THE KING OF KODGERS MAKES A SPEECH

(don't think me presumptious to call myself King of Kodgers----I was elected to this status at the Kodger rendezvous at (appropriately) the infamous SLABS. Check that out here

My friends in Yuma invited me to speak on a subject of my choice to their group, the Unitarians.
I chose the topic:                 

SECULAR ENLIGHTENMENT

Where oh where are ya gonna go to get answers to the puzzle of life?  Ya gonna believe the religious guys like Rick Warren--author of a best seller, THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE?  They want you to believe a story about Gods and Holy books and let your life be guided by mystical messages and forces toward the good life.  They believe that the  truth about the human situation is revealed rather than discovered----That the important truths about life are already known-----and  that our job is to obey them.

Secular gurus like Tony Robbins make no such cosmic claims.  They offer earthly wisdom; the accumulated experience of a hundred thousand years of human trial and error and thought. (like this  tidbit of Chinese wisdom:  Walking through your neighbor's melon patch is a bad time to adjust your sandals.)

So who ya gonna be guided by? The religious guys or the secular guys? I'm glad you asked---I've had a good dose of both schools of thought--I went to the seminary for 2 years and later, I completed the EST training in secular enlightenment.  I'll give you my best judgement.

In the late 70's a newspaper article told of a guy in San Francisco who could fix whatever ails you in 60 hours flat---guaranteed.  If at the end of the course you were not convinced that your head was now on straight---fixed forever---you got your money back.  Fair enough--I drove there and gave them $250--signed an agreement to arrive on time for every session--not leave the room till dismissed--not speak without permission--take the first available seat, front to back.--and then I  showed up with 200 or so others in a hotel ballroom.

The trainer --a handsome guy of about 30--stern of contenance, mounted the platform and began to yell at us; He said:  YOU'RE ALL JERKS---every one of you--and I'll tell you why: 

YOU'RE ONLY HALF ALIVE!
YOU LIVE LIKE A ROBOT--IN THE GRIP OF YOUR CONDITIONING!
JERKED AROUND BY YOUR BELIEFS!
YOU WONT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR LIFE!
YOU WON'T KEEP YOUR AGREEMENTS!
YOU HAVE A BAD ATTITUDE TOWARD YOUR PROBLEMS!
YOU'D RATHER BE RIGHT THAN SATISFIED.
YOU RUN YOUR RACKETS ON THE WORLD---trying to squeeze out  ego juice.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT YOURSELF.

Take a deep breath.  (and they did) Now Notice that at the base of your nose is a slight cooling.
That's a real experience!-------and you will be practically enlightened when you know the difference between a thought and an experience.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO FIX YOU---YOU'RE GOING TO FIX YOU.
And here's how:
We will REHABILITATE your ability to EXPERIENCE----so that you gradually clear up  your "stuff"----just in the natural course of living.

What ails you is that you have lost the ability to experience life.

to be continued- tomorrow