My Own Mind

You’ve heard the idiom “Preaching to the choir” before. In case you haven’t, it means you're wasting your time trying to convince people who already agree with you instead of going out and talking to the people who need to be convinced.

When I was in college, oh so many years ago, I worked a summer job painting dorm rooms. We worked in two-person teams. My teammate would bring a boombox with her for us to have something to listen to while we painted. She always listened to Rush Limbaugh. Not because she liked him, but because she disagreed with him. She felt it was important to know what the other side was saying.

In a debate, it is important to know the two (or more) sides of the argument. Too often we just listen to those that agree with us.

Listening to the other side is something I find very difficult to do. My conservative newspaper and conservative family members and co-workers make sure that I do hear their side.

I do my best to make up my own mind about the current issues of the day. And then I let those that I disagree with know where I stand. Because frankly, preaching to the choir just annoys the choir.

Public Option

Both sides of the debate (Health care/War/Stimulus/any current debate) are busy throwing inflammatory insults. This is not good. At my daughter’s school the other day, I overheard the elementary vice-principal pull a child out of the bus line to discuss the teasing she had overheard. Teasing is Not allowed in elementary school. Why do we adults allow it in our public debates?

Somehow, our president is both a fascist and a communist, intent on destroying this nation. I have noticed that a basic primer on these terms is needed in this country.

Fascism = totalitarianism (Nazi)

Socialism = collectivism = Communism

Capitalism = entrepreneurship

Democracy = social equality

Republic = nation

Federal = central

We live in a Federal Constitutional Republic that is governed by the principles of Democracy via Capitalism. In other words, we live in a centralized nation that is governed by a set constitution and the principles of social equality via entrepreneurship. I can make it good if I work hard, and so can you.

The USSR was a Constitutionally Federal state made up of 15 Republics governed by the principles of Communism via a centrally planned economy. In other words, it was a centralized nation governed by collectivism via the rule of one party. You can make it because the state takes care of you. (The USSR had many constitutions, they were often changed.)

Nazi Germany was a Federal Republic governed by principals of Fascism via a state intervention. In other words, it was a centralized nation governed by a totalitarian dictator that interfered with the economy as it saw fit. You make it if Hitler says so.

In the USA, disagreements with the government are fully allowed and protected by the First Amendment. The First Amendment states: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

In USSR, disagreement was allowed, in the party, prior to the final decision being made ("freedom of discussion, unity of action” per Wikipedia USSR page). Outside the party, disagreements were too disruptive and not allowed.

In Nazi Germany, disagreements with government lead to execution or, if you were lucky, imprisonment.

So is Obama a fascist or a Nazi? No.

Does he have socialist leanings? I would say yes. Is that a bad thing? Well, let’s ask a vet who uses the VA (a government run heath care system). Or ask a senior who uses Medicare (government run heath care). Or a poor person using Medicaid (government run heath care). I see a president trying to help those that need help. Not a president telling everyone that they have to use a government run health care system. I think one more definition is needed.

Option = 1. The act of choosing; choice. 2. The power or freedom to choose.

More choice is a good thing. A capitalist thing.

I am all for that.

Before God

When talking about good vs. evil, black vs. white, what is really being discussed is sin. What is sin? The basic response is that sin is what is evil. To be good is to be without sin. To be evil is to be with sin.

I have already noted that I am not perfect. For Christians, the only perfect person is Jesus. I strive toward perfection, but I cannot reach it. Does this truly make me evil? In Genesis, God declares His creation to be good.* If God declares me good, then I am good. But I sin. So I must be evil. And on goes the circular argument.

There are those who believe that sin falls on a continuum. That some sins are deadlier than others. A little white lie won’t send you to hell, but a major lie will.

I do not believe this is so. There are crimes that are more horrific than others, yet we are looking at life from our point of view.

I believe that when imperfection (humanity) meets perfection (God Almighty), we are bowed down low by the knowledge of our own faults, however insignificant they may be. Our very nature is incompatible with that of a perfect loving God. And we are not capable of perfection. All of us err. This is how we learn and how we grow. Imperfection is not evil. The sin we commit that is most grievous is that we do not grow. We do not learn from the mistakes we or others have made. We each stumble anew over the same log. The log with the large sign on it saying “Watch Out!”

We will all be before God one day, whether we wish to believe it or not. I pray that I will have removed the logs from my eyes.**

*Genesis 1:27 & 31(New Living Translation) ²⁷ So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. ³¹ Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.

**Luke 6:37-42 (New Living Translation) ³⁷ “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. ³⁸ Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” ³⁹ Then Jesus gave the following illustration: “Can one blind person lead another? Won’t they both fall into a ditch? ⁴⁰ Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher. ⁴¹ “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? ⁴² How can you think of saying, ‘Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

Mercy

There is a certain black and white aspect of good and evil that all people are drawn to, especially people around the age of 7. Seven is called the age of reason. It is when children know right from wrong. This is when kids really get into the rules: this is wrong, that is right, “I am telling the teacher!”

As a parent, I am entering into that age. My world has shades of gray. My daughter’s does not.

Unfortunately, there are many adults in this world who view things as black and white. Stealing is wrong. Lying is wrong. Cheating is wrong. Killing is wrong. And what is right? Honesty. Caring. Compassion.

Where does Mercy fit into this equation? If we are merciful, than aren’t we rewarding wrongdoers? Yet, Christians are asked to be merciful.* My favorite Bible verse applies to Jews and to Christians. Micah 6:8 (New International Version) “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

To be good is to be merciful in justice. Someone who steals a loaf of bread because they are starving should not be thrown into jail. This is common sense. An unjust law should be broken. Rosa Parks deserves her heroine status.

I am not perfect. Every day I make mistakes. Mistakes that tattle tellers would gladly point out to an authority. Mistakes that they wish to see me punished for. Yet I hope for mercy. As does everyone I know. Which brings us right back to the Golden Rule.

I will continue to strive for mercy towards those that do not deserve it, even if they do cut me off and give me the finger.

* Luke 10:37 (New Living Translation) The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

Golden Rule

In my last blog, I spoke of our ego-centric world. And that cuts to a core belief I have. When asked what the fundamental nature of humanity is, good or evil? - I answer “Neither.” Humans are fundamentally self-centered.

When a tiny baby cries, it is not because of an evil intent. Babies cry for their very survival. They are helpless.

Conversely, when a tiny baby coos, it is not because the infant is trying to please the parents. Babies are in their own world and everything revolves around them.

The majority of world religions have a version of the Golden Rule i.e. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.* It is an expression of getting outside of oneself, of getting away from the selfishness and the self-centered lives that we lead.

It is not easy. Truly caring about another interferes with our own plans. Yet, getting outside of ourselves is how we grow as a person. Our maturity level increases as we help someone else.

I recognize that I still have much maturing to do. My mom and I once had a discussion in which we realized that your parents raise you so far and then the rest is up to you. I am grateful for the solid foundation I received. Now it is time to try to fly.

*http://www.religioustolerance.org/reciproc.htm
Excerpt from website:
Some "Ethic of Reciprocity" passages from the religious texts of various religions and secular beliefs:

Bahá'í Faith: "Ascribe not to any soul that which thou wouldst not have ascribed to thee, and say not that which thou doest not." "Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself." Baha'u'llah

Brahmanism: "This is the sum of Dharma [duty]: Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you". Mahabharata, 5:1517

Buddhism: "Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful." Udana-Varga 5:18

Christianity: "And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise." Luke 6:31, King James Version.

Confucianism: "Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you" Analects 15:23

Ancient Egyptian: "Do for one who may do for you, that you may cause him thus to do." The Tale of the Eloquent Peasant, 109 - 110 Translated by R.B. Parkinson. The original dates to 1970 to 1640 BCE and may be the earliest version ever written.

Hinduism: This is the sum of duty: do not do to others what would cause pain if done to you. Mahabharata 5:1517

Humanism: "Don't do things you wouldn't want to have done to you" British Humanist Society

Islam: "None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself." Number 13 of Imam "Al-Nawawi's Forty Hadiths."

Jainism: "A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be treated. " Sutrakritanga 1.11.33

Judaism: "...thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.", Leviticus 19:18

Native American Spirituality: "All things are our relatives; what we do to everything, we do to ourselves. All is really One." Black Elk

Roman Pagan Religion: "The law imprinted on the hearts of all men is to love the members of society as themselves."

Shinto: "The heart of the person before you is a mirror. See there your own form"

Sikhism: "Don't create enmity with anyone as God is within everyone." Guru Arjan Devji 259

Sufism: "The basis of Sufism is consideration of the hearts and feelings of others. If you haven't the will to gladden someone's heart, then at least beware lest you hurt someone's heart, for on our path, no sin exists but this." Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh, Master of the Nimatullahi Sufi Order.

Taoism: "Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain, and your neighbor's loss as your own loss." T'ai Shang Kan Ying P'ien.

Unitarian: "The inherent worth and dignity of every person;" "Justice, equity and compassion in human relations.... " "The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;" "We affirm and promote respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part." Unitarian principles.

Wicca: "An it harm no one, do what thou wilt" (i.e. do what ever you will, as long as it harms nobody, including yourself). One's will is to be carefully thought out in advance of action. This is called the Wiccan Rede

Yoruba: (Nigeria): "One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it on himself to feel how it hurts."

Zoroastrianism: "Whatever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others." Shayast-na-Shayast 13:29

Shoes

I have been inspired by my friend Eric to begin my own blog. And whenever
I think of Eric, I think of shoes.

When I was married, I made the smart decision to not only buy a very pretty
pair of pumps, but also a very comfortable pair. I wore them for years
afterwards.


When I went to Levi’s first wedding, I bought a very beautiful pair of
heels. Unfortunately, they were also very uncomfortable. They, like the
marriage, didn’t last long.


Currently, I am wearing the shoes I bought to wear to Allen and Annie’s
wedding. They are very beautiful. Not very practical for walking long
distances, but they are comfortable. When Mark has his shoes off and I
have these ones on, I am just a smidge taller than him.


A co-worker of mine believes everyone notices shoes. I disagree with him.
We are all too worried about what is on our own feet to pay close attention
to what is on someone else’s. We may notice someone else’s shoes in a
passing look, in order that we may judge. “Oh those shoes are cute!”
“Those shoes are hideous, why would anyone wear them?” “That person went
out with shoes looking like THAT?!” But these are passing judgments, it is
more often that the shoes on someone’s feet are ignored.


We (and by we I mean womankind; I cannot speak for men) buy shoes to help
feed our own ego. We think “These shoes make me feel taller/sexier/more
intelligent/beautiful.” We each exist in our own ego-centric world. Very
rarely do we do anything that is solely for others. Shoe buying is no
exception.


The shoes that I am wearing do have the ability to remind me of Waikiki and
two young people very in love. This memory takes me out of my own world
for a moment. I wish Allen and Annie many years of happiness together. I
hope that they, and my shoes, last a long time.

(correction: I made a very smart decision to listen to my sister Paula and get comfortable shoes for my wedding!)