old3bob

"non-violent in thought and action" is a core Hindu/yogic precept which is also taught in many other ways. Yet we live in a very violent world where violence is sometimes needed for self-defense. Turn on the news and its mostly reporting forms of violence, with some being minor and some being horrific going on almost 24/7 throughout the world of humanity! How can one really be 100% non-violent (unless truly and fully enlightened with "tough love") when or if using violence in self-defense? "As above so below" is a nice sounding saying yet its apparent that there is violence throughout all the realms "above" (a.k.a. war in heaven or between angles and demons) except for the very highest or purest. Bypassing and or acting above it all is a cop out and not a solution, thus goes the ages old struggle we are in... btw the Book of Revelations is chalk full of unrestrained and great violence besides whatever metaphors or allegory it has...

the transcendent (a.k.a. or also pointed to by other terms) is not bound to or ruled by change, change will never be satisfied or still as the greater reality of the transcendent is...yet our human self must deal with change which it is part of.

the higher one goes the more instantaneously karma can kick in; btw with the flood gates for evil overflowing lately here on earth one may wonder when its karma will give it a kick? ""God" does not interfere with human events", except when or for instance....?

except to themselves....

Gandhi mitigated and at times stopped a great deal of violence in India between warring forces way back when, yet he also said (to paraphrase) that if it comes down to it at some point (like a last resort) then one may very well have to fight or be counted as a coward.

many are saying, "no violence" while taking major actions that inflict serious forms of suffering, harm or injury on others short of direct murder although which may and has in some cases incited murder or resulted in deaths!

Btw, the Bhagavad Gita is plumb full of violence which imo it try's to justify with high sounding rationalization. And for many millions it is scripture but it is not really 'Sruti' which in Hinduism refers to a class of sacred texts, such as the Vedas and Upanishads, considered to be divinely revealed. Bringing that up would be sure to at least (or worse) upset millions who have invested in it.

Best wishes for your Dad and family, I'd say MD Anderson in Houston, Tx. has some of the best cancer care in the world, if you and your folks are in the process of looking for care options...

Good news for of course in proper context none of that applies to the (pointer of ) Self... or to the Buddhist (pointer) version which follows: "There is, monks, an unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated. If there were not that unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated, there would not be the case that escape from the born — become — made — fabricated would be discerned. But precisely because there is an unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated, escape from the born — become — made — fabricated is discerned."

don't know about "swaggering" but I'm a friendly drunk... (which is seldom now a-days at my age)

I was probably a simple sailor who loved the sea, thus without such secret knowledge, if I had that past life...

I've had that for: (past life who knows?) "The Phoenicians were ancient master sailors, traders, and shipbuilders known for their extensive maritime network across the Mediterranean Sea, founded on technological advancements in shipbuilding and navigation. They used celestial navigation, particularly the North Star, to sail at night and were capable of long-distance journeys, reaching as far as Britain and potentially the Atlantic. Their maritime prowess allowed them to trade goods like famous purple dye, metals, and papyrus, and establish colonies, making them a dominant seafaring power for centuries."

btw, many younger folks may never have heard of the ship Calypso and her crew, but there is this a song in tribute...

apathy in any realm brings other realms down, and silence or enforced censorship along that line is also a form violence...

saving of a small group from forms of violence is something and does not go uncounted, for those are dharmic battles won, but the greater war still goes on... will it ever be put to rest....apparently only in the purest of realms and with the Beings there-of.

alright for you! Alas, much of the US is under the weight of a great deal false dignity where vice is virtue!!

Groups and individuals following dharmic like or based and proven ways that are basically wholesome and universal for all people is ideal, while forms of censorship for those that are hell bent against same is needed if we are to "live and let live" in some kind of harmony in a very diverse world. (instead of censorship being used against dharmic ways)

as far as charities go I've donated to N.R.D.C for a long time, before and during that time to several other similar groups including Jacques Cousteau's ocean environment concerns and also the Calypso endeavors. In the past 4-5 years to 'Seva', a vision health and restoration group for folks for that can't get such help or afford it! Are you familiar with those ?

not really, except in an uncommon moment here or there.

manifest destruction

Admission prices can ruin things, many years ago I wanted to take my young daughter to a circus that was in town; it would be fun and of some excitement but when we got to the admission gate the price was way high which pissed me off and I didn't pay. Anyway 'they' know the have got most people with leverage since most people would just cave and pay their price since its for their kid. At other events and at other times I did pay but not that day.

those suckers were killing off a whole lot fish in the great lakes until someone painstakingly and finally found a substance that greatly reduced their numbers thus making area fishermen's jobs viable again!

true because evil can not reach or corrupt it...but when it comes to the ten thousand watch out!

ok, and misinterpreted as you say and or imply is dangerous (for instance idealistic sheep among wolves) The golden "Lion of Judah" is definitely not a meek or weak sheep!

well it was some fun, but impermanent...