Kindest Regards, wil!
wil said:
Namaste all and 123 for your thoughts and comments.
I think this is exactly the exploration that leads to a higher understanding of the scriptures, of all holy books, of G-d, of Jesus, and oneself. And I think it extemely valuable.
Thank you for your kind words.
Higher understanding is probably a noble quest in itself, but it really hasn't factored into my search.
Something tells me that there is something wrong in holding hatred, especially undeserved hatred, in our hearts. It is one thing to have a bias, an unknown or unrecognized bias (even prejudice) without ill intent. This in itself creates enough problems and misunderstandings. But the kind of undeserved biased hatred that festers and smolders...that is the fuel that feeds murder and war. That hatred,
that if anything, could be said to be hell on earth. And if that hatred is not of G-d, how do we overcome it?
I have said it before, "can't we all just get along" is impractical,
*but* it is a noble aspiration. Humanity will never accomplish peace by alone, but that is no excuse not to try. We (collective sense) are far too different in our ideologies to expect total acceptance of each other, and the idea of forcing everyone into the same box only aggravates the problem. (Want Armageddon, figuratively? try forcing that on the whole world at once...)
Tolerance is tricky, tolerance is tough. It means having to look beyond what makes one uncomfortable, because others find it comfortable. Not that I agree, if I agreed I most likely would participate. Because I disagree, I lead my life in a manner different than another might. And that's OK. I don't answer to this other person for my actions, I answer to G-d. The other person does not answer to me for their actions, they answer to G-d. G-d will sort to whole mess out in the end, of that I am most certain. I can share my beliefs with others, although to be fair I should allow them to share their beliefs with me. It is possible I might learn a thing or two. Sharing is not the same as insisting, judging, demanding. What is shared is shared with the understanding it might not be accepted. That's OK. I plant seeds. No matter how much I water, no matter how much I prune, no matter how much I weed, no matter how much I fertilize...the sprouting and growing of the seed is up to G-d. I cannot force a seed to grow, and push come to shove G-d can do the job just fine without me. Some seeds are just not meant to grow.
I see CR as a vanguard of sorts. I hear a lot of people, of many stripes and persuasions, lamenting how the world just can't seem to get along. Of course, they aren't very quick to try to stand in the front ranks and try, either. They are talkers, not doers. Then there are those who paint rosy eyed scenarios of harmonic balances and how the world is growing so lovey-dovey...who then lambast anybody who doesn't view the world quite the same as they do as narrow minded fundamentalist bigots. Ironic...
I want CR to be in the front ranks, leading the charge, showing the world that peaceful interaction between faiths is not a pipe-dream, not a fool's hope, that it can be done. That we know because we are DOING. China cat has a basic point about the coffee clutch, even if I disagree in the details. The world simply will never be a coffee clutch. There's too many soda drinkers, too many tea drinkers, and too many that insist water is the *only* drink. Not counting those that stagger in under the influence of even harder drink...
How do we get all of these to play nice long enough to realize they can actually get along peaceably with each other? That we can all learn from each other. That we are all actually brothers and sisters (you know, that PC "one race, the human race" thing), and that we can love one another, and it is alright because that might just be what G-d had in mind to begin with...
I'm ranting now, let me step off of my soap box...
