For the next few weeks, we at our house will be listening to an audiobook, "This Changes Everything", by Naomi Klein, 2014. Her purpose is to change what we think about the way things are, how they got this way, and where they are going: the alpha and omega of things, and our place in the story. If we follow her lead, we discover (not for the first time) that humanity must rethink it all because the old thoughts have got us in trouble once again.
Something in us rebels against such heresy. There is an instinctive resistance to change. What we know has been won with effort and sacrifice, and proven by the ancestors who prospered while many who did not share their understanding have perished. We are the victors. We won't discard our advantage without a fight. History has demonstrated that God is on our side.
That was the spirit of the age into which I was born near the end of World War Two: Onward Christian Soldiers, The Whole Wide World for Jesus, We All Do Extol Thee Thou Leader In Battle.
That's one way of looking at things. There is another. Our instincts are like muscles: they work in opposing pairs. Without opposition, they cramp into extreme and rigid postures. Staying instinctively nimble requires constantly adjusting mental tone and position in response to circumstances. And so the future continues to emerge from the past because we are true to our calling to maintain balance in the present. If it were not so, we would still be repeating the errors of the unenlightened past: tribalism, nationalism, war, slavery, racism, misogyny, xenophobia, colonialism, religious imperialism, homophobia, exploitation of the earth. Now that I think of it...
The orthodoxy of the present will in time be recognized as incomplete, mistaken, venal, corrupt, assuming there are any survivors to look back on our folly. With a bit more nimbleness, we can change direction and leave a more benign legacy to our children.
What then is the glory of God?
To what virtue should we aspire?
What song of praise should we sing?
"Draw the circle wide"
And this sends me to the commercial about winning a lottery!! Dream bigger, now bigger!! And CCS 273, Draw the Circle Wide, 3rd verse says, "Let the dream we dreamed be larger than we ever dreamed before; let the dream of Christ be in us, open every door." What WAS Christ's dream? And so the Enduring Principles play a part again!! Let us dream larger for who we can become in the coming months and years!!
ReplyDeleteFound myself agonizing over how to discuss today's enduring principle over on facebook. What a weekend! How to make "responsible choices" in the face of all that the universe is throwing at us. Or what we've thrown at the universe with all our irresponsible choices.
ReplyDeleteI try to keep up with Naomi Klein too. Looking forward to your future thoughts as you contemplate her book. I believe she still retained a bit of hope in 2014. You might be interested in her appearance with Anna Maria Tremonti on her MORE podcast. (https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcasts/more-with-anna-maria-tremonti/index.html)