Why cosmologists seem to hate the word "creation."

Mankind has been seeking an explanation as to why and how things are. Physicists and cosmologists have developed mathematical formula that explain their more recent conclusions. Keep in mind that their conclusions and observations as well as mathematical formula are products of the human mind and limited by its capacity and ability to “conclude.” They may assume that they are certain about things but the fact is that they are not “there” yet. Their search is aided not only by mathematical formulas of their own invention but also the canonization of what they term “universal laws” that mysteriously exist without any explanation. Their approach certainly has some small amount of validity but they may also want to consider ancient concepts and apply them to our present situation. Consider the “logoi.” In ancient philosophies the logoi are sometimes referred to as patterns for everything that exists, but they can only be known indirectly or reflectively. In some ways this concept is similar to the idea of “information” as put forth by the proponents of string theory. Some cosmologists insist that everything that we can observe in our universe today is the result of exploding stars. Interesting since the first words that God theoretically speaks in the Bible is, “Let their be light,” a cosmic Big bang if there ever was one. The question we must ask is what was contained in that “light” and can we accept an irrational concept of the universe “creating” itself?

Sometimes explanations such as logoi are rejected because they have religious or mythic overtones and maybe this rejection is in haste. In the Holy Bible we hear things like: “Let us make man in our own image.” Humans in the Bible were made in the image of God but according to the same Bible are not God. Image is the key word here. That leads us to wonder how that is possible or what it means. In the Book of Exodus, Moses wanted to “see” God but he could not. Instead he was allowed only to view his shadow or image or reflection, or perhaps the logoi of God meaning here meaning God's patterns for creation..

Let us assume the reality of logoi as patterns of existence and/or information. Both Hawing and Susskind believe that the “information” of the universe cannot be lost even in a black hole scenario. In order to understand how the logi may apply here we have to grasp another principle that is used much in scholastic philosophy and theology and that is consubstantiality. Consubstantiality means simply that things are of the same substance. All human beings, for example, share consubstantiality in their human nature. Those who propose string theory could add a further distinction in claiming that while all that exists shares the same substance, that sharing is due solely to the information reflected by the logoi, with whom we are not consubstantial but simply participants. This indicates that there is a further principle or element which we might call”Being” that subsists as the fundamental cause of the logoi.

Humans and all that exist have a natural vibration of existence with each other and every other thing precisely because they share only in the effects of the logoi. Creation remains distinct from the logoi yet humans and the elements are consubstantial with each other. Some cosmologists claim that the entire earth also has a vibration in response to all existence (reflective because of the logoi) and if measured corresponds to e flat on the music scale. As Spock would say: fascinating! At best, the universe as we know it may be

an imperfect reflection of the perfect.

What a Democrat said to me

     I am a registered Democrat.  But I am so ashamed of my party these days. It seems that those who pushed for Obamcare  are the same ones whose  constituents and friends are given waivers.  My party does not have the ability nor the will to come up with a Federal Budget thus creating instability in the government and the nation.  They also do not have the ability nor the will to cut their run away spending and are more interested in playing politics and keeping in power.  Now they are trying to use scare tactics --which many senior citizens fall for -- claiming that the Republican party's plan for Medicare will mean a death sentence for Medicare. 
     Even I know that is not true.  In fact billions of dollars have been "raided" from Medicare to boost Obamcare in order to provide health insurance for those who deserve it, so they say. They claim to be cutting out fraud from Medicare in order to do this.   What seniors must know is that  because of this, we will probably lose about 40% of all Medicare providers.  In the meantime, Obamcare has a panel that will decide if the care you really need will in fact be given to you, and of course if you are a senior and not expected to live -- according to their standards -- you will be denied the care that you need and deserve.  But we are democrats.  By the way, the existence of this "panel" was not included in the health care bill but hidden in one of the  so called failed stimulus packages.  The members are already being chosen and Seniors are going to pay a huge price.  But we are Democrats.  This is the way our own party is treating us?  How can this be?  we have been loyal supporters all our lives. 
     They say that you are what you eat.  I guess, he told me, that you get what you vote for.  Check out the benefits of a person who serves in the congress for just one term and compare those benefits to what you get or even better compare them to what a soldier who serves for 30 years receives.  Better yet, check what benefits the members of congress and their staff receive compared to what you received and what your children receive.  Recently congress gave themselves a $3000 per month -- that is right per month raise.  People on Social Security have not received a raise in benefits in two years.  Congress also bases the benefits for seniors on the magical CPI (Consumer price Index)  which conveniently leaves out fuel and food prices....that way they can claim that inflation is low.  But we are Democrats.  Those poor people in Congress.  They are exempt from Obamcare, Medicare, Social Security and so many things that are supposedly good for the rest of Americans.  But we are Democrats and you get what you vote for.  they are so good and trusting people, those Democrats...my union tells me how to vote for the right democrat.  Isn't it a wonderful world.
     My friend called me today and told me that he is considering joining the Tea Party movement.  I wish him well because I believe that the Republicans in the end are going to cave to the Democrats  as they usually do, despite all the rhetoric.

Praying for Bin Laden and end of the world nutties

     I watched a news report in which a man from a Catholic Church in Florida said that he would not be going to church today because the parishioners wanted to pray for Bin Laden.  He stated that we should be praying for those who were affected by 911 and their families.  Someone  down there in Florida must not be doing their job.  Jesus said to pray for one's enemies.  Jesus also said that the manner in which we forgive will be shown to us.  Now we know that there is a right and a wrong.  Yes we know that sins abound -- St. John says that the person not claiming to be a sinner is a liar.  The devil is the father of lies.  Only God is the judge and none of us better try take his place no matter how sure we are that the person we condemn is totally evil.  From a Christian point of view we might be surprised  who is really in heaven and who is not.
     Then there are those who constantly predict the end of the world.  Most of their predictions are based on faulty research and it shows a lack of appreciation and understanding of the Bible although they may claim to have some expertise. Of course there are others who use such weird things as the Mayan calendar...imagine trusting those who cut out the hearts of people and were engaged in human sacrifice to please some god that could not have possibly existed.  When are we ever going to learn?
     Remember all those called novels about people being raptured and many were not?  The concept of the so called "rapture" is widely misunderstood by most so called evangelicals.  The entire rapture fiasco was born by some  loony in the late 1800's.  The preferred "evangelical" interpretation is just so wrong and people try to make the Bible say what it does not.  Even a child can see through their faulty interpretation.  Many people seem to think that because they have lived a good life they are entitled to heaven.  It does not work that way.  While living a good life is necessary we are saved only because Jesus saves us by his life, death, and resurrection.  When the "rapture" does happen, it will be for all people at the same time.
     Of course, the end and rapture could happen if the mega volcano in Yellowstone Park blows its top or if the asteroid heading to earth  collides with us between now and 2029.  In the meantime, people will make predictions and write books.  If the world is going to end, why do they need the  profits from their book sales?  God laughs in this case because He cannot cry.

A Plan for the Middle East

     Most people call it the Holy Land, and indeed that is what it is.  Some refer to it as the state of Israel while other call it Palestine.  There was once a kingdom of Israel joined to that of Judah. When the Greeks looked at this land, they called it Palestine after the Philistines who once lived there and the Romans later adopted the same name for this small "province" that they had conquered. In later times,  many Arabs who also lived in the same region started to once again call the region Palestine with hopes of setting up an independent state.  Then the United nations stepped in and set up the state of Israel and there has been open conflict ever since.
     When one reads the Bible, the tragedy is that the people called Jews and the people called  Arabs are in fact brothers fighting over the same land.  All of them have the same father, Abraham.  Maybe the land should be renamed the Land Of Abraham.  What is worse is that both Arabs and Jews have allowed outside forces to interfere in their family dispute. Perhaps they  need to go to some kind of family court and maybe they all need some counselling, but in the long run they have to begin to respect one another and grow up.  Add to the problem what is called radical Zionism and radical Islam and one comes up with a whole different set of problems.  The so called Holy Land becomes a place where religion is used as a weapon.  Then how can we call the land, holy?
     For Christians, one of the most important shrines of their belief in the church of the Holy Sepulchre.  Even Christians in the "Holy" Land are sometimes divided and as a result the key to this most sacred building is entrusted to an Islamic family.  Perhaps it is time for the Islamics and the Zionists to really cherish the land as brothers.  Just think of how miserable their family life has been and how many bothers and sisters on both sides have been murdered, not to mention the huge  financial loss they have all endured needlessly.  
     Israelis and Arabs have to realize that "My God is not bigger than your God."  He is one and the same. I have said it over and over:  God laughs because He cannot cry.  But the land belongs to neither Arab and Jew nor to Christians.  People must begin to realize that before it is too late.  So create your states and  governments as you wish, but remember that all are just tenants on the land, nothing more.  Grow up, children!
Of course I realize that it is not all that simple -- the point is that time is running out.  God will be back to reward or to punish.  Probably like most brothers you will say  (in vain) "He made me do it."
   

Does God Speak?

    Does God speak and what does He have to say? In the Book of Genesis God spoke several times. Really? Who was there to hear Him? When we realize how the bible was put together, we have to conclude that although there is an assurance of revelation or guidance understood by Christians and Jews, the books of the bible are also human-theological reflections of that  belief in a variety of literary genres. What this means  is that while essential truths as the believers understood them are presented, they are also transmitted through people who have specific agendas and ways of viewing just about everything. (The church teaches that the words and biblical process are inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit  and are  authentic truth.)

     While the Bible contains many truths and historical records that can and have been verified, when it comes to speaking about God it is often more a poetic description than a photograph. The poet speaks from deeply within his or her own being trying to express an experience or a reality, while the photographer is willing to present his or her experience of reality with the aid of a good camera. Both have specific value.

      Our western minds today play down the value of what we might call mythic experiences as if they were in fact fantasy or made up images, and yet judging from recent movies and video games, the world today embraces fantasy readily. In biblical writings, that which many would like to relegate to the area of myth as they define it, is really a poetic-truth used by someone who is trying to convey reality as he or she experienced it, a believer who wants us to share the impact of his or her experience.

     We must keep in mind that ancient people did not write with the same logic that we use nor with the same grammar nor with the ability to record history and other data as accurately as we can today. To assume and demand otherwise would be false intellectual superiority.   Genesis tells us that the first words of God were: “Let there be light.” This is one of the most interesting of all the “words” of God. Think about it for a moment. What we usually imagine as a contrast to light is darkness or something really black. The truth is we cannot understand absolute black let alone a time when “black” did or did not exist. It is like comprehending the incomprehensible. Today scientists explain reality as we observe it and they search for a recipe that will eventually explain “everything.” In their pursuits they quickly become enthused by things like “dark matter” and this leads them further down the mathematical scale as they struggle to apply formulas to explain what the consequences of this might mean or they apply mathematical equations to elaborate more discoveries such as those that speak of “strings” or holograms in the universe. These “applications” may or may not work and may or may not give a substantial understanding. They are and will remain largely in the theoretical realm remaining  products of the human mind. The question that I like to ask is: what makes mathematical formulas work in the first place?

     How can humans be sure that what they observe and predict is correct or reasonably logical? Can they verify the fact that they might be assuming how something is and then present a formula to show that it is in fact just as they have observed? Scientific tools and other means of observation change. There was a time when science taught that molecules were it, and then came the discovery of atoms, electrons, positrons, and the like. Science is systematized knowledge. It is based on observation and experimentation and like the Bible full of surprises. In all fairness I believe that most scientists  actually cherish surprises.

      When the God of the Bible speaks there is a big difference. In the case of light it is not darkness or a contrast with total blackness that the biblical words compare light with, but a specific darkness called the empty and the void, in Hebrew the “tohu va bohu.” The word “tohu” seems to indicate some kind of basic formlessness while “bohu” seems to express a potential state for fire, earth, wind and water to exist in. In this case, the Bible is clearly stating that God is well beyond measurement and science and when God acts, what is visibly seen or observed is just the result of God's action and not God himself. Science, on the other hand, has testified to what it calls the big bang theory of “creation.” (Many of them forget that this theory was in fact developed by a Catholic priest, a religionist.) Scientists are not sure what caused the big bang, and those who try to say that it was pre-existant gravity or some other force that co-existed that caused it have no explanation as to how and why those specific entities already existed, and what caused them to in essence to create. In the Bible, “Let there be light,” begins it all, the biblical Big Bang.

      Scientists can study the meaning and power of light until the end of time and will probably never understand it completely. The point of Genesis is not that it is out of “nothing” that the universe came to be. We need to ask whether the people of that time comprehended what “nothingness” really meant. On the other hand a few may not have been as intellectually inferior as we might think. The opening lines of Genesis about the world being a formless wasteland with darkness covering it and a great abyss are not meant to be scientific nor an explanation that something already existed that God simply reshaped it in some way. That is the kind of understanding put forth by the Babylonian myth, the Enuma Elish, (Gilgamesh myth) when after a fierce battle Marduk took the bodies of the slain god warriors and created or reshaped them into the universe. What happens in Genesis goes well beyond that kind of reasoning. In many ways the Babylonian myth might be more interesting since a battle between waring gods would really result in a “big bang” ending.

      The Genesis story says that when God speaks things happen, period! There is no explanation nor apologies offered for this. While the texts are not scientific they are not anti-science either. It is notable that many scientists claim that all the elements in the universe that make life possible (including human life) are the result of exploding stars like the super novae pouring out these elements throughout time and throughout the known universe. If that is so then they and the biblical writers might be on the same page. Energized light in science and in biblical record begins it all. “Let there be light” is not just illumination but in fact creative power. (Please keep in mind that the Bible is not a scientific text book yet it does not avoid presenting reality in specific ways.)

      But let us start with the premise of God. How do we know that God exists? The answer to that is simple. We observe. The bible tells us that the fool says in his heart that there is no God. But we need to be more direct. Visible realities exist all around us and we know from science that all these things and the entire universe had a beginning, approximately fourteen billion years ago. Science posits that everything has some kind of transformation and probably an end. Our sun came into existence a long time ago and in this year of 2011 probably has about four trillion years before it disappears forever.

      From observation we too observe that things have both a beginning and an end, and that process somewhat defines what we call time. The “end” can be some kind of finality or a change in direction or some kind of transformation of matter. While time by its nature is fluid or a combination of space and time (space-time continuum) it is not accidental. It is used as a measurement of motion, non-motion, and transformations. Gravity and the entire universe which we thought were once definitive, will end. If things have a beginning and an end or a possible transformation into something different or even into a completely different universe or dimension, then we must determine how this happens --- by what or whom? Some physicists speculate that this is impossible to determine since what we call reality is not reality at all. For them all life, matter, energy and the like are simply illusions. Then why bother to study, observe, and try to manipulate them?

      The point that I am making is that the old idea about a prime mover or agent who kick-starts everything makes a lot of sense. In the universe there are all kinds of anomalies but the universe itself has a definite order even as it continues to expand., despite the presence of what is called dark energy, which scientists claim is bent on destroying all that exists. (The question I raise is: What will destroy the dark energy?)        

      There is also strong indication of evolutionary processes within components of the universe and there are things that happen with predictable regularity, things measurable like gravity, mass, energy, and tiny particles of atoms, yet many of these have not been completely understood. A few physicists posit that perhaps there is a multiplicity of universes with similarities and differences to that which we know and observe. They also point out that there may be as many as eleven dimensions and many universes, and that big bangs happen all the time if these universes collide with each other. Whenever cosmologists speak of gravity and time, it still leaves open the question as to what propels gravity and why time is a movement or a measure of movement and why these things exist in the first place. For most people time measures events that occur in what seems to be irreversible succession --- from the past through the present to the future. We need to ask these questions: is the past ever present? Is the present ever future? Is the future ever beyond what I now observe? While time signifies or indicates motion it never answers the root cause of that motion. Universes need animation, force, power, energy or whatever to get things going. The explosiveness of light energy seems to fit the bill. “Let there be light” seems rather realistic. Why are these the “first” recorded words of God? Wouldn't it be better if his first words were something like “Here I am,” “I, the Lord,” or “Look at me” or even “ta- dah;” but they are not. So in this instance perhaps the Bible is scientific without meaning to be.

Immigration

     What good are the immigration laws that are on the books if they are not being enforced?  While we are off fighting to secure the borders and the infrastructure of other countries, our borders are unprotected and our infrastructure is quickly becoming a joke---politics as usual.
     Immigration is a natural right but it has to be done in the right manner. Such things as "dream acts" and amnesty are just political ploys and not worth the effort, well meaning as they may seem.  Politicians have to quit using "people" as tools and start enforcing and obeying the immigration laws.  They are good laws and fair and when you consider how generous they are compared to the rest of the world, it is the world that needs to catch up to american generosity in this matter.
     Illegals mean illegal...period, unless amnesty has been requested.  There is a right and wrong way of doing things, a fair way and  an unfair way.  The current laws are not unfair.  So enforce them and quit giving people what appears to be the "easy" way out  (all in the name of some misguided compassion.)  When you give them the "easy" path you demean them as individuals.
     All my grandparents were immigrants.  They did it the right way and it was very difficult and they were very poor and not always welcomed.  But they made it and their children helped make this nation strong and defended it in times of war.  Aliens need to be treated kindly as all visitors need to be respected.  But they have to learn that the easy way belittles what they are and the struggles that they face in life.

Does He feel the Pain?

     The President is fond of telling  his "fellow" Americans that he feels the pain.  His agenda and many of his cabinet appointees makes me wonder about all that.  When it comes to something as vital as the price of oil, Americans know that their beloved commodity speculators, many of whom make millions in bonuses, are very capable of raising the price of crude oil almost at whim.  All  they have to do in a capitalistic society is "speculate."  It is a tool that is enshrined and blessed by a people who want that kind of thing to be permitted.  It is too bad when people lose their jobs, cannot buy food, and have a high rate of  inflation that is truly under-reported by a government whose only concern is that it grows bigger and bigger.
     The President is for  "green" energy, right here and right now.  It makes no difference to the President  what kind of resources we have in the ground that we can in the meantime use as we move to greener energy and begin to really build on it as a long term solution.  His agenda is "now."  He spreads fear that if we do not do it "now" we will not do it at all.  But he feels your pain as his administration "partners"  with oil companies in Brazil and elsewhere to "supply" America.
     We have in the United States an EPA the pushes ethanol.  What a joke and what a dismal failure yet even with all that the EPA is calling for more production of something that diminishes mileage and pollutes the air worse than gasoline.  But this is the policy of the present administration and they feel our pain and that of the rest of the world that has seen commodities rise to historic prices.
     In the meantime, one may want to investigate the administrations relationship with certain people who are making huge sums of money in the commodities market,  just to be on the safe side and of course for transparency. Watch out for an executive order that will in effect circumvent Congress and establish Cap and Trade Commodities, probably in Chicago --and then watch as Americans are swindled by some pretty shrewd people and the pain will be even greater for Americans who will in effect pay exorbitant prices for basic services like electricity and natural gas.  It will of course be because  one has an agenda that wants "green" energy now.  By the way, isn't money green?

Muslims in Egypt attack Christians

     So they are at it again.  Muslims have repeatedly attacked Christians throughout the world and once again in Egypt.  This does not bode well for a religion of "peace."  I find it a bit ridiculous that people can get upset because a person wants to convert or does not want to convert to a particular religious following.  Once again if the religion that you cherish and wish people to convert to is all that good, then let people pick and choose if they want to convert to your religion.  Certainly one would prefer a relgion of "peace" if that is what it truly is.
     If, on the other hand, one is insecure in his or her belief and believes that only force can lead a person to conversion and peace, then that person has either not understood  his or her religion, does not really believe in it while claiming to, or actually denies what the religion teaches and would rather use religion as a weapon to control individuals or nations.  That is always a fatal mistake.  Theocracies are always brutal and  theocratic leaders  interpret their particular "religion" in ways that suit their purposes.  In this day and age a state religion or a government run by a supreme religious dictator  is simply ludicrous.
     Yet there are so many in the world that fall into the trap of thinking that their religion must dominate the world because their leaders and their beliefs are so perfect and only they have the path to God.  And God laughs!  There are those who are so easily manipulated by people who seem to be religious leaders that they will do anything asked of them --even to become suicide bombers and kill innocents, or become terrorists attacking "perceived" enemies.  Of course their enemies are portrayed as evil or some kind of Satan or those who are out to rule the world and destroy all other  religions.  Ignorant people on all sides are so easily manipulated and fall for that kind of lunacy and those who "pull their chains" are very well aware of that.
     All states should remain secular and those religious types who wish to control lives must be driven into permanent exile.  If one is truly a follower of a "perfect" religion, then he or she should never have any fears about that religion not being appreciated and accepted --if it is that good, who would not want to accept it? But people do not think, and most are led around like little animals doing just what their masters want them to do and they perform at the command of masters who more than likely care less about God than most people imagine.  When are good people going to wake up?
     The Christian world has certainly had its failed theocracies over the past 2000 years.  It had notorious crusades and conquered people in the name of God and forced people into conversion.Theocrats in Christendom were ruthless and often murderous.  And God laughed because God cannot cry.  I would hope that by now the world of Islam would have learned that trying to create false or "perceived" enemies just is not going to work and that someone in the Islamic world needs to rise up and purify Islam and not worry about the rest of the world.  If Islam is perfect, then once again, people will want to embrace it.  Clearly that is not the mood of most people today especially when religion is constantly being used in an irreligious manner.



    

Happy Mother's Day

     I had the perfect mother. No kidding. I know that most people like to think that is the reality in their life, but I assure you what I say is true. Of course all human beings have failures, faults, and moments that defy explanation, but that need not destroy who they are and their humanity. Let me tell you about my mother. I was blessed to enjoy her presence well into my 60's and she and my father were married for almost 73 years, which is astounding.

      She was the eldest child of immigrant parents. The world was just starting to recover from World War I and life was not easy. Because of my grandmother's health my mother was able to go to school only into the eighth grade. There would eventually be 10 other children and my grandmother needed help. Immigrants from Italy were poor and not always welcomed and my grandfather struggled to provide for the family. Items like shoes and clothing had to be shared and passed down to siblings and there were few extras to be enjoyed. As the children grew older, they pulled together and eventually enjoyed living in a wonderful three story house that gave their children and grandchildren many happy memories.

      My mother met my dad when she was 16 and they eventually married. The depression years that they endured were very difficult. Then came World War II. While my father worked for the railroad and was considered a national security worker, my mother worked for a short time in a plant that had been converted to making bombs. In the meantime my sister and my brother and I were cared for by unmarried aunts and by grandparents. While it seemed that we always had plenty, there were many items that were simply unable to be obtained or the cost was prohibitive. It was a time of sacrifice and rationing. I well remember my parents forgoing some items so that the kids might have just a little more especially at Christmas time.

      What made her a great mother is that even into her old age she was always available to her children and constantly poured out her love. If she had any bad habits, it was that she was a compulsive-obsessive house cleaner. My father liked to take spontaneous trips for ice cream or to go on a picnic, or just take a ride in the country. My mother would not go out of the house if there were one dirty coffee cup in the sink, because as she said: “What is the firemen have to come here to put out a fire? What might they think?” Her cleaning became legendary in the family and is still a happy topic of conversation.

      She never cared for fancy things and items like jewelry. It seemed that she was more interested in what the children had to eat and wear than how she looked, and she took good care over the few “nice” things that she owned. For many years she suffered from a severe type of eczema that forced her to have her hands bandaged for long periods of time, yet this never slowed her in what she perceived as necessary chores. While she never completed school she insisted that her children always took classroom subjects seriously and excelled in them. When we were too young to read she always read stories to us and always went through our school assignments meticulously. She was an avid reader and a good listener and seemed to have the right advice when we freely brought our problems to her.

      Other than visiting relatives in a nearby state we did not travel much. Later, when my twin brother and I had moved out of state, my parents began to travel so that they could be with us and enjoy our new homes, which my mother generally rearranged to suit her purposes, especially in the kitchen area. Even though we were separated by over a thousand miles most of the time, I managed to speak with my parents on a daily basis except for those times that I was traveling. As both parents began to age, I provided them with a cat and a dog and this gave them an added purpose in life now that all their children including a third son had moved on. At times this presented a burden but during our younger years we were permitted to share our lives with dogs and cats, something that I still continue to do today.

      It is difficult to explain to describe a person in a few short words except that even into my old age I knew that I was loved by both parents and especially by my mother. It was never a love that was distant. Because of that I knew that I could always share my dreams and innermost thoughts with my mother without necessarily getting nor wanting her approval but always wanting and needing her love.

      That kind of relationship is not always possible these days and sometimes we read about those few terrible mothers who abandon their children or worse. The truth is that those mothers are in the minority and have no idea what they are really missing except that in the end their lives will be full of misery and they will tragically have to go it alone.         

   Whoever thought of Mother's day had a good idea but we must never forget that there are also those who while not mothers do nurture and guide us with the same kind of love, simply because they care for us and our well being. Our response is simply to be that of quiet gratitude and to especially see to it that our mothers and fathers are cared for in their own age even when they seem to be trying our patience. More than likely they never complained about caring for us when we were infants and they never looked at us as intruders into their lives but instead as sources of joy.

      Christians and others believe that when we fail to honor our parents we fail to honor God who provided them for us. One of God's commandments orders us to respect and obey (hear)* them at all times. Parents may at times suffer disappointment at what their children do or fail to do, but great parents never stop loving them. The world today is often one of disrespect. A celebration like Mothers Day reminds us that it need not be that way. --Ralph

* In Latin and Hebrew, the root word for obey and to hear are one and the same,

One way to win a war without firing a shot

     Ever since the dawn of civilization people have been engaged in kingdom and nation building. Wars, with their corresponding brutality and destruction, are a disturbing fact of history and they make one wonder if mankind really does have a purpose in life. Many alive today have lived at a time of constant warfare somewhere on the planet. With rapid media communication people sitting in their living rooms have the opportunity to watch these wars as they developed and are played out. 

While one must always have hope for humanity, this does not bode well.

      But who really needs a war to destroy another nation? Bombs, cyber attacks, financial manipulation and stirring up political unrest might seem to work but in the long run they are rather messy and have a way of unraveling. No, in order to destroy a nation one needs a bit of time and careful planning and no shots need to be fired and no war pursued. It takes patience.

      Let us consider that we want to conquer a nation, perhaps a large and wealthy one that if we were engaged in a physical war could annihilate us in a matter of seconds. First we know that our kind of war is going to take a number years but we have discipline and there are others who will follow in our footsteps. We carefully work our way into that country's society especially in the area of social interaction. In a short time we begin to talk about how there are inequities in society or how one particular part of that society is treated unfairly. Let us consider the perceived “plight” of women.

      The fact is that in that particular society that we wish to destroy there have been struggles that women have been involved in and to some degree they are treated differently in areas like the work place and their ability to lead in certain roles. We talk at every opportunity about these things and eventually this gets the attention of many people and laws are passed to rightly remedy these inequities. But that is not our plan. It is only the beginning.

      Working with these new laws, which are in fact just, we now begin to teach that the constitution of the land clearly says that women have the right to abortion on demand. That begins to raise eyebrows and quickly sides are taken. Eventually we help form or aid struggling women organizations to protest Congress and state houses to provide funding for abortion, especially for the poor. Much talk is put forth about rape and incest. Little is actually said about why there might be a high number or rapes among the poor and what if any funding is done to prevent the rapists.

      At the same time pundits have to speak about how some women cannot psychologically be pregnant because they are pursuing a career other than that of being a mother, or they are psychologically weak and incapable of being a good mother. Caring people intervene and further laws are suggested (with our help) and they pass, laws that allow abortion on demand and even an abortion just before a child is to be delivered. We carefully intervene in the many court cases that arise and we also help to make sure that abortionists are protected as an industry.  Then we help create and fund well known national providers.

      But warfare also implies enemies and we have a few. The largest are churches who constantly and in many ways challenge what we are promoting. This allows us to have another skirmish and we begin to talk about why churches cannot be in the political debate and why they need to be taxed. When this does not work, we bring out what amounts to a super weapon and we begin to attack churches in ways that will divert them from their real ministry, cost them millions, and eventually silence them. In the meantime, we defend our ability to make money from abortion, although that is not our real purpose.

      Our goal is to destroy the nation and once again it takes patience. We know that after 30 years of killing unborn infants at the rate of six or seven million a year, the nation we are planning to take over will have zero growth. That opens up a whole new area and eventually we plan for the values of that nation to be eroded as we begin to insist on a nation that has to be inclusive and politically correct, not offending anyone else on the planet in any way. In the meantime we simply hint about class warfare and we begin to enter into situations where we invest in things like commodity markets and cap and trade schemes and energy. Zero growth nations have never survived, never! But wait, there is a nation to the south. Let us now encourage them to flood into the zero growth nation and provide for a better life.

      The people from the south are not in favor of abortion and in another 30 years, they will be the majority of the population in our nation. In order to please them and to facilitate their growth we will eventually repudiate the abortion laws and make abortion on demand and by government funding a thing of the past. We will at the same time convince those living in land “zero” that these poor immigrants simply want and deserve a better life and that they need to offer them everything at their disposal and be good neighbors. The fact is that is that the people from the south are looking for, a better life, and their current way of living is horrendous. But that is not our concern and we might even create some amount of chaos in their home country to facilitate our plan and push more of them into zero land. When they arrive in “zero” land we try to convince them that they can eventually make all the rules and the land and its values are now theirs. At this time we have also been preparing institutions to train them in our way of thinking, of course in a subtle way, especially by lowering certain cherished standards in education and the need to be engaged in a “global” economy. We also begin to insist that things like the Pledge of allegiance to the flag, and patriotism are unnecessary and intrusive to the beliefs of others.

      Gradually we step in and begin to offer advice and services and the means for continued class warfare and struggle as we promote an ideology (ours) that will suit the new country in its growth. No shots have been fired, no bombs dropped, no cyber attacks or reign of terror has taken place. We have used what we simply found already exists and while women and abortion are just one issue, there are other avenues that we could have pursued. Now it is on to the next “zero” nation.

      I write about these thing not because I agree with them but because they can make us stop and think about our own values and what it is we cherish, how important they are to us, and whether we will defend them at all costs. Does it make any sense to have our men and women fighting wars in foreign lands so that the people there might have some ability to enjoy life and determine their outcome free from oppressive leaders while our own country is falling apart? What we need are leaders in our country, but what we have are lifetime politicians who are more dedicated to their own welfare and the grabbing of power. As a result the nation has been sold down the proverbial drain making attacks on America rather simple. The war is not over yet but it is getting there. Not too long ago some obscure Russian prophesied that by 2012 America will be gone. That is something to think about.

CAN TURTLES FLY?

      It is no secret that grandparents like to brag about their grandchildren. All one has to do is to is to inquire about them and most grandparents will immediately and gladly show you their latest photos and tell you how they are and what they have been up to. While we may laugh at this, it is something that we expect to happen, and lets face it, it is something that grandparents really need to do.

      While I have no grandchildren, I do have some rather young cousins. As you might expect they are characters, the kind that are creating legends. I thought that I might write about Joey who is now four years old. One day, when he was two years old, I was visiting with my cousin and she asked me to keep an eye on Joey who was playing in the back yard. They live in the country and it is not uncommon to see wild animals roaming about. From time to time we have also noticed a rather large snapping turtle that lives near a small stream just over the hill. Joey had decided that we would call her Myrtle.

      His parents have constantly told him that it is all right to watch the animals and Myrtle but that he must always keep his distance from them and not frighten them in any way. That particular day Joey decided to go out and look for butterflies. Even at two he was one of those exceptional little boys who could count to twenty, spell his name, and he knew shapes and colors, something that many four year olds struggle with. He also has a vivid imagination. As we walked around the yard I asked him where the turtle might be. Without missing a beat he said, “I think it flew away.” I looked at him and could not help laughing as I responded that I did not know that turtles could fly, but he assured me that they could.

      The entire family had a good laugh over that incident. Then I began to think. Why not? What if turtles could fly? I am now in the Medicare age group, way into it and perhaps you might think that I have finally lost my mind. That could be. Many in my generation might recall the words that Judy Garland sang in the movie the Wizard of Oz: “If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow—why oh why can't I?” We know of course that turtles cannot fly. They do not have wings like birds, or do they? Even though he is now four, Joey watches a lot of Disney type movies and I know that he has seen turtles swimming under water. Even a brilliant child might conclude that as they move their legs, these are really wings. So because of that possibility, I too have decided that turtles can fly.

     Thanks to rapid communication and technologies unheard of or even contemplated by our grandparents, we live in a wold of quick and true scientific fact and almost absolute certainty. If we are honest most of us enjoy living in this world but sometimes we prefer things to be predictable. Many people my age get upset when the daily routine does not follow a set pattern. Why is that? Of course we live in what we have determined is the real world, but we have to ask ourselves what happens when we forget how to dream and to be surprised by the little things that are unexpectedly sent our way?

      When I was fifteen and sharing my dreams with a relative, he told me that if I kept dreaming I would end up being disappointed in life and probably not amount to anything. My parents had always taught me to be respectful of my elders but in this case I quipped back, “That may be true, but you are not the one who will steal my dreams.”

     Life is all about possibilities. I know people who are well into their 80's who are are vibrant, happy, and such a joy to be with. I remember one day talking with a fellow amateur radio (ham) operator who had just got his first computer at age 85. He was very excited.  Even today I share emails with a friend who is 92.

      Perhaps grandparents who never brag or talk about their grandchildren have given up on life's possibilities. I doesn't have to be that way. Could it be that people have stopped listening to the stories that grandparents might want to share and are too busy to hear them? What if we were to tell people that it is not too late and that God cares and He listens to their stories? What if we took the time and asked them if they knew that turtles could fly? What was it that Jesus taught about the simplicity of a child? Perhaps the next time you are in your back yard you might want to take a really good look. What you see may surprise you. (This is an article that I wrote previously for a Senior Network.) Ralph

New Castle --A Pennsylvania town that many pass by

    New Castle in western Pennsylvania was once a vibrant city of over 50,000 people.  Now the population has fallen to 28,000.  When people and business began to leave the city, the town itself fell into disrepair.  About ten years ago it was decided that the down town area of the city should undergo a renovation and it was truly remarkable.  The city is fortunate to be at the juncture of I-376, US 422 and just a few miles from I-79 and I-80.  Years ago it was a large industrial hub and four different rail road companies brought goods in and out of the city as well as passenger travel.  That is now gone.  Yet this is a city that has great possibilities.
    The city now needs people to invest in it and to start new businesses.  There is easy  highway access to Pittsburgh which is about 45 miles away and the New Castle Transit Authority runs a number of daily buses to Pittsburgh on a daily basis.  There is even a bus that runs to the Rivers Casino on the North shore or Pittsburgh.  Like any city there are some areas that are run down but other areas seem to have shown a renaissance and boast some wonderful homes.  Real estate in new Castle is a fantastic bargain that many people have not yet discovered.  There are some magnificent mansions in the city such as these:

The city also boasts of several Victorian  and Edwardian style homes in the North Hills section of town.  It has been said that years ago, during  the same time that the original Warner brothers of movie fame lived here, New Castle had more millionaires than most cities in the United States.  Their homes were typical of an era now gone by but are well preserved.   I am simply amazed at home prices in other areas of the country compared to those in  the western Pennsylvania area.  In many areas one might expect to spend upwards of a million dollars dollars for houses pictured here.  Even those in need of renovation are still a bargain.   Pictured here are many that have undergone renovation.    

           
     But a city is about people and the people living in New Castle are hard working and down to earth and most live a rather simple life in neighborhoods where people still know and look after each other. Churches are found  throughout the city and they are well attended by the faithful who are largely Catholic and Protestant with a mixture of Eastern orthodox, Muslim and Jewish worshippers as well.
     While the city still needs to develop a better infrastructure and recreational facilities, it has great schools and a street department that is excellent at quick snow removal in the winter months.  The city sits on seven hills and between the Neshannock and Shenango rivers and near by streams afford great fishing.  The city hosts several festivals throughout the year the largest being “Back to the 50's” and the official fourth of July celebration, which is always held a week after that day since the area is home to the largest producers of fireworks displays in the country and they are quite busy prior to the fourth of July.

On a typical day it is not uncommon to view Amish people riding their horse-drawn wagons into town as they shop or sell their wares.  Most live in the near by village of New Wilmington. 
    One of the great advantages of living in Pennsylvania is that while there is a sales tax of 6% basic items such as food, clothing, and medicine are exempt.  A great advantage of living in Pennsylvania is that retirement income is not taxed by the state while the Federal Government continues to tax things like social security income that many retirees depend upon. In time New  Castle will rebound, but like anything prices will go up and opportunities disappear.  This is a city waiting to be rediscovered.   Ralph

Bin Laden --a time to Rejoice?

     It was just a matter of time for Bin Laden.  Either he would have died from his illnesses or as it has been reported, by assassination.  The fact is that he was not an Islamic leader but taught a perversion of Islam, a perversion that seems to have been taken up by many other so called Islamic fundamentalists.  What is troubling is that many in the Islamic world stood by and considered him a hero against America, which they touted as being the great Satan.
     America is not a perfect country but it does offer what many other countries do not.  The policies of the Unites States government toward other nations and leaders have had serious flaws in the past. On the other hand there has never been a nation as generous as the United States.  If it were not for the United States many more people throughout the world would be dead from disease or starvation and other things.  The United States has often lost sons and daughters in wars that were not our own but were forced upon smaller and defenceless  nations. American citizens have and enjoy the right to openly protest the policies of their government, a right not afford to many others living throughout the world by their governments who rule by absolute control. Many might consider the United States to be a country with no religion although the majority attend some kind of church and most believe in God.
      At times certain so called enlightened leaders downplay the role of religion in the United States or even hamper it. Even then the American people, who never claim that they are perfect, are not dissuaded by misguided legislators and other leaders.  In the United States all religions are protected.  Some countries claim in their constitutions that religion is protected but it is in fact persecuted or under the direct control of the government.  In many countries only one religion is allowed. That has always made me wonder about these religions.  If the "permitted" religion is so great and true, then why even worry about how its citizenss may choose to worship, and why have a state run theocracy?  If these religions are that insecure then they must have a fundamental problem of identity and faith.  If they are truly great religions then will not people freely choose them?
     Separation of church and state is a remarkable doctrine.  It is embraced in the United States by a constitution that in effect says that there shall not be a state run religion and that religious practices of all believers shall be  carefully protected.  This is a totally innovative doctrine which means that even secularism as a religion or an atheistic approach to life is protected. 
     People like Bin Laden and those who want to follow after him want to replace all religions with some kind of perverted religion that they have invented and embraced. Americans must realize that it is definitely not pure Islam.  What is  disturbing is that so many Islamic leaders are not screaming their heads off about those who continue to pervert Islam and use it for their own nefarious purposes.  Can you image how perverted a religious teacher has to be when he tells a 10 year old child how to be suicide bomber?  When good religious leaders in the Islamic world do not pursue these false teachers they fail to praise God and end up defaming the Prophet's teaching.
     There is one thing that the world must seriously begin to recognize about the images of rejoicing that have been carried over Unites States television stations and the INTERNET over Bin Laden's demise.  The majority of those who are happily "worked up" at Bin Laden's death and are seen in these images were either not born before 911 or were very young at the time.  This bodes well for the American future, which will not always be perfect but which will have a new impetus for a future of hope.

Television devolution

     Have you noticed just how bad television has become?  Just when Facebook, Twitter and a host of other media outlets and smart phones with all kinds of apps have appeared and have become a source of rapid information as well as entertainment,  it is not clear what those who are promoting television these days have in mind other than commercials and ratings.  
     Check your cable or satellite info channel and you will readily find that a program that has been on one network is now on another or that a network chooses to repeat the same program over and over during a given week.  How many channels need to run Buffy the Vampire Slayer or an entire day of How It Is Made?  One channel even runs what it calls a Christmas special all day long on Christmas day except that the story has little if anything to do with Christmas and something to do with a BB gun and a lamp in the shape of a woman's leg. How amazing.
     As part of the media, television still has much to offer in the way of instant news reports and there a few networks exclusively devoted to that venue, but often the depth of reporting and interviews are governed more by the constraints of time and the need for commercial sponsoring, that those who interview guests are forced to ask what often amounts to inane questions and to cut worthy dialogue short. 
     Perhaps television should also adopt a newer way of delivering commercials, say at the beginning of a program instead of during it.  People could then tune in for the program and skip the commercials, most of which seem to be made for individuals whose intelligence is about six points below that of a well trained Airedale. The truth is, what do we "really" know about the products that are commercially pushed at us? People might watch meaningful and informative commercials and perhaps the "fat police" would be happy if people did not use commercial time to go the kitchen to obtain more junk food to eat.
     Even Public television needs sponsors and they seem to handle it quite well, although some in Congress want to cut their funding claiming that they  (the Public Television stations) lean to the left or the "other" side, whatever that may mean at the moment.  Perhaps Congress would serve the country better by not allowing just a few individuals or corporations to control all the majority of the  media outlets, but there is little chance of that happening.
     There is still much value to be found in television but as the INTERNET continues to grow it seems that what we now call television is getting "lazy."  Some people who have had successful programs on television are now giving them up and choosing to have the same kind of program via the INTERNET.  Things could get exciting and television networks have the choice of changing or getting on the bandwagon.  Given their recent offerings, I think we should all begin to worry.   Ralph