Right & Wrong

When Bankei held his seclusion-weeks of meditation, pupils from many parts of Japan came to attend. During one of these gatherings a pupil was caught stealing. The matter was reported to Bankei with the request that the culprit be expelled. Bankei ignored the case.

Later the pupil was caught in a similar act, and again Bankei disregarded the matter. This angered the other pupils, who drew up a petition asking for the dismissal of the thief, stating that otherwise they would leave in a body.

When Bankei had read the petition he called everyone before him. “You are wise brothers,” he told them. “You know what is right and what is not right. You may go somewhere else to study if you wish, but this poor brother does not even know right from wrong. Who will teach him if I do not? I am going to keep him here even if all the rest of you leave.”

A torrent of tears cleansed the face of the brother who had stolen. All desire to steal had vanished.

The image is of Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. ~sekanblogger

For a picture of the seated bodhisattva

I CAN RIDE FIFTY-FIVE!

It started out just an errand, I needed something from the store and the choice was car or the 1100 cc Honda shadow? The sun is out and the temp not too bad so an easy choice in my mind. Speaking of my mind, heavy with thoughts and worries in a world that seems to get more insane with each sunrise. I need some relief from feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders.

Over ten years ago my wings has failed me, I loved my 650 but it had been a compromise after turning twenty-four. Years before I had made myself a promise:  I would have a Harley by twenty-four and a Helicopter by thirty-eight.  A Harley remained out of my price range so the Cherry red 1980 Yamaha 650 special came into my life.

That damnable maturity and responsibility!  When the bike broke down the choice was clear.  The money could go to keeping a car going that would carry the likes of a wife and three kids or to fix a motor cycle that would carry me.

In the years since there always seemed a hole in my life, something missing. And either through maturity or simply not wanting to admit it, I kept ignoring what caused that hole.  Over a year ago the answer suddenly came clear, my brother-in-law brought his bike down in the back of his pick-up. Getting my help in off loading it came with a price. I would get to ride it out to where my wife worked and I would pull the same joke I did after buying my last bike. “Look honey what I bought!”

It’s not Al Qaeda that scares me

It’s another week of bits and pieces. Although really, as I write this, my heart is singing the Stone’s “Shattered” more so than Joan Jett’s “Bits and Pieces”.

My heart is splintered into millions of pieces contemplating the cold blooded, religiously motivated murder of Dr. George Tiller. The American Taliban has won another round of domestic terrorism. Like it or not, Tiller was performing legal, and constitutionally protected medical procedures when a religious wacko assassinated him. And it was an assassination meant to intimidate other doctors performing other legal, constitutionally protected procedures. That’s terrorism, no matter how you slice it up.

Don’t like the laws? Think they are immoral, unconstitutional? Fine. In America, we have a process to change the laws. And despite winning the presidential elections 5 of the last 8 times, and conservative republicans being in control of Congress from 1994 until 2007, and republican presidents appointing the majority of the US Supreme Court, conservatives have not been able to change the laws that make abortion legal, or overturn Roe v Wade.

So what’s the next step for this lawless bunch? Assassination. Tiller is the FOURTH doctor gunned down by a religious bigot since 1993. I guess for those folks, imposing THEIR will is more important than the rule of law. Could someone tell me why these people hate the US constitution?

I’d also like to ask a question of the bigots that aided, encouraged, and supported these political assassins and terrorists over the last 16 years. My question is, how does it feel to successfully become identical to Al Qaeda? Brothers in blood and terrorism. The American Taliban “don’t need no stinkin’ laws”. They have guns and a network of domestic terrorists to support them. Welcome to the land of the “free”, the home of the brave, and the rule of domestic terrorism over law.

Chris Rock, a comedian I am sure is not popular in Bleeding Kansas, said one time that as a black man, he wasn’t nearly as afraid of Al Qaeda as he was of Al Cracker. Meaning that redneck, gun totin’ religious bigots were far more likely to be a danger to his safety than any foreigners. I’m quite sure Matthew Shepard would agree. So would James Byrd. And so do I, having had experience with the WaKeeney Taliban. So chalk up another violent win bigots. The real threat to the safety and welfare of many Americans is not coming from foreign soil. When it comes to pure terrorism, nothing stops these religious zealots determined to force their will on everyone, laws and courts be damned.

And could someone remind me when the last time a “liberal” shot up a church or assassinated someone with whom they disagreed? Yeah. I don’t know of any incident of that either. Why are those behind the guns always conservatives? The guy who shot up the church in Tennessee said he wanted to kill every Democrat in Congress. But instead, he bloodied up a church that was a reconciled congregation and accepted openly gay members and their families. That was such a crime to this bigot, spurred on by Bernard Goldberg’s book “100 People Screwing Up America” that he entered the church and killed in cold blood. And before you bring your pitchforks and torches after me, those were the killer’s words, not mine. HE said he wanted to kill every Democrat in Congress, and everyone listed in Goldberg’s book.

I don’t think you have to think too hard to understand the truth as stated in this bumper sticker: “Jesus, save me from your followers”.

Those of us who believe in religious freedom and the rule of law must not allow domestic terrorists like Scott Roeder, Operation Rescue, and the Army of God to win by murder. To do so would dishonor every American soldier who ever went into battle to defend the constitution, religious freedom, and the rule of law. People gave their lives to protect the constitution and the laws it guides. Allowing domestic terrorists to win is a slap in the face to anyone who loves democracy. Without laws, and respect for them, even when you disagree, America is no better than Afghanistan.

Anyone looking to quote scripture during this sad and blood soaked period of American history should look no further than the shortest verse in the Bible.

”Jesus wept.”

And so should we all.

prairiepond

I Wish I Could Go Back Home… And Stay…

Phillip is one of the nicest people I have ever met.  I know his heart is in the right place, but I can’t understand the WE Blog’s current course.  It could be, that Phillip doesn’t understand it either.

Rhonda Holman is a great writer.  She is one of the most impressive editorial writers I have ever met.  She is just brilliant.

I will never forget the night that TC’s son had to climb through a window to get Rhonda’s coat on a cold January night.

Back to the topic of this thread:  I’d like to go home, but I am thinking that such a journey is no longer possible for me…  I am sad, but accepting of this truth.

Iggy Donnelly

Wednesday, 06/03/09 Public Square,

The more you want to know, the more you wonder, the more you search for answers, and the more you realize you don’t know.  What is on your mind today?

fnord