The structure of the Bedouin life naturally prevented the social and economic hierarchies that were so prevalent in sedentary societies like Mecca. The only way to service in a community in which movement was the nor and material accumulation impractical was to maintain a strong sense of tribal solidarity by evenly sharing all available resources. The tribal ethic was therefore founded upon the principle that every member had a essential function in maintaining the stability of the tribal, which was only as strong as its weakest number. (Quoted in Jim Wallis' The Great Awakening, p. 98)Moving toward an ethic that is rooted deeply in the collective necessity -- for the individual to survive and prosper the community must make allowances for the creativity and gifts of all. Notes on a music staff, words strung together in prose or poetry, color splashed or dabbed in canvas, dance filling human-size space care all forms of art, as forms for the human spirit to breath into ordinary living. Each skill, each gift, each offering, each discipline add texture an dimension to flattened spirits, despoiled souls. When McDonald's defines food taste, when Applebees defines neighborhood or all indigenous stores become Macy's, we find ourselves homogenized into bland taste.
Tabasco sauce is the new condiment of choice in America -- surpassing tomato catchup. Its fiery flavor masks the insipid. There is not much "flavor" to Tabasco sauce (I want to say I use this regularly!). Its main quality if hot, with the clear intention to torture. Its original use was to cover the smell bad food or rotten meat.
Where do we see a new spirit arise into human consciousness unless its roots go deep into the Holy, the Divine, into the very heart of God.
