Who are we (really)?

My May 3 column attracted vocal reaction. It surprised me that a column founded on spiritual, rather than religious or political, imperatives attracted attention. One correspondent challenged my basis for calling the finance minister's policies "thoughtful" or growth-conducive, forcing me to admit I'd none beyond my own gut reaction.

Considering notorious fiscal constraints, the tax breaks for debt transfers and on estates sounded to me like a good start. But I hadn't intended a Budget critique. The mention of Shaw's presentation was backdrop only for the spiritual analysis of Opposition responses from spokespersons apparently reluctant to accept that their time was up. Those disconnects from reality, like Driva's perception of Liguanea, were used as spiritual signposts to conclude that many of us don't know who we really are.

Some readers were confused. Who could Portia and Omar be but Portia and Omar? If, when you ask Portia who she really is, she answers, "Portia Simpson Miller," she's wrong. If she says something like: "I'm from and for the poor," she's wrong again. All of us - rich, poor, ugly, handsome, fat, thin, tall, short, important, inconsequential, bright, foolish, famous, infamous and unknown - come from the identical source. All are the same. I'm not writing about equality, a legal concept, but sameness, a spiritual notion. We're in this boat together not 'for' or 'against' anyone.

Penny section, be quiet!

Let's think it through together, using Portia as an example. And to PNP sycophants quick to take offence, don't waste valuable ink writing me abusive letters and emails. I don't care. They'll remain unread. This isn't about you. It's not even about Portia. I'm just using her name to make a point. Like the modern playwright wrote, "Wuk wid it!"

Portia Simpson is a name given to her by her parents. It cannot define her. Mrs Miller is a title she acquired by marriage. It defines her less.

"How gentle is the rain

that falls softly on the meadow.

Birds, high above the trees,

serenade the flowers with their melodies."

If ever you're in any doubt that neither name nor post defines Portia, the satirical performance of Denny Randell and Sandy Linzert's lyrics by one Mrs Miller (a 1960s Susan Boyle) will remove all doubt. As the world's best all-time author once wrote, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

One day, Portia met what was to become her life partner:

"See there beyond the hill

the bright colour of the rainbow.

Some magic from above

made this day for us

just to fall in love."

And so they did. Since that day, Portia and the PNP have been together:

"Now I belong to you

from this day until forever.

Just love me tenderly

and I'll give to you every part of me."

Is Portia the PNP president and former Jamaican prime minister? Is she Mrs Miller? Who is she really? Who are we? Where did we come from?

Even the most zealous religious tribalist concedes that we're all God's creation. The very Old Testament upon which they frequently rely to frighten us into blind obedience starts: "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth." So, before that, there was only God.

cut from the same cloth

It follows that everything and everybody comes from God. We're each a little piece of God (there was nothing else from which to make us) experiencing relativity in His world created for that purpose. We're each a different piece of sameness. 'Physical' features are illusions testing our vision. Recognising this leads to understanding the most important promise that, once we love God, we'll love our neighbours as ourselves because all are part of the same whole that was and is God. This fundamental spiritual truth is the foundation of the principle that nobody is indispensable. All are capable of filling any post. Many will.

Finally, 'death' is a door leading to whence we came and a rejoining with God. God created Heaven and Earth, not Hell (Genesis Chapters 1 and 2). We created Hell and used it (religiously) to control minds. It works because we believe. Many lacking spiritual vision see ugliness where others see beauty. That's Hell on Earth. Likewise, after passing through death's door, some might experience a beautiful, peaceful, white light. To others, that same phenomenon is a blinding irritant. That's Hell. After death, those who'd treasured tribal 'belonging' might discover the difficulty fulfilling that obsession haunting their eternal consciousness. That too is Hell.

Peace and love.

Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.