Lincoln's Birthday And Religious Belief

     

Tucson Weather Today

_________________________

When one says that today is Abraham Lincoln's birthday, nothing more need be said about it. Every adult American knows who President Abraham Lincoln was and what he did for the nation.

_____

Religion . . .

For most of my life I thought that the Hindus of India believed that cows were sacred. Now I find that I was wrong. In Hinduism, the cow is revered as the source of food and symbol of life and may never be killed. Hindus do not worship the cow, however, and cows do not have especially charmed lives in India. It is more accurate to say the cow is taboo in Hinduism, rather than sacred.

The fundamental Hindu beliefs include: the authority of the Vedas (the oldest Indian sacred texts) and the Brahmans (priests); the existence of an enduring soul that transmigrates from one body to another at death (reincarnation); and the law of karma that determines one's destiny both in this life and the next.

Karma is regarded as a fundamental law of nature that is automatic and mechanical. It is not something that is imposed by God or a god as a system of punishment or reward, nor something that the gods can interfere with.

Karma

The ultimate goal of all Hindus is release from the cycle of rebirth. For those of a devotional bent, this means being in God's presence, while those of a philosophical persuasion look forward to uniting with God as a drop of rain merges with the sea.

As I grow older I learn more and more, but what I learn seems to be of less and less value. Looking deep within my basic (seemingly instinctual) knowledge base (wisdom?) I choose to believe that I, as a human animal have no greater purpose beyond that of propagating my species -- nothing more -- and possessing a super brain as humans believe we do, is nothing more than carrying around a somewhat more efficient chemical factory within my skull than do the other Earth-bound creatures.

Human life has no meaning, at least as we are able to grok the meaning of meaning. And I know I am right about that.

I can't help it; that's just the way I am.

What do you believe, in all honesty, way down deep within your self?

Or do you even know?

Or want to?

_____

Did You Know . . .?

The origin of New York City being called "The Big Apple" came from the catchphrase of New York Morning Telegraph track writer John J. Fitz Gerald in the 1920s. He picked up the term from African-American stable hands at the Fair Grounds racetrack in New Orleans, probably on January 14, 1920.

_____

HISTORICAL EVENT

On this day in 1809 Abraham Lincoln, one of America's most admired presidents was born. He grew up a member of a poor family in Kentucky and Indiana. He attended school for only one year, but thereafter read on his own in a continual effort to improve his mind. As an adult, he lived in Illinois and performed a variety of jobs including stints as a postmaster, surveyor and shopkeeper, before entering politics. He served in the Illinois legislature from 1834 to 1836, and then became an attorney in 1842.

Lincoln won the presidency in 1860 by approximately 400,000 popular votes and carried the Electoral College.

Lincoln is remembered as The Great Emancipator. His greatest legacy was his work to preserve the Union and his signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. To Confederate sympathizers, however, Lincoln's signing of the Emancipation Proclamation reinforced his image as a hated despot and ultimately led John Wilkes Booth to assassinate him on April 14, 1865.

_____

WORD FOR TODAY

emancipation  [ee-MAN-suh-pay-shun]
noun
1. the act of freeing or state of being freed; liberation.
2. freedom from inhibition and convention.

Wikipedia says that emancipation is any of various efforts to procuring political rights or equality, often for a specifically disenfranchised group, or more generally in discussion of such matters.

Mortimer Adler, an American philosopher, educator, and popular author, once said: "Freedom is the emancipation from the arbitrary rule of other men."

_____

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

Abraham Lincoln

(Feb 12, 1809 - Apr 15, 1865)

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. Lincoln led the United States through its Civil War--its bloodiest war and its greatest moral, constitutional and political crisis. In so doing he preserved the Union, abolished slavery, strengthened the national government and modernized the economy.

Joanna Kerns

(born February 12, 1953)

Joanna Kerns is an American actress and director best known for her role as Maggie Seaver on the family situation comedy Growing Pains from 1985–1992.

Jesse Gordon Spencer

(born 12 February 1979)

Jesse Spencer is an Australian actor and musician. He is best known for playing Dr. Robert Chase on the American medical drama House, and Billy Kennedy on the Australian soap opera Neighbours. He currently stars as Lieutenant Matthew Casey on the American drama series Chicago Fire.

Alexandra Estella DeAnna "Alex" Meneses

(born February 12, 1965)

Alex Meneses is an American television and film actress. Meneses portrayed Teresa Morales in Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, and has had significant recurring roles on Everybody Loves Raymond as Robert's Italian girlfriend, Stefania; Friends (1997, Third season) as Cookie (Joey Tribiani's sister); and The Hughleys. She has also appeared in Martial Law as Alex Delgado in the episode Lock Up and the films Amanda and the Alien, Selena, Living in Peril, The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, Auto Focus, NCIS, and Funny Money.

__________

The Bible and the Church have been the greatest stumbling blocks in the way of women's emancipation.
--Elizabeth Cady Stanton

NASA TV

This Is Who I Am