Why can't we all get along?

Ahanu said:
I guess one tribe could potentially be a bad thing if the whole becomes oppressive and coercive to tribes that disagree, and there will always be those that disagree..
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Yes .. being in a majority can be a good thing, and it can be a bad thing.
If the majority are righteous, then it has a stablising effect on the community.

However, it is very easy for a majority to "bulldoze" their way onto others, which is undesirable, whoever the majority might be.

Ahanu said:
It seems more and more people are talking about political tribalism these days with huge segments of the population gridlocked into concrete positions.
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Yes, the increase in evil deeds, and ensuing inequality and immigration, is driving a global resurgence of nationalism.
 
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Desiderata

GO PLACIDLY amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.

And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

By Max Ehrmann © 1927​
 
We often don't get along because of the differences in the places and ways in which we were raised. However when we get to know one another intimately we recognize that as human beings we all belong to the greater human family. It is only by connecting intimately with people who may at first seem very different from us, that we can truly get rid of our individual prejudices and recognize the unity of the human race.
 
HeartNSoul19 said:
However when we get to know one another intimately we recognize that as human beings we all belong to the greater human family. It is only by connecting intimately with people who may at first seem very different from us, that we can truly get rid of our individual prejudices and recognize the unity of the human race.
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Won't ever happen, imo. Too many unscrupulous people and powers that be and that want to be -- that will do anything, and use whatever means necessary?
 
davidsheep88 said:
heart and soul your right good to love like G-d wants us to.
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You are right, of course

I meant that most religions aren't out to greatly change the world, but about the soul. People do what they can to make the world a bit better, but knowing human nature won't change -- that greed and violence will always be a part of life on this Earth dimension of nature?
 
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There's obviously no problem a religion trying to make the world a better place, but if the main front and centre teaching of a religion is to make a perfect (peaceful) world on Earth, I question why the idea is so at odds with most spiritual teaching -- unless in the 'last days' eschatological context?
 
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RJM Corbet said:
There's obviously no problem a religion trying to make the world a better place, but if the main front and centre teaching of a religion is to make a perfect (peaceful) world on Earth, I question why the idea is so at odds with most spiritual teaching -- unless in the 'last days' eschatological context?
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Having all but given up on a "peace on earth" I have concluded that this must be a spiritual transformation that starts with the individual and then spreads like a wildfire from person to person. An inner change that might be at first invisible to the eyes of flesh, but soon becoming so powerful that it effects even the outward creation/earth. An inside out transformation so to speak. "Mortality is swallowed up of life."
 
How can there ever be peace in nature, where creatures have to consume one another in order to live? I call this our 'original sin' -- the fact of being natural creatures, but with the capacity for Spirit?
 
RJM Corbet said:
How can there ever be peace in nature, where creatures have to consume one another in order to live? I call this our 'original sin' -- the fact of being natural creatures, but with the capacity for Spirit?
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Yes, by whatever name you want to call it, there is a sense of our having been "caught", or locked into this position of present distress, and being forced to ride it out whether we want to or not. It's a terrible lesson but IMO not without reward. I can't remember the scripture exactly, but something like "our present affliction, which is only for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding weight of glory (in eternity)". It all has a purpose, and this is a great thing to know.

Everyone (you too RJM) hang in there and let's finish this thing out right!
 
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RJM Corbet said:
How can there ever be peace in nature, where creatures have to consume one another in order to live? I call this our 'original sin' -- the fact of being natural creatures, but with the capacity for Spirit?
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Ready for veganismm? Or becoming Jain?

Or maybe we are looking at it wrong....if you believe G!d made the snimals and it was good...and G!d ordered sacrifice of the father calf...and it was good.

Are we to second guess? Mayne it want the original sin but the original blessing? There are nutrients all around us, in the soil, in the plants, but the four legged, the winged things and the swimming things have converted all that to whole proteins, all eight essential aminos....for our consumption.

Maybe our disagreements are all part of our growth, of identifying the weeds, the ones that need to be removed from the garden, the ones that are invasive and strangling out the crops we need.

Gonna sleep on that...
 
wil said:
Ready for veganismm? Or becoming Jain?

Or maybe we are looking at it wrong....if you believe G!d made the snimals and it was good...and G!d ordered sacrifice of the father calf...and it was good.

Are we to second guess? Mayne it want the original sin but the original blessing? There are nutrients all around us, in the soil, in the plants, but the four legged, the winged things and the swimming things have converted all that to whole proteins, all eight essential aminos....for our consumption.

Maybe our disagreements are all part of our growth, of identifying the weeds, the ones that need to be removed from the garden, the ones that are invasive and strangling out the crops we need.

Gonna sleep on that...
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Perhaps that is the Spirit part of Man? Yearning to transcend the original sin of nature?

At the same time so doubting and fearful

... to just let God take over completely
 
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Those of us who have been around for awhile generally know that God must do all (or else nothing will get done).

Using the principles of the Tao, we are sensitive to the flow and move with it, never ahead of it. To move too soon is not profitable, it's just meaningless action. It is through non-action or moving with the flow of the Tao that we achieve results. Not ahead, not behind, but with. It's sometimes a waiting game.

We are fed spiritually according to where we are in our walk. Milk, strong meat, and everything in between nourish us where we are at, according to our need. Spiritual nourishment can birth and feed new life within us as if by miracle -- provided all goes well.
 
We as humankind have to truly befriend others who may seem very different from us... to arrive at further understanding of the oneness of humankind.

Humanity, us, we are cells of one organism and we are (at times) fighting against ourselves.

More than anything else today, we need unity of the world population... only then can we really tackle some of our biggest problems, like taking better care of Mother Earth. We seem too occupied spending time and energy against each other.

In other words, there is no 'them', it's all 'us'.
 
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wil said:
I dont think I like that anymore...

I used to.

But who wants to be tolerated?

We want to be accepted.
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I don't really care if I'm accepted. Whether or not one chooses to accept me really has nothing to do with me and everything to do with them.

wil said:
Doesn't tolerate imply "I dont like X but I will bite my tongue and put up with it?"
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It can. But it doesn't have to mean that. I can tolerate something without bias. I don't have to necessarily dislike or like it to tolerate it, nor do I need to have the desire to offer and opinion on it.

Tolerance, to me, is more of a "you do you, I'll do me" kind of thing.
 
wil said:
I dont think I like that anymore...

I used to.

But who wants to be tolerated?

We want to be accepted.

Doesn't tolerate imply "I dont like X but I will bite my tongue and put up with it?"
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There are things I tolerate that I would never accept. Force me to accept what I do not believe to be wise and we WILL go to war. Tolerance is the peaceful middle ground, if that is not acceptable, then we will have a problem.

Let's turn the equation around...why should I accept you if you will not even tolerate me? You are telling me...in no uncertain terms...your way, or the highway. To me, that is a gauntlet laid, a line in the sand. I'm certain that if the terms were "everybody has a right to *my* opinion," not as an offer but a demand, surely you would bristle?

Do unto others...likewise, I am happy to return the favor. Tolerance is the most peaceful resolution. I answer to G!d for myself - not to you. You answer to G!d for yourself - not to me. That is tolerance. If acceptance happens to be part of the deal, great! If not, deal with it and get on with life.

We want to be accepted.
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Daddy used to tell me, "Want in one hand and sh!t in the other and see which fills up fastest."
 
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