Driver’s license should include a side view profile picture

In consideration, that for many a person, our Driver’s License, is not only our main form of identification, but also is utilized all of the time to identify ourselves, it is somewhat surprising that the physical information that makes up a Driver’s License is typically provided by the individual so applying or renewing such, and further to the point, that the main photo is always a face shot and no more. 

 The main issue with providing height and weight is the seminal fact that people are prone to exaggerate or reduce these numbers, respectively, so what has been recorded is not an accurate depiction of their height or weight.  Additionally, the face shot while being consistent in the sense that the applicant is instructed to stand in a certain place when the photo is taken, it isn’t as consistent as it could be, for most States allow the applicant to smile, which thereby changes the structure of the face.  However, the biggest thing which is missing from Driver’s License photos is that there is not presently, another photo taken of the side view.

 It is somewhat surprising, that despite all the advances in the scheme of technology and the monitoring of the population, the Driver’s License protocol has not yet mandated that a side view profile, basically akin to what a perpetrator must endure in their mugshot, has not become part and parcel of a Driver’s License, for a side view is going to do a much better job of providing the perspective to better see the bone structure and jawline of a given individual, along with providing telling information in regards to those certain individuals, that have tattooed something on the side of their neck.

 It isn’t so much that a side view profile is absolutely mandatory when it comes to a Driver’s License, but rather has a lot to do with providing more information for identification purposes, and therefore for law enforcement, for many a person, claims that their Driver’s License photo does not truly convey what they look like in real life, leading to the fact that because weight and height are taken as being true, it is therefore not only conceivable but probable that some people are now carrying Driver Licenses that are not actually their own; whereas, a side view profile, would reduce this type of trickery of getting over on law enforcement and similar.

 Indeed, if the purpose of a Driver’s License is for identification, then an additional photo that provides telling facial information would make eminent sense.  Also, it isn’t like the general public would be up in arms in protest because, at the end of the day, they need their Driver’s License in order to drive and to provide fair identification of who they actually are.  It would seem, therefore, that in this day and age of ever more intrusive governmental monitoring that something as straightforward as adding a side view profile picture would be something that governments, the world over, would surely begin to embrace.

The Limits of Scientific Discovery

There is a field of thought that whatever science does not discover, reflects doubt upon the existence of things that have not been discovered or have yet to be discovered.  That is to say, there are far too many people, even those of high intelligence who believe that if there isn’t any scientific proof behind a contention or a theory, then whatever that it is, does not exist or is essentially irrelevant.  So then, for these people, it is discoveries so made through science, that prove things, and that which remains unproven or undiscovered is seen, at best, as a theorem, yet unproven, and therefore of suspect validity.

 Indeed, to limit ourselves to the belief that science determines what is real as compared to what is unreal or a myth, is far too limiting, because not only does science limit itself to what it can see, measure, and theorize about, but science does not do a good job, nor is it the best instrument to do such, when it comes to that which is spiritual in nature, and all that which is similar to that sort of domain.  So then, for those who believe in nothing other than what is tangible, or that can be measured or successfully theorized through scientific means, much of all else is considered to be almost irrelevancy.

 So too, scientific theories, even those of long-standing, as well as scientific discoveries, along with the meaning of such, are very much subject to change, when new and relevant information thereby comes into play, which heretofore was not given any credence, or simply wasn’t something that had been measured or noted.  This thus indicates that science and the discoveries that are made are in certain aspects, in a state of flux, because the certainty of what has been discovered or theorized, is subject to change, when discoveries or new theories that make more sense or are more comprehensive, are discovered.  This though doesn’t reflect that science is somehow flawed, but rather that our knowledge is subject to being incomplete, and therefore subject to being changed – in addition to the salient fact that there are unknowns that when they become known, or if they become known,  can change our perspective on many a previous discovery.

 Because science is ever investigating, and to its credit, willing to change when it receives information that is contrary to a previous belief, we live therefore in a day and age, in which we have not yet discovered everything that is there to be discovered, and therefore to understand everything that needs to be understood.  Humankind has a quest to comprehend their place and their meaning in life, and to the degree that science and its discoveries can help in that quest, all to the good.  The mistake, though, that can be made, is those that limit themselves to believing that if science cannot prove it, or has not discovered it, or even theorize about it, then this thing cannot or should not exist, which thereby seemingly closes the book -- on a book, that should not be closed, because to believe that science and science alone, answers all questions, is clearly to misunderstand and miscomprehend all that there really is.

Note-taking has its place

There are times when we are told that we need to take notes, such as in a classroom, at work, or during a lecture or sermon.  While, no doubt, those who impress upon us the value of good note-taking have the best of intentions, it has to be admitted, though, as well, that when we take notes, we are also taking our attention away from what is being spoken or written, to concentrate on that note-taking, which may or may not always be beneficial.  In truth, some people don’t take all that many notes but are just as sharp or sharper than those who have taken notes.  The difference is that those who are engaged but are not note-taking, are relying upon their memory to take in information and to thereby process it, and because of this, they don’t need to take in nearly as many notes as others.  Further to the point, the reason behind note-taking is essentially to jog our mind into remembering the salient points of what we have been taught, or, for example, the order that we need to do things to accomplish a given task, in which, at the end of the day, note-takers, end up absorbing into their memory, as well, the most important points that they needed to learn.  So then, it could be argued, that note-taking for at least some people, is akin to utilizing a crutch, for the object of the exercise is to learn what we need to learn, so that only infrequently, will we need to subsequently look something up, or refer back to our notes.

 In ancient times, only a small elite of people were literate, which means that the processing and the passing on of information and stories was done verbally, and because these people were not literate, they, therefore, had to develop their minds and their memory in order to absorb not only the salient points of what was being addressed but also to pass on such information in a way and manner, that the information or the story was true to what was first explained or told to them.  That is to say, those who were illiterate had little choice if they were to advance and to become valued members of society, but to use their memory as their own form of a library, from which they could thereby draw a wealth of information from.  This would more than imply, that as much as we might impress upon the other, the great value in note-taking, that society should not, therefore, neglect that the exercising of our memory and thereby our mind to remember and thereby store information has immense value, as well.

 Indeed, our mind and our memory are ours, and are ever with us, as compared to the internet or our notes, which may not always be there, especially when we need to draw upon them, in an exigent circumstance. That is why, we should have classes in which no notes are even permitted to be taken so that we can develop the memory of our mind, and perhaps learn the value of something that we are not therefore utilizing as much as we should or ought.

America is not so white

We read at Wikipedia.org, that the share of people in the United States who identify themselves as non-Hispanic white and no other race has declined from 83.1% which is what it was in 1980, to 61.6% in 2020, and in the decade of 2010-2020, this same white population actually declined in numbers.  This would surely indicate that not only do our eyes not deceive us, but that the direction that America is on, is one of more diversity and far less of whiteness, which seems to be a trend that won’t change anytime soon, if it even changes, because the immigration of white people to America is fairly minimal, along with the salient fact that the white birthrate has declined significantly over the decades.

 So then, the population mix of races in America has definitely changed in recent times, of which, America as a nation, still exists, and seems to be doing just fine, with its more inclusive racial mix.  Further to the point, those desiring that America return to the absolute supremacy of the white race within America, are slow to comprehend, that America is becoming more colorblind in its institutions, and has legislated into its laws that which does not permit discrimination based upon racial characteristics or of that of national origin.  This signifies that the powers that be, which at present are not purely white, and haven’t been for a while, have adjusted to the new America, with the sure recognition, that it is far better to judge a person upon their character and accomplishments, as opposed to judging someone based solely upon their racial makeup.

 So too, America seems to be set upon proving that it can exist and persist as a “melting pot” of racial classifications, and there may so come that time, when the race of a given person, isn’t given the primacy that so often has been the case, in the past.  Indeed, not only are the times they are a changing, but the times have already changed, for this is the way that it is going to be, which in the scheme of things, makes for not only a better society, because it is more inclusive, but makes for a better world because the world is filled already with plenty of people that do not identify as white.

 The fact that America is not so white, should give solace for all those of sound mind, because it proves the point, that surface characteristics are not so important as has been the case in history past, and is also indicative that seemingly set traditions and fixed mindsets are actually subject to change, which reflects that a nation that has an open mind is a nation that is able to adjust with the times and to thereby keep its golden door open, as opposed to a country that has set its course, that it thereby will not change, and has thus shackled its golden door.  This then is symptomatic of a nation that is making progress and staying true to the fact that all men are created equal with the same unalienable rights.

Leading by example

There are a multitude of people who know not only the right thing to do, but also express that belief in actually doing the right thing, but the problem that a significant amount of people have, is that their words so spoken correctly, are not consistent with their actual actions, which is quite disappointing, to all.  It is disappointing because anytime that a given person knows what the right thing to do is, but actually doesn’t do it, it is far worse than someone who is confused, stupid, or just plain lax in their moral code.  It is also disappointing because all those who listen to words being fitly spoken but then see that the actions are not in accordance per such, are going to lose respect for that person, as being, quite frankly, a hypocrite, or else, someone that doesn’t have the internal fortitude or discipline to do the right thing, when they certainly know what they ought to be doing.

 Indeed, we are primarily judged not upon what we say and write, but rather upon our actual actions, for those actions have more meaningful consequences than the words we speak or write.  In the end, it is the actions that we take that define who and what we really are, and when there is an inconsistency between what we say and what we do, the default judgment is going to weigh much more heavily on what we do because it is those actions, that represent our actual character.  So then, just knowing what is right and wrong isn’t ever going to be good enough -- for there are many a person who knows the importance of preaching righteousness and then doing right, but alas goes about and does wrong, anyway.

 So too, as much as we might want to believe that our actions don’t influence anybody, the bottom line is that children and young people are impressionable, and heck, even many adults are impressionable, too. So that, our actions can easily influence how another person consequently acts, in their own life.  This thus signifies that not only do we owe it to ourselves to do the right thing, but doing the right thing, can end up making a material difference in how others end up behaving, as well.  In truth, there are many a child who does look up to us, and when they discover that their mentor is not just flawed, but flawed in a way in which the words that they speak that are sensible and wise, aren’t followed up by corresponding actions, that this will impact them, negatively, for they may just think, that if this is fine for my mentor to do this, then it certainly must be fine for myself, too.

 In life, we will be challenged, to ascertain as to whether what we profess is something that we really believe in, or else whether we are fair-weather people, who say the right things, but when push comes to shove, take the lower road, instead.  Each of us, whether or not we want to acknowledge such, leads by example, which signifies that what we should be keeping cognizant of, is whether or not that example, is for the betterment of society, or not.

Planet of the Apes, or is it?

We live in a day and age in which it is postulated to those of reasonable intelligence and of learning, that humankind has evolved or descended from apes, first brought to the general public’s attention through Darwin’s seminal book “The Descent of Man” in 1871.  Plenty of people as well as esteemed scientists believe that this is true, and not only that, but it has to be true, for various reasons so explained through genetics, fossils, and other scientific means.  This thus signifies that it is only in the most recent of times, that humankind, at least in Western civilizations, is considered to be on par with the ape family, and that we are descendants of, or have in common, what apes so represent, no more and no less.

 Obviously, not everyone believes that we are descended from apes. Still, the scientific case seems to be all but closed, and that therefore those who do not follow the orthodox belief that we as human beings have evolved from apes, are thereby suitably placed in the category of those types of people who are pretty much ignored, stigmatized, and considered to be irrelevant.  Yet, it is still somewhat surprising that this most recent of beliefs of who and what we supposedly are is proselytized to students all over Western nations, when there are not only numerous other theories that could be considered, such as Intelligent Design, Creationism, and other things of this general sort -- so that, it comes to mind that there needs also to be a logical reason why this very governance is so enamored over us being considered to be apes.

 That reason though is actually quite obvious and has a lot to do with warfare and colonialism, and pretty much anything that supports that we are not divine in origin, and because we are considered not to be descended from the gods, then clearly anything goes in regards to how we treat our fellow neighbor because in the animal kingdom, it has been written that only the strong and clever survive, thereby signifying that all of the hate crimes, all of the genocide, and all of the warfare that humankind has put upon the other, makes logical sense. After all, as a species, it is best, that only the superior should survive and thereby, they alone should propagate themselves and all those that are weak, should be eliminated.  In other words, governments love the “fact” that we are descended from apes because this means that there are zero unalienable rights and that whatever rights that humankind has, are rights that are gifted to humankind from its government.

 Historically, however, we find that this belief that human beings are really akin to apes is a belief, that the history of every known civilization prior to around 1871, has never supported, whatsoever.  In fact, not only history, but mythology, again and again, proposes that we are descended not from apes, but from the gods, or the God.  This is consistent throughout every civilization and is consistent with our intuitive belief that we are more than our physical makeup and that if there is to be justice, there needs therefore to be an inerrant Lawmaker, and further to the point, that as human beings so created by God, that each of us is not only equally created, but that we all have unalienable rights.  This then is the belief of enlightened and reasonable people; whereas, those that believe that this is a planet of the apes, that deny the immortality of our soul, or even the existence of one, have done themselves and society, a terrible disservice.

Forever wars and the universal draft

America is an empire, that has its armaments and its military personnel engaged and ready for action, literally all over the world.  Not too surprisingly, because the world is a vast place, and because apparently, the world is also a very dangerous place, it takes not only a lot of logistics and armaments to maintain or to augment this empire, but it also takes a lot of personnel, as well.  At present, those that make up the military force of the United States, are volunteers.  Yet, we read at usafacts.org, that for the fiscal year 2023 “three branches reported falling short of their recruitment goals: the Navy was at 80% of its target number, the Army was at 77%, and the Air Force was at 89%”  Further to the point, the personnel that makes up our armed forces do not fairly reflect the demographics of this nation, along with the salient fact that since America seems hellbent on adding even more wars to its forever wars, that it is high time to bring back the draft and make it to apply equally to all.

 The way that the draft should be structured in a day and age in which so many called for equality and non-discrimination to be the prevailing law of the land, with little or no exceptions to this rule, is for a universal draft to be initiated, which would not be discriminatory, whatsoever.  In other words, both men and women would be eligible to be drafted, and previous exceptions made for those who were in poor health, or have bad eyesight, or are married, or are college bound, and all the other excuses previously made, would simply be eliminated.  That is to say, the proposed universal draft would apply to all that fell within the range of 18-25 years of age, with the expressed understanding that since for every soldier in the field, there is a multitude of military personnel that support such, this thus represents why previous excuses, in regards to why somebody could not serve, would no longer be relevant.

 Perhaps if there was a universal draft, nothing would actually change when it came to the typical bellicosity of America, and thereby with plenty of personnel to draw upon, the United States would thereby involve itself in even more foreign excursions, or do more to protect its sovereignty from invaders, thus making this nation more safe and more secure.  Then again, there is more than a fair chance, that a universal draft, which would not permit those with money or other status symbols to evade such a draft, might actually awaken the general lethargy of the people, to better comprehend that wars involve men and women risking their lives and their limbs in a fight, which may or may not even be necessary, or prudent, or a true requirement to protect this nation.  Indeed, one of the reasons why America fights so many battles, either through proxy or through its own personnel, is the salient fact that those that are not directly affected by it or are indirectly affected by it, at most, don’t seemingly care all that much about it, which is why we need those that support such forever wars, to step up, and see what war is really all about.

Freedom and tolerance are not the same thing

We find that for governments the world over, that freedom is a very strong power to cede to the people, and therefore when that freedom is in the hands of the people, a lot of governments get kind of worried, for governments have a strong tendency to desire to repress freedom and replace such with law and order, rules and regulations, along with having control over what the people are or are not permitted to do, with all of this under the thumb of the government.  Indeed, a government that only tolerates certain actions from the people is the same government that can decide that its toleration has reached its limit because, for example, of exigent circumstances; whereas, a government that has provided the free exercise of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press for the people, is a government that is obligated to work with the people, with the legislative representatives of the people, for these people, in whole, are free, and not just tolerated.

 It is true that freedom is often inconvenient for governments, for, no doubt, it’s easier to govern when the people’s voices and desires are suppressed and thereby replaced by governmental desires, for these typically are not one and the same.  Indeed, in a true democracy, with powers dispersed throughout the judicial, executive, and legislative branches, this seems to produce a government that is less repressive and more accommodating to the very people, who have given their consent to be governed, through that representative government.

 In today’s governance, the reason that so many governments don’t desire for the people to truly be at liberty and thereby be free to speak their minds and to be about their business is that the powers that be, find it to be more conducive for their business for the people to cooperate and comply with what those powers desire, be that profit, foreign engagements, wars, exploitation, and so on and so forth.  In other words, many governmental working models desire compliance from the people and aren’t interested in getting any pushback from those same people, which is why the world over, we hear so much about the need for law and order, for public order, and safety, of which, all of these things, logically necessitate therefore that the people give up some of their freedoms so that they will be safe and secure, even though, in actuality, that is a smokescreen used by governments to more effectively manipulate the people.

 So then, despite the First Amendment, being absolutely clear, we find that in this present age, that those who are the true actuators of how this government is run and operated are doing all that they can do to chip away at our freedoms and liberties, to replace it with nebulous things such as tolerance or forbearance with the intent to take even that away, when it suits the government, of which, because freedom provides to the masses far more power in their hands and in their minds than those that desire to run this show find that they are comfortable with, is the reason why they want to flip the First Amendment script, to mere toleration, to provide them therefore with far more control.

The Indian four states of consciousness

Most of those in Western lands, recognize primarily our wakeful self to be our true consciousness, and may begrudgingly admit that our dream state involves some portion of our consciousness, as well, but then it pretty much stops there.  For those that are familiar with Indian consciousness, they recognize that there are actually four consciousness states.  First, we have the state of wakefulness, we then also have the dream state, followed by the dreamless state of deep sleep, and finally for those that calm their mind and concentrate within, there is that state of enlightenment, or attunement to that which is our Creator.  For those of Indian persuasion, the recognition and the belief in these four consciousness states makes for not only a more complete person, consistent with who and what we really are but also emphasizes the prime importance that other states have in regards to our consciousness, for to simply be concerned just about our wakefulness and nothing else, is to conform to a lesser being than what we actually are.

 A valid argument could be made that because Western nations do not typically spend the time and make it their point to create a structure to teach us about the vital importance of these other states of consciousness, the society that we live in, thereby, becomes more fixated upon the material, and thereby the physical form that our soul is embodied in, which is thereby indicative that we have reversed the priorities that we should have for our good development, by focusing upon the needs of our wakefulness, and thereby our material desires, that thus supersede that which is eternal, and therein lies the error of our ways.

 Indeed, considering how much of our time is spent in sleep, each and every day, and to recognize thereby not the importance of that sleep being something far beyond just physical rest, is to lose sight of our true consciousness and its importance to our self.  The dreams that we have, are for our benefit, and those who do not pay attention to those dream states, are those who lose out on learning what they could learn, even if it simply is, that within the dream state, the sense of time and space, seems to have disappeared.  That which is the dreamless state is not only necessary for bodily replenishment, but also a chance for our consciousness to simply exist, without seeming to exist at that moment.  Finally, in those societies, in which so many of us are intimately involved with day-to-day activities and responsibilities, there needs to be that time when we calm our minds to take in the fact, that as much as we might feel that we are part of an endless drama, of good and bad, of ups and downs, that within the great ocean of consciousness, there is a serene calmness, that thus takes away the storms of life, to replace such with a vision that is much larger than our self, letting us know that not only are we never alone, but we never will be alone, for we all are part of the greater whole, that impresses upon us the need to see beyond what we think is so real, to the ultimate reality of rediscovered enlightenment.

More of self, less of God

There are plenty of people who are concerned or troubled that their life isn’t working out the way that they would have hoped or wished for, of which, part of the blame, most likely lies in the fact that the more that they insist upon having things their way, and of concentrating on their own self, above all, the less room in their vessel there will be for contemplation, prayer, and for God.  That is to say, those that are all or mainly about their own self, are, by definition, not God-fearing souls, but rather have displaced God for the primacy of their own self.

 Look, it does sort of make sense, that we should want to assert our own personhood, but there is a paradox in so doing that, because the more that we count on our own self, to figure things out, and to prioritize what we endeavor to do per our own desires, the less that we are concerned about not only our fellow humankind and what we should rightly contribute to society but also the less significance that God represents in our life.  Is it any wonder, then, that so many people end up in situations in which they despair?  Those who turn their back on God and treat God irrelevantly have turned their back upon the very Entity that is only too willing to enlighten them and thereby to be an ever-present help to them in trouble.

 Each of us has been granted free will, and not too surprisingly, to have such great power, along with its incumbent responsibility, to be placed into our hands, can easily become intoxicating.  In fact, it can become so intoxicating that we lose track of who and what we really are, in essence, and because we have lost focus on the most important thing in life, we deviate from where we are supposed to go, because our life, is thereby not attuned to that North Star, whatsoever, but rather, we are attuned to our desires, be they fickle or not.

 It is a serious error, to believe that we are the measure of all things, that humankind, has no equal, never has had an equal, and never will have an equal.  This type of mindset, leads to all sorts of troubles, whether or not recognized intuitively or not, of which, because we think so highly of ourselves, we are thus handcuffed from getting the type of aid that is available to all who sincerely seek such, in order to thereby help us to overcome those obstacles that are in our way.  Indeed, all those who wonder why their unsatisfactory life is the way that their life is, have got to recognize that the type of satisfaction that they so deeply desire, but seems to be so far away, has a lot to do with the fact that, for instance, their pride, and their endless pursuit of pleasures or other misguided desires, are never going to bring lasting satisfaction, because those that put the temporal ahead of the eternal, have surely backed the wrong horse.  So then, what is needed, is less of self, and more of God, and it will be well.

Humility does not mean low self-esteem

There are those people, who get on their hands and knees, and with abject pity cry out to God, “I am nothing, nothing, nothing.”  Perhaps they believe by disavowing their importance that they somehow, will be held in great respect by God, but this isn’t true at all, for having this false sense of self, that we are nothing, betrays the vital fact that each of us is a part of the same whole, and therefore we are in collective, something very important, and thus to deny our value to God, is to take on the aura of low self-esteem which is in conflict to who and what we really are, in essence.

 So too, many people believe that humility and low self-esteem, go hand in glove, that we should therefore put our nose to the grindstone and just humbly go about our business and should not correspondingly have healthy self-esteem, because we really aren’t all that – mainly because we recognize that we suffer from character faults, such as sinfulness, vengefulness, jealousy and so on and so forth.  Look, none of us are error-free, but for all those who go about their life in a manner in which they try to be a good neighbor, and try to help make society a better place for their good participation in it, shouldn’t be people with low self-esteem, for everyone that is doing those proper things that make for a better society, should rightfully feel that they are doing valued work that is reflected in them thereby having healthy self-esteem.

 To be humble, or display acts of humility, has a lot more to do with the fact that we should be far less concerned about our status in life, or in the need to get affirmation from people that we do not really know, for rather we should go about our business of doing right, with the sure acknowledgment that those that are dutiful to the commands of God,  should therefore dismiss humankind’s opinions of who and what they appear to be, good or bad, because these societal members do not have a fair understanding of the character underneath, of which, none of this is really relevant, for those that are humble live with the expressed purpose that to stay on the straight and narrow, and not to deviate, will produce a bountiful harvest.

 The main issue that so many people have with their lack of humility or their false display of humility, is their belief that somehow in the first case, that they are worth more than the other, are more important than the other, and therefore should count more than the other.  As for the second case, this has to do with a belief that they are worth less than the other, are less important than the other, and therefore should count less than the other.  Both of these viewpoints are in error, for true humility understands who and what they are, in essence, and will not in good faith, deny those very qualities, and thereupon they conduct their lives in a way and manner that reflects that they are part of the same One as everyone else, no more and no less, which is thereby fairly reflected in their self-esteem.

Math and language

We utilize math and language each and every day, of which, the universality of such from one nation to another, is basically the same for math in every nation; whereas, language differs quite a lot from one nation to another, and even can vary quite a bit within a particular nation.  The fact that the laws of mathematics are unchanging, definitive, and universal, is the significant reason why those who are not all that proficient in English, are still able to score quite high when testing in mathematics because math is not only universal but also because math has specific rules and applications to those rules which thus indicates that the correct answer is always the same, no matter the background of the person so utilizing that math.  This means when we communicate with other people or entities in mathematical terms, there is virtually never any confusion; whereas, when we communicate through language, there is the distinct possibility of not only confusion, but also of significant misinterpretation, because language is subject to not only subjective interpretation, but also can be misunderstood.

 Indeed, if language was the same as math, our understanding one to another, would be considerably improved, because, for instance, two people can say the very same thing, but the correct interpretation of what has been said can vary considerably, of which, despite those same words, the correct interpretation differs, because of the context in which those words were spoken. This makes language the type of skill that does not always translate well when we attempt to communicate our ideas and thoughts to the other, and because language is an imperfect art, subject to error, and miscommunication, it can create situations that exacerbate our relationships, without any intention to do so, on either person’s side.  This is why it is important to understand the nuances of language, of which, even when the words so being spoken, appear to be clear and obvious, that may not be interpreted that way by the other, and therein lies the rub, for because each of us is an individual, with a different background, and a different mind, there is a lot that is spoken, that thus misses its intended interpretation.

 So then, the way that we communicate with language is an entirely different experience than mathematics, because mathematics has universal laws that are not subject to change and are not subject to a different interpretation, signifying therefore that when math is communicated from one person or entity to the other, it is received, correctly, and without need of interpretation.  On the other hand, language is a skill that utilizes symbols, of which, many people believe that the symbols so being utilized are consistent from one person to another, and while those word symbols, should ideally be consistent, they often aren’t nearly as consistent as is needed, which is part of the reason why, when we communicate with the other, that what we have so communicated, isn’t necessarily translated or absorbed exactly, which leads to all sorts of errors, misinterpretations, and miscommunication, which is why so often it appears that the other doesn’t really comprehend correctly what we have conveyed to them.

Federal interest debt and the sinking of the unsinkable

There are plenty of people who believe that the United States will exist, seemingly forever.  But what seems to have been lost in all the hoopla, of believing that the United States is the greatest nation that the world has ever known, is the fact that it does not presently keep its fiscal house in order.  We read at pgpf.org that in regards to the national debt “…interest costs in 2024 will total $892 billion.”  That amount of money is absolutely staggering as the paying of interest on what the government borrows to keep afloat is nearly $1 trillion and seemingly on an endless track to get ever larger.  Further to the point, all that money earmarked to pay that interest so due is money that is thereby spent paying the investors of that federal debt, and therefore is monies not spent on the general welfare of the people.  It is distressing, that the richest nation that the world has ever known, seems to be on an unavoidable course to self-destruct because it refuses to get its house in order.

 When it comes to federal deficits, there are legitimate reasons why a given government might well find it prudent to go into debt, so as to, for instance, spend money now on infrastructure or on education or on the general welfare of the people, or possibly to defend the nation from foreign aggressors intent upon war on us.  On the other hand, there are those monies that are ill-spent for our own endless war involvements, that aren’t even close to our shores, and for all practical purposes aren’t necessary for our participation, as well as monies spent for all sorts of items and things, that aren’t essential, aren’t prudent, aren’t productive, or are done as a favor to foreign nations, as if we have an unlimited amount of monies to just hand out, when clearly, in actuality, we do not.

 The easiest thing to do in the world is to spend, spend, and spend, with nary a care as to how it will be paid back, but rather to pass on this debt to generations yet unborn, or to burden the current generation, with the responsibility to pay the debt, by taking away from the people, benefits and needs that they have, so that they, through no fault of their own, must tighten their belts, ad nauseam.  Rather, the problem that the United States has, can be laid at the feet of all those politicians and those bad-acting lobbyists who believe that they need not be responsible to anyone or anything, and just have this government to spend monies that are being borrowed as if such never needs to be paid back with interest.

 In life, there will be a reckoning, and the enormous federal interest rate debt that the United States is accumulating year after year will have a reckoning, because what is currently happening, cannot continue to happen, indefinitely.  Indeed, this interest rate expense so being accumulated, yearly, is in its effect, transferring the wealth of the nation, into the hands of those that have their own agenda, which may or may not be democratic in nature, and might not care that this constitutional system of governance should continue to exist.

Insecurity and fundamentalism

Plenty of people have a general or even innate interest in religion thereby representing their belief in a Higher Being, in the sense that they believe there is something beyond our physical senses that is part and parcel of who and what we really are, in essence.   That signifies that many of those people will thereby search for the meaning and purpose of life, often in the institutions that are most prominently available in their community, of which, in America, that typically would be represented by churches.  As might be expected, in a nation in which the freedom of religion, is a right, there are all sorts of churches, that have all sorts of beliefs, of which, one of those types of churches are those that have a very strict and literal interpretation of the Bible, as Holy Scripture thus being inerrant, of which, those that are congregants of that type of church, are known thereof as fundamentalists.

 To believe in a literal reading of the Bible signifies that for those parishioners that there isn’t thereby a lot of room to maneuver as to the meaning of it all, because the preacher to that congregation, typically specifies what Holy Scripture does or does not mean, and seldom equivocates upon such.  There is, in a sense, a certain comfort, in the understanding that the Bible does not change with the times, and will therefore not change for the people that adhere to it, but is always the same, now and forevermore.  This thus signifies that certain things that are considered to be wrong or sinful, have therefore always been wrong and sinful, of which, fortunately, the pathway to God and God’s glory, is shown to be clear and unequivocal.  So then, in knowing this, those that believe wholeheartedly, know what they need to do in order to be a good Christian and thereby to reach Heaven.

 Not too surprisingly, those who are fundamentalists aren’t interested in change, because change will upset the construct that they believe in, and therefore they are fearful of change, because anything that would infringe upon their sincere belief, is something to be rightfully fearful of, for they do not desire to have what they believe to be in their control, to actually be something that they are susceptible to losing control of, which would thereby disrupt what is of very high importance to them.  Indeed, one of the prominent reasons why people attend church is the sense of security that the church will provide them, specifically when they know what the rules of the road are, and thereby make it their point to follow those rules to a tee. Therefore, those who believe fundamentally that the Bible is inerrant and believe that they have followed what needs to be followed to successfully reach the promised land, are not going to appreciate hearing something that disavows what they sincerely believe in, and thereby they will feel threatened by those that preach or teach something fundamentally different from their belief, which will make them feel insecure, vulnerable, and threatened, which is why those that are fundamentalists typically are very closed-minded, and thereby not readily open for change.

Free will and our responsibility to society

To believe in free will is akin to some people in believing that whatever our desire is, we should have the right to go after it, come what may.  That may seem to make sense and perhaps does make sense, but the fundamental crux of the problem with free will and our willful desires, is that all of us live within a society, and when the free will and desires of others interfere with our free will or we interfere with theirs, then there is going to be conflict, and where there is conflict, trouble is soon to follow.  This would presuppose that we need to temper our free will and our desires, with the understanding that as a member in good standing of society, there is the necessity of understanding the importance and thereby the application of some give and take within our relationships.  That is to say, to be only about our own self, and thereby to believe that the other is either subservient to our desires or of no concern, is to vacate our responsibility to be good to one another.

 Indeed, to have free will is to have a great power, and those that utilize that power responsibly, are going to have a life that is more meaningful and better, than those that ignore such soundness.  We are meant to go after our dreams but to do so with the expressed understanding that we should not desire to walk over people as if they don’t matter, to achieve such.  Rather, we need to comprehend, that a society of people that think only of themselves, or only of those that they are closest to, and everything else, is of no real concern or merit, is going to make for a society of individuals, and never of a society that represents teamwork, purpose, and the pursuit of an overarching goal that is beneficial in aggregate for all.

 It has to be admitted that with freedom comes attendant responsibilities because even those who believe strongly that they should be entitled to do whatever their heart’s desire leads them to, have got to realize in their saner moments, that our desires should be circumscribed by our duty to be civil to others, and to be dutiful to the society which has provided us with the opportunity to express ourselves in a manner that pleases us.  In other words, society presents each of us with the implied obligation to do our good part to help make that society a better place for our involvement in it; for without our contribution, as well as the contributions of motivated others, then our society would not be able to function at the level that it needs to be at, so as to provide the infrastructure and backstop that helps those that need such the most, which comes from our efforts and the contributions of others.

 So then, our free will necessitates that we respect one another and that we grant to the other, that whatever rights and prerogatives that we believe should be ours, should also be theirs – and further to the point, that by helping to build up the other, helps to build ourselves up, as well.

Oh hypocrite

To be a hypocrite really isn’t about morality, or whether a particular belief is right or wrong, but rather has everything to do with the consistency of judging people by the same standards that you would accept as being consistent with your preferences and professed belief, to, in turn, be thus judged by.  In other words, if you believe that someone who is a liar and a cheat should be exposed as being a liar and a cheat, then it would be consistent if others thereby exposed you as a liar and a cheat, as well, should you be those very things.

 So too, if you believe that gossip is harmful and not becoming of a good citizen, but yet, you indulge in gossip from time to time, then quite frankly, you are being hypocritical by your action.  Indeed, to judge another, under whatever conditions that have been set forth in a person’s mind, signifies that in fairness, other people should thereby be able to judge you along the same sort of lines and that you should have nary a complaint about such. Indeed, what is good for the goose is good for the gander. Therefore, those who are not hypocrites are those who accept the same standards that they apply against other people, as being absolutely valid when applied against their own self, and thereby don’t complain about it.

 In truth, to be a hypocrite is basically to be inconsistent in one’s outlook and philosophy to the other, because it isn’t consistent to apply a standard to one person, but to claim somehow that turnabout is not fair play when it most certainly is.  So then, one way for people to reduce their hypocrisy is to be far less inclined to judge people and far more accommodating that as a people, we are subject to viewing the other erroneously, and often suffer from the inability to know everything of pertinence in regards to a particular situation, thereby not providing us with all the information that we need to formulate a fair judgment or opinion, if we were even so inclined.

 For the hypocrite, there is a certain delight in taking the superior judgment position, so that from their perspective, though they may err, they believe fundamentally that most of the time they are in the right; whereas, those others that may have a complaint or two about them, are fundamentally wrong or else out of line.  It is a truism that the hypocrite wants to believe that when they look deeply into the mirror, that they represent a paradigm of consistency when it comes to how they apply their judgments and their standards to the other, while also claiming to accept the same basis to evaluate them, in return; whereas the reality of the matter is that they are being overly generous to their self, while being far less than generous to the other, along with also being prone to adjusting their judgments “on the fly” so that they always end up smelling like roses, even though the smell that they are emanating is rather something actually quite foul

Stealth taxation

Many people believe that taxation is a fairly recent occurrence, but ever since governments have been around, taxation has been around right along with it.  The difference that we have in this modern age is the forms of taxation that citizens are subject to, include as applicable: State, city, county, excise, Federal, property, and general sales tax.  Also, it does seem rather incomplete whenever the price of goods we purchase does not include the taxes associated with it, which means that for many a purchase, the amount of money so expended is thereby greater than the retail price so listed. 

 When it comes to tax entities, we find that most of these, such as in individual States, are required to balance their budget, or at least have verbiage to that effect.  However, the biggest government entity in America is the Federal government, and its budget is gargantuan, of which, in fiscal year 2024, that budget was $6.29 trillion and the federal government did not even come remotely close to balancing its budget, and has, in fact, in the 21st century, consistently run up huge deficits, nearly every single year.

‘All those folks and pundits that claim that federal budget deficits don’t really matter because we can simply print as much money as we desire are absolutely being disingenuous, for budget deficits most definitely do matter, and the greater and more persistent such a deficit is, hurts American citizens because those deficits will eventually have to be repaid, while also exerting stress upon the value of the dollar because of those deficits, in which, the greater the deficit, the more the dollar will eventually weaken, often demonstrated through inflation, which represents that the purchasing power of the dollar has decreased.

 All of the above basically reflects that while there are those taxes that we are quite aware of, and thereby pay, reluctantly or not – that there is another form of taxation, perhaps more insidious, which is the fact that how we typically measure our wealth, as in the dollars that we have, of which, we find that these dollars are progressively getting worth less and less, and because the value of the dollar is declining, this is in its own way, represents a form of taxation.  So too, those who end up having to borrow money, through debts incurred on a purchase of a vehicle, or through purchases made through credit cards, in which, their net income is not keeping pace with the value of the dollar, are essentially suffering from a hidden tax because the money that they earn is purchasing ever less.

 So then, a fiscal house that cannot keep itself balanced is going to burden the general population, by virtue of the coin of the realm losing its purchasing power, and thereby what people earn, purchases less product than it had before, which is essentially what taxation represents, for the people have been obligated to give up more of what they have to support a government that has not the discipline or the good character to balance its own budget, straining the pocketbook of the people, thereby, through the stealth taxation that the people are unfairly burdened with.

The problem with our selfish desires

To live in a construct in which each person has the right to pursue whatever that they so like and desire, and to push aside all that they dislike or don’t desire – and to justify such because this is part and parcel of having free will, is the very reason, why the world that we live in, is filled with so much discord, disharmony, and division between us, as peoples.   Look, free will is definitely ours, and we are entitled therefore to like and dislike what we come across and to go after to our heart’s content what appears to please us.  Still, the issue is that when our mindset is built solely around our selfish desires, and thereby meets up with those that have the same sort of mindset --the end result is going to be the world as it is at present, which is far from harmony, fairness, justice, and love, that most of us, if we were sincere, would prefer to have, instead.

 This thus indicates that what we take as our identity, which apparently consists of our likes and dislikes, our desires and non-desires, our preferences, and the things that we would like to avoid, actually represents us focusing upon the wrong identity.   While we are those very things, we are also, paradoxically, not those attributes, as well, for likes and dislikes, are in a constant state of flux, of which, many a person, that has gravitated to one strong belief, finds themselves, at some future point in their life, somehow to have gravitated to the exact opposite belief, instead.  This would seem to indicate that as strongly as we might believe in something today, it may not be in our repertoire in the future, which should give us the first hint or pause that perhaps our true identity actually lies outside of our likes and dislikes.

 Indeed, the very first thing that we should desire to do, is to recognize that because we interact with other members of society, that we should therefore take into fair consideration, that what makes for the greater good is going to be overall, a better objective, than solely focusing upon our own greed.  In other words, the key component that we should be trying to achieve is doing those types of activities, that will bring better harmony and unity to one another, thereby discarding that which brings forth disharmony and division.  This thus means focusing less on ourselves and being instead more inclusive with other people, which will provide us with the benefit that other people and a good society offer us through their various skills and the caring for the other, that we will thus be better able to avail ourselves of.

 While we are entitled to be as selfish as we might desire, what we will find, sooner or much later, is that a team approach makes for a better society, because those who are vested in others and thereby are vested in their society are the type of people that are going to be more honest, more empathetic, more generous, and more of good cheer., one to another, for they see the bigger picture, and aren’t so enamored of just their own personal self.

“…God’s Kingdom is within you”

The above scripture comes from Luke 17: 21, which impresses upon our mind that we shouldn’t just believe that Heaven is above us, or that God is above us, and thereby looking down upon us, but rather we would be better served by recognizing that first of all, God is immanent in everything that we encounter, whether it be physical, mental, or spiritual.  In other words, God is everywhere, and if we only take the time, to use the concentration of our mind, and also have the patience to search diligently for God, we would thereby recognize that God is not only with us but has always been with us, from our very inception.

 We find that in Western societies, there seems to be a basic belief, for those who are God-fearing, that though God surely exists, that God is also often seen as an Entity that is beyond our tangible reach.  Yet, in essence, this is not true, at all, for God is as close to us, as our own being will accept that closeness. In truth, those who sincerely desire to find God will surely do so when they take the time and thereby calm their minds to touch God through the prism of their mind that meditates serenely upon God.  That is to say, to find God’s Kingdom, we often are going to need to remove from our mind our thinking about or our contemplating upon our everyday issues, and clear these from our mind, so that we can focus on God, and God alone.

 For a certainty, to find that Kingdom within, is not the easiest of tasks, but for those that are both diligent and motivated, we will find that which will enlighten us, and when we do so find that Kingdom within, we will be a better person, for it, because this signifies that there really isn’t a great divide between what we believe that we are, and what God is, but rather there appears to be distance between us, only because we are expending our energies in the wrong direction, or have taken a wrong turn.

 Indeed, it is vital to recognize that to find that Kingdom within, is going to make us a better and a more complete person because God is our ever-present help in trouble, who is only too willing to help guide us to the ever-safe sanctuary that God represents.  It is important therefore to believe that God exists, for that should bring us a great degree of comfort, for God is love, justice, fairness, and immortal – it is also of immense value to try to do our good part to find God, in the here and now, as opposed to waiting upon our physical demise to recognize that God was always with us, from our very first breath, until our last.

 We need then to do our good part to search for God, and when we do so, we will ultimately find God, of which, God is as personal to us, as we will permit God to be, for God is everywhere and nowhere, as close to us, as we will accept, if only we would calmly open our mind’s eye to really see and to thereby knowingly believe.

The reason for mortality

In this world, there are plenty of people who are afraid of death, for they believe, wrongly, that physical death is the destruction of who and what they really are.  Of course, when this is an individual’s belief, death is certainly something to be not only fearful of but when death also comes to the other that we care deeply about, it is quite distressing.  However, the truth of the matter is, that the real reason why so many people are fearful of death, is not just because they fear that their very existence becomes completely and irrevocably gone but also because they are afraid of the unknown, the unseen, and the undiscovered.

 The thing that more people need to understand is that our worldly existence is meant to be a “proving ground,” and because of this construct, we are provided with the raiment of a physical body, along with a free-will mind that thereby permits us to make decisions that are beneficial or not, through the actions that we take within this sphere.  We are therefore mortal in this life, because it is necessary for us to experience the fair consequences for what we think, say, and do, of which, through those consequences, we thereby learn the better way to enlighten ourselves as to the very purpose of our existence.  That is to say, we will be tested, time and time again, of which, those who learn their lessons well and thereby apply them correctly will graduate from this world into the recognition of their true immortal existence, and those who don’t will instead cycle back to this plane.

 So then, the structure of this world is real in the sense, that there are consequences which must be met, good or bad, by each one of us.  Those then, who make mistakes that do not readily correct themselves, and are also stuck within a thinking process that does not appear to be subject to change, would themselves, be living in a type of hell, if this physical life, was immortal, because they aren’t progressing, at all, but rather are becoming more fixated in a mindset that does them no favors.  This is the proximate reason why we leave one life, only to begin another, because where there is no progress, there cannot, therefore, be any growth, and without growth, we will not reach the destination that is necessary for us to accomplish so as to vacate this play of mortality.

 Indeed, the drama that we experience in this mortal life, is meant to awaken us from the stupor that precludes us from comprehending that we are immortal beings, temporarily housed within a physical body, of which, through our deeds of good, we recover the knowledge that we are in our essence, one with God.  So then, the reason for mortality is that our experience in this world is meant for a finite amount of time, to season us, thereby permitting us to know the good and bad of having free will, with the attendant comprehension, that freedom always comes with responsibilities, and those that are responsible, make good on that freedom, by doing the right thing, time and time again, thereby successfully shedding their physical raiment, for that which is divine, instead.