'I submit, then, that the most acute moral challenge of our times is to expand our consciousness of the oneness of humankind and to participate in building a world that is united at every level from the family to the planet.' J B Deverell
An excellent essay, thank you, John. Clear, balanced, measured, and inspired. We have not yet grasped the reality of the oneness of humanity. If we did there would be no 'us and them'; no inferior and superior; no 'in' and 'out'. When we understand the unity of the human family our attitudes will soften and our newly acquired compassion/empathy will no longer diminish war-weary souls as 'immigrants' or 'untouchables', or belittle the victims of catastrophe as 'refugees' or 'undesireables'. The lesson of the great parable of 'the Good Samaritan' (revealed more than 2000 years ago) has still to be learnt. Abdu'l-Baha said, 'Let your heart burn with loving-kindness for all who may cross your path.'
Serendipitously, I have been musing on the parable of the Good Samaritan recently. I think the nuances of class/race/religion/etc have been lost over the centuries, and although it is still obviously very relevant (be a good 'neighbour'), I wonder what it would look and feel like today if it was written using the disenfranchised people you mention, Grant, and who the privileged people who pass by would be.
Yes, the parable carries much greater weight when we appreciate that the Samaritan was an outsider who was looked down upon by the people Jesus was speaking to at the time
'I submit, then, that the most acute moral challenge of our times is to expand our consciousness of the oneness of humankind and to participate in building a world that is united at every level from the family to the planet.' J B Deverell
An excellent essay, thank you, John. Clear, balanced, measured, and inspired. We have not yet grasped the reality of the oneness of humanity. If we did there would be no 'us and them'; no inferior and superior; no 'in' and 'out'. When we understand the unity of the human family our attitudes will soften and our newly acquired compassion/empathy will no longer diminish war-weary souls as 'immigrants' or 'untouchables', or belittle the victims of catastrophe as 'refugees' or 'undesireables'. The lesson of the great parable of 'the Good Samaritan' (revealed more than 2000 years ago) has still to be learnt. Abdu'l-Baha said, 'Let your heart burn with loving-kindness for all who may cross your path.'
Serendipitously, I have been musing on the parable of the Good Samaritan recently. I think the nuances of class/race/religion/etc have been lost over the centuries, and although it is still obviously very relevant (be a good 'neighbour'), I wonder what it would look and feel like today if it was written using the disenfranchised people you mention, Grant, and who the privileged people who pass by would be.
Yes, the parable carries much greater weight when we appreciate that the Samaritan was an outsider who was looked down upon by the people Jesus was speaking to at the time
Thank you, Grant, for your wonderful comments, which so eloquently describe the results of embracing the oneness of humanity!