Thought for the day
Thoir tlachd do'n mhath, 'us math an t-olc.
The translation provided is "Love the good and forgive the bad.".
(I would translate this as "Give honour to the good and forgiveness to the bad".)
A goodly thought, but I think the proverb implies more than that. The word for "forgiveness" is maith (though it apparently, and confusingly, often is written/spoken as math - good). I think that this proverb implies that honour should be given to the good, and that good should be returned for evil.
This is an especially pertinent thought in these times when certain hard-hearted conservative groups are clamouring for drug-testing of people to ensure that only the 'worthy' poor get aid. On the one hand, I can understand the point - they don't want to support someone's drug habit. On the other hand, it's an unnecessary degradation to those who are hungry and in need. It's a hardship on the children and spouses of those who are in the grip of addiction. These groups claim that if drug-testing is allowed as a condition of getting a job, it should be allowed as a condition of getting aid. In other words, they are upset and humiliated that they were required by their work to undergo this testing and so they wish to spread the humiliation to those they consider beneath them. But that's a false premise.
Employers are worried about the ability of their workers to do the job - drug addiction affects productivity (including cigarette addiction, imho). Charities are only concerned with how far their donations will stretch. I can understand triaging the supplies - but I don't think it should be on the basis of mandatory drug testing.
Honestly, though, I don't know. I find myself having more sympathy for the poor in the grips of the demon drug habit than the white collar addicts. The poor turn to drugs to escape the hopeless, grinding despair of poverty. They have no other means of escape, no way out. White collar addicts turn to drugs for a 'buzz', recreation. The only thing they're trying to escape is their own mediocrity. But ....
While I don't like the idea of supporting anyone's drug habit, I have to ask myself, as conservatives do, WWJD - what would Jesus do - and I know that he ministered to all who came to him, sharing all that he had. Without questioning, without testing.
The translation provided is "Love the good and forgive the bad.".
(I would translate this as "Give honour to the good and forgiveness to the bad".)
A goodly thought, but I think the proverb implies more than that. The word for "forgiveness" is maith (though it apparently, and confusingly, often is written/spoken as math - good). I think that this proverb implies that honour should be given to the good, and that good should be returned for evil.
This is an especially pertinent thought in these times when certain hard-hearted conservative groups are clamouring for drug-testing of people to ensure that only the 'worthy' poor get aid. On the one hand, I can understand the point - they don't want to support someone's drug habit. On the other hand, it's an unnecessary degradation to those who are hungry and in need. It's a hardship on the children and spouses of those who are in the grip of addiction. These groups claim that if drug-testing is allowed as a condition of getting a job, it should be allowed as a condition of getting aid. In other words, they are upset and humiliated that they were required by their work to undergo this testing and so they wish to spread the humiliation to those they consider beneath them. But that's a false premise.
Employers are worried about the ability of their workers to do the job - drug addiction affects productivity (including cigarette addiction, imho). Charities are only concerned with how far their donations will stretch. I can understand triaging the supplies - but I don't think it should be on the basis of mandatory drug testing.
Honestly, though, I don't know. I find myself having more sympathy for the poor in the grips of the demon drug habit than the white collar addicts. The poor turn to drugs to escape the hopeless, grinding despair of poverty. They have no other means of escape, no way out. White collar addicts turn to drugs for a 'buzz', recreation. The only thing they're trying to escape is their own mediocrity. But ....
While I don't like the idea of supporting anyone's drug habit, I have to ask myself, as conservatives do, WWJD - what would Jesus do - and I know that he ministered to all who came to him, sharing all that he had. Without questioning, without testing.