Let me explain myself...

... you don't have to obviously.  But I hope you will.

I have read the holy works of several religions.  I have spoken to those whom see our future in the stars.  I have spoken to those whom see themselves in the stars.  I have looked upon ceremonies, traditions, celebrations, and rituals with an inquisitive eye.  I have always been concerned that I would give the wrong impression.

Although I don't want to be overly simplistic, I am a seeker of truth.  I am a devotee of logic.  I see magick everywhere but in my world, magick is not distinct from physics, biology, or mathematics.  I find it inadvisable to ignore any idea just as I feel it is inadvisable to simply accept an idea on its face.

I often find new information in really unexpected places.  I put together seemingly random pieces of data.  I cannot say I arrive at new insights.  I cannot say that the result is profound.  I do look at different perspectives and find more similarities than differences.

The midwife of 700 years ago, the shaman of centuries innumerable, the alchemist of the 17th century, the medical doctor current practicing... all would have similar recommendations in some cases.  Very many concepts and ideas have not stood the test of time.  But, if we look, there are practices and beliefs that endure.  For in truth, what has been true in all human endeavor is that it involved humans.

Whether a human believed that no higher power existed, believed that only one higher power existed, believed that only one higher power should be worshiped, believed that high powers existed but that they did not desire worship, believed in many higher powers, there is human belief.  Even if there is nothing else, there is belief.  We need not agree.  It doesn't matter.  Belief is a beautiful and powerful thing.  What we know has been disputed for centuries.  What we believe cannot be disputed.

For the past few centuries, many have strove to turn form the mysticism of the past.  There was an inherent danger in it.  It had in some cases become dogmatic.  But I believe that in steering away from dogma, we may have ignored things that at their root were based on empirical evidence.  It is difficult to be certain now, because human belief is so powerful.   One need only look to the placebo effect to see some small part of what that power is capable of.  The healer and the charlatan often wore similar guises, but the fact that many patent medicines contained opiates in no way meant that the opiates should not continued to be used.

I do believe we have gained insight.  I believe that written language has had a huge effect on our capabilities.  The shaman would have gained much from the work of other shamans if that knowledge was saved.  The alchemist would have been the chemist if fear had not led him to destroy his notes.  Those that destroyed a Books of Shadows doomed themselves to have to learn again what had been gained.  I do not believe that knowledge has been lost.  I do however believe that we have spent many years retracing steps taken long ago.

And so, I look to Stonehenge and see an observatory.  I look to the Mayan calendar as an amazing lesson in many respects.  I look to the Great Pyramid of Giza as an amazing and horrifying endeavor.  I look to the design of ancient temples and marvel knowing their intrinsic properties from calculation rather than experiment.  All in all, I marvel at humans.  They have learned and forgotten many things.  They have arrived at the same result from dozens of different directions.  It is in these results that I find truth.  Sometimes, I simply choose to follow multiple directions myself.

Political translation

I was about to preface this blog post with words like "unpopular" and "view as".  In truth, I have the great benefit of living in the United States.  I do not have to preface anything.  Others in much of the world are free to read it, comment on it, be angered, be bored, be disinterested.  This is the beauty of freedom.

Communication (and perception in general) is subject to interpretation.  We all interpret things differently.  I felt it was only fair to give others a glance into my own interpretations.

Someone says: "I'm not racist but..."
I hear: "I'm about to make a racist comment.  I'm trying to apologize for it.  I am actually a racist, but I'm apologetic.  Deep down I know that doesn't make it better."

Someone says: "Big Government"
I hear: "I have no problem with fascism."

Someone says: "welfare reform"
I hear: "I am about 15 years behind the times.  The program I am mentioning no longer exists, but if it did, I would let them all starve."

Someone says: "welfare state"
I hear: "I am about 15 years behind the times.  The program I am mentioning no longer exists, but if it did, I would let them all starve."

Someone says: "You should need to take a drug test before..."
I hear: "Let them all starve."

Someone says: "Tea Party"
I hear: "The criminally insane"

Someone says "DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act)"
I hear: "Legislated hate"

Someone says: "Conservative"
I hear: "An individual who has no problem with fascism."

Someone says: "Partial Birth Abortion"
I hear: "I have no knowledge regarding actual medical procedures.  I listen to whatever hatemongers are spewing at the moment."

Someone says: "The breakdown of the American family"
I hear: "I listen to whatever hatemongers are spewing at the moment."

Someone says: "Family Values"
I hear: "I listen to whatever hatemongers are spewing at the moment."

Someone says: "Protect Intellectual Property"
I hear: "Several ridiculously large organizations have paid me a great deal of money."

Someone says: "Internet Piracy"
I hear: "I'm looking for some lame excuse, but in the end I have no problem with fascism".

Someone says: "ObamaCare"
I hear: "Let them all die of easily treatable diseases."

Someone says: "Super PAC"
I hear: "The first step to fascism"

Someone says: "This is a Christian country"
I hear: "I have no idea where I live and am completely unfamiliar with the history of my own country."

Someone says: "Waste your vote"
I hear: "I have no problem with fascism."

Someone says: "I don't vote"
I hear: "I have no problem with fascism."

Someone says: "A simpler time"
I hear: "The McCarthy Era"

I do realize that my remarks may seem harsh.  However, pretending to ignore the repercussions of certain policies is inhuman.  Pretending that lowering taxes will only reduce the bureaucracy and waste (which I fully admit is a matter of concern) is to walk through life with blinders on.  Pretending that large corporations will "reinvest" more money if their taxes are reduced is to claim you live in a world without greed.  Pretending that not voting has any effect other than allowing the votes of extremists to carry more weight is denying that 0 is not equal to 1.  Pretending that "Family Values" is anything but a euphemism for "enforcing my limited world view on others" is to deny most of modern history.  Idolizing the 1950's is to idolize nuclear proliferation, witch hunts, segregation, dumping of toxic chemicals without any knowledge of their long-term effects, and the treating of women as a permanent underclass.

There are sides.  The game cannot be avoided, it is the price of citizenship in the Untied States.  If you do not choose a side, you lose.

I now walk away from the soapbox.  It was never that effective a communication tool anyway.