IS THIS THE WORST IT'S EVER BEEN?

Read this on a recent Facebook post and felt trustworthy for my blog:

IS THIS THE WORST IT'S EVER BEEN?              by Greg Fishel 

I must have had a very short memory for most of my adult life. For months now, I've been thinking that this country and this world is as divided as it's ever been. And who could blame me or anyone who agrees with me having witnessed the events in Orlando, Dallas, France, and now Turkey.

But as bad as things are, it's been bad before. I'm old enough to remember a young and energetic President gunned down in Dallas, and ironically he died at the same hospital that others in Dallas did just days ago.

I remember a peaceful and energetic black leader, gunned down at a motel in Memphis one night after delivering one of the greatest speeches in American history.

I remember a youthful Presidential candidate celebrating his victory in the California primary, gunned down minutes after speaking to supporters. I remember a political convention in Chicago where a power hungry mayor ordered that war protestors be beaten. I remember innocent students being shot and killed on the campus of Kent State University.

Oh, yes, the United States has been this divided before. But what about the world? Well, I'm not old enough to remember this, but I know of a time when millions of Jews were incinerated by a man who had his heart set on world domination. And were it not for incredibly brave men crashing the beaches of Normandy in June of 1944, that man may have just gotten his wish.

Oh, the world has been divided before. So how did we eliminate those divisions? To be honest, we never did. We shoved them to the side for a time, but they were still lurking in the background. And for others, it never really went away. So we in this world don't really solve problems, we postpone them, only to see them rear their ugly heads in another generation.

Oh we can pass laws, drop bombs, give emotional speeches, and even post on Facebook and Twitter, but until our collective hearts change, division will continue to rule this world. Whether you believe the story of Adam and Eve is a literal account, or one of symbolism, the message is clear. Inherent human nature is to fight. The first time God said "don't do that", our answer was "Who are you?". Maybe the reason countries on the other side of the world don't like us is that they don't see Christ in Christians. 

Oh we're usually the first to help everyone out when a natural disaster strikes, but do we really care about our own? I have money drafted each month to support various charities. Aren't I wonderful? Well ya know what? Its way easier to sign up for an automatic checking account draft then it is to reach out directly to those who drew the short straw in the game of life.

Too many of us who call ourselves Christians don't act very much like Jesus. And we say we seek to understand first, and to be understood second. Really? I don't think so. We don't listen, we talk, and the talk gets louder as we enjoy hearing ourselves proclaim our high moral standards. The truth is-we're Pharisees-we have invented our own religions, and have given them flowery and noble names, but we don't follow, not even close. 

Democrats and Republicans, Whites and Blacks, Christians and Muslims can all get along if we just listen to our respective hearts, the hearts that are driven by a greater Power, who doesn't like what He sees down here anymore than the rest of us do. Until our collective hearts are healed, don't look for any dramatic improvements anytime soon. I pray that this time we don't just postpone our divisions, but rather attack them head on, so that we can show the world that there still is a model for decency and morality in this country, and around the world.

Yes, it's been this bad before, and to be clear, Trump won't solve it, Hillary won't solve it, a Democratic congress won't solve it, and a Republican congress won't solve it. We, both as individuals, and as collective members of this great society must realize that only through a change of heart do we solve our problems. Let's look at each other and observe that we both have heads and arms and legs, and the ability to listen as well as talk. Yes, it's been this bad before.

Let's come together and think of ways to insure that this is the true low point on the graph, and that it's all uphill from here, Let's show the world that we just don't talk a good game, we actually live it!