AN AWAKENED SPIRIT
A moral lifestyle implies following a set of universal laws, guidelines,
that all would follow, independent of who, what or where they are.
Yet such guidelines can become lost in the passageway of time
or imprisoned behind the gilded bars of self-interest.
We need to be awakened to the needs of others
and the reality of human relationships;
of love for others.
Such behaviour would require no aspect of religious belief,
but could still point to the ways of God,
if not of any particular God.
Maybe the key is to see all people as sharing a common humanity
whatever their appearance, nature or how they may behave.
We can then be awoken to the differences between us
and challenged to overcome the prejudices
that they expose.
However
we we may then be awakened to the fact of difference
which may exacerbate the situation, for both sides of the divide.
We may all be are happy to share our different lives
until the differences are exposed.
At that stage barriers are raised,
relationships between neighbours are soured
and envy of another's state becomes the norm.
Thus
The flood of coloured, lesbian, females taking star roles on TV
as a response to Awoken guilt generates a contrary response
and white male abusive behaviour increases.
We do need to be Awoken to the deficits of our behaviour,
but
we also need to be sensitive to the needs of those
whose life-style demands another pathway;
whose response will be extremism;
the bombing or machine gunning
of innocents.
We need to see that God's way
may differ from our own.
