I ran into an old poem-friend today — Yehudi Amichai’s “The Place of Right & Wrong.” I’m thinking about the images — how ‘the place where are right/ is hard and trampled/ like a yard.’ But doubts? ‘doubts and loves/ dig up the world.’

Right is a kind of scorched-earth policy, if you think about it. I’m trying (hard, as usual :)) to be less opinionated. Given that I spent class today discussing why white people need to be allies — re: pro-active — against racism, ethnocentrism and prejudice, it may not even be possible for me to separate ‘opinions’ from ‘beliefs.’

I still think it’s possible for folks to get along. But increasingly, as religions require ‘stands against,’ I find myself up against folks’ religious beliefs. Which I don’t believe I have the right to try to undo. In fact, I don’t believe anyone has the right to try to convert someone. If you’re living an exemplary life, full of joy and love and compassion, folks probably will want what you have :).

On the other hand, if your ‘religion’ calls for beating up gays, disrupting funerals, bombing clinics or banks, then probably folks won’t want what you have.

So I’m going to try to cultivate more ‘doubts & loves.’ Doubt is a good navigator — you may not know where you’re going, but chances are you’ll enjoy the journey more. Especially if there’s love in the pilot’s seat…