What is the Basis of “Social Justice”?

My friend recalled when he was an Instructor of “Religious Education” for Public High School Sophomore Students, at his church. The topic for the entire year was: “Practicing Social Justice”.

On the 1^st class night, after the 14 students introduced themselves, my friend introduced “Social Justice” as creating equal opportunity & fair treatment for all. Then he asked, “Before we open our workbooks, why would we want to treat everyone fairly?”

The Above YouTube Music Videos captures the Essence of this Blog Post Message

He looked directly at the student in front of him and asked, “Why would you care if Bob, next to you, were treated fairly, or given equal opportunity? What’s your motivation?” A Blank Stare. So, he asked Bob, “Why would you care if Jenny, next to you, were treated fairly? What’s your motivation?” Another Blank Stare. My friend then looked at the other dozen students, and said, “Rather than ask each of you individually, does anyone know why they would care If a friend, or more importantly, a stranger, were treated fairly?”

One brave student meekly replied with a question, “Because it is the right thing to do?” Good answer, but “Why is it the right thing to do?” A very quiet room full of Blank Stares. Let’s consider some options:

Because it is Politically Correct? While that is a popular answer, it is a fragile, transient answer. It’s subject to change, whichever way the winds of the majority’s whims are blowing. There is no Universal, Timeless Foundation to Political Correctness.                 

Because it is Ideologically Progressive to help people in need? That is certainly a noble intent, but doesn’t address WHY we would want to do that. In Fact, that intent is in direct opposition to what you learn in school about “Evolution”:                                

• “The Evolution of living things is the result of Random Chance through Time, formed by the Natural Selection of the Survival of the Fittest.”  
• The “Survival of the Fittest” doesn’t care about the weak or needy of its species. It only cares about its own “Survival”.

So, that Progressive Ideology is contrary to Our Basic Nature of Self-Interest, which is subject to Change, by Random Chance

The above YouTube music video expresses the essence that we are all God’s Children, Members of the Body of Christ.

The Universal, Timeless, Rock-Solid Foundation of “Social Justice” is found in The Sanctuary of our Soul.      

• We were “Created in the Image & Likeness of God, to be “Children of God, & Heirs to Heaven.
• And “God so loved the world, that He sent his only Son (Jesus Christ to die for our sins) so that all who believe in Him, shall not perish, but have Eternal Life,”
  
• And Christ said, “I give you One Command: To love God, and to love each other, as I (Christ) have loved you,”                                                                                                 
• Then the Basis to Treat Everyone Fairly, with equal Opportunity & Justice, is because you were Created to Love one another, as Christ has loved you. (You don’t have a soul. You Are a Soul. You have a body. – C. S. Lewis)
  

The Above YouTube Music Video Captures the Expression of the Blog Post Messages Above

BTW: You may consider caring about some else a “Sacrifice”. The word “Sacrifice” does Not mean “Loss”. The word “Sacrifice” comes from 2 Latin words: Sacri Faciam” – “To make Holy”. Sacrifice is Holy. Sacrifice is also an Act of Love.

Now. Open your workbooks.

Two 13-Year OId Girls Singing on AGT & an 88-Year Old Grandpa Winning BGT

My friend excitedly told his family about 3 performers. They were all entertaining and inspirational.

One was a 13-year old girl who came on stage nervous, and barely able to talk. But when Laura Bretan began to sing “Nessun Dorma”, Pavarotti would have been proud. Rather than try to describe the beauty and soul-stirring singing of this unique gift from God, see & listen for yourself.

The Judges were stunned, euphoric, and unanimous in gushing praise.

Simon: “You came on stage like a jelly. But then, that just happened. I didn’t hear anything like that in all the years I’ve been doing this show. Seriously.”

Heidi Klum: “You were born with such a gift. It’s unbelievable. I couldn’t stop smiling.”

Mel B.: “You made all the hairs (on my arms) stand on end. You changed our lives.”

Howie Mandel: “OMG.” And at the Finals he said, “Everyone can see & hear your talent. But I don’t know if the people at home can feel your immense heart, like we feel it here, in person.”

Please listen  to the equivalent of the US “Voice”: Vocea Romanei Junior – Finals (Laura Bretan – “I Dreamed a Dream”). You will see, hear, and feel the Peace & Joy of her companionship with God.

Darci Lynne Farmer, the other 13-year old girl won AGT, but as a ventriloquist singing through a puppet. The 4 Judges’ reactions were equally enthusiastic, and marveled at her skill to sing through a rabbit.

Please listen: Darci Lynne Farmer all AGT auditions and performances. Some of the Judges’ comments of her performance at the “Finals” were:

Simon: “Wow. Wow. Wow. Darci. Singing opera is very difficult. And you just did it singing though a rabbit. You have a chance to win this thing.”

Mel B.: “You absolutely have a chance to win. You deserve it, and much, much more.”

Howie: “You continue to surprise. You sang difficult songs, with different puppets thru the audition process: A duet, and now opera. You can win.”

 

Please listen: “Grandpa wins BGT 2019. An 88-year old grandpa & retired British soldier (Colin Thackery) sang a tribute to his deceased wife. After his 1^st audition, a chorus of other old, retired soldiers accompanied the rest of his tribute performances. Colin won BGT. More important than the audiences’ standing ovations, the Judges’ genuine accolades, and the honoring salutes of current British soldiers, were the heart-felt “Congratulations of the Runner-Up”: “To someone like Colin, who gave his life to us: I bow to him. He deserves to win. I love the man.”

The common denominators of All 3 inspiring performers were: An Incredible God-given talent, a life-changing connection with the audience, while being a sweet person with genuine humility. Certainly, God was smiling at the 3 wonderful expressions of the extraordinary talent that He bestowed on them.

If someone doesn’t have a tear in their eye after watching those 3 perform, they need a heart transplant.

A New Look at Lent

My friend told me about his new look at “Lent”. Like Christians for centuries, my friend performed the 3 Lenten rituals – Prayer. Fasting. Alms-giving. All 3 Lenten practices are deeply rooted in Biblical verses concerning Lamentation.

Certainly, God’s sacrifice of His Son by allowing Him to become man, and suffer & die on the Cross, to atone for the sins of all of humanity, is the ultimate sacrifice in history. No question. So, in gratitude for Good Friday, Christians would sacrifice something. personal.

They would give-up a favorite food, like chocolate, or a favorite activity, like going to the movies. Their sacrifice was Repentance (“Create n me a new clean heart”), and Penance for the sins they committed. Their focus of Lent was on Good Friday. Christians expressed their gratitude to Christ for the Forgiveness of All Sin, for Everyone, Forever.

It was important to acknowledged that he was a sinner So, my friend “Repented” his sin:

• by removing self-reliance as the answer to his security & joy.
• by removing prejudice, recognizing that others are “Made in the image and likeness of God”,
• by surrendering his need to be right.

And did some type of “Penance” by “Giving-Up” something he enjoyed, like a food, o drink, or activity.

But he often failed. (Like St. Paul wrote, “When I want to do good, I don’t. And when I want to avoid evil, I do it anyway.”) God already knew that, and acquitted him anyway, “AS Is”.

So, my friend decided to focus on Easter, to focus on the “Resurrected” loving relationship with God. He realized that Easter gave man hope to believe in Jesus Christ, to believe that man could experience the presence of God within himself, on a personal basis.

The requirement of this “New Covenant” of a personal relationship with God was to love God with his whole heart, mind, and soul, and love others as Christ loves him. He acknowledged that the world, with one exception (him), was made up of others. Many of these others worked in low paying jobs, as retails clerks, drive-thru servers, cashiers, etc. (ALL were Members of the Body of Christ).

The above YouTube music video expresses the essence of sharing what you have, asking nothing in return.

• So, he began to give each service person a buck ($1) and saying “Thanks”, at their Service Window.
• Then, he also would include a word of encouragement – a brief supportive poetic verse, (if possible, while waiting).
• At Times, he gave them a “Blessing”: “For the rest of your life, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.”

The result was always a wide smile, sometimes a tear.

This communal loving relationship was the functional expression of the “Body of Christ” – all members different from each other, caring for each other, in different ways, all valued the same by God. That’s the Cosmic Beauty & Power of the “Body of Christ” relationship.

My friend’s “New Look at Lent“ by Repenting: “Create in me a new, clean heart”, and Penance by “Loving one another as I (Christ) love you”  fulfills Christ’s mission on Good Friday & Easter Sunday, reconciling God & man. My friend’s “New Look at Lent” experiences the presence of God in the Sanctuary of his soul, Not by Giving-Up Something, but by Doing an Act o Kindness.

BTW: The word “Sacrifice” does Not mean “Loss”. The word”Sacrifice” comes from 2 Latin words: “Sacri Faciam” – “To make Holy”. Doing an Act of Kindness is Holy. It’s also an Act of Love.

The Above YouTube Music Video with Lyrics Captures the essence of this Blog Post’s Message.

• My friend shared this message with his family.
• Like seed sown among Good Soil, Rocks & Thorns, some will. Some won’t. So What.
• Members of the “Body of Christ” are only responsible for their Effort, thru Grace.
• God is responsible for outcomes: “Opening Minds. Softening Hearts. Touching Souls,

This Lent, Sacrifice something by Doing an Act of Kindness.

When Neighbors Knew (and cared for) Each Other
My friend told me about a time when neighbors knew each other. Enjoyed each other. Helped each other. These back-in-the-day stories weren’t sanitized by selective memory, or contaminated by a “Good-Old-Day” mentality. There was plenty of “Bad” back then, but neighborly concern was a genuine, real thing.

My friend lived on a Cul-du-Sac of 9 homes. The entire 172 home subdivision was organized in groups of the 9-home, “Horse-Shoe” arrangements, called “Courts”. That design encouraged neighborly interactions.

My friend was distraught when his next-door neighbor was being transferred. His neighbor was an IBM Executive who received a promotion, but in a different state. As next-door neighbors, they enjoyed many spontaneous back-yard Bar-B-Cues, “Court” cocktail parties, or occasional concerts, movies, and plays. They would be sorely missed, and hard to replace.

My friend was rudely introduced to his “New Next-Door Neighbor” by the cacophonous snorting of an old snowblower starting-up. At 6 am, 45 minutes prior to my friend’s scheduled wake-up, the new neighbor decided to snow-blow his driveway. There was no going back to sleep. A surge of “Black Bile” was raging through my friend’s veins, building towards anger of “Pop-eye” proportions of, “I can stands no more”.

My friend lifted his bedroom shade to get a glimpse at this guy. He couldn’t find him on his driveway next-door. But he did see a non-forecasted, 6-inch snowfall. Then he saw that the new neighbor was clearing my friend’s driveway. When finished, the new neighbor rang my friend’s doorbell and said, “I didn’t want your kids to be late for school, or you late for work, so I cleared your driveway. I apologize for my noisy snowblower.” He turned and left, before my friend could mutter, “Thanks”. They became best friends.

That example of one-on-one, neighborly good will was exemplified throughout the Court, throughout the year. An example of collective neighborly kindness was the annual “Christmas Carole Party”.

The above music video expresses the essence of this blog post.

All 9-Court neighbors met at my friend’s home on the Saturday, a week before Christmas, to prepare to visit other Courts and sing Christmas Carols, at homes with small children. (Everyone knew where they were.) My friend always provided sufficient alcoholic beverage to embolden the less-gifted singers to brave the cold. This was a walking, pilgrimage from home to home, Court to Court. And lasted over an hour and a half.

They started with the most receptive homes to sharpen their collective singing skills. They sang 1 Christmas Carole at each home, always ending with, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” The reactions were all the same. The kids jumped up & down and giggled . The mothers smiled & cried. The Caroling Crew was heading back to my friend’s home for a delightful bowl of warm chili, when someone shouted, “What about Don’s home.”

Don was a handsome, virile, successful man in the prime of his life. He was stricken with an incurable, rapidly progressing cancer. (That devastating event disturbed all 172 home owners. It was a random reminder that “Tomorrow is promised to no one.”) Nothing more was said as the frozen crew turned, and headed for Don’s home.

There was a slight delay after they rang the doorbell, and before Don’s wife, Nancy, opened the front door. She seemed perplexed by the motley crew assembled around her doorstep. My friend said, “We came to sing a Christmas Carole to Don.” Nancy replied that Don was too feeble to come to the door. My friend said, “We will sing to you.”, and the group sang “Silent Night”. (The Shepherds & Angels did not provide a more poignant honoring on that 1^st Christmas night, in Bethlehem.) Nancy said “Thanks”. As she began to close the door, Don appeared behind her, dressed in pajamas & a robe, giving the “Thumbs-Up” sign.

The Court Crew instinctively began a rousing rendition of “O Come All Ye Faithful” that rivaled the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They didn’t miss a beat transitioning into “We Wish you a Merry Christmas.” They all waved and walked away, as Nancy & Don hugged each other in the doorway.

Genuine neighbors (regardless of gender) are like a bridge over troubled waters – like the music video below:

Nancy visited each neighbor on my friend’s Court after Christmas, saying that, that was Don’s Best Christmas Gift, ever.

Don died shortly after New Years.

The above YouTube music video expresses the essence of this blog post’s message.

In today’s Electronic Culture, not only don’t individuals know their neighbors, they don’t even acknowledge each other when sitting together, at the same table, in a restaurant. The extent of Today’s “Personal Relationship” is with the tablet under their nose.

Pity.