CEDARTREE.NET Established July 16, 2000 Dedicated to the Community of
Earth where only Hate is Hated, Intolerance is Intolerable, and all
Extremism is drowned in the Militant voices of Moderation. The
sharing of knowledge and the fostering of respect for all cultures,
religions and ideas that are dedicated to the Human Race, living together
as a human family, is the purpose of our endeavor.
"That differences of opinion should arise among men on
politics, on religion and on every other topic of human inquiry, and that these
should be freely expressed in a country where all our faculties are free, is to
be expected. But these valuable privileges are much perverted when permitted to
disturb the harmony of social intercourse, and to lessen the tolerance of
opinion."
--Thomas Jefferson: Reply to Citizens of Washington, 1809. ME
16:348
CEDARTREE.NET
October 7, 2001
Balance is hard to find, but that is what we will begin
with. We'll begin to build with an idea and let the rest grow from there. Let's
begin with the idea of balance.
The cedar tree grows in every part of the world where trees
can grow. It is made up of different varieties, but each is unmistakably a
cedar. They can also be found throughout time, from the ancient, biblical
cedars of Lebanon to the present day cedars of the northwest American
continent.
However, this web site is not about cedars. It is about what
they symbolize. CEDARTREE.NET
is about the diversity and varieties of the human family spread
around this sphere we call earth. It is also about the common roots of our
human tree of life that go deep into the soil that we call home.
Most importantly it is about preserving and nurturing the
balanced conditions needed for that tree of life to grow. It is about the right
amount of rainfall. It is about the right amount of sunlight. It is about the
right amount of spacing, food, soil, and the many other aspects that make up
the optimum growing conditions for each variety of human life.
Extreme conditions are what kill life. We should hate only one thing and that is hate
itself. If there is anything we should be extreme in, it should be as an
extremist of moderation, tolerance, understanding, good will, and faith.
Like minded people must speak out against all extremism and
to do so loudly. It is time for the Militant Moderate, who is not afraid to
stand up to extremists, to proclaim the sanctity of the human race ... the
human family. It is time for all peoples of all faiths, of all races, and for
all time to stand up to the evils of extremism and all its forms and
followers. We must embrace the common blood heritage of the Human Race,
the true and only race of man.
"[When]
the [Virginia] bill for establishing religious freedom... was finally passed,... a singular proposition proved that its protection of
opinion was meant to be universal. Where the preamble declares that coercion is
a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was
proposed, by inserting the word "Jesus Christ," so that it should
read "a departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our
religion." The insertion was rejected by a great majority, in proof that
they meant to comprehend within the mantle of its protection the Jew and the
Gentile, the Christian and Mahometan, the Hindoo and infidel of every denomination."
--Thomas
Jefferson: Autobiography, 1821. ME 1:67
Extremism
is especially evil when it is found in religion and is used to lessen the value
of people, who extremists see as inferior. The proponents of such extreme views
say that they are simply following the commands of God.
Examples of this extremism include the self-proclaimed protectors
of Christianity in the Neo-Nazi/KKK/Aryan nation movement, the Islamist
extremist followers of Al-Qaeda, and those settlers on the West Bank, who move
in and take land from others because they say God has given them that right as
Jews.
These extremists may think that they are following God, but
they are not. They are being conned by the greatest con-artist and liar of all
time.
"Love
God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength and all your mind. Love your neighbor as yourself" Luke
10:27
Extremism = Tyranny
Principled Independents & Moderates Are Everywhere,
Speaking Out & Making a Difference
Threat posed to democracy by extremist parties and movements in
Europe
The Democratic Leadership
Council
The Center for Public
Integrity
Christian
Fundamentalist or Fundamental
Muslims Against Extremism and Fundamentalism
The Muslim Public Affairs Council
Coalition Opposed to Violence
and Extremism
Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism
The
Legend of the Cedar Tree
As Told by
Generations of the Cherokee Nation