"The sword, with which to fight injustice. This mask, with which to deceive tyranny. And this hat, which needs blocking." ~Don Diego (aka Zorro) inheriting his destiny. Zorro, The Gay Blade
rowing up, my least favorite time at church was the Offering/Tithe call of the service. It always felt like as if I were sitting is a spiritual television room and now had to suffer through a commercial break where various salesmen pitched their wares, all for the spiritual good mind you, of funding various Ponzi schemes under the guise of missions to various countries (i.e. the savages, Barbarians, etc...) to spread the gospel, which always varied, but always consisted of the type of blackmail which would build a hospital with the caveat patients and staff both would have to support the religious organization. Healing was dependent on having to listen to the religious zeal parading through your room, waiting room and even the doctor's office. Service is provided for free, but with a price, at least a 10% cut of all your earnings. It was religious taxation privatized and if one didn't contribute (pay), the church leadership would follow up and try to collect. Evangelism is a business, and an ethically questionable one at that which is also closed tied to politics which historically have soaked the earth and humanity with massive amounts of innocent blood regardless of which religion the soldiers wear. So no one has any illusions that I am persecuting any one particular spirituality or political adherent, this concept of "a good or righteous life" expressed in all beliefs comes with a price. One of the questions I hear thrown out alot is "Who pays or is going to pay for it?" determines the acceptability and righteousness of a society in Political/Religious means. For the fundamentalist/Conservative, any services to alleviate poverty rest upon those in poverty to pay for it. The rich are not to bear that burden except for themselves. Any suggestion of their tax money going to help alleviate suffering of others equates to Socialism. Even though they utilize socialist institutions such as fire services, police services, school services etc.... They are paying not only for themselves, but for the community as well which includes those unable to contribute. The alternative is the Privatization of Police and Fire-where one pays for protection of ones own property while their neighbors house is looted or burns to the ground. Everything comes with a cost, and those able to meet the cost deserve to be saved. The variations are many, one of which is to get help one must give up their freedoms in exchange (i.e. religious, economic, privacy etc...) for a particular service/good/belief/control. It is a daily ongoing choice and transaction in daily life under any secular or religious system/institution. Objections come when people are marginalized in those interactions. The question of payment is disingenuous, and translates to "I don't want to play any part in easing suffering of my community, people."
his idea of transaction is not new. It has been around since the dawn of man and rightly can be said to be based in natural law. It is a universal concept that goes way beyond economics (which is a perverted form of it and translates into greed and not fair or even humane exchange). Dr. Eduardo Durran (Psychologist) illustrates natural law as it pertain to addictions (the exchange of self for the spirit of the substance): "As you approach the drink there is intention in your mind. The intention also has a wish that you place on the drink and this wish connects to the spirit of alcohol. These intentions are serious and generate a contract with the spirit of alcohol (Don't worry this will get even weirder as we go along but remember that the spirit of alcohol is baffling and cunning). A contract is when you have a mutual agreement with someone right? Well, when you drink alcohol, it tells your spirit that it will give you something and it always does as you know. Every time you drink you will get some kind of buzz or high or whatever. That is the spirit of alcohol fulfilling its part of the bargain. Now it's your turn to pay because you cannot get something for nothing…remember natural law. Spirit wants spirit, so when it comes time to pay your end of the contract, you have to pay in spiritual currency. This usually translates into a life..." This concept is not just an indigenous peoples belief, but is also found in Jungian Psychology, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) as well as Psychological Model of Transactional Analysis (TA), and in the world of the Artist. For TA, the premises is Human interactions is a series of transactions with goods being exchanged back and forth. Those goods can be psychological, sexual, social and even spiritual in nature and in healthy transactions, everyone avoids placing the other person at a disadvantage or in an exploitive relationship-however minor. It emphasizes clear and healthy communication, transparency and consent. For the Artist, the exchange comes in they place their work into the community for not only their own well being but for the betterment of society. The cost is exposing their soul to the outer world, letting people glance a brief snapshot of their inner life. People respond in numerous different ways, both positive and negative. They purchase the piece, give feed back (both positive and negative) to the artist about the work and the artist watches as they release their creation out into the world, helpless as to how the world responds. It is a profoundly personal and spiritual risk/exchange, and also explains why many Artist are solitary in preference, because such a process is also painful from creation to release which at times places their physical safety at risk from predatory members of their own species.
s irony would have it, even the most blissful, adventurous and ordinary events in our life have a cost, as the 3 wishes scenarios tell us. We wish to rob a creature of its gold, and then we complain when we encounter cunning, guile and resistance in the being giving up the gold and giving us something alternate in return. Instead of just liberating the Genie from enslavement, we have to get our pound of flesh first out of him. Riches (can mean many things), satisfaction (rest with us internally and is also quite fluid in definition), Power (can always be lost), Long life (definitions vary and is relative. In the renaissance age 80 was ancient and by age 16 if one were not married they were an "Old maid". Tir na Nog one may not age but a step back into the mortal realm is fatal. There is a tangible cost, a price to pay, even in our spiritual lives. Karma happens regardless, but we become more aware of it if we become more mindful of it-hopefully from a simple survival point of view and not to try and manipulate Karma to our own ends. If one has purchased our salvation for us, we are not recused from living a spiritual life and in a spiritual mindset. We do not get to go along our merry way with an "Advance to Go and collect $200" card as we devour a full course meal with starving populace outside our gates. "Put your faith in Allah, but tie up your camel." (Quote from a Sinbad movie). It is a bitter pill to swallow, that when people ask for justice or relief from suffering most are not doing so with the expectation of getting something for nothing but are asking from a position of suffering which has lasted far longer and intensely than it should have. Medicare (In the United States) for the elderly and those in long term care has a clause for seizing patients homes if the cost of care exceeds set limits (as if a person has control over their illness or disability). We will continue to provide you medical services, but you have to become homeless in the process. I have seen this with my own eyes with friends I know. I am sure the response is policy is being followed, or that is the law. But somehow I always here the Alcalde's Wife Florina at this point, "You know, as the Alcalde's wife I must play many, many, many roles but the people only see the roles I play in public. Only a few, select friends know my private parts." Someone may say, there is no need to be snarky, and my reply is yes there is and under the circumstances I have not been snarky enough. I've given you a discount on your foolishness instead of exacting payment in full.
ne particularly enduring tale which had survived the passing of ages in the village, was a simply one but many observations but nevertheless was probably told more than any of the others. Visitors were always asking about it, at least once or twice when they were in the village. The residents told the tale, but usually within their own homes but also at festivals as well. It went something like this:
Rhys had a restless spirit, and was always on the move. It was thought he had travelers blood in him but even among the travelers he was restless and could not stay with them. His wagon was often discovered far from their encampments, although he would often visit them and was always welcome. One evening he sat upon an outcropping of rock overlooking a waterfall and with a clear view of the moonlit valley below, sparkling as if it were the jeweled chest of some great giant. The moon sat full and bright, with a ring of cloud around it and suddenly a longing in him grew to go to the moon and see this orb no others had visited. "I wish I could go there a walk those mountains I see hints of, or travel the great plains or sail the oceans which must be there. Life can be so dreary here." He sighed deeply, rose and went to his bed in his wagon and fell asleep. He woke to a bright silvery light making its way through his shutters, and without thinking he opened his door to take in the morning but was met with a sky of blackness, except for a bright blue globe upon the horizon. As far as the eye could see there was silver and white sand, gray rocks/mountains in the distance, the source of the light he could not see but suspected it to be the sun as there was warmth to it, although the light here was white like the sand and sharper it seemed. His horses were no where to be seen, and the sand covered the bottom of his wagon wheels. It gave underneath his feet as if he were on a shore but chimed softly with each footstep. He felt no hunger or no thirst and when he attempted to take in a deep breath he did not get the rush of air as he usually did but it was not unpleasant. While Rhys possessed a good amount of wisdom, understandably it took him a while to realize somehow his wish had come true. He would have to explore, and hope food and water presented themselves along the way. All we know of his exploration and travels is a secret, beyond it being wonderous beyond his dreams but in the end, finding himself back at the wagon once again he found a longing took hold of him. He had not slept, eaten or drank since he had come here, and missed the taste of fresh bread, a wedge of cheese or cold stream water. He missed sleeping late or staying up late at night, watching the stars. There were none here he could see, even through the black wall he discovered which spanned as far as the eye could see. While beautiful still, he grew to weary of the moon and took to staying in his cabin where the light still managed to get in, and he could not sleep. He covered his eyes and forced himself into darkness in hope he would dream or at least sleep. He started up from slumber, the covering falling from his eyes. He had heard and felt a thump. Opening his door he found the view of the valley greeting him, a cool breeze embracing him and the smell of sausages and eggs from the traveler caravan not far away. In the far distance as a small disk in the sky hung the moon, just resting upon the tips of the mountains. Looking knowingly at him, and Rhys thinking he glimpsed a slight wink from the moon if he hadn't known better.
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