Battle cries, bumper stickers and slogans are rarely as telling as those from the revolution of the last generation. One of the best is "No Justice, No Peace," a great admission of secularism and the devotion to the impossible.
Justice is a social concept in legal drag. It masquerades as an element of human life but changes with the culture. Justice in Missouri is a lot different from justice in Kabul. Justice in Renaissance Italy was different from now. Essentially it is a provincial concept, unstable but inspiring. And righteousness is a fierce force.
But unrewarding. There is little we can do to change our world that does not start within our immediate sphere. Global concepts almost always must be enforced militarily unless they evolve, gradually, by personal contact. Like a doctor, we must heal ourselves and those who are close by. Any national or global movement is vulnerable to those first steps.
And the basic rule is personal, biblical and a lousy bumper sticker. It entails both the relationship with one's self and one's neighbor. It is the great stepping off point for our personal, social and national lives.
No Forgiveness, No Peace.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment