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This post is from the JMBzine Blog Vault, which means it is a very old blog post that I wrote at a very different time of my life. My views on religion, politics, and many other subjects have drastically changed over the years, so please bear this in mind when reading this post. – I generally do not edit my past writings, except to fix obvious spelling issues, or to fix broken links (most often replacing with links to archive.org). I do add some more recent editorial updates, which are shown in blue and italicized, along with dates.

October 17, 2001

4:10 pm

MSNBC reports that United Airlines may go out of business next year. (2023: broken link)

 

1:48 pm

Hey, sorry to be begging for money like everyone else and their monkey, but keeping this site running and updated takes lots of time. If you like what you see and want it to continue feel free to send donations to me at:
James M. Branum
1008-B Columbia
San Marcos, TX 78666
(2023: This was before I was using Paypal apparently. It was also when I was living in a duplex in San Marcos, Texas. According to google maps, the place looks pretty much the same as it did back then.)
Also, if you shop at Amazon.com for books, music, or other stuff, do me a big favor and buy your stuff through our links to
Amazon
. (I got a % of all sales made through the links.)Thanks! (2023: inoperable affiliate links)

 

1:37 pm

From the NY Times:

From MSNBC:

1:30 pm

Via BLOGGER I discovered an interesting site, truthwithin.com. I found it be interesting in its approach to looking at all religions. However, I do question some of the author’s statements on the “mission” page:

TRUTH WITHIN is dedicated to the idea that almost every religion, world view or philosophy contains some aspects that are true, and that we posess the ability to recognize those truths within ourselves. We do not promote any one religion or organization above another, and likewise, we will not support any group or submission that supports hate, violence, or bigotry against anyone.

We support the idea that there is a greater something beyond ourselves that no one person can explain or control.

We support the idea that each person has a responsibility to themselves to go out and experience life, to discover what they truly believe about themselves, their morality, their goals and dreams.

We support the idea that each person has the power to decide what is true for them, and that no one else has the right to decide what is true for you.

We support the idea that fear, hatred and discrimination come from not being able to see that all people have qualities that make them worthwhile, useful, important, and equal. No one has the right to decide that someone else is less important that themselves simply because that other person does not share their religious or personal views, sexual orientation, racial heritage, or marital status.

We support the idea that one must fight for the “right things” in this world, such as peace, freedom and tolerance – but that by educating the public, your weapons are words and understanding.

We support the idea that physical violence is always the last resort.

My question is this…how can you make statements like “physical violence is always the last resort” or that “peace, freedom, and tolerance” are the “right” things in the world, if you believe that all truth is relative to the individual. I agree with both of these statements that I quoted in this paragraph, but the reason I agree with them is that they are truth for everyone, not just the individual. I don’t understand how Truthwithin thinks that some truth is relative and some truth is absolute. Either truth is truth, or it’s not truth at all.

(2023: My thinking about objective vs. subjective truth has changed a fair bit since 2001.)

 

jmb

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