Bob on Gift Giving

In response to someone who had complained about people giving in to a compulsion to buy gifts for others, particularly at Christmas:
"You really don't wish to feed into the 'compulsion' of a person to buy presents for another person (even if, in an imperfect way, it was intended to show the recipient that someone cared for and thought about him/her). Somehow, you seem to recoil from the possibility that human beings, even if in their present somewhat darkened and blind states, can have genuine caring feelings for another. Then it is even harder to imagine that Love is the core of existence. But I do believe that Love can break through, albeit in unexpected ways. To say 'undeserved' would be a judgment that, as Barack Obama puts it, is 'beyond my pay grade.' I think of it instead as an unconditional inheritance, such as in the Parable of the Prodigal Son."

Bob on James Dean

Bob, on James Dean's death:
"But perhaps it was best, rather than that he serve as an object of lustful temptation to unconscious young ladies for years to come....Perhaps the awareness of the Cosmos was that fame would ruin him and so his behavior would remain immature. But not to worry - he will indeed have many chances, like the rest of us, to continue his journey into Wholeness, or Love."

Bob on "Should"

Bob, at Saturday morning breakfast: "Should is a big word."

Bob on Choices

"My guess is that our own experiences are partly due to our own choices (conscious or unconscious) and partly due to the net effect of our collective conscious and unconscious choices. Meditation and other consciousness-raising practices and intentions gives us more control over our experiences and over our relationships with others. Loving others is a means of loving ourselves; so is forgiving; so is hating or disdaining or judging. The loving path IMHO brings us closer to joy and wholeness and that experience which is beyond perception; the fear-filled, judging path leads to more pain, IMHO.

Eventually, we'll all tire of pain and will move along the loving path more predictably. I think this is built into the "grain" of the Cosmos. It clearly isn't the easiest, seemingly. But the alternative is, again, worse and more painful."

Bob on Cruel Laughter

This sounds like a made up fable.

Bob:
The Master [said], "It is good and healthful for people to
laugh, unless the laughter is triggered by malicious reasons, such as
the misfortunes or stupidity or physical ugliness of another. Then it
is better for them not to laugh but instead have compassion on, and
communion with, the subject of the laughter. And then all can rejoice
as one"

The Master continued, "I know these things, because I, too, once
laughed out of cruel reasons. I now understand I had been mistaken
then."

Thus sayeth Pogo.

Bob on current events: Russian man attempts to rape raccoon, loses penis

For reference: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2172612.ece
The Russian-raccoon rape email discussion, amongst family, quickly devolves into another chapter of The Gospel of Bob.

Mo, a contributor to this blog, thought the attempted rapist got what he had coming:
" i don't care how drunk you are, why would you think it
was remotely ok to rape an animal, for crying out loud. geesh!"

Bob:
"Because you are sick and the alcohol reduced your inhibitions. There
is nothing to rejoice in here. It must have been traumatic for both
parties to the acts.

It is equally sick to rejoice at the misfortunes of others....."

Niteblade, another contributor:
"I'm rejoicing."

Bob:
"Then you, like the Russian, "Don't know what you are doing." And that
is sad. It is a denial of the deeper joy in realizing your common
humanity with that Russian fellow (and all others)."

An introduction to The Gospel of Bob

The prophet Bob has endless words of wisdom for all, especially those who don't even know they are lost. A full text of Bob's wisdom is currently under construction. Let's start with a simple entry for today, an example response to some criticism of the former GOP candidate for Vice President:

"Sarah Palin is who she is. Not presidential material, but she may do
adequately well up in Alaska. Like GWB, let's hope that she
eventually comes to grips with how she comes across to the public and
then be patient with herself as she begins to mature and become
gentler and to listen to other points of view. Can any of us ask more
of ourselves as we travel together on the planet?"