My daughter is getting married toward the end of August and all around me is a whirlwind of events. World chaos and family drama sometimes intertwine making it almost impossible to determine what the heck is going on. The blessings coming my way are from the awareness of just how wonderful this event and the family dynamic appear to be unfolding. It is creating a deep bond that is nothing short of miraculous.
Did I say that my daughter is getting married, G-d willing, and the world around me seems to be going through its regular process of spitting out all the nonsense that pollutes our environment, physical, spiritual and mind filled dribble that is sometimes confused for truth. It is apparent that we, all of us that live on this planet and those of us that live in this tiny country, Israel, share a real dilemma of being threatened by some nasty people that want to ruin the simcha, joy, of life that most of us really want to see played out in our daily lives, in spite of all the suffering that passes through us as the cost of being human.
We sit on a precipice that is quickly being eroded by fanatics that identify with a theology that wants to cripple and destroy everything in its path. The West has a short term memory loss of the global danger that is blinded by its cosmopolitan attitudes. We are crippled by social guilt and lack the determination to identify with the values that have sustained us and liberated us from the worst tyrannies known to mankind.
We are failing in Europe to insure that the basic moral code that has evolved out of our religious, spiritual traditions become the foundation of support for our Democracy in order to sustain itself and to thrive in its ability to discern right from wrong, good from evil.
America may have other issues, but the expression of religious tolerance be it through dress, or other non-threatening ways has evolved clearly to the benefit of the society. By allowing individuals to freely identify with their personal God and customs with out feeling threatened by its manifestation is America’s strength. America encourages religious diversity and supports it in the public domain.
European nations are in such a need to be free of what they seem to think is unenlightened or demeaning behavior in society that they have lost their moral compass and it has resulted in their struggle to be “ONE” nation. The European Union appears to be the messiah that is going to liberate the European population from their personal and group identities for a higher cause.
Sad to say, not having a strong identity be it spiritual/religious or other personal moral codes confuses and contributes to the actions of hatred that manifests itself on the streets of Rome, London, Paris, etc. It is this lack of a moral spine that lends itself to fanatical and extreme expressions of a group that has no problem with a strong identity that threatens democratic values. It is not the fault of the extreme movements that are of concern but the complacency and confusion from the European Union and their appendages regarding values and a moral compass that threatens their existence.
So I must once again remind myself and my friends that my daughter is getting married to a wonderful young man with a sense of tradition and spiritual thirst that only enhances their understanding of the world in and around them with out the confusion of who the bad folks are that want to destroy everything that is good.
