OPEN; FREE AND BRAVE !

There was a report in yesterday's Newspaper concerning an interview with the German Cardinal Walter Kasper about the current "Special Synod of the Vatican". during which such questions as "Marriage, Family and Sexuality", all subjects about which a celibate Cardinal surely knows everything, are being debated.
When questioned about such issues as Homosexuality, Contraception, or the possibility of remarried, divorced persons receiving holy Communion, the Cardinal is reported to have said this:
"There is not yet a solution to the question, for instance, about remarried divorcees and the Eucharist.
What is New, however, is that the Synod fathers (Cardinal  members of the Synod) are very open, free and brave in their communications with each other."
This, of course, begs the questions: Were the Cardinals during previous Synods close-minded, fettered and cowardly?
 "This Openness", the Cardinal then continues,  "has just now started. The final document, I believe, will be a consensus of Questions rather than Answers."
Cardinal Kasper must surely be commended for his honesty, when, in a veiled way, he admits that he does not expect any changes to the existing posture of the Church in these matters as a result of this Synod.
For instance, it is now, and will likely remain forbidden by the Church to use a condom in Africa, although this use would surely help in stopping the spread of Aids in parts of this Continent.
The expected reply from the Catholic quarters will be that abstinence is always the best protection against venereal disease and also the only permissible contraceptive.
This surely is cynicism of the highest degree, when one considers that many, maybe most Catholic Clergy are unable to remain celibate, but it is suggested that a normal, virile African male should do so.
However, let us return to Cardinal Kasper and his "Special Synod":
The question is put to the Cardinal: "In this Synod the forces defending existing doctrine stand in rigid opposition to those who would like to deal with Reality.Is this the composition of the two camps? 
To this the Cardinal replies: "One must join these two ideas: Doctrine and Reality. Doctrine is not pored in concrete and is not carved in stone. The question of remarried divorcees receiving Holy Communion is truly a key theme. It turns on "Mercy", which is not to be confused with "Giving -In" in respect of the principles.
Please, Mr. Kasper, tell me this again: You suggest to show "Mercy" to remarried divorcees, but you will not "give in" regarding the "Principles" (Doctrine or Dogma) of your church.
If I understand this correctly: The Principle remains in force, but you will show Mercy to those who act against these Principles.
Do I have this right ? Yes? No?
This is, as usual, the two-faced, fork-tongued position taken by the Church when it finds itself in an unsolvable dilemma.
Let me remind you of another "unalterable" doctrine:
Unbaptised children cannot, by doctrine or dogma be admitted to heaven, since St. Augustine, in the 5th Century, wrote that "unfortunately", due to Original Sin they cannot enter heaven.
What an embarrassment for the Church, mired in an absurd position, amid a reasonably enlightened lay world.
How can the Catholic church justify its position vis a vis unbaptised children and their inevitable slide into Hell, where eternal pain and suffering awaits them ?
Not a Problem: In the 13th Century they simply invented a place called "Limbo" and Thomas Aquinas assured concerned Catholic  parents that infants would not suffer pain and be "reasonably happy" in Limbo. 
And so it stayed until the 21st Century, when, in 2005, thirty Catholic Theologians from all over the world gathered in the Vatican as members of the "International Theological Commission".
As Vincent Bugliosi in his brilliant book "The Divinity of Doubt" exclaims: 
"Can you imagine that ? Thirty grown men, with all types of doctorate degrees, wearing suits and ties, fly to Rome and engage in serious discussions about Limbo. - It's mind boggling.
Two years later, on the 20th April 2007, this panel issues a 41 page report titled:
"The Hope and Salvation for Infants Who Die Without Being Baptised", in which they recommend to Pope Benedict XVI that the Catholic church should permit unbaptised children to go to heaven.
Isn't it absolutely audacious for the Catholic Church to assume for themselves the right to decide who goes where ? And how will they deal with the need to change a Dogma ?
The Dogma states: "Souls who depart this Life in a State of Original Sin are excluded from the beatific Vision of God.
And some maintain that this "exclusion" is tantamount to Hell.

Do we truly expect meaningful changes from this rigid institution?
Allow me a slight variation on a Biblical Quote:
"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for the Roman Catholic church to change one iota of any of its existing Doctrines or its irrevocable Dogmas.

There would be so much more to say, but I shall quit while I am ahead.

so says 

Bertstravels.

.

Body and Soul

At around 428 BC a boy was borne into a Greek Patrician family and because he showed great intelligence early in life, he was sent to the finest school.
One of his teachers was Socrates and it was from this Greek Philosopher, that he, Plato, got the idea of the existence in Man of a Soul.
Along with Socrates, Plato postulates the existence of a three part soul..

1.) Appetitive : controlling Basic Instincts. ( plus others )
2.) Rational  : controlling the Want of Truth and Wisdom ( plus )
3.) Spirited  : controlling Self Preservation ( plus others )

Socrates and Plato simply decided that there must be a Soul, without, of course, being able to present any evidence for its existence. Looking at the logic need for the existence of an immortal soul, their arguments are also non-logical.
Opposite Forms, Plato finds, cannot exist within the same object: The same object cannot be large and small at the same time. Since the Soul comes to life because it is part of Life, it cannot also be part of Death. Therefore the Soul must be immortal.
Since, however, the concepts of 'large' and 'small' are concepts of comparison, an object may well be both. A warrior's shield may well be large when compared to a coin, but be thought of as very small when compared in size to the wheel of a chariot.
If a Soul comes to life at conception of human Life, why can it not also die at the end of human Life?

In any event, since neither Socrates, nor Plato, nor anybody else has succeeded in demonstrating the existence of a Soul either through evidence, nor through logical deduction, it is pointless to speculate upon its immortality.
Socrates concepted the existence of a Soul out of whole cloth and Plato simply bought into this supposition.

Now, we move about 1600 years into the future and the development of Christianity is in full swing.
St. Thomas, in 1311, ( Council of Vienne ) defines, as of faith, that the Rational Soul is one with the Appetitive and the Spirited Soul.
This three part Soul exists in the body and makes up human nature.

The study of the Soul has vexed many a Philosopher and Theologian. There are about as many interpretations as there are Philosophers.
Sometimes the differences are fundamental and sometimes they are insignificant.

On one thought Christianity is unanimous: The Soul is immortal. The Soul must be immortal, since if it were not, Christianity would have to close up shop.
Without an immortal Soul, there would be no Life after Death, there would be neither Heaven nor Hell, nor Purgatory.
The incontrovertible evidence is that the human BODY is NOT immortal. Therefore what is it which goes to Heaven or to Hell ?
The belief that on Judgement Day, the Resurrection of human flesh and blood rises to either place is so absurd that only very few fanatical Christians still believe in this phenomenon.

Now, I ask you  Is there such a thing as A SOUL ?
If there is, is it just the carrier of our conscience ?
Will it die when our body dies?
Or is it immortal, and at the instance of our death goes to Heaven, Hell or Purgatory ?

Or did Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, and along with them, before and after, many other thinkers just come up with something out of their imagination, something for which they had absolutely no proof either through direct observation or through true logical deduction ?

I think they all were dreaming in technicolour.

Bertstravels

The Fox in Algonquin

Hiking along the abandoned railroad tracks I saw,out of the corner of my eye something light brown disappear into the bush.
For a moment I thought it was a fox. However, I abandoned this idea quickly. 
It was too close! One moment it was here, the next it was gone, like a brown lightning.
There was a little indentation in the bush, just off the track, which was just right for a short rest and a little noonday snack.
I sat there, quietly, munching on an apple and a slice of dark bread, when, suddenly this "brown lightning" stuck his head out from beneath a bush. And, lo and behold, it was a fox.
A light brown body, with black legs and white markings. 
We both just sat there, quietly looking at each other, not moving. After a good 10 minutes I decided to take a chance and very slowly I reached for my camera, and even more slowly raised it to eye level and took one shot. The fox disappeared back into the bush.
I was certain that he/she would come back and satisfy his curiosity.
I remained sitting as still as I could and in order to avoid any unnecessary movement I left the camera at eye level.

Suspicions confirmed: 

In less than five minutes he was back and curled up as if she intended to stay a while. During the next half hour I took at least 30 shots. 
What a pleasure this encounter was:

It was Autumn, along the Mizzy Lake Trail !...

....When all of a sudden this brown, bushy-tailed wonder came out from the underbrush.

...curiously we eyed each other...

Then she cautiously surveyed her surroundings,

...just to make sure ...

Then, convinced that I was no danger,

he settled down, curled up and with his shining brown eyes

stared  directly into my camera's lens.

Autumn Highlights

Misty Lake is encircled with coniferous trees, giving it a necklace of green.

Right behind a hill rises, covered with maple trees,and the occasional golden Willow.

At certain times, when the sun hits it at the right angle,

you'd swear that the entire hill was ablaze.

At the southern end of Algonquin, Highway 60 cuts through, past, amongst many other lakes,

 the 'Lake of Two Rivers'

In the early morning before the first winds have sprung up, the lake lies there, as smooth as a mirror

and the trees reflect perfectly in the still waters.

Along this Highway many lakes can be accessed by car to several well equipped camp sites.
Here is a truck on its way to Ottawa.
This corridor, however, is disdained by the "real" canoeists and campers, who seek the interior of Algonquin
reachable only by Canoe, with portages connecting many lakes.

Algonquin Autumn

A few years ago I, once again, spent a week in Algonquin Park and photographed the colours of Fall.
You can sit there and look at the many shades of Green and Gold and finally Red and marvel at the beauty of this colourful Season.
                 Instead of talking about it, let me show it to you.

The rock formations of the Canadian Shield

allow the growth of coniferous as well as deciduous trees

neatly rooted in small cracks in which the seeds found enough protection to sprout seedlings which send their roots out

 and finally encircle the rock.

The Mizzy Lake Trail leads in part along 

a long abandoned railroad track, 

with small ponds on either side.  

Now and then a colourful young maple tree,

just to add to the painter's or photographer's joy.

What more do you want ?

The Turtle and the Duck

There are territorial disputes everywhere.
The Russians and the Ukraine argue over the Crimea
The Israelis and the Palestinians fight in the Gaza,
China argues with the Philippines,
there are, in fact, at the present time over 150 territorial disputes going on, mostly in Africa and Asia.

So why should there not be a territorial dispute in the middle of Algonquin Park ?

Turtle: "I would like to inform you, that you are illegally standing                on my log."

Duck: "This log has been in my family for centuries. My people                    have been standing AND SITTING on this log for                            generations.Therefore, I stand or, if I want to, sit on this log              legally.

Turtle: "If you do not vacate this log at once, I shall have to use                    force."

Duck: " Oh yeah ? You and whose Army ?"

In Algonquin Park, Ont. Canada

After a long, long paddle you reach the mouth of the "Hail Storm Creek Marsh".
About 10km from East to West and about 2km from North to South it extends in an easterly direction from the North end of Lake Opeongo. 
The peace and silence you can find there cannot be described, but must be experienced.
With camera in your lap you sit there and marvel at the beauty of nature. Not a stroke with the paddle. Just let the wind take you where it may. 
A Blue Heron standing still in the reeds, its beak straight up into the air, as if looking at the sky, perfectly camouflaged, at first glance, just another reed.
A family of Otter playing in a mud slide, seemingly chasing each other, giving forth a high pitched squeal, as if they were laughing.
The bush along the shore line opens quietly and the most magnificent Moose, you have ever seen wades up to its thighs and starts digging for Water Lilly roots. It is so intent upon feeding from the underwater riches that it never notices, or maybe it just does not care, that you are coming closer and closer.

Just a very small section of the almost

8000 square kilometers large Algonquin Park

 The remains of what must have been a huge tree

stands like a sentinel at the mouth of  Hail Storm Creek Marsh

Just before you enter the marsh,

 where the water is still deep enough for a Loon to fish, 

a parent offers a freshly caught fish to its chick.

The fish is obviously much too big for the chick,

 but pecking away at it, it gets the taste

 of what will be its almost exclusive sustenance.

Waterlillies abound in the relatively shallow waters of the Marsh.

A young frog takes a little rest on a Lilly frond.

A Water Lilly in all its splendour.

It is Spring time and this Bull Moose, after a long winter, 

feasts on the roots of Water Lillies.