Image of God - Theology ethic notes continue

We are made in the image of God. Image of God has a big impact on how we see God. Trinitarian considerations - Two aspects of this: Perception of the World. Think of a pyramid. At the top you have God. Then the angels, man, boy children, girl children, animals, plants and trees and then inamichatl (rocks). In this model, there is a denial - not taking seriously. God has incarnate, therefore has lots of implications. If God is up there, then Judge. If angels - denial of bodies and therefore making incarnation less revelant. If God is male then clearly men and boys are a cut above. It used to be that if a male only had one testicle, he could not be a priest. Women could be possession for men. Images of God and how we understand God affects how we see the world. God is Trinity - are enormous with ethics. Problem is we have reduced the trinity to an old man, young man and a bird. We have deduced the God with relationship - three persons in one God. Equal inclusive speaks to the reality of all creation in unity in equality. Relationship of outpouring love - God is in presence outpouring love. Great God of outpouring love of all creation. Think of both. Trinitarian is doing lots for ethics. Trinity can be understood in all. Therefore the whole basis of ethics is that we are made in the image of God. We should be defined in relationship. Ideal of marriage is continuing relationship so people don’t get hurt. The notion of rules, even our rules that were best to maintain relationships, think about the rules and think of how they may be developed because of this. Next Moral Theology - ethic notes

The Effectiveness of Inpatient Treatment for Substance Use Disorder

I received the slides and video which I was going to post for you but I cannot do that any longer. If you want however, I can forward the email to you. Let me know if you want that. This is the first time I could not down load the video, so it may be a one time only. Their next session is about eating disorders which I have already attended once and won't be attending. Sorry.

Sexuality and Aging Cont…notes…

I have to apologize to you. This is a continuation from the Guelph conference notes. If you type Sexuality and Aging at the search of this blog you shall see where it continues from. My note book was stuck in between my desk drawers. I have a beautiful big desk but I wonder with all its nooks how practical it is. This notebook is almost over. There is a portion of the Guelph library left and I will share those notes with you, because they are so proud of their university library. Besides I love libraries, spending so much time in them since my youth. Here goes: Mental Changes - How is that going to effect sexuality? Men’s erectile and aging. Lot’s of literature. Less so for women. Out of all the men who get a prescription, half of them don’t go for a second prescription. Because there is another problem. End of life: Socio emotional selective theory -there is a shift in life priorities with limited time. There is a maximization of meaningful activities in the present. Invest in emotionally meaningful goals and activities. There is a perception of limited time. As time horizon shrinks, fulfillment emerges from regulation of affect in present. Meaning in Life: When partner dies - description and reactive potential issues with own health; loneliness; learning new independence - guilt/relief. Research: Myth of sexuality and aging is prevalent. 5% of all psychophysiology studies since 1969 have an average of 50-59. 100% of studies focused on dysfunction. Sex won’t be the same as for those younger but different. What is the physical response of getting older? Has to think about sex with the mind. There is a steady increase in dysfunction as one gets older but there is still sexuality. In one American study of 75-85 year olds, there was a sexual decline. Those who do is about two or three times a month. 23% have sex once a week or more. Optimal Sex: Couples staying together 40 years or more who are having great sex - authentic to partner, true to partner and fully present. Older adults are better to focus or be fully focused than those younger. Have deep intimacy with partner - deep connection with one person. Extraordinary communication - How to enhance this for partners? Solitary sexual activity is the highest activity one will engage in. There is a sense of pleasure and understanding of the human body. xxxxxx(I have removed site due to learning more about this whih I will post) has 80 million users a day. 19 million users a day are 45. 11% are 45 - 54 year olds. 7% are 55 to 64 year olds. 4% are 65+ years. The psychologist doing this research stated it was hitting a brick wall to find research on older adults. Condoms - 20% of men and 24% of women with multiple current sexual partners used a condom during their last encounter. Only 8% of older adults who were sexually active in the past month used condoms “all the time.” There is a concern that those who engage in high risk sex wear no condoms with multiples. 93% - their own risk of SDI. Between 2005 - 2015 in people over 60 + year: 5% syphilis; 87 % increase in gonorrhoea, 142 % increase in chlamydia. HIV rates in older individuals age 50+ increased from 10.6 in 1999. Survey depicted that physicians don’t talk to seniors about sex. 38% men and 22 % of women talked to their physicians about sex. 135 physicians in England stated they never asked or discussed sex with older patients. In Finland there are male dancers for female retiree’s. Not so well here in America. (Hey isn’t Finland the number 1 country for the happiest people? Canada has fallen a lot). Aging well and age friendly communities: Halifax; Saanich BC. Amount of older persons 60+ will double from 600 million to 1.2 billion by 2025. (WHO, 201) 85+ is the fastest segment of Canadians. There are more Canadians 65+ than youth 15+. By 2051 about one in four Canadians is expected to be 65 years or older. Ontario’s 65 and older is projected to double by 2041. Most seniors feel younger than they look. GW Gatekeeper Project - 2% to 10% of older adults will experience some form of abuse or neglect each year. There is a growth in number among those isolated who have no support system. www.pinetwork.ca. Focus on City of Guelph (where I attended this seminar and who invited us all to move to Guelph). By 2036 number of seniors would reach between 9.9 and 10.9 million people. In Guelph, population is expected to be 175,000; by 2031 - a full 1/3 will be older adults. There are 8 domains of an age friendly city to improve and sustain older life used by World Health Organizations and it was used by Guelph. 1. Values and supports for older adults. 2. Optimizes applications for choice, independence and quality of life. 3. Diversity and inclusion for all. 4. The City of Guelph is committed to long term engagement in the older adult strategy. There are review recommendations regularly/report annually to city council on the progress of implantation plan. 1. Out door spaces and public buildings - review of accessibility, curb cuts; upgrade. 2. Transportation - have opportunity to travel, audible walk signals, publicize and communicate the community bus service which continues to be a debate. 3. Housing - affordable that allows independence, tax deferral program (some older adults wanted to remain in homes but couldn’t afford the taxes). Sharing roads and sidewalks (fear of being knocked over by cyclists, wheelchairs. City of Participation and employment. How can seniors participate. Communication and information. Font sizes, increasing the use of live answering (good luck with that one). EMS going to the home. Those who required modified duties went to their homes, thus removing the need to go to emergency. The City of Guelph is willing to help others in their own cities wanting help. End of notes for this portion. The pandemic gave me a rude awakening of how we treat our elderly. I was so shocked by what was happening that it makes me wonder if this is where I want to be when I am old, old. Crisis in Home Care Marketplace: Season 49, Episode 14 Description Exposing a broken system failing families and workers, secrecy around for-profit companies' use of public funds; traveling overseas to show a better and more affordable way of aging at home. Show: Marketplace Air date: March 18, 2022 I have cut and pasted the above Crises in Home Care which is rather upsetting. I suggest you watch it to understand how desperately we need change. I enjoy watching investigative reports because it is required to keep our democracy on the right path. Remember you can vote people in and you can vote them out. Questions should be answered and if they are ignored you need to wonder why. I want to continue with the ethics notes next. This weekend I am to attend a virtual weekend with the Jesuits. So next week I will share any knowledge there which you may find pertinent. I hope it is relaxing. Thank you for reading my blogs. In reference to what I wrote today, I didn’t check the sites mentioned so hopefully they are still here for you. In regards to physicians not talking to older adults about sex, I read this morning that some therapists don’t either. I do with couples regardless of their ages and singles when appropriate. Sex does help couples get closer. Later!

A Prayer for Ukraine - Amazing Grace

The Effectiveness of Inpatient Treatment for substance use disorder

Yesterday, I attended the webinar and I won’t be talking much about it because they will be sending me the video and slides. I will post the video. Should you want the slides email me and I will forward them to you. Dr Basedown, Psychologist was the speaker and she talked about various assessment and diagnostic tools. The in-house treatment take 600 patients a year and she talked about their self reporting outcomes. One thing of interest is that of a study of 708 patients in British Columbia they found a higher level of addiction and psychological dysfunction in females compared to males. However, Females had a greater reduction in addiction symptoms and improvements in emotion regulations compared to men. I should be getting the video two weeks at the latest and will post it here for you. Have a good weekend.

The continuous bombing of Ukraine is demonstrating our inhumanity

When I was in undergrad, I remember a prof showing slides of the animal kingdom and he stated that we in the animal kingdom are the most dangerous. All other creatures do not kill unless there is a need to. As I reflect, after hearing the news I hear the echo of his words. I mouth we do not kill only for food, we kill for sport, for control etc…. We kill. This morning while reflecting and enjoying my morning coffee, I watched my pets enjoy their meal and the squirrel on the deck munching on his apple slices. I thought of how I enjoy watching nature at work. I heard the birds chirp as spring awakens with new beginnings and new hope. I am quite pleased with myself. I accomplished all my goals plus. I am content with life. However, I have concerns for the future of my world. I think back to a cartoon of my youth where Donato a cartoonist for the Toronto Sun who retired had drawn a picture of our planet and a devil arrives and states we are not ready. Then another drawing of the planet depicting wars is shown and again the devil states we are not ready. Finally, at the last drawing of our planet shows complete devastation and the devil states we are now ready. I found it very interesting and meaningful at the time. I loved his cartoons and was sorry to see him retire though it was well deserved. I don’t have access to many cartoons these days because I have pretty well stopped getting the paper. We seem to be entering another stage, though I think we need to find a way to maintain independent news. We need that to keep democracy. We see how Russia is being kept from the news which Putin has complete control of. As we watch the massacre of civilians in Ukraine, Putin tells his people it is only fake news. Again, it is a projection of himself being the fake. What comes to mind often is Shakespeare's, “All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” As I watch Ukraine suffer and die, I think of our passion for reality tv and this is the ultimate horror reality tv. We have taken away Putin’s and his cronies toys, their yachts, their mansions, their finances etc….He has said that Biden is not welcomed in Russia, nor our Prime Minister, etc….And all the while, Putin barely human at this point using hypersonic weapons travelling faster than five times the speed of light to bomb children, civilian women and the elderly. Just today, a 95 year old man who survived the holocaust of about four different camps died at the hands of Putin. He was bombed. As you watch children being dismembered and killed, Putin claims it is all “fake.” What a complete and utter fool, and this is the man and I use the term loosely, who has the world in a standstill. We are watching this all being played out as we stand and watch. Oh yes, we are helping. That is the least we can do. We had a street sign put up where the Russian Consulate is stating free Ukraine. If the Russian Consulate move, then the sign will move with him. There is humanitarian relief which Putin now doesn’t want the Ukrainians to have access to. Children are dying from dehydration. He bombs and bombs and bombs and will not negotiate. Surrendering is not a negotiation. We have just stood by and watched one man destroy, destroy, destroy and control. What does that say for us? Today my sympathies also go to the families of the 132 souls who crashed in China. On a lighter note, the sun is shining here in Toronto. It is brisk but warmer air after some more snow is in the horizon. I am looking forward to spending as much time as possible outdoors. I can do paperwork outside as the birds sing to me as I move my fingers on the keyboard. I am also looking forward to watching movies in my backyard. Today my focus will be doing my income tax. Yup, I am doing it myself, since I don’t want to experience last years disaster. I have already re-done my psychotherapy business (redigondapsychotherapy.com) about three or four times. They don’t send out guides anymore for businesses and finding it all on line is too consuming. I believe in the motto of “kiss” (keep it simple stupid). So I now do my book business which should be more simple (www.silvaredigonda.ca). Then I will do the general taxes which I received a guide for and so that should be easy. I have saved today to get all that done hopefully with minimum interruption. Is that possible? What do you think? 

#Freezing Order, A true story of Russian money laundering, Murder and surviving Vladimir Puttin's Wrath

It continues to be painful to watch what Putin is doing in Ukraine. Ukraine's President and people continue to gain the respect of the world, while Putin, well, how much lower can he sink? It does not take an investigation to determine this person is a war criminal and I am wondering where The Expendables, Rambo and James Bond are? On a lighter note, I was very interested to hear Bill Browder, Author and CEO of Hermitage Capital speak on CP 24 yesterday about his new book which will be released shortly. I already have a hold on one. Browder described Putin as a pathological, murderous dictator who kills without any remorse. (I think that the world has been watching this live). Bowder continued that he watched this with his own eyes. He continues, "I was screaming from the roof tops about needing to contain this man. You need to stop him. You need to punish him. Now the world has woken up. I think we woke up a little to late, unfortunately!" Bill Browder was one of the largest investors in Russia's stock market. He said we in Canada need to close the loop holes for the Aligards. Putin has threatened him with death; with kidnapping. "It's a full time job to stay alive." The book will be available 12 April 22. I am looking forward to reading it.