OK, got it. I don't feel totally stupid. I do remember now you saying you were a fan but I guess I haven't read enough of your posts to remember to what degree!

(I actually did the search correctly, just didn't type it in correctly in my comment to you.) If I search for keyword EP and username magicalaurie, I get nothing, just a link to this topic here. I can't click on the search link you provided because it says the search id belongs to another user. The link you provided has his name, but since I didn't know his name, I couldn't search for that.

Do people really try to mock EP? Why would anyone do that?

No need to feel stupid. Thanks for investigating.

Or perhaps he disagrees with your interpretation of just what constitutes "violence."

But at least I figured out who EP is.

My interpretation?

Correct.

Hey Laurie, how are you?

I'm not sure what you were getting at exactly but I think we're going to disagree. Let me know if I've misunderstood.
Everything that follows are, of course, only my opinions.


"Yet, if they're so insignificant, NYC, why are you citing them as an example- don't you see you've just acknowledged your connection to them? The irony is you've used them to try to elevate the rest of humanity."

I only cited them as examples to show that the analogy the poem posits as this wonderful truth, is wrong. I don't view the fact that we're both human as proof of any connection, so there is no irony when I say humanity is better when they are gone.
As a side note to everyone going forward, I dislike analogies as they usually confuse and lead to disagreement. Therefore I will no longer consider any comparisons between the sum total of human beings on earth,(humanity) to a land mass, a forest, an ocean, people on a hypothetical lifeboat, a bowl of Jello or anything else.
In short, analogies hurt my brain.


"I see the same with those who try to mock EP while using him to proclaim themselves as so much less a joke than he was."

I have no idea who or what EP is. Regardless, I never consider myself a joke, so I could never consider myself less of of one. I have a feeling others may disagree with me on that though


"We're all connected."

I disagree. Furthermore I don't think were are all of equal value. A brain surgeon is more valuable than a bum, taken at face value. You may disagree, as you most certainly have in the past, but to me this is a simple fact.


"I'd like to see humanity trying to heal."

So would I. In fact I'd like to see it do something to actually heal, by which I mean correct the mistakes we've made, and continue to make, which have led to all the inequalities which was originally the subject of this thread.


"Pitching real people out the window when none is made of any better than another is nothing more than hypocrisy attempting to deceive. It's so blatant and routine that many are afraid even to question it or face it directly anymore. But I believe still people see it for what it is whether they dare speak to it or not."

I wouldn't pitch any real person out any window unless they were a direct threat. Not even a murderer or child molester. I believe in non-violence but I am not a pacifist.
Since I've stated clearly that I think that humanity is made better when such scum are gone; I can't see how I'm being hypocritical or deceptive.
What anyone else sees, but is afraid to question, face, or dare speak of, is their own business.


"We have a choice"

Technically yes, but the majority are having the choices available to them steadily diminish, while the minority make more and more choices for them, very badly.


"I want to see truth and healing."

I think most good people want both of those things, but they never seem to define them. I ask you what is your truth that you'd like to see manifest and spread, and what exactly is the damage we are to heal from?


"I may in fact agree with you that we are not diminished by the death of another"

DO you in fact agree? From what you've written above, and before, it appears you don't. Again maybe I'm misunderstanding your meaning.


"Perhaps we have let opportunity pass"

If by opportunity you mean the final chance to correct our course, then I disagree. We have certainly let many opportunities pass and we continue to do so every minute.


"We continue learning, though"

Agreed, but we don't seem to be learning the right things fast enough. The sad truth is that the inequalities continue, and they're growing ever faster, as does the violence and destruction.
Many species have come and gone, but we may have the dubious distinction of being the first to destroy ourselves.
If we do we'll have no one to blame but ourselves, since we certainly aren't lacking in ability or resources.

As always, and for all of us,
Peace.

“To judge a man by his weakest link or deed is like judging the power of the ocean by one wave.”



https://www.facebook.com/elvis

I say nonjudgment, nonviolence, love heals. Life is a gift. I spend a lot of time in Nature. And in Nature I see an understanding of truth, of grace. When I say we are all connected, I mean we are all connected. Life is a gift. Love heals.

To say “To judge a man by his weakest link or deed is like judging the power of the ocean by one wave.” makes no sense.

I think you understand what he was trying to say, tommy.

I'm sure you also see a lot of violence in nature. A lot of animals kill each other to establish dominance. Male lions kill the cubs of vanquished foes when they take control of a pride.

At least we've gotten past the simple kill or be killed, so there's that.

We all judge, it's how we value things and people. Non-violence and the healing power of love is all very nice, but I was looking for something more concrete. My bad.

At least I found out who EP was. I have no idea how he figures into this, but I understand you now.

Thanks anyway.

Take care.

Grace.

The point is, NYC, we all need healing, and are allowed to have it. And, obviously, that includes those you call "scum". That's truth. And acknowledging that will allow healing for all. Love heals. It reconciles. Accepting grace is a humble thing to do. Suffering is optional. Perpetuation of violence is a choice. You're looking for something "concrete". Life flows. Love heals all. I'm thankful for that. Life is a gift. It goes way beyond $.

So do you contend there is no need for prison? Just love the offender and all will be right with the world? I do not understand your position.

We'll just have to disagree on this.

There are things you don't come back from, and scum do not deserve healing.
So we have a different truth.

Not all suffering is optional. The victims of molestation were given no choice. Life often stops flowing for them although they continue to exist.
Life stops flowing for murder victims also

No offense, but platitudes about love and grace are all well and good in the abstract, but we live in the real world.
People make concrete choices, and those choices define them. Some take the gift of life and throw it away. They become monsters and forfeit grace, love and forgiveness

There is a deeper level to this, but it's not necessary to go into it.

As always, I wish you

Peace