I JUST READ THE STRANGEST THING...HOW THE REBORN SERIES 'COSMOS' HAS "SPARKED CONTROVERSY" BETWEEN CREATIONISTS AND EVOLUTIONISTS.
THAT'S ALWAYS AMAZED ME, THAT "DEBATE".
ON EITHER "SIDE" ALL WHO ARGUE ABOUT SUCH SAY THEY ARE RIGHT.
WHEN YOU ARGUE IN THE WRONG WAYS, WARS HAPPEN.
WHEN YOU DON'T ARGUE, THERE IS PEACE.
WHY ARGUE?
WHY NOT LET EVERYONE ELSE DO WHAT YOU DO, BELIEVE WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO BELIEVE?
EITHER WE HAVE THE COURAGE OF OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL CONVICTIONS OR WE DON'T.
WE EITHER REALLY, REALLY BELIEVE IN WHAT WE EACH PROFESS AS OUR 'FAITH' OR WE DON'T.
I SEE THESE "DEBATES" AS NEITHER SIDE BEING ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED OF WHAT THEY ESPOUSE. IF THEY WERE 100% CONVINCED THEY WERE RIGHT, WHY WOULD THEY WANT TO MAKE THEMSELVES LOOK UNCONVINCED BY ARGUING OVER IT?
WOULD ONE ARGUE THAT HUMANS BREATHE IN AND OUT?
OR THAT THERE IS BOTH DAY AND NIGHT?
WOULD YOU ARGUE ABOUT THE WIND THAT BLOWS ACROSS YOUR FACE?
WHY SHOULD ANY OF US CARE WHAT BELIEFS ANOTHER HAS SO LONG AS THEY DON'T TRY TO PHYSICALLY FORCE SOMETHING TANGIBLE DOWN OUR THROATS?
EVOLUTION AND CREATIONISM, LIKE BELIEF IN/NO BELIEF IN GOD, ARE NOT TANGIBLE THINGS, SO THEY CAN'T BE PLACED IN A MOUTH FOR SWALLOWING ANYWAY.
AND, FOR ANY/ALL 'BELIEVERS' OR 'NON-BELIEVERS', DON'T YOU EVEN TRY THAT "WELL, THIS OR THAT (FILL IN THE BLANKS) IN THE PUBLIC/IN PUBLIC PLACES INTIMIDATES ME AND MAKES ME FEEL LIKE THIS OR THAT IS BEING CRAMMED DOWN MY THROAT."
QUITE BLUNTLY, I CALL BULL-MANURE ON THAT.
WHETHER IT'S THOSE "ANNOYING CHRISTMAS/CHRISTIAN" THINGS, THOSE MUSLIM MINARETS, THOSE BUDDHIST STATUES, THE HINDU SHRINES, OR ATHEISTS WAVING A "THERE IS NO GOD" SIGN IN OUR FACES, EVEN IF THOSE WERE EVERYWHERE WE GO, ALL DAY LONG, CONSIDER THIS BEFORE YOU GO CRAZY ON THOSE WHO BELIEVE OR DON'T BELIEVE IN ANYTHING/ANYONE....
YOU ALONE MAKE YOUR CHOICES, AND YOU ALONE CHOOSE YOUR RESPONSE TO EVERY 'STIMULUS' OUT THERE. THE HUMAN MIND CAN BE AND HAS BEEN CONTROLLED BY THE OWNER SINCE TIME BEGAN.
YOU OWN YOUR MINDS...CONTROL THEM!
YOU MAY CHOOSE TO 'BE OFFENDED' OR 'FEEL THAT CIVIL RIGHTS ARE VIOLATED' IF OLD BILLY-BOB DOWN THE STREET HAS A BIG CROSS IN HIS YARD, OR THAT THE FAMILY AT THE END OF THE BLOCK HAS A SEATED BUDDHA PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED NEAR THEIR FRONT DOOR, OR THAT THE GUY AT THE AIRPORT WAS CHANTING AND WEARING A BRIGHT ORANGE ROBE, BUT, IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW IT, THAT'S SIMPLY NONE OF YOUR DAMNED BUSINESS.
YOU HAVE YOUR SPACE, AMPLY PROTECTED BY WHAT REMAINS OF OUR SHREDDED CONSTITUTION, AND IF YOU WANT TO SIT BY YOUR POOL AND CONTEMPLATE YOUR BELLY-BUTTON, OR IF 'GOOD NEIGHBOR SAM' WANTS TO RIP OFF A CHICKEN'S HEAD, DRINK THE BLOOD AND BARK AT THE SKY ON ANY GIVEN DAY, THAT'S A PRIVATE MATTER. (GIVEN THAT IT'S SAM'S POOR CHICKEN.)
FREEDOM OF RELIGION (OR FREEDOM NOT TO SIGN UP WITH ANY RELIGION) IS GUARANTEED HERE, AS IS FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
WE HAVE ALLOWED THOSE FREEDOMS TO BECOME MATTERS FOR THE "HIGH COURTS", AND THE ABOMINABLE HIGH COURTS HAVE BEEN DELIGHTED TO STEP IN AND TRY TO TELL AMERICANS WHAT THEY CAN OR CANNOT DO, SAY ALOUD, EXHIBIT ON THEIR PRIVATE PROPERTY, OR TEACH THEIR CHILDREN FOR DECADES NOW.
AREN'T YOU SICK OF BEING TOLD HOW YOU MAY 'WORSHIP' OR NOT WORSHIP?
AREN'T YOU WEARY OF HAVING TO 'WATCH WHAT YOU SAY/DO'?
DON'T YOU HAVE THE INTESTINAL FORTITUDE TO TELL THE GOVERNMENT TO BUTT THE HELL OUT OF YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF RELIGION AND SPEECH?
AND, THINK ABOUT THIS, DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT EACH HUMAN BEING HAS THE SAME RIGHTS YOU WANT TO CLAIM?
ALL PEOPLE WANT TO BE AS FREE TO LIVE THEIR BELIEFS AS THE NEXT, WHETHER CHRISTIAN, MUSLIM, BUDDHIST, ETC, OR ATHEIST...WITHOUT BEING SNIPED AT EVERY BLOODY DAY BECAUSE OF THEIR PRIVATE BELIEFS.
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE WHAT ANOTHER BELIEVES, TALKS ABOUT, DOES WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THEIR SPACE?
ARE YOU SO SHALLOWLY GROUNDED IN WHAT YOU BELIEVE THAT EVERY OTHER BELIEF SYSTEM ON EARTH MAKES YOU CRAZY?
WHY?
WHY WOULD A MOSQUE ON THE CORNER OF MAIN STREET OR A CHRISTMAS SCENE RIGHT ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THAT, OR THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION OR THE BELIEF IN A CREATOR/CREATORS SEND ANYONE INTO A RABID FRENZY?
I DON'T LIKE THE NON-COLOR WE CALL WHITE...IT IS A BLINDING BLANK, IT HURTS MY EYES, MAKES ME LITERALLY NAUSEOUS, IT LEAVES ME FEELING FLAT, IT MAKES ME WANT TO COVER IT WITH SOMETHING TO MAKE THE WHITE GO AWAY, BUT I DON'T GO ABOUT WITH A SPRAY CAN TO ERADICATE WHITE FROM THE EARTH.
I DON'T LIKE CREPE MYRTLES, BUT MY NEIGHBOR DOES AND LINED THEIR DRIVE WITH THEM...IT IS A VERY LONG DRIVE...MUST BE 50 OF THOSE CREPE MYRTLES GROWING THERE.
GRRRRRRR!!!
BUT I WON'T TAKE A CHAINSAW AND CUT THEM DOWN, NOR DRAG NEIGHBOR TO COURT OVER HIS LOVE OF CREPE MYRTLES.
I CAN SCARCELY STAND THE SOUND OF CAR HORNS.
THEY OFFEND MY EARS AND MAKE ME SICK TO MY STOMACH.
BUT I WILL NOT TAKE DETROIT AUTOMAKERS TO COURT TO MAKE THEM STOP PUTTING HORNS IN AUTOS.
IF I AM EVER STUNG AGAIN BY A CERTAIN INSECT, MY PHYSICIANS TELL ME THAT COULD END MY LIFE.
I DON'T GO ABOUT KILLING EVERY ONE OF THOSE INSECTS THAT MAY, THAT COULD KILL ME.
DO YOU SEE WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS?
EVERY DAY WE ALL FACE THINGS THAT MAY OFFEND US, MAKE US LITERALLY SICK, MAKE US SAD, ANGRY, FRUSTRATED, AND OFTEN WE ENCOUNTER THINGS THAT FRIGHTEN US, OR INTIMIDATE US. BUT WE DON'T MAKE A BIG DEAL OF ALL THOSE THINGS, WE LIVE WITH THEM. WE JUST GO ON LIVING.
SO WHAT?
BIG HAIRY DEAL!
ON WE GO!
IT IS THE SAME WITH THIS BUSINESS OF FIGHTING EACH OTHER OVER OUR BELIEFS.
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EGOTISM AND EGOISM, AND MY FATHER EXPLAINED TO US AT AN EARLY AGE HOW TO DEAL WITH HUMAN NATURES, WHICH TEND TOWARD EGOTISM...
"AN EGOTIST," HE SAID SOLEMNLY, "WILL TELL YOU ALL DAY LONG HOW GREAT HE IS, HOW HIS IDEAS ARE THE BEST ON EARTH AND YOURS ARE CRAP. AN EGOIST WILL THINK TO HIMSELF, 'THAT'S BULL', BUT HE WILL KEEP QUIET. HE WILL SIT THERE, SMUG IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT HE IS RIGHT AND NOT ADVERTISE IT BY SAYING SO."
SO, IF JOHN DOE COMES WAVING SOME 'FLAG' YOU DETEST IN YOUR FACE, SHOULD YOU EVEN CONSIDER PUNCHING HIM IN THE NOSE FOR THAT?
OR SCREAM AT HIM TO PUT THE FLAG AWAY AND STAY AWAY FROM YOU?
NO, NOT UNLESS HE COMES INVADING YOUR PRIVATE SPACE, THE PLACE WHERE YOU ALONE HAVE RULE.
CASE IN POINT INVOLVING REAL FLAGS:
I FLY TWO FLAGS WHEREVER I CALL HOME.
I SHAN'T TELL YOU WHAT FLAGS THOSE ARE, BUT WILL TELL YOU THAT BOTH HAVE CREATED QUITE A STIR FOR ME IN TIMES PAST.
A FEW TIMES, PEOPLE HAVE PASSED BY AND BEEN OFFENDED BY THEM AND HAVE COMPLAINED TO 'AUTHORITIES' ABOUT THEM, AND, YES, I HAVE BEEN ASKED NOT TO FLY THEM.
I FLY THEM ANYTIME I PLEASE.
AND, EXCEPT FOR ONE INSTANCE, THOSE WHO COMPLAINED STOPPED DOING SO ONCE I FOUND SOMETHING ON THEIR PRIVATE PROPERTY THAT TRULY OFFENDED ME (ONE CAN ALWAYS FIND SUCH IF ONE LOOKS HARD ENOUGH) AND ASKED THEM IF THEY WOULD REMOVE THAT. (WHITE-PAINTED HOUSES WERE MY CHIEF COMPLAINT, BTW.)
AND IF I FLY AN AMERICAN FLAG, I ALWAYS FLY IT UPSIDE DOWN, A SIGNAL THAT OUR NATION IS IN DISTRESS, BECAUSE IT IS, IT IS INDEED, AND THIS TOPIC IS JUST ONE REASON IT IS IN DISTRESS.
IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT, I DON'T CARE...RATHER, I DON'T MIND THAT YOU OPPOSE THAT.
BE OPPOSED TO IT ALL YOU CARE TO BE.
YOUR OPPOSITION, YOUR DIFFERENCE OF OPINION WILL NEVER CAUSE ME TO LOSE SLEEP OR MONEY OR GOODS.
BUT DON'T COME AND TRY TO CHANGE HOW I FLY MY FLAG IN MY OWN YARD, OR OFF THE EAVES OF MY OWN HOUSE.
AND I PROMISE NOT TO COME TO YOUR HOUSE WITH A SPRAY CAN OF PURPLE PAINT.
DEAL?
IF YOU WANT TO BELIEVE IN EVOLUTION, FEEL FREE, BECAUSE, IN AMERICA, BY RIGHTS, YOU MAY CERTAINLY BELIEVE YOUR ANCESTORS WERE AMOEBAE AND APES.
I AM DELIGHTED THAT YOU MADE THE EFFORT TO FORMULATE ANY BELIEFS WHATSOEVER.
GOOD FOR YOU!
NO, NO I DO NOT WISH TO TRY TO CHANGE YOUR MIND.
I AM CONTENT TO LEAVE YOU TO ALL YOUR BELIEFS AND WITHOUT DISCUSSION BETWEEN US.
BUT, KNOW THIS, I WILL EXPRESS MY BELIEFS JUST AS YOU DO AND HOLD THEM AS TIGHTLY AS YOU DO.
I MAY EVEN WRITE THEM DOWN IN A BLOG LIKE THIS ONE.
I AM AFFORDED THAT OPPORTUNITY.
AND, AFTER ALL, THIS IS MY BLOG, JUST AS THIS IS MY DOMICILE, AND JUST AS THIS IS MY MIND.
WHATEVER I PUT INTO ANY OF THOSE IS MY BUSINESS, AND I PROMISE TO NEVER, EVER RUN YOU DOWN AND TRY TO THROW ANY OF MY BELIEFS UPON YOU.
I WILL NEVER TAKE UP ARMS AGAINST YOU FOR WHATEVER YOU BELIEVE, UNLESS YOU CROSS WELL-DEFINED LINES INTO MY PRIVATE SPACE, MY LEGAL BOUNDARIES AS ESTABLISHED BY LAW, AND PHYSICALLY ATTACK ME FIRST.
I WON'T EVEN TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE STUPID FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE.
I DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING AND YOU MAY VERY WELL BE RIGHT, AFTER ALL.
I WON'T WAG ONE FINGER AT YOU, PERSONALLY, EVEN IF YOU SHOULD BELIEVE THAT UP IS DOWN, THAT THE SUN IS REALLY THE MOON, THAT WHITE IS THE ONLY COLOR FOR A HOUSE, OR THAT I SHOULD NEVER FLY AN AMERICAN FLAG UPSIDE DOWN.
I PROMISE.
WILL YOU DO THE SAME?
WILL YOU?
WHY SHOULDN'T YOU GIVE TO OTHERS WHAT YOU WANT FOR YOURSELF?
RESPECT...
PRIVACY...
FREEDOM...
ABSOLUTE OWNERSHIP OF ONE'S OWN MIND...
CONTROL OVER ONE'S OWN SPACE/PROPERTY...
WE EACH BELIEVE IN SOMETHING, EVEN IF IT IS 'ONLY' A BELIEF IN OURSELVES, OR A BELIEF THAT SOMEONE ELSE'S BELIEF IS WRONG.
WE ALL HAVE AT LEAST ONE 'GOD', WHETHER IT IS A DEITY, OR RECOGNITION, OR MONEY, OR A PASSIONATE LOVE OF OR DEEP LONGING FOR SOMETHING/SOMEONE. ANYTHING/EVERYTHING HAS BEEN CONSIDERED A 'god' BY SOME CULTURE OR GROUP AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER IN HUMAN HISTORY.
AS A 'FOR EXAMPLE', ONE PARTICULAR 'AMERICAN INDIAN' TRIBE COULD HAVE BEEN SAID TO HAVE ABOUT 9,000 'gods', AND ONE MODERN DAY RELIGION HAS ABOUT 330 MILLION.
THERE ARE REAL PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO WORSHIP EVERYTHING FROM ROCK AND ROLL TO ROCKS THEMSELVES.
AND THAT'S FINE, THAT'S OKAY, THAT'S "ALLOWED".
IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT THE OTHER FELLOW BELIEVES, SO LONG AS YOU ARE NOT A TARGET OF ANY VIOLENCE THAT SPRINGS FROM THAT BELIEF, SO LONG AS YOU AREN'T ATTACKED BY HIM IN A REAL AND PHYSICAL WAY, SO LONG AS HE MAINTAINS HIS PRIVATE BELIEFS WITHOUT WANTING TO FORCE YOU, IN SOME WAY, HOW I CANNOT IMAGINE, TO ACCEPT THEM AS YOUR OWN.
AND HOW COULD ANYONE POSSIBLY, EVER, IN ANY WAY "FORCE THEIR BELIEFS DOWN OUR THROATS" UNLESS WE WERE WILLING TO SWALLOW THEM IF PLACED THERE?
SURE, SURE OLD BILLY-BOB OF THE CROSS OR J.Q. CITIZEN WHO IS AN ATHEIST COULD COME AND STAND JUST OUTSIDE OUR PERSONAL SPACE AND BEHAVE IN A MANNER THAT WE MIGHT PERCEIVE AS THREATENING, BUT WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY?
AND IS THAT LAW 100% PURELY CONSTITUTIONAL LAW, THE ORIGINAL CONSTITUTION, UNSHREDDED?
WE'VE GIVEN AWAY TOO MUCH.
WE'VE DECIDED THAT GOVERNMENT, COURTS HAVE MORE SAY-SO THAN WE OURSELVES IN PRIVATE MATTERS, THE WAY WE BELIEVE ANYTHING, WHAT WE DO ON PRIVATE GROUND.
AND MAYBE WE'VE FORGOTTEN THAT THE MAJORITY DOES RULE.
THE MAJORITY SUPPOSEDLY ELECTS OUR LEADERS, THE MAJORITY AGREES TO LAWS, THE MAJORITY DECIDES.
WE MUST LOOK TO SEE WHO IS IN THE MAJORITY.
IT MAY NOT BE THE ONES WE IDENTIFY WITH.
THE MAJORITY MAY BE THOSE WE DISLIKE MOST, OPPOSE THE MOST PASSIONATELY.
WHAT THEN?
WE CAN CHANGE THE MAJORITY ( BUT THAT MEANS BUILDING NUMBERS, POPULATIONS), OR WE CAN CHANGE THE MINDS OF THE MAJORITY, IF THEY ARE WILLING TO HAVE THEIR MINDS CHANGED.
A THIRD CHOICE IS TO JUST SIT TIGHT, ACCEPT, FOR NOW, THE MAJORITY RULE, AND, AS MY FATHER SAID, "BE QUIETLY SMUG IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU ARE RIGHT" AND ACCEPT THAT THINGS WILL LIKELY NEVER BE ALWAYS AS WE LIKE THEM.
YES, WE CAN WORK FOR CHANGE, BUT NOT WITH WEAPONRY, NOT WITH WARS OR THREATS OF WAR.
EVOLUTIONISTS HAVE THEIR "god" IN DARWIN, CREATIONISTS AND OTHERS HAVE THEIRS.
WE REALLY MUST SIMPLY LEAVE IT AT THAT, LEAVE EACH FELLOW HUMAN BEING TO HIS/HER OWN DEVICES AND IDEALS AND WORLD VIEWS.
TRUST ME, IT WILL NOT CHANGE YOUR PRIVATE WORLD ONE WEE WHIT IF YOUR COUSIN OR YOUR NEIGHBOR HOLDS A DIFFERENT VIEWPOINT FROM YOURS.
IN A HUNDRED YEARS, WILL YOU REALLY GIVE A TINKER'S EARTHEN DAM WHAT ANYONE BELIEVES?
UNLESS WE ALLOW THINGS TO GET "UNDER OUR SKIN", UNLESS WE ACCEPT THINGS BEING CRAMMED INTO OUR MOUTHS AND THEN AGREE TO SWALLOW, WE CAN MAINTAIN A HAPPY, PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE.
NO ONE ON THIS EARTH CAN MAKE YOU DO OR SAY OR BELIEVE ANYTHING, OR STOP YOU FROM BEING WHO YOU ARE AND LIVING THAT OUT TO THE FULLEST.
YOU MUST ALLOW OTHERS TO CHANGE YOU OR INTERFERE IN YOUR LIVES.
EVEN IF SOMEONE HELD A GUN TO YOUR HEAD AND SCREAMED "SAY YOU BELIEVE IN EVOLUTION (OR CREATIONISM)! SAY IT!!!" OR ANY OTHER SUCH THING, YOU, MY FRIENDS, CAN JUST SAY NO.YOU ALONE CAN CHOOSE.
NO ONE CAN CRAWL INSIDE YOUR MIND AND FIRE OFF ONE SYNAPSE.
NO ONE CAN CONTROL YOU UNLESS YOU ALLOW THAT CONTROL.
NO ONE CAN MAKE YOU MAD, MAKE YOU FEEL BADLY, OR MAKE YOU ANYTHING.
THAT'S A CHOICE, YOUR CHOICE.
CHOOSE WISELY, GRASSHOPPER...
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