change of tone

My little compassionate blog has not been too compassionate. I get stirred up as easily as the rest. I look for middle ground, for negotiation between ideologies. But it's like negotiating with the devil or, as Bush likes to point out when trying to patronize touchy feely libruls, negotiating with terrorists.

I often fall into the us vs them trap when thinking about those with vastly different political ideologies. One thing that occurs to me is the uneven playing field. If you're playing chess with a cheater, it takes extraordinary brilliance and vigilance to win, especially when the cheater is constantly distracting you by shouting "FIRE" and pointing behind your back.

For any difference of opinion to be successfully negotiated, both sides must agree to certain ground rules. Above all, honesty. Mutual respect. Fair communication. What we have instead is, on tv, shouting heads trying to interrupt each other to get their talking points across (see Outfoxed now, at least the trailer).

Far worse, you have one side for whom nothing is off limits. The "new conservative" will manipulate shamelessly, lie, misquote, misdirect, mislead, and then accuse truthtellers of the same. It's like an Orwellian Attack - accuse your opponent of doing what you just did before they ever have a chance to do anything in the first place.

For me, it comes down to the nature of Evil. I've come to believe that, given a choice, most people will do harm. Though we were all born into the same purity of soul, the same innate Goodness, this culture poisons Goodness and innocence. Our true natures scab over with crusty layers of cynicism, irony, and other self-protection mechanisms. As a result, the first impulse for most people has become Attack or, at the least, Defend.

So what of those who remain for whom Love is the first option? For whom Welcome is the natural instinct? What of Compassion and Integrity and Humility? Can the good guys win in this world? Especially when no one else is playing by "the rules", whatever those are?

People who play by the rules are at a natural disadvantage.

Which means that those with the courage and dedication to play fair anyway will win the ultimate test.

I believe this is the ultimate test, right here on earth, right now. Those of us who, when faced with all the worst humanity has become still demand of themselves only the highest standard, will prove the potential for Goodness to survive in the chaos.

When faced with only hate, we must continue to welcome.

When faced with cruelty and apathy, we must continue to care.

When faced with hopelessness, we must continue to hope.

In doing so, we don't validate ourselves or our own virtue. No, these things cannot be validated by our own egos.

Instead, we validate the potential of Love. That is the test.

Which is stronger, Love or Fear? Can Love survive in a state of chaos and hate? Tune in next week for the next episode of "Trial By Fire: Earth in the 21st Century".

At times, I'm consumed by hate, filled with rage, fueled by passion borne of anger and a deep sense of injustice. For me, the warring demons and angels of my own soul reflect a larger battle. I'm just an average Joe, a typical guy, just trying to make it through life without hurting myself or anybody else. If I can survive the forces of ambivalence and rage with my heart intact, then I've proven (to myself at least) that it can be done.

And that's all I'm really concerned with - proving it to myself. That's my personal goal, to keep compassion alive despite all the reasons not to.