Two Unvaccinated Canadians, Denied Organ Transplants, Have Died - Intellectual Takeout
This is very sad. And the doctors and hospital asked the deceased relatives if they would donate the unvaccinated deceased person organs so others may live. Canada healthcare is a tremendous joke!
I'm currently reading the little memoir of Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan, 'Five Loaves and Two Fish', about his time as a prisoner of the communist regime in 1970's Vietnam. In it, he recounts his despair at being held in solitary confinement in the prison of Phu Khanh. Two guards always accompanied him, but refused to speak to him and accept his kindness. He writes: "What could I do? One night, a thought came to me: 'Francis, you are still very rich. You have the love of Christ in your heart. Love them as Jesus has loved you'. The next day I began to love them, to love Jesus in them". From this moment on, a change came over his guards, and slowly over the whole prison. Everyone needs to be loved, and especially those tormented by bitterness. Many of us a racked by thoughts of failure, loneliness and desperation, which lead us astray, and fill our lives and those of others with misery. But, as you say, "we can make ourselves available for a change of heart". Perhaps if we recognise the way we demonise others and replace these impulses with thoughts of love and understanding, we might just be able to change the world.
Thank you, Barry, for the reminder that no person is an "it", but rather, a being. A being who, in spite of all appearances, is Divine. A being who may be here to learn how to love him or herself... or perhaps to help us remember love and forgiveness as the ultimate solution.
Very true: if we live in anger, cherishing it, nourishing it, we live in hell, one of our own making.
I'm not sure I agree that every human being is redeemable; some, I fear, are beyond redemption. But in dealing with people, we should assume that they MIGHT be redeemable: any judgement to the contrary should result only from their own actions, not ours. The door should always be held open, even to someone who has behaved abominably up till now.
Louise, There is nothing wrong with vigorously opposing Trump. I have written many essays about Trump. I can tell you this however, that the same voice in your head that attacks Trump, is also attacking you.
And I do vigorously oppose trump. And I do think he is deplorable and irredeemable. I think his followers though deserve some leeway - they fell victim to whatever trump's version of charisma is. But they seem unable or unwilling to view evidence and instead continue to listen only to his words. Again, very much cult members. I especially am concerned that educated, learned people, who were acquainted with how a government is supposed to work, seemed to have no difficulty doing his bidding and even defending his behavior and actions. Very early on, for example when he proclaimed, against all evidence to the contrary, that his inauguration was the biggest ever. When he rode down the golden escalator announcing his candidacy, he gave people targets to blame for all their woes and way too many people fell for it. Black, brown, anyone who is different is to blame for your lot in life. And further that he was the one who would get rid of the "other." trump is deplorable and irredeemable. If you disagree, please explain how he could be rehabilitated and become a productive American citizen. And I really don't understand you comment about the "same voice in your head that attacks trump, is also attacking you." Please elaborate. Thank you.
There is all the difference between discerning what you oppose and having it occupy your mind.
Was my essay about Trump or about a mindset we all share?
We all project what we don't want to see inside.
Objectively Trump may be all the things you describe but your repeated strong need to recite it over and over even on a thread that is about something else, indicates you should consider looking inside and becoming more aware of what you may be denying about yourself.
Until you do, your condemnation of others is an attack on yourself. Your ideas about Trump, never leave your mind as long as you rehearse them.
Actually, your armchair psychology is not helpful at all. I repeated because you seemed to be unaware of the things that make him deplorable. And you didn't respond to how he could be "redeemed." I suggest you take a look in the mirror.
Louise, I am pointing to a universal condition, so I do look in the mirror every day. The point of my essay was not to redeem Trump, so I offer no opinion. As I mentioned earlier I have written many critical essays about Trump, but again that was not the point of this essay.
https://intellectualtakeout.org/2023/09/two-unvccinated-canadians-denied-organ-transplants-have-died/
Two Unvaccinated Canadians, Denied Organ Transplants, Have Died - Intellectual Takeout
This is very sad. And the doctors and hospital asked the deceased relatives if they would donate the unvaccinated deceased person organs so others may live. Canada healthcare is a tremendous joke!
Terrible news.
I'm currently reading the little memoir of Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan, 'Five Loaves and Two Fish', about his time as a prisoner of the communist regime in 1970's Vietnam. In it, he recounts his despair at being held in solitary confinement in the prison of Phu Khanh. Two guards always accompanied him, but refused to speak to him and accept his kindness. He writes: "What could I do? One night, a thought came to me: 'Francis, you are still very rich. You have the love of Christ in your heart. Love them as Jesus has loved you'. The next day I began to love them, to love Jesus in them". From this moment on, a change came over his guards, and slowly over the whole prison. Everyone needs to be loved, and especially those tormented by bitterness. Many of us a racked by thoughts of failure, loneliness and desperation, which lead us astray, and fill our lives and those of others with misery. But, as you say, "we can make ourselves available for a change of heart". Perhaps if we recognise the way we demonise others and replace these impulses with thoughts of love and understanding, we might just be able to change the world.
Beautiful story. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Barry, for the reminder that no person is an "it", but rather, a being. A being who, in spite of all appearances, is Divine. A being who may be here to learn how to love him or herself... or perhaps to help us remember love and forgiveness as the ultimate solution.
Indeed, Chris, the ultimate lesson.
Very true: if we live in anger, cherishing it, nourishing it, we live in hell, one of our own making.
I'm not sure I agree that every human being is redeemable; some, I fear, are beyond redemption. But in dealing with people, we should assume that they MIGHT be redeemable: any judgement to the contrary should result only from their own actions, not ours. The door should always be held open, even to someone who has behaved abominably up till now.
re: "No one is deplorable." Um. Let me introduce you to Donald J. Trump.
Louise, There is nothing wrong with vigorously opposing Trump. I have written many essays about Trump. I can tell you this however, that the same voice in your head that attacks Trump, is also attacking you.
And I do vigorously oppose trump. And I do think he is deplorable and irredeemable. I think his followers though deserve some leeway - they fell victim to whatever trump's version of charisma is. But they seem unable or unwilling to view evidence and instead continue to listen only to his words. Again, very much cult members. I especially am concerned that educated, learned people, who were acquainted with how a government is supposed to work, seemed to have no difficulty doing his bidding and even defending his behavior and actions. Very early on, for example when he proclaimed, against all evidence to the contrary, that his inauguration was the biggest ever. When he rode down the golden escalator announcing his candidacy, he gave people targets to blame for all their woes and way too many people fell for it. Black, brown, anyone who is different is to blame for your lot in life. And further that he was the one who would get rid of the "other." trump is deplorable and irredeemable. If you disagree, please explain how he could be rehabilitated and become a productive American citizen. And I really don't understand you comment about the "same voice in your head that attacks trump, is also attacking you." Please elaborate. Thank you.
Louise, I appreciate the follow-up.
There is all the difference between discerning what you oppose and having it occupy your mind.
Was my essay about Trump or about a mindset we all share?
We all project what we don't want to see inside.
Objectively Trump may be all the things you describe but your repeated strong need to recite it over and over even on a thread that is about something else, indicates you should consider looking inside and becoming more aware of what you may be denying about yourself.
Until you do, your condemnation of others is an attack on yourself. Your ideas about Trump, never leave your mind as long as you rehearse them.
I hope this is helpful.
Actually, your armchair psychology is not helpful at all. I repeated because you seemed to be unaware of the things that make him deplorable. And you didn't respond to how he could be "redeemed." I suggest you take a look in the mirror.
Louise, I am pointing to a universal condition, so I do look in the mirror every day. The point of my essay was not to redeem Trump, so I offer no opinion. As I mentioned earlier I have written many critical essays about Trump, but again that was not the point of this essay.