First off, I'm depressed. I have not felt this low in a long time. I am honestly fighting thoughts about how I really don't want to be here. Not thoughts about killing myself - just a general wish that I could disappear. And yes, I'm sure most of that is because it's election night.
I try with all my might to avoid talking politics with anyone, because I hate politics with all my being. But whenever it does come up, all I get is a lot of judgement that I'm not as angry as whomever I'm talking with. I have people I love on both sides, and I get scolded from both at how I'm just not educated enough to know how mad I should be. And clearly evil is running rampant because I'm not up in arms and fighting against it.
"Gradually it was disclosed to me that the line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either—but right through every human heart”
That is a quote from Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. It really resonated with me; but I knew nothing about the man. So I just scanned through his Wikipedia page, and all I can say is wow. I knew nothing of the famine in Soviet Ukraine (considered "man made" and therefore basically genocide) that killed 6 million people in the 1930's. To say I'm "uneducated" is an understatement. I could read all day everyday, and still only scratch the surface of knowledge. But I don't need to be educated to know that horrors abound in this world...every second of every day in every country. And each one is worth being up in arms over.
Then why aren't I angry? Why aren't I criticizing and condemning and coming against all the evildoers? The truth is, I wouldn't even know where to start. And besides, I really want to be done with criticizing and condemning. Does that mean I just close my eyes to evil? Bury my head in the sand?
To me, letting go of my need to condemn means I am choosing a solidarity with humanity that includes the good and evil that passes through all of us. I am choosing to believe that every human is a child of God, even when they don't see it at all and commit horrible acts. And I suppose criticism is necessary in order to help someone see what they are doing is wrong, but how often is it actually done with love? And not that "love" that says, "I'm only pointing out your sin because if you don't repent you're going to an eternal hell." (Yes, I brought that up because I do see the belief in ETERNAL REJECTION AND POINTLESS TORTURE as the main problem with dividing humanity into "us" and "them." I know the Bible speaks of separating the "sheep and goats"...but eternal does not need to be applied, nor does it make any sense because the meaning of eternal is "no BEGINNING or ending." If we could actually believe there is redemptive purpose in God's judgements then maybe we could love our enemies as we are called to do, and actually love our neighbor as our self, instead of just pretend to.)
I'm going to conclude with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr:
"Jesus eloquently affirmed from the cross a higher law. He knew that the old eye-for-eye philosophy wold leave everyone blind. He did not seek to overcome evil with evil. He overcame evil with good. Although crucified by hate, he responded with love. What a magnificent lesson! Generations will rise and fall; people will continue to worship the god of revenge and bow before the altar of retaliation, but ever and again the noble lesson of Calvary will be a nagging reminder that only goodness can drive out evil and only love can conquer hate."