Life's lessons

I think I've learned a valuable lesson today while posting on an internet forum. One of the contributor's did not agree with my view so he resorted to a personal attack claiming that I either have the intent of willful ignorance or plain stupidity. In response to this aggression, I felt like aggressively asserting such an attack of my own in retaliation. However, I realized that his personal attack toward me merited him no credence, and that such retaliation would merit me nothing either. So I rather tried to remain calm and replied that I would not retaliate in such a way.
Aggression breeds only more aggression.

Xmas reflection

Christmas is a celebration of God entering the human journey to be with us and to bring us into an intimate communion with him. It is a celebration of love entering the world to renew it- the ultimate act of giving. The Supreme Being, out of love for us, humbled himself and became the Suffering Servant. Such love, so pure, so perfect and divine, such love manifest in giving... that is what Christmas is about. That is the message.

I shared Christmas lunch with my grandmother and my brother. A thought occurred to me, struck me suddenly. I thought how truly fortunate I was to be where I am. At that very moment, countless persons', fellow human beings, could not participate in the feeling of belonging, of family that I had. Countless children not only did not have a meal, at that very moment, but many suffered such hunger with crippling loneliness, having no family to share such a feast with. Do they know it's Christmas, I wondered. I made a pledge to fight depravity, yet I feel that I am doing close to nothing to honour that pledge. How many have this Christmas gone without a feast, or perhaps even without a family... without a sense of connection that recognizes our humanity. A connection that celebrates our human identity. Love is born today, in the humblest of surrounds, in the human heart. And it calls, it beckons each of us to reach out to each other, to connect with other human beings and together acknowledge our humanity through that connection. I think I understand now what I am meant to do if I am to truly 'love my neighbor'... I must connect with fellow persons'. That is what my pledge to fight depravity is about. It is not merely fighting depravity in physiological needs, but is also about fighting the depravity of the heart. How? By connecting with people. For through this connection, a sense of belonging, of solidarity, of recognition is born, and it is these feelings, these connections that we share that are central to our human identity.
I hope, it is my Christmas hope, that I can practice what I preach... that I can connect to persons', regardless of race, sex or social condition, regardless of cultural barriers, in a positive way.

Merry Christmas to everyone. Love is born today and everyday and calls us to love. Love is not love until you give it away. Once more, merry Christmas to all.

9/11 Truth

There are some who claim that the 9/11 Truth momentum is a fringe social phenomenum, having little or no practical knowledge base, nor even the insight to have a credible stance on the issue.
However, this proves to be drastically incorrect as Prof. David Ray Griffin outlines in his literary work, Debunking 9/11 Debunking, in which he states that individuals insinuating that those who oppose the popular notion of truth found in the official narrative of 9/11 are 'nut-cases' with little insight on the issue would have to contend with the combined insights of, "economist Michel Chossudovsky, former CIA analyst Ray McGovern, British Minister of Parliament Michael Meacher, former Assistant Treasury Secretary Paul Craig Roberts, former Assistant Secretary of Housing Catherine Austin Fitts, journalists Wayne Madsen and Barrie Azwicker, Institute for Policy Studies co-founded Marcus Raskin, former diplomat Peter Dale Scott, international law professors Richard Falk and Burns Weston, social philosopher John McMurty, theologians John B. Ruether, ethicists Joseph C. Hough and Douglas Strum, writer A.L. Kennedy, media critic and professor of culture Mark Crispin Miller, attorney Gerry Spence, historians Richard Horsley and Howard Zinn, and the late Rev. Williams Sloane Coffin, who after a stint in the CIA, became one of the country's leading preachers and civil rights, anti-war and anti-nuclear activists.
Furthermore, if everyone who believes the alternative conspiracy theory, rather than the official conspiracy theory, is by definition a nut, then Cockburn would have to sling that label at Philip J. Berg, a former deputy attorney general of Pennsylvania; Colonel Robert Bowman, who flew over 100 combat missions in Vietnam and earned a Ph.D in aeronautics and nuclear engineering before becoming head of the "Star Wars program ...; Andreas von Bulow, formerly state secretary in the German Federal Minisity of Defense, minister of research and technology, and member of parliament, where he served on the intelligence committee; Giulietto Chiesa, an Italian member of the European parliament; Bill Christison, formerly a national intelligence officer in the CIA and the director of its Office of Religion and Political Analysis; A.K. Dewdney, emeritus professor of mathematics and computer science and long-time columnists for Scientific American; General Leonid Ivashov, formerly chief of staff of the Russian armed forces; Lt. Col. Shelton F. Lankford, former US Marine Corps fighter pilot; Captain Eric H. May, formerly an airplane accident investigation expert in the US Air Force; Colonel Ronald D. Ray, a highly decorated Vietnam veteran who became deputy assistant secretary of defense during the Reagan administration; Morgan Reynolds, former director of the Criminal Justice Center at the National Center for Policy Analysis and former chief economist at the Department of Labor; Robert David Steele, who had a 25-year career in intelligence, serving both as a CIA clandestine services case officer and as a US Marine Corps intelligence officer; Captain Russ Wittenberg, a former Air Force fighter pilot with over 100 combat missions, after which he was a commercial airlines pilot for 35 years; Captain Gregory M. Zeigler, former intelligence officer in the US Army; all the member of Scholars for 9/11 Truth, Scholars for 9/11 Truth and Justice, Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth, Veterans for 9/11 Truth, and Pilots for 9/11 Truth; and most of the college and university professors lists under "Professors Question 9/11" on the Patriots Question 9/11 website.
Would Cockburn really want to suggest that these people are "nuts" with "no conception of evidence," no awareness of "military history," and no grasp of "common sense" and "the real world"?"
- Prof. David Ray Griffin. Debunking 9/11 Debunking.

Let us not also forget families impacted by the deaths of loved ones on 9/11 and survivors such William Rodrigues who openly question the official conspiracy theory and demand a new fully independent and transparent investigation.... http://www.newswithviews.com/Devvy/kidd317.htm

"The 9/11 Commission is probably the worst representation of the 9/11 Families or for that matter all the American public because it's a sham. It really is.... We had tons of different questions that we asked them to ask. They wouldn't do it. And the continuing cover-up is just beyond belief... There's just such a continuing coverup. And why don't we just let the information about 9/11 be known? And then maybe this conspiracy type of thing would go away, but it's never going to go away or I don't think it can go away because they were complicit..." - Bob Doyle. Head of the Coalition of 9/11 Families.

Michelle Little, sister of Firefighter David M. Weiss, FDNY, Rescue Company 1, Midtown Manhattan, lost his life trying to rescue others from the World Trade Center the day of the attacks. Press Conference, National Press Club 9/12/06: "I am here today to call for the facts of September 11, 2001 to be released to the American public. ... The time is now to call upon all the Americans to lobby local media to cover this story and to pressure members of Congress to support legislation by reopening this investigation. We must hold those involved accountable for this atrocious tragedy. My brother, David, and ten brothers from his unit were murdered on 9/11. For them and for all of our mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles that died that day, it is imperative for their lives to know the truth."

Barry Zelman, brother of Kenneth Zelman, Oracle Corp., on assignment at Marsh & McLennan, WTC North Tower, 99th floor. Speech given at The Citizens' Commission on 9-11, 9/9/04: "I just embrace people that understand that four airplanes an hour and half between the first impact and the second impact with zero military response in the United States. It didn't happen that way. It couldn't have happened that way. You're talking about the most intelligent agencies that we have on the face of the earth. State of the art agencies ... And there was zero military response? ...It's very transparent that our own president did not want to investigate this tragedy. And I'm standing before you today for one reason. The only thing that I can give my brother is the truth. That's it."

Daniel Wallace (1984 - 2007), son of Lt. Robert Wallace, Engine 205, Ladder 118, FDNY. Speech 12/3/06: "Ever since that day, I believed the official story for all about 2 minutes. I always had my questions. My family had their questions. The government sent us the 9/11 Commission or I should say omissions, really. They sent us that. I read the whole thing. As I'm reading the whole thing; it was just incredible; the lies in this book... It hurt me to read this book....

Pro-life

The reasoning behind my pro-life stance relates to my personalist outlook. I believe that each human person is infused with innate dignity and that such dignity should be respected at all stages of the lifespan, from conception to death. To assert that an unborn child is anything less than a free human being is to discount the value and potential of human life. To assert that an unborn child is mere property is to sell-out human life. Were we not once fetuses? Did that make us the property of another? Did that mean our lives had no value that we could have been terminated? We that are born were too once unborn.

On 9/11

Views on the tragic events of September the 11th, 2001, and what caused them to transpire vary greatly. There is the official conspiracy theory formulated by high levels of the US government and other official agencies which have repeatedly spewed epic lies and have clearly used this crisis for the furtherance of a political agenda; or the alternative theory which has its roots in valid skepticism arising from omissions and distortions indicative of a cover-up in the official narrative. The alternative theory raises the uncomfortable possibility and the confronting and unpopular notion that criminal elements within high levels of power, at the very least, allowed this crisis to occur in order to advance a political agenda, of which they apply to the definition of terrorism as the use of terror to enforce ones own political agenda, or, the even more disturbing thought that this crime syndicate engineered the 9/11 crisis as a false-flag operation for the same purpose.
Given the history of either direct or indirect state-sponsored terrorism as a form of mass 'shock therapy' to disorientate the population for systematic manipulation and the advancement of an agenda- the politics of fear, and the fact that the Helegian principle of Problem, Reaction, Solution was even considered as liable means of justifying wars as indicated by the Northwoods document, to question the authenticity, credibility and validity of the official conspiracy theory is certainly not beyond the realm of reason.
Regardless of your views on 9/11, whether it was a real or state-synthesized terror crisis, one thing remains abundantly clear... that elite figures within high positions of power have utilized this crisis as a pretext and catalyst for:

• Launching a series of economically and interpersonally costly wars which reap huge profits for the military-industrial complex, notably arms manufacturers and the banks responsible for financing the wars. To ordinary people war may be bloodshed, but to these, its big business.
• Accessing and securing for the West an increasingly scarce commodity - oil.
• Relinquishing civil liberties under the patriotic cloak of homeland security and thereby granting the state greater power over the person, ultimately contributing to the incremental consolidation and centralization of power and the progressive formation of a Big Brother state control-grid.
• Obtaining for the American state a key strategic geopolitical foothold in the Middle-east.

If the alternative theories regarding 9/11, suggesting government complicity, are at the very least, even plausible, then we are obliged to act. Ignorance is bliss because it implies being unaware and therefore not being responsible for one's actions. Being aware and informed implies an obligation to act appropriately on one's consciousness. If even plausible, we must focus our energies in seeking truth, asking questions and demanding accountability and justice for the victims, their families and the world.
In an age of misinformation, it is critical to seek truth amid deception, to seek clarity amid distortion, and to think outside the square of the corporate media box and to see the bigger picture. As George Orwell fittingly stated, "In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act."

Sacrificing liberty

"Those that would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin

When one surrenders liberty, it does not disappear into nothingness, into the air. When one surrenders liberty, in effect, they give someone else a greater degree of control, of power over their own life. At present, this is occurring internationally, the global consolidation and centralization of power, under the guise of security.

Some valuable reading

To whomever may be interested, I would highly recommend reading David Ray Griffin's book, Debunking 9/11 Debunking, and The 9/11 Conspiracy edited by James H. Fetzer. These two literary compositions offer a great depth of insight into alternative theories of the 9/11 conspiracy, providing provocative insights and evidence, and dramatically diminish the credibility of the official conspiracy theory. David Ray Griffin's work also debunks popular 'debunking' publications and places the notion of 'conspiracy theory' into perspective, outlining the fact that the official narrative found in the 9/11 Commission Report is itself a conspiracy theory.
The corporate media tends to use 'conspiracy theorist' as a derogatory term, carrying a negative connotation, and denoting someone with seemingly 'fringe' beliefs. However, the corporate media does not tend to acknowledge that in generic terms, we are all conspiracy theorists.
Myth, whether or not true, if perceived true, acts as a mobilizing agent for a people, directing their actions towards particular ideas. Griffin highlights this, stating the a myth can serve as "an orienting and mobilizing story for a people" and relates this to 9/11, without saying, in the sense that it mobilizes and orients the public towards a particular political agenda.

On abortion

Distinguished academic scientist Albert Einstein once said, "There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." Which do we choose, the former or the latter? Do we choose to acknowledge the miracle of human life, or, do we choose to blind ourselves to its wonder?
Life is precious, and certainly worthy of preserving, of protecting, especially when it is vulnerable. Is it not worthy of a voice in the discussion? Do we choose to acknowledge the innate dignity of the human person, or, do we degrade human life as an asset or property, liable to disposal at connivence? How can we claim to value the miracle of human life if objectify it as property, subject to ownership?
Our inner moral compass of conscience obliges us to not remain silent to this injustice- to speak-out about it. To preserve and protect the miracle of human life that is the unborn, a free human person infused with innate dignity.
As a former fetus, having experienced the status of being unborn myself, I stand against abortion.
I pray for the courage to speak-out against it appropriately, confronting my own fear of speaking-out.

What do I feel? Is it guilt... or remorse, or some form of sympathy? Please explain is to me because I can't seem to find the right words, least not now. I am so fortunate, yet do I take it all for granted? Am I just a spoilt-brat? At the moment, it feels that way. It feels as though I'm not doing enough. As though I'm advocating materialism and consumerism in my actions rather than the personalism I advocate in words. Am I a hypocrite? One of my most extravagant purchases this year was a new iPod. Not with money I earned, but with my parents'. I hope to use it as a visual tool to create digital flashcards for memorizing information. Yet, with the same amount of money, a child's needs could have been met for a single year, possibly. I'm confused now. Confused as to whether my actions mirror my own personal philosophy. Questioning whether I do the right thing or unintentionally advocate other ideas. I apologize if this post makes no sense to you, the reader, but my mind is clouded with these ideas and a fear of contradicting myself and so on and on. Please forgive me if I have proven hypocritical. Perhaps my New Year's resolution should be to actively apply the philosophy of personalism, or perhaps to be more involved in the search for 911 Truth.

First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. - Mahatma Gandhi

From the humble beginnings of the 911 truth movement, many, particularly those in the corporate media have at first ignored the movement, considering it to be on the fringe with little to zero influence and voice. Next, seeing the momentum of the movement, they were forced to analyze, on a superficial level, its ideas and valid skepitism. They laughed, portraying any theory alternative to the official conspiracy theory as the product of crack-pot conspiracy theorists. Of course, it would be ludicrous to suggest anything alternative to the official narrative or to speak in condemnation of it. Now, seeing that this movement is not 'on the fringe' but rather real, some within the mass media have blatantly attacked it, calling it 'anti-American' or 'unpatriotic.' Since when is it ever unpatriotic to question one's government or the received reality of events? Since when is it unpatriotic to think for oneself, to think outside the box of corporate television, confining one's view to a limited, controlled and regulated flow of information? Of course, make's complete sense. In this line of thinking, being unpatriotic is tantamount to going against the tide of conforming to popular notions of truth.

911 Conspiracy theories

Views on the tragic events of 911, 2001 and what caused them to transpire vary greatly. There is the official conspiracy theory formulated by high levels of the US government and other official agencies which have repeatedly spewed epic lies and have clearly used this crisis for the furtherance of a political agenda; or the alternative theory which has its roots in valid skepticism arising from omissions and distortions indicative of a cover-up in the official narrative. The alternative theory raises the uncomfortable possibility and the confronting and unpopular notion that criminal elements within high levels of power, at the very least, allowed this crisis to occur in order to advance a political agenda, of which they apply to the definition of terrorism as the use of terror to enforce ones own political agenda, or, the even more disturbing thought that this crime syndicate engineered the 911 crisis as a false-flag operation for the same purpose.

My view on education is that schools must facilitate teaching a very important skill. A skill that has liberated many minds and resulted in various contributions- proactive thinking.
Think outside the square and see the bigger picture. The iceberg has hidden depths.

No voice

I was reading a highly emotive article on the internet about abortion. One of the highlights of the article was the fact that almost in all, if not all instances, the unborn child had no voice in the matter. This free human person, residing in its first home in the world- the womb, was reduced to the status of property, disposable if inconvineient. Yet another example how human life is being sold off, piece by piece, degraded in dignity. This is a human person we are talking about, not property, a real human life, arguably in its most vulnerable state. Is human life not worth protecting? Does it have no value that, if incapable of speaking for itself, it can be disposed of by the choice of another? So much for innate human dignity.
We must affirm the value of human life and the person by speaking for the vulnerable, in this case, the unborn, who otherwise, have no voice but ours. We must use our inner moral compass of conscience to navigate towards the truth amid such deception, towards clarity amid such distortion, especially now in an age of misinformation.

Do you ever get the feeling that you have so much to say, to speak-out about, to discuss and to communicate... but you find it difficult to synthesize all this information in a meaningful way? That's a bit like how I feel at the moment. I have something to discuss and to communicate ideas, but words escape me, and I can't think of how to synthesize the ideas ... sounds weird, right? I guess I have to be patient. Good things come with time. And besides, the most important thing is that I'm trying to think outside the square, rather then within the confines of it.
Tomorrow I hope to read part-way of Dr. David Ray Griffin's literary work Debunking 911 Debunking, probably at Borders. I'll be in the city since it's Jackie's birthday tomorrow.

Change...

I believe that there is glory in humility,
that greatness exists in the simple things,
that ordinary people can do extraordinary things,
to make a difference,
to change the world.

On media

The media is a powerful tool that can be used to inform, to entertain, to educate and to broadcast a wide array of messages and perspectives, or in contrast, can be misused to misinform, mislead, broadcast falsehoods and condition the masses. Given the increasing role of the media in shaping public opinion, perception and attitudes, and its increasing influence in shaping young and developing minds, the use of the power and scope of the media comes with considerable responsibility.
In contemporary society, the mass media has been hijacked by corporate giants who use it as a weapon for marketing and conveying information that either directly or indirectly conditions individuals, whether or not they are aware of it, and influences public perceptions and popular notions of truth. In other words, the corporate media focuses only on a select portion of reality, quite often distorted beyond due proportion, like a small misty window which restricts one from viewing the bigger picture. By limiting the scope of reality to a select portion, the corporate media restricts, controls and regulates the flow of information. Information which is vital to establishing a clear view of the reality. Information which influences a person's attitude formation and perception of events. The abuse of media power in controlling a limited flow of information would in turn mean that public perceptions, attitudes and even behaviours are based on limited knowledge, without a general awareness of the 'bigger picture.' J.R.R. Tolkien, in his literary work, The Lord of the Rings illustrates the effect of acting on limited information. Through the mystical Palantir (representative of media) various characters see what they perceive to be reality. However, what they perceive is only a tiny portion of the 'bigger picture' and so, based on limited information the characters' draw the wrong conclusions and thereby act upon their limited knowledge resulting in disastrous consequences. For example, the chief nemesis of the narrative, Sauron, sees his adversary Aragorn through the Palantir and acts on the perceived reality that Aragorn possesses the Ring. This is not true and results in Sauron making a hasty move which ultimately contributes to his destruction. Tolkien highlights quite clearly the potential fatal consequences of acting on limited knowledge.
In his book, Propaganda, Edward L. Bernays illustrates how media can be abused as a channel for conveying various manifestations of propaganda and influencing the masses. He states that, "If we understand the the mechanism and motives of the group mind, is it not possible to control and regiment the masses according to our will without their knowing about it?" Bernays further highlights the influence of media on an audience, stating that, "We are governed, our minds molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of." As musician John Kellermann points out in his song The New Pearl Harbour, "If you get your views from television news, you'll only hear stories that corporations choose. You'll only get to see what they want to see."
Media is constantly being hijacked and used (or rather misused) as a weapon of mass deception against the public. It has been perverted into a propaganda and marketing machine for the corporate and globalist elite; actively advocating vapid consumerism and confining one's view of reality to a limited scope (or bubble) of tightly controlled information. The war is on consciousness, an information war against the people. You've heard it said, 'Don't always believe what you see on T.V.' Look beyond the confines of 'the box' and see the bigger picture. Think outside the square. Ask questions, seek truth and clarity in an age of misinformation.

Rain-drops

Seeing that my blog was open, I had to share my excitement at the moment... I just heard... raindrops on the roof. This may sound like no big deal... but when you live in Australia, in a parched land thirsting for rain from a seemingly unending drought... the mere sound of a raindrop brings you joy.
More and more are beginning to fall as I type this... I spent the day at the beach with my friends and it was exceedingly sunny and hot (fa molto caldo... I still know a bit of Italian) Rain is welcome considering the stickiness (is that even a word?) and heat of today? It's so much cooler at night.

The narrow path

I take the narrow path,
Unpopular though it may be,
I have taken it to know
What it truly means to be free.
And though many may scoff and scorn,
I stick to the narrow path,
Against the tide of conformity,
Against popular notions of truth,
I take the narrow path.

On progress

In his latest Encyclical letter Spe Salvi, Pope Benedict highlights how misguided progress can lead to dehumanization and humanity's demise. Progress is only real progress if matched in all aspects with ethical progress and human inner-growth. He makes an important point. After-all, what good is progress if it results in the destruction of human rights and the degradation of human life and the autonomy and dignity of the person? Progress must therefore be measured in all its aspects and must be guided by rational conscience and ethics, without which it would not be real progress at all.

We have all witnessed the way in which progress, in the wrong hands, can become and has indeed become a terrifying progress in evil. If technical progress is not matched by corresponding progress in man's ethical formation, in man's inner growth, then it is not progress at all, but a threat for man and for the world.

- Pope Benedict XVI. Spe Salvi

On Suffering

We can try to limit suffering, to fight against it, but we cannot eliminate it. It is when we attempt to avoid suffering by withdrawing from anything that might involve hurt, when we try to spare ourselves the effort and pain of pursuing truth, love and goodness, that we drift into a life of emptiness, in which there may be almost no pain, but the dark sensation of meaninglessness and abandonment is all the greater. It is not by sidestepping or fleeing from suffering that we are healed, but rather by our capacity for accepting it.

- Pope Benedict XVI. Spe Salvi

Off to the beach with Sami, Lil and Ash. Fun fun =]

Thought of the day

I was reading the latest Catholic Education Office newsletter and it had a story on St. Paul's College. The comment was that twigs were handed to attendees before a Eucharistic ceremony to identify with the theme, 'From small things come big things.' That is the thought of the day. From simple things come great things.

Women's Ordination in the Catholic tradition

The vision of the Catholic Church is encapsulated in the notion of the Kingdom- a scriptural metaphor for the almighty reign of God over creation; recognised through the qualities of equity (Gen 1:27), active faith (James 2:26), selfless service (John 13:14-15) and giving (Lk 10:30-38), peacefulness (Mt. 5:3-13), compassion and love (John 15:12)
The Church believes that the human person is made “in the image/likeness of God” (Gen. 1:27) and thus retains innate dignity, regardless of “sex, race, colour. Etc.” (Gaudium et Spes) Jesus demonstrates this by refusing to judge a person’s worthiness on the basis of sex. (Lk. 11:27-28)
Building towards the Kingdom occurs in the synthesis of ethical codes such the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:1-17), and the Beatitudes (Mt. 5:3-13) which espouse material detachment and zeal for justice and peace, as well as adhering to Jesus’ commission to assist the marginalized (Mt. 25:35-36) and free the oppressed. (Lk. 4:18)
Jesus actively, practically demonstrated his teaching in reaching-out to women who were marginalized in ancient Jewish society in the sense of unequal treatment. He defied socio-cultural norms by not only allowing himself to be touched by a woman, such the haemorrhaging woman in Mark’s gospel (it was taboo to be touched by a bleeding woman), but also instructed women in his teaching as seen in the story of his conversation with the Samaritan woman by the well, in John’s Gospel. This was unusual for a rabbi of that time to do and openly challenged societal perceptions of women.
The call to build towads the Kingdom exists as part of the greater challenge of the Church’s vision to “Love one another.” (John 15:12) To love as Jesus loved is to build toward the Kingdom; what Benedict XVI called a new ‘Civilization of Love.’
The Church envisions itself as “One, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church.” (Nicene Creed) This implies unity and following apostolic tradition as a significant part of the Church’s vision.
The Church views the laity as the “People of God” and not a mere flock as the pre-Vatican II era seemed to stipulate. The laity holds special significance in that it performs the Church’s saving mission practically.
The Church envisions its own hierarchy as a symbol of service. For example, the Pontiff is called the “Servant of the servants of God.” Pope Benedict XVI reaffirmed this in referring to himself as a “humble servant in the Lord’s vineyard.”
The Church envisions women as having a renewing and humanizing role in society, particularly after Vatican II (1962-1965), Inter Insiginiores states on women, that their “role is of capital importance for the renewal and humanization of society and a rediscovery by the believer of the true face of the Church.”
The Church envisions no discrimination as part of an ideal human community. The Vatican document Gaudium et Spes reads that “all forms of discrimination, whether based on sex, race, colour. Etc … should be eradicated and overcome as contrary to God’s intent.”

The contemporary challenge calling for women’s ordination and gender equality is demonstrated by the Lay and Religious petition for Women’s Ordination, addressed to the Australian bishops. This challenge has arisen from an advancing conscience on the sinfulness of discrimination.
The move for gender equality has its societal origins in revolutionary social movements such Women’s Liberation, calling for equal rights, recognition and income for women.
The call for gender equality has challenged historical understandings that have underpinned background Church thought for centuries. The Aristotlean thought of women as “misbegotten males” has influenced prominent theological thinkers including Jerome, Tertullian, Augustine and Aquinas. They adapted the notion and blamed woman as the cause of Original Sin, therefore “the devil’s gateway.” Aquinas even thought of woman as “accidental and deficient” and John of Chrysodym compared woman to a savage beast. These ideas have existed in Church thought for centuries. Christianity arose from the ancient Jewish tradition, of which a certain prayer read, “Praise be to God that I was not born a woman.”
Recognizing these ideas as discriminatory and therefore contrary to Jesus’ teachings and the vision of the Church, certain lay and religious groups have called for greater female input in the Church and for women’s ordination in the Catholic tradition.

The Church’s response can be viewed on two levels – the generic and the specific.
The generic response of the Church relates to gender roles. The Church has opened itself more fully to female involvement, particularly on a Parish level. For example, there are female Readers, Altar Servers and women in other liturgical functions, having input to the life of the Parish. Another example that demonstrates the Church adapting to modern society is the upheaval of restriction placed on nuns. After Vatican II (1962-165), nuns were given greater power of choice to decide the direction of their ministry. These responses indicate the Church’s willingness to open itself more fully to society, particularly to female input through adjusting gender roles within the Catholic tradition.
The specific response of the Church to the contemporary challenge calling for women’s ordination is that, “the Church has no authority to confer priestly ordination on women.” (Pope John Paul II) The reasons for the Church’s stance on this social and moral issue are scripturally and traditionally valid.
The Church contends that is follows apostolic tradition, according to its vision of “One, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church.” (Nicene Creed) Women’s ordination is not a part of this tradition, be the early apostles chosen by Jesus were male and these became the leaders of Church communities. According to the official Church, priesthood is a continuation of the apostle’s work, who were male. The Church also states that priesthood is an icon of God who is called ‘Father’ and Jesus who is called ‘he’ (masculine imagery), therefore it is only fitting for a male to fit the role, which the Church maintains is not a right.
To finalize the argument, the Church concludes that a lack of consensus on the issue would cause disunity, which is contrary to the Church’s vision of “One, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church.” (Nicene Creed)

The response of the wider Church community, particularly those advocating women’s ordination, has been the development of valid counter-arguments, constituting reasons for women’s ordination.
These reasons include:
• Jesus did have female followers in the Gospel who are listed in name and held roles and responsibility. (Lk. 8:1-3)
• Neither Jesus nor the early apostles ordained anyone, nor did they leave any plans for priesthood. This arose as a later development in the Church as it became institutionalised. Therefore, ordination is not part of apostolic tradition.
• The Church is traditionally referred to as ‘she’- a female priesthood would represent this.
• In all canonical Gospel accounts, women are the first witnesses to the Resurrection, where they are commissioned by Jesus to go forth and ‘tell’ the Good News of the Risen Christ.
• The Risen Christ transcends gender. Theologian Pamela Foulkes remarks that the understanding of Jesus as ‘he’ “confuses the historical Jesus with the Christ, the man resurrected and glorified, transcending all earthly boundaries of race, social status and gender.” This is coupled with St. Paul’s statement that, “There is neither male nor female, for all are one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28)
• In relation to the Church’s vision of adhering to Christ’s teachings of justice (Mt. 5:3-13) and equality as illustrated by the equal creation of both genders (Gen. 1:26-27) and the vision of a society without discrimination by the Gaudium et Spes statement that discrimination “whether based on sex, race, colour. Etc … should be eradicated and overcome as contrary to God’s intent.”
Lay and religious groups supporting women’s ordination cite that a Church preaching the qualities of justice and equity cannot afford to contradict these principles in its formal institutional structure and sacramental functions.

The Church’s contention of having “no authority” to ordain women does in actuality fit within it’s vision of “One, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church.” (Nicene Creed) Due to the lack of consensus on the issue, women’s ordination could cause disunity that is contrary to such a vision.
Lay and religious groups supportive of women’s ordination also form a stance that fits into the Church’s vision of equality (Gen. 1:26-27), justice (Mt. 5:3-13) and standing against all forms of discrimination in contemporary society.

Evolutionary theory & the Catholic Church

The following is a copy of my R&S summary report for the first topic of unit four.

Evolution is a prominent scientific theory popularised by English naturalist Charles Darwin in his literary works, The Origin of the Species (1859) and The Descent of Man (1871).
The hypothesis proposes that all life has evolved from simpler initial forms to greater complexity and diversity, via the process of natural selection, which is, the process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce offspring, which inherit the characteristics of their ancestors. Eventually mutations arise and if positive to survival, are passed on to successive generations via inheritance. Natural selection results in the formation of adaptations, whether structural, physiological or behavioural, that assists the survival of the organism. As evolution progresses, natural selection facilitates the adaptation of species to different ecosystems, thereby resulting in a variation of species- biodiversity.
On a broader spectrum, the theory can be applied to the unfolding of the entire cosmic narrative, from the chemical evolution of simple hydrogen atoms to a vast variation of elements, or from the stellar evolution that gave birth to the stars to the planetary evolution that resulted in the formation of the Earth. Evolution has been attributed as the underlying process of formation in the geosphere, biosphere and universe.

The theory of evolution challenged certain aspects of Catholic theology and methodology. First and foremost, the theory challenged a literal interpretation of Scripture and the validity of sacred texts, particularly in a scientific or material context. It therefore also challenged the authority of the Church as teacher, for if Genesis and the Church could be proven incorrect, then perhaps other bibilical narratives of Church doctrine could be undermined.
The theory challenged the Catholic core belief in the existence of a Creator – Maker of heaven and earth (Nicene Creed), for evolution relied heavily on chance and therefore it appeared that a Creator’s intervention was unnecessary nor evident. More than mere challenging the existence of a Designer, the theory challenged the Catholic understanding of the nature of God as a loving and compassionate Creator, for evolution highly emphasised the requirement for suffering, death and chaos as a means to drive creative progression. This prompts the question of why a loving Creator would choose such a chaotic process to create?
Evolutionary theory further challenged initial Catholic understandings of the original state of the created world, which was believed to be a creation of harmony and equilibrium. However, evolution portrays suffering , death and chaos from the earliest origins of the geosphere and biosphere, as opposed to the Genesis accounts of an initially perfect creation.
The Catholic understanding of humanity as “made in the image/likeness of God.” (Gen. 1:27), and therefore retaining innate dignity, is challenged as evolution portrays humanity as having evolved from primates, thus prompting one to question when attained God’s likeness, how, and whether God is a human-like figure as Catholics initially thought.
The theory of evolution challenged the Catholic doctrine of Original Sin, that is, the inherit sin passed through generations, originally committed by Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, that wove discord into an initially perfect created world. Evolution contradicts this, portraying discord as pre-existent to the first humans, but also necessary for progress.
If the concept of Original Sin is challenged, so to is the Catholic belief in the mission of Jesus to redeem humanity from such sin. Catholics believe that Jesus came “For us and for our salvation.” (Nicene Creed) Without Original Sin, what need is there for redemption from such sin? Futhermore, one is prompted to ask, how can the world be returned to a state of grace, through Christ, if there was no initial state of grace to return to, as evolution suggests?

The initial response of the Church to Darwin’s theory was in actuality, silence. The reason for this response from the official Church is likely due to past experience in its condemnation of Galileo’s 17th century theories , findings and support for Copernicus’ heliocentric model. The result was an embarrassment for the Church when inevitably Galileo’s theories were proven correct. To avoid a similar incidence, the Church remained silent on the matter.
To illustrate the extent of this silence, consider the 1864 edition of the Vatican document entitled the Syllabus of Errors, which condemned concepts such as the seperation of Church and state and political ideas, did not at all mention the theory of evolution.

A significant response from the Vatican highlighted a conditional acceptance of evolutionary theory. In his Encyclical letter on Christian Marriage (1890), Pope Leo XIII stated that it would acceptable to suggest that man arose from the “slime of the earth” – a clear hint of evolution, referring to arising from simpler organic matter. However, no such process could be applied to the creation of woman who “was drawn forth wondrously from man’s side as he slept,” as a “female companion for the man.” In this response, Leo XIII clearly allows the accommodation of evolution to the creation of man, but defends a certain aspect of Genesis 2 in stating woman did no co-evolve with man. Leo XIII attempts to maintain some literal credibility in the Genesis account, without discounting evolution.

Leo XIII responds to the challenge posed by evolutionary theory to the literal interpretation of Scripture by encouraging a more flexible approach, stating that, “Since Holy Scripture can be explained in a number of ways, no one explanation should be so rigidly, that one would presume to maintain it if it could be prove with certainty to be false.” In this response, Leo XIII paves the way for more flexible interpretation of Scripture, without discounting the meaning of sacred texts.

The response of the Church in Pope Pius’ XII Encyclical Humani Generis (1950) demonstrates a conditional acceptance of evolutionary theory and promotes inter-disciplinary dialogue regarding the theory. The Encyclical reads, “… the Church does not forbid that discussion occur in the part of men experienced in both fields [religion and science] take place in regard to the doctrine of evolution.” Pius XII invites dialogue, appealing to reason. He goes on to say that, “in as far as it inquires in the origin of the human body as coming from pre-existent and living matter.” Pius XII acknowledges the science of evolution regarding the origin of the human body, yet adds the condition that, “Our Catholic faith obliges us to hold that souls are immediately created by God.” In stating this, Pius XII affirms the Catholic belief that the human soul is directly created by God, therefore humanity retains innate dignity. The response of Pius XII clearly communicates general acceptance of evolutionary theory, whilst not excluding God from the creative process.
In defence of the doctrine of Original Sin, Pius XII responds to rule-out the scientific theory of polygenism – the notion that humanity arose from parents. On this, Pius states that Original Sin “proceeds from the sin of an individual, Adam, and through generation, is passed on to all.” Seeing the significance of Original Sin in dogma, Pius XII responded in its defence.

During the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), the Church responses to evolutionary theory in the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, stating that, “the human race has passed from a rather static view of reality to a more dynamic, evolutionary one.” The Church recognises and accepts this progression in human intellect and also the evolution of the human understanding of reality.

Influential in the absorption of evolutionary theory by the Vatican, is the work of French philosopher, palaeontologist and priest Piere Tielhard di Chardin, who sought to view Christianity from an evolutionary perspective. From this outlook, Tielhard di Chardin was able to view Christ as the center of higher consciousness, called the Kingdom in Catholic theology. He viewed Original Sin and evil as “the unavoidable by-product of a universe in course with unification in God.” This was in response to the challenge posed by evolution to the doctrine of Original Sin. Di Chardin also viewed evolution as the creative process, and spoke of the evolution of the geosphere (inanimate matter) to the biosphere of life, which St. Paul called our ‘seed stage’ (I Cor. 15:38) and onward, through evolution, toward the Omega Point (mentioned in Rev. 22:13: “I am Alpha and Omega.”), in the noosphere- a technical philosophical term for the Kingdom. The work of Di Chardin demonstrates an attempt in the Catholic tradition to reconcile evolutionary theory with theology.
In a 1996 address to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Pope John Paul II stated that there was considerable “recognition of evolution as more than a hypothesis.” The Pontiff does not discredit but rather reflects upon the substantial evidence in support of evolution as a valuable scientific theory.
In his inaugural mass as Pope, Benedict XVI stated that, “Only when we meet the living God in Christ do we know what life is. We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution. Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary.” Benedict XVI clearly highlights a general acceptance of evolution as a scientifically attained answer to the question of ‘how’, but maintains that Christ gives meaning and purpose to human life, and thus religion ultimately answers the question of ‘why?’

Understanding of Resurrection

The following is a summary report of the last topic in unit two for R&S.

In the Catholic tradition, resurrection refers to the dynamic belief in the reunification of the entirety of the human person, body and soul, to completion, in a glorified spiritual body (I Cor. 15:45), in the New Life that is after death. The core belief in resurrection is expressed in the Nicene Creed, “We believe in the resurrection of the dead and life everlasting” and is based upon the belief in the Risen Christ who is called “the Resurrection and the Life” in John’s Gospel, and who, according to all canonical Gospel accounts, rose to New Life from death, therefore “he has conquered death, and so opened the possibility of salvation to all men.” (Catechism)
Catholic believe that “For those who die in Christ’s grace it is a participation in his death, so that they can also share his Resurrection.” (Catechism) The understanding is that each person is a member of Christ’s Mystical Body (I Cor. 12:12) and therefore shares in the death of Jesus to experience the victory of his resurrection. (Rom. 6:1-12) – “To rise with Christ, we must die with Christ.” (Catechism)Death is thus made sense of as merely “the end of earthly life” (Catechism), not constituting a complete end.
The core belief in resurrection is expressed throughout the Christian Writings, in all canonical gospel accounts and particularly in St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. The Catholic ritual of Eucharist, involving the transformation of bread and wine to the Body and Blood of Christ, also recalls the Resurrection. Funeral liturgy is filled with symbolism, prayer and ritual that reflects human hope for resurrection.
Over the course of time, the core belief in resurrection has been subject to reformulation, renewal and changes in understanding and expression as a response to a range of internal and external stimuli, including the persecution and death of the early Christians’, Constantine’s conversion, the bubonic plague and the pivotal Second Vatican Council (1962-1965)

The death of the early Christians, particularly the first apostles, challenged initial understandings of resurrection. Initially, the early Christians believed that resurrection was a present reality and that the Kingdom was imminent. Such notions were supported by Jesus’ statement that “This generation will not disappear until all these things [the Kingdom] take place.” (Mt. 3:32) However, the first and second generation of Christian believers’ did gradually pass away without the Kingdom’s arrival or resurrection. The response to this challenge led to a reformulation of the belief and the understanding that “No one knows the day nor the hour” (Mt. 24:36) of resurrection, save that it is a future reality.

The persecution of the early Church by imperial Rome led to the understanding of resurrection as a reward for faithfulness in the face of adversity. Such notions may have had their origins in the Hebrew Scriptures, particularly 2 Macc. 12:45: “In his firm and devout conviction that all of God’s faithful people would receive a wonderful reward” and 2 Macc. 7:9: “The King of the Universe will raise us up to an everlasting renewal of life, for we have died for his laws.” In the Christian Writings also, Jesus states, “Your reward in heaven is great. For that is how they persecuted the prophets before you.” (Mt. 5:12) A clear connection is made between faithfulness and reward, coupled with the oppression of the times which led to the view of resurrection as a reward for remaining faithful.

The conversion of Roman Emperor Constantine to Christianity marks the point where the Church received imperial status and the belief in resurrection progressively became ‘Church-confined’, developing the doctrine of ‘no salvation beyond the Church.’ To illustrate, consider the words of Pope Innocent III: “There is but one universal Church of the faithful, outside which no one at all is saved.” Pope Boniface XVI elaborates, stating that, “It is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff.” Resurrection, and in broader terms, salvation, became understood as exclusively available to members of the Catholic Church. By this view, all societies and cultures outside the jurisdiction of the Pope were quite simply damned- a view that seemed to permeate Church-thought until Vatican II (1962-1965) heralded a change.

The bubonic plague of the Middle-ages’ marks the point where resurrection is viewed with heavy pessimism and is thought of more in terms of judgment, as the prayers of the period suggest. For example, funeral liturgy prayers which read, “Enter not into judgment with your servant, O Lord” and “The day your wrath is let loose upon mankind.” The artwork also reflects this highly pessimistic view of judgment, portraying the vast majority of humanity as eternally damned; unworthy of resurrection. Prayers from the pre-Vatican II Roman Missal demonstrate this pessimistic view, some of which called the created world a “valley of tears” and considered humans as the “poor banished children of Eve.” This understanding of resurrection, riddled with fear would dominate until Vatican II heralded a change.

The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) was called together to address a Church that was considered ‘out-of-touch’ with the people. It encouraged the Church to “open its doors to the world” and allow the “winds of the Spirit to blow through” and in the case of belief, renew a positive, open and confident understanding of resurrection, which emphasised confidence in God’s love and mercy. To illustrate, consider funeral rite prayers which reflected trust in God’s mercy “to gather us together again in the joy of his Kingdom” (OCF) as each person is “entrusted in God’s loving care.” (OCF)
Funeral rites illustrate this hopeful view of resurrection incorporating a vast variety of symbolism, prayer and ritual. For example, the Easter Candle is lit to represent the light of the Risen Christ and his conquest over darkness and death. The ritual of sprinkling the casket recalls that “In the waters of baptism [deceased] died with Christ and rose with him to New Life.” (OCF) The priest’s vestments (dependent on cultural context) is usually white to recall Easter and the hopeful joy of resurrection. The placing of the pall recalls the deceased’s Baptism and the understanding that “to rise with Christ, we must die with Christ.” (Catechism) The words of the Eucharistic liturgy mirror this hopeful view of resurrection, reading that, “Whoever eats my body and drinks my blood will have eternal life.”

The belief in resurrection has developed significantly in understanding and expression. It has been perceived as a present reality, a reward, exclusive and Church-confined, limited and finally the contemporary Catholic understanding of an all-inclusive and encompassing experience of reunification and transformation. The Catholic tradition has developed to understand resurrection in terms of the notion that, “God created each person for eternal life, and that Jesus, the Son of God, by his death and resurrection has broken the chains of sin and death that bound humanity.” (OCF)

Life experience and belief

The following is my essay on the interplay of life experience and belief in the life of Christian personalist and social activism Dorothy Day.


Life experience and belief are an interplay of events such as suffering, death, wonder, joy, love, significant life choices and human relationships, and the beliefs that make sense of these experiences and thereby contribute to an individual’s personal outlook and understanding of life.
To demonstrate the effect of life experiences on shaping individual beliefs consider the case of American Christian personalist and pacifist social activist Dorothy Day. Her experiences of suffering in poverty, pacifism and advocating social justice and the rights of the worker were made sense of in the light of the Catholic core belief in One Lord Jesus Christ (Nicene Creed) and his teachings of forgiveness (Mt. 6:14: “If you forgive others sins yours shall be forgiven also”), service (John 13:14-15) compassion, love (John 15:12: “Love one another”), peacefulness (Mt. 5:3-13: “Blessed are the peacemakers”) and social justice (Lk 4:18: “Set the captives free…”)

In her youth, Day accepted communism and the concepts of free love and birth control during the sexual revolution. However, Day’s personal belief in pacifism conflicted with the communist ideal of violent revolution as a means of enforcing social change. This incompatibility in views caused Day to search elsewhere for a belief system that would make sense of her pacifist stance. Day’s initial belief in the concept of free love and birth control was also challenged by her experience of pregnancy and abortion. The pain, suffering and regret of this experience leads Day to question her initial beliefs, particularly regarding unrestrained sexual freedom.

Paramount to Dorothy Day’s metanoia, is the joyous experience of her second pregnancy and the birth of her daughter Tamar. Feeling immense sorrow from the abortion of her first pregnancy, being able to have another child made Day feel a sense of forgiveness, which can attributed to the Catholic belief in “One Baptism for the forgiveness of sins” (Nicene Creed) and the Catholic understanding of a loving God who forgives. It has been remarked that “the stirring of life within her awakened the stirring of God in her own life,” illustrating that this experience of wonder was made sense of in the belief of a loving and forgiving God.

The life experience of pacifism and peaceful non-violent activism is affirmed and made sense of in the light of Jesus’ teaching that “Blessed are the peacemakers.” (Mt. 5:3-13) Day applies this belief to her actions and in the face of adversity opposes with non-violence, adhering to Jesus’ command to “Turn the other cheek” when struck by an adversary. (Mt. 5:39) In protesting against unfair employment Day stated that “We must forgive him [the employer] seventy-times-seven just as we forgive our fellow worker and keep trying to bring him to a sense of solidarity…” For Day, her pacifism is the active faith of Jesus’ words. She remarked that her “manifesto is the Sermon on the Mount” (Mt. 5-7), a passage of Scripture in which Jesus advocates peacefulness, humility, forgiveness and compassion.

A significant life choice that Day made in her lifetime was to co-found, with Fr. Peter Maurin, the Catholic Worker movement and the Houses of Hospitality and communal farms which assisted the homeless and unemployed. This action of social justice and compassion is an experience made sense of in Jesus’ teachings to “Love one another” (John 15:12), to serve (John 13:14-15) and to assist the marginalized in society (Mt. 25:36-37) Day explains that she “had found him [Christ] in his Poor” and that “in a moment of joy [she] turned to him.” Day’s encounter with the unemployed and marginalized is explained as encountering Christ in people, as in Catholic understanding, each person is a member of the Mystical Body of Christ (I Cor. 12:12) and therefore Jesus abides within each person. This understanding gave meaning to every acquaintance Day encountered, as in each encounter Day saw Christ. “What you do to the least of my brethren you do unto me.” (Mt. 25:37)

Dorothy Day lived her life in voluntary simplicity. This major life choice came through the synthesis of her belief in Jesus’ teaching to “Store riches for yourself in heaven” rather than earthly wealth and to “Seek the Kingdom first.” These teachings from the Gospels contributed and made sense of Day’s lifestyle experience of voluntary simplicity.

Dorothy Day attributes her metanoia to the experience of joy rather than sorrow. She states that, “it was in those few years when I was alone and most happy that I found him. I found him [Christ] at last through joy and thanksgiving, not through sorrow.” Day believed “that Christ-like self-sacrificing love was the only thing that made sense in a senseless world.” Living this belief through her work with the Houses of Hospitality, pacifism and social activism, Day’s experience is made sense in the belief in One Lord Jesus Christ (Nicene Creed) and his most challenging teaching of all- to love one another. (John 15:12)

Core beliefs of the Catholic tradition

The following is my summary report on area of study one of unit one for my Religion & Society course. I'm not sure why I'm publishing it on here... but here it is anyway...

Through the person of Christ, Catholicism gains its understanding and conception of ultimate reality.
Catholics believe that God is the “Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth” (Nicene Creed) - the transcendent Creator (Gen. 1:1), immutable (James 1:17; Malachi 3:6), omniscient, omnipresent and a compassionate parental figure to humanity. (Mt. 6:9)
Catholics believe that God is specially revealed and incarnate in the “One Lord Jesus Christ” (Nicene Creed), who humbles himself to share in our humanity (John 1:14) and offers, in word and demonstration, the ultimate message of the New Covenant- the Law of Love. (John 15:12)
Catholics believe that God is “the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life.” (Nicene Creed), who descends upon the world and binds together each person in the Mystical Body of Christ (I Cor. 12:12) and gives perpetual life to all in the resurrection. (I Cor. 15)
From these core beliefs, Catholicism derives its understanding of an all-powerful, loving and compassionate God who creates and sustains the world in love, and in love, humbles himself to reach out to his children.

From this understanding of the nature of God, demonstrated through the person of Jesus, Catholics believe that the meaning and purpose of human life is quintessentially to build towards the Kingdom- a scriptural metaphor for the almighty reign of God over all creation, recognised through the qualities of peace, justice, forgiveness, service, equity, compassion and love (Mt. 5:3-13; Gen. 1:26-27; Jn. 13:14-15; Jn 15:12)
Catholics believe that God-Incarnate- Jesus demonstrates the qualities of the Kingdom, in word, through sacred stories such as the Good Samaritan (Lk 10. 30-38) and in action, through his Passion, death and Resurrection, which Catholics uphold is the atonement for sin., thereby “opening the possibility of salvation to all men.” (Catechism)
Catholics understand that to build towards the Kingdom is to follow the example of Jesus through the synthesis of ethical codes, such as the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:1-17) and the Beatitudes (Mt. 5:3-13) which call for justice, equity and peace, in a practical sense. Catholics believe that humanity is in a covenant relationship with God, and that to build toward the Kingdom through applying the Law of Love (“Love one another.” – John 15:12) is a fulfilment of this New Covenant, meditated by Christ. (Heb. 9:15)
In Catholic understanding, humanity is “made in the image/likeness of God” (Gen. 1:26-27) and thus retains innate dignity; each person is a member of the Mystical Body of Christ (I Cor. 12:12) and thus God abides in each person. This gives meaning to Jesus’ statement in Matthew’s gospel that, “Whatever you do to the least of my brethen, you do unto me.”
Catholic tradition believes that humanity is charged with stewardship over the natural world, as indicated by Gen. 2:15, in which, after creating humanity, represented by Adam, God places him into the Garden to ‘tend it.’ Humanity is part of the created order (Gen 1-2) and through sensory experience in the cosmos, and general revelation, gains an insight into the nature of God the Creator. As Wis. 3:15 states: “From the beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of the Creator.” In other terms, humanity can find insight into the nature of God through its experience of the created world, which humanity is ascribed to as steward.

The core beliefs of Catholicism are expressed through the sacred texts of the Christian Writings, including the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, which recount and testify to the works of Jesus and contain numerous religious narratives and parables which use analogy and metaphor to convey meaning, such as the parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk. 10:30-38) which expresses the notion of faith in action and the ethic of compassion.
The ritual ceremony of the Eucharist, involving the consecration of bread, wine and water as the Body and Blood of Christ is “the source and summit of Christian life” (Catechism) and recalls the belief in “One Lord Jesus Christ.” (Nicene Creed) and his Passion, death and Resurrection.
The symbol of the commonly known ‘Jesus Fish’ highlights the Catholic understanding of the nature of Christ, as in Greek word for fish- Ichtus is a mnemonic device, which is interpreted to state: “Jesus Christ. God and man. Saviour.” The recognisable symbol of the cross and crucifix also highlights and the belief that Jesus came “For us and for our salvation” (Nicene Creed) and recalls the Passion, death and Resurrection of Christ, whilst reminding Christians’ of the meaning of life itself- to love unconditionally and without boundaries.

I was reading an article in the New Internationalist yesterday that focused on conspiracy theories and theorists. It was not too bad an article and didn't seem to be a smear-campaign. Towards the end though, I was left asking the question, why shouldn't they question it? Why shouldn't they exercise the faculty of a free-mind and ask valid questions? Why shouldn't they seek the truth and clarity in an age of misinformation? Since when did the government or the corporate media put a copyright on truth? The answer is never.

Religion & Society

Well, at long last, after a year filled with interesting surprises, I've finished my Vce Religion & Society course.
Looking back, it's been an interesting year in R&S... I can't say that I haven't been exceptionably bored at times. But it was interesting none-the-less. It gave me greater insight into the beliefs and expression of Christianity, particularly regarding the understanding of God and the meaning and purpose of human life. It has contributed to the shaping and clarification of my outlook on life itself and has allowed me to look at the bigger picture. It has assisted me to look at life through a different lens, that of love and has allowed me to find meaning- an incredible sense of belonging and a place in the cosmos- the created order of things. Much of that I owe to my teacher Paul. He's made an interesting and enlightening ride.
O well, now to focus on the other exams... wish me luck.

Media

What happened to the once noble field of journalism? I am confident that remnants of it still exists and are still willing to seek truth and clarity. But really, what has happened? Since when did individuals hijack this powerful tool to fulfill their own devices? Since when did this once noble field become the corporate media establishment- a massive propaganda machine, aimed at manipulating public opinion, often showing the public only glimpses of reality, sometimes even distorted.

Carpe diem

You can not always be torn in two, clinging to the 'was' or 'has been', the past. You must live for the now and seize the day, making the most of it before it too passes into past as the sun sets.
I was honoured to be one of the few Year 11 students able to attend the Year 12 Graduation ceremony, and from the speeches presented there, departing words of wisdom, that is what I gathered. Particularly, I think of one teacher's speech which involved the writing a particular student who has struggled with two aggressive forms of cancer. She spoke of how the experience made her realize how precious life is and how precious each moment and each experience is that one should not take it for granted, but rather, make the most of it. So true it seems, life is precious gift. We learn through experience, through hearing, seeing, touching, tasting, smelling, doing. So in actuality, each moment is a learning experience. As the Latin saying imparts, We learn not for school, but for life.
Hearing these wonderful things made me feel so honoured and fortunate to have not only an education, but a sense of community. And this experience, I cherish, as I realize how this community has shaped me and my understanding of the world and how it has given me a priceless sense of worth, belonging and future.
Only in retrospective do I see it now, how great the experience of school has been, not just education, but community, and I am so thankful for it. I have one more year of my secondary education. One more year that I am thankful for and that I hope I can make the most of. Life is precious, each day is a blessing.

Ponderings

This week is anti-poverty week and this week I stood up with others, in my cohort, in my school and in the world, in united solidarity, against depravity. We took a pledge together, something I take very seriously. Today, I walked through Keilor Downs and pondered to myself about change and considered many wise sayings about how to change the world, and then I realized that change begins within oneself, as the Dali Lama said, you must "Be the change you wish to see in the world", for in that way, one can truly by example. Change then spreads, from person to person, and like the small stones that begin an avalanche, it gains momentum.
I then began pondering what my greatest achievement is and I realized that it was not something trivial or remarkable, but rather something simple... making a person smile, for all the right reasons. I also began to think about my greatest regret and I concluded that it was making a person shed their tears because of sadness or hurt that I had caused. Through combining the two, I realized my goal in life. My goal in life is not to do one great thing, but rather, to do many simple things with great love. It was Mother Teresa who wisely advised to "Do small things with great love." Such advice I take now to heart.

Standing up

We live in a World with unprecedented wealth and resources yet 50,000 people die every day as a result of extreme poverty. The gap between rich and poor is getting wider. The poor do not ask for charity but for justice and a fair opportunity. Let us join our voices in solidarity to say, no more excuses - end poverty now.


God of Justice, help us to stand up and speak out against poverty. Help us to fight against poverty and inequality and to seek ways to make a difference through our words and actions.
Amen

- Taken from my school's homepage, attributed to Religious Education teacher Colin Grant.

It was Dorothy Day who wrote: "We do not really know how much pride and self-love we have until someone whom we respect or love suddenly turns against us. Then some sudden affront, some sudden offense we take, reveals to us in all its glaring distinctness our self-love, and we are ashamed." How fitting do those words seem to me now that I understand what they mean.

Ask Questions. Seek Truth

The mass media corporatracy has stereotyped us as 'crazy' for asking a question. They have called us 'nut-jobs' for challenging what should logically be perceived as true. They have invented the notion that questioning the reality they present is stupid and false. Are we crazy for demanding truth? Are we stupid for questioning the reality presented to us on our television screens? Are we nut-jobs because we refuse to conform to the popular notion of truth, whether or not it be false?
No. We are not those things, rather, we are people. People with valid questions. We are academics, engineers, trades-people, chiefs, doctors, nurses, police officers, paramedics, pilots, fire-men, accountants, psychologists. We are family-people, single, divorced, married and in de-facto partnerships. We are people of all walks of life who share a common quest, seeking clarity amid mass distortion. We are people, like you, asking questions that pierce the web of lies to hopefully offer some beam of truth.

The Shock doctrine

Could it be conceivable that the shadowy globalist elite are using shock therapy, manifest in the form of real or artificial crisis', to disorientate the masses, manipulate public opinion and drive the advancement of a hidden agenda?

"In the aftermath, we too become child-like, we're likely to follow leaders that claim to protect us." - The Shock doctrine

John Pilger's documentary, The War on Democracy

Astonishing. That is one word to describe film-maker John Pilger's documentary masterpiece The War on Democracy. In this remarkable work, Pilger draws on historical, political and social evidence, to clearly illustrate the role of the US government, directly and indirectly, in over-throwing democratically elected Latin American governments, and effectively replacing them with pseudo-democracies, satisfactory only to elitist groups and the interests of the American state.
Without exerting his opinion on the viewer, Pilger cleverly weaves all strands of evidence to illustrate his contention and does so in a powerful way that emotively moves the viewer.
He highlights explicitly the power struggle between the elite who seek to dominate the government and control all affairs of state and the grass-roots who demand true democracy that serves the interests of the people as an entirety. Pilger also shows the effects of these pseudo-democracies and the lust for power which drives them, manifest in the suffering and death of people, particularly those who are vulnerable and those who refuse to bow before the powers that be.
The documentary film

The War on Democracy

serves as a testament not only to the mass corruption and web of deception propagated by the high cabal, but also to the power of the people and the enduring strength and resilience of the human spirit to overcome the dehumanising effects of deceit and greed.

The needs of others

How different is our perception compared to others? Very, when you don't know all the facts that influence the situation. I know I shouldn't have, but I looked at my girlfriend's online diary, which I know she intended to be away from my eyes. Reading it, only then did I see how fully she felt and how such feelings contrasted my own. More than ever, now, I know that I am not at all fulfilling her needs. She needs someone there to support her, care and love her. In the last few months, I have done very little of that. I have not fulfilled her needs as I should have, as a friend and boyfriend- I've been found lacking. I'm so sorry. In actuality, I've focused more on my own because I did not know the situations playing-out in her life and the outcomes and effects they have had on her. I feel ashamed at myself for not placing her needs, for support and care, above my own for attention and affection. What love have my actions portrayed other than ruthless self-love? I'm not sure what's going on anymore in our relationship. I want to be there for her, but now I don't even know how. I'm ashamed for not placing her needs above my own. I feel like I've been not only a bad boyfriend, but a bad person. I feel as though I have yet again failed someone so dear, all for the sake of wreckless pride. To close this seemingly rant-like post, I shall once again affirm, I'm ashamed for not placing Ash's needs above my own.

Window to understanding personality

In psychology, we are currently studying personality. Below is a copy of my interactive Johari window. Kinda' gives you insight on the traits known and unknown that you possess. 

Arena (known to self and others) caring, friendly, intelligent, sentimental	Blind Spot (known only to others) clever, complex, dependable, kind, loving, nervous, responsive, searching, sensible, silly, tense, warm, wise
Façade (known only to self) introverted, spontaneous	Unknown (known to nobody) able, accepting, adaptable, bold, brave, calm, cheerful, confident, dignified, energetic, extroverted, giving, happy, helpful, idealistic, independent, ingenious, knowledgeable, logical, mature, modest, observant, organised, patient, powerful, proud, quiet, reflective, relaxed, religious, self-assertive, self-conscious, shy, sympathetic, trustworthy, witty

Dominant Traits

75% of people agree that Ben is intelligent

All Percentages

able (0%) accepting (0%) adaptable (0%) bold (0%) brave (0%) calm (0%) caring (25%) cheerful (0%) clever (25%) complex (25%) confident (0%) dependable (25%) dignified (0%) energetic (0%) extroverted (0%) friendly (50%) giving (0%) happy (0%) helpful (0%) idealistic (0%) independent (0%) ingenious (0%) intelligent (75%) introverted (0%) kind (50%) knowledgeable (0%) logical (0%) loving (25%) mature (0%) modest (0%) nervous (25%) observant (0%) organised (0%) patient (0%) powerful (0%) proud (0%) quiet (0%) reflective (0%) relaxed (0%) religious (0%) responsive (25%) searching (25%) self-assertive (0%) self-conscious (0%) sensible (25%) sentimental (25%) shy (0%) silly (25%) spontaneous (0%) sympathetic (0%) tense (50%) trustworthy (0%) warm (50%) wise (25%) witty (0%)

Created by the Interactive Johari Window on 21.9.2007, using data from 4 respondents.
You can make your own Johari Window, or view Ben's full data.

Rambling...

Spring-cleaning with my grand-mother today I found an interesting little book, completely by chance. My baka read it and told me of the story- of a young boy who lived in utter simplicity. It sounded touching just hearing about it. I wish I could read it, but my Croatian literacy is not so keen.

Makes think however... Here I am, fortunate probably more than I deserve. My life is filled with such wonderful people. I have an education that stimulates my keen mind. Food on the table each day. People to talk to. A school to go to. Friends who support me. I really am lucky. 

But then why do I feel guilty? Especially when I receive a material gift. I sometimes fear that all this material extravagance will place a veil before my eyes, making me forget what's really important- the people in my life that make it what it is. I feel like a hypocrite, struggling to practice what I say. I don't want to get caught-up with things of material luxury. I want to contribute to making a difference for the better- to helping people. I've always believed that there is greatness in humility.

I hope this post makes sense. It does to myself, but it's difficult to articulate what crowds my mind at the present.

Night

After reading Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel's emotive novel, Night and viewing Oprah's interview of the author as they together walked through Auschwitz, I feel torn. Torn and horrified that the innate dignity of the person could be so brutally subject to terrible cruelty- disrespected and completely stripped of all identity.

I am shocked and utterly appalled that such madness could ever have erupted in humanity's conscience and history, and even more-so, I am terrified at merely seeing the imagery of the capacity of the dark side of humanity, which seems rife with such bitter anger and hatred. It is made all the more terrifying when I consider that the perpetrators of these atrocities were human, as too were the victims.

As I consider all the discarded shoes and those who wore them, as I consider all the lives lost in this factory of death, I can not help but ponder how many opportunities were taken away from each person. How much happiness was drained from them and how the capacity to make a difference disappeared as each one fell to death.

Considering the statement, 'Work makes you free' atop the gates of hell, I ponder it to be exactly the opposite in the case of Auschwitz. There, work enslaved them. Unethical medical experiments and torture mutilated them and all dreams turned to ashes in the intense blaze of the crematorium. 

Whatever little hope that may have been left would probably have been like a tiny ration of bread for the entire massive camp or like a simple beam of light from heaven, piercing the immense darkness of hell.  

Behind the scenes

Ever ponder what happens behind the scenes?

Corruption seems to permeate the governments of the world which are shrouded in conspiracy. Who really rules? I'll tell you who- the shadow government of invisibles and untouchables- the globalist elite who drive the gears of the economy and the centralisation of media and government to the formation of a new world order, behind the scenes.

We seem to stand on the brink of destruction; the demise of liberty which is so oft forsaken. Where will this path lead? To a scientific dictatorship of relativism, where Big Brother (the elite-controlled state) rules and the masses are considered mere cattle- manipulated, controlled, conditioned by the media and tagged. We stand on the edge of a surveillance society, with a micro-chipped population. Already has life been discounted in value and even aspects of life have been sold off, piece by piece. Everything has become a commodity, and the media warps our perceptions of beauty and reality as governments justify terror by terror, seemingly unopposed in lordship. Who benefits from these wars? Who gains the profits? And of course, who dies in these wars? Do the elite fight in these bloody battles? No! 

The corporate giants rule the economy, feeding on money, billions by the day, whilst children in all corners of the world die of preventable disease. Corrupt governments initiate wars for profits, while children are sent off to fight their dirty wars.

Some would argue that the aristocracies of old have disappeared and that there is no ruling class. However, this is not the case. The aristocracies of old are the globalist elite of today, driving the agenda of a new world order, comprising of an utterly controlled micro-chipped conditioned population under total enslavement beneath Big Brother's ever watching surveillant eye. 

How do you fight it? As I mentioned in a previous post, how do you seek to find clarity amid such distortion? To find truth amid such deceit and trickery. 

Once more I ask, is Western society superficial?

I recently watched a program on television called Sunday, and one particularly story grasped my interest. The story of Fr. Themi; a former member of the Australian pop-group The Flies, and formerly devout atheist and communist, turned Orthodox priest and missionary in the slums of Kenya, where he works there helping the children to attain an education. 

One particular thing he said caught my interest and it was about Australian society. He said, that when he returned, arriving at Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne, he was disappointed at the superficiality that he saw in Australian society, especially portrayed in the media. An example, he pointed out, was the media's pre-occupation with what Paris Hilton, Madonna and other celebrities were doing. Meanwhile, the rest of the world is suffering from appalling depravity and injustice. 

What he said ringed true. The media does not portray reality as is. What is called 'reality tv' is not even such. The reality is not that Paris Hilton spent less than a month in jail, but rather, that children are in the prison of poverty. Our view of the world should extend beyond that of fame, fortune and celebrity- beyond the superficiality which plagues our minds and warps our collective perception of what is beautiful. 

Our minds are being shaped by our absorption of media. Each typical day, in an urban setting, one is likely to receive, either consciously or sub-consciously, billions of codified messages, slowly conditioning us, our perception of the world. How does one fight it? How does one seek clarity amid such distortion, or truth amid such deceit? 

"In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act." - George Orwell

I guess what Fr. Themi was trying to say is that we, as a society and individually, should not being subject to such conditioning of minds and warped perceptions of reality. I think he was trying to say that we must never forget the truth of love. 

www.paradisekids4africa.org.au

www.appinhall.com

Goals 08

I know it's slightly early, but I have set some of my goals for 2008.

I do not aim to try and get dux next year, but rather to do my own actual personal best. My reward will be in attaining my VCE, but also, more-over, in having the wonderful opportunity to learn, make new friendships and enjoy this experience with all its trials and moments of elation, and of course, sincere friendship and community.

Uncertainties

Let go of your uncertainties, that they may be dissolved. Learn to trust. Destiny awaits. Was it not William Shakespeare who grandly said, "It is not in the stars to determine our destiny, but in ourselves."

Words

Words are meaningless without the depth of experience. Is it not experience the reason we are driven to write words? Sad experiences and happy ones- they each have unique words and ways of describing them, yet despite all that, the words remain scribbles. It is how they are interpreted that creates the imagery. For a picture is worth a thousand words, or the words worth a thousand pictures if interpreted correct?

These are just my ramblings as I struggle with opposing strands of thought. One that tells me to be quiet, silent and absorb it all; the other that tells me to express. I'm so confused, but also fearful of which path is right. Which path will not lead to pain, not so much on my behalf. This is so confusing, and words seem little to illustrate confusion, save to say that it is like a whirling mess of thoughts and emotions- a thunderstorm even, of sudden and swift turbulent shifts. 

Try

There are moments that bring out the best in us, sometimes it's the best feelings, sometimes it's our best qualities. Tonight seemed like one of those moments that you want to hold on to and latter say, 'Remember when?' Because there is a feeling attached to such moments, that gives it meaning and depth.

Tonight, Ash, Brooke and I journeyed through Crown. We initially arrived to see the new Transformers film, but we arrived exceptionally early (about 3 hours early, an estimate) So we strolled through Galactic Circus and played the games there. One of which, involved all three of us, and we did really well in. It was heaps of fun, thrilling and unifying. The movie was great also, comical but also deep in certain aspects.

I arrived home feeling elated, and I realised that this is a great starting point for change. For change requires action, to assist that, I have tried doing something practical. I wrote, in purple ink, on my hand, the Latin word veritas, which means truth. My hope is that every-time I see that word I will ask myself, what is the truth? And I'll be able to answer to myself, it is quite simply love. That way, I hope, that I will remember what is most important, the people I love - family and friends, my girlfriend whom I care about. That way, I hope, I'll remember that I do really care and so to I must express that care. 

This may all sound ridiculous, but I hope that this single Latin word will trigger a wave of positive thoughts that will help me remember the important things in life.

I also wrote, on each finger of one hand, the letters T, R and Y, collectively spelling 'Try'- to remind me to keep on trying, no matter how difficult it is to change for the better. 

Last time Ash, Sami and I went out together, we bought patterned friendship bracelets, which I now plan to wear as often as I can, to also remind me of my friends, and that I do care for them and that they are important to me, so I should act thus. 

Guilt and change

I feel guilty. I didn't mean to make it sound as though I was blaming my mum for my problems. I don't blame her, she was sick and had little or no control over her actions and moods. But yet, I am doing the same thing, in a way. I can't seem to control my own moods and have hurt my girlfriend because of that. Hence, I feel guilty. She has been through so much adversity and is now even considering moving back to Tasmania. I feel partly responsible for this urge. I struggle to change, so so much. Why is change so difficult? I fear putting her under so much stress, oh please, I just want to change for the better so we could be happier together. She deserves more than just this; I really want her to be happy in our relationship, but first, I have to change. So why is it so hard?

Further in and further up

Reading some of Teildhard de Chardin's theories for Re has been interesting and much of it makes sense, particularly the concept of a constant evolution toward an Omega Point. This includes the evolution of the geosphere- inanimate matter, to the biosphere- rich diversity of life (our 'seed-stage'), and onward toward the noosphere, or in religious context, the Kingdom, in which one is 'born again' in a 'spiritual body'  Such ideas can linked to creative works, such as C.S. Lewis' the Chronicles of Narnia, in which the characters progress 'further in and further up' to higher consciousness in a mystical sense. 

Just thought I'd write this because it sounded interesting to me.

Controlling...

You (me) can not control the flow of a relationship. 

I remember, some time last year, the school counsellor told me to 'trust in the relationship', but since then, my own insecurities have dominated, magnified by Rex and manifested in lingering doubts and unnecessary conflicts. 

Jenny (the school counsellor) was right, I have to 'trust in the relationship' Yet, I have an issue with trust, being pedantic as I am, I seek certainity, which in this case, isn't such a good thing. 

But yes, anyway, just a pondering... I can not control the flow of relationships in my life; it's unrealistic to think that I can, because in a sense, though I influence these, I can never 'control' them and how outcomes turn-out. I guess the key is to go with the flow?

Don't let him get to you..

Just a reminder to myself...

Do NOT let him (the illusive voice- 'rex') get to you!

When he does, it causes unnecessary conflict and hurt.

So remember...

Do NOT let him get to you!

It's a thought, not a fact.

Talking to people

It's so much easier to talk to people when you speak to them as a person, on a personal level, rather than as someone who is 'this' or 'that' This is another pondering, but I kinda noticed that when trying to communicate with people using either secondary info or perhaps assumptions gained by observation, one can not really get far. (Or at least, I thought so) But when talking to someone on a personal level, you can not only empathise, but also listen and in a way understand, but also, most importantly, really communicate. 

I think I should make that my goal, as a friend, to communicate on a personal level, instead of (mis)communication via contextual assumptions. It's a challenge, but I guess it should become part of what I'd like to change, since I tend to communicate more on assumptions that aggregrate in moods of attitudes towards a person. This could be perhaps be called a form of prejudice.

So, that should be my goal, as a friend, to communicate on a personal level.

Hope this post made sense.

When you miss someone...

When you miss someone, does your heart ache? I miss my girlfriend, for many reasons. She has taken a break, from what I understand, because she is stressed-out. (Secondary information) I can't help but feel partly responsible for her being stressed-out, because she has had much trouble in speaking to me and has been so worried about me. Also, last night, she blamed herself for me leaving the internet. The actual reason was that Rex was getting to me and I didn't want to take that out on her, so I left. I should've told her that though. I hope she is okay. 

I feel really bad though, as though it's my fault that she's stressed-out, considering all the things that have been happening lately. I just want her to be happy, and so, for us to be happy in our relationship, I have been trying to stop Rex from getting to me and creating unnecessary conflict. Some of the time, I was able to not act on the 'Rex impulse' and I released that so much of the conflict that the 'Rex impulse' causes is actually unnecessary. But then, I feel guilty for letting him get to me. 

I miss my girlfriend- I hope she's content. And I really hope that I can try even harder to block the voice that threatens to tear us apart, so that she may be content in our relationship. She has worked hard for all this, through terrible adversity. She deserves to be happy. 

Is society superficial?

Don't you just get sick of it- seeing images of the perfect, the ideal figure, being sold to you, forced down your throat by a market relying on the slogan 'sex sells' What does it sell? Much more than mere products, but the image- more-often-than-not, an unrealistic image which people are forced to digest and then prompted to transform themselves to meet the impossible standard of a fantastical figure. 

For girls, (I am being general), this seemingly 'perfect' image imposes pressure to become ever-thinner and ever-sexier 'cos that's what the boys' like' and that is 'perfect' For guys, (again, being general) it's the pressure to bulk-up with muscle-mass, minimal fat and a tanned complexion, 'cos that's hot' 

Yet it's so hard not to swallow this image; so hard to not try and live-up to it, as unrealistic as it is. Why? Maybe because this image is everywhere and it screams ever-illusively 'perfection' and 'be me' Yet, it is only a fantasy, an illusion- artificial; an unreal and superficial perception of beauty that is warped beyond comprehension. 

I am reminded of the Savage Garden song, Affirmation, a line of which reads: 'I believe your most attractive features are your heart and soul.'   

Doing more...

Do you ever get the feeling that no-matter what you do, you must never stop; you must always do more? Or perhaps that you are not doing enough? What is the measure of 'enough' though and who can measure it? 

Sayings and doings

What people say, what they mean and what they do are three different things. I guess therefore, when someone says something, it may depend on what they to have to say and why they're saying it. Sorry, this is a ramble over nothing really... just thoughts, but not generally facts. 

Thought not a fact

It's a thought, not a fact. I have to remind of myself of that, especially in this very moment- when a powerful thought of doubt in my gf's faithfulness is threatening to cause me to act in an extreme. If I act on this thought (not fact) I'll be giving into Rex and ultimately hurting my gf. I can't let that happen- not again. This is how the cycle always begins, with a simple thought, to which I react extremely. I gotta remember... it's a thought, not a fact. It's not real- it's just a thought and only that. What is real? It's love, and I can't choose the thought above love; I can't lash my anger out on my gf or anyone because of a thought placed there by a voice. It is a thought, not a fact. It isn't real, but love is. God help me to challenge the voice in my head.