Are YOU Open?
I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality… I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word. ~Martin Luther King, Jr.
It’s been a crazy week. One that saw my daughter starting college full-time, me getting a “job” and included my 1st “hater” on the blog.
But the craziest thing this week occurred on Twitter tonight.
I got in the middle of a religious/political “conversation” and found my worst fear may be true.
We can’t talk to each other.
I jumped into the conversation with a snarky remark to this comment:
Him: I have the Holy Spirit…
Me: Is there a vaccine for that?
Now, I think it’s pretty funny even out of context, but just so you know, this filled-with-the-Holy-Spirit person is a white, conservative Christian male who uses Twitter and his website to spread truth hate. (Yes, it is a matter of perspective.) In any case, my point was, I don’t want what he has if it makes you behave in this way.
Since I wasn’t really a part of the conversation, I didn’t expect any response. Then I got this:
Him: You think it’s a funny thing to mock The Lord God – it’s not -
Me: Oh, pardon me. I guess that’s YOUR job.
Now, even if you haven’t been a long-time reader of Lisa-Unmasked, you get the sarcasm, yes?
His response floored me.
Him: It is my job – it is actually ever born again Christians job
Did I miss that he just admitted to mocking God?
That doing so was EVERY born-again’s job?
Me: You do it well, sir. I’m not interested in being on the payroll. But I do appreciate the laughs.
Him: You choose Lisa – God “your father” loves you – clear your heart of any anger and talk to his Son Jesus
Uh-huh.
Did I sound angry?
(For the record, I wasn’t. Just in utter disbelief.)
But, I thought, maybe, just maybe, I could open up to some dialogue. I needed to get out of my head with all it’s judgment that this guy is nothing more than a RWNJ (right-wing-nut-job) and see him as a human being.
So I offered this:
Me: TY. Now, if u could only clear ur speech of anger & hatred, we might be able to actually have a convo. Until then, b blessed.
To which he replied:
Him: No I am sorry I must continuing providing good news to people
No?
Seriously?
NO?
No. He was not willing to try what he just asked me to do.
OK.
But I admired his honesty and countered with this snarky remark:
Me: I applaud u for ur honesty in not being remotely interested in my p.o.v. Keep spreading the good news…Hate is IN this season.
And his response is where I lost all hope:
Him: There is only one p.o.v. that mean anything and that is Gods – everything else has all been tried and has all failed
I sat at my computer for awhile, processing all of this.
This guy has a close to 30, 000 followers on Twitter watching a constant stream of anti-Obama and “all liberals suck” rhetoric.
And there are MILLIONS like him.
But don’t get me wrong.
Just because I don’t agree with his opinion, doesn’t make him “wrong” for sharing it.
What disturbs me, sickens me in fact, is that he does this under the guise of LOVE.
Love of God.
Love of country.
LOVE.
Here’s the news flash: Love does not divide.
Love builds bridges.
Love .UNITES.Us. ALL.
So as I sat losing hope about where this country could go if Progressives don’t get out in large numbers to vote in November, I came across Dr. King’s quote.
I tried to imagine how difficult it was to hold this belief when you are being attacked by dogs, spat upon, beaten and arrested. When your friends and supporters are being killed. When you know, they are probably going to kill you too.
Today, some 47 years after Dr. King’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech, I offer you my dream:
A planet where UNCONDITIONAL LOVE rules.
Today I ask you, with all the love in my heart, to remain OPEN.
In disagreement…stay OPEN.
In confrontation…stay OPEN.
In the face of hostility…stay OPEN.
Stay open to LOVE.
For I truly believe that is the ONLY thing that will save us now.
photo credit: luigi diamanti
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Tell me what you think? What do you think we need to do to create such a place of unconditional love?
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Let’s Connect!
Agreed Lisa — there are so many varying viewpoints and places to step in and speak our truth. But if we step in everywhere we dilute the message…love is the opposite of fear. So when I come across someone who is removed from love (or I and my ego presume they are removed from love because they are not acting in the world the way I would have them do) I need to remind myself that it's their fear. And that my fear stalls me in my growth all the time.
My recent post Lighthearted Blogs to Make You Smile
Peggie,
You've really got me thinking about the point you made on Twitter and here: diluting the message. I think we are both disgusted by social injustice, whether animal cruelty or child slavery and equally as disturbed by people whose politics perpetuate it.
But I can't jump into every cause nor can I take on every middle-aged white male christian conservative. I need to focus. Focus on what I came to do, which apparently is all about going to the love.
As MJ said to me yesterday, "rise above it", because I will be more effective in the love than in the "fight." Thanks for the lesson, my friend.
I really find it difficult to talk to people who a) don't even listen to what you are saying and b) just spew out their rhetoric and can't back it up with debate of any kind.
EVERYTHING is debatable (well, not child abuse, animal abuse.. that type of thing – but you get my point!)
Sorry you let this even make you pause!!
My recent post Truth
Here's what you just did for me, Shelly…
You made me question my own beliefs.
And the best thing (for me) is that I don't feel any need to attack you or make you wrong.
But you got me thinking about the word "debate." I don't think I like that everything is debatable.
Not that it couldn't be, but why do I need to expend any energy doing it.
How about yes…AND.
He is absolutely RIGHT in his eyes.
And I can agree that he is RIGHT in HIS eyes.
And I don't make him wrong.
And I can go along with my own point of view, knowing that tomorrow, someone wonderful like Shelly will come along and I'll take advantage of the opportunity to reconsider that view.
How cool is THAT?
Yes…AND….
This is wonderful. (As always). I struggle with this kind of stuff. I love to debate but is it worth my energy to try to engage someone who will never, ever change their minds? I have FB friends who have posted against the "Ground Zero mosque" and I felt I just had to say something. (These are people who post ignorant, sound bite stuff and not things that are thoughtful evaluations of the situation.) I engaged even though I knew it wouldn't make a difference in their opinions because I truly believe that evil only prevails when good people say nothing.
One of my friends who is a very smart, thoughtful guy said to me (when I was getting all worked up over it) "I have apathy to spare. You have some." What he meant is that there is much good in the world where we can spend our energy – we can focus on the love and actually make a difference – and we can learn to simply NOT CARE about those who will not even entertain the possibility that there is another p.o.v.