Conscious Consumers vs. Inept Regulators

by Colin Denny Donoghue

We assume that the products we use, whether electronic or cosmetic, foods or appliances, are safe for use, simply because they are on the mass market. We assume that these products have been thoroughly tested for health risks and that they hold no major threat by using them. These assumptions would be very incorrect. If you have any doubt that our own government would mislead us concerning the negative health effects of officially approved products, foods and practices, just speak (if they have not already died from preventable illness) with the countless American military men and women who were told being near nuclear test sites was safe, or that depleted uranium weaponry is safe to use (gulf-war syndrome, etc). Or the recent news that the Chicago City Council voted to make Chicago the first U.S. City to ban biphenol A in baby bottles and sippy cups. Biphenol A has been linked to cancer, diabetes and other ailments.

The list of harmful everyday products that Americans use is large, but there are alternatives for each of them available that have no, or very little, harmful effects. This is in a way “eating the apple” (see Adam & Eve essay), by discovering the truth of something’s harmful effects, we are discovering its good or bad nature, its ability to cause harm or not. And as should be no surprise, some individuals have a vested financial interest in keeping this information from the public, so they can continue profiting from the sale of their products.

As I’ve explained in my previous essays on distorted religion, and debt-encouraging economics, the meal most often being served by the status-quo is disempowerment, through various dishes of injustice, violence and lies. With this essay disempowerment will remain the backdrop; for what is more disempowering than ill health? A sick and tired populace is ideal for a fascist government that wants to feed the People propaganda and move tyranny in on them year by year. Here I’ll discuss many “officially approved” products, devices, etc. that fill the typical American life, that are actually causing more harm than most ever thought.

Let’s go through a typical day for the average American and see what they may encounter. Let’s call this American “Sarah” for the purposes of this fictional tale, based on real-life conditions. There are endnote explanations next to products and other phenomena that are scientifically proven to be harmful to Sarah.

Sarah begins her day by going to the bathroom, where she brushes her teeth with a major-brand toothpasteⁱ. She then uses a facial cleanserⁱⁱ and takes a shower using major brand shampoo & conditionerⁱⁱⁱ. While showering she notices the plastic scent^iv of her newly installed shower curtain liner is quite strong, but then thinks nothing more of it. After drying off, she then applies a major brand moisturizing lotion^v to most of her skin, perfume^vi, and anti-perspirint deodorant^vii. After putting on her various colored^viii articles of synthetic^ix fabric clothing, Sarah heads to the kitchen for breakfast. There she has some major-brand cereal^x with milk^xi, sausage^xii, bacon^xiii, and regular orange juice^xiv.

Getting in her car, she notices the “New Car Smell”^xv still hasn’t gone away from her newly purchased Civic Hybrid. On the way to work Sarah get stuck in traffic^xvi, worse yet behind a slow moving construction truck, which leaves big black plumes of diesel exhaust^xvii around her car. She notices in the distance the smoke stacks of a coal power plant, and she wonders which is worse to breathe, this trucks exhaust or what’s coming out of those smokestacks^xviii.

At work she has some regular coffee^xix with sugarless sweetener^xx and microwaves^xxi a lunch^xxii in a disposable plastic container^xxiii. Her office, for laptop use convenience, has wireless internet transmitters^xxiv in the workplace, and often Sarah takes calls on her cell phone^xxv throughout the day. The water cooler is empty so she drinks some tap water^xxvi instead, noticing the taste isn’t as good, so she has some mints^xxvii to cover it up.

Sarah leaves work early for a dentist appointment, where she’s given two mercury^xxviii fillings and a quick doctor visit where she’s given a vaccine^xxix she’s required to take prior to her upcoming international trip. Hungry and tired after the appointments she picks up some fast food^xxx on the way home. She notices a strange grouping of perpendicular and parallel lines of clouds^xxxi, apparently from planes, but different from normal contrails that usually fade away rather than spread out into a large haze. In an observational mode, she also notices how many power lines^xxxii and antenna towers of various sorts^xxxiii there are, just in her part of town alone. She wonders what they are all for, she figures some are probably for cell phones or radio stations, but what about the rest^xxxiv?

Finally home, she cleans off some dishes with her major brand dish soap^xxxv and puts the fast food and soda in her own dishware, for a seemingly civilized dinner. She notices a strange smell in the apartment that wasn’t there in the morning, and then remembers that today is the day all the apartments in her complex are sprayed with pesticides^xxxvi every month. Sarah is feeling unusually fatigued, and slightly dizzy, so she lays down on her living room carpet^xxxvii to collect herself for a couple of minutes. After dinner^xxxviii, she lights a scented candle^xxxix and decides to have a glass of wine^xl, a cigarette^xli, and go to bed^xlii early.

Sarah was exposed to a plethora of toxins and harmful radiation during her day (explanations given in endnotes), yet we need not be overly paranoid about every product we use or everything we eat and drink, the human body is amazingly resilient, and one could argue that individually each source of possible harm is not necessarily dangerous by itself. But collectively all of these sources together pose a real danger, so how can we protect “Sarah”? Part of the answer is simple, don’t use toxic products and don’t eat toxic food! Buy organic/all natural foods and body care products which are readily available in the marketplace today. There are without any doubt less harmful choices available to us, and it is important that we know these choices exist.

Dr. Dick Irwin, a toxicologist at Texas A&M University, stated that “Chemicals have replaced bacteria and viruses as the main threat to health. The diseases we are beginning to see as the major causes of death in the later part of (the 1900’s) and into the 21^st century are diseases of chemical origin.” The chemical toxic overload growing around us is taking many forms including increases in cancer, asthma, and a condition called Multiple Chemical Sensitivities.” In the PBS movie “Trade Secrets”, Bill Moyers states that "over 80,000 chemicals have been synthesized in the last 100 years, 15,000 are used in consumer products and only 43% have been tested for safety!!".

The documentary about world-famous consumer advocate Ralph Nader, “An Unreasonable Man”, describes his many successes in improving the safety of automobiles and many other consumer products. The film also tells us how in 1978, Congress defeated his proposal for a “Consumer Protection Agency”. The rise of almost complete corporate control of our federal government has resulted in common-sense proposals such as this being shot down, in favor of the opposite: further corporate deregulation and unaccountability to the American citizen.

So what government agency do we have to protect American citizens? The mighty Food and Drug Administration (www.fda.gov), which claims to be “The Nation's Premier Consumer Protection and Health Agency" The FDA is charged with regulating the following:

• Food (Food-borne Illness, Nutrition, Dietary Supplements...)

• Drugs (Prescription, Over-the-Counter, Generic...),

• Medical Devices (Pacemakers, Contact Lenses, Hearing Aids...),

• Biologics (Vaccines, Blood Products...),

• Animal Feed and Drugs (Livestock, Pets...),

• Cosmetics (Safety, Labeling...),

• Radiation-Emitting Products
  (Cell Phones, Lasers, Microwaves... )

• Combination Products (Combinations of the above)

As you can see most of the health hazards listed in the story of Sarah’s day are things that the FDA is supposed to be regulating and protecting Americans from. So why are there such huge gaps in their regulation and enforcement? That’s a question I recommend you ask the FDA yourself, perhaps focusing on a particular health-hazard that you find most troubling, and see what response you get. If it is unsatisfactory, report it to the media and spread the information as best you can until action is taken. Another government body that is there to protect us is The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (www.cpsc.gov) which “is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children.” Contact them if your concern falls under their jurisdiction. This is what tax dollars are supposed to be used for, the public safety and well-being, not corporate welfare and pay-outs to the richest and most unscrupulous in our nation.

The movement for real public safety and truthful product labeling is growing world-wide. There have been proposals set forth to combat the daily onslaught our bodies undergo from unnecessary toxins, radiation, etc. An example of this is the "Food Agenda 2000 - 2010" petition, which I list in its entirety here, feel free to sign it online and/or present it to your representatives.

By signing the petition below (click here to be directed to actual petition at OCA), I call on U.S. elected officials, political candidates, and regulatory agencies to pursue the following three public policies:

(1) Moratorium on all genetically engineered foods & crops unless adequate safety-testing proves they are safe for human health & the environment. The FDA should require all GE foods to be labeled and safety-tested.

(2) Begin the phase-out of industrial agriculture's damaging practices by banning the most dangerous pesticides as well as hormone implants, antibiotics and rendered animal protein in animal feed. Ban corporate feedlots and intensive confinement of farm animals.

(3) Implement a long-term "transition to organic" program to shift agricultural production in the US from chemical-intensive, industrial farming to at least 30% organic by the year 2010.

There are many other petitions and organizations specific to individual health hazards mentioned in this essay, please do not consider what I’ve mentioned here to be complete, we must each do our own research and investigation, especially in a time when we can not rely on our government to do so. We need to be actively investigating the effects of the products we use while demanding our government does what they're supposed to do, rather than spending tax dollars for banker bail-outs and unjust military operations, we need to be activists and advocates, anything less just gives us more of the same insanity coming from the top down! More on this necessity in my next essay...

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i Contains Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Fluoride, both toxins.

ii Commercial cleansers rely on alcohol and petroleum products to dislodge dirt and dead skin. But these ingredients also remove natural oils and cause drying. To counteract this, manufacturers may add mineral oil (a petroleum product) to make the skin feel soft. Cleansing creams and lotions may also contain TEA, MEA, FD&C colors (carcinogenic), hormone disrupting parabens, carcinogens, antibacterials, irritants and sensitizers.

iii SLS, PABA, Isopropyl

iv The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency put vinyl shower curtains to the test and found some alarming results: one new shower curtain can lead to elevated levels of indoor air toxics for over one month. Why is it that the problematic additives in PVC products have been banned in Europe, but they're still sold in our country?

v Contains Petrolatum and dimethicone, both possibly carcogenic.

vi Perfume contains many chemicals that are toxic to the liver and kidneys and cause cancer.

“The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has reported that the fragrance industry uses up to 3000 ingredients, predominantly synthetic, some 900 of which were identified as toxic. However, the industry is not required to disclose ingredients of fragrances and perfumes on their labels due to trade secrecy considerations. The FDA supports this non-disclosure on the grounds that "consumers are not adversely affected -- and should not be deprived of the enjoyment" of these products.”

viiContains Aluminum, a powerful neurotoxicant (i.e., toxic to the nervous system), even if its link with Alzheimer's disease is not clear. That alone should raise a warning flag for users of aluminum-containing antiperspirants (as well as aluminum cookware).

viii Color dyes can containing heavy metal impurities, chrome mordant, formaldehyde-fixing agents and aryl amines

ix Consisting of polyester, nylon, acrylics, and rayon, all created using toxic chemicals.

x Sarah’s cereal contained artificial colors. “The great bulk of artificial colorings used in food are synthetic dyes. For decades synthetic food dyes have been suspected of being toxic or carcinogenic and many have been banned. Whenever possible, choose foods without dyes. They're mostly used in foods of questionable nutritional worth anyway. Natural ingredients should provide all the color your food needs.” (www.sweetpoison.com)

xi Non-organic milk can contain hormones, chemicals, pharmaceuticals… (http://www.notmilk.com/)

xii Meat can contain hormones, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and possibly bad karma.

xiii Ibid.

xiv Non-organic juice may contain pesticides.

xv The Los Angeles Times reports, “A wide range of environmental groups contend that new car interiors contain a mix of unhealthy substances that come from vinyl, flame retardants on seats, lubricants and hidden sealants that collectively make up the new car smell.”

xvi Smog: cariginogenic

xvii Diesel exhaust can cause cancer and is a major source of fine particles that can lodge in the lungs and worsen asthma, the report said. Diesels also emit smog-forming oxides of nitrogen that have been linked to decreased lung function growth in children, whose faster breathing rate, less developed lungs and immature immune systems leave them more susceptible to air pollution, the report added.

From http://www.envtox.ucdavis.edu/CEHS/TOXINS/diesel.htm :

When diesel fuel burns in an engine, the resulting exhaust is made up of soot and gases that may contain thousands of different chemical substances. The soot consists of very small particles that can be inhaled and deposited in the lungs. Diesel exhaust contains 20-100 times more particles than gasoline exhaust. These particles carry cancer-causing substances known as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Gases in diesel exhaust, such as nitrous oxide, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, benzene, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide can also create health problems.

Several studies over the past ten years have linked occupational exposure to diesel particulate matter to increased risk of lung cancer. Air pollution studies also show that exposure to smaller particles is associated with increased rates of death and disease. These findings have prompted additional research, as well as new regulations and guidelines for occupational exposure to diesel particulate matter.

Workers exposed to diesel exhaust face the risk of adverse health effects ranging from headaches to nausea to cancer and respiratory disease. Mine workers, bridge and tunnel workers, railroad workers, loading dock workers, truck drivers, material handling machine operators, farm workers, auto-, truck- and bus-maintenance garage workers, and longshoring employees are some of the people at high risk.

xviii The nation's 400-plus coal-fired power plants emit more toxins into the air than any other single source, some 42 percent of the US total, according to the 2002 Toxic Release Inventory (TRI), the EPA's most recent comparative data. Unlike, say, greenhouse gases, which escape from smokestacks and float into the atmosphere, these toxins often settle on the surrounding land in any direction for 30 miles and more, deposition experts say. Half of all Americans live within 30 miles of a coal-burning power plant, a recent study based on US census data shows.

The sheer quantity of such toxic emissions is staggering. While much has been made of the 48 tons of mercury annually emitted by power plants, these same plants released in 2002 more than 361,000 tons of other toxins including vanadium, barium, zinc, nickel, hydrogen fluoride, hydrochloric acid, ammonia, and selenium, according to a recent report by the National Environmental Trust, an environmental advocacy group. (http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0331/p13s01-sten.html)

xix Negative health effects of coffee: http://www.newstarget.com/012352.html, http://pda.physorg.com/lofi-news-coffee-heart-risk_74973050.html

xx Aspartame: a neurotoxin. See www.aspartame.com, www.sweetpoison.com

xxi The microwave oven generates electromagnetic waves (called microwaves because they’re short) at a frequency of 2450 megahertz (FM radio waves are generated at around 100 MHz and cell phones transmit 800 MHz). The microwaves bombard the molecules of water in the food. These molecules each have a positive and negative end, or “polarity”. The polarized molecules try to line themselves up with the electrical field, like compass needles trying to point North. But because the electrical field is reversing polarity at a rate of 2,450 million cycles a second, the water molecules end up rotating at the same speed. That activity generates heat, which cooks the food, literally from inside out, as opposed to other types of cooking, which transfer heat conventionally from the outside in. Unfortunately, this violent movement of molecules causes substantial damage to some molecules, often tearing them apart or deforming them.

There are very few studies on the health effects of microwave cooking, but the studies that do exist suggest you made the right move by tossing out your microwave oven. Some of the earliest research into the effects of microwaved food was conducted in the 1950s in Russia. That research indicated bigger dangers than destruction of nutrients. Russian researchers found that people who ate microwaved foods had a statistically higher incidence of stomach and intestinal cancers, a general degeneration of peripheral cellular tissues, and a gradual breakdown of the digestive and excretory systems. Due to chemical alterations within the food, they had lymphatic malfunctions, causing a degeneration of the body’s immune system. For instance, microwaving milk and cereal grains converted some of their amino acids into carcinogens, thawing frozen fruits converted their glucoside and galactoside containing fractions into carcinogenic substances, and carcinogenic free radicals were formed in microwaved plants, especially root vegetables. They also reported structural degradation leading to decreased availability of Vitamins B, C, E and essential minerals at a rate of 60 to 90 percent in all foods tested. As a result of that research, the Soviets banned the use of microwave ovens in 1976 and issued an international warning on the health hazards, both biological and environmental, of microwave ovens and similar frequency electronic devices. The ban has since been over-turned and the rest of the world appears not to have headed the warning. (http://www.life.ca/nl/103/microwave.html)

xxii Contains MSG (msgmyth.com) and GMO food (http://www.organicconsumers.org/gelink.cfm)

xxiii Contains Phthalates, which are EDC's (Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals.) They are chemicals found in recycle codes #1 through #6 plastics. Another EDC (Bisphenol A) is in recycle code #7 plastics. All of these types of plastic EDC's interfere with the function of sex hormones receptors… phthalates in plastics dissolved in various solutions. They used a variety of plastic items, including plastic food containers.” (http://ezinearticles.com/?Are-Plastic-Food-and-Beverage-Containers-Safe?&id=57347)

xxiv Wireless technology may impact child development and central nervous system functioning. See the documentary Public Exposure: DNA, Democracy, and the Wireless Revolution (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6518153738782954894&hl=en) & this article: http://www.latitudes.org/articles/electrical_sensitivity_articles.html

xxv Cell phone radiation may cause brain damage and/or cancer. See documentary above and http://www.rense.com/general26/2yrs.htm

xxvi Depending on where you live, tap water can vary in its harmful contents, however all tap water contains fluoride which is known to be toxic to the body, and the myth that it protects our teeth is non-sensical since we ingest the fluoride, we do not rub it on our teeth as is done with toothpaste or at a dentist visit.

xxvii Phenylalanine, aspartame: Phenylalanine is a neurotoxin and excites the neurons in the brain to the point of cellular death. ADD/ADHD, emotional and behavioral disorders can all be triggered by too much Phenylalanine in the daily diet. If you are one in ten thousand people who are PKU or carry the PKU gene, Phenylalanine can cause irreversible brain damage and death, especially when used in high quantities or during pregnancy. Phenylalanine is 50% of aspartame, and to the degree humans consume diet products, Phenylalanine levels are reaching a dangerous peak.

It is important to learn about the ingredients within your foods, especially isolated amino acids like Phenylalanine. They are in combination within nature for a reason - they don't belong in isolated form for the healthy human diet.

Nutrition fact about Phenylalanine in aspartame:

The 1976 Groliers encyclopedia states cancer cannot live without phenylalanine. Phenylalanine makes up 50% of aspartame.

Phenylalanine is one of the essential amino acids found in proteins, but I am one of the believers that amino acids should be eaten in combination, not in isolated form. Nature provides amino acids in combination; only man isolates them for processing purposes.

Phenylalanine is found naturally in foods such as eggs, milk, bananas, and meat. If you are PKU (Phenylketonuric) or sensitive to phenylalanine, you will react to the phenylalanine in aspartame. You may want to get a blood test to check for this condition. Over the past 20 years, humans have become more aware of PKU reactions because human beings began using isolated phenylalanine to the degree it is harmful to some individuals, many as aspartame side effects. My suggestion would be to research PKU and phenylalanine extensively. Phenylalanine can be very harmful to diabetics.

BHT: possibly carinogenic

xxviii Mercury is extremely toxic, fillings can and do break up and/or dissolve entering the blood stream.

xxix Vaccines can contain a host of unsafe ingredients including mercury that has been directly linked to autism in children, see (http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/VaccineResearcher.html)

xxx Contains hydrogentated oils, which directly cause cardiovascular heart disease, destroys normal cardiovascular health, destroys the healthy functioning of the nervous system, causes brain disorders and heart attacks, causes birth defects and essential fatty acid deficiencies in both the mother and her fetus.

xxxi Chemtrails may contain many harmful organic and inorganic compounds: (http://educate-yourself.org/ct/)

xxxii Long nearby exposure to power lines may increase cancer risk: (http://www.mcw.edu/gcrc/cop/powerlines-cancer-FAQ/toc.html)

xxxiii http://www.answers.com/topic/electromagnetic-radiation-hazard

xxxiv Ibid.

xxxv Chemical residue is ingested, possibly toxic.

xxxvi Common household pesticides increase risk of lymphoma 3-7 times: (http://archives.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/cancer/11/30/pesticide.lymphoma/index.html)

“The environmental damage due to toxic herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, and synthetic chemical fertilizers is significant and sometimes deadly to farm workers and wildlife near the cotton farms. Irrigation and rainwater runoff contain high levels of chemical pollutants which poison streams, rivers, lakes and seep into wells and reservoirs used for community drink water. Many municipal water treatment centers lack equipment to eliminate these toxic chemicals before they enter city water lines. Residues of pesticides have been measured in human amniotic fluid and they accumulate in fatty tissues and have been found in human breast milk.

xxxvii Carpets can contain many chemicals that are designated s “Extremely Hazardous Substances” that out-gas into one’s living space: (http://www.aircleaners.com/carpets.phtml)

xxxviii See endnote 12.

xxxix Watch out for metal wicks. Lead emitted by this type of candle is a serious health hazard. "Candles are fast becoming one of the most common unrecognized causes of poor indoor air quality," says Diane Walsh Astry, executive director of the Health House Project, an American Lung Association education project in St. Paul, Minnesota. Watch out for slow-burning candles with additives. (These candles often feel greasy to the touch.) Instead, look for pure beeswax candles, which emit less pollution.

xl Sulfites are a class of chemicals that can keep cut fruits and vegetables looking fresh. They also prevent discoloration in apricots, raisins, and other dried fruits; control "black spot" in freshly caught shrimp; and prevent discoloration, bacterial growth, and fermentation in wine. Until the early 80's they were considered safe, but CSPI found six scientific studies proving that sulfites could provoke sometimes severe allergic reactions. CSPI and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identified at least a dozen fatalities linked to sulfites. All of the deaths occurred among asthmatics. In 1985 Congress finally forced FDA to ban sulfites from most fruits and vegetables. Especially if you have asthma, be sure to consider whether your attacks might be related to sulfites. The ban does not cover fresh-cut potatoes, dried fruits, and wine.

xli Cigarettes contain many extremely toxic ingredients: (http://curezone.com/art/read.asp?ID=4&db=12&C0=1)

xlii “A typical mattress is made primarily from crude oil and natural-gas derivatives like polyurethane, Styrofoam, polyester, dyes, fire retardants, and many other chemicals that are recognized carcinogens.”

Privacy, Anarchists and Denial of Deception

Privacy, Anarchists and Denial of Deception
by Colin D. Donoghue
9/7/08

When I used to mail a package at the post office they would ask “Is there anything hazardous, liquid or perishable inside?” A ridiculous, but albeit legitimate question. Have you noticed now they just ask “What's in the box?” Now we are expected to reveal publicly our private correspondence, all of course because “everything has changed since 9/11”. Is this conditioning of the public to accept infringement on our rights, to ease us into a police state, or am I overreacting? Whats the big deal? Just tell them anything, like it's a box filled with socks and jellybeans! The point isn't that we have to actually say what's in the box, that's why even the original question is absurd; is a terrorist really going to admit there's something hazardous in the box? The point is that rather than object to a clear invasion of privacy, we ignore it. And that establishes a mindset in society that the government can look through your things without just cause, which you may remember, violates the Fourth Amendment, you know, the one that was specifically written to protect us against an encroaching police state.

The news (mostly non-corporate of course) lately has been filled with story after story of non-violent activists being beaten, arrested and having their homes broken into and property seized, especially wherever the Democratic/Republic Conventions are taking place. (You've all seen the 2006 documentary “Chicago 10” right? If not, go rent/buy it.) And what's the supposed justification? “Conspiracy to start a riot” of course. Thought crimes. But maybe they really were going to cause a riot, you might be thinking? This has clearly not been the case in the stories I've read about, these activist wanted to have a march, a sit-in, distribute pamphlets. And if a riot does actually happen, guess who's most likely to have started it? Some undercover government official! Have you ever heard of an “agent provocateur”? It's an undercover agent who disguises himself as an activist, usually an “anarchist”, and throws something at the cops, or at someones property, to “justify” the police breaking up the protest/march/demonstration, and also breaking peoples skulls/arms, etc.

I'm not saying every activist has realized the necessity of non-violence in defeating an empire based on violence; Some actually think violence has its place, especially in a country where the elections are corporately funded/run and have been rigged (and they have been, without a doubt.) What they need to realize is that they are doing the work of the government for free, they are basically volunteering for Homeland Security/FBI/CIA, etc. I imagine there must have been times at demonstrations, etc. where you'd have a genuine anarchist side-by-side with an agent provocateur, doing the same exact thing. If the government is employing people to throw bottles at cops, have you ever considered that it's in their own interest to do so? Every time there is an act of violence at a protest or demonstration, the government, and its 4th branch, the corporate media, will use it to further demonize all activists, discourage other citizens from showing up at future events, and to “justify” further “free speech zone” restrictions, police brutality and illegal searches and seizures in the hones and workplaces of activist-citizens. That should be one word, by the way. If you want anything resembling a democracy and free country, you have to incorporate some activism in your life, that's what being a citizen is all about. But that's not the message coming from the media. Anyone who takes to the streets, or even posts a blog against some policy/action, is now an “extremist”. Don't buy that bullshit, speak/act out.

And when you do so, consider not avoiding an issue, like 9/11 Truth, just because Noam Chomsky does. It's so ironic... supposed radicals, who are all about non-hierarchical power structures and complete personal freedom and independence, becoming the unquestioning follower of a professor at MIT. Chomsky has written some great books about US foreign Policy and the media, of course. But the one issue that is actually the fuel of the current imperialism and tyranny, he wont touch, saying “there's nothing there”. Nothing there?!?! WTF?! You actually believe the official story on 9/11? That bullshit fairy tale? Have you read/seen the following?:
Books:
1. “Crossing the Rubicon” by Michael Ruppert
2. “The Terror Timeline” by Paul Thompson
3. “The 9/11 Commission Report: Omissions and Distortions" & “Debunking 9/11 Debunking”, both by David Ray Griffin
4. “The War On Truth: 9/11, Disinformation And The Anatomy Of Terrorism” by Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed
Documentaries:
“9/11 Press For Truth” (911pressfortruth.com/ ) & “9/11 Mysteries” (www.911Mysteries.com/)

I'm continually surprised at the conformity amongst radicals and alternative media; those who consider themselves “nonconformist” but have been excluding really revolutionary behavior and issues like non-violent civil disobedience and 9/11 Truth, while otherwise offering good critical views of status-quo policy/culture that are valuable. This can serve as a misdirecting force for those wanting to bring positive change, “left gatekeepers” (like Chomsky, as explained in the book “Towers of Deception” by Barrie Zwicker) sound revolutionary but avoid actions that are actually revolutionary. Effectiveness needs to be emphasized along with just an outward appearance that is non-conformist to the mainstream. And there is no other information more effective at bringing down this illegitimate fascist police-state empire than that that disproves the story their entire operation is based on. It is also crucial to prevent another act of state-sponsored terrorism (Avian Flu?) or another imperialist invasion (Iran?) based on lies about the “war on terror”. Not to mention the plans for a North American Union (see: stopthenorthamericanunion.com), replacing what little remnants of a Constitutional Republic we have left with an “elite” governing body (read: The Council on Foreign Relations) unaccountable to congress or the American People.

A little while ago I was playing basketball with some friends at an outside court and there were two stickers on the backboard, an American Flag with the words “One Nation In Denial”, and on the other side of the basket a Decepticon logo from the Transformers cartoon. How appropriate! Denial of Deception (9/11) is THE crucial issue right now!!

So rather than move to Canada or plan some violent action that would just play into the hands of these fascist war criminal tyrants, please do something that will actually make a difference, namely expose the 9/11 Lie and commit acts of non-violent civil disobedience/protest demonstration whenever you feel the urge. And if they ask you “what's in the box?” at the post office, ask them if they've heard of the 4th Amendment, and give them a TIP in the form of a deceptiondollar(.com), because most likely they think they're protecting us from terrorists, when in fact they're working for them.

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.