Jesus and Giraffes...and Many Remembrances from Passover through Modern Faith and Cultural Practices

This week is a big week around the world, due to the legacy of Passover and the much later events of Jesus walking the earth with huge consequences for the world, whether believers or not. The politics of any religion are clearly a huge and often separate component of the actual stated beliefs and practices of any particular faith (Think of the Do As I Say (which may be rather vague) not what I Do (which also may be rather inconsistent.)I'll be getting to the Giraffe Connections in a bit but for inspiration see "The Giraffes Welcome You to Bushnell Sage Library" --another post I wrote a while back.

Sadly the idea of 'where there is religion there is war or at least a lot of bloodshed' could basically be taught in grade school to help more youth and the public see the connection, for better or worse. Mostly in our modern world, no one is advocating to 'kill one's enemies' or those who impede one's options or progress.

Alarmingly one youtube video I watched the other day explained how horribly the founding leaders of America (The United States of America) treated the Natives who lived on the continental United States (before it was conquered or bartered away) from sea to shining sea. Instead the "Manifest Destiny" doctrine finished off the decimation of most of the tribes who were herded onto reservations after the buffalo were destroyed.

The devastation was swift and wide, and the horns of the buffalo that were killed were piled in mountains about 50 feet high. We really need to have a day of remembrance for all we've trampled on and taken from the Natives, including their children to modernize them often with cruel practices to cut off their ties to their culture and people.

Now as Jesus said on the cross, "Father, Forgive them they know not what they do" we likely need to replace the 'them' with "us' even if we hold the values of the golden rule and honoring a Creator, a loving Holy Spirit and a Messiah willing to be the messenger and the sacrifice (if one were truly required to somehow bridge the gap between our mortality and our divinity) in Jesus Christ.

We should have ongoing think tanks which actually reflect on the modern world (as well as the many historical steps leading up to these times.) Unfortunately there are few interdenominational conversations and even fewer that factor in what is going on in society, both politically and culturally. In the BMCC (Battered Mothers Custody Conference) efforts over the past decade which meets with leading advocates nationally each year for a weeked and had important insightful books from www.civicresearchinstitute.org or com about Representing the Domestic Violence Survivor and protecting Children as well, court watchers have reported violations and recommendations to help our most vulnerable today. Meanwhile there are needs for the climate and animals who are warning sighs for us all on earth. Here is a post I shared with someone whose son was nicknamed Giraffe. He died a year ago and became an organ donor, helping many with cricitcal needs to live. The love and gift of life echoes the Easter messages of resurrection.

The signs and wonders his family and friends seem to receive to remind them of his love and connection is one many more are experiencing with loved ones on the other side myself included from our late teen son Kaelan Paton (who there is more info about online.) I was seeing a sad news update about the fate of real giraffes on our planet..suffering from a 'silent extinction' in that resources are dwindling and American trophy hunters have a green light to hunt them. More protection is being sought. In addition the link between funds for hunting fees going to parks where giraffes are conserved needs more clarification from the one article I read about it online.

A young person (a girl 12 years old) had killed a giraffe and had 50K views online. She was advocating that the legal hunting may be one way to promote greater conservation efforts which was confusing yet important to learn about. There are estimates of about 95K giraffes which is a huge drop in twenty years. Again this is just an overview to help people not turn a blind eye to the endangered species as well as what that implies for the rest of life on the planet.

 I realized the messages from heaven to earth are not just for humans but maybe more animals needing advocacy (as well as plants, soils, water..the works.) I felt your son, Kev, also called "Giraffe" was being an ambassador for them as well to catch our interest and realize how they are warning us of the climate and other challenges we need to face bravely as a team...

Keep us posted and I have a few pictures (and video) of the clouds forming into hearts on a walk the other day when I thought about those you have shared..I wondered if Kaelan and my loved ones ...maybe even your Kev..could write in the clouds in a timely fashion. I didn't want to look too hard or force anything..but what to my wondering eyes did appear...one, two then three hearts seemed to appear

Lots of love above for all of us, especially during this 'week of remembrance before Easter and Passover'...We are the benefactors of thousands of years of struggle and generations of people working mostly for the greater good, but we need to mix in a lot more peace and love and mutual understanding of our shared journey on earth. I may have to post this on my blog www.livfully.org since I've been meaning to share a message in a timely way..I'll shift the names a bit though.