(Thank
you Gary Olson and Bill Rettig for your helpful questions and
comments regarding this post.)
(You
can view Parts I and II, “How I Learned to Love Donald Trump” & “Things That Go Bump In the Night” at & my “Living With Soul” page on Facebook)
This is the season of thankfulness. I am thankful for
family, friends and my many blessings. I am also torn by conflicting
emotion about our presidential election.
I'm
disgusted:
We elected a president that many - business people, political
professionals, and analysts judge unqualified for the office.
I'm
angry:
Important government programs affecting the environment, health, aid
for disadvantaged people and immigrants may be eliminated or
downgraded.
I'm
fearful:
The US may revert to the militaristic foreign policies of the past.
I'm
sad:
The election exposed deep divisions among the citizens of our
country. These are exacerbated by ignorance, isolation, and hatred.
I'm
confused:
I see no obvious solutions. We seem disconnected from the moral
grounding of our ancestors.
I'm
hopeful:
I believe we have unrecognized potentials that will allow our nation
to once again become a resource to the global community.
In the midst of these mixed
emotions, life is getting more personal. My Haitian friends have
introduced me to the pain and frustration of immigrants who are
seeking asylum in the United States. My little grandson has opened
me to seeing things in new ways. I now realize that oppressors are
often oppressed themselves. When that kid bullied my grandson (See
my last post), I thought only of Gus. Now I wonder about this little
boy. Was he jealous because he had no grandpa to play with? Had he
been bullied himself? In the heat of the moment, I wasn't able to
relate to him. I wish I had behaved differently.
I'm
still concerned about injustices in our world. Now the news reports
are more than statistics. I anguish for the people caught in the
violence. I envision myself trapped in Aleppo as bombs destroy my
city;i
or in Mosul as ISIS and coalition forces battle for control; or in
Homs Syria.ii
I wonder about the mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters,
lovers and children of the fighters on both sides. They grieve over
the death of their loved ones even as I grieve over the death of our
son.
I'm
no longer clear about the appropriate response to violence and evil.
When I was young, the answers were simple. There were rules. I had
to “do the right thing.” Now that I am older, evil is less well
defined. Right
and
wrong are no longer polar opposites. The blacks and whites have
faded into shades of grey.
In
the past, religious and moral traditions provided guidance. Today
these traditions have less influence. We are increasingly left alone
and adrift. Unconsciously we look for people who support our views -
a tribe so to speak. As with ancient tribes, we band together for
self preservation. We have our own beliefs and values (gods). We
promulgate our own creation stories (myths). We seek to dominate
other tribes to protect our political, economic, and moral positions
(territory). The belief that “Violence Saves” holds us in its
sway.iii
The
animosity that surfaced during the election exposed the depths of the
divisions in our society. Given the present political climate, there
is reason to believe that these divisions will result in a country
riven by distrust and hatred. It is increasingly clear that we
cannot deal with our differences through domination and violence.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. put it well,
“If
we do an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, we will be a blind
and toothless nation.”
We must find
alternative ways to engage one another, or our democracy will
decline.
I suggested one alternative in my
last two posts. This is to tune-in to the emerging flow of the
cosmos, a flow that constantly creates and evolves. There is no
magic in this. It is a process; - like getting to know and love a
friend. It begins with a desire for something more, followed by
steps of curiosity, interest and finally commitment.
Like growing in love, this is not
a rational process that can be clearly defined. It's something you
know deep in your heart and gut. It's a sense of rightness about
your way of living.
I offer this alternative to you
because you care. You may be active in a religious community, or you
may be turned off by religion. In either case, it is no longer
sufficient to define ourselves as liberal or conservative; religious
or non religious; pacifist or pro military. When we embrace both our
positive and shadow aspects, traditional categories are insufficient.
We realize that we, and all of humanity, are part of a whole.
Everyone and everything has value.
In this sense, people steeped in
the cosmic flow are threats to the status quo. We are not bound by
cultural definitions of right and wrong. Buddha violated the norms
of his society when he abdicated his role as ruler and warrior,
abandoned his wife and child, and wandered without status among the
dispossessed. Gandhi fomented a societal revolution using only
nonviolent resistance. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., inspired by
Gandhi, promoted acts of civil disobedience in his struggle against
racism. Moses led a worker's revolt agains the ruling class in
Egypt. Jesus healed and worked on the Sabbath; ate with tax
collectors and prostitutes; and embraced the untouchable lepers. His
actions and relationships were in direct violation of the cultural
norms of his day. Joan of Arc violated gender stereotypes and became
a warrior. Dorthy Day, an unwed mother and communist sympathizer,
challenged the entrenched cultural traditions of Catholicism.
An activist friend of mine is
committed to the welfare of the dispossessed. He is cooperating with
a dictator because he believes this is the most effective way to help
the poor of this third world country. Based on current cultural
values, many would condemn his decision.
In
a society that has lost it's moorings, we need people from all walks
of life who are willing to engage the deeper humanity that resides in
each of us. We need people who are willing to explore the profound
shift that is occurring in consciousness.iv
We need to use every ounce of energy to bind the wounds of the
past. We need to challenge injustices and violence wherever and
whenever they occur.
This requires people who are
willing to put themselves in the middle of the action rather than
living by proxy; letting others act in their place. It requires
people who will engage social situations without prejudgement; people
who can engage others who have different values, histories and
perspectives. We need people who are willing to promote diversity
and inclusiveness.
Even as I share these lofty
ideals, I have no illusion that there are any quick fixes. We are
involved in a transition that will occur over lifetimes. We may never
see the results of our efforts. The best we can hope for is that we
can forestall a major deterioration in the quality of life on our
planet. If we survive this crisis, we will emerge as a more
conscious and hopefully compassionate species. Surely, this is worth
the effort.
ihttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/aleppo-bana-alabed-syria-war-government-forces-a7443531.html#gallery
iihttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/31/-sp-homs-syria-life-devastation-residents-rebel-assad-forces
iii
“The belief that violence “saves” is so successful because it
doesn't seem to be mythic in the least. Violence simply appears to
be the nature of things. It's what works. It seems inevitable, the
last and, often, the first resort in conflict. If a god is what you
turn to when all else fails, violence certainly functions as a god.
What people overlook, then, is the religious character of violence.
It demands from its devotees an absolute obedience-unto- death. ...
The Myth of Redemptive Violence is the real myth of the modern
world. It, and not Judaism or Christianity or Islam, is the
dominant religion in our society today.” Walter Wink, “The Myth
of Redemptive Violence”
ivhttp://www.adishakti.org/_/a_new_axial_age_by_karen_armstrong.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment