"Every path is the correct path for the person walking on it." -Vivian Ashcraft
It's Sunday, once a day of rest for most of the country, so I'm not blogging today about work or goals or job-hunting. Today I am thinking about tolerance because of a conversation we had with a visitor a couple of days ago. Of course tolerance is one of my favorite subjects.
I believe there is only one higher power in the universe, and its name is Love. As imperfect, physical beings with egos we are not capable of practicing unconditional love, but I try. It's not easy when public vitriol is the order of the day, but I remind myself of what one of my heros, Dr. King, said (paraphrasing), that we can't teach love by showing hate. And that makes sense on paper, just not always in my heart when people are being hurt.
But Love loves everyone, no exceptions. Love doesn't think Rush Limbaugh is a jerk. Love doesn't pick sides in the fight, it just holds and comforts and tells all of us that we are loved and valuable and worthy. It knows much better than I do that it doesn't matter who is right or wrong, it matters only that we live in the way that we know is right, and we teach our children what is right, and that we love.
All major religions have the ultimate lesson of unconditional love*. I cannot exist within organized religion, even the non-major ones, because I believe that once you put rules on your beliefs you have already distorted them. The evidence, to me, is pretty clear on that. But on paper they are beautiful in their teachings, and if people could actually live the teachings instead of the buildings and organizations, perhaps we could have a more peaceful world.
So if I could impart a lesson to the world, it would be this: Love one another. Make no exception.
*I confess I know little of the Islamic religion, but I have been told that the Koran includes lessons on methods of beating your wife, so they may be excluded from this statement.
Hurray for you, Viv. It's certainly a goal to aspire to, but I know I couldn't achieve it. In fact, I really don't want to. I don't want to love Rush; I truly think he's a cruel person. If I cared to, I could take the time to remember that he was undoubtedly born lovable, and his life experiences have left a very bad impression on him. Other than that, he's just one of many people that i doubt I could ever love. I do believe that as human beings, we are all connected - and each of us has the capacity for great evil and great good. Psychopaths may be born that way, the jury is still out on that, but most of us have the capacity to choose. So I will continue to consider some people unlovable and as long as I follow my own values, I'm okay with that. By the by, the Koran, just like the Old Testament, is subject to different interpretations. My understanding is that fundamentalists in Islam who subscribe to Sharia, may beat their wives. But moderate Islamists certainly don't.
ReplyDeleteLove it.__
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gale.
ReplyDeleteLucy, I was referring to a teaching, not a practice. After I wrote this, I did research the Koran and yes, it does say that if your wife disobeys you should shun and scourge her. So I'm reluctant to say that it's a faith that teaches love. Yes, there are many Islamists who don't beat their wives, just as there are many Christians who don't practice the polygamy featured in the Old Testament, and I could go on with other examples of hypocrisy, but I hope you get my point on that.
I honor your choice in finding people unloveable. As I said in the beginning, "every path is the correct path for the person walking on it."