BEING A POSITIVE WITNESS
Over the past year here at the Universal Life Church Monastery certain members have challenged and debated one another from time to time and risked the integrity of ALL our ordinations by bearing false witness against other ministers. How can we ALL work at BEING A MORE POSITIVE WITNESS during 2012? While some might consider the act of even writing about this topic to represent “negativity” we consider it to be a positive step in the right direction to examine how we can gain more respect for our organization and to gain more respect for one another.
Our experiences are not the same as those of others, however, we have watched as others have been subjected to the same gossip and defamation we have experienced. Posting this specific blog at the beginning of a new calendar year is a plea to other ministers to make certain that we all continue to adhere to the group rule to “bring harm to no one.”
What is HARM? We all know the old wisdom that sticks and stones will break your bones but names will never hurt you. But every day in this world we stand witness to false information being disseminated in our communities, in our media and on the internet. Should we just ignore this false information? Will it just go away? The answer to this is decidedly NO. It will not. When someone plants false information about another person or group of people to promote their own cause or ego it has a negative effect on everyone. THE NET RESULT IS THAT WE BEGIN TO MISTRUST ONE ANOTHER.
This year we ask our fellow ministers to stand up against bullying in your ministries, in your communities and most especially here at this Minister’s Network.
No one is free until we are ALL free from the negativity of planting rumors and lies about others.
PEACE TO ALL IN 2012. If you’re not part of the SOLUTION, you’re part of the PROBLEM. Do not accept the spreading of rumors. ENCOURAGE the spreading of JOY & PEACE.
Respectfully submitted,
~ Rev. Mother Nanhi & Rev. Father Leslie- ~
Partners in Marriage & Ministry
