Choices

“As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all - the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them.”

                                J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

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if you are to believe some politicians

we have a choice

a dire choice

between freedom and socialism

let those people on the left control

we are told

and everything you value will be gone

your wealth

your power

your health care

your freedom to practice your religion (by which they mean the freedom to impose your religion)

your safety

your supremacy

your guns

let those people on the right control and

the earth will die

the “aliens” will over run our beloved country

the poor will suffer

justice will disappear

(I will admit, I am one who aligns toward the left, and have those concerns)

I agree there is a choice to be made

There is always a choice

most religions make that very clear

but it is especially clear in the faith system that claims Jesus

we point to passages in the “older” testament

“Choose this day whom you will serve”

we point to the “newer” testament

“follow me”

(although in the newer testament the suggestion is that it is really a matter of God

choosing us, and us overwhelmed by Love, responding)

But it is true

There is no denying

There are choices to be made

But what are the choices, really?

From my perspective it would seem that the choices are between a socialism, which isn’t really socialism

(it’s a socially focused, meaning common good focused form of government found in the happiest, healthiest and most economically stable countries in the world)

and an authoritarian system which verges on fascism

it is between (from right to left)

essential selfishness and generosity

it is between fear and trust

between exclusion and inclusion

cruelty and kindness

apathy and empathy

it is between guns and children

between ethics and profit

it is between money and people

mostly lies and mostly truthfulness

it is between business and the planet

ultimately it is between

not Jesus

and Jesus

(I know this is strong language, but I feel this strongly)

I am not a fan of dualism

There is more grey than black and white

And most things are both/and rather than either/or

(and we must remember this)

but we have been pushed to this dualism by a radical pluralism

that requires a choice

but perhaps the option is not just which path we choose

perhaps another option, a more important option,

is whether we stay true to the path we have chosen

when we resist that which we cannot embrace

there, options abound

some good, some bad

We can use hate and ridicule

We can exaggerate

And name call

We can minimize and marginalize the “other”

or

we can listen, be patient, speak calmly

refuse to name call, refused to minimize or bully

we can go the way of hate, fear and enmity

or

we can overcome evil with good

our choice