Sunday, January 18, 2015

Pope Francis Defends the Poor

Here  Sustainable. Again, this Pope is inspired, and inspiring. "“Reforming the social structures which perpetuate poverty and the exclusion of the poor first requires a conversion of mind and heart,” Francis told an audience including President Benigno Aquino on Jan. 16, his first public address in the country. He urged the people “to reject every form of corruption which diverts resources from the poor, and to make concerted efforts to ensure the inclusion of every man and woman and child in the community.” Yesterday, he made a similar call."

The whole 1% of the globe will soon own over 50% of the world's wealth is a reminder: Capitalism Gone Wild. We all have to do what we can to reverse the current global culture and direction of income inequality. In my mind, this is at least as big a factor in the ISIS thing as religion.

In a related example of Capitalism Gone (Really, Really) Wrong, Mexico has a strong Catholic history. The state of consciousness of some (many?) could be improved here, such as the mayor implicated in the kidnapping and murder of student-teachers. Despicable and heinous, this needs and those responsible need to be stopped. http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2015/01/14/mexican-mayor-charged-with-kidnapping.html 

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Sunset, Venice 12/20/2012

Sunset, Venice 12/20/2012
I've been thinking some about the Winter Solstice, the Mayan end of the 30,000-year-cycle on 12/21/12.

What if in fact the world did end? Even though this probably will not happen, to live consciously it is honest for us to take a bit of an inventory.

Am I happy with how I've lived my life? (Yesterday, I thought mostly yes, with some areas for improvement, as below.) Are there changes I would make?
Would I have tried to forgive those that were hostile or disappointing to me?
Would I spend more time with those I loved the most, telling them that, feeling that more?
Would I be happier, grateful for what I have, what I've experienced, the joy, the beauty in this world?

Maybe the answer is yes to all of the above.
So this time can serve as a point of rebirth for all of us. If we think about it.

Because somewhere along the line I realized I think maybe mankind deserves it. !
The way we are killing each other, killing the planet.
How selfish we are, and snotty to those around us. Petty, competitive. Why is this? Do we have to behave this way? (I say no, it greatly detracts and misdirects energy from the full-time celebration in which we could engage, the great multi-cultural, multi-rhythmic dance we can sustain here.)

Maybe God or the Great Universe is fed up, and will pull the rug out from under us.
Don't think I can say we could blame Him/Her/It.

But it probably won't happen. (Probably not! This time.)

Still we are finite on this ride.

It is a time to think, am I happy with how I've lived my life?
Hopefully most of us can say yes.

For the part of us that have a little worry, a little sadness....
This is the time to be present.
This is the time to be the person you want to be, that can die at peace, that can hope to every day be able to look yourself and the Universe in the eye and say, how beautiful, smiling, and thank you. Let's do that.

Antidotes to Violence, a.k.a., Take Charge of Where Your Head's At - here

Tell Congress to Strengthen Gun Control Laws NOW - here

Good News & Brain Food News -
Christians & Muslims Gather, for Peace here
Good News - Top RIO+20 Summit Posts here
The 'Busy' Trap - NYTimes.com
here