Solomon's Private File #173
These stories about Stephen and Solomon take place starting in
1950's. Stephen wrote about his life in letters to a penpal, and then
in a secure blog, in case he lost his memory again, in the master
computer in his school for gifted students, which he started attending
in 2016 in a new incarnation, until his death. Now his son Solomon is
attending the same school, and is writing in his own secure blog for
his future incarnations.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
Solomon is 22 in this story, in the Spring of 2048.
Solomon's Private File #173 "Western Education"
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Galya and I have a new son, and brother to Dawn, Regis. The birth was
easy, and he was practically born smiling. Dawn finds him very
interesting. So do all who visit us.
For the big one man show for Galagos, we rented a much bigger space,
and ported his large sculptures to it. I only helped in the setup and
getting some of the guests to want to come. He and Hawk did most of the
work, and ran the show. People noticed how much in control Galagos was,
and was more mature and sure of himself. He talked well about his work
and plans. The show was a big success. At the end, Hawk called for the
attention of everybody. Galagos stepped up to the mic and said, "This
show has been a great success. I'm glad to be able to share my work
with you and the public. There is one more thing I want to share with
you. Hawk RedCloud and I plan to be married. We haven't set a date yet,
or who will perform it, but Solomon and Pope Paolo have offered to
bless our union, which makes us VERY happy, and supremely honored."
Hawk joined him on the stage, and they hugged and kissed, to a lot of
applause.
One was heard to say, "This explains the nudes of Hawk." Hawk grinned
and said, "It might, but I don't think that explains the nudes of
Rose." Chuckles. Gal said, "Neither does, actually. I was required to
paint Hawk, so Solomon could see my ability in that, before he would
consent to paintings of himself. Not that such a requirement displeased
me. Well, except for the enormous self control that required, to not
jump on him in the middle of painting." Hawk poked him, and they
laughed with the guests. One said, "Will work schedules with you two be
a problem?" Gal said, "He works all over the galaxy, but commute time
isn't an issue, and some of that is by remote, and being in a separate
mental process, it doesn't interfere with our together time at all.
It's my work schedule that causes the problems. I get so involved in my
work, like most artists, I can lose track of time. He understands that,
Laughter, and more pokes.
One said, "How did you two meet?" Gal said, "I met Solomon for the
moon trip. Hawk had been monitoring, so he noticed me then." Hawk said,
"I was interested, but unsure of what I should do about it." Gal said,
"Later, Solomon and I were discussing his family's sponsorship of my
work, in the new studio, and he said something funny. I asked if Hawk
was laughing, out of mild curiosity, and as a conversational thing, and
he said, 'Ask him yourself.' Hawk ported in, and it was love at first
sight. Solomon could see that it was useless to try to pull us apart,
so he left and came back later when things had cooled down a little."
Hawk said, "Solomon knew about my interest, and deliberately set us
up." Gal said, "For which we can never thank him enough." Applause.
Then they closed the show, which was very successful. I received a lot
of kisses and hugs after that.
There was a meeting of Islamic extremists in Northern Nigeria. I
walked through their door and said, "I am Solomon. May I speak with
you?" They were surprised and very cautious. One said, "You will not
harm us?" I said, "You know that is not my way." The leader said,
"Please be welcome. Would you allow us convert you to Islam?" The
others looked at him as if he were insane. My big grin made them smile.
I said, "A challenge! You may try, but it is not possible in a way you
might not have thought of." I sat, and he said, "Please tell us what we
might not have thought of." I said, "When one is fully of Islam, is one
ever not of it?" They thought some. I said, "I have lived many lives,
where I was fully of Islam, and when Islam was only in the land of its
birth, which is not as it is today. I knew the Prophet. Actually, I
knew one of his daughters better. No, I'll say no more about that, so
don't ask." He said, "This is unexpected!" I said with a grin, "I think
you may be aware how much that pleases me." Chuckles.
I said, "The name of your group is unusual; 'Western Education is
Sacrilege.' Please help me to understand that. What, in your minds, IS
Western education? I see a start of something. Not what you think it
makes of people, but what it IS." They were stumped. I said, "I thought
so. Is it your goal to stop all people in your country from having a
Western education?" He said, "Yes! That is our goal." I said, "Tell me,
who designs the great buildings in the cities, and where did they learn
how to do that? Yes, in the West. Where do the engineers go to learn
how to construct the electrical power system? You know. To learn how
the world economy works, so your country can participate in it? To
create and manage the TV stations and broadcast equipment that you want
to use to bring your message to the public? To learn how to make the
cars and trucks you use for transportation? To learn to make the
weapons you use to kill those who want to be able to learn how to do
that? To learn to make the mobile telephones and the systems that
support them, that you use to coordinate your attacks? Do you see
something of a conflict here?" He said, "I do. It is fitting that one
should use the tools of the enemy to defeat him."
I said, "That is true, but not for two things. For a religion to do
that, it makes that religion false, to go against your own beliefs that
you want to force others to obey. And who doesn't KNOW that if you
succeed, you will never give up those things, because you couldn't then
keep control? You show them you don't believe what you want them to
believe. They see it is not they who are false to God, but you!" They
looked at each other in dawning awareness and dismay. He said, "We will
not succeed?" I said, "Correct. The success you say you want, is not
possible. But all is not lost. Do you wish me to tell you why this is
so?" He said, "Please." I said with a smile, "But it would be an
education." Some small smiles in return.
I said, "Who invented real science, that we know of today? I see you
don't know. It was during the Golden Days of Islam, about eight hundred
years ago, in North Africa and what is now Spain. The numbers all the
world uses now, comes from the Arabic, and some of the mathematics,
too. From about 1000 of the common era, to about 1400, almost all of
Western science during that time, was discovered and researched by
those of Islam, and that included medicine, that was not discovered by
the Christians until much later. Why, because the Church actually
suppressed science and medicine, and your people didn't. You have MUCH
to be proud of in this! There were universities, libraries, research
facilities, and the highest standard of living in the world during that
time, among those of Islam. So you should know that science is NOT
incompatible with Islam! Now we come to WHY all that happened. The
Christian Church would not permit questioning, which is the basis of
Western education. Islam of that time, encouraged it."
I said, "Why is questioning so important to this? You can't learn new
things, if you don't question old things. For example, is this wheel
the best that can be made? What if I do this, and then this, or will
this work? Is it a good or bad thing that I do this? What is right, and
what is wrong? I think you understand what I mean, now, about
questioning. It's called critical thinking. True education requires
that ability to be there and used. Where it isn't, that's not
education, but indoctrination, which is forced belief. And that is part
of another issue. True education relies not on belief, but on
observation, evidence, testing, and reason, which is the basis of
science. Religion has none of that, being based solely on belief. There
could be a conflict between the two, which I think you know." They
nodded in agreement. I said, "That is often caused by people on both
sides who either can't question what they should, or who are doing
that, and denying the result of it. You might find it amusing that
scientists often have too much belief in their own work, that when it
is definitively proven to be incorrect, they can't accept it, and act
really badly because of that. I have caused some of that myself." Some
really big grins. I said, "Mature scientists acting like little babies.
For shame!" Laughter.
I said, "But the other side has it's problems, too. We know now that
the Earth revolves around the Sun, and that both are billions of years
old, which I can actually see. There are still people who can't accept
that which science has shown, and works with to make the things that
people use, because it conflicts with their beliefs, but your ancestors
here knew some of it to be true. It does religion no good when it
denies what is plain to see, that all who know that, well, what does
that cause them to think of religion? Respect is lost. Who wants to
believe people who look crazy to them?" They nodded. I said, "But don't
they know this? Some do, and some refuse to see it. But why? I'll tell
you, and you might not like to hear it. Ready?" They indicated they
were.
I said, "Those people doubted their religions, their faith. To reduce
that doubt, they worked to remove the doubt in others, anything that
could cause doubt, to help reinforce their own beliefs. The greater
their own doubt that they couldn't face, the harder they worked to
convince others not to doubt. They felt that doubt because others did,
or assumed they did, and that caused them to feel threatened on a deep
survival level. That caused them to do very bad things to people, in
their excess of motivation. They worked very hard to make others
believe, believing themselves that no tool they could use, no matter
how horrible it was, was to remain unused. That's what a deep survival
reaction causes. And it blinds people to their excesses, causing them
to do what their religion forbids, to make people believe their
religion, to cause the murderers to have less doubt themselves. They
made themselves believe that they were doing God's work, when in fact
they were destroying it. Many religions have done this in their
history. The Christian Inquisition, for example. And now, it looks as
if it's Islam's turn, and now we are here. One more thing. In the long
term, it never succeeds in its goals, but instead causes much useless
misery and death, and in fact reduces the respect for religion, which
it never even partially recovers until it changes."
Some were crying. I stood and offered to hug them. They all accepted.
I said, "I think I have said almost too much today. If you would have
me visit you again for a more pleasant discussion in the future, please
say my name twice and ask, and I will hear it. Until then, farewell,
and may our one true God, be with you, always." I ported away. Two days
later, I was asked to return. There were many more people there. I
said, "There are more people here this time. If we all breathe in at
once, will there be enough room?" Some smiles. The leader said, "Some
of us here today have not heard your words from our last meeting. We
request that you repair this issue." I said, "There are three ways I
can do that. One is to repeat all of it in speech. Another is to pass
around a crystal recording of the event. One way is to broadcast it to
you all as a dream, which would take the shortest real time. I have
done that with my own tribe of Native Americans. Actually, you might
want to experience that yourselves. It would show you more of who I am
and what I believe. But that could be for another time." He said, "On
the TV, a museum show, you did that?" I said, "With a machine I gave
them, so that it could be experienced without my presence, yes, it was
the same." He said, "I can't say for others, but I would like to
experience that." Many nods, and some questioning from some who didn't
know of it. He said, "The dream for our last meeting. Please do that."
I said, "It will include some of the feelings of those who were
present, because I felt them. Best you sit and be comfortable. It will
last a few seconds in real time, but it will seem to you to last as
long as the meeting was. It, and I, will not influence you in any way
more than any experience you witness in acquiring knowledge." He said
with respect, "I know that."
When they were ready, I projected the dream of the previous meeting.
After they woke up and became properly oriented, there were a lot of
mixed emotions pulsing throughout the room. I said, "I won't say I
of the new people said, "I did not expect this from you." I said, "I
know, and knew that before I knew of you. EVERYBODY says that!"
Chuckles. I said, "Almost as often as 'wow', and 'now that I think of
it', and from my own group as well! Oh, go ahead, frustrate me some
more." Laughter.
I said, "Many people who are faced with a change of a way of life,
will not accept it, because it is unknown to them, and their current
way of life has been unquestioned for so long, it has become part of
their identity. For many, ALL change, even for the better, is fearsome,
who are unwilling to admit to that perceived weakness. More so when
that new life will take away some of their power over others. That
power can be very addictive in many ways, and I know this from my own
lives, VERY well. I see that I have shocked some of you. More you
didn't expect. Well, you should have expected it. Haven't you seen me
do this to almost everybody?" The leader said, "I think we all have,
but it's different when we experience it in real life." I said,
"Another thing to add to the list of often heard sayings I have to live
with." Some smiles. I said, "If people thought of these things
themselves, there would be no need for me to speak them. In my doing
this, is it really a bad thing?" One said, "Some might think so." I
said, "Correct! That's what makes life interesting, that we can all see
things differently, and share them, so together we can come closer to
the truth that is God, because no man can see all, by himself." They
thought about that. The leader said, "That is VERY wise." I said with a
smile, "I was hoping." More smiles in return.
One said, "I feel you are a friend." I said, "That is because I am."
Another said, "But we have been bad people." I said, "True, but you are
still people, and I love you. Some friendship is part of that, which
can increase when respect increases." The leader said, "I hear more
than what you say in words." A lot of agreement. I said, "I see that."
Some frustration. I said, "You communicate to me with more than words,
also. Are you wishing I would command you? You know I will not. God
given free will must be respected. If what may happen were easy, well,
I think you know what I mean." He said, "Yes, it would mean less than
it should." I said, "A proper teacher helps his students to think and
reason for themselves, after giving them the tools to do so. None of
you are lacking in ability to think, and well." More thinking. Then I
gave them a big grin, and they had to laugh.
I said, "To live well, your life should be in good balance. In very
serious things, some humor can help achieve that. If nothing else, a
relief of tension." Nods of agreement. I said, "My father discovered
that in Tibet, with the Chinese army. Tibetans could not harm them,
while they were laughing at the suddenly weaponless and naked Chinese."
Laughter. I said, "Because of that, his goal was achieved. No major
injuries were sustained on either side. You have not experienced real
cold, until you have done that in Tibet in winter. The Chinese soldiers
went back to their barracks in a hurry. They also barred their doors,
because my father had printed on them some sexual invitations." Louder
laughter. I said, "Two years later, after independence, Tibetans and
Chinese soldiers were working together to build roads in good
friendship, with occasional chuckles at their shared memories of that
time. A big change from before, when they would have eagerly killed
each other. Humorous things helped that to happen. One of the things my
group is most proud of Stephen for. With some big grins of their own."
More grins.
One said, "You are a great artist with words." I said, "I am
receiving a lot of agreement from my group. As if local embarrassment
wasn't enough. Ha, and now, rude noises." Laughter. One said, "But you
are their leader." I said, "They follow where I lead, with love and
knowledge of who I am, but I do not command them. Oh, alright, my
mother requests to speak." She said in the air, "Solomon is our most
intelligent and wisest thinker, and more experienced than all of us
combined, more than a thousand times. One thing we are not, is foolish.
He does or says something, and we see the wisdom, and we follow where
he leads. He doesn't command because he doesn't need to, and it is not
his nature. We can SEE his thinking, even if we can't understand all of
it. We know who and what he is, like no others can. One thing we can't
understand is his amount of compassion. He does things for people that
none would think of, just because of who he is. He still surprises us
in this, we who are the most intelligent and loving people in the known
universe. And that we can embarrass him, is a nice extra." They said,
"Wow!" I said, "She earned it, but at my expense. Unfortunately, we do
not believe in revenge." Chuckles.
I said, "If you would like to experience the dream of my tribe, I can
give that to you now." The leader said, "Please." I said, "In it you
will experience the lives of animals, AS THEM. It is real, recorded in
real life at the time the dream takes place. One of my past lives. I
have that ability now, and as you will discover, it can be VERY
educational. Oh, that word again." Laughter. I said, "There are more
animal lives than there is room for in the dream, so you will
experience some lives that may be different from what others of you
experience. Sharing a discussion about them could be of some interest
in the future. Please be comfortable." I gave them the dream. When they
woke up and recovered their senses, there were a lot of wows expressed,
and comments like "Beautiful" and "Amazing". The leader said, "This
knowledge is without price, a supreme value. So this is what Navajo is.
A way of life to really live. You are not so different from us." I
Nods. He said, "I will say it. In practice, we were against our own
values." More agreement. I said, "Would you like recordings of these
meetings, so you can share them with more than who are here? They will
not include the Navajo dream, as that must take place in a dream to
experience the lives of animals, because that was MY experience I
shared, and you do not have the ability to do that yourselves." He
said, "Please." A big pile of memory cards fell to the floor in front
of him.
I said, "I see your disappointment. A crystal must be used on one
person at a time. Videos can be seen by many at once. And will not
cause you to be murdered for possessing it." He said, "Oh! So you are
protecting the others." I said, "My group, yes, but there are only a
few of us." He said, "I understand." I said, "I don't know what you
will do in the future, about what we have discussed. I am I friend, but
I would very much like to be more of a friend to you in the future. But
now, I offer my personal love." I opened my arms. I said, "Hawk, a
little help." He ported in, to help them sit after my hug. Then he
said, "Go for contact?" I said to him, "Greedy?" He said, "Yes. No
shame at all." We hugged. I did a local love broadcast, and I didn't
have to ask God to join us. He gave us his love and said, "Solomon the
Twice Wise is my Prophet and speaks for me!" I said, "Dear Boss, don't
I already have too many titles?" He said, "Not if I say you don't." He
laughed and left. I said to the group, "He did it again! And I didn't
even get to ask for contact!" Hawk was grinning from ear to ear. They
saw that through their awe, and had to chuckle. I said to them, "If I
ask you not to repeat that?" They were full of conflict. Hawk said,
"Don't do that to them." I said to them, "Your pride?" They nodded. I
said, "Alright, but you OWE me!" Chuckles. I said, "In the cards." I
said, "Now I go before something else embarrassing happens." Laughter.
Hawk and I ported home.
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Grant
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