I have questions. More every day as I observe what’s going on in our country and the world, and because I read and learn from minds far more intelligent than mine.
So here are a few that have come up, which I hope you will ponder and then share your thoughts. Maybe together we can offer viable solutions, or at the very least, together feel a sense of community in a world rocked by divisions:
If everyone wants peace, why do we always have war?
What does religion really teach if those who go to church or claim to be religious live their lives filled with hate? Doesn’t religion tell us to love our neighbors? And not judge lest we be judged? Am I missing something? Is there any religion that tells us to be hateful, judgmental, and to go out and murder anyone we think of as different?
As someone once quipped:
Standing in a garage doesn’t make you a car
any more than going to church makes you religious.
For what possible reason are children taught to hate?
Why are so many people angry? Anger is such a burden to carry.
If love is stronger than hate, why does hate seem to win?
What could cause people to choose fascism over democracy and freedom?
Why do people need to think they are better than others?
How has antisemitism lasted so long, and why is it once again rearing its ugly head?
Why are some people so afraid of letting children read and learn? Why not allow them to study history when we know that ignorance of the past leads to repeating our mistakes?
If we really want peace, why are we always preparing for war? We have a Department of Defense but no Department of Peace. Why is that?
Are you so disturbed by current events that you’re choosing to ignore them rather than do something about them? Are you adding to the problem by ignoring it or by reacting in anger, or are you choosing to act in ways that help create the world you’d like to see?
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing.” ~Emund Burke
Why are people drawn to negative news more than positive? If you listen to the news or read the papers (online or other), you would think nothing but awful things are prevalent. But what about all the kindness people show each other every day? What about the laughter and humor? What about the acts of generosity? Why aren’t we exposed to more of those stories? I think we’d all feel much better.
Please, tell me what you think. I want to know. This is a time when we all need to feel less alone in our fears and concerns, our joys and triumphs, and our love.
Thank you.
Hello. You are asking so many questions that I have asked. It gets overwhelming. I think fear is often at the root of hate and misunderstanding.
There used to be a newspaper full of good news, it was called Grit.
I'm not a writer so I don't have more to write to you but I can tell you that I wish I could talk to you. You seem like a lovely and compassionate person.
Never give up hope and belief in the good in all of us.
I believe there is one answer to all of your questions. We are animals. We can find all of our behaviors by observing animals. Our lowest and most basic animal instinct is survival. If we think our survival is being threatened we can become violent. We are territorial, wanting the best sources of food, water and shelter to survive. We will become violent to protect our territory or find better conditions for our survival. We fear the stranger who enters our territory and might challenge our survival so we fight to get rid of them whether they can be a benefit to us or not. We find that being communal helps our survival so we form families, clans, towns, cities and countries. We need rules to live together successfully handed down by an alpha leader, religion or government. As we know power corrupts. At our core we remain animals. Leaders who prey our our basic fears for survival can stir animal behavior. We see it all around us. Our intelligence can function to solve the problems we face but we constantly struggle against those acting as fearful animals. We would like to think of ourselves as superior to animals. But sadly, the basic struggles for survival persist.