What I find perhaps to be the strongest statement about this post, is that it has been censored on almost every IndyMedia site in the US. Had it been called "Peace on Earth" or something, it would probably be showing. But because the author called it: "God's Chosen People", it's just too controversial for American IndyMedia to handle: New York deleted it entirely. So much for alternative media: Bush, Iraq, Israel/Palestine, etc. are all fair game for American IndyMedia. But a mild reminder that we're ALL God's chosen people.....well, THAT'S just TOO controversial!!
I think the artist is implying that the people that are suffering in this world, mainly the forgotten souls of the so called "third world", are Gods chosen people in the afterlife. Keep it up Larmee, your drawings are all great!
The notion that there are 'Chosen People' is a complete falsehood.
Chosen by whom?
Who has the authority to say that one living person or being (whatever their species) is any better or worse than any other, and who is in truth in a suitable position to make such distinctions?
We are all of the same stuff - flesh and blood. We are all born, we all eat, we all sleep, we all have the capacity to reproduce ourselves (genetically at least) and then we die - these are the only irreducible, incontestible facts that we ALL know to be true.
We do not and cannot convincingly prove one way or the other whether there is a 'God' (or for that matter 'Gods'), or whether indeed is there is a 'God' at all.
Indeed, the concept of a 'God' is essentially a construct of the Human Mind itself, maybe even a form of mass self delusion, set by us to reassure us that the Human Mind does not just face oblivion after the moment of death - or, then again, maybe it isn't.
The problem we are presented with here is that by the time time we know for definite what the answer to this eternal question is, we are unable to tell any other LIVING being, because, we are (of course), dead.
Let us also not forget (as I hinted earlier on) that we share this planet with many other species, many other lifeforms, that we are a part of a larger ecosystem, one species amongst many on a tiny planet in an incomprehensibly huge Cosmos. Despite our best efforts to try and physically, spiritually and intellectually distance ourselves from this simple (yet profound) fact, it will always remain true.
Bearing this last statment in mind, how can any individual (or collective) be so presumptious as to assume some mantle of so-called superiority, some so-called reverence (or benevolence) over others, (including the members of our own Human species) and decide who is 'Chosen', and who is 'Not Chosen'..?
The way I look at it, it’s a paradox......Yes, to others we die, just as to others we were once not born. But to ourselves, (and that’s all we really have) we’ve never not been born. Looking back, it’s an eternity of time, we’ve ALWAYS been alive; i.e..: we’ve never known not being alive, never known the state of not being born. Yes, others may remember before we were born, when we didn’t exist, but not ourselves. To us, and again that’s all we have, we’ve always been alive. Death will be the same. Others can experience the state of our being dead, just as we can experience their's. But to ourselves (and that’s all we’ve got!), just as we never, nor could, experience the state of our not being born, we will not, nor could we, experience the state of our being dead (because to experience anything, you’ve got to be alive!). Again, it’s a paradox: to others, we can be born, and can die. But to ourselves (and again, that’s all we’ve got!) just as we will never know not being born, we will never know being dead. To others we are finite (as they are to us). To ourselves, it’s eternal life: we have always been alive, and we always will be alive. Fear the death of others, fear dying, but don’t fear death, unless you also fear that "unknown" when your weren’t born, because it’s exactly the same.
Not the usual thoughts expressed on an IndyMedia post, but then that’s exactly the kind of thoughts that should be elicited from art (if it's good).
Comments
Hide the following 5 comments
Thor or Zeus?
11.12.2003 01:50
Why not just flush the whole crock of shit and become a humanist?
No god worth worshipping would punish you for believing in the preciousness and sanctity of life above all else.
humanist
This Is Just Too Controversial !!
11.12.2003 04:22
almost every IndyMedia site in the US.
Had it been called "Peace on Earth" or something, it would probably be showing. But
because the author called it: "God's Chosen People", it's just too controversial for
American IndyMedia to handle: New York deleted it entirely. So much for alternative
media: Bush, Iraq, Israel/Palestine, etc. are all fair game for American IndyMedia.
But a mild reminder that we're ALL God's chosen people.....well, THAT'S just TOO
controversial!!
k
beautiful
11.12.2003 07:28
Dony
Chosen by Whom?
11.12.2003 21:50
Chosen by whom?
Who has the authority to say that one living person or being (whatever their species) is any better or worse than any other, and who is in truth in a suitable position to make such distinctions?
We are all of the same stuff - flesh and blood. We are all born, we all eat, we all sleep, we all have the capacity to reproduce ourselves (genetically at least) and then we die - these are the only irreducible, incontestible facts that we ALL know to be true.
We do not and cannot convincingly prove one way or the other whether there is a 'God' (or for that matter 'Gods'), or whether indeed is there is a 'God' at all.
Indeed, the concept of a 'God' is essentially a construct of the Human Mind itself, maybe even a form of mass self delusion, set by us to reassure us that the Human Mind does not just face oblivion after the moment of death - or, then again, maybe it isn't.
The problem we are presented with here is that by the time time we know for definite what the answer to this eternal question is, we are unable to tell any other LIVING being, because, we are (of course), dead.
Let us also not forget (as I hinted earlier on) that we share this planet with many other species, many other lifeforms, that we are a part of a larger ecosystem, one species amongst many on a tiny planet in an incomprehensibly huge Cosmos.
Despite our best efforts to try and physically, spiritually and intellectually distance ourselves from this simple (yet profound) fact, it will always remain true.
Bearing this last statment in mind, how can any individual (or collective) be so presumptious as to assume some mantle of so-called superiority, some so-called reverence (or benevolence) over others, (including the members of our own Human species) and decide who is 'Chosen', and who is 'Not Chosen'..?
So, I shall restate my initial question.
Chosen by whom?
And furthermore, chosen for WHAT purpose exactly?
Metapsychologist
Paradox
12.12.2003 03:24
once not born. But to ourselves, (and that’s all we really have) we’ve never not been
born. Looking back, it’s an eternity of time, we’ve ALWAYS been alive; i.e..: we’ve
never known not being alive, never known the state of not being born. Yes, others may
remember before we were born, when we didn’t exist, but not ourselves. To us, and
again that’s all we have, we’ve always been alive.
Death will be the same. Others can experience the state of our being dead, just as we can
experience their's. But to ourselves (and that’s all we’ve got!), just as we never, nor
could, experience the state of our not being born, we will not, nor could we, experience
the state of our being dead (because to experience anything, you’ve got to be alive!).
Again, it’s a paradox: to others, we can be born, and can die. But to ourselves (and again,
that’s all we’ve got!) just as we will never know not being born, we will never know
being dead. To others we are finite (as they are to us). To ourselves, it’s eternal life: we
have always been alive, and we always will be alive. Fear the death of others, fear dying,
but don’t fear death, unless you also fear that "unknown" when your weren’t born, because it’s exactly the same.
Not the usual thoughts expressed on an IndyMedia post, but then that’s exactly the kind
of thoughts that should be elicited from art (if it's good).
kevin