12-24-2018, 12:21 AM
(This post was last modified: 12-24-2018, 12:22 AM by Eric the Green.)
Having experienced an awakening myself, in the peak time of awakenings, I do not consider myself as saying that people need awakening as condescending. I know that I have awakened from views I held in the past, and it was the greatest moment of my life. I can only wish for it to happen for all. I can only wish for freedom and liberation for all people, for no-one is free until all are free in a universe to which I am connected it its entirety.
Although I identify as an American, I am first a citizen of the world, and of the universe. I am influenced and supported by the American and European traditions, exoteric and esoteric, whether of the 18th century enlightenment, 19th century romantic and transcendentalist and 20th century modernist, and 15th and 16th century Renaissance and 17th-18th century Baroque, or of the Medieval and Ancient worlds and the pagan cultures, or of the venerable and wise Asian cultures and religions, and those of southern lands.
I don't consider it "American" to erect walls to keep others out. Americans are all immigrants or close descendants thereof, and some preceded whites here by over ten thousand years. The statue of liberty spells out our creed in which we welcome the oppressed and hungry from other lands. It was never assumed that all criminals are welcome here; we have laws. But despite our history of racism, directed at some immigrants, whether imported by us or whether they came on their own, racism is not part of essential American values, and Americans are not presumed to be white. And also, it is distinctly anti-American to claim that Americans are Christians, or even religious at all. The First Amendment makes clear that our nation has no prescribed religion, and all are free to worship or not in the way they choose.
Although I identify as an American, I am first a citizen of the world, and of the universe. I am influenced and supported by the American and European traditions, exoteric and esoteric, whether of the 18th century enlightenment, 19th century romantic and transcendentalist and 20th century modernist, and 15th and 16th century Renaissance and 17th-18th century Baroque, or of the Medieval and Ancient worlds and the pagan cultures, or of the venerable and wise Asian cultures and religions, and those of southern lands.
I don't consider it "American" to erect walls to keep others out. Americans are all immigrants or close descendants thereof, and some preceded whites here by over ten thousand years. The statue of liberty spells out our creed in which we welcome the oppressed and hungry from other lands. It was never assumed that all criminals are welcome here; we have laws. But despite our history of racism, directed at some immigrants, whether imported by us or whether they came on their own, racism is not part of essential American values, and Americans are not presumed to be white. And also, it is distinctly anti-American to claim that Americans are Christians, or even religious at all. The First Amendment makes clear that our nation has no prescribed religion, and all are free to worship or not in the way they choose.