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Amanda Marcotti’s op-ed column last week, “Religion Keeps Finding Way into Public School,” was a “cry in the wilderness.” In her mind, Florida’s new law allowing “inspirational” messages at non-compulsory school events is an open door for religionists to irritate, demean, and even bully unsuspecting students.
Believing in a power beyond materiality, I gain hope by reminding myself that philosophers, scholars and just good thinkers through the ages have known mankind needs inspiration. The dictionary defines inspiration as animating action or influence. Actually it all began as storytelling around a campfire.
It is sad that some have forgotten that creativity, ingenuity and inspiration are not exclusive to religion or a religious doctrine. Goodness is its own reward and doesn’t need a sponsor.
An atheist may believe we would be better off to obviate all reference to God and in so doing realize all we have to look forward to is death and oblivion. I don’t find that very inspiring.
On the other hand belief in a god who encourages followers to think of themselves as limited and evil, and to act with evil intent toward others is no more inspiring than atheism. Doing evil in the name of some god is no different than doing evil in the name of no god.
What we need is a paradigm shift. Neither religious bullying nor dark oblivion will help us in our quest to lead lives that bless ourselves and mankind. Students don’t need to be taught more doubt concerning their own well-being and fear of the future. There is much good in America, however many young people are depressed and revert to drugs, suicide and, as evidenced in Colorado last week, uncontrolled violence.
As a teacher with a family of sales people I have heard many inspirational talks. Some have been in churches, but the vast majority were not, nor did they promote a religious doctrine. A case in point is the speech given in May by the president of Rotary International, Kalyan Banerjee. Banerjee is from Gujarat, India. He told many stories of people around the world making a difference in working to eradicate illiteracy, disease and poverty.
It was the best speech I ever heard. It was not just inspiring; it was awesome. It was the real thing demonstrating goodness of the highest order.
Yes, prayer belongs in the closet of our individual consciousness as Amanda’s column suggests. But God’s love is not something we put on a shelf from Sunday to Sunday.
Working in a local high school I often shared thoughts of joy, beauty and peace with students. Students in trouble with the law or trapped in a violent home situation needed inspiration. They sought someone to build up their self confidence.
My deepest regret is I did not spend more time inspiring one of my students, who, caught in a moral dilemma, took his own life.
School trips and events provide a broader world view, and during those outside activities there can be time for students to seek answers to their deepest doubts concerning identity and troubling relationships. Today good answers seldom come from peers or our popular media.
Students don’t need protection from pure honesty, selfless love or convictions based on the Infinite Principle that keeps crime in check. Yes, a paradigm shift is necessary to lift humanity above the mundane, the fearful and the depressing.
We all need inspiration that leads to a higher concept of God and therefore a more compassionate humanity.
