Believing in Process

The US Constitution provides the structure for America’s governance. Our governance. Similar constitutions in each of the 50 states provide the governance process in each state of the union. Contracts of all sorts accomplish the same thing for partners in business deals, or corporations and daily operations of companies large and small.

Process. How we do business together. How we relate with one another fairly and with justice. Every day. Year in and year out. Process.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013 President Obama while in Africa told a newsman that American support is for Egypt, not a specific leader. Our support is based on believing in a nation’s process. When that process goes awry then American support must seek a new basis for supporting the nation.

Think about that for a moment. The process in Libya was broken and misused by Muammar Gaddafi. The people suffered because of that broken process. America did not support the broken process. Same with Egypt and Hosni Mubarak. Note: both Gadaffi and Mubarak are gone. One is dead. One is in prison.

The same is happening in Syria. And Palestine, Iraq, Iran, and other north African nations. What process could we possibly support if we are to ultimately support the people of a nation?

It might help to understand once and for all that the common denominator of all the countries named above are cultures of warring religions. Where process goes awry the most and worst is when religious leadership takes the place of national leadership.

Muslim nation? Which sect has hegemony over the others? What of other religions outright like Judaism, Hinduism, Christianity, and so forth? If you are not of the majority faith or mightiest in government power, what are your chances of living a life of peace and tranquility? And respect? Will you be dominated and belittled? Will you be tortured or even murdered or imprisoned?

We have fought bitter wars to help other nations. Our national treasury has spent trillions on such wars. Thousands of our youngest and brightest have paid with their lives. Many tens of thousands more have paid with lasting injuries and disabilities for their efforts.

And yet bitter rivalry and wars continue in many lands. Over wealth? Power? Religion?

What is the latest trend in causing strife among mankind?  Take your pick. But in my mind the greatest force to create discord is religious intolerance. The religions themselves are not at fault. The theology and culture surrounding it are beautiful and time honored. No, it is the followers and those seeking personal power through leadership of religious followers who make the noise and the hate. They seek strife as a means to power. They manipulate religious followers into thinking theirs is the one true way to a lasting life in heaven or whatever passes as heaven.

Bosh! Our nation was founded on separation of church and state. I know it was settled in a court case and not in the constitution. But the framers of the American constitution were quite definite in their intent: structure a government without ties to religion. Being a believer in God was not a requirement. Neither was being an atheist. But definitely no religion.

Today you will still hear people declare that America is a Christian nation. It is not. Never was. Christianity and the constitution have nothing to do with each other except the constitution makes certain Christianity and all other religions are free to practice their beliefs; just not in the name of the nation.

So let’s keep church and state very separate. They both have a role to play in our lives. Neither, however, has control over the other. Neither do their leaders.

If only our political parties would observe this! And our so called allies throughout the world. Process spells out the proper relationship among things and people. It is important. It works.

Peace. Shalom!

July 3, 2013