Values

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This is a picture worth paying attention to.

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When I was getting trained for my Priesthood some 45-50 yrs ago, We had classes on Values for quite a few periods. That, plus my latter studies on the subject and my Reflections, cannot be condensed into a post (of my type).

In the fewest words, Values are what Humankind Desires.

In my longish career, I had a student whose highest value was to cook and feed. …I do not think she was/is alone in that.

Thus there is a Hierarchy of Values (what are most important for an individual).

For a Long time, discipline was my most important value. People might find Courage, Honesty, Beauty, Cleanliness, whatnot as their first values.

Now I think Love, Peace and Happiness are the Most Important ones.

Pity the people (which is what Most people are today) who get their happiness from biryani, cars, …in short, Wine, Women and Song, as it is said.

Problem: the day they don’t get that, their happiness goes phut. So they have to make money, make money, make money, Every day, Every Hour; Even if they have to Sell their Honour, Honesty and Integrity. (Am sure none of my readers fall in this category)!

(cji=chief judge of India, called chief justice. Evidently there are other types of Justice)

(MP is member of Parliament! Indians tolerate this – viz: gogoi becoming mp!)

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Children are NOT born with the right hierarchy of values.

That is why the world has had teachers and gurus.

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It surprises me, horribly, that people think Only about themselves.

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The state, in the form of the ruling party, is NOT supposed to Interfere in teaching values.

In Ancient India, the king KNELT at the Rishi’s feet, STOOD UP for him, and GAVE HIM A HIGHER SEAT.

So, in the Original Indian way of things, IT WAS NEVER SUPPOSED THAT THE STATE WOULD DARE TO TEACH ABOUT RIGHT AND WRONG.

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Unless supervised by Parents (parents worthy of that name), children have frequently turned out like this, and worse.

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joodges and law-yers only know the law, (often made for their own advantage!). It is the Family (even, and particularly, Old Ladies, even if Uneducated) that knows about Justice, and Values. As such children should listen to their parents. Of course too many so-called parents take advantage of their children.

But We are not talking about them, are We? 🙂

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There is very little sense of THE OTHER in India now.

स्वांतसुखाय, परान्तसुखाय, कर्म, कर्मफल, धर्म-अधर्म

(Roughly, Selfish, Selfless, Actions and their End, Right vs Wrong)

were Common words of the time of my Youth. Now they are fed on hitler’s ‘nationalism’ and religious rituals.

This year (2022), modi had asked that Every house display the National flag. The man in the toon above asks modi when he is going to give them a House.

Above: For a Long time, running down the Bull dozer became a political tool of the bjp.

And the Well-fed middle class snores away.

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Not only अहंब्रह्मास्मि, (AhamBrahmaasmi, India’s most famous mantra), but

तत्त्वमसि, नेहनानास्तिकिंचन

(Tattvamasi, You too are ‘That,’ and Nehanaanaastikinchan, there is No multiplicity here)

are also Mahavakyas.

लोकसमस्तसुखिनोभवन्तु

(LokaSamasthaSukhinoBhavantu: meaning “Let the entire world be happy.” Somebody had told me this is the One verse Common in All the Vedas. Now Internet does Not say this! …And)

वसुधैवकुटुम्बकम

(VasudhAivKutumbakam: the Entire Earth is my Family; much touted by modi during his trips abroad)

are Lost. Where?

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If Love, Peace and Happiness are the Most Important values, what peace, what happiness can be found without Freedom, and Democracy, and Justice?

She, along with her Mother n 3 sisters were Actually (Gang) Raped. Banu’s 3 yo Daughter’s head was Smashed. A total of 14 Killing took place in that family. Now those men are Released!

Garlanded and Feted.

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It took the Bapu (Gandhiji) nearly half a century to get India her freedom.

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chennai/gandhi-jayanti-five-spots-in-chennai-linked-to-mahatma-gandhi-that-you-should-know-about-6038540/

Saving and Keeping Decency, Respect, Freedom, Democracy and Justice, etc, are Not going to enter a Child’s head. Parents have Inculcate them.

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Thank You, Jim Trelease! – The Power of Reading Aloud to Children

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My Father had a good library, and he had also built a small one for Us, his Children. Some of them were what We called ‘Jolly-Jump’Up’s’ which stood out upon opening.

I do not recall my parents having ‘Read out’ to Us, though they had ‘told’ Us those stories.

My Sister carried on that tradition.

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I have seen, and continue to see, No books of anything other than School/College stuff in homes now.

Education in India has become a question of ‘Mugging up,’ and more of it. This trend started about 40 years ago, I would say.

Even when the Child returns from School, it is packed off almost Immediately to Tution and Coaching classes. Children do Not know what Play is.

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But Earlier, Parents, and Grand parents in particular, would tell Children stories at their ‘Knee.’ These were not just for Entertainment, but also covered Morals and History.

That has Totally Disappeared. Which is a Tragedy. And the lack of those values learnt the knees has led to Lack of Concern for Others.

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Reading to Children, Spending Time with them, and Teaching them Values, Morals and History, has to Come Back.

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Oxford Tutoring

My son, Matt, reading to my four grandchildren.

Reading aloud to my four children is one of the fondest memories I have of their growing up years.  They are all adults now with their own families and busy lives, but I have wonderful memories of cuddling on the couch with them, reading stories together, watching their eyes light up as we traveled to other lands and other times through story.

As a teacher, reading to my children seemed a natural part of the parenting process.  Even when they were babies, they would sit on my lap as we enjoyed books like Pat the Bunny.  As they grew older, we graduated to story books.  Some were fairy tales, some were Bible stories, but all were chances to bond together over printed word. They had their favorites that they asked to be read to them over and over and over. We went…

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Adios to Affluenza: Sentencing of the Rich and Poor

What we Call, and Think of, as Civilization, hides Much of Barbarism. Our Brother T is Very good in describing such things. This fills me with Rage and Shame.

The problem is Not just that people behave like this.

The Real Problem is that those who are Supposed to Teach us Values have Failed Us.

[For all that, I consider and call our judges and many police officers as Criminals, themselves.]

The Dispatches Of Hira Singh – Part Three –

Courage gives birth to opportunity!

A look behind the scenes of the dysfunctional Mental Health System

Brother T has written, Powerfully, of how Many People are Victims of

Circumstances.

Most of Us look ‘Down’ upon them, Worse, We simply Ignore them.

Lots of VALUES are Involved in this: As presented here, one, people who

do not ‘Bother’ about How their children are growing up, and two, people

for whom Money is Enough.

W-H-O INSTILLS VALUES IN US?

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In North India, generally, (catholic) Priests (and Nuns) Constantly

Visit Families, All Families. This is particularly True in what is known

as the ‘Adivasi belts,’ Jharkhand, Madhya Pradseh, Chhattisgarh, etc.

A (Spiritual) Leader visiting them, on a Normal and Regular basis,

irrespective of money in the bank or position, gives the People a Sense

of Self Worth. And Values are Instilled, without many words getting

Spoken.

A politician does not even Think of Values. Only Religious Leaders can

Teach that.

What has happened is that catholics, especially in India, opening N-u-

m-e-r-o-u-s schools, where Values could and should have been taught,

fell prey to giving the Children Watered down, Bookish morals, and that

too Just for Exams.

We have become what my Father used to call ‘Educated’ Fools!

Suggestions to the judiciary

• judges should be paid EQUITABLE salaries. I suggest One Lakh per month as starting salary for them, and all other benefits that they get just now.
• This will be ONE step in bringing down bribery and corruption in those circles.
• judges still indulging in corruption should be summarily dismissed, after giving them a good beating.
• NOT knowledge of law, but Character, Values and Honesty should be criteria for choosing judges.
• Not political say, nor seniority, should have a say in their appointment.
• chief judges should serve for a minimum of one year. They should weed out defunct laws, and keep the judiciary clean.

Religious Leaders are Responsible

The complete title should have been: ‘Religious Leaders are Responsible for Values, and/or Changes in them.’

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Now Stop me if You have heard this Joke:

A Really rich man comes to the Parish Priest and says: ‘Father, my Dog has died, and I want it buried in our Cemetery, complete with Mass, and all that.’

Father gives him a Cold look. He knows Mr. Bimbo is a big contributor to the church kitty, but there are limits! He removes his cigar from his mouth, and says: ‘Now look here, Bimbo, that is Not a Done thing.’

Bimbo says: ‘But, my Dear Father, Jimmy has been with me for the last 9 years. He was like a son to me.’

Father simply says: ‘Nothing doing.’

This goes on. But Bimbo did not become rich just like that. He knows how things work. Now He takes out His cigar from his mouth, and says: ‘Here, Father, is a small cheque for a Million Dollars, just for expenses, You know.’

Father pockets it and asks: ‘Bimbo, Just Why didn’t You tell me Earlier that Jimmy was Baptised?’

whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com

Christ’s Teachings of Love could have been Inculcated into the Faithful by the Clergy if they themselves had known What Love is, and had Experienced it. But, from the pope down, Knowing neither Love, nor the Reality of the Happiness AND the Difficulties of Married life, they just let off their Flatulence once a week, and keep eating.

And what has happened?

• People love Animals more than they love Humans.
• People speak of Putting off Others if they are too Bothersome. So Okay, if I find a New Friend Problematic, Unhelpful or Worse, I can Unfriend him/her. People have come to think that they can do it with their Parents, Spouses, Children and Relatives.
• Values have gone to the Mud.

Christ’s Teaching of: “Love one another as I have Loved You,” has become the modern: ‘Let us love if it is convenient.’

And People give Religion a Bad Name. No, Let us go and kick the so-called religious leaders. Let us not blame Religion.

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Does it seem that I keep speaking against catholic leadership? Of course I do. I believe that We have to Clean up Our Own Stables.

Talking All night, Is that Love?

In the advertisement, the boy has rung up the girl, and they have been talking till past midnight.

In the advertisement, the Girl sounds Tired.

Both images from Airtel adverts, by Screen Capture.

The Whole thing could Very Well have been Vice Versa. As, the girl having called up, and the boy ending up Tired.

We shall not, and cannot blame the people who dream up these adverts.

But, Talking All Night, Is that Love?

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 TILL We Realize, that the OTHER Needs Space, Time, Rest and So Many Other Things, and Not Just the Sound of our Beautiful Voice, We are FAILING in Love.

The OTHERS in our Lives may be our Husbands, Wives, Mothers, Sons, Friends, Neighbours, Whoever.

They will have their own Priorities, Value Systems, Needs, Way they have been Brought Up, and Very Much So, the Need for Free Time.

Denying them that, Not thinking about Their Needs, is a Denial of their Rights, Invasion of their Privacy, and, though I say it once again, a Failure of Love.

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One Other Advertisement, that of BRU, speaks about finding out What the People in our Lives LIKE.

Let us Find out, and Strive to Keep Finding, What will Help People, and Get to It!