Machines are not free will instruments

We live in an age of ever more impressive machines, capable of doing tasks, that no human being could achieve at that level of efficiency or of accuracy.  Additionally, machines are the most obedient of servants to humans, because machines do not have free will or are capable to act of their own volition, for they are subject to not only the design limitations of their usage, as well as also being captive to the programming instructions that it must so adhere to.  While, it may appear that certain machines are able to learn, it must be acknowledged that true learning requires consciousness, which machines do not have, though some machines are quite capable of becoming more skilled about the tasks that they are attending to. In short, machines “must” do what they have been programmed to do, whereas, humans are capable of the volition to make their own choices in life, for better or for worse.

So then, it must be said that machines are required to do what they have been designed to do, subject to a particular machine capabilities as well as the programming associated with that machine.  This thus signifies that whenever a machine or device is used for the objective, for instance, of killing human beings or in the destruction of infrastructure, that first it must be acknowledged that machines and devices are capable of being not only designed with inherent errors to them, but also there is the fact that machines and devices can also be prone to unexpected unknowns, which signifies that even when precautions and contingencies have been taken into fair account, that things can thereby still happen which are unexpected through the usage of such.  The fault though, when bad or undesired events happen through the utilization of machines, does not ever rest in the machine, but rather rests in the design and usage of such.

This thus means that those that point their finger at a machine, and say something to the effect of “bad machine,” have got it all wrong, for machines must do what they have been designed to do, subject to design errors as well as human interaction mistakes.  In other words, because machines are not free will instruments, but human beings are, the ethics of machine usage, really comes down to the ethics of those that direct these machines or those who are required to use such in their responsibilities of their employment, which basically places the responsibility of such usage upon human beings. who know not only the difference between right and wrong, but that also know the difference between what they ought to do, and subsequently what they actually end up doing, which belies such.

Those then that push the buttons, or program a given machine, or give out the commandments to such, are those then that must bear some reasonable responsibility for the subsequent actions, good or bad, that occurs through the usage of a machine.    That is to say, those that blame machines for the inhumanity so demonstrated one to another, have got to fairly admit, that machines are not ever guilty of that bad behavior, but rather people are

There will be justice

For an absolute certainty, no matter what a given person believes or doesn’t believe, there will be justice.  Perhaps that justice will not be in accordance to a particular person’s desires, or perhaps that justice will not be as swift as a given person might so expect, but there will be justice – because we must recognize that for any dimension in which there is no fair reckoning of justice, represents a dimension then that is not complete in its purpose. 

What we so find is that it is a universal standard that each of us implicitly knows what is fair and what is not fair, so then, when we see a society in which some are accorded respect and advantages without commensurate achievements to reflect such a lofty status, of which, on the other hand, there are many others that are seemingly stuck within a domain that treats them with constant unmerited disrespect and the suffering of various disadvantages, then we must surely realize that not all is right within that society, because that culture does not serve out equal justice for all.

While it is true that our life here on this material plane is both limited and finite, it is also true that no story is complete until it is fully written; and that which we will deal with in the here and now is but a chapter in a very long book, which contains many tales, both good and bad.  It is thus our duty, to do our very best to represent that which are the good qualities of a conscious and well-adjusted being that understands that we will be tested, and tested thoroughly.  Further to the point, this thus signifies that within the dimension of our existence, that there will and must be justice, for if not, then it so follows, we must be in that place which would most appropriately be called, a living hell.

The only fair justice that could ever be meted out, must come from a source, which is inerrant, and none other.  While, in this world, we can ask for, as well as to make our principle to setup a governance which supports fairness and justice, it has to be also said, that fallible human beings, even at their very best, are going to fall short of providing that fair justice, though it is to their credit, for their willful trying to do so. 

Indeed, there will be justice, of which such a justice, is inescapable for anyone.  This thus signifies that the longer a given individual dodges the price that they must pay, the greater the price that they will subsequently have to pay, for God ever keeps a fair account of all that God has so created.  Each of us has been gifted with a free will, of which, we have then the volition to do whatever that we so do, but, the caveat, which many a person seems to conveniently forget, is that, whatever that we so do, we are responsible for, and that therefore we must in the skeins of time, fairly answer for.

Religion and governance

The problem that many a government is concerned about, is the faith and loyalty of their constituents.  In other words, governments, typically want their people to be subservient and faithful to their government, which is why many a government, desires to have either no religion, or to have just one orthodox approved religion within its borders.  The reason that this is so, is that governments for the most part want to be in firm control of their people, and the one thing, that governments are fearful of, is that which will supersede their authority, by having some other agency, such as religion, that will effectively be the people’s master, instead.  Indeed, when any government and the religion of choice of the people are at loggerheads, civil unrest and revolution are distinct possibilities within that country’s realm. 

We read at Wikipedia.org, that “Of the first 31 popes, 28 died as martyrs.”  Somewhat incredibly, that isn’t all that surprising, because Roman rule at that time did not tolerate anything that would subvert the loyalty of their people.  That is to say, Roman rule saw the rise of the Christian religion and its adherents as a real threat to their rule, and like many a government that is trying to exert its control, believed that the most effective policy to extinguish those that were considered to be disloyal to that Roman rule, was to ruthlessly eliminate those people’s leaders.  So then, it was not until the Edict of Milan so agreed to in 313 AD, that the Chrisitan religion, as in Catholicism, became part and parcel of acceptance within the Roman Empire, which not coincidently meant that Catholic Popes no longer needed to fear being martyred.

This thus signified that despite the fact that the Christian religion was considered to be an “enemy of the state,” for generations within the Roman Empire, that this was no longer the case.  This thus meant that the argument could be made, that perhaps the Christian religion had therefore successfully made converts of Emperor Constantine and those that followed him, making for a better and more tolerant society.  Then again, the argument could be made that the Christian religion, tiring of its popes being martyred, and of its adherents being persecuted, came to some reasonable degree of accommodation that thus permitted this particular religious faith and that governance to work together, though perhaps at the expense of the people, in general.

What has to be acknowledged, convenient or not, is that when the religion of choice within a particular governance, of which, these together, now seem to get along like a hand in a glove, then perhaps each side has compromised with the other, not so much to benefit the people, in whole, but rather specifically to benefit those that are at the upper echelons of power and influence within these respective domains.  Indeed, there isn’t any good reason why religion shouldn’t be a constant thorn in the side of governance, in order then to stand strong for the people, and to see that necessary change is made on behalf of those same people, because when religion does not stand on principle for the poor and the voiceless, its legitimacy is suspect.

First, know who you are

There are all sorts of complaints that people have, as well as there being all sorts of confusion demonstrated by so many as to who and what we really are, in essence.  Look, it has to be said, if we don’t know who we really are, then it is going to be difficult to figure out where we actually belong and should be heading to.  So then, despite the siren call of materialism and things of that general ilk, the highest calling that any of us actually has, is to understand first who we are, and then to dutifully perform what needs to be performed to get to the destination that we are meant to go to.

Each of us is truly blessed, by the fact that great prophets, avatars, and gurus, incarnate onto this earth plane primarily for the purpose to lead the lost sheep to where they need to be.  Indeed, it could well be said, that the blind cannot lead the blind, but rather we need that which has the correct knowledge, to enlighten us as to what we should really be about.  While it is true, that not even the greatest prophet can compel us to listen or to obey them, they do though provide us with an avenue that will free us from the delusions and illusions that seem to bewitch us, so as to realize, instead, that we are meant to live up to our fullest potential as spiritual beings, gifted with all that we need to have in order to become completely enlightened, and thus then escape from our self-imposed darkness.

So too, it has to be realized that the point of living is not really to live in awe of this or of that, as if we ourselves are incapable of rising to that level, but rather to understand that those that are diligent, and that try and try again, so that they improve themselves step by step, can become what is innately their right to be.  In other words, that which we admire so much in the other, is ours to have, as well, if only we would put our nose to the grindstone and get about the business of being the best that we can be.  Obviously, to achieve greatness is not something that just happens, but instead is something that we must consistently apply ourselves to, so that there will thus come that time, when not only will we see the Light, but that we can also turn around, and help to re-direct other lost souls to where they need to be, as well.

There are plenty of things upon this good earth, that can distract us from who we need to be and what we need to concentrate our efforts upon.  Yet, distractions or not, we have the volition inside of us, to prioritize or not, what we should and ought to be achieving.  Those then, that are content to ride the same old merry-go-round, will thus continue to cycle into the same sorts of things, again and again.  Indeed, these are the very same people that need most the great prophets to awaken them from their lethargy and stagnation so as to take in the most important fact, that we are meant to rise well above this material plane so as to soar into our spiritual enlightenment.

Your legacy

Far too many people don’t really get around to thinking about the legacy that they so wish to leave behind to valued others, until the 11th hour, and then when they ponder upon such, recognize that perhaps way too much of their time and energy has actually been misspent.  Then there are those others that simply believe that leaving behind a nice “nest egg” is good enough, to take care of their responsibility to their family, without really recognizing that those that don’t know how to handle well monetary gifts and material things of substance, are going to be susceptible to having those very things, that in western nations seem to offer or to represent security, dissipate at an unexpected rate without a corresponding safety net, established.

Indeed, it would be far better for each one of us, to look upon our life as our opportunity to leave behind to others, things of substance such as our example, as well as the words we have spoken and written, that thus represent good and sound advice.  This thus means if more of us, would pay attention to how our behavior and how our words and actions influence others, with the understanding that such influence, baneful or good, impresses itself upon those others, we would then be more considerate of the actions and words that we thus perform.  In truth, what we leave behind, once we get beyond the material goods, of those that have such, is our effect upon others, and of which, once we have departed this world, we will not be able to enact from that realm beyond, the ability to successfully reach out to love ones and good friends, to let them to know the vital importance of good deeds and correct actions, because that portal to do so cannot be opened.

For all those that appreciate the good advice, good direction, and loving attention that has come their way, then it is thereby our obligation to behave in a manner to others which reflects those very qualities, because if we will not pay such valued lessons forward to the current generation, then we have clearly not done our good duty to help make those that we care most about, and society, in general, a better place for our participation in it.  Indeed, those that are older than us and are held in good respect, are able to draw upon their life experiences to thus fairly provide us with wisdom, of which, it is then thereby our obligation to learn from such and to dutifully pass such valued knowledge on to others.

In this world, there are plenty of people that desire to be on some level, immortal, of which, this is not possible for our physical bodies to accomplish here on earth, but each of us does have the fair opportunity, to pass on to others, through our mentorship, our actions, and our words, that which will live on beyond us, which is why it is vital that what we pass on to others, is that which is of merit, and not that which is of demerit.

America’s honorific titles

Most everybody has heard of Kentucky Fried Chicken’s (KFC) Colonel Sanders, of which, in truth, Harland Sanders or Colonel Sanders as he was popularly known, was not actually a military Colonel, but rather was provided with the honorific title of Colonel, by the governor of Kentucky.  Perhaps that was the right action to do, as well as it also being the prerogative of the governor of Kentucky, so done in the recognition that the contributions of Colonel Sanders to the State of Kentucky as well as to America, warranted such.  The thing is though, the Constitution of America in its clause of Article I, Section 9, Clause 8, states in part that “No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States…”   Indeed, it must be acknowledged that the honorific title of Colonel is not a title of nobility, and also that the State of Kentucky, is not the United States, in totality.  Still, what has to be fairly recognized is that titles such as Colonel or Commodore or Admiral, of which those people that receive these honorific titles, seems then to thereby place those people into a position of honor, which they have not earned via commensurate military service to their country.

Maybe it’s not a big deal that honorific titles are issued to certain people, for whatever reason, but the fact of the matter is that the United States did not desire to take on the symbols of aristocracy, which is part of the reason why President George Washington, was not known as King George Washington.  So then, the problem with these honorific titles, whether issued by State governments, or of Higher Institutions, is that there is a tendency then for those receiving such a title to thus be perceived by the general public as being “better” or “more valued” than the other.  In other words, those that have titles that traditionally have been attributed to those that have served their nation in a military capacity, or of those that have contributed greatly to a mission of peace and good will, or of impressive knowledge so obtained at a University, somehow have company with those with the same title, honorifically provided.

In truth, America is supposed to represent a democratic society, which is, in effect, no respecter of persons.  So then, whenever certain people are afforded honorific titles, this would seem to suggest that those with those titles are of a different class than the general population of America, of which, since these honorific titles, having not being fairly earned in the traditional sense of what these titles so represent, means that they have been gifted such, in order to basically differentiate these honorific title holders from the general public.  Indeed, part of the way that historically the general population has been held in check, is the fact that the general population has no titles and further to the point are often perceived then to have lesser rights than those that are the arbiters or superiors of such, so designated by those that have earned such through their titles, or have been gifted such, by the powers to be.  

Nobody rides for free

Just about everybody likes a free ride, in which basically they get a benefit that they like, without having to pay anything for it.  Yet, as much as we might like our free rides, it has to be stated, that if we aren’t paying the price for that ride, then someone else has paid it for us, in our stead.  Remember this, in the scheme of things, there is a balance in life, and those that are out of balance need to do their good part to get back into balance, in consideration that each of us needs to, at some point, pay their fair share, and thus no longer to ride for free.

When it comes to those that indulge in that which they pretty much know are activities that are selfish, misguided, self-serving, and ego gratifying – of which, they also know deep within their psyche that what they have done is definitely not ultimately of credit for their own self, and definitely has not provided any true benefit for others, there then must be a price that must be paid, sooner or later.  So then, when we enjoy those activities that seem to bring us great pleasure, but have come at the expense of our good character and right behavior, we are going to have to face the music, in order to make good on it.  Further to the point,  it has to be said, that those that believe that simply saying “I’m sorry,” is thus ever going to be good enough to take care of the debt that we have so incurred in our sinful actions, are badly mistaken.  Indeed, those that have had their fun, must know for a certainty, that the price to pay for that ill-advised fun, should be the penance and pain of suffering in order to balance then the scales of justice.

To believe somehow that we can have our cake and eat it, without suffering anything negative in consequence, demonstrates a childish viewpoint of what life is all about.  Rather, each of us is fully responsible for the actions that we so take, good or bad, and therefore each of us, fully own those actions, and when we are called to fair account, for our behavior, the only person that can answer for such, is our own individual self.  So then, for those that believe that life consists of eating, drinking, and being merry, without any real meaning to it, they will find out to their dismay, that there is a scorecard, and nobody, actually ever rides for free.

Far too many people, really do believe that they are getting away with it, whenever that they fool someone, or get over on somebody.  The thing that they have conveniently forgotten, though, is that the sins and errors that we commit in the short run, will be dealt with in the long run, and when that judgment so comes, it will come from that special place which is never in error, and because of that, those that have ridden for free, will have a terrible price to pay with interest, when called to account, so as to answer for that which they have so done.

Do not give in to evil tendencies

The proximate problem of what humankind and society, alike, suffer from is the giving in to that which is inimical to good character.  Each moment of our day, we are provided with the choice as to what we will or will not embrace, good or bad, no matter our circumstances, so of.  So then, we are truly responsible for who and what we so become, because it is by those thoughts and subsequent actions so taken, that define our character as presented to others, as well as to our own conscience. 

In this life, we will be tempted, of which, the enticement of a certain temptation, such as our desire to have a sugary treat, is pretty much harmless; but then there are those other temptations such as to cheat just a little bit on an exam or in our employment, which could well lead us down the pathway to cheating at a much more consequential level, which will ultimately then tarnish our good character.  It is surely our duty to take responsibility for our character, and while it certainly is true, that good parenting and good friends can help to keep us in line, we cannot ultimately put the burden of our decision making completely upon esteemed others, because when we have not successfully developed the self-discipline to adhere to what is right and moral, over what is wrong and immoral, then when we are put to the test, without the benefit of a parent or a friend looking over our shoulder, we will typically be prone to crumble and to succumb to that which tempts us.

Without a doubt, temptation has its place in the definition of who we really are, because there is many a person, that when all is going well, is the very best of people – but that isn’t necessarily of any significant credit to them; for rather a true test of character is when things aren’t going well, and further to the point, we may well find ourselves in a position in which to correct something that is stifling us, that this can readily be accomplished by the compromising of our character, of which, it is our belief that in doing this, the probability of anyone ever finding out, is minimal.   Indeed, those that have taken a wrong step in life, often suffer no apparent negative consequences, and then embolden by this dynamic, begin then to develop more consistently those tendencies to do wrong when previously they would have done right.

In truth, nobody is just born bad, but rather bad traits, bad character, and bad decisions, are that which we develop, step by step, through the thinking of wrong thoughts and the doing of wrong things.  So then, it is our duty, to take responsibility for who and what we really are, and those that take that responsibility, seriously, understand that bad decisions have bad ramifications, and will therefore then make a good effort to overcome evil tendencies, and wicked temptations by good principles and good discipline, applied.   Indeed, where we end up in life, has an awful lot to do with whether or not, when trouble is in the air, we make a principle stand for good, or whether we just meekly give in.

It is hard to know what you fail to comprehend

We do so find, for instance, that there are plenty of people that have all sorts of criticisms of God, ranging from a basic disbelief that God even exists, to their expressed disappointment that God does not dance to their desires and wishes.  The bottom line is that the human capacity to truly comprehend God in all of God’s facets and purpose, is a gargantuan task, indeed.  After all, God for a certainty, is not human, nor does God have a known beginning or a known ending.  Rather, God is omnipotent, omniscient, and eternal.  Yet, even though in our human incarnation we may not ever truly know the complete essence of God, we do though have the capacity to first of all, to love God, which is the most important step in the knowing of God.

It is in human nature, to desire to figure out all sorts of things, but we have to keep in mind that like a child with a particular play toy, if that toy is too simple that child will tire of it, and if that toy is far too complicated, they will thus put it aside. God, though, is no play toy, for God puts into our mind that an important part of our incarnation is to search for that which will bring us eternal sanctuary as well as harmony to our being. This thus signifies that within each one of us, there is that still small voice that encourages us to search for God and thereby of our meaning in this world.  It is within that search that helps then to  keep us engaged in the pursuit of that which is eternal, over that which is merely temporal.

Those that don’t understand God, need to recognize that the human mind is limited in its very capacity to understand that which is beyond time and space – for God has always existed and always will exist.  Further to the point, there are no other beings, principalities, or contingencies that could ever vanquish God, for God is ever unconquerable and ever will be.  This means that the drama of human life, which seems to consist of a perpetual battle between good and evil, does not exist in the true realm of God, for God is changeless and indivisible, and ever will be.

Look, it’s no easy task to understand the seeming complexities of God, but we should take solace in knowing that our assignment here on earth, is not actually to fully comprehend God, but rather to simply do our best to be a good and loyal servant to our God.  Those then, that make it their point to be just, to be fair, to be loving, to be no respecter of persons, and to be neighborly, are doing their good part to thus manifest those attributes that are in harmony with the essence of God, which is our sacred duty to administer with one another.  Indeed, we don’t fully know God, but that was never an achievable thing for us to accomplish here on earth, for we are meant to demonstrate through our free will and choices that we make, day by day, that those that understand the true essence and value of God, are those that don’t just worship God, but are also attuned to God -- proven by their right thoughts and good deeds. 

Fear not death

There are plenty of fears that most humans have, of which, one of the most fearful of these is death, itself.  The reason that so many fear death has got to be because they believe that death is the annihilation of the person, and thus the end of their existence.  If that was the actual case, then indeed death would be the most fearful of things, but, in truth, this is not the case, for death is merely the release from our earthly body into the clear recognition that we are immortal spirit, and always have been – only temporarily encased within a physical form for our earthly sojourn.

Also, it also has to be taken into fair account, that those that believe then that death solves a problem in the sense that the killing of what is perceived to be a troubling entity, removes that person completely from ever existing again, are wrong.  So too, those that believe that in their own self destruction that they therefore escape from whatever that it is that is troubling them, are also wrong; for what we are meant to deal with on this earthly plane, must be dealt with here, and essentially cannot be escaped from.

Indeed, the perspective that each of us has of who and what we really are, does make a material difference to not only how we go about our business, but also what we do or do not prioritize our efforts upon.  There are far too many people that believe that because they are clever, or deceptive, or adept at all sorts of trickery, and often get away with such to their own benefit, time and time again, believe fully that the game that they have so played, has turned out favorably for them, are thus then seemingly not cognizant, that they will have to meet the consequences of those very actions -- for death, brings a certain clarity of justice, which must suitably be met.

It is true as well as being not all that surprising that so many people identify so wholeheartedly with their body, for the body has its natural demands which must be met.  Yet, it has to be acknowledged, that whatever comes our way, we are the ultimate masters of our body, and our body is not our master; so those that are overly fixated upon their physical form and the meeting of what that physicality seems to demand of us, would be far better served, if they would better understand that the body should not rule us, for we are in our essence, eternal spirit, and not the finite body.

For so many of us, there is the fear of the unknown, but, in actuality, what we believe to be the “undiscovered country,” is actually our country of origin, of which, our apparent ignorance of who and what we really are, makes the return to that country to be something to be feared, when rather it should be seen as our ever eternal sanctuary.  So then, we should not fear death, for there is no death, only a transition, an enlightenment, and an awakening to that which is our true being and form.

To live in sinful ignorance is to live in perpetual bondage

There are lots of things that humans have a strong tendency to wish to ignore or to diminish, so as to reflect these then as having no real importance, of which, some of those things so being dismissed and diminished are in actuality, of supreme importance and therefore should be of real concern to everyone.  One of those things that humans like to readily dismiss is their own sinfulness, mistakes, errors, and bad judgment so especially displayed in their interactions with one another.  The reason that so many people don’t want to readily admit to their own sinfulness has a lot of to do with them not really wanting to correct such, which obviously means that because they don’t want to correct such, they are going to basically keep doing the same sorts of bad things.

The thing about sin and of error, is that these bad acts, wittingly or not, have consequences, not just for the person, at hand, but also to society, at large.  That is to say, when we look around at our society, and decry about this and about that, a lot of what we find to be dissatisfactory and uncivil has an awful lot to do with the fact that the people that make up that community aren’t behaving in the ways that would be conducive to a strong, vibrant, and healthy society.  In other words, whenever we won’t properly demonstrate self-discipline to do the right thing, or to demonstrate the right behavior, or to be of aid to our community, as well as to take into fair consideration that those that we interact with are equal to our own self in the sense of the same unalienable rights, then we are going to be prone to making errors.

The errors and the sinfulness that we do, are fairly reflected in the society that we live in, of which, those societies that are most civil, are typically also those societies in which its members, in aggregate, are the most well-adjusted, and the governance of that society, is fair, and is not a respecter of persons.  On the other hand, those societies that are most uncivil, are societies that are typically unjust, unfair, and are hypocritical.  Indeed, while many a society, may well like to toot its own horn, the fact of the matter is, that all the wrongs of a given society, are fairly reflected in the overall civility, crime rate, and demeanor of those that make up that society.

Those then, that wish to improve their lot as well as their conscience, need first to correct that which is wrong in their behavior and in their thinking.  Further to the point, whatever that we do, we lead by our example, and when that example is pretty suspect, then we shouldn’t be surprised that those that follow such, are going to be prone to the same sorts of errors that we readily make.   Indeed, to either not care about the sins that we commit or its corresponding aftermath, or to blithely ignore such, means that we are in perpetual bondage to that sinfulness, because we are not willing to correct such, of which, we thus find that whenever that which needs to be corrected but is not, that this then will be reflected in the totality of the society that we are a member of.

Know who you are

There are plenty of people that not only don’t know who they really are, but further to the point aren’t really bothering to do much of a search to discover such, at all.  To believe, that who and what we are, is essentially just our profession, our knowledge, and our interactions with others, is to miss the forest for the trees.  Of course, we are those very things, but that isn’t all that we are, and therefore we need to devote more of our time and energy in the gathering of the true comprehension of exactly what our conscience and our being actually is. 

A lot of the problems that humankind has, comes down to the salient fact that plenty of people, believe that all we really are, is what we seem to be – human beings, that have to thereby figure out their way through life to the best of their ability and circumstances.  Regrettably, that just touches the surface of our actual core, for we are so much more than just human beings, for we are, in our essence, immortal souls, so breathed into existence by our Creator God.

The fact that we are immortal, signifies that to overly concentrate upon this material life and everything that is happening within it, to the exclusion of our soul development, or to do that which is at odds to our soul, is clearly a mistake.  Rather, because so many of us have such a high degree of ignorance of who and what we really are, this thus makes for a whole lot of misunderstandings, troubles, and bad actions, that we have to deal with, time and time again, in this earthly plane.  Look, it’s important to take to heart, that we are all equally created by God, and that each of us has the same unalienable rights.  This then would presuppose that rather than looking at surface differences between one to another in the sense of status, race, creed, and country of origin, we need to take a step back to understand that the apparent differences between one to another, are meant to be of a challenge and ultimately for a benefit to us, by thereby providing us with the opportunity to take the free will and volition so gifted to us, to do our fair part to take what appears to be the “many,” and to put such back together into the “One.”

Indeed, there is nothing quite so dissatisfying as to come to the end of our earthly sojourn, only to find out that we have devoted way too much of our time and energies upon that which is temporal, as compared to that which is eternal, of which, that eternity is thereby meant to stand triumphant throughout the annals of time.  To a very large extent, it isn’t conceivable to always be doing the right thing, if we don’t know who we really are, and in a day and age in which material goods and other enticing accouterments seem to serve the purpose of distracting us from our real destination, we live then in an age, of which, for many a person or civilization, we are regressing from where we need and ought to be, because we don’t know who we really are.

The thirty-six hour workweek

In 1940, the FDR Administration passed the Fair Labor Standards Act which reduced the American workweek to forty hours, and of which, employees who worked more than forty hours in a workweek were thereby entitled to overtime pay, at a rate not less than time and one-half of their regular rate of pay.  In consideration that 1940, was generations ago, and also in consideration that America prides itself upon being the epitome of how great a capitalistic system is for those that live in America, it seems more than surprising, that there has not been a concentrated effort by the governance of this nation, to reduce the hours so being worked for Americans – especially when we take into fair account of how much more productive American workers have become over the ensuing years, as well as also how much labor is currently being aided by machines of all types.  In other words, the richest nation in the world, which has automated so many tasks, and utilizes well the power and efficiency of labor-saving machines, has somehow decided that Americans should just keep on working forty hour weeks, as if this is somehow sacrosanct when it surely is not.

Look, the bottom line of whether or not capitalism is indeed as great as its champions so insist that it is, has got to be reflected not just in the wealthiest of this nation, getting ever wealthier; but rather it should be seen in the fact that those that are its laborers, or its servants, are not only compensated at a fair and living wage, but that the amount of time that those that work for these enterprises, is reduced appropriately so that more time of the workers can be devoted to other interests, other priorities, and for the general relaxation of such.

To somehow believe that each of us is meant to work, day in and day out, for years upon years, in order to achieve some semblance of the American dream, without taking into fair account, that part of that dream should consist of necessary and desirable things that are outside of the work purview is misguided.  Rather, if America truly desires that other nations emulate their capitalistic system, then they need to prove to the general world population, the superiority of such a system, by demonstrating that Americans not only have the desired accouterments of home ownership, car ownership, vibrant communities, and a strong infrastructure, but that the people so laboring also have a suitable amount of time to actually enjoy and to appreciate what they so have.

Indeed, just as there was nothing written in the stars, that said that a progressive society, needed to have its people work from sunup to sundown, or from Monday through Saturday  for eight to ten hours a day – so it has to be said in this era of hi-technology, the least that should be expected of those that work within America enterprises, is that they should receive what so represents their current pay so stipulated for forty hours of week, be earmarked to that same pay for thirty-six hours of work.  No doubt, there would be some hue and cry, from various business enterprises, but when so implemented, it would be relatively quickly discovered that productivity was no worse, and the satisfaction of the average American, significantly better.

“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not”

The above passage is from the gospel of John 1: 5.  Indeed, this is one of those scriptural passages which many people need to spend more time contemplating and pondering upon, for within this sentence is the type of enlightenment which will direct humankind out of its ignorance and corresponding darkness -- into the Light and corresponding Enlightenment, instead. 

The very first thing that many a person gets wrong, is that when they see themselves in a mirror, of which, the presence that reflects back to them, is physical, therefore they logically deduce that they are physical beings.  No doubt, humans are physical, but they are so much that that, and in the recognition that nothing physical, is eternal, there has to be something of far more significance that human beings consist of, rather than simply being physical beings, and for those that unremittingly search for that something beyond physicality, they will find it.

All those that will not expend the time or devote the necessary energy to trying to figure out who and what they really are, will, of a certainty be working with a severe handicap in understanding best what they should or should not be doing.  Of course, even those that know what they should be doing, don’t necessarily progress to where they ought to be, because humans have been gifted with free will, and therefore, of their own volition they can make decisions, even repeatedly, which will not augur well for their being, whatsoever.  So then, those that cannot and will not see the Light so that they will thus eventually comprehend that Light, that is shining continuously around them, are clearly in a darkness of their own making.

It is a mistake to overcomplicate life, for what we get out of life is what we put into it, and when our efforts are spent in futile or non-productive pursuits, then the end result for each one of us is going to be unsatisfactory.  The Light that each one of us needs to pursue, is freely and readily available to all, but whenever we have closed our minds so effectively, that we never even recognize that we can avail ourselves of that Light, of which that Light will thereby dispel all darkness, we have done so to our detriment and harm.

So too, there are those others that have an inkling of what life is about, and so while not completely cognizant of that Light, which will fully eradicate that ignorance, they are still able to at least let some of that Light, come to the fore.  But, the thing is, unlike many a pursuit that we devote our time and energies upon, which may take years of groundwork to get to where we ought to be, those that understand the power that is at their volition, recognize that in a blink of an eye, we can see that Light that shineth if we pursue such with sincerity of purpose; and those that comprehend then the meaning and power of that Light, will for the very first time become aware that we need not ever again be in darkness, for that eternal Light brings clarity, comfort, and beneficence to us..

The best and the brightest in United States schools

One would think with all the money thrown at the distressingly low scores that students score at throughout America, that just about everyone would want to see what could be done to materially improve those scores.  Additionally, there is the serious problem, that despite the fact that Brown v. Board of Education was decided way back in 1954, that today’s schools, in many a community, are still segregated, and in particular, those that are segregated in minority communities, are typically the most unequal, with the poorest results for those students that attend these schools.

In a day and age, in which a proper education has serious value in order to catch a ride on any of the various employment jobs, that offer both good pay and solid employment growth, we find that this thus necessitates competency in not only the traditional three R’s of reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also the ability and discipline to think and to discern at an intelligent level.  Clearly, those that do not attain basic educational achievements, have placed themselves in a rather poor place in order to prosper and to have a satisfactory life in this nation.

Yet, perhaps there is light at the end of the tunnel, which public schools need to pay serious attention to, which is the fact that the Department of Defense runs schools for children of its miliary members, which are located at various forts throughout America, in which, those students as reported by nytimes.com, in regards to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which is “a federal exam that is considered the gold standard for comparing states and large districts, the Defense Department’s schools outscored every jurisdiction in math and reading.”

This is an  absolutely outstanding achievement, which reflects two important things.  The very first thing it reflects is that integrated schools can be quite successful for educational success, so proven by the Defense Department schools.  The second thing that it proves is that students can achieve higher test scores when they are placed within schools, that are well organized, well structured, budgeted appropriately, and concentrated upon the success of those students, above all.

It has to be said, that schools that are poorly run, poorly managed, underbudgeted, disruptive, and with students that suffer from the poverty of being food insecure, unstable housing, unsafe neighborhoods, lack of healthcare, and a poor infrastructure, are not going to be conducive to getting the best results for those students, or representing well what teachers need in order to do their part, effectively.

Indeed, the United States needs to take a serious look at its educational system, and if need be, to simply federalize such, for the betterment of this nation, and thereby to take control away from local school boards that are often too divisive and misguided, as well as to thereby oversee and to prioritize that all schools must meet a certain specific level, no matter where they are located, with budgets submitted to meet those demands.  In short, this nation owes it to the current generation, as well as the generations to follow, that all of those children, should be provided with the fair opportunity to get themselves properly educated, as well as to have also the sanctuary of a vibrant school system that is invested in their success.

Senator Huey Long and the “Share Our Wealth Society”

The United States of America is the richest nation that the world has ever known, but depending upon who and what you are, and where you live, this might not be so obvious.  The fact of the matter is that there is a very small percentage of Americans that own an incredibly large amount of the assets of this very wealthy nation, with unfortunately today’s great middle class now being firmly held under perpetual financial assault, just in their trying to maintain their status, and of which the poorest contingent of Americans, are suffering from extreme poverty, of which, we read at Investopedia.com, that an incredible 10.4% of Americans actually have a negative net worth.

None of this is all that new to those that have studied the history of America, and in fact, Senator Huey Long of Louisiana in 1934, made it his point to proclaim that what this nation so needed was to share its wealth, and proposed the way and means to do so.  The fact that Huey Long was assassinated just one and a half years later after making this proposal, is a true reflection that those in great positions of power and wealth, don’t take kindly to those that would try to extract monies and power from them.

When it comes to wealth, one of the primary ways to redistribute such, as outlined by Senator Long, is to tax those that have that wealth so that their wealth could therefore be redistributed to those sectors of the economy and peoples of this nation in a way and manner that would benefit those in most need.  To somehow believe that this nation needs more billionaires, or that our biggest, most powerful and profitable corporations should simply be able to dodge paying their fair tax share back to the society, which permitted their existence in the first place, is misguided, and would then lead to without correction, to make for a society that would become ever more unequal and unfair.

So too, Senator Long believed that each household should receive and be entitled to a basic income, by the fair sharing of the wealth so created in this nation, which is in accord with today’s belief in the necessity of a Universal Basic Income for all.  Further to the point, Senator Long advocated for old-age pensions, as well as a limitation of work hours required to make ends meet, so as to have therefore a better balance between recreation and labor work, so readily actuated because of the advances and progressions in the usage of machines as well as other labor saving devices so being implemented and utilized. 

The point that Senator Long was making in his Share Our Wealth Society, is that the governance of this nation needs to do a far better job in the elimination of poverty, by providing the ways and means, along with safety net so required, in which then, every American could have the basis of a decent life, so done through the redistribution of the wealth of this nation, by a robust taxation system, that would still allow those at the very top of the wealth scale, to continue to have plenty of the accouterments that they are accustomed to, but not at such an excessive scale.

Authority, self-respect, and discipline

It is not easy to be a parent, especially in this day and age, in which many a household, is represented by just a single parent, and of which, parents have not only a responsibility to their offspring, but also have other important responsibilities that necessitate their involvement in things such as work, school, bills, and other obligations that they must therefore devote time and energy to.  So then, many a parent is absolutely stressed, just trying basically to keep their head above water, of which, they still are though tagged with having the responsibility to bring up their children right, which is typically no easy task.

This thus indicates that in many a household, the parents don’t nearly have as much control or influence over their children as they might so desire, because there is only so much that a given parent can successfully address, on any given day.  After all, any parent that is exhausted or overtaxed, is not going to be able to exert well their authority because they basically lack the ready capacity to do so.  This thus leads to a non-optimal vacuum for children, in which they at a very young age, are pretty much left to their own devices as to what they should or should not do – or better put, what they end up doing or not doing, for better or for worse. 

So then, we shouldn’t be all that surprised that children that do not live within households which exert necessary structure and discipline upon them, are going to oft be susceptible to exhibiting not the best behavior within school and other social environments.  Indeed, children are going to test boundaries, and when those that have that authority, don’t seem to do much to counteract those children that cross certain lines that should not be crossed, then the result is going to be bad for those children as well as for society.

The bottom line is that children that are not properly disciplined or supervised by their parents, and therefore have little respect or concern for parental authority, are going to exhibit the types of behavior which are often not desirable.  So too, children that have not developed self-respect, because they don’t feel that they compare well with others that they congregate with – as well as those children that have not developed a good capacity for self-discipline are going to be the type of children that are disruptive and disobedient to just about anyone so representing authority.

In short, we find that parents that aren’t able to exert reasonable, consistent, and fair discipline upon their children, and are lax in impressing their authority over them, for whatever reasons, valid or not, produce children that often have little respect for that which represents authority.  This thus signifies, that parents that do a poor job in the development of well-rounded children, leave the issues of discipline and respect so needed for the good of those children, in the hands of governmental or private authorities, such as teachers, law enforcement, childcare, and various other governmental institutions, of which those representatives, may well be fair, or not, but almost for a certainty, typically do not exhibit a lot of familial love and forgiveness, because none of these children, are actually their children.

The upside-down world of today’s tolerance and intolerance

There seems to be a general belief, especially of those that consider themselves to be liberal in their perception, that the greatest gift that we can give to one another, is simply to be tolerant of one another.  In other words, whatever that a given person, or institution, for that matter, so desires to express, is just fine, because everyone is entitled to their own opinion, right or wrong, moral or immoral.  To the degree, that this tolerance is limited to people’s opinions or ideas, this actually is consistent with the fact that each one of us is gifted with our own free will, thereby signifying that whatever that we so desire to do and say is at our volition, subject only to humankind’s laws.  However, what we do so find in the present day, is a world in which truth is considered by many a person, as subjective – that is to say, that one person’s truth is just as valid as another person’s truth, when in a many a case, that can’t be so.  In other words, those that insist 2+2 = 5, are never stating a truth, for that calculation is just plain wrong and is never going to be right.

When it comes to tolerance, people need to understand that what we should be tolerant of, is that each one of us, should be treated with respect, civility, and consideration, regardless of whether a particular idea or concept is materially wrong.  After all, just because someone is mistaken, does not, in and of itself, make them a bad person, but rather, it simply means that they are wrong about something which is known for a certainty.  The problem with tolerance misapplied, comes with the fact that there are specific things within society, that demand that there be principles that people must adhere to or else suffer the fair consequences for their disobedience to such. That is to say, to be tolerant of murder, rape, and robbery is the absolute wrong type of tolerance.  On the other hand, those that are convinced that one race is superior to the other, or one specific creed should be the only orthodox creed, are in most cases, clearly wrong in their viewpoint, but we should be tolerant of their viewpoint, because tolerance is something that we owe one to another, because each one of us, has erred, and erred repeatedly.  So too, many a person, that has a strong viewpoint upon something, currently, have subsequently seen themselves to actually flip their position, completely.

What society needs to be intolerant of, is all that which is inimical to the characteristics of justice, fairness, and harmony.  That is to say, we need to be intolerant of all that which violates core principles, of what it means to be a civilization, with equal rights for all, and is no respecter of persons.  As for tolerance, all of us need to think a bit less about the value of our own viewpoints and opinions, so as to give room for other people, to freely express themselves, in the understanding that none of us has a complete and full comprehension of everything.  So that, we need to be more tolerant with our personal interactions with others, and intolerant with that which declares objective truth to be error, or error to be objective truth.

The Standard Oil of today

Back in 1911, Standard Oil, was dissolved into 33 separate companies, of which, in today’s world we still have the existence as well as the robustness of those so separately created, as in the names of Exxon, Chevron,  and Texaco, all of which are behemoths in their own right.  At the time that Standard Oil, was forced to dissolve itself, in conformance with the Sherman Antitrust Act, the market capitalization of Standard Oil (which is essentially the total value of its outstanding common shares) was $100,450,000,000.  However, inflation adjusted to today’s currency of 2023, would make the market capitalization of Standard Oil at the time of its breakup to be an astonishing $3,253,215,994,000. 

While there are currently no United States corporations with the market capitalization amount of $3.25 trillion, it has to be noted that Apple, as of November, 2023, has a market capitalization of approximately $2.95 trillion, or nearly $3 trillion, and Microsoft is not far behind at $2.748 trillion.  Yet, we hear virtually nothing about the imminent breakup of either of these massive hi-tech companies, as if then all is well, when surely it is not.  The fact of the matter is that when corporations are permitted to buy out competitors, or merge with other associated companies in order to assure their continual growth, without the United States governmental regulators doing much of anything to preclude such, then there isn’t much that these extremely cash-rich mega corporations, can’t simply purchase then at their own whim.  This should not be considered to be a good thing, for whenever businesses pretty much own a market segment, then those business have an unfair advantage over all that they interact with, to the detriment of the general public.

Further to the point, all those that decry the strength, power, and influence of those that are individual billionaires, have got to realize, that artificial creations of the state, which are corporations, of which, these corporations, have sales in not only the multi-billions, but profits of multi-billions, year after year, and therefore cash assets of multi-billions, which are relentlessly growing, are going to, because of all this money, be able to exert an undue influence upon all those governmental officials and institutions that they interact with, including, of course, legislative acts and laws, so being imposed or ignored.

It is an absolute fact that size matters, and the greater the size of a given entity, the more that it matters, so that, for those that are the stockholders of mega-corporations such as Apple or Microsoft, they will not readily accept anything other than a robust return upon their investment in those corporations, and the devil be damned.  This thus means what it so implies, that massive corporations, are almost compelled to do whatever that they have to do in order to maintain their growth and their profits, till the end of time.  So then, it would be naïve to believe, that huge corporations, will somehow, make it their point to always do the right thing by their people or by their country, when the truth of the matter is, that their god is really the relentless pursuit of money, and profit, above all.

The problems with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR)

The most popular sport in the world is soccer, though, outside America, this sport is typically known as football.  The fact that soccer is such a low scoring game, means that the decisions so made upon the field of action in regards to penalties, offsides, and goals are of supreme importance to all those that are engaged in the watching of this sport.  So then, in this era of hi-technology, those that are the organizers of this sport at its highest level, brought to the field of action, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), to theoretically ensure less errors by referees.  It would be one thing, if VAR was actually a good and loyal servant to the referee on the field, but it’s an entirely different thing when the VAR as assistant is perhaps not assisting all that well, at all.  So then, the very first problem with VAR is the fact that decisions so being made within a particular game, aren’t necessarily better or more accurate with VAR, in every single instance.  That is to say, it is very difficult to determine definitively a close offsides decision, because where the soccer ball is located is often many yards away from where the player who is alleged to be possibly offside is positioned, and that player is typically running at a fast pace, along with it also has to be determined simultaneously when the soccer ball has been played by the other player, so passing it.  So too, the camerawork so being provided to the VAR, as well as to the on-field referee for review, and the camera angles so being provided as well as the resolution, so of, aren’t currently robust enough to be definitive. This would imply that on offsides decisions, that there should be built-in a reasonable tolerance, that favors the offense, and hence will not accidently disallow a goal which, in a perfect world, would have actually been valid. 

The other major problem with VAR, is the fact that any sport so being played and watched, is dependent upon the fans that watch it, and those fans are watching the game in real time, which means that in order to properly enjoy the game, the vast majority of those fans want definitive decisions in real time, with an absolute minimum of time being devoted to reviewing this or that.  That is to say, there isn’t anything more deflating than having a goal that has been scored, having to be reviewed, time and time again, to determine whether such is offside, which obviously takes away and distracts from the excitement and the meaning of a goal being scored in the first place.  In other words, fans need only to experience a few times the disappointment of a goal being disallowed to basically temper their enthusiasm for any goal being scored, because they know that just about any goal could subsequently be erased.  Look, it has to be realized that before VAR came into play, when a goal was scored and no offsides flag was raised, that goal stood, which basically meant that goal could thereby be celebrated or for those on the opposing side, disdained. 

So then, in short, the twin problems with VAR, rests not only in the accuracy of such, being absolutely debatable, but also that VAR takes away from fans fully appreciating the game in real time, because this unseen god, VAR, is the arbiter of what is or is not a legitimate goal, so seemingly decided, at its whim.