Manifesto: and I Refuse to Quote from the Obvious Song In This Subtitle
I know I'm a dreamer. An idealist. Someone who spends entirely too much time wrapped in daydreams of peace and love and joy and singing and dancing and making people happy.
This is a problem when I hide in it. When I shy away and refuse to face the real world because it doesn't live up to my expectations. And I have this problem frequently. The more worried I am, the deeper I go into my daydreams-- the more I cut myself off from the real world. But how do I fix this problem? It's not to tell myself I'm wrong. It's not to accept that the world sucks. It's to step forward and MAKE my dreams happen.
I'm more than aware that human nature can be selfish and petty. I'm more than aware that most people will never even try to be better. But I refuse to accept that we should just be satisfied with that. I can't force people to play nice, to be reasonable and kind and open. But each person can decide that for themselves. Each person CAN try to be a better person. And I am not wrong to encourage that.
I believe that every single person in the universe has a bit of the Divine in them, deep inside. Maybe they've lost touch. Maybe WE'VE lost touch. Now perhaps you don't believe this. Fine. But I will live as if this is so. "Lord, when did we see you hungry or naked or imprisoned? When did we see you homeless and helpless and rejected?" This is a basic tenet of Christianity that is too often forgotten (remarkably enough by many of the people who most loudly proclaim themselves "Christian"), but I want us to remember. I want us to start seeing Christ in each other.
And I know I can't force that to happen. But I can live it. I can encourage it. And perhaps if I do, others will decide to live this way, too.
I will stand strong, believing in the good in humanity.
This is a problem when I hide in it. When I shy away and refuse to face the real world because it doesn't live up to my expectations. And I have this problem frequently. The more worried I am, the deeper I go into my daydreams-- the more I cut myself off from the real world. But how do I fix this problem? It's not to tell myself I'm wrong. It's not to accept that the world sucks. It's to step forward and MAKE my dreams happen.
I'm more than aware that human nature can be selfish and petty. I'm more than aware that most people will never even try to be better. But I refuse to accept that we should just be satisfied with that. I can't force people to play nice, to be reasonable and kind and open. But each person can decide that for themselves. Each person CAN try to be a better person. And I am not wrong to encourage that.
I believe that every single person in the universe has a bit of the Divine in them, deep inside. Maybe they've lost touch. Maybe WE'VE lost touch. Now perhaps you don't believe this. Fine. But I will live as if this is so. "Lord, when did we see you hungry or naked or imprisoned? When did we see you homeless and helpless and rejected?" This is a basic tenet of Christianity that is too often forgotten (remarkably enough by many of the people who most loudly proclaim themselves "Christian"), but I want us to remember. I want us to start seeing Christ in each other.
And I know I can't force that to happen. But I can live it. I can encourage it. And perhaps if I do, others will decide to live this way, too.
I will stand strong, believing in the good in humanity.