This episode begins by examining the rise of "vertical morality" that appears in both Christian communities and conservative politics and has given rise to a "war on empathy." Whereas Jesus famously preached love, mercy and care for the oppressed, vertical morality measures righteousness, not by goodness to others, but rather by something more simplistic and more divisive.

 

 

Vertical morality declares that human behaviors are right or wrong based upon what the higher power says. As proponents put it: "Our ethics and behaviors have a duty to please God alone. We must obey by furthering the will of God, no matter the cost to other people." In a religious context, the higher power is God, in politics, it can become an authoritarian leader. As this viewpoint desensitizes people, true believers can justify demonizing all immigrants as criminals, defaming gay and trans people as predators, and condemning political opponents as, not just wrong, but evil.

 

 

In direct contrast to vertical morality, Michael Meade proposes vertical imagination as a mostly lost quality of the human soul that would reconnect us to the heights of inspiration, but also keep us connected to the depths of genuine feeling. For the issue is not simply making a steady ascent on the ladder of morality. Rather, the point is for the soul to fully awaken to the process of ascent and descent that keeps Heaven and Earth connected, while it also connects us to the suffering souls of other people and to the all-embracing Soul of the World.

 

 

When oriented from the deep sense of self and soul within us, our choices can become truly meaningful and our experiences genuinely unifying, rather than be divisive and traumatizing. In extraordinary times the soul expects to find extraordinary and enlivening experiences, not some final salvation based upon the ladders of morality, but rather many little redemptions found in moments when Heaven and Earth, the eternal and the time bound meet in the wisdom of our waking souls and merciful hearts.

 

 

Thank you for listening to and supporting Living Myth. You can hear Michael Meade live by joining his free online events "The Heart Within the Heart" on October 30 and "Living with Awe, Joy and Gratitude" on November 20.

 

Register and learn more at mosaicvoices.org/events

 

You can support this podcast by becoming a member of Living Myth Premium. Members receive bonus episodes each month, access to the full archives of over 700 episodes and a 30% discount on all events, courses and book and audio titles.

 

Learn more and join this community of listeners at patreon.com/livingmyth

 

 

If you enjoy this podcast and find it meaningful, we appreciate you leaving a review wherever you listen and sharing it with your friends. On behalf of Michael Meade and the whole Mosaic staff, we wish you well and thank you for your support of our work.