Comments

Preach it! You're bang on!!

Posted by Heidi Reimer-Epp [Botanical PaperWorks] at September 8, 2008 3:46 PM

What wonderful words: "The more pissed off you are, the more you reach out to be civil. Period." This is the essence of turning the other cheeck. It is also the necessity of being in control of yourself. Turning the other cheeck sometimes feels like the greatest of tests, especially when there is a perceived wrong. But the more it is practised, as anything else, the easier it becomes; the response is often also greater, more positive, than being uncivil. I try to practice this daily. My mother would say, "stop trying, Judith, and just do it!" OK. I'm gonna do it. Thanks, TP, for these encouraging words. They are important indeed.

Posted by Judith Ellis at September 8, 2008 10:13 PM

So true. And it can't be a pretend civility. It has to be genuine and real. I guess that happens more when you seperate the 'sin' from the 'sinner'. The greatest leaders of our era - Gandhi, King Jr., Mandela really became great because they'd cracked this. Hate the sin, not the sinner.

Posted by Porus Munshi at September 8, 2008 11:29 PM

Porus - I agree with the spirt of your comment. But this dichotomy often reeks of a pious self-righteous lack of love.

Posted by Judith Ellis at September 9, 2008 12:21 AM

Sure it can sound like that if the intent is that. That's why, to be genuine, it really means going within to find a situation where you've behaved in a similar manner and empathizing from that perspective.

Posted by Porus Munshi at September 9, 2008 12:36 AM

I agree, Porus.

Posted by Judith Ellis at September 9, 2008 12:40 AM

Thank you, Mr. Peters. Society reports a scatological mouth these days, impregnating everything with the admired mediocrity. It is the greatest imperative to request thorough civility and for people to be civilized.

One does not need to rally in favor of the pace or environmentalist movements (or other great causes as well), among zillion others, using a stream of vocal profanities and misbehavior.

I support all bloggers who are strongly into civility.

Posted by Andres Agostini (Andy) at September 9, 2008 9:41 PM

Brilliant!

Take your eyes off of yourself...
give up the right to be offended...
forgive...
really forgive...

Posted by Dan King at September 17, 2008 12:20 PM

Beautiful, Dan, thank you for such a reminder.

Posted by Judith Ellis at September 17, 2008 8:06 PM