Premature Withdrawal

In a post yesterday, Not My Thing, I mentioned that "people should involve themselves in the political process in one form or another." A commenter (Joy) made an astute observation.

In previous posts you have mentioned the uselessness of voting. Here it sounds like you support voting. At least I assume that's what you mean by "involve yourself in the political process". Or do you have something else in mind?

I realize that a lot of people equate voting with participating in the political process. I certainly wouldn't dispute this point. However, voting is but one arrow in the quiver! When a person believes that none of the candidates represents your interests, NOT voting can be a viable option.

Of course, if a person exercises the choice not to vote, then the individual should endeavor to find different ways to be politically active. To this end, I was involved in "third party" politics for over a decade and participated in a variety of ways with several advocacy groups. In today's world, interspersed amongst the Taoist ramblings on this blog, I also address many political issues in the hopes that I can draw attention to my preferred political position.

Today, I'm going to do just that. There is a movement afoot -- both internationally and nationally -- for average folks to weigh in on the economic and political world on December 7.

"A spectre is haunting Europe." Its not the revolution that Karl Marx supposed would come about. Nor is it Parisian students and workers taking to the streets as in May 1968. It is the vision of hordes of Europeans striking back at those who caused the 2008 financial crash. This time, organizers are calling for the use of a new weapon, one available to any of us with a bank account. It is the simple act of removing all of our money from the banks, and doing so in mass on the same day - December 7th.

While it is hard to know who first thought of this marvelous act of political theater, it has begun to take serious traction in France and is now spreading across Europe...

It's also starting to gain some traction on this side of the pond too. The effort in the US is be spearheaded at Stop Bank! USA.

As Dave Lindorff writes at This Can't Be Happening,

The banking industry is clearly nervous. In France, a spokeswoman for the banking industry called the idea of an organized bank run "stupid," and warned that it would be an invitation to thieves to steal people's money.

But organizers in the US have an easy answer to that. The US movement is calling on people not to take their money out as cash, but to close their accounts at major regional or national banks and to move the money on Dec. 7 to independent community banks or--better yet--to credit unions.

Besides, it's really ironic to hear a bank spokesperson warning depositers about thieves, when it is clear that the bankers themselves are the real thieves these days--stealing peoples' homes through deceptive mortgage terms and through fraudulent foreclosures, stealing their money through deceptive fees and penalties, and stealing their retirement security by wrecking the economy while enriching the managers of the banks via undeserved massive bonus payments tallied in the billions of dollars...

In my book, this is political involvement at its zenith. This strategy provides a mechanism by which average folks can make a big statement. If enough people get on board, think of the panic in corporate boardrooms!!

If I had an account with one of these behemoths, I would participate in this action without giving it a second thought. Unfortunately, I decided years ago not to bank with any of these monstrosities! When Della and I lived in Salem and Aberdeen, we had our accounts at local credit unions. Sadly, there isn't a credit union in Pacific County, so our accounts are held at a small community-oriented regional bank.

If you bank with giants like Bank of America or Wells Fargo, I urge you to learn more about this proposed action and to switch your money to a credit union or a community bank. From my perspective, this is a far more powerful tool than voting in elections; you instead will be casting your vote with your dollars.

Chapter 2, Verses 5 and 6 - Sun Tzu

Thus, though we have heard of stupid haste in war, cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays. There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare.
~ from The Art of War, Giles translation ~

Go here to read the introductory post to the verses of The Art of War.

Line by Line - Verse 15, Line 1

The skillful masters (of the Tao) in old times, with a subtle and exquisite penetration, comprehended its mysteries
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

The ancient masters were subtle, mysterious, profound, responsive.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

The Tao masters of antiquity Subtle wonders through mystery
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

The ancient Masters were pretty damn impressive.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

The ancient masters are mythic people. By pointing to the past, Lao Tzu is informing us how to behave and relate to the world today.

A key point that Derek Lin makes concerns the emulation of nature. Humankind certainly does not know all there is to know, but by following the contours of nature around us, we can come to understand the Way more so than we might think.

To view the Index page for this series to see what you may have missed or would like to read again, go here.

Chapter 2, Verse 4 - Sun Tzu

Now, when your weapons are dulled, your ardor damped, your strength exhausted and your treasure spent, other chieftains will spring up to take advantage of your extremity. Then no man, however wise, will be able to avert the consequences that must ensue.
~ from The Art of War, Giles translation ~

Go here to read the introductory post to the verses of The Art of War.

Looking Back to 2007: Flyswatters

Flyswatters
Original post date: September 25, 2007

I have moved to an area that has a lot of flying insects: gnats, flies, mosquitoes and several other insects that I can't name. It's not prevalent throughout South Bend, but seems to exist in pockets. Our neighborhood on the hill appears to be the victim of a stagnant pond located below us on Weyerhaeuser property. As if I didn't have enough reasons to despise Weyerhaeuser anyway...

The mosquitoes, in particular, have taken up residence in our 2 bathrooms. This is not surprising since mosquitoes need moisture to survive. Be that as it may, it's quite annoying to climb into the shower and have to swat mosquitoes.

As our weather is slowly turning cooler (night temps are now falling into the low to mid 40s), the blood-sucking insects seem a bit slower and less able to dodge my hands. I've actually become quite adept at smashing them between my index finger and thumb. If that fails, I flatten them against the wall in the shower.

Of course, the act of killing these insects -- who simply are doing what they must do to survive -- does cause me to take pause from time to time. I sometimes ask myself what right I have to decide these life and death issues. Though I'm certainly cognizant of the threat of West Nile Virus and the more benign irritant of itching, I still sometimes feel a bit unsettled about the path of insect murder.

I mean, here's a mosquito simply minding its own business and then WHACK -- it's now nothing more than a tiny red smear on the wall.

So, I was pondering about this predicament the other day and it dawned on me that we are all subject to the flyswatter of nature. We humans often die far too young and under interesting circumstances. Of course, we have coined words to describe these instances: accident, illness, war, crime, tragedy, holocaust, etc.

It's like we're flitting around in the mundane routine of life and then WHACK -- we're dead.

Just like a mosquito.

To read the intro to this retrospective series of posts, go here.

The Tao of Dark Sages - Chapter 21, Part 1

The Tao of Dark Sages
by Scott Bradley

Scott-tzu: By the way, Mark-tzu, I brought one of Grasshoppers book’s — I thought you might be interested in reading it.

Mark-tzu: You thought wrong. Why would I want to read it? To learn something? There is nothing to learn. To form an opinion, to agree or disagree? “If you wish to see the truth hold no opinions for or against anything.”

Yet you have obviously read the work you just quoted.

True. Years ago. But I am discriminating, it’s true. Thanks, Scott-tzu — I’ll have to give that some thought.

The reason I brought it up is because it fascinates me — how we are to relate to the teachings of others — especially someone we know so well as Grasshopper. I’ll admit to having an aversion for his method, if not his teachings. I mean, he’s packaged the message and sells it in satsangs and books and what have you — he merchandizes it. He’s become a complete success in the enlightenment industry. He’s a famous and successful guru! And the whole thing just seems ...wrong. That’s what fascinates me — it’s effect on me and the challenge it brings to understand and deal with that effect. I know the problem lies in me, not Grasshopper.

Sue-tzu: That’s the heart of it and it’s wonderful to hear you say so. This awareness of your aversion is a gift. Follow it to it’s root and you will discover more fully what it is to be in harmony with Tao. Centered at the pivot of the Tao, what is right or wrong about the teachings or methods of Grasshopper?

Mark-tzu: And so centered, we are left indifferent. Are his teachings and methods in harmony with the Tao? No doubt there is a yes or a no to this question. But it does not concern us. “Truth” does not lie in debate or in juxtaposing one idea against another. It is not an idea, but a way of being. And as for ‘in’ or ‘out’ of harmony with Tao, “What is one is one, and what is not-one is also one.”

If you're interested in reading more from this series by Scott Bradley, go here.

Chapter 2, Verses 2 and 3 - Sun Tzu

When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men's weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be damped. If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength. Again, if the campaign is protracted, the resources of the State will not be equal to the strain.
~ from The Art of War, Giles translation ~

Go here to read the introductory post to the verses of The Art of War.

Tao Bible - 2 Samuel 6:6-7

And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.
~ King James version ~

Tao is not petty.
~ possible Taoist alternative ~

As the Ark of the Covenant is being moved, it is jostled by some oxen. A man reaches out to steady the box (presumably to keep it from falling) and God kills him for touching the sacred box.

Notwithstanding the fact that Tao strikes no one down, an impartial essence would not fall prey to petty emotions.

If you're interested in reading more from this experimental series, go to the Tao Bible Index page.

Chapter 2, Verse 1 - Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu said: In the operations of war, where there are in the field a thousand swift chariots, as many heavy chariots, and a hundred thousand mail-clad soldiers, with provisions enough to carry them a thousand li, the expenditure at home and at the front, including entertainment of guests, small items such as glue and paint, and sums spent on chariots and armor, will reach the total of a thousand ounces of silver per day. Such is the cost of raising an army of 100,000 men.
~ from The Art of War, Giles translation ~

Go here to read the introductory post to the verses of The Art of War.

Looking Back to 2007: Acceptance

Acceptance
Original post date: September 24, 2007

Everyone wants to a feel a sense of belonging; to be accepted for who they are. A lot of people spend a great deal of their lives trying to force acceptance through unnatural means. They pretend to be someone else so others will like them. They behave in ways that runs counter to their internal nature in the hope of finding a dock on which they can tether their boat.

While seeking acceptance from the external world consumes so much of our time and energy, the greatest journey in our lives is seeking acceptance from the being closest to us -- ourselves.

If you think that family members, friends, bosses and colleagues can be hard on you, the harshest critic in most people's lives is the one you see in the mirror. Because we each know the most intimate emotions and secrets of our own lives, these are the ones we examine, re-examine, rehash and pull our hair out over.

Why did I say such and such to him or her? Why did I behave in this or that way? Why do I feel empty? Why do I always thwart myself? Why am I not the person I set out to be?

I don't care who you are, how many friends you have, how much money graces your bank account or how much fame you've acquired in your lifetime. Each one of us struggles under the yoke of self-doubt. It's part and parcel of this journey we call life. From a Taoist perspective, each of us gains a measure of wisdom when we can slay the dragon of self-doubt and learn to accept ourselves -- with all our imperfections -- as we truly are.

I have been fettered with the chains of self-doubt during most of my life. It was particularly acute in my teens, 20s and 30s. I knew from an early age that I was different from most all of my contemporaries. I felt like the proverbial duck out of water.

My school years were extremely difficult in that I was NEVER a part of a clique or group. In fact, it was so bad that even the outcasts -- the dregs of the teenage hierarchy -- shunned me. You know, it's a bad state of affairs when even the nerds hold you at arm's length!

As I look back now, I think it's fairly easy to see why I never fit in. Even at a very young age, I was a very principled and philosophic sort. I simply was not motivated nor interested in any of the chic trappings of adolescence. While my contemporaries seemed all caught up in superficial appearances, I was far more concerned with what lay beneath the surface -- a facet of my personality that continues unabated today.

Though I was never a member of a group, a funny thing happened during my senior year in high school. The facets of my personality that had, for so long, made me a social outcast, all of a sudden thrust me into the limelight of popularity. Everyone seemed to like me and wanted me around. So, while I remained unattached from any of the cliques and groupings, I was one of the few people in my school who could move fluidly through and among any group I desired.

This new station in life carried through college and beyond. While it was certainly more favorable than being shunned, it still filled me with a sense of isolation and loneliness. I was now able to connect with a wide variety of people, but the connection didn't go very deep. People still viewed me as being very strange indeed, albeit in a benign way.

Always feeling like I was on the outside looking in is what fueled the bonfire of my self-doubt. And, at times, this bonfire almost consumed me. At times, I tried desperately to fit in, but I'd always fail clumsily because I wasn't being me.

I can't pinpoint when the break came, but, somewhere over the past decade, I came to accept myself for who and what I am. Put in the popular vernacular, I'm a philosopher and philosophers went out fashion a few centuries ago.

I no longer struggle with all encompassing self-doubt. To be certain, there are fleeting moments of it tied to particular circumstances or situations, but it no longer defines my existence. I still feel isolated from most of society, but it no longer rips at my soul. I've come to realize that we all tread different paths in this life and, for better or worse, this is my path. So, I've learned to accept it for what it is and to embrace it as my own.

To read the intro to this retrospective series of posts, go here.

Not My Thing

I'm sure we all know people who rarely have much to say about current foreign or domestic policy. When someone brings up a discussion of law or policymaking in the nation's capitol or even state government, these individuals will say that "politics is not my thing." If pressed, these folks will tell you that they don't concern themselves with such "high brow" issues; they simply choose to live their lives on a more personal basis and pay little attention to what is going on in the rest of the world.

While the national and international issues of the day may not be foremost in our minds as we go about our daily routines, it is difficult to be completely divorced from them. They often permeate our individual lives in ways that are not immediately apparent.

This is one of the underlying points in a study recently released that "finds a strange link between terrorist fearmongering and the impulse for corporal punishment." According to researchers,

With the recent discovery of explosives hidden in cargo airplanes, fears of a terrorist attack have returned to the front of many people’s minds. If the past is any indication, this sense of apprehension is likely to make us less trusting of outsiders, and less tolerant of those who violate social norms.

What’s more, it may also make us bad parents.

That’s the implication of research published in the November issue of the journal Social Psychology. A team of scholars led by Peter Fischer of the University of Graz in Austria reports thoughts of terrorism seem to inspire authoritarian parenting practices.

Parents who are exposed to terrorist threats “are reminded about the dangers existing out in the world, which makes them more motivated to ensure their children’s safety,” the researchers write. Unfortunately, the way they respond to this natural impulse may have long-term negative implications for their kids...

While it appears that this research focused exclusively on the aspects of perceived fear as the result of terrorist acts and threats themselves, I would submit that similar results would be found in relation to how each nation deals with these acts and threats. My guess is that a nation such as the US -- one that fans the flames of fear for political purposes -- exacerbates the problem significantly.

This is why I often argue with folks that politics matters.

What goes on in the halls of Congress or the Oval Office impacts our lives whether we wish to acknowledge it or not. And that is why everyday people should involve themselves in the political process in one form or another. If we leave this involvement solely to others, then THEIR decisions can negatively impact the way our lives -- and the lives of our progeny and future generations -- pan out.

Chapter 1, Verse 26 - Sun Tzu

Now the general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand. Thus do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat: how much more no calculation at all! It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or lose.
~ from The Art of War, Giles translation ~

Go here to read the introductory post to the verses of The Art of War.

Line by Line - Verse 14, Line 17

this is called (unwinding) the clue of Tao.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

Knowing the ancient beginning is the essence of Tao.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

One can know the ancient beginning It is called the Tao Axiom
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

Remember that.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

To bring Verse 14 to a close, let's see what two other authors have to say.

For John Lash, he reminds us to

Hold to your centre, to the Oneness, to the principles that have governed the universe from the beginning of existence, but live only in the here and now. Life exists only in the present.

In Lao-tzu's Taoteching: with Selected Commentaries of the Past 2000 Years, Red Pine quotes Lu Hui-Ch'ing as stating

The past isn't different from today, because we know what began in the past. And today isn't different from the past, because we know where today came from. What neither begins nor comes from anywhere else we call the thread that has no end. This is the thread of the Tao.

To view the Index page for this series to see what you may have missed or would like to read again, go here.

Chapter 1, Verse 25 - Sun Tzu

These military devices, leading to victory, must not be divulged beforehand.
~ from The Art of War, Giles translation ~

Go here to read the introductory post to the verses of The Art of War.

Looking Back to 2007: Life in the Wake

Life in the Wake
Original post date: June 12, 2007

Who hasn't stood at the edge of a lake or river and thrown a large rock into the water. It lands with a kerplunk on the surface and kicks up a splash. It also causes a ripple that begins at the epicenter of the water's displacement and moves beyond in all directions.

Life is a lot like the rock and the water. Every action -- proactive or reactive -- that is wrought by humankind or Mother Nature causes a ripple effect. It affects not only what is in the immediate area but things that seem separated by vast distances or time.

This is the point that confounds humanity again and again. Because our frame of reference viz-a-viz the universe is so small, we continuously fail to recognize the complete arc of the ripple that emanates from our own epicenters. We fail to recognize the cause and effect of our every action.

In present society, there's a great debate over the existence and causes of a phenomena called Global Warming. Some people discount its existence entirely. Others accept its presence, but believe it is part of the natural cycle of atmospheric conditions and that humans have had little effect on its occurrence. Still others believe it is the direct result of human tendencies to think short-term instead of long-term.

Regardless of where one falls on this continuum -- I fall in the human activity-induced camp -- I would hope that we could all agree that something has caused our atmosphere and climate to change somewhat to some significant degree. It is the result of a ripple from where somewhere or some time.

The film It's a Wonderful Life deals with this same premise. George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart), facing a personal and professional crisis, wishes he had never been born and contemplates suicide. An angel provides him with a glimpse of what his sleepy little town would have been like without his life lived.

In dramatic and not so dramatic ways, the town of "Bedford Falls" doesn't look anything like he expects. Of course, since this IS a movie, it illustrates ONLY the positive aspects of his life and how -- had it not been lived -- many negatives now exist. In actuality, were any of us to get to view how our communities and loved ones dealt with a life sans us, there would be a great mixture of both positives and negatives!

In essence, each and every thought we think or breath we take influences the actions, behaviors and consciousness of the entire universe. We can't escape it! And this goes to the heart of why Taoists believe we aren't genuinely independent actors and that we are all part of one reality.

As we go, so goes the world.

To read the intro to this retrospective series of posts, go here.

The Tao of Dark Sages - Chapter 20

The Tao of Dark Sages
by Scott Bradley

Sue-tzu: “There is no one older than a dead child.”

Scott-tzu: Thank you for that wonderful thought, Sue-tzu!

Sue-tzu: You’re welcome. I was thinking about something Gabi asked me this morning. Why I don’t desire to be totally enlightened. You remember how I used to say that nothing really matters in the end? Return is the movement of the Tao? I think all these are related. The same.

I like that passage in Chuang-tzu because it smacks you right in the face. In context it’s about the total relativity of all things and all judgments: “Under Heaven there is nothing greater than the tip of a hair, but Mount Tai is smaller; there is no one older than a dead child, yet Peng Tsu (their Methuselah) died young. Heaven and Earth and I were born at the same time, and all life and I are one.”

All things being one and equal, what is there to strive for? What possible reason could I have for making a chore out of life? There is nothing more poignant than the thought of a dead child, yet in the end, it is really no different than a dead snake. And a dead snake is well, just a dead snake. Am I right, Mark-tzu? From your perspective?

Mark-tzu: Completely. Things are best looked at from the perspective of Tao. And the best way to know that is by considering nature. It is, after all, the Tao of Nature, that is manifest for us to consider. Does nature care about the fledgling fallen from its nest? Or the death agony of a gazelle in the lion’s maw? Or the death of a child? I think not. “If all is One, what is evil?”

Scott-tzu: And who said that?

Mark-tzu: Charles Manson.

Scott-tzu: You do know how to muddy the waters!

Mark-tzu: I try. When we discuss indifference to death and pain, it’s important to remember that without the spiritual reality that gives rise to these insights, as mere ideas, they can be dangerous.

Sue-tzu: And so, to those with insight I say: Eschew seriousness; abandon striving; go with the flow.

If you're interested in reading more from this series by Scott Bradley, go here.

Question: What's Up With Jonathan?

As we should all know, fundamentalist Christians hold that homosexuality is a sin against God. They can easily marshal biblical citations (both in the Old & New Testaments) that would strongly appear to condemn it. While I don't dispute the fact that these citations exist, as with most issues found in the Bible, there seems to be a bit of contradictory information.

In the Books of 1 & 2 Samuel, we find the story of the interesting relationship between Jonathan (King Saul's son) and David. There are several passages that speak of their great love for one another. There is one passage, in particular, that should raise some eyebrows.

I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. (2 Samuel 1:26)

Now I realize this reference could be to platonic or brotherly love. However, the "love of women" is not of that sort and the way one love is juxtaposed against the other is peculiar. I could just as easily see a case being made that this passage refers to love, in the usual sense, between two men.

If nothing else, it does provoke the question: Were Jonathan and David lovers? Since God did not punish David for his relationship with Jonathan, one could surmise that, in the eyes of God, there was nothing wrong or sinful about their relationship.

To see what other questions I've asked about the Christian Bible, go here.

Tao Bible - 2 Samuel 3:39

And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.
~ King James version ~

Tao passes no judgment.
~ possible Taoist alternative ~

Newly crowned King David laments the murder of a countryman and declares that God will pass judgment on the murderer.

Judgment is based on making a valuation; Tao is impartial. Thus, judgments are the purview of humankind, not the Way.

If you're interested in reading more from this experimental series, go to the Tao Bible Index page.

Ashes to Ashes

One of the things my wife and I love about our house in South Bend is that we have a fireplace. It's not the largest fireplace around, but it meets our needs on cold nights like tonight. We both enjoy the ambiance the dancing flames create and, hey, it can be a bit romantic.

Part of the process of being able to have nightly fires is to shovel out the ashes in the fireplace every few days. While retaining some ash provides a bed for the new ashes to fall into, too much ash can choke out a fire. So, this afternoon I did my duty and shoveled ash.

It amazes me how large logs consumed by fire turn into a mere handful of ash. What was once part of a mighty Douglas Fire or Hemlock, now is this light and fluffy substance. What was once a tree that withstood gale force winds, now can be scattered to and fro by a small puff of wind or breath.

In this same vein, the ashes of people are no different. Whether one was a mighty captain of industry, a star athlete or a poor beggar, the ashes of deceased bodies look nothing like the people once alive. In fact, burn most any substance and what we're left with is ash.

Some may view this similarity as disheartening; it makes me feel more at peace. It informs me that, while our forms may be different in life, we each end up in roughly the same place...Dust to dust and ashes to ashes.

Chapter 1, Verse 24 - Sun Tzu

Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.
~ from The Art of War, Giles translation ~

Go here to read the introductory post to the verses of The Art of War.