In April 2017, Rabbi Sacks presented a TED Talk titled, "Facing the Future Without Fear, Together."  He made many excellent points, including:

What do we worship? I think future anthropologists will take a look at the books we read on self-help, self-realisation, self-esteem. They’ll look at the way we talk about morality as being true to one’s self, the way we talk about politics as a matter of individual rights, and they’ll look at this wonderful new religious ritual we have created, you know the one called the selfie. I think they’ll conclude that what we worship in our time is the self, the ‘me’, the ‘I’.

This is great. It’s liberating. It’s empowering. It’s wonderful. But don’t forget that biologically we’re social animals. We spent most of our evolutionary history in small groups. We need those face to face interactions where we learn the choreography of altruism and where we create those spiritual goods like friendship, and trust, and loyalty, and love that redeem our solitude. When we have too much of the I and too little of the we, we can find ourselves vulnerable, fearful, and alone.

Every time we hold out the hand of friendship to somebody not like us whose colour, or class, or creed are different from ours, we heal one of the fractures of our wounded world. That is the us of relationship.

Yesterday at church we met a sister who has lived here in the Philippines along with in Seattle, Washington. She is familiar with both countries and cultures. She gave us marvelous advice. She said,

"Embrace the humidity. Embrace the people. Embrace the country. Embrace everything about here."

We are learning to not point out what is different here than in the United States, or what is lacking, or what is not as good. We are not above or better than anyone else. It is frustrating and of no worth to dwell on the differences. We are learning to find the beauty and to find the good. We shouldn't come here and try to change the country or their way of living. We must meet the people where they are and live as they do. We are guests and we are blessed to be here. There is so much good here!

This picture is taken from the balcony of one of the senior sister missionary's apartments. The temple grounds are nestled in the middle of a busy section of the city. There is repose in the midst of chaos. What a striking difference between what is inside the temple gates and what is outside! The scene is very analogous to our lives. There can be busyness and disorder swirling around us, and yet peace and joy within.

I realize that growing up in the United States I have taken many things for granted. There are numerous things that I have been blessed with that people living elsewhere do not enjoy. I am humbled with what I have seen so far. I'm not sure that I will every look at my life the same.

 

According to Pew Research, here is a synopsis of how the views of the United States population have changed during the past twenty years

The past two decades have witnessed the emergence of all sorts of technologies that let people interact with the world in new ways.

Since 2008, fewer than 30% of Americans have said they trust the government to do the right thing all or most of the time.

The U.S. has become much more diverse over the past 20 years on several measures, including immigrant status. Today, immigrants account for 13.8 % of the nation's population  – near the record high from 1890 – and they have come from just about every country in the world.

Americans display a broad dissatisfaction with politics. As trust in political institutions declines, few Americans now think the political system is working even somewhat well. Majorities say that most elected officials don't care what people like them think and that ordinary people have too little influence on Congress’ decision-making. And most see little or no common ground  between Republicans and Democrats

Many Americans describe themselves as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular.” This group is referred to as religious "nones." Religious nones are currently one of the largest religious groups in the United States.https://www.pewresearch.org/2024/09/13/how-us-public-opinion-has-changed-in-20-years-of-our-surveys/

 

What a fascinating and instructive book! The authors bring to our attention several worldviews which are prevalent in society. These worldviews are not organized religions, but are cultural themes which guide our decisions, values, and faith. A few of the worldviews mentioned in the book are: Individualism, Consumerism, Scientific Naturalism, and Moral Relativism. Here is a thought regarding each of these worldviews:

Individualism is the belief that the individual is the primary reality and that our understanding of the universe and lifestyle should be centered in oneself (pg. 27). It is easy to get caught up in this worldview and to go after practices that promote individual satisfaction and pleasure.

Consumerism tells us that the holes in our lives will be filled if we just have more. Getting just a bit more proves to be unsatisfying, however, because money never fills legitimate needs for intellectual growth, moral virtue, love, true esteem and God (pg. 54). If I am not aware that this worldview is pulling me in a different direction than my Christian faith, I can be led down the path of materialism and consumerism and not realize it. Have riches and the pursuit of material goods become my priority? Have “things” replaced God as the most important thing in my life?

Every empire has viewed itself as destined by God, or the gods, to rule forever.  Every one of them was wrong. While nations may have impressive powers, those powers are always temporary and provisional. Granting ultimate loyalty to a country indicates that we have lost sight of what is absolutely good and have elevated the nation, a created, transitory and partial good, to a place that should be reserved for God alone (pgs. 77,78). This chapter was very interesting to me. The authors explain the difference between patriotism, which is good, and nationalism, which can be excessive in feelings of pride and position.

A seismic shift has indeed occurred in our culture.  Many say they no longer believe that truth actually exists, and if it does, it is most certainly not self-evident and may not even be knowable (pg. 79). Whatever supports our individual biases and helps us accumulate power is labeled truth (pg. 83).
Truth is relative to the interests and projects of the person claiming truth (pg. 83). I am grateful to believe in and rely on a God who does not change, nor does His truth.

I found this information interesting:

The United States is home to one-fifth of the world's international migrants.

The U.S. foreign-born population reached a record 46.1 million in 2022 (13.8% of the population, compared to 4.7% in 1970).

Mexico is the top country of birth for US immigrants, however immigration from Mexico has slowed since 2007.

After Mexico, India and China are the next largest sources of immigrants.

Before 1965, US immigration law favored immigrants from Northern and Western Europe and mostly barred immigrants from Asia. The 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act opened up immigration from Asia and Latin America.

Most immigrants (77%) are in the country legally. 

About half of immigrants ages 5 and older (54%) are proficient English speakers

(https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/07/22/key-findings-about-us-immigrants/)

 

"Let us concede at the outset that, in a free society, freedom will frequently be used badly.  Freedom, by definition, includes freedom to do good or evil, to act nobly or basely.  Thus we should not be surprised that there is a considerable amount of vice, licentiousness, and vulgarity in a free society.  Given the warped timber of humanity, freedom is simply an expression of human flaws and weaknesses. But if freedom brings out the worst in people, it also brings out the best.  The millions of Americans who live decent, praiseworthy lives deserve our highest admiration because they have opted for the good when the good is not the only available option. Even amidst the temptations that a rich and free society offers, they have remained on the straight path.  Their virtue has special luster because it is freely chosen.  The free society does not guarantee virtue any more than it guarantees happiness.  But it allows for the pursuit of both, a pursuit rendered all the more meaningful and profound because success is not guaranteed: it has to be won through personal striving."

(Dinesh D'Souza, What's So Great About America?, pg. 190.)

As you may know, research has shown a decline in religious practice in the United States for the past several years. A new study published on December 7, 2023 by Pew Research shows that though religious practice and church membership may be declining, 70% of U.S. adults describe themselves as "spiritual" in some way. This is encouraging news! Here are some additional details found:

(https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2023/12/07/spirituality-among-americans/)

"The genius of the Constitution is found in the fact that, unlike every other major revolution in history (the French and Russian Revolutions being prime examples), the United States did not simply replace one despot with another. History has proven that the Constitution creates a system that defies despotism and tyranny.  In short, the Constitution not only survived the evolution of this great nation but permitted the American people to exercise the greatest level of individual liberty in history.  When fifty-five men gathered in hot, humid Philadelphia for four months in 1787, they devised not only a system of government agreeable to the people but a form of government that has been the foundaiton of the greatest country the earth has ever know.  Further, it has been the 'shining light on the hill' that has provided the inspiration for peoples all over the earth to seek liberty and freedom for themselves."

From Seven Miracles that Saved America by Chris and Ted Stewart, pgs. 146-149.

This is a short yet sweet rendition of "My Country 'Tis of Thee" by Crosby and Nash. I like it! I like the harmonies and the slower tempo.

What an interesting piece of music this is.  Meredith Monk wrote this piece and titled it "Ellis Island." Monk's own grandparents made the journey through Ellis Island decades before she composed this. 

As a point of interest, in 1906 the all-time record number of immigrants was posted, with 11,757 immigrants received on Ellis Island on April 17th. Imagine that!

(Year of Wonder: Classical Music to Enjoy Day by Day by Clemency Burton-Hill)

This book really affected me. My heart goes out to the children and youth who are raised in America and grow up in our school system, expecting to go forward with their lives as their peers do, but because of their undocumented status are held back. No matter where one stands on immigration issues, there has got to be a place in your heart for the children and youth who are innocently affected.

Illegality becomes a master status by the time they reach adulthood. As each year passed, they were defined more centrally by their undocumented status (pg. xix).

Their immigration status dramatically shrinks their everyday lives (pg. 4).

Many immigrants live in a state of legal limbo that can persist indefinitely, in some cases without every leading to citizenship or permanent legal status (pg. 9).

It was only as teenagers, when they attempted to participate in the same rites of passage as friends and peers--acquiring a driver's license, getting a job, or taking a trip out of town--that they suddenly found themselves facing barriers (pg. 97).

Even after completing a college education and earning a degree, many college goers are bound to return home to illegality, a regressive slide into a life of limited choices and the ever-present threat of removal (pg. 173).

If currently undocumented youth and young adults were granted a pathway to legalization they would improve their circumstances and be in a better position to contribute to the U.S. economy as well as to their families and local communities (pg. 230).

I have been wanting to read this book for years and I finally did.  I regret that I did not read it while my father was still living, as I would have liked to talk with him about it.

After coming out of a horrible economic depression, the youth of the nation were called upon to step up and fight, and they did so valiantly.  Thousands more stayed at home, working in factories and other fields of employment, to cover the loss of the workforce.  The entire nation sacrificed.

The nation turned to its young to carry the heaviest burden, to fight in enemy territory and to keep the home front secure and productive.  These young men and women were eager for the assignment.  They understood what was required of them, and they willingly volunteered for their duty (pg. 3). When the United States entered World War II, the U.S. government turned to ordinary Americans and asked of them extraordinary service, sacrifice, and then returned home to lead ordinary lives (pg. 15).

The World War II years will forever be testimony to America’s collective and individual resistance to tyranny, its awesome and ingenious industrial machinery, and what may be its greatest strength, the common values of its richly varied population when faced with a common threat (pg. 183).

Looking back, I can recall that the grown-ups all seemed to have a sense of purpose that we evident even to someone as young as four, five, or six.  Whatever else was happening in our family or neighborhood, there was something greater connecting all of us, in large ways and small (pg. 11).

It is not surprising, I suppose, that the horrors of war give birth to a new generation of good Samaritans.  Young men and women who have been so intensely exposed to such inhumanity often make a silent pledge that if they ever escape this dark world of death and injuries, this universe of cruelty, they will devote their lives to good works. Sometimes the pledge is a conscious thought.  Sometimes it is a subconscious reaction to their experiences (pg. 25).