When you’ve finished playing around with the nonsense paragraph, maybe we could think about diving for some pearls. It is, after all, what we are here for, is it not? Why yes, yes it is….. okay, let’s go Pearl >>>>>>  Hmm, I kind of like those little arrowheads…. I think I’ll start using them more….. shall we Pearl?…..
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“The essence of Christianity is told us in the Garden of Eden history. The fruit that was forbidden was on the tree of knowledge. The subtext is, All the suffering you have is because you wanted to find out what was going on. You could be in the Garden of Eden if you had just keep your fucking mouth shut and hadn’t asked any questions.” — Frank Zappa Playboy Interview, April 1993

Good ol’ Frankie Z….. one of the twentieth century’s most acerbic, and accurate, social critics. He was, like most good prophets and philosophers, not well known during his own lifetime, at least not by the mainstream culture. He makes a point here that I have mentioned in numerous essays here on this blog, to wit: Christianity is a religion based on deception and lies, and has as it’s primary purpose the goal of keeping mankind as ignorant as possible, so that they may be more easily manipulated. Now, that may not sound like the goals that the heads of the church will admit to pursuing, but, taken in the context of the story of Genesis and the Garden of Eden, it becomes patently obvious that it is the truth.

Why else would it be a sin to seek knowledge? What possible reason could there be for the events that reportedly took place, if not to establish the original lie as truth? That is the sole purpose of that story, to convince people that trying to think will only make things worse. In this way, the church establishes itself as the sole authority for mankind, and plants the idea that the only people who are speaking the truth are the priests…. at least, that’s what they want you to believe….

The truth, of course, is that seeking knowledge is no sin at all. As a matter of fact, it is the one thing that will provide us with the answers we will need to find in order to overcome the foolishness, and the mess, that over 2000 years of wrong thinking has created. The elitism that is fomented as a result of the Christian model is possibly the worst thing that could have happened, as it gave a sense of entitlement to people who have no concern for others, telling them “you are the Lords of Creation… go forth and multiply, until there are so many of you, civilization will collapse under its own weight.”

Well, guess what, kids…. it’s not okay. Continuing to exhibit the same patterns of behavior we have shown for the last 5000 or so years is leading us straight into the depths of hell, by altering the environment in ways that will ultimately make it unlivable for us. The time is closer than people realize, when there won’t be enough oxygen in the atmosphere to give us what we need to breathe. By the year 2050, the wearing of oxygen masks will be necessary if one wishes to go out of doors, because the air won’t support our life form’s needed levels of gases. We will be living in air that is mostly carbon monoxide, and struggling just to stay alive….

But, hey, that’s okay, because God said so….. and it’s a sin to go against what God says, right?…..

Although a man may wear fine clothing, if he lives peacefully; and is good, self-possessed, has faith and is pure; and if he does not hurt any living being, he is a holy man… — The Dhammapada (c. B.C. 300)
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An old man in Australia died while living in a nursing care home. When the nurses were going through his things, they found the following poem, and started it on a journey that has taken it around the entire world…. it is a statement, and a plea, written by an old man who knew he was going to die…… I started weeping in empathy at line seven, and I think you will, too…….

Cranky Old Man

What do you see nurses? . . .. . .What do you see?
What are you thinking .. . when you’re looking at me?
A cranky old man, . . . . . .not very wise,
Uncertain of habit .. . . . . . . .. with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food .. . … . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . .’I do wish you’d try!’
Who seems not to notice . . .the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . .. . . A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not . . . … lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . .The long day to fill?
Is that what you’re thinking?. .Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse .you’re not looking at me.
I’ll tell you who I am . . . . .. As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, .. . . . as I eat at your will.
I’m a small child of Ten . .with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters .. . . .. . who love one another
A young boy of Sixteen . . . .. with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now . . .. . . a lover he’ll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . ..my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows .. .. .that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now . . . . .I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . .. . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . .. With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons .. .have grown and are gone,
But my woman is beside me . . to see I don’t mourn.
At Fifty, once more, .. …Babies play ’round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me . . . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future … . . . . I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing .. . . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . And the love that I’ve known.
I’m now an old man . . . . . . .. and nature is cruel.
It’s jest to make old age . . . . . . . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles .. .. . grace and vigour, depart.
There is now a stone . . . where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass . A young man still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells
I remember the joys . . . . .. . I remember the pain.
And I’m loving and living . . . . . . . life over again.
I think of the years, all too few . . .. gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people .. . . . .. . . open and see.
Not a cranky old man .
Look closer . . . . see .. .. . .. …. . ME!!

Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within. We will all, one day, be there, too!  PLEASE SHARE THIS POEM (originally written by Dave Griffith)
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He’s got his own train of thought, and no one’s aboard. — Smart Bee

See, I was cruising through my quote database, looking for something to write about this morning, and this little piece kept popping up. The third time is showed itself, I thought to myself, “Self, that’s a sign!” , and copied it down for use. Now that it is here, on the screen, the only thing I can think of to write about is the one person in the public eye these days who most resembles this remark….. Can you guess who that might be?….

Yup, you’re right…. Mitt the Twitt. He is the perfect candidate for the Republicans…. he doesn’t flinch at lying his head off, he’s rich enough to afford the right clothes, and he doesn’t have an original thought in his entire head. He is the perfect mouthpiece for the rich, white, misogynistic bigots who are backing him, because he has already shown that he is a master of denial, and won’t hesitate to change his mind right in the middle of a thought. He has proven himself to be just their kind of guy….

I’m not going to turn this into a rant of any great length. I’ve already made clear my opinion of the Twitt and his cronies, and to do so further would no doubt bore us both to tears…. So, just consider this a fully developed rant, with the advantage of not having to take ten minutes to digest all the stuff I usually throw out there for consumption. I have denigrated him and his ilk sufficiently for one day, and would like to save anything else I have to use another day down the line…. just remember what Tommy Toilet says, ffolkes, “Always remember to wipe thoroughly; rectal itch is no picnic!” And, always remember to wash up after partaking of any political discussion; the parts that splash around can be toxic…..
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