I feel lonely

I've lost friends who became alcoholics or drug addicts
and I've lost friends who became religious.
Some got lost in New Age nonsense, others in the rat race.

Self confidence

Self confidence is dangerous.
People with low self confidence and low self esteem don't start wars.  

Don't trust yourself

The spell is broken when you begin to question your own beliefs.
Questioning others' beliefs do not lead to anywhere.
(If this questioning does not make you question your own beliefs).

Christianity and slavery

During the 1700s, slavery and the slave trade began to be questioned.

A new kind of Christian ethics and morals emerged.

Nothing i written in stone.

 When the British parliament voted to abolish slavery in the colonies in 1833, the Bench of Bishops voted against — as they did on almost all reform bills. To get the bill through, Parliament voted to compensate slave owners (There was no compensation for the slaves themselves). The Abolition of Slavery Act of 1833 provided for £20 million to be paid to West Indian plantation slave owners in compensation for the loss of their 'property'. The Anglican Church received £8,823 for the loss of slave labour on its Codrington plantation in the West Indies.

Individual Anglican Churchmen had to be compensated separately. Henry Phillpotts, Bishop of Exeter, and three business associates received nearly £13,000.

http://www.badnewsaboutchristianity.com/gaa_slavery.htm

http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/feb/09/religion.world

Calm down

You don't have to realize yourself.
You don't have to be someone, achieve something, become something.
You don't have to be fabulous, happy, serene, radiant, loving, successful...
These are all neurotic commandments from the self improvement industry.
It's not a crime to be tired or displeased.
You have the right to be, simply what you are, for the time being.

Beliefs

Do you agree that suicide bombers,
members of destructive religious cults,
political fanatics, drug addicts,
neurotics and depressed people
are bewitched by crazy beliefs and ideas?

Do you agree that many beliefs and ideas,
spiritual as well as religious or secular,
can create serious problems?

Do you agree that it is possible that also you are holding on to
beliefs and ideas that create problems for you
or for people around you, even though you're not aware of it?

Do you agree that it is difficult, but not impossible,
to let go of a crazy belief or idea?

Do you agree that the first step is to understand
that a crazy idea is just a crazy idea,
not the truth of the matter?

The map and the territory

You have a map that matches poorly with the landscape. Maybe it is too old. And you have a crappy inner compass that shows the wrong direction. But you don't want to get yourself a new map and a new compass because you're stubborn and stingy. Good maps and good compasses are expensive.