Once upon a midnight dreary
while I pondered
weak and weary.
Is it any wonder that Edgar is known as a cynic?
While in college, a couple of roommates read some of my published poetry and commented that I was a bit of a cynic.
Cynic? Me?
Grabbing Webster, with all his wisdom, I read...
1) an advocate of the view that virture is the only good and that its essence lies in self-control and independence
2) one who believes that human conduct is motivated wholly by self-interest
Hmmmmm....
Number 1 definition could be complimentary. Number 2? This definition bothered me because I knew that my roommates were right... the poems were cycnical.
May God forgive me for my cycicism....
and hopefully, I have evolved....
Aesop, Dickens, George Bernard Shaw, Grouch Marx, Mark Twain, Shakespeare--all are known as cynics (humor aside) and what about the guy next door, your chemistry teacher, your dentist... you get the picture.
Wanting to know more about cynics and cynicism, I put Webster aside and googled...
This is what I found:
It's not pretty...
so hang in there..
*being distrustful of human sincerity or integrity
*not
trusting or respecting the goodness of other people and their actions
*showing
contempt for accepted standard of honesty and morality
*being skeptical of the
motives of others
*believing that people are generally selfish and dishonest
*normally accepting humanity as inherently evil
*showing no concern about
treating people fairly
*doubtful as to whether something will happen or whether
it is worthwhile.
....I know, not pretty...
Let's carry this a bit further...
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Synonyms include
...skeptical, doubtful, disbelieving, suspicious, pessimistic, negative,
world-weary, disillusioned, disenchanted, sardonic, contemptuous,
mocking....
And, then,
One antonym:
Idealistic.
Idealistic?
What kind of world
do we live in?
Think of recent
conversations with others.
Think of movies you
may have seen, songs you have heard, our jokes and what we think is funny.
Think of your own
attitude.
We are completely
frail and falling…
Cynicism is its own form
of broken-ness.
With the Spirit of
the living God in us,
how can we be cynical?
Both Old Testament
and New Testament explain…
A tad bit scary?
How do we feel when slandered?
We
withdraw,
we detach.
If really slandered,
we feel like scum,
unworthy,
unloved.
 What should we do? So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. For Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.... Again, from God's holy word--his love letter to us... Thank goodness we had the cynics...the gifted writers who presented the world to us in varying ways--giving us reason to ponder.
But if your cynicism is your broken-ness?
|
....ask and it shall be given...
seek and you shall find...
Dearest Heavenly Father, We are lacking in so many things. We are often unkind, unloving, unthinking in our responses and behavior toward others. Help us to be more like you in what we do, what we say, and how we reflect your unconditional love--always giving thanks for your gifts of grace and everylasting mercy.
Amen
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