My Philosophy

Why do we loathe the idea of people imitating us if it isn't because we are so ashamed of all that we have done and are still capable of doing? And, despite this, why do we still strive to convince others that they should hold onto certain theological and philosophical precepts that we cherish?

I am nevertheless required to speak by compulsion. I am persuaded that only with these truths can we break up the fallowness of our hearts and our minds to hear and receive uncompromised truth. Therefore, my intent is to provoke this refining in myself and others.

This is the Wisdom of the True Philosopher: Not alone, I must be forged.

The universe, despite its glory, is a dim reflection of that transcendent unity that reaches into the depths of all our souls declaring that in unity we can accomplish anything.

As a refining fire and hammer upon steel, are my friends to my heart and mind--completing and maturing my intent and will.

- e.s. kohen

Why I Believe In God

I believe this is the simplest--reasonable--answer I can give to those who are looking for a logical explanation.

I believe in God because I do not believe in randomness. I believe that the concepts of "Cause and Effect" and "Randomness" are mutually exclusive. What we perceive as randomness is truly our finite understandings of how all things are infinitely entangled and effected by each other. This evidences "Order".

If every cause is truly an effect of a previous cause, then the only resolution for that paradoxical "First Cause" is that this "First Cause" must have transcended all natural laws--must have even transcended creation itself. Only by not being bound to natural law can the "First Cause" not be required to be preceded by another cause. This evidences the law of "Transcendence".

If there is order--and no randomness--in everything we see, then reasonably, I must conclude that I am not random. And if I am not random, then it is reasonable for me to believe that I have been caused into an "ordered" existence by something much greater and "transcendent" than myself, greater even than the universe--God.

e.s. kohen

Can God Create a Rock That He Cannot Lift?

This question is intended as a philosophical paradox. However, it can be answered by adhering to the laws of constraint.

To prevent an action, an opposing force of equal or greater strength must be found to be in opposition.

Therefore, to prevent God from doing anything, (including lifting a rock), a force of equal or greater must be found to be in opposition to God.

Since God, (be definition), is the Most High, there is none greater than or equal to Him. Therefore, the only force that could prevent God from doing anything is God Himself.

Therefore, God could create a rock He could not lift if He promised not to lift it. God has always submitted to the binding authority of His Word.

Credibility

What authority does one person have towards another to share the insight they possess?

How can we determine the credibility or validity of one individual or group over another?

Certainly those who have been the most educated still disagree. Certainly even age does not tell what true wisdom is or not.

What I do know, is that if God chose to speak through a donkey--and in the process bless a nation--then it is possible that even I might say something worthwhile, despite all of my foolish ramblings and mistakes.

It will never be justified to argue, "Do as I say, not as I do." Too many of us have fallen into complacency and have contented ourselves that true maturity is beyond our reach. Rather as an alternative, we should claim, "As iron sharpens iron, so does one man sharpen the favor of his friend." We will never be able to justify our right to teach another because of our own maturity. Wisdom teaches us to submit who we really are to each other for refinement and maturity.

Therefore, perhaps a glimpse of some truth in what I say might pierce even my own heart or the heart of another. And, perhaps through the process of questioning, I might break up some of the hardened grounds of our intellects and hearts. Maybe this might give an opportunity for seeds of truth to be planted.

What is Discipline?

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Discipline, though often bearing punishment, must always cling to the intent to instruct. No punishment, by itself, will ever be able to lead another in the way of wisdom.

If the measure that we punish is greater than the measure of our teaching, then we have forsaken the intent to increase another, and we will have found ourselves embracing cruelty instead.

Only when there are walls exalted against hearing, only when hearts defy understanding, is it the time to till the hardened soil of stubborn minds and rebellious hearts--through authority, strength and always, love.

What is Wisdom?

ed.2009.06.13.01

If Wisdom was before all, and through wisdom all things are ordered, then Wisdom is the true verdict of morality in view of eternity. For that which was before time, by nature, transcends all things temporal. And that which is above, exposes those things that are below, as vapors rising fleetingly before the Sun.

-e.s. kohen

Conflicts of Interest: The United States

ed.2007.11.13.01 (Working Draft)
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Is it a conflict of interest for a Republic who has been governed historically by teachers, physicians and lawyers, to make the ideals they represent inaccessible for the majority of its constituents: higher education, health care and justice?

Note: Yes, the United States is a Republic--not a Democracy--according to the Pledge of Allegiance. In the U.S. Republic, you get to democratically vote for who represents you. But once they begin their duties, it is very inefficent and practically impossible to hold these Representatives accountable as they go about their daily routines. It is nearly impossible in this system of government for their constituents to be able to democratically influence the decisions they make on a day to day basis.

Is Smoking Kosher?

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I visited a religious moshav in Tifrach, Israel for Rosh Hashannah, (Jewish New Year) this year. A moshav is a farming community, but as the irony in my life goes, I was told that they don't really do farming there.

Moving along.

This particular community is Ashkenazi, (Jews descended or are from central Europe. In Hebrew, it literally means Germany) and this community is very religious. As I was told, they are also home for one of the most prodigious Yeshivah's in Israel, (a yeshivah is a school for boys to pursue religious studies). All of the men and boys wore black pants and white shirts at the least, and the women all wore dresses. All of the men wore black coats and hats.

To say that I was a bit out of place would suffice, but still remain far from the reality of the truth.

This year Rosh Hashannah fell two days before Shabbat. What this means is that for those who are very religiously observant, smoking is prohibited for three days due to the constraint to kindle a flame on Shabbat.

Much to my surprise and to the contribution of "Ironic Ironies" in my life, I experienced the most startling portrayal of black and white masses jumping into their sweet revelries--or impending doom. Only, it seemed that there was no reluctance nor need to wait for the first to "break the ice". So there I stood, staring at a group of very orthodox Jews standing next to the front door of the Beit Knesset, (Synagogue) lighting up their so-called "cancer sticks" of choice.

Having convinced myself previously that I had been appropriately acquainted with the laws of Kashrut, I found myself alarmed at the profound and inexplicable reality that I was totally uninformed regarding any prohibitions or policies concerning smoking cigarettes.

I walked to the nearest, most austere and well-informed looking group of the observant I could find, and posed my incredulity.

"If the laws of Kashrut were created to keep us from eating those things that are unclean with the intent to keep us clean, then why do these laws seem to fail in every respect since we find ourselves so contaminated with cancer and such great pollutions in our own bodies making us anything but clean?"

Now, after I had told this story to a friend of mine afterwards, I was asked, "Is that when they got mad at you?" To this quip I replied, "In order to be offended, they would have had to feel that there was even a remote possibility of ever being wrong and that someone like me had any merit. And for them to even consider my question as credible was highly improbable considering my kippah was of the knitted persuasion."

And to prove that I was totally ignorant of such lofty matters, I shared the new insights I was bequeathed by those highly religious, even while smoking their cancer sticks of choice.

Apparently, according to the Halacha, (Jewish religious law), neither nicotine or cancer are un-kosher to have in your body. Furthermore, the intention of Kosher laws is not really to keep your body clean, but your soul.

Thankfully, the great sages of Judaism determined that God cared more about not eating dairy and meat products at the same time than about abstaining from polluting our bodies with toxins and cancer. Otherwise, God may have passed along some oral instruction concerning using things contrary to what God purposed.

And to cement my ignorance in immortality, I now posit the following ponder:

Since, according to this logic, the pollutants in our bodies have no true bearing on whether or not our souls are clean, it is probable that the source of our uncleanness is in that we do not obey God. Therefore, according to this logic, we are permitted to pollute our bodies as much as we like as long as we don't pollute our souls by disobeying God.

The simple answer to all of this, (regardless of the laws of Kashrut), is that anything contrary to the will of God is sin. And, God commanded us to choose life and not death, Devarim 30, (Deut.). Certainly smoking doesn't cause immediate physical death, but then again, neither did eating the fruit from that tree.

Perhaps at another time I will try to answer: What are the things that we can do freely to our bodies that have no effect on our hearts or minds?

Hurting People Hurt People--But They Don't Have To

On an occasion, a man spoke with me and told me that, "Hurting people hurt people."

In his explanation of this statement, he spoke of the cycle that occurs when we allow ourselves to be hurt. And, according to him, when we hurt, we lash out and hurt others. Furthermore, according to him, the only true way to stop this cycle is for the hurt and pain in ourselves to be removed.

After hearing his arguments, I reasoned that this man had a glimpse of a greater a truth and without the whole truth, came frightfully close to utter foolishness.

Perhaps it is possible to remove pain, even if it is not wise. Does this mean that we are hopefully doomed to infinite retaliation between the time of being hurt and the time when that hurt is removed? The truth is that hurting and pain do not cause people to lash out and hurt others. If this were true, we would be hopelessly lost and without any peace--being so greatly exposed to hurt and pain everywhere. There are many people who hurt in their hearts and have considerable pain but who choose not to hurt others. And in this pain, they find they can find something truly great--meekness.

Hurting people may hurt people, but they don't have to. In fact, if they do, this is called bitterness. Bitterness is that spirit that settles within us like a small root at first. It swells until it alone is the justification to lash out in retaliation with the intent to cause further pain. "I hurt, so they must hurt!"

The brokenness caused through hurting pokes and prods at our intellect until we demand justice. "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth!" And so, we retaliate convinced that there was no justification in what was done to us. Therefore, our retaliation in and of itself is justified because the first action was unjustified. Or, being even more arrogant, we retaliate because we determine that no retaliation by anyone is ever justified. And in order to execute justice in this event, we retaliate still.

Reason tells us that if we do not retaliate for a wrong done to us, then the one who hurt us will not have a new reason to justify further retaliation against us. But, if they continue to lash out at us, then we can know that there is another cause and source for their hurtful actions. They continue in their actions because they do not feel that the cup of injustice that was given to them has been satisfied properly.

Wisdom tells us that that this seed of hurt needs no vindication. Wisdom calls to our hearts to help bring comfort and peace to those who cannot find justice--even if we are the source of that injustice.

Hurting people hurt people when they allow themselves the opportunity to retaliate. But retaliation is not true justice because it never satisfies the original loss. True justice is intended to satisfy, comfort and bring peace to the grievance without causing yet another grievance. True justice does not require further suffering but the restoration of what was lost. Any other form of justice is only intended to fulfill our need to retaliate.

People who truly hurt are well acquainted with their desire to find comfort. And because of this, people who truly hurt choose not to retaliate because they know they are just adding additional pain, ever increasing the hurt they already possess.

Hurting people can choose to hurt people, but they don't have to.