the truth is not black and white

[goddessfarmer]

Good and evil are not black and white either. This is because each individual person has her/his own unique experience. We share many truths, for example, most people can observe that an apple will 'fall' off a tree towards the surface of the earth. There are many experiences that humans can share and for the most part agree that they have observed the same phenomenon. However, each persons experience of those phenomenon are still different. To review a conversation I had a few years ago, we will examine the problem of the have-full cup of water. The optimist says the cup is half-full; the pessimist says it is half empty; another person says "the cup is mine"; yet another "what a pretty cup!" I might say "can we share the cup?" I can think of someone who would wish for beer in the cup, and others that would find that idea repulsive. None of these statements about the cup is any more 'right' or 'wrong' or 'good' or 'bad' than the other.
Now let us turn out attention to the story of the blind men and the elephant. For this I refer you to this excellent article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_Men_and_an_Elephant. To state what is, to me, obvious: this story is a clear example of how our experiences shape our vision.
The inability of humans to tolerate varied viewpoints within it's species has been the bane of our existence since the beginning of time. I have even seen curious juxtaposition within a single individual where they hold two seemingly mutually exclusive beliefs at the same time. In all of the cases where I have observed this, those individuals have appeared to be locked in a seemingly unresolvable struggle. Go back and read the previous two sentences again. I can only make this observation from my personal point of view. Others, and especially the individuals involved, may draw entirely different conclusions from their observations. It's a big elephant. There are lots of options. Furthermore, because our observations are limited by personal experience, it is impossible for us to fully comprehend another person's point of view. Each individual has their own, no matter how much a certain set of people might have in common. To even try to attempt to argue otherwise is to invalidate realms of human experience. Any attempt to convince another that the other's perception of an experience is invalid for any reason, is to court the possibility of bringing into question all of that person's judgment and therefore all of their self-worth. This is the reason humans have wars.

In closing, let me share with you a song by Harry Chapin.

(Spoken)Your son marches to the beat of a different drummer, comma.
(Spoken)But don't worry,
(Spoken)We'll have him joining the parade by the end of the term

The little boy went first day of school
He got some crayons and started to draw
He put colors all over the paper
For colors was what he saw
And the teacher said.. What you doin' young man
I'm paintin' flowers he said
She said... It's not the time for art young man
And anyway flowers are green and red
There's a time for everything young man
And a way it should be done
You've got to show concern for everyone else
For you're not the only one

And she said...
Flowers are red young man
Green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than they way they always have been seen

But the little boy said...
There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower and I see every one

Well the teacher said.. You're sassy
There's ways that things should be
And you'll paint flowers the way they are
So repeat after me.....

And she said...
Flowers are red young man
Green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than they way they always have been seen

But the little boy said...
There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower and I see every one

The teacher put him in a corner
She said.. It's for your own good..
And you won't come out 'til you get it right
And are responding like you should
Well finally he got lonely
Frightened thoughts filled his head
And he went up to the teacher
And this is what he said.. and he said

Flowers are red, green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than the way they always have been seen

Time went by like it always does
And they moved to another town
And the little boy went to another school
And this is what he found
The teacher there was smilin'
She said...Painting should be fun
And there are so many colors in a flower
So let's use every one

But that little boy painted flowers
In neat rows of green and red
And when the teacher asked him why
This is what he said.. and he said

Flowers are red, green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than the way they always have been seen.

But there still must be a way to have our children say . . .

There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower and I see every one