M. Vincent van Mechelen
NOTES OF THE METRIC MONTHS
FROM 76 ASWW
To the
first note of the year
FREEDOM OF RELIGIOUS EXCLUSIONISM IN CUBA
Contemporary Cuba is an example of orthodox religious groups and
individuals that are free to express their religious beliefs, and then
use their freedom (in this case successfully) to prevent same-sex
couples from having the same kind of state-sanctioned relationship as
other citizens.
Everywhere on Earth, evangelical Protestants, Vatican Catholics and other
such Abrahamites (such followers of Abrahamic religions) are notorious
for this selfish exclusionist behavior.
77.ENW-77ste Late Northwest
NAMES FOR THE RIGHT OR WRONG REASON
I was born in that 'half' of the world which was, and perhaps still is,
called "the Eastern Hemisphere" for the wrong reason, in the part of the
Eastern Hemisphere which is called "Europe" for a dubious reason.
I was born in that part of Europe which is called "the Netherlands" or
"Low Countries" for a very appropriate reason; in a country calling
itself "Kingdom of the Netherlands" for the wrong reasons.
I myself was given my father's family name (a surname in the languages of
our part of the world) for the wrong reason, while my father himself was
also given his father's family name for the wrong reason.
The first name my parents gave me was Machiel for an
unknown reason.
The second name, my middle name, became Vincent for the best reason
possible; if not at the moment itself, then in hindsight.
(From the standpoint of human migration Afro-Eurasia should have
been considered the Western Hemisphere from which part of the people
migrated to the East, thereby discovering the Eastern Hemisphere with
Greenland in the far North and Fireland in the even further South.
From the fact that i was born in that part of the world which was called
"the Eastern Hemisphere" for the wrong reason it should not be inferred
that i myself was born for the wrong reason.
It is the actions of persons who give other persons or persons-to-be or
personified beings names which may be right or wrong, or neither.)
76.ENE-77ste Mid-Northwest
"THOU, MAN, SHALT NOT TRANSLATE WRONGFULLY"
I knew already that in the original Hebrew it does not say (in the
Torah) "Thou shalt not kill" but "Thou shalt not murder", which enables
you to approve of numerous kinds of killing, among which the killing
of human beings that do not belong to your tribe or that do not
believe in your god, completely innocent children included.
Now something has to be added again: the Hebrew text shows a form of the
verb which is exclusively used when addressing a man.
At this moment the only right translation is therefore:
Thou, man, shalt not murder.
What's next?
76.ESW-77th Early Northwest
THE TWO ROADS TO HUMAN DESTRUCTION
- Consume and stultify, in luxury do wallow.
- Go forth and multiply with no heed for the morrow.
77.MNE-77th Late Northeast
THE RELIGIOUS FEAR OF CRITICISM (2)
In the term criticophobia, phobia is used in the
correct sense of the word again, since it refers to a dread or fear,
something that in itself is quite different from a feeling of hatred, let
alone, an objectionable theory or practice.
Besides Islamophobia, homophobia too is a word
often used in a way which does not convey its proper meaning, because in
the first place it should refer to a fear of one's own actual or possible
erotic contact with a member of one's own sex; and only in the second
place, if applicable, of the homosexuality of others, but still as a
problem of the homophobe him- or herself.
To label a heterosexist who hurts, injures or kills human beings that
are not exclusively hetero "a homophobe" is blatantly off target,
because if such a character really possesses enough power or influence and
hates homo- or bisexuals, without being afraid of them —as probably
in most cases— he or she is in the first place a social problem of
all human beings that are not exclusively heterosexual,
altho
also a societal problem of all those who refuse to put up with bullying
and criminal violence regardless of whom it hits.
Of course, a heterosexist may very well be homophobic in
addition to this.
If so, this human being will also have a mental or psychic problem, if
his or her fear stands in the way of what he or she really desires or
would like to do or have, or to be able to do or have.
Fear is not a moral flaw; hurting, wounding or killing others out of
hate definitely is.
75.LSW-77th Mid-Northeast
THE RELIGIOUS FEAR OF CRITICISM (1)
Passing criticisms on people and things is a form of free speech which
ought to be possible, but, like so many other activities in life where
space-time has to be shared with others, it need not be allowed at any
moment at any place.
According to some people you may, even if the time and place are not
unsuitable, pass criticism —not just unfounded sentiments, of
course— on anything whatsoever, also political and
nonreligious ideologies —preferably constructive, of
course— except on religions, that is, religious denominational
ideologies.
(The idea behind this may be that religion is so much more important in
someone's life than a political ideology, but if so, then it works both
ways: not only its positive, also its factual or possible negative
influence needs so much more attention.)
An example is the situation in which you may criticize anything except
Islam, in which case some Muslims, but also non-Muslims, rush into using
the term of abuse Islamophobe.
This term is not totally undeserved, or even totally deserved, when
somebody fears Islam exclusively for reasons which (may) equally apply
to Judaism and Christianism, the predecessors and relatives of Islam.
(Should someone be 'Judeophobic', Christianophobic and
Islamophobic simultaneously, each of these three terms is
inappropriate separately, provided that Judeophobic is meant
to refer to 'Judaismophobia', an irrational fear of the Judaist
religion.)
However, it is an entirely different matter when criticism and, perhaps,
hatred of Islam is confused with a lack of respect or, worse, a hatred
for Muslims as persons or fellow citizens, as if criticism of
communism / capitalism were automatically a lack of respect for
communists / capitalists as persons or fellow citizens.
The fear underlying a cowardly self-immunization strategy which does not
even allow of rational criticism of the theory one has or the religious
or nonreligious doctrine one follows or adheres to is what i would
like to call "criticophobia".
If it concerns the protection of religion in general from criticism,
then it is religious criticophobia; if it concerns especially the
unequal position of religious citizens vis-à-vis fellow citizens with a
different or no religion, then religionist criticophobia.
Thus, among others, the Islamist or, more generally, Abrahamic
criticophobia could be distinguished.
75.LSW-77th Early Northeast
ALSO IN CANADA
Also in Canada, where people speak of 'an inclusive society' more often
than ever before, the head of state is made to depend on
theocentrist
grace and is the defender of a
religionist
and otherwise exclusivist faith:
by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom, Canada and His or Her
other Realms and Territories King or Queen, Head of the Commonwealth,
Defender of the Faith.
76.LSE-76th Late Southwest
A PARENT-SIB WHO DOES NOT GOSSIP
It can be very nice to have a parent-sib or, as the case may be, a mother-
or a father-sib, to play and talk with, but let it not be such a
scandalmongerer who makes the private affairs of others less private, even
public, in order to be a happier and a much holier sib himself or
herself.
(The word gossip derives from Old-English godsibb,
that is, from god and sibb, the latter meaning
related.)
76.MSE-76th Mid-Southwest
OUTRE-MANCHE
The other day a British student failed 'er French exam, because 'e had
translated Outre-Manche as on this side of the English
Channel.
76.MSE-76th Early Southwest
UNMOORED FROM THE RELEVANT FOUNDATION
When people are distinguished on the basis of their being (fully)
vaccinated or not against COVID-19, some immediately object to this
vaccination (or, perhaps, any vaccination) being a criterion for
admittance, for instance.
They claim that they are being discriminated against, suggesting that the
distinction drawn, which might be relevant, is irrelevant by definition.
"We've become completely unmoored from our moral foundation," they may
complain.
However, there is no adequate morality without the recognition of
relevancy, that is, of the irrelevance, but also of the relevance, of a
distinction made or to be made.
For also this coin has two sides in that a distinction must not be drawn
because it is irrelevant and in that a distinction may, ought to or even
must be drawn because it is relevant.
Those who argue that a distinction is discriminatory only because it is
to their disadvantage, even regardless of their own behavior, are
unmoored from the relevant foundation.
76.ESE-76th Late Southeast
OF THE STOLEN STATE OF EGYPT
In trying to justify their theft of state religionists in Egypt call the
Abraham religions that profit from this theft "Abrahamic religions",
which is correct.
They may also call them "the monotheistic religions".
However, this term covers more than is meant, not only because of
religions which are or were clearly monotheistic as well without being
Abrahamic, but also because of religions which are or were polytheistic
on the surface and of which (the) followers may take all divine
manifestations together and speak of a relation with (only) one god.
Yet, let us forget about this Abrahamic appropriation of the term
monotheist and concentrate on something really serious:
the appropriation of the state, which belongs to all of us, by a part of
society (majority or minority) which distinguishes itself on ideological
grounds, particularly on (religious or irreligious) denominational, rather
than on political or politico-economic, grounds.
The attempt at sanctifying the religionist act of stealing the Egyptian
state from the diversified Egyptian society to which it belongs goes a
good deal further than the relatively objective labels Abrahamic and
monotheistic lead one to suspect.
In order to 'better' distinguish them from all other religions, those
considered to be inferior or alleged to be nonexistent, the thieves of
state continue to call their own beliefs "revealed religions", "divine
religions" or "heavenly religions".
You would say that revealed, divine and heavenly
suffice to set the Abraham religions conveniently apart from those
religions to which these labels are not allowed to apply.
But, no, according to the Egyptian thieves of state the Abrahamic
religions are also divinely revealed religions!
As if this were not enough, a further distinction must be drawn, because
—it has been said before and elsewhere— 'some animals are
more equal than others'.
The followers of what is implicitly embraced by the stolen state as the
'superior religion' of Islam cannot be mixed up with the followers of
those two 'inferior superior religions', Judaism and Christianity, either.
Only in the peace of submission are the latter granted their privileges.
At least, Judaists and Christianists are treated as second-class citizens
in Egypt: those who believe in the primacy of norms and values, instead
of that of God/Allah and Devil or demons, are not respected as fellow
citizens at all in the stolen state of Egypt.
76.CEN-76th Mid-Southeast
MONARCHIST OPPORTUNISM
Monarchists in the
(Northern) Netherlands publicly admit to
having a principle of discretionary powers —in Dutch
opportuniteitsbeginsel, that is, 'principle of
opportunity'— at their disposal.
This contradictio in terminis —especially in Dutch—
functions as an ermine cloak for their total lack of (democratic)
principles in this matter.
What it amounts to is that the monarchist elite (Crown and cronies
together) will be allowed to flout any and every legal principle in order
to remain in power and/or to keep their privileges forever.
In this way the Orangeist motto Je maintiendrai (I shall
maintain) in the coat of arms of the country does indeed acquire a
very nasty taste.
Not only is not everyone equal before the law of the Kingdom, where
the monarch can do no wrong officially, but in practice legal action never
need be taken either against close relatives of the monarch for
something that really matters.
70.ENE-76th Early Southeast
FIRST BASKING IN THE SUNSHINE
Everywhere in the world you find public areas and private properties where
men and/or women are first basking in the sunshine, and then in mutual
affection.
76.MNE-76th Central Month
CELEBRATE AND PREPARE
Christianists and their fellow travelers have had their Second
Millennium celebrations and now they should prepare for the advent of
an era with a new culture or civilization.
76.MNW-76th Late Northwest
VINCENT DIES/DIED AT TOMUPU
If i die in this year of my life (that is, at my present age), it will be
nice if people tell one another, this year or later, that i died at
tomupu (a more informal and practical term without segment weight
indicators) or even nicer that i died at to suten pu suman (a more
formal and literary term with all segment weight indicators).
(A factual or praising but not a eulogistic or, for that matter,
dyslogistic apposition, or longer comment, could be added too.)
It will also be nice if people are just speaking of 'die', because this
suggests a natural death implying that the person concerned has not been
assassinated or murdered.
72.LSW-76th Mid-Northwest
IMPOTENCE
Impotence is a little hardship, where much hardness is the desire of men.
69.LNE-76th Early Northwest
奇妙的算术
读万卷书不如行万里路,
但行一里不如读一本书。
INTRIGUING ARITHMETIC
"Reading ten thousand books (or fascicles) cannot compare with
traveling ten thousand miles", as a Chinese saying has it.
Yet, traveling one mile can equally likely not compare with reading
even one book.
76.MNE-76th Late Northeast
"ARE YOU ONE OF THOSE FUCKING ATHEISTS?"
A None box checking American soldier in Vietnam was asked by an
angry commanding officer whether 'he' (sex being made 'relevant' here)
was "one of those fucking atheists", and politely answered, "Yes, sir,
I am an atheist."
Afterwards, and not being dependent (anymore) on such an ill-mannered
sourpuss, it is usually so much easier to think of a better answer.
I suggest: "If you insist on it, because i'm definitely not one of
those fucking theists, or rather theodemonists, who believe in gods
and/or demons in the plural or the singular, and who deny the primacy
of norms and values, which could have cured them of their sexual
inhibitions and obsessions, and which might have restrained them from
fuckingly overpopulating this planet with even more fucking
theodemonists who believe in gods and demons, and who could not care
less about fundamental norms and values, and so on and so forth."
75.MSW-76th Mid-Northeast
MICHAEL THE DYSLECTIC WAY
Native anglophones who are so helpful as to change the written form of my
Dutch first name Machiel into Michael without asking me seem
to think that i (not a God or something else of that Ilk) am one of those
dyslexics who cannot even spell their own name.
(It is pronounced
|mah-GHEEL|, with short
|ah| and guttural |GH|, as in one pronunciation of the Scottish word
loch.)
I myself prefer the assumption that it is they who are the dyslexics.
But then, of course, both variants derive from the original
Michael, pronounced something like |meeghah-EL| (in which neither
h represents the sound |H|).
Come to think of it, it may have been the entire Dutch speech community
that was so dyslectic as to turn the classic Michael into not
only Michiel, but also Machiel, in the first place.
75.LNE-76th Early Northeast
Notes
of the Metric Months in other four-year
files
