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8.15.2015
***** What was Jesus purpose? Was it to make us Christians? Was it to make us Loving?....My study, my experience......
What was Jesus purpose? Was it to make us Christians? Was it to make us Loving?....
My study, my experience, my living... Tell me that there is no question. Jesus purpose was to make us loving, unconditionally loving, Universal family, by whatever name, by whatever creed, or by no name, or by no Creed at all.
I see almost no instances, virtually no instances, where Christians, Christian groups, denominations, or the most well meaning of individuals... Get this right. To that extent Christianity becomes a trap, maybe the last great, maybe the ultimate... Trap... That keeps people from achieving what Jesus died to give us... A life that is Loving incarnate.
Imagine that I ran a coffee shop that was largely free. And what I advertised was the skills of Michael Jordan, I praised, I honored, I offered... The skills of Michael Jordan.
Well, what could be wrong with that?
Imagine that what you experienced in the coffee shop was the most rigorous mental and physical regimen, disciplines, practices... That reasonably and logically might move one toward having and using the skills of Michael Jordan? That would be pretty reasonable and legitimate, correct?
Now imagine another alternative. Imagine that in this coffee shop you found the most pleasant, the most sincere, the most honest... People. And in their sincerity, in their honesty... What they were offering was... Say these words, hold these beliefs, join this group... And you will have, we are offering you, we are giving you... The skills of Michael Jordan. Aside from their honesty, truthfulness, sincerity... Would u not consider this insane? Would u not consider that by whatever mistake, error, being misled, confusion,... Would you not consider that they were offering you some fraud? Some absurdity? Some nonsense? Trivial magic? The skills of Michael Jordan can only be approached through the most rigorous, dedicated, arduous, committed, devoted... every breath practice, in truth, in honesty, in brutal honesty.
We are told that Jesus said, & I believe that he probably did, that the Sabbath is made for man, not man made for the Sabbath. This was shocking and appalling to the scribes and Pharisees. But of course, Jesus was correct. Creator is Loving in incarnate. The purpose of Sabbath and other practices is to return us to being with Creator, to incarnation Creator... loving. And yet the scribes and Pharisees had perverted Sabbath into being the goal itself. Jesus said, absolutely not!
Where is the Christian that loves God, that loves Jesus, that loves Loving... So much that they will live this truth? Christianity is not made for us. Christianity, the degree to which Jesus was involved in creating it, is not made for our comfort, for us to feel superior, for us to enjoy a club, for us to offer the club to others. If there is a valid purpose of Christianity, and that is a big if, if there is a valid purpose to Christianity, it is to make us more loving. The degree to which Christianity was made by true followers of Jesus, Christianity was made for man to become more loving, not for man to become Christian. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
Will a Christian, will Christians, ever get it right? Will any denomination? Will any religion? Will any individual? Does anyone love Creator, does anyone love creation, does anyone love Loving... enough to do this?
Palestinian lawyer on hunger strike over Israeli detention policy falls into coma
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/14/palestinian-lawyer-mohammed-allan-hunger-strike-coma-israeli-administrative-detention
I was “part of a terror organization,” says Israeli pilot turned activist
https://electronicintifada.net/content/i-was-part-terror-organization-says-israeli-pilot-turned-activist/14253
8.14.2015
Rejecting the Iran deal will be high-cost, Jack Lew writes in the NYT
http://www.cnbc.com/2015/08/14/rejecting-the-iran-nuclear-deal-is-a-high-price.html
New program aims to keep homeless off the street
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/business/20150814/new-program-aims-to-keep-homeless-off-the-street
Meet the doctor bringing cheap, 3D printed medical devices to Gaza
http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2015-08/14/3d-printed-stethoscope-gaza
8.13.2015
Day number 8. Anonymous commented on my blog, you need to get more sleep, you know. My reply: By far the most difficult part is being so tired. To be unwelcome everywhere at all times....
Day number 8. Anonymous commented on my blog, you need to get more sleep, you know. My reply: By far the most difficult part is being so tired. To be unwelcome everywhere at all times is immensely stressful and taxing on the system. I am not complaining. I am adjusting. I think that being unwelcome and being tired is probably central to what I am being called to do. I didn't realize that's what I was being called to do but I am very clear that it is. No, being tired and unwelcome is not my goal but it is a byproduct of my goal which is to travel the country trying to wake people up to the needless murder of our children's future.
It is nice to hear from you
"Homelessness never left town because somebody gave it a ticket," Tars says. "The only way to end homelessness is to make sure everybody has access to affordable, decent housing."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/08/13/its-unconstitutional-to-ban-the-homeless-from-sleeping-outside-the-federal-government-says/
Youth Sue Obama Administration For Allowing Climate Change, Violating Constitutional Rights
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/55cbc451e4b064d5910a7183?
8.12.2015
Day 7: 1st of what I expect to be many encounters with police... If you look comfortable and vulnerable... you are a target...
Day 7: 1st of what I expect to be many encounters with police... If you look comfortable and vulnerable... you are a target...
Make no mistake, this was a very nice young officer. Truly. Nice young man, smart, professional, human, decent.
...And, doing what those of means, who ultimately pay his salary want, keep those without means... out of the way. And, to his credit, he did that as reluctantly and sparingly as he could.
My bad. I should have realized I was being too comfortable... two hours on the edge of a low traffic sidewalk working on computer, gathering late afternoon fusion energy, air-drying, out of view, my rotting feet.
Had I been more alert, not sure what I'd have done differently... moved after an hour probably.
Lesson learned.
Maryland does NOT LIKE BIKES! Maybe it is the same with all states, but surely rural Maryland. OK in elitest, liberal communities, maybe.
Familiarity, in this sick society. does in deed, breed contempt.
In Jesus' day, too.
Make no mistake, this was a very nice young officer. Truly. Nice young man, smart, professional, human, decent.
...And, doing what those of means, who ultimately pay his salary want, keep those without means... out of the way. And, to his credit, he did that as reluctantly and sparingly as he could.
My bad. I should have realized I was being too comfortable... two hours on the edge of a low traffic sidewalk working on computer, gathering late afternoon fusion energy, air-drying, out of view, my rotting feet.
Had I been more alert, not sure what I'd have done differently... moved after an hour probably.
Lesson learned.
Maryland does NOT LIKE BIKES! Maybe it is the same with all states, but surely rural Maryland. OK in elitest, liberal communities, maybe.
Familiarity, in this sick society. does in deed, breed contempt.
In Jesus' day, too.
Day 7. Blessed are the poor for they are wealthy in their heart, their spirit, often times.
Today was fairly typical of the encounters I have had with people. Today I spent doing errands after spending the morning on the sidewalk, boardwalk, at Ocean City, which closes to bike traffic at 11 a.m. After that I did errands one of which was to get supplies at Home Depot. I found great interest in EL fusion by the customers at Home Depot in Washington DC and found the same thing today here in Ocean City Maryland. There were four significant encounters: an assistant store manager who I asked advice on extending my trailer for a third solar panel, the second encounter with a retired professional man I would judge, the third with a young professional man I would judge, and the fourth with an African American man, the first three encounters were white males, the fourth with an African American man about my age who in conversation among other things revealed that he had been an addict and homeless. Of the four individuals my guess is that money is particularly tight with only the fourth individual. the encounters were the same dialog from me in all instances including my expressing the urgency I feel by telling each individual that everything I had to spend was in the elf, no money for lodging, no money for food. in all four cases the response was not inappropriate from the individuals. but can you guess which individual from the heart obviously, instantly reached in his wallet and wanted me to have some money? Yes, it was only the fourth man. one could see the wheels of reason, prudence, caution, societal norms,... Turning in the heads of the first three. in all four cases there was an obvious understanding and respect for what they were being told and what they were witnessing. But only in the fourth case was there other than a profound lack of spiritual understanding. Blessed are the poor in material things because often they have a wealth of spiritual understanding that those with means do not have.
Day 7. Uh oh. My feet are rotting.....
My pattern so far is to spend from 10 p.m. until I can't stand the pain anymore about 1 a.m. sitting up in El fusion on the theory that that won't be too scary for any passersby or two antagonistic to the police. Between 1 p.m. and 5:15 a.m. I have been quickly putting my self inflating pad on the ground laying down with a fleece blanket and a pillow beside the elf. I make the transition quickly so as not draw attention to myself and this has involved leaving my boots on for days on end. a scratching feeling and pronounced odor drew my attention this afternoon a problem. My feet are rotting. I feel comfortable in quickly brushing my teeth and using a washcloth in a convenience store restroom but as yet I have encountered no facilities for bathing beyond that.
8.10.2015
Day five ride for creation. Breathtaking kindness, decency, humanity, generosity. Breathtaking. 52 miles actually. Blown out tire in the middle of nowhere. Incredible kindness from an early 60's auto worker. Breathtaking humanity from a right, impoverished, soon going to college American young man.
I rode with MapMyRide! Distance: 40.07mi, time: 05:27:11, pace: 8:10min/mi, speed: 7.35mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1114594775
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