Shades of Grey: Government, Religion, & People

Home
>
Leadership
>
Shades of Grey: Government, Religion, & People

Shades of Grey: Government, Religion, & People

Some think that everything is black and white. I'm beginning to see everything as different shades of grey.

Having worked with people in an increasing variety of ways the past 10 years, in a variety of occupational and volunteer scenarios, I've been exposed to many, many different ways of being, seeing, believing, working, and living. Is one way worse than the other? Is one person's beliefs worse than another? Is one person's ethics worse than another?

For many of us, we will make judgements about others over these little things. We will close our eyes, our minds, and our hearts very easily over such trivial matters. We are raised in a family with a set of values and beliefs. We are schooled in a culture with a particular perspective on history, business, values, and beliefs. We are indoctrinated in our upbringing, or culture, or peers, and our heart, influenced to lean to certain truths that works for us. It can be steeped in peer pressure, family pressure, or simply having known no other truth we find it acceptable. When confronted with something vastly different or in opposition, we will tend towards defensiveness and even close-mindedness.

I've been guilty of the same but I've really challenged myself time and again over the years to keep my mind open and to explore the other side of the tracks. I seek to understand and to experience for deeper understanding why other splinter groups live the way they do live; or work, play, worship, etc. While some things do work or resonate for me, others haven't. While some things expanded my horizons, others have caused other collapses in health or well-being. All have been worthy experiences, although possibly, at times, poor choices for my life.

The worth that comes from this expansion of my mind and horizons has allowed me to witness one fundamental truth. As much as we are all different, with continued exposure to these varying influences of life and lifestyles, I have seen beyond the labels, beyond the stereotypes, beyond the religious beliefs, beyond the social status. I can look into the eyes and heart of my fellow-man and see another who is the same as me. The rest of it, is mere shades of grey.

Each human being engages in a life-path, within a given set of life circumstances dictated by family, social status, and the rest of these external influences. As they progress down their path in life, they're doing the best that they can. They're looking for the things that will find them a sense of validation, satisfaction, being known, and being loved. They make decisions with these same influences dictating some of their choices; both right and wrong. We've all been there. And yet, instead of seeing our brothers and sisters in life, we still tend to see the differences.

Yes, crimes are committed, hate is expressed, terror persists, and politics corrupt or engage in questionable practices. We perpetuate the classes, the differences, the hate, and the war. Judgement: why engage when you can disengage? Why argue when you can build bridges of understanding? Why declare war over differences when we can celebrate diversity? Why insist our way is the only way? I particularly declare this last questioning statement.

We can celebrate freedom, responsible freedom. We can honor differences, diversity, by setting our own best example of tolerance, honor, respect, and in doing so, create peace.

Lee Down is a Professional Coach, Trainer/Facilitator, Speaker, & Writer of One Man Can Human Capital Development that focuses on relationships, the key foundation to success in business and life. With more than 15 years professional experience and a thirst for truth and understanding, he focuses on the human spirit and human capacity.

Working with clients, he facilitates the breaking down of beliefs, barriers or obstacles that bring clients forward on their journey of discovery with spirit, energy, abundance, passion and purpose, integrating the mind and body experience. Working with business, he brings visionary leadership and relationship skills to the forefront that witnesses an empowered culture evolve and develop directly impacting the improvement to the bottom-line.

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Democrats criticize Obama's proposed tax cuts (AP)

AP - President-elect Barack Obama's proposed tax cuts ran into opposition Thursday from senators in his own party who said they wouldn't do much to stimulate the economy or create jobs. Senators from both parties agreed that Congress should do something to stimulate the economy. But Democratic senators emerging from a private meeting of the Senate Finance Committee criticized business and individual tax cuts in Obama's stimulus plan.

UN Security Council calls for immediate Gaza truce (AP)

AP - The U.N. Security Council called for an "immediate" and "durable" cease-fire in Gaza in a resolution Thursday night even as fighting between Israel and Hamas raged with early morning airstrikes killing seven Palestinians and pushing the death toll to about 760 in the near two-week conflict.

Key panel recommends impeaching Ill. governor (AP)

AP - A key panel unanimously recommended impeachment for Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Thursday, setting up a vote that could make him the first governor to face such fate in Illinois' sordid political history. Blagojevich should lose his job for abusing power, mismanaging government and committing possible criminal acts, including federal allegations he tried to sell off a U.S. Senate seat, the special committee concluded.

Mini Dynasty: Tebow leads Gators past Oklahoma (AP)

AP - Tim Tebow gave Florida the jolt it needed, and the Gators toughed out a second BCS title in three years. Their 24-14 win over No. 2 Oklahoma in a choppy, sloppy affair Thursday night made them a national champion. But it likely did little to quiet fans of Southern California, Utah and Texas, all of whom already claimed the top spot.

Job losses stack up as recession deepens (AP)

AP - Trying to survive a deepening recession, employers are cutting their work forces to the bone, leaving more Americans unemployed and with dim prospects of finding a new job any time soon.

Oversight panel wants better answers from Treasury (AP)

AP - Less than a month after its first report, a congressional panel overseeing the Treasury Department's $700 billion financial bailout is demanding more answers.

Petraeus: Afghan, Pakistan problems are really one (AP)

AP - U.S. policy to win in Afghanistan must recognize the poor nation's limitations and its neighborhood, especially its intertwined relationship with U.S. terrorism-fighting ally Pakistan, the top U.S. military commander in the region said Thursday.

Cheney: CIA did nothing illegal in interrogations (AP)

AP - Vice President Dick Cheney said Thursday that he sees no reason for President George W. Bush to pre-emptively pardon anyone at the CIA involved in harsh interrogations of suspected terrorists. "I don't have any reason to believe that anybody in the agency did anything illegal," he said.

Calif. court rejects lawsuit against tax increases (AP)

AP - An anti-tax group will consider new legal action after a California appeals court tossed out a lawsuit that sought to block tax increases passed by Democrats in the state Legislature, the group said Thursday.

Prosecutors: Madoff was ready to send out $173M (AP)

AP - Prosecutors said Thursday that investigators found 100 signed checks worth $173 million in Bernard Madoff's office desk that he was ready to send out to his closest family and friends at the time of his arrest last month in what is alleged to be largest financial fraud in history.

U.N. Security Council calls for immediate Gaza truce (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.N. Security Council called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip but Israeli warplanes launched intermittent attacks on Friday.

Obama pushes stimulus, warns on recession (Reuters)

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama warned on Thursday the U.S. economy could stay mired in recession for years without bold action and he urged lawmakers to work day and night to pass a massive stimulus plan.

Citi backs measure to help avoid foreclosures (Reuters)

Reuters - Financial giant Citigroup Inc will support a proposal in Congress to rewrite U.S. bankruptcy law to help troubled mortgage borrowers avoid foreclosure, Chief Executive Vikram Pandit said on Thursday.

Illinois panel recommends governor's impeachment (Reuters)

Reuters - A legislative committee on Thursday recommended the impeachment of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, citing widespread abuse of power including allegations he tried to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

Qaeda Pakistan leader believed dead: U.S. official (Reuters)

Reuters - Al Qaeda's operations chief in Pakistan and a top aide are believed to be dead, a U.S. counterterrorism official said on Thursday, in what appeared to be the latest results of a campaign targeting the militant group's leadership.

Accused swindler Madoff "warm and charming": report (Reuters)

Reuters - Some friends of accused swindler Bernard Madoff considered him a "warm and charming" man, and one of his alleged victims praised him just before his death in 2005, Fox Business Network reported on Thursday.

Obama names Virginia gov as Democratic Party head (Reuters)

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama named Tim Kaine as head of the Democratic Party on Thursday, rewarding an early supporter with a high-profile political post even as he continues to serve as Virginia governor.

EU seeks gas supply return after deal on monitors (Reuters)

Reuters - Europe on Friday looked for a swift restoration of gas supplies, after striking a deal with Moscow on monitoring gas shipments via Ukraine that have been halted by a rancorous pricing dispute with Kiev.

UN Security Council urges immediate Gaza ceasefire (AFP)

AFP - Israel was under intense pressure Friday to end its two-week-old offensive in the Gaza Strip after the UN Security Council called for an immediate ceasefire as the death toll from the war rose past 760.

Progress in resolving gas row as Russia agrees to monitors (AFP)

AFP - Hopes for a quick resumption of Russian gas supplies to Europe were rising Friday after Russia agreed on the terms for the deployment of monitors in Ukraine.

Shades of Grey: Government, Religion, & People

Leadership Leadership