Monday, February 29, 2016
Conversation between Pat Ivers & me
2/29/2016
Hello, Everyone,
I am passing along a bit of "conversation" a friend here in Laramie, Pat Ivers, and I carried on via email about my recent email about commenting about a book I am reading called WE ARE ALL STARDUST. If such a conversation interests you, be my guest and review our "discussion." OK? Occasionally, Pat and I both write religious column articles for the local paper - The Laramie Boomerang.
I will also add this "conversation" between Pat and me as the most recent addition to the Blog section of my writings website.
All is well. Be in touch as you wish.
Gently,
Francis William Bessler
www.una-bella-vita.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2/18/2016
Hello, Everyone,
Recently, Debbie, daughter of my friend, Nancy, gave me a book called WE ARE ALL STARDUST by a Stefan Klein, copyrighted after 2010. One copyright notice says 2010 and another says 2015. Not sure which is the right copyright, but I guess it does not matter much. Just consider it a somewhat recent publication.
I must say I am enjoying Debbie's gift - and I thank Debbie for that gift - but before I even started to read Stefan's book, the thought of "being stardust" prompted me to think about the stars. I must say I am very intrigued by the stars as I am intrigued by all of cosmic reality; but my curiosity does not lead me to understand the stars as much it does to simply speculate about them.
So I speculated about the stars and proceeded to write an article about my speculation. Then I submitted that article to the local newspaper - THE LARAMIE BOOMERANG - to be featured in their religious column section of the Sunday paper when they could fit it in. It is my understanding that it will be featured this Sunday, Feb. 21st.
For what it's worth, I am attaching it to this email for any who are interested. Check it out here - or in Sunday's paper if you have access to THE LARAMIE BOOMERANG. OK. I will let my article speak for itself. But again, thanks, Debbie, for the book. I am a bit of a slow reader and it is taking me awhile to read it, but I must say I am enjoying it.
About that book if you are interested, Stefan is a scientist of somewhat great renown - and he has written quite a few books on science matters himself, but WE ARE ALL STARDUST is comprised of interviews Stefan has recently conducted with other well known scientists. I do highly recommend it, though I must admit I do not understand much of it at all. Just realizing there are people in this world who dare to think is quite enough for me. I am so grateful that others - like Jane Goodall, for instance - have dedicated their lives to some scientific endeavor.
By the way, Jane Goodall is one of the scientists who Stefan interviews in his book. Consider that interview an example of what you can expect. Jane and Stefan converse about Jane's life long study of apes and chimps.
Soon, I will be sharing my next religious column article too. I have already written it and it will be featured in THE LARAMIE BOOMERANG on March 6th - as I understand it now. In early March, I will pass that along to you too. I call it THE LIGHT OF LIFE.
For now, enjoy EQUAL TO A STAR - if you wish.
Have a good one, Everyone!
Gently,
Stargazer,
Francis William Bessler
Laramie, Wyoming
www.una-bella-vita.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Greetings Will,
Stars do not last forever. For example, our Sun is about halfway through its existence of about 8-10 billion years. (Certainly a very long time, but not an eternity.) Sometimes they explode brilliantly, other times they collapse upon themselves, creating black holes, but most times they just burn out, exhausting their fuel.
Stars are not all equal. Obviously our Sun is far more important to us than any other star in our Universe, for without it we wouldn't be here. Some stars appear to shine more brightly in the night sky than do others. Similarly, some people shine more brightly than others, most of whom seem to produce very little light.
My next essay will appear on March 20th in which I will take up the topic of when ensoulment occurs & when the soul (which I will define) departs its physical residence.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2/21/2016
Thanks, Pat. I will be looking forward to your next article. Thoughts about the soul are particularly interesting - and entertaining.
I disagree!!!!! Every star is the same as any other star - like any person is the same as any other person - quality wise. It does not matter if you are 5 foot or 6 foot or 7 foot - or whatever. Size does not matter. In that regard, one star is equal to another star like one human is equal to another human. That is the "lesson of the stars" I am talking about.
Tell Nora hello.
Gently,
Will
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: Patrick
To: willieb@wyoming.com
Sent: Monday, February 22, 2016 07:13 AM
Subject: Re: We are all stardust!
You would regard Einstein or Newton as equal to Hitler or Stalin? All souls shine equally? Not as I look upon humanity.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2/22/2016
Hi, Pat,
Again, you miss my point. I agree we are all unequal regarding our conduct or talent. Of course, Einstein was a whole lot more intelligent than I am - probably because he had a greater IQ; but my point is that worth wise, Einstein was no more worthy or divine than I am.
Really, Pat, do you not agree that you are as worthy as Einstein - or me or anyone else?
And yes, Hitler was as worthy as I am, being equal in humanity. His problem was that he did not see it that way. In my opinion, however, worth is not dependent upon conduct or attitude. It is dependent upon a "shared humanity" - or better, a "shared divinity."
Tell Nora hello.
Gently,
Will
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Will,
Keeping with your analogy of souls to stars, consider that our Sun supports the only life we know in our Universe. What if our Sun is the only star sustaining intelligent, self-aware consciousness in the cosmos? Wouldn't that make our Sun more significant than other stars? Or if other stars somewhere in our Universe also support life, wouldn't these be more important than stars surrounded by dead planets? Further, some stars implode at the end of their existence, becoming black holes with such tremendous gravity that they suck up all the matter & light in their vicinity from which not even light may ever escape. Might these be analogous to terrible tyrants?
Perhaps you've chosen to employ the wrong metaphor for your association with souls, which are eternal & equal in their essence, unlike stars.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2/22/2016
Hi, Pat,
I love all your responses. Thanks so much for them. If you do not mind, I could pass our "conversations" along to my email lists. Just let me know if that would be ok.
For me, Pat, existence and all that is within it is equal in worth because it is all Divine. It is easy for me to see a burnt out star as equal to a freshly glowing one because both are part of a Divine Existence. And when you think about it, how could it be otherwise? Contrary to much traditional belief and opinion, it is impossible that one thing can be more Divine than another because everything is invested in the same existence, so to speak.
I can prove that by comparing any two things - you and me, for instance. Isn't it absurd to consider me having more Divinity - and therefore, worth - than you - or you having more Divinity - or worth - than me? Sorry, Pat, if you and I are equal in Divinity and/or Worth, take that comparison and apply it to all existence. No so called angel can have more Divinity than another angel or you or me. It is all so simple when you look at things that way.
And what does having to deal with a "terrible tyrant" have to do with it? He or she must be equal to me in worth for the same reason that we two are equal. What does it matter if he thinks he has the right to kill me? What has that to do with the worth of either of us? If someone stabs me to death, the knife he uses to kill me is just as Divine as his or her mouth if a kiss were implanted on me instead.
I think the main trouble with the world, Pat, is that most think they can separate the Divine from the world as if the world somehow exists outside of the Divine. When we think that way, then Heaven is always someplace else because we think that Heaven is going to where there is "more Divinity" - or God. But it can't be. God cannot be more one place than another; and therefore, Heaven cannot be more one place than another.
Many think that when they die, they are going to "go to God" - as if God was not already where they were. It makes no sense to expect that God will be waiting for you on some other turf in existence where He resides. Crazy!
This morning I saw a sign on the side of the road off I-80 that said something like: WHEN YOU DIE, YOU WILL MEET GOD! Whoever put up that sign has this notion that God is somewhere else in order for me to have to die to meet Him - or Her or It - there. No way! It cannot be. How can God be present on the west side of Laramie and absent on the east side of Laramie? In the same way, how can God be more present in some "other side" of life than in "this side"?
I must say I have enjoyed our discussions, though, Pat. I do believe the ideal in life is to think for yourself and then those who dare to threaten that God will be "meeting me" after I die to pressure me to go some way and not another can be ignored. I do not have to die to "go to God" because God is already where I am and in me. If we all only believed that, then the Heaven we dream of as being elsewhere would be ours - here and now - as well as ours when we die too. In truth, if we find Heaven now in this life, we will not lose it when we pass on. We will simply experience Heaven - the same Heaven - elsewhere. That is like having it both ways - Heaven Now, Heaven Later! What a way to go! Right?
Tell Nora hello.
Gently,
Will
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Will,
This time you've missed my point. I don't disagree with your conception of souls, only with your use of stars as metaphors for them since stars are not eternal - they burn out, explode, or implode into black holes - as are souls.
Certainly you may share my correspondence with you, always.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2/23/2016
Hi, Pat,
Nice conversation we are having. I agree that souls are immortal whereas stars are not; and based on that, one could say a star and a soul are not equal; but my argument is that mortal or immortal, all things are equal in sanctity - or worth. Mortality and Immortality does not enter into the "worth argument" for me. In a way, if we are immortal, we are so by virtue of the composition of the soul - or the makeup of a soul - not the worth of a soul.
So, I can compare a soul to a star in terms of the worth of each - which, for me, is the same. Why is it the same? Because the same Infinity must be in each. I equate Infinity with God. Thus, regardless of composition or state of being, since all things are in the same God - or the same God is in all things - all things must be equal in worth.
I take great delight in that notion, Pat. It satisfies me, if you know what I mean.
All is well! Tell Nora hello. See you soon!
Gently,
Will