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E.J. is a progressive activist serving to help promote an initiative based on Jeffersonian principles regarding government and religion -- principles which Abraham Lincoln said are "the axioms of a free society."
E.J. has closely examined how and why America has changed, especially since 1984 when he saw the ominous signs of the terrible things to come. Now he understands why evil has triumphed over good and enabled the greediest of the richest few to now own 95 percent of the nation's wealth.
He understands that it was because Reaganism was sold as being "patriotic and religious" even though it was and is neither. In fact, Reaganism created a Plutocratic anideology that serves "Mammon," not God. But the American people didn't realize how or why the wool was being pulled over their eyes.
That is why he promotes an Interfaith initiative reflecting universal truths common to all religions. He understand that what we need is religious pluralism, religious tolerance, and real religious freedom, with freedom from theocratic imposition into the operations of government. As Jefferson said, we must have a "wall of separation between church and state."
E.J. promotes the message here on OEN (even though he vehemently disagrees with some of the articles published here) because too many Americans are divided, polarized and in conflict because they have been cunningly misled and misguided regarding the intent of America's Founders and the spirit of the U.S. Constitution.
And yet, ironically, the worst, most proud and aggressively militant leaders proudly an persistently claim they are "patriotic and religious." They cling to and try to perpetuate Reaganism, which means they do not believe that politics and government should promote the general welfare and use the common wealth for the common good.
Even worse, they do not understand that religion should be a unifying influence that creates a feeling of kinship. Instead they believe it justifies them in feeling "holier than thou" and believing that they are entitled to rule the world, which of course creates more conflict and division -- and that has impacted the nation and world in very negative and even disastrous ways.
Everyone needs to learn that we are one family of nations, religions, races and cultures, and only when we act like it, celebrate our diversity, and use the common wealth for the common good, will we have lasting peace. -- see messenger.cjcmp.org
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The Atlantic: The State of Trump's State Department (In Jeopardy) SHARE
It's being gutted. According to The Atlantic, Trump and Bannon will drastically slash the State Department’s funding, and last week Bannon told the attendees of the annual Conservative Political Action Conference that what he and the new president were after was a "deconstruction of the administrative state." At the State Department, which employs a lot of people here and in embassies around the world, that deconstruction is already well underway.
How ISIL Distorts the Qur'an, And How We Can Expose and Defeat Them SHARE
Truth will expose and defeat ISIS, because while their top leadership claims the Qur’an justifies them, the truth is that the Qur’an, when read and understood in context, proves they are grossly wrong and hypocritical.ISIS leadership merely selects and quotes certain isolated verses in the Qur’an, taking them out of context to try to justify themselves. But they conveniently ignore all the verses that prove them wrong, and they ignore the real purpose and meaning of the Qur’an in its entirety.
What Are True Spiritual Values? SHARE
True spiritual values are really about living by the Universal Divine Imperative common to all religions --- Treat others as you would want to be treated if you were them.That is expressed in all religions, and in the Golden Rule that was first taught by Hillel the Elder, who said is was the summation of the Torah, and then taught by Jesus of Nazareth.However, spiritual values are not necessarily about religion. Deep within we all know that spiritual values are about peace and love, about charity, generosity, compassion, humility, justice, fairness, good will, mutual respect, understanding, tolerance, forgiveness, and pacifism.Unfortunately, some "religious" people believe that their religion justifies their quest for personal power, wealth and dominion. They serve "Mammon" rather than God. They don't understand.
What Is Freedom of Religion and Religious Freedom? SHARE
Since some religious people are grossly misinformed and misled, the world is plagued by Theocrats who believe their religion entitles them to rule in the name of God. We should call them what they are, because the Theocrats are hypocrites who distort the purpose of their religion to suit their theocratic political agenda. In the Mid-East they claim to be adherents of Judaism or Islam, and in America they are right-wing evangelical fundamentalist “Christian” Dominionists. But they all believe their religion gives them the right to rule. In fact, American Theocrats act as if freedom of religion and religious freedom means freedom to try to impose their religious beliefs upon others. That is why in America we must establish, once and for all, what freedom of religion and religious freedom is.
The Communal Nature of Religions: What Religions Say Regarding Treatment of the Poor SHARE
To criminalize the homeless is abhorrent to good people, but one of the cruelest ironies today is that many religious people in the world would accuse good people of being Socialists or even Communists if they advocate for the poor or feed the poor, which reveals just how distorted many religious ideologies have become in the political arena. That's why we should understand that the Reaganite "Gospel of Prosperity," which claims the rich are blessed and the poor deserve their lot, has enabled politicians to eliminate human services, criminalize the homeless, and punish those who feed the homeless. That is why it is time for a reminder of what our religions actually teach regarding treatment of the poor.
Why America Does Not Yet Have Real Democracy SHARE
Americans are led to believe that the divisive partisan contest for power and the absurd political theater you see on television is “Democracy in action.” But that is not true. America is ruled by Plutocracy, and a wealthy few actually overrule the great majority. Real Democracy would be government by the people; a form of government in which power is vested in the people and exercised directly by the people, or by their elected representatives. And real Democracy would create equality of rights and privileges, social equality, and a democratic spirit in which the common people hold the political power.
America's Public Education System: Original Best Intentions vs. The Right-Wing Agenda to Privatize It All For Profit SHARE
Most Americans don't realize it, but when their nation began, Thomas Jefferson advocated for complete public education including a college or university education. But today even public education through high school is threatened by two forces -- by Theocrats who ignore Jefferson's constitutional "wall of separation between church and state," and by corporate profiteers who favor a "privatized" for profit education system. And corporate forces are rapidly advancing an agenda to turn America's elementary, middle, and high schools into profit-making businesses.
How We Can Have Real Social Security SHARE
Politicians, corporations and the corporate commercial media lead Americans to believe that corporations want to provide their employees with retirement pensions, but they say they just "can't afford it." They also lead you to believe that you should (or must) establish an individual private retirement account with a private company, and they also imply (if not blatantly claim) that you must do so because Social Security won't be there for you in your retirement.
However, none of that is true. It is carefully crafted, self-serving propaganda designed to destroy Social Security by wiping it out or privatizing it. And that propaganda is also designed to be highly beneficial to profiteering wealth management companies, banks, financial institutions and others that want to profit from the use of your money.
