This is E Pluribus Unum
E Pluribus Unum. Out of many, one.
Sometimes it's hard to see. Even in the tightest circles of fellow Americans. Gathered around the table at family barbecues, huddling at the alters on Sunday with heads bowed close in prayer, and maybe even having late night conversations with the people who live in our own homes. It took two minutes of scrolling through facebook this Independence Day to remember that some of the people I love most think and see the world so very differently. And our ballots each November rarely match. Some of them will remind us of their differing political viewpoints on social medial three or four times a day. There's no pretending that we are wired the same anymore.
How do we remain out of many, one when it feels much more like out of one, many? Can we be faced with the differing opinions of those we respect and not change either our personal views or our love for that fellow human being? It's not easy. Social Psychologists refer to this intense inner conflict as "cognitive dissonance." Politicians, marketers and the enemy capitalize on our inability to deal with cognitive dissonance. And it takes a high level of discipline and maturity to maintain both our own personal convictions alongside our respect for those who don't share them.
To be clear, I do believe there's a struggle between good and evil in this world. That there are both villains and heroes in this story that's still being written about a nation that was born on July 4th, 1776. But you know what else I believe about my fellow Americans? That the majority of us want the same things. We want equality. We want children well cared for, and offered a great education. We want to feed the hungry, and heal the sick. We want to repent of where we've gone wrong and celebrate where we've gotten it right. We may disagree on the strategies we need to employ in order to reach these things. But we share a heart for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Today, this birthday of our nation, I hope we pause before we post that mocking meme. Before we resort to name calling. Before we get into an argument with someone we don't even know. Have a conversation with someone who votes different from you and just listen. Read a book or watch a movie from the viewpoint of someone who's Great American narrative comes from a very different place than your family's. Give hugs. Give smiles. Give blessings. Eat hot dogs and hamburgers and watermelon with someone who thinks differently than you. And remember...E Pluribus Unum.
Sometimes it's hard to see. Even in the tightest circles of fellow Americans. Gathered around the table at family barbecues, huddling at the alters on Sunday with heads bowed close in prayer, and maybe even having late night conversations with the people who live in our own homes. It took two minutes of scrolling through facebook this Independence Day to remember that some of the people I love most think and see the world so very differently. And our ballots each November rarely match. Some of them will remind us of their differing political viewpoints on social medial three or four times a day. There's no pretending that we are wired the same anymore.
How do we remain out of many, one when it feels much more like out of one, many? Can we be faced with the differing opinions of those we respect and not change either our personal views or our love for that fellow human being? It's not easy. Social Psychologists refer to this intense inner conflict as "cognitive dissonance." Politicians, marketers and the enemy capitalize on our inability to deal with cognitive dissonance. And it takes a high level of discipline and maturity to maintain both our own personal convictions alongside our respect for those who don't share them.
To be clear, I do believe there's a struggle between good and evil in this world. That there are both villains and heroes in this story that's still being written about a nation that was born on July 4th, 1776. But you know what else I believe about my fellow Americans? That the majority of us want the same things. We want equality. We want children well cared for, and offered a great education. We want to feed the hungry, and heal the sick. We want to repent of where we've gone wrong and celebrate where we've gotten it right. We may disagree on the strategies we need to employ in order to reach these things. But we share a heart for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Today, this birthday of our nation, I hope we pause before we post that mocking meme. Before we resort to name calling. Before we get into an argument with someone we don't even know. Have a conversation with someone who votes different from you and just listen. Read a book or watch a movie from the viewpoint of someone who's Great American narrative comes from a very different place than your family's. Give hugs. Give smiles. Give blessings. Eat hot dogs and hamburgers and watermelon with someone who thinks differently than you. And remember...E Pluribus Unum.
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