Hypothermically Speaking

The last two days Facebook has been aglow with all kinds of posts and reposts pertaining to marriage equality. Today, on my way to Goodwill to unload some furniture, I was scanning the feed and saw a repost that I automatically began reading into. You can see it at the head of this post, and if you would I’d ask that you read into it, too.

I asked my beloved about this, and he almost instantly admitted that it was over his head. Truly, he doesn’t know much about different cultures or religions, or their histories or modern expressions.

Not to imply that any of the following is an opinion of mine, allow me to at least share a few passing thoughts that resulted form viewed the repost above on Facebook:

It seems to be a pretty obvious jab at Christianity and it’s current insistence that gay marriage is morally apprehensible. Christians, are in the same religious family as Jews and Muslims. The biblical Abraham was the father of Judaism, which in turn fathered Christianity. Islam is a related “cousin” or something – related, just not as directly. Judaism is something like the second oldest living, organized religion on the globe – only slightly younger than Hinduism. As far as I know Judaism differs from the other two main Abrahamic faiths in that it doesn’t aggressively seek converts. While it seems to do well at holding grudges, it also seems far less oppressive or inclined to force its way of living on others. But – it also views itself a THE group most loved by God, indeed God’s “chosen people,” which is certainly arrogant and exclusive.

It certainly seems detrimental to put you or your people on any kind of pedestal, but perhaps it’s okay to be entirely full of yourself if you don’t force it onto others? Would the world be a better place if the apple hadn’t fallen so far from the tree and Christians were more like Jews? You tell me.

Om Shanti

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Opinionated, instigating post #1: (Ekam)Sat Nam

Apparently, the world needs to know my thoughts on a few things, including the theater shooting in Denver, the shooting at a Sikh temple, and gun ownership. I have many thoughts on these matters and I’ll do my best to keep them organized and well-written, in effort to make your reading as painless as possible. Here we go…

Firstly, it goes without saying that the two incidents mentioned above are heinous. I’ll refrain from going too much into how tragic I feel these events are. My heart goes out to those who caused and were affected by these events.

The Denver Theater Shooting:  

This seems to be getting much less television air time lately, which surprises me. James Holmes seems to be a pretty messed up individual, but likely not more so than anyone else. All verifiable mental illness aside, I think each of us acts based on how we perceive, process, and manage stimuli. Actually, I think our sciences prove this. The worst to deal with is that which seems to come from within. In fact, that which comes from within is the toughest because it automatically is perceived to be reality, when it often is not. Haven’t you ever just known that your spouse was doing something specifically to spite you, and when you dug deeper it turned out they weren’t even aware they were doing it, let alone that it was something that bothered you?

Emotions are invariably tough to control, but it’s possible with even a little effort. The mind on the other hand is immensely difficult to subdue, and unlike emotions, for most people will require perpetual guarding to maintain any control that is gained. So, if someone doesn’t have control over their own emotions (and most do not), they are also very unlikely to be in control of their mind (also to be said of most folks, and is applicable in reverse since a controlled mind is used to lasso emotions), and this has proven to produce a reactive individual (which most people are).

Because of this, our prayers and thoughts are well spent on the lives and states of people today; people like Mr. Holmes. Yes, fine, pray for the victims. It won’t do as much good as you think. What’s done is done and through this horrible event they’ve been released from their most recent opportunity to exhaust various karmas. They’re on their way to their next cycle of physical existence (or maybe not), as dictated by their karmas and samskaras and will proceed in the best way they are able.

A better use for the prayers offered as a result of something like this is for an improved and education and poised mental state of humanity in general during our time. We’re ignorant in every aspect of our operating existence and we’re reactive – often making choices based on anything but reality. And so in our delusion we end up likening ourselves to Batman’s Joker character and shooting at crowds in a theater.     

The Sikh Gurdwara Shooting:

I should firstly admit that, while I know little about the theater shooting, I know even less about the gurdwara shooting. However, I think this event is less complicated. A fool mistook one group of people for another and started killing. This actually should set a very poignant example for everyone. This idiot was so ignorant in the middle of his hate, and blinded because of it, that he didn’t even kill the ones he meant to kill. Looping this back to the lesson of Maya from the Denver shooting, we find another great example of how very stupid our entrapment within the physical confines of existence can make us. I mean, if you’re going to be stupid enough to plan to kill, at least make sure you have the right target, no? Fools.