Kudos to Jim Conroy for his letter to the editor, “A new way to see the United States,” which appeared July 15 in the Tribune.
I don’t particularly self-identify as a Christian, probably because of the way that term is sometimes used to exclude and slight other religious beliefs. However, I take Jesus’ message to heart and remind myself to try to live it every day of my life.
So I wish we really were a Christian nation, as so many people who vote against programs to help the disadvantaged in our culture, like to call us.
Christ realized something that many people have not yet grown into: We cannot be fully happy with an awareness of others suffering around us. We are literally a human family. And it is in our own self-interest and happiness to cultivate the feeling of “love your neighbor as yourself.”
Experiment with trying this perspective on for size. It’s freeing and joy producing!
Debbie Highfill
Morro Bay
This article appears in Jul 20-30, 2017.