photo from blogs.theage.com.auHuh???
Spirituality. I think this is something intrinsically personal. It's not something you can see. What we see, is not always what is real. It's a bit baffling to me when people judge a person, family, group as intensely spiritual because they are dull as dullards, serious as spoons... and simply as chalky white as they possibly can be.
Maybe it's me... and maybe my idea of spirituality is so vastly obscure and eccentric as I am - but I believe that spirituality can walk hand in happy hand with people who are joyful, exciting, intriguing, captivating, warm, loud, funny and sassy. We don't have to walk around with a sourpuss look on our face to prove to everyone else that we are spiritual. Isn't that what the Pharisees and Sadducees were famous for? Showing people how pious they were by praying in public, marking themselves with ash and sackcloth to make everyone see just how spiritual they were?
What do you think?
My hubby has a friend who likes to argue about politics and ideas. The latest discussion his friend is proposing is that all white people should feel guilty about Jim Crow laws and slavery. My husband says people should only feel guilty for the bad things they do, not for things they had no control over, or things that didn't happen in their lifetime. My husband disagrees with his friend who says all white people are inherently racist.
In this case, I totally agree with my husband.
Spirituality. I think this is something intrinsically personal. It's not something you can see. What we see, is not always what is real. It's a bit baffling to me when people judge a person, family, group as intensely spiritual because they are dull as dullards, serious as spoons... and simply as chalky white as they possibly can be.
Maybe it's me... and maybe my idea of spirituality is so vastly obscure and eccentric as I am - but I believe that spirituality can walk hand in happy hand with people who are joyful, exciting, intriguing, captivating, warm, loud, funny and sassy. We don't have to walk around with a sourpuss look on our face to prove to everyone else that we are spiritual. Isn't that what the Pharisees and Sadducees were famous for? Showing people how pious they were by praying in public, marking themselves with ash and sackcloth to make everyone see just how spiritual they were?
What do you think?
My hubby has a friend who likes to argue about politics and ideas. The latest discussion his friend is proposing is that all white people should feel guilty about Jim Crow laws and slavery. My husband says people should only feel guilty for the bad things they do, not for things they had no control over, or things that didn't happen in their lifetime. My husband disagrees with his friend who says all white people are inherently racist.
In this case, I totally agree with my husband.
I believe in the second article of faith, where we are accountable for our own sins, not for Adam's sins, not for our parents, or our ancestors, or anyone else. We are responsible for ourselves.
In addition, some people think that some giant entity, gov't, org, group, etc... should compel us to donate money, reduce our footprint in this world, or even conform to a certain group's idea of piety or righteousness.
I think, there should be no compelling involved. I think we should be anxiously engaged, of our own initiative in good causes, if that is what we choose (D&C 58:27). Forcing others to do so undermines our purpose on earth utilizing the gift of moral agency, and our country's foundational code of liberty.
hmmmm....
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4 comments:
You are awesome! I love this post!
As to your first point. I had a mission comp who was kinda seriously spiritual. No laughing, no goofing around, telling off the elders (for being dumb teenagers of all things!). It was a hellish companionship for me. I think the Lord wants us to be happy "Men are that they might have joy". That's not to say we're not going to have bad, sad, hard times, but we should be happy. I find that being happy is something that I struggle with and have to make sure that I choose to do every day.
As for the second point. Again, you are right on with the second article of faith. When I was teaching I had a Native American student, with a HUGE chip on his shoulder toward women, white people, (and being a teegnager) the world in general. One day I'd had enough and told him about the Pioneers, who'd be kicked out of New York, Ohio, Missiouri, Illinios then were forced to leave and die along the way and how we as LDS don't hold grudges toward the ancestors of these people that persecuted us, but we dug our heels in and built that SLC Temple and Utah and then the western US and then the world. He had no idea you could remember your heritage and revere that, but also go on with your life.
One thing that I know from serving my mission in Bulgaria as it was coming out of communisim, is that forcing people to do whatever usually has the opposite result. The human spirit will always find a way to be free, that's how we're hard wired from our Heavnely Father.
I was raised in Orange County during the pilot program of PSE: Project Self-Esteem. My white guilt knows no bounds.
Seriously, why is it not considered racist to make white people feel guilty because of the color of their skin?
Yes, we should learn from it, and EVERYONE should feel bad that it happened, but not guilty for it.
Always bugs me.
Well...that's 4 of us that aren't insane. ;-)
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