Religion/Spirituality : Love/Hate : Understand/MISSunderstand : You+Me+"Them"=ONE {Imagine!}

Picture taken from Mount of Olives, looking through Christianity's cross and down into the Wailing Wall of Judeaiesm and the Golden Mosque--ALL from human history of the "one God"...


THIS HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM MARK JOYNER’S BLOG & TRANSFERRED WITH MY RESPONSE BELOW:
http://www.markjoyner.name/logs/archives/news/a_letter_from_an_anonymous_iranian_to_the_american_people.php#comments

May 08, 2007
A Letter from an Anonymous Iranian to the American People
The author of this letter is a friend of mine who just so happens to be an Iranian citizen.
In order to protect his identity, I can only reveal that he is a university student living in the city of Tehran.
During our conversations it became clear that those of us in the west tend to have some common deep misconceptions about the Iranian people and what life is like in Iran.
I am sure that bits of this letter will be singled out and used for the political purposes of those on the left and the right alike.
His motivation for writing this letter, and mine for printing it, is not political - but human.
The facts he states in this letter, though many of which will likely run contrary to our preconceived notions, can very easily be verified if you care to take the time to do so.
I've already said too much-as his letter stands quite well on it's own-in it's unedited glory ...
Mark Joyner


A Letter from an Anonymous Iranian to the People of America

OK, I first wanted to deliver this message to you in form of a video containing interviews with people here, but after receiving some warnings from from family and friends about the risks of it here, I decided to share this message for you in form of a letter.But just know that there's actually a human being - just like you - behind this letter, typing every word for you... You know how much focus there is on the news about Iran these days. When you turn on the TV and read the paper, you hear about it.You see the media tries to create an image in your mind about Iran and Iranians.But have you ever wondered how real it is? Have you ever wished you could see behind the scenes and see the truth for yourself?Well, here's a chance...After talking with Mark about how many big misconceptions have been created by the media, I decided to clear up some of them for you in this letter. Hope you enjoy reading them and seeing the truth...Do Iranians hate Americans and the people in the West?No, not at all. Just ask someone who has come here as a tourist and he will tell you Iranians are very friendly and hospitable with people from other countries.It's true that the media here tries to make people think the West is the enemy because that's how they get power. But most Iranians don't have any problem with other nations and actually like them.Yes, there are some radical groups (like "Basij") who think the west is the enemy but they are the minority. Actually this minority group is even hated among most people here because they interfere with our own people - like attacking and arresting women if they're not wearing the kind of covered clothed they think is correct, among other things.But the big majority of people here like other nations and want to live in peace and harmony with the rest of the world. So do Iranian people want to enter a war with the US?What do YOU think? Do people ever like to enter a war at all? Hasn't it been always kings and governments provoke and force people to this?The Iran's government may not mind a war, but the people certainly don't want it.Because people are always people. They have families who they care about and don't want to risk losing in a war. Also they understand the other country's people have families too. You know, war never has solved any problems. It only creates more problems.What about the Iran president? Do Iranians agree with him and his politics?Some do, but the majority don't. So it's important to know he certainly doesn't speak for all Iranians. So when he says something about Holocaust, writes a letter to the US president, or makes a speech in United Nations, he is NOT speaking for us either.But doesn't the President of Iran want to nuke Israel and "wipe them off the map"? I have heard the exact statement Ahmadinejad said in Farsi so I know what he really meant. He meant the Israel government should give its place to Palestine - like it used to be before.He thinks there should be no country called "Israel' on the map, and instead it should be called "Palestine". So what about the Jews living there? Well, they can certainly keep living there in peace because neither the government of Iran nor our people have any problem with Jews. Actually, did you know there are many Jews and Christians living here in Iran in peace?So what about terrorists? Don't Iranians agree with and support groups like Al Qaida?I was really shocked when Mark told me some Americans think Iranians support Al Qaida and other similar groups. Because Al Qaida and Taliban were one of the most hated groups among Iranians - even years before the September 11 tragedy, because of what Taliban were doing to Afghan people.If you go to the streets here and ask hundreds of people if they agree with those groups, I guarantee you'll receive some shocked faces looking at you wondering what strange question is that?Are Iranians all Muslim?Even though most people here are Muslim, but there are also many Christians, Jews, Atheists, and others living here in peace. And just like other Iranians, they too like Iran's culture and are proud of their history, but don't agree with the regime.So how is life in Iran really like?If you come to Iran today and walk in the streets, what you will see may surprise you...You will see parents and their children walking happily together...You'll see children playing soccer in the corner of an alley...You'll see young boys driving a sports car fast and playing western POP music in the car...You'll see couples walking hand in hand and talking...You'll see normal stores, shopping malls, restaurants, and people living their ordinary life.You see, people are people - no matter if they are in New York, Paris, Tokyo, or Tehran.So how come the picture the media shows is so different?(I know because I sometimes watch CNN and BBC through satellite TV and check out their websites on the Internet.)You know, it's an art of the media to take a tiny part of the whole picture and make it look as if it IS the whole picture.Just like there are Ku Klux Klan in America. It would be easy to use images of the KKK and paint the picture: "See, this is America."They do it over there to show a cloaked picture of Iranians, and they do it here to show a cloaked image of Americans.But today the Internet gives us the opportunity to discover the truth for ourselves - if we are open to do it.So to you that are reading this letter, whether you live in the US or any other part of the world, warm regards from the people in Iran.[Your peace-lover friend from Tehran, Iran]

Samadhi’s response of May 22nd 2007:
My response--from a very personal and Western insider as far as the Middle East. Although I have not been to Iran or Iraq, I have lived, worked, and travelled in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi, Oman, Israel, Palestine, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates…

I have been searching the web, looking for people within the Middle East, so that I can spread my wings again and make a connection. If any of this message sounds self-serving--I can only ask you to trust that in my heart of hearts, I am sincerely wanting to reach out to those oppressed within the Middle East primarily--and women of the world.

Having lived, worked, and traveled through much of the Middle East, I realized I was always "escaping" to the desert because of my own oppressions. I did not have an outer veil or burka, but I certainly had an internal veil, suffocating my soul, my voice, my right to be seen and heard as a woman.

I wrote my first book, Circles in the Sand, which I thought was my personal journey but have quickly discovered how it resonates with many, many women--and even men--who understand oppression, abuse, war, hatred, discrimination... It is a communal journey from darkness into light.

I now see the Middle East as a metaphor for my life's journey. That Circles in the Sand has touched the lives of those who have read it motivates me to keep believing that if I can touch one, I can touch one million.

Some experiences I have personal understanding of {and which are noted in my Theme Chart on my web site} are:
Family dysfunction {which branches out to Arab/Jewish “family” dysfunction}, homosexuality in both the East and the West, religion versus spirituality, women's oppression, a nation's oppression, war {having been in Lebanon in the 1982 Israeli invasion}, death, fear, illness and the connection to my biography, forgiveness, and death.

Although I read the Iranian gentleman's phrase put very gently, almost unnoticed {in his above-letter}-- “the Israel government should give its place to Palestine - like it used to be before. The Iranian President Ahmadinejad has stated that there should be no country called "Israel' on the map, and instead it should be called "Palestine".--this is the root that must be pulled out and replanted. Anything built on this foundation will crumble.
Their truth--and that of every Arab country--has been said in various tones but the message is so, so clear--to simply remove "Israel" and rename the land "Palestine"... this is THE MOST IMPORTANT statement to understand. It is the truth of every Muslim country--Israel is not allowed to exist. It is the root of the Arab/Israeli conflict, no matter how softly spoken. I have lived and worked with Arabs who are Muslim, Christian, Druze, Shi’hite, Sunni… the feeling is the same with all, and there truly is no denying it. They have told us repeatedly, but we just don’t want to listen--and that includes Saudi, who the U.S. is extremely friendly with--how odd?!

Having been drawn to the Arab world over and over, including Palestine, I have personally felt their oppression and have heard hundreds of voices in unison over the decades declare that Israel does not have the right to exist. The fact that the U.S. supports Israel is interweaving politics with our Judeo/Christian history and yet, the U.S. has managed to do business deals with Saudi... ignoring the terrorism acts of Saudis on those planes; ignoring that women are executed regularly; ignoring that there are executions each and every week... it's all such a crazy mess and only we--one by one--can begin to collectively change our world.

Although my book has the underlying running storyline of my personal traumas, there is much said regarding life in the Middle East and religions that we somehow manage to pretend we all share the same God--Christian/Islam/Judaism--and yet, that "same God" has the three of us fighting. Something has to give "peeps" of the world.

I personally will send my book to any individual or book club, especially women around the world, if they would like an inside look at both of our veils of oppression.

Not yet having funds in my bank, should you have the finances, I would be honoured if you purchased my book but...I will send a copy to those I can.

I know in my deepest place of spirit, that there are healing words and tools on how we can step out of our egos and personality disagreements and step into the light of LOVE--a new spirituality--just pure LOVE.

As I often think, "Imagine all the people...living life in peace" -- it's not beyond our reach!

"Thank you" to this Iranian man for speaking your truth.

I know, having been in a war zone and having been in Israel with bombs going off every other day seemingly, that the truth of life within that environment is very, very different from what the news shows us. I truly get it and feel and understand you... may Allah/Yahweh {you are brothers}, Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, Ghandi, Mother Theresa, Mary Magdalene {if we dare believe}, and the multitude of Masters who have only asked of us one thing... to be LOVE...may their LOVE and LIGHT be shone through each of our hearts.

Grief / Mirrors -- Stage Two {you gotta read first blog with this title

As I have settled into the next stage of “grief/mirroring” in a relationship-sense, I’m slightly numbed by the array of energy that came from me--when I look back at an internal or external anger/extreme sorrow/hurt, you--I--see just what the toll is on my body, mind, and spirit and it ain’t pretty. In fact, my body is continually reminding me that I can no longer “contain” these emotions. You would think after two heart surgeries {physical/metaphysical again}, that I would understand in the exact moment that I move into an unhealthy feeling to get out. The good news is that I understand much faster than ever before and call my spirit back so-to-say. I guess we have to feel sorrow to know joy and there isn’t any going around the emotional-journey but rather, going via the drive-through so it’s fasttracked!!

I forgot a major KEY component on learning in relationship to another. It was only yesterday that I was telling people about this amazing wealth of knowledge I was learning and comprehending. When someone pushes your buttons-it’s because it is-my lesson, or, moment of opportunity--I get pissed or not impressed or annoyed or whatever UNTIL I realize that I can make another choice

BUT first I need to understand the whole concept:

They are pushing my buttons to.... Well, let's let Neale Donal Walsch from Conversations with God explain it from one of his awesome book:

You see, what we do as human beings is, we set the pins up, then we knock them down. What we do as human beings is, we create the exact, right, and perfect set of circumstances {speaking metaphysically now} to allow us to express a part of ourselves that announces and declares who we really are. If who I really am, for instance, is a healer, I will create, metaphysicically, the perfect set of circumstances to allow myself to express "she who heals." I will, therefore, bring into my experience, and even, at some level, create in my outer reality, illness.
The opposite of that which I am, that I might express and experience who I am.

So, my error was to bring “those who hurt me or pissed me off; ie: my sister” into my experience. If I feel we are pushing each other’s buttons, then it seemed a great opportunity to express it and see it and grow--together BUT I took “me” and made it “you and me.”

What a Master -- no, let’s say GODDESS -- could choose instead--and this is where I now choose--is to see this as my own experience and to change who I am within this experience without another ever knowing, hearing, or being drawn in. People will then know me by my LOVE, not by my, “Hey YOU, I feel you and I push each other’s buttons….”.

I even said there was a sure-fire caveat to this journey through becoming a grander version of my greatest self and that is -- when I am wanting to let’s say “meditate in Manhatten” -- then all of Manhatten will come right at me---bam, bam, bam -- to give me that exact opportunity to choose change:

The opposite of that which I am, that I might express and experience who I am

How crazy hilarious in a sad sort of way that I’m preaching away and seeing already things coming at me, attacking me {my old self} asking me, “Well, do you wish to continue being your old self or experience a new and grander version of YOU?”

See, “ugly” isn’t a coincidence. It’s an opportunity to look at “ugly” and declare it to be “BE-YOU-ti-FULL” !!

I don’t know what else will be coming down the pike, but I’m getting grounded and stabilized to keep on keeping on and reCREATE a brand new me--love, compassionate, and forgiving of myself and others… that’s my dream. With slight trepidation, I say, “Bring it on universe… bring it on {just a little bit gentle though- pleeeeaaassse”

Grief / Mirrors

I'm just rethinking about religion this morning and needing to get back into my "peaceful" place. In my book, Circles in the Sand, I talk on how the deserts of Arabia were my own reflection of myself as well as all the religions I have personally tried in order to be seen as okay by God and family--which never has happened btw!

I'm in a funk because my born again sister, who SO totally doesn't get me and continually says exactly the same--that I don't get her... and so, stalemate all because of bloody religious dogmas.

I've tried to pull myself away from the constant bombardment of what a sinner I am and thought I was well on my way into that spiritual zone of nirvana... but after receiving another punch-to-the-gut response by me to her--in what I thought was a love/peace and "please understand me" attempt AGAIN, I have to crawl out of grief and into "that place" where I have found love...because she came back with such a barrage of ANGER.

It's true--I have contempt for religion but let me say, religion brought me to "spirituality" and so I must thank my "enemy" for showing me the way to light. Spirituality, by-the-way, ain't no walk in the park at times. One is even more accountable because the journey is an inside job -- it's all about changing ME versus changing my outer experiences. If I say I choose to be accountable and own "shit," -- well, there's just nowhere to hide anymore.

My book was a purging and cleansing but I mistakenly hoped to be "heard" by my family. I truly thought I had grown away from that "need" and so... I now must choose "who I want to be within this moment" and let me say, it's hard not to want to be enraged, sorrowful, and scared and sad and giving up on the whole gameplan. That's why I'm again purging, possibly to myself, possibly to others should they see this blog, and whichever the case, it's for me to find me and get me back into that peaceful zone of love, understanding, compassion, forgiveness... that's spirituality for me.

Being raised Catholic, having born again sibs, and the constant bonbardment of abuse--I thought was far behind me {I never thought I had to cry a few more tears but clearly, I do}.

Funny, my original title for this BLOG was:
Mirror Images are Identical... {Catholic/Muslim} Hello! Another PINK ELEPHANT in the house!.
I was sharing about the POPE and the audacity to change "God's mind" about little unbaptized babies being saved suddenly. Another mirror image you see -- Religion to me is NUTZ and here we are, mirroring out to Muslims about them, rather than looking at ourselves!!

...which brought me to {because I've been in the Middle East so much and had such an out of body experience--sitting at the Wailing Wall--about Christianity, Islam, and Judaism all merging on this one tiny corner in the city of Jerusalem... enough "merging" to cause war after war. And millions of us believe this is God's will. I know it may be hard to stick with me on this purge BUT, I'm hoping that somewhere inside it will make some sense--to YOU but mostly, to ME.

BUT in truth, it's about grief and mirroring for my own life:
: Mirroring the desert as a metaphor for my past life
: Mirroring me not being heard to my sister feeling the same
: Mirroring anger

Mirror Mirror on the Wall--who's the fairest of us all?
Wouldn't it be so cool to say WE ARE ALL THE FAIREST AND MOST BEAUTIFUL… BE-YOU-ti-FULL!!!

I think I am finally back in "that place" where I can go meditate while sitting "in the middle of Manhatten" {metaphysically-speaking}

: Mirroring LOVE and FORGIVENESS

As John Lennon said... I M A G I N E

Neale Donald Walsch, bestselling author Conversation With God series and more

Technorati Profile

Neale's coming to Vancouver to complete his worldwide tour of ONENESS and it would be awesome if you could come!! We -- by connecting through Bono and American Idol and Neale and on and on -- WE can change the world!!

We're just a hop, skip, and a rock's through from Washington, Seattle, LA... c'mon and see Neale in action. His video is on my blog if you want a peak at his gentle genious. He's friends with Bono and the connection feels so complete!!

Allelulia!! Babies are Now SAVED at last!!!

If you can enlarge it, you can undoubtedly read the great news in any paper or on-line or through the Vatican's Theological Commission or on The Catholic News Service website!!
No offence intended; it's just my journey and the outrageously insanity of what we, as humans with brains, have allowed ourselves to fall into...

I would love to ponder with the “peeps” of the world how the human-made-decision to make the Pope Catholic...no, I'm sorry--to make the Pope INFALLIBLE has given HIM the ability to decide to suddenly save babies who were once {and that's a REALLY LONG "ONCE" doomed... but now because the Pope is without sin--he has the power to tell millions and millions of Catholics that unbaptized babies will no longer be doomed--but suddenly SAVED!!

With this infallibility, ability to change--at presumably God's will--any law whatsoever, I would love the Vatican to help God/Pope to keep us waiting no longer... and get to the presses with HIS writings of his own Conversations With God--with or without having to meet with the Vatican studies group!! What sayeth God to the only human who is without sin in our current age?

I was born Catholic, raised Catholic, and it took me into my fourth decade to get OUT in more ways than one... OUT of the closet; OUT of religion; OUT of how this tiny little planet brings GOD into our little tiny space..

Doesn't anybody want to trip out of our galaxy, into the other cosmos, and have a God-eye view on whuz-up?? God = LOVE so why is the planet so out of love with each other? IF only we could step out of our skin, out of our mind, and into SPIRIT. I have finally found peace within Spirit, leaving religion--all of them--behind. If we each thought about it… I wonder??

I've reacted to this insane article and decision because {sadly-- it's a story that touches home in my book Circles in the Sand -- about when my sister's baby was dying and against her wishes, my mother snuck in a Catholic priest to perform the Last Rights so the sweet, precious 10-day-old darling soul of Mick wouldn't forever be plunged DOWN {although when we're in the cosmos -- there is no Up and no Down and No East and No West... groovy & cool}... to LIMBO for eternity!

Settle down on prayers to God for the next while because THEY have a "hole" lot of backlogged babies at those gates, waiting to finally get a cuddle from Mother God....

Two more stops before Vancouver

Just in case there are PEEPS out there who have read the Conversations With God books, seen the movie, seen The Secret and know of Neale Donald Walsch, there is still time to see him.
If anyone has read my book--a journey truly through the darkness of religion {several} to the lightness of just BEING LOVE, you'll know that for me to promote something "spiritual," that it is for everyone.
Especially in times of war, hatred and killing--his talk will be about all of that and how the world is the way it is today and how we can individually and collectively use our ENERGY to change our seemingly downward spiral!
There's lots of various info on my BLOG but here's his final stops -- give yourself a present and go -- your life will change forever and nope, you won't be in a cult whatsoever {as my family thought I had been once--they even had me kidnapped by an ex-Moonie for deprogramming}. See, I know about religion and I've chosen spirituality with a twist because I can be quite vulgar and unladylike at times!! {ha-ha}....


Enjoy an"AROUND THE WORLD IN ONENESS"
The Humanity's Team 2007 World Tour
REMAINING STOPS:

* ARGENTINA -- April 22-23, Buenos Aires
* UNITED STATES -- April 27-29, Atlanta
* CANADA -- April 29, VancouverFor more information on times, locations, and ticket availabilities for these events, go to www.htworldtour.org

IF anyone comes to Vancouver--you absolutely must say HIGH to me and give some hugs!!!
Peace-out for now!!

Peeps of the World--Come join in an incredible journey with bestselling author who had a movie made about him {don't WE wish} &is part of The Secret