In very first post here, I made a moral mistake on the very first word. I said "Shame on Brian Williams". What WAS I thinking? I don't really believe in shame. I shame someone when I make them feel that they are a bad person (or seek to make them feel that way). I really don't want to do that. I don't think that feeling that I am a bad person is at all productive or constructive. From time to time, I may take a person to task for doing or saying something that I think is like shaming someone; that is, making them feel less than a full human being--for example, what Brian did to Rachel Maddow (see my initial post). At other times, I will point out some of the world's outrageousness and why, in my opinion, it is such. I hope to never again shame someone or call them names. (Watch me on the name-calling, will you?)
Here's a new dot for you: If we are to heal the world, we must begin by treating EVERY human being with respect, even our enemies. This is the hardest challenge we will ever face as relational beings. But isn't this exactly what Jesus commanded us to do? Did anyone ever say it would be easy?
PS Don't expect frequent references to Jesus in this blog.
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2 comments:
I agree wholeheartedly with your exhortation to humanize even your enemies. I forget this often, but understanding beats anger every time...
Well, Dan, at least two of us can agree on this. That's some progress.
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