Tag: society

hearing differently

Those of us who attend Christian churches that follow the common lectionary are hearing 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 and Matthew 5:1-12a (the Beatitudes) this Sunday.

These passages struck me differently this year because of what we are seeing in Minnesota and across the country where people are standing up to the powerful for the sake of justice and mercy.

In I Corinithians, we hear “God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong.”

In Matthew, we hear:
“Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.”
“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

I know it will be a long haul and take a lot of work and witness, but these passages give me hope that the millions of us – of all faith traditions or none at all – who are not powerful individually will be able to re-establish a society that respects human dignity and rights for all the people.

commenting on Ellen Morris Prewitt’s blog

Today, I was reading the newsletter from Ellen Morris Prewitt, an author whom I met through her blog. Ellen’s newest book, When We Were Murderous Time-Traveling Women, will be published on April 1, 2026, so, if you follow her blog, you will get all the breaking news on that, such as when pre-orders will be starting.

I thought for today’s jot, I would re-purpose a comment that I wrote on Ellen’s Jan. 19th post about bombings and other hate crimes:
“Young men seem to be especially vulnerable to being radicalized against those of a different race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, etc. It’s horrifying, but also, as you say, Ellen, has its roots in our society. Unfortunately, in our time, white Christian nationalism has become more overt which, I think, makes hate and violence seem somehow acceptable to some. I think, though, that, for the majority, it is bringing home the reality of where hate leads and inspiring them to speak out, demonstrate, pray, or whatever mode they choose to oppose it.”

I hope you will visit Ellen’s blog and follow along. She is a fascinating writer with a compelling family and personal history to share.
*****
Join us for Linda’s Just Jot It January! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2026/01/20/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-20th-2026/

One-Liner Wednesday: FDR on economic progress

“the test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.”
~~~ Franklin Roosevelt, second inaugural address

Join us for Linda’s One-Liner Wednesdays! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/12/03/one-liner-wednesday-i-dont-think-this-is-mathing/

One-Liner Wednesday: woman power

The moment a woman comes home to herself, the moment she knows that she has become a person of influence, an artist of her life, a sculptor of her universe, a person with rights and responsibilities who is respected and recognized, the resurrection of the world begins.

Joan Chittister⁠

Join us for Linda’s One-Liner Wednesday and Just Jot It January! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2023/01/11/one-liner-wednesday-jusjojan-the-11th-2023-a-squirrel/

SoCS: What will the new year bring?

I wish I knew what the new year will bring.

Or maybe not.

On the one hand, I’m worn out by feeling that I can’t make long term plans and that I’m always waiting for the other shoe to drop. There have been so many years of uncertainty both on a personal and a community/national/global level that I would welcome a sense of stability.

On the other hand, it would be terrifying and/or depressing to know that things are going to go badly and that there would be no way to ameliorate or avert them.

So, I guess I will remain in my state of unknowing, making plans, then modifying or dropping them when the next unexpected thing occurs.

I guess the “not knowing” leaves room for hope.

Wishing us all the best in 2023. May it be a year of hope, increasing peace, and caring for one another and our planet.
*****
Linda’s prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday this year is “new/knew.” Join us! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2022/12/30/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-31-2022/

One-Liner Wednesday: taking sides

We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.

Elie Wiesel

Join us for Linda’s One-Liner Wednesdays! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2022/12/28/one-liner-wednesday-temporarily-out-of-order/

One-Liner Wednesday: truth telling

The heart of justice is truth telling, seeing ourselves and the world the way it is rather than the way we want it to be. More than ever before we, as a society, need to renew a commitment to truth telling.

bell hooks

Join us for Linda’s One-Liner Wednesday! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2022/11/02/one-liner-wednesday-almost-the-scariest-halloween-ever/

One-Liner Wednesday: politicians or poets

In the very end, civilizations perish because they listen to their politicians and not to their poets.

Jonas Mekas

Join us for Linda’s One-Liner Wednesdays! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2022/08/03/one-liner-wednesday-noooooo/

One-Liner Wednesday: critic

One can be a critic of one’s country without being an enemy of its promise.

Daniel Bell

Join us for Linda’s One-Liner Wednesdays! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2022/07/06/one-liner-wednesday-one-line/

One-Liner Wednesday: Desmond Tutu

Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.

Desmond Tutu

Join us for Linda’s One-Liner Wednesdays! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2021/12/29/one-liner-wednesday-psa-part-2/