Right on, JJ. Gene Roddenberry. Unity in diversity. Delighting in what makes us unique, celebrating what unites us, rejoicing and finding enrichment in each other's innate giftedness above and beyond the differences that some would seek to obliterate into conformity.

A total antithesis to Hitler's vision.

He spoke at NASA, which is here in my town. He died in 1991, I believe? He was also the producer of Star Trek, wasn't he? A visionary ahead of his time....

JJ

...a candle in the night...

I love Gene Roddenberry. He inspired in ways that are beautiful, uplifting as well as showing what humanity is capable of at both extremes.

I find it interesting that the same culture produced two very different people - Gene and GW, with very different ideologies. Doesn't anyone else see that what Hitler said is very close to what Pat Robertson and the extreme right are saying now? Intolerance however packaged is still intolerance.

What makes religious-based intolerance so dangerous is that it comes couched in familiar language spoken by powerful people who believe that what they're saying is truth, so much so that ultimately what they themselves believe is all they can read into the Scriptures. Their eyes are blinded to any other possibilities.

The same can be said for me, who believes that God wears many faces and goes by many names...ever since my eyes were open to that possibility, it's all I can read into the Scriptures now...my eyes are now blinded to any other possibility that doesn't speak love and unconditional celebration of each unique beloved.

Eagle Heart, what you said is excellent. What an honest person you are. What you say is true of all of us.

Now following your suggestion above, can you guess who said this one?

"Why, of course people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don't want war: neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of a country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought around to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."

this sounds like Leo Tolstoy, from his book "the kingdom of God is within you". When the book came out in the late 188o's it was banned, because it contained this type of information and it contained his extremely negative opinion of those controlling and intrepreting christianity.

[ December 11, 2005, 03:01 AM: Message edited by: norma ]

Herman Goering, at the Nuremburg Trials: "Why, of course people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don't want war: neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of a country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voiceor no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."

You're right JawJaw. His words are so true today also.

Sorry, ladies, but there's no way you're going to convince me Goering ever could be trusted no matter what he said. Several million Holocost deaths attest to that!