The letter of the law and the spirit of the law.......frequently two different things.
Yesterday, walking in the Byward Market, we met a Muslim woman on the street. That she was Muslim was evident from the scarf wrapped firmly around her head, covering her forehead and all of her hair. The letter of the law was kept.
The remainder of her dress was something else. She was a delightfully ample woman, pronounced of bust, for sure. Her top was right orange, ver a yellow turtleneck. Both were more than snug. As she swept by, with a small, self satisfied lok on her face (she had, after all, been noticed), one could not help a backward glance at her. Her slacks were beige, and call them "form-fitting would be an understatement. Each full cheek of her bottom was perfectly outlined and presented to the world. The spikes c ame all the way down to her spike high heels. She minced along at a fast pace, the letter of the law kept, but the spirit of the law?.......That was a whole other story.
It's easy to notice the glaring dichotomy in person from another culture, but much more difficult to be aware of the same tendency in ourselves......in myself. Christians easily mouth phrases about giving to the poor of the world, of sympathy for those who will go hungry today....and tomorrow, in faraway places. But that won't hinder our thanksgiving feasts, in some cases orgies of overindulgence. We will simply be blind to the contradiction. Perhaps that's the only way to survive. But there are moments when the realization hits, and a small flood so shame advances through the brain. Like today....
Yesterday, walking in the Byward Market, we met a Muslim woman on the street. That she was Muslim was evident from the scarf wrapped firmly around her head, covering her forehead and all of her hair. The letter of the law was kept.
The remainder of her dress was something else. She was a delightfully ample woman, pronounced of bust, for sure. Her top was right orange, ver a yellow turtleneck. Both were more than snug. As she swept by, with a small, self satisfied lok on her face (she had, after all, been noticed), one could not help a backward glance at her. Her slacks were beige, and call them "form-fitting would be an understatement. Each full cheek of her bottom was perfectly outlined and presented to the world. The spikes c ame all the way down to her spike high heels. She minced along at a fast pace, the letter of the law kept, but the spirit of the law?.......That was a whole other story.
It's easy to notice the glaring dichotomy in person from another culture, but much more difficult to be aware of the same tendency in ourselves......in myself. Christians easily mouth phrases about giving to the poor of the world, of sympathy for those who will go hungry today....and tomorrow, in faraway places. But that won't hinder our thanksgiving feasts, in some cases orgies of overindulgence. We will simply be blind to the contradiction. Perhaps that's the only way to survive. But there are moments when the realization hits, and a small flood so shame advances through the brain. Like today....
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