295 - Terrorist attacks worldwide thus far for 2015, averaging 27 per month… however November alone currently stands at 33 so far, and with the Paris attacks inspiring the trending hashtag “#PrayforParis”, I take it many people are wondering (yet again, as it is with most atrocities or disasters throughout history) where was God during this time, or why did it happen, or the greater question of ‘why is there evil in the world’? It sets off another flurry of questions: If God created everything, then did he create evil, and thus, doesn’t that make God evil…? A political satire show jokingly presented an overlapping issue by belittling a politician’s belief in God, along the lines of “he believing that the world is around 6000 years old, and he believing in a God that is powerful enough to create the universe in 6 days but not powerful enough to NOT make paedophiles”. Many sceptics hearing these sorts of comments on an otherwise mainstream news show would gleefully laugh at said man with his seemingly, by modern standards, conservative beliefs, the insinuation being: how can we (citizens) allow such a man with such (ridiculous) beliefs to govern a state or country. The bigotry here is pretty palpable and intentional. What so often frustrates me, is when intelligent people fail to really think. This ultimately comes down to choice, and what we choose to believe based on the evidence at hand. As we know, good lawyers are very capable of getting guilty men off the hook, and it happens more often than we care to admit. The evidence for or against God’s existence is the same for all. To myself, the evidence is overwhelmingly convincing (For), but I acknowledge that there is just enough of an element of doubt to fuel the ‘un-believer’. As to why this doubt exists, well I encourage you to read another article I wrote exploring this very issue. [Why do you need faith to believe in God?] I must also add that much of the bias against God is fueled by man’s own ignorance and pride, and that other thing listed among the notorious 7 deadly sins, that of ‘Sloth’ (or laziness/apathy/indifference). Many are content to live without truly knowing, because to know or to seek to know would mean disturbing their status quo. It means (via their misguided perception) perhaps living a devout life of celibacy and going to church every Sunday and helping thy neighbor, and generally being accountable, and gasp, reading the Bible - that outdated and thick book of many tiny words written in some ancient languages that’s mostly confusing and filled with parables… and who knows what to take literally and what not, and how is something that apparently contravenes modern scientific theory going to help me today? Not to mention all the “fairytales” with talking animals and bushes… So, instead of going through all that hullabaloo, why not skip it and just go on with my life, “as you were” minding my own business, and being generally (by the world’s standards) a good and law abiding citizen, because if being a good person isn’t good enough for whatever god may or may not exist, then maybe he/she isn’t a god worth knowing. The issue arises: Are you earnestly seeking the truth? If not, then don’t bother continuing with this read. *** If you are, then you must face a very real truth: that if God exists, then he most likely does not conform to our rules or the standards you or I set – we, being the creation, and God, the Creator. So when we say that being a good person should be good enough for God for us to get into heaven or paradise or whatever, we are doing 2 things here:
So that means that we have to relinquish power or concede that we do not (and will never) know everything. At the heart of this, is submission… to submit to a greater power than ourselves, an entity that knows better than we do and that has the ability to, and has, outlined a particular way in which we should live our lives… But we don’t want to be told how to live our lives. This is essentially crux of the matter, like a rebellious teenager not wanting a parent to interfere and tell them what to do… so we choose our own way, and in a world where we’re free to exercise our own free will, evil will exist.
There are many more issues and questions that this raises, but essentially, we need to confront or entertain the issue of ourselves and our relation toward (a potential) God. Once we accept the simple dynamics of this relationship, then the state of play is made more apparent, and the consequences we live with are put into a little more context… this is also when the answers become more complicated and even messy, and we must first be prepared for answers we don't like, or are uncomfortable, before we even earnestly ask the hard questions. “My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust?” [Image credits: unless otherwise stated - tumblr.com, warphotographer.org, Facebook.] *******
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Female soldiers of the world A few weeks back I did a post called “Ugly Beautiful” focusing on finding beauty within unlikely places, or seeing a different side of something usually perceived as ugly, that one can interpret as beautiful. Or perhaps just unveiling or uncovering some beauty by changing perspective. In this post though, it’s more of a misplaced beauty – beauty within unforgiving environs, or in places most would see as un-befitting. But, people are people and often something we see as odd or divisive, is more a reflection of ourselves than the actual state of the way things are. Female soldiers, specifically, Special Forces; They’re rare and a part of our world that most in society don’t want to acknowledge, because on some level, it violates some moral code, or a puristic ideal and goes against what most believe being a woman is all about. This is perhaps harking back to traditionalists; where women are the nurturers and care givers, and men are the protectors and providers. However, women have immense strength, and besides, what happens when the man falls (as he so often does) – and let’s not forget that men usually go to women to glean strength and support. But really, this is just a slight demonstration of the strength of women, because they can be the best protectors and are already providers, but they can do it without forfeiting their nurturing and softer sides. I was going to get all philosophical about this and delve into the inequality issues and the fight that many women have been fighting for ages, but instead I’ll just let the pictures speak for themselves because these ladies are simply badass – if that’s not too crude. I could've also gone into the various roles they'd played over the ages and still do today, from assassins (often in the vein of the John Le Carre coined term; honey-traps), freedom fighters or even bodyguards - the late Muammar Gaddafi was one leader known to be partial-to/fascinated-with female (virgin) bodyguards. And then there's the world's most famous (and perhaps the most beautiful and glamorous) female bodyguard: Anna Loginova. She had a successful modelling career alongside her other profession, including work for Chanel. She died in 2008 in Moscow, at the age of 29, from head injuries sustained in what authorities believed to be a random carjacking. Loginova studied martial arts and in 2005 founded an agency called Stilet (Dagger) dedicated to female bodyguards (trained by ex-KGB operatives) to provide discreet protection for Russian billionaires . We know that women in this profession are in high demand the world over. I'm also only handing a passing mention to past female leader's, known for their unshakeable stance when it came to conflict, strong women in history like Cleopatra, St Joan of Arc - the sword carrying saint, Queen Elizabeth I, Mbande Nzinga Angolan Queen, 1582-1663 - who organized a powerful guerilla army to repel the Portugese settlers (eventually negotiating a peace treaty but refusing to bow to their then King), Queen Victoria, Golda Meir and the Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher. If you’re curious, there are other reasons behind my decision to post this – it’s simply because I am actually writing about it – perhaps not women soldiers in general, but my book does contain a central character which happens to be a highly qualified female operative. The fictional character's name is Ayalah Karmin, an ex-IDF paratrooper and Sayaret Matkal vet who is working freelance after a term in Mossad. Of course when I researched this, I did not look into gender battles, but simply looked into the army, the units and disciplines, since all who achieve these exceptional feats need to meet the same exceptional standards. And then of course Israel is known for its equality in the military – with such a small country they can't afford to be stingy on who defends their country… ALL Israeli citizens are conscripted by law at the age of 18, for a mandatory 2 years of service. Anyway, on to the gallery, (Respect): [Image Credits: rediff.com, pinterest.com, alo.rs, yeeeeee.com, warfare.ru, moddb.com, desura.com, beautifulrus.com, news.xinhuanet.com, IDFblog.com, businessinsider.com, izismile.com, userfriendlyetc.blogspot.com, theatlantic.com] "Daughters of the attitude that produced them, certain women will not appeal to us without the double bed in which we find peace by their side, while others, to be caressed with a more secret intention, require leaves blown by the wind, water rippling in the dark, things as light and fleeting as they are." --- MARCEL PROUST, The Guermantes Way "The fear of women is the beginning of knowledge." "For the female of the species is more deadly than the male." Some links from the web: 8 Female soldiers who shattered barriers in 2013 (IDFBlog) Women in the Armies of the World, 70 pictures Most Impressive women in the military 2013 (businessinsider) Related links from this site: Captivating - Unveiling the mystery of a woman's soul - Book Review God's Message to Women Another "Sci-fi in the here & now" moment No doubt playing on the fictional comic book anti-hero (or maybe its just coincidence)… It is the future of war for soldiers in the field of battle. It’s an exoskeleton that aids in endurance and strength. Whilst researching my book, as well as following up on an article I wrote a couple of months ago on “Killer Robots: when sci-fi meets reality today” (click on the "Killer Robots" link in the archives), I stumbled upon this piece on a futuristic exoskeleton by Lockheed Martin (there are competitors). It’s practically a precursor to the full self-actuating body armour you see in many science fiction war stories. ONLY, this is not fiction… For a while the role of the foot soldier has been debated, what with the wave of modern war machines and the video-game-like drones, where pulling a trigger means pressing a button on a hi-tech device in a remote location. However, Special Forces regiments continue to illustrate their effectiveness. All modern covert operations involving the apprehension of a high profile international criminal/terrorist has been carried out by men of unparalleled training. You’ve probably by now heard of SEAL Team 6 and the Osama Bin Laden operation (now the subject of an award winning film), or the Special Forces originals, the SAS… but virtually every country in the world has an elite force that doesn’t get the publicity of the two mentioned here. They’re always small in number and fight odds well out of their favour. However the HULC (Human Universal Load Carrier) project has been developed to improve the capabilities of soldiers – enabling them to carry bigger loads for longer distances, with the ultimate goal being to eventually develop super soldiers… the journey does not end there though. The HULC exoskeleton may be an external addition to the conventional fighting force, but for a long time, governments have been at work trying to develop the perfect soldier, using any and all methods… including mind control, or hypnosis, specific scientific drug use and anything falling within the realm of mental conditioning. The latter just so happens to be a facet of my next book. Here's a look at the Lockheed Martin HULC promotional demo: It was while researching the topics of mental manipulation, mind control etc that I explored TMS or "Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation". This is literally involves using magnetism to temporarily improve higher brain functions. In the field of neuroscience, it's particular use is targeted, in this instance, at the military, specifically at improving soldiers cognitive resources under duress or extreme fatigue. Apparently some subjects demonstrated "Rain man" type capabilities when under TMS. This is all in the quest to develop the Super soldier, mind you, bringing two concepts together - that of numbing the human brain's responsiveness to stress, effectively making them more like a machine than ever before; begging the question: when does it stop, and at what point do we regard this sort of thing as forfeiting our humanity. Here's the link to the article on Super Soldiers which was published a little over a year ago on The Independent. Are we moving from this: To this: In the thorns and the cross-hairs: Liberation movements – strange thing about them – labelled outlaws, terrorists, revolutionaries, enemies of the state…. Ideals change, men change, so do politics and thence, perhaps most of all, people… people are the most fickle. “I choose God before man” – Rev. Beyers Naude People are complex, forever in a struggle to find out who we are, what we’re here for. And so now, in the modern quest for globalization – although it has been an idea for quite some time now, since the inception of colonialism – making the world one country, seeking integration, unity, solidarity, love and all that good stuff, in a world getting ever ‘smaller’ – are we not discarding ourselves? We constantly (without reward) seem to be seeking answers in each other. I made an earlier post about heritage, and remembering where we all came from; to not discard our past and to preserve our culture, yet this means to oppose the concept on globalization on some level. Of course a part of the concept of the global village is to accept each and all equally, flaws and imperfections included, and unite under the banner of humanity. However, as is very easy to surmise and gather when looking at the world today; things are becoming ever more superficial, run by capitalistic ideas and motives. Thankfully, certainly from my perspective, the larger portion of society is waking up to see that ideals are not as black and white as they assumed it was – there was never the simple ‘good guy bad guy’ complex in world politics – we were just led to side with certain nations over others, when in fact guilt can be laid equally on all sides. Propaganda. Humanity. Opinion. Belief. Strange hey? Although it is our differences that make us unique – through all the beauty – it is those same differences that has been the cause for so much conflict. Many would support the idea of maintaining traditions – the good ones at least – to retain some notes of cultures from all corners of the globe, for it is that which weaves such a colorful and diverse tapestry. As we move headlong and with gaining momentum into an uncertain future, we should always reflect, remember, pause and breathe new and perhaps better life into one of the few certainties of this life – our past. To briefly shed the complexities and distractions of today. I had such a moment a few weeks back while visiting Freedom Park in Pretoria. The center piece of the park is the wall of names (S'khumbuto - meaning, among other things "place of remembrance") with all those who died in the eight major conflicts that shaped the nation, with particular emphasis on honoring those who died in the name of peace, human rights and the freedom and liberation of South Africa. Those conflicts are:
In total, up until 1994, the nation of South Africa had been at war for over 500 years. However, it’s not just about recognizing those souls, but also laying them to rest. Something which should be mimicked in every country, in some way, is the concept of Isivivane (derived from the word “viva” – in this instance carrying the meaning of “commitment to solidarity”, “unity of purpose” and “coming together”) – the place of healing and rest. This is the symbolic burial ground for all those who died. Isivivane is crucial to Freedom park, built to enhance awareness and inspire commemoration. Arriving at the site, one is required to remove your shoes as a sign of respect. This was also the site where a host of religious leaders held ceremonies and rituals to lay to rest those fallen heroes. No matter your belief, it is hard not to be moved by this experience which is concluded (after receiving an in depth explanation as to the relevance and meaning of the surrounds) by washing your hands and face in a rock pool of fresh water. Everything here holds some meaning; even the type of trees planted, and the method for entering and exiting (through separate pathways). The actual burial ground – some would liken it to the tombstone of the site – is the ring of boulders. In addition to the two boulders denoting National government and the International community, there are 9 other boulders from the 9 provinces in South Africa, all with Historical significance. For example, the boulder from the Limpopo province is from a site once ruled by one of the earliest kingdoms on the sub-continent who traded gold with India and Egypt. The boulder from the Western Cape is from the Table Mountain range – one of the oldest mountains in the world. The biggest rock is from Mpumalanga province, a piece of green Verdite from the recorded 3.5 million year old Barberton Green-stone belt (yes, one side of the rock really does have a green hue to it). If you ever get the chance, I recommend visiting this rich place, to get away from our usual everyday ebb and flow. For those unable to visit the park, feel free to visit the website at Freedom Park.
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[Banner illustration by Joel Kanar]
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