What if we’re all wrong? What if no one is right?
What if being right or wrong isn’t the point at all?
The truth is, everyone wants to be on the right side of history, and most people believe they are, regardless of what side they are on.
Whether it be politics, religion, science, academia, humanitarianism, economics, environmentalism, heck, even fashion…no one wants to believe or accept they could possibly be wrong, ill-informed, or simply not one of the good ones.
And both sides, even the middle, are equally passionate.
So how do we move forward, together, specifically in this nation, if convincing the other why our way of thinking, believing, voting, etc, is next to impossible?
What if convincing others of our beliefs and convictions isn’t the point? What if it wasn’t ever the point: everyone agreeing on one specific way, and in this season, the same candidate or political party, but what if the point always was and ever has been practicing the Golden Rule.
Kindness. Unconditional love. A celebration of many different parts working together, for everyone’s benefit and goodness.
Oooooweeee, that’s a tough ask:
Treat others the way you want to be treated.
Can’t we just skip that rule during election years?
No. No we can’t. We can’t just skip the Golden Rule when it’s not convenient for us. We can’t skip it because we’re so worked up that so and so could vote for that other person, the one opposite of who we will vote for.
The Golden Rule must be the standard, as it is in every world religion, even the philosophical schools and non-religions.
So, those posts where someone throws a shame blanket statement on anyone and everyone who doesn’t believe or vote or advocate exactly like them, only make them look like they were in the bathroom the day the teacher, preacher, rabbi, shaman, imam, elder, or their grandma talked about the Golden Rule…year after year after year. It reveals more about their inner world and how they actually want to be treated.
A few years ago when my son had just started a new school, he would come home with stories of kids talking trash about politicians and repeating their parents rhetoric about candidates…in 5th grade.
I told my son, “Your first identity is as a beloved child of God and that’s the identity of everyone else you meet. Treat them first like that. Everyone is worthy of love. Also, every 2, 4, 6, and 8 years there will be movements and different politicians with differing worldviews, values, and agendas…and they will change. You can be passionate about any and all of it, but don’t shame others who don’t think or believe the same way. Build meaningful friendships by transcending American politics otherwise you allow a manmade system to rule your life and dictate the kinds of relationships you make. Don’t give your power away.”
It’s important, it’s your right, to vote as an American citizen. It’s even okay to have hope or be excited about different candidates and their visions. But don’t get sucked into believing one political party and their folks have all the answers or are right or wrong, and that everyone else is the devil…if you do that, the system has won and we’re all just cogs. The system and process exist for us, not vice versa.
And for the love of God, don’t get sucked into believing “this” is all pre-ordained and one side of the aisle has a corner on the market on God.
Don’t get me wrong, there are big items on the ballot this season, as there are in every election cycle…look how much progress has been made and how much more needs to be done.
But what might this election look like if you voted FOR your neighbor, instead of AT them?
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