�re not so different, after all. War destroys so many lives, so quickly. I didn�t like war at all. You will be killed; some were killed, some maimed, some impoverished. Over what ? As human beings we should be able to sit together, and solve our problems peacefully. White and black are not so different, after all�.

We are all capable of courage, cowardice, intelligence, and stupidity. We are all human. �Humane� also would be better.

In the fighting, we saw black and white were just the same. After the war we wanted things to change. We were promised a war bonus, a pension. We have (still ?) to get it. Not that its right to expect �loot� or �booty� � the �spoils of war� � stolen from defeated �others�.

Some recognition and/or compensation for lives wasted, and friendships shattered, would be nice, also.

I�m keeping my focus on the smaller person-to-person story at the heart of the documentary. Of course Britain (and the Arabs, and African chiefs and despots etc have) raped Africa. I don�t take a back seat to anyone in understanding that. There are �facts� in every story, but the opinions and interpretations of those facts can differ�.

You do not have to be a monster to participate in evil�. Evil can be banal. Acts of historic monstrosity have been made possible by ordinary pen-pushing people, working within the (tortured) confines of their times.

Sometimes the most profound events in our lives come from the most random characters. As a matter of fact, they help you �get yours�. Believe that !

To think that those unforced acts of kindness so many years ago preserved a life that touched and spawned so many more is awe-inspiring. �Good� irrigates life.

We must first�point to� (expose) a problem, and (never) �ever mind what we will do about it�.

They say �where there is a will, there is a way�. I believe this, however you and I will have to be honest and start by asking ourselves if we indeed truly have �the will� and how much of �it� we have:

Our lives are all meaningful to those who care about us (at the very least).

When we feel a need, a desperate hunger to do very terrible things, we must first �point to� (expose) a problem, and �mind what we will do about it�, thinking all the while of those we love, and of our own responsibilities not to engage in unnecessary war, or hate-fueled acts of depravity.

The worst thing� is not (even) what �others� may think about �us�, its what �we� think of �ourselves� and how �we� � on that basis � act against ourselves that matters. And yes, �unfortunately a lot of us actually do (still, contrary to all of the evidence which is now able to be shown to us) act or think like monkeys/baboons�.

If �they� (our war veterans and world travellers) had not seen the world (at) war we might still be in ignorance. They have an excuse; they open our eyes; they tried according to their ability. What is the excuse of us in this internet age ? Continue to get ours ?

No ! We should take advantage of all the �common-sense� we can get:

�We should take benefit of �five before five�: our youth before our old age, our health before our sickness, our wealth before our poverty, our free-time before our preoccupation, and our life before our death.�

�Five before five� holds true, especially when we view the reference to �wealth� to mean �talent� or �inborn gift� � because �rank� or �wealth� themselves are but �gold money�s stamp�.

Gold money�s stamp is worth absolutely nothing unless the persons who hold such rank, title or wealth are Loving, and do good whenever they are able to do it, as if there is no tomorrow.

Whatever good you are able to do then do it � for perhaps you will not be able to tomorrow. And do not postpone today's deeds for tomorrow, perhaps tomorrow will come, and you are deceased.

Work hard to earn your own living, share with those in need from your earnings, and always remember God as the only Doer, the only Giver.

So finally, to wind up, also from quotes I have collected over time:

It is the stories we choose to tell, and how we choose to tell them, which really determines the future course of our society. Each group is judged (by the One who Matters) by how it treats its weakest members � and those who have learned their �life-lessons� well.

It is a rare gift to meet a human being in whom love�and this means God�is so overwhelmingly manifest. It undercuts theological arrogance as well as pious isolation. It is more than justice and it is greater than faith and hope. It is the presence of God Himself. For God is love. And in every moment of genuine love we are dwelling in God and God in us.

And so we should thank Isaac Fadoyebo, the children and grandchildren of Suleman (whose family and other villagers lied so that Isaac and his friend would live) etc, Al-Jazeera and Barnaby Phillips for bringing this inclusive �Burma Boys� story to light.

"Ground Zero" - 11th September, 2011 - Ten Years On

a piper too — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 13:07:48 GMT

Ground Zero � 11th September 2011, 10 Years on�.

Donald Chalmers, "a piper too":

There�s a lot more to living than (just) praying. At least in the land of the living, �praying� is the very least we can do. Make no mistake: Prayer, like fore-thought, is worth-less than the nothing-ness of �zero�, un-less that action is grounded, or rooted in Love.

And it is at this very �ground zero� that �we� � all of �us� � individually and collectively � must �know� and �remember� � from �within� our own �selves� � as we �re-group� and �re-build� ten years on from the horror of �9/11�:

� Religion is about Love, not hate. God is Love. God is Truth.
� Love is the immutable foundation upon which anything good is gradually built.
� Love quickens study; and study, pursued in the right way, increases love.
� The worth of a life � and a religion � is measured by how much love it has. Everything else is nothing. Nothing at all.

Whether we call God, the Creator and Sustainer of All Things, Yahweh, Jehovah, Allah, etcetera etc, or relate to God through any or all of the characteristics attributed to God by mankind over time, God is still �God�. God cannot be constrained by the limits of any one language, or system of thought. God is realized only through our loving actions here on earth.

It does no good that the wise words of just one system of thought are displayed and debated ad-infinitum, �in house� among �believers� wanting to score points, and to �punch above their weight�. God is realized only through our own loving actions.

Anything less stems from the Devil (evil thought, evil words, evil action).

Kindly action is what is required. Kindly action is not action unless it also interacts on (both) a personal and communal level. That is where �loving our neighbours at least as much as we love ourselves� comes into life�s play as �loving the Lord our God with all our hearts, with all our minds, and with all our strength��.

And we must be kind. Even to our animals�.

Without God, we are nothing. Nothing at all. Without Love we are nothing. Nothing at all. Without Truth we are nothing. Nothing at all. Without Wisdom, we are nothing. Nothing at all. Without Freedom, we are nothing. Nothing at all. Without Equality for each and every �other�, we are nothing. Nothing at all.

Without Kindly action and interaction, we are nothing. Nothing at all.

We do ourselves no good to puff ourselves up, claiming that it is �our� system of thought which has received the �green light� � unless that system is grounded in Love. Black, white, brown or brindle, atheist, animist, hindu, buddhist, jew, christian, muslim, sikh, bahai, or mormon etc etc ad-infinitum, all speak and enact God�s Truth when they love each and every other at least as much as they love themselves.

God�s Love is not partisan. It cannot be anything other than equal.

There is no difference between male and female. The outer wrapping which clothes our physical bodies is only the envelope hiding the complexity �inside�. Medicine and science have now proved �beyond the shadow of a doubt� that each one of us is both male and female �inside�. How much �male� and/or �female� we contain within our own bodies is for each individual to explore, to honour, and to accommodate.

No judgment by an outsider is needed.

From this perspective, we can easily intuit that when we love our neighbours at least as much as we love ourselves, that we will not do to others that we would hate for our own selves. Unloving rape and pillage must be seen for what it is � a crying shame.

When all of us live in this enlightened and harmonious way, we will take no more than we can contribute � and we will respect the rights of minorities as equal members of a rich and multicoloured society, where all can equally and happily contribute.

May we (in the aftermath of the horrid perversion of 9/11) think and pray and act on these imperatives for good, Godly Living, now and every day. May God be with you (and also with you !): Love ! Now is the time ! Now is the only time there is ! Love !

The following truths� have also been taken from many sources:

1. All God requires of you is to keep the Commandments of Love.
2. Every act of goodness is a charity.
3. �Charity� does not have to be purely monetary. It can be given through the spending of energy, talent, resources, or whatever else, to help and do good to those in need.
4. Whatever good you are able to do then do it � for perhaps you will not be able to tomorrow. And do not postpone today's deeds for tomorrow, perhaps tomorrow will come, and you are deceased.
5. Take benefit of �five before five�: your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free-time before your preoccupation, and your life before your death.

�Five before five� holds true, especially when we view the reference to �wealth� to mean �talent� or �inborn gift� � because �rank� or �wealth� themselves are but �gold money�s stamp�.

Gold money�s stamp is worth absolutely nothing unless the persons who hold such rank, title or wealth are Loving, and do good whenever they are able to do it, as if there is no tomorrow.

Marana tha ! The Lord Comes ! Now is the time, like no other ! Whitsunday 2011

a piper too — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 16:18:10 GMT

Marana tha ! The Lord Comes ! Now is the time, like no other ! Whitsunday 2011

Dear �Nigerian Village Square� and �africanloft� blog readers, together with miscellaneous �others�, world-wide

My input to the African and world community has always followed developments as reported. I have no pre-conceived plan, or agenda. I merely "flow with the spirit" and "go where it takes me". Recently, I have concentrated my thoughts on bringing you a series of 10 �Lenten Addresses� for 2011, which you should note come �without any axe to grind�, or �barrow to push� since these spring from my position as a �common person� (one of �you�). A �broad perspective�, a �decent education�, and �common-sense� unfettered by the constraints of imposed religious dogma, have formed my �world-view� that �All people are created equal members of one human family�.

This view does not suppose that any one group or one person is �higher� than another, except, perhaps, in �plane�, �degree�, or �title�, which, in any case, only apply temporarily. I trust that even if you are �this day� a leader, that you will concede me this �one point�, upon which all other things must rest: your power is temporary; the universe will carry on without you (or me). If you or I are going to �live on� in the hearts and minds of our descendants, we must do what is �right�, lovingly, while we can. Otherwise, we will disappear without a trace, of no �good use� to anyone, except for our water and mineral content, which will be recycled, in any case.

Luckily I have the time and the means to �declare the obvious�, at this point of my decrepitude, and have no burden to bear, other than the daily grind of living (longer, with the help of medication). But I have yet the ability to �love� as I declare the obvious, and for that I am grateful, and "give thanks", for, as Saint Paul said about 2000 years ago, "If I have no love, I am nothing".

I can not exist by myself, without my Creator. " i " without the "dot" (above) cannot exist (alone). It is the "dot above" (God) which gives us the "spark of life", and our "humanity". It is the very thing which "makes us whole" in this finite world, of infinite possibilities.

�Our bodies are constructed of the stuff of stars��. Even the earth is �built of stardust and assembled by gravity��. �All things come together through the power of gravity��. �Like all things, gravity has a dark side�, also�. Even �A black hole cannot be perfectly black� (�there is no such thing as perfection�)�. �Without imperfection, your life (or mine) could not exist��. �Hydrogen is the simplest of gases��. �Carbon is the vital building block of every living thing��.

Primordial elements including metals (eg �gold� (au), silver (ag), platinum (pt) and mercury (hg) etc) "are created as sun�s die��. And so it is said that �Nobody and nothing formed an element�. Ultimately all of our elements come from stars�. The creation of elements �higher� than Iron requires energy input rather than produce energy output. Silver is one such element. It's not �formed�. It just is��. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periodic_table etc.

When we allow ourselves to �see� things �as they are� through the �stars� and the �Periodic Table� (and more recently, with a little help from the internet, and for example, astro-physicist Stephen Hawking�s �Into the Universe� four part series, which includes his �Story of Everything� in two parts), and �take in� his �mind�s eye view� through the power of TV, we can catch a glimpse of the �eternal�.

If you have not yet had the privilege of viewing it, you perhaps may like to purchase the DVD available, or just take a look at the video-clips freely available at http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/stephen-hawking/ . See �Stephen Hawking� quotes from �Into the Universe� in "italics" in the preceding paragraphs above.

Born in 1942, Stephen has lived with Motor Neurone Disease since before the age of 22, and yet has a powerful will to �live on� � in his �mind�, as his muscles and use of his body has deteriorated. He is probably the longest know survivor of this debilitating illness � by far.

This is a remarkable feat by any standard, but he would not have survived long, nor have been able to contribute much to science, even a generation before. His very survival is a function of fortuitous �time� and �place�, physical support systems, and computer technology, etc, which others must supply to support his �living� and �productivity�.

We can put our Creating �God� into context, through this work, factual or otherwise. We must acknowledge that, even given the quantum leaps in human knowledge recently, that we mere humans will never �know� all that there is to know. Here on planet Earth, we �live� with the stars and galaxies of the universe and it�s �Universal Laws� which �change not� (or so it must seem to us, at least). And we must surmise that, if we want to continue to �live on� through our descendants, we must tend our planet � earth � our only earth home � as �stewards�, on behalf of, or for �God� who, or which �force� (or �power�) is the Ultimate Creator of Time, and of �All Things�.

Like all leading scientists, and leaders of merit, Stephen Hawking has many supporters, and many detractors. Jealousy is not unknown among even scientists, who are, or should be, the most �rational� of beings. It is inevitable that those who step outside the �average� shall attract the opposition of many who want all to reflect only the �mean� (average).There are but a few who have had his intellect. But there are none who have had his qualifications or long experience of �living out of body� as �brain�, only. His is a unique perspective.

Almost all of us reflect �the average� while displaying (at the same time) above and below average attributes and skills. Even individuals �within the average� can exhibit extraordinary abilities and capacities way outside of it. Stephen Hawking the astro-physicist reminds us that �Without imperfection, your life (or mine) could not exist�. Without difference, your life (or mine) could not exist.

And that is why such difference, whatever it may be, should be �celebrated�. Humble people (themselves within the average in most things, also) accept, respect and �celebrate difference�, while at the same time, �know� intuitively from �the heart�, the positive value of �empathy� � that is � to put themselves into the place of what might be called �dis-abling� difference (especially), and to �learn from it�.

Thus it is that Stephen Hawking has not only long survived his life-threatening and cumulative, progressing �dis-ease�, but has learned to �profit� from it � in that he now can bring his science into the imaginative world of �ordinary� people, as he brings �new light� to �age-old� questions. Thanks to him, and those who support, oppose, argue and/or debate with him, we can no longer claim �ignorance of issues� as a �de-fence�. No longer can we claim that our �fear� holds us back.

Complete darkness is impossible, for where darkness is, there is light, also. What is �right� is not always right, and what is �wrong� is not always wrong. And yet, for our own selves, for a moment in time, �we� (in the singular) know what is �right� and what is wrong.

�For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.�

I found the following in my �google-search�, which should be of interest as �follow up� material for your own internal digestion, which is a process which must �take up� (absorb) before it �lets down� (excretes): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hawking,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cambridgeshire/...tephen_hawking,
http://livinglifewithoutanet.wordpre...ng-vs-theology, and http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0..._n_703179.html.

Whatever we may think of Stephen Hawking�s theories and discoveries, most of us common folk do not have the mind, or qualifications to do more than question him, even as he is now � a genius brain (almost) unfettered by body.

And i am reminded also from the wisdom of Omar Khayyam's verse:

And if the Wine you drink, the Lip you press,
End in the Nothing all Things end in � Yes �
Then fancy while Thou art, Thou art but what
Thou shalt be � Nothing � Thou shalt not be less�

It would seem, to my mind, at least, that �we� (all of us) "sit" between the "two" (as in the " I " sitting between the two halves of "nothing" (O) as in the Greek alphabet and mathematical symbol for Phi " ? "), and can be a positive force (Ph " + ") for good, or a negative force (Ph " ? ") for bad. See my "NB" below re "Phi" symbol.

The "Ph" in "phi" (small or Large Phi) should not be confused with the "pH" defined in chemistry, which is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a substance as it is dissolved in pure water, which is said to be "pH neutral" - ie "not one thing or the other").

But the case for an "analogy" perhaps can be drawn upon: are we "sweet" or "sour", and - "what can change our thinking", about the position we currently find ourselves "in" ? This is the choice we have: Will we build things "up", or tear things "down", or seek to take a neutral position ?. These are the choices that each "one" of us must make, as we negotiate obstacles in our path.

Hopefully, we will make the "right" decisions for "good" or "ill", for "better" or for "worse", before we "meet" our "maker", upon our demise: "Phi" the Everlasting and Infinite Creating Parent (Loving) God, who, or which, neither can nor will be deceived (since God � for want of a better description � sits "above" us, and is "all-seeing" and "all-aware").

We can be helped to visualize this Loving and Balanced Nature of God pictorially as " Phi ", though this too, no doubt, is only a human construction, and "partial" compared to the "Infinite One", or "Infinite Being", or "Sacred Immortal Deity" - God - which or who encompasses and comprehends "all things".

We are informed that God said (albeit in another language no-one today has a full grasp of): "I am that I am" or "I AM HE WHO IS", "I AM WHO AM" or "I AM WHO I AM�. These are some of the various translations from the word �YHWH� � the ineffable name of God the Creator (see Exodus 3.14). Jesus, in the New Testament's "Good News" is similarly reported to have said "I am who I am" (John 8.23,7), and �I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End� (Revelation 22.13). Saint Paul similarly is translated to have said �By God�s grace, I am what I am� (see 1 Corinthians 15.10) and �God does not want us to be in disorder, but in harmony and peace� (1 Cor 14.33). Who are we to differ ?

Even if we do now go against the teaching of Saint Paul (with regards the �place� of women in the church), almost all of us now �thank goodness� (thank God) that we now know, for a fact, that �women� are indeed �up to the task�, and �wholly worthy� of inclusion as �equals� in every area � given the chance of education and training, and not being necessarily tied to �duty� (to whom ?), husband, children, and home.

Lucky people are now more often able to do what their heart is �full of�. If each person�s heart is full of the �Love of God � and for each and every other�, what can go amiss ?

Happy family�s and wholesome communities are based on the same principle: �Love God, and Love your Neighbour� � as yourself. �Do not do to others that which you would hate for yourself�; �Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you� etc. This is the balanced reciprocity of the �Golden Rule� which is so easily taught and understood*.

The elements of the �Golden Rule� are �pure and simple� and �easy to understand� � an �amalgam� of all things rolled into �one�.

Dear readers, if you can find any �holes� in my line of reasoning, I would be grateful. You can �pick a bone� with me � and we�ll all be better off ! �The authority the Lord has given me � is the authority to build you up, not to tear you down�. Agree with one another. Live in peace. And the God of Love and Peace will be with you��. (see 2 Corinthians 13.10-13).

I am not in any way a mathematician, chemist, physicist, or even a seer, or a prophet, evangelist, interpreter, public speaker or philosopher. I am by no means �wise�, since I have fallen into almost every trap which has come my way. But I do have the education and experience to �write�, and to �write well� in my native language, about the things I �know� (without the shadow of a doubt):

�Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be brave, be strong. Do all your work in love� (1 Corinthians 16.13): �Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Never forget these commands that I am giving you today (and every day). Teach them to your children. Repeat them when you are at home, when you are resting and when you are working� (Deuteronomy 6). �Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful (Hurt no one, so that no one may hurt you)�, so that �The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit (may) be with you � all (2 Corinthians 13.13).�

�Marana tha ! The Lord Comes !� (1 Corinthians 16.22) Now is the time, like never before ! �Peace and Harmony� is �our� responsibility !

Your �on-line� friend Donald Chalmers, �piper02� and �a piper too�, from the Land of Au$, down-under !

*Take a look at the DVD �Freedom Writers� based upon the book �Freedom Writers Diary� which demonstrates the concept of just what one good teacher can do to transform young lives � even as they live in difficult circumstances.
*2 Silver and gold have I none, excepting me, and thee (and the God �we� have) !
*3 Whitsunday 2011: Though it means different things for different people, �Whitsunday� or �Pentecost Sunday� is (for Christians) the �End of Lent� (50 days after Easter Sunday 2011). It celebrates the �descent� or �emanation� of the �Holy Spirit� on the �Apostles� (see Acts 1.15, 2.1-39 and 1 Corinthians 16.8).
*4 Pentecost is also linked to the Old Testament�s �giving thanks� celebration for the first fruits of the early spring harvest, some 50 days after the beginning of �Passover�, and to the �Ten Commandments� which, unless �overseen� by �loving thought� and �loving hands�, are as �nothing�, rather than �everything� (see Exodus 20, 23, 34, Leviticus 23, Deuteronomy 5, 6, 1 Corinthians 13, and 14.1-4 etc).
*4 See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentecost and http://and
http://www.cres...ecost.html.
NB (Please Note): As in the past, I have not been able to yet show the Greek Mathematical Symbol "Phi" in my blogs at Nigerian Village Square. "Phi" is also a letter in the Greek alphabet. It is a "circle" vertically "split" by " I ". You may see this symbol for yourselves in all its "glory" at " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_alphabet "etc.

Easter Sunday 2011 Lenten Address, No. 10

a piper too — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 14:12:40 GMT

Easter Sunday 2011 Lenten Address Number 10 � Sunday 24th April 2011

My Dear Friends at Nigerian Village Square and AfricanLoft (Arise ! Shine ! For thy Light is Come ! Halleluiah ! Praise the Lord !)

3 Christ himself wrote this letter, and sent it to you by this means. It is written, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, and not on stone tablets, but on human hearts. 4 We say this because we have confidence in God through Christ. 5 There is nothing in us that allows us to claim that we are capable of doing this work. The capacity we have comes from God; 6 it is God who made us capable of serving the New Covenant, which consists not of a written law, but of the Spirit. The written law brings death, but the Spirit gives life�. 11 How much more glory is there in that which lasts forever !... 12 Because we have this hope, we are very bold�. Where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom�. 18 Let us, then, reflect the glory of God with uncovered faces; and that same glory, coming from the Lord, who is the Spirit, transforms us into his likeness in an ever greater degree of glory.

Biblical verses from the Old and the New Testaments have been linked as sources of inspiration for the following song �Shine Jesus, Shine !� (and I have quoted some few of them above, taken from Paul�s 2nd letter to the Corinthians Chapter 3, headed �Servants of the New Covenant�):

Shine Jesus shine, Fill this land with our God�s great glory, Blaze, Spirit blaze, Set our hearts on fire ! Flow, river flow, Flood the nations with grace and mercy, Send forth Your word Lord � and let there be light !

The music and verses of this refrain were composed and written by Graham Kendrick (see his website at http://www.grahamkendrick.co.uk/songs/lyrics/shine.php ) in 1987. Cliff Richard included this song in his �Yesterday Today Forever� album, which was released in September 1998, and helped make it an international hit:

�Lord the Light or Your Love is shining, In the midst of the darkness shining, Jesus light of the world shine upon us, Set us free by the truth You now bring us, Shine on me. Shine on me.

�Shine Jesus shine, Fill this land with the Father's glory, Blaze, Spirit blaze, Set our hearts on fire ! Flow, river flow, Flood the nations with grace and mercy, Send forth Your word Lord � and let there be light !

�Lord I come to Your awesome presence, From the shadows into Your radiance, By the blood I may enter Your brightness, Search me, try me, consume all my darkness, Shine on me. Shine on me.

�As we gaze on Your kindly brightness. So our faces display Your likeness: Ever changing from glory to glory, Mirrored here may our lives tell Your story. Shine on me. Shine on me.

Today, Christians worldwide are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus, some 2000 years ago. It matters not from what race or ethnic group he came. He preached a Universal Gospel of Liberation and Freedom unparalleled at that time, and for most of the 2000 years since. Even in our recent history, many of the people calling for reform and equality of the law have been cruelly martyred in this just cause. There is ever good work to be done�.

(Even) Every warm heart is fired by decay, and cold ones too. Each body is transformed every seven years or so by cell dissolution and replacement. The living and the dying, the dead too, consist of matter, decaying. Like the living trees and plants, birds, fish and animals, the vertebrate and the invertebrate, we �breath� to absorb the nutrients at our disposal from our environment, whatever that may be.

We �live� with the rocks and minerals of the earth, exchanging our wastes in an endless cycle of chemical �re-action� or �in-action�. Everything here on earth is a direct descendant of that which has �come� before, and �we� change, with �them�, year �in�, and year �out�. We are born, and live and die in the shadow of our ancestors, and there have been countless generations of �them� since �man� first walked the earth, let alone crawled on it.

It is nice to think that our ancestors directly �look out for us�, but in reality (the present moment), we can never be sure, because very, very few of us lives to tell cogently of his or her �near death� or revelatory intuitive experience. And by the time �they� have told of it, they, and we too, have �changed� � for better or worse. Book writing, or book reading, is no better, and none of these guarantees �understanding�.

Books, like the written word, are a little more permanent than the spoken word, which is lost as it is said, unless that is remembered �verbatim�. That method, �copying longhand�, or by �shorthand�, is certainly not �foolproof�. Much depends just on �who it is� doing the �copying� � and why.

Fortunately for �us� today, modern advances in science have rendered computer technology capable of retaining hitherto undreamed of �huge chunks� of detailed information, and reproducing it over and over again. But still we must be aware of �who� and �why� anyone has bothered to record it or reproduce it. The hand which entered the information may have inadvertently or intentionally omitted or changed a word, or even a letter of the alphabet.

This information can shed new light on the �intention behind� what was originally meant, or what this can (or should ?) mean for �us� � in this moment � this �present�.

Whole books can now be presented to us �unchanged� � so long as we still have the tools, the computer capacity, the brains behind them, and the electrical power, to decipher the information. Otherwise, one would think that we would �drown� in them. But � if one of the links on the chain �breaks�, then our �history� (short as it is) will �go kaput� � ie, be rendered �worthless�, and we would, unless the �talented� (those who choose �wisdom� over ignorance) survive into the �new order�, have to start �from scratch� again, as has happened many times before�.

We have learned today that �all matter� consists of �energy� (roughly speaking) which �moves� as it �pulses�, and that �white light� can be separated into its component �rainbow� parts by passing it through a clear glass or crystal prism. And we understand that, viewed through a �kaleidoscope� (a hall of reflective mirrors), a very few moving parts can be transformed into an infinite array of coloured patterns.

The �inter-net�, upon which we have grown to depend, in just a few short years, depends upon �satellites� which have been pushed into orbit around the globe, almost beyond the drawing force of earths �gravity�. This is the same force which holds our atmosphere in place, and which enables �us� to walk �upright� � where ever we are upon its near spherical surface. But this gravity (described as �the weakest known force of the Universe�) is sufficient to �draw in� these same satellites, and to burn them up as they re-enter the earth�s thin atmosphere.

They must be replaced at great effort and cost at regular intervals, and we might ask �how long can this co-operative effort be sustained� ?

Human beings or �homo sapiens� have only learned to �co-operate� on a global scale within the last 100 or so years. We have only learned even more recently that all of us share the same �DNA�, and that all of �us� are thinking and breathing and feeling �beings�, who bleed when cut, and hurt when insulted.

As a result, we have reached a �watershed� in human �relations� that will require all the �good-will� that we can muster, to pass into the �next stage� of harmonious development: living and loving. This could well be the �heaven on earth� we have all been waiting and �praying� for. Or perhaps this heaven is on some sort or �parallel plane��.

�Hope�, it is said �springs eternal�, and it is �as well�. This is probably the �best shot� any of us will have of attaining �eternal life�, �here, on earth�, right �now�. So it seems that we should all start to learn and to practice the lessons of �loving our neighbour as ourselves� (the Golden Rule). This is the commandment Jesus gave to us during his �ministry� and prior to his cruel crucifixion. For it was then that the �powers of darkness� (or, of those who �hide�, from �the light�) �turned back the clock� for �man-kind�, by their heinous actions.

�Loving our neighbour as ourselves� is �no less� than the �Commandment of Love� through which all �other matters� must be seen, and from which �all else� springs. Jesus and all of his disciples who spread the �Good News� understood this to be �The Truth�. Jesus Himself is reported to have said to the �teacher of the Law�, �Do this, and you will live�. Thus it would seem that �Loving your neighbour as you love yourself is loving the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength� (Luke10.27-28).

Jesus attempted to communicate and reinforce this inspired understanding when he shared his �Last Supper� with the disciples in the �Upper Room�, and confirmed that his body would be �broken�, for them, so that they might �believe�, and �live� (on in the hearts of others). That he managed by the grace of God to re-appear to them in �the flesh� had a profound effect on their quailing hearts after the crucifixion.

And many of them were �moved to action�, to demonstrate the same love, and thus shared his fate in that love-starved unbelieving world, as evil forces moved to quell this simple, but pure message of love:

God is Love. God is Truth.

Our mission on earth is to �embody� that love towards all that we meet. Saint Paul, who also �lives on� large in our hearts, even today, put �it� (the �Commandment of Love�) rather more forcefully (before he also suffered the same fate as his Master): �If I have no love, I am nothing.�

This is, �all things being equal�, the �Golden Rule of Balance� in another form.

Even today, Jesus calls us to consider, today, what we could help achieve, if we could just �lay aside from our lives�, a few weeks to help our �own selves�, to help others� to help our own selves. To do so requires a commitment, of our �best time�, and of our �best talents�, so that we can show our �compassion� to a still broken world. Then � we will be both �blessed�, and a �blessing�.

The wisdom that we require to �safely proceed� normally takes many years of �introspection�, or �self examination� to achieve, but the Bible and other religious texts (which demonstrate the full spectrum of human degradation, along with the heights of spirit), can now be analysed in a �New Light�:

�As above, so below� displays �the proper order of things�, where �the nature of mortality reflects the nature of the cosmos��.

�Glory� is being remembered with gratitude.

�Good� is just one of our name�s for God, as proven by the expletive �Good God !�.

�I Am That I Am� sums up the whole truth. Our duty is to �be�, and not to be this, or that. Am I what I am ? Think�. Jesus said �I am what I am�. �We� should be no less ! It is time ! The time is �now� ! Now !

�I� (and in deed �?� � �upper case� � �the highest we can be�, and indeed, or, as well as �?� � �lower case� � �the lowest we can be� � note the �crack�, or �imperfection� � for though this symbol is of �one continuous line� � it does not perfectly divide the �O�, nor does it extend �above� as well as below the letter) infers not-only the whole-ness of �one�, but of two, three and more.., to infinity.., and to the �In-finite One��.

�I� is all that �I Am�, and �I Am� is God. I am that I am, and I am what I am.

�I� is the simplest �quote� possible, at least, in the English language, where it uses only one letter.

The meaning of �I� is very clear. �I� (and �i� too) is all that �I Am�, and �I Am� is God�.

Therefore, when we increase our focus to magnify, or amplify �I� to �I Am�, we see �Phi� or �?�, which indicates that �I� exists within the everlasting, all-inclusive, never ending, never repeating sequence of the totality we know as �whole�, which we mostly represent as the �figure 1�, meaning �one�, or �i�, which is �two�, and so on�, �I�.

�Phi� is the �Universal Constant of Beauty�: the Domain, or Realm of God, the One-Creator of All Things, seen and unseen, Body and Spirit, Food and Drink, Bread and Wine. I am that I am, and I am what I am, so help me, G?d.

I am (God is) not reduced by someone�s gaze.

Every person�s �i�, or �?�story has a beginning, a middle and an end. You�ll get there (also). Whether you end �alive� or dead is up to you (but you have to reverse your downward plunge before the end to �complete the circle�, and extend �above� to attain your goal � Heaven in the Now.

Fulfilment, contentment, pride � these are the feelings that a person can derive from being a good person � an able parent, a successful worker, an inspired artist. They (yes, even they) are inchoate, invisible, ineffable feelings � for all their wonder. �All we can do� must be the �best� we can do, also:�

Everyone should love his �brother�. People all should love each other � ALL. �A � Z � O, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0, � ? � ? �. Now is the time ! To descend into hell is easy. But to �return� � what work, what a labour (of love) it is !

I have told you �everything�, so that you might believe � in yourselves, and others � equally � so that you can offer � help, encouragement, comfort and support to all others. The time for �true repentance� is now. The time is Now !

Amen, and amen ! (Let it be so !)�..

The Death of Common Sense - Good Friday Lenten Address No 9, 22.04.2011

a piper too — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 08:49:10 GMT

Common Sense � Obituary (Good Friday Lenten Address No 9) April 22nd 2011

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn't always fair;
- and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Rights
I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I'm A Victim

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing��..

Some say that the �The Bible was written over 1,600 years by 40 different authors from widely different occupations and cultures, on varied and controversial subjects.� That was over 2000 years ago.

Everyone who studies the Old and New Testaments can �feel� that this calculation may, or not be true, but whether �all of us� can agree that �they essentially all agreed with each other�, that the translations we have are sufficient, and that later research and inspiration is worthless, is a long shot indeed.

If this is true, then it would be �a phenomenon unparalleled in literature�, as claimed. That the Gospels were written 20 to 40 years after the crucifixion of Jesus may be a �revelation� to some, but it is hard to reconcile the cruel punishments of whipping and stoning, and of �slaves� and �eunuchs� etc with the Freedom and Love that Jesus is recorded to have proclaimed.

Jesus himself followed in a long tradition, and has borrowed from the Old Testament what it is to be �good� (see Leviticus 19.9-17, Leviticus 19.32-36, Psalms 1.1-8, Psalms 19, Psalms 23, Psalms 24.1-6, Psalms 27.1-4, Psalms 119, Proverbs 6.16-19, Proverbs 31.1-8, Isaiah 58.6-12, Micah 6.8 etc). So it seems that the good and the bad are lumped into the one Bible (the Old and the New Testaments), and we must chose for ourselves what is �right� and �good�. When we do these things, Wisdom is satisfied.

Jesus tells us (or so we are informed by the Gospel writers, who were followers, or �disciples� of Jesus) that he knew a thing or two about the Old Testament. He is quoted by Matthew, Mark, and Luke as identifying with Psalm 118.22-3:

�The stone which the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all. This was done by the Lord; what a wonderful sight it is !�.

These are verses very close to what some claim to be the �central verse� (Psalms 118.8) in the Bible (the Old and the New Testaments combined�), which also reveals much.

Chapter 118 of Psalms is preceded by what is easily identified as �the shortest Chapter in the Bible� (Psalms 117 contains only two verses), and is also apparently preceded by 594 Chapters. There are also apparently 594 Chapters which follow it to the end of the New Testament, so it seems that the claim as to its �central status� could be very well founded. It is also followed by the �longest Chapter� in the Christian Bible (Psalms 119), which seems to be a very strange co-incidence indeed.

During my �google-search� for the words �Common Sense� recently, I stumbled across something that had crossed my desk much earlier in paper form (posted to me by my older sister): �The Death of Common-Sense� or �Common-Sense Obituary� with which I opened today�s address. This was supposedly advertised in the Obituary�s Section of the London Times.

But my search revealed that it may have been first posted in the �Indianapolis Star� on the 15th March 1998, and that it has been modified and edited by others and circulated on the Internet since then, for it exposes and encapsulates �Universal Truths�. �Common-Sense� is not to be undervalued.

I also discovered that it has also been used in both Muslim and Christian websites, to highlight the need for all of us to apply a bit of �Common Sense� to religion.

And so my search continued, and I found in the pages of Rogers Baptist Church, Texas, USA the words of C. H. Spurgeon (CHARLES H. SPURGEON) then of Westwood, July 1887:

�For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; yea woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.� This is a direct quote from one translation of Paul�s 1st Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 9:16.

Here is what he had to say in one of his sermons about the �longest Chapter of the Bible�: �The One Hundred and Nineteenth Psalm is of such a size as to stand out from all the rest, and claim a separate treatment. It is known among the Germans as �The Christians' golden A B C of the praise, love, power, and use of the Word of God.�

He says �I bear witness that this sacred song (Psalm 119) has no tautology in it, but Is charmingly varied from beginning to end. Its variety is that of a kaleidoscope: from a few objects innumerable permutations and combinations are produced.

�In the kaleidoscope you look once, and there is a strangely beautiful form; you shift the glass a very little, and another shape, equally delicate and beautiful, is before your eyes. So it is here. What you see is the same, and yet never the same. It is the same truth, but it is always placed in a new light, put in a new connection, or in some way or other invested with freshness.

He notes: �Incense (is) made up of many spices; but they are wonderfully compounded and worked together, so as to form one perfect sweetness. The blending greatly increases the value of the whole.�

I have also drawn from his sermons a few other quotes, for they should be of great interest to anyone sincerely seeking �The Undivided Truth� about our God the Infinite Creator, who or which (in any case), can never be fully seen by mere mortals:

�There ought to be every truth preached�. A sermon is neither fit for the land nor yet for the dung hill, unless there is a savour of Christ in it�. That high hill of truth hath mists upon its summit. No mortal eye can see its pinnacle�.

�There is no soil for pride to grow on; but it will grow without any�. There is temptation to pride in the pulpit; but there is no ground for it in the pulpit�. Wherever there is a large assembly, and wherever a great deal of noise and stir is made concerning any man, there is a great danger of pride�.

�With the Word of God the desire to study it increases, while the more you know of it the less you think you know.

So it seems that even in 1887, Charles Spurgeon had drawn the lesson from 1 Corinthians 9.16, and found much in Psalm 119 which he describes as �The Christians� golden A B C of the praise, love, power, and use of the Word of God.�

Where, might we ask, are our advances on this inspired understanding ? Have we regressed to literalist's limited understandings ? Surely not ? Did our Lord Jesus Christ die in vain ?

Today, we remember this day about 2000 years ago, and hope that such a cruel, terrible, and sense-less thing cannot happen again.

Come ! Come ! Let us use our intellect and the instruments we now have at our disposal to �see through� the layers of sham and bluff used in the past (to �justify� the abominable practices of slavery, whipping, stoning, amputations, homophobia, and greed etc) to separate us from the Love of God !

May the Lord be with you ! And also with you ! Amen ! Praise God !...

Generosity and Content (The Prayer of the Chalice) - Lenten Address No 8

a piper too — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 14:21:13 GMT

The Prayer of the Chalice

. www.wound-wisdom.tk , www.myspace.com/a_piper_too , http://wound-wisdom-letters.blogspot.com , http://wound-wisdom-poetry.blogspot.com , http://www.thingsihavelearnedinmylif...sers/apipertoo .

Parent, to You I raise my whole being,
� a vessel emptied of self. Accept, God,
this my emptiness, and so fill me with
Yourself � Your Light, Your Love, Your
Life � that these Your precious Gifts
may radiate through me and over-
flow the chalice of my heart into
the hearts of all with whom I
come into contact this day
revealing unto them
the beauty of
Your Joy
and
Wholeness
and
the
serenity
of Your Peace
which nothing can destroy.

__?______________ Gold and Silver have I none, excepting Thee, and Me. ______________?__

Prayer and calligraphy ? by Francis Nuttall

�Gold and silver have I none � but for thee, and me !" The Ball is in your court � now !

As I have mentioned previously in my �Lenten Addresses� series this year, it is appropriate for us now to turn our attention to what happened about 2000 years ago, when Jesus and his disciples met in the Upper Room to celebrate the Jewish Passover. We have now reached that time in Lent, as described in the Good News Gospels by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John etc, where Jesus took the Cup and the Bread, and blessed it, before sharing it with his disciples.

In giving thanks at this, his �Last Supper�, Jesus noted that the time was near to when he would be betrayed, and that he would die. But nevertheless, he shared what he had. It is reported that John �lay upon the breast of Jesus�, weeping at this dread news about �betrayal�. Though some say to the contrary, it would appear from these words and others that Jesus had no fear of close bodily contact with his followers � for he was �at one� with them there.

Luke�s Gospel tells us that an argument broke out among them as to who should be thought of as the greatest. Jesus responded saying �The greatest one among you must be like the youngest, and the leader must be like the servant; I am among you as one who serves�.

John�s Gospel tells us that Jesus said at that time �You call me Teacher and Lord, and it is right that you do so, because that is what I am�. I am telling you the truth� no messenger is greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know this truth, how happy you will be � if you put it into practice !�

According to John�s Gospel, Jesus also said �I am who I am. I am telling you the truth: I give you a new commandment: �Love one another as I have loved you. So, you must have love for one another. If you have love for one another, then every one will know that you are my disciples��.

�There are many rooms in God�s house, and I am going to prepare a place for you. I would not tell you this if it were not so�. God remains with you, and is in you�. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid�. I am the vine, and you are the branches��.

�I have told you this so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete�. I call you my friends because I have told you everything�. Love one another�. Your sadness will turn into gladness�� for� �I was born into the world for this one purpose, to speak about the truth.�

This narrative necessarily �skips� a lot of detail, but I am confident that I have identified the �essence�, the �high points�, the �most revealing details� of the story for you. Because this was about 2000 years ago, and because the Gospels were written not earlier than (about) 20-40 years or so after the crucifixion of Jesus, it is no wonder that the Gospels differ in some respects, so that we have to �glean� what is �important�, and what is not.

Some of you may have wished that I had concentrated more on the meal itself, or of the washing of his follower�s feet by Jesus. This was something that a religious leader of the day would never have done. But I expect that you will take another look at the texts yourselves, for the story ever tantalises us.

For instance, Catholic tradition holds that the disciples would have used couches (to lean or lie upon) about a table, and that Jesus would have been placed on one of these couches in the midst, with Simon Peter (Saint Peter) to one side, and John (Saint John) to the other. As far as I can determine (please let me know if I have missed something), the detail about John being �the one Jesus loved� is contained only in a �round about way� in the last verses of John�s Gospel, by John himself.

But almost all that we can know is that the �other� disciple was the one Jesus �loved� � and who (according to one Catholic translation) was �lying at table in the bosom of Jesus� (John Chapter 13.23) and later was �falling down on the breast of Jesus� (John Chapter 13.25). This was at a time when �all were fearing for themselves�, and Peter (again, according to one Catholic translation, as �the very head of the apostles�) was �trembling�.

Within a week, the tables had turned on Jesus, from his being lauded as �Son of David� (Praise to David�s Son ! God bless him who comes in the name of the Lord ! Praise God ! etc) on �Palm Sunday� to his �Last Supper� and execution, with at least two others, by crucifixion, on a day we now commemorate as �Good Friday� � which seems a remarkable misnomer for a day so foul.

As we come toward the end of the 40 or more day �Season of Lent� in the Christian Calendar, many people will have observed the ancient practise of �fasting�, or other forms of �self-denial� � to focus our attention on to the legitimate needs of �self� � and of the ways of Love, and of loving.

Lent is also a time for earnest seekers of Truth to engage in �penitential internal reflection�. Where this occurs, the seeker of �God�s Truth� seeks to �unearth� and to �make known� their own past patterns of bad behaviour, which have had a negative impact on those we love, and on the �well-being� our communities (plural), as a whole.

We are encouraged to do this by various religions at various times, but the �intent to do good� is the same, and fervently hopes for �positive� outcomes for all � all peoples, and all communities.

When civilizations are overwhelmed by calamity and war between feuding factions, �civil society� is forced to take a backward step, and must then �re-build�, from the �ashes�. If past life-lessons are not learned and acted upon, as a productive way of �moving forward�, the same mistakes will bedevil that society time and time again.

You might remember that I have written previously on the importance of �Clean Monday� which should help us to �sweep the decks clean� of familial, religious and societal prejudice, which is a vice no civil society can afford.

Equal societies must stand firm against greed and corruption to maintain that finely balanced �civil� status. There is no room for ignorance; all must be educated in what is �right�, and what is not, and granted �equal opportunity� to �shine without boast�, as they �lead� by example, or �best� means.

Church and religious leaders and politicians themselves are no different to others; they will sink or swim according to their trumpeted attitudes and actions. Short term gain for self only is balanced by the scales of Celestial Justice.

The term �As above, so below� displays �the proper order of things�, where �the nature of mortality reflects the nature of the cosmos��. �Glory� is being remembered with gratitude. �Good� is just one of our name�s for God, as proven by the expletive �Good God !�. �I Am That I Am� sums up the whole truth.

�Good intention� is �Every-Thing�.

Inspired expression which adds to this Truth without detracting from it, and which �builds up� rather than �putting others down� must be taken seriously, whatever religious tradition we spring from, and from what ever land we come.

Jesus died for daring to express such ideas in his time about 2000 years ago. How cruel. How primitive. Now is the time for the religious of all persuasions to show true leadership � to confront the hypocrisy�s and �sacred cows� which have bedevilled them and us, until now. Now is the time ! Stand up ! Stand up for Jesus ! Amen !...

Hope-fully, �this� time or �age� has sufficiently matured us (all) so that we can (figuratively) pluck of the fruit from the �Tree of Life�, and bread from the �Book of Life� � �beauty so old, and so new�, and consider the �Manna and Nectar and Spirit� from Heaven:

Generosity and Content, not the Performance,
Lay at the very Heart of Life�s Play:
Generosity and Content, not the Performance,
Lie at the very Heart of Life�s Play:
Some love only the Performance, Mere Actors on the Stage,
Interested only in the Audience, but Not in Fair Play!
�
When will we find a Fine Balance, Where All will be Fine Tuned,
With each living Truth and Substance, and Not just waiting for the Applause !
�
Look for the Content that�s Important:
For Courage and Compassion, and much Empathy
Because those are the True Traits, Of Someone who does not Hate !
�
Generosity and Content, not the Performance, Lie at the very Heart of Life�s Play:
�Loving-Kindness� is both the root, the flower, the fruit and the seed: it encapsulates all that is Good: from God.
�
This blessed state of mind-full loving-kindness is attained though forgiveness and generosity:
by, through, and for � all peoples � and through the reciprocity of �giving� and �receiving� � in
�equal measure�.
�
Such is the �Kingdom� of God � the �Heaven on Earth� we all aspire to.
This is the �a� � �Z�; the �alpha� to the �omega�, the �first� to the �last� of all moral (equal) teaching:
The �Golden Rule� by any other name does �smell as sweet�:
This teaching requires us to not only to �love our neighbours as ourselves�, but to
�do unto others as we would have it done to ourselves�, to
�not do to others that we would hate for ourselves� and
�hurt not others, so that we ourselves are not hurt�:
�
We Must Hear Plainly Both � the High and the Low,
All Such Sounds are Pleasing to God, Our Creator !
�
Be of Kind Mind, Forgiving and Generous, and
Then We'll be Able to 'Move On', 'Right On' !
Thanking Our God the Creator of All that�s
On Earth and Within.
�
The Seeing and the Blind - the Deaf Too -
Can Hear Gods true Tune, if they
Seek, they Shall Find It ! A Fine Tune !
�
Each of �US� Have Inside,
what's Required to be Free -
And That�s what's at the Heart of ME !
The Universal �Man� of No Clan, for All Clans:
�
Courage and Wisdom, Stamina and Fulfilment Will be Yours, if You Have 'Fruitfulness' Too !
This is the �Law of Goodness�, and of �Reciprocity� (Equality). This is the �Fundamental Tone�
to which
we must attune ourselves, to live in �God�s Light�: Freedom (not only for ourselves, but for others, also).
Lest We Forget Our God-Given Life-Lessons Heritage !

Difference Must be Celebrated - Lenten Address No 7

a piper too — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 18:38:50 GMT

Difference must be Celebrated, not Condemned (The Only Shahada I Pray) Lenten Address No 7 13.04.2011

Dear Friends, Readers and Questioners who wish to delve into the mysteries of Creation, of the Universe, and Universal Love ( ? ). This is a continuation of my Lenten Addresses, which seek to provoke positive thought �today� so that our past mistakes are not revisited upon our children. The buck stops with �US� (plural).

Prologue: I have tried mightily to indicate the universal symbols for "Phi" (the Universal Constant of Beauty) hereunder, but the NVS system has "made a monkey out of me" in that, when I "save" all of my hard work, my Phi symbols are changed to "question marks". So please understand this glitch; I shall throw myself at the mercy of the administrators to help resolve this issue.

In the meantime, you may take a look at the work of Gary Meisner freely available at http://www.goldennumber.net to familiarize yourseves with the Large and the Small "Phi" symbols.

�Difference around a common theme� is to be celebrated. Jesus taught us to consider the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. Yes, they are beautiful ! But it is up to �us� to put beautiful thoughts and images into kindly action ! The buck stops with �us� (plural).

The sweetness of faith lies in the fruits of knowledge, but it also pertains to the good work of our hands. It is up to us to put beautiful thoughts and images into kindly action ! The buck stops with �us� (plural).

And so it is that I can say (along with the world�s Muslims) with every confidence that �There is no god but God�, and I can also with confidence say �and Muhammad is a Prophet of God, or, a Messenger of God�.

Prophets and Messengers have been around the Bible and the Koran for a lot longer than the religions which have used them, so it seems to me �self-evident� that most people can honestly and enthusiastically say �There is no god but God, and X, Y, or Z is a Messenger of God�.

The only problem comes when one or the other claim to be the �final� messenger, or �final� prophet, or when one religion claims superiority over another because �their� religion encompasses the �final� message. But �they� fail to see the error of �their� message, which places �themselves� as sole custodians of �the� message.

So, while giving Prophet Muhammad his due (along with Jesus), the only �Shahada� I pray is �God WE have�:

We are, God IS, I am, you are, we are, they are, all are �?� : made to Love, for �God IS Love�.

�Ours� (plural) are the hands and arms with which to hold and protect; �ours� (plural) are the mouths to smile and to speak God's Truth.

If �we� (plural) do not, then there are others who will respond to God�s call, so that each �part� perfectly reflects the �other� � as does the mathematical symbol for �Phi� (?). This is the letter from the Greek alphabet which has been chosen by mathematicians to denote the �universal constant of beauty�, no doubt because of its symmetry:

For there is a God � If we see the reflection of ourselves in �I am� (God):
�I am� (God) loves its reflection, however pale it may be: �I am� is comprised of two parts, just as is the letter �i�, which (also) represents �you� and �me�, and the multitudes, as individuals, lightly bound together. We are animated by the �Universal Spirit of God� � which is represented by the �dot� � �above�.

Interestingly, a �dot� is also universally used to represent a �full stop�, or a long-time �period�, or �encapsulation�, which can be described as anywhere from �a short pause� to a �cessation of motion�, or �essence� or �everything rolled into one�.

A �comma� is used to denote a pause, and resembles one-half of the �yin-yang� symbol used to demonstrate the positive and negative aspects of our lives � aspects which �balance� and �complement� each other.

Likewise, an �exclamation mark� (!) is an inverted �i�, while a �question mark� (?) merely bends the longer part of the exclamation mark. The meanings of these symbols have become well known to us over time, and it would seem that they have been chosen carefully by the first scribes of our language, from ancient times.

Without �time� none of �us� would �be�. Thus it would seem that Time (also) is a vital ingredient to our living: the �breath of life� which animates us. But it is the Earth which sustains us, over time. Thank Goodness for �Father� Time, and for �Mother� Earth, �together�: ! �?� ! :

Each 1 of �us� is not complete without the �dot� above � which also represents the �partnership� of �co-equals�.

�We� (all of �us�) are gods without being �God�. When we reflect God from ourselves into the world, then we are in Union with God, doing God�s will, loving others and working � together, for the good of all people and peoples.

�We� (plural, of unknown quantity) �know� that adding or placing �nothing� (zero)(O) next to �unity� (1)(l) produces �nothing much� {and certainly, not more than �one� (1)} � although it does form the first small letter of the Roman Alphabet �a�, depending on the �font� or �style� of printing used � viz �a� in �Century Gothic�, etc.

We also now know that adding �unity� to �nothing� produces (if we continue the sequence) the �Fibonacci Series�, which �converges on Phi� (?)(the value or worth of the �Constant of Beauty� � which is worth infinitely more than the sum of its parts) as we move towards �infinity�, where �O� = nothing, and �1� = Unity.

When we think about �unity� we think of something that is undivided, complete, whole, full, well, ripe, ready, and perfectly formed � without blemish, or defect.

We are also drawn to think of �God�, or �Nature�, as the great �Unifier�, which (or who) �Lovingly Creates�.

�Nothing� (O) split by �Unity� (1) is �?�, the �Constant of Creation�. God is �One�, who (or which) created the universe from nothing, by splitting nothingness into offsetting forces and elements.

There is only one way to divide a line so that its parts are in proportion to, or in the image of, the whole � �Phi� (?).

�I� (and in deed �?�) � �upper case� � is �the highest we can (individually) be�. �i� (and indeed, or, as well as �?�) � �lower case� � is �the lowest we can be�. Note the �crack�, �break�, or �imperfection� which applies (in one way or another) to the great majority of God�s people �?)�� for though this symbol is of �one continuous line� � it does not perfectly divide the �O�, nor does it extend �above� as well as below the letter.

What we need, to perfectly �reflect� the image of our Creating God, is for us to �turn around� before our final downward plunge � to �seek the light above� so that we can �complete the circle� and attain �Union� with God.

�Our God� infers not only one, but two, three and more, to infinity�; and it takes Father Time to create that !

This is the �Heaven� to which we all aspire to, while here on Earth � the �Mother� of us all, who has enlisted just a little help, from �Father� Time, without whom �we� would not �be�. Without this �Loving Communion� between �nothingness� and �wholeness�, we would remain � �nothing�.

Of faith, hope, and love, the greatest of these is Love:
It is love then we should strive for. To help, encourage, comfort, and support. The Bible tells us so (see 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 etc) ! Without Love (helping, encouraging, comforting and supporting), we are nothing !

Anything less than love is not holy (not from God). Hardly any of us is �perfect� when put to the test, and those who are would surely shrink from such perfection given a second chance � to escape the flames of cruel and sense-less martydom. Thus it would seem that �Where we cannot love, our only duty is to respect and to do no harm�.

If we respect ourselves, we will respect others.

Love gives, but is not restricted to a formula. It also receives, and everyone gains. This is the best option for imperfect people � the over-whelming great majority of populations throughout the ages. This issue is at the heart of world sanity and peace, and acts � as we all should � so as to reflect the Love of God.

There is No Compulsion in Religion (The Koran tells us so. See K 2.256):
Scholars may quibble, but �good intention� is everything. Good-God intention (reflection) is the Key to Everything. God�s Realm. (?). And for �us�, �?�.

We hold the future, we hold it in our hands: If we do not see God ? in All, then we do not see God, at all !

Who a person loves has nothing to do with what they are individually capable of.
It makes no sense to equate homosexuality with sodomy; the two are NOT THE SAME ! In any case, demonizing a minority of people because of a PHYSICAL thing is unfair and MORALLY wrong, if it is done with a consenting partner. Demonizing others is �beyond the pale�. Reprehensible. It shows ignorance beyond belief.

Religions and regions that are most anti-gay are the most oppressive. There are real issues (like equal representation and sharing equitably) that need to be dealt with. But if homosexuality doesn�t apply to you, don�t engage in it yourself. To do so beggars your (own) belief.

We (collectively) must allow others to Love, as when and how they are able, with �mutual reciprocity� the only criteria. Fingers which only point accusingly at others, always, have three fingers pointing back � at the accuser.

Each of us must learn to do what is right for our own selves, before finding fault with others. This often takes a lifetime of learning, through trial, and error. Not one of us is exempt from this process, but the sooner we learn, the better it is � for society as a �whole�.

That is why I am spending this time with you, writing about what �matters�, and what does not.

We should not support those who spew hatred upon a minority of �our own� differently-abled also sexual brothers and sisters who have developed �differently� from the womb through no fault of their own. This difference, like the difference of skin colour etc, is to be celebrated, not condemned, for sexuality (hetero or homo) � and even its absence � is �given� by the One Creator of All things. Science tells us this, at last.

Even where there is �question�, there is no question to be addressed to an �other�, unless that question comes from a loving perspective, to show loving concern, care, and support.

For the pure, all things are pure: Like the first part of the Shahada, the Golden Rule is pure, and unadulterated. To �Love one another� is the loving essence of �Good God Living�, and progressing, through �Time�.

Religious organizations which neglect or purposely inhibit this teaching negate their status, and the world would be better off without �them�, so that the �saved� can move forward, �in time� with their Creator.

There is No Compulsion in Religion (K 2.256); Hurt no one, so that no one may hurt you (my thanks to Prophet Muhammad � may peace and blessings be upon him, also !) for this aspect of the Golden Rule recorded from his last sermon. We may conclude (I would think) that this was the �last good thing� on his mind.

Scholars may quibble, but �good intention� is �everything�. That much is plain.

No doubt: There is no god but God.

Please note: the �Shahada Finger� shown here points vertically upwards to Heaven (the Realm of God) while three fingers point back to the �little one� doing the pointing, and the �wondering�, while �reflecting� � Love. Pointing in any other direction puts God�s Love to the test.

Horizontally pointing an accusing finger in anger at another bedevils the one making the accusation. That anger will be reflected back to bite the accuser. Woe to the one who leads an unjust attack. And woe to the mobs which unthinkingly follow to do the devil�s evil work. �Evil� is the word �live�, but going at it �backwards� (in reverse).

When people (and especially, good people) are attacked, they have every right to defend themselves and their loved ones, but must reduce their defense as soon as the opposition reduces theirs. The negotiations which follow must allow fair compensation and fair punishment of the parties who have overstepped the mark.

This does not include cruel retribution, and deliberate vexation, but rather, an honest attempt to educate both sides through the art of negotiation and compromise, of �give and take� reciprocity, so that both sides are able to claim a fair deal, honestly brokered, and know that they are valued members of � a community, which has �common unity�.

�Good-God� Loving Loves�, and progresses, and difference is celebrated, lovingly:

We are, God IS: I am, you are, we are, they are, all are. God is Love: Live Love, KindlyAction, Amen !

:lightbulb:

PS2: The above �Shahada� images were �saved� to my computer because �difference around a common theme� is to be celebrated. Yes, these images are beautiful examples which demonstrate this grounding principle, because they encapsulate the �essence�, or �spirit(what lays behind)� of God, and, like the infinite array of stars in God�s Heaven �above�, are beautiful, and complete, within themselves, even though we can never get enough of them !

Surely, when we consider these wondrous things, we can more easily perceive that the principle �As above, so below� displays �the proper order of things�, where �the nature of mortality reflects the nature of the cosmos��.

The sweetness of �our� faith lies in the fruits of knowledge. Yes, it does, but it also pertains to the good work of our hands. But it is also up to �us� to put beautiful thoughts and images into kindly action ! The buck stops with �US� (you, and me).

PS3: I must thank Laurence Gardner for his book �Bloodline of the Holy Grail�, 1996, ISBN 1 86204 152, which excited my interest in, and from which I have extracted some of the above information about ? (pages 490-3 and 500), but you can check this out yourselves from the book, or through the internet etc � and in particular, through the work of Gary Meisner freely available at http://www.goldennumber.net .

PS4: To see the symbols of Phi (ie ? and ?) a lot more clearly, you should refer to the above "goldennumber" link which clearly shows the "crack" or "gap" in the uncapitalized Phi. Also, "Phi" is probably best viewd in "Times New Roman" script. This "fact" demonstrates that there are a thousand and one ways and more of showing the same thing. None of them are wrong.