Too often we discuss human suffering and starvation in the abstract. We have a vague notion of what starving children are suffering, but for too many of us the concept isn’t real enough.

Let this image make human suffering real for you. Let this image stir your humanity. Suffering is real and we do have the means to relieve it. Politics and religion get in the way of providing children like this any real relief. We must listen to our sense of humanity, we must accept the family of man. We will never solve these very real and deadly issues so long as we allow ourselves to think that these children and our children are different, that there’s no commonality between us.

Humans used to be thought of as occupying an existential space between animals and gods. Clearly our bodies display our affinity to animals, while our minds possess intellectual and moral capacities seemingly beyond the reach of physical objects. This even led some to identify us with either animals (we are mammals) or gods (we are immortal, immaterial souls). (Source-Philosophy Now)

As our understanding of the brain’s inner workings increases, we are just beginning to suspect that in our egocentric view of our place in the animal kingdom we have given ourselves too much credit and other animals too little.

Cleo, my significant other

For centuries, humans have imagined they are the only animals with morals. But humans are not alone in the moral arena, a new breed of behavior experts says.

Dogs are full of natural goodness and have rich emotional lives, said animal behaviorist Marc Bekoff, professor emeritus at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

A dog’s code of ethics is on display daily in parks, backyards and family rooms.

“We’re not trying to elevate animals,” Bekoff said. “We’re not trying to reduce humans. We’re not saying we’re better or worse or the same. We’re saying we’re not alone in having a nuanced moral system.”

Bekoff, co-author of “Wild Justice: The Moral Lives of Animals,” spent thousands of hours observing coyotes, wolves and dogs. He analyzed videotapes frame by frame. The work convinced him these animals possess empathy and compassion, the emotions upon which moral sense is built.

While much the same can be said of monkeys, wolves, elephants, dolphins, whales and other social animals, dogs are special cases; they share in human lives, he said.

“Dogs know they are dependent. They learn to read us,” Bekoff said. “Dogs develop this great sense of trust. We’re tightly linked, and there is something spiritual about that unity.”

“I’m convinced many animals can distinguish right from wrong,” Bekoff said.

He said looking for the roots of morality in animals is a difficult scientific undertaking. It begins with looking for emotions central to morality, such as empathy: understanding of another’s situation, feelings and motives.

In humans, emotions are centered in specific brain structures and are affected by chemicals called neurotransmitters. Mammals possess the same brain structures, affected by the same chemicals as humans.

“Dogs apparently laugh,” Page said. The same brain structures show the same activity in laughing humans and in dogs that are enjoying themselves. A dog’s laugh is a rhythmic pant.

To prevent any misunderstanding, a dog will signal to another dog that the imminent jostling, nipping and chasing are “just play” rather than aggression, he said.

The game is initiated with the “play bow.” A dog, wolf or coyote will crouch on its forelimbs while keeping its rear upright.

Any hard-biting cheats find themselves excluded from games.

“Dogs are thinking animals,” Bekoff said. “They seek the outcomes they want. They avoid the ones they don’t. They solve problems. They have expectations. They have hopes.”

Critics skeptical about some research trends in animal thinking, emotion and morality downplay the evidence as often anecdotal and anthropomorphic, that is attributing human motivation or characteristics to animals.

Bekoff countered that thousands of anecdotes equal data. And anthropomorphism, he said, is a misleading label for what is a shared evolutionary history.

Humans and dogs share most of their genes and a great deal of physiology and behavior. Bekoff sees that shared heritage extending into the spiritual realm. (Source-Seattle Times)

Our belief that we are somehow separate from and superior to nature has been one of the worst attitudes humanity has ever entertained. It has caused us to defile the only planet in the accessable universe upon which we can survive. It blinds us to the beauty and true spirituality of nature. Through ignorance and egotistic presumption we have crowned ourselves kings of the planet.

We don’t deserve that crown. We don’t need the crown, either.

We need to train ourselves, convince ourselves, free ourselves to realize we are but parts of the whole. We are not worth more than other lifeforms, we are not worth less. All life is but a part of the nature of the planet. You are not more important to the universe than your dog, nor are you any less important than your dog. You both have unique and complimentary roles to play in the natural order. Perhaps the most uncomfortable reality is that neither of you mean very much to the universe. Humanity, indeed all life on this planet, is a minute percentage of the matter in the universe. In the overall scheme of things, we are less noticeable to the rest of reality than the dust mites in your pillow.

It’s OK to not be the center of the universe. It’s a good thing to understand our place in nature while at the same time using the advantages nature has endowed upon us with humility and a sense of responsibility.

This is another dangerous lie we’ve let ourselves believe to be true; because we were put here by a “higher power” who created everything and is ultimately responsible for everything, we are not responsible for our own existence. It’s all someone else’s doing. We are but bit parts in the war between good and evil personified as gods and devils. We have abdicated responsibility and lived like frat boys on Spring break. Those who grew up following Buddhism and Taoism better understand our place in the universe.

We cannot escape the outcome of our folly. The effects of our presense here are coming back to bite us. Yet we are advancing in our knowledge of how to live more responsibly, and more people around the planet are starting to do what they can to reduce their impact on the Earth. Perhaps mankind will eventually learn to live in harmony with the rest of nature globally.

Cleo has let me know that I’ve been ignoring her for too long and she requires my attention. And I need hers. Time to slide the keyboard away.

Richard Dawkins, in his book The God Delusion, has described Pantheism as “sexed-up atheism.” That may seem flippant, but it is accurate. Of all religious or spiritual traditions, Pantheism – the approach of Einstein, Hawking and many other scientists – is the only one that passes the muster of the world’s most militant atheist.

So what’s the difference between Atheism and Pantheism? As far as disbelief in supernatural beings, forces or realms, there is no difference. World Pantheism also shares the respect for evidence, science, and logic that’s typical of atheism.

However, Pantheism goes further, and adds to atheism an embracing, positive and reverential feeling about our lives on planet Earth, our place in Nature and the wider Universe, and uses nature as our basis for dealing with stress, grief and bereavement. (Source of all quotes)

Prior to reading this, I confess my perception of pantheism was very different. Based almost solely on my interpretation of “pan” as meaning broad or all encompassing, and theism as god belief, I heard “pantheism” and thought “a group who believes all gods exist”.

Since I have no reason to suppose that a description put together by those who espouse these attitudes is inaccurate, I will accept that the above fairly describes the positions of a pantheist.

By those standards, I could be a pantheist. But why should I? Does “pantheist” better sum up my attitudes toward life, death and the universe than the group with which I currently identify, humanists?

Where the author draws a distinction between atheism and pantheism (“Pantheism goes further, and adds to atheism an embracing, positive and reverential feeling about our lives on planet Earth, our place in Nature and the wider Universe, and uses nature as our basis for dealing with stress, grief and bereavement“), they fail to draw a clear distinction between humanism and pantheism.

As far as atheism is concerned, the last sentence in the following paragraph struck a chord.

If you are looking for atheist groups or freethought groups or brights groups and email lists, and if you would like ones that do a lot more than just attack religion, then you may well find World Pantheism the place you were looking for.

I agree that the worst part about using the term “atheist” is that it’s such a negative and limited concept. It’s the description of one among many “dis-beliefs” I have. It’s vague and potentially inaccurate. It’s not descriptive of the positive beliefs I hold. There does seem to be an emphasis on attacking religion in the word “atheist” that doesn’t accurately reflect my position on theism.

So I prefer to describe myself as a humanist. I believe in humans, I appreciate humanity and am learning every day about our place on this planet. That, to me, is what “spirituality” is all about.

I don’t see what pantheism has to offer that can’t be embraced under the banner of humanism. It does have a negative aspect to its name that humanism doesn’t. Those who are no better informed than I was about what pantheism stands for will, as I did, suspect that it’s some form of theism. Humanists may frequently be considered atheists, which isn’t always accurate but is in my case, so I don’t mind that association. I perceive pantheism as a bit too vague a name (though not in the same way as “atheist”) and potentially misleading.

Any pantheists out there want to correct my perceptions?

Kindness was mankind’s “greatest delight”, the Roman philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius declared, and thinkers and writers have echoed him down the centuries. But today many people find these pleasures literally incredible, or at least highly suspect. An image of the self has been created that is utterly lacking in natural generosity. Most people appear to believe that deep down they (and other people) are mad, bad and dangerous to know; that as a species – apparently unlike other species of animal – we are deeply and fundamentally antagonistic to each other, that our motives are utterly self-seeking and that our sympathies are forms of self-protectiveness.

Kindness – not sexuality, not violence, not money – has become our forbidden pleasure. In one sense kindness is always hazardous because it is based on a susceptibility to others, a capacity to identify with their pleasures and sufferings. Putting oneself in someone else’s shoes, as the saying goes, can be very uncomfortable. But if the pleasures of kindness – like all the greatest human pleasures – are inherently perilous, they are none the less some of the most satisfying we possess.

In 1741 the Scottish philosopher David Hume, confronted by a school of philosophy that held mankind to be irredeemably selfish, lost patience. Any person foolish enough to deny the existence of human kindness had simply lost touch with emotional reality, Hume insisted: “He has forgotten the movements of his heart.”

For nearly all of human history – up to and beyond Hume’s day, the so-called dawn of modernity – people have perceived themselves as naturally kind. In giving up on kindness – and especially our own acts of kindness – we deprive ourselves of a pleasure that is fundamental to our sense of well-being.

Today it is only between parents and children that kindness is expected, sanctioned and indeed obligatory. Kindness – that is, the ability to bear the vulnerability of others, and therefore of oneself – has become a sign of weakness (except of course among saintly people, in whom it is a sign of their exceptionality). No one yet says parents should stop being kind to their children. None the less, we have become phobic of kindness in our societies, avoiding obvious acts of kindness and producing, as we do with phobias, endless rationalisations to justify our avoidance.

All compassion is self-pity, DH Lawrence remarked, and this usefully formulates the widespread modern suspicion of kindness: that it is either a higher form of selfishness (the kind that is morally triumphant and secretly exploitative) or the lowest form of weakness (kindness is the way the weak control the strong, the kind are kind only because they haven’t got the guts to be anything else). If we think of humans as essentially competitive, and therefore triumphalist by inclination, as we are encouraged to do, then kindness looks distinctly old-fashioned, indeed nostalgic, a vestige from a time when we could recognise ourselves in each other, and feel sympathetic because of our kindness – if such a time ever existed. And what, after all, can kindness help us win, except moral approval; or possibly not even that, in a society where “respect” for personal status has become a leading value.

Most people, as they grow up now, secretly believe that kindness is a virtue of losers. But agreeing to talk about winners and losers is part and parcel of the phobic avoidance, the contemporary terror, of kindness. Because one of the things the enemies of kindness never ask themselves – and this is now an enemy within all of us – is why we feel it at all. Why are we ever, in any way, moved to be kind to other people, not to mention to ourselves? Why does kindness matter to us? It is, perhaps, one of the distinctive things about kindness – unlike an abstract moral ideal such as justice – that in the end we know exactly what it is, in most everyday situations; and yet our knowing what the kind act is makes it easier to avoid. We usually know what the kind thing to do is – and when a kindness is done to us, and when it is not. We usually have the wherewithal to do it (kindness is not an expert skill); and it gives us pleasure. And yet we are extremely disturbed by it. There is nothing we feel more consistently deprived of than kindness; the unkindness of others has become our contemporary complaint. Kindness consistently preoccupies us, and yet most of us are unable to live a life guided by it.

Too often we’re embarassed by the softer side of our humanity. We frequently view kindness, compassion and empathy as weaknesses and something to be exploited in others. But it’s precisely our willingness to express kindness, compassion and empathy that makes us strong. Strength of character is measured by different means than strength of body. The strength in your limbs may decrease due to age or disability. But strength of character is unaffected by illness, disease or age.

We should never be afraid or ashamed to express kindness. We should never hesitate to encourage the expression of kindness by others. Let’s all keep our eyes open for those daily opportunities to practice SAOK…small acts of kindness. You’ll be a better person for it at the end of the day.

A growing number of Americans are giving up their dogs and cats to animal shelters as the emotional bonds between people and pets get tested by economic ones.

From the Malvern, Pa., man who turned his two dogs over in order to help pay for his mother’s cancer treatments, to the New York woman who euthanized her cat rather than keeping it alive with expensive medications, rising economic anxieties make it increasingly difficult for some pet owners to justify spending $1,000 a year or more on pet food, veterinary services and other costs.

The population growth at animal shelters in Connecticut, Nebraska, Texas, Utah and other states shows how the weak economy is also shrinking the pool of potential adopters. And it coincides with a drop-off in government funding and charitable donations.

The effect has been cramped quarters for dogs and cats, a faster rate of shelters euthanizing animals and some shelters turning away people looking to surrender pets, according to interviews with several shelters and animal advocates. Of the estimated 6 million to 8 million dogs and cats sent to animal shelters every year, half are euthanized and the rest adopted, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

“It’s definitely discouraging for us,” said Adam Goldfarb, a Humane Society spokesman. “One of our major goals is to develop and celebrate the bond between people and animals. It’s so tragic when families reach a point when they can’t afford to care for their pets.”

There is no nationwide data being collected on the reasons dogs and cats are being abandoned by their owners, but shelter managers and advocates for animals say the trend is undeniable — and probably a bigger phenomenon than they are aware of.

“People are embarrassed to admit that’s why they’re giving up their pets,” said Betsy McFarland, the Humane Society’s director of communications for companion animals.

An Associated Press-Petside.com poll found that one in seven owners nationwide reported reduced spending on their pets during the past year’s recession. Of those cutting back, more than a quarter said they have seriously considered giving up their pet.

In Omaha, Neb., the Nebraska Humane Society‘s shelter began tracking for the first time this year those pets given up because of financial constraints. Through mid-November, more than 275 pets were given up because their owners said they couldn’t afford to keep them. (Source-Yahoo News)

Having to give up a pet can inflict deep emotional scars on a family, especially the children who don’t understand economic realities. They don’t appreciate the difficult choice their parents have to make, surrendering their family pet to ensure they can be fed and clothed.

Here’s my suggestion: if you can afford to temporarily adopt the pet of a family member, a friend or a neighbor, do it to help them through this rough time. They can rest easy knowing their companion is well taken care of and loved, and can plan for the day when they can once again make them a part of their family. Sure, it will be a sacrifice and may require a bit of adjustment for your family. But think of how much this simple sacrifice will mean to someone enduring a difficult period in their lives. I bet their owners would be happy to help out, grooming and walking their pet for you, even watching them on days you won’t be at home.

Think what a great gift this would be for a friend or neighbor. And the pet will be grateful for being able to remain close to its family and being able to look forward to the day when it can join them again.

A grandfather remained in critical condition Thursday after police said he sacrificed himself to save his newborn granddaughter.

James Lewin, 65, was out Friday night walking with his wife, two grandchildren, his daughter and her husband. They were heading home after the annual Candlelight Walk and Tree Lighting ceremony in downtown Littleton.Lewin was pushing his 12-day-old granddaughter, Sara, in a stroller. They were entering a crosswalk at South Price Street and West Church Avenue when a Dodge pickup truck turned from Prince Street onto Church Avenue and hit Lewin, police said.

Lewin pushed Sarah’s stroller out of harm’s way just before he was struck by the truck, witnesses said. The family’s web site said the truck dragged Lewin 75 feet after it hit him.

Thanks to her grandfather’s quick thinking, Sara was not hurt.”He pushed the stroller so hard, the stroller’s axle bent and the handle was broken from Jim shoving the stroller away,” said Carol Lewin, his wife.

Jim Lewin was taken to Swedish Hospital where he remains in critical condition. Carol told 7NEWS that Lewin has a fractured left wrist, a dissected artery in his neck which has caused several strokes, six fractured ribs, a bruised lung, multiple facial fractures, a broken nose, and a horrible road rash all over his body. He is breathing with help from a ventilator and has his entire abdomen stitched up.

He is heavily sedated but responds well when he can hear his 3-year-old grandson, Brian, speak, Carol said. “When Suzanne brought Brian in to see him and Brian said, ‘I love you grandpa,’ he went crazy with movement, flailing his left arm, moving his feet, trying to either talk or get the breathing tube out of his mouth,” Carol said.

Carol said that his injuries could have been much worse, and credits the family’s faith for the baby’s survival and Jim’s recovery. “The baby wasn’t hurt. There were tons of caring people around … It happened right in front of Columbine Ambulance Service so they were right there. Jim was at the hospital within 20 minutes,” Carol said. “The doctors are very pleased and amazed at Jim’s progress.”

Lewin was a firefighter in Los Angeles County for 29 years. He retired with his wife to Durango, Colo., in 1999. (Denver Channel 7 News)