There are many foundational subjects, issues and systems under which we operate, in our society. Many are a big part of our lives like religion but the debate as to whether capitalism or socialism work best, trumps all these debates. Why? Because money and livelihoods are involved and that determines our lifestyle, friends and well, pretty much everything we seem to enjoy and relish.
Over the centuries Socialism seems to have lost the debate and many socialists are converts today, to the great notion that capitalism works best for all, with a little socialism thrown in to keep the poor from rioting and causing a stir...About capitalism's faults.If anyone is going to have a go at telling some truths, you better be a charismatic, very smart and a great speaker.And you might get to first base.
As I wrote in a previous blog, my Irish friend Pat Quinn believes the Irish Good Friday Peace Accord was signed by the Catholics and Protestants because the EU Celtic Tiger was washing gobs and gobs of money across Ireland and the powers that be, even the bitterest of enemies said to themselves and each other; We can't fuck this up. Everyone has a good job and toys and homes, so let's all chill out and sign this God Damn Accord and get on over to the pub.
So, trying to get up the gumption to try and improve our capitalism with some new ideas, criticism, even honest criticism and the evolution of capitalism is a road few are brave enough to journey. The powers that be, are really powerful and much money is at stake. Also a lot of bumps in the rug are nasty realities swept there for a reason. This week Janet Yellen, the USA Fed Chief gave a speech which blew the doors off hinges.
She bravely told the crowd that the top 5 per cent of homes in USA have seen their wealth increase by 63 per cent of national total, while the bottom half are down to 1 per cent and fully 25 per cent of them have no wealth at all. She said that she wanted to provide a factual basis for future discussion. Further she noted that the sub prime mortgage meltdown and great recession had been disproportionally borne by the financially disadvantaged, who were and had been prey for banks and lenders who sold them homes they could not afford and promised they would always go up in value, either way.
She finished by saying the low interest rates in place spurred huge gains for the wealthy in the stock market, since the recession. Banks got bailed out but not the gullible, financially challenged middle class.
Everyone, it seems was at a loss, as to why she would go there. Maybe she is tired of the unfairness of our capitalism and knows it gonna take an FDR spirit to return the system to some semblance of fairness. The truly cynical suggested she wants to run for president. But do not the bankers and rich control that too. Taking big money out of the election system, now that's a blog of a different color.
Martin Wolf a British financial writer has a new book out this week and he says we need to evolve banks and way of doing business especially on loans and mortgages. Since the Banks would not let new checks and balances go in place to curb their predatory nature, then banks should be also responsible for some of the losses and work with homeowner when they fall behind.
Risk Management, that smarty Alec new mantra, needs to factor that loss into some of the mortgages they place. Why should they get all the benefit and hang their share of the fault they do bear, when economies falter, on the homeowner. What's good for the goose is good for the Banks too.
The only way to get big money to care, is to show them how being fair and financially fair, is to show them how it can make them money and enjoy a better image. Thanks to the rebirth of philanthropy by the Bill Gates family, Bill Clinton and Warren Buffett, it seems a lot of rich are jumping on board the giving wagon. And... They get a tax break. LOL
Saturday, 18 October 2014
Wednesday, 15 October 2014
Slightly Crazy Politicians And Our Imperfect Democracies
Retired USA General Wesley Clarke writes in New York Times this week that; China is more confident, assertive and also more closed today, even thought many thought, our efforts at ' Constructive Engagement' and their economic growth and engagement in Capitalism gave us hope they would move toward democracy.
In the USA their government has been under water for much of the last 6 years, unable to get needed legislation passed including money bill that allow it to borrow capital to pay it's bills.
Too much democracy in USA and too little in China? It would seem so. But I have often wondered why we don't reform and evolve our democracies, we the so called free western countries. It seems we are all sure the democratic systems we have, are fine and so for hundreds of years, other than 27 big issue, fine tuning amendments to the USA constitution, nothing in the day to day workings of our systems have been amended or evolved.
Hard questions, like how wealthy individuals control our elected leaders through large donations and advertising,which Canada does not allow but USA allows in spades. How come, unless Canadian Members of Parliament are in the cabinet, they have virtually no say in the running of the government and made to toe whatever line the PM and his smart guys and gals come up with?
But maybe that's ok and how things have to be, to get things done and working. Messy could be a problem? No?
Only last month Great Britain dodged a democratic bullet in the Scotland independence vote.
Mr.Putin in Russia is using the loopholes in it's constitution to shuffle between PM and President because he is not allowed to serve as President for more than 2 terms. Smart fucking guy who is using the so called weakness of President Obama to mess around with Eastern Europe countries like the Ukraine. I think Obama is trying to be enlightened and move war off the table, as a go to action for solving world problems. Like JFK did with the Cuban missile crisis by not invading Cuba and negotiating a settlement with Russians.
I think what we are seeing a lot more of is, what I call small time pathological people entering public life and they seem to have no shame or embarrassment. The Ford brothers in Toronto are like that. Not dangerous but a bit crazy and smart all wrapped together. Putin as well but he is dangerous. They know news disappears within a few weeks so just suck it up; your mistakes, sins and stupidity and move on. Circumstance and the voters will too.
In the USA their government has been under water for much of the last 6 years, unable to get needed legislation passed including money bill that allow it to borrow capital to pay it's bills.
Too much democracy in USA and too little in China? It would seem so. But I have often wondered why we don't reform and evolve our democracies, we the so called free western countries. It seems we are all sure the democratic systems we have, are fine and so for hundreds of years, other than 27 big issue, fine tuning amendments to the USA constitution, nothing in the day to day workings of our systems have been amended or evolved.
Hard questions, like how wealthy individuals control our elected leaders through large donations and advertising,which Canada does not allow but USA allows in spades. How come, unless Canadian Members of Parliament are in the cabinet, they have virtually no say in the running of the government and made to toe whatever line the PM and his smart guys and gals come up with?
But maybe that's ok and how things have to be, to get things done and working. Messy could be a problem? No?
Only last month Great Britain dodged a democratic bullet in the Scotland independence vote.
Mr.Putin in Russia is using the loopholes in it's constitution to shuffle between PM and President because he is not allowed to serve as President for more than 2 terms. Smart fucking guy who is using the so called weakness of President Obama to mess around with Eastern Europe countries like the Ukraine. I think Obama is trying to be enlightened and move war off the table, as a go to action for solving world problems. Like JFK did with the Cuban missile crisis by not invading Cuba and negotiating a settlement with Russians.
I think what we are seeing a lot more of is, what I call small time pathological people entering public life and they seem to have no shame or embarrassment. The Ford brothers in Toronto are like that. Not dangerous but a bit crazy and smart all wrapped together. Putin as well but he is dangerous. They know news disappears within a few weeks so just suck it up; your mistakes, sins and stupidity and move on. Circumstance and the voters will too.
Saturday, 4 October 2014
Stephen Harper, Dead Canadians And Let's Smarten Up.
Not many men or women can claim to be responsible for the death of 158 men and women and not be put in jail, but Stephen Harper the Prime Minister of Canada can. That is the number of soldiers who died on his orders to deploy to the most dangerous part of of Afghanistan over the 20002-2011 years of that war.
A war, and not to be too cynical or backhanded, that was supposed to reorganize and bring a country and it's people, living in a virtual 14th century world, forward into this day and age. And do it in 9 years by killing a lot of bad guys, who it seems don't want to live in the 21st century but like and seem to relish living in the 14th century and determined to continue.
Did we underestimated their stamina, commitment and fearlessness. It seems we were training the Afghan Army, with the best equipment and training available but we could not match the Taliban's zeal and as we all know, zeal and commitment trumps all, in human behaviors.
Now ISIL is the monster and we need to stop him, it, from trying to keep more of the region living in the 14th century. They are the real monsters and as we all know, have torn the norms of war asunder. No rules. So we are bombing them and have no boots on the ground. I think that's good and the pundits who say we have to have some ground troops are blind to the lessons we learned over the last 10 years in Iraq and Afghanistan. Boots on the ground are our problem, not solution. ISIL see us as monsters. Infidels. They behead our citizens and claim to be planning attacks on our soil. So lets keep them over there. In misery they so badly want to see us live in.
Let's keep bombing those bad guys from the air and with Cruise Missiles from our ships and do it for next 2 years or 3. What ever it takes to wear them down. It worked in Belgrade and Bosnia. Bombing like that is scary for those being bombed. It rattles the fighters confidence and zeal and they can't move around and secure more munitions and food and no one gets in or out of the region because we are bombing everything that moves or threatens. We can do that. They can't. It will work. Go with our strengths with least possible suffering to ourselves. When they surrender or are mostly all dead we can go in and help rebuild.
If we put boots on the ground, civilians will die just the same, including our troops in boots, maybe more than from bombing. I mean, is that not why we built these planes and bombs, so we could overpower bad guys without losing our fine boys and gals. And our PM can say he didn't send 158 more Canadians to their deaths. And we killed a lot of bad guys.
I don't know how leaders live with the knowledge that they, in their role and power, as head of the nation are responsible for those deaths. It's a daunting thought and I suppose a damn good rationalization is the only way out of that reality.
The other reality is; thinking back on the week that the USA invaded Iraq with all that firepower and advanced armaments and how their great tanks rolled over the Iraq ones, we have to wonder does the firepower trump human determination and hatred, like the Iraq fighters mustered and instead of rejoicing in their freedom and possibilities for the future, they made monkeys of the occupiers, fought against them, killing and injuring tens of thousands of them, then held an election under American rules and drove the guys, who freed them from murderous Saddam Hussein, and dumped tens of billions of dollars on their revitalization,the USA, out of the country without so much as a thank you.
So BOOTS on the ground? I don't think so.
Since the world of health is so sure that alcohol is responsible for so much sickness and early death; Governments everywhere, like Ontario should get out of the business of managing the sale and distribution of the substance and leave it to the suffering. Why should the governments benefit from our misery.
A war, and not to be too cynical or backhanded, that was supposed to reorganize and bring a country and it's people, living in a virtual 14th century world, forward into this day and age. And do it in 9 years by killing a lot of bad guys, who it seems don't want to live in the 21st century but like and seem to relish living in the 14th century and determined to continue.
Did we underestimated their stamina, commitment and fearlessness. It seems we were training the Afghan Army, with the best equipment and training available but we could not match the Taliban's zeal and as we all know, zeal and commitment trumps all, in human behaviors.
Now ISIL is the monster and we need to stop him, it, from trying to keep more of the region living in the 14th century. They are the real monsters and as we all know, have torn the norms of war asunder. No rules. So we are bombing them and have no boots on the ground. I think that's good and the pundits who say we have to have some ground troops are blind to the lessons we learned over the last 10 years in Iraq and Afghanistan. Boots on the ground are our problem, not solution. ISIL see us as monsters. Infidels. They behead our citizens and claim to be planning attacks on our soil. So lets keep them over there. In misery they so badly want to see us live in.
Let's keep bombing those bad guys from the air and with Cruise Missiles from our ships and do it for next 2 years or 3. What ever it takes to wear them down. It worked in Belgrade and Bosnia. Bombing like that is scary for those being bombed. It rattles the fighters confidence and zeal and they can't move around and secure more munitions and food and no one gets in or out of the region because we are bombing everything that moves or threatens. We can do that. They can't. It will work. Go with our strengths with least possible suffering to ourselves. When they surrender or are mostly all dead we can go in and help rebuild.
If we put boots on the ground, civilians will die just the same, including our troops in boots, maybe more than from bombing. I mean, is that not why we built these planes and bombs, so we could overpower bad guys without losing our fine boys and gals. And our PM can say he didn't send 158 more Canadians to their deaths. And we killed a lot of bad guys.
I don't know how leaders live with the knowledge that they, in their role and power, as head of the nation are responsible for those deaths. It's a daunting thought and I suppose a damn good rationalization is the only way out of that reality.
The other reality is; thinking back on the week that the USA invaded Iraq with all that firepower and advanced armaments and how their great tanks rolled over the Iraq ones, we have to wonder does the firepower trump human determination and hatred, like the Iraq fighters mustered and instead of rejoicing in their freedom and possibilities for the future, they made monkeys of the occupiers, fought against them, killing and injuring tens of thousands of them, then held an election under American rules and drove the guys, who freed them from murderous Saddam Hussein, and dumped tens of billions of dollars on their revitalization,the USA, out of the country without so much as a thank you.
So BOOTS on the ground? I don't think so.
Since the world of health is so sure that alcohol is responsible for so much sickness and early death; Governments everywhere, like Ontario should get out of the business of managing the sale and distribution of the substance and leave it to the suffering. Why should the governments benefit from our misery.
Tuesday, 30 September 2014
27 YEARS AGO; AN AMAZING FAMILY REUNION IN MONTREAL JULY 1987
Well, we, my son Patrick and I are excited to be able to post a historic family documentary that my 1st cousin Allan Dwyer , now Dr Allan Dwyer, who arranged with his brothers ; Don, Tim and Brian to film our family reunion in July 1987. A two day event on the Island of Montreal. If
you are not a relative, watch it anyway. It's full of fun and great characters and freezes a day in time 1987. Incredibly beautiful children and parents. Many of them are now highly successful and fine citizens.
Let me begin again. My sister Mary Dwyer came up with the idea that we would have a family reunion of the Burke Dwyer tribe who arrived from Ireland on Fogo Island Newfoundland in the mid- 1700's. and lived there for 200 years and then moved on to USA and parts of Canada. The woman married fellas with names like Dalton, Bauregard, Lee, Cato, Iwaszczenko,Mockler, Jette. gentlemen all. Over 60 people attended.
Mary organized the whole event. Saturday night at Holiday Inn outside of Montreal, because Montreal was the landing point for almost all the families migration. And many Burkes and Dwyers were still living there . Dinner with speeches Saturday night and Sunday on St Helen's Island, in the St Lawrence River all day Sunday. The video of the Saturday dinner is unfortunately too dark to do it justice but the Sunday sunny picnic was a hangover bonanza and funny funny. The children, who were all there as you will see, are all now in their late 20's and 30's and have children of their own. Most are all first cousins.
Many of the older folk are passed on and a few of my generation as well.
Notably; Jack and Steve Hauser, brothers, of Boston. The best looking men God ever put breath in and the sweetest and finest, both died; Jack in 1989 His mother and father Carm and Charlie in 1990, and Steve in 1991. Very tough, sad time for the family. My dear brothers Patrick ( Paddy) left in 2010. The Great Uncles and Aunts; Mable Lee, Aunt Helen Dwyer, Ben Dwyer's wife ( A Saint of a man) and my Mother and father Gladys Burke Dwyer and Frank. Uncle Joe Burke and his great wife Alice Dwyer Burke.
Another sweet, civilized man was Carl Beauregard. Boston. Brother and sister,Joan and Michael Dalton. New jersey. They were children of my mother's sister ,Aunt Kit Burke Dalton and Jim. Finally Our dear Uncle Peter Dwyer, who hosted the Saturday night talks is still going strong at age 87 in Toronto. He has been a beacon.
The first video is dark, as the lighting in the ball room was low but Video 2 is great and all outdoor
you are not a relative, watch it anyway. It's full of fun and great characters and freezes a day in time 1987. Incredibly beautiful children and parents. Many of them are now highly successful and fine citizens.
Let me begin again. My sister Mary Dwyer came up with the idea that we would have a family reunion of the Burke Dwyer tribe who arrived from Ireland on Fogo Island Newfoundland in the mid- 1700's. and lived there for 200 years and then moved on to USA and parts of Canada. The woman married fellas with names like Dalton, Bauregard, Lee, Cato, Iwaszczenko,Mockler, Jette. gentlemen all. Over 60 people attended.
Mary organized the whole event. Saturday night at Holiday Inn outside of Montreal, because Montreal was the landing point for almost all the families migration. And many Burkes and Dwyers were still living there . Dinner with speeches Saturday night and Sunday on St Helen's Island, in the St Lawrence River all day Sunday. The video of the Saturday dinner is unfortunately too dark to do it justice but the Sunday sunny picnic was a hangover bonanza and funny funny. The children, who were all there as you will see, are all now in their late 20's and 30's and have children of their own. Most are all first cousins.
Many of the older folk are passed on and a few of my generation as well.
Notably; Jack and Steve Hauser, brothers, of Boston. The best looking men God ever put breath in and the sweetest and finest, both died; Jack in 1989 His mother and father Carm and Charlie in 1990, and Steve in 1991. Very tough, sad time for the family. My dear brothers Patrick ( Paddy) left in 2010. The Great Uncles and Aunts; Mable Lee, Aunt Helen Dwyer, Ben Dwyer's wife ( A Saint of a man) and my Mother and father Gladys Burke Dwyer and Frank. Uncle Joe Burke and his great wife Alice Dwyer Burke.
Another sweet, civilized man was Carl Beauregard. Boston. Brother and sister,Joan and Michael Dalton. New jersey. They were children of my mother's sister ,Aunt Kit Burke Dalton and Jim. Finally Our dear Uncle Peter Dwyer, who hosted the Saturday night talks is still going strong at age 87 in Toronto. He has been a beacon.
The first video is dark, as the lighting in the ball room was low but Video 2 is great and all outdoor
Saturday, 27 September 2014
General Assembly 2014: Obama U.N. Speech [FULL] Today | The New York Times
THIS COULD BE THE BEST SPEECH OF PRESIDENT OBAMA'S LIFE
IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN IT; DO SO, I URGE YOU.
HE HAS BEEN SEEN AS RECLUSIVE LATELY BUT IT HAD MEANING
AND SET HIS TONE FOR A MORE THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO WAR.
Tuesday, 23 September 2014
Someone Please Replace The Expression; 'Think Outside The Box.'
I really don't understand why I can't get all in a tizzy over climate change but I can't and never could to date. I think I just could not decide, 100 per cent, that the climate was changing because of our polluting ways. It seemed to me we are living in a country, Canada, which not long ago, in the overall scheme of time, that was covered in ice and it melted and receded leaving a pretty good place to live and work. Our pollution is a problem and we are right to be cleaning up our act. It's smart and good for our health and ya, it's probably responsible for some or maybe a lot of our climate change storms but not all of it.
Now Naomi Klein has a new book out called,'This Changes Everything.' Naomi is another reason why I can't be a dogged anti-pollution guy. She is way too smug and smart.
A lot of smart folks are also saying we need to develop a new kind of Capitalism. I can't say I know a lot about finance but I can say, over the years capitalism has been blamed for a lot of sins and rightly so. The banks behavior during and leading up to the last great failure of the capitalism system, particularly in USA was sinful and venile.
Some say it's like the story of the scorpion and the frog. The frog gives the scorpion a lift across a river on a promise that the scorpion would never bite and poison it, but as they neared the river bank, it did just that. "Why did you do that?" asked the frog. "Because I could not help my nature." The Scorpion replied.
Financial banks are like that too and need to be regulated and even then, they will find new ways to screw the depositors, like derivatives. Over the last 20 years, the banks have sidelined a lot of low income folks by disallowing anyone with poor credit to open an account and access their systems and all that contains. Like debit cards and payroll deposits and so cheque cashing and pay day loan stores have popped up everywhere across North America. In fact there are more pay day loan shops open today than there are McDonalds Restaurants in North America. In fact the pay day loan business has become so lucrative that the banks are buying them; Quietly.
It's also a credit to the Obama administration of justice staff, that the banks in USA have paid hundreds of billions in fine and penalties for their malfeasance in their dealings with the American tax payers, from Mortgage derivative fraud to fraudulent home mortgage repossessions. And this week a USA Federal Jury found The Arab Bank guilty of supporting terrorism from an uprising during early 2000.
Risk Management means ; fuck off we are not lending to you or investing in your company. If we do, we own you...
Finally, I could never understand why companies, particularly public traded companies have to increase sales and profits, year over year. If a company sells one million widgets successfully and pays investors a dividend and pays it's bills and employees, year over year and is healthy, why does it have to grow every year. Why not give itself time to grow more slowly and not make mistakes. Or have to borrow large sums to buy other widget companies, so it can show growth, that way.
The person who can come up with a new, fresh expression to replace; "THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX." Will rule the world and be forever, the hero we all need...PS; Will Radcliff, The inventor of the Slush Puppie died ,74. RSP
Now Naomi Klein has a new book out called,'This Changes Everything.' Naomi is another reason why I can't be a dogged anti-pollution guy. She is way too smug and smart.
A lot of smart folks are also saying we need to develop a new kind of Capitalism. I can't say I know a lot about finance but I can say, over the years capitalism has been blamed for a lot of sins and rightly so. The banks behavior during and leading up to the last great failure of the capitalism system, particularly in USA was sinful and venile.
Some say it's like the story of the scorpion and the frog. The frog gives the scorpion a lift across a river on a promise that the scorpion would never bite and poison it, but as they neared the river bank, it did just that. "Why did you do that?" asked the frog. "Because I could not help my nature." The Scorpion replied.
Financial banks are like that too and need to be regulated and even then, they will find new ways to screw the depositors, like derivatives. Over the last 20 years, the banks have sidelined a lot of low income folks by disallowing anyone with poor credit to open an account and access their systems and all that contains. Like debit cards and payroll deposits and so cheque cashing and pay day loan stores have popped up everywhere across North America. In fact there are more pay day loan shops open today than there are McDonalds Restaurants in North America. In fact the pay day loan business has become so lucrative that the banks are buying them; Quietly.
It's also a credit to the Obama administration of justice staff, that the banks in USA have paid hundreds of billions in fine and penalties for their malfeasance in their dealings with the American tax payers, from Mortgage derivative fraud to fraudulent home mortgage repossessions. And this week a USA Federal Jury found The Arab Bank guilty of supporting terrorism from an uprising during early 2000.
Risk Management means ; fuck off we are not lending to you or investing in your company. If we do, we own you...
Finally, I could never understand why companies, particularly public traded companies have to increase sales and profits, year over year. If a company sells one million widgets successfully and pays investors a dividend and pays it's bills and employees, year over year and is healthy, why does it have to grow every year. Why not give itself time to grow more slowly and not make mistakes. Or have to borrow large sums to buy other widget companies, so it can show growth, that way.
The person who can come up with a new, fresh expression to replace; "THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX." Will rule the world and be forever, the hero we all need...PS; Will Radcliff, The inventor of the Slush Puppie died ,74. RSP
Wednesday, 17 September 2014
'We Are A Dream Of God
Dr. Wendy O'Flaherty is a professor of History and Religion at the University of Chicago. Thirty odd years ago she wrote a book where she spoofed (and I am paraphrasing here) that, as the Hindu people say, when we dream it often seems so real that when we wake we almost can't believe it was just a dream we experienced. I was listening to an interview she was giving on CBC radio. It was about her new book where she makes this analogy:
What if this life of ours is just that; a dream of God and when he, or she, wakes, well that's the end of the world. Or the end of our world and we die. Just like when we wake from a dream the story of the dream we were having ends. It's kind of funny, interesting to think about, but it opens our imagination to the what if's of life. Unless of course you believe the story of the Garden of Eden and how God parted the Red Sea for the Israelite's. Or he sent his only son to earth to be tortured and crucified on a cross cause we were so sinful, he needed atonement. That's a scary dad.
Isaac Singer the great Jewish writer and thinker, who lived for a long time in New York City, was asked in an interview with Pierre Burton, also in the 1970's, who was himself an atheist, why he believed in God, and he answered with this story;
There were two men who got stranded on a deserted island, and one day one of them walked down to the beach and eventually returned with this watch. "What's that?" the other asked. The first man explained, "It's a watch and it tells time by going around the dial every 12 hours". "And who made it?" the other asked. "No one", he replied, "it just formed on the beach from all the minerals and stones. "Well that's impossible," the other said.
So Singer continued, "We know a watch is too sophisticated to just make itself. Someone had to make it and if we agree on that, then we have to agree that the human being, which is infinity more complex also had to be made by someone and I call that someone God." Great story. I never forgot it;
I grew up as a Catholic, and my fear of God and his wrath was complete, but as I got older I changed and that fear, I reasoned away. I figure if God is real he would never be mad at me for not believing in him. What reason could he give for that. Other than making the world and all it's glories, he has never shown me a sign clearly that he is watching my every move, and if I don't behave as the Catholic Church ordains, I am somehow going to be punished when I die and punished well. All loving Gods don't behave like that.Basically I decided that God was much nicer and more enlightened than our christian religions tell us he is.
I think when I die he's going to say, "Well Ignatius, or Frank, you scored about 75 per cent on that little test but it was fun right? You got to live your life in one best countries of the world. And you learned a lot. You certainly were human and imperfect and didn't always do the right think, but hey, wanna try it again?" And I'm going to say, "You mean a do over? God, No. I think I'll just hang out here with you guys and watch the show down there. OK?"
What if this life of ours is just that; a dream of God and when he, or she, wakes, well that's the end of the world. Or the end of our world and we die. Just like when we wake from a dream the story of the dream we were having ends. It's kind of funny, interesting to think about, but it opens our imagination to the what if's of life. Unless of course you believe the story of the Garden of Eden and how God parted the Red Sea for the Israelite's. Or he sent his only son to earth to be tortured and crucified on a cross cause we were so sinful, he needed atonement. That's a scary dad.
Isaac Singer the great Jewish writer and thinker, who lived for a long time in New York City, was asked in an interview with Pierre Burton, also in the 1970's, who was himself an atheist, why he believed in God, and he answered with this story;
There were two men who got stranded on a deserted island, and one day one of them walked down to the beach and eventually returned with this watch. "What's that?" the other asked. The first man explained, "It's a watch and it tells time by going around the dial every 12 hours". "And who made it?" the other asked. "No one", he replied, "it just formed on the beach from all the minerals and stones. "Well that's impossible," the other said.
So Singer continued, "We know a watch is too sophisticated to just make itself. Someone had to make it and if we agree on that, then we have to agree that the human being, which is infinity more complex also had to be made by someone and I call that someone God." Great story. I never forgot it;
I grew up as a Catholic, and my fear of God and his wrath was complete, but as I got older I changed and that fear, I reasoned away. I figure if God is real he would never be mad at me for not believing in him. What reason could he give for that. Other than making the world and all it's glories, he has never shown me a sign clearly that he is watching my every move, and if I don't behave as the Catholic Church ordains, I am somehow going to be punished when I die and punished well. All loving Gods don't behave like that.Basically I decided that God was much nicer and more enlightened than our christian religions tell us he is.
I think when I die he's going to say, "Well Ignatius, or Frank, you scored about 75 per cent on that little test but it was fun right? You got to live your life in one best countries of the world. And you learned a lot. You certainly were human and imperfect and didn't always do the right think, but hey, wanna try it again?" And I'm going to say, "You mean a do over? God, No. I think I'll just hang out here with you guys and watch the show down there. OK?"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)