Friday, July 13, 2007

Phosphorus

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with diverse lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." (2 Timothy 3:1-7)

"And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:14)

The Greek word is for light is "PHOS". The Greek word for "bearer" is "PHOROS". From these two words we get our English word Phosphorus. It means light-bearer. However, Phosphorus, being no true light, merely gives the appearance of being lighted due to a chemical reaction with Oxygen. It's light or luminosity is "carried" or "brought about" by something else--and not generated from within. Phosphorus is also a particularly poisonous element in sufficient amounts.

Interestingly, the Latin word for "light" is "LUCIS". From it we derive our word "illumination", often interchanged with "enlightened". Illumined ones are often those who may appear to be enlightened. As in the Illuminati.

The Latin word for "bearer" or "to carry" is "FERO". "LUCIS-FERO" then means, "light-bearer". The meaning of these combined words differs, however, from another Latin word "RADIARE", meaning "to radiate". To generate heat or light from within. For example, in our night sky the moon appears "luminous". Its luminosity, however, is but a reflection of the Sun's true light. The moon is therefore only a "carrier" or "bearer" of another's light then--a reflector of light. It originates no real light of its own, no true radiance.

Beware therefore the counterfeit light.


MAN OF PEACE

Look out your window, baby, there's a scene you'd like to catch,
The band is playing "Dixie," a man got his hand outstretched.
Could be the Fuhrer
Could be the local priest.
You know sometimes
Satan comes as a man of peace.

He got a sweet gift of gab, he got a harmonious tongue,
He knows every song of love that ever has been sung.
Good intentions can be evil,
Both hands can be full of grease.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

Well, first he's in the background, then he's in the front,
Both eyes are looking like they're on a rabbit hunt.
Nobody can see through him,
No, not even the Chief of Police.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

Well, he catch you when you're hoping for a glimpse of the sun,
Catch you when your troubles feel like they weigh a ton.
He could be standing next to you,
The person that you'd notice least.
I hear that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

Well, he can be fascinating, he can be dull,
He can ride down Niagara Falls in the barrels of your skull.
I can smell something cooking,
I can tell there's going to be a feast.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

He's a great humanitarian, he's a great philanthropist,
He knows just where to touch you, honey, and how you like to be kissed.
He'll put both his arms around you,
You can feel the tender touch of the beast.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

Well, the howling wolf will howl tonight, the king snake will crawl,
Trees that've stood for a thousand years suddenly will fall.
Wanna get married? Do it now,
Tomorrow all activity will cease.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

Somewhere Mama's weeping for her blue-eyed boy,
She's holding them little white shoes and that little broken toy
And he's following a star,
The same one them three men followed from the East.
I hear that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

--Copyright © 1983 Bob Dylan/Special Rider Music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2V4OjNnp5s

Not dark yet, but it's gettin' there....

About propaganda...

Confusion among us comes not from God, it is but an effective display of force exerted by the principalities of darkness directly against Creation. And while the opposing principalities and powers cannot entirely dismiss Him and remain credible, they have successfully muddied the waters of truth for all peoples. Sadly, even the slightest distortion of reality is most times sufficient to dissuade humanity.

When confounding the people with contradiction between what is said and what is no longer proves an effective deterrent, the apparent lack of absolutes may sufficiently discourage them.

All who acknowledge propaganda's usefulness, appreciate this. Confusion, followed by despair and hopelessness, will destroy us from the inside out.

It is the Devil's masterpiece.

NOT DARK YET


Shadows are falling and I've been here all day
It's too hot to sleep time is running away
Feel like my soul has turned into steel
I've still got the scars that the sun didn't heal
There's not even room enough to be anywhere
It's not dark yet, but it's getting there

Well my sense of humanity has gone down the drain
Behind every beautiful thing there's been some kind of pain
She wrote me a letter and she wrote it so kind
She put down in writing what was in her mind
I just don't see why I should even care
It's not dark yet, but it's getting there

Well, I've been to London and I've been to gay Paree
I've followed the river and I got to the sea
I've been down on the bottom of a world full of lies
I ain't looking for nothing in anyone's eyes
Sometimes my burden seems more than I can bear
It's not dark yet, but it's getting there

I was born here and I'll die here against my will
I know it looks like I'm moving, but I'm standing still
Every nerve in my body is so vacant and numb
I can't even remember what it was I came here to get away from
Don't even hear a murmur of a prayer
It's not dark yet, but it's getting there.

--Copyright © 1997 Bob Dylan/Special Rider Music

http://www.youtube.com/

And...

War Between The Fears

Call upon the innocent
Call upon the weak
Call me down an avatar
I am afraid to speak
Won't you conjure me one witness
Let him dare to share the truth
Then please call upon my children
For they never needed proof

I am silenced by your intellect
Confounded by your brain
I have stood before your altar
And I've found myself in flames
I've seen your burned out buildings
And the rubble in the street
And I 've stood beside your people
But they lie between the sheets

Now there is a distant fire
And the smoke does surely rise
For the Watchman in his tower
He doth seek to crucify

I have come before your counsel with your name upon my tongue
I have counted every bullet that you've held on everyone
There is no shame in mercy
But there are no heroes here
And there will be no survivors
In this War Between The Fears

Still you call out to your brothers
Yes you raise the battle cry
While you fornicate the others
You would love what you despise
Tell me who does tend your children
While you're polishing your throne
The Wolf is in The Garden
And your lambs are all alone

I have read The Book of Knowledge
I have pondered every page
And the madman-in-the-mirror
Looks alot like my own face
I question every answer
And The Keeper Of The Keys
He has led my children from me
To the land of his disease

And they stood before the altar
He did pound upon his breast
And I felt my courage crumble
They were easily impressed

Call me down a warrior
Call me down a sage
Call my God a taxi for I fear
He is too late
And I'll conjure you some mercy
If you let my people go
And I will not tell the children
What they would not want to know...

--Copyright ©1995 Betty Elders/
Whistling Pig Music (ASCAP)

http://www.bettyelders.com/War.html

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Sick 'em, O Mikey!

Michael Moore speaks out against the press on CNN, July 9, 2007
SEE THE Whole CNN VIDEO HERE!
(scroll to the bottom of the page for the video, and wait)

A friend and I watched "Sicko" on Sunday. It has taken two days for me to process what I observed. To get over my rage. I am still getting over it.....and believe me when I say I have done an extensive amount of research into the "state of (our) union." So none of what was posited by Mr. Moore in his documentary should have been a revelation. And while I am too old old and far too informed to be surprised by anything anymore, I am still able to be distressed and discouraged with each new revelation.

Moore's latest documentary concerns the despicable state of our American health care system(s).

You see, Richard Nixon sealed our fate and the deal with Kaiser Permanente less than one week after the birth of my first child--February 19, 1971. By the time I went to work in nursing in 1974, the state of medical care in the USA had undergone a transformation; health care was in process of becoming thoroughly managed; that is, thoroughly corporatized. Before that, only the wealthier citizens could afford health insurance. Average or middle class citizens paid as they went. The poor either got no medical care at all or looked toward charity--Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.

No, Nixon did not "make health coverage available for all Americans", as he promised. Instead, what Nixon and all his successors, culminating in George Bush 2, actually did was to "insure" the ultimate and eternal wealth of insurance (investment) companies by legalizing their ultimate domain over us--collecting and slowly raising premiums and gradually decreasing the amount of service companies would provide for their "insured."

This all happened really slowly and imperceptibly over thirty years. And we, like the proverbial "Frogs Cooking in the Pot", distracted by "life, liberty, and the (relentless) pursuit of happiness", never noticed a thing.

Meanwhile we were being warned that Universal Health Care was merely socialized medicine and THAT was the stuff of Communist countries, where quality of medical care was repeatedly portrayed to Americans as nothing short of medieval.

So, throughout Viet Nam and its aftermath until Desert Storm and 9/11 and Sadam Hussein, we feared the C-word, and the S-word (Socialism), and any one or any country associated with either word.

In my lifetime, however, we have feared communism and communists the most.

Throughout history, governments have manufactured many "-ism's" for us to fear and fight. Can you name a few?

Now we are fighting "terrorism". We no longer hunt for communists under every bed, but now daily sift our airports and neighborhoods, vigilantly, for terrorists. And in like manner "pacif-ism" is being equated to "terror-ism", and both are America's (and freedom and democracy's) latest enemies.

Well, the truth is we will believe anything we are told.

Truth is, being told what to do is far easier and more convenient than figuring out what to do. Churches are filled weekly with people just sitting there waiting to be told what to do. Living rooms across America are nightly filled with folks just waiting to be told who our next enemy is. Even if it is those people who may be seated next to them who are against war, even if it is members of our own family who live right there among us--pacifists--tomorrow's new enemy combatants.

I guess we would likewise report Jesus Christ if He walked among us today, because he was a "pacifist". Though once angrily disrupting money-changers in the temple courtyard (the only part of the Jerusalem temple where foreigners were permitted to worship YHVH, the God of the Israelites.The outer court of the temple was called the court of the Gentiles. In there was a large bazaar for the sale of sacrificial animals and birds, and also a money-exchange for changing foreign coins for the Jewish half-shekels. Jesus did not condemn the sale of what was necessary for sacrifices, but the place where the sale was held--the Temple, the house of prayer. On the day Jesus overturned the money-changers, the Court of the Gentiles was so crowded with $ business there was no room for "a house of prayer" for all nations.), Jesus more often constrained his disciples from outright insurrection against a thoroughly oppressive government (Rome). He was not called "Man of Peace" for His advocacy of violence or swordplay. And Jesus today would simply be locked up (as an enemy combatant) far from legal counsel and due process (Guantanamo) and then never given a fair trail by a jury of His peers (h-mmmm....) , and ultimately (unfairly) pronounced "guilty" (of pacifism and/or terrorism) and subsequently sentenced to death via an international military tribunal (Rome and the Sanhedrin) in order to make an example of Him to the others.

Oh, but wait, didn't we already do that....

And just as the American people do not understand who the Federal Reserve really is (are) or how they operate, they do not today know that ALL insurance companies, be it health or homeowners or automobile, exist solely to make money--not to help you. (I just threw the Fed in there because you really DON'T know who they are--or who you actually pay taxes to, or what for. Trust me. Get this book for more info: http://shop.wnd.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=1882.)

And don't we all, just like the proverbial Frogs about to boil in the Pot, believe the (hot) water we are now in is nice and cozy?

La la la-la lala-lala-la-aaaaaaah.

That what Mr. Moore has been trying to tell us for some time. But if he were to tell us the WHOLE truth, he'd be a marked man.

My question? Why do we always shoot the messenger...

Monday, July 09, 2007

They came, they saw, they conquered!


"Look beneath the two opposing lions--the coat of arms.
Read: "VENI, VIDI, VICI".
(Translation: "I came, I saw, I conquered.")

My outrage at discovering this odious Philip-Morris logo, boldly emblazened upon each and every pack of Marlboro (Marlboro Lights and Marlboro Ultra-Lights) cigarettes for the past 51 years, enabled me to stop smoking in 1999.

I studied Latin for four years. I knew who had been "vici'd"...
To see more images of PM's logo, go here.

Gotta Serve Somebody

This is it. This Bob Dylan song says it all. All that needs saying. In the end it all comes down to this. Nothing else we have done will matter. None of the deals we have brokered. None of the wins, none of the successes, none of the failures--none of them will matter. Just one thing will matter. Whom we have served. Funny thing is, we never had to "worship" the darkness in order to fall, we only had to serve ourselves. And no matter how "free" one thinks he is, nor how "free" one imagines his will to be, sooner or later we all become slaves to something. Knowingly or unknowingly, we serve. Even if we only serve ourselves.

Especially if we only serve ourselves.

And, by the way, nothing was ever free.
Amen, Bob.

Performance from 1980.

GOTTA SERVE SOMEBODY

You may be an ambassador to England or France,
You may like to gamble, you might like to dance,
You may be the heavyweight champion of the world,
You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

You might be a rock 'n' roll addict prancing on the stage,
You might have drugs at your command, women in a cage,
You may be a business man or some high degree thief,
They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

You may be a state trooper, you might be a young Turk,
You may be the head of some big TV network,
You may be rich or poor, you may be blind or lame,
You may be living in another country under another name

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

You may be a construction worker working on a home,
You may be living in a mansion or you might live in a dome,
You might own guns and you might even own tanks,
You might be somebody's landlord, you might even own banks

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

You may be a preacher with your spiritual pride,
You may be a city councilman taking bribes on the side,
You may be workin' in a barbershop, you may know how to cut hair,
You may be somebody's mistress, may be somebody's heir

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

Might like to wear cotton, might like to wear silk,
Might like to drink whiskey, might like to drink milk,
You might like to eat caviar, you might like to eat bread,
You may be sleeping on the floor, sleeping in a king-sized bed

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

You may call me Terry, you may call me Timmy,
You may call me Bobby, you may call me Zimmy,
You may call me R.J., you may call me Ray,
You may call me anything but no matter what you say

You're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody.
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

Copyright © 1979 Bob Dylan/ Special Rider Music

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Jimmy Webb in Concert (my first show--a letter to a far away pal)

Since it is the first time I have ever seen JW live, I had to try to describe how it was for me. I am such a fan of this man's gifts that once upon a time in 2000 I wrote anonymously (for Amazon.com):

The Holy Grail of songwriting...
, March 25, 2000

Reviewer: A music fan
Yep, here 'tis... The preeminent effort of pop music's melancholy maestro. This exquisitely sparse gem is a requirement for every serious student of great songwriting, and my personal prescription for every single solitary soul squeezed through the sieve of life. It and the Bible will fix all your broken parts. And what Ten Easy Pieces can't mend, it will make bearable. The opening strains of "Galveston" alone are worth the ticket price. In his heartbreakingly beautiful introduction here, Webb has poured [out] the landscape of a lifetime. Here again is innate genius - - these songs may have once sounded "simple" at a glance, in their lowest common denominator commercial presentation, but that simplicity was deceptive. Here are ten "easy" pieces, not easy at all, rich with the same intelligence which earmark the greatest musical compositions in history; as Copland, Berlin, Gershwin, Thompson, Bernstein, Bach, etc., full of soaring lines and aching, grinding dissonances - - the stuff life is made of (and quite an accomplishment for a mere teenager to have attained, once). Webb's melodic wisdom, combined with an innate lyric sense, results in a subtly articulated intelligence insinuated throughout the entire CD. Thank God he slowed these cuts down from their previously hyper-sterilized commercial formulaic homogeny. We can view those astonishing landscapes now, one exquisite moment at a time. Other aural jewels here include "If These Walls Could Speak","The Moon's A Harsh Mistress," his version of "Highwayman" which I could write volumes on, alone, and "All I Know." In fact, there isn't a note played or sung on this remarkable collection anywhere which could be considered wasted. This IS the quintessential Jimmy Webb collection; ten of his best-known songs, performed in an achingly tender, intimate context, the way they should be offered... by 'him what conceived them;' just him, and his piano. This IS The Holy Grail of songwriting.

OK. I'm not a journalist. I am a songwriter. An admirer of music, and of great art even. But this man's talent has, until "Ten Easy Pieces," flown beneath the journalistic radar in a way that seems almost intentional. The power and beauty of what he does in perfomance needs to be covered by one with greater eloquence (and typing skills) than I possess.

That said, I concede that there are some things that remain simply inexpressible. My reaction/response to his concert is accordingly so, for I cannot find sufficient words to properly describe what I witnessed. However, I will attempt to (below) give you some impression of the evening.

Due to great fortune and--no doubt--God's mercy, I sat in the front row, dead center. Normally such seating would have proven too profoundly uncomfortable a position for me. I am not a front row concert person. It feels too invasive. I have a few fans and even friends, however, who can sit nowhere else. They stand in lines for hours to see concerts--many even camp outside venues for days in tents for significant events...NOT me. I don't; no, I simply won't exalt any performer(s) to that degree. OK, before last night.

Last night I found myself in company of such rabid fans. Downtown is now dangerous at night and I, not wanting to walk alone post-concert to my van in the dark, accompanied good friends who were determined to see JW up close. I have to tell you though, it was a revelation to have to sit in line with so many other "Webb-heads" devouring boxed dinners on their laps, waiting for the choicest seats, rabidly poised to spring at the slightest cracking of the venue door. And I, too, last night--no longer performer myself--sat and waited there in full view with good friends, alongside fans and sycophants, uncomfortably close to the "gate".

I am so thankful I did. It was the best gift I could have ever given myself. I have waited to see this man perform for ten years. Not many such gifts have actually ever been afforded me. He has not played Austin to my knowledge but one other time, during a SXSW closed concert. Last year I did see songwriting hero Bob Dylan in a gorgeous concert hall in San Antonio, but our seats were so far away, even at a high ticket price we might as well have been in the next county. It was my first experience of Dylan live, though, and not quite the gratifying experience we had hoped for. Although his artistry was undeniable.

But seeing Jimmy Webb last night became nothing short of an epiphany. I could see his eyes. I was four mere feet from his piano. He struggled with it, too, a clunky old Yamaha baby grand rental piano. His difficulty negotiating it seemed to me sort of like a prima ballerina having to dance Swan Lake in construction boots. But his consummate artistry and humility enabled the end result, song after phenomenal song, to transcend its trappings. And I wept.

Repeatedly, Webb gave accolades to those who had put him on the map--luminaries like Glen Campbell whose (commercially distilled) renditions of his songs had given JW a reason to exist...and yet he related how his own good friend Harry Nilsson had under influence of alcohol once opined , "Jim, your singing sucks."

But I wanted to rise up and shout, "God and I LOVE your singing, Jimmy....yours is the stuff of angels! The Lord has every one of your albums... He (and I) know every one of your songs...by HEART !!!"

I never did though. My friends wouldn't have understood. However, I did remove my sandals for the entire duration of his concert. For even I recognized at once that, despite my original uneasiness about the front row, I had indeed been blessed to be seated upon truly holy ground.

At one point between sets I was told by a female friend seated two rows back that the only thing she had enjoyed more than seeing JW live for the first time herself, was watching my enjoyment of him.

Indeed.

At concert's end, I was again at the mercy of my friends' schedules...to get home early--their work day early in the morning and all that. I had no time to stay and introduce myself or possibly cause subsequent embarrassment to my family :-)

Between you and I, though, beyond my surprising emotional response to the evening, I found it overwhelming to observe a vestigial torment others' disapproval/dismissal has wrought upon this man. It is a rejection overtly familiar to me. My instinct in such matters is to at once comfort all those similarly afflicted. For I believe that in The End, contrary to what we posit, it will be our human un-kindness to each other that will be longest remembered as our human legacy, and not our accomplishments.

So, if you ever have occasion to do so, then somewhere down the line would you please tell Mr. Webb that in my humble opinion, his own versions of those songs he's penned is the ONLY version of them that has ever fully displayed their true beauty and perfection. And while others' recordings may have given those songs the visibility and even credibility they indeed deserved, it was him performing his creations last night in such world-weary humility--just one man; one piano--that left me quite certain that I had truly been in the presence of one of God's beloved.

I will never forget it.

Friday, February 02, 2007

Living in Fear (or, "Get Along Little Dogies....")

We humans are being conditioned to fear everything. It's a great way to keep us rollin' along like cattle...(Or is that "chattel?) http://www.ibiblio.org/jimmy/folkden-wp/?p=6935.

Also, here's a short soundbyte of a longtime cowpoke standard:
http://www.gearchange.org/clips/Frankie%20Laine%20-%20Rawhide.mp3 .

Anyway, you have read my other rants regarding the state(s) of just about everything. There were so many, I had to delete an entire year's worth--2004--from this blog. (Sorry I did that--won't happen again)
Now, I feel it incumbent upon me to remind all you over-thirty-something(s) and, even more so, those-not-yet-well-read-enough-to-have-stumbled-across-this-article, that a mere thirty years ago science was drumming fear (sound familiar?) into our brains regarding the impending doom of GLOBAL COOLING. Yessirree! That's right--GLOBAL COOLING--science was sounding the alarm for a 2nd ICE AGE. (You are reading correctly.) And just so you don't comment on HOW I could fabricate anything so preposterous, go look at the original article from April 28, 1975.

Now go look here --
Dennis Miller on Jay Lenno.

Let me dare to suggest, that when you hear incredible news that causes your stomach to knot up, e.g; http://news.aol.com/topnews/ -- please ask yourself, who benefits from (your) fear?

How about this...Plants need CO2 to effect photosynthesis. That's right. CO2 is a natural byproduct of a LIVING WORLD. Living, breathing mammals give off Carbon Dioxide. CO2. Plants utilize CO2--in fact, all the carbon needed for photosynthesis comes from carbon dioxide. CO2. Plants need energy, however, to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose; this energy comes from sunlight. In fact, just so I don't hear from disgruntled scientists about this--those four elements necessary for photosynthesis to take place are:
  • carbon dioxide
  • water
  • light energy
  • chlorophyll
And, as a result of photosynthesis, plants give off Oxygen.

From http://www.sambal.co.uk/(a UK children's science site):
"Photosynthesis is the conversion of carbon dioxide and water into a sugar called glucose using sunlight energy. Oxygen is produced as a waste product."
More HERE.

Last night, I overheard our local weather forecaster previewing an upcoming segment on global warming and HOW HUMANS ARE RESPONSIBLE for it (via too much CO2 being emitted by our vehicles, industry, etc.).

Moo-o-oooo, mooo-o-ooo. (Oh yeah, the Bible calls us "sheep." )

Ba-a-aaaa, ba-a-aaa...

Time to break out of the herd, and do a little more research than browsing through T.V. Guide for tonight's lineup.
OK class, begin....


http://www.oism.org/oism/s32p686.htm
http://washingtontimes.com/commentary/20030825-090130-5881r.htm
http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2006/08/30/mits_inconvenient_scientist/
http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2006/02/richard-lindzens-hol-testimony/
http://www.thenewamerican.com/tna/1997/vo13no25/vo13no25_alarmism.htm
http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110008220
http://www.geocraft.com/WVFossils/greenhouse_data.html
http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/environment/waterworld.html
http://www.ncpa.org/ba/ba230.html
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20061230/news_1n30arctic.html

(see: last paragraph in article)


In The First Global Revolution, published by the Council of the Club of Rome, an international (elitist) organization, the authors note that, "In searching for a new enemy to unite us, we came up with the idea that pollution, the threat of global warming, water shortages, famine, and the like would fit the bill. All these dangers are caused by human intervention... The real enemy, then, is humanity itself." (The First Global Revolution: Club of Rome, Alexander King and Bertrand Schneider, Pantheon Books, New York, 1991, p. 115.)
Finally, let us consider who benefits from our fear:

http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/05/dialectic.htm
http://www.ninehundred.net/control/mc-ch5.html
Those who refuse to learn from history are condemned to repeat it....

P.S. For those outside of Texas, "Dogie" is pronounced "Doe-ghee". Cow. Steer.
Nevermind.

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Adieu, adieu to "Whiteman Stew"...

What a loss of a remarkable effort from fellow musician and Dylan fan, Patrick Crosley. Those of us who have loved Bob's TTRH will now have to work a little harder to preserve those historic broadcasts he so scrupulously maintained. All the best to you and your music, Patrick...

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Quid Est Veritas?

We do not suffer gladly the news that
We are born desiring to be served
Not desiring to serve
We are born self centered
Unless we are shown the value of others
Unless we are taught to place another before ourselves
We will not empathize
We will wallow in narcissism
Some may become sociopathic

Empathy is an acquired trait
It is not instinctive
Primitive tribes do not aspire to serve other tribes--they serve themselves
They have no analysts
They do not understand the cost of such narcissism
Form follows function
Survival of the fittest
King of the mountain
We are educated
But we are not wise

Self-love is deceptive
It is also exclusive
Not inclusive
Self-love extinguishes truth
We prefer to believe we are basically good
Those who serve self do not wish to hear the truth of us
They merely seek to perpetuate their own way of living
No one is born knowing God
We must be dragged to the Truth
Or we will adopt an alternative better suited to our preferences

Why are there so many religions ?
Each one of us has our own interpretation of whom God should be
Each of us prefers our own version
We try to make Him in OUR image
Vanity
Creation was subjected to vanity
And not willingly (Romans 8:20)
He made us this way
We did not make ourselves
We are but chains
He is the forge
We are but fragile clay
He is the Potter

Some of us were designed for function
Others, pleasure
Some, destruction
How can the clay criticize the Potter?
If we were truth-full
We would rush to understand Him
We would seek to know His plan for us
Instead we claim to know what's best for us
Instead the clay claims, "I know the purpose for which I am formed.
It is my destiny."
This, too, is vanity
The Potter says, "Creation was subjected to vanity..."
And not willingly

You can not discern truth from within yourselves, for
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked,
who can know it--"
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways..."( Isaiah )

You are willing to believe anything that sounds good to you
You think reason and logic make your beliefs rational
("There is a way which seems right to man, but its end is death")

Humans will kill to destroy truth
You create myths and cardboard gods
You value the acquisition of knowledge, but not wisdom
Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom
And yet you do not know Him
Instead you boast that through your own efforts you can become divine
This, too is vanity

You can't even see yourself for what you are
And until you are in enough pain
You will not search for real answers
Until your children are in agony
You will not face the truth
Until you want Truth like a drowning man wants to breathe
You will have no answers

Every hour you murder the one(s ) I sent to lead you out of your mess
Every day you kill My truth, substituting what you prefer
Why are you surprised at where your world has come?
Vanity cannot redeem itself from folly
The chain will never become the forge
Pinocchio will never become Gepetto
No one is divine
All must die

If this angers you
You might begin to see the extent of your problem
All are born separated from Me by your (large) egos
Most will grow up to pursue only their own interests
A few will be unhappily dragged home
They will not be deemed beautiful by the world's standards
They will not be successful
They will not be found polishing their thrones
They will possess bloody knees from serving others
They will cling to my Word despite your persecution
They will be given the ability to withstand untold raging darkness
They will be given all My strength to face it

For they all have been crushed beneath my own Rock
And were made whole by trusting Him

There is no other way
There are only those gods you have made for yourselves
I didn't create them
You did
Go ahead
Call out to them in fear
They cannot answer
They are not real

T
here is no other name in which we can find life
No other name by which we can be saved
We cannot save ourselves from us
Our gift lies beneath the Tree of Death
It is a free gift
No extra work required
It is finished...
The price (for you) paid in advance
Accounted (to your name) by your Substitute
Ne additional fees required
No VIP passes accepted.
No personal divinity for the credited
Just true Peace that defies understanding
And freedom from all fear
Eternally
Anything else is vanity
Grasping at wind

Numerous are the choices offered you;
One way leads to Life...
Choose the narrow path
Not the well-traveled roads
Find the Sheep Pen (John 10)
He is the Door
He already knows you
He has given His own life for His sheep
The very hairs of your head were numbered by Him
Before the big bang
(Review: 1st & 2nd Laws of Thermodynamics)
It has been settled in heaven
Before the very foundations of this earth were even laid...

To Him be all glory and honor

Amen.

If you're truly interested..........

Some fine links of interest provided by dedicated fans and friends of ole Bob....

BobDylan.com
Expecting Rain.com
Not Dark Yet.com
The Bob Dylan Starting Point
Slow Train Comin'
Dylan '07

XM Radio -- Bob's Theme Time Radio Hour
XM Radio's Lee Abrams' Blog: THE DYLAN DIARY (PART TWO)

If all else fails to satisfy go HERE.