Praying equals begging…

My dictionary defines praying as: To pray is to utter or address … (the Lord, Allah, Jehovah or…) in words or meditation to make a fervent request, praise, express gratitude, sorrow or plead for an intercession.

It is clear that there is no difference between praying and begging.

When you go on you knees or join your hands in “Prayer” and ask … (the Lord, Allah or…) to bless you, help the sick and poor, help you to find a better job or give you health, for rain, sunshine, a good harvest, to win a war / argument etc. YOU ARE NOT praying! You are begging, my friend!

I believe that we have forgotten HOW to actually PRAY! Praying for me has a very different meaning and purpose.

My understanding and definition of praying is: To allow your soul (or …) to freely expose itself to (the Lord, Allah, Jehovah or…) without any expectation.

This is mostly achieved by relaxing, closing your eyes, calming and freeing your mind, by not thinking, not even of nothing, then and mostly only then is it possible for you to allow your … (the Lord, Allah or…) to enter your mind. This is what might happen:
You might see, hear, feel, and experience something that has no word to describe it.

Some call it a vision (like Bernadette saw the Virgin Mary in Lourdes); others call it “the Inner voice” speaks, warmth, or experience perfect peace and tranquility.

This means that instead of addressing (the Lord, Allah, Jehovah or…) you allow (the Lord, Allah, Jehovah or…) to address you in (the Lord, Allah, Jehovah or…) the chosen manner.

Let us pray…

The rot has homed in…

I mentioned before that the rot starts at the top of society / company or whatever.
When it reaches the bottom of it, you know that the rot has homed in good and solid.

Check this: The UN Security Council is presumed to represent the world and ensure peace. It is governed by certain rules and regulations. When decisions taken are set aside by certain members than you must ask yourself the question: What’s the purpose of having rules, agreements in place to protect us ordinary citizens?

It is said that rules are made for fools and that the wise use the rules to guide them in their interpretation! So why have rules if these are not enforced, respected?

The total abandon / disregard and refusal to ensure observance to agreements has now reached even a small village.

We have in our village a coach who is a law unto himself. He just wipes his feet on rules and even on his own undertakings. They obviously do not apply to him, so he believes. Worse? He gets away with it. It is tolerated and none does anything about it.
He has been allowed to earn money using the the sport facilities in return for certain very reasonable undertakings from his part. A bonus to him is that he does not have to pay any fees at all. It is like running a business without any fixed costs! Nice!

Does he stick to his side of the deal? You have to be joking. Not ONE IOTA!

I have reported this but nothing is being done about it.
I am told to shut up and mind my own business.
It is my business as I, like others, pay the prescribed fee and abide by the rules!

Now then…

Why should he be excluded from complying with his undertakings?
Why is nothing being done about his lack of decent commitment?
Why is he not being disciplined?

No idea. Being a maverick appears to be acceptable.

I have suggested that since he did not comply he should pay last year’s fees NOW.
Furthermore in order to encourage him to adhere to the agreement he should, this year, pay the new prescribed fee that will be refunded to him at end June 2014
IF AND PROVIDED he has complied 100% to the agreement.
Fat chance that it will happen…

And then, people say: Never take the law into your own hands!
Why not when the law is an ass?

What’s the use of having laws, rules and regulations at whatever level of society if these same laws, rules and regulations can be discarded at will by those who have “Clout”, “Cash”, “Power” or deviate from the norm?

Any suggestions welcome...

Everybody knows...

that a government needs money to provide essential services to the community.

Equally, that as money does not grow on trees it must come out of our pockets.
That to pay a tax is an evident requirement for a society to function is understood (but not necessarily enjoyed…).

So why then are some of us refusing to pay, worse, cheat in order NOT to pay?

Simple! When taxpayer’s money is being squandered, misappropriated, enriches some at the expense of others it is a sure invitation to cheat.
And I am saying that: “ A government that through its action encourages citizens to be dishonest and cheat is a government that deserves to go to hell”.

Back to tax…

Taxpayers will also start to cheat and refuse to pay tax the moment the tax is perceived to be unfair and unjust. What is that threshold? I believe it is 10%. The famous tithe!

Definition: A tax is a punishment for doing the right thing. A fine is a punishment for doing the wrong thing.

Big business (often paying the least taxes) uses a tremendous amount of time, resources, and brainpower to minimize its tax liabilities.
I believe this to be wrong.
The business community should use brainpower to uplift our society and contribute to our well-being.

I propose a simple tax… Remove all existing taxes, tax allowances, and replace this with one tax only.

Tax all cash deposits and bank transfers!

I made this suggestion ± in 1975 to the South African Government. They did not even bother to acknowledge it. No Government will! It is too simple. The unemployment created will be taken up by free enterprise.

The tax collection must be done in and by the banking system. Essentially what this means is that the Inland Revenue Department (or whatever name they are known by) only has to control Banks and their affiliates. That is where the cash is!

They no longer must send millions of tax forms, process and follow-up on these. Collect money, issue penalties, make tax allowances for depreciation, no more capital gains taxes etc. etc.

All things in life are simple. Homo Sapiens does not like simplicity!

Aren't we stupid?

Don't, no don't ...

trample upon those that are in a lesser position in life than what you are.
Uplift them, educate them, pull them up, train and respect them.

They are usually NOT the trouble makers. They are the defenceless, used and abused ones Poor, uneducated people have no time, inclination to think or to question what happens around them.
Their sorrow position is kept and maintained by their so-called leaders...

The so-called leaders are actually the bastards who USE these people for their own gain.

A nice starting position is as a Union leader. From this position it is not such a giant step to get into top position (in government or in private enterprise).

The South African environment is littered with these.

- After 1994, one even took a 4 X 4 and went on a "Getting to know you" mission throughout Africa. Paid by taxpayers.

- One of the richest nouveau riche in SA was a very prominent Union leader, and more! Now as a mining boss, he thinks differently.

And then, the USSR ... how many of those are now part of the super-, super-wealthy?

People often say to me "But Wessel, the masses keep on voting for those people. Can't they see that they are corrupt and that they are just being used etc.?"

Wrong thinking! You have to think like poor people.

This is how poor people think: " I am proud that one of us has at least managed to become rich. He shows me how. I must listen and follow in his footsteps. I must vote for him, maybe he will show me how I too can become rich!"

Sad... very sad!

Inflation...

Does not affect all citizens of a country in the same way.
So please tell me why does every country come up with ONE inflation figure?

One would expect that at least three inflation figures would be reported every month. The base information is there. How the figures are used, interpreted and the impact these have on the different layers of society will naturally differ. And that is precisely what the governments do not want.

I propose:

1- one inflation figure for the poor
2- one inflation figure for the middle class
3- one inflation figure for the rich.

Now that would be meaningful.

But, you may ask, why is it not reported as such?

Simple1 Governments have no intention at all to uplift the poor or even the middle class.

1 - The poor must be kept poor and busy battling to survive. Hungry people have no time to question the actions of governments. Feed them with morsels before elections and the poor are good for another lot of lies, false promises.

2- The middle class is dangerous. They are the troublemakers. They can start revolutions and upset the apple cart. At the moment the middle class is kept busy, busy with smart phones, TV programs, sexual issues (always popular), so-called "democracy issues" and yes, even human rights screams and abuses.

3- And the rich? They don't really care in any case.

Governments create inflation as it suits them. They spend more than what they collect, pay themselves fat salaries (plus perks galore). So governments happily continue to borrow money and re-imburse the creditors with devalued money!

There are those....

who are convinced that they are "Oh so important and indispensable to the company/business/municipality/country".

Well then let them fill up a bucket with water, dip their hand in it and shake the water as much and as long as they want.

When tired, let them remove their hand and watch the water....

The time that it will take for the water to be calm is at best the time that it will take for them to be missed...

That should bring them back to earth!

No one is indispensable.

If you want...

to keep your position in life, you should never "Rock the boat"!

Whether it is in politics, free enterprise, and government department. Yes, in virtually any possible association of people, it hardly ever pays to "Rock the boat".

Do so at your own peril!

You run the risk of:

- Being crucified (like Jesus Christ),
- Burned at the stake (like Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans")
- Jailed for life (such as Manning now and others before and after him)
- Find yourself as a permanent free prisoner in an Embassy such as Julian Paul Assange is!

Admittedly these examples are all in the political field but, make no mistake, "Rocking the boat" in free enterprise, government department, in virtually any possible association of people, it rarely benefits the one who rocks the boat!

My question is:

- When you know that "something is wrong" and you do NOTHING about it: FOUL! Are you a coward? Poltroon? Dastard? Recreant? Milksop? or
- Are you just a realist?

Let's see...

When we see / know something to be wrong, should we (you and/or I):

1- Shout (moan) and do nothing?
2- Keep our mouth shut and suffer in silence?
3- Act!

Now you tell me...

Whistle blowers ...

Should be respected. They warn us that

- Our rights are being trampled upon.
- If we donot watch out,a dictator is about to be born.
- The parliamentary system is not working well.
- Our hard earned money is being wasted.
- Some are abusing our trust and the power we gave them.
- Our values are being changed without our knowledge.

So as a reward for all this "Manning" gets 35 years in jail!

Politicians sure don't like to be caught, do they?
In fact they are furious when caught with their fat fingers in the cookie jar!

Guess who in the USA was not but now is happy...

My question is simple...

Facts first... then the question!

1- Yugoslav republic is no more? It now consists of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, the Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

2- The USSR no longer exists? It now consists of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldavia, Ukraine.

3- Other European countries no longer seem to be happy to live together? They also want their independence (UHURU).

4- Tiny Belgium (14 million inhabitants) is split into Federations. The German, being the smallest one, counts some 80.000 inhabitants...

5- Germany also has its Federations.

6- The Basques in Spain (and France) are also not happy.

7- Neither are the Kurds happy!

Does that make sense?

We all know that South Africa was split into various parts such as Transkei, Ciskei, Bophuthatswana, Lebowa etc prior to 1994.

Is South Africa now ONE (happy?) country?

The question I ask is simple:
Shouldn't South Africa with its diversity follow the same road of Yugoslav, the USSR and others?

If not, why not?

You decide for yourself...

Ah, how much better the world would be if only....

we, ordinary citizens did not have to suffer the rotten bastards at the top in our societies.

The rot in any society, be it in governments, provincial, local administrations, in business, just name it, NEVER EVER starts at the bottom! It always starts at the top and gradually works its way down. Nice eh?

So if a society is rotten, people's expectations of delivery or services is not forthcoming, remove the top!

Trouble is that by the time the cancer is uncovered or felt , the disease is so widely spread and entrenched that it is difficult to know: Where do you start!

So what is then the solution? For starters, the law must encourage, protect and reward whistle blowers.

How does our modern, so called democratic laws (and governments) deal with whistle blowers in our modern, so called civilised world?

Given a chance? They'll hang tem!

Where is the logic?

When ...
1- A water pipe leaks, do I keep the tap open to stop the leak? No!

2- Cold, do I remove all my clothes? No!

3- My teeth are sore, do I cut my foot off? No!

4- A snake bites me, do I help the snake to bite me even more? No!

So now then, please explain to me why people when not happy with their wages, non-delivery of services, unhappy with the government or whatever, why do they strike, go into the streets and burn down cars (of innocent people), break windows and loot shops, burn down community buildings etc.?

Striking does not create wealth!

Burning innocent people's property only creates anger (if not hatred).

Burning community buildings will have to be rebuilt WITH their money which could be used to provide the services they need.

You'd think that people would identify those responsible for their grievances, go to their house and endeavour to engage them , keep them there, and if need be ask them to resign from their positions of power.

In today's world, such leaders can via the Internet still communicate and be in contact with their peers.

So why is this then not done?
The reason? Those behind the strikes, behind the escalations and violence mostly serve their own egos. They are scared of loosing their power base, and worse, donot want to as they know that when they will be in the driving seat, they will be treated the same way and dealt the same medicine...

So they cover their fat asses!