Towards a New Humanity

It is quite clear to us here that the only solution to the challenges posed by this moment is to press forward with the most important change of all- a change to ourselves. Whilst personal transformation has been a theme for centuries, the potential for humanity to evolve as one has only recently been seen as a possibility. At this point, we hold, it is in fact a necessity for the continued survival of the human race. Our technology has reached a point of no return.

It has reached the point where we either use it to transform our way of interacting with our planet, to make it both post-industrial and harmonious with the ecosystems surrounding us, that we have realised with increasing clarity we are dependent upon- or use it to wipe our sorry asses off the face of the planet before we become a danger to the planets surrounding ours. In this there is a failsafe to nuclear technology; only a peaceful, harmonious society can hope to survive the advent of a nuclear age. One overcome by self-centeredness and blinkered enslavement to special interests will quite simply self-destruct, before it spreads.

Looking at the challenges that face us, we would be well-advised to remember this central and well-designed truism of universe existence. The path to having god-like power is also the path to god-like responsibility and the consideration of others this brings, and in this context I include not only humans, but the rich variety of life with whom we share our planetary existence.

Everything that has happened thus far can only be seen as a warning shot, a shot above the bows, fired by no external enemy, but by us, towards us, warning ourselves of the responsibilities to ourselves and the planet we hold. There was once a time to record history, there was once a time to speak of history's own unfoldment, yet now has come a sudden rush of something that can only be called consciousness, not only the consciousness of a few individuals, but one on a planetary level.

Let us look at the year, look at the calendar and we will see how little time is left, mere moments of this illusion we call time. In these moments, we have to learn new ways, ways in keeping with our enlarged sense of selfhood, fired by our ascendant technology. A world on the verge of discoveries of deep space travel, time travel and on the cusp of computing power that could peer into the very structure of this mathematically-designed universe itself, must awake to itself, must awake to it's own internal unity, it's various members being parts of one body, a body that is waking into consciousness of itself and it's place in the universe.

In many ways, this is the last year before the great beginning. This is a time of great and dramatic change, a sudden unfoldment of evolution, by the end of which former things will be no more. A natural, sustainable world in terms of energy, politics, human inter-relations is the only way forward and it is becoming clearer and clearer all the time. As our dreams, both personal and collective, come closer to fruition, we will all the more strongly reject that which is not in accord with them. For we are not so much being remade by some hypothetical outside force, as remaking ourselves, being ultimately the arbiters of our own destinies, the co-creators of ourselves. A process we are all the more conscious of, as the moment dawns when we can stand upright in mind and heart, as well as merely in bipedal form. A moment in which we will be in touch as never before with who we are, aware as never before of that divine spark burning brightly within us and ready as never before to resume communication with our divine ancestors, who have cared so lovingly for us for all these years.

Investigating the Iraq War... Officially

Lord Goldsmith got taxpayer help for Iraq war inquiry legal advice | UK news | The Guardian

This is from the 'Chilcot Panel, set up to investigate the legality of the Invasion of Iraq. As the article says...

"At one point, as he continued to question the advice of Foreign Office lawyers, Straw accused Wood of being "very dogmatic" by warning that an invasion would be unlawful, the inquiry heard. It was told that Downing Street was reluctant to hear arguments about whether an invasion would be legal. Wood described how he received what he called a "curious request" from Straw in October 2002 asking for his views on the consequences of acting without international legal authority in using force against Iraq. He responded by saying that it was "inconceivable that a government which has on numerous occasions made clear its intentions to comply with international law would order troops into a conflict without justification in international law". He also reminded Straw that under their official code of conduct, ministers had a duty to "comply with the law, including international law".

He said his warnings were sent to Downing Street. Worried officials there asked: "Why has this been put in writing?"

Straw will give evidence on the legality of the war in a second round of evidence from him on 8 February."

It seems to be turning out that the Iraq invasion, rather than being of 'dubious legality', as we have been told for so long, may actually be demonstrably illegal. The government lawyers consulted about it were actually, it seems unanimous on this point- that "without a specific UN resolution" it would be illegal. Now for many this is no news, but I hasten to add to them that their opinion is not only lacking in the legally binding power of a court, but also open to accusations of bias. The truth remains true (it is also my opinion, I might add, as it has consistently been throughout the whole affair), yet the legally enshrined powers will effect how much influence it has over decisions made.

What the inquiry is uncovering, which will probably not be the closed and toothless affair that the Labour Party wanted, is a consistent bullying from those higher up to rubber stamp an illegal invasion that wasn't just catastrophic- and I use the word advisedly, catastrophic, for the people in Iraq, but also for the reputation of the US and Britain in world affairs in general. The 'world's policemen' were seen to be bending the law in a way that suited them, even as it took place. Unprecedented demonstrations erupted as a result of this assumption of their own omnipotence. Now, tragically belatedly, but still welcome, courts are issuing verdicts that it was actually clearly illegal and as such people who lied about this will have to pay for their crimes. How far up the chain this will go is as yet unclear, though it should be remembered that Richard Nixon was impeached for far less severe offenses. Those with faith in the power of justice know that even if this particular enquiry falls short of the whole truth, others will pick up where they left off in due course. There is a word for what they got into that has stood the test of time... hubris.

Assuming it is established that it was an illegal war and that this is something they knew all along, the next question to answer- properly, not by the mob but by the jury- is why? Was it to increase the Western access to oil reserves, as is popularly believed, a classic neo-colonial war for resources much like Saddam's own invasion of Kuwait? Was it because they believed him to be a dangerous tyrant who's wings were not yet firmly clipped and that they would help the world by ridding it of him? Did they really believe that he might supply WMD's to terrorist groups to be used against Western cities (the most common reason given and one still being used for the controversial campaign or 'military adventure', depending on who you ask, in Afghanistan)? To my mind, the most plausible is the first answer- the invasion was clearly planned, both tactically and logistically well before the 'terrorist' attack of 9/11. The intention to take over the country, whether or not Saddam complied was established- if only by the moving of so many troops into position, at such great expense. It is almost inconceivable that they would be willing to go home 'empty handed'. It is also quite likely that the events of 9/11 were either permitted or even, (God forbid), staged so as to give some plausible reason for the whole invasion. Of course, all this is just my view, yet it seems to be increasingly widely accepted as more evidence emerges, most notably through inquiries such as these.

Yet it is also important to note just how badly Bush and Blair miscalculated. Their arguments failed to convince as many people or for that matter countries as they were hoping. Not only were tens of thousands of lives lost, but also their reputations. Resistance, both in the population and in the streets of Iraq was far fiercer than they anticipated and far less moderated. They succeeded in doing what many warned would happen- lionising Islamic Militancy and helping add fuel to it's fires throughout the Islamic world. They also weakened our on military deterrent by showing how our troops could be vulnerable to certain weaponry and how our strategies can be undermined by the power of the media itself to expose our hypocrisy. Rather than being lauded as heroes who understood the system enough to circumvent it, they are seen as tax avoiders who are yet to stand trial. This isn't just a 'liberal view'. It's one based around moral and legal facts, facts that are emerging ever more clearly into the limelight as I speak. I foresee a day when they really do stand trial, if for no other reason than the fact that whoever puts them on the stand will themselves be lauded as a hero and the media that supported them will have their own fresh story. Whether this is a good thing or not is another matter.

The main thing to remember is that they weren't just attacking Iraq. They were demonstrating an extreme contempt for the whole international order, including the democratic laws of their own countries. It is hard to say anything that hasn't yet been said. As a morality tale, it shows the bankruptcy of Machiavellian tactics, especially in a modern context in which information is freely available. The only hope they have is that they can demonstrate that they were sincerely pursuing 'good motives', so the judgment of history will be gentler than if it turns out to just be a search for personal profit.

Now for the most difficult question- one I have to admit I don't have a satisfactory answer for. What can we do about it all now? What would be a suitable way of finding 'closure', so that we can return to, or perhaps create in a purer way than ever before, a more honest and good government? Although many are baying for blood and crying 'war criminal' or 'traitor', I personally dislike the idea of punishments, which seem to me to be a crude way to deal with misdeeds- far better to teach by example and help others realise that lying is wrong than look for some dark satisfaction in vengeful suffering. Many say that they are responsible for immense suffering, yet I think it more the case that their miscalculations were responsible for said suffering. If it sounds like I am letting them off the hook, it's not the case. Their disregard for the law, their incompetence, is criminal. But I need to know that they really did have darker motives, darker than those publicly stated, before I can move down the path of wanting their punishment as such. We should be looking to establish ideals in government and remember important lessons learned. One is that international law is there to protect us all, if it slows the resolution of things down, than that is a necessary compromise and a path to goodness. Impatience itself demonstrates lack of compassion for those effected by it and is therefor a vice.

A civilised, nuanced approach is needed to these official investigations and thankfully, this seems to be the approach taken, even if it takes longer, it is so much more exhaustive. We should be wary of repeating the mistakes of the pair in seeking to resolve a problem faster than is possible to and thereby robbing ourselves of good results. Humiliating show trials (even if they were possible) could be a mistake, softer means need to be used to coax out the truth and hopefully- unlikely as it is- gain their repentance. I also am not sure if it is likely. Can the system really examine itself? I prefer a South African 'truth and reconciliation' approach, for being less divisive and serving the far more important goals of moving on.

If they had ruled as absolute dictators, it would be a different matter, we have to keep things in perspective if we are to make choices conductive to a better future. Justice needs to be tempered with compassion, for something good to come out of the whole, sordid affair. I am not alone in my view- it is being seen as one of the main weapons in the fight against Islamic militants, so why not use it with the neo-conservatives that paid and created them (a major problem of course is how to gauge when the repentance is genuine and when it is just 'buying time')? Maybe a compulsory spell in 'megalomaniacs anonymous', followed by international community service requiring them to go around lecturing on the importance of telling the truth and respecting human dignity. In a sense, they have already started to pay. Tony Blair lost his chance to be the President of the EU, which he would otherwise be a natural candidate for, and whilst he still gets paid millions to speak, George Bush Jr. more likely has to pay people to listen to him.

Now all these calls for moderation are what I think is best, but it has already been taking many years, with the whole world being forced to endure the most diabolical lies, just so this incompetent pair can mire us in ever-deepening quagmires of their own making. It is becoming hard for good, decent politicians such as Barak Obama to rule effectively, such is the confusion created as to right and wrong, left and right. The toxic mix of lies and military adventures have actually come close to wrecking our countries' economies, not just our reputations. Hundreds of thousands have died, millions have had their lives disrupted and even destroyed, all for 'freedom'? Really?

The only way to overcome this confusion of priorities is to put the culprits on trial- real, civilised trials, for jeopardising the greater good to their own agendas. Only then can we know for sure whether they really believed (falsely) that they were helping and then can repent for such costly, malpractice-like mistakes. Or, if as many suspect, pure greed for profit was the cause, the military-industrial complex up to it's old, dirty tricks, well then, if we can't get whichever dark actors are secretly responsible for the orders being followed, then at least we can criminalise those who go along with it and show that really, they would have been better off listening to the legal advice available to them in the first place. If such is the case, they can't claim now that they were never warned, nor can they escape censure for their attempts to 'shoot the messenger' for the news they brought.

Now for my temporary closure on this article, which turned out to be much longer than I envisioned and was not exactly easy to write. Let's remember that everything in this life is an opportunity for a learning experience. Whether it is politics, love, history, past-times, anything. Hence criticism, made in a spirit of love, is necessary, or else we can never move on. Mistakes can lead to evil- in fact they always lead to evil results, yet often their authors simply didn't foresee that, even if they should have. Intentional wrongdoing for personal gain, however, is closer to the definition of sin. Such actions are in their very nature unforgivable and the only way out of their karmic chains is repentance. The Iraq war and it's continuing counterpart, the invasion of Afghanistan, are certainly at the very least the former. In any case in which the latter is playing apart, it is absolutely imperative that we know, so that amends can be made, compensation paid, repentance started. Imperative, as we all live in a legal, faithful universe and however darkly buried, such thing simply must come to light if we are to be freed from the peril of their bad affects. Knowing, for sure, is the first step towards healing. It is my sincere wish that these inquiries do just that and unmask the truth, so we can be free from the confusion of half-truths and innuendos and, even worse, excuse-making, once and for all. We need to move on, we need closure. That will only be possible when all the facts are in the public eye, however embarrassing they may be to their actors. Living in Japan I can see the strain of a society essentially at war with itself about it's past, at least partly because it has yet to come clean about it. I want my own society to be spared the pain of this and I hope, as a democracy, we have the tools to do this and recover that most treasured virtue- clarity of mind.

May God have mercy on us all,

Amen.

Starfire

Why Loving Words and Prayers are the Answer

Right now, we see the leaders in the Middle East playing politics with the lives of their people. We have to see beyond the loves and avoid getting caught up in the emotions they inspire. We have to see truly, honestly and fairly. This is the path of justice, the path of decency, which leads to quite a different destination to the ruinous path of vengeance.

As humans, words, sincere ones, are part of our scope for action. If the peoples of the Middle-East would only resolve their differences through talking to each other, we would all be in a much better position.

One has to be even-handed and understand the situation. Israeli politicians are seeking to establish themselves as the 'best protector' of their community- a strong attack, even risking the terrible human tragedy in Gaza is being cynically used at this time. There is also a desire to weaken the Iranian-linked Hamas regime just before Obama is sworn in, with his promise to listen more to the Arab side of the equation making action after this implausible. Right now, Israel is able to protect itself on the whole from the weapons being smuggled there, but not without life becoming very hard for their citizens in bombarded towns. From their point of view, why should they just wait and hope for the best, when the world around them appears to be actively helping their enemies? A regime like Hamas, that executes their own opponents is unlikely to show any mercy to Israel if their power does grow.

It is worth remembering that whilst both sides have built underground networks with their extensive aid budgets, Israel has civilian bomb shelters, whereas Hamas invested in a tunnel network for it's fighters and actually seems to hope it's civilians become victims. This is, of course, par for the course with insurgent movement and movements that see themselves as 'anti-colonial' (still an attractive, if somewhat fanatical epithet in the post-colonial, developing world).

All of this means that Israel is once again blundering into a costly experience of warfare. I cannot for the life of me excuse some of their excesses here. Frustration at an inability to hit sneaky, shadowy forces is no excuse for attacking civilian areas. The fact others do worse has no bearing on this- state terrorism deserves just as much approbation as 'underground' movements. There is no room for hypocrisy. The danger of disproportionate use of force is that it ends up being counter-productive. As such, no true friend of Israel would recommend it and the world as a whole won't accept it. A decent leadership in the US is needed to reign in a fanaticism on the part of the State. Love is curbing excess, not just understanding it. Hopefully, God willing, Obama will be just the right person to do this.

What is ultimately needed is a real United Nations. Not just the present one, one that promotes the likes of authoritarian Syria to their human-rights council, but one that is deeply committed to human rights for everyone. One that can see deeply below the surface and beyond media trends. In short, we need something that we don't have, and the nearest we have is the USA, hopefully back with us after the disastrous Bush years. Also imperfect, the US is at least able to be fair-handed, partly due to the mixture of multi-ethnicity and a culture valuing personal freedom for as many as possibly can receive it- hence the Camp David accords, the best chance yet for the conflict, or the Daytown ones in the case of the Balkans. The US is the peacemaker, she just needs an effective UN to go with this.

With all that said, progress is apparently being made. Wars are more limited and the weapons used comparatively accurate- a new concern similar to the ones for appliances being more energy-efficient. Things are actually getting better, despite appearances to the contrary and the tendency of the media to spread bad news. People care more and once the sense of sharing a common humanity spreads further, their bias will be a bias for everyone, not just their own chosen preferences. This undercurrent, to my mind, makes a hugely destructive World War III close to an impossibility. Progress in it's many forms will continue, though it will remain a moral roller-coaster in terms of what is right or wrong at each juncture.

It all comes down to love. Love is deeds, love is words, love is prayer, whatever makes the most sense. To my mind it is prayer that helps the most, the contacting of the highest part of us to send a message to eternity, inviting the purest of responses. The lack of love in that region, creating a void in which hatred manifests itself seems to be the biggest problem. It does concern me that so many think that stigmatising the (imperfectly) democratic and pluralist Israel is going to bring any sort of real peace. Making them more secure would be the best way to help- they certainly have the institutions in place to be a real benefit to the region.

In the longer term, a more enlightened perspective in which everyone feels secure is what that region needs. Violence is a symptom of a deeper problem- the same one Europe once, quite recently in the grand scale of things, suffered from.

A Meaning in the Tragedy

I am not happy for what happened in China and Burma. In fact, I say prayers for the victims and their families. Yet, did it happen for no reason? Do the human rights of monks matter more than those governments claim- can whole countries sin, if the innocent prophets (people with conscience), in their midst are persecuted? Maybe laws in the universe exist to curb tyranny and encourage compassion, laws maybe made by 'God', that it is up to us to learn about and respect.

If God is reality, it is what is. God is worth learning about, as God is, not as we would like God to be- for God's job is the difficult balancer of hope and justice, mercy and limitation. Only God knows what is best, to bring about the best possible future. It is up to us to choose the righteous and peaceful way to it. I don't like it more than anyone else, but my understanding is that the hope of a just eternity requires many tragedies, in order to limit human sinfulness- but these tragedies are not at all chosen by God- they are the risks and unwelcome side-effects of selfish action.

What do they achieve? They slow down despotic governments who might otherwise stoop to genocide or full-scale persecution of minorities. They enhance human compassion and the urge to co-operate and care for one another. If humanity was fully-evolved, they wouldn't need such experiences, or indeed any such tragedy. Our hunger for them, as a race, even in the arts, indicates a need to feel the value of life afresh.

In fact here is the secret- if they are experienced vicariously in the arts, they may no longer be called into our lives any longer- as experience is everything for evolving creatures, such as ourselves. Humanity needs to love one another, as all men are ultimately related. If there is any meaning in such things. I believe it is something like this.

But I repeat, this is all not God's will, but the result of our erring. God wants us all to attain Paradise and Eternal Life- it is just for us to have the faith to accept this ultimate gift awaiting us, lying like the wild flower in the field, waiting to be sniffed.

Nature or HARRP?

Recently, there have been several attacks on the Chinese- aligned powers of China and Burma. One wonders where these have come from and what set them off. The persecution of monks and a lack of respect for divine values has driven a lot of people against their Communistic and Godless system. Yet, I do not believe in a punishing God. No good God would cause the deaths of hundreds of thousands, with all the suffering of their relatives, intentionally. No real God would do anything without a full intention.

Having said this, by denying God and closing their ears to the great spiritual leaders of the Dalai Lama and Aung San Suu Kyi, it is hard to sympathise with the wretchedly evil Chinese political system- with the government, if not the innocent people. If something was to weaken those governments and bring democracy closer, it wouldn't be such a bad thing. Yet the suffering of the innocent is something no good God would cause.

For some, it seems that evidence points towards this being a use of the HARRP project, which they say involves beaming intense electromagnetic energy into the atmosphere to affect weather systems. In short, cyclones and earthquakes being used as weapons in an attempt to extend control over weakened opponents. As the new world order extends itself, it takes out other, smaller, despotic governments along the way. Yet there is always a bigger fish, and the Illuminati shall sooner or later meet their match.

I for one am not sure what is really going on, I have yet to be fully convinced even that the Illuminati exist. Yet it does seem that in such a scheme, evil forces would ultimately cancel one another out, the way the Nazis and Soviets fought so viciously in the past- with millions of innocents being caught in the crossfire. The main reason not to believe this is happening is the scarcity of evidence- just because it 'explains' everything, that doesn't mean it's true- though the lack of evidence avaliable also doesn't 'prove' it's not taking place this way.

Cling to God, the Eternal family and find your safety there. This unstable world offers no true sanctuary as does His Kingdom, which offers, "A peace this world cannot give". Whether this will save you from natural disasters or wars, or just assure a peaceful afterlife if you fall victim to them, we have to trust in the Eternal and not be fools, placing faith in the untrustworthy things of this world. Righteousness streams forth from the Godly, they are not led astray by the glimmer of false gold or the allure of unjust power. Their testament shall endure forever, in the Askasic records of our universe, being written in the Book of Life itself.

Pray for the innocent victims of these terrible disasters and let their communities find peace, comfort, freedom and true faith. Whatever brought them on- be it national sin, global warming, overpopulation, HARRP, or just the movement of tectonic plates, those individuals suffering were just living a normal life with those they love. We need to remember tham and keep our humanity intact.

All are God's beloved children.
Amen.

Messenger of Stories

Recently, the urge to finally see what it is that I am really here for became stronger than ever... pondering, asking my girlfriend, I come to the inescapable conclusion that I am...

A messenger of the Lord, however minor a one I may be. A kind of spiritual teacher. I have been trying to be this, in a fairly literalistic fashion, on Cosmic Teachings and my video teaching project, but without much of an audience. The next stage is to address my audience better. Be less self-satisfied. Reach out and touch people, the way some of my better photos do.

This means teaching with stories, the original promise of RE- reality education. Alongside and within them can be spiritual facts, just as Obi Wan and other Jedi occasionally teach in the midst of star Wars action and romance. but the dominant theme for most people must be the story- this is what draws them in and keeps them excited. This is what attracts me as well, so it would be hypocritical to deny this.
Even Jesus taught the masses with stories and parables- reserving their exact explanations for close followers, which can be found in the New Testament and even more so in the Urantia Book (if you trust it, as I do).

To be a spiritual teacher is not necessary to be otherworldly all the time. It is to relate the ways of heaven to those of the Earth, even if they contrast, so as to teach as many people as possible- for as long as possible.

Teaching Strategies

Teaching Strategies

Teaching English gives a chance to learn how to tailor the mediation of complex universe topics with the needs and abilities of students. This way, they can comfortably understand as much as they can and be presented with challenging material that won’t be so hard that it makes them give up all together.

A lot of The Foundation’s teaching program includes material that will appear quite revolutionary to the minds of potential students. The task of the teaching mission is to ensure that it remains sufficiently evolutionary in it’s approach to be grasped.

New Dreams

These days I have been sleeping in deeply, as I often do in the winter months. Thoush I am somewhat anxious about what will happen with my school and what comes next, I also realise that such anxieties are part and parcel of the insecure human condition- one in which all things change and degrade if left too long- one in which we never really know what the future holds.

So relaxed with this awareness, I drift into deep inner worlds. The other night I was in a dream, drifting above the Earth, where the god who controls disneyland decided that people were taking the place forgranted and not appreciating the deip mythic messages within it, so he disconnected the electricity. I was surprised when, a few days later, my girlfriend told me that in fact the electricity had stopped there for a while a week ago and many people complained as they had come so far and the most interesting rides were out of action! Living in high-tech Japan, Disney is a kind of heaven so I can appreciate their disappointment.

Another dream last night had me witnessing a robot who had the desire to seize control of an empire or something like it. This future had decided that to limit the possibility of wrongdoing, each advanced robot would have a team-member son they can keep each other in check. This particular robot was giving orders to his very loyal team-member that were helping him seize power, all along intending to destroy what might be his one real barrier. Pushing him from a high ledge to his doom,, I was saddened to see him carry through such terrible plans and reminded of the ways of the Sith in Star Wars, in which the apprentice seeks to destroy the master and thus gain his wrongfully held power.

One more of these fantastic, but ultimately rather disturbing dreams saw me in some mythic past, watching as one of a team of warriors was carrying out his task to destroy a horde of aliens deemed unclean and dangerous. He felt no wrong-doing in what he saw as a neccessary task- but as he pursued them downhill into a valley, one of them leapt toward him, a seeming mix between a human and a deer. Suddenly, he fell in love with her and she with him- he forgot his now despised task and they kissed- at which point she was transfigured into a beautiful creature. I was then told that this was the reason why we call those we love 'dear'- all steming from this moment. Then I heard wonderful, full classical music, perhaps that of Bach. It was as if it was supra-live, all around me and enriching the air itself with it's sounds. Sometimes I hear this heavenly music and believe it to be the famous 'music of the spheres'.

I am now alternating to going to parties, cooking, taking and sharing photos and this deep sleeping and dreaming. It is a wonderfully bohemian existence and I hope it long continues. I am, learning so much, feel so warm and safe in God's healing love. I suppose these dreams are some way of dealing with my deepest fears, of the abuse of power and the unfair treatment of people. Yet coming as fantasy, they have an excitement, emotionally moving aspect and sheer aesthetic joy that comes from art itself. So I wish to know more. To know more of the victories of Love and what it means in each and every dimention.

God be praised for revealing truth now as he ever has done,

Amen.

Motivations

In case anyone is using this as an alternative root to get to the rest of my artistic and experimental works, please take a look at my Messages, made with the Flickr-linked 'motivator' tool. I doubt all that many people there will be interested in these creations other than from an artistic standpoint, but still, I tryb and make thses more and more close to universal truth.

You can see them here-

Messages

Please enjoy

Starfire

Moments of Infinity... Now Moments of Eternity

A short note here- Moments of Infinity has been given the more reasonable name, Moments of Eternity. It will also quite soon be updated with some new writings on the subjects of perfection and of love.

The Great Earthquake Nears

As anyone who follows this story will know, the fall of nova has left many stranded in japan, victims of circumstance that no-one seems to want to help. Now they are being offered cheaper flights home (which some simply can't afford) and in the longer term (3 months) their salaries finally. I can see that some may not really see it as an option to go back, even if they can just about afford a ticket and will stay- finding what work they can, maybe even going homeless. Japan has some sympathy for them, but is avoiding the responsibility they have for having invited all these guests to come and experience their culture and provide so much entertainment and sympathetic help (whatever cold-minded nonsense you hear, language school teachers often double-up as therapist/councilors and none that I met is as selfish as the average 'full time worker'- self-important buffoons that they are, denying god's reality with their every breath (okay, there are exceptions, but todays professional pharasies are not as pure-hearted as they claim).

I do smell a certain racial attitude towards these foreign guests in not doing enough to ensure their pay is refunded (pay that was stolen by a company with deep connections to the government here, much like Enron had in America), nor to ensure that basic HUMAN RIGHTS like food and shelter and security are granted. The Japanese workers can stay with their families- foreigners can't- sometimes even in their own countries, where families are much less close (living with mine would mean a lot of verbal abuse alongside all the kindness and I'm not sure I could take it in the middle-to-long term). I know I partly came to Japan to be more independant and save for the future- trusting the government approval of Nova and their legitimacy as a large company. Back then it was easy to leave for something else- now the market is not only depressed, but also flooded with thousands of other inexperienced 'teachers' in the same boat.

So, we see the media blaming the teachers for Nova collapsing, suggesting they should have been firm and loyal, even with no pay or no food. You see no offers from the government or even private citizens to help people they invited to help them with their poor English and narrow perspective on the world. Can God accept this treatment of the young and generous (with their time, if that is all they have)- can God sit back and allow his children to be treated this way- a way that is so shocking it has made the front pages of the international news?

If Katrina was America's punishment for the invasion of Iraq, the brutal conquest of a Sovereign land and the rape of her resources, all to satisfy greedy consumerist habits, one wonders what may be on the cards for Japan if they insist on proceeding with this bigoted nonsense and hard-hearted refusal to see what they are doing? Whatever Shinto might seem to teach them, humans all have equal rights (though perhaps individual aptitudes- rights to a happy life being a different subject). Could it be that Earthquake that has been on the cards for so long?

I should stress here that God doesn't punish- yet our actions, thoughts and deeds of our heart can bring forth consequences out of the great law of karma. God indeed counsels us to be kind and loving, slow to anger and hate, so that we are on track for the way he created us to be. But if we ignore such signs, wonders and teachings, who knows what might happen- only our faith and kindness can appeal to God's grace. Of course, I hope all this doesn't happen and Japan comes to it's senses and helps these poor buggars, and also that a lot of them go home, where it will be a lot safer- then they can come out again with other jobs. But all this makes Japan look bad for a reason- no-one tolerates intolerance- it can no longer be a 'dirty little secret' that can be hidden safely. America and the UN have yet to say anything- hopefully it will all be resolved before this is neccessary (remember, this is about people being marooned, not the economics of bankruptcy itself, which happens all the time, but rarely to foreigners on this scale).

In my country, people would certainly help and the government would already have many schemes to make sure everyone is safe and to an extent looked after. Maybe that's why when we had a flood, only a few people actually died. 'Natural disasters' bring their own message. Let's be good and fear the wrath of our own misdeeds- being loving, instead.

God, let there be compassion, peace ,justice and safety. May your kingdom come ton Earth, may we be saved from the harsh things of this world by your grace.

Amen

God is a Fair Employer

Well, I'm back here and it seem that a lot of my blogger stuff has gradually moved over to my Perfect Futures pages and also my video-blogging. The latter is getting some attention, though I still need a lot of work on presentation. There are various series- Tech Talk, Cosmic Transitions (a kind of video-version of Starfire Teaches, or that's what I hope for), and the usual assorted clips and slideshows. I am also starting to pay more attention to issues- partly how they effect me (including emotionally- news seems to do that to me a lot, maybe I'm a bit of a news junkie) and how they potentially could do.

An amazing thing happened. I prayed to God for some financial reward for serving Him and compensation for my stress over the summer- a time when I tried to just do the right thing by my family, but was frequently misunderstood. I want to work for God and what kind of employer doesn't get around to paying? I was then promised a cheque in the mail, that would give me something to do with university in November, to the sum of about 1,000,000 yen, though there would be a 9 in there somewhere to make this possible. mysterious, huh?

A few days later, my mum emailed to say that she had been offered some more funds she was due from her parent's inheritance, $9,000 to be exact and she decided that she wanted it to be for me to study something in university to help with my future. I thanked her and asked if she wanted to split it or something- she said no, she wanted me to have it. It came and, converted to yen, it is about a million. but it arrived in October... hmmm. I took it to citibank, where it turns out they take 22 days or so to process the cheque, bringing me into that month.

So, for anyone paying attention, God does pay his prophets, his love is supra-material, but also in the material sphere. More to the point for me, it seems, with all this Nova crisis I had better improve my marketability and indeed employability for better-paying jobs- and an MA would seem to be the best way to do this (trying to drum up private students has yet to prove really profitable, but I suppose, like the occasional photographic job, it is fun and a good sideline). Come November, I will try to sign up for an online course.

Thanks, God, for this and of course everything else- dream girlfriend, apartment, job and beautiful co-worker too. I suppose many will say this is juts good luck or random chance, which is often what I say when I don't want to get too deep. But we all know how ridiculous it is to try putting any form of Worldly government before that of the Universe itself. God is in charge, sees all in our hearts and is very much not mocked. Clever words may impress one's fellow man- but not God- who respects the Love that is the essence of all things and ultimately rewards those who keep his most basic commandment- to LOVE.

Video Teaching Project

My desire to teach cosmic truth to a wider audience recently got a boost as I started 'video blogging' about it on YouTube. It is just beginning now, but the project calls for, 'direct, informal, lovable communication of cosmic truth. It is not expected to be overly scripted and should evolve into an effective medium for conveying messages in an easily digestable form'.

As is pretty well known, many spiritual teachers are remembered more for their utterances in person than for their books, (if they even wrote any), so this may offer a more 'immediate' route to teaching. The words on this screen are composed of generic characters- only by cleverly arranging them can I convey the emotion and feeling that I wish to. Handwriting is a little better, as it expresses your personality in the style- but it has pretty much died a death in this internet age.

It is hard to get to grips with new technologies- they keep changing so quickly and many would have you believe that you are doomed by using the wrong company's apps or devices- which means trailing through reviews before choosing anything. In some ways I regret starting out with MSN Spaces, as it takes so long to load and has a childish audience (on the whole), but it is there and there to stay, at least in terms of telling people what I am up to. It is the only place friends look me up.

My blogs here on Blogger have attracted a little attention, but it is deeply felt and relevant. It is not so much how many readers you have, as how well they understand you. All the anonymous hits on Pbase can't compare to the few heart-felt comments on Blogger. It is all so relative.

Nevertheless, my teaching project is inherently evangelical, a reach-out from the powers of heaven to the often sadly lost peoples of the Earth. It needs to be accessible- it needs to convey feeling directly as words without feeling lose their meaning- or even worse, attain a generic one. So lets all hear it for the video-blogging project- may it avoid technological hurdles and inappropriate attention, and help people to discover their true nature- help people to be free from the 'matrix' of modern, consumerist life.

The Work

It came to me in a dream, as all the best ideas do. My next step is to write a book- I have the time, I think I have the will, all that is needed is the ideas and the inspiration. A book is a long, drawn out process but also a chance to more fully develop one's ideas on paper.

Of course, it will be serialised here to some extent in advance, where my audience (no-one and everyone) will see it! It will cover some of the themes here, but it will also be fresh and original, breathing new life into the whole genre of 'the book'. I am thinking of having a character who desires to break free from the limitations of suburban life, but also from the 'dangerous' escapisms that so often figure in usual attempts.

In order to expand it's appeal, I can deliberately restrict the appearance of 'exotic elements' such as talk of angels or extraterrestrial beings. Though they will remain in the background, as my aim is to present a realistic vision, not a human-centric fantasy of a universe controlled only by homo-sapiens, the existance of more highly-evolved beings being denied. Yet, I should remember my chosen audience- the best and brightest of the generation and the rest of the population along with them.

The work is taking form in my dreams, so far it is extremely vague. I actually for a long time didn't like the idea of making a book, as it seemed too contrived and overdone. But the genre, the medium, rather, exists for a reason and a book (as scripture, for example) can be far more than a 'book'. It can be a gateway to other worlds.

The truth is that I haven't picked up a book in a long while, being immersed in the internet, seen through my screen. I also haven't written on paper much, preferring the word-processor ability to re-edit on the computer. If all of this sounds a little soulless, perhaps it is, but convenience, instant publishing and having everything in one place is what makes it so attractive, not to mention the automatic spell-checking.

If Starfire Talks is primarily a record of my thoughts, it makes sense that they should have a concrete goal- if no real destination. something that can be referred to. For a while I flirted with the idea of The Foundation, but that simply hasn't become any clearer and at least to my personality, seems overwhelming. So the next stage, if nothing changes, is that of The Work- a book, perhaps, but in fact something more.

A Focus of Direction for this Blog

Due to the unfolding disaster of the Middle East, this blog will be focusing as much as possible on the true way to combat hatred with the force of love and hence bring peace to that region- a peace that the world's politicians can't give. It is the writer's earnest hope that this goes some way to finding a stable, fair and as far as is possible permanent solution to the region, one that respects both it's multi-cultural heritage and the need for human rights. Deeply good intentions, prayers and meditation will inevitably bring such results- the keyboard is mightier than the gun- inasmuch as we are pure of heart, the results we long for will be borne as fruit on life's tree.

Note- 4th January 2008

Such a particular focus to this blog was not to be, at least so far. Yet peace in the Middle-East is a touchstone to peace everywhere and visa versa. The evolution and progress to peace is the main thing in our lives- and it is an evolution, as it is an attaining of a particular level of understanding and mutual justice at which real, sustainable and sincere peace is at last possible. We need to grow together a lot to realise this. We need to learn to grow together, like vines winding around the same tree of life.

The Horror of the Middle East

It seems that there is one region of the world, or at least one region of the world exposed by our media, in which horrors never seem to cease. People will blame politicians, history, geographic boundaries and these are indeed all factors to be considered. Yet in this blog one of the primary aims is get right, deep down at the very core reasons as to why man treats man so inhumanely there. I intend to use all my intelligence (what there is of it) and aptitude for discerning truth to discover this. For we need something more than blame and rumours- we need truth. Peace- lasting peace- requires truth. So it must be the absence of truth that is making this region bleed tears of sorrow.

Now for some, the reason for the problems there can be explained quite simply- the very existence of Israel, a foreign implant in the Arab territorial sphere, that pushed aside native people in order to establish herself. Yet, considering that so little of the killing going on there is actually done by Israel, this claim necessitates wild conspiracy theories of terrorism solely being the work of Zionist agent-provocateurs. This is a real possibility- but at the same time an outrageous one and not much different from the historical penchant for 'blaming the Jews' whenever something goes wrong. The plain fact is that not only does Israel have a large Arab population- far larger than any Jewish population in any Arab country at present, but that they are too busy trying to survive and have a normal country to be responsible for absolutely everything that goes wrong there. Much less the atrocities being committed by 'militants' in the region. Something deeper is going on.

We have to see what is going on in the hearts of the people to see how they can act this way. There are an array of terrible emotions- fear, hatred, feeling of betrayal, false hopes in the success of violence. Yet, all of this is taking place in the 'Holy Lands', if one believes in such a thing. The cradle of the three 'great' monotheistic religions. Who could spoil all this work to make a paradisaical Earth for us all?

The answer, simply, is Satan. He, ultimately, is responsible for putting the evil thoughts in mens minds to do atrocious things. He is quite clearly corrupting the minds of the people there whose fear lets him in, so as to block as well as he can the dreams they have of a better life there. Of course, this all has a childish simplicity to it. But, it is the most basic truth of them all and the reason so much anger and confusion arises around this topic.

You can blame Israel or America. You can blame Britain's colonial legacy. You can blame the extremists and opportunists in Iran or Syria, or the displaced Palestinian refugees that have been treated so coldly by Arab and Jew alike. But it will do no good, it will only add fuel to the fire and another partisan voice to the cacophony.

Satan wants to wreck God's plans. Right there, in the middle of the Earth, the middle that we still instinctively place this way on our maps, was not just the cradle of the great religions, but also the cradle of civilisation. The first humans evolved there and were bred with by the 'gods'- advanced, angelic extra-terrestrials, who infused them with advanced DNA and taught them the basics of civilised life.

A little remains- the aforesaid religions, the Bible, things like the Pyramids and Karnak temple complex in Egypt. But this was once the area of Eden, the Arcadian beginning of it all. Part of a a kingdom that Satan would rather corrupt than serve under. So corrupt it he and his kingdom does- and no people would he more dearly love to turn from their maker than the Jews, the people who the living God chose to show and spread his messages. How could he bear to let them live in peace and prosperity so that God's plans be fulfilled?

Yet, at every turn, there is the constant stream of love, the stream of the spirit, around us. always, everywhere and every time. If we listen to it's voice, we too can be saved. The reason Jesus came, right back to this region, was to show quite clearly the appropriate way to live and know God. This isn't to say that Christians are necessarily closer to these teachings than other people- they could just be hypocrites or culturally respectful of them, but, as the Western nations, they are custodians of the way forward, whether they know it or not. This also isn't to detract from secular efforts- religion, especially wrong-headed religion can do the worst damage of all and to live Jesus' teachings is not to be religious in the conventional sense of that term- hence his constant refutation of the legalistic Pharasies who put the law and their traditions before love.

We have the way forward, we have the holy spirit- yet we also have a region of the world where not only are Christ's teachings as recorded in the gospels actually illegal to distribute in many countries- a sad fact and one no apologetics will do away with- but they are quite simply not being followed. The fact that certain aggressive westerners have given a bad image of these teachings here and elsewhere doesn't help- but the people deserve the chance to see them for themselves. In fact, ironic though it may be, the last place for these teachings to spread and be commonplace is the area from which they arose.

Hence we have the continual terrible events of the middle-East, a sandstorm of chaos hiding God's promises from view. But one day it will clear. One day the promises will come true. Which is why the peace of the middle-east, the mutual survival of her peoples and the preservation of their multicultural heritage is something worth fighting for. Something that will always be worth fighting for, at least until it fully arrives and the peacemakers' blessed mission is complete.

The Bees

One of the things we can see all around the world these days is the unrelenting assault on the feminine. As more and more people are being coerced by the so-called ‘New World Order’ into occupations which are considered more ‘productive’, ‘profitable’, ‘economically viable’, traditional crafts, gentle lifestyles and the very appreciation of beauty is being driven further and further underground. In an increasingly pragmatic, goal-oriented culture, the appreciation of the beautiful things in life is considered ‘uncool’, ‘unhelpful’, and ‘time-wasting’. “Don’t smell the flowers, get back to work”, is the cruel cry. Yet, there are questions as to whether an even more industrialised, brutalised world is even sustainable, many of these revolving around the devastating impact on the environment they cause.

Just as it is proving psychologically traumatic to force millions into concrete jungles, where little natural beauty is there to inspire and lift people’s spirits, leading to a decayed life affected by drug abuse, criminality and unsettled personal relationships, so attempts to industrialise nature are leading to unexpected calamities. One of these is the sudden decline in bee populations.

When I was growing up, it was always fun to see the bumble bees playfully (or so it seemed), hopping from one flower to another, pollinating them so that future flowers and fruits could emerge. Yet, this sight is becoming increasingly rare in a landscape that discriminated against the natural growth of ‘pretty but useless’ flowers in favour of ‘cash crops’ that can be sold at a profit. The flowers that the bees rely on are increasingly rare, which means that, as the flowers likewise rely on bees, we are facing the possibility of an increasingly barren landscape that can sustain neither.

A mysterious new disease has also sprung up in many industrialised country’s bees, called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), in which for some reason whole colonies of bees suddenly disappear or die. No-one yet knows what causes it, but combined with the loss of available flowers, it is threatening bees all the more. On top of this, there are all the floods and droughts that appear to be caused by climate change,
What can we do about it? First of all, gardeners can plant more flowers that bees like, to help make up for the deficit. Then, farmers can plant more ‘bee-friendly’ crops in areas that are less profitable anyway, like hedgerows.

But the real change, to my mind, is a much more dramatic one. People need to be encouraged, in school and elsewhere, to appreciate the beauty and importance of flowers- that beautiful things are vital to the life of the planet. I somehow doubt we can totally avoid the great destruction that our ignorant, brutalising policies have brought upon us, in terms of global warming and other environmental problems. But we can help to stem the tide and alter destructive attitudes as much as possible. For our current attitudes to the natural world are not only selfish- they’re downright suicidal.

The Inner Meaning of England's Flood

Environmental catastrophes caused by global warming. Terrorists. Diseases. None of these will necessarily kill millions of people (though conceivably the first might), all of them are challenges and yet they are also something else. A reminder than death stalks the earth, that life in this body is not forever. The level of fear such subjects can produce can border on the hysterical. We need to do everything we can to move onwards, to target terrorists, to make fairer international arrangements, to move on to cleaner fuels, to study diseases. Yet, even beyond this, the possibility of seemingly stable arrangements drastically changing is here to stay.

What we have seen happening over the years in developing countries is coming closer to home. Fortunately, our means of dealing with it is better as Western countries are so much more organised. Yet, we are no so organised that we can ever be 100% in control of everything. The answer to this is a timeless one- to make more of the life we have, to be as good as we can, as one never knows when it will all be over (in this body, at least).


I feel deep sympathy for the people affected by the recent flooding, which may even get worse. The houses have been as it were erased- the scenes themselves remind me of news reports from Bangladesh or Indonesia. I was especially struck by photos of a cathedral, waters lapping almost at it's shore, yet it itself miraculously preserved. There is also a strange irony in the fact that water supplies in some areas have failed as the treatment plants got flooded- "Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink". Like the petrol queues in unstable Iraq, depite the vast reserves there, a resource has suddenly become scarce through uncontrolled profusion. Our Western 'immunity' to disaster seems not so concrete after all, though thankfully our ability to cope is strong.

The realisation is that people in developed, as much as developing countries are at a risk from the forces of nature that only seemed to be tamed. If this is, as claimed, a result of global warming, it shows that unwise policies have produced shocking results. The religious point of view is quite clear- our current level of morality is one that needs difficulties to spur growth and that these tragedies are in part a chastisement, from God or life, to make us better. Perhaps even the destruction inflicted on developing countries is being revisited on the countries that have abdicated their responsibility to prevent it. Whether this is true or not, I really don't know, but certainly, all that happens to us is the result of karma, of the effect of our own actions, intentions, even our most secret thoughts.

The root of this may well be our dependence on fossil fuels, with all the wars obtaining their now increasingly scarce supplies necessitate, along with our lack of regard for all those hurt thereby. Natural forces are moral- prayer can actually make the damaging effects a lot worse. Another problem in our 'developed' societies is our watered-down, luke-warm appreciation for all the wonderful things we have. I am convinced that He who gives can also take away, and that this will happen to us, as a whole, if we don't appreciate just how lucky we are to have them. The individuals afflicted may have done nothing wrong themselves, but as a society, we stand in need of improvement and when kind words fail to get through, this kind of disaster may make it’s appearance.

To say that some form of 'sin' is at the root of terrible events is not to say that we shouldn't energetically prevent them. This is not at all to promote a lax view of arrangements to deal with flooding or earthquakes, or for that matter 'terrorism' - courageously meeting these challenges is imperrative. It is a kind of battle between chaos and order, 'good' and 'evil'. But we should not let this surface struggle distract us from a far deeper issue, which relies on all of our intelligence, all of our morality. It requires a deep look at reality, not the fairy-tale stories of the events caused by this underlying situation.

The real challenges are those of peace and environmental awareness. Even these 'world issues' are transient, as what matters more, what has pernnial importance, what is closer to the very meaning of life, is the growth of our deepest compassion, of love for others, along with an intense appreciation of the wonderful world bestowed upon us.

The message of every tragedy is the same; to appreciate the value of life and use the energy of that appreciation to make it the world better for others. Life itself is what matters, not just our own lives, but those of future children, even that of other races, other creatures, even that of the planet itself. In that sense of totality, wisdom is to be found. This way, as ever, we are reminded that our higher values are more important than our possessions. I hope that from this flood, people find a new energy for life. The tragedy can be a chance to make life-changes that our usual routine traps us from even considering. We can find them in the news, we can find them in legends handed down, in myths, in history-books. We can learn from life itself, how to be better people today than we were yesterday. And this requires a lot of sincerity, a lot of truth and an undying commitment to the quiet power of love.

A Gift of Seeing the Future

My experiences glimpse the future in the way I do must be something of a gift. It seems to have been born of deep anxieties of the Middle-Eastern situation in particular and more generally, of how to turn the Capitalist ‘Trumphalism’ that followed the fall of the Eastern Block into a more workable, humane world-view. the world situation just looked so hopeless to me, it is perhaps natural that kind beings from the fields of space and time should reach out with reassuring visions for me. Some would say the main thing is that I saw them and see this as unusual- others would just say that I have a very active imagination. Yet for me, the powers of the universe were reaching out to help me. In a multi-dimensional reality it should come as no surprise that especially evolved beings can pass through the matrix to do good for others.

I have been very fortunate in that many of my visions are serene. I have come across many ‘prophets’ who foresee terrible times, dramatic catastrophes. Now, perhaps they can view them with a certain aesthetic detachment, or perhaps they are glad to be able to prepare the world (in as much as anyone can be truly prepared for such events). I see problems, but not great doom and gloom- which means that for many I may not be accepted as a prophet- but after all, who is?

I preach the Good News- that if we are faithful to our deepest values we can indeed have a wonderful world. In fact, we already have such in terms of the vast expanses of Mother Nature and the sheer quantity of lovely souls in existence. Yet, we have to see through the corruption of this world, to make it more closed to its original blueprint, to make it ‘better’, ever better. There is no stopping here as to stop, to pause on the gentle stream of life is to possibly get stuck in stagnant water- and this is where corruption sets in.

Perhaps great and tragic events will be necessary to resuscitate the human spirit and get back on these progressive tracks. Consciously, I believe this and expect great traumatic events that will somehow help to change the Earth. Yet my visions have so far shown me none of these. Perhaps they are in fact more limited in scope than many have thought, or perhaps my visions take place long after them. Either way, I wish for my visions to inspire people with the elixir of hope. What follows are some of the more positive consequences of living in this ‘possible future’ (it could be that there are many timelines and we must choose which takes place):

1- There is peaceful co-operation in the Middle East, which is a peaceful economic and cultural community for all the religions there. Interestingly, the religions tend to merge a lot and rediscover their ‘Jewish’ roots. I apostrophise this, as it may mean different things to different people, but obviously I mean this in a good way, as a natural religion, more a way of life loving God than a set of doctrines or, even worse, dogmas (the latter I believe poisoned many Jewish-derived religions, including Communism, making them think in the abstract rather than the real). They have, if you will, the religion Jesus spoke of as distinct from the one made over time by the Christians, great though both its achievements and follies may have been.

2- Cleaner technology means we do not pollute the atmosphere, making air cleaner, lighter and reducing the possibility of environmental collapse. The problems with the oil industry over making this happen are evidently resolved, probably with their co-operation and a great re-routing of their resources. Oil execs are human too (even if it may not always seem that way!)

3- We make contact with our ancestors/relatives- other humans living on other worlds. This infusion of history and culture inspires a new renaissance, a new feeling that we are not alone. We realize that not all in space are ‘alien’ and gain a new sense of our cosmic home. This is not just a scientific realization, but also an emotional watershed. Why fight when we are all one?

4) Genetic technologies turn out to be a good thing, helping us repopulate the world with previously rare creatures, and restoring our balance with nature. Our spirituality is much more harmonized, much less distracted with worldly concerns. There is no more violence in religion- the peaceful elements have won, in no small measure due to the fact that injustices feeding the violent ones have ceased to be a major factor of Earthly existence. The Earth is much more like a paradise than ever before.


When will this happen? Well, when we are ready, when we collectively open our hearts and minds to ‘letting it be’. This could be tomorrow, or could in fact be never. It behooves us to uplift one another and know at least that such possibilities are just as realistic as any other… in fact they may even be inevitable at the end of history when we finally realize what life is really about. Let it be…

The Search for Perfect Futures

What really started my blogging experiments (which for the moment is what they are) was my visions of the future. Not exactly specific things taking place like a character in Heros might experience, but short journeys to a land where wristwatch computers and artificially-made animals are commonplace. My experiences with LSD and meditation, in that order, seemed to have opened up some kind of gateway, through which I could view this wonderful new world. I saw wonderful for the simple reason that, whilst it is certainly not perfect, the future I was viewing was obviously a nicer place to be than our current world.

I went there in wonder at the new devices- an internet viewer on my wrist, which my mind could be merged with, to see the past history from the year 200 up until 2040, hydrogen-powered cars- but also to see new problems. I was shown a ‘female’ android who had taken children hostage because she was furious at not being respected as a woman. I saw myself in some future life, having fallen in love with someone from a lower chaste, a relationship that was forbidden. No, the future is not perfect; there is still the pull of greater freedom for those without it and the reality of exploitation for society’s victims. The line between the two is, as ever, blurred. Have you ever felt sorry for a coffee machine? Maybe one day you will!


Life for me is both something to enjoy and also a search for justice. I don’t say a struggle, as this phrase is both overused and suggestive of some degree of violence, one against another. In fact, this search for justice is a mutually-beneficial thing, a turning of strangers, or even enemies, into friends. It is the real-world process of creating a heaven on Earth, in recognition that we are all God’s creatures. Yet, the freedom of luxury still means that someone needs to do the work- be it robot or human, the temptation will always be to have some form of slavery in place, slavery of beings that will sooner or later wish to share in the freedoms they helped make possible. No system yet known to man has relied solely on fairly rewarded work- the exploitation of immigrant workers, or developing countries is just the latest example of this in our ‘slavery free world’ (not!)

This being so, we need to always move the barriers back and make life fairer for more people, which will also make it ultimately safer. My visions of the future show me this- that the technological challenges can be met, though the human ones need just as much attention. Who knows what challenges will really confront us? All I know is that to a great extent, technology is both the answer and the question- how much, when and how to apply it- which moves the question back to us again. It is we who make the world.