How do followers of Jesus relate to people of other religions? Unfortunately, not always well, or even politely. Too often, with distrust and even hostility.THis is one dimension of the Christian faith that has troubled me most of my adult life. The stories of "missionaries" and their anti-cultural activities in far fliung place on the planet, habe bothered me for a long time.I suppose the worst of these are the intrepid Americans who fly off into the Amazon rain forest to "convert" the natives. When some of them are killed, they are called martyrs. An alternative view is that they arrived and behaved without respect for their hosts, were ostracized, ultimately attacked an executed. Not dissimilar to the sort of treatment we might give to someone who arrives in our community and basically craps all over our culture and lifestyle. We might not murder, but we "throw them out" one way or another.
The Christian missionary movement has horrible chapters as well as stories of great heroism and compassion. We seem to live out the Christian call best when we arrive respectfully, and with real and legitimate assistance for the people. They can feel the care and love, and they can appreciate whatever message we share more readily. Whether they change to adopt our belief is largely irrelevant, if they begin to adopt our style of care in their own treatment of others.
Which brings me to my own faith regrding people of other religions. I suppose you might characterize it along the lines of the old Indiam story of the blind men and the elephant. Each blind man (or person, to maintain correctness) feels a part of the elephant, and declared that the elephant is a trunk, or a tail, or huge legs, or a wall. They can argue endlessly about the narture of "elephant-ness" so long as they do not share the experience of the others.
Christians, or followers of Jesus (I prefer that name), have experienced God, or ultimate reality, through the man Jesus, who seemed to completely express the compassion and love of the Other. So we understand God. And that's right. And others are different…and wrong.
Bhuddists encounter God, or the Other, via the actions and teachoings of Gautama, the Bhudda. And those teachings bring a way of life that is peaceful, fulfilling, and provides a way for dealing with the world and other human beings. So they understand God, the Other, the Divine. And that is right. And others are different…and wrong.
Muslims, the practicers of Islam (submission), have come to know Allah through the Book that Allah (God, the Other) apparently dictated to Mohammed. That Book provides them with an understanding of God, God's esires, and God's will for them. They are called to follow it and to treat others with compassion and mercy. And that is right. And others are different…and wrong.
Do you see where this is going? The same line can be written about the Hindu population, or the Ba'hai faith, or the Hebrew faith. The descriptions goes awry as soon as we move fromwhat we belive and understand as RIGHT, and others are DIFFERENT, to seeing that difference as WRONG.
Diversity seems to be God's way, which Christians usually ignore. We fasten onto the few times the gospels say, "go and make disciples of all…"and ignore the many times it is written that those who love know God and follow God's way (1 John 2:29, 3:14, 4:7, etc). We overlook the kind of people Jesus met and embraced: a Samaritan woman (outsider to his people ), a Roman centurion (enemy of his people), Greek men (strangers and outsiders to his people). And the Magi, Wise Men or Astrologers who supposedly came to kneel at his infant feet. They were Persian, sky-gazers, NewAgers of a sort. Weird to his people. Yet none were tuirned away, or condemned. The only change that was asked of them was a change of life style, from hostility to care and love.
To imagine that everyone whose faith is different from ours is our enemy because she/he worships a "false god," is to overlook the basic Christian and Jewish belief that there is but One God, over all. It seems unbelieveably arrogant for me to say that a God who is seen differently from the way I see it is an enemy. I believe the only "Mission" that Jesus would endorse is a mission that goes with love and care, period. If people are to learn of my faith, that's what I understand that they should be shown.
I realize tat such a view as I have expressed puts me well outside the walls erected by many Christian groupos as regards "mission". But there it is; me, on a Sunday.
No comments:
Post a Comment