I believe the greatest event in the history of this nation happened on June 12, 1776. The incidents that day are very much a part of everything we read, see, believe or do today. Debate continues to rage around it in to this century. Because of what a handful of people did so long ago our present debates are conducted in freedom.
A document primarily written by George Mason was approved at the Virginia Convention on that special date. It was known as the Virginia Declaration of Rights. It was more than a unusual inspiration for the Continental Congress that assembled thirty days later in historic Philadelphia to write that beautiful document we call The Declaration of Independence. Any review of that precious document, our Constitution or the Bill of Rights will reveal the vital influence Mason’s document had on the assembly.
We, the people of these United States, are privileged. We are able to stand up and speak our minds. Speaking your mind freely is something few people in this world can exercise or comprehend. It is this overriding feature that beckon the tired, the poor and the hungry to our shores. When that privilege is lost personal freedom goes with it.
Those assembled in Virginia understood the importance of this for future generations, especially if they wanted to preserve a high level of personal freedom. You can hear their wisdom in their own words. Article 1,"That all men are by nature equally free and independent and have certain inherent rights... the enjoyment of life and liberty... and pursuing and obtaining happiness... 2. That all power... is derived from the people."
The Assemblage also made other vital points so important in our nation’s foundation upon which free men and women have built this unique melting pot called the USA. For instance, they demanded freedom of press and freedom of worship. In fact it was their enthusiasm and convictions that most probably cause the meeting in Philadelphia to take serious a demand for personal freedom, particularly in regards to one speaking ones mind.
If a national Constitutional Convention were held today, would the delegates give heed to the words of George Mason again? "Are all men by nature" (in nature it means women as well as men; as it does also mean Spanish Americans, Black Americans, Asian immigrants, Native Americans, Neo Nazis, Homosexuals, Militants, Conservatives, Liberals, Far Right, Far Left, Children, Parents, Fetus, Etc.?)
"Equally free?" Does that mean that John Boehner and Ellen DeGeneses are equal? Is freedom shared equally with Rev. Billy Graham and Bill Maher? Is it fair to pursue as many welfare programs as you will give me? Is it fair for me to say no to you if I choose not to help you? Or must I do something or be a certain somebody to earn my equality in this free land?
Freedom is lost when we can no longer speak our minds. With freedom people are free to hear what I have to say and decide for themselves if what I say applies to them or not. If more people agree with one person over another our freedom says they may govern until they no longer are in the majority. But in our freedom that majority must do all they can to protect and preserve not only their own freedom, but the freedom of the minority. Difficult? Yes, but then that's why this nation is so special.
The moment we change this equation we begin to sound the death knell for freedom in this country. When we or anyone wants to shut another person up because of what they say, a little bit of freedom dies. Keep it up long enough and we can kill the whole thing.
The one element that cannot be removed from the freedom that founded this country is "the freedom to speak your own mind." It would do us all well to pause and remember that important fact. Do you hear me Hollywood, Elected Politicians, Radio and TV Pundits, Comedians, Religious Leaders, Directors of Movements, and the rest of those willing to speak their own minds? Can you extend that same courtesy and bravado into your own ability to listen when others speak their own mind?
Can you listen or will you simply wait impatiently until it's your turn to talk? From my perspective most of us exercise the freedom of speech without the freedom of listening. Listening doesn't mean we agree. It means we believe we all have the right to speak. Once again this formula precedes all democratic action. Lose it and you lose democracy.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Freedom of Speech and Listening
I believe the greatest event in the history of this nation happened on June 12, 1776. The incidents that day are very much a part of everything we read, see, believe or do today. Debate continues to rage around it in to this century. Because of what a handful of people did so long ago our present debates are conducted in freedom.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Good Old USA
Yesterday was St. Patrick's Day. Tomorrow we celebrate the return of the swallows to Capistrano. Thursday is the first day of Spring! All is right with the world and a new day begins!
When I set down to write this column, my thoughts turned to what issue I would address today's column. Politics? Social Behavior? Social Problems? Money? Gambling? or what? But nothing negative came out. Instead I could only think of the good things about life. Maybe because about twenty-five percent of my time is spent wrestling with the negatives of life and seventy-five with positive. My glass is never half empty. It is always half full.
For every one person, who calls me for help on an electric bill or with an abuse problem, there are ten to thirty people willing to help them. I am only the broker of those services. While I know the poor will always be with me, it is good to know so will those who care.
Watching and listening to all of the negative and empty political rhetoric, I could get depressed. But, I remember living in a country that hung seven young political activist in the town square of the capital city. There was no political debate in that nation. There was also very little freedom and joy. Besides I even have the freedom to turn anyone off I want to at any time. Gee we live in a great country.
Being subjected to conflicting messages about our financial future and jobs, I could get depressed. Then I realize only in this country can people openly strike against their employers. And still live comfortable lives. I also know first hand we are one of the few places on earth that have three meals a day and understand the term "week end." Many peoples of the world are lucky to have one meal a day and there is no such term as "week end" in their language.
Ah the birds sing a new song each spring. They know that it is a great world to live in and that we have the finest nest ever built. "Born in the USA" what a nice sound it has to my ears. It is the sound of spring and Mother Nature reminds us how good it is to be alive in this particular place and time. Let everyday be St. Patrick's Day! Let the swallows sing every morning at Capistrano. Let a new day begin! Isn't freedom wonderful? Sorry I could bring you something controversial. I try harder next week.
When I set down to write this column, my thoughts turned to what issue I would address today's column. Politics? Social Behavior? Social Problems? Money? Gambling? or what? But nothing negative came out. Instead I could only think of the good things about life. Maybe because about twenty-five percent of my time is spent wrestling with the negatives of life and seventy-five with positive. My glass is never half empty. It is always half full.
For every one person, who calls me for help on an electric bill or with an abuse problem, there are ten to thirty people willing to help them. I am only the broker of those services. While I know the poor will always be with me, it is good to know so will those who care.
Watching and listening to all of the negative and empty political rhetoric, I could get depressed. But, I remember living in a country that hung seven young political activist in the town square of the capital city. There was no political debate in that nation. There was also very little freedom and joy. Besides I even have the freedom to turn anyone off I want to at any time. Gee we live in a great country.
Being subjected to conflicting messages about our financial future and jobs, I could get depressed. Then I realize only in this country can people openly strike against their employers. And still live comfortable lives. I also know first hand we are one of the few places on earth that have three meals a day and understand the term "week end." Many peoples of the world are lucky to have one meal a day and there is no such term as "week end" in their language.
Ah the birds sing a new song each spring. They know that it is a great world to live in and that we have the finest nest ever built. "Born in the USA" what a nice sound it has to my ears. It is the sound of spring and Mother Nature reminds us how good it is to be alive in this particular place and time. Let everyday be St. Patrick's Day! Let the swallows sing every morning at Capistrano. Let a new day begin! Isn't freedom wonderful? Sorry I could bring you something controversial. I try harder next week.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Anthromorphic God
At seminary there was a sign, "God created man in his own image. Ever since man has tried to created God in his image." The older I am the more I understand that sign. Humans have a hard time understanding God in a spiritual sense, so we describe or create a God with human characteristics.
This might work if humans were all alike in gender, race, size, ability, and whatever else we consider important. But for some reason we weren’t made all the same, and in that lies the struggle of humanity. Do we insist that people all agree with our particular tradition’s image of God? Or do we share our understandings of God and treat with respect the understandings of others created in the image of that same unknown and unseen force we call God?
A Hindu friend, who lives in northern India, caused me to re-think a lot of my notions about God. I had asked him why India had so many Gods. He laughed and said, "Dennis, we believe in only one Devine Creator, but over the centuries each village built its own statue to represent that Devine Creator. And each village had its own unique dialect and name for that same Devine Creator."
I replied, "I am not sure I can understand that."
He laughed and replied, "You in this country do something very similar. You all believe in one Devine Creator, but your landscape is dotted with various monument like buildings with their very own understanding of God."
"How is that," I asked.
He said, "Look you have a Baptist God, a Presbyterian God, a Roman Catholic God, a Methodist God, and it seems like every other week a new building with a new name and people springs up. So you have many versions of God, just like we in India."
He had a point. So how do we accept each other’s view or expression of God, the Devine Creator?
First, understand God as a concept for the originator of all space and time we call Creation and accept all human beings worldwide as truly created in the image of that one Devine Creator. Second, listen and respect other human’s interpretations of things. Such interpretations usually develop into some form of religious theology and standards.
How do we relate to those theology and standards? Accept valid those issues that don’t violate a common understanding of God’s demand upon all human beings. That demand is the notion that all humans must love (respect) God above all things and love (respect) others as we love (respect) ourselves.
What about those that seek to destroy any understandings about God, that do not agree with theirs? Those who attack with an intent to destroy equal understandings or views are not in the image of the Devine Creator. They are playing God themselves and attempting to create God in their image. They are the bullies, terriorist, bigots, self-righteous, arrogant people, who have always caused war and pain for humanity. They are the enemies of the Devine Creator.
All my life I have struggled with what to do about them. Ignore them? Nah, they are hard to ignore. Turn the other cheek? When we do that they crucify us. Reason with them? You have to be kidding. Fight them? Maybe, but how? They don’t play by any rules the people of God play by.
This list could go on and on. What is the answer? History and most holy scriptures of all faiths seem to indicate that from time to time, God will lift up a person or a group to be our warriors and destroy the vile cowards, who operate under the cloak of religion. Maybe it is time to ask God for another Shepherd boy named David to kill the giant enemies of God in this time and place in history.
Or we can hope it just goes away. Cause after all, that would mean we would have to accept an awful lot of people, who have different names and understanding of the Devine Creator. A vicious circle of life! What is the answer? Can we not find it together? Let us all stop creating God in our image and seek the face of the Devine Creator together in a rapidly shrinking world. Or will we kill each other off before that happens?
This might work if humans were all alike in gender, race, size, ability, and whatever else we consider important. But for some reason we weren’t made all the same, and in that lies the struggle of humanity. Do we insist that people all agree with our particular tradition’s image of God? Or do we share our understandings of God and treat with respect the understandings of others created in the image of that same unknown and unseen force we call God?
A Hindu friend, who lives in northern India, caused me to re-think a lot of my notions about God. I had asked him why India had so many Gods. He laughed and said, "Dennis, we believe in only one Devine Creator, but over the centuries each village built its own statue to represent that Devine Creator. And each village had its own unique dialect and name for that same Devine Creator."
I replied, "I am not sure I can understand that."
He laughed and replied, "You in this country do something very similar. You all believe in one Devine Creator, but your landscape is dotted with various monument like buildings with their very own understanding of God."
"How is that," I asked.
He said, "Look you have a Baptist God, a Presbyterian God, a Roman Catholic God, a Methodist God, and it seems like every other week a new building with a new name and people springs up. So you have many versions of God, just like we in India."
He had a point. So how do we accept each other’s view or expression of God, the Devine Creator?
First, understand God as a concept for the originator of all space and time we call Creation and accept all human beings worldwide as truly created in the image of that one Devine Creator. Second, listen and respect other human’s interpretations of things. Such interpretations usually develop into some form of religious theology and standards.
How do we relate to those theology and standards? Accept valid those issues that don’t violate a common understanding of God’s demand upon all human beings. That demand is the notion that all humans must love (respect) God above all things and love (respect) others as we love (respect) ourselves.
What about those that seek to destroy any understandings about God, that do not agree with theirs? Those who attack with an intent to destroy equal understandings or views are not in the image of the Devine Creator. They are playing God themselves and attempting to create God in their image. They are the bullies, terriorist, bigots, self-righteous, arrogant people, who have always caused war and pain for humanity. They are the enemies of the Devine Creator.
All my life I have struggled with what to do about them. Ignore them? Nah, they are hard to ignore. Turn the other cheek? When we do that they crucify us. Reason with them? You have to be kidding. Fight them? Maybe, but how? They don’t play by any rules the people of God play by.
This list could go on and on. What is the answer? History and most holy scriptures of all faiths seem to indicate that from time to time, God will lift up a person or a group to be our warriors and destroy the vile cowards, who operate under the cloak of religion. Maybe it is time to ask God for another Shepherd boy named David to kill the giant enemies of God in this time and place in history.
Or we can hope it just goes away. Cause after all, that would mean we would have to accept an awful lot of people, who have different names and understanding of the Devine Creator. A vicious circle of life! What is the answer? Can we not find it together? Let us all stop creating God in our image and seek the face of the Devine Creator together in a rapidly shrinking world. Or will we kill each other off before that happens?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)