The Prayer Boats Theory

There are those who say "My little prayer cannot change God's mind. God's plan is God's plan. What use is prayer?"

To me, when I pray for someone else's betterment, it actually works on me. We are like boats overwhelmed in a sea of troubles. When we pray, we are somewhat lifted above the tide and tempest of life, through our connection to God. 

As we are lifted out of the deep water, the waterlevel lowers for those around us, just as when we are in need we raise the stress and difficulty of others. Our draft* adds to the tide and our uplift lifts the burden on all.

Thus our little boat of prayer calms the sea without being about us.

The Green Sail represents the person praying.

Letter to Thomas

Thomas,

Thanks for the Best Answer to your question and in response to your comments, I would love to discuss matters of faith any time you like. You may be surprised (or disappointed) to know that I have been (a) born again Christian THREE times in my youth but I kept finding Christianity too hard to maintain a belief in.

First off was the idea that I saw kids doing bad things and saying "it's okay, I'm saved."

My second disillusionment was the idea that "do unto others" is a form of abuse, as in "figure out what other people need and give it to them whether they want it or not." That is pretty much how I interact with folks on YAP, treating them as I want to be treated, and they are appalled because the golden rule is a formula for abuse. Luckily I am not a Christian so I don't try to pretend that it is anything but a psychological purge, doing what I think is best for others. It would require more humility than I have to say "God doesn't want me to 'Do unto others' God wants me to leave them the heck alone." Luckily you have the bible to blame for following this abusive rule.

Thirdly, when I got re-involved with religion in my twenties, I got a glimpse of the worldly money and power aspect of Christianity, and it freaked me the hell out. I kept telling myself "it's the message, not the messenger" but it was like being Alice in Wonderland trying to pretend everything was normal.

I have known many great Christians who have been models of goodness and humility. I have also known good Hindus who would give a stranger the shirt off their backs. I have known religious Jews who were models of generosity and tolerance. I have frankly known charitable and gentle Satanists (not the atheist kind, the voodoo-y "I can do magic" kind. Frankly I have a tremendous respect for the power of good in faith, just not any interest in anyone's religion.

When I was in college, I read about Taoism and thought nothing of it. Then I read a silly little book by a guy named Benjamin Hoff called "The Tao of Pooh" (Taoism as explained by Winnie the Pooh) and it changed my life. I had always hated Pooh growing up as he represented stupid and lazy to me. It was my earliest training to impose myself on the world whether mechanically, like my dad, or verbally like my mom. I had no real idea that you could accept the world AS IS without imposing values on it, like sin or karma or salvation, the eight-fold path, the Ten Commandments or the five pillars of Islam.

I am happy to just be in the world, and as I do not fear any afterlife, salvation, and hellfire neither interest nor terrify me. I believe we are our own hell and the world as it is is heaven enough if I just get out of my own way.

So yeah, I am sure your personal journey is equally if not more compelling, and like me, you are not looking for a new religion. But I also don't think you are going to hell for not believing in the Tao (things as they are) so this imperative on your part may somewhat mess up our dynamic.

Sorry to run on so long. Your turn.
Harry


*PS: If I believed that folks who didn't accept Jesus were going to burn for all eternity I would be pretty anxious to convince them too. Its not the motive but the message I am at odds with.

Teacups of North America

My Brother-in-Law asked me to catalog and maybe sell some teacups he had received. They are from various parts of the country, some Caribbean islands, Cancun, Aruba and Bermuda.
Here is a sample picture:

Here is the Whole Magilla:

Here is the Aerial View (Western States):

 
Here is the South East:

Here is the North East:

Here is the Caribbean:

Here is the South West:

Here is the North West:

Anybody have any ideas how I can sell these things?

Happy Holidays,
Hiram 

Past Glories Revisited

I was going through some old links and thought I would repost some other people's video stuff that I liked in the past year:

Dylan's "Gates of Eden" Covered by Bryan Ferry
Gates of Eden Artwork by h g lowry

Yanzo, I'm Jealous 
(Despite the fact that he abuses the Lord's Name)

Favorite Scene from "To Have or Have Not" 

(Do You See Anything Kid?)

Movies in Real Life: Ghostbusters 
 (New York City Library)

 
Lucky Escape 
(Short film from Ireland)

 Skhizein 
 (Short animation from France)
 

 Jihadist Bloopers

I grabbed this quick before the Troll Gremlins of Yahoo Removed it

Dave's Poem:

Not From Nothing

Comparing the creation of our souls
to animals or trees that never talk
is like pointing to a bed of burning coals
and asking someone else to take the walk.
Our courage comes from realizing God,
and knowing that our science can't design
the energy within the lightning rod
that strikes our fate and shows us the divine.
It's not from nothing that the world exists
and galaxies seek never ending skies
the nature of humanity consists
of following our faith with blinded eyes.
We may discover how a dove can fly
but only death will bring the reason why.

 

Hiram's Response:

Not FOR Nothing.

God made the world out of dark and the void
the same nothing science posits came first
to point at a fire walk we would avoid
comes naturally, cause our will is perverse
Our fear reminds us that nothing exists
that naught is the seed with which God creates
Sciences measure but folly and mists
The nothings within us are our native states
The world is finite, though galaxies strive
Ideas of eternity ever prod
All life and all matter face entropy
Yet all empty things seek their life in God
Death cannot serve as our nature's seed
God is the BANG that's the universe needs.

It Is Time For a 32-Hour Work Week

It Is Time For a 32-Hour Work Week*

*Benefits and OT required at and above 32 hours.

 

There are 168 Hours in a week.

Divided by 40 hours:

6 Employee 3 shifts ,3 FT & 3 PT equals 37.333 hours each full timer and 18.666 hours each part timer

Roughly 9 hours per week of overlapping shifts.

 

Divided by 32 hours:

6 Employee on 3 shifts , 6 FT shifts equals 28 hours each or 4 FT and 4 PT timers at 14 hours each PTer.

12 hours of overlap, or have PTers work 6 hour shifts.

 

This either creates 3 new jobs with BENEFITS or 1 new FT and one new PT for every job requiring a 24 hour employee.

 

People objected when the 40 hour work week was introduced that:

• folks would not make enough money to survive on it
• would not know what to do with their free time.

In Actuality:

• People who have more time off will SPEND MORE $$$$
• Workers with two jobs could maybe have BOTH WITH BENEFITS, or...
• Work 4 days at one job and 2 at another and ACTUALLY HAVE A DAY OFF.

It would improve the economy AND the lives of workers!

Farewell to a Musical Genius: Lou Reed Died Today

RIP Lou Reed

Here are some of my favorites from the vast 

panoply that is Lou Reed's Musical legacy:
(The embedded videos don't work apparently, 
Thanks Blogger for messing me up for a day.)

Perfect Day

Hang on to Your Emotions (with Laurie Anderson)

    
Kill Your Sons      

Set the Twilight Reeling (with Elvis Costello)

Coney Island Baby

I Love You 

 

 

"Blink your eyes and I am gone." - Lou Reed, NYC Man

New York City Man