LOVE WORKS DAILY 04/11/07 - The Injustice of It All

0 views
Skip to first unread message

Love Works Daily

unread,
Apr 11, 2007, 3:31:46 PM4/11/07
to MSN, Yahoo, Google, Topica, AOL
LOVE WORKS DAILY 04/11/07 - The Injustice of It All
 

In this month of new beginnings, and blooming
and blossoming, I wish you all the best of Love!
 
 
INSPIRATIONAL MOMENT:
(Great Thoughts By History's Inspired Thinking Men and Women)
 
A monk asked Shigui, "What is the first principle?"
Shigui said, "What you just asked is the second principle."
 
-"Zen’s Chinese Heritage"
 
TIM's BLOG
(Random Thoughts and Tim's Daily World):
 
I had every intention of running a repeat of one of
my light and fluffy Love Works.  But alas,  I got
to writing some brief comments in the blog, and it
became a speech. 
 
In light of my statements in the past about honesty
versus justice, I am going to just run my comments as
the Love Works essay itself.
 
I have found discussion of the subject material to
be quite helpful to me, and I've realize that my own
positions on various matter are not set in stone.
 
And although I have referred to some of the comments emailed
to me or posted on this board.  I am NOT trying to invalidate
the points made by others, but rather just state my own
thoughts,  as well as just things to think about that I have
not formed a distinct position about yet.
 
I heard recently someone talking about justice, and specifically
God's justice.
 
A question came up about justice and whether
it would simply be unacceptable that "God Loves Hitler"
as well as the rest of us good folks.
 
Is the thought of that unthinkable?
 
 
 
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
(Brand New and Classic Love Works Essays 2001-2007)
 
(PLEASE NOTE: I have tried to be as careful as possible
with the wording in addressing this very important and
sensitive material.  That said, I am limited by
my own experience and my propensity for typographical
errors. Please accept my apology in advance for poor word choices.
They are unintentional.
 
You may have noticed that I have gotten a little "edgy" with
some of the LOVE WORKS topics.  This has been intentional.
And in each case, I've gotten mail.  I've tried to keep up
with all who have written, but I have gotten a bit behind.
Please don't think that because I haven't answered your latest
email that I don't care about it.)
 
Usually, I complain that not enough people write,  but lately
it has been quite the opposite.  And that's great!
 
I have been playing "devil's advocate" a few times by putting
riskier topics out there, and making controversial examples.
 
In a few cases, I don't have any experience with the examples
I make (one of the reasons I have avoided them), and in particular
with one Love Works I intentionally addressed everything from
racism to abortion to immigration to school prayer to political
correctness...
 
Again, I hit these topics with "hit and run" comments intentionally,
not to discuss MY personal feelings about any of them, but
to bring home the point that in today's society much emphasis
is places on being CORRECT, instead of simply being HONEST.
 
I would have to agree that it is much better than in the
past when the emphasis was on "not being DIFFERENT."  Those who
where different, or thought differently,  were, by mob rule,
automatically wrong....or
"didn't exist" at all. And yes, that meant that white, male, Christian
and heterosexual WERE the mob, and made the rules in the US in the past.
 
It was a raw deal for everyone who wasn't part of the mob.
Of course, I was....so now I am part of "the bad guy" group
simply by my gender and skin color
 
...sounds oddly familiar.
 

Who know what is truly correct?  Just?  Fair?
Who is watching out that when justice is achieved
that things are then balanced with equity?
 
One of the reasons I rarely speak of justice.  Justice
is always measured by the society at the time that the justice
is dealt. 
 
Hanging a man for stealing a horse in 1850 was considered
just.
 
Letting a man out of prison after 6 months for murdering a
child in 2007 is considered just.
 
In 1850, beating your
own child to death, or sexually abusing them wasn't even consider a crime
in many communities.
 
In 2007, murdering someone or sexually abusing someone
can be made to disappear with expensive lawyers. 
 
All considered justice in their times by those who
administer that justice .  Yet, ethically neither seems to
be correct to many people.
 
Honest isn't always nice.  But to me, knowing how someone
stands on an issue, even if I think it is wrong, (even if it
IS CLEARLY wrong), is more loving
than having them conceal it from me and hit me at some
point with passive aggression...or...in my face aggression.
 
I have no way to determine an absolute right or wrong.
But I do have questions, opinions, and I'm inspired to
act when I feel very strongly about how I feel.
 
The only ONE thing that I know is that if you can
get the wisdom to know how to administer it, Love Works.
 
And a really first good step, to me, is to encourage the differing
factions and viewpoints to put their agenda on the table,
and communicate.  Really communicate.
 
How does that kind of thing happen?
 
To some, people who are gay are abominations.  Deviant, defective
people engaging in sin.
 
To others, people who are gay are no different than
anyone else, and deserve the respect and rights afforded
anyone else.  Nothing broken about it and the distinction, just like
race, is of no consequence.
 
Both sides have armies of people who are CERTAIN about their
position and the other side is WRONG.  Period.
 
How do these VERY different groups of people dialogue
to an acceptable conclusion?
 
Is it a war of conversion?  Get the other guy to agree
with me, and we win?
 
Or is there a place of agreement?
 
Can we agree that everyone deserves respect and love, regardless
of how you feel about who they are or what they
do?
 
Gay by choice?
 
gay by environment?
 
Gay by genetics?
 
Gay by evil influence?
 
Just gay, so what, get over it?
 
No one is going to agree fully...
 
And I'm sorry if this offends...
 
I don't think people are going to fully agree....ever.
 
But isn't the mandate to Love regardless?
 
I'd like to know about the racist, chauvinist, homophobic
up front.  I'd like them to show they care enough about
me to be honest about it.  (and just because they use
word like Nigger, Skirt, or Fag privately and not around me
does change anything - they might as well use those words to
my face -
because that's how they feel anyway, or they'd stop using
them privately as well. At one point they said them openly
with no fear...now say them only to trusted "friends" because
of fear)
 
Don't get me wrong. I won't like them.  I won't like what they do or who they
are.
 
But I will try my hardest to Love them anyway?
 
Isn't that basically what we are all asking for...
 
Forget about putting a label on me....
 
And Love me for being a person.....
 
Can we conquer the enemy with Love?
 
Or do we only Love those who are right?
 
Are there people who are unlovable?
 
Don't deserve it?
 
 
 
 
 

Love In Thought! Love In Word! Love In Action!
 
Love To You Today!
 
 
 
"May we endeavor today to increase our understanding and appreciation of
what others have given and contributed to us. And develop constant,
mindful consideration of how our thoughts and actions will BENEFICIALLY
CONTRIBUTE to others"
 
The best to you today in discovering the answers to life's difficult
questions!
 
 
 
A Final Thought:
 
Love is always the right thing to do. Even if it isn't the easiest
thing to do.
 
May we have compassion for the struggles of others, wisdom to
acknowledge our own, and courage to address them both every day.
 
Respectfully,
Tim
 

This is a daily newsletter of LOVE WORKS DAILY:
A collective of individuals of different beliefs and
backgrounds, dedicated to a better world by living LOVE in thought,
word and action. Compassion. Wisdom. Courage.
 
 

Or read us on the web:
http://loveworks.ebloggy.com/
 
 
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
Peace be with you.
 
(c)2007 T.Thomas Henry
 
 
 
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages