In Defense of Liberty: Recent Comments

Comment on Holistic Authenticity

2009-06-19T14:16:36Z

Check out Rabbi Francis Nataf's article (Ideas #124): "Halachic Man and Authentic Man." You can access it here (or copy-paste this http://www.cardozoschool.org/show_article.asp?cat_id=1&cat_name=Jewish%20Thought%20and%20Philosophy&subcat_name=Other&subcat_id=48&article_id=656&parent_id=1 ).

Rabbi Cardozo in his talk on "the Joy of Heresy" (which is an MP3 file on that website) and in his commencement speech which I heard in person this past Tuesday also spoke on various themes I've related here. Wow, it's like affirmation after re-affirmation that I'm headed in the right direction, an authentically me direction. :)

Comment on Fundamental Axiom, Finding Purpose, and Self-Actualization

2009-04-23T08:17:15Z

Rabbi David Aaron (also from Isralight as is Rav Binny Friedman who is quoted above) speaks on Sinai Live about G-d and discusses this topic with some interesting insights:

http://vodpod.com/watch/837898-rabbi-david-aaron-on-finding-g-d

Also available directly from YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra4Et3aBi0A

Comment on Fundamental Axiom, Finding Purpose, and Self-Actualization

2009-03-21T00:22:49Z

As quoted from Rav Binny's message for Vayahkel-Pekudei 5769 (for the full context and commentary go to http://www.isralight.org/html/Tastings.htm#tastings), an excerpt related to cogito ergo sum:

The Kotzker Rebbe is quoted as having said:

"If I am I because I am I, and you are you because you are you, then I am not I, and you are not you.

"But if I am I because you are you, and you are you because I am I, then I am truly I and you are truly you." In other words, if each of us thinks that we can exist totally separate of the other, then we will never become all that we can be.

Comment on The Lady of the House

2009-02-23T17:35:08Z

Thank you, Jeff for your kind words. Yes, looming conflict often divides us - our ideologies and solutions get in our way. Yet, faced with imminent destruction, animals and all socities come together and unite to survive, to protect themselves ("the herd instinct") - but this fades. And when there are subdivisions already present in that group, after the imminent danger passes, those divisions resurface and then each subdivision then may turn on each other to protect their subdivision's integrity. As you remind us, G-d is the Source and thus to where we should turn. Unity based on anything else will not long endure (nor has it historically; but Torah and Israel/Jews have survived against all odds [secular historians too are in awe of this] despite the rise & fall of many mighty empires who sought our destruction - the survival of Torah and Jews reveals to us G-d and is thus why the wicked often try to destroy and manipulate others to believe Jews need to be killed or are really evil). That fact is obvious because no idea, no thing has ever completely unified a group nor do they stand the test of time (but G-d does: http://blog.libertarianking.com/2009/02/17/fundamental-axiom-finding-purpose-and-selfactualization.aspx). Thanks again for your comments and for reading!

Comment on Symbiotic

2009-02-22T20:37:27Z

This concept is discussed by the rabbis in more familiar terms through the teaching that one mitzvah (good deed; lit., commandment) begets another or that the reward for doing a mitzvah is another mitzvah. That is: it leads to more goodness, to a nourishing of that quality of ourselves, which is the best reward (internal vs. external; self-refinement vs. accolades/prizes). Our habits become us and we develop habits through repeated action. And unless we valued and saw the beauty or benefit of those actions, we are not likely to habituate ourselves to them. This is why Judaism without relevance, internalized meaning, and Torah & mitzvoth seen as beauty can lead to abandonment of it or fanatical clinging to it by rote (even if the fanatic clings to the right "technicality", c.f. Isa 65:3-6).

Comment on The Lady of the House

2009-02-18T16:48:51Z

Nice parable, often conflict divides us even if it is not between us, it was a nice reminder that we should turn toward G-d and each other in times of conflict when our inclination is often to turn to possible solutions. Thank you for the insight.

Comment on It's not really all "about the economy, stupid"

2008-10-14T09:38:30Z

Every Presidential debate in the era of television is quite the news item. Many Americans watch in order to gauge which candidate is going to pursue policies that they feel are best, in order to find out who it is they think they should vote for. Many voters today in America are becoming or have become disillusioned with our leaders and the political process, and so watch things like the debates with limited expectations, knowing that direct questions will most likely not be answered, and will sound like sound bites. The major newspapers, such as the New York Times and the Boston Globe, hailed the debate as having “forced cordiality” and being “mercifully free” of personal attacks, and that was very true; neither candidate resorted too much to character assassination. McCain continued with “staying the course” and pursuing domestic drilling policies. (Hmmm….I wonder just who he was listening to on that one.) Obama was still criticizing Republican policies which he says got us into this mess of a recession in the first place. If the election were based on the performances on the debate , there’d be no clear way to say who it was that had won. America needs a clear proposal for action. Obama’s views on “predatory lending” which basically is sanctioning payday loan lenders is not a real solution. It’s basically an appeal to the banking lobby.
Post Courtesy of Personal Money Store
Professional Blogging Team
Feed Back: 1-866-641-3406
Home: http://personalmoneystore.com/NoFaxPaydayLoans.html
Blog: http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/

Comment on It's not really all "about the economy, stupid"

2008-10-02T06:14:15Z

The payday loan industry is in danger because there are politicians who wish to wipe out the entire industry. But that is not what is best for the people. For instance, in Georgia, the bankruptcy filings, bounced checks and foreclosures all skyrocketed after the cash advance product was done away with. With no disregard for these negative statistics, following the closure of payday loans in these states, several other governors continue to try and follow suit. Top national politicians are now stepping out in hopes of wiping the industry completely off the map. Should such politicians succeed, there is a big possibility that there will be increased unemployment rates, more debt, more foreclosures and an even more damaged economy.

Post Courtesy of Personal Money Store
Professional Blogging Team
Feed Back: 1-866-641-3406
Home: http://personalmoneystore.com/NoFaxPaydayLoans.html
Blog: http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/

Comment on Manipulation as force: A New Look at International & Personal Relations

2008-08-25T10:05:04Z

Here is an excellent article that has some tie-in to this point, namely about how we interact with others (the second part of the article):

http://www.aish.com/family/rebbitzen/Walking_the_Talk1.asp

Comment on Perspective: Not to fear

2008-07-03T21:27:21Z

Here are some resources on war that I alluded to in this post and that might give one perspective.

http://www.aish.com/torahportion/shragasweekly/Love_and_War.asp

http://judaism.about.com/library/3_blessingsprayers/bl_prayer_intent.htm

http://judaism.about.com/library/3_intro/level2/bl_war.htm

http://www.caje.org/war/

http://www.shalomctr.org/node/215

http://www.shalomctr.org/node/1299

http://www.torah.org/learning/lifeline/5756/chanukah.html

http://jewishsoldier.org/

http://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/urgent_issues.html

http://www.jewishaz.com/jewishnews/050204/soldier.shtml