How democracy is supposed to work

America is supposed to be the epitome of representative democracy, in which the people choose those that shall govern them, under the impression that the policies that the majority of franchised people so desire to have put in place are thus enacted, subject to proper Constitutional restraints, of which, that Constitution is the highest law of the land.  That would seem to suggest that any policy, such as, for example, our current tax policy, that somehow clearly favors the biggest and most powerful corporations and individuals, could not ever be in effect, because in a nation in which each person, gets exactly one vote, and of which, the vast majority of Americans are not part of that elite, would surely not then countenance such a tax policy that is so favorable for the elite.  Yet, the proof is the eating of the pudding, of which, seldom, have the superrich corporations as well as superrich individuals paid less in taxes, then what so occurs, today.

Further to the point, we read at vox.com, that “…average citizens only get what they want if economic elites or interest groups also want it.”  In other words, Americans clearly don’t live in a true representative democracy, because one way or another, those that are the elites, along with their very powerful special interest groups, working hand in glove with governmental representatives and law makers, make sure that the policies so enacted within America, are reliably consistent not with the people’s desires, but rather are consistent with what those that are the elites and the special interest groups want to see enacted, instead.

So then, while the democratic vote, seems to be at this point, pretty fairly in the hands of the people, those that have the highest vested interest in seeing a particular result in regards to a given proposition, or of a representative so running, are incredibly adept at doing what so needs to get done, so that what is subsequently passed or the person so duly elected, is very much to the liking of those elites.  The bottom line is that the average person has an awful lot on their plate in regards to their job, school, bills, and family duties, which precludes a lot of those same people, from paying a whole lot of personal attention to what is or what is not on a particular ballot, signifying that a lot of those same people, can be influenced to vote a certain way, by those interests that make it their point to know how best to manipulate people to vote the way of the elite’s preference.

The way that democracy is supposed to work, is that it should be a level playing field, in which, those with lots of money and influence, should be neutralized in a way and manner, that what is being voted upon, will actually be voted upon by its merits, rather than to have a situation in which those that have bucketloads of money while also being highly adept at skillfully influencing such, are able to “boss” their way to their desired result, time and time again.  In short, to know whether or not democracy is working in a given country can be fairly adjudged by whether or not the equality of that nation is getting ever worse, or becoming more fair.

Integrity and the price, so of

There are plenty of people that profess, perhaps sincerely, perhaps not, how they wish to be people of integrity, that are always thus honest, forthright, and fair.  That certainly is a most worthy attribute for any of us to have, but as in many a virtue of high value, there is almost certainly going to be a cost for honoring such a valued commitment.  After all, that which we most highly prize, is that which we will be true to, through thick and thin.  This thus signifies that the true test of anyone’s character is not how they behave when everything is going their way, but rather how they act when they are truly put to the test, for that defines who and what they really are, in essence.

Those that are a part of this material world, of which that world seems to be one of competition, one-upmanship, and ambition, live then within a construct in which there will be those areas of temptation, quite beguiling, because they know that there are those tempting situations in which by compromising their integrity, they can thereby get ahead and successfully achieve tasks of real importance, to them, while often also finding some dubious piece of justification in their mind of why doing so, is okay.  That then is the very first step of infringing upon one’s own integrity, by believing that “just this one time,” or via some other hollow excuse, which they believe will not then in the scheme of things, change the character of what they so profess to be.

For an absolute certainty, we will be tested, again and again, of which, the value of a real test, is of a test which is unequivocal in its knowing aspect, for a choice will have been made and duly noted, of which that choice, will be delineated into that which is right and that which is wrong.  Those then that make the futile effort to believe that which is wrong, is somehow actually right or okay, have for a certainty, lost not only their integrity, but their good judgment, as well.  After all, one cannot hope to regain their integrity if they are unable to recognize the difference between right and wrong, or of that which upholds integrity and that which does not.

There are plenty of people that when they get into trouble, are quick to point out all sorts of what appears to be justified reasoning for their behavior, of which, a close examination of such, almost always exposes such reasoning as being hopelessly flawed.  All those that spend inordinate amounts of time, talking about how they are basically good people, most of the time, and further to the point, that there are plenty of other people, who are way worse than they are, are barking up the wrong tree.  Each of us, must stand upon our own merits, of which, those that have decided to take inappropriate shortcuts in life, are going to have to eventually face the music, because in lacking the integrity to stand strong for that which is right, they have given in instead to that which is wrong, which must surely be rectified, somehow and somewhere at some point.

How to weaken Satan

There are those that don’t believe in Satan, of which, it could be said, that when we see all of the violence, hatred, incivility, and harm that humankind imposes upon its own, we have to admit, that if Satan does not exist, then humankind simply is far too often on its own, and by its volition, very wicked and exceedingly bad.  Rather, it would be better to admit that there are forces, that pull against our consciousness and sound mind, of which, those forces are best broken down into two main components, one that is good, and the other that is evil.  It is that evil force, that has much in common to what Satan so represents, of which what Satan represents, is essentially all that which is in conflict with the goodness of love, compassion, justice, and understanding.  That is to say, Satan gets its renewed strength, only through our bad behavior, of which, in order to encourage such bad behavior, Satan tempts us, again and again, so as to trick us, and thus have us then march to the beat of Satan’s desires, which pleases Satan, to no end.

Indeed, in order to weaken Satan, we must make it our point to stand strong and in harmony with all of the good attributes of God, which is signified by our thoughts and actions so demonstrated in our relationships, one to another, in which, those that are forgiving, patient, long-suffering, generous, and considerate, are demonstrating through their behavior the very traits that make them to have the spirit of good, and that which is good, cannot be overcome by that which is evil, ever.  Those then, that were once good, but somehow have surrendered to evil, have done so, not because evil is more powerful than good, but rather because they have permitted themselves to become exploited in a way and manner, in which a character weakness has thereby allowed Satan to exert its baleful influence upon them.

Satan does exist, and it is important for us, to understand that, because those that blithely believe that all is well, and that therefore they need not lock their doors at night, or even to lock their mind against the wiles of bad people, are going to be susceptible to being exploited through an entryway that has not been properly and prudently guarded.  Indeed, those that are habitually bad, are only of limited value to Satan, because they are pretty much known by all others as also being bad and hence are avoided by good people– rather, Satan has his eyes upon those of influence, power, respect, ambition, and intelligence, because it is in those that are successful and well-positioned, that Satan knows can be of immense value if they are thus turned to evil ways and evil acts, in which, Satan recognizes that the best way to break down a person of virtue is to first have that person perform acts of relatively minor sinfulness, wrong, and error.  It is through those little sinful acts, that big sinful acts can soon follow, and unless we are diligent about always being strong for that which represents good and righteousness, we will have failed to weaken Satan, but instead will have strengthened him.   

Jesus crucifixion: Explained

One of the most difficult things for many of those of the Christian faith, as well as those that are sympathetic to such, is the fact that Christ was adjudged guilty of essentially blasphemy and was subsequently sentenced to the ignoble death by crucifixion, which He so duly suffered.  It seems unfathomable, that Christ, considered by many of the Christian faith, as the actual Son of God, could ever conceivably subject Himself to such an unjustified death, but it did so happen.  The general explanation for why this occurred, was to fulfill Scripture and for Christ to be the sacrificial lamb for the transgressions of humankind.

To a large extent this explanation of Christ’s death is fundamentally on the correct path, but falls short in a very important specificity.  That is to say, that many of those of the Christian faith, do so claim that Christ died specifically for our sins, and thus for the entirety of sinful humankind, now and forevermore, which seems like a bridge too far.  Rather, a better and more sound explanation of why Christ suffered the indignity of crucifixion and then the supposed forsakenness by God, is better understood as being that Christ voluntarily took onto Himself the sins and errors of His disciples so as to alleviate their sorrows and afflictions, as a ransom for them, instead. 

We read in Holy Scripture that “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends,” which is exactly what Christ did for His disciples.  It is important to recognize that great avatars, great prophets, and the great Christ, have within their essence the ability, if they are so wont to utilize such, to take on the sins and therefore the penalty of that sin, by having then to suffer that injustice, abuse, disrespect, harm, hurt, and all of this even onto death, in order to properly propitiate for those sins so done by those friends.

So too, it is important to recognize that each one of us, should we be so inclined to make such a sacrifice, have the ability and thus the option to take on, for instance, the sins of our closest family members, in the conscious recognition that by doing so, we will have to, as the substitute for them, suffer the penalty for their sinfulness and wrongs.  That is to say, the message of Christ, is not just meant to inspire us, or for us to admire the risen Christ, but rather as the fair opportunity for us to step up and to make that sacrifice, ourselves.

So then, when we take account as to who and what we really are, it has to be recognized that each one of us, has the fair opportunity, to do our vital part to help to make society a better place for our participation in it.  This thus signifies that for all those that desire to see society to be a better and a more wholesome place, that the change that we so desire to see, requires individual sacrifice, and thus our hope to see that this change does happen, thus requires our noble act to carry the weight of others.

To live religion correctly

There are plenty of people that profess that they are religious, of which, some of these very same people are indeed, quite religious, in the best sense of the word; and then there are so many others, that despite their given belief, fall far short of what it means to be a true and good faithful servant to their faith.  So then, to the degree that any religion insists upon certain formulaic rules to be followed such as in eating, or words to be spoken and thus repeated back again and again, or rituals to be followed  -- we find that this then provides the congregants with value and purpose only to the degree that they help structure in these people’s behavior that which represents correctness, wholesomeness, and wisdom.

Indeed, there are far too many religious people that take the formulas and rituals of their religion, much too seriously, without ever comprehending the actual purpose behind these things, or the good purpose of their religion in the first place.  The central purpose of any worthwhile religion is to essentially make those that are its adherents to such, to be better and more complete people, with the sensibility to conduct themselves in the way and manner which is not only beneficial to their being but also to the society that they are a member of.  That is to say, any religion, which insists that all those that don’t believe in their sect or don’t believe the tenets of such, are therefore then unworthy of respect and consideration, because they are lesser than, is a religion that is incorrect in its application.

So too, religions that simply want their adherents to strictly follow rules and guidelines under the belief that this thus will bring them to the “Promised Land” have got it essentially wrong; for to actually proselytize that in the simple following of rituals, we therefore become closer to our God, is misguided and mistaken.  Rather, the very essence of religion, is to provide us with the good foundation to become a better person, that then through our conduct, we will thus consistently demonstrate our generosity, our respect, our consideration, and our justice, one to another.  Additionally, we are meant to be a guiding light to others, of which that light can only be bright, if it contains the attributes of those that have enlightenment, which means that we must utilize our mind to take in the eternal wisdom that is freely available to all of faith, and then help to distribute this wisdom through the insight that has been revealed to us.

Each religion, is a living religion, of which, the rules and regulations of a given religion, are only really meant to provide us with the structure and foundation for us to apply ourselves then to the proper building of that structure, best done hand in hand, with others of like-mindedness, so that together, we will help to make our society a better place for not only our participation in it, but also by the very gifts and wisdom that we display in our interactions with one another, day by day.

The killing of civilians during war

War is a terrible thing to see and to be a part of, sometimes necessary, but often not necessary or even reasonably justified.  The fact that a so-called civilized world, that ought and should know better, continues to so frequently deal with issues and conflict by the deliberate and premeditated violence against the other, is a reflection that nations aren’t really all that civilized, at all; and further to the point, when it comes to war crimes, we see that consistently those that hold others accountable for those war crimes, are seldom independent parties, but rather are typically the victors of a given war, punishing those then that are the losers of such.

It would be one thing if war consisted exclusively of the battle between combatants on either side, not necessarily fair in the sense of personnel or war materiel, but at least involving those that have signed up to be soldiers or have been conscripted to do so, fighting then against one another.  Regrettably, that isn’t the way that war is being fought in the present day, of which, time and time again, women, children, and non-combatants of every type, are considered by the other to be “fair” targets to kill, for purposes that are really actually quite unfathomable.  The excuses so used to indiscriminately bombard and shoot the other, and therefore to kill civilians are pretty much hollow and of no merit.

It is a very strange world, and an unjust one, that makes sure to hold accountable individuals that kill other individuals of which this then is properly designated as murder -- but when soldiers basically do the very same thing, or the armaments as directed by military personnel clearly are directed to the killing of civilians, and of which these given actions pretty much never end up holding anyone accountable for such, then there we have the most serious of contradictions.  In other words, to kill one’s neighbor, deliberately, is murder.  On the other hand, to kill an enemy civilian, just because they are in the wrong place at the wrong time, or simply because they are found to be annoying, or in the way, isn’t considered to be murder, at all.

The reality of the situation is that the killing of civilians, should be seen as murder, because that is what it actually is.  While there may well be exceptions to a given incident being appropriately classified as murder, the default view should be that every civilian death so involving soldiers that do the firing or bombardiers that do the bombing, should be seen as a capital offense and those that are committing these crimes, should be held accountable. 

The bottom line is quite clearly this, when nation-states are permitted to massacre as many civilians as they so are wont to do, under whatever dubious reasoning they so profess, without ever having to suffer any meaningful consequences for these violent acts, then the amount of women, children, and non-combatants suffering death, injuries, and privations, will continue to be what we so see today, because those that are permitted to kill civilians with impunity, are for a certainty, going to continue doing such.

The American corporate lust for new markets and profit

Those that are American, have a tendency to believe that everything that we could ever want or have is contained within the borders of America.  Yet, while many an American may be provincial in their outlook, that is not the way that modern American corporations think.  Rather, American corporations of size, strength, and of ambition, recognize that the population of America is just under 5% of the worldwide population, and also according to statisa.com, “In 2022, the United States accounted for 15.54 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP).”  This thus clearly signifies that there is plenty of profit and opportunity for corporations conducting business outside America, and to ignore this fact, is to effectively then shut down doors of opportunity for growth, prosperity, and profit for those corporations.

So then, not only are exports of products extremely important for American-based corporations, but also it is known that having footprints within foreign lands is often necessary, as well, in order then to best be able to not only deliver those products, but also to take advantage quite frequently of lower overall labor costs, as well as typically more lax standards in regards to the environment and pollution concerns.  Indeed, this signifies that it is important that markets of size not be precluded from American corporations, because these very markets are necessary for their growth and overall profit.

All of the above, seems then to lend itself to American corporations not really being interested in having their overseas markets and overseas facilities, being possibly taken away from their control, by political decisions so made by certain foreign nations.  That is to say, once a given corporations has made a sizeable investment within a foreign country, and/or have achieved meaningful  market share within such, that corporation is going to expect that such an investment will not be subject to nationalization or exclusion, ever.  Further to the point, some of America’s largest behemoth corporations are so powerful, that they will, in conjunction with American governance, make sure that decisions being so made in foreign lands affecting their business, are always favorable, by supporting then those well-positioned and well-connected individuals that are thus “elected” within those foreign countries, who are supportive of those American businesses.

The proximate problem with foreign nations that believe in democracy, and thus that believe in their people having a real say in their governance, as well as a meaningful vote within that nation, is that some of those same people, aren’t going to necessarily be pro-American, but rather their first point of interest is to be pro for their own nation, above all, irrespective of what American corporations do or don’t want.  This is the type of problem that American corporations do not desire to have to deal with, and the way that they take care of such, has an awful lot to do, with these corporations working hand in glove with those in government that strongly support American imperialism, which thus means that the sovereignty of a targeted foreign nation, will thus be controlled or compromised by American interests, basically for the profit and extraction of those corporations.

For all those that complain about God and God’s apparent inability to stop suffering

There are plenty of people that have complaints, some justified, and some that are really not.  So too, there are plenty of people that like to take potshots at God, as if somehow, they know more than God about what God should or should not be doing or to be allowing, which quite frankly, reflects that those that will not think things thoroughly through are prone to error and misjudgment. 

When it comes to the suffering that each one of us has to deal with at some time and at some level, we need to be cognizant that everything that so happens, has a purpose behind it, so then, while people can decry the unfairness of it all – a far better usage of our time is to try to figure out the meaning of what is so happening to us that we do not wish to continue to suffer from, and from there perhaps to become more enlightened and hence to become of better use to not only our self, but to others, as well.

Indeed, it has to be said, that those that just wish to have nothing but an easy road in life, (which granted on the surface looks to be a pretty sensible choice) -- that the thing is though that without proper contrast, or without an adventure or misadventure, life has a tendency to become not only absolutely predictable, but also rather listless and boring, and because of that lack of drama, we thus then lack any obstacles to overcome or of opportunities to be heroic.  That is to say, we need to be challenged in life, and the very point of those challenges, is to give us the opportunity to take our given skillset and to thus conquer and to thereby successfully accomplish those challenges.  After all, anyone that has worked very hard to get to a certain point in life, of which, the effort and the studies have demanded a lot of commitment from them, appreciate more the things that they so have earned, than all those that simply have such handed to them.

So then, when we look at the afflictions that we face, perhaps the reason that so many must face such adversity, is to wake them up from their life of comfort or routine, to recognize that the meaning of life, necessitates a Creator to that life, and we have an obligation to not only find that Creator, but to be true to the principles that actuate that Creator, as well.  In other words, adversity comes our way, as one possible avenue for us to seek God, because it has to be noted, that those that are fat, dumb, and happy aren’t the type of people that are going to expend much energy, whatsoever, in their pursuit of God.

Additionally, the human suffering that we so see and experience, in one form or another, should be seen for what it basically is – humans’ expressing their volition, their selfishness, their ego, their greed, and their desires one against the other, thereby creating the disharmony and suffering that is so evident.  That suffering though is not of God’s making, but rather it is of those that have chosen, wittingly or not, to act and to behave in ways that are not conductive to harmony or of love – of which, God is our ever present source in trouble, to let us to know, that if we would only do what we ought to do, that the end result would be so much better.

What is humiliation?

There are very few people that would ever desire to be humiliated, yet, many a person has had to suffer some degree of form of humiliation, to their chagrin.  That said, the very first thing to understand about humiliation is really what it is.  Humiliation for the most part is essentially hurt pride, of which, for many a person, their pride being hurt, is extremely painful, inconvenient, unwelcomed, and completely undesired.  The reason that so many can’t stand to have their pride trampled upon, has an awful lot to do with the fact that pride represents, at best, not only our inner dignity, but also for those that are extremely prideful, is representative of a form of self-devotion, which thus can easily lend itself to self-glorification.

When we are humiliated, we believe that we have “lost face” with others, because our perception is that we have been taken down from whatever lofty level that we had previously placed ourselves upon, justifiably or not, which hurts us.  So too, when we have been humiliated, we often feel an emptiness inside, because what we believed has been lost or perceive as being damaged, is basically our esteemed opinion of our self, replaced by nothing of value, which makes the pain of that humiliation so much worse.

There are plenty of people that believe that once they have been humiliated, they will not soon recover what they once were before, though quite often they do end up being okay.  Then there are others that having been humiliated, see this as a fair opportunity to re-evaluate who and what they are, so as to determine as to whether or not they have gone off course, and if so, to address those character faults that need to be improved and worked upon.  Indeed, to a large extent, those that have their mind and spirit right, aren’t subject to the feeling of being humiliated, because they do not suffer from useless egotistical attachments, but rather they are grounded in doing what they can best do to help make society a better place through their participation in it.

We do so find that for some people, being humiliated, is truly a wake-up call, so that rather than striking back against that person or entity that has humiliated them or determining to do so, they see this rather as an opportunity for self-evaluation, and further to the point, as an opportunity to ascertain whether or not such humiliation, may have, in fact, been justified on some level.  Those that are “big-headed” are prone to letting their head get ever bigger, unless somebody or something strikes back against them, and has them then to eat some humble pie.  Indeed, to be humiliated is not the end of the world, and those that believe that it is, are probably those that are most in need of a serious self-examination.  In life, there are often plenty of warnings for those that have veered off of the straight and narrow, of which, one of those warnings, can be humiliation, signifying that even when we believe all is right, perhaps that is not the actual case.

What is a traitor?

There have been more than a few people in the skeins of time that have been labeled as being a traitor, some with justification, and some not.  The thing about the undesired moniker of a traitor, is that it is important first to define what actions are the clear marks of a person that is a traitor.  So then, a fair definition of what a traitor is, would be someone that takes leave of a particular cause that for all intents and purposes is good, so as to turn against this same justified cause, in order to do material harm to it, made worse by those that do such, for a price or for some other personal benefit, in kind.

So then, a traitor isn’t just somebody that leaves a particular cause to fight then on the other side, in which, their reasoning is that the other side of that cause is actually the correct one to be on; but rather a traitor is anybody that leaves the side of good and justice, to embrace the side of evil and injustice, of which they clearly know that they are on the wrong side but do so for typically their own personal benefit or gain.

In regards to those that switch sides, because they have been severely pressured to do so, or have been seriously threatened, or their family has been clearly endangered, or they are at their wits’ end, these thus fairly represent those types of situations that are typically not traitorous, but rather are adverse situations that do not lend itself to easy solutions, in which, those that are not able to exercise true free will are thus compromised then in what they so accept and do.  These then aren’t people that are actually traitors, but are instead people that have been compromised, which is not the same thing.

To be a traitor necessitates the voluntary relinquishment of a given belief so as to go against one’s better judgment, typically for material gain, or to assuage a hurt ego, or both.   What makes traitors so noxious is the fact that they have left what is good and right, in which, they did not have to do so, but deliberately chose to make that choice, for whatever reason, and have compounded their error by then actively working against that which is good and right, instead.

To be a traitor is a very low road, of which, by definition, there are no traitors that are heroes, ever, and never will there ever be.  After all, it is one thing to switch sides because one no longer believes in a given cause or perhaps have come to the conclusion that the side that they were on, was wrong – but it’s an entirely different thing to work actively against that which is right.  Those that are traitors, know who they are, and the ultimate price that they will pay, will be exceedingly high, for having been on the right side, to switch to the wrong one, has the most serious of consequences, to own up to.

The three jewels of Jainism

There are many faiths in this world, of which, for those that are non-adventurous, or perhaps provincial, or maybe set in their ways, they thus miss the opportunity to expand their own faith, so as to take in the valued wisdom that another faith could so offer to them.  That is to say, we don’t need to be an adherent to the Jainism faith in order to evaluate it and to look in on it, as providing us with, at a minimum, food for thought, and possibly a breakthrough in our way of not only looking at the world, but additionally in the conduct of our behavior, for the betterment of our own self, as well as society, in general.

When it comes to the three jewels of Jainism, they are basically known as Right Perception, Right Knowledge, and Right Conduct – which certainly seem to be attributes that line up very well with any mainstream religion that has any true purpose or worth.  For instance, when we think about right perception, we have to take into our thought process that because we are gifted with our own mind, that we are then responsible for developing that mind in a way and manner in which the thinking that we so do, is actually thinking, as opposed to blindly accepting whatever that it is that is being propagated to us.  That is to say, we have an innate responsibility to not just to believe what we have been told, but to actually do our own part to verify that such is valid and sensible, by utilizing our power of perception to discern such, correctly.

When it comes to right knowledge, it has to be said, that there is all sorts of knowledge that is available for each one of us, but not everything that we could spend our energy and time upon is actually worth that expenditure of our time and effort.  That is to say, to spend inordinate amounts of time, learning about things that have no lasting good purpose behind such, is probably not a wise expenditure of time.  Rather, we are called to obtain the type of knowledge that will bring not just lasting satisfaction to our being, but also to be of benefit for those that we interact with.  Thus, we are meant to obtain that knowledge which is first of all, worth passing on to others, but also that knowledge that encompasses eternal values that helps brings enlightenment.

Finally, when it comes to right conduct, we have to keep in mind, that just because we have the right perception, and just because we have the right knowledge, does not, in and of itself, signify that we will for a certainty conduct ourselves with the right conduct.  This thus indicates that the foundation of what we need to be, is based upon our knowledge and our perception, dutifully utilized to produce the right conduct with not only our thoughts and deeds, but also with our interactions with others. 

In short, we have a real need for good knowledge so that we know what we are talking about, we also need to be able to discern and to perceive things that occur correctly so that we are not foolish or easy to fool, and finally we need to conduct ourselves in a way and manner, that displays these perceptions and knowledge in the real world, that is credible and of worth.

Emphasize virtue

A lot of people recognize virtue as being of real value and of merit, but perhaps fail to comprehend that as much as we might admire virtue in the other, we ourselves have a responsibility to develop as many virtuous traits that we can, as well.  That is to say, the very point of us admiring those that have an even temper, that perform selfless good acts, and are of good character is not for us to think that somehow we can never become that ourselves, but rather to recognize that we can take on those noble attributes, also.

We are meant to be good, and further to the point, we are meant to be good for something which will help to provide for others not only the benefit of having received that good action, but also the inspiration for them to rise up to that level, as well.  So then, there does come that point, for each one of us, that we will be required to carry our own weight, so as to do our fair part to help make society a better place for our participation in it – of which, one of the most valued ways to do so, is to be a person of integrity, strength, and of good virtue, for these then are the universal values that are necessary for vibrant and healthy societies to best build their foundation upon.

So too, whenever we see someone performing acts of goodness by, for instance, helping the helpless, by providing a forum for the voiceless to have a voice, and by aiding those that are lost and confused, we feel in our heart, a deep appreciation for what they are doing, not only because the actions so taken are constructive and valued, but also because it makes us feel good to see others selflessly doing their part to make society better.  After all, we are all in this world, together, meant to help one another advance and to become better people, so done, through virtuous behavior, rightly applied.

Each of us has admiration for those that are virtuous, because we understand the value that good people bring to society, of which, it is thus our obligation and duty to do what we can to take on these personal accouterments, in our own character.  Indeed, there isn’t anything virtuous that we can’t ourselves do, if we would only display the discipline of character and the desire to do so, on a consistent and meaningful level.  The real reason why so many people aren’t consistently virtuous, is because they give in to the wrong temptations, or are weak-willed, or are selfish minded to the exclusion of doing the right thing. 

To be virtuous is to honor not only the society that we are a part of, but also such virtue is in harmony with what we were always meant to be – for those that are virtuous are a bright light to those that are in darkness, for that torch of virtue, is that guiding light that all so need, to become what they should and ought to be, themselves.

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.