In March of 1925, Frederic Donaldson, Canon of Westminster from 1924-1951 (and a socialist! gasp!), preached a sermon in which he famously laid out “seven social sins:”
- Wealth without work
- Pleasure without conscience
- Knowledge without character
- Commerce without morality
- Science without humanity
- Religion without sacrifice
- Politics without principle
According to The Living Church Newsletter, in a wonderful article which expands upon the meaning and impact of each sin, Mohandas Gandhi found the list in a newspaper clipping, and republished it in the Young India newspaper in October 1925.
I first encountered this list last Sunday, in my church’s bulletin. To me, this century-old list perfectly distills many of the faults of our current time.
But as the article linked above points out, the list isn’t meant to be a bludgeon against others: it’s an invitation to examine one’s own behavior and conscience.
I was going to write one of those “OK, I’m done, I’ve had it, can’t take it anymore” pieces that self-righteously and completely unnecessarily announces that I’m going to take a break from Facebook for a while.
But who cares? Staying off Facebook, quitting Instagram, avoiding X (which I’ve been doing from the moment the Muskox bought Twitter) isn’t the point. The point is finding a personal way to respond to the present situation, or really any situation, with love.
I remember after the 2016 presidential election, I faced the same dilemma confronting me today – how do I respond to this situation with love? How do I love my neighbor (who may or may not have voted as I did) and my enemy (who definitely did not vote as I did) while trying to stay afloat as wave after wave of cruelty, racism, incompetence, bullying, misogyny, and flat-out crazy-ass garbage spews forth from Washington?
The only way I can see doing it is one person, one day, and one action at a time.
So maybe I can make a (meager) donation to some organization that provides direct assistance to the Ukrainian people.
I’ll try to refrain from crafting clever insults belittling people who voted for the shitshow’s director (and got, without voting for it, an evil “unelected bureaucrat” who is running around breaking very important things). Those folks are now starting to discover how badly they’ve screwed themselves (and the rest of us), so I’ll just let them process that for a while.
Instead, I can try to show some of the decency that I know lies in the hearts of most Americans. I picked up a few cartons of non-perishable foods, and some feminine hygiene supplies at the warehouse store that my brother bought me a membership to for Christmas–thanks bro! Cheap gas!–and dropped it all off at church, so it could be delivered to a local food pantry.
I thanked the nice person at the Social Security office who answered the phone (answered the phone!!) and expressed my appreciation for their work, and for being there to answer my questions.
I quit my Amazon Prime membership last month, and terminated my Washington Post subscription before the election. I can make decisions about spending money that reflect my belief that where I spend my money (what little there is of it) matters.
I can donate the perfectly good clothing that I never wear to Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Angelic Daughter has been spontaneously clearing out her closets full of stuffed animals and dolls she never played with, or doesn’t play with anymore, so we can donate those.
I can consciously choose to treat everyone I meet with good cheer and respect, including those I find tiresome, annoying, patronizing, ignorant, or even bigoted or scary (that’s going to take substantial effort in the sincere smile and non-judgy vibe department, but I’ll try, I really will try).
I don’t have a lot to offer others. I can sing, I can speak, and I can write, and I try to use those talents for good (I typed “God” there for a sec – HA! God=good so same difference!) People seem to enjoy my singing, and a couple hundred people have stuck with this blog, which I hope means they enjoy my writing.
It’s pretty obvious that what the world needs now is love. I can throw my pebble of love into the murky pool of water we’re all trying to keep our heads above, and hope the ripples touch a few people who need a break, a kind word, or a helping hand.
Wishing you many moments of unexpected kindness, I remain
your still-working-on-love-and-laughter-especially-in-these-dark-times,
Ridiculouswoman
I don’t want to add to the negativity, but I am compelled to speak out against Donald Trump at every opportunity. My own friends are getting bored with my attacks, but I realize that’s what Trump wants. He wants us to just get tired of fighting him and give in. I have to keep reminding myself of the words of Edmund Burke, “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is that good men do nothing.”
Keep on keeping on. Keep adding positivity to the world.
I think about that quote every day. My way of doing something is to try to be a quiet example of decency, mostly to remind myself that it can still exist. I don’t like myself when I’m angry all the time, and I hope instead to use my words to encourage a change of behavior, toward compassion and empathy (which, by the way, Musk is reported to have said is the main flaw of democracy). But he got his hand slapped in a cabinet meeting, his rocket blew up again, and Tesla sales are tanking. What you send out in the world has a way of circling back, y’know? Which is why I’ll keep trying with the love plan! Thanks, Earl! Keep speaking up!
The above is how we should all live our lives. It’s why I’ve worked for nonprofits my entire career, and am still seeking a position in one so that I can continue doing good. I might not be rich in money, but I’m very wealthy when it comes to changing the lives of others. You just keep on doing what you’re doing. We need to spread that word far and wide! Change is often incremental. Little acts of love add up. It’s also what makes us different from the rest. No matter what the other side says, Jesus didn’t care who you were – he gravitated toward the meek and helpless, the lowest of the low and the forgotten. He didn’t care about money (re: the Pharisees at the temple), but was generous with his love. The last thing I am is religious, but I could totally see myself doing the things he did – giving of himself with love, and expecting nothing in return.