7/27/2024 Rhetoric for Change - Projection, a Simple Way to Lie

As soon as I finished writing this Podcast, the news showed Trump with yet another statement of pure Projection.  And I realized then, what a simple and pitiful form of lying this tool is.  It takes no intelligence/no skill as an orator/and definitely no character to latch onto one of your own faults and attach it to someone else.  

There is nothing Step 3 or grown up about Projection.  

What does this completely transparent behavior benefit an individual or a group?  

And Jesus said: What does it profit you to gain the whole world and lose your soul?

Mark 8:36

Youtube sites you might want to check out:

 Pat Kahnke-Culture, Faith, and Politics; Robert Reich; and Tennessee Brando

This is the first in a number of podcasts where we will examine a book or a movie for Step 2 and Step 3 rhetoric and behavior.  I had no idea how many scenes in Harper Lee's magnificent novel would be useful examples for us to look at. 

 This book needs to be on everybody's must read list!  But instead, it is still on the list of most banned books for a number of reasons.  Some mention the racial and sexual themes, but some just say the book makes them feel uneasy.  That sounds like a very good purpose for literature.

Anyway, I will forever sing the praises of To Kill a Mockingbird - the book and the movie.  And Boo Radley remains my favorite literary character of all time.

Youtube sites you might want to check out:

 Pat Kahnke-Culture, Faith, and Politics; Robert Reich; and Tennessee Brando

Hello, again, everybody!!!  I have been gone for such a long time.  I was unable to record using my computer voice recorder, so I just sort of gave up for a while.  But I cannot be silent anymore.  We are less than a week away from the election for president.  I already voted, did you?  I sure hope so.  And if you listened to my podcasts about the draconian, Orwellian, Republican Project 2025 then hopefully you voted BLUE from top to bottom on your ballot. 

 I want to live in a country where we have freedoms. And that means we all must do our part to maintain democracy. I have shirked my duty for too long and now need to record, record, record and blog, blog, blog.  If I can, I will add YouTube.  

For now, please watch the YouTube videos mentioned in past blogs, 

as well as : Jessica Craven, Vic Meyers Old White Guy, Texas Paul, 

the amazing Lincoln Project, and Now This Impact.

In today's podcast I mentioned a few people who are choosing sanity and maturity above party loyalty.  But I want you to go online yourself and type in "republicans supporting Kamala" or "republicans endorsing Kamala."  There you will find a wonderfully long list of true patriots and examples of what we have been talking about on this site and podcast.  Step 3 actions being demonstrated for all of us. Bravo to them all.  Let's keep this up long after the Nov 5th election.

For now, please watch the YouTube videos mentioned in past blogs, 

as well as : Jessica Craven, Vic Meyers Old White Guy, Texas Paul, 

the amazing Lincoln Project, and Now This Impact.

We listed many qualities that are needed to fully embrace and live Step 3: 

Calmness, courage, honesty, humility, compassion, knowing the facts, discernment, inclusion, selflessness, discipline as in regularly doing your research or meditation, and being able to connect with others - which means finding something you agree with that can at least get the conversation started.

See, we might be baby Step 3 at first. But the longer we reside there and the more we consciously apply these qualities, the further we grow into Step 3 and the better we are at it. And one more important thing, our work in Step 3 brings us nearer to Step 4, an amazing concept which I will address more fully soon.

So for now write this list and begin to assess which qualities you already embody and those that you might want or need to expand in your daily life.  And I will, too.

The presidential election is over.  It was a tragedy, a farce, and a call to arms.  Once again, allow me to say what the Bible tells us at least 150 times: "Be Not Afraid."  

It is true that things will get worse before they get better, unless Biden uses his Supreme Court immunity and saves us before January.  But don't count on it.  He is too good.  I, on the other hand, may be evolved - but I am also realistic, proactive, smart as a whip, and mad as Hell.  

In the 3 days since the debacle of an election I have received umpteen emails from truth-based, compassionate, nonviolent groups ready to lead us and involve us in appropriate responses to whatever the Right wing throws at us.  All this I will make available to you.  Also, the amazingly caring people whose YouTube channels I told you to watch will surely now continue to be there for us.

So Fear Not.  We've got this.

As promised here are a few very good sources for you to check out.  Choose your favorites and visit the sites regularly to deepen your stance in Step 3 and to prepare you for Step 4 - Oneness.

cac.org:  Located in Albuquerque, NM.  Started by Father Richard Rohr.  Go to the website and sign up for the FREE Daily Meditations.  This is your master class in spirituality, beliefs from many religions, nonduality, and much more.

YouTube videos by Samaneri Jayasara:   This Buddhist nun may have the most beautiful voice on planet Earth.  On her YouTube channel, she reads the words of the mystics from every religion.  Do yourself a favor and listen to these before bed.

It is vitally important that we ground ourselves in nonviolence.  Take a look at these websites and sign up for emails from one or two: mettacenter.org, paceebene.org, wagingnonviolence.org, cnvc.org (center for NV communication).  Take advantage of the FREE training videos on some of them.