Working it Out in Sunday School

Sometimes it's tough to sit through Sunday School. The lesson was on war, David and Goliath, and more war. The SS teacher said that the palestinians were evil. He referred to that a couple of times in the context of the old testament, however, it was difficult to sit through b/c I couldn't help but feel extremely frustrated that such talk perpetuates the hatred and intolerance that is happening right now on the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Nobody brought up current events or politics but it was just so sad to sit through that. I couldn't help but think of all those displaced people who feel that they have even more rights to the land because they never left! But both sides feel a kinship to the land so what really belongs to whom? I don't care who's right. I care that we learn to respect diversity, human life, and do anything and everything to avoid even the appearance of intolerance no matter what dispensation we're talking about.

The next class involved the RS President inviting me to pray to open the class. I did it but I was not in a prayerful mood. I should speak up when I am concerned about how comments may be interpreted, especially if it implies the "need" to take sides.