Long ago, in a time before language; man lived in anarchy. Today we think of anarchy and we equate it to violence and chaotic behavior. In its hay days it worked quite well. Our earliest ancestors understood the golden rule. Somehow that simple control of treating others how you wish to be treated was the first moral code.
Today, anarchy could not work. You see, the difference in what we value and what our earliest ancestors value is too great. Like it or not we value possessions, we value time, we value greed. We value ourselves and ours over all. Our instinct of self-preservation has gone from simple fight or flight to take and fight for more. Do not blame yourself nor those around you. It is the well that we have all chosen to drink from.
Long ago in those days of anarchy something changed our behavior. There was a great catalyst to modify our behavior. That catalyst was religion. Not a specific religion, religion period. We no longer had “good ideas” about what was right or wrong. We gained a “belief” in what was right or wrong. Ideas can change in a moments notice. Changing a belief can take centuries. All religions once belived it was okay to beat your wife if she spoke out of turn. To sell your daughter into slavery. To kill anyone that dare have a thought that differs from the belief.
Biblical verses speak firmly on the fact that we should have no “king”. Adamantly against monarchy. This goes back to the first pact between God and the Hebrew slaves. They wished to have a king like the Romans. So ask yourself this. Why for more than a thousand years!! Did the average christian citizen follow a king if God commanded they not to so?
The answer is simple. They COULD NOT READ only members of the aristocracy could read or write. For more than a thousand years the people of the world were spoon fed and told what to believe. That began to change, the world began to change, the Reformation happened, the new world opened up,
WE HAVE A UNITED STATES BECAUSE OUR ANCESTORS CHOSE TO RISK DISSENTARY AND WILDERNESS TO BELIEVE AND PRAY AS THEY WISHED.
BELIEFS CHANGED BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF SOCIETY BECAME INFORMED.
Science, the arts, spirituality, ideology, free thought took hold around the globe and in places like Boston and Philadelphia. The worlds first International Trading company, vile as they were; also were the internet of the day. The world grew both larger and smaller. Larger with the discoveries of science and smaller by the fact the citizens of the world were no longer oblivious, communication became easier and thoughts and ideas began to take shape, not over beliefs, but around them. Beliefs in our forefathers day were a very personal and non public ordeal. One did not discuss such things even with your best friend. The relationship to God was personal and sacred.
When the diary of Ben Franklin was discovered it was not his thoughts that were the great find. It was his religious beliefs. These were that important, personal and sacred. Our forefathers were very implicit in trying to prevent the citizens of this country from being persecuted as they were in England. Today we so this to Muslims and think nothing of it. How very American of us.
Our fatal flaw as human beings is that we seek to destroy anything that we fear or do not understand. That is a universal value. It has no belief structure. It simply is. It just happens to be of great convenience that religious beliefs are easy to go to war over. This reminds me of a T-shirt I once owned. Purchased because I was a little asshole who just loved rubbing authority figures the wrong way. It pictured Satan holding Jesus by the throat with the caption of “My God can beat up your God.” Many were not amused that Sunday at church I assure you.
We become so angry and defensive when someone does not believe as we do. We lose all sense of dignity and react violently. Please do not think I am suggesting “tolerance”. As tolerance by definition suggests faining acceptance in order to keep civility. However, I wish to suggest no longer caring about those things that make us different.
For myself, as a Christian I see nothing in anyones choices of ideals or beliefs worth caring about. Until it affects me. (The golden rule) As you see, a woman having an abortion, homosexuality, Communists, Democrats, Republicans, Muslim, Jew, Buddhist, nor any other belief or ideological difference alters my beliefs or my personal relationship to God. My next door neighbors are Gay. The seven or twelve Bibles lurking around my house do not do anything weird if my neighbors commit sodomy. As you see, it is not for me to judge my neighbors relationship to God. Nor is it my responsibility to inform them. Society has that covered. I was raised and live in the muck of Hell fire and Brimstone Southern Baptist Florida. Trust me… Your made aware VERY EARLY.
To this day I still remember all us kids in youth Bible study crying because “we were sinners and were going to hell”. LOL. Ahh good times. Toughens you up as a little brat bastard. It went reverse for me though. They meant it to be a “scared straight” tactic. I took it as well… Im fucked anyway…
You know, Anarchy, Constitutional Republic, Republic, Democracy, Totalitarianism, Communism, White, Black, Purple, Chinese, Jew, Muslim, Christian. It does not matter how or what we identify with. We all expect a certain amount of personal respect and dignity. We must stop tolerance. Tolerance is what keeps the South “The South”. Tolerance is why racism still exists. Our Parents and Grand Parents asked of each other to simply tolerate one another. Rather than not giving a damn.
We must cease to identify our fellow Americans by anything other than simply American. We are greatly divided as a people. We all suffer under the same Sun. Both rich and poor alike. Our suffering and struggles are different yes, but we struggle together in this melting pot of humanity. One Culture, One Voice, One Nation. We all no matter what we identify with have the exact foundations for expectations of how we wish to treat one another. United We Stand was not some catch phrase of the late 1700’s. It had tangible value. That value was America. Something I feel We The People as a majority lack value in anymore. We have become so complacent. We have allowed our leaders to keep us in darkness and shelter us like children.
We are citizens of a nation. We are not children to be spoken softly with and whispered sweet nothing about christmas presents and lollipops if we behave. We must first accept and identify ourselves as American FIRST and then and only then will WE THE PEOPLE, United We Stand. Have meaning.
