History Was Wrong

    Over time there have been many misconceptions about medicine, geography, sociology, or even morality in general. People ridiculed Christopher Columbus for his suicide expedition as most believed he'd sail off the edge of a flat world. The Catholic church was in the back pocket of most European government rule. It put its foot down on freedom of religion other than Catholicism. This spawned a small exodus we know as the Separatists who landed at Plymouth Rock on the Mayflower. A woman showing her arms or calves was considered risqué. At one time your morality was questioned if you stood up tall next to a black man in support of his right to the same freedoms as white people. Doctors use to practice 'blood letting' to drain the body of poisons and perform surgeries in non-sterile environments. Psychiatrists would lobotomize patients to cure insanity. History is riddled with examples of theses kinds of thought processes.

    This brings me to today. There are issues today being batted around in our own legislative system. When are we going to take the next step in recognizing gay marriage? Right or wrong its there. I've seen a lot of Christian hetero families fall apart quicker than homosexual ones. Stem cell therapy...the US is so far behind the curve on implementing stem cell transplants because of ethical concerns. Meanwhile millions suffer from cancer, heart disease, brain damage, spinal cord injuries, etc. Its incredible how quickly your stance changes when a loved one is hit with an ailment that can be resolved by this kind of break through. For every homeless person that supposedly 'chooses' to live that way there are 2 that don't have a choice. Mental and physical disabilities have got them chasing their own tails in pulling themselves out of their rock bottom. If you believe in a higher being like me, my Jesus wouldn't shun two men holding hands. He wouldn't walk away from a couple choosing stem cell treatments to correct their infants heart defect.

    There has got to be a philosophical changing of the guards. Where would you or I be if the Mayflower party hadn't the gumption to break away from that mainstream religious frame of mind. Unfortunately time is the only true game changer. Time sprinkled with a bit of contagious open mindedness. Its difficult as our own ideologies have been ingrained in us for so long.  Being asked to be open minded about an issue is often misunderstood for being asked to conform. You don't have to agree or change your mind. Just change the angle at which you see something.  So much is gained by changing your perspective. I've been guilty of not being open minded on so many things. All it takes is a few to begin antiquating the principles that hold us back.