I call this post, “A Need for Consciousness-raising,” but I guess it could just as well be called “A Need for Awareness-raising.” Whatever you call it, I believe there is a need in American society for something to bring about a change of mind or change of heart.
Robert Wright had an Op-Ed in the New York Times on Thanksgiving Day in which he wrote about having to write a column appropriate to the day. He wrote that he had a hard time giving thanks and that he tended to focus on the negative. He gave some of his examples:
(1) The New Start treaty — which just about every analyst, Democratic or Republican, says would make America more secure — is on the verge of being sunk by a few senators for partisan reasons. (2) This is symptomatic of intense political polarization, bitter division that is paralyzing our politics. (3) Some of America’s divisions, dangerously, are falling along ethnic lines. In particular, American Muslims are often the object of irrational fear and suspicion.
Then, turning to the positive, he wrote:
If people preaching tolerance, understanding, and cool reason prevail, the world won’t go down in flames. My point isn’t just that good may yet prevail. My point is that there’s a correlation between good prevailing and the world surviving in good shape. The more morally enlightened people get — the more they set aside their narrow perspectives and tribal passions and see how things look through the eyes of people from different religions, cultures, nations — the more orderly things will be.
My husband pointed out Wright’s piece to me and, agreeing with Wright as I do, said he was reminded of the Native American legend or parable of The Two Wolves.
In that little story, a Native American grandfather, in explaining life to his grandson, tells him that a fight is going on within himself.
"It is a terrible fight,” he said. “It is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego." He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."
When the grandson asked which wolf would win, the grandfather said, “The one you feed.”
My husband and I agree that this country is in great need of the feeding of the good wolf. There is more than enough feeding going on of the bad wolf. A fight is going on within our society. The churches and other faith communities especially should be the ones feeding the good wolf. The political entities can not. We would like to see the faith communities stepping up in a pro-active manner. It is a job that needs to be done pronto, probably yesterday. The feeding needs to be done in today’s context, not just in a general, sentimental manner, either.
We do need consciousness-raising,awareness-raising, education, re-education, even. We need a higher consciousness.
As a member of a Unitarian Universalist community, I am reminded of the Principles that Unitarian Universalist congregations are called upon to affirm and promote ~
Because of these stated principles, I believe that Unitarian Universalists and their communities have a special obligation and call in this feeding of the good wolf.
In fact, all faiths uphold what is called The Golden Rule, treating others as we would wish to be treated. (See here and/or here.) I believe that Rule needs to be emphasized as a way of this feeding, too. The Charter for Compassion (See here.) upholds the Golden Rule and is an implement itself. It needs to grow into a major movement.
However we do it, we must raise the consciousness or awareness in this country. As Robert Wright wrote in his column, “If people preaching tolerance, understanding, and cool reason prevail, the world won’t go down in flames.“
Robert Wright had an Op-Ed in the New York Times on Thanksgiving Day in which he wrote about having to write a column appropriate to the day. He wrote that he had a hard time giving thanks and that he tended to focus on the negative. He gave some of his examples:
(1) The New Start treaty — which just about every analyst, Democratic or Republican, says would make America more secure — is on the verge of being sunk by a few senators for partisan reasons. (2) This is symptomatic of intense political polarization, bitter division that is paralyzing our politics. (3) Some of America’s divisions, dangerously, are falling along ethnic lines. In particular, American Muslims are often the object of irrational fear and suspicion.
Then, turning to the positive, he wrote:
If people preaching tolerance, understanding, and cool reason prevail, the world won’t go down in flames. My point isn’t just that good may yet prevail. My point is that there’s a correlation between good prevailing and the world surviving in good shape. The more morally enlightened people get — the more they set aside their narrow perspectives and tribal passions and see how things look through the eyes of people from different religions, cultures, nations — the more orderly things will be.
My husband pointed out Wright’s piece to me and, agreeing with Wright as I do, said he was reminded of the Native American legend or parable of The Two Wolves.
In that little story, a Native American grandfather, in explaining life to his grandson, tells him that a fight is going on within himself.
"It is a terrible fight,” he said. “It is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego." He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."
When the grandson asked which wolf would win, the grandfather said, “The one you feed.”
My husband and I agree that this country is in great need of the feeding of the good wolf. There is more than enough feeding going on of the bad wolf. A fight is going on within our society. The churches and other faith communities especially should be the ones feeding the good wolf. The political entities can not. We would like to see the faith communities stepping up in a pro-active manner. It is a job that needs to be done pronto, probably yesterday. The feeding needs to be done in today’s context, not just in a general, sentimental manner, either.
We do need consciousness-raising,awareness-raising, education, re-education, even. We need a higher consciousness.
As a member of a Unitarian Universalist community, I am reminded of the Principles that Unitarian Universalist congregations are called upon to affirm and promote ~
- The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
- Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
- Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
- A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
- The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
- The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
- Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
Because of these stated principles, I believe that Unitarian Universalists and their communities have a special obligation and call in this feeding of the good wolf.
In fact, all faiths uphold what is called The Golden Rule, treating others as we would wish to be treated. (See here and/or here.) I believe that Rule needs to be emphasized as a way of this feeding, too. The Charter for Compassion (See here.) upholds the Golden Rule and is an implement itself. It needs to grow into a major movement.
However we do it, we must raise the consciousness or awareness in this country. As Robert Wright wrote in his column, “If people preaching tolerance, understanding, and cool reason prevail, the world won’t go down in flames.“
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