"Cast No Stones"
“They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said,
"All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!"—John 8:7
In sixth grade, we were asked what we wanted to be when we grow up. I responded to Ms. Sullivan, “I want to help people”. She took my response as a joke, told me “that’s stupid” and said that I needed to come up with something better than that. I wonder what she would think hearing that I had a successful government career as a trainer and now as a minister…teaching still and preaching? As rewarding as teaching is, it is certainly a challenge.
Five years ago, I wrote a book on diversity, entitled, “Cast No Stones”. I planned to develop a course from the book and hoped to travel from city to city having town halls guiding people to appreciate one another’s differences through healthy dialogue. I am experiencing the highs and lows of 2017 knowing that we need “Cast No Stones” more than ever before. So, why haven’t I publicized the book, marketed the concept? Unfortunately, I am not sure that I can present it with the initial concept in mind. I don’t know if I could maintain a professional decorum or a sense of diplomacy needed to pull off a diversity course. I make no bones about being frustrated with the white establishment. I am also frustrated with my black brothers and sisters. We hurt each other so intensely that it saddens my soul.
Presenting “Cast No Stones” mean that I would have to operate as a spirit that is neither male or female, black or white or any other worldly labels. It is difficult to disassociate from a culture that you are aligned. I know through experience what racism and sexism looks and feels like. I have always stood for the “underdog” no matter what race, creed, color, religion or sexual orientation. I believe that we all are on a journey of discovery toward finding our higher spiritual identity and it is not predicated on labels. Our journey is about a spiritual identity and how we use that identity to communicate with one another.
Our spiritual identity, which is our true identity, would be castigated by those who rely more on worldly concepts. In our spiritual identity, we would not focus on who is lesser or greater than another based on economics, education or physical attributes. It is based on the heart consumed by love and compassion.
World religions believe in the concept of love and compassion but because we are spirits robed in flesh it makes it difficult to rely solely on our spirit being. Our spiritual amnesia makes our journey an arduous one. The Essence of our Supreme Parent is inside of us waiting to be activated. We are all at varying levels of our spiritual awakening but this does not matter as long as we are all striving to achieve the spiritual awakening. No one can make anyone do anything that they do not want to do…we cannot change anyone. Teachers must continue to teach, preachers must continue to preach. It is up to each individual to discipline themselves to change. I still believe that now is the time for Cast No Stones; the planet is begging for someone who has the love and compassion for a people to provide that fighting chance to change the world. I believe that we can all muster the courage to engage each other in a conversation of understanding laced with love and compassion one to another.
