The Way I See It - The State

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Wed, Nov 04, 2009, 7:00 am  //  Ham Hayes

Rousseau in 1753, by Maurice Quentin de La Tour
Father of Statism?
Source: Wikipedia
Few of us advocate for the suppression of the human spirit. In fact we would be shocked if others characterized us as miserly, mean spirited or oppressive. Yet today we find ourselves in a social, political and cultural dialog where in many quarters those characterizations are being directed toward those who hold different views. Sometimes the vocabulary reflects an “either/or” mentality and perhaps indicates a growing intolerance. One of our cherished American beliefs is that our country offers safe harbor to people who hold a wide range of differing beliefs and cultural practices. At this time, that may be more myth than truth. Control by the government appears to be increasing. And there is a corresponding decrease of influence from our religious and spiritual traditions.

The Religion of the State, or Statism, now dictates our society’s moral authority. For over 200 years, Western society has been undergoing a transformation. This transformation is marked by the systematic isolation and eradication of religious influence from the body politic. It is also marked by government, i.e. the State, providing the code of morality for society. Political and social revolutions, the rise of National Socialism, Fascism, Communism, and indeed modern western democratic societies can trace their genealogy back to 18th and 19th century philosophers and the basic premise that moral authority comes not from God, but man. The intention of those who advocate increased government control can be well meant. That’s what we wish to believe about our own government. Other 20th Century societies, Germany, Russia, China, and Cambodia among others, went another way, the way of genocide to eliminate opposition to the new priesthoods of those societies. And all of their State "priesthoods" believed they were morally justified in their actions.

Today, we can understand the reasons for the French Revolution and the overthrow of a monarchy backed by religious authority. One only has to visit Versailles, palace of the last French kings, to see the unparalleled decadence of the French monarchy. When built by Louis XIV, that palace cost France one-half of its gross domestic product. That is like our government spending 7 trillion dollars today on a really nice house for the President and his staff. In the evolution of humanity, we see the revolutionary events and the thinking behind them as part of a dynamic that breaks through the old toxic thought forms and opens the planet up to truly new thinking. In that era, Mankind needed to be freed from ego-based religious institutions. The corrupt human institutions that usurped control of access to God and authorized “divinity” to kings had to go.

Belief in the State is the ultimate political expression of rationalism. It is the political end of scientific thought. This dynamic has been running since the Renaissance. The dynamic was meant to break the worldly enslavement of the spiritual world by mankind’s ego. Recently, Statism has been somewhat successful in breaking this enslavement, but not completely. The “not completely” is due to the premise by Statism that there is no spiritual world at all, and science can be legitimately opposed or used for the State’s purposes. Where that leaves modern society and science is at the mercy of Statism’s relativistic moral authority. And having been almost completely marginalized by the State, spiritual wisdom traditions are now largely ignored if not harassed.

This is the source of stress in our political and social institutions. We have seen the rise of the State and had hope in its promises. What has actually happened over the last century has mostly resulted in broken promises, a continued inability to solve problems, and great harm done to our fellow Man. Some track record. And that record combined with marginalization of our spiritual traditions has left us with great uncertainty about what is right and wrong. We seem to have constant and challenging arguments with each other about the course of action we need to take to solve complex societal issues. Too often we seek to make the other person or group “wrong”, often because the only things we have to fall back on are discredited or non-relevant beliefs. The other results of this situation include the feeling of loss of power, a rise of cynicism and finally non-participation by many of us.

Continued separation between the State, Spirit and Science will not serve us. We will continue to wander in our political and social turbulence and continue to fail in solving pandemic addictions to everything from drugs to political power. In the past, we have relied on religious institutions, government and science to tell us what to do. That doesn’t work. The solution to our dilemma lies within us. We are capable of integrating the three principles, fusing the wisdom of each. What that will take from each of us is personal involvement and personal responsibility combined with the understanding that we are all connected. It is not "either-or" and we’ve got a lot to lose if we don’t.

David Camp  //  Wed, Nov 04, 2009, 10:47 am

Anonymous Robot World

Hiding behind a laptop (filled with righteous zeal)

we spray pseudonymous opinions into the void.

Watching porn, clinically categorized; voting against the homo’s (they’re Sinners!) - What? My homo-hatred is public? We can’t have that!

Who likes to be hated? There’s plenty to go around - no shortage of folks concerned with motes and deliberately ignorant of beams.

Enabled irresponsibility, forever juvenile. Looking for a reason to dismiss the other.

The sickness is deep, the reality broken, the replacement unhealthy. Live in this pretend world as the real world dies.

UPDATE: City of Bham Moonlighting Issue - More Documents

Mon, Jan 30, 2012, 10:58 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley updates us on the latest facts coming to light about City of Bellingham employee moonlighting

2 comments; last on Feb 01, 2012

Compliance, Noncompliance and Invalidity in Whatcom County

Sun, Jan 29, 2012, 10:16 pm  //  Wendy Harris

The County's rural planning actions have not just failed to comply with the GMA...they have contradicted the goals of the GMA.

2 comments; last on Feb 01, 2012

Now linked to NEW website. Check it out.
Open House on Feb 5

A Worm’s Eye View of our local WorkSource Center

Wed, Jan 25, 2012, 9:42 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley visits the local WorkSource center and interviews the regional director

0 comments

Watch out for basement flooding

Thu, Jan 19, 2012, 9:03 pm  //  Paul de Armond

Stormwater surge may back up sewers

5 comments; last on Jan 21, 2012

The Political Junkie interviews Kathy Kershner

Thu, Jan 19, 2012, 4:29 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley discusses the Jail, Jack Louws, and an impartial council with our new Council Chair

1 comments; last on Jan 20, 2012

SOPA - A Step in Destroying Democracy

Thu, Jan 19, 2012, 12:17 am  //  John Servais

NWCitizen.com went black for Wednesday, Jan 18, 2012, as a protest against proposed legislation, SOPA and PIPA. Here is what was posted.

1 comments; last on Jan 19, 2012

Why SOPA is so terrible

Tue, Jan 17, 2012, 6:28 pm  //  John Servais

On Wednesday, thousands of websites will go dark to show opposition to SOPA. I will be posting a single article explaining who SOPA is so bad.

0 comments

Planning Commissioner Mocks Environmental Concern For Coal Terminal

Sat, Jan 14, 2012, 11:06 pm  //  Wendy Harris

Planning Commissioner Onkels should recuse himself from review of environmental impacts at GPT.

2 comments; last on Jan 16, 2012

Jack Petree, Olympia, the Whatcom Council and Obama’s Inner Circle

Wed, Jan 11, 2012, 8:04 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Latest from the Political Junkie on a variety of subjects

7 comments; last on Jan 15, 2012

Commmunity Governance at its Best

Mon, Jan 09, 2012, 8:27 pm  //  Tip Johnson

We have a new mayor!

4 comments; last on Jan 10, 2012

Property Rights Protected Under Lake Whatcom Stormwater Proposal

Sun, Jan 08, 2012, 11:02 pm  //  Wendy Harris

The County's proposed stormwater regulations for Lake Whatcom will increase development without improving water quality

2 comments; last on Jan 20, 2012

Riley Rouses Row Over Domestic Violence

Sun, Jan 08, 2012, 1:21 am  //  John Servais

Issue is County Council member Kathy Kershner and how our social service programs are funded.

3 comments; last on Jan 08, 2012

Some thoughts on the Occupy Bellingham issue

Sun, Jan 01, 2012, 12:05 am  //  John Servais

A third note on Jan 1 about the Herald photos with links. And previous thoughts on the trivia around the militarized evictions.

9 comments; last on Jan 10, 2012

Kelli Linville has taken oath as mayor

Fri, Dec 30, 2011, 2:07 pm  //  John Servais

Kelli assumes office of mayor at midnight Dec 31

6 comments; last on Jan 02, 2012

Bellingham Herald removes comments

Fri, Dec 30, 2011, 11:59 am  //  Wendy Harris

Decide for yourself if this blog comment, posted under my own name, should have been flagged and removed from the Bellingham Herald Online Edition.

1 comments; last on Dec 30, 2011

Herald Permits Censorship of Pro-Occupy Bellingham Comments

Fri, Dec 30, 2011, 11:14 am  //  Wendy Harris

Anyone can "flag" a blog posting, resulting in immediate removal of your comment, regardless of merit. This is occuring for comments supporting OB.

1 comments; last on Dec 30, 2011

City Exceeds Scope of Occupy Bellingham Eviction

Wed, Dec 28, 2011, 8:26 pm  //  Wendy Harris

The City infringed on the public’s right to peaceful assembly in a public park by enforcing an inappropriate public safety law

2 comments; last on Dec 30, 2011

Dan Pike Issues Order to Evict Occupy Bellingham

Tue, Dec 27, 2011, 11:55 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley questions Pike's timing, and Occupy's choice of tactics

2 comments; last on Dec 28, 2011

Updates from The Political Junkie

Tue, Dec 20, 2011, 2:19 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Where Riley provides more info on the City of Bellingham employees moonlighting issue and Crawford's ethical troubles

0 comments

Dock Increases Risk of Invasive Species on Lake Whatcom

Sun, Dec 18, 2011, 8:43 pm  //  Wendy Harris

Relocation of a dock to Bloedel Donovan Park underscores failure to protect Lake Whatcom from invasive species

0 comments

Sam Crawford Faces Ethical Concerns . . . AGAIN

Thu, Dec 15, 2011, 12:44 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Local blogger Shane Roth files ethical complaint over Crawford's sweetheart deals

3 comments; last on Dec 16, 2011

Planning Commission Fails to Remove Cherry Point From Birch Bay Mitigation Plan

Wed, Dec 14, 2011, 7:05 am  //  Wendy Harris

Claiming it is unfair to treat large property owners different than small property owners, the Commission refuses to remove industrial areas from buffer mitigation proposal.

0 comments

Rick Perry, Can We Talk?

Tue, Dec 13, 2011, 9:58 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley has a conversation with Rick Perry

2 comments; last on Dec 16, 2011

For Gift Ideas, Think Beyond Parker Brothers

Sat, Dec 10, 2011, 9:32 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley discusses his love of board games and some good gift ideas

2 comments; last on Dec 11, 2011

The Political Junkie needs your input

Thu, Dec 08, 2011, 12:47 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Please take my reader's survey, I'm planning 2012

0 comments

Loophole Benefits SSA and Undermines Birch Bay Mitigation Proposal

Wed, Dec 07, 2011, 7:00 am  //  Wendy Harris

Tell the Planning Commission to eliminate this loophole

2 comments; last on Dec 14, 2011

Washington United for Marriage: It’s Time!

Tue, Dec 06, 2011, 11:12 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley attends a public meeting on equality

0 comments

The Cole Train: Loads of BS

Sun, Dec 04, 2011, 4:53 pm  //  Tip Johnson

Wherein the sooty prospect of economic necessity rears its ugly head

2 comments; last on Dec 04, 2011

Update on Cherry Point Buffer Mitigation Proposal

Fri, Dec 02, 2011, 1:08 pm  //  Wendy Harris

Planning Staff's recommended revision will not prevent SSA from reducing wetland buffers.

0 comments

UPDATE: City’s response focused on favoritism, not lost revenue

Wed, Nov 30, 2011, 5:51 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

More on the city employee moonlighting issue

0 comments

TPJ Exclusive: Little Documented Oversight for City Employee Moonlighting

Mon, Nov 28, 2011, 4:29 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

The Political Junkie breaks a story of employee moonlighting within city of Bellingham

7 comments; last on Nov 30, 2011

Deer me!

Sat, Nov 26, 2011, 3:30 pm  //  Tip Johnson

O.K. Who's in charge of all these ungulates?

14 comments; last on Dec 01, 2011

County Proposal Includes New Cherry Point Buffer Mitigation Requirements

Tue, Nov 22, 2011, 9:29 pm  //  Wendy Harris

The County's new mitigation proposal is unlikely to be adequate for Cherry Point's industrial impacts to habitat buffers

3 comments; last on Nov 24, 2011

CameraGate:  Red-light safety or city revenue?

Mon, Nov 21, 2011, 1:00 am  //  Guest writer

With budget woes, Bellingham passes on safety in favor of cash. Starting in 2008, Bellingham officials were coached by ATS on how to get Red Light cameras through…

26 comments; last on Nov 29, 2011

Cameras, not coal, decided the election

Sat, Nov 19, 2011, 8:24 pm  //  Paul de Armond

Looking at the numbers for the Bellingham elections

11 comments; last on Nov 22, 2011

Election Analysis: What does it take to win a county seat?

Fri, Nov 18, 2011, 12:28 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley examines Maginnis/Crawford and Kremen/Larson

0 comments

Election Analysis: Dropoff, Lynden Suburbs and the “Buys Bounce”

Thu, Nov 17, 2011, 5:20 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley looks at Lynden and coins some new phrases.

0 comments

Political Junkie Election Analysis: Louws/Ericksen

Wed, Nov 16, 2011, 12:31 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley takes a look at Louws/Ericksen in the search for moderate Republicans

1 comments; last on Nov 17, 2011

Kelli Linville is elected Mayor of Bellingham

Tue, Nov 15, 2011, 5:21 pm  //  John Servais

Results are posted as of 5:21 pm. Use links at top of right side column.

2 comments; last on Nov 15, 2011

Padden Trails Rezone – You Should Be Worried

Tue, Nov 15, 2011, 9:43 am  //  Dick Conoboy

The Padden Trails rezone effort is a misuse of the Infill Tool Kit on the outskirts of Bellingham.

8 comments; last on Nov 16, 2011

Still over 6,000 ballots to count

Mon, Nov 14, 2011, 4:52 pm  //  John Servais

Kelli Linville takes safe lead for mayor of Bellingham. Sam Crawford is leading for county council.

1 comments; last on Nov 14, 2011

 

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