Engage others, if they will play your games. Perhaps you can build a following of readers who are fascinated with your ego-centric diatribes. But you really should do it on your own blog, rather than trying to hijack space from LaShawn. Have a good day.

So my point is and always I impart to young people is that if you want to see justice and correctness, then stay away from Principals office, out of jail, away from City Hall, out of Human Resources, and don’t engage too closely with their agents except to remind them of the primary purpose of their existence.

“If we can address the problem and ask ourselves the basic questions, the process, opportunity for compassion and feelings will follow.”

Have you ever sat in on a Congressional Hearing? I have.

Ever been to a City Council meeting? I have.

Ever been to a murder trial or child custody hearing? Again, I have.

You see I don’t know what YOU see as problems, but I’ll tell you that if people want to make Abortion and Homosexuality a battle that the GOVERNMENT should fight, for WHOMEVER, for WHATEVER reason, then that’s a problem in and of itself. I’m don’t have sex with men, and I don’t have people who sleep with people of the same sex in my circle either. None of us have aborted a baby, and if any of the younger ones got pregnant with the means to responsibly care for it then, looks like someone is going to be a new Nana or Papa, cause that baby will just go home with someone else.

MOST of the problems that we have in society today is a result of the disintegration of the extended family, not only due to people packing up and leaving for the suburbs or to warmer climates, or simply to be free spirits who go backpacking across the Andes, but because of a lack of familial devotion and solidarity. And marriage is key. It’s quite simple, strong marriages make for strong families and strong families make for strong communities, cities, counties, states.. and yada yada blabbaty blah blah.

SO.. the question is, how can we preserve families? And I’ll tell you that PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY is only ONE aspect of the equation.

What, I ask you, Heliotrope and JB, are the other aspects of that equation..

AND

What other SPECIFIC problems need to be solved, since you were the ones who mentioned problems and solutions?

“Jesse Jackson is [NOT] YOUR “leader”…”

But I’m curious…outside of his PERSONAL sins, what are the MEAN works that he has done that has even had the POTENTIAL to negatively effect you personally, other than you just don’t agree with his choice, method, or means to attempt to produce justice on behalf of non-whites?

His MEAN works have influence NO policies that would cause distress to you or any other white person on the face of this earth.

And I say that being one who has little respect for him, Al Sharpton or any so-called “Reverend” of any race, creed, or religion.

I can give you tons of my other personal reasons, but I’m curious is to why YA’LL don’t like Jesse Jackson?

“My post (#52) about jibberish (gibberish) is clearly stated. I find it fascinating that people talk about “white people” and “non-black people” and “haters” as if the world is such a simple place and we are all so easily sorted out and identified. As always, I stand ready to be educated.”

Educated about WHAT? You KNOW that the world is NOT a simple place (though full of simple people), so why go there? And the people who used those terms (me being one) also know that things are complicated and that things are not always what they seem. What’s wrong with acknowledging reality and moving towards PARITY for ALL?

The movement often requires discarding foolishness, speaking truth to power when expedient, and I’ll ADD (because that’s MY proclivity) PRESSING TOWARDS THE MARK of the HIGH calling of Y’Shua my Master.

I totally agree. The post that all of this back and forth is hanging onto is about the exposure of Jesse Jackson’s inner thoughts.

When I scan the life of Jessie Jackson, it is very hard to make much of a pile of his good works. What is worse, though, is that it is so hard to put aside the mountain of his self-serving and mean works in order to find his other side.

As you well know, I greatly value my faith. However, we live in a representative democracy where folks draw their value systems from far flung sources.

Having contests over process or compassion or feelings is all so self centered. If we can address the problem and ask ourselves the basic questions, the process, opportunity for compassion and feelings will follow.

Jessie Jackson, like many other “leaders” makes himself an obstacle rather than a willing partner in problem solving.

“Having read Helio’s comments for a couple of years, now, I can only say that you would do well to truly listen to what he says, not what you might think he means given the template you have imposed.”

Pedat says:

Why? What has heliotrope said that I should take heed to? Now, don’t insult me sir!

I’m just as disinclined to heed HIM as HE is to heed me.

Is this a THINK TANK? If it is, someone please clue a brotha IN on it so I can start taking notes on what YOU say here to your man Heliotrope here in #60.

“Ugh! Seldom does a true dialogue about solutions ever get developed.”

Show me the true dialogue about SOLUTIONS to [whatever you want to dialogue about] has taken place on this blog.

All ya’ll do is talk about so-called liberals and non-whites and others who won’t accept YOUR brand of social and fiscal conservative ideology like dogs and you all have the UNMITIGATED GALL to talk about ME being hostile????

Tell me what you STAND FOR, and if what you STAND FOR is AKIN to wanting a system of justice that doesn’t mistreat anyone with the goal of seeing to it that people who truly need help get that help, and that those who prey on the innocent and helpless via either violence or deceit be punished to the fullest extent of the laws of the land, which should ultimately the Law of Yahweh the god of ALL mankind, then I’m right >>>>here<<<<<< with you, but if not then let us <<<<>>>> and the matter with either of you being snide, in the guise of informed intellectualism, when you don’t give a hoot about anyone but people who look and think like you. You dig?

Angry (all)
Oversexed (females)
Irresponsible (all)
Victim mentality (all)
Emotionally immature (all)
Violent (males)
Lacking intelligence (all)
HOSTILITY TOWARDS STRANGERS (Pedat Ebediyah, as uncovered by the “colorful” observation of the respondent known as “Heliotrope”)

And whether either of you, or I, believe that feelings or compassion is given more credence than deserved is DEBATABLE. Some could say the same about LOVE, or MERCY, or SEX. It’s all debatable, is it not?

Now as far as “feelings” are concerned, I can’t say that I ever cared about either of yours, to be clear.

But to ‘jb’s point about their “value”…I believe that like a lot of things, IT JUST DEPENDS. Which is why what ‘jb’ says is poignant to some degree…and I find agreement with, and have taught bible believers, and other Christians over the years to which they should take heed to:

Father Yahweh doesn’t care about your feelings. He only cares that those who are saved, be CONFORMED to the IMAGE of His Son, Y’Shua the Messiah of all mankind.

The only compassion that was ever promoted, via concession OR commandment was to OTHER BELIEVERS (within our outside the fold) or those estranged, to the widows, orphans, and impoverished due to the spoils of war.

Moreover, even without consensus, compassion and feelings, being allegedly overrated, produce nothing when replaced with callousness, selfishness, mean-spiritedness, railings, gossiping, backstabbing, backbiting, bewitching, cowardice, and I’ll ADD – just being a sorry, no good, sycophant who is unwilling to diverge on issues regarding mankind in general without acting like a punk and a sissy – in ANY context.

Have you noticed how often folks – thankfully not you, to be clear – think that we are having a dialogue about who is more “compassionate” when the dialogue is actually about who has the better solution. The compassion conversation is usually pointless and simply an exercise in preening and back-patting. Ugh! Seldom does a true dialogue about solutions ever get developed. I suppose it is hard to focus outward when one is so busy focusing inward [which is why feelings are so overvalued in our society].

THEBIGDODDY in #54: The bottom line is if you’re not interested in producing justice and correctness at all times in all places in the known universe for all people without exception; then your objections to the LOGIC (or lack thereof) is meaningless, at least to me.

Hello? I am in favor of heaven on earth and throughout the universe. “(T)hen your objections to the LOGIC (or lack thereof) is meaningless, at least to me.” I have no clue what this means. THEBIGDODDY insists that one must be “interested in producing justice and correctness at all times in all places in the known universe for all people without exception” to be of interest to him. Frankly, that is too big an order for me or anyone I have ever met or known.

THEBIGDODDY in #54: “When I’M online, I’m looking to see who is INTERESTED in doing such (promoting righteous and justice for ALL people and if they align themselves with those do) and engage, when I choose, appropriately.”

Am I hearing a voice from on high here? Believe me, THEBIGDODDY, you told me to butt out, and I have.

THEBIGDODDY in #54: Words are tools, and you (heliotrope) and you (jb) have the right to use them as you choose, but regardless of the words YOU use, if you’re not interested in producing the aforementioned justice that I spoke of, in REAL life, then personally I don’t care what you say or think.

I am totally fine with your pronouncement. I can not speak for jb. But understand this, THEBIGDODDY, when you read my comments, please do not strut your pride by flattering yourself that you are the star of my musings.

THEBIGDODDY in #54: Discussion is cool, I enjoy it, but what has already been determined, from our limited dialog, is that you and I don’t feel the same about spiritual matters, nor about ALL people in G-d’s creation. As such, any battle of wills OR words on this page, or in THIS life, is futile is it not? Seriously, if we don’t serve the same Master or feel the same about His people, then ???? (what, why, duh…) huh??? You know?

You have discovered my spiritual heart? You know how I feel about ALL people? Your race to judgement about my soul is breath taking.

Well, two can play this game. THEBIGDODDY has an invisible man (Pedat) who pops up and speaks. THEBIGDODDY decides what has meaning and what does not. THEBIGDODDY has an unstated litmus test by which he decides who is worthy and who is not. THEBIGDODDY does not require the thoughts of others. THEBIGDODDY is the judge and jury of who is spiritually on target and who is……….

At this point, my opinion is that if the THEBIGDODDY has issues.

I apologize to LaShawn for entering into this needless skirmish. I do not like having my character impugned, but I am always circumspect about whether the one calling names is a troll, an eccentric or running on an unpredictable mainspring. In this strange exchange, I suspect there may be delusions of grandeur that motivates such hostility toward strangers.

My post (#52) about jibberish (gibberish) is clearly stated. I find it fascinating that people talk about “white people” and “non-black people” and “haters” as if the world is such a simple place and we are all so easily sorted out and identified. As always, I stand ready to be educated.

Thank you for the retraction as it is always preferable to be bashed AFTER saying something bashable….

However, I would just note that making a blanket assumption of such proportions [ie. assumptive/sweeping judgments about people's innermost spiritual lives and how they view/exhibit compassion for their fellow man based on a few comments] strikes me as far more flawed than merely being “inaccurate.”

Having read Helio’s comments for a couple of years, now, I can only say that you would do well to truly listen to what he says, not what you might think he means given the template you have imposed.

“The fact that you could say -”from our limited dialog, is that you and I don’t feel the same about spiritual matters, nor about ALL people in G-d’s creation” – is frankly, ridiculous.”

Pedat says:

Hmm. Fair enough. I humbly retract and exclude your name as being a contributor to statements that prompted my response.

As far as your conclusion that my statement was “ridiculous”. I find that to be just as “inaccurate” as you find my assumption to be “inadequate”, based on what I’ve been reading on these blogs.

You have just proven how inadequate assumptions are. I had not read any of your comments and my piece had utterly nothing to do with anything you may or may not have said.

I popped over to this site and saw a comment from Helio at the bottom. As a long-time fan of his gracious, erudite, and incisive comments, I decided to respond. You were never in the mix.

The fact that you could say -”from our limited dialog, is that you and I don’t feel the same about spiritual matters, nor about ALL people in G-d’s creation” – is frankly, ridiculous.