I read an editorial in the Christian Science Monitor which discussed this question: Who is in your sense of "us"? While politics has many lines drawn around ideology, gender, race, and such things, democracy itself is really about finding where the "us" is in all these beliefs. Most of us realize the harmfulness of groups who think they, and only they, are right. The rift brought about from a belief that certain things, such as abortion, should not be allowed is something which bears examination and compromise. To quote an article by Ryan Strickler, "A key -- the key -- to the deliberative democratic ideal is mutual respect. Not any political discussion will do; discussion and debate must be marked by open-mindedness, recognition of the legitimacy of moral differences, and a goal of achieving consensus." In conclusion, the editorial by Mark Sappenfield states: "In short, effective democratic politics must be perpetually reforging a new 'us'." Strong opinions close my mind to anything else, and so I pray to see with God’s eyes rather than my prejudiced mortal beliefs. Namaste …
“Many theories relative to God and man neither make man harmonious nor God lovable. The beliefs we commonly entertain about happiness and life afford no scatheless and permanent evidence of either. Security for the claims of harmonious and eternal being is found only in divine Science.”
Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 232:3-8
“Forgiveness-to-destroy has many forms, being a weapon of the world of form. Not all of them are obvious, and some are carefully concealed beneath what seems like charity. Yet all the forms that it may seem to take have but this single goal; their purpose is to separate and make what God created equal, different. The difference is clear in several forms where the designed comparison cannot be missed, nor is it really meant to be.
In this group, first, there are the forms in which a ‘better’ person deigns to stoop to save a ‘baser’ one from what he truly is. Forgiveness here rests on an attitude of gracious lordliness so far from love that arrogance could never be dislodged. Who can forgive and yet despise? And who can tell another he is steeped in sin, and yet perceive him as the Son of God? Who makes a slave to teach what freedom is? There is no union here, but only grief. This is not really mercy. This is death.” A Course in Miracles - S-2.II.1:1–2:8)
No comments:
Post a Comment