John Cali
As those of you who’ve been with us a while know, I don’t often publish anything in this newsletter other than Spirit’s and my wild meandering thoughts. 😉
However, we received some wonderfully positive feedback from last week’s newsletter. So this week I’m publishing one of those responses. It’s from a good friend of ours from many years back. Her name is Nancy, and she’s given me permission to publish her letter and email address.
Nancy’s response is particularly eloquent and passionate. It pretty much distills the essence of what many of you said in your own responses, and probably also reflects some of your unspoken thoughts.
Here’s her letter:
Dear John,
Thank you for this week’s message on righteousness. It’s certainly been something that has been at the top of my mind lately. My thoughts on the topic–feedback always appreciated:
Spirit reminds us clearly here that is it exactly this “I’m right and you’re wrong” set of belief systems that has been destroying humanity–by humans–be it via religion, politics or interpersonal judgment. Where is the middle ground which allows that there are “different ways” to do or view things? And that’s ok.
The whole recent fluff over a popular singing group who made a political statement on stage became an issue of “right or wrong” to many. Some reactions were downright hateful. Somewhere along the line the individual’s freedom of speech and right to express her opinion got lost in a ground swell of political overzealousness to protect American politicians as being “right,” no matter what.
It seems these days it’s unpatriotic to disagree with our leaders–though that is one of the most basic privileges of democracy. They threw the baby out with the bath water, as I see it. The media is full of the type of attitude–as you point out.
I’ve always found it (sadly) humorous that there are hundreds, maybe thousands, of religious groups who feel they are the ONLY ones in the right. They base their “right” (there is that word again!) to (feel) so in the belief that God is judgmental of humanity–and what’s good for God is good for man, as they strive to re-create themselves in God’s (supposed) image, while kicking aside “Judge not lest ye be judged” when finding it inconvenient. Follow the Word–sometimes?
The whole idea of a God who is all-loving–all-forgiving–needs nothing–flies in the face of a God who would pick and choose one group over another. If they are all right, then God is very confused.
Interpersonally, people judge what is right and wrong from their own framework of experience and personal morality, attempting to mandate sameness in a universe where diversity and variety are the very gifts of the creator.
I prefer to view things in terms of what works and doesn’t work rather than what is right and wrong–things just ARE. How we deal with them determines the result. Nothing can exist without its opposite. Without hot there would be no cold–without evil, no good. Sameness can never exist. One need not be evil to embrace the concept of evil as the co-creator of good. Judgment is a hard habit to break.
Until man/womankind can toss aside misinformed, inflexible, out of date, faulty belief systems which incorporate right and wrong as the cornerstones, it is doomed to repeat its history. Until we learn to give others the validity of their views on equal footing with our own there will be war, discrimination and people trying to control other people.
It also strikes me that (those who are) firm in their beliefs would not need to name or prove another wrong to feel good about (those beliefs). The idea of “saving” the nonbeliever is another interesting topic.
Until we stop projecting our traits of human frailty on God and elevate ourselves to the true and pure spiritual level of God–one without judgment and righteousness–we will struggle rather than be joyful.
I like to think that these glaring public examples of right/wrong rhetoric lately have been placed here to remind me that this type of mindset is ignorant ( “ignore”–1. to refuse to take notice of, 2. to reject as ungrounded) of other viewpoints, and thus “judgment” should have no place in my own personal mindset.
Just what popped into my head. 😉
Thanks again for addressing this topic. Your gentle taps on the shoulder are always important ones.
Love and Light,
Nancy
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