Righteous indignation does not solve anything

As I study the world's problems in the News and in history, I have found that righteous indignation has caused more problems, including anger, bitterness, death and destruction, than most other forces.

Why must righteous indignation ("My way or the highway"), either on the world stage or even on a local level, create enemies out of friendships. Why must one person's sense of right be stronger or more powerful than another person's moral direction. Or maybe better stated, why must I impose my moral values and direction upon another person's moral compass. ( I am not referring to compliance with existing secular law, since that is the embodiment of the society's moral compass at a given time.)

The concept of righteous indignation, as it is discussed herein, also takes into account a very important principle, that there generally must be at least two forces asserting their moral values as against eachother.

I experience this issue every day whether it is dealing with my children, who are still developing their morals and ethics, to friends and professional relationships where people seek to either move or direct my moral compass in a direction that I would not necessarily want it to go.

Righteous indignation suggests that if you do not agree with my moral position, then your way is wrong, improper, misguided and morally reprehensible. Even spiritual leaders, be it an extremist or a moderate, believe, in their heart of hearts that they have a moral imperative to assert their righteous indignation.

In my opinion, spiritual leaders should provide guidance and provide the pathways for hopefully, morally acceptable and G-d like morals and ethics. Thereafter, by example or by prodding, or by suggestion, the flock absorb the lesson and follow the path.

In my opinion, a spiritual leader should not, however, become a gabor or fighter who feels that every moral or ethical principle that that spiritual leader feels is a knock-down fight to the finish. Spiritual leaders of that ilk do not allow people to walk the pathway on their own. Rather, the path becomes a forced walk, which some find wholly unacceptable and others simple get off the path altogether.

Sometimes true moral leadership entails more than simply stating a position in a forceful and righteous way. Sometimes, moral leadership requires nuance, suggestion and logical reasoning.

Aggressive righteous indignation causes many people to become defensive, hurt and confused. Aggressive righteous indignation also causes many people to simply shut down and ignore the spiritual leader who acts in that fashion.

Instead, in my opinion, a true spiritual leader knows when to push, prod, suggest, and pull back .

Sometime when a spiritual leader lets go and allows the flock to analyze an issue without constant pressure to accept "my way or the highway", the message of the spiritual leader is heard and absorbed.

Let us hope that all spiritual leaders and their repective flocks in the world learn that righteous indignation without moderation creates more problems than it solves.

Shalom. Jeremy