|
On Using Common Sense
North Miami Beach, Florida 2-23-2000 Aaron H. Schectman
THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on issues, ideas and reflections on the times. Published now and
then. Opinions pro or con are welcome.
ON USING COMMON SENSE
Using common sense is one of the rarest commodities available to most of
us. If this is so why is it that people avoid it to rush to beliefs that
belie the notion of commonality?
Take the notion that we have a nation founded over two hundred years ago to
avoid the problems of mother countries drenched in blood over differences in
religion. That, I believe, was a principal reason for people to leave
England, France and a host of other lands where people of the same race and
parentage had fought over who would live on in life after death.
In Michigan yesterday, the race for a nominee for the Republican
presidential campaign was befouled by a religious libel about one of the
candidates. He was pilloried by a well-known religious figure because he
was not the proper kind of "Christian". Another Christian called attention
to this as though it was the crux of differences in politics so as to point
to the right way for the electorate to vote.
It is simplistic to say because this is the second millennium since the
birth of the one called the Son of God and we are therefore living in the
modern age. Being 2000 has nothing to do with how people believe. Those
who believe in Jesus are the descendants of those who fought in bloody
battles to dictate how dissidents must believe. To question the beliefs of
others as a test of correct faith shows we have not progressed beyond an
earlier, bloodier time.
I am saying this badly, but common sense should be used here. If this
nation was founded on the principles of religious freedom, then religion
should free itself from national contests. This is a nation that is
basically white, Protestant, Anglo-Saxon, male oriented and biased in those
directions but this country has made room for those who are different.
Common sense should tell all that the belief of anyone is just that, his
belief. Common sense should tell us that what is going on with religious
tests for candidacy for the presidency of the United States are not
acceptable. Common sense tells me that when the religious right of this
country does this to "Christians", what does it say about me, a Jew, and
other non-Christians?
Telling people in the heat of partisan battles to stop and use common sense
will not work. So, what commonsense solution can we apply here?
Carol's Evaluation: 10 out of 10.
|
 |
|