"All through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it— always."
Mohandas K. Gandhi
"No one can serve two masters, for he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one, and be neglectful of the other. And so you cannot serve both God and Mammon."
Matt 6:24
"Those who are at present so eager to be reconciled with the world at any price must take care not to be reconciled with it under this particular aspect: as the nest of The Unspeakable. This is what too few are willing to see."
Thomas Merton
"The extreme greatness of Christianity lies in the fact that it does not seek a supernatural cure for suffering, but a supernatural use of it."
Simone Weil
"And because of the increase in wickedness, the love of most will grow cold. But those who stand firm to the end, will be saved."
Matthew 24:12
Wall Street continued to push the risk envelope today.
My sense is that this is a 'wash and rinse' operation, designed to clean out the shorts and especially the holdings of weak hands who trade for the short term.
But we will see how much follow through these jokers can squeeze out next week, with or without tweet effects and support.
Gold and silver had a rough week to say the least, especially silver which has had quite the fall from a recent high.
This is not government intervention per se in my judgement in the metals markets. Perhaps it is with stocks, and for obvious reasons.
With the metals it seems more likely that some of the big banks are cleaning up on their oversized short positions, albeit with the government standing idly by and doing nothing to regulate and ensure 'fair markets.'
But isn't that what so many utterly propagandized free marketeers want? To allow powerful interests to have their way with markets, and healthcare, and insurance, and the distribution of wealth, enforcement of the laws, and just about everything else?
The huge disconnect between what people say that they believe and what they want is very typical of people who have been molded into a particular pattern of thought by repeated arguments that, upon closer inspection, are obviously founded in wicked self-interest.
But in the short term there is no helping people who have reached their 'opinions' by emotionalism. They reject thought and facts, and cling to the delusions fostered in them by the crowd that surrounds the demagogue. They insulate themselves from reason with a kind of fervor.
I am not overly concerned myself. This is nothing new, and we have seen it all before. I have seen it and I am not even all that old really.
Could it get worse? Absolutely. Will it get worse? I don't think it will get any worse than it was in the 60's and 70's.
We do live in dangerous times. But all times are dangerous, to the individual. This is the nature of this world, since recorded history.
My biggest concern is for people that I like to hold on to their souls, myself included.
That is the real game. That is the crux of the battle.
That is the only investment you have that, at the end of the day, truly matters.
Things will unfold as they will, slowly at first then in a rush.
But in the end, we are never far from the campfires of gentle people, who go about their daily lives.
We must steel ourselves against hate and fear, and the lure of the anger of the mob.
And ironically enough, the only way to do that is love.
So despite the urge to let go of your concerns and scruples and join in, join the team, lose yourself in the excitement and certainly of some tribe, don't do it.
Could it be any more clear who serves the power and the darkness of this world, with all its fear and hatred and anger? Could it be any clearer who it is that despise love, and who will not serve anyone but themselves?
Is this the one to whom you wish to pledge youself, to give yourself away?
There are times when you hold your whole self in your hands. If you open your fingers to grasp something else, some shiny object that promises you worldly acceptance and success if you just let go of your foolish love of the word, your very soul can slip out and be carried away.
Need little, want less, love more. For those who abide in love abide in God, and God in them.
Have a pleasant evening.
