Sunday 16 September 2012

romney's spirit of contention

right now, it feels like romney's experiment in "loosing friends and influencing people (to hate)" is working pretty well.  he has wanted to provoke contention and fighting since the minute he got into the fray.  i cannot for the life of me understand why people aren't calling romney's attack of the president in the midst of an international crisis treason.  for heaven's sake, were weren't sure about the safety of OUR ambasador and other diplomats.

from wiki:
Oran's Dictionary of the Law (1983) defines treason as "...[a]...citizen's actions to help a foreign government overthrow, make war against, or seriously injure the [parent nation]." In many nations, it is also often considered treason to attempt or conspire to overthrow the government, even if no foreign country is aiding or involved by such an endeavour.

think back to the days of freedom fries.  i couldn't even question the validity that there were such huge weapons of mass destruction without being called a any number of unpleasant unpatriotic names.  yet, romney demonstrates to the world, in the midst of conflict that we aren't currently "one nation, under God, indivisible".  romney has fed (or at a minium not condoned) hate-filled unChristian fear mongering whilst in the midst of a crisis.

in the book of mormon, satan is defined or described as the "father of contention".  in part, most of his power comes because "he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another" (3 Ne. 11:29).  satan can only have control of the angry or greedy heart. "for where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." (james 3:16)

Charles Spielberger believed there were three "expressions" of anger (or ways anger is commonly expressed)

  • Outwardly destructive: The idea of blowing something up or punching someone might feel good here.  Or just really yelling some truths at someone.  You are hurting and you want others to hurt.  You want to make something break and make people see how it feels inside to be as hurt or angry as you are.
  •  Inward destruction: wanting to hurt yourself, not wanting to care for yourself, giving up, feeling "un-worth it".  Basically you turn the anger inward, and punish yourself the way you want to be punished or to punish others.
  • Controlled expression of anger:  using the anger to help you learn the barriers to the intimacy or "common good" between the parties.  
obviously, the third is what we are all going for ... or are we?  i think many don't believe that it is possible to use anger for good.  constructive anger is great.  we could use the issues in the middle east right now to heal the wounds many muslim americans feel.  we could reach out in love to our neighbors and friends around the globe and remind them that in america we protect a person's right to say the craziest of things, but that it doesn't mean that america supports it.  in fact, we could all stand tall against the stupid video and explain exactly why we think he is wrong.  i think that might be the most helpful.

 3 Nephi 11:30 says something like"my doctrine to NOT stir up the hearts of men with "anger one against another. Rather, my doctrine is that such drama should be done away".  


doesn't every family have that person that is always stirring up trouble and making people fight?  maybe that is mitt's role?  everywhere he goes, people get offended and start fighting ...

i want him to watch this and adjust his campaign so that his goal is spreading love rather than contention.  i wonder what would happen ..



MC Yogi - Give Love (Giving4Living Mix) from MC Yogi on Vimeo.

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