The Serious Stuff

I have been asked, on several occasions, what I believe in. I've never really had a good answer for this. I don't really believe in anything. Belief is unfounded devotion to an ideal. And IMHO there is no "ideal" anything. If you have ever taken a course on philosophy you may have encountered the "Ontological Proof" of the existance of "God", and will have realized that this proof, based on ideals, is faulty and in fact can prove the existance of not just "God" but of any perfect thing. So, as skewed as it is, my "beliefs" as they are, include a multitude of "High Powers", but not "Gods" per say. If you can conceive something greater, it exists. And as a corrolary, "doubt" is a powerful thing. But most of all, "Cogito Ergo Sum".

I was raised Roman Catholic, but I am not a follower of the religion. I have always styled myself as a Nostic. Not Agnostic however. The teachings of Christ are valid moral systems. Heck, the teachings of almost every prophet, messiah, guru or what have you of every major religion in the world is full of valid moral systems, most of which are very similar and overlap in numerous places. So, my spiritual system is an amalgamation of whatever I find works for me. Not to say that I am a heathen, so much as I get along in my own way. I only try to be the best person I can be, not interfere with the happiness of others, and keep away from what I consider "sins", which are more closely related to civil and federal law than church criteria for saint-hood.

Another wonderful aspect of having your own spiritual system which is different than anyone else's is that you can change it whenever you wish. This may seem offensive to someone who follows a more regimented or organized religion, perhaps even heretical. But in actuality, it is the learning process and evolution of ones system that provides growth of the individual. This is in fact the most important aspect of my system. Think about it. How much has the Catholic Church, or even Buddism changed over the many years that they have existed? "Hell" didn't exist until fairly recently (within the last couple hundred years actually). Every time I find myself at a new moral dilema, I have to re-evaluate and reaffirm my system. Every time someone asks me what my "beliefs" are and then questions them I do the same to them, and though neither of us will repent our systems, whatever they be, we walk away from the encounter with new questions that we must answer that will allow us to grow and accept others and ourselves. This, I think, is what religion, spirituality and faith are for. To question ourselves, our motives, our desires, and to find our places in the world before we leave it (or reincarnate, or whatever).

If any of this offends, then I am deeply sorry for you, and appologize.

What follows are some of the more interesting of my more separate and distinct philosophies, please take them with the grain of salt that you would any religion that is not yours, but don't discount them entirely. Some are rather funny actually.

The Not So Serious Stuff

Axioms of University Life

1. Student Advisors cannot advise, but consult with them just in case
2. The most important course of the year will be taught by a professor who either:
   1. has a very thick accent
   2. cannot speak english
   3. is teaching the class for the first time and doesn't know the material
   4. all of the above
3. The text book for the above class will either be:
   1. too expensive
   2. not available for sale at the book store
   3. only have one copy available in the library
   4. riddled with errors
   5. all of the above
4. Bring your own lunch because the food on campus is:
   1. expensive
   2. disgusting
   3. the cafeteria is packed
   4. the cafeteria is closed during your spares
5. Read the Student Newspaper during your first year, skim it in your second year, mostly ignore it in your later years. This will allow you to understand what you will get involved with in later years, at which point you will be told what's going on and not have to figure it out yourself.
6. Get involved. Join a Student Group, Assosiation, Club or something. All study and no play makes for a dull University experience.
7. "University is a maturing experience" is a load of crap.
8. Your GPA is inversly proportional to the number of courses you take in a year.
9. Even though you have made it to University, even though you may get good marks, it does not necessarily indicate that you are "smart". (corolary: the correct answer is not the right answer, the professors answer is)

Elements and the Three-of-Three's

Western mysticism holds there are four(4) elements; air, earth, water and fire. I hold that there are three; air, earth and water. Not to be different, but that they mesh with the idea of the Three-of-Three's better in this form as shown in the chart below. Also, fire is not an element, it is energy, that which can transform the three elements from one to another. Heat water, it becomes a gas, freeze it and it becomes a solid. The elements also map to the three dimensions of space and to the three parts of man. The following table really explains it all.

Elements:	WATER	AIR	EARTH
Dimensions:	Line	Plane	Cube
Concepts:	Time	Thought	Matter
Energy/Fire:	Destruction	Creation	Maintaining
Man:	Mind	Spirit	Body