What I Am Reading...

I have been reading and am committed to finish some books within the week.

One is on "Ten Philosophical Mistakes" by Mortimer J. Adler, I have just finished. I have learned that there is a difference in intellect and sense perception. This difference distinguishes the human from the animal kingdom.

I have also learned that potentialities are what distinguishes the differences in behavior from the animal and human. And I believe that liberty is the only means of attaining and developing potential.

I also am thinking through "natural state", "the state of nature" and "social contract", and the development of "constitutional government" as the "ideal" of the real historical understanding of "context".

Another book I am beginning, " The Discovery of Freedom" (Man's Struggle Against Authority), by, Rose Wilder Lane and "A Plea for Liberty", a mixture of writers writing on the topic of liberty.

I plan on furthering my understanding and education in what has interested me.

I find the topic of liberty always pertinent to man's "identity", but especially in today's climate of maintaining a "social agenda", which politicizes the "moral", at the costs of other necessary truths. I must resolve what I believe to be the undermining of what makes the human different from the animal. And that is the diversity and uniqueness that is only granted under a "constitutional republic" ( or is it a "liberal democracy"?).

A Critique of "Evil" in a Sermon

It is Easter. Many find this the time to celebrate "hope", but the pastor's sermon was on "the cross", dying, and fruitfulness. Several times he referred to "except a grain of wheat fall in the ground and die, it remains alone"....I imagine his intent was to encourage those who face "evil" that this was a way to produce fruti in one's life.

A grain falling in the ground to die is an agricultrual way to say that our lives are meant to be "given away", which is a fact of anyone's life. It is just "what is the "end" to be for one's life. That is a personal choice. But, he had ominous tones of life being taken, as Jesus' life was. Remember last Sunday's sermon was on "Stolen Identity". He encouraged us to see evil in 'spiritualized terms" of "satan" or the "devil", while suggesting that we were responsible for our sin and must not define it any other way. Nor should we rationalize what we do wrong. This was confusing to me.

I sat there thinking to myself that blaming "satan" was not "taking responsibility(as if any rational person really believes in a "real" person named Satan. I thought the Church had criticized the view of holding two equal powers as heresy, anyway.) I thought that possibly this was a way to dispel responsibility for actions that are no more than horrendously offensive. He attempted to describe war escalation. "Satan" was the way of "scape-goating" evil, and producing "solidarity" with one's "enemy, the one responsible for the "sin". It was a confusing message to me. And it sounded as if he was trying to convince himself that this all was true.

I find that whenever we set out to pre-determine another's action, response, or choice, then we are headed for disaster. And pre-determination is highly problematic morally. I was just reading "A Theory of Justice" by John Rawls today. He argues that there must be a equal liberty for justice to prevail. This is what our Constitution is based upon. We value the individual's right of self-determination. "We hold these truths, to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, with certain inalienable rights...." Justice and fairness is ruling by "consent of the governed". I guess these rules don't apply when it comes to 'religion"....

A Woman's Cause and Seeking Justice

I just heard about a woman who sought to bring lawsuit against a large corporation's attempt to destroy her neighborhood. She sought the counsel of the Institute for Justice.

The Institute for Justice seeks to protect individual rights where it concerns 'big business' interests. It is a libertarian organization.

I find that this woman's case was a case to be won, otherwise, big corporations have free reign to do as they please, leaving the individual at the mercy of their whims. This happened during the preparation for the Olympic Games in China, where many were put out of their homes because the government wanted to use their land to promote the game's image.

I respect the vision and cause of the Institute of Justice, as without the individual's representations, we are doomed to be pawns of larger interests that prey upon our rights as human beings. America holds up the indiviudual's right to liberty, because without liberty, we are slaves and we did away with slavery long ago!

Concern for America Continued

Last night I turned on Charlie Rose too late I'm afraid to catch the name of the CEO of AEI (I think that is the company). This company is struggling to keep afloat because of a lack of liquid assests...

This CEO (I didn't catch his name), was saying that the federal government is trying to bail the company out, by lending the monies needed. BUT, he was unable to sit in on the discussions. Why is he not allowed to sit in on this discussion? He had built this company up for the past 40 or so years...Is Nationalism at the door in America's future? Are we headed for nationalized companies like we see in communist countries? I hope not.

Even though we have chased the Almighty dollar, our nation's free markets have been the "success stories" of the American people. What is one to do, when there may be powers that be that would like to limit our free market, because of "a higher good"? What "higher good"? Individuals in our country have been innovators, discoverers, and business entrepreneurs. Now, we see that the government has underwritten our mortgage companie and is bailing out Fannie Mae and Fannie Mac...and this is afffecting the market..

What are we to think? I agree that we have sold our country's future in depending on "slave trade" and seeking to build our own personal economic interests on the backs of others, but, how can we continue to allow the freedom to pursue our "dreams" without socializing our futures.? Is universal health care the answer to the uninsured? Is the nationalization of our country's individual rights the answer to our future?"The Common Good" is the call of Obama, and the Democrats, I'm afraid. But, have the business interests become too powerful in the Republican party for the individual's voice to be heard?Is the individual able to do anything to change the country around? Or have we become too selfish to change?

Someone called in on a radio program yesterday and said that the "crows have come home to roost" because of Clinton's mortgaging our national debt. The interest has come due now in a Republican administration, so that the Democrats can position themsleves as the ":saviors" of our economic futures...What are we to think, when things go on in places of power that we have no access to and know nothing about? And while these things have been going on, America sleeps, the world watches and the leaders continue to be corrupted.