OOPS!!! IN SO MANY WAYS

  I offer my apologies as I forgot to leave a note that I would not be posting Monday morning. We had an early flight to fly back home after a busy week of celebration. Sorry for any inconvenience. However, I wonder how many of the so-called rulers and leaders of the world can state a simple, apologetic oops along with a promise to do better in the future - and mean it, to try to hold themselves to a promise. In present times in most societies, the answer would be not many. Most of our current proclaimed or elected (more shame on us for that) leaders have garbed themselves in robes of invisibility when it comes to promises false and unkept and assumed the premise of infallibility, one that rivals that of the Pope's. 

Unfortunately, the leaders in my world have fallen willing victims to these egotistical presumptions, both secular and religious and have greatly disappointed and/or shocked me, though I really should not be so affected. I should know better for though worse these days than ever before, at least in my lifetime, it is not a new matter at all. These broken people have been dumping their responsibilities, exaggerated their power, and egregiously, outrageously engaged with the premise of the bigger the lie, the more believed that same lie is, the better the chances of an electorate accepting such lies as words straight from the heavens.

Faith is what has been broken here. Faith in the religious leaders whom we want to be trusted, to be wise, to be caring and to endeavor to understand the needs of their congregations, to be able and willing to interpret the needs, desires. and tenets of their faith- as presented in the religion of that faith in a true and humane manner without tacking on “clarifications” emanating from themselves which are then joined and fortified by others who will see the advantages or misinterpret its end results, or its motivation. Worse is yet to come when future faulty "clarifications", are added to the initial one, causing harm, despair, or robotic acceptance. Eminently, not good. 

Some say these leaders are human. Furthermore, they have dedicated their lives to a profession which demands long hours of work, sometimes self-abnegation, all in the name of caring for the congregation. Solely dedicated to their betterment and adherence to the religion of that faith. Yes, these leaders are human, thus susceptible to error.     However, when these errors are not truly so and originate for the purpose of maintenance of power and influence, and with the stubbornness of a mule and refusal to rethink, reevaluate, the end result is not good. It causes friction and divisions within what should be an entity of "unity”, leading to shame and embarrassment with worse to come. Among those affected there can be an abandonment of the religion, worse, of the faith, and distrust in those leaders of the religion, who actually are providing guidance, particularly in times of woes and stress, and, in fact are good and true leaders. However, when all are dumped together, it is bad news in so many ways. 

There's always debate within a religion. The tenets are often differently interpreted, accompanied or caused by society in constant flux. Right? Wrong? I doubt any one person knows it all, though some presume they do. A needed consensus becomes unachievable, particularly. when that consensus is not desirable, perceived as inimical to individuals or a sect within that religion, certainly to those who wish to maintain their power, their influence, their decisions above all else and forget their true responsibility, the truth of what they took on when they were granted the role of leader of that community. 

The obligation for unity, for consensus allowing for some leeway, welcoming rather than hostile, is front and center, though not particularly honored. Hence, or voila! the state of religions round the world, certainly in Judaism. Much to our harm. For sure. As we expose our dirty laundry, as arguments better contained within that family are shouted out, often raucously so, the public picks up on the hostility and disunity and is easily swayed to mirror that state of being and acts upon it, joining in the fray, hostile to all within that religion plagued by division, particularly Jews. 

The internal divisions are of no matter, for all is conflated and of no concern to them. Again, not good. Not good for the Jews at all, nor for any religion and faith, if it is in both deed and fact to pursue the heart of all true religions and faiths - the ones demanding caring, justice, sharing, kindness, compassion and sacrifice, and to serve the Lord with a full heart and a clear, clean conscience.   To know that any one person does not know it all, though some presume they do and demand honor and power correlating to that level of knowledge, false as it is. 

In the long run and the short run, nothing here speaks of positive futures and strong, heathy, need filling religions and faith.  Instead, there will be, internally and externally, acidic disagreements and battles for power and influence and wealth. Certainly, hostile to a good and true religion at its core. Nothing of true religion. Only flagrant abjuring of the core, combative, with acid eating away the foundations of a just society. In fact, we are pretty damn close to that situation, that caustic reality, are we not! Once again. We'll have abandonment of religion. Breaking off the faith. A discarded guidance. Just when we need them all so greatly. Once again, we will have abandonment of religion, of faith, of guidance and faith, and distrust and discarding of the inner core, the foundations of true religions and faiths. We have already subjected these beliefs to drastic inimical alterations, not beneficial for any side, any religion, any society, even this world in general.  

Look, Pa, and see what we have wrought! 

Aren't we proud!

I hope not.

On the morrow.