Next meetings would be: Jan 17(Fed1&Fed2), Jan 31(Fed3), Feb 14(Fed4), Feb 28(Fed5). Every other Monday.
Location: New Garden Starbucks
Fed#1 link: https://guides.loc.gov/federalist-papers/text-1-10#s-lg-box-wrapper-25493264

Excerpt:
“It has been frequently remarked that it seems to have been reserved to the people of this country, by their conduct and example, to decide the important question, whether societies of men are really capable or not of establishing good government from reflection and choice, or whether they are forever destined to depend for their political constitutions on accident and force. If there be any truth in the remark, the crisis at which we are arrived may with propriety be regarded as the era in which that decision is to be made; and a wrong election of the part we shall act may, in this view, deserve to be considered as the general misfortune of mankind.”

Boy, what a great conversation. Soon as this was brought up, the idea of humility came to mind, so we really had to unpack what it meant to be an example, why we should be an example, and how humility plays into it. Pax used their holiday stories that’s on their hearts, we each had relatives that thought very differently on what America should be. Specifics will not be shared, but it can be said that there are some amongst us that sees American as an example to the world, but are blind to the problems America has caused, or the hypocrisy, virtue signaling that often plagues this country.

What’s even the benefit of seeing yourself as an example? Should America think herself as an example to the world? It is submitted that without that confidence to be an example, without that willingness to step up and say “I can lead”, we won’t have any impact in the community, America will not have any impact in the world. Our involvement would be restricted to learning and passive-following, but there would be no bold initiative, no leading into the scary unknown. Therefore the exemplary mindset is necessary for improving the community and world. Also by stepping out to lead, you are immediately graded based on what you profess and how you actually behave, and therefore another can compare/correct/rebuke/sharpen you. America has fallen short of her ideals in so many ways, but its because she thinks she’s an example to the world that she wrote Declaration of Independence, Constitution, etc, that later generations can compare her conduct with her ideals, and challenge her to do better, and as as result that exemplary mindset helped her. F3Greensboro credo says open to all men… well, are we??

Its agreed that one (an individual or America) should see one self as an example but IMMEDIATELY humility must follow. The first pitfall is pride, that I am the best and everyone else is inferior, or that anyone not following me is doomed for destruction. That often push people away, it alienate you in a “me vs you” mentality. America still can learn from others. Ex: if Europe has a better policy say food safety, why not try it?

In a particular circumstance, when religion and inflated sense of superiority are mixed, it can be quite damaging. It becomes as if God himself ordained you (or America) to correct the sins of the world. But we can help these people by contrasting what the religion actually say versus what they think it says, but of course we can only highlight the inconsistencies, it will have to be between their God and himself to work it out.