More of us voted for honesty integrity decency than didn't. Why they are what they are is not known. WE WON! Think GOD had a hand in it?

((hugs)) Thank you sweetie. We Americans are so very lucky that folks like you living elsewhere CARE so much about us. Of course what we were experiencing was also tangentially being experienced by the rest of the world. Pulling out of agreements. Turning our backs on our allies and sucking up to the enemy. It was so humiliating. The national nightmare has ended. There is the dangerous lame duck session where he will do his very best to do the very worst he can before he leave. So fingers crossed he does nothing we can't handle! It is a glorious day! We gratefully share it with the world! :)

You know what? I hadn't thought of that Kg. "They" kept using GOD'S name in vain. That GOD would send that to anyone is beyond laughable. He did say "I am the chosen one". He did not say for what or by whom and folks just assumed GOD had a hand in it. Thank you for your reply and Happy Sunday to thee and thine m'dear! :)

"Song of the Bird"? Oh geez tom apologies but when did you provide me with that? Honestly I do not remember it at all so clearly I didn't read it. I will GOOGLE it and read it and get back to you. Again apologies. I can't keep up with myself. So many questions I ask. The more I ask the more there are to ask. Odd isn't it? It should be the other way around. About GOD being on both sides. I don't think so. The GOD in WHOM I believe does not cheer for cruelty depravity murder. The dilemma I have is that if GOD created everything and everyone HE also created the monsters in the world. Why I do not know. But I cannot believe HE wants them to win. Sigh. I shall ask. No disrespect to you m'dear. I just have to ask.

OK tom. I Googled it and clicked on a link that had every story. I read about a dozen. I won't lie to you. It is not my cuppa tea. Why? It seems very pompous and even arrogant. The gist I got was that we cannot know GOD and whatever we think or feel about GOD is wrong. I diagree. I don't need anyone to tell me about GOD. From my earliest memories I have been carrying on a daily dialogue with him. I taught Sunday School at the age of 12. I was taught that GOD IS LOVE and that is what I taught the "little kids". I think you CAN know GOD to the extent you are able to do so. This Song of the Bird is rather like Aesop's Fables. Now we all have different tastes in literature. Some adore Stephen King. I am not among them. I adore John Steinbeck. Some have probably never read one of his books. We are all limited in some way. I have great respect for your views and your intelligence as I'm sure you know. Song of the Bird? I am not wired to appreciate it. I do thank you for calling it to my attention. It seems simplistic and even insulting as if I am incapable of figuring things out for myself and therefore need someone much smarter and more knowledgeable to figure it out for me. OK. I beat that dead horse deader. I hope I haven't insulted you. I don't mean to. But as always I have to tell you what I think/feel or what's the point of this engaging with one another? :) This post was edited by RosieG at November 8, 2020 1:20 PM MST

I'm neither offended nor insulted, but I should probably have given you a little more information.  

The author is a Jesuit priest and a mystic.  The books is a collection of stories and parables that he collected and published.  I came across it about 30 years ago during a 3-day retreat.

ABOUT THE SONG OF THE BIRD

“Every one of these stories is about YOU.” –Anthony de Mello

Everyone loves stories; and in this book the bestselling author of Sadhana: A Way to God shares 124 stories and parables from a variety of traditions both ancient and modern. Each story resonates with life lessons that can teach us inescapable truths about ourselves and our world.

De Mello’s international acclaim rests on his unique approach to contemplation and ability to heighten self-awareness and self-discovery. His is a holistic approach, and in the words of one reviewer: “his mysticism cuts across all times and peoples and is truly a universal invitation.” The Song of the Bird uses the familiar yet enduring medium of the story to illustrate profound realities that bring us in touch with the problems and concerns of daily life, as well as with our common spiritual quest. The aim is to develop the art of tasting and feeling the message of each story to the point that we are transformed. “Let the story speak to your heart, not to your brain,” the author directs. “This may make something of a mystic out of you.”

Enhanced by lovely ink drawings, this is indeed a volume to treasure, to share, and to read many times over, for it is everyone’s best companion on the road to spiritual growth.

First thank you for not being ticked off at me. I think early on you were able to focus on my intent even if my delivery leaves a lot to be desired. Are you a fan of John Donne? Especially Meditation 17?. He started off as one type of person and transformed into a great lover of Christ. I shall quote what you most likely also appreciate..."No man is an island entire of itself......any man's death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind.....therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee".  That particular poem has always spoken so loud and clear to me. He was also a mystic centuries ago. So perhaps De Mello is your John Donne. I wonder if more people were aware of such poetry would it change them do you think? You can't be a fan of something you don't know exists. But if more people understood that we are all bound together BECAUSE we are human perhaps what cannot reach them now could. I don't know. I do thank you for going that extra mile to clarify. I can always count on you for that. The next couple of months probably will be quite terrible. We shall overcome. Right? Thank you for your reply tom and Happy Monday to thee and thine! :) This post was edited by RosieG at November 9, 2020 11:30 AM MST

I've always loved the metaphysical poets since we studied them in 11th grade.  Donne is my favorite---and in a "duh" type flash of insight, I realized that is probably why I have had such an interest in Aristotle and Aquinas during my life.

I've heard it said that "love is nature's psychotherapy."  Perhaps poetry---which is capable of providing a painless introduction to rational thought and subsequent enlightenment---might serve as an antidote to the lack of education about principles that I see in many of the Trump supporters who fail to understand the actual and predictive significance of what some refer to as fluff.

And poetry is at least as easy to find and understand---at least to some basic degree---as love is; so I remain hopeful.


This post was edited by tom jackson at November 9, 2020 12:19 PM MST

You know what jumps out and delights me? "Donne is my favorite". Obviously mine as well Now there's a connection we can definitely see. WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF THAT tom? Amazing but well maybe predictable? In any case I think I struck a cord with you that I share and I expect others of our ilk do as well. I never chatted with anyone who had heard of John Donne much less treasured him. Really I'm kinda breathless here. Do you think if poetry were made a mandatory course in high school...at least one semester...it might change the course of human life? Thank you for your reply. I am savoring it! :)

What I have always liked about you is that you seem to have discovered---without, apparently, the benefit of formal education in those areas---much of the philosophical understanding of reality that I have achieved in higher level education---and that is a major, significant accomplishment.

I took one semester of Philosophy at Pasadena Junior College. Our teacher was a Mr. Hallman...later on after I'd graduated, married, divorced I saw him in the halls at night. at PCC. He was teaching a class and I was taking two classes...Logic and Economics. I told him about a project my boss, an architect, had given me. The architect had a very wealthy client who wanted to build 12 houses of worship in America where anyone of any faith would feel welcome. Ever hear of the MUDD family? It was one of them. My job was to find what religions had in common and then tell him what I discovered. I told that to Mr. Hallman (Ralph) and the next day when I came home from work at my door between the screen and the door were three books...to help me in that endeavor. We dated awhile. Why do I tell you this? Because my knowledge of philosophy isn't deep at all in terms of education/knowledge. But I KNOW what I feel and think and I'm pretty sure I'm very lucky. As I said before you see my intention even if the way I go about it isn't really very polished. Sure I could be. I know what is proper but frankly I find that boring so I just go with what I think and however it comes out I take full responsibility for. I am not a genius at all but I am a very curious person and I think that goes a long way to making life a constant joy for me. Anyway thank you for the compliment tom. I do appreciate it a lot! :) This post was edited by RosieG at November 9, 2020 4:28 PM MST

And yes, I think such a mandatory course might well be useful---I became much more interested in some of things that I had been exposed to in my secondary education after I got past 30 and realized that what I had been taught and otherwise introduced to was a significant insight into reality itself..

Can you imagine what the world would be if everyone were obliged to take a course in Logic and a course in Philosophy? One semester is all it would take to expose them to it. Then those who found it enjoyable could pursue it. I mean you can't enjoy anything if you don't know it exists so I think just exposing kids to various forms of literature or art or the classics could be the key that opened up wondrous things. The children of the politically drenched have no chance. Day after day they are pounded with partisan political views. No exit. No respite. Nowhere to run or hide. By the time they're old enough to escape it's too late. The damage is done. Too bad. Thank you for your reply tom! :) This post was edited by RosieG at November 9, 2020 4:24 PM MST

I can think of a few people I've read on Q & A sites who---if required to take logic and philosophy courses this late in life---may well experience such cognitive dissonance that they may be unable to post again for years.

Hahahahahahahahaha! And that would be awful tragic because.....? You can get in an endless loop trying to communicate with them. I know. I tried it out once upon a time and I ended up frustrated. I don't do that any more. I am VERY CAREFUL where I invest my time. I don't like to be frustrated. It does not suit me nor please me so why keep going where I am? So I don't. Some may say it's cowardly. Some may say that is very smart. I say either way it's what I do for me. If I don't protect me who will? Thank you for your reply tom and Happy Tuesday to thee and thine! :)