Tainted and flawed Logic? or Celestial Wisdom?

I was on the phone with an old friend today... it became a heated but fun conversation when we came into a disagreement. We were kinda debating on certain key issues on human friendship, spirituality compared with politics.

As me and my friend are both hard headed "want to win" types, neither of us were willing to back down from our points of view... it was then I realised how stupid we must look if someone was sitting next to us listening/watching us repel each other with non-offensive but equally lethal verbal bullets. We had a really good laugh... but one thing he did say that got me thinking ... how in many ways most of us ( me very much inclusive ) think it that fashion.

He said to me, " If you are NOT supporting, then you MUST be against. If you DON'T attend a protest while being a member of that support group, then you must really NOT believe in that cause! If you are a Religious person and you don't attend the services of your Church, Mosque or Temple, then you really don't have faith since you do not render your support nor services...

On the surface, during the heat of debate, that line might sound scarcely logical. But on deeper analysis, I realised that truth or justice is never as black and white as we perceive it to be. Much of what we believe as truth or justice is pretty much a collective consent to a certain action or situation as agreeable, making it a largely GREY AREA. Take for example, the issue of "modesty". In some nations showing off one's abdomen and belly button is considered a huge outrage, whereas in others, if you have just enough material to make two large Oreo cookies to cover yourself you are OK by law ( although there might be still one or two googly eyes depending on the current state of the body.) But at the end of the day, does a well wrapped pilgrim lookalike person mean a more modest person? Does someone dressed like Lady Godiva racing naked on a horse , as a protest against taxes through Coventry town be considered immodest and improper?

So it seems to the general public in question, truth or justice is mainly based on perception and view of the socio-cutural background of the people we deal with... while thinking back about being told that just because I don't attend or join in a protest to save the Rain Forest would make me a false supporter of the cause or even a spy from an enemy cause... seems kind of illogical and childish. Furthermore, it a very extremist way of thought... It is like saying....

"Dame Edna and Osama B.L are the same person!!! I am Sure of it!!! I mean think about it!!! Have you EVER seen them in the same place at the same time? No? AHA! See? I AM right" from the line of logic I have proven Peter Parker IS Spider Man!! Woohoo for my superior logic!..NOT.

Then I began turning the tables back at myself... I looked back at the many conversations I have had with people in general... and realised I myself have been a huge contributor to this flawed and illogical way off thinking hahaha. Which reminds me of a story of myself awhile ago... I told a friend of mine while out of breath panting from running, "....... My Mom and I went to the hospital today, t...... " before I could finish there was a gasp of shock and dismay, to which I was queried, " OH MY GAWD! Is everything ok? Your mom ok? You ok?.." I said, " ...relax!!! There is nothing wrong with us both... if you would have let me finish, I was going to say... Mama and I went to the hospital today to welomethe birth of my Niece!!"

See how easily we assume a situation just by associating hospital+ people= illness? Thats why the Buddha even said in the Diamond Sutra....

"Things are not what the seem to be and NEITHER are they not!!"
- Gautama Buddha to disciple Subhuti in The Diamond Sutra

Hey... maybe me and Madonna are one and the same person!! Have you seen us at the same place at the same time? No?... there.... proven by my superior intellect and irrefutable logic... har har har... yeah right.