35 replies to this topic

[thismoment]

JE SUIS CHARLIE.

It seems our only choice is to either stand up and speak out, or spend the rest of our lives on our knees!

[fishinghat]

At my age it is essential to speak out as my arthritis makes it hard for me to get down on my knees.   lol

[brzghoff]

la paix commence par nous!

 

peace begins with us!

[thismoment]

Yes, there is a kind of peace to be found in submission.

[TryinginFL]

I'm with FH here, between arthritis and fibro!  Bravo for those of us standing!  

[gail]

Tu n'es pas Charlie, c'est moi Charlie!

Where does this come from?

Je suis Charlie. There is fear to be found in submission.

[ShadyLady]

Over my head:/ I gotta Google Je Suis Charlie! You peeps are waay smart;)

[brzghoff]

submission is not a path to peace. peace is not a path to submission. peace is a fundamental right. 

 

“If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. ... We need not wait to see what others do.”  -  Ghandi

[FiveNotions]

Islam is at war with us, whether or not we are at war with it.

 

It's "The Gates of Vienna" all over again. 'Cept this time, we've opened the gates to them, given them citizenship (or not), the full benefit of our culture, and they do not assimilate. Been this way since Mohammad had his chat with the angel (who, by the way, he, very seriously, considered might be Lucifer).

 

Political correctness will be listed as the cause of death for Western Civilization.

 

Like the martyred cartoonist was quoted as saying shortly after the fire-bombing of their offices, "I'd rather die standing than live kneeling."

 

Just my half-pence worth.

[thismoment]

FN
Bingo! Yes, that was the kneeling reference to which I referred at the start of the thread; it's from Stephane Charbonnier, the murdered editor of Charlie Hebdo.

BRZ
First off, you and I are at peace.

EDIT- by 'changed brain' I simply mean new information (event, words, new data etc) that has modified the beliefs of the individual, thereby updating his or her worldview.

Yes, peace is a fundamental right-- but so is clean water, enough food, freedom from harassment, and freedom of speech. But I don't think rights are a natural result of being born-- rights are philosophical ideas arrived at by consensus. Thereafter, rights are earned within a society and sometimes war precedes peace to protect those rights from others who seek to remove them.

Ghandi learned his non-violent resistance from the Jains, a truly peaceful religion. While I honour the work and sacrifice of Mr. Ghandi, I find myself disagreeing with his words in that quote: In fact, I think it's completely backwards and philosophically a kind of can't get there from here.

The first sentence is a wish in the conditional tense, "If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change." That's absolutely true, but not possible! We don't change ourselves, rather, the world changes us. A man doesn't change his nature to alter the attitude of the world, it's the attitude of the world towards the man that alters his nature (his perspective and worldview). What happens to the man (what others do) changes him; we don't raise our parents, and we don't build our own brains.

What happened in Paris will change many brains (some to bring harm to others, and some to bring healing). We are at war with some segment of Islam, and it's a clash of philosophical ideas that people are willing to kill for. At some point everyone will have to inspect his or her perspective regarding this struggle. Conversation is the right place to start, and hopefully the conflict itself will be elevated from the killing fields to the halls of dialogue.

My brain was changed (i have greater understanding) over Christmas while I walked among thousands and thousands of white crosses in the fields of Flanders, Belgium. All those young men and child soldiers stood up so that we don't have to kneel down.

Truly, I wish you peace.

[fishinghat]

Peace is a fundamental right but radical Muslims, anxiety and other drivers don't value it.

[brzghoff]

peace is our oxygen mask, we can not bring it about to others until we find it within ourselves. without peace within, where will man find the heart that drives humanitarian efforts such as clean wells, sustainable farming skills, health care and education? peace, prosperity and dignity are what truly wins the hearts and minds of desperate people - of all people. not surprisingly, this has never became more real to me than when i quit antidepressants. i can feel again.

 

i invite all to check out the film/tv show "The Grammar of Happiness" . you can stream it from the Smithsonian web site. it is probably easier to link right to it by doing a google search. an interesting study on linguistics, living in the present and the happiness of a peaceful people. 

 

"practice peace, change your world" - prem rawat

 

with care,

 

brz

[fishinghat]

I can say that I agree with 98% of what has been written but having said that I find I must add to it.

 

Jesus's words to his deciples just before the crucificion He explained not to worry about his departure because He is still with them as is God.

 

In John 16:33 He says "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

 

Remember Jesus says our reward is in heaven. To coin a phrase "He never promised us a rose garden" on earth.

 

A father does not give money to his child everytime he/she wants it or the child will be spoiled. Only by withholding some does the child learn the value of money. Tribulations teach us the value of God's mercy and grace.

 

Just my thoughts.

[gail]

Sorry about my post, did not know what you were talking about TM.
That is what happens when you don't watch the news!

[TryinginFL]

Out of likes again, FH, but I definitely liked your post!!

[fishinghat]

Thanks TFL. I just don't want anyone to think I am trying to push them in a certain direction.

[thismoment]

Wow! What a philosophical, existential, and metaphysical can of worms! What fun! Too bad I'm not going fishing because I'd have a ton of bait!

 

This is the best therapy there is!

 

Maybe I'll use my free will and choose to become a different person.

[fishinghat]

TM, you know that there is free will but if you actually put it to use there is a usage fee. Obama just put that into effect. And no I am not a republican, I am not prejudice in anyway. I hate all political things equally!!

[TryinginFL]

Good one, FH!

 

I am feeling very short as you are all way "over my head" !!

[thismoment]

FH

Haha! Christopher Hitchens said, "Of course I have free will, the Boss says it's so!" lol

[fishinghat]

I understand TFL. I am 6' 3" and sometimes when things are bad I feel like I would have to climb a ladder to milk a snake.  (Oh God, I am begining to use my father's old sayings.)

[TryinginFL]

LOL - never heard that one before!

[fishinghat]

My father, God rest his soul, loved to collect strange sayings he heard. He could really crack a person up (although many people he met thought he was crazy). Unluckily I can not use most of his sayings on this website (which is probably a blessing for all of you)  lol

[TryinginFL]

My dad was the same - many of his included a word or 2 of German, as his parents came from Germany.  Every once in a while I use some saying that was his and funny, maybe, but I feel close to him then.  Even my sons recognize some of those weird sayings!

[gail]

Good one, FH!
 
I am feeling very short as you are all way "over my head" !!

You are not alone Liz!

[fishinghat]

Hey TFL, imagine that my grandfather and grandmother on both sides were German coming over here in the late 1800's. Both my parents spoke some German as well. My grandfather was a Lutheran minister here in the States for many years. He would travel back and forth to his 4 churchsin a horse drawn carraige. He had 2 sermons on Wed and 2 on Sunday. That horse must have been a real strong one to handle that. I inherited all of his 'preaching stuff". Silver wine chalice, silver communion plate, etc. They are very special to me.

[TryinginFL]

That's fascinating, FH!  Love to hear stuff like that!  Grandparents on other side were from Sweden - used to be able to speak that fluently, but have lost it over the years.  I am Lutheran as well - you have some wonderful things there.  I understand how you must feel about them.   

[brzghoff]

well, i checked out the smithsonian channel web site. the full length episode of the grammar of happiness is no longer available, just a couple of promo clips. darn! only places i could find that have the film on-line are some web sites with non verifiable safety records that show pirated movies for free from dubious 3rd party sites. too bad - its fascinating

[thismoment]

brz

 

[thismoment]

What a beautiful and sad story.

The Piraha have been brought the internal combustion engine, electricity, teevee, running water, cameras, and western medicine. There is a school where the children learn to write, learn Portugese, mathematics, and new perspectives with which to view their lives and the universe. The Piraha are being taught that their way of life is wrong, and soon they will be ripe for religious indoctrination.

How sad.

The government is killing the Piraha! This is genocide by ethnocentricity! It's happened time and time again over history as we all know. Before you know it these gentle people will have guns, Seadoos, alcohol, domestic violence, and Cymbalta. There are countless indigenous peoples who lived in happiness until the civilized world showed up.

The authorities are changing the brains of these people, and the Piraha will never be able to change them back.

Our brains (our worldviews-- which includes morals and beliefs) are changed by what enters through the senses and the bloodstream. It is further imbedded by practice; you become what you pay attention to. This is neuroplasticity, and the changes are physical like everything else in the universe.