Gnosis - the faith that knows (revised)

PISTIS SOPHIA Blind faith is dangerous. Faith centered around experiential knowledge is not. Faith comes by experiential knowledge, or as it is called in the Greek Gnosis, a word used many times in the New Testament, AND numerous other Hellenistic writings. Blind faith is the opposite of that, in fact it is the kind of faith that ignorant, primitive peoples operate under. These are the kinds of people who usually believe anything, and have no problem being the slaves of religion. Faith, real, true faith that the Knights of the Keystone Order ascribe to, means to know something and ACT upon what you know. This is not what is taught in most Churches, Mosques, or Synagogue's. Most of what is taught there is blind faith, just believe what we are telling you, and don't dare try and question us. Most people in the three major religions of the world, struggle in their faith. It is very common for people in these three religions to constantly be struggling in their faith, even though most dare not admit to it, since admitting to it might mean you are of the evil one, and others may not look up to you on your super high Spiritual Plataea. They may see you for what you really are, a doubting Thomas. If you have to try your hardest to keep the faith, then it is almost certain that you are operating in blind faith, and have no idea what it is you really believe in. Truth is, you have never tasted or experienced any aspect of your religious beliefs. However, that is how most people live their lives, and what is truly sad, most people seem to be okay with it. Going to church on Sundays, hearing a sermon, and taking communion is much easier than going on a spiritual journey which could take a life time. Blind faith is emotional, in fact that is all it is, there is nothing logical about it. Blind faith lives by what it feels rather that what it KNOWS ( Gnosis). And that is the problem. Emotions are wonderful, and can be the spice of life. But irrational emotions, based on blind faith, are dangerous, and usually leads a person down the path of constant failure in nearly everything in their lives. Blind faith IS failure, over and over again. Most people who operate out of blind faith go from high to lows, and lows to highs. Their lives are like a constant roller coaster ride, up one minute, down the next. This is because they have actually never experienced what it is they claim to believe in, and are only believing what some one else has told them. So, their faith, or blind faith rather, takes them on an emotional roller coaster. When they are feeling good, they have alot of faith, when all hell is breaking loose, and they feel like crap, they have low faith. As if faith has different levels. There are no levels of faith, you either believe something, or you don't, point blank. Even reading the religious texts of your so called faith is not experiencing it first hand. Sure, you are beginning to obtain knowledge of your faith but there is a difference between head knowledge and experiential knowledge. Knowledge of Dogma does you no good without experiencing it first hand. If I were to say to you, "feed the poor" and all you did was hear or read what I had said, without doing what I said, you would have no experience with it at all, in fact, all you would have is a head knowledge. But if you were to experience feeding the poor for yourself, first hand, the purposes behind why I said it would become more clear to you. You would have experienced helping someone who may not have other wise been able to help themselves. The same thing goes for most knowledge in the world. Corresponding actions along side of instruction is of a much greater benefit than sitting in a class room and reading what others have done. It's okay to read what others have done, and even learn from their successes and mistakes, but unless you get out there and do it yourself, you will not have any successes or mistakes of your own. Success and failure lead to experiential knowledge. Truth is most of us have come from some kind of religious background, whether it be Orthodox, Fundamental, contemporary, etc. Most of us have had to take what we have been taught, throw it out the window, and start a journey on our own. Alot of us have read the religious documents of our faiths, and now that we see clearly, we can see that most of what was taught to us is not even in the religious writings of our faiths, and what is in there was twisted to fit a specific churches or persons dogma. Most of us have now learned alternative philosophy, science, other religious writings and customs of peoples around the world, and we can clearly see that to many of these other peoples, blind faith is looked upon as anathema to their ways of life. In fact, the people of the East are one such peoples, who despise mythos and prefer to experience their religions first hand, and not on the experiences of others. How boring is it to live off the faith of another, off the experiences of another, why not experience them for yourself, and see if what you have been told is true or not? So in this we say, that it is Pistis Sophia and not purely faith that gives the individual what they need to connect with the divine nature. Pistis Sophia, wisdom faith, the faith that knows, the faith that comes from experience and experience which comes from action, and action which comes from knowledge. For example, I have boiled water at a specific temperature many, many times and now I know, that every time I place a pot of water on the stove and raise it to that specific temperature it will boil. I believe so strongly that the water will boil at that temperature every time, that I do not even question whether it will or not. This is experiential faith, this is Pistis Sophia, this is Gnosis the faith that knows.

Never Forsake

Never Forsake

In times of peace in times of war, in times of revenge that settles a score.

In times of love in times of hate, in times of happiness when we celebrate.

In times of brown, in times of green, in times of white and holiday sing.

In times of sorrow in times of joy, in times of fear and doubts that destroy.

In times of plenty in times of lack, in times of hard work and times of slack.

Truly you are there, you always exist, your presence is felt even when it's dismissed.

Sometimes we may doubt, sometimes we may ponder, but you never will leave us, even though we may wander.

Sometimes we may run, sometimes we may stand, sometimes we may jump but we're always in your hand.

You are there to provide, you are there to uphold, faith in this message, the greatest news I've been told.

-Anthony D. Luke

Reflective Power - The First Initiation

The Knights of the Keystone Order is a Philosophical mentoring organization. We are just one spoke in the greater wheel at large. The Knights are privy to specific esoteric knowledge that we will not be sharing in full today, however we will now reveal one of the most fundamental aspects of our group.

The Knights of the Keystone Order believe in a New World Order, one based on the concepts of liberty and mutual respect, built on the foundation of Meritocracy where ones rise in life is not based on who they know, or which family they have come from, but on what they know, what they have merited. The opposite of Meritocracy is what we call, the Old World Order. An ancient order, built on nepotism and cronyism. In the Old World Order it is not what you know, but who you know that determines your success in life. We feel that in a world as advanced as ours nepotism and cronyism is a thing of the past. However the root of the problem is much deeper than that. The Knights are also privy to other knowledge, knowledge that there exists a group of people in the world, we shall call them elites, who actually control the world. We understand that this group is few in number, as are we, but they are very powerful, and have been powerful for a very long time. They control nearly everything. Banking institution's, major corporations and even government. Their families have been in the power business for hundreds, if not thousands of years. We know them as the monarchs of England, nobles of the world, super rich elitist families, celebrities, etc. These people dictate how the world will run. If they want the world to prosper, it prospers, if they want the world to suffer, it suffers, point blank. But everything they do is to further enrich themselves, and obtain more power for their families.

But there is something else. There is a more sinister power behind the powers that be, something so terrifying that when I learned of it, I was shocked and in disbelief. How could it be, that this power had slipped by me for all these years. Some would label this power as something supernatural, like Satan, or a fallen angel. Some have said it is God, or aliens from another planet. But the power that is is much more terrifying than any of those.

Each philosophical or religious belief has speculated to what this power is. Depending on your philosophical or religious beliefs those speculations differ. But none of their speculations are accurate. The power behind the powers, is much more frightening than anything you could have ever imagined. It is a sinister power, one that hides in the shadows of plain sight. You have seen this entity with your own two eyes, and when you learn of the truth you will be shocked by the revelation.

There are only 6000 people roughly who control the world, we call them the Old World Order. They are super wealthy, and pass their power down to their children. You are not included in this power structure. You can only be included if you have something of great value to them. They control most of the worlds economy, through currency creation, resource distribution or government functions. Their families long ago, wielded the sword and obtained most of the worlds resources and the ones that did not, learned how to control whole populations by controlling its governments. Theirs is a power that they will not allow to be dismantled. They have all the wealth therefore they control the police force, military and government officials. They do not have your best interests in mind. They could care less about you or your family. You are pawns in their game of chess, their game of power. They have not been sucessful in controlling all of the world...yet. They are on the verge however of doing so. There is a reason why your kids go to substandard schools, and their kids go to the top, elite schools. The dumber you and your family are, the more power they have over your lives. While you sit and watch Jersey Shore, they contemplate their next business venture. While you figure out what to do for the weekend, they are figuring out how to best further place you in debt to them. Theirs is the biggest ponzi scheme known to man, with themselves on top of course. However the power behind these people far exceeds anything they could ever dream of. In fact, this power is what gives the powers that be their power. As it says in Revelations; the beast gave power to the false prophet. This power is the beast of Revelations and it is far more powerful and deceiving than anything you could have ever imagined.

The Knights of the Keystone Order are prepared to reveal this beast to you, if you will see. Seeing is the key, since the beast hides in plain sight. The beast is a human, someone you would have never imagined. When you learn of their identity you will never be the same. When I learned of their identity I was shocked and in disbelief. I was anxious for days, and was restless. The experiences shook me to the core, I could not believe it. This person was, is, a good person, so I thought, but I was wrong, we are all wrong. When you learn of their identity you will not believe it either, you will argue that it is not so, how could it be, this person is a wonderful individual, full of love and compassion. But that is not the truth. This power is a beast for sure, a false prophet in sense of the word. Though this person claims to be moral and good, they are nothing of the kind.

Are you ready to see the power behind the powers? Are you ready to behold the image of the beast? I ask because it is shocking, live changing. Life changing for those who will accept it. Some accept it, others do not, and go back to their normal, mundane lives, bowing down to the powers that be. If you are ready to behold the beast, then prepare yourselves, for it is not easy to behold.

To see the beast, there is one thing you need to do. Go, quickly, find the nearest mirror and gaze into it. YOU are the beast! YOU are the power behind the powers that be, YOU are the power behind the Old World Order!

Because of your apathy, your comfort, your selfishness you have allowed the Old World Order to do as they please. You, by giving your consent to their dealings have allowed them to be who they are, to do what they do, and to be their slaves. All slavery is consensual. There is no such thing as forced slavery. Everyone who is a slave gives their consent, regardless of any threat of violence. You have given your God given authority over to them, and because of it, they wield it over you, and over the world. You are the beast of Revelations. The bible says that the number of the beast is 666, this is the number of man. 7 is the number of the divine. Mankind was created on the 6th day, God rested on the 7th, man therefore is stuck in the 6th day. The bible says that 666 is the number of a man, and let the hearer understand. 666 is the number of man, its your number. Many Christians talk about the mark of the beast, and that whoever has this mark will perish. Yes, this is true, but this is not some futuristic mark, all men have this mark, including you. It is the mark of man, whereas 7 is the mark of God. Don't you see, the beast is not some Anti Christ individual who will arise to take over the world. The mark of the beast is man, all men, who have already taken over the world. Through your consent, you have yielded yourselves slaves, to the power structure of men. You are the beast that gives power to the false prophet.

Stare at yourselves in the mirror for awhile, see who you are, see the power that you have, see the power you have submitted. The and only then, will you come to see yourselves as you are, as you can be again. Then and only then, will you rise up, take your power back and use it for the common good. The mirror is a powerful object, it is the reflective power, that reveals to all who they are. Most of us spend time in the mirror grooming ourselves, but rarely do we use the mirror to see who we are. Gaze at yourselves in the mirror, behold the power that you have. See yourselves as something so powerful that nothing can stop you, not even the Old World Order.

Now, with this esoteric knowledge, what do you intend to do? How will you use the power that you have? Will you continue to yield it to others, or will you take control of your own lives and use it for the betterment of our world? The Old World Order cares not for our world, they care not for humanity. They have no brotherly love, except for their own. But you can use it for the betterment of all. Remember the story of Goethe. He was offered the riches of the world for his soul. Will you offer your soul for all your darkest, selfish desires? Or will you offer up your power for the betterment of all? The choice is yours, it has always been yours.
You have come to see the power behind the powers that be, and that power is YOU! YOU have the power. You use it or yield it, there is no other way. Which will you choose now that you are illuminated?

The end of Celebrity

Celebrity culture is dying. No longer will ordinary people look up at these gods and feel inferior in themselves. The emergence of social media is changing all of that. In the old days, if we wanted to be entertained, or see some good drama, we had to go to the movie theater, or turn on mid day soaps. No longer. Just look around, day time dramas are falling one by one. Cable movie channels play the same old crap, day in and day out. The movie industry is still thriving but people are getting tired of seeing the same old stories, just with different Super Stars names. More and more people are turning to lesser known independent films to see a good story.

But what about the stories of our own lives? More and more people are taking to social media networks such as Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and Youtube in order to relay their everyday experiences. We have become or are becoming the super stars of our own stories. No longer do we have to look up to others to entertain us, or compel us. We can look to our own selves. More and more people are making their own videos, their own movies and posting them to Youtube. More and more people are writing their own experiences and relaying them to the world via their own blogs, or social networking sites. More and more people are making their own music and posting it for the world to see. What is happening is quite remarkable.

The world is changing, the day of the super star is over, we are all rising to super stardom. The desire to be a super star, and be more famous than others is diminishing, people will write their own stories, sing their own songs, and make their own movies, just to entertain themselves, or their friends and loved ones. The same old same old will fall, and new, original ideas will take its place. Shakespearian dramas have had their run, its time for new Shakespeare's to arise. Music began this process many years ago, but continued the path of the super stars. No longer. New musicians will arise, and not seek out super stardom. Music will be about music, and not fame. The arts will return to their original purpose, to soothe, and to enlighten, and not for celebrity. More and more people will begin to despise the flamboyance of celebrity.

The sad reality is that these celebrities have done this to themselves. They have loved the spot light, and showing off their fame and fortune. Shows like Lifestyles of the rich and famous, as well as MTV's Cribs reveal just how out of touch these people are with the rest of us. Reality TV shows with super stars reveal how arrogant and stupid these people really are. Just look at the MTV show “The Osbornes” to see this play out, not to mention “The Kardashians” a family of nepotists who have never merited the privilege to have such a show. The only person worthy of such an honor on that show, and the one who is rarely shown, is Olympian Chris Jenner. But even he seems to show his contempt for the others from time to time. The next generation, a generation immersed in social networking will barely remember the day of the celebrity. They will be the makers of their own lives, and not live in the shadows of others. More and more social networking sites and post your own video sites will arise, people will have a broad choice in where they relay their everyday experiences with the world.

We should all boycott celebrity and instead have fun making our own movies, our own music and are own stories. Don't be caught up in seeking fame, don't get caught up in mimicking the celebrities. Live your own lives, live the lives of your dreams and don't worry about who sees it or not, or who reads it or not. Write them for yourselves, sing to yourself, live for yourselves. Have fun doing it. Turn away from the super stars, don't watch their movies, don't listen to their music, or read their stories. Instead, turn to lesser known outlets, independent films, off the wall writers, and local musicians. Turn away from anything that resembles celebrity culture, don't buy products advertised by celebrities, who probably have never used those products anyway. Fast forward through any of those advertisements, or through any movie trailer with the big star names. Don't watch professional sports, instead play your own sports, or watch your local school or college play. Don't buy what these super stars are selling, don't spend your hard earned money so they can live in extravagance. Boycott them, mock them, turn away from them. Have fun doing it.

Alchemy - The art of Transmutation

The art of Alchemy is transmuting base metals into gold. However that is only its outward appearance. Alchemy is really about transmuting base human energies into valuable experiences. Human beings are energetic creatures by nature, there exists in all of us specific drives, such as the drive to eat, clothe ourselves, drink, procreate, be happy, to succeed. Some of these energies sometimes hinder others it seems. For example; Most people have a sex drive, which drives us to locate a partner to procreate with. This is a base, animalistic drive, since all life forms have this drive. From the smallest simplest life forms, to the most complex. The drive to have sex and procreate is one of the strongest drives known to humans. Next to the drive of eating and drinking, it is the strongest. Take an animal for instance, a cat. A cat spends all day trying to forge for food and drink, but at certain times of the month the cat spends most of its time looking for someone to mate with. Females go into heat driving males absolutely insane. Humans are no different really. We eat, drink, sleep and have sex. Truthfully the only reason we eat and drink is so we can stay alive to have sex. Sex therefore becomes the leading drive of all other drives. But what if that sexual energy could be transmuted into something of a more spiritual energy? What if it could be transmuted into finding our calling in life, or succeeding in some venture? Since this energy or drive is the most powerful, what if it could be transmuted into the most powerful drive in the world only stoppable by death? This is what I intend to find out. I will start with this drive and see where it takes me. I know that I alluded to this awhile back, and I did have some success. I could feel myself storing up energy for other things. What if by fulfilling our every drive we weaken ourselves so to speak? What if constant desire fulfillment actually was not beneficial for us and instead caused us to live comfortable, unfulfilled lives? I have seen this with my own two eyes; having been married now for many years, having a decent income that provides for my every need and many of my wants. Able to spend my sexual energy any time I want to, going only a day or so without it. Able to eat whatever I want, drink whatever I want, watch whatever I want, listen to whatever I want. Are these fulfillments truly good for us? Perhaps the ancient practices of fasting, and sexual abstinence is really good for us? Perhaps the ancient practice of fasting was not abstaining from food in order to please God and have him move in our lives, perhaps fasting is the practice of transmuting that energy into something else?
But what should we do with that energy? Is practicing these ancient arts beneficial without a goal? Should we work out first what it is we want, then transmute the energy to go out and obtain it? I think so. In Gnosticism one cannot properly transmute energy without a goal to use that energy on. What is it that you want? One must find this out first. This in itself can be a goal, to discover a goal. Could you use transmutation to find a goal? Of course. Finding a goal is a goal in itself. If one is lost, and needs guidance, practice the art of fasting or sexual transmutation to find it. These secrets are revealed to us in many ancient texts, including predominantly in the bible. Moses fasted for 40 days and nights and had such a powerful energy that when he came off the mountain he was glowing. Was he really glowing? Perhaps, perhaps this energy was the power of the transmuting of the food drive into something spiritual. Jesus also fasted for 40 days and nights. Afterwards he comes out of the wilderness and begins healing people. Jesus practiced this often. What did fasting do to aid in these things? It is also apparent that Jesus did not marry, nor have sex, but he was a man, was he not? Did he have a sex drive? It would seem pretty empty if he did not, he was after all man and all men have sex drives, unless they have been castrated. The bible tells us he was tempted in every way, this would seemingly include sexual urges. He was both God and man, and mankind has a sex drive. Was he able to transmute this sex drive into a more powerful energy? Was he able to live divine because he had superseded his animal like instincts? We see all throughout ancient texts where fasting has brought about amazing changes to individuals and their environment. Its almost as if those who have learned this art, have learned how to live like Gods.
But I think in order to properly channel this energy, one has to understand where these drives originate. Do they originate in our bodies, or our minds? I do not know the answer to these things yet, but my first instinct is to believe they begin in the mind. The mind being the central location for all thoughts and feelings. Without the mind, would we feel those urges? Would we feel hunger without the mind? Certainly not. But then one could ask, would we feel hunger without a stomach or a body which relies on the energy from food? Does the body tell the mind its hungry or does the mind tell the body? Either way, we can learn from this desire, this need, this drive. The same goes for sex. Does the body tell the mind its horny, or does the mind tell the body that its horny? Its obvious that we feel these urges in our bodies. When hungry our stomach growls, is that the stomach telling the mind that its hungry. When we are hungry we feel empty in our mid sections. Sometimes if we are two hungry we have a belly ache, our bodies get shaky, our blood sugars drop. Of course all of this is just our bodies trying to obtain food, but the body is not rational. It believes that it is dying just hours after eating. Therefore the mind, which is rational in most people, can relay to the body that it is not dying and can go weeks without food if needs be. The same goes for sexual energy. A teenage boy who has never had sex, at a certain age begins to secrete little doses of sperm, almost uncontrollably. Is this his bodies way of saying to the mind, I need to procreate? Perhaps. But none the less, the mind is where it is all processed, and what the case really is is that the mind, the conscious mind has the power to dictate to the body what it will or will not do. Even though the urges are powerful, which are animalistic, the mind which is divine is more powerful. The problem therefore lies with the people who are led by the desire of their flesh. Most people have not learned the power of the mind, that the mind is able to curve those desires. Could this be transmutation? The mind obtaining control over the animal instincts and using that energy drive into something else. If this is true, then it could be true that the body does tell the mind that it is hungry, or thirsty, or horny, the mind can either indulge the flesh or master it. Either way, it is the drive of the body, which produces energy within us, the mind is the central command area, which leads the body to fulfill its urges or not. No matter the state of the person, unless absolutely unable to move due to sickness or handicap the drive to fulfill an urge is what gives us energy to do so, energy being exactly what it means, energy to get up and find something to eat, or something to drink, or a partner to have sex with. For example, when I feel hungry, I get up off the couch and go to the pantry to search for something to eat. This is energy. The same goes for sexual drive, if one is feeling the urge to have sex, they will do one of two things; masturbate to relieve the urge, which is still energy usage, or search for a partner, of which there are many ways of doing. So transmutation is the curving of that energy into other things. If I am hungry, the drive to eat can be transmuted into an energy to search for answers instead of food. It could be used to seek out answers from God in the form of reading spiritual texts, or meditating in prayer. The same could be said about sex, except that sexual energy is a more forceful energy, which could be used to actually energize us into action. People have gone way out of their way in search of sexual relief. There are examples of this sexual energy being put forth into action. In sports, many coaches ask that their players abstain from sex for a while before a big game, this way they have a near superior strength than their opposition. This has been proven to work. Same goes for men in battle. In battle men may go long periods of time without sex, and being around other men, is not the best place to masturbate, so there is stored up sexual energy at work here, which at some point stops being a drive to have sex, but a drive to accomplish something else, like a victory.
When the urge to have sex grows in a person, it could be that their physical energy increases, perhaps more than if they had taken a vitamin B shot. Men seem to get weaker as they get older, mostly due to a lack of testosterone, which is the sex drive. Could it be that is because they spend all their sexual energy on their wives, and can have sex pretty much whenever they want? Take middle aged men who's wives are prudes, and who barely have sex with their husbands. A lot of these men almost seem to revert into a teenage boy again, trying to chase down an affair. Many get fast cars in order to appeal to their potential affairs.
In conclusion, I want to remind myself and the potential reader that if you do not have a goal to transmute these energies into, it may almost be useless to try. However, remember seeking a goal is a goal in itself, so transmuting energy to find a goal, a purpose is beneficial. Perhaps fasting would be the best way to find a goal, it takes an urge to eat and transmutes it into an energy to seek. Once the goal is found, sexual energy can therefore be transmuted into action energy, to fulfill the goal. Either way, have fun with it, enjoy the process.


ADDED 2/21/12 - On another note, one I had not included, the urge to have sex at its most elemental root is the urge really to create, since sex equals creation, the creation of a new life form. So, this desire to create can be transmuted into other aspects of creating. For example in creating a new story, a new painting, a new technology, something beneficial to all of mankind. Creation comes in many forms, but its most elemental form is to create life.

Back to Alchemy however, Alchemy was the hidden art of transforming base metals into Gold. But what was alchemy really? Alchemy was the practice of dialectical logic. It took two base arguments, and mixed them together to make a more perfect truth, such as the practice of taking two base metals and mixing them with other materials to make gold. In dialectical logic you take two opposing arguments, and begin to chip away at their useless points, until you reach a synthesis, a more perfect truth. For example, the two opposing arguments that the universe came from something, and the counter argument that the universe came from nothing. How could you synthesize these two arguments to come up with the truth? We could say that the answer is 'becoming' that the universe is becoming. This is the alchemical art of dialectical logic which was hidden behind the guise of transforming base metals into gold. When alchemy first came on the scene it was because of the catholic inquisition, which regarded anyone who tried to use logic instead of church cannon to form a truth, as a heretic, and they were severely punished. However under the guise of transforming base metals into gold only intrigued the greedy catholic hierarchy who thought they could prosper from these alchemists. Sneaky it was.

Happy Valentines day - True love is not a burden

Happy Valentines day, 2012! I think one of the best ways to show someone you love them is by not being a burden to them. For the first part of my adult life I was a burden to many people, always requiring their help in correcting my mistakes. This is a burden for the person who loves YOU, because of the fact that they do love you and in most cases will go out of their way to help you. However, what does this show about you, and your love for them? The best way to show someone you love them is to help yourself in your life, and not laying a heavy burden on your loved ones. Take care of yourself, provide for yourself. Work out your problems for yourself.

Now, this does not include seeking guidance from someone in moments of crisis, that is very honorable. In fact it is wise, and shows your loved one, or friend that you value their wisdom and knowledge. This also shows that you are looking for answers without having to place a heavy burden on them. For the first part of my adulthood I constantly needed my parents help, with money with bailing me out of trouble, with taking my side in a particular argument, etc. I have since learned this esoteric knowledge of not being a burden to others, and showing them that I really, truly care about them without having to burden them with the crisis's of my life.

Now, I know there are people who can no longer help themselves, they are handicapped in some way, either through age or disability, and it shows a lot of love from the other person who basically gives up their lives in order to help the afflicted. However those who are more than capable with helping themselves should do so, and not burden their loved ones with the problems of their lives.

This can also be said about society in general. I call love in this instance Mutual respect. Respect for others, even though you do not know them personally. If only we all had this mutual respect for one another, we could work through our disagreements and created a much better world. However there are people who have no mutual respect for others. They are greedy and callous, and could care less whether another person lived or not, so long as they get what THEY want. For example, there are numerous people who take advantage of State assistance, assistance funded by the tax payers. People who take advantage of this system are greedy, they are callous and hold grudges against others. They are in all actuality taking advantage of others who try and take care of themselves, and not be a burden to society. I once saw a sign at a historical school from the 1700's. The sign demanded that all teachers upon receiving their pay, put back a certain percentage so that way when they grew old, they would not be a burden to society. I thought this was wonderful. I thought that this should be the mindset of people these days. Have we not progressed so much since the dawn of man? Have we not evolved from the old mindsets, or have we devolved?

One of the problems I think is that the world does not value philosophy much these days. It is not taught in schools or churches as much as it should be. Philosophy has taken a back seat to contemporary culture. Entertainment is highly regarded these days, rather than learning how to live, how to treat others or how to care for yourselves and not be a burden on others. These days, the entertainment mongrels give us an alternative view on these things. Most are selfish, unloving, uncaring, disrespectful, greedy and take advantage of others. Is it any wonder that society reflects what it sees on TV or hears in music?

What we need is a return to philosophical teachings, teachings on who we are, what we can be, how to treat others and how to properly care for our own selves. To me, the first step in showing someone that you truly care for them is by caring for your own self. Do not be a burden to others. Truthfully, no one owes you anything. You have free will, the mistakes you make are your own, work them out. If you need advise from others, ask it, in most cases people will be happy to give you their opinions. If you do need help, ask for it, but offer something in return, to do a favor for them, or pay them for their help. Friends and family are usually apt to help in tough times, but it shows them that you truly value them by doing something in return for them.

Wisdom the Principle thing

Dear Journal,
A wise person is not a know it all. In fact a truly wise person will be the first to tell you that they know very little, but that is what seperates a wise person from a fool. A wise person will seek out knowledge when they lack it. A fool will cast his cares to the wind and allow it to dictate his outcomes. A wise person seeks out wisdom and knowledge of a subject, which aids him in over coming his cares.
Wisdom does not mean knowledge of a subject, it does not mean experiential knowledge of a subject, these are different from wisdom. Wise is what someone is who searches out knowledge, wiser is the man who puts his knowledge into action, experiential knowledge. Wisdom does not encompass a wide range of subjects, those are knowledges in specific areas. Wisdom seeks to know the answer to these questions, in order to aid his life in achieving his goals. Solomon says this. “Wisdom is the principle thing; therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting get understanding.” Wisdom is the driving force behind knowledge and understanding. Therefore it is the principle thing, the first thing. Solomon also says this; “Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?” This helps us see that wisdom is an action word, not a noun, it is not a thing per say, but an action, an action to obtain understanding,to seek it out with all thy might. Thats what makes one wise. A fool has distain for getting understading, a fool typically is a no it all. He has all the answers, but little results. A wise person seeks out others of knowledge, primarily those of specific areas. For example a wise person will seek out the knowledge of someone in the area of health, like a doctor or other health care professional to perhaps find answers concerning on how to live more healthy. But not only that, a wise person seeks out more than answers to questions, the truly wise person seeks out those whose lives reflect their knowledge. A wise person seeks out the knowledge of someone who as achieved success in business or with their finances, and desires to learn their secrets. A wise person again, does not seek for answers only, but it seeks to learn from someone who has experiential knowledge in an area. A fool seeks to do things on his own, without learning from the masters. A fool despises the masters in specific areas. A wise person treasures the masters. As Solomon says about the fool; “...fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
So we see that wisdom is a mindset, an action word, a mindset to set out on the journey and obtain understanding.