Dialog

“For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.” John 3:11 (NIV)

          Since 9/11 we have seen not only a rise in nationalism but a rise in fear and hatred of anything different than ourselves. We have seen the rise of hatred spewed on the nightly news. We have seen the rise of a barbed wire fence “protecting” our southern border. We have seen the rise of profiling and arrests of those whose skin is the wrong color or whose accent is too strong.

          We live in a GLOBAL SOCIETY and we need to come to grips with that reality. Diversity is not a four letter word to be shunned at any cost. More and more people are moving into communities with less and less diversity which only breeds more fear and hatred. Cultural differences make us unique and interesting individuals. Yes, it is good to know our roots but it is also important to let those roots spread and soak up all there is to absorb. We all know what happens to plants whose roots are stuffed into too small a pot, the plant eventually dies-no matter how much food and water we give it. But transplant that plant into the ground where it will have room to spread and grow and the plant will thrive. People are the same, sometimes it is important to move to new environments to absorb the wonders that other cultures can bring us.

          Yes, there is a catalyst to this post today, actually 2 happenings cause me to speak out. One is this article that I received in an email showing the results of hatred and bigotry -http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/one-towns-war-on-gay-teens-20120202?print=true

The other was a wonderful event my husband and I attended last evening with the Lehigh Valley Dialog Center. This organization started with a number of Turkish business men realizing that misconceptions can only be overcome with open dialog and sharing of cultural ideas and of course food! It is wonderful to be able to speak openly and frankly about our questions about their customs and the Islamic belief system. At the same time we are able to answer some of their questions about our beliefs.

          I pray that in my lifetime I will see diverse communities living peacefully focusing on our similarities and accepting our differences.

THOUGHTS ON VALENTINE'S DAY

“For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.” John 3:11 (NIV)

          Practically since the day after Christmas we have been inundated with Valentine’s Day products on the store shelves. We are reminded each year of this special day for lovers. Once again as with Christmas we can CHOOSE to put a non-commercial spin on this day.

v We can CHOOSE to show others kindness and mercy every day.

v  We can CHOOSE to step outside our comfort zone and be nice to some sandpaper people in our lives.

v We can CHOOSE to smile at people as we pass them during our day.

v We can CHOOSE to ask an elderly or sickly neighbor if they need help getting groceries or a book from the library.

v We can CHOOSE to visit a neighbor we haven’t seen yet this winter.

You get the idea; Valentine’s Day should not be limited to a 24 hour period or to those in a romantic relationship. Let’s CHOOSE to make Valentine’s day a daily occurrence and spread our love to those beyond our inner circle.