Meanwhile there are hungry and homeless in the countries that are buying more and more military equipment. Not to mention the horrible humanitarian consequences of using this equipment on other countries.
And the emissions created by war aren't even counted as the planet burns and floods.
There are 1755 Billionaires in this World, Elon Musk being the richest of them all with $268 BILLIONS.
It's a CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY to have so many with $1 BILLION or more and so many People in this money driven World dying of STARVATION.
This Material World may be arriving at the CURRENT version of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah for the reasons the Prophet Ezekiel spells out in 16:48-50,
'As I LIVE, says the Lord God, Sodom your sister has not done as you and your daughters have done.
Behold this was the iniquity of Sodom your sister: pride, abundance of bread, and careless ease were hers and her daughters', and she did not strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.
"This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying: 'Not by military force and not by physical strength, but by My spirit,' says the Lord of Hosts.
Zechariah 4:6
The Bible! The Bible! most Christian America says, yet the US Christian Establishment is blind and oblivious to this line in their Bibles as the US is the BIGGEST WEAPONS MERCHANT in the History of Nations.
That isn’t exactly true either. The earliest Christian’s were murdered for being Christian. Yes, after Christianity spread to Northern Europe and before Islamists forced their beliefs upon much of the Middle East (where they forced all they encountered to accept Islam or die) and began working their way up into Europe when the crusades began as a pushback. Now we are up to about 950 AD, the crusaders were just as fierce and out of line with the teachings of Christ.
Simple math says it wasn’t “thousands of years”. Most people, unfamiliar with biblical teaching don’t understand the difference in doctrine it teaches VS the teachings of Mohammed. Most of the full scale murder in more modern history was done in the name of atheism. Not God.
The Inquisition was started in 1580 and was finally ended in 1834. That occurred well after the crusades. While both endeavors were evil and quite out of keeping with actual biblical teaching, they still don’t represent “thousands” of years. Both those debacles were instigated by the Catholic Church.
Since the first real reformation of the RCC began with Martin Luther in 1517, those who spoke out against the RCC were likewise a target of the inquisition. The Catholic Church is but one ever shrinking Christian institution.
We are ALL children of God. He gives us the free will to choose Him in return. According to Yeshua, there is only the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Since I looked into a variety of different faiths I only found one that seemed rational . I speak only for myself .
I can neither validate or endorse the tenants of another faith.
I hope for the whole world to find peace and love.
The Reformists did their best to realign doctrine with the inerrant Word of God. That started to be polluted again around the 17th century with the advent of Arminianism. Anyway, I dropped out of the organized corporate church recently. I have ears that hear and eyes that see. I spend more time studying the Word and am at peace.
You are right, the US is the biggest maker of all killing hardware. War is the miserable rock that breaks the backs of the multitudes while the rich FEW at the top of these food chains never seem to suffer like most of us.
Nothing about the military industrial complex negates the validity or relevance of those who have faith. While the greater number of people who profess to have faith (in America) are Christian, there are millions of people who are not Christian. I don’t think anyone of sound mind would regard war as a favorable course of action. It is however vital that the western world wins any arms race here on terra firma as well as in the sky above. While western societies are in no danger of reaching any kind of ideal for everyone, they didn’t round up and slaughter the family pets and incarcerate thousands of citizens because they might have been exposed to CoViD. I think I prefer to take my chances here where I can choose to worship where I want, when I want, choose the career path that I desire and be free to openly criticize the swamp creatures we call our esteemed leaders.
People of obscene wealth can afford to construct safe haven to wait out the fall-out from war. That would be a very tiny percentage of humankind. The rest of us can only hope that a major war does not include nuclear weapons or any other WMD.
Meanwhile, let all people of faith pray for peace.
Myriam, that is me with the shoulder length hair and beard from the US in 1976.
This is me a year later in Canada's Capital as the Police stopped my extemporaneous speech to a growing crowd on the Sparks Street Mall, the 1st street next to the Canadian Parliament.
Welp I gotta take issue there too. There are many belief systems that reject violence but there is (to believers of the God of Abraham, Issac and Moses, that would be Yahweh. I think people should be free to believe how they see fit but as a Christian, I believe in the Holy scriptures we call the Bible. There will be many who call themselves Christian’s but it’s up to God alone how you will be judged.
Those who have not seen the light will not be judged by it.
I’ve studied several world religions. I do not believe there is only one way. I was raised Catholic and sent my 4 daughters to Catholic schools where they were even taught about other world religions. How many religious wars have been fought and how many have been killed in the name of God? All about power & controlling the masses. Not something I align with.
Me neither. I was raised Catholic but was so turned off by church doctrine that I became agnostic.
I married a Jew and after the birth of our first child I encountered a Messianic community that put the whole of scripture into a way that helped me connect the dots. I am now a born again believer.
There is rarely a good reason for war yet there have been times in history where there was a need to fight like when the Jews, freed from Egypt and led to their holy land were punished for a hesitancy in having the faith that God would provide victory. As a result Moses did not live to see his people enter it.
Of course war is not the same today. It is far more damaging to both living things and the earth. I do not knock Catholicism or any other belief. The salvation of others is between them and God.
If you believe in the Son and the gospels then you know it states clearly that no one gets to the Father but through the Son. All fall short of the glory of God.
I was a massage therapist and worked partly at a nursing home where I met this very Godly nurse who told me her faith story. She a supernatural experience at a gathering of charismatic Catholics where in she received the Spirit, spoke in tongues and was told that at the moment of death, every soul is given a last chance to accept Yeshua. There is nothing in scripture that would support this yet it does say we all enter in through the Jesus gate. As you probably know there are gates leading into Jerusalem that are all given a specific designation.
Perhaps she was visited by the spirit. I’d like to think so. People who promote war will be judged. Judgement comes to all. Thank God He is a righteous judge. I have no right to judge even myself. The apostle Saul(Paul is a Greek version) said so. Jesus(Yeshua) His name in Aramaic, the language spoken in Israel at the time He lived, wanted only to embrace everyone and I believe He still does. True love is a binding force that never dies. If we but love one another we would be worthy of His grace.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I am enriched by listening to the messages of love and hope from others.
My two grandmothers were Godly, light beings, who personified love for thy neighbor and goodness, by their actions. I Adored them. They were my parental figures. One followed, religious dogma, and the other did not. My maternal grandmother questioned many things about the Catholic Church more than 50 years ago. Her advice to me was: ask God to guide and illuminate you. Both were the most selfless people I have known. They were always in service of others.
Welp, you’re right. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the light. No one gets to the father but through me.
That’s not to say that ppl can’t find solace or good instruction through other means. Imposters are hard to differentiate. The reason 666 is assigned to the evil one is that the number 7 is the number of completion, wholeness, perfection and God. 6 looks the same, might seem the same but isn’t quite the same thing. Ppl wouldn’t be as easy to sway by some outlandish and contrary replica.
The apostles were instructed to carry the message of salvation into every town. If any persons rejected the message they were to get up, shake the dust off and move on. Not threaten, coerce or bully or even be judge-mental. Only God can see into a persons heart .
Heck you’re even free to worship Baal. Just know there are consequences to that choice.
There's a lot packed in Psalm 33 including this thought, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD...."
You cannot serve 2 Masters. Either you will love one and hate the other, or you will serve one and neglect the other. You cannot serve God and Money.
The US Dollar is the god of this world. It's the only money on Earth that has 'In God We Trust' printed on every one.. It also features the Star of David on the backside.
I see this World as being the inverse pyramid on it's tip ready to topple over.
"War. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing!" runs through my mind these days, sung by The Temptations and written by Edwin Starr, together with Dylan's "Masters of War." If radio were still a thing, I guarantee none of these ballads would ever get airplay.
It’s as free as it gets. Point out where ppl have a better chance to follow their dreams, choose what to believe, can openly criticize their leadership and live in relative peace. Key word here “relative”.
Violence and crime are growing problems everywhere.
If you're honest then you should admit that "follow their dreams" and "live in relative peace" are achieved in the US at the expense of it creating chaos elsewhere while taking advantage of its geographical location.
As to "choose what to believe" and "openly criticize their leadership" - incredible majority of countries around the world allow that. You wouldn't believe it, of course, since your government and media zombified you otherwise.
Loved his music. I think they killed him too. He sang about saving the children, obviously knew about the horrific sexual abuses taking place.
I also believe they killed Robbin Williams. He spilled the beans about Pedophilia in the Catholic Church and Vatican. I have come to question everything and easily connect the dots.
I also am very fond of all the music from that era.
Although much of it seems naive to many people in light of 'current events' it taps into something optimistic that is really always available if we know where to look for it...
The Peace not War era had many popular protest songs. They seeped into my psyche, even though I was not consciously aware of the world events they sang of. ☮️💟
Interesting contrast between his lyrics and the foul mouthed rap that just glorifies misogyny and gangsta violence.
I loved the fact that I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s. That was almost a different planet. Some new things are helpful like GPS and being able to communicate so much more conveniently. Of course ppl aren’t taught how to read a map anymore either. Over reliance on tech can be a problem if the “system” stops functioning.
Are you replying to me? I detest war and violence. I only recently, in the past 10 or so years, learned about war for profit and multitude of other barbaric, unjust and evil that permeates our world. I was raising 4 children for 20 years and stayed away from things that could be toxic to my environment while I nursed my children extensively. I had no idea the degree of evil that existed in the world.
Hopefully you didn't vote either. Or you would have participated in the promotion of that evil too, as ignorance does not provide immunity from responsibility.
I was replyng to the idea that love will conquer hate. It came out snarky, I am afraid. I have yet to see (entirely possible a blindness of mine) that happen. How can it? Has it? On such a scale? I do not mean to question the love of the Christ conquering. Is that what you meant?
Are we not the hands and feet of the mystery of Christ? Not only the love of the Christ, but other enlightened souls who came before and after him.
I am a woman, sensitive to violence in any form. Women are generally opposed to war and violence. It is not our way. We bear the children and do our best to protect them.
Men are the hunters, fighters, protectors of women and children if they are honorable. I do not wish to be like a man, in any way, shape or form, but I honor our differences.
You are speaking in hypotheticals now...I was and am still a Mama bear, Mama lioness, so that would not have gone well for them. That is an act of self-defense. Come on.
The message is so very clear but what to do when the fascism of endless war is so deeply rooted, people so deeply submissive, lied to constantly, so profoundly betrayed and abandoned? We have been slaves to the empires wars for the last half century. Predatory Western capitalism is the real enemy within the gates .
Last time I checked global military spending it was 1.4 trillion, here Caitlin reports it is now 2.24 trillion!
A hell of a way to start the day!
But who am I to complain? I am old and grey and had a very good life, but I sure as hell worry about my children and grandchildren and the horrific legacy visited upon them .
News flash: It is not so much that society is sick (it is somewhat), but that governments and their putrid leaders are extremely sick (utterly insane and arrogant) and have been for the last 10,000 years.
All the advancement, technology, religion and presumed safe-for-us government has led us into the abyss staring into a gigantic black hole. Yes for billions, living standards have greatly improved. However, that means nothing when the murder of 90% of humanity has moved from the back burner squarely onto the front burner.
A sick government and sick leadership are just symptoms of the underlying problem. Donald Trump, Joe Biden and even a misguided actor like Sean Penn are SYMPTOMS. They are not the problem.
The core of the problem is we have built a society and culture based on greed and competition. And what we see now has become the end result. A corrupt government in the pockets of the wealthy, corrupt leaders doing the bidding of the wealthy, and misguided actors who have become victims of mass propaganda.
Government is not the problem, corrupt government is a symptom. The values of a society trying to succeed based on social Darwinism is the core problem here.
As Peter Kropotkin once wrote, "Competition is the law of the jungle, but cooperation is the law of civilization."
I find it a particularly insidious type of propaganda to turn people's anger at the injustice of their society - which is forced upon them via social darwinism and the plunder of the billionaires - to use propaganda to direct the anger at "government" and refuse to acknowledge what really is the problem at the core. And pretend government is always evil and then lecture people about some kind of fantasy utopia in an Ayn Rand society where there is no organized social institutions - which are clearly required for any kind of civilization to flourish.
A non-corrupt, democratic working government has always been the arch-enemy of the obscenely wealthy - why it is always the first target of their propaganda, in order to maintain their self-centered, neurotic plunder and exploitation of ordinary human beings and the planet itself.
"... a particularly insidious type of propaganda ..." - and it works like a charm. Try talking to one of the zombies who swallowed it. A great opportunity to observe skulls so thick no hammer could do slightest damage to.
True. And I would like to know -- what is the point of "improved living standards" (measured, it seems, solely by how much material "convenience" and luxury people can afford and how many years they can stay alive), if the world in which we "enjoy" such "progress" is becoming ever-more restrictive, oppressive, divisive and intrusive?
... I guess as long as we have the "freedom" to plug into whatever virtual alternate "reality" we "choose" from among the limited sanctioned offerings, and have plenty of shitty "foods" to eat and designer drugs with which to numb ourselves, we should just wave the old Blue & Yellow - er, sorry, red White & Blue - flag in everyone's faces, chant "Death to Putin" and "USA, USA", and be "happy".
If anyone is questioning why the United States is perpetually stuck in the Dark Ages instead of the 21st Century like most of the world, this is why. All this money could have funded social security, universal healthcare, incentives for manufacturing to come to back to America, housing, and so many other good things this country desperately needs.
As I keep repeating - imagine yourself in 1930s, either in Germany or in numerous western countries that supported Hitler and his openly Nazi regime at the time. What do you think you would see? Which one, "witting" or "unwitting", would you be?
Exactly the same is happening right now. And the outcome will be the same - another devastating world war.
Yes I fear you are right. The odd thing is, I'm becoming comfortably numb to it. It's as if a huge asteroid is speeding toward earth right now and will hit in two weeks - and emotionally, I just shrug my shoulders. I think the oligarchs are winning - they'll win all the way up to the point where these fuckers destroy the planet.
"I'm becoming comfortably numb to it." - that's one way to stay sane and many have that mechanism switched on without their knowledge. Today, as back then, it's also a recognition that there's not a freaking thing a sane individual can do to change this.
I love that monologue the self-destructive man from Waking Life does: https://youtu.be/oVZ_lLUIIyU. I learned about that movie thanks to the recent post by Caitlin. She and a few commenters here have provided very useful resources/ideas over time.
"You know I heard that all the prisoners have to take a shower when they get there. It's wonderful that the Nazis give them hot water and a bar of soap and clean towel. They have to keep the water hot day and night. Must be costing them a fortune! Those Nazis are so generous and thoughtful! Hitler has my support for sure!"
Time to protest the obscene military budgets that are rubber stamped by our Congress every year. To stop worshipping our military at every turn and to start questioning our single-minded pursuit of Hegemony. Close down the hundreds of military bases overseas, bring home the troops from Germany and Japan (a military occupation force for 80 years!!) The pursuit of bellicose policies will bring nothing but bankruptcy, death and destruction.
Maybe the US Empire's weapons market is the ultimate example of a market externality. A common textbook example is dumping toxic chemicals in a river, but in this case, they are dropping bombs or other horrors on people.
The true ROI is obscenely negative, but the market participants do not perceive it. In fact, as Caitlin's essay shows, to them the ROI is jubilantly positive.
It is ironic that the tax payers give money for these defense corporations to profit from, and every budget passed is another increase in the defense budget, in a country who has the biggest defense budget in the world, the same country who claims to be the wealthiest nation in the world...yet is morally bankrupt.
The very idea for killing people for money is what rational people call wrong. These are mercenaries, hired thugs. We don't need wars, they are unproductive, the claim that they are profitable is only true for those profiting, yet the loss of life disability, and trauma should morally prevent that.
I don't want people senslessly killed, I don't want bombs dropped on people living in poverty, I don't want children killed in the street in a shoot out between henchmen. Strange, I can't vote against it, only for it. I only have an option of who I want these things to happen to.
Sure I would want missles striking hospitals and bombs dropped on schools...I mean that's normal right? For a psycho or sociopath, maybe. I don't want to be adjusted, because killing people is inhumane, it is bad for humanity. Simple logic.
A society that relies on "death" (war) in order to "survive" (make a profit) is not only sick and twisted, it's suicidal. Can someone call 9-8-8 and talk to a mental health counselor for us (US)?
For the warmongers to conduct unrestricted wars around the world they need a silent, cowed, fearful
and obedient population that is immune to the outrages committed in their name around the world and will always be there to support the troops. Our surveillance apparatus makes the East German Stasi look like child's play. What "freedom" do we enjoy? The freedom to remain silent.....
"Warmongering think tanks," a delightful oxymoron, up there with "military intelligence." These depraved lunatics continue fighting for more gold bars on the Global Titanic, even as it's aimed vertically to Davey Jones Locker.
Check out Randolph Bourne's 1918 essay, 'The State'. In it, he accurately forms the idea of the MIC a good 30 years pre-Eisenhower, with the line 'War is the health of the State.' Smedley Butler makes excellent reading too.
Too many Americans don't want to look at the FACTS & the TRUTH.
The US Arms Merchants are making a killing off the Ukraine War, much more than any Russian Oligarch having their wealth stolen by the US/NATO.
In the 20 year $2 TRILLION US occupation of Afghanistan, one of the poorest Countries on Earth, it's estimated some 70,000 CIVILIANS were killed. The only winners were the US Arms Merchants and Contractors
With the desperate hurried frantic exit from Kabul just 2 years ago, the last US VIOLENT WAR Act we know about was the killing of a CIVILIAN FAMILY of 10 with 7 CHILDREN by a remote controlled US drone.
The laptop class would suddenly care if their college brats were sent to die in wars. They’d maybe put down their latte to go to a war protest. Right now they’re too busy counting money. The poor white working class are too brainwashed to protest as they’re proud to send their kids to die for democracy and freedom against brown people, while they cry and cheer at football games to honor veterans of foreign wars during the giant flag ceremonies. We’re a mess
Well, I am one. I live and work among them. They’re my friends and family. I just don’t agree with their view of the world anymore so I’m a fish out of water. I know they live their families and would do anything for them. Everything going on outside their bubble is a tv show. It’s easy to take sides watching a tv show until you have real skin in the game.
You're one, but unlike those you refer to? I feel your pain.
There are many blue-collar sorts, as I am, on one of "both" sides as well. I try to remember that most are not cognizant of their being on the wrong side. But when comes the violence, and it will' it always does- I will defend myself and my family.
Anyone with any doubt this is a very sick society should take stock of their mental state. The question is, can it be remediated, and if not, can we survive it? Canada has just accused -right off the top of their heads- India of being behind the killing of a Sikh activist in BC: let's see, how big is IndIa? - 1.4 billion people, and they care about one separatist activist? If we got any dumber we'd be barking. On the upside, no one anywhere seems to agree with Canada.
Meanwhile there are hungry and homeless in the countries that are buying more and more military equipment. Not to mention the horrible humanitarian consequences of using this equipment on other countries.
And the emissions created by war aren't even counted as the planet burns and floods.
What a waste of money, lives and everything else.
There are 1755 Billionaires in this World, Elon Musk being the richest of them all with $268 BILLIONS.
It's a CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY to have so many with $1 BILLION or more and so many People in this money driven World dying of STARVATION.
This Material World may be arriving at the CURRENT version of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah for the reasons the Prophet Ezekiel spells out in 16:48-50,
'As I LIVE, says the Lord God, Sodom your sister has not done as you and your daughters have done.
Behold this was the iniquity of Sodom your sister: pride, abundance of bread, and careless ease were hers and her daughters', and she did not strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.
“War is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate.”
~Marvin Gaye
I’ve understood this since I was a teenager growing up in the 60s & 70s
"This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying: 'Not by military force and not by physical strength, but by My spirit,' says the Lord of Hosts.
Zechariah 4:6
The Bible! The Bible! most Christian America says, yet the US Christian Establishment is blind and oblivious to this line in their Bibles as the US is the BIGGEST WEAPONS MERCHANT in the History of Nations.
You should have put Christian in quotes as calling oneself something doesn’t mean one is. What does the Book say about words versus deeds?
Agreed! "Christians" have been murdering and plundering in the name of God, for thousands of years.
Put "Christian" in quotes here.
Thank you. :)
You are welcome.
That isn’t exactly true either. The earliest Christian’s were murdered for being Christian. Yes, after Christianity spread to Northern Europe and before Islamists forced their beliefs upon much of the Middle East (where they forced all they encountered to accept Islam or die) and began working their way up into Europe when the crusades began as a pushback. Now we are up to about 950 AD, the crusaders were just as fierce and out of line with the teachings of Christ.
Simple math says it wasn’t “thousands of years”. Most people, unfamiliar with biblical teaching don’t understand the difference in doctrine it teaches VS the teachings of Mohammed. Most of the full scale murder in more modern history was done in the name of atheism. Not God.
The Inquisition, where they killed, abused and plundered European Jews, in the name of God.
The Inquisition was started in 1580 and was finally ended in 1834. That occurred well after the crusades. While both endeavors were evil and quite out of keeping with actual biblical teaching, they still don’t represent “thousands” of years. Both those debacles were instigated by the Catholic Church.
Since the first real reformation of the RCC began with Martin Luther in 1517, those who spoke out against the RCC were likewise a target of the inquisition. The Catholic Church is but one ever shrinking Christian institution.
We are ALL children of God. He gives us the free will to choose Him in return. According to Yeshua, there is only the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Since I looked into a variety of different faiths I only found one that seemed rational . I speak only for myself .
I can neither validate or endorse the tenants of another faith.
I hope for the whole world to find peace and love.
You hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,
This people draws close to me with their mouth, and honours me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Matthew 15:7-9
Obviously those words of the Christ are not addressed to Atheists who do not believe in Jesus, but to those who claim to believe.
The Reformists did their best to realign doctrine with the inerrant Word of God. That started to be polluted again around the 17th century with the advent of Arminianism. Anyway, I dropped out of the organized corporate church recently. I have ears that hear and eyes that see. I spend more time studying the Word and am at peace.
Indeed.
You are right, the US is the biggest maker of all killing hardware. War is the miserable rock that breaks the backs of the multitudes while the rich FEW at the top of these food chains never seem to suffer like most of us.
Nothing about the military industrial complex negates the validity or relevance of those who have faith. While the greater number of people who profess to have faith (in America) are Christian, there are millions of people who are not Christian. I don’t think anyone of sound mind would regard war as a favorable course of action. It is however vital that the western world wins any arms race here on terra firma as well as in the sky above. While western societies are in no danger of reaching any kind of ideal for everyone, they didn’t round up and slaughter the family pets and incarcerate thousands of citizens because they might have been exposed to CoViD. I think I prefer to take my chances here where I can choose to worship where I want, when I want, choose the career path that I desire and be free to openly criticize the swamp creatures we call our esteemed leaders.
People of obscene wealth can afford to construct safe haven to wait out the fall-out from war. That would be a very tiny percentage of humankind. The rest of us can only hope that a major war does not include nuclear weapons or any other WMD.
Meanwhile, let all people of faith pray for peace.
Your website is impressive! I will read some of your writing when I have time. Peace. Is that you in the beard and long hair?
Myriam, that is me with the shoulder length hair and beard from the US in 1976.
This is me a year later in Canada's Capital as the Police stopped my extemporaneous speech to a growing crowd on the Sparks Street Mall, the 1st street next to the Canadian Parliament.
https://ray032.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/2nd-police-warning2.jpg
Took my 1st selfie Today on this 122nd Day of my 80th Year.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3542034492706360&set=a.1388216181421546
Ahimsa - non-harming, non-violence, is also one of the Yamas in the 8 limbs of Yoga. Yoga's commandments, if you will.
Yogis are not violent, quite the opposite. This is not an exclusive tenet of The Bible. There are many paths to the One.
Welp I gotta take issue there too. There are many belief systems that reject violence but there is (to believers of the God of Abraham, Issac and Moses, that would be Yahweh. I think people should be free to believe how they see fit but as a Christian, I believe in the Holy scriptures we call the Bible. There will be many who call themselves Christian’s but it’s up to God alone how you will be judged.
Those who have not seen the light will not be judged by it.
I’ve studied several world religions. I do not believe there is only one way. I was raised Catholic and sent my 4 daughters to Catholic schools where they were even taught about other world religions. How many religious wars have been fought and how many have been killed in the name of God? All about power & controlling the masses. Not something I align with.
Me neither. I was raised Catholic but was so turned off by church doctrine that I became agnostic.
I married a Jew and after the birth of our first child I encountered a Messianic community that put the whole of scripture into a way that helped me connect the dots. I am now a born again believer.
There is rarely a good reason for war yet there have been times in history where there was a need to fight like when the Jews, freed from Egypt and led to their holy land were punished for a hesitancy in having the faith that God would provide victory. As a result Moses did not live to see his people enter it.
Of course war is not the same today. It is far more damaging to both living things and the earth. I do not knock Catholicism or any other belief. The salvation of others is between them and God.
If you believe in the Son and the gospels then you know it states clearly that no one gets to the Father but through the Son. All fall short of the glory of God.
I was a massage therapist and worked partly at a nursing home where I met this very Godly nurse who told me her faith story. She a supernatural experience at a gathering of charismatic Catholics where in she received the Spirit, spoke in tongues and was told that at the moment of death, every soul is given a last chance to accept Yeshua. There is nothing in scripture that would support this yet it does say we all enter in through the Jesus gate. As you probably know there are gates leading into Jerusalem that are all given a specific designation.
Perhaps she was visited by the spirit. I’d like to think so. People who promote war will be judged. Judgement comes to all. Thank God He is a righteous judge. I have no right to judge even myself. The apostle Saul(Paul is a Greek version) said so. Jesus(Yeshua) His name in Aramaic, the language spoken in Israel at the time He lived, wanted only to embrace everyone and I believe He still does. True love is a binding force that never dies. If we but love one another we would be worthy of His grace.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I am enriched by listening to the messages of love and hope from others.
My two grandmothers were Godly, light beings, who personified love for thy neighbor and goodness, by their actions. I Adored them. They were my parental figures. One followed, religious dogma, and the other did not. My maternal grandmother questioned many things about the Catholic Church more than 50 years ago. Her advice to me was: ask God to guide and illuminate you. Both were the most selfless people I have known. They were always in service of others.
Thank you also for sharing your thoughts. 🙏🏼✨
Name one besides Jesus, please. The One? Name Him, as well, please.
The One = Creator, God, The Light, The Supreme Being, Source...many names.
Here's a list: https://briandstephens.com/list-of-enlightened-people/
But it sounds like you may have very limiting and indoctrinated beliefs. Not interested in arguing with that mindset.
Not my argument; Jesus said he is the only way.
Argue with him.
🙄
Welp, you’re right. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the light. No one gets to the father but through me.
That’s not to say that ppl can’t find solace or good instruction through other means. Imposters are hard to differentiate. The reason 666 is assigned to the evil one is that the number 7 is the number of completion, wholeness, perfection and God. 6 looks the same, might seem the same but isn’t quite the same thing. Ppl wouldn’t be as easy to sway by some outlandish and contrary replica.
The apostles were instructed to carry the message of salvation into every town. If any persons rejected the message they were to get up, shake the dust off and move on. Not threaten, coerce or bully or even be judge-mental. Only God can see into a persons heart .
Heck you’re even free to worship Baal. Just know there are consequences to that choice.
If you believe that, you will love this:
https://republicbroadcasting.org/news/the-most-powerful-national-security/
There's a lot packed in Psalm 33 including this thought, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD...."
You cannot serve 2 Masters. Either you will love one and hate the other, or you will serve one and neglect the other. You cannot serve God and Money.
The US Dollar is the god of this world. It's the only money on Earth that has 'In God We Trust' printed on every one.. It also features the Star of David on the backside.
I see this World as being the inverse pyramid on it's tip ready to topple over.
Trust in the US Dollar is failing.
https://rayjc.com/2011/02/23/the-declaration/
Amen. It is amazing how much corruption stems from the love of money and the vehicle, the dollar, that gives that misplaced love power.
All thay can be shaken will be.
"War. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing!" runs through my mind these days, sung by The Temptations and written by Edwin Starr, together with Dylan's "Masters of War." If radio were still a thing, I guarantee none of these ballads would ever get airplay.
"Absolutely nothing?" - the Caitlin's post contradicts that naive statement.
And as far as radio play - the rulers would hardly object as it'd just promote the simpleton public's illusion of their living in a "free" country.
It’s as free as it gets. Point out where ppl have a better chance to follow their dreams, choose what to believe, can openly criticize their leadership and live in relative peace. Key word here “relative”.
Violence and crime are growing problems everywhere.
If you're honest then you should admit that "follow their dreams" and "live in relative peace" are achieved in the US at the expense of it creating chaos elsewhere while taking advantage of its geographical location.
As to "choose what to believe" and "openly criticize their leadership" - incredible majority of countries around the world allow that. You wouldn't believe it, of course, since your government and media zombified you otherwise.
You misunderstood the song then. They knew.
What specifically did I misunderstand? I just reread the lyrics - https://genius.com/The-temptations-war-lyrics
Friend only to the undertaker (and the Military Industrial Complex...)
OK. We can keep going backdating and assigning meanings, of course.
I grew up with that song also...Born in 1959. Song lyrics are my favorite language! I could be on Name That Tune! :)
https://youtu.be/KDK7TiEiMOI?feature=shared
Loved his music. I think they killed him too. He sang about saving the children, obviously knew about the horrific sexual abuses taking place.
I also believe they killed Robbin Williams. He spilled the beans about Pedophilia in the Catholic Church and Vatican. I have come to question everything and easily connect the dots.
That whole album is a beautiful operetta...
I also am very fond of all the music from that era.
Although much of it seems naive to many people in light of 'current events' it taps into something optimistic that is really always available if we know where to look for it...
https://youtu.be/7xGxQXmu7Os?feature=shared
The Peace not War era had many popular protest songs. They seeped into my psyche, even though I was not consciously aware of the world events they sang of. ☮️💟
https://youtu.be/CYcz7gMnifk?feature=shared
I was posting all these songs on FB in 2020-2021! :) I posted all the protest and freedom songs! This is a favorite too!
Interesting contrast between his lyrics and the foul mouthed rap that just glorifies misogyny and gangsta violence.
I loved the fact that I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s. That was almost a different planet. Some new things are helpful like GPS and being able to communicate so much more conveniently. Of course ppl aren’t taught how to read a map anymore either. Over reliance on tech can be a problem if the “system” stops functioning.
Technology is great until it isn’t .
Same question, a bit more succinct: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lmo2lLJtSak
So, you don't hate the super rich who are inflicting pain on others, driving war for sport and profit?
Very mature of you.
Love will conquer them? Well, let's get started. How does that work?
Are you replying to me? I detest war and violence. I only recently, in the past 10 or so years, learned about war for profit and multitude of other barbaric, unjust and evil that permeates our world. I was raising 4 children for 20 years and stayed away from things that could be toxic to my environment while I nursed my children extensively. I had no idea the degree of evil that existed in the world.
Mine though, is a path of love and non-violence.
"stayed away..." "had no idea..." etc.
Hopefully you didn't vote either. Or you would have participated in the promotion of that evil too, as ignorance does not provide immunity from responsibility.
Do not detest violence. Detest unrighteous violence.
I detest violence. I believe at our core, we are pure spirits, pure love.
I was replyng to the idea that love will conquer hate. It came out snarky, I am afraid. I have yet to see (entirely possible a blindness of mine) that happen. How can it? Has it? On such a scale? I do not mean to question the love of the Christ conquering. Is that what you meant?
Are we not the hands and feet of the mystery of Christ? Not only the love of the Christ, but other enlightened souls who came before and after him.
I am a woman, sensitive to violence in any form. Women are generally opposed to war and violence. It is not our way. We bear the children and do our best to protect them.
Men are the hunters, fighters, protectors of women and children if they are honorable. I do not wish to be like a man, in any way, shape or form, but I honor our differences.
Doing your best to protect your children? While saying you would not use violence?
If somebody rips your baby from your arms and to fight was the only way to save your baby, you would not?
You are speaking in hypotheticals now...I was and am still a Mama bear, Mama lioness, so that would not have gone well for them. That is an act of self-defense. Come on.
The message is so very clear but what to do when the fascism of endless war is so deeply rooted, people so deeply submissive, lied to constantly, so profoundly betrayed and abandoned? We have been slaves to the empires wars for the last half century. Predatory Western capitalism is the real enemy within the gates .
Last time I checked global military spending it was 1.4 trillion, here Caitlin reports it is now 2.24 trillion!
A hell of a way to start the day!
But who am I to complain? I am old and grey and had a very good life, but I sure as hell worry about my children and grandchildren and the horrific legacy visited upon them .
News flash: It is not so much that society is sick (it is somewhat), but that governments and their putrid leaders are extremely sick (utterly insane and arrogant) and have been for the last 10,000 years.
All the advancement, technology, religion and presumed safe-for-us government has led us into the abyss staring into a gigantic black hole. Yes for billions, living standards have greatly improved. However, that means nothing when the murder of 90% of humanity has moved from the back burner squarely onto the front burner.
A sick government and sick leadership are just symptoms of the underlying problem. Donald Trump, Joe Biden and even a misguided actor like Sean Penn are SYMPTOMS. They are not the problem.
The core of the problem is we have built a society and culture based on greed and competition. And what we see now has become the end result. A corrupt government in the pockets of the wealthy, corrupt leaders doing the bidding of the wealthy, and misguided actors who have become victims of mass propaganda.
Government is not the problem, corrupt government is a symptom. The values of a society trying to succeed based on social Darwinism is the core problem here.
As Peter Kropotkin once wrote, "Competition is the law of the jungle, but cooperation is the law of civilization."
I find it a particularly insidious type of propaganda to turn people's anger at the injustice of their society - which is forced upon them via social darwinism and the plunder of the billionaires - to use propaganda to direct the anger at "government" and refuse to acknowledge what really is the problem at the core. And pretend government is always evil and then lecture people about some kind of fantasy utopia in an Ayn Rand society where there is no organized social institutions - which are clearly required for any kind of civilization to flourish.
A non-corrupt, democratic working government has always been the arch-enemy of the obscenely wealthy - why it is always the first target of their propaganda, in order to maintain their self-centered, neurotic plunder and exploitation of ordinary human beings and the planet itself.
"... a particularly insidious type of propaganda ..." - and it works like a charm. Try talking to one of the zombies who swallowed it. A great opportunity to observe skulls so thick no hammer could do slightest damage to.
Yes, the propaganda is applied very thick in this regard, Obi Wan.
True. And I would like to know -- what is the point of "improved living standards" (measured, it seems, solely by how much material "convenience" and luxury people can afford and how many years they can stay alive), if the world in which we "enjoy" such "progress" is becoming ever-more restrictive, oppressive, divisive and intrusive?
... I guess as long as we have the "freedom" to plug into whatever virtual alternate "reality" we "choose" from among the limited sanctioned offerings, and have plenty of shitty "foods" to eat and designer drugs with which to numb ourselves, we should just wave the old Blue & Yellow - er, sorry, red White & Blue - flag in everyone's faces, chant "Death to Putin" and "USA, USA", and be "happy".
And that sadly is the tip of the iceberg
If anyone is questioning why the United States is perpetually stuck in the Dark Ages instead of the 21st Century like most of the world, this is why. All this money could have funded social security, universal healthcare, incentives for manufacturing to come to back to America, housing, and so many other good things this country desperately needs.
Not a single track of rapid rail connecting our major cities. The 3rd world already has them.
I think most of the rest of the world has little use for automobiles. Americans love them.
Wow, I didn't realize that.
As I keep repeating - imagine yourself in 1930s, either in Germany or in numerous western countries that supported Hitler and his openly Nazi regime at the time. What do you think you would see? Which one, "witting" or "unwitting", would you be?
Exactly the same is happening right now. And the outcome will be the same - another devastating world war.
Yes I fear you are right. The odd thing is, I'm becoming comfortably numb to it. It's as if a huge asteroid is speeding toward earth right now and will hit in two weeks - and emotionally, I just shrug my shoulders. I think the oligarchs are winning - they'll win all the way up to the point where these fuckers destroy the planet.
And what was it all about anyway?
"ok, just a little pin prick. There'll be no more aghhh but you may feel a little sick... I have become comfortably numb. " Pink Floyd
Prophecy? Did you get the"Jab"?
"I'm becoming comfortably numb to it." - that's one way to stay sane and many have that mechanism switched on without their knowledge. Today, as back then, it's also a recognition that there's not a freaking thing a sane individual can do to change this.
I love that monologue the self-destructive man from Waking Life does: https://youtu.be/oVZ_lLUIIyU. I learned about that movie thanks to the recent post by Caitlin. She and a few commenters here have provided very useful resources/ideas over time.
2 locals talking outside of Auschwitz -
"You know I heard that all the prisoners have to take a shower when they get there. It's wonderful that the Nazis give them hot water and a bar of soap and clean towel. They have to keep the water hot day and night. Must be costing them a fortune! Those Nazis are so generous and thoughtful! Hitler has my support for sure!"
Ronald Reagan: A time for choosing. [Way past time now.]
https://youtu.be/qXBswFfh6AY?si=V0gYukLkQpCAei47
Time to protest the obscene military budgets that are rubber stamped by our Congress every year. To stop worshipping our military at every turn and to start questioning our single-minded pursuit of Hegemony. Close down the hundreds of military bases overseas, bring home the troops from Germany and Japan (a military occupation force for 80 years!!) The pursuit of bellicose policies will bring nothing but bankruptcy, death and destruction.
"Some 20,000 new millionaires in the United States alone came into being from the 10,000,000 dead [in WWI]"
Labor's Untold Story (1955) https://www.ueunion.org/labors-untold-story
Horrifying.
In Detroit, I only knew of the IBEW. Didn’t know about Electrical Workers & Machinists union
If only we didn't squander such obscene sums on projects that generate a negative ROI.
Maybe the US Empire's weapons market is the ultimate example of a market externality. A common textbook example is dumping toxic chemicals in a river, but in this case, they are dropping bombs or other horrors on people.
The true ROI is obscenely negative, but the market participants do not perceive it. In fact, as Caitlin's essay shows, to them the ROI is jubilantly positive.
From the POV of Lockheed Martin, sure.
Which begs the question of why we let arms merchants run our foreign policy.
Because they give kickbacks to those "in charge".
It is ironic that the tax payers give money for these defense corporations to profit from, and every budget passed is another increase in the defense budget, in a country who has the biggest defense budget in the world, the same country who claims to be the wealthiest nation in the world...yet is morally bankrupt.
The very idea for killing people for money is what rational people call wrong. These are mercenaries, hired thugs. We don't need wars, they are unproductive, the claim that they are profitable is only true for those profiting, yet the loss of life disability, and trauma should morally prevent that.
I don't want people senslessly killed, I don't want bombs dropped on people living in poverty, I don't want children killed in the street in a shoot out between henchmen. Strange, I can't vote against it, only for it. I only have an option of who I want these things to happen to.
Sure I would want missles striking hospitals and bombs dropped on schools...I mean that's normal right? For a psycho or sociopath, maybe. I don't want to be adjusted, because killing people is inhumane, it is bad for humanity. Simple logic.
Agreed, except we don't have a "defense budget." It's an offense budget, a war budget. And it's destroying us.
A society that relies on "death" (war) in order to "survive" (make a profit) is not only sick and twisted, it's suicidal. Can someone call 9-8-8 and talk to a mental health counselor for us (US)?
For the warmongers to conduct unrestricted wars around the world they need a silent, cowed, fearful
and obedient population that is immune to the outrages committed in their name around the world and will always be there to support the troops. Our surveillance apparatus makes the East German Stasi look like child's play. What "freedom" do we enjoy? The freedom to remain silent.....
"Warmongering think tanks," a delightful oxymoron, up there with "military intelligence." These depraved lunatics continue fighting for more gold bars on the Global Titanic, even as it's aimed vertically to Davey Jones Locker.
This shouldn't have been news since 1935 when Smedley Butler published War is a Racket.
Check out Randolph Bourne's 1918 essay, 'The State'. In it, he accurately forms the idea of the MIC a good 30 years pre-Eisenhower, with the line 'War is the health of the State.' Smedley Butler makes excellent reading too.
Eisenhower's MIC has grown up into Ray McGovern's MICIMATT complex.
Too many Americans don't want to look at the FACTS & the TRUTH.
The US Arms Merchants are making a killing off the Ukraine War, much more than any Russian Oligarch having their wealth stolen by the US/NATO.
In the 20 year $2 TRILLION US occupation of Afghanistan, one of the poorest Countries on Earth, it's estimated some 70,000 CIVILIANS were killed. The only winners were the US Arms Merchants and Contractors
With the desperate hurried frantic exit from Kabul just 2 years ago, the last US VIOLENT WAR Act we know about was the killing of a CIVILIAN FAMILY of 10 with 7 CHILDREN by a remote controlled US drone.
No Americans have been held accountable.
The laptop class would suddenly care if their college brats were sent to die in wars. They’d maybe put down their latte to go to a war protest. Right now they’re too busy counting money. The poor white working class are too brainwashed to protest as they’re proud to send their kids to die for democracy and freedom against brown people, while they cry and cheer at football games to honor veterans of foreign wars during the giant flag ceremonies. We’re a mess
What is your evidence they would care? How many of them wish they'd have aborted those college brats?
Well, I am one. I live and work among them. They’re my friends and family. I just don’t agree with their view of the world anymore so I’m a fish out of water. I know they live their families and would do anything for them. Everything going on outside their bubble is a tv show. It’s easy to take sides watching a tv show until you have real skin in the game.
You're one, but unlike those you refer to? I feel your pain.
There are many blue-collar sorts, as I am, on one of "both" sides as well. I try to remember that most are not cognizant of their being on the wrong side. But when comes the violence, and it will' it always does- I will defend myself and my family.
how would you defend yourself and your family against this nuclear violence coming down the road?
All I have ever heard, all that can matter is TDS. That is, presuming you made it through the blast.
Some americans. Not all of them/us.
Thanks! Revised the comment.
Thank you, Ray. We’re in this nightmare together.
And sadly we may be the minority.
Anyone with any doubt this is a very sick society should take stock of their mental state. The question is, can it be remediated, and if not, can we survive it? Canada has just accused -right off the top of their heads- India of being behind the killing of a Sikh activist in BC: let's see, how big is IndIa? - 1.4 billion people, and they care about one separatist activist? If we got any dumber we'd be barking. On the upside, no one anywhere seems to agree with Canada.