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Other OpinionsBen Huot October 25, 2008 Contents 1 First Thingsby Ben Huot 1.1 LogoI should explain what the logo is meant to be representing. The guy is a pen, whichis me, which comes from my first poem in Philosophy Core, called Creative Process,where I refer to myself as doing Tai Chi, with my pen being my body. The idea isbased on ”the pen is mightier than the sword” so I created ”the Bible is mightierthan the pen”. The Bible is shooting out flames because in Ephesians it talks about spiritualwarfare and the Bible is the only armament that is offensive. (It means offensiveinstead of defensive. These are common terms used in combat. The sword is the onlyspiritual weapon. All the other armaments expressed in Ephesians are protective anddefensive in nature like a shield, a helmet, a breastplate, etc.) The flames aremeant as in James when it talks about being purified by fire or struggles withtemptation in our lives. Isaiah also was purified by a live coal to his lips by aSeraphim. So the usage of fire is not evil or anything violent. Think of it aspurifying. I would ideally like it to show the sword turned inward to his chest, symbolizinglike in many fantasy books that when they defeat the great evil force in the world,they are left with the greatest task, which is to defeat the evil within. The Bible issaid to be a 2 sided sword, with the ability to cut between bone and marrow, andshow the truth. Christ’s tongue is said to be a 2 edged sword in Revelations, todefeat the Devil with. The reason I didn’t show this is it looks like he is committingsuicide. The spiritual warfare is not against people, ideas, or even spirits. It is aboutfighting for the purity of our own minds. It is an internal thing. Like theNative American proverb ”my greatest enemy is myself.” This purity is inregard to our own sins and does not refer to purity in any other sense. Butthis is a process, not an outcome, as it is not possible for us to live withoutsin. This warfare is only spiritual in the sense that it is not militant, social,economic, or political. This is for my own moral and ethical development andconsists of practical qualities I try, with Christ’s help, to cultivate like humility,compassion, kindness, and seriousness and do not correspond to anythingsupernatural. 1.2 Other BooksMy text books and picture books contain most of my work over the past 10 years.These include my reading of some 235 books containing the philosophical andreligious thinking of the worlds cultures for several thousand years and theapplication of the main themes of some of the major Old Testament Prophets andmajor works of the New Testament. The main point of this work is to get people to stopping living their lives withtheir minds, but instead follow their hearts. I bring a radically different combinationof viewpoints that you have not heard of before. I am not asking people to followwhat I have written, but rather let the words stir up some sort of emotional responsein your heart. I challenge my readers to come up with their own unique ideas and that can leadthe world in a new direction. We need a much broader diversity of ideas in ourculture to deal with the problems we are facing in America and throughout the restof the world. 1.3 For More InformationFor more books and information, visit me on the web at http://benjamin-newton.com/ Feel free to send me e-mail regarding the books and website atmailto:ben@benjamin-newton.com I even enjoy constructive criticism 1.4 Cover Graphic 1.5 LicenseThis entire PDF is licensed together under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivative Works 3.0 United States License as a whole, and nothing is to beseparated, added on to, or modified in any manner. Clarification on what no derivatives means: No changes may be made in any way including but not limited to: the material content and design must be copied as a whole (everything containedin this pdf file) - with nothing added
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1.6 IntroductionIn my Free Thinking Christian Collections, I have presented a philosophy based onChristian Existentialism and Philosophical Taoism where the main values arehumility and compassion, or in other words, kindness and seriousness. The first partof the book, 2nd Opinion, introduces an alternative philosophy, combiningEarly African Christianity, Hinduism, and Stoicism where the main valuesare imagination and self-control. The main inspirations were the Book ofGenesis, as well as: The Desert Fathers, Rabindranath Tagore, and MarcusAurelius. The second part of the book, 3rd Opinion, introduces another alternativephilosophy, combining Theravada Buddhism, Nietzsche, and Bhakti Hinduism wherethe main value is hard work. The main inspirations were the Book of Genesis, aswell as: The Pali Canon, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Bhakti poets of southernIndia. 2 2nd Opinion Poetryby Ben Huot 2.1 God, Me and the WorldRabindranath Tagore influenced 2.1.1 What Kind of Enlightenment? Some people seek enlightenment
For special powers
And expanded consciousness
For secret knowledge
But the path
Is not one of power
It is one of self-control
The focus should be
On the path itself
And the goal cannot
Be reduced to the outcome
We struggle not for recognition
Or for any special abilities
True enlightenment
Values ethics above knowledge
We can spend an eternity
Gathering facts
But truth provides the direction
And the structure to our path
Some people think that self-knowledge
Requires the elimination of
Individual identity
And the only thing gained
Is the abandonment of desire
To truly understand the eternal
Is to understand the unity
Of self control and imagination
To embrace paradox
With enthusiasm
And to accept truth
With limited knowledge
To comprehend the infinite
Means to give up
Our lust for control
It is ok to believe something
Even when you cannot fully
Grasp all the details
There are things the Spirit says
That cannot be described in words
There is a form of self-control
That goes beyond abstinence
Of pleasure and power
Seeking the Spirit
Doesn’t just involve
The mastery of your intellect
But the subjugation of your emotions
To surrender your will to the Spirit
Does not mean surrendering your freedom
And the successful outcome
Of the disciplines of meditation
Is not about unity without individuality
There is a way that leads to bondage
That is filled with light
And with the discovery of secrets
And there is a way to the Spirit
Which is filled with troubles
And will require all your effort
What kind of enlightenment do you want? 2.1.2 Significance of Nature People tend to go to extremes
In a number of well known
Asian belief systems
God is seen as a unity
Where God and His creation are one
And in Abrahamic religions
God is seen as being separate from His creation
The most well-reasoned response
Seems to be somewhere in the middle
Nature is to be treasured
After all, it is the art of God
And animals should be treated well
Animals have spirits,
Just as people do
To poison the rivers
Or burn the forests
Is as destructive as stealing
Or as immoral as adultery
But the animals are not Gods
The river is not really a spirit
It is true that there are supernatural powers
And that the spiritual world is real
But we should be worshiping God, the Creator
As well as respecting His creation, nature
But it makes no more sense to worship a monkey
Than it does to worship a person
Spending time in nature
Should bring us closer to our Creator
But we don’t need to pray to the animal
Before we eat it
It would be better if we just treated
It like a fellow sentient being
With compassion and respect
While it is still alive
Nature is not our enemy
Nor is it our God
But loving God
And caring for nature
Are one in the same 2.1.3 I and You I long to be joined with You
I long to be a part of Your plan
I submit my desires to You
My heart desires what is right
And my soul cries out to You
Hide my under Your wings
I am so cold and hungry
Even though I have plenty to eat
And I can afford good clothes
I thirst and I am in a fever
Without Your word
I feel lost and alone
I feel the weight of the world
The problems of the planet
Bring me to despair
We have been gluttons
And we consume all that is good
All of your creation
In our limitless desire
To quench our spirit’s thirst
For something real
Something different
Now our sweet drinks
No longer satisfy our thirst
And our large portions of meat
Do not satisfy our hunger
We have heard from those
Who hate everything You stand for
We have been ridiculed
Because we have tried to
Take a stand for victims of our
Relentless desire for more
We make every kind of excuse
As reason to neglect our God
And we reward those
Who victimize the less fortunate
The little good that
I long to spread
Is victim to my hard heart
How can I fight for what is right
When I am just as guilty?
You and I are separated
By an entire Universe
And yet you offer me Your hand
I have built up an offering
But it is not enough
To cover my shame
I offer the best I have
But it falls eternally short
Of what You desire for me
How can I break free
From the desire to succeed
When the good side
Continues to be defeated?
How can I resist corruption
When I am afraid of
Being mocked for my
Beliefs in You?
It hurts me to the core
That I cannot be
The champion of Your legacy
I want to be the one
That brings Your grace
And the truth of Your reality
To my nation
But how can I continue
When the very means
In which I am sustained
Is crumbling and ruined?
I seek the truth of Your word
In the words my country hates
I find no company
In my belief and my struggle
To boldly proclaim
The essence of who You are
I am divided against
Those I care about
And find company
In those who hate my beliefs
Who call the enemy
The very things I hope to
Stand firm in my support of
And the very things
I am told I should avoid
Why is it that I cannot
Find anyone who
Shares my vision of Your spirit
In the company of Your people?
Why is it that those who hate You
Remind me more of You
Than Your followers?
Why is it that Your believers
Shun me and berate me?
I know that I am just as foolish
As they are
But I cannot help but still
Hold onto what I believe
And they want no part
I am the enemy of the
Very people whose faith
I hold dear 2.1.4 Your Creations I love You and Your creation
Why do those that hate You
Love Your creation?
And those who love You
Hate Your creation?
I love the Creator
Who is Lord of His creation
And I am but a small part
But I desire to be united
With my Creator
Not in a way that We
Would be one entity
But that I might be reconciled
Of those things that keep
Us apart in spirit and truth
I see You in Your creation
Even though I know You
Are not part of the creation
I seek to understand You
By what You have created
I feel closest to You
When I admire
What You have created
You are not one with Your creation
But Your creation reflects
Your imagination
And your self-control
Your divine qualities
Are self-evident
By all that which exists
I am a creator
Of just shadows of reality
I appreciate what You have created
By my attempts at creativity
You are the Artist of nature
And my Creator
How can I know You
Outside the context of Your art
You are greater than all
You have brought into existence
You are present in all aspects
Of all that exists
Nothing is created that was not
Part of Your vision
I cannot take responsibility
For the good parts of what
I have succeeded in realizing
You alone are the Author
Of all that is real
The Creator of the machine
Gets credit for the machine’s work
And the machines gets credit
For what it failed to produce
So You deserve the credit
For my success
And I take credit
For my failings 2.1.5 You are There You fill the entire universe
And yet stretch beyond all creation
Yet You choose to dwell
In my heart and in my soul
I struggle to maintain
Myself as a benevolent force
With my work
I seek to denounce injustice
And to embrace truth
You are ever my companion
And you are my King
I do nothing without You
When I feel farthest from You
You come closer to me than ever before
I believe You will never leave me
Anymore than my parents
Or my sister would reject me
There is no limit to my adoration
Of my Lord and Creator
I have a confidence
That I will leave a positive mark
In this world of turmoil
By Your power
The only things worth doing
Are those that glorify You
You are my protector
I venture out into the cold world
Only because you are my Savior
I can only stand up for what is right
Because of Your grace
I would never dream
Of trying anything new
Without Your vision
There is no book that I enjoy more
Than Your word
You are my future and my past
There is no where I can go
Where You are not already there
Every challenge I face
I am not alone
You are my Eternal Friend
And my Everlasting Hope
You have defeated my greatest enemy
My own desires
You have saved my from
My bad decisions
And You will stay with me
Past death and through eternity
There is nothing to fear
Because You have already defeated
The greatest source of evil
My human heart
You have cleansed me of my sins
And I stand before you whole
Because you have healed me
There is no one I owe more
Than You
I plead Your grace
So that I may enjoy the presence
Of Your Holy Spirit within me 2.1.6 Grant Me Your Grace Let my heart understand Your truth
Let me see through the shadows
Let me comprehend the light of Your grace
I do not want to desire
That which is corrupt and meaningless
Help me to break through
This wall that holds me back
My heart is broken and aching
For Your grace
I submit my will to You
Please give me the courage
To face my darkest thoughts
And give me the strength
To conquer my rebellious attitude
I am one with the fallen
In my heart and mind
Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit
And grant me grace
When I do not measure up
Let me grow in wisdom
By the study of Your word
I choose You
Above all else
And do not desire
To do that which keeps me
From Your presence
I know that You will
Never walk farther
Than the door
Even when I fear Your wrath
You are slow to anger
And quick to forgive
Please apply the blood of Your son
And grant me Your blessing
Even though I can do nothing
To be worthy of it
Please grant me the ability
To help others
And to do Your will
Not as compensation for my failings
But out of my gratitude
For what you have done
For me and all people
Even though I cannot earn
Your free gift of salvation
I seek to do what I can
To acknowledge my debt to You
It is only a small token gift
But if you give me the strength
I will work to show You my love
For as long as I live here
And forever after unto eternity 2.1.7 Why do You Love Me? How can I both know
That nothing I do
Can earn Your forgiveness
And yet still try to do Your will
When I am so weak and depend
Totally on You?
I desire to give my all
To control my thoughts
And conquer my fears
By my own strength
Because I do not deserve
Your guidance and support
But I know that I am nothing
Without Your constant grace
How do the decisions I make
Mean anything when
I need Your help
To realize any moral action?
If I cannot comprehend
The mystery of Your
Awesome power
And my simple choice
How can I share
This relationship with others?
I long to have the strength
To do what is right
By my own discipline
And my own understanding
Of Your word
I long to be an example
Of what is right
I long to teach others
To realize Your wisdom
I long to grow in
The knowledge of Your word
How can I know Your way
And yet be powerless
To change who I am?
Why would You grant me
Your love and Your salvation
When I don’t even follow
Your leadership in my life?
I long to serve under Your command
But no matter how much I learn
It does not get any easier
I am the receiver of a gift
That is too great for me
You saved my life
I am indebted to You forever
Please grant me the grace
To open my eyes to Your power
And find the courage
To keep on struggling
Knowing that You are
Always on my side
Let me give You
What I can
And please don’t despise
That the gift is so small
Please help me to accept
That it is ok
That I cannot repay
Your kindness
And let it inspire me
To keep up the good fight
From everlasting to everlasting 2.1.8 A Different Path Taking responsibility
For your own study
And your own path
To reach beyond death
And improve yourself
To know restraint
And to realize eternity
Does not mean
That your journey
Is all alone
Your master teaches
You and guides you
Along the path
To spiritual understanding
But I will never be greater
Than my Master
My desire for enlightenment
Is not about what I do
It is a gift of the Master
It is not a secret path
And there are no
Need for rituals
To reconcile me
With the Eternal
It is a matter of
Realizing my station
Within the context
Of all sentient beings
The transformation
Is spontaneous and permanent
It is an exercise of the will
The Master does almost everything
The pupil only acknowledges
What is true in every reality
I ascend only after death
I take nothing
But my own spirit
This is the hardest path
Not because the test
Or the methods are difficult
But making the necessary choice
Takes true humility
There is no recognition
And there are no special abilities
But it is something
Anyone can do
By the Grace of the Spirit
And the reward
Is eternal life without desire
And perfect peace
Greater than any meditation
Can deliver 2.1.9 The Mystery Who can comprehend the mystery
Of our Lord Jesus Christ?
Who has the imagination to
Illuminate the living Word?
How could God
Be reconciled with man enough
For God to live as a Person?
How can we understand
What it would be like
To be all-powerful
And yet with human limitations?
Thought to only a man by some
Why didn’t He reveal His glory
While in human form?
How could He maintain
Proper limits and conquer desire?
How great would be the temptation
To destroy those who questioned
His honesty and His judgment
With each miracle He performed
And through all the trials and suffering
How great must have His compassion
For all who have lived and will live
To be fully God while enduring
The ridicule and torture of men
Many people today think
That Jesus is an analytical God
A God of white people
Who loves America
No matter how evil we become
That the mystery of Christ
Can be reconciled with Science
That it is ok to use the word Christian
For anything you want to justify
That being rich doesn’t affect your faith
And allowing people to live in poverty
Without intervention is acceptable
To the Living God
That you can have any view you want
And still be Christian
That your life can be the same
As those who don’t believe
And still call yourself Christian
That you can believe in only
What you understand of God’s Word
That you can improve yourself enough
That you no longer need to confess
Your sins to God every night
That you can have the same values
As those who don’t believe
How can you not be in awe of Christ
And think highly of yourself
If you claim to be a believer? 2.1.10 Way of Life In life there is pain
But not all life is pain
We see the world crumbling
As we analyze the facts
But the truth is we survive
We do wrong things
We destroy nature
But there is still good
In the world
Just because we see
Pain in our lives
We struggle to earn our keep
We fight to make order
Out of chaos
We seek to build
Where there once were ruins
Just as we see opposing forces
In our own daily lives
So it is in the life of the spirit
We fear spiritual evil
But God is more powerful
We struggle to do what is right
And yet we sin
We continue to yearn for holiness
And yet we fall short
The process of creation and destruction
Is the process of life
The plants grow from the soil
They take in the carbon dioxide
And breath out oxygen
Animals and people do the opposite
The plants release seeds
Which are eaten by birds
Then they are scattered
As the birds fly
And release their waste
The plants die
And the nutrients return
To the soil
This is the way
In this theater of existence
But that is not the way things
Need to happen forever
We have hope beyond death
To live in a world
That is creative without destruction
Where there is good but no bad
There is joy but no suffering
It is incomprehensible to our minds
But it is our future
It is as things will be
For all eternity 2.1.11 Don’t Give Up We are surrounded on all sides
By imperfection and disharmony
We struggle to merely live
And we battle certain sorrow
With humor and disbelief
The human spirit
Endures all
And laughs at defeat
Despair does no succeed
In driving out hope
To live is to disregard
The certainty of death
As we study facts
Of our world today
And our lack of influence
We are filled with indifference
And we see no reason
To pursue truth
And eternal values
But in choosing to survive
We make a stand
To not be overwhelmed
By the cries of the sick
And the darkness of evil deeds
We are not heroes
We have chosen to be survivors
Faced on all sides by incomprehensible
And insurmountable problems
We make a choice
That we will not bow out
We continue to enjoy
The beauty of creation
And the eternal truth
We see beyond death
And live for a better tomorrow
This age of turmoil
Is only one age
In an innumerable succession
We see past our present condition
And realize what it is to be human
Our place in this world is brief
Our lives are little
And our reach is small
We need to understand the unity
Of destruction and creation
That the preservation of hope
Is something that exists
Eternally in each of us
In order to realize joy
We have to accept our sorrow
With each attempt
At accepting the endless cycles
Of building up and tearing down
We can look to break free
From this unchangeable reality
In every moment of existence
We need to acknowledge our fate
But not lose site of eternity
And the possibility of escape
To be ok with the endless circles
Of causality and successive events
Doesn’t mean that we are trapped
Forever in this paradox
With one decision
And the power of the Eternal
We can surmount our desires
And live an everlasting life
Without the fears of mortal life 2.1.12 The Immortal Spirit There is always some good
In even the most evil heart
Even the least aware person
Realizes the reality of the spirit
Even the worst ruler
Has to have some sense of right
Or his empire would crumble
Each one of us has experienced
The life of the spirit
If even only for a moment
When we begin to see beyond
Our present desires and lust
For temporal pleasures
We start to accept that we
Are part of a bigger picture
We begin to grasp the universality
Of our spiritual reality
When we do something for others
At the expense of our own comfort
We grow in our understanding
Of the Eternal Spirit
Every moment spent
In the study of truth
Our eyes open to the reality
Of our web of interconnectedness
With that which unites
The entire human spirit
The path we each walk
Has more significance
Than we at first realize
There are realities that matter
That we cannot easily perceive
There is more to life
Than being well fed and clothed
There is a reason for life
Beyond just satisfying our urges
Even a life in perfect balance
Seeks beyond temporality
There is more to existence
Than having a family and a job
We cannot be satisfied
Without understanding truth
And sacrificing for love
We can only know true love
When we give up part of ourselves
The more we give away
The more we gain in wisdom
When we pass to the next life
We will only take with us
Our spiritual self
Our attitude, and our memories
There is nothing permanent
About power or fame
We all die alone
And are only truly
Comforted by companionship
When we begin to learn
Our immortal nature 2.2 Physical Desert and Spiritual Paradiseinfluenced by the Desert Fathers (Early Christian Monks)
2.2.1 Money and Spirit What is the point
Of giving all that we have
To those in need
This does not earn us
Any spiritual awards
We are the same
As the most cruel dictators
The rejection of the material
Is for ourselves
For the illumination of
Our own spirits
It is important
That we do not
Seek recognition nor honor
For our gifts to others
And give without
Any lasting regret
What we gain in our
Generosity of spirit
Is an easier load
That we must carry
Many think that wealth
Makes life easier
But it makes our
Everlasting inheritance
Harder to hold onto
We cannot accept God
Without denying the world
We make it much harder
To accept God’s charity
When we have too much
It is not the act
That brings us closer
To our Creator
But it is the way
Our heart is transformed
By the relinquishing
Of material riches
People can see your spirit
By your actions
Which speak volumes
That neither the eyes
Nor the ears can comprehend
The physical world
Has direct corespondents
To the spiritual world
What we do in this life
Is reflected in the life to come
The things we do with
Our body not only
Affect our minds
But have spiritual equivalents
The spiritual world
Is more real than the physical
But the two cannot help
Be united and influenced
By the other
Secure now who you serve
By how you spend your money 2.2.2 In Secret What you shout at the roof tops
Or advertise on a billboard
Is of no account
When good is done in secret
It pleases our Father in Heaven
You can run ads non stop
During the Super Bowl
Or create a new web 2.0 business
And attract millions of hits
But there is no better way
To convince others
To do the right thing
Than when you whisper
In the privacy of your own home
Giving to others
Can provide you with good PR
That will last a few weeks
But giving of yourself in secret
Will help you overcome yourself
Who is your greatest enemy
There is no better reason to
Do what is right
Than to learn how to submit
To the Father’s will
We do not need a list
Of good works
To gain entrance to Heaven
We do it because
We are grateful for what
Our Father has given us
It is not satisfying to
Have the love of humanity
No matter how many times
You are on the cover of Time
Or how many Nobel Peace prizes
You are awarded
What brings true joy
Is knowing that God has
Invited you to be part of
His plan for His creation
It feels good to do the right thing
Because it furthers God’s plan
It is only fair that God
Gets the credit because
Where would we be without Him? 2.2.3 The Greater Sin Why is it so hard to love
Those who hate you
When we have the example
Of our Lord and Savior
As well as His power?
If God was willing to
Descend to the earth
And live as a Man
And to be tortured
And shamed for our sins
Why don’t we find it
In our hearts to accept
When others fail us?
If God can forgive us
And all sin leads to death
And is equally wrong
Why do we think we
Are so much better than
Those we regard as enemies?
We see a corporation
Gamble away our country’s wealth
But we don’t take responsibility
For living beyond our means
We are angry when our job
Is exported overseas
But we are unwilling to
Pay more for our toys
Which would allow others
To keep their jobs
How can we judge criminals
For murdering in anger
When we get just as angry?
How can we feel used
When we are scammed
When we cheat on our taxes?
How can we blame the government
For being wasteful with money
When we are deep in debt?
Just because other people
Sin on a greater scale
Does not justify
Our own hard hearts 2.2.4 Why Pray? I cannot even imagine
A day without prayer
In everything I do
I need Your help
You deserve credit
For all I have accomplished
You were the one
Who made my dreams reality
I work hard to realize
The creations I have made
But the Holy Spirit
Is what inspires me
And bridges between
My effort and the successful
Outcome of my work
When I am lonely
And have little to say
You provide me with
Gentle inspirations
When I lay awake at night
And toss and turn
You provide me
A peace that satisfies
When I am frozen in terror
You bring me back
To the present reality
With each step I take
You are holding my hand
I cannot find a way
To show my gratitude
That is sufficient
I only hope to further
Your will in earth
That it may bring
Glory to You 2.2.5 Separation and Unity To be close to God
We must separate from the world
Our Creator loves people
But He cannot accept
The fallen nature of man
For us to have the blood of Christ
Cover our corrupt hearts
Our spirit must overflow with
A quiet sense of awe
Of our Father’s love and mercy
What is of the world
Is fast paced and never peaceful
The world and those of the world
Cannot shut down their desires
For even a moment
With all the activity of commerce
And the noise of industry
The center of worldly wisdom
Is the city and business life
Not all of us can live in a cave
In a remote desert
Or not feel lonely
Far from other people
It is not about physical distance from
Centers of sin and the politics of
Wealth and power
It is about being spiritually removed
From temptation and desire
For most of us, we need to be
In the midst of those who ache
For the freedom of their heart
But we must create for ourselves
A time of quiet and restful
Study of Your word
We need to keep our eyes and ears
From the lust of this world
The pagan values of strength and beauty
Must be far from our hearts
We must seek those rejected
By our leaders and by our system
We must embrace the victims
Of our way of life
We must not take part
In the destruction of God’s creation
But it is hard to take a stand
When we see no change result
From our effort and actions
How do we distance ourselves
From the idols of consumerism
When we live under the rule
Of the empire of desire?
How do we break free
From the cycle of debt and
Keep a healthy mind
When we work for those
Who are part of the problem?
How can we buy what we need
To survive when it comes at
The cost of others’ freedom? 2.2.6 Desire We live in an era
Of overwhelming evil
Every major part of our culture
Is about addiction and bondage
You cannot walk 10 feet
In your own house
Without being bombarded
By messages tempting you to
Get in debt and sell your future
For a moment’s pleasure
We now think we need
Half a dozen electronic gadgets
That didn’t exist 20 years ago
We can afford to buy so much
That our problems are more
About getting rid of our waste
Than about satisfying hunger
We think we are making a difference
If we keep under a certain level
Of energy use and fool ourselves
Into thinking some businesses
Exist to help others
Even our charities are bloated
And ineffective at their goals
We are all experts on how to make
Even more money
We think nothing of spending
More than we have
And expect that we will
Get even more money later on
To pay for our past lifestyle
We have hit the lottery
In energy and can travel and
Send information instantly
But we use our stockpile
To keep from having to walk
A few blocks
Or to indulge in a vacation
We think we have done without
If we give even 2% of our income
To our ineffective charities
The main reason why we give
To charities is to avoid taxes
So our net giving is even lower
Than if we gave nothing at all
We think nothing of voting
For those companies which destroy
Our planet and take our children’s souls
We think if we do not reward
The businesses that contribute to
Our lack of spiritual freedom
We will lose lose our jobs we work
To pay off our debts
For things they convinced us to buy
How can we expect
Other countries to feel our pain
When we don’t change the very system
That got us into this mess?
How can we spread freedom overseas
When we have already sold our souls
For a new electronic device?
Isn’t there a better use of our free time
Than entertaining ourselves and passing time?
Aren’t we responsible for those
Who starve so that we can afford more toys?
When we have most of the world’s wealth
How can we say we cannot afford
To provide for those who have nothing? 2.3 Hard Work AheadMarcus Aurelius influenced
2.3.1 So Much Lost To grow up in a world
Governed by commerce
Where technology
Is thought to bring
Happiness and tranquility
Where civilization at its very end
To be taught
That greed is good
And that all charity
Is just a scam
In a world removed
From the natural
An empire of plastic
And metals
A society run by
Electricity and oil
Where progress is seen
As economic growth
In a world where
The food gets there
Just in time
And there is just
Enough room
To turn around
Where violence
Is not even questioned
And we have no problem
With lecturing others
On how to live
When we can’t even
Grow our own food
Or understand how
Our tools are made
There is a little left
To lose when we all
Are so specialized
That only one person
Understands how to
Create the product
That our company sells
That if the machines
Ran out of energy
That we would be
At the mercy of
Nature’s elements 2.3.2 Get Going It is good to know
Where your food comes from
And how to repair your clothes
It is good to struggle
To work the soil
It is ok to work on projects
Where you depend only on yourself
You may not be self-sufficient
But to be able to build your
Own tools and fix them as well
Is worth your time to study
To spend your youth
Learning ethics and manners
Can lead to a better life
Understanding your history
Can help you make better decisions
Enhancing your creativity
Can someday save your life
To learn no more than just
What you have to do to
Earn a living is short-sighted
When your civilization is in decline
You need to make the time
To understand why
When the natural world is
Almost all consumed by people
It is high time to find a way
To build it back up
When your are running out of
Resources to run your economy
You better find another way
To get people working again
It is not enough to barely scrape by
You must plan for times of less
When you have extra money
It is time to start saving
And when you have free time
You must continue your education
We cannot all just throw up our hands
And plead ignorance of our situation
We must get moving again
When you are afraid of losing your livelihood
Retraining is the best option
Just because we are living in hard times
Does not give us the excuse to give up
We must retool and relearn
How to survive with less
Let’s not waste time
On drinking and partying
Let’s not continue
To let time pass by
Without learning more
We must shed pounds
And restore our savings
We need to get out of debt
And find the means
To keep our jobs
There is not much time
To think of solutions
And creative ways
To keep spending
We don’t need new solutions
And time wasted in debate
We need to look to the past
Technology is not going to save us
When we cannot afford to
Keep our machines running
This is not the time to tune out
And give up on our system
We need change without
Empty slogans and false promises
We need to restore our
Ability to grow our own food
We need to stop wasting
Our time on playing games
And get to work
There is not time to caste blame
We are all at fault
We need to start repairing roads
And investing in education
We need to learn to do without
Big businesses and big government
We all need to be working
And not trying to live off
The sweat of others
It is not enough to be a piece
Of the machinery
Is is not enough to just
Perform your job correctly
We need to expand our skills
And learn how to work with others
We cannot give in to despair
There is too much work to be done
We cannot distract ourselves
With vacations and unnecessary travel
We need to stay at work
Past our shifts
We need to study after work
We need to expand our repertoire
Food does not grow itself
Without human effort
And tools to not miraculously appear
Without hard work and know-how
Can’t we understand that it is a problem
When we depend on other countries
To grow our food and build our machines?
Is it that hard to live life
As people have for thousands of years?
What is so hard about
Living without modern plumbing?
We can get to work without cars
And go on vacation in state
We need to buck up
And not be troubled when the electricity
Goes down in our city
It is not the end of the world
If we lose the ability to produce computers
There is more to life than iPods and Wiis
If we don’t know how to make it
We cannot depend on it
We need to accept the possibility
That we will not continue to grow our economy
There are natural limits to how many people
Can live on the Earth at any on time
Dying is not the worst things that can happen
We need to accept that we may not live
As long as our parents or grandparents
We need to understand that we can communicate
Without electricity and without cars
It is not useful to worry about
How we will be taken care of
When modern medicine is a thing of the past
We must accept a lower standard of living
We should be thankful
If most of us don’t die off
If we only go back a century in technology
We should consider ourselves lucky
If we still have dependable electricity
Ten years from now
We will not be that bad off 2.3.3 A Vision of the Future What would it be like
To be one of 100 million farmers
To grow our own food
To really enjoy live music
When it came through town
And to not need exercise
Beyond our regular work
To make our own soap
And to have our tools
Made by the local blacksmith
Water will power our mills
And the wind will carry our ships
There will be no reason
To travel even 50 miles
There will be no corporations
And news will travel slower
There will be less war
Because we cannot afford it
The legal system will rely
On vigilante justice
We will feel safer
With everybody owning a gun
And we will not freak out
When we see a bear
Or run from a cougar
Our dogs will offer the best
Kind of security system available
Everybody will know you
By your first name
Our currency will be gold
And no one will have thought
That banks were a good idea
We will be old at 50
And our children might not know
Our history before the Great Change
But that will be
Because we didn’t want to repeat
The same mistakes
And not because we didn’t
Want to educate them
We will sleep from dusk until dawn
And there will be no night clubs
Everyone will know how
To grow food and knit their clothes
A good investment will not be stock
But a cow or a sheep
The children will work
Alongside their parents
3 generations will live in one house
Everybody will have at least 5 acres of land
We will have our vacations in winter time
Honeymoons will take place a the coast
And no one will be a millionaire
Science as we know it today
Will be unheard of
And we will have no need for pesticides
Plastics will be heirlooms
Monday, September 1, 2008, 5:25 PM
[ General]
Theoretical BreakthroughsBen Huot August 29, 2008 Contents 1 First Thingsby Ben Huot 1.1 LogoI should explain what the logo is meant to be representing. The guy is a pen, whichis me, which comes from my first poem in Philosophy Core, called Creative Process,where I refer to myself as doing Tai Chi, with my pen being my body. The idea isbased on ”the pen is mightier than the sword” so I created ”the Bible is mightierthan the pen”. The Bible is shooting out flames because in Ephesians it talks about spiritualwarfare and the Bible is the only armament that is offensive. (It means offensiveinstead of defensive. These are common terms used in combat. The sword is the onlyspiritual weapon. All the other armaments expressed in Ephesians are protective anddefensive in nature like a shield, a helmet, a breastplate, etc.) The flames aremeant as in James when it talks about being purified by fire or struggles withtemptation in our lives. Isaiah also was purified by a live coal to his lips by aSeraphim. So the usage of fire is not evil or anything violent. Think of it aspurifying. I would ideally like it to show the sword turned inward to his chest, symbolizinglike in many fantasy books that when they defeat the great evil force in the world,they are left with the greatest task, which is to defeat the evil within. The Bible issaid to be a 2 sided sword, with the ability to cut between bone and marrow, andshow the truth. Christ’s tongue is said to be a 2 edged sword in Revelations, todefeat the Devil with. The reason I didn’t show this is it looks like he is committingsuicide. The spiritual warfare is not against people, ideas, or even spirits. It is aboutfighting for the purity of our own minds. It is an internal thing. Like theNative American proverb ”my greatest enemy is myself.” This purity is inregard to our own sins and does not refer to purity in any other sense. Butthis is a process, not an outcome, as it is not possible for us to live withoutsin. This warfare is only spiritual in the sense that it is not militant, social,economic, or political. This is for my own moral and ethical development andconsists of practical qualities I try, with Christ’s help, to cultivate like humility,compassion, kindness, and seriousness and do not correspond to anythingsupernatural. 1.2 Other BooksMy text books and picture books contain most of my work over the past 10 years.These include my reading of some 235 books containing the philosophical andreligious thinking of the worlds cultures for several thousand years and theapplication of the main themes of some of the major Old Testament Prophets andmajor works of the New Testament. The main point of this work is to get people to stopping living their lives withtheir minds, but instead follow their hearts. I bring a radically different combinationof viewpoints that you have not heard of before. I am not asking people to followwhat I have written, but rather let the words stir up some sort of emotional responsein your heart. I challenge my readers to come up with their own unique ideas and that can leadthe world in a new direction. We need a much broader diversity of ideas in ourculture to deal with the problems we are facing in America and throughout the restof the world. 1.3 For More InformationFor more books and information, visit me on the web at http://benjamin-newton.com/ Feel free to send me e-mail regarding the books and website atben@benjamin-newton.com I even enjoy constructive criticism 1.4 Cover Graphic 1.5 LicenseThis entire PDF is licensed together under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivative Works 3.0 United States License as a whole, and nothing is to beseparated, added on to, or modified in any manner. Clarification on what no derivatives means: No changes may be made in any way including but not limited to: the material content and design must be copied as a whole (everything containedin this pdf file) - with nothing added
- without anything taken away
must be kept in its original form with no additions or subtractions to - file formats
- HTML and CSS code
- PDF files
- graphics and movies
- sounds, music, and spoken word
- interactivity and flash
- file and directory structure
- filenames and directory names
- links
- distribution method
1.6 A Unique Approachto Asian Philosophy, Religion, and Literature
There seems to be a tendency among those in the West to go to extremes in theirapproach to studying the Asian classics. Many Christians see any other ideas thatdon’t come directly from the Bible as either not important to study or that lumpall non-Christian books together as New Age and therefore see them asforbidden. Many non-Christians think that anything that is not the Bible oris not an Abrahamic religion to be legitimate for study. I have chosen athird option. Not every belief system should be totally rejected or totallyembraced.
I think that there are many things that a number of Asian classics can teachpeople that have ideas that can be compatible with the Bible. I think whatChristians don’t understand is that there were centuries of time and billions of peoplewho never heard of the Gospel and did their best to find the truth as they knew it.Many traditional cultures in Africa and the former communist countries in Asia arevery open to the Gospel and did not intend to worship anything the Bible woulddescribe as forbidden or evil.
I think that many non-Christians are ignorant about the dangers of justembracing any belief system without being a critical thinker. Not everything is as itappears at first. Ironically, many things that turn non-Christians away fromChristian beliefs and the Bible, are actually forbidden by the Bible. Many of thethings that bother non-Christians about the Bible are true about other belief systemsas well. There are also negatives about belief systems other than Christianity thatChristians don’t have to deal with.
Another thing to realize is that it is considered perfectly acceptable to mix andmatch different aspects of different Asian belief systems other than the Abrahamicreligions, while the Bible forbids just taking select aspects of Christianity that theyprefer. So, for a Christian to bridge this gap, they should embrace all Biblicaldoctrines but only select the elements of the other Eastern belief systemsthat are compatible with Christianity, or, in other words, say somethingsimilar.
Another thing to realize is that although you may find similar meaningsin Asian classics other than the Bible, that they don’t necessarily meanthe same thing the Bible does and almost definitely are not meant to beunderstood in the same context. Taoists were not all trying to find Christ and inHinduism, the 3 major gods are not equivalent to the Christian Trinity.Another consequence of this principle is that there is not the same perspectiveon what is forbidden, so although some philosophies and religions may beuseful to Christians while some of the combinations of those beliefs, couldlikely be forbidden by the Bible. What the Bible forbids are the things thatpeople keep hidden or do in secret. Some of the terms for this are esoteric ormysteries.
What is the point of Christians reading about other belief systems? One of thereasons is that Biblical doctrines have already been compromised and changedin order to mix better with Greek philosophy and paganism. Some of thethings that has been compromised is that many Christians think it is ok tostudy Greek mythology and the Church has tried to ignore the supernaturalaspects of the Bible and its implications. Another corruption of Christiandoctrine caused by the Greek pagan and philosophical influence is that theparadoxical doctrines of the Bible have been altered to a divisive theology wherepeople think they can pick one or the other when the Bible clearly specifiesboth.
Studying Asian philosophies helps a Christian to see the Bible more closely towhat it really is - an Asian religion. Another reason is to study non-White culturesand understand why many non-Europeans believe different than Christians and howthis affects world history and politics. If you understand what people believe andelements of their culture, it is easier to share Christian beliefs with them.Another reason is that Paul was an intellectual and understood the beliefsystems of his time and showed us by his example that we should do thesame.
So, where do you start? To find some great books written by Asians, look at myBook of Books, which has 78 Asian classics, other than Bible books. You will find allthe information about how to obtain them and which ones to choose, based on yourinterests. I promise that if you stick to the list, you won’t find anything that isforbidden by the Bible. 2 Intellectual Breakthroughs2.1 Philosophical Positions 2.1.1 Hermeneutic (Method of Interpretation) - I use primary sources to derive theology or philosophy for a particular belief system
- I focus on what I see as the pure or original interpretation of the philosophy or theology
- I do not research current or past deviations of each major belief system
Practice and Bible Derived ReasoningGeneral Methods
- My method of ethical reasoning is derived from practical considerations.
- My method of theological reasoning comes from Biblical considerations.
- My method brings these perspectives to their logical conclusions.
- My theory is based on what the Bible says about theology and what helps influence a person do the right thing.
- I back track the way people should act according to the Bible and what the Bible says about God into a theory that is most consistent with these outcomes.
Applications according to Theory
- My theology, Towards a Philosophy of the Bible, mirrors what the Bible says about God and a solution to suffering that best answers this problem.
- My ethics, Still Theory, are based on a combination of the philosophies most consistent with the Bible and having the least major ethical dilemmas and answers postmodern questions about suffering and uncertainty.
- My psychology, Liberation Psychology/Theology, enables the person to be their own advocate and focuses on religion as a secondary approach to solving lingering problems with Schizophrenia, as the most effective practice is to take the medication.
- My aesthetics, Bible Model Aesthetics, works to solve practical issues like accessibility, morality, and quality from a Biblical perspective.
- My sociology/biology, Community through the Humanities, focuses on finding harmony with the groups of people we come into contact with in real world situations and applying ethics from Still Theory.
- My theory of education, Learning of the Heart, is based on the realities of life and how people can know what is right and wrong.
2.1.2 Contrasting Theories of EducationLearning of the Mind
- The establishment assumes that public education through high school prepares a person for the world
- The establishment assumes that everyone should be educated in the same manner
- The establishment assumes that they know best what the public needs to learn
- The establishment assumes that what they believe is right and wrong should be imposed on everyone else
- The establishment assumes that public education improves people’s social status and morality
- The establishment assumes that with slight modifications, they will get radically different societies
Learning of the Heart
I believe that being prepared for the world is a combination of different things,which the public school system fails at all of them, including:
- understand how the establishment works, how to use it to improve one’s life, and avoid it changing the individual or placing more limits than normal on the individual
- develop critical thinking skills and determine what is right and wrong by conscience
- develop a useful skill for financial support and independence
- I believe that different people should be taught different things
- I believe that people know what is right and wrong at birth
- I believe that the world’s idea of right and wrong is contrary to God’s
- I believe that people’s social status is determined by who they know and what status their parents have and their morality is determined by personal choice
- I believe that in order to radically change society, we must make major changes
2.1.3 Unified Social Theory of Natural Science - All creatures that feel pain should be kept from any unnecessary suffering
- The difference between humans and animals is a matter of degree
- Human beings are not defined by any distinct characteristics in the Bible
- The distinguishing factor between people and animals is a social construct
- People have social and physical power over animals and are responsible for their well being
- Flora should be treated with respect to their well being as well as fauna
- Water and cells should be carefully looked after as they are the building blocks of life
- The earth should be treated with the same respect as other life forms
- Preservation of life does not mean no harm is done
- Although animals and people may be perceived as the same, the human has a responsibility to look after the animal
- Not subjecting sentient beings to physical pain is just the beginning of a social ethic
- Humans should use their resources to actively advocate for the well being of all sentient beings
2.2 College Education 2.2.1 Conservative Curriculum Some study to learn
What others have dreamed of
Some study to learn
What is popular
Some study to learn
The values of the past
Some study to learn
The traditions of their ancestors
Some study to learn
What they already believe
Some study to learn
What is well understood
Some study to learn
To be respected by others
Some study to learn
The path well traveled
Some study to learn
From a specific ideology
Some study to learn
From what others tell them
Some study to learn
To be opinion leaders
Some study to learn
To memorize information
Some study to learn
Rules others have made
Some study to learn
What is practical
Some study to learn
What is widely accepted
Some study to learn
What isn’t controversial
Some study to learn
Without questioning 2.2.2 Liberal Arts There are few colleges
Where you can create
Your own major
There are few colleges
That encourage you to think
There are few colleges
That care about
More than reputation
There are few colleges
That don’t bend over backwards
For a few dollars in grants
There are few colleges
Who dare to have a vision
There a few colleges
Who don’t depend on sports
For getting funding
And recruiting students
There are few colleges
Who are not indebted to
Government and big business
There are few colleges
Who control their own curriculum
There are few colleges
That challenge the status quo
There are few colleges
That prepare students
For unpredicted changes
In the future of society
There are few colleges
That take pride in
Creating controversy
On campus
There are few colleges
That spend as much
On human development
Than on Scientific research 2.2.3 College Football America is a society
Oriented around sports
We believe that competition
Brings positive change
We believe that physical fitness
Is more important than education
We believe that winning
Is the most important method for change
We are aggressive in business and politics
We are not interested in the community
The leaders only care about
Their own status and wealth
Our young all believe
That they will play
American football for money
They either want to get money
For being famous
Or get a welfare check
Our athletes make millions of dollars
For running a ball across a line
The players feel tough
Because they run into each other
We think that being a man
Means memorizing sports statistics
We spend most our time
Talking about what teams win
And about our football team
We played on in high school
We believe that we peaked in college
And that the only thing important
Is whose team won the game 2.2.4 Lost Opportunities How will we compete
When every one
Has a college degree?
Will we have to get doctorates
For a family wage job?
How are we to pay
For our education
When our families
Are too rich
To receive aid
But too poor
To afford to help?
Will anyones be rewarded
For a liberal arts degree?
The only degrees that pay
Are business and engineering
Is that what
We want to base
Our future on
Technology alone
With no room
For the arts or religion?
We only care about
What is the quickest way
To build things
Bigger, better, and faster
We have no culture
And no reason to create
We have no imagination
Or reason to live
Other than for
Getting drunk after work
Or losing ourselves
In virtual worlds
We are afraid
To confront reality
And solve real problems
We are told
The problems are too complex
And we need
To solve problems
Through politics and business
We don’t have the creativity
Or the time and energy
To pursue positive change 2.3 Philosophy of Religion 2.3.1 Theology includes Philosophy Everyone has a perspective
Everyone has opinions
There is nothing theological
That is not influenced by philosophy
We do not live in a vacuum
And ideas come from somewhere
There are no new philosophies
Just restatements done with less eloquence
There is no way to only study the Bible
We are only fooling ourselves
And no one else
We cannot distance ourselves
From our own foolishness
We are corrupt to the core
It is not possible to read the Bible
Without prejudice and without feelings
The Bible is not meant to be
A list of rules or a systematic theology
Don’t you think there is a reason
That there are so many views on
Every branch of theology?
The Bible is not meant to be interpreted
The same by the entire church
The Bible is not about a set theology
No one will ever uncover
The full philosophy of the Bible
The greatest theologians
Have only scratched the surface
And were wrong more times
Than they were right
Verses don’t mean just one thing
The Bible should not
Be read in any set order
Verses should not stand alone
There are no hidden meanings
But few meanings have been found
There is more to a single phrase
Than can be understood
By the human mind in all eternity
And the Bible is only one small part
Of who God is
To say we were only influenced by the Bible
Or that we believe what the Bible says
Does not adequately explain our beliefs
We have presuppositions and experiences
But these aren’t necessarily stumbling blocks
Feelings are great and mental exercises are of use
But we need to reflect on our background
Or we will be repeating the mistakes
Of even the greatest of theologians
It is ok to not be right on even the main points
To disagree creates a healthy diversity
The church does not need core beliefs
Our doctrines only hold us back
There is more to life than theology
And there is more to the Bible
Than your statements of faith 2.3.2 Honesty When you make claims
Which you use Scripture
To support your position
It is not honest
When you don’t state
Your intentions up front
And explain your background
We are not merely spiritual beings
We are not just vessels
Of God’s will
We have our own
Hopes, desires, and dreams
We are not pure spirits
With empty minds
There is a psychology
To religious beliefs
Ideas don’t come
Out of a vacuum
We cannot wall ourselves
Off from unbelievers
We cannot understand
Our culture expect by
Reading books
Besides the Bible
Our minds are sponges
And we absorb ideas
From places we are
Often unaware
This is the use of
The study of philosophy
We get impressions
From many venues
We just assume
They are all from the Bible
Just because we are Christians
What we come up with
Is not independent
Of our culture and history
Ideas influence us
In subtle and surprising ways
We do not need to read a book
To be influenced by capitalism
Or to evaluate atheism
We are part of a larger
Ecosystem of dialogue
Great thinkers build
On what others have said
Christian and otherwise
Great theologians study philosophy
Some of the greatest philosophers
Were trained as theologians first
The early church adopted
Many ideas from Greek paganism
There is no way to be purely Christian
Without affection and sympathies 2.3.3 Freedom of Choice Scripture is not meant
To be understood intellectually
Nor by our feelings alone
Although Scripture ministers
To all areas of our person
We should keep our focus
On the heart and the will
It is good to have diversity
Especially in opinion and perspective
The Bible is not meant
To be interpreted in just one way
We don’t need an entire denomination
To be in agreement on any doctrine
Don’t you think there is a reason
Why no one can agree
Or that theologians were interested
In such different topics
Throughout divergent eras?
The more widespread the views
The harder it is to see a pattern
God deliberately designed the Bible
To be poetic instead of legalistic
God could have just written
A list of rules and left it at that
We could just turn off our brains entirely
But that is not God’s nature
He wants us to make rational decisions
And for different people
To go into different directions
And to see the Bible from different views
We have to realize that God speaks
To our entire person
That God is spirit and flesh
Christianity is not meant to be an organization
Or to have a rigid structure
Even the Bible explains salvation
Differently every time
All believers will enter Heaven by grace
But each will do it in a different way 2.4 Striking Back 2.4.1 What is Rational? W hat is the definition of rational?
Believing that man is the highest good
Or that his intellect can grasp everything
Do you think you can disprove God
By quoting a famous atheist?
You win an argument
But just show your own limitations
And your own weak intellect
Not everything is meant to be
Analyzed in the Scientific method
What cannot be disproved
Is greater than that which can be proven
Guess and check can only go so far
And scientists are as bigoted
And resistant to change and new ideas
Than as are any other bureaucrats
The ideas of Science may have
At one time been an area for non-comformists
But it is no longer
Everyone believes in Science
And that is a great weakness
The masses can be convinced of anything
Scientists fail to realize
That it was their community that
Made a fool of Galileo
The first scientist was a smart ass
When your belief system
Can only understand matter-energy
Aren’t you smart enough
To realize that it cannot explain
Anything important
It is not wrong to have a theory
To explain something
But when you use it as an excuse
To hide from spiritual realities
Who is the greater fool?
It doesn’t matter how good you are at debate
Or how many facts you have on your side
Some things just don’t make sense
Just because the entire Scientific establishment
Believes in one thing, the masses think it is true
No matter how many times
Society confuses facts with truth
The number of believers is growing worldwide
It is interesting that those who think
They are so enlightened
As to be better informed than God
And think that they are the enemy of the establishment
That their ideas resonate best with
The people who create the problems
They are trying to fix
If the same system that said the world is flat
Now even admits they cannot observe
95% of the mass of the universe
Why should I believe them about evolution?
For a community that shuns innovators
And anything unusual or different
And is mainly motivated by prestige
Why would I believe anything
They print in numbers
And collect evidence for?
If scientists would study other philosophies
They would start to realize that the world
Is much bigger than Science
And that the real problems in life
Are not going to be solved by more technology
That we are never going to resolve
The true cause of suffering through education
That the innovation that will bring solutions
Is something that was written down 2,000 years ago
That the most unusual ideas were some of the oldest
That we are just re-inventing what China
Designed thousands of years ago
Without the Scientific method
If the Chinese were not smart enough
To keep the empire going
How are we going to be able to survive
A few more generations of Science?
One of the big problems with Science
Is it has no ethical foundation
Just as you cannot add security onto technology
Not designed with a firm foundation
Ethics are not just an add on
People do not become ethical by
Attending a one semester course
Or even after earning a Ph.D. in philosophy
It is not that we do not know enough
To do find a solution to our problems
But that we need a way to stop
Ourselves from creating more problems
Self control is the key to our survival
But the solution is not an invention
But supernatural intervention 2.4.2 Where Blame is Due If Christianity is to blame for everything
People claim it is
Then why is there so much more evil
Done by countries which are primarily atheist?
Before jumping on the bandwagon
And blaming every problem on Christianity
People should actually read what the Bible says
The Bible never says it is ok to mistreat animals
Augustine and Thomas Aquinas hated animals
But their theology is based more on Greek paganism
Than it is on any possible interpretation
Of the Bible come up with by the biggest idiot
The Bible holds humans responsible for taking care
Of the entire ecosystem
Not only are we responsible for what we have done
But we must correct any problems no matter
How they were caused
Unlike what the religious wrong say
The Bible states very clearly in several places
That there is no distinction between man and woman
Or peoples of any race or any other background
Contrary to popular belief, the Bible noes not say
That corporations should control the government
Or that the wealthy got that way because
They were following God’s laws
The Bible says over and over and gives many examples
Of moral people who loved God and suffered terribly
Many times exactly because of it
Contrary to popular belief, claiming to be born again
Does not get you to Heaven according to the Bible
You have to humble yourself before God
And believe you are equal to your fellow man
Before you can be saved
According to the Bible, environmental destruction
And stealing from people’s retirements are sins
And are greater than that of committing adultery one time
Unlike what many people think
The Bible does not tell you everything to do
And is designed for there to be different interpretations
Of many ideas in theology
Similar to Taoism, the theology of the Bible is no-dualistic
Even though many Christians treat Paul’s letters
Like analytical arguments, they are really mystical
Unlike what many Christians believe
The Bible encourages study of other religions and
Being intellectual by Paul’s example alone
The religious ideas the Bible disparages come from
Occult religions like Greek Paganism
Which has been synchronized with Christianity
By Augustine and Thomas Aquinas 2.4.3 God and Country The religious wrong have long believed
That America was a Christian nation
What America really was and this includes
The religious wrong
Is founded on the idea of
Not wanting to pay taxes
The founding fathers were anarchists
So to follow in their foot steps
Would be to overthrow the current government
The United States has always been
An aggressive and violent nation
Something we inherited from the English
We thought we were better than
The rest of the world
It was our duty to spread our power
No matter what the cost
Following in the footsteps of the English
We held people as slaves even though
We claimed to be a democracy
We used biological weapons on the
Native Americans and dishonored treaties
These are not things a Christian nation would do
They do not honor God
And they do not promote human dignity
Now the religious wrong want us to protect
Humans that are not even born
But thinks it is ok to torture baby animals
In their use for food and experiments
Both of which are unnecessary
They believe that monopolies/dictatorships are good
And that our bill of rights is unimportant
They are against giving to charities
They instead want to tax the poor
And give it to the rich to make bigger weapons with
They are using a couple of attacks worldwide
As an excuse to invade another nation
When it had no intention of attacking anyone
So our dictator could settle an old score
The American House of Bush
Loves to redefine worlds until they have no meaning
They have over written every law against pollution
So a couple rich white men can get even richer
He has held teachers responsible for how
Prepared the kids are for school without
Factoring in different socioeconomic conditions
Which will ultimately destroy the school system
After doing all this our dictator has the audacity
To claim he is a born again Christian
There is absolutely nothing Christian
About the way this creep acts 2.4.4 Medieval Morality Enlightenment writers love to denigrate
The European Medieval period
By referring to it as the Dark Ages
Because they hated God so much
And they were enamored by material wealth
And advanced technology used in warfare
They blamed all their problems on God
Modern authors refer to the time
As being backwards and violent
What they really hate is that it was
A relative time of material poverty for Europe
After the fall of the Roman Empire
The entirety of Europe struggled to survive
But people don’t see the bright side
Without the wealth to destroy others
And depending on the harvest for their food
People began to rely upon God
And had respect for God and nature
People still had evil in their hearts
But the scale of destruction was
Exponentially less than in ”enlightened times”
In fact, although historians love to blame
Christianity for the big wars of the next 500 years
The Church was losing more and more power
As things began to be more and more violent
People saw Science as a way they could
One up God and avoid those inconvenient
Sexual and financial morals
See the main problem with Science is
That it has no formal ethics as part
Of its system of discovery
The superiority of philosophy
Is that it has an ethics
The superiority of religion
Is that is also has a reason
The superiority of Christianity
Is that is also gives a way 2.4.5 A Matter of Faith Many people believe
That evolution should be
Accepted because
Most scientists believe it
They say it should just be
A matter of evidence
I believe it as a matter of faith
First of all, Science did not
Just arrive out of nowhere
And was not always
The way everything was decided
Neither are we more advanced
For relying on it for everything
Science was invented and came out
Of a particular western philosophical
School called the Enlightenment
Contrary to popular belief
Most technologies of the modern world
Were not invented by Europeans or
By their precious Science
They were dreamed up and produced
First by the Chinese
In fact, the Industrial Revolution
Came about from our discovery
Of Chinese technologies
Invented hundreds or even thousands
Of years earlier
There are many other methods
Of discovery and verification
Jainism has a number all by itself
The five senses, testimony, ESP,
telepathy, and an all knowing ascended being
Mystics have a number as well
Faith, intuition, and prophetic visions
Most schools of Hinduism
Verify knowledge by
Perception, inference, comparison, and testimony
So we see that Science is only
One school out of many
In the panorama of philosophy
Even if I would be convinced
If provided the evidence
In the Scientific form
It would not be possible
For me to accept evolution
Except by blind faith
Because it requires a Ph.D.
In Science to have the background
To make an informed position
Otherwise it is just oversimplified
And I have seen this done
In philosophy and religion
So I would only trust my own
Research into the theory of evolution 2.4.6 Circular Argument Most people believe anything
Someone with a Scientific education says
How do they prove things?
By facts, of course
How have they proven
That facts are truth?
Because that is Scientific
Facts determine details about
Specific events and measurements
But how does one prove Love?
How does one disprove it?
Many people believe if there
Are no facts for proving something
Than it must not be true
But facts are less important
Than things determined by faith
Things determined by experience
Things determined by reflection
Things determined by immersion
In a particular field of work
Things determined by scripture
Things determined by miraculous
Answers to prayer
If there is nothing to prove
That facts are true
Other than a circular argument
Then why do we base our society
On this shaky ground
And why do we force
This viewpoint on young children?
Our world is getting worse and worse
The more we use facts
To determine policy and direction
Shouldn’t we base our ideas
By what works and what doesn’t
In the real world
With cold, hard truth
Not by just flimsy facts
After all, it’s not like it’s hard
To present lies as facts 2.4.7 Only One Answer There are few things in life
That only have one answer
This is one of the things
People like so much about Science
But this a false premise
As Science is only one way
Of discovery
And is only applicable
To one way of thinking
Coming from the culture of
One part of the world
Having multiple answers
Is the great thing about art,
Philosophy, and religion
The humanities are the only
Fields that treat other cultures
With dignity and respect
They are the only ones
That explain what being
Sentient is like
They answer the most
Important questions
Better because they can
Have multiple answers
Most things in life are paradoxes
Which aren’t very compatible
With Science and math
How can you reduce
Most fundamental problems
Down to one solution?
How can you explain
Feelings in numbers and attributes?
How do you express mystery
With a system that is designed
To explain everything?
Ever wonder why economists
Can’t predict the future
With mathematical models
Or why it is so hard to
Communicate with psychologists?
Ever wonder why scientists
Are surprised when they
Discover animals are sentient
Or can have mental disorders?
We have an ancient heritage
Of wisdom and understanding
That is aware of things
Science can only dream of
To rely on a system that
Ignores questions of the spirit
Or things that cannot be tested
Under controlled conditions
To guide society into a better world
Shows that our world no longer
Values the truth and is only looking
For easy solutions and doesn’t care
About how bad the consequences are 3.1 Religion 3.1.1 Philosophy of Life and DeathMany Christians see salvation as an end and not just a beginning. They absolvethemselves of doing any help in the world, because they see the world ascorrupt and take the easy answer of letting the world fall apart. They lookknowingly at each other and think they are so much better, because they aresaved.
This is based on the theology of saved by faith alone, but it is not consistent, evenwithin its own system. If God saved us, because we repent of our sins, then why dowe think we are better than others? We are all equally bad and God’s criteria forreaching out to us is just that we humble ourselves before God and consider ourselvesequal to unbelievers. If we can’t even do that, how can we consider ourselves to beborn again or followers of Christ?
If Christ, who is God Himself, did not even consider Himself equal to God andsubmitted Himself to the authority of men, then where do we get off thinking that weare better than unbelievers. Often, theologians compare Christ’s descent to beinghuman as equivalent to us descending to being a bug, but this is a grossexaggeration of our worth and gross simplification of God’s glory above man. Christbeing born as a human is more equivalent to use giving up our existencepermanently.
God is not limited by any thing and He is so far above us that we amount to agrand total of zero in comparison to God. It is a miracle that any of us is actuallysaved and the effort is almost entirely on God’s side. It is not that our submission toGod means anything, but just a rightful understanding of our place in the universe; itis the grace of God that does the work.
It is important that we make a choice, to submit ourselves before God, but this isjust the beginning of the path. Just because we can’t get beyond grace, salvation,and faith, does not mean that we do not make the effort to grow. Just because theworld is going to end soon is no reason to let everybody suffer, without attemptingany way, to help reduce the suffering.
The majority of the Bible tells about how we should live our lives, while on earth.If we really want mass conversions to the Christianity of the Bible, we are going tohave to show unbelievers that we truly value life.
For a person to choose a philosophy of death and to totally give up on improvingthe world is a defeatist mentality. How can we expect to have victory in Christ if itdoesn’t start by reaching out to our own communities in Christ reflectedlove?
3.1.2 Future World Religion TrendsBy the year 2050, the term White Christian will be an oxymoron. If you take intoaccount the actual faithfulness of people calling themselves Christian, the Christianworld has already shifted to the Southern Hemisphere. In many of the countriesthroughout the world, they are not as honest at doing statistics as in the UnitedStates, where predominantly Muslim countries are going to severely undercount thenumber of Christians and the same will happen in the predominantly Hindu countryof India.
Europe had not entirely converted to Christianity until the 14th century andthere were more Christians in Asia than in Europe, until the years 1000. Most of thereduction of Christians in the Middle East happened in the late 19th and 20thcentury. The first big reduction of Christians in the Middle East came, after theysupported the Mongol Empire. The conversion of non-Muslims to Islam was largelybrought about by the missionary efforts of the Sufis. 10 percent of the populationsof Egypt and Syria are still Christian. Islam is now experiencing a majorfundamentalist revival and many more nations are going to be governed underIslamic law.
Many of the most populous African nations have a mixture of Christians andMuslims and there is not the same idea of separation between church and state inAfrica than there is as in the West. When a predominantly Christian nation, with alarge Muslim minority, declares itself to be a Christian nation or the exact oppositesituation occurs, we are going continue to have major wars in Africa. Andnow we have nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons on the open blackmarket.
At the same time, Europe is going to have more and more immigrants fromAfrica, for there to be e
Monday, September 1, 2008, 5:20 PM
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Art and EcologyBen Huot August 29, 2008 Contents 1 First Thingsby Ben Huot 1.1 LogoI should explain what the logo is meant to be representing. The guy is a pen, whichis me, which comes from my first poem in Philosophy Core, called Creative Process,where I refer to myself as doing Tai Chi, with my pen being my body. The idea isbased on ”the pen is mightier than the sword” so I created ”the Bible is mightierthan the pen”. The Bible is shooting out flames because in Ephesians it talks about spiritualwarfare and the Bible is the only armament that is offensive. (It means offensiveinstead of defensive. These are common terms used in combat. The sword is the onlyspiritual weapon. All the other armaments expressed in Ephesians are protective anddefensive in nature like a shield, a helmet, a breastplate, etc.) The flames aremeant as in James when it talks about being purified by fire or struggles withtemptation in our lives. Isaiah also was purified by a live coal to his lips by aSeraphim. So the usage of fire is not evil or anything violent. Think of it aspurifying. I would ideally like it to show the sword turned inward to his chest, symbolizinglike in many fantasy books that when they defeat the great evil force in the world,they are left with the greatest task, which is to defeat the evil within. The Bible issaid to be a 2 sided sword, with the ability to cut between bone and marrow, andshow the truth. Christ’s tongue is said to be a 2 edged sword in Revelations, todefeat the Devil with. The reason I didn’t show this is it looks like he is committingsuicide. The spiritual warfare is not against people, ideas, or even spirits. It is aboutfighting for the purity of our own minds. It is an internal thing. Like theNative American proverb ”my greatest enemy is myself.” This purity is inregard to our own sins and does not refer to purity in any other sense. Butthis is a process, not an outcome, as it is not possible for us to live withoutsin. This warfare is only spiritual in the sense that it is not militant, social,economic, or political. This is for my own moral and ethical development andconsists of practical qualities I try, with Christ’s help, to cultivate like humility,compassion, kindness, and seriousness and do not correspond to anythingsupernatural. 1.2 Other BooksMy text books and picture books contain most of my work over the past 10 years.These include my reading of some 235 books containing the philosophical andreligious thinking of the worlds cultures for several thousand years and theapplication of the main themes of some of the major Old Testament Prophets andmajor works of the New Testament. The main point of this work is to get people to stopping living their lives withtheir minds, but instead follow their hearts. I bring a radically different combinationof viewpoints that you have not heard of before. I am not asking people to followwhat I have written, but rather let the words stir up some sort of emotional responsein your heart. I challenge my readers to come up with their own unique ideas and that can leadthe world in a new direction. We need a much broader diversity of ideas in ourculture to deal with the problems we are facing in America and throughout the restof the world. 1.3 For More InformationFor more books and information, visit me on the web at http://benjamin-newton.com/ Feel free to send me e-mail regarding the books and website atmailto:ben@benjamin-newton.com I even enjoy constructive criticism 1.4 Cover Graphic 1.5 LicenseThis entire PDF is licensed together under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivative Works 3.0 United States License as a whole, and nothing is to beseparated, added on to, or modified in any manner. Clarification on what no derivatives means: No changes may be made in any way including but not limited to: the material content and design must be copied as a whole (everything containedin this pdf file) - with nothing added
- without anything taken away
must be kept in its original form with no additions or subtractions to - file formats
- HTML and CSS code
- PDF files
- graphics and movies
- sounds, music, and spoken word
- interactivity and flash
- file and directory structure
- filenames and directory names
- links
- distribution method
1.6 IntroductionOn review of my 8 academic books, I have found that 2 major themes appear: mylove for literature, music, and art and my love for nature and animals. Ilove both for the same reason: they are creative works of God and man. Ienjoy creating myself and I love talking about beauty, so these are naturalinterests. These are also 2 things that are lacking in our postmodern worldand things the traditional world excels at. To highlight these themes, I have takenmost of my writing about these 2 topics to form this new book, Art andEcology. 2.1 Mystical Poetry 2.1.1 Poetry is Beyond Philosophy T here is a peace
That defies explanation
And not knowing
Is different than unknowing
To be free from study surpasses
A concept that defies definition
To be done with something
And on to something else
Is better than ending without starting
There is a way without effort
And there is a way that is just easier
Accomplishments are never easy
But plans and direction are limiting
With one hand on the pen
And the other turning a page
You can learn only so much from reading
You must finally set down your books
There is a reasoning that is not rational
Understanding that is more than description
To not debate and just accept
To keep from giving answers
But that which doesn’t fight
Is the better way for peace
There is more to life than solving problems
There is life without being constructive
We do not always need a code
For there to be ethics
There does not need to be a reason
For praying to God
With each letter
It is ok for there to be just one meaning
Complexity doesn’t need a theory
Creation does not need Science
We can act without explanation
And understand without being able to recite
We go on the journey
Without knowing the destination
There is a way beyond the way
Poetry supersedes philosophy
Tradition topples the modern
Instruments can give more sounds than voice
When you seek a another path
Maybe any path is wrong
You can seek eternity
But can you realize you are already there?
There is an emptiness that is still doctrine
And a freedom that has restraints
But what if you acted better
Before you discovered rules
There is more to right and wrong
Than opposites interrelated
To forget the knowledge of evil
Is better yet
There is a wisdom that surpasses man
And a foolishness that surpasses wisdom
We may achieve greatness amongst the mortal
But everlasting life is its own reward
Sometimes questions lead to more
Than just answers
There is a wisdom that is not sought
Knowledge is not the greatest gift
Attitude cannot be changed by study
Few change their mind due to argument
There is a reason few people read
And why happiness does not come from knowledge
There are ways to do things without thinking
But can you think without doing
Which is greater: Freedom or morality
But there is no reason to choose
When you can create without rules
And grow without sharing
You are more than just a sage
You are a poet 2.1.2 When You are Ready It is not always about right and wrong
It is not about a new way of seeing
It is not for our self improvement
Is is not for self discovery
It is not an investigative method
It is not a way to improve the economy
It is a way not to punish others
It is not a method of instruction
It is not a belief system
It is not for the benefit of others
It does not solve problems
It does not offer anything new
It does not offer a way to make money
It has no constructive use
Life is not all about accomplishments
There does not need to be a reason for poetry
When you are not focused on solutions
Or focused on getting something done
When you need a break from work
Or are told to take vacation
When you see a psychologist
Or when you are on daily medicine
When you have enough money
Or when you have no bills unpaid
When you need no encouragement
Or when you have enough self-esteem
When you are ready to retire
Or when you get sick
There could be many reasons
That got you to this point
But only one reason to continue
For the sake of beauty
For the sake of the moment
When there are words for the feeling
But they don’t fall in order
When you can’t think of what to draw
And have no ability to visualize
When you are ready
Poetry has always been waiting for you 2.1.3 Art of Interpretation Creativity is about possibilities
Art is about expressing feelings
It is not meant to duplicate reality
But to illustrate emotions
Art is an interpretation of reality
Art is poetry in color
Artistic taste is not the same as ethics
And there is no right response
The observer completes the work of art
The subject makes the object real
Art is an experience
Not just a creation
With each brush stroke
The image becomes clearer
With each wash
The image becomes more vivid
The artist projects their consciousness
Into the symbolic object
The work of art
Is the reflection of the subject in the object
The right time to create
Is when you are passionate
And passion comes from reflection
The reflection is about experience
And book knowledge prepares us for experiences
When you need to feel free
Work through your frustrations on the canvas
The value is in the subtlety
That the artist gives to their project 2.2 Musical Journey 2.2.1 Value of Music A movement without form
Far purer than poetry
A unified understanding
Of science and religion
We strive to go deeper
To remember before
We first heard any sound
This movement unites
Our heart and our spirits
It brings beauty unspoiled
By logic and reason
It is a method of learning
The highest form of religion
It is the same
In the east and the west
It is the essence of creation
It is our final hope
We reach out to it
As mere children
And respond to it
In meaning and in action
It is the language
Of our mind
It is the inspiration
That drives us to think
It is the vision
Of our imagination
It is the foundation
Of freedom and expression 2.2.2 Inspiration When I close my eyes
There are countless patterns
When I fall asleep
Symbols come alive
There is a calmness
That our minds sometimes
Find by accident
A certain balance of chemistry
In the human brain
That drives us to action
There is a feeling
That we cannot ignore
There is a sound
That keeps company
With silence and emptiness
There is a magical experience
When our memories flow
In waves of water and wind
From thought to belief
From hearing and from smelling
Our laughter awakens
In each moment
We stop working
The joy of silence
Overwhelms the spirit
With each step
Through the garden
We create a path
And in each stride
We come together
We cannot count
Past our age
In the middle of the room
There is always space
To dance and sing 2.2.3 Vigor and Completion I cannot remember
The note before
I write it down
I cannot stop
My mind from smiling
When I think
Of new words
The time for finishing
Has come and gone
Where is meaning
Without necessity?
What is a solution
Without a beginning?
When will we learn
The beat of the guitar
And the notes of a drum?
Why do we write music down?
Why do we stop listening
When the music is finished?
Why do we start songs
We can’t finish?
When there is a reason
There is still hope
When there is a new chorus
It is time to sing
I reach out to the sky
But I can only
Run so far 2.3 Music of Heaven 2.3.1 Tones of Creation The vibrations
Of stringed instruments
Is how the universe
Exists in time
For each frequency
There is a different
Realm of existence
When we create music
We harmonize with
The many worlds
Of divergent realities
We can experience
Higher planes of existence
In the music of the spirit
We can feel the state of time
Differently at each tone
Musical note patterns
Correspond to levels of existence
We invoke the attention of God
When we create pleasing tones
With a heart of humility
In each rhythm
We elevate our minds
To a different aspect of creation
To a parallel world
Of spiritual blessings 2.3.2 Law of Music Music is behind
Our every joy
Our every action occurs
In the backdrop of sound
The harmony we experience
With our creator
Is musical in nature
How we see life
Is music incarnate
Everything we feel
Has a unique note
Every aspect of creation
Has a musical equivalent
In art and poetry
In sculpture and ceramics
Our hearts beat
To the pulse of a drum
With a sense of music
We are balanced
In health and in spirit
In every activity
Their is a splash of melody
With each breathe we take
We can hear a song
If we are attune
To the workings of the Spirit 2.3.3 Nature’s Symphony As we experience
The natural world
We perceive that ever aspect
Has a harmony
And a corresponding melody
The water plays a song
It flows to a specific beat
The sky is in tune
With the movements of the clouds
The trees wave to a frequency
At the rate of the wind
In each step we make
Into the realm of God’s art
All of His creation
Reaches out to us
As a luxurious sound
A music without set notes
A kind of jazz of the heart
A way of seeing
That is more vivid than shouting
And at a tempo that is more regular
Than that of a marching band
We keep to ourselves
The joy of being an instrument
Of the orchestra of the Lord
When we do not express
The great music we live by 2.3.4 Plush Music I can hear the tapping
Of a stuffed cow’s hoof
To the beat of an
Imagined rhythm
With each step he takes
He lets out a sigh
Which I hear as
The strumming of a guitar
The whole herd
Moves in great concert
Of a living orchestra
Each note is timed
To the perfection of eternity
The joy contained within
Those little hearts
Of fabric and softness
Can shatter my pride
Into ten thousand pieces
The melody of their songs
Elevate me to a higher level
Of spiritual fruits
In every waking moment
And even in the depths of sleep
They create movements of music
Greater than the length
A runner completes in a marathon 2.4 The Value of Hope 2.4.1 Metaphor of Christ’s Return Millions of hooves
Beat the ground
In unison
The riders are angelic
With white fabric
Draped across their bodies
The Lord Jesus Christ
Leads the soldiers to battle
He is afraid of no one
His gaze sees through your soul
He has defeated the dinosaur
With a two-sided sword
All the red flesh is fallen
Into the rivers of blood below
The dragon’s wings are clipped
Like a pet parakeet
The evil monsters
The crypto dinosaur fish
And the King Kong
Who have special powers
Beyond the laws of physics
Were thrown into
The molten lava lake
That flows for all eternity
The unfaithful corporations
Whose stocks are worthless
Their offices vacant
And their business looted
Are bankrupt for eternity
With their board of directors
Along with the investors
Locked in prison
For crimes against humanity
There are no technology privileges
Or any legal defense
For all eternity
Jesus Christ is our CEO
Our commander-in-chief
And our pastor 2.4.2 Sketch of Heaven A singularity formed
There was a big bang
And the universe
Was created again
There is a celestial city
Where suffering is no more
The fountain of youth
Is open to everyone
The city is on a hill
It glows like a polished mirror
Fit for a giant telescope
And having the value
Of countless Hope diamonds
The wall is as high
As the tallest skyscraper
Angels like US Marines
Faithfully guard
Each of the dozen gates
The city plan
Is square in shape
The wall is of vivid green jade
And the city is
24 karat gold
The foundation is made
Of the Crown jewels
The gates are
Mother of Pearl
The street is clear
As drinking water
The lights are always on
And the energy source
Is God Himself
The roadways will
Always be open
Only good, ethical people
Will be there
A river of water
As pure as from a glacier
Flowed down the main street
There was a fruit
For every month
The leaves of the trees
Brought peace between
The races of people 2.5 Complexity Poetry 2.5.1 Sources My sources of inspiration
Are a web of relationships
Which cannot be numerated
In any kind of list
Books give me direction
And my experiences give me vocabulary
But the Holy Spirit
Is my muse
This is an oversimplification
Because I cannot track the source
Of each line of verse
Or how the topic came to be
All I know is how I feel
And what I want to communicate
The words come in a stream
Sometimes faster than I can type
But understanding my method
Would drive a person mad
Even understanding where I come from
Is quite a feat
What is important is the message
And hopefully nothing obscures the meaning
I take responsibility
For the errors
And God deserves credit
For the good points 2.5.2 Creativity I reach but cannot grasp
I struggle but it never gets easy
The answers are numerous
But the question is singular
I simplify as much as possible
But some things are just complex
With a pen in one hand
And writing on my heart
My mind spins without ceasing
And my body shifts slightly
Where the light is bright
You cannot see
But even in the dark night
You can make out some things
You can know too much
And things can be too easy
Without struggle
There are no rewards
And without a path
There is no destination
I can change my mind
But I cannot change the world
Sometimes we think too big
And miss what is right in front of us
It is not that things are too complex
But that we expect them to be too easy
Big things can be divided into smaller things
And schedules can give meaning to lengths of time
We cannot expect to finish
What we have never started
We cannot expect to surpass
The skill of the ancients
We can invent something new
But to solve problems
We need to use our creativity
To keep under the radar
There is a way to change things
Without violence or patience
But we must think
In our own space
And not wait for others
To come on board 2.5.3 Organization As numerous as
The needles of a Douglas fir
As irregular as
A guerrilla army
Each aspect is unique
And each discipline distinct
They come together
Like the organics in an ecosystem
Each plays their part
And each element is essential
A projects has its limits
A website can only be so big
There are not just theoretical boundaries
But practical ones as well
Complexity is easy to create
But difficult to manage
Simplicity is difficult to create
But easy to manage
Plan when you are small
And grow in a pattern
Focus is the key to being understandable
Consistency is the key to being clear
Write with discipline
Draw with intent
Organization is easy
When the components have similarities
Separation is easy
When the pieces are different
Management is intuitive
When you understand your field
Public speaking does not frighten people
When they know their audience
Creating and organizing
Must be done simultaneously
Creation must be done
With thought to the completed project
Organization must be done
With creativity in mind 2.6 Cultural Patterns 2.6.1 Enlightened Literature It would be better for us
To be fascinated with literature
From the major cultural centers
Of the Asian continent
Instead of digging up
Places the ancient cultures
Worshipped false gods in
And slaughtered in their names
We seem to think ancient
Greece was civilized
But no culture can compare
To the humanity of China
Their entire system of government
Was based on a subsistence economy
They didn’t try to make
The rest of the world into subjects
Like the Europeans did
Leaders were encouraged
To study ethics, poetry, and history
People were promoted
Based on their character
And their education
Rather than by force or fraud
China’s weakness is that it
Wasn’t violent enough
To stand against the Europeans
What if that were the worst thing
They could say about America?
What a wonderful culture 2.6.2 Art Museum I approach the museum
From the front
Walking across sidewalks
In an open grassy area
Flanked on 2 sides by
Old brick buildings
With moss planted on the walls
The carvings on the front
Are ornate and abstract
The building is well kept up
I walk up several cement stairs
And I go into the lobby
There is a series of stairs
Behind swinging glass doors
I pay and get my badge
I assume this is some way
Of tracking me by radio waves
I go up the marble staircase
Most the exhibits are on the second floor
In the front, there are exhibitions
Where the museum rents art
And has to return it after a few months
Then you pass by
Their collection are in back
An icons of Russia collection
Of original gold painted illustrations
Of various saints and the Trinity
In the foray there are small items
From India and Southeast Asia
There is a fairly big Siva stone carving
As well as smaller carvings in stone
Of various gods
There is always a large Chinese
Throne room, jade pagoda,
And imperial clothing and artifacts
On the left side are the Japanese rooms
There is a suit of Samurai armor
And traditional Japanese swords
In the far room
In the nearer room, there are
Small paintings or woodblock carvings
The Korean section is on the right
It has giant watercolors of landscapes
And there are several calligraphy exhibits
They also have a painting of a
Traditional design of a tiger
Downstairs they have a store
Where sometimes you can find prints or books
Of exhibits and a fancy French cafe 2.7 White Curriculum 2.7.1 White Pagan Role Models Europe and America are still
Falling over themselves about
How wonderful the
Greeks and Romans were
In fact, most Christian theology
Is based more on Greek Paganism
Than on the Bible
The Church respected Rome so much
That they made their capital there
They made their cathedrals like
Roman palaces in design
They made their songs patterned
After Roman songs
They used the language of the Romans
And they helped preserve the pagan
Philosophies and literatures
We don’t need more ideas
On how to destroy other nations
Have more sex and violence in our
Entertainment and popular culture
We don’t need our children
Memorizing the names of pagan gods
And the deeds of the evil spirits
We would never even think of
Letting the Bible into our classrooms
Because that would cause
A conflict between Church and State
Even though it affected
English literature more than Greek writings
But it is ok to promote the religions
Of pagans because we basically
Hate God and Christians
Because we want to live lives
Of hedonism and have no limits placed
On how much deviant sex and violence
We can dream up 2.7.2 White Stories Instead of picking from the hundreds
Of texts of classical literature from
Any of the major civilizations of the world
Mostly not white
And in easy to read modern translations
Out of the at least thousands of years
Of recorded history
We confine ourselves to 200 years
Of rich white male writers
We are a nation of immigrants
Except for the Native Americans
But the only culture we think worth
Preserving is 19th century America
From the point of view of
Rich white men
We are making a value judgement
That we don’t value non-white cultures
We say we care so much about
Multiculturalism but when it actually
Comes to the work part, we all bail out
And really, you can’t say
Hemingway is a better writer than Chuang Tzu
Or that Emerson knew more about Hinduism
Than the writer of the Ramayana
Don’t teachers get bored by narrowing
Themselves to such absurd and ridiculous
Conditions on what they teach?
Don’t they enjoy learning?
They are after all in the profession of education
Which they supposedly got trained in
And chose instead of careers in higher paying fields
Because they actually care
I guess not
Maybe it was just for the summers off 2.8 Computers 2.8.1 Painter Most people paint on canvas
Instead of on the computer
But for many like myself
We cannot tolerate
Being around turpentine
Or other harsh chemicals
And so we would never be
Able to do oil painting
If there were not a program
That helped in this feat
Painter not only allows
A person to paint
In many different styles
But it also has
Hundreds of brushes
The pigments interact
With each other naturally
You can use a digital pen
To draw with
And you can even
Turn photos into
Painting with natural
Looking strokes
There is no other program
That is like it 2.8.2 LaTeX LaTeX is based on the idea
Of structured documents
Document structure is an
Abstract concept
That people are familiar with
Although not with the name
How do you know
When a chapter begins
Or what is an index?
There is no set form
For any of these
Structural elements
You know in part
What it is based on intuition
The other aspect of
Understanding structure
Is consistent style
While there may be
Limitless variety in how
New chapters are marked
Or how we display an index
We can recognize it in part
Due to consistent design
Of every individual
Occurrence of each element
LaTeX allows you to
Mark where a chapter begins
Or what the title is
And it does the actual layout
For you by itself
You can modify any aspect
But no matter what style you use
Each chapter will look the same
You can easily transform
The document into
Many different uses
Like e-books, web pages,
And for printing on the press 2.8.3 Print on Demand Print on demand
Is a very recent advance
In printing technology
That has revolutionized
How books are produced
Before print on demand
When you wanted to
Publish a book
Or put your logo
On a t-shirt or mug
You had to specify the
Quantity before it was printed
As it would cost too much
To print out individually
In fact, your price went
Down per item
The more you ordered
And then you had to
Have somewhere to store
The finished products
Print on demand is
Entirely different
Each book is printed
Or your logo stamped
Onto a t-shirt
One at a time
And there is no
Minimum order or
Any fees for warehousing
And as a side effect
You get to keep
Your copyright
Even after being published 2.8.4 Social Networking Social networking
Allows different people
To form communities
On the Internet
And share their creations
Or their ideas
With each other
In a common environment
With ground rules
And most are supported
Entirely by ads
Basically, the advantage
To the host is that
They get free content
And the advantage to
The individual poster
Is their content is
Hosted for free
These communities
Are a collection of web pages
That are easily designable
Because they are based
On common templates
That are customizable
So they work the same
And the content producers
Don’t have to design from scratch
There are social networks
For kids, college students,
Authors, book lists, music, videos
And even bookmarks
They are also great ways
To advertise products
And meet new people
Or keep in touch with friends 2.9 Other Poetry 2.9.1 My Creative Process My pen is not my sword
The Bible is
My pen is my body
I move in slow smooth motions
Every motion is an arc
Each joining and turning
At every meeting point
I place my feet carefully
As in learning a new dance
I feel the warmth flow
From my kidneys
But I am still cool
And goose bumps raise
Off my skin
I stop to think in the middle
I sit down in a lotus position
I open the book
That I am currently absorbing
And leave it in mid sentence
As understanding comes
I make another connection
Another piece of the puzzle
Falls into place
My methods is deliberate
My routine is spontaneous
Where will I go today?
I have some ideas
Where will I go tomorrow?
I have no idea
No other plans than the immediate
I rush to finish it
The project is everything
If there is no record
Then I only benefit
I must provide stepping stones
For others following
I think there is only one person behind me
But he is panting like a hot dog
Who smells a hot dog
And does not want to wait
It must just be my shadow 2.9.2 Aesthetics and Ethics There is a subtleness to our Maker
My Creator paints with tiny dots
A hundred people may crash in an instant
But a single person gets stabilized on medication
The God I worship is a God of the individual
He does not make every one get down on bended knee
He is gracious and humble
He gently turns individual hearts towards Himself
One molecule different separates a plant from an animal
If even one of a thousand processes work wrong a person cannot see
My Savior understands the power of one
He provided a way for all of humanity by Himself in just three years
Consciousness is a paradox
Existence is a miracle
Is God accountable to us
Or are we accountable to God?
Is it our fault for not making airlines safe
Or is it God’s for not revealing the plot to the FBI?
Can we create a whole world from a singularity?
Can we invent love?
Is there an aesthetics of ethics?
If what we create makes life better for one person
Is not that the definition of divine art? 2.9.3 That Kind of Woman Independent and confident
Elegant and refined
Like a tower she stands tall
Leaning neither forward nor backward
A top her head a violet waterfall
Framing her long nose and round eyes
A thousand words she tells with her eyes
With danger and excitement she tells her story
Casting long shadows
They are bright and mischievous
Her mouth parts with breath inhaled
There is a glint of star shine
She is worldly and sensual
Many fall for her charms
Face stark white
And lips red as blood
She is strong and bold
Mysterious and hidden
Like a young girl from Africa
Her hips gently swaying
Moving in gentle strides
She has somewhere to go
Nose adorned with precious metal
Looking down her stomach shines
She is radiant and hot
Sexy and charming
Her jeans black and fitted
She walks on platform shoes
She craves challenge
And she yearns for excitement 2.9.4 Becoming an Artist I finally decide I have said enough
And my message is complete
But two towers fall
And 3000 people die in a plume of smoke
My poetry reaches maturity
And becomes on par with any other
I am published for the first time
In a respectable journal
I get a Mac and I learn to draw
And then I am able to arrange music
I bring my pain and my hope
To others in art
All good writers are moral
Out of compassion comes beauty
And I have an increasing joy
To draw from
As I learn about other cultures
And revolutionary ideas
Out of the poetry and art
An eccentric blend of theory is born
And eventually a subculture
The theory gets a human face 2.9.5 Completion Being finished and moving on
Is a very satisfying experience
It is not that I don’t enjoy
The stages along the way
But the lifting of responsibilities
Is freeing and relieving
Word by word
And stroke by stroke
I put my thoughts
To digital paper
With each task completed
A new one is born
Ideas drift in in waves
And inspiration hovers for a while
The past is very safe
The best protection for ideas
Putting years between yourself
And the project
Not only gives perspective
But affords time for others to absorb it
New seeds are planted
And grow to harvest
No one can take away your experiences
Nothing can diminish what you have accomplished
In every person’s life
There are moments of reflection
And to have something important done
Provides a place of serenity
And a way to relive experiences
While I don’t know
What the future holds
Nor what works are left undone
I can see progress
And I know I have exerted genuine effort
I have fought for those who cannot
In a way that is both obscure
And possibly very natural
That makes it worthwhile
And the effort seems easy 2.9.6 Fine Art Fine art is not imitative
It is not photography
Creations are not just objects
They are representations
Of the epic heroes
And of the spiritual realm
Art is meant to teach
And people must understand
Not just feel something
The art does not mean just anything
The meaning is determined by the creator
Art is not meant to teach conformity
Or imitation of a specific style
It is meant to uplift the heart and mind
Art is religion and philosophy
We learn to create beauty
By learning morality
We improve ourselves spiritually
By God’s direction
And this is what makes art classical
Art must communicate
And people must contemplate
Art is a reflection of culture
And it does not evolve over time
Or at least it hasn’t in modern times
When we seek to be expressive
And to enjoy the appearance
This is not fine art
Art is serious and it is ancient
We learn from the classics
But emulate no one 2.9.7 American Literature American Literature has little depth
To it compared to Asian Literature
But I have good memories
Of when used to study it
Maybe it was because it was just
That I enjoyed writing or it was
Just preferable to math class
I remember mostly how I felt
It opened up ideas that were new to me
And new ways of looking at the world
It was something I felt very safe with
I guess I felt like Hemingway’s
Short story - A Clean, Well Lighted Place
The naturalism writings were new to me
And I enjoyed their cynicism
I remember reading Ken Follet
And James Clavell about other countries
They are obviously overly simplistic
But at the time were exciting
I always enjoy just learning new things
And books even if I don’t like
Their subjects
I was also very good at writing
I won a national peace essay contest
For the State of Oregon 2.9.8 Colors I paint with the colors
That live in my mind
I paint with the hot pink
Of a picturesque sunset
I don’t stop to see
Often enough
I paint with shades of green
Of avocados in burritos
And kiwi shakes
When I have enough money
I paint with the bright yellow
Of the penetrating heat
Of the summer sun
That keeps my inside
In the air conditioning
I paint with the deep brown
Of a intimate local cafe
I frequent when I am
Out too early for lunch
I paint with the bright blue
Of the brilliant summer skies
I paint with the orange red
Of numerous pizzas ordered
When I don’t have the energy
To walk to the store
I paint with the dark blue
Of the pen I mark the date on
My backup CD-ROMs 3.1 Art Movements
Monday, September 1, 2008, 5:15 PM
[ General]
Disabled VeteranBen Huot August 29, 2008 Contents 1 First Thingsby Ben Huot 1.1 LogoI should explain what the logo is meant to be representing. The guy is a pen, whichis me, which comes from my first poem in Philosophy Core, called Creative Process,where I refer to myself as doing Tai Chi, with my pen being my body. The idea isbased on ”the pen is mightier than the sword” so I created ”the Bible is mightierthan the pen”. The Bible is shooting out flames because in Ephesians it talks about spiritualwarfare and the Bible is the only armament that is offensive. (It means offensiveinstead of defensive. These are common terms used in combat. The sword is the onlyspiritual weapon. All the other armaments expressed in Ephesians are protective anddefensive in nature like a shield, a helmet, a breastplate, etc.) The flames aremeant as in James when it talks about being purified by fire or struggles withtemptation in our lives. Isaiah also was purified by a live coal to his lips by aSeraphim. So the usage of fire is not evil or anything violent. Think of it aspurifying. I would ideally like it to show the sword turned inward to his chest, symbolizinglike in many fantasy books that when they defeat the great evil force in the world,they are left with the greatest task, which is to defeat the evil within. The Bible issaid to be a 2 sided sword, with the ability to cut between bone and marrow, andshow the truth. Christ’s tongue is said to be a 2 edged sword in Revelations, todefeat the Devil with. The reason I didn’t show this is it looks like he is committingsuicide. The spiritual warfare is not against people, ideas, or even spirits. It is aboutfighting for the purity of our own minds. It is an internal thing. Like theNative American proverb ”my greatest enemy is myself.” This purity is inregard to our own sins and does not refer to purity in any other sense. Butthis is a process, not an outcome, as it is not possible for us to live withoutsin. This warfare is only spiritual in the sense that it is not militant, social,economic, or political. This is for my own moral and ethical development andconsists of practical qualities I try, with Christ’s help, to cultivate like humility,compassion, kindness, and seriousness and do not correspond to anythingsupernatural. 1.2 Other BooksMy text books and picture books contain most of my work over the past 10 years.These include my reading of some 235 books containing the philosophical andreligious thinking of the worlds cultures for several thousand years and theapplication of the main themes of some of the major Old Testament Prophets andmajor works of the New Testament. The main point of this work is to get people to stopping living their lives withtheir minds, but instead follow their hearts. I bring a radically different combinationof viewpoints that you have not heard of before. I am not asking people to followwhat I have written, but rather let the words stir up some sort of emotional responsein your heart. I challenge my readers to come up with their own unique ideas and that can leadthe world in a new direction. We need a much broader diversity of ideas in ourculture to deal with the problems we are facing in America and throughout the restof the world. 1.3 For More InformationFor more books and information, visit me on the web at http://benjamin-newton.com/ Feel free to send me e-mail regarding the books and website atmailto:ben@benjamin-newton.com I even enjoy constructive criticism 1.4 Cover Graphic 1.5 LicenseThis entire PDF is licensed together under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivative Works 3.0 United States License as a whole, and nothing is to beseparated, added on to, or modified in any manner. Clarification on what no derivatives means: No changes may be made in any way including but not limited to: the material content and design must be copied as a whole (everything containedin this pdf file) - with nothing added
- without anything taken away
must be kept in its original form with no additions or subtractions to - file formats
- HTML and CSS code
- PDF files
- graphics and movies
- sounds, music, and spoken word
- interactivity and flash
- file and directory structure
- filenames and directory names
- links
- distribution method
1.6 IntroductionDid you ever wonder what the military is like? Don’t believe your recruiter - checkout my actual experiences. Did you ever wonder what it would be like to be mentallyill? You won’t learn this in psychology. Do you have someone you care about whowas in the military or who has a mental illness? This book is my autobiography, describing my experiences in the Army and as aperson with Schizophrenia. I have drawn these articles and poems from 8of my others books. I have also added all new material from the recentlydiscovered letters I wrote home during Basic Training plus a comprehensiveset of vocabulary definitions describing almost anything I refer to in theletters. This book is designed for those not interested in or those who would have a hardtime understanding my academic books or the political or religious ideas theycontain. 2.1 Non Exclusive PatriotismIvoluntarily served my country and am permanently disabled because of my service.This is why I am receiving funds from the Veterans Administration. I am a disabledveteran. I served my country, because it is a beautiful country and it is mycountry.
Many people see America as being on offshoot of England and based on theEnlightenment and that our closest allies are England and France. They seeAmerican history and culture as that of rich white men, as taught in historybooks and the mass media, that is accepted by the mainstream of opinionleaders. The mass media, called popular culture, is all over the world and isdeveloped by a couple of rich white men, who don’t even pay taxes in theUnited States. These multinational corporations have nothing to do withAmerica.
I see America as reflected, by the people who live here, currently and I see Americaas an immigrant nation, except for the Native Americans. The only thing that isexclusively American is Native American culture. When I study about the culture ofhistoric and ancient Asia, this is as American as studying about the the AmericanRevolution, the American Civil War, or World War II. I think that people,who got into America legally, from any other nation and follow the laws arejust as much American as people who came over on the Mayflower whofollow the laws. Not just those who sell out their culture for popular culture,but keeping their customs, from the countries they came from are just asAmerican.
The really unique thing about America as I have, come to realize, after my service inthe military is that we have a goal of toleration for people of different backgroundsand especially of other religions. That is one of the major things I seek to further, inmy writings and artwork. This is often referred to as multiculturalism. I don’t seewhy we need to put up artificial boundaries between us and other countries aroundthe world. We can be seen as doing the right thing, as well as they can be, evenif we order our society in different ways, or that they may appear fartherahead than us in some areas doesn’t make us less of a nation. We don’t needto think of ourselves, as the best nation on earth. We are one, among anumber of great nations, and we don’t need to be culturally exclusive to proveit. 2.2 Letters from Basic Training 2.2.1 Terms DefinedAir Assault: school where you learn to repel out of helicopters as a way ofdelivering soldiers into combat. It is like Airborne but with helicopters instead ofairplanes. AIT - Advanced Individual Training. This is the training in your job yousigned up for when you joined the Army. You often go to another base rightafter graduating Basic Training and the training can be anytime from 4weeks to a year, depending on the job. You get more and more freedomas time passes and you pass tests successfully. Drill Sergeants are here aswell. Article 15: You can get an Article 15 for almost anything from having food inyour locker, smoking, or violating almost any minor rule. You can get them for justnot doing something correctly too many times. The punishment is that you are finedabout $150 out of your $600 for the whole month and you have to do 2 hours extraduty every day for 2 weeks. Meaning, you will only get a maximum of 5 hours sleep anight. Basic Training: This is the initial training in the Army which trains you to bean infantry soldier. Every soldier must complete this training first, as we areconsidered first and foremost infantry soldiers and the Army wants the option ofusing any soldier in the infantry, if they feel they need to. There are 3 things youneed to do to graduate: go through the gas chamber (unless you are on KP that day),qualify at BRM, and throw a live grenade. Basic Training is almost exactly 8 weekslong. Battle Buddy: another soldier in training you are assigned to to work with forthe entire training. It can also refer to any one in your platoon. Bivouac: Army version of camping Bolo: when you don’t qualify at the BRM qualifications the first time. BRM - Basic Rifle Marksmanship. You learn to shoot your M-16, alsoreferred to as rifle or weapon, but never as a gun. The point of the rifle is to be veryaccurate a kill someone with just one bullet. This rifle didn’t even have fullyautomatic mode with the model we were using. This training lasts about 2 weeks.You qualify at the end by shooting enough targets that are silhouettes of othersoldiers and they are up for only 3 seconds and they pop up and down at one of 3different lengths away - one is at 50 meters, one is at 200 meters, and the other one isat 300 meters. You have to shoot in a foxhole and laying on your stomach (in theprone) Cadence: singing while marching, The songs follow at the same time as you moveyour feet. Chow Hall: where you eat Claymore Mine: This is a directional mine that shoots out shrapnel whenactivated. It has to be unpacked and set up. You test it first, to make sure it is notdefective. It is used to protect foxholes from attack. The shrapnel should all goforward towards the enemy if you point it in the correct direction. CO - Commanding Officer: this is generally the officer (a Captain in rank) atthe head of your company. He or she signs off on most paperwork as is the oneultimately responsible for anything anyone does in their unit. Counseling Session: If you are not doing something correctly, then the DrillSergeant gives you a counseling session which can be deducted from your sleeptime. They tell you what you did wrong and often give you extra time topractice it which is taken out of sleep or free time. You can get these fornot shining your boots properly, not ironing your clothes properly, or notmarching properly. If you get more than a few of these, you get an Article15. Cycle: this refers to the particular interval in which you have completed BasicTraining. Drill Cadet: a cadet is an officer in training, but these ones were called DrillCadets because they were working with the Drill Sergeants DS - Drill Sergeant. The basic unit during Basic Training is the platoon andit is headed by 2 to 3 Staff Sergeant or Sergeant First Classes in rank and will be amixed combination of races and genders. They are each a Non-Commissioned Officerwhich you have to follow every command they give. You finish every thing you say toa Drill Sergeant with Drill Sergeant. If you don’t, then you are ”dropped” andrequired to do 20 push-ups and this number increases as you progress through BasicTraining. E-3, E-4, etc. This is the pay grade of an enlisted soldier and is used toidentify what rank someone is no matter what the name for the rank acrossdifferent services. You start out between an E-1 (Private) to an E-4 (Specialist),depending on how much college you have or how many people you have got toenlist. Fighting Position: this can refer to a foxhole or another type of protectedfighting position. Fireguard: Every one does a shift of watching for fire, so there is someonewatching the entire time everyone is a asleep. You do this as in every thing else ingroups of two. Formation: when your entire unit is standing out in line Fragmentation Grenade: This is what most people refer to as a grenade - itshoots out shrapnel, a few seconds after you pull the pin. It has a very highangle of fire, so you are generally safe if you are laying down or in yourfoxhole. FTX - Field Training Exercises : where you train for combat with all theequipment and in simulated battle by role-playing. It is the equivalent of a dressrehearsal for combat. Gas Chamber: This is a small cabin you are taken into about half waythrough Basic Training. A stick of slowly releasing gas called CS which is from10-100 times stronger than tear gas is placed inside. The Drill Sergeants arestanding in there in full protective gear (MOPP4). You go in with yourmask on, take it off and stand there. There are Drill Sergeants blocking boththe doors on the outside. If you say anything or try to leave early, you arethrown back in for a longer period of time. You will start BRM shortlyafterwards. Go/No-Go: you either pass most tests in the Army and get a ”go” or you failand get a ”no-go” Hurry up and Wait: tendency of military to get you all ready for something along time before they are ready to use you KP - Kitchen Patrol: You get assigned KP every so many days. When you getthis job, you go with another member of your platoon, you wake up before everyoneelse, and go in and help the cooks who are all civilians all day long. The DrillSergeants smoke you if anyone does something wrong. You should be woken up bythe fire guards. Leave: time off from the military LES - Leave and Earnings Statement: this is your paycheck and it also tellshow much vacation you have accumulated. Low Crawl and High Crawl: The low crawl is where you lay flat on yourstomach and push forward with your helmet and your arm. The high crawlis where you crawl on your knees and elbows. The point of keeping low isthat we are trained to hit and kill a soldier in 3-5 seconds of even seeingtheir helmet. It is no secret that American soldiers are poorer shots thanmost our enemies. So if we can hit them in that time, they definitely can hitus. The only way to protect against machine gun fire is by being as low aspossible. Montgomery GI Bill: a law passed by congress where you get money for collegeafter serving in the military Manual of Arms: This is where you learn to march with the rifle in ceremonyand to move it safely while loaded in formation MOS - Military Occupational Specialty. This is the job you signed up forwhen you first go to your regional MEPS. You are guaranteed this job as longas you pass the school. Since you get your first choice of available jobs, ifand when you fail the school, the Army re-assigns you to their first choice,which is usually something in the combat arms like Tanker or Air DefenseArtillery. MREs - Meals Ready to Eat: pre-packaged and partially de-hydratedmeals that don’t have to be cooked by cooks, but taste better, and are moreexpensive. NBC - Nuclear Biological and Chemical: You wear a protective suit and aprotective mask to protect you from poisonous chemical gases, nuclear radiation,and biological germ attack. It is called a pro mask or protective mask andnever gas mask, because a gas mask would give you gas, not protect fromit. Personal Hygiene: brushing teeth, shaving, showering, etc. Phases: You go through Red Phase, Blue Phase, and White Phases in the ArmyBasic Training. As you complete a phase, you get more privileges and youmove up phases by passing your PT tests and learning basic combat survivalskills. Protestant: other - This is what was printed on my dog tags. The Army hasseveral major groupings for religion - Protestant and Catholic, so there are always aProtestant minister and a Catholic priest for each unit. There might be others aswell, but these were the only I knew of. PT - Physical Training. Exercise. PT tests involve a 2-mile run, followedby 2 minutes of sit-ups, and 2 minutes of push-ups. You have to meet acertain standard or you have to do extra PT and can get other penalties aswell. PX - Post Exchange. This is like a drug store or other general store withoutgroceries. These are stores on Army bases. You have to be in the military to go tothem. Range: where you practice shooting your rifle or other weapon Ranger School: elite training where you learn how to take command posts infront of the regular Army. It is very difficult but not as advanced as the GreenBerets. Reception Battalion: This is where you arrive first after you leave the regionalMEPS you were shipped from. This is your first experience in the Army. I was therefor 11 days. You are usually only there for 3 days. You get issued your first gear here,you are taught how to do basic marching, and do basic processing like getting IDcards. Riot Grenade: grenade filled with CS tear gas ROTC - Reserve Officer Training Corps: This is a program where themilitary pays for college and you train in the summers and at the end, you serve asan officer, usually for 6 years. Smart Books - Soldiers Manual. This is a very thick but small book that iscamouflage covered and tells you everything that you will learn during BasicTraining. Smoked - This is generally done as an entire platoon. When the Drill Sergeant isunhappy with the performance of one or more of your platoon, you are made to dopush-ups as well as any other exercises for as long as they want. The moststrenuous one is getting up at attention and down into the push-ups positionand back and forth really fast. One of the other platoons in our companywere always smoked with their entire MOPP4 gear on (rubber chemicalsuits). Sound Off - You have to yell out loud your rank, last name, and social securitynumber followed by Drill Sergeant in order to get served food. SPORTS - an anachronism for how to clear a rifle if the bullet gets jammed intothe rifle and you cannot fire it. UCMJ - Uniform Code of Military Justice. These are the laws you areunder as a member of the military. Whenever you get in trouble, you get the civilianpenalty plus the military one which is usually much worse. For not obeying oneorder, you can be sentenced to one year in a military prison after whichyou will get a dishonorable discharge, which disqualifies you for any type ofassistance from the Veterans Administration or any other benefit veterans get.You can also be sentenced to death for rape, and receive prison time foradultery. Weapons Ready: marching while you are holding your rifle in your hand withyour finger on the trigger, ready to shoot Zeroing. This is the process of firing at a target and then adjusting your riflesights, so that everything lines up correctly. This is why you are assigned a differentrifle for each person. 2.2.2 11 Jul 96Dear Mom and Dad, I have just finished my first day of Basic Training and it is not fun in any sense. Iam writing this letter during fireguard - I got the best shift (9-11pm). I have to haveit in by 04:35 hours tomorrow morning. Reception Battalion was boring but this is anightmare. Once I get through the Red Phase - the first 2 weeks - my platoon willmove on to Basic Rifle Marksmanship and I won’t be so stressed (maybe). The mainpart of our training is on marching, Physical Training, and lectures. I was called a”smart ass” for some unknown reason - I think I was misunderstood but I shouldhave thought quicker so that I didn’t slip up even the slightest bit that Idid. I am ”Protestant: other” because the Army doesn’t know anythingabout any kind of Quakers. My head has been throbbing ever since the DrillSergeant started getting annoyed, because people didn’t speak up at the rightinstance when they had a problem. I can kind of empathize with how theDrill Sergeants must feel about us, when we are so stressed out we becomeparalyzed to reason about little things, but it is hard to focus when you get solittle sleep (9 pm to 3:45 am minus - usually - a 2 hour watch) and youcan be dropped for push-ups if the Drill Sergeant thinks your question isdumb. The training I can stand the significance of even from my warpedperspective. In order for us to win wars in the Information Age, all 250 MOS’smust perform their duties perfectly accurate in instantaneous speeds and beable to work together as a team to win because there is no second place inwar. They want us to work harder than we ever had before so that we candevelop a work ethic. They want to be in our face enough to unite the platooninto one cohesive unit. I am so glad I am not E-3 or E-4, because I thinksomeone would have to be supernatural to lead others right on track, while notslipping up themselves. The privates are all very different from each other,but there is already a strong brotherhood forming - and that is what willbuild the momentum to carry us on through the next 8 weeks. There areonly 55 days to go and counting, which is several eternities, when you canbarely plan ahead enough for the next day, if you’re lucky. We did somepush-ups already for not making our beds quick enough, but it hurt muchmore to think that maybe I was holding up the platoon than the pain of thephysical exercise. Being embarrassed in front of your buddies is an effectivemotivator, because you have to fall back on your buddies, when you cannot carryon some other time, and you want to make sure you’ll be ready to catchthem when they fall, and how can you, when you can’t even keep your ownself in order. Most punishments involve the whole group, but this developsteamwork, not persecution, as you might expect. I found some Bible versesthat were helpful to me: 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Galatians 6:9-10, and Psalm90. I was concerned that my Reception Platoon would make Basic a livingHell, but they got split up and no one would dare to screw off even thoughthe DS can only punish you with physical exercise. Our platoon must havefinished dinner in 10-15 minutes (including the time we stood in line) becauseyou cannot even lift your head while eating let alone talk. No one messesaround with the women or the weapons, because you can be fined hundredsof dollars for carrying one round off range by accident, or by saying oneword a female might choose to use against you. I can get up to one year inprison and thousands of dollars in fines and a dishonorable discharge for notfollowing any order, no matter how inconsequential, under the Uniform Code ofMilitary Justice. I hope I don’t ever make one wrong step in line, forget 1 itemof gear, or misunderstand any one word the DS says or s/he will ”smoke”my whole platoon. I’ve been having a little trouble with my allergies, but Idon’t want to get an Article 15 for having non-prescription drugs in mypossession. Please pray for me. I am continually tempted to try to get kicked out,but I am going to follow the DS’s advice and follow through my decisionlike a man, because although I made a good choice, my choice now callsme to a higher standard of everything. The ”Hurry Up and Wait” systemof the military program is very distracting and disturbing, but you wouldbe surprised at how careful soldiers are monitored for and how well theyprevent needless red tape. I found out that one soldier was a so stressed thathe had to throw up and I felt better. You wouldn’t believe how little timewe have to keep clean shaven, sanitize ourselves, get into correct uniform(incl. polishing our boots), keep our barracks and latrine in immaculatecleanliness, read our ”Smart Books” and keep remembering everything the DStells us about even once - in such a way that if you ask him to repeat it, hewon’t believe that you can’t remember his assignment/lesson. I haver alreadymemorized my General Orders and Rank Insignia. I feel like I am hallucinatingoften on watch. Once I woke up sure that the DS was screaming in our facesand soon learned that no one was up and that the DS wasn’t even there.The Bible luckily is always the only acceptable reading material besidesour ”Smart Books.” I hope we can keep the DS from raising his voice formost of tomorrow. The first time they ”smoke” us will be the worst and Iam sure it will be soon. Push-ups are really one of the hardest physicalexercises. I’m glad I stuck to the list I was given to pack for Basic verbatimbecause I just barely got by doing push-ups for it (as it was I had to buyquite a few items at the Reception Battalion PX, to complete the official listof required items. We finished our showers a few minutes late - 64 peoplethrough 6 showers in less than 20 minutes - but the DS did not get up to checkon us, so we didn’t get smoked. We are getting plenty early tomorrow, sowe will have a reasonable chance to not louse up for a while. I can barelyfight off the sleepy headedness as my shift comes to close. Hopefully I willbe able to fall asleep soon. 3:45 am comes around to early. Please writesoon. Your Son, Benjamin 2.2.3 20 Jul 96Dear Parents, There is so much to say and I don’t know where to start so I’ll just start in themiddle. My first letter was fairly morbid, but I have relaxed manifold since then. MyDrill Instructors are fair and reasonable for the most part for their kind, but one ofthem is being replaced in a few days and he (the replacement) is much stricter (butthis will help me on my PT test and help my platoon pull together more). I havealready past my 2-mile run and 2-minutes sit-ups test with scores of 71% (14.44) and55% (47) - you need 50% to pass (60% for airborne). I was only able to score 38%with 20 pushups, but they make you go much lower than I practiced for,and within a two minute limit and I used a mat, which I had to keep myarms in, so I had to go down farther. Next time I won’t use the mat, so Ican spread out my arms farther and now that I know how far to go down Iwill waste less energy, so I should be able to do more. If I just do a fewmore, I will qualify for the phase change so I will get more privileges andwill get shouted at less. We have already done Bayonet Training, MarchingPractice, Manual of Arms (marching with rifles), Basic Rifle Orientation,lectures on the UCMJ (laws), Personal Hygiene, Sexual Harassment/EqualOpportunity, HIV/AIDS, Sabotage and Subversion, Code of Conduct, MilitaryCustoms and Courtesies, Fire Guard, and Kitchen Patrol. We have beenissued most of our gear and learned most of the marching formations andmaneuvers. I have memorized my Chain of Command, Phonetic Alphabet,Ranks and Insignia, and General Orders. I attended the Protestant ChurchService the last couple Sundays. The service was very refreshing and I wasencouraged to hear other soldiers who were excited about Christianity -their testimonies helped me relax. I was also good for my heart to hearsome music. I decided I would try to be a Chaplain’s Assistant, if my jobwith computers doesn’t work out for me for some reason. I might be ableto be a Chaplain in the Army Reserves, after I graduate from college, if Ican get registered as a minister, with the Friends Church even though Iwon’t get a religious major. That way, I start out as a Captain, insteadof a 2nd Lieutenant and I would like to work with soldiers through theirspiritual problems - I like their attitudes. We had several locker inspectionsso far, but I wasn’t checked because I had KP one time and the other wewere randomly checked and I wasn’t selected, but my locker would passany check anytime. Hospital corners and locker organization are not hard ifyou are a perfectionist and take the time to check and re-check until it isperfect. I am slow on some of my marching maneuvers and my manual ofarms, but I am the best by far in memorization. I feel like I never get quiteenough sleep (about 7 1/2 hours), but the PT, although intense, doesn’trequire an unreasonable amount of effort, and even when we get smoked,although we are in pain at the time, we usually feel better after having doneit. Just today, I got angry at someone, but I feel justified for having feltthat way. While I was walking across the Chow Hall to clean my tray, Ioverheard a Drill Sergeant ridiculing a female private, for being too heavy andthreatened to smoke her until he broke her and she would stop eating somuch. I glared at him for a while, stunned, and had to exert an extremeamount of effort to keep from beating the living crud out of him. Definitelyan injustice, but the private was being a glutton and had volunteered forserving the Army knowing it would entail those kinds of things. Later on, Ifound out that Army regulations require commanders to promote a specifiedpercentage of white female, black female, other female, white male, black male,and other male soldiers from each category, even if some of the candidatesaren’t as qualified as the ones s/he wanted to promote. This is the end of my10th day, I have 46 more to do, but they keep on going faster each day. Mybattalion graduates on the 4th of September. I ship off to my advancedtraining on the 5th. My advanced training starts on the 13th. I get 2.5 daysleave a month which I can save up to 60 days worth of. Please write if youhave time. I have to take a shower and shine my boots now. Luckily ourHIV/AIDS presentation didn’t spark many questions, so we finished early andso I had time to write this letter to you. Don’t expect telephone calls - Ionly have between 8 and 11:30 am EST on Sundays to call - the lines are 3hours long and I go to church, clean my boots, and do my wash, during thattime. Your Son, Benjamin P.S. I will be purchasing pictures with my uniform on (with all the badges), aCycle Book (memory book) and a video of the highlights of Basic Training, so youcan see what I did. I found out that Victory Towers is on the 24th of July (that’s acool high ropes obstacle confidence course) and the Gas Chamber is on August 1st(which is not fun, but will at least clear my sinuses). So far, I have managed not togo on sick call once, even when I didn’t feel very good. We haven’t had to dopush-ups for mail yet, but I don’t know if we will be able to eat cookies without PTto burn the calories off. 2.2.4 28 Jul 96We are halfway through our third week and we have experienced Drill SergeantPelehach for about a week. Pelehach reminds me of Lieutenant Commander Queeg inThe Caine Mutiny (by Herman Wook), He always has this smirk on his face, he isparanoid, and he drops us for push-ups for no other reason than he just feels likeit. He did drop down and do push-ups with us the first time and he doesexplain why he does the seemingly irrational things he does. He wants togive us stress, so we learn how to deal with change, as modern warfare isso fluid. He wants us to work as a team, so he makes himself the commonenemy, so that we would have the opportunity to unite against him. Othertraining we have been through recently, not mentioned in earlier letters orpostcards, include: rifle aiming, function check, foxhole and prone firing positions,environmental awareness, ethics, rape prevention, family planning, rescuebreathing, and applying a pressure dressing. Several negative things happened.Private Cruise (a member of our platoon still here after several cycles forgetting injured and not taking care of the injury and deciding to try Basicagain) attempted suicide, so they put her in the psychiatric ward in a paddedcell. Lesson: Don’t just attempt to commit suicide - either go all the way orjust carry on. $13 dollars was stolen from me - I left my locker unattendedonce when I had to go down to formation and didn’t have time to lock it -the rest was luckily in money orders (my cash advance), but most peoplelost a lot more. I found out that I am left eye dominant, which means Ihave to fire my rifle as a left handed person would, which makes it harderto hold it steady for long periods of time. I signed up for an 11” x 14” ofmy platoon and an Annual of my graduating class and pictures of someof the training we underwent. We are just starting cadence, which makesmarching more fun, especially the other day, when it rained for the first timewhile we were outside and not told to put our rain gear on - I became veryemotional, as I was reminded of running back in Oregon. I also found a wayto get a lot of leave very early. Ask SSG Rodriguez to sign me up for theHometown Recruiting Program. The Hometown Recruiting Program would allowme to receive up to 40 days ”leave” as long as I work for the SpringfieldRecruiting Station immediately after AIT, before I ship off for permanent dutystation and this ”leave” would not be deducted from the 30 days authorizedper year. I would like to use the time to ask SSG Rodriguez about howgood a shape you need to be in to go to Air Assault School (repelling offhelicopters) and describe what happens at Ranger School in more detail. I wouldalso like some time to pack up some of my belongings and several otherthings. Your Son Benjamin P.S. Please send Rebecca’s address. Please pray for me when I go to the gaschamber on August 1st. 2.2.5 11 Aug 96Dear Parents, This week we started Basic Rifle Marksmanship on Range 1 ”South Carolina”. Izeroed my rifle and I grouped my triangulations. I have learned to pick outhuman silhouettes from the tree-line, and I have shot at single and multipletargets that come up and down at random distances, along a specific lane, foronly a few seconds. A few weeks ago, when we were driven past the BRMranges, I was impressed with how beautiful it was under the little trees,but now I know how penetrating the heat can be and how long a day atthe range can be, or how frustrating it can be to be ate-up and be toldyou are letting the entire team down, by being clueless, even though youare doing your very best. Tuesday night, we were on Bivouac (camping)out near the BRM ranges. I was one of the fastest to both set up and takedown my tent. We had a camouflage demonstration - all you need is lightgreen and loam. We practiced noise discipline and used only red flashlights.The sandy soil worked great for the tent stakes. I was impressed with howadaptable and durable the military gear issued to us as privates. We were onlysmoked once and didn’t have to march far. Thursday, we marched 4 miles withrucksacks to Range 12. My knee cramped up and gave me some trouble towardsthe end, but I stayed in step and in formation. Thursday night I had tobe a buddy for another one of the battle buddies, so he could go to thehospital, which cut down on my sleep even further. Friday I was able tokeep my rifle up the entire time that we did rifle PT, even though I did100 sit-ups and 400 push-ups the day before (for leaving my night sight upinstead of my day sight - I forgot to slip it back after cleaning it). I am alsoimproving significantly at my Manual of Arms (rifle drill and ceremony). At thesingle and double targets range, the NCOIC of the range - the sergeantgiving the commands from the tower - sounded like an auctioneer and Ihad a hard time not laughing, because there was a sergeant with a MarineCorps tattoo, who was just appalled at how stupid we were - we were sonervous, we went the wrong direction, and the ”auctioneer” told the DS overthe loudspeaker which lanes to watch well, which when you looked overthere, you could tell they were missing all the targets and were behind a fewcommands. Saturday, we started double targets in the BRM range. I wasso tired from fire watch the night before, but I still did much better. Andas the targets become more and more lifelike I do better and better. Myplatoon does the best on Manual of Arms now and we are the only ones in ourcompany who knew the counts to the 15-count Manual of Arms, so we canlive up to last cycles ”2nd to none” reputation. Our platoon is re-adjustingits pecking order, as we are half way through our 5th week. After BRMqualification on the 14th, I will be able to relax a little. It is very hot out onthe range and we have virtually no time to get our personal hygiene andweapon cleaning done. I am going to try to call once a week to keep mysanity. This Sunday, I am waiting in line, during the service and hopefully Iwill finish in time before Bible study, but I may have waited too long foreither. PAST EVENTS We now have a Drill Cadet named Saban. She is really cool. She wears a silvercircle mirror on her cap to denote her rank, which is roughly equivalent to that of ourDrill Sergeants. She is in the ROTC program (probably she will be going into herjunior year in college as she has just completed her 6-week Basic Course - ROTCBasic Training). She dropped with us when DS Pelehach smoked us and sheonly drops us for 5 push-ups when we do something really stupid. She isn’tarrogant like the other Drill Cadets. She doesn’t do very well at cadence callsand she won’t let us use sexual or dirty words or phrases in our cadence. Ihave received my first Leave and Earnings Statement: I have 25 days leaveaccumulated and $514 deposited in my account not including $200 CasualPay, but without the Montgomery GI Bill money or laundry fees taken out(they will probably be deducted from my LES that I will get on the 15th).On my last PT test, I improved my push-ups from 20 to 30, my sit-upsfrom 47 to 70 and my 2 mile run from 14:44 to 13:03. That bumped me upfrom the ”B” to the ”A” running group and kept me from passing the finalPT test by 2 push-ups. I will probably get about 40 push-ups, 80 sit-ups,and about 12:30 this Saturday on my PT test, which will give me enoughpoints to pass my AIT PT tests, I passed into White Phase, by scoring highenough on my PT test and stayed off my DS’s Sugar Honey Ice Tea listby passing my communications, map, rifle function check, first aid, rankidentification, and saluting an officer tests. I decided not to try for any MilitaryCombat Training like Air Assault or Ranger Schools and instead get as muchleadership and academic schooling as possible to avoid being drafted forinfantry, even though that is fairly unlikely. I have come to realize that I wouldlearn how to survive in combat better by learning Jiu-Jitsu (the martial artdeveloped from Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do concepts) as I would like totrain gradually over a long period of time, so I can really understand what Iam learning. Jiu-Jitsu covers fighting in all situations as in it has no fixedfighting stance and would prepare me for combat without making it morelikely for me to be sent to combat. Some of those in the Rangers and theAirborne think that they are so bad that they ”never die, they just go to Hellto regroup” and that they don’t need help from anyone, even God. I tookcommunion for the first time this last Sunday in I don’t know how many years. Itwas more special to me as I had been through Hell in my own mind’s eyein the gas chamber a few days before. We have also been pre-trained inClaymore Mines, how to respond to NBC attack, and how to identify Sovietweaponry. Your Son, Benjamin 2.2.6 19 Aug 96Dear Parents, Much has happened in the last week. I’ll go chronologically this time. I orderedseveral platoon t-shirts with our insignia and motto on them. We did some push-ups,where we dipped down between two chairs - 3 sets of 30. They really build muscletone and endurance in the entire arm, especially the chest and shoulders. We now getto eat frozen yogurt on Sundays. I don’t miss candy much. We get candy in ourMREs, that we can eat, but it is usually too rich for me, since I haven’t had it forso long. It’s hard to get a good balance of food, as we have so little time to pick up what we want in the chow hall, but I get plenty of fruit, grain,and dairy. I thought that I might miss not knowing what’s going on in theworld, but I don’t waste time on newspapers, because it is all the sameanyway. I do miss music though. My creative side lies dormant in my sleep. Ihave had some weird dreams lately. There is so little time to appreciatenature and to stop and think out alone. We did our first 5 mile tactical roadmarch, with weapons ready, like the Roadrunner Battalion in Vietnam. Theday before the Final BRM Record Qualification Day, my whole platoonwith our Drill Sergeant Roberts and my battle buddy led the prayer. Weeven had 2 privates from the platoon we bunk with join. We prayed that wecould win a ribbon for DS Roberts and work as a team, so we could allqualify the first time. On Final BRM Record Qualification Day, we starteddoing push-ups as a platoon, when just one person was dropped, this timeDS Roberts dropped with us. As my firing number came up, I walked upsinging ”Rushing Wind” to myself out loud. I missed too many, from thefoxhole, because our site posts were blackened by the DS as we walked inso it took me too long to realize that I was aiming for the bottom of theblackened part on the sight post. When I went to the prone unsupported firingposition, I hit almost every target - 1 shot/1 kill every time. My DS thought Iwould bolo, so the 250 and 300 meter targets went up and down for meand counted as if I shot them every time. My DS Roberts put her thumbup and smiled and the Tower announced that everyone in my firing orderqualified. The CO pinned the badge on me. My Company was best in the wholebattalion and my platoon was the best in the company at BRM. We are stillwaiting for DS Pelehach to do 200 push-ups for our platoon guide when shequalified as an expert. We did night fire later that day. It is so dark thatmost people didn’t even bother to sync their sights. We were told to shootthe wrong targets, so I shot enough targets for both me and the guy nextto me to get a go, by switching back and forth between both targets thatcould be mine. The tracers were beautiful though. I was lucky enough toshoot while it was still light enough to get a go (7/30) but the DS didn’teven keep track of who was on what lane. We got to bed by 11:30, and wereup by 4:30 the next morning for PT. I also had fire guard for someone onKP the next day. The next day, we fired with our NBC Pro masks on, andI freaked out, because I couldn’t get it on quick enough and I could stillsmell CS gas in it. We also fired on burst this time, with my right hand,which was much easier. In fact, I hit every target and DS Pelehach asked mewhy I didn’t fire right handed before. I answered - I was told to fire lefthanded, because DS Evans said that I was left eye dominant. It won’t betoo hard to qualify as a sharpshooter, after AIT, right handed. We alsohad a Health and Welfare inspection ordered by my CO to find who hadcondoms, cake, pornos, and other contraband. Drill Cadet Saban inspected mylocker, so my gear was not thrown around. I also found out that if I amstationed with a Light Infantry Regiment, life will be very hard- 25 milesa day with 100 lb. pack over rough terrain and sheer cliffs at quick timein step - but that is unlikely to happen to me as I will be working withcomputers. We went back to the Reception Battalion and were issued ourClass ”B” and ”A” Uniforms. Everyone looked better in a uniform and I wasable to sneak in a little contraband sleep. We had our 3rd PT test. I got12:42 on my 2-mile run, 84 on my sit-ups in 2 minutes, and 43 push-ups in 2minutes. I passed the Basic and AIT standards already, and I phased intoBlue Phase with the rest of my company. My platoon lost the Drill andCeremony Competition by 1 point. We fired an M-60 Machine Gun withlive ammunition, M-203 Grenade Launcher with paint balls, and an AT-4Anti-Tank Round with 9mm tracer ammunition. The M-60 was too loudand jammed into my shoulder uncomfortably. The Grenade Launcher was aglorified paint-ball gun and was almost impossible to aim with the funky sight.The AT-4 was too light to balance, when you couldn’t put the back blastarea into the pocket of your shoulder, and was too much weight in back,compared to the weight in front. The Battalion Commander walked by meand tested me to make sure I was watching to make sure my back blastarea was clear. We learned how to administer a nerve agent antidote to ourbody and started reviewing for individual proficiency tests at the end ofthe cycle. Two members of my platoon were flirting, so DS Pelehach gavethem a nice ”evening out” in the chow hall, after they paid $189 for anArticle 15. Only 2 weeks left. Please send me pictures of family and mychecks. Your Son, Benjamin 2.2.7 25 Aug 96Dear Parents, Basic Training is tougher than ever before and it is so hard to see the end of theroad, as I get more and more depressed each day thinking about FTX and beinggassed with CS out in the field. We learned how to low crawl, high crawl, and 3-5second rush for our basic Individual Movement Techniques. This is to minimize theamount of time that you give away your position and expose yourself to sniper fire.Low crawl is the most tiring and the most dirty IMT besides being the slowest, butyour profile is so low that it is almost impossible to be hit and your kevlar helmetprotects your entire body. Low crawling can also be used to get under barbedwire. Low crawling isn’t too bad in the sand, but hurts a lot over roots.We also learned how to signal for Set, Moving, Hold, and Danger Area.That night, we started learning how to use Interlocking Fire to defend aposition. This emphasizes the necessity of teamwork out in the field. Youcannot defend yourself. You have to cover your buddy and let him coveryou, so your lines of fire criss cross to form a wall of hot lead. We saw ademonstration. When the enemy came too close, they set off claymore mines,threw hand grenades, had the M-60 machine gunner fire across the length oftheir positions, to create a very dense and deadly wall of lead, while tyingup only one gunner. Then the rifle bearing soldiers were freed up to aimfor and pick off the enemy one by one. Flares were sent off to signal majorthemes of the battle. White flares illuminated the battlefield, green meantstart firing, and red means ceasefire. The next day, we qualified for grenadesand threw 2 live M-69 Fragmentation Grenades. We were shown what anIncendiary, White Smoke, and Colored Smoke looked like when employed.I freaked out, so they didn’t throw the CS Gas grenade (8-10x as strongas the gas chamber), even though they would throw it far enough that itwouldn’t drift over towards us. I qualified as a Marksman on the GrenadeQualification Course. As I realized the power in the Fragmentation Grenades andwas let go to the live fire range before I felt like I knew what I was doing, Istarted freaking out. They made me go first, and let the best instructortalk me through it. We put on our Kevlars and put on a Kevlar jacket andwe were behind a concrete wall with reinforced steel, but that still isn’tcomforting when you don’t know how much power the grenade has. Theinstructor told me how it must not be dangerous as he did it every dayand he was sane. I looked up and saw only little craters and couldn’t seeany shrapnel in the sand and the target didn’t even appear scathed. I wasmore calm, when I picked up the live grenade, then when I used the practiceones, because it was easier to use and felt the right weight. I aimed andthrew as far as I could and dropped my head and arms between my legs, as Isquatted down in less than a split second. Luckily my instructor was holdingme down, because the time delay was so long (3-5 seconds) that I almoststood up, to see if I remembered to pull the pin. When I went back into theprotection area and looked through the 5 panes of bullet proof glass, thegrenades didn’t seem to blow up too large an area (5-10 feet) and all you sawwas sand kicked up in the air, but the shrapnel must have been sent far,because shrapnel penetrated up to 4 panes deep. I sat down immediately,when I noticed this, so I was protected by even thicker concrete and steel.The next day, I KPD’d for another battalion, so I got out of low crawlingall day. The last few days, we have been going through all the IndividualProficiency Tasks in our assigned groups (1/2 platoon size) to make sure we are sothoroughly brainwashed with the correct answers that we can’t possiblyscrew up, even if we sound off as a group. We took our final PT test andI did 53 push-ups (70%), 85 sit-ups (92%) (both in 2 minutes) and 12:45(93%) on my 2 mile run (I would have ran faster, but my battle buddieskept on yelling CS gas, so I lost my concentration). We can now drink sodaand eat cake when DS Roberts is on duty (she smokes us before we eat toburn off the calories). I finally got my NBC Protective Mask to seal and willpractice getting it on in less than 9 seconds, so I won’t get a mouthful of CS,when they drop it on us at FTX. I passed everything required, so I will notbe held back unless I go insane or go on profile, when it is time for me toship off. I talked to the DS, the Chaplain, and my battle buddies about theCS - I almost quit over it, but they have helped me and will not gas usbad, because they don’t want me to go insane and kill someone. I thinkmy DS is reassured, because I told him I will forewarn him, before I dosomething stupid. It seems you have to learn to speak, to walk, and to think allover again in the Army - I forgot everything I ever learned and lost all myself-confidence but it will come back after FTX. Just pray that I make it that far.If I do make it that far, I made plans with one of my battle buddies. Hisparents will sign me out and take me out to dinner (and I will have morethan 5 minutes to eat, I can talk, and don’t have to sound off and standat ease in line). I will be able to relax tremendously after FTX, but thedepression may be much worse during AIT, as I am away longer and longer fromOregon and the people I am used to. 5 days of training, 4 days of cleaningand out-processing and 2 days of graduation left. I am going to ask thechaplain to pray for me for the first time. I hope I break my back or thepain in my ears turns out to be an ear infection so I can get out of FTX. Ihave to wake up my relief so I can get off fireguard and get a couple hourssleep. Oh, we got our platoon t-shirts in - they are beautiful - I might frameone. Your Son, Benjamin 2.2.8 1 Sep 96This Monday, we completed the End of Cycle Individual Proficiency Tests, otherwiseknown as ”Super Bowl.” There were 10 stations with 20 or 30 tasks. I passed(got a ”go”) on 8 of the stations. At the claymore mine deployment andrecovery, I left the test set in when I fired it, so I got a no-go. At the riflemalfunction clearing station, I performed SPORTS (slap magazine, pull thecharging handle back, observe the chamber, release the charging handle, tap theforward assist, and squeeze the trigger) wrong, because I used the wronghand and the 2nd time because I switched the 2 S’s. On Tuesday, we wentto the confidence course. We climbed towers and ropes and went down acommand wire. We also low crawled under barb wire and mounted variousobstacles. On Wednesday, we left for Field Training Exercises (FTX) - this wasby far the worst ”camping” experience I have ever had. They only gassedus once, but they threw a lot of smoke grenades very close to my fightingposition. The first time one of the Drill Sergeants set off a white smokegrenade 20 ft. from me, I hesitated for a split second, because I didn’t thinkriot grenades made a ”snap-crackle-pop” sound, but I still managed to getmy mask cleared and sealed and run down the hill in 4 seconds. No oneelse had gotten their mask out of the carrier. Then we realized that thewind was blowing the opposite direction and that it wasn’t CS. We werejust below the grenade range and a rifle range and my battle buddy keptcoughing, so I was always ready to put my mask on. I found out that CSdoesn’t ”boom” and is grey, and wispy so I could identify it before I totallyfreaked out. I knew we would not be gassed at night, but I still slept with mymask right on my left leg in its carrier. When they called us out to formalong the main road, Thursday night, I knew we would be gassed. Theyalways gassed the road and they wanted to make sure everyone was gassedequally. The CO gave us a lecture on lightening safety procedures, as the DSswere tying CS canisters on the end of their staffs. They started at the otherend of the company formation and my mask was cleared and sealed longbefore the gas got near. There first was a smoke bomb and then we weretold ”All Clear” then came the real gas and I got mine on in time again.Some guys said ”all clear” and some morons took off their masks and werehurting bad. The DS made us take off our masks before it was really allclear, but my battle buddies helped keep me from running. I threw dirt onmy hands and kept my eyes closed so it wasn’t as bad. It took us all dayWednesday to dig and camouflage our foxhole. We had to clear 6 ft. in alldirections around the fighting position. The hole had to be 2 kevlar helmets long,2 M-16 rifles wide, and arm pit deep of the tallest buddy (me). We thenhad to arrange some 80 odd sandbags to cover our position and we coveredall that with sticks, leaves, needles, and small bushes to conceal it. On ofmy DS’s (DS Pelehach) took me out on a mission. We were to assault an”enemy” position demonstrating our: map, first aid, communication, perimetersecurity, and out individual movement technique skills. My DS h
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Red Letter BookBen Huot February 7, 2008 Contents Scriptures marked NIV were taken from the HOLY BIBLE NEWINTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV Copyright 1973, 1987, 1984 by InternationalBible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House All rightsreserved. This entire PDF is licensed together under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivative Works 3.0 United States License as a whole, and nothing is to beseparated, added on to, or modified in any manner.
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3 Key Verses from The Free Thinking Christian Series3.1 Who is God? F or unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
3.2 On Faith For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
3.3 Sin Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
3.4 Salvation If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
3.5 Heaven and Assurance of Salvation Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
3.6 Friendship And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
3.7 Faith is a choice a person makes. I will be blessing the Lord at all times; his praise will be ever in my mouth. My soul will say great things of the Lord: the poor in spirit will have knowledge of it and be glad. O give praise to the Lord with me; let us be witnesses together of his great name. I was searching for the Lord, and he gave ear to my voice, and made me free from all my fears. Let your eyes be turned to him and you will have light, and your faces will not be shamed. This poor man’s cry came before the Lord, and he gave him salvation from all his troubles. The angel of the Lord is ever watching over those who have fear of him, to keep them safe. By experience you will see that the Lord is good; happy is the man who has faith in him.
3.8 Faith in God is real because we can trust God’s word as He neverlies. As for God, his way is completely good; the word of the Lord is tested; he is a breastplate for all those who put their faith in him.
3.9 Guiding Principle The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
3.10 Striving to be both kind in my methods and serious in my beliefs at thesame time. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth... Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
3.11 My target audience And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
3.12 Faith and Fear ...’Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?’
3.13 Ministries Inspiration And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
3.14 Anti-Western Philosophy For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
3.15 Study Revealed Religions Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean. (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
3.16 Don’t study Occult or Earth Religions There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
3.17 Why Paradox? Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
3.18 On Limitations To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. But he himself went a day’ journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
3.19 On Strength For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
3.20 The Path of Mary Magdalene Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.
4 Mental Illness in Psalms from NIV4.1 Asking God for Help D o not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. To you I call, O Lord my Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who have gone down into the pit. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him The Sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me. I said, ”Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest - I would flee far away and stay in the desert; I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and the storm.” Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart goes faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Hear me O God as I voice my complaint; protect my life from the threat of the enemy. Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from the noisy crowd of evildoers. Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come up into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking fro my God. Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow me up or the pit close its mouth over me. Answer me, O Lord, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me. Do not hide your face from your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in trouble. Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay. Answer me quickly, O Lord; my spirit faints with longing. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit. Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
4.2 It’s all right to criticize God. How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long ”Where is your God?” You have rejected us, O God, and burst forth from us; you have been angry - now restore us O Lord God Almighty, how long will your anger smolder against the prayers of your people? You have fed them with the bread of tears; you have made them drink tears by the bowlful. You have made us a source of contention to our neighbors, and our enemies mock us. Relent, O Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble.
4.3 God will Answer You For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help
4.4 God will Counsel You I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again. Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into your glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.
4.5 There is Hope But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish. Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Why are you so downcast, O my soul? Why so perturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.
5.1 Amos H ear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit? That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat? The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works. Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.
5.2 Matthew Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God
5.3 1 Corinthians And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
5.4 1 Timothy But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
5.5 James For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire
5.6 Revelations Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men
6.1 Genesis A nd Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones.
6.2 Psalms Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep
6.3 Luke Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets. Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
6.4 2 Corinthians As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
6.5 Galatians Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not
7.1 Psalms 7.1.1 1 T he law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.
7.1.2 2 Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O Lord. Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. For thy name’s sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great. What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant. Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net. Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses. Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins. Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred. O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.
7.1.3 3 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah
7.1.4 4 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
7.2 Isaiah 7.2.1 1 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
7.2.2 2 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.
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