No, this is not a philosophical discussion of the fact time is an illusion, just thought it might grab some attention. This is rather, a response to two articles from the last issue; “The SIMS” and “I Am Free….” Both discussed the issue of free will and fate (choice and destiny) from both sides of the argument. I personally believe this to be an irrelevant debate.

FATE and FREE WILL are constructs of the human mind. They are Absolutes. Like black and white, good and evil, they simply don’t exist in nature. It’s all varying shades of grey. So, no-one is 100% destined to do something, and, no-one is completely ‘free’. Just like black/white, up/down, blunt/sharp, etc, you can’t have one without the other. If you don’t believe me, read up on DIALECTICS, a philosophy developed by Frederick Engels.

These are the kind of basic misconceptions, I believe, to be the reason for much of the destructive conflict in the world. They stem from our need, as post-renaissance human beings, to measure, quantify, categorise, predict and control everything we come into contact with. After 400 years of this, most people have lost the ability to view the world, and everything in it, as anything but separate entities. Which, is true, but it’s only half the truth.

I think we need a global paradigm shift towards a holistic worldview, one that encompasses every thing, system, process and force, on its’ own terms, within its’ relevant context.

This view must be centred round the only universal truth that exists, that of UNITY. – “Everything can be broken down into its constituent parts, and, is itself a constituent part of a larger whole. With no upward or downward limit.”
With this perspective, people can begin to relate things together and see the patterns underlying life and nature.

I believe once people do this, they will see how pointless the debate about free will and destiny is. Just as irrelevant as the ‘Science vs Religion’ debate, or whether “God” exists or not. It’s like having a debate over who is more important, man or woman. Only ignorant people think one is more important than the other. You already know they are both equally as important, just in different, but complementary ways. 
Intelligent Design or Evolution? They are words. Words that make us believe they are separate, conflicting ideas. How about these words;
God is the Evolving Universe, or, we Intelligently Designed Ourselves.

I started out as a god-fearing Christian, then became and atheist, then agnostic, then a Pantheist. Now I choose to reject labels of this kind, because they only help disintegrate our society and views. We need terms that help integrate all our combined knowledge, experience and wisdom. Why not have spiritual beliefs rooted in science?

My views on theological issues can be summed up by a now dead comedian, Bill Hicks.
“Young man on acid today realised that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration. That we are all one consciousness experiencing itself, subjectively. There is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we’re the imaginations of ourselves.” I think views such as this one would aid our society in actually becoming multi-cultural. 

At the moment we have ‘micro-culturalism’, many cultures living separately in one fractured society. Instead of our current primary and secondary education systems having schools for different religions, sexes, etc, we need a move towards all schools being an even mix of boys/girls, rich/poor and Muslim, Christian, Jew, Hindu, Athiest, Buddhist, etc. If society and the business world has this mix, don’t you think it should be reflected in our education institutions. Otherwise our schools become breeding grounds for racism, sexism and most other –isms.

Also, in relation to last issues story on abortion, my adopted friend put forward the argument that “if abortion was more widely accepted, then he wouldn’t exist”. But, as I said before, this is only a half view, an incomplete picture of both sides of a story. Because, as I said, “But if it wasn’t, I wouldn’t be here.”

We must rid ourselves of such a black and white view of what is ‘good’ and what is ‘evil’. No baby is born inherently evil. It is the systems in place that allow people like George Bush to believe he can bring about world peace, with a ‘War on terror’. News for right wingers, WAR IS TERROR. So don’t hate, this leads to terrorism. Instead, get frustrated with Howards’ oppressive regime and use this frustration to do something positive. Show sympathy towards others and FIGHT THE SYSTEM that embraces hatred. 
Never resort to violence, because “An eye for an eye, makes the whole world blind”

So, have ‘faith’ in yourself and your own intuitions/judgements, reject ideologies (like globalisation) and do something positive for yourself, your family, our society and the ecological systems that support it all. Remember; 
“The only true ‘evil’ is when good men do nothing”

  - Timothy Webster.




addition if possible
- "If job losses are the primary reason the timber industry continues logging old growth forests, don't we have a duty to protect japanese whalers jobs. They have families to feed too."