Our Biological And Spiritual Family

Here's an explanation of the difference between our biological and spiritual family:

1. Our Biological Family:
• This is the family that we're born into in this world - our father, mother, brothers, sisters, our own children and all our relatives.
• This family is connected with the quality of selfishness because:
• It's the only family that we perceive while we're immersed in selfishness.
• We tend to take care of this family, excluding all others. For example a mother will look after her own baby, but will unlikely look after someone else's baby.
• Here's how Jesus reacts to his biological family:
• "While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you." He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"" (Matthew 12:46-50, NIV) 
2. Our Spiritual Family:
• This is the family that we perceive after we go through a change in the perception of our reality, after our internal qualities change from selfishness (seeking to benefit ourselves) to bestowal (seeking to benefit others).
• This family is connected with the quality of bestowal because:
• It's inclusive and it transcends blood, race, gender, religion, politics, nationality etc.
• Through love of friends, we take care of everyone equally, and our biological family becomes part of the larger family, we treat them as we would everyone else.
• Jesus explains who his family is:
• "Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."" (Matthew 12:46-50, NIV) Meaning, whoever is in the quality of bestowal, seeking to benefit others instead of themselves, is family.

We're all one family and we have to start treating each other as one family. In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

The Pleasure Of Giving

How do we get pleasure from giving - from being in the quality of bestowal, seeking to benefit others instead of ourselves? Here are two examples:

1. A Mothers And Her Baby:
• A mother fusses over her baby endlessly, and when she gives to her baby, she actually enjoys, she gets pleasure from taking care of him. She's constantly searching for new ways to make sure that he has everything he needs - does he need more milk, a nap, a diaper change etc.
• In the same way, we have to get to a point where we're taking care of others as though they're our baby, and by giving to them, we'd enjoy, we'd receive fulfillment.
2. A Great Person:
• Many of us look up to someone that we think is great. If we're given an opportunity to give to that person, we'd get a tremendous amount of pleasure from giving. Even though we're giving, we'd enjoy, we'd receive fulfillment, simply because we think that person is great.
• In the same way, we have to get to a point where we think others are great, and if we give to them, we'd receive pleasure from giving.

The pleasure we get from giving (from love), is unlimited, boundless and endless because when we love someone, we constantly search for new ways to benefit them.

Love is when we seek to benefit others instead of ourselves and the pleasure we get from giving is called spiritual pleasure. That's why love your friend as yourself is the basis for all spirituality.

When we seek to benefit others, we enter into adhesion with The Creator in equivalence of form with His qualities. We become one with each other and with The Creator.

In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

Fifty Shades Of Inappropriate

Today, we're immersed in the quality of selfishness, seeking to benefit ourselves with no regard for other. The pleasures of the quality of selfishness are fleeting, they last for a moment then they're gone, and we're left feeling even more empty than before.

This never ending emptiness, fosters perversions as people try to find new ways to fulfill themselves. This is obvious in the bedroom. As the pleasure of sex wanes, people try and find new ways to spice up their sex life in order to find new pleasures - role playing, sex toys, threesomes, swinging, open relationships, BDSM etc.

These distractions (and props) keep people from focusing on each other, instead, they're distracted by all the other stuff they're supposed to be doing.

Movies, TV, video games and comic books used to be so innocent, then they became increasingly more violent. Now, with the popularity of books such as Fifty Shades of Grey, violence is making its way into the bedroom in a more mainstream way, one of the last few places that was relatively violence free. Just because it's popular, doesn't mean it's right. 

Hollywood has glamorized violence for years, which has always been a problem. Now, they're seeking to introduce violence into the bedroom, to make violence romantic, sexy, sexual and normal, which is completely inappropriate.

There's nothing romantic or sexy about violence. There's no place for violence in sex, romance, romantic relationships or any kind of relationships.

We're surrounded by so much violence we think it's normal. It isn't. It's not normal at all. Violence is degrading, demeaning, inhumane and undignified. What's normal is to live in a peaceful, calm and serene society, surrounded by tenderness and love.

We should seek to eliminate violence from every aspect of our society - from movies, TV, video games, comic books, books, magazines, the internet and our relationships with each other and with all of Nature.

Instead we should be tender, kind, caring, compassionate, gentle, thoughtful, mindful, considerate and protective of one another and all of Nature.

We have to change from personal selfishness to mutual bestowal. We have to seek to benefit others instead of ourselves. When we're in bestowal, we'll sense a new kind of intense pleasure. We won't need anything else, but each other.

Love is gentle, love is kind. In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

The Positive Meaning Of Deception

"Oh, what a tangled web we weave
When first we practise to deceive!"
                        - Walter Scott [1] 

There are two meanings to this verse about deception, one positive and one negative:

1. The Negative Meaning Of Deception:
• When we first start to lie, we have to continue to lie in order to support the first lie. We get tangled in a web of lies and find it hard to keep our story straight.
• For example, if I lie and say that I'm a pilot, then someone asks, "What airline?", I've got to come up with another lie, so I say, "Infinity And Beyond." "Never heard of it." I need another lie, "It's new, it's a local carrier ..." etc. I get tangled in a web of lies as I try to support my first lie. This is a bad thing.
2. The Positive Meaning Of Deception:
• We learn from opposites, one against its opposite:
• We know cold, we we can know hot.
• We know black, so we can know white.
• We know disconnection, so we can know connection.
• We know hate, so we can know love.
• We know deception, so we can know The Truth.
• We're given deception, so we can overcome the state, so we can rise above our ego and attain its opposite - The Truth.
• What a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive means that first we experience deception, then we attain The Truth.
• The Truth brings us to bestowal, where we seek to benefit others instead of ourselves. When we connect in mutual bestowal, we become interconnected and interdependent like a tangled web, like a piece of woven fabric that has interlaced threads, and we reach harmony and balance with each other and with all of Nature.
• Eventually, we come to realize that we were always in bestowal, we just had to realize it.
• There's one thing to note:
• The smaller the deception, the smaller The Truth attained.
• The greater the deception, the greater The Truth attained.
• REMEMBER THIS! This is really important, especially for the future (in about 20 years). No matter what happens, know that I love you.

This doesn't mean that people have free license to do whatever they want, to deceive others intentionally, not at all. In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

________
References:

1. Marmion (poem). www.en.wikipedia.org. Retrieved Oct 29, 2014.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

The Positive Meaning Of Failure

We've all heard the inspirational sayings about failure: If you fail, try again; learn from failure; failure makes us stronger etc. But there's more ...

Failure isn't a bad thing, quite the opposite, failure is a good thing and here's why:

1. We're Not Meant To Succeed at EVERYTHING:
• Sometimes success can be bad and failure can be good. For example:
• Being Bad:
• If you succeed at being bad, that's a bad thing.
• If you fail at being bad, that's a good thing.
• The Quality Of Selfishness:
• If you succeed in the quality of selfishness, that's a bad thing.
• If you fail in the quality of selfishness, that's a good thing. We're meant to be in the quality of bestowal.
• All systems in this world have been built on the quality of selfishness, so if you think you're a failure, you're not. Just because you fail at the things of this world, doesn't mean you're a failure. You're just not meant to succeed in the quality of selfishness, which is a good thing.
2. Failure Tells Our Story:
• The things we fail at tell the story of who we are, which is a good thing. I'll use myself as an example:
• I failed a derivatives class. [1] Derivatives are about dividing things up into small pieces. I'm not about dividing things up, I'm about uniting things. So this failure tells the story of who I am, which is a good thing.
• I passed an integrals class. [2] Integrals are about uniting thing into one whole, which tells the story of who I am, which is a good thing.
3. We Fail At Certain Things So We Can Succeed At Others:
• We fail at things we're not 'meant' to be doing, so we can put our energy and effort into things we're supposed to be doing, which is a good thing.
• We also fail when it's time to move on to others things, when we've learned enough from our current situation and it's time to grow, for example from selfishness to bestowal. Nature pressures us to move on, which is a good thing.
4. Failure Softens Our Ego:
• Failure makes us realize that we can't do it all. From this state we're more likely to cry out to The Creator to help us. Failure draws us closer to The Creator, which is a good thing.
5. Failure Makes Us More Compassionate:
• Most of us have failed at one thing or another. When we fail we become sympathetic of others who've gone through something similar. It makes us more considerate, compassionate, sympathetic and understanding, which is a good thing.

We have to change from personal selfishness to mutual bestowal, from seeking to benefit ourselves to seeking to benefit others.

Just because we fail, doesn't meant it's a bad thing. Sometimes, failure is a good thing.

This doesn't mean that people have free license to do whatever they want, to fail intentionally or to not try at all, not all. In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.
_________
References:

1. Introduction To Derivatives. www.mathisfun.com. Retrieved Oct 29, 2014.
2. Introduction To Integration. www.mathisfun.com. Retrieved Oct 29, 2014. 

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

Americans Have To Decide Between Guns And Children

Americans have to decide between guns and children.
You can either have:

1. Guns and NO children, or
2. Children and NO guns.

You can't have both guns and children. It's one or the other. You have to decide, it's up to you. What are your priorities? The world wants to know.

The cost of the American gun culture is dead children. Every year, nearly 10,000 American children are killed and injured by guns. That's a very high price to pay. Children pay with their lives so selfish American adults can enjoy their "rights".

The "rights" of American adults to have guns is more important than the rights of American children to live.

While some children are the perpetrators of gun violence, they learn their behaviour from their social environment, which adults control.

The question is this: Would you give up your gun to save a child's life?

In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others (especially children) instead of ourselves.
______
References:

1. Kim, Clare (January 27, 2014). Nearly 10,000 American children are injured or killed by guns every year. www.msnbc.com. Retrieved Oct 29, 2014. 

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

What I Did After My Perception Of Reality Changed

Edited Dec 30, 2015.

I was living and working in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. After my perception of reality changed in 2005, I quit my job, sold my place and drove to Eastern Canada.

I needed a place to go and I thought Montreal would be a good option. I'm part French, my grandfather (on my mother's side) was French Canadian. I was in Montreal for about 2 weeks and then decided to go to Ontario, Canada.

I couldn't think. My mind was a mess. I was struggling to cope, finding it very difficult to come to terms with what I was perceiving - that my thoughts manifest in reality, that I was so selfish especially when I was surrounded by love. (Eventually, I came to perceive that I was always in bestowal, that nothing bad has ever happened to me, to others or to all of Nature, we're surrounded by love, we just have to realize it. However, it took me some time to get there).

I settled in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and did anything and everything to keep myself busy and distracted. I made a list of all the things I ever wanted to do and I set out to do them. I figured, if I was going to keep myself busy and distracted, it might as well be with things I actually want to do.

I filled my weekdays, evenings and weekends so I wouldn't have to think. I'd get up, look at my schedule and just go. I needed a reason to get out of bed and I set myself up to be on automatic pilot - 'fine' on the outside, overwhelmed and numb on the inside.

I was in Mississauga for about three and a half years. Here's a list of some of the things I did (not all at the same time but over the years I was there), which will give you an idea of how desperate I was to keep busy and distracted (they're not listed chronologically or in any order):

1. I was working - part time at first, then full time. I was able to pay off the rest of my $50,000 in student loans.
2. I took sailing lessons.
3. I look horseback riding lessons.
4. I tried to take guitar lessons and even bought a classical guitar, but that didn't last long - too technical for an overwhelmed mind.
5. I golfed, I went to the driving range (I'm not very good).
6. I took fencing lessons.
7. I took air pistol shooting lessons (10m). Did you know it's an Olympic sport? [1] Who knew!
8. I joined Toastmasters [2] to improve my public speaking.
9. I traveled: 3 times to Israel, several times to the USA and long drives within Canada to explore new places.
10. I started studying Kabbalah - once a week at first, then twice a week, then almost daily.
11. I read a lot of books, many came recommended.
12. I used to take long walks through the parks, watch the birds (swans, geese, ducks and other birds), see the squirrels, chipmunks etc. It was good to be with Nature. Calming.
13. I saw the local sights - went to the zoo, the safari park, Niagara falls, CN Tower etc.
14. I went to a few events - a basketball game, I saw Bill Clinton speak etc.
15. I used to go rollerblading, then I fell and hurt my back, so I started seeing physiotherapists.
16. I used to go to the gym.
17. I tried to take up running, but I've never been a runner. I did one 5 km run and that was enough. Not all people from Kenya are runners ;)
18. I learned how to ride a motorcycle, got my license and bought a motorbike.
19. In 2007, I bought a townhouse. I was inspired by Field of Dreams, [3] "if you build it, he will come". I figured, if I had a house, God would come and live with me. I basically bought it for God to come and live with me. He did. In 2008, I sensed an intense pleasure unlike anything I had sensed before, rapture.
20. I used to go to the movies.
21. I took meditation lessons at a Buddhist temple. They also served free food.
22. I'd eat out occasionally, challenge myself to find new restaurants with cheap, good food. I found a few gems.
23. I'd play online chess for hours at a time.
24. I'd occasionally meet up with friends for lunch, dinner or other outings.
25. As a volunteer, I built houses with Habitat For Humanity. [4]
26. And I kept busy with daily life - grocery shopping, cooking meals, household chores etc.

(I didn't turn to drink or drugs to help me cope with what I was going through, the occasional drink or glass of wine with dinner, but that's it.)

I met so many wonderful people, and they helped me even without knowing it. What I couldn't come to terms with on my own, others helped, by keeping me occupied and distracted, which calmed me down. And time is a greater healer.

One time (when I was first in Mississauga), I was at an internet cafe. It was late at night, maybe 9pm? There was me, two guys and the owner. A guy comes in and tries to rob the place. He had a knife, gun, or something concealed in his jacket that he held pointed against the owner asking him to open the cash register. I was so scared, I could barely talk when I called 911, one of the guys helped with the 911 call. The robber ran off, the police arrived and we gave a statement. We were all fine, but shaken. That was an isolated incident, but memorable all the same.

While all this was going on, I was also physically sick. I had a sore back from my rollerblading fall. I used to get nasty colds regularly, almost monthly, once so bad I lost my sense of smell and taste for months, and at one point I needed antibiotics for a sinus infection. I also used to get sore throats, one time I lost my voice and needed antibiotics for that infection. I also had a root canal and needed antibiotics for that too. I also developed migraines, had my first panic attack, had a heightened startle response (likely connected to PTSD) and developed a new allergy to eggs, which gave me hives all over my body. I was a regular at the local walk-in-clinics.

By August/September of 2009, my health had deteriorated to a point where I could no longer take care of myself. I quit my job, sold my place and my motorbike, and my oldest brother flew out to Mississauga. We drove across the continent from East to West, back to my mother's house on the West Coast. Then my health took a turn for the worst and I deteriorated even further.

It was a busy three and a half years in Mississauga and the distractions helped me cope. I learned a lot, I broadened by horizons and I experienced new things.

Now I'm in a different state. I've simplified my life and am focusing on my basic needs (food, water, clothing, shelter etc.) I no longer need to be distracted in the same way as I did before, I've become 'acclimatized' to my change in perception of reality.

However, I do use distraction to manage pain [5], fatigue and when I'm overwhelmed - I watch videos, TV and movies online. I basically try and take my mind off my body. Sleep also helps a lot.

I'm in a different phase of my journey, a phase of resting, reading, writing and reflecting. Many new and exciting things lie ahead and the future is bright.

Do not be afraid. God is with us.
__________
References:

1. 10 metre air pistol. www.en.wikipedia.org. Retrieved Oct 28, 2014.
2. Toastmasters International. www.toastmasters.org. Retrieved Oct 28, 2014.
3. Field of Dreams. www.en.wikipedia.org. Retrieved Oct 28, 2014.
4. Habitat For Humanity. www.habitat.ca. Retrieved Oct 28, 2014.
5. Brownstein, Joseph (February 8, 2012). Distraction Reduces Pain, Study Finds. www.livescience.com. Retrieved Oct 28, 2014. 

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

We KNOW The Truth When We Hear It

When we feel that something's not quite right, that there are too many unanswered questions, that something's still missing - we begin to scrutinize the state and we try and force an outcome - something has to change and we try and make it change.

This is what's happening in Islam today with the fundamentalists. They're trying to control people and force their ideology upon them, which unfortunately results in oppression and violence. (Christianity went through something similar).

There's no coercion in spirituality because it has to do with freedom of choice. We're presented with The Truth and it's up to us to do with it what we choose. It's not force upon us coercively.

The frequency of fear and oppression is different than the frequency of love and peace. We can feel it viscerally. It resonates in us as a sensation that we can actually feel.

We are emotional creatures and we pick up on these subtle nuances, without our explicit awareness and even beyond our understanding.

When we hear The Truth, we KNOW it, it resonates in us, we feel it in our gut. There's just something about it that rings true.

Change is upon us. Something's wrong and we all know it. It's in the air, we know that something's going to happen. Some people are going to try and force an outcome, which will only end badly.

The only solution is connection. What's wrong is that we're immersed in selfishness when it's time for us to be in bestowal. We have to change from personal selfishness to mutual bestowal. We have to seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

Do not be afraid, God is with us.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

Sometimes, Plans Change

Some people believe that everything a prophet says has to come true, as it is written, "If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken." (Deuteronomy 18:22, NIV)

However, we know from several other examples in The Bible that plans change:

1. Abraham And Isaac: Abraham was told by God to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham made all the preparations to do so, but at the last moment an angel of the LORD stopped him. The plans changed and Abraham sacrificed a ram instead. (Genesis 22:1-18, NIV)
2. Ahab And Elijah: Ahab wanted Naboth's vineyard, but Naboth wouldn't sell. Jezebel (Ahab's wife) had Naboth killed and Ahab took his vineyard. Elijah was sent by God to tell Ahab that God would destroy him, his wife and his descendants. When Ahab heard this, he repented. God heard him and the plans changed. What had been decreed against him wouldn't take place in his day, but in the days of his son. (1 Kings 21, NIV)
3. Hezekiah And Isaiah: Hezekiah was ill and God sent Isaiah to tell him that he would die. After Isaiah left, Hezekiah prayed to the LORD. God heard him and the plans changed. God sent Isaiah back to him to tell him that 15 more years had been added to his life. (2 Kings 20, NIV)
4. Jonah And The People of Nineveh: God sent Jonah to tell the people of Nineveh that the city would be destroyed. When the king heard of it, the entire city repented. God heard them and the plans changed. The city would not be destroyed. (Jonah 3, NIV)

Our relationship with God is exactly that, it's a relationship. It's dynamic and it changes from moment to moment based on our interaction with Him. Ask God to help you and He will.

There's no contradiction between Deuteronomy 18:22 and the other examples. Deuteronomy 18:22 is talking about how a level of attainment called 'prophet' corrects a desire. The other examples are different states within our internal qualities.

In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

Orphans, Street Children, Child Trafficking & Child Soldiers

Around the world, children suffer cruelly in many ways, a result of the quality of selfishness because adults who are in a position to help, don't.

Here are some worldwide statistics on orphans, street children, child trafficking and child soldiers:

1. Orphans: According to UNICEF, there are 132 million orphans worldwide (defined as children who have lost one or both parents). Of these, 13 million have lost both parents. [1]
2. Street Children: According to UNESCO, there are up to 150 million street children in the world today. [2]
3. Child Trafficking. According to UNICEF, 1.2 million children are trafficked each year. [3]
4. Child Soldiers: There are an estimated 250,000 child soldiers in the world today. [4]

We're all one family and we have to start treating each other as one family. We have to change from personal selfishness to mutual bestowal and seek to benefit others (especially children) instead of ourselves.

Round tables need to be established to seek to benefit children in every way: To ensure that all children are raised in loving homes instead of in institutions and orphanages, to ensure that children aren't living on the streets, to stop child trafficking, to stop children from being used as soldiers, and to find new ways of improving the environments in which children grow up in so they're surrounded by love and support in every way.

In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

_________

References:

1. Orphans. www.unicef.org. Retrieved Oct 24, 2014.
2. Street Children. www.unesco.org. Retrieved Oct 24, 2014.
3. Child trafficking. www.unicef.org. Retrieved Oct 24, 2014.
4. Child Soldiers. www.warchild.org.uk. Retrieved Oct 24, 2014.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

Love Transcends Blood Relations

The proverb "blood is thicker than water" [1] implies that blood relations are stronger than relations with friends and other people.

While many people love their own families above everyone else, there are many examples where people find they're more openly accepted by their friends and other communities than by their own families.

Parents and relatives have their own prejudices and limitations for unconditional love. As such, many people feel more 'understood and loved' by others outside their immediate family.

The entire world is one family and we should treat each other as one family. Love transcends blood relations. We can love (and be loved) by others outside of our immediate family.

In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.
________
References:

1. Blood is thicker than water. www.en.wikipedia.org. Retrieved Oct 24, 2014.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

You Can't Love Scripture Yet Hate The Jews

Christians and Muslims are intimately interconnected with the Jews because The Bible and The Quran are strongly linked to the Jewish people.

Many of the stories and events in The Bible and The Quran are about Jews, so when Christians and Muslims read Scripture, they often read about the Jews.

You can't respect Moses (Musa), yet hate his people, the Jews. You can't love Jesus (Isa), yet hate his people, the Jews. Jesus himself was a Jew.

You can't love Scripture, yet hate the Jewish people. You're hating the very people that you're reading about.

When you read The Bible and The Quran, you have to acknowledge the contribution of the Jewish people. They are the very people that many of the stories and events are about.

God specifically chose the Jewish people for a reason and their role is evident in Scripture. To hate the Jews is to hate the very people that are written about in Scripture.

If you hate the Jews, you hate Scripture (because Scripture talks about the Jews) and you hate God Himself (because God chose the Jewish people for His purposes).

The Jews had a role to play in the past and they will have a role to play today. The Jewish people need to return to God and seek to benefit others instead of themselves.

What will you do when the 12 tribes or Israel wake up and reunite? These events are about to take place and there's no room for hatred here.

Anti-semitism and hatred for the Jews has to end. Respect God, respect Scripture and respect the Jewish people - they are God's chosen people and they will serve His purposes.

May The God of Israel, The One True God, The Infinite God, The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob guide us, may He lead us and may He show us the way.

God is with us and to Him we shall all return.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

We Should Love One Another

Today, we're all immersed in the quality of selfishness, seeking to benefit ourselves with no regard for others. We have to change from personal selfishness to mutual bestowal, from seeking to benefit ourselves to seeking to benefit others.

Love is when we seek to benefit others instead of ourselves. We should love one another, meaning we should seek to benefit each other. We should become connected in love.

When we seek to benefit others, we want to do good to them, to benefit them in a positive and constructive way, we only want the best for them.

We should be kind, compassionate, sympathetic, gentle, caring, thoughtful, mindful, and understanding. Connection is the goal.

Stay calm and do not be afraid. God is with us.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

It's Not Me Versus You, It's We

Every time I talk about the Jews, The Nation of Israel, The Nations of The World etc., I'm also talking about myself. It's not a ME versus YOU situation, it's a WE situation.

Based on perception of reality, everything outside of me is actually a reflection of me. However, for teaching purposes, I have to create boundaries so you can understand what I'm saying. At the end of the day, we're all in this together.

In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

The Age Of The Priests

Question: Are you ushering in the age of the prophets? Because they tried that and it didn't work.

Answer: 

1. First, it's not that the age of the prophets didn't work, it was a part of the telling of the story of our relationship with God.
2. Second, this isn't the age of the prophets, it's the age of the priests:
• As it is written, "... you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." (Exodus 19:6, NIV)
• And it is written, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation ..." (1 Peter2:9, NIV)
• And it is written, "... has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father ..." (Revelation 1:6, NIV)
• Even the king will be a priest:
• As it is written, "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." (Psalm 110:4, NIV)
• Melchizedek means righteous king from the Hebrew words malki (king) and tzedek (righteous).

_________
References:
1. Melchizedek. www.en.wikipedia.org. Retrieved Oct 21, 2014.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

If We Don't Love Others, Who Will?

We all want to be loved; however, this comes from a place of selfishness because it's about what we want. WE want to be loved.

We expect others to love us, yet we don't love others. If we're all not loving others, then who will love us? If others are expecting us to love them, who will love us? If we don't love others, who will?

Love is when we seek to benefit others instead of ourselves. Love isn't about us, it's about others. If I seek to benefit you, then I love you. If you seek to benefit me, then you love me. If we seek to benefit each other, then we connect with each other in mutual reciprocal bestowal. Love is about connection in mutual bestowal.

In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

Broken Bones - The First And Second Jesus

When it comes to broken bones, there's a difference between what happens to The First and Second Jesus:

1. The First Jesus Doesn't Break Any Bones:
• "...he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken." (Psalm 34:20, NIV)
• "... but when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs." (John 19:33, NIV)
2. The Second Jesus Breaks Bones:
• Broken Bones:
• "... he broke all my bones ..." (Isaiah 38:13, NIV)
• "... and has broken my bones." (Lamentations 3:4, NIV)
• "... let the bones you have crushed rejoice." (Psalm 51:8, NIV)
• Dislocated Joints:
• "... all my bones are out of joint." (Psalm 22:14, NIV)
• Broken Teeth:
• "... he has broken my teeth with gravel ..." (Lamentations 3:16, NIV)
• Disfigured Face:
• "... his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness ..." (Isaiah 52:14, NIV)

Do not be afraid. God is with us.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

Positive And Constructive Addiction

Addiction isn't necessarily a bad thing, it simply depends on what we're addicted to:

1. Negative And Destructive Addiction:
• If we're addicted to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, food, sex, gambling, etc., it will likely ruin our lives and potentially ruin the lives of those around us.
2. Positive And Constructive Addiction:
• If we're addicted to the quality of bestowal, where we seek to benefit others instead of ourselves, we'll become addicted to each other. This will increase the connection between us and keep us united in mutual bestowal.

In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

The Positive Meaning Of Whitney Houston's Life

Whitney Houston [1] was a famous American singer, best known for her love songs. She struggled with addiction and died in 2012 at age 48.

While some may think her life was a tragedy, her entire life means something positive:

• Her Name: Whitney has the word TEN in it, and 10 symbolizes wholeness in the quality of bestowal.
• She Was A Singer: Singing is connected with the quality of bestowal. Meaning we won't be immersed in personal selfishness (seeking to benefit ourselves), we'll be connected with each other in mutual bestowal (seeking to benefit others).
• She Often Sang About Love: Love is when we seek to benefit others instead of ourselves, when we're connected with each other in mutual bestowal.
• She Was An Addict: Which represents being addicted to one another in the quality of bestowal, where we all seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

This doesn't mean that people have free licence to do whatever they want. I'm not condoning drug use or drug addiction. Not at all. In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

ADDICTION:
Addiction isn't necessarily a bad thing, it simply depends on what we're addicted to:

1. Negative And Destructive Addiction:
• If we're addicted to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, food, sex, gambling, etc., it will likely ruin our lives and potentially ruin the lives of those around us.
2. Positive And Constructive Addiction:
• If we're addicted to the quality of bestowal, where we seek to benefit others instead of ourselves, we'll become addicted to each other. This will increase the connection between us and keep us united in mutual bestowal.

_______

References:

1. Whitney Houston. www.en.wikipedia.org. Retrieved Oct 19, 2014.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

Struggling To Cope In Our Modern Day Society

Homeless, unemployed and lower income individuals are pressured to do more for themselves, to get a job (or a second job), to elevate themselves out of poverty.

But sometimes it's not just about getting a job, it's about something else. It's about not being able to cope with the pressures and demands of our modern day society.

Our modern day lives are a complicated mess of family, friends, school, work, hobbies, other interests, bills and other expenses etc. It's a lot to juggle, it's a lot to manage, and it's exhausting.

We're all different and we have different degrees of stamina and endurance. A few people can cope quite easily, most struggle to keep up, and some can't cope at all, they don't have the ability to manage their lives in the society that we've created, it's all too much. And rightfully so, it IS all too much.

Sometimes it has to do with mental health, but most of the time it has to do with the pressures and demands that we've created in our modern day society. Most people are burning the candle at both ends, which isn't sustainable. They'll reach a breaking point, and some already have.

Just because a person can't cope with the pressures and demands of our modern day society, doesn't mean that they should live in poverty. We should simply acknowledge that they can't cope, and those who can help, should. And we should change our society.

Imagine this: Some people experience states where even a simple thing such as having a shower becomes a huge chore. If you've never experienced such a thing you'd find it hard to believe. However, imagine if someone's struggling to have a shower, how will they get and keep a job? How will they do other things, such as go grocery shopping, cook meals, do household chores, manage bills and expenses etc.?

These people need a tremendous amount of support and a job is the least of their worries. We look after children in every way and sometimes we have to look after some adults in every way, by providing for their basic needs (food, water, clothing, shelter, healthcare etc.) without expecting anything in return.

We all assume that people are capable of anything, if they put their mind to it. That's true to some degree; however, we should acknowledge that we're all different and we go through different states. We should have sympathy, compassion and understanding for one another.

A society that has homelessness and poverty isn't a reflection of the homeless and poor, it's a reflection of a society that hasn't done enough to alleviate homelessness and poverty. It means that there's something wrong with the society, not that there's something wrong with the homeless and poor.

We need to create a new society, one that's built on the quality of bestowal, where everyone contributes to society, and in turn society looks after us.

We need to simplify our lives and focus only on meeting our basic needs - food, water, clothing, shelter, healthcare, education etc. This will simplify our lives, improve our health, and improve the connect between us, and between us and all of Nature.

In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

Lower Income Home Owners Pay More For Housing

Edited Feb 19, 2015

Lower income home owners pay more to purchase a home than higher income home owners. (This post focuses only on buying a home and excludes the option to rent.)

For comparison purposes, given the same type of property, a lower income home owner will pay $151,940 for a home; whereas a higher income home owner will pay only $106,544, which is extremely unfair. Also, a lower income home owner will likely sell their property for less than a higher income home owner. Here's why:

1. Lower Income Home Owners:
• Smaller Down Payments:
• With less money, they often opt for the minimum required down payment. The smaller the down payment, the greater the mortgage loan. The greater the loan, the greater the interest on the life of the mortgage and the greater the monthly payments.
• Longer Amortization Periods:
• They often prefer longer amortization periods because this lowers the monthly payments; however, longer amortization periods results in higher interest on the life of the mortgage.
• No Additional Payments:
• With less money, they often can't afford additional payments, which means they can't afford to pay off their loan sooner.
• Limited Renovations And Repairs/Maintenance:
• With less money, they often can't afford home renovations or home repairs/maintenance, which decreases the resale value of the home.
• Undesirable Locations:
• With a limited price range, they're often restricted to less desirable locations and neighbourhoods, because generally speaking, the homes are cheaper. This affects their quality of life and the resale value of the home.
• Calculations:
• Here's an example. (For simplicity's sake, Realtor fees, condo fees, taxes, inflation, insurance and other expenses have been excluded. Additional payments has also been excluded. Also, the interest rate remains constant over the life of the mortgage.)
• Home Price:  $100,000
• Down Payment: $10,000  (A lower down payment)
• Mortgage: $90,000  (A higher mortgage)
• Amortization: 20 Years  (A longer amortization period)
• Interest: 5%
• Monthly Payments: $591.41  (Lower monthly payments)
• Interest Over The Life Of The Mortgage: $51,940 [1]
• Total Cost of Home: $10,000+$90,000+$51,940=$151,940
• Lack Of Diversification:
• With less money, they often can't afford other investments. Their home becomes their primary and only investment, resulting in higher risk due to lack of diversification. [2] God forbid, if the housing market collapses, they'll be greatly affected.
2. Higher Income Home Owners:
• Higher Down Payments:
• With  more money, they can afford a greater down payment. The greater the down payment, the lower the mortgage loan. The lower the loan, the lower the interest on the life of the mortgage and the lower the monthly payments.
• Shorter Amortization Periods:
• They can afford higher monthly payments and therefore shorter amortization periods, which results in lower interest on the life of the mortgage.
• Additional Payments:
• With more money, they can afford to make additional payments and pay off their loan sooner. The sooner a loan is paid off, the more money they have to invest in other things.
• Renovations And Repairs/Maintenance:
• With more money, they can afford home renovations and home repairs/maintenance, which increases the resale value of the home. Some strategically plan to flip [3] their homes in order to make a profit.
• Desirable Locations:
• With a greater price range, they can afford to buy in more desirable neighbourhoods, potentially increasing their quality of life and the resale value of the home.
• Lucrative Clients:
• Higher income home owners are lucrative clients and banks may be eager to secure their business, hoping for future additional loans and other investments. As such, banks may be willing to negotiate better mortgage terms (lower interest rates etc.) in order to secure their business.
• Calculations:
• For comparison purposes, let's assume the higher income home owner is buying the same type of home as the lower income home owner. We're not taking into account that the higher income home owner can afford a more expensive home or, as a lucrative client, may be able to negotiate better mortgage terms. (For simplicity's sake, Realtor fees, condo fees, taxes, inflation, insurance and other expenses have been excluded. Additional payments has also been excluded. Also, the interest rate remains constant over the life of the mortgage.)
• Home Price:  $100,000
• Down Payment: $50,000  (A higher down payment)
• Mortgage: $50,000  (A lower mortgage)
• Amortization: 5 Years  (A shorter amortization period)
• Interest: 5%
• Monthly Payments: $942.39  (Higher monthly payments)
• Interest Over The Life Of The Mortgage: $6,544 [1]
• Total Cost of Home: $50,000+$50,000+$6,544=$106,544
• Diversified Portfolio:
• Higher income home owners have other options as well, for example, they can offset their debt with other investments, diversifying their portfolio to decrease risk.
• Instead of putting $50,000 on the down payment, let's assume the higher income home owner chooses to diversify her investments by putting $10,000 on the down payment and investing the other $40,000 elsewhere. For comparison purposes, let's assume all variables are equal to the lower income home owner: 
• Home Investment:
• Home Price:  $100,000
• Down Payment: $10,000 
• Mortgage: $90,000
• Amortization: 20 Years
• Interest: 5%
• Monthly Payments: $591.41
• Interest Over The Life Of The Mortgage: $51,940 [1]
• Total Cost of Home: $10,000+$90,000+51,940=$151,940
• Other Investment: (Assuming no pay outs or dividends. Inflation has been excluded.)
• Initial Investment: $40,000
• Number of Years Invested: 20 Years
• Annual Rate Of Return: 2%
• Interest Earned Over The Life Of The Investment: $19,438 [4]
• Total Future Value of Investment: $40,000+$19,438=$59,438
• Total cost of the home is $151,940, minus the income from the investment $59,438 = $92,502 paid out over 20 years, which is considerably lower than the $151,940 paid out by the lower income home owner over the same period of time.

Another issue is that banks aren't interested in helping home owners, they're only interested in making money:

1. Mortgage Penalties:
• Banks penalize home owners for overpaying on mortgages or for breaking mortgages and the penalties can be surprisingly expensive, potentially running into the tens of thousands of dollars.
2. Complicated Contractual Documents:
• Mortgage documents are written in legalese that the average home owner doesn't easily understand, which is how banks are able to incorporate penalty charges without explicitly disclosing the costs.
3. Banks Own The Home:
• A home belongs to the bank until the mortgage is fully paid off. If the home goes into foreclosure, the home owner may lose everything, regardless of how much equity they've already invested in the property.
4. False Sense Of Home Security:
• Using predatory banking practices, banks sometimes issue mortgages to people who can barely afford to buy a home. If the home owner's financial situation changes, or if interest rates rise, they wouldn't be able to make their mortgage payments and the home would enter foreclosure. This can be a devastating experience for people who were excited to own a home.
5. Empty Houses:
• When the economy is bad, foreclosures tend to be high and many people lose their homes. The houses may remain empty because people can't afford to buy houses. It's sad to think that there are so many empty houses when so many people don't have a place to live.

Round tables need to be established to find a fair, equitable and ethical way of providing affordable and dignified housing for everyone on earth.

In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

________
References:

1. Mortgage Payment Calculator. www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Retrieved Oct 18, 2014.
2. Diversification (finance). www.en.wikipedia.org. Retrieved Oct 18, 2014.
3. Flipping. www.investopedia.com. Retrieved Oct 22, 2014.
4. Investment Calculator. www.bankofcanada.ca. Retrieved Oct 18, 2014.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

This World Versus The Next World

This world is a world of action, whereas the next world is a world of intention.

In this world, we see someone's actions, not their intentions, their intentions are hidden, concealed from us. In the next world, intentions are transparent and they're more important than actions.

For example, in this world, if someone does something 'bad' to you, all you see is their 'bad' action, you don't see their good intention.You don't know that inside, they may be weeping and crying because they have to do it to you.

Imagine if all we could see were intentions - the world would be a very different place. In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

What Does Jesus Mean By "This Generation"?

When Jesus was talking about the sign of the end times, he said, "Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened." (Matthew 24, NIV)

What does he mean by this generation? He means the quality of selfishness, meaning the quality of selfishness will not disappear until all these things have happened.

This generation and this world are connected with the quality of selfishness (when we seek to benefit ourselves with no regard for others). By contrast, the next generation and next world are connected with the quality of bestowal (when we seek to benefit others instead of ourselves).

Here are a few more examples:

• Jesus said, "You are of this world; I am not of this world." (John 8:23, NIV) Meaning, "You are of the quality of selfishness, I am not of the quality of selfishness, I'm of the quality of bestowal."
• Jesus said, "Anyone who loves their life with lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life." (John 12:25, NIV) Meaning, "...anyone who hates the quality of selfishness will enter into the quality of bestowal for eternity."
• Jesus said, "Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out." (John 12:31, NIV) Meaning, "Now is the time for judgement on the quality of selfishness, the quality of selfishness will be driven out and replaced with the quality of bestowal."
• Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. (John 18:36, NIV) Meaning, "My kingdom is not of the quality of selfishness, it's of the quality of bestowal."

In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.