Someone has to be at fault
Many of us were taught that actions and people are divided into ones which can be neatly labeled as good, bad, right, wrong, moral and immoral. There is a lot of comfort in believing in a very clear cut world of people and events. As soon as one can label an event or person one knows know to react or how to treat the person. If we accept this system of dualities we can compile a long lists. In the bad or immoral list we could include:
One could, of course, compile one’ s own list and then use that list to decide who is deserving of health care, housing, healthy food, safe water, access to medication, safe and reliable transportation, the right to care for one’s children, or the ability to earn a living. One could also use that list to determine who deserves to be treated with kindness and who deserves to be shunned or punished.
It is easy to present a cogent argument for how these labels help the community members create and maintain some sense of order and protect the rights of those have proven that they deserve to live in the community and have access the resources of said community. There are some basic or core premises or so called truths which underlie this approach to building community. These include:
What if none of these assumptions are true? What if we explore the possibility of using the scientific approach of the null hypotheses to prove or disprove some of our assumptions? What if a great many factors affect the ability of anyone to have even one cogent thought? What if this amazing, creative mind of humans which is responsible for music which makes our souls sore, poems which touch and challenge the core of our being, th creation of structures as amazing as bridges carrying many tons of weight, buildings which soar into the sky, art which challenges and surpass our creative vision and wireless communication.
I invite all of to challenge all of the so called ‘truths” we have learned. I suspect the courage to accept this challenge is at the core of what some of us call spiritual growth. Perhaps?
Written May 18, 2018
Many of us were taught that actions and people are divided into ones which can be neatly labeled as good, bad, right, wrong, moral and immoral. There is a lot of comfort in believing in a very clear cut world of people and events. As soon as one can label an event or person one knows know to react or how to treat the person. If we accept this system of dualities we can compile a long lists. In the bad or immoral list we could include:
- Illegal immigrants.
- Women who get abortions.
- Those who do not accept our version of god.
- Those who break the law and are incarcerated.
- Those who sexually abuse others.
- Those who are pregnant and continue to smoke or use other drugs which might adversely affect the fetus.
- Those who do not support gun rights.
- Those are actively addicted.
- Those who are not responsible in the manner one defines responsibility.
- Those who are not patriotic as one define patriotic.
- Those who are not heterosexual.
- Those who are not successful in the way that one defines success.
One could, of course, compile one’ s own list and then use that list to decide who is deserving of health care, housing, healthy food, safe water, access to medication, safe and reliable transportation, the right to care for one’s children, or the ability to earn a living. One could also use that list to determine who deserves to be treated with kindness and who deserves to be shunned or punished.
It is easy to present a cogent argument for how these labels help the community members create and maintain some sense of order and protect the rights of those have proven that they deserve to live in the community and have access the resources of said community. There are some basic or core premises or so called truths which underlie this approach to building community. These include:
- Some people are inherently evil or bad. One can use religion, behavior, race, gender, sexual orientation or a host of other criteria to determine who these people are. They are not capable of becoming respectable, trustworthy community members.
- Humans are inherently bad and will engage in self-serving behavior guided primarily by the base sexual or other animal appetites. (I am never sure which animals should be used for the baseline comparison!)
- The best way to ensure that humans behave is to punish the rule breakers even if that entails humiliating, torturing, or killing them.
- Humans have free will except in cases of acute illness in which it can be clearly shown that the brain is impaired and the “disease” labeled; humans choose to be addicts, to break the law, to allow their base emotions or desires to determine their behavior. Humans choose sexual orientation, their gender identity, their objects of sexual desire, and addiction to name just a few of the “immoral” choice.
What if none of these assumptions are true? What if we explore the possibility of using the scientific approach of the null hypotheses to prove or disprove some of our assumptions? What if a great many factors affect the ability of anyone to have even one cogent thought? What if this amazing, creative mind of humans which is responsible for music which makes our souls sore, poems which touch and challenge the core of our being, th creation of structures as amazing as bridges carrying many tons of weight, buildings which soar into the sky, art which challenges and surpass our creative vision and wireless communication.
I invite all of to challenge all of the so called ‘truths” we have learned. I suspect the courage to accept this challenge is at the core of what some of us call spiritual growth. Perhaps?
Written May 18, 2018
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