Stupid is as stupid does.
And stupid seems to be doing a lot these days.
People are catching idiocy at least five hundred times more often than they catch the swine flu. Yet, I don't see a natural outcry over this pandemic. Nope, folks are blithely going about their lives like this ticking time bomb doesn't even exist.
Frankly, it's scary.
We're at the end of our discussion of six corrupting agents in the black community, church and world in general. So far we've covered secularism, humanism, materialism, relativism and pragmatism. Now let's discuss mindlessness.
Some folks probably saw this on my original list and wondered exactly what I meant. Everybody has a mind, so what does it mean to be "mindless?" And why is that big problem for black folks or anybody else?
It's a crying shame when people have talent,or potential, and fail to use them. I know, I've often been one of those people. It's even worse when people purposely dumb themselves down, and fail to think or reason just because it seems to make their lives easier.
That what I see when I picture "mindlessness." I see scores of people refusing to use their God-given ability to think because they'd rather just relax. I see people clinging to tradition because they don't want to exert the energy to see if a break from tradition might benefit everyone. I see people using slopping reasoning because anything else would require too much work. Lastly, I see folks following the herd because being an outcast seems too painful.
The lure of mindlessness is strong. I know many days I've wondered if life might not be easier if I didn't think so much about my own motives and the motives of others. I have a friend whose said that her life was much easier when she didn't think about race and how it affected her life. Things were simpler then, more clear cut.
Nuance breeds complexity, which it turn births tribulation.
Didn't Adam and Eve learn that acquiring the same sort of knowledge as God had a terrible cost? Haven't we seen throughout the history of mankind that when people challenge the common orthodoxy, when they attempt to pull back the wool from their own eyes and grant others their sight, life becomes truly difficult?
What was Malcolm X doing if not railing against a mindlessness in the black and white communities that rationalized and accepted heinous acts as just being the way things were? What was Martin Luther King doing if he wasn't challenging us to use our brains to see the absurdity of the relationship between Christian blacks and whites?
The examples are endless. It's obvious that being a mindless, conforming drone can make your path smoother, but it's also clear, at least to me, that the price of that ease is much too high. Sacrificing your ability to think for the false elixir of dullness, is a slow death. Ultimately, you are like the servant with the one talent, who instead of working to earn more, hid his master's money in the ground. Destruction will surely be your reward.
I could talk about this topic more, but I won't. I'll just say that all of us must challenge ourselves to truly think about the world we live in, the beliefs we cling to. None of us should become so secure in our mindsets that we don't realize that the two constants in life are God and change. If we forget that truth, we will succumb to mindlessness.
Wasting our brains away.
Pay Attention
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Showing posts with label Six agents of corruption. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Six agents of corruption. Show all posts
Friday, June 5, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Gimme That...
Materialism is almost too easy to talk about as a corrupting agent.
Every religious text, every philosopher and everybody's momma, has warned about the destructive power of wanton materialistic lust. There are a plethora of scriptures, poems, songs and prose dedicated to warning folks away from materialism. Yet, for some reason people keep falling prey to it.
As someone who grew up in the 80s and 90s, I was raised on Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" commercials and after school specials. Unlike many kids, I was honestly scared to death of the destructive power of crack cocaine and heroin because of these cheesy television programs. The whole "all it takes is one time" campaign, plus my father's apocryphal stories about Len Bias, had me shook.
I remember talking with a friend and wondering how anybody in our age group, or in the generation below us, could possibly get hooked on crack. With all the bad publicity crack received, all the derision crackheads were subjected to, it seemed impossible that someone would pick up that pipe and take a hit. Yet, it happens every single day.
Materialism has that kind of staying power as well. People know it's dangerous, they know it's addictive, yet they can't stop themselves from taking that first hit. And after that initial hit, well there are quite a few materialistic junkies in this world.
Oh, just a reminder, this is the next installment in our six agents of corruption series where we've discussed: secularism, relativism, pragmatism and humanism. Materialism is our second to last corrupting influence to discuss.
Materialism is both a subtle and obvious corrupting agent. It's easy to see how Americans' lust for all things material has contributed to our current economic woes. It's quite obvious that we allowed our desire for "more" to lead us to actions that, in hindsight, were not very bright.
But, it's not the obvious dangers that make materialism scary. There is also the problem of becoming dependent on smaller creature comforts, things that sap your will and desire. Our fear of losing these creature comforts can drive us to heinous actions. Keeping up with the Joneses doesn't have to just be about getting a new house or driving a new car. It can be about which brand names the baby wears, or what kind of pizza y'all order.
Status symbols are everywhere in our lives. We crave more and more things to affirm our self worth because we've lost sight of our ultimate goals. It's not enough to accumulate items or money, what's more important is making a lasting impact on lives and the world. By all accounts, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King were not wealthy when they died, but I'm positive their legacies will live on long after Donald Trump and his millions are dirt.
In the black community, we need to reaffirm this message. We have to understand that while capitalism can do a lot of good, it also can lead to greed and excess. We need to teach our children and remind ourselves that there is more to life than the rat race. We need to remember that we are not defined by our possessions, but rather by the inner light we use to illuminate the world. Children need to understand that there is a reward in hard work, in doing things the right way, even if that reward isn't the best car or most beautiful clothes.
So many people have succumbed to the lure of materialism, to the rush of acquiring more things. It's become such a need on our society that there is no value, no standard that we are not willing to sacrifice at the altar of ambition. This has to change.
Life ain't cheap.
Share
Every religious text, every philosopher and everybody's momma, has warned about the destructive power of wanton materialistic lust. There are a plethora of scriptures, poems, songs and prose dedicated to warning folks away from materialism. Yet, for some reason people keep falling prey to it.
As someone who grew up in the 80s and 90s, I was raised on Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" commercials and after school specials. Unlike many kids, I was honestly scared to death of the destructive power of crack cocaine and heroin because of these cheesy television programs. The whole "all it takes is one time" campaign, plus my father's apocryphal stories about Len Bias, had me shook.
I remember talking with a friend and wondering how anybody in our age group, or in the generation below us, could possibly get hooked on crack. With all the bad publicity crack received, all the derision crackheads were subjected to, it seemed impossible that someone would pick up that pipe and take a hit. Yet, it happens every single day.
Materialism has that kind of staying power as well. People know it's dangerous, they know it's addictive, yet they can't stop themselves from taking that first hit. And after that initial hit, well there are quite a few materialistic junkies in this world.
Oh, just a reminder, this is the next installment in our six agents of corruption series where we've discussed: secularism, relativism, pragmatism and humanism. Materialism is our second to last corrupting influence to discuss.
Materialism is both a subtle and obvious corrupting agent. It's easy to see how Americans' lust for all things material has contributed to our current economic woes. It's quite obvious that we allowed our desire for "more" to lead us to actions that, in hindsight, were not very bright.
But, it's not the obvious dangers that make materialism scary. There is also the problem of becoming dependent on smaller creature comforts, things that sap your will and desire. Our fear of losing these creature comforts can drive us to heinous actions. Keeping up with the Joneses doesn't have to just be about getting a new house or driving a new car. It can be about which brand names the baby wears, or what kind of pizza y'all order.
Status symbols are everywhere in our lives. We crave more and more things to affirm our self worth because we've lost sight of our ultimate goals. It's not enough to accumulate items or money, what's more important is making a lasting impact on lives and the world. By all accounts, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King were not wealthy when they died, but I'm positive their legacies will live on long after Donald Trump and his millions are dirt.
In the black community, we need to reaffirm this message. We have to understand that while capitalism can do a lot of good, it also can lead to greed and excess. We need to teach our children and remind ourselves that there is more to life than the rat race. We need to remember that we are not defined by our possessions, but rather by the inner light we use to illuminate the world. Children need to understand that there is a reward in hard work, in doing things the right way, even if that reward isn't the best car or most beautiful clothes.
So many people have succumbed to the lure of materialism, to the rush of acquiring more things. It's become such a need on our society that there is no value, no standard that we are not willing to sacrifice at the altar of ambition. This has to change.
Life ain't cheap.
Share
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Git R' Done
Larry the Cable Guy was on to something when he created his infamous catchphrase.
Git R Done.
His grammatically incorrect proclamation resonates with Americans because most of us view ourselves as pragmatic, goal-oriented people. We see our nation as a country of accomplishment. Americans collectively get things done, and we're proud of it.
Maybe a little too proud.
We're still talking about the six agents of corruption. Today's topic is pragmatism.
One thing I've noticed while writing about these corrupting agents is that some of them have been pretty common in my life at different points. In fact, there was a time when I prided myself on being pragmatic. I thought that meant that I took situations how they came, and made my decisions based on the facts at hand. While I had standards, I thought that sometimes standards had to be set aside to get things done.
It's only been in recent years that I've re-examined my belief system.
I would be lying if I claimed that a pragmatic streak doesn't still exist in my life. My wife would claim I'm a little too goal-oriented. I've been known to criticize friends and family for chasing dreams instead of focusing on concrete realities. I've also shown some unfortunate contempt for emotions and feelings, while concentrating on getting things done.
But, lately life has shown me that while the destination is important, it's the journey that offers the true rewards. Plus, as the Bible says "what does it profit a man to gain the world, but lose his soul?" Finding the correct balance is the true challenge.
I see this tug-of-war in the black community all the time. Often, we feel forced to choose between nebulous standards and traditions, or concrete results and goals. It's not a new debate. It hearkens back to the time when W.E.B. Dubois and Booker T. Washington feuded over what was the best way for black folks to improve their lot in America. It continued when Martin and Malcolm exchanged rhetorical barbs over what to do about white racism. There has always been a hidden battle between black folks about exactly what we as a people should be willing to do to advance.
There is nothing inherently wrong with this debate, and I actually believe it can be a healthy and fruitful discussion. Every human being has the right to decide what they are willing to sacrifice to get results. Unfortunately, the world appears to be trending towards a mindset where "right and wrong" are judged mainly through the prism of results.
I see it in folks who justify police beatings by pointing out that criminals need to be brought under control. Some people justify discrimination by pointing to their past experiences with folks of a certain race, gender or religious affiliation.
It all boils down to a society where anything goes, as long as things keep going.
The problems with this mentality are obvious. When you live your life by the maxim that the "ends justify the means" you are basically begging for atrocities to be committed in your name. I do not trust human beings to make the correct decisions about what is necessary to accomplish complicated goals. I do not trust human beings to truly protect and care about the rights and well-being of others. I do not trust human beings to have the correct big-picture view.
No goal is so important that to accomplish it, all principles should be sacrificed. Everyone should have an ultimate right and wrong that they are willing to cling even if that means certain types of success will have to be abandoned. Pure pragmatism leads to a dark place.
Taking it back to black folks, we as a community still are struggling to decide what constitutes success. We still have not decided what goals are worth accomplishing.
For years we've chased after wealth and prosperity, but were those really the right goals? Were all of our little and large compromises worth it? As we kept our eyes on the prize, did we become lost anyway?
I'm not sure, but it sure feels that way.
Share
Git R Done.
His grammatically incorrect proclamation resonates with Americans because most of us view ourselves as pragmatic, goal-oriented people. We see our nation as a country of accomplishment. Americans collectively get things done, and we're proud of it.
Maybe a little too proud.
We're still talking about the six agents of corruption. Today's topic is pragmatism.
One thing I've noticed while writing about these corrupting agents is that some of them have been pretty common in my life at different points. In fact, there was a time when I prided myself on being pragmatic. I thought that meant that I took situations how they came, and made my decisions based on the facts at hand. While I had standards, I thought that sometimes standards had to be set aside to get things done.
It's only been in recent years that I've re-examined my belief system.
I would be lying if I claimed that a pragmatic streak doesn't still exist in my life. My wife would claim I'm a little too goal-oriented. I've been known to criticize friends and family for chasing dreams instead of focusing on concrete realities. I've also shown some unfortunate contempt for emotions and feelings, while concentrating on getting things done.
But, lately life has shown me that while the destination is important, it's the journey that offers the true rewards. Plus, as the Bible says "what does it profit a man to gain the world, but lose his soul?" Finding the correct balance is the true challenge.
I see this tug-of-war in the black community all the time. Often, we feel forced to choose between nebulous standards and traditions, or concrete results and goals. It's not a new debate. It hearkens back to the time when W.E.B. Dubois and Booker T. Washington feuded over what was the best way for black folks to improve their lot in America. It continued when Martin and Malcolm exchanged rhetorical barbs over what to do about white racism. There has always been a hidden battle between black folks about exactly what we as a people should be willing to do to advance.
There is nothing inherently wrong with this debate, and I actually believe it can be a healthy and fruitful discussion. Every human being has the right to decide what they are willing to sacrifice to get results. Unfortunately, the world appears to be trending towards a mindset where "right and wrong" are judged mainly through the prism of results.
I see it in folks who justify police beatings by pointing out that criminals need to be brought under control. Some people justify discrimination by pointing to their past experiences with folks of a certain race, gender or religious affiliation.
It all boils down to a society where anything goes, as long as things keep going.
The problems with this mentality are obvious. When you live your life by the maxim that the "ends justify the means" you are basically begging for atrocities to be committed in your name. I do not trust human beings to make the correct decisions about what is necessary to accomplish complicated goals. I do not trust human beings to truly protect and care about the rights and well-being of others. I do not trust human beings to have the correct big-picture view.
No goal is so important that to accomplish it, all principles should be sacrificed. Everyone should have an ultimate right and wrong that they are willing to cling even if that means certain types of success will have to be abandoned. Pure pragmatism leads to a dark place.
Taking it back to black folks, we as a community still are struggling to decide what constitutes success. We still have not decided what goals are worth accomplishing.
For years we've chased after wealth and prosperity, but were those really the right goals? Were all of our little and large compromises worth it? As we kept our eyes on the prize, did we become lost anyway?
I'm not sure, but it sure feels that way.
Share
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Come On, Just A Little Bit
Sometimes you can know somebody your whole life, and not really know them at all.
I recently had a conversation with a family member that blew my mind. See, all these years I've believed that when you get married, that's it, you're married forever. It doesn't matter how much your wife pisses you off, how much she grates your nerves, unless she steps out on you, you're stuck with her.
Not only was this based on my understanding of the Bible, but it was something that I felt had been drilled into me by my family, particularly one family member. Anyway, I was talking to this relative the other day, complaining about some problems, and he said something like "Well, maybe your wife needs to know you have other options."
Huh?
After getting over my shock, I asked him exactly what these other options were. I wasn't getting a divorce, so what other options do I have besides loving my wife and praying hard to God? He said some nonsense about making my wife think I would be willing to leave her, even if I didn't plan on going. I told him that according to my internal man code, that was absolutely unacceptable, and we left it at that.
The thing is, it blew my mind to here this cat casually talking about divorce, like he hadn't preached the exact opposite for years. When I asked him about that he said something like "Well, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do."
And that is the rub. When did it become ok to change your moral standards based on the situation you face?
We're still talking about the six corrupting agents in the church, black community and, I guess, the world. Today's topic is relativism.
You know I've rarely had a problem with relativism, or as I call it, the curse of rationalization. Most folks who know me would say I was a way too harsh, unforgiving and inflexible in my younger years. I've mellowed some with age, but that's more been a mellowing of how I talk to other people about their failures. Truthfully, I'm still pretty inflexible when it comes to the standards I set for personal behavior, I just don't expect other people to follow my standards anymore.
That doesn't mean I don't get frustrated with most people's ability to rationalize any action as long as it means they get their heart's desire. I get very upset. And to be clear, I support nuanced, thoughtful opinions, I just don't support people who don't have any bedrock principles that they stand on. My mom loved to use the cliche "If a man doesn't stand for something, he'll fall for anything."
Why do people have such a tough time drawing a line in the sand, and then holding themselves accountable. I don't mean a line where they decide how they are going to let other people behave, but a line that limits their own personal freedoms. Or a line that says "this just won't do."
I heard recently that the Los Angeles chapter of the NAACP gave Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling a lifetime achievement award. The same Donald Sterling who has been sued by the federal government for racial discrimination in his apartment complexes because he didn't want black people living there. The same Donald Sterling who is accused of discrimination by his former employee Elgin Baylor. Yeah, that Donald Sterling.
Considering this guy's track record, how could the NAACP rationalize giving him any kind of award? I don't care if he's helped minority youth, the man has a track record that suggests that he doesn't care for black people. Yet, thanks to what I'm sure was a generous donation to the local chapter, Sterling owns an NAACP award.
Crap like that is what I'm talking about black people. We have to stop selling out to highest bidder, or refusing to admit the realities of life because that might give racists a leg up. Look, it's ok to admit black folks sell drugs at a higher rate than white folks. It's ok to admit we have more babies out of wedlock, and point out that's a problem. You can do that while also condemning the still rampant discrimination and racism that helps amplify these problems.
We can't be afraid to say that folks are moving beyond the limits of acceptable behavior because we're worried about the backlash from looks always looking to denigrate black folks. The truth is, no matter what we do, black folks will never be good enough for those folks to change their tune. So, trying to live up to some impossible standard is idiotic.
More importantly, we weaken our community when we establish a shifting system of morality that values color or allegiances more than objective truth. No longer can we afford to give folks a pass just because "white folks used to do it." No longer can we blindly support behavior that is clearly against our best interests because we don't want to be labeled "haters" or "Uncle Toms."
It's time for all of us to find some solid ground on which to make our stand, and then hold ourselves and everyone around us accountable. It's time for us to refuse to worry about what the "cool committee" thinks, and instead focus on what we know to be right. Anything else is asinine.
A little bit of bad can spoil the whole pie.
Share
I recently had a conversation with a family member that blew my mind. See, all these years I've believed that when you get married, that's it, you're married forever. It doesn't matter how much your wife pisses you off, how much she grates your nerves, unless she steps out on you, you're stuck with her.
Not only was this based on my understanding of the Bible, but it was something that I felt had been drilled into me by my family, particularly one family member. Anyway, I was talking to this relative the other day, complaining about some problems, and he said something like "Well, maybe your wife needs to know you have other options."
Huh?
After getting over my shock, I asked him exactly what these other options were. I wasn't getting a divorce, so what other options do I have besides loving my wife and praying hard to God? He said some nonsense about making my wife think I would be willing to leave her, even if I didn't plan on going. I told him that according to my internal man code, that was absolutely unacceptable, and we left it at that.
The thing is, it blew my mind to here this cat casually talking about divorce, like he hadn't preached the exact opposite for years. When I asked him about that he said something like "Well, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do."
And that is the rub. When did it become ok to change your moral standards based on the situation you face?
We're still talking about the six corrupting agents in the church, black community and, I guess, the world. Today's topic is relativism.
You know I've rarely had a problem with relativism, or as I call it, the curse of rationalization. Most folks who know me would say I was a way too harsh, unforgiving and inflexible in my younger years. I've mellowed some with age, but that's more been a mellowing of how I talk to other people about their failures. Truthfully, I'm still pretty inflexible when it comes to the standards I set for personal behavior, I just don't expect other people to follow my standards anymore.
That doesn't mean I don't get frustrated with most people's ability to rationalize any action as long as it means they get their heart's desire. I get very upset. And to be clear, I support nuanced, thoughtful opinions, I just don't support people who don't have any bedrock principles that they stand on. My mom loved to use the cliche "If a man doesn't stand for something, he'll fall for anything."
Why do people have such a tough time drawing a line in the sand, and then holding themselves accountable. I don't mean a line where they decide how they are going to let other people behave, but a line that limits their own personal freedoms. Or a line that says "this just won't do."
I heard recently that the Los Angeles chapter of the NAACP gave Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling a lifetime achievement award. The same Donald Sterling who has been sued by the federal government for racial discrimination in his apartment complexes because he didn't want black people living there. The same Donald Sterling who is accused of discrimination by his former employee Elgin Baylor. Yeah, that Donald Sterling.
Considering this guy's track record, how could the NAACP rationalize giving him any kind of award? I don't care if he's helped minority youth, the man has a track record that suggests that he doesn't care for black people. Yet, thanks to what I'm sure was a generous donation to the local chapter, Sterling owns an NAACP award.
Crap like that is what I'm talking about black people. We have to stop selling out to highest bidder, or refusing to admit the realities of life because that might give racists a leg up. Look, it's ok to admit black folks sell drugs at a higher rate than white folks. It's ok to admit we have more babies out of wedlock, and point out that's a problem. You can do that while also condemning the still rampant discrimination and racism that helps amplify these problems.
We can't be afraid to say that folks are moving beyond the limits of acceptable behavior because we're worried about the backlash from looks always looking to denigrate black folks. The truth is, no matter what we do, black folks will never be good enough for those folks to change their tune. So, trying to live up to some impossible standard is idiotic.
More importantly, we weaken our community when we establish a shifting system of morality that values color or allegiances more than objective truth. No longer can we afford to give folks a pass just because "white folks used to do it." No longer can we blindly support behavior that is clearly against our best interests because we don't want to be labeled "haters" or "Uncle Toms."
It's time for all of us to find some solid ground on which to make our stand, and then hold ourselves and everyone around us accountable. It's time for us to refuse to worry about what the "cool committee" thinks, and instead focus on what we know to be right. Anything else is asinine.
A little bit of bad can spoil the whole pie.
Share
Friday, May 22, 2009
Me, Me and More Me
On its surface, the philosophy of humanism seems to be a pretty good idea.
Since rational thinking and compassion are often in short supply in the world, a philosophy that emphasizes the need for both of those things would typically appeal to me. Honestly, if more people thought about why they do the things they do, and then thought about how their actions would affect everyone else, well the world would be an awesome place.
But, that's not all humanism deals with. At its core, the philosophy preaches that mankind understands right and wrong, innately, and that we don't need religious texts or supernatural beings to keep us on the right path. We, as humans, are the apex of the animal world, the most perfect being on this planet, and as such we have no need of the false wisdom of some far-away God.
And that's where I leave the humanism train.
For those of you who forgot, we're still discussing the six corrupting agents of religion and the black community. It's part of a series I began recently and humanism is the corrupting agent we're discussing today.
You know, I've had a lot of discussions with folks who see the whole "Christian" thing as a bunch of malarkey. They might be folks who dislike organized religion, or who think it's idiotic to think you know which God is the real God, sometimes I talk to cats who believe in another religion or folks that think my concept of Christianity is all skewed. But, the folks I've disliked talking to the most, the ones who I now try to avoid, are the ones who think that anybody who believes that a God exists should be branded with a big "VI" for village idiot and kicked off the Earth.
Yeah, those folks.
It seems like humanism caters to those people. The people who think that they are ultimate example of life, and that if we could just eliminate the corrupting influence of religion, mankind could finally get on with the business of solving all of life's mysteries. You know why I'm not a fan of those cats? Because they think life is all about them.
When you accept and promote the idea that mankind is the best life has to offer, the best result you can hope for is hubris. The worst, is a nihilistic outlook on life where no standards or values are respected. When each individual human being becomes their own god, when they accept the idea that they only truly need to look within themselves for answers, well that seems to be a recipe for disaster.
Welcome to Anyhood, USA.
Folks like to point to crack cocaine, or the decline of nuclear families as the reason for many of the problems in the black community. Sometimes they talk about discrimination, racism and other ills. But, me, well I'm convinced that black folks have begun to believe the hype. Far too many of have decided that it's all about "us."
These young cats on the street, and some of these older cats in the boardroom, have decided that nobody and nothing is more important than them. That they don't owe allegiance or fidelity or respect or anything to anyone. There is no God that can cast judgement on them, no standard of living besides "whatever it takes."
I know that atheists and agnostics hate to hear it, but to me, this seems to be the logical end of humanism. People believe that human beings can set their own "standards" establish their own guidelines and rules, but I remain unconvinced. I'm skeptical of a world without religion and the rules and guidelines religion establishes. From what I've seen in the black community and other communities, a reliance on the shifting internal morality of human beings, a disregard for the authority and power of God, only leads to chaos and violence.
Honestly, I think humans need that big, bad bogeyman in the sky, or at least his blueprint for right and wrong, to truly understand how to live their lives. I think that history shows that while religion is often used for evil, when practiced correctly, it is an incredible force for good. I think that when we puff ourselves up, when we see no one and nothing as having ultimate authority over us, we don't seem to treat our fellow human beings as valuable equals. This can happen even with religion, but I fear it is more common without it.
Some folks will disagree with me. They will say they have their own internal moral compass that is not swayed by the words of some fairy tale God. I say hogwash. I say that with the way religion has infiltrated every aspect of modern life, it is impossible to claim that you live life without any of God's morality. Sure, you may not worship him, but the concepts of right and wrong that govern acceptable behavior in this country come directly from what "thus says the Lord." People may not cling to all of the rules, but they are aware of the gist.
After all, how does the idea of "do unto others as they do unto you" serve the self interest of most humans? Yet, you hear it repeated by atheists and agnostics alike as a guiding belief in their life. They may call it karma, or some other name, but the concept is the same. We are too far down the road to ever truly eradicate religion, and pretending like it does not have power, that it does not serve a purpose is the height of idiotic arrogance.
We as humans, black and whatever else, must embrace the idea that we are not the most important beings on the planet. The mere fact of our humanity does not bestow on us a form of deity. There is something greater than us, and we need to respect this concept. Not only does it serve as a stabilizing force, it serves as a model of behavior for us to aspire to.
We ain't all that.
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Since rational thinking and compassion are often in short supply in the world, a philosophy that emphasizes the need for both of those things would typically appeal to me. Honestly, if more people thought about why they do the things they do, and then thought about how their actions would affect everyone else, well the world would be an awesome place.
But, that's not all humanism deals with. At its core, the philosophy preaches that mankind understands right and wrong, innately, and that we don't need religious texts or supernatural beings to keep us on the right path. We, as humans, are the apex of the animal world, the most perfect being on this planet, and as such we have no need of the false wisdom of some far-away God.
And that's where I leave the humanism train.
For those of you who forgot, we're still discussing the six corrupting agents of religion and the black community. It's part of a series I began recently and humanism is the corrupting agent we're discussing today.
You know, I've had a lot of discussions with folks who see the whole "Christian" thing as a bunch of malarkey. They might be folks who dislike organized religion, or who think it's idiotic to think you know which God is the real God, sometimes I talk to cats who believe in another religion or folks that think my concept of Christianity is all skewed. But, the folks I've disliked talking to the most, the ones who I now try to avoid, are the ones who think that anybody who believes that a God exists should be branded with a big "VI" for village idiot and kicked off the Earth.
Yeah, those folks.
It seems like humanism caters to those people. The people who think that they are ultimate example of life, and that if we could just eliminate the corrupting influence of religion, mankind could finally get on with the business of solving all of life's mysteries. You know why I'm not a fan of those cats? Because they think life is all about them.
When you accept and promote the idea that mankind is the best life has to offer, the best result you can hope for is hubris. The worst, is a nihilistic outlook on life where no standards or values are respected. When each individual human being becomes their own god, when they accept the idea that they only truly need to look within themselves for answers, well that seems to be a recipe for disaster.
Welcome to Anyhood, USA.
Folks like to point to crack cocaine, or the decline of nuclear families as the reason for many of the problems in the black community. Sometimes they talk about discrimination, racism and other ills. But, me, well I'm convinced that black folks have begun to believe the hype. Far too many of have decided that it's all about "us."
These young cats on the street, and some of these older cats in the boardroom, have decided that nobody and nothing is more important than them. That they don't owe allegiance or fidelity or respect or anything to anyone. There is no God that can cast judgement on them, no standard of living besides "whatever it takes."
I know that atheists and agnostics hate to hear it, but to me, this seems to be the logical end of humanism. People believe that human beings can set their own "standards" establish their own guidelines and rules, but I remain unconvinced. I'm skeptical of a world without religion and the rules and guidelines religion establishes. From what I've seen in the black community and other communities, a reliance on the shifting internal morality of human beings, a disregard for the authority and power of God, only leads to chaos and violence.
Honestly, I think humans need that big, bad bogeyman in the sky, or at least his blueprint for right and wrong, to truly understand how to live their lives. I think that history shows that while religion is often used for evil, when practiced correctly, it is an incredible force for good. I think that when we puff ourselves up, when we see no one and nothing as having ultimate authority over us, we don't seem to treat our fellow human beings as valuable equals. This can happen even with religion, but I fear it is more common without it.
Some folks will disagree with me. They will say they have their own internal moral compass that is not swayed by the words of some fairy tale God. I say hogwash. I say that with the way religion has infiltrated every aspect of modern life, it is impossible to claim that you live life without any of God's morality. Sure, you may not worship him, but the concepts of right and wrong that govern acceptable behavior in this country come directly from what "thus says the Lord." People may not cling to all of the rules, but they are aware of the gist.
After all, how does the idea of "do unto others as they do unto you" serve the self interest of most humans? Yet, you hear it repeated by atheists and agnostics alike as a guiding belief in their life. They may call it karma, or some other name, but the concept is the same. We are too far down the road to ever truly eradicate religion, and pretending like it does not have power, that it does not serve a purpose is the height of idiotic arrogance.
We as humans, black and whatever else, must embrace the idea that we are not the most important beings on the planet. The mere fact of our humanity does not bestow on us a form of deity. There is something greater than us, and we need to respect this concept. Not only does it serve as a stabilizing force, it serves as a model of behavior for us to aspire to.
We ain't all that.
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Wednesday, May 20, 2009
S is for Secularism
Man, this post was a chore.
In my first attempt I probably wrote over a 1,000 words of rambling, confusing pap. There was no flow to my piece, no coherence about my ideas. When I had a friend proofread my piece, she said that she read it three times and still didn't know what I was talking about.
Yeah, it was that bad.
I was trying to write about secularism without relying too heavily on my religious beliefs. I was searching for a way to discuss the dangers of a secular mindset, without preaching the values of Christianity. And I failed miserably.
Maybe I should have taken a clue from the basic definition of secularism, which calls it the movement to remove all aspects of religion from public and political life. If you can't even define a word without mentioning religion, then it's going to be impossible to discuss the problems with it without talking about faith.
So, let's begin.
Everybody knows black people and church go together like biscuits and sorghum molasses.(Don't know what that is, google it and then buy it. It will change your life. Also, I saw somebody actually argue that KFC biscuits are better than Popeyes biscuits. I wanted to stab through the computer. Sorry to digress.)
Black folks in America have had a torrid love affair with religion, particularly Christianity, since our ancestors too those ill-fated pleasure cruises from the West African coast. Sure, the religion may have been forced down our throats in an attempt to keep us docile and breeding, but that doesn't mean it hasn't done some good.
The "church" has been a grounding force in black community. It has informed our worldviews, it's provided us with financial and emotional support, plus it's a great place to meet potential mates. While some would argue that the church has been a magnet for predatory preachers and their hate-filled harangues, I personally think it has a pretty strong track record.
Make that, it HAD a pretty strong track record.
Back in the day, seems like going to church meant a little more. I meant you had to make some sacrifices, it meant you had to put up with some stuff to meet God. But, now, it seems like church is designed to make everybody feel comfortable. I'm not saying that there wasn't a problem with sin and secularism among black church folk, but I don't think it was considered normal and acceptable.
Seems like churches today are designed around the concept of making everybody feel as good as possible. The prevailing idea is that whatever it takes to get people in the doors, do it, and then worry about keeping them later. Black folks, their churches and their homes, haven't been immune to this. This weakening of standards has had a detrimental effect on our community because it blurs the line between what is proper and what is not.
There has also been a move in the black community and the world at large to separate religion and religious values from our political process. I find this laughable. The concepts of justice, hospitality and love that are the bedrock of most major faiths are the same values that are lacking in politics.
Yes, some folks have hijacked the political process for their own gains, yes they are attempting to force everyone to live their lives as they see fit, and yes this is wrong. But, these few misguided souls do not represent the mass of believers.
Instead of trying to legislate religion out of the public domain we need to be having honest conversations about how religion can benefit all of us, even non-believers. Instead of black folks turning away from faith-based traditions and standards, we need to be running towards them in an attempt to find some sort of guiding light and moral compass to help us right our sinking ship.
Even more troubling is that so many churches seem to be adopting the methods of the world to attract new members. Whether it hip billboards incorporating rap slogans or slang, or relaxed dress codes that allow sagging jeans and gym shorts, it's almost like going to church has become just another activity. There is nothing special, nothing holy or different about going to worship. It's just another place to meet up with the fellows, here some good music and catch a quick nap.
Preachers, politicians and parents seem to be content with sparing folks the hard truths they need to truly examine their lives and make changes. Instead, they pretend that everything is everything, that whatever feels good or right must also be good and right.
There is nothing wrong with being set apart, with being separate. There is nothing wrong with establishing a sacred place where certain behavior will never be tolerated. There is nothing wrong with telling folks that if they want to be involved in church they need to come to God on his terms, not their own.
I know I promised to offer solutions in this series but it's hard for me to move beyond the most basic solutions for the problem of secularism. It seems obvious that there needs to a be a separation in the black community, a conscious decision to establish standards and make safe havens where those standards are upheld. Instead of co-opting the values of other groups in an attempt to assimilate or seem progressive, we need to concentrate on what works for us, what makes our community strong.
While not all of our faith traditions benefited us, it's clear that many of them gave our community a solid and trustworthy foundation. It's obvious that as we've lost sight of these beliefs, as we've invited in outside influences, we've seen our communities disintegrate around us.
It's time to get set apart on our own terms.
Share
In my first attempt I probably wrote over a 1,000 words of rambling, confusing pap. There was no flow to my piece, no coherence about my ideas. When I had a friend proofread my piece, she said that she read it three times and still didn't know what I was talking about.
Yeah, it was that bad.
I was trying to write about secularism without relying too heavily on my religious beliefs. I was searching for a way to discuss the dangers of a secular mindset, without preaching the values of Christianity. And I failed miserably.
Maybe I should have taken a clue from the basic definition of secularism, which calls it the movement to remove all aspects of religion from public and political life. If you can't even define a word without mentioning religion, then it's going to be impossible to discuss the problems with it without talking about faith.
So, let's begin.
Everybody knows black people and church go together like biscuits and sorghum molasses.(Don't know what that is, google it and then buy it. It will change your life. Also, I saw somebody actually argue that KFC biscuits are better than Popeyes biscuits. I wanted to stab through the computer. Sorry to digress.)
Black folks in America have had a torrid love affair with religion, particularly Christianity, since our ancestors too those ill-fated pleasure cruises from the West African coast. Sure, the religion may have been forced down our throats in an attempt to keep us docile and breeding, but that doesn't mean it hasn't done some good.
The "church" has been a grounding force in black community. It has informed our worldviews, it's provided us with financial and emotional support, plus it's a great place to meet potential mates. While some would argue that the church has been a magnet for predatory preachers and their hate-filled harangues, I personally think it has a pretty strong track record.
Make that, it HAD a pretty strong track record.
Back in the day, seems like going to church meant a little more. I meant you had to make some sacrifices, it meant you had to put up with some stuff to meet God. But, now, it seems like church is designed to make everybody feel comfortable. I'm not saying that there wasn't a problem with sin and secularism among black church folk, but I don't think it was considered normal and acceptable.
Seems like churches today are designed around the concept of making everybody feel as good as possible. The prevailing idea is that whatever it takes to get people in the doors, do it, and then worry about keeping them later. Black folks, their churches and their homes, haven't been immune to this. This weakening of standards has had a detrimental effect on our community because it blurs the line between what is proper and what is not.
There has also been a move in the black community and the world at large to separate religion and religious values from our political process. I find this laughable. The concepts of justice, hospitality and love that are the bedrock of most major faiths are the same values that are lacking in politics.
Yes, some folks have hijacked the political process for their own gains, yes they are attempting to force everyone to live their lives as they see fit, and yes this is wrong. But, these few misguided souls do not represent the mass of believers.
Instead of trying to legislate religion out of the public domain we need to be having honest conversations about how religion can benefit all of us, even non-believers. Instead of black folks turning away from faith-based traditions and standards, we need to be running towards them in an attempt to find some sort of guiding light and moral compass to help us right our sinking ship.
Even more troubling is that so many churches seem to be adopting the methods of the world to attract new members. Whether it hip billboards incorporating rap slogans or slang, or relaxed dress codes that allow sagging jeans and gym shorts, it's almost like going to church has become just another activity. There is nothing special, nothing holy or different about going to worship. It's just another place to meet up with the fellows, here some good music and catch a quick nap.
Preachers, politicians and parents seem to be content with sparing folks the hard truths they need to truly examine their lives and make changes. Instead, they pretend that everything is everything, that whatever feels good or right must also be good and right.
There is nothing wrong with being set apart, with being separate. There is nothing wrong with establishing a sacred place where certain behavior will never be tolerated. There is nothing wrong with telling folks that if they want to be involved in church they need to come to God on his terms, not their own.
I know I promised to offer solutions in this series but it's hard for me to move beyond the most basic solutions for the problem of secularism. It seems obvious that there needs to a be a separation in the black community, a conscious decision to establish standards and make safe havens where those standards are upheld. Instead of co-opting the values of other groups in an attempt to assimilate or seem progressive, we need to concentrate on what works for us, what makes our community strong.
While not all of our faith traditions benefited us, it's clear that many of them gave our community a solid and trustworthy foundation. It's obvious that as we've lost sight of these beliefs, as we've invited in outside influences, we've seen our communities disintegrate around us.
It's time to get set apart on our own terms.
Share
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Back Again For the First Time
The last time I did a series on something I heard at church, I thought it turned out pretty well.
For those of you who don't remember the series it dealt with Gandhi's seven social sins and how they relate to the world today. I enjoyed breaking down Gandhi's profound observations so much, I decided to check back in for round two.
What I'd like to discuss has its grounding in religion, but I think it can even be applied to lives of those who don't believe in God. In fact, I'm going to try to apply it specifically to the black community and the issues that seem to be present there.
During a recent message, my pastor discussed six ways that religion has been corrupted and twisted. I plan to discuss how those six things have corrupted and twisted the black community and the world in general. My viewpoints will of course be guided by my faith, but I think I can make compelling observations without depending too heavily on scripture.
For the record, the six corrupting agents are Secularism, Humanism, Relativism, Pragmatism, Materialism and Mindlessness.
Just looking at those six topics makes me want to write reams and reams of words. For years, I've struggled to understand why the world has the problems it has, why things seem to be spinning so far out of control. In particular, when I've looked at my community, the black community, I've seen such a plethora of problems that I've wondered if there is any real hope. I know I'm not alone in those thoughts.
I think that by dissecting and examining these corrupting agents we can re-discover our hope. When you can identify and define a problem, you can then turn your attention to the solution. I hope this series breaks down these corrupting agents and offers concrete solutions for dealing with the problems they create.
Stay tuned.
Share
For those of you who don't remember the series it dealt with Gandhi's seven social sins and how they relate to the world today. I enjoyed breaking down Gandhi's profound observations so much, I decided to check back in for round two.
What I'd like to discuss has its grounding in religion, but I think it can even be applied to lives of those who don't believe in God. In fact, I'm going to try to apply it specifically to the black community and the issues that seem to be present there.
During a recent message, my pastor discussed six ways that religion has been corrupted and twisted. I plan to discuss how those six things have corrupted and twisted the black community and the world in general. My viewpoints will of course be guided by my faith, but I think I can make compelling observations without depending too heavily on scripture.
For the record, the six corrupting agents are Secularism, Humanism, Relativism, Pragmatism, Materialism and Mindlessness.
Just looking at those six topics makes me want to write reams and reams of words. For years, I've struggled to understand why the world has the problems it has, why things seem to be spinning so far out of control. In particular, when I've looked at my community, the black community, I've seen such a plethora of problems that I've wondered if there is any real hope. I know I'm not alone in those thoughts.
I think that by dissecting and examining these corrupting agents we can re-discover our hope. When you can identify and define a problem, you can then turn your attention to the solution. I hope this series breaks down these corrupting agents and offers concrete solutions for dealing with the problems they create.
Stay tuned.
Share
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