Islam
Interfaith Enlightenment
A little person asked me today what I thought the path to enlightenment looked like. Wow.
I thought for a a bit and shared my musings…
Religion
Open your heart
God is Love
Doctrines
Safe havens for transformation
Safe havens are a moral issue across religions.
Shalom Aleichem
Pray for USA
Sadly, I’m serious. As a retired child, adolescent/family psychotherapist of 38 years and an ordained interfaith minister, I am writing to tell you USA is not OK.
The interfaith academic and ministerial worlds have sensed the chaos, fear and anger brewing through America this Spring. Hopefully the greater religious world of at least the Big 5 (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism) is listening intently, speaking loudly, and acting up sincerely to change the conversations towards invitations, acceptances and tolerations as we listen and talk to each other. Indeed, regardless of our beliefs and labels, we are One.
Communication is key. Perception is everything. Will honesty be more than fusing truth with little lies?
Yes. USA really is the mess it appears to be to you. I’m not exaggerating.
We struggle with a constitutional crisis with apparently an illegitimate rogue pathological president, government ceo and commander in chief that reminds the office may simply no longer be balanced with integrity checks. Does the US President have too much power?
We’re challenged with controlling bribed politicians that have hijacked our notions of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Our executive branch is unpredictable, prone to mood swings and presents with an emerging dementia birthing lying is the new norm. A toxic family, seemingly owned by Russia sleeps in D.C. while Republicans are complicit. You really can’t make this stuff up. No fiction here.
My personal prayer life poses inquiries. What is propaganda? When does telling the truth no longer matter? Do the ends justify the means all the time or just when it supports your point of view?
Morality sucks a wiener right here right now. America is out of control. Our societal controllers (both secular and Evangelical Christian are psychologically immature) and unable to support the task:
We have growing awareness that “all lives matter” and the civil war is yet unfinished. There is a contemporary civil war about deities, moral codes of conduct and some trusted officials (secular and religious) who are challenged to control their sexual desires yet are apparently compelled to preach false facts: America was not founded as a Christian nation. Don’t believe everything your pastors tell you.
I believe all sins can be forgiven… that’s why I do what I do. No sin in unforgivable.
We are angered and in pain about the EPA, Ryan Zinke, our U.S. Department of Education, Speaker of the House and and the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision that opened the gates of hell while procreating toxic new election laws.
Most of us have much respect and faith in the integrity of General Mattis although we are painfully aware USA dropped 26,171 bombs in foreign countries in 2016. Our military industrial military machine is out of control but safer in the hands of a trusted General.
An EU friend is concerned about “crazy stuff every day over there. You’re imploding!”
so yes. USA is in trouble.
Join me in prayerful solidarity… peaceful meditation… powerful imagination seeing what needs to happen to save the Republic for which we stand and maintain this world as a safer place. Endless war is toxic to our psyche. USA is a failing nation.
Pray for peace yet also pray for firm resolve that WE can collectively make a difference. Having lived my adolescence in the shadows of the Vietnam War, I testify from personal experience that protests can change the course of history.
Boycotts work. Protests can be contagious. Group psychology happens toward a new perspective. We co-create change.
Talk with me about waging war with peace…. for your kids… grand kids and the kids next door.
American Gun Peace
As a spiritual person who believes in a power greater than myself and might pray/meditate/contemplate every now and then… I wonder what can I do about gun violence in America today?
I can reframe gun violence to gun peace in my head and heart and soul.
I can resign from the NRA.
I can pray for compromise, negotiation and cooperation between those at the discussion table. I can ask my rabbi, talk with my priest, chat with my minister, counsel with my iman. What do my friends think?
I can demand my politicians stop accepting gun lobby money directly and indirectly regardless of party affiliation. I can help make pro-gun money embarrassing to take and maybe even shameful to consider.
I can advocate for mandatory background checks for all public and private gun sales. Close gun sales loop holes. Register, tax and insure every gun in the USA.
I can write, email, fax, text or call my representatives to support a ban on AR15’s from civilian ownership and designate them as military weapons of mass destruction.
I can talk about updating the 2nd Amendment to reflect real life today. Times change. Guns change. People change. Maybe updated rules, regulations and licenses make sense now. Do gun laws need to evolve and update to protect public safety first and constitutional rights, second.
I can boycott corporations who support gun manufacturers directly and indirectly; overtly and covertly.
I can accept that my right to own a gun does not supersede anyone’s right to be safe.
I can meditate a little bit about the fact since 1968 more than 1.3 million Americans have died from gun violence. That’s more than in ALL of the wars in USA history combined.
I can feel anger and pain and confusion. I can get angry. I can be heard. I can get involved through church or community. I can act up and accept gun violence as a bigger problem in the USA than external terrorist threats.
I can accept that God is calling for my thoughtful and compassionate response. I might pray less. I could act more believing that gun violence is a pro life issue. I might examine my conscience, check my moral imperatives and reconfirm my belief in the value of the Golden Rule.
I can demand gun safety and public health law updates now because we deserve to be feel safe and secure. My kids matter… and so do yours.
I can do some or all of this simply because I believe it’s the right thing to do.
Peace be with you!
