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You Can’t Have It Both Ways

Posted By: Randy GageJuly 28, 2010

"One doesn't need to be so black/white about it.”  So someone wrote in response to the recent posts on having a congruent philosophy.   Whenever you hear words like that, you can tell exactly where the conversation is going.

Those are the words that people who live without a philosophy use to justify their beliefs.  Unfortunately, philosophies don’t work that way, any more than you can be a little bit pregnant.

The writer in my email continued, “I would NOT be in favor of a mass murderer being set free to murder again, or a serial rapist getting off on a technicality to rape again...and in your heart of hearts, neither would you.  What if that NEXT murder or rape was one of YOUR loved ones?  You'd be furious or you'd be dishonest with your own emotions...take your pick (or you'd be as much of a monster as the murderer/rapist).”

And see there’s the rub…

You can’t have it both ways.  It has to be black or white; there can be no gray.  You can’t say you stand by the Bill of Rights, but also support convicting someone because the police broke into his house without a warrant, and obtained some illegal evidence.  No matter how heinous the crime.

As a rational being with thought, you can have one of two choices:

Choice number one:  You believe the criminal must go free, even if we know he is guilty.  You understand that individual rights are not for only when they are convenient.  You must stand by your laws and the philosophy they were based on, even when an injustice has occurred.  Principles are not for only when they are convenient.  They must be unyielding and absolute.

The rights which citizens of a nation are entitled to must be equal and applicable to all.  That’s where the term “blind justice” came about.  The rights cannot be disregarded because the government believes someone might be a criminal.  If you allow even one exception, then you are on the road to a police state.  And you never know when the next knock at the door will be at yours.

Power corrupts.  And if you give a government powers of unwarranted search and seizure, you end up with regimes like Castro, Saddam Hussein, and Hitler.

Or choice number two:  You say the criminal goes to prison anyway, because of “extenuating circumstances.”

“He’s an animal,” you could say.  “This guy murdered an innocent 9-year-old girl.  He doesn’t deserve any rights.”

But you can’t say that your belief is congruent with the Bill of Rights we have in the United States.  Because you can’t take away his rights, without taking away everyone else’s.

Of course I would hate a criminal getting set free on a technicality.  No need to be dishonest with my emotions.  Of course I would be furious, upset, and anguished.

Yes, I would fear for my loved ones, and want the police to do everything in their power to ensure the killer doesn’t kill again.  But only what is legal.  If you allow the police or military to circumvent laws, then you end up with no laws.

There is no choice three here.  Your philosophy must be congruent, or you don’t have one.  You are simply responding to memes from the mass population.  There is no Bill of Rights, unless it applies to everyone equally.

Think about that some, and next post I’ll give you my take on how that would play out in today’s world.

BTW, the new episode of Prosperity TV is up.  Check it out for a peek into the First Class private suites on Emirates Airlines and their new $5 billion terminal in Dubai. Go to: http://www.youtube.com/randygage

-RG

31 comments on “You Can’t Have It Both Ways”

  1. I have found that life is pretty much ALL grey, and those who see it as black and white usually see themselves and everything they think in the white.

    And GOD HELP YOU if you feel differently- JIHAD!!!!!!!

    1. Bones, I looked up the definition of Jihad, just so that I had it clear. I got two from Google: struggle and holy war. Why did you bring that up? What does it have to do with the world being black & while or grey? And do war and struggle assist you in achieving the level of prosperity that you desire?

      1. Carmen,

        Thanks for posing that question. I was thinking the same thing.

        BTW, the Arabic word Jihad simply means "to strive." Struggle was a good translation in the 19th and early 20th century, but the meaning of the word struggle has changed since then and is no longer applicable to the word Jihad. As for "holy war" there is nothing holy about wars in Islam, which teaches that saving one life is as saving all of the humanity. It is a political meme of the western media.

        Rasheed

        1. Hey Carmen and Rashid-

          What I meant was that it's the "Black and White" philosophies that breed the religious wars, the fascist regimes, and the lack of mutual understanding in the world.

          I understand the need for principles that are adhered to, but ultimately, the entire world is grey areas.

          No matter how thin you slice it, there are always two sides.

    2. Bones,

      Until recently I'd lived that grey life for about 15 years. Prior to that everything was very black and white with me. My opinions and convictions became grey. My relationships and friendships became grey. It led me to a financial and mental situation I wouldn't wish on anyone.

      If "life is pretty much ALL grey", it's not a reason to live a grey life. Standing by our convictions and believing in something has got to be healthier than wandering around in the grey mist. Those who do wander usually find themselves living by somebody else's philosophies, making decisions based on approval of others, and living life in the herd resulting in following along with everyone else. The irony is that this usually means following someone who doesn't live a grey life.

      We need to be black or white in our philosophies in order to excel and succeed. We need to be black or white just so we can lives lives with any real meaning or purpose. As Randy says, it's all about congruence. If there's nothing to believe in, there's little to live for. Life becomes monotonous. While living at the extremes has it's hazards, it can also bring great satisfaction.

      1. I didn't say that there was nothing to believe in, I didn't say that principles weren't valuable.

        What I DID say is that when people stand on their black and white, it's usually dogmatic.

        Do you think Ghandi lived a life of black and white? Nope. How about Jesus? Nope. Jesus' whole thing was pretty much "greying" the dogmatic Jewish religion. There were thing they STOOD FOR, but he was still able to forgive the adulteress.

        I'm all for congruence and principles, but a world of absolutes is is IMPOSSIBLE.

        Many- MANY people on this blog are so-called Christians, but they ALL have grey areas and differences- how can that be if it's all Black and White?

  2. I'm with you Randy. I do believe in adhering to the principles that we have set for ourselves. They are there in black and white to serve and guide us when we are tempted to break them.

  3. I absolutly agree with you on this one. Although I quite often see some Memes in your brain too!!
    😉

      1. Randy's memes are the difference between tunnel & funnel vision. Or disempowering & empowering programming.

        Memely yours,
        F-ran-cisco

  4. Randy
    You often use this extreme example of murder. What would be a milder example?

    If it is not a matter of life or death surely it is a good philosophy to be flexible in responding to different situations.

    So many things that happen can be interpreted in different ways by different people right?

    I'm an all or nothing type but if anything I'm working on myself to be less rigid and more flexible.

  5. Lets change focus and talk about trust, love, safety, security, prosperity, and all good stuff. What we resist persists.

  6. Great.

    Isn't the standing by your philosophy a nice extension of Wallace D. Wattles: ACTING IN A CERTAIN WAY?

    I am absolutely thrilled by the perspective of acting in a certain way from now and for the rest og my life. Jai!!!

    There is no replacement for justice.

    Not so easy a qusstion to ask is: can you be a fundamentalist American?

    In wonder and respect Pierre Leyssac, CPH

  7. Everyone has rights and if one breaks the law then one still has the right to be defended....only problem as I see it is that the law is an ass and many judges way past their sell by date...If you take it say your daughter was murdered and the murderer got off on a technicality...what about the rights of the victim and the victim's family....no daughter..no justice....and still yes the murderer has the right to go and do it all again......strange world....
    Have a great day Randy....

    1. Angela,

      If the law is an ass, then get rid of it, ad replace it with something better, until then it is the law and must be followed, or you are a hypocrite.

  8. I think this is where Hollywood has to much influence on peoples minds.

    I agree with Randy! Life really should be Black and White.

    However, people are imperfect. So if someone (a police officer) makes a mistake, breaks the rules (example of a murderer - OJ) and the murderer is set free. The murderer will get caught doing something (not to mention the civil aspect of justice) and go to jail for it. Hollywood comes out with these thrillers on how a person gets away with it. Sorry, life gets in the way and you will get caught!

    That being said, our system really isn't based on Constitutional law any more. We have moved away from the Constitution and moved into case law. Which dilutes our laws.

    1. That being said, our system really isn’t based on Constitutional law any more. We have moved away from the Constitution and moved into case law. Which dilutes our laws.

      AMEN

      1. Rasheed,

        Well spoken for the strict constitutionalists. Unfortunately, even our founding fathers knew that what they had created wasn't perfect and would need to change as society evolved. I have attached an excerpt from a letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote as an example of why sometimes case law is needed and why "activist judges" are actually doing what Jefferson intended in this letter.

        ‎"But I know also that laws and institutions must go hand in hand with progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths disclosed, and manners and opinions change with the change of circumstances, institution must advance also, and keep pace with the times."
        Thomas Jefferson-Letter to Samuel Kercheval July 12, 1816

  9. Gray always seems to get darker and darker never whiter,,,, If we stay in the "black and white" there would never be illegally collected evidence or technicalities!!!

  10. God Has It All Ways. That's how it knows itself.

    You don't need a philosophy, or religion for that matter.

    God has neither.

    You need the actual truth. Not the "real" (individual) truth, but the actual truth.

    One of the aspects of God-Mind is Truth, hence there should be no getting off on some technicality etc.

    Truth stands alone and does not change by time and space.

    In Hebrew, a truly hyperspace language before modern corruptions, the English transliteration for "truth" is "Ehmaat". When you remove the first syllable (vowel) you get "Maat", the root word for death.

    The symbolism here is that if you take away from the truth even one vowel, you receive death.

    God-Mind has no agenda, no punishment, no doctrine, no demands, and no ritual. All of that comes from people who want to control others.

    But of course, there is always universal law.

    However, where everyhing is "God's will", truth is never learned, life never understood, God an unknown factor and everything a mystery.

    And to end up with regimes like Castro, Saddam Hussein, and Hitler, look no further than the current US administration. If you think that's a "conspiracy theory", what is all this ranting about memes among the masses then? Who or what programmed them and why? Sure sounds like a "conspiracy theory" to me. And you can't have it both ways, or?

  11. What Meme's control Police racial profiling on people of color and what Memes put 50% of the prison population Black Men and Women and yet Blacks are 12% of the population. Oh yes it is Black and White! LOL! And still we Strive!

    1. Of course, racism exist. One hundred years from now, people are going to look back and say, what was the big fuss about skin color.
      Humans are very slow to change.

  12. Randy,

    These are excellent points. That is like the story about the couple that lived in the 1700's and had 5 children who were born blind and deaf. The father was an alcoholic and the mother had venereal disease and was pregnant. The teacher asked the class what should you do. ALmost everyone said have an abortion. The teacher turned to the class and said, "Congratulations, you just killed Beethoven".
    I am not taking sides for pro-choice or pro-life, but here is how we think. The fact is that we are not in charge of the Universe and what is my truth today is an appearance and can change in a week, with new information.
    Jim

  13. Hi Randy,

    The more open I am to things the more decisive I become, letting me see things one way. Still have plenty of meme's, but they tend to dissolve as I become more of a free thinker.

    Checked out the video, what a yacht. Great pad too 🙂

    Ryan Biddulph

  14. Well, the Bill of Rights did not apply to all humans when it was written. In fact, the writers stated that on writing them.
    It was an attempt to break from the monarchies and religious wars that had ravaged what now is called Europe for 1700 years.
    Just as now, we are moving toward a social democracy since most policial rights have been won for most people.

  15. Black and White is a masonic Hegelian dissociation.
    You should have it both ways, it's the only way to maintain balance.
    You're points are Mind Kontrol and moot

  16. Black and White is a masonic Hegelian dissociation.
    You should have it both ways, it's the only way to maintain balance.
    You're points are Mind Kontrol and moot

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  • 31 comments on “You Can’t Have It Both Ways”

    1. I have found that life is pretty much ALL grey, and those who see it as black and white usually see themselves and everything they think in the white.

      And GOD HELP YOU if you feel differently- JIHAD!!!!!!!

      1. Bones, I looked up the definition of Jihad, just so that I had it clear. I got two from Google: struggle and holy war. Why did you bring that up? What does it have to do with the world being black & while or grey? And do war and struggle assist you in achieving the level of prosperity that you desire?

        1. Carmen,

          Thanks for posing that question. I was thinking the same thing.

          BTW, the Arabic word Jihad simply means "to strive." Struggle was a good translation in the 19th and early 20th century, but the meaning of the word struggle has changed since then and is no longer applicable to the word Jihad. As for "holy war" there is nothing holy about wars in Islam, which teaches that saving one life is as saving all of the humanity. It is a political meme of the western media.

          Rasheed

          1. Hey Carmen and Rashid-

            What I meant was that it's the "Black and White" philosophies that breed the religious wars, the fascist regimes, and the lack of mutual understanding in the world.

            I understand the need for principles that are adhered to, but ultimately, the entire world is grey areas.

            No matter how thin you slice it, there are always two sides.

      2. Bones,

        Until recently I'd lived that grey life for about 15 years. Prior to that everything was very black and white with me. My opinions and convictions became grey. My relationships and friendships became grey. It led me to a financial and mental situation I wouldn't wish on anyone.

        If "life is pretty much ALL grey", it's not a reason to live a grey life. Standing by our convictions and believing in something has got to be healthier than wandering around in the grey mist. Those who do wander usually find themselves living by somebody else's philosophies, making decisions based on approval of others, and living life in the herd resulting in following along with everyone else. The irony is that this usually means following someone who doesn't live a grey life.

        We need to be black or white in our philosophies in order to excel and succeed. We need to be black or white just so we can lives lives with any real meaning or purpose. As Randy says, it's all about congruence. If there's nothing to believe in, there's little to live for. Life becomes monotonous. While living at the extremes has it's hazards, it can also bring great satisfaction.

        1. I didn't say that there was nothing to believe in, I didn't say that principles weren't valuable.

          What I DID say is that when people stand on their black and white, it's usually dogmatic.

          Do you think Ghandi lived a life of black and white? Nope. How about Jesus? Nope. Jesus' whole thing was pretty much "greying" the dogmatic Jewish religion. There were thing they STOOD FOR, but he was still able to forgive the adulteress.

          I'm all for congruence and principles, but a world of absolutes is is IMPOSSIBLE.

          Many- MANY people on this blog are so-called Christians, but they ALL have grey areas and differences- how can that be if it's all Black and White?

    2. I'm with you Randy. I do believe in adhering to the principles that we have set for ourselves. They are there in black and white to serve and guide us when we are tempted to break them.

    3. I absolutly agree with you on this one. Although I quite often see some Memes in your brain too!!
      😉

        1. Randy's memes are the difference between tunnel & funnel vision. Or disempowering & empowering programming.

          Memely yours,
          F-ran-cisco

    4. Randy
      You often use this extreme example of murder. What would be a milder example?

      If it is not a matter of life or death surely it is a good philosophy to be flexible in responding to different situations.

      So many things that happen can be interpreted in different ways by different people right?

      I'm an all or nothing type but if anything I'm working on myself to be less rigid and more flexible.

    5. Lets change focus and talk about trust, love, safety, security, prosperity, and all good stuff. What we resist persists.

    6. Great.

      Isn't the standing by your philosophy a nice extension of Wallace D. Wattles: ACTING IN A CERTAIN WAY?

      I am absolutely thrilled by the perspective of acting in a certain way from now and for the rest og my life. Jai!!!

      There is no replacement for justice.

      Not so easy a qusstion to ask is: can you be a fundamentalist American?

      In wonder and respect Pierre Leyssac, CPH

    7. Everyone has rights and if one breaks the law then one still has the right to be defended....only problem as I see it is that the law is an ass and many judges way past their sell by date...If you take it say your daughter was murdered and the murderer got off on a technicality...what about the rights of the victim and the victim's family....no daughter..no justice....and still yes the murderer has the right to go and do it all again......strange world....
      Have a great day Randy....

      1. Angela,

        If the law is an ass, then get rid of it, ad replace it with something better, until then it is the law and must be followed, or you are a hypocrite.

    8. I think this is where Hollywood has to much influence on peoples minds.

      I agree with Randy! Life really should be Black and White.

      However, people are imperfect. So if someone (a police officer) makes a mistake, breaks the rules (example of a murderer - OJ) and the murderer is set free. The murderer will get caught doing something (not to mention the civil aspect of justice) and go to jail for it. Hollywood comes out with these thrillers on how a person gets away with it. Sorry, life gets in the way and you will get caught!

      That being said, our system really isn't based on Constitutional law any more. We have moved away from the Constitution and moved into case law. Which dilutes our laws.

      1. That being said, our system really isn’t based on Constitutional law any more. We have moved away from the Constitution and moved into case law. Which dilutes our laws.

        AMEN

        1. Rasheed,

          Well spoken for the strict constitutionalists. Unfortunately, even our founding fathers knew that what they had created wasn't perfect and would need to change as society evolved. I have attached an excerpt from a letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote as an example of why sometimes case law is needed and why "activist judges" are actually doing what Jefferson intended in this letter.

          ‎"But I know also that laws and institutions must go hand in hand with progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths disclosed, and manners and opinions change with the change of circumstances, institution must advance also, and keep pace with the times."
          Thomas Jefferson-Letter to Samuel Kercheval July 12, 1816

    9. Gray always seems to get darker and darker never whiter,,,, If we stay in the "black and white" there would never be illegally collected evidence or technicalities!!!

    10. God Has It All Ways. That's how it knows itself.

      You don't need a philosophy, or religion for that matter.

      God has neither.

      You need the actual truth. Not the "real" (individual) truth, but the actual truth.

      One of the aspects of God-Mind is Truth, hence there should be no getting off on some technicality etc.

      Truth stands alone and does not change by time and space.

      In Hebrew, a truly hyperspace language before modern corruptions, the English transliteration for "truth" is "Ehmaat". When you remove the first syllable (vowel) you get "Maat", the root word for death.

      The symbolism here is that if you take away from the truth even one vowel, you receive death.

      God-Mind has no agenda, no punishment, no doctrine, no demands, and no ritual. All of that comes from people who want to control others.

      But of course, there is always universal law.

      However, where everyhing is "God's will", truth is never learned, life never understood, God an unknown factor and everything a mystery.

      And to end up with regimes like Castro, Saddam Hussein, and Hitler, look no further than the current US administration. If you think that's a "conspiracy theory", what is all this ranting about memes among the masses then? Who or what programmed them and why? Sure sounds like a "conspiracy theory" to me. And you can't have it both ways, or?

    11. What Meme's control Police racial profiling on people of color and what Memes put 50% of the prison population Black Men and Women and yet Blacks are 12% of the population. Oh yes it is Black and White! LOL! And still we Strive!

      1. Of course, racism exist. One hundred years from now, people are going to look back and say, what was the big fuss about skin color.
        Humans are very slow to change.

    12. Randy,

      These are excellent points. That is like the story about the couple that lived in the 1700's and had 5 children who were born blind and deaf. The father was an alcoholic and the mother had venereal disease and was pregnant. The teacher asked the class what should you do. ALmost everyone said have an abortion. The teacher turned to the class and said, "Congratulations, you just killed Beethoven".
      I am not taking sides for pro-choice or pro-life, but here is how we think. The fact is that we are not in charge of the Universe and what is my truth today is an appearance and can change in a week, with new information.
      Jim

    13. Hi Randy,

      The more open I am to things the more decisive I become, letting me see things one way. Still have plenty of meme's, but they tend to dissolve as I become more of a free thinker.

      Checked out the video, what a yacht. Great pad too 🙂

      Ryan Biddulph

    14. Well, the Bill of Rights did not apply to all humans when it was written. In fact, the writers stated that on writing them.
      It was an attempt to break from the monarchies and religious wars that had ravaged what now is called Europe for 1700 years.
      Just as now, we are moving toward a social democracy since most policial rights have been won for most people.

    15. Black and White is a masonic Hegelian dissociation.
      You should have it both ways, it's the only way to maintain balance.
      You're points are Mind Kontrol and moot

    16. Black and White is a masonic Hegelian dissociation.
      You should have it both ways, it's the only way to maintain balance.
      You're points are Mind Kontrol and moot

    Leave a Reply to White Winged Lion/Dragon Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


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