Wapsi Square Forum

I don't normally do something like this, but this is too important to let slide, particularly with all the... events that have been going on in the past week.

First and foremost, if you have ever served in any branch of any legitimate government's armed forces... thank you. To those who have retired, I say: Well done, thou good and faithful servant. To those still serving, I say: you have my respect for your service. To those who have fallen in war: You will be honored, your sacrifice will not be forgotten.

Today is an important day. It is a day where we celebrate peace, and a soldier's return home. On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, World War One, at the time called 'the war to end all wars', ended.

However, our obligations to our veterans and their families, and to the families who no longer had relatives as a result of the hungers of war, did not end just because the war did. And today, I feel it necessary to remind everyone everywhere... that obligation includes the obligation to ensure that those who gave their lives for this country do not die in vain. That the peace they won with their lives will live on.

There's a youtube channel called Extra History that I watch, because it provides a broad overview on certain specific pieces of history, and explains what happened and why in an entertaining manner. They've covered a lot of things, starting with the Punic Wars, which was actually funded by the studio that was producing Total War: Rome. The team at Extra History took this project as a way to educate about the Punic Wars, and what sort of impact they have had not just on Roman history... but on all history everywhere. They went on to produce more entertaining but accurate history, funded through Patreon, covering such things as 'what led up to WW I', 'The First Opium War', 'The South Seas Bubble', and more.

Today, they have released a video that I think everyone needs to watch. Yes, it also includes an advertisement for a charity which, frankly, needs some publicity as well called War Child that specifically helps children who are victims of war and conflict. However, even if you don't care about that, I urge you to watch the video, because I don't think I've ever seen anyone put an explanation of this day quite so clearly. I freely admit, it hit me in the feels.

Particularly this year, this message of peace is one which we cannot allow to be smothered. We cannot allow bigotry, hatred, and blind unreasoning spite drive this nation. We must speak up, as a nation. We, the People, of the United States, asks for peace. Not just peace from the endless conflicts (although certainly not marginalizing the need for this), but peace at home as well.

A really smart guy a couple thousand years ago had a simple statement: Love Thy Neighbor. Simple, right? Three words. Not too hard to understand. Even if you don't buy into the religion, surely you can understand the universal truth in these three words. It simply means: you don't have to hate anymore. Is this such a difficult concept? That you don't have to hate someone because their skin tone is different? Or because they worship differently (or not at all)? Or because of their personal views? Or what country they (or their ancestors) were born in?

Right now, there is so much hate, so much fear, so much senseless violence... let's dial things back a few decades. Let's give peace a chance. Make Love, Not War.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled internet browsing already in progress [/soapbox]

What he said.

And while we're at it... Let's try to actually listen to one another. Instead of just discounting everything that doesn't conform to your worldview... Maybe be prepared to alter the way you see the world based on new information. Try to understand what is happening around you instead of simply rejecting it.

Knowledge is power. Not just power of force... But power of peace, too. Understanding, caring, empathy, kindness. Safety. Acceptance. Tolerance.

Wise words.

When I put on the uniform of this country, I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution- to protect it, if necessary, with my life.

I hold that oath to still be valid.

I swear to protect it yet- to protect your right to your beliefs, your political preferences, to your opinions, to your faith, to your property, to your family and everything else you hold dear. We have the right to argue, to assemble, to discuss, to suggest changes to the law and to our society... to elect our officials- local, state and federal- with the understanding that a Public Office is held by a Public Servant who should consider him/herself PUBLIC PROPERTY... whether you speak of the PUD commissioners or the POTUS makes no difference. These people hold public trust and as such are subject to public scrutiny... somehow, we have lost track of this. This is not about Republican or Democrat, Conservative or Liberal- this is about 'Governed by consent'. This is about the backbone of the Constitution, the 'old piece of paper' that I have sworn an oath to protect. I can do everything in my power to uphold it's laws and point out those who would threaten it- but if the American People do not bother to understand what it says and why, what rights they are guaranteed and how they are guaranteed, then it is all for naught. Both the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence speak freely of the right to overthrow a government headed towards despotism... or did you know that? In fact, the Declaration refers to such as, "...a right, a duty..." that the citizen should preform.

I will continue to protect the Constitution- I give myself no other choice.

Do me a favor- study it. Learn it. Know what it says and why. Use it properly. Cherish it.

... it has been paid for in human blood, the blood of those who died defending it.

GlytchMeister wrote:And while we're at it... Let's try to actually listen to one another. Instead of just discounting everything that doesn't conform to your worldview... Maybe be prepared to alter the way you see the world based on new information. Try to understand what is happening around you instead of simply rejecting it.

Knowledge is power. Not just power of force... But power of peace, too. Understanding, caring, empathy, kindness. Safety. Acceptance. Tolerance.

I would prefer to say that Knowledge is Power Potential. Without a driving force, it is... hmm... time to use a metaphor.

Let us compare knowledge as power to kinetic power potential of, say, a vase up on a high shelf. It has a high potential power, if it were knocked off it would certainly cause an impact, but by itself, with no outside force to act upon it, it is entirely inert.

Knowledge without action is just as inert. Knowing what to do, and actually doing it, are two different things. If you know what to do, yet remain silent, then you exert no actual power, irrespective of how much knowledge you might possess.

It is the same problem with the power of peace. If no one is willing to exert themselves for peace, then it is going to be a tragedy. Today, of all days, drives this home. When President Wilson's fourteen points were pretty much ignored, and the harsh punitive actions were taken against Germany, the seeds of the next generation's fight were sewn. And we all know what happened as a result of the punitive terms of the peace, what evils and atrocities were committed because a man came to power by riding the fear and anger that it generated.

Power is only part of the equation. You have to put acceleration into it to generate force.

ShneekeyTheLost wrote:A really smart guy a couple thousand years ago had a simple statement: Love Thy Neighbor. Simple, right? Three words.

Which some people later took to be permission to use any means necessary to make people join up with some certain belief system. Because if you truly love somebody, then of course you'd go to great and sorrowful lengths to try to keep their obviously mistaken lifestyle from imperiling their souls for eternity.

So love is fine and well, but it needs to be tempered with a large helping of respect. Respect of the fact that other people are other people, that they have their own likes and dislikes, that they have their own goals and values, that they are able to use their own judgment and their own logic to reach their own conclusions, and that they have the right to live their own lives in their own way without you interfering so long as they don't interfere with you. And also respect for yourself, that you can be your own person and live your own life even if other people choose to live theirs in a different manner.

Catawampus wrote:

ShneekeyTheLost wrote:A really smart guy a couple thousand years ago had a simple statement: Love Thy Neighbor. Simple, right? Three words.

Which some people later took to be permission to use any means necessary to make people join up with some certain belief system. Because if you truly love somebody, then of course you'd go to great and sorrowful lengths to try to keep their obviously mistaken lifestyle from imperiling their souls for eternity.

So love is fine and well, but it needs to be tempered with a large helping of respect. Respect of the fact that other people are other people, that they have their own likes and dislikes, that they have their own goals and values, that they are able to use their own judgment and their own logic to reach their own conclusions, and that they have the right to live their own lives in their own way without you interfering so long as they don't interfere with you. And also respect for yourself, that you can be your own person and live your own life even if other people choose to live theirs in a different manner.

The English language, for all its verbosity, is perhaps not always accurate when translated.

The word used originally was Greek, because the people he was speaking to were largely Greek fishermen. That word was Agape, or rather agapēseis which is basically the indication that you should take action on this, not just the verb itself.

This is a word that has, occasionally, been maligned in certain circles, but ultimately, it is 'perfect love'. Not Eros, love of a spouse, not Philios, which is brotherly love, but... charitable love. God's Perfect Love is another way it has been translated, because it is pure and unstained by ulterior motive or desire.

But simply: it is the desire to help your neighbor and wish that he may become all that he can be. It does *NOT*, and never has, had a connotation of forcing him to change his views. That has been a human interpretation that has been misconstrued as far back as Petros, or at least the Nicene Council construed it in that manner, whether or not Petros intended it in that manner, or they simply put interpretations into his mouth, is unfortunately something impossible to prove or disprove at this point.

In effect, the word originally used means precisely what you just asked... respect. However, the delusional will change data to fit their preconceptions and re-interpret anything however they see fit to make it fit their narrow world view.

ShneekeyTheLost wrote: The word used originally was Greek, because the people he was speaking to were largely Greek fishermen. That word was Agape, or rather agapēseis which is basically the indication that you should take action on this, not just the verb itself.
In effect, the word originally used means precisely what you just asked... respect. However, the delusional will change data to fit their preconceptions and re-interpret anything however they see fit to make it fit their narrow world view.

Jesus never commanded others to believe... he asked. We have the marvelous gift of a system that allows us to decide and choose- I only ask that others understand where this comes from and the price involved.

... and yes, Shneeky, you're right- "Figures don't lie, but liars can figure," to paraphrase the concept. There is not much of scripture that hasn't been used to justify the most inhuman and ungodly activities in history.