Conspiracy theories

“A conspiracy theory is any theory which explains a historical or current event as the result of a secret plot by usually powerful Machiavellian conspirators. The word conspire means ‘to join in a secret agreement to do an unlawful or wrongful act or to use such means to accomplish a lawful end.’ The word ‘theory’ is, in this usage, sometimes considered to be more informal as in ‘speculation’ or ‘hypothesis’ rather than mainstream scientific theory (Source: Wikipedia).”

Two of the most popular conspiracy theories are 911 and the Moon Landing. Some people, in contrast to the eyewitnesses and scientific evidence foolishly, in my opinion, believe that the moon landing never took place. One of my readers commented to my article "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind", “The moon landing was fake, filmed in the desert in Nevada with the help of captured Aliens from area 51. Don't believe it.” Well, I choose to believe the facts in this case; not implausible theories. In regard to 911, however, there are two conspiracy theories; the first is that Al-Qaeda perpetrated 911 and the second is that the Neo-Cons, under the command of Bush (more like Carl Rove) and Cheney, allowed it to happen. In Secretary Mineta’s testimony to the 911 Commission he stated that Cheney had, within his power, to stop the attacks cold; but Cheney’s order to stand down never changed. It kind of makes you wonder what was going through the diabolical mind of a man who has had repeated heart problems and lives in fear. As for Bush, his dumbfounded look in the classroom when he was informed of the attack clearly shows he had no idea; he was clueless. Yet Cheney, was in the “bunker” in command and giving the orders; or should we say NOT giving the orders to shoot down the jets. After years of searching for the WMD, none were found; yet one man’s fear plunged us into a war and many American and Iraqi lives were sacrificed on the altar of fear. If you are wondering how could someone like this sleep at night, come to know that they can; because they are convinced they are doing, or have done, what is right for themselves and everyone else. Neo-con thought embraces the principles of Machiavelli.

In The Prince, Machiavelli is attributed with the fundamental break between political Idealism (the outside world is an extension of the mind) and political Realism (existence is independent and not a result of knowledge and consciousness). The Prince is a manual to acquiring and keeping political power. In regard to Bush and Cheney, there is an interesting quote from The Prince; "There are many who think a wise prince ought, when he has the chance, to foment astutely some enmity, so that by suppressing it he will augment his greatness." Interesting, considering Machiavelli’s position taken by the Medici family when the families of Italy had to be united in a common cause against the Gauls. As a political scientist, Machiavelli emphasized the methodical exercise of brute force (punishment or reward) to preserve the status quo (current or existing state of affairs). The term “Machiavelli” denotes someone of politically-extreme perspective and is referenced in modern psychology as a personality type. Personality types involve qualitative differences between people as opposed to personality traits which are quantitative differences between people. In regard to personality types, Carl Jung postulated that there were four main functions of consciousness; sensation and intuition were perceiving functions and thinking and feeling were judging functions. These functions were modified by the two main attitude types of extroversion and introversion. Jung’s theory further states that whichever function dominates a person’s consciousness, its opposite is repressed and will characterize their unconscious behavior. In regard to personality traits, the Big Five factors and their constituent traits are Openness (curiosity), Conscientiousness (self-discipline), Extraversion (self-confidence), Agreeableness (compassion) and Neuroticism (easily experiences negative emotions; emotional instability). In other words, if your dominant thoughts are neurotic and extraverted, you will repress the good things in life and tell others that’s how it is. When you live in fear you are living outside of yourself (Realism). Turn to the world on the inside of yourself and discover a place where there is no fear, only faith (Idealism). Show me anything created by mankind on this earth that wasn’t first a thought in someone’s mind. You can’t! Seduction comes from the Latin and it means “to lead astray.” Mankind continually uses distraction and seduction to convince others to follow their belief system instead of going within and accessing the one true God. Don’t be fooled by getting distracted and seduced by unscrupulous individuals who are out to gain power over you and rent space in your head.

The true principles of spirituality lead you to an alignment with God and His resultant creation. Those who perpetrate fear and separation are responsible for all of the lack and limited beliefs in the world. This universe and this world are abundant. Those who live in fear will always tell you otherwise. You have the power to change their channel to a channel of wisdom, peace and abundance. It starts by shutting off the outside world and going within to seek the Kingdom of Heaven. God has no conspiracies!

For more info: Download my free Wilmington Spirituality Examiner toolbar. “Life is a gift. Be thankful for it and it will be replete with abundance. Encourage others to express creativity, release negativity and embrace pro-activity." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

The law of distraction

The definition of the Law of Attraction, according to Esther Hicks (Abraham), is “that, which is like unto itself, is drawn." In other words if you think positive thoughts you will attract positive outcomes. Conversely, if you think negative thoughts you will attract negative outcomes. Seems simple enough, doesn’t it? I can hear all of the scientists laughing out loud. The mere thought that the electrical signals in your brain can generate a significant enough magnetic field to affect the energy and matter outside of the brain is not plausible to them. Just as scientists claim that the magnetic fields of the planets and stars are not strong enough to affect us; their main claim to poopoo Astrology. Yet the gravitational effect of the Moon’s mass in its orbit around the Earth affects the tides. Since our bodies are between 88% to 92% water, wouldn’t that affect us as well? Dane Rudhyar, in his book “The Astrology of Personality”, approaches astrology as a language of symbology, not physics. Remember, science needs to measure things quantitatively and qualitatively. If it cannot devise a way to measure something, it is relegated to the term pseudoscience. Pseudoscience is defined as theories methodologies, or practices that are considered to be without scientific foundation. In other words, they cannot be proven by experimentation; according to the way some scientists think. But what if the Law of Attraction is merely symbolic?

Before a coffee table became a coffee table the thought of that coffee table was in the mind of the designer. By looking at it from every angle of how it would come into being, the designer, either by himself or with the help of others, brought the idea into a thought form. Before things existed they were first thoughts. Some scientists can clearly see this, yet they still poopoo the Law of Attraction because they cannot develop an accurate way to measure it. So, like most small minded people, they throw the baby out with the bathwater and relegate the LOA to pseudoscience. I call this the Law of Distraction. Simply because one is not intelligent enough to devise a way to measure something doesn’t mean that there isn’t a way to measure it. In other words, “that, which cannot be measured, according to current understanding, is dismissed.” Some scientists conveniently forget that our senses and our measuring devices, which are based on our senses, are limited. Science cannot measure beliefs and faith. Since they don’t have physical properties, they are all constructs of the mind. Many scientists forget the human passion that is necessary to create all the wonders we experience today. Passion like that of Nikola Tesla. The man who invented radio and alternating current, making it possible to communicate and receive power over long distances; in effect, bringing our world closer. He saw these things in his mind and his passion made it come about.

Politicians effectively practice the Law of Distraction. If they can make up a scenario for you to focus on long enough, they can distract you from seeing what they are really doing. Take “C Street” for example. Also, the constant commercials about writing your congressman to stop health care reform. God forbid we don’t do what the banks, insurance and pharmaceutical companies want us to do. In order to be an aware individual you must not get distracted from your focus. Don’t listen to the nay sayers, whether scientists, theologians, corporations or politicians who bait and switch the masses everyday. After watching Liz Cheney make an utter fool of herself concerning Obama’s birth certificate, I came to the conclusion that the Republican party is so desperate to distract their constituents from the truth, that they parade the former VP’s daughter around in the media. Why is she there? What civil service job has she held? Oh, that’s right; she is a blonde and speaks forcefully supporting her dad; the same dad who endorsed death squads and torture camps. And then there’s G. Gordon Liddy. Oh yeah, we can surely trust him! If they can keep you distracted long enough, they can convince you, by congressional inaction and finger pointing, that they were right! Don’t be fooled with rhetoric and distraction.

The LOD is a ploy to make you NOT look at the facts. Just because you cannot measure something doesn’t mean you cannot believe in it or have faith in it. Do you know what magnetism is? Because you don’t know what it is or how to measure it does that mean that you don’t use it? Everyday, from your clock radio to your TV, microwave and car you use magnetism. Examine the facts about the world around you and don’t get distracted by those who speak with authority and conviction in order to distract you from the truth. Stay focused and attract the best into your life by letting go of distraction.

For more info: Download my free Wilmington Spirituality Examiner toolbar. “Life is a gift. Be thankful for it and it will be replete with abundance. Encourage others to express creativity, release negativity and embrace pro-activity." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

Coping with disbelief

I’ve recently seen a humorous commercial from Fiber One cereal about a new disease called I.D.S., which is an initialism for Irrational Disbelief Disorder (not an accepted disorder by medical and psychological professionals). I.D.S. is a supposed condition where, despite all of the observations and the facts, one does not believe in the accepted conclusions of many observers. In other words, people are “incapable of believing in things that are universally understood to be true”, as is stated in the commercial. In science, one must observe, record and interpret data based on an experiment as it occurs in the environment of the experiment; this includes the observer’s participation in the experiment. This commercial is a brilliant piece of marketing because it pokes fun at all the initialisms and acronyms that the medical and psychological communities invent to box people into disorders. “If you can box them, you can control them” is the statement I once heard at an A.M.A. medical convention by a doctor that was speaking in St. Louis in 1980. Less than 50% of all doctors belong to the American Medical Association in this country; what about what the other 50% have to say when the A.M.A. issues a statement?

I saw (for about the tenth time) the town hall meeting in Delaware in which Representative Mike Castle was presiding. Each time I watched the “birther” lady in the audience make an utter fool out of herself waving an American flag and her “U.S. birth certificate” in a plastic bag; BTW, it had to have been a county birth certificate. Despite the facts that are in evidence, she still believes that President Obama was not born in this country! Instead of cloaking her claim in something as ludicrous as disputing a legal document, why doesn’t she just speak the truth and reveal that she is a racist and religious bigot? Someone should have told her that if she left immediately, she could have still caught the Klan meeting in Elkton, MD. Mike Castle handled the situation calmly and professionally and stated the fact that Obama WAS born in this country. One of my readers has insisted that I not point the finger at conservatives but in this case I have one question. Why do you have so many extremists, sore losers and nut cases in the Republican (Conservative) camp? Why would you allow such people as this lady, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly to determine your platform? Can’t you see that they are hurting your cause more than helping it? In regard to this lady, David Schuster of MSNBC stated last night that her behavior was a “lack of intellectual integrity.” I couldn’t have said it better. My conclusion is that the problem here was an emotional reaction by her; no intellect was apparent whatsoever. I guess she suffers from I.D.S.

As for finger pointing, what about the conservatives who pointed the finger at Bill Clinton? As the saying goes, the problem with pointing the finger is that three fingers are pointing back at you. Senator John Ensign’s hand was caught in the cookie jar after he attacked Clinton’s infidelity. My fiancé made a great observation; Ensign appeared to not be sorry for what he did wrong but for the fact that he got caught! Can you believe this or are you suffering from I.D.S.? It doesn’t matter what political camp you come from, the fact remains that human beings when thrust into positions of power sometimes react badly. It doesn’t mean that they are bad people; it means that when they are confronted with situations that they haven’t encountered before, they sometimes make the wrong choices; or should I say choices that aren’t beneficial to themselves, their careers, family or lifestyles.

Beliefs are a result of practiced thoughts. Whether they are true or not doesn’t matter. If you practice a thought pattern day after day and year after year, eventually it will become true for you. It is a relative truth. If you make the time to discover your connection with God you will be exposing yourself to His absolute truth. Like Pete Townsend said, “And I'll get on my knees and pray, We don't get fooled again.”

For more info: Download my free Wilmington Spirituality Examiner toolbar. “Life is a gift. Be thankful for it and it will be replete with abundance. Encourage others to express creativity, release negativity and embrace pro-activity." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"

This is one of the greatest quotes in the history of our world. It sums up the efforts of thousands, if not millions of people and support staff that made the first landing on the moon possible. Neil Armstrong took his individual step and ushered in a new era for mankind by recognizing the efforts of everyone who made his step possible. I remember, as a 15 year old boy, the magic of this moment. It was in the evening of an 87 degree day and I was riveted to the TV set. I was sweating from the 85% relative humidity and couldn’t wait to see the first step on the moon; LIVE! My mother and I watched intently as Neil made history. She reflected that she never thought she would be alive to see this moment. It was a moment that I would never forget because we shared it together. It has now been six years since she has died and I still remember the look of amazement on her face when Neil took his step.

In honor of this 40 year anniversary of this momentous occasion I would like to update Neil’s statement to an even broader perspective. If each one of us took one small step every day toward a better life on this earth, could you even imagine what effect it would have on humankind? Instead of wallowing in a pool of self-pity, self-aggrandizement or self-centeredness, what if we just gave a portion of our time and knowledge to those in need? The seed of participation and cooperation would spread virally across the planet. It would be a pay-it-forward avalanche. Let’s take it further. What if we took one small step in not believing that the worst will happen to us and only expect the best to happen? Would our bounty be an avalanche of blessings from this abundant universe? The only way to truly know is to try. Jesus said, “How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?” (Luke 2:49). If we truly want to be like Jesus, shouldn’t we be about our Father’s business? What is our Father’s business?

Dr. R. J. Rushdoony says the following in regards to the The Sermon on the Mount, "Man is not, however much he may talk of autonomy, a self sufficient creature. He is necessarily dependent upon others. Coupled with this necessary dependency is the fact that he is created in the image of God. Man is a purposive creature: he is goal directed. God created him to be his vicegerent (a deputy) over the earth, to exercise dominion and to develop the meaning and scope of God's reign and Kingdom. Man's life thus is colored in all things by a purpose, meaning, or goal." Wow! According to this statement God has left us in charge of this earth and to be fruitful and multiply. Our past history has indicated that we have done this amidst wars, diseases and pestilences. We have been fruitful and we have multiplied. But have we taught our young how to think correctly and how to have dominion over the earth? With this charge comes a great responsibility. Have we equipped the next generation with the intelligence and tools necessary to accomplish this task?

In order to pass on our responsibilities to the next generation we must deputize them not only with our power, but our insight as well. By making the time to teach them the necessary lessons we are taking that one small step. The giant leap for humankind comes when our young collectively apply the lessons we have taught them in manifesting desires that positively affect each and every one of us with health, wealth, prosperity and abundance. Stop the lack and limitation garbage thinking in this world by accepting the abundance of this universe. Show our young that their resources are unlimited. You can temporarily cover up the smell of garbage with perfume (positive talk) but the smell of the perfume will eventually wear off. Only when you remove the source of the smell (negative thinking) can you truly create a new and better smell that will last. Speak power into the lives of the young and we will all reap the rewards that God has already given us; we just need to get out of our own way to receive them!

For more info: Download my free Wilmington Spirituality Examiner toolbar. “Life is a gift. Be thankful for it and it will be replete with abundance. Encourage others to express creativity, release negativity and embrace pro-activity." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

Altering your perspective

One night before a battle in the Civil War a lone soldier began to sing out with his tenor voice, “There’s no place like home.” Within minutes he was joined by a chorus of voices in the Confederate side. Soon after, on the other side of the river Union soldiers began to echo the voices they heard. Their perspective was one of fear and impending death yet one lone voice altered, if just for a few moments, their perspective. Your point of view is so integral in your outlook on life. Where is your point of view? Do you take a stance based on facts, beliefs or what someone else has told you how it is? Examine where it is you are coming from and where it is you want to go. Select a perspective based on where it is you want to go.

There is an old story about the two hunters who were on opposite sides of a hill. A big dog ran down the hill in between both of them chasing a bird. When the hunters got together and talked about the dog running down the hill their stories were a bit different. One hunter said it was a yellow dog, but the other said it was brown. They argued because their perspective was different. Prior to running down the hill the dog rolled in the mud on one side and when the mud dried he appeared to be brown. Both hunters were correct in their observation that it was a big dog; they just differed in what color the dog appeared to be. It’s the same with religion and God. Most spiritual people agree that there is a God; they just differ in how He appears to be to them. Appearances are deceptive because they are based on our limited sensory input. We cannot see beyond an octave of frequencies. We cannot hear beyond 7 octaves of frequencies and we cannot smell, touch or taste beyond an octave of frequencies.

Perspective can be further illustrated by the story of the glass being half empty or half full. If the glass started out being empty, and water is poured in half way, it is half empty. If the glass started out being full and water is removed half way down, then it is half full instead of being half empty. This analogy could be turned into an endless loop argument but suffice it to say that one’s expectations of the end result is what determines one’s perspective. What are your expectations of your end result? Do you declare everyday that it is going to be a great day or a lousy day? Do you set the intentions of your day to derive positive results or do you simply wait for someone to tell you who or what to believe in? Are you an active participant in your life or a passive acceptor of the way it is?

When you think positively about your outcomes and expect the best result it is impossible for the results to turn out badly. When you consistently feel badly about something does it ever turn out good for you? Examine the converse and realize that your mind is a broadcast mechanism that directs electrical energy in your brain and manifests exactly what you are consistently focusing on. Are you focusing on health, wealth, prosperity and abundance or are you focusing on illness, poverty, lack and limited resources? When negative thoughts appear in your mind just change the channel. Don’t accept their possible outcomes as true. Your feelings are your emotional guide to let you know how to proceed. If you are feeling badly about occurrences in your life then project positive outcomes from these occurrences. Don’t accept that just because it appears to be bad, that’s the way it will turn out! We are all designed to be healthy, wealthy, prosperous and abundant. Don’t allow the possibility of other than that to be the resultant outcome. Change your thought channel from doom and gloom to peace and actualized potential. Christ gave us the authority to speak greatness into our lives! “Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done (Matthew 21:21).

When you focus on positive states of mind, give attention to these states and consistently practice changing your attention to positive outcomes, the Law of Attraction yields to your command and brings about the positive state your desire. Just like when you succumb and give your attention to negative thoughts and practice these debilitating reactions leads to the desired outcome of lack and limitation. You have control over your reactions and your pro-actions. Expectation creates an exact match of what you expect. Expect only the best in your life and tune out the outcomes that don’t match your positive intentions.

For more info: Download my free Wilmington Spirituality Examiner toolbar. “Life is a gift. Be thankful for it and it will be replete with abundance. Encourage others to express creativity, release negativity and embrace pro-activity." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

Make thanking God the first thing you do everyday

It is has been said by many successful people that the first thing you do to accomplish your goal is to set the tone for your trip by taking the first step. How many of us dream of our goals and yet, no matter how hard we try, never reach them? Why? Is it because we don’t have the skills to accomplish what we seek? Is it because we aren’t lucky? Or is it because we don’t set the tone for our trip by giving thanks for our blessings? This seems to be the best starting point for any trip toward your goals.

Giving thanks for your blessings allows you to humble your spirit and acknowledge your connection to God. Since everything comes from God giving thanks accepts the fact that we are an extension of the Almighty. God, from His point of stillness, emanates 144 octaves of energy known as the electromagnetic spectrum. Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it just simply changes form. Matter is a denser form of energy. It vibrates slower than sunlight. The only thing that separates matter and energy is its rate of vibration. Check out the current discoveries in quantum physics to corroborate these observations. We are always connected to God whether we see it or not. If you want to change your life for the better and manifest your dreams you need to start where you are right now. Don’t wait for some fantasy time in the future when all things are perfect, because that time doesn’t exist. The only time you truly have is NOW! Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you’ll get it together tomorrow. You might not have a tomorrow; we are all one breath away from death. Make good use of the time you do have.

When you start your day by giving thanks to God for your blessings you are setting a positive tone for your day. You will be surprised how things fall into place, how people interact with you and how problems roll off your back. Don’t allow others to “rent space in your head” with their skew on life or their problems and attitudes. Set the tone for God to guide your steps throughout the day by giving thanks to Him the first thing everyday. Make your gift of love and thanks to God a priority. Blessings will abound when you make the time to respect your creator. Be true to God and yourself!

Life is a process of keeping what you want and getting rid of what you don’t want. The only thing that truly matters is what you think about yourself; not what others think about you. If your focus is upon how much better, smarter or more incredible you are than others, than you’ve missed the point. It’s not about competition; it’s about creation. God has given you talents and gifts in specific combinations only for you to manifest. Will you do something with those gifts or will you sit on them? If you sit on them it’s like telling God He didn’t know what He was doing when He created you. There hasn’t been a human being ever alive that knows what God knows. Human arrogance is so foolish. Don’t buy into the humanistic top-of-the-food-chain crap that some religions feed you. They too are missing the mark. We are extensions of the Most High God and we are His prized creation. Shouldn’t we be acting like we are?

Respect of God and His creation is the first and foremost step to achieving peace, harmony and abundance in this life. Without it, we are lost. Focus on the blessings. An old church hymn says, “Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your blessings, see what God has done. Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings, see what God has done.” When you recognize that God has created this universe with everything you need to survive and thrive, why not be thankful for it? What would you do without the air you breathe? You would die. It’s that simple. This planet and the life it gives is in such delicate balance that it couldn’t have happened by chance. And who’s to say that evolution was not the process that God chose to manifest His creation? Whoever does needs to examine the facts and not blindly rely on myths and stories to the contrary. God emanates life to each and every one of us; the plants, the animals, the universe. Respect that balance by giving thanks to God everyday.

For more info: Download my free Wilmington Spirituality Examiner toolbar. “Life is a gift. Be thankful for it and it will be replete with abundance. Encourage others to express creativity, release negativity and embrace pro-activity." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

Question authority

An Authoritarian is defined as characterized by or favoring absolute obedience to authority, as against individual freedom: an authoritarian regime. Of, relating to, or expecting unquestioning obedience. Authoritarianism is defined as the habit of conduct, thought, and speech expressing total submission to rigid principles and rules. The principles and views of the rule maker.

I will never forget when I walked into my 7th grade World Civ class in 1967 at Central Junior High School in Newark, DE. As I walked to my seat I saw a bumper sticker-like flyer on the cork board that said, “Question Authority.” Since I was raised a Pentecostal in an Assembly of God Church, I was indoctrinated with an authoritarian God who breathed either blessings or fire and brimstone with the same breath. That phrase, “Question Authority” stuck in my head and became a theme for my life. Yes, it caused me a great deal of grief at times but it was my individual salvation. It taught me to learn to think for myself.

Being raised in a Republican family, I went along with the tenets and politicians of conservatism, not knowing what it was all about. In fact, when I turned 18 and voted for the first time, I voted for Nixon. Not something I am proud of, but I was indoctrinated and uninformed about the truth. When Nixon fell, it woke me up to my responsibility to research not only what a politician says, but what he doesn’t say as well. But Nixon was a religious man; a Quaker by faith. Yet, with all his lessons of propriety and obedience absolute power corrupted him absolutely. Soon after, I dropped out of the political game and pursued my musical career.

In the eighties I returned to college and learned logic. My professor instructed me that I would be using a part of my brain that I had never used before. His statement of “most people don’t think, they emotionally react” triggered my memory about questioning authority. He further taught my class about the Socratic Dialectic where the philosopher Socrates taught his students by not answering them, but by replying with another question. This forced his students to think. During the school year President Reagan (I refer to him as Raygun) came to our campus and gave a speech. My professor got an advanced copy of the speech and gave an assignment to break down the speech by logic principles and write a summation. Also, we had to attend the rally and compare the speech given with the advanced copy and break it down with logic principles. When I completed the assignment I couldn’t believe what I discovered. President Raygun really didn’t say anything of value. He stated platitudes such as “What a great land, this country of ours.” What the hell is that? The crowd cheered and howled when truly nothing was said. There were only two people in class that got an A for this assignment and I was one of them. He never said anything of value. He was the major proponent of supply side economics and the trickle-down theory.

History has proven that trickle-down economics doesn’t work. Yet the neo-conservatives continue to whine the same old tune of returning to the Raygun years. How many times do we have to hear this out of tune song and continue to listen to it? The modern day conservatives, neo-conservatives and moderates operate on the authoritarian model of government. They cry about less government control and they deregulate their greedy buddies and allow them to send our economy on a roller coaster ride into hell. I recently heard Tom Delay state how our economy was stable during the “W” years. This guy is delusional! “W” walked into a budget surplus over 200 billion dollars and left us with a trillion dollars in debt. “W” listened year after year to his diabolical advisor and consummate “Spin Doctor” Carl Rove. All of their oil cartel buddies consistently got their wallets padded at our expense. And now Dick Cheney’s assassination squads have been revealed. Will we demand justice for individuals who were in authority positions and blatantly violated the law? Torture and death squads originating in our country and we do not prosecute? What does that say about us?

Yet, why is it that almost fifty percent of this country voted for the lies of John McCain? Don’t get me wrong here. I hold John McCain in high regard for his loyalty to this country, but his lies and foolishness ended up in his political demise. Why do you think the Republicans forced such an apparent airhead as Sarah Palin on him as a running mate? I really got sick and tired of hearing the “Maverick” crap during the campaign. John McCain bucked the neo-cons and they wanted him to lose. It’s a shame that he couldn’t see that. Let’s get back to their authoritarian model.

Jesus was persecuted for speaking the truth. Some of those he spoke the truth to were uncomfortable with the fact that he knew their game and that they didn’t want anyone else to know their game. Jesus questioned authority and could see within the hearts of men. That’s why authoritarians seek and most times get support from common folk because they believe they will blindly follow them and never question their authority. Jesus questioned authority and died for it.

People like Rush Limbaugh dupe the masses with their rhetoric. After examining his audience I have come to an interesting conclusion; most of Rush’s listeners are rednecks and are uneducated in the ways of the modern world. Where are Rush Limbaugh’s answers? He wants Obama’s policies to fail! Where does that leave us? Why don’t you say the truth, Rush? You want us to fail so you can succeed! So you can be proven right. What a way to validate your ego! You don’t truly care about this country or the people in it! The way this man thinks is childish at best. His message operates from a space of lack and limited resources. Yet his bank account is loaded! Why would anyone with half a brain listen to this man? What really strikes me very funny is that a comedian is the figurative leader of the Republican Party. The lies are continually being perpetrated on those who accept for gospel what they say and DON’T question authority.

Recently I have been under attack by some nay sayers. That’s OK because we are all entitled to our opinion. I will daily continue to question authority and stave off mediocrity. The real enemy is mediocrity. I suggest you read this article to find ways to shake off the stain of mediocrity.

In summation, I would like to say that I am a Libertarian. I believe that government needs to regulate our economy and trade to stave off the greedy, but should stay out of our personal lives. Just look at what the Fascist Regime of George W. Bush did to our Bill of Rights and got away with it. I believe that we all need to learn from the greed and control freaks in the world. Their time has come to an end. They are old school and we now have a President who wants to defend and protect our individual rights. Wake up people!

For more info: Download my free Wilmington Spirituality Examiner toolbar. “Life is a gift. Be thankful for it and it will be replete with abundance. Encourage others to express creativity, release negativity and embrace pro-activity." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.