Thursday, October 27, 2016
Important, right?
There must be
something here
in this place
where we are found
sometimes waiting on friends. You could sing it
like Mick Jagger if you like, that is how it is
right now for me though the Stones did not do that one, there was no Clemens saxophone solo
as I recall, the night I saw them live, celebrating the direct hit of Mick's
spittle on my face with a witness beside there in the second row.
No, there is nothing negligible here, technically I'm not just waiting, right?
I'm needing the peculiar tone and timbre of that one voice no one else can do
but you, who I would never say I'm waiting for technically, I'm sure you'd agree
and then invite me to a more poetic word than technically, but as I was saying, my friend
there must be something here where I sit wanting to point out just now
this spattering, as though I'd sprayed the screen on purpose with glass cleaner, this constellation
of salivation that flew forth from my tongue while I spoke leaving the words on white nearly
incomprehensible
on the surface right here in front of me.
If you were here you would quick wipe it off and say "Look there, now
we can really see ourselves."
Thursday, October 13, 2016
Bob Dylan Wins Nobel Prize
Something special happened today...Let's not forget to tell the children. An old songwriter named Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize In Literature today.
He is well-known for writing many songs that deal with the tragedy of war and has voiced the prayers of many who long for PEACE and human flourishing through his music. This one is his most famous perhaps. Oh, that each one of us could know it by heart!
Blowin' in the Wind
How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, and how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, and how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind
Yes, and how many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea?
Yes, and how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn't see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind
Before it's washed to the sea?
Yes, and how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn't see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind
Yes, and how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, and how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, and how many deaths will it take 'till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, and how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, and how many deaths will it take 'till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind
Monday, October 10, 2016
Shift Into Prayer
Put me in
a place where
I can sit
comfortably to watch
the other humans.
Put me in
a place where
I can sit comfortably
to watch over
the other humans.
Friday, October 7, 2016
Letter to the Children, 2
October 3, 2016
A 60 minutes interview entitled The New Cold War disclosed a willingness on the part of Russia and the US [military officials] to use nuclear weapons in a limited capacity should they deem it necessary, opening up the possibility for these weapons to be used for specific and current strategic initiatives. Fear of an escalation that could end in the annihilation of millions no longer prohibits either from seeing nuclear weapons as merely one part of a complete arsenal. Before the interview played online an advertisement roared on the screen for a violent videogame rated for mature audiences only. Does CBS know this?
This makes me want to talk with the children.
Do you know how much power you have? The things that you say and do can really affect other people. No doubt, you know how much another persons words and actions can mean to you. We have all been hurt at some point and we have all made others hurt at some point. We are vulnerable and we are powerful.
Do you know why the main religions all over the world agree when they say: Do Not Kill? Do not steal? Do not lie? It is because most human beings have learned to cherish life and enjoy honest and trusting relationships. Truly religious people know that basic respect for everyone is the best way to live peaceably and happily.
Still, there have been many wars, as you will learn about in school. How on earth could this happen?
First of all, don't think I'm going to tell you in just a few paragraphs. It is something that people have been concerned about for as long as people have been talking to each other about anything.
I think the best place to start is right where you are. If you have brothers and sisters something tells me you may have had an argument with them recently. You or they had an opportunity to cooperate or share or work together and chose not to. I know, I know... you think you had a good reason and when you told them that good reason they still didn't understand you or listen. Or maybe one of you were jealous or wanted something the other had so badly that it made you act up and cause trouble on purpose even while you know you are lying about it.
See how it all starts? We start feeling cheated and not loved enough. We begin doing whatever we want without worrying how it will affect the other person. In fact, it takes effort to think about other people on purpose doesn't it? Everybody likes their freedom to do what they want. But when doing that hurts another person or means they can't have what they really need to be happy and fulfilled, then that's a different story isn't it?
You hear about nations in the world. These have taken shape over centuries and many times how much land and resources each nation has has been the result of much fighting and many people dying. Unfortunately, this means that most of what you learn about in history class will be what the wars were and who fought them and who won. Some people even say that what we call history is the story that is told by people who have been victorious. Sadly there is much truth to that.
But as we continue talking, I guess I'd like to have it clear up front that war and killing were never the intention of God no matter who you ask who is truly religious. In fact, most would tell you about God as a creator of the world and of the human family. At the beginning everything was as it was supposed to be and there was plenty enough to go around just like today. The only problem is as the family grew some started to want what the other one had and vice versa and so they became afraid of each other and started finding ways to defend their territory and their stuff. Sometimes they would steal from each other or other clans and groups of people. Over time this became a very treacherous undertaking -- building up treasure and weapons to be powerful. Some of the nations that formed wanted to grow and grow until other kinds of people didn't exist at all. It causes me a lot of sorrow to tell you that this same tendency exists today and that is why you hear about wars and a kind of war that is called terrorism.
As I mentioned last time, there are many people who have experienced tremendous pain and who have lost brothers and fathers and mothers and sisters -- many of them were innocent women and children who were simply in a territory or near resources that were valuable. Vengeance -- a desire for revenge, to hurt the one who hurts you, remains one of the strongest motivations for war and terrorism around the world today. Acts of war are also recognized and people talk publicly about who they hate and why. They often cite experiences where many innocent people have died because of some other group or nations violence. Time goes by and different groups keep wanting to pay back the other group for the pain they caused. And it goes on and on.
Becoming aware of these things can be scary. But once again I want you to remember that most of the people on earth have an idea about God's beautiful creation and all God's intentions to see us flourish together as one human family where all our needs are met and we all live happily together for ever. Millions and millions of people have this same vision of life -- its origins, its ultimate destiny. This is the vision that I invite you to think about most and first and often. I want to ask you please to dream about paradise, dream about the garden of Eden, dream about heaven -- use your imagination routinely to show yourself and one another what it can look like. And please do not ever say that there's not enough on the earth for the members of the human family, it is false and some need to lie about that to keep their power to keep others in fear. And please do not ever say that everyone is bad so this is just how bad people end up living.
War is not necessary. Killing is not necessary. Pray for heaven to come to earth and do everything you can to be a sharing, honest and loving person.
If there is war between you and your brother or sister, make it stop so that you can begin practicing how peace is made. Learn to love human beings, every single one. Make it your life's most favorite and famous achievement. I love you and I will pray for you as you do this -- working hard day by day with God. Do not wait for God to do the sharing and caring that this world needs. It starts with you. Talk to you later.
A 60 minutes interview entitled The New Cold War disclosed a willingness on the part of Russia and the US [military officials] to use nuclear weapons in a limited capacity should they deem it necessary, opening up the possibility for these weapons to be used for specific and current strategic initiatives. Fear of an escalation that could end in the annihilation of millions no longer prohibits either from seeing nuclear weapons as merely one part of a complete arsenal. Before the interview played online an advertisement roared on the screen for a violent videogame rated for mature audiences only. Does CBS know this?
This makes me want to talk with the children.
Do you know how much power you have? The things that you say and do can really affect other people. No doubt, you know how much another persons words and actions can mean to you. We have all been hurt at some point and we have all made others hurt at some point. We are vulnerable and we are powerful.
Do you know why the main religions all over the world agree when they say: Do Not Kill? Do not steal? Do not lie? It is because most human beings have learned to cherish life and enjoy honest and trusting relationships. Truly religious people know that basic respect for everyone is the best way to live peaceably and happily.
Still, there have been many wars, as you will learn about in school. How on earth could this happen?
First of all, don't think I'm going to tell you in just a few paragraphs. It is something that people have been concerned about for as long as people have been talking to each other about anything.
I think the best place to start is right where you are. If you have brothers and sisters something tells me you may have had an argument with them recently. You or they had an opportunity to cooperate or share or work together and chose not to. I know, I know... you think you had a good reason and when you told them that good reason they still didn't understand you or listen. Or maybe one of you were jealous or wanted something the other had so badly that it made you act up and cause trouble on purpose even while you know you are lying about it.
See how it all starts? We start feeling cheated and not loved enough. We begin doing whatever we want without worrying how it will affect the other person. In fact, it takes effort to think about other people on purpose doesn't it? Everybody likes their freedom to do what they want. But when doing that hurts another person or means they can't have what they really need to be happy and fulfilled, then that's a different story isn't it?
You hear about nations in the world. These have taken shape over centuries and many times how much land and resources each nation has has been the result of much fighting and many people dying. Unfortunately, this means that most of what you learn about in history class will be what the wars were and who fought them and who won. Some people even say that what we call history is the story that is told by people who have been victorious. Sadly there is much truth to that.
But as we continue talking, I guess I'd like to have it clear up front that war and killing were never the intention of God no matter who you ask who is truly religious. In fact, most would tell you about God as a creator of the world and of the human family. At the beginning everything was as it was supposed to be and there was plenty enough to go around just like today. The only problem is as the family grew some started to want what the other one had and vice versa and so they became afraid of each other and started finding ways to defend their territory and their stuff. Sometimes they would steal from each other or other clans and groups of people. Over time this became a very treacherous undertaking -- building up treasure and weapons to be powerful. Some of the nations that formed wanted to grow and grow until other kinds of people didn't exist at all. It causes me a lot of sorrow to tell you that this same tendency exists today and that is why you hear about wars and a kind of war that is called terrorism.
As I mentioned last time, there are many people who have experienced tremendous pain and who have lost brothers and fathers and mothers and sisters -- many of them were innocent women and children who were simply in a territory or near resources that were valuable. Vengeance -- a desire for revenge, to hurt the one who hurts you, remains one of the strongest motivations for war and terrorism around the world today. Acts of war are also recognized and people talk publicly about who they hate and why. They often cite experiences where many innocent people have died because of some other group or nations violence. Time goes by and different groups keep wanting to pay back the other group for the pain they caused. And it goes on and on.
Becoming aware of these things can be scary. But once again I want you to remember that most of the people on earth have an idea about God's beautiful creation and all God's intentions to see us flourish together as one human family where all our needs are met and we all live happily together for ever. Millions and millions of people have this same vision of life -- its origins, its ultimate destiny. This is the vision that I invite you to think about most and first and often. I want to ask you please to dream about paradise, dream about the garden of Eden, dream about heaven -- use your imagination routinely to show yourself and one another what it can look like. And please do not ever say that there's not enough on the earth for the members of the human family, it is false and some need to lie about that to keep their power to keep others in fear. And please do not ever say that everyone is bad so this is just how bad people end up living.
War is not necessary. Killing is not necessary. Pray for heaven to come to earth and do everything you can to be a sharing, honest and loving person.
If there is war between you and your brother or sister, make it stop so that you can begin practicing how peace is made. Learn to love human beings, every single one. Make it your life's most favorite and famous achievement. I love you and I will pray for you as you do this -- working hard day by day with God. Do not wait for God to do the sharing and caring that this world needs. It starts with you. Talk to you later.
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