Wilde

 July 1, 2020

Wilde

“I think God, in creating man, somewhat overestimated his ability.”
― Oscar Wilde

 

 

I can hear my wife now, “Don’t publish THAT quote!” Suzanne is very careful that I hold to a limit my own sometimes caustic wit regarding humanity. But she’s done a good job on me over the years, even if she might say differently. You see, I’ve come to her side (oh, and God’s side as well) regarding humanity- that humanity is, for all its failures and indecencies… basically decent.

 

Oscar Wilde though made a career out of his observations of humanity. A homosexual in one of the many ages of hatred, fear, and criminalization of same-sex relations, Mr. Wilde reacted to God’s creation before and after a 2-year conviction to hard labor in prison for what was described as “gross indecency” with men. In reality of course, the only indecency was society’s foolish attempt to snuff out love, or at least attraction.

 

Oscar Wilde as I understand it wrote in a raw way for the times, often having his work censored to not offend or enrage readers/viewers. But, his topics were often about society’s self image and the lengths we and society will go to maintain a certain “look”. Instead of being “real” he would have described his characters as being shallow, for the desire to be accepted and adored.

 

It’s easy to fall into such a state of acting and judging in a superficial manner. Another way to look at this is how we can pigeon-hole someone or stereotype them. What box do they fit in? How can I quickly and easily describe someone to another person? How can I quickly assess another person as to decide if I’ll give them the time of day? These are all things that I know you can find yourself applying to persons you meet on a daily basis. The only way I know, is that I can do it myself. Not to say that all persons are alike, but, all persons are alike. It’s been taught to us and society at times has asked us to give an opinion and harshly so, to do it in times when good judgment and the honoring of introspection should be the route we go.

 

You know the story of Pandora’s Box? The essence is that in Greek mythology Pandora opened a box, unleashing upon all of humanity any number of curses and ill-will. As Pandora went to shut, and did keep shut, the box there was one remaining thing within- Hope! We know Hope to be a word of goodness and comforting reassurance. That Hope was retained is said to have saved humanity from total destruction ( interesting historic comment: the opposite has been assumed by some interpreters of this story, that since Hope was never released humanity is destined to be cursed forever).

 

It’s easy to declare the world lost. It’s easy to label someone or a group evil. It’s easy to whine and fret and despair- because it takes no more effort beyond our negative judgment and it puts us in a place where we are better and right- the their wrong.

 

Hope however calls us to extend the hand of forgiveness, Hope also expects of us effort beyond judgment to look further and deeper within the other, to understand and to empathize. Hope commits us to “stay in the game” and not give up.

For Oscar Wilde’s comment to be rest upon in times like ours is a surrender to self-hate and personal condemnation. For certainly, there is someone else out there thinking and speaking the same way- we cannot escape being a part of their cheap assessment of humanity, something we placed upon them as well.

 

Hope then is still a place of comforting assurance and goodness. Make it so for you and in doing so make it for me.

 

I think God, for all the stories in the Hebrew Scriptures, and the stories and letters in the New Testament was wanting to extend that simple message of Hope, coupled and wrapped in Love.

It’s there for you and in doing so, it saves the world from itself.

 

Hugs abounding,

 

Rev. Ken