The only thing that can regulate free market capitalism is….

We live in a day and age, in which never has there been more power in the hands of not people, as individuals, but rather in the legal entity of a corporation, in which, unlike people, which have a finite period of time on earth and thereby in society; we find that Western nations have instituted corporations, which are as structured currently are perpetual. This means, that long after a given corporation has been founded by its original founders, it will still be in existence, as long as it continues to make a good profit and stay relevant. This is why there are many a corporation today, that have been around for well over a century, and why the biggest and brightest corporate entities of today are well-structured to last as long as this nation exists in its current form.

 While there are a lot of good things when it comes to capitalism, in which, it has to be said, that money is a great motivator for many a person or corporation – it also has to be admitted that any institution that makes its point that its primary responsibility, as argued by Milton Friedman, is “to maximize profits and increase returns to shareholders,” presents a clear and present danger to a government of, by, and for the people, because when any corporation, is driven to make a profit, above all, this means that anything that gets in the way of that pursuit, such as labor, regulations, competition, and fair play, is going to take a back seat to those profits, which is why the only thing that can properly regulate these gargantuan corporations which exert undue influence upon markets and people, is a robust government acting through its agencies.

 Indeed, it is the duty of government to see that the playing field so played upon by capitalistic entities, must be a field that first of all, respects the fact that the continual exploitation of labor, environmental damage, collusion between corporations, or the buying out of competitors, and so on, are monitored and thereby corrected by the government, or else, America will have ceded to those corporations, that the pursuit of profit supersedes what this government owes to its people, because whenever corporations are permitted to have their way, with little or no interference by governmental agencies, then what we will see is more power held in corporate hands, which will undermine governmental policies that conflict with what these corporations are wont to do.

 It has to be said, that capitalistic corporations that have sales of billions upon billions of dollars, and own assets that are also in the billions upon billions of dollars, need to be properly taxed by governmental authorities and need also to be properly regulated, or else important things such as environmental concerns, or the paying of a fair wage, will be pushed to the background, and the less that corporations behave to the people responsibly, the more that the government will be stuck having the responsibility of providing an ever bigger safety net, for those that have been exploited as well as that government being needed to ameliorate environmental damage, all because corporations are given free rein to make a profit, without the attendant responsibilities that they have to be a good steward to the government that permits their existence.

Bombs away!

Since America is the world’s policeman and insists upon its involvement where trouble is brewing implicitly or explicitly all over the world, but nevertheless doesn’t want to risk losing American blood, because the general public is not comfortable in seeing a multitude of American boys in body bags, we find that America thereby uses aerial bombardment again and again, in its foreign conflicts and wars. The thing about bombing is that bombs are quite effective in creating absolute havoc and destruction. However, what is taken into consideration far less than it should be is that almost invariably when a bomb is dropped within an area that has some semblance of a population or actually has quite a few people living there, is that there will be civilian casualties from that bombing which are to the degree that America can control the narrative, are conveniently forgotten, dismissed, or typically substantially minimized as to the amount of civilians so injured, displaced, or killed.

 The main reason why America loves to bomb other civilizations is because it desires to minimize the amount of actual American boots on the ground, and in consideration that those who are the bombardiers are seldom in any real danger, this seems to be a strategy that saves American lives, under the belief that this bombing, strategic or not, will get the enemy to surrender or to lose the will to fight.  In actuality, aerial bombardment is almost never truly “surgical” or “smart” in its effect, and has a way of taking civilian populations and making them to despise and to hate those that rein this seemingly indiscriminate bombing upon them.

 To believe somehow that it is right to kill civilians, consisting of non-combatant men, women, and children, is a great wrong that America continues to bring down upon its enemies.  In truth, war is a dirty business, which entails risk, blood, injuries, and death, of which, the bombing of a given country is going to increase the amount of civilians injured, killed, and displaced, which should be seen as a crime against humanity.  America, drops the bombs upon those that are its alleged enemies, not because this tactically is the best way to win a battle, but rather because it wants to minimize American blood, at the expense of the civilian blood of those that are unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 The thing that America tends to forget is that there are definite cycles in civilizations, and those that were the top dog, will eventually be replaced by another, so that, the more pain and punishment that America imposes through its aerial bombardment, the more blowback there will eventually be, of which, it has to be remembered that those that do all the bombing aren’t particularly concerned about civilian deaths and injuries so inflicted, until such a time, as the worm turns, and that bombing hits American civilians, as well.

 There doesn’t seem to be any real rules when it comes to aerial bombardment, or to the degree that there are, appropriate sanctions are never imposed against those powerful entities that violate such, signifying that when that reckoning does so come, America will feel the type of hell that it has been dishing out for decades, and will deeply regret the bloody harvest that it has reaped.

The tyranny of the elites

While it might be supposed that all are equally held accountable to the rule of law, we find that not only is this seldom true, but the actual laws so legislated into existence and then implemented, are themselves far too often not fair or appropriate, but rather have a way of being interpreted that structures these laws in a way and manner in which certain personages and organizations benefit. In contrast, the general public will be subject thereby to suffer the ill consequences of those same laws.  So too, plenty of laws are well-intentioned and good, but the enforcement of those laws is not consistent with what those laws should and ought to represent, in actuality.

 To live within a society in which each of us is dealt with according to a fair rule of law is to live within a society in which all are under that same law and thereby are subject to that law. This is so important because we find no matter how well written a given Constitution is, or the intentions behind such a Constitution, that Constitutions have a habit of being interpreted as or suffering from undue influence from those that are in positions of immense power, that thereupon favors those elites, and essentially makes them to be above the law, at the expense of the general public.

 In any society, there is going to be unfairness and inequality, of which, the duty of good governance is to play the role of balancing the scales of justice, to thereupon support those that are the least and most disadvantaged amongst us, and when that governance is compromised or even worse, under the thumb of the elites, than those that have little or no power, will be subject to a constant exploitation of those that are the elites, which makes for a society that is unequal, unfair, and unjust.

 To live in an equal society in which all are treated the same under a fair rule of law is only possible if those who are the elites of a given nation, must themselves live under that law.  This is why, so many people find delight in seeing those that are high up, take a fall; but somehow don’t recognize that the fall that these very influential and powerful people take, has not a lot to do with the rule of law, per se, but mainly has to do with the constant struggle of one elite against the other, which is why, the change that so many desire to make for a better society, never comes into fruition.

 Indeed, the very point of good governance is to defend the defenseless and the weak, by being that bulwark against any and everything that would oppress those who are freely entitled to their unalienable rights, which is why all those who consistently back those who are the most powerful amongst us, by serving them as opposed to serving justice and the people, are part and parcel of the tyranny of the elites, which good governance should by its very nature never encourage or countenance, whatsoever. 

The Electoral College needs to be expanded to the Congress

There are plenty of people who strongly dislike the Electoral College, which is utilized as the mechanism to determine the winner of the Presidential election, of which, a lot of these people who dislike the Electoral College so much, lack both imagination as well as an understanding that the Electoral College typically makes the election of the President to be far more interesting, because of the strategic thinking and strategies that are needed and are subsequently utilized in order to best get their candidate elected.  In other words, if the President was decided solely upon the popular vote, then all of the States that are small, of which, for instance, the twenty-two smallest States have a population that is essentially equivalent to the population of California, would be pretty much, ignored, because their overall impact would be minimal.  Whereas, as it stands right now, smaller and medium-sized States are important to win, of which, some of these become “battleground States” because to win all the Electoral College votes within those States, is a very strong factor as to whether a given Presidential candidate becomes President.

 Indeed, there isn’t any real good reason, why the Electoral College could not be expanded to the United States Congress, of which, for the Senate, it would be proposed that each of the Congressional districts would receive a certain amount of Electoral College representatives based upon the population of that Congressional district, and the winner of the overall State electoral vote, subject to some minimum amount of Electoral College vote totals, which would be basically akin to the 270 Electoral College votes so needed to win the Presidency, would be sufficient to win the Senate seat.  As for those States with just one Congressional representative, nothing would change, but in those States, with more than one Congressional representative, it would change the strategy of the candidates and would make it more likely that “battleground Congressional districts” would thereby be relevant to the Senate election. 

 Additionally, Congressional elections could also be structured into the Electoral College system, by subdividing each district, into Electoral College enclaves, that were made up of the individual counties within each Congressional district, or if that was problematic, something else along those same lines.  This therefore would also make Congressional elections, more strategic, in which, those voters within “battleground counties” would be paid more attention to, than previously, under the old rules.

 Again, to simply elect representatives solely based upon the vote, isn’t all that interesting, because those so running for election, are going to concentrate their efforts upon those population centers that make a material difference in their getting elected; whereas, when the Electoral College is enforced, thereby making it winner take all within each Electoral College enclave, the strategy to win an election, will be different and thereby we will see those seeking election making a more concerted effort to win over those that previously were left behind or ignored by election pamphleteering.  So too, there would be a greater interest in elections, when the people felt that their vote actually mattered, which makes for a better representative government, so meant to be of, for, and by the people.

“…whatever a man sows, that he will also reap”

The above quotation comes to us from Galatians 6:7, and it means what it says, which is the harvest that each one of us has sown through their actions, thoughts, and deeds, is going to be what they will surely reap.  It is fair to state that life is a chain of events, that begins at the beginning and ends at the end, of which, that continuum, writes the story of our life, and thereby what we so reap by the harvest that we have seeded, are the fruits of our labor, of which, this has represented our contribution to the life that we have lived.

 Indeed, there are many a person, that prefers to personally edit their life in a way and manner, in which that which is bad and wrong, is reduced to something akin to a small indiscretion, and the little that they have done right, is magnified into something magnificent.  The problem with this type of belief, is that God will not be mocked, and in consideration that God is perfection, omniscient, and just, there will be a reckoning for each and every one of us, and of that reckoning, we will surely reap what we have sown.

 There are plenty of people, that really like their lives, and feel that overall that they are a good person, who perhaps has made a few mistakes, but as in anything, our own perception, can be distorted, so that, if we really want to know how we have been behaving, we probably need to reduce our ego, and to thereby take an honest reflection upon who and what we really are – and if lacking in certain good qualities that make for virtuous character, to do our level best to actually achieve those attributes, so that we will become a better person.

 In this world, there is plenty of opportunity to not only to deceive our own self, but to deceive others, but in the end, all the tricks and games that we have played, will be fairly accorded to us, come judgment day, and those then, that have lived high up on their horse, will find that their fall is indeed great, which is why we need to do what we can do to make sure that the seeds, care, and diligence that we put into our harvest, will result in us our reaping what is good.

 The world that we live in is a proving ground, of which, each of us has to answer individually to that which called us into existence, and upon that calling, we will find that all the pretense will be eliminated, to thus expose our actual character.  Those then that take what they say and do in this world, with the understanding that this matters and then make it their point to do the right thing, are going to stand in a far superior position to those that either ignore or dismiss such, for in the end, we will fairly sow what we have reaped, and the difference between those that have chosen wisely as compared to those that have been fools, will be stark.

Vehicle speed

Because modern-day vehicles can travel at such a high rate of speed, in which, the driver of that vehicle, doesn’t even really notice how fast the car is traveling, because the ride is often fairly smooth, we don’t seem to comprehend that the faster a vehicle travels, the less time we have to react to adverse events, and further to the point, the greater the velocity of a given vehicle, the more damage that will be done should that vehicle encounter an obstacle, such as another vehicle, or a deer, or a human being.

 The bottom line is that most drivers simply want to get to their destination as quickly as they can. Given that the roads that vehicles travel upon lend themselves to driving at a fairly high speed, this signifies that drivers are going to drive their car about as fast as they feel that they can safely handle, limited only by restraints such as vehicle traffic, weather, and speed limits.

 The rub when it comes to the speed that cars travel is that those driving the cars have difficulty in conceptualizing how fast they are traveling and thereby how dangerous it can be, when an unforeseen obstacle gets in their way, thereby providing them a limited amount of time to avoid that obstacle or to brake with enough force to slow down the car, sufficiently.  In other words, while there are many reasons why we have car accidents, one of the factors why there are so many car accidents is the traveling speed of a car, of which, it has to be said, that the slower a vehicle is traveling, the less potential damage there will be to all that are involved in an accident.

 This then would presuppose that when it comes to vehicle safety and because cars travel so fast, more needs to be done to preclude damaging accidents, which signifies that braking power, including the automatic usage of brakes when a collision is imminent, along with more robust safety belts, restraints, airbags, and other safety devices which are being developed or contemplated upon, have a definite role to play.  While it could be said, that lowering speed limits would also lower car fatalities and reduce car accidents, the fact of the matter is that today’s drivers routinely violate speed limits, so this probably isn’t going to do enough to change much -- though, the usage of smart speed limits, that take into account weather conditions, traffic patterns, and frequency of accidents on certain stretches of roads, could be of real assistance in this area.

 Another thing that would be helpful would be the designing of vehicles that utilize less overall weight to the vehicle while maintaining structural integrity, because the more weight a given vehicle has in conjunction with its speed, the greater the impact there will be when a collision occurs.  Indeed, when it comes to vehicles, it has to be said, that while governmental regulations have been of help in improving driver safety, more could be done to increase that safety, by concentrating on the recognition that the traveling speed of vehicles needs to be addressed, more forthrightly.

Are you what you earn?

The Western world seems to be structured around money, the making of money, and the value of that money.  Therefore, there are many people, that see their value being fairly reflected by the assets that they have or don’t have.  This sort of viewpoint is corrupt, for to value one’s self solely by the coin of the realm, does nothing to value the true worth of a human being and their corresponding character.  It is a grand mistake to believe that our value is tied to our material worth, and therefore that our utility to society should be based solely upon whether we are net contributors to society by the assets that we have or the money that we have in our possession or control. 

 The fact that so many of us, are judged, fairly or not, by our material assets, demonstrates a society that doesn’t have its priorities right.  The better way to value anyone is whether or not they are contributing in a wholesome way to the society that they are an active member of, along with whether or not their character represents positive traits, such as generosity, compassion, sincerity, honesty, and helpfulness.  That is to say, we should not be judged by what we earn or have but rather we should be judged as to whether we are doing our fair part to help make society a better place for our contribution to it.

 Yet, because Western nations, inundate us with all sorts of advertisements and try to make the point, again and again, that happiness comes from material objects that we obtain or the appreciative acceptance that we seemingly get from others who want what we have, thus creates not only an ongoing tension between members of society but also means that the default structure of capitalist nations, represents not a society founded upon our collaboration and cooperation with one another but rather seems to prefer that we see this world, as a competitive sport, so judged as to whether or not, we have played the game well, demonstrated by the material assets that we have.

 In truth, what we earn through our labor and the amount of assets that we have accumulated, does not reflect whether we are a good person or not, but rather simply represents the pay that we receive and the wealth we have accumulated, that is in our possession.  To have money and to make a good salary, has its value, mainly because many material things require money in order for us to have ownership of such.  However, in the scheme of things, what we really need, is often a much smaller subset of what we either perceive that we need or reflects our pursuit that the accumulation of ever more material things equates to more happiness, which to the degree that this takes us away from being a good person, is a serious mistake.

 In sum, what we are, is reflected in our character, so lived out by our interactions, day by day, recognizing that how we treat one another, and how we care about the other, has lasting purpose; whereas, what we earn or have, should be seen as a sideshow, and no more.

Governmental statistics and governmental lies

This government provides the population with all sorts of statistics on all sorts of things, such as the poverty rate, the graduation rate, the unemployment rate, the growth of the economy, the labor hourly working rate, the inflation rate, and so on and so forth.  The thing about those statistics is even if a given governmental agency was truly trying to provide the most accurate information and thereby disseminate that to the general public, the fact that the United States is so large and that it takes time and resources to gather all of the pertinent information so needed to provide a precise picture, is that we have to take into full account that the government also has an abiding desire to paint a picture that is more positive than negative, and further to the point, the government has the inclination to manipulate numbers to make that government look like its more effective in its programs and agencies than it actually is.

 The truth of the matter is that governments the world over, lie to the people, for various reasons, but the most important reason that governments lie is to keep those in power, at their positions of power, and to a lesser extent not to worry the people, about things that they might rightly worry about.  This is why the government does not present the whole picture, because it doesn’t want to look bad when it comes to the actual inflation figures, employment numbers, or real wages, and just about anything in which the general public wonders what is going on with their tax dollars, and why it is that nothing seems to change for the better when the government insists that times have never been better.

 Indeed, governments don’t desire to tell the inconvenient truth, which thereby makes it more difficult for the general population to hold them accountable to the truth, because the public doesn’t know the long and the short of it. So then, the public may rightly believe that what they are being told, is not the full truth.  Perhaps this is a good thing, because fear leads to restlessness, and restlessness leads to civil unrest, but what governments seem to not take into account, is those that who suspect and then eventually know that they have been deceived, are going to take offense at that, and that therefore this will invariably cause some sort of payback.  After all, our eyes seldom deceive us, and those then that propagate and thereby distort the reality of what is going on, aren’t actually doing anyone any favors, because that which needs to be attended to, remains unattended because it has already been propagated that all is fine.

 This is supposed to be a government of, for, and by the people, and the very least that the people deserve to know is the good and bad of where they stand within that government, and further to the point, it’s difficult to correct what needs to be corrected, when what needs to be accomplished, isn’t known for a fact, because the supposed facts are purposely distorted and wrong.

Finding that which will end all searches

There are plenty of people, religious or not, that profess to have a desire to find the true Actuator of their life.  Here is the thing, though, as in anything worthwhile, to get to where we need to get to, is going to require not only some good fundamental characteristics, but also the determined drive and dedication to get to where we are trying to go, or else we will come up short.  In other words, it isn’t going to be good enough to put forth a halfhearted effort, or an effort that is there for a little while and then gone, but rather step by step, day by day, we must be determined to find God, for when we don’t, then we probably won’t ever achieve what we were meant to achieve.

 It is never that God is hard to find, but rather it is our lack of commitment to find God, that makes God appear to be so distant from us.  In truth, God is omnipresent, so then when we are unable to communicate with that Godhead, the fault lies not in the stars, but rather lies with us, which is why, we need to have the type of determination that puts God first place in our life, for if God isn’t first, then we don’t have our priorities, correct.

 Each of us, when we quiet our minds and take the opportunity to reflect, have got to intuitively know that beyond us, is that Truth that we are meant to engage, and when we realize that we will never be satiated and also that we will never be truly happy until we find that which will end all sorrows, which will enlighten us as to the meaning of everything, we will be restless because, without that connection, we are never going to be complete.

 So too, it isn’t required that we try to find that stairway to God, by ourselves, for those personages who are wise and perceptive, can help us to get to the only destination that really matters, which is why we have institution after institution which is foundationally based on God and God’s precepts.  This then, can provide us with the needed structure and helpful impetus to keep us on the straight and narrow, so that we will not give up in the accomplishing of that which we must accomplish.

 Again, it isn’t so much that God plays hide and seek with us, but rather it is for us, to have the wherewithal and the determination to make it our point to connect with God, of which, a lackadaisical effort is never going to be good enough.  Indeed, if we are so enamored of the gifts and the creations that have come forth from God into this dimension, but never have the courtesy to acknowledge the Creator, as being preeminent, then we have fallen for the illusion, over the reality and permanency of God.  That which pings our conscience to do the right thing is the very same that encourages us to find God, for in that ultimate finding, we will have reached that point, in which we will search no more.

What makes a saint

To be a great saint, one has to be far more than book smart or spiritually smart, but rather one has to be able to prove their character and their wisdom through actual actions, and typically this is demonstrated through the overcoming of character faults, that have precluded one from becoming a saint.  That is to say, this world is a proving ground, and the object of the lesson is not only to learn our lessons but to apply our lessons in our interactions with all those that we meet. This means, that whatever faults that we have, especially those that seem to be unconquerable, are the very faults that we need to overcome, more than anything, so that those that have a bad temper, or are selfish, or dismissive, are going to have to develop those good traits so necessary to make it as if these faults never existed, or else, that person won’t be achieving sainthood.

 As it has been said, the difference between a sinner and a saint is that a saint never gave up on improving themselves, and thereby eventually developed into a saint. This means no matter where we currently stand in life, it is our responsibility to stand up and start doing the right thing, and the sooner that we put our nose to the grindstone to do that very thing, the sooner that we will progress our way to the only destination that actually matters.  Indeed, to believe, somehow, that saints are made, just because somebody is quiet and contemplative, is not ever going to be good enough, because we prove our mettle, day by day, by how we treat others, and the more that we are in keeping with the attributes of God, the closer that we will get to becoming saintly in our behavior.

 So too, we will be tested, time and time again, because that is necessary to prove that we have graduated beyond mere theory and learning to the realization of what we are supposed to do in the real world.  No doubt, those who lack experience and wisdom, are going to go through some difficult times, of which, these are necessary thereby to burn off the dross that precludes them from accomplishing what they are meant to accomplish.

 Indeed, saints are made, when those that have free will, are the same that utilize that free will and the knowledge that they have accumulated for the betterment of humankind.  None of us, lives solely to our own self, but rather, we are here, collectively, to aid one another, in the sure knowledge that by doing so, we are not only benefiting our soul development, but we are also benefiting those that need such development, themselves.  While it is true, that we can admire those of great character, it is wrong to believe that somehow we can never achieve those same heights, for each of us has the capability, to be a saint, if only we would make that the priority of our life, and to do all that we can do to accomplish that very thing.

Lying by omission

There are plenty of people who don’t feel that they ever really lie.  For them, their belief is that when they leave out certain relevant information germane to the subject matter, this isn’t really a form of lying, while additionally they believe that when it comes to “little white lies” that isn’t lying, either.  In other words, from their perspective, they are truthful, and if they have to fudge a little bit, they do that, not because they are a liar, but rather as a supposed courtesy to the other, so as to not hurt their feelings, or create discord.

 In a court of law, we are told to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.  Indeed, when it comes to the truth and the telling of the whole truth, this is where those who leave out important information, are thereby lying by omission.  The thing about lying by omission is those who do this, consciously or not, are thereby deceiving the other, for the impression that the other will receive when pertinent information has been withheld, is going to invariably be different than what it would have been if they were informed of everything in regards to the subject matter.

 People lie for all sorts of reasons, such as to protect themselves, to save themselves from embarrassment, to save another, or to not suffer the personal consequences of an action that was wrong, and they believe that when omitting important information—it really isn’t their concern when the person so hearing this, is not able to successfully to read between the lines.  The thing is though, is that lying by omission has not only a way of catching up with us, but those others who surmise that the whole truth has not been told, are not going to perceive us as being authentic, which thereby hurts our trust one to another.

 Those then that lie by omission, believing that even though they didn’t tell the whole truth, but tellingly have not mouthed actual lying words, often believe that this makes them honest, though that belief is fundamentally wrong.  Look, there are a multitude of ways to lie, and omission is one of them, so is misdirection, so is pretended ignorance, so is changing the subject, and so on and so forth.  Those who for whatever reason, somewhat justified or not, won’t willingly face the music, are not people of integrity, which makes for relationships that are going to be damaged, because of that lack of candor.

 So too, our lies by omission, that we impart to others, surely will have consequences for us, in the future, for what is good enough for the goose is good enough for the gander. Those who lie by omission, believing it produces no harm, or stealthily shows their ingenuity or creativeness, have got to realize the same games that they play will be played upon them. This would indicate that those who suffer the effects of those same types of lies of omission by being on the receiving end are not going to appreciate how clever and deceptive the other is but rather are going to see them as being those that lack integrity, as well as the courage to do the right thing when obligated to do so.

Book knowledge and true knowledge

Just about everyone understands the importance of knowledge, with at least the general understanding, that those with more knowledge, are in the superior position of knowing what they ought and should do.  That is to say, those who are ignorant, mentally lazy, or something in-between, are going to be susceptible to making bad decisions because they don’t have the proper knowledge, perspective, or experience to see the full panorama of how their thinking and thereby their choices make a material difference in their life.

 Additionally, it is important to take the knowledge that we believe we have acquired and to apply it in our everyday actions and interactions so that we know the good and bad of that knowledge.  That is to say, we have to endeavor to get beyond mere theory to actual application, of which, by doing so this enables us to learn more about that which we have knowledge of and the dangers or nuances, so of.

 Then there is the inconvenient fact that there are plenty of people who are knowledgeable about plenty of things, but when that knowledge is limited to just the tangible and not that which is intangible, then the knowledge so obtained has not been fully developed, because it has limited itself to this world, and not recognized appropriately that there is a hidden dimension, that is beyond time and space, which has the ultimate knowledge, that is worth considerably more than could be imagined when being limited to envisioning just this earthly plane and its limitations.

 We are meant to discover that which actuated us, and from that knowledge, we will properly comprehend that God is the ultimate knowledge, and therefore to concern ourselves exclusively or to limit ourselves to what this world represents, and no more, is to miss the forest for the trees.  It isn’t so much that book knowledge and the learning that we do, has no purpose – for it certainly does have good purpose, but rather it has everything to do, that we should always endeavor to desire to find that eternal fountain of knowledge, which is well beyond book knowledge, that will not only satiate our curiosity but that will in its function, provide us with the key to that golden door which will dissolve the illusion that precludes us from that true knowledge.

 We are meant to pursue God, because God is the be-all and end-all of our existence, and those who get so caught up in the play of this world, knowledgeable or not, good players or not, have placed themselves in the unenviable cycle of unending good and evil, which while having its place is never going to be our ultimate destination, because it has not the velocity power to bring us to where we need to be.  Those who have true knowledge are those who properly comprehend who and what they really are, understanding completely that they will not rest, and will not find lasting satisfaction until they reach that destiny that answers all questions and brings them everlasting peace.

The telegraph, the internet, and governmental censorship

While the internet is of very recent vintage, we find that communications that allow people and organizations to quickly communicate their thoughts and news from one entity to another have been around, since the implementation of the telegraph in the 19th century.  At the time, when the telegraph was invented, this permitted those who desired to communicate the option to utilize a device that would allow near instantaneous communication from one part of the country to the next.  This meant that news or other items of interest could be disseminated pretty much in real-time, along with providing areas of the country that were limited to timely information being just local in nature, to get a perspective beyond their provincial town and to hear that which was of national interest, instead.  Indeed, part of what makes news so newsworthy is the timeliness of such, and when this is as close to real-time as possible, it makes that news not only to be more actionable but of much more interest.

 We find then that when the South seceded from the Union, and even before, that the South made it its point, to censor news from Northern newspapers as well as mail communications from Northern enclaves that were reaching the South, so that they could control the narrative of what they wished to disseminate to the Southern population.  This meant that the South censored, suspended, criminalized, and intimidated all those that stepped out of line, of what those that were the powers that be in the South, deemed to be damaging to their cause. 

 So, when it came to the telegraph, it was imperative for the South to take control of the information being transmitted because unlike a publication or a letter, which must first be printed or written and then still needed to be delivered to its destination, the telegraph, which could be equated to a sort of Victorian internet, permitted news to be sent nearly instantaneously, and therein lies the rub.

 What the South did back then, is similar to what certain governmental agencies are attempting or desiring to do in the present age, which is to control what is disseminated to the general public and therefore to suppress any and all information that does not follow the orthodoxies of those that are in power.  While there may be legitimate reasons why certain information, needs to be suppressed, such as in times of war, the bottom line is that once it has been decided that the government should have an agency, so labeled as the “Ministry of Truth,” and that all such being posted on social media and the like, must first be approved by that Ministry or their minions, then freedom of the press, and freedom of speech, has been vacated, and therefore the people are not free.

 Indeed, freedom can be messy, and not everything read or disseminated is constructive, true, or of merit, but to permit governmental agencies to determine or to suppress or to intimidate those that are gateways of that information being available to the general public, is anathema to any people, that would be free, or desire to come to their own thoughts, without undue interference.

Repent!

There are plenty of Christians, who just want to go to church, and never to be challenged to be a better person – perhaps because they consider themselves already to be a good person, but also more likely because they don’t want to be reminded of their faults and their failings.  Yet, all of us have room for improvement and therefore all of us have character faults that we need to repent from, especially those faults which are detrimental not only to our own being but to other people, as well.  Yet, through it all, few people actually want to own up to their sins, and even fewer want to do something constructive to correct them.

 We read in the Holy Scripture, “Jesus answered them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5: 31-32).  So clearly part of Jesus' mission, if not the main part, was to awaken the people to change their wicked ways so that they would rise up and therefore do right, and not, therefore, to fall down and continue to do wrong.

 This world is a proving ground, and all those who believe that simply accepting Christ as their savior, will somehow be good enough to reach Heaven, have sadly got it wrong.  What we think, say, and do always has consequences, not just for ourselves, but also for those that we interact with, day by day, which is why we need to repent from our sinfulness and determine to do better and thereby to be of benefit for those that we congregate with and influence.

 To somehow believe that Christ entered this world, never to challenge us to become what we ought and should be, is to misunderstand the mission of Christ.  Christ came to awaken us from the errors of our ways, and thereby to make us better people, which is why we need to not only to recognize our sins and errors but also that we have an obligation to overcome them.  Indeed, it is never too late to do the right thing, though time may be short, and even though there are those sinful things that we have done or have occurred that cannot be changed; yet, our attitude and our doing can be changed for the better in the present, and the sooner that we do so, the better it will be for us.

 All those that believe in an easy Christianity, in which, not much of anything is demanded of us, and pretty much we’re considered to be okay, if we behave civilly, most of the time, have got it wrong.  Christianity is an active faith, which necessitates us actually doing something of merit for ourselves and for others, and fundamentally this requires us to repent of our sinfulness, and when weak we are advised to lean upon others of good moral strength, so as to build the good character to be a better person, so that we can become that which we were always meant to be, which requires good purpose, sacrifice, and the staying on the straight and narrow, through our conscious repentance that doing of the wrong thing, is never going to be right.

The return of the white world

There are plenty of people who are concerned that America is turning its back upon the amalgamation of the races, because there is a subset of unenlightened white people, who want this nation to be a nation of, for, and by whites, which clearly the orthodox body politic has distanced itself from in recent decades.  Further to their point, these prejudiced whites believe that the very reason why America seems to be in decline is because these non-white people have taken over America, or are being coddled by the American governance, of which, everything would be a-OK if America simply became all white again.

 While America has never been completely white, mainly because of the presence of American Indians and blacks, it absolutely was exclusively run by whites, and only in the 20th century, did things really begin to change, of which, when that change came -- America did change.  That said, all those who are prejudicial for whites and only whites, seem to feel though that it’s not too late, for America to become all white again, as well as there are plenty of people in Europe who feel that their European nations should also return to being all white. 

 What seems to be forgotten, though, for those that seek an all-white America, and therefore of the belief, that everything that ails America presently, would be resolved if it was all white, is the history of America.  When we look at that history, we see that the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World War I, and World War II, consisted primarily of whites fighting against other white people. In other words, as much as white people want to currently believe that whites just love each other, history tells us that this isn’t true, at all.

 Indeed, what people tend to forget, is that wars and disputes are seldom fought on a strictly color line, but are more akin to dealing with disputes about religion, or class status, or just for lucre and exploitation, which signifies that as much as whites want to believe that they are all similar, the fact of the matter is, that they aren’t, and if there truly was a white America, that somehow magically re-appeared, there would be plenty of things for whites to complain and fight about amongst themselves, which typically would come down to the same things, that annoy so many whites today, such as opportunity, religion, education, fairness, and money.

 To believe that somehow if everyone was of the same skin color that there would be thereby a Shangri-la in America, is to believe in a myth that will never occur. This should be fairly obvious when we see the territorial fights between present-day whites, such as at football games, or on the streets, or just the general disdain that those that have, display against those that have not, and of more poignancy, the believed necessity that those that have, need the poor and disadvantaged, to exploit and to take advantage of, so as to maintain or to augment their status. This is why an all-white America, will never be a land of non-conflict and happiness, because humankind will always find something to war about until there comes that day when it recognizes that the inherent equality and unalienable rights of all, is the creed to truly live by.

What one word sums up the credo of America

Plenty of people believe the best words encapsulating what America represents are words such as liberty, freedom, justice, or many other words of the same general uplifting ilk.  Yet, as appropriate as these words might seem, they don’t really encapsulate what America is all about because America was founded on not just great principles, but also established through the violence so directed against their English oppressors.  So too, America has a history of enslaving peoples, which is hardly becoming of a land of liberty, of which, those so enslaved, were not freed, through peaceful means, but actually this necessitated a brutal and bloody civil war to accomplish such.

 Indeed, when we look at the incarceration rates in America as compared to other Western nations, and the violent crime, so of, it has to be admitted that America doesn’t even seem all that civilized, which seemingly makes no sense, for a country that is supposed to represent the bastion of freedom, liberty, and opportunity.

 Instead, it has to be admitted that America despite all of its well-reasoned laws and great principles, has never been able to successfully shake off the fact that time and time again, America just can’t help itself, and thereby dismisses treaties and diplomacy to reach for its guns, as if to say, that justice comes through the barrel of a gun, which obviously is something not becoming of a nation known for its rule of law, and supposed tolerance of other peoples and nations, in their having the right to sovereignty and self-determination.

 It would be desirable that this land would actually live up to its creed to be a “sweet land of liberty” but all the evidence demonstrates that this is patently untrue.  Rather, America asserts again and again, that might makes right, and proves that point by the utilization of its military throughout the world, as well as controlling its own population when it is becoming uncivil, through an iron fist, that oppresses especially those people who are the furthest away and with the least amount of hope to ever fairly obtain the American dream.

 This is a nation that has clearly lived by the sword, since its inception, and while knowing what the right thing to do is, insists upon ignoring such, so as to simply take care of business through its guns, to thereby take control of whatever it doesn’t desire to engage with in a civil conversation, or to establish any real form of justice with.  Rather, America makes it its point, to shoot first, and ask questions later, which is quite unfortunate -- for a true leader of democracy and freedom, would conduct itself in a way and manner that would be consistent with a mature and balanced view of the world along with contributing to accomplishing the appropriate interactions which would reflect that very thing.

 In truth, “guns” is the word that sums up America, appropriately, for it is those guns that fought for American independence, and it is those same guns, that kept the Union together.  No doubt, a strong argument could be made that this was appropriate – yet, what has been forgotten throughout all this drama is that America still has its guns and still uses them, and seemingly won’t relinquish its hold on those guns because it is those guns that America truly lives and stands by.

For the love of family

While there are those families that seemingly can’t get along with one another or are dysfunctional in some fundamental way or another – it has to be admitted that many a family really appreciates and loves one another, which makes for a far more satisfying life, for the knowing that our family members truly have our back.

 One of the seminal things about great family units is that they are not “fair-weather friends” to us, but rather, accept us foibles and all, as we are, and thereby deal with us along the lines of unconditional love, which includes patience, empathy, and concern, which thereby helps us greatly to maintain our sensibility and to have thus the appropriate perspective when it comes to the trials and tribulations that life presents to all of us in one form or another.

 The attributes of a great family structure include qualities such as trust, acceptance, friendship, and a general caring for one another.  This means that when something goes wrong, or when there is an argument, we find that because we have trust between one family member to another, and an understanding that each of us is flawed and has our own weaknesses, that we don’t give up on one another, but rather we help and aid the other, in the sure knowledge that when we need their assistance, that they will be there for us.  Indeed, forgiveness and an appreciation for the other, are necessary attributes for families to maintain their balance and to thereby be good to one another.

 That said, the great fault that we have in societies, is the inability for so many of us, to treat one another, more along the lines that we are all an integral part of the family of God’s creation, and thereby because we are all one big family, created by the same immaculate hand, we need to be more patient, to be more tolerant, and to be more caring, one to another.  That is to say, the best of the qualities that we demonstrate with our family members, should not ideally be exclusive just to our family but rather needs to be spread around with others that we congregate with, and by doing so, we will help make this world a better place for our good connection one to another.

 We love our family because we know them, and we understand, though imperfect, that they are lovable, all the same.  This is a sort of gracious characteristic we need to develop more in the society that we are an active member of, where we see the good in the other, and help to make things better, where we can, as opposed to not wanting to be involved in the troubles that we come across, or even worse, to contribute to those troubles, by our misbehavior.  While it is good to be good to those that we know, care for, and love, it is to our everlasting credit when we do our level best to provide that same care and consideration to those that we interact with, so that we can be seen as good and faithful servants to that which actuated us, in the beginning.

Traffic lights need to get even “smarter”

We live in a day and age in which there are traffic sensors and cameras that provide real-time information to traffic signals so that those traffic signals can thereby adjust from red to green in order to enhance traffic flow.  While this has been a material improvement to those “dumb” traffic lights, there is still ample room for improvement, because those traveling along our streets in which there isn’t any other cross traffic impeding their forward motion, are averse to wanting to stop at a traffic signal for apparently no good reason, which is why traffic light efficiency needs to and should improve even more.

 No doubt, there are plenty of times during the day when traffic is heavy and so drivers are going to have to stop at traffic lights, and may even have to cycle through a traffic light sequence more than once to cross an intersection.  Drivers understand this, and while they might be somewhat frustrated, they correctly comprehend that busy intersections are an exercise in patience and of which there isn’t much that can be done to improve that flow, except for those traffic signals adjusting to whatever direction at the intersection seems to have more traffic than normal.

 However, there are plenty of times during the day, such as in the early morning hours, or the late evening hours, or upon those stretches of road in which there never really is heavy traffic, that drivers typically do not desire that they therefore have to slow down and come to a complete stop when there isn’t any cross traffic in sight.  To alleviate this type of situation, traffic signals should incorporate any and everything that would help to make the traveling of those roads more efficient for drivers, such as overhead cameras that pick up vehicles at a greater distance from the light than currently done or devices embedded in vehicles which communicate through GPS or similar with traffic lights, as well as more strategically place sensors embedded in the road.

 No doubt, the best way to improve that traffic flow would be to experiment with just about anything that reasonably comes to mind that would represent something that is both reliable and cost-efficient to improve traffic flow, which in its own way, would also help reduce carbon emissions, along with providing to drivers of vehicles a more pleasant driving experience, as well as the appreciation of the efficiency and smartness of those traffic signals.

 Look, it has to be said, that drivers believe that they are in command of their vehicles, and therefore whenever they come across an obstruction that seemingly doesn’t seem right, such as a red light, when there isn’t any cross traffic, they rightly feel that their implied right of way has been impeded.  So then, in an era of hi-technology, it would behoove governmental authorities to do their level best to see that traffic lights serve their intended purpose better by being more efficient in their duties, which thus makes for a better experience for those so traveling the roads.

Let there be Light

Even those that do not read the Bible, or care not for it, are familiar with this passage from Genesis 1:3 “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”  Indeed, not only is there light, but God is that Light, and from that Light everything good and just commences.  In the Holy Scripture, it is important to comprehend that light should be seen as a metaphor for God  That is to say, Light represents God, and all those that are within that Light and answer to that Light, are in harmony with God; whereas, those that are in darkness, are those that are either ignorant of God, or have willfully turned their back upon God, of which, by doing so, they suffer the fair consequences of their ill-advised actions.

 The great thing about light is the fact that we can be in the darkest of darkest rooms, or in the deepest of deepest dungeons, and seemingly without hope of ever seeing or being in light, again – but when we find the metaphorical switch for that Light, or have someone bring that Light to us, the darkness and despair which has overwhelmed us, will be gone in a flash, and will thereby be as if it never existed.  This thus signifies that God is as close to us, as we are willing to accept God, and that those that have made error after error, and mistake after mistake, need not fret, that all is lost, for the eternal Light which is God, is that Light, that illuminates forever and ever, without end.

 Indeed, this world is our testing ground, and the challenges that each of us faces are never to defeat us, but rather serve as a thorn in our side, or a spur to our being, to awaken us from the delusion that so often takes us away from that which is Light, so that, we can thereby remove ourselves from not seeing clearly the brightness and clarity of that Light.  God cares for each and every one of us, and abandons none, no matter the time and space, that seemingly separates us from that brilliant Light.

 So then, it is vital for each one of us to not make the error of identifying so strongly with that which represents our mistakes, regrets, and errors in life, without seeming to recognize that so much of what we think is permanent and therefore unchanging, is not, in essence, actually true.  No matter the great distance between us and the God who created us, we are not ever alone, and never are we abandoned.  The key to our enlightenment then is at our disposal, through the usage of our free will, and our desire to do our good part to rediscover the Light that is within and without us, and the sooner that we do that, the sooner that we will realize that as a special creation of God, that we are ourselves beings made of Light, meant to merge with that one Light, so as to bring illumination and insight to all those that have lost their way, and thereby need the Light that we help provide to find their way back home.

To lose a democracy

There is a general belief in America, that this is a nation, of, for, and by the people, of which, through the democratic process of voting upon our legislators as well as the propositions presented, the people thereby control the direction of the nation that they are ostensibly in charge of, through that representative government.  That said, the fact of the matter is that the people’s voice is pretty much an irrelevancy when it comes to what does or does not occur from subsequent governmental actions and decrees, of which, despite having the vote, it has to be recognized that voters are often being manipulated to vote against their own interests basically, made easier because many voters have not successfully developed the insight to understand the actuality of what is truly going on.

 The first thing to recognize when it comes to power is because the United States has the most fearsome military might in the world, while also having the biggest economy and worldwide footprint, is that those powerful entities that are most intimately involved with politics, government, or business, do not desire to see their hegemony infringed, especially by people, that don’t seem to recognize their appropriate place.  This is why, those who hold the levers of power, whether visible, or behind the scenes, are absolutely determined to see that they continue to get their way, which is why, they use the political process to make sure that those being voted into office will toe the appropriate line, and further that the legislative laws so contemplated and passed are in tune with what the true actuators of this nation, deeply desire.  Sure, it is recognized that there will always be some pushback from the people or from certain politicians, but as long as those entities are in the minority, what needs to be done, will continue to be done.

 So too, while religion appeals to many people of many different faiths, for many a reason, it has to be noted that those who are typically most inclined to be religious, aren’t the biggest movers and shakers in society, who are often more practical or pragmatic, but rather religion appeals primarily to those that are the least amongst us.  In other words, a lot of people turn to religion, because their life isn’t where it ought to be, and see religion as a way to buttress themselves, so as to when not readily able to change their circumstances, to at least change their perspective. This thus indicates, that the powers that be, for a certainty, have an abiding interest in the religious faith of the people, not though from the perspective of being of benefit to the people, but rather as a way and means to get more people to accept their lot in life, and to understand that rebellion of any sort, should be seen as anathema to all those of any religious faith.

 Indeed, the principle point of those that are the most powerful personages in America, be that political, business, or the military, is to take what is ostensibly a democracy with the right to vote equally applied and see to it, that the people are manipulated into voting for that which those powers desire, which takes the concentrated effort to effectively mold people through applied political and religious pressure to see things that are in harmony with what those powers desire, which basically thereby subverts what a true democracy should be about.