|
|
| Religion |
|
IS ALL VIOLENCE SOMEHOW CONNECTED?
By REV. DAVID WHEELER
Oologah United Methodist Church
“Never stop making the connections between sexism, racism, militarism, nationalism and all forms of violence.” -- Marge Tuite, Dominican Sister
The above quote by Dominican sister, Marge Tuite really caused me to do some thinking. Are all forms of violence connected somehow? And, why does this quote seem particularly relevant to me as we approach the celebration of July 4th?
How can all violence be connected since often in our world it seems the “right hand” doesn’t know what the “left hand” is doing? After all, we live in a world of fast moving pieces and parts of the overall, gigantic puzzle, don’t we? Can it be that sister Marge Tuite has her finger on the pulse of something here? I think she does.
What do sexism, racism, militarism, nationalism and all forms of violence share in common with one another? The need for the oppressing party to show its “superiority.” This same spirit of self-promotion is the spirit after all, that the Hebrew Scriptures imply got Lucipher “thrown out” of Heaven; he desired to be equal or superior to God. This desire for superiority is the same attitude that caused James and John to argue for the prime spot in Heaven right next to Jesus.
So, as we near the July 4th holiday – a holiday where we joyfully celebrate our nation’s independence, a holiday where patriotism runs deep and national pride is at its highest – let us use our freedom not as an opportunity to proclaim our nation’s superiority to the rest of the nations in the world. But, instead, let us truly rise up and BE great by seeking to use whatever influence we have as a nation in this world to promote peace, justice, freedom, love, and harmony for ALL people, especially those who do not have the freedoms associated with being a resident of the United States or a country where such freedoms can be enjoyed.
What if we as American citizens, in the same breath we said ”God Bless America,” were to also say, “God Bless Humanity?”
To respond to this column, or read more of David’s thoughts, see his blog: Keeping Faith Real …a blog by David Wheeler
A United Methodist Pastor’s attempts to make sense of the world we live in through the eyes of faith
|
|
|
|
