Friday, June 15, 2018

Religious Fervents

In 2017, Christianity has an estimated 2.4 billion adherents, out of the approximate 7.2 billion people that occupy this planet. Followers of the apocryphal Jesus Christ represent one-third of the world's population and is the largest religion in the world.

The three largest groups of Christians are the Catholic Church, Protestantism, and the Eastern Orthodox Church.


The largest Christian denomination is the Catholic Church, with 1.09 billion adherents. The second largest Christian branch is Protestantism or the Eastern Orthodox Church (Protestants are often divided into multiple denominations).

Christianity is the predominant religion in Europe, Russia, the Americas, the Philippines, East Timor, Southern Africa, Central Africa, East Africa and Oceania. There are also large Christian communities in other parts of the world, such as Indonesia, Central Asia and the Middle East, where Christianity is the second-largest religion after Islam. America has the largest Christian population in the world, followed by Brazil and Mexico. 

The second largest religion in the world is Islam, with 1.6 billion followers. The main regions of Islam are: Middle East, Northern Africa, Central Asia, South Asia, Western Africa, Maritime Southeast Asia with large population centers existing in Eastern Africa, Balkan Peninsula, Russia and China. The Islamic Holy Book is the Quran.

Both Christianity and Islam are considered Abrahamic religions. Abrahamic religions emphasize and trace their common origin to the tribal patriarch Abraham. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are the largest Abrahamic religions in terms of numbers of adherents.

The major Abrahamic religions in chronological order of founding are:
  • Judaism (seventh century BCE - Before the Common Era)
  • Christianity (first century CE)
  • Islam (seventh century CE)

Abrahamic religions with fewer adherents include Rastafari, Samaritanism (sometimes classified as a branch of Judaism), the Druze faith (often classified as a branch of Isma'ili Shi'i Islam), Bábism, and the Bahá'í Faith.

The first of the Crusades began in 1095 (1096-99), when armies of Christians from Western Europe responded to Pope Urban II’s plea to go to war against Muslim forces in the Holy Land. After the first Crusade achieved its goal with the capture of Jerusalem in 1099, the invading Christians set up several Latin Christian states, even as Muslims in the region vowed to wage holy war (jihad) to regain control over the region.

  • Second Crusade (1147-49)
  • Third Crusade (1189-92)
  • Fourth-Sixth Crusades (1198-1229)

The remainder of the 13th century saw a variety of Crusades aimed not so much at toppling Muslim forces in the Holy Land, but to combat any and all of those viewed as enemies of the Christian faith.

Reference: Crusades

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Planet of the Lie

Morgan Scott Peck (May 22, 1936 – September 25, 2005) was a psychiatrist and best-selling author who is best known for his book, “The Road Less Traveled,” published in 1978.

In his book, “People of the Lie: The Hope for Healing Human Evil” (published in 1983), Dr. Peck does not discount the existence of various psychiatric disorders, including those that may cause people to behave maliciously, but rather views evil as being a conflict that toes the line between a personality and/or a spiritual disorder.

The author describes evil people as being aware of their conscience, but actively choose to ignore it, as opposed to a sociopath who appears to be devoid of conscience altogether. In other words, an evil person knows that they are committing an evil act, while a sociopath does not, even though their actions are similar.

M. Scott Peck describes evil as “militant ignorance.” He states, “Evil people are obsessed with maintaining their self-image of perfection through self-deception. In addition, evil people will be very selective about who they inflict their evil upon, while going to great lengths to maintain an image respectability and normality with everyone else. As a result, evil people are often well liked by the majority, and their victims come across as being overly sensitive, having a persecution complex, or even being crazy.”

As a supervisor for a major electronic commerce and cloud computing company, I have the misfortune to speak to inveterate fabricators every single day. The level that some people will stoop to for a refund is mind boggling. One might ask, how do you know these people are not telling the truth? Well, it goes back to the adage, "you will know them by their - electronic history - fruits." In other words, there is a consistent history of tracking from different carriers (UPS, USPS, FedEx, etc.) that shows the item(s) was delivered, and in some cases, signed for.

The first few times the customer is given the benefit of the doubt. However, once a pattern of deceit emerges (and often the dollar amount increases), the gig is up; no more refunds for items not received. You would think, some charlatans might say, "oh well, it was a good run." But no, they will continue with the shameful falsehoods, usually accompanied by elaborate stories of rogue neighbors, out of town, or and illness. They may be right about the sickness, but their affliction (in most cases, not all) lies in morality (lack of a moral compass), emotional stability, and communal values.

Starting at an early age, I would tell my daughter and son that, whatever you do in life, learn how to tell the truth. You don't want to be known as a liar, because you could actually be telling the truth but no one will believe you. That's because you have become, "the little person who cried wolf," one time too many. You've made your disingenuous bed, and now must lie (pardon the pun) in it, the rest of your life.

What is diabolically perplexing about perpetual dissimulators is the ability to conjure up 'crocodile tears', or this "woe is me" facade, at a moments notice. There is no explanation to this type of behavior for sane individuals. To understand, one would necessarily have to be complicit and knowledgeable about duplicitous manipulation, and not give a rats nipple about potential consequences.

Considering there are billions of planets that harbor sentient beings similar to the human species, there should be a special planet. This idea is not as far-fetched as one might imagine. Considering, in the Milky Way Galaxy alone, there are hundreds of thousands (maybe a lot more) of galaxies that have the same ingredients - carbon, nitrogen, and water - that produced life on earth. What we have been able to study, through the use of powerful telescopes like Hubble and Spitzer Space, is less than 5% of what's out there. This special planet would be reserved for habitual liars. After such an incarnation, maybe
Source:
  • People of the Lie: The Hope For Healing Human Evil (Simon & Schuster, 1983)
    ISBN 978-0-684-84859-4
© Copyright June 6, 2018 - All Rights Reserved. Author #Taskeinc

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Tilapia Gets a Bad Rap

Do the research, and try it for yourself before you go believing the myths behind Tilapia.

I've been exercising and involved in physical fitness for the past 30+ years. Two years ago, a friend of mine took first place in the "2016 NPC Masters Nationals Women's Physique Over 50" contest. In 2017, she placed third, and is competing again in 2018.


I inquired as to what made up her diet; how did you get so cut, so toned, was my question. Janet - 53-years of age at the time - responded, "the last 3 months before the competition, I only ate tilapia and drank lots of water." Well, I'm the type of person that, if Lenda Murray, or Cory Everson, or Lee Haney, tell me they eat this, that, or the other, and it helped them prepare to be at their physical peak, then I'm taking their advise. Mind you, Janet is not on par with those bodybuilding greats, but now at 55-years-young, she can definitely hold her own.

Also, I've eaten tilapia, consistently, since I took Janet's advise. Within a week or two, I noticed a difference. Primarily, my bowel movements were so much better. It's been 2 years, and guess what, it hasn't killed me or adversely affected my health. Most people who say, "don't eat it, it's not healthy," have never tried it on a regular basis and is only going by what someone told them, or by an article written by someone who never tried it.


Tilapia gets the bad rap because it is one of the least expensive fish on the market, so the arrogant folks, consider it, "poor people's fish." This is where the myth started and people just ran with it. Try it for yourself before you pass judgement.

Here are 10 Healthy Benefits of Tilapia, from health.facty.com:
  1. Low in calories and fats: Tilapia is naturally high in proteins and replenishes the body’s necessary nutrients, which allows it to function properly.
  2. Heart Healthy: The selenium, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acids found in tilapia are heart healthy. They work to maintain your blood pressure, HDL cholesterol as well as to warding off potential artery clogging heart disease.
  3. Pumping Muscles: The lean proteins fuel the muscle without introducing excessive fats, while the potassium helps to keep the cramping away.
  4. Reduces Inflammation: Tilapia can be a natural beneficial source to aid in the relief of the swelling. The unsaturated fats in tilapia reduce the inflammation in the body.
  5. Growth and Development: The protein in tilapia is known to be beneficial in the development of organs, membranes, cells, muscles, muscle growth, cellular repair, and proper metabolic activity many other organs.
  6. Reduces Risk of Prostate Cancer & Selenium: The element of selenium in tilapia is known for its prostate prevention capabilities. It is by nature a natural antioxidant. Studies have shown its effectiveness in reducing prostate cancer.
  7. Healthy Bones: Everything from your teeth to your nails depends on the phosphorous found in tilapia. This vital element is critical to the development of your bones. As you age, your bones will naturally weaken, and the phosphorous found in tilapia can cut the risk of osteoporosis or the degradation of bone mineral density.
  8. Healthy Brain and Nervous System: Tilapia contains potassium and omega-3 fatty acids. The potassium and the omega-3 fatty acids in the fish boosts brain power and increases oxygenation and enables nervous reactions and nutrient deposition to the brain. A healthy nervous system will enable better communication of your entire body.
  9. Immune System & Thyroid Function: The vitamins and minerals in tilapia are beneficial to the immune system and the thyroid. Selenium increases the activity of white blood cells and fight against toxins within the body.
  10. Premature Aging: The selenium found in tilapia is a natural antioxidant that stimulates the vitamin E and C in your body. These vitamins are vital to the health of your hair, nails, and skin. One 4oz serving of tilapia provides 20% of your daily needs to improve their health and appearance by stopping the free radical damage.
Sources of Selenium: Seafoods and organ meats are the richest food sources of selenium. Other sources include muscle meats, cereals and other grains, and dairy products. The major food sources of selenium in the American diet are breads, grains, meat, poultry, fish, and eggs.

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

What if... MLK Lived?

What if King had survived? Would he have changed the trajectory of events that shaped a post-1968 America? And how would events have changed him as the country evolved?

These questions were posed to Jesse Jackson and Andrew Young on the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King's assassination. A few of the hypothetical postulations are listed below.

  • He would have changed events?
  • King could have saved thousands of lives in Vietnam, had Kennedy, who was running for president in 1968, also survived, says Benedict Giamo, associate professor of American Studies at the University of Notre Dame.
  • I think it would have been a quicker end to the Vietnam War with a coalition of MLK and RKF," says Giamo, who teaches a course called "Witnessing the Sixties." As we know, from '68 to '73, you had close to 25,000 more deaths in Vietnam.

Far too many variables for this social and moral hypothetical trip back into time to change the future. Too many "If's and but's." As the late Monday Night Football commentator used to say, "if if's and buts were candy and nuts, everyone would have a Merry Christmas."

The European power structure, spearheaded by the Rockefeller's, Rothschild's, Morgans, Bush, and a few others who are behind illegal wars for profit, would have done exactly what was done. The Roman Catholic Church and the Vatican - hoarders of the worlds wealth - would have done the exact same thing, not lift one finger to assist downtrodden African Americans when they definitely had the financial wherewithal to do so. Remember, the Pope is considered the "Vicar of Christ," that's the earthly representative of the one and only Jesus Christ.

So ask yourself this question: if Jesus was on earth, in the flesh during the days of slavery, of reconstruction, of Jim Crow, water hoses, police dogs, KKK, and incessant brutality against black people, would he have sat idly by and done absolutely nothing?

"Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely." Specifically when you have those who have been disenfranchised, taken advantage of, for centuries - and this includes the financially disadvantaged, not just people of color - worshiping a pseudo, make-believe deity, who is supposed to "cometh with the clouds" to save the day, you're asking for perpetual problems, and that is what we have witnessed.

Organized religion is behind all the dirt, behind all the skulduggery that goes on in this world. Religion and War are the sinister feather of the same malevolent flock of birds that so cripples our world. This is why King's message of equality and courage is far more effective as a Martyr than if he and JFK and Robert and Malcolm and Gandhi and Mandela and Mother Teresa... would have lived. They transitioned when they were suppose to.

As Einstein stated, "We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if mankind is to survive." As of 2018, that "new manner of thinking" has not translated to the majority. Therefore, humanity will destroy itself before planet earth has inhabitants that respect her and that respect themselves.

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