WIERD AND WONDERFUL CHARACTERS OF EUGENE

Eric Hoffer--wrote a book in the 50's entitled the Passionate State of Mind----about people who live for a cause. In just one day I met the following:

A Jesus truck--I see them fairly often---many like this one engineered for living in. Most carry Biblical carrot and stick messages---God loves you--but if you won't believe Jesus was god, repent of your sins and accept him as your savior--then you will spend eternity in hell.

I poked my camera into a crack in the back to see what was inside. I suspect his mind is organized like his belongings.

A festival was underway downtown--I hurried to catch the flavor. Recognize this guy? None other than the fastest bird in the world--a peregrine falcon.

And a turkey vulture---it excrets antiseptic feces on its feet---keeps its feet germ free. I think raptors are meat eating birds.

The toughest of three dilemmas I considered. See the banner? what they are advocating? I listened while a passionate mind told me her vision for peace in the holy land---basically let the ousted palestinians come back and reclaim what was theirs and live side by side with Israeli settlers--having full voting rights with them---in a one-state solution which includes the west bank and the gaza strip. One big peaceful family. They point to South Africa as proof that it can be done.

They make a strong legal case---but I don't think it would work. The religious and cultural gap is just too great. The Jews are determined to have a distinctly Jewish homeland---can you blame them? The solution I envision is an IMPOSED two states--with borders defined by the UN. I think It is a good thing to have a democratic, civilized nation sitting square in the Muslim uncivilized middle east. An enraging but stimulative irritant like a sand grain in an oyster might provoke the Muslims to moderate their religion, liberate their women, activate positive creativity and build a humane society for themselves.

Here's a really controversial issue. This lady represents a persecuted minority in China ---the Falun Gong --a quasi-religious group numbering perhaps 70 million--mostly Chinese. She wants world pressure brought on the Chinese government to legitimize their practice. Wikipedia has an excellent article on the controversy. I come down on the side of the Chinese government---Falun Gong is one of those wildfire religions that threatens the stability of China and its dominant meaning system. For whatever comfort and therapy it delivers---it still has superstition at its core and it pleases me to see it stamped out. What? You think every religion should be allowed to run its course--seduce whomever it will? Consider that the Japanese saw the insidious danger of Catholicism to their culture and resisted it. The Philipines did not---nor did Mexico.----Now look at the difference. Japan is not crippled by superstition as are the other two. The entire Islamic world is enfeebled, distracted and made crazy by the superstitious belief that God sent the world a Prophet and a holy book detailing how life should be lived. I believe there are times when a state ought to squash a crazy religion. Texas recently considered doing just that to the fundamentalist Mormons in their state---I cheered! Vast numbers can be swallowed up in a wildfire religion--seducing the gullible---brainwashing the children--perpetuating the evil for hundreds of years. I think tomorrow I will post my poetic solution to this problem entitled The Religion Warehouse.

And speaking of crazy---You'll have a hard time believing this one---brace yourselves. A man has emerged---he says out of the godhead----never born---and is appearing at various places around the world---just suddenly appears in a huge crowd---and addresses them in their language---swahili in the picture above--with a message of peace and love. He is the one, his followers say, the world has been waiting for---Christians, Muslims, Buddhist, Hindus etc--all expect a divine being to come to earth and he is it. He is called Maitreya and that page on the right says he appeared in Portland, Or on Jan 4, 1998----19 times altogether he has appeared in the US---says that he will soon announce himself as the expected Messiah.----says that an unusual star will herald his full disclosure to the world.

A Maitreya believer----with charts and signs--She was charming--enthusiastic---on fire with the good news.

Supposedly an authentic photo of the Norway Spiral that appeared Dec 9, 2009
Anybody out there know anything about this?

Other unusual stars recently photographed that may be the looked for sign.

And if we will all just get on board this train--there will be peace in the world.

RANDY RUMINATES: I think my readers get weary of my rants against religion--and I must admit--so do I. There are more interesting subjects to address and I think I will---after tomorrow when I post my solution in the form of a poem.