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Poems and Thoughts by Frank Maurer

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Religion

Can Slavery Really be Justified? opus 148

There were 'original' arguments to justify slavery by quoting the bible.
Then, finally, with Martin Luther King, most realized the horrors of slavery.
Now at the beginning of the 21st century,
Southern politicians (from Florida, for one) are audaciously blurting out
That slavery was good for a slave--
'Became civilized, had shelter, learned skills, could read. . . . '
Really? Are we starting all over again?

Sartorial Thoughts opus 155

Why is it that men on TV usually have a tie and jacket,
Or at least an open collared shirt with no tie?
And their female counterparts often wear a low cut blouse,
Showing upper chest and often a touch of cleavage?
Who is running this show that women expose themselves so?
Are women told to dress like this or do they really wish just to flaunt?

On the other hand, we have our Muslim cousins--
Women are tented and covered--perhaps even only eyes showing.
Indigenous women still often unabashedly, are covered from the waist down.
So who runs this female fashion show?
Who is really wanting women to show off their mammalian morphology--
Women desiring men or men desiring women?
Or, for some, it may just not matter at all!

Note:
    Western women, travelling in places like Turkey
    And dress as they are used to,
    Are mobbed by sexually starved men.
    I have lived there--I have seen it!

'Doubting' Thomas opus 156

We all (well many of us) know the story about Thomas, the disciple;
Jesus returned to their midst and they were aghast and subsequently believed!
Well, except for one--Thomas who asked to touch the wound.
Religious folks label this action as one of doubting,
But another mind might retort that it was just an act of empiricism!
Was this the first recorded example of scientific empiricism vs religious belief?
Perhaps we might realize a world where both are equally acceptable,
Each within its own limits.

'Iqra' or 'Read' opus 168

Iqra is the name given to a new girl-child, American citizen.
Her Afghani parents escaped the Taliban, experiencing a perilous flight.
They finally were humanely allowed to enter the US
Because their 3 year old daughter was terribly ill.
The 6-month-old, new sibling sister, was named 'Iqra' or 'Read'.
Iqra's father said he named her in defiance of the Taliban regime,
Which, as we well know, is opposed to educating girls.
Half of that country's population hides in languish,
Because of the misinterpretation of Islam!

The fate of so many human groups throughout history,
Have resulted, for good or for evil,
From the 'well meaning interpretation' of some 'chosen high priest'.

Blacks and Country Music opus 169

I have heard several stories about Black singers getting into today's Country music.
(Remember Elvis and how he got into originally Black Rock and Roll.)
It seems to be more difficult for Blacks, being a minority, to 'quietly' be Country today.
Those Blacks who have done so and spoken out,
Tell of the hardships and negativity towards them,
For venturing into a genre which, on its facade, should be white.
(To go back again, remember that there were in real life--not movies--
Many Black cowboys.)

Humans are all the same species--Homo sapiens--with superficial variations.
All humans are imitators--from childhood, we take on behaviors of all sorts:
Our voices, our language, our behaviourisms, even our hand movements!
But humans are also gregarious joiners.
We must-- at least most of us--must be in some sort of group,
Which gives us identity to be part, with others, of some identifying category.
(Consider religion, politics, sports, caste, musical genres,
Racism, gender, educational level, profession, etc.)
This is just normal human, primate behavior.

Humans exhibiting differing polymorphisms, when entering a 'fixed stereotype' group,
Can ruffle feathers and cause anxiety and the blood pressure to rise:
Consider skin color, eye shape, various behaviors, accents, or hair morphology.
'They just don't belong here; they don't 'fit in' '
What is to be remembered is that we are basically all one species
With a few polymorphisms sprinkled in!

The Joy in Shape opus 173

Just contemplate the varied and beautiful morphology of African horned creatures :
The shapes and gracious curves of those protuberances
Make one wonder just what was the creator--
Imagination elicits the gods, until the rational mind
Draws in selection, relatedness, and the challenging chance of survival.

Two Declarations for Freedom opus 174

As most of us are aware, T. Jefferson was the main author of the Declaration of Independence.
But from where did he ferret out his material?
He used several old documents, including the Magna Carta
and the Scottish Declaration of Arbroath of 1320.
The latter was an attempt by the Scots to demonstrate to Pope John XXII of France
That Scotland was a 'pedigreed' nation, wishing to be free of the English yoke.
(B. Franklin gently chided Jefferson as to, 'Why he used so many old documents?'.
Jefferson replied, 'Well they worked, didn't they?'.)

One can peruse the two documents, side by side, and compare a logical sequence.
There is a point of conflict and need for protection in both:
'He (George III of Britain) has excited domestic Insurrections amongst us,
And has endeavoured to bring on the Inhabitants of our Frontiers,
The merciless Indian Savages, whose known Rule of Warfare,
Is an undistinguished Destruction, of all Ages, Sexes and Conditions.'

A bit more distant, but still with the same sort of conflict in mind,
The Scots are bargaining with the Pope for recognition,
By volunteering for a next Crusade against the Muslims (ie., the heathens).
Both documents declare the need for quelling heathens or savages for various reasons :
'This truly concerns you, Holy Father, since you see the savagery of the heathen raging
Against the Christians,. . . and the frontiers of Christendom being pressed inward every day.'

In today's world one sees anti-Muslim retoric in the one, and anti-Native American in the other.
Today, both statements are 'uncomfortable' in a world attempting tolerance,
But in the reality of those past times, when things were more 'black and white',
Statements were bold and crisp and 'self-evident'!

(Do remember, though, Roger Williams' friendship with the native people,
And the eventual founding of Rhode Island,
As well as the founding of Pennsylvania with William Penn's attempts to be peaceable and fair;
Leading to the State of Penn--sylvania--'Penn's Woods'!)

Water Levels--Rising and Falling! opus 178

It is now self-evident that our seas are rising,
Causing potential crises throughout the world.
Conversely, a critical trade route now faces impending danger,
The watermark of which is facing an ever-diminishing level ;
It is the almost vital drought stricken Panama Canal,
Requiring masses of water each day from its supplementing lake,
To service the perpetually rising and falling lock system.
Smaller ships are now recruited back into service,
As well as the need for the lightening of larger ships,
By transporting less cargo with decreased remuneration per voyage.

The daily 'prayer' with consequent action must be--
Oh, Lord, relieve us of our present fuel system,
To increase the more benevolent sun and wind!

A Thought from the Dalai Lama opus 203

"Do not confuse happiness with cessation of pain."

A Text to an Old HS Fellow Student opus 204

As always. The lopsided, unjust civilian butchery has commenced.
Things might be different, when Israel is reliant less on
The figmentary illusion of military might and much more
On true, hard, tenacious diplomacy towards peaceful coexistence.
If such had been done, history (and the future?) might be different.
This insanity will continue until it is done.
Israelis are permanently leaving their country, having no trust
In their failing, conservative, 'eye for an eye' government.
I long for a continually desired, enlightened era.
I have waited 50 years, as I am 82.
Ahmen. Frank

The Question opus 206

How many innocent human lives in conflict are worth losing,
To preserve a political ideology, a religious system,
A so-called sacred or holy area on our planet,
A scientific hypothesis or theory, or an accurate understanding
Of human biology?

Perhaps to answer this, one must consider
Who is asking, where it is asked,
And just when, considering all accompanying implications,
A questioner dares to raise such often-sensitive queries.

Turkiye, Celebrating 100 Years Today opus 208

Having lived in Turkey (now renamed Turkiye), for several years, teaching biology,
I am aware that today, 29 October, Turkiye will be 100 years old.
Kamil Mustafa Atta Turk carved out his new country,
Following bitter fighting, including the exclusion of the Armenians.
Atta Turk's mindset was always 'black and white'--
One was either a Turk in the new country or not.
He changed the Hijri Arabic calendar, jumping 600 years
To the Gregorian calendar.
He changed the Turkish language, written in Arabic, to Latin lettering.
He changed all surnames, requiring only Turkish names.
He banned the fez, naming a brimmed cap
Which he intended to interfere with the bowing practice of prayer.

Turkiye has undergone many changes over its hundred years,
But Atta Turk is still very present and cared for in his created country.

Just Wondering opus 209

I have always wondered
Why the Latin Roman Mass
Commences with Kyrie Elyison,
Followed by Kriste Elyison--
Both introductory phrases are in Greek!
    Benedictus.  Ahmen.

I have also wondered why our moon
Seems to never rotate,
Always facing the earth.
On this one I finally learned
That the actual rotation of the moon
Is timed to be in sync
With its orbit in the monthly/yearly
Rotation around our earth!

Realizing the horrible waste and destruction
Which war results from human conflict,
Why have humans generally never learned
From wars' actual consequences throughout history?
Think of the many countries once in conflict,
Which, when all was finalized,
Became allies and staunch trading partners!--
A strange, meaningless enigma.

Lastly, in so many social situations,
Where tasty food, social communication,
And live, musical entertainment commingle,
One of these three often unfairly dominates.
I performed jazz in social situations decades previously--
Always attempting to comfortably 'fit in'.
These days, when I rarely attend such social events,
I am mostly overwhelmed by the horrid volume of music.
It appears that musicians care less about a 'good' performance,
But rather value volume as the means to gain praise and attention.
Of course the result is that the masticating, imbibing conversationalists
Can barely hear each other because of the selfish volume producers,
Oblivious in their own self centeredness.
I compare this present sound pollution,
Literally causing (future) hearing problems of all sorts,
Including tinnitus and, in extreme cases, deafness--
Much as smokers selfishly created in years past,
Resulting in asthma, lung cancer, or even death.

Must There Always be Perpetual War? opus 236

I was born in 1941 and was old enough
To comprehend the meaning in 1945,
As to why the neighbor children were banging pots with joy!
Then came the Korean War, I listening to PBS at 12,
And the horrible situation which eventually divided Korea.
Once again later, another conflict in Vietnam
To block a possible 'domino effect',
Resulting yet again, in a divided nation.
So many further wars throughout Africa,
Where I taught for many years.
Now we witness the basic genocide
By the Russians and Israelis,
Pulverizing their hapless opponents,
Completely outnumbered and outgunned.
One claims historic ownership, voicing the desire
To reunite the old Union,
The other claims revenge, even though they originally invaded,
Reclaiming land, historically, after a 2000 year hiatus.

Is there no way we all can just view, from a spatial distance,
And realize how very unique our planet actually is--
From space we see no borders, nor politics, nor religions?
We must somehow, sometime soon, learn how to live together
As one species, ensuring life also for our fellow creatures
And not be divided by our cultural foibles and impediments.

Two Types of Blackmail opus 240

Two types of blackmail are holding at present the modern world at bay--
One needed solution is how to counter the slaughter of the Ukranians
Where if pressed too hard, there is the constant fear of nuclear retaliation.
The second needed solution is how to counter the slaughter of Palestinians
When there is the continual religious guilt and pain, knowing that at one time,
The aggressor was once the victim of slaughter of its own.
With more love, compassion, and understanding from all,
This totality of basic cruelty might be mercifully obliterated and resolved.

Christmas Owls, Nuptially Vocalizing opus 244

I woke early on the Friday before Christmas Monday.
My first Great Horned Owls' nuptial calls of the winter.
How wonderful that they once again have returned to me,
As they have for the almost half century I have lived here.
I had been dreaming of squash and mashed potatoes,
With a parcel of turkey in some unknown kitchen--
All warm with smells of deliciousness.
It is Christmas and my owls are unknowingly
Welcoming this time to be warm of heart and to remember
All the varied past times that we humans
Have created to make a short winter day,
Special for our complex human spirits.

A Christmas greeting from a Humanist.

So, Who Has Suffered Most? opus 245

Is the tragedy in Gaza today
The equivalent to the Jewish Holocaust--
Or to the gypsies annihilated alongside the Jews--
Or to that of the early Christians thrown to the lions--
Or to the genocide of the Armenians--
Or to the terrible Clearances of the Scots
From their bucolic pastures--
Or to the cruel transport of Africans to the New World--
Or, indeed, to all slavery throughout history--
Or to the religious fury of Sudan
With its new South Sudanese neighbors--
Or to the punishment of the Bretons
By the French government--
Or to the persecution by the Puritans of MA
Of Roger Williams who then became the founder of RI--
Or to the extermination of Russian dissidents by Stalin--
Or to the victims of the Alamo who were
'Defending' territory stolen from Mexico--
Or to the mass Agent Orange killing of
The Vietnamese by the American bombers--
Or to the subtile psychological takeover of the world
By those who no longer support the fair,
But cumbersome methods of Democracy------

Is it the number involved or the general cruelty?
Is this all due to our species, who (which) evolved
Parallel to the Chimpanzees rather than to the Bonobos?

What Would Jesus Do? opus 274

"A group of any ilk of people, reclaim 'their' land
From many eons in the past":
Humans are genetically territorial,
So why would one not expect
Some reaction from such an invasion?--
Conflict between 'historical reclamation'
vs 'present inhabitation'?

Which brings up an interesting question:
Did the 'invading'--migrating--Homo sapiens
Rape the Neanderthal or simply,
Now and then, fall in love?
Even today, various Caucasians and Blacks
And Asians are enchanted with 'something different'.

(It is common scientific DNA knowledge that Europeans
and groups from the Northern Hemisphere incorporate
Neanderthal and Denisovan genes, resulting from the
'new wave', northward migration of Homo sapiens.)

Is Humanism a Solution? opus 277

Humanism is a thrust towards 'truth' for all humanity,
As is Feminism a similar thrust towards
Treating all human sexes equally.
The dogma that 'we' are the perfect truth,
Or that 'we' must exist because
There are so many adherents, for so long,
'When examined carefully, do not reach
The aspirations of most thinking people.
Humanism is an approach to life for those who wish
To live with intellectual integrity, based on reason,
Evidence, and a desire to do and be good,
Not interfering with people's rights
To their own beliefs and freedom of expression.' *
This is as long as groups are treated with tolerance,
Using no violence on either side.
There is no deity that lies in wait to chastise or punish us.
It is only we who would then chastise ourselves when appropriate.
Humanism also includes absolute caring and consideration for all other life--
To coexist and understand other creatures' actual evolutionary function,
And not simply conclude, without thoughtful consideration,
That some might be undesirable pests,
Thus caring for ALL life to thrive together on our originally very balanced planet.

* The God Argument, A,C, Grayling.

The Tipping Point opus 284

To date, almost 26,000 dead, 60,000 plus wounded--
When does self defence become murder?
(South Africa is now asking in the World Court.)
A terrible conundrum for Israel.
A country--now nation?--created by depopulation of others,
And now, as always, is surrounded by hatred--
A delayed disruption by 2000 years.

Our own William Penn 'invaded' the now Pennsylvania area,
Through peaceful, bargained discussion
And not, as occurred elsewhere, with violent encounter.
Would Israel's present situation have been altered,
If their 'invasion' had been more similar
To the former 'invasion' of Penn?

Where does Prejudice End? opus 288

I have held this in for many decades.

I was raised a progressive Protestant
(I am now, as you may have read, a Humanist),
In Newton Massachusetts as a Congregationalist,
A church resulting from the competition with the Prebyterians
Where the 'Congregation' regulates and governs itself.
I rang the huge church bell for services (now automated!);
I led the young people's group to reach out to others--
We shared meetings with both Catholics and Jews.
(I now realize that Muslims were not at all present then in my life.)
I was a tolerant, open-minded young person.

I played music (see previous poems) in school orchestras
And met many other young musicians.
I was in a jazz band led by a Catholic trumpet player.
Because of his 'loudness' (like Mozart who detested the trumpet),
I moved to another trio with a Jewish leader.
When the trumpet player asked, "Why did you go to 'that group'?",
I answered, "Because they are better musicians."
I was open and accepting of people who came into my life.

In High School, I became good friends
With Eddy Fineberg, a French Horn player.
I had a 'tour' with him through his kitchen,
Where he explained that if I ever came to dinner,
(to which, I was never invited),
I could not eat off his 'Kosher cutlery'.
Later, when I was talking with his intellectual sister,
His mother cleared everyone out and began to admonish me
That I was not to interact with her daughter again,
Because my 'people' (ancestors) had ravaged Jerusalem
And contributed to the Jewish downfall--
I was personally thunderstruck and devastated.
On the one hand, I understand just what was going on,
But on the other, as a young person, it was difficult
To bear the pain and the feeling of near betrayal.

Fifty years later while chatting at a High School reunion,
Another fellow student said he had gone through the same situation.

I have lived knowing an Armenian High School girlfriend,
The people of whom had suffered in their own genocide.
My first playmate was a black first grader, in an all-white school--
His name I even remember--Billy Meritt.
I have lived with Blacks where I taught in Southern Africa.
I have taught with the last of the Constantinople Greeks in Turkey.
I have worked in the Civil Rights Movement.
I have also realized that ALL groups have their prejudices.
In that light I try always to remain open.
I have realized too, that some groups
Get more 'publicity' than so many others.

We should all feel the guilt for our subconscious dislikes
And realize that every group, with very few exceptions,
No matter what seems evident,
Has just as many prejudices as any other.
I believe this is why our beautiful blue planet
Is so very divided (with its human populations) amongst itself.

A Twenty-first Century Human Dilemma opus 291

For good or evil / better or worse, Israel was created by force,
Aided by Britain, the United States of America, and the UN.
We all know the reasons why this act was performed.
We (the USA), especially, pledged to be a steadfast ally at all cost.
We have also weekly, financially supported this new country,
Which also is, of course, a legitimate sovereign nation.

Today, our octogenarian president, having lived during
That pioneer period and well aware of our former pacts,
Strongly stood by Israel, because of our original treaty and promises.
But the world has changed and by oblitering so many Gazan civilians,
While defending itself against the aggressing political organization,
It has created an enigma as to the best approach to warfare.
By backing Israel's blitz, Biden has been condemned
Because of 'backing' so many deaths.
How to rectify this nightmarish situation will be temporarily solved,
But the only final and needed conclusion is a Two State Solution,
Where the Palestinian people will at last, once again, govern themselves.

My only futuristic thought is, would it be best
To exchange territory so that the Nation of Palestine
Will control a single area, creating a more manageable nation-state?
Causing a great catastrophe, Pakistan was carved
Out of the Indian territory, both east and west portions.

Of course, other such human 'experiments' were artificially formed
To appease religious, historical, ethnic, or political tensions.
The planet is basically 'neutral': the complication and conflict
Are its human overlords!

The Abortion Argument opus 295

Because of the power of European governmental religious groups,
Our Constitution made it clear that religion and government were separate.
Along with that, religious freedom was guaranteed for the new citizens.

Today the picture is changing with religion encroaching evermore into our government.
A major division division is the abortion argument.
One side argues that the future unborn 'child' must never be aborted,
While the other pleads that the future mother has rights over her own body and health.
Is there any way there might be a compromise between these opposing views
Both, living in this country and nation, following our Constitution?

Perhaps, if these groups agree that they should follow our law of the Land,
Then either side, having the right to freedom of individual expression,
Must live freely together, interacting in peace
And use only the logic of their beliefs to persuade the other
That all must compromise, thus acting justly under the original law.

1. We have the separation of religion and government.
2. We have freedom of religion.
3. We have freedom of speech.

If these were followed, could our nation not evolve peaceably
Towards a synergy of mutual coexistence,
As the Founders had originally intended?

Intraspecific Conflict opus 298

Charles Darwin in his 'On the Origin of Species' (1859),
Observed that speciation and subspeciation result from geographic isolation.
All organisms on earth appear to follow this hypothesis.
Of course this mainly pertains to adaptation to a varying environment
And reduction of competition for food and needed territory.
With humans, we have varied superficial morphology,
Resulting in varying skin color, nose shape, eye color, height, etc.
But humans, more than other species, have culture and religion,
Which results, to the human mind, in a huge differentiation of the 'other'.
As a result, the human intraspecific or population competition
And conflict forms a new dimension,
Compared to other specific life on our planet.
Evaluating these differences, humans have a more complex level
Of Darwin's concept of isolation and adaptation to a new environment.
Culture, ideology, and religion result in greater potential 'intraspecific' conflict,
Which we are all observing and living through every single day!
With humans, geographic isolation seems not to reduce competition,
But because of other factors mentioned, may increase that population conflict.
Might our wonderful minds actually lead us to our own
Potentially peaceable intraspecific downfall?

Our Holy Land opus 306

One side, still consuming food blessed by the priest,
While the other is now ingesting grasses and animal feed.
Dear people, what have you done to each other?
From the first invasion in '48
To the continual rebellions of discontent;
Why must all this pass amongst you?
Is there no way to at least somehow coexist?
Why must you both practice necropolitics--
Holding the bodies of each to bargain,
Knowing that you each must bury the dead the same day!
Can the claims of belief not be modified,
To reach a softer dogmatic tolerance
And perhaps a more realistic and democratic governance?

The former horror borne by one group is now transformed,
By attempting to right things, into a horror of both.

If human history could be redone, how might you rewrite such?

The New Palestinian Nation--A Proposal opus 309

Is it a good idea--wise--to create a new Palestinian Nation,
Divided between two territories--Gaza and the West Bank?
I am suggesting that the two areas be combined to one,
Total acreage would be the same, but a question--
To which general area would the combined Nation be established?
My thought, without profound research, is possibly that
The West Bank area should be 'transferred' to Gaza
So that Palestine would border Egypt, having a substantial seacoast.
This would cause a great uprooting of the established Israeli population,
But Israel did cause the centuries-old uprooting of the Palestinian people in '48.
This would establish a strong nation, having a connection with the world.
One way or another, this potential challenge could be faced.
So much was formerly taken from the Palestians
And if the Jews could have carved out a new Israel-Nation,
The Palestinians might be given the equivalent for THEIR new nation.

Invaders, Conquerors, and 'Gentle' Expansionists opus 312

Introduction: I was born in and have travelled through or lived in
Many areas of the world where aggression was used to occupy.
Areas are taken over by another, generally,
Because of politics, history, religion, or for natural resources.
The means and methods of these conquests
Will usually determine the ultimate outcome.
These are the basic thoughts I have when I ponder this human trait.

Now, we are living through the present Gaza-Israeli War
With all its complications to sort out for proper comprehension.
Going back to historical examples, we have the Gauls,
Gengis Kong, and Alexander, among others,
Who basically invaded and conquered outright,
Often leaving military to continually oversee the vanquished population.
The Romans had a different approach: they conquered, then offered citizenship--
'Join the military, serve Rome, and retire with rank and property.'
This method of conquest incorporated the losers into the system, with all its benefits.
William Penn, a Quaker, 'created' Pennsylvania by negotiation, bargaining,
And thus demonstrated that two 'opposing' groups could actually survive together.

Then, there is the other side of the coin, those using blatant invasion and force alone.
A tiny example is the Scottish attempt (1695) to create a trading post in Darien, (Panama).
Today, we hear of the dense, miles-long jungle through which migrants now must encounter.
The Scots lasted a few years, politically alone, with no backup
From possible forces (England, Germany, Netherlands),
Which could have aided a forceful establishment in Darien--
The native people felt threatened and thus destroyed the whole project.
A second attempt was finalized with an attack by the Spanish!
Another--England desired a foothold in Ireland and carved out Northern Ireland;
The brutal takeover was so severe, augmented with tremendous religious difference
That only hundreds of years later was the continual smoldering hatred softened.

No group can knowingly take over another, to be occupied territory,
Without expecting violence and continual hatred, unless there is
Gentle and negotiated preparation for a population's entry.
Israel, where I have lived for a while is today manifesting
The horror of rebellion, because of a lack of proper planning.
With only a surrogate US/British/UN force for backing,
The State was created by placing the 'conquered' population
Into segregated camps, where they just simply languished.
(I remember my grade school weekly newsreels clearly depicting these scenes.)
By not properly preparing the existing population and surrounding Muslim countries,
It was only inevitable that continual hatred and violence would endure.
Demanding, for good reason perhaps, a one-religion state,
Plunked into the middle of an 'adversary' religious milieu,
Could one have not, without good introductory 'PR', expected anything else?
(While touring around Jerusalem (1970's) with a fellow professor,
He showed me many neighborhoods, explaining that it was his opinion
That the black segregated Jews in ghettos, the division of
Orthodox and Reformed Jews, and the Arab-Israelis with lesser status,
Juxtaposed with the arrogance of the European Jews
Towards those other non-European believers of the same faith,
All, he felt, would be the possible internal reasons
Why Israel might fail as an experiment.)

Religion-wise, look at the cleverness of the ever-spreading Catholic Church.
They 'conquered' (sometimes with an army) many areas
With their brand of a pathway to god,
But as they infiltrated, they merely renamed the native religious ceremonies,
Saying that they were basically the same (as they might have been!),
But the acceptance of the new names would include those conquered
In the greater power now available to them with this new religion.
To remain a conqueror with unwavering, complete purist dogma, often leads to downfall--
A successful conquering group must always compromise in order to reign,
Even if it results in a new reality for both groups--the conquered and the conquerors.

Lady Justice opus 323

Lady Justice stands before us, blindfolded,
And holding up her scales of Rightful Balance.
So, to give a verdict, how does she judge:

The taking of territory and killing to maintain a presence
Occurring, perhaps for the thousands of years of human history;

The raping of the other's women and girls to humiliate and anger;

To conquer in the name of a religion which is always 'right and true';

To initiate genocide to rid the undesirable other;

To maintain schools and centers of propaganda to influence minds;

To block commerce in order to starve the other into submission;

To threaten with deadly weapons to cause inaction of the 'rightful other';

And on to whatever action of injustice the human mind might concoct.

Hats Which Define Us opus 326

It struck me hard, to see Marjorie Taylor Greene,
Defiantly wearing the MAGA red hat in Congress,
Where traditionally, no one ever wore a hat,
Especially not with a logo portraying tension and challenge.

Head coverings, historically, have always manifested meaning--
Kafias, Yamakas, team caps, helmets, scarfs--
Even in the ancient past to define a new religious position.
Paul in First Corinthians (11:2-16),
To announce the new religion's identification,
That instead of a man covering his head to honor god,
And a woman, leaving her head uncovered to honor her man,
Paul wrote that a man should uncover his head to honor god,
And a woman should always cover her head to honor her man.

Head coverings, like T-shirts with logos,
Scream out a person's position in life.
Do not be complacent and let these messages pass by you--
The silent messages on headgear around us,
Mark philosophical territory,
Like the territory of a wolf is marked with his urine.

Our relations with world events opus 330

Dear Arthur,
We have known each other, off and on, for many years.
When I was talking with you about insects in the diet,
You became flustered and suggested we only email each other.
(My research determines that at least grasshoppers are acceptable.)
I replied that I would not have such a relationship and we must wait.
We had a pause and then the Gaza crisis occured.
I am heartbroken that this is happening.
As a Jew, I am quite sure you constantly have lived a defensive life.
(You have told me several incidences of such in your life.)
I have therefore stopped communicating to lessen your anguish.
Whenever all this is resolved, we might continue.
I am sure my interpretation of history and events are different from yours--
You have already countered me on such.
No matter what our opinions or interpretations are,
You and I will not change any of the unfolding terrible events.
But, better, to argue or avoid the subject in silence--
Both would be painful and therefore silence is best at present.
There may come a time when this might change.
In the meantime, we must, each in our own way,
Simply suffer during this horrible man-made catastrophe.

Be as well as is possible.  Frank.

Musical Similarities Over the Centuries opus 331

As I have written, music has been a huge part of my life.
I was listening this morning to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach,
Celebrating his 31 March 1685 birthday, soon to come.
His winding, polyphonic, continuous musical-cadence sounds
Suddenly connected the musical sounds in my head
To other similar styles--at least for me--
Which have the same continuous flow, if seemingly different sound.
The first which comes to mind are Amish hymns,
Which I heard during a Sunday service in a midwestern,
Congregants segregated by sex, temporarily cleaned out barn.
Their singing took me back to the Khoisan (Bushman) people
Who sang for me one evening in the Kalahari with their profound magic.

Another important musical type for me is the beautiful
Continuous sounds of Scottish classical bagpipe pibroch style.
My mind then jumped to the similar continuous sounds
Of electronic music of my teenage years.
There are so many composers of our time with their own such style--
The 12-tone System of Arnold Schoenberg, for one.

All of these continuous styles from many centuries
Require attention and concentration to fully appreciate.
This is perhaps why our today's listeners are not capable of a full acceptance--
Our society now needs more and more instant gratification,
Which allows such music to be purposely ignored in our minds.
We need to play such music in our homes to our children,
So that such musical history is not lost to the common sounds of the masses,
And studied only by the esoteric musical scholars!

(Dear Readers--explore the genres presented here in a few minutes--not too fast,
And partake in beautiful musical styles which took me decades to discover!)

Why are Men Deciding These Things? opus 334

New abortion anti woman laws--
Politicians versus medical doctors.
What are we doing to ourselves?
To abandon good science
For antiquated religious myths?
In spite of all empirical edification,
We are returning to our reptilian brain.

Slavery--Here?--In OUR History? opus 336

During the '70's, I was hired to teach by the University in Lesotho, Africa.
Lesotho, being very small, I would occasionally travel to the surrounding South Africa.
This large, Apartheid country had a white ruling minority.
Apartheid means 'apartness' and mimicked the segregation in my US country.
There, I witnessed many examples of cruelty and segregation between 'races'.

Many years later, I heard Nikki Haley question slavery in historical US,
While challenging Trump for the presidency.
I, and many others, were incredulous listening to her denials!
A citizen here must admit that our White House construction used slave labor.
Now Florida's governor has created laws to soften historical facts.

My point here, is that the aftermath of our sad history
Has left many 'historical fossils', manifesting what actually occurred.

I heard today about the founding of 'Easter Monday',
When Blacks in our country started this celebration after 1878,
(When segregated egg rolling at the White House was initiated as an Easter celebration),
Because Black people were forced to work on Easter sunday.
They appeared on Monday and celebrated in all their finery,
(Just as their white counterparts did on Sunday!),
On the next, closest day to the period, when hopes for some of the white world members
Celebrated the new Sunday day of--'hope for the world has arisen'.
If one leafs through the fossil historical recorded accounts,
One finds numerous reported facts which, of course, clinch this slave history.

In the light of Florida's actions today, do many really wish to 'leaf through'?

Can Revolution be Justified? opus 337

Revolutions by 'imprisoned populations' against powerful powers
Have occurred throughout history.
Our own U.S. revolution erupted when the once devoted population,
Had been taxed, countered, and had their freedoms slowly removed.
The French followed, revolting against their haughty Royalty.
Many such revolutions have erupted with similar motivations--
Haiti in 1804 being another, which freaked out President T. Jefferson!

Now we have the eruption of Hamas in Gaza,
Revolting, once again, because of a controlled population
Which basically has been held in an 'open air prison' since 1948.
What they did on 7 October 2023, was an horrid act,
But nonetheless a revolt, poorly, ideally, representing 'their people',
Screaming out once again that enough is enough.

The world, in the past, could have guided events,
So that the Palestians, who forcibly lost all their land,
Could have maintained dignity by possessing their own Nation-State
In a Two State Solution, created at that time,
So that these 'losers' at least maintained some dignity
With their own continuing, prideful legacy.
In this light, and compared to the origins of many other world revolutions,
Is it really so mysterious as to why this horror actually erupted?

A Mammalian (Human) Territorial Flaw opus 353

Most living creatures, in order to eat well and breed successfully,
Need space, territory, habitat, feeding ground, display area. ...
Humans have gone several steps beyond all this.
Not only do they need area for resource production, living space and so,
But they delve in another mind dimension--that of the holy and revered spaces.
These are territories which, as abstract as they are,
Are to be claimed, maintained, and defended as fiercely as if they were wheat fields,
Without vital seed to eat, but places where one meets a Chosen Entity.
And more, if that space is desired by others,
There is no thought, but to hold and defend it unto death.
A 'simple' mammalian (in our case) functional behaviour to survive has super evolved
Into an abstract set of emotions which continually divide our human world.
If we could only see through this behaviour--completely--
More gentleness and understanding and compromise would prevail!

Any Compensation for Palestinian Lands? opus 356

Much before the creation of Israel in 1948,
Palestine endured great turmoil
With continual internal harassment,
From those anticipating, at last, a Jewish State--
Even to the point of poisoning drinking wells
To remove both human and animal from their homes.
The oppressed side calls it Nakba which it seems
Will never be forgotten, thus perpetuating
The present great unrest.

Perhaps if established today, in the light of justice,
Might there not be from the start,
A logically created two state solution--
Each side maintaining its national dignity and pride?
How simple and straightforward a conclusion
For the equality and autonomy of both--
And how, so much strife might thus be avoided,
Both in Palestine and for the concerned world at large.

The Wisdom of the Inexperienced opus 358

I was talking with my ophthalmologist about world affairs
In the few extra minutes we are allowed in our pressured medical world.
He said it was, "Too bad that our (USA) students
Should be demonstrating about Gaza."
His thought took me back to my Vietnam-demonstrating days.
The country was then in turmoil, some of my family even disowning me,
But we finally stopped the brutal, horrible, unnecessary war,
And now we are friendly and trading-allies!

Today, the Palestinian situation of injustice has commenced long enough,
And a just Two State Solution is what must obtain.
Religion, guilt and fervor entwined us in this--mess.
For my whole life I have endured and anguished with these conflicting peoples.
Uncomfortable as it may be, are once again our students correct?
Students are lacking in much experience and knowledge,
But there is a childlike, youthful innocence towards what is right.
Thinking human animals often create uncomfortable situations,
But youth, where and when they are allowed to speak,
Often show what is the right and just path.
They are the ones, when contemplating the implications of their future lives,
Who resist their stagnant elders, mired in their indecision,
And cry out, "We do not want to inherit the world you are presenting us!"
Unlike their tired elders, youth are full of energy
And that energy often is directed towards a better life
Which they wish to pursue into their unknown futures.

To live by the Sword opus 392

If one lives by the sword---
If one speaks in a tone of violence---
If one encourages use of weapons---
If one frivolously calls demeaning names---
If one denies facts and truths---
If one uses the religious for personal gain---
If one uses curtailment of women's health for political gain---
If one aspires to govern with absolute power---
If one proposes to dismantle a democratic government---

Will our free lifestyle with a democratic way of life
Metamorphose, by definition, to a state of hemorrhage and desiccation?
Aura is created around and by one.

Coming to Terms with Hell opus 398

I was six years old and freely moved through my neighborhood.
My basic territory was one block long.
My address was 301 Lake Avenue, Newton Highlands.
Across the street below the opposite houses, ran the old steam engine line--
Later to be converted to cleaner electric MTA street cars!
Out of my house and to the right all the way, almost to Walnut Avenue,
I met one day a playmate named Sparky.
We were on the sidewalk, greeted each other,
When suddenly Sparky came out with, "You are going to Hell!"
I was young, confused, and didn't know what to do.
Well, of course. a six year old goes back to his mother.
What was said to reassure me remains in clouded history,
But I have somehow survived eight decades!

Perhaps Sparky's declaration got me to think--
I heard church bells a year later and asked to attend Sunday School;
Went on through high school and early college days,
Deeply exploring and partaking in religious thought;
But after meeting sophisticated biology and evolutionary theory,
I did and have now evolved in philosophy towards a benevolent Humanist--
And unless there is a great change in mindset,
I shall meet the next stage of life in mental comfort.
Thank you Sparky?

My Only 'Authentic' Sermon! opus 402

My first Antioch College Co-op Job in 1964
Was in Eminence, Missouri, working in the Pioneer Forest,
Established by an Antioch grad many years before,
Where this grad, Leo Drey, wanted to upgrade state forests.
After buying thousands of acres of marginal wooded lands,
(Utilizing his complete inheritance from his parents!)
Which had been virtually raped of White Oak used for whiskey barrels,
(The cells of this wood were such that barrel leakage was blocked),
The management plan was to girdle all old trees,
Releasing space for the pine subclimax to be harvested years later.
My tool was a moderately dangerous double-headed axe!

This was during my religious phase of life,
So I recreated with 12 year old boys (older children were absent),
Searching for arrowheads, exploring the river;
Interacting with my mentally damaged hotel mates from two wars;
As well as involving myself in the local Methodist Church.
One Sunday, the minister called me aside
And invited me to give an evening sermon--
He said, "I think you have something to say,"
I reluctantly agreed and began my preparation.
I had been reading Kalil Gibran's 'The Prophet',
A story about a prophet who announced he was leaving the village,
Creating anxiety, because the citizens had never solicited his advice.
He was then asked many questions about life.
One subject, which I used, was about children--'You are the bow
And they are the arrows, sent out into the world.'

Well, the evening arrived, and I delivered my 'sermon'.
The result was quite overwhelming--
The minister lined up the congregation to walk past me.
They each shook my hand and offered greetings,
Several actually crying as they passed by!
As a 19 year old, I was obviously overwhelmed and moved.
It was an evening I will never forget,
Although, in the end, I finally became an Evolutionary Biologist!

My Scottish Connection opus 416

After discovering my Scottish origins and connections,
I have worn a kilt (or tartan) for many years.
From my Pennsylvania MacCalums, to the Stewarts, etc,
To 'way back to Kenneth MacAlpin, a first king of Alba.
Before donning my tartan, I was obliged to do some research.
I discovered there were tartans for families and clans
And, additionally, for districts, states, provinces,
Highway patrols (eg California), to celebrate centennials,
As well as generic tartans, worn by anyone with no Scottish connection!
One also has the choice of the historical great kilt,
Or the modern tartan, designed by an Englishman!

The history is massive and totally intriguing (and tragic),
So I will conclude with Tartan Day, commemorating Scots.
In Canada and the United States, the chosen date for Tartan Day is 6 April,
Honoring 6 April 1320, when Robert the Bruce and his nobles
Signed and sent their Declaration of Arbroath to the French (!) Pope,
Asking for the recognition of Scotland as a nation and to be free from England.
Among several documents, Thomas Jefferson used the Scottish Declaration
As a model for the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

During one of my Scottish visits, a young land reform activist remarked to me,
"The wearing of the kilt is a symbol of historical,
Cultural resistance and contemporary cultural regeneration."

Suas Alba! (Alipa) Up Scotland!

Just a Passing Thought opus 418

Are you familiar with the (Thomas) Jefferson Bible?
It is housed in the Smithsonian Institution.
He literally cut and pasted the four Gospels into a 'Jefferson version'.

Many religious variations and reformations have occurred in history.
Judaism has branched into several 'denominations',
Including Orthodox, Conservative, Reform plus others!
Islam has yet to create a true religious reform--
But certainly has two orthodox forms.
(Perhaps a reformation will emerge from their American experience.)
Christianity, of course, has subdivided into many denominations,
Plus has experienced a very serious Reformation--Catholic to Protestant.

My thought is, why has there not been a modernization,
Dealing with the Christian Old Testament?
In 325 AD, The First Council of Nicaea (Iznik, Turkiye),
Guided the contents of the Old and New Testaments;
Other accounts were relegated to the Apocrypha.
For instance, might the Old Testament be edited for modern Christians
To modify or eliminate the Kosher laws (Deuteronomy 14:1--21);
Edit the two descriptions (Genesis 1 and 2) of the creation stories to one;
And eliminate Deuteronomy 13:1--18 which describes
The destruction of a complete village, along with all living things,
If those inhabitants have turned away from belief in the true god?
Of course much would remain for the modern Christian,
Such as the beautiful poetry of the Song of Psalms
And, naturally, the various prophecies and most of the histories.

This would be an interesting and perhaps important project,
Making the Christian Old Testament more modernized and relevant.
Read with a possible new viewpoint,
Realizing what conclusions you might consider.

Just a passing thought-----.

The Afterlife opus 428

Humans, having the ability to contemplate the future,
Have struggled for millennia to comprehend
The seeming finality of the end of life, named death.
To compromise the anxiety and fear that the state of death manifests,
Many rituals and beliefs and philosophies have arisen in history:
Burning the body, leaving it to be consumed and decay, interning it in
the earth;
(Many Muslims bury down and to the side; other groups bury straight down)
If of status, wrapping it as a preserved mummy,
Or embalmed forever on view in a mausoleum.
Along with all this are serious beliefs, clinching what may occur.
No matter what conditions humans will face,
The question of death and what new world may unfold will be perpetually with us.

Sole or not a Sole? opus 431

Some laws of religion are being used in a profound conflict
With the Hippocratic Oath of 'Do no harm'.
Is there indeed a soul and when is it implanted in the new blastula?
The obliteration of a sane, humane law, which had aided women for 50 years,
Now looms large, to reveal great suffering with no helpful health care.
I seem to remember an ancient religious Egypt pharaoh banning reproduction,
Which finally resulted in the realization of a population collapse.
I recall from former reading that the regime was eliminated.
Historically real or not, have we created our own 'Egypt Syndrome',
Where our women will slowly be eliminated
Through their own deaths and lack of reproduction,
Yielding an ever-declining population to NOTHING?

To No One opus 434

In my youth you taught me your strong ways.
I was tolerant and interested and did not repel you.
You made it clear when showing me your dishware--
If I were to come and share repast,
I would be forbidden to use that dishware.
That was my introduction to your eating laws.

Later and older, I was talking with a female teen,
Who was plain to view, but nicely intelligent.
Her mother entered and cleared out all but me
And announced that my ancestors had destroyed Jerusalem
And I was never to become close to her daughter.
I was shocked, but innocently agreed with what, I was not certain.

Attempting dating, I was snubbed once by other parents
When I arrived to pick up their daughter for a dance.
At my fiftieth reunion I heard the same story from a fellow male student.

(I donated my hand carved stone for the new high school building!)

Much later in my seventies I returned from far away
To the general territory and people with whom I grew up.
I was kindly invited to the home of a now fellow elder.
They kept the laws to which I was introduced so long ago.
When we took repast, I found I was eating off a paper plate!
This to me was another blow going way back to that girl's mother.

Now I watch and have watched since 1948,
The constant battles and the taking of territory
With that reinvasion, 2000 years later.
Yes, there have been great injustices,
But is all this worth it to either side and to their innocent children
Who know nothing of this history and are just taught to suffer and hate?
Guilt is very powerful and sometimes can be misled
To an erroneous and painful conclusion.

Columbus Was a Jew? opus 443

After more than two decades of research,
Scientists have confirmed that Christopher Columbus
Was a Sephardic Jew from (Spain?) Western Europe.
(Sephardic is derived from Sefarad, meaning 'Spain' in Hebrew.)

Oh dear, I hear it coming now from both sides--
Of course the expressed pride of the Jewish people,
That such an important historical person was 'one of them',
And conversely, that it had to be a Jew,
Who caused the opening of the New World,
With its consequential destruction
Of those two continents' native peoples.

Just wait and see--perhaps everyone will leave 'it' alone for once!

No comment!  F.

Life Adaptable! opus 452

We live on a planet that rotates and is tilted in relation to its star (sun).
This, of course, creates day and night, climate, seasons,
And incidental weather.
Basically, then, we survive in a world of circadian rhythms.
'Circadian' means daily cycles within our 24 hours.
Our planet originally had a four hour cycle,
Until slowed down by the newly formed moon.
There appear to be many 'Goldilocks' planets which are 'tidally locked'--
In other words, have no rotation--
Rotationally frozen by the near proximity to their sun.
The conundrum created is a planet with eternal night and day.
Can life survive with continual darkness or absolute light?
Could there be a migration from dark to light, allowing rest and regeneration,
Creating a 'circadian' clock in space instead of in time?
Is sleep or rest actually needed for life to survive?
On our own planet, life occurs in complete darkness
In caves, in the sea depths, and within our own bodies!
Additionally, sea life thrives here in complete darkness
Next to boiling, chemical vents.
There are a myriad other ways that cycles could be created,
But the main point is that relentless life may be found
In almost any type of unpredictable situation.
We must be ready for the most bizarre of things to be,
And also to have our very comfortable theologies be shattered.

Pyramid Meditation opus 475

Two followers of the Maharishi of India and 'creator' of
Transcendental Meditation,
Stopped for a day in Istanbul, Turkiye, and shared their craft with us.
I was given a 'mantra' which began my voyage into alpha wave 'production'.
Even hospitalized in Turkiye, I meditated to the point
I 'experienced' levitation from my bed.

Later, on my African home leave, once again, in 1975, I stopped in Guatemala,
Wishing to seek out the ancient Mayan pyramids of the area.
Walking on the trail to the great structures at Tikal,
I noticed large holes in the barrier fences along the trail.
After visiting and experiencing the pyramids in daylight,
I fantasized a night visit to experience a moonlight pyramid meditation.
As planned, I returned after dark, utilized the holes along the way
And quietly climbed the long train of narrow steps to one of the stone
structure's apex.
The steps were formed narrowly, to obligate a climber to remain sideways,
Preventing one from facing straight towards the gods.
Alpha waves flowed freely and plentifully during that brainwave experience!
My memory of that view, flooded with moonlight,
Lives vibrantly in my old, but very crisp past images.

A Culturally Blending World opus 480

On the news this morning, it was announced
That the 'new' Syria, having just ousted its dictator (Asad),
Is even singing Christmas songs in their great joy--
Know what the carol was, chosen to be broadcast?--
'Feliz Navidad', a Mexican tune well known in the US!
So we have come to a Muslim country,
Celebrating by airing a Christian song in Spanish
To celebrate their hard fought-for political victory--
All influenced by a country--the US--
A multicultural friendly (basically) nation,
Attempting to be accepting of all diverse people!

A Christmas Story opus 484

Some scholars say that Christmas
Should be celebrated in the Spring,
When Jesus was actually born--
They deduced this from the, then, star formations.

Be that as it may, a question does arise:
The Three Wise Men brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Very valuable gifts, even in that time.
What happened to those gifts; where did they go?

Did the innkeeper come out and see the commotion,
And demanded a larger fee, even for a stable manger?
Was it tucked away for future use?
Did Joseph invest it in his carpentry business?
Was it robbed from them on their way home?
Was it donated to the poor who surrounded them?
So many questions, of which I had never before considered.

Well, we can ponder just what the son of god
And his family actually did with all that wealth.
Hopefully, at least, they did not invest it
With some greedy politician, ready to use for his own ends!

The LA Fires opus 502

They watched in grieved silence as their church,
Then a synagogue, then a mosque burned to nothing.
Four major fires have ravaged, so far, more than 1200 structures.
Where is their god, to which many have sent earnest prayers?
In our wasteful life of comfort and ease,
Has the voice of god been all around, but has not been heeded?
Surely our collective inner voice has attempted to guide us,
But we are blinded by our votes and present way of life.
Was Carter's then plea, to reduce our use of energy overall,
And our public disdain and impatience with this visionary man,
The very voice which we should have,
Almost five decades ago, wisely heeded?

How Might a Hindu Take the Story of Easter? opus 569

I sort of pulled this out of a hat, randomly contemplating the subject.
I actually found sites which answered my question precisely!
Some sites went into great detail about the transformation of Jesus' body,
While others posed the almost impossibility of reaching eternal life--
Compared to Christianity--a somewhat biased account,
Through multiple reincarnations in the caste system.
The article I am citing stays on the positive side,
Not dragging in the negatives, looking at the positive similarities.
Do read this and ponder further on the subject:
'Exploring the Intersections of Easter and Hinduism--Celebrating Unity in Diversity'.
If you are religious or a Humanist as I am,
You will see nice, positive overlaps, for what it is.
Enjoy.

22 April 2025--Earth Day opus 570

Pope Francis died on the morning of 21 April,
Just after Easter and the day before Earth Day.
He was a leader who completely understood
The slow, steady change and demise of our world
In relation to human, animal, and plant life as well as
To those who can no longer conduct profitable farming,
Nor to those who are potential refugees of violence and armed entities.

The pope will be buried in a simple wooden coffin,
Among others who were the poor of Rome, Italy.
Now the question is, who will be chosen for that next leader?
In addition, it would be nice if more unified attention would be given
To the contributions of the Dalai Lama and leaders
Of the Jewish, Muslim, and other major religions.
The dominance of the magnificence of the papacy
Must be juxtaposed with the theology of other religious leaders.
That would be to the good of our diverse populations.

(Note: Today, 25 May 2025, we may have just that,
Partly by means of a new American pope,
Who seems to be already including many others.)

Heaven And Earth opus 572

With the pope's serious illness,
It is perplexing to observe and contemplate
Terrestrial, empirical medical procedure,
Mingled with heavenly outreach-supplications.

Compassionate Leadership opus 574

There was a leader of a certain country,
Who treated most of his fellow leaders in a demeaning manner.
A certain pope of Italy died and world leaders attended his funeral.
As the leader of that certain country entered with his wife,
The whole gathering remained absolutely silent.
Whereas, as the leader governing previously to that certain leader,
Who was compassionate and caring for his people and his fellow leaders,
Entered and received a loud welcome from those fellow leaders.
A compassionate leader will always be greeted and perceived positively,
Even if not every one of his attempts at governing was always successful.

Blind Devotion? opus 584

Easter Islanders, blindly carved ever-more of their 'sacred heads',
Until all 'needed' resources were completely diminished.
With the creation of our excessively hungry new god--AI--
Will we also inevitably go the way of the now extinct Islanders?

Solitary Confinement opus 648

California prisoners protested to eliminate solitary confinement.
This, for a human, is the worst punishment of all.
As in a family where purposeful isolation is employed,
The punishment results in anger and rebellion.
Humans should not be ignored nor isolated.
It results in nothing good.
Try to compromise, understand, and talk things out.
So many family rifts would be lessened to nothing.
An international example is the Palestinians 
Being robbed of their lands and originally isolated in prison camps--
Now, isolated in an open air prison with limited rights,
Along with warring persecution, all in the name of religious history.
Equal treatment would have lessened the problem to nothing.

The Good Book--Genesis opus 723

Most of us know the Biblical Genesis story.
Of course, there is a supernatural creator involved,
As would be expected in any religious writing.
I have been studying the Humanist approach to the 'creation'.
A volume was laboriously written with this approach in mind.
It is compiled by A.C. Grayling, a British scholar,
Called simply, The Good Book.
It follows the Biblical format, but from a Humanist point of view.


The 'Books' include:  Genesis, Wisdom, Parables, Concord,
Lamentations, Consolations, Sages, Songs, Histories,
Proverbs, The Lawgiver, Acts, Epistles, and The Good.

Genesis.           Chapter I.

1.  In the garden stands a tree,  In springtime
     it bears flowers; in the autumn, fruit.
2.  In fruit is knowledge, teaching the good gardner
     how to understand the world.
3.  From it he learns how the tree grows
     from seed to sapling, from sapling to maturity
     at last ready to offer more life.
4.  And from maturity to age and sleep,
     whence it returns to the elements of things.
5.  The elements in turn feed new births;
     such is nature's method, and its parallel
     with the course of humankind..

Such is the Humanist approach to life and the world.
Do explore.  You shall be rewarded to a new dimension.
I shall be exploring more from this book occasionally.