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Walking into a well-known book store,
it was the first time I really saw,
the huge variety of books there,
I could only look at them in awe.
Usually went straight up to the shelf
that held all the books of my liking.
This day was different, a special
search for something stunningly striking.
I pondered the thousands of writers,
who wrote the thousands of books
whose thoughts were to me unknown
upon pages I could never look.
A wealth of history and knowledge,
in reach of anyone with cost.
Technical, stories of fiction,
how life’s fortunes are won and lost.
The wisdom of ages selling
for discounted prices, quite frail.
The sign on the front window said
“A going out of business sale.”
© 2019, Lekatt. All rights reserved.
Sigmund Freud wrote many books. I found “Totem and Taboo” in a used book store and quickly purchased it. It was the last of his books that I hadn’t read. When I got home, I found an old, yellowed newspaper clipping in the back. The clipping was an interview of Dr. Freud by one of the staff reporters.
Now, Freud was very popular, and the “in” crowd of socialites would often quote and discuss his work at their parties. They were called Freudians. Sometimes these discussions would make the local newspapers, or radio, because of the controversial nature of Freud’s theories.
The newspaper reporter, in the clipping, asked Dr. Freud what he thought of the “Freudians” who quoted his works in the media.
Freud replied: “Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar; me, I am not a Freudian, and I would rather be quoted by my critics, than by my friends, because they quote me more accurately; however, these ideas and concepts of mine are merely the tools of my trade, it is really love that heals.”
I returned the book, unread, to the used book store. I had learned the truth of Sigmund Freud’s life work. There was no need to probe further.
© 2019, Lekatt. All rights reserved.
I never thought much about skepticism before my near death experience. That was before skeptics started telling me I was dreaming, hallucinating, or just making up my experience. I found it odd that these people seemed to know more about my intensely personal experience than I did. Or did they?
Skeptics have been with us a long time. They told George Washington that he could never defeat the British, and they told Lincoln he could never unify our divided country. Every great person had their skeptics to deal with, including Bell, Wright, Edison, Ford, the list is emormous.
Skeptics of near death experiences are only more of the same. We have the evidence now in books, research, videos of surgery, documentaries, and veridical NDEs showing that our consciousness’ will live after the death of our bodies. Dozens of universities with hundreds of researchers are studying near death experiences. Yet the skeptics keep raising old doubts long debunked by the researchers.
Society doesn’t seem to think much about skeptics either. While you can find statues and memorials to the great thinkers, researchers and statesmen of our world most everywhere in parks, you can’t find a single statue erected in honor of a skeptic for his great skepticism anywhere. There are no awards for skepticism, no medals, or prize money.
So while thinkers, reseachers, and statemen go on showing us the path to future knowledge and accomplishments, the skeptics will go on sitting, doing nothing, helping no one, just skepticizing.
© 2010, Lekatt. All rights reserved.
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