Saturday, September 6, 2014

38 Points on Identity

1.) If we are all “rays of sunlight and therefore we all come from one source” when do “rays of sunlight” fight each other as we human beings do?  The truth is, there are differences when it comes to rays of the sun especially with the affect it has on the lives of living things.  For example, the rays of the sun come in the form of:
(a) ultra violet rays
(b) cosmic rays
(c) gamma rays
(d) x-rays
(e) visible light
(f) infrared
(g) radio waves
(h) microwaves
(Breaking that further –ultraviolent rays come in the form of UVC, UVB, and UVA.  The UVC is absorbed by the stratosphere while the UVA and UVB are absorbed by the ozone layers).  Individuals that want to be naïve and compare everyone to “rays of the sun” or to the ocean with the comment, “All water is equal drops that flow into the ocean” are creating an over simplicity of history, politics, religion, sociology, astronomy, and biology.  Though water may come in the form of “drops” -there exists Fresh Water and Salt Water and the human body cannot drink Salt Water.  Again, there are differences not only in “rays of the sun” and in “drops of water”, but also when it comes to people and their identity and belief system that they choose for themselves. Over simplicity creates ignorance and stupidity. 
A Horse cannot be a Unicorn.  A Pegasus cannot be a Unicorn.  A Pegasus cannot be a Horse. No matter how similar they are –they are all different things.  It is in their differences that makes them unique.  Each item has to be viewed for its differences and similarities.  Each item has to be understood historically, politically, and sociologically before being grouped together in an over simplified manner.


2.)  On the Surface level, when you gloss over history, it is comparable to looking at a volcano or an ocean.  What you see is one image, unchanging and un-moving.  However, underneath the surface of the ocean and volcano, there are ripples and bubbles that alter the composition of the object and that takes place often.  Over time, either there occurs an eruption on the water surface or the volcano’s surface because of what was unseen with the naked eye yet only seen with a simple observation and by glossing over the surface of it.  “Equality” and “oneness” (both words that were perpetuated through humanitarian movements after World War 2 through the media, entertainment sector, and social institutions) enables one to miss what ripples and bubbles are occurring underneath the surface and can cause serious issues at later date (similar to when looking only at the surface level of society).



3.) Differences in Identity markers used by cultures and religions proving that not everything is equal and that not all people are “rays from the sun”:
Dietary Habits is key in the maintenance of culture in religion
:
Kosher (Jews)
Halal (Muslims)
Vegetarian (Hindus, Jains, Rastas)
No Rules  (Communists, Catholics, Christians, and Natives)

“Sacred”
Language is key in maintenance of culture in religion
:
Arabic (Muslim)
Gurmukhi (Sikhs)
Sanskrit (Hindus)
Hebrew (Jews)


First and Last Names are key identity markers in the maintenance of culture in religion:
Gurdeep, Kaur, Singh (Sikhs)
Mohammed (Muslims)
Raj (Hindus)
Moses (Jews)



4.)  If all “rays of the sun” are all equal why did Punjabis historically fight tooth and nail and sacrifice their life for their culture and ideology? Why would Sikh Guru’s (with all their wisdom and spirituality) allow markers to differentiate themselves and not just submit to Islam when Islam wanted to convert them?  Obviously, there exists differences in “the rays of the sun” or the Gurus would have submitted to Islam.  If there existed no differences between “rays of the sun” why would the Punjabi culture preserve myths, martyrs, and saints glorifying and romanticizing their religious beginnings rather than just allowing themselves to become absorbed by Islam or by Colonialism?

5.)  You might superficially view people as equal but fundamentally on a deeper level, (if you were honest with yourself, you do not view all people as equal -‘nor in truth, are they equal.  The world is not equal and the people are not equal).  There exists many differences and though they might be small, those small differences are huge boundaries to overcome.  Though equality is taught at a young age, in reality, it does not exist.  Equality does not exist inside reality in many ways because of:
(a) the sociological Caste System in play within Indian communities and within Indian culture
(b) the political forum when it comes to Conservatives and Liberals and how they view unions, the public sector, and the private sector
(c) the fundamental belief system of a Misogynist, a Feminist, an “Average Joe”, an “Average Stacy” - when it comes to looking at people of the same and opposite sex
(d) the root causes of criminal behavior and crimes when it comes to the viewpoints and perspectives of Police officers, a Civil Rights Lawyer, a Politician, a Defense Lawyer, and a Prosecutor
(e) it does not exist when it comes to the differences in Religions and Religious beliefs.
(f) The sociological divisive Class system in play       
(g) The way you would treat your Boss at work and the way you would act around a suspected Thief at work
(h) The differences in the way employees of the C.I.A., Soldiers, and Mercenaries look at when viewing situations, sacrifices, “assets”, and assignments that need to be completed
(i) The differences in the way people would treat an, “Average Joe” vs. a Sexual Predators vs. a Kleptomaniac vs. someone who is Mentally Ill
(j) The differences every day Humanitarians would view a disease pandemic and the way People working in the medical field and specializing as Containment personnel, Isolationist personnel, and Quarantine specialists would act.

       We have to stop lying to ourselves and be honest that not everything, not everyone, and not every situation is clumped into one and viewed equally (or can be viewed equally).  Context, content, history, politics, ideology –all interweave and interact with one another and come into play in almost every situation we are in each day of our lives.

6.)  Individuals become Couples, Couples become Families, Families became Tribes, Tribes become Cultures, and Cultures became Nations.

7.)  Once a culture becomes sacred, it is difficult for people to change because they believe their life and actions are for a “higher” cause and therefore it is sacred.  Every day actions now become traditions and rituals and both become sacred and therefore cannot be separated or removed from everyday life.  Separating the actions, rituals, and traditions from everyday life, would cause loss of identity for individuals and groups.

8.)  For many who believe that their ideology, culture, and religion are sacred –they also must realize and understand that their ideology, culture, and religion are also political, sociological, historical, and geopolitical.  You need to accept that nothing can be created out of a vacuum.  That nothing can be created from a black hole and that nothing comes out of nothing.  So if you are truly educated, unbiased, non-defensive, and honest with yourself -you need to accept both factors simultaneously before cementing yourself in a position or with an opinion about culture, religion, and ideology.

9.)  To understand the ideology and belief system of a religion, you must study the books that had the leader’s teachings and espouses the leader’s words.  For example, Buddha taught people to be non-detached.  However, the Dalai Lama that represents Tibetan Buddhism wants land and a “Free Tibet” which is contradictory to the Buddha’s teachings.  Though Buddha taught that one must not be attached, the Dalia Lama is attached to something and is therefore not following Buddha’s teachings (though he represents Buddhism).  However, the Buddhists in Nālandā  (in Bihar, India) when faced with the Muslim invasion and the question of either dying or converting decided en masse that they were not attached to their physical bodies and therefore choose death rather than conversion. The Buddhists in Nalanda therefore followed Buddha’s teachings.  The Gospels is what Jesus taught to his disciples.  The Crusades is not.  Mohammed taught “Jihad”, “Taqiyya”, and “Kitman”.  This brings us to our point.  If you are going to pass judgment and evaluation on a leader and the beliefs that it espouses you must see what the teacher taught and if his adherents actually practice what he taught.

10.) Theories and Ideologies once written and espoused become politicized.  Once theories and ideologies are acted upon, they have become politicized.  You cannot remove theory and ideology from the political spectrum once they have been released and once they have been acted upon since the actions will have political ramifications.  Every action has a reaction, every effect has a cause.  You have to understand what historically and geopolitically caused and motivated the theory and ideology to be developed and what implications it had on its social, historical, and geopolitical situation once it was acted upon. 

11.)  Western cultures have taken the sacredness out of culture and made it a commodity.  Using Secularism during the Colonial Era, the British “white washed” religious history out of history.  During the Cold War, America furthered the trend that the British started by consolidating their history around Consumerism and Hyper-capitalism.  Sacredness and reverence of culture was then transformed into the commodification of culture (especially during globalization).  This is why you can criticize Western culture openly and not feel remorseful or bad about it but feel as if you contributed to a discussion and to society by criticizing Western culture.

12.) Tolerance, patience, forgiveness, empathy, and understanding runs out during different time periods throughout history and when they do they open the door for xenophobia, prejudices, and discrimination.  We are in a timeline where the doors of xenophobia is opening and what awaits when the “can of worms” opens and the brutality of society occurs is anyone’s guess.  It is because of commodification of culture and removing the sacredness of culture (since the advent of secularism) that will allow for the xenophobic doors of brutality to open in the near future.

13.)  Religion is superficially the same, fundamentally different.  Historically, religious history will intersect with one another and often in combative positions.

14.)   “Don’t fear death for you are going to heaven” OR “Don’t fear life for you are going to heaven” –these are two adages that theocracies, religious nations, and religious cultures possess that will always give them the advantage over secular societies and when controlling individuals.

15.) 
How one views Existence & Death affects an individual’s identity, actions, & everyday thoughts. 
Existence & Death written on a horizontal chart starting from Zero Theorem & ending with Atheism/Hedonism:(a) Zero Theorem –everything returns to nothing and everything fades to blackness and chaos from which it came.
(b) Nature cycle –everything and anything is recycled, reused, and filtered back into the universe
(c) Infinity (vibration/energy) –though your body dissipates, your body’s soul lives on in other things
(d) Karma & Transmigration/Reincarnation –the life you live determines the next life that you live
(e) Heaven/Paradise/Valhalla –the life you live determines the afterlife that you live
(f) Infinite Cycle/Saturn's Cube -you are trapped in vibration to repeat the same life repeatedly making the same choices in life ad infinitum.(g) Infinite Consciousness -you only task while in material form and in material existence is becoming one with God Consciousness so that you may never be born again but escape the cycle of death and rebirth.
(h) Atheism/Hedonism -you have no purpose in life and when your physical body dies, you die therefore engage in as much material pleasure as possible because you only live once.
       Your perception of death affects the way you look at your life and the life of others.  It also influences your life’s meaning and your life’s purpose.  It affects your motivation and actions on a day-to-day basis.  However, your view is given to you through the “birth lottery”, the culture that you are born into, and is shaped by your experiences and thoughts.  Nonetheless, it subconsciously and consciously stays with you as you age.

16.) You cannot make individuals and groups better than they are.  You cannot make individuals and groups into what you see them as.  You have to take individuals and groups for what they are.  You have to take individuals and groups as they are and by what they identify themselves as.

17.)  Many of the conflicts presently can only be understood historically and geopolitically.  Not just as an event occurring in present day life.  For example:
(a) to understand the situation in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel;
(b) to understand the conflict and land claims in India, Kashmir, and Pakistan;
(c) to understand the conflict in Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Croatia;
(d) To understand the “on and off “ again conflict in Armenia and Azerbaijan;
(e) To understand the claims of genocide in Turkey and Armenia;
(f) To understand the land claims of Greece, Turkey, & Cyprus

        You have to understand how Islam arrived into those lands and how Islam lodged itself over time into those lands.  How Islam “occupied” those lands after conquering natives of the land that possessed the lands before the arrival of Islam.  You have to understand what Islam did historically to those people, to the culture of the people in the past and how it became “Muslim lands”.  You have to understand there was a history before Colonialism and Colonization and much of it involved Islam.  Only then will you be able to understand those current situations and those current conflicts and make a decision on where it is you want to stand and the opinion you want to have about it.

18.)  Christians did not invade Hindu lands and did not fight Hindus over land.  Buddhists did not fight Christians over land.  Sikhs did not fight Buddhists over land.  However and somehow, everyone fights back against Islam and reacts the same way when Islam invades their lands and makes land claims.  You have to realize that by the time the British sail outwards and start pushing forward with Colonialism, it was for secular reasons and not for religious reasons.  The British only wanted to gain trading partners and over time control the trade routes and monopolize the trade profits.  (Many Muslims like to argue that Greeks and Persians fought over religion even before Islam was created and therefore religious conflicts existed.  However, the conflict between the ancient Greeks and the Persians was not about religion as much as it was about geopolitics and revenge).

19.) “Turn the other cheek” (will result in an individual being slapped on both facial cheeks and kicked twice on their butt cheeks) before they are left with nothing and left only with nothing but humiliation.  This is what Islam has done to other nations and peoples.  The differing ideologies are similar to two individuals having differing objects.  One individual has a pin and believes in War.  Another individual has a balloon and believes in peace (one or the other is going to happen).  Either the one individual (let us call him individual A) is going to keep his balloon and keep his peace or the other individual (let us call him individual B) is going to pop the balloon and have war.  More likely, individual A will have to accept an inferior position to individual B and face that he will always be at war with individual B and have no balloon OR individual A will have to fight individual B and beat him at war so he can have peace and his balloon.  Both individuals cannot co-exist with one another and that is why ideology and belief is truly important when understanding individuals and their daily actions and words.

20.)  Totality Worldviews can be found inside: Christianity, Jehovah Witnesses, Islam, and Communism.  It dictates how individuals and adherents who follow those belief systems perceive themselves, the lives and purpose of others, how they understand their history, and how they understand the events happening in reality presently.  Again, belief and ideology is instrumental in shaping the way you look at the world.  This is why belief systems shape perception and ideology  and what you choose as your identity is crucially important to your whole outlook in life and the decisions you may or may not make.

21.)  The Utopian vision of history and reality is very idealistic and naïve.  Decisions and actions are taken pragmatically and lives are sacrificed strategically in order to get a result.  The Utopian vision of reality hides the brutality of history and enables people to shed their responsibility and accountability and believe that everyone will look after everyone and do the “right” thing (though the “right” thing is not an absolute in any given circumstance, moment, or situation).


22.)  Liberalism and Secularism have taught us to be “politically correct” however, we have also created falsities with the way the world works and the way history came together.  The world is not created equal but with differences, small or large.  That is how the world works and the more we are honest with that and can identify with that, the larger our appreciation for the world becomes and the people that have created and contributed something with the time that they have lived.

23.)  Tolerance in Islam occurs when Islam was in need of finances and was weak financially.  This is what creates the problem in Israel presently after the Ottoman Empire falls in World War 1.  “During the late 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, many successful land purchases were made through organizations such as the Palestine Jewish Colonization Association (PJCA), Palestine Land Development Company, and the Jewish National Fund.  The Ottoman Land Code of 1858 brought about the appropriation by the influential and rich families of Beirut, Damascus, and to a lesser extent Jerusalem and Jaffa and other sub-district capitals, of vast tracts of land in Syria and Palestine and their registration in the name of these families in the land registers. Many of the ‘fellahin’ did not understand the importance of the registers and therefore the wealthy families took advantage of this. Jewish buyers who were looking for large tracts of land found it favorable to purchase from the wealthy owners. As well many small farmers became in debt to rich families which lead to the transfer of land to the new owners and then eventually to the Jewish buyersIn 1918, after the British conquest of Palestine, the military administration closed the Land Register and prohibited all sale of land. The Register was re-opened in 1920, but to prevent speculation and insure a livelihood for the fellahin, an edict was issued forbidding the sale of more than 300 dunams of land or the sale of land valued at more than 3000 Palestine pounds without the approval of the High Commissioner”.  Furthermore, to understand Palestinian nationalism one must also understand what role former Mufti of Jerusalem Haj Amin al-Husseini plays in it. All of this is done in order to eradicate Jews.  Instead of seeing and understanding the macrocosmic reality, most people, jump to causes they know nothing about but follow the popular movement of people and unions.


24.)  Misunderstanding geopolitical history means you can picture anything the way you want in order to simplify it for yourself.  Misunderstanding geopolitical history will enable you to believe in the reality you want to live in therefore cocooning yourself out to the reality that in fact existed.  This stagnates growth inside of yourself and does not allow for you to be fully mature and reach wisdom.

25.)  What you believe dictates how you treat another person and in some religions, there are different Rules for adherents and a set of rules for others who are of a different belief system.  In the Torah for example, non-Jews are referred to as “goy” (which is a term that is used with disparaging intent, implying a mild contempt for the attitudes, traits, and customs of non-Jews. Although it may be used in a neutral, even positive way to refer to a Christian, it almost always connotes a degree of condescension. Usually the context, such as the use of a qualifying adjective, will show the intent of the speaker.   “Goy” often means cattle.  In the Islamic tradition, there are terms for non-Muslims such as: “Kaffir”, “Dhimmi”, “Dar-al-Islam” & “Dar-al-Harb” (also Muslims and Muslims who believe in the Quran and the Hadith must also adhere to no justice system other than Shariah Law).  The Jewish and Muslim view of others is problematic for many non-Jews and non-Muslims.  However, Buddhists, Sikhs, Hindus, Secularists, Humanists, and Pagans/Mystics do not have this divisive view or these terms in play in their tradition or in their books (though some may argue because of the Caste System invented by the Brahmins, Hinduism has also created divisions inside of their belief system).

26.)  How did Mohammed not understand monotheistic roots in Hinduism? Because if Mohammed did he would also understand how the reverence of the Kaaba would look for non-Muslims when they see Muslims pray towards it, touch it, and revere it.  That is the irony of calling Hinduism an Idol worshipping religion and not understanding that praying and revering the Kaaba can be considered Idol worship as well.

27.)  Christianity spread through Jews.  Jews also spread Islam after Muslims conquered Christian lands and forcefully converted them.  However, you look at it -Jews have a key role in spreading not only Judaism but also Islam and Christianity throughout the world (they are also key in spreading Marxism and Liberalism).  For those that want to be Anti-Semitic, for one reason or another, you are being childish, naïve, and not understanding the important role Jews have played throughout history when spreading ideologies.

28.) Do not get pulled into anti-Western, anti-Eastern, anti-Zionist rhetoric by politicians looking for power.  It is Eastern, Western, and Zionists who are your investors, funders, arms traders, and protectors (as well as your destabilizers and exploiters).  Eliminating Western, Eastern, and Zionists causes politicians to team up with countries who do not have the same number of investors, funders, and arms traders to sustain a nation and therefore your nation or region will become impoverished.  Rhetoric is rhetoric but acting on rhetoric has complex and devastating impacts on countries, regions, and individuals.

29.)  Equality has always been spoken about theoretically, never achieved practically only superficially.  Achievable but not yet achieved historically.  The Weapon of Mass Deception are the Media, Social Institutes, and National Governments

30.)  Media is the gatekeepers to information, media is the gatekeeper to minds, media is the gatekeeper to institutional history and institutional narrative.  Media has a huge influence on identities and the way you view identity.

31.)  "It takes chains of steel to enslave a rationale human, but all the rest are enslaved by a belief" (and the belief an individual chooses or has is key to understanding that individual’s perceptual views and day-to-day actions)

32.) Environments, language, politics, and rituals make culture.  Culture made sacred is religion. Religion must be reinforced with romanticized myths, “divine” beginnings, and the blood of martyrs and saints to resonate in the adherents and make them “special”, “unique”, unified, and different from everyone else that lives amongst them and that they will encounter.

33.)  The education system that one studies and learns from at an early age has a great influence on one’s identity.  Often times, Public Schools will teach Evolution in the classrooms whereas Islamic schools, Catholic schools, and Jewish schools will teach Creationism.  The education system cocoons you inside of it and enables you to look at the world and identity existence a particular way.

34.)  Presently, what is occurring is Colonization by Bankruptcy.  That is part of the process of what will enable the New World Order and Regionalism to occur.  This is why knowing and understanding identity, history, culture, geopolitics, sociology, and identity formation is instrumental when identity become politicized in the near future and identities are redrawn and recreated.

35.)  Not one leftist attacks Historical Islam.  Leftists love attacking Zionists, Jews, the Elite, and Christians (but without attacking historical Islam, leftists are not solving a problem but adding to a problem through dishonesty and disinformation).  Presently, scholars and intellectuals are starting to attack Historical Islam, which will open the door for honest debate and honest resolutions.

36.) Human beings make God in their own image and in their own reflection based on the culture that they live inside (ex: Caucasian features used for Jesus instead of Semitic features after Byzantine and Rome spread Christianity and Catholicism outwards; Buddha’s facial features on statues are slightly altered when being created in different parts of Asia whether it’s in India, Thailand, or China, etc.)  Human beings also imitate the image of their religious founder and imitate the way he looked, acted, and lived therefore creating a distinction based on identity from those that do not follow the same ideology and belief system.

37.) The belief system you choose in order to create an identity for yourself also affects the way you look at suicide and your moral views. It determines how you look at “sin”, sex (premarital sex, affairs and liaisons, amount of sexual partners you are permitted to have), cohabitation, abortion, divorce, etc.  The belief system you choose is instrumental to identity and perceptual views you have on an everyday basis.  These subtle differences make a person unique and different from everyone else.  Furthermore, each individual has a genetic makeup that is unique and different from everyone else.  Arguing everyone is equal, the same, and “all rays from the sun” is a very simplistic view that only children, the idealistic, and the naive would hold onto.

38.)  A poem by an anonymous writer:
IDENTITY (poem)
“Identity controls behavior
Identity controls emotions
Identity controls how we think
Identity controls behavior.

Identity determines behavior
Identity determines feelings
Identity determines our mental pictures
Identity determines behavior

We do not rule our beliefs not what we are believing
Our beliefs rules us
Our beliefs rules how we think
We do not rule our beliefs.

Identity controls behavior
Believing controls identity
Identity is borne in what we believe
So who do you believe you are?”

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