FICTION- Stories, Myths and Legends. A STORY OF TRUE LOVE, AND FAITH. PT 3.

As the door opened, the Peddler began to shake. "This is my last chance", he thought,  "I will say anything, for I cannot go on."

To his relief the figure in the doorway soon presented itself.  A small woman, perhaps half his size, looked up at him.  The Peddler was taken aback.  His possible benefactor was advanced in age and seemed to be on the edge of physical collapse.

The Peddler collected his wits, and with a sense of desperation began to speak.  "Good woman," he began, "I have traveled far, but I am in need of the hospitality of a person like you who would not turn away one in need." The Peddler braced himself for the expected interrogation, but it did not come.

"You poor man,"  was the reply, "come in and warm yourself by my humble fire.  I cannot offer much, but what I have is yours."  With that the woman turned and gestured for the Peddler to follow.

The Peddler entered, following the small figure.  The room he beheld was even more Spartan than he had imagined.  Very few pieces of furniture were present, and he watched as his host sat herself upon a rocking chair located near a large brick fireplace.  The fireplace seemed to dominate the room, for it provided the only illumination.  The Peddler sat down upon a small ottoman and rubbed his hands together.

Confused by this sudden change of fortune, he stammered, "I have no wish to cause you harm, but your neighbors rejected me because I am not a Christian.  Why do you offer me aid.  Will they not turn against you?"

The old woman began to laugh, and with a sigh turned to the peddler and replied:"Stranger, you are new to this place.  It was not always so, at one time all were welcome.  Unfortunately, the leaders of our community became convinced of their importance, which included controlling the spiritual life of all its' citizens.  This control would not tolerate dissension, so all those who opposed were either ostracized or banished.  They use Christianity as a tool to justify their personal prejudices.  In this manner, they subvert the true teaching of our lord."

(Look for PT.4)

BLAST FROM THE PAST- 10/24/2016: FEATURE ARTICLES. MESSAGE TO ALL PROGRESSIVES: DON'T YOU SEE IT, EVEN NOW? PART 5.

(THIS WAS PUBLISHED BEFORE THE FRAUDULENT 2016
ELECTION THAT HANDED DONALD TRUMP THE WHITE
HOUSE. HOW MUCH OF IT STILL RINGS TRUE)

So, in the end, we must ask the following Question:

Why, and What kind of Individuals and Groups have supported DONALD TRUMPS CANDIDACY,
NOW, AND IN THE PAST?

As we have seen, Candidate Trump has no trouble speaking his mind, especially if it means disparaging an entire segment of society, be it GENDER, ETHNICITY, RELIGIOUS FAITH ,
SOCIAL AND/OR ECONOMIC STANDING etc. His Ability to use his Candidacy to Hurl False
and Baseless Accusations against Millions of Americans, along with Dire Threats if
 things don't go his way, would seem to be the ANTITHESIS OF HOW SOMEONE
SHOULD GO ABOUT WINNING AN ELECTION, LET ALONE THE PRESIDENCY.

So what Type of Voter would find someone like this appealing? Could it be the Type of Voter who sees the Writing on the Wall, with a set of beliefs and attitudes that no longer wields the Political Influence they once did?

Beliefs and Attitudes such as;

-  Religious Intolerance.

-  Patriarchal Rule.

-  Racial and Ethnic Divisions
   enforced by law.

Among others...

In other words, the last desperate attempt to prevent Progressive Ideals from becoming the Norm in every facet of American Life. Concepts such as Justice. Equality, Freedoms, and Rights becoming
Universally applied to all, not just those who consider themselves Superior by some Convoluted
and Irrational View of how Society should be formed and governed.

Date- 10/24/2016.

BLAST FROM THE PAST, 10/19/2016: MESSAGE TO ALL PROGRESSIVES: DON'T YOU SEE IT, EVEN NOW? PART 4.

The most amazing thing about Donald Trump claiming the Presidential Election is Rigged, is not that it is completely unexpected, but that anyone who really studies the problem couldn't see it coming.

-  Donald Trump, and his Lackeys, realize that all the Misogynists, Bigots, Xenophobes, Homophobes, Religious Zealots etc., in the Country do not represent a Voting Majority.

-  That his Platform of ... well... Hating everyone who is not on the FAR RIGHT EXTREMIST LIST

OF PEOPLE ALLOWED TO LIVE IN THE U.S. WITHOUT FEAR OF BEING TARGETS OF PERSECUTION OR PREJUDICE, doesn't appeal to many undecided voters.

-  That Sound Bites Laced with Simplistic and Bombastic Drivel, that represent a profound inability to meet even the Most Minimal Levels of Intellectual Depth and Psychological Stability, do not indicate qualities that Most Americans would expect in their President.

So, as he sees the Election Slipping Away, Donald Trump plays the only Card he has left, given his limited abilities to convince Most Reasonable People that he is the Person who should sit in the White House. It is a Strategy that fits in perfectly with those who already support him, for it requires none of the following:

-  An understanding of the Rules of Logic.

-  The Ability to separate Gossip, Rumor, and Innuendo
    from Factual Data.

-  The Understanding that you do not start any Investigation,
    be it Science, Law, Politics.,etc with a CONCLUSION, and
    then try to Shape the Evidence to Support it. BAD EVIDENCE
    DOES NOT CHANGE THE TRUTH, NO MATTER
    WHAT YOUR AGENDA IS.

  -  The REALIZATION THAT  BASELESS ASSERTIONS ARE
      MEANINGLESS, NO MATTER HOW OFTEN YOU REPEAT
      THEM.

      For more information, you may want to read my article-  THE
      FALLACY OF PROVING A NEGATIVE.

       Date-  10/19/2016.

ETHICS AND MORALITY. RIGHTS- WHAT THEY ARE, AND WHAT THEY ARE NOT. PT 5.

What is really fascinating about the BILL OF RIGHTS, and how it is interpreted, is the omission of wording within the Article itself and corresponding text within the body of the U.S. Constitution, that have a direct baring on how specific Rights should be legally defined, and the protections that they offer the American Citizen.

These pick and chose tactics are not just something political candidates do to gain support, but can be misused by those who should know better.

Case in point:  Here is one quote taken from a recent speech made by Supreme Court Justice ANTON SCALIA; 

“I think the main fight is to dissuade Americans from what the secularists are trying to persuade them to be true: that the separation of church and state means that the government cannot favor religion over nonreligion."

Judge Scalia should know better, but let us see what the 1st Amendment actually says;

"CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING AN ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION, OR THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF;  OR ABRIDGING THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, OR OF THE PRESS;  OR THE RIGHT TO PEACEABLY ASSEMBLE, AND TO PETITION THE GOVERNMENT FOR A REDRESS  OF GRIEVANCES."

Why have I quoted the entire passage?  BECAUSE THE ENTIRETY OF THE AMENDMENT USES TERMINOLOGY THAT IS UNIVERSAL IN NATURE, NOT CONDITIONAL.  In other words;

All forms of RELIGION, SPEECH, PRESS, ASSEMBLY OR GRIEVANCES MUST BE PROTECTED, AND NO PART OF ANY CAN BE SANCTIONED AS PUBLIC POLICY OR, YOU HAVE "ESTABLISHED" OR "CREATED" AN ENDORSEMENT THAT ONE FORM OF RELIGION, SPEECH ETC., IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANOTHER.

PUT ANOTHER WAY;  FREEDOM OF RELIGION, SPEECH, THE PRESS, PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY, OR REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES ARE ABSOLUTES. IN NO CASE CAN THEY BE RESTRICTED OR PROMOTED.  FOR ONCE THAT IS DONE, THEY ARE NO LONGER "RIGHTS", BUT HAVE BECOME "PRIVILEGES."   

Yes, such things must be defined and limits placed, for you cannot use Religion, Speech,The Press etc, to do anything you want. These restrictions are of the HOW, WHEN AND WHERE VARIETY,  THEY CANNOT BE USED TO SUPPRESS OR DENY RIGHTS OTHER CITIZENS HAVE.

So no, government cannot favor religion, over anything else.  That is not its' job, which is:  PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF THE PRIVATE CITIZEN, BY NOT MAKING THESE RIGHTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE BY PUBLIC POLICY.

In part 6 we will again address more of Justice Scalias recent comments, and remind him and his supporters of ARTICLE 6 OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION.

End of PT 5.
10/12/2014