Butterflies

Just a  thought.. coming in between posts.

I like to see my friends as butterflies...

The beauty of a butterfly is not limited to its wings.

It's also in his flight.
 

Holding the creature in your hand

is restricting your own joy.
 

Letting go and watching

is an important part of friendship.

Of any relationship.

  Jo

Science and Technology [S-serie 3]

"The problem that keeps churning and churning in my 

mind is, How can I ever instil enough love and warmth

and sunshine into those bleak little lives? And I am not 

sure that the doctor's science will accomplish that."

'Dear Enemy' Jean Webster 1915

Since keeping faith in Someone who is rarely physically present is hard, it's understandable that many people discard religion. 

But having nothing to believe in, no greater power to trust, is just as hard. Not rarely is a more secure, calculable replacement sought to fill in the gap. Something reliable to lean on. 

While studying biology I saw it happen often enough. Some of those smart students tried to convince me to side with them. Claiming that the impossibility, and superfluity of God is proven by Science and Technology.

I made the drawing below in the period when I discovered that some people actually substitute religion by having faith in science and technology. I made the drawing to express my sense of shock.

Little did I know that 21 years later, the writing of the previous post  -Forgiveness, the daughter of Love-  would make the drawing significant again, and bring back to my memory someone I met during my very very short career as aspirant psychiatric nurse. 

All this because I took a peek at the ideas, the axioma's, behind Scientology. 

It'll be the subject of my next post...

... initiated by the conclusion that Forgiveness is the daughter of Love.

The Western Culture considers itself better than primitive cultures 

with animal and human sacrifices

Philosophical Exercise 2 [S-serie 2]

Just something one can think about, to stop his mind from ... doing something else.


Belief can live well without Proof. What is Proof anyway?  A self acclaimed king, whose throne is made up by assumptions. One assumption may some day turn out to be wrong and the king will fall flat on his face.  Proof is as biased as Hell.

True Knowledge isn't built upon theories filled with assumptions. It's a gut feeling. And it's Belief's helper.

Veel wordt bewezen dat toch in de grond niet waar is

en veel is eeuwig waar ofschoon het bewijs niet daar is 

P.A. de Genestet (1829-1861)

Many things are proven even though they are untrue 

and many eternal truths will remain unproven for all time

Unforgiving Religions [contin. of Forgiveness; S-serie 1b]

Currently I'm writing a new story, not intended for my blog... about the question: who owns a character: the author or the director? Or the actor? Who gives it spice, life, and personality?

I might as well extend the question to who owns a religion? Our Creator, or those who play the role of religious leader here on earth? Or maybe its followers?

I believe that some parts of the big religions, and some lesser movements in their entirety, are not owned by God. They are created by his 'ground personel' using His Name, however you may spell that name.

I shan't comment on the intentions behind it, because I could only guess at that... and I don't want to run down any good intentions. But I know that the quality of the message shows the ownership is not always claimed Above. The message of Wisdom, Love, Forgiveness and even Responsibility- which may result in disobedience if necessary- .

I think most of us will feel or know what I mean all by themselves, but maybe  a few examples of what I mean would serve as affirmative illustrations? Or illustrative affirmations.

I have already mentioned them as usually being entirely man-made: sects. Main characteristics of sects is that the movement often turns out to be -economically- profitable for its leaders. So what, everyone is at risk of losing his fortune to a smooth talking and treacherous person some time in his life. Even outside the field of religion. Far worse is that many sects use fear as a tool to sustain itself. And how easy is it to use on those who are drawn to a sect, people who are desperate for fulfilment, for some truth to hold on to, for belonging. People that are -at least at that moment- vulnerable and weak.

The new religious movements are often, not exclusively, inspired by Christianity or oriental religions. Some are interesting mixtures,... a drop of this, a sniff of that, stir a little … enjoy. Enjoy until you feel the message of your new religion is not as satisfying, as truthful as you thought. Then you find out you're caught: leaving is impossible. Or extremely difficult, dangerous.

Obedience is required and the system will make sure you'll stick to that. It must, or else the system might not survive. If it doesn't offer loyalty, it doesn't expect it in return either, right?

So instead of loyalty the system uses severe punishments and an unforgiving attitude to bind it's members. How else can a system, OK a belief, set an otherwise healthy person up to participating in organised suicide, for instance? An interesting phenomenon for an evolutionary biologist like myself. Even Natural Selection doesn't require this from it's subjects. [Read post 3b about Trust Living according to the rules of natural selection is a basic level to live your life.]

Another religious movement that is being criticized, and doing a bad advertising campaign for it's source of inspiration is the catholic church. Some of it's followers need therapy too, like people who have fled from a sect.

I always marvel at the existence of a -mostly masculine- 'army' complete with ranks and promotions in a christian system. How can such an old religious movement go against it's own Inspiration?

Take mother Theresa who wanted to live the life of the Good Samaritan: the church tried to forbid, and at least discouraged her to try to change the ways of the order into a life inspired by the bible and it's message of Love to all. Equally. Regardless.

What about the -to some priests untenable- vow of celibacy? Is it biblical? Is it christian? [Saint] Peter was married -even had his mother in law in his house ☺ - yet he was chosen by Jesus for becoming an Apostle. And not the least of the Apostles.

The celibacy is an unnecessary rule and a dangerous one in a system that survives by obedience. The punishment for breaking this rule must be severe, seeing that it is broken often secretly, [ab]using innocent followers who hardly dare to protest, afraid of the retribution passed on to them...

See how a fear based system works: those who suffer from fear, make others suffer the same way. If no one has the guts to stand up against it, it will be passed on perpetually. A cruel example of the Droste Girl.

Does my ranting on the functioning of sects and the catholic church mean that I believe the ownership of a religion lies most often in the hands of its leaders? No. I don't think any leader would have effect if he had no one who followed him or at least supported his belief. Followers are pretty good at maintaining their community using fear as tool. The strict forms of protestantism, like the so called 'black stockings church' in my country use “social control”. Now if it were based on a desire to help one another in being their unique selves... it would be great. Alas, the social control often means backbiting and telling on each other. Which is, to use an old fashioned word, disgraceful. Good word anyway: it means grace,   benefaction, beneficence, benevolence, favour, generosity, goodness, goodwill, kindliness, kindness   , is absent . It definitely is.

Isn't this a struggle as old as humanity? To see the difference between true spiritual worship and the influence of human rules and need for control, shaping religion? From the golden calf, past Jesus' arguments with pharisees and clearing the temple area from the profiteers, to [st.] Paul and other evangelists reprimanding the new christian communities in their letters. How much human influence did these authors try to exert already?

And who am I to judge? I am just as human and fallible as those others I have now been writing about. God knows, maybe I was picking at the speck in my neighbour's eye, while having a log in my own eye. [That's Matthew again. 7:1-5]

There is a similarity between judging and forgiving! They both have the same effect on the one who passes it, as on the one who receives it. Both are a sword that cuts at both edges. But only the cuts from judging are hurtful.

Judging is better left to God. I don't think he needs me for it. And may do so very little. You'd be surprised at who you'll be meeting in heaven ☺☺

Instead, you'd better spend your energy on living a positive, radiant life. Keeping faith pure, in the absence of the One you're supposed to trust, is hard. And the less reinforcing messages you receive, the harder it is to keep on trusting and believing. [See again post 3a on Trust and Faith.]

You can seek advise and support from fellow followers and spiritual leaders, but in the end, it's up to your own conscience and responsibility to stay as pure and close to God as you can.

I have rule of thumb... I wouldn't want to worship God through a religion that makes Him less forgiving than we humans can be towards each other.

Forgiveness, the daughter of Love [S-serie 1]

Doing some profane and simple work gives my thoughts a chance to roam. I don't remember which route my thoughts had taken this time, but I can't overlook their conclusion: Forgiveness must be the daughter of Love.

I guess as a Christian I might state that Forgiveness is the Son of God.

But that doesn't alter my train of thoughts... Hop on please. The ride is free!

Forgiving means disregarding -out of Love !- your principles, your requirements, your own limits and limitations as you decide to keep on passing on your positive feelings to the one who has transgressed your moral boundaries. You give respect, help, kindness... [all friends of Love] in spite of it all. Freeing the other of Love's opponents, like  Guilt and Shame. And yourself of maybe Anger, Vengeance, Victimhood, Disempowerment.

If you forgive the right way, you are serving a cup of humility for two.

Some claim the idea that a deed needs forgiving is the worst way of thinking: because it means judging the deed as bad. Where being 'unjudgemental'... forgiving would be redundant, even impossible. There is nothing to forgive.But that is going a bit too far, even for me, who likes to stretch things. 
For instance, I like to argue that obedience is actually a bad habit. Because it includes acting without taking your own ideas into account. It is following blindly. I prefer people who think and decide on complying only if the act agrees with their own conscience. What else is a conscience for?

[And.. we have a conscience around 9 years of age... please allow children to practise living with it!! Don't force them into obedience.]

You may not always be knowledgeable enough for deciding by yourself. In that case you should only act out of trust. Trusting the one who gave the order.

Obedience doesn't necessarily include trust. It is more often done out of fear for punishment. By some powerful person, like the class bully. Or for being sanctioned by the social group you belong to, the group that issued the order. That can be a group of schoolmates, your family, your country. Or your religious group.

And Fear... is the antagonist of Love.

Late Bloomer and Misfit

The drawing was made about 20 years ago. 

It's called "Waiting For The Day..."

Extract from Mulan (c) 1998 Disney Enterprises Inc. 

Voice: Soon-Teck Oh as Fa Zhou

And this tulip is worth a closer look...

I've made the drawing and the photo myself.

The audio clip is an extract from Mulan  (c) 1998 Disney Enterprises Inc.
Voice: Soon-Teck Oh as Fa Zhou

Though this recording is subject to copyright, its use is covered by the U.S. fair use laws because:

1. It doesn't limit the copyright owner's rights to sell the film in any way, in fact, it may encourage sales.
2. Because of the length of the recording, it cannot be used to make illegal versions of the movie or soundtrac.
3. The recording is part of the subject of the article, which is not used for commercial purposes.