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Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Our Spiritual Crisis
Excerpts from
The Spiritual Crisis in our lives generated by the war in Iraq
by Blue Star wife Stacy Bannerman
"In the Sixties and Seventies, we thought that new laws would be enough. We thought it would be enough just to end the war in Vietnam. What we are seeing is that new laws are not enough, because ultimately and fundamentally what is needed is soulforce.
We need people to engage in the public sphere with the deepest essence of who they are. With their flaws, and failures; with their magnificence, and their hopes and dreams. We do this not only for ourselves, not only for our children, but for the future of the world.
I’ve spoken at so many different events and rallies and vigils, and things, and I’m standing there, literally in the middle of a graveyard sometimes. Standing there, watching a parent plant a white cross for his dead son while cars are driving by.
This nation seems to be driving by this war. We are not as a nation and as a people bearing witness to the war. And as spiritual progressives, as Christians and Buddhists, and Muslims and Jews, and Hindus, and God knows, as human beings we are asked to bear witness.
We are failing to do that."
Earlier this week, I went to an exhibit at the Smithsonian Institute that chronicles the history of America’s wars, including the war in Iraq. It was called “The Price of Freedom.”
No. Death is not the price of freedom. Betrayal is not the price of freedom. Silence is not the price of freedom. The price of freedom is something that frankly, we don’t want to pay. The price of freedom is integrity. The price of freedom is democracy. The price of freedom is justice. The price of freedom is peace. The price of freedom is compassion.
And that is where the spiritual community really has got to step up and get involved. In the whole run-up to the war in Iraq, the Pope was clearly and consistently saying, “If you invade Iraq, God is not with you.” Yet, too many of our leaders, and our preachers, tell us that the occupation of Iraq is God’s work. How dare we allow faith to be used to justify this war?
But more pernicious and devastating is the belief that somehow we’ve got to be flawless before we get involved. We think we’ve got to be perfect before we can; we’ve got to be masters before we do. I know, because I struggle with it, too. But let me tell you, for those of us who are sitting in this room, and those of us in the spiritual progressive community, we have done enough, and we do know enough. It is upon us now to share it with the world."
The Spiritual Crisis in our lives generated by the war in Iraq
by Blue Star wife Stacy Bannerman
"In the Sixties and Seventies, we thought that new laws would be enough. We thought it would be enough just to end the war in Vietnam. What we are seeing is that new laws are not enough, because ultimately and fundamentally what is needed is soulforce.
We need people to engage in the public sphere with the deepest essence of who they are. With their flaws, and failures; with their magnificence, and their hopes and dreams. We do this not only for ourselves, not only for our children, but for the future of the world.
I’ve spoken at so many different events and rallies and vigils, and things, and I’m standing there, literally in the middle of a graveyard sometimes. Standing there, watching a parent plant a white cross for his dead son while cars are driving by.
This nation seems to be driving by this war. We are not as a nation and as a people bearing witness to the war. And as spiritual progressives, as Christians and Buddhists, and Muslims and Jews, and Hindus, and God knows, as human beings we are asked to bear witness.
We are failing to do that."
Earlier this week, I went to an exhibit at the Smithsonian Institute that chronicles the history of America’s wars, including the war in Iraq. It was called “The Price of Freedom.”
No. Death is not the price of freedom. Betrayal is not the price of freedom. Silence is not the price of freedom. The price of freedom is something that frankly, we don’t want to pay. The price of freedom is integrity. The price of freedom is democracy. The price of freedom is justice. The price of freedom is peace. The price of freedom is compassion.
And that is where the spiritual community really has got to step up and get involved. In the whole run-up to the war in Iraq, the Pope was clearly and consistently saying, “If you invade Iraq, God is not with you.” Yet, too many of our leaders, and our preachers, tell us that the occupation of Iraq is God’s work. How dare we allow faith to be used to justify this war?
But more pernicious and devastating is the belief that somehow we’ve got to be flawless before we get involved. We think we’ve got to be perfect before we can; we’ve got to be masters before we do. I know, because I struggle with it, too. But let me tell you, for those of us who are sitting in this room, and those of us in the spiritual progressive community, we have done enough, and we do know enough. It is upon us now to share it with the world."
posted by Carol at 7:40 AM
2 Comments:
Spiritualitycan be conflicting as any other feeling, circumstance, behavior or thing (including war) and I do agree that the spiritual community needs to not only voice their concerns but to also reap what we sow. I myself have trouble at times staying spiritually aware at all times. Prayer however has become my source of refugee (so to speak). I enjoyed reading your blog
Thanks for reading my blog, Amanda! And thanks for your comments.
I agree with you about prayer. It is a good tool to help us remember...
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