A Mind of it's Own

I am currently reading a book recommended by my friend Emily. It's called 'A Mind of it's Own - How the brain distorts and deceives' by Cordelia Fine. If you can pick up a copy I wholeheartedly suggest that you do.

It's a book about psychology and how the brain works in order to keep us content and happy even at the worst of times, even if that means twisting, hiding or deleting the truth.

I quote:

...the brain can selectively edit and sensor the truth, both about ourselves and the world, making for a softer, kinder and altogether more palatable reality.

This may seem quite harsh and even scary when you think about it, does it mean that we never fully realise the truth about ourselves or the world around us? Is our brain constantly deceiving us and feeding us false information to make us feel better?

I read once that what people want are truth and happiness but in fact these two things are at opposite ends of the scale and it is very difficult to have both at the same time - nigh on impossible even.

Recently I have been looking into a kind of 'self honesty' trying to get in touch with what makes me me but is that in fact a potentially dangerous thing to do? Is ignorance bliss?

From the same book:

There is in fact a category of people who get unusually close to the truth about themselves and the world. Their self-perceptions are more balanced, they assign responsibility for success and failure more even-handedly, and their predictions for the future are more realistic. These people are living testimony to the dangers of self-knowledge. They are the clinically depressed.

Exodus from Egypt

In Exodus we find the story of Moses freeing the people from the 'evil' Pharaoh of Egypt. Although on closer inspection it doesn't seem to be quite so clear cut as all that:

Exodus chapter 5, verse 21
And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return to Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go

What is happening here? God is making the Pharaoh say no? So that God can show off his fancy tricks?

It happens again:

Exodus chapter 7, verses 3 and 4
And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments

Exodus chapter 7, verse 13
And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said

Exodus chapter 9, verse 12
And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them: as the Lord had spoken unto Moses

Exodus chapter 10, verse 1
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him

Exodus chapter 10, verse 20
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go

All this seems like he is playing both sides - but to what end?
Once the Pharaoh finally does relent and let the children of Israel go and they are on their way going about their business, the Pharaoh suddenly changes his mind and charges after them... or does he?

Exodus chapter 14, verse 4
And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them: and I will be honored upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord, And they did so

Exodus chapter 14, verse 8
And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand

Exodus chapter 14, verse 17
And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen

So in fact the Lord makes Pharaoh chase after the people with the intent of 'gaining honor over them' in other words, destroying them

It gets better...

Moses has parted the red sea and his people are raveling safely across, Pharaoh and his men pursue them across the dry ground that Moses has created but it doesn't go well with their chariots on the soggy seabed:

Exodus chapter 14, verse 25
And they took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians

So they are about to head back and flee back to Egypt - but the very next verses:

Exodus chapter 14, verses 26 and 27
And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea

So... the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he could perform his miracles, drove him to pursue and then destroyed them at the point where they were going to flee.

Here's why:

Exodus chapter 14, verse 31
And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses.

Fear tactics and staged events which result in a people believing that the Lord has saved them from a tyrannical evil and into unquestioning submission - sound familiar?

Alternative interpretations welcome :)

*All quotes taken from the King James Bible

Loose Change

Go and watch this NOW!

Loose Change
.

Peace

In Fey's reply to my previous post he said:

"You suggest that it's easy to find antagonistic verses in every major 'holy' writing and then ask when all creeds can live together in peace?

The answer might be - not until the creeds themselves are peaceful."

Perhaps there is truth to the argument that true peace is only attainable in the absence of any religion. As words of Holy Scripture which are thousands of years old cannot be re-written or modernised in an ever 'modernising' world (how can you re-write the word of God?) perhaps we are locked in an eternal struggle with our faiths, ourselves and one another.

A wise woman recently said:

"We are all different and all have different views - that is the nature of human nature!!!"

Perhaps then conflict is an inherant aspect of human nature and until the human race evolves to a level where differences are truly embraced and celebrated without fear, we will constantly be at war with one another.

Although maybe just like ying and yang, day and night, there will always be what people term 'good' and 'bad'. In fact without the bad how can we appreciate the good?

For isn't it only in the shadow of defeat that victory truly shines?

Fitna

I have just watched the controversial video called Fitna made by Dutch politician Geert Wilders in an attempt to solidify hatred amongst the Dutch people for Muslims. The film lasts about 10 minutes and is basically nothing more than a fabrication of certain passages in the Koran which speak specifically about destroying the enemies of Islam and using gratuitous violence to do so.

The way this is depicted in the movie is to suggest that all non Muslims are at risk at any time by devout Muslims who seek to purge the world of non Islamic citizens.

However, Mr Wilders seems to forget or perhaps he doesn't know that similar passages can be found in the Christian Bible and I would hazard a guess at the Torah as well.

The god that all three monotheistic religions claim to worship is in fact the same jealous god whose first commandment in the Bible is Thou shalt have no other God than me and there are many cases where God explicitly demands the execution of the unfaithful- even in the complete annihilation of entire cities including the women, children and animals of 'heathen' nations.

One of the passages quoted in the film is that Islam is a better religion than Christianity or Judaism or Buddhism (which isn't a religion) or Hinduism, and that is considered by Mr Wilders to be a terrible thing but in fact all monotheistic religions believe this to be the case about their respective religion and is nothing to be up in arms about.

This film is overly dramatic, shows old footage and is in serious danger of causing harm to innocent peaceful Muslims which are in the majority and if they do want to react violently towards us, can we really blame them being vilified as they have been by the Western Governments?

How long is it going to take until we reach a time when all creeds, colors, religions, sexes and sexualities can live together in peace? Surely this is what our politicians should be striving for?

Someone needs to stand up for the Muslims and bring THEIR freedom back.