a brief ranting on the paranormal.

a brief ranting on the paranormal.
___________________________

Consciousness is interconnected
Energy in various forms. And Bodies
contain a Unique Energy that (upon
The Subjects Death) either goes
Elsewhere, or Remains in a Realm/
Environment Familiar to It.)

There are some cases of course
in which the Phenomena is created
by a Grieving Individual who
unconsciously manipulates their
environment due to the sheer
Power of their Special Grief.
(often as a means by which to
verify, or give credence to their
hidden wishes.)

I won't at this moment attempt to
offer any useable measuring system
that might help determine the Nature
of paranormal phenomena, but feel
I must say from the beginning that,
while I respect all positive minded,
good-intended Religious Views,
religious considerations will often
cloud the objective quality of ones'
observation(s).

If you go about any observation with
dogma, or bias, your own bias will
often produce a preconceived result;
and though obviously any form of obs-
ervation will be subjectively flawed in
some way, with Vigilance we can keep
it to the barest minimum.
_

For Centuries there have been many
Theories, Ideas, and Interpretations of
paranormal Phenomena, so to attempt
naming them all would take volumes,
and distract me from the task of putting
down my own view. (though I don't claim
to be the originator of any theory I propose
in this work. I am writing down a view
shaped by analyzing various preexisting
views and and have formed in effect my
own conclusions etc.)

_

On Energy and it's relation to Spectral
Phenomena.
__________________________

Because I have Words.

Because I have Words.
____________________


Because I have words...
which do not fail...nor
disappoint....

I am made Prince over
Paupers, yet remain a
Humble King of Self.

Because I have words..
I know how the story
will End. (and can even
CHANGE the Beginning.)

Heroes and Villains are
equal in my Wordy Eyes..
for both are part of a
necessary writing device
which keeps the audience
guessing who will Die,
and live to see another
sunrise..with a Maiden
by his side.
_

Because I have words...
Death cannot touch me..
for when my mortal body
ceases, they will carry on
in the minds of others who
consume My Living Art.

Because I have Words..
strokes of Genius and
Madness grace the thoughts
which in me stir!;..and I
am (and shall forever be)
a Part of This Universe.

J.Stephen.H.

The Modern Day Sisyphus

The Modern Day Sisyphus.
_____________________

In my Dream I'm walking up an
Endless Mountain,..and though
I can always see the top clearly,
I am unable to reach it. I get one
step away, blink, and find myself
at Rock Bottom again. Similar to
a Modern Day Sisyphus spared
the burdens of his ubiquitous boulder.

Such is Mans struggle for Existence,..
an oftentimes meaningless endeavor
where Hope is denied the Pursuer,
and the only purpose seems to be found
in the Struggle Itself; as Man attempts
to open his hungering eyes to the Absurdity
of Life, only to  (eventually) be blinded
by The Darkness of that Absurdity.
__

Thus in order to combat that ever-present,
all encompassing Absurdity, Man has (since
the dawn of rational thought) adopted several
defense mechanisms, and taken many radical
approaches aimed at making Sense of it All.

Some have formed various intriguing (though
ultimately misleading) arguments which propose
a God, or Plurality of Gods and Goddesses
who are in control of Existence..calling the
shots from their respective Heavens and Hell's.
(while often battling amongst themselves for
Supremacy with Man caught in the middle of
their Otherworldly Contests.)

While others have taken a Naturalistic approach,
and decided to reduce Man's Struggle to a more
Deterministic, Evolutionary Battle in which the
strongest organisms with the most powerful adaptive
traits survive, As the weaker (and less genetically
fortunate) perish into extinction.
_

I myself admittedly exist somewhere in between
two metaphysical (and naturalistic) extremes,..
with Absurdity and Chaos serving as the ultimate
governing factors; and while absurdity can never
be explained or predicted by using Reason, (since
it is in essence unreasonable) I feel that it is quite
possible to be reasonable in spite of Lifes Absurdity.
(so long as the reasoner in question understands that
his own personal reasoning does not apply to the
reasoning of other Independent Agents in the World.)

By Reason, I am (in this context) referring to a thinking
agent using their Will to make logical, and rational
deductions based on calculations made between the
immediate evidence of their senses, and inner intuition. (or
choosing the most appropriate course of action based
upon those deductions.) Yet I also take into consideration
that one individuals sense of reasoning could easily
be considered another's folly,..and in this instance right
and wrong are matters of subjectivity which are therefore
left to the perceptions of The Individual Agent..with
no valid standard by which to measure truth outside of
oneself.
_

Being a Modern Day Sisyphus, one must come
to accept as inevitable the Misery and Suffering
of The World, without allowing themselves to fall
into that classic state of Nihilistic Despair which
often comes with such Realization.

For me, I try finding comfort in the Simple Things
in Life, but also have an admiration for the Philosophically
Profound Mysteries which most now overlook, or
discredit because they seem to serve no immediate purpose.

For isn't the mere ability to Question one of the corner
stones of maintaining Hope for a Better Future?... perhaps
somewhere down the line Mans Philosophical Modes of
Inquiry will lead to answers or an advanced method of thinking
which illuminates the Darkness of this World, and lightens
our proverbial "Sisyphean Burden." ?

(making the struggle
itself more enjoyable.)

J.Stephen.H.

puppets by design

Puppets by design
_____________________________________

I had a conversation with a friend
the other day on the ever popular
topic of religion, and during that
conversation I was inspired to write
this brief pondering which is intended
to examine the relevance of belief, faith,
and reasoning, while illustrating what I
consider to be the importance of "Knowing
The Alternatives."

As many of you know,
Indoctrination is the process of inculcating 
ideas, attitudes, cognitive strategies or a professional methodology (see doctrine).^[1] 
It is often distinguished from education by 
the fact that the indoctrinated person is expected 
not to question or critically examine the doctrine
 they have learned.
(source: wikipedia)
___

Many individuals of the religious 
variety are taught from a young age 
(before the age of consent.) to believe 
in the religious views popular in their own
specific culture/society, and their "teachers" 
are parents, or other figures of authority 
who already have the power of persuasion 
over them.

Due to this reality..many individuals 
who believe  are less likely to seek 
out the alternatives to their indoctrinated 
viewpoint when they get older for various 
reasons. The most popular being that they 
are taught NOT to question, and accept 
what they're told. (for many consider it a 
sin to question, and as a result are alienated 
from their respective flocks whenever they 
rebel against their tradition.)

This reality is a dangerous one (in my 
own view) because it makes ones religious 
belief a "forced reaction to conditioning",
and as such the individual in question does 
not choose their belief, but are reacting to 
modes of Operant Conditioning from their
Childhood.).

(puppets by design in other words.)
_

I do not openly condemn anyone for 
their belief, but I think that it's important 
to expand ones horizons when it comes 
to religious,philosophical, and political 
matters simply for the fact that (to quote 
Joubert) " one cannot fully understand the 
validity of his own arguments without
familiarizing himself with the opinions of 
others."

Those who believe only because they 
are indoctrinated often have a limited view 
of the world that is not their own, and the 
much embraced (little practiced) "freedom 
of choice" ceases to be a matter of freewill,
and becomes reflective of Dogmatic thinking.

This is why it is important for one to 
critically question and examine any and 
all arguments/beliefs that they can,
because the more knowledge they 
have will increase their ability to 
genuinely "choose" what to believe.

With effort, one can cease to be a 
victim to the various political and 
religious indoctrinators of this world,
(the puppet masters in other words.)
and be their own person, who CHOOSES
what to believe based on an "awareness
of alternatives."

j.s.h.

On Faith.

On Faith.
____________

When the Old Die..
their lives are celebrated
with fondness by those
left behind..and while sad,
many rejoice in the comfort
that they lived to see ripe
age, and fill the pallet of their
Being with so many diverse
Experiences.

When The Young Die..it is
A Tragedy,..and no fond
words, or cliches' about
Meaning and Purpose can
fill the void their Absence
has left.

The Idea that "Everything
Happens for a Reason"
seems Unreasonable to
a Relative who has lost
someone so young, and
innocent. They often find
themselves cursing God,
and wondering how any
Loving Creator could
allow such Horror to touch
their Lives, while on a daily
basis countless social monsters
and predators of all varieties
seem to live long and prosper.

I wish I could say beyond
doubt that there is a Purpose,
and Design to it all...something
Profound that upon our own
Death will make the pieces
fall into place, and give meaning
to the chaos...but it would be
morally and intellectually
dishonest if I were to do so.

I can only say that by my own
observations, FAITH and HOPE
seem to be powerful tools that
help many in their Despair.

Many of genuine Faith I have
seen seem to be more content,
and at peace with the Horrors
of this Mysterious World..and
are able to sit back in the midst of
despair, Holding on to The Things
that they Find Sacred and Meaningful,
without falling victim to the raging
Tides of Doubt which pull so many
Souls down into that Bleakness known
when they Experience a loved
Ones Death.

To me (regardless if their beliefs
are eventually proven to be true
or false) The Merits of such faith
is evident in the Quality of Life
these Courageous Souls Live...
when they can still find it within
themselves to laugh, and crack
a smile at someones joke...or
lend their ear to another who is
in a similar state of suffering.

It is a Powerful Thing that No
amount of well intended words,
or quoted scriptures can compare
to...and (if God Truly Exists)
one of The Highest Expressions
of Divinity one could hope to
find upon this Earth.

Where does your Faith Lie?
and Does it help you along in
your path?...Or cause you to
look disdainfully upon your
Fellow Man who walks a
different Road?

(the answer to your Self may
surprise you.)

J.Stephen.H.

On Morbidity In Literature.

On Morbidity in Literature.
____________________________

I cannot count the number
of times that readers of my
work have said "I like that,
it's really good..but dark,
and kinda morbid."

This is admittedly true. It's
something obvious to anyone
who has read a piece of mine,
that my poems and verses tend to
revolve around darker themes
of Horror and Madness,..
but many carry misconceptions
about my intent when writing
such pieces.

To paraphrase (and add to)
the words of Keith Ablow:
"The Brightest Light shines
upon those brave enough to
open their eyes up to the
darkness, and honestly reflect
the Shadows which lurk
within them."

For me, writing about darkness
is not a matter of trying to be
morbid..or unleash Horrors
into the World...it is a form of
therapy which purges the
Shadows from my Mind,
and Makes the Horrors of
Life more manageable.

Some will listen to music, and
talk about their feelings with
others to help them with their
problems.

Me?...I write,..and turn the
Nature of Darkness and the
Boogeyman into an Art Form.

j.stephen.h.

On Suicide.

On Suicide.
____________

Nearly everyone in today's society
knows someone who has committed
suicide, or have at one point considered
taking their own life.

Yet in spite of it's prevalence, it is still
one of the most highly mythologized
social phenomena in many societies and
cultures.

Religious Fundamentalist types with no
obvious medical knowledge or understanding
of mental disorders, favor taking the spiritual
view that Suicide is a Sin, and declare that those
who take their own life are destined to perish
in hell. (regardless that most of those who
commit suicide suffer from a sickness,
which would imply that a Loving God
punishes the Sick and infirm for something
they did not choose to experience and
ultimately cannot control.)

Other misinformed types who are unfamiliar
with the multitude of causes, and contributing
factors which lead to suicide, consider it a
"selfish act" and say that it's taking "the easy
way out." They consider suicidal types to
be weak, or socially inferior somehow...
unable to handle the harsher realities of
life.

Such types are (often unwittingly) responsible
for perpetuating the misinformed views that
so many have concerning suicide, and it is
up to us, as civic minded, evolved persons,
to shed a light upon the darkness of these
antiquated notions.

Suicide is an act which effects many
people aside from just the individual
who chooses to take their life.

Fathers and Mother lose sleep at night,
wondering if something they did may have
contributed to their child's despair, or
if there was anything they could have
said, or done to prevent it.

Arguments break out between family
members, placing blame on one another
for not Being There enough, or noticing
the "tell tale signs".

Children of parents who commit suicide
often wonder if it was something they
did, and often feel abandoned, or that their
Mother or Father did not Love them enough
to stick around.

These are but a few examples, and
the list goes on,..but the main point
is SUICIDE IS A SOLITARY ACT
which creates several devastating
repercussions that effect MANY
People. (often in unforeseeable ways.)

Those left behind are left to suffer
without any real answers, or comfort.

This brief work is intended to expose
some of the most prevalent Misconceptions
concerning Suicide.

Misconception 1)
SUICIDE IS A SELFISH ACT?

This has always been a popular
argument for many, and I will
be the first to say that in certain
social contexts, committing suicide
can be considered selfish,..when
the individual in question is a criminal
who kills him or herself in order to
avoid prosecution and incarceration
for their crimes...BUT, for non-criminal
types, it isn't really a matter of
selfishness so much as a means to
escape what they feel to be a hopeless,
painful situation.

The definition of selfish
is : lacking consideration for others,
or concerned chiefly with ones own
personal pleasure or profit.

Most who commit suicide are NOT
concerned with their own pleasure,
or profit..they are concerned with
ending their physical and/or emotional
pain and despair. For whatever reason
they are no longer able to Live with
themselves and see death as the only
alternative. (many suicides even leave
behind notes explaining themselves,
and apologizing to loved ones. Does
this strike you as selfish?)

2) THEY TOOK THE "EASY WAY OUT"

The absurdity of this statement
should be self evident to anyone with
half their wits.

Suicide is NEVER easy. Nothing
about it. Most suicides contemplate
it, and even experiment several times
before they gather the courage to
go through with it. It's not like they
just wake up one day and say "well
gee, life sure is hard. I think I'll
blow my brains out, or eat some
pills!"

It is something that the majority
of them contemplate, and mull
over in their minds. Weighing
the pros and cons.

Few suicides are Spontaneous,
spur of the moment affairs.

3) People who commit suicide
are going to HELL.

While I am far from religious in
any sense of the word, this misconception
never fails to annoy me because anyone
who has actually READ the bible,
instead of just rambling on about
whats In it, without ever opening one,
know that there is NO MENTION
of Suicides going to Hell.

There is a reference in corinthians
chapter 6 verse 19/20 that says "do
you not know that your body is a
temple of the holy spirit who is
in you, whom you have received
from God? you are not your own 20)
you were bought at a price, therefore
honor god with your body.

This is in no way  an indictment
to hell for those who commit
suicide, and while I am not religious,
I felt the need to mention it for those
who are, because it is one of the
greatest burdens upon many who
have thought about suicide, or
known others who have died by
their own hand. And it is irresponsible
on MANY levels for spiritual leaders
and common Laypersons alike to
instill fear and despair into the minds
of people by telling them their loved
ones are going to suffer for an eternity
because they succumbed to a mental
illness.

The problem with scripture is that
it is too often twisted to Justify the
personal beliefs of those quoting from it,
and the person in question often takes it
out of it's generally accepted
context in order to support their own
Agenda.

Of god, I will only say that
by my understanding of
God, (a supreme, all knowing,
all powerful being, with an
awareness of past, present,
and future events.) if such a
Thing Exists, then Everything that
occurs would be an extension
of it's Will to some degree.


_________

There are many contributors which
lead people to consider, or commit suicide;
ranging from mental illness, physical
illness, criminal evasion to avoid
prosecution/incarceration, existential
anxiety etc, Yet whatever the reason, it can
(in many instances) be Prevented.

So be vigilant, an unafraid to lend your ear
to your fellow man whenever he or she is
lost in their own despair. For just by Listening,
and offering compassion, your choice to do so
could make all of the difference, and mean life
or Death for one who is SUFFERING.

J.Stephen.H.