The Great Stone Movers

Movers of the Great Stone

Who will help me move this great stone? It lies there in a most unappealing way, if it was turned, and then all its glory will be revealed.

Man has always admired the great stone, its strength, longevity, and mysticism. Early men worshiped it as the God Baal, and today you will find variations of this symbol around the world. This discussion would be more appropriate for someone more knowledgeable than me, but I believe my simple analogy will work. Just as that early stone admirer gazed upon his prize, did ambition set into place. He imagined the prestige that would surely come as others learned of his achievement. His name would be spoken within the circles of elders and soon many would aspire to raise a stone of their own. Fame was born in the fires of ambition, leaving all reason behind.

Families also deal with this same struggle on a smaller scale, but nonetheless if allowed to go unchecked disaster surely looms close by. When our children are small, all our hopes and dreams for them seem so possible. We are even tempted to relive our lives through them in order to satisfy personal failures. But as a family we too must move this great stone. It must be turned so that all can see its glory. As the children grow stronger we ask them to help us move the stone, sometimes without explaining our motives. “Come, push harder we have little time to waste” we call out. Some are obedient while others seek out ways to exclude them from the responsibility. We sternly scold those who choose to neglect the honorable cause, and admire the ones who never question their role. But what exactly is this stone? Is it only a material object with no real worth? Are we vainly demanding our children to slave their days away only to please a notion of fame?

Vanity comes to mind, as I continue to ponder my personal motivations for my family. If this is so, what path should I have taken? Should one let the stone lie, and allow foolish dreams to burn out in the privacy of our own homes? Is a family not a unit that requires success in order to remain viable and survive for the following generations? A failed family surely ends in extinction, lost to the ages never to be heard of again. So I say my friends, “Come, let us move the stone and let all see its glory!”

CHRISTIANITY'S ORIGIN

Christianity's Origin
Christianity as antiquity.-- When we hear the ancient bells growling on a Sunday morning we ask ourselves: Is it really possible! This, for a jew, crucified two thousand years ago, who said he was God's son? The proof of such a claim is lacking. Certainly the Christian religion is an antiquity projected into our times from remote prehistory; and the fact that the claim is believed - whereas one is otherwise so strict in examining pretensions - is perhaps the most ancient piece of this heritage. A god who begets children with a mortal woman; a sage who bids men work no more, have no more courts, but look for the signs of the impending end of the world; a justice that accepts the innocent as a vicarious sacrifice; someone who orders his disciples to drink his blood; prayers for miraculous interventions; sins perpetrated against a god, atoned for by a god; fear of a beyond to which death is the portal; the form of the cross as a symbol in a time that no longer knows the function and ignominy of the cross -- how ghoulishly all this touches us, as if from the tomb of a primeval past! Can one believe that such things are still believed?
from Nietzsche's Human, all too Human, s.405, R.J. Hollingdale transl.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LpgmqigJGU
HEBREW WARRIORS
(RELIGIOUS RADICALS)

I have always felt ashamed of the radical European Christians during the age of the crusades. Many have heard of the crusades but few know of the death and destruction that lay in their wake. Mohammed composed the Koran as he witnessed the radicals pouring in from foreign lands. Recently I discovered the fact that there were radical warriors long before the Euro-God Warriors, he went by the name of Moses and his Hebrew Warriors. Abandoned by his mother, placed in a basket and allowed to float down the Nile River because of the Pharaoh’s decree to kill all the first born males of the Hebrews. Ironically, the child Moses was discovered by a Royal Egyptian and raised as an Egyptian. Having access to a significant abundance of the advanced culture Moses excelled in learning Religion, Architecture, Warfare, Geography, Astrology, Metallurgy, and his most significant contribution Monotheism. As an adult, probably being groomed to be a high-level official, Moses learns of his identity and all hell breaks loose.


Ex 2:11 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people.
Ex 2:12 Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

I am straining to be unbiased, but find it impossible to ignore the obvious fact that Moses is not of sound mind. He is living in the comfort of Egyptian Pharaoh’s palace, wanders out amongs the slaves, looks left then right, and destroys an overseer and buries him in the sand. Yeah no one is going to notice the disappearance of an overseer or that mound of sand over by the camp. Our dear aggressive Moses soon discovers that his people have found out about his deed and they have exposed him. Enraged the Pharaoh seeks to kill Moses, but our crafty Hebrew is long gone.


Ex 2:16 Now a priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock.
Ex 2:17 Some shepherds came along and drove them away, but Moses got up and came to their rescue and watered their flock.
Ex 2:18 When the girls returned to Reuel their father, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”
Ex 2:19 They answered, “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”
Ex 2:20 “And where is he?” he asked his daughters. “Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat.”
Ex 2:21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.
Ex 2:22 Zipporah gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, “I have become an alien in a foreign land.”

The radical Moses comes to a well where some sheepherders are bullying the seven daughter of a priest. Moses defeats the disadvantaged shepherds and rewarded by the priest giving him a wife. When Moses’s son arrives he states that he has become an alien in a foreign land. Now he hasn’t talked to God yet but it sounds to me that my man has a master plan cooking up. .

Ex 3:3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”
Ex 3:4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called s to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”
Ex 3:5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”
Ex 3:6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
Ex 3:7 The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.
Ex 3:8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey —the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.

Well what do you know old Moses comes upon a burning bush that does not burn? I have tried to put an analogy to this interpretation but I keep coming up with nil. Moses is walking about in the desert and stumbles upon a bush that talks to him. After repeating his name several times he commands Moses to remove his shoes. Not only is the bush a flame but the ground around it was holy. How could this be? “Hello I am God of your father, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham,” the voice boomed. Moses immediately hides his face because he doesn’t wish to look upon the lord. Now certainly 99% of us would have been long gone after the bush speaking, but Moses pushes on unafraid. God says that he has heard his people’s cries and is concerned about their suffering. Then why does not the omnipotent force strike down the mean old Pharaoh and deliver them to a good and spacious land, (yeah right). Now the milk and honey part sounds great, but what about the populace that is already in place. Oh let us wipe them off the face of the map!

We all know of the crafty Moses and his tricks performed for the Pharaoh, which in turn leads to the great exodus. Moses out foxes the Pharaoh and his men in the desert and crosses a swamp at low tide under cover of darkness. Then once in the desert he takes the longest route possible to Canaan and makes camp at Mount Sinai


Ex 19:17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
Ex 19:18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently,
Ex 19:19 and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.
Ex 19:20 The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up
Ex 19:21 and the LORD said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the LORD and many of them perish.
Ex 19:22 Even the priests, who approach the LORD, must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them.”
Ex 19:23 Moses said to the LORD, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’
Ex 19:24 The LORD replied, “Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the LORD, or he will break out against them.”
Ex 19:25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.

This event is by far the most significant and original piece of religious literature. It separates the other religions, even though they have some of the same laws, but they were not handed down from God personally. Taken literally it is a terrifying account as smoke encompasses the mountain, the mountain shook, and trumpets became louder and louder. Now my skepticism begins to creep in where is Joshua during this, could he be the trickster? Then no one can come up the mountain except Aaron, to act as bodyguard not allowing anyone to see what is going on. In my mind, I can just see Moses chiseling away at the stone tablets. Of course Moses can’t turn his back one minute and the wild Hebrews have already built a golden calf idol. He gets pissed and breaks the only thing God has ever touched and goes into a rampage..

Ex 17:9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”
Ex 17:10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill.
Ex 17:11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.
Ex 17:12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.
Ex 17:13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
Ex 17:14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”
Ex 17:15 Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner

Moses did not just take his people out into the desert to starve or die but become hardened and ready to make war. Remember there are other people living in Canaan, and are enjoying the milk and honey. He has failed in the religious movement so far and he now is ready to put his military to the test against the Amalekites. Now pay attention to the strange detail of as long as Moses has his hands held high the Israelites are winning, as the arms fall to the side from fatigue the Amalekites win. How long did Moses let the opposing team win before he resumed his pose? Aaron and Hur sat Moses on a rock and held his arms up until the sunset. Psychological warfare has begun my friends and here is the proof.

Moses continues to invigorate his army with the promise of God is backing the Israelites, and that no one could oppose them. He dies and leaves Joshua in command and he too proves to be a military genius. Training in the mountains, mastering the first commandos and shock troops the Israelites have Canaan in a panic and for good reason. When Joshua takes a town no lives are spared, men, women, children, and livestock were slaughtered. Terrorism was born in the name of religion and the flood of blood still flows today. It disturbs me to know that many believers probably have never heard this story or gave it any thought telling themselves that it was God’s will.

Bottom line:
We cannot keep our perspective here as long as we are looking from inside the bubble. Only when we push the veil aside and peer beyond the world of childlike faith can we really see the truth. Osama Bin Laden trained his terrorist organization in the remote accesses of the mountain in Afghanistan. He is a master of commando tactics, as well as shock troops and does it in the name of Islam. To us it seems insane why someone would infiltrate a peaceful religion and exploit young men into becoming martyrs for one single purpose, to rid the world of infidels. Moses only wanted Canaan, Euro-Christians only wanted the Holy land, and now the experiment has grown exponentially and the radical Muslims want the world! How could this be some master plan? There is not one shred of logic to the riddle and nor will there ever be some rationale to justify all the bloodshed of the past. If we are to survive as a species we are going to have to put down the one book and pick up some new books.

WHISKEY DARWINS UNSEEN VARIABLE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9SCWlEWivM

If you do not subscribe to Darwin or evolution then this article will be of no interest to you. However, if you do believe then here is a great theory that deserves some discussion. I have often marveled at the beauty of the animals great and small in our world, Siberian tigers, snow owls, macaws, horses, and deer to name only a few. But have you ever considered our species? Now before you blurt out some ridiculous remark take a moment to analyze what I am saying. In nature, selective processes have been on going since the beginning of time. Tedious and slow changes developing over millions of years give us the great contrasts we see in our world today. In our case I believe we have dropped the ball! Think for a moment about how your parents chose each other. Did they consider the outcome of dad’s feet and mom’s bottom? I sincerely doubted this was the case and would like to suggest another significant variable into the mix, whiskey. How much has sour mash contributed to the poor selection of certain breeds of humans?

If you have ever been to a party full of young adults drinking heavily you can grasp my concept easily. We have all heard the saying, “the girls get better looking at closing time” or “after a six pack.” As I am sure, the opposite sex has admitted to the same folly. Waking up beside a repulsive mate illuminated by the morning light is not an uncommon phenomenon and has horrific consequences. Becoming pregnant by a ugly mate, with no admirable qualities is surely Darwin’s unseen variable at play here, or is it? I would love to see some research on this ditty.

Our early ancestors definitely had to make some hard decisions, or should I say the mostly the females. Males could score and move on without any interruption is his ability to hunt and gather food. Females had to choose wisely, as she would be unable to obtain food later in the phases of pregnancy and the few following months after the child was born. Clearly, this is the reason women are physically more attractive than men are. This is when I believe we made our departure from our cousins. But something happened during mans discovery of agriculture and the domestication process needed to create civilization.

Civilization brought with a natural hierarchy masters and slaves. The masters had of course a bit more selection in their mates with the motivation of obtaining more wealth and social status. Now yes the masters could select the most beautiful mate, but they were the few compared to the slaves. Slaves were limited to their opportunity to mate and had to select what was available to them. Not to say that all slaves were ugly, but on ratio, I am confident they were not the cream of the crop. This pattern has continued up until the modern day though the classes are more diverse and divided in to manly levels of masters and slaves.

Incest, the original sin is prevalent throughout history. Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Europe’s Royal Elite attempted to keep the bloodlines pure a “mini me phenomenon” that had horrific consequences of birth defects. Incest also performed by the slaves and lesser peoples especially in isolated environments. Polygamy was an unknown strategy to overcome some of the detrimental effects of genetic pathologies, but as time passes in the bands the genes are duplicated and the pathologies return.

Bottom line;

We are all selfish, nasty monkeys with no real comprehension of natural selection. Our domestication has removed our innate ability to choose mates for their attributes and lead to random fornications with not so remarkable results. Our fear of the dark forces us to gather, a warm body is pleasant and sex is great! We are creatures whom seek companionship and at times can be desperate for it. Though we clearly still continue to demonstrate poor choice of mates it seems to me that whiskey has played its part as well. Think of all the illegitimate children of highly placed officials partaking in one-night stands. How many relationships were started while they were under the influence of whiskey?


John R Hill

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZbAjZWBfHQ

Above is a video I have put together to demonstrated the contrast within men as creatures who can create great images of beauty and simultaneously be this cruel.