Our unbiased opinions aren’t. We try many of us but it is a difficult needle to thread. We may verbalize our beliefs and truly believe what we said on Monday. When the test of our beliefs pops up on Friday, we may not recollect what we said so clearly. Perhaps our human nature or simply our failing to truly believe what we state allows us to act inconsistently with our proclaimed beliefs. This may be who we are and how we act as people. No harm is intended just disappointment in ourselves, then we move on to another day. We’ll try to do better, stay true to our beliefs or just fall short again. Our verbalized beliefs remain but just maybe with a little less vigor and volume.
As human beings we all possess some weaknesses, some flaws and imperfections. After all we are only human. However there are some who claim greater strength and consistency between their words and deeds. As children we expect our parents to do better, be more consistent. We generally anticipate that our leaders should do better, or at least we did. These people should be above the petty and the mundane. These leaders can’t all be George Washington and “never tell a lie.” A direct relation before their proclaimed beliefs and acts both personal and political, if elected, is expected. This is not perfection that we seek but certainly consistency. There are individuals we look up to and respect because these people have said or done something or both which earned our respect for them. People such as Nobel Prize or Medal of Honor recipients, Mother Theresa and Martin Luther King and the like qualify for such reverence. More of these people would be most helpful for our society today. When we have concerns, personal or the public type, we expect and need these people to speak out and act out according to their stated beliefs. This is the breakdown that confronts us today both personally and as a nation. If these people act differently from their stated beliefs or remain silent then our moral compass can’t find true north.
As a nation we have recently experienced a verbally nasty election campaign. Much of this nastiness was accepted as a part of the process. No one was saying this is wrong. Clean up your act. After the election we have fallen further into this silent mode. Irrespective of your political beliefs it has become apparent that Russia tried to interfere in our election. Both President Trump and his campaign apparently had some contact with Russian operatives and have implied that Mr. Putin deserves our respect or at least we should look up to him. Mr. Putin is a product of the KGB, one of the worst and least moral intelligence organizations that has ever existed, hardly a badge of honor to wear. The issue here isn’t just Russia, no country, not Spain, China, Brazil, whatever country should have any connection or input into our free election process in any capacity. If there is any possibility of such an occurrence then as a voting American, I want to know how, why and when. This shouldn’t happen now not ever again. We expect our political leaders to shout out no nation can attempt to do that to America and we will investigate every possible action that might have occurred. This should not be seen as an effort to discredit our President but it shouldn’t be stopped if it leads in that direction. This is not Benghazi where the competence or effective of the leadership was claimed as the basis for various investigations. This is our country, all of us, and no other country gets to stick its nose in our election business for any reason. The issue is more than interfering but also the hacking of our various computer networks. There must be a penalty. America is the City on a Hill and no person can attempt to diminish that. Why at a time like this do our leaders remain silent or worse want to walk away and overlook any potential intrusion into our electoral system? Why the silence? Is there some valid reason? If the reason concerns support for a person of the same political party affiliation,then that is unacceptable. The belief that as a group we will support you even when we know you to be wrong, is unacceptable and unforgivable in a leader. There is a time to be silent and gather our thoughts. This is not that time but the silence is deafening.
BLOG TWO
THIS AWFUL NOISE
Religious leaders expect and demand our trust that their words and actions are consistent. President Trump before his election and since has said and done things that as a person of faith I find simply inconsistent with any religion and wrong. He has verbally degraded women and passed it off as locker room talk. His bankruptcies have caused hurt to people and loss of money due them. His action against members of the Islamic faith have no relation to the security of our nation and do not reflect the tenets of any religion. Likewise his attitude toward immigrants, legal or not, also does not follow any espoused religious belief. His attacks on people and the media are despicable as he claims anyone who opposes him or holds a different point of view is a liar. What part of scripture allows these actions and name calling? This doesn’t sound like the Sermon On The Mount. Where are the beatitudes when we really need them? The Sunday morning get togethers all across this land claim these are the important words and teachings of Jesus Christ. The Sermon On The Mount can be found in Matthew Chapter 5 for any who need a reference. All these holy people shouting out from the pulpits and pews, ranging from conservative to liberal and many stripes in between, this we believe. Many other religions have similar calls for their followers. Now the President and many of his supporters do oppose the right of women to choose and most anything related to a gay lifestyle. Isn’t it ironic that these issues take precedence over others which are actually emphasized in scripture? Where are our religious leaders on all of this? I have heard some of these religious leaders and followers supported candidate Trump and are supporting and praising President Trump. Apparently these religious minds pick and choose which actions or scriptural beliefs are enough to earn their support. Is it two out of five, three out of twenty? Actions and pronouncements that are inconsistent with the religious beliefs which these leaders shout from the rooftops draw only their silence now. If we fail to follow and live out their teaching, we go to hell. If Mr. Trump’s fails, he goes to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. When the clergy neglect to hold our leaders to the standards they call enlightened and inspired by God, why should we? When our political leaders fail to stand up for what we believe as a nation, why should we? This answer is simple. We know the difference between right and wrong. When silence emanates from knowingly overlooking certain deficiencies which are contrary to our proclaimed and inspired beliefs, this is different from silence because a leader claims to support the policies which we do. The noise of speaking in favor of someone who acts contrary to some or most of our beliefs is a worse road to follow. Many of the clergy have essentially entered into a most unholy union with a person who holds many contrary beliefs. Silence may be regrettable at times, but speaking out contrary to one’s beliefs is hypocrisy and is disgraceful. Supporting someone who actually acts contrary to one’s beliefs, particularly religious beliefs, creates an awful noise. Silence may be deafening but hypocrisy screams out loud.
Phil's Personal Perspectives 