Another Modern Moron Book Review

The mythological lore of Hinduism inspires the quest for knowledge supreme, the ultimate truth. At last, I no longer want to fit in or belong to a society that wants nothing to do with me.

The cosmic ocean of creation is a mystery to the gods themselves. Time and the universe came first, then the gods, hence, no one knows how humans evolved. Hinduism has a bizarre barrage about the origins of humankind, yet doesn’t stake their claims as facts, nor disputes what other religions say about human beginnings.  

Hinduism, unlike the other top five religions has many founders, and far too many books to count. A different book on Hinduism would fill an entire public library shelf in every library in the U.S., where as Christianity has two books, the Bible, and "The Book of Mormon".

I’m not a Hindu, and certainly not a saint, but Hinduism has literally saved my life. I was suicidal for much longer then I will never admit too, but that’s all in the past now. Hindu books are extremely poetic, and even though I’m convinced I’m all alone in this world, I have the written words of fact and fantasy on the infinite pages of Eastern philosophy to fuel my fantasy’s and realistic goals.

Believe in one god or many gods, or don’t believe in god at all, but strive to be a good person are words from the Hindu scriptures. As soon as I read this, I was immediately fascinated by Hinduism. Books about Hindu gods and goddess have also seized my imagination. Of all the books I’ve read about the Hindu gods, I have yet to read that I’m going to hell because I believe in the wrong god, or don’t believe in god at all. Know peace, practice peace, it’s a simple philosophy from ancient Hindu scriptures from thousands of years ago.  

Multiple forms of gods and goddess allow human beings to seek personal and spiritual fulfillment through a variety of different paths. (Krishna Dharma; “Beauty, Power, & Grace, The Book of Hindu Goddesses.”)

Brahma, Bumba, The Great Spirit, Buddha, Allah, Muhammad, Ganesha or God is the source and the seed of all that is. 

Maybe the entire universe, and all that dwell within it were formed over billions of years via gravity pulling various elements together, and the dust of the stars merged from the heavens to form human life as we know it today. The timeless question: which came first? The chicken or the egg? Me, like Stephen Hawking doesn’t believe in god, but Hawking made a good argument for god when he said, if we started out as infants, we would not be here. (“The Grand Design,”)

Immortality can be achieved through the conquest of delusion. Hinduism classifies humans into three basic categories. The truly saintly live once and go straight to Heaven when they die. Hindu Heaven is complete with lush foliage, waterfalls, wine and has no leaders or followers, or so it is written. 

The purely evil souls live only once and go straight to hell upon their death. I’ve never read about Hindu Hell, but if the goddess Kali administers the punishment, I sincerely hope I never have to endure Kali’s wrath. Kali can destroy all that we love and like to possess, and it’s been said she uses the blood of her slain victims to mop her dance floor. Kali, like the Christian god is extremely wrathful, yet loving and all powerful. Kali is the goddess of time and truth and can remedy all disease if it pleases her. In short, she is the power of god in all his aspects. (“Hindu Gods and Goddesses” by Swami Harshananda.)  

The last category for we the living is reincarnation. Hindu religion claims most humans are in this realm of life, we’re not gods prized creations, yet, we’re also not the definition of sheer evil. If you’re not worthy of an eternity of endless love and laughter, and you’re also not a sadistic psycho, you keep getting reborn and thrust into this chaotic cocktail known as life on Earth until the end of time itself. 

One of these days, the Earth Maker is going to look you straight in the heart, and you better know what it is you’re doing. (“U Turn,” the 1997 movie starring Sean Penn and Jennifer Lopez.)

The alphabets, grammar, and the wings of speech, may have all started from the Hindu’s. Hinduism is certainly one of the oldest known languages known to humankind.

The delicious dreams of dancing in Dyaus, the heavens. To have mahavidya, knowledge supreme. Sip amrita, the nectar of immortality and to experience the touch of kamesvari, the mistress of desire, this is my ultimate quest!  I yearn for a world where everyone is safe, and the currency is love and laughter.

Mark Izzy Schurr

“George and the Unbreakable Code” by Lucy and Stephen Hawking is the 4^th intriguing story featuring the fictional children George and Annie.

In “… The Unbreakable Code,” George and Annie, both 11-years-old must thwart the evil plans of Alioth Merak. Merak is a man on the verge of ruling the entire world, and while he is building a quantum computer that will enable him to seize control of the entire planet Earth, George and Annie are the only two who know what Merak’s malicious plans are. George and Annie have the knowledge of how to stop Merak from taking over the world.

Merak is so consumed in his insane quest to take over the world, he attempts to kill Annie and George by hurling them into outer space without spacesuits, so the two children will explode.

This book, like the three previous tales involving Annie and George is geared for grammar school aged children, yet fun, entertaining, and even informative for adult readers who enjoy learning about Earth, the planets, and the entire solar system.

“George and the Unbreakable Code,” like the other books involving Annie and George is much more then a children’s adventure. Lucy and Stephen Hawking veer off the main story and give us readers fascinating facts about the planets and their moons. In this book for example, I learned that the planet Saturn is so light in weight, that it would float in water.

This book also has two pages on internet safety for children, and how they can deal with cyber bullying. The two pages also detail how children can detect internet fraud and the importance that children should communicate with their parents / guardians about what they do on the internet.

Like the three previous books about Annie and George, these two children are able to travel into outer space and walk amid any planet they so desire, thanks to Annie’s quantum computer which is named Cosmos.

George likes Annie because she is fun, clever, cool, and brave. Nothing is beyond Annie, no adventure shunned, no theory untested, and no assumption to stay untested George says about Annie in this book.

Merak kidnaps Annie’s father Eric, and George and Annie have no choice but to go to the unknown origins of outer space and walk into the massive unknown darkness. Just before George and Annie enter into the portals of the unknown, George leaves a note that reads as follows:

If not returned by morning, please send out a space rescue mission using coordinates held by Cosmos.

Annie and George

Good note, Annie says to George. 

The unbreakable code for Annie and George is friendship. “George’s Secret Key to the Universe” is the first installment of this series of books about the adventures of Annie and George written by the late Stephen Hawking and his daughter Lucy. “George and the Unbreakable Code” is a solid three and a half star read for fans of children’s stories and those fascinated by the science of space and the planets.

Mark Izzy Schurr

Government

Liquid lunacy fills the goblet of greed and wets

the lips of the unethical which bleeds across the

world. Harbingers of havoc, apprentices of apathy,

creators of chaos, and distributors of destruction.

Soul destroyers and mindless material builders.

Thrust into there lies and bred to consume.

Mark Izzy Schurr

Bhukti

Mukti, the spiritual liberation of choice. Thou my life is almost over, the only thing I fear is the emotions of hate in my heart.
A positive force in cosmic stability has cured my hatred for religion. Saravati is another goddess I adore, for she is the awakener of happy and noble thoughts.
Mark Izzy Schurr
The above picture was Schurr Shot last year at Palomarin beach in Marin county.

Children

 Innocent eyes breed love and laughter. They harness wisdom and dispense imagination. Youths unfiltered emotions dwell in the adams of eternity,

Mark Izzy Schurr

Hindu Haven

The divine sword of justice lies amidst the far reaches of the cosmos. Durga’s sacred weapon of wonder lies hidden in the cosmic regions of destiny. True law and order have yet to be born, hence all the chaos and divide amongst us all.

Innumerable forms and an infinite variety of beliefs will one day breath live into wisdom and unite the kindly souls. Durga, the warrior goddess will annihilate devious demons and abolish all the emotions of greed and narcissism.  

Mark Izzy Schurr

“Beauty, Power & Grace; The Book of Hindu Goddesses” by Krishna Dharma and David Kinsley’s book, “Hindu Goddesses; Visions the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Tradition” have unraveled an infinite array of word combinations that has sparked my imagination.

I no longer care no one understands me, nor that I have no real friends. I have no one to talk to and to share my emotions. Without the written word, I’d be completely lost and have no way of venting my joys and sorrows.

I have only acquaintances, some close, most just distance laughs and smiles. When someone wants to be around me, its’s always a surprise to me these days, and when people tell me things, or make plans, I tend to ignore them, because the last couple of years, when people make plans with me, they always cancel, so I understand, I am all alone.   

My great acting skills produce the façade of happiness, yet Hindu philosophy instills in me, there is no time for self-pity, so I embrace my creativity with photography and writing the occasional blog.

Mark Izzy Schurr

Library Book Reviewed

William Monroe Trotter, political leader and civil rights agitator was getting into heated political debates with adults when he was just 8-years-old.


Trotter graduated from Harvard University in 1895 and founded the Guardian newspaper in 1901. He met with President Woodrow Wilson on at least two occasions while Wilson was the U.S. president from 1913-1921. Trotter argued with President Wilson and accused him of catering to federal segregation. Trotter was bold on his stance for racial equality and for his time, that was extremely dangerous, but he was also highly respected.


Trotter was also not shy about criticizing the black elite which he was a part of. Black people who owned property were voting in Boston in 1780, more than 100 years before Trotter was born.

Trotter introduced generations of blacks to peacefully protest, the art of black activism, legislative wrangling, and civil disobedience. Lynching a black man a 100 years ago in the U.S. for a crime he may or may not have done without fear of the law by its perpetrators was as common as lies in todays White House.


Trotter was one of the first to advocate for the Dyer Bill in 1918. The Dryer Bill was eventually passed in 1919, which made it officially illegal to lynch someone anywhere in the U.S. Unarmed black people are now choked to death by cops.


“Black Radical; The Life and Times of William Monroe Trotter,” released this year was an excellent library read. I learned some nice facts about Boston. The city of Boston for example had integrated schools as early as 1855.


Kerri K. Greenidge, historian, and director of program in American studies at Tufts University eloquently wrote the following about Trotter; ‘Trotter was an inspiration to the black working class, encouraging them to embrace blackness and all its complexities.’


In 1912, heavy weight boxing champion, Jack Johnson was prosecuted under the Mann Act for alleged white slavery. Johnson, a black man was married to a white woman, and back then, many states passed laws that would not recognize interracial marriages across state lines. This whole Trump thing and his stupid red hat; Make America Great Again? News flash, what was so great about lynching and potential jail time simply for being in love?


Trotter lobbied unsuccessfully to ban 1915s movie “Birth of A Nation” based on a KKK book, the “Clansman.” “Birth of A Nation” was a hit movie then, and many claims is rejuvenated the KKK.

Trotter accused national press of fanning the flames of white fear, which fuels more and more injustice to non-whites.


In 1910, Jack Johnson was arguable the most popular black man in the U.S. and maybe the world. Johnson was the heavy weight boxing champion from 1908-1915. On July 4, 1910, Johnson defeated James Jeffries, dubbed the great white hope in Reno, Nevada in front or 20,000 people. Former President Theodore Roosevelt called for congressional legislation to ban interstate distribution of the fight film.


Trotter was indeed a pioneer for civil rights and this book is for everyone, not just African Americans. Intriguing, and even horrible historical facts are in this book. A solid 3.5 star read.


Mark Izzy Schurr