Word
Gems
What is a
man but the sum of his thoughts?
Readers'
Comments
Editor's note:
I have stated in
About CharisCorp
that this web site represents a kind of
notebook for me wherein I record my findings and tentative
conclusions on many subjects. I say tentative only to highlight the
principle that
what we think we know should be held loosely,
pending further light. No matter how much we learn, there is always
more to come!
|
-
"I do not promise to believe tomorrow
exactly what I believe today, and I do not believe today
exactly what I believed yesterday. I expect to make, as I
have made, some honest progress within every succeeding
twenty-four hours."
Andrew Jackson
Davis
|
Knowledge, as
the apostle Paul once said, has the nasty habit of "passing away";
meaning, it's under constant threat of
obsolescence,
an easy example of which might be college textbooks, already antiquated
after only a few years' service, now destined for unceremonious consignment to the
basement of the library, the circular file, or the 50-cent book
rack.
William James put it this way: "THE Truth: what a perfect idol of the rationalistic
mind!" Yes, what a fantastic illusion that we feeble
mortals might ever possess the whole
truth!
In any case, it is an honor for me to share
with others some of my discoveries regarding the mysteries of life
[there are now close to 20,000 visits to my
site every month, from virtually every country].
See if some of it makes
sense to you - if it doesn't, set it aside. And when you do,
and if you have a better insight, please share it with
me.

-
Do you believe in something you've never seen
before?
-
"Hi, Wayne, What a beautifully well-written
article! [Personal Statement
#61:
The Perfect Mate] You really are
amazing with words...You are so insightful... You have such a
gift of 'tuning in' to what lies beneath the surface, so to speak, such an awareness
of life and of the 'blessings in disguise' that most people fail to see...
K.P."
"Hello, Wayne, I don't know where I found you... I found your site and
am amazed at your site.... wonderful... It looks like you have done a
great deal of work on your site and will read more. Blessings to
you. Bianca"
"Hi, Wayne, I read the article about making
decisions with your gut and really enjoyed the content very much, as
well the follow up of 'Editor's Notes' - was well written and
enjoyable reading also. Ed"
"Dear Editors of Word Gem, I am Helen
from China.
I read many articles on this website. This is a great
website. Thank you for your great effort doing this."
"Wayne - good stuff... Thank you, thank you,
for all your hard work putting this together. I much appreciate it.
P.S."
"Dear Mr. Becker. This email is short and to
the point: You have created the absolute BEST website I have EVER
come across; Not only have you been so generous as to share some of
the most enlightening words/opinions of truly great people, but your
Editor's Note comments are incredibly insightful, to say the
least. I am overcome with goose bumps, smiles and tears
whenever I read the Word Gems on your site, and your comments
always seem to make me nod in agreement.... If only ALL men could
think with such wisdom, we'd have a perfect place in which to
live... You are pure GENIUS!! Thank you so much... I have
recommended your website to so many people, and EVERYONE who has
read it absolutely loves it....You really are making a positive
impact on a LOT of people! Respectfully, Kelly." Editor's note: I always enjoy
receiving notes from my readers telling me that they've benefited
from my writings. Kelly recently said she liked my
article, The Perfect Mate, wherein I make
a tongue-in-cheek disparaging comment regarding insensitive
young men. I must tell you frankly, terms such as
"genius" I consider to be more generous than real.
Because... I was one of those young men once... I remember that time
too well... and, if some say that I am "incredibly
insightful" today, such perspicacity was obtained at a high price...
paid too much... let's just say that, in those teen years, I wasn't
often accused of being a genius... and the effects of my dullness,
my lack of awareness,
then, are ones from which I have not yet recovered. Somewhere on
this site there is a quote from a famous musician: "You say that I am
a genius... but, before I was a genius, I was a drudge"
- it's more like that. I enjoy my readers' kind words, but I have learned
to keep even closer to my heart the lessons of past failings... lest I
fall into such error again.
"Hi, Wayne...talked to Alice this morning,
she said you have more things on your web site about Grandma [P.S.
#16,
The Grandmother Who Saved Me
]. I read
it - very true. There are so many things I didn't ask - thought I
would have the rest of my life to ask. Keep up the good work. Love,
Aunt Betty"
"Hello there, dearest
Wayne... Well, I have been meandering in the Personal
Statements... and absolutely delighting in your superb
writing! I say it again, your writing is magnificent. Thank you so so
much for sharing it. The whole website is marvelous. One could read
there for hours. I intend to print out some of my favorites soon... I
hold you in deepest Love, Wayne. You are so beautiful. Your gift
of writing must touch many people. I am honored to meet you and,
I hope, to become your friend and sister... I hope that we
will have more 'sharing'
... Shanna"
[Sheridan's aunt: "Hi, Wayne, My 10 year old niece ...
has read your Word Gems , and is very intrigued
with your website."] "Hi, Wayne! I love the saying [below] and I want
to keep it forever. I heard a lot about your website... I
read all about Lincoln's history... Thanks again, Sheridan (age 10) -
P.S. I hope you are doing good." Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work
you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be
impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of
you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can
with your own life.
Galatians 6.4-5 (The
Message)
"Love your essay [Editor's Essay: The Great Idea of
Love].
Certainly succinctly simplifies a lot
of Adler's commentary, for which one needs an excruciating
degree of concentration, though I did wade through it. I
found your explanation of why it is so profoundly vital that there
be total commitment involved in physical union to be the best
explanation I have ever found... A.K." ["Teacher of the Year," honored
with a trip to the Clinton White House]
"I teach first year college
English... I just found your web site and am MOST grateful and
inspired that you are making [Adler's]
essays
available online... Please continue your project at greatest speed...
I assure you that you will be filling a major educational need
each time you complete a new essay. If you have a schedule, I
will certainly plan my offerings around it if you let me know...
Thank you, Dee"
"Dear Wayne, You are the best. Thank you
so much for answers to questions that I have had for a long time.
You gain nothing from this, I suppose, so I am in your
debt. As a Christian, I do believe in the afterlife, of course.
Thank you again, Janet"
"Hi! I like your Word Gems site . .
. it is very helpful. Do you know where I can find more information
about Carl Gustavson? I am working on a Master's degree and we are
using A Preface to History
(out of print) as required reading... Any help
would be appreciated! Deborah"
"Hi, Wayne... First, I want to say that
your website has an impressive array of information. I look forward
to reading some of your essays, they are intriguing as I read the
introductions... clearly there is so much there, it would take
considerable time to view. I believe I understand where you are
coming from in some of it... My strong position was that there were
many paths to spiritual fulfillment... I have lived enough to
realize that the older I get, the less I know and am certain of. The
more questions there are. Ultimately, I have learned to not judge
people, but to love... with respect to afterlife, judgment,
religion, science, metaphysics, etc, I learn daily that I don't know
nearly as much as I thought I knew. I respect and admire that you
are searching for truth. We must all continue to search... Thanks
again... T.M."
"WOW, Wayne!!!!! Outstanding article!!!! [P.S.
#58,
How To Get Out Of Debt ]
You not only write in a very interesting and easy-to-read manner,
you also cull a wealth of valuable resources together to create a
powerful picture and argument for your strategy. Excellent job - you
are an outstanding writer. And the strategy you outline is sensible,
as well as tried and true... Articulate, well-written, and very
important. Thanks so much for it! ... I sure admire your
pursuit of knowledge, and your dedication. Super! Anita"
|
Editor's
note: several years ago I wrote an article
debunking a common theological myth. It's now posted on another web site.
This is how they introduce it:
"Most of us have read the parable
of Lazarus and the rich man, given in Luke 16: 19-31. If you're like
me, you probably found yourself struggling to understand what Jesus
was trying to convey in this story. Could he have, among
other things, been trying to give us some insights into
the afterlife? Should this parable be used as valid
justification for teaching that the fate of the wicked is eternal,
never-ending torture in the fires of hell? Many churches and
religious apologeticists believe so. But does this parable actually
give credence to the popular (but very shaky) doctrine of
eternal punishing? Keep in mind that annihilism is a teaching
that falls within the pale of Christian orthodoxy, it's just not
as popular a teaching as an ever-torturing hell. Never fear - help is
here!
"The following article was written (under a
slightly different title) by Wayne Becker ... I first read
Wayne's article several years ago and was very impressed with his
writing skills and his logical conclusions on this subject. I
think this article will help clear up just what the real intent of
Jesus' oft-quoted parable was, and just what this parable does not
say. Reproduced with Wayne's permission. His article has been
slightly edited." Editor's note: see my
original, unedited version of Lazarus and the Rich
Man.
|
"Hi, Wayne, I have just finished reading your
Personal Statements about Politics and
Economics [P.S.
#14, 15]
... I have
to say, I agree with you 100%. I, too, have very strong opinions
about both subjects, and have never read or heard such 'right-on'
statements such as yours... Actually, all of your Personal
Statements
reflect the mind of a HIGHLY intelligent person which, INDEED, you
are... I have read your article about The Troubadour and The
Wedding Song
...What great reading! I have
learned so many new and interesting things regarding it, and I thank
you. I have also read most of your other articles about you
growing up on the farm, etc., and I am grateful to have had the
chance to read them...You are a very wise soul...You have put into
words exactly how I feel about many issues... At the risk of
sounding like a 'broken record,' you are so great, and for that
I can't thank you enough!! ... You always bring a smile to my
face... K.P."
"Greetings, Your website presents a wealth
of reading material. I think this search for truth is crucial, and
deliberating on the words of different sages has made for
interesting observations in my classroom. I fully believe that when
we know and love the truth it does set us free. But it is not a
pain-free process. Carolanne"
I contacted my master's
degree English professor to say hello. "Hi Wayne, It's good to
hear from you. Your site is very interesting. I see that on the
Poetry
site I am in good company! All the best, Tricia [Ph.D.]" ...
to which I responded... [quoting her poem] "It does us great
disservice to think we are ever done with people... I reread
this last night after having not seen it in a long time and realized
that I had not truly appreciated your message before... your problem
with 'closure' ... very good... thank you for that. I think of you
from time to time because it was from you that I learned that a
poem should not mean, but be ... that
beauty, without didactism, is ok... I was a little more 'narrow'
than I was prepared to admit when I entered your class,
but left it a more expansive spirit." ... to which, she graciously commented:
"Thank you, Wayne. I'm always the biggest learner in class, of course. Best,
Tricia"

"Wayne, Thanks for the great article which I
enjoyed very much. [P.S. #13,
The Troubadour and The Wedding Song]
... For some time I have been interested in the various forms of
proof, those which our culture exalts as the exclusive means of
arriving at truth. I am referring primarily to the scientific method
which liberated us from the superstition of the Church and then
there are the various legal proofs - reasonable cause to
suspect, beyond reasonable doubt and on a balance of
probabilities. Most people do not understand the differences
between these various kinds of proof. I also observe that most
people hold beliefs, in fact all of us, which cannot hold up using
these various methods. Even those in the scientific and legal fields
disagree a great deal and scientific and legal opinions change
enormously over time. No wonder Pilate asked What is
truth? It seems to me
that these methods cut us off from a whole universe full of
possibilities. Given all the confusion how do we know what is
true? ... I agree that the path to incontrovertible truth is the way
of the poet, artist, and mystic because they draw from the well of
their own experience and why should we be interested in their
opinions. The way forward for us is to rely on our own
experience and the deeper wisdom of the heart and not to defer to
the opinions and dictates of others. Your discourse on romantic
love reminds me of ...
the poet Rilke who wrote that the ideal relationships are ones
in which two partners guard and protect each other's solitude.
He writes a great deal about the difference between dependent love
and the real thing and how to tell the difference. I really
admire the work you are doing on the web
site. Cheers, Adrian [J.D.]"
"Hi,
Wayne, I am in awe after reading your
P.S. #25
[Why Destined Lovers Fail To Recognize Each
Other] ...
In awe of how beautiful this article is, how well you put
into words something (Soulmate Love) that most often cannot be
put into words in a way that does it justice... Kelly"

"Hi, Wayne, Yes, the song [Beach Boys' Come
Go With Me] is very special taking us back to a happier and
more carefree time. When we were younger the world was appareled
in celestial light, the glory and freshness of a dream,
as Wordsworth wrote. Now the glory and
freshness has faded, having passed through the filter of our own
unhappy experiences, most notably, the repression of religion,
politics and economics. Repressed on almost every level. There is a
verse in the Gospel of Thomas, The kingdom of Heaven is all
around you but you do not see it. Read with interest your
articles on politics and economics. I was reminded of a cartoon
I saw recently. A group of politicians are force feeding a very
large pig which is swelling up like a blimp. One politician
says to the other, keep feeding it, something is bound to come
out the other end. Referring to the enormous
amounts of money pumped into the banking system but alas, no money
coming out the other end in the form of lending. I agree that the
problem is socialism but I have a theory that it's all corporate
rule and that their agenda is not free enterprise but
socialism. We are seeing this on a grand scale now with the
bailouts but there have always been direct and indirect subsidies to
keep the monsters alive. They are like quasi governmental
agencies and key politicians are interchangeable with key corporate
officials and they all think alike. Their aim is not competition but
domination of key areas of the economy. The new elites are
corporate executives and their political hand maidens. The game is
bleeding the electorate white while diverting all that money into
the hands of the elites. Watch what they do, not what they say. Your
site is a treasure house of thought provoking stuff. A.S."
"Dear Wayne, thought of you when I copied
this: Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking
creates profoundness. Kindness in feeling creates LOVE.
You are LOVED.
Maureen"
"Wayne, Your web page is fantastic. I will be
looking forward to reading what you have there. Ken"
"Wayne... I've been reading your site all
evening. VERY ENJOYABLE. Thanks. Mark L.
"Wayne... I started reading [your
Personal Statements] earlier in the evening, and I kept reading until 11:30 PM...
thank you so much. Carolyn"
"Hi, Wayne, Good article about the Sperles
[P.S. #27,
Valedictorian Super-Mom
]! I have read most of the articles, you are a good writer
... keep writing. Paul"
"Wayne... I read your piece [P.S. #32,
The Mysterious World Of Twin Soul Lovers ]. Intellectually, I can understand
and accept why the 'long dark night of the soul' must be, but
emotionally, my heart aches unbearably. It's one thing to sense
that your twin soul is somewhere out there...it's another thing
entirely to know who he/she is and where he/she is, yet not be
able to come together. Writing about it just now brings a
tightness to my chest! SIGH! The pain, the relentless
longing... constantly waiting and wanting..."
[name withheld]
"Thanks for sharing your article and
website with us. Frances."
"Wow! Word-Gems shows the
fantastic mind behind the man... What a thought-provoking way
to express yourself! Thanks so much for sharing this...
Linda"

"WOW!!! P.S. #31 [Finding Healing
From Religious Abuse ] is extremely
powerful... your high-caliber command of the English language... With
threads of Political Abuse... Spiritual Abuse... Domestic
Abuse, you wove quite a tapestry. From macrocosm to microcosm; a
single cancer cell that metastasizes until the entire host is
destroyed. My mind is reeling at the insidious inter-relationship you
so masterfully exposed. You're right -
you gotta wanna
grow/change/wake up, and it sure isn't easy! ... I'm quite
anxious for your Jesus article. I've walked a lonely path where
religion is concerned, and I know
a big change is on the horizon.
Sharon"
"For one person to lift another to a
better level of self-acceptance, self-respect, is an ideal which
shall occupy our thoughts for our entire unending future. How I want
to be such an uplifting person. That you already are such a person
is apparent to many... The real question is who wants to be,
or chooses to be uplifted. Ultimately it's the individual's free
will choice that makes all the difference. Ruth"
"Hi Wayne... You have a great website,
and, in time, I will read it all... Claudia."
"This Prayer To Soulmate Unseen [P.S.
#25]
... is Smokin' Hot! This is rich with sexual
tension tempered with honest heart and soul vulnerability... your
Prayer could actually be wedding vows if trimmed down. The tone
of your Prayer
is a blueprint for a
life-style AND a love-style... I know you have 'twin flames' in
mind, and, to be truly and equally reciprocated, only twin flames
could meet each other measure for measure; but what I'm getting
at is that even a little bit of this kind of truth in love will go a
LONG, LONG way... I am reminded of Jerry McGuire, the scene where
Renee Zellweger says, You had me at hello
... From the first line to the last, you lay your heart
and soul out there, and you don't let up. Women really do want
this, a sensitive man who will plumb the depths of love. Humanity
is craving, starving to death, for love like this; waiting to
receive love like this, oblivious (asleep) to this one subtle
fact... love must be given first or what is there to
receive??? Who will be vulnerable first? Rose"
"Hello, Wayne... I have looked over your
website and
P.S. #23 [Forgiveness, The Final Battle]...
There is a lot there and difficult to write about. I think there's
more to the Sunflower than you give it credit - tape-measure
forgiveness, possibly, but more, it is so much about being human.
It may not be where you are, but it tells us so much about where
'we' are. The many religious traditions show how so very many ways
there are to coming to a 'point' or 'sense' of forgiveness -
maybe in giving forgiveness but maybe also in asking for
forgiveness. The Sunflower makes me wonder about
the 'aura' of unforgiveness that we walk in - (is that a kind of
original sin?). What about the tradition that you can only be forgiven by
the ones you harm and then, in the case of the Holocaust, all are dead
- what happens to that ungiven forgiveness?" ... Sister JoAnn
Hohenbrink, Ph.D. ... Hello, Sister, thank
you for your note... My studies in the AfterLife (P.S. #3) have
given me some partial answers to this. My friend David, a gifted
psychic, was once asked a question by a lady who had been sexually
abused as a child. She had stayed at her uncle's house and, during
the night, either he or one of the sons, had assaulted her. She
wanted to know the identity. David received a message from his
Spirit Guides that it had been the uncle. David also was able to
access the uncle's spirit on the Other Side and found him in a kind
of dark, dank cellar, huddled in a fetal position, immersed in
self-loathing and fear. Some time later, the lady also passed on.
David contacted her to see how she was doing. She told him that she
was working with her one-time offender and that he was on a path to
recovery. It seems that, but for her outreach, he would still be
sitting with the rats in the cellar. There are thousands of
such reports, and it seems that even if the offended one has
processed the past ordeal, and does not need anything from the other
party, the one who committed the wrong needs to feel the acceptance
of the wronged party, for his own peace; in fact, he will need to
begin a program of doing what he can to set right past wrongs, and
may be assigned to that person as a kind of shadowing
helper... I think the notion of an "original sin" is a good
analogy... I will just say here that The Sunflower, but for a few
stellar exceptions, represents the Ego's
testimony, the Ego's view,
regarding definitions of forgiveness. The Ego's views commonly pass
for what is human but it does not represent our essential humanity.
Abraham Lincoln once commented: How many
legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a
tail a leg doesn't make it a leg. And when we see most of 'the 50' in The
Sunflower calling certain attitudes, judgments, as forgiveness, this
does not mean that we are necessarily dealing with forgiveness. The
Sunflower presents a bastard-view of forgiveness drawn from the law
courts; a view of due process, of just compensation, and
satisfaction of rights. And while, on lower levels of existence,
there may be a need for such things, forgiveness in its grandest
sense - a sense baked into its literal meaning - is about seeking
the highest and best for another. Forgiveness is merely agape love in
another form, love in the trenches of life. And it is created, not
by trying very hard, which process, as Tolle says, merely causes one
to identify even more with grievance and produces more neurosis, but
by that effortless Artesian Spring which needs to be unblocked.
(see P.S. #41 for further discussion regarding Sister JoAnn's
question.)
"OH, you silver-tongued DEVIL [Personal Statement #61:
The Perfect Mate]
- I bet you were there when EVE ate the apple!
... Ruth" Editor's
note: It is important for
all public figures to immediately answer their critics, lest another
be granted right to define oneself; and, madam, I must protest... I
deeply resemble your remarks...
[smile]
"Hi, Wayne... I thought I'd tell you, I
contacted Steve Gunn
[P.S. #28, 32] and
told him that you have referred to him many times in your articles.
I suggested that he read what you have written, and he did just
that! He is very grateful to you, and he is honored that you find
his information so helpful... Kelly"

"Hi, Wayne... I am going to share with you
a mind-blowing encounter that I
experienced with one of my good friend's boyfriends who passed away
over 2 years ago... Here it is: My good friend, Sarah, had a
boyfriend named Bruce, who had been ill for a number of weeks... The
doctors told him that he had congestive heart failure. His condition
continued to deteriorate until he succumbed to his illness. Needless
to say, Sarah was devastated... Now for the
mind-blowing part: I didn't know yet that Bruce had died, not
until the next day. However, that very night that he passed away, I
smelled cigar smoke VERY STRONGLY. I kept asking everyone
around me, "Do you smell that cigar smoke?" No one else smelled it.
Only me. I dismissed it as being "all in my mind, I guess." Then
came the night of Bruce's funeral: Once again, cigar smoke filled
the air, so strong that my eyes felt as if they were burning. And
once again, NO ONE else could smell it. I was starting to get very
spooked by this, but, again, I dismissed it as being nothing, since
no one else could smell it. Then, two nights
later, I was lying in bed, fully awake when Bruce appeared before me
with a message: He said, 'I want you to tell Sarah how I REALLY
died: But first, the reason you were smelling cigar smoke was
because I wanted to give you a kind of hint: The hint is this:
Take the word cigars and rearrange the letters from back to front,
minus 2 letters, and then, well, you'll know how to take it from
there. When you figure it out, tell Sarah that this was the cause of
my death.' And he was gone. I did as he asked, and the word
was ARSENIC. I was so shocked and taken off guard, but the
next day, I told Sarah. It was very awkward to approach this with
her, but I told her about this message from Bruce, and asked her if
she knew of anyone who might have poisoned him. She said
No, but she couldn't get it out of her head. Six months
later, Sarah came to my house, crying, and between sobs told me that
she found out that the person that she and Bruce
had been living with for months (during his entire "illness") had
killed her parents with arsenic, and that she was arrested for
this. There was enough evidence to prove that this was true.
Sarah said she then KNEW that this girl poisoned Bruce with arsenic.
This girl had been preparing Bruce's meals when Sarah was out. Sad,
isn't it? Anyway, that was ALL the proof I'll ever need that people
can communicate with the dead. I'll never forget that
night, the night of 'Bruce's message.' Just wanted to share this
with you. There are very few people who know about this, but you are
definitely one who could understand this." [names withheld/changed to
preserve anonymity]
"Wayne, I downloaded your Word Gems
(About
CharisCorp ). Your opening pages
are well written and impressive. You are an impeccable writer. A
colleague also downloaded your Becker
Capital Corp material. You sound like you know a lot about
finances. We hope to harness your talents sometime... you,
the 'farm boy,' have become world citizen, a very knowledgeable and wise person, humble about
your qualifications... C. M. (Ph.D., language arts department chair)
"Hey, I have been reading Personal
Statements - [they have] much to say on my part, for sure...
You know what is interesting, when you said you were going [to seek
for a teaching position in another state] I felt a sense of loss,
like you had more to say. As I read what you have written [there is]
much info that I have contemplated over the years... I have much to
say about your article... Debbie"
|
Editor's note: Ten years ago, for my master's degree, I
submitted to university instructors various writings, much of
which is now posted on my Word Gems site - the most noteworthy
example, I think, is my
Paul & the Galatian
Controversy: The Battle To Define Christianity.
Someone once said that a faith
which cannot survive collision with the truth is not worth many regrets; that the
goal of the objective and honest researcher must be to overthrow
one's own findings - that's hard to do; hard to disown,
or even to chastise, one's own literary child. And while my writings
earned for me high praise from the philosophy department at California State
University, I will tell you frankly that I no
longer agree with some of my own findings! I've learned so much in
the interim! My spiritual journey, since then, has allowed me to
see - how thrilling to see! - so many new things, and many old things,
in a new light. All this reminds me of that most important lesson
for all seekers of truth: Hold
information loosely in your hands, pending further light, as there
is always more light to come! Reject dogmatism on all levels; eschew Dear
Leaders
and their "infallibility"; Never assume that you
have "arrived" at the answer; keep thinking,
keep searching - as St. Paul said, "What
we know about God," or any facet of the truth, "is always
incomplete!"
We have only begun, barely begun, our quest for ultimate
reality, a process that shall be engaging and amazing us, even
a million years from now...
Even so, in 2002, five Ph.D. professors graciously said this about
my writings...
"superior thinking and
philosophizing"
"great grasp, great careful
work"
"excellent work... well expressed...
thoughtful
analysis"
"organization and writing skills are
strong"
"well researched, well documented, and
felicitously
spoken"
"very well done, thoughtful, and
provocative... good
job"
"I judge that this
deserves an A grade. It is superior work in many ways... It is not
your ordinary commentary nor an unscholarly, undisciplined work
sometimes seen in our Humanities' candidates but is built on long
and careful work... This kind of work is so rare among Master's
candidates who do not possess, or at least do not choose to do, such
careful and concentrated study ... it is difficult to disagree with
most of his presentations and claims because he presents them in
such detail and with such reasoning based on learning and experience
... One of the highest compliments I think I can give is to ask
you for a copy..." Without my
prompting, in a letter of recommendation, this philosophy
department chair suggested that I be given opportunity to teach
writing and literature on the university level.
|
"Hello, Wayne... I have been reading from
Word Gems a lot and enjoy all... E.M."

"Dear Wayne... your writings [Personal Statement #61:
The Perfect Mate] are so very
beautiful, I hardly know how to respond
to you... [New York City, graduate of Vassar College]
"Hello Wayne... The information you wrote
about as to the afterlife is very interesting to me. I have always
been interested in that subject. When my husband passed over I
experienced things in my life that could not be explained any other
way... [he] appeared to me in a dream after he passed, and he looked
as though he was in his early 30's. I can remember every detail of
the dream. Thank you for the victorzammit.com address. It is VERY
interesting, and I am amazed with what I am reading... I will
continue reading and study the site. It is so
amazing and interesting.V.E."
"Wayne, I love those Personal
Statements!" Angie
[I was asked to teach a college course
on economics and finance, but I'd already moved out of the area.]
"Thank you, Wayne, our loss is someone else's
gain, if you are ever in our neck of the woods again, please stop in
and say hi, or if the opportunity arises, and you come back here to
live, we sure could use your expertise. Great [investment] articles
by the way, do you mind if I could possibly use them? S.S.J."
[college department head]

"Mr. Becker: I read with interest
your story about Bob Feland [Personal Statement
#40:
The Amazing Story of
My Friend, World War II Hero, Silver-Star Recipient, 89 Year-Old
Robert Feland: The Man They Could Not Kill.] read more
"Wayne, let me tell you a bit about
myself... My husband and I were married by a judge, we eloped, and I
was checking into getting our marriage blessed... [My parish priest
said] 'You know if you die, you
will go straight to hell, but there is not a thing I can do about it
for at least one year.' It makes me smile when I
type that sentence because that is exactly what was told me by a
priest. Yes, I know, quite a loving church, huh? [Regarding
your article, the healing words of Father Robert Benson, P.S. #66] 'The Wrath of God is a
stupid and wicked fiction' - I completely agree and have always
voiced this. God is only LOVE and knows no wrath. Too often we hear
that God is punishing us and I always say....no...that is not
possible. We as humans bring negative on ourselves by our words or
actions, but it is never God... Everything I read is very
interesting... I'll keep reading. Have a great day!!!!!" [name
withheld]
"Hi, Wayne... you are a Godsend to
many... your brilliance... your discipline and devotion to your
writing and worthiness are exemplary... L.C."
|
a
real-life encounter with an Angel

Just like
It's A Wonderful Life, she met an angel on a
bridge!
"Dear Wayne... As I've been a Word Gems
enthusiast for quite some time now, I'd like to share a story with
you that you may find to be interesting. This
story is true and factual... He was nowhere to be found! The man
had disappeared completely from sight. There was no place for him to
turn off... no place else he could have gone but to the parking lot,
and there hadn't been time enough for that!
... read the entire story
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"Hi, Wayne... I am in awe at the effort and
wisdom you bring to your website... A.S."
"Hi Wayne, I just took a quick look at your
website, and it is a real gift! Thank you. I really look
forward to reading more when I get the chance! Laura"
|
a note
from the founder of Esoteric Books
|

|
Jan. 9, 2011: "Hi Wayne. I put your site on my website
here: http://esotericbooks.deds.nl/index.php/othersites/urlsfromfriends
- yes, Wayne we will meet for sure. I do know that since 1937
when I was 6 years old I was kicked
out of church by the minister because I asked the wrong
questions. I knew more than he did... I became 80 a
week ago. I will show you a picture, then you will know how to
find me in heaven... Art" |
-
Editor's note:
This kindly soul in the Netherlands maintains a web site housing
100 or more free online books featuring
studies in the AfterLife. You can find all of Father Robert
Benson's books there: http://esotericbooks.deds.nl/index.php/content/esotericbooks
-
Art is a very dear and gracious man. There are some people
with whom one shares an immediate connection. Art is one of
those for me. Something tells me that he is going to be a
friend of mine for a very long time to come! |
"Wayne, I stayed up until 3 AM reading about
your uncle and forgiveness [P.S. #23]. I would like to ask you some
questions about it. N.G."
"Wayne - wow! ... Wow! ... WOW! ... what a
website! ... W.G."
Wayne, "Great article: Aionios: the Greek word
for Eternity. Pastor Pete"
"Dearest Wayne, I have some moments to
myself tonight, I'm going to read your Word Gems
articles... I'm looking forward to reading them, as always!" [name
withheld]
"I do read your
site and get very interested in it. Great Job, Wayne."
Vi
"Hi Wayne... I loved your article [P.S. #46, update,
bottom of page], especially, the part about living the 'authentic' life and the
twin soul arriving as a by product of this." [name
withheld]
"Hi, Wayne, I commend you on your
conclusions about Evil [P.S. #67]. I do think you
are right, but I couldn't have understood it clearly
enough to have explained it... I do view the world's condition according to
the overview you describe, yet my emotions still register fear."
A.B.
"I had a look at your website; a lot of
writing, work, has gone into it; with some time, I will definitely
come back, again and again." Dawie (New Zealand)
|
Sharmeen wrote to me about Personal
Statement #47, Reincarnation: Fantasy Or Fact?
...
the little girl who suddenly began to speak
Arabic!

Hey, Wayne...
-
"Are you guys Arabic?" he asked.
-
-
"No, I'm
Black," I said.
-
-
"Oh... I asked because your daughter told me
in my language that I was gonna be ok!"
-
READ
MORE
|
"Hello Sir, My name is
****** and I'm from *********. It is late here now, but even
so, I had to email you. I cannot believe that I found your website.
What an absolute God-send to have found your site, and thank
you for making it and putting it up on the internet. Thank you for
writing about the subjects that you did. Thank God that you have
made your site and that I have found it, completely by accident. I
won’t write too much for now, but let me just tell you this: First my dad, then my mother, got cancer and they are
no longer here now. After my mother passed, every bit of
faith I had, vanished. I still don’t know if mother and dad are
somehow OK or not. I have searched for answers and proof for 54
months now, about 6-10 hours per day. But then something else
happened as well. First, people told me that my mother could be lost
and burning in hell if she did not
forgive someone. I almost went crazy. Then, something just as bad
happened. Other people told me that I will never see my mother and
dad again because they have forgotten about me
and are now reincarnated as someone else, or even as an
animal. There are no words to describe what has happened to
me. I started having panic attacks and seizures where I couldn’t get
up for about two hours. These people used Ian Stevenson and
mediums to prove that my mother and dad are reincarnated. I have
lived a life of total hell for 54 months, I have not been able to
work and so my wife has to support us, I was given an array of
different pills for 'depression' and told by counsellors that I must
simply forget about my mother and dad and leave them behind and move
on…that they don’t exist anymore. It went from
them dying, to them being in hell, to them being somebody else or
some animal (a dog I was told). I don’t know if there is any
way out of this, I was going to completely give up. Would you be
able to help me? Would you talk to me about these subjects by email?
... I have to talk about some of these things with someone, would
you help me? I'm going to bed now, but I'm anxious to hear back from
you. Thank you, and thank you again for your website." [name
withheld]
"I have read 30 Years Among the Dead
and am currently reading Gateway to Understanding.
I agree with you wholeheartedly. There must have been some
concerted effort to relegate Dr. Wickland's
monumental work into obscurity... I am truly incredulous that such groundbreaking work
has largely been ignored by the world for almost 100
years. As far as I'm concerned, Dr. Wickland and his
wife have basically proven beyond doubt that conscious life
continues after physical death. This revelation should have
been heralded. Can the darkness be that
great to somehow squelch his discovery? Can any discovery have
greater import?
I would think that it shouldn't be too difficult to
replicate his work with the help of a good psychic, like his wife
was. If you have any ideas how to pursue this avenue I would be happy to assist you.
Vincent"
"Hi, Wayne, I really like your latest summary about
the nature of Evil [P.S. #67]. I
particularly like the part about those who are truly spiritual [who]
speak of believing the best about every
person; of a willingness to endure all and to bear up under
all provocation. You are right that all of us in
an unenlightened state are potentially capable of any
misdeed; you are also right in saying that what we see [is not Evil, as a discrete entity
as such, but] deluded people being led by extreme egos, who do some
very bad things." Nancy

-
Mahatma
Gandhi:
"You
must be the
change
you wish to see in the
world."
Editor's note : A
student of Augustine, concerned with issues of time and creation,
once asked his master, "What did God do before
he created the world." Annoyed with this untidy
and impertinent query, the teacher responded: "He was thinking up punishments in hell for fools
who ask questions like that."
The concept of
change, with its corollary that we do not and cannot possess all truth,
is very threatening to many; but, Ghandi was on the right path,
and Augustine had some things to learn. Mystics and philosophers
tell us that change is eternal. This means that our growth
and development will be eternal. It means, instead of blinding
our eyes to new information, we must proactively seek change - not the
change of the anarchist but the change of the reasonable person,
the friend of Truth. We must seek change with the passion of one
seeking a lost lover; with the fortitude of the runner nearing the
finish line; with the discipline of the soldier awaiting the next
firefight. Change is a
creed of life. It is not life itself, but it is the road to
Life. Whatever you
think you know, as I will persist in reminding you, hold
it loosely in your hands, pending further Light, as there will
always be more Light to come.
You have not arrived...
we never shall. Politicians attempt to mesmerize crowds with
the magical word 'change,' but the great historian Will Durant
tells us that political change, per se, never permanently changes
the world in a good way - only the change, he says, and as Gandhi
said, of saints and philosophers can do that. Change is one of
Adler's 102 Great Ideas of history. See his essays here - also see my Editor's 1-Minute Essay
at the top of each
page.
A reader's thoughts regarding the above
paragraph and image:
"Who knew a bull's-eye (a direct broadside hit)
could be so gently and tenderly achieved. And Jesus said,
he who has ears, let him hear, he who has eyes, let him
see...
You, my dear friend, are an
amazing artist! The photo and the sentiment are, indeed, quite
beautiful."
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