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10/21/2004
11. The Principle Of Denying Opposites
Debbie, John and I looked at The Principle of Denying Opposites tonight:
"It does not matter in which faction events have placed you. What matters is for you to comprehend that you have not chosen any faction."
We touched briefly on the anger that some people that choose to support John Kerry level on those that choose not to vote (like me, for example). We then moved on to more interesting experiences.

My uncle told me in an email at one point that my humanist work goes against god because I'm not doing it in the name of the lord. I related that story this week and got a very interesting response.

I believe that faiths have a lot more good points than bad, there is good to be found in most things if you look hard enough for example I think that uncle could even be right. "anything not done in the name of the lord" is open to interpretation, some of the great travesties of history have been done "in the name of the lord" so I am sure your uncle would agree that interpretation is required. He would insist, quite rightly that the interpretation should be made by someone of his own faith. I agree someone of your own faith should always interpret, and you are probably the only person of your faith and therefore the perfect person for the job.

First of all what he calls the Lord is what I call the SB and you call IT. I think that to interpret the Lord as "IT" considering your belief would be a fair thing for you to do.

"done in the name of" well, perhaps this just means "done in a way that is in keeping with the beliefs of".

So if "what you do in the world is in keeping with your belief" then that fits with his rule in your belief, so now he is right in your view. Of course, you are still wrong in his view, he has not moved, but you you have moved and are, theologically, a little closer to him.

I'm really grateful for this re-framing in such a way as to release me from the grips of the faction I'd felt myself in.

Debbie shared some experiences about being labeled a "bad mother." John feels he does a pretty good job staying calm and not seeing car drivers as the enemy when on his bike. Debbie also talked about how factions could sometimes be totally internal. She doesn't know yet if Gerry's going to get the job in California or perhaps one in Texas so has an internal struggle about getting emotionally ready to leave vs. continuing to do the advocacy work necessary for her daughter's education.

Good stuff, all.