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So many issues divide....
Lifestyle Prejudices
Religious/Spiritual Views & Beliefs
Political Views & Beliefs
Racial Prejudices (by all races... this is not a single race issue)
Gender Bias
Sexual Orientation
Class/Income Prejudices
Arrogance
Bigotry
Intolerance
Misunderstanding
Judging Others
Superiority
Hate
Our culture has evolved in many ways, making incredible advances in medicine, technology, discovery, and so much more.... but have we paid a price? Can we span the great divide(s) in our nation? I hope so.
I am encouraged in many ways by the outcome of our recent election, and yet, in the shadow of that election, I see deep polarization and division in response to it, as well as in the days that led up to it. On one hand, I saw friends cross their tradition (some religious, some racial, some political)... and in other cases, I observed very blatant and racist responses. I believe that to progress as a nation, we first progress as individuals... replacing ignorance with experience, and replacing prejudices and intolerance with compassion and acceptance.
Your thoughts?
/J
Friday, December 05, 2008
Can We Span the Great Divide?
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15 comments:
I agree, I believe that change has to start in our hearts.
Change is hard for so many people. I think it needs to begin as children. As a parent to two young kids I try to teach tolerance. I want to set a good example for them too. They are always watching me and learning from me.
Kimmy
I do - I think we can cross the great divide. Will it be easy - no, but then again things that are worth it require a bit of effort.
I'm hoping for a bright future...
~K
If you had asked me this before the election I would have had a more doubtful outlook. The results of this presidential election have restored my optimism, and I do now believe that we as a nation can make a substantial move towards understanding and accepting each other's differences.
Unfortunately, I don't think our society as a whole will ever change...
I think we are not much different than we were 50 years ago, it is just that the fringe makes a lot more noise than they used to because they have more accessable outlets.
I have to agree with what Julie said..but I am full of hope that my boys and my nephews will see the world with brand new eyes.. and that their hope will be contagious to others..and so forth..
I would say that religion (your #2) is the root of all the other.
what's that they say? change first begins with oneself.
and, a good quote from thoreau, "things do not change: we change."
Despite so much evidence to the contrary, we ARE making progress. Our nation was founded, in large part, due to religious persecution. We are way beyond that now. And racially, its happening gradually, with the giant step named Obama.
Education is a big part of the answer.
But human beings plus ignorance plus abusive/neglectful parenting will always produce hatred, sadly. We just have to keep at it and push for change.
http://colincharles.blogspot.com/2008/12/happy-holidays.html
Merry Christmas buddy..
and I can only pray for this country... I was NOT happy w/ our candidates this election... not one bit. So I just pray to God.
where are you goteeman??
Happy Holidays to you and your family!
Kimmy
Still around... just had alot going on, and taking a break from it all to spend time with family while the kids are out of school...
It can't be any more simple that that: peace on Earth is totally dependent upon us, as individuals, doing what we need to do to improve our own selves, our thoughts, our beliefs, our homes, communities, etc.
However, one must have a positive self-image before he/she can get along with self or the world at large. Everything becomes reason for conflict when you have a bad attitude towards yourself or the world; more so if that feeling is kept far from the consciousness. Then the automatic pilot time becomes the "driver", when the auto pilot in all of us is dysfunctional and will always raise hell, one way or another.
The thing that gets to me a lot about humans is the fear we seem to have about investigating our own beliefs - when our beliefs may have been formed and settled before we even knew how to think properly. And a lack of doing that causes one to "seek the light" though things/activities that might not be totally unbiased, such as religion.
I see traditional religion as a big problem, as it is one more divisive force. If you don't believe you are an "outsider" and there's no value to you or your life, b/c "you are going to hell". It's ridiculous.
Mind you, I do think we all have a spiritual side, a soul of some sort. But I find institutionalized belief detrimental in so many ways.
We are always hoping to be "rescued", by govmt. or god or jesus, alah, or whatever. In AA meetings they tell you to give your own recovery away to a higher power. Well, I think that we are able beyond our own beliefs, to create change, but we are not told so.
We need to become our own rescuers and heroes. We need to know we have the power to create the change we'd like to see (as Gandhi said). It's not outside of us...it's inside, and we need others...can't do much alone. So, Obama's call for community service is right on.
(sorry for the wordy post!)
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