'Charitable' Runners cont'd.

How many corpses have been picked up quietly from under those blankets by ambulances and moved out of sight into the morgue?

Vancouverites have this image of themselves much touted in the media as being a generous and compassionate lot. Just witness all those charity runs. At our current rate of compassion and charitableness, the runners will soon require some lessons in leaping as they bypass that blanketed bulk, that dead or alive thing intruding upon their false sentimentalities on their sidewalks and in their streets.

Let's get real, shall we? Compassion for all. I believe it was a guy named Yeshua (Jesus) who said something along the lines of "Love thy neighbour as thyself."

That unconditional love includes our homeless neighbours, convenient or not.


THEOLOGY IS KING
Notice how issues of religious freedom and certain faith-based doctrines are now insinuating themselves into the American political mosaic? They’ve always been there, to wit their monetary slogan, “In God we Trust” but it’s convenient as hell for the Bush new World Order to use the religion of the evangelical Christians to advance his world agenda. Salting the Supreme Court with “conservative” (read traditional Christian) appointees will have the inevitable effect of changing the laws to suit his global designs; and embolden his doctrines which have justified wars and the financing of the military complex for decades.

When this globalizing is near its completion in terms of getting the corporate fixes in (mergers happening now at an alarmingly fast rate), we will find that theology is intimately woven into the fabric and constitution of this new global network.

Thoughtful individuals must act in voting booths everywhere to protect themselves from a from of religious fascism but also should insist on a Global Moral Creed to be put in place not only among governments but particularly among trans-national corporations who have been allowed to act criminally with regard to our global resources.

One God. One human family. We need to look out for each other’s well-being that a climate of goodness may soon become visible and thereafter shielded. Protecting the innocent and promoting goodness is all the theology anybody really needs. And it trumps every megacorporation and the wiles of any current president.


The Biological Setting for Joy
Scientists are discovering very interesting aspects of the mechanics of how we enjoy. Ever since they detected that certain hormones and endorphins were at work within us and could be stimulated to provide us with a sense of euphoria, they’ve been making some fascinating discoveries.

We’ll live longer if we are happy. Our bodies are less likely to become ill if we are disposed to a friendly nature. We are biologically inclined to share pleasure with each other and laughter is good for all that ails us. (Imagine the obvious boon of laughter where depression is concerned.)

Given that everything in the human body is designed to facilitate joy, would it not perhaps be wise to develop our social skills and our language to convey pleasure beyond “Cool!” and “Awesome!” to better reflect that faculty we have for bliss. Not only might we be better equipped to communicate our pleasure but we would be likely increasing our power to sustain our enjoyment on every level.