My Sunday Thought for 090317: Panspermia - Evolution or Creationism?

Panspermia, Evolution, and Creationism 

"Panspermia is the theory that microorganisms or biochemical compounds from outer space are responsible for originating life on Earth and possibly in other parts of the universe where suitable atmospheric conditions exist. Essentially, it is a hypothesis which states that life on earth came from outer space."

-- IDEA Center, Problems with Panspermia or Extraterrestrial Origin of Life Scenarios

When I first heard the term "panspermia" I immediately thought this was something every young man with raging hormones strives to be guilty of. Of course, as usual, I was wrong. While researching this post I came across a paper presented by the non-profit Intelligent Design and Evolution (IDEA) Center, and based much of this post on their thoughts. I recommend all interested parties give their site a look and, hopefully, find it as interesting and thought provoking as I did.

Once again I find myself wondering why creationists and evolutionists can't come to a meeting of the minds. The more science discovers, the more they prove the existence of an intelligent force at work in the universe. Whether we call this force "God" would seem irrelevant to the fact that we would have to call this force something in order to allow for cogent discussion on any subject concerning it. I am more than willing to adopt the Star Wars definition dealing with a dark and light side of a "force" as there must always be balance in the universe, and I also agree with Taoist philosophy concerning an ultimate power, the Tao, controlling the universe. We can call it a force of energy simply at the mercy of universal restrictions, which would explain why everything in the universe must operate within certain parameters and, therefore, explains why everything is so similar, but that opens up the question of what, or who, put said restrictions in place.

“Does progress mean that we dissolve our ancient myths? If we forget our legends, I fear that we shall close an important door to the imagination”

-- James Christensen (1942-2017), religious and fantasy artist

It possible that science will every truly answer the question of God.  I think Taoist philosophy says it best as it discusses trying to explain or define the Tao: "The Tao that can be told is not the Eternal Tao.  The name that can be named is not the Eternal Name.  Nothingness is the Origin of Heaven and Earth.  Beingness is the Mother of the Ten Thousand Things.  When you are free of desire, you will understand the Essence of your life.  When you identify with your desires, you will observe the manifestations of your life.  Both contain the deepest secrets arising from the dark unknown, the Doorway to the Mysteries of Life."  In this same thought process I don't think any definition of God can ever be considered as the true definition of the eternal God.  I think anyone who gleans this ultimate knowledge will find no reason to share it as it will probably seem so obvious and insignificant in the greater scheme which is our universe.

“There was no need for a term like ‘magical thinking’ in the Golden Age of Man... there was only genuine everyday magic and mysticism. Children were not mocked or scolded in those days for singing to the rain or talking to the wind.”

-- Anthon St. Maarten, author, psychic medium

According to IDEA, "intelligent design is not a religious theory" and they promote this theory "purely on its scientific merits" stating the "identity of the designer is completely separate."  This way of promoting ideas, discussion, and conclusions is novel for folks who are concerned with religion, science, and law.  I found their discussion of their religious affiliation states this approach best when one reads it in total vice the snippets I have provided and, as this is an important aspect of open and active minds which many of us should learn, I felt it prudent to present it in their own words:

"Intelligent design is not a religious theory and the IDEA Center promotes intelligent design as a scientific theory. Therefore, the IDEA Center does not have an official religious affiliation. The IDEA Center believes that it is important to be upfront about one's bias, and thus it is important to state that the founders of the IDEA Center are Christians. At the heart of our advocacy is to promote intelligent design theory purely on its scientific merits and we believe that in the investigation of intelligent design the identity of the designer is completely separate from the scientific theory of intelligent design, since a scientific theory cannot specify the identity of the designer based upon the empirical data or the scientific method alone, and is not dependent upon religious premises."

I love this!  In essence, we can go about our scientific business of proving stuff using accepted scientific method and kick the can concerning the identity of the creative genius down the road.  I love this for the simple fact that, when it is all said and done, and as a person of faith, the inescapable conclusion will always be anchored to the identity of the designer.  What makes me so certain of this?  I will use another statement from IDEA to answer:

Physicist Fred Hoyle once said, "A common sense interpretation of the facts suggests that a super-intellect has monkeyed with physics, as well as with chemistry and biology, and that there are no blind forces worth speaking about in nature. The numbers one calculates from the facts seem to me so overwhelming as to put this conclusion almost beyond question."

I also like the way Mr. Hoyle doesn't state this as a concrete conclusion but, rather, a conclusion almost beyond question.  We exist for facts, yet we forget that a fact usually begins with a hypothesis.  We have discovered so many things for ourselves of which nature is already privy - the magic involved in mathematics and the Fibonacci spiral, the golden ratio, morphogenesis, fractals and the Mandelbrot set.  Now we have physicists rediscovering "groundbreaking" theories that thought being energy may lead to proof of the physical manifestation of thought; what we think is.  After all, is not time simply a construct of the human mind?  If nothing is around to capable of processing the intricacies of a tree falling, does it, in fact, make a sound?

“The same principles that make a spiral galaxy also create the structure of a seashell and unfurling of a fern. This is why ancient spiritual people used natural symbols to convey universal concepts.”

-- Mark "Belsebuub" Pritchard, spiritual author

Panspermia may prove out to be exactly how life was spread through the universe. If so, does this disprove biblical stories of Genesis? I think not. It simply means man has created God inspired stories which require editing. Perhaps we should view our faith as living, breathing, vibrantly robust and constantly evolving as more facts, more truths, become available. Does panspermia disprove the hand of God in creation, or does it prove, beyond a shadow of doubt, the ultimate creative genius of a super-intellect at work in a cosmos of its own making?

“God is the ultimate ground of Being, and this ultimate ground of Being is YOU. For one who realizes their true nature as God, as Consciousness, life becomes a joy without end.”

-- Joseph P. Kauffman, spiritual author

My conclusion is exactly that of the IDEA staff and founders who believe "compelling evidence shows that the universe was as a whole designed by a "super-intellect" that was not natural. A natural (i.e. within-the-universe extra-terrestrial) being could not have "monkeyed" with the laws of nature on a universe-wide scale. Since we feel that design extends from microbiology to the huge expanses of the universe, the designer must also go beyond the scale of the universe. In short, we believe the universe, and the life within it, were designed by an Intelligent Being--God. However, we realize that this is a religious or philosophical claim, and not necessarily a scientific one. We find many philosophical and religious arguments that God did design the universe. Regardless of one's religious perspective, we believe that the scientific evidence does imply that life and the universe were designed. This can be concluded scientifically without getting into religious or philosophical questions about the identity of the designer."

But then, this is all simply opinion until such time as it becomes fact. For me, my faith will hold on to the only logical conclusion, which Mr. Hoyle is touting,  that some "super-intellect" has monkeyed with physics.  I will be no worse off if I end up being wrong, whereas I see any other option as simply living life without hope.  There is simply too much we do not know about why children have memories of past lives, to sell down the proverbial river the idea of life after death and a supreme deity, a super-intellect.  Perhaps what really sets most of mankind apart from lower lifeforms isn't just our sense of self but, rather, our great capacity for hope.

I present this to all of you as My Sunday Thought, for this September 3rd, and ask that you keep your minds open and active as you come up with your own thoughts about the subject.

“This is how early age people heard music, not through their ears above the cacophony of modern life but directly from the universe into their souls.”

-- Bryan Islip, author

Editor's Note 

(re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card) 

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 23 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with an Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, to wage his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as Chaplain Program Liaison, at a regional medical center.

My Sunday Thought for 082717: Laziness Equals Poverty?

“Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well- warmed, and well-fed.”

-- Herman Melville (1819-1891), author, novelist, poet

Note to the reader: You might find it interesting to read the impetus for this post, the article which made me shake my head in disappointment, Study: Christians twice as likely to blame poverty on laziness, recently published by the monastery's periodical The Visionary.

We seem to enjoy painting everyone with the same wide brush.  If you're a Republican you're a Nazi, if you're a Democrat you're a communist, and if you're poor you must be just plain lazy; judgement is black and white, there are no shades of gray.  A family of four or five chooses to live out of their small car as a lifestyle statement, women and teenagers risk their safety and their lives as they choose a life of homelessness on the streets of some large city where drugs and prostitution become their own twisted statement of freedom and, not related, four year old children choose to be homosexual or gender dysphoric due to their vast life experiences.  Really?

These are the small minded bullshit assumptions and criticisms made by folks Herman Melville called "the well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed."  Melville was being so much kinder in his assessment than I, but I have always fallen short when it comes to not judging the judgmental, primarily because I am constantly my own critic, and cut my own self such little slack.  Unlike most of these well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed folks, I have no qualms about getting out there among the "lesser of us" as I search for the best of us.  I am rarely left wanting.

I have spent many a morning feeding these homeless, talking to them, and learning of their stories, their fears, and their hopes for better times.  No, there are so many more shades of poverty than those which have much would lead us to believe.

“You can’t save others from themselves because those who make a perpetual muddle of their lives don’t appreciate your interfering with the drama they’ve created. They want your poor-sweet-baby sympathy, but they don’t want to change.”

-- Sue Grafton, author, T is for Trespass

There are, for sure, a good many homeless who have no desire, or no ability, to be more than they are.  Many suffering from mental and physical maladies have been abandoned by society and thrown to the curb to fend for themselves as best they can; what programs are available, many would rather not utilize the services, or are prevented from taking advantage of them for one reason or another.  Others have lost everything from their own bad decisions and are having much difficulty learning how to make good decisions so they can change their situation.  And then there are a struggling few who have lost good jobs, their source of income, and found themselves in a tough job market offering little recourse but to lose everything.  During my short time around the homeless and hungry, I was appalled to learn that there are employers who won't hire someone without an address to put on the job application.  In such cases it would seem the desire for employment would depend on finding an employer willing to take a chance, an employer empathetic to their plight, an employer with a heart.  Yeah, well, good luck with that. 

Surely you're not saying

We have the resources

To save the poor from their lot?

There will be poor always

Pathetically struggling

Look at the good things you've got!

-- Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), "Everything's Alright" lyrics

Whether we agree or not, like it or not, as with everything else in life it is up to the individual to change their lot, their circumstances.  We cannot save the poor from their lot in life, only they can, and many don't seem the least interested in putting forth effort enough to even be considered as "pathetically struggling" to become more.  

In the latter part of the 19th century, Anne Isabella Richie wrote, "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; show him how to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime."   There will be poor with us always, because there will always be those who can't help themselves just as there will also be those who won't help themselves as rules make it is easier to leech off society instead of pulling their weight and sharing the burden of their own life all because a selfishly thoughtless society allows them to wallow in poverty instead of making these poor become more than they are, all that they must and can be,  Unfortunately, caught up in this forced welfare bureaucracy, there are also those that suffer from society's selfish thoughtlessness even though they seriously wish to be productive members of their society, but societal rules hold them back.  Instead of getting a helping hand up, they become victims of the very bureaucracy many would say is meant to help - they end up being forced to take an unwanted handout.  They are constantly beaten down until it is just easier to give up and accept that they are simply statistics instead of human beings deserving of the respect they desire so much to earn.

You say, "There are men who have no money," and you apply the law. But the law is not a self-supplied fountain, whence every stream may obtain supplies independently of society. Nothing can enter the public treasury, in favor of one citizen or one class, but what other citizens and other classes have been forced to send to it.

-- Frédéric Bastiat (1801-1850), liberal theorist, political economist

Who would want to live in poverty?  Well, I suppose lazy citizens would find this lifestyle to their liking, even though it means they take advantage of those who work hard to get ahead.  They wish to share in what they don't earn, take that which they don't pay for with the sweat of their own brow.  These would seem to be people without a conscience, without a sense of moral and/or ethical responsibility toward their fellow man - you know... sociopaths.  It might follow, then, that any government which allows this behavior to the extreme of supporting it with tax dollars, welfare, and programs which do nothing to assist the poor in escaping their cycle of poverty, also shows no moral or ethical responsibility toward their own society and, therefore, their own citizens, which would seem to make that government sociopathic unto themselves and a system of bad government doomed to ultimate failure at their own hand.

“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the people discover they can vote themselves largess out of the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that democracy always collapses over a loose fiscal policy--to be followed by a dictatorship.”

-- Alexander Fraser Tytler (1747-1813), judge, historian, writer

A society is judged by how they treat the least of their citizens, but this does not mean a society should throw money at the problem instead of throwing respect at the least of them by enabling those struggling masses to become all they can be - responsible and productive citizens supporting the society of which they are members.  Laziness does not equate to poverty, allowing the laziness, however, would seem to define a society which allows poverty, by design, to grow and spread like a cancer without necessary and reasonable treatment to cure the issue.  Welfare should be a short term assist for the able bodied, not a sought after lifestyle. 

We should measure welfare's success by how many people leave welfare, not by how many are added.

-- Ronald Reagan (1911-2004), 40th U.S. President

And on top of this cancer, in spite of it, we inject thousands more immigrants, legal and not so much, giving them significantly more assistance than we give our struggling own. How equitable is forgetting our own out of control poverty in favor of the crap shoot of better supporting people who have contributed less than nothing? Well, maybe a crapshoot provides better odds of success than the nothing we seem so capable of. Who would want to live in poverty? Come to America, and we'll show you or, better yet, we'll pay you. We have an app for that, a free program, and you don't have to lift a finger. However, if for some silly reason you'd like to work your ass off to help support the other half of our country that doesn't, you'll also be given a place to live so you at least have an address to put on the employment applications. I suppose you can feel some comfort in that it seems to be more than we offer our own struggling homeless.

We have truly lost our minds.

The black family survived centuries of slavery and generations of Jim Crow, but it has disintegrated in the wake of the liberals' expansion of the welfare state.

-- Thomas Sowell, economist, philosopher, social theorist

When I published the first draft of this post, a dear friend reminded me of something I neglected to mention - Congress taking what few of us can afford.  I thought it best if I sated it in my friend's own words, not mine:

"You hit the nail on the head except you didn't say our government is in the business of making some of us homeless by taking what we worked for, and that makes everything we did for nothing! That's a lot of reasons why people give up.  I'm getting to that point now myself, and it sucks big time!"

Before you go opening your pie hole about things you only read about in tabloids or on the mind controlling media, go out there amongst those poor, homeless, and hungry of our own countrymen.  Find out for your own damned selves what the real hopes, fears, wants and desires are of this oft time forgotten segment of our society.  The information you return with just might surprise you.  It rattled me... just before it pissed me off.  I'm not sure why I was surprised.

We've all forgotten our history and the reason why welfare came into existence.  If we were taught the history of it perhaps we wouldn't still be suffering under the yoke of it.  Then again, the purpose we were given probably wasn't the ultimate political reason for it.  It doesn't seem so, at any rate, but how would we know?  We always forget our history, or try to erase it, or rewrite it.  We doom ourselves to repetition.  I always like to note the dates surrounding the quotes I use in my posts.  Sad that so many seem to be timeless...

"Poverty, we are assured, is an 'error,' like ill-health and crime. It is an anachronism in civilization, a stain upon a wisely governed land. But into our country which, after a human fashion, is both wise and foolish, pours the poverty of Europe. Hundreds of thousands of immigrants with but a few dollars between them and want; with scant equipment, physical or mental, for the struggle of life; with an inheritance of feebleness from ill-nourished generations before them -- this is the problem which the United States faces courageously, and solves as best she can. What she cannot do is miraculously to convert poverty into plenty -- certainly not before the next year doubles, and the third year trebles the miracle-seeking multitude. She cannot properly house or profitably employ a million of immigrants before the next million is clamoring at her doors."

-- Agnes Repplier (1855-1950), American essayist

And the beat goes on.

Editor's Note 

(re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card) 

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 23 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with an Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, to wage his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as Chaplain Program Liaison, at a regional medical center.

My Sunday Thought for 082017: The Smallest of Creatures

Updated from my post of June 24,2013:

I was doing a photoshoot on a golf course and happened upon this opportunity.  Its hard to make out the honey bee atop the flower, mid-photo.  It isn't the greatest of shots and the size doesn't help, but it set my mind to thinking, as is usual when I am alone on the front nine.  I was reminded of the final paragraph of H.G. Wells' timeless novel, War of the Worlds:

"But there are no bacteria in Mars, and directly these invaders arrived, directly they drank and fed, our microscopic allies began to work their overthrow. Already when I watched them they were irrevocably doomed, dying and rotting even as they went to and fro. It was inevitable. By the toll of a billion deaths man has bought his birthright of the earth, and it is his against all comers; it would still be his were the Martians ten times as mighty as they are. For neither do men live nor die in vain."

I thought of this tiny creature on the flower and of the bacteria that won our planet back from the Martian invaders in Wells' novel.  Not often do many of us take a moment to consider the smallest of God's creatures, other than in some bothersome context and, of course, ridding ourselves of the pests. Yet, do we ever consider the good they do and the role they play on the earth?  Man, on the other hand, is hell bent on creating a paradise at the expense of breathable air and drinkable water.  The pests actually keep the world in balance, whereas we seem to care less that they actually serve a purpose.  We're the more intelligent species?  I don't see these itty-bitty "pests" destroying their environment.

And, while we're at it, why don't we remember that the least of us, and the meek, will probably inherit the earth.  Let this be of some comfort to those of us who fight to stay on top of... whatever selfish goal we're chasing, right?  Our birthright is the earth?  We sure as hell don't act like it.  Our sole purpose should be as caretakers, to protect it, not to destroy it and ourselves.  Although destroying ourselves would seem to serve the greater good, to what end, to what purpose does that serve mankind?

"For neither do men live nor die in vain." Oh, so much bullshit!  Men live and die in vain all the time, most of us are just too wrapped up in ourselves to understand it until we shed our mortal shell and rediscover truth as we travel back from whence we came.  What purpose does life, here, serve?

More to the point, what purpose do you serve and, more importantly, why?

Note to the U.S. federal government: If you want everyone on board with saving the environment, eco-friendly things have to be affordable to more than just the rich. If Tata Motors can produce a two cylinder car in India and sell it for $2000, why does it have to cost $10,000, or more, by the time it get to us? Why does a tiny Smart car cost $20,000 or more, and why does the new electric Tesla run over $30,000? Why would a person trying to feed their family get on board with these products when it is easier to buy a full size sedan, a gas guzzler, for less money?  As we continue to kick the proverbial can down the road, the beat goes on... for a little while longer, at any rate.  Our earth abides us for only so long; her nature will find a way to regain balance lost.

Editor's Note 

(re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card) 

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 23 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with an Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, to wage his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as Chaplain Program Liaison, at a regional medical center.

My Sunday Thought for 081317: I Just Helped Him Cry

"How lucky I am to have something 

that makes saying goodbye so hard."

-- Winnie the Pooh

Updated from my post of Aug 28, 2013:

The following story was included in an email that circulates occasionally, and I always find it precious.  Young children, not jaded by the opinions and judgements of adults, can teach us much about love and life.  And, I have to ask, why not?  We are all sage souls who have experienced much through our many lives.  It makes perfect sense that, as we progress, some of us might advance to the point we remember all that has gone before.  Until then, we might only be able to retain former knowledge for an ever increasing amount of time, or we may always lose it around the age of 6 or 7 as a way of cleaning out all the baggage and making room for the new knowledge of a new life.

"There have been many cases of children from the age when they can first talk saying that they can remember another life.

They talk about another house, other parents and families and about how they died. Sometimes they become so unhappy that their parents arrange for them to go to the place where they say they lived before. In many cases they are able to identify their previous relatives. Usually the memories start to fade by the time the child is 6 or 7."

-- Victor Zammit, Evidence for the Afterlife

Anyway, I think this is where many children develop this sense of early maturity and depth of thought and emotion which seems to escape many adults.  We label many children autistic and savant as a way to excuse what we don't know about the human mind and the soul.  Perhaps these gifted few are simply caught between their past knowledge and a current world, a glitch in their programming that won't allow them to be fully in the present or explain why they know what they know.

This particular short tells of a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.  Upon seeing the man crying on his porch steps, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the elderly neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."

The innocence of a child is a wondrous thing which adults, by accident or design, seem to insist on corrupting.  We worry that our children might be taken advantage of, perhaps like we've been, or we insist they become more like us which, unfortunately, is usually not a good thing.  The ability of adults, in this day and age, to teach children to be wary and still be able to have a sense of innocence would seem to be non-existent, probably due to our own lackluster upbringing.  I suppose it is enough if we can simply teach them to do the right thing, though this would seem to have escaped us as well.  Most of us might have to follow up with what our own parents advised, "Do as I say, not as I do."  How sad is that?

"Only those who look with the eyes of children can lose themselves in the object of their wonder."

Eberhard Arnold (1883-1935), theologian, Christian writer

Maybe we should all try to make a little time, take a moment out of our busy schedules, to lend an ear, a helping hand, or to simply help someone cry, even if it's a stranger, even if it's someone strange...er.  What?  After all, who are we to judge?  The autistic child, the savant, the child prodigy, the aborted fetus, which one of them might be the savior of mankind?  Just saying.

Of course, my "just saying" comes from the whisper of a thought, My Sunday Thought, for August 13, 2017.

"It is only with the heart one can see rightly; 

what is essential is invisible to the eye."

-- Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author, "The Little Prince"

Editor's Note 

(re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card) 

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 23 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with an Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, to wage his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as Chaplain Program Liaison, at a regional medical center.