Yes or No

When I am fortunate enough to hear a speaker like Damien, I immediately realize I am in church. It doesn't matter the surroundings or circumstances. I need no robes, pulpit or incense. I recognize a speaker of truth when I hear one.

http://tedxsydney.com/site/item.cfm?item=8DA4CC63C290F6C97963B7288EEFFEB2

In the GOD section I wrote: "That our truth isn't your truth does not invalidate our perception nor our experience; NEITHER DOES IT TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER YOUR TRUTH. But truth is the greatest gift I can offer you...and I offer you mine." Watching Damien Mander, I know he offered me his greatest gift and I am the better for it.

Do our priorities align? No they do not. Where he has chosen to apply his efforts lay far afield from my own. But when someone is that honest and authentic, Life is telling me to "get on board." It (Life) will provide something for me to do or say, change or endorse. It may be as simple as regarding my meals as a sacrament. The mindfulness that life must be sacrificed for my own life to continue. Or, if all else fails, could I not (at very least!) be a little more grateful for the food I eat?

Damien was a self-professed "special operations sniper." There is little doubt in my mind he has killed human beings. ("When things go bang, people die.") I don't believe he is ready to deal with that just yet. So he's become a passionate advocate for the animals. This is a good thing. God needs strong and courageous shepherds. And it is not in my province to question the means by which he or anyone else arrives at their truth. Only that they speak openly, fearlessly, and with integrity.

But I can and will speak to his yes or no question; I will be brave enough the next time an opportunity arises to make a difference. But it won't be restricted to animals.

G'Day Mate!

Coming from Down Under, Ted Talks Sydney steers us through "Lost in Translation." (This means you too bloke, this ain't no earbash. Its dinky-di so give it a burl, even if I am a seppo.)*

http://tedxsydney.com/site/item.cfm?item=7B564CDCC290F6C972B246BAD6245619

This site has reached all continents except Australia. This is my blatant effort to "court" an audience from Oz. (what natives call Australia; aka God's Country) Shameless? Absolutely. Worthwhile? Well, lets take a stroll through the Never Never and find out.

* Rough translation: This isn't inane chatter (earbash) my friend (bloke). Its the real thing (dinky-di) so give it a try (burl). Message coming from an American (seppo-short for septic tank!).

You Say Potato, I Say Potato

For those of you unfamiliar with this phrase, the title of this post might be confusing. While the spelling of potato is the same, the pronunciation is as follows: Po-Tay-Toe versus Po-Tat-Toe. The gist of the meaning is that different aspects of the same idea are being emphasized. With that in mind I ask you watch the following link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF15TekHVV0

Now, if interested, check out the posts 9-19-12 (Miracles) and 10-2-12 (A Herd Of Birds). My question to you is, is the word "awe" so very different than my word "miracle?" Awe: 1) "a mixed feeling of reverence, fear and wonder, caused by something majestic, sublime, sacred etc." Miracle: 1) "an event or action that apparently contradicts known scientific laws and is hence thought to be due to supernatural causes." 2) "A REMARKABLE EVENT OR THING; MARVEL."

In the web site section GOD, the 3rd paragraph of PERSPECTIVE contains this thought; "I may call them miracles, but that is my confirmation bias and not an instruction. Call them what you will." This is my acknowledgment that certain people may be totally turned off by the use of the word miracle. That "miracle" holds too many religious connotations. I get that. I am more than fine with you being "in awe, or awestruck" by Life. The important fact is that one can feel as though they have received an amazing gift, be it a miracle or a feeling of awe. And that gift could generate gratitude.

The spiritual benefits spoken of in many places on this web site are being verified by science. It is as I've said; the process (G-G-G) works. But so what? It is more powerful (the process) when it is utilized by many rather than a few. So I want to share it with you. I ask that you explore it as a path of possibility. Try it on for size. Take it out for a test drive. I believe your life will change for the better. If I'm wrong, write me off as an extremist. If I'm right, well, you'll know exactly what to do---however they pronounce potato.

Buried Alive

There is a TV program called "Hoarders." I find it nearly impossible to watch. Five to ten minutes is about the maximum length of time I am able to endure. That people would allow their living space to become so intolerable (you've got to see the show to believe what people subject themselves to) is beyond my comprehension. I struggle to locate my compassion and empathy. Why, I ask myself, is this issue any more problematic for me than alcohol or drug addiction?

When it comes right down to it, it may be how "in your face" (obvious) the problem is that causes my consternation. An alcoholic or drug addict is more than capable of hiding their disease. Hoarding is so OVERT! An alcoholic or drug addict can lie to themselves and others, but how does a hoarder manage that? When their "stuff" is floor to ceiling and they can barely move from one room to another, how do they mange that? Yet it is estimated that 5.3% of Americans are hoarders.

http://knowledgeisnecessity.blogspot.com/2010/06/hoarding-very-serious-very-unrecognized.html

The manifestation a childhood trauma takes on in an adults life really isn't my concern. It isn't my job to evaluate the level of denial a person engages in and decide whether it meets my criteria. The simple fact is an individual has created a living hell for themselves; be it drink by drink, dose by dose, or box by box. My job is to suggest a reinterpretation of how and why their life experience has brought them to such a place. And whether or not they are ready for something different.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGHAf17OGd0