Book bits

[Lilith7]

"Character comes from following our highest sense of right, from trusting ideals without being sure they'll work. One challenge of our adventures on earth is to rise above dead systems - wars, religions, nations, destructions - to refuse to be a part of them, & express instead the highest selves we know how to be."
"No one can solve problems for someone whose problem is that they don't want problems solved."
"No matter how qualified or deserving we are, we will never reach a better life until we can imagine it for ourselves & allow ourselves to have it."
Richard Bach, One.

ÔÇ£There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions.
Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane, he had to fly them. If he flew them, he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to, he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistleÔÇØ
Joseph Heller, Catch 22

"One thing that frequently ticks me off about the wealthy is that they often donÔÇÖt realise that not everyone has a burning ambition to acquire money & material possessions.
The rich donÔÇÖt understand this; unless someone has made it his or her mission to die with more toys than anyone else, then he or she is a deadbeat."

Allen Steele. Coyote Horizon.



ÔÇ£SaÔÇÖTong teaches us that, once you accept the fact that God is your own creation instead of the opposite, then you yourself are God, & so is everyone else you may encounter, regardless of their race or origin. That is to say, you are responsible for your own actions, & therefore your own destiny.
We believe that our better nature, that is, our ability to choose a benign course for our actions.is by definition a higher power. Yet such decisions are our own responsibility, not the result of supernatural influence.
ÔÇ£But then all youÔÇÖre doing is praying to yourselves.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£No. We pray to one another, in hopes that those around us will make the correct decisions. We have found that we are more likely to get a response that way.
Through the teachings of the Chaazbraan, we have learned that SaTong has five codicils. The first codicil, you have already heard..you are God, for God is the creation of the self. The second codicil states that, if you accept this principle, you must also accept the fact that everyone is God & therefore must be treated as such, with the same amount of reverence & respect.
The third codicil states that, in order to obey the second codicil, you must never take any action that will harm others or yourself. Likewise, the fourth codicil forbids any inaction that will lead to others being harmed, or which in turn will do harm to yourself. And the fifth codicil states that wrongful acts must be atoned for with righteous acts of equal or greater proportion.

Accept yourself as your own higher being; respect others as if they are higher beings themselves, do no harm to anyone or to yourself, or tolerate lack of actions which, in turn, will result in harm to yourself or others around you & make amends for your failures.ÔÇØ
Allen Steele. Coyote Horizon