File under "Duh".

Newsweek ran an article about Dr. Eben Alexander and his book "The Science of Heaven" chronicling his Near Death Experience (NDE). In a recent article he responded to criticism of his claims with the following observation:

"The very nonlocal features of consciousness, so well supported in Irreducible Mind and in Pim van Lommel’s wonderful book Consciousness Beyond Life, are the resounding evidence that consciousness itself is a quantum phenomenon."

This may seem extraordinary to some, but there has been speculation in physics for some time that consciousness plays an important role in Quantum Mechanics dating back to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. The influence of consciousness ranges from classic physics experiment's to research in parapsychology that the bias of the experimenter affects the outcome of the experiment. It's nothing new.

What was shocking to me was the cynicism and vitriol that greeted Dr. Alexander's clinical chronicle of his NDE. His vision of the afterlife was a highly romantic vision- which may be due to his previous expectations, but is similar to what thousands of people have reported in their NDE's. It's not wise to criticize things you don't understand.

There have been much study of the subject and I have spoken to a friend who has had a NDE, who remembers it quite clearly. We should try to keep an open mind about such things. After all, we are all going to face such a journey ourselves on day.

The Modern Auto de Fe

The Catholic church, the reigning authority of morality and law used to burn people they judged as sinners in a public square as a warning to others.

We don't do that anymore, instead we incinerate careers with the mere whisper of indecency. Look at what happened to General Patreus and the voice of Elmo when their private lives  were shoved out into the public eye for all to gloat and revile.

The media and their accusers dragged them out like the townspeople who threw a whore at the feet of Jesus and demanded judgement. Unlike Jesus however, too many of us are ready to pick up a stone to hurl at the victim as if we are without sin.

Was anyone maimed or killed with these indiscretions? No. Were the victims unwitting participants in the affairs? No. Then why are we pretending these incidents are unforgivable acts that require immediate retribution without giving the accused the chance answer to the accusations? Why are we so quick to judge?

It's none of our business, but then we don't live in a world where there is any privacy anymore. Remember that the next time you cheat or look at porn or have a melt down and say something inappropriate at a gathering. Remember that the next time you post a picture in jest or a video of someone naked at a private party and it goes viral.

It can ruin someone's life that easy. And you're next.

The Age of Pedophilia Revealed

The litany of horrors continues with the ongoing phenomenon of child molestation revelations, as the media so gently puts it. The public is learning that three of the biggest,  most trusted organizations- the Catholic Church, the Boys Scouts and now the BBC have been systematically covering up and protecting men who have abused and raped children for decades.

That such evil occurs is not surprising, what is incomprehensible is why good men did nothing when they learned of the acts. I always give the same answer " the holy fraternity" as I call it, is when men protect other men no matter what. The brotherhood is more important than anything it's members might do. That may sound simplistic but the metaphor seems to explain a lot as illustrated in the NY Times  . The BBC is wrangling with the discovery of the perverted past of TV personality Jimmy Savile:

Bob Langley, a former reporter who covered a charity run in which Mr Savile participated, said he saw girls of “12 or 13, they could have been 14” emerging from Mr. Savile’s trailer at the event. “After they had gone he indicated to me in a nudge, nudge, wink, wink sort of way that he had just had sex with them,” Mr. Langley said.

“Supposing I had gone to the police or to the BBC, what would have happened?” Mr. Langley went on. “The answer is nothing would have happened. He would have said it was a joke, can’t you take a joke. And that would have been it.”

Nothing would have happened. That's how they get away with it. 

Another pernicious concept is that despite all the talk of reverence for childhood, society doesn't really value children that much. Oh sure they do when children are cute and precocious but otherwise find little value in them until they are grown up and can pay their own way.

Child labor, slavery, sex trafficking, abuse. Poor families throw them away like yesterday's newspaper when they cost too much to feed or care for.  Weak adults see them as the only ones they can dominate and male relationships are notoriously hierarchical.

Instead of recognizing the stunted growth of these adults and do something to stop them, we look the other way and deny we knew anything rather than face up to the problem- like the church, the Boy Scouts and the BBC.

Wisdom of the Day

If you had started doing anything two weeks ago, 

by today you would have been two weeks better at it.

~John Mayer ~


This is your homework for the next two weeks. Note your new skill and report back. That is all.