Those of us who have the basic comforts of food, shelter, clothing and medical care and who are willing to share their good fortune with those who aren't so fortunate are the best among us. They are charitable people who are also aware enough about life to realize that hard work is not the only means of securing the necessities of life and that these necessities ought to be entitlements in any free and progressive human society. The best among us know that there are many individuals who are more than willing to work for these entitlements but do not have that opportunity for various legitimate reasons, including a waning national economy.
Those who "have not" are not necessarily unmotivated and irresponsible. The element of luck has much to do with one's success in life and only the selfish among us who "have" will contest that notion. When opportunity knocks it is often an event of pure chance.
If you are someone who has the basic entitlements of food, clothing, shelter and medical care, you are obligated as a citizen of a free and progressive society to share your good fortune with fellow citizens who are less fortunate. Freedom means nothing if the benefits of freedom are not shared and enjoyed by all.
Those who "have not" are not necessarily unmotivated and irresponsible. The element of luck has much to do with one's success in life and only the selfish among us who "have" will contest that notion. When opportunity knocks it is often an event of pure chance.
If you are someone who has the basic entitlements of food, clothing, shelter and medical care, you are obligated as a citizen of a free and progressive society to share your good fortune with fellow citizens who are less fortunate. Freedom means nothing if the benefits of freedom are not shared and enjoyed by all.
There are no natural guarantees in life except the struggle between the stark, cold reality of survival and the dream of paradise that lurks within us all.
Freedom is not guaranteed to any of us. It must be fought for and, once secured, it must be guarded with the highest conscience and the purest values we can muster toward its survival in the dynamic and evolving culture in which we live our daily lives.
Like freedom, peace comes with no guarantee of longevity. Peace must be nourished with a continued absence of conflict between ourselves and others and cultivated with the benefit of prosperity, which is the fruit of peace.
And when peace is harvested and enjoyed on a daily basis, alongside the prosperity that a lasting peace inevitably produces, a guarantee of freedom is being written for us each and every day.
Freedom is not guaranteed to any of us. It must be fought for and, once secured, it must be guarded with the highest conscience and the purest values we can muster toward its survival in the dynamic and evolving culture in which we live our daily lives.
Like freedom, peace comes with no guarantee of longevity. Peace must be nourished with a continued absence of conflict between ourselves and others and cultivated with the benefit of prosperity, which is the fruit of peace.
And when peace is harvested and enjoyed on a daily basis, alongside the prosperity that a lasting peace inevitably produces, a guarantee of freedom is being written for us each and every day.
Religious freedom also means freedom from religion.
Far too many of the evil deeds committed by mankind throughout history have been the erroneous and selfish deeds of the followers of organized religions. Deeply religious people have never been part of the solution to a lasting peace on planet Earth. They are, and always have been, part of the problem. The very act of worship is a denial of the equality of all beings.
A new era of enlightenment is upon us now. It is showing us that, among other things, life is a lesson book for the spirit. Recognize the truths that life exposes to us every day and become an enlightened citizen whose primary goal is to seek the truth and then live by it.
Far too many of the evil deeds committed by mankind throughout history have been the erroneous and selfish deeds of the followers of organized religions. Deeply religious people have never been part of the solution to a lasting peace on planet Earth. They are, and always have been, part of the problem. The very act of worship is a denial of the equality of all beings.
A new era of enlightenment is upon us now. It is showing us that, among other things, life is a lesson book for the spirit. Recognize the truths that life exposes to us every day and become an enlightened citizen whose primary goal is to seek the truth and then live by it.
