Please watch one or more of these videos.

Part 1 is about similarities between many different religions and may offend those who follow the Judeo-Christian tradition.

Part 2 is about 9/11 and believed by the creator of the movie to be the most important part.

Part 3 is about how the idea of “Divide and Conquer” has evolved.

I was particularly interested in the first video that cogently traces the evolution of religion back to man’s early civilizations. Religion certainly is a product of human mind and the ideas common to various religions makes a very interesting piece of evidence that they all originated in the primitive man’s mind. By the way, our publishing company has just published a book called The Case Against Jesus by Burton H. Wolfe. It is certainly going to be a hit. See the link http://www.worldaudience.org/pubs_bks/pubs_bks_Wolfe_Jesus.html for the title.

Very interesting and a little unnerving.
Part 1: OK, I’ve taught some of the texts he refers to, and the similarities are not so compelling that I’d call the Bible plagiarism. But certainly there are precedents to many of the stories in the Bible. Of course certain images such as the circle and the cross are going to appear across civilizations. They are basic to the human experience. Also it’s common for one set of beliefs to assimilate elements of another as it moves into new regions. It’s like the images of the Buddha from China. In China the Buddha appears fat because he was merged with the existing Chinese god of fortune. I don’t know that similarities between different myths or belief systems indicate that they are false or that they have been created to control people.
Part 2: It’s funny, my first reaction as the towers were falling on 911 was that it was some government conspiracy. It is certainly obvious that we were told lies in order to support the American invasion of Iraq. And this so called war on terror has followed a path toward making more money for the powers that be. But I don’t know. The idea that we’re all being duped by an evil government conspiracy seems far fetched.
Part 3: So who are the bad guys here? Is it Christians? the government? rich people who are controlling the media? I must admit that I got a little lost in all the talk about the fed. Whenever someone starts talking about money about half my brain shuts down. I am intrigued by the idea that income taxes are fake. How can I go about ending my (sic) slavery? Seriously, if we’re on the road to becoming an American Union why doesn’t anyone talk about it? And Really, why would that be so bad? Recent attempts at immigration reform have proven this one false. Don’t you have to show your passport to walk over to Canada or Mexico now? Are we so xenophobic that the idea of having international agreements with those scary Canadians is indicative of big brother getting ready to take over the world? Also, the dollar is not doing so well these days. It might be a good idea to ditch it for the Amero. (Such a goofy name for currency)
The videos seem a bit like propaganda. I kept expecting a final appeal for me to send my money to some organization or join Scientology.

The idea that we’re all being duped by an evil government conspiracy seems far fetched.

Why is that far fetched?  When I compare the funding of the attack by one OBL to “fight” a great evil to the funding of the attack by a group of people trying to make money, one of them seems far fetched and the other seems… well, I would agree, evil.  But I don’t think evil is all that far fetched.

The trouble I have is just what you asked: “How can I go about ending my (sic) slavery?” The end does have an appeal - just to get others to watch the “propaganda”.  So let’s consider propaganda and what kinds we might want to promote:
* Does it foment war or promote peace?
* Does it promote education or submission?
* Does it break up families or bring them together?
* Does it make you care less about others or more?
* Does it encourage you to speak out, or to be quiet?

I’ve already indicated my answers.

Dave Scotese - 18 January 2008 08:35 PM

So let’s consider propaganda and what kinds we might want to promote:
* Does it foment war or promote peace?
* Does it promote education or submission?
* Does it break up families or bring them together?
* Does it make you care less about others or more?
* Does it encourage you to speak out, or to be quiet?

I’ve already indicated my answers.

I agree with you absolutely. Perhaps my first post came across as more skeptical than than I meant it to. My biggest issue with the film was that I found so much to agree with in its little premises yet did not feel some of the larger conclusions followed logically. As I posted before one of my first reactions on 911 was that it must be some kind of government conspiracy. And I do see a progressive removal of civil liberties. But I find myself frustrated as to what we can do about it. Perhaps the answer is to pass this video along, to promote dialogue about what’s going on in America.
From the behavior of Americans (i.e. electing Bush for a second term) I don’t feel that they want to think or to bring about change. The massive support for No Child Left Behind is evidence of that. As someone who taught high school, I can tell you that NCLB is NOT designed to produce students who can think. It goes almost directly against researched best practices. It is an instrument of submission. And yet we see current presidential hopefuls touting it as a success.
I don’t know. If Americans don’t want to think and our educational system is designed to prevent them from thinking, does that mean instruments of propaganda such as this film are our best answer? And can this film meet the standards you set forth above? I believe that many Christians will be offended if not outraged by the first part of the film. Will that serve our purposes? As usual I’m left with more questions than answers.

When they pass a law requiring you to send your children to a public “school” for, say 4 hours each day (including weekends), during which, your children inform you, they learn how parents can mistreat and misguide their children, and how to show proper respect for the great leaders who developed the program, and they get to eat delicious foods (which you suspect are making them obese), and play great games (which you have to admit do seem to have taught them some valuable thinking skills), what will you do?

Here are my plans, and things I am already doing:
* Discuss the issue with other parents
* Discuss the rules with the “school” administrators, keeping track of who seems thoughtful and who seems mechanical
* Question every person who claims authority over anything.
* Voice bitterness and vitriol when I am forced into positions I don’t like.
* Demonstrate, through my actions, that I am the kind of person that others want around…
* but remain blunt and critical of foolishness, no matter how well accepted it is.

This is a thin line that I walk.  I find myself making a couple hundred decisions each day about whether and how to say things, whether to be positive about something someone did that I think is progress, or negative about something that seemed to feed the parasite - often both opportunities appear at the same moment.  How much of the complicated nature of things that I perceive do I try to explain?  This is the job of life - relating to others in a way that helps them come to their own conclusions and think for themselves, but makes them appreciate others’ existence too - others who share in the sense of individual sovereignty and self-realization.

Dave Scotese - 19 January 2008 01:39 PM

When they pass a law requiring you to send your children to a public “school” for, say 4 hours each day (including weekends), during which, your children inform you, they learn how parents can mistreat and misguide their children, and how to show proper respect for the great leaders who developed the program, and they get to eat delicious foods (which you suspect are making them obese), and play great games (which you have to admit do seem to have taught them some valuable thinking skills), what will you do?.

My first response is to say homeschooling! But given the situation you describe, I don’t think that would be an option anymore. Am I just being pessimistic in assuming the world is descending into some kind of Orwellian horror?

Dave Scotese - 19 January 2008 01:39 PM

Here are my plans, and things I am already doing:
* Discuss the issue with other parents
* Discuss the rules with the “school” administrators, keeping track of who seems thoughtful and who seems mechanical
* Question every person who claims authority over anything.
* Voice bitterness and vitriol when I am forced into positions I don’t like.
* Demonstrate, through my actions, that I am the kind of person that others want around…
* but remain blunt and critical of foolishness, no matter how well accepted it is..

When I was a teacher I would have loved to have a parent such as you. Many parents are so disconnected from their kids, they seem to just not care. And frankly most teachers and administrators probably feel the opposite. Many of them don’t like their methods being questioned. Where do their methods come from? The state (and the federal government) usually. I once tried to engage a superior about improving the way we taught. She indicated to me that I should just follow the book. So, I guess I just did the best I could while I was there. Teaching was the hardest job I’ve ever done (and I once worked construction twelve hours a day, seven days a week during summer heat). I felt like I was in a constant battle—just me against students who wanted to plug into their ipods, parents who wanted to be left alone until graduation, and a system designed to produce unthinking drones.
This thin line that you walk reminds me of what it was like teaching. I don’t know how much I accomplished. These days I’m living in a place where I don’t speak the language very well. I only get to relate to others in the way you describe during the rare moments when I meet someone whose English is better than my Spanish. Maybe that’s why I spend so much time on Litmocracy. It’s a excellent place to interact with other thinking people—weather they think the same way I do or not.

bent - 20 January 2008 08:26 AM

Maybe that’s why I spend so much time on Litmocracy. It’s a excellent place to interact with other thinking people—weather they think the same way I do or not.

Amen to that.

Bent you were talking about the constant battle and the little difference it makes - you raise an interesting point. One that many of us have raised time and time again, and will continue to raise throughout our lives whenever we feel that the progress we try to make within a world where the masses are happy to be led by opportunists seem to regress. I had a conversation with Dave not so long ago about the Good, the Evil, and everything in between. Of hardship and tough times, I said: “I shut up, deal with it, grow with it, take advantage of everything I can to become stronger and better, every day”.

Not everyone knows how to do this. I believe everyone is able to, but not everyone has been blessed with good values and willingness to fight for what they believe to be good and true. That is why I choose to help them learn how to do that. The more people learn and apply this to their daily lives, the easier the battle becomes for all of us.

Learn, grow, become stronger and better - as individuals. Then hook up with other individuals who share this view of the world and though you might not agree with everything they say, you know they will listen to you, respect your opinion and allow you to help them...as long as you allow them to help you.

Watching the movies did not make me believe in everything they said. Just like listening to politicians does not convince me to vote for them. Hearing what both sides have to say allow me to find my ‘in-between’ - to make up my own mind. Based on my values, my beliefs, and my heart, I am then prepared to denounce the things that are wrong with the world and support those that help it progress.

StarLizard - 20 January 2008 03:04 PM

I said: “I shut up, deal with it, grow with it, take advantage of everything I can to become stronger and better, every day”.

Thanks for your input, Star. I didn’t realize how negative my last few posts sounded until I looked back at them just now. But what you said is in line with my own personal philosophy. It’s one of the reasons why I tried to teach for so many years and it’s why I write. I may not be the best writer, but I hope that I can produce material that makes people think. I don’t want everyone to agree with me, but I would like to engage them in a dialogue.

Hey Bent,

I didn’t mean to say you were being negative - just that you might have been in one of those slumps when you need someone to remind you of the beauty of teaching and supporting those very ideas that tire you after awhile. We all go through those moments - and sometimes all you need is an understanding mind to confirm that all that work is actually worth something. Sharing ideas certainly is - so is making people think and being open to other people’s ideas and dialogues. I think you’re in the right place

- Star