We often hear about the "Christian Right," or "Conservative Christians." Yet, if you think about it, Jesus was the original liberal.  He cared about motives more than the deeds themselves (Matthew 23:5 & Mark 12:41-43) and more about compassion than adhering to rules (Luke 6:1-11 & Luke 13:10-17). This blog will reflect liberal Christian values of compassion, tolerance, mercy, charity, a thirst for knowledge & understanding, and, above all, love.

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Healing Thoughts

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I haven't posted in some time for the simple reason that I've been in the hospital. No, it wasn’t COVID-19 related, but the problem with my innards was nasty enough to knock me down for the count, requiring emergency surgery.

Lying in bed, breathing through a tube, gives a person a chance to observe humanity from a unique angle.  On the TV above me, I could follow the story of a self-interested president trying to hold onto power, despite the will of the people. 

Watching this meglomaniac whip, gullibly uninformed, people into seething hordes of misdirected violence, one would tend to agree with Paul's letter to the Romans (3:10-18 ESV) ~ As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”

I don't buy it.  As I healed, a parade off people made their way through my room.  These people had all dedicated their professional lives to easing the pain of others.  The contrast between the televised selfishness, and the compassion which  I had been the beneficiary of, was striking.  Perhaps it's due to a lack of imagination on my part, but I can't picture such kindness being the result of "original sin."  Nor, can I see humanity as fundamentally unrighteous and worthless. 

I've said it before, and I'll happily repeat myself here.  People are naturally kind.  Humanity is naturally good.  When given a choice, mentally, and emotionally, healthy people will choose kindness & generosity over cruelty & selfishness. 

Yes, the world seems to be mired in a darkness right now.  The darkness in question is not a reflection the majority of humanity.  The darkness in question is the result of sick selfish people obtaining more than their fair share of power.  We fell asleep at the proverbial wheel & let it happen.  Yet, last November we rallied back and corrected many of our mistakes. 

As a whole, the human race values; 
  • kindness, 
  • compassion, 
  • generosity, 
  • healing, 
  • helpfulness, 
  • and love. 
I simply can't make myself believe that people with such values were originally spawned from sin.

Amen.