The Suicide of Socrates

A day in the year 399 BC, the philosopher Socrates stood before a jury of 500 of his fellow Athenians. Socrates was being accused of “Refusing to recognize the Gods that the state recognized.” By not recognizing the Gods that the Athenian state recognized, his accusations were compounded with the additional charge of “Corrupting the youths of Athens.”

The trial took place in the heart of the city, the jurors seated on wooden benches surrounded by a crowd of spectators. Socrates’ accusers were three Athenian citizens who recognized the truth of the official Gods of Athens. The accusers were given three hours to present their case, and then Socrates would have three hours to defend himself. If Socrates was to be found guilty; his penalty could be death.

After the arguments of both Socrates and his accusers were over, each juror registered his judgment by placing a small disk into an urn marked “Guilty” or “Not Guilty.” Socrates was found guilty by a vote of 280 to 220. Yes, 280 of the good citizens of Athens saw that it was their duty to defend and protect the “Recognized Gods of Athens.”

Now that Socrates had been found guilty of “Not recognizing the Gods that the Athenian state officially recognized,” and consequently “Corrupting the youths of Athens,” his accusers argued for the death penalty. Socrates in his defense proposed that he be fined a modest sum of money. In light of the severity of his crime of “Not recognizing the Gods of Athens,” the jury selected the death sentence for Socrates. Athenian law prescribed the carrying out the death sentence was to be by drinking a cup of poison hemlock, and Socrates would then be his own executioner.

In our advanced and modern civilization of the United States, we should think, “How uneducated, idiotic, and backwards those Athens must have been to sentence Socrates to death for simply not recognizing the official state “Gods of Athens.” But human nature being what it is no matter what period in time, when today I hear of ministers having their congregations actively praying for President Obama’s death…are we really that far removed from those ancient Athenians?

LESSONS FROM CARL SCHURZ

In the mid to late 1960’s the pro-war conservatives were often heard making the statement, “My country, right or wrong,” as if stating this was the only reason anyone would need to take their viewpoint and support for the United States’ involvement in the Viet Nam War.



In reality, and I am sure those who were making the statement had no clue, that this is just a segment of a quote made by Carl Schurz. The total quote is, "My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right." In retrospect, this full quote would have been more appropriate to those who opposed the Viet Nam War. As history has proven that the attack of the USS Maddox in the Gulf of Tonkin as the reason for going into Viet Nam, was a fabrication; much like the Bush Administration’s “Weapons of Mass Destruction” that were not found in Iraq. Many of us have noted, there are people in this country who still believe the foolishness that Saddam Hussein plotted and attacked the Trade Towers in New York because that is what Conservative Talk Radio has lead them to believe. To reiterate the true lesson from Carl Schurz’s quote, “and if wrong, to be set right,” those who work to put this country back on the correct moral compass after being taken off course by those who have intentionally mislead the country; are the true American Patriots.



Carl Schurz was a German revolutionary who became a Union Army General in the American Civil War. After the Civil War, he went on to become an accomplished journalist, newspaper editor and noted orator, and in 1869 became the first German-born American elected to the United States Senate.


During his later years as a Teddy Roosevelt era Republican, Schurz was perhaps the most prominent independent in American politics, noted for his high principles, his avoidance of political partisanship, and his moral conscience. Much like Teddy Roosevelt, Carl Schurz fell out of favor with the more conservative aspect of the Republican Party at this time for these principles he believed in.

I will close this posting with another quote from Carl Schurz that all should take note: "Ideals are like the stars. We will never reach them, but like the mariners on the sea, we chart our course by them."

Harry Potter and the Half-Wit Prince Movie

The opening scene starts out with Harry Potter and Professor Dumbledore in a sober discussion with the seriousness of the “Storm Of Past Evil” brewing unrest within the universe. Both agreed that everyone on earth is in danger of this evil rearing its ugly head again trying to take back the position and the abusive power that it once imposed on the world population for eight years.

This evil force ran unleashed and unrestrained because the “Evil Anointed One,” the one called, “The Half-Wit Prince,” had so many fooled into thinking he was one with a pure “Born Again Soul.” In truth, his soul and brain had long been burned out with too many years of alcohol and cocaine abuse, that nether had any true functioning remains within the empty shell of his physical body.

Unfortunate, many bought into the myth because he was the first born of a past leader who failed so poorly that the masses purged him upon their first chance to do so.

What many did not realize before it was too late was that the “Half-Wit Prince” had an evil accomplice. This accomplice had gotten his training from an ancient evil that went by the clownish name of “Tricky Dickey.” This sorcerer's apprentice, who was schooled and mentored by the ancient evil, took the name of his master, “Dick,” in honor of the spells that were taught to him.

This “Dick from the land of Cheney,” (which loosely translates into), “He who on a rare occasion wipes his own ass but still likes to smell his fingers after doing so,” set out on a mission to take over all of the earth’s oil reserves, and to skim off as much of the American Tax Payers' dollars, making both very obscenely wealthy.

The “Storm Of Past Evil” had a feminine stoogie cohort who goes by "Caribou Barbie." Their evil plan was based in the hopes she would be able to bring forth a new age and rebirth of their old brand of evil making everyone’s life unbearable. The “Storm Of Evil Past,” power fabricated a religious myth so those who are easily led astray, the “Fanatical Religious Right Wing,” could be whipped up into a blind faith frenzy carrying the “Storm Of Past Evil” into power on the shoulders of the mindless once again.


The evil plan was foiled by a loose group of “Intelligent Blogger Sentinels” who are educated, and on the constant watch exposing every time the “Storm Of Evil Past” thought that it had found a dropped guard or a week link in their vigil alertness.

The final scene is with the “Intelligent Blogger Sentinels” lamenting that their service to the world community is sometimes a thankless job, but they have the satisfaction of knowing that they are keeping the earth safe from the “Storm Of Past Evil.” Yes, being able to stop the evil council of the “Half-Wit Prince,” “Dick from the land of Cheney,” and the non-functioning in the real world “Caribou Barbie,” which is enough thanks for this unassuming group.

The camera fades to black, and closing words, “THE END” closes the movie leaving everyone with a happy ending but with the knowledge and realization that the “Storm Of Evil Past” will try to return again soon.

Little Walter and Koko Taylor

With my good friend Microdot out in the grape fields of France, I thought that I would pass on this piece in honor of his blog site.

Little Walter is the stage name of Marion Walter Jacobs (May 1, 1930 – February 15, 1968), a blues singer, harmonica player, and guitarist. Little Walter is generally included among blues music greats from Chess Records. His virtuosity and musical innovations fundamentally altered many listeners' expectations of what was possible on blues harmonica. Little Walter's body of work earned him a spot in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the sideman category on March 10, 2008, making him the only artist ever to be inducted specifically for his work as a harmonica player.

I found this piece where Little Walter is performing with the great blues legend, Koko Taylor with her signature song Wang Dang Doodle. So please enjoy Little Walter’s blues harmonica complementing Koko’s rough and powerful vocals as she belts it out. In my opion, it really doesn't get any better than this!!

Sarah Palin’s Maverick Persona, Her Achilles Heel

As time counts down to the end of this month for Sarah Palin as Governor of Alaska, so goes the hopes for the Fanatical Religious Right Wing of the Republican Party.

As late as March of this year, a senior official from the Republican Governors Association headed for Alaska on a secret mission to mentor and to perform damage control for Sarah Palin. After the exposure of her blatant incompetence on the national level, Sarah Palin was now beset with political and personal turmoil back in Alaska. Some powerful supporters even put together an intervention trying to pull her governorship, and her national future, back from the brink of disaster.

The problem was that just as soon as Sarah Palin returned to Alaska from her meltdown on the national election stage disaster, she continued her relentless string of professional and personal incompetence that quickly put this goal out of reach. As soon as she returned home, the Governor was isolated from an increasingly critical Alaskan Legislature.

Lawmakers who had supported her signature effort to develop a natural gas pipeline, turned into uncooperative critics. Soon ethics complaints mounted, and legal bills followed. At home Sarah Palin was dealing with a teenage daughter who had given birth to a son and broken up with the infant’s father.
The Republican Governors Association’s executive director, Nick Ayers, arrived with a damage control memorandum containing firm counsel that stated the advice:

1. Make a long term schedule and stick to it.

2. Have staff members set aside ample and inviolable family time to replenish your spirits.

3. Build a coherent home state agenda that creates jobs and ensures re-election.



Unfortunately, Sarah Palin was more interested in keeping her “Maverick Persona” than listening to the advice of those within the Republican Party with much more experience on how to handle her situations. Sarah Palin would give the false impression of gladly receiving the advice sent by influential supporters, but then would just discard and ignore this advice trying to help her. In retrospect, Sarah was her own worst enemy and it was evident that she is the reason for her marching, as if in a trance, towards her inevitable resignation.

In conclusion, when the Fanatical Religious Right Wing Lemmings showed up at her Vice-Presidential rallies and chanted, “Run Sarah Run,” the rest of us were thinking, “Yea, Run Back to Alaska Caribou Barbie Because We Are Not Going To Allow You To Force Your Incompetence On The Rest Of Us.” With all the Republican help she had trying to make her a functioning person, the result was that her incompetence still won out with the proof of her resignation as Governor.

Did Yahweh and Jesus Both Have Wives?

In the beginning of the Old Testament, it is written that the Israelites were living in the land of Canaan and they were worshiping the god “Yahweh.” The Israel god, “Yahweh,” came from the Canaanite god, “El.” At this time “Yahweh,” just like “El,” had a wife. “El’s” wife’s name was “Athirat” and “Yahweh’s” wife’s name was “Asherah.” There are several references in the Bible to a goddess named Asherah. Even as of the late twentieth century, archaeologists discovered intriguing inscriptions, dating to around 800 B.C., at two different Middle Eastern sites. The inscriptions were blessings in the name not just of Yahweh but of “his Asherah.” So how did our references to God of today not have a wife as he once use to? Where did she go?!?! The following text below will explain how God had his wife removed from the myths of religion today in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.

Now man's disobedience to God is a theme that runs right through the Bible. The Bible states that God made a covenant with Abraham and his seed. This covenant pact was that Abraham and all his seed would keep the Lord's commandments. In exchange God promised to protect all the children of Abraham. This covenant was renewed when Moses was given the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai around the year 1200 B.C. At that time the Israelites had long been held as slaves in Egypt, but with God's help they were led back to the land of Israel.

About 1,000 years before Christ, we hear of three great kings of Israel. The first was Saul, then came David, and after him came Solomon. Now under King David all the Israelites were united in one kingdom, and they experienced a period of political, military, and cultural glory.

When kings were chosen, they were anointed by the people. They thus received the title Messiah, which means "the anointed one." In a religious sense kings were looked upon as a go-between between God and his people. The king could therefore also be called the "Son of God" and the country could be called the "Kingdom of God."

But before long Israel began to lose its power and the kingdom was divided into a Northern kingdom (Israel) and a Southern kingdom (Judea). In 722 B.C. the Northern kingdom was conquered by the Assyrians and it lost all political and religious significance. The Southern kingdom fared no better, being conquered by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. Its temple was destroyed and most of its people were carried off to slavery in Babylon. This "Babylonian captivity" lasted until 539 B.C. when the people were permitted to return to Jerusalem, and the great temple was restored. But when the Israelites were defeated in battle and made slaves by the Babylonians, the Jewish Priests decided that the reason why Yahweh allowed them to be defeated was because they had him married to a woman.

Now for the rest of the period before the birth of Christ the Jews continued to live under foreign domination. An example would be the Roman Empire’s rule over Palestine in which the Jews lived. Palestine of course is the lands that use to be Canaan, Israel, Judea, etc. The question Jews constantly asked themselves was why the Kingdom of David was destroyed and why catastrophe after catastrophe rained down on them, for God had promised to hold Israel in his hand but the people had also promised to keep God's commandments. It gradually became widely accepted that God was punishing Israel for their disobedience.

From around 750 B.C. various prophets began to come forward preaching God's wrath over Israel for not keeping his commandments. One day God would hold a Day of Judgment over Israel. We call these types of prophecies, “Doomsday Prophecies.”

So to sum this all up, the children of Israel lived happily under King David, but later on when their situation deteriorated, their prophets began to proclaim that there would one day come a new king of the House of David. This "Messiah," or "Son of God," would "redeem" the people, restore Israel to greatness, and found a "Kingdom of God."

Now along comes Jesus.

In December 1945 an Arab peasant made an astonishing archeological discovery in Upper Egypt, there was a find near the town of Naj 'Hammádì at the Jabal al-Tárif, a mountain honeycombed with more than 150 caves. Originally natural, some of these caves were cut and painted and used as grave sites as early as the sixth dynasty, some 4,300 years ago.

Within one of these caves, some fifty-two texts were found from the early centuries of the Christian era, which included a collection of early Christian gospels previously unknown. The Gospel of Thomas, The Gospel of Philip, The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, The Gospel of Truth and the Gospel to the Egyptians, which identifies itself as "the sacred book of the Great Invisible Spirit." Another group of texts consists of writings attributed to Jesus' followers, such as the Secret Book of James, the Apocalypse of Paul, the Letter of Peter to Philip, and the Apocalypse of Peter.

Within the Gospels of Thomas, Philip, and Mary Magdalene, it is stated that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and after the crucifixion of Jesus, these three went to Egypt. I want to remind the readers that at this time Alexandra, Egypt was the center of culture, education, scientific and philosophic knowledge. These three who really knew Jesus wrote in their gospels that Jesus was married to Mary and soon after arriving in Egypt, she bore a child who was called, Sarah, which means “Princess” in Hebrew.

Now in closing, as we remember, it was decided after being conquered by Babylon, God cannot have a wife so one has to ask if it is true that Jesus was married, did Mary have to be removed from the myth so that God could honor the covenant pact with Abraham. Would this ensure that all of his seed would then be keep the Lord's commandments so in exchange God’s promise to protect all the children of Abraham based on this aspect? Do Christian’s become outraged for simply posing the question that Jesus could have been married, is based on the Jewish Religion morphing a fact?

Those Whom Cannot Draw On Three Thousand Years Of History, Are Living From Hand To Mouth

A completely new way of thinking evolved in Greece about six hundred years before the birth of Christ. Until that time people had found answers to all their questions in various religions. These religious explanations were handed down from generation to generation in the form of myths.

Now mortals could not just sit idly by and wait for the gods to intervene while catastrophes such as drought or plague loomed. They had to act for themselves in the struggle against evil. They did this by performing various religious ceremonies, or rites. One can easily imagine how people's response to a drought or crop failure would be to enact a drama about the event. Perhaps a man from the village would dress up in the most ridicules costume one could imagine and dance around like he had a hot coal on his ass. By doing this, people were taking some action to make it rain so the crops would grow in their fields.

A mythological world existed in Greece when the first philosophy was evolving. The stories of the Greek gods had been handed down from generation to generation for centuries. In Greece the gods were called Zeus and Apollo, Hera and Athene, Dionysos and Ascle-pios, Heracles and Hephaestos, to mention only a few of them.

Around 700 B.C., much of the Greek mythology was written down by Homer and Hesiod. Now that the myths existed in written form, it was possible to discuss them.

The earliest Greek philosophers criticized Homer's mythology because the gods resembled mortals too much and were just as egoistic and treacherous. For the first time it was said that the myths were nothing but human notions. By man creating the gods in their own image, they had bodies and clothes and they spoke the same language as those who created them.

The earliest Greek philosophers came along around 500BC and were called natural philosophers because they were mainly concerned with the natural world and its processes instead of mythological superstitions.



One of these philosophers was Parmenides (c. 540-480 B.C.). Parmenides thought that everything that exists had always existed. Everything that existed in the world was everlasting. Nothing can come out of nothing, and nothing that exists can become nothing. His viewpoint on human reason is called rationalism and the primary source of our knowledge of the world.



Another philosopher to come along was Democritus and he conceived that everything was made up of atoms. Democritus agreed with his predecessors that transformations in nature could not be due to the fact that anything actually "changed." He therefore assumed that everything was built up of tiny invisible blocks, each of which was eternal and immutable. Democritus called these smallest units atoms.

The word "a-tom" means "un-cuttable." For Democritus it was all-important to establish that the constituent parts that everything else was composed of could not be divided indefinitely into smaller parts. Moreover, nature's blocks had to be eternal because nothing can come from nothing. Democritus believed that nature consisted of an unlimited number and variety of atoms.

Yes, Democritus developed the concept of the atom 2500 years ago and what is surprising to me is that there are some of extreme, fanatical, religious faith who still do not believe in this science fact. Today we can establish that Democritus' atom theory was more or less correct. Nature really is built up of different "atoms" that join and separate again. Democritus did not believe in any "force" or "soul" that could intervene in natural processes. The only things that existed, he believed, were atoms and the void. Since he believed in nothing but material things, we call him a materialist. According to Democritus, there is no conscious "design" in the movement of atoms. In nature, everything happens quite mechanically. This does not mean that everything happens randomly, for everything obeys the inevitable laws of necessity. Everything that happens has a natural cause that is inherent in the thing itself.

Some say in humor is what separates man from the animals is the desire to dress up in silly costumes and expound illogical superstitions as religious faith. For these people, their viewpoint is if you believe in Christianity, it was called "faith," but if you believe in another religion, astrology, or even Friday the thirteenth it is superstition! But who has the right to call other people's beliefs superstitions in these examples, when others see both as the same without any difference? Yet even today there are many who try to force their extreme religious beliefs on others because of their superstition mandates them to do so.

Democritus did not believed in this fate. He was a materialist. He only believed in atoms and empty space. The true faith in Science Fact.