Never be satisfied with innocence
I don’t pretend to know the reality of all I see around me. I am a simple creature striving vainly for understanding and wallowing in the care that is so intimately a part of my existence. Were I to gamble on the fact, I would bet that few of you are more certainly enlightened, because of all we have in common, our ignorance remains the most obvious.
Though I am thus under qualified for all judgments, the care that I mention leads me to call to each of you and beg you to consider how insubstantial are our typical concerns. We focus our passion on the cleanliness of our own lives; do we see a widely useful thing in so restraining our standards? Would we take comfort in the despair of the world if once we could show ourselves to be innocent of it? Do we enjoy struggling with a goal both impossible and ineffective?
I am a ridiculous creature, and though I and a handful of others share a curious affection for that creature, I find either the state or the fate thereof lacking in substantial consequence. Shall we as a brotherhood of believers put our energy into purification of ourselves (these silly monkeys!) with the measuring stick of ten simple rules which, even were they even all obeyed by each of us, would not solve our larger, more pressing problems? Why? For heaven? For hell? Forget them – they can’t touch our current concerns. Can’t we put our substantial human potential for progress to work with the ills and pains (and delights!) of this world quite apart from such childish and selfish worry?
If I am damned or responsible than such a fact remains inconsequential. The world does not change through either blame or exoneration; therefore these things are useless and lame. If we as a species and as a people can make the ongoing labor of life for all dear creatures on earth into something better – not in the spiritual sense but in the human one - what do we wait for? Our religion has tried to ideologically align personal spiritual security with community good. Obviously, it’s not working. It’s even often counterproductive. It’s time for pragmatism.
I call on us to forget ourselves. Our innocence is not so important as our passion, our reason, and the useful action to which we put them. Only then can we grow beyond ourselves. Only thus will we matter. We must stop worrying about ourselves – worry about the world around us! Without it, we are nothing. We talk so much about service! What does that have to do with a soul? Let us act as though we knew we were damned. Let’s make the fact count to the good of those around us. This is our only choice. Do not save yourself – it’s an imaginary task. If humans have no other strength, at least we can at times try something else when one thing doesn’t work. It’s time for change. It’s time to grow beyond dogma and mystery and security. Shall we try?
