[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: love one another
Although I am a youngster, and my life experiences fall
drastically short compared to many of you, Please humor my
thoughts on love.
dan: >race, sex, or creed should go by the wayside when it comes
>to loving your fellow man.
I do agree with that, but I also think our race, creed, and sex make us
beautiful special individuals. I love to think of the verse, 'we are many parts, but all
one body. The gifts we have we're given to share'
Each individual no matter the race creed
or sex is loved the same by God. The people who worship monkeys in India are just as
beautiful and special to God as the Evangelist or Priest in lovely America. It blows me away
that God is so full of encompassing love, that he would cry for those who scorn him. Each person, no matter who, is part of an intricate and perfect plan for the Father. All the people of the world, every tounge, tribe and nation, are one piece of the body. To throw away any part would be to break apart the body. So, I think a lot of what would help us to stop hate and violence and societal strain and issues, would be to simply realize as individuals that we have a place to call home. To accept and to love ourselves first, will better allow us to accept and love others. People so many times feel like they are on their own, they are hurting and not living up to the standards of their society, or they just feel worthless. They want to help, to fix, to "save the world" But you cannot reach others without first fixing yourself. I have always believed that intimacy must come before impact, and I know I am not capable of loving others until I can accept myself.
Perhaps I am an idealistic capitalist, or perhaps this theory just works for me.
I know that it excludes a lot of the worlds societies. Such as in rural India, where the caste system cannot be controlled or stopped by the government. Where the pariahs or untouchables are forced to wear no shoes in the street, to clean outdoor public "bathrooms" (really just a cement slab with no walls) with just their hands. --In this situation age old tradition has prevailed and I have no clue how to stop it. But I think in many cases, love and acceptance *can help the world.
I don't think the world will ever be perfect, or even nice, but I do think i have the obligation to at least think through some of the ideas and theories to "help". As a Christian my heart breaks for the 'untouchables' of the world, but I think many other people in other creeds feel the same way. Yes, it is more important to agree on compassion and empathy than on creed or background.
But all the same, as a Christian, I am supposed to try and evangelize. But I personally hate evangelism. I think to walk in to someone else's society that I know nothing about and telling them to live a certain way is just plain dumb. Rather, I would prefer to show what Christianity is through works, serving and love. Through acceptance and attitude. I think more conversions would be made by going to India and cleaning "houses" with people, than trying to verbally talk someone into your religion. Treating people with individual hopes, dreams and futures, as a number to get into heaven disturbs me. Rather, to learn about and love the individual will leave so much more of an impact on people. They will learn that there is something to being a Christian, Christians really care, ect... It also helps practicing Christians check themselves and learn more about God by allowing His spirit to help them love and care for people they would rather not socialize with.
I'm done preaching, gosh I really went on a roll!
sorry,
Patty
original Message -----
From: J. Marie Hall
Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2002 6:44 PM
To: dtemm at yahoo_com
Cc: over-the-rhine at actwin_com
Subject: love one another
dan said:
>race, sex, or creed should go by the wayside when
>it comes to loving your fellow man.
i would "feel" better if it did...in some strange
theoretical way...but that way is so much more
specific than i can forget. truth is, defining love
is sort of crucial here. and its ties are inevitably
religious (in the way peter is talking).
think of aristotle and his ideas about happiness.
what i want, what i need. i don't think it's as
simple as saying, "why can't we all just get along."
with regard to race and sex...much easier. b/c love
isn't based on either of them (or not that i know
of...anyone have a worldview like that 'round here? :)
)
but love. it's wrapped up in some set of assumptions
or faith. and for many people, it's intensely
personal with an identity. the kind of love that
extends mercy to all people and yet steps onto narrow
paths of harsh reality is not the kind that an ideal
anonymous majority would embrace...it's not general
enough to encompass all creeds.
i will say this though: regardless of someone else's
creed i say, "rock on, dan! let's love our fellow
man." but it's definitely b/c of the specificity of
the love and identity of the god i love and serve that
i say it.
btw, school has started; and i'm having so much fun!
i have lots of wonderful teenagers in and out of my
room. i've missed them this summer :)
-j. marie
=====
All human nature vigorously resists grace because grace changes us and the change is painful. -Flannery O'Connor
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs
http://www.hotjobs.com
---------------
Unsubscribe by going to http://www.actwin.com/OtR/
Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com
Follow-Ups: