What's Happening at Book Readers Heaven! Reading--Listening--Writing--Speaking - Part 2 Open Memoirs

 

As you know, I've started writing two "open memoirs." Sometime, during 2016, I saw the originally posted video... which led to the Women's Protest March on the inauguration day (actually, the video used today is much more revealing of the whole conversation!)

My friend, Rachel, called me "A Women's Libber" when she talked to her special other about me... Yeah, I guess I am, but I never read Gloria Steinem. But I did read and totally enjoyed Fear of Flying by Erica Jong. If you know one or both of these women, then you, perhaps are a women's libber too?! The key issue at this juncture is to talk about WHY I started writing, rather than reading, at least some of the time.

My friend, Rachel, also said one time, as she was parting, that she loved me (which is what we normally closed with). But then she added, I love your brain! I told her yesterday telling her I remembered after she had left, that I considered that the best compliment I'd ever received... 

So, I didn't stop to also tell her that, in reading Tim Spiess' book, I learned that the correct way to say what she said was that "I love your mind..." Do you see the difference? I immediately did when I came to the issue, but the first thing I thought about was, once again, recognizing just how much Words Matter! In fact, it was the infamous statement by our former president that I realized just how much WORDS can be used...for evil... (I hesitated to use that word, but then decided to say it out loud, since I thought it...

You see, one of the issues I must face is that my Job Burnout was partly a significant result of my failure to Speak Out Against Good Versus Bad... Working in America, in my opinion, is even worse than it was when in 1985, my job environment suddenly changed.

And, in turn, in 2016, when Donald Trump was elected, my mind recoiled from that reality! Then when I learned that Evangelical Christians was not only supporting him but had made a deal with him, I found I couldn't keep my mind from spinning, once again. I became somewhat obsessive to ensure I was watching the news, and reading every little thing he did, based upon my past experience and acquired knowledge. I kept asking everybody who would listen, including God, how could this be?

Now, I again, remember a woman about my age, coming close to me at Physical Therapy, where I had instigated what happened, with what I thought would be a simple question. After all, it was now past the January 6th Insurrection, and well into everything that happened thereafter: "So what do you think about our past president being indicted for espionage?"

I had forgotten for just a moment that there were those who still supported Trump... So I went on... only to have the conversation stopped by the man walking away from me. Yikes! So, he's republican. The woman came and whispered four words: "I think he's evil." My quick response was, "I do too." and then we parted. Perhaps with her, as well as me, thinking, this is not a safe place to speak truth...

Speaking Truth Versus Sharing Your Opinion, I have learned, is definitely not the same thing.

We recall in John 18 the trial of Jesus before Pontius Pilate and those few words of Jesus, which prompted the question asked by Pilate. Jesus had said, “I was born for this; I've come into the world for this: to give evidence about the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

vs. 

Freedom of speech is the right to speak, write, and share ideas and opinions without facing punishment from the government. The First Amendment protects this right by prohibiting Congress from making laws that would curtail freedom of speech.

vs.

Freedom of speech does not include the right: To incite imminent lawless action.
Brandenburg v. Ohio, 395 U.S. 444 (1969).

One thing I have learned during the many years I have become involved in reading and listening to more news than I'd ever watched in my life...is one thing...

Politicians Lie. Of course you all will have seen or heard the many political ads where they tear apart the image of their opponent. Or you have heard many members of the political world complain about their total freedom of speech being prevented... My thought? Enough is enough! As one of the Trump administration member's book said as she was called upon to bear witness to what occurred before and during the January 6th Insurrection.

MY Interpretation of the law that says "To incite imminent lawless action." is not a part of Freedom of Speech itself. And, if I would consider all that I see being done by politicians which, in my opinion, does indeed incite lawless action, then a major problem has been allowed to grow, fester, and, finally,  metastasized into the cancerous hateful, violent world that we are now watching...daily!

• To allow lies about candidates leads to our being unable to select the right and proper candidate for the government under which we are ruled.
• To allow slander, hate-filled rhetoric by politicians in particular, again, can lead to our inability to select the best candidate...
• To allow lies has already led to violence due to the misinformation, slander, and hateful rhetoric by politicians, which results in followers being incited to, even, kill...or lesser violence...
• To allow lies has incited such fear in America that many are afraid that if they don't "accept" those lies that they will be harmed and possibly killed.
• To lie about it being "normal" because we live in a capitalist country, that military rifles; e.g., AK47 are needed, has led to the inciting of over 500 mass shootings in America so far, this year... Many deaths of our children and teens who have lost their lives because of politician lies and refusal to vote against these weapons of death!

When we have those who profess to be christians also support those who lie, we find that those individuals lie insofar as their religious claim. The fact is that God IS Love. It is man who has, through the ages, worked to manipulate, tarnish, confuse, and, yes lie about those words of love.

Indeed, I'm finding that the book I'm now reading, as a study guide, confirms my own thoughts and reasoning...

Christianity is a  

Successful Failure

Must we be forever slide

backward, instead of forward

to the promises of Christ

who taught us all that we needed to know

about Love?

I will be voting on November 7th. As I've mentioned before, I originally registered as an independent, but learned that in Pennsylvania, you cannot vote in the primary. I changed to the democratic party. That is not to say that I may change in the future, but, right now, I believe in Joe Biden to be the man to move us forward in the fight that is now going on. I watched as his cabinet was chosen to be the most inclusive White House Administration that I've ever seen before. All races, those of different religions or different opinions. They are there for him to listen to. He is there to feel and know the grief that so many have been and are experiencing across the world from those who lie, hate, and kill for seemingly no reason. There may be issues that I don't agree with, but, for now, I'm a straight democrat voter for one reason. I believe they speak truth and live truth, even when they make decisions that we can't understand or, as our right, fully disagree with... I do not trust the republican party as known by me through witnessing the January 6th Insurrection, ultimately, but also all other ongoing actions by those in office or their followers. I believe that God wants us to stand strong against the fear that has been incited by MAGA. If we do not stand up against violence, prejudice, hate, guns killing children because they live in a capitalist country as, of course, explained by a republican.  (What a stupid reason for not stopping the sale of military style that is killing our children and so many others!)

Religious vs. Lifting Jesus Higher - God's Plan for Us?

You Decide

Gabbie