We are such a hot mess – we’ve created our own multiple layers of crisis and conflict:
Israel vs Palestine
Right vs Left
Haves and Have Nots
East vs West
Public School vs Home School
Churched vs Unchurched
Fake News vs Real News
Russia vs Ukraine
Conservative vs Liberal
Christian vs Non-Christian
NATO vs Non-NATO
United Nations vs Non-United Nations
Capitalism vs Socialism
This list could go on for hours…
There is a divide – mankind has always been divided – this divide is not limited to nations or peoples – it is embedded deep within most political, economic, religious, governmental, judicial, and educational constructs.
One side of this divide are those who desire to know more, consider alternate ideas, and embrace change so the greater good can be served.
The other side of this divide are those with fixed ideas, refusing to consider thoughts outside of their hardened concepts, holding fast to notions that sustain beneficiaries of their fixed ideas.
This divide does not favor Left, or Right leaning agendas – both the Left, and the Right take turns at compromising the greater good for the sake of their respective self-serving agendas.
We intentionally let the divide grow deeper and wider even though… to error is human – to be human is to be different – differences identify us, but should not divide us – but knowing this, we still lie to ourselves and those like us, insisting our differences MUST divide us.
I’ll never understand how we (most of us), knowing we’re all imperfect somehow think we’re entitled to grace, consideration, or latitude… but insist on all Hell raining down on those who do not share our identity or ideas – as if treating each other humanely is not possible just because of our differences.
Then to add insult to injury, we call for full-blown attacks on anyone who tries to heal or overcome the divide – we’ll even attack people on our own side of the divide just to keep likeminded members in-line with our identity and ideas.
This divide is not even about good or evil – just or unjust – righteous or unrighteous – it’s about pretending who we really are – we’ve become very clever and calculating with who we claim to be – we’ve learned to covertly compromise the good in us, while simultaneously candy coating the evils (also) in us.
The same is true with our political, economic, religious, governmental, judicial, and educational constructs – claiming to be good, just, and righteous, all while indulging our true selves with evil, unjust, and unrighteous fruits – then quietly washing our hands of humans in harm’s way, while ignoring our underlying responsibility for the same suffering.
It’s selfishness on steroids – it’s a “I, me, my mentality” ahead of anyone else receiving any version of equitable consideration – it’s indifference to suffering – it’s interference with opportunity and fairness – it’s a craving for power and control – it’s fear of losing our safe and secure home-sanctuaries – it’s a deaf ear, and a blind eye to oppression as long as the return favors our cause.
Yes, there is a divide, and it reeks with the high-cost human suffering and oppression – this divide will continue to grow deeper and wider unless we intentionally step up, speak out, stand firm deliberately insisting on change – our voice and our vote are not enough – it will take our unwavering, visible, undeniable actions at every level of our environment’s constructs for positive transparent change.
NOTE: Being indifferent to the divide has the same impact as embracing the divide – don’t be indifferent.
Kevin's Thoughts 