What I have learned during my life

Introduction
Today’s blog is a clear statement of what I have learned so far in life:

1. God
– There is only one God.
– God includes and transcends all that is feminine, masculine and all that is non-binary.
– No religion, faith, or person has a monopoly on “the truth”.

2. Equality
– Everyone is of equal value, regardless of sex, skin-colour, faith, language, level of education, intelligence, strength, health, weight, wealth, physical or mental ability, or any other characteristics we might imagine make others less valuable than ourselves.
– Trying to control, dominate, hurt, suppress, exploit, enslave, or kill others for any reason whatsoever is evil. People are the only source of evil.

3. Earth
– There is only one Earth, and it is our only home.
– The Earth’s resources are finite.

4. People
– Human understanding and wisdom are extremely limited.
– Some people want to grab and monopolise power wherever it is available, for example: in relationships, families, communities, tribes, religions, schools, work-places, institutions, governments and countries.
– Unless they are respected as equals, women, children, the vulnerable, and the disadvantaged are often dominated by those who are older, louder, larger, more powerful, and less inhibited than themselves, including those who have developed a profound sense of entitlement.
– Dominating other people is wrong and damaging.
– When they lack the ability and power to assert their right to say, “No”, and to be respected, women, children, the vulnerable and the disadvantaged are often at men’s mercy.
– Without freely-available birth-control and abortion, women do not have the level of freedom and autonomy which men generally expect, and possess.
– Within the privacy of the “home”, parents can freely dominate, bully, abuse and neglect their children, often without anyone else ever knowing. They can do so physically, emotionally, sexually, and by neglect. Such abuse inflicts intense suffering, and deep, lifelong wounds on their children and other dependents.

5. Weapons
– Fists, guns, knives, and all other weapons give people who are selfish, weak, ignorant and foolish a powerful advantage over those they want to dominate.
– Bombs give those who are selfish, weak, ignorant and foolish the power to inflict damage, injury and death on large numbers of people whom they want to dominate.
– Invading other countries for any reason whatsoever is evil.
– War creates the ultimate “abomination of desolation”.

6. Love
These are the people I should treat with love:
– All other people (1 John 4:7; NIV).
– My neighbours (Matthew 19:19; NIV).
– Strangers (Deuteronomy 10:19; NKJV).
– Foreigners (Deuteronomy 10:19; NLT).
– My enemies (Matthew 5:44; NLT).

… and if I ever wonder how to love my neighbour, five simple words remind me: “Love your neighbour as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18; NLT).

Conclusion
I do not claim that this list is complete, that it represents “the truth”, or that others should agree with it. It simply offers a clear statement of what I have learned so far about the vital importance of equality, freedom, respect, and love for all.