Humanitarian Projects Built from a Model

This is a post series expressing my humanitarian side. A friend of mine out of Lake Forest, CA does mission work through his church traveling to China, Rwanda, and Uganda. Recently, he indicated that the projects he had been doing were not progressing as they should and that many of the efforts really did not serve the people well.  He attributed the problem to poor leadership and strategies with little or no focus.  For example, fund raisers several times a year that are more of a social experience in LA, CA than genuinely doing good for the intended people off shore. This got me to thinking. During my military service, I was trained in civil affairs and performed many humanitarian missions of various sorts that ranged from noncombatant evacuation operations (NEOs) to civil affairs missions such as medical operations (MEDOPS) and various reconstruction projects. Often the missions were planned from a standard or template. I thought that the same ideas could serve other efforts by having a purposeful goal and elements efforts to get there.

Humanitarian Projects Built from a Model

Many people and organizations attempt to do good around the world. The US Navy's tagline is a  force for good.  Many people and organizations purchase then gift equipment and facilities to help those less fortunate. The problem is that a short time later the facilities and equipment fall into disrepair or become inoperable due to a lack of a sustainable infrastructure.  Thus, the act of kindness becomes ineffective at resolving the issues it was gifted to overcome and may become a greater burden for the recipient. The challenge is to develop a way to overcome these issues and provide sustainable gifts to these nations and people who require broad based support. After all, Stephen Covey tells us to teach them to fish and feed them for life.

Making a Brief Case

A considerable portion of the worlds population lives in temperate regions without adequate food and potable water. These societies are often isolated from the regional and global communities. Efforts to gift supplies and equipment have not produced the results needed for these societies to maintain a sustainable improvement to the quality of life. A new approach is needed.

Many challenges confront the new approach. We will not consider political and social movements that could be counter to these efforts. Some regions have world views that reject aid from people outside their circles or are counter to the values necessary to sustain the new approach. Operating in these regions requires other methods not discussed here. Nonetheless, this is a base model that can be adjusted to local conditions. 

This new approach should create a sustainable system that introduces the society to the regional and global economies with the goal to integrate the society into the broader and complex economy. Underpinnings of the regional and global economies include components like a functional supply chain infrastructure (seaports, airports, and roads), ample fresh water, and energy distribution networks. These societies cannot be connected to the broader system until they begin the trek towards improvements which is the objective of this effort.  Development of a supply chain cannot begin until energy, water, and food resources are adequately addressed on a fundamental level first. Once renewable food, water, and power resources are available then the injection of external economic influences will enable the people to earn increased wages and further transform their quality of life.

The solution begins by scoping the issue and setting objectives. In this case the people are in need of the basics; food, water, and power. This further breaks down to fertile and irrigated soil, fresh and potable water, as well as renewable energy. The objective is to design solutions that are low tech, easily sustainable, and ecologically friendly. The success of this endeavor centers on a basic economy to sustain the solution. The design should include natural filtration and purification methods as well as make use natural sources of nutrients and energy.

This vision is to develop a local economy poised to introduce the local society to regional and global economies by building the sustainable groundwork for the most basic needs of the community. This is a major undertaking often too large for a single organization or government. Thus, armed with this vision a coalition should be built yielding various aspects of the vision to participants of the project.

The Sustainable Groundwork

Many solutions for the base problems exist with some performing better than others. As part of the project planning performance metrics need to be determined. I have completed some basic research into this matter and the following ideas may have some merit as they have been put to successful use around the world. 

Natural Water Filtration and Potable Water

Natural water filtration uses earthen filtration and gravity. Natural filtration mechanisms vary by topography and generally involve estuaries (wetlands) and riparian (stream side forest) systems. Within these systems soil composition, vegetation, animals, and micro-organisms play very important roles in purification. Engineering low tech natural purification systems can reflect the local ecosystems or an enhanced system can be introduced. Essentially, a three stage system of gravity fed lakes and earthen berms can purify large quantities of fresh water. The source of water can be natural sources such as springs, wells, storm runoff, and general waste wate from the community etc...  The system flows from an estuary lake through an earthen berm composed of aggregates of various sizes (rock, gravel, sand, and clay) into an intermediate lake filled with low oxygen fish.  The intermediate lake is gravity fed into a lower lake through a second earthen berm also composed on various aggregates. Anaerobic microbial and insect  lifeforms also reside in the berms as well as trees line the lakes assisting in the purification process. The middle and lower lakes could be split into upper and lower halves with rapids or waterfalls providing aeration to the water another critical aspect of purification.

The water arrives in the lower lake as purified fresh water but remains non-potable. The water can be used directly in irrigation and watering of animals. In order to achieve potable water an additional level of purification is necessary to remove pathogens and other contaminants. There are natural methods of achieving this objective that usually involve ultraviolet light and methods to raise the water to a pH of about 8.3. Lime, soda ash, and sodium hydroxide usually raise the pH balance.  Solar concentrators can focus the sun's energy to a focal line where a pipe containing the fresh purified water is passed through. The focused solar energy flashes the water to steam which is evacuated then condensed killing pathogens and bacteria while leaving heavier sediments behind. The steam evacuation and fresh water draw can be created using the falling water or windmills that drives blowers and pumps. Venturi's expand the steam causing the cooling necessary for condensation in a plenum chamber. The potable water is then siphon fed into a water tower as currently performed in the US.

Figure 1: Earthen Filtration, gravity fed lakes purify water.

The gravity fed lake system is in current use in San Diego, CA and smaller systems are in Florida. The fresh water is fed into the Pacific Ocean after the detention cycle. However, San Diego is undertaking a project to recycle the water's use by placing the fresh water into a reservior for the detention cycle. While the ideal topography is sloping, the system can be built on mesas, plains, and other level topographies but would require earth moving endeavors stair stepping the detention lakes.  

Fertile Soil

Figure 2:  Composting System

Many areas of the world are inhospitable with the ecology unfit to sustain crops, live stock, or in general human life. In fact, much of the land is undergoing desertification. An operational view of land's ability to sustain human life considers carrying capacity and capability of the land. While a particular stretch of land may have a low carrying capacity, natural methods are available to improve the lands fertility and carrying capacity. Among these methods is composting of waste materials including human waste, Figure 2.  This is a low tech process does not require extensive maintenance. This improves sanitary conditions and makes use of organic waste matter in useful ways.  Tilling composted waste into the soil creates grasslands for grazing animals that begins a cycle of renewal and economic expansion. The compost may also be used with crops for human consumption. When using the waste for this purpose sustained temperatures must be held for several weeks in order to kill pathogens in the waste.  There is a substantial body of works that promotes uses of compost.  Composting Toilet Systems.  A complimentary approach is the use of Holistic Management and Planned Grazing.  In this approach, land is recycled preventing desertification. This approach also provides livestock and crop food sources for the local populations. 

Renewable Energy

The vision is to provide the base energy required, the minimum necessary, to support the environmental systems emplaced.  This includes pumps, motors, and heat for composting and purification.  The sun, waterfalls / rapids, and wind are sources of potential energy to support the base energy requirements. Thus, a system of solar panels and wind or water driven turbines could supply the requisite power to move water around the purification system. Solar concentrators, Image 1, would focus solar energy to sustain heat levels necessary for composting and purification.  The energy production using these methods most likely would exceed the amount necessary for the system to function. The excess energy may be sufficient to provide security lighting during the evening or power cooling fans as additional support to the system.

Image 1: The Solar Concentrator is used to flash water to steam.

Energy is the underpinning of an economy. Without energy logistics and tools that make the economy move would become inanimate. The need for energy to power the full economic engine would be an expanded effort. This requires substantial energy resources. If the society simply does not have access to these resources locally then the connection to a the regional and global community becomes more important. For example, Japan imports nearly it's entire economy as raw materials including energy then performs work in order to export the finished goods. Engineering a energy resource for the entire community is a separate effort than this post's intent to present a solution to stabilize the local community.

Building an Economy to Sustain the System

Water purification, energy production, composting systems, and holistic management require services of various sorts. For example, the compost needs to be collected and redistributed. The solar concentrators and condensation system may require cleaning and replacement of the pipes. There is a need to monitor and adjust the natural filtration system with fish and other filtration elements. These are activities that should become part of a local economy.  By inclusion in a larger regional or global economy, resources ordinarily not available become available as the local economy contributes to the larger system.

Consider one cycle, a businessmen pays a nominal rate to residents for collecting their compost. Then sells at a higher rate the compost to land owners who in turn use it to create grasslands and raise live stock. The landowner also pays for the irrigation services that facilitate the grasslands for the livestock.  The landowner then sells the live stock in market as food. The residents who pay and consume the food produce the waste for composting. The nominal fee they receive for the compost contributes towards the purchase of more food.  These residents also perform other work in which they receive pay from perhaps a manufacturing plant or some other inject from the complex economy originating from the regional or global economy. Other businesses emerge such as fish farms that not only stock the lakes but sell their overstock to the local community as food. The local community provides financial support to the natural purification system by buying the water they consume and paying for fishing rights from the lower lake.  Local people are hired and trained to maintain the system. Thus, a local economy boosted by linkage to a regional or global economy can raise up their lives.

In the end, a basic system could be created to support improvements in food production, potable water, and sanitary conditions that contribute towards an basic economy. This jump starts an economy and begins the movement towards more advanced systems for further improvements to the quality of life. More importantly, the people take ownership of their lives.

These concepts are in successful use around the world. However, they have not been organized into a suscinct model or plan. Moreover, the end state of a society meaningfully poised for injection into a regional or global economy has not been advanced in a meaningful way. 

Tattoo On Your Soul

Commentary: This is a speech that I think has profound thoughts applicable to not only military life but civilian life as well. While General Krulak remarks that the military is about people, the same is true about companies and business. It is all about people.  Industry, business, and companies serve people. Industry would not exist if humans were not present. Companies exist as vehicles to redistribute wealth based on productive work. Through productive work in companies, cash is put into human pockets in order to give levity and dignity to human life. As General Krulak points out we need to rise above the mundane and be eagles.    

General Charles Krulak

October 7, 1993

Abstract: General Krulak, Former Commandant of the Marine Corps, spoke to the Naval Academy Leadership Forum regarding the principles of integrity, moral courage, responsibility, accountability, and loyalty. During his discussion he shares personal viewpoints and experiences that molded him into the officer he had become. He concludes his speech with a call to become eagles and soar above the mundane distractions of everyday life. 

General Krulak: Let me tell you how honored I am to be here this morning. One, to talk to the leader’s forum but equally as important is to talk to the first and second class of the United States Naval Academy and those from other service academies who are sitting up in the audience here of the brigade. What I would like to do this morning is to spend a little bit of time reflecting on two events that probably had the very most to do with making me the officer I am today. And whether that is good or bad you will judge as we go on through this morning’s discussion.

These two events impacted on some fundamental traits of leadership that I think we all need to fully understand and traits I would like to discuss this morning. In order to do this, though, I am going to have to, refer back in time, back in history a little bit, so that you can kind of get in my head, get inside of my body, and understand why they were so significant.

In the early spring of 1966, the 324th Bravo North Vietnamese Army Division was pulled South from its position along the border between North Vietnam and China. As I am sure you all know North Vietnam and China are ancient enemies. This division was pulled South, through North Vietnam and positioned along the demilitarized zone that separated South Vietnam from the North. The 324th Bravo North Vietnamese Army division was the same crack division that had spearheaded the assault against the French at Dien Bien Phu. They had now been pulled South and were poised to lead the first direct invasion of South Vietnam by the North. Their mission was to attack and seize Quay City.

In order to blunt that attack the United States Marine Corps supported by Army, Navy, and Air Force put together an 11 battalion size operation to defeat the enemy in zone. The operation was code named ‘Hastings’. With that as a little history, let me take you back in time.

0630 in the morning, June 3, 1966, First Lieutenant Chuck Krulak Commanding Officer Gulf Company Second Battalion First Marines, had just been landed with his company by helicopters in a small valley surrounded by jungle covered mountains about 2000 meters South of the Demilitarized Zone.

This valley was really nothing more than rice patties, about six football fields in length. I’ll put it in measurements that Admiral Lynch will understand, six football fields in length, two football fields in width. Down the Eastern side was a stream bed, a dried out stream bed, that offered both cover and concealment. No sooner than when we hit the deck, helicopters pull out, we were immediately taken under heavy small arms, automatic weapons, and mortar fire.

Fortunately, the vast majority of my company managed to move off to the side, get into this dried streambed, and we were pretty much safe. But one platoon, found itself landed a little bit further to the West. They could not move. They were pinned down by both the indirect fire weapons and direct fire weapons. And one squad within that platoon found itself directly in the line-of-fire of an enemy 50 caliber machine gun. And within a matter of seconds, I had two marines killed and two more seriously wounded.

It became very obvious to me, as I sat there and watched that this machine gun was going to kill every man in that squad. It was going to shift to the next squad. It would kill all of them. And it would end up killing every Marine in that platoon. There was no question about that.

I got on my radio and talking to my First Platoon Commander, a Second Lieutenant by the name of Oliver North. And told LT North to move his platoon up that tree line, up that creek bed, get on the flank of that gun and the tree line that the gun was in and to be prepared to assault when I gave him the signal. At the same time I had my other platoon putting down a base of fire into this tree line hoping to keep that machine gun somewhat silent.

As I was doing this my radio operator grabbed me by the sleeve and pointed out into the rice patty and he said, “Look at Lance Corporal Grable”.

And I looked out into that rice patty. And a young Lance Corporal squad leader a black Marine from Crump, Tennessee had gotten to his feet. He had locked his rifle into his hip and like something I swear to God right out of a John Wayne movie. This Marine started running back and forth firing his weapon. And for every 20 or 30 yards he ran laterally, he probably went two or three forward.

You could see the enemy machine gun pick right up off the squad and start tracking Grable. You could literally see the bullets kicking up behind him. Tracking him; tracking him; until they hit him. Picked him up like he was a dish rag, threw him through the air backwards.

In the amount of time that, that took, Ollie North move up on the flank, gave me the word he was ready to go, and I popped the green star cluster that signified for him to begin the assault. And as I did that my radio operator grabbed me again and this time he did not say anything. He just pointed out into that rice patty. And this young black Marine had gotten back up to his feet, this time no fancy stuff. Put his weapon into his shoulder, got a good sight picture, a good trigger squeeze. And he walked down the line-of-fire of that enemy 50 caliber machine gun.

About 5 minutes later, I got up to that now silenced, enemy machine gun. There were nine dead North Vietnamese soldiers surrounding it. And as God as my witness, draped over the barrel of the gun itself was Lance Corporal Grable. When we turned him over he had 5 entry holes in him. But you could not, see where they came out because he had no back left. Six months later I stood in the parking lot of the Naval Annex Headquarters Marine Corp. And Lance Corporal Grable’s widow was awarded the Navy Cross medal our nation’s second highest military decoration. And with her was a little baby boy that Lance Corporal Grable had only seen in a Polaroid picture.

So what, So what! What’s that got to do with the leader’s forum? What’s that got to do with the class of 1994 or the class of 1993 at the United States Naval Academy? A great story but that happened a long time ago. And it does not have anything to do with us.

Wrong! Wrong! It’s got to everything to do with you all. It’s got everything to do with me. Everything!

Too often, we forget, that the reality of our existence as a service is found in the willingness of our Lance Corporal Grable’s to walk down the line-of-fire of a 50 caliber machine gun, or in our, the willingness of our Seamen Smiths to go into a flooded compartment in order to stem the rushing water that is coming in as a result of a collision with a mine.

One of the things that worries me about service academies, and I say this as a proud a graduate of this great institution called the Naval Academy, is that we have slowly moved away from a focus on people to a focus on things.

Let me tell you that the profession of arms is not about things. It is about people. If your heart is set on flying an FA-18, leading a platoon of MA-1A tanks, sailing on nuclear submarines or aegis cruisers, then you are in the wrong business. Cause you ought to be focused on people.

If you are not willing to buy in that concept, that people is what the services are all about. Then you need to get out just as soon as you can.

And you say to yourself, holy mackerel, who is this little guy telling me to do that.

I am telling you, you have to think that way for one very good reason because it is people not things that you are going to lead into harms way.

It is people not things that you are going to lead into the valley of the shadow of death. It is the deeds of men and women who have sacrificed for us that have literally made us what we are today.

And when we fail to live up to the standards set for this profession of ours then we fail the Lance Corporal Grable’s and the Seamen Smith’s who have gone before us.

And believe me if you don’t know it, know it now, you are in the profession and it is called the profession of arms. It is as much a profession as the medical or the legal profession. There is one big difference though. We do not have malpractice insurance.

When we fail to serve our clients which are, in fact, the citizens of this great nation of ours, when we fail to serve our clients there is no outside agency that is going to pay the bill. The payment comes directly from the reservoir of faith that our countrymen have in us. A reservoir filled by the sacrifice and the blood of the Lance Corporal Grable’s and the Seamen Smith’s that have gone before us.

Now for those of you that are in the service I’ll tell you right now that we are entering critical times, times that are going to demand stout hearts, keen minds, and the purest of motives. For the Naval Service, times when incidence such as Tail hook have caused our professionalism to be questioned like it has never been questioned before.

At the highest levels, these are times when Congress is asking the services why they need to look like they do. Why do we need a twelve carrier Navy? Why do we need a Marine Corps? Why do we need four air forces? All of these questions flying around at the highest levels.

But to you all here today, the most important thing for you to understand is that these are the times when those fundamentals dear to this profession of arms of ours are rapidly being taken off the shoulders of people like myself and Admiral Lynch and are being placed around your shoulders, your shoulders, as the people who are going to lead, lead us into 21st century.

Let me say that again, these are the times when those fundamentals that are so dear to the Profession of Arms that are being taken away from me, I am an old man, and they are being given to you, they are being entrusted to you, and you are going to lead this nation into the 21st century. And for the next the couple of minutes I just want to talk to you about some these fundamentals that must become so dear to you.

Integrity and moral courage, integrity and moral courage, these fundamentals go hand in hand. Those officers who demonstrate these fundamental traits are the ones the nation will count on in the most difficult times.

All of our services have enjoyed their greatest success when their officer corps has been unafraid to demonstrate the full measure of these two traits.

Integrity that is the most precious possession you own. If it were not that I was afraid that the needles would be dirty, I would ask you to follow me this weekend out to a tattoo parlor and get the term integrity tattooed somewhere on your body. For me it would obviously have to be a little tattoo. For some of you it would be bigger.

But I am afraid of the needles. So what I would like to ask you to do is I would like you to tattoo the term integrity across soul, across your soul.

Your integrity prevents you, prevents you from lying, from cheating, from stealing, from being something less than a true professional. If you ever loose your sense of integrity then you are no good to your service, you are no good to your nation, and you are no good to yourself. You must be ever watchful because your integrity can be lost bit by bit without you even knowing it.

I will tell, though, the men and women that you will lead will know it immediately. Your word is your bond. Your actions must be above reproach. What is so terrible about incidences such as Tailhook is that it calls into question the integrity not only of certain individuals but of our entire officer corps.

Tied closely to integrity is the concept and fundamental trait of moral courage. This is in many ways a difficult trait to really understand. Moral courage in my opinion means the willingness to put your heart and soul into doing the right things vice doing things right. Let me say that again; the willingness and courage to do the right thing instead of worrying about doing things right. There is a very, very big difference between the two.

People in this audience, as well as officers around our services know what I mean. There are officers that are far more interested in looking good than being good, that are interested in show over substance.

Officers who are not willing to stick their necks out for fear that their necks are going to get chopped and their heads will fall, officers who are not willing to be steeple shakers because they believe that steeple shaking is not conducive to promotion.

There is no room for officers like that in our brotherhood. No room for officers like that in our profession. We need officers who have the moral courage to speak out when they see something wrong no matter what the risk. And it is here that the idea loyalty comes into play. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who view loyalty as some kind of blind following of their boss or of a concept. This is not loyalty. I am sure you understand that. Loyalty is the willingness of an officer to tell the emperor that he is not wearing any clothes. That is what loyalty is.

Loyalty is assuring that your boss is protected from making a lousy decision. Additionally, and equally important I might add, loyalty is getting behind your boss once he has weighed your input and the input of other people and has made his decision. Then you get behind him. So long as the decision is a legal one and does not call into question your integrity. If it does then my fellow officers, and you all are officers, you must make a hard decision. If you have understood what I mentioned and talked about in so far about integrity is concerned that decision becomes a lot easier.

Let me talk about another fundamental. It is called accountability and responsibility. I do not mean to insult you or insult your professional knowledge. But as you know we are all responsible and accountable for everything that we do and fail to do, everything that our commands do and fail to do. We are responsible for that and accountable for it. This fundamental has been the bedrock of the services since their inception. But I will tell you from a personal viewpoint this concept has become very fuzzy over the last couple of years.

I am going to give you two incidents that will support in my opinion in that and then I will give you a personal experience, the second experience that I told you I would share with you.

First incident, the Beirut bombing, a terrible, terrible, disaster took place that many apologist blame on a series of external errors. The commitment of forces to begin with, the rules of engagement that failed to change when the political climate changed, the cumbersome and poorly defined chain of command. Yet the bottom line remains a marine commander of a unit in a hostile environment, contrary to his training, his common sense, his tactical ability, did not disperse his troops, but gathered them into a single location where they were vulnerable to their enemies. A terrible tragedy took place and what happened to our principle of accountability? Nothing, nothing, no courts martial. No reliefs, nothing.

On Thursday 01Oct1992 at approximately 2345 the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga launched two Sea Sparrow missiles that slammed into the bridge of a Turkish destroyer. Killing the Captain and four others on the bridge and wounding fifteen. A board of inquiry was held. Approximately two months later the results of that investigation were made public.

The investigating panel of three admirals found that quote deeply rooted problems and structured deficiencies in major training areas contributed to the disastrous launching. And as you all know no one in CDC told the petty officer manning in the target acquisition console that he was participating in an exercise. There was no routine checklist for fire control safety onboard that ship counter to regulations.

The unannounced anti-ship missile exercise was just that, unannounced. Contrary to regulation the ships CO was not informed, the ships XO was not informed. Throughout the incident the investigating panel found that there was little or no, quote, following of standard Navy training procedures. In December, five officers and three enlisted men received either, punitive letters of reprimand, letters of admonition, or letters of non-punitive letters of instruction.

No courts martial. The captain of the ship was not relieved. Rather he took part in a regularly scheduled change of command approximately a week before he went in front of an Admiral for Captain’s mast. Accountability?

In an interview with the ships captain he said, “It was an accident. I am in this because I am the CO and not much more. It’s too bad.”

Let me tell you members of all the services that if our nation ever perceives that we are reluctant to be accountable for our performance then we are going to be in serious, serious trouble. There can be no excuses given to the citizens of this great nation of ours if we foul up. We must be accountable.

Let me bring this home from a personal standpoint. I was a young Captain on my way back to Vietnam for my second tour of duty. My wife drives me up to Norton Airforce base to get on a Flying Tiger Airlines plane and go to Dnang. Wife drops me off and kisses me goodbye. She is not a happy camper I can tell you. She drives back down to San Diego. I walk into the hangar where they got all the individuals that are going on that bird. And I am standing there looking around and I see this little PFC. Not little, a young PFC.

And his is carrying a workout bag and it says, “San Diego, The City In Motion.”

Well I am from San Diego! So I of course sidle over to him and start talking to him. His eyes are a little big cause he is kind of worried. And I asked him he is in fact from San Diego. Yes he is. He tells me his name is PFC Cameron. We have a good dialogue. He in fact lived about three blocks from me.

He was a communicator. Word comes get on the plane. We get on the plane. We are flying over the ocean. I see Cameron maybe two or three times during the flight. I am going up to make a head call. He is going up to make a head call. I am going up to get a drink of water. What have ya! Catch his eye. He looks at me I look at him. We go on back to our seats. The plane lands in Dnang. If you have seen the movie ‘Good Morning Vietnam’, Robins Williams gets off the plane in Dnang and it’s hot, dusty, and noisy. That’s the way it really was.

Got off the that plane and this big burly Master Sergeant says, “Ok everybody going to the First Marine Division and going to stay here in Dnang stand here or all you poor guys going up to the third Marine Division go over and stand behind there, a 130’s going to pick you up to take you up there.”

I trot on over because I am going up the Third Marine Division. Here comes ole Cameron with his bag. His eyes are, I mean to tell you, are this big. I said I better get a hold of this kid. And I get over there and said you know, “Its going be alright. Don’t worry; we are going to take of this.”

We get on the plane. Go up to Dong Ha. We separate.

I am given stewardship of Lima Company, Third Battalion, Third Marines. I go out to the company. I meet my First Sergeant monstrous guy, six Foot Six, 240 pounds. He takes me around the company area. He says here is where we are dug in, here is what it looks like. Two days later the same big First Sergeant comes walking up. He is like a mother hen. He’s got a bunch of chickees behind him, seven or eight new guys, coming into the company. You guessed it, number one in line, this time all you can see is his eyes, PFC Cameron.

I say to myself, “Self for some reason this guy keeps on entering into your life. So I had better, better latch a hold of him.”

And I did. I said to the First Sergeant, “I want Cameron to be my radio operator.”

And for the next nine months this young Marine PFC and I became so close, a closeness that can only come from times of stress and times of danger. And we shared everything. I mean we shared not just our food. We shared letters. We shared dreams and hopes. And he became over that period of time like a son to me.

At the end of the ninth month, I was called to my battalion commander’s hootch and he said that we were going up on Mutters Ridge. And I want your company to go up and form blocking position because we are going to have the rest of the battalion plus another battalion sweep down Mutters Ridge hopefully driving the enemy into you.

I said fine. Mutters Ridge was not a great place to go I will tell you. I mean you will go up there and you always got into a fight so I mean my heart was not exactly doing flips of joy. But I said we are going up there and do it.

Being a recent graduate of the Marine Corps Amphibious Warfare School and having my act together of course I got all my artillery positions prepped, fires planned, had on air on strip alert, I felt good. Put my company in formation. Two up and one back, my command group in the middle and we startup a finger on this ridge line. And we got about a third of the way up, when we started taking sniper fire. Over, over our heads you could kind of hear the bullets whizin’ by. Got on the hook started callin’ in the artillery. Felt very comfortable. All of a sudden a loud crack, same kind of crack you get when you are out on the rifle range and you are pulling butts and you know the bullet just went over your head.

I kind of ducked to the side because it went right by my ear. I turn around and Cameron was hard down. I mean hard down. And I bent down and ripped open his flack jacket and he had taken a round right through the chest. I mean he was breathing and you all I am sure heard the term sucking chest wound. That is what he had. I mean every breath he’d take you would hear this terrible wheezing sound. And instead of breathing through his mouth he was breathing through his chest. And the blood was coming up and it was bubbling. And I went holy mackerel. I dropped down to my knees. I whipped out my pressure bandage. And I put it on the kid’s chest. And I said hang in there. Hang in there you are going to be alright. And you could see him start to gray, and his eyes start to flutter back and he is going into shock. And I sat down and I pulled him onto my chest. Right up against me and I had his head in my left hand and that pressure bandage is on. And I was just praying and saying you know hang in there. You are going to make it. We are going to get you out of here.

All of a sudden I was hit on the side of my head so hard that I fell to my side and Cameron was dumped onto the ground. And standing above me was that big First Sergeant I had talked to you about. He had his helmet in his hand and he had just beat me across the side of my head.

He said, “What in the hell do you think you are doing. You got a company in contact up there that’s who you are responsible for. What are you doing with this Marine? Get your butt up that hill and fight that company.”

Man! I want to tell you that I went up that hill so fast it was not funny. Got up to the top of the hill. Some unknown reason we had no casualties except for Cameron. I will never forget the feeling I had as we went around and put my men into their defensive positions. And I went back to where my CP (Command Post)) was and the First Sergeant was there.

He says, “Skipper I am sorry I hit you.”

I said, “Don’t be sorry First Sergeant you were exactly right. You did exactly what you should have done. My responsibility was to fight the company. I was accountable for those people. You were exactly right.”

Then he said, “He did not make it.”

I said, “What you mean he did not make it?”

He said, “Cameron he did not make it.”

As he said that he had tears running down his cheeks. This big First Sergeant had tears running down his cheeks. I will tell you that three hour period drove into my soul that concept of responsibility and accountability.

I see my time is running out. I want have some time for questions and answers. So let me bring this home if you will allow me. Let take you back into that rice patty. Let me take you back to the rice patty. Let me remind you that Lance Corporal Grable is laying there hit for the first time.

Question that has been in my mind ever since that happened and reoccurs and enters my mind often is why did he not just lay there. He has been hit by a 50 caliber round. I am telling you he had to be in intense pain and he is laying there. Why didn’t he just stay there? He has a wife. He has children. He had a wound that would get him home. He was on his way home. All he had to do is lay there. But he did not. Why not? He got up and performed an act that he had to know was going to kill him. Why did he do it? In my opinion he did it because flowing through his veins and tattooed across his soul were many of the principles we talked about today; integrity, moral courage, loyalty to his people, responsibility, and accountability.

Now I’ll tell you that he probably did not have them packaged neatly in some list in his mind. I will tell you they were there, they were there, they were there. And if they were there for people like Lance Corporal Grable then they damn well better be there in us. They better be there in us.

For every class that goes through The Basic School, I talk to them about some of the things we just talked about. And I end up by asking them to be something that they probably never thought of being. And that is to be what I call a knight in shining armor in a day and age when people are not interested in knight in shining armor. I asked them to be Joan of Arc in a day when people are not interest in Joan of Arc’s. I ask them to take a page out of the Bible and soar upon the wings of eagles. To be eagles. To not walk around down in the dirt of every day life but to soar above it.

And I get crazy over this and they all they kind of think I am crazy anyhow. They say geeze its General Krulak again giving his eagle talk. One day about a week ago some kid came up to me, some Lieutenant, and he slipped a piece of paper in my hand and I read it. And I said I am going up to the Naval Academy and I am going to read this one little poem that he wrote. Think about this.

There is a great battle that rages inside me,

One side is a soaring eagle,

Everything the eagle stands for is good,

And true,

And Beautiful,

And it soars above the clouds,

Even though it dips down into the valleys,

It lays its eggs on the mountain tops,

The other side of me is the howling wolf,

And that raging howling wolf represents the worst that is in me,

He eats upon my down falls,

He justifies himself by his presence in the pack,

Who wins this great raging battle,

The one I feed,

The one I feed.

Be Eagles. You are about to be great leaders in your services. Be eagles and only feed the eagle. Thank you very much. - General Charles Krulak

Biblical Sequence of Events: End-to-End

Biblical Sequence of Events: End-to-End

By

James T. Bogden

The purpose of this post is to set the background for additional posts on America's heritage. I needed an overarching sequence of events in order to discern the purpose and foundations for many of the topics and issues in coming posts. This is the reasoning and process I used in order to develop the sequence.

While serving in the military, I had transitioned from aerospace into information technology then into a specialty function cell with the ever changing military. While in the specialty function cell, I was boots-on-ground in Iraq. Our function was to bring democracy to Iraqis.

There are several forms of democracy of which the two major forms are parliamentary and representative democracy. The United States form of Democracy is representative or a republic. Whereas, the European form of democracy is parliamentary which does not have a system of checks and balances.  Democracy in the root form of a Republic originated from the Judeo-Christian Bible and has been the basis for the United States Government with all the underpinnings Judeo-Christian based. Although, the form attempted in Iraq was Parliamentary Democracy.

Iraq is mostly Muslim and the form of government promoted in Islam is the Caliphate or dictatorship. In fact, Osama Bin Laden declared the intent to establish a Caliphate from Spain to Indonesia. Bin Laden was to be the Caliph seated in Baghdad awaiting the development of the Islamic eschatology.

With this focus on theologies and the ideological war Bin Laden was waging to establish himself as the dictator, I was thrust deep into theologies, cosmologies, and philosophies hearing every kind of version of belief. The US Military even made attempts at secularizing the war and the Navy was using the tagline a "force for good" without moral clarity of the good for what or who.  This sounds more akin to Islam as Allah is greater. Greater than what or who? The Military failed to realize that secularism is a theology of its own as the US Supreme court has ruled in 1961, Torcaso vs Watkins,  that secular humanism, atheism, is a religion. The United States 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in 2005 that atheism is Constitutionally afforded treatment as a religious belief. Thus, these rulings based on the legal test provided extended to secularism as a whole.  The United States of America was founded as a Christian nation and on September 11, 2001 the United States was attacked for the cause of Islam and the propagation of their form of government.

Somehow, I had to discern the truth about Christianity, Islam, and others. While there is much more to this topic, I will focus only on the overarching Christian theology in this post. I will continue to refine this post and request that  you return for refinements or further clarification from time-to-time.

The Challenge

Over the years, I have listened to many understandings of the Bible and thoughts on the Christian religion or just religion in general. Most of the views came from a high degree of confidence in an unsupported personal belief rather than a logical and rational thought process based on evidence that can be reasonably followed. In this case scriptural evidence, the Bible. I learned upon investigation that most views were simply incorrect with fragments of the truth and very few seemed to be on target.  To me, the Christian religion was almost as though people were making it up and in many cases they were. Somewhere buried deep in all this was the accurate account from the Judeo-Christian God.  But first, I had to go through a process of learning the operative concepts and methods of accurate discernment. 

The universe, seemed to me, as order and structured filled with patterns, purpose, and meaning. C.S. Lewis viewed the universe as meaning drenched having layers of complexity upon complexity with God woven throughout the fabric of space-time.  Then as in common art, the universe should reflect something about its creator. Some religious circles call this the fingerprints of God.  I approached this problem of searching for the fingerprints as Leonardo Di Vinci would and applied the Di Vincian principle of 'sfumato' which is Italian for throwing everything up in smoke. Applying 'sfumato' countered the principle of condemnation without investigation or assuming that the truth was already known. This avoided incorrect foundations and misguided studies. I found on some occasions what I thought was true was not as a outcome of applying this principle.

Another principle employed was 'connessione' which is a realization of the interconnectedness of all things. In Biblical studies, the interconnectedness is considered taking into account the 'whole counsel of God'; Acts 20:27. God often explains things contextually but not always in the immediate surrounding text. The explanation could be a 1000 years later chronologically and in another book all together.  Applying the 'whole counsel of God' principle avoids dangling, unexplained, and/or tangential off shoots that do not seem to fit well into a symbiotic message and doctrine. The tools for this include a concordance, Bible Dictionaries, exegesis and/or commentaries from scholars and studied theologians alike.

There is also a concept of expositional constancy in which certain idioms, symbols, and associations carry the exact meaning where ever used.  For example, fire destroys, water cleanses, lamp stands are the churches, and the lamb is symbolic of Christ.

With these fundamental concepts and some others, I stepped back not one or two steps. In my minds eye, I stepped out of space-time all together to see creation, the universe, as best as I could from the Judeo-Christian God's perspective. What I learned was that most views were incorrect or incomplete. They accounted for time incorrectly, for example, by applying time to God who is both inside and outside of the time domain ubiquitously or applying time when God had not yet created it on the second 'day' of creation. What I saw was fascinating. 

Gaining Resolution

In the Bible, there are many ages and timelines of God's focus. Combining Biblical themes and events as well as secular world history for a complete timeline of history, the result is somewhat overwhelming. The Complete Biblical Timeline. If a serious Bible student, this can be helpful but my objective was to develop some sort of overarching timeline combined with event sequencing of a succinct theology; something a little more basic and had its message more clearly stated. There is the Biblical event sequence counting down to the Great Tribulation. There are ages or dispensations in which God's focus was on various aspects.  There is even a sequence of events for the maturity of the Church during the Church Age. None of these were complete of end-to-end explanation of the theology. Having this complete event sequence would illustrate the overall relationships and sequences of major events to the theme. This event sequence would reveal the overall account and purpose. After my research, I was able to discern the Pre-Millennial view which had the strongest support, Figure 1.

Figure 1: Pre-Millennial Threadline illustrating creation to the ascent as well as the dispensations. 

This is the high level theology. Unfortunately, many Christian religions often dispute the details but tend to agree on the overarching theme's focused on Christ. To sum up the Christianity in a classic elevator pitch one might remark as follows:

• A war broke out in heaven that resulted in evil being trapped in the World. The souls, Believers, were known before the foundations of time and were placed by God into embodiments within the world having their loyalty tested by evil before God reclaims the loyal ones and returns them home. The reclamation process involves the human recognizing their lost state and realizing the only way home is through acceptance of Jesus Christ who saves humans from a spiritual death. In the end, believers leave the current universe for a new one. The current universe is destroyed with the non-believers still in it having been raised from the dead in corporeal form and acknowledged God. 

The Biblical plot centers on Evil's attempts to distract, disrupt, deter, diminish, deny, and destroy human efforts from decoding the Biblical messages, becoming believers, and finding the narrow path home. Ultimately, evil seeks to thwart God's plan for each human. However, through faith in, acceptance, and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, human believers are able to overcome evil's efforts and return home. Evil is defeated and there is security in salvation. 

A Deeper Look

There are generally two approaches to the Bible and some others such as systemic theology. One approach of Dispensationalism and the other of approach is Covenantalism.  Dispensationalism is a successive revelation of God involving stewardship and a rule of life.  Covenantalism centers on God's promises and his revealed eternal plan in the scriptures.  In practice, there is a combination of the two that work in a symbiotic relationship of revelation. There is only one revelation in the Bible and that is Jesus Christ who is the focus of the Book of Revelation (note the singularity of Revelation). The dispensational approach was used in this post as a temporal progression is illustrated as opposed to promises that required deeper insight and did not easily support a progression of time.  Systemic Theology is a system of systems approach and an integrated message system that maintains internal consistency of the whole.

Conclusion

Given the overarching timeline, study can begin on various points delving deeper with the connection to the entire counsel of God. As one studies a new area, new knowledge will become revealed connecting back to an earlier section studied. One may find themselves returning repeatedly to earlier sections for additional study. 

The knowledge of the theology is a good thing but the personal relationship with Christ is the most important for the believer's to have access to heaven and God in the Christian religion. 

References: ( There are considerably more references and I will adding them)

Cargal, T., Chavalas, M., Edwards, J., Gooch, J., Handy, L., Keener, C., Landry, D., Lintz, R., Lyons, G., Mason, J., Merling, D., Morris, G., Wright, J. (1982). The chronological study bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers; Nashville.

Cabal, T. (2003). The apologetic study bible. Holman Bible Publishers; South Korea.

Chaffer, L., Walwood, J. (1974). Major bible themes: 52 vital doctrines of the scripture simplified and explained. Zondervan Publishing House; Grand Rapids.

Randall, K. (2003). Holman illustrated bible dictionary: jerusalem.  Holman bible publishers. Nashville. pp 889-898.

(1993). King James Bible commentary. Thomas Nelson Publishers; Nashville.

(1996). Life Application Study Bible: king james version. Tyndale House Publishers, inc; wheaton.

Coexist?

Figure 1: Popular COEXIST slogan version

Many folks have seen the COEXIST banner on bumpers, billboards, t-shirts, and other places. The symbols of one of the more popular versions, Figure 1, are several religions and secular movements in the following order from left to right; Islam, peace, homosexual, Judaism, Paganism, Taosim, and Christianity. The Group, U2, increased the awareness of the slogan when Bono of the rock group U2 wore a headband with the original design, Figure 2, during the Vertigo concert.

Figure 2: The Original Design and U2's COEXIST Support

Figure 3: Piotr Mlodozeniec

A Polish graphic designer, Piotr Mlodozeniec, created the original design in order to participate in an art contest hosted by the Museum on the Seam in 2000 for Dialogue, Understanding, and Coexistence within Israel promoting religious tolerance, Figure 3. He was runner up in the competition. Since that time, the original design has been adopted by many secular groups who adapt the design and message to their cause. Nonetheless, the message is a secular one; everyone should coexist.

The message strikes at the heart of conflicts seen between the three monotheistic faiths. The Koran's Surah 112 overtly denies John 3:16 in the Bible and ultimately the entire Bible and the Torah. Surah 9:5 is the ultimate revelation in Islam which states to kill the infidel or non-Mulsim. Conflicts between Judaism and Christianity have been mostly non-belligerent and a matter of doctrine and/or personal belief. The other symbols brought into the COEXIST mantra are the peace, homosexual, pagan, and Tao movements which are doctrinally in opposition to the three monotheistic faiths. Can all these movements and religions coexist?

Brands of Peace

There are multiple peace brands. The first peace brand is of a secular nature focusing, at least, on non-war and a secular notion of coexistence. Numerous social movements have latched on to this brand of peace over the years dabbling in the concepts. For example, wars are fought by leveraging an information differential. Some circles believe that if the information differential was closed then there would be peace or at a minimum no war. This is myopic thinking and does not account for the intent to war by the other side. The notion of secular coexistence is at the expense of the other doctrines since those must surrender to the secular concept of peace in lieu of their own peace concepts. This makes secularism no different than and other beliefs.

The Christian brand of peace is the outcome of removing that which prevents peace, evil. War broke out in Heaven and the evil was defeated then cast to the Earth like a bolt of lightning. The Judeo-Christian God trapped evil in the world then wages the war against evil beginning in Genesis 3:15 and ultimately defeats evil in the book of Revelation bringing peace to the believers only. The war is fought on a personal, communal, and national level. Humans choose sides in the war between good and evil becoming one or the other in the eyes of the Judeo-Christian God. Hence, Christian peace is at the expense of evil as defined by the Judeo-Christian God who personally wars against evil. War on a national level is used as an instrument of judgement by the Judeo-Christian God. Believers are both pawns and the prize in the fight against evil. Through trials and tribulation, the believers may be called to fight a moral war. The only righteous war involves Israel.

The Islamic notion of peace is to war against the oppressors who are defined as infidels. The goal of Islam is global dominance through a war fighting methodology detailed in the scriptural writings. The war fighting methodology centers on a three stage approach of enumeration, training, and execution. The ultimate Islamic revelation is the Sword of Islam, Surah 9:5. This final revelation states to tidy things up with the infidel then to kill the infidel where he is found, to kill him in his sleep, to bind him up firmly and smite his neck. Hence, the Islamic notion of peace is the outcome of belligerent actions determined by the believers to purify the world in the name of Islam.

Interestingly, Surah 9:5 is countered by Matthew 26:52. The Sword of Islam is countered by the Christian axiom that those who live by the sword die by the sword. The secularist argue to abandon these beliefs for theirs. However, many secularist have undertaken war when influenced by power and money in order to maintain that state regardless of any specific religious belief. Peace by brand is desirable to all but true peace may only be afforded to a few. Determining which few is a lifetime journey for each human to undertake.

Homosexuals desire to Coexist

This discussion focuses on the world-views in the Coexist banner and is not intended to promote or reject any specific personal view as a matter of point in the post.

The third symbol in the banner is the Homosexual, a secular or pagan practice that desires to coexist with the other world-views. Regardless of secular calls for legitimacy, the Judeo-Christian and Islamic world-views doctrinally hold homosexuality as an rebellious behavior.

In the Judeo-Christian worldview sexual disobedience, including homosexuality, is direct rebellion towards God. The doctrinal basis begins with Rabbinical thinking based on Genesis 1:27 that acts against the body impugn God's image in the body. The Rabbinical claim in Genesis is to the point that the image in humans gives them rights, dignity, and purpose in life. Christian doctrine builds on this Rabbinical thinking to the point that without this image, humans are just a bag of dried bones as well as humans are gifted everything from life, embodiment, money, love, talents, etc... The soul and/or the Christian are stewards of these things. Sexual misconduct impugns the dignity and rights of the image within humans and is outside the framework provided in the Bible.  This is cause for rejection by the Judeo-Christian God who provides a remedy for the offender such that if the offender turns away from the rebellious conduct and accept Jesus Christ as the Savior then they are saved from a second death, a spiritual death. The Judeo-Christian God further presents in Romans 1:20-32 that people intentionally reject God as a creator then perform unnatural acts (homosexual). When the state endorses the homosexual conduct as a matter of policy, the Judeo-Christian God turns the enemies of the state to war against them for their fall from power and/or destruction. However, the Christian worldview places the Christian amidst the world as a beacon of hope. The Christian is to hate the rebellion but love the human. Christian philosopher C.S. Lewis speaks to charity love which has several forms. The form that applies here is appreciative love common to all humans. The Christian is to share information and knowledge with others per the Great Commission, Matthew 28:19-20.

In Islam, Surahs 4:15-16, 7:80-82, 26:165-175, 27:55-58, and 29:28-29 reject homosexual conduct and provides for punishment up to the extreme of death for offenders in order to maintain purity of Islam. While many Islamic variants avoid the extreme punishment they still reject the practice implementing other forms of punishment.

Thus, homosexuality is rejected by the monotheistic world-views doctrinally as it is anti-thetical to the theology. Adherents to these world-views will resist acceptance or legitimatization of the practice.

Paganism's Desire to Coexist

Per the Random House Dictionary, Paganism is a religious practice other than the three monotheistic faiths; Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. Paganism includes polytheistic religions, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Pantheism, Wiccan's, Atheism, Agnostics, Secularists etc... The US Supreme Court ruled in 1961, Torcaso vs Watkins,  that secular humanism, atheism, is a religion. The United States 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in 2005 that atheism is Constitutionally afforded treatment as a religious belief. Given these rulings and that they are inclusive of a Pagan religion the ruling extends to Paganism as a whole. Thus, Paganism is a religious belief system counter to the monotheistic faiths just as Islam is directly counter to Judeo-Christianity. Unfortunately, there is no scriptural reference or single focal point for paganism other than a common purpose of denying the monotheistic faiths. In general, anything is possible in paganism.

Paganism holds many principles and values counter to the Monotheistic faiths. People practicing Paganism often hold very strong emotional ties to Pagan rituals and express them with evangelical fervor. For example, many Pagan's either believe in or practice homosexual conduct which is antithetical to the monotheistic faiths as already discussed. It is not uncommon for Pagan's to mark their bodies, tattoo and pierce themselves adorning with jeweleries and various symbols often demonic or satanic in nature. Tattooing is not supported in Judeo-Christian belief, Leviticus 19:28. Pagan's often latch onto secular notions of peace which is counter as discussed to the notions of peace in the monotheistic world views. Many Pagan beliefs have their own brand of peace which involve harmony with nature to sexual freedom as an expression as love or peace.

Evolution Theory is often an underpinning of Pagan beliefs as in Pantheism. Two principles hypothesis are Abiogenesis and Speciation which require over 7 epistemic assumptions that undergird the belief in evolutionary processes which are in direct denial of the Judeo-Christian notion of Creationism. Evolution is theory based thinking verses normative thinking. Hence, evolution operates under a ‘revolutionary science’ which calls into question fundamental paradigms then explores the possibilities. The discussion shifts to the theories that become more important than any of the phenomena. Often one discovery or phenomenon will be featured as evidence of the theory vice the normative approach of a repeatable experiments and outcomes to verify the conclusion. Under evolution theory there is a lack of order, repeatable processes or experimentation, and demonstrable outcomes. In short, evolution is said to be ‘deeply complex’ and not fully describable by the proponents. In general, Pagan practice often rejects other views first then seeks an alternative answer. This was the impetus behind Darwin's efforts in his evolutionary operative mechanism of natural selection.

In the Judeo-Christian world-view, this God is sovereign over all of creation including the science. Judeo-Christian beliefs are based on 3 epistemic assumptions and is counter to evolution in that Judeo-Christian God created the universe using mostly doxological arguments as opposed to scientific arguments. In Christianity there may be as many as three different sciences; creation, current, and utopian sciences with distinct switchover points in the Bible. Therefore, arguments between evolution and Christianity do not have the same focal point. Evolution proponents argue from the current science regressed back. Creation proponents argue from either a doxological posture or attempt to regress the current science back finding that difficult since the creation science may have been significantly different. The Judeo-Christian God changed nature in Genesis 3 cursing the ground and introducing the death as a means of payment for rebelling. Christians are not given the science but only the doxological account in Genesis. Moreover, belief in evolution theory is the kind of action that denies the Judeo-Christian God as a creator in Romans 1 leading to homosexual conduct then ultimately a fall from power and/or destruction of a sponsoring nation from this world-view.

The Islamic account of creation is similar to the Biblical account but uses precariously different words. For example, instead of greater and lesser light of the Sun and Moon found in the Bible, the Koran uses torch and light. Yielding different meanings that are thought to be more consistent with scientific understanding today.  Overall, the claim is that the Koran is more consistent with modern scientific discovery about creation than the Bible. 

In the mind of a Pagan, coexistence is the acceptance of their world-view based often on scientific justifications which may be a pseudo-science instead, court rulings, or impassioned insistence on acceptance that may include the passing of laws by sympathetic lawmakers. Paganism imposes itself upon the monotheistic world-views at their expense making Paganism not unlike the Islamic world-view in this matter. Judeo-Christian God does not impose himself upon people in this universe but through systematic implementation of trials and tribulations as well as efforts by the Holy Spirit attempts to convince people to return to him willfully. For example, the Bible discusses how people wander off and squander their inheritance but are are always welcome back; Luke 15:11-32.

Pagan's coexisting with the monotheistic faiths will be a challenge since the common purpose is to deny the monotheistic faiths then demonstrate that through numerous practices anti-thetical to the the monotheistic faiths. 

Taoism's Desire to Coexist

Taoism is a combination of pantheistic, polytheism, alchemy, divination, and magic of Lao Zi as taught by Tao Te Ching. The belief professes a simplistic life in harmony and noninterference with the course of natural events. Taoism is a brand of Paganism having many practices, beliefs, and values antithetical to the monotheistic faiths. Much of the differences have already been covered under the Paganism discussion.

Practices Confounding the Pursuit of Knowledge

All world-views are competitive for domination at the expense of the others in some way, shape, or form. This may be the effort behind the slogan as an operative practice. Perhaps those who gain the most desire to advance their posture through this seemingly innocent yet deceptive mantra to coexist. Getting along requires individuals to investigate other world-views and make rationale decisions based on knowledge and inner callings. However, there are many practices that get in the way of honest investigations.

Information Warfare (IW): This is an expansive discipline that exploits information for dominance in the battle space leveraging doubt, ambiguity, innuendo, and deceit at the core. The discipline involves a number of underpinning disciplines that include psychology, information sciences, and others. The Judeo-Christian Bible is said to be designed to withstand IW. The Bible delivers messages from the Judeo-Christian God. Using a high signal-to-noise ratio, important messages are delivered numerous ways to avoid hostile jamming from outside sources. Believer's are commanded not to lie. The Devil is the great deceiver who employs IW tactics of ambiguity, innuendo, and deceit detailed in the Bible while warring against the Judeo-Christian God. The Devil first used these tactics on Eve in the Garden of Eden when he placed doubt in Eve's mind about the Tree of Life by challenging what God really meant. From the Judeo-Christian world-view, other world-views are designed to disrupt, deny, diminish, deter, deflect, and/or deceive humans from receiving accurate Biblical messages.

Islam is supportive of and utilizes IW declaring Allah to be the supreme plotter; Surah 3:54. Deceit and lying are moral imperatives, Surah 16:106, when dealing with the infidels particularly during the weaken stage of Jihad. The practice is called Taqiyyah. Other Koranic Surahs that compel lying are 3:28, 9:3, 2:225, 66:2, 8:30 and 10:21. The Hadith also encourages lying and deceit (Federer, 2007, pp. 78-80).

Condemnation Without Investigation: The most damaging actions one can take is the assumption that they already have the knowledge or know the truth. This leads to the desire to rose color or filter information and knowledge based on what is thought to be known or on preconceived notions. Leonardo Di Vinci had a principle of sfumatso which means to throw everything up in smoke and re-examine. Condemnation without investigation is the most frequently used by many people usually regarding highly complex or controversial topics. This leads to a coupling of condemnation without investigation to agnosticism or willful ignorance. Some people simply have no interest in knowing or pursuing truth, knowledge, or virtue. In doing so, those who willfully deceive have ready and willing pawns who play into their schemes and deceptions.

Post Modernism: The operative mechanism in post-modernism is relativism. Truth is relative or anything goes. However, relativism fails miserably at resolving issues, questions, and arguments. A basic assumption is that everyone has a right to an opinion or their own truth. No such right is possible if an argument is to be settled. Settling an argument requires one position to be correct and others to incorrect. No one can respect the right to a personal truth or opinion without violating another's right to their personal opinion or truth.

People must re-examine everything from time-to-time. For example, upon discoveries in quantum physics, famed Physicists Richard Feynman quipped that if you think you understand quantum physics then you really do not. Discoveries in quantum physics turned the entire scientific community upside down. Perhaps honest investigation into the various world-views will turn your views upside down.

How does one COEXIST?

Coexistence, in the case of the slogan's proponents, assumes that everyone can keep their competitive beliefs, values, and practices without conflict from the other world-views. Everyone simply gets along. This is not a realistic paradigm as suggested in a world of views competitive for dominance and recognition as legitimate by those opposed.  Humans live among each other in a world where conflicts occur on personal, communal, and national levels. Identities are disparate and competitive in many cases. This is a pipe dream when many of the other world-views formed in direct opposition principally to the monotheistic world-views. For example, Charles Darwin initially set out to determine a view other than creationism. The struggle is not to coexist through tolerance. The battle among world-views is dominance instead of tolerance. Even the secular world-views pleas for tolerance are dominance  of their own world-view instead. 

The proper approach to this conundrum is multi-faceted and requires effort on all parties. People must:

• Resist acting on impulse or emotion. ie it just seems right...
• Resist assuming that the knowledge or truth is already known.
• Study how to discern truth and honest knowledge; Epistemology.
• Broad base your knowledge on the core subjects; math, science, languages, history, etc...
• Study and compare as many world-views as possible.
• Try to step out of the world and look back in order to see a grander picture.
• Try to assume other positions and argue from that point of view.

These actions are the basis for forming a knowledgable position and rightly selecting a world-view to follow. Most people have little time and may not execute all these efforts reasonably well though. Nonetheless, any effort is better than condemnation without investigation or willful ignorance. Is it not better to be rooted in a winning side based on solid knowledge, truth, and virtue?

References:

Numerous resources were used in developing this post. I cited the most prominent and greatest contributions.

Bucaille, M. (1976). The qurán and modern science. French academy of medicine:  Saudi Arabia.

Clendenen, E.R. (2003). Holman illustrated bible dictionary: peace. Holman: Nashville, TN. pp 1261-1262.

El Fadl, K.A. (2004). Islam and the challenge of democracy. Princeton University Press: New Jersey.

El Fadl, K.A. (2002). The place of tolerance in islam. Beacon press: Boston.

Federer, W.J. (2007). What every american needs to know about the quran: a history of islam and the united states. Amerisearch; Saint Louis.

Gabriel, M.A. (2002). Islam and terrorism. Frontline; Florida.

George, T. (2002). Is the father of jesus: the god of muhammad? Zondervan: Michigan.

Johnson, J. A. (2003). Holman illustrated bible dictionary: Homosexuality. Holman: Nashville, TN. pp 777-779.

Lewis, C.S. (1971). The four loves: the much beloved exploration of the nature of love. (2nd e.d.). Mariner books; New York.

Mohler, A.R. (2003). Holman illustrated bible dictionary: sex, biblical teachings. Holman: Nashville, TN. pp 1469-1471.

(2013). Homosexuality and islam. Religion Facts. Resourced May 20, 2013 from:
http://www.religionfacts.com/homosexuality/islam.htm

(2013). History: charles darwin (1809-1882). BBC. Resourced May 21, 2013 from:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/darwin_charles.shtm

(1999). King james: bible commentary. Thomas Nelson Publishers; Nashville.

(2007). The apologetics: study bible. Holman bible Publishers; Nashville, TN.