Letter to the editor: Democracy, knowledge and God
Dear Editor:
I passed 80 a couple of years ago. I don’t know if anyone values my opinion anymore. I haven’t written letters like this since I argued with Jesse Helms about environmental issues. And yes, our environment is critically important; it’s the only one we have! But in observing things American over the years, I see some other issues that we have been wrestling with on which I have formed some opinions:
Our democracy arises from a covenant among its citizens that we will support our chosen forms of governance, conservatively amended as deemed necessary by a majority. When we break this covenant, our democracy crumbles. Recovering it is improbable, as demagogues will have swept in to fill the vacuum.
Knowledge is tentative. If we are absolutely sure of the truth of our opinion, that is a warning sign that we should reexamine what we think as objectively as possible, given our biases and prejudices. Yes, we all have them! In that connection, it may be helpful to remember that it is human nature that today’s oppressed tend to become tomorrow’s oppressors. As there is a rule of the majority, there also may be a tyranny of the minority, especially if it is vocal and ignores the covenant agreement.
God is the Great Mystery. If we begin to think we have God figured out, we really have missed the point. I believe that God is not political and the eternal issues certainly are not political. God’s message to us comes in many ways and is best understood in the context of our lived experience. I think God communicates with us in dialogue, not a monologue. I think there are physical and spiritual realities, each with different rules of evidence and proofs. Don’t mix them up---they don’t even speak the same language!
I grudgingly admit that I may be wrong. But these are my considered opinions, for what they may be worth to you. I have opinions on other matters, but these jumped out at me to lead the pack.
With all sincerity,
Charles Yarbrough
Kinston
