Are you living a lie?

As I approach one thousand blogs posted, a few observations:

In the last two years a lot has changed. Repressive regimes around the world are doing their best to stop any ideas they consider "dangerous." Electronic and social media were once considered as innovative ways to change the world. Now they are used as means of control.

In Russia, friends of mine had to fight in court after being arrested for talking about Yoga. In Mexico, journalists are regularly killed for writing about violence. In China, this blog and many other internet sites are banned for presenting ideas considered “subersive.” In the United States, religious groups are “extremely vetted.” Yogis, Vegetarians, and Vegans are simply considered "crazy," and not worthy of any serious discussion. 

Repression of ideas is easy when people are unable to ask questions. Around the world in Mexico, Ukraine, Thailand, and other developing countries, educative models encourage young people to learn how to continue running the system. No one is allowed to seriously question the system. Even if they were allowed to ask questions, often young people don’t know how. They have not been educated to ask questions, but to follow protocols.

Addicted to their cell phones, unable to maintain a five minute conversation, young people have lost their ability to think creatively. Schooling ensures nothing more than that they can be useful cogs in the machine. They can be creative at running the machine. Never mind that the machine is a violent failure.

I won’t waste your time with examples. Take a look around. You know what I’m talking about. The Iron Age, Kali-yuga, is upon us all. It’s in the milk we drink. 

We live in a time of lies. We can study how we got to this place; but what amazes me is that so few voices are allowed to criticize. But thinking and dissent have been quashed and quarantined to spaces like this blog.

It surprises me that the voices that question the machine are from groups who want a piece of the action. Developing countries want economic growth without questioning its effect. Globalization destroys ecology, economy, and culture. But as long as the smart people at the top are getting rich, who cares? The best critical minds who rage against the machine only want to use the machine themselves.

Oil companies need us to burn more gasoline. Car companies need us to buy more cars. Their executives don’t care about the consequences. Why should they? They’re laughing all the way to the bank. Does anyone question the need for oil or cars? Not really. What if we proclaimed a week without petroleum? Who would survive? Where does it end?

We live in an age of lies. We accept on faith paradoxes that defy common sense. Carbon is black as coal, but now, thanks to the magic of Hollywood, coal is “clean.” Ignorance is Knowledge. Homosexuals want marriage rights, but what about gay divorce rights? Feminists want equality with men. Films like Wonder Woman are hailed as a great achievement for women. Now, women can star in blockbuster movies filled with gratuitous violence and promote the values of war and exploitation just as men have done for generations. We need war to keep the peace. War is Peace. What progress!

Everyone wants a piece of the pie, but the pie has been shrinking. A million dollars isn’t what it used to be. Ask the President. Globalism promises an equal piece of the pie to countries all over the world. But as everyone fights over the shrinking pie, cultures and traditions everywhere are destroyed. Values like purity, family, and spiritual truth are disappearing, replaced by the values of sex, drugs, and rock and roll.

It’s said that of the four pillars of religion, cleanliness, austerity, chastity, and truthfulness, truth is the last to go. We live in an age of lies.

I don’t know if I have the courage to tell the truth. I’ve tried to hold to my convictions as far as I have any. As I approach a thousand blog posts, I wonder if honest speech still has any value. Most of what passes for honesty is mere rage. I’ve tried to tell the truth as I see it, based on my own journey to surrender.

I’ve done my best to raise a few points. I thank you for your patience.

Ram vs. Ravana