THE BATTLE OF EITHER/OR CAN, IN MANY CASES, BE RESOLVED BY BOTH/AND
"I have heard it said that heroism can be redefined for our age as the ability to tolerate paradox, to embrace seemingly opposing forces without rejecting one or the other just for the sheer relief of it, and to understand that life is the game played between two paradoxical goalposts: winning is good and so is losing; freedom is good and so is authority; having and giving; action and passivity; sex and celibacy; income and outgo; courage and fear. Both are true. They may sit on opposite sides of the table, but underneath it their legs are entwined."
Gregg Levoy in "Callings"
LESSONS FROM SCRIPTURE FOR A PARTISAN WORLD
In the Genesis creation story, God made us male and female.
In the great Prodigal Son story in the gospel. God loves both sons - the one who stayed home and followed the rules, but also the son who left home and got down with the pigs!
In the story of the vineyard workers in the gospel, those who started early morning and those who came to work close to quitting time all got a full days pay.
The shepherd in the gospel story loves the ninety-nine good sheep who stayed together, but also the one who stayed away and got lost.
In the great story about the wedding feast, the good and bad alike are invited to dinner.
Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Jew and Moslem
Catholic and Protestant
Democrat and Republican
Straight and Gay
Black, Brown, Yellow, Red and White
Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota
Native-born and Immigrant
Clergy and Laity
Chocolate and Vanilla
Women and Men
Heads and Hearts
Desktops and Laptops
Cell Phones and House Phones
Eat-in and Carry-out
Meat and Potatoes
Dogs and Cats
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