“Maybe it’s time to get uncomfortable…”
– Amber Ruffin, comedy writer, African American
(continued...)
Trying to stay focused...
I do not want to distract from the too many killings inflicted on the African American community by a power structure that often does so with impunity. People…human beings… beaten, maimed, raped, jailed, and lives taken by fellow citizens out of ‘fear of the other.’
It's worth addressing the question. Who is ‘the other’ – the ‘not us…?’
The real ‘other’ is not peoples that are different than we are. The 'other' is invisible. The 'real other' is the thoughts in our minds.
Many, of course, are good and others not so good. What any thoughts have in common is that we were not born with them – good or bad. We arrived on the planet tabula rasa (a blank slate). We acquired a vocabulary of words and ideas from all around us.
'The other' resides in our minds and, over time, creates a narrative so familiar that we believe it to be us. But it is nothing more than what we have accepted from the things we have been taught.
What is it that any of us can do?
We can accept thoughts moving through our minds, and from them, we can create opinions…nothing more. It is on these two principles we move forward in our lives. In the arena of social interaction, Marcus Aurelius says, “…all life is opinion…” (The Meditations, Book 2). Opinions create belief structures from which the fabric of our character emerges.
We inherently know this. Why do we speak English, participate in particular religions or political parties? From where does our perception of other people come? They come from our parents, friends, teachers, ministers, the films we watch, the books we read and more. Thoughts received – opinions created. While we are complicated creatures, the process by which we become who and what we are is pretty straight forward.
Good thoughts unify, edify, and promote life. Not good thoughts, separate and divide. They destroy life...ours and those around us. It is not about somebody out there; it has never been. It is about what has been created within our minds.
All of the New Testament Biblical parables are metaphors for spiritual growth. In sum, they are about planting things, finding treasure in fields, investing and growing talents, finding a pearl of great price, planting seeds, not on wayside, thorny or shallow soil, but in the good earth to bring forth healthy harvests.
A master (God) instructs servants to plant a field (our minds) with wheat (good words and ideas). At night, meaning when we have little discernment to know right from wrong, the enemy sows tares (weeds…bad words and ideas). As the field begins to grow, the servants notice there are weeds in the field.
Going to the master, the servants report this and ask if they should pull the weeds out. The master understands it is hard to distinguish one from the other in the early going and says to wait until the time of harvest (spiritual maturity to make decisions with clarity), then separate them. Spiritual wisdom comes when we can understand and evaluate our thoughts...choosing which to accept or reject.
In The Apology, Socrates says, "The unexamined life is not worth living." When we have negative feelings toward someone, we should not be demonizing them, we should be asking, “Is this right?” and if not, “How did this get planted in my mind?”
This is not a condemnation of people who have planted bad ideas in our minds. They are no different than us. It was (is) never about people. It is about thoughts!
When we say, “I don’t want to feel a certain way,” we are acknowledging that something other than our desires is causing feelings we do not want.
Amy Cooper is the woman in Central Park, who called the police, fabricating a story that an African American man was placing her life at risk. If we think this was an event, we are gravely mistaken.
It reflects the thoughts she accepted, nurtured, and cultivated until they became part of her belief system. Character emerges when we are under stress. Her character was on full display. It was the stress reaction of an unexamined life that exposed a belief system.
Spiritual leaders, counselors, and other observers of human behavior understand this. They dedicate their lives guiding and helping people unwind 'the other. These people know it is thoughts that drive us and ideas that need reconciliation. Everyone that seeks help understands at some level. This is the premise of James Allen’s book: As a man thinketh.
Christian people believe that Christ's death was to cover sin. That by the introduction of grace, they are justified (removal of guilt and penalty of sin).
Yes, but once recognized, what should be done? The Apostle Paul wrote, "So shall we then continue in sin that grace might abound? God forbid.” (Romans 6:2) We should use the power of grace, as Christ said, “…[to] go and sin no more…” (Joh 8:11)
Christ was very clear when making the distinction between good and evil:
"By your words, you shall be justified, by your words, you shall be condemned." (Mat. 12:37) "…the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." (Joh 6:63)
Lao Tzu contributes this:
“Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.” (Tao Te Ching)
The Hindu Swami Vivekanada mirrors this truth:
“We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far.”
To my many Evangelical Christian brethren who support the president of this country with his vulgar pejorative language, because it is, you know, just words…take heed. If you embrace the political agenda, that is your right and fair enough. But know this…words count.
Words are the only thing of real value any of us has. How is our character known to others? Only by our words, which lead to our actions for all to see. ”…every tree is known by his own fruit…” (Luk 6:43)
(to be concluded...)
Amen
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