On October 24, people in 181 countries came together for the most widespread day of environmental action in the planet's history. At over 5200 events around the world, people gathered to call for strong action and bold leadership on the climate crisis.
At the only 350.org event listed as being held in Colorado Springs, I was pleased to find a dozen people gathering together at Broadmoor Community Church for a 350.org Dialogue. Besides meeting some kindred souls, we had a great discussion about the division (dualism) that splits our culture and our church. We shared a hope that taking action as an individual could lead to a discourse that helps fill the gap between the two opposing sides of this issue.
One never knows how the small actions you take will affect the world. Individual actions might be just what's needed if one considers the notion of sensitive dependence on initial conditions in chaos theory. Perhaps our small actions will make a huge difference. If concerned individuals keep praying, acting, and hoping - we just might be able to overcome the disastrous inaction caused by the moral or spiritual belief that only two possible fundamental concepts exist.
Deep inside of us I believe we all can sense the logical fallacy of false dilemma (also called false dichotomy, the either-or fallacy). Let's work together to steer clear of the negative forces that put us into a situation in which only two alternatives are considered, when in fact there are other options.
10/18/2009
Bono's Audacity to Hope
Back in 2006 as I was watching Bill Hybels interview Bono at the Willow Creek Leadership Summit and wondering what can Bono have to do with leadership, especially leadership in the evangelical church. I was surprised as Bono spoke about the churches role in eradicating extreme (stupid) poverty. As it turns out, this interview was a message that awoke the church or at least acted as a tipping point for action on this issue. It was a message of hope in the midst of a dreadful slumber. At each successive Willow Creek Leadership Summit, I have seen an increasing awareness and desire to solve extreme poverty.
As an Op-Ed Guest Columnist in this mornings New York Times, Bono published an excellent article entitled Rebranding America. I believe this article has the potential to bring hope to an America that has been focused on right thinking at the expense of right living. Bono calls us to adopt the audacity to hope - joining together with an American president whose heart seems set on bringing hope to a tired and hopeless world.
We have a long way to go, but I sense the direction is slowly changing towards freedom from the power of selfish darkness that has so strongly influenced our recent history. While there are still plenty who oppose both President Obama and Bono, I'm reminded of a quote by Albert Einstein, "Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence."
As an Op-Ed Guest Columnist in this mornings New York Times, Bono published an excellent article entitled Rebranding America. I believe this article has the potential to bring hope to an America that has been focused on right thinking at the expense of right living. Bono calls us to adopt the audacity to hope - joining together with an American president whose heart seems set on bringing hope to a tired and hopeless world.
We have a long way to go, but I sense the direction is slowly changing towards freedom from the power of selfish darkness that has so strongly influenced our recent history. While there are still plenty who oppose both President Obama and Bono, I'm reminded of a quote by Albert Einstein, "Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence."
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