08-03-2009, 12:13 PM
It was not a personal attack, but that is exactly what I mean. When we hear something we dislike (which is what prophets say) it is taken as a personal attack, rather than as constructive criticism and/or and impartial observation.
Prophets always say thing that people dislike, because they are more virtuous than other people. To put it in a different perspective, there are 10 commandments. Everybody can keep any number of them between 0 and 10. So what we have are various combinations:
0-10
1-9
2-8
3-7
4-6
5-5
4-6
3-7
2-8
1-9
0-10
There is quite a bit of human diversity, and within each grouping it could be a different set that are kept and broken. For example, say you and I are both 5-5. I could keep a totally different set of 5 commandments than you do, so in observing one another, we would both think ourselves better than the other, because we keep commandments that the other breaks.
Discussion then comes to be seen as an attack, when it is just a discussion of differences. I agree, however, that people do attack one another over these differences. Also, let's face it, if we agree on everything, then there is little to discuss. Which brings up the real problem of pride, groupthink, and self-righteous complacency. Every organization and religion has a baseline of its own groupthink. So those who are 5-5, and of the same 5 in and out, form a organization that is self-satisfying. Everybody shares the bias, and therefore are happy and content within their group. Of course, they won't let anybody in who isn't a 5-5 just like themselves.
So what do we end up with? It's like the three monkeys: see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. They constantly cover-up anything that disrupts their worldview. But in the case of humans, there are various tribes of these monkeys: Sunni, Shite, Calvinist, Baptist, Catholic, Jew, Reformed Jew, Democrat, Republican, Monarchical, Capitalist, Socialist, Communist, Atheist, etc. The list goes on and on. Love one person but hate another.
God has his groupthink too: Love one another, follow the commandments. We are so busy comparing ourselves to one another, that we forget that the person we should be comparing ourselves to is God. He wants us to love everyone equally, without these false distinctions of labels, roles, etc. He wants us to be humble and respectful, but groupthink is never humble.
The point of every story in scripture is about our need to be at 10-0. To love when we fear. To trust faith more than reason. To forgive rather than seek revenge. To give rather than take. To be kind and gentle and patient with one another.
We need to teach our children that before we open scripture, and then use scripture to reinforce the message.