ExploreTruth

It’s defined as a refusal of obedience or order. Wikipedia goes on to say that a rebellion can encompass anything from non-violent resistance, to violent, or organized attempts at overthrowing some established authority.

History is full of examples of rebels who were responsible for this sort of rabble rousing.  It shows the various philosophies they lived, and how they transformed the status quo with new ways of thinking.

I’m sure you’ve heard of some of these historic “trouble makers”.  You may have heard Martin Luther King, Jr., who demonstrated that resistance was best served when done non-violently.  He was a part of many rebels who took part in this effort during the 1950′s and 1960′s.  This rebellion resulted in the dream being our reality today(although some may argue, not fully realized, but much closer).

Gandhi, who Martin King learned many of his tactics, was also someone who organized the people of India around a philosophy of civil disobedience, or Satyagraha – resistance to tyranny through non violence.  This non-violent movement was responsible for the British Empire reluctantly giving India their independence.

Now there’s a handful of systems that really affect the way we think and act in today’s world.  There are also certain things that make it hard sometimes to critically look at how these systems are affecting us, and make it hard for us to change things.

The Big “Systems” of Authority

Government, Religion, Work, Education, and Ourselves

I mean, there’s more I’m sure, but we’ll stop here for now.

We know government needs reform. The people who make the laws, sometimes seem to be the same people with all the money.  Not a good combination. And election after election, we are faced with what can seem like picking the better of two evils.  Soon after election, we wait with bated breath, hoping for the change promised, only to realize that whether good or ill is intended by our elected official, there is s complex web of bureaucracy and special interest that are clogging up the wheels of the democratic process.

A lot of folks I know aren’t satisfied with their religious life. It seems to promise a ton, but doesn’t actually deliver.  Many can’t quite articulate what exactly is wrong, but deep inside, they know something is missing.  Few alternative’s are visible, so we hobble along, dig our heels in, re-affirm optimistic slogans, and wish for the best.

All that is fine and good, but how has that been working for you?  Hope is different than a superficial optimism.  Hope is grounded in reality .  It recognizes and squarely faces the ugliness of the truth first, and then with that climate of honesty, looks forward on ways to creatively better the situation.

The J.O.B is sort of cool, tolerable at best for most, on a good day you think positive thoughts, but still dream about the weekend. You followed, or are following the script.  Go to school, do well, and go out there and snag a good job, marry, try to pay of those huge student loans, and the other mountain of debt you’ve begun to accumulate, have some babies, and live a life for a bit, and then…well it all works out right?

But are you happy with that? Far be it from me to ruffle the feathers of any bird who is completely ok with these aspects of their lives.  But for those who imagine more, read on.

Why don’t we do something about it? Why don’t we rebel?

It’s like the story about the dog that kept sitting down on a nail and howling? It hurt, and was uncomfortable, but for some reason, he didn’t actually get up, get out, and do something.

I think the hardest system to rebel from, is often our own selves. The habit of living in the half-truths becomes more bearable than facing the truth about certain things in our life.  We want to be better, and do better, but often times it seems like there’s something else inside of us, that keeps doing us in.  Before we can move forward, we have to get past lying to ourselves.

Why don’t you rebel against that job that doesn’t satisfy you?

Why don’t you rebel against those expecting you to remain ignorant to whats going on around you?

Why don’t you rebel against a half dead, or status quo religious life, that neither seems to change you, or even touch the systems of evil around it?

Why don’t you rebel against the façade of everything being ok, when you know good and well you want change…?

Why don’t you rebel?

I Find It Hard To Say – Lauryn Hill

Some Reasons We Don’t Rebel:

• Fear

• Tradition

• Apathy(Comfort or disinterest)

• Ignorance and a distracted aversion to self-education

I’ll dig into these some more in a day or two.  What else do you think holds you back from rebelling, and how has your experience helped you?  Anything you agree with or disagree with?