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Primitive religion is not believed, it is danced!

Arthur Darby Nock

Earth's crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God;
And only he who sees takes off his shoes;
The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.

Elizabeth Browning



Saturday, May 26, 2012

The dualistic mind

I was thinking this morning Lord,
about "them"
those people i really don't like
those people who do not believe the way I do
think the way I do
act the way I do

I struggle with those who are different Lord
I like to think I am open and generous
but then my world turns to black and white
right and wrong
good or bad,

Like it or not, I have a dualistic mind
"it compares, it competes, it conflicts, it conspires, it cancels out any contrary evidence,
and
then
it crucifies with impunity". (Rohr)

I don't think Jesus had a dualistic mind.
while I see things as I am, Jesus saw things as they are
 
That is why he didn't bother with adjectives
Conservative?  Liberal
Bad? Good?
Gay! Straight?
Meaningless

Jesus didn't see conservative or liberal people
(and yes, they were fighting that battle in Jesus' time)
he saw people.
He saw a person not a tax collector
A person, not a prostitute
A person not a robber
A person not a Roman

There is a lesson for me here Lord
even as I get angry at those I think guilty of rigid and hateful thinking
I am guilty of rigid and hateful thinking my self

help me Lord to see all I meet
all I disagree with
all whom I agree with
as simply "people
children of God
those created in the image of God
and in whom the spark of the divine 
is alive and well

2 comments:

  1. Thank you. I love the way you put into words the things that I think. You are an awesome man and friend.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good word to allow to rattle around in my often far too narrow mind.
    Thanks
    Neal

    ReplyDelete