Either/Or, And/Also...

I think that part of the problem in all of this palaver we have going on in the world,  is that we see "truth" as an EITHER/OR proposition... 

We say:

IF this is true, THEN that must be a lie...

But life is not like that... 

It is possible to have more than one truth exist in the same time and space...

It's called the AND/ALSO paradox...

THIS is true AND this is true ALSO... now what?

Understanding and accepting this leads to expansion, creativity, personal, interpersonal and societal peace...

Holding onto the EITHER/OR duality/false dichotomy leads to contraction, rigid dogma, personal, interpersonal and societal conflict...

WHICH DO YOU CHOOSE?

PEACE OR CONFLICT?

WHAT WITHIN DO YOU NEED TO CHANGE

TO BEGIN LIVING IN PARADOX?

I think we need to go to the place where we accept (not just tolerate) points of view we can't understand or appreciate...

And we sit with that UNTIL some solution presents itself where all is represented/honoured...

In my experience, when I take the time to be with a person/point of view I don't "get", sometimes which "screams" at me internally as being "wrong, wrong, wrong", I find a kernel of understanding we both share...

Sometimes the difference is in something as trivial as terminology...

And finding that commonality is a starting point for dialogue and creating something different...

And I'm not talking about giving in, compromise, rolling over...

From a metaphysical perspective, we are all ONE - we do each carry these differences within each one of us, though we might not be aware/conscious of it...

And once we recognise that, the need to fight it seems to evaporate...

How can we shift others' behaviours to be "accepting"?

 

Well, we encounter our first problem when we think we need to shift others' behaviours... 

 

In thinking we have to shift others' views and behaviours, we are still in the paradigm of making ourselves right, and them wrong...

 

Bucky Fuller said you can't change a broken system; build something new along side it... 

 

I think we need to start out with smaller groups living in acceptance of each other, in the paradox of AND/ALSO...

 

As we show people how it's done, they will come looking for inclusion...