Man lives in some wrong, mistaken way…

* “….. Man lives in some wrong, mistaken way-the real joy of life must be to dwell on earth like a ray of light, warming and fructifying all things …

Man lives in some wrong, mistaken way…

Lots of people have chosen to live the way they want to live, without giving to much attention to others around them. Their selfishness has made them not to worry about mother earth, and lets them be deaf for the cries of that earth in need.

Lots of people do think they have an other opportunity to make the best of their life, in an afterlife. They ignore the writings of the men of God, who did their best to warn mankind for their position and limited time.

The Bible makes it clear

“It is here and now we have to make it!”

We are having only one life. We are born, and then we can use the given time as good as we can. But at a certain point, we shall have to face death in the eyes. When we die, everything shall be over and out for us. We shall not be able to do anything. Life shall leave us, leaving our bodies to deteriorate and become dust.

In death, no way to act or think anymore, we are just like dead animals, having come to our end, to deteriorate or by decay ending up in dust.

The selfishness of many atheists compromises the world

https://insanitybytes2.wordpress.com/2023/09/25/selfishness-is-unnecessary/?page_id=189385

Systems theory = study of “systems,” also known as, “a cohesive groups of interrelated, interdependent components. >> mindset or a personality trait or compulsion

selfishness > anagrammed into ‘fleshes sins’ and ‘self shiness’, shiness meaning either as in shiny or another version of shyness => Selfishness can be making one’s self shine at the expense of others = unnecessary.

selfishness = how we won’t share our power

selfishness = unrationalisable as mandated by survival + accompanied by anxiety and distress + subset of our inborn competitiveness?

Jesus = really good at dealing with our scarcity mentality and healing what ails us.

Adam and Eve decided they were deprived.

Cain murder his own brother feeling deprived of God’s favour or left out or not number one.

False belief that there just wasn’t enough of God’s goodness for the both of them => Sin

Indulgent living, gluttony, too much good food, too much sugar, too much alcohol, too much comfort, too many drugs, too much government, too much access to medical care…. Simply too much => threat > false mindset of scarcity.

To master desires.

Christianity provides advice for dealing subset of our inborn competitiveness?

In the replies to the article we clearly can see how selfishness has entered in the life of many and how people do not understand that sinning is just another word for doing wrong. The atheists Ark who at other websites also heavily reacts against believers in God does not seem to see that she also can do wrong things. She is convinced she can not sin. This South African atheist writes:

 

I don’t have ‘sins’, which are a religious construct that means any transgression against your god,Yahweh.
And of course, as an atheist, I have no belief in the Canaanite deity you worship. {Selfishness Is Unnecessary?}

In our world, it is possible that this attitude of self-importance that one cannot do wrong is precisely the major problem for our society. The egotism of many makes that they have no eye or feeling for others, and that they do not care how things may go with those others. Christians in particular are a thorn in the side of many atheists, mostly because they are so frustrated that those Christians seem to have something that they cannot have. This is why they tend to go on about it so much, on their websites and react so violently to Christians’ websites, instead of spending their time more meaningfully.

Mrs. Ark even goes so far to say:

the only truth I am interested in is ensuring I empty my bladder. {Selfishness Is Unnecessary?}

This gives an idea of how far some atheist may think in their way of life and what is of their interest.

She is right in telling:

you die, you’re dead. If you’re lucky you might become good compost. {Selfishness Is Unnecessary

But forgets that there is much more to life than just living it unto death comes over a person. The way one lives is the most important. For many atheists it does not seem at all important to consider people around as long as one can build the best for one self. It is that selfishness that is destroying the world. It is by that selfish attitude that we have a global warming, most atheist would deny. That is also why we see so much cruelty against animals. Because of the egoism that prevails in our world with the drive to acquire ever more wealth, the quality of life of others is harmed and fights arise that cost human lives….

What to change about modern society

Daily writing prompt

What would you change about modern society?

View all responses

When we look at humanity‘s actions, we may well wonder if it wants to use its brain enough and would not be better off employing its ambitions and goals with more insight. We should not be proud of what mankind made into the 21st century, with an immensely growing wealth gap, social disparities, and systemic inequalities that exist in various aspects of society, such as income, education, and opportunity.

If we look around us we also see a lot of “fake people,” people who do not dare to be themselves but pretend to be this or that.

As the world begins to turn square, we see the far right gaining more ground in industrialised countries, with citizens clearly indicating that what matters most to them is their own self. For the majority, the law of the strongest applies but also the law of money, sparing nothing or no one. In the process, nature seems to be losing out for the common good. The industry is given priority over the general welfare of Mother Nature.

Sometimes we can seem like loners, yet I believe that several crazies like me, if we band together enough, can make a difference. Even if our voices sometimes seem to echo in thin air, the echoes will continue to reverberate and touch other souls.

Therefore, it comes down to those who believe that we should take more care of Mother Nature, to join hands and continuously push their representatives in government to work towards a better environment, where people are also allowed to live more equally with each other.

Many think they can do little to change what happens in the world. But if everyone thinks this way, not much will change. People must realise that no matter how small the change, no matter where it takes place, if more people work to create a better environment, it will become possible for more people.

In the area of human relations, there is also much to be done. Here we can only hope that we will gradually evolve into a more tolerant or more tolerant world where people will come to realise that the differences between them are an enrichment rather than an impoverishment.
My hippie years may be far behind me, but the reasons we protested then have not disappeared. In fact, today they have become even more important and high profile. Even more than then, people should now rise to the occasion and raise their voices to protect animals, plants and humans alike.

 

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Preceding

High time to show the way to peace

Relationship

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Additional reading

1. Also small changes made by blogging can be useful
2. A change to be made by a blog
3. Capitalism and Inequality
4. Poverty a European Issue
5. Inequality, Injustice, Sustainability and the Free World Charter
6. 2014 Human Rights
7. How willing are people to stand up for their values and beliefs
8. Involvement and implementation of European Pillar of Social Rights
9. Subcutaneous power for humanity 1 1940-1960 Influenced by horrors of the century
10. Subcutaneous power for humanity 3 Facing changing attitudes
11. Subcutaneous power for humanity 5 Loneliness, Virtual and real friends
12. An answer to gun violence according two American pastors

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Related

1. What would you change about modern society?
2. Modern Society: The change that should be required!
3. Transforming Modern Society: Environmental Consciousness,
4. What changes are required in modern society?
5. Modern Society
6. Change…in modern society…
7. Prompt: Modernity
8. ~modern society~
9. The Modern Society
10. Modern Society in a Simple Person’s Perspective
11. Daily Prompt – There is A Lot of things I would change
12. Change I want to bring to this modern society
13. What would I change about modern society?
14. WDP — FUD
15. One change to affect all others – let’s ditch expectations
16. A hopeful thought
17. A Lack of Empathy
18. Life energy and enthusiasm….
19. After 1000 years human look …
20. “Empowering Change: Unmasking the Hidden Injustices of Modern Society for a Progressive
21. Where did Modern Women go wrong?| love factual
22. The Limits of Reason & Necessity of Faith
23. The Moses Generation
24. So much…
25. Get Woke, Go Broke?
26. Balancing the Benefits and Drawbacks of Modern Society:
27. Trapped in Society: Breaking Free and Chasing Your Dreams

Looking at a “Man from the North” endangering the world

From poetry and philosophy to political points of views. Pretty Much almost anything that can be blogged about will be eventually blogged about {About One Lifetime Blog}

at the One Lifetime Blog of Ray Barbier. Like us he claims

not to be anything but fools in search of wisdom with the hope of eventually being less foolish and a bit more wise before our time is up on this blue planet. {About One Lifetime Blog}

and looks at matters we are confronted with regularly. For him it

Seems the world is full of anger, fear and distrust now days, Hard to know where to turn for the facts and truth. We have such a vast array of sources of information but unfortunately very few are reliable and the majority is opinion based far more than fact. {Random Thoughts 1-5-2022}

In this world of information overload but also disinformation, one of the difficulties is to distinguish truth from misinformation. There are certain people who are very adept at sending misinformation out into the world as true facts. Some years already, certain people leading a nation were not afraid to call others liars whilst they themselves did nothing more than sending one false message after the other and denying what others said about them. The term “Fake News” seemed to have become the new fashion word.

In the last few years, we could find political chaos happening across the globe. There were not only political unrest and disagreements that ran high; we in many countries could find the politicisation of almost every issue involved with the pandemic. In states where many are proud of the “freedom” racial tensions and all the conspiracy theories floating around caused nothing but trouble in a time when their president instead of uniting the country created more division than ever before.

 On top of all that you have the major super powers playing sabre rattling games on top of it, seems to be times of uncertainty to say the least. {Random Thoughts 1-5-2022}

We first had a health problem disturbing the world order.

The pandemic has had many side effects when dealing with society, it has caused much distrust in science, governments and amplified the social problems we were already facing in the world. Watching people argue over mask wearing, vaccinations, political policies and social values is very disappointing during a time we should come together to face the challenges before us as a world. {Random Thoughts 9-06-2021}

When that virus seemed to run on its last legs, we came to face an even more dangerous virus.

The virus of selfishness and lust for power {Marcus Ampe}

You would think that

Most of us take big and small risks in our lives every day. But COVID-19 has made us more aware of how we think about taking risks. {An ancient Greek approach to risk and the lessons it can offer the modern world}

But out of the North seems regularly to come certain danger. Marcus Ampe a few years ago had to suffer the consequences of such a “man from the North” and his organisation, who attacked his church community from the North. He spoke of the “Man from the North” at that time, not referring to the same “Man of the North” he refers to today. The one he refers to today is much much more dangerous than the previous one. This time it is also someone who might not be so clear in his head but bringing not only his nation and its neighbour land in danger but the whole world. By this man, like the other one from the North, it is also a problem of not being satisfied with the power he has. The ‘Aim for Power’ is a serious cancer that can spread very fast.

Watching a Superpower such as Russia invading their neighbor Ukraine seems like a high school fight between the Quarterback on the football team and the average-sized kid who doesn’t play sports. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

Ray Barbier, like us, could

not see what Russia would have to fear {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

because it would have taken many years of debate and preparation for

“possibly joining N.A.T.O. or possibly the EU“. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

We can only hope that all the parties involved know the danger that looms behind the corner and how a person with a deranged mind could suddenly reach out unexpectedly.

Considering Russia’s Military strength and nuclear arsenal Mr. Barbier thinks that

Even if the U.S. were to go to war with them the use of nuclear weapons would be off the table (I would pray). Since there are no winners in a Nuclear war. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

Two power stations at Enerhodar, about 50 km from Zaporozhye in Ukraine, viewed from across the Kakhovka Reservoir on the river Dnieper. Photo taken from the “Nikopol” shore. The nearer power station is Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the biggest nuclear power station in Europe, consisting of two cooling towers (one largely obscured by the other) at the left and 6 VVER reactor buildings. The large building between the cooling towers and the reactors, and the two tall smokestacks, are at the Zaporizhzhia thermal power station about 3 km beyond the nuclear plant.

But it would be foolhardy as well as unwise to resign oneself to the fact that this “Man of the North” would not (mis)use his power to press the red button and start a nuclear conflict. That he is not even afraid of exposing his own people to atomic radiation he proved last week with the attack on two important nuclear power plants, the one in Chernobyl and on the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, in southern Ukraine’s city of Enerhodar, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

We got to see pictures of those attacks, but also stories from the other side, twisting the facts. At the same time, we should think:

What kind of things do they want you to think about what kind of people as a result of them telling you this??

What is their reason for sharing the story?” {Ask yourself why they’re telling you the story.}

From all sides, certain groups want to bombard the West with messages of doubtful content, by which they aim that bloggers and vloggers would use those messages to increase their attention and likes and as such spread fake news, but also would come to set up people against eachother.

All that disinformation is not helping at all. The other way around, it can help to give others reasons to attack other countries and to enter Europe in a new world war.

Barbier does believe though,

the 3 superpower nations and most nations, in general, do not desire a world war or the destruction of the planet we live on along with all life. Only if world leaders could put aside their differences long enough to work together on the things they all agree on, could you imagine how much as a species humankind could achieve? {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

He definitely dislikes war and does believe

there is always an alternative to war, though the parties involved would be required to be more understanding and be willing to find a compromise that is fair and balanced. The War or Military exercise as it’s been called by one side is decimating the poor civilians of Ukraine, be it intentional or unintentional they are getting caught in the crossfire. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

We can see how many beautiful buildings and art pieces are destroyed. Many artefacts gone for ever, only to be in our memories by pictures we have of them. However, that loss of artefacts does not outweigh the loss of human life.

Regardless of which side you are on or support, the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and the loss of lives on both sides militarily should be enough of an incentive to find a peaceful solution to this conflict. Human Lives are a cost that is permanent, buildings, infrastructure, etc can be replaced and rebuilt but once a person dies it is gone. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

Before this awkward affair with Russia and Ukraine completely degenerates, we hope that common sense will prevail, and that diplomacy will be able to steer everything in the right direction in time to bring everything back to a peaceful situation.

But Putin with his language of war does not make it easy. He is saying that Western sanctions are equivalent to war, adding that he wants a neutral, “demilitarised” and “denasified” Ukraine, adding:

“These sanctions that are being imposed are akin to a declaration of war but thank God it has not come to that.”

It is to God that we may pray to ask Him to talk sense into those heads of world leaders.

Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

“The world is too big for Europe and America to isolate a country, and even more so a country as big as Russia. There are many more countries in the world.”

We can only hope those countries shall also point their finger at Russia, demanding it to be careful before taking actions that can not be turned back.

With Ray Barbier we

pray for peace, world stability, and the return to some form of normalcy. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

Like him, we are sure, that many

desire the peaceful, harmonious, and happy co-existence of all people on earth. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

Together we should be united to aim for peace and brotherhood

Be Blessed, Be Safe and may you all find happiness and show compassion to one another {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

Photo by Katie Godowski on Pexels.com

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Preceding

US bolsters Europe with 3,000 extra troops

Make Ukraine A Buffer State Between Russia & the EU

The biggest ground offensive in Europe since World War II

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Additional reading

1. Putin plays dangerous poker game
2. A useless but very dangerous challenge game
3. Ukraine and Estonia taking further steps to intensify bilateral cooperation
4. Russian bombers fly over Belarus as border crisis deepens
5. Restrictions in Russia because of sanctions from the West for peace mission in Ukraine.
6. Will Ukraine Escape Russian Domination?
7. Will the Russian War in Ukraine reset World diplomacy?
8. Ukraine keeps standing strong despite Russian predictions
9. Russian forces fired at Europe’s largest Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant
10. Peace Takes You

+++

Related

1. Geopolitics and War
2. Russia-Ukraine war: the vulnerabilities of strategic thinking in Europe
3. WATCH: Rubio Reveals the One Thing That Could Trigger World War III Amid Worsening Russia-Ukraine War
4. The world is too big for Europe and America to isolate Russia – Peskov
5. Propaganda of War… Czekmate
6. Re-reading “Foucault’s Pendulum” in the Age of Q-Anon: Pt. 2 – Ur-Fascism and the Russia-Ukraine Connection
7. The First Great Information War 
8. Ukraine crisis: How to spot misleading information online | CBBC Newsround
9. Misinformation
10. Misinformation & Infographics
11. Misinformation madness
12. Debunking Misinformation: Images
13. Debunking information on Ukraine’s war – An analysis of Russia’s false narratives
14. Lies for Likes
15. Unblurring the truth
16. Audrey Watters on the technology of wellness and mis/disinformation
17. Lose Money, Restore Humanity
18. TikTok Suspended Live Streaming in Russia Due to its Fake News Law
19. TikTok Never Signed Up To Be War Propaganda
20. Twitter to show ‘Birdwatch’ community fact-checks to more users, following criticism
21. Twitter Expands Birdwatch Pilot Program to US Users For Testing
22. Twitter Banned Over 100 Accounts Spreading Pro-Russian Content
23. Twitch will ban streamers who frequently share misinformation
24. WE are the fake newsmakers
25. Stamp out Fake News
26. Ukraine: have we reached peak fake news?
27. As Russia’s War Grinds On, Media Obsessed With “What Would Donald J. Trump Do?”
28. Media, “Culture Wars” And Rural Voters
29. Stop fake news: fake news destroys
30. Is this fake news?
31. Fighting misinformation in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – BBC News
32. Resiliency Through Strength
33. Teaching Students When to Believe What They Read on the Internet
34. Ads join the resistance
35. Watching War
36. The ‘West’ as a whole suffers from a lack of credibility even as they unite in their opposition to war.
37. Ukraine Crisis Shows Fault Lines of Multipolar World
38. Communicators must sever ties with Russia
39. Mental Health On Demand
40. BBC Radio WM interview on social media and’fake news’ during Ukrainian conflict   
41. Putin thinks he’s shooting fish in a barrel
42. What is Putin Afraid Of?
43. Backdoor Diplomacy: Russia’s Pivot to China and its Consequences for the Future
44. Sanctioned Con Men
45. Understanding India’s neutrality on Russia and Ukraine
46. Ukraine war ǀ China feels uncomfortable with Putin’s methods — Friday
47. Our So-Called Foreign Policy: Utterly Incoherent Polling on Ukraine
48. The Screws Tighten on Russia. Might It Accept a Diplomatic Solution to Ukraine Crisis?
49. Ukraine’s foreign minister confirms meeting with Lavrov – Politics –
50. UK plots attack on Putin and Russian oligarchs
51. Anti-NATO Activism: Is Now The Time?
52. All the wars of the world…
53. To Paraphrase President Kennedy: ”I am from Kyiv.”

Death to the GOP! Or not.

Most Americans consider everything that smells social as socialist and/or communist and something to avoid or the Left being inherently self-destructive, wherever they might get this from. Probably they think so because of them blinded by several dictatorial states which preached they were so-called communist, though went totally against the spirit of the communist flag.

Some of them look at those left countries in the same way as they think the Grand Old Party (GOP) would be the same as the present Republican party, which during the 20th and 21st centuries became a more selfish directed party, to be associated with laissez-faire capitalism, low taxes, and conservative social policies.

What we still can see today is the selfish attitude of those Americans who only want to think of themselves first and who do not want to contribute or pay for others, nor for the general wellbeing of the whole state. It is still strongly committed to protectionism and is very supportive of free trade no matter at what cost, not interested in which damage pollution may cause for example.

In Europe, we mainly see those white Americans, who would prefer not having coloured people around them, though they call themselves evangelical Christians, they do not worship the God of Christ nor witness the peace Jesus Christ wanted all his followers to spread all over the world.

In the U.S.A. we also see that in many other capitalist countries there is a time of overcorrection, trying to do away with history. To remove the bust of the Confederate cavalry commander in the American Civil War (1861–65), Nathan Bedford Forrest from the Tennessee State Capitol is making it possible that this most controversial figures from the Civil War era will after some years be forgotten, instead of being spoken about, what he did wrong. It allows also that this figure, who joined the Ku Klux Klan in 1867 (two years after its founding) and was elected its first Grand Wizard,  in certain groups shall be honoured sacredly or in private as their mistaken hero.

Look Away...

Governor Lee’s recent vote to remove the bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest from the Tennessee State Capitol is yet more proof of the old adage that there is a not a dime’s worth of difference between the Democratic and Republican Parties. I for one contend that this is true in part because the two parties are representative of the split personality of Old New England.

Both parties and other mutually supporting institutions certainly did appear to circle the wagons against Trump from 2016 on, and this is noteworthy considering how the GOP has been considered over the course of my lifetime the Conservative party and also considering how passionately so many Conservatives support Trump.

In fact the parties, Establishment, or Deep State do not hate that New York City Yankee just because he is flamboyant, brash, arrogant or just plain rude. They hate him because they first and foremost hate…

View original post 374 more words

The self and the other in times of insecurity

In these times of insecurity, we can see that lots of people are not sure about themselves and get lost.

Insecurity, primarily due to social and economic instability, but also exacerbated by a weakening of the perception of ethical principles makes man feeling very bad these days.

The perception of ethical principles that underpin the law and personal moral attitudes, which always give strength to the rules that govern society, have so much weakened or moral and ethical values have been placed in the cupboard and are way forgotten.

People should know even when churches may be closed, it are those institutions which can bring some light in the darkness. Modern thought has developed a reductive view of conscience, according to which there are no objective references in determining what has value and what is true; rather, each individual provides his own measure through his own intuitions and experiences, each possesses his own truth and his own morals. When each individual has and keeps to his or her own morals we shall come to see chaos.

People have forgotten that the Creator has provided a Guide for life. Whatever the situation may be, man should be able to find answers to his questions and find solutions for the crisis encountered. All those who feel depressed, feeling down by the present Corona situation, should know that when everybody would keep to the regulations prescribed by the government everybody would soon find it much easier to cope because it would not take such a long time as it has taken now.

Because there are so many people who do not know the Scriptures or have forgotten or abandoned the Gospel announcement, they no longer identify themselves in a community of brothers and sisters where agape love is the most important rule.

Many environments, even in traditionally Christian societies, are reluctant to open themselves to the word of faith and have placed the “Self” or “I” in the first place, giving not much place for protecting the other. today we can see a lot of people who pu their self interest at the beginning of their activity line. They are not concerned what their presence might do on a shopping street or in a shopping mall. One can wonder why they were not able to go online to buy the goods they so urgently do need to have.

Whilst a lot of worry circles around, many do not seem to worry about the effect of their presence on the streets or in the shops. Is it out of ignorance or out of selfishness that they are not concerned about taking more precaution measures to avoid spreading the coronavirus?

When one could place the “self” more aside and give more thought to the “other”, especcially to all those working in the health sector, for sure all the measures the goverment asks to follow would be so much easier to follow and would not feel as a limitation or restriction of our liberty.

So many people are complaining that they would be not able to celebrate Christmas. Why and how does it come they would not be able to have some sacred time together with their own household members? How does it come they can not make it cosy and pleasant for their own little bulb?

If they want to go to church, why can they not enjoy the virtual church service their church may be offering? Or is their church insisting, contrary to the governmental advice, to come together in the church building?

Each sensible person should know it is his or her duty to do everything to protect the other. Under duty of gratitude towards recognisance, each should muster the brotherly love to work for the good or welfare of the other and as such keep to the safety measurements.

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Read also:

1. Tinderbox for domestic violence
2. No time yet to relax the CoViD-19 restriction measures
3. Just to remember for the coming Winter holiday period
4. Challenges of the Post-Pandemic period
5. What ethical principles do we need in the Covid-19 pandemic?
6. Turning Your Home into a Sacred Space

All love is expansion, all selfishness is contraction.

Dutch translation / Nederlandse vertaling: Alle liefde is expansie, alle egoïsme is samentrekking.

Purplerays

“All love is expansion, all selfishness is contraction.
Love is therefore the only law of life.
He who loves lives, he who is selfish is dying.
Therefore love for love’s sake, because it is the only law of life,
just as you breathe to live.”

― Swami Vivekananda

Text & image source: Mystic Path to Cosmic Consciousness https://web.facebook.com/Mystic-Path-to-Cosmic-Consciousness-143005819116554/

View original post

Seeking God not for selfish ends

They That Seek The Lord Shall Not Want (Psa. 34:10)

WE are not to seek God for selfish ends, but in the self-effacing power of divine love. But the glorious paradox is that the more we selflessly seek God’s pleasure and glory, and the less we seek our own, the more inevitably and inexorably will pleasure and glory pursue us, and force themselves upon us.

Bro Growcott – Search Me O God

The meaning of life – Finding purpose

To remember

• When little feeling unless I was there to perceive it, the world did not exist => ended & was created anew every time
• thought myself to be creator + center of the universe
• when child > feeling so much more important than a rational thought.
• India > Landing in multicultural & multicolored chaos = landed on a different planet =>. India must surely seize to exist when I am not there.
• consecutive conclusion that every single human being must feel the same way > each & every one of us = universe all on our own, made up of silently verbalized thoughts, feelings, mental images, and subconscious impulses.
• Charles Dickens = master of tapping into all these different universes > each human being that lives, has lived and will live, is a story, a uniquely fantastic story with a unique plot and characters.
• all made up of the same stardust => one = beautiful human paradox > both sameness, oneness, unity, + absolute + irrevocably unique.
•  all of us relevant to history of life of human kind
• When there is not two of the same in a circumstance =>each part important + unconditionally valuable => all have unique creativity, thoughts, imagination, insights +  talents, => important to human kind + its history => gives meaning
• individualism = selfishness + self-centeredness = opposite of cooperation, generosity +  compassion.
•  Abraham Maslow psychologist who gave us famous pyramid of human needs > bottom solid foundation of life > cannot live without (food, water + shelter) > top > self-actualization.
• learned to pin-point our strengths + weaknesses, explore our talents + analyze our personality traits + learned to use this self-insight to expand our empathy =>mental health determined by outer circumstances = key to why individualism is not just a big ego-trip <= believe in oneself & value of one’s life in the world 1°learn to trust  something valuable to bring = self-actualization.

=> the more uniqueness = the more difference to make in the world.

Selfishness opposite selflessness

Selfishness turns life into burdens,
while selflessness turns burdens into life.

Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > Egoïsme tegenover onzelfzuchtigheid

What We Want or Need?

Often we want things we not really need. Regularly we are caught in the trap of our wants, getting frustrated not finding what we hoped for.

Source of Inspiration

We know what we want
but only God knows what
we need.
Pray to give thanks
not to ask.
No ulterior motives.

Both armies pray
to win the war.
Take yourself
out of your prayers.
Seek only to learn to love,
to be in the presence
of God.

Our selfishness
is a trap.
Pray only for the
good of all
ending all prayer with
“Thy will be done.”

View original post

Responsible for what we are

More than one writer and philosopher pointed to the fact that we are all ourselves responsible for what we are, have become or what we shall become.

“We are responsible for what we are, and whatever we wish ourselves to be,
we have the power to make ourselves.
If what we are now has been the result of our own past actions,
it certainly follows that whatever we wish to be in future
can be produced by our present actions;
so we have to know how to act.”
~ Swami Vivekananda …

The Indian Hindu monk Vivekananda sitting in meditative posture in Cossipore 1886

 

Dr Austin Ejaife *(Ugo1)* also looks at this statement which should be a warning for us all. He writes:

It can be easy for us to lose focus of the incredible potential we possess to make ourselves into anything that we wish ourselves to be. All too often we let the little failures in life get us down, or we lock ourselves up into our current situations in life and our same old routines. But it is true what Swami says here:

today, we are a result of our past actions… and it therefore follows that we can come to be whatever we wish, if we so choose to.

The key is that we must choose to make positive changes… and then act upon those changes now. {Take Action To Bring Yourself Closer To Who And What You Wish To Be}

He too is aware that such changes do not have to happen at once. question is first if we are willing to change ourselves. In which way do we want to grow and mould ourselves when we go along the path of life? Question to be posed is on what do we as a person want to focus?

In this world for many the focus is on material things. Not many are interested in the spiritual richness which can be in front of us. We should be aware were we want to position us in this world and how we want to look at ourselves but also would love others to see us.

Dr Austin Ejaife *(Ugo1)*his advice is

We can make slight changes to our routines that help us to become more positive, more productive, and bring us closer to where we desire to be. {Take Action To Bring Yourself Closer To Who And What You Wish To Be}

But also questions

Why is it easy to get caught up in who we are now and lose sight of who we want to be? {Take Action To Bring Yourself Closer To Who And What You Wish To Be}

So many people fall in the trap of their own ego tripping and selfishness, that they miss the opportunity to become part of a greater unit. Lots of people are also afraid to be confronted with their-self and always postpone to change something essential.

For this reason it is not bad to take in consideration the following thought:

 

“Never again clutter your days or nights
with so many menial and unimportant things
that you have no time to accept a real challenge when it comes along.
This applies to play as well as work.

A day merely survived is no cause for celebration.
You are not here to fritter away your precious hours
when you have the ability to accomplish so much by making a slight change in your routine.
No more busy work. No more hiding from success.
Leave time, leave space, to grow. Now. Now! Not tomorrow!”
~ Og Mandino

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Preceding

Getting up to bring changes into your life

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Additional reading

1. Change
2. Control and change
3. Only I can change my life
4. A Living Faith #8 Change
5. Concerning the Spiritual Body
6. Control your destiny or somebody else will
7. Sociological changes to be taken serious by the church
8. We will all be changed

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Related

1. The Humans and The Humanity
2. Tunnel Vision
3. I Decided, So I Did
4. Will You Choose Freedom?
5. Choose wisely….#8
6. When things just don’t go as planned…
7. Focal Point
8. Keep Your Eyes On God
9. Isaiah 24-27; Perfect Peace
10. April 25th 2018 – Our Focus
11. Maintaining an Upward Focus
12. Focus; Pt. 2
13. Switching Focus
14. Choosing Our Focus In Challenging Times
15. Distraction from God is extremely dangerous
16. How Big Is Your God?
17. Keeping our Focus on God
18. May 30th 2018 – Seek His Face
19. Choice
20. 28 Quotes To Become Successful With Continuous Improvement

Love the single most powerful and necessary component in life

Love is the single most powerful and necessary component in life.
It is both giving and receiving.
Love allows us to reach above and beyond ourselves,
to experience another person and to allow that person to experience us.
It is the tool by which we learn to experience the highest reality – God.

Examine the love aspect of your love.
Ask yourself: What is my capacity to love another person?
Do I have problems with giving?
Am I stingy or selfish?
Is it difficult for me to let someone else into my life?
Am I afraid of my vulnerability, of opening up and getting hurt

Dutch version / Nederelandse versie: Liefde meest krachtige en noodzakelijke component in het leven

Fake News Goes Back to the Garden of Eden says Pope Francis I

On this day of “News and communication” we can’t escape to ponder on the last two years where we got bombarded with continuous streams of fake news and attacks on people and organisations.

All people who write on the internet should be aware of their social function and be conscious of their responsibility and impact on others. The last few months social media also showed its bad and dangerous side in being a weapon of opponents and misleader of the people. When you look at the fake news that could be spread  in one week it should really alarm us.

Today the Roman Catholic Church Father Francis I looked at what is going on in this world and said

Made in the image and likeness of our Creator, we are able to express and share all that is true, good, and beautiful. We are able to describe our own experiences and the world around us, and thus to create historical memory and the understanding of events.

He is also aware and tells about what happened very early in the history of man, what too many have forgotten. We should remember that there was the inner thought of the mannin or first woman who doubted the sincerity and honesty of her Creator. Pope Francis has denounced fake news as evil, comparing it to the snake in the Garden of Eden, and urged journalists to make it their mission to search for the truth.

In his annual social communications message, Francis said fake news played on stereotypes and prejudices, and praised efforts to make social media users aware of false reports. Question hereby can bye how we ourselves want to see the world around us and how we want to be honest to others. Lots of our way of reaction against others has to do with our background, attitude of life and our pride.

The pope opened his sermon today with a warning.

But when we yield to our own pride and selfishness, we can also distort the way we use our ability to communicate. This can be seen from the earliest times, in the biblical stories of Cain and Abel and the Tower of Babel (cf. Gen 4:4-16; 11:1-9). The capacity to twist the truth is symptomatic of our condition, both as individuals and communities. On the other hand, when we are faithful to God’s plan, communication becomes an effective expression of our responsible search for truth and our pursuit of goodness.

In 1972 Pope Paul VI already for the World Communications Day had its theme: “Social Communications at the Service of Truth”. The present pope want also to contribute to our shared commitment to stemming the spread of fake news and to rediscovering the dignity of journalism and the personal responsibility of journalists to communicate the truth. for this pope it is not the first time he has scolded those who spread false news reports. He called it a “very serious sin” that not only hurts those who have been slandered but also hurts journalism itself.

We have come into a time when it looks like a sport or competition to bring the most deceiving and manipulating messages to the reader. Clearly the spreading of fake news can serve to advance specific goals, influence political decisions, and serve economic interests, and is as such used.

The effectiveness of fake news is primarily due to its ability to mimic real news, to seem plausible. Secondly, this false but believable news is “captious”, inasmuch as it grasps people’s attention by appealing to stereotypes and common social prejudices, and exploiting instantaneous emotions like anxiety, contempt, anger and frustration. The ability to spread such fake news often relies on a manipulative use of the social networks and the way they function. Untrue stories can spread so quickly that even authoritative denials fail to contain the damage.

In Christendom we can see that lots of people are so caught by the arrangement between the clergy and the Roman emperor Constantine. Their agreement to equal the Roman gods with the Christian figures (or better the other way around) made that the Trinity was born and fostered.

The difficulty of unmasking and eliminating fake news is due also to the fact that many people interact in homogeneous digital environments impervious to differing perspectives and opinions. Disinformation thus thrives on the absence of healthy confrontation with other sources of information that could effectively challenge prejudices and generate constructive dialogue; instead, it risks turning people into unwilling accomplices in spreading biased and baseless ideas. The tragedy of disinformation is that it discredits others, presenting them as enemies, to the point of demonizing them and fomenting conflict. Fake news is a sign of intolerant and hypersensitive attitudes, and leads only to the spread of arrogance and hatred. That is the end result of untruth.

In Facebook Groups lots of people go very hard against people who have an other opinion than they or than mainstream groups. Many want others to believe as them and when they do not do that they come to abuse them and call them names.

It is not an easy task to get people to see what really happened and to get rid of the false information Awful is it when such false news is to blacken people or organisations. Since disinformation is often based on deliberately evasive and subtly misleading rhetoric and at times the use of sophisticated psychological mechanisms, plus when it gets multiplied or shared via social media it starts running its own life and often turns up a few years later when people have forgotten about the matter and do not recollect that it was classified as fake news.

The Pope finds it good that

praiseworthy efforts are being made to create educational programmes aimed at helping people to interpret and assess information provided by the media, and teaching them to take an active part in unmasking falsehoods, rather than unwittingly contributing to the spread of disinformation. Praiseworthy too are those institutional and legal initiatives aimed at developing regulations for curbing the phenomenon, to say nothing of the work being done by tech and media companies in coming up with new criteria for verifying the personal identities concealed behind millions of digital profiles.

Yet preventing and identifying the way disinformation works also calls for a profound and careful process of discernment. We need to unmask what could be called the “snake-tactics” used by those who disguise themselves in order to strike at any time and place. This was the strategy employed by the “crafty serpent” in the Book of Genesis, who, at the dawn of humanity, created the first fake news (cf. Gen 3:1-15), which began the tragic history of human sin, beginning with the first fratricide (cf. Gen 4) and issuing in the countless other evils committed against God, neighbour, society and creation. The strategy of this skilled “Father of Lies” (Jn 8:44) is precisely mimicry, that sly and dangerous form of seduction that worms its way into the heart with false and alluring arguments.

The world is taken by its greed. So many people do want it all for themselves. Politicians do whatever they can to degrade their opponents and to let themselves look the better one.

What is at stake is our greed. Fake news often goes viral, spreading so fast that it is hard to stop, not because of the sense of sharing that inspires the social media, but because it appeals to the insatiable greed so easily aroused in human beings. The economic and manipulative aims that feed disinformation are rooted in a thirst for power, a desire to possess and enjoy, which ultimately makes us victims of something much more tragic: the deceptive power of evil that moves from one lie to another in order to rob us of our interior freedom. That is why education for truth means teaching people how to discern, evaluate and understand our deepest desires and inclinations, lest we lose sight of what is good and yield to every temptation.

At Facebook Groups we often find people, claiming to be Christian, using words unworthy for a lover of God and for a follower of Christ, calling those who are not in line with their thinking all sorts of names. By bringing all sorts of false ‘news’ they also try to bring others in discredit. In many of those groups we can see a constant contamination by deceptive language which can end up darkening our interior life.

Dostoevsky’s observation is illuminating:

“People who lie to themselves and listen to their own lie come to such a pass that they cannot distinguish the truth within them, or around them, and so lose all respect for themselves and for others. And having no respect, they cease to love, and in order to occupy and distract themselves without love they give way to passions and to coarse pleasures, and sink to bestiality in their vices, all from continual lying to others and to themselves.” (The Brothers Karamazov, II, 2).

Many people are thrown form one side to the other and become so confused, not able to see what is true , half-true and what is false. Lots of false messages look so engrossing that one can not resit the excitement and love to share it on social media which makes the ball rolling.

So how do we defend ourselves?

The most radical antidote to the virus of falsehood is purification by the truth.

In Christianity, truth is not just a conceptual reality that regards how we judge things, defining them as true or false. The truth is not just bringing to light things that are concealed, “revealing reality”, as the ancient Greek term aletheia (from a-lethès, “not hidden”) might lead us to believe. Truth involves our whole life. In the Bible, it carries with it the sense of support, solidity, and trust, as implied by the root ‘aman, the source of our liturgical expression Amen.

Those who call themselves Christian should have the aim in them to purify their body and spirit and to share the love of Christ with others, not wanting to hurt them by false sayings or awful words. they should work on their character, trying to become like Christ. By their daily meditations and reading of the Word of God they should discover and rediscover the truth when they experience it within themselves in the loyalty and trustworthiness of the One who loves them.

every person should know that the truth will set them free (Jn 8:32).

Freedom from falsehood and the search for relationship: these two ingredients cannot be lacking if our words and gestures are to be true, authentic, and trustworthy. To discern the truth, we need to discern everything that encourages communion and promotes goodness from whatever instead tends to isolate, divide, and oppose. Truth, therefore, is not really grasped when it is imposed from without as something impersonal, but only when it flows from free relationships between persons, from listening to one another. Nor can we ever stop seeking the truth, because falsehood can always creep in, even when we state things that are true. An impeccable argument can indeed rest on undeniable facts, but if it is used to hurt another and to discredit that person in the eyes of others, however correct it may appear, it is not truthful. We can recognize the truth of statements from their fruits: whether they provoke quarrels, foment division, encourage resignation; or, on the other hand, they promote informed and mature reflection leading to constructive dialogue and fruitful results.

When looking at news channels, social media (tweets and Facebook messages) we always should use our common sense and examine the truth as well as the value of the message.

The best antidotes to falsehoods are not strategies, but people: people who are not greedy but ready to listen, people who make the effort to engage in sincere dialogue so that the truth can emerge; people who are attracted by goodness and take responsibility for how they use language. If responsibility is the answer to the spread of fake news, then a weighty responsibility rests on the shoulders of those whose job is to provide information, namely, journalists, the protectorsof news. In today’s world, theirs is, in every sense, not just a job; it is a mission. Amid feeding frenzies and the mad rush for a scoop, they must remember that the heart of information is not the speed with which it is reported or its audience impact, but persons. Informing others means forming others; it means being in touch with people’s lives. That is why ensuring the accuracy of sources and protecting communication are real means of promoting goodness, generating trust, and opening the way to communion and peace.

The pontiff wants to invite everyone to promote a journalism of peace. He said

By that, I do not mean the saccharine kind of journalism that refuses to acknowledge the existence of serious problems or smacks of sentimentalism. On the contrary, I mean a journalism that is truthful and opposed to falsehoods, rhetorical slogans, and sensational headlines. A journalism created by people for people, one that is at the service of all, especially those – and they are the majority in our world – who have no voice. A journalism less concentrated on breaking news than on exploring the underlying causes of conflicts, in order to promote deeper understanding and contribute to their resolution by setting in place virtuous processes. A journalism committed to pointing out alternatives to the escalation of shouting matches and verbal violence.

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Preceding articles

Americans their stars, pretension, God, Allah and end of times signs #1 Abrahamic religions

Americans their stars, pretension, God, Allah and end of times signs #2 War on God’s Plan, Name and title

Americans their stars, pretension, God, Allah and end of times signs #3 Cyberwars and prophesy

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Additional reading

1. An openingschapter explaining why things are like they are and why we may have hope for better things
2. The figure of Eve
3. Bereshith 3 Fall of man
4. Messianic prophesies 1 Adversary – Root of the first prophecy
5. Messianic prophesies 2 Adversary – Root of the first prophecy
6. Delph Radio – Spreading God’s Word to All Nations

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Related

1. Opinion Journalism
2. Why Journalism?
3. So What Happened to the Journalism?
4. Dumb journalism makes for a dumb nation
5. The problem with modern “journalism” summed up in one story
6. Crossed Lines
7. Sturgeon sets media and Tories straight after latest round of fake news
8. JT Blog: Examiner analysis
9. Content analysis of the Huddersfield Examiner
10. What a ______ time it is to be a journalist
11. Can you trust social media?
12. Fake News and the Good News
13. Politicians Intermix Cyberwar, Information Warfare, And Fake News
14. Pope condemns ‘evil’ of fake news and its use for political gain
15. Pope: ‘Fake news’ is evil, journalists must search for truth
16. Be more responsible journalists, Pope Francis says…
17. Pope Francis weighs in on fake-news – a sign of intolerant and hypersensitive attitudes pope decries unthinkable barbaric treatment of Yezidis audience cate
18. Pope Francis Denounces Fake News
19. Pope Warns Against ‘Fake News,’ Likens It To ‘Crafty Serpent’ In Genesis
20. Pope Blames Eve for Listening to “Fake News” Serpent
21. Pope condemns ‘evil’ of fake news and its use for political gain
22. Be more responsible journalists, Pope Francis says…
23. Edelman Trust Barometer 2018 – Redefines Media & Gives Journalism Hope
24. BuzzFeed: This Is Facebook’s News Survey

Selfishness can become our biggest ally for the Money Free Movement

Rafi writes on the Free Wolder Organisation

Being selfish has always been seen as a negative attribute for humanity. I will debunk this way of thinking and open your mind towards a more natural and healthy way of life and a more balanced way of living.

First of all, selfishness is totally a natural and healthy need. In my native language of Armenian, Selfishness translates to <>, and this is exactly what selfishness is, or it can become. 

Thinking for ones self is never a bad thing, where selfishness takes a bad turn is our lack of understanding and consciousness that it can not be good for us when we find security and abundance when others are in lack. Since we are herd animals, we live in a family, community and ultimately in a world wide society, we are effected directly and indirectly from the effects of our actions, decisions, and behaviors.

Here is my suggestion to all, do not stop your selfishness, because you would be going against mother nature and simple logic. What you should do is become aware of how miserable your life is because others suffer all around you and in the rest of the world. Raise your level of connection with all there is.
UBUNTU; When it’s no good for all, it’s no good at all.

The Selfish Gene (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Creating social classes, putting up fences and separating ourselves from the rest of the world is not a selfish act, it is a lack of empathy, lack of self love and a lack of awareness.
When we live in financial security, how secure are we really when others live in misery? How much love am I showing towards myself when I collaborate with a system that encourages competition? How happy can I possibly be when I need to constantly protect my possessions with security installations, insurance policies, lawyers and constantly being at guard for outside threats?

When we combine selfishness and self awareness. When we understand how connected we really are with he rest of the world, when we start being aware of how much we suffer through the suffering of others, we will create the critical mass that is needed to create Utopia on earth.
We are either light years away from this Utopic life or possibly just a few years short, it all depends on each and every one of our levels of awareness. Please be an all loving selfish person.

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Preceding articles:

It’s time to build a new system

A charter for a truly free world and why we need it

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Additional reading:

1. Inequality, Injustice, Sustainability and the Free World Charter
2. Not everything has to be reciprocated with money

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Related articles

• The 5 Energies of a Spiritual Warrior
• Armenian leadership makes illogical statements, Azerbaijani FM says
• Islam and the Christian Genocides in Turkey
• Ukraine Civil War: A Zionist-American Attack On Russia By Fascist Proxies
• Turkish Parliament: whistles and jeers against Armenian MP who remembers genocide
• After years of denying the Armenian genocide, Cenk Uygur now admits he doesn’t know enough about it to say anything
• Armenia Will Never Give Up Fight to Get Turkey to Recognize Genocide
• Armenian Assembly of America applauds courageous parliamentarian in Turkey
• 60,000 rally in Los Angeles to commemorate Armenian Genocide
• The 5 Energies of a Spiritual Warrior

Looking for the consummation of presents

When the end of the year is coming
people are looking for the consummation of presents

the sexy santa assistants were there to take a photo of you in front of the xmas tree or you could just ask them to take a photo with you and pretend that your girlfriend is a sexy santa assistant See where this picture was taken. [?] (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We are coming closer to the Winter holidays and in the down side of this globe the Summer holidays. The holidays can be an unsettling time for atheists and the Christmas holidays may be an stressing times for trinitarian Christians. Those Christians also often want to know how atheists can cope with what those Christians call the Season of the Greatest Gift on earth.

Sarah, a dog-faced atheist currently living in North Carolina, writes

Once when talking to a family member who is aware of my atheism and verbal about it, she asked: “Does it bother you when you get Jesus stuff for the holidays?” The truth, yes and no. {Holiday Shopping For Your Token Atheist Friend}

She, like many other atheists and lots of Christians, does not seem to know that all this Christmas event has nothing to do with Christianity or the real Jesus born in Bethlehem. Christmas is a pagan feast of which real Christians should abstain. But many Christians love to think about the true real Greatest Gift on earth mankind received. That was indeed the saviour or the Kristos, Jesus Christ, who was really born in 4BCE, October 17. So, we could wonder why they like to celebrate his so called birthday on the birthday of the goddess of light and on the pagan holy day for that goddess.

Therefore it is strange that as self-proclaimed resident holiday gift adviser, this Sarah gives her guiding rules on how to shop for heathens as follows:

1. Don’t give your atheist friend anything religious.

2. Avoid gifts that use “Christmas” or “Xmas.”

3. Coffee is good. Atheists like coffee. {Holiday Shopping For Your Token Atheist Friend}

When we look in the shop windows we also do not see much that reminds people of the Messiah and what he has given to mankind and why we can look at him as the best gift the world ever got.

Many may say that

“The Word became flesh.”

but do not really know what this means.

A certain Chandy who is also knowing that she is been given a gift, likes to share it, but considers it impossible. she also seems to see the reason.

No one’s bothered, which is fine. People have their own choices and finally, Jesus does love them. Others possibly communicate their theology but I can’t. And in some senses I wish I hadn’t learnt it. {Despairing Resonance}

This December she writes

Blood, bodily fluids, wordless crying are at the heart of Christmas story. It is icky, joyful and fills the senses. {Christmas fragment 1}

When we carefully look around everything turns around getting presents and just making lots of fun. Naturally nothing is wrong with making lots of fun and giving each other presents. Lovely. But to have stress about it?! And to say it is all for Jesus?!

Chandy at WordPress continues

It is icky, joyful and fills the senses.

This is why with so many objects criss crossing the planet it fulfils part of the spirit of Christmas. The handling of the card, the wrapping of the gift, the prising of the plastic, the eating of food, the drinking of wine affirms our bodily humanity; for God affirms bodily humanity in its messy state by taking on a breathing, weeing, gurgling body. {Christmas fragment 1}

Looking at mankind they all seem to look for their luck in stuff.

Everyone seeking love, joy, hope, peace, contentment and seeking to find it in stuff. Anyone who has an eternal perspective sees how silly this is – chasing after wealth and popularity and power. Still the pull of this world is strong. Smell that cheddar? Don’t worry about that spring loaded wire it’s sitting on. “People who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.”  Wealth isn’t the issue.  Idolatry – love of money is.  (But sometimes wealth breeds the other.) {Contented Consumer?}

Even those Christians who say this is the season of peace are arguing that all those refugees better stayed in their country and would leave our developed society on its own, they not coming to take away some food and quality of life. They forget they themselves never brought anything themselves into this life at start, but got everything given to them, life, education, edible plants, sunshine, rain, the earth. Man is so selfish he thinks he has done it all by himself and that everything belongs to himself. To share it with others is difficult. For that reason such a gift season may not be so bad, because than people have to provide something for somebody else, and they have to spend something from their own money for it, which is not so easy for them. but many have fallen in the trap of the ” tyranny of expectations surrounding this so called Holy Day”.

Those who belong to the wealthy better should think about those who have less. This time of gifts should bring them to think about what gifts we all get in our life. Scripture is not against products that make life better for those who produce them.  It is also not against consuming products. but it warns us how we use our money and warns us about the attitude we can take or have to take with the things we can enjoy.

Scriptures does not say at all that luxury would not be allowed, but it gives us an indication that we should be willing to share with others. The Bible tells us the “Love of money” is wrong and corrupting.

Studies show that those with a lot of it are more narcissistic and less generous.  Our tendency is to think – that’s people who are richer than we are – They are self-absorbed and greedy. {Woes and Watch-out Warnings}

In the West we have become a “Consumer driven society”

Buy, buy, buy. Get, get, get. We’re all buyers; consumers of stuff. There are things we need and things we want. Separating our wants from our needs has become more difficult with the growing ideology of consumerism. The encouragement of acquiring more and more stuff at an increasing pace continues to change our society. The “one who dies with the most toys” philosophy has propelled the age of consumerism as our appetite to acquire things has skyrocketed. I wonder though if this is healthy for our society? {Top Risks for a Consumer-Driven Society}

The Spirit of Christmas (short film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The way people want to consume is changing and shopping becomes for some less a social activity, but a lonesome internet action, not really interested were it comes form at what cost, as long as he can get it the cheapest.

Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Distinguished Programs Joseph DeRosa warns

So as we enter the Holiday season – whatever Holiday you celebrate – think about your own gift giving habits. If it’s cheaper online, I get it. That’s simply being fiscally responsible. But if it’s not, I’d challenge you to go to the store, walk the aisles, smile at others and say hello. Let’s not slip so far into our rabbit holes that we forget that the difference between living and being alive is the amount of interaction and experience we have with one another. Would any of us really want to be walking around this planet alone? Would that be alive? Not me. Make the choice to live alive. Connect with someone. Today.

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Preceding

Family happiness and little things we do

Halloween is Satanist Christmas

He who beams never walks in the dark

The Evolution Of Passover–Past To Present

Welcome to Easter 2014

Next: One can buy a lot in the supermarket, but not hope

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Additional reading

1. A season of gifts
2. Holidays, holy days and traditions
3. Focus on outward appearances
4. Irminsul, dies natalis solis invicti, birthday of light, Christmas and Saturnalia
5. Christmas, Saturnalia and the birth of Jesus
6. Jesus begotten Son of God #1 Christmas and Christians
7. Jesus begotten Son of God #2 Christmas and pagan rites
8. Objects around the birth and death of Jesus
9. Christmas in Ancient Rome (AKA Saturnalia)
10. Wishing lanterns and Christmas
11. The imaginational war against Christmas
12. Hanukkahgiving or Thanksgivvukah
13. Thanksgivukkah and Advent
14. Holiday tolerance
15. Exodus 9: Liar Liar
16. Autumn traditions for 2014 – 1: Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet
17. Traditionalists Vow to Fight Charges of Racism in Netherlands
18. Geert Wilders wants mandatory blackface at Dutch festival
19. Being Religious and Spiritual 8 Spiritual, Mystic and not or well religious
20. Self-development, self-control, meditation, beliefs and spirituality
21. Christian values, traditions, real or false stories, pure and upright belief
22. I believe in you…
23. Ember and light the ransomed of Jehovah
24. Why we do not keep to a Sabbath or a Sunday or Lord’s Day #3 Days to be kept holy or set apart
25. Not bounded by labels but liberated in Christ
26. Nativity scene of the birth of the Bill of Rights
27. Brits believe Santa present at Jesus’ birth, new poll reveals
28. Sancta Claus is not God
29. What Jesus sang
30. Merry Christmas with the King of Kings
31. Weekly World Watch 12th – 18th Sept 2010‏
32. Christmas trees
33. I Only hope we find GOD again before it is too late !
34. God’s Special Gift
35. What do you want for Christmas
36. Speedy Christmas!
37. Don’t Envy the World

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Further related postings on the net

1. Christmas Twinkle and Festive Helsinki City Lights
2. You Lived Your Best Life If You Had These ’90s Toys When You Were A Kid
3. 27 of the best 90s toys that prove Christmas used to be way better
4. Five holiday light displays you can’t miss this holiday season
5. The North Poles’ Secret by Zoey Hart #CinnamonTreats
6. Bending History
7. Advent No.12: Gifting guide for friends…
8. Seventh day of Christmas 
9. Joy to the World
10. Advent Day 12
11. 12 Days Of Christmas… ‘This Time Of Year’ by Only Girl
12. The Twelve Days of Christmas: Preparing Families for Emergencies
13. BoyChild Chooses: The 12 Reviews of Christmas, Day 12–McDuff’s Christmas
14. Bear With Me While I Wait For Santa
15. Christmas Gift Guide
16. It’s beginning to look a lot like…
17. How to find the Christmas gifts for your friends and family?
18. Transcending the Financial Border
19. Prepare ye the way of the Lord
20. He Loves to Hear You Pray
21. Christmas prayers for children
22. Christmas 31 Day Scripture Writing Plan: Day 12 – Malachi 3:1-3
23. Advent 2015 – Day 14 – Perfect Peace
24. Holidays for Earth Part II
25. New Bond Street – Xmas 2015
26. The Culture of Excesses- Losing Humanity
27. The foolish man

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Why “Selfishness” Doesn’t Properly Mean Being Shortsighted and Harmful to Others

To get somewhere it certainly needs not a short-sighted vision. There has to be a plan somewhere in the head, or for sure a will and hope to reach a point, where one wants to strive for.

At first the foundation may be to reach something for the self. Self-interest at the base, does not mean it has to put the interest of others at the side or to ignore it.

Today we may see lots of people trying to pursue their dreams by short-sighted and hurtful means, like trying to shape wood into a beautiful statue by shooting it with a pistol, which is possible but for making a chair would utterly be doomed to failure.

What is wealth? Are we today really so much better off than those people who had no intercom, no telephones, no television, no electronic gadgets to divert their thinking?

It may be very handy to have the kitchen robots, but are there better things made with than the housewife’s did centuries ago?

We would agree that materially we are better off than years ago, but spiritually and socially it seems we are developing to a mess if we are not careful.

Who is willing to present himself to help others? Who is willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of others? and would such acts make the person happy? Often we see at the end that the person has become more disillusioned and/or frustrated. Lots of times those who wanted to help the poor, the needy, or wanted to get the crooks on the right path, got so many disillusions that they are not happy and have to confess they could not reach their dreams.

To get a place in life, to make yourself respectable and to build up a nice life, the person has to think about himself and about those around himself (partner and children). There is a need of a certain selfishness, because otherwise the self is shuffled in the corner and will possibly drown in the battle of those around him/her, who want to find a place for themselves in this world. finding a good balance is important. Placing the ‘I’ in a good perspective. Working on the ‘I’ and the ‘I am’ without destroying the other.
As Ayn Rand may have seen that there is another way of life that involves the destruction of no one, we are to try to build a life in respect to all other beings around us (plants, animals, humans).

It would be nice if we could see our society growing to a way of life that enables all good individuals to prosper, with no victims. Lets Go for it!

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Preceding article:

Material wealth, Submission and Heaven on earth

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Additional reading:

1. Epicurus’ Problem of Evil
2. Why God permits evil
3. Fear the battle climb
4. Subcutaneous power for humanity 4 Not crossing borders of friendship
5. 2nd Half 20th Century Generations pressure to achieve
6. 112314 – A Peculiar People
7. How we think shows through in how we act
8. Love envieth not
9. The Greatest of These is Love

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• The Surprising Connections You Might Not Know Between Religion and Income Inequality
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• The facts about those comments

Objectivism In Depth

The definitions of the terms we use have consequences for our ability to think and communicate clearly.

Imagine for a moment that your friend told you that he defines “carpenter” as “one who shapes wood by shooting it with a gun.” You’re baffled and you ask him what word he uses for someone who shapes wood by other means, such as a saw, lathe, and/or sander. He says that he really has no word for this. He has a couple of synonyms for “carpenter,” but they also carry the implication that the person shaping the wood used a gun.

Hopefully, you can see that the problem with this hypothetical situation is not merely that you and your friend are using terms differently: shooting wood with a gun is a terribly impractical way of shaping it into useful forms. If the only concepts you have of wood shaping mean using a…

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Fear the battle climb

A powerful light shines in the dark. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Lots of people reside in the darkness thought hey may not notice it. Others feel lost and do not find a way to find some ray of hope giving light.
Out of the void sounded a Voice and everything came into being. Out of chaos came order. Nothing has changed. Today out of the chaos still can come order and light.
Let us find that light ourselves and show it to others as well.

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Preceding articles:

1. So Lonely
2. Alone in the cold and dark
3. Don’t be afraid to fall
4. Quicksand
5. sinking world….
6. Path/Walk/Sink
7. Swim/Sink
8. You Need Light for Your Path
9. He who beams never walks in the dark
10. Getting out of the dark corners of this world

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fozzyfitness

Under many sudanims
In many forms
Grabbing the core
Strangling and suffocating
Dragging souls to depths beyond
Fear and desolation encapsulated
Darkness and depresive
Dread of unescapable
Physical,mental and phycologocal barriers
Where,why and what for

Distant shimmer glints
Is this freedoms glow
No ladder or stairway
Clawing and scrapeing
Hauling self and sole
Blooded fingers
Body scared and bruised
Live determined and inner strength
Power of self ingnorance of other
Deafness and selfishness rule
Start the accent,form escape

Struggle every day
Push and pull
Enemies launch time and again
Friends pick up shrapnel
Climb again and again
Asking for assistance
Seeking advice
Time the healer of all
Wraps us in deliverance
Pushes us clear
Acceptance of self and deliberate refusal

Day light reached
Sobriatry defunctional cource
Always in recovery improvement
Developemental strength and support
Life continues choice has to be yours
Ability builds focus strong
Self can survive and thrive

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112314 – A Peculiar People

In Belgium lots of protests are going on against the measures taken by the government, bringing all burden onto the less earning people while the rich are saved and do not have to contribute to the economical crisis, have lower taxes than most people and even have companies or CEO’s not having to pay taxes.
In other countries battles on the streets are delivered or for the injustice which is done on social or juridical matters.

Some may think Christians may not higher their voice and have to let everything happen. But you can also wonder if a Christian does not have to come up for those who have no voice, like animals and plants and for those who are done injustice.

In certain states, like the United States of America, the injustice of treatment, the in-equality of race, and certain political decisions are used to create scenes of rioting, looting, and burning private and public properties. This is totally against the Law of God. Also a few weeks ago in Belgium some fighters used the national march against the government to make hammock and damage a lot of private goods and to seriously wound many cops. They misused and disordered the otherwise peaceful march.
The way we want to react to those “protestors” blocking roads and impeding the flow of traffic of travellers, who have no connection with the cause for which the protesters, aka anarchists, are mounting in their charge against decency, is important and gives the other person an opportunity to show other ways to get justice and to get the voice of the people resounding.
There may be people who do not like it that there are also “people who have decided to make a statement for their cause by lying down on department store floors and interfering with people who just wanted to buy some goods at those stores.” Those who object we have to ask what their reason of objection is. Often we hear selfish reasons, like that they can not get where they want to be in the time they want to be. Or that they are hindered because they can not get what they want. when they react to the protesters, not showing empathy for their cause, they often show their own selfishness and their exclusion for coming to understanding for what the protesters want to give a voice.

Both parties can be doing the wrong thing. Both parties can go much to far in their reaction against the other.

In such turmoil the true inner side of a person can come unto the surface. In such occasions where people feel their frustration can not receive a valve of expression, they can go much too far and loose all boundaries of respect and decency.
It is in such instances a Christian has to be careful not to chose the wrong site or not to give the impression he does not want to do with it at all.

It may be true that in certain cases (not all) some may consider this “peculiar” to relate to “such unlawful actions”. Some might also think it are only anarchists who are “truly odd and strange in the way that they go about life”. They seem to forget that lots of human beings do strange things and more than once go out of the boundaries of the “normal”.

Of course, the word “peculiar” can find its way into biblical scripture, like “the Jews were said to be a peculiar people because they were chosen by God to bring the Messiah into the world (Deuteronomy 14:2). Those of us who have come to saving faith through Jesus, the Messiah, are also said to be “peculiar” people.”

Certainly today those following the Laws of God are called peculiar or weird figures. Often they are considered to be fools, believing in fairy tales.

Jesus even told his followers it would not be easy for those who wanted to follow him, and that they would be shunned and would be hated in different circles, even in the family they would find members who would oppose them.
Those who show the outside world that they love God and have chosen to follow His son’s ways, are ridiculed, but know that they should not worry so much. They know they should fear God and not the human beings. But that does not mean they just do have to let everything happen what other human beings decide. We always should show our praise for God and His Creation. As such we shall have to show the world our respect for that creation and should make others aware of the value of that creation which we are allowed to use, but may not try to destroy. So, we do have to take care of mother earth and also do have to come up for it. We can not allow others to continuously rob it and destroy the life chances of animals, plants but also for other human beings. Therefore contrary many Christians may think, we should give a voice to the ones who do not seem to have a voice or who are pushed in the corner.

We, as believers in Christ, may also appear to the anarchists as being “odd” and “strange” because we don’t embrace their methods of “bringing about change” in our nation, but we can show to them other ways to demonstrate peacefully and to use other ways to give a voice for the right cause in righteousness.

Not reacting at all can give opportunities to silence the democratic system and to have other human beings using their power to oppress others. We should give dictatorship and oppression no chance. We also should avoid that others get the means, like weapons to oppress others.

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Of interest:

1. Voice for the plebs
2. The Y generation in conflict with itself
3. To Work Longer or Die Younger
4. Depression Economics and Paul Krugman
5. Anti-Crisis anger calling out
6. Ability for a community to come back from a crisis
7. Violence or an other way to win
8. Justififiable anger or just anarchism
9. Shame on American police
10. A dangereous way of censorship
11. Democratic downfall
12. Censor looming around the UK corner?
13. Internet absurdities
14. The Protester named Person of the Year 2011 by Time Magazine
15. Catherine Ashton on the EU annual report on human rights
16. Roman Catholic Church in the United States of America at war
17. Ukrainians should be free to shape the future of their country
18. Person of the year
19. Journal for and from bothered citizens
20. Re-Creating Community
21. Chinese Village in Revolt
22. ‘Occupy Wall Street’ Protesters Gain Strength
23. Busting Protesters, not Bankers
24. UK Protesters Charged as Organized Criminals
25. Thai Court Sides with Protesters

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Related articles

• Are you looking? (hopeofglory.typepad.com)
  This one nation under God has experienced a losing of itself under its present “leadership”. Focused on things not familiar orpreviously welcomed in this United States of America, these things have allowed many to lose their way.Believers associate this loss with a turning away from God. It’s a judgment of sorts on the abandoning of God and country, morality and responsibility, faith and respect. A sad commentary on the ease with which some will forfeit independence for dependence, goodness for wickedness, apology for justification. None of it typical of the America we used to know and love.
• Calmness is Settling in Over Ferguson (fggam.org)
  We continue to be in constant prayer for Ferguson and the United States of America, America, Bless God!
• Boko Haram: Nigeria berates US over ‘no weapon deal’ (sundiatapost.com)
  Nigeria’s ambassador to the United States of America, Prof. Ade Adefuye has chided the United States of America for refusing to sell weapons to Nigeria to effectively contain the Islamic insurgency in Northern Nigeria.
  He said the war against the insurgency would have been won long ago, had the US agreed to sell weapons to Nigerian government.
• Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789 (wdeaver.wordpress.com)
  Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and—Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”
• The Constitution of the United States of America, 19th Amendment (nesaranetwork.com)
  The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Eternity

Psalm 8 King James Version (KJV)

The Glory of the Lord in Creation

1 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts…

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