29 Comments

People would not need to virtue signal if they were confident in their own virtue, their own judgement. there is a way i like though. co operatives. been in 4, so far. bob's red mill, for example is worker owned.

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We have a grocery store around here (northern Illinois) called Woodman's that is worker-owned. It is the best and largest grocery store in the area and it seems to be run very well.

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because the people that work there are invested in that community. it is the best way. money is not being siphoned off to corporate overlords.

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I get smarter every time I read your stuff :)

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You're very kind.

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Feb 27Liked by Kimberly Steele

Hi KS- Please keep emphatically saying it-

“I am going to once again EMPHASIZE that if you despise a thing, ignore it and build your own thing until your strength naturally overcomes the thing you despise.” Some of need the regular refrain as we try to lift ourselves up and out of the old habitual grind.

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Thanks! The outraged are not paying attention. Outrage means you are running around looking for a fight. Anyone who has seen a kung fu movie knows that the Master does not go looking for a fight -- he refines his kung fu, maintains his studies, draws his calligraphy, trains his disciples, and tends his garden. If the fight comes to him, he will unleash whoop-ass that will make them infinitely sorry they ever darkened his doorstep, but he won't be the one who brings it on.

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Mar 7Liked by Kimberly Steele

Ah so true. Outrage burns out the fuel we must conserve for our steady inner samurai.

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The mormons are nuts, and the "health and wealth" protestants are too. They ignore all the teachings that we're expected to suffer in this life, and that we should learn to do it well. Instead, the go around inflicting it on others without a care in the world. I've seen so called churches that live stream the same service to multiple locations, so that the same guy can get the 10% tithe from all locations.

Nuts, all around. A whole forest of them.

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Mormons definitely have a sleaze problem. I have met very few Mormons who didn't immediately strike me as sleazy, and usually in a sexual way. As far as health and wealth Protestants, their actions speak louder than words. It is highly likely they are worshipping and invoking demons, whether they know it or not.

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Agreed on the latter. They creep me out. I can't stand being around them. My wife went to one for a chiropractor once, and I was off work and there to watch our first born. I immediately told her she's never going again; refused to let her subject herself to that woman's touch.

I've only spent time around non-serious, non-pushy mormons. Their text's / history are awful and creepy though, and dogmas too. And just dishonest. Coming from Catholicism, that embraces the battle and discourse, it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. And the fact that they call themselves Christians, but don't see Christ as God and a part of the Trinity, is again, dishonest.

So yeah, nuts all around. Just published a post, and mentioned you and this one in it if you didn't see it yet.

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In 1844, the Great Disappointment kicked Seventh Day Adventism and Jehovah's Witnesses into gear, and I think it was somewhere between that event and Nietzsche's remark "God is dead" that the Christian god began to withdraw from this world. Personally, I don't think gods can die, though I don't think Nietzsche believed that either as the comment for him was seemingly metaphorical and mine is literal.

Ever since that time, a large number of Christians have spent their lives freaking out about their withdrawn deity. The average Christian is extremely insecure about his or her faith.

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From what I can tell Nietzsche meant that we had become like unto gods - so he was talking about the ultimate subjectivism and individualism. I haven't gotten to reading him directly yet, so I'm summarizing from sources I trust.

What makes you chose 1844 and this great disappointment? Never heard of it.

Just a reference to that vision of satan one of our popes had I mentioned before:

https://ucatholic.com/vision-of-pope-leo

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People have a pathological need to believe in the Apocalypse Meme. Of course I have a blog entry on this, ha ha: https://kimberlysteele.dreamwidth.org/50675.html

TL:DR is that a belief in the sudden end of the world is a coping mechanism when you are bored, sad, and too lazy to improve your own mind.

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The Great Disappointment of 1844 is an interesting piece of American history: Baptist preacher William Miller convinced himself and thousands of others that the world was going to end on October 22, 1844. Many Millerites gave up all of their worldly possessions. When the world did not end in 1844, Miller was (rightfully) laughed at and shamed, but it did not stop believers. The date was merely re-set to some unknown time in the future and Seventh Day Adventism and the Jehovah's Witnesses were born. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Disappointment

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Ah ok. So the same 'end of the world' thing that has been going on since the death of Jesus, and keeps coming up in popular lexicon every 50-80 years as far as I can tell? It just cycles higher at some points, like the trials of 300's for Rome, then it's invasion by Barbarians, the fall of Constantinople, etc.

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did you see derrick broses work on pedophilia in the mormon church? they do have a problem and it is a perfect place to fester it.

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No, I didn't.

To be fair, as a Catholic, we have our own issues there right now. Need to get that under control. But, we recognize that and are trying.

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Mar 15Liked by Kimberly Steele

Wowza. A brilliant essay!

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A good book that helped me with “I am going to once again EMPHASIZE that if you despise a thing, ignore it and build your own thing until your strength naturally overcomes the thing you despise..

Was - "Building a better world in your own backyard" :)

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Holy guacamole I actually own that one! Is it by Paul Wheaton?

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yes it is.. hes a tribes mate of mite.

Ive been up there to Wheton labs and stayed for weeks - studying :)

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Nice! Let him know he's been a greatly positive influence on my life if you see him.

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Feb 29Liked by Kimberly Steele

Hi Kim it’s Luke. Sorry haven’t had a chance to read yet. Just messaged you on JC sub.

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Feb 29Liked by Kimberly Steele

Reading thru this article. Very impressive 👍

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AAand, That is why i call them religions of commerce. a newborn start off in debt (born in sin)so the sale is fixed in. the guilt and shame are installed early. designed to make people non player character in their own heroic epic. They must be passive and wait or pray for savior. It also tells you to deny your own senses. I prefer the oldest of ways. Shinto seems cool too. at least you are allowed to observe the natural world with honest eyes. the early ones are remarkably similar. gnostic informans offers this feast for the heart and eyes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga6Ld96p1VI...i recommend the book "the dawn of everything" by david graeber and david wengrow.

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Ha! Yes, start in debt... ugh. As a NEWBORN. Thanks for the link and the book recommendation. I will check both of them out.

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