This is yet another excellent piece by Matthew Fox. I share this as bombs rain down on Ukraine and my heart is shattered into pieces. It is beyond past time for humanity to reject toxic masculinity, patriarchy, and all that has long been destroying rather than protecting life. We must no longer tolerate or be complicit with these forms of toxic masculinity, and wherever it is found ― including right here in America. Let us instead unite behind and stand with all that respects and honors, nourishes and cares for, protects and cherishes life. Please. This is my deep prayer, my deep, deep prayer. 🙏 Molly
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| 17th Century Ukrainian Icon of the Theotokos (Godbearer) offering protection under her cloak. Originally published to Wikimedia for public domain use. |
By Matthew Fox
The United States told President Zelenskyy of Ukraine that they could get him safely out of Ukraine. The president responded: “I don’t need a ride; I need ammunition.” The president has chosen to stay with his people in their precarious situation and to unite them in their hour of need.
One president has courage (integral to being authentic manhood).
The other one hides behind layers of lawyers.
One stands for the common good of his people and thus displays authentic leadership (and the archetype of authentic Fatherhood and protecting his people).
The other stands for himself and his business interests including gaming the system every chance he gets.
One defends his country.
The other divides his country.
One stands up to a vicious dictator and is willing to pay a steep price for doing so.
One cozies up to dictators, writing them “love letters” (his word) and calling the very one now making war in Zelinsky’s country a “genius” and “smart” for carrying on that very war.
One believes in the budding democracy of his country.
The other does not believe in democracy and its laws but seeks to emulate his favorite dictators.
One is uniting his country.
The other splits his country every chance he gets by race, by resentments, by male domination over women’s bodies, and by lies.
One communicates directly to his people by cell phone.
The other communicates through Fox News and other far right faux media news agencies that regularly hire sick and unhinged people as their broadcasters.
One is trying to tell the truth.
The other is speaking lie after lie (30,000 were counted during the four years of his presidency).
One had a father who fought the Nazis.
The other had a father who was enrolled in the Ku Klux Klan.
One is fighting for democracy and is willing to die for it.
The other disregards the very laws that render democracy possible, including stepping aside when he lost an election by 8 million votes and instead demanding sycophant lawmakers to make laws that hinder the votes of as many people as possible. And preparing and planning and egging on his disgruntled followers to storm the nation’s capital the day the presidential electors gathered to confirm the votes of the nation’s electors.
One employs his mammal and caring brain as well as his reptilian brain.
The other lives by his reptilian brain—“I win, you lose.”
One TV personality was a comedian.
The other was a rabid capitalist devoted to firing people on television.
One is a 44 year old man of virtue and courage.
The other is a 74 year old man filled with resentment, anger, hatred, self-pity, and a lust for money and power.
One is a human being deserving of being called a man.
The other is a failed human being, until now a narcissist and egomaniac, prone to boy-like tantrums who hopefully might some day become a man. We pray for his redemption.
Queries for Contemplation:
What contrasts do you see between these two presidents? Do you agree that just maybe the Ukranian people got the better deal from their TV star turned politician?
Recommended Reading
Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society
Visionary
theologian and best-selling author Matthew Fox offers a new theology of
evil that fundamentally changes the traditional perception of good and
evil and points the way to a more enlightened treatment of ourselves,
one another, and all of nature. In comparing the Eastern tradition of
the 7 chakras to the Western tradition of the 7 capital sins, Fox allows
us to think creatively about our capacity for personal and
institutional evil and what we can do about them.
“Crafting a blueprint for social change, Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh points
the way toward a deeper and more compassionate way to live while
eloquently revealing the means to confront evil both within and
without.” ~ Progressive Christianity
Please go here for more meditations
from Matthew Fox:
Rev. Matthew Fox, PhD, author, theologian, and activist priest, has been calling people of spirit and conscience into the Creation Spirituality lineage for over 50 years. His 36 books (translated into 74 languages), as well as his lectures, retreats, and innovative education models, have ignited an international movement to awaken people to be mystics and prophets, contemplative activists, who honor and defend the earth and work for justice. To learn more, visit matthewfox.org
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