Eco-Jihadists

When I was a teen ager I knew how the world should run. I thought everyone should listen to me. I was right. I didn't know where my genius and special knowledge came from. I just knew I was right and they were wrong. I had all kinds of arguments that proved I was right and I never listened to any of the arguments that 'they' made because they were wrong and I needed to work on my arguments to get them better. I think I believed I represented 'youth' or some such proud ideal then. Later I was with people who knew what was right because they spoke for God and God spoke to them and not to you. Then there were people I knew who knew what was right because their party said they were right and they said their party was right. Over the years all of these people have at one time or another shouted at me, some have even punched and beat me, others have shot at me and one tried to knife me. I didn't agree with them and these kind of people don't tolerate others who disagree with them even though they always claim to be tolerant and kind and good. There's no sense taking the high ground when you're being a low life. So today there's a whole lot of people claiming to represent or speak for Earth. This is an old God called Gaia to some but she speaks to everyone though today to hear some people only they know what Gaia wants and only they speak for Gaia. It does sound like the 'one true Goddess' argument. It does sound like I'm right you're wrong. It does sound like Kent State and Buffalo Springfields haunting words, "People carrying signs, mostly say hoorah for outside." I'd get off the planet myself to get away from these people who would punch me in the nose if I disagreed with them on anything because they've left logic and gone into that emotional reasoning space which was long ago called the 'paranoid position'. "I'm right. You're wrong" and "I'm the victim, you're the victimizer". And I'm trying to save the child planet but really we're talking a lot about the teen ager within not the child within. And I know the teen ager hasn't grown up and is really angry and having temper tantrums and pouts and all that other drama that goes with all that free ranging emotionality that looks for some cause to land on, like the rebel without a cause. I just want to say that you don't speak for my planet or our planet or my mother our our mother. Your 'entitlement' isn't something that she respects because frankly by any reckoning she's a wise old lady not a snot nosed bullying adolescent. I still like the Beatles song, "We don't want a Revolution". It's a fitting reminder. I still believe in non violence and find even the language today of violant hyperbole reminiscent of the communist sloganeering that lead to millions being butchered in prisons. They were 'saving the people'. But it's no different. Just the same old "Rescuers and Victims" story.

ps having written this I heard a horrible tale of japanese whaling the breaking of international laws as well as the poaching in several countries where local authorities were assisted by people really concerned with protecting the environment from criminals.  It's worthwhile remembering this and not painting whole groups with the same brush even if some loud yahoos are particularly irritating. I'd also just seen a terrific episode of Primeval in which an insane person wanted to kill the human race so that insects could prosper. I identified well with the writer who thankfully did had the law breaking criminal attacked by their own version of the 'noble savage', but this time from the animal world. I especially loved reading about the group proposing to paint all the tusks of elephants and rhinoceros to ruin the economic value of the tusks for poachers, a recent horrendous slaughter getting in the news.  This struck me as an amazing idea though I still think punishment of poachers is equally mandatory.

Delphi, Greece, Dec. 2012

Having rented a wonderful little Hyundai from Budget at the airport on return to Crete I got instruction on how to get to Delphi. "Go to Lamia and ask directions there." Naturally I got lost coming out of the airport and found my way to Piraeus, the Port of Athens. I almost got a hotel there but saw a sign for Lamia and headed on. Very adventurous night driving. The Greek have a terrific freeway system with speeds that vary up to 120 km/hr. The roads change routinely from 4 lane to 2 lane. I arrived safely nonetheless, driving outside of Athens or major cities being no more difficult than cross country in Canada. I stayed the night in the Pan Hotel. This was excellent accommodation for 35 euro. Down the street was a great little shop where I bought a book on Delphi and a plague of St. George. He turns up everywhere here and consequently I have my friend George on my mind positively. I also got a pizza next door to the shop and took it back to my room. I figure what's the sense of having a very fine room if I didn't use it. I didn't dream any oraculous thoughts but did sleep surprisingly well, my biological clock back on track. The view from the room in the morning was spectacular.

In the morning I loaded the car
and headed over the the ruins. Realtors say everything is location. This World Heritage site is truly a marvel of nature expanded on by man. The atmosphere was what was moving. Thousands of year of worshippers, seeking God in some form or other, have come here. There's a stillness and calm to the place with the most exultant view. I loved just walking among the ruins or sitting for a while and meditating on the beauty of this natural scared and spiritual place. The ruins were impressive especially the remains of the Sanctuary of Apollo and the stadium. This is where games occured regularly keeping Greek athletic and fit for combat. I especially loved the Delphi Omphalos. Zeus made Delphi the 'navel of the world". I also loved all the cyprus. And of course there was a theatre with marble seating.

 Delphi comes from Delphus for womb and the original priestess served Ge or Gaia, mother of earth. Later the sanctuary transferred to Apollo and also Athena. The spring of Kastalia was where supplicants cleansed and were purified before coming to the oracle. I drank from the spring and washed my face with the cool clear water. I trust it has it's desired effects.The first priestess were mariners from Crete and they worshipped Apollo as a dolphin. The oracles successes were such that many gifts were given and riches stored here resulting is several wars over the spoils of the sacred. Politically it has been suggested that the Delphians ran a most astute intelligence network and their answers influence greatly the affairs of the day over the 600 years it was more important. The oracles were ambiguous. A famous one was when Croesus, King of Lydia, asked if he would defeat the Persians. The oracle replied, if Croesus crosses the River Halys, a great power would be destroyed. Croesus taking it in a positive light, crossed the river and was thoroughly defeated by the Persians proving the oracle right.