Peter McWilliams on the Secret to American Success or What is Morality
THE UNITED STATES IS the most diverse country on earth. Nowhere else do so many people with differing ethnic, religious, racial, and cultural backgrounds live side by side in relative peace and harmony. The "melting pot" did not melt us into one, uniform people, but melted away a good portion of the intolerance, prejudice, and the notion that one group or another "shouldn't be here." It happened over time. The prejudice of one generation became the toleration of the next generation, which became the fascination of the next generation and the norm of the next. Drawn by the concept of a "new world" and, later, "the land of the free," settlers eventually realized that, in order to get the freedom they sought, they would have to give others freedom as well. This realization sometimes came through rational thought, but more often came as a compromise in settling bloody disputes.
The Europeans who first arrived in America fell into roughly three categories: (1) those seeking religious freedom, (2) those seeking fame and fortune, and (3) criminals. These three elements were at odds, and within each element was discord.
Note: The prejudice of one generation became the toleration of the next generation, which became the fascination of the next generation and the norm of the next. Catholics from Ireland and from Italy had little in common in New York City except Catholicism - then they had baseball in common and the Jews became included in the ball game - finally Jackie Robinson joined the Game. Prejudice can go to Tolerance, then Fascination, then Normalcy or Prejudice can also go to Intolerance, the Hatred, then Violence of Various Forms.
Note: Baseball Great Monte Irvin on the Integration of Baseball by Jackie Robinson: Baseball has done more to move America in the right direction than all of the professional patriots with all their cheap words.
Tolerance of all Nations & Tribes
Holy Quran 49:13
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ
O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).
Note: The Islamic Quran promotes the same concept as Peter McWilliams as to how differences among various peoples can be beneficial towards Multiculturalism rather than Sectarianism and Provincialism. The Choice is for Each Individual to choose Good over Evil.
William Godwin (Father of Mary Godwin Shelley of Frankenstein Fame) on Morality:
"The Age of Napoleon: The Story of Civilization, Volume XI" by Will Durant, and Ariel Durant
"(1789), Godwin defined the good as that which promotes individual or group happiness, and he defined happiness as consistent pleasure of body, mind, or feeling. This ethical philosophy is not hedonistic or sensual, for it ranks intellectual pleasures above those of the senses. It is not egoistic or selfish, for it recognizes that the individual is part of a group; that the good of the group is prerequisite to the security of its constituent individuals; and that among the highest of all pleasures are those that an individual may derive from contributing to the happiness of his fellow men. Our social instincts generate altruistic actions, and these actions can give us a pleasure keener and more lasting than any delight of sense or intellect. To be kind is to be happy; to be unkind is to be miserable. “Morality, the science of human
happiness,” is “the principle which binds the individual to the species, and the inducements which are calculated to persuade us to model our conduct on the way most conducive to the advantage of all.”
Jesus & Moses got it correct!!
- The Object of Religion is Happiness
- We are bound together to the Species by Family and Kin and Marriage
- The Laws of God are Designed to benefit All - Including the Plants & Animals & Mother Earth - our objective is to uncover the Nature of These Laws & Conform our Lives to these Laws as Best as Possible in this Earth Life
In True Democratic Republic we will be bound as Individuals to Families and Kin to Wards or Precincts to Townships or Cites and Towns to Regions or Counties to Areas or Provinces to States and finally to Nations.
The Meek or the Kind or the Gentle will Inherit the Earth according to Jesus.
If we do not accuse each other, God will not accuse us. If you have no accuser you will enter heaven. If you will not accuse me, I will not accuse you. If you will throw a cloak of charity over my sins, I will over yours—for charity covereth a multitude of sins.
This is backed up by the following Scriptures:
1 Peter 4: 8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
John 8: 3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing
in the midst.
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
This woman was the only person Jesus ever personally judged and He did Not Condemn her as all her Accusers were gone.