What plan are you following in your life?

Of course, in answer to this question, above, there are going to be some people that simply don’t have a plan, don’t have time or an interest in having a plan, and don’t care to plan.  Then there are those others, that certainly have the time to reflect upon what their plan should or should not be, but go about working their plan in a haphazard and inconsistent way, ultimately to their lasting regret.  Further, there are those that most definitely have a plan, and through their persistence and effort are successful in completing their plan, which may or may not, as the sands of time run short, have been the best of plans.  Then there are those, that take seriously their obligation to really examine their own self, and from there, to discover that the greatest purpose of their life, is to live such a life that is in harmony with the force that so created them, in the beginning.

Within this world, as it is, there are all sorts of temptations and lures, that compete to get our attention, for not all that glitters is gold; in fact, most that glitters and therefore entices us is that fool’s gold.  Additionally, life is full of distractions, serving to take us off course, and by the time we get back on course, we may be so far adrift, it seems almost futile to do something constructive about our predicament; which is why so many of us, go with the flow, never seeming to realize that it is only those that go against the flow, that are exerting their free will volition, that they truly have a free choice, and that it is well-nigh imperative that they exert such, or else they will not become what they really need to become.

People believe all sorts of things about this world, some of it true, some of it not.  But recognize this, even the most cursory of thinkers, must know for a certainty, that none of what we see and are a part of, could have possibly just have come forth out of complete nothingness.  This signifies, what every sentient human being implicitly knows, that because we were created, there must be behind our creation, the omniscient Creator.  So then, this world, should best be seen for what it really is; which is a proving ground of our character, when so provided with absolute free will, by that which created us, of which, this thereby presents us with the fair opportunity, to do something of merit with this freedom, or not.

All sorts of people, like to talk a big game, about this or that, of what they are going to do or what they could do, but really, whatever the circumstances of a given life, our responsibility is fundamentally the same; which is to do the best that we can within our situation, and to make it our point to help to make our family, and our community a better place for our having been part of it, and this we must do, day-by-day, through our successful interactions with others -- so done by our display of our concern, patience, helpfulness, love, and fairness; all in the good understanding that we are all equal in the eyes of our Creator, and that the greatest tribute that we can make therefore is to be true to this, which makes for the best of plans.

The consolidation of rental properties is inevitable

According to Zillow.com, “American renters paid a total of $485.6 billion in 2017,” and nmhc.org, states that in 2018, the largest rental apartment owner was the corporation MAA which owned 99,972 rental units.  Additionally, the 2015 American Housing Survey, indicated that there were “nearly 48.5 million rental units in the United States.”  All of this combined, serves to demonstrate that the rental property business is absolutely huge in regards to not only the units so available, but the monies to be garnered from the renting of properties.  Further to the point, property owners are well aware of all the tax advantages that owning rental property entails, such as: mortgage interest deduction, depreciation of said property, deduction of property taxes so paid, as well as the expensing of repairs and upkeep. All this in a construct in which most rental properties will usually increase in value at a higher rate than inflation, along with the landlord being able to raise rents typically at a rate that is favorable for their investment, and of which to buy rental properties, does not necessitate having all of the cash available, but rather often involves a considerable amount of leverage being negotiated and approved for, which can thereby be intelligently utilized for the owner’s benefit, especially when their credit is impeccable.

One might argue that the consolidation of rental properties into fewer hands might be beneficial for those that rent, in the sense that cost savings so generated, from economies of scale would thereby trickle down to renters, in addition to the fact that landlords with deep pockets would have a stronger tendency to keep their properties in pristine condition.  Regrettably, that probably will not occur, for the one thing that those that own a lot of anything do not desire to see happen, is to have to battle against ruthless competition in which there is essentially a “race to the bottom”, thereby impacting profits, safety, and cash flow.  Rather, big conglomerate landlords, would in all candor, prefer to have markets in which they have enough force and strategic position to essentially dictate the prices of the rents so being charged, by utilizing sophisticated algorithms, surveys, demographics, feedback, as well as at a minimum, an implicit understanding with other big players, that to undercut one another, serves no good purpose, or, even better, they will strategize to simply corner the market, wherever so possible.

The bottom line is that in a day and age when housing prices have never been more expensive and of which it is an absolute truth that people need a place to stay, that landlords see this market as an opportunity that will further separate those that are fortunate enough to own their own property and then some, in contrast to all those that can’t afford to, and probably won’t ever, thereby leaving these people susceptible to what the market will bear for their rental needs, of which, that market as it consolidates will desire an ever greater percentage of a given person’s income.  As they say, “you can shear a sheep many times, but you can only skin them once,” of which, all those that have to rent, are by definition, almost never in the driver’s seat of demanding much of anything from a given landlord, and therefore pretty much have to accept the best deal that they can get, and when that market is controlled by a local oligopoly, or similar, the rich will get richer, and an ever-higher percentage of a common laborer’s paycheck will go to cover that rent.

All rights, no duties?

In America, especially, people are quick to talk about their rights, but seldom are they so quick to talk about their corresponding duties to those rights.  Perhaps this is the case, because the first Ten Amendments to our Constitution are collectively known as the Bill of Rights, and of which there isn’t thereafter subsequent Amendments known thereby as our Bill of Duties.  Yet, clearly the rights that we have as given by our Constitution, or through our Creator, have implicit within those rights, a responsibility and therefore a duty for those that wish to faithfully exercise those rights.

The fact that there is a significant swath of the population that either are unawares, or act unaware, that they ever have a responsibility to their governance, in regards to their rights, is the primary reason, why there is so much selfishness and confusion in society, today.  For instance, the right to our freedom of speech, has a corresponding duty that such speech cannot, for example, be utilized to incite imminent lawless action or of fraud, for without such limits being imposed upon that freedom of speech, then civil societies could easily be torn asunder.

So then, every single right, comes with a corresponding duty, and further to the point, every right, necessitates responsibility to that right.  That is to say, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, has quite obviously a corresponding duty that such arms so kept and subsequently utilized, must be done in a responsible manner that does not infringe upon the people’s liberty to be about their business as well as also precluding lawless, illegal and threatening actions by those with those arms; in addition to the salient fact, that such arms are not to be used as part of a rebellion to that government of, for, and by the people, but instead must be utilized in the defense of that liberty.

As it has been said, freedom is not free, but rather necessitates eternal vigilance, of which that vigilance is part and parcel of the duty and thereby the responsibility that each citizen is obligated to perform on behalf of their government, in order to do their fair part in maintaining and enhancing that freedom.  A country in which the people are constantly pestering their government, or one another, about this right or that right which has been compromised or trammeled upon, must realize that it is only when those that have those rights, have taken upon themselves their duty to those rights, that we are best able to maintain that which is a right, which is why each right so granted, needs to be successfully championed by the people and its representatives, or we may just find such, as if it never was.

Those that understand the importance of rights, must do their loyal part, to maintain those rights, for far too often that which we take for granted, such as our unalienable rights, will be sundered from our very hands, by powerful forces which do not care for the people to have all those rights; but rather would prefer that the population be frightened into forsaking certain rights, and hence their duties and responsibilities to those rights, in abject obedience to that which has no legitimate right to such.  

Either all of life is interconnected or it is not

Those that truly believe that all of life is interconnected, must therefore make it their point and principle, to thereby conduct their lives in a manner which truly reflects this, by all that they think, say, and do.  On other hand, those that don’t believe our lives are interconnected are the very people that make for so much hatred, divisiveness, violence, destruction and all those other negative attributes that harm us; for their willful failure in not comprehending that injustice done to one entity, is in reality, injustice done to the whole.

When we believe that we are separate one from another, believing that we cannot be whole, one with another, we thereby run the real risk of having lives which reflect the despair of that mindset.  That said, not all separateness is perceived as bleakness, especially for those that separate themselves, who have done so in a manner in which they believe that they are the superior, and make sure to act the part in all that they say and do.  This makes for a hierarchical society, which might indeed be beneficial for those that are at the very top, but surely undercuts our innate interconnection for everyone else, as well as vacating each of us as being equal beings, by replacing such with the superior, so served by the inferior.

It must be comprehended and taken to heart that each of us has been equally created, which signifies that all of us have not only equal value but that we are all interconnected by virtue of that creation.  This signifies, that we are all in this together, and the sooner that we awaken to this concept, the sooner we can be about our business to live and to conduct our lives in a manner which reflects that very thing, of which, that which is united together in one strong principle, which is built upon the rock of sound unity, will not ever be broken, no matter what comes and challenges it, for that which is bound together with many strands, is well-nigh unbreakable.

Further to the point, all of the heartache and troubles in this world, is built upon humankind warring against one another, for this or for that, as if this world, is forever limited, when in actuality, those limitations are self-imposed and are primarily perceived as limits because of the conflict so generated, of one force against another, butting heads.  Those that will not stand for justice and therefore the peace that so follows thereof, have no hope of finding such justice or peace in any other dimension, for those that sow disharmony, will not reap harmony.

In truth, we are all interconnected, of which, rather than seeing this world as some sort of zero-sum game, of which for every winner, there must be a corresponding loser; it would be far more productive to see this world as a place in which the harvest to be had is incredibly bountiful, but to date, the laborers are few.

The indigent, traffic tickets, bench warrants and incarceration

While nobody likes to get pulled over and get a traffic ticket at any time, these things invariably happen, because police officers are basically compelled either formally or informally to issue a “quota” of traffic tickets each and every day.  Those that have money see these traffic tickets and fines as simply the cost of doing business, and for the most part do not pay any real mind to it, of which, most of those with the ready money to pay such tickets do so in the convenient way of paying their fine through the internet or via mail and then just get on with their life.  Those though, that are less organized, cash strapped, and perhaps intimidated by just about anything involving the justice system, are subject to faring rather poorly by not fully comprehending that fines that must be paid by a certain date, have consequences if so missed, and often do not comprehend how bad a given situation can thereby devolve, for not having dealt forthrightly with a traffic ticket to begin with, irrespective of whether they have the money or not.

While it is true that different States have different laws and hence different consequences for unpaid traffic tickets, the bottom line is that in some situations people that have failed to initially pay their traffic fine, will thereby have issued against them, an actual bench warrant for having failed to appear in court, so generated, by virtue of their non-appearance and of having failed to paid their fine.  Once a bench warrant is issued and a fine not paid, one’s driver’s license is subject to suspension and when that happens that will incur yet another monetary fine as well as probable incarceration when caught driving on a suspended license which will thereby necessitate another mandatory court appearance as well as the expense of the towing and subsequent storage of one’s car.

A significant amount of people, really don’t have the extra cash to pay traffic fines, especially in a day and age, in which those fines have gone up considerably from where they once were, and of which, these fines so issued should be seen for what they are, a form of taxation, in which, that taxation is in itself, a regressive tax, for no matter the income of the person so being ticketed, the assessed fine is exactly the same.  Then there is the issue that lower economic areas of cities have been documented to show that they receive a higher percentage of traffic tickets so being issued, which is indicative in all likelihood that the poor and disadvantaged are specifically targeted, because the monies to be made off of them, typically will end up exceeding the amount that would be garnered from those with means, as well as it also being a tool to keep the indigent and powerless in their place.

Regrettably, a traffic ticket, can for the indigent, be the downward spiral that makes that which is already a difficult life, even more problematic.  The fact that such an initial ticket, can morph into something far worse from a monetary standpoint, as well as the possible incarceration, isn’t fair, and it sure isn’t right.

If there are no moral absolutes then there will never be any fair justice

Some people like to believe or perhaps take solace in believing, that morals, change as the times change; but as pleasing and self-serving as that might be to some people, that would indicate that the Lawgiver, would thereby be subject to change, and therefore mutable, which simply isn’t conceivable or true.  So then, for a certainty, there are moral absolutes, of which it is the duty of humankind to know those moral absolutes, in order therefore to live their lives in a manner that is in harmony with their Creator and therefore become rightful heirs to their Creator.  So too, there are those clever or not so clever people that misunderstand moral absolutes, in a manner in which what has so occurred, has to be judged in a certain specific, by the book, and unchangeable way, without taking into account the full and complete picture as well as all of the nuances thereof.  All of this basically indicates, that because humankind does not have a firm grasp on moral absolutes and therefore are not enlightened enough to judge such appropriately and at all times, that there cannot ever be fair justice in this world.  This though, doesn’t reflect that humankind should not make the effort to judge correctly, or not to search faithfully so as to better understand moral absolutes, because progress as a species is our sacred obligation to our Creator, for it is in the trying and then the successful application, thereof, that we walk ever closer to the light.

Understand this well, in the end, there will be fair justice, as it cannot and will not ever be denied, no matter how long that it takes.  Further to the point, there is a known moral compass that rules this world and beyond, and it is our duty to not only to discover those rules but to live by those rules, for in doing so, we will help to make this world in the present a better place to be, which is our highest obligation so owed to our fellow humankind.  This indicates that in the skeins of time, the march of humankind is successful whenever those steps are in the direction of peace, harmony, patience, kindness, and justice, no matter the missteps and slips that invariably happen, for this is a destination that we must so reach.

The fact that there are moral absolutes, should give us comfort, because this indicates that not only is the arc of the universe bent towards justice, but that there is fair justice, at the end of that arc, so that all will surely end well.  Those though that insist that moral absolutes do not apply to them, or care not for them, or wish to distort them, have played the fool, of which, the penalty of such is to recycle in and out, over and over again, until the fool, wakes up to the reality that the world does not revolve around their misrepresentations and lies, but is based instead upon unchangeable truth, of which only that truth, will set those that are in chains of their own making, free.    

Tear gas should be solely defined by the chemicals that it is

It is a strange world where international agreements are made, signifying that there are certain elements, such as chemicals and gases, that are not permitted to be used any longer in warfare, but yet, warfare, itself, still continues all the same.  So too, tear gas, is a misnomer, for it really is not a gas, but rather better defined as a mist.  Additionally, the word “tear” does not come close to describing or defining how painful, dangerous, and toxic this chemical agent really is.  In the modern age, what is known as tear gas, is primarily made up of 2-chlorobenzalmalonitrile, or dibenzoazepine, or chloroacetophenone, or something similar or a combination of these dangerous chemical agents.  In addition to the extreme discomfort, and occasional lethality of these chemicals when used on human targets; it must also be taken into account that when these chemical agents are deployed, they then disperse themselves over the area without there being any effective control upon such dispersion, which therefore makes this chemical so being used on people, indiscriminate. Additionally, when law enforcement engages citizens with these chemical agents, they have, almost without exception, not taken into account, whether those in the crowd, or ill, infirmed, babies, or people with compromised immune systems, but simply just shoot and let it fly.

While there isn’t any doubt that these chemicals as utilized on people, is effective, in causing a great deal of extensive pain, as well as being harmful and extremely discomforting to the body, while also being bad for the environment, it must be said that it does appear to do its job, though, in an inhumane way, by neutralizing those human beings, so targeted.  Whether or not these chemicals should ever be utilized upon people should be subject to a robust debate, but the bottom line is that law enforcement utilizes chemicals on citizens primarily because they have the legal right to do so in those situations ascertained as being riotous, of which, as it currently sits, there seems to be no superior governmental agency that ever really holds law enforcement to account for whether these actions so employed were done in a situation that clearly and unequivocally met the terms of a riot.  Therefore, in absence of reprimands and analysis of how, why, and the comprehensive study of the actual aftereffects of chemical agents being utilized against human beings, being objectively analyzed, there probably isn’t going to be a change in this uncivil law enforcement policy anytime soon.

However, the thing that can be changed is the narrative so propagated by media of all stripes, in which in lieu of using tear gas as the operative word, it would be far more accurate to call out the chemical agents so having been deployed, and to make it a point to state that citizens were fired upon with chemical agents in order to control them, and of which these chemical agents are inimical to the human body, as compared to something that just creates “tears”.  While there probably are times when law enforcement needs to avail themselves of something in order to restore order or quell a riot, there isn’t any good reason, why their first choice is to basically enact chemical warfare against their own citizens that they are, after all, sworn to protect and to serve.

Preventive healthcare for children should be a free governmental benefit

Each new generation of children should, by all rights, be a healthier and stronger generation than the one before, especially in this the richest nation that the world has ever known.  However, in America, the quality of the healthcare that children typically receive, follows a lot in line with the income and wealth levels of their birth family, so that those children that are fortunate enough to have parents with robust health plans, and in addition, have those parents making sure that their children have regular dental checkups, regular general health checkups, vaccines, vision testing, and similar, are going to have children that not only are healthier in the here and now, but also those children will be well positioned for better health results in the future.

Those that are born into impoverished families and live within environments which are not healthy or ideal to begin with, are clearly disadvantaged, signifying that the least the government can do for those that are the most vulnerable, is to see that these children do not fall through the safety net that the government needs to provide so that these children will have a fair chance of receiving appropriate dental care, healthcare, vaccines, and so on and so forth, so that they can therefore have the opportunity to live healthy lives.  This signifies that in this country, the quality of the healthcare being provided to children should not be overly dependent upon the income of those that are the head of the household, but instead should essentially be a service that the government freely provides or augments – in addition to providing the infrastructure so needed to bring such a service into the poorest and most disadvantage neighborhoods or nearby to such.

It is one thing, for American governance to give up on adults, while it is entirely a different thing to do the same kind of thing to children for simply being born into families that do not have the income or wealth that will allow them to get the appropriate dental and health services so needed for their children.  Further to the point, vaccines, dental care, and health checkups when not done at an early age, and subsequently repeated as so prudently recommended, will reap at a later point, what has been sowed, and therefore for lack of taking appropriate means to provide preventive healthcare for these children, at inception, this will instead have to be addressed as a health crisis, at governmental expense, when these children are all grown up and in unnaturally poor health. 

America has some of the finest medical and dental care facilities as well as personnel in the world, today; yet the result of such, pretty much follows the same script as we see throughout America, of which, those that are well positioned get the best of the best; whereas, those that are the stragglers and strugglers in life get no more than the scraps off of the table of healthcare, if even that.  Our children deserve a better fate than what they so face today, of being overly dependent upon whether or not they receive good healthcare, based upon the family that they are born into, and not the country of their birth.

Truth and justice should be the American motto

The American revolution didn’t really come about because the United Kingdom was absolutely dictatorial and horrific to the American colonists, but rather had a lot more to do, with those colonists desiring to engage to become what each one of us is born with, which is our unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; of which, the very principle of why legitimate governments are instituted amongst humankind is to aid in providing for the general welfare of the people, as well as to see that each of its citizens is provided with the wherewithal of fair opportunity and to be treated equally.

Unfortunately, despite the wise and lofty words written into our Declaration of Independence, as well as into our Constitution and its Amendments, the actually functioning of our society, demonstrates time and time again, just how oppressive our present government is to those that are without power, representation or privilege.  For those then that are the power brokers within America, the laws upon laws so written and thereby selectively enforced, touch them not, because they are either the enforcers of or the actuators of the enforcers of those laws, themselves; whereas, for those lacking in power, as well as also being unconnected to anyone that might provide some sort of material assistance, signifies that often times, no matter how unoffending their demeanor and actions, that they are always guilty of something, and thereby subject to having their freedom wrested away from them, for any reason or no reason at all.

Rather, if this country stood behind justice, and justice at all times, then the very privileges that the mighty are able to use carte blanche as if it is their birthright, would be snatched from their very hands, for in America all laws that are selectively applied or selectively enforced, would be null and void, for either the law applies to everyone, irrespective of their position and status, or it is unconstitutional in its application.  This signifies that the injustice that we see in this country is a direct reflection of the power so held in the hands of the elite, utilized as a cudgel against the people in order to keep them in their place, so as to manipulate them, and to control them.

The only conceivable way that America will ever see more truth and more justice in this country is when those that currently run roughshod over truth and justice, are put in their appropriate place.  So while, it can be said that America was successful in throwing off the tyranny of the English crown, of which this cost the blood and noble sacrifice of numerous good Americans to do so; we now find ourselves suffering under the tyranny of those that have essentially co-opted this country as if it was their personal domain, of which while these elites are living high on the hog, an incredible amount of Americans are unduly suffering in this the richest nation that the world has ever known.  Those that stand with truth and justice, must know that until this illicit power and privilege is vanquished, that we will continue to live in a nation of injustice, violence, and lack, because those with it all treat with absolute contempt those that don’t have a thing.

The superior needs the inferior

There are those people, that despite their accomplishments, and accolades for their achievements, somehow aren’t completely satisfied, unless they are recognized as superior by certain other people, as if somehow that makes them even more superior.  The true superior person, never wears that attitude on their sleeve, because they let what they have accomplished, speak for itself, and simply go about their business and therefore do not concern themselves with a particular unsought label that has no real significance for them.  Those though, that typically proclaim the loudest of how superior they are, primarily do so because in order for them to actually feel superior, they need to be able to point out some segment of civilization, that they clearly dominate and therefore have designated as inferior.

That is to say, in other words, for the superior egotistical person, they have a pressing need to find something that represents a direct contrast to them, that they clearly believe is inferior, while also still needing to hear from respected others that this is true, so as to feel wholly satisfied about it.  After all, if an unenlightened person is not able to recognize the superiority of a given person, it isn’t good enough, that the superior person has already shown why this is so, but rather it is necessary that those others believe, and the best way to demonstrate that the premise is true, is to provide whatever documentation that purports to show exactly that and make sure that everyone reads it, comprehends it, and therefore seemingly believes it.

One might think that a superior person might be satisfied in just knowing that they are superior, while also being grateful for this fact, but often times, that just isn’t good enough for them.  Further, it seems like those that are superior are sometimes fearful to congregate with other like-minded superior people, because they apparently fear being exposed for something that would make them an inferior type of superior person, and that just won’t do, so they seriously don’t want to risk it.  Their preference, instead, is to first deliberately seek and then to find those that are inferior, so that they can prove to these inferior people how clever and how superior they are to the other.  But what of it?  A true person tests their mettle in the arena, in which both contestants, are evenly matched, for if the result is preordained, why would anyone bother to watch?

There are plenty of people that want to be part of the pecking order, but only within the caveat, that they have someone to peck upon, for if that doesn’t exist, they don’t want to be in it.  The superior needs the inferior, because they want someone to dominate, to abuse, to embarrass, and to manipulate, for their own personal gratification.  This signifies, that the superior is always searching for the inferior, and to help make the search easier, they create arbitrary constructs that support their mindset, all in service to the superior or what claims to be superior, who goes to the end of the earth, to prove their superiority, never caring about who or what they have to tread upon to get there. 

“Prevention is better than a cure”

America is the land of shortcuts, but shortcuts can get people in all sorts of trouble, so then when it comes to a given person’s health, a lot of times those that have diseases that could kill or debilitate them such as cancer, or heart disease, or a stroke, have not found themselves all that often born into that situation but rather these typically have been diseases of the body that take a lot of time to develop, and the cure for such is often not guaranteed, whatsoever.  This thus implies that any disease that typically takes a long time to develop is therefore a disease of which there should be prudent steps that could be taken in order to prevent its occurrence in many a person.  So then, as the adage tells us, “Prevention is better than a cure,” for those that take the responsible steps to prevent a bad health situation, are in far better shape than those that have to rely upon a cure.

So too, countries that run massive deficits, year after year, no matter the circumstances, and never seem to take the time to get their respective house in order, must know for a certainty that the only real cure for such is going to be extreme fiscal discipline or the re-evaluation of the coin of the realm which can cause catastrophic economic conditions, civil unrest, and even starvation, in order to effect the cure.  Whereas, those countries that make sound fiscal decisions, that may necessitate some tightening of the belt, here and there, while also making it their point to devote resources to those things that will produce meaningful benefits in the future, by investing in good infrastructure and education, while also avoiding as much as possible needless monies spent on foreign entanglements, military killing machines, and the like, will find that doing so makes for the tranquility of a nation by the prevention of having to utilize a drastic cure.  

Additionally, when it comes to our own eternal destiny, those that have made selfish decisions that have hurt others, while lacking also in noteworthy goals and motivation, and have engaged in ill-advised behavior, time and time again, will find that the cure for such, is a destination that they may strongly regret being compelled to go to.  Whereas, those that are selfless in their interactions, are primarily givers and not takers, that have put together goals of merit that they had the motivation to go after, and while making mistakes and errors, have not made any catastrophic ones, while also endeavoring to make good on those errors, will find that by their engaged dedication, the destination that they will be designated for, is reserved for those that had the aforethought to do the right thing, even when not being overtly watched, in the right belief that by doing good and being preventive, has its reward, in and of itself.

America has way too many advertisements that sell the illusion that by having this cosmetic surgery, or by taking that pill, or by attending some fly-by-night expensive seminar, or by listening to some shady motivational speaker or fraudulent preacher, that all will end well, which it might; though, in truth, because of one’s lack of preparation or prevention, it often is too late for that sort of cure to take hold and work.

Are you obedient to God’s will?

Of course, a lot of people, when responding to this question, try to dance around the answer, by postulating that God’s will is unknowable and inscrutable, but this simply isn’t true.  God’s will for anyone has a very specific format which is, as Holy Scripture has taught us, to love God with all of our being, which we demonstrate through our faithful good acts, and by treating people in the same way that we desire to be treated, at all times.  Further, the way that we prove our love for God, is by taking on the virtues of God, in our interactions with others, such as by fortitude, justice, temperance, and charity.  Additionally, we treat others the same way that we desire to be treated, demonstrated by the consistency of our good actions, through forgiveness, and by our fairness in all that we say and do.  Those that have and live that character set, are being obedient to God’s will and those that do not, are not.

To take things a bit further, most people that are trying to be obedient to God’s will, are typically going to need to dial back their ego and view of their self, and instead need to sincerely and humbly petition God through prayer, meditation, or contemplation, to help in the guidance of whether a particular set of actions is advisable or not, and then to listen to that still, small voice within.  Disappointingly, a significant amount of people has shown a strong tendency to do what they are going to do, without bothering to reflect thoroughly of what they are actually doing and thereby the consequences of it, because they have already made up their minds to do what they are going to do and thereby to let the chips fall where they may.

While it is true that we are gifted with free will, it must also be recognized that not every free will decision so made is going to be the best decision, and that for most people, there are those times when clearly a decision made and enacted, is known for a certainty to have been the incorrect one.  So then, those acts done that we consciously know are wrong, are not in accordance with God’s will, which makes us, disobedient.  That said, we understand that our God is a forgiving God, but so too, we know that our God tests us again and again, for this earth is a proving ground, of whether or not each one of us, is faithful to God’s will.

This signifies that whether we are obedient to God’s will makes a difference, not only in this world but in the dimension beyond, and while there are plenty of people that believe that their baptism or faith or something similar seems to provide them with a free ticket (paid through our Messiah) into Heaven, this will undoubtedly prove to those so departing from this world to not be the case, as there are no shortcuts to Heaven.  In truth, those that are obedient to God’s will, time in and time out, are not judged the same as those that are not, of which, the clarity of this, will become clear when the only test that matters, for each of us, is fairly graded.

The disappearance of America’s manufacturing labor

While there is still a significant swath of manufacturing completely done in the United States, that primarily is those companies that are small, unique, or insular in what they are manufacturers of.  After all, if what is being manufactured is essentially not readily producible anywhere else except in America, or the quantities so involved, do not provide economies of scale, outside this country, then there isn’t any prevailing reason for that manufacturing to go elsewhere, as there are intrinsic advantages to corporations keeping manufacturing domestic, in regards to training, quality, and control, so of.

However, once a given American company reaches the point in which they are essentially producing a product which can be readily replicated outside America, and of which, the materials needed along with the infrastructure and training are available in foreign lands, of which these countries offer to those corporations labor which is significantly cheaper for those corporations, with environmental laws, along with rules and regulations which are far less restrictive than such are domestically, then it is only a matter of time, before that which was manufactured domestically, becomes during its production and growth phase, manufactured overseas, because in absence of America adding tariffs onto products substantially manufactured outside America, or taxing businesses in a manner in which that which is manufactured overseas necessitates a higher corporate tax, then pretty much nothing will stop the trend of corporations seeking cheaper labor in order to produce goods at a lower price point.

Perhaps all of this foreign labor being contracted for manufacturing work is a net good for America, in whole; but more than likely it is a net good specifically and exclusively for the power brokers of these said corporations, and the stockholders of such, and in absence of robust corporate tax rates or limitations so set for the labor used overseas, a clear net loss for the American public.  When American multinational corporations are permitted to manufacture their products utilizing the cheapest foreign labor that serves their purpose, and do not have to answer to anyone outside of the foreign power of those countries, in regards to how that labor is paid or utilized, and further to the point, are not corporately liable for environmental damages, then almost for a certainty, those so contracted by these corporations (who are often without any meaningful economic power) will get no more than the scraps off the table of those who are effectively ruling the roost.

So too, America suffers from an educational system, that performs poorly for those in the lower income socioeconomic bracket, of which, while there used to be plenty of opportunity for the less educated to find a decent job with a decent wage in the manufacturing sector, those positions have been primarily replaced with poor paying and low benefit service type work, with little or no guarantee of continual employment, and little hope of anything other than a bleak future.  When the most powerful and richest corporations in this country will not hire domestically because it costs them too much, and the governance of this nation, can’t seem to do a constructive thing about that, then the great chasm of those that have it all, as compared to those that have next to nothing, will get ever worse, and that isn’t right.

Each one of us was created for a purpose

The God that created us, did so, because our Creator saw the value of companionship, and further to the point, knew that true companionship, necessitated that that which was so created would have free will, from the beginning.  So too, the creation of us as free will beings, is a reflection that only those that have a real choice, are truly free to walk their own path and to therefore to make their own decisions, for better or for worse.  That belief quite obviously makes for an interesting dynamic, of which, if everyone else also believed this to be true, one would expect that this world would be a better place to live in, in the sure knowledge that each one of us is gifted with free will as well as other unalienable rights, thereby making us all equal.  Regrettably, the misery that we so readily see in this world, is a reflection, that clearly there are many that believe in their own personal free will and their own unalienable rights, but apparently do not believe that certain others, have been gifted with the same. 

Because of all the conflict, hate, and misery that seems to be part and parcel of this world, one might have a tendency to think that the free will decision so provided to humankind, must have been some sort of misjudgment on our Creator’s part.  But, not to worry, for one’s views of such, are tempered by one’s own prejudices, mindset and life experiences, of which, there are plenty of people that are able to see and experience the world and the human interactions within it, in a far more positive way, and further, case after case, demonstrates that there are many individuals that will sacrifice themselves, in selfless acts for others, for they are caring, patient, just, and forgiving.  This thus so indicates that despite all the bad actors and bad actions, that there are also a lot of good deeds so done each and every day, by good actors that voluntarily choose to do exactly that.

Further to the point, each of us is gifted with a good mind, of which, through the usage of our mind, which consists of the knowledge that we have been able to accumulate through our experiences, studies, conversations,  as well as through our own initiatives, have provided us with an opportunity to discover our purpose in life, and through working to that purpose to therefore develop into a better person; for the whole point of our being here is to make the world a better place for our contribution to it.  After all, to everything of value, there must be a purpose, and our purpose, collectively, is to be that which really matters, which is to properly pay homage to that which created us, by emulating the characteristics that make for a perfect creator, such as love, justice, fairness, and joy.  It would be well to remember that we matter deeply to God, because by providing each one of us with free will, God has given us the greatest gift of them all, which is the choice between being God’s good children and therefore rightful heirs to the throne, or to waste what we have in disobedience and riotous living, of which, through thick and thin, no matter the eons of time, those that are lost, will not be forgotten, for the good Shepherd and God’s good children, won’t rest till all have been found.

The right knowledge

Most progressive countries of substance, make it their point, to educate their citizens, and often choose to do so at public expense, because they recognize that an educated population having received knowledge, is going to be more beneficial for the growth, greater achievement, as well as the sustainability of that country and its culture.  Yet, as in many things, not all knowledge is equal, and further to the point, not all knowledge is beneficial for the people, especially when that knowledge is gained, without any corresponding ethics attached to it, that would thereby help to keep that knowledge constrained from doing damaging things to the public.  In other words, knowledge can be a powerful instrument that in the wrong hands and of the wrong mindset, can inflict terrible and lasting harm upon civilizations, both domestic as well as foreign.  This thus signifies that before significant knowledge is even imparted in the first place, a core curriculum of ethics must be taught, understood, and taken to heart, by the students of such, or else, without such ethics, those that are both clever and knowledgeable but lacking a good moral compass can easily create all sorts of nasty havoc.

Additionally, as much as we endeavor to seek knowledge of practical things, such as how to build a better cell phone, or how to provide better healthcare, and so on; there needs to be kept foremost in our minds that the particular knowledge that leads to being of benefit for humankind, is obviously diametrically different than the type of knowledge that is inimical for humankind.  That is to say, we do know for a certainty, that there is good purposeful knowledge so obtained that with its subsequent application are from the get-go, pretty cut and dry; but also, we are cognizant that many a time, knowledge so generated and propagated, can subsequently be utilized or manipulated for either good or for evil.  This thus signifies, that to the degree that such is possible, governments are instituted amongst humankind, to take responsibility that first and foremost, to see that the knowledge which is harmful to the general public, is regulated in a manner in which such is mitigated to the degree so possible, for all those with great knowledge, correspondingly also have great responsibility.

Finally, there is the very type of knowledge that all should desire to seek of, which fundamentally represents that search for the knowledge of the why of our existence, for in that search, we will obtain the wisdom of the ages.  Humankind probably spends way too much time and energy on the pursuit of the kind of knowledge which is not at the end of the day, of any real utilitarian value or of merit, and oftentimes serves to direct us to a dead-end course.  Rather, we need to make it our point to be far more discriminatory as to what knowledge that we faithfully pursue, and further, we need to be driven by the fact that through that good knowledge so obtained that we will not only help ourselves, but also, we will be able to provide meaningful guidance to others, for the right knowledge is always going to be that knowledge which is universally true, just, fair, and eternal.

Why selfishness oftentimes creates so much misery

There is something to be said about going after our own self-interest, for that certainly seems to make sense for a given individual, to thereby follow their own dreams and to pursue their freely chosen path; and while it probably is a good thing that not everybody has the exact same self-interest in mind -- for that would simply make that particular pathway way too crowded -- it is, though, not a good thing that self-interests from one party to another, have a very strong tendency to inevitably collide against one another, of which, those collisions reflect self-interests that are at variance with one another, and thereby the raison d’etre for why there is so much misery, hate, and violence in this world.

For all those that are hoping and desiring for a better world, of more harmony, justice, opportunity, and fairness, this cannot conceivably come about through the implementation of each individual’s self-interest, above all   Rather, people need to step back, in order to get some proper perspective as to what each one of us should actually be about; and if possible to wrap our heads around the need to see all other people as equally entitled to the very same unalienable rights that we have been so graciously gifted with.  This thus signifies that when we are truly able to see other people as equally valid, and therefore we subsequently treat people the same way that we honestly wish to be treated in return by those people, then the divisions between one party to another, that seem to be so divisive will begin to erode away, for by that respect that we have extended to others, will in return, be the respect that we so receive.

None of the above, has anything to do with us behaving in a robotic fashion or doing this or that in some sort of mechanical fashion, as if our humanity and personality must be suppressed so as to not let our errors and prejudices to get the better of our behavior; but rather has everything to do with extending the courtesy and respect that each individual deserves, basically because they have been created by the exact same Creator that so created us.  So too, treating people the same way that we desire to be treated, probably means that when people do something that is wrong, or stupid, that we are less prone to desire cruelty or harshness in response, but instead we become more inclined to be forgiving and reasonable, to the degree and the perspective of the wrong so done.

The only possible way that each one of us can have the exact same thing, is only if that thing so desired, is eternal, omnipotent, immutable, perfect, and just.  Those that seek for something other than that, are going to be disappointed in one way or another, time and time again; for anytime that we place self, above all, we are going to have to fight tooth and nail, against all those others, that have the exact same mindset and won’t give ground on such. 

While life with conflict, may will make for an interesting drama; and while selfishness might just feel really good -- neither one can ever make us feel complete; those, however, that take that higher road of understanding that we truly are all in this together, are going to find, to their joy, though, the only prize really worth keeping.

That which you will not admit to is not going to correct itself

People commit all sorts of wrongs and sins, each and every day.  While different people react in different ways to that which they have done which is wrong or sinful, the most proactive way to deal with such is to take stock of those wrong actions so taken or made, and to then make it one’s point to correct them, now and in the future.  Of course, because each one of us has free will we don’t have to correct any of our ill-advised actions -- in absence of the law or some other authority forcing us to -- even when we know that we should; but those that will not correct that which needs to be corrected, will find, sooner or later to their dismay, that these wrongs will ultimately have to be addressed in a manner in which they are made right.

The very first step in correcting that which is wrong or sinful, is the personal recognition that they are, in fact, wrong.  If, a given person, doesn’t see the wrong, perhaps because it isn’t really wrong, or perhaps because they are perceived to be nuances or extenuating circumstances involved, that is one thing; but in those situations, in which it is all very cut and dry, then that is an entirely different thing.  Sure, there are going to be people, all day, every day, that are going to give all sorts of excuses and reasons, of why they are innocent of this or of that, but those that spend inordinate amounts of time professing their innocence, are often just delaying the inevitable of having to face that which rightly needs to be faced.

When we are unwilling to admit to a personal wrong, then that wrong, is not going to correct itself.  This signifies that those that at a minimum, admit to their wrongs, are at least on the right pathway to correcting such, but to get to where they really need to go, this is going to take a lot more than mere admittance of such.  For the very next step after admitting to a mistake, is to make good on correcting such a mistake, to the degree so possible to do so.  That means, for instance, when we have done a given individual wrong, we need to address our error directly with that individual, and then do what we can to make up for what we did wrong.  While making good on a wrong so done, will not ever undo what has been done, it will be the next best thing to that very thing.

None of us are ever going to be perfect, yet, each one of us has an implicit obligation to be the best person that we can actually be, and in order to accomplish that, we need to make the time for honest self-reflection as well as to fairly take into consideration the evaluations of our character so made by people that we respect and value.  After all, if we don’t care to correct things that we know for a certainty are wrong, and aren’t willing to listen to those that have our best interests in mind, then the nagging dissatisfaction that we feel in our psyche is our own fault, and none other.

The new American business model: subcontract everything

Long gone are the days when employers felt an ethical business obligation to hire directly employees to work for them; of which, that particular business would do its level best to not ever lay anybody off, and took tremendous pride in adhering to that principle, as well as the company making it their policy to pay their employees a fair salary with fair benefits, along with also promoting from within, and finally providing to those employees some reasonable degree of profit sharing.  It used to be that for many middle-class families that they could really count on their employer providing them with the security of a true living wage, that was good enough, to allow the purchase of a home, and to raise a family, with some reasonable degree of certainty that as long as the employees did their part, that the company would do theirs.

Nowadays, it’s all about money, money, and more money – of which the primary driving force for some of America’s biggest and most powerful corporations is to do what needs to be done to grow, to take market share, to increase profits, and most especially to personally profit those that are in upper management, above all -- as well as keeping satisfied the investors in that company.  When a given company has no real moral compass, except to do what needs to be done in order to increase profits and revenue, it is then very easy for that company to do everything in its power to augment those two very things, at the expense of doing right by their own employees and humanity, in general.

For instance, companies don’t need to worry about the negative publicity of layoffs, if they make it their point not to hire directly those that can be utilized instead in a subcontracting capacity. Further to the point, for any business that has a seasonal aspect to it, the parent company doesn’t need to worry about ramping up or ramping down, as long as they have successfully passed that responsibility on to the subcontractor that they have engaged to specifically address what they need to accomplish on behalf of the company, which therefore means that those subcontractors will do whatever that it is that they need to do.  Additionally, fair labor practices and environmental concerns will perpetually take a backseat when that work has been subcontracted to an outside agency, mainly because there are a lot of subcontractors in an increasingly smaller world, that are foreign based, and therefore subject only to their nation’s foreign laws; additionally, even those that are subcontracted domestically, will never be the personal responsibility of the company issuing the subcontract, but rather it is the subcontractor that has the responsibility to honor the terms of a given contract, not the contractor.

Finally, anytime work is subcontracted, the parent company can exert an enormous amount of pressure for that work to be done per the dictates that they so demand, or else that subcontractor is in danger of losing not only that business but also future business.  This ability to boss subcontractors around, signifies that to a very large extent, the hurdles, the problems, and the difficulties that subcontractors have to overcome, are their responsibility and their responsibility, alone; meaning that those employees that are so employed by those subcontractors are obviously going to have to bear the brunt of whatever needs to be done, while typically receiving peanuts in return, while the contractor, on the other hand, essentially ends up living very, very large.

The government should not be a law unto itself

In America, the government is supposed to be of, by, and for the people; but the very things that this government does, presupposes that there is little truth that the government actually performs for the people what it should or ought to be doing.  Rather, governments have a very strong tendency to gravitate to accruing more and more power over time, typically at the expense of the people, and furthermore, utilizing that power for the benefit of those that are the actuators of that government, as well as for those that are the functionaries of that elite for their service to them.

It is well to remember that the reason why governments are formed to begin with, is to protect the unalienable rights that each one of us is born with, to promote the general welfare and happiness of those people, and to join together into one body politic so as to protect the country from enemies, foreign and domestic. In other words, good governance, makes for a society in which the people are justly and fairly treated, provides those people with good opportunity to become something of merit through quality education and gainful employment, while also helping to create the infrastructure that encourages the people to work together to make for the improvement and the enhancement of that society, ultimately, for the greater benefit of those people.  Further, governments are needed in order to assure that some sort of “fair play” is always taken into consideration, so that one faction, of the few and select, does not come to dominate the majority, by essentially “gaming the system” so that these favored few, rule the roost, so to speak, and thereby leaving just the scraps for the general public to fight over.

So then, it is important that the government has the power to enforce the laws, to enforce the rules and regulations, and in general, to see to it that what needs to be done in order to have a vibrant civilized society, is so done.  Not too surprisingly, to accomplish that, does take to a certain extent, the usage of the “big stick,” but such should be done in a manner that does not oppress the people, unduly; for far too many countries are prone to utilizing the policing and military arm of their respective government, to keep the people in their place, which clearly is indicative of an “us vs. them” mentality – as opposed to acknowledging that legitimate complaints and concerns, necessitates the courtesy of that government actually listening to the people and thereby responding to those people in a meaningful and constructive way. 

In today’s world, far too many governments have aggrandized onto themselves incredible powers, both explicit and implicit, as well as gathering reams upon reams of actionable information about the individual people that they ostensibly are supposed to serve.  When that governmental power is further enhanced by their coordination with the biggest multinational corporations that the world has ever known, joined together in their common cause, so as to exploit, to control, and to primarily benefit these specific entities at the expense of the people – we then are living within a construct in which that government does not represent the people, but rather is an agency, which effectively answers to no one, and of which those people, therefore, are not free but are, in effect, servants to that power.

We are so much more than just our five senses

Most everyone is aware that we are born with five senses, which are commonly known as touch, smell, taste, hearing, and sight.  Because we perceive the world through those senses, we have a very strong tendency then to define reality by just those senses.  That is a grave mistake because not everything that exists or that can exist is something that our senses are able to rightly perceive.  In other words, if we don’t perceive something through our five senses, and thereby dismiss such that has not been perceived, we have done ourselves and society a great disservice.

To believe, that somehow that humankind is the measure of all that life or consciousness could possibly be conceived by, is a delusion.  Rather, the fact is that there is far more to the construct of this world than meets the eye or any of our other senses, for that matter; of which, we simply lack the mindful capacity to fully comprehend all that is about us, which should be our very first clue that far more of us, need to spend far more time in the contemplation of, and the humility to, what consciousness and life thereby beyond just this physical form might so represent. 

Again, to get locked into a concept in which we only relate to that which is discovered by our perceptions, and thereby to dismiss all that we cannot comprehend through our five senses and our mind, as of no relevancy is a clear hindrance in our understanding of who and what we really are.  At a minimum, this world proves to us again and again, that there are forces within it, that are relevant, and not all of these forces are we able to measure with our human instruments or to fathom within our mind; yet, they are forces all the same.  So too, there are plenty of concepts and theorems, that the average person has difficulty in comprehending, yet, these are valid in their own right, despite a given person’s lack of understanding.

Additionally, we need to take into serious consideration that when we are just reliant on our five senses, along with the thoughts that come into our mind, and nothing else, then clearly those domains that lay outside of these, are going to be a difficult proposition to even consider or to conceive of, and thereby impossible to fully comprehend, because we are limited in our understanding of such.  This signifies that those that have the audacity to declare that there is no God, and that all that we are is limited to just this physical sphere, along with the brief consciousness that we have here upon it, are really, at best, barking up the wrong tree.

As the inestimable Shakespeare wrote, “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”  It would be well to remember also “what a piece of work is man,” he of the most noble and ignoble thoughts and deeds, of which the more that we learn about ourselves, the more that there is to learn, of which, this is an area that we do not yet have full appreciation of – especially, in regards to all of the respective intricacies about how everything works, or even why it works the way that it does work.  All those that are capable of introspection, have an obligation to, ponder, why it is that we are here, and further, who we are; for that then leads us to enlightenment.