Creating A World Based On Egalitarianism and Love

As one of Georgia’s retired teachers who worked in education from 1970-2007, I can confirm the truth of columnist Jay Bookman’s words in his editorial today.

I am reminded, from my studies of Thomas Jefferson’s life, that Jefferson had tried to implement public education for all free male children in VA, paid by taxpayers, early in his political career. Sadly, it seems that public consciousness is slow to grow in spiritual consciousness. The lawmakers of Virginia during Jefferson’s service refused to pass such legislation because the upper classes did not wish to supplement the cost of educating the lower classes of white males.

It seems too long a duration (of my 7+ decades on this planet) that human beings have not desired to treat every person as an equal human being, worthy as an equal child of God – whatever his/her wealth, social status, race, religious choice or none, and gender demarcation – to an equal opportunity to fulfill his/her innate potential.

Please publish Jay Bookman’s editorial, below, throughout the United States so that, at least, citizens will, hopefully, look into their individual consciences to discern, without denial, the actual truth about their educational priorities, too many of whom are presently leaning toward a selfish use of public educational funds, instead of educating well the public, as a whole, in order to create an egalitarian and loving state, nation, and planet through the enlightenment of head and heart of all humankind. Elizabeth Hartley Filliat aka Mary Eluzabeth Sings

https://georgiarecorder.com/2023/11/29/bookman-expect-georgia-lawmakers-to-push-school-vouchers-again-with-fake-sympathy-for-the-poor/

March, 2023, Our Growing Egalitarian World

The world, not only the state of Georgia, is becoming more diverse in local populations everyday. The consciousness of the world will now have to grow to see that this Earth is our common home, and that all human beings on this planet are truly equal children of God.
I was born to realize this 70 to 80 years ago, and I thank God, everyday, that He opened doors for me to live out that reality in New York City, for nearly a decade, 60 years ago, or I would have missed experiencing that spiritual truth as my day-to-day reality during the course of my lifetime on this planet we call Earth. ✝️.

I wrote my post today, March 21, 2023, in response to having read the following article, “Listen up: New wave of Georgia lawmakers accents state’s shifting demographics,” which I received by email today from “The Georgia Recorder,” the excellent online news source to which I subscribe. MaryElizabethSings

https://georgiarecorder.com/brief/listen-up-new-wave-of-georgia-lawmakers-accents-states-shifting-demographics/

LGBTQ+ Community at Colorado Springs

Watch as God purifies our world’s spiritual consciousness in the coming years, through love. Love does not divide; it includes. Everyone deserves to be who he/she uniquely is. I do not believe that God, Creator of the Universe, is concerned with sexual plumbing. LGBTQ+❤️✝️

The Threat of an American Theocratic Autocracy in the 21st Century

Conservative political support for Donald Trump is based, in part, upon racism held by some MAGA Republicans. When President Lyndon Johnson supported racial integration and voting rights for black people in the 1960s, he said that his legal actions would cause the South to move from the Democratic to the Republican Party. And, this did happen over several decades. So Southern racists and white supremacists moved from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party.

In addition, why do some Evangelical Christians still support Donald Trump? If one looks at some of their ministers who support Donald Trump as God’s agent to move America to an America of decades ago, one can see part of the reason. Many of these Christians are afraid to think differently from their associates and friends because of fear, even fear of dying and going to Hell if they disagree with their religious leaders and associates.

Moreover, the West has always been a toss-up about racism since the 1800s when the Missouri Compromise was implemented regarding Western territories entering the union as either a slave or a free state. With that history, combined with the West’s strong Libertarian views, the West essentially moved to the Republican Party, as well, except for the western coastal states.

Now, as the nation has moved away from racism, as a whole, the Republican conservatives in both the South and West have held onto the idea of their independence, above all, through states’ rights, which has often embraced racism and even white supremacy.

Now enters Donald Trump on the American political landscape. This ‘conman,’ and racist, became a MAGA Republican demagogue who has given angry, biased citizens a homebase within his MAGA Republican Party. Because of his calls for political violence in order to hold onto his own power and wealth, our American democratic republic is in very real danger of becoming a Theocratic Autocracy in which dictators can be set up to hold power indefinitely, through the threat of violence, without having to be elected with validity by the majority of America’s citizens.

It is very sad that this is happening in the early 21st century in America. I do not believe these citizens will come to control the future destiny of America, however. Nevertheless, we must heed Thomas Jefferson’s words that a democracy cannot exist without an educated populace.

Every Voice on Earth Matters for Good or for Evil

Tweet from Jay Bookman, columnist for “The Georgia Recorder,” today, 3/9/22:

“Look, it’s simple: Trump was going to abandon NATO in his 2nd term. He repeatedly told his staff that; he probably told Putin that. So why would Putin invade Ukraine when all he needed to do was wait until a re-elected Trump just handed it to him, without a shot being fired?”

My tweet response, as “Education,” to Bookman’s tweet, above:

“If one does not think Georgia’s flip to Blue in 2020 has benefitted people in this world far beyond Georgia’s borders, and beyond the U S’s borders, one is not looking deeply enough. Every voice on this Earth matters for good or for evil. Choose wisely and with depth. Earth matters.”

My additional text post 3/9/22:

“Putin didn’t want to wait to find out if Trump wins the presidency in 2024. Trump’s loss in 2020 was probably a disappointment to Putin, his ego, and to autocrats everywhere. What they can’t control by persuasion, they will take by slaughter. Democracy must win this world battle between democracy and autocracy.”

Is Jesus the Only Way to God?

A close relative’s statement to me, in a family group’s spiritual discussion via text during this past week:

“Mary Elizabeth, the bottom line is this – it doesn’t matter what I think, what you think, or what Billy Graham thinks. What matters is what the word of God says, and that is that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no man comes to the Father but through Him.

He does give us a free choice so that we are not robots, but the free choice is either to accept or reject His salvation in Jesus Christ alone, to accept the only way He had  provided for salvation for mankind. Matthew 7:13 Enter by the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction,and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

The Word of God is the word of God and it is the instruction book for life so take every belief and hold it up to the word of God, and see if it matches up and, if it doesn’t, choose the word of God!

I love you and always will.”
————————————————————

My response to this close relative:

“Please know that I believe you are a Christian. I can feel the Holy Spirit within you. 

I have already stated how I interpret the ‘Way’ of Jesus on Earth (as the
embodiment of the Holy Spirit). Words have multiple connotations. We are free to use our minds to interpret word meanings.

Consider this (from St. John). ‘In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God,’ not any configuration of letters in our English alphabet, nor in the Greek or Chinese alphabets.

By worshiping God in the Holy Spirit, we bring the people on this planet together within that Holy Spirit. Too much literal emphasizing of words can divide the love of God which knows no bounds of love, as proven in His coming to Earth as Jesus to die for us all.  Thanks be to God.

I love you always, too, and I respect your Way that is right for you to follow as your path to God. “

————————————————————-

Response from my close relative to my comments, above:

“I love you always, too.

One more question: Why would God send His only Son to die on the cross for mankind if there were many other ways to God? John 3:16, ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.’ ”

—————————————————————

My response to my close relative’s comments, above:

“Jesus is God in human form. He embodies fully the Holy Spirit, which is God. The Way is the Holy Spirit, which we barely can understand.

I believe that the indigenous people of America, for instance, who had never heard the name of Jesus, found their spiritual Way to God through the Holy Spirit, which is not limited to any time or place, as are humans. I believe those American Indians are with God, and Jesus, today in Paradise.

I cannot think in a strictly literal way. That is not my Way, nor my spiritual gift from God.  Or, to God.”

======================================================================

READERS, PLEASE NOTE MY PROBABLE SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, TODAY, A FEW DAYS AFTER THE GROUP DISCUSSION, ABOVE:

Today, December 18, 2021, a week before Christmas Day, I believe I had a spiritual experience at the gravesite of my second husband, and beside it, the gravesite of my first child, who was the son of my first husband and myself who had died as an infant at only 23 hours and 41 minutes of age, in 1965 in New York, N.Y.

Afterwards, I wrote to a second relative, who had previously shared the above spiritual discussion with my first-mentioned relative, and a third relative. Today, I wish to share with the readers of “Mary Elizabeth Sings” what I had written to this second relative, below:

“How very kind of you (to ask how my right eye is, today, after my cataract surgery two days ago).

My right eye has been working throughout this day to be very close as perfect as my left eye. Thanks be to God!  Went to put Christmas flowers on the gravesites of (my second husband and my deceased son by my first husband). God spoke to me, I believe, through a gentle breeze in answering my questions to Him while I was praying about (my second husband, my deceased infant son, and his father, my first husband and lifelong friend). After praying, I asked God (in regard to the differing spiritual perspectives of myself and those of my first relative, as written, above on this entry):

“Tell me, am I right, dear Lord?”  I felt no response from God, just stillness in the air, to my disappointment.

Then, I asked God: “Is (my first relative) right, Lord?”  A definite, and rising, gentle breeze blew over me, without a doubt, and then it ceased. 

Next, I asked God: “Am I right, too, Lord?”  I waited a moment, and I thought I might only experience stillness once again, and be disappointed again. But, then, slightly belatedly, a definite but gentle breeze came upon me, once again, just at that time, and then the breeze ceased, a second time.

What that experience said to me was that Jesus cannot be left out of our being, one day, with God in the afterlife because Jesus is God, but that God does work through the Holy Spirit to bring all humankind together through love. We do not need to fear others if we practice God’s love to all. God will make final judgments, not we humans.

Isn’t that amazing? Everything doesn’t have to be a dichotomy, it seems. We are all one, equal children of God. Please feel free to share my experience at the gravesites with (my first relative and others), if you feel called to do so.

Love always, Mary Elizabeth  ✝️❤️🎄”

In Support of HR 1, the ‘For the People Act’

America has always evolved to be more inclusive of voters over time. Remember in America’s history when poor people without land, and African-Americans, and women could not vote in America? Today, they can all vote because the consciousness of Americans has evolved over time for the better. The world is becoming more egalitarian, rather than strictly hierarchical, and that is a good thing. One person = one vote today in America. We cannot start making it harder for people to vote in America. That would be wrong. We cannot go backwards as a human race. We must continue forward until all human beings recognize that all people on Earth are equal children of God.

AMERICANS ARE FOREVER INTERTWINED. . . .

ONGOING RACISM

Americans are forever intertwined. What joins us is a desire for freedom snd justice. Some of us can accept a white president who commits close to treason, but cannot accept a black president who establishes medical care for all. Until we all can work through this ongoing dilemma together, Americans will neither be completely free, nor just.

FREEDOM OF, AND FROM, RELIGION

Americans are forever intertwined. What joins us is a desire for freedom snd justice. Until all of us can recognize that America was formed to have not only freedom of religion, but also freedom from religion, Americans will neither be completely free, nor just.

Outstanding Perceptions on Education

This letter was shared by Maureen Downey, columnist of “Get Schooled” of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It was written by a former superintendent of schools, Teresa Thayer Snyder:

“Dear Friends and Colleagues:
I am writing today about the children of this pandemic. After a lifetime of working among the young, I feel compelled to address the concerns that are being expressed by so many of my peers about the deficits the children will demonstrate when they finally return to school. My goodness, what a disconcerting thing to be concerned about in the face of a pandemic which is affecting millions of people around the country and the world. It speaks to one of my biggest fears for the children when they return. In our determination to “catch them up,” I fear that we will lose who they are and what they have learned during this unprecedented era. What on earth are we trying to catch them up on? The models no longer apply, the benchmarks are no longer valid, the trend analyses have been interrupted. We must not forget that those arbitrary measures were established by people, not ordained by God. We can make those invalid measures as obsolete as a crank up telephone! They simply do not apply. When the children return to school, they will have returned with a new history that we will need to help them identify and make sense of. When the children return to school, we will need to listen to them. Let their stories be told. They have endured a year that has no parallel in modern times. There is no assessment that applies to who they are or what they have learned. Remember, their brains did not go into hibernation during this year. Their brains may not have been focused on traditional school material, but they did not stop either. Their brains may have been focused on where their next meal is coming from, or how to care for a younger sibling, or how to deal with missing grandma, or how it feels to have to surrender a beloved pet, or how to deal with death. Our job is to welcome them back and help them write that history.
I sincerely plead with my colleagues, to surrender the artificial constructs that measure achievement and greet the children where they are, not where we think they “should be.” Greet them with art supplies and writing materials, and music and dance and so many other avenues to help them express what has happened to them in their lives during this horrific year. Greet them with stories and books that will help them make sense of an upside-down world. They missed you. They did not miss the test prep. They did not miss the worksheets. They did not miss the reading groups. They did not miss the homework. They missed you.
Resist the pressure from whatever ‘powers that be’ who are in a hurry to “fix” kids and make up for the “lost” time. The time was not lost, it was invested in surviving an historic period of time in their lives—in our lives. The children do not need to be fixed. They are not broken. They need to be heard. They need be given as many tools as we can provide to nurture resilience and help them adjust to a post pandemic world.
Being a teacher is an essential connection between what is and what can be. Please, let what can be demonstrate that our children have so much to share about the world they live in and in helping them make sense of what, for all of us has been unimaginable. This will help them– and us– achieve a lot more than can be measured by any assessment tool ever devised. Peace to all who work with the children!”

ON POWER, HUBRIS, AND VIOLENCE

t.co/KNmiAGGiPF from Aaron Rupar’s Tweet

Download 

The consciousness of a nation is more important than its laws because the laws, made by legislators, are simply reflections of the common consciousness of these men and women.

In the video, above, we observe a man of lower consciousness who is hiding under the U. S. Constitution. Shameful thoughts from Michael Flynn. And, Flynn doesn’t possess the consciousness even to be aware of how shameful his reasoning is.

This is why Thomas Jefferson had written that nothing is unchangeable (in the Republic, including the Constitution) except the unalienable Rights of Man.