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Enlightening Mystery–Faith is a Fine Invention for the People Who See a Door Just Opened
Since every person is part of nature and, hence, part of the divine, we share the basic impulses of all natural things, and have the urge to develop upward and outward, which is the striving for an ideal action. We spend our time praying for the best outcomes in life. To improve our vision, and increase our happiness, we have to make a plan so we have somewhere to place our hope. A plan will also help us to bring our Heavenly Father’s blessings into our lives. One early use of the word “golden” in English is “most excellent, important, or precious.” With reference to the rules or precepts it was used to mean of inestimable value, and the expression the golden rules was often specifically used wit reference to the precept in Matthew: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that people should do, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets,” (7.12). Thus, the principle that has come to be known as the golden rules has been so called presumably because it has been regarded as being of inestimable values or importance. This regard was not derived solely from the fact that it was set forth in the Sermon on the Mount. The golden rule has been widely accepted, in word if not in deed, by vast numbers of greatly differing peoples; it is a basic device of moral education and it can be found at the core of innumerable moral, religious, and social codes. #RandolphHarris 1 of 11
What the golden rule requires a person to do, then, is to take account of the wishes of others and accord them the respect and consideration one would want them to accord to them. In other words, what the golden rule requires of each of us is that we should treat others in accordance with same principles or standards that we would have others apply in their treatment of us. Thus, the golden rules, if this argument is sound, is compatible with differences in interests, needs, tastes, wishes, and desires, and does not presuppose that human nature is uniform in the sense specified. The golden rule has been said to provide just that element, the requirement of justice or fairness, that the World needs. It has also been claimed that the golden rule is a perfect guide to conduct and that the only thing needed to make the World perfect is for everyone to follow it. The nearly universal acceptance of the golden rule and its promulgation by persons of considerable intelligence, through otherwise of divergent outlooks, would therefore seem to provide some evidence for the claim that it is a fundamental ethical truth. By allowing ourselves to be drawn to God, we fulfill our nature and experience the greatest satisfaction of which we are capable. When we are uncertain of the future or our current situation, fear overrules our optimism and we find ourselves unhappy and a little sad. #RandolphHarris 2 of 11
The personal unconscious consists of those associated webs of ideas and emotions named complexes, which have been repressed from consciousness because it finds them too painful to acknowledge, and also of those perceptions of reality which have never forced their way into consciousness. Each individual’s personal unconscious is thus to some extent explicable in terms of one’s own life history. Even the personal unconscious, however, has features which are common to every individual and do not derive from one’s personal history. The shadow of every human being is usually part of the personality they one usually rejects and imprisons because of its set of desires, emotions, and attitudes that we personify as unpleasant or hostile. The shadow is essentially infantile, for it is untouched by the process of maturation or education. The inability to acknowledge one’s shadow is always a potential danger to the personality, for the shadow unacknowledged and unrecognized is stronger and more wayward than the shadow recognized and accepted. Although every individual has a shadow, since the shadow is the product of what one’s particular consciousness has repressed, it belongs to the personal unconsciousness. #RandolphHarris 3 of 11
Biological determinism, in part holds that there is an association between physical characteristics and such attributes as intelligence, morals, values, abilities, and even social and economic condition. In other words, some believe that cultural variation are inherited in the same manner as biological variations. It follows, the, that there are inherent behavioural and cognitive differences between groups. It is an old wives tale to be careful who you have kinds with because behaviour can be inherited. Early humans did not understand the mechanisms of inheritance, of DNA, or the translation of genetic information into morphology, physiology, or behaviour. However, they intuitively understood that inheritance shapes behaviour. Today, we easily recognize that both genes and the environment influence human behaviour. Genes, through their influences on morphology and physiology, creates a framework within which the environment acts to shape the behaviour of an individual. The environment can affect morphological and physiological development; in turn behaviour develops as a result of the person’s shaped internal workings. Genes also create the scaffold for learning, memory, and cognition, remarkable mechanisms that allow people to acquire and store information about their environment for use in shaping their behaviour. Instinctive, or hard-wired (genetically determined) behaviour is performed without thought and cannot be modified by learning. #RandolphHarris 4 of 11
Examples of instinctive behaviour include simple behavioural patterns, displayed in response to a specific stimulus or within a specific context. To further highlight this illustration, Olivia Benson adopted a baby called Noah Porter-Benson, on a show called Law and Order Special Victims Unit. Although Noah was a good baby and as cute as can be, many people knew that he would be trouble as he grew up because his father Johnny Drake was spent 20 years as ruthless and unethical business man involved in the sale, distribution, and punishment of large numbers of human capital. And last night, on the show, Noah started acting unusual because he was not ready to go to bed. He laid down as he was told, after protesting his bed time, and when his adopted mother put the covers on him, he ripped them back off and had a cold look in his eye. She then covered him back up and told him a few times that she loved him, and he just laid there with a blank look in his eye. Oliva was shocked. When this happens the personality itself is in danger; it has been taken over and magnified into something that expresses not the individual person but the collective image. Although he has been loved and adored, Noah has some genetic behavioural traits that he inherited from his father. It is not like there is no hope for Noah, children can change if they want to and are taught at a young age to suppress their shadow. #RandolphHarris 5 of 11
Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to intelligence, although it is not possible to measure accurately the percentage of each contributes. Intelligence is the mental capacity; ability to learn, reason, or comprehend and interpret information, facts, relationships, and meanings; the capacity to solve problems, whether through the application of previously acquired knowledge or through insight. In order to demonstrate Godly behaviour, it is why it is recommended for people to go to church for a lifetime, so they learn the right ways to live, learn the love and fear of God, and follow the golden rule, even when they feel their shadow wanting to surface. Controlling inherited tendencies of psychic functioning contained in the collective unconscious is why people send their children to private schools, as it is a religious based curriculum and they teach the laws of God, righteous behaviour, and monitor the behaviour of the child more than they do in public schools. Therefore, there is additionally usually a higher moral code and dress code. “I know that he (God) loves his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things,” reports 1 Nephi 11.17. #RandolphHarris 6 of 11
We know that the roots of happiness rest in the biology of the whole species and that the potential of the species can only be realized in a culture, in a social system. It is knowledge and the social system which give life or take it away, and in so doing change the gene frequencies and continue the million-year-old interaction of culture and biology. Human biology finds its realization in a culturally determined way of life, and the infinite variety of genetic combinations can only express themselves efficiently in a free and open society. So how do we push away fear to make room for hope? First, begin by acknowledging that God lives and sees all—that he is in charge and that he knows you. No matter what you are going through, Heavenly Father understands. Next, set goals. A clear plan will increase one’s hope in the future. A good idea is to start telling your Father in Heaven what your goal and intentions are. Motivation is the essential and irreplaceable element of success. When we are not motivated, we fail. Have we not all felt that mid-task slump? When we experience even small amounts of success, our brains release dopamine, which is connected to feelings of pleasure, learning and motivation. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people. “Spirit and body shall be reunited in perfect form,” reports Alma 11.34. #RandolphHarris 7 of 11
When we feel the effect of dopamine, we are eager to repeat the actions that resulted in success in the first place. Neuroscientists refer to this as self-directed learning. This is why achieving small goals is such an effective way to stay motivated during long-term projects and processes. It is important to recognize our need, but stop longing and make it a matter of action. Have unquestioning faith, and the great miracle will become real. Keep in mind, although we have goals on Earth, to return to God’s presence and to receive the eternal blessings that come from making and keeping covenants are the most important goals we can set. A key to happiness rests in understanding what destinations truly matter—and then spending our time, effort, and attention on the things that constitue a sure way to arrive there. God, our Heavenly Father, has given us the perfect example of goal setting and planning. His goal is to being to past the immortality and eternal life of all men and women. His means to achieve it is the plan of salvation. Our beloved Heavenly Father’s plan includes giving us a growing, stretching, learning, physical mortality through which we can become more like him. Clothing our eternal spirits in physical bodies, our faith is being tested so we can prove God’s character trustworthy in our minds. #RandolphHarris 8 of 11
Wise goal setting includes the understanding that short-term foals are only effective if they lead to clearly understood long-term goals. It is good to hobbies and goals and plans for our careers, for our education, even for our golf game. The simpler and more straightforward the goal is, the more power it will have. When we can reduce the goal to one clear image or two powerful and symbolic words, that goal can then become part of us and guide virtually everything we think and do. Project must be mindful of the practical hurdles and limitations associated with analyzing their stakeholders’ psychological attributes. Both the internal and especially the external stakeholder community can be very large and complex in terms of, inter alia (for organization) their respective missions, interests, goals, priorities and culture and (for individuals, groups, communities) their social and cultural diversity, economic background, objectives, awareness, education and intelligence, family upbringing, norms, values and personal or shared experiences and so forth. The stakeholder psychological attribute analysis is only useful as the quality of information it is based on, meaning, in order for it to be useful the information must at least be accurate precise, complete, relevant, specific, up-to-date, reliable and actionable. #RandolphHarris 9 of 11
Finding information which satisfies this set of criteria on all stakeholders, especially external ones, can be very difficult, time-consuming, costly and sometimes simply impossible to do. Powerful or influential stakeholders must hereby be prioritized as these can significantly affect the project in either the positive or negative sense. Sentiments towards project may change immensely and rapidly in response to project developments and such changes much be reflected in a prompt corresponding change in the project’s stakeholder management/engagement strategies. This implies that a situational or periodic repeat of the information collect task and stakeholder attributes analysis would be necessary, adding to the process complexity and cost. Hence, attempting to devise and implement effective and customized stakeholder management/ engagement strategies on the basis of the stakeholder attributes analysis can be highly challenging, tedious and expensive and offer no guarantee of success. Without qualified support, for instance in the form of a team of highly skilled, competent, creative and experienced analysts or hired consultants, such activities would exceed burden project managers and teams already heavily burdened with the arduous technical and administrative takes they typically encounter in the day to day operations of their project. #RandolphHarris 10 of 11
All stakeholders have needs and wants. Satisfying these needs and wants is a key objective for them, regardless of whether stakeholders are individuals, groups, or associations of individuals, communities, or organizations. Projects offer stakeholders a potential opportunity to satisfy their general and specific needs and wants and the stakeholders are naturally interested in ascertaining if, how and to what extent this is possible. Faith being worked out into reality must experience times of unbroken isolation. Projects thus constitute a source of motivation for stakeholders; this is good for the project because the greater this motivational intensity is the more likely it is that stakeholders will view the project in positive light and, of course, vice versa. The practical implication in project perspective is that project owners, planners and executors must carefully research stakeholders motivations and seek to align their projects with their stakeholder needs and wants to the maximum extent possible within the given project resources, time and other constraints. Doing so serves the twin objective of reducing actual or potential stakeholders offense. It is essential that you give people the opportunity to act on the truth of God. The responsibility must be left with the individual—one cannot act for another person. The moments we are truly alive are the moments wen we act with our entire will. #RandolpHarris 11 of 11
The Morning Lit, the Birds Arose with Blazing Gold Leaping like a Leopard in the Sky and Peace was Paradise!
Grant me, O Lord, a sunny mind, thy windy will to bear! When humans reflect on their freedom, they experience it as a gift; many dimly knows that one does not stand alone. That gift, in turn, points vaguely to an ultimate horizon as its source and foundation. Awareness of transcendence also originates in the consciousness of our finitude: through our boundaries we recognize the infinite possibilities within us. In general, the World itself points to a region beyond. Transcendence is thus experiences as the intimation of a power by virtue of which humans themselves exists. Confronted with these clues, humans are free to pursue or to ignore them. Eternal life can already be present in the center of Earthly and temporal life when, through grace, the soul is encompassed to God, its ultimate foundation. Everything asses, only God does not change. “My flesh and my heart diminish; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever,” reports Psalm 73.26. The term encompassing (das Umgreifende) designates the ultimate and indefinite limits of being as we experience it in all its fullness and richness, limits which surround, envelop, and suffuse all thee is. It is the ultimate experienceable horizon. Being-as-such means the encompassing or the totality of being as it is thought, conceived or conceptualized, while transcendence means a person’s personal, devoted, and committed effort to each the encompassing. #RandolphHarris 1 of 9
God is encompassing. A miracle is produced only by the effectiveness of redemption, not by impressive speech, nor by wooing and persuading, but only by the sheer unassisted power of God. We must fill our minds with the thought that God is there. The encompassing manifests itself in at least three modes: the total encompassing of the World, the encompassing that is the empirical World of ordinary and scientific experience, and the encompassing that is the empirical World of ordinary and scientific experience, and the encompassing that is one’s own self. God besets us behind and before and has laid his hand on us is the crowning glory, as it is also the perpetual mystery, of human life. In the light of this truth nothing seems small or negligible. Every incident and every association of our lot takes on a new meaning. The stars have a fresh message for us; the flowers look up to us with intelligent faces; God walks in his garden still, and his voice calls for our recognition. Nothing becomes impossible for us; our strength is sufficient for our day, and new ideals press upon us for acceptance as soon as we have faithfully doe the work of the immediate present. Although we are at a loss to describe its essence, we an say of the encompassing that it is. In a sense, I and the World are identical with the encompassing. In it, the severance between the subject and object disappears, since both are the manifestations of the same encompassing. #RandolphHarris 2 of 9
Having the vision of God is the source of enlightenment because it gives us God’s true and proper inspiration. A person who have the vision of God is not devoted to a cause or to any particular issue—he or she is devoted to God. Therefore, God, the unthinkable (das Undenkbare), becomes wholly other. I cannot grasp conceptually the encompassing that I am; similarly, the World is not exactly an illusion, since it is the only language through which the encompassing can reach me. The ultimate encompassing envelops both the I-pole and the object-pole of experience. The view we have before us is simply one microscopic snapshot—part of an infinitely vast forest of fascinating knowledge. Humans can search for transcendence by various means. We can explore the World, as science does. In that way one achieves a World view. Or one can search for it by examining the relations between oneself and the World, as we find it in epistemology, ethics, and psychology. One thereby achieves illumination of Existenz. We can also search for God, in which case we deal directly with the problem of penetrating being itself. However, we must never succumb to the error of identifying the encompassing with a particular substance or substratum of the World. We are here, not as immature Angels, but as men and women, to do the work of this World. And we are to do it with an infinitely greater power to withstand the struggle because we have been born from above. #RandolphHarris 3 of 9
The encompassing manifests itself through the footsteps of God, through analogical predication, through symbols, through ciphers (Chiffren). So much becomes clear from the vantage point of the encompassing as it is like the horizon that is the perennial goal of the sailor: it always shows itself and yet is forever inaccessible. The major purpose of metaphysics is the disclosure of the ciphers that manifest encompassing, but in the end, metaphysical elucidation of the ciphers is a highly personal undertaking. Ciphers may appear suddenly and spontaneously in the presence of empirical facts, for example, and overwhelming mountain. They may appear in art forms, in religious myth and doctrines, and in theological disputations; they may become manifest in the symbolism of history of philosophy and its metaphysical systems; and finally, they may appear through reflection on the mystery of being as well as on the death that, at this point, awaits every human being. The gospel of Christ encompasses not only the truth of what was and what is but also the truth of what can and will be. It is the most practical of all truths. It teaches the way of the disciple—a path that can take ordinary, flawed mortals and transform them into glorious, immortal, and limitless beings whose divine potential is beyond our present capacity to imagine. Now, that is practical truth. It is priceless beyond imagination. It is the truth of the highest order. #RandolphHarris 4 of 9
The pursuit, discovery, and application of truth are what we are on this Earth to discover. The gospel of Christ encompasses all truth, and it also specializes in the knowledge that will be of greatest worth to us in this life and throughout the eternities to come. Religious prescription is called a philosophic faith (philosophische Glaube). It consists of the convictions that humans are open to transcendence and consequently wills infinity; that there is in fact a transcendence to the ordinary World; that personal freedom is to be maintained and respected; that humans, as one finds oneself, is inadequate; that one can reply on help from the transcendence; and that the World is grounded and supported. “We believe that all that God has revealed, all that he does now reveal, and we believe that God will reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God,” reports The Articles of Faith 1.9. As a result, we are humble about the truth we have. We understand our knowledge is a work in progress. To reject faith means to hold that the immediate World is all there is, that human’s destiny is fully determined, that humans are perfectible and alone, and that the World is self-supporting. Because of all the confusion in the World, knowing where to find the truth is vital when we have questions. “I know that God loves his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things,” 1 Nephi 11.17. #RandolphHarris 5 of 9
It seems wise to accept, in deepest humility and with an aim towards a validating spiritual perfection at the onset. The Bible is a highly suggestive instrument for our philosophical faith, especially through its ciphers of one God and its emphasis on love, on choosing between good and evil, on the eternal in humans, on the ordered and yet contingent Universe, and on the image of God as the refuge. God loves all his children—his sons and his daughters alike. And the truth of his love is absolute. It is the truth upon which everything else is founded. The truth that holds the Universe together. Once we realise that God is in control we will feel peace. God expects us to trust him. In all of our truth-seeking, we have to remember who the source of all truth is. And we have to recognize that while we are deliberating over a single piece of the puzzle, God holds the pieces we cannot see. God sees the big picture—the biggest picture. And someday we will see it, too. We can sometimes be very slow to learn to draw on God’s grace through prayer, but wherever God sends us, he will guard our lives. “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the Earth shall be full of knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea,” Isaiah 11.9. Sometimes the answers we seek are simple and somethings finding answers takes a journey. We must never give up on our quest to follow God’s truth. The Heavenly Father is with us every step of the way. #RandolphHarris 6 of 9
In order to describe the empowering force of the divine influence the individual must have the proper outlook as the evidence of the deeply rooted belief in its energetic center is the overshadowing of God’s personal deliverance. The human mind is to be thought as being placed within a re-enchanted nature, which is giving reasons for seeing nature correctly. There is a wider or richer nature beyond the narrowness of seeing only the laws of nature and ignoring the values of nature, meaning the richer realm of the Universe. What is needed in order to become receptive to the stimulating power of the reasons working in the re-enchanted wider nature is the development of a second nature in which humans acquire in their reasonable ethical upbringing the model that explains that humans are living in two realms. Humans’ first nature is their terrestrial endowment, biologically seen, and open to become the object of sciences. Humans’ second nature is their openness to the space of reasons, the richer nature, and a part that is element grasped by the sciences. And there is nothing against bringing the richer reality under the rubric of nature too. The natural sciences do not have exclusive rights in that notion; and the added richness comes into view, not through the operations of some mysteriously extra-natural power, but because human beings come to possess a second nature. #RandolphHarris 7 of 9
Of course, trust, reliability, and the capability of one’s own principles to enable one to lead a life worth living, play an important if not central role in reality. God will reach to the very limits of the Universe to help us take the right road. Every God-given vision will become real as long as we will only have patience. It is the entirety of social bindings, obligations, and commitments, the norms and rules for life, the knowledge of relevant facts of the realities that is getting us to the point where God can trust us with the reality of the vision. God is getting us into the shape of the goal he has for us and this path is committed to the reality of life that has changed in a certain sense because of the inferences the believer has made in acting, in doing something in the World. If we seek for honour and every virtue, and long for noting more then the entire union of soul with God—then our love is noble. Yet, we are not to live with our feelings only, we have duties to perform, and to honour the many relations, in which we find ourselves. We pray about this reality with our soul turned toward our final definitive destiny, which gives meaning to the circumstances of our daily lives. Let us revive the joyous sentiment of the communion of saints and allow ourselves to be drawn by them to the goal of our existence: the face-to-face encounter with God. #RandolphHarris 8 of 9
Law is made ridiculous when it is prostituted to the fashions of the hour. For example, “The Obscenity of today will be the propriety of tomorrow. It is impossible to estimate the social damage with has been done by the outworn taboos of obscenity. Today, if any harm is caused it is more likely to come from the news media and crudely exaggerated films of vice, presented by virtuous propagandists of social hygiene, which are to cause a painful shock to the virginal mind, just as the tender skin of the infant is injured by a hot bath of a temperature wholesomely stimulating to the adult. A revaluation of obscenity is very far from meaning a justification of the things that most reasonable people find ugly and unpleasant. However, it means a different attitude toward their suppression in practice. We know the results of the attitude which have prevailed in the past. We have all been victims of it. A premium is put on things that are dirty and worthless. It is our duty to protect the young from the awful dangers that threaten them in news, books, and cinemas. It would be wrong to believe that all the foul deeds in this World are caused by corruption, as if human baseness operated automatically with the insertion of a coin. “But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endures forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with one,” reports Moroni 7.47. #RandolphHarris 9 of 9
Bring Me the Sunset in a Cup–Our Summer Made a Light Escape into the Beautiful
Humans are alienated from their World. They come from a dim past and go into an indefinite future. After considering or doing everything, we must have faith that eternal life with worth anything we might be required to endure to receive it. Life in a flux in which one seeks anchor. Existence is rich in mysterious paradoxes and antinomies, such as those of freedom coexisting with dependence, communication with solitude, good with evil, truth with falsehood, happiness with grief, life with death, and progress with destruction. Learning more about life, death and what happens after death should make quite an impact on how we live. That knowledge should make us pause and consider what use we are making of the precious gift of life and whether we are using it to prepare for the eternal life God offers us. Authentic Existenz is disclosed through reason (Vernunft), while intellect (Verstand) concerns itself wit the pragmatic management of existence. Out of the numerous species of life in the Universe, humans are the only species that contemplate the meaning, values, and goal of life. We are encouraged to find the answers to these questions by deep reflection upon human existence in order to create an authentic individual to avoid despair and possess a cognitive and elevating emotion. A defining characteristic of humanity is our finitude, which one experiences as the limits to our existence. #RandolphHarris 1 of 9
Authentic existence will push back our perceived limits on our humanity as far as possible and then accept them and bear them. Death is one of the most dramatic of these barriers. It is the source of anxiety, but it also elevates the spirit because it emphasizes the urgency of living authentically without postponement. Consciousness of the inevitable presence of death gives humans the courage and integrity: it gives people an authentic perspective on things that matter most. This awareness is not that of an object, but reflection on the subjective satiation of being. Thus existence is about reflection upon the horizon of life. By reflecting upon that course (the limitless horizon of reality) we ask about being itself, which always seems to recede from us, in the very manifestation of all the appearances we encounter. This being we call the encompassing. However, the encompassing is not the horizon of our knowledge at any particular moment. Rather, it is the source from which all new horizons emerge, without itself ever being visible even as a horizon. Guilt is another important boundary situation. Humans not only feel guilty but, because of their total freedom, is guilty. One always could have chosen otherwise. Ultimate guilt cannot be removed: it must be accepted and can thereby become constructive. Our guilt demonstrates the power that our freedom has over our destiny. #RandolphHarris 2 of 9
Constructive guilt is often a blessings from God. A collage of reflections on healthy feelings of guilt, or remorse for having said and done things we wish we had not or left things unsaid and undone we wish we had is why constructive guilt can be a blessing. Remorse is honest and it can catalyze creative transformation. It can assist once in standing up for justice and courage, for wisdom and love. Constructive guilt can help one overcome addictions to false gods, both inner and outer, so that we can become our better selves. Just as we can cultivate compassions, so we can cultivate courage. Sometimes it begins by remembering times when we did indeed stand up, in ways large or small, despite our inclination to the contrary. In many cases, our standing up is also the result of a feeling of constructive guilt: that is, the guilt that comes from recognizing we have harmed others and ourselves through sins of commission and omission, by our words and actions, or lack thereof. We live in a World where some people believe guilt has no place in a healthy spiritual life. A lot of people want guilt-free spirituality. However, if we do not reflect on our lives and the things we have done, the illusion of moral purity is just that, an illusion. Good guilt is grounded in empathy and respect. #RandolphHarris 3 of 9
It is important to respect and be aware of the dignity, the intrinsic value of each and every human life, and non-human, on its own terms and for its own sake. Every living being with subjective aims, with a desire to find satisfaction, deserves respect and care. It is complemented by the idea that the mystery at the heart of the Universe, God, cares for us and is enriched by each living being in his or her own uniqueness. The differences make the whole richer: the whole of the Earth and the whole of God. God sees each soul as having a great value. Constructive guilt, then, is an enlightened activity. It is the sense of remorse that wells up in the individual’s psyche when one wakes up to the harm one has causes others, by commission or omission. Inwardly, this good guilt is a form of repentance, it is like saying that one is sorry and will never sin in that manner again. Repentance is a turning away from harmful ways and turning toward a more courageous and compassionate way of living. Repentance is the creative outcome of good guilt. It does not cling to the guilt, but is catalyzed by it to make a permanent change. The boundary of situationality is the fact that we are partially thrust and partially choose ourselves into a particular human condition. We can be inauthentic and inevitably fall into these situations or be authentic a make them happen. Other important boundaries are chance, suffering, and conflict. #RandolphHarris 4 of 9
Freedom is central to human beings; it leads to the overriding importance of choice, which becomes the problem of moral responsibility. Freedom is identified with choice, awareness, and selfhood. To choose means to be free, and human’s freedom is one’s being. I am only to the extent that I choose freely. To be is to be conscious that one is free. I do not choose life’s meanings, I do not define humans since I am limited by my historicity—my past choices bind me. However, within these confines my freedom is total. Freedom is experiences as both spontaneity and action; it is thus more important to act and be an homme engage than to observe and be a theoretician. To know and use my freedom is the raison detre of Existenzerhellung. Whenever I choose, I act, I am conscious of my actions, I am aware of the values involved, I take chances (since the consequences of my choice are often uncertain), and I realise that commitment to some values are unavoidable. However, it is important to toughen up. No one is looking for the eternal scum. Call them grim soulless mortals feeding off the downtrodden or the downtrodden feeing off each other. I always wonder—and never learn—whether or not the genuine Power Thugs ever stop to look at the violet evening sky or the overhead branches of an oak. Crack peddlers, executioners, teenage gangsters for a fatal fifteen minutes, the morgue’s never empty in the inner city, it is an eternal brew of calculated malice mixed with moral ignorance. #RandolphHarris 5 of 9
The presence of anguish adumbrates the sacred nature of my freedom. Since each choice carries with it the accumulated weight of previous decisions, the first choice overshadows all others. Consequently, guilt is the inevitable concomitant of my freedom. My original choice (Urentschluss) bears down on my subsequent existence and assumes the role of original sin. I am accountable for that first choice, so that to be responsible means to have accepted that guilt. In addition, I am ceaselessly confronted with the choice between sacrificing my integrity for the sake of a longer life or surrendering myself to my authentic existential possibilities. The inherent difficult of these choices leads to further guilt, which I may alleviate by imagining absolute standards and then approximating them. However, in my heart I know there are no fixed standards and that absolutism is therefore a renationalization: the boundary of guilt is indeed impenetrable. When I realise I may lose the promise of my possibilities, anguish also appears. However, that same anguish gives me the urgency and courage to choose with my full beings to implement the authentic potential of my Existenz. I reach this pedagogically expedient brink caused by anguish when I recognize the limits of scientific thought or when I am faced with critical decisions. #RandolphHarris 6 of 9
Confronted with the abyss, I may accept a philosophic or religious orientation, I may act as if I did not recognize the existence of the abyss before which I stand, or I may adopt the nihilistic position that judges these problems to be meaningless. Subjectivity is essentially intersubjective. I am only to the extent that another Existenz reflects me. Regrettably, most people seem to notice that life is short only after much of it has slipped away. We must learn to number our days, keeping in mind that our time will pass and we must take care to make the most of it. Understanding the meaning of life, death, and what follows this physical life can give priceless comfort and hope in the face of death. It should also have a great impact on the kind of person one is, motiving individuals to live carefully and make wise choices. Knowing that the purpose of this life is to prepare us for our eternal life of power and ability beyond anything we can imagine should encourage us to turn to God so he can begin to fulfill his promise in us. True communication is the feeling that people have know each other since eternity. My own freedom is in essence the search for the loving strife of communication with another Existenz. In fact, the search cannot be accomplished in the abyss of absolute estrangement. Existential philosophy is self-disclosure through communication, even being itself, although it can be represented only in ciphers as symbols, is made transparent solely through authentic communication (Existenzursprung). #RandolphHarris 7 of 9
Existential communication is neither friendship nor psychotherapy; it is not fusion, esteem, or unanimity; it is, strictly speaking, as with Existenz itself, ineffable. However, in the end, human existence is a failure. There is no escape from human’s limits (the limit of death in particular), yet humans are condemned to endless striving. In this dreadful paradox between finite existence and striving for infinity, humans finds the ultimate symbol of salvation, which is transcendence. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” reports Hebrews. Faith is an integral part of every Christian’s life. It is with faith that we overcome trials, it is with faith that we look ahead to our future, and it is with faith that we withstand our enemy. Following God’s plan for us is the surest way to find happiness and endure life’s challenges. Our lives will not end when we die. Our future lives are determined by the way we live now. There can be no repentance without recognition of wrong. Whether by provocation, introspection, or wrenching remembrance, denial must be dissolved. “The Spirit speaks the truth and lies not. Wherefore, it speaks of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls,” reports Jacob 4.13. #RandolphHarris 8 of 9
Recognition is a scared moment, often accompanied by the hot blush of shame. After recognition, real remorse floods the soul. This is a Godly sorrow, not merely the sorrow of the World, nor the sorrowing of the damned, when we can no longer take sin. “And wo is me because of their wickedness; for my heart has been filled with sorrow because of their wickedness, all my days; nevertheless, I know that I shall be lifted up at the last day,” reports Mormon 2.19. False remorse instead is like fondling our fallings. In ritual regret, we mourn our mistake but without mending them. There can be no real repentance without personal suffering and the passage of sufficient time for the needed cleansing and turning. This is much more then merely waiting until the feelings of remorse subside. Misery, like adversity, can have its special uses. No wonder chastening is often needed until the turning is really underway. Real remorse quickly brings forth beneficial indicator, products meet repentance. In times, these products become helpful and prosperous. One with a broken heart will not hold back. As confession lets the sickening sin empty out, then the Spirit which withdrew returns renew. Support from others is especially crucial. We must go to God as his child, because only a child gets his or her prayers answered. Prayer is a great work. #RandolphHarris 9 of 9
The Heart Asks for Pleasure First– Somewhere in My Soul I know I Have Met the thing Before
The soul selects its own society, then shuts the door; on its divine majority obtrude no more. The grace of God helps us every day. However, God has not revealed everything that he has in mind for us, as we cannot yet fully conceive of what it means to be fully glorified. The immediate certainty of reality is present in our consciousness of God as it is present in our perception of objects. Through this belief we have the capacity of intuiting God. God reveals himself to us by grace and it draws us irresistibly, yet mysteriously towards him. This love for God is pure and noble. The purest love is the effect of the most perfect, internal beauty in union with the perfect internal beauty of the heart. The love of God calls forth noble and delightful feelings in ourselves, silences every desire, and renders us happy by its presence. It is a perfect union of the most beautiful in us with the miraculous nature of God. God’s grace removes a void in the heart, and is the bloom of our intellectual life and humanity, so love will render manifest the ideal of beauty and loveliness, and the kind of lid which a person expresses to others one comes in contact with. Such love excites us to virtuous and magnanimous actions, and many amiable qualities. It is the soul of fellowship that animates and redeems us, preparing that way for the reign of infinite Love. However, no one can return to the presence of God without divine grace. #RandolphHarris 1 of 8
God strengthens us to do good works we could not do on our own. The Lord promised that if we humble ourselves before him and have faith in him, his grace will help us overcome all our personal weaknesses. Someday we will see clearly—just as clearly as God sees everything about us. It is worthy it to seek God’s Kingdom rather than sinful pleasures. God has assured us that his promise of eternal life is more than worth the effort, struggles, and disappointments we may face on our journey. Therefore, do not lose heart. Even when it seems we have given our all, our inner being is being renewed day by day. Everlasting life is, after all, a matter of faith. Faith is not just a warm, vague feeling. Faith is a frame of mind that is expressed by the kind of person one chooses to be, the actions that express what one believes. Just as we grown in our spiritual understanding of life, so we must grow in our spiritual understanding of grace. Scriptural statements about grace are clear and faith-promoting to those who understand the gospel. Grace is God’s love in action. It is his doing for what we cannot do ourselves. With God’s infinite wisdom, power, and love, God willingly condescends to extend that infinite wisdom, power, and love to bless and save his children. God’s grace consists in his love, mercy, and condescension toward his children. #RandolphHarris 2 of 8
All things that exist are manifestations of the grace of God. The creation of the Earth, life itself, the plan of salvation, kingdoms of immortal glory hereafter, and the supreme gift of eternal life—all these things come by the grace of God. It is all part of the World’s concrete fulness. We are preparing ourselves for a World of pure experiences. Salvation means to be saved in the celestial kingdom. This context includes the collection of all our established truths as well as the exigencies of our affective and intellectual natures. Understanding should always know before the will decides. We must at least believe in our faith sufficiently to bestir ourselves to test it; without our active interest in and partisanship of belief the enterprise of God’s grace would come to a silent, ghostly end. The doctrine of the will to believe, with all its genial encouragement of risking belief, is balances. We cannot save ourselves by our own work. “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, least any person should boast,” reports Ephesians 2.8-9. Belief must continue to justify itself for it to be definitive, once and for all certification. We cannot save ourselves, we cannot resurrect ourselves. The resurrection comes by the grace of God; all people are resurrected, and in that sense, all are saved by grace alone. #RandolphHarris 3 of 8
No human being can raise oneself unto eternal life; one cannot create a state of salvation and provide the means to obtain it. Humans cannot create the kingdom of God, nor can one save oneself in such a kingdom. If it were not for the grace of God, there would be no eternal life. There is a higher part of the Universe, which, though is beyond the immediate deliverance of the senses, is nevertheless effective in the World in a way that makes a noticeable difference. This assertion that the higher part makes concrete and local differences constitutes the famous piecemeal supernaturalism. This means that divine God—is not accessible in its entirety, but only piece by piece. This piecemeal ontology grants the varieties of religious experiences culminating in the experiences of being empowered and authorized from the divine to keep life worth living free from the abysses of the divided self. By means of making experiences to live a life worth living, each person has to access to a piece of the divine. Thinking and speaking about God implicitly is speaking and thinking about life worth living and capable actions worthy to be undertaken. Or, thinking and speaking about the value experiences of life implicitly is thinking and speaking about God. Drawing near God is a magnetic field of an empowering force of the divine influencing the individual in its energetic center. #RandolphHarris 4 of 8
The higher part of this World is perhaps impossible to define given the present state of our knowledge. The subconscious must interpret the incursion of the divine into the self and moving the self in the direction of conversation. The magnetism is super-naturalistic proof that the divine is really working, and illustrating the higher part of the Universe. “Wherefore, redemption comes in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth,” reports 2 Nephi 2.4-6. Though salvation is free (fully available and not withheld from anyone because of time, location, or lineage), we must reconcile ourselves to God. “We labour diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do,” Reports 2 Nephi 25.23. Divine grace is needed by every soul because of our weaknesses and shortcomings. However, grace cannot suffice without total effort on the part of the recipient. Hence the explanation, “It is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” We are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all people, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the adversary,” reports 2 Nephi 2.27. We have the power to keep God’s commandments and must do so in order to be saved in his kingdom. #RandolphHarris 5 of 8
Our personal, peculiar vision counts must in philosophy; not surprisingly, it is vision, not method, which is primary. Reality dictates the method by which it may be known. The gross encounter with the World is primary in the determination of what character the World will have for us. Theories of knowledge and method, existing at a high level of abstraction, are second to the ineluctable fact of experience breaking in upon us. Believing truly is the compulsion of fact or the unavoidability of a residual nonplastic pole in determination of what is true. It is here that we find truth’s authority and importance. Truth is what we must somehow take account of if we are not to perish. People cannot in the long run believe what is false not because truth extracts from the, a categorical imperative in its own behalf but because reality compels people in spite of themselves, and it is from this that the authority of truth is derived. Agreement with reality as a criterion of truth cannot be taken to indicate any fixed structural relation (such as copying relation). The truth relation is characterized not by stasis but by fluid resourcefulness of functional harmony. The character of the harmony itself may be anything that is compatible with survival. There is more than one way to survive as truth. We have the power to keep God’s commandments and must do so in order to be saved. #RandolphHarris 6 of 8
God is willing to save us (which we cannot do for ourselves) if we are willing to do what we have to do, which is to receive Christ as our Saviour, repent of our sins, and continue in a life of righteousness and obedience to the end of our probation on Earth. However, God’s grace will not do for us what we can do for ourselves. Accountable people have the power to do what is right. Accountable people can endure to the end by living a life of righteousness and service. When we are willing to do all this, God’s grace cleanses us from our sins, gives us the gift of the Holy Ghost, and blesses us to enable us to dwell in peace and holiness in the celestial kingdom forever. Our future, though continuous with our past, is not determined by it. Just so the future World; although it grows out of the total past, it is not a mere result of the past. If I am creative—that is, if human freedom is effectual—then the World is creative, if for no other reason than that I am part of the World. What is constant in my behaviour is the result of habits which never entirely lose their flexibility. In the same way the constancies charted by the laws of science are only inveterate habits. After all of our efforts, after all of our struggles with sin and carnal aspects of the World, God, though his grace will bestow upon the faithful his divine nature. We have to keep the commandments and dwell with God. #RandolphHarris 7 of 8
Bad conscience is consciousness directed not unreflectingly forward but regretfully backward toward its own past, which is irremediable because time is irreversible. The problem posed is how to restore the flow of living that tends to be halted by retrospective brooding. How is consciousness freed and time unfrozen? A form not favoured detachment from one’s predicament is effected by irony, precisely because it intellectualizes and detemporalizes that predicament. Time alone, in its flow, frees us. Virtues of the interval, fidelity and justice—are inferior to the creative virtues of the instant, courage and charity. The nature of the self is discovered through illumination of existence (Existenzerhellung), which discloses the possibilities of humans, that is, the possibilities of an entity seeking understanding of self an of being. The real and valuable, that is, the authentic, in an individual is called Existenz. Existenze, the genuine self, is nonobjective and unique. It is infinitely open to new possibilities and inaccessible to traditional philosophical investigations. Although Existenz is that crucial aspect of human existence that cannot be conceptually delimited, it is nonetheless clearly experiences: It can be lived; it is illuminated through philosophical reflection; it can be communicated. Existenz is the experience of the total freedom that defines a person; it is the experience of the infinity possibilities for styles of life; it is, finally, the experience of loneliness that cries in the wilderness. #RandolphHarris 8 of 8
My Soul is at Liberty—Love is Consciousness and so is Liberty
Some know the measure of Celestial Forgiveness more than others truly do. It is well known that people who have been undergoing a strain will sometimes burst into laughter if the strain is suddenly removed. It has been argued that all laughter is of this type and that any joke will be found, in one way or another, to remove the restraints which society imposes on our natural impulses from social constraints, not of our intellects from too narrow a point of view, that is emphasized by relief theories. God may enter the picture indirectly by having endowed us with our moral faculty. And when it comes to picking out actual instances of virtue and vice, most agree about the value of benevolence and the wrongness of acts of violence against other persons. Moral sense is a determination of our minds to receive amiable or disagreeable ideas of actions. The amiable idea is our determination to be pleased, and it has two jobs. It is both our perception of the virtue of an action and our approval of it. It so happens that those actions which we discern to be virtuous are always benevolent actions, and we are necessarily determined to discern their virtue as soon as we observe them. There is a connection between virtue and benevolence and our necessary perception of the virtuousness of benevolence to arrangements superintended by God. #RandolphHarris 1 of 8
Like sight, the moral sense is universal in humankind. However, just as some people are born visually impaired, and others have imperfections in their sight, some people have no moral sense at all and others have defective moral senses. The God who can sanctify our sufferings will purify us and will forgive our last cries. “I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, one will never see death,” reports John 9.51. The theory of moral sense rests in understanding how we know that benevolent actions are virtuous: they are virtuous because they please. We must also carefully observe that they please irrespective of any advantage they may have to ourselves. Most people do not like being different nor standing out. Of course, on occasion, we have the outgoing type like Paris Hilton who like attention, but generally most people do not want to be noticed. However, it is not as bad as one may think. In fact, when someone lives life as someone who is different, people tend to learn right away that it has its cool moments. These individuals get to meet amazing people and get in on special opportunities. Not surprisingly, these results led to heated and nationalistic debate over whether one group was superior to another. Some people actual become frustrated because they have never experienced that feeling even though they have prayed for long periods of time. #RandolpHarris 2 of 8
Surely, God does speak from Heaven, but he manifests, confirms, or gives direction in a variety of ways. It is very important to teach people that they have to learn to hear the Spirit of God in the way he speaks to them. Our people need all the strength and all the faith we can give them while they are around us. And they will also need a greater strength which comes of a higher power. Receiving guidance and direction from our Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost is a great blessing in our lives. As we learn how to receive and pay attention to these promptings, feelings, and instructions, we will be able to gain personal testimonies that will give of the strength in the future. The Holy Ghost can be our constant companion, and we will be able to hear him more fully. Above all, prioritizing our health in life’s transitions means not being afraid to ask for help when we need it. Humans are social beings by nature, so we are not built to withstand every sudden event in life without the support of others. We cannot avoid change, but we live a life of resilience. We can embrace transition and see challenges as opportunities to thrive. #RandolphHarris 3 of 8
When it comes to dealing with the people we care for, we must be able to look deeply enough at them to see more than their surface presentation. We have to recognize their vulnerability, wounds, uncertainty, and other subtle signs. Sometimes their facial expression and energy will not match their word and we have to sense what they might not be saying. Empathy and creativity spring from the same source: diversity. Empathy, after all, is a fundamentally creative act by which we connect previously unimagined lives to our own. The path to embracing other people and other cultures has to traverse the imagination. That is why studies have shown that a high need for closure hurts creativity. And it is why reading novels and watching television and movies—which puts us in other people’s shoes—can both lowers our need for closure and make us more empathetic. Spending time among diverse social groups has the same effect. Since people who naturally crave neatness tend to get nervous around unfamiliar others, good intergroup experiences help those with a high need for closure feel less anxious. In fact, intergroup experiences benefit these people the most. Cultivating ambiguity helps us keep an open mind and empathize with different viewpoints and how contradictions are a kind of fuel for human imagination. #RandolphHarris 4 of 8
In creativity, we see things that define artistic genius more and more in terms of originality, the creation of things never before seen. Creativity is a fifth reason to contradictory, ambiguous experiences. Along with assimilation, accommodation, abstraction, affirmation and assembly. When we assemble, we take the uncertainties in our lives and create something out of them. It is no accident that periods of artistic production—in Hellenistic Greece or in New York City in the 1970s—occurs during eras of social upheaval. Art can be cathartic because the accurate depiction of irresolvable conflicts is itself a form of soothing truth-telling. When the ambiguity wins, creative often results. The Baroque style of art surfaced around 1600 and arose out of the challenge of Protestantism, which had grown steadily more powerful ever since Martin Luther’s first protects in 1517. The Vatican called together as many talents as it could muster with the clear intention of turning Rome into the most magnificent city in the World for the greater glory of God and the Church. At the heart of this effort was an ambitious building program. In 1603, Carlo Maderno was assigned the task of adding an enormous nave to Michelangelo’s central plan for St. Peter’s, converting it back into a giant basilica. #RandolphHarris 5 of 8
It is supposed to express the omnipotence of God. Completed in 1615, the scale of the new basilica was even more dramatically emphasized when Gianlorenzo Bernini added a monumental oval piazza surrounded by colonnades to the front of the church. Bernini conceived of his colonnade as an architectural embrace, as if the church were reaching out its arms to gather the flock. The wings that connect the façade to the semicircular colonnade tend to diminish the horizontality of the façade and emphasize the vertical thrust of Michelangelo’s dome. The State Capitol Castle in Sacramento, California USA is designed similarly to St. Peter’s giant basilica and is one of the most significant architectural features in California and much of the World. These extravagant designs are very popular. San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane was another struct built in Rome from 1665-1667, and was built with great pride. Nothing similar can be found anywhere in the World. The beauty of these architectural features makes clear that the virtues of the classical were continually upheld. One of the defining characteristics of the Baroque is its insistence on bringing together various media to achieve the most theatrical effects. Allowing the great, full life of God to invade us, penetrating every part. #RandolphHarris 6 of 8
Our part is to walk in the light and obey all God reveals to us. Bernini’s Cornaro Chapel in Santa Maria della Vittoria is perhaps the most highly developed of the dynamic and theatrical spaces. The altarpiece depicts the ecstasy of St. Theresa. St. Theresa, a nun whose conversion took place after the death of her father, experienced visions, heard voices, and felt a persistent and piercing pain in her side. This was caused, she believed, by the flaming arrow of Divine Love, shot into her by an angel: “The pain was so great I screamed aloud, but at the same time I felt such infinite sweetness that I wished the pain to last forever. It was the sweetest caressing of the soul by God,” she wrote. The paradoxical nature of St. Theresa’s feelings is typical of the complexity of Baroque sentiment. Bernini fuses the angel’s joy and St. Theresa’s anguished joy. Even more of the Baroque sensibility is Bernini’s use of every device available to him to dramatize the scene. The sculpture of St. Theresa is illuminated by a hidden window above, so that the figures seem to glow in a magical white light. Gilded bronze rays of Heavenly light descend upon the scene as if from the burst of light painted high on the frescoed ceiling of the vault. To the left and right of the chapel are theater boxes containing marble spectators, like ourselves witnesses to this highly charged, operatic moment. #RandolphHarris 7 of 8
Caring for the soul means respecting its emotions and fantasies and feeding it with things that enhance our spiritual nature. That is the reason why art is meant to be so powerful in the first place. Above all, it is supposed to help us acknowledge our dependence on the Lord. We have to let him help and heal us. Faith, the desire to believe, to chance, can be as a seed that will grow, sprout, and bear fruit. All can be well again. Rembrant van Rijn, the greatest master of light and dark of the age manipulated light across a full range of tones, changing its intensity and modulating its brilliance, so that one could feel in every beam and shadow a different emotional content in his Resurrection of Christ, circa 1635-1639. He contrasts the chaotic World of the Roman soldiers, sent reeling into a darkness symbolic of their own inexperience by the angel pulling open the lid of Christ’s sepulcher, with the quiet calm of Christ himself as he rises in a light symbolic of true knowledge. Light becomes, in Rembrant’s hands, an index to the psychological meaning of his subjects, often hiding as much as it reveals, endowing them with a sense of mystery even as it reveals their own souls. The idea of these works of art is blessed are they who are faithful and endure for they shall inherit eternal life. “Thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a moment,” reports Doctrine and Covenants 121.7. #RandolphHarris 8 of 8
To Lose thee is Sweeter than to Gain All Other Hearts I Knew within My Loving Creed
Now, I will let you in on a little secret. Nothing seen telepathically is ever one tenth as vivid as what an immortal being sees with his or her own eyes. Telepathy is cool, no doubt about it, but the vision of an immortal is almost intolerably vivid. If asked to, a believer in God might justify his or her beliefs in several ways. One might offer an a priori argument—for instance, the Ontological Argument; one might offer a posteriori arguments, from the marvels of creation to a designing Mind; one might appeal to revelation and cite the miracles recorded in Scripture; one might say that, without an all-powerful Providence, human choices and endeavours are pointless; one might appeal to anthropology to show that it was unnatural for people to live without religion and attempt to find some converging direction in the development of particular faiths. The existence of God is a matter of fact. It cannot be proved by a priori, but only from experience by an argument from effect to cause. However, we have no experience of origins of the Worlds. We must therefore rely on analogy, comparing the World to things of whose origin we have experience. However, the World is as like an animal or vegetable as it is like a machine. So it arose as likely from insemination as from design. Could mortal lip divine the undeveloped freight of a delivered syllable, it would crumble with weight. #RandolphHarris 1 of 11
Moreover, if God is known only as the cause of the World, we can know nothing of hum expect that he is such as to create the World we find. We can draw no inferences from his existence except such as are already warranted by our knowledge of the World. He is an empty hypothesis. However, when humans look to God with their flawless eyes, their fierce intellect understands on some complete mystical level, quite truly beyond words, that a miracle must be a breach of a law of nature, a known miracle must be a breach of a known law. However, a known law of nature by definition carries the highest possible degree of probability, derived from extensive and uniform experience. A miracle can therefore only be accepted if the falsity of the testimony for it would be an even greater miracle, that is, a more glaring improbability than the miracle first alleged. There is no denial that this could ever happen. Laws of nature do have to be amended in the light of startling new experiments. We cannot deny that a miracle can ever be proved as a justifiable foundation for a system or religion. Yet, the record of known fabrications of marvels of this sort is so black that it is always more probable that a story of a miracle imputed to the action of a god has been made up than that it happened. Moreover, if not all religions are true and if all religions produce miracles, most miracles must be deceptions. All religions do produce miracles. There is, therefore, always a high probability that any one of the is a deception. #RandolphHarris 2 of 11
Contracts and promises are not the foundation of human cooperation, but a special case of it. The use of such agreements to regulate the conjunction of forces, partition of tasks, and distributions of products is a lesson people learn in the natural society of the family and is a biological necessity for the survival and prevalence of the human species. Governments, laws, and institutions are useful to human society. Their justification is in their utility, which depends largely on the habitual trust people have in one another’s allegiance to them. Consequently, an established trusted government should never be overthrown on grounds of religion or hereditary claims to thrones or in other to experiment with utopian theories. Nor does the authority of the governments rest on a contract. Rather the authority of both governments and contracts rests on their utility (of the Original Contract). This only proves that property, promises, governments, laws, rules of games, and the like are useful devices, which no person is obliged to respect unless others do likewise. These, or the respect for them, is equated with justice. The idea of justice seems to be somehow connected with the fact that humankind lives by cooperation, by sharing tasks and exchanging products. #RandolphHarris 3 of 11
There is no natural motive which always points to the just act. Justice does not necessarily conform to either the agent’s private interest, one personal friendships, or the public interest. It must therefore arise from some artifice whose merits we learn. The person who, or system which, allocates to one person fewer of the tasks or more of the products than it does to another—unless for some reason equally valid for and acceptable to all—is unjust, or as we more usually say, unfair. The willingness to be fair, the lack of which makes a person unit to participate in any form of cooperation and distribution, whether instinctive or devised, is no more an artificial virtue than courage. And being essentially concerned with distribution, not with aggregation, it cannot be justified by its utility, unless equality, as well as happiness, be admitted as an ultimate end. All human symptoms and problems, when they are taken to their depth and realized in a soulful way, find their ultimate solution in a religious sensibility. We always expect love to be healing and whole, and then are astonished to find that it can create hollow gaps and empty failures. God is the originator of our actions. (All events with causes trace their causal ancestry to him, and our actions have causes.) However, sublime mysteries are beyond the reach of unassisted reason and, therefore, of philosophy. “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because you your evil behaviour,” reports Colossians 1.21. #RandolphHarris 4 of 11
Some races have no religion. In all known cases the earliest religions were polytheistic and idolatrous, with no notion whatever of an intelligent cause of the whole frame of nature. They were truly atheistic as would be the beliefs of a contemporary person who acknowledged elves and fairies but denied the existence of God. The polytheistic systems were not primitive systems of science. Primitive humans were not interested in accounting for the regular phenomena of nature; they took the familiar for granted, however marvelous. It was the bewildering succession of floods and droughts, sickness and health, calm and tempest, victory and defeat, birth and death, that alternately terrified and comforted, nourished and destroyed them; it was these contrary and diverse events which, by a natural tendency to see external things in one’s own likeness, one ascribed to diverse and warring invisible persons, amenable to flattery and bribes and even to threats and force of arms. It short, it was not God as the author of nature but God as a particular providence for which primitive religions were an origin and prototype. The only original instincts involved were the fear of death and pain and the desire for security and pleasure, together with a tendency to personify inanimate things. #RandolphHarris 5 of 11
Catastrophism is the belief that the Earth’s geological features are the result of sudden, Worldwide cataclysmic events like the Noah flood. Catastrophism suggested that a series or regional disasters had destroyed most or all of the plant and animal life in various places. These areas were then restocked with new, similar species that migrated in from unaffected regions. Moreover, the fact that forces as wind, water erosion, local flooding, frost, the decomposition of vegetable matter, volcanoes, earthquakes, and glacial movements have all contributed in the past to produce the geological landscape that exists in the present, some are now under the impression that these processes are now humanmade and not due to natural nature. The High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program, or HAARP, is a scientific endeavour aimed at studying the properties and behaviour of the ionosphere. The HAARP has generated quite a bit of controversy overs it is alleged weather control capabilities. Some have speculated that facilities like HAARP are to blame for a number of weather-related disasters. A large number of people tend to believe that HAARP is the only facility of its kind. The program operates at a major sub-arctic facility, called the HAARP Research Station, on Air Force owned site near Gakona, Alaska USA. #RandolphHarris 6 of 11
The most prominent instrument at the HAARP Station is the Ionospheric Research Instrument (IRI), a high-power radio frequency transmitter facility operating in the high frequency (HF) band. The IRI is used to temporarily to excite a limited area of the Ionosphere. The HAARP is facility, however, it not the only facility of its kind. There are quite a number of other ionospheric research facilities around the World such as the Mu Radar in Japan, the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, Sura in central Russian, and EISCAT in Tromso, North Norway. However, because a large number of people tend to believe that HARRP is the only facility of its kind, many people jump to conclusions that the Untied States of America is to blame when an incident arises that could possibly be caused by facilities like HARRP. Nonetheless, weather modification is possible by altering upper atmosphere wind patterns or altering solar absorption patterns by constructing one or more plumes of atmospheric particles which will act as a lens or focusing device. If the ionosphere is greatly disturbed, the atmospheric conditions below are subsequently disturbed. The powerful radio waves of the HARRP can lift areas of the ionosphere by focusing a beam and heating those areas of the ionosphere. Electromagnetic waves then bounce back onto Earth and penetrate everything, living and dead. #RandolphHarris 7 of 11
Due to the fact that disruptions in the ionosphere have the ability to alter atmospheric conditions, many researchers who study the science of the HARRP (the most powerful of its kind in the World) have come forward with concerns that the ionospheric related disruptions have had a role to play in weather related disasters. As a result, some consider the HAARP to be a new breed of weapon with the capability to alter jet stream routes along weather patterns. It does not stop there, some philosophers believe that Puerto Rico used the Arecibo Observatory to disrupt the ionosphere to create hurricane Maria, then did not use the $50 billion in federal assistance, and left the millions of gallons of bottle water on the runway to make President Trump look bad and blame him for a slow response. However, considering the democrats are trying to use some 36-year-old gossip to get Judge Brett Kavanugh banned from the supreme court, anything is possible when it comes to politics. Much like the primitive humans, many modern humans do not seem to believe in God, rules of nature, or the justice systems. Myths and gossips and superstitions are their gods. There are actually accurate reports that many of the geological scientist do not even speak to each other to share data on climate change, rain fall, and weather events. It may not be intentional, but they do not have a coordinated system. #RandolphHarris 8 of 11
It is sincerely difficult to distinguish true or philosophical religion from superstition. However, the Universe is due to something remotely analogous to a designing mind. Still, the moral attributes of God, providence, immortality, and the Whole Christian story from the Fall to the Day of Judgment are things we should consider when it comes to life. Knowledge of causes and effects, whether purely qualitative or refined by measurement and calculations, only affects our actions if the objects so connected are some interest to us. Nothing can make them of interest to us but the pleasure and pain we expect from them. It is not the reasoning concerning causes and effects which moves us to action, but the desire of the pleasures and fear of the pains which we foresee by this reasoning. “For he will fulfill all his promises which he shall make unto you, for he has fulfilled his promises which he has made unto our fathers,” reports Alma 37.13,16-17. The fulfillment of God’s promises are always bonded to obedience to the laws attached to them. However, these promises do not ensure that everything that happens in our lives will be in accordance with our expectation and desires. Rather, God’s promises guarantee that what happens to us will be in accordance to his will. Sometimes unexpected trials will present themselves that we must overcome; sometimes promised blessings will be long delayed. #RandolphHarris 9 of 11
However, know that the time will come when we will know that these trials and these delays were for our good and our eternal progression. The greatest thing we can desire in life is to align our will to the will of the Lord—to accept his agenda for our lives. God knows everything from the beginning, has a perspective that we do not have, and love us with an infinite love. When I was young and decided to prepare of the entrance exam to the best business schools in France, this preparation was very challenging and required personal work every day. Unfortunately, an unexpected disaster happened and I was not able to make it to French Consulate in San Francisco, California USA. France is the World’s sixth-largest economy, and the third largest in Europe. To get an Executive Master of Business Administration from HEC Paris would have been amazing. I was totally distraught. How could the Lord have abandoned me when I had preserved in my faithfulness? However, I was able to stay in California and connect with the church and learn all these wonderful things about God. I was assured that it is best this way so that when it is my time to pass away, I would not do so as a lost soul, financially rich, but poor spiritually. I thanked the Lord for his goodness. It took me several years to understand the miraculous blessings that my failure to get into the college of my dreams has been. #RandolphHarris 10 of 11
The Lord was guiding my steps with the foreknowledge of the mission he wants me to accomplish in my life. After we have done all in our power, and things do not workout the way we prayed for them to, we must be ready to accept that our Father in Heaven has another plan. The promises of the Lord assure us of our final destination. The itinerary for each of us will vary according to the foreknowledge of God. Our circumstances may change, unexpected events may occur, challenges may arise, but the promises of God to us are assured through our faithfulness. Faith in its full and pure form requires an unshakable assurance and absolutely confidence that God will hear our please and grant our petitions’ in his own due time. Believing that, we too can stand fast in the faith today and tomorrow. Sometimes God closes doors because something worse than we have experienced could happen on the other side. It matters not where we live nor what our individual circumstances may be. Each day our righteous living can demonstrate faith that sees beyond mortal heartaches, disappointments, and unfulfilled promises. It is a wonderful thing to possess a faith that enables us to look forward to that day when all that was promised the Saints will be given. “And as sure as the Lord lives, so sure as many as believed, or as many as were brought to the knowledge of the truth, through the preaching of Ammon and his brethren, according to the spirit of revelation and of prophecy, and the power of God working miracles in them,” Alma 23.6. #RandolphHarris 11 of 11
The Stars about My Head I Felt–This Gave Me that Precarious Gait Some Call Experience
It was easy enough for me to scan their minds and get a picture of it. The discovery of documentary falsifications and false attributions, the need to discover tests and revive them in authentic form by studying and collating codices, and the attempt to understand the personalities of the literary people and the philosophers of the past in their own Worlds are all indications of humanism’s fundamental concern for historicity. Doubtless in its results it realised the task of historical restoration only partially and imperfectly, but the task is never exhausted and is repeatedly proposed to historiographic endeavour. The humanists were aware of the value of this task, and they initiated it and insured its continuance by leaving it as a legacy to modern culture. Humanism does not have an antireligious or anti-Christian character. Its interest in defending the value and freedom of a person draws it into discussing the traditional problems of God and providence and of the soul, its immortality, and its freedom—discussions that were frequently concluded in much the same form as that accepted by the medieval tradition. However, in the context of humanism these discussions assume a new significance because they had the purpose of understanding and justifying the capacity for initiative of humans in the World. This capacity was defended even in the religious sphere, for the religious discussions of the humanists had two principal themes: the civil function of religion and religious tolerance. #RandolphHarris 1 of 14
Among these mortals were Erin, the versatile Black lady, a stunner when it comes to looks, and Jamerson’s one-time lover; and their little son Ashton, of course, four years old and running up and down the stairs just for fun, his feet in white tennis shoes (even after Labour Day, you know what that indicates), a little too big for his body; and Professor Gwen, Erin’s grandmother, a regal Black lady with white hair in a bun, shaking her head, talking to nobody, in the kitchen cooking up supper for God knows who. Hovering about the back of the property were the Shed Men, Justin and Matthias, sitting in an open lighted portion of the shed, reading the Weekly World News and howling with laughter at it, while the television was blaring Football. There was a giant limousine in front of the house and one in the back. As for the Big House, by Cresleigh Homes, I loved it. I found it to perfectly proportioned, which was not always the case with American houses, but this one, preening on its terrace of land, was more than agreeable and inviting, with its long evergreen-tree drive, and its regal windows all around. This inspiring two-story home had designs that blended stunning features, generous living spaces, two car garages, and outdoor amenities that offer the perfect blend of indoor and outdoor living. It made one realise that one was truly home. They used the highest quality builders and management trained in Architecture and Engineering, to create and unmatched expertise. #RandolphHarris 2 of 14
Interior? What Americans call giant rooms. Dustless, manicured. Full of mantel clocks, mirrors, portraits and Persian rugs, and the inevitable mélange of nineteenth-century mahogany furniture that people mix with new reproductions of classic Hepplewhite and Louis XIV styles to achieve the look they call Traditional or antique. Eh? And all pervaded by the inevitable drone of massive air-conditioning, which not only cooled the air magically but provided the Privacy of Sound, which has so transformed the South in this day and age. This all allowed the family to experience the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. After spending nearly twenty-five years in the United States Army and making fifteen moves; they completed the build and move into their forever home, built by Cresleigh . In a pastoral landscape, the area is architecturally unified, and each house and building is deeply espressive. My eyes began to examine the Heavens. Words cannot completely express how pleased the family is with their new home. I thought, “This is a bit like a personal relationship with God.” The feelings of joy can be felt as one approached the front door, and they love sharing their home with family and friends, and telling them about their incredible journey. I was pondering fiercely. It was as if I saw the Light of Heaven. “When God gives any person wealth and possessions, and enables one to enjoy them, to accept one’s lot and be happy in one’s work—this is a gift from God,” reports Ecclesiastes 5.19. #RandolphHarris 3 of 14
My mind continued to wander. I reflected on the immensity of the Universe that presented itself before my eyes. The Universe is immense and infinite, yet, at the same time, each of us has unique worth, glorious and infinite in the eyes of our Creator. Our personal worth is of immeasurable importance to our Heavenly Fathers. “I have seen evil under the Sun, and it weighs heavily on people: God gives a person wealth, possessions and honour, so that one lacks nothing one’s heart desires, but God does not enable one to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil. A one may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long one lives, if one cannot enjoy one’s prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better of than he. It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. Though it never saw the Sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man—even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. So not all go to the same place?” reports Ecclesiastes 6.1-6. Do you really want to steal another person’s soul out of the currents of human destiny? We are known and remembered by the most majestic, powerful, and glorious Being in the Universe! We are loved by the King of infinite space and everlasting time. Therefore, enjoy your time on this Earth and what God has blessed you with. #RandolphHarris 4 of 14
The discovery of historical perspective is, with respect to time, what the discovery of optic perspective in Renaissance painting was with respect to space: the capacity to realize the distance of the objects from each other and from the viewer and therefore the capacity to understand them in their actual place and time and in their distinction from each other—in their individuality. In Europe, toward the end of the thirteenth century, a new kind of art began to appear, at first in the South, and somewhat later in the North. By the beginning of the fifteenth century, this new era, marked by a revival of interest in arts and sciences that had been lost since antiquity, was firmly established. We have come to call this revival the Renaissance, meaning rebirth. This was the beginnings of the spirit that would develop into the Renaissance sensibility. These figures are no longer archetypical and formulaic representations; they are almost real people, displaying real emotions. The Renaissance is, perhaps most of all, the era of the individual. As early as the 1330s, it was conceived of a new Humanism, a philosophy that emphasized the unique value of each person. There is a contemplation of beauty, which transforms its love into a purely spiritual love of God. The imagery and architecture of this time is a source of inspiration and love. #RandolphHarris 5 of 14
The significance of human personality as an original and autonomous center organises the various aspects of life like they were in the ancient times. Perspective in this sense represents innocence itself, a divine beauty free of any hint of the physical and the sensual. It is this form of beauty that the soul, aspiring to salvation, is expected to contemplate. The importance that the modern World attaches to human personality is the consequence of an attitude made possible by Renaissance humanism. The civil function of religion is to recognize on the basis of the correspondence between the Heavenly and Earthly city. The Heavenly city is the norm or the ideal of human’s civil life; but precisely because it is such, its recognition means the commitment of men and of men and women to realise, as much as possible, its characteristics in the Earthly city. In the Bible is not only the proclamation of superterrestrial happiness, but also of Earthly happiness. Religion is the confidence in the value of human’s work, in the success of this work, and in the reward that humans will find in the future life. The fundamental function of religion is to support humans in the work of civil life, in political work and activity. The goals of truth and beauty of genius have to also rely on subjective and personal intuition to possess this divine frenzy of the creative act—to transcend the conditions of everyday life. #RandolphHarris 6 of 14
Spirituality can sometimes exceed reality, as it is a window, not upon nature, but upon divine inspiration itself. Archetypes are supposed to represent the four domains of knowledge—Theology, Law, Poetry, and Philosophy. Church is supposed to be a gathering of the greatest philosophers and scientists of the modern World. The concept of tolerance which has come to be affirmed in the modern World implies the possibility of peaceful coexistence between the various religious confessions which remain different from each other and are not reducible to a single confession. For humanists, additionally, the attitude of tolerance derives from their conviction of the fundamental unity of all the religious beliefs of humankind and therefore of the possibility of a universal religious peace. Moreover, religious peace also implies the essential identity between philosophy and religion. Christianity simply elaborates the mysterious glow of God that infuses our soul with sensuousness of light and colour and the pleasures of the sense, and brings about to fulfillment the wisdom that ancient philosophy has elaborated, because reason, which has supported and guided this philosophy, is the same which became incarnate in the Word (of God). The return to origins would be a return to the religious peace of the happy ancestors of the human race and the end of theological hatred and intolerance. #RandolphHarris 7 of 14
The broadening of our existence and of our knowledge asserts our sense of importance of the individual, especially the individual of genius and talent. The meaning is to evoke our own spirituality, presenting the Godlike aspects of our nature, which are discovered in the knowledge of the manifold intellectual, sentient, and moral human powers. The World is supposed to be like it was in the Hellenic times and return to unity of diverse forces, a cultural unity which millennial times somewhat lacks. We are in a search for the order and rhythms of nature. The condition of the soul which gives rise to the necessity of history (in the truest and highest sense of the word) is clearly manifested in the preserved human experience in the mind, which is why so many adults reflect on their childhood. A time when they were happy and protected and essentially worshipped by the family as a deity when they are first born into the World. Nonetheless, wherever we are, whatever our circumstances may be, we are not forgotten. No matter how dark our days may seem, no matter how insignificant we may feel, no matter how overshadowed we may be, our Heavenly Father has not forgotten us. In fact, God loves us with an infinite love. #RandolphHarris 8 of 14
Knowing that God knows us and loves us personally is like a light that illuminates our life and gives it meaning. The eternal original ideas of everything conceivable provides existence and value, beauty of all physical and spiritual forms, the truth in the unalterable working of every force according to its indwelling law, the justice in the inexorable course of events which are eternally regulated and meted their just reward. How can we help others know that their Heavenly Father loves them? Is that not the essential question? How can we know that God loves us? Often the feeling we have of our personal wort is based on the love and interest we receive from those around us. Yet this love is sometimes lacking. The love of people is often imperfect, incomplete, or selfish. The goal of life is the realization of the love of God, representing itself through humanity from all sides and in all forms in which the finite forms can be connected with the infinite. The task of us as human beings, therefore, is to represent this process of the love of God actualized in reality. The love of God is the most radiant sign and certain proof that humans are not intrinsically separate from the Lord. It implies a deep-rooted subjective view of the World, a spiritual attitude, that controls the formation of concepts. The love of God is perfect, complete, and selfless. Heavenly Fathers loves us and understands our needs and concerns. God is anxious to bless us. #RandolphHarris 9 of 14
If we could see ourselves as God sees us, imagine what it would mean to us. What if we looked at ourselves with the same benevolence, love, and confidence that God does? Imagine the impact it would have on our lives to understand the eternal potential as God understands it. It is evident that the languages are not really means of representing the truth that has already been ascertained, but far more, means of discovering a truth not previously known. Their diversity is not a diversity of sounds, but of World outlook. If we could view ourselves through God’s eyes, what influence would that have on our lives? I promise you that God will send us tangible signs of his existence and his love for us. I felt a little like Socrates must have felt with all those gorgeous Greek young men coming to him for advice, that is, until somebody showed up with the Burning Hemlock (a burning stake usually a cross that is as tall as a house). Well, it is a mind reader, magnet for spirits and ghosts and a possessor of other occult talents. This is mystifying me, unless they are deliberately playing this one out solely for reasons that will soon become clear. He could have lived among them for quite a while. And as I have already explained, they thought I was human too, though I probably could not count on that for too long. #RandolphHarris 10 of 14
Skeptical arguments are logically unanswerable but powerless against the natural sentiments and convictions that govern our judgment in daily life. Witches detect all kinds of small thing about other creatures. It has to do with the lazy and constant exercise of their power. I as sensed that at the funeral Mass, just breathing the same air as Dr. Ludwig Andreas Feuerbach and his wife Berta Low. However, fortunately, they were distracted by a multitude of other stimuli, so I had not had to bolt. We shall never know what the new scene of though is. But we can identify the main currents in contemporary thought with which we are concerned with. We can, therefore, safely tease and use an antidote to dogmatism and over certainty of every kind. All our ideas are derived from impressions of sense or inner feeling. That is, we cannot even conceive of things different in kind from everything in our experience. A matter of fact can never be proved by reasoning a priori. It must be discovered in, or inferred from, experience. From these two propositions it follows that metaphysical systems telling us of the existence of God, the origin of the World, and other matters transcending human experience. Become who you are. #RandolphHarris 11 of 14
The mind is pictured as an immaterial thing with the powers of receiving representations of things in the World which it inhabits, of reasoning about these representations, and of making decisions that are somehow translated into physical action by the body to which the mine is temporarily attached. These representations are usually called ideas. Art is a great representation, which makes good use of the mind’s power. In art, figures may be distorted or elongated to depict a feeling, as in Bronzino’s Venus, Cupid, Folly, and Time (The Exposure of Luxury), circa 1546, located in the National Gallery, London. The colours are often bright and clashing. At the upper right of Bronzino’s painting, Time, and, at the upper left, Truth, part a curtain to revel the shallow space in which Venus is fondled by her son Cupid. Folly is about to shower the pair in rose petals. Envy tears her hair out at center left. The Mannerist distortion of space is especially evident in the distance and separating Cupid’s shoulder and head. Shortly after the Spanish conquest of separatist States within Spain in 1519 and death of Raphael in 1520, many Italian painters embarked on a stylistic course that was highly individualistic and mannered, or consciously artificial. The call word of this Mannerist style was “invention,” and the technical and imaginative virtuosity of the artist become a paramount importance. #RandolphHarris 12 of 14
Each Mannerist artist may, therefore, be identified by one’s own “signature” style. Where the art of the High Renaissance sought to create a feeling of balance and proportion, quite the opposite is the goal of Mannerist art. The Christian Platonist, disbelieving in the prenatal existence of the soul, substituted for the inborn memories of the archetypes, inborn representations of them, which they called “innate ideas.” It was from the possession of and by reflection on these innate ideas that we came by the knowledge of such necessary truths of metaphysics, mathematics, and morals as our Maker had thought it necessary for us to have and which could not be discovered from experience. In the late work of Michelangelo, for example, particularly the great fresco of The Last Judgment on the alter wall of the Sistine Chapel, executed in the years 1534-1541, we find figures of grotesque proportion arranged in an almost chaotic, certainly athletic swirl of line. Mannerist painters represented space in unpredictable and ambiguous ways, so that bodies sometimes seem to fall out of nowhere into the frame of the painting, as in Tintoretto’s The Miracle of the Slave. The drama of Tintoretto’s painting is heightened by the descent of the vastly foreshortened St. Mark, who hurtles in from above to save the slave from his executioner. #RandolphHarris 13 of 14
The rising spiral line created by the three central figures—the slave, the executioner, holding up his shattered instruments of torture, and St. Mark—is characteristic of Mannerism, but the theatricality of the scene, heightened by its dramatic contrast of light and dark, anticipates the Baroque style, which soon followed. To examine and understand an idea, first reduce it to its simple constituent ideas. Then, if any one of these is still obscure, produce the impression from which it is derived. That means in your mind, arrange for the actual occurrence of the impression. It may not be what they artist intended to convey, but interpretation is subjective and it is your opinion of what you see expressed. Ideas of sensation come from our sense organ, ideas of reflection from our consciousnesses of our mental process. We are supposed to provide our own means of thinking, as mental images. “Now I have told you this once before, you cannot control me. If you try to take me down, you are going to break. I feel your every nothing that you are doing for me. I am picking you out of me, you run away. I stand alone inside. You are always hiding behind your so-called goddess. So what do you not think that we can see your face. Resurrected back before the final fallen. Now they have arrest until I can make my own way. I am not afraid of fading,” (I Stand Alone by Godsmack). #RandolphHarris 14 of 14
The Sun Proceeds Unmoved to Measure off Another Day for an Approving God
Human beings are not wholly depraved and the judicious exercise of human reason is absolutely essential to a Christian life. There is no great insurmountable chasm between nature and the supernatural and the mark of the Divine Creator can be detected in every creature. To deny the freedom to pursue the ideals of truth, beauty, and benignant love is to undermine every profound human venture, including science, morality, and philosophy. The freedom crucial to human existence is untenable if the individual is dependent for one’s existence upon any other being, including a Creator-God or an Absolute One. Therefore, self-determining beings must be uncreated and eternal; yet the unique quality of human freedom presupposes that each person stands in an individual relationship to other persons, subpersonal beings, and God. How, then, does this plurality of uncreated beings compose a Universe and not a mere collection of beings, a pluriverse? Well, the very nature of undeniable, self-active, unified, thinking beings to define themselves and to fulfill themselves as individuals. In this very act of self-definition and self-fulfillment they find themselves related to other beings. #RandolphHarris 1 of 8
Thus, in thinking itself as eternally real, each spirit thinks the reality of other spirits. “Bring the souls of humans unto me, while the World shall stand,” reports 3 Nephi 28.9. Is there a God to unify the many grades of self-active beings? Yes, but any unification must not infringe upon individual growth to moral perfection. Creation as efficient cause must give way to creation in accordance with an Ideal present in each being. The fulfillment of this Ideal calls for a World composed of all the individual differences compatible with the mutual reality of it all. Thus, basic harmony is possible because, as each individual defines oneself, one finds the Ideal of self-definition which to measure oneself. And God, who is defined as self-existent by every other self-defining being, is the indispensable standard for measuring reality. The impinging of the Infinite on human’s experience, emotions, and will implies the spiritual nature of the Infinite; for otherwise it would be hard to account for its inspiring power. The fundamental institutions of the medieval World—the empire, the church, and feudalism—seemed to be the guardians of a cosmic order which humans have to accept but which they cannot modify to the slightest degree. #RandolphHarris 2 of 8
The nature of love exhibited by one’s mother and father are of particular meaning for every human being. For this can either inhibit or accelerate one’s own ability to love. They work primarily to show that all the material and spiritual goods to which humans can aspire (from daily bread to truth) derive from the order to which they belong, that is, the hierarchies which are the interpreters and custodians of the cosmic order. “And behold, the Heavens were opened, and they were caught up into Heaven, and saw and heard unspeakable things. And it was forbidden them that they should utter; neither was it given unto them power that they could utter the things which the heard,” reports 3 Nephi 28.13-14. Humanism, which was born in the cities and the communes that had fought and were fighting for their autonomy and that saw in traditional hierarchical orders an obstacle rather than an assistant to the goods indispensable to humans, defended human’s freedom to project one’s life in the World in autonomous ways. In exalting freedom, they exalted human’s capacity to form this World, to vary it, and to better it absolutely. #RandolphHarris 3 of 8
As much as any person in our time, we all must control our moral and intellectual dilemmas and comprehend a humanity that seems determined to heal. “I have given you, Adam, neither a predetermined place nor a particular aspect nor any special prerogatives in order that you may take and possess these through your own decision and choice. The limitations on the nature of other creatures are contained within my prescribed laws. You shall determine your own nature without constraint from any barrier, by means of the freedom to whose power I have entrusted you. I have placed you at the center of the World so that from that point you might see better what is in the World. I have made you neither Heavenly nor Earthly, neither mortal nor immortal so that, like a free and sovereign artificer, you might mold and fashion yourself into that form you yourself shall have chosen,” reports God. Wisdom confers on people the powers which perfect their nature. “And whether you are in the body or out of the body, you cannot tell of the unspeakable things saw and heard in Heaven; for it did seem unto you like a transfiguration of yourselves, that you were changed from this body of flesh into an immortal state, that you could behold the things of God,” reports 3 Nephi 28.15. #RandolphHarris 4 of 8
One deals here (as evident today) with speculations influenced by an excessive confidence in human’s capacity to shape life in the World, a confidence in human’s capacity to shape one’s life in the World, a confidence which is tempered by the skeptical development that humanism underwent outside of Italy from 1533-1603. This confidence, however, constituted the new doctrine of humanism in contrast with the medieval mentality. “And ye may know that the words of the Lord, which have been spoken by the holy prophets, shall all be fulfilled; and ye need not say that the Lord delays his coming. And ye need not imagine in your hearts that the words which have been spoken are vain, for behold, the Lord will remember his covenant which he hath made unto his people,” reports 3 Nephi 29.2-3. Human interest, values and dignity are to predominate. There is an ultimate faith in humankind, which believes that human beings possess the power or potentiality of solving their own problems, through reliance primarily upon reason and scientific method applied with courage and vision. #RandolphHarris 5 of 8
Humanism upholds human reason, ethics and justice, and is a component of a variety of more specific philosophical systems, and is incorporated into religious schools of thought. It is an optimistic attitude to life whose ultimate goal is human flourishing, doing good and living well in the here and now, and leaving the World better for those who come after. The conviction that humans are part of nature—that nature is their realm, and the features which tie them to nature (one’s body, one’s needs, one’s sensations) are essential to one to the point that one cannot abstract from them nor ignore them—one can speak of naturalism in humanism. Though the humanists exalted the soul of human beings for its powers of freedom, they did not forget the body that which it pertains to it. The widespread recognition of the value of pleasure among the humanists and their aversion to medieval asceticism clearly show the new evaluation of human’s natural aspects. As an ethical doctrine, it affirms the dignity and worth of all people and their ability to determine right and wrong purely by appeal to universal human qualities, especially rationality. #RandolphHarris 6 of 8
Humanity searches for truth and morality through human means in support of human interests, and focuses on the human capacity for self-determination. It endorses universal morality (Moral Universalism) based on the commonality of the human condition. Pleasure is the sole good for humans, that is, the sole end of human activities. The laws that regulate cities have been made for utility, which in turn generates pleasure. Every government is directed to this same end. Virtue is none other than the calculus of pleasure; and pleasure, or at least utility, it the end of the liberal arts, like medicine, jurisprudence, poetry, and oratory, which attempt to satisfy the needs of life. Moral philosophy is, so to speak, our territory. Those who betray it, and give themselves over to physics, seem in a way to occupy themselves over to physics, seem in a way to occupy themselves with foreign affairs and to neglect their own. If love is a capacity of the mature, productive character, it follows that the capacity to love in an individual living in any given culture depends on the influence this culture has on the character of the average person. One thing is for certain: the nature of one’s love for God corresponds for the nature of love for humanity. #RandolphHarris 7 of 8
If we should succeed in keeping alive a vision of mature life, the development of fairness and ethics develop. “And it came to pass that there were other disciples ordained in their stead; and also many of that generation had passed away. And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people. And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God,” 4 Nephi 1.15-16. Perhaps the most important lesson the World has learned in the past seventy five years is that it is not true that human nature is unchangeable. Human nature, on the contrary, can be changed with the greatest ease and to the utmost possible extent. If in this is possessed huge potential danger, it also contains some of the brightest hopes that we have for the future of humankind. Each of us is programmed by the culture to think and feel in specified ways. And though a certain latitude is permitted, with some alternatives allowed, most of us are socialized to be more or less similar in the content to our minds. Love is a key to the secret of life. With love subtracted, life will become tasteless and colourless. #RandolphHarris 8 of 8
How Happy is the Little Stone that Rambles in the Road Alone
Happiness is a condition of the soul. Pleasure, joy, and happiness all involved a sense of well-being, a sense of being up, and having good feelings toward oneself and/or others. The main thing in life is not to be afraid to be human. However, it seems that some individuals are convinced that life must be painful. They resent any good feelings in themselves and others. Joy seems somehow irresponsible to them. Sometimes you hear a person say that it is wrong to be happy when so many people the World over are in pain. We have all been down, bummed-out, unhappy, restless and fretful, sad and tearful. Depression is an extreme of this. It is painful and no one likes it, but it is still a normal response. Feeling depressed usually means we are angry or blocked at some point. Rather than denying the feelings, we would be healthier to use the natural time out that depression creates to work it out. Understanding that there are spiritual side effects from depression is important when one or one’s loved ones face this challenge. If a person feels angry but cannot let the emotion out, one often turns it in on oneself and gets depressed. When an individual would rather hit someone else on the head, one gets headaches. When an individual would much rather make someone else sad and tearful, they experience those emotions themselves. However, psychotic depression is much more serious and involves pattern of depression that are much more serious and far deeper and long-lasting. #RandolphHarris 1 of 11
Some people pray for the sorrow to go away and read the scriptures and listen to good music, like Those Were the Days by Aaliyah, in hopes of regaining peace. However, nothing seems to help. It appears as if their soul, all that is unique to them, has come under attack. Many people feel like that have no worth and that they are unworthy of their wonderful family. Although these individuals many not be suicidal, they believe if they died someone more deserving could take their place. And each day, this region of space that are in has a gravitational field that is so intense that no matter how hard they try to escape from the black hole, they cannot. Often times, it also seems like people or things, especially money are starting to disappear without a trace and no one can understand them, and some people eventually lose hope. Because these feelings are so deeply personal and painful, other individuals are ashamed and do not want to share them with anyone. Thoughts like these often come up: I have it all—a great job, relationship, and lifestyle—so why do I feel so dissatisfied and disconnected? Why am I not happier in my intimate relationships? How do I become more powerful—without becoming the jerk every dislikes? Overcoming depression has a lot to do with being present and trustworthy, grounded and transparent, and showing up as a warrior of integrity and intimacy, compassionately cutting through the roots of whatever is obstructing one’s well-being. God did not create us to have a depressed spirit. #RandolphHarris 2 of 11
One of the things people do not understand about life is that God wants us to be happy. I go through it myself, not necessarily depression, but I have a lot of hardships in my life and am around a lot of people I cannot trust, do not like and that are very torturous—they like to use painful events from the past and constantly remind one of them, they love to lie and distort information, and they even physically attack one when one is not paying attention. So, what helps is to befriend the vulnerability and realize that we are children of God and to force oneself to be happy and smile when you start to feel sad memories coming forward. Keep in mind that nothing lasts forever, and one day happiness will return. However, must we are disgusted by savage behaviour, our hearts should do out to them. Also, pray constantly for Heaven’s help to relieve the heaviness in one’s heart. Whatever one is experiencing may not have anything to do with sin. It is essential to understand that such a spiritual crisis is not a result of spiritual weakness nor lack of faith. Everyone is going to be anxious or downhearted on occasion. And never lose faith in your Father in Heaven, who loves you more than you can comprehend. Never, ever doubt that, and never harden your heart. Faithfully pursue the time-tested devotional practice that being the Spirit of the Lord into your life. #RandolphHarris 3 of 11
It is also important to look inside of ourselves and seek the keys for our spiritual well-being. It is so crucial to encounter the dimensions of our soul without robing it of its passion and warrior spirit, allowing it to full-bloodedly expand, permitting it to further energize and awaken the quintessential being within us. With perseverance, the soul becomes increasingly alive and present. Happiness is a conditional of the soul. This joyous state is further enhanced by living a righteous life. If we life in such a way to make life good, it can be. “Because they lead my people astray, saying ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash, tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones hurling down, and violent winds will burst forth. When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, ‘Where is the whitewash you covered it with?’ In my wrath I will unleash a violent wind, and in my anger hailstones and torrents of rain will fall with destructive fury. I will tear down the wall you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the LORD. So I will spend my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash,” Ezekiel 13.10-14. #RandolphHarris 4 of 11
In vulnerability there is a transparency and capacity for self-disclosure that can help deepen our connection with others. Becoming more vulnerable asks that we stretch beyond our comfort zone, but the resulting increase in depth, vitality, and connection make doing so worthwhile. Without vulnerability, there is no intimacy. Vulnerability does not always mean leaving the door wide-open; for example, if it does not feel right to drop your guard, but you know it is safe to do so, openly admit that you are guard—such an admission itself is an act of vulnerability. Or if you are with someone you know you cannot trust with your vulnerability, do not “should” yourself into being vulnerable. Be discerning with your vulnerability, which is something they do not teach in college. Social engineering in college can open people up to being preyed upon because they are trying to break down racial or class segregation, but sometimes there are risks that need to be considered and one has to remain aware of that. Do not allow teachers and professors and community members to whitewash you values to the point that you are making foolish decision and hanging out with people you should not. Sometimes people are not beings or class discriminating, they are just trusting their instincts. Vulnerability can be a risk, especially emotionally, but not doing what can to protect ourselves can be a bigger risk. #RandolphHarris 5 of 11
Empathy also needs an empathic boundary, meaning discernment so one does not get overly absorbed in or identified with others’ emotional states—standing back far enough to keep them in clear focus, resonating with what they are feeling without losing ourselves in it. Being empathetic does not mean putting up with someone’s problems because one thinks they are obligated to, but it does make it very difficult to dehumanize others, regardless of how strong a stand we might need to take with them. Empathy helps keep us from getting numb, heady, or overly detached. It begins with and reinforces vulnerability. Some people open easily, loves easily, connect easily, but their personal boundaries are all but missing. Saying “no” can be very difficult for one, so one’s “yes” lacks authenticity and real conviction, existing mostly as a means of not displeasing or upsetting anyone. The idea is to develop healthy boundaries. No one needs to feel alone on the road of life, for we are all invited to come unto Christ and be perfected in the Lord. Happiness is the purpose of the gospel and the purpose of the redeeming Atonement for all people. #RandolphHarris 6 of 11
Sometimes people lie around in the afternoon, are in bed by eight, and there in their beds alone the past rises like a tide, over and over, to swamp them with memories they cannot handle. Their loved ones die again, and again and they have to face that they could not save them. These memories come back to them with extraordinary vividness. “Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies, when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives, therefore you will no longer see false visions or practice divination. I will save my people from your hands. And then you will know that I am the LORD,” reports Ezekiel 13.22-23. People are created by God with rational endowments necessary for the conduct of society and government. People desire not only to live, but also to live well. This further desire implies that people must find their ultimate happiness. Such ultimate cannot be found in the attainment of a temporal, and therefore temporary, good, but only in the ultimate perfection that is God. Owing to the Fall, humans cannot know by natural reason what one must do to obtain this final supernatural end. God has therefore revealed to people certain rules to supplement natural laws. Hence it becomes clear that in order to achieve full human stature, individuals need both natural law, for social and political purposes, and revealed law, for everlasting felicity. #RandolphHarris 7 of 11
Revealed law is contained in the Bible and the traditions of the church. Natural law and reveled law are jointly, and not separately, the correct guide. God is pure act and in him existence and essence coincide; Angels are immaterial and they differ from all natural, not purely intellectual creatures in that they behold the face of God directly; the soul is the form of humans, and not a separate substance. God is law unto himself, and that law is the lex aeterna, which is both the source of all other law and itself manifested in all other laws. In the divinely revealed law, it is manifested directly, so to speak; in natural law, indirectly. For natural law is discovered by human reason, and human reason is created by God according to the lex aeterna; therefore the dictate of natural law, spring from the lex aeterna. God has given reason to every human. He has illuminated people. “The light of thy countenance is signed upon us, Lord,” reports Psalms iv.6-7. Hence we learn the will of God by using our reason. The will of humans is free. Everything good that reason sees as such has something unpleasant annexed to it. And everything evil that reason sees as such has something pleasant attached to it. For reason cannot see the absolutely good. Hence, although we always will the good, we can never will the absolutely good; as a result the will is always free to choose between several relative goods. #RandolphHarris 8 of 11
The two springs of human action are knowledge (reason) and will. The will always wills the good; and the good is apprehended by reason. Sin results from the imperfect operation of reason, which can never apprehend the good. Sin is therefore intimately linked with both the freedom of the will and the imperfection of reason. It is never committed as a positive action or desired for its own sake, but is the result of a loss. Evil, by implication, is a privation. To avoid evil, it is necessary to supplement the law of nature. And since the law of nature is embodied in secular government, the revealed law is embodied in the church. This is the proof that church and start are intimately connected. Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name. “Behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love. And I desire that ye should remember to observe the statutes and the judgments of the Lord; behold, this hath been the anxiety of my soul from the beginning. My heart hath been weighed down with sorrow from time to time, for I have feared, lest for the hardness of your hearts the Lord your God should come out in the fulness of his wrath upon you, that ye be cut off and destroyed forever,” 2 Nephi 1.15-17. #RandolphHarris 9 of 11
We need to recognize that wanting to is the determining factor which leads us to lay hold upon the word of God and be happy. Perseverance in making correct decisions is what leads us to happiness. Happiness comes as the result of our obedience and our courage in always doing the will of God, even in the most difficult circumstances. “And now that my soul might have joy in you, and that my heart might leave this World with gladness because of you, that I might not be brought down with grief and sorrow to the grave, arise from the dust, my children, and be people, and be determined in one mind and in one heart, untied in all things, that ye may not come down into captivity; that you may not be cursed with a sore cursing; and also that ye may not incur the displeasure of a just God upon you, unto the destruction, yea, the eternal destruction of both soul and body. Awake, my children; put on the armor of righteousness. Sake off the chains which ye are bound, and come forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust,” reports 2 Nephi 1.21-23. Yes, we find happiness in the midst of the trial of our faith. The Lord manifests himself to us through his tender mercies, which we find along the road of happiness. We see with increased clarity his hand in our lives. This joyous state comes as a result of righteous living. #RandolphHarris 10 of 11
Happiness is the object and design of our existence. If we pursue the path that leads to it, and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God, then happiness will also be the end thereof. The whole crusade for control of the emotions is, of course, emotionally grounded, and it is prosecuted in a most emotional fashion. Emotions are the means by which we make contact. We may talk angrily or warmly toward another; both are good contact or potential contact, for contact is established only if it has the support of our emotions. The price we pay for avoiding the pain of being fully alive is that we are excluded from the pleasure as well. The way to love other people is to express what we feel—anger and love—without aiming to hurt feelings. Open but reverent communication is how to make love in our lives. Noting in the World is better and more pleasing than friendship. Without it, the World would lose the Sun. People are not singing praises of stars because of their crystalline beauty, but their combination into a magnificent sky. A self-confident, glamorous gentleman or gentlewoman is especially captivating, and with his or her faint smile particularly engaging, because of the way they fix their eyes is an exchange that makes us feel good. #RandolphHarris 11 of 11
Leo Coffee and Cereal –The Stars are Old and Stood for Me so Step Lightly on this Narrow Spot!
Angels signify images raised in the mind to indicate the presence of God. Life holds a lot of surprises, does it not? People generally suffer becomes of the superior power of nature, the finite nature of our own bodies, and the inadequacy of the regulations which adjust the mutual relationships of human beings in the family, the state and society. In regard to the first two sources, our judgement cannot hesitate long. It forces us to acknowledge those sources of suffering and to submit to the inevitable. We shall never completely master nature; and our bodily organism, itself a part of that nature, will always remain a transient structure with a limited capacity for adaptation and achievement. This recognition does not have a paralyzing effect. On the contrary, it points the direction for our activity. If we cannot remove all suffering, we can remove some, and we can mitigate some: the experience of many thousands of years has convinced us of that. As regards the third source, the social source of suffering, our attitude is a different one. We do not admit it at all; we cannot see why the regulations made by ourselves should not, on the contrary, be a protection and a benefit for every one of us. And yet, when we consider how unsuccessful we have been in precisely this field of prevention of suffering, a suspicion dawns on us that here, too, a piece of unconquerable nature may life behind—this time a piece of our own physical constitution. #RandolphHarris 1 of 6
Youth is, in general, the perfect time to make personal plans. Each of us had our childhood dreams. As a young adult one should still have dreams for one’s future—each person! Perhaps it is the hope for a brand-new house, an athletic achievement, a new car, the creation of a band or musical group, or the acquisition of a diploma or professional position that one seeks to acquire through work and perseverance. Some people may even have a precious image in their minds of one’s future husband or wife, his or her physical appearance, his or her character traits, the colour of his or her eyes or hair, and the beautiful children that will bless one’s family. How many of your wishes will come true? Life is full of uncertainty. Surprises will occur all along life’s journey. When we start considering this possibility, we come upon a contention which is so astonishing that we must dwell upon it. This contention holds that what we call our civilization is largely responsible for our misery, and that we should be much happier if we gave it up and returned to primitive conditions. Life can be like a suspense novel whose plot is very difficult to predict. This contention is astonishing because, in whatever we may define the concept of civilization, it is a certain fact that all the things with which we seek to protect ourselves against are the threats that emanate from part of our very civilization. There will be key moment for us that may change the course of our lives in an instant. #RandolphHarris 2 of 6
However, there will also be new opportunities that will present themselves in our lives. Sometimes, courses change in our lives and present unexpected challenges or disappointments. Through experience we learn that we can only partially control the circumstances of our lives. Some people become neurotic because they cannot tolerate the amount of frustration which society imposes on them in the service of its cultural ideas, and it is inferred from this that the abolition or reduction of those demands will result in a return to possibilities of happiness. Most people dislike the unknown. The uncertainty of life creates in some a lack of confidence, a fear of the future that manifests itself in different ways. Some hesitate to make commitments out of fear of failure, even when good opportunities present themselves. For example, people may delay marriage, education, starting a family, or establishing a stable professional activity. There is a different pat than ones of fear and doubt or self-indulgence—a path that bring peace, confidence, and serenity to our lives. That is a good thing because what good to us is a life if it is difficult and barren of joys, and if it is so full of misery that we can only welcome death as a deliverer? #RandolphHarris 3 of 6
We are the architects of our happiness. It is not really the result of the circumstances of our lives. It is much more the result of our spiritual vision and the principles upon which we base our lives. These principles will bring us happiness regardless of the unexpected challenges and surprises we will inevitably face during our journeys here on Earth. Some people develop a composite picture that credits them with an impressive erudition, an extremely methodical mind, a collector’s interest in art, and the qualities of affability, discreet generosity, modesty, loyalty to friends, and a taste for virtuous simplicity. Of course there will be times of moodiness, petulance, and gruffness. However, these traits just provide a touch of humanity without essentially altering the picture of an individual a virtuous being. No one lives without making mistakes and incurring regrets, yet we all hope to be worthy of regard in the in. The notion or reciprocity, of being helped and then helping in return, appeals to our basic need for balance and order. Opportunities arise thereby for correcting antiquated misconceptions as well as for incurring new irritations. Former conflicts may flare up with enough force to propel our finally working them out. “Look upon my suffering and deliver me, for I have not forgotten your law. Defend my cause and redeem me; preserver my life according to your promise,” reports Psalm 119.153-154. #RandolphHarris 4 of 6
Extending leniency to others gives us faith that someone will do the same for us when we reach the point that we need assistance and spiritual reckoning. Even fumbled efforts at helpfulness and reconciliation are significant for the hope they instill and the example they set. We will return through memory to events that had been previously unclear and re-greet them with the knowledge we have gained since these events transpired. Sometimes in people’s adolescent diaries and journals, individuals record how they are suffused with self-reproach after a parent passes into Heaven for the countless unkindnesses one did them, large and small, the torment that they feel can never be made good. Some people brood relentlessly as they look back at their mother or father’s last days, seeing in retrospect all that one could have done on their parent’s behalf and they carry a feeling of guilt that will always remain and that should teach one to become kinder to toward the living. Today, as I watched Jill carry a bee out of her house and place it on a flower, I thought to myself how kind that was. When I saw Justin take his son Leo to play golf, and Leo offered him the first turn, but just said, “No. Leo plays first,” I thought how kind that was. We are always able to see father looking back then we can in the crush of the present and each and every moment matters. I always see Leo performing ordinary actions, such as letting others be first, putting on his garden slippers, and how they mirror his father’s gestures exactly. #RandolphHarris 5 of 6
I have learned the most important thing in life is living. When people are gone, we can never talk to them again. Before that, we may not understand how serious their life is. We do not want to waste time and throw away chances to do things, thinking that we can get them done later. After we lose someone we love, we may not have any patience for chatter. Some individuals get up and leave when their friends start talking about nothing because they cannot get it out of their mind that one day it is all over. It is incomprehensible that one day a loved one can just disappear without us being able to fully enjoy them. We cannot rush these discoveries. They are the consequences of living, not thinking. We can hasten to ask questions of surviving relatives, piecing together blurry aspects of the past, but truth forgiveness and growth arise with the passage of time and the infusion of new experiences. Even the most painful losses will free and strengthened us. We may have to give up nostalgia and guilt to see this. Acceptance keeps us waiting, and then comes all at once. It is exuberant and generous, not dull and sluggish like a loss. Of all the emotions left behind by bereavement, guilt display are the most persistent. Often the only liberation is to admit out loud the wrongs we think we committed, testing them against another person’s experience. “All that God requires you to keep his commandments,” Mosiah 2.22. #RandolphHarris 6 of 6
Randolph Harris II International Institute 