Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Five Spiritual Fathers
This won't be long. I just want to list the five men who are, for lack of a better term, my spiritual fathers.
1. Dr. Martin Luther King
2. Dr. Milton Erickson
3. Dr. Leo Buscaglia
4. Dr. Napoleon Hill
5. Joseph Campbell
I have most of their books. I consider them heroes, teachers, and advisers.
1. Dr. Martin Luther King
2. Dr. Milton Erickson
3. Dr. Leo Buscaglia
4. Dr. Napoleon Hill
5. Joseph Campbell
I have most of their books. I consider them heroes, teachers, and advisers.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Forgiveness is Always Fashionable
I graduated high school in 1983. I graduated from the third high school I attended. And for thirty years I resented my parents for making me go to three high schools. My unforgiving spirit didn't hurt them, it hurt me.
This morning in meditation the thought came to me: "Who hangs out with there high school buddies thirty years on?" Seriously, most people have moved on. Many are glad they are no longer connected to their high schools. So I, like everyone else, would have drifted away from high school anyway. I would have gone away to college anyway. I would have found new friends anyway. The grudge against my parents only slowed me down.
I wish I had practiced forgiveness earlier. It is for us, not the offender. There is a freedom in forgiveness like dropping unneeded weight. So I need more practice at forgiveness and I need to practice more forgiveness.
This morning in meditation the thought came to me: "Who hangs out with there high school buddies thirty years on?" Seriously, most people have moved on. Many are glad they are no longer connected to their high schools. So I, like everyone else, would have drifted away from high school anyway. I would have gone away to college anyway. I would have found new friends anyway. The grudge against my parents only slowed me down.
I wish I had practiced forgiveness earlier. It is for us, not the offender. There is a freedom in forgiveness like dropping unneeded weight. So I need more practice at forgiveness and I need to practice more forgiveness.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Philosophy First
I want to jot down some rough ideas on why I have chosen "Philosophy First" as my affirmation-theme-motto for this year.
First of all I think philosophy will help me more than religion and psychology will. I still value those two subjects, but I think there is a greater benefit to the study of philosophy. For instance, logic can help determine bad elements of religion and psychology.
Secondly, philosophy is a perch by which I can study whatever I want to study. And perhaps take a more reasoned approach to my studies. Philosophy has a deep history of parenting subjects and being a foster parent to others.
Thirdly, adopting a philosophy that is right for you will help you go through life. I now consider myself a moderate egoist. That means my first consideration is myself. It doesn't mean that my only or last consideration is myself. It means I think about myself and then factor everyone and everything else in. Of course I want my philosophy to be open and growing.
So those are reasons why I chose to go back to my philosophic roots. I see philosophy as a tree. It has heartwood principles that do not change, branches that are ever growing, and leaves that drop as needed. So philosophy first it is.
First of all I think philosophy will help me more than religion and psychology will. I still value those two subjects, but I think there is a greater benefit to the study of philosophy. For instance, logic can help determine bad elements of religion and psychology.
Secondly, philosophy is a perch by which I can study whatever I want to study. And perhaps take a more reasoned approach to my studies. Philosophy has a deep history of parenting subjects and being a foster parent to others.
Thirdly, adopting a philosophy that is right for you will help you go through life. I now consider myself a moderate egoist. That means my first consideration is myself. It doesn't mean that my only or last consideration is myself. It means I think about myself and then factor everyone and everything else in. Of course I want my philosophy to be open and growing.
So those are reasons why I chose to go back to my philosophic roots. I see philosophy as a tree. It has heartwood principles that do not change, branches that are ever growing, and leaves that drop as needed. So philosophy first it is.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Are Syrians my Brothers?
This Syria business had me perplexed. For evil to triumph all we have to do is nothing. And many of us want to do nothing. And evil seemingly is triumphant in Syria. A genocide in its first stages. We are still dealing with borders established by Britain in the wake of WWI. People who hate each other are forced to live together.
Obviously I think the Syrians are our brothers and sisters. And obviously we have the duty to help. Because we value human life now. And because we were part of the problem then. And if we don't do something the evil will track us down. The Axis powers came after us. We ignored Osama Bin Laden. And he came after us. So what to do?
Diplomacy, sanctions, education have all failed. The carrot of diplomacy means nothing without the stick of the military to back up. So now we have to back it up. I support bombing sorties. To take out vital military, transportation, communication, and energy infrastructure. Victory doesn't always mean killing the criminal. Sometimes it means putting the criminal in prison. A prison we could name Damascus. House arrest, if you will. Give Assad some time to think about his past decisions and his future.
Will it work? I think it will. We bombed Libya and that helped. And if we can save one village from another sarin attack, I think it will be worth it. We have done nothing and that hasn't worked. So let's do something, for Syria's children and essentially for our children.
Obviously I think the Syrians are our brothers and sisters. And obviously we have the duty to help. Because we value human life now. And because we were part of the problem then. And if we don't do something the evil will track us down. The Axis powers came after us. We ignored Osama Bin Laden. And he came after us. So what to do?
Diplomacy, sanctions, education have all failed. The carrot of diplomacy means nothing without the stick of the military to back up. So now we have to back it up. I support bombing sorties. To take out vital military, transportation, communication, and energy infrastructure. Victory doesn't always mean killing the criminal. Sometimes it means putting the criminal in prison. A prison we could name Damascus. House arrest, if you will. Give Assad some time to think about his past decisions and his future.
Will it work? I think it will. We bombed Libya and that helped. And if we can save one village from another sarin attack, I think it will be worth it. We have done nothing and that hasn't worked. So let's do something, for Syria's children and essentially for our children.
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