Posted by
peripheral on Monday, April 12, 2010 6:12:10 AM
From My Perspective - - -
E Pluribus Unum – fact or fiction? It’s a great slogan for the nation
but does it really happen? Does it have true, credible and practical
meaning? Is there evidence that it has worked so far? Should we ask the
American Indian Tribal peoples in this regard? What if we could ask
those who were brought to this country to be Slaves – what would they
think or say? The people who streamed through Ellis Island to the
shores of our nation – who journeyed far to find hope and realized
potential – how would they respond? Those who passed by and observed
The Statue of Liberty who might not have been able to read the
Inscription on her base: "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled
masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming
shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me. I lift my lamp
beside the golden door." – did they find this to be true in their
experience and acceptance into the Novus Ordo Seclorum (Latin for "New
Order of the Ages") that appears on the reverse of the Great Seal of
the United States?
E Pluribus Unum - describes an action: Many uniting into one. An
accurate translation of the motto is "Out of many, one", The motto was
selected by Charles Thomson when he created the final Great Seal of the
United States in 1782 and inscribed E PLURIBUS UNUM on the scroll
carried in the beak of the American bald eagle who carries the power of
peace in his right talon. Diversity is a foundational part of the
genesis of this nation – but – has it instead become a division of
people and ethnic groups? Politically, there is discussion of the
disparity between the classes – rich or middle class or poor. The idea
of “class divides” and distinctions can be hideous. It views people as
pawns – those who are vulnerable and who can be manipulated. Rather
than make this type of distinction, would it not be more helpful to
challenge people in terms of their potential and try to motivate them
to be ambitious and creative and to move from one “class” to another?
Is the concept of redistribution of wealth the best and only resolve to
gain some sort of an artificial equality among all people groups?
So much of Political-Speak can be designated as Hogwash – that is –
“refuse given to hogs; swill; any worthless stuff; meaningless or
insincere talk, writing; nonsense; bunk.” The Word Origin and History
states: “from hog + wash; originally "slops fed to pigs;" extended to
"cheap liquor" (1712) then to "inferior writing" (1773).” In the
process of Governmental Programs, are the poor more often than not
still being viewed as those described in the Inscription on the Statue
of Liberty – “The wretched refuse of your teeming shore…”? The
Philosophy that suggests: “if you give a hungry man a fish, you will
feed him for a day – if you teach him how to fish – you’ll feed him for
a lifetime” – would this not be a better approach to facing and
alleviating the vast disparity within our nation (and several other
places in the world)?
From a religious viewpoint, how well does/has E Pluribus Unum worked?
Is there unity among the Churches and Denominations? Is diversity of
people groups a reality in the pews of this nation? Is there a valid
community outreach to minister to some of “your tired, your poor, Your
huddled masses yearning to breathe free”? Or, is that just jargon and
more Hogwash to which so many have been subjected – politically and
religiously? For His followers and His Church, Jesus prayed – John
17:9-11 – “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but
for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are
yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no
longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you.
Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they
may be one, even as we are one.” Has this worked? Is it working now? We
read this same thought in Ephesians 4:1-3 – “…I urge you to live a life
worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and
gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort
to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace…” Is this
working satisfactorily in and among the Churches, if so, where? The
overall consideration – both politically and religiously in terms of
functioning credibly toward people – If not now, when? If not here,
where? Some is done by proxy through organizations such as Samaritan’s
Purse and World Vision – but isn’t it supposed to be personal rather
than proxy? Consider these things with me!