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[TheWhiteRabbit]

Amusing, I always was of the impression that Vortex's posts were well thought out and researched. Not to mention being more respectful than your posts where controversial subjects are concerned, SoDE. You cant get someone to correct their profanities by screaming "DONT F*N SWEAR!!!" Such it is with political topics.

 

 

No SoDE did not complain. I did. The reason why is because the company I work for now is very conservative in its rules and practices. I dont abuse internet time, but it just so happened that due to the insulting nature of the post I read, they talked to me. So now I will have to wait a while before reading on my break at work.

 

It doesnt bother me peoples political agenda. I know for some it is even a hobby. But when things like this happen, I cant enjoy what everyone has to say when things like this happen. I know you felt the right to say what you did, and thats okay. Im sure you might feel my actions were political, but I have to respect the wishes of the company I work for and not visit sites that contain profanity. In this case I will try to avoid reading any political topics. Peace out.

[sifusufi]

Pinch me!

 

http://chicagoist.co...omical_robo.php

 

 

 

http://www.nbcwashin...s-99940564.html

[joeblast]

if you want a real eye opener (or rather, jaw dropper,) check into Shore Bank and follow the money...its got Clintons, Gore, Obamas, Geitners, Jarrett, Rezko, CCX and Ponzi scheme written all over it...

 

[WallaMike]

From a non-dual Taoist perspective, I think all is as it should be, as it can't be anything else. The Tao is all about change. We're just seeing "change". It is when we get into excessive resisting of this change that we suffer. Remember what happens to the piece of dry stiff grass versus the supple willow.

 

It is when we forget that we, as in humans, are merely part of the Tao, not the Tao, that we get all puffed up about our importance. Our existence in the Tao is barely a transient blip on its radar screen (please forgive the anthropomorphic metaphor).

 

That is not to say that we don't suffer and yes, we will continue to "rage against the machine." However, there are several viable theories that posit that it is due to suffering that we turn to spiritual pursuits in order to understand the "Why?" of it. Based upon many of the posts here, I think most of us have done our "fair" share!

 

This is also not to say that it is all pointless and we should sit on our hands, as it is "as it should be". To say that is to misunderstand this point. Even though I'm not yet at the inner state of understanding what the point is, I presently understand that there is a point...even if there isn't one. I'm not trying to be clever here, this is just a conundrum and could probably be better expressed.

 

That said, at the end of the Ox Herding wood cuts, the last one shows: "Returning to the market with open hands" (or variations on a theme). I interpret that as meaning once we reach a certain level of development to the non-dual level, we are able to return and be a part of the world, because at this stage, the mundane and the spiritual are now the same. And while these people may act ordinary, their perspective is such that they are not.

 

Part of my point being that at a certain level of development or perspective, the chaos we are presently experiencing is understandable. However, most of us, myself including, aren't yet capable. Please note I say "not yet", not just "not" capable. Most all of us on this forum are capable or we wouldn't be here.

 

Thus we are all capable of doing our part in helping "us" through the present chaos, whoever "us" happens to be. Remember the chaos theory of the butterfly causing the hurricane? Thus, we really are at a critical time and so having more people turn toward development rather than regression will make a big difference in how this all comes out. In times of increased stress, most people tend to regress, but a few use these times of chaos to grow. Wasn't it Nietzsche who said "It takes a certain amount of chaos to create a shining star"? This is our big opportunity, for those who dare take it.

 

When a caterpillar changes into a butterfly, the caterpillar is destroyed, but the butterfly, with more freedom and beauty is created. Do you want to be a butterfly or would you rather stay and just become a fatter caterpillar? The choice is yours.

[vsaluki]

The point being that this so called Grass Roots movement is NOT. It is funded by billionaires with an agenda.

 

Yeap, that's how I always decide what movements to support. I say to myself, "self, what do you believe". Then I just find out what the billionaires with agendas want me to believe and that is what I support.

 

It must be worderful to be able to have such simplistic ideas about those you have choosen as your enemies.

 

Meanwhile the ridiculously wealthy ask "Let us rape and pillage freely because we have divine right by way of being wealthy", and continue to do so.

 

Uncanny how well you understand us. Yeap, I'm always listening to the super rich and the divine right to rape and pillage convinces me every time. Every time I turn on my computer and use my microsoft OS I say to myself, this is how Bill Gates got to be the richest man in the world. He is raping and pillaging me and forcing me to use his OS at a price that is keeping me poor and destitute. But he has the divine right to do so. Yeh, that's exactly how I think.

 

Liberal moguls donating to liberal causes. Oh yeah, those liberal Moguls are outnumbered 10,000 to 1 by Repugnantcans who carry on convincing deliberately dumbed down populace to vote against their own interest.

 

10,000 to 1? Wow! Got a reference for that?

 

Here's a few numbers for you. You seem to oppose the wealth of the evil industrialists but trust government to do the right thing. There are 239 millionaires in Congress, or 44% - as opposed to less than 1% of Americans in general that are millionaires.

 

Of the 25 wealthiest legislators, 14 are Democrats and 11 are Republicans.

 

Regarding the dumbed down populace, isn't it the job of our educational system to keep us from being dumbed down. And isn't the teachers union in general and the education establishment in particular heavily dominated by the left? Isn't the media dominated by the left? Isn't the entertainment industry dominated by the left. Those evil billionaires must have mysterious powers and supreme intellect if they can dumb us down in opposition to all those other factors that have our ear.

 

Oh, while I'm on this subject, have you flipped through the channels lately and seen the morally and intellectually uplifting stuff that our progressive friends in the entertainment industry are feeding us.

 

Maybe a good point for where to begin would be to actually try to understand the position of those that you have stereotyped so conveniently as being morally inferior to you.

Edited September 2, 2010 by vsaluki