Awesome topic. Awesome Being. But before we get into this, two reminders.
1. Today at 10 AM at UCO, Operations meeting - be there to prevent the censoring of our library.
2. Friday, April 1 Delegate Assembly. Vote to reinstall term limits as we had until David squeaked in his plans after three attempts and taking advantage of the summer lack of delegates to oppose him.
Now to the topic and the segue back to points 1 and 2.
G-d, the Being or beings, singular or part of a pantheon - and Marvel and DC are certainly thankful for that! Which is it - but even more important - does it really matter? Are not these meta humans or human like gods or Supreme Beings all part and parcel of mankind's attempts to understand his world and explain that which he cannot explain or provide comfort in a harsh world that there is a better world to come?
For years I, myself, often wondered about these questions. I am a Jew, proudly so, an Orthodox one who observes much of the commandments but am certainly far from perfect, but I am comfortable with myself and my beliefs. That has come around after years of questions and thinking, self discussions and discussions with others - and the attempt to understand religion actually never stops in that, as one who asks questions, who attempts to understand that which is often unable to be understood, I am in good company. The writings and the oral history of the world are rife with people who wrote of religion, of questions, who put forth new thinking. Martin Luther, though a vehement anti Semite, hater of Jews, did advance the idea that people need to be able to read the Bible for themselves, not only thru priests, that the language of a country can be used to "talk" with G-d, not only Latin and other world changing ideas.
But even as mankind advanced thru discussion, religion also provided an excuse for some of the most horrific periods of history for mankind. Trillions were and are still being slaughtered in the name of religion. G-d is invoked as being on one's side as opposed to the other. From the bowels of flame in Moloch and Baal to the flaming Pele to the gods of the harvest who needed their sacrifice to the more gentle gods of latter day humanity and back again - there has never been a moment when religion has not been part and parcel of man, his development, his cross to bear and his diamond to value.
It has been said that more harm and evil has been done in the name of G-d, any god, so much so, that if this is what the forces of good are doing and have done, then what in the name of all that's holy is left for the Devil. Or are we, people, humanity, actually the devils of others. Have we all looked into that legendary abyss for too long and have we had that abyss sow its evil roots within us?
So if religion is all this bad, then why persist in keeping it around? Well, as people, we need a G-d, a Being, a supreme Power, to look towards for succor, for explanation, for help, even in the most evil of moments. There is the story of a young woman on line waiting for death to arrive at a concentration camp. In her arms is her newborn son. She asks a soldier, a guard, for a knife, and he, perhaps amused by the request, gives it to her, for after all the day is long and dreary and perhaps she will attempt to kill others or even herself, cheating the Nazis of another blood victim? Who knows. So he gives her the knife and the guards watch. She drops the blanket around her baby and gives him a circumcision, the brit milah that is the sign of the Covenant between G-d and His People. As she finishes, before the astounded guards can take action, she cries to the heavens in eternal victory.
Even in the darkest of moments there is light. Those of us who are blessed with diamonds revel in their shared light. I adore my little one, as I adore his cousins and siblings, as he asks for yet another pet, this city boy who loves G-d's creatures. So I have turned down a horse, a snake, a peregrine falcon and now we have been asked for a roadrunner, along with a sigh that if he has to, he will accept figures of the animals rather than the real thing but along with a warning that when he grows up..... Here is the light of a diamond - along with the worry that comes with it.
And we must look for more diamonds in the world to overcome the myriad blankets of darkness that often cover us. Where? Within ourselves? With the help of others? With research and thought and reading - the freedom to always be on a quest for greater understanding and hopefully a better world.
That quest is our right and no one, absolutely no one, should be taking that away from us. It was an absolute privilege to meet the Dalai Lama and have a conversation with him and the other administrators of our school as to how to inculcate the values of history and heritage in children in exile. The man was gentle, intellectual and curious and pained for the future of his people in Tibet and in exile in India. Should he have been censored as the Chinese wish to do? Should he have been banned? I think not - and neither do I think we need protection from so called 'religious" literature in our library. We staff it, we run it, we shelve the books and have done so forever and yet never have I seen any volunteer or patron of the library break out into religious fervor and trance as a result of reading somethin there. So what if a Jehovah's Witness leaves a tract. Maybe I, or someone else is curious. Non desired material can always be culled as the volunteers do all the time as they refresh the shelves. What is the big deal here other than trying to impose more restrictions on us - as if we are morons or way beyond our skill sets. And by the way, so what if someone wants to convert or return to a former religion? Last time I checked there was an amendment that promised freedom of religion so it is not illegal!
Enough of the repression within the Village and let us take care of that today in the meeting. BE THERE. SPEAK UP FOR YOURSELF.
And while we are at it, let us rid ourselves of the tyranny of those who would be in office and power forever, no term limits. Cornish dreads the loss of her power and watch her resign should we regain term limits. She has done that already. Nothing like sulking! Watch David Israel trip over his own words as he denigrates the delegates as they are "unelected" and thus should have no say over the Village and UCO. Really? Are to buy into their pathetic story that ONLY they know what is best for us? I gave that up when I was three! These are supposed to be the true representatives of the residents of the Village, not the pathetic sellers of their souls who are presently in office and while on the topic of non elected people making decisions - ahem, and what was ED Black doing for all those lo so many years. Hypocrisy. Shortchanging the people. And stop with the "landslide" victory. There were only 28 votes between Phyllis and David Israel and what with all those "disqualified" or having to leave due to the long wait and no chairs - who knows who should really have even been elected and we certainly know who would be the better president, not the selfish hidey hole one sitting in his lair in the back of the building. Term limits we always have had and term limits we certainly need to bring back. Liberty, equality and freedom - they still ring true. Tell your delegates to vote for term limits and if they refuse - fire them and appoint one who will.
Be brave. Be righteous. Turn these people out at the end of their term. No one is throwing them out now, though recall is the best step for David Israel and all the rest actually, who always have "nothing to say" when asked to report. Just what the hell do they do all day other than to pat themselves on the back, act as the Nasties as they plot to keep themselves in office so what.., so they can nosh all they want on our pocket? So they can say they are officers and love themselves for nobody else will? Or get proposals of marriage (Gyich!) or write nasty comments and attack others in a personal way rather than address the issues? C'mon - time to take out the trash, reline the can and get on with the complicated doings that will save our Village and stem the outgoing tide of the decent and the worried, of the disgusted and the despairing of our future unless there is a major change. Do we really need to get more and more renters?
BE there or accept your responsibility and role in the destruction of our home. NO CENSORHSIP UNLESS IT IS HATE LITERATURE AND CALLING FOR BLOOD. REINSTALL TERM LIMITS AS THEY ALWAYS WERE AND BRING BACK THE HOPES OF A BRIGHTER FUTURE.
G-d is the one and only and not the people of the present UCO. Keep the good and out with the bad.
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