Jack’s Winning Words 10/2/20

“When we know better, we do better.”  (Maya Angelou)  As a child I sometimes heard, “You know better than that!”  Of course I did know better, and I would change my behavior because I was taught the difference between right and wrong.  Sometimes it seems like basic morality is disappearing from our world.  Do you remember the song, “What the world needs now is love?”  If we’re to have a better world, it begins with each of us improving the way we live.  What examples of love would improve your world?  ;-) Jack   

FROM LBP:  I like the use of “better” here. It gives grace as we come to know more. It also challenges us to keep learning so we continue to improve. So I guess a gesture of love is to open ones mind to know another’s perspective ===JACK:  I'm reminded of the long-ago Sears Catalog which would list an item with 3 qualities available Good (cheapest), Better (moderate), and Best (expensive).  So, in behavior, better means, not the best, or the worst, either.

FROM SF STILL IN WB:  Maya Angelou is one of my heroes. She would not like what she would see in our country if she was alive.===JACK:  She's one of those people I know enough bout to respect her, but I need to read more...."the rest of the story."===SF:  I was blessed to be able to meet her at a diversity training conference years ago. Quite a force. I read her book, ’I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ years ago and was so inspired. She is an icon of resiliency. 

FROM HONEST JOHN:  I think we have lost the guts to use the word “immoral.”    We substitute “amoral” for it.    That goes back to 19th century liberalism that theorized that if we had enough education, we would overcome ethical difficulties.   I reject this.   We know better.  We just do it anyway.   Trump, for example, is immoral not amoral.   He knows better but he is driven by hiss love of himself.....with no love of God beside it.===JACK:  There's a nuance in the difference between amoral and unmoral.  I think that you surmise that the unmoral knows the difference between moral and immoral.  For me, the amoral person has no concept that something is morally right or wrong. ===HJ:  That’s the point....you let them off the hook when you say “amoral”....as though they don’t know better....Trump knows that lying is wrong.....he accuses others of doing just that....thus, he is immoral....a much greater crime than that which is amoral....let’s recognize sinfulness and see our huge need for redemption and forgiveness....the guts of Christianity are ripped away if we do not. ===JACK:  I can conceive of a person not being aware of the difference between right and wrong.  And, I call that person amoral.  I don't know that there's a word, unmoral...except in philosopher talk.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:    What exactly are morals for today?  I’m not even sure people know what morals are anymore.===JACK:  My point is that there seems to be no common morality.  You know what yours is.  Somebody else knows what theirs is...and they don't necessarily agree.  What's wrong for you may be right in their mind, etc.  We've lost a basic sense of right and wrong.  So, who's to set the "rules" for what is right and what is wrong?  Personally I don't want the "religious right" to it...nor the left, either.  Who does it?===OJ:  Well, as a Christian, you know who set right and wrong.  As long as people dismiss God from their live there is no possible common ground.===JACK:  We may choose Christian (even Judeo-Christian) values, but living among people of diverse religious beliefs, we can not always agree on right and wrong.  Maybe decency is involved here.

FROM SHARIN' SHARON:  I appreciate your WW this morning too.  My own little 2 cents worth comes from the beginning of the WW "When we know better...."  The example of love which I believe would improve my world, improve everyone's world is a greater appreciation of scripture, the Word of God.  The evangelical branch of the Church seems to be very diligently studying the scriptures but as far as my little knowledge of them goes, I don't believe they are working from the sacraments and so I wonder whether they are a bit hampered in actually being intimate with Jesus/God in the way that maybe sacramental faith opens up?  The Priests at Transfiguration are all about "the mind of Jesus" and growing into being in the image of God/Jesus and often before they read the Gospel and preach on it, they actually stand in front of the Altar and lift the Bible up high and kind of revolve it in front of the whole assembly.  I get the impression that many Lutherans are skeptical during our age that the Word of God actually has the answers to questions that are dividing us.  For a couple of years, Bible study at Emmanuel seemed to inquire into folks' "experiences" and stuff from a personal point of view, evidently because that is where the Word of God can be arrived at--what is inside of us or something.  As far as I could tell from what I was experiencing in Bible studies.  It has seemed like a drought of the love of scripture and actually becomes very subjective.  It's a conundrum (I actually don't know what this word means and should look it up but it sounds exactly like I am feeling and not knowing the meaning of conundrum ties in very nicely to my expressing the confusion and chaos and problems with "knowing better" and "being able to love" and so forth and so on.  Seems like a lot of us don't "know better" and that is a problem we need to look at--in my opinion anyway.===JACK:  I always ,like to read what you have to say from your soapbox.

FROM NORM'S BLOG:  I don’t think it is just cynicism when I say that maybe the quote should have been – When we know better, We OUGHT to do better.  There are just so many examples in everyday life where we do know better, but don’t do better.  he whole Black Lives Matter movement is a demonstration of that thought. We know that prejudices and brutality exist within police departments across the country, yet we have not been able to correct that and do better. Stories about local hate crimes against families of color or against members of the LBGTQ community are also examples. We know better, but we don’t do better. Even stories about the impact of climate change are examples of a problem that is well documented and that we know is causing harm, yet too many of us continue practices that further pollute our air and promote those changes. We know better and we ought to do better.===JACK:  I'll always remember the chemistry teacher who took me aside and said, "You can do better that this, Jack."

FROM GOOD DEBT JON:  https://youtu.be/2nGKqH26xlg in many ways this a such a great song. Louis Armstrong What a Wonderful World.  Life is good when you, live, love, and learn.===JACK:  Thanks for the link to a great song.  Louis is an example of one who can be a good singer without necessarily having a melodic voice.  I like the rasp!===JON: I've always loved Armstrong. I suppose I didn't know how important this song was 40 years ago, but always loved it. ===JACK:  I always like it when songs make sense...to learn as well as to be entertained.

FROM WILLMAR REV:  More public display and modeling of a love and respect for God, our country and fellowman, even before our arch-rivals. 0;-) ===JACK  Common decency and kindness is a good beginning.  Have you ever sung the song, They'll know we are Christians by our love?===REV:  Your question has put a reflective smile on my face and warrants an answer, "Yes! Not quite fifty years ago sitting around a campfire with my first youth group in a church just outside of Akron, OH." Another chorus comes to mind now--It only takes a spark   To get a fire going   And soon all those around   Can warm up in its glowing   That's how it is with God's love   Once you've experienced it   You spread His love to ev'ryone   You want to PASS IT ON  0;-)  

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  personal responsibility is what the world needs. blaming others for “misfortunes” is unproductive... it is not love we need as much as we need self-respect again. ===JACK:  This may be off the subject...maybe intrusive, But, "Do people like you?"  What is it that makes a likeable person?  The questions may, or may not be, rhetorical.

FROM CG:    My favorite saying of all sayings.===JACK:  Many disappointments in life can happen because we haven't had decent role-models during the growing up years.  ===CG:  That is so true – I was raised by two narcissists so can you imagine! ===JACK:  Life is strange.  Sometimes we can blame others, sometimes fate and sometimes it comes down to self.  Eventually we have to stope playing the blame game and ask:  What am I going to do about the here and now?