Gary Jaron's Comments

The New Testament can not be the Literal Word of God by Gary Jaron

Dec 10, 2006 | rating: 8 | comments: 76

Gary Jaron Dec 18, 2008, 7:47pm EST

'Literal' is by definition means 100% accurate. Which is why I created the post, 100% is not possible and is not present.

Political and social reform: a call for a constitutional amendment by Gary Jaron

Nov 6, 2008 | rating: 10 | comments: 9

Gary Jaron Nov 10, 2008, 5:26pm EST

I inadvertently deleted Debra's comment and I apologized to her. I hope she re-submits.

To Jerry: I've been working on my book: Find Your Way. It is in it's almost in final draft stage. I have begun to plan to submitted to agents and publishers, which requires chapter summaries, and other material.

Political and social reform: a call for a constitutional amendment by Gary Jaron

Nov 6, 2008 | rating: 10 | comments: 9

Gary Jaron Nov 8, 2008, 12:14am EST

Actually I don't think the current system works, the financial mess on Wall Street and in the Banking system demonstrates the inability for entities to make moral and rational choices based on something other than on maximizing short term profit.

Corporations are not human beings and they therefore act amorally. Also, the people who lead them tend to leave behind their moral compass when acting on their behalf.

We need to stop treating corporations and other entities as if they are people - they aren't. The motivations of a corporation is not the motivations of a person. The conceptual tool trap that affects those who make decisions in the name of a corporation result in those individuals focusing on only two goals: the entities continued existence and its short term financial gain.

To be balanced I formulated my idea to focus only on the individual responsibility and ability to participate. Entities should not have political voice or influence. Only people can make moral and ethical decisions and thus only people should have direct influence on the political system.

If God and hell are not accepted, the sin will grow to climax by Dattaji ..

Feb 19, 2008 | rating: 10 | comments: 7

Gary Jaron Feb 20, 2008, 4:01pm EST

Belief in Hell has done little if anything to stop the believers from slaughtering the innocent - which is the only time I think there should be a Hell - a place for murderous monotheists should all get collected and sent to rot in...just as they imagine.

Evil is done by people and no belief in Hell fire will prevent them from their evil deeds.

I think that Hell is just a fantasy that plagues the mind of the innocent believer with guilt - but that person was never going to do evil any way....

How To Talk About Books We Haven't Read (book review) by Ian Thorpe

Feb 20, 2008 | rating: 10 | comments: 62

Gary Jaron Feb 20, 2008, 3:55pm EST

A great book review! This will have to be a book I do actually read...but now I can say I read it after reading your essay - so then again - why bother....:>)

Sharp mind and sharp wit.

Nature, Nurture and Culture. by Gary Jaron

Jan 12, 2008 | rating: 10 | comments: 9

Gary Jaron Feb 12, 2008, 3:24pm EST

Hi Stanley - I'm not placing a value judgment on what is going on in the influences that affect people. I was only describing the actual factors that impact people. Those factors can be supportive or not depending on a variety of circumstances.

I was trying to demonstrate that there are 3 factors and not merely 2.

Leap by Tristan Russell

Feb 5, 2008 | rating: 6.8 | comments: 5

Gary Jaron Feb 6, 2008, 1:11am EST

You did a good job of explaining and defending the logic behind atheism. Atheism is not a leap at all, it is an acknowledgment that there is a lack of evidence concerning the existence of God. Especially a God who is personified in the New Testament or any personification of the deity.

I think that accepting that there is an Order to the universe - and moving in the direction of a sense of the abstract ordering principle and acknowledging that principle with the term 'Tao' is an easier step and one reason I tend not to rationally believe in a personal Biblical/Scripture definition of god but can accept the idea of the abstract ordering principle that created the universe - and thus I am a theist or a pantheist.

Presuppositions, Faith, and Reason: Which One is Out of Place Here? by Kelly O'Connor

Jan 31, 2008 | rating: 10 | comments: 1

Gary Jaron Feb 1, 2008, 3:49pm EST

Unquestioning faith is folly, but is often the situation for Believers. But it is not necessarily illogical. This is the crux of the matter. There is a form of logic, which utilizes the 'common sense' & accepted foundational laws laid out by Aristotle that results in "a logical belief that there is ONLY ONE TRUTH." Which therefore supports the belief in that faith.

Critical thinking and Doubt are not the usual tools of a Religious Believer - which is what your essay is discussing and agreeing with.

Check out my essay - a draft version that I am continually working on - it is a chapter in a book I am writing: "The Hammer of Aristotelian Logic."

WARNING! Religion may cause… by Kelly O'Connor

Jan 31, 2008 | rating: 10 | comments: 1

Gary Jaron Feb 1, 2008, 3:39pm EST

You've taken on a huge topic. Be prepared for a fire storm!

Good luck.

Good article with clear presentations of the facts that you've gathered.

The Raven by David M.

Oct 31, 2006 | rating: 10 | comments: 7

Gary Jaron Feb 1, 2008, 10:13am EST

One of my favorites too....love Poe's poems.

Blindmen by Erica C.

Dec 30, 2007 | rating: 10 | comments: 4

Gary Jaron Jan 31, 2008, 3:58pm EST

hmmm....
Are the men - blind metaphorically? Not seeing you or anyone else being too busy looking at themselves on the dumb side of the mirror - therefore self absorbed.

You are lonely because no one notices you?

Discussion Topic #23: Mysticism: Are You a "Mystic"? by Carla G.

Jan 26, 2008 | rating: 10 | comments: 25

Gary Jaron Jan 30, 2008, 3:57pm EST

Hi,
I would consider myself as having a mystic vision when I was young - 8 or 9. I've been following that insight ever since.

I've read and studied a great deal about mystics ever since.

RE: Religion, religion... by Charles William Hoffman

Jan 27, 2008 | rating: 10 | comments: 2

Gary Jaron Jan 30, 2008, 3:52pm EST

The problem with Religion is that so many of the Believers rely on a logic that leads them to conclude that there can logically be a ONE TRUE FAITH and a ONE TRUE WORD OF GOD.
The problem is with the logic they are using and relying on - it is inherent and prevalent throughout much of the world - that old Two Valued logic system - referred to by the term: Aristotelian logic.

The use of that system allows them to get tool trapped into believing that it is acceptable to believe that there can be ONLY ONE - ultimately a foolish, tribal notion.

American Truth by Donald H.

Jan 24, 2008 | rating: 10 | comments: 14

Gary Jaron Jan 24, 2008, 9:14pm EST

Hi Donald,
Everything you said is true - Americans don't think about conquest. But I do think that this President and Vice President got us into Iraq not because they were trying to be good humanitarians.

Religion, religion... by William K.

Jan 24, 2008 | rating: 10 | comments: 4

Gary Jaron Jan 24, 2008, 3:34pm EST

Not exactly - you've simplified the content and diversity of ideas of all the specific cultural manifestations of religion and hence the interesting diversity of ideas and practices. What is needed is humility when dealing with differences - not elimination and failing to accept and acknowledge the validity of those differences.

Going down to the lowest common denominator gives you junk. Reaching up to the highest gives you quality.

Religion is not merely about connecting to the 'great spirit' but the how to acknowledge that connection, the rituals and symbols used, the stories about the human journey over time in understanding and connecting - that is just a small sample of what a religion is about.

But you are right that people such learn to grow up and see beyond the small tribal mind of their own group and accept the wide scope of the diversity of the planet's abundance of cultures.

I Can't See reality by William Cottringer

Jan 12, 2008 | comments: 2

Gary Jaron Jan 12, 2008, 4:19pm EST

Reality is something we participate in - a process of interaction with the environment and our bodies and our minds.

HOW MANY GODS ARE THERE? 0, 1 or 2 ? by Thomas Millington

Jan 12, 2008 | rating: 8 | comments: 134

Gary Jaron Jan 12, 2008, 4:14pm EST

There are as many gods/God as there are human cultures that give rise to them and human beings who choose to believe in and occasionally envision a new one.

We humans created the word 'god' / 'God' and that is why we create so many variations and numbers of 'gods'.

Outside and beyond our human ideas lies a mystery which we can not penetrate; for we always live inside our human mind.

The Triumph Of The West by George C.

Jan 12, 2008 | comments: 2

Gary Jaron Jan 12, 2008, 4:03pm EST

I don't think it is simply the process of eduction and industrialization that brought about the ideas that are and were created in 'The West'.

Western Civilization is a different culture and has a different worldview than the world view of China, Japan, India, Islam, for instance. The idea of the preeminence and the importance of the individual, to take one component of Western Civilization is a cultural idea not native to those cultures of China, Japan, India and Islam, for just one example.

Each culture has a specific vision of the world. Industrialization and education are the means to transmit cultural values they do not by themselves create cultural values.

Who Sings Now? XXXii by Quinn (aka Entwife) Blackburn

Nov 27, 2007 | rating: 10 | comments: 34

Gary Jaron Nov 27, 2007, 8:24pm EST

Great Quinn,
and yes, I agree I'm sure it is a cat.

T K Rosevear wrote: "Here Kitty, Kitty ;)

Reminded me of The three lives of Tomasina - anyone remember that old Disney movie?"

I remember the movie! It was great! Enjoyed it as a kid way back in 1960 something?

Who Sings Now? Xxvii by Quinn (aka Entwife) Blackburn

Oct 28, 2007 | rating: 10 | comments: 38

Gary Jaron Nov 22, 2007, 12:50pm EST

A great essay/ song on the theme of the bat. One of my totems. - Batman, vampire, dark traveler - inward and outward, survivor. Great job!