Yes, the title is properly written, though generally, we ask why has our G-d, by any name we address Him, forsaken us? I believe in this case, we have forsaken Him and along with that goes the wholesale abandonment of true religion, true belief and observance, from the most visibly observant to the secular Humanist. We have all forgotten Our Maker, Our Creator and wandered, or even rushed, down the most awful, uncaring, barbaric paths that a human can tread. The bitter cherry on top? The fact that we revel in these paths, boast about them, and defend them with a grossly misplaced passion.
Over and over again, we read in the Bible and other religious texts, how G-d comes rushing to the aid of the righteous. Granted, at times, terrible times this aid comes at a slower pace than we pray for, but who are we to judge G-d's timing. Certainly not we, the pleaders, the sinners, the awful perpetrators or tolerators of the most egregious acts ever, as we revel in their reports, as we wallow in the mud of its reeking, putrid horror.
We have forgotten our humanity. We are living and reliving the worst moments and traits of humanity and then are so righteous in our forgetfulness, our thoughtlessness, our hypocrisy as we replicate the worst moments of humankind. Not understanding why so much grief, so much anger today? I suggest you peruse a paper or two, check out the reliable, fact filled media. Reading too much for you? Look at those damned pictures, and you will understand - or should - if there remains any drop of pure, honest, full disclosure self-evaluation.
And no, I am not removing myself from our miserable, shameful behavior, for all of us, you and I, they, them, and us are equally responsible, as guilty, as by commission or omission, explicitly or implicitly, we allow the worst of us to continue. Topping that, or actually falling to a deeper depth of depravity, we actually cheer it on.
So, what the hell am I referring to? Generally, the entire gestalt of life today. We tolerate the worst behavior of our supposed leaders. We refuse to acknowledge their criminal and moral misbehavior and make excuses for them. We overlook the bad in the name of some perverted 'good' we see in them. The eye power amazes me as they can see good where there is none. The hypocrisy of these supposed examples of civic duty and their supporters or excuse makers, sicken me. Surely, in the vast billions of people, better choices, can, should be made.
In fact, for all claiming true belief and observance, any belief system, we are supposed to understand that good coming out of bad, out of sin, bears with it consequences. The charitable donations of the thief do not wash clean his sins, his antisocial deeds. Removal from the actual misdeeds of humanity, simply observing and saying, doing nothing, not making one damned sound of protest - well, the consequences are upon us. We are not immune to these consequences, however much we try to delude ourselves that we are.
Okay, folks. Here are the proverbial last straws that simply broke me yesterday, a day of religious importance, be it a Saturday or Sunday or Friday or whenever. A day when I have time to think, to learn, to wonder, to cry. The horror of the war in Ukraine, and worse, the indifference of too many, individuals and countries, as they weigh the inconveniences vs a strong response to war crimes. Failing to understand the lessons of time as they back down under threats and blackmail from the violators of what should be a civilized society. Why are we not there yet. How many more millennia will it take? And we call upon G-d to remedy our errors! Why? He did nothing. We did.
Worse, the poignant photo of the 24 little ones in Thailand, killed, brutally, as they lay napping in their preschool daycare. Oh, they were not 'ours' were they? Tsk, tsk, terrible - and what were we talking about? No - they are ours. In fact, we have been there, done that, time and time again and how many more murders, savage, cruel, barbaric in the extreme, are we to allow before we understand, internalize the reality - we are responsible for all. We allow society to deteriorate to the point where so many think it okay to take out grievances, real or imagined, simple or complex, real or imagined, upon the most vulnerable of that society. Blame has nothing to do with it. In fact, kids are the most innocent of all of us.
One more, and then we can all go on with the rest of our lives, tsk, tsking away as we stroll through the hours, the days, the weeks, the months, the decades that are so otherwise experienced by many. It is a fact, no matter how long one has been living in this country, native or immigrant (uh oh - a dirty word) someone or you yourself, came to this country with a dream, a need, a responsibility to others. It might be escape from oppression or a severe economic reality, to the point of starvation. It might be a drought or a rising sea level, to the point of no return, negating food production and/or ability to remain and survive. Whatever it is, how dare we sit there smugly and deny this right to others. Who are we to determine that we are the blessed ones, and everyone else can go hang! Who are we to deny the right to live here because they are now turning 21, aging out of DACA. They are Americans.
Furthermore, take a good, long, hard look at the struggles of those desperately needing to leave places where life is worth nothing. Take a good long hard look at those trekking through perilous territory, along with kids, babies, grandparents, with nothing but the clothes on their backs- nurses, doctors, teachers, storekeepers, students, babies, workers, future leaders, inventors, literary lions - and then accuse them all of being criminals! Were our ancestors criminal as they banged on the door to enter? Why do we wish to repeat the wrong rather than do what is right.
The anguish on the faces. The determination to make it. The salvation, always, of the Goldeneh Medina, the Golden Mountain, where the gold of hard work allows people to survive. And if there are a few bad bananas in the bunch well, hate to break it to you but we got plenty of those here already. (For reference and lists of rotten bananas, I suggest checking the current local and national GOP).
Folks, we all must do better, be better, think with hearts rather than emulate the hard heart of the Biblical Pharoah. We all know what he reaped. Are we at that point too? We must, of necessity, dig deeper, open the pathways of the heart, the soul, if we are to remain human, worthy of being here.
We are the ones who deserted G-d. We are the ones who have turned away from that which should be treasured. We are the ones who are the hypocrites as we bang on the chest in repentance, or confer with the Imam, the Pastor, the Reverend, confess to the Priest, or a Rabbi - and then go back and do the same as before -or worse.
We are the forsakers. We had better return soon.
And hope that our return is on time and approved.
And this time do it the right way, not with empty ostentatious actions, but rather with true recognition of the 'sameness' of humanitnd our obligations to serve G-d or any belief system with true values and deeds.
PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO A JEWISH HOLIDAY THERE WILL BE NO POST TOMORROW AND Tuesday. I WILL RETURN WEDNESDAY MORNING WITH A NEW ONE. IN THE MEANWILE, WHY NOT CATCH UP ON THOSE YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED.
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