Our Connection to Each Other (and how the government, void of principles, severs our connections)


I read a great book a few weeks ago, but it had a few flaws within it that kept me back-pagin' and confused. The book, by Og Mandino, is called "The Greatest Salesman in the World" and it's semi-based upon the principles 'made famous' by Jesus Christ - the story telling is great, fantastic imagery and character development and all that, and some parts really made me *think* about some stuff in today's world that are in direct violation of our internal 'code of ethics' and/or 'morality.'

The books is a list of 'secrets' passed from one man to the next for 3 generations, and then shared with the world upon the last recipient's obtaining of them. I wondered to myself how secret these secrets would remain over time, as people often emulate those who are happy and living a successful life - and I think the book does a good job of showing how well the principles themselves would/could/should work, as each recipient of the secrets does achieve all they hoped to and more.

But the first part of the secrets lists these actions as 'bad habits': appetite, passion, prejudice, greed, love and fear.

I'd argue that appetite and fear aren't always a bad idea to pay attention to - as our fears are sometimes right, instinctual, and the whole use of logic in confronting our fears has kept us alive (such as... we hear a loud lion-roar noise while we are in the woods alone - we walk the other way, in case it is a predator and we are to be prey.) Instincts also let us know when we need to eat or drink water - appetite is usually just the body saying "I need fuel."

I'd also argue that passion and love aren't bad habits - in fact, the strange thing about love being in that list of bad habits is that the first 'secret' is to greet each day with love in your heart! And then goes on to describe sincere love towards all of mankind and even self. Argh...

I disagreed with the part about not listening to idle mouths, not lingering around idle hands and not visiting idle bodies (on page 76, for anybody who owns a paperback copy printed in 1985) - those are the very kinds of people who may need somebody with love in their hearts to inspire, comfort and guide them. To educate them, or help them out in some fashion. I've known people who went through 'idle' years who rose up and outta their funk.

The part of the book that most impressed me, in spite of the few things I disagree with, was the part about 'constantly dispose half of your earnings to those less fortunate than you' (on page 44) - this is great advice, as it is both logical and compassionate. It's logical to help out people, as a businessman, because people will view you (and your products/services) as 'good' and 'worthy.' That's just great marketing. The other part of this is that the compassion involved in it is our connection to each other - if you've ever helped somebody out who then went on to shine, you know that these 'acts of charity' aren't just you giving to the person, but them giving back to you in terms of internal peace, happiness and hope for the whole of mankind.

There's so many ways to give half of your earnings to people - be it time, money, or any other resource you 'earn' in life, once your world is personally in order.

And this is where government really shafts us and tears us all apart.

Currently, the government of the USA forcibly takes taxes and tells us they are going to do things 'for the common good' or 'for the good of mankind' or 'for the cause of democracy' or whatever sweet sounding phrase makes it sound like the taxes will, in effect, be the 'equivalent' of what Og Mandino suggests with 'giving half of your earnings to those less fortunate.'

But, see, the government a) actually doesn't do the charitable things it claims it is going to do with the money, and b) strips you of your connection with your community by dictating who is helped and who is not.

Sometimes charity is needed at home... sometimes there's a neighbor in dire circumstances, sometimes a family member needs assistance, and/or sometimes we personally find ourselves in a real pickle where we could help ourselves out quicker, more efficiently and independently if only we weren't throwing money into government coffers that consistently 'go missing' in various town, state and federal 'whoops, we dunno where that money went' moments. For instance, 2.3 trillion was unaccounted for and was reported in 2001 (video: http://www.videosift.com/video/Rumsfeld-Admits-23-Trillion-Missing-on-091001 )


What has happened? Was the money ever found? Was the person responsible held accountable?

Nothing, no and no.

On local and state levels, just going to google and typing in 'school audit missing money' reveals a bunch of recent stories in the 'news' section - type in your own town or state for local 'missing money.'

Some states won't even open their books for residents to oversee how much money there is, where it's going, and if there's waste that could be addressed... *cough cough MASSACHUSETTS cough cough*



The people of Massachusetts and every state out there are a good people - we are a giving nation of individuals, groups and churches. We are community oriented and do care about our fellow man - the government seems to act upon the notion (and manipulate us with it) the false impression that we're not 'capable' of doing good things for each other, our communities and our states without taxes being taken from us - and then misspent, stolen/gone missing, and/or squandered.

They take from us twice - not just monetarily, but spiritually - they strip us of resources that we could personally select to give out in charitable ways. Heck, even WITH the government taking money from us by force each paycheck, we still donate to charities! And we do it so overwhelmingly that after the tsunamis of 2005, private USA citizens gave over 140 million - more money in donations to aid those who suffered through that trauma than our own federal government did (which is not the role of government anyways, charity/foreign aid with our tax money isn't authorized by the Constitution(s), and most likely was given only to secure all of the 'deals' sure to come in the form of 'contracts' for rebuilding the areas demolished.) Bush later 'promised' something like 300 million over the course of years to come for victims of the tsunami areas ... but, again, that isn't his role nor his right. Private citizens will donate what they can - from all over the world. Governments should not be doing anything 'charitable' because there's always political strings attached and/or business type deals being made, like ones made through the Military Industrial Complex, and it's not moral. The money often ends up in the hands of corrupt government leaders in other areas - squandered again.

Also, foreign aid and charitable 'giving' while our own Social Security and Medicare system tanks is an awful thing to do to our most vulnerable - our senior citizens.

I've volunteered my time, money and personal resources to many, many causes - I was 14 when I first asked to volunteer at an orphanage, washing dishes. I asked to do it - I didn't need to be told to do it nor forced to do it - I wanted to do it. I've volunteered time to disabled folks, to private organizations and community efforts. When it's by choice, I know for sure something 'good' is being done, I get the personal connection that goes along with volunteering/charitable giving, and for any government to rob us of those connections to each other is the far worse offense against us when taking money from us and giving it away 'for us' - the money isn't even the greater loss.

It's those connections. It's looking each other in the eyes or holding somebody's hands or sharing a hug and knowing somebody cares - and that they weren't 'made' to do the right thing.

Every time the government gets involved in 'helping out', it goes horribly wrong. Look at education - more money thrown into the pit of the Federal Department of Education (in the billions) yet our students drop out at over 30% nationwide, and more and more fail to learn at standards being met by other countries who spend far, far less than we do. And now Hillary Clinton wants to spread this USA educational system (with tax dollars) to other nations... to educate the world using our failed system? Why would we do that to other nations?

If we really cared about the children of other nations, the last thing we'd want to do is shove them into our brand of 'education' - our schools, like our government, are in the habit of pushing failing systems onto others... just look at what they are doing with the pushing of 'Democracy' when the USA isn't even supposed to be a Democracy, but a Constitutional Republic - a REPUBLIC! I still laugh at how stupid I was to never question this in my school years, when our pledge of allegiance stated every morning for us, out of our own mouths, that we were a Republic. But, I was also led to 'think' that our Federal Reserve system was part of our Federal Government, too - and that our American dollars were backed by gold and silver... manipulating young minds is easy, I guess. I wonder what type of government is cited as the USA's form of government in other nations' schools? I wonder if the lie of Democracy has gone global. It probably has, considering the owners of the Federal Reserve aren't from the USA - private international bankers. Blech.

Anyways... there's my long afternoon ramble about how the government steals from us twice in terms of charitable giving and services - and severs our ability to connect with each other on levels achieved by helping out mankind not through force, but through real, honest, moral and compassionate charitable giving and volunteering.

Some other thoughts (and there will be more because this is making more sense to me as it washes over me in peace)

1. I think God realized he was misrepresented in the Bible, and it's why he allowed the creation of the state Constitutions in the USA -

2. Atheists and Agnostics who defend the Constitution are defending the existance of God - just as Christians, Catholics and any other religious sect has -

3. God is actually in each of us - which cracks me up, because I've been thinking it, defending it, and abiding by it and yet denying it for most of my life

4. Governments are severing our connections with each other (more on this next time I blog) as well as with God/Those Principles - but, "Forgive them, Lord, for they know not what they do" - or whatever it was that Jesus said as he was crucified - it's not my job to judge those who are mangling up the Constitution by forgetting to hold up EVERYTHING to the light of the principles/God - it is my job to try to lead by example and with action.

5. God must have been chuckling to himself these past 4 decades as I debated his existance while simultaneously defending it. All morning I've been laughing to myself and at myself, humbled. Hahaha - man, God is a great guy.

6. I can't be the only one who has come to this conclusion - unite. We've got so much work to do.

~A Former Agnostic Perspective~

A lot of Libertarians are atheists. Some are Christian. Some, like me, were/are agnostic (re: maybe, not sure, no conclusive evidence either way.)

One thing I never doubted, though, is the existance of a man named Jesus Christ. In fact, when I talk with atheists, they, too, have overwhelmingly agreed that a man named Jesus existed, and that the principles themselves are genius and flawless.

Which got me to thinking... what if God is just those principles?

What if that is the equation by which we all agree that liberty and freedom and individualism as well as collectively seeking out 'good will towards mankind' as being only possible via those principles?

P+A=L+F Principles and Action equals Liberty and Freedom

I think a lot of people have had the principles but forgot to 'act' upon them and with them. The principles also get... manipulated and twisted up. In government, in media, and... in churches, the very place that expresses to hold them the most dearly and sacred. I think they forget to hold up their decisions to the light of those principles, as we have done in government with our laws and our bills and our ammendments.

Why would atheists and agnostics come to the defense of the Constitution(s) of the USA so strongly, when it was written with the principles set forth in Christianity? Maybe it's because we ARE born with those principles - and no religion has dibs on those principles as those principles are seperate from any Earthly titles we want to give to them. Some Christians might think that their religion best adheres to the principles... but, as God and Jesus Christ themselves explained, those principles are in individual hearts and minds, they do not have to belong to a collective in order to exist.

Would God, or those principles, cease to exist should the entire planet Earth become atheists? NO. Those principles ARE God. The more I think about it, the more I think I've been wrong all along in my debates with and about God - he does exist, after all - and I have actually believed in him, had faith in him and honored him all along, too. Just not the bible version... not the tv version... not the version of him that I could not logically come to terms with.

God, not as a 'being' so much as a set of definite rules, laws, and logical guide to survival in a complex universe... that might be it. Not just a physical survival, but a mental and spiritual survival, even without a 'religion', one can abide by those principles and have complete 'faith' in those principles, and in essence, actually aknowledge the existance of God simply because they aknowledge the perfection of those principles.

God is perfect. He is those principles. They are flawless. They are common sense and logical.

If God is those principles, then I'll have to state, right now, that I do actually think God exists - not the God laid out in the Bible, as I think he got misrepresented there, but as those principles that are explained in the State and Federal Constitutions of the USA.


Life can not exist (for long) unless thoe principles (re: God) are adhered to and honored and ACTED upon - the principles are: don't lie, don't cheat, don't steal. Don't judge - not even those that break those principles - it's not your job. That is the job of God, those principles, the individual themselves. Your job is to lead by example, and to help folks back up, to re-embrace the principles, even when they have deviated from them. For their very survival - and for yours.

So there's my little mornin' ramble about how I came to terms with the fact I'm no longer Agnostic. I just don't have a religious sect or church to describe my relationship with God. It's personal.

Thank you, God - 40 years I struggled with this. Half way to 80, you decide to finally end the debate with your wisdom and good sense of humor & compassion. You win. Yep, I believe in you. Yep, I honor you. We're cool with each other now... there's no more debate. You are those principles. I love you. :)

Today I raked about 1/4 of the yard... it's a big yard, with so, so many plants all over the place. When I finished raking, i walked around the property to see what area I should do tomorrow, and I came across this pretty tree right near my driveway and garage... nice, big white flowers in bloom - sorta reminds me of Elizabeth's tree in front of her house on Cape Cod. I'll have to ask her if it's the same type.

I smell like leaves and earth and pollen. I could have raked some more, but some huge bugs were starting to attack me. Not sure what kind - whenever I turned to see what was coming at me, they quickly darted away - stealth bugs of some type, and they target humans raking. No stingers, just bonking me on the head, making a loud 'bzzzt' sound, outta my view.

There's a great open space under the back deck I want to put all my gardening stuff at. Hope to clear it out this weekend - not much in there, but it's gonna be a little project. I'm not sure I'll get my seeds planted before May, but hopefully there will be some cool nights up here to help them along.

This yard has a lotta little gardens going in it already. The woman who lived here before us is going to come show me what is where, and what is what, the first week of May. I need to make a map of the yard, so that I can write down what stuff is when she tells me.

Here's a video to a very sad song - I probably should stop listening to it.

A few weeks before we left Cape Cod, a coworker told me about a very old ship that had washed up on shore after a pretty big storm.

I don't know why, but I knew I had to go see it. And there it was... perhaps a hundred people were there that day, to see the old boat and to walk along the sands of the shore with dogs and family and friends.

I took a lot of pictures that day, and touched the deeply darkened wood, as dark as the bottom of the ocean. I thought of how probably no sunlight had shone upon this boat for decades.

Looking back on that day, and the pull I felt to see that old ship, I realized as I drove along a New Hampshire back road last week that it was the kinship I felt with this old boat that drew me to it. Life sometimes drags up wreckages to the shores of your life... through the death of a loved one.

There can be moments in time that get capsized by storms too tough to cope with and those moments, like gigantic ships, get shoved down deep into the depths of you... things you'd rather stay in that dark, suspended place in time. Salty waters of your tears creating the ocean that deepens the depth - until you are finally so far above the trauma and the chaos, able to swim away and reach a shore to carry on.

Eventually, though... those old ships will be dragged right back up. Death, like rough swells and storm surge, lift up those moments in time and deposit them right in front of you... do you look at them? touch them? confront them?

I had to... I always knew I would have to, and I knew it would be important that I not pretend the big, old ship of times gone by wasn't there.

I think there's probably about a dozen capsized wreckages that are still under the oceans of me.

So, I called my mother, figuring that rather than waiting for a storm to bring up other wreckages, I'd just scuba dive to see how things were going. It ended up being a very nice, calm talk, guided by my insisting we not venture into troubled water areas. Whirlpools that would drown us both. Basically, I left things many leagues under the sea, rather than trying to raise the Titanic.

This evening I've just been going through a year's worth of phone pictures and videos... figured I'd put some of them up on my blog (now that I figured out how to set that up to go automatically to this page.)

Most likely I'll just keep posting pics and vids, to clear out my phone, over the course of the next few weeks.

One of the smartest, patient, most compassionate, and most incredible human beings to have ever lived! My teacher, my hero. Gene.

NECN (New England Cable News) displays percentage amounts on McCain and Huckabee primary votes that add up to 100% when Ron Paul got a percentage of votes - over 800,000 votes so far in the primaries. They never did reply to my inquiry as to why they would 'report' on the Presidential Primaries inaccurately as they did.

View from the New Hampshire computer room.

Bob and Mr. Barky Von Schnauzer (Barky for short)