Double standards on Israel - Palestine

Originally posted by Silver Cheetah: Well said! Further to this, something you might like, DragonMage.... At the end of my dance session, which I go to once or twice a week, we are sending 'light' and healing energy both to the world, and to its leaders. ALL its leaders, not just the ones we might be in agreement with! The prayer is for them to be guided to take the best possible actions for the highest good of all of us. I like to visualise a cloud of doves flying towards the leaders and peoples of the world, opening up their hearts to love one another, and themselves (the latter being a prerequisite for the former, to my mind.) Although I am not really a bible person, I think Jesus was with me on this one He said 'love thy neighbour as thyself' which implies that you need to love yourself in order to love your neighbour! I think that's at the root of so many of our problems, the fact that we don't love ourselves too much. (By the way, being indulgent or hedonistic with yourself isn't quite the same as loving yourself in my opinion.) The reason we don't love ourselves - well, that's a long one, isn't it! Got to do with upbringing, society, belief systems, lots of factors there..... If more people truly believed THEY were worthy of love, then perhaps they'd pretty much automatically believe (and act on the belief) that all other people were worthy of and entitled to love too. Usually those of us who judge others the most, are hardest on ourselves, even if its only internally, and not always obvious to other people. Gosh, I've gone into a big ramble now...... Procrastination..... and jubilation..... (Guess what I'm not doing while I'm typing this......

Well said. Unconditional self love has enabled me to grow as an individual, finding peace in what was my very troubled psyche. The real humdinger, is although I initially focused this love within, It blossomed outwards as well. I recognize every aspect of my life was influenced my acceptance of everyones self worth.

[Silver Cheetah]

Originally posted by Diogenes Of Pumpkintown: Ascended Mistress of Illumination, that was a wonderful interpretation of Jesus' message to love thy neighbor as yourself. That put a new spin on it for me, in a way I had never quite considered, but you are right. A key part of the message is to love oneself. Most excellent, oh illuminated one

Love them iconoclastic tendencies, Dio! Spread them far and wide.....

Re Jesus' message, it's something I've given a lot of thought to. Trying to make sense of my own life, and of myself as raw material for a human being, I've given much thought to love, and the lack of it. I personally grew up very angry at the world, and still find it easy to be so.

However, who's to say that's always a bad thing? Outrage can serve a purpose, that of protection - but only if it comes from a loving heart - that last bit is IMPORTANT. Does that make sense? It does to me but....

What I mean is, if you're angry say, with a man who is beating a child and you hate that man for what he has done and beat him in hatred and anger, and take the child away, you may have saved the child, but you have done yourself and the man no favours at all.

If, with love in your heart for both the abuser and the abused, with anger at the ACTION, rather than the suffering person who is carrying out the action, you save the child from the abuser, then you have saved the child without damaging yourself, and you may be able to help the man or woman also.

Those who prey on or attack others (whether individuals or nations) have usually been preyed or attacked themselves, in some way, at some point in their lives, perhaps even for all their lives, and it's good to remember that. For me, understanding, or even just trying to understand (even if I fail) is key to experiencing love for others. If we are ever to build the world of love and community and care that I dream of, hatred can have no part in in building it.

- Okay, now you can all jump on me for being an impractical dreamer! I don't care. Somewhere else I said 'If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got'. I like the idea we could do it differently.

If you want to know how I intend to start doing this on a practical level, - there's only one answer to that. I start with me. The only person I can ever change is myself, and that goes for every single one of us. Only we can take the decision to respond with love, rather than hate. (That doesn't mean not fighting our corner, by the way! It just means we do it differently....) So yes, one person changes. Then another, then another, then it spreads. It's called the 100th monkey syndrome, and it's starting to work on the environmenal front, - in the last couple of years, the world has started to really wake up to the fact it has a problem. I think the love meme can spread the same way.... There's lots of people out there doing it already, after all! )

Wooo, sorry Dio! Didn't mean to respond to your post with such a long answer! Just started coming out and kept going. It's not directed at you personally, nor anyone specific here. Just some thoughts..........

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Ascended Mistress of Illumination

[This message has been edited by Silver Cheetah (edited 09-26-2001).]

[DragonMage]

Originally posted by Silver Cheetah: ...Outrage can serve a purpose, that of protection - but only if it comes from a loving heart - that last bit is IMPORTANT. Does that make sense? It does to me but.... What I mean is, if you're angry say, with a man who is beating a child and you hate that man for what he has done and beat him in hatred and anger, and take the child away, you may have saved the child, but you have done yourself and the man no favours at all. If, with love in your heart for both the abuser and the abused, with anger at the action, rather than the suffering person who is carrying out the action, you save the child from the abuser, then you have saved the child without damaging yourself, and you may be able to help the man also. Those who prey on or attack others (whether individuals or nations) have usually been preyed on themselves, in some way, at some point in their lives, perhaps even for all their lives, and it's good to remember that. If we are ever to build the world of love that I dream of, hatred can have no part in in building it. Understanding is key. (Okay, now you can all jump on me for being a dreamer. I don't care. Somewhere else I said 'If you do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got'. I like the idea we could do it differently. And if you want to know how I intend to start doing this on a practical level, - there's only one answer to that. The only person I can ever change is myself, and that goes for every single one of us. Only we can take the decision to respond with love, rather than hate. (That doesn't mean not fighting our corner, by the way! It just means we do it differently....) So yes, one person changes. Then another, then another, then it spreads. It's called the 100th monkey syndrome, and it's starting to work on the environmenal front, - in the last couple of years, the world has started to really wake up to the fact it has a problem. I think the love meme can spread the same way.... There's lots of people out there doing it already, after all! )...

OMG! That is so well-spoken! And I, for one don't think you are a dreamer. Maybe idealistic, but what's wrong with that?!? I'm idealistic. And I fully agree with your statement of 'the only person I can change is me'. So true, and if we change ourselves, hopefully those in our sphere of influence will see this change and make the same realization for themselves. Good begets good and evil begets evil. GREAT post!

Also - any advice on my new addition to my signature?

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The day we stop learning is the day we start dying!(c)

Owner/operator of the Evil Petting Zoo and devout member of the HADB clan.
Commander of the Dragon Fleet, IW Peacekeeping Force
Honored to be a member of the Illuminati - may the Light shine forever!
Mage extraordinair.
Occasional minion to Gwhanos the Fluffy

Hopeless Romantic *sigh*

"Allright! We'll call it a draw."

[Silver Cheetah]

Originally posted by DragonMage: OMG! That is so well-spoken! And I, for one don't think you are a dreamer. Maybe idealistic, but what's wrong with that?!? I'm idealistic. And I fully agree with your statement of 'the only person I can change is me'. So true, and if we change ourselves, hopefully those in our sphere of influence will see this change and make the same realization for themselves. Good begets good and evil begets evil. GREAT post! Also - any advice on my new addition to my signature?

DragonMage, thanks, I wasn't sure if I was being clear as to my thought, and it seems I was. You got my point just exactly. Nice new addition to sig! Very proud to have you!!


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Ascended Mistress of Illumination

[tracey]

roman empire eh? well, you both place an arm across your chests when singing your anthems. so, be very, very careful. you remember what happened to the roman empire, don't you?

beware the ides of march!

[Silver Cheetah]

Originally posted by tracey: roman empire eh? well, you both place an arm across your chests when singing your anthems. so, be very, very careful. you remember what happened to the roman empire, don't you? beware the ides of march!

And beware marching ideas!!

Er, not quite sure what your point is here chuck. Could you elucidate a tad?


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Ascended Mistress of Illumination