How do we
live an authentic life in an unauthentic world?
Merriam Webster’s
Deluxe Dictionary defines “authentic” as (1) worthy of acceptance, (2) not
false or imitation, (3) true to one’s own character.
Our world is
full of double-speak, perverted values, and upside down ideals. The Buddha
recognized this 2500 years ago when he warned us that our world is based on
delusion caused by greed, hatred, and lust. We pursue “things” that are an
illusion and are consumed with ego and individuality. We have forgotten true
humility and concern for others. Freedom, properly understood and exercised,
has at its core responsibility and recognition of the validity and integrity of
others. Today freedom is redefined as license and “others” are ignored and forgotten
in our myopic pursuit of self-gratification. Ayn Rand, the philosophical
fountainhead (pun intended) of libertarianism insisted that selfishness is a
virtue and spawned a generation of contemporary politicians.
In 1935, one
year before one of the most infamous Olympics, Hitler held a Rally for Freedom at the same time
Germany passed a series of the most restrictive laws affecting Jews. In 2015,
Indiana (joining several other states) passed a Religious Freedom Act, claiming to protect people of conscience
from having to do what their “faith” would not allow. We all know the intention
of that law was to discriminate against gays and lesbians, giving so-called
Christians the legal cover to exercise their prejudice. There is no war on
Christianity despite O’Reilly’s, Kelly’s, F. Graham’s, and Fox’s fabricated
mantra. Fundamental Christianity is waging war against other faiths in their
failure to recognize the inclusiveness wonder of humanity.
To paraphrase
MLK, the best life is one lived in service to others. Only in losing our lives
do we truly find them. Daniel Brown (not Dan!), in Boys in the Boat,
articulates beautifully how rowing requires giving yourself to others, trusting
others completely, forgetting personal individual glory, getting “lost” in the
group to find wholeness, meaning, and purpose.
Saint Francis said it beyond improvement: seek
to bring peace, to love, to pardon, to understand, to give, to hope. Then,
maybe, our lives might be authentic
