[Vision2020] more of the same

[Sharon Sullivan]

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Mr. Wilson,
	My goodness what a hornet's nest that little letter to Laura stirred up.
Your repartee serves well to illustrate the shifting of 'truth', depending 
on who is telling the story, and, you would hope, demonstrate the need for 
a vast unflinching, unalterable body of writing to express God's 
truth.   We all have our own idea of God, (or not) depending on the limits 
of our imagination, experience, and also, indoctrination.  I do see beauty 
in the Bible and appreciate ritual and tradition.  Though, I believe our 
collective myths should grow and change with the demands of the time, as 
society as a collective force also grows and changes.  It is a process of 
dialogue and sensitivity to everything around us, and together people often 
choose to let go of old ways that no longer serve us, and also welcome in 
new ways that also provide inspiration and hope as our cultures demand.
	An example of this, for me, is the need to rethink the Biblical view of 
human's dominion over all the animals.  At this point in our planet's 
ecology, dominated by people, with the resulting extinction of countless 
species, perhaps it is appropriate to dialogue about the fate of the other 
Earth creatures. Ahhh...but it is God's will for them to disappear?  It is 
not for us to know.  My view is that if each species is truly a work of the 
Divine Creator, who are we to extinguish Divine works?  So I would prefer 
to work in the material plane for the survival of these species than honor 
verbatim the outdated pages of the Bible.
	True social discourse is a dialogue; a process where all voices can be 
heard and everyone has a place at the table.  But (gasp!) you are already 
disheartened because you think I don't get it.  (So what happens when the 
hate-monger misogynist homophobe loud violent person comes to dinner? Are 
we to welcome and honor him/her as well?  Won't that be 
disruptive?)  Perhaps this is where common courtesy and social 
understandings come into play -- generally i've noticed that people accept 
unspoken behavioral rules.  Or, they are generally outnumbered. Whose 
rules?  Well, we all talk about it and hash it out.  (oh gosh, the tyranny 
of the majority, Hobbes vs. Rousseau...Nazis...i can see where this could 
end up...us vs. them, who has the 'power'...)
	OK, sometimes we go to war over our differences rather than just trying 
to  listen to the other, so different (so offensive), and try to find some 
common ground where we can agree.  A teensy tiny little bit of room for 
some subtle shift.
	Oh, this is dangerous.  Talk of things evolving, changing.  Look around 
you.  Everything of the Creator has cycles of change.  It seems rather 
unlikely a universe of ebb and flow would be the creation of a rigid 
God.  Are not people in God's image?  We grow and change?  Why not allow 
God, our concept thereof, and our interpretation of Divine presence to grow 
and change also?  Did you know that human babies would not make it through 
the birth passage if not for the ingenious feature of the mother's pelvis 
that allows for the bones to separate ever so slightly -- the slightest 
little teensy tiny shift makes it all possible?
	Much subtlety exists beyond the bounds of logic and reason, infinite 
possibilities between black and white (other than grey or plaid).  I hear 
you asserting that if we do not adhere to the constant and unchanging, we 
are destined for utter chaos. I disagree; I believe in the human ability to 
vision, to listen, to inspire, and at the very least, someday enact laws to 
protect the health, safety and welfare of the general public (not just the 
rich folks.)  That's why we should be attentive to the here and now, while 
looking ahead to the future of what we want our world to look like.  The 
moldy books of the past may be endearing...but look what state we're in 
now!  We have the ability to shape our world as a honoring of Creation, 
rather than a desecration. Each individual holds his own ticket and chooses 
her own ride.
	What if we all took all the energy we are expending 
arguing/conversing  over our different perspectives and, instead, compared 
our Top 10 Wish Lists...one list for our own personal lives and one for the 
planet?  Would any of the set circles overlap to make a union?  Why should 
different spiritual views drive humans further apart, rather than allowing 
us to learn and take strength from one another?
	Well, off i go...My here and now life on the material plane is requiring 
my attention for the near future...so I'll be likely riding the delete key 
without reading for several weeks.  May the dialogue flourish....and all 
voices be heard.  (No need to shout, right?)  Top 10 lists, anyone?
	Sharon
	
	
	

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