I’ve never liked being told what to do. Perhaps that is why I have such disdain for government these days. I think I’ve always been this way, but as I live through such ineffective leadership, it’s surfacing within me more and more. After reading an article on Associated Press (Millions of kids told full return to school in fall unlikely) that states that Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced that she will override local school districts and require students to spend at least half of their schooling in classrooms, I started immediately feeling rebellion rising inside of me. While I don’t live in IA, I don’t like the idea that government has the ability to force me into having my child go somewhere that I may not deem appropriate during a pandemic.
I also don’t love the idea that a certain group of people have the ability to force people to do basically anything by creating consequences that then dictate behavior. In Miami-Dade county they are giving code and fire inspectors authority to issue tickets of up to $100 for individuals and $500 for businesses not complying with guidelines to wear masks. I mean, this I get. it is a pandemic after all and people should be conscious enough of others well-being to comply with what is currently being considered “basic precautions” to control the spread of covid-19. We’re currently at 13.8M confirmed global cases and a death toll of more that 590k.
When I read the Bible, I remember having the revelation that Jesus came to abolish the law. He came to do away with the thousands of laws cited in the Old Testament and replace them with the golden rule, “love your neighbor as yourself” or in other words, “treat others as you would want to be treated.” It seems that we can’t seem to follow these very simple rules and as such we have humans gathering to create a multitude of laws to try to force society to act in a non-chaotic manner. It’s like the Lauren Hill song, “It could all be so simple…. But you’d rather make it hard.” The current state of this country clearly shows that there are too many different ideas in order for all of humanity to act in accordance with the idea of a “collective good.”
Some believe that not wearing a mask is for the “collective good.” These people believe that their “God given right to breath fresh air” is being infringed upon by this request and that they are protecting themselves and standing up for everyone’s right to such liberties by refusing to comply. Others look at these people and make comments like, “What privileged assholes… how difficult is it to wear a mask out of consideration for those around you when scientists have proven that people are less likely to spread the virus when everyone wears a mask.” Both sides believe they are acting for the “good of humanity.” My point here is less about this specific issue, but more about the idea of a common or collective good and how with the diversity of ideas on this planet, I don’t know that there is one “good” that everyone can agree on.
This is why we have laws. Even when people can’t agree, we have a deciding factor that says, “Even if you don’t agree, you have to do what the books state and if you don’t there will be punishment… whether through a fine, or prison time… you will get in line! When lawmakers are reasonable human beings and most sane people can see that the laws make sense, this works for awhile, but the problem comes when laws remain on the books that no longer serve the common good or the people creating the laws do so without thorough review and analysis of the impact. The other problem is when there are so many laws on the books that the average person has no idea what they even are and those that enforce the rules overstep their boundaries. This puts the power into the hands of the lawmakers, government, and enforcers and pulls the power right out of the hands of the people. People no longer have the freedom to live in a way that liberates and empowers them, but rather burdens them because they are paying into a system that doesn’t even serve them.
I wonder if humanity would organize itself more effectively without institutions guiding the way through policy and law? This question may have just been answered by another article today on Business Insider (Gun Sales Surge Over Growing Safety Concerns). Not sure if people are thinking they may need to start hunting given the state of the grocery stores when the pandemic’s last peak occurred or if they are thinking about self-preservation in response to the power law enforcement exerted in the George Floyd incident. Is a systemic take down brewing? Revolution Part II? I say this somewhat jokingly, but if our current president wins reelection in November, anything is possible. While I won’t be happy about it, my spiritual and moral compass won’t allow me to take part in harming others, regardless of the situation. I think I’d rather die than live in a world where I am having to resort to killing my own kind for “survival.”
Often, when I read the news, I find myself believing that wherever else we are going after this life ends has to be better than where we are now. Though, other times, I find the duality of life exciting and somewhat entertaining to witness. It’s all good as long as you don’t identify too deeply with it and get caught up in the story, which is what I find I am doing when I find myself believing “there” will be better than “here.” It’s tough to choose where you stand when both theologies have truth in them… the good old, “good vs. evil” mentality and how we are called to spread light into this dark and fallen world to redeem it has it’s motivational points which inspire us to change that which we don’t wish to be surrounded by and yet the theology that states, “it’s all God” has it’s good points too… helping one to feel more at peace no matter what is happening in this world. It’s all “maya” (illusion) anyway, right? At our essence we are all God energy masquerading as “all that is” for the experience of all that “I am.” This approach helps one to let go and take life and ourselves less seriously… prevents worry and frustration over world events and incites a general sense of ease with the underlying belief that I am eternal no matter what it may appear to be on the surface.
Honestly, there are benefits of both and I think they are both potentially true. With the oneness mentality, we can still be inspired when we think about this from the standpoint of, “Well if we are all God in costume, then wouldn’t I want to love and respect myself rather than self-harm? Wouldn’t I still want to evolve to see myself in the most beautiful way possible?” If we take the good vs. evil mentality, then wouldn’t we want to be the “superheroes” who snuff out the darkness in the world? The only problem I have with that statement is that I don’t think good vs. evil is always so clear. Sometimes good people do bad things out of their own trauma and unhealed wounds. I know this to be true from my own life experience and I am sure a lot of you do too. From a biblical standpoint, aren’t we all “sinners”? Don’t we all just miss the point/mark sometimes and accidentally hurt someone or ourselves? Haven’t we all made “bad” choices at points in our lives? So then, who deserves grace and who deserves punishment? It isn’t so clear, which is why Jesus loved all unconditionally understanding this world and life experience often creates blurred lines. “Let he, who is without sin, cast the first stone,” and everyone bowed out… nobody was left standing and no stones were thrown at the adulteress.
If only we could all get back to a place of nonjudgement, a place where grace and love are unconditional… yet that would deny the One of experience. Pain is good because it helps us appreciate life without it more. Darkness is good because it helps us to lean toward the light. We need both. We need the paradox of life to have any experience at all. If we take the ink off the paper, we are left with a blank page. It is only in contrast that we can see or experience anything. I would love for people to walk in gratitude for the gift of experience daily, regardless of whether that experience is “good” or “bad” recognizing that neither really exist… it is all just experience and all of it is a miracle. I fight to maintain this place of peace and gratitude because I fall into the story when I read the news. I read the story of a mother knowingly allowing her children to be sexually abused by her “friends,” or I watch the videos of police brutality against minorities, I see the horrors in this world and my first instinct is to feel fear and resistance… anger, sadness, disgust, judgment, etc. It is then that I have to distance myself from it and use my spirituality to make some sense of it. Maybe it’s just a coping mechanism, but without it I’d fall apart into despair and depression, which is a place I don’t wish to live in. I try to side on the belief that it is not all for me to understand, I am not the judge, jury, or executioner. I am not the director of these events, but merely an actor on the stage playing my current role and so I need to let go of that which I cannot change and stay focused on living out my role to the best of my capability while maybe influencing some areas to become just a bit brighter and more beautiful as a result of my having been there.
How do you manage the news within your psyche? What strategies do you use to cope with all of the bad news in the media? I’d love to hear your perspective and strategies for living. Please share in the comments or via a private message using the “contact” page.