Coexist. This concept has always made a lot of sense to me.
I’ve heard sermons concerning the dangers
of such ideas, but I struggled to align myself with such viewpoints. Yes,
probably because I was already struggling with the actual existence of a one
true god, but even as a missionary, yes, you read that correctly, I struggled
to find the words I needed to condemn another’s faith. I had a hard time
wrapping my head around the concept of the absolute rightness of my religion and the absolute wrongness of yours. This viewpoint, no matter what religious label
you wear, brings strife and violence into situations, while most of us simple long for peace.
Recently, at the National Prayer Breakfast, (I will not even
touch the shady lines between church and state at this point) President Obama
caused quite a stir by speaking on religions in general as instruments of good,
but also of deplorable evils. (Notably, a small section of an otherwise very
Christian speech.) Those offended by these comments have gone off the deep end
to defend Christianity as nothing like
those other horrible religions that do harm. Seriously though, we can’t
honestly believe this, right? Are we so far removed from history that we’ve
forgotten the horrors caused in the name of Christ? This is not to point a judgmental
finger towards Christianity, all religions have followers who use their distorted
beliefs as justification for atrocities, but it is to point our focus towards
the broader picture. Denying Christianity’s evil side, as it were, seems only to
lead to the weakening of a Christian’s actual witness. Any and all religions
have one major ingredient in common…humans. And like anything else that humans
are even remotely involved in, there will be beautiful potential for good and a shocking
potential for evil.
Last week, I met a charming old man from Egypt. As I worked,
we talked and laughed about nothing in particular; from start to finish we
spent, perhaps, only ten minutes together. I’m quite sure we’ll never meet
again, but before he left, he reached up and grabbed my hand across the
counter. As he looked directly into my eyes, he said, “Thank you for being kind. I
don’t get that from many people.” Then he turned and walked away. The intense look in
his eyes is still with me. This
story is not to say that I did anything noteworthy, for I don’t think I did,
but it serves as a dramatic reminder to me: Kindness makes a difference. As the
Dalai Lama has said, “This is my simple religion. No need for temples. No need
for complicated philosophy. Your own mind, your own heart is the temple. Your
philosophy is simple kindness.” I will never know this man’s background, his
experiences, his religion, his views, but it seems that for a simple moment, I
touched his life in a way that I’ll never fully comprehend. At that moment,
there was no religion, there was only human interaction. Choices and the
intentions of the heart make moments beautiful or harmful—whatever label is
designated to the individual by society.
My parents are kind, compassionate, loving Christians, but
had we been born in India, there’s a good chance that they would be kind,
compassionate, loving Hindus, although I cannot know this for sure. My parents and others that I
know, give Christianity a good name. I also know several Muslims, Buddhists,
and Atheists who give their respective worldviews good names. Sadly, the
opposite can be said as well. Having worked in the dark side/politics of
Christianity as a minister, I’ve seen and experienced the ugly potential for
harm that lies within the Church walls. It is the individual and personal choices that make the difference.
As the President said in his speech, “…we are summoned to
push back against those who try to distort our religion—any religion—for their
own nihilistic ends. And here at home and around the world, we will
constantly reaffirm that fundamental freedom—freedom of religion—the right to
practice our faith how we choose, to change our faith if we choose, to practice
no faith at all if we choose, and to do so free of persecution and fear and
discrimination.” I have chosen a different path other than religion, but I do not think it beneficial to force you to walk the same path I have chosen. We must all have the freedom of our own journey, and we must be faithful to that freedom for others. The vast majority of all peoples desires peace; may this desire
bind us together as we focus on our commonalities and learn to better
coexist.
