Starry Wisdom

And for now, this will be the last in the series of why I took up a different spiritual path.

To sum up so far… the insistence that the bible, as the basis of the beliefs, is inerrant and absolutely true is absolutely false. History … science … language all take a beating.

So now I end with The New Testament. Some transitional items:

The claim that the OT all predicts/foretells/proves “Jesus” was the Messiah and etc. is pure absolute falsehood. Much based on “typology”. Made up nonsense trying to “prove” all sorts of passages “were all about Jesus”. None of them were. And besides… the notion that Jesus would not have been who he was without the OT is pure idiocy. He was who and what he was regardless. As I am who and what I am regardless of a book or a story or a myth.

And as for typology… crap like this (heard from the lips of a young preacher very enamored with the whole nonsense): “The rock that Moses struck in the desert, and it gave water was a type of Christ”. ?!?!?!?

So since I am tired and not getting a lot of interest in this … as usual … I will jot some thoughts briefly.

Some of it is silly … the nativity in December when he was born in spring and the “wise men” arrived to see him when he was about 2 years old. The whole “power in the mighty name” which the church says is Jesus though some sort of linguistic dance …. it was Joshua… plain and simple. Crucifixion was a special form of punishment for spectacle imposed for major crimes and treason. Thieves were not crucified as standard practice. Crucified Friday and rose Sunday…. but… ““For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Friday night, Saturday night, Sunday night… Monday would be the day… according to his own words?

The core teachings and sayings attributed to him are not new. Look at Buddhist tradition…teachings of the same sort from hundreds of years before. Also a rich tradition of miracles… walking through solid objects, walking on water, healing, flying.

And then there are The Big Ones. What I was told are The Very True Foundations that prove Jesus was the one and only … etc.. The primary reasons people say I am damned and going to hell for not believing what they claim about JC is “the only way” and all that.

1. He died “to redeem us from the Curse that God placed on man and all of humankind was cursed with”. Slight problem…. there is no such curse. None. 0. Nowhere in the scripture will you find God speaking words that cursed Adam and the rest of humankind. Interesting point: Pilat asked JC on the eve of his death what his purpose was. Nothing about redemption … salvation… saving from sin. He stated clearly and simply “For this I was born and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth.”  . The most important thing he could say in his last hour… and that is what he said … witness to the truth. Nothing about curses, damnation, redemption.
2. The empty tomb. The only time that happened … the body was gone …”proving” that JC was The One. Except that is absolutely not true. Thousands of recorded eyewitness testimonies over hundreds of years … The Rainbow Body. “In 1998, a Tibetan Buddhist monk named Khenpo A-Chö was able to achieve a metaphysical ancient phenomenon known as the “rainbow body.” Although this was the most recent record of a rainbow body occurring, there have been over 160,000 people who have reportedly achieved a rainbow body through the Tibetan Buddhist practice of Dzogchen.  Dzogchen is a collection of teachings and meditation practices that have been passed down for generations and aim to help one reach enlightenment. Achieving a rainbow body is the result of reaching peaked enlightenment and refers to the act of either shrinking the body before death/at the time of death or completely transforming the body into light.” “Throughout Buddhist history, there have been a number of dedicated individuals called Bodhisattvas who attained enlightenment for the sole purpose of helping others do the same. Achieving a rainbow body is much aligned with this path of delaying one’s nirvana in service to empathy for others. By achieving a rainbow body, one is able to transcend death and continue on through spirit. Furthermore, people from other religious backgrounds, such as Hinduism and Christianity, have been able to achieve a rainbow body. Some even believe that Jesus Christ achieved a rainbow body, which is why his body was missing from the tomb after his crucifixion. Those who claimed to interact with Jesus after his death reported seeing him walk through a closed door in a functional and visible state. Those who are able to achieve this state do not do so in order to show off and perform magic, but instead, they do so for the good of all human-kind.”
3. Read the book “Francis V. Tiso, a noted authority on the rainbow body, explores this manifestation of spiritual realization in a wide-ranging and deeply informed study of the transformation of the material body into a body of light. Seeking evidence on the boundary between physical science and deep spirituality that might elucidate the resurrection of Jesus, he investigates the case of Khenpo A cho, a Buddhist monk who died in eastern Tibet in 1999. Rainbow Body and Resurrection chronicles the dissolution of Khenpo’s material body within a week of his death, including eye-witness interviews. Tiso describes the spiritual practices that give rise to the rainbow body and traces their history deep into the encounter of religions in medieval Central Asia. His erudite exploration of the Tibetan phenomenon raises the fascinating question of whether there is a connection between the rainbow body and the dying and rising of Jesus. Drawing on a wealth of recent research, Tiso expands his discussion to include the contemplative geography out of which Dzogchen arose some time in the eighth century along the great Silk Road across Central Asia. The result is an illuminating consideration of previously unimagined relationships between spiritual practices and beliefs in Central Asia.”

So … I believe in what he taught … boundless compassion, ethical living, truth. The errors and flawed teaching I found in the church I reject. I seek practices that will help me set aside all the delusion and false mental conditioning I was raised with to free me to experience my mind and the world as it truly is … without the delusion of dualistic other mental conditioning. And a practice that truly supports the development of compassion … and the strength to live it.

There is so much in the “Old Testament” that invalidates claims to being “reliable, inerrant, trustworthy, absolute truth” that the mind boggles. Some of it is almost silly. For example, Adam and Eve had 2 sons … one killed the other. These were the first humans. But Cain was worried about people seeking to kill him, so God put a mark on him, and he wandered off to another city and had a family. Where in hell did this people come from?

And the entire human race is the product of incest. Biologically impossible. BUT… it has to be true… so believers account for that impossible fact by saying that back in the good old days sperm and egg were especially pure … or something…. and the mutations resulting from “normal incest” did not occur.

Ummmmmmmm……

A few other thoughts about the “OT” and a couple of “foundational” passages for Christians that they have distorted and made up contrary to what the scriptures actually say. The “virgin birth” and “the shedding of blood is required for sacrifice”.

You know the classic “And a virgin shall conceive” and all that … the standard Christmas Message / Messianic Prophecy. Not. Nope.

Here is what Jews for Judaism has to say. They ought to know, eh? “

Although Ahaz was an evil king, God would continue to protect Jerusalem in the merit of his righteous predecessors. When Ahaz ignores Isaiah’s warning the prophet tells him to request a sign from God. After Ahaz refuses this offer, Isaiah informs him that God will give him a sign despite his stubbornness. He tells King Ahaz that “The Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold the Almah (הָעַלְמָה) shall conceive and give birth to a son and she shall call his name Immanuel.”    Isaiah 7:14

Mistranslation

The word Almah has been mistranslated by most Christians as “virgin.” In truth, this word means “young woman.” Additionally, the definite article (Ha-ה) means “the” and indicates that the prophet is speaking about a specific woman who he can point to. Interestingly when Matthew quotes this passage he not only mistranslates “young woman” as “virgin” but, to deflect the reference from a specific woman standing before Isaiah, he intentionally mistranslates “the young woman” as “a virgin.” To prove that “Almah” does in fact mean “a virgin” missionaries fallaciously assert that this word is used 7 times in the bible and that it always refers to a woman who is a virgin.

First, those who translate Isaiah 7:14 as “virgin” inconsistently translate the other six places a as “maiden or young woman” revealing their intentional mistranslation. The word “Almah” should always be translated as “a young woman.”

“In context Isaiah is speaking about a specific young woman who will become pregnant during the lifetime of Isaiah and King Ahaz. A miraculous virgin birth that supposedly took place over 560 years later would be irrelevant to Ahaz, who required a sign prior to an imminent military invasion.

Christians attempt to avoid this problem by claiming that this is a “double level prophesy” that happens both during the time of Ahaz and again in the time of Jesus. If Christians want to believe that the word Almah means a virgin and simultaneously claim a “double level prophesy” they would have to believe that a virgin birth took place in the time of Ahaz. However, this never occurred and would also contradict the claim that Jesus’ virgin birth is unique.

The sign mentioned in verse 14 to Ahaz is that the two kings who threatened King Ahaz would be destroyed quickly. This sign is described in the next verse: “before the child knows enough to refuse evil and choose good the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken”   Isaiah 7:15“

Pretty clear, when accurately translated and read in context. It’s all about politics of the day.

And then we have “Are you washed … in the blood? There is power … wonderworking power … in the blood of the lamb.” Etc. Again, we have a fine example of the classic Christian tendency to distort and take passages out of context. Again … what do the People of the Book have to say?

One of my favorite points… and a nightmare for all my “saved” friends is that all through the Tanach sins are forgiven and followship with God restored through a person’s act of sincere repentance. That’s right, folks. Repentance. Change of mind… heart … behavior. A small point before I go to the mattresses…. think about your loving just God requiring animal sacrifice that the vast majority of the poor people living at the time could not afford … and therefore in their poverty regardless of their behavior they are damned because they could not afford a blood sacrifice. Eh?

So … what Leviticus actually teaches: “

“If they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and pray to You toward their land which You have given to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and the house which I have built for Your name; then hear their prayer and their supplication in heaven Your dwelling place, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You…” (I Kings 8:46-50).

This seminal passage puts the spotlight on the Christian misunderstanding of Leviticus 17:11. The Bible is clearly teaching that sacrifices weren’t necessary in order to atone for sins. Prayer and repentance are cited here as effective means for securing atonement. Certainly, when the Temple stood, and one could afford an animal, a sacrifice was brought as part of the atonement process for unintentional sins. Leviticus 17:11 teaches that when we bring such an animal as a sacrifice, we aren’t allowed to consume its blood, because as the life force, it is the part of the animal that affects our atonement.”

“WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT VICARIOUS ATONEMENT?

One wonders why throughout the four Gospels, Jesus never speaks about his death serving as a sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world. Is the idea that an innocent person can be killed instead of those who are guilty consistent with what the Bible teaches? After the sin of the Golden Calf, G-d expressed His intention to destroy the Jewish people. Moses intercedes, and offers to die in their place. In response, G-d says “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book!” (Exodus 32:32-33). Throughout the Bible, G-d says that one person cannot die for the sins of another:

“Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin” (Deuteronomy 24:16, II Kings 14:6).

“But everyone will die for his own sin; each man who eats sour grapes, his teeth will be set on edge” (Jeremiah 31:30).

“The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself” (Ezekiel 18:20).

“No man can by any means redeem his brother, or give to G-d a ransom for him” (Psalms 49:7).

……

“THE BIBLICAL VIEW OF ATONEMENT

One of the clearest indications that Christianity is off base in its insistence on the centrality of blood sacrifices is that none of the prophets speaks about it. There isn’t one instance in the prophetic books where the Jewish people are told that in order to get right with G-d they need to get covered by the blood. If that’s the case, what is the fundamental teaching of the Tanach on the issue of atonement? What theme is reiterated time and again by the holy prophets in the Jewish Bible?

“That every man will turn from his evil way, then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.” (Jeremiah 36:3).

“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return to the L-rd, and He will have compassion on him; and to our G-d, for He will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:7).

“I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, `I will confess my transgressions to the L-rd’, and You did forgive the guilt of my sin.” (Psalm 32:5).”

…

And so.. “

The central teaching of the Bible is that only a break with our past and a sincere turning in repentance can restore our relationships with G-d. If I go off the path, I have to put myself back on track, and G-d will forgive me. Even when sacrifices were offered, they in and of themselves didn’t effect atonement. The sacrifice was part of the process, it helped bring us to the core of atonement which is achieved by TESHUVAH, returning to G-d by forsaking our evil ways and praying for forgiveness. One of the main teachings of the prophets was to chide Jewish people who thought that sacrifices were the essential element of atonement:

“What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me? says the L-rd. I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed cattle. And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats…Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. Come let us reason together says the L-rd, `Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they will be like wool, if you consent and obey…” (Isaiah 1:11-18).”

A lot here… but it speaks for itself. The Christian church as distorted and invented basic doctrinal teachings… important foundational concepts… which it turns out are not supported by history and scripture they claim they are bases on.

So … away I go.

Stay tuned … next blog will get into my experiences with the church and religion as I was supposed to believe.

Have a good day.

Starting a series on the above topic.

No outline of yet. Will go with the flow.

I hope you find it thought provoking… encouraging… interesting… and if offensive you really need to stop and think… and if you have something to refute what I say, I will stop and think too.

Begin and the beginning: Genesis.

So much of it all is tied up in the idea/”Truth” that the bible is flawless, complete, accurate, true, “inerrant” in matters of history and science … the totally reliable “foundation” on which Christianity (the “religion” in question here). Again and again I was told a version of the following as taken from “Keep Believing Ministries”. I have heard it over and over and over again… this is a good version. “

The question before us in this message is really quite simple: Can we take Genesis 1 literally and believe what it says about earth history? Was the world really created in six days? And if so, what does that mean and what difference does it make?

Let’s tackle the last question first. Regardless of how you answer the other questions, you need to get the question of significance settled in your mind. If Genesis is not true, then the whole Bible is suspect. If what is written in the early chapters cannot be trusted, then everything is up for grabs. That includes every miracle, every story, every psalm, and every prayer. If when the Bible talks about the Garden of Eden, there was no Garden of Eden, how can you be sure there was a Moses or a Joshua or a David? If Adam and Eve never really existed, what makes you so sure that Daniel ever spent the night in a lion’s den? If there was no Noah, then how can you take seriously the words of Jesus when he says, “As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:37 ESV)? But we can go ever further. The Apostle Paul tells us that “as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (I Corinthians 15:22 ESV). He calls Adam the “first Adam” and Christ “the last Adam” (I Corinthians 15:45). But if Adam is only a myth or a legend, how can you be sure that Christ is real? Perhaps he is a myth, too. The story of the Bible is like one of those interlocking puzzles where every piece eventually connects to every other piece. If one piece of the Bible story can’t be trusted, how can you be sure about anything else?

The story of creation leads to Adam and Eve which leads to the Serpent who tempts them and they fall. When they fall, sin enters the human DNA and ends up corrupting the whole human race. God’s solution to sin is to come to earth in the person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who died in our place, bearing our sins, taking our punishment, that we might be forgiven, declared righteous, given new life, and promised a home in heaven. There is a very direct line that stretches from the Garden to the Cross. Take away the Garden and there is no need for the Cross of Christ. Take that away and Christianity ceases to exist as a religion of salvation. We are left with a few hymns, good advice, and a church supper on Wednesday night. That’s about it. Everything else is gone.”

Read, they said. Study. The more I did the clearer and more obvious it became … this is indeed the case… and more. “If Genesis is not true, then the whole Bible is suspect.” The whole bible is not suspect… it is not “reliable”… not “infallible” … not “without error or contradiction”.

Some examples… right there … in plain and simple language… no mystery … no interpretation required (from tcaict.blogspot):

Scientific Errors in Genesis

The Earth is older than the stars in the sky.  Genesis 1:6-10 & 14-19.

Plants existed on Earth before the Sun existed. Genesis 1:11-19.

All of the different kinds of land animals began existing on the Earth at about the same time, including human beings. Genesis 1:24-31.

The first humans were created by God and did NOT evolve from other animals. Genesis 1:24-31.

There was no death on the planet Earth until human beings came into existence.  Genesis 3:17-20 (see also: Romans 5:12 & 1 Corinthians 15:21). 

Humans have only existed for about 6,500 (5,700 to 7,600) years. 2,008 years from Adam’s creation to Abraham’s birth (Genesis 5:3-32 & Genesis 11:10-26). Abraham’s birth was between 2166 BCE and 1755 BCE. 

Plants have only existed for about 6,500 (5,700 to 7,600) years.

Animals living in the oceans have only existed for about 6,500 (5,700 to 7,600) years.

Land animals have only existed for about 6,500 (5,700 to 7,600) years.

The planet Earth has only existed for about 6,500 (5,700 to 7,600) years.

The Sun has only existed for about 6,500 (5,700 to 7,600) years.

There was a worldwide flood about 5,000 years ago.  Noah was born about 1,056 years after Adam was created, and the flood happened when Noah was 600 years old. Genesis 5:3-32 & 7:6. Adam was created about 6,500 (5,700 to 7,600) years ago.

And so on. So… religion tells me that if Genesis is not “reliable” then “none of it is reliable”.

None of it is reliable. And this is just a few of the problems at the start. There is a lot more to come.

So tell me…. I was told again and again and again and again that the bible was absolute truth … the foundation of the faith. But the foundation is not true.

And so it began.

More to follow. Thanks for checking in.

14. All human beings now alive descended from one man who lived about 5,000 years ago (Noah). Genesis 6:1 to 9:1.

I have had it. I mean really really had it.

This is not about beliefs and politics. This is about insanity… corruption… and the most insane outrageous evil yet successful propaganda campaign since Goebbels.

Millions of people believing incredible bullshit for which there is less than 0 evidence… in fact evidence to the contrary.

“Mountains of evidence” indeed… that it was and is Trump and the GOP who engaged in treason with their attempt to steal the election.

Zero evidence. Incredible. And for all the times I have asked not a single soul has come forward to prove me wrong and point some out. Not a single soul has stepped up to counter my obviously fruitless pointing out… on a daily basis … of some new obsecenity.

And for the record … I am not a Biden fan. He was not the “best” for the job of fixing this mess. He had a good run but evidence suggests to me that he is fading. But what choice was there with our glorious 2 party system. Trump had to go.

And with all this… sworn testimony … pictures… tape … video … emails…. 30% of Republicans still support Trump. Based on lies, treason, and pure bullshit. And this is American greatness?

And it goes on and on.

So, with this post … unless something really profound happens… I am no longer going to speak out. I feel like a lone voice in the wilderness.

I will not support Trump or the GOP in any way. I will work how I can to remove the current crop of cowards and unethical politicians… and there are plenty of both parties in DC.

If you have something to say to change my mind, bring it. If you want to discuss it, fine… that’s what this place is for … to get down to it without the absurdity of the Facebook Brain Police.

So … the last straws are:

“QAnon supporter reviving JFK Jr’s George magazine as fans continue to believe he is working with Trump to save the world

Raw Story – Yesterday 9:54 PM

“According to one faction of QAnon believers, George’s founder, John F. Kennedy Jr., faked his 1999 death in a plane crash to somehow team up with Donald Trump to take on a Satanic cabal. Some have even identified Vincent Fusca, a Trump supporter who often wears a T-shirt with a cover of George printed on it at pro-Trump events, as JFK Jr. in disguise,” reported Will Sommer. “These QAnon supporters suspect issues of George might lay out JFK Jr.’s plan, if only they could manage to decode them.”

Now, one prominent member of the QAnon movement is actually planning to cash in on this belief — by bringing George back to print.

AND

“…release of a startling recording of Bannon saying that Donald Trump planned to falsely declare that he won the presidential race election night. Trump intended to stay in the Oval Office long before all the votes were counted and before he expressed any baseless claims about a rigged election, according to Bannon.

“What Trump’s gonna do is just declare victory. Right? He’s gonna declare victory. But that doesn’t mean he’s a winner,” Bannon, laughing, said at an Oct. 31, 2020, meeting arranged by exiled Chinese mogul Guo Wengui for whom Bannon has worked. “He’s just gonna say he’s a winner.”

Bannon predicted a “firestorm” the following day as the media and the courts would go “crazy.” And “Trump’s tweeting shit out, ‘You Lose. I’m the winner. I’m the king,’” Bannon added to uproarious laughter on the tape.”

That’s it. It needs to end. It needed to end a long time ago.

Actually … it never should have happened. Thanks, DEMS, for running a candidate that was so unelectable in the eyes of a lot of people.

So … as I said… this is just a waste of energy unless someone wants to discuss. It is just really really disheartening to me to look at this sort of stuff every day and see millions of people who are either deluded, nuts, or really stupid. My god … “Trump sent by god to expose the deep state and fight the evil satanic pedophile cabal in the pizza joints”. Sidebar: Q is a complete and absolute hoax leveraging the power of social media to recruit lonely inadequate people looking to “belong” and based on two old and obvious hoaxes… The Satanic Child Abuse Panic and the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. If people had paid attention in school or had a few critical thinking skills it would be obvious.

The Big Lie. Trump. The GOP. MAGA. Treason. Mountains of evidence.

And it goes on and on and on and on. People I know support Trump… believe the bullshit… all without evidence… all while saying empty shit like “There’s tons of it out there. We’ll never see it because The Deep State is hiding it”. Q-anon. Italian satellites. The Kraken.

What am I missing? I am told I am blind… I don’t know how computers work (40+ years as a programmer and Systems Engineer) … I don’t know how to reason / think (as a degreed Philosopher). And never any evidence. None. Ever.

The Hearings. Political theatre. Masses of evidence of Trump/GOP/MAGA Supporter delusin, treason, and crimes… with still NO EVIDENCE AT ALL OF ELECTION INTERFERNCE… YOU GOT THAT?… NONE!
THIS SHOULD BE A TRIAL! HE SHOULD BE UNDER ARREST! HE SHOULD BE IN PRISON!

What is wrong with the people of America? You ignore sworn testimony … evidence… video … records … email …. and instead believe the ongoing lies of a pathological deluded loser? Did something happen to you to destroy your critical thinking skills… your judgement … your ethics?

““Cipollone has corroborated almost everything that we’ve learned from the prior hearings,” Raskin said. “I certainly did not hear him contradict Cassidy Hutchinson. … He had the opportunity to say whatever he wanted to say, so I didn’t see any contradiction there.””

Seriously. Why is this still going on? What possible justification is there for these lies…. these delusions?
“Lurking unseen during the hearings, former president Donald Trump might as well be the shark in “Jaws” or Keyser Söze in “The Usual Suspects,” his threat looming larger the longer we can’t see him. As witnesses to his lies, manipulations and shameless efforts to overthrow the 2020 election have come forward, what has emerged is less an evil mastermind than a petty, tyrannical bully, desperate to hold onto power at any cost. At varying points, Trump has resembled the Great and Powerful Oz, terrifying until he’s revealed to be a frightened little man. Or he has shape-shifted into Orson Welles’s Harry Lime — the oily, amoral black marketeer at the center of the 1949 film noir “The Third Man.” Or a James Bond baddie throwing world-ending tantrums in some faraway lair.”

I really would like some opinions. This makes no sense.
And then stuff like this. More every day.

“Republicans grow more overt in rejecting church-state separation”

“Even now, Trump pushes to decertify election results he dislikes”

“Trump Rages at NY Times After Poll Shows He Now Holds Less Than Half GOP Support: ‘THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!’”

“Sean Hannity: The President continues to play one blame game after the other” Yeah? And Trump didn’t/doesn’t? You are lying bought-and-sold trash.

More bought-and-sold trash… the amazing Lindsey Graham who latched onto Donald Trump after trashing him: ” Graham who tweeted on May 3. 2016: “If we nominate Trump, we will get destroyed…….and we will deserve it.”” Cheap tart.

And another treasonous deluded POS heard from: “Peter Navarro, former trade adviser to Donald Trump, accused Mike Pence of treason for refusing to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election ― a power the vice president does not have. He also seems to think Trump’s vice president should have been more loyal to the president than to the country.”

“Trump Trying To Convince Us To Back Him Again, Russian State TV Claims Donald Trump’s criticism of the state of U.S. politics is part of a pitch to Moscow to support him again, an anchor on Russian state television has said.”: Of course. He admires the sharp clever Putin and his “conservative” values…. anti-gay and all that. He wants to be like Putin… or Kim, or Xi. An autocrat… a “king”… and the US just like Russia … North Korea … China. It’s obvious… and I guess that’s what all you “patriots” out there who want him back want as well , eh?

Fear the impotent deluded loser. Kiss his ass. Sell your soul for his approval. Feed his delusion and the lies. “When Trump asked for a ‘number’ to support his claims of record approval ratings, Hope Hicks gave him a Tennessee GOP poll: ‘I mean, I had to give him something, right?'”

And 2024 I really don’t trust the GOP to abandon their lust for “winning” (per Mitch) and power and bring a candidate that might fix this mess. And the Dems need to put forward a strong focused leader that can make things happen in DC and fix this mess. Neither of the current offerings should be re-elected imo.

“Are you OK Al? You seem … distant.”

Thanks for caring / asking / wondering. No. I am not OK. And yes … I am “distant”.

Distant / withdrawn is what I do when I become really depressed. And I am really depressed.

Some of the list.

Health issue. Diagnosis is “severe arthritis” in my right leg. The pain has been incredible. I was thinking/hoping it was some muscle issue. Nope. A powerful NSAID is keeping the pain at bay… with its cheerful Black Box warnings from the FDA about all the horrific things it might do to me. Awaiting consultation with specialist soon. I suspect surgery and bionic man stuff in my future.

I am appalled / depressed / disgusted at what I see in the news every day. “Don’t read the news. It’s all about the bad stuff …. that’s how they sell their product / manipulate people.” Yeah … I know. The word “news” no longer applies to most of it. And I know about what they really are… just more greed-and-power lusting and obsessed businesses. Money money money money. And whatever their social/political/religious agendas and biases are.

So set that aside for the moment.

I get plenty of shit right here… right where I live… unfiltered by liars.

Q-anon and other conspiracy theory believing lunatics.

Trump loving.

Corrupt GOP.

Religious fundamentalists and their misogynistic anti-LGBTG lies and hatred.

Willfully ignorant.

Devoid of critical thinking skills.

Science-denying anti-vax/mask selfish deluded disease-spreading mutation-incubating fools.

Etc., etc., etc..

The picture of me sitting alone on Facebook? Yeah… that’s how I feel… and it’s not new. What do I have in common with all these people? Not a damned thing. Respect their delusions … ignorance… selfishness ..bigotry…. sexism… greed… anger… violence (like the fine fellow walking down the street outside my favorite (shut down thanks to COVID) music venue and restaurant firing an AR) … disregard for public health and safety…. the list goes on.

And the worst of it? People try to explain / justify / excuse all this … telling me I am the one who is fooled for not believing “The Big Lie” or that COVID was a hoax.

When asked by Kathy why I was not happy given what I good person I am (never mind the details) … the Psychologist did not miss a beat… “He feels like he is living in a loony bin.”

Yes, I do. Yes, I am.

Yes … there are exceptions. I am blessed to know a few… a very precious few.

There’s a lot more… but it doesn’t matter. “Could be worse”. Sure. Don’t care. It is bad enough right here… right now… and that’s where I live.

Thanks for reading. Thanks for caring.

So today by way of Sunday Steamer … and since I am uncomfortable and kranky .. am going to say a few words about the recent destruction of the Georgia Guidstones and the delusional lunatic nonsense spewed by “Christians” and assorted conspiracy believing fools.

So … what did it actuall say (followed by my comment on each):

“Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature.” The planet has limited capacity to support a human population. While the crazies scream “eugenics” and similar crap, are we incapable of regulating our desire to fuck and make more of us? What is “evil” about using our free will to manage our population?

“Guide reproduction wisely – improving fitness and diversity.” Basic laws of nature for a healthy population. Again, knowledge and choice.

“Unite humanity with a living new language.” And interesting concept. How much suffering … how much war… how much fear and hatred… is caused by lack of effective communication?

“Rule passion – faith – tradition – and all things with tempered reason.” Yes. Absolutely. The spiritual teaching of traditions that truly concern themselves with compassion, morality, integrity… as opposed to this sort of crap: “Promoting a new spirituality – “New Age” and “religions” not Biblical Truth that is found only in the King James bible.”

“Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts.” How would this not be a good thing for all humanity? We have given it lip service… we tried… so far pretty poorly … though we say we believe this is a good thing.

“Let all nations rule internally resolving external disputes in a world court.” Again …we have acknowledged this as a worthy goal. Do it!

“Avoid petty laws and useless officials.” I have no comment other than that this is so obvious…..

“Balance personal rights with social duties.” Yes! All this talk about “rights” and little about responsibility… and the resultant spread of disease, violence, and so on. Selfishness is the true root of all human evil in my view.

“Prize truth – beauty – love – seeking harmony with the infinite.” Again, lots of talk… lots of failure. How could any human being deny the rightness of this?

“Be not a cancer on the earth – Leave room for nature – Leave room for nature.” This is what set me off. The world was a paradise… we are turning it into a cesspool … and it’s going to kill us all. “Earth Is On Track To Lose More Than 1,000 Wild Mammal Species, UN Report Says
Overexploitation, climate change, pollution and deforestation are pushing 1 million species towards extinction, including 12% of the world’s wild tree species.”

Here is some of the deranged delusional bullshit spewed about them… common themes of the religious and political deluded people that are fouling America and the world: “Certainly the group that commissioned the Georgia Guidestones is one of many similar groups working together toward a New World Order, a new world economic system, and a new world spirituality. Behind those groups, however, are dark spiritual forces, spiritual wickedness in high places. Without understanding the nature of those dark forces it is impossible to understand the unfolding of world events in these Bible times.”

Feel free to comment… question… challenge. You might want to spare me the religious crap like this though… boring. “You will learn the hard way that God is real, and you’ll be begging for mercy and forgiveness and by then it will be too late.”

As far back as I can remember…. which unfortunately is pretty far … many people have used the following adjectives to describe me: intimidating or scary.

This hurt me … and never made any sense. I am very empathetic … have “one of the biggest hearts I have ever seen”. Mostly rather shy.

I would occasionally, when I got really sick of it or hurt… I would ask for an explanation. Always the same damned thing… “I don’t know… there’s just something about you.”

“I don’t know… there’s just something about you.” “I don’t know… there’s just something about you.” “I don’t know… there’s just something about you.” “I don’t know… there’s just something about you.”

Wanna guess how sick I became of that?

Totally worthless…. and also, what people would sometimes say when they were talking about me being “wonderful” or similar.

Often the people who started off being “intimidated” became friends. When asked again they said “Once I got to know you you are a really great person” etc.. Huh?

One day I was having a session with my very perceptive and wise psychologist dealing with some PTSD issues. Someone had recently done it again and so I asked her about it. She started laughing. I did not think it funny. “You’re not laughing.” No … I wasn’t… and I told her that since I was paying her I wanted an answer. Did she have one? “”Oh yes. You are highly empathic. And have an odd obsession with truth and honesty. It’s like a force you give off. People can feel it. They know you see them truly … and that makes a lot of people uncomfortable.”

I tried out that explanation on a couple of people. “Yup. That’s it. Absolutely.”

Today I saw this. It captures it pretty well. More than you wanted to know about me perhaps but … it’s what is on my mind at the moment. Thanks for tuning in.

Today’s Bits and Pieces
Random bits from the morning news with occasional first thought.
Feel free to comment. Curious as to what you all think of this stuff.

Elon Musk just reminded everyone why his trans daughter wants nothing to do with him … Don’t wanna know

Ted Cruz Says He Wants World Domination and Power in Unearthed Video … Of course he does.

Missile Test at Space Force Base Ends in Failure Seconds After Launch… Oooops…

BeLoved Asheville breaks ground on tiny home village, for tenants facing extreme poverty… Compassion in action.

Kremlin warns of nuclear war if Russia is punished for war crimes … fuck them…. with a cactus.

A Navy warship burned while commanders argued over who was in charge … Cluster fuck

Why 536 CE was the worst year in history to be alive … with 2020 and ongoing running a close second

Woman Spits At and Slaps Street Vendor In South Central After Being Asked To Wait Five Minutes for a Burrito …. disgusting pig

Trump Blew Up Republicans’ Faith in the Presidency. We May Never Get it Back…. Not while I am alive sadly.

US Monkeypox Outbreak, Is Worse Than CDC’s Initial Report…. Hmmmm … does this sound like recent history?

Should You Store Hard-Boiled Eggs With Or Without The Shell?… Ummmmm…..

Police: More than 100 rounds of gunfire exchanged in Brooklyn Center overnight … but we must have more guns! Concealed carry! Useless “vetting”!

Hundreds of frogs died while mating in an ancient swamp 45 million years ago, new study suggests. … I hope they died happy.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene blames Fourth of July mass shooting on LGBTQ plot to enact ‘more gun control’ … GOP Insanity… and people support and ellect this sort of lunatic?

A Mysterious Monument In Georgia Was Bombed After A Far-Right Candidate Campaigned On Demolishing It … Satanic Cabal! Fundamentalist insanity!

Putin’s loyalists have set their sights on Alaska, making threats to grab the territory back from America … another Fuck You to those fine folks that Trump, Republicans, and Conservatives “admire” for their “values” and “smarts”.

Evangelical Leader Brags About Secretly Praying With SCOTUS Justices … the bought-and-sold SCOTUS. Reference first post about abortion…blaming Democrats is hogwash… the recent events are the work of the GOP and conservatives over the years to take control of the court for their conservative agendas.

Liz Cheney Wins the GOP’s Manhood Contest… no kidding. More stones than the GOP and Senate.

Arizona Republican Says She Would Shoot Her Grandchildren to ‘Protect’ Them … of course…. she’s a Republican.

‘It’s a sham’: fears over Trump loyalists’ ‘election integrity’ drive
Aconservative group called the America Project that boasts Donald Trump loyalists and “big lie” pushers Roger Stone and Michael Flynn as key advisers, has begun a self-styled “election integrity” drive to train activists in election canvassing and poll-watching, sparking fears from voting rights watchdogs about voter intimidation. … fuck. GOP corruption continues.

I was going to continue the Abortion comments but yet another recent challenge to my “negative insulting comments about people’s beliefs” changed my mind.

Beliefs … lot of discussion about them. Respecting them… sharing them… understanding them.

They can inspire wonderful compassionate behavior. They also can inspire murder, hatred, intolerance, delusion and all sorts of “bad stuff”. In my opinion … this is the dominant case now and has been very much so for the past couple of years… and of course a constant drumbeat over the centuries.

So here are some of my thoughts/beliefs about beliefs. Comments/questions/challenges welcomed.

A belief is like a thought… and idea. “something one accepts as true or real; a firmly held opinion or conviction”. It is something in your mind. It is often not based on fact or evidence…. but rather social/religious/cultural conditioned thinking. Facts/evidence/proof not required … and often (obviously) shunned.

“You have to respect my belief.” No … that is nonsense. I respect your right to have it… and you need to respect my right to totally reject it… especially if it based on provably false assumptions.

That is something that fascinates me… people using the word “right” to support their delusional beliefs in many cases… “I have the right to be wrong! I have to right to believe something not real/true! I have the right to be deluded!”

As long is they stay in your head/your conversation/your church I have no problem. If they lead you to be compassionate/ethical/moral I admire them and you. But when acting on them leads you to act violently/cruelly/unethically/immorally/greedily/with willful rejection of facts and evidence, then I oppose you.

And this second case is what I see as dominant in this country and the world today. It’s pretty damned obvious.

And people really get offended if I label some beliefs mental illness. Take a look at the following from DSM-5, which describes “criteria” for clinical and legal findings of “mental illness”… and think about what you see in the “news” … in Washington… in fundamentalism… in politics… in conspiracy theory followers… in people you know.

“Symptoms of Delusional Disorder

Delusions are generally categorized in 4 groups: bizarre, non-bizarre, mood-congruent and mood-neutral. Bizarre delusions are strange and implausible, such as being vivisected by aliens, while non-bizarre delusions are possible but unlikely, such as being under surveillance. Mood-congruent delusions are false beliefs that are consistent with the patient’s mood if disordered, such as power and influence with mania and rejection and ostracism with depression. Mood-neutral delusions are not related to the patient’s mood, such as having two heads or one arm.

Delusions have a great variety of themes, but certain recurrent themes have been identified (Spitzer, 1990). These include delusions of control, mind-reading, thought insertion, reference, persecution, grandeur, self-accusation, jealousy (Othello syndrome), romance or sexual involvement (erotomania), somatic change or disease or death (Cotard syndrome). Somatic delusions are associated with mood disorders and organic dementias, and may constitute their own diagnostic entity (body dysmorphic disorder) (Spitzer, 1990), while grandiose or persecutory delusions are often cardinal symptoms of schizophrenia and related disorders (Freeman, 2004).

Munro identified 10 characteristics of delusions (Munro, 1999). The patient expresses the delusional belief(s) with unusual force and persistence, and the belief or beliefs exert and inordinate effect on the patient’s life, often altering or dominating it. Despite profound conviction about the delusion, the patient is often secretive or suspicious in discussing it. Delusional patients tend to be oversensitive and humorless, especially regarding the delusion. The belief is central to the patient’s existence, and questioning it elicits an inappropriately strong emotional reaction. The belief is nevertheless unlikely, and not in keeping with the patient’s social, cultural or religious background. The patient is highly invested emotionally in the belief, and other elements of the psyche may be overwhelmed. If the belief is acted upon, abnormal behavior may result which is out of character for the patient, but which may be understandable in light of the delusion; the belief and behavior are felt to be uncharacteristic by those who know the patient.

Delusional disorder is a primary disorder, with no medical or neurologic cause apparent. It is chronic and may be lifelong, but the delusions are internally consistent and logically constructed. Although the logic of the delusion may be abnormal, general logical reasoning is unaffected, and there is no general disturbance of behavior. Abnormal behavior, if it occurs, is specifically related to the delusional belief. The patient has a heightened sense of self-reference, and trivial or nonspecific events assume great importance through connection to the delusional belief (Munro, 1999).” Author: Dr. Miles E. Drake Jr., MD