Recent events have made my little corner of the world even less safe then before. They've also turned my thoughts to death, both the effect it has on people in general, and my thoughts own eventual (and hopefully distant) demise.

One thing that I noticed is the no matter how much people claim to believe in an afterlife, most humans are overwhelmed by the sorrow for their loss. When a loved one's death is caused by another human, there is a strong drive for revenge and "justice". Ironically, those who believe most strongly in a paradise for the departed seem to be the most likely to want justice in the very final sense of the death penalty. There seems to be little thought given to the fact that for the person being executed, it's over rather quickly, while the ones who really suffer are the family members and friends left behind. Like every other form of violence, it's a vicious cycle, even if you put together a philosophy that allows for a Just War, a Just Execution, etc, etc.

On matters of my own mortality, I can't muster a great deal of concern about the issue. I of course hope to spend many long years enjoying my family and all this life has to offer. I also want to be as sure as I can that those I leave behind will be cared for, since I will no longer be around to see to it myself. However, I don't really see much to fear about the whole act of passing on. On a very deep level, I can't really differentiate it from any other new experience. There are plenty of things on Earth that have required a leap of faith into a great unknown. I suppose if someone lived in a cave their whole life, and suddenly found a way out into the open world, that would be overwhelmed and scared by the newness and difference of it all. But if they had spent a good deal of time looking out the cave entrance, wondering what was out there in that great beyond, I think that they would look forward to setting out to explore. This is, in my view, the greatest benefit of spending some time every now and then to think on death. Regardless of belief system, those who do so tend to face their mortal end with serenity and peace.

Occupy Humanity

‎”Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience. Our problem is that people all over the world have obeyed the dictates of leaders and millions have been killed because of this obedience. Our problem is that people are obedient all over the world in the face of poverty, starvation, stupidity, war and cruelty. Our problem is that people are obedient while the jails are full of petty thieves and the grand thieves are running the country. That’s our problem.” — Howard Zinn.

Science vs. Religion?

If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.

Buddha

I wonder what the Buddha would think of how clearly science has allowed us to see the miracle of a single flower.

Not every TV show is trash.

My wife was kind enough to send me a copy of the series "COSMOS" featuring Carl Sagan. I've seen it before, but it is one of my all time favorite shows, so I've been enjoying it immensely. If you haven't seen it, it's well worth watching, and last I checked it was up on Hulu. One thing that always strikes me when I watch the series is how well Dr. Sagan balances scientific knowledge with a deep sense of wonder at the natural world. In a society where we are increasingly drawing battle lines between the camps of faith and reason (more on that in another post), it's very refreshing. Dr. Sagan was, as far as I know, an agnostic. If more people could have the humility to admit that they don't know, perhaps the world would be a better place.

An Unfinished Song to the Children of Truth

The world lays at your feet, my child.
The sky, the moon, the stars, these are yours to know.
The light of knowledge shines on you,
You stand on the shoulders of a race of giants.

The wonders of existance are yours to discover,
The magic of life is yours to seek,you have only to open your eyes.
The knowledge of humanity,
of billions upon billions of lifetimes is within your reach.



You hold the key to the cosmos, reason.
The world around you can be known, if you have the will.

There has been a very interesting discussion going on in the Pagan community regarding gender issues. While certainly not as violent as the situation I am currently in, there are many similarities in the methods, motivations, and philosophies of both conflicts. I think that regardless of your beliefs, the tactics presented by the ever eloquent T. Thorn Coyle (peaceful opposition, love and respect for those who you disagree with) are the best and perhaps only effective methods for truly resolving the conflicts that trouble this world. Thorn's latest post on the subject can be found here, but I recommend reading back through the archives for the full story.

Who are you and what are you doing on my internet

Welcome to my blog. I'm Joe, a 29 year old living in a very sandy place. I hope that this blog will let you get a glimpse of life lived from a different perspective. Expect to find posts about philosophy, theology, politics, poetry, music, science, and magick as the weeks go by. Any feedback would be great, but please try to keep things civil. I look forward to hearing your comments.

Peace and best wishes,

Joe