"Know it by heart"

 

"I know it by heart."

such a simple phrase,

one which we say less and less as we age.

To say one "knows it by heart,"
is different than if one were to say,
"I know it by brain."

The deeper meaning is overlooked,
That the message or lesson has been fully integrated.
It is deeper and beyond cognition,
it becomes a part of one's true recognition.

What do you know by heart?
When and why did you stop?
Remember again,
before you learned to pretend,
to be a proper, respectable, rational adult.

I know it by heart,
that love is the only thing which will save us.
I know it by heart,
that separation is illusion but distinction is a must.
I know it by heart,
that it is by means of facing the fire,
of traversing the pain,
that lessons and true wisdom are ordained.
I know it by heart,
A little more each day. 

#RadicalEmpathy

Futility

 The past is now worlds away.
and with the way the world is today,
we may be vaporized (if we are lucky) at any moment,
and if not us,
then,
(if we aren't lucky) it will be all those we love,
and all that we've ever known.
It feels futile to even record these words,
it would be better to dance, and play, and be with the ones we love...
And yet...
 I lack the vitality required for joyous spontaneity... 

3/18/25 2:00a.m. Nothing

 I awake,
sitting straight up.
Something has happened,
but I know not what.

I turn to my screen,
and the first thing I see,
are three simple words:
"Bombing Has Continued"

There is nothing left,
yet they are still not content.
Those who have persisted,
huddled in ruins,
praying in tents,
all must live out this unreal torment again.

It is a disease.
All over the globe.
These fucking madmen
will continue to rape the earth to her very bones.

You think you are safe,
you say,
"oh what a pity"
But soon you will say,
"HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN IN MY CITY?!"

The depths of their devilishness knows no limit,
The reach of their hunger surpasses all summits,

Then when it is far too late 
and you take to the streets,
you will get a taste,
of the chaos you have sown
The chaos now reaped.
Your religion will not save you.
Or protect your streets.
Soon they will not need you,
and then what a treat,
You'll see exactly what you voted for,
or what you allowed to happen in your disinterested sleep.

So drink your beer,
smoke your weed,
take whatever drug helps you sleep,
for soon even that will be of no aid.
Just remember it was your slumber and disinterest,
that gave them all the leeway,
for their sick and twisted malicious games.

It is the coming of a wave,
the churning of the tide,
there were warnings along the way,
but you turned a blind eye.

How long can you go without buying something new?
How many farmers do you know-
Can you grow your own food?

You think your wealth will insulate you,
but when that is hoodwinked away,
then what will you do?

There is still time,
things which can be done,
but if you keep doing what you're doing,
it will all come undone.

But if you are waiting for a fight in the street,
you are still in a dream,
because it will be slingshots vs satellites.
Muskets versus things you've only seen in sci-fi movies
and blinking tv screens.

 

A Heretic's Notes from Paul's Second Letter to Corinth

God Is Black, And SHE Is Emptiness:

2.1.XX

Blessed be the God who comforts us in all our affliction,  so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. or we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters of our affliction which came to us, That we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even to live.    Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not have confidence in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;  who rescued us from so great a peril of death, and will rescue us, on whom we have set our hope. And whom will yet rescue us.  who also sealed us and gave the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts.  But I call God as witness to my soul, that to spare you. 2.2.XX  But I determined this for my own sake, that I would not come to you again in sorrow.  For if I cause you sorrow, who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful?   I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy would be the joy of you all.   For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears;  not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have abundantly for you.   But one whom you graciously forgive anything, I graciously forgive also.  For indeed what I have graciously forgiven, if I have graciously forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes.  But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession,  and manifests through us the aroma of the knowledge, In every place.  to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is sufficient for these things?   For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, in the sight of God, we speak.   2.3.XX  Are we beginning to commend ourselves again?  Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you?     You are our letter, having been written in our hearts, known and read by all.  Being manifested that you are a letter, ministered to by us, having been written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of hearts of flesh. 

 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,     who also made us sufficient as stewards of a new way, not of the letter but of the Spirit; For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.   Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness.  whenever a person turns to God, the veil is taken away.   Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. There in Spirit. In Breath.   But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the God Imago, Are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the God Imago, the Spirit.  2.4.XX We have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man and woman’s conscience, in the sight of God.  the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of the image of God.  The God Imago.  For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of The God Imago.  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;    in every way afflicted, but not crushed;  perplexed, but not despairing;   persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;  always carrying about in the body the dying of The God Imago, so that the life of The God Imago also may be manifested in our body.    For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death.  So death works in us, but life too, through you.   “I believed, therefore I spoke,”   For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.  For Her Love knows no bounds.  Therefore we do not lose heart, though our outer being is decaying, yet our inner being is being renewed day by day.   For our momentary, light affliction is working out for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,   while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.  2.5.XX  For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands,  eternal in the heavens.   For indeed in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven,   inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked.  For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.   Now SHE who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.   Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body and beyond,  we walk by faith, not by sight.   We are of good courage and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Breath.  Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Her.  For if we are out of our mind, it is for God, or if we are of right mind, it is for you.   Therefore if anyone is in The God Imago, they are a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2.6.XX  Behold, now is “the acceptable time” Behold, now is “the day of salvation”  but in everything commending ourselves as stewards of God, in much perseverance, in afflictions, in distresses, in hardships,   in beatings, in imprisonments, in disturbances, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Breath, in unhypocritical love,   n the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,  by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true;  as unknown and yet well-known, as dying and yet behold, we live; as punished and yet not put to death,   as sorrowful but always rejoicing, as poor but making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all things.   Our mouth has spoken freely to you, our heart is opened wide.   You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections.  what fellowship has light with darkness? For She, The Infinite Darkness,  Births all light, So that we may see, So that we may be. 2.7.XX  Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves.  Great is my boldness toward you; great is my boasting on your behalf. I have been filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.  For even when we came our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side— conflicts without, fears within. But God, who comforts the humbled, comforted us. For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while  I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made to have godly sorrow, so that you might not suffer loss in anything.  For godly sorrow produces a sorrow without regret, leading to salvation,  but the sorrow of the world only brings about death.   I rejoice that in everything I am encouraged about you.  2.8.XX  Now, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given,  that in a great testing by affliction your abundance of joy and your deep poverty abounded unto the richness of your generosity.  But just as you abound in everything, in faith and word and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also.   And I give my opinion in this matter, for this is profitable for you, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it.  But now complete doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it from what you have.  At this present time your abundance being a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality.    “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack.” 2.9.XX  I know your readiness and your zeal.  Now this I say, they who sow sparingly will also reap sparingly, and they who sow with blessing will also reap with blessing.    Each one must do just as they have purposed in their heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.   And God is able to make every grace abound to you, so that in everything at every time having every sufficiency, you may have an abundance for every good deed;  

“They scattered abroad, They gave to the needy,

Their righteousness stands forever.”

 Now They who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed  and increase the harvest of your righteousness;  you will be enriched in everything for all generosity, which is bringing about thanksgiving to God.   Thanks be to God for Her indescribable gift!  2.10.XX Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.   For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the tearing down of strongholds.  As we tear down speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to the obedience of The God Imago.   Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present.  2.11.XX  But even if I am unskilled in word, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things. Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I proclaimed the gospel of God to you without charge?  I robbed churches by taking wages from them to guide you. And when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone;  and in everything I kept and will keep myself from being a burden to you.   Again I say, let no one think me foolish; but if you do, receive me even as foolish, so that I also may boast a little.   For you, being so wise, are bearing the foolish gladly.   For you bear it if anyone enslaves you, anyone devours you, anyone takes advantage of you, anyone exalts himself, anyone hits you in the face. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked —a night and a day—  I have spent in the deep.   I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers,  dangers from my countrymen, dangers in the city, dangers in the desolate places, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brothers I have been in labor and hardship, in many sleepless nights, in starvation and thirst, often hungry, in cold and without enough clothing. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for The All.  Who is weak without my being weak? Who is made to stumble without my burning concern?  If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness.   The God and Mother of The God Imago, She who is blessed forever,  knows that I am not lying.

2.12.XX  I know of one in who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—but one was caught up to the third heaven.   Was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which one is not permitted to speak.   On behalf of this one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in weaknesses.   For if I do wish to boast, I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will consider me beyond what he sees in me or hears from me.   Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of The Adversary to torment me— to keep me from exalting myself!   Concerning this I pleaded with God three times that it might leave me.   And She has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of The Breath may dwell in me.   Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions and hardships, for the sake of The Breath, for when I am weak, then I am strong.    Here for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you. For children ought not to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.   So I will most gladly spend and be fully spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?    We speak in The Breath in the sight of God. And all these things, beloved, are for your building up.   For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances.   I am afraid that when I come again, God may humiliate me before you. 2.13.XX  The Breath is not weak toward you, but mighty in you.   Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize about yourselves that The God Imago is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?   Now we pray to God that you do no wrong, not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear unapproved.   For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth.   For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong. This we also pray for, that you be restored.   Finally, rejoice! Be restored, be comforted, be clear-minded, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.  Greet one another with a holy kiss.  All the sages greet you.    The grace of the God Imago, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Breath, be with you all. 

A Heretic's notes from Paul's first letter to Corinth:

God Is Black, And SHE Is Emptiness:

1.2.6-8
 Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature, Wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are being abolished.

But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom which has been hidden, which God predestined before the ages to our glory,

which none of the rulers of this age has understood;

1.2.11
For who among humanity knows the depths of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the depths of God no one knows except the Breath of God.

1.2.13-15
Of which depths we also speak,
not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by The Breath,
combining spiritual depths with spiritual words.
 But a natural man does not accept the depths of the Breath of God, for they are foolishness to him,
 and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually examined.
 But one who is spiritual examines all things, yet oneself is examined by no one.

1.3.6
I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.

1.3.7-10
So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now one who plants and one who waters are one, but each will receive their own reward according to their own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers;
 you are God’s field,

God’s building.
According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each one must be careful how they build on it.

1.3.12-16
Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become evident, for the day will indicate it because it is revealed with fire,
and the fire itself will test the quality of each one’s work.

If any one’s work which they have built on it remains, they will receive a reward.

If any one’s work is burned up, they will suffer loss,
but they themselves will be saved, yet so as through fire.
Do you not know that you are a sanctuary of God and that the Breath of God dwells in you?

1.3.18-22
 Let no one deceive themselves. If any one among you thinks that they are wise in this age,
they must become foolish, so that they may become wise.
 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God.
For it is written, “She is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again,
 "The God Imago knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.”
 So then let no one boast in anyone.
For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas,
 or the world or life or death or things present or things to come;
all things belong to you

1.4.XX
 Let one consider us in this manner, as servants and stewards of the mysteries of God.

Now these things, I have applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes,

so that no one of you will become puffed up on behalf of one against the other.

For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive?

And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

To this present hour we hunger and thirst, and are poorly clothed, and roughly treated, and homeless;

and we labor,

working with our own hands;

when we are reviled,

we bless;
when we are persecuted,

we endure;
 when we are slandered,
we try to plead;

We have become as the scum of the world, the grime of all things, even until now.

1.5.xx
Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Remove the wicked one from among yourselves.

1.6.XX
 If the world is judged by you, are you not worthy to constitute the smallest law courts?

All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.

Do you not know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Breath who is in you,
whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

For you were bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

1.7.XX

However, each one has their own gift from God, one this way, and another that.

You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.

1.8.XX
...We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

If anyone thinks that they have known anything, they have not yet known as they ought to know;

Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again—ever,

so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.

1.9.XX
 Who plants a vineyard and does not consume the fruit of it?

Or who shepherds a flock and does not consume the milk of the flock?

For it is written in the Law of Moses,

“You shall not muzzle the ox while it is threshing.”

Is God merely concerned about oxen? Or is She speaking altogether for our sake?

Yes, for our sake it was written, because the one who plows ought to plow in hope,

and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops.

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.
 And to the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews.

To those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law,

so that I might win those who are under the Law.

To those who are without law, as without law, so that I might win those who are without law.

To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak.

I have become all things to all individuals, so that I may by all means save some.

But I discipline my body and make it my slave,
so that, after I have preached to others,

I myself will not be disqualified.

1.10.XX
 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to one, but God is faithful,
 who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able,
but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also,
so that you will be able to endure it.

All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things build up.

Let no one seek his own good, but that of the other person.

Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions for conscience’ sake.

If one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go,

eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience’ sake.

But if anyone says to you, “This is meat consecrated to idols,”

do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience’ sake.

I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person’s.

For why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience?

If I partake with gratefulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks?

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God;

just as I also please all, in all things,

not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many,

so that they may be saved.

1.11.XX
 The woman is the glory of man.

Neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.

For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman.

For one who eats and drinks,
eats and drinks judgment to themselves if one does not judge the body rightly.

For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.

So then, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

1.12.XX

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Breath.

And there are varieties of workings, but the same God who works everything in everyone.

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Breath for what is profitable.

For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Breath,

and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Breath;

to someone else faith by the same Breath, and to another gifts of healing by the One Breath,

and to another the workings of miracles, and to another prophecy,

and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to someone else various kinds of tongues,

and to another the translation of tongues.

But one and the same Breath works all these things, For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body.

For also the body is not one member, but many.

If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,”

it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.

And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,”

it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.

If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be?

If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?

And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

But now there are many members, but one body.

And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”;

or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.

But you who earnestly desire the greater gifts,

I will yet show you a more excellent way.

1.13.XX
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love,

I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge;

and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains,

but do not have love,

I am nothing.

And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor,

and if I surrender my body to be burned,

but do not have love,

it profits me nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind, is not jealous, does not brag, is not puffed up;

it does not act unbecomingly, does not seek its own,

is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered;

it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

it bears all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

But now abide faith, hope, love—these three;
but the greatest of these is love.

1.14.XX

Pursue love, yet earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands,

but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.

There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of sounds in the world, and none is without meaning.

I will sing with the breath and I will sing with the mind also.

prophecy is for a sign not to unbelievers but to those who believe.

the secrets of one's heart are disclosed;

What is the outcome then?
 When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching,

has a revelation, has a tongue, has a translation.

Let all things be done for edification.

Therefore, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues.

But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.

1.15.XX

That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies;

it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

The first self is from the earth, earthy; the second self is from heaven.

And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.

Behold, I tell you a mystery:
we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed.

1.16.XX

For a wide and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

Let all that you do be done in love.

Now I exhort you,

that you also be in subjection to everyone who helps in the work and labors.

Greet one another with a holy kiss.