martin luther king day, the only holiday worth celebrating

christmas has been turned into a corporate wet dream, new years a sanctioned night of drunken foolishness and danger.... even independence day has turned into a corporatized falsely patriotic debacle...

its very common for people to say "merry christmas" and "happy new year" to strangers on those holdidays, but i found on this MLK day when i said "Happy Martin Luther King Day" to some strangers, they laughed or nervously chuckled, saying nothing! What's so funny about it? Are you nervous that showing support for a politically progressive figure would all of a sudden make you an activist, make you radical? There was also the debates on CNN between Edwards, Clinton on Obama, praising Martin Luther King, but i heard nothing about Iraq/Afghanistan, which King certainly would have been talking about! Instead they go on about mortgage rates... while we have an illegitimate, treasonous, war criminal administration sitting pretty, with no accountability in sight... A couple of guys in the locker room watching this
"debate" said to each other:
"So, what do you think about this?"
"Are you kidding?"
"Oh, yeah of course Im kidding."

Apparently holding any opinion at all on politics nowadays is ridiculous! One of the guys also said something like: "This politics is beyond repair.." How convenient for your apathy! How conveinient for the status-quo! How did people become so disempowered?

We need to forget this corporate media circus and focus on the fundamentals right now, the past 2 rigged presidential elections, 9/11 Truth, The Federal Reserve, and IMPEACHMENT FOR GOD'S SAKE!

http://zeitgeistmovie.com/

http://impeachbush.tv/

How can so many people be so easily duped and exploited?

Crucial Truth and Reasoning for a Return to "Paradise"

Eating The Apple
by Colin Denny Donoghue
(updated Martin Luther King Jr. Day, 2008)

Our culture is filled with mythology. Some well-known myths may actually not be as innocent and harmless as is commonly believed. If we take time to think about the myths that pervade our culture, and how they may influence our lives, we can discover underlying meaning and messages that actually disempower us greatly and misdirect us from real spiritual and political truth. By becoming aware of this, we can free ourselves from mental ties that keep us from progress, both personal and political. Here I will focus on perhaps the most well known myths of all, that of Adam & Eve, and the Savior of Humanity, to show how they may actually be doing much more harm than good for our civilization through reinforcing sexism, patriarchy and disempowerment. I will give new positive ways to interpret these myths so that we can reclaim them in the interest of peace, justice, and enlightenment.

The traditional story of Adam and Eve defies common sense. Why would knowing the difference between right and wrong be bad? Has history or your own personal experience shown that to be true? If right was known from wrong early on and acted on, much of the horrific history of human civilization could have been prevented. (Examples that instantly come to my mind include: the South’s continued support for slavery in the 1800’s, 1930’s Germany, early Vietnam War, Iraq/Afghanistan invasions, the 2000 US Presidential election theft by Bush/Cheney, …etc.)

The same goes for our personal lives, where we often ignore the crucial truth of harm and/or exploitation being committed (in a relationship, at the workplace, animal neglect/abuse, etc.) and by ignoring it, we allow the harm to continue and possibly get worse. (A pervasive example of this is the massive human consumption of meat and dairy, that causes massive suffering and violence to billions of animals every year. Check out GoVeg.com.)

How can we have progress without a sense of what's right or wrong? Isn't that what progress always really is? A progression from the bad to the good in varying degree?

The story of the “forbidden fruit” is a centuries old piece of misinformation used to continue the status-quo paradigm that does not encourage the questioning of authority or the progress of humanity. By telling us that having the knowledge of good and evil is bad, this story reinforces mass disempowerment of the People. This is real Orwellian phenomena, saying the good is evil and the evil is good. Furthermore, when we accept other's claims of what's right and wrong, especially from society's official "authorities", even when it defies common sense, we allow ourselves to be complicit with destructive policies, ideology and actions that cause massive harm to others and our environment. (Going along with the propaganda delivered by the mass media concerning 9/11, the elections, Iraq, and the lack of viable energy alternatives come to mind as current examples). When we allow others to tell us "this is right" (ex. the war) and this "wrong" (ex. dissent), we not only voluntarily disempower ourselves and keep our minds from comprehending the true reality, we become sheep led by wolves.

This intentional misdirection of our understanding of Truth has also been accomplished through the “savior” mythology, where only one person, with supernatural powers, can “save” the world, and the rest of us are said to be just powerless “sinners”. This mythology is very pervasive and influential yet most don’t recognize its power; even the popularity of characters like Superman show that American culture subconsciously accepts the idea that we need a supernatural savior to combat evil and injustice (so we might as well remain apathetic consumers). In the latest Superman movie, "Superman Returns" (2006), the references to Jesus are blatantly obvious, even the title brings to mind the "Second Coming" when Jesus will "Return to Earth". At one point in the movie Superman flies over the Earth in a clearly crucified position, and he is also referred to as "My only son, sent to save humanity" by his other-worldly Father, and even refers to himself at one point as a savior when talking to Lois Lane: "You wrote that the world doesn't need a savior, but every day I hear people crying for one."

In the book of the great movie "What The Bleep Do We Know?", which discusses the hidden power within each of us, the authors speak to the point of the disempowering nature of savior mythology on page 204 (emphasis added): "One of the basic tenants of Christianity is the notion that 'Jesus will save me' [and that we are all] 'sinners born in sin' and screwed from the get-go. It is difficult to imagine a more disempowering idea."

Whether you admire and follow the teachings of Jesus as a historical, mythological, or religious figure, a more intelligent (and probably accurate) interpretation of the actions of Jesus of Nazareth is not to simply believe in him as the sole savior of the world, (which really makes no sense at all, since there was not worldwide revolutionary positive change after his death), we should instead look at his actions as those that we each need to imitate (in the socio-political context that modern Christianity has all but completely eliminated, notable exceptions include Liberation Theology and the perspectives expressed in books like “Christian Faith and the Truth Behind 9/11: A Call to Reflection and Action” by David Ray Griffin & “Saving Christianity from Empire” by Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer), so that the numbers of those resisting tyranny, hypocrisy, corruption and empire will be great enough so that we really can have worldwide revolutionary positive change. The tyrants of the world cannot crucify every rebel, so to speak, so the reason that injustice/fascism/tyranny continues is because not enough people become active in resisting it. From a Liberation Theology perspective one could say not enough people are imitating the actions of Jesus in the sense described in Ephesians 6:12:

"For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in high places."

The brilliant African-American scholar Cornel West also gets to this crucial point, in a modern context, in his book "Democracy Matters":

"Let us not be deceived: the great dramatic battle of the twenty-first century is the dismantling of empire and the deepening of democracy... we must remember that the basis of democratic leadership is ordinary citizens' desire to take their country back from the hands of corrupted plutocratic and imperial elites.  This desire is predicated on an awakening among the populace from the seductive lies and comforting illusions that sedate them and a moral channeling of new political energy that constitutes a formidable threat to the status quo."

Another relevant perspective from the book "7th Seal: Hidden Wisdom Unveiled":

"Are the Romans in actuality alive and well today, continuing to suppress the greater truths, effecting the prevention of the resurgence of a spiritualy aware and soul aligned civilization?"

Basically, it has always been the few oppressing the many, therefore it can be seen as a problem of actualizing, or empowering, the masses (that means you, unless you support oppression/destruction), who have been tricked into believing false mythology and ideology that deliberately disempowers them, along with being subject to more direct physical tools of disempowerment like poverty/overworking/lack of free time, hunger, sickness and illiteracy.  All of this serves the destructive status-quo paradigm, it gives it the power to continue on. Additionally, if you spend much of your time thinking of cultural pop icons, luxury consumer goods, etc., you are allowing yourself to be distracted from where real meaning and satisfaction can be found in life. You are allowing yourself to be disempowered by those who would be happier if you were a simple-minded consumer who never questioned or spoke out against unjust authority.

Today, we have the Bush Administration telling us that they will protect us from the “evildoers,” and hoping we wont do any critical thinking, or care that they've abolished the Bill of Rights, rigged our elections, etc.  Again Cornel West says it well:

"At this moment our imperialist elites are casting themselves as the defenders of our democracy."

Bush, Inc. are certainly hoping we wont take the next step after seeing through their deceptions, actually resisting their assault on our freedoms, environment, health and democracy. They are sending the message "Just trust Big Brother and everything will be ok"… In this way they make themselves as another savior figure that we permit to disempower ourselves once again… In the book “Jesus and Empire” the author Richard Horsley writes: “In the Roman imperial world, the ‘gospel’ was the good news of Caesar having established peace and security for the world. Caesar was the ‘savior’ who had brought ‘salvation’ to the whole world.” The parallel between the Roman and American Empire is very poignant in this sense: Bush/Cheney claim to be saving us from the terrorists; we must recognize when history repeats in this destructive and deceptive way. Chris Hedges, author of “American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War On America” described the modern American Fundamentalist Christianity that is aligned with the Neo-conservative movement as “essentially about disempowerment” in an interview with Amy Goodman on her Democracy Now! Radio program (democracynow.org 02/19/07). This is a key point, as I previously stated; both empire, and religion serving empire, function mostly to disempower the populace through various means so resistance is kept to minimal levels. Gloria Steinem, the well know Feminist leader and author writes in her book “Revolution from Within” that self-help/new age books often have “an important message about the worth of each human being, but with little mention of the external structures that undermine this worth in order to assure their own authority.” These external structures that disempower people in order to insure the continued dominance of the status-quo are too often overlooked as somehow separate from the issue of personal liberation, instead of being recognized and named as the barriers that they are.

In the book Great Mystics & Social Justice: Walking on The Two Feet of Love, Susan Rakoczy unsheathes the false dichotomy between personal and social transformation that many modern Christians, Buddhists, philosophers, "spiritual" people, etc. ignorantly accept: "Two Temptations are enticing. One is to plunge into activism without a spiritual grounding. The other, especially insidious, is to take a deep breath, close the doors of the churches on the problems of society, and focus on a private experience of religion. For some, a "Jesus and me" religiosity is very satisfying since it allows them to seek personal holiness without attention to those outside their religious circle. This, however, is a corruption of the gospel, whose basic principle is love of God and love of neighbor."

Returning to the mythology of Adam and Eve, Eve is made to be the villain, the cause of the “Fall of Man”, yet another example of patriarchal sexist distortion of religious and historical truth, demonizing women as was done to Mary Magdalene, made to be a prostitute. And then of course there is the non-sensical Trinity, which has a Father and Son, but the necessary Mother is missing, replaced by the “Holy Spirit”.

The story of Adam & Eve would make much more sense if Paradise was lost because they stopped eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and departed to the gray area of lies and deception of the “Devil”. A loving “God” would have never said don’t eat from this tree, but eat and live by the knowledge you gain, and remain in the Garden of Eden, Paradise. Why did Adam and Eve become ashamed of their nakedness AFTER eating of the knowledge of good and evil? If we are made in the “image of God” why would our naked bodies be something shameful?? It was because they STOPPED eating of the knowledge of good and evil that they became ashamed, they no longer knew our nakedness was good, they were banished for listening to the Devil who stayed on the Tree of Knowledge to discourage them from eating the fruit, to convince them that they would be fine without that knowledge. The characters of God and the serpent have been reversed to serve the sexist patriarchal oppressive status quo; supporters of this backwards ideology are the authors of our modern story of Adam and Eve, surely not “God”. We are told heaven is the joyful peaceful place in which God’s presence is experienced so fully that all who are there gladly do “God’s Will.” What would this will be? Would it be for carrying out trivial assignments and duties, like a king’s servant? Or would it make more sense that it would be to bring peace, love and justice to your surroundings? “God’s will” would certainly consist of the latter if we are to remain consistent with everything that is said of this God, so then in the setting of Eden it makes more sense that one would want to eat the apple of the knowledge of good and evil, so that one could then act on that knowledge and always choose the right over the wrong. By doing so, one would remain in “Paradise” or “Heaven”, gladly doing God’s will, since that is what would make one’s existence most enjoyable, satisfying and “heavenly.” Therefore God's will and love and justice are inseparable, and those are inseparable from human happiness. In politics the Will of the People, or the majority is usually for greater compassion and justice, while the will of the few who bring fascism and tyranny have the opposite motivation: the desire for personal wealth and power. So the former is equivalent to the will of God(dess), while the latter can be thought of as the will of the Devil, producing evil in the world (as done by groups like the Bush Administration, etc).

Martin Luther King Jr. ate the apple when he declared segregation to be an evil, Gandhi ate the apple when he declared the British occupation of India to be an evil, (along with countless other examples of people declaring and facing real evil, not the bullshit propaganda that people have always been fed by tyrants) and by their so doing, humanity progressed. So the “apple” is in reality our inner conscience, which we discover through bringing our attention inward. This inward-looking practice is disrupted by countless distractions and disturbances like corporate advertising and our “entertainment” filled culture; we are being constantly distracted from our inner self, which serves the status-quo paradigm perfectly.

The Buddhist (not exclusively of course) practice of mindfulness and contemplative/concentration building meditation is a well developed practice for re-directing our attention inwards and discovering our conscience, or eating the metaphorical apple. Yet even Buddhism has been corrupted by post-modern nihilism with a completely unjustified emphasis on the doctrine of emptiness/no-self, that the Buddha himself warned would lead one astray if taken as ultimate truth. Modern “Buddhists” have done exactly what was warned against, and have strayed into a non-dualist, non-judgmental perspective on the world, similar to modern “Christianity” that tells us good works are meaningless, and only by saying a certain prayer and attending church regularly will one find salvation, through a single individual (Jesus), in the afterlife (the current life being regarded as a "lost-cause"). This is a belief system that is completely disempowering to the individual. It puts their focus and faith in something that is essentially imaginary, so that one doesn't take the actions necessary in the real world to ensure their freedom, peace and happiness. Another tenet of some distorted modern branches of so-called Christianity is the emphasis on a “Judgment Day” where a divine being will appear out of thin air and cast judgment on mankind. This of course discourages everyday people from making their own judgments and attempting to hold those guilty of great crimes against humanity accountable for their actions. Again we must wait for a superman to bring justice to earth, to tell us what is right and what is wrong, we cannot do it ourselves. This savior mythology is completely compatible and compliments the garden of Eden mythology that tells us eating from the apple of knowledge of good and evil is blasphemous, and that we should leave all justice seeking to “God” an imaginary figure who does not currently exercise this power on earth, but "don’t worry" say the apocalyptic Christians, "he will come soon", just keep waiting, and do nothing to fight injustice, and don’t you dare consult your conscience and common sense, remain disempowered and subservient to the status-quo system of thought that you have been conditioned by.

Another Christian tradition that may directly concern the Garden of Eden mythology is the modern “Christmas Tree”. I’ve read the suggestion that Christmas trees may actually be symbolic of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which I personally find intriguing. In this re-working of the imagery of the tree, real apples would be hung from the tree instead of ornaments, and family members would give the apples to one another, recognizing that gaining the knowledge of good and evil was a crucial part of the religious/spiritual path.

Ultimately and for practicality however, what is most important is the truth. Most people will automatically respond in the proper way to a situation once they know the full truth of it; our inner nature is good and is always with us, despite the negativity that usually covers it. That's why propaganda and misinformation is the main tool of the creators/supporters of any destructive system/paradigm. The focus in activism, and personal life, should be what the full truth is, the "right" or "wrong" of it follows that, it is technically secondary. In order to "eat the apple" in the real world, to act knowledgeably using our conscience, we need the best and most factual crucial information we can find. The main purpose of propaganda is to prevent people from acting on their conscience based on the facts. Instead, they attempt to use our own conscience against us, by appealing to our compassionate nature through Orwellian slogans like "Support Our Troops", "The War on Terror", "No Child Left Behind", etc. The crucial information we need to evaluate with our conscience is for the most part not coming from our government or the mass media, so where do we find it? How do we see through the lies and misinformation and find crucial truth? For the political/social truth, the short and practical answer is truthful independent media/books/documentaries/speakers, etc. and one's personal investigation. For the spiritual truth, whatever your personal practice may be, your own personal investigation and experience should be the authority. The Buddha said repeatedly to trust your own experience to see if his Eightfold Path is effective (basically a path of Loving (morality–>peace–>concentration–>insight–>happiness), which can be found in all traditions) and to not take his word for it, try it and see for yourself.

Truth has great power; when it is revealed it is a force in itself, because it activates our compassionate inner nature, our conscience . Satyagraha, a term Gandhi coined for his overall activist strategy, is translated as “truth-force” and “insistence upon the truth”. Satya (the truth)+ Agraha (to insist upon) = Satyagraha. We must each become a Satyagrahi, a practitioner of Satyagraha, in our personal lives as well in our socio-political reality, in order for there to be genuine and lasting progress.

I believe it is a 50/50 effort, internal and external revolution is needed; fighting fascism while practicing a path to enlightenment simultaneously. Because life is both personal and political, the inner and the outer, and we need to work for the progress of both to find satisfaction, and reduce our own suffering, while we help reduce the suffering of others simultaneously. Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Jesus, the Buddha, etc. all emphasized non-violence as the wisest and most practically beneficial behavior to adopt for personal and political behavior/policy. We need to center our lives AND our politics around non-violence/Ahimsa. Bush/Cheney, and all other fascist rulers throughout history represent the exact opposite, producing harmful and destructive policies, which is just furthering suffering, anguish and disharmony on Earth, as well as sabotaging our spiritual journey towards peace, wisdom and happiness.

So if the apple reveals the differentiation between violence and nonviolence in all acts and behavior, then ceasing from harm is the first stage in becoming skilled in the ways of the opposite of harming: healing and giving pleasure. Practices such as massage therapy, nutrition/natural medicine/disease prevention, tantra, yoga, etc. then all become areas of utmost importance and significance. With more time to focus on healing and pleasure in a post-backwards society, we can learn more about our bodies and Nature, diagnose and treat health problems naturally and more effectively, and realize our full potential for health and happiness.

This so-called "elite" sometimes use more direct methods than mythology and propaganda to disempower the masses, like sickness/disease being spread intentionally, or even assassination of social-justice leaders; this is a matter of historical fact. Ill-health is extremely disempowering of course, so physical fitness and health is a necessary component of the Path to empowerment/peace/happiness; good health is also needed for active resistance to fascism, oppression, etc. Not taking care of your body is another type of behavior that supports the continuation of the status-quo; there will be no revolution if all the revolutionaries are sick and in massive financial debt.  Maybe that's part of the reason why Bush, Inc. have done nothing to improve health care in America, and instead support industries that put toxins/radiation in out air, water and food?  Or why the unconstitutional and criminal monetary system run by the corporate-run Federal Reserve is allowed to stay in place, driving us further and further into debt?  (See part 3 of the groundbreaking film "Zeitgesit" for more on that: http://zeitgeistmovie.com/)

We need to stand against wickedness when we become aware of it, we need to “eat the apple”, or “the red pill” (to use Matrix terminology), and share it with others. You must hold some conviction in order to do this however and have factual knowledge to base your conviction on. Today it is very unpopular to speak of right and wrong of course, it is very uncool especially amongst young Americans. And in academic circles non-dualism, or post-modern moral-relativism, is the fall back position for many “intellectuals” who deconstruct every argument and then stand for nothing, certainly not social justice. I have found that if you hold any convictions (even very altruistic ones) some status-quo supporters compare you to all extremists, like some right-wing Christian speakers who have turned Christianity completely upside down. Saying the war in Iraq is wrong is to speak common sense and the will of the majority, the view is not extreme because it is in agreement with the facts and the majority of people on earth. Neo-conservative (fascist) ideology is not the will of the People. If we had a real democracy, Bush/Cheney could never have stolen the elections (read Fooled Again by Mark Crispin Miller for starters) as they did, the war would have never happened, nor would have 9/11 because the people who engineered it wouldn’t have been in the necessary positions of power (read David Ray Griffin's books on 9/11 for starters on that topic). If the People know the real truth they will speak and vote for the peaceful and just solution, that is why the fascists in power must rig the elections and tell the People lies and propaganda, undermining the compassionate and rational choice of the People. Democracy and truthful independent media really are the answer but so many say “look at how bad America is, democracy doesn’t work”. That's an opinion based on the false assumption that America IS a democracy, which it is certainly not! It's not even a representative republic! The fact that Bush and Cheney are still in office is proof of that! True Democracy and true representation allow the debate of right and wrong to be conducted by the majority, which ensures the elimination of elitist/special-interest control.

When you watch a bill being debated at your state legislature, you’re often watching a debate over whether the bill will ultimately serve the majority of the population (be good) or serve only the interests of the already powerful and wealthy few (be bad). The well-informed majority is almost always on the side of the less harmful bill and policy, since that is in their own interest (as well as due to sincere compassion for others), it is almost always those few that represent the interest of the uncaring “elite” who stand in opposition.

So if ultimately it is our conscience that shows us the difference between right and wrong, some might say then, that morality is completely subjective and relative, different for each individual. If this were completely true however, how would we progress together as a society? Aren't there actually some "core values" that most sane individuals would agree are "right"? Concerning personal interaction, no action is necessarily always bad, it depends on the circumstance, but that does not mean that morality is always relative! The truth is one should hold a Relative Absolutism, that is, certain actions, in certain situations, can be 100% wrong, like the examples highlighted in this essay. We must consult our conscience on a continual basis (eat the “apple”), through mindful awareness, and decide what is the least harmful and most just action (or non-action) to make. The Buddha called such action that leads to Liberation "skillful" or "wholesome". Some actions in certain situations are certainly more positive and skillful than others, and there is a way for consistent discernment, that does not accept a completely "non-dualist" perspective on human behavior:

"Skillful actions are those that create the causes for happiness, such as actions motivated by loving-friendliness and compassion. Any action that comes from a mind not currently filled with greed, hatred, or delusion brings happiness to the doer and to the receiver. Such an action is therefore skillful or right." - Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness, p.28

Our conscience is most clearly perceived when we are fully in the present moment; being fully in the Now also removes us from the disempowering/negative egoistic thought of the past and future, allowing us to be "aware of our awareness" which allows our peaceful (even blissful) inner nature to be experienced. There really is Power in the Now (as explained well by Ekhart Tolle in his books "The Power of Now" and "Stillness Speaks"), which can counter all the disempowerment I've been discussing .

Consulting one's conscience on everyday relations with family, friends, co-workers, etc. is certainly very important; our personal interaction with others has direct effect on their lives, in varying degrees of positivity or negativity. Of course the practice is difficult and we will make mistakes often, but with discipline we can rise to a higher level of being.  For example, personally I have not been living by the ideals presented in this essay due to my negative habits, etc. but I continue to strive towards them because I believe in their benefits, for myself and others.  First we must clarify and refine the direction, or the Way, before we can make progress.  That is my intention with presenting these ideas here.

Yet shouldn't consulting our conscience on the actions, policies, and messages given by our dominant authority figures and socio-economic/political systems, that effect far more people than we do in our personal lives, also be given priority. Isn’t that in fact what we are told Jesus did, when he denounced the hypocrisy and violence of the dominant religion and political empire of his day? So today we must be aware of those same destructive forces that live on in the current destructive status-quo paradigm. If you can see the blatant truth of the evil of the Bush Administration, act on it. Write your reps and say you want Bush/Cheney removed from office. Every person does make a difference. If the truth about the elections were known nationwide immediately and then the truth about 9/11 being an inside job was also known nationwide, would we have the “war” in Iraq, would we have the destruction of our constitutional rights? Of course not! If we had “eaten the apple” we could have prevented all this destruction, injustice, and massive suffering.

Here is another quote that uses the terms "soul' and "inner compass" in place of conscience or "apple", but the message is really the same:

"The major threat to external control is our internal guidance system -- our souls. To us, our souls are our best friends and most trusted guides. But to the control paradigm, they're the enemy -- what has to be removed in order for external control to work. Only when we're sufficiently disconnected from our inner compass will we follow outer demands." -"The Paradigm Conspiracy" by C. Largent and D. Brenton (highly recommended), p.9,

When we are connected to our conscience/soul/spirit/higher-self we also become connected to an outside world that becomes much more interactive, through synchronicity/guidance and positive circumstances that follow an inner transformation. When we become happier, healthier, and more at peace through a "Joyful Rebellion" against the destructive status-quo, we also may discover our passion for Life that had been covered in negativity and inner/outer oppression. Kenneth MacLean, author of "The Vibrational Universe", in an interview in Evolve! magazine said: "[P]assion is discouraged simply because it is such a high vibration/emotion relative to the society at large, and there is a genuine fear [by authority figures] that a passionate person is a dangerous person. There is a concern that our society would be turned upside down if people were allowed to find their own way without direction from the authorities." Indeed, and a society that is Orwellian/backwards should be turned upside down! When our "leaders" are taking us in the opposite direction to where we should be headed, revolutionary change is needed.

Eating the Apple, consulting our conscience, is only the first step of course, action is the second. Knowledge is only valuable if acted upon. For example, knowing of The Law of Attraction/Manifestation (described well in the film “The Secret”, derived from the ancient tribal practice called Huna), which is all about self-empowerment and taking responsibility for oneself, it's pretty much the opposite of the savior mythology belief; it only benefits the individual who becomes more conscious of their thoughts and really focuses on the positive possibilities rather than the negative.

In conclusion, Adam and Eve, in this perspective, would have stayed in Paradise by always choosing the positive over the negative; by acting in accordance with the knowledge they gained from the apple (their conscience), thereby always choosing good over evil, experiencing that it was always to their own benefit, bringing them continued happiness. The same holds true in the real world, right here, right now.

who really supports the troops?

Pi squared

I've found the specific level of difficulty that is inherent in certain practices that are apparently most worthwhile to give a try on a consistent basis, like

1) meditation/spiritual practice (concentration skill at a significant and useful level / consistent practice of worthwhile disciplines, like the Buddha's Eightfold Path)
2) exercise (body in significantly good athletic shape and flexibility)
3) tantra (ability to control oneself sufficiently so higher levels of ecstasy can be experienced)
4) lucid dreaming (ability to become "awake" within your dreams, for the purpose of greater self-awareness and/or creating dream realities that will improve ones waking life)
5) art/music (ability to be highly skilled with drawing/painting, musical instruments, writing, etc.)
6) activism (ability to effectively support the alternatives to the destructive status-quo paradigm, and support true democracy, justice and peace through nonviolent means)

is apparently the same. On a scale of 1-10, it's not quite a 10, but close, so I figure Pi squared has got to be it.

"All noble things are as difficult as they are rare."
- Baruch Spinoza

"In this age, which believes that there is a short cut to everything, the greatest lesson to be learned is that the most difficult way is, in the long run, the easiest."
- Henry Miller (1891-1980, American Author)

"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult."
- L.P. Sanadhya

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill

organic, but stupid

Last night was an organic extravaganza of lameness. Organic chips, Organic Pace salsa (it was the only organic salsa in the behemoth mega-corporate Fred Meyers that I walked to) and Organic beer, that was on sale. Oh and then later I got the organic American Spirits. The only smart thing I did last night was delete a bunch of people's numbers on my phone early in the night, it must have been the Holy Spirit that took over my body for a short time to do that, because later I was looking for those numbers that were gone. Sorry to those that didn't make the cut.

SNL had a "remembering Chris Farley" show followed by the episode with the legendary "Dick in a Box" short, so I laughed a couple times at least. I probably would have laughed without the alcohol in my system, so the night was a complete waste. Ive been trying to quit alcohol and tobacco for a long time, I'm well aware of how they are major obstacles (an understatement) to the Buddhist path. I even got a tattoo that says "Stay Sober" in mirrored letters so Ill read it every day. I got a great book (a gift), "Mindful Recovery" too (that I havent finished yet). Tobacco and Alcohol are disempowering physically, mentally and socio-politically, serving the status-quo through disengaged belligerence. Being drunk and smoking cigarettes and watching TV is pretty much the opposite of being a vegan body builder/Buddhist/activist, which I'd much rather be, because that's a much better way to live for many reasons. So, therefore, last night I was a human manifestation of wackness.

Ive become an expert on how best to live, I just haven't been able to live based on the knowledge I've gained. Because I'm stupid sometimes. Well pretty often actually. Huh. Is this Self-Realization? :)

Well it's not all stupidity, some things tend to encourage unhealthy behavior.
Jimi speaks perfectly for me again to explain, (I think I might have been him in my last life. I suck at the guitar though, so that goes to show that skill doesn't necessarily carry over from life to life. Or that I wasn't Jimi Hendrix.) :

There's nothing left here to greet me
But the velvet moon
All my loneliness
I have felt today
It's a little more than enough
To make a man throw himself away
And i continue
To burn the midnight lamp
Alone

Facing coldly toward the door
And i continue
To burn the midnight lamp
All alone

Lonely lonely, yeah
Lonely lonely lonely
Loneliness is such a, drag

Soldiers at Shannon

On my recent trip to Ireland I flew in and out of Shannon airport, which has been used by the U.S. military for it's operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, torture-trip "renditions", and who knows what else. While waiting for my flight to New York, I was surrounded by dozens of US soldiers, browsing around in the gift shop, and the the departure gates. If you actually talk to a soldier, even if you're completely against the "war", you will usually find a decent guy or gal who you wouldn't have any problem with in everyday life. Yet unfortunately they believe enough of the propaganda they are told to serve the interest of profit & power. It's hard not to have a distaste for their presence, knowing what this illegitimate administration is using them for. And I'm hardly alone in this feeling in Ireland. There have been numerous protests against the US military use of Shannon airport, if you haven't heard about it, that's for the same reason you possibly haven't heard any of the overwhelming evidence that contradicts the official 9/11/01 story: Bush(corporate government, i.e. fascism)-supporting owners of our corporate media that limit, and in cases like 9/11, eliminate, opposing viewpoints and facts.

The US military in Ireland gives the feeling of injustice, of the divine Will for peace and justice being mocked by the devil, so to speak, as China's occupation of Tibet does, with their oppressive and abusive police and surveillance cameras installed throughout the towns...their influx of people and goods, destroying the Tibetan culture with intent...
It's like the continued occupation of Northern Ireland by the UK, causing violence, hatred, suspicions and division continually....Things like this are a stain on humanity, and they need to be thoroughly washed out. There is no compromise, US and UK out of Ireland (and Iraq/Afghanistan too, of course), China out of Tibet. Some things are 100% wrong and just need to end. And what's the common denominator for my evaluation of whats "wrong"? Fascism, which is systematic violence; violence being the root factor of discernment.

Last night I was watching a PBS show on the FCC, and its Republican tool-of-the-devil director who is completely ignoring the overwhelming dissent, by the Public and Congress, at the new proposed media conglomeration regulation, that will allow even further concentration of power (fascism) in the media, controlling the information we hear, assuring that the really crucial info, say on 9/11, The Federal Reserve, etc. will never enter the mainstream. That's why I give him the harsh"tool-of the-devil" status, I think of the devil as defined as "The Great Deceiver", whose deception leads to enormous harm; recent examples that I refer to often are the great deceptions of 9/11, the elections, WMD's, etc. Lack of crucial truth, and the presence of propaganda in the media is a fundamental obstacle to the progress of humanity and the end of the destructive status-quo paradigm. Media conglomeration is part and parcel to this, it always decreases crucial truth and increases propaganda and disinfotainment.
The FCC director is blatantly ignoring the will of the majority of Americans and Congress, which makes him a fascist, plain and simple. I know we cant have a pure democracy for every decision that needs to be made bt government, but this decision is following countless Public (and Congressional) hearings that all overwhelmingly said the same thing: "NO!"

The majority of Americans were against the Iraq "war" before it began, and the majority of Americans voted for Al Gore and John Kerry, but democracy was trampled and fascism won, with years of death, oppression and destruction following.

It's the same old story, since the beginning of civilization: the few oppressing the many and keeping humanity in a degraded state of tyranny, poverty, oppression and destruction...

Why wont "liberals" call it fascism when that's what it is? Until they do, its not likely to stop, especially when it is supported by the ever-present foundational Big Lie of 9/11.

It's all about empowerment

from a care2.com greenliving article:

"While the benefits of breast milk over baby formula are old news, some important new research indicates that additional dangers may lurk in every can of baby formula on the market.

In a recent report by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a consumer health advocacy group, tests performed on liquid baby formulas found that they all contained bisphenol A (BPA). This leaching, hormone-mimicking chemical is used by all major baby formula manufacturers in the linings of the metal cans in which baby formula is sold.

BPA has been found to cause hyperactivity, reproductive abnormalities and pediatric brain cancer in lab animals. Increasingly, scientists suspect that BPA might be linked to several medical problems in humans, including breast and testicular cancer.

Because of smaller can sizes and because liquid formula is less diluted with water, the study concluded that liquid formulas have as much as 20 times higher potential to leach BPA than their powdered counterparts.

Because the FDA has not banned BPA, it appears there are no immediate plans to change the packaging of liquid baby formula."

Thats right, toxic baby formula. Surprised? If so, you should do some more research, A LOT of the packaging, foods, drinks, medicines that we assume are safe for consumption are not. Soaring cancer rates continue to be called "a mystery" while the obvious cause, toxins/radiation in our food, air, water and medicines, is disregarded as a purely "environmental" issue. If you're not into researching toxins in everyday products, there is an easier route: buy organic. More specifically, if you really want to be healthy, buy vegan + organic. It's another nonviolent solution: no animals harmed, and your body isn't harmed by chemicals, etc. It's no coincidence that a balanced vegan diet is the healthiest. If you haven't noticed yet, the Universe has a preference for nonviolence and tries to communicate that through our karmic experience.

An unhealthy populace serves the destructive status-quo paradigm the same way a fearful and savior-mythology indoctrinated populace does: through disempowerment.

I've heard repeatedly lately that the combination of anxiety and depression is the #1 mental ailment in America today, with millions of Americans taking prescription drugs for it. Personally I know that they are extremely diempowering states of mind, probably more so than anything else has been in my life. Why is it so pervasive currently? And what effect is it having on our socio-political situation? Obviously a severely depressed and anxious populace is much less likely to resist oppression/destruction/fascism, so in that way it serves the status-quo paradigm very well, just like ill-health in general. Anxiety can also develop into the worse ailment of paranoia, which is perhaps even worse than severe depression. When you no longer feel comfortable doing every-day activities, when you think almost everyone, seen and unseen, are either making fun of you or worse, how can you be an effective revolutionary? Or mother, father, worker, etc? This is part of the reason why I think the establishment is so quick to throw the label "paranoid conspiracy nut" on those that question their most critical deceptions; they want people to avoid the issue out of fear of being called "paranoid", "crazy", etc. How many times have you heard the term "conspiracy nut" associated with 9/11 Truth activists for instance? It's become the standard establishment response to anyone who questions the official story on 9/11; that way the actual evidence is ignored. Evidence that clearly shows to anyone with common sense that the official story is a fraud.

The sad irony however is that some paranoia amongst activists is actually logical, when you take into account the fact that they are opposing mass-murderers, and the historical examples of harassment and violence brought on to those who have opposed destructive deceptions, policies, and various injustices. In recent US history, the FBI's COINTELPRO program is a key example of harassment and violence brought on to to individuals who were speaking out against injustice and violence. Also there are the ignorant members of the genearla public who ridicule and slander those that speak out against injustice, particularly those that speak out about "controversial" issues, like 9/11 Truth. People that identify with the propaganda become defense when that peoprganda is questioned; it is far easier for them to question the "sanity" of the activist, and give them scornful looks and comments, to their face, or behind their back. Again, this can lead an unprepared activist feeling very isolated and anxious, which can lead to paranoia. But since Truth is paramount for those fighting for justice, they usually seek the full truth of their own personal situation as well, which prevents awareness of enemies becoming an distorted exaggeration of them.

Disempowerment/Empowerment fall into 3 categories as far as I can see:
1) Mental (ego based negative thoughts, fear, attachment, dependence, addiction, etc. / love, confidence, clarity, stability, positive thoughts, etc.)
2) Physical (poor diet, intoxicants, lack of strength and flexibility, etc. / healthy diet, fitness, no toxins, etc.)
3) Socio-political (fascism, oppression, poverty, propaganda, etc. / democracy, freedom, basic needs met, crucial truth in media, etc.)

We need to be more aware of which side we're on in our daily lives, draining or gaining, so that we can rid ourselves of the former and gain the latter.

The various types of disempowerement are often interconnected as in the examples given above, so the response should be holistic as well.

Some say our worst enemy is our own ego: try meditation to become aware of your awareness, which is your inner Self, the opposite of the usually negative and disempowering ego.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This post, like much of my writing, is for myself as well as others. First we must know which way to go before we start moving; I've been spending a lot of time refining the path before taking many steps... I've allowed myself to be disempowered by one of the most devastating blows to one's drive for progress: good love gone bad. But I think I'm almost over it. I hope.

From Revolution to mindless Wii

I heard the original name for Nintendo's new game system was to be "Revolution" but then was changed to "Wii". How symbolic... Revolution, dramatic positive change in the world, is too serious a topic, one that goes against our conditioning to remain disempowered; instead lets just yell "Wii! as we stay in our distracted info-tainment stupor, while our ecosystem collapses, unjust war and killing rages on, poverty and illness continue to rise... and communion with Nature and enlightenment remain just a fairy tale.
The trick is actually to combine the two terms though, a Joyful Rebellion, where we take action while not losing the playful child-like glee for this living mystery we all live within. Revolutionary wizards and high-priestesses...

"The Revolution Solution, I've come to join you"
-Thievery Corporation

bullshit masculinity in the USA

The completely bullshit idea of masculinity held by many American men is truly ridiculous. Two areas reveal this to me very clearly:

1. Eating meat (especially steak) is seen as some kind of macho behavior, when in fact it just shows you like others to kill defenseless animals for you to eat. Often "macho" guys will slander a guy that's vegetarian as being "feminine", which is non-sense, a real man would'nt be afraid of being perceived of as different and receiving slander from fools when standing up for his principles.

2. Supporting unjust war/militarism. These fools will back-up any military adventure, (usually until it effects them personally) with the sub-conscious hopes of being perceived as really masculine. Instead they are just cowards unwilling to speak-out against the chicken-hawk "leaders" that continue to kill our own people and foreign civilians, (by the hundreds of thousands in Iraq/Afghanistan alone). I, and every other activist speaking out against the lies of Bush, Inc. are the real "men"; we aren't cowards, we speak openly against mass-murderers, unafraid of the consequences.

Another aspect of extreme moronic hypocrisy with many Americans, both men and women, is their stance concerning the events of 9/11. Rather than look into the overwhelming evidence that the official story is a Big Lie, they just believe the official story, given by known liars and murderers, out of fear of being thought of as "crazy"; the irony is of course that you are really being crazy for believing and supporting obvious lies.

are you thinking inside a propaganda bubble?

So now it seems like almost every American with common sense opposes Bush/Cheney, yet even the "scholars" still think within a framework of lies, so their ideas remain off-target. They say things like "What a mess Bush made in Iraq..." "What a poor decision to make..." And then the more everyday American will just say something like "Bush is an idiot..."
What's wrong with that you're wondering? What's wrong is that they all assume "the mess" in Iraq isn't EXACTLY what was was INTENDED to happen! It really is about the oil and establishing military bases, and UNREST is necessary (meaning our soldiers dying along with civilians) to further their own agenda for further wealth and power (for the corporations and bankers these fascists represent)...
Americans are so ridiculously gullible, especially concerning 9/11, the eternal "justification" for everything the criminal Bush Administration do...
If you keep relying on mainstream media, or even liberal media, for your awareness of what's really going on, you'll remain in a propaganda bubble where your thoughts and commentary have little to no real effect or meaning...
I could go on but will leave you with sources of crucial truth instead so you can pop your bubble, learn the crucial truth that needs to enter the mainstream, and thereby really make a positive difference in the world:

1. ALL OF DAVID RAY GRIFFIN’S BOOKS ON 9/11
& THE BOOK “TOWERS OF DECEPTION” BY BARRIE ZWICKER. (amazon.com, etc.)

2. THE DOCUMENTARIES
“9/11 PRESS FOR TRUTH” (http://911pressfortruth.com/),
“9/11 MYSTERIES” (http://www.911Mysteries.com/),
"ZEITGEIST" (PART 2, http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com).
"TERRORSTORM" (http://www.infowars.com/terrorstorm/google_high_quality.htm)

THE PROGRESSIVE MANIFESTO

http://progressivemanifesto.us/


Share this page with others and ask you Representatives/Senators if they support these crucial changes, and they dont, ask for an explanation.

International Day of Peace

Today, September 21st, is the International Day of Peace , and I am grateful for being asked this very important question so that I can reflect on how I can become a better instrument of peace in this very troubled world we live in.
The main opposing force to peace in our communities, schools, cities, country and world is the same, it is lack of democracy and misinformation. Luckily the worst of the misinformation, and those that propagate it and also work to undermine democracy, have become easier to see as the national and international situation has fallen victim to these forces of propaganda, fascism and destruction to an increasingly high degree.
I have recently become infatuated with the myth of Adam and Eve, and particularly with the details regarding the Tree of Life, which brought forth the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. Isn’t it strange that such knowledge would be forbidden? Wouldn’t knowing what is really good and what is really wrong actually help humanity rather than harm it? This myth serves as a cultural subconscious backdrop supporting status-quo conformity and suppression of any questioning of what is claimed by “authority”.
With the ongoing conflict in Iraq, Afghanistan, and now Israel and Lebanon, there is a lot of discussion on whether these acts of mass violence are just, if they are serving the greater good or whether they are in fact making things worse. Our current illegitimate government that has stolen two elections (If you doubt this, read “Fooled Again” by Mark Crispin Miller for starters) would have us believe that the military invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan are doing the world good, and especially Americans, by protecting us from terrorists. The truth is that these are acts of imperial conquest, benefiting those in the military-industrial complex at the expense of the well being of the rest of the world’s citizens. The event that is constantly used as justification for these wars of aggression is of course the attacks of 9/11/01. The official story of these attacks has now been thoroughly disproven by many reputable officials and scholars, most notably by the nation-wide organization Scholars for 9/11 Truth (st911.org), the books and presentations of Dr. David Ray Griffin, and films like Terror Storm and Loose Change. Injustice is always supported by the blurring of what is really good and what is really wrong, it has been behind the greatest atrocities that have ever occurred.
To sum up the truth of America 2006, we have an act of state-sponsored terrorism, engineered by an illegitimate government, with ongoing and expanding illegal war where thousands more continue to die, while clean energy, universal health care, a national living wage, etc. are all put aside. When our government and tax dollars have been hijacked by fascists, how can we best be an instrument of peace? The answer is the building of a real democracy, where the will of the People is actually expressed in public policy and exactly what I and millions of others are doing: speaking the crucial truths that too many Americans are ignorant of thanks to our right-wing corporate media. I’m sure some of you reading this will think this is all ridiculous conspiracy theory. You believe everything Bush says about 9/11, and you could never believe that they are that evil. You think what I am saying here is too radical, too confrontational, because you have not looked into the massive evidence proving that these “conspiracy theories” are in fact true. And so the wars go on, more innocents die, the quality of life in America decreases further; this is the reality when misinformation and fascism rules the land.
We must eat of the apple of knowledge of good and evil, we must investigate the truth with open minds, and digest what is revealed to us and act upon it, no matter how disturbing and radical it turns out to be.
To quote George Orwell: “In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act”. Indeed we are living in such a time, and the consequences of this continued deception are continued violence, suffering, tyranny and oppression. Speaking the full truth against the propaganda of the powers that be has always a crucial way to become an instrument of peace; to play a note that will actually bring change, rather then just get lost in sounds of half-truth filled dissent that has never, and will never, bring a lasting peace to our world.

Truth vs. Ignorance

Dr. David Ray Griffin on the BBC September 10, 2006



See the documentaries "9/11 Press For Truth" and "9/11 Mysteries"(both on youtube/google video) for more evidence that 9/11 was indeed an inside job, and then speak out, whether you're a Christian or not!

Revolution of Mind and Society, Conclusion

Non-Violence is the foundation of a revolution against a violent system. Fascism is inherently violent since it must suppress the will of the people. This can be clearly seen in recent history with the stealing of the 2000 election, followed by Bush, Inc. engineering the attacks of 9/11, the illegal Iraq war, increased police brutality against peaceful protestors, etc. and the stealing of the 2004 election, etc.

Some non-physical violence is very subtle and harder to be aware of, behavior in personal relationships for example. Other violence, like physical violence, is much easier to determine as being wrong in most cases. Or the fact the Bush Administration is comprised of war criminals: having executed a war of aggression against a nation that posed no threat, is very clear and straight forward. Or the fascist tactics that brought them into office in the first place, the 2000 Supreme Court installation, and the rigging of the electronic voting machines in the 2004 election, illegal torturing, detentions and domestic spying, etc. All of this is not debatable, it is just the facts, and yet because the media presents them to us as a legitimate government, many citizens go along with it and don’t rise up and demand their removal from power. Bush, Inc. people belong behind bars, yet they are given control of our tax dollars and military to use for their own selfish, destructive and misguided agenda.

So as Americans living in the year 2006 we have been presented with some very clear knowledge between good and evil, right and wrong. In all aspects of life, acting upon this knowledge is what brings personal, social and spiritual progress.

Many of those that believe the propaganda ridicule, or do worse, to those that speak the truth. If the typical republican knew that 9/11 was an inside job, would she/he still support Bush? Of course not. Most people don’t support mass murder for profit and power, that’s why they needed to “manufacture consent” through the 9/11 attacks. Its sad to me when I’m confronted by Bush supporters about my writing or even wearing an Impeach Bush pin, or for my bumper-stickers, and their entire viewpoint is based on lies and propaganda. The Corporate/Fascist State has furthered disunity and breaking up of community through disinformation or “counter-intelligence”, as I discuses in Part2 of this essay.

The saying “Its dangerous to be right when the government is wrong” holds true today, when war criminals are spying on peace activists, it’s a twisted 1984 reality we live in. Even worse perhaps is resistance to productive action and independent investigation by fellow activists. For example, some activists say those pointing out the massive evidence that 9/11 was an inside job are actually secret government officials (supposedly to distract us from the “real” problems, which are usually never expanded on), yet by discouraging 9/11 Truth research they are actually the ones serving the status-quo, since 9/11 truth holds the most promise for having the war criminals in out government put on trial. So we have a possible scenario of officials posing as activists calling real activists officials: in the 60’s this was done regularly by the FBI against activists through their Counter Intelligence Program (cointelpro), and is a tactic of the Bush Administration as well, referred to as “snitch jacketing” - the false accusation that a hard working activist is an agent provocateur. Knowing this is going on is enough to discourage even the most energetic and compassionate citizen. We are confronted with a world incomprehensibly insincere, undercover cops pretending to be activists, fascist murderers pretending to be public servants, gossiping slanderous low-level individuals pretending to be friends… All of this generates an environment that discourages unity, love and true friendship through distrust, confusion and desperation.

The main task remains to discover what is the actual truth, what is really good, what is really evil, to eat the apple from the Tree of Life, although the modern myth of Adam and Eve would have us believe this is the undoing of humanity (caused by a woman, of course). So if your unsure whether some idea, theory or piece of information is true or not, investigate and meditate. This was the strategy of Shakyamuni Buddha, which led to his enlightenment.

And as for friends, fellow activists etc., and whether they’re trustworthy or not I think the biblical saying that “you shall know them by their fruits” is very helpful. Do they act on the principles they claim to adhere to? Do they walk the talk? Do they bring negativity or positivity, do they encourage non-violence or violence? Unity or distrust? In making this evaluation we most also take into consideration that we all have faults, and if we were all living ideally we would probably all be enlightened. There is also the more common and probable situation that individuals in your life are simply unhealthy to your personal progress and happiness due to their habits, lifestyle, apathy, etc. They are not working for the CIA, they are just living off-target lives that are going to badly influence your own. This brings up the importance of being part of a positive supportive community of friends and neighbors (not restricted to one location of course), a Sangha, (not necessarily Buddhist in nature), as I discussed in part 2.

In wondering how to best deal with the problem of insincere individuals I often think back on the stories of the lives of Siddhartha Gotama and Jesus of Nazareth. Both were surrounded by many sincere friends and followers, but were also in the company of those insincere. Yet both Siddhartha and Jesus continued on with what they were doing, in their work for the bettering of humanity and promotion of selfless service and compassion for others. And so should we not become overly concerned about impious insincere individuals that may or may not exist. We should return to the root solutions for the tribulations we face: increased freedom and compassion, in all of their forms, and seek out and enjoy the company of others interested in the same.

Getting back to the year 2006, if you do not find the evidence overwhelming that 9/11 was an inside job, as I and millions of others do, that’s fine. But there must be some issue that you can stand up for, election system reform, living wages, universal healthcare, industrial hemp legalization, clean energy, drug law reform, independent media, wildlife habitat preservation, WTO/IMF/World Bank/ Federal Reserve reform, etc. I list many other policies and affiliated organizations in the Progressive Manifesto for this purpose. I still think that we must strike at the root of evil as Thoreau said, and the roots of this current evil empire are the stealing of the elections and the engineering of 9/11, so that’s what I focus on.

So in conclusion, if it increases freedom and compassion in our minds and/or society we should nurture and support it, if it does the opposite we should discourage and work against it. These principles can be the base of our decisions, ranging from diet, work, lifestyle, consumerism, relationships, etc. By always returning to them we can more often avoid the grey area that hinders progress, and instead eat of the apple of knowledge and begin our journey back to truth; living more conscious, mindful, aware, and happy lives in which we can more fully enjoy the fun and beautiful things in life: loving relationships, art, music, dance, nature… a return to the paradise that we have been kept from for far too long.

Revolution of Mind and Society, Part 2

We must evaluate, unforgivingly, what the personal and political truths are, so that we can support the progress of both. Politically, we get a very clear vision of fascism and the opposing force of democracy. Personally, we find a very clear theme of time wasted on foolishness, negativity and meaningless experience. The solution to both of these problems are the same: concise productive action of the crucial changes that need to made, based on truths and rights, and the abandonment of the rest. This is how we gain traction, and begin to realize greater possibilities, a more fulfilled, satisfying and dynamic life. The destructive status quo system fights this progress with many tools: terrorism, fascism, greed, materialism, superficiality and brutal competition.

It can often seem easier to go with the destructive establishment, to support tyrants rather than resist them, to live unconscious of your actions consequences. This sloth and torpor leads only to an unfulfilled life though, no matter how easy-going the individual believes they have made it for themselves. The Buddha spoke often of the need for strenuous effort in order to attain a higher level of existence, for a revolution in being to occur. "Those putting forth strenuous effort attain to Nirvana, the highest freedom and happiness." (Dhammapada) The opposing mindset I found encapsulated in a phrase on a keychain I saw for sale at a gas station: Eat healthy, get fit, die anyway. Others that fit into this are No good deed goes unpunished or Life sucks, then you die, etc. The defeatist mindset is common and often manifests for valid reasons, as I mentioned in Part 1 of this essay.

Having discrimination, seeking the truth and consequences of the actions of others also helps you see through your own illusions/wrongdoing. For example, Ive been very depressed lately as I have become more aware of how my past and continuing behavior has been off-target, negative, foolish, unproductive ,etc. Wasting my time on low quality entertainment, intoxicants, etc. all of which serve the status-quo destructive system as well.

I've had basically the same list of goals for a long time, Everyday: exercise & meditation, resistance/activism/education, Eight Fold Path living, eat only healthy foods, no intoxicants, etc. Consistency in living out these goals has been lacking, vigilance has fallen off. This lack of motivation, this laziness, may indeed be the most common human characteristic, as stated in the film Waking Life. And this may be why there have been so many "zeros" as said in the film, those that did not contribute anything significantly positive to the world. Why is this laziness, that I have myself as well, so pervasive? What can get rid of it? Reviewing your life up until this point, the process of elimination reveals what is left to be done, what has not been consistently acted on, what has not been committed to.

Having support from others, having loving relationships are certainly part of the answer. Although many independent people think we dont need anybody in order to progress, as I used to think, the reality is humans were not meant to live alone, we are not in a balanced life when we are isolated from positive interaction with others. The Buddhist term Sangha refers to a spiritual community to which on can take refuge, it is one of the Three Jewels that are taught as proper places of support and protection. Corporate/Fascist States discourage community in any meaningful sense, just blind patriotism/nationalism and sports/entertainment. Instead of the solutions, one should not be surprised, the destructive status-quo promotes isolation, distrust, etc. No community means no resistance, no grassroots democracy. Without community there is little to no positive reinforcement for individuals citizens. Living without loving friendships and relationships creates cynicism and lack of motivation, often coinciding with giving in to mindless entertainment, intoxicants and propaganda. Community not only benefits the members within in it, but the nation as a whole. Tyrants have always worked to undermine unity, to undermine community. A obvious example is the historical violent opposition to the formation of workers unions by the wealthy business owners and their government/military/police enforcers. American worker unions were established to confront the brutal exploitation and slave-like treatment of masses of Americans, and have now been greatly weakened by constant corporate undermining (read A Peoples History of The United States by Howard Zinn to learn about this phenomenon in more detail).

Much of American society is structured in a way that forcibly promotes isolation. This serves the status-quo through lack of organization, lack of resistance, independent thought and evaluation/criticism/dissent, lifestyles, etc. Instead the Corporate/Fascist State wants to control your life through the information, viewpoint and entertainment they disseminate. In America today are elections have been rigged as well, the ultimate act of control against democracy bringing its natural progress.

So the question is are we going to allow more hell on earth (If your confused think Iraqi civilians being killed in the tens of thousands, etc.) Are we going allow the possibility of another nuclear bomb being dropped and sickening casualties the multi-generation horror that brings? Why are we allowing the use of depleted uranium weapons in Iraq right now, resulting in thousands of deformed babies being born and soldiers retuning home with terrible illnesses? Are we going to allow more state-sponsored terrorism and rigged elections? Or are we going to make regular connections with our community members, share the solutions and the full truth of the problems and take back control of how our tax dollars are spent? Otherwise we are all financial contributors to mass murder, imperialism and the destruction of our planets ecosystem. Without politically active communities, we leave our treasury unguarded, and the power-hungry and wicked will always take advantage of that. If we do not unite and resist, we allow the few that have always caused so much horror and destruction in our world to continue doing so, hiding behind lies and propaganda. We allow the possibility of personal and social enlightenment to be destroyed along with all other things of value and beauty in this world.

Revolution of Mind and Society, Part 1

The best solutions to the problems in our society are probably things youve already heard of. Youve probably already heard of solar panels and windmills. Youve probably already heard of industrial hemp being used to make paper, fuel, plastics and clothing. Youve probably already heard of paper ballots being used to assure accurate democratic elections. Youve heard of organic and vegetarian foods, natural non-toxic cleaning and body care products, natural medicines, fair trade goods, etc. All of these things are not new technologies, products or processes, but pre-existing, fully functional ones, that are being purposefully and actively suppressed by a few very wealthy individuals in positions of political/corporate power that benefit from the suppression.

In fact, those that maintain the destructive status-quo system probably only number in the hundreds, while those that want positive change number in the tens of millions (a conservative estimate). The keepers of the status-quo know they are vastly outnumbered, as they have always been throughout history, and that is why their actions and the policies they support are distinctively fascist and violent.

Of the majority that are living reluctantly within a society designed by these impious individuals, most fall into two categories. The first would surely like dramatic positive change, but they are not aware, capable or compassionate enough to work for the change, and instead they usually carry a jaded and apathetic personality concerning socio-political change. The second category of people are aware, capable and compassionate enough to fight against the massive unnecessary suffering occurring in the world, but they think the situation is hopeless, and fall into despair, dejection and trepidation.

This second group will be the focus from this point on, since the first category will likely be uninterested in a revolutionary path of living.

The reasons for despair are many, and they are justified. When ones child is killed or maimed by weapons deployed by order of fascist war criminals, there is no silver lining. When compassionate human rights activists are tortured in the most cruel and painful ways, there is no positive counter-effect. When people suffer terribly from diseases caused by toxins and radiation that never needed to be spread, there is no good side to the situation. When a child starves to death or dies from a curable illness, there is no way in which it was the will of the Divine. These experiences are hellish, and there is no bright side to hell on Earth. These things should not be happening, they are not part of any cosmic balance or part of a perfect world that we just cant perceive. This world is far from perfect; socially, economically, politically and spiritually.

Therefore, despair is a natural and logical reaction to those that wish to live in peace, health and happiness, and wish the same for others. However, I believe this crippling despair can be greatly diminished by living in harmony with the positive, non-violent, justice-seeking energy that infuses our Reality.

This is achieved through living a revolutionary lifestyle. Living in a way that does not support a destructive status quo-system, becoming more self-reliant, more self-empowered, in a society whos rulers work daily to make the Public more dependent on the rich, more ignorant of the truth and solutions, more unhealthy, more apathetic, more isolated from others in their community, more paranoid, more fearful. Slander and ridicule are the most pervasive tools of disempowerment, but they become lese and less effective as you live more and more on target with a truly non-violent way of life. They want to destroy confidence, for alignment with the Will brings unshakable confidence. Resisting this system of control and violence is paramount in achieving social and spiritual liberation. This is done most effectively by manifesting the two opposing qualities of the status-quo, compassion and freedom. It means openly rejecting war-supporting propaganda and lies. It means not supporting industries that harm their employees and the environment. It means not killing/torturing animals for food when we dont have to. It means not spewing cancer and global warming causing exhaust into the air when we can run automobiles on alternative fuels, and so on.

Once youre aligned with the crucial work for justice your desire for the non-crucial, the superficial, the hollow, will fall away. You will be left with a sense of purpose and meaning that will give you energy and contentment as you move forward. You will want to associate with others and with work that is in harmony with this movement because it gives satisfaction, and the status-quo paradigm does not. It becomes not an issue of morality but one of enjoyment. The system is turned upside down, pleasure is found in destroying the hedonistic false materialistic system in favor of a lifestyle, work and action that rebels against it, and systematically dismantles it.

Seeing through the corporate/superficial gloss, the vanity in much desire and relationships, the lies of government, the distractions in entertainment, etc. to the violence, illusion and injustice they cover up, their hollow nature is known by negative consequences produced for the participants who never understood why their life continued in a mediocre and dissatisfying fashion and at a lower level existence, despite their normality. In a society based on destruction and violence, normal is not the ideal. The ideal is its antithesis, the ideal is a revolution in ones mind that has been conditioned by the backwards system, coinciding with a revolution of the framework of that system itself.