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<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks, Catherine, The tune I recall is “I wish I was a little bar of soap” that I sang to my little ones at bathtime. Lynda
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">From: </span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">OE <oe-bounces@lists.wedgeblade.net> on behalf of OE List <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net><br>
<b>Reply-To: </b>OE List <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net><br>
<b>Date: </b>Saturday, August 31, 2019 at 1:14 PM<br>
<b>To: </b>OE List <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net>, Order Ecumenical Community <oe@wedgeblade.net><br>
<b>Cc: </b>Catherine and Mark Welch <catherine@welchbox.com><br>
<b>Subject: </b>Re: [Oe List ...] Spirit of the 20's<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Thank you, John, for such a thought provoking reflection (which prompted more and more thought provoking reflection from others).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">I think there was an emerging generation song that was was out to capture some of Kierkegaard’s wisdom at an elementary level. I can’t offer the tune, but the words as I recall were:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Oh I don’t want to be myself<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Oh I don’t want to be myself<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">But that’s not my problem, my problem is relating<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">To the self that doesn’t want to be itself.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Oh I don’t want my situation<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Oh I don’t want my situation<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">But that’s not my problem, my problem is relating<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">To the self that doesn’t want its situation.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">This little song still comes back to me from time to time and occasions a more useful reflection on my circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Catherine Welch<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:whitesmoke"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">
<a href="mailto:oe@lists.wedgeblade.net" title="oe@lists.wedgeblade.net">John Epps via OE</a>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:whitesmoke"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Sent:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black"> Wednesday, August 28, 2019 3:36 PM<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:whitesmoke"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">To:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">
<a href="mailto:oe@wedgeblade.net" title="oe@wedgeblade.net">Order Ecumenical Community</a>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:whitesmoke"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Cc:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">
<a href="mailto:jlepps39@gmail.com" title="jlepps39@gmail.com">John Epps</a> <o:p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:whitesmoke"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Subject:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black"> [Oe List ...] Spirit of the 20's<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">The Spirit of the 20’s<br>
</span></b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">John Epps, August 2019</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;line-height:106%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">The categories for determining the spirit of a decade supposedly come from Kierkegaard: An External
Situation creates an Internal Crisis which raises an Existential Question from which we try to Escape. I’ve used them in trying to assess the situation since the 60’s. Here we go again:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;line-height:106%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">The Prevailing Spirit:</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><br>
Our External Situation is best characterized as one of <b>THREAT</b>. Economically, health care costs are rising astronomically, the move away from fossil fuels and the trade war with China have put markets in turmoil and talk of recession is in the air. Politically,
we have cut off alliances and find Russia, N. Korea, and Iran all upgrading their nuclear capabilities. USA Congress seems unable to act. Culturally, we are besieged with increased numbers of immigrants and mass shootings now appear commonplace. And encompassing
all this chaos is the Earth’s environment which appears to be undergoing dangerous changes due to global warming.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;line-height:106%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">All this has generated or contributed to an Internal Crisis of
<b>FEAR</b>. We increasingly fear those who differ from us, whether by race, gender identification, nationality, or ideology. Everything different seems a threat, and we fear the changes already in progress. Compromise seems weak, and we’re increasingly in
a black or white situation: agree or fight. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;line-height:106%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">The Existential Question in this situation is
<b>HOW CAN WE SURVIVE?</b> With the environment collapsing and threats at every turn, what can we do? Problems seem too big to tackle, and local action, while effective, remains local while the issues are larger. Institutions we developed to address larger
issues appear paralyzed: CONGRESS, UN, NATO, NAFTA, ASEAN, Treaties with Iran and the Paris Accords for Climate all appear ineffective in providing remedies. Attempts to inact gun control legislation, despite agreement from both parties, cannot move through
Congress. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;line-height:106%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">We Escape through
<b>BLAMESTORMING</b>; we look for scapegoats for each issue, then cast them as enemies toward which hatred is the only suitable relation. We demonize NRA, GOP, “Moscow Mitch,” Trump, Kim, Putin, Refugees, Democrats, Immigrants, Socialists, and many others.
Extreme hostility takes the guise of radical nationalism attempting to band “us” against “them” or in too many cases, mass shootings aimed at eliminating “them.”
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;line-height:106%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">Towards an Authentic Response:<br>
</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">This is where we meet the question of God today: wrestling with the question of responding to threats to our existence.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;line-height:106%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">Local action may be the most we can do, and since that makes a difference, should be pursued with
vigor. Maybe, over time, the mass changes needed can come from local people. <o:p>
</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;line-height:106%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">The threats are real. The status quo cannot and will not survive. The future is really open and
unpredictable. We can, however, have a hand in inventing it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;line-height:106%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">Your comments, additions, corrections, and insights are most welcome.
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