It's Time

The human race in 2007 stands at a crossroads, faced with the complexities of the political and cultural and technological realities accumulated over more than 4000 years of recorded history. And we are being hurtled into the shadows of an approaching unknown – un-experienced by our species and most likely pivotal to our species’ future. And perhaps the real and ultimate test of our religious and our spiritual strength. But constrained by the trappings and vested interests of established religion, there seems to be little promise.

The pomposity, the religiosity, the arrogance, the hypocrisy that their intervention brings to our spiritual quest – all being human intervention, of oft well intentioned ecclesiastics – and often an obstacle to the universal human longing for connection with this universal and magnificent mystery we call by many names – and which is God to all.

It’s time to see the Testaments and the Koran and the Pali Canon in context, to accept the inspiration of all holy script, while accepting the inspiration as well, of our art and literature, our law and our invention.

It’s time to accept reason and logic and science, as the discovery of the magnificence and promise of our shared heritage. To learn from and understand our common history as a long trail of tortured and celebrated and enduring journey, whose hard fought lessons must not be forgotten.

We have not just mastered nature; we have overcome it, conquered it, and are close to altering it in ways that can threaten, if not our planet, certainly our human presence.

Progress marches inevitably and inexorably forward, not in the glacial pace of past generations, but in a more and more noticeable technological acceleration – and beckons us to have the wisdom and foresight to stay ahead of its implications.

It’s time for common sense and common resolve. It’s time to reach down into our core spiritual beliefs, and express that commonality of good, and that commonality of stewardship, and that commonality of love and compassion. And it’s time to summon the courage to overcome our baser instincts of intolerance and privilege, of greed and violence. And to see our commonality and connection though the veil of self-interest.

It’s time – our time in history – our time to stop bickering and start conversation; stop unrestrained consumption and begin sharing our blessings; stop ignorant and insistent mythology and embrace an enlightened wisdom. And to accept, as individuals, a responsibility and accountability commensurate with the God given fact that we are sentient beings, ultimately judged or not on finding the right path, regardless of any person who assumes he or she is closer to the intention of God than are you.

Comments

Anonymous said…
"It is only by the exercise of reason that man can discover God. Take away that reason, and we would be incapable of understanding anything" (Thomas Paine)
Where has the "reasoning" gone within oue very soul as a nation.
Anonymous said…
J. Scott don't you know that our children do not read that stuff anymore. The infinte wisdom of our educators deem Paine to be inappropriate. Imagine that the guy gets props for Common Sense but his Age of Reason does past the test in either history or literature lectures. Next thoughts of Patrick Henry will go silent into the historical society as he gets tagged too much of a radical or instigator. Until we can allow our youth and society to embrace all works, both political and religious, we do nothing than deny the very essence and soul of our nation.

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