I was raised by an old fashioned Mother and a liberal Father.   I was taught to love all. I was taught to show compassion. I was taught to recognize frailty. This I learned from my Mother.  I was taught to be open-minded.   I was taught to trust as well as to be suspicious. I was taught to be judgmental.  I was taught the importance of being vigil as well as being suspicious. This I learned from my Father.  We as humans with the profound knowledge of original sin are imperfect individuals. Our unique ideology empowers us to form close ties with like-minded individuals. Regrettably this individualism creates boundaries.  These limitations restrict out understanding and our relationship with God. We are fallible. We are susceptible to rhetoric. A common sermon, speech or discourse is what allows us to shape our philosophy.  A way of life is the behavior we outwardly display to others.  Road Rage, Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, Murder, economics, politics and the law all are areas that raise our anger.

Are we putting on a show? If so for who. So we act one way in public and secretly loathe those we are expected to aid. Double standards exist in every society across the globe. It matters not the social, economic, religious or demographics. What matters is the commonality we all share. Contempt for the destitute, deprived, feeble and insignificant.

How dare we judge?  How arrogant of us to presume we know all.  Many denigrate God by failing to appreciate the simplicity of the world He created. We were put he in his image. Nothing is required of us. We merely are expected to be.  In simple terms. We are a reflection of God. We are an embodiment, a personification of truly holy being.  Any distillation of that creation taints the holiness of life.

If everyone followed the GOLDEN RULE or (if Christian) the TEN COMMANDMENTS. It matters not your faith, because every religion has a tenant to live by.  Our world would be a better place if we remembered and acted accordingly.

Society is defined as. . . More broadly, a society is an economic, social or industrial infrastructure, made up of a varied collection of individuals.  So what kind of a society are we?   A child is born dependent and is celebrated, in an independent society, when they can say “I can do it for myself.” However a tribal child is encouraged to grow beyond independence into interdependence, so they can say “I can do it for others”.  Are we a group of individuals with common goals. ( IE.  school,  career, marriage, house, family)or, are we individuals who become part of a group.  ( IE, school, career, marriage, house, family, community, government, world).

I believe we grow up as individuals to become contributing members of the economic structure.  America was founded because of the cruelty imposed by Brittan.  This country was founded because many of the colonists rejected the  legitimacy of  the Parliaments of Great Britian to govern them, without representation, claiming that this violated the  Rights of Englishmen.  Specifically, The Magna Carta. The right that any “freeman” (in the sense of non-serf) could be punished except through the law of the land.  How is what we do to each other on a daily basis; any different than passionate convictions forced upon us over 200 years ago.  We have progressed in science and technology. We are proud of our Military and our elected officials. We support our Police and Educators.  We donate to Charities and Volunteer.  Yet we still treat each other with disrespect. Hatred runs ramped through our hearts.

We justify this by stating morals and principles, values and ideals or ethics and beliefs. What is society? It is a large group of people who live in a confined area?   Is it individuals who come together in a geographic location?  Is it economics? Is it religion?

I was raised by an old fashioned Mother and a liberal Father.      I have had the best of both worlds. I have been rich. I have been poor. I have been treated like a queen. I have been violently abused. I have been faithful to God. I have fallen away from God.

What I have witnessed is the implausible.   Yet I remain optimistic that humanity can overcome its immaturity.   We are after all a country that is only 235 years old. A teenager, in comparison to our European and Asian counterparts.   We judge an individual by what he says and does.  With an, actions speak louder than words attitude. We judge a family by its economic standing. Can they keep up with the Jones’s. If not then they are not worth my time and compassion.  We judge our homeless as all being alcoholics and drug addicts. When in reality our own government defines homeless as “an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition who has either been continuously homeless for a year or more, or has had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years. If the government sets the tone for its society then we are sadly lacking in compassion and understanding.

I have taught at a Maximum Security Prison. The men in my classes were not there because they wanted to be. They were told they had to be.  If you want to see what society is really like. Spend some time in a prison.  It has been said that a society can be judged by its lowest elements.  The problem is we judge by mans law. What about God’s Law. 

I have worked with many desperate individuals. What the Men crave most is common decency, respect and dignity.  We as a society need to model compassion for all, empathy in the face of adversity and altruistic with deliberate concern for humanity.   It matters not if someone is homeless, dignity is a simple human right granted to us by GOD.  Love your neighbors as you would love yourself. That seems to be what we have forgotten. Simple Human Kindness. Compassion for those in need of emotional or physical support.  Understanding of our individualism. Knowledge that we are all human.

You may find yourself pondering the very thought as this economy is struggling. Put yourself in their shoes. You will find yourself smiling at the man or woman on the corner asking for help. You may just find yourself talking to that tattered stranger.  You may just find you have more in common than you think.

Reflect on your life. If in these trying times you find yourself in a similar situation, would you not want to be treated with dignity? Treat others as you want to be treated. If you are religious. Follow  the tenants of your faith.

For you know not of the man you just shunned is the face of God.

In reality, that man or woman is you.

For we all are a reflection of God.