What Motivates Us in a Time of Need?

I am doing quite well, at the moment.

This pandemic, and the resulting economic strains, it has put on some people has not affected me the way it has many others. I have been collecting OAS and CPP along with the guaranteed income supplement, so my income has not changed. The fact that I am getting the supplement shows that I am in the lowest bracket for those who depend on those age benefits, but it is enough and I believe I am living better than I ever did while employed. I have always lived below the poverty line, but I have never faced starvation and was only homeless for short periods. When it comes to government handouts, I am satisfied with what I have, and I really do not need more. At a time of crisis, let us concentrate on everyone having enough before we go on demanding more.

It seems that a time of crisis brings out the best and the worst in people. Many are working hard to bring this crisis under control. People are struggling and others are helping. People are risking death to keep others from dying. Some are doing without so others will have enough. These are the selfless ones that put others before themselves.

On the other side, we see the greedy. These ones are only concerned with their own well being and could care less if you starve or die of the pandemic. They are the ones who have earned and saved enough, often at the expense of those less fortunate, that they can now afford to go out and hoard goods so they will have plenty at a time of shortage. This action has effected a shortage, so they have caused the event that they prepared themselves for. Our economy is based on supply and demand, so, when demand is high, prices will naturally increase. The ones who could not afford to hoard will now have to pay higher prices if they can get their supplies at all. Manufacturers will benefit from this as the public turns from asking, “Can I get this at a good price?” to “Can I get this?” In this way, we see money siphoned from the poor into the hands of the rich.

Greed also appears among many as they attempt to seek financial benefit from the pandemic. If others are getting aid, they feel they are also entitled, although they do not really need it. It seems strange that those forced out of employment should get more from staying home than those on a fixed income, but, perhaps, their needs are greater. Since I live on a fixed income, I am renting a townhouse with low rent that is within my means. Someone who is paying a much higher rent, or paying off a huge mortgage, may be at risk of losing their homes. They may need temporary help in dollar amounts more than my fixed income. Perhaps, when they are back working again, they should be required to pay a little back each week, but first, let us get through this crisis and see where we stand at that time.

One common thing about people who have succeeded in the financial world is that they tend to turn setbacks into opportunities. Perhaps we do the same with a pandemic. If I start a charity to help those in need, I will look like I am a great guy, and I can pocket some cash myself. That sounds like a win, win situation. Therefore, many false charities arise that earn a lot of money for the charity, but very little gets to the people who need it. This is the epitome of greed. These are ones who take advantage of the disadvantaged for personal gain.

For everything, there is a purpose. Many times, we do not realize what is happening until we analyze it later. During a crisis, our energies are bent on ending the crises. After it is over, we can take time to reflect on what we have learned from it. If we learn our lessons well, the test will not need to be repeated. Unfortunately, humans can be slow learners, and it will take many disasters before we learn our lessons. My greatest fear is that we will not learn what we must at this time and other pandemics, much worse than this one, will fall upon us.

Scripture has foretold of times like these. As I was writing about how this crisis is bringing out the best and the worst of human nature, I could not help but think of the following scripture.

    When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.”

    Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, “Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?”

    And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

    Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.”

    Then shall they also answer him, saying, “Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?”

    Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, “Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.” And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.       ^{(Matthew 25: 31-46)}

God already knows our hearts. This dividing is for our benefit. By looking within our own hearts, we learn of our true nature, and, if we are wise, we will learn from it before it is too late. We must examine our every action and determine our motivation for such action. Are we working toward self-benefit or are we doing what needs to be done to help everyone? Are we willing to sacrifice to help others or do we expect others to sacrifice for our benefit? Do we see ourselves as individuals or are we a part of a greater whole?

This is not meant to be an easy test where everyone passes. It is tough and it will determine if we have made the grade.

Armageddon

The Common Enemy

Nothing unites people faster than having a common enemy. Today, we have that. It is so small we can’t see it and so horrible that it kills without remorse.

Mankind has had wars and rumours of wars. Although one country, established by war, has been at war through most of its existence, they could find no enemy worse than themselves, and it was the civil war in the 1860’s that caused the most devastation to themselves. But have we learned our lesson?

Throughout the world, we have seen war and disaster. Both natural and manmade catastrophes have caused mayhem in various areas. Yet many of us were comforted by thinking, “It can’t happen here.” Now there is a virus. It started in a small area but has spread worldwide. It is happening everywhere, and if there are pockets of people that have not been affected, they are consumed in the fear of it.

I am not sure what is worse, the virus or the fear of it. I am more afraid of the fear and what that has done, and may yet do, to people. The fear has led to panic and panic leads to doing unreasonable things. At this time, it is more important than ever to remain calm, so I am not going to talk about the evils of this enemy, but I want to concentrate on how it is bringing us together in a world unity never before seen.

What has kept me calm is the knowledge that God is in control. Yes, I may catch the virus and I may die, but this life on earth is for a short time and we have eternity to think about. When God decides that it is time to call me home, I will be thrilled to go.

Yet, such days as these have been prophesied in the traditions of most religions. It is a sign of God’s displeasure. At a time when so many have turned their backs on God, when some deny His existence, and others start wars in His name, is it not the time for a wakeup call? He has, more recently, sent us a message of love and unity. He has told us he doesn’t want us to fight and that we must learn to get along together. Those of us who have heard the call have been given the task to spread it to others. Yet denial and stubbornness have resisted the call, and apathy has caused us to turn elsewhere for answers.

Have we finally reached the days of Armageddon? We were expecting a great foe but not one that was so small we couldn’t see it. We did not know it could hide on friends and relations. Those on the front lines of the most dangerous war we ever fought must constantly screen themselves to be assured that the enemy is not taking a ride on their own bodies. Without training, they are finding themselves thrust to the front line fighting an enemy that they know little about.

This is an amazing unity that the world has never seen. All over the world, the scene is being played out. Doctors, nurses, lab technicians, and everyone else in the medical profession has been called to the front to combat the enemy. All others stand in support of these fighters. In this, the whole world stands as one. Yet there are a few who would sow seeds of dissension. I have heard the rumors of conspiracy, seen the actions of greed, witnessed panic-stricken individuals out the protect themselves without thought of how it would affect others. But let us not concentrate on that. These are seeds sown by the enemy. We need to stand united to win this war. This time it is the entire population of the earth that is under attack and we must unite in our efforts if we want to eradicate the enemy.

In Matthew 24 verse 22 we find these words of comfort. “except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.” We know that God loves us. Although we may be witnessing the results of our error, we know that God will intervene and protect us from our own selves when necessary. He is patiently waiting for us to return His love. Unless we love Him, we can never feel the love He has for us.

Social distancing means that we can no longer gather for prayer, but we can still pray. More and more online prayer meetings are being arranged, so we can still pray together. Those who have been housebound due to injury or illness, and not been able to attend physical meetings,  can now join us.

This current crisis has given us an opportunity to unite. Let us now take advantage of this so we can shorten the days and prevent future crises.  

What If?

When I wrote "THE ALTERNATIVE," my question was, What if one person did something differently? Could the USA Civil War have been averted? Since that time, I have been asked to write something about American Aboriginal History, but was waiting for the right "what if" question. Today it came to me. What if the Americas had discovered Europe? Perhaps the violent nature of the Europeans had caused a delay in the development of ships. Thus, one hundred years later, the American people had a shipping industry that could reach Europe. What would their impression be of these warring Europeans? Would these ones have aided the original explorers the way the original inhabitants of this land helped the first European settlers?

When I write, I must get into the heads of my characters. If I refer to actual figures from history, I must study their character and have them react to my fictional setting in a natural way. Thus, If I am to write a fictional history where the original inhabitants of this land conquered Europe, I would need to study the nature of the participants of the story and apply my what-if scenario then predict how they would react to that.

Many Newspapers consider this too dangerous to print.

Many Newspapers consider this too dangerous to print.

One newspaper told me that they would need to remove all religious messaging if they are to print it.

Why are they so afraid of God? Read and tell me what is to be feared.

Is the Fugitive Slave Chapel of London, Ontario worth saving? In the year 2013, a lot of people thought so. The Fugitive Slave Chapel Preservation Project (FSCPP) was formed on March 22, 2013, and financial support from the public was phenomenal. I was skeptical, but when I saw the huge army of God’s Angels who met in March of 2013, I soon joined their forces.

It is interesting to note that the building had been abandoned and forgotten about until James Donnelly, who owned the building and land it was on at the time, applied for a demolition permit. If he hadn’t done that the ancient edifice would likely have fallen down on its own. When news of the application was released, many Londoners immediately arose with the call, “Save the Chapel.”

Mr. Donnelly was very cooperative as he also has an interest in heritage. He very generously donated the building to Beth Emanuel Church with the stipulation that the Church would cover the cost of having the building moved. Beth Emanuel owned a lot beside the church and it proved to be an ideal location for a new home for the displaced building. Beth Emanuel Church had been built in 1869 at 430 Grey Street to replace the original edifice that was originally located at 275 Thames Street.

Early attempts at fundraising had raised a sizable amount, but not enough to move the building. By November of 2013, enthusiasm had waned and there were only three people left that were actively working on the project. A couple of months prior I had replaced the original chair of the FSCPP. We believed this project was in the Hands of God and through prayer, the two cents worth campaign was conceived. Many want to give their two cents worth so we would give them the opportunity. We translated the two-cent value to what it was worth in 1850 when the original chapel was built. Back then a labourer would work a twelve hour day for one dollar. With minimum wage being about $10 per hour in 2013, we estimated two cents in 1850 to be worth about $2.50 in 2013. The reaction was amazing. Cheques representing $2.50 per family member came from many families. The first day news of the campaign had been released, one lady donated $10,000 dollars to this worthy cause.

Is the Fugitive Slave Chapel worth saving? First came the outcry from the heritage community, then thousands joined in with financial support. Many Londoners and others from various places across Canada replied with a solid “YES.”

Early fundraising was very successful, but as enthusiasm waned, donations dwindled. Once the fundraising efforts were turned over to our Creator, the enthusiasm returned and money rolled in allowing us to begin making solid plans for the move in March of 2014. But just as fundraising effort had gotten bogged down in discussions of “How to raise the money,” now the final plans for the actual move were bogged down in red tape. Again, through prayer, the FSCPP broke through this barrier. Although solid plans seemed to be taking forever to formulate, things began to move very quickly in October of 2014. Prayer had brought us another angel in the form of Jordan Zekveld who became the project manager.

It was mainly through the efforts of Mr. Zekveld that all the resources needed for the move were brought together. Excavation began on October 20, 2014, and 23 days later, all was ready for the move. Mr. Zekveld personally set the forms for the foundation and the basement walls that the 164-year-old building was to be set on. He then acted as foreman for the pouring of the cement, working along with a group of volunteers that he had picked. None worked harder than Mr. Zekveld himself who had also volunteered all of his time.

Then, on November 12, 2014, the building was moved. This was a great day with lots of media attention. Television, radio and newspaper crews could be seen everywhere along the route. Plus an aggregate of Londoners filled the streets to watch this historic event.

Now that the Chapel is sitting on its new foundation it is again running the risk of falling apart due to neglect. Access had been given to many interested in the architectural design of this edifice and the physical aspects of the building have been well documented. Much money has been spent on engineering reports and architect designs needed to complete the project. However, the structure is still in need of repairs to prevent further deterioration.

The FSCPP, originally conceived as an advisory committee to Beth Emanuel Church, was taken over by some who were mainly interested in the physical attributes of the Building. Those who thought of the building as separate from its spiritual roots wanted the building and the committee removed from the Christian organization that now owned it. With this gulf forming between the church and the FSCPP, the church had no choice but to disband the committee. It was no longer serving their purpose.

Those of us who were involved from the beginning saw how things would quickly progress when we reaffirmed our belief that God was in control. I personally believe that the project will not progress without full acknowledgment of the Divine origins of the building. Those opposed to this line of conduct will point out that much government funding would be restricted to a religious organization and that many corporations will not donate to a religiously based group. On the other side, those who believe in an All-Powerful God know that He is capable to raise angels that will provide the funds and complete this project.

My personal belief is that we need to study the religious attributes of the people who built this edifice in 1850. It amazes me to know that people who were abused by members, and even leaders, of a religious organization, would profess belief in that same religion. I would like to know why? Many relied on a Christian God to deliver them from their persecutors and adhered more loyally to a purer form of Christianity than their persecutors did. To me, if we are to leave God out of the equation, we are completely missing the whole purpose of preserving this artifact. My God is strong enough to take over and bring this project to a glorious completion. My only fear as He will not have enough followers to make this matter.

The challenge now is to prove me wrong or prove me right. Whatever your opinion, take up the challenge and see this project through. Time will tell if we end up with an interesting piece of architecture or a divinely inspired Edifice.

Is the Fugitive Slave Chapel of London, Ontario worth saving? Many people think so and they have many varied reasons for thinking that. Whatever your reason you need to act and stay involved. To forget about this project is to let it return to neglect and disappear. Too much effort has been put into the project to let it fail now.

That is what I had sent to a London biweekly newspaper after they asked me to write about the Fugitive Slave Chapel. At present, it is with the editor and I was informed that, if they used it at all, they would remove all religious messaging. I am not sure what they mean by that. I was only stating facts as I saw them. The building was originally a Christian Church so it would be difficult to hide that from the readers. As I am not a Christian I do not feel that I biased the article toward or away from Christianity. I attempted to stay completely neutral on that aspect. You can comment on my facebook page or my blog. I would love to hear your comments.

Reflection

The world mirrors our own souls.

We see ourselves reflected in others

That is why it is often said;

“I see something in you that I don’t like about myself.”

World Wide Interfaith Prayer

As Humans, are we spiritual beings with physical bodies? Many believe that, yet, to often, the spiritual nature of mankind gets neglected.

To make any significant change in the progress of humanity, we must begin with prayer. True prayer is communicating with God. When we couple prayer with the reading and meditation of Divine Revelation, we both talk to God and hear His Word. If we eliminate selfish desire and pray purely for the Betterment on the World, we will see results beyond our imagination.

Thus, I am starting an interfaith prayer group where we can join together in prayer and the study of God’s word. Everyone is invited, regardless of religious affiliation, to join together in UNITY in order to bring together the opposing factions of humanity and make the world a planet of peace and understanding. This will not be a venue to push one’s understanding of God on another, but one where we can all strive to understand each other’s point of view. In this way, it is hoped that we will all come to a clearer view of what we believe while allowing others to pursue Truth on their own terms. 

ONE SIMPLE STEP TO TURN EARTH INTO HEAVEN

ONE SIMPLE STEP TO TURN EARTH INTO HEAVEN

Some days I get the feeling that I need to do something. The world is in great turmoil but the answer to all the problems is so simple. That is the first step is simple.

Before we can solve a problem, we need to identify it. This is hard to do when we are living in darkness. So the first step in solving the problem is to turn on the light.

Now, I may be talking over the heads of some who have been completely blinded from the spiritual world. Some think, “If you can’t see it, it does not exist.” If this is true, then there is no existence for a blind person and no spirituality to one who is spiritually blind.

To turn on a light, we must have a source of energy and something that can convert that energy to light. Therefore we add fire (the energy source) to a candle and we have light. In modern technology, we have electric power, either from a battery or a utility company. We convert that to light by plugging a lamp into the power source. Once the light is turned on, the darkness vanishes.

In the spiritual world, we need to discover the spiritual nature of things. We find that God is the source of spiritual light. When this light comes into the world, the darkness of evil is dispelled. But where are the spiritual lamps?

It turns out that we, ourselves, are the lamps and when we connect ourselves to the spiritual power, we can see clearly and can distinguish good from evil. All we need to do is to learn how to connect ourselves. To do this we need but turn to one simple verse that millions of children all over the world have committed to memory.

O SON OF BEING!

Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee. Know this, O servant.

        (Bahá'u'lláh, The Arabic Hidden Words #5)

Yes, love is the connector, and we are already half connected. God loves us. All we need to do is to love HIM back and the circuit is complete. The spiritual energy will flow through us and we will light up the world. The darkness of evil will be dispelled and we will see clearly what we must do to turn this world into a virtual Heaven.

Economic Crisis

XCIX. The vitality of men's belief in God is dying out in every land; nothing short of His wholesome medicine can ever restore it. The corrosion of ungodliness is eating into the vitals of human society; what else but the Elixir of His potent Revelation can cleanse and revive it? Is it within human power, O Hakim, to effect in the constituent elements of any of the minute and indivisible particles of matter so complete a transformation as to transmute it into purest gold? Perplexing and difficult as this may appear, the still greater task of converting satanic strength into heavenly power is one that We have been empowered to accomplish. The Force capable of such a transformation transcendeth the potency of the Elixir itself. The Word of God, alone, can claim the distinction of being endowed with the capacity required for so great and far-reaching a change.

                (Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 198)

The Writing of my first novel

When I wrote “The Alternative” I felt as though I was being guided by the Divine. As I wrote each chapter it was more like I was reading a good novel. I did not know what my characters would do next and I only had a vague idea of the final outcome.

I did much research into the conditions of slavery and I wanted to paint a clear picture of what it would be like to be a slave during the first half of the 19^th century. One theme that reoccurred during research was the idea that many masters acted as their own stud when breeding slaves. I examined how this would affect the daughter of such a slave master. I had invented Mr. Lancer as a very evil man and I did not know how evil he was until near the end of the novel. His daughter had witnessed terrible behavior from her father, but it was later on that she, and I, discovered more heinous acts that he had performed before she was born. Surely this man was beyond redemption, but the plot took still more surprising turns. Could someone so evil ever have such a change of heart or was the goodness of a dying man simply an attempt to buy his way into Heaven? His family and his former slaves had to deal with such a dilemma. The readers are free to draw their own conclusions.

As I examined the conditions that led up to the USA civil war I was often reminded of the final note left by John Brown as he was being led to his execution. On  Dec 2, 1859, he wrote;

What is Love?

What is Love?

The word, “love,” is used in so many ways that it is difficult to know its true meaning. Many of the ways are selfish, but I would debate if selfish love is really love at all.

I once had it referred to as “fish love.” People who love fish love the way that fish tastes. Their passion is to eat fish, but they do not really care for the fish. In fact they want the fish to be killed, cleaned and fried so they can eat it.

Then there are those who love flowers so much that they want to decapitate them and bring the blooms into their houses so that they can watch them slowly die and wither away.

Animal lovers often want to limit the freedom of animals so they can be kept as pets or caged up in zoos to be gawked at by tourists who love to see animals trapped in a way that they can be observed without any threat to the observer.

Many times these selfish forms of love are transferred to human love. We choose someone to love and we love them as long as they do as we please and fulfill some need in our lives. If they can meet our basic needs such as food, beauty, companionship, etcetera, we are well satisfied, but when the purpose is fulfilled we no longer want anything to do with them and do not care if they live or if they die.

American Holocaust

Learning from the American Holocaust

When we mention “holocaust” we immediately think about Germany and World War Two. However there was another more severe and widespread holocaust that we are just starting to hear about.

Why does the German Holocaust get so much attention? Because Germany lost the war. Had they won we would be praising Hitler and the Nazi regime for their great effort of advancing the human species. Hitler’s idea was to speed up evolution by eliminating inferior races. Fortunately the rest of the world did not agree to his methods or even to the idea of an inferior race. The world war put a stop to ethnic cleansing.

If we now talk about the American holocaust it makes many people very uncomfortable. The terror of this holocaust lasted for more than 400 years. It is the ultimate story of bullying. A warring people invaded a relatively peaceful land and destroyed many ethnicities that had not advanced war strategies or weapons enough to defend themselves. The Americas at that time was the home of many nations. Although there was some conflict among them as they jostled for territory, they had no need to develop weapons past the point of bows, arrows and spears. These were mostly used to hunt for food but could be used for self defence when needed. The conquerors regarded these peaceful ones as savages when they put up a fight of self preservation and used that as an excuse to use their gunpowder and rifles to destroy  defenceless nations.

With complete victory over the rightful citizens, the Europeans began to fight among themselves. Now they were fighting on equal terms and sought an advantage. The original inhabitants of the land had a better knowledge of the territory and also used strategies unfamiliar to the Europeans. They had proved themselves in bravery and methods by the amount of resistance they gave the intruders using their simple weapons. The conquerors now used empty promises and outright lies to convince unsuspecting nations to join them in their effort to defeat competing European nations so they could lay solitary claim to this stolen land.

Meanwhile, the work of imposing European culture on a foreign land required much labour. An attempt was made to enslave the local people, but there were still friends and family that would help them to escape, so they turned to other nations to enslave and bring to America. The American nations had faced death to a point near extinction, but the African slaves had to endure a living hell. Murder was again used as a tool, but not to bring the race to extinction. Hellish ordeals were devised to force them into submission. A man would be selected and his four limbs would be bound to four horses. The horses would then be sent in different directions, tearing the body apart. This was done in front of other stolen bodies to show them what would happen if they did not do as their masters directed. Hard labour with insufficient food and rest took a toll of many lives, but not satisfied with that alone, these nations were subject to torture, rape and murder with no recourse. The law was on the side of the masters and any resistance was written into the law as a crime. They were regarded as possessions with no rights of their own and completely at the mercy of those who possessed them.

This holocaust we are not to talk about, because the decedents of the perpetrators are still living and in power. We do not want to embarrass the many European nations that played a part of this beastly terror. And what of the new nations of the Americas that were formed by these European renegades? They have become some of the most powerful in the world. How can we now tell them that the butchery and terrorism that they engaged in to earn their position was wrong? If they must correct for the wrongdoing of their ancestors, they may have to admit that exploitation in all forms is wrong, and if the rich cannot exploit the poor, the whole social system would be upset.

The eight richest people have as much wealth as half of the world’s poorest people. Thus, if we could find some equitable way to alleviate these eight people of this great burden by using half of what they own, almost four billion of the world’s poorest citizens could have twice as much. This is oversimplified and you know these rich ones are not going to hand over half or their riches without just cause. What we need is a new system that is not based on materialism, greed and exploitation. We must find new ways to evaluate ourselves without the need to put a monitory value on our net worth.

It was due to this view of our current situation that I wrote the fictional history, “THE ALTERNATIVE”. I regarded slavery as an extreme form of exploitation and showed how this system was not only hurting the slaves, but it was holding back the whole society. I didn’t base this on my own speculation, but studied the lives and writings of some of the wisest men and women of that time era. By suggesting an alternative to written history I was hopeful that errors in our current system could be corrected.

During slavery, much of the worlds brain power was kept in ignorance slowing down the rate of useful inventions. If the American elite had not engaged in this evil practice, technology could have developed sooner and better.

Today we see another form of exploitation were the rich try to maintain their wealth by keeping others poor. Since it is more difficult for a poor person to engage in higher education, the social elite widen the gap between themselves and the common workingman. Although the poor are given handouts to keep them alive, they are not given much opportunity for advancement.

Natural laws have a way of finding an equilibrium. Although man has a way of manipulating nature, humanity is not exempt from natural law. The system of the materialist puts power in money, but money is already losing its power. One hundred years ago two cents would buy a loaf of bread. Fifty years ago twenty cents had the same power. Now we need to search to find bread at $2.50 a loaf. The penny of one hundred years ago held more power than the dollar of today, but that is not the end, it is just a warning.

People are survivors and, if they cannot get by in one system, they will find another way to survive. When the freed slaves were struggling in an economic system that wanted to exclude them, they formed cooperatives and helped each other get by and succeed. In the same way, if those who control the money lock out those in poverty, they will develop a new way to survive and find new ways to measure success. Money has already taken a big hit and it will not take much more to render it of no value. Even when the gold standard was in effect, the gold only had such value as people assigned to it. Now, being replaced with paper, plastic and electronic bank legers, the value of money is at the whim of those who use it. If one segment of society has too much while another does not have enough, it will not take much for it to mean absolutely nothing. Suddenly the playing field will be given a new set of rules and those who produce what can be eaten will have the power. Money was only used as a standard of exchange to purchase our needs. If it no longer does that it will become useless and people will put value on things that are more tangible.

The Pathway to Peace.

The Pathway to Peace.

Learning to get along.

Many are convinced that wars and aggression are an intrinsic part of humanity. In our children we see such traits as flaws that must be corrected. When Johnny hits Suzie we tell him he needs to be nice to his sister and that hitting her is bad, but when our country wants to hit another country we feel it is our patriotic duty to aid in the battle. In this sense I use we as the collective conscience of the nation, but there are many exceptions, myself included.

I grew up in the 70’s when protest against war was prevalent and the most common slogan was, “Make love, not war.” Now I try to avoid the sexual connotations of that quote, but I still believe that peace is better than war and I believe that most people want peace. Unfortunately many buy into the propaganda that the way to peace is through destroying our enemies. If that is true we should have encouraged Johnny to kill Suzie so he could be done with her irritations and have peace. When it is our children we insist that they learn to get along with each other. Why can’t we do the same thing with our nations?

More from George McNeish, read “THE ALTERNATIVE.” Visit www.9li.ca.

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As every follower of Baha'u'llah knows well, humanity's ultimate well-being is dependent upon its differences being transcended and its unity firmly established. (Universal House of Justice, 2017 Riḍván message.)

My lot is life has not been as a team player. As a child, I was last to be picked if I was chosen at all. Whenever I tried to form my own team, I became a team of one. While others were known by the friends they associated with, I became known as a loner. Even yet I struggle to be an effective member of any team.

In 1970 I became acquainted with the ultimate team. World unity required that we all be on the same team. Now I know I have to be chosen, yet I am excitedly jumping up and down saying, “Pick me, Pick me!” One by one, the team is assembled and it must ultimately include all, yet I wait patiently for my turn. “Pick me, Pick me,” is repeated with less enthusiasm as I watch others being chosen for key positions. Yet I am bypassed again. I do have the comfort of knowing that I cannot be excluded, but it seems my lot in life is to be chosen last. I have a long wait ahead of me as each individual in the world is chosen for the team of the unified human race, but, alas, someone must be last and with my vast experience it might as well be me.

I can now look forward to being a member of this exciting team. Although I am sure to have a very minor role there is comfort in being picked last. I know that, when my time comes, full unity of the world will be realized.
I have been conditioned to being last. I can remember a time I had joined the cub group in our church when I was a young boy. One day we were asked to line up for our snacks. For some reason I competed harder than usual for a position near the beginning of the line. For the first time in my life I had made it close to the front. The cub leaders, wanting to teach us children a lesson, turned the line around quoting, “He who was first shall be last.” I believed I learned the lesson very well for I never again attempted to be first. Now, whenever I am in a line up and I find someone behind me, I simply let them go ahead. My position is to be last and I will hold that position with honour.

God’s great Messenger for today,  Bahá'u'lláh, has come to bring about the unification of the entire human race. All are lining up to join in this honourable endeavour. Each time I get near the action I look around and say, “You are more deserving that I, please go ahead of me.” I can usher and guide the ones God has chosen for this immense task, but I will not enter until all have gone in before me. Perhaps I will be too late and there will be nothing left for me when I get there, but someone always has to be last, so why not me? Perhaps I will find the stragglers, the lost sheep who cannot find their way, the blind, the cripple and those who fear the light. They must be guided and shown the way. They will all enter before I do.

Looking in from the outside I can feel the excitement. There is happiness and cheer in there. There is dining and dancing and it is obvious all are having a great time. There is excitement and anticipation on the faces of those in the long line to get in. All are assured they will be allowed entry. I take my place at the end of the line, but then I see another struggling to approach. I go back to help him and he gains the position ahead of me.

I was never much for competition. I have had no drive to be better than anyone else. Be assured, if you are a late arriver, you will find me at the back of the line. Feel free to go in ahead of me. I am patiently waiting my turn.

New look for 2017

New look for 2017

I have made some adjustments on my trailer and have reduced wind resistance as well as update info. Now with two books available worldwide on Amazon, I am promoting myself as an author instead of promoting just one book. I am available to speak to any group within travelling area from London, Ontario. I can try to get to other areas. If you would like me to come to your area, leave a comment and I'll see what I can do. I'm hoping to have at least one more book released this year. For details take a look at my author's page.

FInding Myself

Last Tuesday I completed a 217 km Bike ride that brought me from London, Ontario, through Stratford, Listowell and Fergus, to Guelph. I have been spending time with my father, mother and sister and helping my dad fix bicycles.

Although one purpose of the trip was to promote my recent book, "THE ALTERNATIVE," it was a journey of self discovery. It seems strange to spend almost a week on a bike in order to fine myself, but I have been making interesting discoveries. Visiting old friends along the way has helped as I find some things I craved where not necessary and more reasonable substitutes could be just as satisfying.

I left Stratford before 7 am on a Sunday Morning and took sparsely traveled roads to Listowell. I enjoyed the quiet and solitude very much after two days of spending time with noisy friends. It had been a great joy to see old friends, but parting was necessary and the quiet welcoming.

Pedaling a book at 64.

I am now traveling by bicycle to promote my book. You cane follow me on my travel blog at http://thealternativetowar.blogspot.ca/
or go to www.9li.ca

Great review in the London Yodeller

The Alternative, a revisionist account of the American Civil War.McNeish’s novel tells the story of Bobby Johnson who, being an only child on a Louisiana plantation, makes friends with his father’s slaves, particularly a bright-minded lad named Samson. Bobby will eventually fall in love with Ruthie Lancer, whose father is a brutal tyrant in the mould of Simon Legree. The novel has a little bit of Romeo and Juliet and a lot of Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

From the London Yodeller, article by Jason Rip

THE ALTERNATIVE, available at public libraries.

If you are in Canada, did you know you can borrow my book from any public library. It is available for inter library loan and they will get it for you.

If you are outside Canada, why not ask at your local library. Many times they will purchase books recommended by their patrons.

For those in London, I will be attending the Celebration of the Ridván Festival tomorrow, Sunday May 1, 2016.
at

Thames Valley District School Board

1250 Dundas Street, London, Ontario

Doors open at 2:30 p.m.

Program starts at 3:00 p.m.

 

If you stop by, I'll see you there.

Why read the alternative?

Why read the alternative?

Early sales of “THE ALTERNATIVE” has brought back positive reviews. This fictional history reads like a good novel. It starts out by analysing actual history and then puts a twist on it. It takes a look at slavery as it probably was. Although there is no proof the actual incidents happened, a look at the laws of the day show that they could have happened. Terrible crimes happen yet today. There is no reason to not think that similar and worse things would happen if there was no law to even punish the wrongdoer.

Everyone seems to be in agreement that all human beings should have some rights. It is also taken for granted that property has no rights. If someone buys an expensive vase, that vase has no rights. If the owner wishes to smash it, the vase has no right of appeal. However, if someone else smashes it, the owner may be able to claim compensation from the one that broke it. If someone should steal that precious vase, the owner will, no doubt, track down the thief and press charges if he is found.

The southern USA held slaves as property in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. Slaves, being property, had no rights. Abolitionist wanted the law changed as they felt it was wrong to deny rights to any human being. The south agreed about the rights, but did not see their slaves as human beings. They were property in the form of very valuable livestock. They were work animals purchased to do a job. Just as a neighbour would return a horse that had bolted from its owners barn, slave owners expected their chattels would be returned to them if they should run from their plantations. Someone who would let a horse out of a neighbours field on purpose would be regarded as a thief. Therefore, abolitionists were viewed by slave owners as the worst kind of thief. They were stealing their owners’ most valuable possessions. Murder was not considered a worse crime that that which the abolitionist engaged in.

Thus there was a division. One side saw slaves as an abused and oppressed people. The other side saw them as property. There was no reconciliation of these differences of opinion and it would take a war to change the minds of the south.

It was not enough for the south to maintain their property rights only in the south. They wanted to maintain their rights to own slaves and take them with them wherever they wished without interference. Also, if one should run away, the slave owners wanted them back. If they were lured away, they wanted the guilty party charged and punished. Since they believed their slaves were content, they only reason they would run is because some abolitionist filled their animal minds with feelings of discontent. Imagine, telling these creatures they were human. The ones that spread such nonsense needed to be punished.

With the growing tension between north and south, civil war was inevitable. “THE ALTERNATIVE” takes a look at another possibility. Must we always go to war to work out our differences? Bobby and Samson, with the help of their wives, Ruthie and Krissy, start a plan to educate the south in a way that will change attitudes before war could result. It was a big job and they spent half a century working at it. Yet they feared, greatly feared that what they were doing was too little and too late. They were racing against time to prevent a terrible disaster.

We only have to look at actual history to learn about the devastating war that our heroes were trying to prevent. The Civil war was the most devastating war the US ever fought in. It took 200 years of accumulated losses in other wars before they exceeded the losses in the four years of the civil war.

“THE ALTERNATIVE” is designed to make one think, “is there an alternative to war?” It is the authors hope that we can have a future where we find better ways to solve our differences. We must repress the urge to beat up anyone that does not allow us to have our own way. Let’s talk it out and solve our differences without killing each other.

For information on how you can obtain a print or electronic copy of "THE ALTERNATIVE," CLICK HERE.

 

Insights from Frederick Douglass

Until it shall be safe to leave the lamb in the hold of the lion, the laborer in the power of the capitalist, the poor in the hands of the rich, it will not be safe to leave a newly emancipated people completely in the power of their former masters, especially when such masters have not ceased to be such from enlightened moral convictions but by irresistible force.

From: Life and Times of Frederick Douglass, p.464. ©1892

“What shall I do?” was the question that Frederick Douglass asked himself after the civil war had put an end to slavery. He was 48 years old and had escaped from slavery 27 years previous. The first three of those years he had worked as a labourer, but for the last 24 his profession was an abolitionist who had put all of his effort into ending slavery. Now that slavery had come to a sudden end, his goal was achieved, yet the joy of victory was saddened by uncertainty of his future. However, that uncertainty was short lived. He had earned a wage of $450 dollars a year as an abolitionist. Now he was being offered $50, $100, and even $200 for a single speaking engagement.