"My Gun Knows How To 'Love Thy Neighbour'", says the American - and other ideas

Most religions, spiritualities, rationalists agree that "love is the answer". Sadly, today, hate is the answer for many. All the more reason we need love to counter this hate. Jesus even said we must die for others and love those we may even hate.

So what is this love? Whom is our neighbour?

All humans and non-humans are our neighbours. We are all connected and influence one another. For e.g., much of the pollution in China finds its way to California and even to Canada. Of course political/economic policies reach round the world. We are dependent on all of creation. We are part of 'it'. Any dichotomy has been discarded both by science, philosophy, religion and spirituality.

So how do we love?
Love is not merely emotion but act-i-on. Sure we may help  a person on an individual basis but what about a mass scale  Of course it means not to harm. But it must involve justice also. Some practical ways to love:

1. Make all equal - gender, economic, status. No hierarchy. Inequality continues poverty, repression, oppression... When 6 people have more wealth than almost 4000000000 people - there is a problem. When few women are in positions of power - we have a problem. When the rich and corporations don't pay tax and devour the earth - we have a problem. When power exists we have a problem. In Canada, $80000000000 is not paid in taxes, we have a problem! Tax havens amount to at least $24000000000000 for the rich and corporations! Jesus said the rich cannot enter the kingdom of God: just like a camel cannot go through the eye of a needle!
2. Pollution kills the poor and vulnerable: humans and nonhumans. Dumps are put in areas where poverty reigns. In the U.S. many of those residents can't even vote. Their polling stations also have been shut down. The rich go to their cottages in the summer. They can buy bottled water, for which corporations literally steal from poorer rural communities [one is very close to the author - and little or no taxes are paid on a LIMITED "resource"]. The poor live by highways and busy roads. The middle class and up drive to the suburbs - polluting but 'escaping' it. Noise pollution kills: increasing stress and leading to more cancer, heart attacks. 
3. Support local agriculture and organic growers especially. Pesticides, herbicides and the like cause cancer and kill humans and nonhumans. Buying local means less pollution from the transportation and usually local farmers use less toxins than far away ones. But this is relative. If your country has strict government regulations - then this applies. Strong citizen action and government action is needed. The "free" markets just supports whatever brings quick cash. The workers don't matter. Creation [and they are part of it] doesn't matter. The soil [i.e. the source of all life] doesn't mater... You get my point.
4. Grow your own food. You won't force somebody to be your wage slave labourer that way. Farm workers are often abused on many levels. "Even" in Canada, migrant farm workers suffer much. If you have land or even have a pot of soil, it all helps. And see the wonders of Creation! See here for inspiring pics and ideas!
5. Support unions and similar organizations. "Divide and conquer" is the goal of the capitalist/oppressor. Taking away power from the worker means people suffer. Without unions we can be treated unfairly, lose our jobs, get harassed, etc. Obey or be gone - or dead in many cases - either murdered or from starvation.
6. Consume less and buy locally. Workers in China, for example, have no rights. More goods does not mean more happiness. Look to share instead.
7. Welcome immigrants. We all are immigrants, including many indigenous peoples. Watch for a future post on this.
8. Share what you have. Churches, mosques, universities, businesses should fill their oft empty spaces with the homeless. How fair is it to leave a building empty much of the time? People with cottages use their second homes a few weeks of a year. Shame. Why is this accepted/legal? I better watch it I'm sounding like a communist. 
9. Make the climate emergency a priority in your life and country. The poor, Creation and others are suffering now. Scientists say we have 12 years max. to do something! That includes the above things. It requires a practicing of what you say. It means do what your religion, spirituality etc. say. Not driving, not flying, not supporting corporations that rape the earth ... opposing military budgets [almost $1000000000000 in U.S.] ... 
10. Have hope. As Cornell West says:

Hope and optimism are different. Optimism tends to be based on the notion that there's enough evidence out there to believe things are gonna be better, much more rational, deeply secular, whereas hope looks at the evidence and says, "It doesn't look good at all. Doesn't look good at all. Gonna go beyond the evidence to create new possibilities based on visions that become contagious to allow people to engage in heroic actions always against the odds, no guarantee whatsoever." That's hope. I'm a prisoner of hope, though. Gonna die a prisoner of hope.

Notre-Dame Cathedral Burns Like Fuel In Your Car, Plane, Butt

Fire burns the 'great' cathedral
People crying
History lost
Coverage all over the world

Fire burns your fossil fuels
Fire burns inside internal combustion engines
Fire burns to lift the plane that delivers your 'Amazon'
Fire burns to take you to your vacation spot

Fire burns the forests in Canada and U.S.
Drought came first
Greed came first
"Give me convenience or give me death"

No connect-i-on-s with climate change/dis-ruption
No world coverage
Keep it a secret
What's the score in the latest 'game'?

What's the score of diminishing resources?
What's the score on lack of clean drinkable water?
How's the game of clean air?
What's the score on the toxins in your food?
What the count of endless living organisms murdered by spraying fossil fuels on the land?
[used to make herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers: and very delicious and nourishing and safe: TRUST the company that profits from selling them!]

The climate emergency is more important than a relic
Representing taking money from the poor 
To make the obedient, rich and clergy feel safe
Built with slave labour

God doesn't live in temples
S/he lives among the poor and oppressed
Seen through the hope-full and wonder-full Creat-i-on
For there we find release

As greedy people, of all COLOURS/races
Devour each other and Creation
Destroying the very children: human and nonhuman
Of the Creator

For Creation reveals the great-ness and good-ness of God
Let us do all we can to protect it [we are it]
It is God's [or reason's/universe's/Buddha's/etc ad nauseum] demand
It is essential:

O LORD my God, you are very great;

you are clothed with splendor and majesty [nature].

He wraps himself in light as with a garment;

he sretches out the heavens like a tent

and lays the beams of his upper chambers on the water.

He makes the clouds his chariot

and rides on the wings of the wind. 

He makes winds his messengers [or angels],

flames of fire his servants.....

He waters the mountains from his upper chambers [yes rain is good!];

the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work.

He makes grass grow for the cattle, 

and plants for man to cultivate-

bringing forth food from the earth:

wine that gladdens the heart of man...

The lions roar for their prey

and seek their food from God...

How many are your works, O LORD!

In wisdom you made them all;

the earth is full of YOUR creatures.....

These all look to you

to give them their food at the proper time...

When you hide your face,

they are terrified...

When you send your Spirit,

they are created,

and you renew the face of the earth.

May the glory [nature] of the LORD endure FOREVER;

may the LORD rejoice in his works [nature].

Praise the LORD, O my soul.

Praise the LORD.

Psalm 104 NIV

"Biblical" Marriage: Not What You Think!

Most evangelical "Christians" dream about a heavenly biblical marriage. With-holding sex from them-selves and their partners, they want to "save" "it" for that "special" person. Sure is odd that they can do everything, including anal, but oh no...not the vagina. For this discussion see my post Dirty Girl Purity Cults Exposed

But it relates here as we think about what a truly "biblical" marriage is. Let's first separate the "biblical" version [or any marriage] from the Hollywood version. It takes work, maturity and more work. Now to the gist of what a "biblical" marriage is like. Let's make it clear that the bible, like any literature, must be interpreted. And there may be many different interpretations to contend with. But here's some pretty clear lessons from the bible and the culture it came from::

1. Marriages are arranged. Parents chose your future spouse.
2. You are about 12 years old, if a girl; 14 if a boy.
3. It is mainly an exchange to increase the wealth of your parents.Perhaps they will get sheep, land, gold....How many sheep are you worth?
4. You may not meet your "lover" till the "celebratory" day.
4. a. It should be clear this is not a romantic relationship! Keep reading those fantasy books and watching those films.
5. If your brand new husband is wealthy, you have to contend with numerous wives and concubines for his attention! The more babies the better. So that means, he needs more baby machines. Are you ready?
6. Sex is about baby production. Many church fathers protested God, "why do I have to do that horrid thing with that horrid thing to get a baby?".
7. Yea, women [were] are property. And horrid at that! As in many Muslim countries, even today, men do not associate with this underclass. Same goes for synagogues and some churches. Forget going to the movies holding hands!
8. If you screw up, the man has the right to send you to the streets. Jesus chastised the Pharisees for such abusive attitudes.
9. No Netflix.And no "netflix and chill" either! It's all about work: baby care, cook, clean, grow food, chop wood, sew clothes,.... without recognition of course. No room for any fat Suzies! [Watching too much Family Guy].
10. Paul opposed marriage. He saw it for the weak. Isn't it odd that the church demands marriage. What a surprise the church ignores most of the bible. You are not  a woman [or man] if you don't marry.

While you may deny this is biblical, pull out the good ole book and you'll see! Or do what most Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Republicans, Conservatives, Liberals, Communists....do: Pick And Chose! Good luck everybody else!