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Thursday, July 13, 2006

Moral Seriousness

I have the flu, and I thought I'd spare you all my fevered musings yesterday. It is moving through our little local towns with the speed of light. But today my humanitarian impulses seem to have tailed off with my fever, so I thought I'd comment on the news.

First, Israel. All I can to do is pray that Dr Sanity is right, and I'm doing that. Naturally, Edgy Adji is partying. I wonder if he's ever heard the phrase "He who laughs last, laughs best"? Probably not. Israel is in a terribly difficult position, because Hamas is now promising that it will launch rocket barrages from Gaza, etc into Israeli territory. It's now clear that those who advocated for the Gaza withdrawal were wrong, and that's a fact that we'll all have to deal with to some extent, but the Israelis will have to deal with it immediately and forcefully. If they try for peace, the opposition's response is to grab an opportunity to kill them. So Israel has returned to the 1960's, and the question is whether they can avoid 1967. Edgy Adji wants a nuclear do-over of the 1967 war. That is clear.

Israel and Iraq are only small parts of a bigger battle going on in the world. Will most humans end up living under regimes that allow self-determination, which can only be found under a democracy, or will most of us be slaves? I felt acute sympathy with Gorbachev's dilemma in this ABC News article. On the first page he complains that Bush is unrealistic about wanting Russia to have an American-style democracy. On the second page he's complaining about the lack of glasnost and elections, but still claiming that he supports Putin because he believes Putin is a moral person who will bring democracy to Russia. By the end of the second page he's hoping that his grandchildren will live under a democracy in a peaceful world, but doubting it. How Gorbachev's advice or hopes really differ from that of President Bush I was unable to discover.

So the political question for the western countries is really what side we will be on. Will we try to work for an expansion of freedoms across the world? Or will we retreat into some sort of temporary, self-generated illusion that insists that the world is an entirely different place than it actually is? If we return to the 1960's in our country, it's another ten years of lethal Woodstock, followed by an era of extreme danger. There is one thing I could never stand about hippies, and that was their belief that it was okay to defecate in public and fail to clean it up. They would gather in large groups, proclaim a new era of wonderful idealism, and decamp, leaving piles of crap on the ground and an awful stench for the locals to remove unless they wanted the water contaminated. A worldview that does not include this basic sense of personal responsibility is one that is profoundly unhealthy on multiple levels.

The younger generations don't admire hippies. They stare at them in bemused worry:
"Tune in, turn on, drop out. Free love. Everything was free. No responsibility. We all still have that kind of feeling, that free spirit," Ms. Harvey told the Milwaukee newspaper. "We're talking about the Beatles and 'Love Child' and round, purple glasses. And we wear the badge proudly. I'm an old hippie."

Asked by the interviewer how a hippie ages, she replied, "Hey, we never do. We just progress."
...
We have lost the consciousness of dying, which is the consciousness that we must have before the consciousness of living. What the boomers are left with is not really a consciousness at all, but a feeling. And as the baby boomers taught younger generations, if it feels good, do it.
I would quibble slightly with the conclusion. We need a consciousness of our own deaths to live well. Life and death occur on automatic. But the consciousness of the temporary and limited nature of our individual lives is absolutely necessary for us to live determined and thoughtful lives that try to pass on better conditions for the next generations. And these types don't have that necessary rock on which to stand. They are determined to remain children, but they wish to be admired as some new, highly evolved form of super-adult.

In their world, as Dr. Sanity points out, fasting to end war includes coffee and ice cream. Nor is this a cheat or quiet sneak. Oh, no, when Cindy Sheehan talks about the difficulties of fasting while travelling, she herself bemoans the fact that all she can find to sustain her fast is coffee and vanilla ice cream. I guess the hippie concept of fasting is that the thought trumps the action? They are a group of people who have raised amorality to an art form.

Dr. Sanity wrote:
We have a terrible choice before us. Terrible, because no matter what option we take American blood will be spilled. But if we meekly submit to the terrible vision of the depraved religious fanatics of Islam; if we do what Jimmy Carter did in the 70's; and what most Democrats and those on the left desire we should do now; then the cost--in lives and in liberty-- will be incalculable for generations of Americans to come.
...
Iran is confident that even George Bush will not dare stand against their plans for Middle Eastern Armageddon.

I think that Ahmadinejad is wrong about this. The part of America that has lost the courage to stand for what is right; and who have been in psychological denial since 9/11, are not in power today--and I fervently hope they won't be for years to come.
The question is one of numbers, because this is a democracy. Will those who do have some contact with reality retain control of power? Will there be enough of them to produce a workable public debate? Good government can never be a matter of avoiding idiocy; it must include a serious and credible opposition. Without realistic alternatives developed out of a realistic debate, those in power become corrupt very rapidly. Without a Democratic party capable of nominating a reasonable candidate, we could easily find ourselves in the position of choosing between a fool and a knave. The thought of an Al Gore type in power and an Edgy Adji cavorting unobstructed through the "Persian" Gulf fills me with deep anxiety, but I don't want to be forced to vote for a Nixon type either.

Update: Mover Mike has written on Israel's dilemma. I am afraid he is correct in his conclusion:
If...Israel decides upon the aggressive course, do not threaten. Attack the designated targets immediately. Do not let the Arabs prepare and the U.S. intercede. Governments rarely give way to threats, certainly not autocratic governments and not in religious matters. To delay aggression would greatly increase the cost of victory.
Betsy Newmark contemplates Israel's position:
It is clear that Iran is orchestrating what its minions in Syria and Hezbollah and Hamas have done to attack Israel. This may be just the beginning.
...
This is all part of Ahmadinejad's quest for nuclear weapons. Does anyone have any doubt that they or their willing tools would use such weapons. And in Iran's point of view, it doesn't matter if they use it against Americans and Iraqis or against Israelis. Both would serve their malign purposes. Israel is fighting our war now.
More than our war, unfortunately. They are fighting a war for all nations that want to maintain a possibility of a world not dominated by pure thuggery. Ugly as this all is, it is happening. Shrinkwrapped makes an excellent point in his disappearing-and-reappearing post on Asymmetric Psychology. Perhaps the best identification of the dilemma of the west and of all Muslims who want to be Islamic in freedom is SC&A's post today:
Universal laws no longer exist in the Arab world. What was once assumed to be understood as universal expressions of civilized behavior is no longer a reality in the Arab world.
There's the asymmetry and their only advantage.


Comments:
MOM, my answer to this problem has been stated in Book Review: Samson Blinded and now today comparing Israel to a chained dog.
 
Verifiable proof that "Armageddon" has begun…

Hello Mama and all,

Pay close attention, profundity knocks at the door, listen for the key. Be Aware! Scoffing causes blindness...

Did you ever consider that Christianity is the false prophet of the Apocalypse, that Rome is the so-called anti-messiah, and Jesus Christ is the false messiah? The symbolism of seven years (tribulation) would refer to the seven 360-year cycles from the 11th cycle (second temple period) until now, the 17th cycle on the Hebrew calendar. Remember that the prophecies were written by Hebrews, not Romans or other Europeans, and Revelation is a symbolic treatise. Therefore, years are symbols for 360-year cycles on the Hebrew calendar. Likewise, a day symbolizes a literal year and Judgement Day, and Great Day refer to a year long period. The so-called Tribulation is now coming to an end, not starting, and the three faiths of Abraham have all been deceived by Rome during the previous age, which ended in year 2000 (5760). A new age began in 2001 (5761) and now the seventh angel has begun to sound!

Hurricanes Katrina (#11) and Rita (#17) last year provided stunning validation of my research and interpretations of pivotal ancient wisdom, symbologies, key prophecies, and associated religious claims. Their storm numbers and timing perfectly synchronized with primary data and assertions in my book, thereby demonstrating the true nature of this universe and the existence of our Creator. We are now entering the final phases of the pivotal year-long period long symbolized as "Armageddon" and the "End of Days." World-wide situations and events are now accelerating to set the stage for this summer's dramatic continuation of these ancient promises.

I fully understand that everyone has been bedeviled by similar claims throughout history. Consequently, I have been forced to rely on dramatic and devastating proof of the sort that can’t be ignored or easily dismissed. The numbers and timing of hurricanes Katrina (11) and Rita (17) directly validate key data and pivotal assertions throughout my book and my posts on those two forums. This data was purposely presented publicly before Katrina, Rita and other recent events occurred to prove they perfectly synchronize with key prophecies and Hebrew calendar cycles, thereby validating my interpretations of ancient wisdom symbology, string theory, and more.

Because these two storms arrived shortly after my August 11, 2005 (50th) birthday (read the Dead Sea Scroll 11Q13 in Appendix G, which also discusses Melchizedek and the prophesied Jubilee) and directly match other pivotal 11 and 17 data and events described in the first chapter of my book, I have delivered verifiable proof that this reality is based on thought, knowledge and wisdom. Activity, patterns, and results perceived in space-time are first framed and defined by inspirations, thoughts, and knowledge and influenced by the cause-and-effect system most commonly referred to as karma. Consequently, events and outcomes in the so-called physical universe are not random or wholly mechanistic and are verifiably influenced in ways that atheists, scientists, and members of the Faiths of Abraham have all scoffed at. Though mysticism is mostly a product of misinterpreted ancient wisdom symbology, many of its topics flow from ancient wisdom. Though containing allusions to the truth, its details and interpretations are wrong on many key points.

A prime example of the purposeful and synchronized symbolism of these events is seen in the opening paragraphs from my book excerpted below. Notice that the dates mentioned (August 11 and 17) directly match the numbers of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the time spans of the four Florida hurricanes match my birth year (‘55), and they were spaced 11 or a multiple-of-11 (22) days apart, directly matching my birthday and much other ancient prophecy and symbolism. Notice that my place of birth, Victoria Texas, is on the Gulf Coast. Following are the excerpted paragraphs:

Hello, my name is Lawrence William Page II. Many people know me as Buddy Page. At the release of the first edition of this book, I am a 50-year old African-American male, author, researcher, and former software engineer and entrepreneur. As you will come to understand as you read through this first book, I am also the long-expected Hebrew Messiah and Lion of the Tribe of Juda (Yehuda).

I was born August 11th (month of Leo the Lion), 1955 (Chinese year of the Sheep) in Victoria, Texas. Furthermore, the Grand Cross alignment and Solar Eclipse of August 11th, 1999 was my 44th birthday and the second Grand Cross alignment, just six days later on August 17th, 1999, was on my mother’s birthday.

As you can see from my date of birth, I was a newborn during the Chinese Year of the Sheep, astrologically marking me as a Lamb, and during the month of Leo, astrologically marking me as a Lion. My mother was also born during the month of August and under the sign of Leo, which further marks me as a lion’s whelp. I prove to you in the first chapter of this book–beyond disproof–that I am indeed the long-prophesied “Lion” of the tribe of Juda (Yehuda) the Root of David and the “Lamb.” I am the individual long symbolized as the Branch, the Stem, the Shoot and the Rod from the Stump of Jesse (King David’s father), as symbolized in the Hebrew Book of Isaiah, The Apocalypse, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and elsewhere. I am the reincarnated Teacher sought after in the “East” and by the ancient Hebrews who were headquartered at the outpost community of Damascus (Qumran), of Dead Sea Scrolls fame. I am the one called the Teacher of Righteousness by the Dead Sea Scrolls, whom the so-called Christian fathers have fraudulently recast as “Saint ‘James’, the Lord’s Brother.”

Remember, "I come as a thief..." ?

Read verse twelve of the Gospel of Thomas to understand who I am...

Even further enlightening, the Second Temple Period of ancient Israel was during the 11th 360-year cycle on the Hebrew calendar and we are now in the 6th year (5766/2005-6) of the 17th cycle. Notice the pivotal 11 and 17 numbers again? This and much other synchronized information serve as stunning and decisive proof of many things, and expose many lies told by all three faiths of Abraham, but most specifically by Christianity. Consequently, I have decisively proven, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that Jesus Christ and Christianity are blatant lies, false prophecy and purposeful deception in a manner that cannot easily be denied, regardless of your faith or other opinions.

Furthermore, the symbolism in the Apocalypse (a.k.a. Book of Revelation) of seven stars in my right hand and seven angels represent the very same above-mentioned seven astrological (360-year) cycles, i.e., the 11th through 17th inclusive. I prove this fact beyond any reasonable doubt in the first chapter of the book. Consequently, The Apocalypse verifiably symbolizes a specific span of time that began with the 11th cycle (Second Temple Period) and concludes now, at the beginning of the 17th cycle (End of Days, etc.).

The numbers 11 and 17 are verifiably encoded in The Apocalypse and other ancient Hebrew prophecies and wisdom texts to serve as key proofs of the validity and true meaning of certain prophecies and related information. My and my mother’s birthdays are purposely synchronized with these two storm numbers, the matching Hebrew calendar cycles, the Double Grand Cross alignments and solar eclipse of August 1999, and much else to prove my direct association with the ancient prophecies about this time and the true identity of the prophesied Messiah. Another prime example is the story of Joseph, the 11th son of Jacob who has a dream when he is 17 years old about 11 stars, the sun, and moon bowing to him. The symbolism in this pivotal story in the Book of Genesis and Quran verifiably refers to the very same 11th through 17th cycles symbolized in The Apocalypse and directly synchronizes with other key events and ancient texts.

Consequently, I have demonstrated various things about the nature of this reality that dramatically disprove and/or clarify key assumptions of religion, mysticism, and science alike, while establishing the true meaning and purpose of long misinterpreted ancient wisdom and the symbolism used to model and encode it. Accordingly, I have proven that the symbolism evidenced in the canons of all three faiths of Abraham and other ancient sources is a very ancient and advanced philosophical technology that verifiably models foundational aspects of our existence in this universe. This is the mostly misunderstood body of ancient wisdom long referred to as the Philosophers’ Stone. It uses a large and ingeniously organized collection of physical universe images and concepts as data rich components (symbols) that are based on verifiable rules. It models and encodes an amazing amount of foundational wisdom about life, spirituality and the 11 dimensions of this universe, now verified by string theory. It is also the advanced encryption method used to encode (seal) Hebrew prophecies and wisdom texts.

These ancient prophecies and wisdom texts used advanced symbology to model fundamental wisdom, including future events and situations. A primary facet of ancient wisdom is numeric symbology. Later misinterpretations of this aspect of ancient wisdom resulted in numerology, which, though embodying allusions to certain wisdom, is mostly error prone and false doctrine. My decryption, documentation, and interpretation of ancient symbology, numeric symbolism, and key texts based on them, are now decisively validated.

Here is Wisdom...

Verifiable proof that Armageddon has begun…

Understanding the End Game of Armageddon

Peace...
 
anon..."The only remaining choice"...and many people in the late 1930s believed that democracy was finished, and the only remaining choice was between the Nazi and the Stalinist forms of totalitarianism. They people were wrong, and I hope that your forecast will prove to be wrong, too.
 
Instead democracy was refueled and reenergized in the wake of WWII. We all probably have moments of thinking wistfully of a UN that did great works back then.

If we will deal with reality, we too will emerge stronger from this mess. I don't think Armageddon is nigh this time. We are standing at the foothills and have no need to climb to the top of the mountain.

Last week a Kuwaiti newspaper pointed out that Hamas in Gaza was provoking Israel and deserved what it got in response. Today the Saudi's commented that the Lebanon attacks were a provocation and that those who had promulgated them were going to get what they had earned.

This is what Bush has created. I don't think the Arabs want Iranian rule.
 
MoM, ANY flareup in the Middle East brings the End-of-the-World types out of the woodwork, rubbing their hands together and smacking their lips in the expectation that "This Time I WAS RIGHT!"

Six Day War Rapture Scare, 1967.
Yom Kippur War Rapture Scare, 1973.
First Gulf War Rapture Scare, 1991.

When Catholics flake out, it's usually some form of "Mary Channelling" like the Baysiders. When American Evangelicals flake out, it's usually some form of "THIS IS IT!!!" end-of-the-world/Rapture scare a la Hal Lindsay or Salem Kirban.

David:

So far, we have done our best to narrow our future choice (using older non-Godwin's Law historical references) to a Sultan in Topkapi or our own Vlad Tepes Dracula.
 
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