Conversation changes the world
Conversation changes the world. To suggest to someone that their ideas will be heard and acted upon is the most radical thing we can do. Any time we listen to someone that is what we are conveying.
:- Doug.
Archive for November 21st, 2005
The world’s largest conversation…
To our good friends–
Yesterday afternoon I was struck with the idea of the world’s largest conversation. What would that mean, what would it look like? It could be done on e-mail and Websites. It could be done certain evenings of X weeks in a row. It could be done in one event. The topic would have to be a big one that engages people all around the world. Peace might be a good one, or peace in Iraq. Or feeding the hungry. Or raising people out of poverty. What world wide conversation would advance the human race?
:- Doug.
Turn me around stuff
To our good friends–
Turn me around stuff in Marcus Borg’s The Heart of Christianity, in the chapter I have just finished: the Bible is as much political as it is personal. That explains for me why it often seemed to me that G-d had a large place in his heart for the poor and downtrodden. It is really a matter of love: love all creation, not just the wealthy. Borg carries it further: love all creation, not just human beings. This is important stuff and brings my notions of conversation directly into spirituality. It is the nature of G-d to love all creation: this includes how we work in and love creation ourselves. It is loving all of humanity to involve all in conversation. It is a radical political idea as well: not just the wealthy and the leaders, who are self-perpetuating, but everybody. All have good ideas. All can make change. The powerful are threatened by that notion, for then they might be out. All converse could mean all converse. More likely, though, it will mean all improve.
:- Doug.
