Friday, September 3, 2010

Who Judges?

Which is the best religion?



Is there a judge up there keeping score?


"Whatever makes you more compassionate,

more sensible,

more detached, more loving,

more humanitarian, more responsive,

more ethical.

The religion that will do that for you is the best religion."


Dalai Lama via my pal Bishop Randolph Sykes




"See how nature -

trees, flowers, grass -

grows in silence;

see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence...

we need silence to be able to touch souls."


Mother Teresa





"Creativity is contagious.

Pass it on."


-Albert Einstein.





Diamond Head Light, home of the Coast Guard Commandant





"A sensible man will remember

that the eyes may be confused in two ways -

by a change from light to darkness or from darkness to light;

and he will recognize that the same thing happens to the soul."

Plato




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"There are two kinds of light -

the glow that illumines, and the glare that obscures. "


James Thurber




The Land of ALOHA is a little less worthy of the name today.

The head of our local Republican Party sent around a letter to pastors (not Buddhist priests, rabbis, or Muslim clerics, not to mention Shinto, Taoist....well, you get the idea.)

-Anyway, this political operative advised the pastors as to who is and who isn't righteous in the upcoming elections! He urges them to Jesus triumphalism and even topped Keith Olbermann's
Worst Person In The World:


Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy



I couldn't rest until I crafted one of my Letters To The Editor of a local paper. Here are excerpts from that letter:


Aloha Neighbors;

According to my dictionary, ‘omniscience’ is the capacity to know EVERYTHING. After reading this weeks MIDWEEK, I thought how lucky our community is to have omniscient folks among us right here on Oahu.

But something didn't feel right.

My deeply held faith teaches me that only God is omniscient and omnipotent, and that it is not (hallelujah!) my job to judge my neighbors; just to love them and work with them for our common good.


When we have local officials and ministers who confidently declare certain candidates “unrighteous” and others “righteous;” When some claim our Hawaii for Jesus, rather than respecting the freedom and pluralism that make our Islands unique in the world, Well, I wonder what bible they are smoking.

I call on my neighbors of ALL faiths, those honestly seeking the truth, and those who are agnostic, to join our majority of citizen patriots! Let’s vote for the ones who will play nice with everybody. Isn’t that what you learned in Sunday school (or Buddhist camp, or Synagogue, Mosque, or Temple)?


Respectfully, Cloudia Charters,
Honolulu



Thanks so much for visiting today. Thoughts?

29 comments:

  1. Don't forget the atheists and agnostics. Don't they have a place in our community, also?

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  2. Very fine post, Cloudia!
    Happy Saturday :-)

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  3. I second that letter! You are on my radar, sister Cloudia. How about a run for office?

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  4. How well you expressed yourself - without hate or blame. So sad that some are so convinced of their own righteousness.

    Great post.

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  5. Bravo!! Well editorialized - just add gigihawaii's comment!

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  6. Wouldn't it be nice if they didn't play political games? One can always hope (but I'm not holding my breath.)

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  7. Good for you.. well said, Cloudia.

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  8. Yaaaaaeeee, Cloudia! Thank you very much! Art showed that article to me this morning and we were just shaking our heads. Your letter is terrific!

    I don't know whether to be angry or sad or frustrated. THIS is what religion does. This is why Anne Rice gave up on organized religion.

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  9. 'Which is the best religion?'

    Ah, a subject in line with my own blogs.

    Although I have definite views I share on my blogs, I do, in this realm as it is, favour freedom of religion within reason and not state religion.

    I have an update on my blog concerning my PhD.

    Very cool photos as usual.

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  10. You go! I'm a letter writer, too! Well done.

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  11. If only he would know that water boils for him with the same temperature as for everyone else. Your letter surely adds enough spice to make them hopefully think. Please have a peaceful and great weekend.

    daily athens

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  12. If only he would know that water boils for him with the same temperature as for everyone else. Your letter surely adds enough spice to make them hopefully think. Please have a peaceful and great weekend.

    daily athens

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  13. A woman after my own heart. Thanks for this post.

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  14. Great letter. Did it get published?

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  15. I can only comment about the both beautiful skies, Cloudia.
    Sorry but I do not practise any religion.
    ALOHA !

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  16. You absolutely DO Rock Cloudia!! Bravo!

    LOVE these sunset pics!!
    Hugs from NY!!
    Jeanne

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  17. The reality is very simple dear friend.

    To make the life easy or difficult and live in our hand. I choose the easy way with honour; without war,
    without killing babies and children..

    Aloha from Mıddeleast

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  18. i cant stand it when politics and religeon meet in a twist...

    aloha from VA!

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  19. Whatever happened to religious freedom?

    Lovely lovely photos and quotations.

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  20. Thanks and bless you!

    I believe that I did specifically invite agnostics and ALL...I did in the full letter which I hope to see published next week...

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  21. Loved this post, Claudia. Great thoughts! I embrace all peoples of the world!

    B xx

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  22. It seems he wold rather BE god than to serve god.

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  23. Eloquently said!

    Aloha Cloudia, have a fantastic weekend!!!

    xoxox

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