The most recent excursions and upheaval in Gaza between Israelis and Hamas had me in a bit of a quandary. I despise the fact that Hamas launched rockets into Jeruselum. But the empirically imbalanced response by the Israeli government, particularly since it affected so many people who are not Hamas, seems just wrong.
I wanted to speak out against it. But to be honest, I wasn’t sure what the protocol is for criticizing Israel. I have a number of Jewish friends and I frankly don’t know what the general feeling is among them regarding Israel. I did not want to offend or hurt them based on my ignorance.
Most of my Jewish friends are liberal to very progressive, and given Netanyahu’s right-wing stance, my guess is they are probably not fans of many of the decisions he makes anyway.
But I eventually came to the conclusion that it all doesn’t matter. As I sat on this thought, and played it out, I came to an important decision.
Some things are inherently just (or unjust), and calling them out is the right thing to do, no matter what. It’s this philosophy and approach towards life that has encouraged and empowered me to speak out against the hypocrisy of the evangelical church in America.
I want to live a life where I speak from a foundation of morals and beliefs rooted in justice, empathy, and compassion. It’s one of the reasons why I still consider myself a “Christ-follower” even though I no longer really “follow” the Western ideals of “Christianity.” (Christ’s teachings were cool. Those of many of his modern-day followers? Not so much.)
True self-empowerment
It’s a liberating and empowering feeling to know that as much as possible, your life is not beholden to partisan politics, religious dogma, or a desire to make a buck. When your actions are led by a grounded sense of justice, but tempered with compassion and empathy, it gives you the ability to speak truth to power in a way that leaves your dignity and authenticity intact.
A sense of justice encourages you to speak up when words need to be spoken. Or to act when actions need to be taken.
Empathy gives you the ability to listen intently to those with whom you interact, allowing you to be understanding and, frankly, less of a dick.
And lastly, compassion encourages you to adjust how and maybe even when you speak or act.
Over time, all three of these things lead to wisdom.
The following are NOT mutually exclusive pairs
So with all of that in mind, I’ve come to the conclusion that the following are not mutually exclusive pairs:
- Criticizing the actions of your government and being a patriot
- Criticizing the actions of Israel’s leadership and supporting your fellow Jewish brothers and sisters around the world
- Denouncing the actions of terrorist groups who claim Islam and supporting your Muslim brothers and sisters
- Denouncing the actions, hypocrisy, and racism you see in Evangelical enclaves, and remaining a passionate follow of Christ
- Encouraging peaceful protests against racism while also recognizing, acknowledging, and understanding racial uprisings in oppressed areas
- Denouncing police brutality and calling for police reform, and still supporting and acknowledging the good work of the men and women in blue who live up to the oaths they took
- Being a conservative Republican and denouncing Trumpism
- Being a progressive or liberal Democrat and criticizing the Biden admin for not taking a stronger stance on important issues
Some things are inherently just and right, and calling them out is the right thing to do, regardless of your political or religious affiliations.
Strive to live a life that embraces justice, empathy, and compassion, and you will never have to feel shame or embarrassment. If you lead a just, empathetic, and compassionate life, you’re less likely to be “canceled.” But even if you are, you couldn’t care less because that’s not what drives you.
Most importantly, if you lead a just, empathetic, and compassionate life, I believe “the Universe” (i.e. God, Karma, etc.) will return the favor in kind.
I strive for these things, but I am not always successful in balancing them. But as I am always fond of recounting from Jules the hitman in Pulp Fiction, “I’m trying Ringo. I’m trying real hard.”
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This post was previously published on Medium.
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