Secular Philosophic presentation….with refutation by Rev. Bruce for the REAL World

Here is a further presentation of a person’s,  “personal Philosophy”  based on modern “assertiveness theory.”

There was more presented than you see here,  but I have taken the liberty of editing it to eliminate those things that took away from his “basic assertions” to show why…In my opinion, as one human to another this can be a pzzz poor way to treat people if you’re not damned careful about it!

HAPPINESS IS GETTING WHAT YOU NEED.

EVERYONE NEEDS: Liberty, peace, health, sex, mind exercise, knowledge,
personal associations, art and creativity, character and a sense of
justice, and to be assertive (to be able to say “no” without feeling
guilty).

NO ONE NEEDS ARBITRARY POWER OVER OTHER PEOPLE – but it is normal to want it.
(I have added here a couple phrases to Mortimer Adler’s definition of happiness).

Also assertive behavior is associated with happiness

The Science of Assertiveness theory — aka folk knowledge (trial and error science)

Assertive (Leadership) behavior of humans: Builds relationships

Will the long-term affects be worse than any short-term discomfort I may feel if I am assertive in the first place?

The word “NO”, may have to be repeated over and over, as in a broken record.

An angry and loud communication can be assertive if one is expressing feelings (Using the word “I”, ( I am really god damn anger at you …)

vs. HOSTILE behavior-destroys a relationship: … You dumb ass, didn’t your mother teach you to report to work on time, etc. etc. Why, didn’t you do such and such….

If someone has a habit of saying, “Why, don’t you do such and such…” we all understand this to mean “I want you” to do such and such. There seems to be some kind of a minor taboo in our culture against people saying straight up, that they want.
On the use of the word YOU:

…the use of the word “you” is assertive when a person is acting in the role of boss, parent, or leader, for example, a law enforcer, a teacher, the chair of a meeting.

“You are expected to” (follow the rules, etc) , then every time the other person comes up with excuses, sob stories, etc, repeating this phase again and again (“You are expected to” (aka using the broken record shows the other person that you are not afraid to stand your ground and they need for them to rethink their poor behavior.

But remember being skeptically silent is assertive. Meaning if I try to get the last word.. will I get punched in the nose or some other bad result.

Speaking up in a group to speak is assertive because one is taking the “psychological space” of the whole group.

Hostile behavior: A person uses sarcasm and intimidation to get what they want. One may get what they want, but destroys the relationship afterwards.
It is easy to give up the benefits of hostile behavior when I value myself enough to avoid getting agitated over minor issues and when I am imperfect and incorrect.

Non-assertive behavior: (shy behavior) doing nothing about unpleasant situations and simply try to ignore ones feelings and desires. While it may prevent conflicts with others, one probably will wind up feeling helpless, exploited, angry, and disappointed with one’s self. Being “too shy” to do something.

For example, “I am sorry to bother you.” This is an example, of how being NICE sucks us into a non-assertive down-hill fall. vs. “I want to talk to you.” “ I need your help or I need or want to talk to you.”

or “It was nice talking to you.” (when it wasn’t and you didn’t enjoy talking to them).

Basic Assertive Rights:

1. The right to act in ways that promote my dignity and self-respect as long as others’ rights are not violated in the process.
2. The right to be treated with respect.
3. The right to say no and not feel guilty.
4. The right to experience and express feelings.
5. The right to take time to slow down and think.
6. The right to change my mind.
7. The right to ask for what I want.
8. The right to do less than I are humanly capable of doing.
9. The right to ask for information.
10. The right to make mistakes.
11. The right to feel good about myself.
Must I always assert my rights?
No, I am always free to choose not to assert myself, assuming that I am also willing to take the responsibility for whatever consequences may then occur.
” I don’t have to be assertive all the time”. Or “I don’t have to be perfect.. I have a right to make mistakes.”

Source: The Assertive Option by Patricia Jakubowski and Arthur J. Lange
and NO TRESPASSING by Barker and Barker.

REBUTTAL BY REVEREND BRUCE.

In the following I included the list of his “basic assertive rights,” again,   for clarity of presentation. If you re-read the upper portion though you will see that the whole premise is shot full of holes from the git go…..At the end of the presentation I explain how and why. ENJOY!….AND AS ALWAYS……..CHOOSE WISELY……………..TAWODI.

Basic Assertive Rights:

1. The right to act in ways that promote my dignity and self-respect as long as others’ rights are not violated in the process.
2. The right to be treated with respect.
3. The right to say no and not feel guilty.
4. The right to experience and express feelings.
5. The right to take time to slow down and think.
6. The right to change my mind.
7. The right to ask for what I want.
8. The right to do less than I are humanly capable of doing.
9. The right to ask for information.
10. The right to make mistakes.
11. The right to feel good about myself.
Must I always assert my rights?
No, I am always free to choose not to assert myself, assuming that I am also willing to take the responsibility for whatever consequences may then occur.
” I don’t have to be assertive all the time”. Or “I don’t have to be perfect.. I have a right to make mistakes.”
Source: The Assertive Option by Patricia Jakubowski and Arthur J. Lange
and NO TRESPASSING by Barker and Barker.

While I find your treatise interesting it kinda falls short in several respects. As latter day Philosophical arguments are wont to do.

I must admit that most of it will stand a simple examination sort of only at the surface of it but I will outline my exceptions and give you the WHY at the end of my post.

Assertiveness training is largely a crock and here’s why.

Basic Assertive Rights:

1. The right to act in ways that promote my dignity and self-respect as long as others’ rights are not violated in the process. [Granted; Not bad on surface examination, but there are corollaries extent, for instance; who decides the “right” of the issue? ]

2. The right to be treated with respect. [ To be treated with respect in almost any surrounding isgranted by earning it Not simply because you demand it. What makes you special?]

3. The right to say no and not feel guilty. [granted; unless it comes from risk assessment to your self…. and not to others!]]

4. The right to experience and express feelings.[Granted; You should be aware though,  your assumption here…. is that anyone CARES how you feel about the issue at hand….. Sorry about that. ]

5. The right to take time to slow down and think.[ Granted;  if time permits…but remember…. it will NOT BE…. if you do not grant that same luxury to others under your charge.]

6. The right to change my mind.[ Granted;  Only someone with an ossified mind would refute this. As long as you are willing to bear the expense, and consequences, of doing so.]

7. The right to ask for what I want. [Granted]….just don’t expect to get it.

8. The right to do less than I are ( sic)…. (am)…. humanly capable of doing. [Granted;  reciprocity being an equal granting of “the right” by you…… When you are the one who is forced to make excuses for poor production performance]

9. The right to ask for information. [Granted;  one cannot proceed very well in any endeavor without accurate information……. Be ready to say you didn’t understand what you were told though.]

10. The right to make mistakes. [Granted;  Every body does…Are you ready to stand and say…. NO EXCUSE SIR!…. If so then…. Carry on!]

11. The right to feel good about myself. [Granted;  IF you deserve to! ]

Must I always assert my rights?

No, I am always free to choose not to assert myself,  assuming that I am also willing to take the responsibility for whatever consequences may then occur. [WHAT responsibility? You didn’t offer any thing to what ever develops, did you?] Ergo: cheap cop out!

” I don’t have to be assertive all the time”. [Granted;  Because that would be a little overbearing wouldn’t it?]

Or “I don’t have to be perfect”….” I have a right to make mistakes.” [Granted;…. Asked and answered.]

Sir; please understand that my issue is not with you, but, when a piece is delivered by some one else… even if attributed to them…. and then claimed as a personal philosophy,…. well then it AIN’T very damned personal then….. IS IT?

It BEGS,  literally BEGS,  to be defeated  seriatum,  ( or, in detail.)

But for modern day philosophy, being what that is….. I would rate it at about fifty per cent….. on the conscience scale.

Be well friends…………….Rev. Bruce……………………………Tawodi

It is TIME The People of Abraham Christians,Muslims and Jews.

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With all the changes occuring in the world around us, the time has come to begin a membership drive for The People of Abraham, Christians, Muslims and Jews.
The group was begun in 2007 with the goal of bringing people together to discuss and form ways of accepting one another not as people of different beliefs who could not co-exist together, but as religious people who worshipped God understanding that God has a name and to some He is God, to others He is I AM, yet to others still, He is ALLAH, the one God.

It is with this in mind that many have come to read and learn from our example. The principle of mutual respect has grown in many instances into one of genuine love for people who are different but still are people with all the same goals that HUMANS have.

The first is to live free to worship in their own way. The second is to be safe in their persons and families. The third is to be accepted as our fellow citizens of the United States and the world, and not some nefarious OTHER to be afraid of, to see in suspicion or as a threat to the status quo.

Most of these people, be they Muslim, Christian, or Jew, simply want to be left alone to live and prosper. Raise their families, educate their children and pass peacefully into a future secure in these same ways, for those children.

Many of our friends have seen my writing and that of Robert Salaam the other co-founder of The People of Abraham and see what we have attempted and are accomplishing on a fairly small scale.

With this history I have contacted several friends who are members and asked them point blank, “Is it time to ask all of our friends and acquaintences into the fold?” Or will many of them be put off because I am a Christian Minister and be suspicious of that, and me, to ask this way. In each and every case they assured me I would be accepted because of my track record and that one of the best things EVER would be to swell the ranks of The People of Abraham to meet and deal with the changes occuring around us in the world today.

To provide a voice with a track record of what we believe, and practice, and to show that it does WORK! In spite of all the warnings and fear we have encountered…. IT DOES WORK!

I am posting this today, Tuesday February 8th. on the Blog for T.P.O.A. at http://peopleofabraham.blogspot.com **** My blog; Life religion family at…https://tawodi.wordpress.com **** And the face book location of T.P.O.A.

I am also going to take the risk of asking all of our members to send a message to all of their friends on their lists for them to do the same. Join us and swell the ranks of T.P.O.A. as membership increases, we can be a stronger voice for peace and interfaith relations around the world. There are organizations with whom we are linked around the world now, for a short time our blog was rated one of the top five thousand in the world! I want that again… and more!

Those who do join us, need not fear they will be dragooned into doing anything they don’t agree with, or of taking controversial stances for one faction or another, simply work for, and wish for, peace for all human beings everywhere and the right to live in that state of peace. There are among us people who write for a living and lecture on many things that support our goals such as uplifting the Ahmadiyya sect of Islam and the Sufi’s as well. Both peace ful and very able to co-exist in the secular world today. That of course does NOT exclude Shiite and Sunni many of whom are American citizens and have been for generations! I do NOT give a pass to sects of Chrisrtianity that are not tolerant of other belief systems and faiths, if they spew hate they are called out for it! I myself really need not worry about my reputation, it is all over the net what, and who, I am and what I believe, and work for.

So join us! You will find the group at the face book location and signing up is easy and absolutely free anything you do to help us grow. Even just adding your name to those of us who pray for peaceful co-existence will be welcome indeed!!

How much more of this poison do we need to hear??

The following is from Christians United For Israel’s blog and news letter, which I receive weekly I thought it time to bring some of this here so you can see what you may not be aware of, that is in the world.

Mind you this was at a meeting of held under U.N. auspices.   Is it time for some hard thinking vis a vis our relations with them and others??

Rev. Bruce

Author David Broder from his blog;

Last week, the day before Holocaust Remembrance Day, Iran’s President Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations anti-racism conference in Geneva.  Here, he did a great favor for all who love Israel — he was honest.  He allowed his virulent hate for Israel and his bizarre anti-Semitic conspiracy theories to flow from his tongue largely unfiltered.  It was an ugly performance. 
 
The delegates from most European nations walked out on Ahmadinejad’s speech.  Even the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, was moved to criticism.  Most other delegates, of course, remained in their seats.  Many cheered. 
 
But Ahmadinejad is rarely so honest.  And he is rarely so helpful.  It is what this man does in the shadows — not what he says in public — that is most dangerous.  And what he does in the dark typically gets far less attention.    
 
In a little-noted development last week, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, citing an Egyptian source, reported that unidentified warships torpedoed an Iranian cargo ship off the coast of Sudan.  The Iranian ship was reported to be laden with weapons bound for the Gaza Strip.  The warship is believed to have been Israeli
 
In January, there were numerous reports that unidentified warplanes attacked a convoy of trucks passing through the Sudanese desert.  The trucks were reported to be filled with Iranian arms bound for Gaza.  Well-placed sources have confirmed that the planes belonged to Israel.   

Israeli observers believe that this arms convoy contained Iranian Fajr rockets.  Such rockets — with a range of 70 kilometers — would give Hamas the ability to strike the heart of Tel Aviv. 
 
Looming large behind all of these efforts against Israel, of course, is Iran’s nuclear program.  Iran continues to enrich uranium in contravention of United Nations resolutions.  In February, United Nations officials acknowledged that Iran now has enough enriched uranium for an atomic weapon. 
 
Which leads us to one final news item from last week.  In hearings before Congress, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton warned that the US is laying the groundwork for “crippling sanctions” against Iran if diplomacy fails to stop its nuclear program.  This is a certainly a positive development.  Offering Mr. Ahmadinejad carrots without a stick in sight was unlikely to elicit much of a response. 
 
The Iranian threat is not going away.  And walking out on Ahmadinejad’s speeches — while important and deeply appreciated — does nothing to stop his steady, daily, determined actions to confront Israel.  Offering negotiations — while quite possibly a good way to build greater international support — must not be allowed to turn into yet another opportunity for Ahmadinejad to delay and stall.  It is time for the world to graduate from gestures to actions. 
 
Iran has proven itself able to talk and act at the same time.  The Israelis, too, are acting with constant vigilance to keep Iran from arming its proxies on Israel’s border.  There is no reason why we should not act as well.  There is indeed a time for “crippling sanctions” against Iran.  That time is now.  

 These are dangerousd times and we ALL of us owe Mr David Broder and Reverend Hagee our thanks for bringing these things to our attention when so many will not, especially our main stream media.

Rev. Bruce Holzrichter Sr……………………….Tawodi

The People of Abraham, Christians Muslims and Jews

I suddenly realised it’s been awhile since I have written about the interfaith group and when I went to Robert Salaam’s blog,  got a  pleasant surprise.  He had  written about it !  Well one of the things he mentioned is that so many seem to think that you must give up,  or change something that you believe to become involved with the People of Abraham.

NOT SO!!

Well there is one thing you must be willing to let go of………your preconcieved notions of who the people who practice other faiths are and what THEY believe.

One of the biggest drawbacks we have faced is the inability for some to understand they are woefully ignorant!  Oh they think they know of what they speak about what others believe but when you ask the people who practice the faith they believe the contrasts are laughable insomuch as they are not tragic!!  The hatred and bigotry toward others of different faiths is of incredible proportions .  And is quite frankly frightening.

What is frightening about it is that those who speak as they do against others,  vehemently deny they hate,  or denigrate others of disparate faiths…..One must ask …..if not,  why do you SAY the things you do??

I will not put down here what is said,  as there are those who may mistake my writing them as my viewpoint and NOTHING,  could be further from the truth!  All of you have seen them said in writing and must have asked yourself what’s up with that ?  Or worse,  BELIEVED IT!

The bridges of understanding are terribly difficult to build,  with all the invective out there and with the just plain lousy information being parroted by ignorant fools and accepted by others as the truth!!  I’m sorry,  there is no other way to say it.

I don’t want to get into the types of things here as I said,  but Christians say them about Muslims and Jews,  the people of Islam say them about Christians and Jews and the Jews say them about the Christians and the Muslims .  What it adds up to is general dissention which leads to distrust then to out right hatred,  and it all comes from what could loosly be called tribalism. If you are not inside the tribe,  you must be from,  and STAY,  outside!!

As you may or may not know this poison has infected the human race since the beginning and we must work and work hard to eliminate it or quite frankly we may be doomed. We as a species have the means and in some cases the will,  to erradicate the human race,  even all life as we know it from this planet.  Do you doubt me?? listen to some of the evangelicals as they say it’s coming and there is nothing we can do or should do to stop it!! Almost as if they are eagerly awaiting the cosmic weenie roast, of billions of human beings and they will have a ringside seat and tickets to watch!!

Well there is one unfortunate aspect to that……… just as those who stupidly call for war seem to always forget……….The other guys have guns too and they WILL use them this is not a Jet Li movie where he shoots and for every shot a bad guy goes down but the bad guys never hit anybody with hundreds of shots …..well real life is NOT like that,  don’t you forget it !!  The bad guys sometimes are damn good shots too!!  And unlike the average fat assed American,  are not wedded to their couches,  they are NOT afraid to die,  to kill you,  your kids,  or anyone else for that matter they (the bad guys)  are in their way just as,  if not more so, steeped  and brainwashed in their belief systems,  that are a corruption of their religion, just as some Christians corrupt their own precepts.

We are concerned with reaching those who have not been so corrupted and with us can work to serve the God we all profess to believe in The God of Abraham the God of the living,  not a God of death and destruction,  as so many think. 

Join us,  we need you,  in a very short time there will be posted here a means to do just that ….be advised,  you may be called upon to put your butt where your words say you are,  so be prepared!!

Be well all take care in this crazy world………………..Rev. Bruce………………………………………….Tawodi